I902] VINCE'S TERRIBLE END 179 



yelping dog flew past them, clawing madly at the icy slope, and 

 disappeared for ever into the gloom beyond. 



Movement of any sort seemed impossible in this whirling 

 storm, and they sat for long huddled together, forlornly hoping 

 for some respite from the blinding drift. At last, chilled to the 

 bone, they felt that whatever happened they must be again on 

 the move, and in a dazed fashion they gathered themselves 

 together and slowly moved along the cliff to the right ; they 

 found that it gradually fell, and then suddenly they caught a 

 glimpse of the sea at their feet, and for the first time realised 

 that it was from this they had been saved by the patch of snow 

 almost on the cornice of the cliff. 



In a short break in the storm they now saw Castle Rock 

 towering over their heads, and close ahead of them a rocky 

 ridge which ran from its foot. Slowly and painfully they made 

 their way up the stony incline until they stood beneath the high 

 rock cliffs, and here again they crouched together, seeking what 

 shelter they could behind a huge boulder, and thus they must 

 have remained for some hours. 



Meanwhile the party which had been left at the head of the 

 slope, in obedience to orders, waited long for their absent 

 leader, shouting again and again in the lulls of the whirling 

 storm. At length they felt that something must be amiss, and 

 that it was hopeless and dangerous to remain where they were. 

 As usual on such occasions, the leading spirit came to the 

 front, and the five who now remained submitted themselves to 

 the guidance of Wild and followed him in single file as he 

 again struck out for the direction in which they supposed the 

 ship to lie. As they proceeded they found the slope growing 

 steeper and the difificulty of foothold increased, especially for 

 Vince, who was wearing fur boots, but they never doubted they 

 would soon come to the bottom and find themselves in one of 

 the valleys which would guide them to our winter quarters. In 

 this manner they must have proceeded for about 500 yards, 

 when their leader suddenly saw the precipice beneath his feet, 

 and far below, through the wreathing snow, the sea. Another 

 step would have taken him over the edge ; he sprang back with 



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