374 Readiness for Another Sledge Journey. (March. i8«9. 



Hall was in high spirits when, on the 22d of the month, he ad- 

 vanced a load of provisions to North Pole Lake, and he would have 

 started out on that day with his full stores and his ammunition and 

 weapons to meet even the Neitchille tribes, had not a severe gale set 

 in. The delay of one day was a trial. 



Boon be shelterless in this most pitiless storm unless we could devise some way to stay the swift 

 destruction. Papa Tetva and I, in our full winter rig, ventured out with a desperate detormina- 

 tion, sought our Avay here and there ahout the building, and threw np banks of snow against snch 

 walls as had been entirely worn tlirough, or were nearly so; at one exposed place of onr castle Ave 

 fastened a large deer skin across the hole by pegs driven into the walls. But for the moonlight, 

 though dim, it would have been a doubtful case as to our staying the ravages of the sand-like 

 drift. The whole dome was destroyed at night, but it was not of Uie hardest compact snow. 

 When it was rebuilt it was again lined with seal and walrns skins, which when first brought 

 into the hut were stiiF with ice, but after hanging within for an hour coramonced dripping. 

 The ice Avas then pounded from them. 



Ebierbing, with some of his friends, came in on the next evening after traveling all day 

 under the continuance of this storm; the drift so thick that at times, the dogs Avcre completely 

 hidden from the driver's sight. On asking Avhat made him Acnture out, he answered, "Because 

 we are so hungry." The Innuits out on the ice of the bay for sealing (numbering one Imndred 

 and ten persons) are allsuflering; Joe brought to our ^gloo a drug of Ook-gook oil & blubber, 

 (m getting Avhich from a cache, they found that the Polar Bears had eaten up the meat. 



Under rencAved necessities forced upon us, Joe Ansited a Fox-trap a mile and a half from 

 lAvillik and found two prize swithiu. The stone trap was of a peculiar kind. Built up of a 

 semi-globular shape, about four feet in diameter & four feet in height, it had a hole near the toj) 

 large enough only for a fox to squeeze himself in. The animal on scenting the meat jumps doAvn 

 to the bottom, as, at times, ten or more of them are found to have done. Once in, there is no 

 getting out. 



