ated. Chimo was always
first ashore, and instantly wheeled round to greet Eda, who was also
_always_ second, thanks to the strong and prompt arm of Francois, who
sat just in front, and by tacit agreement took her under his special
charge. As for Mrs Stanley, the arm that was rightfully her own, and
had been her shield in many a scene of danger, proved ever ready and
able to succour the "first volunteer" to Ungava.

At times the sea was quite free of ice, and many miles were soon added
to the space which separated the little band of adventurers from the
rest of the human world. Their encampments varied according to the
nature of the coast, being sometimes among pine-trees, or surrounded by
dwarf willows; at other times on the bare sand of the sea-shore; and
occasionally at the extremity of long-projecting capes and promontories,
where they had to pitch their tent and make their beds in the clefts of
the solid rock. But wherever they laid them down to rest--on the rock,
or on the sand, or within the shade of the forest--it was always found,
as Mrs Stanley remarked of the first night's encampment, that they were
extremely comfortable and eminently snug.

They were successful, too, in procuring an ample supply of fresh
provisions. There were ducks and geese of various kinds, and
innumerable quantities of plover, cormorants, gulls, and eider-ducks,
the eggs of which they found in thousands. Many of these birds were
good for food, and the eggs of most of them, especially those of the
eider-duck, were excellent. Reindeer were also met with; and, among
other trophies of his skill as a hunter, Frank one day brought in a
black bear, parts of which were eaten with great gusto by the Esquimaux
and Indians, to the immense disgust of Bryan, who expressed his belief
that the "haythens was barely fit to live," and were most justly locked
out from society in "thim dissolate polar raygeons." There were many
seals, also, in the sea, which put up their ugly, grotesque heads ever
and anon, gazed at the canoes with their huge, fishy eyes, as in
surprise at the sight of such novel marine monsters, and then sank
slowly beneath the wave. These animals were never molested, out of
respect to the feelings of the two Indians, who believed them to be
gods, and assured Stanley that the destruction of one would infallibly
bring down ill-luck and disaster on the heads of the party. Stanley
smiled inwardly at this, but gave orders that no sea