132 DESCENT OF A HILL. 



were seized and held by Yaneenga, who with the 

 others had arrived there. 



Martin and I were now in a condition of perplexity. 

 The snow reached to our hips ; it was therefore useless 

 to attempt carrying the burden down the hillj we 

 tried to roll it, but raised a continually increasing 

 mass before, and kissed the snow ourselves. One of 

 us now, embracing the case affectionately, endeavoured 

 to roll down with it, but soon desisted, half choked, 

 and a new experiment was essayed, by riding double 

 on my sledge ; but as we rolled off alternately, this 

 scheme also was abandoned. We did that at last 

 which reason would at first have suggested; the 

 pemmican was added to my load, and poor Martin 

 had to trudge down the hill by slow and laborious 

 steps. 



Mooldooyah had now another long task, two of the 

 sledges being much injured. The repairs being con- 

 cluded, we moved on again, though without knowing 

 any more of our position than before. 



The snowfall decreased slightly towards evening, 

 and this trifling improvement favoured an illusion, 

 whose dissipation was a cruel disappointment to us in 

 our jaded and dispirited state. We were, uncon- 

 sciously, again approaching the sea, and suddenly 

 hailed with transports of delight what we took to be 



