358 
THE ICE-PLAIN. 
But in a couple of hours we emerged upon a plain 
unlimited to the eye and smooth as a billiard-table. 
Feathers of young frosting gave a plush-like nap to its 
surface, and toward the horizon dark columns of frost- 
smoke pointed clearly to the open water. This ice was 
firm enough: our experience satisfied us that it was 
not a very recent freezing. We pushed on without 
« 
THE ICE-PLAIN. 
hesitation, cheering ourselves with the expectation of 
coming every minute to the seals. We passed a 
second ice-growth: it was not so strong as the one we 
had just come over, but still safe for a party like ours. 
On we went, at a brisker gallop, maybe for another 
mile, when Hans sang out, at the top of his voice, 
“Pusey! puseymut! seal, seal!” At the same instant 
the dogs bounded forward, and, as I looked up, I saw 
