LOST IN A SNOW-STORM. 



159 



power about her that more and more astonished me. I felt de- 

 lighted beyond measure, because of the opportunity it gave me 

 for becoming better acquainted with these people through her 

 means, and I hoped to improve it toward the furtherance of the 

 great object I had in view. 



After a stay of some duration she went on shore, and the fol- 

 lowing day I visited her and her husband at their tent. She was 

 then in native costume, and it seemed to me that this suited her 

 even better than the other. 



Some short time after this, I made an excursion by myself to 

 the island on which was situated the Esquimaux "North Star" 

 village. 



The day became stormy after I had landed in one of the native 

 boats, but I continued my walk, accompanied by the dogs, to a 

 part of the island I wished to visit. On arriving there, I found a 

 sort of natural causeway, formed of stones, leading to a smaller 

 islet, and, crossing it, I continued examining the locality for some 

 time. At length the snow-storm increased so much as to compel 

 my return, and I made my way back to the south side of the 

 main island. 



But now I could hardly see my way. The snow came down 

 so thick that I was fain to take shelter under the lee of some 

 rocks near me, and, while there, I examined my compass to as- 

 certain if I was going right. To my astonishment, I found the 

 course I had pursued was exactly the reverse of the right one. I 

 looked again and again, and yet the needle pointed exactly oppo- 

 site to what I had expected. What was I to do ? retrace my 

 steps ? For a moment I hesitated ; but at length moving on, I 

 was about walking back as I had come, when, on looking at the 

 compass again, I found it just the opposite of what it was before ! 

 Strange, thought I. Surely there must be local attraction in the 

 rocks where I took shelter. But still it made me anxious, espe- 

 cially as the weather was becoming worse. Indeed, I felt it very 

 possible I might be lost in the storm, and perhaps have to wander 

 about all the coming night, or be frozen to death by remaining 

 stationary, should the compass play me another trick ; but at last, 

 thanks to my faithful dogs, they actually guided me straight to 

 the village, where I arrived without any mishap. 



The one I entered was Ebierbing's. He himself had gone out, 

 but Tookoolito welcomed me as usual, soon entering into lively 

 and instructive conversation. Two native boys were there at the 



