FIRST PASSING THROUGH HELLGATE 



265 



HEVOND MANS KOOTSTEP.S 



anchor or do some other job. He was also a glutton of the first 

 water for work, but we were all persuaded that he would end by 

 slaying us, ui which case I have not the slightest doubt he would 

 have said to me as we were being ferried across the Styx, " I)y 

 good, Mr. Preechard, I 

 am sorry, the old launch 

 she bust up ! " From look- 

 ing on the launch, as he 

 did at first, with consider- 

 able awe and respect, 

 familiaritv with her bred 

 contempt, and all her parts 

 lost their novelty to him, 

 save the whistle. When 

 he blew that his face 

 would betoken the in- 

 tensest satisfaction. In many ways the placid Swede caused us 

 much amusement. 



One of the most singular things to be observed during that 

 day was the absence of life in the forest which bordered the shore. 

 It was strange to sail along under the vast masses of vegetation 

 and rarely to see or hear any sign of life. On March i 2 we con- 

 tinued our advance, and finding that the Fjord here split up into 

 three or four channels, we chose the most westward of them. ( )ur 

 progress was very slow owing to the west wind having packed the 

 ice. In the evening we made our camp among some dead trees 

 upon the margin of the water, and I wandered off into the thickets, 

 where I saw a Cordillera wolf I picked up a stone and threw it 

 at him, but this had no effect until I hit him with a small twig, 

 which made him growl. iMnalK" he took refuge in a bush. 



It was while at this camp that we cut ft)r the first time some 

 Leiia dzira as firing for the launch. It pruxcd l)ctter than califate 

 and gave at least three times the amount of heat to be hatl from 

 ;'^M^-wood. Afterwards, whenever possible, we burned no other 

 fuel than LiTia dura. 



The following is Iroin in\- diarv : 



"'March 21. During this trip we have had a collaj)sible 



