THE WARM SOUTHEASTER. 
55 
resources—accidental perhaps, mercifully providential 
let me rather term them, contingent certainly, so far 
as our prescience goes—which may avail to save us: 
another reindeer of sound carcass, a constant succes¬ 
sion of small game, supplies of walrus from the fugitive 
Esquimaux, or that which I most expect and hope 
for—a bear. We have already seen some tracks of 
these animals; and last March there were many of 
them off Coffee Gorge and the Labyrinth. If Hans 
and myself can only hold on, w r e may work our way 
through. All rests upon destiny, or the Power which 
controls it. 
“ It will yet be many days before the sun overrides 
the shadow of Bessie Mountain and reaches our brig. 
The sick pine for him, and I have devised a clever 
system of mirrors to hasten his visit to their bunks. 
He will do more ior them than all medicine besides. 
“ That strange phenomenon, the warm south and 
southeast winds which came upon us in January, did 
not pass away till the middle of this month. And, 
even after it had gone, the weather continued for some 
days to reflect its influence. The thermometer seldom 
fell below —40°, and stood sometimes as high as —30°. 
It has been growing colder for the last three days, 
ranging from —46° to —51°; and the abundant snows 
of the warm spell are now compacted hard enough to 
be traversable, or else dissipated by the heavy winds. 
There is much to be studied in these atmospheric 
changes. There is a seeming connection between the 
increasing cold and the increasing moonlight, which 
