ed Huskimos, 'll dance round this
here pole wi' delight till they're fit to dhrop. Och! but salvages is a
quare lot; an', Bryan, yer a cliver boy to come this far all the way to
see thim."

With this self-complimentary conclusion, Bryan resumed his place at the
paddle, and the party returned to the camp.

Here they found things in a most satisfactory state. Frank and his
party had returned, and the deer, now cut up into joints and steaks, was
impaled on a number of stakes of wood, and stuck up to roast round a
large and cheering fire. The savoury steam from these, with the
refreshing odour of the tea-kettle, produced a delectable sensation in
the nostrils of the hungry explorers. Stanley's tent was erected with
its back towards the mountains and its open door towards the fire, which
lighted up its snug interior, and revealed Mrs Stanley and Edith
immersed in culinary operations, and Chimo watching them with a look of
deep, grave sagacity--his ears very erect, and his head a good deal
inclined to one side, as if that position favoured the peculiar train of
his cogitations. La Roche was performing feats of agility round the
fire, that led one to believe he must be at least half a salamander. At
a respectful distance from Stanley's tent, but within the influence of
the fire, the men were employed in pitching, for the first time, the
large skin tent which was to be their residence until they should build
a house for themselves; and on a log, within dangerous proximity to the
mercurial La Roche, sat Frank Morton, busily employed in entering in his
journal the various events of the day.

There was much talk and loud laughter round the fire that night, for the
different parties had much to tell and much to hear regarding the
discoveries that had been made, and discussions as to the prospects of
the expedition were earnest and long. It was generally admitted that
first appearances were, upon the whole, favourable, although it could
not be denied that the place looked dreadfully barren and rugged. Under
the happy influence of this impression, and the happier influence of the
savoury steaks on which they had supped, the entire party lay down to
rest, and slept so profoundly that there was neither sound nor motion to
indicate the presence of human beings in the vast solitudes of Ungava,
save the fitful flame of the fire as it rose and fell, casting a lurid
light on the base of the rugged mountains, and a sharp reflection