THE RETURNING PARTY'S EXPERIENCES. 487 



Hardly had they raised this when a squall of wind snapped 

 one of the tent-poles. They lashed and supported it as best they 

 could, but later on moved out to the crack, to a place that seemed 

 to be more sheltered. No sooner had they conveyed everything 

 thither than the wind began to blow there worse than ever, so 

 back they went to their first camping-place. While they were 

 re-pitching the tent a gust of wind from the north snapped the 

 other tent-pole, and, although the canvas was unusually strong, 

 made a large rent in it. 



To have their tent torn to pieces in a gale with the temperature 

 at thirteen below zero was hardly a pleasant experience for them. 

 As a rule, in such circumstances, the best thing to do is to 

 dig one's self a hole in a snowdrift, but it is a last resource, for the 

 snow clings so to one's clothing that it soon becomes icy, and one 

 cannot sleep out in that way for long, especially if the weather be 

 continuously bad as it was that year. 



They therefore chose the only wise course : decided to collect 

 their things, strike camp, and drive on as soon as possible to try 

 to reach Bjorneborg during the course of the night. The loads 

 were hurriedly lashed to the sledges, and they started off in the 

 gloom and darkness of the stormy night, first with the wind 

 abeam, afterwards abaft. The pace along the polished ice-foot was 

 tremendous, and scattered about on it, here and there, were stones 

 firmly frozen into the ice, causing them continual shocks ; for of 

 foothold by which they could steer there was none, and it was as 

 much as the dogs could do to keep ahead of the sledges at all. 

 How many times the sledges overturned I know not, but certainly 

 not a few. The teams too ran into one another, for it was 

 impossible to stop them in time. 



The dogs being so animated, it was hardly to be expected that 

 they should not fight, and fight they did, every now and then. 

 The result of this was that their traces became interlaced, and 

 some time was taken up in disentangling them. 



They arrived at Bjorneborg, however, about eleven o'clock, and 

 turned Bay out. The Commandant's residence did not offer much 

 accommodation for the three homeless men, but it was further 

 proof, if proof were needed, that where there is heart-room there is 



