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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fur Country, by Jules Verne #31 in
+our series by Jules Verne
+
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+*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!*****
+
+
+Title: The Fur Country Seventy Degrees North Latitude
+
+Author: Jules Verne
+
+Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8991]
+Last Updated: February 8, 2018
+
+Edition: 10
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FUR COUNTRY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by N. Wolcott
+
+
+
+
+
+THE FUR COUNTRY by Jules Verne [Redactor’s Note: The Fur
+Country(Number V010 in the T&M numerical listing of Verne’s works) is
+a translation of Le Pays de fourrures (1873) first published in England
+by Sampson and Low and in the United States by James Osgood (1874). The
+translation is by N. d’Anvers, a pseudonym for Mrs. Arthur Bell (d.
+1933) who also translated other works of Jules Verne. Other translations
+of this work are by Henry Frith (George Routledge, 1879) and Edward
+Baxter (New Canada Press, 1987).
+
+A listing of the illustrations in the original editions is provided
+as well as a table of contents for each part. The illustrations are
+assigned numbers which refer to the part of the book, chapter, and order
+(a,b,c etc.) for use when an illustrated version is created.
+
+This redaction is by N. Wolcott (nwolcott2@post.harvard.edu) who assumes
+all responsibility for errors of omission or commission. ]
+
+
+THE FUR COUNTRY or Seventy Degrees North Latitude Translated from the
+French of Jules Verne
+
+BY N. D’ANVERS
+
+With One Hundred Illustrations
+
+1874
+
+
+TO MY NEPHEWS HERBERT, EDGAR, AND ROBERT
+
+This Translation
+
+is
+
+AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED,
+
+N. D’ANVERS
+
+Clapham, 1873
+
+
+THE FUR COUNTRY. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. I-01-a
+
+“Mrs Joliffe served out slice after slice”
+
+I-01-b
+
+Lieutenant Hobson and Sergeant Long
+
+I-01-c
+
+“The Corporal, match in hand, awaited the order of his Captain”
+
+I-02-a
+
+The arrival of Thomas Black
+
+I-02-b
+
+A savant thawed
+
+I-03-a
+
+Thomas Black introduces himself
+
+I-04-a
+
+The start from Fort Reliancce
+
+I-04-b
+
+“Lieutenant Hobson and the Sergeant led the way,”
+
+I-05-a
+
+Corporal Joliffe proves his skill in driving,
+
+I-05-b
+
+The beginning of the thaw
+
+I-05-c
+
+The effects of the thaw
+
+I-06-a
+
+A wapiti duel
+
+I-06-b
+
+“To the icebergs! to the icebergs!”
+
+I-06-c
+
+“There were bears prowling in the pass”
+
+I-07-a
+
+The Hare Indians
+
+I-08-a
+
+A storm on the lake
+
+I-08-b
+
+“Hobson uttered a last despairing cry!”
+
+I-08-c
+
+Saved!
+
+I-09-a
+
+The mouth of the Coppermine River
+
+I-09-b
+
+“Thousands of birds were shot”
+
+I-10-a
+
+Traces of an encampment
+
+I-11-a
+
+The footprints of a dancer
+
+I-11-b
+
+A temporary encampment
+
+I-12-a
+
+“I promise you double pay”
+
+I-12-b
+
+The site of the fort
+
+I-12-c
+
+Collecting materials for the new factory
+
+I-13-a
+
+A hunting party
+
+I-14-a
+
+Sergeant Long and Madge fishing
+
+I-14-a
+
+“From this position they were able,” &c.
+
+I-15-a
+
+A Morse Hunt
+
+I-16-a
+
+Walrus Bay
+
+I-16-b
+
+Two shots
+
+I-16-c
+
+Rival claimants
+
+I-17-a
+
+“A new country was springing into being”
+
+I-17-b
+
+“A kind of fete was held”
+
+I-18-a
+
+“Mrs Barnett read aloud”
+
+I-18-b
+
+“The dogs rushed out” &c.
+
+I-19-a
+
+“The body was hauled up” &c.
+
+I-19-b
+
+Some living creatures came out of the hut
+
+I-19-c
+
+“She ran up to it” &c.
+
+I-20-a
+
+“It is more beautiful than an Aurora Borealis!”
+
+I-21-a
+
+“The bears were walking about on the roof”
+
+I-21-b
+
+“Mrs Barnett pressed the brave man’s hand”
+
+I-21-b
+
+“Mrs Barnett discharged the contents” &c.
+
+I-21-d
+
+“Mingled howls and screams were heard”
+
+I-22-a
+
+“Just look at our house now!”
+
+I-22-b
+
+“The ice burst” &c.
+
+I-22-c
+
+“Its waters were still sweet” &c.
+
+I-23-a
+
+“He might be seen standing motionless and silent”
+
+I-23-b
+
+“All might watch the progress of the phenomenon”
+
+I-23-c
+
+“Please, sir, it’s because of the pay”
+
+I-23-d
+
+“He shook his fist at the sun”
+
+II-02-a
+
+“I think not”
+
+II-02-b
+
+“The carpenter fixed upon the beach” &c.
+
+II-02-c
+
+“Thomas Black would not even join the exploring party”
+
+II-03-a
+
+“They breakfasted” &c.
+
+II-03-b
+
+“Numerous furred animals” &c.
+
+II-04-a
+
+“He was able to look closely at the steep wall” &c.
+
+II-04-b
+
+“Keep hold!”
+
+II-04-c
+
+“Corporal Joliffe was extremely fond of him”
+
+II-05-a
+
+“Thanks to the Corporal’s unwearying exertions”
+
+II-05-b
+
+“We are sinking gradually”
+
+II-06-a
+
+“Hobson remained crouching” &c.
+
+II-060b
+
+“The Lieutenant promised” &c.
+
+II-07-a
+
+“Not that way”
+
+II-07-b
+
+“Sergeant! Where are you?”
+
+II-07-c
+
+“We saw their fire; they will see ours!”
+
+II-08-a
+
+“Look, Madge, look!”
+
+II-08-b
+
+“The bear seized Kalumah by the clothes”
+
+II-08-c
+
+“It was the young Esquimaux girl Kalumah”
+
+II-09-a
+
+She murmured, ‘Mrs Barnett’
+
+II-09-b
+
+“The waves dashed over her kayak”
+
+II-09-c
+
+“She covered him with kisses”
+
+II-10-a
+
+“The Lieutenant tied round their necks”
+
+II-10-b
+
+“Hobson was in dismay”
+
+II-11-a
+
+“The wolves came within musket range”
+
+II-11-b
+
+“We knew it, sir!”
+
+II-12-a
+
+“It was a Polar bear”
+
+II-12-b
+
+“Two large waggon sledges were built”
+
+II-13-a
+
+“Some of the icebergs assumed extraordinary forms”
+
+II-13-b
+
+“We must pass somehow”
+
+II-14-a
+
+“Marbre flung his running noose skilfully,”
+
+II-14-b
+
+“Everybody started back”
+
+II-15-a
+
+“It was dashed upon the ice-field with a fearful crash”
+
+II-15-b
+
+“I think it is time to retrace our steps”
+
+II-16-a
+
+“It is a frost-rime”
+
+II-16-b
+
+“He took the altitude”
+
+II-17-a
+
+“When an unexpected noise”
+
+II-17-b
+
+“It was like an army of icebergs” &c.
+
+II-18-a
+
+“Poor things! poor things!”
+
+II-18-b
+
+“And a figure appeared” &c.
+
+II-19-a
+
+“Examining the state of the sea” &c.
+
+II-19-b
+
+“Mrs Barnett sobbed aloud”
+
+II-20-a
+
+“The lower framework was already floating”
+
+II-20-b
+
+“He escaped with a ducking”
+
+II-21-a
+
+“The embarkation of provisions, &c., had to be put off”
+
+II-22-a
+
+“He tightened them,” &c.
+
+II-22-b
+
+“Mrs Barnett turned and looked Madge full in the face”
+
+II-23-a
+
+“A beam . . . sunk deep into the earth” &c.
+
+II-23-b
+
+“The colonists, falling on their knees, returned thanks to God”
+
+II-24-a
+
+Kalumah and the bear
+
+
+
+CONTENTS Part I I
+
+A Soirée at Fort Reliance
+
+II
+
+The Hudson’s Bay Fur Company
+
+III
+
+A Savant Thawed
+
+IV
+
+A Factory
+
+V
+
+From Fort Reliance to Fort enterprise
+
+VI
+
+A Wapiti Duel
+
+VII
+
+The Arctic Circle
+
+VIII
+
+The Great Bear Lake
+
+IX
+
+A Storm on the Lake
+
+X
+
+A Retrospect
+
+XI
+
+Along the Coast
+
+XII
+
+The Midnight Sun
+
+XIII
+
+Fort Hope
+
+XIV
+
+Some Excursions
+
+XV
+
+Fifteen Miles from Cape Bathurst
+
+XVI
+
+Two Shots
+
+XVII
+
+The Approach of Winter
+
+XVIII
+
+The Polar Night
+
+XIX
+
+A Neighbourly Visit
+
+XX
+
+Mercury Freezes
+
+XXI
+
+The Large Polar Bears
+
+XXII
+
+Five Months More
+
+XXIII
+
+The Eclipse of the 18th June 1860
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I. A SOIRÉE AT FORT RELIANCE. On the evening of the 17th March
+1859, Captain Craventy gave a fête at Fort Reliance. Our readers must
+not at once imagine a grand entertainment, such as a court ball, or a
+musical soirée with a fine orchestra. Captain Craventy’s reception
+was a very simple affair, yet he had spared no pains to give it éclat.
+
+In fact, under the auspices of Corporal Joliffe, the large room on the
+ground-floor was completely transformed. The rough walls, constructed of
+roughly-hewn trunks of trees piled up horizontally, were still visible,
+it is true, but their nakedness was disguised by arms and armour,
+borrowed from the arsenal of the fort, and by an English tent at each
+corner of the room. Two lamps suspended by chains, like chandeliers,
+and provided with tin reflectors, relieved the gloomy appearance of the
+blackened beams of the ceiling, and sufficiently illuminated the
+misty atmosphere of the room. The narrow windows, some of them mere
+loop-holes, were so encrusted with hoar-frost, that it was impossible
+to look through them; but two or three pieces of red bunting, tastily
+arranged about them, challenged the admiration of all who entered. The
+floor, of rough joists of wood laid parallel with each other, had been
+carefully swept by Corporal Joliffe. No sofas, chairs, or other modern
+furniture, impeded the free circulation of the guests. Wooden benches
+half fixed against the walls, huge blocks of wood cut with the axe,
+and two tables with clumsy legs, were all the appliances of luxury
+the saloon could boast of. But the partition wall, with a narrow door
+leading into the next room, was decorated in a style alike costly and
+picturesque. From the beams hung magnificent furs admirably arranged,
+the equal of which could not be seen in the more favoured regions of
+Regent Street or the Perspective-Newski. It seemed as if the whole fauna
+of the ice-bound North were here represented by their finest skins. The
+eye wandered from the furs of wolves, grey bears, polar bears, otters,
+wolverenes, beavers, muskrats, water pole-cats, ermines, and silver
+foxes; and above this display was an inscription in brilliantly-coloured
+and artistically shaped cardboard—the motto of the world-famous
+Hudson’s Bay Company—
+
+“PROPELLE CUTUM.”
+
+“Really, Corporal Joliffe, you have surpassed yourself !” said
+Captain Craventy to his subordinate.
+
+“I think I have, I think I have !” replied the Corporal; “but
+honour to whom honour is due, Mrs Joliffe deserves part of your
+commendation; she assisted me in everything.”
+
+“A wonderful woman, Corporal.”
+
+“Her equal is not to be found, Captain.”
+
+An immense brick and earthenware stove occupied the centre of the
+room, with a huge iron pipe passing from it through the ceiling,
+and conducting the dense black smoke into the outer air. This stove
+contained a roaring fire constantly fed with fresh shovelfuls of coal by
+the stoker, an old soldier specially appointed to the service. Now and
+then a gust of wind drove back a volume of smoke into the room, dimming
+the brightness of the lamps, and adding fresh blackness to the beams of
+the ceiling, whilst tongues of flame shot forth from the stove. But the
+guests of Fort Reliance thought little of this slight inconvenience; the
+stove warmed them, and they could not pay too dearly for its cheering
+heat, so terribly cold was it outside in the cutting north wind.
+
+The storm could be heard raging without, the snow fell fast, becoming
+rapidly solid and coating the already frosted window panes with fresh
+ice. The whistling wind made its way through the cranks and chinks of
+the doors and windows, and occasionally the rattling noise drowned every
+other sound. Presently an awful silence ensued. Nature seemed to be
+taking breath; but suddenly the squall recommenced with terrific fury.
+The house was shaken to its foundations, the planks cracked, the beams
+groaned. A stranger less accustomed than the habitués of the fort to
+the war of the elements, would have asked if the end of the world were
+come.
+
+But, with two exceptions, Captain Craventy’s guests troubled
+themselves little about the weather, and if they had been outside
+they would have felt no more fear than the stormy petrels disporting
+themselves in the midst of the tempest. Two only of the assembled
+company did not belong to the ordinary society of the neighbourhood,
+two women, whom we shall introduce when we have enumerated Captain
+Craventy’s other guests: these were, Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson,
+Sergeant Long, Corporal Joliffe, and his bright active Canadian wife,
+a certain Mac-Nab and his wife, both Scotch, John Rae, married to an
+Indian woman of the country, and some sixty soldiers or employés of
+the Hudson’s Bay Company. The neighbouring forts also furnished their
+contingent of guests, for in these remote lands people look upon each
+other as neighbours although their homes may be a hundred miles apart.
+A good many employés or traders came from Fort Providence or Fort
+Resolution, of the Great Slave Lake district, and even from Fort
+Chippeway and Fort Liard further south. A rare break like this in the
+monotony of their secluded lives, in these hyberborean regions, was
+joyfully welcomed by all the exiles, and even a few Indian chiefs, about
+a dozen, had accepted Captain Craventy’s invitation. They were not,
+however, accompanied by their wives, the luckless squaws being still
+looked upon as little better than slaves. The presence of these natives
+is accounted for by the fact that they are in constant intercourse with
+the traders, and supply the greater number of furs which pass through
+the hands of the Hudson’s Bay Company, in exchange for other
+commodities. They are mostly Chippeway Indians, well grown men with
+hardy constitutions. Their complexions are of the peculiar reddish black
+colour always ascribed in Europe to the evil spirits of fairyland.
+They wear very picturesque cloaks of skins and mantles of fur, with a
+head-dress of eagle’s feathers spread out like a lady’s fan, and
+quivering with every motion of their thick black hair.
+
+Such was the company to whom the Captain was doing the honours of Fort
+Reliance. There was no dancing for want of music, but the “buffet”
+admirably supplied the want of the hired musicians of the European
+balls. On the table rose a pyramidal pudding made by Mrs Joliffe’s
+own hands; it was an immense truncated cone, composed of flour, fat,
+rein-deer venison, and musk beef. The eggs, milk, and citron prescribed
+in recipe books were, it is true, wanting, but their absence was atoned
+for by its huge proportions. Mrs Joliffe served out slice after slice
+with liberal hands, yet there remained enough and to spare. Piles of
+sandwiches also figured on the table, in which ship biscuits took the
+place of thin slices of English bread and butter, and dainty morsels of
+corned beef that of the ham and stuffed veal of the old world. The sharp
+teeth of the Chippeway Indians made short work of the tough biscuits;
+and for drink there was plenty of whisky and gin handed round in little
+pewter pots, not to speak of a great bowl of punch which was to close
+the entertainment, and of which the Indians talked long afterwards in
+their wigwams.
+
+Endless were the compliments paid to the Joliffes that evening, but they
+deserved them; how zealously they waited on the guests, with what easy
+grace they distributed the refreshments! They did not need prompting,
+they anticipated the wishes of each one. The sandwiches were succeeded
+by slices of the inexhaustible pudding, the pudding by glasses of gin or
+whisky.
+
+“No, thank you, Mr Joliffe.”
+
+“You are too good, Corporal; but let me have time to breathe.”
+
+“Mrs Joliffe, I assure you, I can eat no more.”
+
+“Corporal Joliffe, I am at your mercy.”
+
+“No more, Mrs Joliffe, no more, thank you!”
+
+Such were the replies met with on every side by the zealous pair, but
+their powers of persuasion were such that the most reluctant yielded in
+the end. The quantities of food and drink consumed were really enormous.
+The hubbub of conversation increased. The soldiery and employés became
+excited. Here the talk was of hunting, there of trade. What plans were
+laid for next season! The entire fauna of the Arctic regions would
+scarcely supply game enough for these enterprising hunters. They already
+saw bears, foxes, and musk oxen, falling beneath their bullets, and
+pole-cats by hundreds caught in their traps. Their imagination pictured
+the costly furs piled up in the magazines of the Company, which was this
+year to realise hitherto unheard of profits. And whilst the spirits thus
+freely circulated inflamed the imagination of the Europeans, the large
+doses of Captain Craventy’s “fire-water” imbibed by the Indians
+had an opposite effect. Too proud to show admiration, too cautious to
+make promises, the taciturn chiefs listened gravely and silently to the
+babel of voices around them.
+
+The captain enjoying the hurly burly, and pleased to see the poor
+people, brought back as it were to the civilised world, enjoying
+themselves so thoroughly, was here, there, and everywhere, answering all
+inquiries about the fête with the words
+
+“Ask Joliffe, ask Joliffe !”
+
+And they asked Joliffe, who had a gracious word for every body.
+
+Some of those employed in the garrison and civil service of Fort
+Reliance must here receive a few words of special notice, for they were
+presently to go through experiences of a most terrible nature, which no
+human perspicacity could possibly have foreseen. Amongst others we must
+name Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson, Sergeant Long, Corporal and Mrs Joliffe,
+and the two foreign women already alluded to, in whose honour Captain
+Craventy’s fête was given.
+
+Jaspar Hobson was a man of forty years of age. He was short and slight,
+with little muscular power; but a force of will which carried him
+successfully through all trials, and enabled him to rise superior to
+adverse circumstances. He was “ a child of the Company.” His father,
+Major Hobson, an Irishman from Dublin, who had now been dead for some
+time, lived for many years at Fort Assiniboin with his wife. There
+Jaspar Hobson was born. His childhood and youth were spent at the foot
+of the Rocky Mountains. His father brought him up strictly, and he
+became a man in self-control and courage whilst yet a boy in years.
+Jaspar Hobson was no mere hunter, but a soldier, a brave and intelligent
+officer. During the struggles in Oregon of the Hudson’s Bay Company
+with the rival companies of the Union, he distinguished himself by his
+zeal and intrepidity, and rapidly rose to the rank of lieutenant. His
+well-known merit led to his appointment to the command of an expedition
+to the north, the aim of which was to explore the northern shores of
+the Great Bear Lake, and to found a fort on the confines of the American
+continent. Jaspar Hobson was to set out on his journey early in April.
+
+If the lieutenant was the type of a good officer, Sergeant Long was
+that of a good soldier. He was a man of fifty years of age, with a
+rough beard that looked as if it were made of cocoa-nut fibre.
+Constitutionally brave, and disposed to obey rather than to command.
+He had no ambition but to obey the orders he received never questioning
+them, however strange they might appear, never reasoning for himself
+when on duty for the Company-a true machine in uniform; but a perfect
+machine, never wearing out; ever on the march, yet never showing signs
+of fatigue. Perhaps Sergeant Long was rather hard upon his men, as he
+was upon himself. He would not tolerate the slightest infraction
+of discipline, and mercilessly ordered men into confinement for the
+slightest neglect, whilst he himself had never been reprimanded. In a
+word, he was a man born to obey, and this self-annihilation suited
+his passive temperament. Men such as he are the materials of which a
+formidable army is formed. They are the arms of the service, obeying a
+single head. Is not this the only really powerful organisation? The two
+types of fabulous mythology, Briareus with a hundred arms and Hydra
+with a hundred heads, well represent the two kinds of armies; and in
+a conflict between them, which would be victorious? Briareus without a
+doubt !
+
+We have already made acquaintance with Corporal Joliffe. He was the busy
+bee of the party, but it was pleasant to hear him humming. He would have
+made a better major-domo than a soldier; and he was himself aware of
+this. So he called himself the “ Corporal in charge of details,” but
+he would have lost himself a hundred times amongst these details, had
+not little Mrs Joliffe guided him with a firm hand. So it came to pass,
+that Corporal Joliffe obeyed his wife without owning it, doubtless
+thinking to himself, like the philosopher Sancho, “a woman’s advice
+is no such great thing, but he must be a fool who does not listen to
+it.”
+
+It is now time to say a few words of the two foreign women already
+alluded to more than once. They were both about forty years old, and
+one of them well deserved to take first rank amongst celebrated female
+travellers. The name of Paulina Barnett, the rival of the Pfeiffers,
+Tinnis, and Haimaires of Hull, has been several times honourably
+mentioned at the meetings of the Royal Geographical Society. In her
+journeys up the Brahmaputra, as far as the mountains of Thibet,
+across an unknown corner of New Holland, from Swan Bay to the Gulf of
+Carpentaria, Paulina Barnett had given proof of the qualities of a great
+traveller. She had been a widow for fifteen years, and her passion for
+travelling led her constantly to explore new lands. She was tall, and
+her face, framed in long braids of hair, already touched with white, was
+full of energy. She was near-sighted, and a double eye-glass rested upon
+her long straight nose, with its mobile nostrils. We must confess that
+her walk was somewhat masculine, and her whole appearance was suggestive
+of moral power, rather than of female grace. She was an Englishwoman
+from Yorkshire, possessed of some fortune, the greater part of which was
+expended in adventurous expeditions, and some new scheme of exploration
+had now brought her to Fort Reliance. Having crossed the equinoctial
+regions, she was doubtless anxious to penetrate to the extreme limits of
+the hyperborean. Her presence at the fort was an event. The governor of
+the Company had given her a special letter of recommendation to Captain
+Craventy, according to which the latter was to do all in his power to
+forward the design of the celebrated traveller to reach the borders of
+the Arctic Ocean. A grand enterprise! To follow in the steps of Hearne,
+Mackenzie, Rae, Franklin, and others. What fatigues, what trials, what
+dangers would have to be gone through in the conflict with the terrible
+elements of the Polar climate! How could a woman dare to venture where
+so many explorers have drawn back or perished? But the stranger now shut
+up in Fort Reliance was no ordinary woman; she was Paulina Barnett, a
+laureate of the Royal Society.
+
+We must add that the celebrated traveller was accompanied by a servant
+named Madge. This faithful creature was not merely a servant, but
+a devoted and courageous friend, who lived only for her mistress. A
+Scotchwoman of the old type, whom a Caleb might have married without
+loss of dignity. Madge was about five years older than Mrs Barnett, and
+was tall and strongly built. The two were on the most intimate terms;
+Paulina looked upon Madge as an elder sister, and Madge treated Paulina
+as her daughter.
+
+It was in honour of Paulina Barnett that Captain Craventy was this
+evening treating his employés and the Chippeway Indians. In fact,
+the lady traveller was to join the expedition of Jaspar Hobson for the
+exploration of the north. It was for Paulina Barnett that the large
+saloon of the factory resounded with joyful hurrahs. And it was no
+wonder that the stove consumed a hundredweight of coal on this memorable
+evening, for the cold outside was twenty-four degrees Fahrenheit below
+zero, and Fort Reliance is situated in 61° 47’ N. Lat., at least four
+degrees from the Polar circle.
+
+CHAPTER II. THE HUDSON’S BAY FUR COMPANY. “Captain Craventy?”
+
+“Mrs Barnett?”
+
+What do you think of your Lieutenant, Jaspar Hobson?”
+
+“I think he is an officer who will go far.”
+
+“What do you mean by the words, Will go far? Do you mean that he will
+go beyond the Twenty-fourth parallel?”
+
+Captain Craventy could not help smiling at Mrs Paulina Barnett’s
+question. They were talking together near the stove, whilst the guests
+were passing backwards and forwards between the eating and drinking
+tables.
+
+“Madam,” replied the Captain, “all that a man can do, will be done
+by Jaspar Hobson. The Company has charged him to explore the north of
+their possessions, and to establish a factory as near as possible to the
+confines of the American continent, and he will establish it.”
+
+“That is a great responsibility for Lieutenant Hobson !” said the
+traveller.
+
+“It is, madam, but Jaspar Hobson has never yet drawn back from a task
+imposed upon him, however formidable it may have appeared.”
+
+“I can quite believe it, Captain,” replied Mrs Barnett, “and we
+shall now see the Lieutenant at work. But what induces the Company to
+construct a fort on the shores of the Arctic Ocean?”
+
+“They have a powerful motive, madam,” replied the Captain.
+
+“I may add a double motive. At no very distant date, Russia will
+probably cede her American possessions to the Government of the United
+States. [*1] When this cession has taken place, the Company will find
+access to the Pacific Ocean extremely difficult, unless the North-west
+passage discovered by Mc’Clure be practicable. [*1 Captain
+Craventy’s prophecy has since been realised.] Fresh explorations will
+decide this, for the Admiralty is about to send a vessel which will
+coast along the North American continent, from Behring Strait to
+Coronation Gulf, on the eastern side of which the new-Art is to be
+established. If the enterprise succeed, this point will become an
+important factory, the centre of the northern fur trade. The transport
+of furs across the Indian territories involves a vast expenditure of
+time and money, whereas, if the new route be available, steamers will
+take them from the new fort to the Pacific Ocean in a few days.”
+
+“That would indeed be an important result of the enterprise, if this
+North-west passage can really be used,” replied Mrs Paulina Barnett;
+“but I think you spoke of a double motive.”
+
+“I did, madam,” said the Captain, “and I alluded to a matter of
+vital interest to the Company. But I must beg of you to allow me to
+explain to you in a few words how the present state of things came
+about, how it is in fact that the very source of the trade of this once
+flourishing Company is in danger of destruction.”
+
+The Captain then proceeded to give a brief sketch of the history of the
+famous Hudson’s Bay Company.
+
+In the earliest times men employed the skins and furs of animals as
+clothing. The fur trade is therefore of very great antiquity. Luxury in
+dress increased to such an extent, that sumptuary laws were enacted to
+control too great extravagance, especially in furs, for which there
+was a positive passion. Vair and the furs of Siberian squirrels were
+prohibited at the middle of the 12th century.
+
+In 1553 Russia founded several establishments in the northern steppes,
+and England lost no time in following her example. The trade in
+sables, ermines, and beavers, was carried on through the agency of the
+Samoiedes; but during the reign of Elizabeth, a royal decree restricted
+the use of costly furs to such an extent, that for several years this
+branch of industry was completely paralysed.
+
+On the 2nd May, 1670, a licence to trade in furs in the Hudson’s Bay
+Territory was granted to the Company, which numbered several men of high
+rank amongst its shareholders : the Duke of York, the Duke of Albemarle,
+the Earl of Shaftesbury, &c. Its capital was then only £8420. Private
+companies were formidable rivals to its success; and French agents,
+making Canada their headquarters, ventured on hazardous but most
+lucrative expeditions. The active competition of these bold hunters
+threatened the very existence of the infant Company.
+
+The conquest of Canada, however, somewhat lessened the danger of its
+position. Three years after the taking of Quebec, 1776, the fur trade
+received a new impulse. English traders became familiar with the
+difficulties of trade of this kind; they learned the customs of the
+country, the ways of the Indians and their system of exchange of goods,
+but for all this the Company as yet made no profits whatever. Moreover,
+towards 1784 some merchants of Montreal combined to explore the fur
+country, and founded that powerful North-west Company, which soon became
+the centre of the fur trade. In 1798 the new Company shipped furs to the
+value of no less than £120,000, and the existence of the Hudson’s Bay
+Company was again threatened.
+
+We must add, that the North-west Company shrank from no act, however
+iniquitous, if its interests were at stake. Its agents imposed on their
+own employés, speculated on the misery of the Indians, robbed them
+when they had themselves made them drunk, setting at defiance the Act
+of Parliament forbidding the sale of spirituous liquors on Indian
+territory; and consequently realising immense profits, in spite of the
+competition of the various Russian and American companies which had
+sprung up—the American Fur Company amongst others, founded in 1809,
+with a capital of a million of dollars, which was carrying on operations
+on the west of the Rocky Mountains.
+
+The Hudson’s Bay Company was probably in greater danger of ruin than
+any other; but in 1821, after much discussion, a treaty was made,
+in accordance with which its old rival the North-west Company became
+amalgamated with it, the two receiving the common title of “The
+Hudson’s Bay Fur Company.”
+
+Now the only rival of this important association is the American
+St Louis Fur Company. The Hudson’s Bay Company has numerous
+establishments scattered over a domain extending over 3,700,000 square
+miles. Its principal factories are situated on James Bay, at the mouth
+of the Severn, in the south, and towards the frontiers of Upper Canada,
+on Lakes Athapeskow, Winnipeg, Superior, Methye, Buffalo, and near the
+Colombia, Mackenzie, Saskatchewan, and Assiniboin rivers, &c. Fort York,
+commanding the course of the river Nelson, is the headquarters of the
+Company, and contains its principal fur depôt. Moreover, in 1842 it
+took a lease of all the Russian establishments in North America at an
+annual rent of £40,000, so that it is now working on its own account
+the vast tracts of country between the Mississippi and the Pacific
+Ocean. It has sent out intrepid explorers in every direction: Hearne,
+towards the Polar Sea, in 1770, to the discovery of the Coppermine
+River; Franklin, in 1819 to 1822, along 5550 miles of the American
+coast; Mackenzie, who, after having discovered the river to which he
+gave his name, reached the shores of the Pacific at 52° 24’ N. Lat.
+The following is a list of the quantities of skins and furs despatched
+to Europe by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1833-34, which will give an
+exact idea of the extent of its trade:—
+
+Beavers . . . . . . . . . . . 1,074
+
+Skins and young Beavers,. . 92,288
+
+Musk Rats,. . . . . . . . . 694,092
+
+Badgers,. . . . . . . . . . 1,069
+
+Bears,. . . . . . . . . . . 7,451
+
+Ermines,. . . . . . . . . . 491
+
+Foxes, . . . . . . . . . . . 9,937
+
+Lynxes, . . . . . . . . . . 14,255
+
+Sables, . . . . . . . . . . 64,490
+
+Polecats, . . . . . . . . . 25,100
+
+Otters, . . . . . . . . . . 22,303
+
+Racoons,. . . . . . . . . . 713
+
+Swans, . . . . . . . . . . 7,918
+
+Wolves, . . . . . . . . . . 8,484
+
+Wolverines, . . . . . . . . 1,571
+
+Such figures ought to bring in a large profit to the Hudson’s Bay
+Company, but unfortunately they have not been maintained, and for the
+last twenty years have been decreasing.
+
+The cause of this decline was the subject of Captain Craventy’s
+explanation to Mrs Paulina Barnett.
+
+“Until 1839, madam,” said he, “the Company was in a flourishing
+condition. In that year the number of furs exported was 2,350,000, but
+since then the trade has gradually declined, and this number is now
+reduced by one-half at least.”
+
+“But what do you suppose is the cause of this extraordinary decrease
+in the exportation of furs?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“The depopulation of the hunting territories, caused by the activity,
+and, I must add, the want of foresight of the hunters. The game was
+trapped and killed without mercy. These massacres were conducted in the
+most reckless and short-sighted fashion. Even females with young and
+their little ones did not escape. The consequence is, that the animals
+whose fur is valuable have become extremely rare. The otter has almost
+entirely disappeared, and is only to be found near the islands of the
+North Pacific. Small colonies of beavers have taken refuge on the shores
+of the most distant rivers. It is the same with many other animals,
+compelled to flee before the invasion of the hunters. The traps, once
+crowded with game, are now empty. The price of skins is rising just
+when a great demand exists for furs. Hunters have gone away in disgust,
+leaving none but the most intrepid and indefatigable, who now penetrate
+to the very confines of the American continent.”
+
+“Yes,” said Mrs Paulina Barnett, “the fact of the fur-bearing
+animals having taken refuge beyond the polar circle, is a sufficient
+explanation of the Company’s motive in founding a factory on the
+borders of the Arctic Ocean.”
+
+“Not only so, madam,” replied the Captain, “the Company is also
+compelled to seek a more northern centre of operations, for an Act of
+Parliament has lately greatly reduced its domain.”
+
+“And the motive for this reduction?” inquired the traveller.
+
+“A very important question of political economy was involved, madam;
+one which could not fail greatly to interest the statesmen of
+Great Britain. In a word, the interests of the Company and those of
+civilisation are antagonistic. It is to the interest of the Company to
+keep the territory belonging to it in a wild uncultivated condition.
+Every attempt at clearing ground was pitilessly put a stop to, as
+it drove away the wild animals, so that the monopoly enjoyed by the
+Hudson’s Bay Company was detrimental to all agricultural enterprise.
+All questions not immediately relating to their own particular trade,
+were relentlessly put aside by the governors of the association. It was
+this despotic, and, in a certain sense, immoral system, which provoked
+the measures taken by Parliament, and, in 1837, a commission appointed
+by the Colonial Secretary decided that it was necessary to annex to
+Canada all the territories suitable for cultivation, such as the Red
+River and Saskatchewan districts, and to leave to the Company only
+that portion of its land which appeared to be incapable of future
+civilisation. The next year the Company lost the western slopes of the
+Rocky Mountains, which it held direct from the Colonial Office, and you
+will now understand, madam, how the agents of the Company, having lost
+their power over their old territories, are determined before giving up
+their trade to try to work the little known countries of the north,
+and so open a communication with the Pacific by means of the North-west
+passage.”
+
+Mrs Paulina Barnett was now well informed as to the ulterior projects of
+the celebrated Company. Captain Craventy had given her a graphic sketch
+of the situation, and it is probable he would have entered into further
+details, had not an incident cut short his harangue.
+
+Corporal Joliffe announced in a loud voice that, with Mrs Joliffe’s
+assistance, he was about to mix the punch. This news was received as it
+deserved. The bowl—or rather, the basin—was filled with the precious
+liquid. It contained no less than ten pints of coarse rum. Sugar,
+measured out by Mrs Joliffe, was piled up at the bottom, and on the top
+floated slices of lemon shrivelled with age. Nothing remained to be
+done but to light this alcoholic lake, and the Corporal, match in hand,
+awaited the order of his Captain, as if he were about to spring a mine.
+
+“All right, Joliffe !” at last said Captain Craventy.
+
+The light was applied to the bowl, and in a moment the punch was in
+flames, whilst the guests applauded and clapped their hands. Ten minutes
+afterwards, full glasses of the delightful beverage were circulating
+amongst the guests, fresh bidders for them coming forward in endless
+succession, like speculators on the Stock Exchange.
+
+“Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! three cheers for Mrs Barnett! A cheer for the
+Captain.”
+
+In the midst of these joyful shouts cries were heard from outside.
+Silence immediately fell upon the company assembled.
+
+“Sergeant Long,” said the Captain, “go and see what is the
+matter.”
+
+And at his chief’s order, the Sergeant, leaving his glass unfinished,
+left the room.
+
+CHAPTER III. A SAVANT THAWED. Sergeant Long hastened to the narrow
+passage from which opened the outer door of the fort, and heard the
+cries redoubled, and combined with violent blows on the postern gate,
+surrounded by high walls, which gave access to the court. The Sergeant
+pushed open the door, and plunging into the snow, already a foot deep;
+he waded through it, although half-blinded by the cutting sleet, and
+nipped by the terrible cold.
+
+“What the devil does any one want at this time of night?” exclaimed
+the Sergeant to himself, as he mechanically removed the heavy bars of
+the gate; “none but Esquimaux would dare to brave such a temperature
+as this!”
+
+“Open! open! open!” they shouted from without.
+
+“I am opening,” replied Sergeant Long, who really seemed to be a
+long time about it.
+
+At last the door swung open, and the Sergeant was almost upset by
+a sledge, drawn by six dogs, which dashed past him like a flash of
+lightning. Worthy Sergeant Long only just escaped being crushed, but he
+got up without a murmur, closed the gate, and returned to the house at
+his ordinary pace, that is to say, at the rate of seventy-five strides a
+minute.
+
+But Captain Craventy, Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson, and Corporal Joliffe
+were already outside, braving the intense cold, and staring at the
+sledge, white with snow, which had just drawn up in front of them.
+
+A man completely enveloped in furs now descended from it,
+
+“Fort Reliance?;” he inquired.
+
+“The same,” replied the Captain.
+
+“Captain Craventy?”
+
+“Behold him! Who are you?”
+
+“A courier of the Company.”
+
+“Are you alone?”
+
+“No, I bring a traveller.”
+
+“A traveller! And what does he want?”
+
+“He is come to see the moon.”
+
+At this reply, Captain Craventy said to himself the man must be a fool.
+But there was no time to announce this opinion, for the courier had
+taken an inert mass from the sledge, a kind of bag covered with snow,
+and was about to carry it into the house, when the Captain inquired
+
+“What is that bag?”
+
+“It is my traveller,” replied the courier.
+
+“Who is this traveller?”
+
+“The astronomer, Thomas Black.”
+
+“But he is frozen.”
+
+“Well, he must be thawed.”
+
+Thomas Black, carried by the Sergeant, the Corporal, and the courier,
+now made his entrance into the house of the fort, and was taken to a
+room on the first floor, the temperature of which was bearable, thanks
+to a glowing stove. He was laid upon a bed, and the Captain took his
+hand.
+
+It was literally frozen. The wrappers and furred mantles, in which
+Thomas Black was rolled up like a parcel requiring care, were removed,
+and revealed a man of about fifty. He was short and stout, his hair
+was already touched with grey, his beard was untrimmed, his eyes were
+closed, and his lips pressed together as if glued to one another. If he
+breathed at all, it was so slightly that the frost-work on the windows
+would not have been affected by it. Joliffe undressed him, and turned
+him rapidly on to his face and back again, with the words—
+
+“Come, come, sir, when do you mean to return to consciousness?”
+
+But the visitor who had arrived in so strange a manner showed no signs
+of returning life, and Corporal Joliffe could think of no better means
+to restore the lost vital heat than to give him a bath in the bowl of
+hot punch.
+
+Very happily for Thomas Black, however, Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson had
+another idea.
+
+“Snow, bring snow!” he cried.
+
+There was plenty of it in the court of Fort Reliance; and whilst the
+Sergeant went to fetch the snow, Joliffe removed all the astronomer’s
+clothes. The body of the unfortunate man was covered with white
+frost-bitten patches. It was urgently necessary to restore the
+circulation of the blood in the affected portions. This result Jaspar
+Hobson hoped to obtain by vigorous friction with the snow. We know that
+this is the means generally employed in the polar countries to set going
+afresh the circulation of the blood arrested by the intense cold, even
+as the rivers are arrested in their courses by the icy touch of winter.
+Sergeant Loin soon returned, and he and Joliffe gave the new arrival
+such a rubbing as he had probably never before received. It was no
+soft and agreeable friction, but a vigorous shampooing most lustily
+performed, more like the scratching of a curry-comb than the caresses of
+a human hand.
+
+And during the operation the loquacious Corporal continued to exhort the
+unconscious traveller.
+
+“Come, come, sir. What do you mean by getting frozen like this. Now,
+don’t be so obstinate !”
+
+Probably it was obstinacy which kept Thomas Black from deigning to show
+a sign of life. At the end of half an hour the rubbers began to despair,
+and were about to discontinue their exhausting efforts, when the poor
+man sighed several times.
+
+“He lives; he is coming to !” cried Jaspar Hobson.
+
+After having warmed the outside of his body, Corporal Joliffe hurried
+to do the same for the inside, and hastily fetched a few glasses of
+the punch. The traveller really felt much revived by them; the colour
+returned to his cheeks, expression to his eyes, and words to his
+lips, so that Captain Craventy began to hope that he should have an
+explanation from Thomas Black himself of his strange arrival at the fort
+in such a terrible condition.
+
+At last the traveller, well covered with wraps, rose on his elbow, and
+said in a voice still faint
+
+“Fort Reliance?”
+
+“The same,” replied the Captain.
+
+“Captain Craventy?”
+
+“He is before you, and is happy to bid you welcome. But may I inquire
+what brings you to Fort Reliance?”
+
+“He is come to see the moon,” replied the courier, who evidently
+thought this a happy answer.
+
+It satisfied Thomas Black too, for he bent his head in assent and
+resumed—
+
+“Lieutenant Hobson?”
+
+“I am here,” replied the Lieutenant.
+
+“You have not yet started?”
+
+“Not. yet, sir.”
+
+“Then,” replied Thomas Black, “I have only to thank you, and to go
+to sleep until to-morrow morning.”
+
+The Captain and his companions retired, leaving their strange visitor to
+his repose. Half an hour later the fête was at an end, and the guests
+had regained their respective homes, either in the different rooms of
+the fort, or the scattered houses outside the enceinte.
+
+The next day Thomas Black was rather better. His vigorous constitution
+had thrown off the effects of the terrible chill he had had. Any one
+else would have died from it; but he was not like other men.
+
+And now who was this astronomer? Where did he come from? Why had he
+undertaken this journey across the territories of the Company in the
+depth of winter? What did the courier’s reply signify?— To see the
+moon! The moon could be seen anywhere; there was no need to come to the
+hyperborean regions to look at it!
+
+Such were the thoughts which passed through Captain Craventy’s mind.
+But the next day, after an hour’s talk with his new guest, he had
+learned all he wished to know.
+
+Thomas Black was an astronomer attached to the Greenwich Observatory, so
+brilliantly presided over by Professor Airy. Mr Black was no theorist,
+but a sagacious and intelligent observer; and in the twenty years
+during which he had devoted himself to astronomy, he had rendered great
+services to the science of ouranography. In private life he was a simple
+nonentity; he existed only for astronomy; he lived in the heavens, not
+upon the earth; and was a true descendant of the witty La Fontaine’s
+savant who fell into a well. He could talk of nothing but stars and
+constellations. He ought to have lived in a telescope. As an observer
+be had not his rival; his patience was inexhaustible; he could watch for
+months for a cosmical phenomenon. He had a specialty of his own, too; he
+had studied luminous meteors and shooting stars, and his discoveries in
+this branch of astronomical science were considerable. When ever minute
+observations or exact measurements and definitions were required,
+Thomas Black was chosen for the service; for his clearness of sight was
+something remarkable. The power of observation is not given to everyone,
+and it will not therefore be surprising that the Greenwich astronomer
+should have been chosen for the mission we are about to describe, which
+involved results so interesting for selenographic science.
+
+We know that during a total eclipse of the sun the moon is surrounded by
+a luminous corona. But what is the origin of this corona? Is it a real
+substance? or is it only an effect of the diffraction of the sun’s
+rays near the moon? This is a question which science has hitherto been
+unable to answer.
+
+As early as 1706 this luminous halo was scientifically described.
+The corona was minutely examined during the total eclipse of 1715 by
+Lonville and Halley, by Maraldi in 1724, by Antonio de’Ulloa in
+1778, and by Bonditch and Ferrer in 1806; but their theories were so
+contradictory that no definite conclusion could be arrived at. During
+the total eclipse of 1842, learned men of all nations—Airy, Arago,
+Keytal, Langier, Mauvais, Otto, Struve, Petit, Baily, &c.—endeavoured
+to solve the mystery of the origin of the phenomenon; but in spite
+of all their efforts, “the disagreement,” says Arago, “of the
+observations taken in different places by skilful astronomers of one and
+the same eclipse, have involved the question in fresh obscurity, so that
+it is now impossible to come to any certain conclusion as to the cause
+of the phenomenon.” Since this was written, other total eclipses have
+been studied with no better results.
+
+Yet the solution of the question is of such vast importance to
+selenographic science that no price would be too great to pay for it.
+A fresh opportunity was now about to occur to study the much-discussed
+corona. A total eclipse of the sun—total, at least, for the extreme
+north of America, for Spain and North Africa—was to take place on
+July 18th, 1860. It was arranged between the astronomers of different
+countries that simultaneous observations should be taken at the various
+points of the zone where the eclipse would be total. Thomas Black was
+chosen for the expedition to North America, and was now much in the same
+situation as the English astronomers who were transported to Norway and
+Sweden on the occasion of the eclipse of 1851.
+
+It will readily be imagined that Thomas Black seized with avidity the
+opportunity offered him of studying this luminous halo. He was also to
+examine into the nature of the red prominences which appear on different
+parts of the edge of the terrestrial satellite when the totality of the
+eclipse has commenced; and should he be able satisfactorily to establish
+their origin, he would be entitled to the applause of the learned men of
+all Europe.
+
+Thomas Black eagerly prepared for his journey. He obtained urgent
+letters of recommendation to the principal agents of the Hudson’s
+Bay Company. He ascertained that an expedition was to go to the extreme
+north of the continent to found a new fort. It was an opportunity not
+to be lost; so he set out, crossed the Atlantic, landed at New York,
+traversed the lakes to the Red River settlement, and pressed on from
+fort to fort in a sledge, under the escort of a courier of the Company;
+in spite of the severity of the winter, braving all the dangers of a
+journey across the Arctic regions, and arriving at Fort Reliance on the
+19th March in the condition we have described.
+
+Such was the explanation given by the astronomer to Captain Craventy. He
+at once placed himself entirely at Mr Black’s service, but could not
+refrain from inquiring why he had been in such a great hurry to arrive,
+when the eclipse was not to take place until the following year, 1860?
+
+“But, Captain,” replied the astronomer, “I heard that the Company
+was sending an expedition along the northern coast of America, and I did
+not wish to miss the departure of Lieutenant Hobson.”
+
+“Mr Black,” replied the Captain, “if the Lieutenant had already
+started, I should have felt it my duty to accompany you myself to the
+shores of the Polar Sea.”
+
+And with fresh assurances of his willingness to serve him, the Captain
+again bade his new guest welcome to Fort Reliance.
+
+CHAPTER IV. A FACTORY. One of the largest of the lakes beyond the 61st
+parallel is that called the Great Slave Lake; it is two hundred and
+fifty miles long by fifty across, and is situated exactly at 61° 25’
+N. lat. and 114° W. long. The surrounding districts slope down to it,
+and it completely fills a vast natural hollow. The position of the lake
+in the very centre of the hunting districts. once swarming with game,
+early attracted the attention of the Company. Numerous streams either
+take their rise from it or flow into it-the Mackenzie, the Athabasca,
+&c.; and several important forts have been constructed on its
+shores—Fort Providence on the north, and Fort Resolution on the south.
+Fort Reliance is situated on the north-east extremity, and is about
+three hundred miles from the Chesterfield inlet, a long narrow estuary
+formed by the waters of Hudson’s Bay.
+
+The Great Slave Lake is dotted with little islands, the granite and
+gneiss of which they are formed jutting up in several places. Its
+northern banks are clothed with thick woods, shutting out the barren
+frozen district beyond, not inaptly called the “Cursed Land.” The
+southern regions, on the other band, are flat, without a rise of any
+kind, and the soil is mostly calcareous. The large ruminants of the
+polar districts—the buffaloes or bisons, the flesh of which forms
+almost the only food of the Canadian and native hunters—seldom go
+further north than the Great Slave Lake.
+
+The trees on the northern shores of the lake form magnificent forests.
+We need not be astonished at meeting with such fine vegetation in this
+remote district. The Great Slave Lake is not really in a higher latitude
+than Stockholm or Christiania. We have only to remember that the
+isothermal lines, or belts of equal heat, along which heat is
+distributed in equal quantities, do not follow the terrestrial
+parallels, and that with the same latitude, America is ever so much
+colder than Europe. In April the streets of New York are still white
+with snow, yet the latitude of New York is nearly the same as that of
+the Azores. The nature of a country, its position with regard to
+the oceans, and even the conformation of its soil, all influence its
+climate.
+
+In summer Fort Reliance was surrounded with masses of verdure,
+refreshing to the sight after the long dreary winter. Timber was
+plentiful in these forests, which consisted almost entirely of poplar,
+pine, and birch. The islets on the lake produced very fine willows. Game
+was abundant in the underwood, even during the bad season. Further
+south the hunters from the fort successfully pursued bisons, elks, and
+Canadian porcupines, the flesh of which is excellent. The waters of the
+Slave Lake were full of fish; trout in them attained to an immense size,
+their weight often exceeding forty pounds. Pikes, voracious lobes, a
+sort of charr or grayling called “ blue fish,” and countless legions
+of tittamegs, the Coregonus of naturalists, disported themselves in the
+water, so that the inhabitants of Fort Reliance were well supplied with
+food. Nature provided for all their wants; and clothed in the skins of
+foxes, martens, bears, and other Arctic animals, they were able to brave
+the rigour of the winter.
+
+The fort, properly so called, consisted of a wooden house with a
+ground-floor and one upper storey. In it lived the commandant and his
+officers. The barracks for the soldiers, the magazines of the Company,
+and the offices where exchanges were made, surrounded this house.
+A little chapel, which wanted nothing but a clergyman, and a
+powder-magazine, completed the buildings of the settlement. The whole
+was surrounded by palisades twenty-five feet high, defended by a
+small bastion with a pointed roof at each of the four corners of the
+parallelogram formed by the enceinte. The fort was thus protected from
+surprise, a necessary precaution in the days when the Indians, instead
+of being the purveyors of the Company, fought for the independence
+of their native land, and when the agents and soldiers of rival
+associations disputed the possession of the rich fur country.
+
+At that time the Hudson’s Bay Company employed about a million men on
+its territories. It held supreme authority over them, an authority which
+could even inflict death. The governors of the factories could regulate
+salaries, and arbitrarily fix the price of provisions and furs; and as
+a result of this irresponsible power, they often realised a profit of no
+less than three hundred per cent.
+
+We shall see from the following table, taken from the “ Voyage of
+Captain Robert Lade,” on what terms exchanges were formerly made with
+those Indians who have since become the best hunters of the Company.
+Beavers’ skins were then the currency employed in buying and selling.
+
+The Indians paid—
+
+For one gun,
+
+10 beavers’ skins
+
+“ half a pound of powder,
+
+1 “
+
+“ four pounds of shot,
+
+1 “
+
+“ one axe,
+
+1 “
+
+“ six knives,
+
+1 “
+
+“ one pound of glass beads,
+
+1 “
+
+“ one laced coat,
+
+6 “
+
+“ one coat not laced,
+
+5 “
+
+“ one laced female dress,
+
+6 “
+
+“ one pound of tobacco,
+
+1 “
+
+“ one box of powder,
+
+1 “
+
+“ one comb and one looking glass,
+
+2 “
+
+
+But a few years ago beaver-skins became so scarce that the currency had
+to be changed. Bison-furs are now the medium of trade. When an Indian
+presents himself at the fort, the agents of the Company give him as many
+pieces of wood as he brings skins, and he exchanges these pieces of wood
+for manufactured articles on the premises; and as the Company fix the
+price of the articles they buy and sell, they cannot fail to realise
+large profits.
+
+Such was the mode of proceeding in Fort Reliance and other factories;
+so that Mrs Paulina Barnett was able to watch the working of the system
+during her stay, which extended until the 16th April. Many a long talk
+did she have with Lieutenant Hobson, many were the projects they formed,
+and firmly were they both determined to allow no obstacle to check their
+advance. As for Thomas Black, he never opened his lips except when his
+own special mission was discussed. He was wrapped up in the subject of
+the luminous corona and red prominences of the moon; he lived but to
+solve the problem, and in the end made Mrs Paulina Barnett nearly as
+enthusiastic as himself. How eager the two were to cross the Arctic
+Circle, and how far off the 18th July 1860 appeared to both, but
+especially to the impatient Greenwich astronomer, can easily be
+imagined.
+
+The preparations for departure could not be commenced until the middle
+of March, and a month passed before they were completed. In fact, it was
+a formidable undertaking to organise such an expedition for crossing the
+Polar regions. Everything had to betaken with them-food, clothes, tools,
+arms, ammunition, and a nondescript collection of various requisites.
+
+The troops, under the command of Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson, were one
+chief and two subordinate officers, with ten soldiers, three of whom
+took their wives with them. They were all picked men, chosen by Captain
+Craventy on account of their energy and resolution. We append a list of
+the whole party:—
+
+1. Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson.
+
+11. Sabine, soldier.
+
+2. Sergeant Long.
+
+12. Hope, do.
+
+3. Corporal Joliffe.
+
+13. Kellet, do.
+
+4. Petersen, soldier
+
+14. Mrs Rae
+
+5. Belcher, do.
+
+15. Mrs Joliffe.
+
+6. Rae, do
+
+16. Mrs Mac-Nab.
+
+7. Marbre, do
+
+17. Mrs Paulina Barnett.
+
+8. Garry, do
+
+18. Madge.
+
+9. Pond, do
+
+19. Thomas Black
+
+10. Mac-Nab, do.
+
+
+
+
+In all, nineteen persons to be transported several hundreds of miles
+through a desert and imperfectly-known country.
+
+With this project in view, however, the Company had collected everything
+necessary for the expedition. A dozen sledges, with their teams of dogs,
+were in readiness. These primitive vehicles consisted of strong but
+light planks joined together by transverse bands. A piece of curved
+wood, turning up at the end like a skate, was fixed beneath the sledge,
+enabling it to cleave the snow without sinking deeply into it. Six swift
+and intelligent dogs, yoked two and two, and controlled by the long
+thong brandished by the driver, drew the sledges, and could go at a rate
+of fifteen miles an hour.
+
+The wardrobe of the travellers consisted of garments made of
+reindeer-skins, lined throughout with thick furs. All wore linen next
+the skin as a protection against the sudden changes of temperature
+frequent in these latitudes. Each one, officer or soldier, male or
+female, wore seal-skin boots sewn with twine, in the manufacture of
+which the natives excel. These boots are absolutely impervious, and
+are so flexible that they are admirably adapted for walking. Pine-wood
+snow-shoes, two or three feet long, capable of supporting the weight of
+a man on the most brittle snow, and enabling him to pass over it with
+the rapidity of a skater on ice, can be fastened to the soles of the
+seal-skin boots. Fur caps and deer-skin belts completed the costumes.
+
+For arms, Lieutenant Hobson had the regulation musketoons provided by
+the Company, pistols, ordnance sabres, and plenty of ammunition;
+for tools : axes, saws, adzes, and other instruments required in
+carpentering. Then there was the collection of all that would be needed
+for setting up a factory in the remote district for which they were
+bound : a stove; a smelting furnace, two airpumps for ventilation, an
+India-rubber boat, only inflated when required, &c., &c.
+
+The party might have relied for provisions on the hunters amongst them.
+Some of the soldiers were skilful trackers of game, and there were
+plenty of reindeer in the Polar regions. Whole tribes of Indians, or
+Esquimaux, deprived of bread and all other nourishment, subsist entirely
+on this venison, which is both abundant and palatable. But as delays and
+difficulties had to be allowed for, a certain quantity of provisions was
+taken with them. The flesh of the bison, elk, and deer, amassed in the
+large battues on the south of the lake; corned beef, which will keep for
+any length of time; and some Indian preparations, in which the flesh of
+animals, ground to powder, retains its nutritive properties in a very
+small bulk, requiring no cooking, and forming a very nourishing diet,
+were amongst the stores provided in case of need.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson likewise took several casks of rum and whisky; but
+he was firmly resolved to economise these spirits, so injurious to the
+health in cold latitudes, as much as possible. The Company had placed
+at his disposal a little portable medicine-chest, containing formidable
+quantities of lime-juice, lemons, and other simple remedies necessary
+to check, or if possible to prevent, the scorbutic affections which take
+such a terrible form in these regions.
+
+All the men had been chosen with great care; none were too stout or
+too thin, and all had for years been accustomed to the severity of
+the climate, and could therefore more easily endure the fatigues of an
+expedition to the Polar Sea. They were all brave, high-spirited fellows,
+who had taken service of their own accord. Double pay had been promised
+them during their stay at the confines of the American continent, should
+they succeed in making a settlement beyond the seventieth parallel.
+
+The sledge provided for Mrs Barnett and her faithful Madge was rather
+more comfortable than the others. She did not wish to be treated better
+than her travelling companions, but yielded to the urgent request of
+Captain Craventy, who was but carrying out the wishes of the Company.
+
+The vehicle which brought Thomas Black to Fort Reliance also
+conveyed him and his scientific apparatus from it. A few astronomical
+instruments, of which there were not many in those days-a telescope for
+his selenographic observations, a sextant for taking the latitude, a
+chronometer for determining the longitudes, a few maps, a few books,
+were all stored away in this sledge, and Thomas Black relied upon his
+faithful dogs to lose nothing by the way.
+
+Of course the food for the various teams was not forgotten. There were
+altogether no less than seventy-two dogs, quite a herd to provide for by
+the way, and it was the business of the hunters to cater for them. These
+strong intelligent animals were bought of the Chippeway Indians, who
+know well how to train them for their arduous calling.
+
+The little company was most skilfully organised. The zeal of Lieutenant
+Jaspar Hobson was beyond all praise. Proud of his mission, and devoted
+to his task; he neglected nothing which could insure success. Corporal
+Joliffe, always a busybody, exerted himself without producing any very
+tangible results; but his wife was most useful and devoted; and Mrs
+Paulina Barnett had already struck up a great friendship with the brisk
+little Canadian woman, whose fair hair and large soft eyes were so
+pleasant to look at.
+
+We need scarcely add that Captain Craventy did all in his power to
+further the enterprise. The instructions he had received from the
+Company showed what great importance they attached to the success of the
+expedition, and the establishment of a new factory beyond the seventieth
+parallel. We may therefore safely affirm that every human effort likely
+to insure success which could be made was made; but who could tell what
+insurmountable difficulties nature might place in the path of the brave
+Lieutenant I who could tell what awaited him and his devoted little
+band.
+
+CHAPTER V. FROM FORT RELIANCE TO FORT ENTERPRISE. The first fine days
+came at last. The green carpet of the hills began to appear here
+and there where the snow had melted. A few migratory birds from the
+south-such as swans, bald-headed eagles, &c.—passed through the warmer
+air. The poplars, birches, and willows began to bud, and the redheaded
+ducks, of which there are so many species in North America, to skim the
+surface of the numerous pools formed by the melted snow. Guillemots,
+puffins, and eider ducks sought colder latitudes; and little shrews
+no bigger than a hazel-nut ventured from their holes, tracing strange
+figures on the ground with their tiny-pointed tails. It was intoxicating
+once more to breathe the fresh air of spring, and to bask in the
+sunbeams. Nature awoke once more from her heavy sleep in the long winter
+night, and smiled as she opened her eyes.
+
+The renovation of creation in spring is perhaps more impressive in the
+Arctic regions than in any other portion of the globe, on account of the
+greater contrast with what has gone before.
+
+The thaw was not, however, complete. The thermometer, it is true, marked
+41° Fahrenheit above zero; but the mean temperature of the nights kept
+the surface of the snowy plains solid—a good thing for the passage of
+sledges, of which Jaspar Hobson meant to avail himself before the thaw
+became complete.
+
+The ice of the lake was still unbroken. During the last month several
+successful hunting expeditions had been made across the vast smooth
+plains, which were already frequented by game. Mrs Barnett was
+astonished at the skill with which the men used their snow-shoes,
+scudding along at the pace of a horse in full gallop. Following Captain
+Craventy’s advice, the lady herself practised walking in these
+contrivances, and she soon became very expert in sliding over the snow.
+
+During the last few days several bands of Indians had arrived at the
+fort to exchange the spoils of the winter chase for manufactured goods.
+The season had been bad. There were a good many polecats and sables; but
+the furs of beavers, otters, lynxes, ermines, and foxes were scarce. It
+was therefore a wise step for the Company to endeavour to explore a new
+country, where the wild animals had hitherto escaped the rapacity of
+man.
+
+On the morning of the 16th April Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson and his party
+were ready to start. The route across the known districts, between the
+Slave Lake and that of the Great Bear beyond the Arctic Circle, was
+already determined. Jaspar Hobson was to make for Fort Confidence, on
+the northern extremity of the latter lake; and he was to revictual at
+Fort Enterprise, a station two hundred miles further to the north-west,
+on the shores of the Snare Lake, By travelling at the rate of fifteen
+miles a day the Lieutenant hoped to halt there about the beginning of
+May.
+
+From this point the expedition was to take the shortest route to Cape
+Bathurst, on the North American coast. It was agreed that in a year
+Captain Craventy should send a convoy with provisions to Cape Bathurst,
+and that a detachment of the Lieutenant’s men was to go to meet this
+convoy, to guide it to the spot where the new fort was to be erected.
+This plan was a guarantee against any adverse circumstances, and left
+a means of communication with their fellow-creatures open to the
+Lieutenant and his voluntary companions in exile.
+
+On the 16th April dogs and sledges were awaiting the travellers at the
+postern gate. Captain Craventy called the men of the party together and
+said a few kind words to them. He urged them above all things to stand
+by one another in the perils they might be called upon to meet; reminded
+them that the enterprise upon which they were about to enter required
+self-denial and devotion, and that submission to their officers was
+an indispensable condition of success. Cheers greeted the Captain’s
+speech, the adieux were quickly made, and each one took his place in the
+sledge assigned to him. Jaspar Hobson and Sergeant Long went first; then
+Mrs Paulina Barnett and Madge, the latter dexterously wielding the long
+Esquimaux whip, terminating in a stiff thong. Thomas Black and one of
+the soldiers, the Canadian, Petersen, occupied the third sledge ;and
+the others followed, Corporal and Mrs Joliffe bringing up the rear.
+According to the orders of Lieutenant Hobson, each driver kept as nearly
+as possible at the same distance from the preceding sledge, so as to
+avoid all confusion—a necessary precaution, as a collision between two
+sledges going at full speed, might have had disastrous results.
+
+On leaving Fort Reliance, Jaspar Hobson at once directed his course
+towards the north-west. The first thing to be done was to cross the
+large river connecting Lakes Slave and Wolmsley, which was, however,
+still frozen so hard as to be undistinguishable from the vast white
+plains around. A uniform carpet of snow covered the whole country, and
+the sledges, drawn by their swift teams, sped rapidly over the firm
+smooth surface.
+
+The weather was fine, but still very cold. The sun, scarce above the
+horizon, described a lengthened curve; and its rays, reflected on
+the snow, gave more light than heat. Fortunately not a breath of air
+stirred, and this lessened the severity of the cold, although the rapid
+pace of the sledges through the keen atmosphere must have been trying to
+any one not inured to the rigour of a Polar climate.
+
+“A good beginning,” said Jaspar Hobson to the Sergeant, who sat
+motionless beside him as if rooted to his seat; “the journey has
+commenced favourably. The sky is cloudless; the temperature propitious,
+our equipages shoot along like express trains, and as long as this fine
+weather lasts we shall get on capitally. What do you think, Sergeant
+Long?”
+
+“I agree with you, Lieutenant,” replied the Sergeant, who never
+differed from his chief.
+
+“Like myself, Sergeant, you are determined to push on as far north as
+possible—are you not?” resumed Lieutenant Hobson.
+
+“You have but to command to be obeyed, Lieutenant.”
+
+“I know it, Sergeant; I know that with you to bear is to obey. Would
+that all our men understood as you do the importance of our mission, and
+would devote themselves body and soul to the interests of the Company!
+Ah, Sergeant Long, I know if I gave you an impossible order— “
+
+“Lieutenant, there is no such thing as an impossible order.”
+
+“What? Suppose now I ordered you to go to the North Pole?”
+
+“Lieutenant, I should go !”
+
+“And to comeback!” added Jaspar Hobson with a smile.
+
+“I should come back,” replied Sergeant Long simply.
+
+During this colloquy between Lieutenant Hobson and his Sergeant a slight
+ascent compelled the sledges to slacken speed, and Mrs Barnett and
+Madge also exchanged a few sentences. These two intrepid women, in their
+otter-skin caps and white bear-skin mantles, gazed in astonishment upon
+the rugged scenery around them, and at the white outlines of the huge
+glaciers standing out against the horizon. They had already left behind
+them the hills of the northern banks of the Slave Lake, with their
+summits crowned with the gaunt skeletons of trees. The vast plains
+stretched before them in apparently endless succession. The rapid flight
+and cries of a few birds of passage alone broke the monotony of the
+scene. Now and then a troop of swans, with plumage so white that the
+keenest sight could not distinguish them from the snow when they settled
+on the ground, rose into view in the clear blue atmosphere and pursued
+their journey to the north.
+
+“What an extraordinary country !” exclaimed Mrs Paulina Barnett.
+“What a difference between these Polar regions and the green prairies
+of Australia! You remember, Madge, how we suffered from the heat on the
+shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria—you remember the cloudless sky and
+the parching sunbeams?”
+
+My dear,” replied Madge, “I have not the gift of remembering like
+you. You retain your impressions, I forget mine.”
+
+“What, Madge !” cried Mrs Barnett, “you have forgotten the
+tropical heat of India arid Australia? You have no recollection of
+our agonies when water failed us in the desert, when the pitiless sun
+scorched us to the bone, when even the night brought us no relief from
+our sufferings !”
+
+“No, Paulina,” replied Madge, wrapping her furs more closely round
+her, “no, I remember nothing. How could I now recollect the sufferings
+to which you allude—the heat, the agonies of thirst—when we are
+surrounded on every side by ice, and I have but to stretch my arm out of
+this sledge to pick up a handful of snow? You talk to me of heat, when
+we are freezing beneath our bearskins; you recall the broiling rays of
+the sun when its April beams cannot melt the icicles on our lips! No,
+child, no, don’t try to persuade me it’s hot anywhere else; don’t
+tell me I ever complained of being too warm, for I sha’n’t believe
+you!”
+
+Mrs Paulina Barnett could not help smiling.
+
+“So, poor Madge,” she said, “you are very cold!”
+
+“Yes, child, I am cold; but I rather like this climate. I’ve no
+doubt it’s very healthy, and I think North America will agree with me.
+It’s really a very fine country !”
+
+“Yes, Madge; it is a fine country, and we have as yet seen none of
+the wonders it contains. But wait until we reach the Arctic Ocean;
+wait until the winter shuts us in with its gigantic icebergs and thick
+covering of snow; wait till the northern storms break over us, and the
+glories of the Aurora Borealis and of the splendid constellations of
+the Polar skies are spread out above our heads; wait till we have lived
+through the strange long six months’ night, and then indeed you will
+understand the infinite variety, the infinite beauty, of our Creator’s
+handiwork !”
+
+Thus spoke Mrs Paulina Barnett, carried away by her vivid imagination.
+She could see nothing but beauty in these deserted regions, with their
+rigorous climate. Her enthusiasm got the better for the time of her
+judgment. Her sympathy with nature enabled her to read the touching
+poetry of the ice-bound north-the poetry embodied in the Sagas, and sung
+by the bards of the time of Ossian. But Madge, more matter of fact
+than her mistress, disguised from herself neither the dangers of an
+expedition to the Arctic Ocean, nor the sufferings involved in wintering
+only thirty degrees at the most from the North Pole.
+
+And indeed the most robust had sometimes succumbed to the fatigues,
+privations, and mental and bodily agonies endured in this severe
+climate. Jaspar Hobson had not, it is true, to press on to the very
+highest latitudes of the globe,; he had not to reach the pole itself,
+or to follow in the steps of Parry, Ross, Mc’Clure, Kean, Morton,
+and others. But after once crossing the Arctic Circle, there is little
+variation in the temperature; it does not increase in coldness in
+proportion to the elevation reached. Granted that Jaspar Hobson did not
+think of going beyond the seventieth parallel, we must still remember
+that Franklin and his unfortunate companions died of cold and hunger
+before they had penetrated beyond 68° N. lat.
+
+Very different was the talk in the sledge occupied by Mr and Mrs
+Joliffe. Perhaps the gallant Corporal had too often drunk to the success
+of the expedition on starting; for, strange to say, he was disputing
+with his little wife. Yes, he was actually contradicting her, which
+never happened except under extraordinary circumstances!
+
+“No, Mrs Joliffe,” he was saying, “no, you have nothing to fear.
+A sledge is not more difficult to guide than a pony-carriage, and the
+devil take me if I can’t manage a team of dogs !”
+
+“I don’t question your skill,” replied Mrs Joliffe; “I only ask
+you not to go so fast. You are in front of the whole caravan now, and
+I hear Lieutenant Hobson calling out to you to resume your proper place
+behind.”
+
+“Let him call, Mrs Joliffe, let him call.”
+
+And the Corporal, urging on his dogs with a fresh cut of the whip,
+dashed along at still greater speed.
+
+“Take care, Joliffe,” repeated his little wife; “not so fast, we
+are going down hill.”
+
+“Down hill, Mrs Joliffe; you call that down hill? why, it’s up
+hill!”
+
+“I tell you we are going down!” repeated poor Mrs Joliffe.
+
+“And I tell you we are going up; look how the dogs pull !”
+
+Whoever was right, the dogs became uneasy. The ascent was, in fact,
+pretty steep; the sledge dashed along at a reckless pace, and was
+already considerably in advance of the rest of the party. Mr and Mrs
+Joliffe bumped up and down every instant, the surface of the snow became
+more and more uneven, and the pair, flung first to one side and then to
+the other, knocked against each other and the sledge, and were horribly
+bruised and shaken. But the Corporal would listen neither to the advice
+of his wife nor to the shouts of Lieutenant Hobson. The latter, seeing
+the danger of this reckless course, urged on his own animals, and the
+rest of the caravan followed at a rapid pace.
+
+But the Corporal became more and more excited-the speed of his equipage
+delighted him. He shouted, he gesticulated, and flourished his long whip
+like an accomplished sportsman.
+
+“Wonderful things these whips!” he cried; “the Esquimaux wield
+them with unrivalled skill !”
+
+“But you are not an Esquimaux!” cried Mrs Joliffe, trying in vain to
+arrest the arm of her imprudent husband.
+
+“I have heard tell,” resumed the Corporal—” I’ve heard tell
+that the Esquimaux can touch any dog they like in any part, that they
+can even cut out a bit of one of their ears with the stiff thong at the
+end of the whip. I am going to try.”
+
+“Don’t try, don’t try, Joliffe !” screamed the poor little
+woman, frightened out of her wits.
+
+“Don’t be afraid, Mrs Joliffe, don’t be afraid; I know what I can
+do. The fifth dog on the right is misbehaving himself;. I will correct
+him a little!”
+
+But Corporal Joliffe was evidently not yet enough of an Esquimaux to be
+able to manage the whip with its thong four feet longer than the sledge;
+for it unrolled with an ominous hiss, and rebounding, twisted itself
+round Corporal Joliffe’s own neck, sending his fur cap into the air,
+perhaps with one of his ears in it.
+
+At this moment the dogs flung themselves on one side, the sledge was
+overturned, and the pair were flung into the snow. Fortunately it was
+thick and soft, so that they escaped unhurt. But what a disgrace for the
+Corporal! how reproachfully his little wife looked at him, and how stern
+was the reprimand of Lieutenant Hobson!
+
+The sledge was picked up, but it was decided that henceforth the reins
+of the dogs, like those of the household, were to be in the hands of
+Mrs Joliffe. The crest-fallen Corporal was obliged to submit, and the
+interrupted journey was resumed.
+
+No incident worth mentioning occurred during the next fifteen days. The
+weather continued favourable, the cold was not too severe, and on the
+1st May the expedition arrived at Fort Enterprise.
+
+:
+
+CHAPTER VI. A WAPITI DUEL. Two hundred miles had been traversed since
+the expedition left Fort Reliance. The travellers, taking advantage of
+the long twilight, pressed on day and night, and were literally overcome
+with fatigue when they reached Fort Enterprise, near the shores of Lake
+Snare.
+
+This fort was no more than a depôt of provisions, of little importance,
+erected a few years before by the Hudson’s Bay Company. It served as a
+resting-place for the men taking the convoys of furs from the Great Bear
+Lake, some three hundred miles further to the north-west. About a dozen
+soldiers formed the garrison. The fort consisted of a wooden house
+surrounded by palisades. But few as were the comforts it offered,
+Lieutenant Hobson’s companions gladly took refuge in it and rested
+there for two days.
+
+The gentle influence of the Arctic spring was beginning to be felt. Here
+and there the snow had melted, and the temperature of the nights was no
+longer below freezing point. A few delicate mosses and slender grasses
+clothed the rugged ground with their soft verdure; and from between the
+stones peeped the moist calices of tiny, almost colourless, flowers.
+These faint signs of reawakening vegetation, after the long night of
+winter, were refreshing to eyes weary of the monotonous whiteness of
+the snow; and the scattered specimens of the Flora of the Arctic regions
+were welcomed with delight.
+
+Mrs Paulina Barnett and Jaspar Hobson availed themselves of this leisure
+time to visit the shores of the little lake. They were both students and
+enthusiastic lovers of nature. Together they wandered amongst the ice
+masses, already beginning to break up, and the waterfalls created by
+the action of the rays of the sun. The surface itself of Lake Snare
+was still intact, not a crack denoted the approaching thaw; but it was
+strewn with the ruins of mighty icebergs, which assumed all manner
+of picturesque forms, and the beauty of which was heightened when the
+light, diffracted by the sharp edges of the ice, touched them with all
+manner of colours. One might have fancied that a rainbow, crushed in a
+powerful hand, bad been flung upon the ground, its fragments crossing
+each other as they fell.
+
+“What a beautiful scene!” exclaimed Mrs Paulina Barnett. “These
+prismatic effects vary at every change of our position. Does it not seem
+as if we were bending over the opening of an immense kaleidoscope, or
+are you already weary of a sight so new and interesting to me?”
+
+“No, madam,” replied the Lieutenant; “although I was born and
+bred on this continent, its beauties never pall upon me. But if your
+enthusiasm is so great when you see this scenery with the sun shining
+upon it, what will it be when you are privileged to behold the terrible
+grandeur of the winter? To own the truth, I think the sun, so much
+thought of in temperate latitudes, spoils my Arctic home.”
+
+“Indeed!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, smiling at the Lieutenant’s last
+remark; “for my part, I think the sun a capital travelling companion,
+and I shall not be disposed to grumble at the warmth it gives even in
+the Polar regions !”
+
+“Ah, madam,” replied Jaspar Hobson, “I am one of those who think
+it best to visit Russia in the winter, and the Sahara Desert in the
+summer. You then see their peculiar characteristics to advantage. The
+sun is a star of the torrid and temperate zones, and is out of place
+thirty degrees from the North Pole. The true sky of this country is the
+pure frigid sky of winter, bright with constellations, and sometimes
+flushed with the glory of the Aurora Borealis. This land is the land of
+the night, not of the day; and you have yet to make acquaintance with
+the delights and marvels of the long Polar night.”
+
+“Have you ever visited the temperate zones of Europe and America?”
+inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes, madam; and I admired them as they deserved. But I returned home
+with fresh love and enthusiasm for my native land. Cold is my element,
+and no merit is due to me for braving it. It has no power over me; and,
+like the Esquimaux. I can live for months together in a snow hut.”
+
+“Really, Lieutenant Hobson, it is quite cheering to hear our dreaded
+enemy spoken of in such terms. I hope to prove myself worthy to be your
+companion, and wherever you venture, we will venture together.”
+
+“I agree, madam, I agree; and may all the women and soldiers
+accompanying me show themselves as resolute as you. If so, God helping
+us, we shall indeed advance far.”
+
+“You have nothing to complain of yet,” observed the lady. “Not a
+single accident has occurred, the weather has been propitious, the cold
+not too severe-everything has combined to aid us.”
+
+“Yes, madam; but the sun which you admire so much will soon create
+difficulties for us, and strew obstacles in our path.”
+
+“What do you mean, Lieutenant Hobson?”
+
+“I mean that the heat will soon have changed the aspect of the
+country; that the melted ice will impede the sliding of the sledges;
+that the ground will become rough and uneven; that our panting dogs will
+no longer carry us along with the speed of an arrow; that the rivers and
+lakes will resume their liquid state, and that we shall have to ford
+or go round them. All these changes, madam, due to the influence of the
+solar rays, will cause delays, fatigue, and dangers, the very least of
+which will be the breaking of the brittle snow beneath our feet, or the
+falling of the avalanches from the summits of the icebergs. For all this
+we have to thank the gradual rise of the sun higher and higher above
+the horizon. Bear this in mind, madam: of the four elements of the old
+creation, only one is necessary to us here, the air; the other three,
+fire, earth, and water, are de trop in the Arctic regions.”
+
+Of course the Lieutenant was exaggerating, and Mrs Barnett could easily
+have retorted with counter-arguments; but she liked to hear his raptures
+in praise of his beloved country, and she felt that his enthusiasm was a
+guarantee that he would shrink from no obstacle.
+
+Yet Jaspar Hobson was right when he said the sun would cause
+difficulties. This was seen when the party set out again on the 4th
+May, three days later. The thermometer, even in the coldest part of the
+night, marked more than 32° Fahrenheit. A complete thaw set in, the
+vast white sheet of snow resolved itself into water. The irregularities
+of the rocky soil caused constant jolting of the sledges, and the
+passengers were roughly shaken. The roads were so heavy that the dogs
+had to go at a slow trot, and the reins were therefore again entrusted
+to the hands of the imprudent Corporal
+
+Joliffe. Neither shouts nor flourishings of the whip had the slightest
+effect on the jaded animals.
+
+From time to time the travellers lightened the sledges by walking little
+way. This mode of locomotion suited the hunters, who were now gradually
+approaching the best districts for game in the whole of English America.
+Mrs Paulina Barnett and Madge took a great interest in the chase, whilst
+Thomas Black professed absolute indifference to all athletic exercise.
+He had not come all this distance to hunt the polecat or the ermine, but
+merely to look at the moon at the moment when her disc should cover
+that of the sun. When the queen of the night rose above the horizon, the
+impatient astronomer would gaze at her with eager eyes, and one day the
+Lieutenant said to him
+
+“It would be a bad look-out for you, Mr Black, if by any unlucky
+chance the moon should fail to keep her appointment on the 16th July
+1860.”
+
+“Lieutenant Hobson,” gravely replied the astronomer, “if the moon
+were guilty of such a breach of good manners, I should indeed have cause
+to complain.”
+
+The chief hunters of the expedition were the soldiers Marbre and Sabine,
+both very expert at their business. Their skill was wonderful; and the
+cleverest Indians would not have surpassed them in keenness of sight,
+precision of aim, or manual address. They were alike trappers and
+hunters, and were acquainted with all the nets and snares for taking
+sables, otters, wolves, foxes, bears, &c. No artifice was unknown to
+them, and Captain Craventy had shown his wisdom in choosing two such
+intelligent men to accompany the little troop.
+
+Whilst on the march however, Marbre and Sabine had no time for setting
+traps. They could not separate from the others for more than an hour or
+two at a time, and were obliged to be content with the game which passed
+within range of their rifles. Still they were fortunate enough to kill
+two of the large American ruminants, seldom met with in such elevated
+latitudes.
+
+On the morning of the 15th May the hunters asked permission to follow
+some fresh traces they had found, and the Lieutenant not only granted
+it, but himself accompanied them with Mrs Paulina Barnett, and they went
+several miles out of their route towards the east.
+
+The impressions were evidently the result of the passage of about
+half-a-dozen large deer. There could be no mistake about it; Marbre
+and Sabine were positive on that point, and could even have named the
+species to which the animals belonged.
+
+“You seem surprised to have met with traces of these animals here,
+Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Well, madam,” replied Hobson, “this species is rarely seen beyond
+57° N. lat. We generally hunt them at the south of the Slave Lake,
+where they feed upon the shoots of willows and poplars, and certain wild
+roses to which they are very partial.”
+
+“I suppose these creatures, like those with valuable furs, have fled
+from the districts scoured by the hunters.”
+
+“I see no other explanation of their presence at 65° N. lat.,”
+replied the Lieutenant-”that is, if the men are not mistaken as to the
+origin of the footprints.”
+
+“No, no, sir,” cried Sabine; “Marbre and I are not mistaken. These
+traces were left by deer, the deer we hunters call red deer, and the
+natives wapitis.”
+
+“He is quite right,” added Marbre; “old trappers like us are
+not to be taken in; besides, don’t you hear that peculiar whistling
+sound?”
+
+The party had now reached the foot of a little hill, and as the snow
+had almost disappeared from its sides they were able to climb it,
+and hastened to the summit, the peculiar whistling noticed by Marbre
+becoming louder, mingled with cries resembling the braying of an ass,
+and proving that the two hunters were not mistaken.
+
+Once at the top of the hill, the adventurers looked eagerly towards the
+east. The undulating plains were still white with snow, but its dazzling
+surface was here and there relieved with patches of stunted light green
+vegetation. A few gaunt shrubs stretched forth their bare and shrivelled
+branches, and huge icebergs with precipitous sides stood out against the
+grey background of the sky.
+
+“Wapitis! wapitis!-there they are !” cried Sabine and Marbre at
+once, pointing to a group of animals distinctly visible about a quarter
+of a mile to the east.
+
+“What are they doing?” asked Mrs Barnett.
+
+“They are fighting, madam,” replied Hobson; “they always do when
+the heat of the Polar sun inflames their blood-another deplorable result
+of the action of the radiant orb of day !”
+
+From where they stood the party could easily watch the group of wapitis.
+They were fine specimens of the family of deer known under the various
+names of stags with rounded antlers, American stags, roebucks, grey elks
+and red elks, &c. These graceful creatures have slender legs and brown
+skins with patches of red hair, the colour of which becomes darker in
+the warmer season. The fierce males are easily distinguished from the
+females by their fine white antlers, the latter being entirely without
+these ornaments. These wapitis were once very numerous all over North
+America, and the United States imported a great many; but clearings
+were begun on every side, the forest trees fell beneath the axe of
+the pioneer of civilisation, and the wapitis took refuge in the more
+peaceful districts of Canada; but they were soon again disturbed, and
+wandered to the shores of Hudson’s Bay. So that although the wapiti
+thrives in a cold country, Lieutenant Hobson was right in saying that it
+seldom penetrates beyond 57° N. latitude; and the specimens now found
+had doubtless fled before the Chippeway Indians, who hunt them without
+mercy.
+
+The wapitis were so engrossed in their desperate struggle that they were
+unconscious of the approach of the hunters; but they would probably
+not have ceased fighting, had they been aware of it. Marbre and Sabine,
+aware of their peculiarity in this respect, might therefore have
+advanced fearlessly upon them, and have taken aim at leisure.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson suggested that they should do so.
+
+“Beg pardon, sir,” replied Marbre; “but let us spare our powder
+and shot. These beasts are engaged in a war to the death, and we shall
+arrive in plenty of time to pick up the vanquished.”
+
+“Have these wapitis a commercial value?” asked Mrs Paulina Barnett.
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied Hobson; “and their skin, which is not quite
+so thick as that of the elk, properly so called makes very valuable
+leather. By rubbing this skin with the fat and brains of the animal
+itself, it is rendered flexible, and neither damp nor dryness injures
+it. The Indians are therefore always eager to procure the skins of the
+wapitis.”
+
+“Does not the flesh make admirable venison?”
+
+“Pretty good, madam; only pretty good. It is tough, and does not taste
+very nice; the fat becomes hard directly it is taken from the fire, and
+sticks to the teeth. It is certainly inferior as an article of food to
+the flesh of other deer; but when meat is scarce we are glad enough to
+eat it, and it supports life as well as anything else.”
+
+Mrs Barnett and Lieutenant Hobson had been chatting together for some
+minutes, when, with the exception of two, the wapitis suddenly ceased
+fighting. Was their rage satiated?- or had they perceived the hunters,
+and felt the approach of danger? Whatever the cause, all but two fine
+creatures fled a towards the east With incredible speed; in a few
+instants they were out of sight, and the swiftest horse could not have
+caught them up.
+
+Meanwhile, however, two magnificent specimens remained on the field
+of battle. Heads down, antlers to antlers, hind legs stretched and
+quivering, they butted at each other without a moment’s pause. Like
+two wrestlers struggling for a prize which neither will yield, they
+would not separate, but whirled round and round together on their front
+legs as if riveted to one another. What implacable rage !” exclaimed
+Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes,” replied the Lieutenant; “the wapitis really are most
+spiteful beasts. I have no doubt they are fighting out an old
+quarrel.”
+
+“Would not this be the time to approach them, when they are blinded
+with rage?”
+
+“There’s plenty of time, ma’am,” said Sabine; “they won’t
+escape us now. They will not stir from where they are when we are three
+steps from them, the rifles at our shoulders, and our fingers on the
+triggers !”
+
+Indeed? Yes, madam,” added Hobson, who had carefully examined the
+wapitis after the hunter’s remark; “and whether at our hands or
+from the teeth of wolves, those wapitis will meet death where they now
+stand.”
+
+“I don’t understand what you mean, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Well, go nearer, madam,” he replied; “don’t be afraid of
+startling the animals; for, as our hunter says, they are no longer
+capable of flight.”
+
+The four now descended the hill, and in a few minutes gained the theatre
+of the struggle. The wapitis had not moved. They were pushing at
+each other like a couple of rams, and seemed to be inseparably glued
+together.
+
+In fact, in the heat of the combat the antlers of the two creatures had
+become entangled together to such an extent that they could no longer
+separate without breaking them. This often happens in the hunting
+districts. It is not at all uncommon to find antlers thus connected
+lying on the ground; the poor encumbered animals soon die of hunger, or
+they become an easy prey to wild beasts.
+
+Two bullets put an end to the fight between the wapitis; and Marbre
+and Sabine taking immediate possession, carried off their skins to be
+subsequently prepared, leaving their bleeding carcasses to be devoured
+by wolves and bears.
+
+CHAPTER VII. THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. The expedition continued to advance
+towards the north-west; but the great inequalities of the ground made it
+hard work for the dogs to get along, and the poor creatures, who could
+hardly be held in when they started, were now quiet enough. Eight or ten
+miles a day were as much as they could accomplish, although Lieutenant
+Hobson urged them on to the utmost.
+
+He was anxious to get to Fort Confidence, on the further side of the
+Great Bear Lake, where he hoped to obtain some useful information. Had
+the Indians frequenting the northern banks of the lake been able to
+cross the districts on the shores of the sea? was the Arctic Ocean open
+at this time of year? These were grave questions, the reply to which
+would decide the fate of the new factory.
+
+The country through which the little troop was now passing was
+intersected by numerous streams, mostly tributaries of the two large
+rivers, the Mackenzie and Coppermine, which flow from the south to the
+north, and empty themselves into the Arctic Ocean. Lakes, lagoons, and
+numerous pools are formed between these two principal arteries; and
+as they were no longer frozen over, the sledges could not venture upon
+them, and were compelled to go around them, which caused considerable
+delay. Lieutenant Hobson was certainly right in saying that winter is
+the time to visit the hyperborean regions, for they are then far easier
+to traverse. Mrs Paulina Barnett had reason to own the justice of this
+assertion than once.
+
+This region, included in the “Cursed Land,” was, besides, completely
+deserted, as are the greater portion of the districts of the extreme
+north of America. It has been estimated that there is but one inhabitant
+to every ten square miles. Besides the scattered natives, there are some
+few thousand agents or soldiers of the different fur-trading companies;
+but they mostly congregate in the southern districts and about the
+various factories. No human footprints gladdened the eyes of the
+travellers, the only traces on the sandy soil were those of ruminants
+and rodents. Now and then a fierce polar bear was seen, and Mrs Paulina
+Barnett expressed her surprise at not meeting more of these terrible
+carnivorous beasts, of whose daily attacks on whalers and persons
+shipwrecked in Baffin’s Bay and on the coasts of Greenland and
+Spitzbergen she had read in the accounts of those who had wintered in
+the Arctic regions.
+
+“Wait for the winter, madam,” replied the Lieutenant; “wait till
+the cold makes them hungry, and then you will perhaps see as many as you
+care about !”
+
+On the 23d May, after a long and fatiguing journey, the expedition at
+last reached the Arctic Circle. We know that this latitude 23° 27’
+57” from the North Pole, forms the mathematical limit beyond which
+the rays of the sun do not penetrate in the winter, when the northern
+districts of the globe are turned away from the orb of day. Here, then,
+the travellers entered the true Arctic region, the northern Frigid Zone.
+
+The latitude had been very carefully obtained by means of most accurate
+instruments, which were handled with equal skill by the astronomer and
+by Lieutenant Hobson. Mrs Barnett was present at the operation, and
+had the satisfaction of hearing that she was at last about to cross the
+Arctic Circle. It was with a feeling of just pride that she received the
+intelligence.
+
+“You have already passed through the two Torrid Zones in your previous
+journeys,” said the Lieutenant, “and now you are on the verge of the
+Arctic Circle. Few explorers have ventured into such totally different
+regions. Some, so to speak, have a specialty for hot countries, and
+choose Africa or Australia as the field for their investigations. Such
+were Barth, Burton, Livingstone Speke, Douglas, Stuart, &c. Others, on
+the contrary, have a passion for the Arctic regions, still so little
+known. Mackenzie, Franklin, Penny, Kane, Parry, Rae, &c., preceded us on
+our present journey; but we must congratulate you, Mrs Barnett, on being
+a more cosmopolitan traveller than all of them.”
+
+“I must see everything or at least try to see everything,
+Lieutenant,” replied. Mrs Paulina; “and I think the dangers and
+difficulties are about equal everywhere. Although we have not to dread
+the fevers of the unhealthy torrid regions, or the attacks of the fierce
+black races, in this Frigid Zone, the cold is a no less formidable
+enemy; and I suspect that the white bears we are liable to meet with
+here will give us quite as warm a reception as would the tigers of
+Thibet or the lions of Africa. In Torrid and Frigid Zones alike there
+are vast unexplored tracts which will long defy the efforts of the
+boldest adventurers.”
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied Jaspar Hobson; “but I think the hyperborean
+regions will longer resist thorough exploration. The natives are
+the chief obstacle in tropical regions, and I am well aware how many
+travellers have fallen victims to savages. But civilisation will
+necessarily subdue the wild races sooner or later; whereas in the Arctic
+and Antarctic Zones it is not the inhabitants who arrest the progress of
+the explorer, but Nature herself who repels those who approach her, and
+paralyses their energies with the bitter cold !”
+
+“You think, then, that the secrets of the most remote districts of
+Africa and Australia will have been fathomed before the Frigid Zone has
+been entirely examined?”
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied the Lieutenant; “and I think my opinion is
+founded on facts. The most intrepid discoverers of the Arctic regions
+- Parry, Penny, Franklin, M’Clure, Dane, and Morton — did not get
+beyond 83° north latitude, seven degrees from the pole — whereas
+Australia has several times been crossed from south to north by the
+bold Stuart; and even Africa, with all its terrors, was traversed by
+Livingstone from the Bay of Loanga to the mouth of the Zambesi. We are,
+therefore, nearer to geographical knowledge of the equatorial countries
+than of the Polar districts.”
+
+“Do you think that the Pole itself will ever be reached by man?”
+inquired Mrs Paulina Barnett.
+
+“Certainly,” replied Hobson, adding with a smile, “by man or
+woman. But I think other means must be tried of reaching this point,
+where all the meridians of the globe cross each other, than those
+hitherto adopted by travellers. We hear of the open sea, of which
+certain explorers are said to have caught a glimpse. But if such a sea,
+free from ice, really exist, it is very difficult to get at, and no one
+can say positively whether it extends to the North Pole. For my part, I
+think an open sea would increase rather than lessen the difficulties of
+explorers. As for me, I would rather count upon firm footing, whether on
+ice or rock, all the way. Then I would organise successive expeditions,
+establishing depôts of provisions and fuel nearer and nearer to the
+Pole; and so, with plenty of time, plenty of money, and perhaps the
+sacrifice of a good many lives, I should in the end solve the great
+scientific problem. I should, I think, at last reach the hitherto
+inaccessible goal !”
+
+“I think you are right, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett; “and if
+ever you try the experiment, I should not be afraid to join you, and
+would gladly go to set up the Union Jack at the North Pole. But that is
+not our present object.”
+
+“Not our immediate object, madam,” replied Hobson; “but when once
+the projects of the Company are realised, when the new fort has been
+erected on the confines of the American continent, it may become the
+natural starting-point of all expeditions to the north. Besides, should
+the fur-yielding animals, too zealously hunted, take refuge at the Pole,
+we should have to follow them.”
+
+“Unless costly furs should go out of fashion,” replied Mrs Barnett.
+
+“O madam,” cried the Lieutenant, “there will always be some pretty
+woman whose wish for a sable muff or an ermine tippet must be gratified
+!”
+
+“I am afraid so,” said Mrs Barnett, laughing; “and probably the
+first discoverer of the Pole will have been led thither in pursuit of a
+sable or a silver fox.”
+
+“That is my conviction,” replied Hobson. “ Such is human nature,
+and greed of gain will always carry a man further than zeal for
+science.”
+
+“What! do you utter such sentiments?” exclaimed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Well, madam, what am I but an employé of the Hudson’s Bay Company?
+and does the Company risk its capital and agents with any other hope
+than an increase of profits?”
+
+“Lieutenant Hobson,” said Mrs Barnett, “I think I know you well
+enough to assert that on occasion you would be ready to devote body and
+soul to science. If a purely geographical question called you to the
+Pole, I feel sure you would not hesitate to go. But,” she added, with
+a smile, “the solution of this great problem is still far distant. We
+have but just reached the verge of the Arctic Circle, but I hope we may
+cross it without any very great difficulty.”
+
+“That I fear is doubtful,” said the Lieutenant, who had been
+attentively examining the sky during their conversation. “The weather
+has looked threatening for the last few days. Look at the uniformly grey
+hue of the heavens. That mist will presently resolve itself into snow;
+and if the wind should rise ever so little, we shall have to battle with
+a fearful storm. I wish we were at the Great Bear Lake !”
+
+“Do not let us lose any time, then,” said Mrs Barnett, rising;
+“give the signal to start at once.”
+
+The Lieutenant needed no urging. Had he been alone, or accompanied by a
+few men as energetic as himself, he would have pressed on day and night;
+but he was obliged to make allowance for the fatigue of others, although
+he never spared himself. He therefore granted a few hours of rest to
+his little party, and it was not until three in the afternoon that they
+again set out.
+
+Jaspar Hobson was not mistaken in prophesying a change in the weather.
+It came very soon. During the afternoon of the same day the mist became
+thicker, and assumed a yellowish and threatening hue. The Lieutenant,
+although very uneasy, allowed none of his anxiety to appear, but had a
+long consultation with Sergeant Long whilst the dogs of his sledge were
+laboriously preparing to start.
+
+Unfortunately, the district now to be traversed was very unsuitable
+for sledges. The ground was very uneven; ravines were of frequent
+occurrence; and masses of granite or half-thawed icebergs blocked up
+the road, causing constant delay. The poor dogs did their best, but the
+drivers’ whips no longer produced any effect upon them.
+
+And so the Lieutenant and his men were often obliged to walk to rest the
+exhausted animals, to push the sledges, or even sometimes to lift them
+when the roughness of the ground threatened to upset them. The incessant
+fatigue was, however, borne by all without a murmur. Thomas Black alone,
+absorbed in his one idea, never got out of his sledge, and indeed be was
+so corpulent that all exertion was disagreeable to him.
+
+The nature of the soil changed from the moment of entering the Arctic
+Circle. Some geological convulsion had evidently upheaved the enormous
+blocks strewn upon the surface. The vegetation, too, was of a more
+distinctive character. Wherever they were sheltered from the keen north
+winds, the flanks of the hills were clothed not only with shrubs, but
+with large trees, all of the same species — pines, willows, and firs
+— proving by their presence that a certain amount of vegetative force
+is retained even in the Frigid Zone. Jaspar Hobson hoped to find such
+specimens of the Arctic Flora even on the verge of the Polar Sea; for
+these trees would supply him with wood to build his fort, and fuel to
+warm its inhabitants. The same thought passed through the minds of his
+companions, and they could not help wondering at the contrast between
+this comparatively fertile region, and the long white plains stretching
+between the Great Slave Lake and Fort Enterprise.
+
+At night the yellow mist became more opaque; the wind rose, the snow
+began to fall in large flakes, and the ground was soon covered with a
+thick white carpet. In less than an hour the snow was a foot deep, and
+as it did not freeze but remained in a liquid state, the sledges could
+only advance with extreme difficulty; the curved fronts stuck in the
+soft substance, and the dogs were obliged to stop again and again.
+
+Towards eight o’clock in the evening the wind became very boisterous.
+The snow, driven before it, was flung upon the ground or whirled in the
+air, forming one huge whirlpool. The dogs, beaten back by the squall
+and blinded with snow, could advance no further. The party was then in
+a narrow gorge between huge icebergs, over which the storm raged with
+fearful fury. Pieces of ice, broken off by the hurricane, were hurled
+into the pass; partial avalanches, any one of which could have crushed
+the sledges and their inmates, added to its dangers, and to press
+on became impossible. The Lieutenant no longer insisted, and after
+consulting with Sergeant Long, gave the order to halt. It was now
+necessary to find a shelter from the snow-drift; but this was no
+difficult matter to men accustomed to Polar expeditions. Jaspar Hobson
+and his men knew well what they had to do under the circumstances. It
+was not the first time they had been surprised by a tempest some hundred
+miles from the forts of the Company, without so much as an Esquimaux hut
+or Indian hovel in which to lay their heads.
+
+“To the icebergs! to the icebergs !” cried Jaspar Hobson.
+
+Every one understood what he meant. Snow houses were to be hollowed
+out of the frozen masses, or rather holes were to be dug, in which each
+person could cower until the storm was over. Knives and hatchets were
+soon at work on the brittle masses of ice, and in three-quarters of an
+hour some ten dens had been scooped out large enough to contain two or
+three persons each. The dogs were left to themselves, their own instinct
+leading them to find sufficient shelter under the snow.
+
+Before ten o’clock all the travellers were crouching in the snow
+houses, in groups of two or three, each choosing congenial companions.
+Mrs Barnett, Madge, and Lieutenant Hobson occupied one hut, Thomas Black
+and Sergeant Long another, and so on. These retreats were warm, if not
+comfortable; and the Esquimaux and Indians have no other refuge even in
+the bitterest cold. The adventurers could therefore fearlessly await the
+end of the storm as long as they took care not to let the openings of
+their holes become blocked up with the snow, which they had to shovel
+away every half hour. So violent was the storm that even the Lieutenant
+and his soldiers could scarcely set foot outside. Fortunately, all were
+provided with sufficient food, and were able to endure their beaver-like
+existence without suffering from cold or hunger
+
+For forty-eight hours the fury of the tempest continued to increase. The
+wind roared in the narrow pass, and tore off the tops of the icebergs.
+Loud reports, repeated twenty times by the echoes, gave notice of the
+fall of avalanches, and Jaspar Hobson began to fear that his further
+progress would be barred by the masses of debris accumulated between
+the mountains. Other sounds mingled with these reports, which Lieutenant
+Hobson knew too well, and he did not disguise from Mrs Barnett that
+bears were prowling about the pass. But fortunately these terrible
+animals were too much occupied with their own concerns to discover the
+retreat of the travellers; neither the dogs nor the sledges, buried in
+the snow, attracted their attention, and they passed on without doing
+any harm.
+
+The last night, that of the 25th or 26th May, was even more terrible. So
+great was the fury of the hurricane that a general overthrow of
+icebergs appeared imminent. A fearful death would then have awaited
+the unfortunate travellers beneath the ruins of the broken masses. The
+blocks of ice cracked with an awful noise, and certain oscillations gave
+warning that breaches had been made threatening their solidity. However,
+no great crash occurred, the huge mountains remained intact, and towards
+the end of the night one of those sudden changes so frequent in the
+Arctic regions took place; the tempest ceased suddenly beneath the
+influence of intense cold, and with the first dawn of day peace was
+restored.
+
+CHAPTER VIII. THE GREAT BEAR LAKE. This sudden increase of cold was most
+fortunate. Even in temperate climes there are generally three or four
+bitter days in May; and they were most serviceable now in consolidating
+the freshly-fallen snow, and making it practicable for sledges.
+Lieutenant Hobson, therefore, lost no time in resuming his journey,
+urging on the dogs to their utmost speed.
+
+The route was, however, slightly changed. Instead of bearing due north,
+the expedition advanced towards the west, following, so to speak, the
+curve of the Arctic Circle. The Lieutenant was most anxious to reach
+Fort Confidence, built on the northern extremity of the Great Bear Lake.
+These few cold days were of the greatest service to him; he advanced
+rapidly, no obstacle was encountered, and his little troop arrived at
+the factory on the 30th May.
+
+At this time Forts Confidence and Good Hope were the most advanced
+posts of the Company in the north. Fort Confidence was a most important
+position, built on the northern extremity of the lake, close to its
+waters, which being frozen over in winter, and navigable in summer,
+afforded easy access to Fort Franklin, on the southern shores, and
+promoted the coming and going of the Indian hunters with their daily
+spoils. Many were the hunting and fishing expeditions which started from
+Forts Confidence and Good Hope, especially from the former. The Great
+Bear Lake is quite a Mediterranean Sea, extending over several
+degrees of latitude and longitude. Its shape is very irregular : two
+promontories jut into it towards the centre, and the upper portion forms
+a triangle; its appearance, as a whole, much resembling the extended
+skin of a ruminant without the head.
+
+Fort Confidence was built at the end of the “ right paw,” at least
+two hundred miles from Coronation Gulf, one of the numerous estuaries
+which irregularly indent the coast of North America. It was therefore
+situated beyond the Arctic Circle, but three degrees south of the
+seventieth parallel, north of which the Hudson’s Bay Company proposed
+forming a new settlement.
+
+Fort Confidence, as a whole, much resembled other factories further
+south. It consisted of a house for the officers, barracks for the
+soldiers, and magazines for the furs - all of wood, surrounded by
+palisades. The captain in command was then absent. He had gone towards
+the east on a hunting expedition with a few Indians and soldiers. The
+last season had not been good, costly furs had been scarce; but to make
+up for this the lake had supplied plenty of otter-skins. The stock of
+them had, however, just been sent to the central factories in the south,
+so that the magazines of Fort Confidence were empty on the arrival of
+our party.
+
+In the absence of the Captain a Sergeant did the honours of the fort to
+Jaspar Hobson and his companions. This second officer, Felton by name
+was a brother-in-law of Sergeant Long. He showed the greatest readiness
+to assist the views of the Lieutenant, who being anxious to rest his
+party, decided on remaining two or three days at Fort Confidence. In the
+absence of the little garrison there was plenty of room, and dogs and
+men were soon comfortably installed. The best room in the largest house
+was of course given to Mrs Paulina Barnett, who was delighted with the
+politeness of Sergeant Felton.
+
+Jaspar Hobson’s first care was to ask Felton if any Indians from the
+north were then beating the shores of the Great Bear Lake
+
+“Yes, Lieutenant,” replied the Sergeant; “we have just received
+notice of the encampment of a party of Hare Indians on the other
+northern extremity of the lake.”
+
+“How far from here?” inquired Hobson.
+
+“About thirty miles,” replied Sergeant Felton. “Do you wish to
+enter into communication with these Indians?”
+
+“Yes,” said Hobson; they may be able to give me some valuable
+information about the districts bordering on the Arctic Ocean, and
+bounded by Cape Bathurst. Should the site be favourable, I propose
+constructing our new fort somewhere about there.”
+
+“Well, Lieutenant, nothing is easier than to go to the Hare
+encampment.”
+
+“Along the shores of the lake?”
+
+“No, across it; it is now free from ice, and the wind is favourable.
+We will place a cutter and a boatman at your service, and in a few hours
+you will be in the Indian settlement.”
+
+“Thank you, Sergeant; to-morrow, then.” Whenever you like,
+Lieutenant.”
+
+The start was fixed for the next morning; and when Mrs Paulina Barnett
+heard of the plan, she begged the Lieutenant to allow her to accompany
+him, which of course he readily did.
+
+But now to tell how the rest of this first day was passed. Mrs Barnett,
+Hobson, two or three soldiers, Madge, Mrs Mac-Nab, and Joliffe explored
+the shores of the lake under the guidance of Felton. The neighbourhood
+was by no means barren of vegetation; the hills, now free from snow,
+were crowned by resinous trees of the Scotch pine species. These trees,
+which attain a height of some forty feet, supply the inhabitants of the
+forts with plenty of fuel through the long winter. Their thick trunks
+and dark gloomy branches form a striking feature of the landscape; but
+the regular clumps of equal height, sloping down to the very edge of the
+water, are somewhat monotonous. Between the groups of trees the soil was
+clothed with a sort of whitish weed, which perfumed the air with a sweet
+thymy odour. Sergeant Felton informed his guests that this plant was
+called the “ herb of incense “ on account of the fragrance it emits
+when burnt.
+
+Some hundred steps from the fort the party came to a little natural
+harbour shut in by high granite rocks, which formed an admirable
+protection from the heavy surf. Here was anchored the fleet of Fort
+Confidence, consisting of a single fishing-boat—the very one which was
+to take Mrs Barnett and Hobson to the Indian encampment the next day.
+From this harbour an extensive view was obtained of the lake; its waters
+slightly agitated by the wind, with its irregular shores broken by
+jagged capes and intersected by creeks. The wooded heights beyond, with
+here and there the rugged outline of a floating iceberg standing out
+against the clear blue air, formed the background on the north; whilst
+on the south a regular sea horizon, a circular line clearly cutting sky
+and water, and at this moment glittering in the sunbeams, bounded the
+sight.
+
+The whole scene was rich in animal and vegetable life. The surface of
+the water, the shores strewn with flints and blocks of granite, the
+slopes with their tapestry of herbs, the tree-crowned hill-tops, were
+all alike frequented by various specimens of the feathered tribe.
+Several varieties of ducks, uttering their different cries and calls,
+eider ducks, whistlers spotted redshanks, “old women,” those
+loquacious birds whose beak is never closed, skimmed the surface of the
+lake. Hundreds of puffins and guillemots with outspread wings darted
+about in every direction, and beneath the trees strutted ospreys two
+feet high-a kind of hawk with a grey body, blue beak and claws, and
+orange-coloured eyes, which build their huge nests of marine plants in
+the forked branches of trees. The hunter Sabine managed to bring down
+a couple of these gigantic ospreys, which measured nearly six feet from
+tip to tip of their wings, and were therefore magnificent specimens of
+these migratory birds, who feed entirely on fish, and take refuge on
+the shores of the Gulf of Mexico when winter sets in, only visiting the
+higher latitudes of North America during the short summer.
+
+But the most interesting event of the day was the capture of an otter,
+the skin of which was worth several hundred roubles.
+
+The furs of these valuable amphibious creatures were once much sought
+after in China; and although the demand for them has considerably
+decreased in the Celestial Empire, they still command very high prices
+in the Russian market. Russian traders, ready to buy up sea-otter skins,
+travel all along the coasts of New Cornwall as far as the Arctic Ocean;
+and of course, thus hunted, the animal is becoming very rare. It has
+taken refuge further and further north, and the trackers have now to
+pursue it on the shores of the Kamtchatka Sea, and in the islands of the
+Behring Archipelago.
+
+“But,” added Sergeant Felton, after the preceding explanation,
+“American inland otters are not to be despised, and those which
+frequent the Great Bear Lake are worth from £50 to £60 each.”
+
+The Sergeant was right; magnificent otters are found in these waters,
+and he himself skilfully tracked and killed one in the presence of his
+visitors which was scarcely inferior in value to those from Kamtchatka
+itself. The creature measured three feet from the muzzle to the end of
+its tail; it had webbed feet, short legs, and its fur, darker on the
+upper than on the under part of its body, was long and silky.
+
+“A good shot, Sergeant,” said Lieutenant Hobson, who with Mrs
+Barnett had been attentively examining the magnificent fur of the dead
+animal.
+
+“Yes, Lieutenant,” replied Felton; “and if each day brought us
+such a skin as that, we should have nothing to complain of. But much
+time is wasted in watching these animals, who swim and dive with
+marvellous rapidity. We generally hunt them at night, as they very
+seldom venture from their homes in the trunks of trees or the holes of
+rocks in the daytime, and even expert hunters find it very difficult to
+discover their retreats.”
+
+“And are these otters also becoming scarcer and scarcer?” inquired
+Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied the Sergeant; “and when this species becomes
+extinct, the profits of the Company will sensibly decline. All the
+hunters try to obtain its fur, and the Americans in particular are
+formidable rivals to us. Did you not meet any American agents on your
+journey up, Lieutenant?”
+
+“Not one,” replied Hobson. “Do they ever penetrate as far as
+this?”
+
+“Oh yes !” said the Sergeant; “and when you hear of their
+approach, I advise you to be on your guard.”
+
+“Are these agents, then, highway robbers?” asked Mrs Paulina
+Barnett.
+
+“No, madam,” replied the Sergeant; “but they are formidable
+rivals, and when game is scarce, hunters often come to blows about it. I
+daresay that if the Company’s attempt to establish a fort on the verge
+of the Arctic Ocean be successful, its example will at once be followed
+by these Americans, whom Heaven confound!”
+
+“Bah!” exclaimed the Lieutenant; “the hunting districts are vast,
+and there’s room beneath the sun for everybody. As for us, let’s
+make a start to begin with. Let us press on as long as we have firm
+ground beneath our feet, and God be with us!”
+
+After a walk of three hours the visitors returned to Fort Confidence,
+where a good meal of fish and fresh venison awaited them. Sergeant Long
+did the honours of the table, and after a little pleasant conversation,
+all retired to rest to forget their fatigues in a healthy and refreshing
+sleep.
+
+The next day, May 31st, Mrs Barnett and Jaspar Hobson were on foot at
+five A.M. The Lieutenant intended to devote this day to visiting the
+Indian encampment, and obtaining as much useful information as possible.
+He asked Thomas Black to go with him, but the astronomer preferred
+to remain on terra firma. He wished to make a few astronomical
+observations, and to determine exactly the latitude and longitude of
+Fort Confidence; so that Mrs Barnett and Jaspar Hobson had to cross the
+lake alone, under the guidance of an old boatman named Norman, who had
+long been in the Company’s service.
+
+The two travellers were accompanied by Sergeant Long as far as the
+little harbour, where they found old Norman ready to embark. Their
+little vessel was but an open fishing-boat, six feet long, rigged like
+a cutter, which one man could easily manage. The weather was beautiful,
+and the slight breeze blowing from the north-east was favourable to the
+crossing. Sergeant Felton took leave of his guests with many apologies
+for being unable to accompany them in the absence of his chief. The boat
+was let loose from its moorings, and tacking to starboard, shot across
+the clear waters of the lake.
+
+The little trip passed pleasantly enough. The taciturn old sailor sat
+silent in the stern of the boat with the tiller tucked under his arm.
+Mrs Barnett and Lieutenant Hobson, seated opposite to each other,
+examined with interest the scenery spread out before them. The boat
+skirted the northern shores of the lake at about three miles’
+distance, following a rectilinear direction, so that the wooded heights
+sloping gradually to the west were distinctly visible. From this side
+the district north of the lake appeared perfectly flat, and the horizon
+receded to a considerable distance. The whole of this coast contrasted
+strongly with the sharp angle, at the extremity of which rose Fort
+Confidence, framed in green pines. The flag of the Company was still
+visible floating from the tower of the fort. The oblique rays of the sun
+lit up the surface of the water, and striking on the floating icebergs,
+seemed to convert them into molten silver of dazzling brightness. No
+trace remained of the solid ice-mountains of the winter but these moving
+relies, which the solar rays could scarcely dissolve, and which seemed,
+as it were, to protest against the brilliant but not very powerful Polar
+sun, now describing a diurnal arc of considerable length.
+
+Mrs Barnett and the Lieutenant, as was their custom, communicated to
+each other the thoughts suggested by the strange scenes through which
+they were passing. They laid up a store of pleasant recollections for
+the future whilst the beat floated rapidly along upon the peaceful
+waves.
+
+The party started at six in the morning, and at nine they neared the
+point on the northern bank at which they were to land. The Indian
+encampment was situated at the north-west angle of the Great Bear Lake.
+Before ten o’clock old Norman ran the boat aground on a low bank at
+the foot of a cliff of moderate height. Mrs Barnett and the Lieutenant
+landed at once. Two or three Indians, with their chief, wearing gorgeous
+plumes, hastened to meet them, and addressed them in fairly intelligible
+English.
+
+These Hare Indians, like the Copper and Beaver Indians, all belong to
+the Chippeway race, and differ but little in customs and costumes
+from their fellow-tribes. They are in constant communication with the
+factories, and have become, so to speak, “Britainised” — at least
+as much so as is possible for savages. They bring the spoils of the
+chase to the forts, and there exchange them for the necessaries of life,
+which they no longer provide for themselves. They are in the pay of the
+Company, they live upon it, and it is not surprising that they have lost
+all originality. To find a native race as yet uninfluenced by contact
+with Europeans we must go to still higher latitudes, to the ice-bound
+regions frequented by the Esquimaux, who, like the Greenlanders, are the
+true children of Arctic lands.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Jaspar Hobson accompanied the Indians to their camp,
+about half a mile from the shore, and found some thirty natives there,
+men, women, and children, who supported themselves by hunting and
+fishing on the borders of the lake. These Indians had just come from the
+northernmost districts of the American continent, and were able to
+give the Lieutenant some valuable, although necessarily incomplete,
+information on the actual state of the sea-coast near the seventieth
+parallel. The Lieutenant heard with considerable satisfaction that a
+party of Americans or Europeans had been seen on the confines of
+the Polar Sea, and that it was open at this time of year. About Cape
+Bathurst, properly so called, the point for which he intended to make,
+the Hare Indians could tell him nothing. Their chief said, however,
+that the district between the Great Bear Lake and Cape Bathurst was
+very difficult to cross, being hilly and intersected by streams, at this
+season of the year free from ice. He advised the Lieutenant to go down
+the Coppermine river, from the north-east of the lake, which would take
+him to the coast by the shortest route. Once at the Arctic Ocean, it
+would be easy to skirt along its shores and to choose the best spot at
+Which to halt.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson thanked the Indian chief, and took leave after giving
+him a few presents. Then accompanied by Mrs Barnett, he explored the
+neighbourhood of the camp, not returning to the boat until nearly three
+o’clock in the afternoon.
+
+CHAPTER IX. A STORM ON THE LAKE. The old sailor was impatiently awaiting
+the return of the travellers; for during the last hour the weather had
+changed, and the appearance of the sky was calculated to render any one
+accustomed to read the signs of the clouds uneasy. The sun was obscured
+by a thick mist, the wind had fallen, but - an ominous moaning was heard
+from the south of the lake. These symptoms of an approaching change
+of temperature were developed with all the rapidity peculiar to these
+elevated latitudes.
+
+“Let us be off, sir! let us be off!” cried old Norman, looking
+anxiously at the fog above his head. “ Let us start without losing an
+instant. There are terrible signs in the air!”
+
+“Indeed,” exclaimed the Lieutenant, “the appearance of the sky is
+quite changed, and we never noticed it, Mrs Barnett!”
+
+“Are you afraid of a storm?” inquired the lady of old Norman.
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied the old sailor; “and the storms on the Great
+Bear Lake are often terrible. The hurricane rages as if upon the open
+Atlantic Ocean. This sudden fog bodes us no good; but the tempest may
+hold back for three or four hours, and by that time we shall be at Fort
+Confidence. Let us then start without a moment’s delay, for the boat
+would not be safe near these rocks.”
+
+The Lieutenant, feeling that the old man, accustomed as he was to
+navigate these waters, was better able to judge than himself, decided to
+follow his advice, and embarked at once with Mrs Barnett.
+
+But just as they were pushing off, old Norman, as if possessed by some
+sudden presentiment, murmured —
+
+“Perhaps it would be better to wait.”
+
+Lieutenant Hobson overheard these words, and looked inquiringly at the
+old boatman, already seated at the helm. Had he been alone he would not
+have hesitated to start, but as Mrs Barnett was with him caution was
+necessary. The lady at once saw and understood his hesitation.
+
+“Never mind about me, Lieutenant,” she said; “act as if I were not
+present. Let us start immediately , as our brave guide suggests.”
+
+“We are off, then,” cried Norman, letting go the moorings, “to the
+fort by the shortest route.”
+
+For about an hour the bark made little head. The sail, scarcely filled
+by the fitful breeze, flapped against the mast. The fog became thicker.
+The waves began to rise and the boat to rock considerably; for the
+approaching hurricane affected the water sooner than the atmosphere
+itself. The two travellers sat still and silent, whilst the old
+sailor peered into the darkness with bloodshot eyes. Prepared for
+all contingencies, he awaited the shock of the wind, ready to pay out
+rapidly should the attack be very violent. The conflict of the elements
+had not, however, as yet commenced; and all would have been well if they
+bad been able to advance, but after an hour’s sail they were still
+only about two hours’ distance from the Indian encampment. A few gusts
+of wind from the shore drove them out of their course, and the dense fog
+rendered it impossible for them to make out the coast-line. Should the
+wind settle in the north it would probably go hard with the light boat,
+which, unable to hold its own course, would be drifted out into the lake
+no one knew where.
+
+“We are scarcely advancing at all,” said the Lieutenant to old
+Norman.
+
+“No, sir,” replied Norman; “the wind is not strong enough to fill
+the sail, and if it were, I fear it comes from the wrong quarter. If
+so,” he added, pointing to the south, “we may see Fort Franklin
+before Fort Confidence.”
+
+“Well,” said Mrs Barnett cheerfully, “our trip will have been all
+the more complete. This is a magnificent lake, well worth exploring from
+north to south. I suppose, Norman, one might get back even from Fort
+Franklin?”
+
+“Yes, madam, if we ever reach it,” replied the old man. “But
+tempests lasting fifteen days are by no means rare on this lake; and
+if our bad luck should drive us to the south, it may be a month before
+Lieutenant Hobson again sees Fort Confidence.”
+
+“Let us be careful, then,” said the Lieutenant; “for such a delay,
+would hinder our projects very much. Do the best you can under the
+circumstances, and if you think it would be prudent, go back to the
+north. I don’t suppose Mrs Barnett would mind a walk of twenty or
+twenty-five miles.”
+
+I should be glad enough to go back to the north, Lieutenant,” replied
+Norman, “if it were still possible. But look, the wind seems likely
+to settle against us. All I can attempt is to get to the cape on the
+north-east, and if it doesn’t blow too hard, I hope to succeed.”
+
+But at about half-past four the storm broke. The shrill whistling of the
+wind was heard far above their heads, but the state of the atmosphere
+prevented it from as yet descending upon the lake; this was, however,
+only delayed for a brief space of time. The cries of frightened birds
+flying through the fog mingled with the noise of the wind. Suddenly the
+mist was torn open, and revealed low jagged masses of rain-cloud chased
+towards the south. The fears of the old sailor were realised. The wind
+blew from the north, and it was not long before the travellers learned
+the meaning of a squall upon the lake.
+
+“Look out!” cried old Norman, tightening sail so as to get his boat
+ahead of the wind, whilst keeping her under control of the helm.
+
+The squall came. It caught the boat upon the flank, and it was turned
+over on its side; but recovering itself, it was flung upon the crest
+of a wave. The billows surged as if upon an open sea. The waters of the
+lake not being very deep, struck against the bottom and rebounded to an
+immense height.
+
+“Help! help!” cried old Norman, hurriedly struggling to haul down
+his sail.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Hobson endeavoured to come to his assistance, but
+without success, for they knew noticing of the management of a boat.
+Norman, unable to leave the helm, and the halliards being entangled at
+the top of the mast, could not take in the sail. Every moment the boat
+threatened to capsize, and heavy seas broke over its sides. The
+sky became blacker and blacker, cold rain mingled with snow fell in
+torrents, whilst the squall redoubled its fury, lashing the crests of
+the waves into foam.
+
+“Cut it! cut it!” screamed Norman above the roaring of the storm.
+
+The Lieutenant, his cap blown away and his eyes blinded by the spray,
+seized Norman’s knife and cut the halliard like a harp-string; but the
+wet cordage no longer acted in the grooves of the pulleys, and the yard
+remained attached to the top of the mast.
+
+Norman, totally unable to make head against the wind, now resolved to
+tack about for the south, dangerous as it would be to have the boat
+before the wind, pursued by waves advancing at double its speed. Yes, to
+tack, although this course would probably bring them all to the southern
+shores of the lake, far away from their destination.
+
+The Lieutenant and his brave companion were well aware of the danger
+which threatened them. The frail boat could not long resist the blows
+of the waves, it would either be crushed or capsized; the lives of those
+within it were in the hands of God.
+
+But neither yielded to despair; clinging to the sides of the boat, wet
+to the skin, chilled to the bone by the cutting blast, they strove
+to gaze through the thick mist and fog. All trace of the land had
+disappeared, and so great was the obscurity that at a cable’s length
+from the boat clouds and waves could not be distinguished from each
+other. Now and then the two travellers looked inquiringly into old
+Norman’s face, who, with teeth set and hands clutching the tiller;
+tried to keep his boat as much as possible under wind.
+
+But the violence of the squall became such that the boat could not long
+maintain this course. The waves which struck its bow would soon have
+inevitably crushed it; the front planks were already beginning to
+separate, and when its whole weight was flung into the hollows of the
+waves it seemed as if it could rise no more.
+
+“We must tack, we must tack, whatever happens !” murmured the old
+sailor.
+
+And pushing the tiller and paying out sail, he turned the head of the
+boat to the south. The sail, stretched to the utmost, brought the boat
+round with giddy rapidity, and the immense waves, chased by the wind,
+threatened to engulf the little bark. This was the great danger of
+shifting with the wind right aft. The billows hurled themselves in rapid
+succession upon the boat, which could not evade them. It filled rapidly,
+and the water bad to be baled out without a moment’s pause, or it must
+have foundered. As they got nearer and nearer to the middle of the lake
+the waves became rougher. Nothing there broke the fury of the wind; no
+clumps of trees, no hills, checked for a moment the headlong course of
+the hurricane. Now and then momentary glimpses were obtained through the
+fog of icebergs dancing like buoys upon the waves, and driven towards
+the south of the lake.
+
+It was half-past five. Neither Norman nor the Lieutenant had any idea of
+where they were, or whither they were going. They had lost all control
+over the boat, and were at the mercy of the winds and waves.
+
+And now at about a hundred feet behind the boat a huge wave upreared its
+foam-crowned crest, whilst in front a black whirlpool was formed by the
+sudden sinking of the water. All surface agitation, crushed by the
+wind, had disappeared around this awful gulf, which, growing deeper and
+blacker every moment, drew the devoted little vessel towards its fatal
+embrace. Ever nearer came the mighty wave, all lesser billows sinking
+into insignificance before it. It gained upon the boat, another moment
+and it would crush it to atoms. Norman, looking round, saw its approach;
+and Mrs Barnett and the Lieutenant, with eyes fixed and staring, awaited
+in fearful suspense the blow from which there was no escape. The wave
+broke over them with the noise of thunder; it enveloped the stern of the
+boat in foam, a fearful crash was heard, and a cry burst from the lips
+of the Lieutenant and his companion, smothered beneath the liquid mass.
+
+They thought that all was over, and that the boat had sunk; but no, it
+rose once more, although more than half filled with water.
+
+The Lieutenant uttered a cry of despair. Where was Norman? The poor old
+sailor had disappeared !
+
+Mrs Paulina Barnett looked inquiringly at Hobson.
+
+“Norman!” he repeated, pointing to his empty place.
+
+“Unhappy man !” murmured Mrs Barnett; and at the risk of being flung
+from the boat rocking on the waves, the two started to their feet and
+looked around them. But they could see and hear nothing. No cry for help
+broke upon their ears. No dead body floated in the white foam. The old
+sailor had met his death in the element he loved so well.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Hobson sank back upon their seats. They were now alone,
+and must see to their own safety; but neither of them knew anything of
+the management of a boat, and even an experienced hand could scarcely
+have controlled it now. They were at the mercy of the waves, and the
+bark, with distended sail, swept along in mad career. What could the
+Lieutenant do to check or direct its course?
+
+What a terrible situation for our travellers, to be thus overtaken by a
+tempest in a frail bark which they could not manage !
+
+“We are lost!” said the Lieutenant.
+
+“No, Lieutenant,” replied Mrs Barnett; “let us make another
+effort. Heaven helps those who help themselves !”
+
+Lieutenant Hobson now for the first time realised with how intrepid a
+woman fate had thrown him.
+
+The first thing to be done was to get rid of the water which weighed
+down the boat. Another wave shipped would have filled it in a moment,
+and it must have sunk at once. The vessel lightened, it would have a
+better chance of rising on the waves; and the two set to work to bale
+out the water. This was no easy task; for fresh waves constantly broke
+over them, and the scoop could not be laid aside for an instant. Mrs
+Barnett was indefatigable, and the Lieutenant, leaving the baling to
+her, took the helm himself, and did the best he could to guide the boat
+with the wind right aft.
+
+To add to the danger, night, or rather darkness, for in these latitudes
+night only lasts a few hours at this time of year, fell upon them.
+Scarce a ray of light penetrated through the heavy clouds and fog. They
+could not see two yards before them, and the boat must have been dashed
+to pieces had it struck a floating iceberg. This danger was indeed
+imminent, for the loose ice-masses advance with such rapidity that it is
+impossible to get out of their way.
+
+“You have no control over the helm?” said Mrs Barnett in a slight
+lull of the storm.
+
+No, madam he replied; “and you must prep are for the worst.”
+
+“I am ready!” replied the courageous woman simply.
+
+As she spoke a loud rippling sound was heard. The sail, torn away by the
+wind, disappeared like a white cloud. The boat sped rapidly along for
+a few instants, and then stopped suddenly, the waves buffeting it about
+like an abandoned wreck. Mrs Barnett and Hobson, flung to the bottom of
+the boat, bruised, shaken, and torn, felt that all was lost. Not a shred
+of canvas was left to aid in navigating the craft; and what with the
+spray, the snow, and the rain, they could scarcely see each other,
+whilst the uproar drowned their voices. Expecting every moment to
+perish, they remained for an hour in painful suspense, commending
+themselves to God, who alone could save them.
+
+Neither of them could have said how long they waited when they were
+aroused by a violent shock.
+
+The boat had just struck an enormous iceberg, a floating block with
+rugged, slippery sides, to which it would be impossible to cling.
+
+At this sudden blow, which could not have been parried, the bow of the
+boat was split open, and the water poured into it in torrents.
+
+“We are sinking! we are sinking !” cried Jasper Hobson.
+
+He was right. The boat was settling down; the water had already reached
+the seats.
+
+“Madam, madam, I am here! I will not leave you!” added the
+Lieutenant.
+
+“No, no,” cried Mrs Barnett : “alone, you may save yourself;
+together, we should perish. Leave me! leave me!”
+
+“Never!” cried Hobson.
+
+But he had scarcely pronounced this word when the boat, struck by
+another wave, filled and sank.
+
+Both were drawn under water by the eddy caused by the sudden settling
+down of the boat, but in a few instants they rose to the surface.
+Hobson was a strong swimmer, and struck out with one arm, supporting
+his companion with the other. But it was evident that he could not long
+sustain a conflict with the furious waves, and that he must perish with
+her he wished to save.
+
+At this moment a strange sound attracted his attention. It was not the
+cry of a frightened bird, but the shout of a human voice! By one supreme
+effort Hobson raised himself above the waves and looked around him.
+
+But he could distinguish nothing in the thick fog. And yet he again
+beard cries, this time nearer to him. Some bold men were coming to his
+succour! Alas! if it were so, they would arrive too late. Encumbered by
+his clothes, the Lieutenant felt himself sinking with the unfortunate
+lady, whose head he could scarcely keep above the water. With a last
+despairing effort he uttered a heartrending cry and disappeared beneath
+the waves.
+
+It was, however, no mistake-he had heard voices. Three men, wandering
+about by the lake, had seen the boat in danger, and put off to its
+rescue. They were Esquimaux, the only men who could have hoped to
+weather such a storm, for theirs are the only boats constructed to
+escape destruction in these fearful tempests.
+
+The Esquimaux boat or kayak is a long pirogue raised at each end, made
+of a light framework of wood, covered with stretched seal-skins strongly
+stitched with the sinews of the Walrus. In the upper part of the boat;
+also covered with skins, is an opening in which the Esquimaux takes his
+place, fastening his waterproof jacket to the back of his seat; so
+that he is actually joined to his bark, which not a drop of water can
+penetrate. This light, easily-managed kayak, floating as it does, on
+the crests of the waves, can never be submerged; and if it be sometimes
+capsized, a blow of the paddle rights it again directly; so that it
+is able to live and make way in seas in which any other boat would
+certainly be dashed to pieces.
+
+The three Esquimaux, guided by the Lieutenant’s last despairing
+cry, arrived at the scene of the wreck joints in time. Hobson and Mrs
+Barnett, already half drowned, felt themselves drawn up by powerful
+hands; but in the darkness they were unable to discover who were their
+deliverers. One of the men took the Lieutenant and laid him across his
+own boat, another did the sane for Mrs Barnett, and the three kayaks,
+skilfully managed with the paddles, six feet long, sped rapidly over the
+white foam.
+
+Half an hour afterwards, the shipwrecked travellers were lying on the
+sandy beach three miles above Fort Providence.
+
+The old sailor alone was missing !
+
+CHAPTER X. A RETROSPECT. It was about ten o’clock the same night when
+Mrs Barnett and Lieutenant Hobson knocked at the postern gate of the
+fort. Great was the joy on seeing them, for they had been given up for
+lost; but this joy was turned to mourning at the news of the death
+of Norman. The brave fellow had been beloved by all, and his loss
+was sincerely mourned. The intrepid and devoted Esquimaux received
+phlegmatically the earnest expressions of gratitude of those they had
+saved, and coulot be persuaded to come to the fort. What they had done
+seemed to them only natural, and these were not the first persons they
+had rescued; so they quietly returned to their wild life of adventure on
+the lake, where they hunted the otters and water-birds day and night.
+
+For the next three nights the party rested. Hobson always intended to
+set out on June 2d; and on that day, all having recovered from their
+fatigues and the storm having abated, the order was given to start.
+
+Sergeant Felton had done all in his power to make his guests comfortable
+and to aid their enterprise; some of the jaded dogs were replaced by
+fresh animals, and now the Lieutenant found all his sledges drawn up in
+good order at the door of the enceinte, and awaiting the travellers.
+
+The adieux were soon over. Each one thanked Sergeant Felton for his
+hospitality, and Mrs Paulina Barnett was most profuse in her expressions
+of gratitude. A hearty shake of the hand between the Sergeant and his
+brother-in-law, Long, completed the leave-taking,
+
+Each pair got into the sledge assigned to them; but this time Mrs
+Barnett and the Lieutenant shared one vehicle, Madge and Sergeant Long
+following them.
+
+According to the advice of the Indian chief, Hobson determined to get to
+the coast by the shortest route, and to take a north-easterly direction.
+After consulting, his map, which merely gave a rough outline of the
+configuration of the country, it seemed best to him to descend the
+valley of the Coppermine, a large river which flows into Coronation
+Gulf.
+
+The distance between Fort Confidence and the mouth of this river is only
+a degree and a half-that is to say, about eighty-five or ninety miles.
+The deep hollow formed by the gulf is bounded on the north by Cape
+Krusenstein, and from it the coast juts out towards the north-west,
+ending in Cape Bathurst, which is above the seventieth parallel.
+
+The Lieutenant, therefore, now changed the route he had hitherto
+followed, directing his course to the east, so as to reach the river in
+a few hours.
+
+In the afternoon of the next day, June 3d, the river was gained. It was
+now free from ice, and its clear and rapid waters flowed through a vast
+valley, intersected by numerous but easily fordable streams. The
+sledges advanced pretty rapidly, and as they went along, Hobson gave his
+companion some account of the country through which they were passing. A
+sincere friendship founded on mutual esteem, had sprung up between these
+two. Mrs Paulina Barnett was an earnest student with a special gift for
+discovery, and was therefore always glad to converse with travellers and
+explorers. Hobson, who knew his beloved North America by heart, was able
+to answer all her inquiries fully.
+
+“About ninety years ago,” he said, “the territory through which
+the Coppermine flows was unknown, and we are indebted for its discovery
+to the agents of the Hudson’s Bay Company. But as always happens in
+scientific matters, in seeking one thing, another was found. Columbus
+was trying to find Asia, and discovered America.”
+
+“And what were the agents of the Hudson’s Bay Company seeking? The
+famous North-West Passage?”
+
+“No, madam,” replied the young Lieutenant. “A century ago the
+Company had no interest in the opening of a new route, which would have
+been more valuable to its rivals than to it. It is even said that in
+1741 a certain Christopher Middleton, sent to explore these latitudes,
+was publicly charged with receiving a bribe of £500 from the Company
+to say that there was not, and could not be, a sea passage between the
+oceans.”
+
+“That was not much to the credit of the celebrated Company,” said
+Mrs Barnett.
+
+“I do not defend it in the matter,” replied Hobson; “and its
+interference was severely censured by Parliament in 1746, when a reward
+of £20,000 was offered by the Government for the discovery of the
+passage in question. In that year two intrepid explorers, William Moor
+and Francis Smith, penetrated as far as Repulse Bay in the hope of
+discovering the much-longed-for passage. But they were unsuccessful, and
+returned to England after an absence of a year and a half.”
+
+“But did not other captains follow in their steps, resolved to conquer
+where they had failed?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“No, madam; and in spite of the large reward offered by Parliament, no
+attempt was made to resume explorations in English America until thirty
+years afterwards, when some agents of the Company took up the unfinished
+task of Captains Moor and Smith.”
+
+“The Company had then relinquished the narrow-minded egotistical
+position it had taken up?”
+
+“No, madam, not yet. Samuel Hearne, the agent, only went to
+reconnoitre the position of a copper-mine which native miners had
+reported. On November 6, 1769, this agent left Fort Prince of Wales,
+on the river Churchill, near the western shores of Hudson’s Bay. He
+pressed boldly on to the north-west; but the excessive cold and
+the exhaustion of his provisions compelled him to return without
+accomplishing anything. Fortunately he was not easily discouraged, and
+on February 23d of the next year he set out again, this time taking some
+Indians with him. Great hardships were endured in this second journey.
+The fish and game on which Hearne had relied often failed him; and
+he had once nothing to eat for seven days but wild fruit, bits of old
+leather, and burnt bones. He was again compelled to return to the fort
+a disappointed man. But he did not even yet despair, and started a third
+time, December 7th, 1770; and after a struggle of nineteen months, he
+discovered the Coppermine river, July 13th, 1772, the course of which
+he followed to its mouth. According to his own account, he saw the open
+sea, and in any case he was the first to penetrate to the northern coast
+of America.”
+
+“But the North-West Passage-that is to say, the direct communication
+by sea between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans—was not then
+discovered?”
+
+“Oh no, madam,” replied the Lieutenant; “and what countless
+adventurous sailors have since gone to seek it! Phipps in 1773, James
+Cook and Clerke in 1776 to 1779, Kotzebue in 1815 to 1818, Ross, Parry,
+Franklin, and others have attempted this difficult task; but it was
+reserved to M’Clure in our own day to pass from one ocean to the other
+across the Polar Sea.”
+
+“Well, Lieutenant, that was a geographical discovery of which we
+English may well be proud. But do tell me if the Hudson’s Bay Company
+did not adopt more generous views, and send out some other explorer
+after the return of Hearne.”
+
+“It did, madam; and it was thanks to it that Captain Franklin was able
+to accomplish his voyage of 1819 to 1822 between the river discovered
+by Hearne and Cape Turnagain. This expedition endured great fatigue and
+hardships; provisions often completely failed, and two Canadians were
+assassinated and eaten by their comrades. But in spite of all his
+sufferings, Captain Franklin explored no less than five thousand
+five hundred and fifty miles of the hitherto unknown coast of North
+America!”
+
+“He was indeed a man of energy,” added Mrs Barnett; “and he gave
+proof of his great qualities in starting on a fresh Polar expedition
+after all he had gone through.”
+
+“Yes,” replied the Lieutenant; “and he met a terrible death in
+the land his own intrepidity had discovered. It has now been proved,
+however, that all his companions did not perish with him. Many are
+doubtless still wandering about on the vast ice-fields. I cannot
+think of their awful condition without a shudder. One day,” be added
+earnestly, and with strange emotion—” one day I will search the
+unknown lands where the dreadful catastrophe took place, and— “
+
+“And,” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, pressing his hand, “I will accompany
+you. Yes, this idea has occurred to me more than once, as it has to
+you; and my heart beats high when I think that fellow countrymen of my
+own-Englishmen-are awaiting succour.”
+
+“Which will come too late for most of them, madam,” said the
+Lieutenant; “but rest assured some will even yet be saved.”
+
+“God grant it, Lieutenant!” replied Mrs Barnett; “and it appears
+to me that the agents of the Company, living as they do close to the
+coast, are better fitted than any one else to fulfil this duty of
+humanity.”
+
+“I agree with you, madam; they are, as they have often proved, inured
+to the rigours of the Arctic climate. Was it not they who aided Captain
+Back in his voyage in 1834, when he discovered King William’s Land,
+where Franklin met his fate? Was it not two of us, Dease and Simpson,
+who were sent by the Governor of Hudson’s Bay to explore the shores
+of the Polar Sea in 1838, and whose courageous efforts first discovered
+Victoria Land? It is my opinion that the future reserves for the
+Hudson’s Bay Company the final conquest of the Arctic regions.
+Gradually its factories are advancing further and further north,
+following the retreat of the fur-yielding animals; and one day a fort
+will be erected on the Pole itself, that mathematical point where meet
+all the meridians of the globe.”
+
+During this and the succeeding journeys Jaspar Hobson related his own
+adventures since he entered the service of the Company his struggles
+with the agents of rival associations, and his efforts to explore the
+unknown districts of the north or west; and Mrs Barnett, on her side,
+told of her travels in the tropics. She spoke of all she had done, and
+of all she hoped still to accomplish; so that the long hours, lightened
+by pleasant conversation, passed rapidly away.
+
+Meanwhile the dogs advanced at full gallop towards the north. The
+Coppermine valley widened sensibly as they neared the Arctic Ocean. The
+hills on either side sank lower and lower, and only scattered clumps of
+resinous trees broke the monotony of the landscape. A few blocks of ice,
+drifted down by the river, still resisted the action of the sun; but
+each day their number decreased, and a canoe, or even a good-sized
+boat, might easily have descended the stream, the course of which was
+unimpeded by any natural barrier or aggregation of rocks. The bed of the
+Coppermine was both deep and wide; its waters were very clear, and
+being fed by the melted snow, flowed on at a considerable pace, never,
+however, forming dangerous rapids. Its course, at first very sinuous,
+became gradually less and less winding, and at last stretched along in a
+straight line for several miles. Its banks, composed of fine firm sand,
+and clothed in part with short dry herbage, were wide and level, so that
+the long train of sledges sped rapidly over them.
+
+The expedition travelled day and night-if we can speak of the night,
+when the sun, describing an almost horizontal circle, scarcely
+disappeared at all. The true night only lasted two hours, and the dawn
+succeeded the twilight almost immediately. The weather was fine; the sky
+clear, although somewhat misty on the horizon; and everything combined
+to favour the travellers.
+
+For two days they kept along the river-banks without meeting with any
+difficulties. They saw but few fur-bearing animals; but there were
+plenty of birds, which might have been counted by thousands. The absence
+of otters, sables, beavers, ermines, foxes, &c., did not trouble the
+Lieutenant much, for he supposed that they had been driven further
+north by over-zealous tracking; and indeed the marks of encampments,
+extinguished fires, &c., told of the more or less recent passage of
+native hunters. Hobson knew that he would have to penetrate a good deal
+further north, and that part only of his journey would be accomplished
+when he got to the mouth of the Coppermine river. He was therefore most
+eager to reach the limit of Hearne’s exploration, and pressed on as
+rapidly as possible.
+
+Every one shared the Lieutenant’s impatience, and resolutely resisted
+fatigue in order to reach the Arctic Ocean with the least possible
+delay. They were drawn onwards by an indefinable attraction; the glory
+of the unknown dazzled their sight. Probably real hardships would
+commence when they did arrive at the much-desired coast. But no matter,
+they longed to battle with difficulties, and to press straight onwards
+to their aim. The district they were now traversing could have no direct
+interest for them; the real exploration would only commence on the
+shores of the Arctic Ocean. Each one, then, would gladly hail the
+arrival in the elevated western districts for which they were bound, cut
+across though they were by the seventieth parallel of north latitude.
+
+On the 5th June, four days after leaving Fort Confidence the river
+widened considerably. The western banks, curving slightly, ran almost
+due north; whilst the eastern rounded off into the coastline, stretching
+away as far as the eye could reach.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson paused, and waving his hand to his companions, pointed
+to the boundless ocean.
+
+CHAPTER XI. ALONG THE COAST. Coronation Gulf, the large estuary dotted
+with the islands forming the Duke of York Archipelago, which the party
+had now reached, was a sheet of water with irregular banks, let in, as
+it were, into the North American continent. At its western angle opened
+the mouth of the Coppermine; and on the east a long narrow creek called
+Bathurst Inlet ran into the mainland, from which stretched the jagged
+broken coast with its pointed capes and rugged promontories, ending
+in that confusion of straits, sounds, and channels which gives such a
+strange appearance to the maps of North America. On the other side the
+coast turned abruptly to the north beyond the mouth of the Coppermine
+River, and ended in Cape Krusenstern.
+
+After consulting with Sergeant Long, Lieutenant Hobson decided to give
+his party a day’s rest here.
+
+The exploration, properly so called, which was to enable the Lieutenant
+to fix upon a suitable site for the establishment of a fort, was now
+really about to begin. The Company had advised him to keep as much as
+possible above the seventieth parallel, and on the shores of the Arctic
+Ocean. To obey his orders Hobson was obliged to keep to the west; for on
+the east—with the exception, perhaps, of the land of Boothia, crossed
+by the seventieth parallel—the whole country belongs rather to the
+Arctic Circle, and the geographical conformation of Boothia is as yet
+but imperfectly known.
+
+After carefully ascertaining the latitude and longitude, and verifying
+his position by the map, the Lieutenant found that he was a hundred
+miles below the seventieth degree. But beyond Cape Krusenstern, the
+coast-line, running in a north-easterly direction, abruptly crosses the
+seventieth parallel at a sharp angle near the one hundred and thirtieth
+meridian, and at about the same elevation as Cape Bathurst, the spot
+named as a rendezvous by Captain Craventy. He must therefore make for
+that point, and should the site appear suitable the new fort would be
+erected there.
+
+“There,” said the Lieutenant to his subordinate, Long, “we shall
+be in the position ordered by the Company. There the sea, open for a
+great part of the year, will allow the vessels from Behring Strait to
+come right up to the fort, bringing us fresh provisions and taking away
+our commodities.”
+
+“Not to mention,” added Sergeant Long, “that our men will be
+entitled to double pay all the time they are beyond the seventieth
+parallel.”
+
+“Of course that is understood,” replied Hobson; “and I daresay
+they will accept it without a murmur.”
+
+“Well then, Lieutenant,” said Long simply, “we have now only to
+start for Cape Bathurst.”
+
+But as a day of rest had been promised, the start did not actually take
+place until the next day, June 6th.
+
+The second part of the journey would naturally be very different from
+the first. The rules with regard to the sledges keeping their rank need
+no longer be enforced, and each couple drove as it pleased them. Only
+short distances were traversed at a time; halts were made at every angle
+of the coast, and the party often walked. Lieutenant Hobson only urged
+two things upon his companions not to go further than three miles from
+the coast, and to rally their forces twice a day, at twelve o’clock
+and in the evening. At night they all encamped in tents.
+
+The weather continued very fine and the temperature moderate,
+maintaining a mean height of 59° Fahrenheit above zero. Two or three
+times sudden snowstorms came on; but they did not last long, and
+exercised no sensible influence upon the temperature.
+
+The whole of the American coast between Capes Krusenstern and Parry,
+comprising an extent of more than two hundred and fifty miles, was
+examined with the greatest care between the 6th and 20th of June.
+Geographical observations were accurately taken, and Hobson, most
+effectively aided by Thomas Black, was able to rectify certain errors
+in previous marine surveys; whilst the primary object of the
+expedition—the examination into the quality and quantity of the game
+in the surrounding districts-was not neglected.
+
+Were these lands well stocked with game? Could they count with certainty
+not only on a good supply of furs, but also of meat? Would the resources
+of the country provide a fort with provisions in the summer months at
+least? Such were the grave questions which Lieutenant Hobson had to
+solve, and which called for immediate attention. We give a summary of
+the conclusions at which he arrived.
+
+Game, properly so called, of the kind for which Corporal Joliffe amongst
+others had a special predilection, was not abundant. There were plenty
+of birds of the duck tribe; but only a few Polar hares, difficult of
+approach, poorly represented the rodents of the north. There seemed,
+however, to be a good many bears about. Marbre and Sabine had come upon
+the fresh traces of several. Some were even seen and tracked; but, as a
+rule, they kept at a respectful distance. In the winter, however, driven
+by famine from higher latitudes, there would probably be more than
+enough of these ravenous beasts prowling about the shores of the Arctic
+Ocean.
+
+“There is certainly no denying,” said Corporal Joliffe, “that
+bear’s flesh is very good eating when once it’s in the larder; but
+there is something very problematical about it beforehand, and it’s
+always just possible that the hunters themselves may meet the fate they
+intended for the bears!”
+
+This was true enough. It was no use counting upon the bears to provision
+their fort. Fortunately traces were presently found of herds of a far
+more useful animal, the flesh of which is the principal food of the
+Indians and Esquimaux. We allude to the reindeer; and Corporal Joliffe
+announced with the greatest satisfaction that there were plenty of these
+ruminants on this coast. The ground was covered with the lichen to which
+they are so partial, and which they cleverly dig out from under the
+snow.
+
+There could be no mistake as to the footprints left by the reindeer, as,
+like the camel, they have a small nail-like hoof with a convex surface.
+Large herds, sometimes numbering several thousand animals, are seen
+running wild in certain parts of America. Being easily domesticated,
+they are employed to draw sledges; and they also supply the factories
+with excellent milk, more nourishing than that of cows. Their dead
+bodies are not less useful. Their thick skin provides clothes, their
+hair makes very good thread, and their flesh is palatable; so that they
+are really the most valuable animals to be found in these latitudes,
+and Hobson, being assured of their presence, was relieved from half his
+anxiety.
+
+As he advanced he had also reason to be satisfied with regard to the
+fur-bearing animals. By the little streams rose many beaver lodges
+and musk-rat tunnels. Badgers, lynxes, ermines, wolverenes, sables,
+polecats, &c., frequented these districts, hitherto undisturbed by
+hunters. They had thus far come to no trace of the presence of man, and
+the animals had chosen their refuge well. Footprints were also found of
+the fine blue and silver foxes, which are becoming more and more rare,
+and the fur of which is worth its weight in gold. Sabine and Mac-Nab
+might many a time have shot a very valuable animal on this excursion,
+but the Lieutenant had wisely forbidden all hunting of the kind. He did
+not wish to alarm the animals before the approaching season-that is to
+say, before the winter months, when their furs become thicker and
+more beautiful. It was also desirable not to overload the sledges. The
+hunters saw the force of his reasoning; but for all that, their fingers
+itched when they came within shot-range of a sable or some valuable fox.
+Their Lieutenant’s orders were, however, not to be disobeyed.
+
+Polar bears and birds were, therefore, all that the hunters had to
+practise upon in this second stage of their journey. The former,
+however, not yet rendered bold by hunger, soon scampered off, and no
+serious struggle with them ensued.
+
+The poor birds suffered for the enforced immunity of the quadrupeds.
+White-headed eagles, huge birds with a harsh screeching cry; fishing
+hawks, which build their nests in dead trees and migrate to the Arctic
+regions in the summer; snow buntings with pure white plumage, wild
+geese, which afford the best food of all the Anseres tribe; ducks with
+red heads and black breasts; ash-coloured crows, a kind of mocking jay
+of extreme ugliness; eider ducks; scoters or black divers, &c. &c.,
+whose mingled cries awake the echoes of the Arctic regions, fell victims
+by hundreds to the unerring aim of Marbre and Sabine. These birds haunt
+the high latitudes by millions, and it would be impossible to form an
+accurate estimate of their number on the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
+Their flesh formed a very pleasant addition to the daily rations of
+biscuit and corned beef, and we can understand that the hunters laid up
+a good stock of them in the fifteen days during which they were debarred
+from attacking more valuable game.
+
+There would then be no lack of animal food; the magazines of the Company
+would be well stocked with game, and its offices filled with furs
+and traders; but something more was wanted to insure success to the
+undertaking. Would it be possible to obtain a sufficient supply of
+fuel to contend with the rigour of an Arctic winter at so elevated a
+latitude?
+
+Most fortunately the coast, was well wooded; the hills which sloped down
+towards the sea were crowned with green trees, amongst which the pine
+predominated. Some of the woods might even be called forests, and would
+constitute an admirable reserve of timber for the fort. Here and there
+Hobson noticed isolated groups of willows, poplars, dwarf birch-trees,
+and numerous thickets of arbutus. At this time of the warm season
+all these trees were covered with verdure, and were an unexpected and
+refreshing sight to eyes so long accustomed to the rugged, barren polar
+landscape. The ground at the foot of the hills was carpeted with a short
+herbage devoured with avidity by the reindeer, and forming their only
+sustenance in winter. On the whole, then, the Lieutenant had reason to
+congratulate himself on having chosen the north-west of the American
+continent for the foundation of a new settlement.
+
+We have said that these territories, so rich in animals, were apparently
+deserted by men. The travellers saw neither Esquimaux, who prefer the
+districts round Hudson’s Bay, nor Indians, who seldom venture so far
+beyond the Arctic Circle. And indeed in these remote latitudes hunters
+may be overtaken by storms, or be suddenly surprised by winter, and cut
+off from all communication with their fellow-creatures. We can easily
+imagine that Lieutenant Hobson was by no means sorry not to meet any
+rival explorers. What he wanted was an unoccupied country, a deserted
+land, suitable as a refuge for the fur-bearing animals; and in this
+matter he had the full sympathy of Mrs Barnett, who, as the guest of the
+Company, naturally took a great interest in the success of its schemes.
+
+Fancy, then, the disappointment of the Lieutenant, when on the morning
+of the 20th June he came to an encampment but recently abandoned.
+
+It was situated at the end of a narrow creek called Darnley Bay, of
+which Cape Parry is the westernmost point. There at the foot of a little
+hill were the stakes which had served to mark the limits of the camp,
+and heaps of cinders, the extinct embers of the fires.
+
+The whole party met at this encampment, and all understood how great a
+disappointment it involved for Lieutenant Hobson.
+
+“What a pity!” he exclaimed. “I would rather have met a whole
+family of polar bears!”
+
+“But I daresay the men who encamped here are already far off,” said
+Mrs Barnett; “very likely they have returned to their usual hunting
+grounds.”
+
+“That is as it may be,” replied the Lieutenant. “If these be the
+traces of Esquimaux, they are more likely to have gone on than to have
+turned back; and if they be those of Indians, they are probably, like
+ourselves, seeking a new hunting district; and in either case it will be
+very unfortunate for us.”
+
+“But,” said Mrs Barnett, “cannot we find out to what race the
+travellers do belong? Can’t we ascertain if they be Esquimaux or
+Indians from the south? I should think tribes of such a different
+origin, and of such dissimilar customs, would not encamp in the same
+manner.”
+
+Mrs Barnett was right; they might possibly solve the mystery after a
+thorough examination of the ground.
+
+Jaspar Hobson and others set to work, carefully examining every trace,
+every object left behind, every mark on the ground; but in vain, there
+was nothing to guide them to a decided opinion. The bones of some
+animals scattered about told them nothing, and the Lieutenant, much
+annoyed, was about to abandon the useless search, when he heard an
+exclamation from Mrs Joliffe, who had wandered a little way to the left.
+
+All hurried towards the young Canadian, who remained fixed to the spot,
+looking attentively at the ground before her.
+
+As her companions came up she said—
+
+“You are looking for traces, Lieutenant; well, here are some.”
+
+And Mrs Joliffe pointed to a good many footprints clearly visible in the
+firm clay.
+
+These might reveal something; for the feet of the Indians and Esquimaux,
+as well as their boots, are totally different from each other.
+
+But what chiefly struck Lieutenant Hobson was the strange arrangement
+of these impressions. They were evidently made by a human foot, a shod
+foot; but, strange to say, the ball alone appeared to have touched the
+ground! The marks were very numerous, close together, often crossing one
+another, but confined to a very small circle.
+
+Jaspar Hobson called the attention of the rest of the party to this
+singular circumstance.
+
+“These were not made by a person walking,” he said.
+
+“Nor by a person jumping,” added Mrs Barnett; “for there is no
+mark of a heel.”
+
+“No,” said Mrs Joliffe; “these footprints were left by a
+dancer.”
+
+She was right, as further examination proved. They were the marks left
+by a dancer, and a dancer engaged in some light and graceful exercise,
+for they were neither clumsy nor deep.
+
+But who could the light-hearted individual be who had been impelled to
+dance in this sprightly fashion some degrees above the Arctic Circle?
+
+“It was certainly not an Esquimaux,” said the Lieutenant.
+
+“Nor an Indian,” cried Corporal Joliffe.
+
+“No, it was a Frenchman,” said Sergeant Long quietly.
+
+And all agreed that none but a Frenchman could have been capable of
+dancing on such a spot.
+
+CHAPTER XII. THE MIDNIGHT SUN. Sergeant Long’s assertion must appear
+to have been founded on insufficient evidence. That there had been
+dancing no one could deny, but that the dancer was a Frenchman, however
+probable, could not be considered proved.
+
+However, the Lieutenant shared the opinion of his subordinate, which did
+not appear too positive to any of the party, who all agreed in feeling
+sure that some travellers, with at least one compatriot of Vestris
+amongst them, had recently encamped on this spot.
+
+Of course Lieutenant Hobson was by no means pleased at this he was
+afraid of having been preceded by rivals in the north-western districts
+of English America; and secret as the Company had kept its scheme, it
+had doubtless been divulged in the commercial centres of Canada and the
+United States.
+
+The Lieutenant resumed his interrupted march; but he was full of care
+and anxiety, although he would not now have dreamed of retracing his
+steps.
+
+“Frenchmen are then sometimes met with in these high latitudes?” was
+Mrs Barnett’s natural question after this incident.
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied the Lieutenant; “or if not exactly
+Frenchmen, the descendants of the masters of Canada when it belonged to
+France, which comes to much the same thing. These men are in fact our
+most formidable rivals.”
+
+“But I thought,” resumed Mrs Barnett, “that after the absorption
+by the Hudson’s Bay Company of the old North-West Company, that it had
+no longer any rivals on the American continent.”
+
+“Although there is no longer any important association for trading in
+furs except our own, there are a good many perfectly independent private
+companies, mostly American, which have retained French agents or their
+descendants in their employ.”
+
+“Are these agents then held in such high esteem?” asked Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes, madam, and with good reason. During the ninety-four years of
+French supremacy in Canada, French agents always proved themselves
+superior to ours. We must be just even to our rivals.”
+
+“Especially to our rivals,” added Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes, especially. . . At that time French hunters, starting from
+Montreal, their headquarters, pressed on to the north with greater
+hardihood than any others. They lived for years with the Indian
+tribes, sometimes intermarrying with them. The natives called them the
+‘Canadian travellers,’ and were on the most intimate terms with
+them. They were bold, clever fellows, expert at navigating streams,
+light-hearted and merry, adapting themselves to circumstances with the
+easy flexibility of their race, and always ready to sing or dance.”
+
+“And do you suppose that hunting is the only object of the party whose
+traces we have just discovered?”
+
+“I don’t think any other hypotheses at all likely,” replied
+Hobson. “They are sure to be seeking new hunting grounds. But as
+we cannot possibly stop them, we must make haste to begin our own
+operations, and compete boldly with all rivals.”
+
+Lieutenant Hobson was now prepared for the competition he could not
+prevent, and he urged on the march of his party as much as possible,
+hoping that his rivals might not follow him beyond the seventieth
+parallel.
+
+The expedition now descended towards the south for some twenty miles, in
+order the more easily to pass round Franklin Bay. The country was still
+covered with verdure, and the quadrupeds and birds already enumerated
+were as plentiful as ever; so that they could reasonably hope that
+the whole of the north-western coasts of the American continent were
+populated in the same manner.
+
+The ocean which bathed these shores stretched away as far as the eye
+could reach Recent atlases give no land beyond the north American
+coast-line, and it is only the icebergs which impede the free navigation
+of the open sea from Behring Strait to the Pole itself.
+
+On the 4th July the travellers skirted round another deep bay called
+Washburn Bay, and reached the furthest point of a little lake, until
+then imperfectly known, covering but a small extent of territory,
+scarcely two square miles-in fact it was rather a lagoon, or large pond
+of sweet water, than a lake.
+
+The sledges went on easily and rapidly, and the appearance of the
+country was most encouraging to the explorers. It seemed that the
+extremity of Cape Bathurst would be a most favourable site for the new
+fort, as with this lagoon behind them, and the sea open for four or five
+months in the warm season, and giving access to the great highway of
+Behring Strait, before them, it would be easy for the exiles to lay in
+fresh provisions and to export their commodities.
+
+On the 5th June, about three o’clock in the afternoon, the party at
+last halted at the extremity of Cape Bathurst. It remained to ascertain
+the exact position of this cape, which the maps place above the
+seventieth parallel. It was, however, impossible to rely upon the marine
+surveys of the coast, as they had never yet been made with exactitude.
+Jaspar Hobson decided to wait and ascertain the latitude and longitude.
+
+“What prevents us from settling here?” asked Corporal Joliffe.
+“You will own, Lieutenant, that it is a very inviting spot.”
+
+“It will seem more inviting still if you get double pay here, my
+worthy Corporal,” replied Hobson.
+
+“No doubt,” said Joliffe; “and the orders of the Company must be
+obeyed.”
+
+“Then wait patiently till to-morrow,” added Hobson; “and if we
+find that Cape Bathurst is really beyond 70° north latitude, we will
+pitch our tent here.”
+
+The site was indeed admirably suited for the foundation of a new
+settlement. The wooded heights surrounding the lagoon would supply
+plenty of pine, birch, and other woods for the construction of the
+fort, and for stocking, it with’ fuel. The Lieutenant and some of his
+companions went to the very edge of the cape, and found that towards the
+west the coast-line formed a lengthened curve, beyond which icebergs
+of a considerable height shut out the view. The water of the lagoon,
+instead of being brackish as they expected from its close vicinity to
+the sea, was perfectly sweet; but had it not been so, drinkable water
+would not have failed the little colony, as a fresh and limpid stream
+ran a few yards to the south-east of Cape Bathurst, and emptied itself
+into the Arctic Ocean through a narrow inlet, which, protected by a
+singular accumulation of sand and earth instead of by rocks, would have
+afforded a refuge to several vessels from the winds of the offing, and
+might be turned to account for the anchorage of the ships which it
+was hoped would come to the new settlement from Behring Strait. Out of
+compliment to the lady of the party, and much to her delight, Lieutenant
+Hobson named the stream Paulina river, and the little harbour Port
+Barnett.
+
+By building the fort a little behind the actual cape, the principal
+house and the magazines would be quite sheltered from the coldest
+winds. The elevation of the cape would help to protect them from the
+snow-drifts, which sometimes completely bury large buildings beneath
+their heavy avalanches in a few hours. There was plenty of room between
+the foot of the promontory and the bank of the lagoon for all the
+constructions necessary to a fort. It could even be surrounded by
+palisades, which would break the shock of the icebergs; and the cape
+itself might be surrounded with a fortified redoubt, if the vicinity of
+rivals should render such a purely defensive erection necessary; and the
+Lieutenant, although with no idea of commencing anything of the kind
+as yet, naturally rejoiced at having met with an easily defensible
+position.
+
+The weather remained fine, and it was quite warm enough. There was not a
+cloud upon the sky; but, of course, the clear blue air of temperate
+and torrid zones could not be expected here, and the atmosphere was
+generally charged with a light mist. What would Cape Bathurst be like in
+the long winter night of four months when the ice-mountains became fixed
+and rigid, and the hoarse north wind swept down upon the icebergs in
+all its fury? None of the party gave a thought to that time now; for
+the weather was beautiful, the verdant landscape smiled, and the waves
+sparkled in the sunbeams, whilst the temperature remained warm and
+pleasant.
+
+A provisional camp, the sledges forming its only material, was arranged
+for the night on the banks of the lagoon; and towards evening Mrs
+Barnett, the Lieutenant, Sergeant Long, and even Thomas Black, explored
+the surrounding district in order to ascertain its resources. It
+appeared to be in every respect suitable; and Hobson was eager for the
+next day, that he might determine the exact situations, and find out if
+it fulfilled the conditions imposed by the Company.
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” said the astronomer when the examination was
+over, “this is really a charming spot, such as I should not have
+imagined could have existed beyond the Arctic Circle.”
+
+“Ah, Mr Black!” cried Hobson, “the finest countries in the world
+are to be found here, and I am impatient to ascertain our latitude and
+longitude.”
+
+“Especially the latitude,” said the astronomer, whose eclipse was
+never out of his thoughts; “and I expect your brave companions are as
+eager as yourself. Double pay beyond the seventieth parallel!”
+
+“But, Mr Black,” said Mrs Barnett, “do you not yourself take
+an interest a purely scientific interest, in getting beyond that
+parallel?”
+
+“Of course, madam, of course I am anxious to get beyond it, but not
+so terribly eager. According to our calculations, however, made with
+absolute accuracy, the solar eclipse which I am ordered to watch will
+only be total to an observer placed beyond the seventieth degree, and
+on this account I share the Lieutenant’s impatience to determine the
+position of Cape Bathurst.”
+
+“But I understand, Mr Black,” said Mrs Barnett, “that this solar
+eclipse will not take place until the 18th July 1860?”
+
+“Yes, madam, on the 18th July 1860.”
+
+“And it is now only the 15th June 1859! So that the phenomenon will
+not be visible for more than a year!”
+
+“I am quite aware of it, Mrs Barnett,” replied the astronomer;
+“but if I had not started till next year I should have run a risk of
+being too late.”
+
+“You would, Mr Black,” said Hobson, “and you did well to start a
+year beforehand. You are now quite sure not to miss your eclipse. I
+own that our journey from Fort Reliance has been accomplished under
+exceptionally favourable circumstances. We have had little fatigue and
+few delays. To tell you the truth, I did not expect to get to this part
+of the coast until the middle of August; and if the eclipse had been
+expected this year, instead of next; you really might have been too
+late. Moreover, we do not yet know if we are beyond the seventieth
+parallel.”
+
+“I do not in the least regret the journey I have taken in your
+company, Lieutenant, and I shall patiently wait until next year for my
+eclipse. The fair Phœbe, I fancy, is a sufficiently grand lady to be
+waited for.”
+
+The next day, July 6th, a little after noon, Hobson and the astronomer
+made their preparations for taking the exact bearings of Cape Bathurst.
+The sun shone clearly enough for them to take the outlines exactly. At
+this season of the year, too, it had reached its maximum height above
+the horizon; and consequently its culmination, on its transit across the
+meridian, would facilitate the work of the two observers.
+
+Already the night before, and the same morning, by raking different
+altitudes, and by means of a calculation of right ascensions, the
+Lieutenant and the astronomer had ascertained the longitude with great
+accuracy. But it was about the latitude that Hobson was most anxious;
+for what would the meridian of Cape Bathurst matter to him should it not
+be situated beyond the seventieth parallel?
+
+Noon approached. The men of the expedition gathered round the observers
+with their sextants ready in their hands. The brave fellows awaited
+the result of the observation with an impatience which will be readily
+understood. It was now to be decided whether they had come to the end
+of their journey, or whether they must search still further for a spot
+fulfilling the conditions imposed by the Company.
+
+Probably no good result would have followed upon further explorations,
+According to the maps of North America-imperfect, it is true-the western
+coast beyond Cape Bathurst sloped down below the seventieth parallel,
+not again rising above it until it entered Russian America, where
+the English had as yet no right to settle; so that Hobson had shown
+considerable judgment in directing his course to Cape Bathurst after
+a thorough examination of the maps of these northern regions. This
+promontory is, in fact, the only one which juts out beyond the
+seventieth parallel along the whole of the North American continent,
+properly so called-that is to say, in English America. It remained to be
+proved that it really occupied the position assigned to it in maps.
+
+At this moment the sun was approaching the culminating-point of its
+course, and the two observers pointed the telescopes of their sextants
+upon it. By means of inclined mirrors attached to the instruments, the
+sun ought apparently to go back to the horizon itself; and the moment
+when it seemed to touch it with the lower side of its disc would be
+precisely that at which it would occupy the highest point of the
+diurnal arc, and consequently the exact moment when it would pass
+the meridian-in other words, it would be noon at the place where the
+observation was taken.
+
+All watched in anxious silence.
+
+“Noon!” cried Jaspar Hobson and the astronomer at once.
+
+The telescopes were immediately lowered. The Lieutenant and Thomas
+Black read on the graduated limbs the value of the angles they had just
+obtained, and at once proceeded to note down their observations.
+
+A few minutes afterwards, Lieutenant Hobson rose and said, addressing
+his companions
+
+“My friends, from this date, July 6th, I promise you double pay in the
+name of the Hudson’s Bay Company!”
+
+“Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah for the Company!” shouted the worthy
+companions of the Lieutenant with one voice.
+
+Cape Bathurst and its immediate neighbourhood were in very truth above
+the seventieth degree of north latitude.
+
+We give the result of these simultaneous observations, which agreed to a
+second.
+
+Longitude, 127° 36’ 12” west of the meridian of Greenwich.
+
+Latitude, 70° 44’ 37” north.
+
+And that very evening these hardy pioneers, encamped so far from the
+inhabited world, watched the mighty luminary of day touch the edges of
+the western horizon without dipping beneath it.
+
+For the first time they saw the shining of the midnight sun.
+
+CHAPTER XIII. FORT HOPE. The site of the new fort was now finally
+determined on. It would be impossible to find a better situation than on
+the level ground behind Cape Bathurst, on the eastern bank of the lagoon
+Hobson determined to commence the construction of the principal house at
+once. Meanwhile all must accommodate themselves as best they could; and
+the sledges were ingeniously utilised to form a provisional encampment.
+
+His men being very skilful, the Lieutenant hoped to have the principal
+house ready in a month. It was to be large enough to accommodate for a
+time the nineteen persons of the party. Later, and before the excessive
+cold set in, if there should be time, the barracks for the soldiers and
+the magazines for the furs and skins were to be built. There was not
+much chance of getting it all done before the end of September; and
+after that date, the winter, with its first bitter frosts and long
+nights, would arrest all further progress.
+
+Of the ten soldiers chosen by Captain Craventy, two-Marbre and
+Sabine-were skilful hunters; the other eight handled the hatchet with as
+much address as the musket. Like sailors, they could turn their hands
+to anything, and were now to be treated more like workmen than soldiers,
+for they were to build a fort which there was as yet no enemy to attack.
+Petersen, Belcher, Rae, Garry, Pond, Hope, and Kellet formed a body of
+clever, zealous carpenters, under the able superintendence of Mac-Nab,
+a Scotchman from Stirling, who had had considerable experience in the
+building both of houses and boats. The men were well provided with
+tools-hatchets, centre-bits, adzes, planes, hand-saws, mallets, hammers,
+chisels, &c. &c. Rae was most skilful at blacksmith’s work, and with
+the aid of a little portable forge he was able to make all the pins,
+tenons, bolts, nails, screws, nuts, &e., required in carpentry. They had
+no mason in the party; but none was wanted, as all the buildings of the
+factories in the north are of wood. Fortunately there were plenty of
+trees about Cape Bathurst, although as Hobson had already remarked
+to Mrs Barnett, there was not a rock, a stone, not even a flint or a
+pebble, to be seen. The shore was strewn with innumerable quantities of
+bivalve shells broken by the surf, and with seaweed or zoophytes, mostly
+sea-urchins and asteriadæ; but the soil consisted entirely of earth and
+sand, without a morsel of silica or broken granite; and the cape itself
+was but an accumulation of soft earth, the particles of which were
+scarcely held together by the vegetation with which it was clothed.
+
+In the afternoon of the same day, July 6th Hobson and Mac-Nab the
+carpenter went to choose the site of the principal house on the plateau
+at the foot of Cape Bathurst. From this point the view embraced the
+lagoon and the western districts to a distance of ten or twelve miles.
+On the right, about four miles off, towered icebergs of a considerable
+height. partly draped in mist; whilst on the left stretched apparently
+boundless plains, vast steppes which it would be impossible to
+distinguish from the frozen surface of the lagoon or from the sea itself
+in the winter.
+
+The spot chosen, Hobson and Mac-Nab set out the outer walls of the house
+with the line. This outline formed a rectangle measuring sixty feet on
+the larger side, and thirty on the smaller. The façade of the house
+would therefore have a length of sixty feet it was to have a door and
+three windows on the side of the promontory, where the inner court was
+to be situated, and four windows on the side of the lagoon. The door was
+to open at the left corner, instead of in the middle, of the back of
+the house, for the sake of warmth. This arrangement would impede the
+entrance of the outer air to the further rooms, and add considerably to
+the comfort of the inmates of the fort.
+
+According to the simple plan agreed upon by the Lieutenant and his
+master-carpenter, there were to be four compartments in the house: the
+first to be an antechamber with a double door to keep out the wind;
+the second to serve as a kitchen, that the cooking which would generate
+damp, might be all done quite away from the living-rooms; the third, a
+large hall, where the daily meals were to be served in common; and the
+fourth, to be divided into several cabins, like the state-rooms on board
+ship.
+
+The soldiers were to occupy the dining-hall provisionally, and a kind of
+camp-bed was arranged for them at the end of the room. The Lieutenant,
+Mrs Barnett, Thomas Black, Madge, Mrs Joliffe, Mrs Mac-Nab, and Mrs
+Rae were to lodge in the cabins of the fourth compartment. They would
+certainly be packed pretty closely; but it was only a temporary state
+of things, and when the barracks were constructed, the principal house
+would be reserved to the officer in command, his sergeant, Thomas Black,
+Mrs Barnett, and her faithful Madge, who never left her. Then the fourth
+compartment might perhaps be divided into three cabins, instead of four;
+for to avoid corners as much as possible is a rule which should never be
+forgotten by those who winter in high latitudes Nooks and corners
+are, in fact, so many receptacles of ice. The partitions impede the
+ventilation; and the moisture, generated in the air, freezes readily,
+and makes the atmosphere of the rooms unhealthy causing grave maladies
+to those who sleep in them.
+
+On this account many navigators who have to winter in the midst of ice
+have one large room in the centre of their vessel, which is shared by
+officers and sailors in common. For obvious reasons, however, Hobson
+could not adopt this plan.
+
+From the preceding description we shall have seen that the future house
+was to consist merely of a ground-floor. The roof was to be high, and
+its sides to slope considerably, so that water could easily run off
+them. The snow would, however, settle upon them; and when once they were
+covered with it, the house would be, so to speak, hermetically closed,
+and the inside temperature would be kept at the same mean height. Snow
+is, in fact, a very bad conductor of beat: it prevents it from entering,
+it is true; but, what is more important in an Arctic winter, it also
+keeps it from getting out.
+
+The carpenter was to build two chimneys-one above the kitchen, the other
+in connection with the stove of the large dining-room, which was to heat
+it and the compartment containing the cabins. The architectural
+effect of the whole would certainly be poor; but the house would be as
+comfortable as possible, and what more could any one desire?
+
+Certainly an artist who had once seen it would not soon forget this
+winter residence, set down in the gloomy Arctic twilight in the midst
+of snow-drifts, half hidden by icicles, draped in white from roof to
+foundation, its walls encrusted with snow, and the smoke from its fires
+assuming strangely-contorted forms in the wind.
+
+But now to tell of the actual construction of this house, as yet
+existing only in imagination. This, of course, was the business of
+Mac-Nab and his men; and while the carpenters were at work, the foraging
+party to whom the commissariat was entrusted would not be idle. There
+was plenty for every one to do.
+
+The first step was to choose suitable timber, and a species of Scotch
+fir was decided on, which grew conveniently upon the neighbouring hills,
+and seemed altogether well adapted to the multifarious uses to which it
+would be put. For in the rough and ready style of habitation which they
+were planning, there could be no variety of material; and every part
+of the house-outside and inside walls, flooring, ceiling, partitions,
+rafters, ridges, framework, and tiling-would have to be contrived
+of planks, beams, and timbers. As may readily be supposed, finished
+workmanship was not necessary for such a description of building, and
+Mac-Nab was able to proceed very rapidly without endangering the
+safety of the building. About a hundred of these firs were chosen and
+felled-they were neither barked nor squared-and formed so many timbers,
+averaging some twenty feet in length. The axe and the chisel did not
+touch them except at the ends, in order to form the tenons and mortises
+by which they were to be secured to one another. Very few days sufficed
+to complete this part of the work, and the timbers were brought down by
+the dogs to the site fixed on for the principal building. To start with,
+the site had been carefully levelled. The soil, a mixture of fine
+earth and sand, had been beaten and consolidated with heavy blows. The
+brushwood with which it was originally covered was burnt, and the thick
+layer of ashes thus produced would prevent the damp from penetrating the
+floors. A clean and dry foundation having been thus secured on which
+to lay the first joists, upright posts were fixed at each corner of the
+site, and at the extremities of the inside walls, to form the skeleton
+of the building. The posts were sunk to a depth of some feet in the
+ground, after their ends had been hardened in the fire; and were
+slightly hollowed at each side to receive the crossbeams of the outer
+wall, between which the openings for the doors and windows had been
+arranged for. These posts were held together at the top by horizontal
+beams well let into the mortises, and consolidating the whole building.
+On these horizontal beams, which represented the architraves of the two
+fronts, rested the high trusses of the roof, which overhung the walls
+like the eaves of a chalet. Above this squared architrave were laid the
+joists of the ceiling, and those of the floor upon the layer of ashes.
+
+The timbers, both in the inside and outside walls, were only laid side
+by side. To insure their being properly joined, Rae the blacksmith
+drove strong iron bolts through them at intervals; and when even this
+contrivance proved insufficient to close the interstices as hermetically
+as was necessary, Mac-Nab had recourse to calking, a process which
+seamen find invaluable in rendering vessels water-tight; only as a
+substitute for tow he used a sort of dry moss, with which the eastern
+side of the cape was covered, driving it into the crevices with
+calking-irons and a hammer, filling up each hollow with layers of hot
+tar, obtained without difficulty from the pine-trees, and thus making
+the walls and boarding impervious to the rain and damp of the winter
+season.
+
+The door and windows in the two fronts were roughly but strongly built,
+and the small panes of the latter glazed with isinglass, which, though
+rough, yellow, and almost opaque, was yet the best substitute for glass
+which the resources of the country afforded; and its imperfections
+really mattered little, as the windows were sure to be always open in
+fine weather; while during, the long night of the Arctic winter they
+would be useless, and have to be kept closed and defended by heavy
+shutters with strong bolts against the violence of the gales. Meanwhile
+the house was being quickly fitted up inside. By means of a double door
+between the outer and inner halls a too sudden change of temperature
+was avoided, and the wind was prevented from blowing with unbroken force
+into the rooms. The air-pumps, brought from Fort Reliance, were so fixed
+as to let in fresh air whenever excessive cold prevented the opening of
+doors or windows -one being made to eject the impure air from within,
+the other to renew the supply; for the Lieutenant had given his whole
+mind to this important matter.
+
+The principal cooking utensil was a large iron furnace, which had been
+brought piecemeal from Fort Reliance, and which the carpenter put up
+without any difficulty. The chimneys for the kitchen and ball, however,
+seemed likely to tax the ingenuity of the workmen to the utmost, as
+no material within their reach was strong enough for the purpose, and
+stone, as we have said before, was nowhere to be found in the country
+around Cape Bathurst.
+
+The difficulty appeared insurmountable, when the invincible Lieutenant
+suggested that they should utilise the shells with which the shore was
+strewed.
+
+“Make chimneys of shells!” cried the carpenter.
+
+“Yes, Mac-Nab,” replied Hobson; “we must collect the shells,
+grind them, burn them, and make them into lime, then mould the lime into
+bricks, and use them in the same way.”
+
+“Let us try the shells, by all means,” replied the carpenter; and
+so the idea was put in practice at once, and many tons collected of
+calcareous shells identical with those found in the lowest stratum of
+the Tertiary formations.
+
+A furnace was constructed for the decomposition of the carbonate which
+is so large an ingredient of these shells, and thus the lime required
+was obtained in the space of a few hours. It would perhaps be too much
+to say that the substance thus made was as entirely satisfactory as
+if it had gone through all the usual processes; but it answered its
+purpose, and strong conical chimneys soon adorned the roof, to the great
+satisfaction of Mrs Paulina Barnett, who congratulated the originator of
+the scheme warmly on its success, only adding laughingly, that she hoped
+the chimneys would not smoke.
+
+“Of course they will smoke, madam,” replied Hobson coolly; “all
+chimneys do!”
+
+All this was finished within a month, and on the 6th of August they were
+to take possession of the new house.
+
+While Mac-Nab and his men were working so hard, the foraging party,
+with the Lieutenant at its head, had been exploring the environs of Cape
+Bathurst, and satisfied themselves that there would be no difficulty in
+supplying the Company’s demands for fur and feathers, so soon as they
+could set about hunting in earnest. In the meantime they prepared the
+way for future sport, contenting themselves for the present with the
+capture of a few couples of reindeer, which they intended to domesticate
+for the sake of their milk and their young. They were kept in a paddock
+about fifty yards from the house, and entrusted to the care of Mac-Nabs
+wife, an Indian woman, well qualified to take charge of them.
+
+The care of the household fell to Mrs Paulina Barnett, and this good
+woman, with Madge’s help, was invaluable in providing for all the
+small wants, which would inevitably have escaped the notice of the men.
+
+After scouring the country within a radius of several miles, the
+Lieutenant notified, as the result of his observations, that the
+territory on which they had established themselves, and to which he gave
+the name of Victoria Land, was a large peninsula about one hundred and
+fifty square miles in extent, with very clearly-defined boundaries,
+connected with the American continent by an isthmus, extending from
+the lower end of Washburn Bay on the east, as fair as the corresponding
+slope on the opposite coast. The Lieutenant next proceeded to ascertain
+what were the resources of the lake and river, and found great reason to
+be satisfied with the result of his examination. The shallow waters of
+the lake teemed with trout, pike, and other available fresh-water fish;
+and the little river was a favourite resort of salmon and shoals of
+white bait and smelts. The supply of sea-fish was not so good; and
+though many a grampus and whale passed by in the offing, the latter
+probably flying from the harpoons of the Behring Strait fishermen there
+were no means of capturing them unless one by chance happened to get
+stranded on the coast; nor would Hobson allow any of the seals
+which abounded on the western shore to be taken until a satisfactory
+conclusion should be arrived at as to how to use them to the best
+advantage.
+
+The colonists now considered themselves fairly installed stalled in
+their new abode, and after due deliberation unanimously agreed to bestow
+upon the settlement the name of Fort Good Hope.
+
+Alas! the auspicious title was never to be inscribed upon a map. The
+undertaking, begun so bravely and with such prospects of success, was
+destined never to be carried out, and another disaster would have to be
+added to the long list of failures in Arctic enterprise.
+
+CHAPTER XIV. SOME EXCURSIONS. It did not take long to furnish the new
+abode. A camp-bed was set up in the hall, and the carpenter Mac-Nab
+constructed a most substantial table, around which were ranged fixed
+benches. A few movable seats and two enormous presses completed the
+furniture of this apartment. The inner room, which was also ready, was
+divided by solid partitions into six dormitories, the two end ones
+alone being lighted by windows looking to the front and back. The only
+furniture was a bed and a table. Mrs Paulina Barnett and Madge were
+installed in one which looked immediately out upon the lake. Hobson
+offered the other with the window in it to Thomas Black, and the
+astronomer took immediate possession of it. The Lieutenant’s own room
+was a dark cell adjoining the hall, with no window but a bull’s eye
+pierced through the partition. Mrs Joliffe, Mrs Mac-Nab, and Mrs Rae,
+with their husbands, occupied the other dormitories. These good people
+agreed so well together that it would have been a pity to separate them.
+Moreover, an addition was expected shortly to the little colony; and
+Mac-Nab had already gone so far as to secure the services of Mrs Barnett
+as god-mother, an honour which gave the good woman much satisfaction.
+The sledges had been entirely unloaded, and the bedding carried into
+the different rooms. All utensils, stores, and provisions which were
+not required for immediate use were stowed away in a garret, to which a
+ladder gave access. The winter clothing-such as boots, overcoats, furs,
+and skins-were also taken there, and protected from the damp in large
+chests. As soon as these arrangements were completed, the Lieutenant
+began to provide for the heating of the house.
+
+Knowing that the most energetic measures were necessary to combat the
+severity of the Arctic winter, and that during the weeks of intensest
+cold there would be no possibility of leaving the house to forage for
+supplies, he ordered a quantity of fuel to be brought from the wooded
+hills in the neighbourhood, and took care to obtain a plentiful store of
+oil from the seals which abounded on the shore.
+
+In obedience to his orders, and under his directions, the house was
+provided with a condensing apparatus which would receive the internal
+moisture, and was so constructed that the ice which would form in it
+could easily be removed.
+
+This question of heating was a very serious one to the Lieutenant.
+
+“I am a native of the Polar regions, madam,” he often said to Mrs
+Barnett; “I have some experience in these matters, and I have read
+over and over again books written by those who have wintered in these
+latitudes. It is impossible to take too many precautions in preparing to
+pass a winter in the Arctic regions, and nothing must be left to chance
+where a single neglect may prove fatal to the enterprise.”
+
+“Very true, Mr Hobson,” replied Mrs Barnett; “and you have
+evidently made up your mind to conquer the cold; but there is the food
+to be thought of too.”
+
+“Yes, indeed; I have been thinking of that, and mean to make all
+possible use of the produce of the country so as to economise our
+stores. As soon as we can, we will make some foraging expeditions. We
+need not think about the furs at present, for there will be plenty of
+time during the winter to stock the Company’s depôts. Besides, the
+furred animals have not got their winter clothing on yet, and the skins
+would lose fifty per cent. of their value if taken now. Let us content
+ourselves for the present with provisioning Fort Hope. Reindeer, elk,
+- and any wapitis that may have ventured so far north are the only game
+worth our notice just now; it will be no small undertaking to provide
+food for twenty people and sixty dogs.”
+
+The Lieutenant loved order, and determined to do everything in the most
+methodical manner, feeling confident that if his companions would help
+him to the utmost of their power, nothing need be wanting to the success
+of the expedition.
+
+The weather at this season was almost always fine, and might be expected
+to continue so for five weeks longer, when the snow would begin to fall.
+It was very important that the carpenters-should make all possible use
+of the interval; and as soon as the principal house was finished, Hobson
+set them to work to build an enormous kennel or shed in which to keep
+the teams of dogs. This doghouse was built at the very foot of the
+promontory, against the hill, and about forty yards to the right of
+the house. Barracks for the accommodation of the men were to be built
+opposite this kennel on the left, while the store and powder magazines
+were to occupy the front of the enclosure.
+
+Hobson determined with almost excessive prudence to have the Factory
+enclosed before the winter set in. A strong fence of pointed stakes,
+planted firmly in the ground, was set up as a protection against
+the inroads of wild animals or the hostilities of the natives. The
+Lieutenant had not forgotten an outrage which had been committed along
+the coast at no great distance from Fort Hope, and he well knew how
+essential it was to be safe from a coup de main. The factory was
+therefore entirely encircled, and at each extremity of the lagoon
+Mac-Nab undertook to erect a wooden sentry-box commanding the
+coast-line, from which a watch could be kept without any danger. The
+men worked indefatigably, and it seemed likely that everything would be
+finished before the cold season set in.
+
+In the meantime hunting parties were organised. The capture of seals
+being put off for a more convenient season, the sportsmen prepared
+to supply the fort with game, which might be dried and preserved for
+consumption during the bad season.
+
+Accordingly Marbre and Sabine, sometimes accompanied by the Lieutenant
+and Sergeant Long, whose experience was invaluable, scoured the country
+daily for miles round; and it was no uncommon sight to see Mrs Paulina
+Barnett join them and step briskly along shouldering her gun bravely,
+and never allowing herself to be outstripped by her companions.
+
+Throughout the month of August these expeditions were continued with
+great success, and the store of provisions increased rapidly. Marbre
+and Sabine were skilled in all the artifices which sportsmen employ in
+stalking their prey-particularly the reindeer, which are exceedingly
+wary. How patiently they would face the wind lest the creature’s keen
+sense of smell should warn it of their approach! and how cunningly they
+lured it on to its destruction by displaying the magnificent antlers of
+some former victim above the birch-bushes !
+
+They found a useful alley (sic) in a certain little traitorous bird to
+which the Indians have given the name of “monitor.” It is a kind of
+daylight owl, about the size of a pigeon, and has earned its name by its
+habit of calling the attention of hunters to their quarry, by uttering a
+sharp note like the cry of a child.
+
+When about fifty reindeer, or, to give them their Indian name,
+“caribous,” had been brought down by the guns, the flesh was cut
+into long strips for food, the skins being kept to be tanned and used
+for shoe-leather.
+
+Besides the caribous, there were also plenty of Polar hares, which
+formed an agreeable addition to the larder. They were much less timorous
+than the European species, and allowed themselves to be caught in great
+numbers. They belong to the rodent family, and have long ears, brown
+eyes, and a soft fur resembling swan’s down. They weigh from ten to
+fifteen pounds each, and their flesh is excellent. Hundreds of them were
+cared for winter use, and the remainder converted into excellent pies by
+the skilful hands of Mrs Joliffe.
+
+While making provision for future wants, the daily supplies were not
+neglected. In addition to the Polar hares, which underwent every variety
+of culinary treatment from Mrs Joliffe, and won for her compliments
+innumerable from hunters and workmen alike, many waterfowl figured in
+the bill of fare. Besides the ducks which abounded on the shores of the
+lagoon, large flocks of grouse congregated round the clumps of stunted
+willows. They belong, as their zoological name implies, to the partridge
+family, and might be aptly described as white partridges with long
+black-spotted feathers in the tail. The Indians call them willow-fowl;
+but to a European sportsman they are neither more nor less than
+blackcock (Tetrao tetrix). When roasted slightly before a quick clear
+fire they proved delicious.
+
+Then there were the supplies furnished by lake and stream. Sergeant
+Long was a first-rate angler, and nothing could surpass the skill and
+patience with which he whipped the water and cast his line. The faithful
+Madge, another worthy disciple of Isaak Walton was perhaps his only
+equal. Day after day the two sallied forth together rod in hand, to
+spend the day in mute companionship by the river-side, whence they were
+sure to return in triumph laden with some splendid specimens of the
+salmon tribe.
+
+But to return to our sportsmen; they soon found that their hunting
+excursions were not to be free from peril. Hobson perceived with some
+alarm that bears were very numerous in the neighbourhood and that
+scarcely a day passed without one or more of them being sighted.
+Sometimes these unwelcome visitors belonged to the family of brown
+bears, so common throughout the whole “Cursed Land; “but now and
+then a solitary specimen of the formidable Polar bear warned the hunters
+what dangers they might have to encounter so soon as the first frost
+should drive great numbers of these fearful animals to the neighbourhood
+of Cape Bathurst. Every book of Arctic explorations is full of accounts
+of the frequent perils to which travellers and whalers are exposed from
+the ferocity of these animals.
+
+Now and then, too, a distant pack of wolves was seen, which receded like
+a wave at the approach of the hunters, or the sound of their bark
+was heard as they followed the trail of a reindeer or wapiti. These
+creatures were large grey wolves, about three feet high, with long
+tails, whose fur becomes white in the winter. They abounded in this part
+of the country, where food was plentiful; and frequented wooded spots,
+where they lived in holes like foxes. During the temperate season,
+when they could get as much as they wanted to eat, they were scarcely
+dangerous, and fled with the characteristic cowardice of their race at
+the first sign of pursuit; but when impelled by hunger, their numbers
+rendered them very formidable; and from the fact of their lairs being
+close at hand, they never left the country even in the depth of winter.
+
+One day the sportsmen returned to Fort Hope, bringing with them an
+unpleasant-looking animal, which neither Mrs Paulina Barnett nor the
+astronomer, Thomas Black, had ever before seen. It was a carnivorous
+creature of the plantigrada family, and greatly resembled the American
+glutton, being strongly built, with short legs, and, like all animals of
+the feline tribe, a very supple back; its eyes were small and horny, and
+it was armed with curved claws and formidable jaws.
+
+“What is this horrid creature?” inquired Mrs Paulina Barnett of
+Sabine, who replied in his usual sententious manner—
+
+“A Scotchman would call it a ‘quick-hatch,’ an Indian an
+‘okelcoo-haw-gew,’ and a Canadian a ‘carcajou.”’
+
+“And what do you call it?”
+
+“A wolverene, ma’am,” returned Sabine, much delighted with the
+elegant way in which he had rounded his sentence.
+
+The wolverene, as this strange quadruped is called by zoologists, lives
+in hollow trees or rocky caves, whence it issues at night and creates
+great havoc amongst beavers, musk-rats, and other rodents, sometimes
+fighting with a fox or a wolf for its spoils. Its chief characteristics
+are great cunning, immense muscular power, and an acute sense of smell.
+It is found in very high latitudes; and the short fur with which it is
+clothed becomes almost black in the winter months, and forms a large
+item in the Company’s exports.
+
+During their excursions the settlers paid as much attention to the Flora
+of the country as to its Fauna; but in those regions vegetation, has
+necessarily a hard struggle for existence, as it must brave every season
+of the year, whereas the animals are able to migrate to a warmer climate
+during the winter.
+
+The hills on the eastern side, of the lake were well covered with pine
+and fir trees; and Jaspar also noticed the “tacamahac,” a species of
+poplar which grows to a great height and shoots forth yellowish leaves
+which turn green in the autumn. These trees and larches were, however,
+few and sickly looking, as if they found the oblique rays of the sun
+insufficient to make them thrive. The black fir, or Norway spruce fir,
+throve better, especially when situated in ravines well sheltered
+from the north wind. The young shoots of this tree are very
+valuable, yielding a favourite beverage known in North America as “
+spruce-beer.” A good crop of these branchlets was gathered in and
+stored in the cellar of Fort Hope. There were also the dwarf birch,
+a shrub about two feet high, native to very cold climates, and whole
+thickets of cedars, which are so valuable for fuel.
+
+Of vegetables which could be easily grown and used for food, this barren
+land yielded but few; and Mrs Joliffe, who took a great interest in “
+economic “ botany, only met with .two plants which were available in
+cooking.
+
+One of these, a bulb, very difficult to classify, because its leaves
+fall off just at the flowering season, turned out to be a wild leek, and
+yielded a good crop of onions, each about the size of an egg.
+
+The other plant was that known throughout North America as “Labrador
+tea;” it grew abundantly on the shores of the lagoon between the
+clumps of willow and arbutus, and formed the principal food of the
+Polar hares. Steeped in boiling water, and flavoured with a few drops of
+brandy or gin, it formed an excellent beverage, and served to economise
+the supply of China tea which the party had brought from Fort Reliance.
+
+Knowing the scarcity of vegetables, Jaspar Hobson had plenty of
+seeds with him, chiefly sorrel and scurvy-grass (Cochlearia), the
+antiscorbutic properties of which are invaluable in these latitudes. In
+choosing the site of the settlement, such care bad been taken to find
+a spot sheltered from the keen blasts, which shrivel vegetation like a
+fire, that there was every chance of these seeds yielding a good crop in
+the ensuing season.
+
+The dispensary of the new fort contained other antiscorbutics, in the
+shape of casks of lemon and lime juice, both of which are absolutely
+indispensable to an Arctic expedition. Still the greatest economy was
+necessary with regard to the stores, as a long period of bad weather
+might cut off the communication between Fort Hope and the southern
+stations.
+
+CHAPTER XV. FIFTEEN MILES FROM CAPE BATHURST. September had now
+commenced, and as upon the most favourable calculation only three more
+weeks would intervene before the bad season set in and interrupted the
+labours of the explorers, the greatest haste was necessary in completing
+the new buildings, and Mac-Nab and his workmen surpassed themselves
+in industry. The dog-house was on the eve of being finished, and very
+little remained to be done to the palisading which was, to encircle the
+fort. An inner court had been constructed, in the shape of a half-moon,
+fenced with tall pointed stakes, fifteen feet high, to which a postern
+gave entrance. Jaspar Hobson favoured the system of an unbroken
+enclosure with detached forts (a great improvement upon the tactics of
+Vauban and Cormontaigne), and knew that to make his defence complete
+the summit of Cape Bathurst, which was the key of the position, must be
+fortified; until that could be done, however, he thought the palisading
+would be a sufficient protection, at least against quadrupeds.
+
+The next thing was to lay in a supply of oil and lights, and accordingly
+an expedition was organised to a spot about fifteen miles distant where
+seals were plentiful, Mrs Paulina Barnett being invited to accompany
+the sportsmen, not indeed for the sake of watching the poor creatures
+slaughtered, but to satisfy her curiosity with regard to the country
+around Cape Bathurst, and to see some cliffs on that part of the
+coast which were worthy of notice. The Lieutenant chose as his other
+companions, Sergeant Long, and the soldiers Petersen, Hope, and Kellet,
+and the party set off at eight o’clock in the morning in two sledges,
+each drawn by six dogs, on which the bodies of the seals were to be
+brought back. The weather was fine, but the fog which lay low along the
+horizon veiled the rays of the sun, whose yellow disk was now beginning
+to disappear for some hours during the night, a circumstance which
+attracted the Lieutenant’s attention, for reasons which we will
+explain.
+
+That part of the shore to the west of Cape Bathurst rises but a few
+inches above the level of the sea, and the tides are-or are said
+to be-very high in the Arctic Ocean-many navigators, such as Parry,
+Franklin, the two Rosses, M’Clure, and M’Clintock, having observed
+that when the sun and moon were in conjunction the waters were sometimes
+twenty-five feet above the ordinary level. How then was it to be
+explained that the sea did not at high tide inundate Cape Bathurst,
+which possessed no natural defences such as cliffs or downs? What
+was it, in fact, which prevented the entire submersion of the whole
+district, and the meeting of the waters of the lake with those of the
+Arctic Ocean?
+
+Jaspar Hobson could not refrain from remarking on this peculiarity to
+Mrs Barnett, who replied somewhat hastily that she supposed that there
+were-in spite of all that had been said to the contrary-no tides in the
+Arctic Ocean.
+
+“On the contrary, madam,” said Hobson, “all navigators agree that
+the ebb and flow of Polar seas are very distinctly marked, and it
+is impossible to believe that they can have been mistaken on such a
+subject.”
+
+“How is it, then,” inquired Mrs Barnett, “that this land is not
+flooded when it is scarcely ten feet above the sea level at low tide?”
+
+“That is just what puzzles me,” said Hobson; “for I have been
+attentively watching the tides all through this month, and during that
+time they have not varied more than a foot, and I feel certain, that
+even during the September equinox, they will not rise more than a foot
+and a half all along the shores of Cape Bathurst.”
+
+“Can you not explain this phenomenon?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Well, madam,” replied the Lieutenant, “two conclusions are open
+to us, either of which I find it difficult to believe; such men as
+Franklin, Parry, Ross, and others, are mistaken, and there are no tides
+on this part of the American coast; or, as in the Mediterranean, to
+which the waters of the Atlantic have not free ingress, the straits are
+too narrow to be affected by the ocean currents.”
+
+“The latter would appear to be the more reasonable hypothesis, Mr
+Hobson.”
+
+“It is not, however, thoroughly satisfactory,” said the Lieutenant,
+“and I feel sure that if we could but find it, there is some simple
+and natural explanation of the phenomenon.”
+
+After a monotonous journey along a flat and sandy shore, the party
+reached their destination, and, having unharnessed the teams, they were
+left behind lest they should startle the seals.
+
+At the first glance around them, all were equally struck with the
+contrast between the appearance of this district and that of Cape
+Bathurst.
+
+Here the coast line was broken and fretted, showing manifest traces
+of its igneous origin; whereas the site of the fort was of sedimentary
+formation and aqueous origin. Stone, so conspicuously absent at the
+cape, was here plentiful; the black sand and porous lava were strewn
+with huge boulders deeply imbedded in the soil, and there were large
+quantities of the aluminium, silica, and felspar pebbles peculiar to the
+crystalline strata of one class of igneous rocks. Glittering Labrador
+stones, and many other kinds of felspar, red, green, and blue, were
+sprinkled on the unfrequented beach, with grey and yellow pummice-stone,
+and lustrous variegated obsidian. Tall cliffs, rising some two hundred
+feet above the sea, frowned down upon the bay; and the Lieutenant
+resolved to climb them, and obtain a good view of the eastern side
+of the country. For this there was plenty of time, as but few of the
+creatures they had come to seek were as yet to be seen, and the proper
+time for the attack would be when they assembled for the afternoon
+siesta in which the. amphibious mammalia always indulge. The Lieutenant,
+however, quickly discovered that the animals frequenting this coast were
+not, as he had been led to suppose, true seals, although they belonged
+to the Phocidæ family, but morses or walruses, sometimes called
+sea-cows. They resemble the seals in general form, but the canine teeth
+of the upper jaw curved down-wards are much more largely developed.
+
+Following the coast line, which curved considerably, and to which they
+gave the name of “ Walruses’ Bay,” the party soon reached the foot
+of the cliff, and Petersen, Hope, and Kellet, took up their position
+as sentinels on the little promontory, whilst Mrs Barnett, Hobson, and
+Long, after promising not to lose sight of their comrades, and to be on
+the look-out for their signal, proceeded to climb the cliff, the summit
+of which they reached in about a quarter of an hour. From this position
+they were able to survey the whole surrounding country; at their feet
+lay the vast sea, stretching northwards as far as the eye .could
+reach, its expanse so entirely unbroken by islands or icebergs that
+the travellers came to the conclusion, that this portion of the Arctic
+waters was navigable as far as Behring Straits, and that during the
+summer season the North-West Passage to Cape Bathurst would, be open to
+the Company’s ships. On the west, the aspect of the country explained
+the presence of the volcanic débris on the shore; for at a distance
+of about ten miles was a chain of granitic hills, of conical form, with
+blunted crests, looking as if their summits had been cut off, and
+with jagged tremulous outlines standing out against the sky. They bad
+hitherto escaped the notice of our party, as they were concealed by the
+cliffs on the Cape Bathurst side, and Jaspar Hobson examined them in
+silence, but with great attention, before he proceeded to study the
+eastern side, which consisted of a long strip of perfectly level
+coast-line stretching away to Cape Bathurst. Any one provided with a
+good field-glass would have been able to distinguish the fort of Good
+Hope, and perhaps even the cloud of blue smoke, which was no doubt at
+that very moment issuing from Mrs Joliffe’s kitchen chimney.
+
+The country behind them seemed to possess two entirely distinct
+characters; to the east and south the cape was bounded by a vast plain,
+many hundreds of square miles in extent, while behind the cliff, from
+“Walruses’ Bay” to the mountains mentioned above, the country had
+undergone terrible convulsions, showing clearly that it owed its origin
+to volcanic eruptions. The Lieutenant was much struck with this marked
+contrast, and Sergeant Long asked him whether he thought the mountains
+on the western horizon were volcanoes.
+
+“Undoubtedly,” said Hobson; “all these pumice-stones and pebbles
+have been discharged by them to this distance, and if we were to go two
+or three miles farther, we should find ourselves treading upon nothing
+but lava and ashes.”
+
+“Do you suppose,” inquired the Sergeant, “that all these volcanoes
+are still active?”
+
+“That I cannot tell you yet.”
+
+“But there is no smoke issuing from any of them,” added the
+Sergeant.
+
+“That proves nothing; your pipe is not always in your mouth, and it is
+just the same with volcanoes, they are not always smoking.”
+
+“I see,” said the Sergeant; “but it is a great puzzle to me how
+volcanoes can exist at all. on Polar continents.”
+
+“Well, there are not many of them !” said Mrs Barnett.
+
+“No, madam,” replied Jaspar, “but they are not so very rare
+either; they are to be found in Jan Mayen’s Land, the Aleutian Isles,
+Kamtchatka, Russian America, and Iceland, as well as in the Antarctic
+circle, in Tierra del Fuego, and Australasia. They are the chimneys of
+the great furnace in the centre of the earth, where Nature makes her
+chemical experiments, and it appears to me that the Creator of all
+things has taken care to place these safety-valves wherever they were
+most needed.”
+
+“I suppose so,” replied the Sergeant; “and yet it does seem very
+strange to find them in this icy climate.”
+
+“Why should they not be here as well as anywhere else, Sergeant? I
+should say that ventilation holes are likely to be more numerous at the
+Poles than at the Equator !”
+
+“Why so?” asked the Sergeant in much surprise.
+
+“Because, if these safety-valves are forced open by the pressure
+of subterranean gases, it will most likely be at the spots where the
+surface of the earth is thinest, and as the globe is flattened at the
+poles, it would appear natural that-but Kellet is making signs to us,”
+added the Lieutenant, breaking off abruptly; “will you join us, Mrs
+Barnett?”
+
+“No, thank you. I will stay here until we return to the fort. I
+don’t care to watch the walrus slaughtered!”
+
+“Very well,” replied Hobson, “only don’t forget to join us in an
+hour’s time, meanwhile you can enjoy the view.”
+
+The beach was soon reached, and some hundred walrus had collected,
+either waddling about on their clumsy webbed feet, or sleeping in family
+groups. Some few of the larger males-creatures nearly four feet long,
+clothed with very short reddish fur-kept guard over the herd.
+
+Great caution was required in approaching these formidable looking
+animals, and the hunters took advantage of every bit of cover afforded
+by rocks and inequalities of the ground, so as to get within easy range
+of them and cut off their retreat to the sea.
+
+On land these creatures are clumsy and awkward, moving in jerks or with
+creeping motions like huge caterpillars, but in water -their native
+element—they are nimble and even graceful; indeed their strength is so
+great, that they have been known to overturn the whalers in pursuit of
+them.
+
+As the hunters drew near the sentinels took alarm, and raising their
+heads looked searchingly around them; but before they could warn their
+companions of danger, Hobson and Kellet rushed upon them from one side,
+the Sergeant, Petersen, and Hope from the other, and after lodging a
+ball in each of their bodies, despatched them with their spears, whilst
+the rest of the herd plunged into the sea.
+
+The victory was an easy one; the five victims were very large and their
+tusks, though slightly rough, of the best quality. They were chiefly
+valuable, however, on account of the oil; of which-being in excellent
+condition-they would yield a large quantity. The bodies were packed in
+the sledges, and proved no light weight for the dogs.
+
+It was now one o’clock, and Mrs Barnett having joined them, the party
+set out on foot-the sledges being full-to return to the fort. There were
+but ten miles to be traversed, but ten miles in a straight line is a
+weary journey, proving the truth of the adage “It’s a long lane that
+has no turning.” They beguiled the tediousness of the way by chatting
+pleasantly, and Mrs Barnett was ready to join in the conversation, or to
+listen with interest to the accounts the worthy soldiers gave of former
+adventures; but in spite of the brave struggle against ennui they
+advanced but slowly, and the poor dogs found it hard work to drag the
+heavily-laden sledges over the rough ground. Had it been covered with
+frozen snow the distance would have been accomplished in a couple of
+hours.
+
+The merciful Lieutenant often ordered a halt to give the teams
+breathing-time, and the Sergeant remarked that it would be much more
+convenient for the inhabitants of the fort, if the morses would settle a
+little nearer Cape Bathurst.
+
+“They could not find a suitable spot,” replied the Lieutenant, with
+a melancholy shake of the head.
+
+“Why not?” inquired Mrs Barnett with some surprise.
+
+“Because they only congregate where the slope of the beach is gradual
+enough to allow of their creeping up easily from the sea. Now Cape
+Bathurst rises abruptly, like a perpendicular wall, from water three
+hundred fathoms deep. It is probable that ages ago portion of the
+continent was rent away in some violent volcanic convulsion, and flung
+into the Arctic Ocean. Hence the absence of morses on the beach of our
+cape.”
+
+CHAPTER XVI. TWO SHOTS. The first half of September passed rapidly away.
+Had Fort Hope been situated at the Pole itself, that is to say, twenty
+degrees farther north, the polar night would have set in on the 21st of
+that month But under the seventieth parallel the sun would be visible
+above the horizon for another month. Nevertheless, the temperature was
+already decidedly colder, the thermometer fell during the night to 31°
+Fahrenheit; and thin coatings of ice appeared here and there, to be
+dissolved again in the day-time.
+
+But the settlers were able to await the coming of winter without alarm;
+they had a more than sufficient store of provisions, their supply of
+dried venison had largely increased, another score of morses had been
+killed, the tame rein-deer were warmly and comfortably housed, and
+a huge wooden shed behind the house was filled with fuel. In short,
+everything was prepared for the Polar night.
+
+And now all the wants of the inhabitants of the fort being provided
+for, it was time to think of the interests of the Company. The Arctic
+creatures had now assumed their winter furs, and were therefore of the
+greatest value, and Hobson organised shooting parties for the remainder
+of the fine weather, intending to set traps when the snow should prevent
+further excursions.
+
+They would have plenty to do to satisfy the requirements of the Company,
+for so far north it was of no use to depend on the Indians, who are
+generally the purveyors of the factories.
+
+The first expedition was to the haunt of a family of beavers, long since
+noted by the watchful Lieutenant, on a tributary of the stream already
+referred to. It is true, the fur of the beaver is not now as valuable as
+when it was used for hats, and fetched £16 per kilogramme (rather
+more than 2 lb.); but it still commands a high price as the animal is
+becoming very scarce, in consequence of the reckless way in which it has
+been hunted.
+
+When the party reached their destination, the Lieutenant called Mrs
+Barnett’s attention to the great ingenuity displayed by beavers in the
+construction of their submarine city. There were some hundred animals in
+the little colony now to be invaded, and they lived together in pairs in
+the “holes” or “vaults” they had hollowed out near the stream.
+They had already commenced their preparations for the winter, and were
+hard at work constructing their dams and laying up their piles of wood.
+A dam of admirable structure had already been built across the stream,
+which was deep and rapid enough not to freeze far below the surface,
+even in the severest weather. This dam, which was convex towards the
+current, consisted of a collection of upright stakes interlaced with
+branches and roots, the whole being cemented together and rendered
+watertight with the clayey mud of the river, previously pounded by the
+animals’ feet. The beavers use their tails-which are large and flat,
+with scales instead of hair at the root-for plastering over their
+buildings and beating the clay into shape.
+
+“The object of this dam,” said the Lieutenant to Mrs Barnett, “is
+to secure to the beavers a sufficient depth of water at all seasons of
+the year, and to enable the engineers of the tribe to build the round
+huts called houses or lodges, the tops of which you can just see. They
+are extremely solid structures, and the walls made of stick, clay,
+roots, &c., are two feet thick., They can only be entered from below
+the water, and their owners have therefore to dive when they go home-an
+admirable arrangement for their protection. Each lodge contains two
+stories; in the lower the winter stock of branches, bark, and roots,
+is laid up, and the upper is the residence of the householder and his
+family.”
+
+“There is, however, not a beaver in sight,” said Mrs Barnett; “is
+this a deserted village?”
+
+“Oh no,” replied the Lieutenant, “the inhabitants are now all
+asleep and resting; they only work in the night, and we mean to surprise
+them in their holes.”
+
+This was, in fact, easily done, and in an hour’s time about a hundred
+of the ill-fated rodents had been captured, twenty of which were of very
+great value, their fur being black, and therefore especially esteemed.
+That of the others was also long, glossy, and silky, but of a reddish
+hue mixed with chestnut brown. Beneath the long fur, the beavers have a
+second coat of close short hair of a greyish-white colour.
+
+The hunters returned to the fort much delighted with the result of
+their expedition. The beavers’ skins were warehoused and labelled as
+“parchments” or “young beavers,” according to their value.
+
+Excursions of a similar kind were carried on throughout the month of
+September, and during the first half of October, with equally happy
+results.
+
+A few badgers were taken, the skin being used as an ornament for the
+collars of draught horses, and the hair for making brushes of every
+variety. These carnivorous creatures belong to the bear family, and
+the specimens obtained by Hobson were of the genus peculiar to North
+America, sometimes called the Taxel badger.
+
+Another animal of the rodent family, nearly as industrious as the
+beaver, largely contributed to the stores of the Company. This was the
+musk-rat or musquash. Its head and body are about a foot long and its
+tail ten inches. Its fur is in considerable demand. These creatures,
+like the rest of their family, multiply with extreme rapidity, and a
+great number were easily unearthed.
+
+In the pursuit of lynxes and wolverines or gluttons, fire-arms had to be
+used. The lynx has all the suppleness and agility of the feline tribe
+to which it belongs, and is formidable even to the rein-deer; Marbre and
+Sabine were, however, well up to their work, and succeeded in killing
+more than sixty of them. A few wolverines or gluttons were also
+despatched, their fur is reddish-brown, and that of the lynx, light-red
+with black spots; both are of considerable value.
+
+Very few ermines or stoats were seen, and Jaspar Hobson ordered his men
+to spare any which happened to cross their path until the winter, when
+they should have assumed their beautiful snow-white coats with the
+one black spot at the tip of the tail. At present the upper fur
+was reddish-brown and the under yellowish white, so that, as Sabine
+expressed it, it was desirable to let them “ ripen,” or, in other
+words,-to wait for the cold to bleach them.
+
+Their cousins, the polecats, however, which emit so disagreeable an
+odour, fell victims in great numbers to the hunters, who either tracked
+them to their homes in hollow trees, or shot them as they glided through
+the branches.
+
+Martens, properly so-called, were hunted with great zeal. Their fur is
+in considerable demand, although not so valuable as that of the sable,
+which becomes a dark lustrous brown in the winter. The latter did not,
+however, come in the way of our hunters, as it only frequents the north
+of Europe and Asia as far as Kamtchatka, and is chiefly hunted by the
+inhabitants of Siberia. They had to be content with the polecats and
+pine-martens, called “ Canada- martens,” which frequent the shores
+of the Arctic Ocean.
+
+All the weasels and martens are very difficult to catch; they wriggle
+their long supple bodies through the smallest apertures with great ease,
+and thus elude their pursuers. In the winter, however, they are easily
+taken in traps, and Marbre and Sabine looked forward to make up for lost
+time then, when, said they, “there shall be plenty of their furs in
+the Company’s stores.”
+
+We have now only to mention the Arctic or blue and silver foxes, to
+complete the list of animals which swelled the profits of the Hudson’s
+Bay Company.
+
+The furs of these foxes are esteemed in the Russian and English markets
+above all others, and that of the blue fox is the most valuable of all.
+This pretty creature has a black muzzle, and the fur is not as one would
+suppose blue, but whitish-brown; its great price-six times that of any
+other kind-arises from its superior softness, thickness, and length. A
+cloak belonging to the Emperor of Russia, composed entirely of fur from
+the neck of the blue fox (the fur from the neck is considered better
+than that from any other part), was shown at the London Exhibition of
+1851, and valued at £3400 sterling.
+
+Several of these foxes were sighted at Cape Bathurst, but all escaped
+the hunters; whilst only about a dozen silver foxes fell into their
+hands. The fur of the latter-of a lustrous black dotted with white-is
+much sought after in England and Russia, although it does not command so
+high a price as that of the foxes mentioned above.
+
+One of the silver foxes captured was a splendid creature, with a
+coal-black fur tipped with white at the extreme end of the tail, and
+with a dash of the some on the forehead. The circumstances attending its
+death deserve relation in detail, as they proved that Hobson was right
+in the precautions he had taken
+
+On the morning of the 24th September, two sledges conveyed Mrs Barnett,
+the Lieutenant, Sergeant Long. Marbre, and Sabine, to Walruses’ Bay.
+Some traces of foxes had been noticed the evening before, amongst some
+rocks clothed with scanty herbage and the direction taken by the animals
+was very clearly indicated. The hunters followed up the trail of a large
+animal, and were rewarded by bringing down a very fine silver fox.
+
+Several other animals of the same species were sighted, and the hunters
+divided into two parties-Marbre and Sabine going after one foe, and
+Mrs Barnett, Hobson, and the Sergeant, trying to cut off the retreat of
+another fine animal hiding behind some rocks.
+
+Great caution and some artifice was necessary to deal with this crafty
+animal, which took care not to expose itself to a shot. The pursuit
+lasted for half-an-hour without success; but at last the poor creature,
+with the sea on one side and its three enemies on the other, had
+recourse in its desperation to a flying leap, thinking thus to escape
+with its life. But Hobson was too quick for it; and as it bounded by
+like a flash of lightning, it was struck by a shot, and to every one’s
+surprise, the report of the Lieutenant’s gun was succeeded by that of
+another, and a second ball entered the body of the fox, which fell to
+the ground mortally wounded.
+
+“Hurrah! hurrah !” cried Hobson, “it is mine!”
+
+“And mine!” said another voice, and a stranger stept forward and
+placed his foot upon the fox just as the Lieutenant was about to raise
+it.
+
+Hobson drew back in astonishment. He thought the second ball had been
+fired by the Sergeant, and found himself face to face with a stranger
+whose gun was still smoking.
+
+The rivals gazed at each other in silence.
+
+The rest of the party now approached, and the stranger was quickly
+joined by twelve comrades, four of whom were like himself “ Canadian
+travellers,” and eight Chippeway Indians.
+
+The leader was a tall man-a fine specimen of his class-those Canadian
+trappers described in the romances of Washington Irving, whose
+competition Hobson had dreaded with such good reason. He wore the
+traditional costume ascribed to his fellow-hunters by the great American
+writer; a blanket loosely arranged about his person, a striped cotton
+shirt, wide cloth trousers, leather gaiters, deerskin mocassins, and a
+sash of checked woollen stuff round the waist, from which were suspended
+his knife, tobacco-pouch, pipe, and a few useful tools.
+
+Hobson was right. The man before him was a Frenchman, or at least a
+descendant of the French Canadians, perhaps an agent of the American
+Company come to act as a spy on the settlers in the fort. The other four
+Canadians wore a costume resembling that of their leader, but of coarser
+materials.
+
+The Frenchman bowed politely to Mrs Barnett, and the Lieutenant was the
+first to break the silence, during which he had not removed his eyes
+from his rival’s face.
+
+“This fox is mine, sir,” he said quietly.
+
+“It is if you killed it !” replied the other in good English, but
+with a slightly foreign accent.
+
+“Excuse me, sir,” replied Hobson rather sharply, “it is mine in
+any case.”
+
+The stranger smiled. scornfully at this lofty reply, so exactly what
+be expected from an agent of the Hudson’s Bay Company, which claims
+supremacy over all the northern districts, from the Atlantic to the
+Pacific.
+
+“Do you mean to say,” he said at last, gracefully toying with his
+gun, “that you consider the Hudson’s Bay Company mistress of the
+whole of North America?”
+
+“Of course I do,” said Hobson; “and if, as I imagine, you belong
+to an American company—
+
+“To the St Louis Fur Company,” replied the stranger with a bow.
+
+“I think,” added the Lieutenant, “that you will find it difficult
+to show the grants entitling you to any privileges here.”
+
+“Grants! privileges !” cried the Canadian scornfully, “old world
+terms which are out of place in America !”
+
+“You are not now on American but on English ground,” replied the
+Lieutenant proudly.
+
+“This is no time for such a discussion,” said the hunter rather
+warmly. “We all know the old claims made by the English in general,
+and the Hudson’s Bay Company in particular, to these hunting grounds;
+but I expect coming events will soon alter this state of things, and
+America will be America from the Straits of Magellan to the North Pole
+!”
+
+“I do not agree with you,” replied Hobson dryly.
+
+“Well, sir, however that may be,” said the Canadian, “let us
+suffer this international question to remain in abeyance for the
+present. Whatever rights the Company may arrogate to itself, it is very
+clear that in the extreme north of the continent, and especially on the
+coast, the territory belongs to whoever occupies it. You have founded a
+factory on Cape Bathurst, therefore we will respect your domain, and
+you on your side will avoid ours, when the St Louis fur-traders have
+established their projected fort at another point on the northern shore
+of America.”
+
+The Lieutenant frowned at this speech, for he well knew what
+complications would arise in the future when the Hudson’s Bay Company
+would be compelled to struggle for supremacy with powerful rivals, and
+that quarrelling and even bloodshed would ensue; he could not, however,
+but acknowledge that this was not the time to begin the discussion, and
+he was not sorry when the hunter, whose manners, to tell the truth, were
+very polite, placed the dispute on another footing.
+
+“As for this present matter,” said the Canadian, “it is of minor
+importance, and we must settle it according to the rules of the
+chase. Our guns are of different calibre, and our balls can be easily
+distinguished; let the fox belong to whichever of us really killed
+it.”
+
+The proposition was a fair one, and the body of the victim was examined
+accordingly. One ball had entered at the side, the other at the heart;
+and the latter was from the gun of the Canadian.
+
+“The fox is your property, sir,” said Jaspar Hobson, vainly
+endeavouring to conceal his chagrin at seeing this valuable spoil fall
+into the enemy’s hands.
+
+The Canadian took it, but instead of throwing it over his shoulder and
+carrying it off, he turned to Mrs Barnett, and said “ Ladies are
+fond of beautiful furs, and although, perhaps, if they knew better what
+dangers and difficulties have to be surmounted in order to obtain them,
+they might not care so much about them, they are not likely to refuse
+to wear them on that account, and I hope, madam, you will favour me by
+accepting this one in remembrance of our meeting.”
+
+Mrs Barnett hesitated for a moment, but the gift was offered with
+so much courtesy and kindliness of manner, that it would have seemed
+churlish to refuse, and she therefore accepted it with many thanks.
+
+This little ceremony over, the stranger again bowed politely, and,
+followed by his comrades, quickly disappeared behind the rocks, whilst
+the Lieutenant and his party returned to Fort Good Hope. Hobson was very
+silent and thoughtful all the way; for he could not but feel that the
+existence of a rival company would greatly compromise the success of his
+undertaking, and lead to many future difficulties.
+
+CHAPTER XVII. THE APPROACH OF WINTER. It was the 21st of September. The
+sun was then passing through the autumnal equinox, that is to say, the
+day and night were of equal length all over the world. These successive
+alternations of light and darkness were hailed with delight by the
+inhabitants of the fort. It is easier to sleep in the absence of the
+sun, and darkness refreshes and strengthens the eyes, weary with the
+unchanging brightness of several months of daylight.
+
+We know that during the equinox the tides are generally at their
+greatest height; we have high water or flood, for the sun and moon
+being in conjunction, their double influence is brought to bear upon the
+waters. It was, therefore, necessary to note carefully the approaching
+tide at Cape Bathurst. Jaspar Hobson had made bench marks some days
+before, so as to estimate exactly the amount of vertical displacement of
+the waters between high and low tide; he found, however, that in spite
+of all the reports of previous observers, the combined solar and lunar
+influence was hardly felt in this part of the Arctic Ocean. There
+was scarcely any tide at all, and the statements of navigators on the
+subject were contradicted.
+
+“There is certainly something unnatural here !” said Lieutenant
+Hobson to himself.
+
+He did not in fact know what to think, but other cares soon occupied
+his mind, and he did not long endeavour to get to the rights of this
+singular peculiarity.
+
+On the 29th September the state of the atmosphere changed considerably.
+The thermometer fell to 41° Fahrenheit, and the sky became covered with
+clouds which were soon converted into heavy rain. The bad season was
+approaching.
+
+Before the ground should be covered with snow, Mrs Joliffe was busy
+sowing the seeds of Cochlearia (scurvy grass) and sorrel, in the hope
+that as they were very hardy, and would be well protected from the
+rigour of the winter by the snow itself, they would come up in the
+spring. Her garden, consisting of several acres hidden behind the cliff
+of the cape, had been prepared beforehand, and it was sown during the
+last days of September.
+
+Hobson made his companions assume their winter garments before the
+great cold set in, and all were soon suitably clothed in the linen under
+vests, deerskin cloaks, sealskin pantaloons, fur bonnets, and waterproof
+boots with which they were provided. We may also say that the rooms were
+suitably dressed; the wooden walls were hung with skins, in order to
+prevent the formation upon them of coats of ice in sudden falls of
+temperature. About this time, Rae set up his condensers for collecting
+the vapour suspended in the air, which were to be emptied twice a week.
+The heat of the stove was regulated according to the variations of the
+external temperature, so as to keep the thermometer of the rooms at 50°
+Fahrenheit. The house would soon be covered with thick snow, which would
+prevent any waste of the internal warmth, and by this combination of
+natural and artificial protections they hoped to be able successfully to
+contend with their two most formidable enemies, cold and damp.
+
+On the 2nd October the thermometer fell still lower, and the first snow
+storm came on; there was but little wind, and there were therefore none
+of those violent whirlpools of snow called drifts, but a vast white
+carpet of uniform thickness soon clothed the cape, the enceinte of fort,
+and the coast. The waters of the lake and sea, not yet petrified by
+the icy hand of winter, were of a dull, gloomy, greyish hue, and on the
+northern horizon the first icebergs stood out against the misty sky. The
+blockade had not yet commenced, but nature was collecting her materials,
+soon to be cemented by the cold into an impenetrable barrier.
+
+The “ young ice “ was rapidly forming on the liquid surfaces of sea
+and lake. The lagoon was the first to freeze over; large whitish-grey
+patches appeared here and there, signs of a hard frost setting in,
+favoured by the calmness of the atmosphere. and after a night during
+which the thermometer had remained at 15° Fahrenheit, the surface
+of the lake was smooth and firm enough to satisfy the most fastidious
+skaters of the Serpentine. On the verge of the horizon, the sky assumed
+that peculiar appearance which whalers call ice-blink, and which is the
+result of the glare of light reflected obliquely from the surface of
+the ice against the opposite atmosphere. Vast tracts of the ocean became
+gradually solidified, the ice-fields, formed by the accumulation of
+icicles, became welded to the coast, presenting a surface broken and
+distorted by the action of the waves, and contrasting strongly with the
+smooth mirror of the lake. Here and there floated these long pieces,
+scarcely cemented together at the edges, known as “ drift ice,” and
+the “ hummocks,” or protuberances caused by the squeezing of one
+piece against another, were also of frequent occurrence.
+
+In a few days the aspect of Cape Bathurst and the surrounding districts
+was completely changed. Mrs Barnett’s delight and enthusiasm knew no
+bounds; everything was new to her, and she would have thought no fatigue
+or suffering too great to be endured for the sake of witnessing such a
+spectacle. She could imagine nothing more sublime than this invasion of
+winter with all its mighty forces, this conquest of the northern regions
+by the cold. All trace of the distinctive features of the country had
+disappeared; the land was metamorphosed, a new country was springing
+into being before her admiring eyes, a country gifted with a grand and
+touching beauty. Details were lost, only the large outlines were given,
+scarcely marked out against the misty sky. One transformation scene
+followed another with magic rapidity. The ocean, which but lately lifted
+up its mighty waves, was hushed and still; the verdant soil of various
+hues was replaced by a carpet of dazzling whiteness; the woods of trees
+of different kinds were converted into groups of gaunt skeletons draped
+in hoar-frost; the radiant orb of day had become a pale disc, languidly
+running its allotted course in the thick fog, and visible but for a few
+hours a day, whilst the sea horizon, no longer clearly cut against the
+sky, was hidden by an endless chain of ice-bergs, broken into countless
+rugged forms, and building up that impenetrable ice-wall, which Nature
+has set up between the Pole and the bold explorers who endeavour to
+reach it.
+
+We can well understand to how many discussions and conversations the
+altered appearance of the country gave rise. Thomas Black was the only
+one who remained indifferent to the sublime beauty of the scene. But
+what could one expect of an astronomer so wrapped up in his one idea,
+that he might be said to be present in the little colony in the body,
+but absent in spirit? He lived in the contemplation of the heavenly
+bodies, passing from the examination of one constellation to that of
+another, roving in imagination through the vast realms of space, peopled
+by countless radiant orbs, and fuming with rage when fogs or clouds
+hid the objects of his devotion from his sight. Hobson consoled him
+by promising him fine cold nights admirably suited to astronomical
+observations, when he could watch the beautiful Aurora Borealis, the
+lunar halos, and other phenomena of Polar countries worthy even of his
+admiration.
+
+The cold was not at this time too intense; there was no wind, and it
+is the wind which makes the cold so sharp and biting. Hunting was
+vigorously carried on for some days. The magazines became stocked with
+new furs, and fresh stores of provisions were laid up. Partridges and
+ptarmigans on their way to the south passed over the fort in great
+numbers, and supplied fresh and wholesome meat. Polar or Arctic hares
+were plentiful, and had already assumed their white winter robes. About
+a hundred of these rodents formed a valuable addition to the reserves of
+the colony.
+
+There were also large flocks of the whistling swan or hooper, one of the
+finest species of North America. The hunters killed several couples of
+them, handsome birds, four or five feet in entire length, with white
+plumage, touched with copper colour on the head and upper part of neck.
+They were on their way to a more hospitable zone, where they could find
+the aquatic plants and insects they required for food, and they sped
+through the air at a rapid pace, for it is as much their native element
+as water. Trumpeter swans, with a cry like the shrill tone of a clarion,
+which are about the same size as the hoopers, but have black feet and
+beaks, also passed in great numbers, but neither Marbre nor Sabine were
+fortunate enough to bring down any of them. However, they shouted out
+“au revoir” in significant tones, for they knew that they would
+return with the first breezes of spring and that they could then be
+easily caught. Their skin, plumage, and down, are all of great value,
+and they are therefore eagerly hunted. In some favourable years tens of
+thousands of them have been exported, fetching half a guinea a piece.
+
+During these excursions, which only lasted for a few hours, and were
+often interrupted by bad weather, packs of wolves were often met with.
+There was no need to go far to find them, for, rendered bold by hunger,
+they already ventured close to the factory. Their scent is very keen,
+and they were attracted by the smell from the kitchen. During the
+night they could be heard howling in a threatening manner. Although
+not dangerous individually, these carnivorous beasts are formidable in
+packs, and the hunters therefore took care to be well armed when they
+went beyond the enceinte of the fort.
+
+The bears were still more aggressive. Not a day passed without several
+of these animals being seen. At night they would come close up to the
+enclosure, and sane were even wounded with shot, but got off, staining
+the snow with their blood, so that up to October 10th not one had left
+its warm and valuable fur in the hands of the hunters. Hobson would not
+have them molested, rightly judging that with such formidable creatures
+it was best to remain on the defensive, and it was not improbable that,
+urged on by hunger, they might attack Fort Hope before very long. Then
+the little colony could defend itself, and provision its stores at the
+same time.
+
+For a few days the weather continued dry and cold, the surface of the
+snow was firm and suitable for walking, so that a few excursions were
+made without difficulty along the coast on the south of the fort. The
+Lieutenant was anxious to ascertain if the agents of the St Louis Fur
+Company had left the country. No traces were, however, found of their
+return march, and it was therefore concluded that they had gone down to
+some southern fort to pass the winter by another route.
+
+The few fine days were soon over, and in the first week of November the
+wind veered round to the south, making the temperature warmer, it is
+true, but also bringing heavy snow-storms. The ground was soon covered
+with a soft cushion several feet thick, which had to be cleared away
+round the house every day, whilst a lane was made through it to the
+postern, the shed, and the stable of the dogs and rein-deer. Excursions
+became more and more rare, and it was impossible to walk without
+snow-shoes.
+
+When the snow has become hardened by frost, it easily sustains the
+weight of a man; but when it is soft and yielding, and the unfortunate
+pedestrian sinks into it up to his knees, the snow-shoes used by Indians
+are invaluable.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson and his companions were quite accustomed to walk in
+them, and could glide about over the snow as rapidly as skaters on ice;
+Mrs Barnett had early practised wearing them, and was quite as expert in
+their use as the rest of the party. The frozen lake as well as the coast
+was scoured by these indefatigable explorers, who were even able to
+advance several miles from the shore on the solid surface of the ocean
+now covered with ice several feet thick. It was, however, very tiring
+work, for the ice-fields were rugged and uneven, strewn with piled-up
+ridges of ice and hummocks which had to be turned. Further out a chain
+of icebergs, some five hundred feet high, barred their progress. These
+mighty icebergs, broken into fantastic and picturesque forms, were a
+truly magnificent spectacle. Here they looked like the whitened ruins of
+a town with curtains battered in, and monuments and columns overthrown;
+there like some volcanic land torn and convulsed by earthquakes and
+eruptions; a confusion of glaciers and glittering ice-peaks with snowy
+ramparts and buttresses, valleys, and crevasses, mountains and hillocks,
+tossed and distorted like the famous Alps of Switzerland. A few
+scattered birds, petrels, guillemots, and puffins, lingering behind
+their fellows, still enlivened the vast solitude with their piercing
+cries; huge white bears roamed about amongst the hummocks, their
+dazzling coats scarcely distinguishable from the shining ice-truly there
+was enough to interest and excite our adventurous lady traveller, and
+even Madge, the faithful Madge, shared the enthusiasm of her mistress.
+How far, how very far, were both from the tropic zones of India or
+Australia!
+
+The frozen ocean was firm enough to have allowed of the passage of a
+park of artillery, or the erection of a monument, and many were the
+excursions on its surface until the sudden lowering of the temperature
+rendered all exertion so exhausting that they had to be discontinued.
+The pedestrians were out of breath after taking a few steps, and the
+dazzling whiteness of the glittering snow could not be endured by
+the naked eye; indeed, the reverberation or flickering glare of the
+undulatory reflection of the light from the surface of the snow, has
+been known to cause several cases of blindness amongst the Esquimaux.
+
+A singular phenomenon due to the refraction of rays of light was now
+observed: distances, depths, and heights lost their true proportions,
+five or six yards of ice looked like two, and many were the falls and
+ludicrous results of this optical illusion.
+
+On October 14th the thermometer marked 3° Fahrenheit below zero, a
+severe temperature to endure, especially when the north wind blows
+strongly. The air seemed to be made of needles, and those who ventured
+out of the house were in great danger of being frost-bitten, when death
+or mortification would ensue if the suspended circulation of the blood
+were not restored by immediate friction with snow. Garry, Belcher, Hope,
+and other members of the little community were attacked by frost-bite,
+but the parts affected being rubbed in time they escaped without serious
+injury.
+
+It will readily be understood that all manual labour had now become
+impossible. The days were extremely short, the sun was only above
+the horizon for a few hours and the actual winter, implying entire
+confinement within doors, was about to commence. The last Arctic birds
+forsook the gloomy shores of the Polar Sea, only a few pairs of those
+speckled quails remained which the Indians appropriately call “ winter
+birds,” because they wait in the Arctic regions until the commencement
+of the Polar night, but they too were soon to take their departure.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson, therefore, urged on the setting of the traps
+and snares which were to remain in different parts of Cape Bathurst
+throughout the winter.
+
+These traps consisted merely of rough joists supported on a square,
+formed of three pieces of wood so balanced as to fall on the least
+touch--in fact, the same sort of trap as that used for snaring birds
+in fields on a large scale. The end of the horizontal piece of wood was
+baited with venison, and every animal of a moderate height, a fox or a
+marten, for instance, which touched it with its paw, could not fail
+to be crushed. Such were the traps set in the winter over a space of
+several miles by the famous hunters whose adventurous life has been so
+poetically described by Cooper. Some thirty of these snares were set
+round Fort Hope, and were to be visited at pretty frequent intervals.
+
+On the 12th November a new member was born to the little colony. Mrs
+Mac-Nab was safely confined of a fine healthy boy, of whom the head
+carpenter was extremely proud. Mrs Barnett stood god-mother to the
+child, which received the name of Michael Hope. The ceremony of baptism
+was performed with considerable solemnity, and a kind of fête was held
+in honour of the little creature which had just come into the world
+beyond the 70th degree N. Lat.
+
+A few days afterwards, on November .20th, the sun sunk below the horizon
+not to appear again for two months. The Polar night had commenced!
+
+CHAPTER XVIII. THE POLAR NIGHT. The long night was ushered in by a
+violent storm. The cold was perhaps a little less severe, but the
+air was very damp, and, in spite of every precaution, the humidity
+penetrated into the house, and the condensers, which were emptied every
+morning, contained several pounds of ice.
+
+Outside drifts whirled past like waterspouts-the snow seemed no longer
+to fall horizontally but vertically. The Lieutenant was obliged to
+insist upon the door being kept shut, for had it been opened the
+passages would immediately have become blocked up. The explorers were
+literally prisoners.
+
+The window shutters were hermetically closed, and the lamps were kept
+burning through the long hours of the sleepless night.
+
+But although darkness reigned without, the noise of the tempest replaced
+the silence usually so complete in these high latitudes. The roaring of
+the wind between the house and the cliff never ceased for a moment, the
+house trembled to its foundations, and had it not been for the solidity
+of its construction, must have succumbed to the violence of the
+hurricane. Fortunately the accumulation of snow round the walls broke
+the force of the squall, and Mac-Nabs only fear was for the chimneys,
+which were liable to be blown over. However, they remained firm,
+although they had constantly to be freed from the snow which blocked up
+the openings.
+
+In the midst of the whistling of the wind, loud reports were heard, of
+which Mrs Barnett could not conjecture the cause. It was the falling
+of icebergs in the offing. The echoes caught up the sounds, which were
+rolled along like the reverberations of thunder. The ground shook as the
+ice-fields split open, crushed by the falling of these mighty mountains,
+and none but those thoroughly inured to the horrors of these wild
+rugged climates could witness these strange phenomena without a shudder.
+Lieutenant Hobson and his companions were accustomed to all these
+things, and Mrs Barnett and Madge were gradually becoming so, and were,
+besides, not altogether unfamiliar with those terrible winds which move
+at the rate of forty miles an hour, and overturn twenty-four pounders.
+Here, however, the darkness and the snow aggravated the dread might of
+the storm; that which was not crushed was buried and smothered, and,
+probably twelve hours after the commencement of the tempest, house,
+kennel, shed, and enceinte would have disappeared beneath a bed of snow
+of uniform thickness.
+
+The time was not wasted during this long imprisonment. All these good
+people agreed together perfectly, and neither ill-humour nor ennui
+marred the contentment of the little party shut up in such a narrow
+space. They were used to life under similar conditions at Forts
+Enterprise and Reliance, and there was nothing to excite Mrs Barnett’s
+surprise in their ready accommodation of themselves to circumstances.
+
+Part of the day was occupied with work, part with reading and games.
+Garments had to be made and mended, arms to be kept bright and in good
+repair, boots to be manufactured, and the daily journal to be issued in
+which Lieutenant Hobson recorded the slightest events of this northern
+wintering-the weather, the temperature, the direction of the wind, the
+appearance of meteors so frequent in the Polar regions, &c., &c. Then
+the house had to be kept in order, the rooms must be swept, and the
+stores of furs must be visited every day to see if they were free from
+damp; the fires and stoves, too, required constant superintendence,
+and perpetual vigilance was necessary to prevent the accumulation of
+particles of moisture in the corners.
+
+To each one was assigned a task, the duty of each one was laid down in
+rules fixed up in the large room, so that without being overworked, the
+occupants of the fort were never without something to do. Thomas Black
+screwed and unscrewed his instruments, and looked over his astronomical
+calculations, remaining almost always shut up in his cabin, fretting
+and fuming at the storm which prevented him from making nocturnal
+observations. The three married women had also plenty to see to : Mrs
+Mac-Nab busied herself with her baby who got on wonderfully, whilst Mrs
+Joliffe, assisted by Mrs Rae, and with the Corporal always at her heels,
+presided in the kitchen.
+
+When work was done the entire party assembled in the large room,
+spending the whole of Sunday together. Reading was the chief amusement.
+The Bible and some books of travels were the whole library of the fort;
+but they were all the good folks required. Mrs Barnett generally read
+aloud, and her audience listened with delight. The Bible and accounts
+of adventures received a fresh charm when read out in her clear earnest
+voice; her gestures were so expressive that imaginary persons seemed
+to live when she spoke of them, and all were glad when she took up the
+book. She was, in fact, the life and soul of the little community, eager
+alike to give and receive instruction; she combined the charm and grace
+of a woman with the energy of a man, and she consequently became the
+idol of the rough soldiers, who would have willingly laid down their
+lives in her service. Mrs Barnett shared everything with her companions,
+never holding herself aloof or remaining shut up in her cabin, but
+working zealously amongst the others, drawing out the most reticent by
+her intelligent questions and warm sympathy. Good humour and good health
+prevailed throughout the little community, and neither bands nor tongues
+were idle.
+
+The storm, however, showed no signs of abating. The party had now been
+confined to the house for three days, and the snow-drifts were as wild
+and furious as ever. Lieutenant Hobson began to get anxious. It was
+becoming imperatively necessary to renew the air of the rooms, which
+was too much charged with carbonic acid. The light of the lamps began to
+pale in the unhealthy atmosphere, and the air-pumps would not act, the
+pipes being choked up with ice; they were not, in fact, intended to
+be used when the house was buried in snow. It was necessary to take
+counsel; the Lieutenant and Sergeant Long put their heads together, and
+it was decided on November 23d that, as the wind beat with rather less
+violence on the front of the house, one of the windows at the end of the
+passage on that side should be opened.
+
+This was no light matter. It was easy enough to open the window from
+inside, but the shutter outside was encrusted over with thick lumps of
+ice, and resisted every effort to move it. It had to be taken off its
+hinges, and the hard mass of snow was then attacked with pickaxe and
+shovel; it was at least ten feet thick, and it was not until a kind of
+channel bad been scooped out that the outer air was admitted.
+
+Hobson, the Sergeant, several soldiers, and Mrs Barnett herself ventured
+to creep through this tunnel or channel, but not without considerable
+difficulty, for the wind rushed in with fearful fury.
+
+What a scene was presented by Cape Bathurst and the surrounding plain.
+It was mid-day, and but a few faint twilight rays glimmered upon
+the southern horizon. The cold was not so intense as one would have
+supposed, and the thermometer marked only 15° Fahrenheit above zero;
+but the snow-drifts whirled along with terrific force, and all would
+inevitably have been thrown to the ground, had not the snow in which
+they were standing up to their waists helped to sustain them against
+the gusts of wind. Everything around them was white, the walls of the
+enceinte, and the whole of the house even to the roof were completely
+covered over, and nothing but a few blue wreaths of smoke would have
+betrayed the existence of a human habitation to a stranger.
+
+Under the circumstances the “ promenade “ was soon over; but Mrs
+Barnett bad made good use of her time, and would never forget the awful
+beauty of the Polar regions in a snow-storm, a beauty upon which few
+women had been privileged to look.
+
+A few moments sufficed to renew the atmosphere of the house, and all
+unhealthy vapours were quickly dispersed by the introduction of a pure
+and refreshing current of air.
+
+The Lieutenant and his companions hurried in, and the window was again
+closed; but after that the snow before it was removed every day for the
+sake of ventilation.
+
+The entire week passed in a similar manner; fortunately the rein-deer
+and dogs had plenty of food, so that there was no need to visit them.
+The eight days during which the occupants of the fort were imprisoned so
+closely, could not fail to be somewhat irksome to strong men, soldiers
+and hunters, accustomed to plenty of exercise in the open air; and we
+must own that listening to reading aloud gradually lost its charm, and
+even cribbage became uninteresting. The last thought at night was a hope
+that the tempest might have ceased in the morning, a hope disappointed
+every day. Fresh snow constantly accumulated upon the windows, the wind
+roared, the icebergs burst with a crash like thunder, the smoke was
+forced back into the rooms, and there were no signs of a diminution of
+the fury of the storm.
+
+At last, however, on the 28th November the Aneroid barometer in the
+large room gave notice of an approaching change in the state of the
+atmosphere. It rose rapidly, whilst the thermometer outside fell almost
+suddenly to less than four degrees below zero. These were symptoms which
+could not be mistaken, and on the 29th November the silence all around
+the fort told that the tempest had ceased.
+
+Every one was eager to get out, tine confinement had lasted long enough.
+The door could not be opened, and all had to get through the window, and
+clear away the fresh accumulation of snow; this time, however, it was no
+soft mass they had to remove, but compact blocks of ice, which required
+pick-axes to break them up.
+
+It took about half-an-hour to clear a passage, and then every one in the
+fort, except Mrs Mac-Nab, who was not yet up, hastened into the interior
+court, glad once more to be able to walk about.
+
+The cold was still intense, but the wind having gone down it was
+possible to endure it, although great care was necessary to escape
+serious consequences on leaving the heated rooms for the open air,
+the difference between the temperature inside and outside being some
+fifty-four degrees.
+
+It was eight o’clock in the morning. Myriads of brilliant
+constellations studded the sky, and at the zenith shone the Pole star.
+Although in both hemispheres there are in reality but 5000 fixed
+stars visible to the naked eye, their number appeared to the observers
+incalculable. Exclamations of admiration burst involuntarily from the
+lips of the delighted astronomer as he gazed into the cloudless heavens,
+once more undimmed by mists or vapours. Never had a more beautiful sky
+been spread out before the eyes of an astronomer.
+
+Whilst Thomas Black was raving in ecstasy, dead to all terrestrial
+matters, his companions had wandered as far as the enceinte. The snow
+was as hard as a rock, And so slippery that there were a good many
+tumbles, but no serious injuries.
+
+It is needless to state that the court of the fort was completely filled
+up. The roof of the house alone appeared above the white mass, the
+surface of which had been worn smooth by the action of the wind; of the
+palisade nothing was visible but the top of the stakes, and the least
+nimble of the wild animals they dreaded could easily have climbed over
+them. But what was to be done? It was no use to think of clearing away a
+mass of frozen snow ten feet thick, extending over so large an extent of
+ground. All they could attempt would be to dig away the ice inside the
+enceinte, so as to form a kind of moat, the counterscarp of which would
+protect the palisade. But alas the winter was only beginning, and a
+fresh tempest might at any time fill in the ditch a few hours.
+
+Whilst the Lieutenant was examining the works, which could no more
+protect his fort than a single sunbeam could melt the solid layer of
+snow,-Mrs Joliffe suddenly exclaimed:
+
+“And our dogs! our reindeer!”
+
+It was indeed time to think about the poor animals. The dog house and
+stable being lower than the house were probably entirely covered, and
+the supply of air had perhaps been completely cut off. Some hurried to
+the dog-house, others to the reindeer stable, and all fears were quickly
+dispelled. The wall of ice, which connected the northern corner of the
+house with the cliff, had partly protected the two buildings, and the
+snow round them was not more than four feet thick, so that the apertures
+left in the walls had not been closed up. The animals were all well, and
+when the door was opened, the dogs rushed out barking with delight.
+
+The cold was so intense, that after an hour’s walk every one began to
+think of the glowing stove in the large room at home. There was nothing
+left to be done outside, the traps buried beneath ten feet of snow could
+not be visited, so all returned to the house, the window, was closed,
+and the party sat down to the dinner awaiting them with sharpened
+appetites.
+
+We can readily imagine that the conversation turned on the intensity
+of the cold, which had so rapidly converted the soft snow into a solid
+mass. It was no light matter, and might to a certain extent compromise
+the safety of the little colony.
+
+“But, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett, “can we not count upon a few
+days’ thaw-will not all this snow be rapidly converted into water?”
+
+“Oh no, madam,” replied Hobson, “a thaw at this time of year
+is not at all likely. Indeed I expect the thermometer will fall still
+lower, and it is very much to be regretted that we were unable to remove
+the snow when it was soft.”
+
+What, you think the temperature likely to become much colder?”
+
+“I do most certainly, madam, 4° below zero-what is that at this
+latitude?”
+
+“What would it be if we were at the Pole itself?”
+
+“The Pole, madam, is probably not the coldest point of the globe,
+for most navigators agree that the sea is there open. From certain
+peculiarities of its geographical position it would appear that a
+certain spot on the shores of North Georgia, 95° longitude and 78°
+latitude, has the coldest mean temperature in the world: 2° below zero
+all the year round. It is, therefore, called the ‘pole of cold.’ “
+
+“But,” said Mrs Barnett, “we are more than 8° further south than
+that famous point.”
+
+“Well, I don’t suppose we shall suffer as much at Cape Bathurst as
+we might have done in North Georgia. I only tell you of the ‘pole of
+cold,’ that you may not confound it with the Pole properly so-called
+when the lowness of the temperature is discussed. Great cold has besides
+been experienced on other points of the globe. The difference is, that
+the low temperature is not there maintained.”
+
+“To what places do you allude?” inquired Mrs Barnett; “I assure
+you I take the greatest interest in this matter of degrees of cold.”
+
+“As far as I can remember, madam,” replied the Lieutenant, Arctic
+explorers state that at Melville Island the temperature fell to 61°
+below zero, and at Port Felix to 65°.”
+
+“But Melville Island and Port Felix are some degrees farther north
+latitude than Cape Bathurst, are they not?”
+
+“Yes, madam, but in a certain sense we may say that their latitude
+proves nothing. A combination of different atmospheric conditions is
+requisite to produce intense cold. Local and other causes largely modify
+climate. If I remember rightly in 1845 . . . Sergeant Long, you were at
+Fort Reliance at that date?
+
+“Yes, sir,” replied Long.
+
+“Well, was it not in January of that year that the cold was so
+excessive?”
+
+“Yes it was, I remember only too well that the thermometer marked 70°
+below zero.”
+
+“What!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, “at Fort Reliance, on the Great
+Slave Lake?”
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied the Lieutenant, “and that was at 65° north
+latitude only, which is the same parallel as that of Christiania and St
+Petersburg.”
+
+“Then we must be prepared for everything.”
+
+“Yes, indeed, we must when we winter in Arctic countries.”
+
+During the 29th and 30th November, the cold did not decrease, and it
+was necessary to keep up huge fires to prevent the freezing in all the
+corners of the house of the moisture in the atmosphere. Fortunately
+there was plenty of fuel, and it was not spared. A mean temperature of
+52° Fahrenheit was maintained indoors in spite of the intensity of the
+cold without.
+
+Thomas Black was so anxious to take stellar observations, now that the
+sky was so clear, that he braved the rigour of the outside temperature,
+hoping to be able to examine some of the magnificent constellations
+twinkling on the zenith. But he was compelled to desist-his instruments
+“burnt” his hands! ”Burnt“ is the only word to express the
+sensation produced by touching a metallic body subjected to the
+influence of intense cold. Exactly similar results are produced by
+the sudden introduction of heat into an animate body, and the sudden
+withdrawal of the same from it, as the astronomer found to his cost when
+he left the skin of his fingers on his instruments. He had to give up
+taking observations.
+
+However, the heavens made him the best amends in their power by
+displaying the most beautiful and indescribable phenomena of a lunar
+halo and an Aurora Borealis.
+
+The lunar halo was a white corona with a pale red edge encircling the
+moon. This luminous meteor was about forty-five degrees in diameter, and
+was the result of the diffraction of the lunar rays through the small
+prismatic ice-crystals floating in the atmosphere. The queen of the
+night shone with renewed splendour and heightened beauty from the centre
+of the luminous ring, the colour and consistency of which resembled the
+milky transparent lunar rainbows which have been so often described by
+astronomers.
+
+Fifteen hours later the heavens were lit up by a magnificent Aurora
+Borealis, the arch of which extended over more than a hundred
+geographical degrees. The vertex of this arch was situated in the
+magnetic meridian, and, as is often the case, the rays darted by
+the luminous meteor were of all the colours of the rainbow, red
+predominating. Here and there. the stars seemed to be floating in blood.
+Glowing lines of throbbing colour spread from the dark segment on the
+horizon, some of them passing the zenith and quenching the light of the
+moon in their electric waves, which oscillated and trembled as if swept
+by a current of air.
+
+No description could give an adequate idea of the glory which flushed
+the northern sky, converting it into a vast dome of fire, but after
+the magnificent spectacle had been enjoyed for about half an hour, it
+suddenly disappeared-not fading gradually away after concentration of
+its rays, or a diminution of its splendour, but dying abruptly, as if an
+invisible hand had cut off the supply of electricity which gave it life.
+
+It was time it was over, for the sake of Thomas Black, for in another
+five minutes he would have been frozen where he stood !
+
+CHAPTER XIX. A NEIGHBOURLY VISIT. On the 2nd December; the intensity of
+the cold decreased. The phenomena of the lunar halo and Aurora Borealis
+were symptoms which a meteorologist would have been at no loss to
+interpret. They implied the existence of a certain quantity of watery
+vapour in the atmosphere, and the barometer fell slightly, whilst the
+thermometer rose to 15° above zero.
+
+Although this temperature would have seemed very cold to the inhabitants
+of a temperate zone, it was easily endured by the colonists. The absence
+of wind made a great difference, and Hobson having noticed that the
+upper layers of snow were becoming softer, ordered his men to clear
+it away from the outer approaches of the enceinte. Mac-Nab and his
+subordinates set to work zealously, and completed their task in a few
+days. The traps were now uncovered and re-set. A good many footprints
+showed that there were plenty of furred animals about the cape, and as
+they could not get any other food, it was probable that the bait in the
+snares would soon attract them. In accordance with the advice of Marbre
+the hunter, a reindeer trap was constructed in the Esquimaux style. A
+trench was dug twelve feet deep, and of a uniform width of ten feet. A
+see-saw plank, which would rebound when lowered, was laid across it.
+A bait of herbs was placed at one end of the plank, and any animal
+venturing to take them, was inevitably flung to the bottom of the pit,
+and the plank immediately returning to its former position, would allow
+of the trapping of another animal in the same manner. Once in, there was
+no getting out. The only difficulty Marbre had to contend with in making
+his trap, was the extreme hardness of the ground to be dug out, but both
+he and the Lieutenant were not a little surprised at finding beneath
+some five feet of earth and sand a bed of snow, as hard as a rock, which
+appeared to be very thick.
+
+After closely examining the geological structure of the ground, Hobson
+observed:
+
+“This part of the coast must have been subjected to intense cold for
+a considerable length of time a great many years ago. Probably the
+ice rests on a bed of granite, and the earth and sand upon it have
+accumulated gradually.”
+
+“Well, sir, our trap won’t be any the worse for that, the reindeer
+will find a slippery wall, which it will be impossible for them to
+climb.”
+
+Marbre was right, as the event proved.
+
+On the 5th September, he and Sabine were on their way to the trench,
+when they heard loud growls. They stood still and listened.
+
+“It’s no reindeer making that noise, “said Marbre, “I know well
+enough what creature has fallen into our pit.”
+
+“A bear?” replied Sabine.
+
+“Yes,” said Marbre, whose eyes glistened with delight.
+
+“Well,” remarked Sabine, “we won’t grumble at that, bears’
+steaks are as good as reindeers’, and we get the fur in! Come
+along.”
+
+The two hunters were armed. They quickly slipped balls into their
+guns, which were already loaded with lead, and hurried to the trap.
+The see-saw plank had swung back into its place, but the bait had
+disappeared, having probably been dragged down, into the trench. The
+growls became louder and fiercer, and looking down the hunters saw that
+it was indeed a bear they had taken. A huge mass was huddled together
+in one corner of the pit, looking in the gloom like a pile of white fur
+with two glittering eyes. The sides of the trench had been ploughed up
+by the creature’s sharp claws, and had they been made of earth instead
+of ice, it would certainly have managed to scramble out, but it could
+get no hold on the slippery surface, and it had only managed to enlarge
+its prison, not to escape from it.
+
+Under the circumstances the capture was easy. Two balls carefully aimed
+put an end to the bear’s life, and the next thing to do was to get it
+out of the pit. The two hunters returned to the fort for reinforcements,
+and ten of the soldiers, provided with ropes, returned with them. It was
+not without considerable difficulty that the body was hauled up. It was
+a huge creature, six feet long, weighing six hundred pounds, and must
+have possessed immense strength. It belonged to the sub-order of white
+bears, and had the flattened head, long neck, short and slightly
+curved claws, narrow muzzle, and smooth white fur characteristic of the
+species. The edible portions of this valuable animal were confided to
+Mrs Joliffe, and by her carefully prepared for the table.
+
+The next week the traps were in full activity. Some twenty martens were
+taken, in all the beauty of their winter clothing, but only two or three
+foxes. These cunning creatures divined the snare laid for them, and
+scratching up the ground near the trap, they often managed to run off
+with the bait without being caught. This made Sabine beside himself
+with rage "for,” he said, “such a subterfuge was unworthy of a
+respectable fox.”
+
+About the 10th December, the wind having veered round to the south-west,
+the snow again began to fall, but not in thick flakes, or in large
+quantities. The wind being high, however, the cold was severely felt,
+and it was necessary to settle in-doors again, and resume domestic
+occupations. Hobson distributed lime lozenges and lime juice to every
+one as a precaution against the scorbutic affections, which damp cold
+produces. No symptoms of scurvy had fortunately as yet appeared amongst
+the occupants of the fort, thanks to the sanitary precautions taken.
+
+The winter solstice was now approaching, when the darkness of the Polar
+night would be most profound, as the sun would be at the lowest maximum
+point below the horizon of the northern hemisphere. At midnight the
+southern edges of the long white plains were touched with a faint
+glimmer of twilight, that was all, and it would be impossible to imagine
+anything more melancholy than the gloomy stillness and darkness of the
+vast expanse.
+
+Hobson felt more secure from the attacks of wild beasts, now that
+the approaches to the enceinte had been cleared of snow, which was a
+fortunate circumstance, as ominous growlings were heard, the nature of
+which no one could mistake.
+
+There was no fear of visits from Indian hunters or Canadians at this
+time of year, but an incident occurred proving that these districts were
+not altogether depopulated even in the winter, and which was quite an
+episode in the long dreary dark months. Some human beings still lingered
+on the coast hunting morses and camping under the snow. They belonged
+to the race of Esquimaux, "or eaters of raw flesh,” which is scattered
+over the continent of North America, from Baffin’s Bay to Behring
+Strait, seldom, however, advancing farther south than the Great Slave
+Lake.
+
+On the morning of the 14th December, or rather nine hours before midday,
+Sergeant Long, on his return from an excursion along the coast, ended
+his report to the Lieutenant by saying, that if his eyes had not
+deceived him, a tribe of nomads were encamped about four miles from the
+fort, near a little cape jutting out from the coast.
+
+“What do you suppose these nomads are?” inquired Hobson.
+
+“Either men or morses,” replied the Sergeant. “There’s no
+medium!”
+
+The brave Sergeant would have been considerably surprised if any one had
+told him that some naturalists admit the existence of the “ medium,”
+the idea of which he scouted; and certain savants have with some humour
+classed the Esquimaux as an “ intermediate species “ between roan
+and the sea-cow.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson, Mrs Barnett, Madge, and a few others at once went
+to ascertain the truth of the report. Well wrapt up, and on their guard
+against a sudden chill, their feet cased in furred boots, and guns and
+hatchets in their hands, they issued from the postern, and made their
+way over the frozen snow along the coast, strewn with masses of ice.
+
+The moon, already in the last quarter, shed a few faint rays through the
+mists which shrouded the ice-fields. After marching for about an hour,
+the Lieutenant began to think that the Sergeant had been mistaken, and
+that what he had seen were morses, who had returned to their native
+element through the holes in the ice which they always keep open.
+
+But Long, pointing to a grey wreath of smoke curling out of a conical
+protuberance on the ice-field some hundred steps off, contented himself
+with observing quietly—
+
+“The morses are smoking, then !”
+
+As he spoke some living creatures came out of the but dragging
+themselves along the snow. They were Esquimaux, but whether male or
+female none but a native could have said, for their costumes were all
+exactly alike.
+
+Indeed, without in the least sharing the opinion of the naturalist
+quoted above, any one might have taken the rough shaggy figures for
+seals or some other amphibious animals. There were six of them-four
+full-grown, and two children. Although very short, they were
+broad-chested and muscular. They had the flat noses, long eye-lashes,
+large mouths, thick lips, long black coarse hair, and beardless chins of
+their race. Their costume consisted of a round coat made of the skin of
+the walrus, a hood, boots, trousers, and mittens of the same material.
+They gazed at the Europeans in silence.
+
+“Does any one understand Esquimaux?” inquired the Lieutenant.
+
+No one was acquainted with that idiom, and every one started when a
+voice immediately exclaimed in English, “Welcome! welcome !”
+
+It was an Esquimaux, and, as they learned later, a woman, who,
+approaching Mrs Barnett, held out her hand.
+
+The lady, much surprised, replied in a few words, which the native
+girl readily understood, and the whole family was invited to follow the
+Europeans to the fort.
+
+The Esquimaux looked searchingly at the strangers, and after a few
+moments’ hesitation they accompanied the Lieutenant, keeping close
+together, however:
+
+Arrived at the enceinte, the native woman, seeing the house, of the
+existence of which she had had no idea, exclaimed—
+
+“House! snow-house!”
+
+She asked if it were made of snow, which was a natural question enough,
+for the house was all but hidden beneath the white mass which covered
+the ground. She was made to understand that it was built of wood; she
+then turned and said a few words to her companions, who made signs of
+acquiescence, and they all passed through the postern, and were taken to
+the large room in the chief building.
+
+They removed their hoods, and it became possible to distinguish sexes.
+There were two men, about forty or fifty years old, with yellowish-red
+complexions, sharp teeth, and projecting cheek-bones, which gave them
+something of the appearance of carnivorous animals; two women, still
+young whose matted hair was adorned with the teeth and claws of Polar
+bears; and two children, about five or six years old, poor little
+creatures with intelligent faces, who looked about them with wide
+wondering eyes.
+
+“I believe the Esquimaux are always hungry,” said Hobson, “so I
+don’t suppose our guests would object to a slice of venison.”
+
+In obedience to the Lieutenant’s order, Joliffe brought some
+reindeer-venison, which the poor creatures devoured with greedy avidity;
+but the young woman who had answered in English behaved with greater
+refinement, and watched Mrs Barnett and the women of the fort without
+once removing her eyes from them. Presently noticing the baby in Mrs
+Mac-Nabs arms; she rose and ran up to it, speaking to it in a soft
+voice, and caressing it tenderly.
+
+Indeed if not exactly superior, the young girl was certainly more
+civilised than her companions, which was especially noticeable when,
+being attacked by a slight fit of coughing, she put her hand before her
+mouth in the manner enjoined by the first rules of civilised society.
+
+This significant gesture did not escape any one, and Mrs Barnett, who
+chatted for some time with the Esquimaux woman, learned from her in a
+few short sentences that she had been for a year in the service of the
+Danish governor of Upper Navik, whose wife was English, and that she had
+left Greenland to follow her family to the hunting grounds. The two men
+were her brothers; the other woman was her sister-in-law, married to one
+of the men, and mother of the two children. They were all returning
+from Melbourne Island, on the eastern coast of English America, and were
+making for Point Barrow, on the western coast of Russian America, the
+home of their tribe, and- were considerably astonished to find a factory
+established on Cape Bathurst. Indeed the two men shook their heads when
+they spoke of it. Did they disapprove of the construction of a fort
+at this particular point of the coast? Did they think the situation
+ill-chosen? In spite of all his endeavours, Hobson could get no
+satisfactory reply to these questions, or rather he could not understand
+the answers he received.
+
+The name of the young girl was Kalumah, and she seemed to have taken
+a great fancy to Mrs Barnett. But sociable as she was, she appeared to
+feel no regret at having left the governor of Upper Navik, and to be
+sincerely attached to her relations.
+
+After refreshing themselves with the reindeer-venison, and drinking
+half-a-pint of rum, in which the children had their share, the Esquimaux
+took leave of their hosts; but before saying goodbye, the young girl
+invited Mrs Barnett to visit their snow-hut, and the lady promised to do
+so the next day, weather permitting.
+
+The next day was fine, and accompanied by Madge, Lieutenant Hobson, and
+a few soldiers, well armed in case any bears should be prowling about,
+Mrs Barnett set out for “ Cape Esquimaux,” as they had named the
+spot where the little colony had encamped.
+
+Kalumah hastened forward to meet her friend of yesterday, and pointed
+to the but with an, air of pride. It was a large cone of snow, with an
+opening in the summit, through which the smoke from the fire inside
+made its way. These snow-houses, called igloos in the language of the
+Esquimaux, are constructed with great rapidity, and are admirably suited
+to the climate. In them their owners can endure a temperature 40°
+below zero, without fires, and without suffering much. In the summer
+the Esquimaux encamp in tents made of seal and reindeer skins, which are
+called tupics.
+
+It was no easy matter to get into this hut. The only opening was a hole
+close to the ground, and it was necessary to creep through a kind of
+passage three or four feet long, which is about the thickness of the
+walls of these snow-houses. But a traveller by profession, a laureate of
+the Royal Society, could not hesitate, and Mrs Paulina Barnett did not
+hesitate! Followed by Madge, she bravely entered the narrow tunnel in
+imitation of her guide. Lieutenant Hobson and his men dispensed with
+paying their respects inside.
+
+And Mrs Barnett soon discovered that the chief difficulty was not
+getting into the but, but remaining in it when there. The room was
+heated by a fire, on which the bones of morses were burning; and the air
+was full of the smell of the fetid oil of a lamp, of greasy garments,
+and the flesh of the amphibious animals which form the chief article of
+an Esquimaux’s diet. It was suffocating and sickening! Madge could not
+stand it, and hurried out at once, but Mrs Barnett, rather than hurt the
+feelings of the young native, showed superhuman courage, and extended
+her visit over five long minutes!-five centuries! The two children and
+their mother were at home, but the men had gone to hunt morses four or
+five miles from their camp.
+
+Once out of the hut, Mrs Barnett drew a long sigh of relief, and the
+colour returned to her blanched cheeks.
+
+“Well, madam,” inquired the Lieutenant, “what do you think of
+Esquimaux houses?”
+
+“The ventilation leaves something to be desired !” she replied
+simply.
+
+The interesting native family remained encamped near Cape Esquimaux for
+eight days. The men passed twelve hours out of every twenty-four hunting
+morses. With a patience which none but sportsmen could understand, they
+would watch for the amphibious animals near the holes through which
+they come up to the surface of the ice-field to breathe. When the morse
+appears, a rope with a running noose is flung round its body a little
+below the head, and it is dragged on to the ice-field, often with
+considerable difficulty, and killed with hatchets. It is really more
+like fishing than hunting. It is considered a great treat to drink
+the warm blood of the walrus, and the Esquimaux often indulge in it to
+excess.
+
+Kalumah came to the fort every day in spite of the severity of the
+weather. She was never tired of going through the different rooms, and
+watching Mrs Joliffe at her cooking or sewing. She asked the English
+name of everything, and talked for hours together with Mrs Barnett, if
+the term “talking” can be applied to an exchange of words after
+long deliberation on both sides. When Mrs Barnett read aloud, Kalumah
+listened with great attention, although she probably understood nothing
+of what she heard.
+
+The young native girl had a sweet voice, and sometimes sang some strange
+melancholy rhythmical songs with a peculiar metre, and, if we may so
+express it, a frosty ring about them, peculiarly characteristic of their
+origin.
+
+Mrs Barnett had the patience to translate one of these Greenland sagas,
+which was sung to a sad air, interspersed with long pauses, and filled
+with strange intervals, which produced an indescribable effect. We give
+an English rendering of Mrs Barnett’s translation, which may give a
+faint idea of this strange hyperborean poetry.
+
+GREENLAND SONG Dark Is the sky, The sun sinks wearily; My trembling
+heart, with sorrow filled, Aches drearily ! My sweet child at my songs
+is smiling still, While at his tender heart the icicles lie chill. Child
+of my dreams I Thy love doth cheer me; The cruel biting frost I brave
+But to be near thee! Ah me, Ah me, could these hot tears of mine But
+melt the icicles around that heart of thine! Could we once more Meet
+heart to heart, Thy little hands close clasped in mine, No more to part.
+Then on thy chill heart rays from heaven above Should fall, and softly
+melt it with the warmth of love! On the 20th December the Esquimaux
+family came to take leave of the occupants of the fort. Kalumah was
+sorry to part with Mrs Barnett, who would gladly have retained her in
+her service, but the young native could not be persuaded to leave her
+own people; she promised, however, to return to Fort Hope in the summer.
+
+Her farewell was touching. She presented Mrs Barnett with a copper
+ring, and received in exchange a necklace of black beads, which
+she immediately put on. Hobson gave the poor people a good stock of
+provisions, which they packed in their sledge; and after a few words of
+grateful acknowledgment from Kalumah, the whole party set out towards
+the west, quickly disappearing in the thick fogs on the shore.
+
+CHAPTER XX. MERCURY FREEZES. A few days of dry calm weather favoured the
+operations of the hunters, but they did not venture far from the fort;
+the abundance of game rendered it unnecessary to do so, and Lieutenant
+Hobson could justly congratulate himself on having chosen so favourable
+a situation for the new settlement. A great number of furred animals of
+all kinds were taken in the traps, and Sabine and Marbre killed a good
+many Polar hares. Some twenty starving wolves were shot. Hunger rendered
+the latter animals aggressive, and bands of them gathered about the
+fort, filling the air with hoarse howls, and amongst the “ hummocks
+“ on the ice-fields sometimes prowled huge bears, whose movements were
+watched with great interest.
+
+On the 25th December all excursions had again to be given up. The wind
+veered suddenly to the north, and the cold became exceedingly severe.
+It was impossible to remain out of doors without being frost-bitten. The
+Fahrenheit thermometer fell to 18° below zero, and the gale roared like
+a volley of musketry. Hobson took care to provide the animals with food
+enough to last several weeks.
+
+Christmas Day, the day of home-gatherings so dear to the heart of all
+Englishmen, was kept with due solemnity. The colonists returned thanks
+to God for preserving them through so many perils; and the workmen,
+who had a holiday in honour of the day, afterwards assembled with their
+masters and the ladies round a well-filled board, on which figured two
+huge Christmas puddings.
+
+In the evening a huge bowl of punch flamed in the centre of the table;
+the lamps were put out, and for a time the room was lighted only by
+the livid flames of the spirit, the familiar objects assuming strange
+fantastic forms. The spirits of the soldiers rose as they watched the
+flickering illumination, and their excitement was not lessened after
+imbibing some of the burning liquid.
+
+But now the flames began to pale; bluish tongues still fitfully licked
+the plump sides of the national pudding for a few minutes, and then died
+away.
+
+Strange to say, although the lamps had not been relit, the room did
+not become dark on the extinction of the flames. A bright red light was
+streaming through the window, which had passed unnoticed in the previous
+illumination.
+
+The revellers started to their feet, and looked at each other in
+astonishment.
+
+“A fire !” cried several.
+
+But unless the house itself were burning, there could not be a fire
+anywhere near Cape Bathurst.
+
+The Lieutenant rushed to the window, and at once understood the cause of
+the phenomenon. It was an eruption.
+
+Indeed, above the western cliffs beyond Walruses’ Bay the horizon
+was on fire. The summits of the igneous hills, some miles from Cape
+Bathurst, could not be seen; but the sheaf of flame shot up to a
+considerable height, lighting up the whole country in a weird, unearthly
+manner.
+
+“It is more beautiful than the Aurora Borealis!” exclaimed Mrs
+Barnett.
+
+Thomas Black indignantly protested against this assertion. A terrestrial
+phenomenon more beautiful than a meteor! But no one was disposed to
+argue with him about it, for all hurried out, in spite of the bitter
+gale and biting cold, to watch the glorious spectacle of the flashing
+sheaf of flames standing out against the black background of the night
+sky.
+
+Had not the mouths and ears of the party been cased in furs, they would
+have been able to hear the rumbling noise of the eruption, and to tell
+each other of the impressions made upon them by this magnificent sight;
+but, as it was, they could neither speak nor hear. They might well be
+content, however, with gazing upon such a glorious scene-a scene which
+once looked upon could never be forgotten. The glowing sheets of
+flames contrasted alike with the gloomy darkness of the heavens and the
+dazzling whiteness of the far-stretching carpet of snow, and produced
+effects of light and shade which no pen or pencil could adequately
+portray. The throbbing reverberations spread beyond the zenith,
+gradually quenching the light of all the stars. The white ground became
+dashed with golden tints, the hummocks on the ice-field and the huge
+icebergs in the background reflecting the glimmering colours like
+so many glowing mirrors. The rays of light, striking on the edges or
+surfaces of the ice, became bent and diffracted; the angles and varying
+inclinations on which they fell fretting them into fringes of colour,
+and reflecting them back with changed and heightened beauty. It was like
+a fairy scene in which ice and snow combined to add éclat to a mêlee
+of rays in which luminous waves rushed upon each other, breaking into
+coloured ripples.
+
+But the excessive cold soon drove the admiring spectators back to their
+warm dwelling, and many a nose paid dearly for the feast enjoyed by the
+eyes.
+
+During the following days the cold became doubly severe. The mercurial
+thermometer was of course no longer of any use for marking degrees, and
+an alcohol thermometer had to be used. On the night of the 28th to the
+29th December the column fell to 32° below zero.
+
+The stoves were piled up with fuel, but the temperature in the
+house could not be maintained above 20° degrees. The bedrooms were
+exceedingly cold, and ten feet from the stove, in the large room, its
+heat could not be felt at all. The little baby had the warmest corner,
+and its cradle was rocked in turn by those who came to the fire. Opening
+doors or windows was strictly forbidden, as the vapour in the rooms
+would immediately have been converted into snow, and in the passage the
+breathing of the inmates already produced that result. Every now and
+then dull reports were heard, which startled those unaccustomed to
+living in such high latitudes. They were caused by the cracking of the
+trunks of trees, of which the walls were composed under the influence of
+the intense cold. The stock of rum and gin stowed away in the garret had
+to be brought down into the sitting-room, as the alcohol was freezing
+and sinking to the bottom of the bottles. The spruce-beer made from a
+decoction of young fir-branchlets burst the barrels in which it was kept
+as it froze, whilst all solid bodies resisted the introduction of
+heat as if they were petrified. Wood burnt very slowly, and Hobson was
+obliged to sacrifice some of the walrus-oil to quicken its combustion.
+Fortunately the chimneys drew well, so that there was no disagreeable
+smell inside, although for a long distance outside the air was
+impregnated with the fetid odour of the smoke from Fort Hope, which a
+casual observer might therefore have pronounced an unhealthy building.
+
+One symptom we must notice was the great thirst from which every one
+suffered. To relieve it, different liquids had to be melted at the fire,
+for it- would have been dangerous to eat ice. Another effect of the cold
+was intense drowsiness, which Hobson earnestly entreated his companions
+to resist. Some appeared unable to do so; but Mrs Barnett was invaluable
+in setting an example of constant activity: always brave, she kept
+herself awake, and encouraged others by her kindness, brightness, and
+sympathy. Sometimes she read aloud accounts of travels, or sang some old
+familiar English song, in the chorus of which all joined. These joyous
+strains roused up the sleepers whether they would or no, and their
+voices soon swelled the chorus. The long days of imprisonment passed
+wearily by, and the Lieutenant, consulting the outside thermometer
+through the windows, announced that the cold was still on the increase.
+On the 31st December, the mercury was all frozen hard in the cistern of
+the instrument, so that the temperature was 44° below freezing point.
+
+The next day, 1st January 1860, Lieutenant Hobson wished Mrs Barnett a
+happy new year, and complimented her on the courage and good temper with
+which she endured the miseries of this northern winter. The astronomer
+was not forgotten in the universal interchange of good wishes amongst
+the members of the little colony; but his only thought on entering
+another year was, that it was the beginning of that in which the great
+eclipse was to take place. Fortunately the general health still remained
+good, and any symptoms of scurvy were promptly checked by the use of
+lime-juice and lime-lozenges.
+
+It would not do, however, to rejoice too soon. The winter had still to
+last three months. The sun would doubtless reappear above the horizon in
+due time; but there was no reason to think that the cold had reached its
+maximum intensity, especially as in most northern countries February is
+the month during which the temperature falls lowest. However that might
+be, there was no decrease in the severity of the weather during
+the first days of the new year, and on the 8th January the alcohol
+thermometer placed outside the window of the passage marked 66° below
+zero. A few degrees more and the minimum temperature at Fort Reliance in
+1835 would be reached!
+
+Jaspar Hobson grew more and more uneasy at the continued severity of the
+cold. He began to fear that the furred animals would have to seek a less
+rigorous climate further south, which would of course thwart all his
+plans for hunting in the early spring. Moreover, he sometimes heard
+subterranean rumblings, which were evidently connected with the volcanic
+eruption. The western horizon still glowed with the reflection of the
+burning lava, and it was evident that some great convulsion was going
+on in the bowels of the earth. Might not the close vicinity of an active
+volcano be dangerous to the new fort ? Such was the question which the
+subterranean rumblings forced upon the mind of the Lieutenant, but he
+kept his vague apprehensions to himself.
+
+Of course under these circumstances no one dreamt of leaving the house.
+The animals were well provided for, and being accustomed to long fasts
+in the winter, required no attention from their masters, so that there
+really was no necessity for any exposure out of doors. It was difficult
+enough to endure the inside temperature, even with the help of a
+plentiful combustion of wood and oil; for, in spite of every precaution,
+damp crept into the ill-ventilated rooms, and layers of ice, increasing
+in thickness every day, were formed upon the beams. The condensers were
+choked up, and one of them burst from the pressure of the ice.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson did not spare his fuel; he was, in fact, rather lavish
+of it in his anxiety to raise the temperature, which, when the fires got
+low-as of course sometimes happened-fell to 15° Fahrenheit. The men on
+guard, who relieved each other every hour, had strict orders to keep up
+the fires, and great was the dismay of the Lieutenant when Sergeant Long
+said to him one day—
+
+“We shall be out of wood soon !”
+
+“Out of wood !” exclaimed Hobson.
+
+“I mean our stock is getting low, and we must lay in fresh stores
+soon. Of course I know, though, that it will be at the risk of his life
+that any one goes out in this cold !”
+
+“Yes,” replied Hobson. “It was a mistake not to build the wooden
+shed close to the house, and to make no direct communication with it. I
+see that now it is too late. I ought not to have forgotten that we
+were going to winter beyond the seventieth parallel. But what’s done
+can’t be undone. How long will the wood last?”
+
+“There is enough to feed the furnace and stove for another two or
+three days,” replied the Sergeant.
+
+“Let us hope by that time that the severity of the cold may have
+decreased, and that we may venture across the court of the fort without
+danger.”
+
+“I doubt it, sir,” replied Long, shaking his head. “The atmosphere
+is very clear, the wind is still in the north, and I shall not be
+surprised if this temperature is maintained. for another fifteen
+days-until the new moon, in fact.”
+
+“Well, my brave fellow,” said the Lieutenant, “we won’t die of
+cold if we can help it, and the day we have to brave the outside air “
+
+“We will brave it, sir,” said Long.
+
+Hobson pressed his subordinate’s hand, well knowing the poor
+fellow’s devotion.
+
+We might fancy that Hobson and the Sergeant were exaggerating when they
+alluded to fatal results from sudden exposure to the open air, but they
+spoke from experience, gained from long residence in the rigorous Polar
+regions. They had seen strong men fall fainting on the ice under similar
+circumstances; their breath failed them, and they were taken up in a
+state of suffocation. Incredible as such facts may appear, they have
+been of frequent occurrence amongst those who have wintered in the
+extreme north. In their journey along the shores of Hudson’s Bay in
+1746, Moor and Smith saw many incidents of this kind,-some of their
+companions were killed, struck down by the cold, and there can be no
+doubt that sudden death may result from braving a temperature in which
+mercury freezes.
+
+Such was the distressing state of things at Fort Hope, when a new danger
+arose to aggravate the sufferings of the colonists.
+
+CHAPTER XXI. THE LARGE POLAR BEARS. The only one of the four windows
+through which it was possible to look into the court of the fort was
+that opening at the end of the entrance passage. The outside shutters
+had not been closed; but before it could be seen through it had to
+be washed with boiling water, as the panes were covered with a thick
+coating of ice. This was done several times a day by the Lieutenant’s
+orders, when the districts surrounding the fort were carefully examined,
+and the state of the sky, and of the alcohol thermometer placed outside,
+were accurately noted.
+
+On the 6th January, towards eleven o’clock in the morning, Kellet,
+whose turn it was to look out, suddenly called the Sergeant, and
+pointed to some moving masses indistinctly visible in the gloom. Long,
+approaching the window observed quietly—
+
+“They are bears!”
+
+In fact half-a-dozen of these formidable animals had succeeded in
+getting over the palisades, and, attracted by the smoke from the
+chimneys, were advancing upon the house.
+
+On hearing of the approach of the bears, Hobson at once ordered
+the window of the passage to be barricaded inside; it was the only
+unprotected opening in the house, and when it was secured it appeared
+impossible for the bears to effect an entrance. The window was,
+therefore, quickly closed up with bars, which the carpenter Mac-Nab
+wedged firmly in, leaving a narrow slit through which to watch the
+movements of the unwelcome visitors.
+
+“Now,” observed the head carpenter, “these gentlemen can’t get
+in without our permission, and we have time to hold a council of war.”
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, “nothing has been
+wanting to our northern winter! After the cold come the bears.”
+
+“Not after,” replied the Lieutenant, “but, which is a serious
+matter, with the cold, and a cold ago intense that we cannot venture
+outside! I really don’t know how we shall get rid .of these tiresome
+brutes.”
+
+“I suppose they will soon get tired of prowling about,” said the
+lady, “and return as they came.”
+
+Hobson shook his head as if he had his doubts.
+
+“You don’t know these animals, madam. They are famished with hunger,
+and will not go until we make them!”
+
+“Are you anxious, then?”
+
+“Yes and no,” replied the Lieutenant. “I don’t think the bears
+will get in; but neither do I see how we can get out, should it become
+necessary for us to do so.”
+
+With these words Hobson turned to the window, and Mrs Barnett joined the
+other women, who had gathered round the Sergeant, and were listening to
+what he had to say about the bears. He spoke like a man well up in
+his subject, for he had had many an encounter with these formidable
+carnivorous creatures, which are often met with even towards the south,
+where, however, they can be safely attacked, whilst here the siege would
+be a regular blockade, for the cold would quite prevent any attempt at a
+sortie.
+
+Throughout the whole day the movements of the bears were attentively
+watched. Every now and then one of them would lay his great head against
+the window-pane and an ominous growl was heard.
+
+The Lieutenant and the Sergeant took counsel together, and it was agreed
+that if their enemies showed no sign of beating a retreat, they would
+drill a few loopholes in the walls of the house, and fire at them. But
+it was decided to put off this desperate measure for a day or two, as
+it was desirable to avoid giving access to the outer air; the inside
+temperature being already far too low. The walrus oil to be burnt was
+frozen so hard that it had to be broken up with hatchets.
+
+The day passed without any incident. The bears went and came, prowling
+round the house, but attempting no direct attack. Watch was kept all
+night, and at four o’clock in the morning they seemed to have left the
+court-at any rate, they were nowhere to be seen.
+
+But about seven o’clock Marbre went up to the loft to fetch some
+provisions, and on his return announced that the bears were walking
+about on the roof.
+
+Hobson, the Sergeant, Mac-Nab, and two or three soldiers seized their
+arms, and rushed to the ladder in the passage, which. communicated with
+the loft by a trap-door. The cold was, however, so intense in the loft
+that the men could not hold the barrels of their guns, and their breath
+froze as it left their lips and floated about them as snow.
+
+Marbre was right; the bears were all on the roof, and the sound of
+their feet and their growls could be distinctly heard. Their great claws
+caught in the laths of the roof beneath the ice, and there was some
+danger that they might have sufficient strength to tear away the
+woodwork.
+
+The Lieutenant and his men, becoming giddy and faint from the intense
+cold, were soon obliged to go down, and Hobson announced the state of
+affairs in as hopeful a tone as he could assume.
+
+“The bears,” he said, “are now upon the roof. We ourselves have
+nothing to fear, as they can’t get into our rooms; but they may force
+an entrance to the loft, and devour the furs stowed away there. Now
+these furs belong to the Company, and it is our duty to preserve them
+from injury I ask you then, my friends, to aid me in removing them to a
+place of safety.”
+
+All eagerly volunteered, and relieving each other in parties of two or
+three, for none could have supported the intense severity of the cold
+for long at a time, they managed to carry all the furs into the large
+room in about an hour.
+
+Whilst the work was proceeding, the bears continued their efforts to get
+in, and tried to lift up the rafters of .the roof. In some places the
+laths became broken by their weight, and poor Mac-Nab was in despair; he
+had not reckoned upon such a contingency when he constructed the roof,
+and expected to see it give way every moment.
+
+The day passed, however, without any change in the situation. The bears
+did not get in; but a no less formidable enemy, the cold, gradually
+penetrated into every room. The fires in the stoves burnt low; the fuel
+in reserve was almost exhausted; and before twelve o’clock, the last
+piece of wood would be burnt, and the genial warmth of the stove would
+no longer cheer the unhappy colonists.
+
+Death would then await them-death in its most fearful form, from cold.
+The poor creatures, huddled together round the stove, felt that their
+own vital heat must soon become exhausted, but not a word of complaint
+passed their lips. The women bore their sufferings with the greatest
+heroism, and Mrs Mac-Nab pressed her baby convulsively to her ice-cold
+breast. Some of the soldiers slept, or rather were wrapped in a heavy
+torpor, which could scarcely be called sleep.
+
+At three o’clock in the morning Hobson consulted the thermometer
+hanging in the large room, about ten feet from the stove.
+
+It marked 4° Fahrenheit below zero.
+
+The Lieutenant pressed his hand to his forehead, and looked mournfully
+at his silent companions without a word. His half-condensed breath
+shrouded his face in a white cloud, and he was standing rooted to the
+spot when a hand was laid upon his shoulder. He started, and looked
+round to see Mrs Barnett beside him.
+
+“Something must be done, Lieutenant Hobson !” exclaimed the
+energetic woman; “we cannot die like this without an effort to save
+ourselves !”
+
+“Yes,” replied the Lieutenant, feeling revived by the moral courage
+of his companion--” yes, something must be done !” and he called
+together Long, Mac-Nab, and Rae the blacksmith, as the bravest men in
+his party. All, together with Mrs Barnett, hastened to the window,
+and having washed the panes with boiling water, they consulted the
+thermometer outside.
+
+“Seventy-two degrees !” cried Hobson. “My friends, two courses
+only are open to us, we can risk our lives to get a fresh supply of
+fuel, or we can burn the benches, beds, partition walls, and everything
+in the house to feed our stoves for a few days longer. A desperate
+alternative, for the cold may last for some time yet; there is no sign
+of a change in the weather.”
+
+“Let us risk our lives to get fuel !” said Sergeant Long.
+
+All agreed that it would be the best course, and without another word
+each one set to work to prepare for the emergency.
+
+The following were the precautions taken to save the lives of those who
+were about to risk themselves for the sake of the general good :—
+
+The shed in which the wood was stored was about fifty steps on the left,
+behind, the principal house. It was decided that one of the men should
+try and run to the shed. He was to take one rope wound round his body,
+and to carry another in his hand, one end of which was to be held by
+one of his comrades. Once at the shed, he was to load one of the sledges
+there with fuel, and tie one rope to the front, and the other to the
+back of the vehicle, so that it could be dragged backwards and forwards
+between the house and the shed without much danger. A tug violently
+shaking one or the other cord would be the signal that the sledge was
+filled with fuel at the shed, or unloaded at the house.
+
+A very clever plan, certainly; but two things might defeat it. The
+door of the shed might be so blocked up with ice that it would be very
+difficult to open it, or the bears might come down from the roof and
+prowl about the court. Two risks to be run !
+
+Long, Mac-Nab, and Rae, all three volunteered for the perilous service;
+but the Sergeant reminded the other two that they were married, and
+insisted upon being the first to venture.
+
+When the Lieutenant expressed a wish to go himself, Mrs Barnett said
+earnestly, “You are our chief; you have no right to expose yourself.
+Let Sergeant Long go.”
+
+Hobson could not but realise that his office imposed caution, and being
+called upon to decide which of his companions should go, be chose the
+Sergeant. Mrs Barnett pressed the brave man’s hand with ill-concealed
+emotion; and the rest of the colonists, asleep or stupefied, knew
+nothing of the attempt about to be made to save their lives.
+
+Two long ropes were got ready. The Sergeant wound one round his body
+above the warm furs, worth some thousand pounds sterling, in which
+he was encased, and tied the other to his belt, on which he hung a
+tinder-box and a loaded revolver. Just before starting he swallowed down
+half a glass of rum, as he said, “to insure a good load of wood.”
+
+Hobson, Rae, and Mac-Nab accompanied the brave fellow through the
+kitchen, where the fire had just gone out, and into the passage. Rae
+climbed up to the trap-door of the loft, and peeping through it, made
+sure that the bears were still on the roof. The moment for action had
+arrived.
+
+One door of the passage was open, and in spite of the thick furs in
+which they were wrapped, all felt chilled to the very marrow of their
+bones; and when the second door was pushed open, they recoiled for an
+instant, panting for breath, whilst the moisture held in suspension in
+the air of the passage covered the walls and the floor with fine snow.
+
+The weather outside was extremely dry, and the stars shone with
+extraordinary brilliancy. Sergeant Long rushed out without a moment’s
+hesitation, dragging the cord behind him, one end of which was held by
+his companions; the outer door was pushed to, and Hobson, Mae-Nab, and
+Rae went back to the passage and closed the second door, behind which
+they waited. If Long did not return in a few minutes, they might
+conclude that his enterprise had succeeded, and that, safe in the shed,
+he was loading the first train with fuel. Ten minutes at the most ought
+to suffice for this operation, if he had been able to get the door open.
+
+When the Sergeant was fairly off, Hobson and Mac-Nab walked together
+towards the end of the passage.
+
+Meanwhile Rae had been watching the bears and the loft. It was so dark
+that all hoped Long’s movements would escape the notice of the hungry
+animals.
+
+Ten minutes elapsed, and the three watchers went back to the narrow
+space between the two doors, waiting for the signal to be given to drag
+in the sledge.
+
+Five minutes more. The cord remained motionless in their hands! Their
+anxiety can be imagined. It was a quarter of an hour since the Sergeant
+had started, plenty of time for all he had to do, and he had given no
+signal.
+
+Hobson waited a few minutes longer, and then tightening his hold of the
+end of the rope, he made a sign to his companions to pull with him. If
+the load of wood were not quite ready, the Sergeant could easily stop it
+from being dragged away.
+
+The rope was pulled vigorously. A heavy object seemed to slide along the
+snow. In a few moments it reached the outer door.
+
+It was the body of the Sergeant, with the rope round his waist. Poor
+Long had never reached the shed. He had fallen fainting to the ground,
+and after twenty minutes’ exposure to such a temperature there was
+little hope that he would revive.
+
+A cry of grief and despair burst from the lips of Mac-Nab and Rae. They
+lifted their unhappy comrade from the ground, and carried him into the
+passage; but as the Lieutenant was closing the outer door, something
+pushed violently against it, and a horrible growl was heard.
+
+“Help!” cried Hobson.
+
+Mac-Nab and Rae rushed to their officer’s assistance; but Mrs Barnett
+had been beforehand with them and was struggling with all her strength
+to help Hobson to close the door. In vain; the monstrous brute, throwing
+the whole weight of its body against it, would force its way into the
+passage in another moment.
+
+Mrs Barnett, whose presence of mind did not forsake her now, seized one
+of the pistols in the Lieutenant’s belt, and waiting quietly until
+the animal shoved its head between the door and the wall, discharged the
+contents into its open mouth.
+
+The bear fell backwards, mortally wounded no doubt, and the door was
+shut and securely fastened.
+
+The body of the Sergeant was then carried into the large room. But,
+alas! the fire was dying out. How was it possible to restore the vital
+heat with no means of obtaining warmth?
+
+“I will go—I will go and fetch some wood !” cried the blacksmith
+Rae.
+
+“Yes, Rae, we will go together!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, whose
+courage was unabated.
+
+“No, my friends, no!” cried Hobson; “you would fall victims to
+the cold, or the bears, or both. Let us burn all there is to burn in the
+house, and leave the rest to God !”
+
+And the poor half-frozen settlers rose and laid about them with their
+hatchets like madmen. Benches, tables, and partition walls were thrown
+down, broken up, crushed to pieces, and piled up in the stove of the
+large room and kitchen furnace. Very soon good fires were burning, on
+which a few drops of walrus-oil were poured, so that the temperature of
+the rooms quickly rose a dozen degrees.
+
+Every effort was made to restore the Sergeant. He was rubbed with warm
+rum, and gradually the circulation of his blood was restored. The white
+blotches with which parts of his body were covered began to disappear;
+but he had suffered dreadfully, and several hours elapsed before he
+could articulate a word. He was laid in a warm bed, and Mrs Barnett and
+Madge watched by him until the next morning.
+
+Meanwhile Hobson, Mac-Nab, and Rae consulted bow best to escape from
+their terrible situation. It was impossible to shut their eyes to the
+fact that in two days this fresh supply of fuel would be exhausted, and
+then, if the cold continued, what would become of them all? The new moon
+had risen forty-eight hours ago, and there was no sign of a change in
+the weather! The north wind still swept the face of the country with its
+icy breath; the barometer remained at “ fine dry weather; “and there
+was not a vapour to be seen above the endless succession of ice-fields.
+There was reason to fear that the intense cold would last a long time
+yet, but what was to be done? Would it do to try once more to get to
+the wood-shed, when the bears had been roused by the shot, and rendered
+doubly dangerous? Would it be possible to attack these dreadful
+creatures in the open air I No, it would be madness, and certain death
+for all!
+
+Fortunately the temperature of the rooms had now become more bearable,
+and in the morning Mrs Joliffe served up a breakfast of hot meat and
+tea. Hot grog was served out, and the brave Sergeant was able to take
+his share. The heat from the stoves warmed the bodies and reanimated the
+drooping courage of the poor colonists, who were now ready to attack
+the bears at a word from Hobson. But the Lieutenant, thinking the forces
+unequally matched, would not risk the attempt; and it appeared likely
+that the day would pass without any incident worthy of note, when at
+about three o’clock in the afternoon a great noise was heard on the
+top of the house.
+
+“There they are!” cried two or three soldiers, hastily arming
+themselves with hatchets and pistols.
+
+It was evident that the bears had torn away one of the rafters of the
+roof, and got into the loft.
+
+“Let every one remain where he is!” cried the Lieutenant. “Rae,
+the trap !”
+
+The blacksmith rushed into the passage, scaled the ladder, and shut and
+securely fastened the trap-door.
+
+A dreadful noise was now heard-growling, stamping of feet, and tearing
+of claws. It was doubtful whether the danger of the anxious listeners
+was increased, or the reverse. Some were of opinion that if all the
+bears were in the loft, it would be easier to attack them. They would be
+less formidable in a narrow space, and there would not be the same
+risk of suffocation from cold. Of course a conflict with such fierce
+creatures must still. be very perilous, but it no longer appeared so
+desperate as before.
+
+It was now debated whether it would be better to go and attack the
+besiegers, or to remain on the defensive. Only one soldier could get
+through the narrow trap-door at a time, and this made Hobson hesitate,
+and finally resolve to wait. The Sergeant and others, whose bravery none
+could doubt, agreed that he was in the right, and it might be possible
+that some new incident would occur to modify the situation. It was
+almost impossible for the bears to break through the beams of the
+ceiling, as they had the rafters of the roof, so that there was little
+fear that they would get on to the ground-floor.
+
+The day passed by in anxious expectation, and at night no one could
+sleep for the uproar made by the furious beasts.
+
+The next day, about nine o’clock, a fresh complication compelled
+Hobson to take active steps.
+
+He knew that the pipes of the stove and kitchen furnace ran all along
+the loft, and being made of lime-bricks but imperfectly cemented
+together, they could not resist great pressure for any length of time.
+Now some of the bears scratched at the masonry, whilst others leant
+against the pipes for the sake of the warmth from the stove; so that
+the bricks began to give way, and soon the stoves and furnace ceased to
+draw.
+
+This really was an irreparable misfortune, which would have disheartened
+less energetic men. But things were not yet at their worst. Whilst the
+fire became lower and lower, a thick, nauseous, acrid smoke filled the
+house; the pipes were broken, and the smoke soon became so thick that
+the lamps went out. Hobson now saw that he must leave the house if he
+wished to escape suffocation, but to leave the house would be to perish
+with cold. At this fresh misfortune some of the women screamed; and
+Hobson, seizing a hatchet, shouted in a loud voice
+
+“To the bears! to the bears, my friends !”
+
+It was the forlorn-hope. These terrible creatures must be destroyed. All
+rushed into the passage and made for the ladder, Hobson leading the
+way. The trap-door was opened, and a few shots were fired into the black
+whirlpool of smoke. Mingled howls and screams were heard, and blood
+began to flow on both sides; but the fearful conflict was waged in
+profound darkness.
+
+In the midst of the mêlée a terrible rumbling sound suddenly drowned
+the tumult, the ground became violently agitated, and the house rocked
+as if it were being torn up from its foundations. The beams of the walls
+separated, and through the openings Hobson and his companions saw the
+terrified bears rushing away into the darkness, howling with rage and
+fright.
+
+CHAPTER XXII. FIVE MONTHS MORE. A violent earthquake had shaken Cape
+Bathurst. Such convulsions were probably frequent in this volcanic
+region, and the connection between them and eruptions was once more
+demonstrated.
+
+Hobson well understood the significance of what had occurred, and waited
+in anxious suspense. He knew that the earth might open and swallow up
+the little colony; but only one shock was felt, and that was rather a
+rebound than a vertical upheaval, which made the house lean over towards
+the lake, and burst open its walls. Immediately after this one shock,
+the ground again became firm and motionless.
+
+The house, although damaged, was still habitable; the breaches in the
+walls were quickly repaired, and the pipes of the chimneys were patched
+together again somehow
+
+Fortunately the wounds the soldiers had received in their struggle with
+the bears were slight, and merely required dressing.
+
+Two miserable days ensued, during which the woodwork of the beds and the
+planks of the partition walls were burnt, and the most pressing repairs
+executed by Mac-Nab and his men. The piles, well driven into the earth,
+had not yielded; but it was evident that the earthquake had caused a
+sinking of the level of the coast on which the fort was built, which
+might seriously compromise the safety of the building. Hobson was most
+anxious to ascertain the extent of the alteration of elevation, but the
+pitiless cold prevented him from venturing outside.
+
+But at last there were symptoms of an approaching change in the weather.
+The stars shone with rather less brilliancy, and on the 11th January
+the barometer fell slightly; hazy vapours floated in the air, the
+condensation of which would raise the temperature; and on the 12th
+January the wind veered to the south-west, and snow fell at irregular
+intervals.
+
+The thermometer outside suddenly rose to 15° above zero, and to the
+frozen colonists it was like the beginning of spring.
+
+At eleven o’clock the same morning all were out of doors. They were
+like a band of captives unexpectedly set free. They were, however,
+absolutely forbidden to go beyond the enceinte of the fort, in case of
+awkward meetings.
+
+The sun had not yet reappeared above the horizon, but it approached it
+nearly enough to produce a long twilight, during which objects could be
+distinctly seen to a distance of two miles; and Hobson’s first thought
+was to ascertain what difference the earthquake had produced in the
+appearance of the surrounding districts.
+
+Certain changes had been effected. The crest of the promontory of Cape
+Bathurst had been broken off, and large pieces of the cliff had been
+flung upon the beach. The whole mass of the cape seemed to have been
+bent towards the lake, altering the elevation of the plateau on
+which the fort was built. The soil on the west appeared to have been
+depressed, whilst that on the east had been elevated. One of the results
+of this change of level would unfortunately be, that when the thaw set
+in, the waters of the lake and of Paulina river, in obedience to the
+law, requiring liquids to maintain their level, would inundate a portion
+of the western coast. The stream would probably scoop out another bed,
+and the natural harbour at its mouth would be destroyed. The hills on
+the eastern bank seemed to be considerably depressed, but the cliffs on
+the west were too far off for any accurate observations to be made. The
+important alteration produced by the earthquake may, in fact, be summed
+up in a very few words : the horizontal character of the ground was
+replaced by a slope from east to west.
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett, laughing, “you were good
+enough to give my name to the port and river, and now there will be
+neither Paulina river nor Port Barnett. I must say I have been hardly
+used.”
+
+“Well, madam,” replied Hobson, “although the river is gone, the
+lake remains, and we will call it Lake Barnett. I hope that it at least
+will remain true to you.”
+
+Mr and Mrs Joliffe, on leaving the house, had hurried, one to the
+doghouse, the other to the reindeer-stable. The dogs had not suffered
+much from their lone, confinement, and rushed into the court barking
+with delight. One reindeer had died, but the others, though thin,
+appeared to be in good health.
+
+“Well, madam,” said the Lieutenant, “we have got through our
+troubles better than we could have expected.”
+
+“I never despaired,” replied the lady. “The miseries of an Arctic
+-winter would not conquer men like you and your companions.”
+
+“To own the truth, madam,” replied Hobson, “I never experienced
+such intense cold before, in all the years I have spent in the north;
+and if it had lasted many days longer we should all have been lost.”
+
+“The earthquake came in the nick of time then, not only to drive away
+the bears, but also to modify the extremity of the cold?”
+
+“Perhaps so, madam. All natural phenomena influence each other to a
+certain extent. But the volcanic structure of the soil makes me rather
+uneasy. I cannot but regret the close vicinity of this active volcano.
+If the lava from it cannot reach us, the earthquakes connected with it
+can. Just look at our house now!”
+
+“Oh, all that can be put right when the fine weather comes, and
+you will make it all the stronger for the painful experience you have
+gained.”
+
+“Of course we shall, but meanwhile I am afraid you won’t find it
+very comfortable.”
+
+“Are you speaking to me, Lieutenant? to an old traveller like me? I
+shall imagine myself one of the crew of a small vessel, and now that it
+does not pitch and toss, I shall have no fear of being sea-sick.”
+
+“What you say does not surprise me,” replied Hobson; “we all know
+your grandeur of character, your moral courage and imperturbable good
+temper. You have done much to help us all to bear our troubles, and I
+thank you in my own name and that of my men.”
+
+“You flatter me, Lieutenant; you flatter me.”
+
+“No, no; I only say what every one thinks. But may I ask you one
+question. You know that next June, Captain Craventy is to send us a
+convoy with provisions, which will take back our furs to Fort Reliance.
+I suppose our friend Thomas Black, after having seen his eclipse, will
+return with the Captain’s men. Do you mean to accompany him?”
+
+“Do you mean to send me back?” asked the lady with a smile.
+
+“O madam !”—
+
+“Well, my superior officer,” replied Mrs Barnett, extending her
+hand to the Lieutenant, “I shall ask you to allow me to spend another
+winter at Fort Hope. Next year one of the Company’s ships will
+probably anchor off Cape Bathurst, and I shall return in it. Having come
+overland, I should like to go back by Behring Strait.”
+
+The Lieutenant was delighted with his companion’s decision. The two
+had become sincerely attached to each other, and had many tastes and
+qualities in common. The hour of separation could not fail to be painful
+to both; and who could tell what further trials awaited `the colonists,
+in which their combine, influence might sustain the courage of the rest?
+
+On the 20th January the sun at last reappeared, and the Polar night was
+at an end. It only remained above the horizon for a few minutes, and
+was greeted with joyous hurrahs by the settlers. From this date the days
+gradually increased in length.
+
+Throughout the month of February, and until the 15th March, there were
+abrupt transitions from fine to bad weather. The fine days were so cold
+that the hunters could not go out; and in the bad weather snowstorms
+kept them in. It was only between whiles that any outdoor work could
+be done; and long excursions were out of the question. There was no
+necessity for them, however, as the traps were in full activity. In the
+latter end of the winter, martens, foxes, ermines, wolverines, and
+other valuable animals were taken in large numbers, and the trappers had
+plenty to do.
+
+In March an excursion was ventured on as far as Walruses’ Bay and it
+was noticed that the earthquake had considerably altered the form of the
+cliffs, which were much depressed; whilst the igneous hills beyond,
+with their summits wrapped in mist, seemed to look larger and more
+threatening than ever.
+
+About the 20th March the hunters sighted the first swans migrating from
+the south, and uttering shrill cries as they flew. A few snow buntings
+and winter hawks were also seen. But the ground was still covered with
+thick layers of frozen snow, and the sun was powerless to melt the hard
+surface of the lake and sea.
+
+The breaking up of the frost did not commence until early in April. The
+ice burst with a noise like the discharge of artillery.
+
+Sudden changes took place in the appearance of the icebergs broken by
+collisions, undermined by the action of the water once more set free,
+huge masses rolled over with an awful crash, in consequence of the
+displacement of their centre of gravity, causing fractures and fissures
+in the ice-fields which greatly accelerated their breaking up.
+
+At this time the mean temperature was 32° above zero, so that the
+upper layer of ice on the beach rapidly dissolved, whilst the chain of
+icebergs, drifted along by the currents of the Polar Sea, gradually drew
+back and became lost in the fogs on the horizon. On the 15th April the
+sea was open, and a vessel from the Pacific Ocean coming through Behring
+Strait, could certainly have skirted along the American coast, and have
+anchored off Cape Bathurst.
+
+Whilst the ice was disappearing from the ocean, Lake Barnett was also
+laying aside its slippery armour, much to the delight of the thousands
+of ducks and other water-fowl which began to teem upon its banks. As
+Hobson had foreseen, however, the level of the lake was affected by the
+slope of the soil. That part of the beach which stretched away from the
+enceinte of the fort, and was bounded on the east by wooded hills, had
+increased considerably in extent; and Hobson estimated that the waters
+of the lake had receded five hundred paces on the eastern bank. As a
+natural consequence, the water on the western side had risen, and if not
+held back by some natural barrier, would inundate the country.
+
+On the whole, it was fortunate that the slope was from east to west; for
+had it been from west to east, the factory must have been submerged.
+
+The little river dried up as soon as the thaw set free its waters. It
+might almost be said to have run back to its source, so abrupt was the
+slope of its bed from north to south.
+
+“We have now to erase a river from the map of the Arctic regions,”
+observed Hobson to his Sergeant. “It would have been embarrassing if
+we had been dependent on the truant for drinkable water. Fortunately
+we have still Lake Barnett, and I don’t suppose our thirsty men will
+drain it quite dry.”
+
+“Yes, we’ve got the lake,” replied the Sergeant; “but do you
+think its waters have remained sweet?”
+
+Hobson started and looked at his subordinate with knitted brows. It had
+not occurred to him that a fissure in the ground might have established
+a communication between the lake and the sea! Should it be so, ruin must
+ensue, and the factory would inevitably have to be abandoned after all.
+
+The Lieutenant and Hobson rushed to the lake and found their fears
+groundless. Its waters were still sweet.
+
+Early in May the snow had disappeared in several places, and a scanty
+vegetation clothed the soil. Tiny mosses and slender grasses timidly
+pushed up their stems above the ground, and the sorrel and cochlearia
+seeds which Mrs Joliffe had planted began to sprout. The carpet of snow
+had protected them through the bitter winter; but they had still to be
+saved from the beaks of birds and the teeth of rodents. This arduous
+and important task was confided to the worthy Corporal, who acquitted
+himself of it with the zeal and devotion of a scarecrow in a kitchen
+garden.
+
+The long days had now returned, and hunting was resumed.
+
+Hobson was anxious to have a good stock of furs for the agents from Fort
+Reliance to take charge of when they arrived, as they would do in a
+few weeks. Marbre, Sabine, and the others, therefore, commenced the
+campaign. Their excursions were neither long nor fatiguing : they never
+went further than two miles from Cape Bathurst, for they had never
+before been in a district so well stocked with game; and they were both
+surprised and delighted. Martens, reindeer, hares, caribous, foxes, and
+ermines passed close to their guns.
+
+One thing, however, excited some regret in the minds of the colonists,
+not a trace was to be seen of their old enemies the bears; and it
+seemed as if they had taken all their relations with them. Perhaps
+the earthquake had frightened them away, for they have a very delicate
+nervous organisation, if such an expression can be applied to a mere
+quadruped. It was a pity they were gone, for vengeance could not be
+wreaked upon them.
+
+The month of May was very wet. Rain and snow succeeded each other.
+The mean temperature was only 41° above zero. Fogs were of frequent
+occurrence, and so thick that it would often have been imprudent to
+go any distance from the fort. Petersen and Kellet once caused their
+companions grave anxiety by disappearing for forty-eight hours. They had
+lost their way, and turned to the south when they thought they were near
+to Walruses’ Bay. They came back exhausted and half dead with hunger.
+
+June came at last, and with it really fine warm weather. The colonists
+were able to leave off their winter clothing. They worked zealously at
+repairing the house, the foundations of which had to be propped up; and
+Hobson also ordered the construction of a large magazine at the southern
+corner of the court. The quantity of game justified the expenditure
+of time and labour involved : the number of furs collected was already
+considerable, and it was necessary to have some place set aside in which
+to keep them.
+
+The Lieutenant now expected every day the arrival of the detachment to
+be sent by Captain Craventy. A good many things were still required for
+the new settlement. The stores were getting low; and if the party had
+left the fort in the beginning of May, they ought to reach Cape Bathurst
+towards the middle of June. It will be remembered that the Captain and
+his Lieutenant had fixed upon the cape as the spot of rendezvous, and
+Hobson having constructed his fort on it, there was no fear of the
+reinforcements failing to find him.
+
+From the 15th June the districts surrounding the cape were carefully
+watched. The British flag waved from the summit of the cliff, and could
+be seen at a considerable distance. It was probable that the convoy
+would follow the Lieutenant’s example, and skirt along the coast from
+Coronation Gulf. If not exactly the shortest, it was the surest route,
+at a time when, the sea being free from ice, the coast-line could be
+easily followed.
+
+When the month of June passed without the arrival of the expected party,
+Hobson began to feel rather uneasy, especially as the country again
+became wrapped in fogs. He began to fear that the agents might lose
+their way, and often talked the matter over with Mrs Barnett, Mac-Nab,
+and Rae.
+
+Thomas Black made no attempt to conceal his uneasiness, for he was
+anxious to return with the party from Fort Reliance as soon as he had
+seen his eclipse; and should anything keep them back from coming, he
+would have to resign himself to another winter, a prospect which did not
+please him at all; and in reply to his eager questions, Hobson could say
+little to reassure him.
+
+The 4th July dawned. No news! Some men sent to the southeast to
+reconnoitre, returned, bringing no tidings.
+
+Either the agents had never started, or they had lost their way. The
+latter hypothesis was unfortunately the more probable. Hobson knew
+Captain Craventy, and felt confident that he had sent off the convoy at
+the time named.
+
+His increasing anxiety will therefore be readily understood. The fine
+season was rapidly passing away. Another two months and the Arctic
+winter, with its bitter winds, its whirlpools of snow, and its long
+nights, would again set in.
+
+Hobson, as we well know, was not a man to yield to misfortune without a
+struggle. Something must be done, and with the ready concurrence of the
+astronomer the following plan was decided on.
+
+It was now the 5th July. In another fortnight-July 18th-the solar
+eclipse was to take place, and after that Thomas Black would be free to
+leave Fort Hope. It was therefore agreed that if by that time the agents
+had not arrived, a convoy of a few men and four or five sledges should
+leave the factory, and make for the Great Slave Lake, taking with them
+some of the most valuable furs; and if no accident befell them, they
+might hope to arrive at Fort Reliance in six weeks at the latest-that is
+to say, towards the end of August.
+
+This matter settled, Thomas Black shrank back into his shell, and
+became once more the man of one idea, awaiting the moment when the moon,
+passing between the orb of day and “himself,” should totally eclipse
+the disc of the sun.
+
+CHAPTER XXIII. THE ECLIPSE OF THE 18TH JULY 1860. The mists did not
+disperse. The sun shone feebly through thick curtains of fog, and the
+astronomer began to have a great dread lest the eclipse should not be
+visible after all. Sometimes the fog was so dense that the summit of the
+cape could not be seen from the court of the fort.
+
+Hobson got more and more uneasy. He had no longer any doubt that
+the convoy had gone astray in the strange land; moreover, vague
+apprehensions and sad forebodings increased his depression. He could not
+look into the future with any confidence—why, he would have found it
+impossible to explain. Everything apparently combined to reassure him.
+In spite of the great rigour of the winter, his little colony was in
+excellent health. No quarrels had arisen amongst the colonists, and
+their zeal and enthusiasm was still unabated. The surrounding districts
+were well stocked with game, the harvest of furs had surpassed his
+expectations, and the Company might well be satisfied with the result
+of the enterprise. Even if no fresh supply of provisions arrived, the
+resources of the country were such that the prospect of a second winter
+need awake no misgivings. Why, then, was Lieutenant Hobson losing hope
+and confidence?
+
+He and Mrs Barnett had many a talk on the subject; and the latter did
+all she could to raise the drooping spirits of the commanding officer,
+urging upon him all the considerations enumerated above; and one day
+walking with him along the beach, she pleaded the cause of Cape Bathurst
+and the factory, built at the cost of-so much suffering, with more than
+usual eloquence.
+
+“Yes, yes, madam, you are right,” replied Hobson; “but we
+can’t help our presentiments. I am no visionary. Twenty times in my
+soldier’s life I have been in critical circumstances, and have never
+lost presence of mind for one instant; and now for the first time in my
+life I am uneasy about the future. If I had to face a positive danger, I
+should have no fear; but a vague uncertain peril of which I have only a
+presentiment “
+
+“What danger do you mean?” inquired Mrs Barnett; “a danger from
+men, from animals, or the elements?”
+
+“Of animals I have no dread whatever, madam; it is for them to tremble
+before the hunters of Cape Bathurst, nor do I fear men; these districts
+are frequented by none but Esquimaux, and the Indians seldom venture so
+far north.”
+
+“Besides, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett, “the Canadians, whose
+arrival you so much feared in the fine season, have never appeared.”
+
+“I am very sorry for it, madam.”
+
+“What! you regret the absence of the rivals who are so evidently
+hostile to your Company?”
+
+“Madam, I am both glad and sorry that they have not come; that will
+of course puzzle you. But observe that the expected convoy from Fort
+Reliance has not arrived. It is the same with. the agents of the St
+Louis Fur Company; they might have come, and they have not done so. Not
+a single Esquimaux has visited this part of the coast during the summer
+either”—
+
+“And what do you conclude from all this?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“I conclude that it is not so easy to get to Cape Bathurst or to Fort
+Hope as we could wish.”
+
+The lady looked into the Lieutenant’s anxious face, struck with the
+melancholy and significant intonation of the word easy.
+
+“Lieutenant Hobson,” she said earnestly, “if you fear neither
+men nor animals, I must conclude that your anxiety has reference to the
+elements.”
+
+“Madam,” he replied, “I do not know if my spirit be broken, or if
+my presentiments blind me, but there seems to me to be something uncanny
+about this district. If I had known it better I should not have
+settled down in it. I have already called your attention to certain
+peculiarities, which to me appear inexplicable; the total absence of
+stones everywhere, and the clear-cut line of the coast. I can’t make
+out about the primitive formation of this end of the continent. I
+know that the vicinity of a volcano may cause some phenomena; but you
+remember what I said to you on the subject of the tides?”
+
+“Oh yes, perfectly.”
+
+“Where the sea ought according to the observations of explorers in
+these latitudes, to have risen fifteen or twenty feet, it has scarcely
+risen one !”
+
+“Yes; but that you accounted for by the irregular distribution of land
+and the narrowness of the straits.”
+
+“I tried to account for it, that is all,” replied Hobson; “but the
+day before yesterday I noticed a still more extraordinary phenomenon,
+which I cannot even try to explain, and I doubt if the greatest savants
+could do so either.”
+
+Mrs Barnett looked inquiringly at Hobson.
+
+“What has happened?” she exclaimed.
+
+“Well, the day before yesterday, madam, when the moon was full, and
+according to the almanac the tide ought to have been very high, the sea
+did not even rise one foot, as it did before-it did not rise at all.”
+
+“Perhaps you may be mistaken observed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“I am not mistaken. I saw it with my own eyes. The day before
+yesterday, July 4th, there was positively no tide on the coast of Cape
+Bathurst.”
+
+“And what do you conclude from that?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“I conclude madam,” replied the Lieutenant, “either that the laws
+of nature are changed, or that this district is very peculiarly situated
+. . . or rather . . . I conclude nothing . . . I explain nothing . . . I
+am puzzled. . . I do not understand it; and therefore . . . therefore I
+am anxious.”
+
+Mrs Barnett asked no more questions. Evidently the total absence of
+tides was as unnatural and inexplicable as would be the absence of the
+sun from the meridian at noon. Unless the earthquake had so modified the
+conformation of the coast of the Arctic regions as to account for it-but
+no, such an idea could not be entertained by any one accustomed to note
+terrestrial phenomena.
+
+As for supposing that the Lieutenant could be mistaken in his
+observations, that was impossible; and that very day he and Mrs Barnett,
+by means of beach-marks made on the beach, ascertained beyond all doubt
+that whereas a year before the sea rose a foot, there was now no tide
+whatever.
+
+The matter was kept a profound secret, as Hobson was unwilling to render
+his companions anxious. But he might often be seen standing motionless
+and silent upon the summit of the cape, gazing across the sea, which was
+now open, and stretched away as far as the eye could reach.
+
+During the month of July hunting the furred animals was discontinued, as
+the martens, foxes, and others had already lost their winter beauty.
+No game was brought down but that required for food, such as caribous,
+Polar hares, &c., which, strange to say, instead of being scared away by
+the guns, continued to multiply near the fort. Mrs Barnett did not fail
+to note this peculiar, and, as the event proved, significant fact.
+
+No change had taken place in the situation on the 15th July. No news
+from Fort Reliance. The expected convoy did not arrive, and Hobson
+resolved to execute his project of sending to Captain Craventy, as
+Captain Craventy did not come to him.
+
+Of course none but Sergeant Long could be appointed to the command of
+the little troop, although the faithful fellow would rather not have
+been separated from his Lieutenant. A considerable time must necessarily
+elapse before he could get back to Fort Hope. He would have to pass the
+winter at Fort Reliance, and return the next summer. Eight months
+at least! It is true either Mac-Nab or Rae could have taken the
+Sergeant’s place; but then they were married, and the one being a
+master carpenter, and the other the only blacksmith, the colonists could
+not well have dispensed with their services.
+
+Such were the grounds on which the Lieutenant chose Long, and the
+Sergeant submitted with military obedience. The four soldiers elected
+to accompany him were Belcher, Pond, Petersen, and Kellet, who declared
+their readiness to start.
+
+Four sledges and their teams of dogs were told off for the service. They
+were to take a good stock of provisions, and the most valuable of the
+furs. Foxes, ermines, martens, swans, lynxes, musk-rats, gluttons, &c.,
+all contributed to the precious convoy. The start was fixed for the
+morning of the 19th July, the day after the eclipse. Of course Thomas
+Black was to accompany the Sergeant, and one sledge was to convoy his
+precious person and instruments.
+
+The worthy savant endured agonies of suspense in the few days preceding
+the phenomenon which he awaited with so much impatience. He might well
+be anxious; for one day it was fine and another wet, now mists obscured
+the sun, or thick fogs hid it all together; and the wind veered to every
+point of the horizon with provoking fickleness and uncertainty. What
+if during the few moments of the eclipse the queen of the night and the
+great orb of day should be wrapped in an opaque cloud at the critical
+moment, so that he, the astronomer, Thomas Black, come so far to watch
+the phenomenon, should be unable to see the luminous corona or the red
+prominences! How terrible would be the disappointment! How many dangers,
+how much suffering, how much fatigue, would have been gone through in
+vain !
+
+“To have come so far to see the moon, and not to see it!” he cried
+in a comically piteous tone.
+
+No, he could not face the thought and early of an evening he would climb
+to the summit of the cape and gaze into the heavens. The fair Phoebe
+was nowhere to be seen; for it being three days before new moon, she was
+accompanying the sun in his daily course, and her light was quenched in
+his beams.
+
+Many a time did Thomas Black relieve his over-burdened heart by pouring
+out his troubles to Mrs Barnett. The good lady felt sincerely sorry
+for him, and one day, anxious to reassure him, she told him that the
+barometer showed a certain tendency to rise, and reminded him that they
+were in the fine season.
+
+The fine season !” cried the poor astronomer” shrugging his
+shoulders. “Who can speak of a fine season in such a country as
+this?”
+
+“Well, but, Mr Black,” said Mrs Barnett, “suppose, for the sake
+of argument, that you miss this eclipse by any unlucky chance, I suppose
+there will be another some day. The eclipse of July 18th will not be the
+last of this century.”
+
+“No, madam, no,” returned Black; “there will be five more total
+eclipses of the sun before 1900. One on the 31st December 1861, which
+will be total for the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Sahara
+Desert; a second on the 22d December 1870, total for the Azores, the
+south of Spain, Algeria, Sicily, and Turkey; a third on the 19th August
+1887, total for the north-east of Germany, the south of Russia, and
+Central Asia; a fourth on the 9th April 1896, visible in Greenland,
+Lapland, and Siberia; and lastly, a fifth on the 28th May 1900, which
+will be total for the United States, Spain, Algeria, and
+
+Egypt.”
+
+“Well, Mr Black,” resumed Mrs Barnett, “if you lose the eclipse of
+the 18th July 1860, you can console yourself by looking forward to that
+of the 31st December 1861. It will only be seventeen months !”
+
+“I can console myself, madam,” said the astronomer gravely, “by
+looking forward to that of 1896. I shall have to wait not seventeen
+months but thirty-six years !”
+
+“May I ask why?”
+
+“Because of all the eclipses, it alone-that of 9th August 1896-will
+be total for places in high latitudes, such as Lapland, Siberia, or
+Greenland.”
+
+“But what is the special interest of an observation taken in these
+elevated latitudes?”
+
+“What special interest?” cried Thomas Black; why, a scientific
+interest of the highest importance. Eclipses have very rarely been
+watched near the Pole, where the sun, being very little above the
+horizon, is considerably increased in size. The disc of the moon which
+is to intervene between us and the sun is subject to a similar apparent
+extension, and therefore it may be that the red prominences and the
+luminous corona can be more thoroughly examined This, madam, is why
+I have travelled all this distance to watch the eclipse above the
+seventieth parallel. A similar opportunity will not occur until 1896,
+and who can tell if I shall be alive then?”
+
+To this burst of enthusiasm there was no reply to be made; and the
+astronomer’s anxiety and depression increased, for the inconstant
+weather seemed more and more disposed to play him some ill-natured
+trick.
+
+It was very fine on the 16th July, but the next day it was cloudy and
+misty and Thomas Black became really ill. The feverish state he had been
+in for so long seemed likely to result in a serious illness. Mrs Barnett
+and Hobson tried in vain to soothe him, and Sergeant Long and the others
+could not understand how it was possible to be so unhappy for love of
+the moon.”
+
+At last the great day-the 18th July-dawned. According to the
+calculations of astronomers, the total eclipse was to last four minutes
+thirty-seven seconds-that is to say, from forty-three minutes fifteen
+seconds past eleven to forty-seven minutes fifty-seven seconds past
+eleven A.M.
+
+“What do I ask? what do I ask?” moaned the astronomer, tearing his
+hair. “Only one little corner of the sky free from clouds! only the
+small space in which the eclipse is to take place ! And for how long?
+For four short minutes! After that, let it snow, let it thunder, let the
+elements break loose in fury, I should care no more for it all than a
+snail for a chronometer.”
+
+It is not to be denied that Thomas Black had some grounds for his
+fears. It really seemed likely that observations would be impossible. At
+daybreak the horizon was shrouded in mists Heavy clouds were coming up
+from the south, and covering the very portion of the sky in which the
+eclipse was to take place. But doubtless the patron saint of astronomers
+had pity on poor Black, for towards eight o’clock a slight wind arose
+and swept the mists and clouds from the sky, leaving it bright and
+clear!
+
+A cry of gratitude burst from the lips of the astronomer, and his heart
+beat high with newly-awakened hope. The sun shone brightly, and the
+moon, so soon to darken it, was as yet invisible in its glorious beams.
+
+Thomas Black’s instruments were already carefully placed on the
+promontory, and having pointed them towards the southern horizon, he
+awaited the event with calmness restored, and the coolness necessary for
+taking his observation. What was there left to fear?
+
+Nothing, unless it was that the sky might fall upon his head! At nine
+o’clock there was not a cloud, not a vapour left upon the sky from the
+zenith to the horizon. Never were circumstances more favourable to an
+astronomical observation.
+
+The whole party were anxious to take part in the observation, and all
+gathered round the astronomer on Cape Bathurst. Gradually the sun rose
+above the horizon, describing an extended arc above the vast plain
+stretching away to the south. No one spoke, but awaited the eclipse in
+solemn silence.
+
+Towards half-past nine the eclipse commenced The disc of the moon
+seemed to graze that of the sun. But the moon’s shadow was not to
+fall completely on the earth, hiding the sun, until between forty three
+minutes past eleven and forty-seven minutes fifty-seven seconds past
+eleven. That was the time fixed in the almanacs, and every one knows
+that no error can creep into them, established, verified, and controlled
+as they are by the scientific men of all the observatories in the world.
+
+The astronomer had brought a good many glasses with him, and he
+distributed them amongst his companions, that all might watch the
+progress of the phenomenon without injury to the eyes.
+
+The brown disc of the moon gradually advanced, and terrestrial objects
+began to assume a peculiar orange hue, whilst the atmosphere on tire
+zenith completely changed colour. At a quarter-past ten half the disc
+of the sun was darkened, and a few dogs which happened to be at liberty
+showed signs of uneasiness and howled piteously. The wild ducks,
+thinking night had come, began to utter sleepy calls -and to seek their
+nests, and the mothers gathered their little ones under their wings. The
+hush of eventide fell upon all animated nature.
+
+At eleven o’clock two-thirds of the sun were covered, and all
+terrestrial objects became a kind of vinous red. A gloomy twilight set
+in, to be succeeded during the four minutes of totality by absolute
+darkness. A few planets, amongst t others Mercury and Venus, began
+to appear, and some constellations—Caplet, [symbol] and [symbol] of
+Taurus, and [symbol] of Orion. The darkness deepened every moment.
+
+Thomas Black remained motionless with his eye glued to the glass of
+his instrument, eagerly watching the progress of the phenomenon. At
+forty-three minutes past eleven the discs of the two luminaries ought
+to be exactly opposite to each other, that of the moon completely hiding
+that of the sun.
+
+“Forty-three minutes past eleven,” announced Hobson, who was
+attentively watching the minute hand of his chronometer.
+
+Thomas Black remained motionless, stooping over his instrument. Half a
+minute passed, and then the astronomer [astonomer] drew himself up,
+with eyes distended and eager. Once more he bent over the telescope, and
+cried in a choked voice—
+
+“She is going! she is going! The moon, the moon is going! She is
+disappearing, running away !”
+
+True enough the disc of the moon was gliding away from that of the sun
+without having completely covered it !
+
+The astronomer had fallen backwards, completely overcome. The four
+minutes were past. The luminous corona had not appeared !
+
+“What is the matter?” inquired Hobson.
+
+“The matter is,” screamed the poor astronomer, “that the eclipse
+was not total-not total for this portion of the globe! Do you hear? It
+was not to-t-a-1! I say not to-t-a-l! !”
+
+“Then your almanacs are incorrect.”
+
+“Incorrect! Don’t tell that to me, if you please, Lieutenant Hobson
+!”
+
+“But what then?” said Hobson, suddenly changing countenance.
+
+“Why,” said Black, “we are not after all on the seventieth
+parallel !”
+
+“Only fancy !” cried Mrs Barnett.
+
+“We can soon prove it,” said the astronomer whose eyes flashed with
+rage and disappointment. “The sun will pass the meridian in a few
+minutes. . . . My sextant-quick . . . make haste !”
+
+One of the soldiers rushed to the house and fetched the instrument
+required.
+
+The astronomer pointed it upon the sun; he watched the orb of day pass
+the meridian, and rapidly noted down a few calculations.
+
+“What was the situation of Cape Bathurst a year ago when we took the
+latitude?” he inquired.
+
+“Seventy degrees, forty-four minutes, and thirty-seven seconds,”
+replied Hobson.
+
+“Well, sir, it is now seventy-three degrees, seven minutes, and twenty
+seconds! You see we are not under the seventieth parallel !
+
+“Or rather we are no longer there !” muttered Hobson.
+
+A sudden light had broken in upon his mind, all the phenomena hitherto
+so inexplicable were now explained.
+
+Cape Bathurst had drifted three degrees farther north since the arrival
+of the Lieutenant and his companions !
+
+End of Part I PART II CONTENTS. I.
+
+A Floating Fort
+
+II.
+
+Where Are We?
+
+III.
+
+A Tour Of The Island
+
+IV.
+
+A Night Encampment
+
+V.
+
+From July 25th To August 20th
+
+VI.
+
+Ten Days Of Tempest
+
+VII.
+
+A Fire And A Cry
+
+VIII.
+
+Mrs. Paulina Barnett’s Excursion
+
+IX.
+
+Kalumah’s Adventures
+
+X.
+
+The Kamtchatka Current
+
+XI.
+
+A Communication From Lieutenant Hobson
+
+XII.
+
+A Chance To Be Tried
+
+XIII.
+
+Across The Ice-Field
+
+XIV.
+
+The Winter Months
+
+XV.
+
+A Last Exploring Expedition
+
+XVI.
+
+The Break-Up Of The Ice
+
+XVII.
+
+The Avalanche
+
+XVIII.
+
+All At Work
+
+XIX.
+
+Behring Sea
+
+XX.
+
+In The Offing
+
+XXI.
+
+The Island Becomes An Isle
+
+XXII.
+
+The Four Following Days
+
+XXIII.
+
+On A Piece Of Ice
+
+XXIV.
+
+Conclusion
+
+
+CHAPTER I. A FLOATING FORT. And so Fort Hope, founded by Lieutenant
+Hobson on the borders of the Polar Sea, had drifted! Was the courageous
+agent of the Company to blame for this? No; any one might have been
+deceived as he had been. No human prevision could have foreseen such a
+calamity. He meant to build upon a rock, and he had not even built upon
+sand. The peninsula of Victoria, which the best maps of English America
+join to the American continent, had been torn suddenly away from it.
+This peninsula was in fact nothing but an immense piece of ice, five
+hundred square miles in extent, converted by successive deposits of sand
+and earth into apparently solid ground well clothed with vegetation.
+Connected with the mainland for thousands of centuries, the earthquake
+of the 8th of January had dragged it away from its moorings, and it was
+now a floating island, at the mercy of the winds and waves, and had been
+carried along the Arctic Ocean by powerful currents for the last three
+months!
+
+Yes, Fort Hope was built upon ice! Hobson at once understood the
+mysterious change in their latitude. The isthmus—that is to say,
+the neck of land which connected the peninsula of Victoria with
+the mainland—had been snapped in two by a subterranean convulsion
+connected with the eruption of the volcano some months before. As long
+as the northern winter continued, the frozen sea maintained things as
+they were; but when the thaw came, when the ice fields, melted beneath
+the rays of the sun, and the huge icebergs, driven out into the offing,
+drew back to the farthest limits of the horizon—when the sea at last
+became open, the whole peninsula drifted away, with its woods, its
+cliffs, its promontories, its inland lagoon, and its coast-line, under
+the influence of a current about which nothing was known. For months
+this drifting had been going on unnoticed by the colonists, who even
+when hunting did not go far from Fort Hope. Beach-marks, if they had
+been made, would have been useless; for heavy mists obscured everything
+at a short distance, the ground remained apparently firm and motionless,
+and there was, in short, nothing to hint to the Lieutenant and his men
+that they had become islanders. The position of the new island with
+regard to the rising and setting of the sun was the same as before. Had
+the cardinal points changed their position, had the island turned round,
+the Lieutenant, the astronomer, or Mrs Barnett, would certainly have
+noticed and understood the change; but in its course the island had thus
+far followed a parallel of latitude, and its motion, though rapid, had
+been imperceptible.
+
+Although Hobson had no doubt of the moral and physical courage and
+determination of his companions, he determined not to acquaint them
+with the truth. It would be time enough to tell them of their altered
+position when it had been thoroughly studied. Fortunately the good
+fellows, soldiers or workmen, took little notice of the astronomical
+observations, and not being able to see the consequences involved, they
+did not trouble themselves about the change of latitude just announced.
+
+The Lieutenant determined to conceal his anxiety, and seeing no remedy
+for the misfortune, mastered his emotion by a strong effort, and tried
+to console Thomas Black, who was lamenting his disappointment and
+tearing his hair.
+
+The astronomer had no doubt about the misfortune of which he was the
+victim. Not having, like the Lieutenant, noticed the peculiarities
+of the district, he did not look beyond the one fact in which he was
+interested: on the day fixed, at the time named, the moon had not
+completely eclipsed the sun. And what could he conclude but that, to the
+disgrace of observatories, the almanacs were false, and that the long
+desired eclipse, his own eclipse, Thomas Black’s, which he had come
+so far and through so many dangers to see, had not been “total” for
+this particular district under the seventieth parallel! No, no, it was
+impossible to believe it; he could not face the terrible certainty, and
+he was overwhelmed with disappointment. He was soon to learn the truth,
+however.
+
+Meanwhile Hobson let his men imagine that the failure of the eclipse
+could only interest himself and the astronomer, and they returned to
+their ordinary occupations; but as they were leaving, Corporal Joliffe
+stopped suddenly and said, touching his cap—
+
+“May I ask you one question, sir?”
+
+“Of course, Corporal; say on,” replied the Lieutenant, who wondered
+what was coming.
+
+But Joliffe hesitated, and his little wife nudged his elbow.
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” resumed the Corporal, “it’s just about
+the seventieth degree of latitude—if we are not where we thought we
+were.”
+
+The Lieutenant frowned.
+
+“Well,” he replied evasively, “we made a mistake in our reckoning,
+... our first observation was wrong; ... but what does that concern
+you?”
+
+“Please, sir, it’s because of the pay,” replied Joliffe with
+a scowl. “You know well enough that the Company promised us double
+pay.”
+
+Hobson drew a sigh of relief. It will be remembered that the men had
+been promised higher pay if they succeeded in settling on or above the
+seventieth degree north latitude, and Joliffe, who always had an eye to
+the main chance, had looked upon the whole matter from a monetary point
+of view, and was afraid the bounty would be withheld.
+
+“You needn’t be afraid,” said Hobson with a smile; “and you can
+tell your brave comrades that our mistake, which is really inexplicable,
+will not in the least prejudice your interests. We are not below, but
+above the seventieth parallel, and so you will get your double pay.”
+
+“Thank you, sir, thank you,” replied Joliffe with a beaming face.
+“It isn’t that we think much about money, but that the money sticks
+to us.”
+
+And with this sage remark the men drew off, little dreaming what a
+strange and fearful change had taken place in the position of the
+country.
+
+Sergeant Long was about to follow the others when Hobson stopped him
+with the words—
+
+“Remain here, Sergeant Long.”
+
+The subordinate officer turned on his heel and waited for the Lieutenant
+to address him.
+
+All had now left the cape except Mrs Barnett, Madge, Thomas Black, and
+the two officers.
+
+Since the eclipse Mrs Barnett had not uttered a word. She looked
+inquiringly at Hobson, who tried to avoid meeting her eyes.
+
+For some time not another word was spoken. All involuntarily turned
+towards the south, where the broken isthmus was situated; but from their
+position they could only see the sea horizon on the north. Had Cape
+Bathurst been situated a few hundred feet more above the level of the
+ocean, they would have been able at a glance to ascertain the limits of
+their island home.
+
+All were deeply moved at the sight of Fort Hope and all its occupants
+borne away from all solid ground, and floating at the mercy of winds and
+waves.
+
+“Then, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett at last, “all the strange
+phenomena you observed are now explained!”
+
+“Yes, madam,” he replied, “everything is explained. The peninsula
+of Victoria, now an island, which we thought firm ground with an
+immovable foundation, is nothing more than a vast sheet of ice welded
+for centuries to the American continent. Gradually the wind has strewn
+it with earth and sand, and scattered over them the seeds from which
+have sprung the trees and mosses with which it is clothed. Rain-water
+filled the lagoon, and produced the little river; vegetation transformed
+the appearance of the ground; but beneath the lake, beneath the soil
+of earth and sand—in a word, beneath our feet is a foundation of ice,
+which floats upon the water by reason of its being specifically lighter
+than it. Yes, it is a sheet of ice which bears us up, and is carrying us
+away, and this is why we have not found a single flint or stone upon its
+surface. This is why its shores are perpendicular, this is why we found
+ice ten feet below the surface when we dug the reindeer pit—this, in
+short, is why the tide was not noticeable on the peninsula, which rose
+and sank with the ebb and flow of the waves!”
+
+“Everything is indeed explained,” said Mrs Barnett, “and your
+presentiments did not deceive you; but can you explain why the tides,
+which do not affect us at all now, were to a slight extent perceptible
+on our arrival?”
+
+“Simply because, madam, on our arrival the peninsula was still
+connected by means of its flexible isthmus with the American continent.
+It offered a certain resistance to the current, and on its northern
+shores the tide rose two feet beyond low-water mark, instead of the
+twenty we reasonably expected. But from the moment when the earthquake
+broke the connecting link, from the moment when the peninsula became an
+island free from all control, it rose and sank with the ebb and flow of
+the tide; and, as we noticed together at full moon a few days ago, no
+sensible difference was produced on our shores.”
+
+In spite of his despair, Thomas Black listened attentively to
+Hobson’s explanations, and could not but see the reasonableness of his
+deductions, but he was furious at such a rare, unexpected, and, as he
+said, “ridiculous” phenomenon occurring just so as to make him
+miss the eclipse, and he said not a word, but maintained a gloomy, even
+haughty silence.
+
+“Poor Mr Black,” said Mrs Barnett, “it must be owned that an
+astronomer was never more hardly used than you since the world began!”
+
+“In any case, however,” said Hobson, turning to her, “we have
+neither of us anything to reproach ourselves with. No one can find
+fault with us. Nature alone is to blame. The earthquake cut off our
+communication with the mainland, and converted our peninsula into a
+floating island, and this explains why the furred and other animals
+imprisoned like ourselves, have become so numerous round the fort!”
+
+“This, too, is why the rivals you so much dreaded have not visited us,
+Lieutenant!” exclaimed Madge.
+
+“And this,” added the Sergeant, “accounts for the non-arrival of
+the convoy sent to Cape Bathurst by Captain Craventy.”
+
+“And this is why,” said Mrs. Barnett, looking at the Lieutenant,
+“I must give up all hope of returning to Europe this year at least!”
+
+The tone of voice in which the lady made this last remark showed that
+she resigned herself to her fate more readily than could have been
+expected. She seemed suddenly to have made up her mind to make the best
+of the situation, which would no doubt give her an opportunity of making
+a great many interesting observations. And after all, what good would
+grumbling have done? Recriminations were worse than useless. They could
+not have altered their position, or have checked the course of the
+wandering island, and there was no means of reuniting it to a continent.
+No; God alone could decide the future of Fort Hope. They must bow to His
+will.
+
+CHAPTER II. WHERE ARE WE? It was necessary carefully to study the
+unexpected and novel situation in which the agents of the Company now
+found themselves, and Hobson did so with his chart before him.
+
+He could not ascertain the longitude of Victoria Island—the original
+name being retained—until the next day, and the latitude had
+already been taken. For the longitude, the altitude of the sun must be
+ascertained before and after noon, and two hour angles must be measured.
+
+At two o’clock P.M. Hobson and Black took the height of the sun above
+the horizon with the sextant, and they hoped to recommence the same
+operation the next morning towards ten o’clock A.M., so as to be able
+to infer from the two altitudes obtained the exact point of the Arctic
+Ocean then occupied by their island.
+
+The party did not, however, at once return to the fort, but remained
+talking together for some little time on the promontory. Madge declared
+she was quite resigned, and evidently thought only of her mistress, at
+whom she could not look without emotion; she could not bear to think of
+the sufferings and trials her “dear girl” might have to go through
+in the future. She was ready to lay down her life for “Paulina,” but
+what good could that do now. She knew, however, that Mrs Barnett was not
+a woman to sink under her misfortunes, and indeed at present there was
+really no need for any one to despair.
+
+There was no immediate danger to be dreaded, and a catastrophe might
+even yet be avoided. This Hobson carefully explained to his companions.
+
+Two dangers threatened the island floating along the coast of North
+America, only two.
+
+It would be drawn by the currents of the open sea to the high Polar
+latitudes, from which there is no return.
+
+Or the current would take it to the south, perhaps through the Behring
+Strait into the Pacific Ocean.
+
+In the former contingency, the colonists, shut in by ice and surrounded
+by impassable icebergs, would have no means of communication with their
+fellow-creatures, and would die of cold and hunger in the solitudes of
+the north.
+
+In the latter contingency, Victoria Island, driven by the currents to
+the western waters of the Pacific, would gradually melt and go to pieces
+beneath the feet of its inhabitants.
+
+In either case death would await the Lieutenant and his companions, and
+the fort, erected at the cost of so much labour and suffering, would be
+destroyed.
+
+But it was scarcely probable that either of these events would happen.
+The season was already considerably advanced, and in less than three
+months the sea would again be rendered motion less by the icy hand of
+the Polar winter. The ocean would again be converted into an ice-field,
+and by means of sledges they might get to the nearest land—the coast
+of Russian America if the island remained in the east, or the coast of
+Asia if it were driven to the west.
+
+“For,” added Hobson, “we have absolutely no control over our
+floating island. Having no sail to hoist, as in a boat, we cannot guide
+it in the least. Where it takes us we must go.”
+
+All that Hobson said was clear, concise, and to the point. There could
+be no doubt that the bitter cold of winter would solder Victoria Island
+to the vast ice-field, and it was highly probable that it would drift
+neither too far north nor too far eouth. To have to cross a few hundred
+miles of ice was no such terrible prospect for brave and resolute
+men accustomed to long excursions in the Arctic regions. It would be
+necessary, it was true, to abandon Fort Hope—the object of so many
+hopes, and to lose the benefit of all their exertions, but what of that?
+The factory, built upon a shifting soil, could be of no further use to
+the Company. Sooner or later it would be swallowed up by the ocean, and
+what was the good of useless regrets? It must, therefore, be deserted as
+soon as circumstances should permit.
+
+The only thing against the safety of the colonists was—and the
+Lieutenant dwelt long on this point—that during the eight or nine
+weeks which must elapse before the solidification of the Arctic Ocean,
+Victoria Island might be dragged too far north or south.
+
+Arctic explorers had often told of pieces of ice being drifted an
+immense distance without any possibility of stopping them.
+
+Everything then depended on the force and direction of the currents from
+the opening of Behring Strait; and it would be necessary carefully to
+ascertain all that a chart of the Arctic Ocean could tell. Hobson had
+such a chart, and invited all who were with him on the cape to come to
+his room and look at it; but before going down to the fort he once more
+urged upon them the necessity of keeping their situation a secret.
+
+“It is not yet desperate,” he said, “and it is therefore quite
+unnecessary to damp the spirits of our comrades, who will perhaps not be
+able to understand, as we do, all the chances in our favour.”
+
+“Would it not be prudent to build a boat large enough to hold us
+all, and strong enough to carry us a few hundred miles over the sea?”
+observed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“It would be prudent certainly,” said Hobson, “and we will do it.
+I must think of some pretext for beginning the work at once, and give
+the necessary orders to the head carpenter. But taking to a boat can
+only be a forlorn hope when everything else has failed. We must try all
+we can to avoid being on the island when the ice breaks up, and we must
+make for the mainland as soon as ever the sea is frozen over.”
+
+Hobson was right. It would take about three months to build a thirty
+or thirty-five ton vessel, and the sea would not be open when it was
+finished. It would be very dangerous to embark the whole party when
+the ice was breaking up all round, and he would be well out of his
+difficulties if he could get across the ice to firm ground before the
+next thaw set in. This was why Hobson thought a boat a forlorn hope, a
+desperate makeshift, and every one agreed with him.
+
+Secrecy was once more promised, for it was felt that Hobson was the best
+judge of the matter, and a few minutes later the five conspirators were
+seated together in the large room of Fort Hope, which was then deserted,
+eagerly examining an excellent map of the oceanic and atmospheric
+currents of the Arctic Ocean, special attention being naturally given to
+that part of the Polar Sea between Cape Bathurst and Behring Strait.
+
+Two principal currents divide the dangerous latitudes comprehended
+between the Polar Circle and the imperfectly known zone, called the
+North-West Passage since McClure’s daring discovery—at least only
+two have been hitherto noticed by marine surveyors.
+
+One is called the Kamtchatka Current. It takes its rise in the offing
+outside the peninsula of that name, follows the coast of Asia, and
+passes through Behring Strait, touching Cape East, a promontory of
+Siberia. After running due north for about six hundred miles from the
+strait, it turns suddenly to the east, pretty nearly following the same
+parallel as McClure’s Passage, and probably doing much to keep that
+communication open for a few mouths in the warm season.
+
+The other current, called Behring Current, flows just the other way.
+After running from east to west at about a hundred miles at the
+most from the coast, it comes into collision, so to speak, with the
+Kamtchatka Current at the opening of the strait, and turning to the
+south approaches the shores of Russian America, crosses Behring Sea,
+and finally breaks on the kind of circular dam formed by the Aleutian
+Islands.
+
+Hobson’s map gave a very exact summary of the most recent nautical
+observations, so that it could be relied on.
+
+The Lieutenant examined it carefully before speaking, and then pressing
+his hand to his head, as if oppressed by some sad presentiment, he
+observed—
+
+“Let us hope that fate will not take us to remote northern latitudes.
+Our wandering island would run a risk of never returning.”
+
+“Why, Lieutenant?” broke in Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Why, madam?” replied Hobson; “look well at this part of the
+Arctic Ocean, and you will readily understand why. Two currents, both
+dangerous for us, run opposite ways. When they meet, the island must
+necessarily become stationary, and that at a great distance from any
+land. At that point it will have to remain for the winter, and when the
+next thaw sets in, it will either follow the Kamtchatka Current to
+the deserted regions of the north-west, or it will float down with the
+Behring Current to be swallowed up by the Pacific Ocean.”
+
+“That will not happen, Lieutenant,” said Madge in a tone of earnest
+conviction; “God would never permit that.”
+
+“I can’t make out,” said Mrs Barnett, “whereabouts in the Polar
+Sea we are at this moment; for I see but one current from the offing of
+Cape Bathurst which bears directly to the north-west, and that is the
+dangerous Kamtchatka Current. Are you not afraid that it has us in
+its fatal embrace, and is carrying us with it to the shores of North
+Georgia?”
+
+“I think not,” replied Hobson, after a moment’s reflection.
+
+“Why not?”
+
+“Because it is a very rapid current, madam; and if we had been
+following it for three months, we should have had some land in sight by
+this time, and there is none, absolutely none!”
+
+“Where, then, do you suppose we are?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Most likely between the Kamtchatka Current and the coast, perhaps in
+some vast eddy unmarked upon the map.”
+
+“That cannot be, Lieutenant,” replied Mrs Barnett, quickly.
+
+“Why not, madam, why not?”
+
+“Because if Victoria Island were in an eddy, it would have veered
+round to a certain extent, and our position with regard to the cardinal
+points would have changed in the last three months, which is certainly
+not the case.”
+
+“You are right, madam, you are quite right. The only explanation I can
+think of is, that there is some other current, not marked on our map.
+Oh, that to morrow were here that I might find out our longitude; really
+this uncertainty is terrible!”
+
+“To-morrow will come,” observed Madge.
+
+There was nothing to do but to wait. The party therefore separated,
+all returning to their ordinary occupations. Sergeant Long informed his
+comrades that the departure for Fort Reliance, fixed for the next day,
+was put off. He gave as reasons that the season was too far advanced
+to get to the southern factory before the great cold set in, that the
+astronomer was anxious to complete his meteorological observations, and
+would therefore submit to another winter in the north, that game was so
+plentiful provisions from Fort Reliance were not needed. &c., &c. But
+about all these matters the brave fellows cared little.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson ordered his men to spare the furred animals in future,
+and only to kill edible game, so as to lay up fresh stores for the
+coming winter; he also forbade them to go more than two miles from the
+fort, not wishing Marbre and Sabine to come suddenly upon a sea-horizon,
+where the isthmus connecting the peninsula of Victoria with the mainland
+was visible a few months before. The disappearance of the neck of land
+would inevitably have betrayed everything.
+
+The day appeared endless to Lieutenant Hobson. Again and again he
+returned to Cape Bathurst either alone, or accompanied by Mrs Barnett.
+The latter, inured to danger, showed no fear; she even joked the
+Lieutenant about his floating island being perhaps, after all, the
+proper conveyance for going to the North Pole. “With a favourable
+current might they not reach that hitherto inaccessible point of the
+globe?”
+
+Lieutenant Hobson shook his head as he listened to his companion’s
+fancy, and kept his eyes fixed upon the horizon, hoping to catch a
+glimpse of some land, no matter what, in the distance. But no, sea and
+sky met in an absolutely unbroken circular line, confirming Hobson’s
+opinion that Victoria Island was drifting to the west rather than in any
+other direction.
+
+“Lieutenant,” at last said Mrs Barnett, “don’t you mean to make
+a tour of our island as soon as possible?”
+
+“Yes, madam, of course; as soon as I have taken our bearings, I mean
+to ascertain the form and extent of our dominions. It seems, however,
+that the fracture was made at the isthmus itself, so that the whole
+peninsula has become an island.”
+
+“A strange destiny is ours, Lieutenant,” said Mrs Barnett. “Others
+return from their travels to add new districts to geographical maps, but
+we shall have to efface the supposed peninsula of Victoria!”
+
+The next day, July 18th, the sky was very clear, and at ten o’clock
+in the morning Hobson obtained a satisfactory altitude of the sun,
+and, comparing it with that of the observation of the day before, he
+ascertained exactly the longitude in which they were.
+
+The island was then in 157° 37’ longitude west from Greenwich.
+
+The latitude obtained the day before at noon almost immediately after
+the eclipse was, as we know, 73° 7’ 20” north.
+
+The spot was looked out on the map in the presence of Mrs Barnett and
+Sergeant Long.
+
+It was indeed a most anxious moment, and the following result was
+arrived at.
+
+The wandering island was moving in a westerly direction, borne along by
+a current unmarked on the chart, and unknown to hydrographers, which was
+evidently carrying it towards Behring Strait. All the dangers foreseen
+by Hobson were then imminent, if Victoria Island did not again touch the
+mainland before the winter.
+
+“But how far are we from the American continent? that is the most
+important point just at present,” said Mrs Barnett.
+
+Hobson took his compasses, and carefully measured the narrowest part of
+the sea between the coast and the seventieth parallel.
+
+“We are actually more than two hundred and fifty miles from Point
+Barrow, the northernmost extremity of Russian America,” he replied.
+
+“We ought to know, then, how many miles the island has drifted since
+it left the mainland,” said Sergeant Long.
+
+“Seven hundred miles at least,” replied Hobson, after having again
+consulted the chart.
+
+“And at about what time do you suppose the drifting commenced?”
+
+“Most likely towards the end of April; the ice-field broke up then,
+and the icebergs which escaped melting drew back to the north. We may,
+therefore, conclude that Victoria Island has been moving along with
+the current parallel with the coast at an average rate of ten miles a
+day.”
+
+“No very rapid pace after all!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Too fast, madam, when you think where we may be taken during the
+two months in which the sea will remain open in this part of the Arctic
+Ocean.”
+
+The three friends remained silent, and looked fixedly at the chart of
+the fearful Polar regions, towards which they were being irresistibly
+drawn, and which have hitherto successfully resisted all attempts to
+explore them.
+
+“There is, then, nothing to be done? Nothing to try?” said Mrs
+Barnett after a pause.
+
+“Nothing, madam,” replied Hobson; “nothing whatever. We must wait;
+we must all pray for the speedy arrival of the Arctic winter generally
+so much dreaded by sailors, but which alone can save us now. The winter
+will bring ice, our only anchor of salvation, the only power which can
+arrest the course of this wandering island.”
+
+CHAPTER III. A TOUR OF THE ISLAND. From that day, July 18th, it was
+decided that the bearings should be taken as on board a vessel whenever
+the state of the atmosphere rendered the operation possible. Was not the
+island, in fact, a disabled ship, tossed about without sails or helm.
+
+The next day after taking the bearings, Hobson announced that without
+change of latitude the island had advanced several miles farther west.
+Mac-Nab was ordered to commence the construction of a huge boat, Hobson
+telling him, in explanation, that he proposed making a reconnaissance of
+the coast as far as Russian America next summer. The carpenter asked no
+further questions, but proceeded to choose his wood, and fixed upon the
+beach at the foot of Cape Bathurst as his dockyard, so that he might
+easily be able to launch his vessel.
+
+Hobson intended to set out the same day on his excursion round the
+island in which he and his comrades were imprisoned. Many changes might
+take place in the configuration of this sheet of ice, subject as it was
+to the influence of the variable temperature of the waves, and it was
+important to determine its actual form at the present time, its area,
+and its thickness in different parts. The point of rupture, which was
+most likely at the isthmus itself, ought to be examined with special
+care; the fracture being still fresh, it might be possible to ascertain
+the exact arrangement of the stratified layers of ice and earth of which
+the soil of the island was composed.
+
+But in the afternoon the sky clouded over suddenly, and a violent
+squall, accompanied with thick mists, swept down upon the fort.
+Presently torrents of rain fell, and large hailstones rattled on the
+roof, whilst a few distant claps of thunder were heard, a phenomenon of
+exceedingly rare occurrence in such elevated latitudes.
+
+Hobson was obliged to put off his trip, and wait until the fury of the
+elements abated, but during the 20th, 2lst, and 22d July, no change
+occurred. The storm raged, the floods of heaven were let loose, and the
+waves broke upon the beach with a deafening roar. Liquid avalanches were
+flung with such force upon Cape Bathurst, that there was reason to
+dread that it might give way; its stability was, in fact, somewhat
+problematical, as it consisted merely of an aggregation of sand and
+earth, without any firm foundation. Vessels at sea might well be pitied
+in this fearful gale, but the floating island was of too vast a bulk to
+be affected by the agitation of the waves, and remained indifferent to
+their fury.
+
+During the night of the 22d July the tempest suddenly ceased. A strong
+breeze from the north-east dispelled the last mists upon the horizon.
+The barometer rose a few degrees, and the weather appeared likely to
+favour Hobson’s expedition.
+
+He was to be accompanied by Mrs Barnett and Sergeant Long, and expected
+to be absent a day or two. The little party took some salt meat,
+biscuits, and a few flasks of rum with them, and there was nothing in
+their excursion to surprise the rest of the colonists. The days were
+just then very long, the sun only disappearing below the horizon for a
+few hours.
+
+There were no wild animals to be feared now. The bears seemed to have
+fled by instinct from the peninsula whilst it was still connected with
+the mainland, but to neglect no precaution each of the three explorers
+was provided with a gun. The Lieutenant and his subordinate also carried
+hatchets and ice-chisels, which a traveller in the Polar regions should
+never be without.
+
+During the absence of the Lieutenant and the Sergeant, the command of
+the fort fell to Corporal Joliffe, or rather to his little wife, and
+Hobson knew that he could trust her. Thomas Black could not be depended
+on; he would not even join the exploring party; he promised, however,
+to watch the northern latitudes very carefully, and to note any change
+which should take place in the sea or the position of the cape during
+the absence of the Lieutenant.
+
+Mrs Barnett had endeavoured to reason with the unfortunate astronomer,
+but he would listen to nothing. He felt that Nature had deceived him,
+and that he could never forgive her.
+
+After many a hearty farewell, the Lieutenant and his two companions left
+the fort by the postern gate, and, turning to the west, followed the
+lengthened curve of the coast between Capes Bathurst and Esquimaux.
+
+It was eight o’clock in the morning; the oblique rays of the sun
+struck upon the beach, and touched it with many a brilliant tint,
+the angry billows of the sea were sinking to rest, and the birds,
+ptarmigans, guillemots, puffins, and petrels, driven away by the storm,
+were returning by thousands. Troops of ducks were hastening back to Lake
+Barnett, flying close, although they knew it not, to Mrs Joliffe’s
+saucepan. Polar hares, martens, musk rats, and ermines rose before the
+travellers and fled at their approach, but not with any great appearance
+of haste or terror. The animals evidently felt drawn towards their old
+enemies by a common danger.
+
+“They know well enough that they are hemmed in by the sea and cannot
+quit the island,” observed Hobson.
+
+“They are all in the habit of seeking warmer climates in the south in
+the winter, are they not?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes, madam, but unless they are presently able to cross the
+ice-field, they will have to remain prisoners like ourselves, and I am
+afraid the greater number will die of cold or hunger.
+
+“I hope they will be good enough to supply us with food for a long
+time,” observed the Sergeant,” and I think it is very fortunate that
+they had not the sense to run away before the rupture of the isthmus.”
+
+“The birds will, however, leave us?” added Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Oh yes, madam, everything with wings will go, they can traverse long
+distances without fatigue, and, more fortunate than ourselves, they will
+regain terra firma.”
+
+“Could we not use them as messengers?” asked Mrs Barnett.
+
+“A good idea, madam, a capital idea,” said Hobson. “We might
+easily catch some hundreds of these birds, and tie a paper round their
+necks with our exact situation written upon it. John Ross in 1848 tried
+similar means to acquaint the survivors of the Franklin expedition with
+the presence of his ships, the Enterprise and the Investigator in the
+Polar seas. He caught some hundreds of white foxes in traps, rivetted a
+copper collar round the neck of each with all the necessary information
+engraved upon it, and then set them free in every direction.”
+
+“Perhaps some of the messengers may have fallen into the hands of the
+shipwrecked wanderers.”
+
+“Perhaps so,” replied Hobson; “I know that an old fox was taken by
+Captain Hatteras during his voyage of discovery, wearing a collar half
+worn away and hidden beneath his thick white fur. What we cannot do with
+the quadrupeds, we will do with the birds.”
+
+Chatting thus and laying plans for the future, the three explorers
+continued to follow the coast. They noticed no change; the abrupt cliffs
+covered with earth and sand showed no signs of a recent alteration in
+the extent of the island. It was, however, to be feared that the vast
+sheet of ice would be worn away at the base by the action of the warm
+currents, and on this point Hobson was naturally anxious.
+
+By eleven o’clock in the morning the eight miles between Capes
+Bathurst and Esquimaux had been traversed. A few traces of the
+encampment of Kalumah’s party still remained; of course the snow huts
+had entirely disappeared, but some cinders and walrus bones marked the
+spot.
+
+The three explorers halted here for a short time, they intended to pass
+the few short hours of the night at Walruses’ Bay, which they hoped
+to reach In a few hours. They breakfasted seated on a slightly rising
+ground covered with a scanty and stunted herbage. Before their eyes lay
+the ocean bounded by a clearly-defined sea-horizon, without a sail or an
+iceberg to break the monotony of the vast expanse of water.
+
+“Should you be very much surprised if some vessel came In sight now,
+Lieutenant?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
+
+“I should be very agreeably surprised, madam,” replied Hobson.
+“It is not at all uncommon for whalers to come as far north as
+this, especially now that the Arctic Ocean is frequented by whales and
+chacholots, but you must remember that it is the 23rd July, and the
+summer is far advanced. The whole fleet of whaling vessels is probably
+now in Gulf Kotzebue, at the entrance to the strait. Whalers shun the
+sudden changes in the Arctic Ocean, and with good reason. They dread
+being shut in the ice; and the icebergs, avalanches, and, ice-fields
+they avoid, are the very things for which we earnestly pray.”
+
+“They will come, Lieutenant,” said Long; “have patience, in
+another two months the waves will no longer break upon the shores of
+Cape Esquimaux.”
+
+“Cape Esquimaux!” observed Mrs Barnett with a smile. “That name,
+like those we gave to the other parts of the peninsula, may turn out
+unfortunate too. We have lost Port Barnett and Paulina River; who can
+tell whether Cape Esquimaux and Walruses’ Bay may not also disappear
+in time?”
+
+“They too will disappear, madam,” replied Hobson, “and after
+them the whole of Victoria Island, for nothing now connects it with a
+continent, and it is doomed to destruction. This result is inevitable,
+and our choice of geographical names will be thrown away; but
+fortunately the Royal Society has not yet adopted them, and Sir Roderick
+Murchison will have nothing to efface on his maps.”
+
+“One name he will,” exclaimed the Sergeant.
+
+“Which?” inquired Hobson.
+
+“Cape Bathurst,” replied Long.
+
+“Ah, yes, you are right. Cape Bathurst must now be removed from maps
+of the Polar regions.”
+
+Two hours’ rest were all the explorers cared for, and at one o’clock
+they prepared to resume their journey.
+
+Before starting Hobson once more looked round him from the summit of
+Cape Esquimaux; but seeing nothing worthy of notice, he rejoined Mrs
+Barnett and Sergeant Long.
+
+“Madam,” he said, addressing the lady, “you have not forgotten the
+family of natives we met here last winter?”
+
+“Oh no, I have always held dear little Kalumah in friendly
+remembrance. She promised to come and see us again at Fort Hope, but
+she will not be able to do so. But why do you ask me about the natives
+now?”
+
+“Because I remember something to which, much to my regret, I did not
+at the time attach sufficient importance.”
+
+“What was that?”
+
+“You remember the uneasy surprise the men manifested at finding a big
+a factory at the foot of Cape Bathurst.”
+
+“Oh yes, perfectly.”
+
+“You remember that I tried to make out what the natives meant, and
+that I could not do so?”
+
+“Yes, I remember.”
+
+“Well,” added Hobsou, “I know now why they shook their heads.
+From tradition, experience, or something, the Esquimaux knew what the
+peninsula really was, they knew we had not built on firm ground. But as
+things had probably remained as they were for centuries, they thought
+there was no immediate danger, and that it was not worth while to
+explain themselves.”
+
+“Very likely you are right,” replied Mrs Barnett; “but I feel sure
+that Kalumah had no suspicion of her companion’s fears, or she would
+have warned us.”
+
+Hobson quite agreed with Mrs Barnett, and Sergeant Long observed—
+
+“It really seems to have been by a kind of fatality that we settled
+ourselves upon this peninsula just before it was torn away from the
+mainland. I suppose, Lieutenant, that it had been connected for a very
+long time, perhaps for centuries.”
+
+“You might say for thousands and thousands of years, Sergeant,”
+replied Hobson. “Remember that the soil on which we are treading
+has been brought here by the wind, little by little, that the sand has
+accumulated grain by grain! Think of the time it must have taken for the
+seeds of firs, willows, and arbutus to become shrubs and trees! Perhaps
+the sheet of ice on which we float was welded to the continent before
+the creation of man!”
+
+“Well,” cried Long, “it really might have waited a few centuries
+longer before it drifted. How much anxiety and how many dangers we might
+then have been spared!”
+
+Sergeant Long’s most sensible remark closed the conversation, and the
+journey was resumed.
+
+From Cape Esquimaux to Walruses’ Bay the coast ran almost due south,
+following the one hundred and twenty-seventh meridian. Looking behind
+them they could see one corner of the lagoon, its waters sparkling in
+the sunbeams, and a little beyond the wooded heights in which it was
+framed. Large eagles soared above their heads, their cries and the loud
+flapping of their wings breaking the stillness, and furred animals
+of many kinds, martens, polecats, ermines, &c., crouching behind some
+rising ground, or hiding amongst the stunted bushes and willows, gazed
+inquiringly at the intruders. They seemed to understand that they had
+nothing to fear. Hobson caught a glimpse of a few beavers wandering
+about, evidently ill at ease, and puzzled at the disappearance of the
+little river. With no ledges to shelter them, and no stream by which to
+build a new home, they were doomed to die of cold when the severe frost
+set in. Sergeant Long also saw a troop of wolves crossing the plain.
+
+It was evident that specimens of the whole Arctic Fauna were imprisoned
+on the island, and there was every reason to fear that, when famished
+with hunger, all the carnivorous beasts would be formidable enemies to
+the occupants of Fort Hope.
+
+Fortunately, however, one race of animals appeared to be quite
+unrepresented. Not a single white bear was seen! Once the Sergeant
+thought he saw an enormous white mass moving about on the other side
+of a clump of willows, but on close examination decided that he was
+mistaken.
+
+The coast near Walruses’ Bay was, on the whole, only slightly elevated
+above the sea-level, and in the distance the waves broke into running
+foam as they do upon a sloping beach. It was to be feared that the
+soil had little stability, but there was no means of judging of the
+modifications which had taken place since their last visit, and Hobson
+much regretted that he had not made bench marks about Cape Bathurst
+before he left, that he might judge of the amount of sinking or
+depression which took place. He determined, however, to take this
+precaution on his return.
+
+It will be understood that, under the circumstances, the party did not
+advance very rapidly. A pause was often made to examine the soil, or to
+see if there were any sign of an approaching fracture on the coast, and
+sometimes the explorers wandered inland for half a mile. Here and there
+the Sergeant planted branches of willow or birch to serve as landmarks
+for the future, especially wherever undermining seemed to be going on
+rapidly and the solidity of the ground was doubtful. By this means it
+would be easy to ascertain the changes which might take place.
+
+They did advance, however, and at three o’clock in the afternoon
+they were only three miles from Walruses’ Bay, and Hobson called Mrs
+Barnett’s attention to the important changes which had been effected
+by the rupture of the isthmus.
+
+Formerly the south-western horizon was shut in by a long slightly
+curved coast-line, formed by the shores of Liverpool Bay. Now a sea-line
+bounded the view, the continent having disappeared. Victoria Island
+ended in an abrupt angle where it had broken off, and all felt sure that
+on turning round that angle the ocean would be spread out before them,
+and that its waves would bathe the whole of the southern side of the
+island, which was once the connecting-link between Walruses’ Bay and
+Washburn Bay.
+
+Mrs Barnett could not look at the changed aspect of the scene without
+emotion. She had expected it, and yet her heart beat almost audibly.
+She gazed across the sea for the missing continent, which was now left
+several hundred miles behind, and it rushed upon her mind with a fresh
+shock that she would never set foot on America again. Her agitation was
+indeed excusable, and it was shared by the Lieutenant and the Sergeant.
+
+All quickened their steps, eager to reach the abrupt angle in the south.
+The ground rose slightly as they advanced, and the layers of earth
+and sand became thicker; this of course was explained by the former
+proximity of this part of the coast to the true continent. The thickness
+of the crust of ice and of the layer of earth at the point of junction
+increasing, as it probably did, every century, explained the long
+resistance of the isthmus, which nothing but some extraordinary
+convulsion could have overcome. Such a convulsion was the earthquake of
+the 8th January, which, although it had only affected the continent of
+North America, had sufficed to break the connecting-link, and to launch
+Victoria Island upon the wide ocean.
+
+At four o’clock P.M., the angle was reached. Walruses’ Bay, formed
+by an indentation of the firm ground, had disappeared! It had remained
+behind with the continent
+
+“By my faith, madam!” exclaimed the Sergeant, “it’s lucky for
+you we didn’t call it Paulina Barnett Bay!”
+
+“Yes,” replied the lady, “I begin to think I am an unlucky
+godmother for newly-discovered places.”
+
+CHAPTER IV. A NIGHT ENCAMPMENT. And so Hobson had not been mistaken
+about the point of rupture. It was the isthmus which had yielded in
+the shock of the earthquake. Not a trace was to be seen of the American
+continent, not a single cliff, even the volcano on the west had
+disappeared. Nothing but the sea everywhere.
+
+The island on this side ended in a cape, coming to an almost sharp
+point, and it was evident that the substratum of ice, fretted by
+the warmer waters of the current and exposed to all the fury of the
+elements, must rapidly dissolve.
+
+The explorers resumed their march, following the course of the fracture,
+which ran from west to east in an almost straight line. Its edges were
+not jagged or broken, but clear cut, as if the division had been made
+with a sharp instrument, and here and there the conformation of the soil
+could be easily examined. The banks- half ice, half sand and earth-rose
+some ten feet from the water. They were perfectly perpendicular, without
+the slightest slope, and in some places there were traces of recent
+landslips. Sergeant Long pointed to several small blocks of ice floating
+in the offing, and rapidly melting, which had evidently been broken off
+from their island. The action of the warm surf would, of course, soon
+eat away the new coast-line, which time had not yet clothed with a kind
+of cement of snow and sand, such as covered the rest of the beach, and
+altogether the state of things was very far from reassuring.
+
+Before taking any rest, Mrs Barnett, Hobson, and Long, were anxious to
+finish their examination of the southern edge of the island. There would
+be plenty of daylight, for the sun would not set until eleven o’clock
+P.M. The briliant orb of day was slowly advancing along the western
+horizon, and its oblique rays cast long shadows of themselves before the
+explorers, who conversed at intervals after long silent pauses, during
+which they gazed at the sea and thought of the dark future before them.
+
+Hobson intended to encamp for the night at Washburn Bay. When there
+eighteen miles would have been traversed, and, if he were not mistaken,
+half his circular journey would be accomplished. After a few hours’
+repose he meant to return to Fort Hope along the western coast.
+
+No fresh incident marked the exploration of the short distance between
+Walruses’ Bay and Washburn Bay, and at seven o’clock in the evening
+the spot chosen for the encampment was reached. A similar change had
+taken place here. Of Washburn Bay, nothing remained but the curve
+formed by the coast-line of the island, and which was once its northern
+boundary. It stretched away without a break for seven miles to the cape
+they had named Cape Michael. This side of the island did not appear to
+have suffered at all in consequence of the rupture. The thickets of pine
+and birch, massed a little behind the cape, were in their fullest beauty
+at this time of year, and a good many furred animals were disporting
+themselves on the plain.
+
+A halt was made at Washburn Bay, and the explorers were able to enjoy
+an extended view on the south, although they could not see any great
+distance on the north. The sun was so low on the horizon, that its rays
+were intercepted by the rising ground on the west, and did not reach
+the little bay. It was not, however, yet night, nor could it be called
+twilight, as the sun had not set.
+
+“Lieutenant,” said Long, “if by some miracle a bell were now to
+ring, what do you suppose it would mean?”
+
+“That it was supper-time,” replied Hobson. “Don’t you agree with
+me, Mrs Barnett?”
+
+“Indeed I do,” replied the lady addressed, “and as our cloth is
+spread for us, let us sit down. This moss, although slightly worn, will
+suit us admirably, and was evidently intended for us by Providence.”
+
+The bag of provisions was opened; some salt meat, a hare paté from Mrs
+Joliffe’s larder, with a few biscuits, formed their frugal supper.
+
+The meal was quickly over, and Hobson returned to the southwest angle of
+the island, whilst Mrs Barnett rested at the foot of a low fir tree, and
+Sergeant Long made ready the night quarters.
+
+The Lieutenant was anxious to examine the piece of ice which formed the
+island, to ascertain, if possible, something of its structure. A little
+bank, produced by a landslip, enabled him to step down to the level of
+the sea, and from there he was able to look closely at the steep wall
+which formed the coast. Where he stood the soil rose scarcely three feet
+above the water. The upper part consisted of a thin layer of earth and
+sand mixed with crushed shells; and the lower of hard, compact, and, if
+we may so express it, “metallic” ice, strong enough to support the
+upper soil of the island.
+
+This layer of ice was not more than one foot above the sea-level. In
+consequence of the recent fracture, it was easy to see the regular
+disposition of the sheets of ice piled up horizontally, and which had
+evidently been produced by successive frosts in comparatively quieter
+waters.
+
+We know that freezing commences on the surface of liquids, and as
+the cold increases, the thickness of the crust becomes greater, the
+solidification proceeding from the top downwards. That at least is the
+case in waters that are at rest; it has, however, been observed that
+the very reverse is the case in running waters-the ice forming at the
+bottom, and subsequently rising to the surface.
+
+It was evident, then, that the floe which formed the foundation of
+Victoria Island had been formed in calm waters on the shores of the
+North American continent. The freezing had evidently commenced on
+the surface, and the thaw would begin at the bottom, according to a
+well-known law; so that the ice-field would gradually decrease in weight
+as it became thawed by the warmer waters through which it was passing,
+and the general level of the island would sink in proportion.
+
+This was the great danger.
+
+As we have just stated, Hobson noticed that the solid ice, the ice-field
+properly so called, was only about one foot above the sea-level! We know
+that four-fifths of a floating mass of ice are always submerged. For one
+foot of an iceberg or ice-field above the water, there are four below
+it. It must, however, be remarked that the density, or rather specific
+weight of floating ice, varies considerably according to its mode
+of formation or origin. The ice-masses which proceed from sea water,
+porous, opaque, and tinged with blue or green, according as they are
+struck by the rays of the sun, are lighter than ice formed from fresh
+water. All things considered, and making due allowance for the weight of
+the mineral and vegetable layer above the ice. Hobson concluded it to
+be about four or five feet thick below the sea-level. The different
+declivities of the island, the little hills and rising ground, would of
+course only affect the upper soil, and it might reasonably be supposed
+that the wandering island was not immersed more than five feet.
+
+This made Hobson very anxious. Only five feet! Setting aside the causes
+of dissolution to which the ice-field might be subjected, would not the
+slightest shock cause a rupture of the surface? Might not a rough sea or
+a gale of wind cause a dislocation of the ice-field, which would lead to
+its breaking up into small portions, and to its final decomposition? Oh
+for the speedy arrival of the winter, with its bitter cold! Would that
+the column of mercury were frozen in its cistern! Nothing but the rigour
+of an Arctic winter could consolidate and thicken the foundation of
+their island, and establish a means of communication between it and the
+continent.
+
+Hobson returned to the halting-place little cheered by his discoveries,
+and found Long busy making arrangements for the night; for he had no
+idea of sleeping beneath the open sky, although Mrs Barnett declared
+herself quite ready to do so. He told the Lieutenant that he intended to
+dig a hole in the ice big enough to hold three persons—in fact to make
+a kind of snow-hut, in which they would be protected from the cold night
+air.
+
+“In the land of the Esquimaux,” he said, “nothing is wiser than to
+do as the Esquimaux do.”
+
+Hobson approved, but advised the Sergeant not to dig too deeply, as the
+ice was not more than five feet thick.
+
+Long set to work. With the aid of his hatchet and ice-chisel he had
+soon cleared away the earth, and hollowed out a kind of passage sloping
+gently down to the crust of ice.
+
+He next attacked the brittle mass, which had been covered over with sand
+and earth for so many centuries. It would not take more than an hour to
+hollow out a subterranean retreat, or rather a burrow with walls of
+ice, which would keep in the heat, and therefore serve well for a
+resting-place during the short night.
+
+Whilst Long was working away like a white ant, Hobson communicated the
+result of his observations to Mrs Barnett. He did not disguise from her
+that the construction of Victoria Island rendered him very uneasy. He
+felt sure that the thinness of the ice would lead to the opening of
+ravines on the surface before long; where, it would be impossible to
+foresee, and of course it would be equally impossible to prevent them.
+The wandering Island might at any moment settle down in consequence of
+a change in its specific gravity, or break up into more or less numerous
+islets, the duration of which must necessarily be ephemeral. He judged,
+therefore, that it would be best for the members of the colony to keep
+together as much as possible, and not to leave the fort, that they might
+all share the same chances.
+
+Hobson was proceeding further to unfold his views when cries for help
+were heard.
+
+Mrs Barnett started to her feet, and both looked round in every
+direction, but nothing was to be seen.
+
+The cries were now redoubled, and Hobson exclaimed—
+
+“The Sergeant! the Sergeant!”
+
+And followed by Mrs Barnett, he rushed towards the burrow, and he had
+scarcely reached the opening of the snow-house before he saw Sergeant
+Long clutching with both hands at his knife, which he had stuck in the
+wall of ice, and calling out loudly, although with the most perfect
+self-possession.
+
+His head and arms alone were visible. Whilst he was digging, the ice had
+given way suddenly beneath him, and he was plunged into water up to his
+waist.
+
+Hobson merely said—
+
+“Keep hold!”
+
+And creeping through the passage, he was soon at the edge of the hole.
+The poor Sergeant seized his hand, and he was soon rescued from his
+perilous position.
+
+“Good God! Sergeant!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett; “what has
+happened?”
+
+“Nothing,” replied Long, shaking himself like a wet spaniel,
+“except that the ice gave way under me, and I took a compulsory
+bath.”
+
+“You forgot what I told you about not digging too deeply, then,”
+said Hobson.
+
+“Beg pardon, sir; I hadn’t cut through fifteen inches of the ice,
+and I expect there was a kind of cavern where I was working-the ice
+did not touch the water. It was just like going through a ceiling. If I
+hadn’t been able to hang on by my knife, I should have slipped under
+the island like a fool, and that would have been a pity, wouldn’t it,
+madam?”
+
+“A very great pity, my brave fellow,” said Mrs Barnett, pressing his
+hand.
+
+Long’s explanation was correct; for some reason or another—most
+likely from an accumulation of air-the ice had formed a kind of vault
+above the water, and of course it soon gave way under the weight of the
+Sergeant and the blows of his chisel.
+
+The same thing might happen in other parts of the island, which was
+anything but reassuring. Where could they be certain of treading on firm
+ground? Might not the earth give way beneath their feet at any minute?
+What heart, however brave, would not have sunk at the thought of the
+thin partition between them and the awful gulf of the ocean?
+
+Sergeant Long, however, thought but little of his bath, and was ready
+to begin mining in some other place. This Mrs Barnett would not allow.
+A night in the open air would do her no harm; the shelter of the coppice
+near would be protection enough for them all; and Sergeant Long was
+obliged to submit.
+
+The camp was, therefore, moved back some thirty yards from the beach,
+to a rising ground on which grew a few clumps of pines and willows which
+could scarcely be called a wood. Towards ten o’clock the disc of the
+sun began to dip below the horizon, and before it disappeared for the
+few hours of the night a crackling fire of dead branches was blazing at
+the camp.
+
+Long had now a fine opportunity of drying his legs, of which he gladly
+availed himself. He and Hobson talked together earnestly until twilight
+set in, and Mrs Barnett occasionally joined in the conversation, doing
+the best she could to cheer the disheartened Lieutenant. The sky was
+bright with stars, and the holy influence of the night could not fail
+to calm his troubled spirit. The wind murmured softly amongst the pines;
+even the sea appeared to be wrapt in slumber, its bosom slightly heaving
+with the swell, which died away upon the beach with a faint rippling
+sound. All creation was hushed, not even the wail of a sea bird broke
+upon the ear, the crisp crackling of the dead branches was exchanged for
+a steady flame, and nothing but the voices of the wanderers broke the
+sublime, the awful silence of the night.
+
+“Who would imagine,” said Mrs Barnett, “that we were floating on
+the surface of the ocean! It really requires an effort to realise it,
+for the sea which is carrying us along in its fatal grasp appears to be
+absolutely motionless!”
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied Hobson;” and if the floor of our carriage
+were solid, if I did not know that sooner or later the keel of our boat
+will be missing, that some day its hull will burst open, and finally, if
+I knew where we are going, I should rather enjoy floating on the ocean
+like this.”
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” rejoined Mrs Barnett, “could there be a
+pleasanter mode of travelling than ours? We feel no motion. Our island
+has exactly the same speed as the current which is bearing it away. Is
+it not like a balloon voyage in the air? What could be more delightful
+than advancing with one’s house, garden, park, &c.? A wandering
+island, with a solid insubmersible foundation, would really be the most
+comfortable and wonderful conveyance that could possibly be imagined. I
+have heard of hanging gardens. Perhaps some day floating parks will be
+invented which will carry us all over the globe! Their size will render
+them insensible to the action of the waves, they will have nothing
+to fear from storms, and perhaps with a favourable wind they might be
+guided by means of immense sails! What marvels of vegetation would be
+spread before the eyes of the passengers when they passed from temperate
+to torrid zones! With skilful pilots, well acquainted with the currents,
+it might be possible to remain in one latitude, and enjoy a perpetual
+spring.”
+
+Hobson could not help smiling at Mrs Barnett’s fancies. The brave
+woman ran on with such an easy flow of words, she talked with as little
+effort as Victoria Island moved. And was she not right? It would have
+been a very pleasant mode of travelling if there had been no danger of
+their conveyance melting and being swallowed up by the sea.
+
+The night passed on, and the explorers slept a few hours. At daybreak
+they breakfasted, and thoroughly enjoyed their meal. The warmth and
+rest had refreshed them, and they resumed their journey at about six
+o’clock A.M.
+
+From Cape Michael to the former Port Barnett the coast ran in an almost
+straight line from south to north for about eleven miles. There was
+nothing worthy of note about it; the shores were low and pretty even all
+the way, and seemed to have suffered no alteration since the breaking
+of the isthmus. Long, in obedience to the Lieutenant, made bench marks
+along the beach, that any future change might be easily noted.
+
+Hobson was naturally anxious to get back to Fort Hope the same day, and
+Mrs Barnett was also eager to return to her friends. It was of course
+desirable under the circumstances that the commanding officer should not
+be long absent from the fort
+
+All haste was therefore made, and by taking a short cut they arrived at
+noon at the little promontory which formerly protected Port Barnett from
+the east winds.
+
+It was not more than eight miles from this point to Fort Hope, and
+before four o’clock P.M the shouts of Corporal Joliffe welcomed their
+return to the factory.
+
+CHAPTER V. FROM JULY 25TH TO AUGUST 20TH. Hobson’s first care on his
+return to the fort, was to make inquiries of Thomas Black as to the
+situation of the little colony. No change had taken place for the last
+twenty-four hours, but, as subsequently appeared, the island had floated
+one degree of latitude further south, whilst still retaining its motion
+towards the west. It was now at the same distance from the equator as
+Icy Cape, a little promontory of western Alaska, and two hundred miles
+from the American coast. The speed of the current seemed to be less here
+than in the eastern part of the Arctic Ocean, but the island continued
+to advance, and, much to Hobson’s annoyance, towards the dreaded
+Behring Strait. It was now only the 24th July, and a current of average
+speed would carry it in another month through the strait and into the
+heated waves of the Pacific, where it would melt “like a lump of sugar
+in a glass of water.”
+
+Mrs Barnett acquainted Madge with the result of the exploration of the
+island. She explained to her the arrangement of the layers of earth and
+ice at the part where the isthmus had been broken off; told her that
+the thickness of the ice below the sea level was estimated at five feet;
+related the accident to Sergeant Long—in short, she made her fully
+understand the reasons there were to fear the breaking up or sinking of
+the ice field.
+
+The rest of the colony had, however, no suspicion of the truth; a
+feeling of perfect security prevailed. It never occurred to any of the
+brave fellows that Fort Hope was floating above an awful abyss, and
+that the lives of all its inhabitants were in danger. All were in good
+health, the weather was fine, and the climate pleasant and bracing.
+The baby Michael got on wonderfully; he was beginning to toddle about
+between the house and the palisade; and Corporal Joliffe, who was
+extremely fond of him, was already beginning to teach him to hold a
+gun, and to understand the first duties of a soldier. Oh, if Mrs Joliffe
+would but present him with such a son! but, alas! the blessing of
+children, for which he and his wife prayed every day, was as yet denied
+to them.
+
+Meanwhile the soldiers had plenty to do.
+
+Mac-Nab and his men—Petersen, Belcher, Garry, Pond, and Hope—worked
+zealously at the construction of a boat, a difficult task, likely to
+occupy them for several months. But as their vessel would be of no use
+until next year after the thaw, they neglected none of their duties at
+the factory on its account. Hobson let things go on as if the future of
+the factory were not compromised, and persevered in keeping the men in
+ignorance. This serious question was often discussed by the officer and
+his “staff,” and Mrs Barnett and Madge differed from their chief on
+the subject. They thought it would be better to tell the whole truth;
+the men were brave and energetic, not likely to yield to despair, and
+the shock would not be great if they heard of it now, instead of only
+when their situation was so hopeless that it could not be concealed. But
+in spite of the justice of these remarks, Hobson would not yield, and
+he was supported by Sergeant Long. Perhaps, after all, they were right;
+they were both men of long experience, and knew the temper of their men.
+
+And so the work of provisioning and strengthening the fort proceeded.
+The palisaded enceinte was repaired with new stakes, and made higher
+in many places, so that it really formed a very strong fortification.
+Mac-Nab also put into execution, with his chief’s approval, a plan he
+had long had at heart. At the corners abutting on the lake he built two
+little pointed sentry-boxes, which completed the defences; and Corporal
+Joliffe anticipated with delight the time when he should be sent to
+relieve guard: he felt that they gave a military look to the buildings,
+and made them really imposing.
+
+The palisade was now completely finished, and Mac-Nab, remembering the
+sufferings of the last winter, built a new wood shed close up against
+the house itself, with a door of communication inside, so that there
+would be no need to go outside at all. By this contrivance the fuel
+would always be ready to hand. On the left side of the house, opposite
+the shed, Mac-Nab constructed a large sleeping-room for the soldiers, so
+that the camp-bed could be removed from the common room. This room
+was also to be used for meals, and work. The three married couples had
+private rooms walled off, so that the large house was relieved of them
+as well as of all the other soldiers. A magazine for furs only was also
+erected behind the house near the powder-magazine, leaving the loft free
+for stores; and the rafters and ribs of the latter were bound with iron
+cramps, that they might be able to resist all attacks. Mac-Nab also
+intended to build a little wooden chapel, which had been included in
+Hobson’s original plan of the factory; but its erection was put off
+until the next summer.
+
+With what eager interest would the Lieutenant have once watched the
+progress of his establishment! Had he been building on firm ground,
+with what delight would he have watched the houses, sheds, and magazines
+rising around him! He remembered the scheme of crowning Cape Bathurst
+with a redoubt for the protection of Fort Hope with a sigh. The very
+name of the factory, “Fort Hope,” made his heart sink within him;
+for should it not more truly be called “Fort Despair?”
+
+These various works took up the whole summer, and there was no time for
+ennui. The construction of the boat proceeded rapidly. Mac-Nab meant it
+to be of about thirty tons measurement, which would make it large
+enough to carry some twenty passengers several hundred miles in the fine
+season. The carpenter had been fortunate enough to find some bent pieces
+of wood, so that he was able quickly to form the first ribs of the
+vessel, and soon the stern and sternpost, fixed to the keel, were upon
+the dockyard at the foot of Cape Bathurst.
+
+Whilst the carpenters were busy with hatchets, saws, and adzes, the
+hunters were eagerly hunting the reindeer and Polar hares, which
+abounded near the fort. The Lieutenant, however, told Marbre and Sabine
+not to go far away, stating as a reason, that until the buildings were
+completed he did not wish to attract the notice of rivals. The truth
+was, he did not wish the changes which had taken place to be noticed.
+
+One day Marbre inquired if it was not now time to go to Walruses’
+Bay, and get a fresh supply of morse-oil for burning, and Hobson replied
+rather hastily—
+
+“No, Marbre; it would be useless.”
+
+The Lieutenant knew only too well that Walruses’ Bay was two hundred
+miles away, and that there were no morses to be hunted on the island.
+
+It must not be supposed that Hobson considered the situation desperate
+even now. He often assured Mrs Barnett, Madge, and Long that he was
+convinced the island would hold together until the bitter cold of winter
+should thicken its foundation and arrest its course at one and the same
+time.
+
+After his journey of discovery, Hobson estimated exactly the area of
+his new dominions. The island measured more than forty miles round, from
+which its superficial area[r] would appear to be about one hundred and
+forty miles at the least. By way of comparison, we may say that Victoria
+Island was rather larger than St Helena, and its area was about the same
+as that of Paris within the line of fortifications. If then it should
+break up into fragments, the separate parts might still be of sufficient
+size to be habitable for some time.
+
+When Mrs Barnett expressed her surprise that a floating ice-field could
+be so large, Hobson replied by reminding her of the observations of
+Arctic navigators. Parry, Penny, and Franklin had met with ice-fields
+in the Polar seas one hundred miles long and fifty broad. Captain Kellet
+abandoned his boat on an ice-field measuring at least three hundred
+square miles, and what was Victoria Island compared to it?
+
+Its size was, however, sufficient to justify a hope that it would resist
+the action of the warm currents until the cold weather set in. Hobson
+would not allow himself to doubt; his despair arose rather from the
+knowledge that the fruit of all his cares, anxieties, and dangers must
+eventually be swallowed up by the deep, and it was no wonder that he
+could take no interest in the works that were going on.
+
+Mrs Barnett kept up a good heart through it all; she encouraged her
+comrades in their work, and took her share in it, as if she had still a
+future to look forward to. Seeing what an interest Mrs Joliffe took in
+her plants, she joined her every day in the garden. There was now a fine
+crop of sorrel and scurvy-grass—thanks to the Corporal’s unwearying
+exertions to keep off the birds of every kind, which congregated by
+hundreds.
+
+The taming of the reindeer had been quite successful; there were now a
+good many young, and little Michael had been partly brought up on the
+milk of the mothers. There were now some thirty head in the herd which
+grazed near the fort, and a supply of the herbage on which they feed was
+dried and laid up for the winter. These useful animals, which are easily
+domesticated, were already quite familiar with all the colonists, and
+did not go far from the enceinte. Some of them were used in sledges to
+carry timber backwards and forwards. A good many reindeer, still wild,
+now fell into the trap half way between the fort and Port Barnett. It
+will be remembered that a large bear was once taken in it; but nothing
+of the kind occurred this season—none fell victims but the reindeer,
+whose flesh was salted and laid by for future use. Twenty at least were
+taken, which in the ordinary course of things would have gone down to
+the south in the winter.
+
+One day, however, the reindeer-trap suddenly became useless in
+consequence of the conformation of the soil. After visiting it as usual,
+the hunter Marbre approached Hobson, and said to him in a significant
+tone——
+
+“I have just paid my daily visit to the reindeer-trap, sir.”
+
+“Well, Marbre, I hope you have been as successful to-day as yesterday,
+and have caught a couple of reindeer,” replied Hobson.
+
+“No, sir, no,” replied Marbre, with some embarrassment.
+
+“Your trap has not yielded its ordinary contingent then?”
+
+“No, sir; and if any animal had fallen in, it would certainly have
+been drowned!”
+
+“Drowned!” cried the Lieutenant, looking at the hunter with an
+anxious expression.
+
+“Yes, sir,” replied Marbre, looking attentively at his superior,
+“the pit is full of water.”
+
+“Ah!” said Hobson, in the tone of a man who attached no importance
+to that, “you know your pit was partly hollowed out of ice; its walls
+have melted with the heat of the sun, and then “——
+
+“Beg pardon for interrupting you, sir,” said Marbre; “but the
+water cannot have been produced by the melting of ice.”
+
+“Why not, Marbre?” “Because if it came from ice it would be sweet,
+as you explained to me once before. Now the water in our pit is salt!”
+
+Master of himself as he was, Hobson could not help changing countenance
+slightly, and he had not a word to say.
+
+“Besides,” added Marbre, “I wanted to sound the trench, to see how
+deep the water was, and to my great surprise, I can tell you, I could
+not find the bottom.”
+
+“Well, Marbre,” replied Hobson hastily, “there is nothing
+so wonderful in that. Some fracture of the soil has established a
+communication between the sea and the trap. So don’t be uneasy about
+it, my brave fellow, but leave the trap alone for the present, and be
+content with setting snares near the fort.”
+
+Marbre touched his cap respectfully, and turned on his heel, but not
+before he had given his chief a searching glance.
+
+Hobson remained very thoughtful for a few moments. Marbre’s tidings
+were of grave importance. It was evident that the bottom of the trench,
+gradually melted by the warm waters of the sea, had given way.
+
+Hobson at once called the Sergeant, and having acquainted him with the
+incident, they went together, unnoticed by their companions, to the
+beach at the foot of Cape Bathurst, where they had made the bench-marks.
+
+They examined them carefully, and found that since they last did so, the
+floating island had sunk six inches.
+
+“We are sinking gradually,” murmured Sergeant Long. “The ice is
+wearing away.”
+
+“Oh for the winter! the winter!” cried Hobson, stamping his foot
+upon the ground.
+
+But as yet, alas! there was no sign of the approach of the cold season.
+The thermometer maintained a mean height of 59° Fahrenheit, and during
+the few hours of the night the column of mercury scarcely went down
+three degrees.
+
+Preparations for the approaching winter went on apace, and there
+was really nothing wanting to Fort Hope, although it had not been
+revictualled by Captain Craventy’s detachment. The long hours of the
+Arctic night might be awaited in perfect security. The stores were of
+course carefully husbanded. There still remained plenty of spirits, only
+small quantities having been consumed; and there was a good stock of
+biscuits, which, once gone, could not be replaced. Fresh venison and
+salt meat were to be had in abundance, and with some antiscorbutic
+vegetables, the diet was most healthy; and all the members of the little
+colony were well.
+
+A good deal of timber was cut in the woods clothing the eastern slopes
+of Lake Barnett. Many were the birch-trees, pines, and firs which fell
+beneath the axe of Mac-Nab, and were dragged to the house by the tamed
+reindeer. The carpenter did not spare the little forest, although he cut
+his wood judiciously; for he never dreamt that timber might fail him,
+imagining, as he did, Victoria Island to be a peninsula, and knowing the
+districts near Cape Michael to be rich in different species of trees.
+
+Many a time did the unconscious carpenter congratulate his Lieutenant on
+having chosen a spot so favoured by Heaven. Woods, game, furred animals,
+a lagoon teeming with fish, plenty of herbs for the animals, and, as
+Corporal Joliffe would have added, double pay for the men. Was not Cape
+Bathurst a corner of a privileged land, the like of which was not to
+be found in the whole Arctic regions? Truly Hobson was a favourite
+of Heaven, and ought to return thanks to Providence every day for the
+discovery of this unique spot.
+
+Ah, Mac-Nab, you little knew how you wrung the heart of your master when
+you talked in that strain!
+
+The manufacture of winter garments was not neglected in the factory. Mrs
+Barnett, Madge, Mrs Mac-Nab, Mrs Rae, and Mrs Joliffe—when she could
+leave her fires—were alike indefatigable. Mrs Barnett knew that
+they would all have to leave the fort in the depth of winter, and was
+determined that every one should be warmly clothed. They would have to
+face the bitterest cold for a good many days during the Polar night, if
+Victoria Island should halt far from the continent. Boots and clothes
+ought indeed to be strong and well made, for crossing some hundreds of
+miles under such circumstances. Mrs Barnett and Madge devoted all their
+energies to the matter in hand, and the furs, which they knew it would
+be impossible to save, were turned to good account. They were used
+double, so that the soft hair was both inside and outside of the
+clothes; and when wearing them, the whole party would be as richly
+attired as the grandest princesses, or the most wealthy ladies. Those
+not in the secret were rather surprised at the free use made of the
+Company’s property; but Hobson’s authority was not to be questioned,
+and really martens, polecats, musk-rats, beavers, and foxes multiplied
+with such rapidity near the fort, that all the furs used could easily
+be replaced by a few shots, or the setting of a few traps; and when Mrs
+Mac-Nab saw the beautiful ermine coat which had been made for her baby,
+her delight was unbounded, and she no longer wondered at anything.
+
+So passed the days until the middle of the month of August. The weather
+continued fine, and any mists which gathered on the horizon were quickly
+dispersed by the sunbeams.
+
+Every day Hobson took the bearings, taking care, however, to go some
+distance from the fort, that suspicions might not be aroused, and he
+also visited different parts of the island, and was reassured by finding
+that no important changes appeared to be taking place.
+
+On the 16th August Victoria Island was situated in 167° 27’ west
+longitude, and 70° 49’ north latitude. It had, therefore, drifted
+slightly to the south, but without getting any nearer to the American
+coast, which curved considerably.
+
+The distance traversed by the island since the fracture of the isthmus,
+or rather since the last thaw, could not be less than eleven or twelve
+hundred miles to the west.
+
+But what was this distance compared to the vast extent of the ocean?
+Had not boats been known to be drifted several thousands of miles by
+currents? Was not this the case with the English ship Resolute, the
+American brig Advance, and with the Fox, all of which were carried along
+upon ice-fields until the winter arrested their advance?
+
+CHAPTER VI. TEN DAYS OF TEMPEST From the 17th to the 20th August the
+weather continued fine, and the temperature moderate. The mists on the
+horizon were not resolved into clouds, and altogether the weather
+was exceptionally beautiful for such an elevated position. It will be
+readily understood, however, that Hobson could take no pleasure in the
+fineness of the climate.
+
+On the 21st August, however, the barometer gave notice of an approaching
+change. The column of mercury suddenly fell considerably, the sun was
+completely hidden at the moment of culmination, and Hobson was unable to
+take his bearings.
+
+The next day the wind changed and blew strongly from the north-west,
+torrents of rain falling at intervals. Meanwhile, however, the
+temperature did not change to any sensible extent, the thermometer
+remaining at 54° Fahrenheit.
+
+Fortunately the proposed works were now all finished, and MacNab had
+completed the carcass of his boat, which was planked and ribbed. Hunting
+might now be neglected a little, as the stores were complete, which was
+fortunate, for the weather became very bad. The wind was high, the
+rain incessant, and thick fogs rendered it impossible to go beyond the
+enceinte of the fort.
+
+“What do you think of this change in the weather, Lieutenant?”
+inquired Mrs Barnett on the morning of the 27th August; “might it not
+be in our favour?”
+
+“I should not like to be sure of it, madam,” replied Hobson; “but
+anything is better for us than the magnificent weather we have lately
+had, during which the sun made the waters warmer and warmer. Then, too,
+the wind from the north-west is so very strong that it may perhaps drive
+us nearer to the American continent.”
+
+“Unfortunately,” observed Long, “we can’t take our bearings
+every day now. It’s impossible to see either sun, moon, or stars in
+this fog. Fancy attempting to take an altitude now!”
+
+“We shall see well enough to recognise America, if we get anywhere
+near it,” said Mrs Barnett. “Whatever land we approach will be
+welcome. It will most likely be some part of Russian America—probably
+Western Alaska.”
+
+“You are right, madam,” said Hobson; “for, unfortunately, in the
+whole Arctic Ocean there is not an island, an islet, or even a rock to
+which we could fasten our vessel!”
+
+“Well,” rejoined Mrs Barnett, “why should not our conveyance take
+us straight to the coasts of Asia? Might not the currents carry us past
+the opening of Bearing Strait and land us on the shores of Siberia?”
+
+“No, madam, no,” replied Hobson; “our ice-field would soon meet
+the Kamtchatka current, and be carried by it to the northwest. It is
+more likely, however, that this wind will drive us towards the shores of
+Russian America.”
+
+“We must keep watch, then,” said Mrs Barnett, “and ascertain our
+position as soon as possible.”
+
+“We shall indeed keep watch,” replied Hobson, “although this fog
+is very much against us If we should be driven on to the coast, the
+shock will be felt even if we cannot see. Let’s hope the island will
+not fall to pieces in this storm! That is at present our principal
+danger. Well, when it comes we shall see what there is to be done, and
+meanwhile we must wait patiently.”
+
+Of course this conversation was not held in the public room, where the
+soldiers and women worked together. It was in her own room, with the
+window looking out on the court, that Mrs Barnett received visitors. It
+was almost impossible to see indoors even in the daytime, and the wind
+could be heard rushing by outside like an avalanche. Fortunately, Cape
+Bathurst protected the house from the north-east winds, but the sand and
+earth from its summit were hurled down upon the roof with a noise like
+the pattering of hail. Mac-Nab began to feel fresh uneasiness about his
+chimneys, which it was absolutely necessary to keep in good order. With
+the roaring of the wind was mingled that of the sea, as its huge waves
+broke upon the beach. The storm had become a hurricane.
+
+In spite of the fury of the gale, Hobson determined on the morning of
+the 28th of August to climb to the summit of Cape Bathurst, in order
+to examine the state of the horizon, the sea, and the sky. He therefore
+wrapped himself up, taking care to have nothing about him likely to give
+hold the wind, and set out.
+
+He got to the foot of the cape without much difficulty. The sand and
+earth blinded him, it is true, but protected by the cliff he had not
+as yet actually faced the wind. The fatigue began when he attempted to
+climb the almost perpendicular sides of the promontory; but by clutching
+at the tufts of herbs with which they were covered, he managed to get to
+the top, but there the fury of the gale was such that he could neither
+remain standing nor seated; he was therefore forced to fling himself
+upon his face behind the little coppice and cling to some shrubs, only
+raising his head and shoulders above the ground.
+
+The appearance of sea and sky was indeed terrible. The spray dashed over
+the Lieutenant’s head, and half-a-mile from the cape water and clouds
+were confounded together in a thick mist. Low jagged rain-clouds were
+chased along the heavens with giddy rapidity, and heavy masses of vapour
+were piled upon the zenith. Every now and then an awful stillness fell
+upon the land, and the only sounds were the breaking of the surf upon
+the beach and the roaring of the angry billows; but then the tempest
+recommenced with redoubled fury, and Hobson felt the cape tremble to its
+foundations. Sometimes the rain poured down with such violence that it
+resembled grape-shot.
+
+It was indeed a terrible hurricane from the very worst quarter of the
+heavens. This north-east wind might blow for a long time and cause all
+manner of havoc. Yet Hobson, who would generally have grieved over
+the destruction around him, did not complain,—on the contrary, he
+rejoiced; for if, as he hoped, the island held together, it must be
+driven to the south-west by this wind, so much more powerful than the
+currents. And the south-west meant land—hope—safety! Yes, for his
+own sake, and for that of all with him, he hoped that the hurricane
+would last until it had flung them upon the laud, no matter where. That
+which would have been fatal to a ship was the best thing that could
+happen to the floating island.
+
+For a quarter of an hour Hobson remained crouching upon the ground,
+clutching at the shrubs like a drowning man at a spar, lashed by the
+wind, drenched by the rain and the spray, struggling to estimate all the
+chances of safety the storm might afford him. At the end of that time he
+let himself slide down the cape, and fought his way to Fort Hope.
+
+Hobson’s first care was to tell his comrades that the hurricane was
+not yet at its height, and that it would probably last a long time yet.
+He announced these tidings with the manner of one bringing good news,
+and every one looked at him in astonishment. Their chief officer really
+seemed to take a delight in the fury of the elements.
+
+On the 30th Hobson again braved the tempest, not this time climbing the
+cape, but going down to the beach. What was his joy at noticing some
+long weeds floating on the top of the waves, of a kind which did not
+grow on Victoria Island. Christopher Columbus’ delight was not greater
+when he saw the sea-weed which told him of the proximity of land.
+
+The Lieutenant hurried back to the fort, and told Mrs Barnett and
+Sergeant Long of his discovery. He had a good mind to tell every one the
+whole truth now, but a strange presentiment kept him silent.
+
+The occupants of the fort had plenty to amuse them in the long days of
+compulsory confinement. They went on improving the inside of the various
+buildings, and dug trenches in the court to carry away the rain-water.
+Mac-Nab, a hammer in one hand and a nail in the other, was always busy
+at a job in some corner or another, and nobody took much note of the
+tempest outside in the daytime; but at night it was impossible to sleep,
+the wind beat upon the buildings like a battering-ram; between the
+house and the cape sometimes whirled a huge waterspout of extraordinary
+dimensions; the planks cracked, the beams seemed about to separate, and
+there was danger of the whole structure tumbling down. Mac-Nab and his
+men lived in a state of perpetual dread, and had to be continually on
+the watch.
+
+Meanwhile, Hobson was uneasy about the stability of the island itself,
+rather than that of the house upon it. The tempest became so violent,
+and the sea so rough, that there was really a danger of the dislocation
+of the ice-field. It seemed impossible for it to resist much longer,
+diminished as it was in thickness and subject to the perpetual action of
+the waves. It is true that its inhabitants did not feel any motion, on
+account of its vast extent, but it suffered from it none the less. The
+point at issue was simply:—Would the island last until it was flung
+upon the coast, or would it fall to pieces before it touched firm
+ground?
+
+There could be no doubt that thus far it had resisted. As the Lieutenant
+explained to Mrs Barnett, had it already been broken, had the ice-field
+already divided into a number of islets, the occupants of the fort must
+have noticed it, for the different pieces would have been small enough
+to be affected by the motion of the sea, and the people on any one of
+them would have been pitched about like passengers on a boat. This
+was not the case, and in his daily observations Lieutenant Hobson had
+noticed no movement whatever, not so much as a trembling of the island,
+which appeared as firm and motionless as when it was still connected by
+its isthmus with the mainland.
+
+But the breaking up, which had not yet taken place, might happen at any
+minute.
+
+Hobson was most anxious to ascertain whether Victoria Island, driven by
+the north-west wind out of the current, had approached the continent.
+Everything, in fact, depended upon this, which was their last chance
+of safety. But without sun, moon, or stars, instruments were of course
+useless, as no observations could be taken, and the exact position of
+the island could not be determined. If, then, they were approaching
+the land, they would only know it when the land came in sight, and
+Hobson’s only means of ascertaining anything in time to be of any
+service, was to get to the south of his dangerous dominions. The
+position of Victoria Island with regard to the cardinal points had not
+sensibly altered all the time. Cape Bathurst still pointed to the
+north, as it did when it was the advanced post of North America. It was,
+therefore, evident that if Victoria Island should come alongside of the
+continent, it would touch it with its southern side,—the communication
+would, in a word, be re-established by means of the broken isthmus;
+it was, therefore, imperative to ascertain what was going on in that
+direction.
+
+Hobson determined to go to Cape Michael, however terrible the storm
+might be, but he meant to keep the real motive of his reconnaissance a
+secret from his companions. Sergeant Long was to accompany him.
+
+About four o’clock P.M., on the 31st August, Hobson sent for the
+Sergeant in his own room, that they might arrange together for all
+eventualities.
+
+“Sergeant Long,” he began, “it is necessary that we should,
+without delay, ascertain the position of Victoria Island, and above
+all whether this wind has, as I hope, driven it near to the American
+continent.”
+
+“I quite agree with you, sir,” replied Long, “and the sooner we
+find out the better”
+
+“But it will necessitate our going down to the south of the island.”
+
+“I am ready, sir.”
+
+“I know, Sergeant, that you are always ready to do your duty, but you
+will not go alone. Two of us ought to go, that we may be able to let our
+comrades know if any land is in sight; and besides I must see for myself
+... we will go together.”
+
+“When you like, Lieutenant, just when you think best.”
+
+“We will start this evening at nine o’clock, when everybody else has
+gone to bed”
+
+“Yes, they would all want to come with us,” said Long, “and they
+must not know why we go so far from the factory.”
+
+“No, they must not know,” replied Hobson, “and if I can, I will
+keep the knowledge of our awful situation from them until the end.”
+
+“It is agreed then, sir?”
+
+“Yes. You will take a tinder-box and some touchwood [Footnote: A
+fungus used as tinder (Polyporous igniarius).] with you, so that we
+can make a signal if necessary—if land is in sight in the south, for
+instance”
+
+“Yes, sir.”
+
+“We shall have a rough journey, Sergeant.”
+
+“What does that matter, sir, but by the way—the lady?”
+
+“I don’t think I shall tell her. She would want to go with us.”
+
+“And she could not,” said the Sergeant, “a woman could not battle
+with such a gale. Just see how its fury is increasing at this moment!”
+
+Indeed the house was rocking to such an extent that it seemed likely to
+be torn from its foundations.
+
+“No,” said Hobson, “courageous as she is, she could not, she ought
+not to accompany us. But on second thought, it will be best to tell her
+of our project. She ought to know in case any accident should befall
+us”
+
+“Yes,” replied Long, “we ought not to keep anything from her, and
+if we do not come back”....
+
+“At nine o’clock then, Sergeant.”
+
+“At nine o’clock.”
+
+And with a military salute Sergeant Long retired.
+
+A few minutes later Hobson was telling Mrs Barnett of his scheme. As
+he expected the brave woman insisted on accompanying him, and was quite
+ready to face the tempest. Hobson did not dissuade her by dwelling on
+the dangers of the expedition, he merely said that her presence was
+necessary at the fort during his absence, and that her remaining would
+set his mind at ease. If any accident happened to him it would be a
+comfort to know that she would take his place.
+
+Mrs Barnett understood and said no more about going; but only urged
+Hobson not to risk himself unnecessarily. To remember that he was the
+chief officer, that his life was not his own, but necessary to the
+safety of all. The Lieutenant promised to be as prudent as possible; but
+added that the examination of the south of the island must be made at
+once, and he would make it. The next day Mrs Barnett merely told her
+companions that the Lieutenant and the Sergeant had gone to make a final
+reconnaissance before the winter set in.
+
+CHAPTER VII. A FIRE AND A CRY. The Lieutenant and the Sergeant spent the
+evening in the large room of the fort, where all were assembled except
+the astronomer, who still remained shut up in his cabin. The men were
+busy over their various occupations, some cleaning their arms, others
+mending or sharpening their tools. The women were stitching away
+industriously, and Mrs Paulina Barnett was reading aloud; but she was
+often interrupted not only by the noise of the wind, which shook the
+walls of the house like a battering-ram, but by the cries of the baby.
+Corporal Joliffe, who had undertaken to amuse him, had enough to do. The
+young gentleman had ridden upon his playmate’s knees until they were
+worn out, and the Corporal at last put the indefatigable little cavalier
+on the large table, where he rolled about to his heart’s content until
+he fell asleep.
+
+At eight o’clock prayers were read as usual, the lamps were
+extinguished, and all retired to rest.
+
+When every one was asleep, Hobson and Long crept cautiously across the
+large room and gained the passage, where they found Mrs Barnett, who
+wished to press their hands once more.
+
+“Till to-morrow,” she said to the Lieutenant.
+
+“Yes,” replied Hobson, “to-morrow, madam, without fail.”
+
+“But if you are delayed?”
+
+“You must wait patiently for us,” replied the Lieutenant, “for
+if in examining the southern horizon we should see a fire, which is not
+unlikely this dark night, we should know that we were near the coasts
+of New Georgia, and then it would be desirable for me to ascertain our
+position by daylight. In fact, we may be away forty eight hours. If,
+however, we can get to Cape Michael before midnight, we shall be back at
+the fort to-morrow evening. So wait patiently, madam, and believe that
+we shall incur no unnecessary risk.”
+
+“But,” added the lady, “suppose you don’t get back to morrow,
+suppose you are away more than two days?”
+
+“Then we shall not return at all,” replied Hobson simply.
+
+The door was opened, Mrs Barnett closed it behind the Lieutenant and
+his companion and went back to her own room, where Madge awaited her,
+feeling anxious and thoughtful.
+
+Hobson and Long made their way across the inner court through a
+whirlwind which nearly knocked them down; but clinging to each other,
+and leaning on their iron-bound staffs, they reached the postern gates,
+and set out [beween] between the hills and the eastern bank of the
+lagoon.
+
+A faint twilight enabled them to see their way. The moon, which was
+new the night before, would not appear above the horizon, and there was
+nothing to lessen the gloom of the darkness, which would, however, last
+but a few hours longer.
+
+The wind and rain were as violent as ever. The Lieutenant and his
+companion wore impervious boots and water-proof cloaks well pulled in at
+the waist, and the hood completely covering their heads. Thus protected
+they got along at a rapid pace, for the wind was behind them, and
+sometimes drove them on rather faster than they cared to go. Talking was
+quite out of the question, and they did not attempt it, for they were
+deafened by the hurricane, and out of breath with the buffeting they
+received.
+
+Hobson did not mean to follow the coast, the windings of which would
+have taken him a long way round, and have brought him face to face with
+the wind, which swept over the sea with nothing to break its fury. His
+idea was to cut across in a straight line from Cape Bathurst to Cape
+Michael, and he was provided with a pocket compass with which to
+ascertain his bearings. He hoped by this means to cross the ten or
+eleven miles between him and his goal, just before the twilight faded
+and gave place to the two hours of real darkness.
+
+Bent almost double, with rounded shoulders and stooping heads, the two
+pressed on. As long as they kept near the lake they did not meet the
+gale full face, the little hills crowned with trees afforded them some
+protection, the wind howled fearfully as it bent and distorted the
+branches, almost tearing the trunks up by the roots; but it partly
+exhausted its strength, and even the rain when it reached the explorers
+was converted into impalpable mist, so that for about four miles they
+did not suffer half as much as they expected to.
+
+But when they reached the southern skirts of the wood, where the hills
+disappeared, and there were neither trees nor rising ground, the wind
+swept along with awful force, and involuntarily they paused for a
+moment. They were still six miles from Cape Michael.
+
+“We are going to have a bad time of it,” shouted Lieutenant Hobson
+in the Sergeant’s ear.
+
+“Yes, the wind and rain will conspire to give us a good beating,”
+answered Long.
+
+“I am afraid that now and then we shall have hail as well,” added
+Hobson.
+
+“It won’t be as deadly as grape-shot,” replied Long coolly, “and
+we have both been through that, and so forwards!”
+
+“Forwards, my brave comrade!”
+
+It was then ten o’clock. The twilight was fading away, dying as if
+drowned in the mists or quenched by the wind and the rain. There was
+still, however, some light, and the Lieutenant struck his flint, and
+consulted his compass, passing a piece of burning touchwood over it, and
+then, drawing his cloak more closely around him, he plunged after the
+Sergeant across the unprotected plain.
+
+At the first step, both were flung violently to the ground, but they
+managed to scramble up, and clinging to each other with their backs bent
+like two old crippled peasants, they struck into a kind of ambling trot.
+
+There was a kind of awful grandeur in the storm to which neither was
+insensible. Jagged masses of mist and ragged rain-clouds swept along
+the ground. The loose earth and sand were whirled into the air and flung
+down again like grape-shot, and the lips of Hobson and his companion
+were wet with salt spray, although the sea was two or three miles
+distant at least.
+
+During the rare brief pauses in the gale, they stopped and took breath,
+whilst the Lieutenant ascertained their position as accurately as
+possible.
+
+The tempest increased as the night advanced, the air and water seemed
+to be absolutely confounded together, and low down on the horizon was
+formed one of those fearful waterspouts which can overthrow houses, tear
+up forests, and which the vessels whose safety they threaten attack with
+artillery. It really seemed as if the ocean itself was being torn from
+its bed and flung over the devoted little island.
+
+Hobson could not help wondering how it was that the ice-field which
+supported it was not broken in a hundred places in this violent
+convulsion of the sea, the roaring of which could be distinctly heard
+where he stood. Presently Long, who was a few steps in advance, stopped
+suddenly, and turning round managed to make the Lieutenant hear the
+broken words—
+
+“Not that way!”
+
+“Why not?”
+
+“The sea!”
+
+“What, the sea! We cannot possibly have got to the southeast coast!”
+
+“Look, look, Lieutenant!”
+
+It was true, a vast sheet of water was indistinctly visible before them,
+and large waves were rolling up and breaking at the Lieutenant’s feet.
+
+Hobson again had recourse to his flint, and with the aid of some lighted
+touchwood consulted the needle of his compass very carefully.
+
+“No,” he said, “the sea is farther to the left, we have not yet
+passed the wood between us and Cape Michael.”
+
+“Then it is”——
+
+“It is a fracture of the island!” cried Hobson, as both were
+compelled to fling themselves to the ground before the wind, “either
+a large portion of our land has been broken off and drifted away, or a
+gulf has been made, which we can go round. Forwards!”
+
+They struggled to their feet and turned to the right towards the
+centre of the island. For about ten minutes they pressed on in silence,
+fearing, not without reason, that all communication with the south of
+the island would be found to be cut off. Presently, however, they no
+longer heard the noise of the breakers.
+
+“It is only a gulf.” screamed Hobson in the Sergeant’s ear. “Let
+us turn round.”
+
+And they resumed their original direction towards the south, but both
+knew only too well that they had a fearful danger to face, for that
+portion of the island on which they were was evidently cracked for a
+long distance, and might at any moment separate entirely; should it do
+so under the influence of the waves, they would inevitably be drifted
+away, whither they knew not. Yet they did not hesitate, but plunged into
+the mist, not even pausing to wonder if they should ever get back.
+
+What anxious forebodings must, however, have pressed upon the heart of
+the Lieutenant. Could he now hope that the island would hold together
+until the winter? had not the inevitable breaking up already commenced?
+If the wind should not drive them on to the coast, were they not doomed
+to perish very soon, to be swallowed up by the deep, leaving no trace
+behind them? What a fearful prospect for all the unconscious inhabitants
+of the fort!
+
+But through it all the two men, upheld by the consciousness of a duty to
+perform, bravely struggled on against the gale, which nearly tore them
+to pieces, along the new beach, the foam sometimes bathing their feet,
+and presently gained the large wood which shut in Cape Michael. This
+they would have to cross to get to the coast by the shortest route,
+and they entered it in complete darkness, the wind thundering among the
+branches over their heads. Everything seemed to be breaking to pieces
+around them, the dislocated branches intercepted their passage, and
+every moment they ran a risk of being crushed beneath a falling tree, or
+they stumbled over a stump they had not been able to see in the gloom.
+The noise of the waves on the other side of the wood was a sufficient
+guide to their steps, and sometimes the furious breakers shook the
+weakened ground beneath their feet. Holding each other’s hands lest
+they should lose each other, supporting each other, and the one helping
+the other up when he fell over some obstacle, they at last reached the
+point for which they were bound.
+
+But the instant they quitted the shelter of the wood a perfect whirlwind
+tore them asunder, and flung them upon the ground.
+
+“Sergeant, Sergeant! Where are you?” cried Hobson with all the
+strength of his lungs.
+
+“Here, here!” roared Long in reply.
+
+And creeping on the ground they struggled to reach each other; but it
+seemed as if a powerful hand rivetted them to the spot on which they had
+fallen, and it was only after many futile efforts that they managed
+to reach each other. Having done so, they tied their belts together to
+prevent another separation, and crept along the sand to a little rising
+ground crowned by a small clump of pines. Once there they were a little
+more protected, and they proceeded to dig themselves a hole, in which
+they crouched in a state of absolute exhaustion and prostration.
+
+It was half-past eleven o’clock P.M.
+
+For some minutes neither spoke. With eyes half closed they lay in a kind
+of torpor, whilst the trees above them bent beneath the wind, and their
+branches rattled like the bones of a skeleton. But yet again they roused
+themselves from this fatal lethargy, and a few mouthfuls of rum from the
+Sergeant’s flask revived them.
+
+“Let us hope these trees will hold,” at last observed Hobson.
+
+“And that our hole will not blow away with them,” added the
+Sergeant, crouching in the soft sand.
+
+“Well!” said Hobson, “here we are at last, a few feet from Cape
+Michael, and as we came to make observations, let us make them. I have
+a presentiment, Sergeant, only a presentiment, remember, that we are not
+far from firm ground!”
+
+Had the southern horizon been visible the two adventurers would have
+been able to see two-thirds of it from their position; but it was too
+dark to make out anything, and if the hurricane had indeed driven them
+within sight of land, they would not be able to see it until daylight,
+unless a fire should be lighted on the continent.
+
+As the Lieutenant had told Mrs Barnett, fishermen often visited that
+part of North America, which is called New Georgia, and there are a good
+many small native colonies, the members of which collect the teeth of
+mammoths, these fossil elephants being very numerous in these
+latitudes. A few degrees farther south, on the island of Sitka, rises
+New-Archangel, the principal settlement in Russian America, and the
+head-quarters of the Russian Fur Company, whose jurisdiction once
+extended over the whole of the Aleutian Islands. The shores of the
+Arctic Ocean are, however, the favourite resort of hunters, especially
+since the Hudson’s Bay Company took a lease of the districts formerly
+in the hands of the Russians; and Hobson, although he knew nothing
+of the country, was well acquainted with the habits of those who were
+likely to visit it at this time of the year, and was justified in
+thinking that he might meet fellow-countrymen, perhaps even members of
+his own Company, or, failing them, some native Indians, scouring the
+coasts.
+
+But could the Lieutenant reasonably hope that Victoria Island had been
+driven towards the coast?
+
+“Yes, a hundred times yes,” he repeated to the Sergeant again
+and again. “For seven days a hurricane has been blowing from the
+northeast, and although I know that the island is very flat, and there
+is not much for the wind to take hold of, still all these little hills
+and woods spread out like sails must have felt the influence of the wind
+to a certain extent. Moreover, the sea which bears us along feels its
+power, and large waves are certainly running in shore. It is impossible
+for us to have remained in the current which was dragging us to the
+west, we must have been driven out of it, and towards the south. Last
+time we took our bearings we were two hundred miles from the coast, and
+in seven days “——
+
+“Your reasonings are very just, Lieutenant,” replied the Sergeant,
+“and I feel that whether the wind helps us or not, God will not
+forsake us. It cannot be His will that so many unfortunate creatures
+should perish, and I put my trust in Him!”
+
+The two talked on in broken sentences, making each other hear above the
+roaring of the storm, and struggling to pierce the gloom which closed
+them in on every side; but they could see nothing, not a ray of light
+broke the thick darkness.
+
+About half past one A.M. the hurricane ceased for a few minutes, whilst
+the fury of the sea seemed to be redoubled, and the large waves, lashed
+into foam, broke over each other with a roar like thunder.
+
+Suddenly Hobson seizing his companion’s arm shouted—
+
+“Sergeant, do you hear?”
+
+“What?”
+
+“The noise of the sea?”
+
+“Of course I do, sir,” replied Long, listening more attentively,
+“and the sound of the breakers seems to me not”——
+
+“Not exactly the same... isn’t it Sergeant; listen, listen, it
+is like the sound of surf!... it seems as if the waves were breaking
+against rocks!”
+
+Hobson and the Sergeant now listened intently, the monotonous sound
+of the waves dashing against each other in the offing was certainly
+exchanged for the regular rolling sound produced by the breaking of
+water against a hard body; they heard the reverberating echoes which
+told of the neighbourhood of rocks, and they knew that along the whole
+of the coast of their island there was not a single stone, and nothing
+more sonorous than the earth and sand of which it was composed!
+
+Could they have been deceived? The Sergeant tried to rise to listen
+better, but he was immediately flung down by the hurricane, which
+recommenced with renewed violence. The lull was over, and again the
+noise of the waves was drowned in the shrill whistling of the wind, and
+the peculiar echo could no longer be made out.
+
+The anxiety of the two explorers will readily be imagined. They again
+crouched down in their hole, doubting whether it would not perhaps be
+prudent to leave even this shelter, for they felt the sand giving
+way beneath them, and the pines cracking at their very roots. They
+persevered, however, in gazing towards the south, every nerve strained
+to the utmost, in the effort to distinguish objects through the
+darkness.
+
+The first grey twilight of the dawn might soon be expected to appear,
+and a little before half-past two A.M. Long suddenly exclaimed:
+
+“I see it!”
+
+“What?”
+
+“A fire!”
+
+“A fire?”
+
+“Yes, there—over there!”
+
+And he pointed to the south-west. Was he mistaken? No, for Hobson also
+made out a faint glimmer in the direction indicated.
+
+“Yes!” he cried, “yes, Sergeant, a fire; there is land there!”
+
+“Unless it is a fire on board ship,” replied Long.
+
+“A ship at sea in this weather!” exclaimed Hobson, “impossible!
+No, no, there is land there, land I tell you, a few miles from us!”
+
+“Well, let us make a signal!”
+
+“Yes, Sergeant, we will reply to the fire on the mainland by a fire on
+our island!”
+
+Of course neither Hobson nor Long had a torch, but above their heads
+rose resinous pines distorted by the hurricane.
+
+“Your flint, Sergeant,” said Hobson.
+
+Long at once struck his flint, lighted the touchwood, and creeping along
+the sand climbed to the foot of the thicket of firs, where he was soon
+joined by the Lieutenant. There was plenty of deadwood about, and they
+piled it up at the stems of the trees, set fire to it, and soon, the
+wind helping them, they had the satisfaction of seeing the whole thicket
+in a blaze
+
+“Ah!” said Hobson, “as we saw their fire, they will see ours!”
+
+The firs burnt with a lurid glare like a large torch. The dried resin in
+the old trunks aided the conflagration, and they were rapidly consumed.
+At last the crackling ceased, the flames died away, and all was
+darkness.
+
+Hobson and Long looked in vain for an answering fire—nothing was to be
+seen. For ten minutes they watched, hoping against hope, and were just
+beginning to despair, when suddenly a cry was heard, a distinct cry for
+help. It was a human voice, and it came from the sea.
+
+Hobson and Long, wild with eager anxiety, let themselves slide down to
+the shore.
+
+The cry was not, however, repeated.
+
+The daylight was now gradually beginning to appear, and the violence of
+the tempest seemed to be decreasing. Soon it was light enough for the
+horizon to be examined.
+
+But there was no land in sight, sea and sky were still blended in one
+unbroken circle.
+
+CHAPTER VIII. MRS. PAULINA BARNETT’S EXCURSION. The whole morning
+Hobson and Sergeant Long wandered about the coast. The weather was much
+improved, the rain had ceased, and the wind had veered round to
+the south-east with extraordinary suddenness, without unfortunately
+decreasing in violence, causing fresh anxiety to the Lieutenant, who
+could no longer hope to reach the mainland.
+
+The south-east wind would drive the wandering island farther from the
+continent, and fling it into the dangerous currents, which must drift it
+to the north of the Arctic Ocean.
+
+How could they even be sure that they had really approached the coast
+during the awful night just over. Might it not have been merely a fancy
+of the Lieutenant’s? The air was now clear, and they could look round
+a radius of several miles; yet there was nothing in the least resembling
+land within sight. Might they not adopt the Sergeant’s suggestion,
+that a ship had passed the island during the night, that the fire and
+cry were alike signals of sailors in distress? And if it had been a
+vessel, must it not have foundered in such a storm?
+
+Whatever the explanation there was no sign of a wreck to be seen either
+in the offing or on the beach, and the waves, now driven along by the
+wind from the land, were large enough to have overwhelmed any vessel.
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” said Sergeant Long, “what is to be done?’“
+
+“We must remain upon our island,” replied the Lieutenant, pressing
+his hand to his brow; “we must remain on our island and wait for
+winter; it alone can save us.”
+
+It was now mid-day, and Hobson, anxious to get back to Fort Hope before
+the evening, at once turned towards Cape Bathurst.
+
+The wind, being now on their backs, helped them along as it had done
+before. They could not help feeling very uneasy, as they were naturally
+afraid that the island might have separated into two parts in the storm.
+The gulf observed the night before might have spread farther, and if so
+they would be cut off from their friends.
+
+They soon reached the wood they had crossed the night before. Numbers of
+trees were lying on the ground, some with broken stems, others torn up
+by the roots from the soft soil, which had not afforded them sufficient
+support. The few which remained erect were stripped of their leaves,
+and their naked branches creaked and moaned as the south-east wind swept
+over them.
+
+Two miles beyond this desolated forest the wanderers arrived at the edge
+of the gulf they had seen the night before without being able to judge
+of its extent. They examined it carefully, and found that it was about
+fifty feet wide, cutting the coast line straight across near Cape
+Michael and what was formerly Fort Barnett, forming a kind of estuary
+running more than a mile and a half inland. If the sea should again
+become rough in a fresh storm, this gulf would widen more and more.
+
+Just as Hobson approached the beach, he saw a large piece of ice
+separate from the island and float away!
+
+“Ah!” murmured Long, “that is the danger!”
+
+Both then turned hurriedly to the west, and walked as fast as they could
+round the huge gulf, making direct for Fort Hope.
+
+They noticed no other changes by the way, and towards four o’clock
+they crossed the court and found all their comrades at their usual
+occupations.
+
+Hobson told his men that he had wished once more before the winter to
+see if there were any signs of the approach of Captain Craventy’s
+convoy, and that his expedition had been fruitless.
+
+“Then, sir,” observed Marbre, “I suppose we must give up all idea
+of seeing our comrades from Fort Reliance for this year at least?”
+
+“I think you must,” replied Hobson simply, re-entering the public
+room.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Madge were told of the two chief events of the
+exploration: the fire and the cry. Hobson was quite sure that neither he
+nor the Sergeant were mistaken. The fire had really been seen, the cry
+had really been heard; and after a long consultation every one came to
+the conclusion that a ship in distress had passed within sight during
+the night, and that the island had not approached the American coast.
+
+The south-east wind quickly chased away the clouds and mists, so that
+Hobson hoped to be able to take his bearings the next day. The night
+was colder and a fine snow fell, which quickly covered the ground. This
+first sign of winter was hailed with delight by all who knew of the
+peril of their situation.
+
+On the 2nd September the sky gradually became free from vapours of all
+kinds, and the sun again appeared. Patiently the Lieutenant awaited
+its culmination; at noon he took the latitude, and two hours later a
+calculation of hour-angles gave him the longitude.
+
+The following were the results obtained: Latitude, 70° 57’;
+longitude, 170° 30’.
+
+So that, in spite of the violence of the hurricane, the island had
+remained in much the same latitude, although it had been drifted
+somewhat farther west. They were now abreast of Behring Strait, but four
+hundred miles at least north of Capes East and Prince of Wales, which
+jut out on either side at the narrowest part of the passage.
+
+The situation was, therefore, more dangerous than ever, as the island
+was daily getting nearer to the dangerous Kamtchatka Current, which, if
+it once seized it in its rapid waters, might carry it far away to the
+north. Its fate would now soon be decided. It would either stop where
+the two currents met, and there be shut in by the ice of the approaching
+winter, or it would be drifted away and lost in the solitudes of the
+remote hyperborean regions.
+
+Hobson was painfully moved on ascertaining the true state of things, and
+being anxious to conceal his emotion, he shut himself up in his own room
+and did not appear again that day. With his chart before him, he racked
+his brains to find some way out of the difficulties with which be was
+beset.
+
+The temperature fell some degrees farther the same day, and the mists,
+which had collected above the south-eastern horizon the day before,
+resolved themselves into snow during the night, so that the next day the
+white carpet was two inches thick. Winter was coming at last.
+
+On September 3rd Mrs Barnett resolved to go a few miles along the coast
+towards Cape Esquimaux. She wished to see for herself the changes lately
+produced. If she had mentioned her project to the Lieutenant, he would
+certainly have offered to accompany her; but she did not wish to disturb
+him, and decided to go without him, taking Madge with her. There was
+really nothing to fear, the only formidable animals, the bears, seemed
+to have quite deserted the island after the earthquake; and two women
+might, without danger, venture on a walk of a few hours without an
+escort.
+
+Madge agreed at once to Mrs Barnett’s proposal, and without a word
+to any one they set out at eight o’clock A.M., provided with an
+ice-chisel, a flask of spirits, and a wallet of provisions.
+
+After leaving Cape Bathurst they turned to the west. The sun was already
+dragging its slow course along the horizon, for at this time of year it
+would only be a few degrees above it at its culmination. But its oblique
+rays were clear and powerful, and the snow was already melting here and
+there beneath their influence.
+
+The coast was alive with flocks of birds of many kinds; ptarmigans,
+guillemots, puffins, wild geese, and ducks of every variety fluttered
+about, uttering their various cries, skimming the surface of the sea
+or of the lagoon, according as their tastes led them to prefer salt or
+fresh water.
+
+Mrs Barnett had now a capital opportunity of seeing how many furred
+animals haunted the neighbourhood of Fort Hope. Martens, ermines,
+musk-rats, and foxes were numerous, and the magazines of the factory
+might easily have been filled with their skins, but what good would that
+be now? The inoffensive creatures, knowing that hunting was suspended,
+went and came fearlessly, venturing close up to the palisade, and
+becoming tamer every day. Their instinct doubtless told them that they
+and their old enemies were alike prisoners on the island, and a common
+danger bound them together. It struck Mrs Barnett as strange that
+the two enthusiastic hunters—Marbre and Sabine—should obey the
+Lieutenant’s orders to spare the furred animals without remonstrance
+or complaint, and appeared not even to wish to shoot the valuable game
+around them. It was true the foxes and others had not yet assumed
+their winter robes, but this was not enough to explain the strange
+indifference of the two hunters.
+
+Whilst walking at a good pace and talking over their strange situation,
+Mrs Barnett and Madge carefully noted the peculiarities of the sandy
+coast. The ravages recently made by the sea were distinctly visible.
+Fresh landslips enabled them to see new fractures in the ice distinctly.
+The strand, fretted away in many places, had sunk to an enormous extent,
+and the waves washed along a level beach when the perpendicular shores
+had once checked their advance. It was evident that parts of the island
+were now only on a level with the ocean.
+
+“O Madge!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, pointing to the long smooth tracts
+on which the curling waves broke in rapid succession, “our situation
+has indeed become aggravated by the awful storm! It is evident that the
+level of the whole island is gradually becoming lower. It is now only
+a question of time. Will the winter come soon enough to save us?
+Everything depends upon that.”
+
+“The winter will come, my dear girl,” replied Madge with her usual
+unshaken confidence. “We have already had two falls of snow. Ice is
+[begininng] beginning to accumulate, and God will send it us in time, I
+feel sure.”
+
+“You are right. Madge, we must have faith!” said Mrs Barnett. “We
+women who do not trouble ourselves about the scientific reasons for
+physical phenomena can hope, when men who are better informed,
+perhaps, despair. That is one of our blessings, which our Lieutenant
+unfortunately does not share. He sees the significance of facts, he
+reflects, he calculates, he reckons up the time still remaining to us,
+and I see that he is beginning to lose all hope.”
+
+“He is a brave, energetic man, for all that,” replied Madge.
+
+“Yes,” added Mrs Barnett, “and if it be in the power of man to
+save us, he will do it.”
+
+By nine o’clock the two women had walked four miles. They were often
+obliged to go inland for some little distance, to avoid parts of
+the coast already invaded by the sea. Here and there the waves had
+encroached half-a-mile beyond the former high-water line, and the
+thickness of the ice-field had been considerably reduced. There was
+danger that it would soon yield in many places, and that new bays would
+be formed all along the coast.
+
+As they got farther from the fort Mrs Barnett noticed that the number of
+furred animals decreased considerably. The poor creatures evidently felt
+more secure near a human habitation. The only formidable animals which
+had not been led by instinct to escape in time from the dangerous island
+were a few wolves, savage beasts which even a common danger did not
+conciliate. Mrs Barnett and Madge saw several wandering about on the
+plains, but they did not approach, and soon disappeared behind the hills
+on the south of the lagoon.
+
+“What will become of all these imprisoned animals,” said Madge,
+“when all food fails them, and they are famished with hunger in the
+winter?”
+
+“They will not be famished in a hurry, Madge,” replied Mrs Barnett,
+“and we shall have nothing to fear from them; all the martens,
+ermines, and Polar hares, which we spare will fall an easy prey to them.
+That is not our danger; the brittle ground beneath our feet, which may
+at any moment give way, is our real peril. Only look how the sea is
+advancing here. It already covers half the plain, and the waves, still
+comparatively warm, are eating away our island above and below at the
+same time! If the cold does not stop it very soon, the sea will shortly
+join the lake, and we shall lose our lagoon as we lost our river and our
+port!”
+
+“Well, if that should happen it will indeed be an irreparable
+misfortune!” exclaimed Madge.
+
+“Why?” asked Mrs Barnett, looking inquiringly at her companion.
+
+“Because we shall have no more fresh water,” replied Madge.
+
+“Oh, we shall not want for fresh water, Madge,” said Mrs Barnett;
+“the rain, the snow, the ice, the icebergs of the ocean, the very
+ice-field on which we float, will supply us with that; no, no, that is
+not our danger.”
+
+About ten o’clock Mrs Barnett and Madge had readied the rising ground
+above Cape Esquimaux, but at least two miles inland, for they had found
+it impossible to follow the coast, worn away as it was by the sea. Being
+rather tired with the many détours they had had to make, they decided
+to rest a few minutes before setting off on their return to Fort Hope. A
+little hill crowned by a clump of birch trees and a few shrubs afforded
+a pleasant shelter, and a bank covered with yellow moss, from which the
+snow had melted, served them as a seat. The little wallet was opened,
+and they shared their simple repast like sisters.
+
+Half an hour later, Mrs Barnett proposed that they should climb
+along the promontory to the sea, and find out the exact state of Cape
+Esquimaux. She was anxious to know if the point of it had resisted the
+storm, and Madge declared herself ready to follow “her dear girl”
+wherever she went, but at the same time reminded her that they were
+eight or nine miles from Cape Bathurst already, and that they must not
+make Lieutenant Hobson uneasy by too long an absence.
+
+But some presentiment made Mrs Barnett insist upon doing as she
+proposed, and she was right, as the event proved. It would only delay
+them half an hour after all.
+
+They had not gone a quarter of a mile before Mrs Barnett stopped
+suddenly, and pointed to some clear and regular impressions upon the
+snow. These marks must have been made within the last nine or ten hours,
+or the last fall of snow would have covered them over.
+
+“What animal has passed along here, I wonder?” said Madge.
+
+“It was not an animal,” said Mrs Barnett, bending down to examine
+the marks more closely, “not a quadruped certainly, for its four feet
+would have left impressions very different from these. Look, Madge, they
+are the footprints of a human person!”
+
+“But who could have been here?” inquired Madge; “none of the
+soldiers or women have left the fort, and we are on an island, remember.
+You must be mistaken, my dear; but we will follow the marks, and see
+where they lead us.”
+
+They did so, and fifty paces farther on both again paused.
+
+“Look, Madge, look!” cried Mrs Barnett, seizing her companion’s
+arm, “and then say if I am mistaken.”
+
+Near the footprints there were marks of a heavy body having been dragged
+along the snow, and the impression of a hand.
+
+“It is the hand of a woman or a child!” cried Madge.
+
+“Yes!” replied Mrs Barnett; “a woman or a child has fallen here
+exhausted, and risen again to stumble farther on; look, the footprints
+again, and father on more falls!”
+
+“Who, who could it have been?” exclaimed Madge.
+
+“How can I tell?” replied Mrs Barnett. “Some unfortunate creature
+imprisoned like ourselves for three or four months perhaps. Or some
+shipwrecked wretch flung upon the coast in the storm. You remember the
+fire and the cry of which Sergeant Long and Lieutenant Hobson spoke.
+Come, come, Madge, there may be some one in danger for us to save!
+
+And Mrs Barnett, dragging Madge with her, ran along following the
+traces, and further on found that they were stained with blood.
+
+The brave, tender-hearted woman, had spoken of saving some one in
+danger; had she then forgotten that there was no safety for any upon the
+island, doomed sooner or later to be swallowed up by the ocean?
+
+The impressions on the ground led towards Cape Esquimaux. And the two
+carefully traced them, but the footprints presently disappeared, whilst
+the blood-stains increased, making an irregular pathway along the snow.
+It was evident the poor wretch had been unable to walk farther, and had
+crept along on hands and knees; here and there fragments of torn clothes
+were scattered about, bits of sealskin and fur.
+
+“Come, come,” cried Mrs Barnett, whose heart beat violently.
+
+Madge followed her, they were only a few yards from Cape Esquimaux,
+which now rose only a few feet upon the sea-level against the background
+of the sky, and was quite deserted.
+
+The impressions now led them to the right of the cape, and running along
+they soon climbed to the top, but there was still nothing, absolutely
+nothing, to be seen. At the foot of the cape, where the slight ascent
+began, the traces turned to the right, and led straight to the sea.
+
+Mrs Barnett was turning to the right also, but just as she was stepping
+on to the beach, Madge, who had been following her and looking about
+uneasily, caught hold of her hand, and exclaimed—
+
+“Stop! stop!” “No, Madge, no!” cried Mrs Barnett, who was drawn
+along by a kind of instinct in spite of herself.
+
+“Stop, stop, and look!” cried Madge, tightening her hold on her
+mistress’s hand.
+
+On the beach, about fifty paces from Cape Esquimaux, a large white mass
+was moving about and growling angrily.
+
+It was an immense Polar bear, and the two women watched it with beating
+hearts. It was pacing round and round a bundle of fur on the ground,
+which it smelt at every now and then, lifting it up and letting it fall
+again. The bundle of fur looked like the dead body of a walrus.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Madge did not know what to think, whether to advance
+or to retreat, but presently as the body was moved about a kind of hood
+fell back from the head, and some long locks of brown hair were thrown
+over the snow.
+
+“It is a woman! a woman!” cried Mrs Barnett, eager to rush to her
+assistance and find out if she were dead or alive!
+
+“Stop!” repeated Madge, holding her back; “the bear won’t harm
+her.”
+
+And, indeed, the formidable creature merely turned the body over, and
+showed no inclination of tearing it with its dreadful claws. It went
+away and came back apparently uncertain what to do. It had not yet
+perceived the two women who were so anxiously watching it.
+
+Suddenly a loud crack was heard. The earth shook, and it seemed as if
+the whole of Cape Esquimaux were about to be plunged into the sea.
+
+A large piece of the island had broken away, and a huge piece of ice,
+the centre of gravity of which had been displaced by the alteration in
+its specific weight, drifted away, carrying with it the bear and the
+body of the woman.
+
+Mrs Barnett screamed, and would have flung herself upon the broken
+ice before it floated away, if Madge had not clutched her hand firmly,
+saying quietly——
+
+“Stop! stop!”
+
+At the noise produced by the breaking off of the piece of ice, the bear
+started back with a fearful growl, and, leaving the body, rushed to the
+side where the fracture had taken place; but he was already some forty
+feet from the coast, and in his terror he ran round and round the islet,
+tearing up the ground with his claws, and stamping the sand and snow
+about him.
+
+Presently he returned to the motionless body, and, to the horror of the
+two women, seized it by the clothes with his teeth, and carrying it to
+the edge of the ice, plunged with it into the sea.
+
+Being a powerful swimmer, like the whole race of Arctic bears, he soon
+gained the shores of the island. With a great exertion of strength
+he managed to climb up the ice, and having reached the surface of the
+island he quietly laid down the body he had brought with him.
+
+Mrs Barnett could no longer be held back, and, shaking off Madge’s
+hold, she rushed to the beach, never thinking of the danger she ran in
+facing a formidable carnivorous creature.
+
+The bear, seeing her approach, reared upon his hind legs, and came
+towards her, but at about ten paces off he paused, shook his great head,
+and turning round with a low growl, quietly walked away towards the
+centre of the island, without once looking behind him. He, too, was
+evidently affected by the mysterious fear which had tamed all the wild
+animals on the island.
+
+Mrs Barnett was soon bending over the body stretched about the snow.
+
+A cry of astonishment burst from her lips:
+
+“Madge, Madge, come!” she exclaimed.
+
+Madge approached and looked long and fixedly at the inanimate body. It
+was the young Esquimaux girl Kalumah!
+
+CHAPTER IX. KALUMAH’S ADVENTURES. Kalumah on the floating island, two
+hundred miles from the American coast. It was almost incredible!
+
+The first thing to be ascertained was whether the poor creature still
+breathed. Was it possible to restore her to life? Mrs Barnett loosened
+her clothes, and found that her body was not yet quite cold. Her heart
+beat very feebly, but it did beat. The blood they had seen came from a
+slight wound in her hand; Madge bound it up with her handkerchief, and
+the bleeding soon ceased.
+
+At the same time Mrs Barnett raised the poor girl’s head, and managed
+to pour a few drops of rum between her parted lips. She then bathed her
+forehead and temples with cold water, and waited.
+
+A few minutes passed by, and neither of the watchers were able to utter
+a word, so anxious were they lest the faint spark of life remaining to
+the young Esquimaux should be quenched.
+
+But at last Kalumah’s breast heaved with a faint sigh, her hands moved
+feebly, and presently she opened her eyes, and recognising her preserver
+she murmured—
+
+“Mrs Barnett! Mrs Barnett!”
+
+The lady was not a little surprised at hearing her own name. Had Kalumah
+voluntarily sought the floating island, and did she expect to find her
+old European friends on it? If so, how had she come to know it, and
+how had she managed to reach the island, two hundred miles from the
+mainland? How could she have guessed that the ice-field as bearing Mrs
+Barnett and all the occupants of Fort Hope away from the American coast?
+Really it all seemed quite inexplicable.
+
+“She lives—she will recover!” exclaimed Madge, who felt the vital
+heat and pulsation returning to the poor bruised body.
+
+“Poor child, poor child’“ said Mrs Barnett, much affected; “she
+murmured my name when she was at the point of death.”
+
+But now Kalumah again half opened her eyes, and looked about her with a
+dreamy unsatisfied expression, presently, however, seeing Mrs Barnett,
+her face brightened, the same name again burst from her lips, and
+painfully raising her hand she let it fall on that of her friend.
+
+The anxious care of the two women soon revived Kalumah, whose extreme
+exhaustion arose not only from fatigue but also from hunger. She had
+eaten nothing for forty-eight hours. Some pieces of cold venison and
+a little rum refreshed her, and she soon felt able to accompany her
+newly-found friends to the fort.
+
+Before starting, however, Kalumah, seated on the sand between Mrs
+Barnett and Madge, overwhelmed them with thanks and expressions of
+attachment. Then she told her story: she had not forgotten the Europeans
+of Fort Hope, and the thought of Mrs Paulina Barnett had been ever
+present with her. It was not by chance, as we shall see, that she had
+come to Victoria Island.
+
+The following is a brief summary of what Kalumah related to Mrs
+Barnett:—
+
+Our readers will remember the young Esquimaux’s promise to come and
+see her friends at Fort Hope again in the fine season of the next year.
+The long Polar night being over, and the month of May having come round,
+Kalumah set out to fulfil her pledge. She left Russian America, where
+she had wintered, and accompanied by one of her brothers-in-law, started
+for the peninsula of Victoria.
+
+Six weeks later, towards the middle of June, she got to that part of
+British America which is near Cape Bathurst. She at once recognised the
+volcanic mountains shutting in Liverpool Bay, and twenty miles farther
+east she came to Walruses’ Bay, where her people had so often hunted
+morses and seals.
+
+But beyond the bay on the north, there was nothing to be seen. The
+coast suddenly sank to the south-east in an almost straight line. Cape
+Esquimaux and Cape Bathurst had alike disappeared.
+
+Kalumah understood what had happened. Either the whole of the peninsula
+had been swallowed up by the waves, or it was floating away as an
+island, no one knew whither!
+
+Kalumah’s tears flowed fast at the loss of those whom she had come so
+far to see.
+
+Her brother-in-law, however, had not appeared surprised at the
+catastrophe. A kind of legend or tradition had been handed down amongst
+the nomad tribes of North America, that Cape Bathurst did not form part
+of the mainland, but had been joined on to it thousands of years before,
+and would sooner or later be torn away in some convulsion of nature.
+Hence the surprise at finding the factory founded by Hobson at the foot
+of the cape. But with the unfortunate reserve characteristic of their
+race, and perhaps also under the influence of that enmity which all
+natives feel for those who settle in their country, they said nothing to
+the Lieutenant, whose fort was already finished. Kalumah knew nothing of
+this tradition, which after all rested on no trustworthy evidence, and
+probably belonged to the many northern legends relating to the creation.
+This was how it was that the colonists of Fort Hope were not warned of
+the danger they ran in settling on such a spot.
+
+Had a word in season been spoken to Hobson he would certainly have gone
+farther in search of some firmer foundation for his fort than this soil,
+certain peculiarities of which he had noticed at the first.
+
+When Kalumah had made quite sure that all trace of Cape Bathurst was
+gone, she explored the coast as far as the further side of Washburn Bay,
+but without finding any sign of those she sought, and at last there was
+nothing left for her to do but to return to the fisheries of Russian
+America.
+
+She and her brother-in-law left Walruses’ Bay at the end of June, and
+following the coast got back to New Georgia towards the end of July,
+after an absolutely fruitless journey.
+
+Kalumah now gave up all hope of again seeing Mrs Barnett and the other
+colonists of Fort Hope. She concluded that they had all been swallowed
+up by the ocean long ago.
+
+At this part of her tale the young Esquimaux looked at Mrs Barnett with
+eyes full of tears, and pressed her hand [affectionaly] affectionately,
+and then she murmured her thanks to God for her own preservation through
+the means of her friend.
+
+Kalumah on her return home resumed her customary occupations, and worked
+with the rest of her tribe at the fisheries near Icy Cape, a point a
+little above the seventieth parallel, and more than six hundred miles
+from Cape Bathurst.
+
+Nothing worthy of note happened during the first half of the month of
+April; but towards the end the storm began which had caused Hobson so
+much uneasiness, and which had apparently extended its ravages over
+the whole of the Arctic Ocean and beyond Behring Strait. It was equally
+violent at Icy Cape and on Victoria Island, and, as the Lieutenant
+ascertained in taking his bearings, the latter was then not more than
+two hundred miles from the coast.
+
+As Mrs Barnett listened to Kalumah, her previous information enabled her
+rapidly to find the key to the strange events which had taken place, and
+to account for the arrival of the young native on the island.
+
+During the first days of the storm the Esquimaux of Icy Cape were
+confined to their huts. They could neither get out nor fish. But during
+the night of the 31st August a kind of presentiment led Kalumah to
+venture down to the beach, and, braving the wind and rain in all their
+fury, she peered anxiously through the darkness at the waves rising
+mountains high.
+
+Presently she thought she saw a huge mass driven along by the hurricane
+parallel with the coast. Gifted with extremely keen sight—as are all
+these wandering tribes accustomed to the long dark Polar nights—she
+felt sure that she was not mistaken.
+
+Something of vast bulk was passing two miles from the coast, and that
+something could be neither a whale, a boat, nor, at this time of the
+year, even an iceberg.
+
+But Kalumah did not stop to reason. The truth flashed upon her like
+a revelation. Before her excited imagination rose the images of her
+friends. She saw them all once more, Mrs Barnett, Madge, Lieutenant
+Hobson, the baby she had covered with kisses at Fort Hope. Yes, they
+were passing, borne along in the storm on a floating ice-field!
+
+Kalumah did not doubt or hesitate a moment. She felt that she must tell
+the poor shipwrecked people, which she was sure they were, of the close
+vicinity of the land. She ran to her hut, seized a torch of tow and
+resin, such as the Esquimaux use when fishing at night, lit it and waved
+it on the beach at the summit of Icy Cape.
+
+This was the fire which Hobson and Long had seen when crouching on Cape
+Michael on the night of the 31st August.
+
+Imagine the delight and excitement of the young Esquimaux when a signal
+replied to hers, when she saw the huge fire lit by Lieutenant Hobson,
+the reflection of which reached the American coast, although he did not
+dream that he was so near it.
+
+But it quickly went out, the lull in the storm only lasted a few
+minutes, and the fearful gale, veering round to the south-east, swept
+along with redoubled violence.
+
+Kalumah feared that her “prey,” so she called the floating island,
+was about to escape her, and that it would not be driven on to the
+shore. She saw it fading away, and knew that it would soon disappear in
+the darkness and be lost to her on the boundless ocean.
+
+It was indeed a terrible moment for the young native, and she determined
+at all hazards to let her friends know of their situation. There might
+yet be time for them to take some steps for their deliverance, although
+every hour took them farther from the continent.
+
+She did not hesitate a moment, her kayak was at hand, the frail bark in
+which she had more than once braved the storms of the Arctic Ocean, she
+pushed it down to the sea, hastily laced on the sealskin jacket fastened
+to the canoe, and, the long paddle in her hand, she plunged into the
+darkness.
+
+Mrs Barnett here pressed the brave child to her heart, and Madge shed
+tears of sympathy.
+
+When launched upon the roaring ocean, Kalumah found the change of wind
+in her favour. The waves dashed over her kayak, it is true, but they
+were powerless to harm the light boat, which floated on their crests
+like a straw. It was capsized several times, but a stroke of the paddle
+righted it at once.
+
+After about an hour’s hard work, Kalumah could see the wandering
+island more distinctly, and had no longer any doubt of effecting her
+purpose, as she was but a quarter of a mile from the beach.
+
+It was then that she uttered the cry which Hobson and Long had heard.
+
+But, alas! Kalumah now felt herself being carried away towards the west
+by a powerful current, which could take firmer hold of her kayak than of
+the floating island!
+
+In vain she struggled to beat back with her paddle, the light boat
+shot along like an arrow. She uttered scream after scream, but she was
+unheard, for she was already far away, and when the day broke the coasts
+of Alaska and the island she had wished to reach, were but two distant
+masses on the horizon.
+
+Did she despair? Not yet. It was impossible to get back to the American
+continent in the teeth of the terrible wind which was driving the island
+before it at a rapid pace, taking it out two hundred miles in thirty-six
+hours, and assisted by the current from the coast.
+
+There was but one thing left to do. To get to the island by keeping in
+the same current which was drifting it away.
+
+But, alas! the poor girl’s strength was not equal to her courage, she
+was faint from want of food, and, exhausted as she was, she could no
+longer wield her paddle.
+
+For some hours she struggled on, and seemed to be approaching the
+island, although those on it could not see her, as she was but a speck
+upon the ocean. She struggled on until her stiffened arms and bleeding
+hands fell powerless, and, losing consciousness, she was floated along
+in her frail kayak at the mercy of winds and waves.
+
+She did not know how long this lasted, she remembered nothing more,
+until a sudden shock roused her, her kayak had struck against something,
+it opened beneath her, and she was plunged into cold water, the
+freshness of which revived her. A few moments later, she was flung upon
+the sand in a dying state by a large wave.
+
+This had taken place the night before, just before dawn—that is to
+say, about two or three o’clock in the morning. Kalumah had then been
+seventy hours at sea since she embarked!
+
+The young native had no idea where she had been thrown, whether on the
+continent or on the floating island, which she had so bravely sought,
+but she hoped the latter. Yes, hoped that she had reached her friends,
+although she knew that the wind and current had driven them into the
+open sea, and not towards the coast!
+
+The thought revived her, and, shattered as she was, she struggled to her
+feet, and tried to follow the coast.
+
+She had, in fact, been providentially thrown on that portion of Victoria
+Island which was formerly the upper corner of Walruses’ Bay. But, worn
+away as it was by the waves, she did not recognise the land with which
+she had once been familiar.
+
+She tottered on, stopped, and again struggled to advance; the beach
+before her appeared endless, she had so often to go round where the sea
+had encroached upon the sand. And so dragging herself along, stumbling
+and scrambling up again, she at last approached the little wood where
+Mrs. Barnett and Madge had halted that very morning. We know that the
+two women found the footprints left by Kalumah in the snow not far from
+this very spot, and it was at a short distance farther on that the poor
+girl fell for the last time. Exhausted by fatigue and hunger, she still
+managed to creep along on hands and knees for a few minutes longer.
+
+A great hope kept her from despair, for she had at last recognised Cape
+Esquimaux, at the foot of which she and her people had encamped the year
+before. She knew now that she was but eight miles from the factory, and
+that she had only to follow the path she had so often traversed when she
+went to visit her friends at Fort Hope.
+
+Yes, this hope sustained her, but she had scarcely reached the
+beach when her forces entirely failed her, and she again lost all
+consciousness. But for Mrs Barnett she would have died.
+
+“But, dear lady,” she added, “I knew that you would come to my
+rescue, and that God would save me by your means.”
+
+We know the rest. We know the providential instinct which led Mrs
+Barnett and Madge to explore this part of the coast on this very day,
+and the presentiment which made them visit Cape Esquimaux after they had
+rested, and before returning to Fort Hope. We know too—as Mrs Barnett
+related to Kalumah— how the piece of ice had floated away, and how the
+bear had acted under the circumstances.
+
+“And after all,” added Mrs Barnett with a smile, “it was not I who
+saved you, but the good creature without whose aid you would never have
+come back to us, and if ever we see him again we will treat him with the
+respect due to your preserver.”
+
+During this long conversation Kalumah was rested and refreshed, and Mrs
+Barnett proposed that they should return to the fort at once, as she
+had already been too long away. The young girl immediately rose ready to
+start.
+
+Mrs Barnett was indeed most anxious to tell the Lieutenant of all that
+had happened during the night of the storm, when the wandering island
+had neared the American continent, but she urged Kalumah to keep her
+adventures secret, and to say nothing about the situation of the
+island. She would naturally be supposed to have come along the coast, in
+fulfilment of the promise she had made to visit her friends in the fine
+season. Her arrival would tend only to strengthen the belief of the
+colonists that no changes had taken place in the country around
+Cape Bathurst, and to set at rest the doubts any of them might have
+entertained.
+
+It was about three o’clock when Madge and Mrs Barnett, with Kalumah
+hanging on her arm, set out towards the east, and before five o’clock
+in the afternoon they all arrived at the postern of the fort.
+
+CHAPTER X. THE KAMTCHATKA CURRENT. We can readily imagine the reception
+given to Kalumah by all at the fort. It seemed to them that the
+communication with the outer world was reopened. Mrs Mac-Nab, Mrs Rae
+and Mrs Joliffe overwhelmed her with caresses, but Kalumah’s first
+thought was for the little child, she caught sight of him immediately,
+and running to him covered him with kisses.
+
+The young native was charmed and touched with the hospitality of her
+European hosts. A positive fête was held in her honour and every one
+was delighted that she would have to remain at the fort for the winter,
+the season being too far advanced for her to get back to the settlements
+of Russian America before the cold set in.
+
+But if all the settlers were agreeably surprised at the appearance
+of Kalumah, what must Lieutenant Hobson have thought when he saw her
+leaning on Mrs Barnett’s arm. A sudden hope flashed across his mind
+like lightning, and as quickly died away: perhaps in spite of the
+evidence of his daily observations Victoria Island had run aground
+somewhere on the continent unnoticed by any of them.
+
+Mrs Barnett read the Lieutenant’s thoughts in his face, and shook her
+head sadly.
+
+He saw that no change had taken place in their situation, and waited
+until Mrs Barnett was able to explain Kalumah’s appearance.
+
+A few minutes later he was walking along the beach with the lady,
+listening with great interest to her account of Kalumah’s adventures.
+
+So he had been right in all his conjectures. The north-east hurricane
+had driven the island out of the current. The ice-field had approached
+within a mile at least of the American continent. It had not been a fire
+on board ship which they had seen, or the cry of a shipwrecked mariner
+which they had heard. The mainland had been close at hand, and had the
+north-east wind blown hard for another hour Victoria Island would have
+struck against the coast of Russian America. And then at this critical
+moment a fatal, a terrible wind had driven the island away from the
+mainland back to the open sea, and it was again in the grasp of the
+irresistible current, and was being carried along with a speed which
+nothing could check, the mighty south-east wind aiding its headlong
+course, to that terribly dangerous spot where it would be exposed to
+contrary attractions, either of which might lead to its destruction and
+that of all the unfortunate people dragged along with it.
+
+For the hundredth time the Lieutenant and Mrs Barnett discussed all the
+bearings of the case, and then Hobson inquired if any important changes
+had taken place in the appearance of the districts between Cape Bathurst
+and Walruses’ Bay?
+
+Mrs Barnett replied that in some places the level of the coast appeared
+to be lowered, and that the waves now covered tracts of sand which
+were formerly out of their reach. She related what had happened at Cape
+Esquimaux, and the important fracture which had taken place at that part
+of the coast.
+
+Nothing could have been less satisfactory. It was evident that the
+ice-field forming the foundation of the island was breaking up. What
+had happened at Cape Esquimaux might at any moment be reproduced at
+Cape Bathurst. At any hour of the day or night the houses of the factory
+might be swallowed up by the deep, and the only thing which could save
+them was the winter, the bitter winter which was fortunately rapidly
+approaching.
+
+The next day, September 4th, when Hobson took his bearings, he found
+that the position of Victoria Island had not sensibly changed since
+the day before. It had remained motionless between the two contrary
+currents, which was on the whole the very best thing that could have
+happened.
+
+“If only the cold would fix us where we are, if the ice wall would
+shut us in, and the sea become petrified around us,” exclaimed Hobson,
+“I should feel that our safety was assured. We are but two hundred
+miles from the coast at this moment, and by venturing across the frozen
+ice fields we might perhaps reach either Russian America or Kamtchatka.
+Winter, winter at any price, let the winter set in, no matter how
+rapidly.”
+
+Meanwhile, according to the Lieutenant’s orders, the preparations for
+the winter were completed. Enough forage to last the dogs the whole of
+the Polar night was stored up. They were all in good health, but getting
+rather fat with having nothing to do. They could not be taken too much
+care of, as they would have to work terribly hard in the journey across
+the ice after the abandonment of Fort Hope. It was most important to
+keep up their strength, and they were fed on raw reindeer venison,
+plenty of which was easily attainable.
+
+The tame reindeer also prospered, their stable was comfortable, and a
+good supply of moss was laid by for them in the magazines of the fort.
+The females provided Mrs Joliffe with plenty of milk for her daily
+culinary needs.
+
+The Corporal and his little wife had also sown fresh seeds, encouraged
+by the success of the last in the warm season. The ground had been
+prepared beforehand for the planting of scurvy-grass and Labrador
+Tea. It was important that there should be no lack of these valuable
+anti-scorbutics.
+
+The sheds were filled with wood up to the very roof. Winter might come
+as soon as it liked now, and freeze the mercury in the cistern of the
+thermometer, there was no fear that they would again be reduced to burn
+their furniture as they had the year before. Mac-Nab and his men had
+become wise by experience, and the chips left from the boat-building
+added considerably to their stock of fuel.
+
+About this time a few animals were taken which had already assumed their
+winter furs, such as martens, polecats, blue foxes, and ermines. Marbre
+and Sabine had obtained leave from the Lieutenant to set some traps
+outside the enceinte. He did not like to refuse them this permission,
+lest they should become discontented, as he had really no reason to
+assign for putting a stop to the collecting of furs, although he knew
+full well that the destination of these harmless creatures could do
+nobody any good. Their flesh was, however, useful for feeding the dogs,
+and enabled them to economise the reindeer venison.
+
+All was now prepared for the winter, and the soldiers worked with an
+energy which they would certainly not have shown if they had been told
+the secret of their situation.
+
+During the next few days the bearings were taken with the greatest care,
+but no change was noticeable in the situation of Victoria Island;
+and Hobson, finding that it was motionless, began to have fresh hope.
+Although there were as yet no symptoms of winter in inorganic nature,
+the temperature maintaining a mean height of 49° Fahrenheit, some swans
+flying to the south in search of a warmer climate was a good omen. Other
+birds capable of a long-sustained flight over vast tracts of the ocean
+began to desert the island. They knew full well that the continent of
+America and of Asia, with their less severe climates and their plentiful
+resources of every kind, were not far off, and that their wings were
+strong enough to carry them there. A good many of these birds were
+caught; and by Mrs Barnett’s advice the Lieutenant tied round their
+necks a stiff cloth ticket, on which was inscribed the position of the
+wandering island, and the names of its inhabitants. The birds were then
+set free, and their captors watched them wing their way to the south
+with envious eyes.
+
+Of course none were in the secret of the sending forth of these
+messengers, except Mrs Barnett, Madge, Kalumah, Hobson, and Long.
+
+The poor quadrupeds were unable to seek their usual winter refuges in
+the south. Under ordinary circumstances the reindeer, Polar hares, and
+even the wolves would have left early in September for the shores of the
+Great Bear and Slave Lakes, a good many degrees farther south; but now
+the sea was an insurmountable barrier, and they, too, would have to wait
+until the winter should render it passable. Led by instinct they had
+doubtless tried to leave the island, but, turned back by the water, the
+instinct of self-preservation had brought them to the neighbourhood
+of Fort Hope, to be near the men who were once their hunters and
+most formidable enemies, but were now, like themselves, rendered
+comparatively inoffensive by their imprisonment.
+
+The observations of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th September, revealed
+no alteration in the position of Victoria Island. The large eddy between
+the two currents kept it stationary. Another fifteen days, another three
+weeks of this state of things, and Hobson felt that they might be saved.
+
+But they were not yet out of danger, and many terrible, almost
+supernatural, trials still awaited the inhabitants of Fort Hope.
+
+On the 10th of September observations showed a displacement of Victoria
+Island. Only a slight displacement, but in a northerly direction.
+
+Hobson was in dismay; the island was finally in the grasp of the
+Kamtchatka Current, and was drifting towards the unknown latitudes
+where the large icebergs come into being; it was on its way to the vast
+solitudes of the Arctic Ocean, interdicted to the human race, from which
+there is no return.
+
+Hobson did not hide this new danger from those who were in the secret of
+the situation. Mrs Barnett, Madge, Kalumah, and Sergeant Long received
+this fresh blow with courage and resignation.
+
+“Perhaps,” said Mrs Barnett, “the island may stop even yet.
+Perhaps it will move slowly. Let us hope on ... and wait! The winter is
+not far off, and we are going to meet it. In any case God’s will be
+done!” “My friends,” said Hobson earnestly, “do you not think I
+ought now to tell our comrades. You see in what a terrible position
+we are and all that may await us! Is it not taking too great a
+responsibility to keep them in ignorance of the peril they are in?”
+
+“I should wait a little longer,” replied Mrs Barnett without
+hesitation; “I would not give them all over to despair until the last
+chance is gone.”
+
+“That is my opinion also,” said Long.
+
+Hobson had thought the same, and was glad to find that his companions
+agreed with him in the matter.
+
+On the 11th and 12th September, the motion towards the north was more
+noticeable. Victoria Island was drifting at a rate of from twelve to
+thirteen miles a day, so that each day took them the same distance
+farther from the land and nearer to the north. They were, in short,
+following the decided course made by the Kamtchatka Current, and would
+quickly pass that seventieth degree which once cut across the extremity
+of Cape Bathurst, and beyond which no land of any kind was to be met
+with in this part of the Arctic Ocean.
+
+Every day Hobson looked out their position on the map, and saw only too
+clearly to what awful solitudes the wandering island was drifting.
+
+The only hope left consisted, as Mrs Barnett had said, in the fact that
+they were going to meet the winter. In thus drifting towards the north
+they would soon encounter those ice-cold waters, which would consolidate
+and strengthen the foundations of the island. But if the danger of
+being swallowed up by the waves was decreased, would not the unfortunate
+colonists have an immense distance to traverse to get back from these
+remote northern regions? Had the boat been finished, Lieutenant Hobson
+would not have hesitated to embark the whole party in it, but in spite
+of the zealous efforts of the carpenter it was not nearly ready, and
+indeed it taxed Mac-Nab’s powers to the uttermost to construct a
+vessel on which to trust the lives of twenty persons in such a dangerous
+sea
+
+By the 16th September Victoria Island was between seventy-three and
+eighty miles north of the spot where its course had been arrested for
+a few days between the Behring and Kamtchatka Cur rents There were now,
+however, many signs of the approach of winter Snow fell frequently
+and in large flakes The column of mercury fell gradually The mean
+temperature was still 44° Fahrenheit during the day, but at night it
+fell to 32°. The sun described an extremely lengthened curve above
+the horizon, not rising more than a few degrees even at noon, and
+disappearing for eleven hours out of every twenty four.
+
+At last, on the night of the 16th September, the first signs of ice
+appeared upon the sea in the shape of small isolated crystals like
+snow, which stained the clear surface of the water As was noticed by the
+famous explorer Scoresby, these crystals immediately calmed the waves,
+like the oil which sailors pour upon the sea to produce a momentary
+cessation of its agitation These crystals showed a tendency to weld
+themselves together, but they were broken and separated by the motion of
+the water as soon as they had combined to any extent.
+
+Hobson watched the appearance of the “young ice” with extreme
+attention. He knew that twenty four hours would suffice to make the
+ice-crust two or three inches thick, strong enough in fact to bear the
+weight of a man He therefore expected that Victoria Island would shortly
+be arrested in its course to the north.
+
+But the day ended the work of the night, and if the speed of the island
+slackened during the darkness in consequence of the obstacles in its
+path, they were removed in the next twelve hours, and the island was
+carried rapidly along again by the powerful current.
+
+The distance from the northern regions became daily less, and nothing
+could be done to lessen the evil.
+
+At the autumnal equinox on the 21st of September, the day and night were
+of equal length, and from that date the night gradually became longer
+and longer. The winter was coming at last, but it did not set in rapidly
+or with any rigour Victoria Island was now nearly a degree farther north
+than the seventieth parallel, and on this 21st September, a rotating
+motion was for the first time noticed, a motion estimated by Hobson at
+about a quarter of the circumference.
+
+Imagine the anxiety of the unfortunate Lieutenant. The secret he had so
+long carefully kept was now about to be betrayed by nature to the least
+clear sighted. Of course the rotation altered the cardinal points of the
+island. Cape Bathurst no longer pointed to the north, but to the east.
+The sun, moon, and stars rose and set on a different horizon, and it was
+impossible that men like Mac-Nab, Rae, Marbre and others, accustomed to
+note the signs of the heavens, could fail to be struck by the change,
+and understand its meaning.
+
+To Hobson’s great satisfaction, however, the brave soldiers appeared
+to notice nothing, the displacement with regard to the cardinal points
+was not, it was true, very considerable, and it was often too foggy for
+the rising and setting of the heavenly bodies to be accurately observed.
+
+Unfortunately the rotation appeared to be accompanied by an increase of
+speed. From that date Victoria Island drifted at the rate of a mile an
+hour. It advanced farther and farther north, farther and farther away
+from all land. Hobson did not even yet despair, for it was not in his
+nature to do so, but he felt confused and astray, and longed for the
+winter with all his heart.
+
+At last the temperature began to fall still lower. Snow fell plentifully
+on the 23d and 24th September, and increased the thickness of the
+coating of ice on the sea. Gradually the vast ice-field was formed on
+every side, the island in its advance continually broke it up, but each
+day it became firmer and better able to resist. The sea succumbed to
+the petrifying hand of winter, and became frozen as far as the eye could
+reach, and on September 27th, when the bearings were taken, it was
+found that Victoria Island had not moved since the day before. It was
+imprisoned in a vast ice-field, it was motionless in longitude 177°
+22’, and latitude 77° 57’—more than six hundred miles from any
+continent.
+
+CHAPTER XI A COMMUNICATION FROM LIEUTENANT HOBSON. Such was the
+situation. To use Sergeant Long’s expression, the island had “cast
+anchor,” and was as stationary as when the isthmus connected it with
+the mainland. But six hundred miles now separated it from inhabited
+countries, six hundred miles which would have to be traversed in sledges
+across the solidified surface of the sea, amongst the icebergs which the
+cold would build up, in the bitterest months of the Arctic winter.
+
+It would be a fearful undertaking, but hesitation was impossible. The
+winter, for which Lieutenant Hobson had so ardently longed, had come at
+last, and arrested the fatal march of the island to the north. It would
+throw a bridge six hundred miles long from their desolate home to the
+continents on the south, and the new chances of safety must not be
+neglected, every effort must be made to restore the colonists, so long
+lost in the hyperborean regions, to their friends.
+
+As Hobson explained to his companions, it would be madness to linger
+till the spring should again thaw the ice, which would be to abandon
+themselves once more to the capricious Behring currents. They must wait
+until the sea was quite firmly frozen over, which at the most would be
+in another three or four weeks. Meanwhile the Lieutenant proposed making
+frequent excursions on the ice-field encircling the island, in order to
+ascertain its thickness, its suitability for the passage of sledges, and
+the best route to take across it so as to reach the shores of Asia or
+America.
+
+“Of course,” observed Hobson to Mrs Barnett and Sergeant Long, “we
+would all rather make for Russian America than Asia, if a choice is open
+to us.”
+
+“Kalumah will be very useful to us,” said Mrs Barnett, “for as a
+native she will be thoroughly acquainted with the whole of Alaska.”
+
+“Yes, indeed,” replied Hobson, “her arrival was most fortunate for
+us. Thanks to her, we shall be easily able to get to the settlement of
+Fort Michael on Norton Sound, perhaps even to New Archangel, a good deal
+farther south, where we can pass the rest of the winter.”
+
+“Poor Fort Hope!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, “it goes to my heart to
+think of abandoning it on this island. It has been built at the cost of
+so much trouble and fatigue, everything about it has been so admirably
+arranged by you, Lieutenant! I feel as if my heart would break when we
+leave it finally.”
+
+“You will not suffer more than I shall, madam,” replied Hobson,
+“and perhaps not so much. It is the chief work of my life; I have
+devoted all my powers to the foundation of Fort Hope, so unfortunately
+named, and I shall never cease to regret having to leave it. And what
+will the Company say which confided this task to me, for after all I am`
+but its humble agent.”
+
+“It will say,” cried Mrs Barnett with enthusiasm, “it will say
+that you have done your duty, that you are not responsible for the
+caprices of nature, which is ever more powerful than man. It will
+understand that you could not foresee what has happened, for it was
+beyond the penetration of the most far-sighted man, and it will know
+that it owes the preservation of the whole party to your prudence and
+moral courage.”
+
+“Thank you, madam,” replied the Lieutenant, pressing Mrs Barnett’s
+hand, “thank you for your warm-hearted words. But I have had some
+experience of men, and I know that success is always admired and failure
+condemned. But the will of Heaven be done!”
+
+Sergeant Long, anxious to turn the Lieutenant from his melancholy
+thoughts, now began to talk about the preparations for the approaching
+departure, and asked if it was not time to tell his comrades the truth.
+
+“Let us wait a little longer,” replied Hobson. “We have saved the
+poor fellows much anxiety and worry already, let us keep silent until
+the day is fixed for the start, and then we will reveal the whole
+truth.”
+
+This point being decided, the ordinary occupations of the factory went
+on for a few weeks longer.
+
+How different was the situation of the colonists a year ago, when they
+were all looking forward to the future in happy unconsciousness!
+
+A year ago the first symptoms of the cold season were appearing, even
+as they were now. The “young ice” was gradually forming along the
+coast. The lagoon, its waters being quieter than those of the sea, was
+the first to freeze over. The temperature remained about one or two
+degrees above freezing point in the day, and fell to three or four
+degrees below in the night. Hobson again made his men assume their
+winter garments, the linen vests and furs before described. The
+condensers were again set up inside the house, the air vessel and
+air-pumps were cleaned, the traps were set round the palisades on
+different parts of Cape Bathurst, and Marbre and Sabine got plenty of
+game, and finally the last touches were given to the inner rooms of the
+principal house.
+
+Although Fort Hope was now about two degrees farther north than at the
+same time the year before, there was no sensible difference in the state
+of the temperature. The fact is, the distance between the seventieth and
+seventy-second parallels is not great enough to affect the mean height
+of the thermometer, on the contrary, it really seemed to be less cold
+than at the beginning of the winter before. Perhaps, however, that was
+because the colonists were now, to a certain extent, acclimatised.
+
+Certainly the winter did not set in so abruptly as last time. The
+weather was very damp, and the atmosphere was always charged with
+vapour, which fell now as rain now as snow. In Lieutenant Hobson’s
+opinion, at least, it was not nearly cold enough.
+
+The sea froze all round the island, it is true, but not in a regular or
+continuous sheet of ice. Large blackish patches here and there showed
+that the icicles were not thoroughly cemented together. Loud resonant
+noises were constantly heard, produced by the breaking of the ice
+field when the rain melted the imperfectly welded edges of the blocks
+composing it. There was no rapid accumulation of lump upon lump such as
+is generally seen in intense cold. Icebergs and hummocks were few and
+scattered, and no ice-wall as yet shut in the horizon.
+
+“This season would have been just the thing for the explorers of
+the North West Passage, or the seekers of the North Pole,” repeated
+Sergeant Long again and again, “but it is most unfavourable for us,
+and very much against our ever getting back to our own land!”
+
+This went on throughout October, and Hobson announced that the mean
+temperature was no lower than 32° Fahrenheit, and it is well known that
+several days of cold, 7° or 8° below zero, are required for the sea to
+freeze hard.
+
+Had proof been needed that the ice-field was impassable, a fact noticed
+by Mrs Barnett and Hobson would have sufficed.
+
+The animals imprisoned in the island, the furred animals, reindeer,
+wolves, &c., would have left the island had it been possible to cross
+the sea, but they continued to gather in large numbers round the
+factory, and to seek the vicinity of man. The wolves came actually
+within musket-range of the enceinte to devour the martens and Polar
+hares, which were their only food. The famished reindeer having neither
+moss nor herbs on which to browse, roved about Cape Bathurst in herds.
+A solitary bear, no doubt the one to which Mrs Barnett and Kalumah felt
+they owed a debt of gratitude, often passed to and fro amongst the trees
+of the woods, on the banks of the lagoon, and the presence of all these
+animals, especially of the ruminants, which require an exclusively
+vegetable diet, proved that flight was impossible.
+
+We have said that the thermometer remained at freezing point, and Hobson
+found on consulting his journal that at the same time the year before,
+it had already marked 20° Fahrenheit below zero, proving how unequally
+cold is distributed in the capricious Polar regions.
+
+The colonists therefore did not suffer much, and were not confined to
+the house at all. It was, however, very damp indeed, rain mixed with
+snow fell constantly, and the falling of the barometer proved that the
+atmosphere was charged with vapour.
+
+Throughout October the Lieutenant and Long made many excursions to
+ascertain the state of the ice-field in the offing; one day they went to
+Cape Michael, another to the edge of the former Walruses’ Bay, anxious
+to see if it would be possible to cross to the continent of America or
+Asia, or if the start would have to be put off.
+
+But the surface of the ice-field was covered with puddles of water,
+and in some parts riddled with holes, which would certainly have been
+impassable for sledges. It seemed as if it would be scarcely safe for a
+single traveller to venture across the half-liquid, half-solid masses.
+It was easy to see that the cold had been neither severe nor equally
+maintained, for the ice consisted of an accumulation of sharp points,
+crystals, prisms, polyhedrons, and figures of every variety, like
+an aggregation of stalactites. It was more like a glacier than a
+“field,” and even if it had been practicable, walking on it would
+have been very tiring.
+
+Hobson and Long managed with great difficulty to scramble over a mile or
+two towards the south, but at the expense of a vast amount of time, so
+that they were compelled to admit that they must wait some time yet, and
+they returned to Fort Hope disappointed and disheartened.
+
+The first days of November came, and the temperature fell a little, but
+only a very few degrees, which was not nearly enough. Victoria Island
+was wrapped in damp fogs, and the lamps had to be lit during the day. It
+was necessary, however, to economise the oil as much as possible, as the
+supply was running short. No fresh stores had been brought by Captain
+Craventy’s promised convoy, and there were no more walruses to be
+hunted. Should the dark winter be prolonged, the colonists would be
+compelled to have recourse to the fat of animals, perhaps even to the
+resin of the firs, to get a little light. The days were already very
+short, and the pale disc of the sun, yielding no warmth, and deprived of
+all its brightness, only appeared above the horizon for a few hours at
+a time. Yes, winter had come with its mists, its rain, and its snow, but
+without the long desired cold.
+
+On the 11th November something of a fête was held at Fort Hope. Mrs
+Joliffe served up a few extras at dinner, for it was the anniversary of
+the birth of little Michael Mac-Nab. He was now a year old, and was the
+delight of everybody. He had large blue eyes and fair curly hair, like
+his father, the head carpenter, who was very proud of the resemblance.
+At dessert the baby was solemnly weighed. It was worth something to
+see him struggling in the scales, and to hear his astonished cries! He
+actually weighed thirty-four pounds! The announcement of this wonderful
+weight was greeted with loud cheers, and Mrs Mac-Nab was congratulated
+by everybody on her fine boy. Why Corporal Joliffe felt that he ought
+to share the compliments it is difficult to imagine, unless it was as
+a kind of foster-father or nurse to the baby. He had carried the child
+about, dandled and rocked him so often, that he felt he had something to
+do with his specific weight!
+
+The next day, November 12th, the sun did not appear above the horizon.
+The long Polar night was beginning nine days sooner than it had done
+the year before, in consequence of the difference in the latitude of
+Victoria Island then and now.
+
+The disappearance of the sun did not, however, produce any change in the
+state of the atmosphere. The temperature was as changeable as ever. The
+thermometer fell one day and rose the next. Rain and snow succeeded each
+other. The wind was soft, and did not settle in any quarter, but often
+veered round to every point of the compass in the course of a single
+day. The constant damp was very unhealthy, and likely to lead to
+scorbutic affections amongst the colonists, but fortunately, although
+the lime juice and lime lozenges were running short, and no fresh stock
+had been obtained, the scurvy-grass and sorrel had yielded a very good
+crop, and, by the advice of Lieutenant Hobson, a portion of them was
+eaten daily.
+
+Every effort must, however, be made to get away from Fort Hope. Under
+the circumstances, three months would scarcely be long enough for them
+all to get to the nearest continent. It was impossible to risk being
+overtaken by the thaw on the ice-field, and therefore if they started at
+all it must be at the end of November.
+
+The journey would have been difficult enough, even if the ice had been
+rendered solid everywhere by a severe winter, and in this uncertain
+weather it was a most serious matter.
+
+On the 13th November, Hobson, Mrs Barnett, and the Sergeant met to
+decide on the day of departure. The Sergeant was of opinion that they
+ought to leave the island as soon as possible.
+
+“For,” he said, “we must make allowance for all the possible
+delays during a march of six hundred miles. We ought to reach the
+continent before March, or we may be surprised by the thaw, and then we
+shall be in a worse predicament than we are on our island.”
+
+“But,” said Mrs Barnett, “is the sea firm enough for us to cross
+it?”
+
+“I think it is,” said Long, “and the ice gets thicker every
+day. The barometer, too, is gradually rising, and by the time our
+preparations are completed, which will be in about another week, I
+think, I hope that the really cold weather will have set in.”
+
+“The winter has begun very badly,” said Hobson, “in fact
+everything seems to combine against us. Strange seasons have often
+been experienced on these seas, I have heard of whalers being able to
+navigate in places where, even in the summer at another time they would
+not have had an inch of water beneath their keels. In my opinion there
+is not a day to be lost, and I cannot sufficiently regret that the
+ordinary temperature of these regions does not assist us.”
+
+“It will later,” said Mrs Barnett, “and we must be ready to take
+advantage of every chance in our favour. When do you propose starting,
+Lieutenant?”
+
+“At the end of November at the latest,” replied Hobson, “but if
+in a week hence our preparations are finished, and the route appears
+practicable, we will start then.”
+
+“Very well,” said Long, “we will get ready without losing an
+instant.”
+
+“Then,” said Mrs Barnett, “you will now tell our companions of the
+situation in which they are placed?”
+
+“Yes, madam, the moment to speak and the time for action have alike
+arrived.”
+
+“And when do you propose enlightening them?”
+
+“At once. Sergeant Long,” he added, turning to his subordinate, who
+at once drew himself up in a military attitude, “call all your men
+together in the large room to receive a communication.”
+
+Sergeant Long touched his cap, and turning on his heel left the room
+without a word.
+
+For some minutes Mrs Barnett and Hobson were left alone, but neither of
+them spoke.
+
+The Sergeant quickly returned, and told Hobson that his orders were
+executed.
+
+The Lieutenant and the lady at once went into the large room. All
+the members of the colony, men and women, were assembled in the dimly
+lighted room.
+
+Hobson came forward, and standing in the centre of the group said very
+gravely—
+
+“My friends, until to-day I have felt it my duty, in order to spare
+you useless anxiety, to conceal from you the situation of our fort. An
+earthquake separated us from the continent. Cape Bathurst has broken
+away from the mainland. Our peninsula is but an island of ice, a
+wandering island”——
+
+At this moment Marbre stepped forward, and said quietly.
+
+“We knew it, sir!”
+
+CHAPTER XII. A CHANCE TO BE TRIED. The brave fellows knew it then! And
+that they might not add to the cares of their chief, they had pretended
+to know nothing, and had worked away at the preparations for the winter
+with the same zeal as the year before.
+
+Tears of emotion stood in Hobson’s eyes, and he made no attempt to
+conceal them, but seizing Marbre’s outstretched hand, he pressed it in
+his own.
+
+Yes, the soldiers all knew it, for Marbre had guessed it long ago. The
+filling of the reindeer trap with salt water, the non-arrival of
+the detachment from Fort Reliance, the observations of latitude and
+longitude taken every day, which would have been useless on firm ground,
+the precautions observed by Hobson to prevent any one seeing him take
+the bearings, the fact of the animals remaining on the island after
+winter had set in, and the change in the position of the cardinal points
+during the last few days, which they had noticed at once, had all been
+tokens easily interpreted by the inhabitants of Fort Hope. The arrival
+of Kalumah had puzzled them, but they had concluded that she had been
+thrown upon the island in the storm, and they were right, as we are
+aware.
+
+Marbre, upon whom the truth had first dawned, confided his suspicions
+to Mac-Nab the carpenter and Rae the blacksmith. All three faced the
+situation calmly enough, and agreed that they ought to tell their
+comrades and wives, but decided to let the Lieutenant think they knew
+nothing, and to obey him without question as before.
+
+“You are indeed brave fellows, my friends,” exclaimed Mrs Barnett,
+who was much touched by this delicate feeling, “you are true
+soldiers!”
+
+“Our Lieutenant may depend upon us,” said Mac-Nab, “he has done
+his duty, and we will do ours.”
+
+“I know you will, dear comrades,” said Hobson, “and if only Heaven
+will help and not forsake us, we will help ourselves.”
+
+The Lieutenant then related all that had happened since the time when
+the earthquake broke the isthmus, and converted the districts round Cape
+Bathurst into an island. He told how, when the sea became free from ice
+in the spring, the new island had been drifted more than two hundred
+miles away from the coast by an unknown current, how the hurricane had
+driven it back within sight of land, how it had again been carried away
+in the night of the 31st August, and, lastly, how Kalumah had bravely
+risked her life to come to the aid of her European friends. Then he
+enumerated the changes the island had undergone, explaining how the
+warmer waters had worn it away, and his fear that it might be carried
+to the Pacific, or seized by the Kamtchatka Current, concluding his
+narrative by stating that the wandering island had finally stopped on
+the 27th of last September.
+
+The chart of the Arctic seas was then brought, and Hobson pointed out
+the position occupied by the island—six hundred miles from all land.
+
+He ended by saying that the situation was extremely dangerous, that
+the island would inevitably be crushed when the ice broke up, and that,
+before having recourse to the boat—which could not be used until the
+next summer—they must try to get back to the American continent by
+crossing the ice-field.
+
+“We shall have six hundred miles to go in the cold and darkness of the
+Polar night. It will be hard work, my friends, but you know as well as I
+do that there can be no shrinking from the task.”
+
+“When you give the signal to start, Lieutenant, we will follow you,”
+said Mac-Nab.
+
+All being of one mind, the preparations for departure were from that
+date rapidly pushed forward. The men bravely faced the fact that they
+would have six hundred miles to travel under very trying circumstances.
+Sergeant Long superintended the works, whilst Hobson, the two hunters,
+and Mrs Barnett, often went to test the firmness of the ice-field.
+Kalumah frequently accompanied them, and her remarks, founded on
+experience, might possibly be of great use to the Lieutenant. Unless
+they were prevented they were to start on the 20th November, and there
+was not a moment to lose.
+
+As Hobson had foreseen, the wind having risen, the temperature fell
+slightly, and the column of mercury marked 24° Fahrenheit.
+
+Snow, which soon became hardened, replaced the rain of the preceding
+days. A few more days of such cold and sledges could be used. The little
+bay hollowed out of the cliffs of Cape Michael was partly filled with
+ice and snow; but it must not be forgotten that its calmer waters
+froze more quickly than those of the open sea, which were not yet in a
+satisfactory condition.
+
+The wind continued to blow almost incessantly, and with considerable
+violence, but the motion of waves interfered with the regular formation
+and consolidation of the ice. Large pools of water occurred here and
+there between the pieces of ice, and it was impossible to attempt to
+cross it.
+
+“The weather is certainly getting colder,” observed Mrs Barnett
+to Lieutenant Hobson, as they were exploring the south of the island
+together on the 10th November, “the temperature is becoming lower and
+lower, and these liquid spaces will soon freeze over.”
+
+“I think you are right, madam,” replied Hobson, “but the way in
+which they will freeze over will not be very favourable to our plans.
+The pieces of ice are small, and their jagged edges will stick up all
+over the surface, making it very rough, so that if our sledges get over
+it at all, it will only be with very great difficulty.”
+
+“But,” resumed Mrs Barnett, “if I am not mistaken, a heavy fall of
+snow, lasting a few days or even a few hours, would suffice to level the
+entire surface!”
+
+“Yes, yes,” replied Hobson, “but if snow should fall, it will be
+because the temperature has risen; and if it rises, the ice-field will
+break up again, so that either contingency will be against us!”
+
+“It really would be a strange freak of fortune if we should experience
+a temperate instead of an Arctic winter in the midst of the Polar
+Sea!” observed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“It has happened before, madam, it has happened before. Let me remind
+you of the great severity of last cold season; now it has been noticed
+that two long bitter winters seldom succeed each other, and the whalers
+of the northern seas know it well. A bitter winter when we should have
+been glad of a mild one, and a mild one when we so sorely need the
+reverse. It must be owned, we have been strangely unfortunate thus
+far! And when I think of six hundred miles to cross with women and a
+child!”...
+
+And Hobson pointed to the vast white plain, with strange irregular
+markings like guipure work, stretching away into the infinite
+
+“I know you will, dear comrades,” said Hobson, “and if only Heaven
+will help and not forsake us, we will help ourselves.”
+
+The Lieutenant then related all that had happened since the time when
+the earthquake broke the isthmus, and converted the districts round Cape
+Bathurst into an island. He told how, when the sea became free from ice
+in the spring, the new island had been drifted more than two hundred
+miles away from the coast by an unknown current, how the hurricane had
+driven it luck within sight of land, how it had again been carried away
+in the night of the 31st August, and, lastly, how Kalumah had bravely
+risked her life to come to the aid of her European friends. Then he
+enumerated the changes the island had undergone, explaining how the
+warmer waters had worn it away, and his fear that it might be carried
+to the Pacific, or seized by the Kamtchatka Current, concluding his
+narrative by stating that the wandering island had finally stopped on
+the 27th of last September.
+
+The chart of the Arctic seas was then brought, and Hobson pointed out
+the position occupied by the island—six hundred miles from all land.
+
+He ended by saying that the situation was extremely dangerous, that
+the island would inevitably be crushed when the ice broke up, and that,
+before having recourse to the boat—which could not be used until the
+next summer—they must try to get back to the American continent by
+crossing the ice-field.
+
+“We shall have six hundred miles to go in the cold and darkness of the
+Polar night. It will be hard work, my friends but you know as well as I
+do that there can be no shirking from the task” “When you give the
+signal to start, Lieutenant, we will follow you,” said Mac-Nab.
+
+All being of one mind, the preparations for departure were from that
+date rapidly pushed forward. The men bravely faced the fact that they
+would have six hundred miles to travel under very trying circumstances.
+Sergeant Long superintended the works, whilst Hobson, the two hunters,
+and Mrs Barnett, often went to test the firmness of the ice-field
+Kalumah frequently accompanied them, and her remarks, founded on
+experience, might possibly be of great use to the Lieutenant. Unless
+they were prevented they were to start on the 20th November, and there
+was not a moment to lose.
+
+As Hobson had foreseen, the wind having risen, the temperature fell
+slightly, and the column of mercury marked 24° Fahrenheit.
+
+Snow, which soon became hardened, replaced the rain of the preceding
+days. A few more days of such cold and sledges could be used The little
+bay hollowed out of the cliffs of Cape Michael was partly filled with
+ice and snow, but it must not be forgotten that its calmer waters
+froze more quickly than those of the open sea, which were not yet in a
+satisfactory condition.
+
+The wind continued to blow almost incessantly, and with considerable
+violence, but the motion of waves interfered with the regular formation
+and consolidation of the ice. Large pools of water occurred here and
+there between the pieces of ice, and it was impossible to attempt to
+cross it.
+
+“The weather is certainly getting colder,” observed Mrs Barnett
+to Lieutenant Hobson, as they were exploring the south of the island
+together on the 10th November, “the temperature is becoming lower and
+lower, and these liquid spaces will soon freeze over.”
+
+“I think you are right, madam,” replied Hobson, “but the way in
+which they will freeze over will not be very favourable to our plans.
+The pieces of ice are small, and their jagged edges will stick up all
+over the surface, making it very rough, so that if our sledges get over
+it at all, it will only be with very great difficulty.”
+
+“But,” resumed Mrs Barnett, “if I am not mistaken, a heavy fall of
+snow, lasting a few days or even a few hours, would suffice to level the
+entire surface!”
+
+“Yes, yes,” replied Hobson, “but if snow should fall, it will be
+because the temperature has risen; and if it rises, the ice-field will
+break up again, so that either contingency will be against us!”
+
+“It really would be a strange freak of fortune if we should experience
+a temperate instead of an Arctic winter in the midst of the Polar
+Sea!” observed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“It has happened before, madam, it has happened before. Let me remind
+you of the great severity of last cold season; now it has been noticed
+that two long bitter winters seldom succeed each other, and the whalers
+of the northern seas know it well. A bitter winter when we should have
+been glad of a mild one, and a mild one when we so sorely need the
+reverse. It must be owned, we have been strangely unfortunate thus
+far! And when I think of six hundred miles to cross with women and a
+child!”...
+
+And Hobson pointed to the vast white plain, with strange irregular
+markings like guipure work, stretching away into the infinite distance.
+Sad and desolate enough it looked, the imperfectly frozen surface
+cracking every now and then with an ominous sound. A pale moon, its
+light half quenched in the damp mists, rose but a few degrees above the
+gloomy horizon and shot a few faint beams upon the melancholy scene.
+The half-darkness and the refraction combined doubled the size of every
+object. Icebergs of moderate height assumed gigantic proportions, and
+were in some cases distorted into the forms of fabulous monsters. Birds
+passed overhead with loud flapping of wings, and in consequence of this
+optical illusion the smallest of them appeared as large as a condor or
+a vulture. In the midst of the icebergs yawned apparently huge black
+tunnels, into which the boldest man would scarcely dare to venture, and
+now and then sudden convulsions took place, as the icebergs, worn away
+at the base, heeled over with a crash, the sonorous echoes taking up
+the sounds and carrying them along. The rapid changes resembled the
+transformation scenes of fairyland, and terrible indeed must all those
+phenomena have appeared to the luckless colonists who were about to
+venture across the ice-field!
+
+In spite of her moral and physical courage Mrs Barnett could not control
+an involuntary shudder. Soul and body alike shrunk from the awful
+prospect, and she was tempted to shut her eyes and stop her ears that
+she might see and hear no more. When the moon was for a moment veiled
+behind a heavy cloud, the gloom of the Polar landscape became still more
+awe-inspiring, and before her mind’s eye rose a vision of the caravan
+of men and women struggling across these vast solitudes in the midst of
+hurricanes, snow-storms, avalanches, and in the thick darkness of the
+Arctic night!
+
+Mrs Barnett, however, forced herself to look; she wished to accustom
+her eyes to these scenes, and to teach herself not to shrink from facing
+their terrors. But as she gazed a cry suddenly burst from her lips, and
+seizing Hobson’s hand, she pointed to a huge object, of ill-defined
+dimensions, moving about in the uncertain light, scarcely a hundred
+paces from where they stood.
+
+It was a white monster of immense size, more than a hundred feet high.
+It was pacing slowly along over the broken ice, bounding from one piece
+to another, and beating the air with its huge feet, between which it
+could have held ten large dogs at least. It, too, seemed to be seeking
+a practicable path across the ice—it, too, seemed anxious to fly from
+the doomed island. The ice gave way beneath its weight, and it had often
+considerable difficulty in regaining its feet.
+
+The monster made its way thus for about a quarter of a mile across the
+ice, and then, its farther progress being barred, it turned round and
+advanced towards the spot where Mrs Barnett and the Lieutenant stood.
+
+Hobson seized the gun which was slung over his shoulder and presented
+it at the animal, but almost immediately lowering the weapon, he said to
+Mrs Barnett—
+
+“A bear, madam, only a bear, the size of which has been greatly
+magnified by refraction.”
+
+It was, in fact, a Polar bear, and Mrs Barnett drew a long breath of
+relief as she understood the optical illusion of which she had been the
+victim. Then an idea struck her.
+
+“It is my bear!” she exclaimed, “the bear with the devotion of a
+Newfoundland dog! Probably the only one still on the island. But what is
+he doing here?”
+
+“He is trying to get away,” replied Hobson, shaking his head. “He
+is trying to escape from this doomed island, and he cannot do so! He is
+proving to us that we cannot pass where he has had to turn back!”
+
+Hobson was right, the imprisoned animal had tried to leave the island
+and to get to the continent, and having failed it was returning to the
+coast. Shaking its head and growling, it passed some twenty paces from
+the two watchers, and, either not seeing them or disdaining to take
+any notice of them, it walked heavily on towards Cape Michael, and soon
+disappeared behind the rising ground.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson and Mrs Barnett returned sadly and silently to the
+fort.
+
+The preparations for departure went on as rapidly, however, as if it
+were possible to leave the island. Nothing was neglected to promote the
+success of the undertaking, every possible danger had to be foreseen,
+and not only had the ordinary difficulties and dangers of a journey
+across the ice to be allowed for, but also the sudden changes of weather
+peculiar to the Polar regions, which so obstinately resist every attempt
+to explore them.
+
+The teams of dogs required special attention. They were allowed to run
+about near the fort, that they might regain the activity of which too
+long a rest had, to some extent, deprived them, and they were soon in a
+condition to make a long march.
+
+The sledges were carefully examined and repaired. The rough surface
+of the ice-field would give them many violent shocks, and they were
+therefore thoroughly overhauled by Mac-Nab and his men, the inner
+framework and the curved fronts being carefully repaired and
+strengthened.
+
+Two large waggon sledges were built, one for the transport of
+provisions, the other for the peltries. These were to be drawn by
+the tamed reindeer, which had been well trained for the service. The
+peltries or furs were articles of luxury with which it was not perhaps
+quite prudent to burden the travellers, but Hobson was anxious to
+consider the interests of the Company as much as possible, although he
+was resolved to abandon them, en route, if they harassed or impeded his
+march. No fresh risk was run of injury of the furs, for of course they
+would have been lost if left at the factory.
+
+It was of course quite another matter with the provisions, of which a
+good and plentiful supply was absolutely necessary. It was of no use to
+count on the product of the chase this time. As soon as the passage of
+the ice-field became practicable, all the edible game would get on
+ahead and reach the mainland before the caravan. One waggon sledge was
+therefore packed with salt meat, corned beef, hare patès, dried fish,
+biscuits—the stock of which was unfortunately getting low—and an
+ample reserve of sorrel, scurvy-grass, rum, spirits of wine, for making
+warm drinks, &c. &c. Hobson would have been glad to take some fuel
+with him, as he would not meet with a tree, a shrub, or a bit of moss
+throughout the march of six hundred miles, nor could he hope for pieces
+of wreck or timber cast up by the sea, but he did not dare to overload
+his sledges with wood. Fortunately there was no lack of warm comfortable
+garments, and in case of need they could draw upon the reserve of
+peltries in the waggon.
+
+Thomas Black, who since his misfortune had altogether retired from
+the world, shunning his companions, taking part in none of the
+consultations, and remaining shut up in his own room, reappeared as soon
+as the day of departure was definitely fixed. But even then he
+attended to nothing but the sledge which was to carry his person,
+his instruments, and his registers. Always very silent, it was now
+impossible to get a word out of him. He had forgotten everything, even
+that he was a scientific man, and since he had been deceived about the
+eclipse, since the solution of the problem of the red prominences of
+the moon had escaped him, he had taken no notice of any of the peculiar
+phenomena of the high latitudes, such as the Aurora Borealis, halos,
+parhelia, &c.
+
+During the last few days every one worked so hard that all was ready for
+the start on the morning of the 18th November.
+
+But, alas! the ice-field was still impassable. Although the thermometer
+had fallen slightly, the cold had not been severe enough to freeze the
+surface of the sea, with any uniformity, and the snow which fell was
+fine and intermittent. Hobson, Marbre, and Sabine went along the coast
+every day from Cape Michael to what was once the corner of the old
+Walruses’ Bay. They even ventured out about a mile and a half upon
+the ice-field, but were compelled to admit that it was broken by
+rents, crevasses, and fissures in every direction. Not only would it be
+impossible for sledges to cross it, it was dangerous for unencumbered
+pedestrians. Hobson and his two men underwent the greatest fatigue in
+these short excursions, and more than once they ran a risk of being
+unable to get back to Victoria Island across the ever-changing,
+ever-moving blocks of ice.
+
+Really all nature seemed to be in league against the luckless colonists.
+
+On the 18th and 19th November, the thermometer rose, whilst the
+barometer fell. Fatal results were to be feared from this change in
+the state of the atmosphere. Whilst the cold decreased the sky became
+covered with clouds, which presently resolved themselves into heavy rain
+instead of the sadly-needed snow, the column of mercury standing at 34°
+Fahrenheit. These showers of comparatively warm water melted the snow
+and ice in many places, and the result can easily be imagined. It
+really seemed as if a thaw were setting in, and there were symptoms of a
+general breaking up of the ice-field. In spite of the dreadful weather,
+however, Hobson went to the south of the island every day, and every day
+returned more disheartened than before.
+
+On the 20th, a tempest resembling in violence that of the month before,
+broke upon the gloomy Arctic solitudes, compelling the colonists to give
+up going out, and to remain shut up in Fort Hope for two days.
+
+CHAPTER XIII. ACROSS THE ICE-FIELD. At last, on the 22d of November, the
+weather moderated. In a few hours the storm suddenly ceased. The wind
+veered round to the north, and the thermometer fell several degrees. A
+few birds capable of a long-sustained flight took wing and disappeared.
+There really seemed to be a likelihood that the temperature was at last
+going to become what it ought to be at this time of the year in such an
+elevated latitude. The colonists might well regret that it was not now
+what it had been during the last cold season, when the column of mercury
+fell to 72° Fahrenheit below zero.
+
+Hobson determined no longer to delay leaving Victoria Island, and on the
+morning of the 22d the whole of the little colony was ready to leave the
+island, which was now firmly welded to the ice-field, and by its means
+connected with the American continent, six hundred miles away.
+
+At half-past eleven A.M., Hobson gave the signal of departure. The sky
+was grey but clear, and lighted up from the horizon to the zenith by a
+magnificent Aurora Borealis. The dogs were harnessed to the sledges,
+and three couple of reindeer to the waggon sledges. Silently they
+wended their way towards Cape Michael, where they would quit the island,
+properly so called, for the ice-field.
+
+The caravan at first skirted along the wooded hill on the east of Lake
+Barnett, but as they were rounding the coiner all paused to look round
+for the last time at Cape Bathurst, which they were leaving never to
+return. A few snow-encrusted rafters stood out in the light of the
+Aurora Borealis, a few white lines marked the boundaries of the enceinte
+of the factory, a—white mass here and there, a few blue wreaths of
+smoke from the expiring fire never to be rekindled; this was all that
+could be seen of Fort Hope, now useless and deserted, but erected at the
+cost of so much labour and so much anxiety.
+
+“Farewell, farewell, to our poor Arctic home!” exclaimed Mrs.
+Barnett, waving her hand for the last time; and all sadly and silently
+resumed their journey.
+
+At one o’clock the detachment arrived at Cape Michael, after having
+rounded the gulf which the cold had imperfectly frozen over. Thus far
+the difficulties of the journey had not been very great, for the ground
+of the island was smooth compared to the ice-field, which was strewn
+with icebergs, hummocks, and packs, between which, practicable passes
+had to be found at the cost of an immense amount of fatigue.
+
+Towards the evening of the same day the party had advanced several miles
+on the ice-field, and a halt for the night was ordered; the encampment
+was to be formed by hollowing out snow-houses in the Esquimaux style.
+The work was quickly accomplished with the ice-chisels, and at eight
+o’clock, after a salt meat supper, every one had crept into the holes,
+which are much warmer than anybody would imagine.
+
+Before retiring, however, Mrs. Barnett asked the Lieutenant how far he
+thought they had come.
+
+“Not more than ten miles, I think,” replied Hobson.
+
+“Ten from six hundred!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett. “At this rate, it
+will take us three months to get to the American continent!”
+
+“Perhaps more, madam,” replied Hobson, “for we shall not be able
+to get on faster than this. We are not travelling as we were last year
+over the frozen plains between Fort Reliance and Cape Bathurst; but on a
+distorted ice-field crushed by the pressure of the icebergs across which
+there is no easy route. I expect to meet with almost insurmountable
+difficulties on the way; may we be able to conquer them! It is not of
+so much importance, however, to march quickly as to preserve our health,
+and I shall indeed think myself fortunate if all my comrades answer to
+their names in the roll-call on our arrival at Fort Reliance. Heaven
+grant we may have all landed at some point, no matter where, of the
+American continent in three months’ time; if so, we shall never be
+able to return thanks enough.”
+
+The night passed without incident; but during the long vigil which he
+kept, Hobson fancied he noticed certain ill-omened tremblings on the
+spot he had chosen for his encampment, and could not but fear that the
+vast ice-field was insufficiently cemented, and that there would be
+numerous rents in the surface which would greatly impede his progress,
+and render communication with firm ground very uncertain. Moreover,
+before he started, he had observed that none of the animals had left
+the vicinity of the fort, and they would certainly have sought a warmer
+climate had not their instinct warned them of obstacles in their way.
+Yet the Lieutenant felt that he had only done his duty in making this
+attempt to restore his little colony to an inhabited land, before the
+setting in of the thaw, and whether he succeeded or had to turn back he
+would have no reason to reproach himself.
+
+The next day, November 23d, the detachment could not even advance ten
+miles towards the east, so great were the difficulties met with. The
+ice-field was fearfully distorted, and here and there many layers of ice
+were piled one upon another, doubtless driven along by the irresistible
+force of the ice-wall into the vast funnel of the Arctic Ocean. Hence
+a confusion of masses of ice, which looked as if they had been suddenly
+dropped by a hand incapable of holding them, and strewn about in every
+direction.
+
+It was clear that a caravan of sledges, drawn by dogs and reindeer,
+could not possibly get over these blocks; and it was equally clear that
+a path could not be cut through them with the hatchet or ice-chisel.
+Some of the icebergs assumed extraordinary forms, and there were groups
+which looked like towns falling into ruins. Some towered three or four
+hundred feet above the level of the ice-field, and were capped with
+tottering masses of debris, which the slightest shake or shock or gust
+of wind would bring down in avalanches.
+
+The greatest precautions were, therefore, necessary in rounding these
+ice-mountains, and orders were given not to speak above a whisper, and
+not to excite the dogs by cracking the whips in these dangerous passes.
+
+But an immense amount of time was lost in looking for practicable
+passages, and the travellers were worn out with fatigue, often going
+ten miles round before they could advance one in the required direction
+towards the east. The only comfort was that the ground still remained
+firm beneath their feet.
+
+On the 24th November, however, fresh obstacles arose, which Hobson
+really feared, with considerable reason, would be insurmountable.
+
+After getting over one wall of ice which rose some twenty miles from
+Victoria Island, the party found themselves on a much less undulating
+ice-field, the different portions of which had evidently not been
+subjected to any great pressure. It was clear that in consequence of the
+direction of the currents the influence of the masses of permanent ice
+in the north had not here been felt, and Hobson and his comrades soon
+found that this ice-field was intersected with wide and deep crevasses
+not yet frozen over. The temperature here was comparatively warm, and
+the thermometer maintained a mean height of more than 34° Fahrenheit.
+Salt water, as is well known, does not freeze so readily as fresh, but
+requires several degrees of cold below freezing point before it becomes
+solidified, and the sea was therefore still liquid. All the icebergs
+and floes here had come from latitudes farther north, and, if we may so
+express it, lived upon the cold they had brought with them. The whole
+of the southern portion of the Arctic Ocean was most imperfectly frozen,
+and a warm rain was falling, which hastened the dissolution of what ice
+there was.
+
+On the 24th November the advance of the travellers was absolutely
+arrested by a crevasse full of rough water strewn with small icicles—a
+crevasse not more than a hundred feet wide, it is true, but probably
+many miles long.
+
+For two whole hours the party skirted along the western edge of this
+gap, in the hope of coming to the end of it and getting to the other
+side, so as to resume their march to the east, but it was all in vain,
+they were obliged to give it up and encamp on the wrong side.
+
+Hobson and Long, however, proceeded for another quarter of a mile along
+the interminable crevasse, mentally cursing the mildness of the winter
+which had brought them into such a strait.
+
+“We must pass somehow,” said Long, “for we can’t stay where we
+are.”
+
+“Yes, yes,” replied the Lieutenant, “and we shall pass it, either
+by going up to the north, or down to the south, it must end somewhere.
+But after we have got round this we shall come to others, and so it will
+go on perhaps for hundred of miles, as long as this uncertain and most
+unfortunate weather continues!”
+
+“Well, Lieutenant, we must ascertain the truth once for all before we
+resume our journey,” said the Sergeant.
+
+“We must indeed, Sergeant,” replied Hobson firmly, “or we shall
+run a risk of not having crossed half the distance between us and
+America after travelling five or six hundred miles out of our way.
+Yes, before going farther, I must make quite sure of the state of the
+ice-field, and that is what I am about to do.”
+
+And without another word Hobson stripped himself, plunged into the
+half-frozen water, and being a powerful swimmer a few strokes soon
+brought him to the other side of the crevasse, when he disappeared
+amongst the icebergs.
+
+A few hours later the Lieutenant reached the encampment, to which Long
+had already returned, in an exhausted condition. He took Mrs Barnett and
+the Sergeant aside, and told them that the ice-field was impracticable,
+adding—
+
+“Perhaps one man on foot without a sledge or any encumbrances might
+get across, but for a caravan it is impossible. The crevasses increase
+towards the east, and a boat would really be of more use than a sledge
+if we wish to reach the American coast”
+
+“Well,” said Long, “if one man could cross, ought not one of us to
+attempt it, and go and seek assistance for the rest.”
+
+“I thought of trying it myself,” replied Hobson.
+
+“You, Lieutenant!”
+
+“You, sir!” cried Mrs Barnett and Long in one breath.
+
+These two exclamations showed Hobson how unexpected and inopportune his
+proposal appeared. How could he, the chief of the expedition, think of
+deserting those confided to him, even although it was in their
+interests and at great risk to himself. It was quite impossible, and the
+Lieutenant did not insist upon it.
+
+“Yes,” he said, “I understand how it appears to you, my friends,
+and I will not abandon you. It would, indeed, be quite useless for any
+one to attempt the passage; he would not succeed, he would fall by the
+way, and find a watery grave when the thaw sets in. And even suppose he
+reached New Archangel, how could he come to our rescue? Would he charter
+a vessel to seek for us? Suppose he did, it could not start until after
+the thaw. And who can tell where the currents will then have taken
+Victoria Island, either yet farther north or to the Behring Sea!
+
+“Yes, Lieutenant, you are right,” replied Long; “let us remain
+together, and if we are to be saved in a boat, there is Mac-Nab’s on
+Victoria Island, and for it at least we shall not have to wait!”
+
+Mrs Barnett had listened without saying a word, but she understood that
+the ice-field being impassible. they had now nothing to depend on but
+the carpenter’s boat, and that they would have to wait bravely for the
+thaw.
+
+“What are you going to do, then?” she inquired at last.
+
+“Return to Victoria Island.”
+
+“Let us return then, and God be with us!”
+
+The rest of the travellers had now gathered round the Lieutenant, and he
+laid his plans before them.
+
+At first all were disposed to rebel, the poor creatures had been
+counting on getting back to their homes, and felt absolutely crushed at
+the disappointment, but they soon recovered their dejection and declared
+themselves ready to obey.
+
+Hobson then told them the results of the examination he had just made.
+They learnt that the obstacles in their way on the east were so numerous
+that it would be absolutely impossible to pass with the sledges and
+their contents, and as the journey would last several months, the
+provisions, &c., could not be dispensed with.
+
+“We are now,” added the Lieutenant, “cut off from all
+communication with the mainland, and by going farther towards the east
+we run a risk, after enduring great fatigues, of finding it impossible
+to get back to the island, now our only refuge. If the thaw should
+overtake us on the ice-field, we are lost. I have not disguised nor have
+I exaggerated the truth, and I know, my friends, that I am speaking to
+men who have found that I am not a man to turn back from difficulties.
+But I repeat, the task we have set ourselves is impossible!”
+
+The men trusted their chief implicitly. They knew his courage and
+energy, and felt as they listened to his words that it was indeed
+impossible to cross the ice. It was decided to start on the return
+journey to Fort Hope the next day, and it was accomplished under most
+distressing circumstances. The weather was dreadful, squalls swept down
+upon the ice-field, and rain fell in torrents. The difficulty of finding
+the way in the darkness through the labyrinth of icebergs can well be
+imagined!
+
+It took no less than four days and four nights to get back to the
+island. Several teams of dogs with their sledges fell into the
+crevasses, but thanks to Hobson’s skill, prudence, and devotion, he
+lost not one of his party. But what terrible dangers and fatigues they
+had to go through, and how awful was the prospect of another winter on
+the wandering island to the unfortunate colonists!
+
+CHAPTER XIV. THE WINTER MONTHS. The party did not arrive at Fort Hope
+until the 28th, after a most arduous journey. They had now nothing to
+depend on but the boat, and that they could not use until the sea was
+open, which would not be for six months.
+
+Preparations for another winter were therefore made. The sledges were
+unloaded, the provisions put back in the pantry, and the clothes, arms,
+furs, &c., in the magazines. The dogs returned to their dog-house, and
+the reindeer to their stable.
+
+Great was the despair of Thomas Black at this return to seclusion. The
+poor astronomer carried his instruments, his books, and his MSS. back to
+his room, and more angry than ever with “the evil fate which pursued
+him,” he held himself aloof from everything which went on in the
+factory.
+
+All were again settled at their usual winter avocations the day after
+their arrival, and the monotonous winter life once more commenced.
+Needlework, mending the clothes, taking care of the furs, some of which
+might yet be saved, the observation of the weather, the examination
+of the ice-field, and reading aloud, were the daily occupations. Mrs
+Barnett was, as before, the leader in everything, and her influence was
+everywhere felt. If, as sometimes happened, now that all were uneasy
+about the future, a slight disagreement occurred between any of the
+soldiers, a few words from Mrs Barnett soon set matters straight, for
+she had acquired wonderful power over the little world in which she
+moved, and she always used it for the good of the community.
+
+Kalumah had become a great favourite with everybody, for she was always
+pleasant and obliging. Mrs Barnett had undertaken her education, and
+she got on quickly, for she was both intelligent and eager to learn. She
+improved her English speaking, and also taught her to read and write
+in that language. There were, however, twelve masters for Kalumah, all
+eager to assist in this branch of her education, as the soldiers had
+all been taught reading, writing, and arithmetic either in England or in
+English colonies.
+
+The building of the boat proceeded rapidly, and it was to be planked and
+decked before the end of the month. Mac-Nab and some of his men worked
+hard in the darkness outside, with no light but the flames of burning
+resin, whilst others were busy making the rigging in the magazines of
+the factory. Although the season was now far advanced, the weather still
+remained very undecided. The cold was sometimes intense, but owing to
+the prevalence of west winds it never lasted long.
+
+Thus passed the whole of December, rain and intermittent falls of snow
+succeeded each other, the temperature meanwhile varying from 26° to
+34° Fahrenheit. The consumption of fuel was moderate, although there
+was no need to economise it, the reserves being considerable. It was
+otherwise with the oil, upon which they depended for light, for the
+stock was getting so low that the Lieutenant could at last only allow
+the lamps to be lit for a few hours every day. He tried using reindeer
+fat for lighting the house, but the smell of it was so unbearable that
+every one preferred being in the dark. All work had of course to be
+given up for the time, and very tedious did the long dark hours appear.
+
+Some Auroræ Borealis and two or three lunar halos appeared at full
+moon, and Thomas Black might now have minutely observed all these
+phenomenon, and have made precise calculations on their intensity, their
+coloration, connection with the electric state of the atmosphere, and
+their influence upon the magnetic needle, &c. But the astronomer did not
+even leave his room. His spirit was completely crushed.
+
+On the 30th December the light of the moon revealed a long circular line
+of icebergs shutting in the horizon on the north and east of Victoria
+Island. This was the ice-wall, the frozen masses of which were piled up
+to a height of some three or four hundred feet. Two-thirds of the island
+were hemmed in by this mighty barrier, and it seemed probable that the
+blockade would become yet more complete.
+
+The sky was clear for the first week of January. The new year, 1861,
+opened with very cold weather, and the column of mercury fell to 8°
+Fahrenheit. It was the lowest temperature that had yet been experienced
+in this singular winter, although it was anything but low for such a
+high latitude.
+
+The Lieutenant felt it his duty once more to take the latitude and
+longitude of the island by means of stellar observations, and found that
+its position had not changed at all.
+
+About this time, in spite of all their economy, the oil seemed likely to
+fail altogether. The sun would not appear above the horizon before early
+in February, so that there was a month to wait, during which there was a
+danger of the colonists having to remain in complete darkness. Thanks
+to the young Esquimaux, however, a fresh supply of oil for the lamps was
+obtained.
+
+On the 3rd January Kalumah walked to Cape Bathurst to examine the state
+of the ice. All along the south of the island the ice-field was very
+compact, the icicles of which it was composed were more firmly welded
+together, there were no liquid spaces between them, and the surface of
+the floe, though rough, was perfectly firm everywhere. This was no doubt
+caused by the pressure of the chain of icebergs on the horizon, which
+drove the ice towards the north, and squeezed it against the island.
+
+Although she saw no crevasses or rents, the young native noticed
+many circular holes neatly cut in the ice, the use of which she knew
+perfectly well. They were the holes kept open by seals imprisoned
+beneath the solid crust of ice, and by which they came to the surface to
+breathe and look for mosses under the snow on the coast.
+
+Kalumah knew that in the winter bears will crouch patiently near these
+holes, and watching for the moment when the seal comes out of the water,
+they rush upon it, hug it to death in their paws, and carry it off. She
+knew, too, that the Esquimaux, not less patient than the bears, also
+watch for the appearance of these animals, and throwing a running noose
+over their heads when they push them up, drag them to the surface.
+
+What bears and Esquimaux could do might certainly also be done by
+skilful hunters, and Kalumah hastened back to the fort to tell the
+Lieutenant of what she had seen, feeling sure that where these holes
+were seals were not far off.
+
+Hobson sent for the hunters, and the young native described to them
+the way in which the Esquimaux capture these animals in the winter, and
+begged them to try.
+
+She had not finished speaking before Sabine had a strong rope with a
+running noose ready in his hand and accompanied by Hobson, Mrs Barnett,
+Kalumah, and two or three soldiers, the hunters hurried to Cape
+Bathurst, and whilst the women remained on the beach, the men made their
+way to the holes pointed out by Kalumah. Each one was provided with a
+rope, and stationed himself at a different hole.
+
+A long time of waiting ensued—no sign of the seals, but at last the
+water in the hole Marbre had chosen began to bubble, and a head with
+long tusks appeared. It was that of a walrus. Marbre flung his running
+noose skilfully over its neck and pulled it tightly. His comrades rushed
+to his assistance, and with some difficulty the huge beast was dragged
+upon the ice, and despatched with hatchets.
+
+It was a great success, and the colonists were delighted with this novel
+fishing. Other walruses were taken in the same way, and furnished plenty
+of oil, which, though not strictly of the right sort, did very well for
+the lamps, and there was no longer any lack of light in any of the rooms
+of Fort Hope.
+
+The cold was even now not very severe, and had the colonists been on the
+American mainland they could only have rejoiced in the mildness of the
+winter. They were sheltered by the chain of icebergs from the north
+and west winds, and the month of January passed on with the thermometer
+never many degrees below freezing point, so that the sea round Victoria
+Island was never frozen hard. Fissures of more or less extent broke the
+regularity of the surface in the offing, as was proved by the continued
+presence of the ruminants and furred animals near the factory, all of
+which had become strangely tame, forming in fact part of the menagerie
+of the colony.
+
+According to Hobson’s orders, all these creatures were unmolested.
+It would have been useless to kill them, and a reindeer was only
+occasionally slaughtered to obtain a fresh supply of venison. Some of
+the furred animals even ventured into the enceinte, and they were not
+driven away. The martens and foxes were in all the splendour of their
+winter clothing, and under ordinary circumstances would have been of
+immense value. These rodents found plenty of moss under the snow, thanks
+to the mildness of the season, and did not therefore live upon the
+reserves of the factory.
+
+It was with some apprehensions for the future that the end of the
+winter was awaited, but Mrs Barnett did all in her power to brighten the
+monotonous existence of her companions in exile.
+
+Only one incident occurred in the month of January, and that one was
+distressing enough. On the 7th, Michael Mac-Nab was taken ill—severe
+headache, great thirst and alternations of shivering and fever, soon
+reduced the poor little fellow to a sad state. His mother and father,
+and indeed all his friends, were in very great trouble. No one knew what
+to do, as it was impossible to say what his illness was, but Madge, who
+retained her senses about her, advised cooling drinks and poultices.
+Kalumah was indefatigable, remaining day and night by her favourite’s
+bedside, and refusing to take any rest.
+
+About the third day there was no longer any doubt as to the nature of
+the malady. A rash came out all over the child’s body, and it was
+evident that he had malignant scarlatina, which would certainly produce
+internal inflammation.
+
+Children of a year old are rarely attacked with this terrible disease,
+but cases do occasionally occur. The medicine-chest of the factory was
+necessarily insufficiently stocked, but Madge, who had nursed several
+patients through scarlet lever, remembered that tincture of belladonna
+was recommended, and administered one or two drops to the little invalid
+every day. The greatest care was taken lest he should catch cold; he
+was at once removed to his parents’ room, and the rash soon came out
+freely. Tiny red points appeared on his tongue, his lips, and even on
+the globes of his eyes. Two days later his skin assumed a violet hue,
+then it became white and fell off in scales.
+
+It was now that double care was required to combat the great internal
+inflammation, which proved the severity of the attack, Nothing was
+neglected, the boy was, in fact, admirably nursed, and on the 20th
+January, twelve days after he was taken ill, he was pronounced out of
+danger.
+
+Great was the joy in the factory. The baby was the child of the fort,
+of the regiment! He was born in the terrible northern latitudes, in the
+colony itself, he had been named Michael Hope, and he had come to be
+regarded as a kind of talisman in the dangers and difficulties around,
+and all felt sure that God would not take him from them.
+
+Poor Kalumah would certainly not have survived him had he died, but
+he gradually recovered, and fresh hope seemed to come back when he was
+restored to the little circle.
+
+The 23d of January was now reached, after all these distressing
+alternations of hope and fear. The situation of Victoria Island had
+not changed in the least, and it was still wrapped in the gloom of the
+apparently interminable Polar night. Snow fell abundantly for some days,
+and was piled up on the ground to the height of two feet.
+
+On the 27th a somewhat alarming visit was received at the fort. The
+soldiers Belcher and Pond, when on guard in front of the enceinte in
+the morning, saw a huge bear quietly advancing towards the fort. They
+hurried into the large room, and told Mrs Barnett of the approach of the
+formidable carnivorous beast.
+
+“Perhaps it is only our bear again,” observed Mrs Barnett to Hobson,
+and accompanied by him, and followed by the Sergeant, Sabine, and some
+soldiers provided with guns,—he fearlessly walked to the postern.
+
+The bear was now about two hundred paces off, and was walking along
+without hesitation, as if he had some settled plan in view.
+
+“I know him!” cried Mrs Barnett, “it is your bear, Kalumah, your
+preserver!”
+
+“Oh, don’t kill my bear!” exclaimed the young Esquimaux.
+
+“He shall not be killed,” said the Lieutenant, “don’t injure
+him, my good fellows,” he added to the men, “he will probably return
+as he came.”
+
+“But suppose he intends coming into the enceinte?” said Long, who
+had his doubts as to the friendly propensities of Polar bears.
+
+“Let him come, Sergeant,” said Mrs Barnett, “he is a prisoner like
+ourselves, and you know prisoners”—
+
+“Don’t eat each other,” added Hobson. “True, but only when they
+belong to the same species For your sake, however, we will spare this
+fellow-sufferer, and only defend ourselves if he attack us. I think,
+however, it will be as prudent to go back to the House. We must not put
+too strong a temptation in the way of our carnivorous friend!”
+
+This was certainly good advice, and all returned to the large room, the
+windows were closed, but not the shutters.
+
+Through the panes the movements of the visitor were watched. The bear,
+finding the postern unfastened, quietly pushed open the door, looked
+in, carefully examined the premises, and finally entered the enceinte.
+Having reached the centre, he examined the buildings around him, went
+towards the reindeer stable and dog-house, listened for a moment to the
+howlings of the dogs and the uneasy noises made by the reindeer, then
+continued his walk round the palisade, and at last came and leant his
+great head against one of the windows of the large room.
+
+To own the truth everybody started back, several of the soldiers seized
+their guns, and Sergeant Long began to fear he had let the joke go too
+far.
+
+But Kalumah came forward, and looked through the thin partition with her
+sweet eyes. The bear seemed to recognise her, at least so she thought,
+and doubtless satisfied with his inspection, he gave a hearty growl, and
+turning away left the enceinte, as Hobson had prophesied, as he entered
+it.
+
+This was the bear’s first and last visit to the fort, and on his
+departure everything went on as quietly as before.
+
+The little boy’s recovery progressed favourably, and at the end of the
+month he was as rosy and as bright as ever.
+
+At noon on the 3rd of February, the northern horizon was touched with
+a faint glimmer of light which did not fade away for an hour, and the
+yellow disc of the sun appeared for an instant for the first time since
+the commencement of the long Polar night.
+
+CHAPTER XV. THE LAST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. From this date, February
+3rd, the sun rose each day higher above the horizon, the nights were,
+however, still very long, and, as is often the case in February, the
+cold increased, the thermometer marking only 1º Fahrenheit, the lowest
+temperature experienced throughout this extraordinary winter.
+
+“When does the thaw commence in these northern seas?” inquired Mrs
+Barnett of the Lieutenant.
+
+“In ordinary seasons,” replied Hobson, “the ice does not break up
+until early in May; but the winter has been so mild that unless a very
+hard frost should now set in, the thaw may commence at the beginning of
+April. At least that is my opinion.” “We shall still have two months
+to wait then?”
+
+“Yes, two months, for it would not be prudent to launch our boat too
+soon amongst the floating ice; and I think our best plan will be to wait
+until our island has reached the narrowest part of Behring Strait, which
+is not more than two hundred miles wide.”
+
+“What do you mean?” exclaimed Mrs Barnett, considerably surprised
+at the Lieutenant’s reply. “Have you forgotten that it was the
+Kamtchatka Current which brought us where we now are, and which may
+seize us again when the thaw sets in and carry us yet farther north?”
+
+“I do not think it will, madam; indeed I feel quite sure that that
+will not happen. The thaw always takes place in from north to south, and
+although the Kamtchatka Current runs the other way, the ice always goes
+down the Behring Current. Other reasons there are for my opinion which
+I cannot now enumerate. But the icebergs invariably drift towards the
+Pacific, and are there melted by its warmer waters. Ask Kalumah if I am
+not right. She knows these latitudes well, and will tell you that the
+thaw always proceeds from the north to the south.”
+
+Kalumah when questioned confirmed all that the Lieutenant had said, so
+that it appeared probable that the island would be drifted to the south
+like a huge ice-floe, that is to say, to the narrowest part of Behring
+Strait, which is much frequented in the summer by the fishermen of New
+Archangel, who are the most experienced mariners of those waters.
+Making allowance for all delays they might then hope to set foot on the
+continent before May, and although the cold had not been very intense
+there was every reason to believe that the foundations of Victoria
+Island had been thickened and strengthened by a fresh accumulation of
+ice at the base, and that it would hold together for several months to
+come.
+
+There was then nothing for the colonists to do but to wait
+patiently,—still to wait!
+
+The convalescence of little Michael continued to progress favourably. On
+the 20th of February he went out for the first time, forty days after
+he was taken ill. By this we mean that he went from his bedroom into the
+large room, where he was petted and made much of. His mother, acting by
+Madge’s advice, put off weaning him for some little time, and he soon
+got back his strength. The soldiers had made many little toys for him
+during his illness, and he was now as happy as any child in the wide
+world.
+
+The last week of February was very wet, rain and snow falling
+alternately. A strong wind blew from the north-west, and the temperature
+was low enough for large quantities of snow to fall; the gale, however,
+increased in violence, and on the side of Cape Bathurst and the chain
+of icebergs the noise of the tempest was deafening. The huge ice-masses
+were flung against each other, and fell with a roar like that of
+thunder. The ice on the north was compressed and piled up on the
+shores of the island. There really seemed to be a danger that the cape
+itself-which was but a kind of iceberg capped with earth and sand-would
+be flung down.
+
+Some large pieces of ice, in spite of their weight, were driven to the
+very foot of the palisaded enceinte; but fortunately for the factory
+the cape retained its position; had it given way all the buildings must
+inevitably have been crushed beneath it.
+
+It will be easily understood that the position of Victoria Island, at
+the opening of a narrow strait about which the ice accumulated in large
+quantities, was extremely perilous, for it might at any time be swept by
+a horizontal avalanche, or crushed beneath the huge blocks of ice driven
+inland from the offing, and so become engulfed before the thaw. This
+was a new danger to be added to all the others already threatening the
+little band. Mrs Barnett, seeing the awful power of the pressure in the
+offing, and the violence with which the moving masses of ice crushed
+upon each other, realised the full magnitude of the peril they would
+all be in when the thaw commenced. She often mentioned her fears to the
+Lieutenant, and he shook his head like a man who had no reply to make.
+
+Early in March the squall ceased, and the full extent of the
+transformation of the ice-field was revealed. It seemed as if by a kind
+of glissade the chain of icebergs had drawn nearer to the island. In
+some parts it was not two miles distant, and it advanced like a glacier
+on the move, with the difference that the latter has a descending
+and the ice-wall a horizontal motion. Between the lofty chain of
+ice-mountains the ice-field was fearfully distorted: strewn with
+hummocks, broken obelisks, shattered blocks, overturned pyramids, it
+resembled a tempest-tossed sea or a ruined town, in which not a building
+or a monument had remained standing, and above it all the mighty
+icebergs reared their snowy crests, standing out against the sky with
+their pointed peaks, their rugged cones, and solid buttresses, forming a
+fitting frame for the weird fantastic landscape at their feet.
+
+At this date the little vessel was quite finished. This boat was rather
+heavy in shape, as might have been expected, but she did credit to
+Mac-Nab, and shaped as she was like a barge at the bows, she ought the
+better to withstand the shocks of the floating ice. She might have
+been taken for one of those Dutch boats which venture upon the northern
+waters. Her rig, which was completed, consisted, like that of a cutter,
+of a mainsail and a jib carried on a single mast. The tent canvass of
+the factory had been made use of for sailcloth.
+
+This boat would carry the whole colony, and if, as the Lieutenant hoped,
+the island were drifted to Behring Strait, the vessel would easily make
+her way to land, even from the widest part of the passage. There was
+then nothing to be done but wait for the thaw.
+
+Hobson now decided to make a long excursion to the south to ascertain
+the state of the ice-field, to see whether there were any signs of its
+breaking up, to examine the chain of icebergs by which it was hemmed in,
+to make sure, in short, whether it would really be useless to attempt to
+cross to the American continent. Many incidents might occur, many fresh
+dangers might arise before the thaw, and it would therefore be but
+prudent to make a reconnaissance on the ice-field.
+
+The expedition was organised and the start fixed for March 7th. Hobson,
+Mrs Barnett, Kalumah, Marbre, and Sabine were to go, and, if the route
+should be practicable, they would try and find a passage across the
+chain of icebergs. In any case, however, they were not to be absent for
+more than forty-eight hours.
+
+A good stock of provisions was prepared, and, well provided for every
+contingency, the little party left Fort Hope on the morning of the 7th
+March aid turned towards Cape Michael.
+
+The thermometer then marked 32° Fahrenheit. The atmosphere was misty,
+but the weather was perfectly calm. The sun was now above the horizon
+for seven or eight hours a day, and its oblique rays afforded plenty of
+light.
+
+At nine o’clock, after a short halt, the party descended the slope of
+Cape Michael and made their way across the ice-fields in a southeasterly
+direction. On this side the ice wall rose not three miles from the cape.
+
+The march was of course very slow. Every minute a crevasse had to be
+turned, or a hummock too high to be climbed. It was evident that a
+sledge could not have got over the rough distorted surface, which
+consisted of an accumulation of blocks of ice of every shape and size,
+some of which really seemed to retain their equilibrium by a miracle.
+Others had been but recently overturned, as could be seen from the
+clearly cut fractures and sharp corners. Not a sign was to be seen of
+any living creature, no footprints told of the passage of man or beast,
+and the very birds had deserted these awful solitudes.
+
+Mrs Barnett was astonished at the scene before her, and asked the
+Lieutenant how they could possibly have crossed the ice-fields if they
+had started in December, and he replied by reminding her that it
+was then in a very different condition; the enormous pressure of the
+advancing icebergs had not then commenced, the surface of the sea
+was comparatively even, and the only danger was from its insufficient
+solidification. The irregularities which now barred their passage did
+not exist early in the winter.
+
+They managed, however, to advance towards the mighty ice-wall, Kalumah
+generally leading the way. Like a chamois on the Alpine rocks, the
+young girl firmly treaded the ice-masses with a swiftness of foot and an
+absence of hesitation which was really marvellous. She knew by instinct
+the best way through the labyrinth of icebergs, and was an unerring
+guide to her companions.
+
+About noon the base of the ice-wall was reached, but it had taken three
+hours to get over three miles.
+
+The icy barrier presented a truly imposing appearance, rising as it did
+more than four hundred feet above the ice-field. The various strata of
+which it was formed were clearly defined, and the glistening surface was
+tinged with many a delicately-shaded hue. Jasper-like ribbons of green
+and blue alternated with streaks and dashes of all the colours of the
+rainbow, strewn with enamelled arabesques, sparkling crystals, and
+delicate ice-flowers. No cliff, however strangely distorted, could give
+any idea of this marvellous half opaque, half transparent ice-wall,
+and no description could do justice to the wonderful effects of
+chiara-oscuro produced upon it.
+
+It would not do, however, to approach too near to these beetling cliffs,
+the solidity of which was very doubtful. Internal fractures and rents
+were already commencing, the work of destruction and decomposition
+was proceeding rapidly, aided by the imprisoned air-bubbles; and the
+fragility of the huge structure, built up by the cold, was manifest to
+every eye. It could not survive the Arctic winter, it was doomed to melt
+beneath the sunbeams, and it contained material enough to feed large
+rivers.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson had warned his companions of the danger of the
+avalanches which constantly fall from the summits of the icebergs, and
+they did not therefore go far along their base. That this prudence was
+necessary was proved by the falling of a huge block, at two o’clock,
+at the entrance to a kind of valley which they were about to cross. It
+must have weighed more than a hundred tons, and it was dashed upon the
+ice-field with a fearful crash, bursting like a bomb-shell. Fortunately
+no one was hurt by the splinters.
+
+From two to five o’clock the explorers followed a narrow winding path
+leading down amongst the icebergs; they were anxious to know if it led
+right through them, but could not at once ascertain. In this valley, as
+it might be called, they were able to examine the internal structure of
+the icy barrier. The blocks of which it was built up were here arranged
+with greater symmetry than outside. In some places trunks of trees were
+seen embedded in the ice, all, however, of Tropical not Polar species,
+which had evidently been brought to Arctic regions by the Gulf Stream,
+and would be taken back to the ocean when the thaw should have converted
+into water the ice which now held them in its chill embrace.
+
+At five o’clock it became too dark to go any further. The travellers
+had not gone more than about two miles in the valley, but it was
+so sinuous, that it was impossible to estimate exactly the distance
+traversed.
+
+The signal to halt was given by the Lieutenant, and Marbre and Sabine
+quickly dug out a grotto in the ice with their chisels, into which the
+whole party crept, and after a good supper all were soon asleep.
+
+Every one was up at eight o’clock the next morning, and Hobson decided
+to follow the valley for another mile, in the hope of finding out
+whether it went right through the ice-wall. The direction of the pass,
+judging from the position of the sun, had now changed from north to
+south east, and as early as eleven o’clock the party came out on the
+opposite side of the chain of icebergs. The passage was therefore proved
+to run completely through the barrier.
+
+The aspect of the ice-field on the eastern side was exactly similar
+to that on the west. The same confusion of ice-masses, the same
+accumulation of hummocks and icebergs, as far as the eye could reach,
+with occasional alternations of smooth surfaces of small extent,
+intersected by numerous crevasses, the edges of which were already
+melting fast. The same complete solitude, the same desertion, not a
+bird, not an animal to be seen.
+
+Mrs Barnett climbed to the top of the hummock, and there remained for an
+hour, gazing upon the sad and desolate Polar landscape before her. Her
+thoughts involuntarily flew back to the miserable attempt to escape that
+had been made five months before. Once more she saw the men and women of
+the hapless caravan encamped in the darkness of these frozen solitudes,
+or struggling against insurmountable difficulties to reach the mainland.
+
+At last the Lieutenant broke in upon her reverie, and said—
+
+“Madam, it is more than twenty-four hours since we left the fort. We
+now know the thickness of the ice-wall, and as we promised not to be
+away longer than forty-eight hours, I think it is time to retrace our
+steps.”
+
+Mrs Barnett saw the justice of the Lieutenant’s remark. They had
+ascertained that the barrier of ice was of moderate thickness, that it
+would melt away quickly enough to allow of the passage of Mac-Nab’s
+boat after the thaw, and it would therefore be well to hasten back lest
+a snow-storm or change in the weather of any kind should render return
+through the winding valley difficult.
+
+The party breakfasted and set out on the return journey about one
+o’clock P.M.
+
+The night was passed as before in an ice-cavern, and the route resumed
+at eight o’clock the next morning, March 9th.
+
+The travellers now turned their backs upon the sun, as they were making
+for the west, but the weather was fine, and the orb of day, already high
+in the heavens, flung some of its rays across the valley and lit up the
+glittering ice-walls on either side.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Kalumah were a little behind the rest of the party
+chatting together, and looking about them as they wound through the
+narrow passages pointed out by Marbre and Sabine. They expected to get
+out of the valley quickly, and be back at the fort before sunset, as
+they had only two or three miles of the island to cross after leaving
+the ice. This would be a few hours after the time fixed, but not long
+enough to cause any serious anxiety to their friends at home.
+
+They made their calculation without allowing for an incident which no
+human perspicacity could possibly have foreseen.
+
+It was about ten o’clock when Marbre and Sabine, who were some twenty
+paces in advance of the rest, suddenly stopped and appeared to be
+debating some point. When the others came up, Sabine was holding out
+his compass to Marbre, who was staring at it with an expression of the
+utmost astonishment.
+
+“What an extraordinary thing!” he exclaimed, and added, turning to
+the Lieutenant—
+
+“Will you tell me, sir, the position of the island with regard to the
+ice-wall, is it on the east or west?”
+
+“On the west,” replied Hobson, not a little surprised at the
+question, “you know that well enough, Marbre”
+
+“I know it well enough! I know it well enough!” repeated Marbre,
+shaking his head, “and if it is on the west, we are going wrong, and
+away from the inland!”
+
+“What, away from the island!” exclaimed the Lieutenant, struck with
+the hunter’s air of conviction.
+
+“We are indeed, sir,” said Marbre; “look at the compass; my name
+is not Marbre if it does not show that we are walking towards the east
+not the west!”
+
+“Impossible!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Look, madam,” said Sabine.
+
+It was true. The needle pointed in exactly the opposite direction to
+that expected. Hobson looked thoughtful and said nothing.
+
+“We must have made a mistake when we left the ice cavern this
+morning,” observed Sabine, “we ought to have turned to the left
+instead of to the right.”
+
+“No, no,” said Mrs Barnett, “I am sure we did not make a
+mistake!”
+
+“But”——said Marbre.
+
+“But,” interrupted Mrs Barnett, “look at the sun. Does it no
+longer rise in the east? Now as we turned our backs on it this morning,
+and it is still behind us, we must be walking towards the west, so
+that when we get out of the valley on the western side of the chain of
+icebergs, we must come to the island we left there.”
+
+Marbre, struck dumb by this irrefutable argument, crossed his arms and
+said no more.
+
+“Then if so,” said Sabine, “the sun and the compass are in
+complete contradiction of each other?”
+
+“At this moment they are,” said Hobson, “and the reason is simple
+enough; in these high northern latitudes, and in latitudes in the
+neighbourhood of the magnetic pole, the compasses are sometimes
+disturbed, and the deviation of their needles is so great as entirely to
+mislead travellers.”
+
+“All right then,” said Marbre, “we have only to go on keeping our
+backs to the sun.”
+
+“Certainly,” replied Lieutenant Hobson, “there can be no
+hesitation which to choose, the sun or our compass, nothing disturbs the
+sun.”
+
+The march was resumed, the sun was still behind them, and there was
+really no objection to be made to Hobson’s theory, founded, as it was,
+upon the position then occupied by the radiant orb of day.
+
+The little troop marched on, but they did not get out of the valley as
+soon as they expected. Hobson had counted on leaving the ice-wall before
+noon, and it was past two when they reached the opening of the narrow
+pass.
+
+Strange as was this delay, it had not made any one uneasy, and the
+astonishment of all can readily be imagined when, on stepping on to the
+ice field, at the base of the chain of icebergs, no sign was to be seen
+of Victoria Island, which ought to have been opposite to them.
+
+Yes!—The island, which on this side had been such a conspicuous
+object, owing to the height of Cape Michael crowned with trees, had
+disappeared. In its place stretched a vast ice-field lit up by the
+sunbeams.
+
+All looked around them, and then at each other in amazement.
+
+“The island ought to be there!” cried Sabine.
+
+“But it is not there,” said Marbre. “Oh, sir—Lieutenant—where
+is it? what has become of it?”
+
+But Hobson had not a word to say in reply, and Mrs Barnett was equally
+dumfounded.
+
+Kalumah now approached Lieutenant Hobson, and touching his arm, she
+said—
+
+“We went wrong in the valley, we went up it instead of down it, we
+shall only get back to where we were yesterday by crossing the chain of
+icebergs. Come, come!”
+
+Hobson and the others mechanically followed Kalumah, and trusting in
+the young native’s sagacity, retraced their steps. Appearances were,
+however, certainly against her, for they were now walking towards the
+sun in an easterly direction.
+
+Kalumah did not explain her motives, but muttered as she went along—
+
+“Let us make haste!”
+
+All were quite exhausted, and could scarcely get along, when they found
+themselves on the other side of the ice-wall, after a walk of three
+hours. The night had now fallen, and it was too dark to see if the
+island was there, but they were not long left in doubt.
+
+At about a hundred paces off, burning torches were moving about, whilst
+reports of guns and shouts were heard.
+
+The explorers replied, and were soon joined by Sergeant Long and others,
+amongst them Thomas Black, whose anxiety as to the fate of his friends
+had at last roused him from his torpor. The poor fellows left on the
+island had been in a terrible state of uneasiness, thinking that Hobson
+and his party had lost their way. They were right, but what was it that
+had made them think so?
+
+Twenty-four hours before, the immense ice-field and the island had
+turned half round, and in consequence of this displacement they were no
+longer on the west, but on the east of the ice-wall!
+
+CHAPTER XVI THE BREAK-UP OF THE ICE Two hours later all had returned to
+Fort Hope, and the next day the sun for the first time shone upon that
+part of the coast which was formerly on the west of the island. Kalumah,
+to whom this phenomenon was familiar, had been right, and if the sun had
+not been the guilty party neither had the compass!
+
+The position of Victoria Island with regard to the cardinal points was
+again completely changed. Since it had broken loose from the mainland
+the island—and not only the island, but the vast ice field in which it
+was enclosed—had turned half round. This displacement proved that the
+ice-field was not connected with the continent, and that the thaw would
+soon set in.
+
+“Well, Lieutenant,” said Mrs. Barnett, “this change of front is
+certainly in our favour. Cape Bathurst and Fort Hope are now turned
+towards the north-east, in other words towards the point nearest to the
+continent, and the ice-wall, through which our boat could only have made
+its way by a difficult and dangerous passage, is no longer between
+us and America. And so all is for the best, is it not?” added Mrs.
+Barnett with a smile.
+
+“Indeed it is,” replied Hobson, who fully realised all that was
+involved in this change of the position of Victoria Island.
+
+No incident occurred between the 10th and 21st March, but there were
+indications of the approaching change of season. The temperature varied
+from 43° to 50° Fahrenheit, and it appeared likely that the breaking
+up of the ice would commence suddenly. Fresh crevasses opened, and the
+unfrozen water flooded the surface of the ice. As the whalers poetically
+express it, the “wounds of the ice-field bled copiously,” and the
+opening of these “wounds” was accompanied by a sound like the roar
+of artillery. A warm rain fell for several hours, and accelerated the
+dissolution of the solid coating of the ocean.
+
+The birds, ptarmigans, puffins, ducks, &c., which had deserted the
+island in the beginning of the winter, now returned in large numbers.
+Marbre and Sabine killed a few of them, and on some were found the
+tickets tied round their necks by the Lieutenant several months before.
+Flocks of white trumpeter swans also reappeared, and filled the air with
+their loud clarion tones; whilst the quadrupeds, rodents, and carnivora
+alike continued to frequent the vicinity of the fort like tame domestic
+animals.
+
+Whenever the state of the sky permitted, which was almost every day,
+Hobson took the altitude of the sun. Sometimes Mrs Barnett, who had
+become quite expert in handling the sextant, assisted him, or took the
+observation in his stead. It was now most important to note the very
+slightest changes in the latitude and longitude of the island. It was
+still doubtful to which current it would be subject after the thaw, and
+the question whether it would be drifted north or south was the chief
+subject of the discussions between the Lieutenant and Mrs Barnett.
+
+The brave lady had always given proof of an energy superior to that of
+most of her sex, and now she was to be seen every day braving fatigue,
+and venturing on to the half decomposed, or “pancake” ice, in all
+weathers, through snow or rain, and on her return to the factory ready
+to cheer and help everybody, and to superintend all that was going on.
+We must add that her efforts were ably seconded by the faithful Madge.
+
+Mrs Barnett had compelled herself to look the future firmly in the face,
+and although she could not fail to fear for the safety of all, and
+sad presentiments haunted her, she never allowed herself to betray any
+uneasiness. Her courage and confidence never seemed to waver, she was
+as ever the kind encouraging friend of each and all, and none could have
+dreamt of the conflict of spirit going on beneath her quiet exterior
+demeanour. Lieutenant Hobson’s admiration of her character was
+unbounded, and he had also entire confidence in Kalumah, often trusting
+to her natural instinct as implicitly as a hunter to that of his dog.
+
+The young Esquimaux was, in fact, very intelligent, and familiar from
+babyhood with the phenomena of the Polar regions. On board a whaler she
+might have advantageously replaced many an ice-master or pilot whose
+business it is to guide a boat amongst the ice.
+
+Every day Kalumah went to examine the state of the ice-field.
+
+The nature of the noise produced by the breaking of the icebergs in the
+distance was enough to tell her how far the decomposition had advanced.
+No foot was surer than hers upon the ice, no one could spring more
+lightly forwards than she when her instinct told her that the smooth
+surface was rotten underneath, and she would scud across an ice-field
+riddled with fissures without a moment’s hesitation.
+
+From the 20th to the 30th March, the thaw made rapid progress. Rain
+fell abundantly and accelerated the dissolution of the ice. It was to be
+hoped that the ice-field would soon open right across, and that in about
+fifteen days Hobson would be able to steer his boat into the open sea.
+He was determined to lose no time, as he did not know but that the
+Kamtchatka Current might sweep the island to the north before it could
+come under the influence of the Behring Current.
+
+“But,” Kalumah repeated again and again, “there is no fear of
+that, the breaking up of the ice does not proceed upwards but downwards.
+The danger is there!” she added, pointing to the south in the
+direction of the vast Pacific Ocean.
+
+The young girl’s confidence on this point reassured Hobson, for he had
+no reason now to dread the falling to pieces of the island in the warm
+waters of the Pacific. He meant everybody to be on board the boat before
+that could happen, and they would not have far to go to get to one
+or the other continent, as the strait is in reality a kind of funnel
+through which the waters flow between Cape East on the Asiatic side and
+Cape Prince of Wales on the American.
+
+This will explain the eager attention with which the slightest change
+in the position of the island was noticed. The bearings were taken every
+day, and everything was prepared for an approaching and perhaps sudden
+and hurried embarkation.
+
+Of course all the ordinary avocations of the factory were now
+discontinued. There was no hunting or setting of traps. The magazines
+were already piled up with furs, most of which would be lost. The
+hunters and trappers had literally nothing to do; but Mac-Nab and
+his men, having finished their boat, employed their leisure time in
+strengthening the principal house of the fort, which would probably be
+subjected to considerable pressure from the accumulation of ice on
+the coast during the further progress of the thaw, unless indeed Cape
+Bathurst should prove a sufficient protection. Strong struts were fixed
+against the outside walls, vertical props were placed inside the rooms
+to afford additional support to the beams of the ceiling, and the roof
+was strengthened so that it could bear a considerable weight. These
+various works were completed early in April, and their utility, or
+rather their vital importance, was very soon manifested.
+
+Each day brought fresh symptoms of returning spring, which seemed likely
+to set in early after this strangely mild Polar winter. A few tender
+shoots appeared upon the trees, and the newly-thawed sap swelled the
+bark of beeches, willows, and arbutus. Tiny mosses tinged with pale
+green the slopes under the direct influence of the sunbeams; but they
+were not likely to spread much, as the greedy rodents collected about
+the fort pounced upon and devoured them almost before they were above
+the ground.
+
+Great were the sufferings of Corporal Joliffe at this time. We know that
+he had undertaken to protect the plot of ground cultivated by his wife.
+Under ordinary circumstances he would merely have had to drive away
+feathered pilferers, such as guillemots or puffins, from his sorrel and
+scurvy grass. A scarecrow would have been enough to get rid of them,
+still more the Corporal in person. But now all the rodents and ruminants
+of the Arctic fauna combined to lay siege to his territory; reindeer,
+Polar hares, musk-rats, shrews, martens, &c., braved all the threatening
+gestures of the Corporal, and the poor man was in despair, for whilst he
+was defending one end of his field the enemy was preying upon the other.
+
+It would certainly have been wiser to let the poor creatures enjoy
+unmolested the crops which could be of no use to the colonists, as the
+fort was to be so soon abandoned, and Mrs Barnett tried to persuade the
+angry Corporal to do so, when he came to her twenty times a day with the
+same wearisome tale, but he would not listen to her:
+
+“To lose the fruit of all our trouble!” he repeated; “to leave an
+establishment which was prospering so well! To give up the plants Mrs
+Joliffe and I sowed so carefully!... O madam, sometimes I feel disposed
+to let you all go, and stay here with my wife! I am sure the Company
+would give up all claim on the island to us”——
+
+Mrs Barnett could not help laughing at this absurd speech, and sent the
+Corporal to his little wife, who had long ago resigned herself to the
+loss of her sorrel, scurvy grass, and other medicinal herbs.
+
+We must here remark, that the health of all the colonists remained good,
+they had at least escaped illness; the baby, too, was now quite well
+again, and throve admirably in the mild weather of the early spring.
+
+The thaw continued to proceed rapidly from the 2nd to the 5th April. The
+weather was warm but cloudy, and rain fell frequently in large drops.
+The wind blew from the south west, and was laden with the heated dust
+of the continent. Unfortunately the sky was so hazy, that it was quite
+impossible to take observations, neither sun, moon, nor stars could be
+seen through the heavy mists, and this was the more provoking, as it
+was of the greatest importance to note the slightest movements of the
+island.
+
+It was on the night of the 7th April that the actual breaking up of the
+ice commenced. In the morning the Lieutenant, Mrs Barnett, Kalumah, and
+Sergeant Long, had climbed to the summit of Cape Bathurst, and saw
+that a great change had taken place in the chain of icebergs. The huge
+barrier had parted nearly in the middle, and now formed two separate
+masses, the larger of which seemed to be moving northwards.
+
+Was it the Kamtchatka Current which produced this motion? Would the
+floating island take the same direction? The intense anxiety of the
+Lieutenant and his companions can easily be imagined. Their fate might
+now be decided in a few hours, and if they should be drifted some
+hundred miles to the north, it would be very difficult to reach the
+continent in a vessel so small as theirs.
+
+Unfortunately it was impossible to ascertain the nature or extent of the
+displacement which was going on. One thing was, however, evident, the
+island was not yet moving, at least not in the same direction as the
+ice-wall. It therefore seemed probable that whilst part of the ice field
+was floating to the north, that portion immediately surrounding the
+island still remained stationary.
+
+This displacement of the icebergs did not in the least alter the opinion
+of the young Esquimaux. Kalumah still maintained that the thaw would
+proceed from north to south, and that the ice wall would shortly feel
+the influence of the Behring Current. To make herself more easily
+understood, she traced the direction of the current on the sand with
+a little piece of wood, and made signs that in following it the island
+must approach the American continent. No argument could shake her
+conviction on this point, and it was almost impossible not to feel
+reassured when listening to the confident expressions of the intelligent
+native girl.
+
+The events of the 8th, 9th, and 10th April, seemed, however, to prove
+Kalumah to be in the wrong. The northern portion of the chain of
+icebergs drifted farther and farther north. The breaking up of the ice
+proceeded rapidly and with a great noise, and the ice field opened all
+round the island with a deafening crash. Out of doors it was impossible
+to hear one’s self speak, a ceaseless roar like that of artillery
+drowned every other sound.
+
+About half a mile from the coast on that part of the island overlooked
+by Cape Bathurst, the blocks of ice were already beginning to crowd
+together, and to pile themselves upon each other. The ice-wall had
+broken up into numerous separate icebergs, which were drifting towards
+the north. At least it seemed as if they were moving in that direction.
+Hobson became more and more uneasy, and nothing that Kalumah could say
+reassured him. He replied by counter-arguments, which could not shake
+her faith in her own belief.
+
+At last, on the morning of the 11th April, Hobson showed Kalumah the
+last icebergs disappearing in the north, and again endeavoured to prove
+to her that facts were against her.
+
+“No, no!” replied Kalumah, with an air of greater conviction than
+ever, “no, the icebergs are not going to the north, but our island is
+going to the south!”
+
+She might perhaps be right after all, and Hobson was much struck by
+this last reply. It was really possible that the motion of the icebergs
+towards the north was only apparent, and that Victoria Island, dragged
+along with the ice-field, was drifting towards the strait. But it was
+impossible to ascertain whether this were really the case, as neither
+the latitude nor longitude could be taken.
+
+The situation was aggravated by a phenomenon peculiar to the Polar
+regions, which rendered it still darker and more impossible to take
+observations of any kind.
+
+At the very time of the breaking up of the ice, the temperature fell
+several degrees. A dense mist presently enveloped the Arctic latitudes,
+but not an ordinary mist. The soil was covered with a white crust,
+totally distinct from hoar-frost—it was, in fact, a watery vapour
+which congeals on its precipitation. The minute particles of which this
+mist was composed formed a thick layer on trees, shrubs, the walls of
+the fort, and any projecting surface which bristled with pyramidal or
+prismatic crystals, the apexes of which pointed to the wind.
+
+Hobson at once understood the nature of this atmospheric phenomenon,
+which whalers and explorers have often noticed in the spring in the
+Polar regions.
+
+“It is not a mist or fog,” he said to his companions, “it is a
+‘frost-rime’, a dense vapour which remains in a state of complete
+congelation.”
+
+But whether a fog or a frozen mist this phenomenon was none the less to
+be regretted, for it rose a hundred feet at least above the level of the
+sea, and it was so opaque that the colonists could not see each other
+when only two or three paces apart.
+
+Every one’s disappointment was very great. Nature really seemed
+determined to try them to the uttermost. When the break up of the ice
+had come at last, when the wandering island was to leave the spot in
+which it had so long been imprisoned, and its movements ought to be
+watched with the greatest care, this fog prevented all observations.
+
+This state of things continued for four days. The frost-rime did not
+disappear until the 15th April, but on the morning of that date a strong
+wind from the south rent it open and dispersed it.
+
+The sun shone brightly once more, and Hobson eagerly seized his
+instruments. He took the altitude, and found that the exact position of
+Victoria Island was then: Latitude, 69° 57’; longitude, 179° 33’.
+
+Kalumah was right, Victoria Island, in the grasp of the Behring Current,
+was drifting towards the south.
+
+CHAPTER XVII. THE AVALANCHE. The colonists were then at last approaching
+the more frequented latitudes of Behring Sea. There was no longer any
+danger that they would be drifted to the north, and all they had to do
+was to watch the displacement of the island, and to estimate the speed
+of its motion, which would probably be very unequal, on account of
+the obstacles in its path. Hobson most carefully noted every incident,
+taking alternately solar and stellar altitudes, and the next day, April
+16th, after ascertaining the bearings, he calculated that if its present
+speed were maintained, Victoria Island would reach the Arctic Circle,
+from which it was now separated at the most by four degrees of latitude,
+towards the beginning of May.
+
+It was probable that, when the island reached the narrowest portion of
+the strait, it would remain stationary until the thaw broke it up, the
+boat would then be launched, and the colonists would set sail for the
+American continent.
+
+Everything was ready for an immediate embarkation, and the inhabitants
+of the island waited with greater patience and confidence than ever.
+They felt, poor things, that the end of their trials was surely near at
+last, and that nothing could prevent their landing on one side or the
+other of the strait in a few days.
+
+This prospect cheered them up wonderfully, and the gaiety natural to
+them all, which they had lost in the terrible anxiety they had so long
+endured, was restored. The common meals were quite festal, as there
+was no need for economising the stores under present circumstances. The
+influence of the spring became more and more sensibly felt, and every
+one enjoyed the balmy air, and breathed more freely than before.
+
+During the next few days, several excursions were made to the interior
+of the island and along the coast. Everywhere the furred animals, &c.,
+still abounded, for even now they could not cross to the continent,
+the connection between it and the ice-field being broken, and their
+continued presence was a fresh proof that the island was no longer
+stationary.
+
+No change had taken place on the island at Cape Esquimaux, Cape Michael,
+along the coast, or on the wooded heights of the interior, and the banks
+of the lagoon. The large gulf which had opened near Cape Michael during
+the storm had closed in the winter, and there was no other fissure on
+the surface of the soil.
+
+During these excursions, bands of wolves were seen scudding across parts
+of the island. Of all the animals these fierce carnivorous beasts were
+the only ones which the feeling of a common danger had not tamed.
+
+Kalumah’s preserver was seen several times. This worthy bear paced to
+and fro on the deserted plains in melancholy mood, pausing in his walk
+as the explorers passed, and sometimes following them to the fort,
+knowing well that he had nothing to fear from them.
+
+On the 20th April Lieutenant Hobson ascertained that the wandering
+island was still drifting to the south. All that remained of the
+ice-wall, that is to say, the southern portion of the icebergs, followed
+it, but as there were no bench marks, the changes of position could only
+be estimated by astronomical observations.
+
+Hobson took several soundings in different parts of the ground,
+especially at the foot of Cape Bathurst, and on the shores of the
+lagoon. He was anxious to ascertain the thickness of the layer of ice
+supporting the earth and sand, and found that it had not increased
+during the winter, and that the general level of the island did not
+appear to have risen higher above that of the sea. The conclusion he
+drew from these facts was, that no time should be lost in getting away
+from the fragile island, which would rapidly break up and dissolve in
+the warmer waters of the Pacific.
+
+About the 25th April the bearing of the island was again changed, the
+whole ice-field had moved round from east to west twelve points, so
+that Cape Bathurst pointed to the north-west. The last remains of the
+ice-wall now shut in the northern horizon, so that there could be no
+doubt that the ice-field was moving freely in the strait, and that it
+nowhere touched any land.
+
+The fatal moment was approaching. Diurnal or nocturnal observations gave
+the exact position of the island, and consequently of the ice-field. On
+the 30th of April, both were together drifting across Kotzebue Sound,
+a large triangular gulf running some distance inland on the American
+coast, and bounded on the south by Cape Prince of Wales, which might,
+perhaps, arrest the course of the island if it should deviate in the
+very least from the middle of the narrow pass.
+
+The weather was now pretty fine, and the column of mercury often marked
+50° Fahrenheit. The colonists had left off their winter garments some
+weeks before, and held themselves in constant readiness to leave the
+island. Thomas Black had already transported his instruments and books
+into the boat, which was waiting on the beach. A good many provisions
+had also been embarked and some of the most valuable furs.
+
+On the 2d of May a very carefully taken observation showed that Victoria
+Island had a tendency to drift towards the east, and consequently to
+reach the American continent. This was fortunate, as they were now out
+of danger of being taken any farther by the Kamtchatka Current, which,
+as is well known, runs along the coast of Asia. At last the tide was
+turning in favour of the colonists!
+
+“I think our bad fortune is at last at an end,” observed Sergeant
+Long to Mrs Barnett, “and that our misfortunes are really over; I
+don’t suppose there are any more dangers to be feared now.”
+
+“I quite agree with you,” replied Mrs Barnett, “and it is very
+fortunate that we had to give up our journey across the ice-field a few
+months ago; we ought to be very thankful that it was impassible!”
+
+Mrs Barnett was certainly justified in speaking as she did, for what
+fearful fatigues and sufferings they would all have had to undergo in
+crossing five hundred miles of ice in the darkness of the Polar night!
+
+On the 5th May, Hobson announced that Victoria Island had just
+crossed the Arctic Circle. It had at last re-entered that zone of the
+terrestrial sphere in which at one period of the year the sun does not
+set. The poor people all felt that they were returning to the inhabited
+globe.
+
+The event of crossing the Arctic Circle was celebrated in much the same
+way as crossing the Equator for the first time would be on board ship,
+and many a glass of spirits was drank in honour of the event.
+
+There was now nothing left to do but to wait till the broken and
+half-melted ice should allow of the passage of the boat, which was to
+bear the whole colony to the land.
+
+During the 7th May the island turned round to the extent of another
+quarter of its circumference. Cape Bathurst now pointed due north, and
+those masses of the old chain of icebergs which still remained standing
+were now above it, so that it occupied much the same position as that
+assigned to it in maps when it was united to the American continent.
+The island had gradually turned completely round, and the sun had risen
+successively on every point of its shores.
+
+The observations of the 8th May showed that the island had become
+stationary near the middle of the passage, at least forty miles from
+Cape Prince of Wales, so that land was now at a comparatively short
+distance from it, and the safety of all seemed to be secured.
+
+In the evening a good supper was served in the large room, and the
+healths of Mrs Barnett and of Lieutenant Hobson were proposed.
+
+The same night the Lieutenant determined to go and see if any changes
+had taken place in the ice-field on the south, hoping that a practicable
+passage might have been opened.
+
+Mrs Barnett was anxious to accompany him, but he persuaded her to rest a
+little instead, and started off, accompanied only by Sergeant Long.
+
+Mrs Barnett, Madge, and Kalumah returned to the principal house after
+seeing them off, and the soldiers and women had already gone to bed in
+the different apartments assigned to them.
+
+It was a fine night, there was no moon, but the stars shone very
+brightly, and as the ice-field vividly reflected their light, it was
+possible to see for a considerable distance.
+
+It was nine o’clock when the two explorers left the fort and turned
+towards that part of the coast between Port Barnett and Cape Michael.
+They followed the beach for about two miles, and found the ice-field in
+a state of positive chaos. The sea was one vast aggregation of crystals
+of every size, it looked as if it had been petrified suddenly when
+tossing in a tempest, and, alas, there was even now no free passage
+between the ice-masses—it would be impossible for a boat to pass yet.
+
+Hobson and Long remained on the ice-field talking and looking about them
+until midnight, and then seeing that there was still nothing to do but
+to wait, they decided to go back to Fort Hope and rest for a few hours.
+
+They had gone some hundred paces, and had reached the dried-up bed of
+Paulina River, when an unexpected noise arrested them. It was a distant
+rumbling from the northern part of the ice-field, and it became louder
+and louder until it was almost deafening. Something dreadful was going
+on in the quarter from which it came, and Hobson fancied he felt the ice
+beneath his feet trembling, which was certainly far from reassuring.
+
+“The noise comes from the chain of icebergs,” exclaimed Long,
+“what can be going on there?”
+
+Hobson did not answer, but feeling dreadfully anxious he rushed towards
+the fort dragging his companion after him.
+
+“To the fort! to the fort.” he cried at last, “the ice may have
+opened, we may be able to launch our boat on the sea!”
+
+And the two ran as fast as ever they could towards Fort Hope by the
+shortest way.
+
+A thousand conjectures crowded upon them. From what new phenomenon did
+the unexpected noise proceed? Did the sleeping inhabitants of the fort
+know what was going on? They must certainly have heard the noise, for,
+in vulgar language, it was loud enough to wake the dead.
+
+Hobson and Long crossed the two miles between them and Fort Hope in
+twenty minutes, but before they reached the enceinte they saw the men
+and women they had left asleep hurrying away in terrified disorder,
+uttering cries of despair.
+
+The carpenter Mac-Nab, seeing the Lieutenant, ran towards him with his
+little boy in his arms.
+
+“Look, sir, look!” he cried, drawing his master towards a little
+hill which rose a few yards behind the fort.
+
+Hobson obeyed, and saw that part of the ice-wall, which, when he left,
+was two or three miles off in the offing, had fallen upon the coast of
+the island. Cape Bathurst no longer existed, the mass of earth and
+sand of which it was composed had been swept away by the icebergs and
+scattered over the palisades. The principal house and all the buildings
+connected with it on the north were buried beneath the avalanche. Masses
+of ice were crowding upon each other and tumbling over with an awful
+crash, crushing everything beneath them. It was like an army of icebergs
+taking possession of the island.
+
+The boat which had been built at the foot of the cape was completely
+destroyed. The last hope of the unfortunate colonists was gone!
+
+As they stood watching the awful scene, the buildings, formerly occupied
+by the soldiers and women, and from which they had escaped in time,
+gave way beneath an immense block of ice which fell upon them. A cry of
+despair burst from the lips of the houseless outcasts.
+
+“And the others, where are they?” cried the Lieutenant in
+heart-rending tones.
+
+“There!” replied Mac-Nab, pointing to the heap of sand, earth, and
+ice, beneath which the principal house had entirely disappeared.
+
+Yes, the illustrious lady traveller, Madge, Kalumah, and Thomas Black,
+were buried beneath the avalanche which had surprised them in their
+sleep!
+
+CHAPTER XVIII. ALL AT WORK. Fearful catastrophe had occurred. The
+ice-wall had been flung upon the wandering island, the volume below the
+water being five times that of the projecting part, it had come under
+the influence of the submarine currents, and, opening a way for itself
+between the broken ice-masses, it had fallen bodily upon Victoria
+Island, which, driven along by this mighty propelling force, was
+drifting rapidly to the south.
+
+Mac-Nab and his companions, aroused by the noise of the avalanche
+dashing down upon the dog-house, stable, and principal house, had been
+able to escape in time, but now the work of destruction was complete.
+Not a trace remained of the buildings in which they had slept, and
+the island was bearing all its inhabitants with it to the unfathomable
+depths of the ocean! Perhaps, however, Mrs Barnett, Madge, Kalumah, and
+the astronomer, were still living! Dead or alive they must be dug out.
+
+At this thought Hobson recovered his composure and shouted—
+
+“Get shovels and pickaxes! The house is strong! it may have held
+together! Let us set to work!”
+
+There were plenty of tools and pickaxes, but it was really impossible
+to approach the enceinte. The masses of ice were rolling down from the
+summits of the icebergs, and some parts of the ice-wall still towered
+amongst the ruins two hundred feet above the island. The force with
+which the tossing masses, which seemed to be surging all along the
+northern horizon, were overthrown can be imagined; the whole coast
+between the former Cape Bathurst and Cape Esquimaux was not only hemmed
+in, but literally invaded by these moving mountains, which, impelled by
+a force they could not resist, had already advanced more than a quarter
+of a mile inland.
+
+Every moment the trembling of the ground and a loud report gave notice
+that another of these masses had rolled over, and there was a danger
+that the island would sink beneath the weight thrown upon it. A very
+apparent lowering of the level had taken place all along that part of
+the coast near Cape Bathurst, it was evidently gradually sinking down,
+and the sea had already encroached nearly as far as the lagoon.
+
+The situation of the colonists was truly terrible, unable as they were
+to attempt to save their companions, and driven from the enceinte by the
+crashing avalanches, over which they had no power whatever. They could
+only wait, a prey to the most awful forebodings.
+
+Day dawned at last, and how fearful a scene was presented by the
+districts around Cape Bathurst! The horizon was shut in on every side by
+ice-masses, but their advance appeared to be checked for the moment at
+least. The ruins of the ice-wall were at rest, and it was only now and
+then that a few blocks rolled down from the still tottering crests of
+the remaining icebergs. But the whole mass—a great part of its volume
+being sunk beneath the surface of the sea—was in the grasp of a
+powerful current, and was driving the island along with it to the south,
+that is to say, to the ocean, in the depths of which they would alike be
+engulfed.
+
+Those who were thus borne along upon the island were not fully conscious
+of the peril in which they stood. They had their comrades to save, and
+amongst them the brave woman who had so won all their hearts, and for
+whom they would gladly have laid down their lives. The time for action
+had come, they could again approach the palisades, and there was not a
+moment to lose, as the poor creatures had already been buried beneath
+the avalanche for six hours.
+
+We have already said that Cape Bathurst no longer existed. Struck by a
+huge iceberg it had fallen bodily upon the factory, breaking the boat
+and crushing the dog-house and stable with the poor creatures in them.
+The principal house next disappeared beneath the masses of earth and
+sand, upon which rolled blocks of ice to a height of fifty or sixty
+feet. The court of the fort was filled up, of the palisade not a post
+was to be seen, and it was from beneath this accumulation of earth,
+sand, and ice, that the victims were to be dug out.
+
+Before beginning to work Hobson called the head carpenter to him, and
+asked if he thought the house could bear the weight of the avalanche.
+
+“I think so, sir,” replied Mac-Nab; “in fact, I may almost say
+I am sure of it. You remember how we strengthened it, it has been
+‘casemated,’ and the vertical beams between the ceilings and floors
+must have offered great resistance; moreover, the layer of earth and
+sand with which the roof was first covered must have broken the shock of
+the fall of the blocks of ice from the icebergs.” “God grant you may
+be right, Mac-Nab,” replied Hobson, “and that we may be spared the
+great grief of losing our friends!”
+
+The Lieutenant then sent for Mrs Joliffe, and asked her if plenty of
+provisions had been left in the house.
+
+“Oh, yes,” replied Mrs Joliffe, “there was plenty to eat in the
+pantry and kitchen.”
+
+“And any water?”
+
+“Yes, water and rum too.”
+
+“All right, then,” said Hobson, “they will not be starved—but
+how about air?”
+
+To this question Mac-Nab could make no reply, and if, as he hoped, the
+house had not given way, the want of air would be the chief danger of
+the four victims. By prompt measures, however, they might yet be saved,
+and the first thing to be done was to open a communication with the
+outer air.
+
+All set to work zealously, men and women alike seizing shovels and
+pickaxes. The masses of ice, sand, and earth, were vigorously attacked
+at the risk of provoking fresh downfalls; but the proceedings were ably
+directed by Mac-Nab.
+
+It appeared to him best to begin at the top of the accumulated masses,
+so as to roll down loose blocks on the side of the lagoon. The smaller
+pieces were easily dealt with, with pick and crowbar, but the large
+blocks had to be broken up. Some of great size were melted with the aid
+of a large fire of resinous wood, and every means was tried to destroy
+or get rid of the ice in the shortest possible time.
+
+But so great was the accumulation, that although all worked without
+pause, except when they snatched a little food, there was no sensible
+diminution in its amount when the sun disappeared below the horizon. It
+was not, however, really of quite so great a height as before, and it
+was determined to go on working from above through the night, and when
+there was no longer any danger of fresh falls Mac-Nab hoped to be able
+to sink a vertical shaft in the compact mass, so as to admit the outer
+air to the house as soon as possible.
+
+All night long the party worked at the excavation, attacking the masses
+with iron and heat, as the one or the other seemed more likely to be
+effective. The men wielded the pickaxe whilst the women kept up the
+fires; but all were animated by one purpose—the saving of the lives of
+Mrs Barnett, Madge, Kalumah, and the astronomer.
+
+When morning dawned the poor creatures had been buried for thirty hours
+in air necessarily very impure under so thick a cover.
+
+The progress made in the night had been so great that Mac-Nab prepared
+to sink his shaft, which he meant to go straight down to the top of the
+house; and which, according to his calculation, would not have to be
+more than fifty feet deep. It would be easy enough to sink this
+shaft through the twenty feet of ice; but great difficulty would
+be experienced when the earth and sand were reached, as, being very
+brittle, they would of course constantly fill in the shaft, and its
+sides would therefore have to be lined. Long pieces of wood were
+prepared for this purpose, and the boring proceeded. Only three
+men could work at it together, and the soldiers relieved each other
+constantly, so that the excavation seemed likely to proceed rapidly.
+
+As might be supposed the poor fellows alternated between hope and fear
+when some obstacle delayed them. When a sudden fall undid their work
+they felt discouraged, and nothing but Mac-Nab’s steady voice could
+have rallied them. As the men toiled in turn at their weary task the
+women stood watching them from the foot of a hill, saying little, but
+often praying silently. They had now nothing to do but to prepare the
+food, which the men devoured in their short intervals of repose.
+
+The boring proceeded without any very great difficulty, but the ice was
+so hard that the progress was but slow. At the end of the second day
+Mac-Nab had nearly reached the layer of earth and sand, and could not
+hope to get to the top of the house before the end of the next day.
+
+Night fell, but the work was continued by the light of torches. A
+“snow-house” was hastily dug out in one of the hummocks on the shore
+as a temporary shelter for the women and the little boy. The wind had
+veered to the south-west, and a cold rain began to fall, accompanied
+with occasional squalls; but neither the Lieutenant nor his men dreamt
+of leaving off work.
+
+Now began the worst part of the task. It was really impossible to bore
+in the shifting masses of sand and earth, and it became necessary to
+prop up the sides of the shaft with wood, the loose earth being drawn
+to the surface in a bucket hung on a rope. Of course under the
+circumstances the work could not proceed rapidly, falls might occur at
+any moment, and the miners were in danger of being buried in their turn.
+
+Mac-Nab was generally the one to remain at the bottom of the narrow
+shaft, directing the excavation, and frequently sounding with a long
+pick, but as it met with no resistance, it was evident that it did not
+reach the roof of the house.
+
+When the morning once more dawned, only ten feet had been excavated in
+the mass of earth and sand, so that twenty remained to be bored through
+before the roof of the house could be reached, that is to say, if it had
+not given way, and still occupied the position it did before the fall of
+the avalanche.
+
+It was now fifty-four hours since Mrs Barnett and her companions were
+buried!
+
+Mac-Nab and the Lieutenant often wondered if they on their side had made
+any effort to open a communication with the outer air. They felt sure
+that with her usual courage, Mrs Barnett would have tried to find some
+way out if her movements were free. Some tools had been left in the
+house, and Kellet, one of the carpenter’s men, remembered leaving his
+pickaxe in the kitchen. The prisoners might have broken open one of the
+doors and begun to pierce a gallery across the layer of earth. But such
+a gallery could only be driven in a horizontal direction, and would be
+a much longer business than the sinking of a shaft from above, for
+the masses flung down by the avalanche, although only sixty feet deep,
+covered a space more than five hundred feet in diameter. Of course the
+prisoners could not be aware of this fact, and if they should succeed in
+boring their horizontal gallery, it would be eight days at least before
+they could cut through the last layer of ice, and by that time they
+would be totally deprived of air, if not of food.
+
+Nevertheless the Lieutenant carefully went over every portion of
+the accumulation himself, and listened intently for any sounds of
+subterranean digging, but he heard nothing.
+
+On the return of day the men toiled with fresh energy, bucket after
+bucket was drawn to the surface of the shaft loaded with earth. The
+clumsy wooden props answered admirably in keeping the earth from filling
+in the pit, a few falls occurred, but they were rapidly checked, and no
+fresh misfortunes occurred throughout the day, except that the soldier
+Garry received a blow on the head from a falling block of ice. The wound
+was not however severe, and he would not leave his work.
+
+At four o’clock the shaft was fifty feet deep altogether, having been
+sunk through twenty feet of ice and thirty of sand and earth.
+
+It was at this depth that Mac-Nab had expected to reach the roof of the
+house, if it had resisted the pressure of the avalanche.
+
+He was then at the bottom of the shaft, and his disappointment and
+dismay can be imagined when, on driving his pickaxe into the ground as
+far as it would go, it met with no resistance whatever.
+
+Sabine was with him, and for a few moments he remained with his arms
+crossed, silently looking at his companion.
+
+“No roof then?” inquired the hunter.
+
+“Nothing whatever,” replied the carpenter, “but let us work on,
+the roof has bent of course, but the floor of the loft cannot have given
+way. Another ten feet and we shall come to that floor, or else”——
+
+Mac-Nab did not finish his sentence, and the two resumed their work with
+the strength of despair.
+
+At six o’clock in the evening, another ten or twelve feet had been dug
+out.
+
+Mac-Nab sounded again, nothing yet, his pick still sunk in the shifting
+earth, and flinging it from him, he buried his face in his hands and
+muttered—
+
+“Poor things, poor things!” He then climbed to the opening of the
+shaft by means of the wood-work.
+
+The Lieutenant and the Sergeant were together in greater anxiety than
+ever, and taking them aside, the carpenter told them of his dreadful
+disappointment.
+
+“Then,” observed Hobson, “the house must have been crushed by the
+avalanche, and the poor people in it”——
+
+“No!” cried the head-carpenter with earnest conviction, “no, it
+cannot have been crushed, it must have resisted, strengthened as it was.
+It cannot—it cannot have been crushed!”
+
+“Well, then, what has happened?” said the Lieutenant in a broken
+voice, his eyes filling with tears.
+
+“Simply this,” replied Mac-Nab, “the house itself has remained
+intact, but the ground on which it was built must have sunk. The house
+has gone through the crust of ice which forms the foundation of the
+island. It has not been crushed, but engulfed, and the poor creatures in
+it”——
+
+“Are drowned!” cried Long.
+
+“Yes, Sergeant, drowned without a moment’s notice—drowned like
+passengers on a foundered vessel!”
+
+For some minutes the three men remained silent. Mac-Nab’s idea was
+probably correct. Nothing was more likely than that the ice forming the
+foundation of the island had given way under such enormous pressure. The
+vertical props which supported the beams of the ceiling, and rested on
+those of the floor, had evidently aided the catastrophe by their weight,
+and the whole house had been engulfed.
+
+“Well, Mac-Nab,” said Hobson at last, “if we cannot find them
+alive”——
+
+“We must recover their bodies,” added the head carpenter.
+
+“And with these words Mac-Nab, accompanied by the Lieutenant, went
+back to his work at the bottom of the shaft without a word to any of his
+comrades of the terrible form his anxiety had now assumed.
+
+The excavation continued throughout the night, the men relieving each
+other every hour, and Hobson and Mac-Nab watched them at work without a
+moment’s rest.
+
+At three o’clock in the morning Kellet’s pickaxe struck against
+something hard, which gave out a ringing sound. The head carpenter felt
+it almost before he heard it.
+
+“We have reached them!” cried the soldier, “they are saved.”
+
+“Hold your tongue, and go on working,” replied the Lieutenant in a
+choked voice.
+
+It was now seventy-six hours since the avalanche fell upon the house!
+
+Kellet and his companion Pond resumed their work. The shaft must have
+nearly reached the level of the sea, and Mac-Nab therefore felt that all
+hope was gone.
+
+In less than twenty minutes the hard body which Kellet had struck
+was uncovered, and proved to be one of the rafters of the roof. The
+carpenter flung himself to the bottom of the shaft, and seizing a
+pickaxe sent the laths of the roof flying on every side. In a few
+moments a large aperture was made, and a figure appeared at it which it
+was difficult to recognise in the darkness.
+
+It was Kalumah!
+
+“Help! help!” she murmured feebly.
+
+Hobson let himself down through the opening, and found himself up to the
+waist in ice-cold water. Strange to say, the roof had not given way, but
+as Mac-Nab had supposed, the house had sunk, and was full of water. The
+water did not, however, yet fill the loft, and was not more than a foot
+above the floor. There was still a faint hope!
+
+The Lieutenant, feeling his way in the darkness, came across a
+motionless body, and dragging it to the opening he consigned it to Pond
+and Kellet. It was Thomas Black.
+
+Madge, also senseless, was next found; and she and the astronomer were
+drawn up to the surface of the ground with ropes, where the open air
+gradually restored them to consciousness.
+
+Mrs Barnett was still missing, but Kalumah led Hobson to the very end of
+the loft, and there he found the unhappy lady motionless and insensible,
+with her head scarcely out of the water.
+
+The Lieutenant lifted her in his arms and carried her to the opening,
+and a few moments later he had reached the outer air with his burden,
+followed by Mac-Nab with Kalumah.
+
+Every one gathered round Mrs Barnett in silent anxiety, and poor
+Kalumah, exhausted as she was, flung herself across her friend’s body.
+
+Mrs Barnett still breathed, her heart still beat feebly, and revived by
+the pure fresh air she at last opened her eyes.
+
+A cry of joy burst from every lip, a cry of gratitude to Heaven for the
+great mercy vouchsafed, which was doubtless heard above.
+
+Day was now breaking in the east, the sun was rising above the horizon,
+lighting up the ocean with its brilliant beams, and Mrs Barnett
+painfully staggered to her feet. Looking round her from the summit of
+the new mountain formed by the avalanche, which overlooked the whole
+island, she murmured in a changed and hollow voice——
+
+“The sea! the sea!”
+
+Yes, the ocean now encircled the wandering island, the sea was open at
+last, and a true sea-horizon shut in the view from east to west.
+
+CHAPTER XIX. BEHRING SEA. The island, driven by the ice-wall, had then
+drifted at a great speed into Behring Sea, after crossing the strait
+without running aground on its shores! It was still hurrying on before
+the icy barrier, which was in the grasp of a powerful submarine current,
+hastening onwards on to its inevitable dissolution in the warmer waters
+of the Pacific, and the boat on which all had depended was useless!
+
+As soon as Mrs Barnett had entirely recovered consciousness, she related
+in a few words the history of the seventy-four hours spent in the house
+now in the water. Thomas Black, Madge, and Kalumah had been aroused
+by the crash of the avalanche, and had rushed to the doors or windows.
+There was no longer any possibility of getting out, the mass of earth
+and sand, which was but a moment before Cape Bathurst, completely
+covered the house, and almost immediately afterwards the prisoners heard
+the crash of the huge ice-masses which were flung upon the factory.
+
+In another quarter of an hour all felt that the house, whilst resisting
+the enormous pressure, was sinking through the soil of the island. They
+knew that the crust of the ice must have given way, and that the house
+would fill with water!
+
+To seize a few provisions remaining in the pantry, and to take refuge in
+the loft, was the work of a moment. This the poor creatures did from a
+dim instinct of self-preservation, but what hope could they really
+have of being saved! However, the loft seemed likely to resist, and two
+blocks of ice abutting from the roof saved it from being immediately
+crushed.
+
+Whilst thus imprisoned the poor creatures could hear the constant falls
+from the icebergs, whilst the sea was gradually rising through the lower
+rooms. They must either be crushed or drowned!
+
+But by little short of a miracle, the roof of the house, with its strong
+framework, resisted the pressure, and after sinking a certain depth the
+house remained stationary, with the water rather above the floor of the
+loft. The prisoners were obliged to take refuge amongst the rafters
+of the roof, and there they remained for many hours. Kalumah devoted
+herself to the service of the others, and carried food to them through
+the water. They could make no attempt to save themselves, succour could
+only come from without.
+
+It was a terrible situation, for breathing was difficult in the vitiated
+air deficient as it was in oxygen, and charged with a great excess of
+carbonic acid.... A few hours later Hobson would only have found the
+corpses of his friends!
+
+The horror of the position was increased by the gushing of the water
+through the lower rooms, which convinced Mrs Barnett that the island was
+drifting to the south. She had, in fact, guessed the whole truth; she
+knew that the ice-wall had heeled over and fallen upon the island, and
+concluded that the boat was destroyed. It was this last fact which gave
+such terrible significance to her first words when she looked around her
+after her swoon—
+
+“The sea! the sea!”
+
+Those about her, however, could think of nothing yet but the fact, that
+they had saved her for whom they would have died, and with her Madge,
+Kalumah, and Thomas Black. Thus far not one of those who had joined
+the Lieutenant in his disastrous expedition had succumbed to any of the
+fearful dangers through which they had passed.
+
+But matters were not yet at their worst, and fresh troubles were soon to
+hasten the final catastrophe.
+
+Hobson’s first care after Mrs Barnett’s recovery was to take the
+bearings of the inland. It was listless now to think of quitting it, as
+the sea was open and their boat destroyed. A few ruins alone remained
+of the mighty ice-wall, the upper portion of which had crushed Cape
+Bathurst whilst the submerged base was driving the island to the south.
+
+The instruments and maps belonging to the astronomer were found in the
+ruins of the house, and were fortunately uninjured. The weather was
+cloudy, but Hobson succeeded in taking the altitude of the sun with
+sufficient accuracy for his purpose.
+
+We give the result obtained at noon on the 12th May. Victoria Island was
+then situated in longitude 168°12’ west of Greenwich, and in latitude
+63°37’ N. The exact spot was looked out on the chart, and proved
+to be in Norton Sound, between Cape Tchaplin on the Asiatic and Cape
+Stephens on the American coast, but a hundred miles from either.
+
+“We must give up all hope of making the land of the continent then!”
+said Mrs Barnett.
+
+“Yes, madam,” replied Hobson; “all hope of that is at an end; the
+current is carrying us with great rapidity out into the offing, and our
+only chance is, that we may pass within sight of a whaler.”
+
+“Well, but,” added Mrs Barnett, “if we cannot make the land
+of either continent, might not the current drive us on to one of the
+islands of Behring Sea?”
+
+There was, in fact, a slight possibility that such a thing might happen,
+and all eagerly clutched at the hope, like a drowning man at a plank.
+There are plenty of islands in Behring Sea, St Lawrence, St Matthew,
+Nunivak, St Paul, George island, &c. The wandering island was in fact at
+that moment not far from St Lawrence, which is of a considerable size,
+and surrounded with islets; and should it pass it without stopping,
+there was yet a hope that the cluster of the Aleutian Islands, bounding
+Behring Sea on the south, might arrest its course.
+
+Yes! St Lawrence might be a harbour of refuge for the colonists, and if
+it failed them, St Matthew, and the group of islets of which it is the
+centre, would still be left. It would not do, however, to count upon
+the Aleutian Islands, which were more than eight hundred miles away,
+and which they might never reach. Long, long before they got so far,
+Victoria Island, worn away by the warm sea-waves, and melted by the rays
+of the sun, which was already in the sign of Gemini, would most likely
+have sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
+
+There is, however, no fixed point beyond which floating ice does not
+advance. It approaches nearer to the equator in the southern than in the
+northern hemisphere. Icebergs have been seen off the Cape of Good Hope,
+at about thirty-six degrees south latitude, but those which come down
+from the Arctic Ocean have never passed forty degrees north latitude.
+The weather conditions, which are of course variable, determine the
+exact locality where ice will melt; in severe and prolonged winters it
+remains solid in comparatively low latitudes, and vice versa in early
+springs.
+
+Now the warm season of 1861 had set in very early, and this would
+hasten the dissolution of Victoria Island. The waters of Behring Sea
+had already changed from blue to green, as the great navigator
+Hudson observed they always do on the approach of icebergs, so that a
+catastrophe might be expected at any moment.
+
+Hobson determined to do his best to avert the coming misfortune, and
+ordered a raft to be constructed which would carry the whole colony,
+and might be guided to the continent somehow or other. There was every
+chance of meeting vessels now that the whaling season had commenced, and
+Mac-Nab was commissioned to make a large solid raft which would float
+when Victoria Island was engulfed.
+
+But first of all, it was necessary to construct some shelter for the
+homeless inhabitants of the island. The simple plan appeared to be
+to dig out the old barracks, which had been built on to the principal
+house, and the walls of which were still standing. Every one set to work
+with a hearty good-will, and in a few days a shelter was provided from
+the inclemencies of the fickle weather.
+
+Search was also made in the ruins of the large house, and a good
+many articles of more or less value were saved from the submerged
+rooms—tools, arms, furniture, the air pumps, and the air vessel, &c.
+
+On the 13th May all hope of drifting on to the island of St Lawrence had
+to be abandoned. When the bearings were taken, it was found that they
+were passing at a considerable distance to the east of that island; and,
+as Hobson was well aware, currents do not run against natural obstacles,
+but turn them, so that little hope could be entertained of thus
+making the land. It is true the network of islands in the Catherine
+Archipelago, scattered over several degrees of latitude, might stop the
+island if it ever got so far. But, as we have before stated, that was
+not probable, although it was advancing at great speed; for this speed
+must decrease considerably when the ice-wall which was driving it along
+should be broken away or dissolved, unprotected as it was from the heat
+of the sun by any covering of earth or sand.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson, Mrs Barnett, Sergeant Long, and the head carpenter
+often discussed these matters, and came to the conclusion that the
+island could certainly never reach the Aleutian group with so many
+chances against it.
+
+On the 14th May, Mac-Nab and his men commenced the construction of a
+huge raft. It had to be as high as possible above the water, to prevent
+the waves from breaking over it, so that it was really a formidable
+undertaking. The blacksmith, Rae, had fortunately found a large number
+of the iron bolts which had been brought from Fort Reliance, and they
+were invaluable for firmly fastening together the different portions of
+the framework of the raft.
+
+We must describe the novel site for the building of the raft suggested
+by Lieutenant Hobson. Instead of joining the timbers and planks
+together on the ground, they were joined on the surface of the lake.
+The different pieces of wood were prepared on the banks, and launched
+separately. They were then easily fitted together on the water. This
+mode of proceeding had two advantages:—
+
+1. The carpenter would be able at once to judge of the point of
+flotation, and the stability which should be given to the raft. 2. When
+Victoria Island melted, the raft would already be floating, and would
+not be liable to the shocks it would receive if on land when the
+inevitable break-up came.
+
+Whilst these works were going on, Hobson would wander about on the
+beach, either alone or with Mrs Barnett, examining the state of the sea,
+and the ever-changing windings of the coast-line, worn by the constant
+action of the waves. He would gaze upon the vast deserted ocean, from
+which the very icebergs had now disappeared, watching, ever watching,
+like a shipwrecked mariner, for the vessel which never came. The ocean
+solitudes were only frequented by cetacea, which came to feed upon the
+microscopic anima[l]culae which form their principal food, and abound in
+the green waters. Now and then floating trees of different kinds, which
+had been brought by the great ocean currents from warm latitudes, passed
+the island on their way to the north.
+
+On the 16th May, Mrs Barnett and Madge were walking together on that
+part of the island between the former Cape Bathurst and Port Barnett. It
+was a fine warm day, and there had been no traces of snow on the ground
+for some time; all that recalled the bitter cold of the Polar regions
+were the relics left by the ice-wall on the northern part of the island;
+but even these were rapidly melting, and every day fresh waterfalls
+poured from their summits and bathed their sides. Very soon the sun
+would have completely dissolved every atom of ice.
+
+Strange indeed was the aspect of Victoria Island. But for their terrible
+anxiety, the colonists must have gazed at it with eager interest. The
+ground was more prolific than it could have been in any former spring,
+transferred as it was to milder latitudes. The little mosses and
+tender flowers grew rapidly, and Mrs Joliffe’s garden was wonderfully
+successful. The vegetation of every kind, hitherto checked by the rigour
+of the Arctic winter, was not only more abundant, but more brilliantly
+coloured. The hues of leaves and flowers were no longer pale and watery,
+but warm and glowing, like the sunbeams which called them forth. The
+arbutus, willow, birch, fir, and pine trees were clothed with
+dark verdure; the sap—sometimes heated in a temperature of 68°
+Fahrenheit—burst open the young buds; in a word, the Arctic landscape
+was completely transformed, for the island was now beneath the same
+parallel of latitude as Christiania or Stockholm, that is to say, in one
+of the finest districts of the temperate zones.
+
+But Mrs Barnett had now no eyes for these wonderful phenomena of nature.
+The shadow of the coming doom clouded her spirit. She shared the feeling
+of depression manifested by the hundreds of animals now collected round
+the factory. The foxes, martens, ermines, lynxes, beavers, musk-rats,
+gluttons, and even the wolves, rendered less savage by their instinctive
+knowledge of a common danger, approached nearer and nearer to their
+old enemy man, as if man could save them. It was a tacit, a touching
+acknowledgment of human superiority, under circumstances in which that
+superiority could be of absolutely no avail.
+
+No! Mrs Barnett cared no longer for the beauties of nature, and gazed
+without ceasing upon the boundless, pitiless, infinite ocean with its
+unbroken horizon.
+
+“Poor Madge!” she said at last to her faithful companion; “it
+was I who brought you to this terrible pass—you who have followed me
+everywhere, and whose fidelity deserved a far different recompense! Can
+you forgive me?”
+
+“There is but one thing I could never have forgiven you,” replied
+Madge,—”a death I did not share!”
+
+“Ah, Madge!” cried Mrs Barnett, “if my death could save the lives
+of all these poor people, how gladly would I die!”
+
+“My dear girl,” replied Madge, “have you lost all hope at last?”
+
+“I have indeed,” murmured Mrs Barnett, hiding her face on Madge’s
+shoulder.
+
+The strong masculine nature had given way at last, and Mrs Barnett was
+for a moment a feeble woman. Was not her emotion excusable in so awful a
+situation?
+
+Mrs Barnett sobbed aloud, and large tears rolled down her cheeks.
+
+Madge kissed and caressed her, and tried all she could to reassure her;
+and presently, raising her head, her poor mistress said—
+
+“Do not tell them, Madge, how I have given way—do not betray that I
+have wept.”
+
+“Of course not,” said Madge, “and they would not believe me if I
+did. It was but a moment’s weakness. Be yourself, dear girl; cheer up,
+and take fresh courage.”
+
+“Do you mean to say you still hope yourself!” exclaimed Mrs Barnett,
+looking anxiously into her companion’s face.
+
+“I still hope!” said Madge simply.
+
+But a few days afterwards, every chance of safety seemed to be indeed
+gone, when the wandering island passed outside the St Matthew group, and
+drifted away from the last land in Behring Sea!
+
+CHAPTER XX. IN THE OFFING. Victoria Island was now floating in the
+widest part of Behring Sea, six hundred miles from the nearest of the
+Aleutian Islands, and two hundred miles from the nearest land, which was
+on the east. Supposing no accident happened, it would be three weeks at
+least before this southern boundary of Behring Sea could be reached.
+
+Could the island last so long? Might it not burst open at any moment,
+subject as it was even now to the constant action of tepid water, the
+mean temperature of which was more than 50° Fahrenheit?
+
+Lieutenant Hobson pressed on the construction of the raft as rapidly as
+possible, and the lower framework was already floating on the lagoon.
+Mac-Nab wished to make it as strong as possible, for it would have a
+considerable distance to go to reach the Aleutian Islands, unless they
+were fortunate enough to meet with a whaler.
+
+No important alteration had lately taken place in the general
+configuration of the island. Reconaissances were taken everyday, but
+great caution was necessary, as a fracture of the ground might at any
+moment cut off the explorers from the rest of the party.
+
+The wide gulf near Cape Michael, which the winter had closed, had
+reopened gradually, and now ran a mile inland, as far as the dried-up
+bed of the little river. It was probable that it was soon to extend to
+the bed itself, which was of course of little thickness, having been
+hollowed out by the stream. Should it do so, the whole district between
+Cape Michael and Port Barnett, bounded on the west by the river bed,
+would disappear—that is to say, the colonists would lose a good many
+square miles of their domain. On this account Hobson warned every one
+not to wander far, as a rough sea would be enough to bring about the
+dreaded catastrophe.
+
+Soundings were, however, taken, in several places with a view to
+ascertaining where the ice was thickest, and it was found that, near
+Cape Bathurst, not only was the layer of earth and sand of greater
+extent—which was of little importance—but the crust of ice was
+thicker than anywhere else. This was a most fortunate circumstance,
+and the holes made in sounding were kept open, so that the amount of
+diminution in the base of the island could be estimated every day. This
+diminution was slow but sure, and, making allowance for the unfortunate
+fact that the island was drifting into warmer waters, it was decided
+that it was impossible for it to last another three weeks.
+
+The next week, from the 19th to the 25th May, the weather was very bad.
+A fearful storm broke over the island, accompanied by flash after
+flash of lightning and peals of thunder. The sea rose high, lashed by
+a powerful north-west wind, and its waves broke over the doomed island,
+making it tremble ominously. The little colony were on the watch, ready
+on an emergency to embark in the raft, the scaffolding of which was
+nearly finished, and some provisions and fresh water were taken on
+board.
+
+Rain heavy enough to penetrate to the ice-crust fell in large quantities
+during this storm, and melted it in many places. On the slopes of some
+of the hills the earth was washed away, leaving the white foundations
+bare. These ravines were hastily filled up with soil to protect the ice
+from the action of the warm air and rain, and but for this precaution
+the soil would have been everywhere perforated.
+
+Great havoc was caused amongst the woods by this storm; the earth and
+sand were washed away from the roots of the trees, which fell in large
+numbers. In a single night the aspect of the country between the lake
+and the former Port Barnett was completely changed. A few groups of
+birch trees and thickets of firs alone remained—a fact significant of
+approaching decomposition, which no human skill could prevent! Every one
+knew and felt that the ephemeral inland was gradually succumbing—every
+one, except perhaps Thomas Black, who was still gloomily indifferent to
+all that was going on.
+
+On the 23d of May, during the storm, the hunter Sabine left the house in
+the thick fog, and was nearly drowned in a large hole which had opened
+during the night on the site formerly occupied by the principal house of
+the factory.
+
+Hitherto, as we are aware, the house, three quarters submerged, and
+buried beneath a mass of earth and sand, had remained fixed in the
+ice-crust beneath the island; but now the sea had evidently enlarged the
+crevasse, and the house with all it contained had sunk to rise no more.
+Earth and sand were pouring through this fissure, at the bottom of which
+surged the tempest-tossed waves
+
+Sabine’s comrades, hearing his cries, rushed to his assistance, and
+were just in time to save him as he was still clinging to the slippery
+walls of the abyss. He escaped with a ducking which might have had
+tragic consequences.
+
+A little later the beams and planks of the house, which had slid under
+the island, were seen floating about in the offing like the spars of a
+wrecked vessel. This was the worst evil the storm had wrought, and would
+compromise the solidity of the island yet more, as the waves would now
+eat away the ice all round the crevasse.
+
+In the course of the 25th May, the wind veered to the north-east,
+and although it blew strongly, it was no longer a hurricane; the rain
+ceased, and the sea became calmer. After a quiet night the sun rose
+upon the desolate scene, the Lieutenant was able to take the bearings
+accurately, and obtained the following result:—
+
+At noon on the 25th May, Victoria Island was in latitude 56° 13’, and
+longitude 170° 23’.
+
+It had therefore advanced at great speed, having drifted nearly eight
+hundred miles since the breaking up of the ice set it free in Behring
+Strait two months before.
+
+This great speed made the Lieutenant once more entertain a slight hope.
+He pointed out the Aleutian Islands on the map to his comrades, and
+said—
+
+“Look at these islands; they are not now two hundred miles from us,
+and we may reach them in eight days.”
+
+“Eight days!” repeated Long, shaking his head; “eight days is a
+long time.”
+
+“I must add,” continued Hobson, “that if our island had followed
+the hundred and sixty-eighth meridian, it would already have reached
+the parallel of these islands, but in consequence of a deviation of the
+Behring current, it is bearing in a south-westerly direction.”
+
+The Lieutenant was right, the current seemed likely to drag the island
+away from all land, even out of sight of the Aleutian Islands, which
+only extend as far as the hundred and seventieth meridian.
+
+Mrs Barnett examined the map in silence. She saw the pencil-mark which
+denoted the exact spot then occupied by the island.
+
+The map was made on a large scale, and the point representing the island
+looked but a speck upon the vast expanse of the Behring Sea. She traced
+back the route by which the island had come to its present position,
+marvelling at the fatality, or rather the immutable law, by which the
+currents which had borne it along had avoided all land, sheering
+clear of islands, and never touching either continent; and she saw
+the boundless Pacific Ocean, towards which she and all with her were
+hurrying.
+
+She mused long upon this melancholy subject, and at last exclaimed
+suddenly—
+
+“Could not the course of the island be controlled? Eight days at this
+pace would bring us to the last island of the Aleutian group.”
+
+“Those eight days are in the hands of God,” replied Lieutenant
+Hobson gravely; “we can exercise no control upon them. Help can only
+come to us from above; there is nothing left for us to try.”
+
+“I know, I know!” said Mrs Barnett; “but Heaven helps those who
+help themselves. Is there really nothing we can do?”
+
+Hobson shook his head doubtfully. His only hope was in the raft, and he
+was undecided whether to embark every one on it at once, contrive some
+sort of a sail with clothes, &c., and try to reach the nearest land, or
+to wait yet a little longer.
+
+He consulted Sergeant Long, Mac-Nab, Rae, Marbre, and Sabine, in whom he
+had great confidence, and all agreed that it would be unwise to abandon
+the island before they were obliged. The raft, constantly swept as it
+would be by the waves, could only be a last resource, and would not move
+at half the pace of the island, still driven towards the south by the
+remains of the ice-wall. The wind generally blew from the east, and
+would be likely to drift the raft out into the offing away from all
+land. They must still wait then, always wait; for the island was
+drifting rapidly towards the Aleutians. When they really approached the
+group they would be able to see what it would be best to do.
+
+This was certainly the wisest course to take. In eight days, if the
+present speed were maintained, the island would either stop at the
+southern boundary of Behring Sea, or be dragged to the south west to the
+waters of the Pacific Ocean, where certain destruction awaited it.
+
+But the adverse fate which seemed all along to have followed the hapless
+colonists had yet another blow in store for them: the speed on which
+they counted was now to fail them, as everything else had done.
+
+During the night of the 26th May, the orientation of the island changed
+once more; and this time the results of the displacement were extremely
+serious. The island turned half round, and the icebergs still remaining
+of the huge ice-wall, which had shut in the northern horizon, were now
+on the south.
+
+In the morning the shipwrecked travellers—what name could be more
+appropriate?—saw the sun rise above Cape Esquimaux instead of above
+Port Barnett.
+
+Hardly a hundred yards off rose the icebergs, rapidly melting, but still
+of a considerable size, which till then had driven the island before
+them. The southern horizon was now partly shut in by them.
+
+What would be the consequences of this fresh change of position? Would
+not the icebergs now float away from the island, with which they were no
+longer connected?
+
+All were oppressed with a presentiment of some new misfortune, and
+understood only too well what Kellet meant when he exclaimed—
+
+“This evening we shall have lost our screw!’“
+
+By this Kellet meant that the icebergs, being before instead of behind
+the island, would soon leave it, and as it was they which imparted to
+it its rapid motion, in consequence of their very great draught of
+water—their volume being six or seven feet below the sea level for
+every one above—they would now go on without it, impelled by the
+submarine current, whilst Victoria Island, not deep enough in the water
+to come under the influence of the current, would be left floating
+helplessly on the waves.
+
+Yes! Kellet was right; the island would then be like a vessel with
+disabled masts and a broken screw.
+
+No one answered the soldier’s remark, and a quarter of an hour had
+not elapsed before a loud cracking sound was heard. The summits of
+the icebergs trembled, large masses broke away, and the icebergs,
+irresistibly drawn along by the submarine current, drifted rapidly to
+the south.
+
+CHAPTER XXI. THE ISLAND BECOMES AN ISLET. Three hours later the last
+relics of the ice-wall had disappeared, proving that the island now
+remained stationary, and that all the force of the current was deep down
+below the waves, not on the surface of the sea.
+
+The bearings were taken at noon with the greatest care and twenty-four
+hours later it was found that Victoria Island had not advanced one mile.
+
+The only remaining hope was that some vessel should sight the poor
+shipwrecked creatures, either whilst still on the island, or after they
+had taken to their raft.
+
+The island was now in 54° 33’ latitude, and 177° 19’ longitude,
+several hundred miles from the nearest land, namely, the Aleutian
+Islands.
+
+Hobson once more called his comrades together, and asked them what they
+thought it would be best to do.
+
+All agreed that they should remain on the island until it broke up, as
+it was too large to be affected by the state of the sea, and only take
+to the raft when the dissolution actually commenced. Once on the frail
+vessel, they must wait.
+
+Still wait!
+
+The raft was now finished. Mac-Nab had made one large shed or cabin big
+enough to hold every one, and to afford some little shelter from the
+weather. A mast had been prepared, which could be put up if necessary,
+and the sails intended for the boat had long been ready. The whole
+structure was strong, although clumsy; and if the wind were favourable,
+and the sea not too rough, this rude assortment of planks and timbers
+might save the lives of the whole party.
+
+“Nothing,” observed Mrs Barnett,—”nothing is impossible to Him
+who rules the winds and waves.”
+
+Hobson carefully looked over the stores of provisions. The reserves had
+been much damaged by the avalanche, but there were plenty of animals
+still on the island, and the abundant shrubs and mosses supplied them
+with food. A few reindeer and hares were slaughtered by the hunters, and
+their flesh salted for future needs.
+
+The health of the colonists was on the whole good. They had suffered
+little in the preceding mild winter, and all the mental trials they
+had gone through had not affected their physical well-being. They were,
+however, looking forward with something of a shrinking horror to the
+moment when they would have to abandon their island home, or, to speak
+more correctly, when it abandoned them. It was no wonder that they did
+not like the thought of floating on the ocean in a rude structure of
+wood subject to all the caprices of winds and waves. Even in tolerably
+fine weather seas would be shipped and every one constantly drenched
+with saltwater. Moreover, it must be remembered that the men were none
+of them sailors, accustomed to navigation, and ready to risk their lives
+on a few planks, but soldiers, trained for service on land. Their island
+was fragile, it is true, and rested on a thin crust of ice; but then it
+was covered with a productive soil, trees and shrubs flourished upon it,
+its huge bulk rendered it insensible to the motion of the waves, and
+it might have been supposed to be stationary. They had, in fact, become
+attached to Victoria Island, on which they had lived nearly two years;
+every inch of the ground had become familiar to them; they had tilled
+the soil, and had come safely through so many perils in their wandering
+home, that in leaving it they felt as if they were parting from an old
+and sorely-tried friend.
+
+Hobson fully sympathised with the feelings of his men, and understood
+their repugnance to embarking on the raft; but then he also knew that
+the catastrophe could not now be deferred much longer, and ominous
+symptoms already gave warning of its rapid approach.
+
+We will now describe this raft. It was thirty feet square, and its deck
+rose two feet above the water. Its bulwarks would therefore keep out the
+small but not the large waves. In the centre the carpenter had built a
+regular deck-house, which would hold some twenty people. Round it were
+large lockers for the provisions and water-casks, all firmly fixed to
+the deck with iron bolts. The mast, thirty feet high, was fastened to
+the deck-house, and strengthened with stays attached to the corners
+of the raft. This mast was to have a square sail, which would only be
+useful when the wind was aft. A sort of rudder was fixed to this rough
+structure, the fittings of which were necessarily incomplete.
+
+Such was the raft constructed by the head carpenter, on which twenty-one
+persons were to embark. It was floating peacefully on the little lake,
+strongly moored to the shore.
+
+It was certainly constructed with more care than if it had been put
+together in haste on a vessel at sea doomed to immediate destruction. It
+was stronger and better fitted up; but, after all, it was but a raft.
+
+On the 1st June a new incident occurred. Hope, one of the soldiers, went
+to fetch some water from the lake for culinary purposes, and when Mrs
+Joliffe tasted it, she found that it was salt. She called Hope, and said
+she wanted fresh, not salt water.
+
+The man replied that he had brought it from the lake as usual, and as he
+and Mrs Joliffe were disputing about it, the Lieutenant happened to come
+in. Hearing Hope’s repeated [asertions] assertions that he had fetched
+the water from the lake, he turned pale and hurried to the lagoon.
+
+The waters were quite salt; the bottom of the lake had evidently given
+way, and the sea had flowed in.
+
+The fact quickly became known, and every one was seized with a terrible
+dread.
+
+“No more fresh water!” exclaimed all the poor creatures together.
+
+Lake Barnett had in fact disappeared, as Paulina River had done before.
+
+Lieutenant Hobson hastened to reassure his comrades about drinkable
+water.
+
+“There will be plenty of ice, my friends,” he said. “We can always
+melt a piece of our island, and,” he added, with a ghastly attempt at
+a smile, “I don’t suppose we shall drink it all.”
+
+It is, in fact, well known that salt separates from sea-water
+in freezing and evaporation. A few blocks of ice were therefore
+“disinterred,” if we may so express it, and melted for daily use,
+and to fill the casks on board the raft.
+
+It would not do, however, to neglect this fresh warning given by nature.
+The invasion of the lake by the sea proved that the base of the island
+was rapidly melting. At any moment the ground might give way, and Hobson
+forbade his men to leave the factory, as they might be drifted away
+before they were aware of it.
+
+The animals seemed more keenly alive than ever to approaching danger;
+they gathered yet more closely round the firmer part, and after the
+disappearance of the fresh water lake, they came to lick the blocks of
+ice. They were all uneasy, and some seemed to be seized with madness,
+especially the wolves, who rushed wildly towards the factory, and
+dashed away again howling piteously. The furred animals remained huddled
+together round the large well where the principal house had formerly
+stood. There were several hundreds of them, of different species,
+and the solitary bear roamed backwards and forwards, showing no more
+hostility to the quadrupeds than to men.
+
+The number of birds, which had hitherto been considerable, now
+decreased. During the last few days all those capable of long-sustained
+flight—such as swans, &c, migrated towards the Aleutian Islands in the
+south, where they would find a sure refuge. This significant and ominous
+fact was noticed by Mrs Barnett and Madge, who were walking together on
+the beach.
+
+“There is plenty of food for these birds on the island,” observed
+Mrs Barnett, “and yet they leave it—they have a good reason, no
+doubt.”
+
+“Yes,” replied Madge; “their instinct of self-preservation makes
+them take flight, and they give us a warning by which we ought to
+profit. The animals also appear more uneasy than usual.”
+
+Hobson now decided to take the greater part of the provisions and all
+the camping apparatus on board the raft, and when that was done, to
+embark with the whole party.
+
+The sea was, however, very rough, and the waters of the former
+lake—now a kind of Mediterranean in miniature—were greatly agitated.
+The waves, confined in the narrow space, dashed mountains high, and
+broke violently upon the steep banks. The raft tossed up and down, and
+shipped sea after sea. The embarkation of provisions, &c., had to be put
+off.
+
+Every one wished to pass one more quiet night on land, and Hobson
+yielded against his better judgment, determined, if it were calmer the
+next day, to proceed with the embarkation.
+
+The night was more peaceful than had been expected; the wind went down,
+and the sea became calmer; it had but been swept by one of those sudden
+and brief hurricanes peculiar to these latitudes.
+
+At eight o’clock in the evening the tumult ceased, and a slight
+surface agitation of the waters of lake and sea alone remained.
+
+It was some slight comfort that the island would not now be broken up
+suddenly, as it must have done had the storm continued. Its dissolution
+was, of course, still close at hand, but would not, it was hoped, be
+sudden and abrupt.
+
+The storm was succeeded by a slight fog, which seemed likely to thicken
+during the night. It came from the north, and owing to the changed
+position of the island, would probably cover the greater part of it.
+
+Before going to bed, Hobson went down and examined the moorings of the
+raft, which were fastened to some strong birch-trees. To make security
+doubly sure, he tightened them, and the worst that could now happen
+would be, that the raft would drift out on to the lagoon, which was not
+large enough to be lost upon it.
+
+CHAPTER XXII. THE FOUR FOLLOWING DAYS. The night was calm, and in the
+morning the Lieutenant resolved to order the embarkation of everything
+and everybody that very day. He, therefore, went down to the lake to
+look at the raft.
+
+The fog was still thick, but the sunbeams were beginning to struggle
+through it. The clouds had been swept away by the hurricane of the
+preceding day, and it seemed likely to be hot.
+
+When Hobson reached the banks of the lake, the fog was still too dense
+for him to make out anything on its surface, and he was waiting for it
+to clear away, when he was joined by Mrs Barnett, Madge, and several
+others.
+
+The fog gradually cleared off, drawing back to the end of the lake, but
+the raft was nowhere to be seen.
+
+Presently a gust of wind completely swept away the fog.
+
+The raft was gone! There was no longer a lake! The boundless ocean
+stretched away before the astonished colonists!
+
+Hobson could not check a cry of despair; and when he and his companions
+turned round and saw the sea on every side, they realised with a shock
+of horror that their island was now nothing more than an islet!
+
+During the night six-sevenths of the district once belonging to Cape
+Bathurst had silently floated away, without producing a shock of any
+kind, so completely had the ice been worn away by the constant action
+of the waves, the raft had drifted out into the offing, and those whose
+last hope it had been could not see a sign of it on the desolate sea.
+
+The unfortunate colonists were now overwhelmed with despair; their last
+hope gone, they were hanging above an awful abyss ready to swallow them
+up; and some of the soldiers in a fit of madness were about to throw
+themselves into the sea, when Mrs Barnett flung herself before them,
+entreating them to desist. They yielded, some of them weeping like
+children.
+
+The awful situation of the colonists was indeed manifest enough, and
+we may well pity the Lieutenant surrounded by the miserable despairing
+creatures. Twenty-one persons on an islet of ice which must quickly melt
+beneath their feet! The wooded hills had disappeared with the mass
+of the island now engulfed; not a tree was left. There was no wood
+remaining but the planks of the rough lodging, which would not be nearly
+enough to build a raft to hold so many. A few days of life were all
+the colonists could now hope for; June had set in, the mean temperature
+exceeded 68° Fahrenheit, and the islet must rapidly melt.
+
+As a forlorn hope, Hobson thought he would make a reconaissance of his
+limited domain, and see if any part of it was thicker than where they
+were all now encamped. In this excursion he was accompanied by Mrs
+Barnett and Madge.
+
+“Do you still hope!” inquired the lady of her faithful companion.
+
+“I hope ever!” replied Madge.
+
+Mrs Barnett did not answer, but walked rapidly along the coast at the
+Lieutenant’s side. No alteration had taken place between Cape Bathurst
+and Cape Esquimaux, that is to say, for a distance of eight miles. It
+was at Cape Esquimaux that the fracture had taken place, and running
+inland, it followed a curved line as far as the beginning of the lagoon,
+from which point the shores of the lake, now bathed by the waves of the
+sea, formed the new coast-line. Towards the upper part of the lagoon
+there was another fracture, running as far as the coast, between Cape
+Bathurst and what was once Port Barnett, so that the islet was merely an
+oblong strip, not more than a mile wide anywhere.
+
+Of the hundred and forty square miles which once formed the total
+superficial area of the island, only twenty remained.
+
+Hobson most carefully examined the new conformation of the islet,
+and found that its thickest part was still at the site of the former
+factory. He decided, therefore, to retain the encampment where it was,
+and, strange to say, the instinct of the quadrupeds still led them to
+congregate about it.
+
+A great many of the animals had, however, disappeared with the rest of
+the island, amongst them many of the dogs which had escaped the former
+catastrophe. Most of the quadrupeds remaining were rodents; and the
+bear, which seemed terribly puzzled, paced round and round the islet
+like a caged animal.
+
+About five o’clock in the evening the three explorers returned to the
+camp. The men and women were gathered together in gloomy silence in the
+rough shelter still remaining to them, and Mrs Joliffe was preparing
+some food. Sabine, who was less overcome than his comrades, was
+wandering about in the hope of getting some fresh venison, and the
+astronomer was sitting apart from every one, gazing at the sea in an
+absent indifferent manner, as if nothing could ever rouse or astonish
+him again.
+
+The Lieutenant imparted the results of his excursion to the whole party.
+He told them that they were safer where they were than they would be
+on any other spot, and he urged them not to wander about, as there were
+signs of another approaching fracture half way between the camp and Cape
+Esquimaux. The superficial area of the islet would soon be yet further
+reduced, and they could do nothing, absolutely nothing.
+
+The day was really quite hot. The ice which had been “disinterred”
+for drinkable water melted before it was brought near the fire. Thin
+pieces of the ice crust of the steep beach fell off into the sea, and it
+was evident that the general level of the islet was being lowered by the
+constant wearing away of its base in the tepid waters.
+
+No one slept the next night. Who could have closed his eyes with the
+knowledge that the abyss beneath might open at any moment?—who but the
+little unconscious child who still smiled in his mother’s arms, and
+was never for one instant out of them?
+
+The next morning, June 4th, the sun rose in a cloudless sky. No change
+had taken place in the conformation of the islet during the night.
+
+In the course of this day a terrified blue fox rushed into the shed,
+and could not be induced to leave it. The martens, ermines, polar hares,
+musk-rats, and beavers literally swarmed upon the site of the former
+factory. The wolves alone were unrepresented, and had probably all been
+swallowed up with the rest of the island. The bear no longer wandered
+from Cape Bathurst, and the furred animals seemed quite unconscious of
+its presence; nor did the colonists notice it much, absorbed as they
+were in the contemplation of the approaching doom, which had broken down
+all the ordinary distinctions of race.
+
+A little before noon a sudden hope—too soon to end in
+disappointment—revived the drooping spirits of the colonists.
+
+Sabine, who had been standing for some time on the highest part of the
+islet looking at the sea, suddenly cried—
+
+“A boat! a boat!”
+
+It was as if an electric shock had suddenly ran through the group, for
+all started up and rushed towards the hunter.
+
+The Lieutenant looked at him inquiringly, and the man pointed to a
+white vapour on the horizon. Not a word was spoken, but all watched in
+breathless silence as the form of a vessel gradually rose against the
+sky.
+
+It was indeed a ship, and most likely a whaler. There was no doubt about
+it, and at the end of an hour even the keel was visible.
+
+Unfortunately this vessel appeared on the east of the islet, that is to
+say, on the opposite side to that from which the raft had drifted, so
+that there could be no hope that it was coming to their rescue
+after meeting with the raft, which would have suggested the fact of
+fellow-creatures being in danger.
+
+The question now was, would those in this vessel perceive the islet?
+Would they be able to make out signals on it? Alas! in broad daylight,
+with a bright sun shining, it was not likely they would. Had it been
+night some of the planks of the remaining shed might have made a fire
+large enough to be seen at a considerable distance, but the boat would
+probably have disappeared before the darkness set in; and, although it
+seemed of little use, signals were made, and guns fired on the islet.
+
+The vessel was certainly approaching, and seemed to be a large
+three-master, evidently a whaler from New Archangel, which was on its
+way to Behring Strait after having doubled the peninsula of Alaska.
+It was to the windward of the islet, and tacking to starboard with its
+lower sails, top sails, and top-gallant sails all set. It was steadily
+advancing to the north. A sailor would have seen at a glance that it was
+not bearing towards the islet, but it might even yet perceive it, and
+alter its course.
+
+“If it does see us,” whispered Hobson in Long’s ear, “it is more
+likely to avoid us than to come nearer.”
+
+The Lieutenant was right, for there is nothing vessels dread more in
+these latitudes than the approach of icebergs and ice-floes; they
+look upon them as floating rocks, against which there is a danger of
+striking, especially in the night, and they therefore hasten to change
+their course when ice is sighted; and this vessel would most likely do
+the same, if it noticed the islet at all.
+
+The alternations of hope and despair through which the anxious watchers
+passed may be imagined, but cannot be described. Until two o’clock in
+the afternoon they were able to believe that Heaven had at last taken
+pity on them—that help was coming—that their safety was assured. The
+vessel continued to approach in an oblique direction, and was presently
+not more than six miles from the islet. Signal after signal was tried,
+gun after gun fired, and some of the planks of the shed were burnt.
+
+All in vain—either they were not seen, or the vessel was anxious to
+avoid the islet.
+
+At half-past two it luffed slightly, and bore away to the northeast.
+
+In another hour a white vapour was all that was visible, and that soon
+disappeared.
+
+On this the soldier Kellet burst into a roar of hysterical laughter, and
+flinging himself on the ground, rolled over and over like a madman.
+
+Mrs Barnett turned and looked Madge full in the face, as if to ask her
+if she still hoped, and Madge turned away her head.
+
+On this same ill-fated day a crackling noise was heard, and the greater
+part of the islet broke off, and plunged into the sea. The cries of the
+drowning animals rent the air, and the islet was reduced to the narrow
+strip between the site of the engulfed house and Cape Bathurst. It was
+now merely a piece of ice.
+
+CHAPTER XXIII. ON A PIECE OF ICE. A piece of ice, a jagged triangular
+strip of ice, measuring one hundred feet at its base, and scarcely five
+hundred in its greatest extent; and on it twenty-one human beings, some
+hundred furred animals, a few dogs, and a large bear, which was at this
+moment crouching at the very edge!
+
+Yes! all the luckless colonists were there. Not one had yet been
+swallowed up. The last rupture had occurred when they were all in the
+shed. Thus far fate had spared them, probably that they might all perish
+together.
+
+A silent sleepless night ensued. No one spoke or moved, for the
+slightest shake or blow might suffice to break the ice.
+
+No one would touch the salt-meat served round by Mrs Joliffe. What would
+be the good of eating?
+
+Nearly every one remained in the open air, feeling that it would be
+better to be drowned in the open sea than in a narrow wooden shed.
+
+The next day, June 5th, the sun shone brightly down upon the heads of
+the doomed band of wanderers. All were still silent, and seemed anxious
+to avoid each other. Many gazed with troubled anxious eyes at the
+perfect circle of the horizon, of which the miserable little strip of
+ice formed the centre. But the sea was absolutely deserted—not a sail,
+not an ice-floe, not an islet! Their own piece of ice was probably the
+very last floating on the Behring Sea.
+
+The temperature continued to rise. The wind had gone down, and a
+terrible calm had set in, a gentle swell heaved the surface of the sea,
+and the morsel of earth and ice, which was all that was left of Victoria
+Island, rose and sank without change of position, like a wreck—and
+what was it but a wreck?
+
+But a wreck, a piece of woodwork, a broken mast, or a few planks, remain
+floating; they offer some resistance to the waves, they will not melt;
+but this bit of ice, this solidified water, must dissolve with the heat
+of the sun!
+
+This piece of ice had formed the thickest part of the island, and this
+will explain its having lasted so long. A layer of earth and plenty
+of vegetation covered it, and the base of ice must have been of
+considerable thickness. The long bitter Polar winters must have “fed
+it with fresh ice,” in the countless centuries during which it was
+connected with the mainland. Even now its mean height was five or six
+feet above the sea level, and its base was probably of about the same
+thickness. Although in these quiet waters it was not likely to be
+broken, it could not fail gradually to melt, and the rapid dissolution
+could actually be watched at the edges, for as the long waves licked
+the sides, piece after piece of ground with its verdant covering sank to
+rise no more.
+
+On this 5th June a fall of this nature occurred at about one o’clock
+P.M., on the site of the shed itself, which was very near the edge of
+the ice. There was fortunately no one in it at the time, and all that
+was saved was a few planks, and two or three of the timbers of the
+roofs. Most of the cooking utensils and all the astronomical instruments
+were lost. The colonists were now obliged to take refuge on the highest
+part of the islet, where nothing protected them from the weather, but
+fortunately a few tools had been left there, with the air pumps and
+the air-vessel, which Hobson had employed for catching a little of the
+rain-water for drinking purposes, as he no longer dared to draw for a
+supply upon the ice, every atom of which was of value.
+
+At about four o’clock P.M., the soldier Kellet, the same who had
+already given signs of insanity, came to Mrs Barnett and said quietly—
+
+“I am going to drown myself, ma’am.”
+
+“What, Kellet?” exclaimed the lady.
+
+“I tell you I am going to drown myself,” replied the soldier. “I
+have thought the matter well over: there is no escape for us, and I
+prefer dying at once to waiting to be killed.”
+
+“Kellet!” said Mrs Barnett, taking the man’s hand and looking into
+his face, which was strangely composed, “you will not do that?”
+
+“Yes, I will, ma’am; and as you have always been very good to us
+all, I wanted to wish you good-bye. Good-bye, ma’am!”
+
+And Kellet turned towards the sea. Mrs Barnett, terrified at his manner,
+threw herself upon him and held him back. Her cries brought Hobson and
+Long to her assistance, and they did all in their power to dissuade the
+unhappy man from carrying out his purpose, but he was not to be moved,
+and merely shook his head.
+
+His mind was evidently disordered, and it was useless to reason with
+him. It was a terrible moment, as his example might lead some of his
+comrades to commit suicide also. At all hazards he must be prevented
+from doing as he threatened.
+
+“Kellet,” said Mrs Barnett gently, with a half smile, “we have
+always been very good friends, have we not?”
+
+“Yes, ma’am,” replied Kellet calmly.
+
+“Well, Kellet, if you like we will die together, but not to-day.”
+
+“What, ma’am?”
+
+“No, my brave fellow, I am not ready; but to-morrow, to-morrow if you
+like.”
+
+The soldier looked more fixedly than ever at the courageous woman, and
+seemed to hesitate an instant; then he cast a glance of fierce longing
+at the sea, and passing his hand over his eyes, said—
+
+“To-morrow!”
+
+And without another word he quietly turned away and went back to his
+comrades.
+
+“Poor fellow.” murmured Mrs Barnett; “I have asked him to wait
+till to-morrow, and who can say whether we shall not all be drowned by
+that time!”
+
+Throughout that night Hobson remained motionless upon the beach,
+pondering whether there might not yet be some means to check the
+dissolution of the islet—if it might not yet be possible to preserve
+it until they came in sight of land of some sort.
+
+Mrs Barnett and Madge did not leave each other for an instant. Kalumah
+crouched like a dog at the feet of her mistress, and tried to keep her
+warm. Mrs Mac-Nab, wrapped in a few furs, the remains of the rich stores
+of Fort Hope, had fallen into a kind of torpor, with her baby clasped in
+her arms.
+
+The stars shone with extraordinary brilliancy, and no sounds broke the
+stillness of the night but the rippling of the waves and the splash of
+pieces of ice as they fell into the sea. The colonists, stretched upon
+the ground in scattered groups, were as motionless as corpses on an
+abandoned wreck.
+
+Sometimes Sergeant Long rose and peered into the night-mists, bat seeing
+nothing, he resumed his horizontal position. The bear, looking like a
+great white snowball, cowered motionless at the very edge of the strip
+of ice.
+
+This night also passed away without any incident to modify the
+situation. The grey morning dawned in the east, and the sun rose and
+dispersed the shadows of the night.
+
+The Lieutenant’s first care, as soon as it was light, was to examine
+the piece of ice. Its perimeter was still more reduced, and, alas! its
+mean height above the sea level had sensibly diminished. The waves,
+quiet as they were, washed over the greater part of it; the summit of
+the little hill alone was still beyond their reach.
+
+Long, too, saw the changes which had taken place during the night, and
+felt that all hope was gone.
+
+Mrs Barnett joined Lieutenant Hobson, and said to him—
+
+“It will be to-day then!”
+
+“Yes, madam, and you will keep your promise to Kellet!”
+
+“Lieutenant Hobson,” said the lady solemnly, “have we done all in
+our power!”
+
+“We have, madam.”
+
+“Then God’s will be done!”
+
+One last attempt was, however, made during the day. A strong breeze set
+in from the offing, that is to say, a wind bearing to the south-east,
+the direction in which were situated the nearest of the Aleutian
+Islands. How far off no one could say, as without instruments the
+bearings of the island could not be taken. It was not likely to have
+drifted far, however, unless under the influence of the current, as it
+gave no hold to the wind.
+
+Still it was just possible that they might be nearer land than they
+thought. If only a current, the direction of which it was impossible
+to ascertain, had taken them nearer to the much-longed-for Aleutian
+Islands, then, as the wind was bearing down upon those very islands, it
+might drive the strip of ice before it if a sail of some kind could
+be concocted. The ice had still several hours to float, and in several
+hours the land might come in sight, or, if not the land, some coasting
+or fishing vessel.
+
+A forlorn hope truly, but it suggested an idea to the Lieutenant which
+he resolved to carry out. Could not a sail be contrived on the islet
+as on an ordinary raft? There could be no difficulty in that; and when
+Hobson suggested it to Mac-Nab, he exclaimed—
+
+“You are quite right, sir;” adding to his men, “bring out all the
+canvas there is!”
+
+Every one was quite revived by this plan, slight as was the chance it
+afforded, and all lent a helping hand, even Kellet, who had not yet
+reminded Mrs Barnett of her promise.
+
+A beam, which had once formed part of the roof of the barracks, was sunk
+deep into the earth and sand of which the little hill was composed, and
+firmly fixed with ropes arranged like shrouds and a stay. A sail made
+of all the clothes and coverlets still remaining fastened on to a strong
+pole for a yard, was hoisted on the mast This sail, or rather collection
+of sails, suitably set, swelled in the breeze, and by the wake it left,
+it was evident that the strip of ice was rapidly moving towards the
+south-east.
+
+It was a success, and every one was cheered with newly-awakened hope.
+They were no longer stationary; they were advancing slowly, it was true,
+but still they were advancing. The carpenter was particularly elated;
+all eagerly scanned the horizon, and had they been told that no land
+could be sighted, they would have refused to believe it.
+
+So it appeared, however; for the strip of ice floated along on the waves
+for three hours in the centre of an absolutely circular and unbroken
+horizon. The poor colonists still hoped on.
+
+Towards three o’clock, the Lieutenant took the Sergeant aside, and
+said to him—
+
+“We are advancing at the cost of the solidity and duration of our
+islet.”
+
+“What do you mean, sir?”
+
+“I mean that the ice is being rapidly fretted away as it moves along.
+Its speed is hastening its dissolution, and since we set sail it has
+diminished one-third.”
+
+“Are you quite sure?”
+
+“Absolutely certain. The ice is longer and flatter. Look, the sea la
+not more than ten feet from the hill!”
+
+It was true, and the result was what might naturally have been expected
+from the motion of the ice.
+
+“Sergeant,” resumed Hobson, “do you think we ought to take down
+our sail?”
+
+“I think,” replied Long, after a moment’s reflection, “that we
+should consult our comrades. We ought all to share the responsibility of
+a decision now.”
+
+The Lieutenant bent his head in assent, and the two returned to their
+old position on the little hill.
+
+Hobson put the case before the whole party.
+
+“The speed we have given to the ice,” he said, “is causing it to
+wear away rapidly, and will perhaps hasten the inevitable catastrophe
+by a few hours. My friends, you must decide whether we shall still go
+on.”
+
+“Forwards!” cried all with one voice.
+
+So it was decided, and, as it turned out, the decision was fraught with
+consequences of incalculable importance.
+
+At six o’clock P.M. Madge rose, and pointing to a point on the
+south-east, cried—
+
+“Land!”
+
+Every one started up as if struck by lightning. Land there was indeed,
+on the south-east, twelve miles from the island.
+
+“More sail! more sail!” shouted Hobson.
+
+He was understood, and fresh materials were hastily brought. On
+the shrouds a sort of studding sail was rigged up of clothes, furs,
+everything, in short, that could give hold to the wind.
+
+The speed increased as the wind freshened, but the ice was melting
+everywhere; it trembled beneath the feet of the anxious watchers, and
+might open at any moment. But they would not think of that; they were
+buoyed up with hope; safety was at hand, on the land they were rapidly
+nearing. They shouted—they made signals—they were in a delirium of
+excitement.
+
+At half-past seven the ice was much nearer the land, but it was visibly
+melting, and sinking rapidly; water was gushing from it, and the waves
+were washing over it, sweeping off the terrified quadrupeds before the
+eyes of the colonists. Every instant they expected the whole mass to
+be engulfed, and it was necessary to lighten it like a sinking vessel.
+Every means was tried to check the dissolution; the earth and sand were
+carefully spread about, especially at the edges of the ice, to protect
+it from the direct influence of the sunbeams; and furs were laid here
+and there, as being bad conductors of heat. But it was all of no avail;
+the lower portion of the ice began to crack, and several fissures opened
+in the surface. It was now but a question of moments!
+
+Night set in, and there was nothing left for the poor colonists to do
+to quicken the speed of the islet. Some of them tried to paddle about on
+planks. The coast was still four miles to windward.
+
+It was a dark gloomy night, without any moon, and Hobson, whose heroic
+courage did not even now fail him, shouted—
+
+“A signal, my friends! a signal!” A pile was made of all the
+remaining combustibles—two or three planks and a beam. It was set fire
+to, and bright flames soon shot up, but the strip of ice continued to
+melt and sink. Presently the little hill alone remained above water, and
+on it the despairing wretches, with the few animals left alive, huddled
+together, the bear growling fiercely.
+
+The water was still rising, and there was no sign that any one on land
+had seen the signal. In less than a quarter of an hour they must all be
+swallowed up.
+
+Could nothing be done to make the ice last longer? In three hours, three
+short hours, they might reach the land, which was now but three miles to
+windward.
+
+“Oh!” cried Hobson, “if only I could stop the ice from melting! I
+would give my life to know how! Yes, I would give my life!”
+
+“There is one way,” suddenly replied a voice.
+
+It was Thomas Black who spoke, the astronomer, who had not opened his
+lips for so long, and who had long since appeared dead to all that was
+going on.
+
+“Yes,” he continued, “there is one way of checking the dissolution
+of the ice—there is one way of saving us all.”
+
+All gathered eagerly round the speaker, and looked at him inquiringly.
+They thought they must have misheard what he said.
+
+“Well!” asked Hobson, “what way do you mean?”
+
+“To the pumps!” replied Black simply.
+
+Was he mad? Did he take the ice for a sinking vessel, with ten feet of
+water in the hold?
+
+The air pumps were at hand, together with the air vessel, which Hobson
+had been using as a reservoir for drinking water, but of what use could
+they be? Could they harden the ice, which was melting all over?
+
+“He is mad!” exclaimed Long.
+
+“To the pumps!” repeated the astronomer; “fill the reservoir with
+air!”
+
+“Do as he tells you!” cried Mrs Barnett.
+
+The pumps were attached to the reservoir, the cover of which was closed
+and bolted. The pumps were then at once set to work, and the air was
+condensed under the pressure of several atmospheres. Then Black, taking
+one of the leather pipes connected with the reservoir, and opening the
+cock, let the condensed air escape, walking round the ice wherever it
+was melting.
+
+Every one was astonished at the effect produced. Wherever the air was
+projected by the astronomer, the fissures filled up, and the surface
+re-froze.
+
+“Hurrah! hurrah!” shouted all with one voice.
+
+It was tiring enough to work the pumps, but there were plenty of
+volunteers. The edges of the ice were again solidified, as if under the
+influence of intense cold.
+
+“You have saved us, Mr Black,” said Lieutenant Hobson.
+
+“Nothing could be more natural,” replied the astronomer quietly.
+
+Nothing, in fact, could have been more natural; and the physical effect
+produced may be described as follows:—
+
+There were two reasons for the relegation:—First, under the pressure
+of the air, the water vaporised on the surface of the ice produced
+intense cold, and the compressed air in expanding abstracted the heat
+from the thawed surface, which immediately re-froze. Wherever the ice
+was opening the cold cemented the edges, so that it gradually regained
+its original solidity.
+
+This went on for several hours, and the colonists, buoyed up by hope,
+toiled on with unwearying zeal.
+
+They were nearing the coast, and when they were about a quarter of a
+mile from it, the bear plunged into the sea, and swimming to the shore,
+soon disappeared.
+
+A few minutes afterwards the ice ran aground upon a beach, and the
+few animals still upon it hurried away in the darkness. The colonists
+“disembarked,” and falling on their knees, returned thanks to God
+for their miraculous deliverance.
+
+CHAPTER XXIV CONCLUSION. It was on the island of Blejinie, the last of
+the Aleutian group, at the extreme south of Behring Sea, that all the
+colonists of Fort Hope at last landed, after having traversed eighteen
+hundred miles since the breaking-up of the ice. They were hospitably
+received by some Aleutian fishermen who had hurried to their assistance,
+and were soon able to communicate with some English agents of the
+Hudson’s Bay Company.
+
+After all the details we have given, it is needless to dwell on the
+courage and energy of the brave little band, which had proved itself
+worthy of its noble leader. We know how all struggled with their
+misfortunes, and how patiently they had submitted to the will of God.
+We have seen Mrs Barnett cheering every one by her example and sympathy;
+and we know that neither she nor those with her yielded to despair when
+the peninsula on which Fort Hope had been built was converted into a
+wandering island, when that island became an islet, and the islet a
+strip of ice, nor even when that strip of ice was melting beneath the
+combined influence of sun and waves. If the scheme of the Company was
+a failure, if the new fort had perished, no one could possibly blame
+Hobson or his companions, who had gone through such extraordinary and
+unexpected trials. Of the nineteen persons under the Lieutenant’s
+charge, not one was missing, and he had even two new members in his
+little colony, Kalumah and Mrs Barnett’s godson, Michael Mac-Nab.
+
+Six days after their rescue the shipwrecked mariners arrived at New
+Archangel, the capital of Russian America.
+
+Here the friends, bound together by so many dangers shared, must part,
+probably for ever! Hobson and his men were to return to Fort Reliance
+across English America, whilst Mrs Barnett, accompanied by Kalumah, who
+would not leave her, Madge, and Thomas Black, intended to go back to
+Europe via San Francisco and the United States.
+
+But whilst they were still altogether, the Lieutenant, addressing Mrs
+Barnett, said with considerable emotion—
+
+“God bless you, madam, for all you have been to us. You have been our
+comforter, our consoler, the very soul of our little world; and I thank
+you in the name of all.”
+
+Three cheers for Mrs Barnett greeted this speech, and each soldier
+begged to shake her by the hand, whilst the women embraced her
+affectionately.
+
+The Lieutenant himself had conceived so warm an affection for the lady
+who had so long been his friend and counsellor, that he could not bid
+her good-bye without great emotion.
+
+“Can it be that we shall never meet again?” he exclaimed.
+
+“No, Lieutenant,” replied Mrs Barnett;” we must, we shall meet
+again. If you do not come and see me in Europe, I will come back to you
+at Fort Reliance, or to the new factory you will found some day yet.”
+
+On hearing this, Thomas Black, who had regained the use of his tongue
+since he had landed on terra firma, came forward and said, with an air
+of the greatest conviction—
+
+“Yes, we shall meet again in thirty-six years. My friends, I missed
+the eclipse of 1860, but I will not miss that which will take place
+under exactly similar conditions in the same latitudes in 1896. And
+therefore I appoint a meeting with you, Lieutenant, and with you,
+my dear madam, on the confines of the Arctic Ocean thirty six years
+hence.”
+
+End of Part II
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fur Country, by Jules Verne
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FUR COUNTRY ***
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