LEIGH SMITH AT CAPE FLORA 73 



flour and about three hundredweight of bread were 

 saved from the main hold ; and when nothing more 

 could be got from the lower deck the stores in the 

 after cabin were attacked, and within the two hours 

 from the discovery of the leak to the disappearance of 

 the ship, all these provisions and the boats and clothes 

 were safe on the ice ; and the sails were cut away, and 

 with them and some oars a tent was erected in which 

 all the company, twenty-five in number, took shelter. 



A move was made next day to the land. On Cape 

 Flora a house was built mainly of earth and stones, 

 covered with sails, in which the winter was passed. 

 Fortunately the district abounds with bears and wal- 

 ruses, and the meat from these, boiled with vegetables, 

 and served out three times a day into twenty-five 

 plates made out of old provision tins, proved the right 

 sort of fare to keep every one in excellent health. 

 Thanks in a great measure to Bob, the retriever, the 

 larder was kept full ; but there being a shortness of 

 coal, recourse for fuel had to be made to rope and 

 blubber, so that no one could mistake the time when the 

 cooking was on. In fact, the odour and the smoke were 

 of great interest to the bears, who lingered about in- 

 tending to pay surprise visits, and the dog had always 

 to be sent in front of those leaving the house. One 

 day when out on his own account, Bob discovered a 

 school of walruses on the ice and reported the matter 

 in his own fashion, whereupon several of these were 

 shot, and after an exciting chase five were secured. In 

 January he found another school, of which three were 

 bagged and stowed alongside the house, although the 

 thermometer stood at forty below zero. On another 



