322 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



Towards evening we saw a vast extent of rough ice, 

 so we determined to camp for the night, and wait for 

 the morning light. Our Eskimo guide soon cut 

 out a number of snow blocks, and with these we 

 made a snow house, but by the time we had boiled 

 our kettle and were able to partake of our meal it 

 was 10 p.m. Then, after committing ourselves to 

 God's care, we crept into our fur bags and slept 

 through the night." 



" Tuesday, March 19. We drove on for some 

 distance and then came to a complete standstill. 

 Masses of ice of various sizes and shapes blocked 

 our way. Furious gales had smashed and welded 

 together these ice blocks in a surprising manner. 

 There was nothing to be done but make a road. 

 Armed with an ice chisel our Eskimo broke up or 

 loosened the blocks which Mr Esslemont threw on 

 one side. I remained behind in order to keep the 

 dogs in order, and watch their movements a very 

 necessary task indeed, as our canine friends are 

 apt to eat their seal line traces when left to their 

 own sweet devices. One of our dogs actually 

 managed to eat the greater part of one of our whips, 

 and it is hard to say what they would leave intact, 

 if not continually watched. After about an hour's 

 work we were able to move on cautiously, and after 

 a time we came to an expanse of fairly good ice. 

 But another barrier came before long. While 

 struggling through this, sad to say, Mr. Esslemont's 



