FROM ICY CAPE BACK TO CIVILIZATION 379 



the sand-spit outside Candle, got a good meal with one of the 

 white men living there, and were in addition furnished with all 

 the particulars of the latest murder, an innkeeper who had 

 been shot in cold blood. After an hour's rest we were on the 



KEGERTAVROOK. 



trail again ; Candle was yet eight to ten miles distant, but the 

 trail was fine and we made splendid progress. 



Large horse sledges were drawing wood and coal up to the 

 town, some with four, others with six horses. Our dogs, 

 who were deeply interested in these strange-looking animals, 

 forgot their sore feet, forgot their chafed legs and their almost 

 empty stomachs, and, carried along by the excitement of the 

 men, they flew over the glare ice and the hard-beaten trail. 

 It was dark before we reached the river ; everywhere there 

 were lanterns, and men were working on the hillsides, pro- 

 specting and sinking holes through the frozen ground. The 

 whole hillside was full, a new " strike " had been made, and 

 people were digging to see whether they were " in it " or 

 not. When we neared the town more lights shone through 

 the darkness on either side of the river, and then our goal was 

 reached ; a turn of the river, and we were in the main street. 



There were crowds of people, or at any rate so it looked to 

 me, moving to and fro between the stores and the saloons, of 

 which there was one in almost every house ; from every window 

 lights were shining brightly, beautiful things were placed on 

 exhibition in the windows of the stores, but nothing appealed 

 to me so much as cigars and some nice clean under-garments. 



