THE RETURN. 
279 
with water-pools, many of which could not be forded 
by our team; and, as these multiplied with the rapidly- 
advancing thaws, they united one with another, 
chequex-ing the level waste with an interminable repe¬ 
tition of confluent lakes. These were both embarrassing 
and dangerous. Our little brig was already so thawed 
out where her sides came in contact with her icy cradle 
as to make it dangerous to descend without a gangway, 
and our hunting parties came back wet to the skin. 
It was, therefore, with no slight joy that on the 
evening of the 10th, while walking with Mr. Bonsall, 
a distant sound of dogs caught my ear. These faithful 
servants generally bayed their full-mouthed welcome 
from afar off, but they always dashed in with a wild 
speed which made their outcry a direct precursor of 
their arrival. Not so these well-worn travellers. Hans 
and Morton staggered beside the limping dogs, and 
poor Jenny was riding as a passenger upon the sledge. 
It was many hours before they shared the rest and com¬ 
fort of our ship. 
