THE SICK HUT. 
185 
named it, would be well adapted to the purposes of 
an entrepot, and had endeavored within the last few 
weeks to fit it up also as a resting-place for our sick 
during the turmoil of removing from the brig. I had 
its broken outlet closed by a practicable door, and the 
roof perforated to receive a stove-pipe. Still more 
recently the stone platform or dais had been thoroughly 
cleansed, and covered with shavings which Ohlsen had 
saved while working at his boats. Over these again 
were laid my best cushions; and two blankets, all that 
we could spare, were employed to tapestry the walls. 
A small pane of glass, formerly the facing of a daguerreo¬ 
type, inserted in the door, and a stove, made by com¬ 
bining the copper dog-vane of the galley with some 
dazzling tin pipes, completed the furniture. It was a 
gloomy hospital after all for the poor fellows, who, 
more than sharing all the anxiety of their comrades, 
could have no relief in the excitement of active toil. 
I made many journeys between the brig and Anoa- 
tok while the arrangements for our setting out were 
in progress, and after the sledges were under way. 
All of our invalids were housed there in safety, one or 
two of them occupying the dog-sledge for the trip. 
Most of our provision for the march and voyage of 
escape had also been stacked in the neighborhood of 
the huts : eight hundred pounds out of fifteen hundred 
were already there. The remaining seven hundred 1 
undertook to carry myself, as I had done most of the 
rest. It would have been folly to encumber my main 
body with any thing more than their boats and sledges; 
