OF THE POLAR SEA. 323 



pull down the partitions of the adjoining houses. 

 Though these were only distant about twenty 

 yards, yet the increase of labour in carrying the 

 wood fatigued him so much, that by the evening 

 he was exhausted. On the next day his weak- 

 ness was such, especially in the arms, of which 

 he chiefly complained, that he with difficulty 

 lifted the hatchet : still he persevered, Samandr^ 

 and I assisting him in bringing in the wood, but 

 our united strength could only collect sufficient to 

 replenish the fire four times in the course of the 

 day. As the insides of our mouths had become 

 sore from eating the bone- soup, we relinquished 

 the use of it, and now boiled our skin, which 

 mode of dressing we found more palatable than 

 frying it, as we had hitherto done. 



On the 29th, Peltier felt his pains more severe, 

 and could only cut a few pieces of wood. Sa- 

 mandre, who was still almost as weak, relieved 

 him a little time, and I assisted them in carrying 

 in the wood. We endeavoured to pick 



tripe de roche, but m vam, 



it was entirely 



frozen. In turning up the snow, in searching for 

 bones, I found several pieces of bark, which 

 proved a valuable acquisition, as we were almost 

 destitute of dry wood proper for kindling the fire. 

 We saw a herd of rein-deer sporting on the 

 river, about half a mile from the house ; they 



