Part 10 (1/2)
We could, however, see no signs of dwellings, though we discovered sos On approachinga nus in front of a snow-hut which rose just above the ground
On seeing our canine friends they rushed forward, barking a welcoh I am not certain how they would have treated us had not our Esquiuides driven them off Directly afterwards a number of hbourhood, and appeared to be enquiring ere and what had brought us to their settlement
The replies seean forthwith to rub noses with us and then led us up to their dwellings
We tried to make them understand that it was our object to proceed further south, where we couldfellows, however, did not, as far as we could ave us to understand that elcouides having delivered us over to their friends, i northward This made us believe that they expected the ice would soon break up, and that the object of their journey was to secure summer quarters, when the rest would rejoin them in their kayaks
Our new friends at once set to work to build for us an igloo, or hut of ice, each block being about six inches in thickness, and a couple of feet in length, cemented by snow The do a large square slab Our dwelling was about sixteen feet in diae of about twenty feet, of sufficient height to allow a person to creep in on his knees, having a saged in building our hut, two others set off into the interior, and soon returned with a large piece of fresh-water transparent ice which was placed over the door to serve as a
The whole was completed within an hour, and a very comfortable abode it hen lined with skins of bears and deer We judged fro te
After we had been settled in our abode, our hosts invited us to coer dins theyto offend theladly have remained away
The hut was crowded, and we could barely find sitting-rooe mass of ht, was placed in the centre, when our friends, seating the strips of blubber, and applied the ends to their mouths
It onderful to see the enor off with their knives the portion they were unable to engulf between their teeth With sry as ere, it was so ourselves to put the horriblethat ere not likely to get any other sort of food, we at lengthas much astonished at the se quantities of the oleaginous food theya few pieces, we overcaet down a tolerable , when each took a draught of so over the lamp in the centre of the hut It was offered to us, but we preferred some plain water which had been produced fro that we declined to take any ns that they intended to go to sleep, by stripping off their outer gar themselves on the skin-covered couches which surrounded the hut We gladly took the hint, and retired to our own abode, which, although very e in being free fro the other When our door was closed our laht the temperature up to a comfortable war enjoyed
The next day we tried to induce our hosts to accons, but had evidently o They were very friendly, however, and allowed us toto become a burden to them, determined if possible to kill a bear, or a deer, or walrus should we fail to find any of the for our packs behind us to show that we intended to return
As the country to the southward appeared less rugged than that to the north, we proceeded in the former direction, but found after a short tiress, so we descended to the ice, intending to strike inland should we observe no more practicable country We had not proceeded far, however, before a heavy snow-storm came on, which not only obliterated our tracks, but shut out even the land froht
”We shall be wise to turn back,” observed Ewen, ”for if we don't we reed with him, and we at once deter that we had the land on our left side The ice was tolerably level We fancied that we had gone far enough to reach the Esquih we listened attentively, we could not hear the voices of the inhabitants We had scarcely taken note of time, and , so dark We hurried on, every now and then uttering a shout in the expectation of hearing a reply No reply ca conclusion that we should have to spend the night on the barren shore To reach it we turned to the left, but after going on some distance, we still failed to see the cliffs
”We o no further,” exclaimed Ewen ”It would be better to build a hut than to wander about and at last perish with cold”
I agreed with hih without any instruments save the butts of our rifles, froes, we commenced operations As there was by this ti a hut of sufficient size to hold us both, either lying down or sitting up It would at all events prevent us being frozen to death; though there was the risk, should the snow continue to fall, that we reed that one of us should sit up and keep open a hole by thrusting through it the barrel of a rifle
After I had hadto keep awake I every now and then seized h the hole, when I was startled by hearing a creature scratching away at the entrance of our hut That it was a bear I had no doubt, and should the aniht seize one or both of us, as, lying doith our weapons unloaded, we should be completely at its mercy
I roused up Ewen and advised him to reload his rifle while I did the same, and I hoped that we should have time to shoot the intruder, before he could seize us We were, however, coht of our assailant directly it had torn away the front of the hut
”Perhaps if we shout we reed with hiether raised our voices, but scarcely had we done so than they were replied to by a loud bark, while the scratching was continued with increased vehe!” cried Ewen
”And I know the voice,” I said; ”it is that of Bruno, our own Saint Bernard”
I called his nanition
No sooner had we arrived at this conclusion than, seconding the efforts of the dog, we soon an licking our faces and uttering barks to show his delight
”He must have scented us out in spite of the snow, and followed us here,” I exclaimed ”Can our shi+pmates be near?”