OF THE POLAR SEA. 



13 



the most delicate amongst us to be excel- 

 lent. A few willows, whose tops were seen 

 peeping through the snow in the bottom of 

 the valley, were quickly grubbed, the tents 

 pitched, and supper cooked, and devoured 

 with avidity. This was the sixth day since 

 we had had a good meal ; the tripe de roche, 

 even where we got enough, only serving to 

 allay the pangs of hunger for a short time. 

 After supper, two of the hunters went in 

 pursuit of the herd, but could not get near 

 them. I do not think that we witnessed 

 through the course of our journey a more 

 striking proof of the wise dispensation of 

 the Almighty, and of the weakness of our 

 own judgment than on this day. We had 

 considered the dense fog which prevailed 

 throughout the morning, as almost the 

 greatest inconvenience that could have be- 

 fallen us, since it rendered the air extremely 

 cold, and prevented us from distinguishing 

 any distant object towards which our course 

 could be directed. Yet this very darkness 

 enabled the party to get to the top of the 

 hill, which bounded the valley wherein the 



