180 NEW LAND. 



barlatus). Unluckily, however, this miserable ice had put an end 

 to any attempt at shooting. 



Our chief occupation during these days was jumping, and by 

 the end of them I had become so proficient that I would have 

 undertaken to jump against anybody. We jumped almost un- 

 interruptedly the whole day long, and when the channels were 

 too broad to be jumped we waded them. If the bottom was not 

 to be reached and this often happened we had to go round. 



The loads were overturned several times. One day as we were 

 driving along I heard a crash, and saw Bay disappearing through 

 the ice to the bottom of a pool, but he is not the man to make 

 a fuss about a trifle, and he remained quietly floating, with the 

 water up to his armpits. I was more concerned about the load, 

 which was just about to follow his example, and would certainly 

 not stand a ducking so well. It must be saved first, so I shouted : 

 ' Let go the load. I'll see to it ! ' ' Yes, but then I shall sink/ 

 answered Bay. ' All right,' said I. ' You'll float up again soon 

 enough.' ' Very well,' replied Bay ; and let go. Fortune favours 

 the brave; the ice held, and he was able to scramble up again 

 without help. 



There was something amphibious about Bay something of the 

 wader nature. When he was about to cross a pool, he had a habit 

 of first sitting on the edge and dangling his legs, so as to thoroughly 

 enjoy the cold water. Then, when he had sat like this for a little 

 while, he would get down and wade cautiously through it with 

 short steps ; and he was never more in his element than when the 

 water was running in and out of his waistcoat pockets. In fact, 

 he was like a salt-bag on these summer journeys always damp. 

 True, he hung out his clothes to dry, just as we did, but it was 

 chiefly for appearances, and the first thing he did when he emerged 

 from the bag again was to wet them anew. 



My dogs were footsore when we started on this trip, so I had 

 been obliged to drive the mate's team. One of them was known 

 as the ' Tiger,' and was the worst-tempered dog on board. He 

 was invariably to the fore where any mischief was concerned, and 

 a more decidedly criminal type it would be difficult to imagine. 

 He stole from his companions ; he stole from the loads ; he made 



