392 FURTHER EXPERIENCES OF DR. HAYES 



the rock-lichen, {tripe de roche), which our party called 'stone moss.' When 

 at its maximum growth, it is about an inch in diameter, and of the thickness 

 of a wafer. It is black externally, but when broken the interior appears 

 white. When boiled it makes a glutinous fluid, which is shghtly nutritious. 

 Although in some places it grows very abundantly, yet in our locality it, 

 like the game, was scarce. Most of the rocks had none upon them; and 

 there were very few from which we could collect as much as a quart. The 

 difficulty of gathering it was much augmented by its crispness, and the firm- 

 ness of its attachment. 



"For this plant, poor though it was, we were compelled to dig. The 

 rocks in every case were to be cleared from snow, and often our pains went 

 unrewarded. The first time this food was tried it seemed to answer well; it 

 at least filled the stomach, and thus kept off the horrid sensation of hunger 

 until we got to sleep. Beside the unpleasant effects, fragments of gravel, 

 which were mixed with the moss, tried our teeth. We picked the plants from 

 the rock with our knives, or a piece of hoop-iron; and we could not avoid 

 breaking off some particles of the stone. 



"The hut proved somewhat of a failure when the heavy snow came in 

 October. The morning of the 3rd there was a severe storm, and to our 

 sorrow the hut was half filled with snow, feathery streams of which came 

 pouring in through the cracks around the roof. These fine particles filled 

 the air, and made everything so damp that it was with much difficulty that 

 the fire was kindled. Leaving Godfrey engaged in this delicate operation, 

 I took the kettle, determined to get if possible some water from the lake. 

 The fuel which must otherwise be used for melting snow, might thus be 

 saved for roasting coffee, the want of which was greatly felt by all of us. 



"Clambering up through the hole in the roof, I turned to the right 

 around the base of a pile of rocks, and then beat up diagonally against the 

 gale. The drift was almost blinding, and my face grew so cold that I was 

 frequently forced to turn my back to the wind to recover breath and warmth. 

 It was with great difficulty that I picked a passage among the boulders and 

 drifts; but, growing warmer as the exercise heated my blood, I at length 

 came directly upon the lake. This was an unexpected piece of good fortune ; 

 for, as I had guessed my way, I could not have even hoped to come exactly 

 to the right spot. 



"Pieces of ice which lay scattered around the well, had formed a center 

 for the accumulation of a large drift ; and I was therefore compelled to dig 



