240 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



at times there seemed to be a ' hugging' of the sledge-shoes to the 

 snow that made the draught very heavy. We had some earnest 

 work to do to keep ourselves from freezing. Every now and 



then we took turns in jumping off and running. Captain B 



had unfortunately ventured out with a pair of civilization boots, 

 having found his native ones too small. On the return passage 

 he got Johnston to pull off one of his boots, as he found one foot 

 freezing. This simple, quick act of pulling off the captain's boot 

 (with unmittened hand) gave Johnston a pile of frozen fingers. 

 Half a dozen times Johnston's nose was frozen, and as often I 

 rubbed it into order. I took the precaution of keeping myself in 

 active exercise by running along beside the sledge for more than 

 half of the way home. The thermometer was down to 59° below 

 the freezing point, with a fresh wind from the northwest. Thus 

 we had severe battling to do to keep from becoming subjects of 

 King Cold. 



" Every now and then I threw myself flat on the sledge, there 

 keeping myself well to the leeward of Captain B and the ex- 

 cellent dog-driver Charley. I then, with face upturned, could see 

 the workings of the Almighty in the heavens above. The aurora 

 was spanning the blue vault, painting in beauteous colors that 

 part of the sky which seemingly overhung the ever-to-be-remem- 

 bered spot where we had bid adieu to the remains of our friend, 

 John Brown. 



" What think you, my friends, were my thoughts, as I lay with 

 my eyes looking above — the glory of God's creation shining upon 

 me — as I was swiftly carried along, with the consciousness in my 

 breast of having performed, on this holy day, simply my duty — 

 the duty of man to man ? 



" As we neared the vessel, groups of anxious friends came out 

 to meet us. How they peered among our number — all four of 

 us upon the sledge — to see if John Brown was among our com- 

 pany ! None of us could speak. It was like a funeral train. 



"A voice from one, trembling between hope and fear, asked, 

 as we drove alongside the George Henry, 1 Tell us, did you find 

 him?' 'Yes,' I replied. 1 Was he dead?' continued the same 

 voice. 'You have it; alas! it is too true,' was my answer. 



"Now the terrible news flew from one to another — from fore- 

 castle to steerage, all exclaiming, 'How sad — how terrible an 

 end!' 



"Having partaken of refreshments, and exchanged my native 



