108 My Dogs in the Northland 



the best. As I was very anxious about the 

 welfare of my Indian comrade, and resolved 

 to keep him from falling into that strange 

 langour that precedes death by freezing, I 

 frequently shouted out to him to keep 

 awake. Oh how weary and unpleasant 

 seemed the hours as they slowly followed 

 each other, each succeeding one appearing 

 to bring us no nearer to rescue or deliver- 

 ance! 



From about midday this trial of endur- 

 ance had continued. Now to add to our 

 wretchedness, the darkness of night began 

 to surround us. This not only increased 

 our discomfort, but added very much to our 

 danger. It was bad enough when we could 

 see, even if our vision was very much limited 

 by the storm, that swirled and eddied 

 around us, but now to be shrouded in the 

 dense darkness, out on a great lake, nearly 

 three hundred miles long and from forty to 

 seventy wide in this part, where the storm 

 struck us, was indeed no enviable position 

 to occupy. But we did not lose hope. 

 There were several things in our favour. 

 Our dogs under the marvellous leadership 

 of Jack, seemed to have caught his enthu- 

 siastic, indomitable spirit, and so, hour 



