264 



AECTIC EESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



convinced, and accordingly tried to get on shore. This, however, 

 even in daylight, would have been a difficult task where there was 

 so great a rise and fall in the tide as thirty feet, but at night we 

 found it a terrible job. At last it was accomplished ; and looking 

 about for the igloos, and meeting with none, it was finally settled 

 that we should have some supper before trying any thing more. 



Our stock of food consisted of a small piece of "salt junk" and 

 some few pieces of hard bread, all of which I had brought from 

 the vessel with me; nevertheless, every mouthful we took was 

 delicious to our hungry appetites. But the thirst ! how could we 

 quench it ? We had nothing by which to make snow-water, and 

 we had vainly searched the rocks around for some. Every parti- 

 cle was firmly locked up in the fingers of zero cold. " Thirst, 

 most thirsty 1" we had to say, and, in sooth, to remain thirsty. 



The next thing we did was to build an igloo, where, at all 

 events, something like shelter could be obtained, and warmth by 

 clustering together. Four human stoves, besides as many heat- 

 ing, smoking tobacco-pipes, would help to make us passably com- 

 fortable ; and so we found. 



Kokerjabin, the master-mason, aided by Sterry, built the igloo 

 out of a snow-bank which faced a ledge of rocks running length- 

 wise of the island — under the lee of which, fortunately, it was — 

 while I and the Innuit boy went upon the higher part of the land 

 seeking for water. The igloo completed, on lying down we found 

 that it was too limited, and that we should be inconveniently and 

 perhaps injuriously cramped; therefore a remedy must be found, 

 and this was by cutting "pigeon-holes" in the snow-bank for our 

 feet. This answered, and soon we were fast asleep, though upon 

 a bed of snow, and at my back a snow-bank. 



Toward morning I felt myself getting very cold, and, to warm 

 us up, it was judged wise for all to smoke, which was done most 

 agreeably. I then cut a doorway, and crawled out of the igloo on 

 all-fours. The wind was fresh and piercing from the east, and, to 

 get some circulation in our veins, Sterry and I made a run to the 

 top of a hill. There we had a good look around, and then de- 

 scended, but on arriving at the igloo we found Kokerjabin and 

 her son gone. We therefore followed in their tracks, and soon 

 overtook them on the highest point of the island. Presently 

 Kokerjabin discovered, through the glass, some igloos on an isl- 

 and farther on. To these we immediately determined to bend our 

 steps, more especially as Kokerjabin said she knew the island 



