A DYING PEOPLE. 211 



shook. It seemed as if the weather knew pretty well where the 

 tent-door was, for it blew straight at it ; and the snow was in such 

 drift, that the space between the inner and the outer tent, near 

 the door, was soon filled. 



This would never do and, as the : gale still raged, there was 

 nothing for it, towards morning, but to get up and turn the tent 

 so that the door was to leeward. We took the opportunity to see 

 how the dogs were getting on, and some of them had to be moved 

 to prevent them from being snowed down. 



We stayed where we were the succeeding day. With such 

 bad going, and the gale right in our teeth, we should not anyhow 

 get very far. We had snow and wind the whole of that day, and 

 the night as well, but with morning the gale went down, and we 

 set off. By this time the wind had gone round to the south-west, 

 and the drift was not so great, so that now and then we could see 

 our way. 



We forged ahead as fast as we could go. The snow grew 

 better and better the farther south we went, and when the dogs 

 winded some new bear-tracks, they set off as if possessed. When 

 we were turning in towards land at Sknellingodden, where we 

 meant to camp, and they understood we were making for shore, 

 they dashed across the pressure-ridges, over the crack and on to 

 the ice-foot, as if they meant to make an end both of us and the 

 sledges, and did not stop before they were high up on the talus 

 a flight which rather took it out of the German silver. 



By the time the tent was pitched, the wind had gone down a 

 little, and the weather was so far reasonable, that we could go off 

 in search of ruins. We thought this point was so conveniently 

 situated, that if there were Eskimo ruins to be found anywhere 

 about, they must be here. Nor were we disappointed. Not many 

 steps from the camp we came on the remains of one construction 

 after another of tent-rings, store-houses, and traps, which plainly 

 showed that these countries also had once been inhabited. 



It is curious what great distances these people have spread 

 themselves over in these inhospitable countries, where the night is 

 of several months' duration, and the climatic conditions such that 

 one would think all life must cease. What has become of them ? 



