260 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 
would stand, I judged, in spite of the tide, long enough 
for my purpose. This was just five hundred paces from 
the start. 
Then I pegged away to another point eleven hundred 
paces off and did the same thing. 
The whole distance was not very great, but when | 
turned to go back the tent looked a great way off, in the 
knowledge of the mud I had to re-cross. 
Relieved of my load, I went more quickly, but also 
with less care. And twice I was caught in a sort of mud 
quicksand, and got out by a narrow squeak, my feet 
being sucked back with each attempt to extricate them. 
Then the rhyme ran quicker than ever, ‘ De blind hoss 
stickin’ in a big (suck) mud (plunge) hole—(suck again, 
and at last) Doodah, doodah,—dey!’ I was out. I 
laughed as I thought what a very blind hoss, not to say 
an idiot, any one would think me who could have seen 
me then. It was a poor business, but I got back all 
right, and after proudly surveying my handiwork went 
to bed. 
I was up again at five o'clock this morning, and went 
to the hut to see how Hyland fared. He was sleeping 
heavily, and I left him so. The day did not look very 
inviting, with a thick white fog and north-east wind ; so 
I went to sleep again. 
I paid Hyland several visits during the morning, but 
always he was the same, scarcely able to move, and com- 
plaining bitterly of acute pains across the loins. 
