CROSSING THE NELSON 



labor this was accomplished, the boat hauled through, 

 reloaded, and again pushed out into the flowing pack, which 

 carried us, in spite of all our endeavors, far down toward the 

 mouth of the river. 



At length we had succeeded in getting within thirty feet 

 of the solid south-shore ice, but even then, when the shore 

 seemed almost within reach, we were nipped in the floe and 

 again carried helplessly downward, until it seemed as if, 

 after all, we were going to be carried out to sea. , 



We used every effort to free the boat, but all to no avail. 

 At last, however, civil war among the floes caused a split and 

 brought deliverance. A few rapid strokes and our old craft 

 bumped against the solid ice. 



The bowman, Frangois, quick as a flash, sprang out with 

 the end of the tow-line, while the rushing ice again caught 

 the boat and bore it downward. Frangois held on to the 

 tow-line with all his might, but the tug-of-war was going 

 against him; he yielded, fell, and for a short distance was 

 dragged over the broken hummocks of ice; but bracing his 

 feet against one of these, he formed himself into a veritable 

 ice-anchor, and with herculean strength held us fast until 

 others sprang out to his assistance. 



All hands quickly disembarked, but as there was still 

 between us and the shore a full mile of rough ice, liable to 

 break adrift at any moment, no time was lost in exultation. 

 The boat was unloaded, hauled up, and the tramp commenced 

 for the \ shore. After much exertion we reached land, and 

 every man felt a thrill of exultation that the Nelson was at 

 last to the north of us. 



We were all much chilled from exposure, so a fire was 

 made in the edge of the woods. Spruce boughs were strewn 

 about it to keep our feet from the snow, and the cheerful 

 warmth was most gratefully enjoyed. 



A little of the pounded dried-fish still remaining was 

 fried on a pan with seal oil, the combination forming a dish 



217 



