164 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



about twelve o'clock, M. We started in the di- 

 rection of the huts, and traveled on as fast as 

 we could, though at the best very slow. The 

 snow was deep, and hard to travel. 



All the mental and physical energy which we 

 possessed was called into requisition to aid us 

 in reaching a resting place before night. It was 

 our last exertion. It was indeed a merciful prov- 

 idence that we happened to meet our friends and 

 the natives, otherwise, beyond a reasonable doubt, 

 we should have perished ; but meeting them, 

 however, we received great encouragement to 

 our minds, and, furthermore, knew for a certainty 

 the direction and about the distance of the huts. 

 Without such a stimulus as this, and just the 

 one we needed, — for our lives were suspended 

 upon it, — our last resting place on earth would 

 have been made amid the drifting snows of the 

 arctic. 



With severe labor and painful exertion, we 

 finally reached the settlement just at night. Be- 

 fore we saw the huts, which were concealed from 

 our view by banks of snow, we were heralded by 

 the barking of the dogs. We knew, therefore, 

 that we were near the abode of human beings. 

 The sound fell on our ears ten thousand times 



i 



more sweetly than the music of an iEolian harp. 

 But we hardly knew how we were carried 



