IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A /!/ 1/ «^^*iV4. (A /a 1.0 LI 1.25 ■-IM •IT iiiiy z 1^ 2.5 2.0 1.8 1-4 IIIIII.6 V^ <^ /a 'el A w '^/ %>. y). Photographic Sciences Corpomtion 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIR.N.Y 14SB0 (?16) •7J-4S03 # V iV \\ € 4» 4^ bJ' i CIHM Microfiche Series (Monographs) iCMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Institute for Historical Microraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions historiquas Technical and Bibliographic Notet / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the imagds in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D n D n Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagte Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restauree et/ou pelliculie Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Caites giographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleua ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relie avec d'autrss documents Tight binding may cuuse shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serr^ peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge int^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear withm the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajouttei lurs d'une rcstauration apparaisrent dans le texte, mait, lor reproduites avec le plus gr .nd soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire filmA. et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim^ sont filmAs en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniire page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d 'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiimis en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboies suivants apparaitra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — *> signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN ". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de rMuction diffArents. Lcrsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clich«, il est film* i partir de I'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche A droito. et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'Images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iliustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 f^i K i ■•< a >A\X>-. KA».t Sf. .*.J.M.*^M.aJULJOLXXlUj: ^v* <-'■'^ vncixxxxx 1 iiiJcirjnrrrrrrr«TTTiurTTTTini « tr xtcixx W^. ^^^ :m\> u. ^ pT. J IT »-M .i 11WIW I l» .»..TMM«JUJ. T>»»W T »,T»,y W.WIW.W .» ,W...» . W .W. ^ ±nrpo»^EAs^ vi\yni\*m%xrt *»«"'*""*"^ 101263104 / PZ 7 .G4f) V7 \ LIBRARIES THE UNIVERSn Y OF WESTERN ONTARIO LONDON CANADA LS-60612 - ^'^ ^/>^ ^ r-n THE UN.VERSrrv OP WESTERN 0,*r^H« DATE DUE LA 96 2448C 8/75 LS60442 n w 3E '^n:Z?^£,l2X.^^^^^^^^^^ 25 PATI THE V0TAGE OF THE CONSTANCE: A TALE OP THE ARCTIC SEAS. BY MARY GILLIES. i lUtt0traUb Ijj) (Sight (Bmqm xnQ0. I'll he had brought, 25 GALL &} INGLIS. [The ruiht of Translat ion li reserved.] ta a CO in ce] SCI fai yei con tha hig con and PHEFACE, It has been my purpose to make the following tale not only a tale, but a complete histoiy of Arctic adventure and discovery condensed into a smaU space. It has seemed to me that the young ought to know the eventful story of the perils, the sufferings, and the mumpas of their countrymen, and of brave men of other nations, in those icy regions during the course of three centuries. A great amount of knowledge in various sciences has been gained by the labours of Arctic explorers, and if many efforts have failed and many valuable Uves have been lost yet there have been so many instances of courage, devotion to duty, and wonderful escapes, tliat the whole leaves on the mind a feeling of iiigh h >pe and pleasure rather than of gloom To make my account trustworthv. I h«.vA consulted all the best authorities on the subject; and cai-efuUy read the modem books of voy4es, IV PREFACE. from Ross and Parrj downwards. For Sir John Ross's four years in Boothia, and his escape in the boats, I had the advantage of knowing an old sailor who was with him throughout, being one of the " Victory's" crew, and who himself gave me the whole account, besides many stories about the polar regions and adventures among the ice. For the dis- covery of the North-west Passage, and rescue of the crew of the " Investigator," I am indebted to Captain Osborne's two volumes; and for the Middle Pack in Baffin's Bay, and the battle with the ice in escaping from it, and much else, to Dr. Kane. In all my descriptions of nature and its changes in the various seasons, I have endeavoured, in the minutest particulars, to be strictly correct With this explanation " The Voyage of the 'Constance'" is offered to my young readers, to speak for itself. M. G. a J*- CONTENTS. OSAP. I- THE CARRIER-PIGEON, II. AN EVENING AT HOME, ni. AN OLD SAILOR'S RECOLLECTIONS, IV. THE MAGNETIC POLE, V. EDWARD'S PATE IS DECIDED, VI. DEPARTURE, VII. THE wanderer's RETURN, VIII. THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, IX. THE RESCUE, . 1. TRIDENT. ' • • . XI. SIR HUGH ARMSTRONG, Til. THE JkfEHHE"'^"- ■n '-r£,«, XIII. I'HRPARATION, 'I • rxoa • , 1 • . 16 NS, . 33 . f . 52 9 . 67 • . . . 82 . 88 . 97 . 105 . 116 . 126 . 130 . U9 Vi CONTENTS. CHAP. XIV. GOOD-BYE TO FERNHILL, XV. THE "CONSTANCE" SAILS, XVI. GOOD-BYE TO BRITAIN, . XVII. THE OCEAN, .... XVIIl. THE DOGS AND THEIR MASTERS, XIX. THE ICE, .... XX. THE MIDDLE PACK, XXI. AN EXPERIMENTAL TRIP, XXII. THE SLEDGE JOURNEY, . XXIII. THE FLAGSTAFF AND THE CAVE, XXIV. AWAKING, .... XXV. THE LITTLE MAGGIE, XXVI. ARCTIC H0U8EKEEPIN0, . XXV U. A MEETING AND A PARTING, . XXVIII. T.^NTER IN LANCASTER SOUND, XXIX. SPRING IN LANCASTER SOUND, XXX. HOME, XXXI. LATKR ARCTIC DISCOVERY, FAOB . 165 . 169 . 175 . 183 . 202 . 216 . 227 . 242 . 259 . 280 . 292 . 301 . 309 . 3U . 327 . 340 . 357 . 365 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. OLD PETER GREELY, .... THE RESCUE OF THE " INVESTIGATOR," trident's SLEDGE, .... THE RETURN OP THE CARRIER-PIGEON, THE FIRST ESQUIMAUX VISITOR, EDWARD AND THE ESQUIMAUX CHILDREN, JOHN AND EDWARD FIND A OAIilN, . EDWARD DISCOVERS HIS FATHER, PAoa . 83 . 113 . 128 . 137 . 206 . 2U . 281 . 291 si tl le T, hi h T] nc bi wi in tli on foi nn no, THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. CHAPTER I. THE CARRIER-PIGEON. It was a fine evening in May, after a heavy shower of rain, and the setting sun had turned the vapour that rose from the grass and young Wes and spring flowers into melted gold. The fir-woods were covered with rain-drops hangmg from every point, and every tree boked like a lady decked in glittering jewels. Ihe nightingales sang clear and loud in the neighbouring copse; and a whole chorus of black- birds, thrushes, and woodlarks, were heard in the distance at every pause. In tlio midst of all this beauty and this music was a pretty cottage, half burieut of its nst that THE CARRIER-PIGEON. 7 flat grass field that had weighed anchor, and was coming full sail aboard of you: and as to the church compared to an iceberg, it's a mere pigmy, for they're two and three hundred feet above the water, and twice as much below; and as to the floes— as they call the flat fields of ice— why, they're miles long sometimes. And then what's one church, or one iceberg? I've seen a hundred at once round us." This was rather poor comfort to >^argaret, whose heai-t was fuU of fears for her father and for her cousin; but she tried to take courage, and thought of the strength of a ship in comparison with a carriage. "But the ships are built strong enough to stand the shocks," she said. "That's true. Miss. They would be in q, critical point else. Our ship was nipped again and again, and rose like a duck on the ice instead of being stoved in." "Nipped! What is that?" "Pinched between two floes or great pieces of ice. You're to suppose— don't you see— that you're sailing by a long flat field of ice that's fixed. Then comes another driving before the wind, or on some current, right down upon vou • that's the idea of it." ^ ' "It's very dreadful!" "You mat/ be smashed and go to the bottom, ship and all, or you may slip up high and dry on the ice like a duck, as I said before, and i^Q ip^ close under you." T III 8 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "And is that what your ship did ?" "Yes, many times, md when the ice closes ftiieres a smash ! Crash it goes, thundering and snappmg, and the sea boiling up between the broken pieces, and great tables of ice starting up edgeways and falling again and toppling over and then again rising in ridges of hummocks, as they re called. You may think how the ship bumps about in the middle of it. IVe seen us all thrown down heels over-head about the decks, and twelve kittles at once jump off the gaUey fire " ^ Margaret began to laugh in spite of the dread- tul stories Peter was telling her. "If it warn't for my old woman at home I would have another spell of it myself," added Peter "And who knows but wJiat I may yet ? 1 .lust want to have one more talk with the Can- tain about it." ^ Margaret looked very much surprised and puzzled at this conclusion to Peter's stories It was not at all what she had expected. « But what is Master Edward about up there ?" he asked, after a .iliort pause. " Watching for our canier-pigeon. We have trained him for months to bring home notes ... u- under his wing, that papa may take him on bi voyage and send him back to us. Perhu--- Lo would come and bring us a mes,sage when we were longing for one very much." Peter gave a sort of grunt, and looked very a. ).tal indeed ; then asked how far ih^ h{vA \./a to uw '•':; ihif jvening ? r le ice closes idering and etween the starting up )pling over, mrnocks, as sv the ship 3 seen us all 3 decks, and ley fire." ' the dread- at home I elf," added may yet ? h the Cap- )rised and itories. It up there?" We have lotes to us im on hi erhaps ho when we )ked very i bird had THE CARRIER-PIGEON. Q Margaret replied that her ^ papa took him to Aberdeen when he went, and that her Aunt Mary was to send him off from there this morning, and that they rovkoned, as he would fly, it would not be Biucli over four hundred miles. "Four hundred miles ! " said Peter; "that's a :ong way off three thousand." "I know that; but it is so wonderful that a little bird can find its way four hundred miles, that, if he does, we may hope he will find it three tliousand. Besides, we have read about Captain Ross's pigeon." "Did Captain Ross send one ? " "He did send one from his winter quarters, and it reached its home near Ayr, in Scotland in five days." ' "Now let me see," said Peter, who always liked to be accurate : " Captain Ross— he warn't feir John when I sailed with him, you know. Miss —Captain Ross sent no pigeons when I was aboard of him in the 'Victory,' nor yet after we lett our ship and took up our quarters at the beach; and I never heard tell of his sending one when lie went his first voyage in 1818. in the Isabella. "You've told him wi-ong, Margaret!" cried Jidward, to whom the wind had carried the last part of the conversation. " It was Sir James, not bir John Ross." "^^> i^ was Captain James, was it?" said Peter, looisiirig more interested in the story. " He warn't Sir James when he was in the • Victory ' t.>' liil ^1 i 10 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. with US, nor Captain neither ; he was Commander James Ross, that was his title, and he was second m command to his uncle, the old gentleman ; only w^ always called him Captain James, and some- times Captain Jemmy." " Well, Peter, will you let me go on ? Sir James Ross sent a pigeon from his winter quar- ters on Leopold Island in 1848." "And it reached its home, Miss Margaret ? " "Yes, in five days; but it had lost its note from under its wino-." Peter looked very grave, and sat for some time with his head to one side, sometimes muttering a few words to himself, sometimes giving short grunts, which might moan either doubt or ap- proval; but he ended by saying that, if they really thought of trying it, he could make a house or cage of the very best kind for the bird to live in; and that, if they would come down to liis shop in the morning, he would knock up a sort of model for them to show what he meant Meanwhile Margaret walked up and down often looking up at Edward, who only shook his head in reply to her inquiring face. ^ " But the bird don't come back, you see, even tins short journey, Miss," observed Peter. "Is this his first journey ? " "Oh, no! Wo had him carried only ten miles off tlio first time, and ho was back in his nest in ten minutes after they lot him fly. Then wo . Oil V.i]\trat>A VA,,,.,^.! -__M1 I ... .- — , .--„,„.,^ x^arrttivi, yu, my dear idling part- mother, and hiuk of her. poor little affectionate rSTIlONQ." speaking • I) quivered, I her tears. 1)0— -"a real lavo found compass to THE CARRIER-PIGEON. 13 guide him, or understood the motion of the sun, like a Christian, or could say to himself, as he looked down on the earth, 'that's such a town or such a county' even, as if he'd learned geography. I've heard tell of such things afore, but I never see it afore. It beats me !" "But, Peter," said Edward, "you must have seen, when you were with Captain Ro.ss, the birds of passage, the geese and eider ducks, and all the restof tliem,flying southward in great flocksaswin- cer came on, and returning nortliwards in spring. They fly thousands of miles with no guide but their instinct— at least, that is what we call it." "Why, yes, Master Edward, that's tme," said Peter, "I can't gainsay it; but some way it seems different to me, their flying in great flocks to their wmter quarters and their summer breeding- grounds. First and foremost, they're in flocks, and for all we know, the old ones teach the young ones." "But they are not always in flocks. A solitary petrel is often seen steadily going his way. Tliere is a pretty little poem of Mary Howitt's, called 'The Stonny Petrel,' that I will show you, Peter; and if they are in flocks, and if they should tell one another, it's no easier to understand. How do they manage to keep on. right straight on ? How do they know that their flight is exactly directed to the right spot ?" •♦I say again, it beats mo," answered Potor. "Say that other poem to us, Marffaret will y"u : r^vtrrttiv; audwi ^ -mat poom of Bryants that wo all liked so much--' The Water-Fowl ' it 14 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. was called. Now, Peter, sit down and listen if you don't think it beautiful too." So Peter sat down and listened all attention, while Margaret, taking hold of her brother's hand a little nervously with both hers, and keeping Sir Launcelot nestled in her lap, said the poem with great feeling :— "Whither, 'midst falling dew, Wliile glow the heavens with the last steps of day, Tar through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue Thy solitary way? 1 ^ Vainly the fowler's eye Might mark thy distant flight to do thee wrong, As, darlily painted on the crimson sky, Thy figure floats along. Seek'st thou the plashy brink Of weedy hike, or marge of river wide, Or where the rocking billows rise and sink On the chafed ocean side ? There is a Power, whose care Teaches the way along that pathless coast— The desert and illimitable air— Louo wandering, but not lost. All day thy wings have fanned, At that far height, the cold thin atmosphere; Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land, Thougli the dark night is near. And soon that toil shnll ond. Soon Shalt thou find a summer liome, and rest And scream among thy f,.Ilows ; reeds shall bend Soon o'er thy shcltorod nest. . Tliou'rt gone ; the abyss of heaven Hath swallowed ui) thy form ; yet on my Iicart Deeply hath su.ik tlio lesson "nm hast given, And siiuU not soon depart. Tfe, who, from siono to zone Ouidos through the boundless sky tliy certain flight la the long way that I nmst tread alone, ' '" Will lead my atups aright." CE. ad listen if LI attention, >ther's hand ieeping Sir poem with of day, ii'sue ong, THE CARRIER-PIGEON. 15 >: at jond vrt > flisLt. " It sounds like a message to us, Henry," said a gentle voice behind the group, Peter rose in a moment, touching his cap; and Edward and Margaret, turning round, saw their father and mother behind them. They started up, and, as they did so, the pigeon' flew to his nest on the stable-roof. Mrs. Armstrong was very pale, but she looked quite calm. She leaned on her husband's arm, her hand in his ; and his handsome, sunburnt face, to which the excitement of his approaching work gave an animated expression, was a strong con- trast to her small, delicate features, and the melancholy expression of her eyes. Margaret clas[)ed the arm on which her mother's lay, and hid her face on it; while Edward seized his father's disengaged hand, and said, eagerly, " All I ask is, take me with you. Think once more, before you refuse me." "Come in, my dear children," said Captain Armstrong. " We will talk over this presently." "Then I may hope?" " I have said wo will talk this over presently. My mind is quite made up ; and when wo have iiad time to go over all that I have to say, you will understand me. Now let us go in." They obeyed, walking slowly and silently along the terrace. Peter h-^d already left tho place, his native good feeling having taught him that tho family ought not to be intruded upon at this nioinfint- 16 ! ! i CHAPTER II. AN EVENING AT HOME. The pretty drawing-room into which they stepped from the terrace did indeed justify Peters wonder that the possessor of such a jewel-case should like to leave it to brave danger and hardship. You hardly knew whether to keep your eyes on the comfort and beauty within, or to look out at the lovely views from the window, through which the delicious scent of t^io pines and birches, after the rain, came in. Bxit to leave all this was not much trial to Cap. tarn Armstrong. His real trial was to leave his wife and children again. Many a time had ho lett them and again and again had come back safely to them ; and now he had intended to settle at honie for life, and to devote himself to the scientific pursuits in which he took delight, and to his son s education. There, opening out of the drawing-room, was his study, with his books and writing-table his telescopes and microscopes, and Edwards table by it; and in a window Edward's easel, for he was passionately fond of drawin.r • aiKl m the drawing-room were musical instru-' ments and books, and pictures. You could see that this family, having sucli tastes, and such a home, with so beautiful a country around it, were thoroughly contented with their lot, and wislied for nothing better. -^1 AN EVENING AT HOME. 17 which they 'eed justify t' of such a t to brave lew whether and beauty views from ous scent of n, came in. rial to Cap- bo leave his me had ho come back ed to settle self to the lelight, and : out of the books and scopes, and v^ Edward's r drawinor; cal instru- could see Lud such a nd it, wore nd wished But yet the father of this family was gomg far away on a perilous voyage, and a voyage in which there could not be much hope to cheer him; for he was going on the search for Sir John Franklin, and it was eight years since he had been heard of It was now the year 1853, and Franklin's last despatches from Baffin's Bay were dated July 12, 1845 ; and his first winter quarters on Beechey Island, in the discovery of which C0,ptain Armstrong had assisted, were the only traces of him since. England, however, had never lost hope, not- withstanding the want of success that had at- tended the numerous and well-appointed expedi- tions already sent out. The strong interest excited for the two missing ships, and their com- manders and crews of one hundred and forty men, had not cooled, and was strengthened by the deep sympathy with Lady Franklin which her never- failing exertions and strong and faithful feeling drew forth. She had, at this period, just sent out her little ship the " Prince Albert" again, and was again waiting in anxious susi)en80 for the result. Captain Armstrong was among those who had the deepest interest for her, and for the many sorrowing, anxious hearts besides, that had waited and hoped so long in vain. He had, therefore, volunteorod on one of the Arctic oxi)e(litions in 1850, had encouraged his nei)hew, John Arm- strong, a lieutenant in the navy, to go out in the iiirvoii^avui ill tiiu same year, and was now ready to start again. The ship which Captain 18 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Armstrong was to command belonged to his near re ation. Sir Hugh Armstrong, a rich merchant, who had refitted and manned her entirely at his own expense. She was built at Aberdeen for a whaler, and was now further strengthened, and had recei- ."d on board all the stores necessary for the service for which she was destined, and pro- visions for two years. Sir Hugh had personally known Sir John Franklin, as well as two or three of his officers, and was enthusiastic in the cause of finding them ; so that when Captain Armstrong voluntarily ofliered to command the " Pole-Star " (so his new ship was christened), he joyfully accepted the offer, knowing that no man was better fitted for the task, from his long experience and well-known energy and promptitude. The route to be followed Sir Hugh had trusted to himself, and he had no hesitation about which to choose. He had a strong feeling that one especial region had been neglected, and ought to be explored. Our i)arty was assembled after tea in tlie library. On the table, charts and maps of the Arctic regions were spread, and Cajitain Arm- strong was to show them his intended route and his reasons for takinn' it " You must first find and observe well," said he, "tlie last place to which we have traced i^ranklin— his winter-tpuirters in the winter of 1845 to 184G." "Here it is," said Edward— "Bnorhov Tulo.,-i and Oai)o Riley." « sd to his near ch merchant, ntirely at his berdeen for a igthened, and necessary for ned, and pro- id personally two or three in the cause in Armstrong "Pole-Star" he joyfully 10 man was g experience titude. The 1 trusted to ibout which ig that one nd ought to tea in the naps of the ptain Arni- i route and ! well," said liave traced i winter of choy iHland AN EVENING AT HOME. 19 •' There he was, you see, at the entrance of Regent's Inlet to the south, Barrow Strait and Melville Sound to the west, and Wellington Channel to the north. The question is, as he left no word to guide us, which route he took in search of his object — the discovery of the north-west passage to the Pacific Ocean." Mrs. Armstrong sighed. " It is sad to think," said she, " how little the discovery will be worth when it is made— if, indeed, it ever is made— an ice-encumbered passage through a stormy sea." " Ah ! but then it is so hateful to be baffled," cried Edward : " it would never do to gi^•e it up." "But," said Captain Armstrong, "we have given up any idea of its being of use long ago, except as a matter of knowledge. When the search began, the Portuguese and Spaniards were stronger on the seas than England, and treated as pirates all English ships which sailed on any of the seas over which they had power. As Colum- bus had discovered America, and Vasco de Gama had found the route to India by the Cape of Good Hope, it was natural that England should try to get at these great regions somehow. . So, as they could not be reached by the south without fight- ing (which, however, our forefathers were not slow to do), they ti'ied for a (juickcr way by the north, which should be all tlieir own." "You i>romised me, pajm," said Margaret, going to the back of his chair and putting her arms round his neck, " that you would iuach me all about that, and you never have." .20 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " Did I, my little girl ? Well, then, I am sure 1 ought to keep my word." "Margaret will not let me teach her the his- tory of Arctic adventure," said Mrs. Armstrong smiling; "she always says, 'Papa is going to do "I've often heard you talk about it in little bits you know, papa ; but I want to know how it all was." "And I should like my little girl to know how much the 'mariners of England' have added fo our knowledge of the earth. There can be no knowledge much more interesting to us than the truth concerning the world our Creator has given us for a dwelling-place. You are very fond of geography, I know, Maggie." "Yes, I like it the best of all my lessons papa. "Well, then, the search for this passage by the north, from England to the Pacific Ocean has been one great means of making us accurate geo- graphers. Come round and sit close by me, where you can see the map well, and I will show you what people believed when the search began." "You have taught Edward, haven't vou papa?" ^ ' " Yes, Edward understands it pretty well and now you shall also. Look in the map, and' find one of the large Russian rivers towards the eastern frontier of Europe." " Here is the river Obi." " That wiU do. Well, it was in Queen Eliza^ ITANCE. then, I am sure 3h her the his- Irs. Armstrong, is going to do out it in little to know how I'l to know hov-' have added to ere can be no bo us than the iator has given ! very fond of 11 my lessons, mssage by the ic Ocean, has I accurate geo- ! by me, where i^ill show you ch began." haven't you, otty well, and nap, and find ds the eastern Queen Eliza- AN EVENING AT HOME. 21 i beth's time, about three hundred years ago, that Sir Hugh Willoughby was sent with tJiree little ships, with orders to coast the north of Europe and ascend some large Russian river to its source, and so reach Cathay, by which they meant China." " Why, then, they knew nothing of all this immense continent of Asia, papa. They thought China was at the east side of Europe." " Yes, and poor Sir Hugh Willoughby did not make them any wiser. He never came home again ; and some Eussian sailors found his three ships some years afterwards imbeclcied in ice, witii all their crews in them frozen to death." " That was very dreadful." " So(m afterwards, in 1567, Martin Frobisher set oiT CO the westward, to undertake, as they said then, I the only great thing left undone in the world,' the discovery of the north-west passao-o to India." ° "Bow many great things that they never dreamed of have been done in the world since ! " said Mrs. Armstrong ; « and the north-^vest passage is not found yet ! " " Yes, how true that is ! and so it constantly is! Men set about striving for one thing with all then- energy and cannot find it, but find some other thing, perhaps much more important." "And that is encouragement to us all to work and not to be idle, for if we fail in what we strive to do wo may yet do something." " And what did Martin Frobisher do ? " asked Margaret. -sr 22 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "He sailed across the Atlantic, and nearly reached Hudson's Bay." "Look, Margaret," said Edward, "this was where he got to-' Frobisher's Strait;' it is caUed after him. " When he got there he thought the land on one side was America and on the other Asia, and tnat he had nearly reached India." " Then he knew nothing of all this northern ■ T .V '^""'^'^^^'" «^id Margaret, " stretching out aU this long way. People thought the world was a very little place to what it really is I remember that Columbus believed he had come to the east coast of Asia when he discovered America. " Yes, he did, and it was quite natural It was not till twenty years afterwards that Balboa saw the great Pacific Ocean from a mountain in the Isthmus of Darien, and made his way down to Its shores, and watched to see if it had tides and was indeed an ocean like the Atlantic, and tasted Its waters to find out if they wore salt." "Mamma read about that to me, papa, and how he waded in with his drawn sword and took possession of the ocean in name of his master the King of Spain." "The great ocean cared little for that," said ii-dward. " Balboa had done exactly what your mamma observed as so often happening. He had made a grand discovery, though he utterly failed in mak- mg the King of Spain lord and master of the 3, and nearly d, "this was y,' it is called the land on ber Asia, and his northern :retching out t the world really is. I le had come 3 discovered natural. It that Balboa iintain in the ^ay down to id tides and ;, and tasted [t." '; papa, and rd and took master, the that," said our mamma had made a led in mak- >ster of the AN EVENING AT HOME. 23 Pacific Ocean. In ten years more Magellan sailed round the world, going westward by : Cape Horn, and the Portuguese had long before doubled the Cape of Good Hope." " They knew much more about the world to the south than to the north," said Edward " I cannot think what form they imagined it was of." "They were in entire confusion about it. When one of those Spanish discoverers first crossed the equator and lost sight of the polar star, the sailors were in great alarm, and believed that some vast height hid it from their view. They had no idea that the earth was a globe, and that they had passed so far south on its surface as to have got into its southern hemisphere, or ' half-globe,' which is the meaning of that lono- word." *=* "And who went after Martin Frobisher?" asked Margaret. "A number of hardy, adventurous men sailed with various fate to the north-west, the greater number never to return ; but the most important discoveries were made by Davis, Hudson, and mibn. The last sailed in 1616." " Look, Margaret," said Edward ; "you see on the map Hudson's Bay Davis' Straits, and Baffin's ±!ay: they are named after the men who dis- covered them. See what great lines of coast and large seas they explored ! " "But though Baffin sailed round this great bav. he did nnf. flr.^ onf nTT!7 -^ ^1 -. 1 "■,'. , ; ~~ '^ ^^^ ^^y "i "lese sounds leading to the north and west," said Captain m llll!ll 24 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Armstrong. " He, like everybody else, thought that he was near Asia, and the western shore was named ' Hope Checked,' because it seemed to close hmi in, where he expected to find Japan." "But when we come to Captain Cook's voyao-es we find much more sense about it, father," said h^dward. " He knew better than to fancy Jai.an was opposite to Greenland." "Oh, yes; his voyages were made towards tlie end of the eighteenth century, and by that time great advances had been made in knowledeyond the range of any former navigator. Then began great excitement on board. The mast- heads wore crowded by the officers. There wore constant reports IVom the crow's nest." "You know what that is. xMargaret?" asknd Jiaward. "A round-shaped house like a tub ah t.hn ..,o.*_ head for the look-out man," answered she. iJidwaid nodded approvingly. 26 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " They explored and named Regent's Channel to the south, but were stopped by ice, and returned to the main channel. They reached 86° west longitude, 'Land ahead!' shouted the look-out man." "What a pity!" sighed Margaret. " It proved to be only an island." " I am so glad of that I " " This island t}iey named after Prince Leopold, now King of Belgium. It had high mountains and most remarkable cHffs, like columns, which is indeed the form of many of the rocks thereabouts. Flocks of sea-birds, flying eastward, passed over- head; this they took as a sign of open sea to westward. Narwhales, seals, and whales, crowded the waters. Englishmen were invading their world for the first time." " What are narwhales ?" asked Margaret. * \ small kind of whale, with one tooth so much longer than t^e other — for narwhales have only two teeth— that it stands out like a horn, and so sailors often call it the unicorn fish. Now I must tell you about the compass. You know what the mariner's compass is ?" "Yes, you showed me the compass in your ship, and there is one under my globe. The needle always points to the north." " But the needle in Parry's compass, ^vhen ho reached 89 degrees, no longer ponitcd to the north. It only pointed to the iron in his ship, and was thurefore of no use to steer hi« oouisu by." " Ho waa within 8 degrees of the magnetic ANCE. gent's Channel J, and returned hed 86° west [ the look-out AN EVENING AT HOME. 27 rince Leopold, gh mountains jinns, which is cs thereabouts. i, passed over- f open sea to hales, crowded Qvading their Margaret. . one tooth so ar whales have it like a horn, rn fish. Now s. You know ipass in your globe. The })as8, -"vhen ho d to the north, ship, and was HO by." the magnetic pole, that was the reason," said Edward, ifar- garet shook her head at him and looked reproachful. " I know, I know, Maggie ; I promised to tell you all about that, but I will, really, to-morrow —at least, all I know myself," Edward added, more humbly, encountering a look of amused inquiry in his father s eye. " Well, then, what did Parry do without his compass?" asked Margaret, " He sailed still westward with land on either hand, sometimes through a thick fog, without siglit of sun or star, so that with no compass ho could only trust to the steady east wind and to careful sounding. You know what I mean by soundins: ?" " Yes, papa ; throwing a piece of lead fastened to a line down into the sea to try how deep it is, and if it is safe for the ship to sail without fear of rocks or sands, or getting too near the shore." " Quito right, Maggie. Perhaps no one had ever sailed so since very old times wlien sailors had first begun to venture on unknown waters. Ho named the land that lay on his right Noiih Devon, and that on his loft North Somerset ; then discovered and named Wellington Channel. Soon afterwards lie was stojiped by ieo, but it waa found to bo loose, and he boreil through." " What does ' he bored through ' mean ?" asked Margaret. "lioring means forcing a shii) throuirh ico under a proas of sail. It can only bo done when the ice is nnicli broken." 28 i i: THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. ^i 1 ■I ,! I H i "He landed on and named Byam Martin Island. Here there were ruins of Esquimaux huts, and traces of reindeer and musk-oxen. When he reached 110° west, Parry announced to his crews that they had become entitled to the king's boimty of five thousand pounds, the first in the scale of rewards promised to success in westward progress. Then he passed and named Melville Island, but he could only go a very little farther ; the ice was fast gathering, it was Sep- tember, and winter had already set in. He was obliged to turn back and get into harbour on the south-east side of Melville Island." " Here it is. Winter Harbour, ' said Margai-et, ]iointing to the chart. " The ice had gathered so fast round the coast that they had to cut a lane through it of nearly two miles in length, through which they dragged the ships to get them into safety. The men were in high si)iritH through the winter, and hoped to get out in spring, go on westward, and spend the next winter in the South Sea Islands. The docks were housed over with canvas, and the ships made into warm habitations. They observed regular order and duty, but had plenty of amusement. They acted plays, got up a newspaper, had games and exercises. They also explored the island in spring, and discovered thcso islands to the north, making correct charts of all." "I rocolloct," said Edward, "Parry tolls wliat good spirits the men had, and describes Iiow, when t^ey had to drag a cart loaded with fuel 'ANCE. Byam Martin )f Esquimaux d musk-oxen, announced to ntitled to the unds, the first to success in Bd and named :o a very little f, it was Sep- i in. He was arbour on the aid Margai-et, •und the coast I it of nearly they dragged rhe men were and hoped to md spend the 3. The decks lie ships made ;rved regular amusement. )r, had games id tjie island [andu to the ry tolls wliat sscribes how, Q(\ with fuel AN EVENING AT HOME. 29 and provisions, on one of the exploring parties, they set a blanket on it for a sF.il when the wind was favourable, and another for a mainsail when it got on the larboard quarter." " He kept them in excellent health and spirits in winter, but his hopes for spring were disap- pointed. He could not get his ships out till August, then he steered for the west, but he only reached 112'. There he found the sea choked with ice of immense thickness. The floes — I mean the flat fields of ice — were from forty to fifty feet thick. His ships received such shocks that he dared not venture farther. He was oblio-ed to turn back, and he reached England in Novem- ber, 1820." "How I wish he could have got on farther!" said Margaret. " But you see what an extent of sea he had sailed through, and how much he had added to our knowledge in that one voyage," said Captain AiTOstrong; and as he said so, ho again traced Parry's course on the chart. "He male a second voyage in 1821, in the ' Hocla/ with he ' Fury,' commanded by Captain Lyon, the purpose this time being to seek a north- west passage farther south. It v^as supposed that Regent's Inlet might communicate with Hudson's Bay. Parry therefore sailed to Hudson's Bay, readied its northern shores, and minutely exa- mmed all the roo-ion vnn onn ft-om. «« n.,^ ^Kn,.f m this direction," said Captain Armstrong, point- ing to the place. " Southampton Island, Repulse so THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Bay, and Frozen Strait, wintering on the south of Melville Peninsula; but he was not the dis- coverer of the greater part of this portion of the Arctic seas. They had been explored by Captain Middleton seventy-nine years before. Parry and Lyon met with a very interesting tribe of Esqui- maux on this occasion, from whom they got in- formation of the coast that they found to be correct. Wherever discoverers have gone they have found' thinly scattered on the shores of the Arctic seas, tribes of that peculiar race they call Esquimaux, but who call themselves Innuit." "Are they good, gentle people, papa ?" "Generally. If they are met with in largo numbers they are apt to be noisy and turbulent, and they are nearly all thieves. But then we must remember that a ship contains on every side objects that are more precious to them than gold to us, I moan wood and iron." "And how do they live in those cold coun- tries?" "They are bold and .^-xport hunters of seal, walrus, and bears; but they have no foresight, and spend their time between want and over- abundance. On the whole, they are wonderfully cheerful, oven merry." "Then Parry made frionas witli that tribe, papa, I sup])oso. And did he and Captain Lyon stay out tlioro two winters V "They roraainod out thoro two wintprs but on the third summor were obliged to return with- out success, finding no passage." itL&i AN EVENING AT HOME. 31 "You must now," he continued, "in order to see what has been done since that time, look at this northern coast of America, bordered by the Arctic Sea, from Melville Peninsula to Point Barrow. The greater part of this long line of coast has been explored. Sir John Franklin, to- gether with Richardson, Bach, and a party of men, who all deserve the name of heroes for their courageous endurance of hardships and suffer- ings, explored the coast eastwards from the Coppermine River for five hundred and fifty miles; they were obliged to give it up at that point, after losing several of their number from famine. Franklin, notwithstanding, volunteered in 1825 to conduct another expedition to these shores." "It was like his hopefulness and energy to do so," said Mrs. Armstronir. " It was, and he was nobly seconded. Bach and Richardson went with him again. They took much larger provisions this time, and had great success. They travelled through North America to the Mackenzie River, which they traced to the sea, and wintered at Fort Franklin, on the shores of Bear Lake." " I have found the place," said Edward, show- ing it to Margaret. "Early in the summer they divided, and in parties of two boats each, started in different '' ""• -^--'t^ ui ouptvinber tno two parties mot again at Fort Franklin in health and safety, the western party having explored the 82 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, coast for two thousand and forty-eight miles, the eastern for one thousand nine hundred and eighty. ■Dease and Simpson, two officers of the Hudson's l?ay Company, which is a company trading in turs, have farther carried on this work. We now want only that portion towards Behring's Strait which we may hope the expedition in which John went out may succeed in surveying " "There is still a part here in the map, papa, that you have not told us about," said Margaret I mean Boothia and King William's Land." " This region was partly discovered by Captain Lyon in 1824, partly by Parry in his third voy- age, and partly by Ross," said Captain ArL strong. ^ .1. r!l ^^V"" *^'^^ """^y^S^ ^f F^nys, in 1824 that the 'Fury' was wrecked off the shore of Nor h Somerset, I think, father," said Edward. stores'" '^ ^ *'"' ""^""^ ^ '*°'^ ^^^"* ^^^ " Oh yes ; when Parry found that the ' Fury ' was real y a wreck, and that her crew must come on board the 'Hecla,' he ordered all her stores, that he had no room for, to be landed, and left for the use of any future expedition, or for the Esqui- maux if they came that way." " % *^^o by, I am sorry to interrupt you," said Mrs Armstrong, "but Peter has been waiting in the kitchen for a long time to see you. He has something particular to ask you, he says. I CE. fc miles, the and eighty, e Hudson's trading in . We now ng's Strait, yhich John map, papa, Margaret ; [.and." by Captain third voy- tain Arm- 3, in 1824, e shore of 1 Edward, ibout her he ' Fury ' nust come ler stores, tid left for he Esqui- you" said waiting in Ho has says. I ou could 4— si t " 1 nIiiiiiIiI like io t;ii uboard with you, coptfiiu, iii tlio ' I'ule Star,* ojul try my luck ou the Ice again."— p. as. f asl Ca Pe mu cai mc to th( in Pe his me soo abc try wh Yoi AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. 33 " May we call him in ? " said Edward. " Do ask him to tell U3 some of his adventures with Captain Ross." " If we do," said Captain Armstrong, " and Peter begins some of his stories, we shall not have much more time to go on with our maps ; but I can finish what I am telling my little Maggie to- morrow evening, so call him in if you like." " He is so amusing," said Edward, jumping up to go for him. " I think, too, I should like to ask him as to the amount of game, or animal life of any kind, in Boothia; so bring L'm in." CHAPTER III. AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. Peter was soon in the room, and having made his bow, stood by the door, cap in hand. " Well, Greely, what do you want to say to me?" asked Captain Armstrong. " Wliy, I've been thinking, as I hear you're soon to be afloat again, that I should like to go aboard of you. Captain, in the ' Pole-Star,' and try my luck among tlie ice again." " I won't take you, Peter. You don't know when you're well off. What would you have ? You have a good wife, a comfortable cottage, and S4 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, the best business of the village as a carpenter. It is quite enough to have been out five years as you were." "Four years and four months, short o' five days, Captain. We Vv eighed anchor in the ' Vic- tory,' off Woolwich, the 23d of May, A.D. 1829, and reached the Humber aboard the 'Isabella' of Hull, the 18th of September, 1833." "It was quite long enough, at all events, Peter. I know there is not a better ship's car- penter than you. It is n^t that I should not like to have you, but I am too much your friend to unsettle you. Now I want you to tell me what you found good to eat in Boothia. Was there much game ? " " Plenty o' bears." "And they are good eating when a man is hungry?" "As to that I won't say, but it would never do to eat 'em. They make men mad." "What story is that you have got up ?" "It's true — so they tell me. Thr men as eat them all go mad ; or if they don't, they die when they get home." " Did you ever try ?" "Oh, yes; I ate bits o' them myself many times when we were on short allowance, and that was wonderful often." " And you did not go mad or die ?" " I an't mad nor dead yct=" Then you did hunt the bears ?' Oh, yes, we did. Captain James was an rcB. a carpenter, ive years as ihort o' five in the 'Vic- , A.D. 1829, e 'Isabella* all events, • ship's car- uld not like ir friend to 3II me what Was there 1 a man is [Tould never up?" men as eat 3y die when lyself many )wance, and nes was an AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. 35 i excellent shot, and he killed a good many, but he got into a critical point once. He was out by himself, and four bears all came prowling round at once. He didn't shoot that time. He said to the bears, ' Yc a let alone and I'll let alone,' and cut away as hard as he could." " But had you no birds there ?" " Plenty of dovekeys. They're natives of Ire- land, and come first. They're signs of open water. We shot them often, and they're good eating. One day I was out with Captain James (we always called him Captain James, though he warn't captain then), and he shot a dovekey, and it fell in a pool. So I got on a piece of floating ice, and paddled out on it with a boat-hook, and raked the bird on the ice with it. They were flying all round my feet, hu neds of 'em. So Captain James says, ' Now, don't budge ! Stop where you are, and collect my birds.' So he shot numbers, and never hit me ; and I brought 'em all safe ashore on my 10. It was a critical point to land 'em, for pieces of ice like that is apt to turn the turtle \v ith you when you go to get oft' 'em. I tell you, to show you what a good shot he was." " But had you no other birds ?" "We'd grouse." " Ptarmigan, I suppose ?" " Yes ; they were mostly white and grey, and they mostly went for the sick. I once had a strange game out shooting. It was our second summer, and the ice was giving way, and we was Hi H 36 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. watching it for signs that we could get out. We to get out-that was it-not the first season, that IS hey wanted to make more discoverie; I dont mean to say they wouldn't have got out if and well have a pull before we start.' I only aboLr fr"' • ^r?r''y ^' ^^^^^-^^ 'Come aboard ! It was just like their speaking-trum- ots-and you hear a wonderful way across tre ice. Barny says/ The ship's a sailin- out' 'No' I says 'they'll not go without us, or they'U send a boat back for us.' 'Come aboard." again J ^w U i: r "'' '"' r ' ''^'^ ^^^•^' -^ -on saw It was him as made the noise. I shot him pounds' T "'^'^'1 '''''"'' '''' "<"^^d -ne pounds. He was an Arctic hawk." "You must have had other birds ?" "'m:^iMT^ kittie^vakes; and fish we had." our noi!."''"" ^' ''"^^^^' '^ ^"^^^"^^ «^^^-l in "What! of salmon?" " Salmon trout, they were. We dried numbers and numbers we spoiled with vardogris " "Why, how did you manage that?"* Parry left on the beach tha. those five~I mean four— year uil i\*-\^\«*X ii'uxtcu you all LNCE. get out. We Y didn't want t season, that scoveries. I ve got out if ' I to Bamy lays I, 'come art.' I only eard, 'Come aking-trum- r across the out.' 'No,' they'll send !' again. I •d, and soon I shot him, sighed nine iah we had." 36 shoal in d numbers, per kittles, stores tliat 'd you all I AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. 37 " So it was, and we had short allowance, too, I can tell ye, for all the canisters o' preserved meat and all the barrels o' fl(nir we got hold on. I fared among the best. I used often to have sawdust pudden." "Not very nourishing, I should think," said Edward, laughing. "There I beg your pardon, Master Edward. I had the job of sawing the frozen meat when the cauisters was broke open, and very good puddens the sawdust made, mixed with a little flour." All agreed that such sawdust would be very good indeed. " Yes, it was better than our soup — pea-soup —a pint of peas to a gallon of water, three parti fresh, one part salt, to flavour it. Fox is good eating. We often killed foxes." " Did you over kill seals ? You had plenty of them, surely." " Oh, yes, plenty o' seals. We used to see thorn on the ice, each close to his hole. They always keeps near their holes, and down i\ oy pops at the least alarm. We could not shoot many. We should just have starved without the stores. Wo helped ourselves to them at the first arrival. There they were— piled-up barrels of moat, barrels of flour, tin canisters, no end o* thorn. They were our mainstay the two first years. Then our third summer, when wo aban- donod the ship, despairing of ovor getting ho.r ->..t of the ice, we went forward with our sfedges to got to Fury Beach. That waa the name they 88 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. gave to the part of the coast where the stores " You left the ' Victory ' farther south ? " "Yes we bid our good-bye to the poor old Victory the 29th of May, 1832. We had landed and secured all the stores we could not carry for- ward as well as we could. I know where my tool-chest lays now. Then we nailed the coloui to the mast and left her. So Captain James said he d go with a flying party, to see if the stores was safe still; 'For,' says he, 'if not, we needn't go on, but may just as well shoot one another.' So he wont and he told us he'd come back to meet us, and. It It was all right, we should see the flag flying. So the second day, wo see him coming No flag i We all stopped a dead stop. ' It's no go, says one. ' I won't pull no longer,' says another. 'What's the use on't?' says a thiid Come on-Iet's meet him, any way,' says a four h. While we were all standing, up goes the flag. We pulled a good 'un, you may be sure, then; and hed brought some lime-juice, and some ot the oread and meat canisters back We got on fast after that." ^ " How long did it take you to make this journey with your loaded sledges ? " " We reached Fury Beach on the 1st of July and a good supper we had that night off the' stoics that was lying scattered about. It was a heavy journey for half-starved men, dragging loaded sledges and boats; for we dragged o.fr t^ttto Uio biggest pait of the way, tmd left them t I s AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. S9 within reach, in case we found the ' Fury's ' boats was gone." "You were in a dreadful situation, Peter, without a ship, in that dreary place, nearly three thousand miles from home ? " " We were in a critical point. All we had for it was to get in our boats to Baffin's Bay, to the track of the whalers, in hopes of being picked up; that was the idea of it." " The distance is between two and three hun- dred miles, I think." " Yes, about tha< '* " You had not ' >rgotten in England, you loiow. Commander Bach had volunteered to go to your rescue in 1833." "So we heard afterwards, but wo did not know it then." "You made your escape in the 'Fury's' boats I think." ' " Yes, we did. The ' Fury' herself was clean gone— not a trace of her loft." "But you did not make your escape that year ? " No, no— we wore baffled in that. The ice opened by the Ist of August, so as to lot us put off m the boats, and we boat our way along the coast to the north-eastern point of North Somerset as It is named; but there was nothing to bo seen but solid ice in the direction of Barrow's Stiait It never opened, and we had to go back to tlie beach." " What a pity it mmm lu go back again ' " said Edward. '! : '-1' III I *» THE VOVAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. tr the™ I ^ " '^'^'" "^'^-^ "^ »'"«J« there was there had gone south for the winter We suffered enough while we waited. We diV "Tlien, v/hen you got back to Fury Beach you built a canvas Iiouse ?" said Edward ' m It. Somerset House we called it. We found a fox had taken up his abod^ ,'n if k iu cut off." ' "^^^ ^® soon "It must have been very cold in o «„ house," said Margaret. ^ ^ '^"^^' ffot'co^Lrw'A^'''"''' ^'"'^ ^"" understand, it got coa ed with snow; and we piled the snow un hadXtT f T*':/'^^^^^^- ^"^*"-- nad plenty of coals : the beach was lined with the coals left by the 'Furv' w! j "T I stove in the Imio, red^L ; "I^d t^^^^^^ cookod, and we slept in bunk^^Capflb Rols ona and, at farat, all of as on the cround will, -feet to the «tove; afterwards w'e Zi'd' com'fortfw!"'*^/n'' '""'''' ^""'™'™8 tolerably comfoitallo, said Captain Armstrong, "espec.ajlv ^ryour s,.ff„ri„gs and hardship. ;„%,„ i^ J »Sthe„.""" ""' '"'™ '"''' "^ «~t leal 'to "Most from cold, more even than hunger, I rANCE. it but starva- ' animals there 5 winter. "We I We di-n't 'e left them at p, that's half- Fury Beach, ward. ' we wintered b. We found but he soon in a canvas nderstand, it the snow up A.nd then we 3 lined witli had a good d there we iptain Ross, ursor at one round, witli had bunks !S tolerably "especiaJIy the attempt cat deal to I hunger, I AN OLD SAILOE'S RECOLLECTIONS. 41 think ; and Somerset House seemed like home to " I want to hear all the story of your escape next season Greely,- said Captain Armstrong. Come and sit down, and give it to us. There ?s a very meagre account published." Peter took the chair Edward handed to him willingly. There was nothing he liked better' than to talk over his old adventures "I shall recollect all about that," he began, as long as I live. You see we had left the boats as I said, at Batty Bay the year before." We have now got to the spring of 1833 then?" said Edward. ' 11 .7"'' 1 Z""^^' ''*''^' "^^ ^'^ *^ "^^ke journeys all through May and June, to carry forward pro- visions and stores to the boats on sledges you understand. We left them, and returle/fcr more. At night we pitched a tent, and slept under it; then went on again. After a few J goes the starboard stunsails ! ' That was a death-blow to us." " Why ? " asked Margaret. " It looked as if they were catching the wind and going to make all sail, and so we should lose 'om, miss, ' Up goes the larboard stunsails,' he says next. Another nail in our coffins ; that was a stopper. At nine the watch was changed. ' There's a man in the crow's nest,' he says, ' and there's more men on deck, and in a confused sort of order. She's not making much headway. She's nearly becalmed. Now, lads, you'll catch her in an hour.' I says, * Fire ! How do they know we're in distress ? ' He fired both barrels in one report, ' Give them another ! ' I says a{.ain. He fired again, 'bang! bang!' They heard both shots, and could see us. They tried to persuade their Captain to lay-to for us. 'Who are thev ? ' savs thev : ' they're either the '' Vic- tory's " crew or some Qreenalmen in distress.' " ill \ ' i > ' ll I :■ )\i 48 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "How did you know this?" asked Margaret. They told us afterwards, miss. When the third watch came up at twelve, all the deck was m confusion. There were lots o* them in the crow's nest. They lay-to." "She's our prize!" says Captain James. " Now, lads, would you board her if she was an enemy? Better lay-to and let my uncle come up to us. Put your oars by ! But we couldn't stop. My head was fixed o' one side, looking at my oar, and we couldn't help dabblin'." "Poor fellows! No wonder!" said Captain Armstrong. " Up comes Captain Ross's boat and gets athwart of us, and we get our bowsprit through her sail. ' Never mind ! Let her lay !' says Captain James. Meanwhile they lowered a boat from the ship to pull off to meet us. The mate, when he approached, sung out, ' Who are ye ? or what are ye ?' This was Captain Ross's answer, 'What ship is that?'" 'A true Scotch answer," said Captain Arm- strong. "But listen to the reply, sir," said Peter. "These was the words o' the mate in reply: 'Cap- tain Ross's old discovery ship, the "Isabella!"'" " It was an extraordinary coincidence, indeed," said Mrs. Armstrong. " Now, hear Captain Ross's answer this time," said Peter, rising from his seat with a face full of importance — " 'I'm Captain Ross, and here's my crew!' " d Margaret. I. When the bhe deck was them in the )tam James, f she was an ■ uncle come I we couldn't [e, looking at said Captain at and gets prit through r lay 1' says wered a boat The mate, are ye ? or oss's answer, aptain Arm- said Peter, reply: 'Cap- sabella!"'" nee, indeed," r this time," 1 face full of AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. 49 "That was capital !" cried Edward. "Up rose all the men in the boat, and the mate stepped for'ard and shook hands with him, and said, 'I shall go and acquaint my Captain.'" " 'What's your Captain's name ? ' " says Captain Ross. " He answered, it was Captain Humphreys ; and when he was about half-way, he ~ir:!^ out, 'Victory's crew!' Immediately folowed three cheers, and we returned it. ' "You well deserved the cheers, Petoi I n /er heard a story of more bravely endured < adships, nor more patient submission to discipline. You must see, Peter, that if Captain Ross had not kept you all to that, nothing could have saved you." " All right, sir i" said Peter. " When the men stood up in the 'Isabella's' boat, seeing the differ- ence between their faces and ours, I said to my- self, they were all picked men, biggest men out o' the ship — Yorkshire men, perhaps. We was like sweeps. Well, we went alongside. They put up the 'commodation ladders and handed us m like ladies. We couldn't fall. Captain Ross was handed down to the cabin directly; doctor and purser the same. I'd got Anty Buck, the blind man, showing him — telling him, that is — what was doing; so we were last out o' the boat; and when we came on deck, them was Captain James standing ; so we told Captain Humphreys that was our officer, and he was handed down. '"Are they all on board?' cries Humphreys. v^apUkiu 50 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, "'Ay, ay, sir.' "'Put on a copper o' meat!' That was the first order. " ' Now, my lads,* says he, next, ' one o' you lug out a pair o' stockings, another a jacket, an- other a shirt, just as you can spare them.' They wasn't slow ; we soo'n had everything we wanted. "'Now, then, mess pots!' says Captain Hum- phreys ; ' serve out grog to all hands ; and when I serve out grog to my crew, I serve out grog to you all !' Three cheers at that I" " I've no doubt of it," said Captain Armstiong, laughing. " Well, sir, after we had the grog — which was a thing we hadn't tasted for a year and more — nothing but spirits o' wine — we was handed down, and had a wash and a shave ; and, as I said afore, everj'^thing we wanted. Many o' the men had said, whenever they were picked up, wo would have a blow-out of salt-pork; but I see myself several o' the men cut, and couldn't cat. I says, ' I was hungry ; now I'm neither liungry, nor yet dry, nor tired.' We slept that night in the coldest and wettest i)laco we could find, in our bags. We couldn't bear no other." " When did you get home, Peter, did you say?" asked Edward. " It's rather a long story that, sir," he replied. " You see wo " " Having g t you safe on board the ' Isabella,* bid you good-- 'ght. It's time we were all going AN OLD sailor's RECOLLECTIONS. 51 to rest. I must delay all I have else to say to you, my children, till to-morrow." '' And about my going ? " said Edward, anxiously. " You must wait till to-morrow." Peter had risen and gone to the door, but there he stopped again. " We all thank you very much, indeed, Greely," said Mrs. Armstrong ; " we have been very much interested in your story." "That I am sure we have," said Margaret; and Edward thanked him warmly with a kind nod and good-night, while Captain Armstrong poured out a glass of wine for him to drink suc- cess to the "Pole-Star." Peter drank it, and health and n safe return to the Captain, but still he did not go. " You had your supper in the kitclien, Peter, I hope, before you came in?" said Mrs. Ann- strong. "Yes, yes, ma'am, thank you; but— then it's no use for mo to say no more about that matter of going with you, Cai)tain ?" " Of no use at all, Greely. I know the value of a man like you as well as any one, and, as I said, tliero is not one I should like better, but for your own sake 1 will not take you. You ai-e twenty years ohhv (ban when you landed out of the 'Isabella,' married, and well oil in th(> world. Don't think of it. aood-night" " I wish you all good-night," saM Peter. " I don't see, tliough," ho added to himaelf. as he shut :iii 1 1': *l ? ^' 52 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. the door, "why the Captain should not take some ot that same good advice to Iiimself as he gave to me. It s true he mayn't be as old as me by some ne don t know when he's well off." CPIAPTER IV. THE MAGNETIC pQj^j^ The sun had not long risen next morning be. fore Edward was seated in a corner of tlie wood, with liis drawing-board and colour-box* fimshmg up a sketch of the cottage that ho had been dmng for his father to take away that he did not move for a long wldle but It at a 1 ttlo distance, examined it with a critical eye and set to w.^k again to alter or improv It. Suddenly, as ,f some wretched thought had entered Ins hoa work again, steadily, bu^ >> thout any more careless whistling. Trident who was stretched at his feet, sometimes look i up wistfully in as face and thou hiy down aga 4^-ii- tiij vrab nut n^ht. CE, t take some ' he gave to ne by some ff, I'm sure THE MAGNETIC POLE. 58 miing be- 3r of tlie ;olour-box» 3 that ho ake away hia work v^l'ile, but 'n holding a critical [• improve light liad waited up Presently [i<^hly, but Trident, OS looked wn again, , as if he After an hour or taore, his sketch being toler- ably finished, Edward began to collect his draw- ing materials together and to go homewards. Ho observed as he walked along that the pigeons were out, and was pleased to see Sir Launcelot among them, pruning his feathers on the i .f as if he had felt no fatigue or injury from his journey, or at any rate had had a good night and was very well this morning. Just as he was thinking so he saw Margaret open her window. "When are you coming down, Margaret?' he cried, "I want you very much; and bring the peas, will you?" She nodded, to show him that she heard and would do what he asked, and was with him on tlie terrace in a few minutes. They strewed the peas for their pigeons, who flew down and pecked thora up as fast as possible. Sir Launcelot among the test. Margaret then had to give her opinion of the sketch, which she pronounced to be exactly like, and lovely. "Now, then, what I want next is this house to be made for Lnuncy. Peter sai'' he would come about it this morning. I wish ho would." "Meanwhile, Ildward, do tell mo about the magnetic polo. I thought we knew about the north pole long ago, and that the needle always pointed to it." " You see, Maggie," said Edward, "the noHh Pnln nl f.no nnvfii iu /-. «»^1 Al.„ »„_^„ x! _ — ~ — ■•'• !■- —il\j '-^1111^, aii\i uic iungauwo pole is anotiior. You never read any voyages without hearing of the variation of the needle " 1 t 1 1 f ^^^^^B i ji ''l 1 1 '-1 l| ^^^1 if' {■ ^m ,f 1 H !■ 1 1 ^^^^^H 5 ^B 'P 54 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "No; I always have wanted to understand what tliat meant." "Well, it means the variation of the needle 'TJr '''''^^' ^"^ ^"^^ ^^'""^ ^^'^ north pole IS JO from the equator, and that all the meridians ot longitude are drawn through it. They all Dass through It, so that we cannot say the north pole r r-l^i''!?^'*^'^^ ' ^^ ^^ ^^" «^y of it i«> the lati- tude 90 . _ " Yes ; I have learned that, and that it is the point on which the earth revolves: the north and south poles are the spots that are stiU while the earth spins round." "But the magnetic pole is not the centre of motion, n is the centre of magnetic attraction, and bir James Ross found its exact place. It is Z^pPZ' ''' ""■"'■ ""'• "^ '""^""^^ "01,, that is a long way from the north pole. But liow did ho find the place? Was there some great magnet there ?" "That is exactly what he says people might have expected. I brought out his account of .inding It, published in Captain Ross's narrative ot his voyage, and will road you the passcge:— '"The land at this place is x^vy low near the coast, but It rises into ridges of hlty or sixty feet high about a mile inland. We could have wished that a place so important had possessed more of mark or note. It was scarcoiy censurable to re- grct that tliere was not a mountain to indicate a snot to wiiieh ho much of interest must evor b© THE MAGNETIC POLE. 55 attached ; and I could even have pardoned any one among us who had been so romantic or absurd as to expect that the magnetic pole was an object as conspicuous and mysterious as the fabled moun- tain of Sinbad, that it even was a mountain of iron, or a magnet as large as Mont Blanc. But nature Iiad here erected no monument to denote the spot which she had chosen as the centre of one of her great and dark powers.'" "And how did Sir James Rosa know that he had found the place ? " "He had been making observations with different instruments for £.ome time, and so had Sir Edward Parry, in his last voyage, and had come very near it by calculation." " I cannot think how." " You must observe, in the first place, that I do not understand it all myself, Maggie, or any- thmg like all, and that if I did I could not make you, unless you had studied very hard. But I can give you some idea. You rcmernber that when Parry got to the 73d dogroo of latitude and the 89th degree of longitude, the compass became useless ? " "Yes; I think I begin to see a little. Of course, if the needle always points to the mag- netic pole, it will not move at all when it rots really to the very magrietic polo itself; and if it gets tu the north of it, it will point to the soutli. and if it gets duo east of it, it will noint wp«f and so on." ' ' "That is exactly tho thing, Maggie. So :i !i 5G THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. people at home even could reason about it from the accounts of voyagers and crave. ers. especially Parry and Franklin, and find out pretty nearly whereabouts it. must be. If Parry Baid 'the needle pointed souti... then tlvc^y would say he had got to the north of the n.agr.tic poie.^ II Franklin said 'the needle pointed east, they would be sure he was to the ^vest 01 It, and Bc tlio exact spot was pretty ueailv guessed." ^ ^ j "But, what did Sk James Ross do to make quite sine ? " " Ho knew that where the ' Victory ' lay they were very near the place. He had employed himself during all the time he had been there in experimoiits with different instruments, and in May of 18:31, he set off with a party, taking inatrumonts of different kinds with him to try to hnd the very place. He had horizontal li.-rdles, like those you know, and also dipplnrr needles. These are so made as to point down! wards, not to point to the horizon, but to the centre Ieasod they all weio, and Sir James Ross de- scribes it. Shall I read what he says ? " "Yes, do." '"As soon as 1 had satisfied my own mind on tills subject, I made known to the i)arty this giatifyiug result of all our joint labours; and it was then tliat, amidst mutual congratulations, 68 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. we fixed the British flag on the s])ot, and took possession of tlie North Magnetic Pole and its adjoining territory in the name of Great Britain and King William the Fourth. We had abun- dance of materials for building in the fragments of limestone that covered the beach; and we therefore erected a cairn of some magnitude, under which we buried a canister containing a record of the interesting fact; only regretting that we had not the means of constructing a pyramid of more importance, and of strength sufficient to withstand the attacks of time and of the Esquimaux.' "He then tells the latitude and longitude, which I told you before. Look, this is the place —on the west coast of Boothia, iust south of Cape Adelaide." " So the north magnetic pole is in America. And there is nothing to be seen, he says ; only the flat sea-shore, and fragments of limestone lying about ; and it has some power that attracts and makes the needle always point to it ! What can it be ? " " It is wonderful." " Edward, does it not seem to you just as silly to plant the British flag there, and take possession of it for King William the Fourth, as it did of Balboa to wade into the water with his drawn sword and take possession of the Pacific Ocean for the King of Spain ? " " Oh, no, Maggie ! We did not mean to keep tho magnetic pole for our own use (even if we THE MAGNETIC POLE. 59 coul,]). Only to leave a sign that Englislnnen had chscovered it. Oh, it would have be^n grand to be there and help to hoist the flao- 1 " "And IS the use of the magnetic pole iust to make the needle point to it ? " ^ " Oil no AH manner of important things in ^e woHd depend on magnetism' and eleetric t" which as far as I can understand, seem very much the same. But people are always learZ^ and finding out more about them. My fathe^'oiw began teaching it all to me quite lai ^ andie were to have gone on steadily. .... Wlfat shalU do? What will become of me?" "Edward ! dear Edward! you are crying- you must let me try to comfort you " ^' ^ Edward had buried his face in his hands and us tears were streaming through hirfinCs Margaret's fell on his hair as she leaned C . "I am sure he does not mean me to go with him, said Edward, in a broken voice; "I know lie does not, before he tells me." "Oh, Edward! I cannot be sorry for that "We were so much younger. We did „n*. Knuvv what iio i^ to us as w^ <^^ now." ^' " There is Peter couiin 60 THE VOYAGE OF TFE COXFTANCE. " I will be back m a Uiiuute. Keep him till I come," said Edward, dashing down into the wood, followed by Trident. Margaret got up quickly from the garden-chair on which she was sitting, wiped away her tears, and logaii i;uwwing a few mere })eas for the pigeons, " Good morning, miss ! " said Peter, coming up with hvi basket of tools on his shoulder. "Do you still tliink of sending the pigeon aboard?" "Oh yes, we do!" " Does the Captain know about it?" "No, we did not like to trouble him till we had tried a long journey for the little thing ; but now, if you think you could manage a nice house or box for it, we Aviil ask him cT rectJy." " You see, miss, there are two or three things to b'. considered But where is Master Edward ? I see him here as I came up the hill." Edward appeared at that moment on the steep path that led from the wcod, playing with Trident, who was leaping and dashing sJiout among the ferns. "Good morning, ± -y.er! So you iiave not for- gotten to come," he cried, looking so cheerful that Margaret was surprise'"^ ^^he saw th;)t she mic-t not, as she had often done, think Edward did not feel because he did not seem unhappy "I have been saying, Mas^f^^ Edward, that there are two or three things t' < asidered — first, not tc take up too much lon ind yet to mni'o it large enough; secondly, not to make it too heavy, and yet to make it strong ; thirdly, to THE MAGNETIC POLE. 61 p him till into the st got up h she was i aLuwing 3oming up ier. " Do )oard?" im till we hing; but nice house ree things is Master » the hill." it on the .ying with ing i.bout /e not foi- ierful that 'j she mu' I I'd did not J. % make it warm and water-tight. Now I've been thinking we couldn't do better than take a hint from the Esquimaw," " But they make snow houses in Boothia, and stone huts in other places. Neither of these would do." "No, no. I'm not thinking of their houses, but their canoes. The Esquimaw of Baffin's Bay have canoes that are wonderful well contrived: the frame is made of whalebone, and covered with sealskin ; they are about eighteen feet long, tapering to a point fore and aft, and about twenty-one inches in the beam. They just hold one man, don't you see. He sits nearly in the middle— a 'Htle, maybe, towards the starn— in a man-hole, ai-''' stretches out his feet under the deck, as we -ay call the covering of the top. Do you understa d ? " "I quite un leristand." "When the man, o is dressed all in skins, gets in and fastens the . im of his man-hole, as he does, tight round his jacket or junqjer, as we called it, so as to be water-tight, he minds the cold and the water no more than a seal or a walrus. Him and his kayalc (that's wliat they call a canoe) looks just one animal. They'll bo out day and night on the stormy seas among the ice, and take no hurt— en tching seals, it may he, or carrying the post from one Danish settle- mont on the coast of Greenland to another, for they are employed in that way. The Esquimaw there, don't you see, have more sense, and havo 62 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. m learned more from being near the Danish settle- ments." "Oh yes, that is quHe natural; and they have been taught Christianity by the Moravian mis- sionaries." "Yes, they are good, simple people, very honest, which is more than I can say for other tribes of them ; and none of the Esquimaw drink. They won't taste spirits, but water— how they will drink water ! A gallon's nothing to them. And as for eating— see an ICsquimaw with some seal-blubber or raw walrus! You would never believe me if I was to tell you." " But, Peter, about the house we are to have for the pigeon?" " I'm coming to that. As I tell you, a man in his kayak will ride over the surf like a sea-bird, paddling with his two-bladed oar; and when night comes on he will turn into some cove, draw up his kayak under the lee of a cliff, get in again, lean his head against a rock, draw his hood over his face, and sleep till morning, not caring for snow, ico, nor wind, with the thermometer bdow zero." " We don't know what men can do and bear till we see things like that," said Edward. " Then you think of making Sir Launcelot a canoe to live in ? " said Margaret, laughing. " Fancy the little fellow sitting in the middle, in his pigeon-hole!" "MisM Mflrrrarof" qoM P-fp- l^^i.:., .. — ^a — . .-.,,... t ir^ibi, luObviiig grave "ftU I mean is, as I said, to take a hint. The THE MAGNETIC POLE. 03 house we make must either he square — about a foot square, I should think, would do, or eighteen inches long by a foot deep. Tlie height need not be much ; pigeons do not care to perch ; they do very well standing on the flat ground. Say nine or ten inches high." "Will he keep his health in such a little place ? " asked Margaret. " I think he would," said Edward, " if it was kept very clean, and my father would take care that was done." " To be sure he would," said Pater. " He would give the order, * See that when the decks is scrub- bed of a morning the pigeon's house is seen tol' or something of that sort, and it would be done as reg'lar as the clock." " Then, should you make it of whalebone and seal-skin ? " "I think we could not do better. Miss Margaret, garet. The front must be open, of course, in bars." " I should think they should be wood, smooth and round," said Edward. " We must think about it," replied Peter. " The thing is, don't you see, that in the cold tliere, wood grows so brittle, that unless its thick and strong, it snaps like glass. Metal of any kind won't do, of course, because it burns like hot iron." " I cannot think why that is, Edward. I liavo heard it before." " My father will explain it much better than I can. I could, only he will make it so much clearer, that you had better ask him," ; f It M N i. ■4 I Hi I : 64 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "Well, thou," said Mfiiv^arot, "tlio bars iniout, and go through his degrees, I assure you. Wo cnrv(Ml tho ' Vict(^)ry's ' nnmo on il, and finished it oil with brass, and ho always wore two stockings 011 it, and ono on his OtlhT." '• What did the silly follow do that for ?" askod Marunrct. THE MAGNETIC POLE, C.") "Ho was quito right, miss. It wan for fear tlio iio.st should get at it and snap it. That's what r wanted to tell you. Bo sure that log will bo takou care of aiuonsr them." In the midst of the laughter this story caused, the breakfast bell rang, and their father and mother came out and walked along tho torraco together. "So Peter is telling you some more of his stories, is he?" said Captain Armstroiig, after their alfeetionato "Good morning!" had been said. " Yes, and wo have been holding a conversa- tion about something, father," said Edward. " Wo nuist tell you, and ask you whether you like our idea, presently." " Meanwhile," said Mrs. Armstrong, " Peter hnd better go and have some breakfast and attend to a few littlo pieces of work that have to bo done. We shall bo ablo to give him his order aftervvju'ds." Petci* i X'ordingly wont in; and Mrs. Arm- strong, as they M'alked up and down all together to enjoy the fresh air and the songs of tho birds, nntiounced to Kdward and Margaret that sho had told their father about the way in which tlioy had trained Lauucv, and that lie irnd agreed to * take tho little fellow, and would perhaps send them a mossaixe by him. "I really will (aki^ Launcy," said ho, " if I can — J..-!.., ..,1 ^x^-A till injv Ut iiiuK;; iniit it, rioiJivo <)I anxiety. Many tilings may ])revont mo fnmi Bending him ott'. The poor littlo thing may dio, I i CO TIIK V()YA(;r, iW THE CONSTANCY. thoun^li 1 will do my utmost, to tako caro of him ; Ko do not look up SI) pilifullv, my little Macfdc i llion, jl lu' wore api)aiontly weak, I siioidd not liki; to .send liim oil"; and in any case, if eveiy- t'.iing Avent well with mo, and I liad good ehanoe of coming home at the end of the second .sunnuer, I Hliould almost shrink from risking Ids life. I should be inclined to bo my own letter-carrier." "That would be best of all, papa," said Mar- t;aret. " Jf such liajipy fortune slumld attend mo as tluit 1 found Fiaiddin, I would send him. I should not be able to resist iiie attempt to make you and all England sharers in my joy, without waiting for the tedious passage homeward." "I think," said Mrs. Armstrong, "you must try to send him, Henry. You know how I should rejoice if you succeeded in your grand purpose; but to know that, successful or not, you were safe and well after the dangers o*' next winter W(tuld be very nuich to me. J should hardly know how^ to wish for anything more." " But if he never comes, believe that I am, and that 1 hope to bo homo in autunni. I will nofc semi him unless I resolve to stay a second unl nter e.ss, ns I said before, I Lave been so hapjty as to luid Franklin." C)7 CHAPTER V. edwahd's fate is decidei"). Bkeakfast \mr\g over, and Pctor cliKmi-^scd witli orders to make tlio i)iyeon's house aecording to the plan |)i('i)osed, Captain Armstrong said ho would finish the conversation of the evening before, and oxj)lain his intended route. "Your mother knows it already," said he, smiling, " but I believe she is going to listen again." "You see, papa," said Maigaret, "slie will not have you long to listen to, so she will not miss a word you say now. I know that is the reason." There was a little silence. Ildward took his mother's hand, and i)ressed it; and Cai)tain Arm- strong stooped down to pick uj) a mai), and looked a little while at it before ho went on. "I told you," he then said, "to look at Beechey Islam', when 1 began last night. Find it again ; I sluill soon have (>t'easi(»n to tell you more a})out it. Franklin's expedition in search of the north- west passage wns the first after Sir John Ross's, of which you heard Peter's account. Franklin went in 1845, with the 'Erebus' and 'Terror'; the 'Terror' commaneen 8tttpi)ed. Tliey havo not returned yet. ' , ' d, yet EDWARD'S FATE IS DECIDED. 69 it seems too much to hope. On the contrary, it is impossible to help being anxious about their own fate. The * Resolute,' under Captain Kellet, has been specially sent to their rescue by Melville Island, and I ho])e that this autumn will see them return in safety." " Yes," said Mrs. Armstrong, " I do trust that John will spend his next Avinter with us." "I hope he will come home safe," said Edward. " We never thought when we bid him good-bye he would stay such a time. I remember it as well as if it was yesterday. What a good fellow John is! Wherever he is he will keep every one round him merry." " You must take good care of him when you get him back," said Captain Armstrong. " Three winters in the ice must try any man, however strong he may be." " Now tell us about your going, papa," said Margaret, " and the names of all the shipE." " Captain Austin's squadron, with which I saibd, consisted of the ' Resolute,' his own ship, the 'Assistance' under Cai)tain Ommann«»y, and the ' Intrej)id' and ' Pioneer,' two steamers under Caj)tains Cator and Osborne. Then there were two fine brigs under Cai)tain Penny, the ' Lady Franklin' and 'Sophia;' the 'FeUx' under old 8ir John Ross, witli the ' Mary ' as tender ; two American vchscIh, the 'Rescue' and 'Advance,' sent out by Mr. GrinnoU, an American rnercliant, at his own exponso, entirely fn»m hia Bympatby 4 I . t m .« I . J 70 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. ^ady J^ miiklin's owji little ship " and none of them could iind hitn !" " No, no, none of them coiil.l find him ' Thnv ;■ Oh M „, tl,e stoay of it !" cried Margaret. -hore ofP l.^ "" ''•"■|''°""S «"^ nortnom CV Rll r,!'''""- ^^" ^™''<' "»''«'■'' near wl .oh pieces of rope and canva., broken bottle "p flT T^'^' '-;' ,""" -"- "™ *' ™": P tiom the bottom ot the sea, were lyin.. about 1, , , '; ™ "■' "'« '">!■». I'i't it Ha=-hed across unr lost bro, ,er« nnght !« near us. We ran a;o t m all directions. We f„u„,l „ tentl™ wen pttched. hi the midst of our exeiteniL-nf nn tL, tl ■* "•■'■" I»«n"S''l'"ut inalldi.-ec- t.on when we were suddenly attacked by a be^ " «skedt,lrb^'"''""'«^-''^™--/'-"t,,err " Wo were but a boats ci-ew, and l,«d no anns or means of defence, so all we c.uld JtZZ lusl, off ,„,,,,« wt while Le went oH' 1^15! ti e pttCktjd ICO. " -"Tr,..t3 h Edward's fate is decided. 71 " Our news, you may be sure, flew like wild- fire among the ships. Next day ]mrties from all within reach were on the spot. We found, near Cape Spencer, the walls of a hut of a circular form, solidly built, neatly i)aved with small smooth stones, and containing a iirci)lace where si/ill lay the cold ashes of the last fire lighted there. Many bones of birds, and empty meat-tins were scattered near it. We believe tliis to have been a look- out place over Barrow's Strait and Wellington Channel. We could not doubt now that we had found traces of Franklin, but our hearts sank at observing marks of long exposure tc, weather, rhey were not recent traces." " One of us picked up a i)ioco of jiapcr with the words ' To be called' still distinctly readable, also a piece of newsi)a])er. There were sledgo marks leading northward, bn.t they weie soon lost in the snow that had fa ^on since. On the western shore W{Ui a cairn built of layers of meat- tms filled with gravel. There was' also the em- bankment of a house, which seemed tc have been used as a carpenter's and smith's working-places, by the shavings and bits of iron filings. Thei-e were also washing-tubs, made of empty meat* casks, and some coal-bacs." "On the eastern sliorc was the remnant of a garden." "Oh, pai)a. think of the poor nailors making a garden!" Wild Margaret. "Was anything gi-o wing III if .^^^1. " Some poppies and ancinoncs that had bot'n I '4 II it I il %'', 72 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. transplanted there still showed some signs cf life. The garden had a neat oval outline made with moss and lichen. Not far from it was a pair of cashmere gloves spread out to dry, with a pebble on each palm." "How did you know what year they were here, papa?" asked Margaret. "A melancholy record told us, Maggie. We found three graves. Each was neatly constructed with an oaken headboard and footboard, and each had an inscription. I copied them down and will read them to you : — Sacred to tho memory of J. Toriiiigton, who {IcpartcJ this life Jan. Ist, 181G, on board H.M.S. "Terror," aged 20 years. Sncred to the memory of W. Brjiiiio, R.M., of H.M.S. " Erebus," died April 3nl, 1840, aged .S2 years. Choose ye this day wliom yo will scrv v.— Josh. xxiv. 15. '"Sacred to the memory of J. TIartwell, A.IJ., of H.M.S. "Erebus," died Jan. 4th, 184(i, aged 25 years. Thus saith tho Lord of Hosts, Consider your va.yB.—Ifag. i. 7." "I remember," said Mrs. Armstrong, "Cap- tain Osboine remarking that Mhorever English sailors go, all over the world, there will ]»e found the graves of their comra.hvs whom they have lost by death, made with all the religious care that could bo given to the task at homo." "Yes, it is a true remark, and the graves of these three poor Jellows aiibra an instance of it. But where aie they who laid them there ? No notice could wc find of their iutondod •nurse wlion tliey should lea^e their winter (luartors. We EDWARD'S FATE IS DECIDED 73 seai^hed every possible and impossible place Ihe cairn wa^ p^Hed down and built up a^ain and again before we could believe that it contafned no writing to guide us. At last we gave it up in despair, and were loft to conjecture." "During the winter everything was done that was possible. Every ship left a record of its visit at Cape Riley, and landed provisions also, in case the missing ships should call there again. Pennv pus..ed up Wellington Channel as far as Cornwallis Island, where he was stopped by a baiTier of ice but saw open water beyond, to the north, as far as the eye could reach." ^ "That wa^ the Polar Ocean that you believe in, father: was it not ?" asked Edward. _ " It was ; and he saw it again in his sledcro journey in the spring. The Americans passed'a dreadfu winter, drifting up and down Wellington Channel in the ice. The ' Prince Albert ' returned home^ Tiie rest of the ships were frozen in m different harbours, well protected from cold' and their crews well off. The little that could be done during tlie winter months was done Rockes were frequently put up; fire-balloons were also sent up, so managed as to scatter papers down, on which the situations of the rescue ships were described. We sent out postmen too." " Sent out postmen, papa ?" " Yes; little white postmen, all clotlu'd in fur }oii must know that wo sometimes caught f.>vnM in tmps, and the foxes there are the^.rettiest creatures you can imagine, with long soft white I 11 74 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. I: iji'i IS fur, and large bushy tails, all as white as snow, and their quick black eyes shining out under their little, pointed ears. Well, sometimes we used to put a hollow brass collar round their necks, and in the collar a paper, telling exactly where our ships lay, with the date of course, and then let them run away." "You hoped some of Sir John Franklin's party would see a fox with a collar, wonder at it and catch him, and find the paper? What a pity they never did ! " "Our hopes, from whatever we tried, all ended in disappointment. In spring we made long journeys with sledges, but still all in vain. Five ships are still out exploring under Sir Edward Belcher, and the 'Advance,' one of th;.' American ships, is j^i;.i- going again." "Dr. Kane is f vcuimand her this time, 1 thuik?" said Mir>. ,\!a;;«troncr. " Yes, he was surg-.ra in the former voyage." "What a brave, energetic spirit he must have," said Mrs. Armstrong, " to go again, so soon after all they had to suffer in that voyage ! " " There are few spirits like his. There never was a nobler fellow, and his active enterprise is the more remarkable because he has very bad health, and a slight, delicately-formed tigure. Ho has travelled into almost every quarter of the globe. To know him was well worth all the hardships wo endured." " And is Mr. GiinnoII at the expense of this expedition, too ? " asked Mrs. Armstrong. i Edward's fate is decided. 75 "Yes, he is. It is the more noble, as his benevolence is exerted not for his fellow-country- men but for Englishmen. He feels, as everyone ought to do, that all men are brothers, the Eng- lish and the Americans especially." " It showed a fine spirit, too, in the Americans," said Edward, "to make that declaration you told me of, father, before they set out, that if they succeeded in finding Franklin they would not accept any part of the reward of twenty thousand pounds ofiered by the Enghsh Government." "It did. We had another high-minded and delightful ofiicer out with us that winter, who was not an Englishman. I mean Bellot, a lieu- tenant in the French navy. He is now there again, in Sir Edward Belcher's squadron. He was as enthusiastic in the cause as if Franklin had been his own father." Edward looked at his father as if he could hardly believe that. ^ " Kane is going this year to Smith's Sound, quite at the north of Baflin's Bay. You see by the chart how little of it is known, and how direct a route it is to tlie Polar Ocean, in which Kane and I have full behef. Supposing open water to exist there all the year round— and there are many reasons to believe that it does suppose Franklin sailed nort'iward up Wellington Channel when he left Cape Riley and got into it, and that ho is there now, the ice never h.o.vinc' opened again to let him get free— see liow import- ant it is to force our way to that ocean. For this m IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) Y '^o ^

was under his father, lie had, however, so far belied this report, that he had faithfully performed every task set him, and given his utmost attention to every lesson ; and as he was very clever, he made good progress. This he did because he was so very fond of his lather. Eveiy word his father sjioke was a law to Edward; everything he did together with his father, even if it was construing a page of Latin, was a pleasure to him, and therefore to work under his father was no effort. As to liis draw- ing, Captf "n Armstrong saw enough to believe that his genius lay there, but only allowed him to })urHue it at present as an anmsement, being fearful of committing the mistake of supposing a boyish fancy was a real talent, and knowing there was plenty of time before him. After the parting, however, which had been THE WANDEREll's RETURN. 91 such a severe trial to him, a great change came over Edward. He suddenly seemed to grow two years oklcr. His habits were entirely altered. Ho worked very hard. He was never in bed after four or five in the morning, so that before the eiglit o'clock breakfast he had had two or three hours' study, and liis walk of two miles to Dr. Truman's afterwards was always begun in time to take him there exactly at nine. He was at the head of most of Jiis classes, and astonished Dr. Truman very mucli indeed. The fact was that everything his father had said to him, every wish ho had expressed, every hope he had seemed to indulge, Edward recijlh-cted, and to be and to do exactly what those words, wishes, and hopes aimed at, became the aim of his lif?. His early rising and work in the morning were entirely caused by his desire not only to do what his father wished at Dr. Truman's, but to try to be a comfort and pleasure to his mother and sister; and when he returned U) them in the evening, he was enabled to devote himself entirely to them. In the evenings they walked, read, and enjoyed music as they used to do ; and when Margaret, who was always on the watch, cried out, " Hero comes Edward ! " and bounde» ^. IS,. J v«jict uicir icani-'Uayri, Every Saturday afternof)n that weather allowed, they made some long walking excursion ; Edward 92 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. sometimes brinoing a schoolfellow or two with him, or if not, indulging himself with some sketch- ing; and in the evening Mrs. Armstrong often invited little parties, when they had dancing or games. She tried to avoid letting any of the sad- ness that she was herself conscious of darken the lives of her children. But it was seldom that Edward had his father out of his thoughts. It was one Saturday afternoon in October that they were setting off for a long walk, accom- panied as usual by Trident, when Margaret said, " Here conies a lame old man leaning on a stick up the Drive; who can it be ? " "I cannot think," said Edward. "I do not know him at all. Down, Trident ! Keep close." " He sees us," said Margaret, " and has taken off his hat to us, as if he knew us ; and now he is leaning against a tree, as if he could not walk." "That is not an old head," said Mrs. Arm- strong. " Surely I should know that light curly hair. Is it possible ? Can it be John Armstrong ?" Edward darted forward at the words, and they soon saw him meet the stranger, and shake hands heartily. They liunied on, and Edward running back to meet them, exclaimed, "It is John, and they have found the north-west passage." Mrs. Armstrong had soon reached the poor shattered sailor, who, however thin and lame he might be, had still the merry look they knew so well, and held out both his hands to receive her aiiectiunaio welccniie. " John, my dear John, welcome home I How THE wanderer's RETURN. 93 many anxious thoughts have we had about you ! I am so happy to see you once more ! " " And I am delighted to see you, and to be back in old England once more. Why, Edward and Maggie are grown out ot all knowledge ! and how well they both look ! " and here there was a round of shaking hands and rejoicing. " But what have you been about ? How is it you come back so ill?" asked Mrs. Armstrong, anxiously. "Oh, I am a perfect beauty to what I was three months ago. The voyage home has quite set me up. Three winters in the ice are not exactly invigorating, but I shall soon be well again. Don't be anxious about me, I should not have been so ill but for an unlucky sprain which prevented me from walking, and to be prevented from taking vigorous exercise at forty below zero is no joke." " But is it true ? Did I roally hear Edward rightly? Have you found the north-west passage ? " " Wo have. Captain M'Clure has the honou}- of solving that long-sought problem." "It's glorious news!" cried Edward. How glad I am it was your ship that did it ! Is Cap- tain M'Clure come home safe, and has the good old ' Investigator ' escaped pretty easily out of he)* battles with the ice ?" " I hope Captain M'Clure will come home saio and well, but as to the good old ' Investigator,* her battles are all over. She is left enclosed in 1: ;!i 94 TJE VOYAGE OP THE CONSTANCE. tlie ice, and MClure is on board the 'Resolute/ with all our ship's company, except a few of us who returned under Lieutenant Cresswell with his despatches in the ' Phoenix.' " " I will not allow another question," said Mrs Armstrong, " till you have come in with us and rested. I know Edward was just going to say 'where is the passage ?' but you must not now! Edward. One question only I must ask, and yet I know I need not ; I know you would have told us instantly." " You mean, have we any tidings of Franklin ? No, oh no !" said John, his merry voice becomincr sad in a moment: "we only found out where he had not been by the astonishment of the natives at the sight of white men and a ship." "Now, take my arm, John, lean on me, and come m to your own home, dear John." "Do you know," said he, "that though I do ong to be in that dear home again, yet I should like very much to lie down here at tlie root of this birch tree, among the ferns. You cannot imagine what a delight the greenness, the grass and flowers, and trees, are to me. It all looks like Paradise ! it is Paradise ! and only fancy my being actually too tired at this minute to feel able to walk that little bit that lies between us and the door. Two years ago I thought nothing of forty miles a day. Do sit down, all of you by 1110, and let us rest hero. The air feels fresh though it is too hot : but T sbnnl.l l.«,r^ i,„„_ -i_- i It 1 fiad stayed another ight in London. THE wanderer's RETURN. 95 "Then you arrived yesterday ?" "Only last night; too late to come off here directly." At a word from Mrs Armstrong, Margaret and Edward ran off to the house, and soon returned with a tray covered with some refreshment. Margaret had only bargained in a whisper that her mamma would not let John talk, for she did not want to miss anything he told, and in truth he only occupied the time in asking questions about his uncle. He had heard in London that the " Pole-Star" had sailed. In the midst of their conversation they found that Margaret and Ed- ward had begun spreading the luncheon among the ferns. The sight alone of fruit, apples, pears, and grapes, and of a salad, seemed to refresh John at once. Having eaten something of everything they offered him, intermixed with a hundred questions about home affairs, for he declared he felt like a man risen from the dead, and wanted to know about all sorts of things, public and I)rivate, he ended by pronouncing a rhapsody over a bunch of grapes which he stripped to the last grape, Margaret laughing heartily, and he laughing in chorus, and then exclaimed that ho only wished every poor fellow that came from a long voyage could have such a welcome as ho had had. " But you look so tired, John," said Mrs Arm- atrong, " your eyes are half shut." •' I am very sleepy. I never closed my eyes I : '■'■ 96 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. m that hot room in the hotel in London last night. Let me sleep here for an hour or two, and then I will come m with you as fresh as a lark." "But you will catch cold, for whatever you may say about heat, it is a cold autumn day." " Cold ! what, a man used to sleep on the snow under a tent, with his wet hoots for a pillow catch cold among the ferns and heather ! Call me m two or three hours ! Goodnight!" And he was asleep in a moment. "We must take great care of him," said Mrs Armstrong, looking at him as he lay, "and make him well and strong, if we can. We must not leave him here alone. Let us have an afternoon of gardening, instead of our walk; there is plentv to do. ^ "^ So hoes, rakes, and spades were brought out and they worked very busily till it was time to gt ready for dinner, and then awoke the sleeper He opened his eyes, said he was glad to find he was still there, and that it was not all a dream • shook hands again with them all round, and then went in with them. His laptures began over again in the cottage • only he said that, though the windows weio all open the heat was dreadful, but he supposed I,o should soon learn to bear it. 97 CHAPTER VIII. THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. When evening had come and the lamp was lighted, and John, stretched on a sofa, and thoroughly rested and refreshed, had pretty nearly exhausted his questions and heard all the news that they could tell him, he took a pen- and-ink chart out of his pocket, and said he would show them the famous passage. " Here is our course," said he, " by Cape Horn and Behring's Straits. We sent letters home from Kotzebue Sound, and also by the ' Herald.' " " Those we received," said Mrs Armstrong, " We crossed the Arctic Circle on the 29th of July, 1850, and first saw the ice extending ahead of us when we got into Behring's Straits." "Did you see the herds of walruses Captain Cook tells of ? " asked Edward. "Indeed, we did! Enonnous numbers of them were on the ice-fields, basking in the sun. Great monsters with long tusks, and females with their cubs making the strangest gambols. The men had loaded a gun and were going to fire upon them, but MClure was so struck and affected by the loving feeling of the mothers and "I am so glad of that," cried Margaret; "I 98 THE VOYAGE OP THE CONSTANCE, never can think wliy men like to kill creatures whenever they see them happy and wild." "And the walrus is not at all a ferocious creature. It is quite harmless unless attacked, and feeds on the plants that grow in the sea. But the Esquimaux must attack them for their own subsistence. To them the flesh, oil, skins, and tusks of the walrus are all valuable." " Well, at any rate. Captain M'Clure was very kind." "So he was, Maggie. You must understand we had already parted company with the ' Enter- prise.* Captain CoUinson is likely to bring her home again by Cape Horn, I hear." "What! though the north-west passage is found ! " said Edward. " Wait a bit, and you will hear how that is," said John. " Now find Cape Barrow, the north- west extreme point of America. We rounded that cape at midnight, about ten miles I m the coast, and turned our faces homeward. Ihe ' In- vestigptor' was the first ship that had entered the Arctic Sea by Behring's Straits." "That is one good thing," said Margaret, at which John had a good fit of laugh^' ng." " We thought so too, Maggie," md he, " We were in a state of great excitement, I can assure you, and every mile of easting that we made the merrier were we. The sailors were just the same. Loud songs and cheers rang over the ice. There it lay before us, a waclo of ice as far as the eye could see in the direction of Melville Island," THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 99 " Just like Parry's account of his sailing west- ward," said Edward. "I suppose you got to where he stopped, that is what I expect to hear." " Wait a minute ! you sail too fast, Master Edward. We had to struggle on our course through such difficulties as are not mastered very quickly. We kept very near the coast, sailing through the land water — a shallow lane of water between the coast and the ice-line." " How wide is it ? " asked Edward. " It varies from a few yards to a mile. The ice is of immense thickness, twenty or thirty feet at least, and the open water, narrow as it is, is encumbered besides with floating pieces. I have known the ships tremble in every timber, and groan as we strack against them in tha dense fogs that prevail there. In this way we sailed on till we were nearly in the longitude of Mel- ville Island, but quite five degrees to the south. What lay between we did not know. I have missed out numbers of adventures, storms, meet- ing with Esquimaux, and all manner of things. I want to go straight on to the discovery of the passage, you know." " Yes, but you will tell us all the rest after- wards," said Margaret. "We shall have plenty of talk for the winter evenings." " We soon found we had land on the north. We named it Baring Land, but afterwards we found it was the southern point of the .same island — for island it is — that Parry named Banks' Land, seeing as he did its northern coast," I'i tm THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " y*;y I see it here on } mr chart," said Edward. " We sailed up this strait that you see here, and named it Prince of Wales' Strait. Now began our excitement." " To be sure : you were getting quite near the point where Parry wintered." "We knew that we were only sixty miles from Melville Sound, communicating with Barrow Strait. Only one week more of open water, and we should find the north-west passage." " Ah, but you could not be sure that the strait was not closed in by land, and would turn out to be only a sound or inlet of the sea." " We could not be sure, but everything looked like the contrary. The north-west wind brought the heavy sea-ice drifting down upon us, that was one sign." " 4nd did you get through ?" " We endured such battering among that same sea-ice as I could give you no idea of, if I had time- even, M'Clure bore it all without flinching. The wind blew from the south. On we went, churning through a drifting sea of ice, amidst darkness and snow. No matter, -o that it was towards the north-east. To go into harbour for the winter only sixty miles from Melville Sound was a thing not to be thought of. On the 23d of Septem^ -r, however, the wind increased to a gale, we were . : e* in the pack, and drifted on help- lessly will: .0 irt. You know the meaning of my ice-lun^vii- re, i think V " THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE, 101 " Yes, yes,' said Edward. " We know that to be ' beset in the pack' means to be caught fast in the great mass of loose ice extending beyond one's sight." " TSe furious gale drove the pack and our ship with it towards the high cliffs of an island we saw before us ; they were four hundred feet high. There was nothing to be done ; we were powerless." Edward remembered his father once saying, when they were talking of shipwrecks and dread- ful danger by sea and land, " When you are powerless, remember that you are in His hand, whose power and love are infinite, and endure with patience and courage to the end." " How did the crew bear it ? " he asked. " Not a man looked pale or lost courage ; all stood on deck, facing those cliffs. I heard what two of the sailors said at one moment : * It looks a bad job this time,' said one. ' Yes,' answered the other, shading his eyes from the driving snow, and looking steadily at the dark cliffs looming through it, ' the old craft will double up like an old basket when she gets alongside of those rocks.'" " Oh, John, go on !" said Margaret. " Onward we drove ; we were only five hundred yards from the cliffs ; we could hear the sea-birds on them screaming; when, instead of the crash we expected, we were carried on by the tide that set round their base,and swept — or coach- wheeled, as the sailors call it — past the island." I : "i^ "^*:S 102 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCY). " It was a wonderful escape," said Mrs. Ami- strong. " It was, and this day reconciled M'Clure to lay up the ship for the winter. Jt was very- trying, but yet we were all glad when, after some severe nips, m which every timber groaned and cracked, and the bells began to ring with the surging and trembling, we finally settled down in the ice. " Well, then, when did you discover the pas- sage ? ^ "After the ship was safely housed in for the winter, and everything had shaken into its regular order-and very well and very happy we were I assure you— Captain M'Clure started with a sledge-party to the northward, overland. It was on the 21st October, the thennonieter below zero and the travelling very difficult over rough ice and tiirough deep, drifted snow. We pitched our tent at niglit, and rested content with a little frozen peminican and some melted snow." "What is pemmican ?" asked Margaret. "Edward knows, as he saw his father's stores I dare say. It is a compound of meat, witli the fat, but without bones, i)ressed together firmly and much used for long voyages, from ccntaininnr' so much nourislm.ent in little si)ace. Do yoS understand, Maggie?" Margaret said she did, and that she wanted hnn to go on. reach the foot of a hill that wo had long looked THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. lOS to as a landmark, and expected we should be able to make our observations from." " But could you not get to its top ?" "Not that night. We were obliged to halt there, and pitch our tent. You must remember we had but little daylight now. The sun only rose a few degrees above the horizon, and soon sank again. But before sunrise next morning, M'Clure, with a small party, began the ascent of the hill. It was the 2Gth of October. We reached the top, and patiently waited for the increase of light. As the sun rose, the panorama was slowly unveiled : the coast of Banks' Land ended about twelve miles from where we stood, and then turned away to the north-west ; away to the north lay the frozen waters of Melville Strait, bounded to the north by Melville Island. There was no land between — nothing but the hills and dales of blue crystalline ice described by Parry. We had reached the sea where he stopped. The north-west passage was discovered !" "What did you feel? what did you do?" asked Edward. " I think there was a low, fervent sound, like 'Thank God !' that rose from among us." " It was a worthy moment for thankfulness," said Mrs. Armstrong. "And did all the Margaret. " They did, and wo went on altogether to the north-east point of the island ; M'Cluro named it Cupo Lord John RusbcU. There wo encamped men come on ?" asked 104 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, for the night. As we reached the shore of Melyile Strait the men clieered lustily: they Jiglited a bonfire-a miniature one, certain^, made of a broken sledge aiid some dwarf willow -and had an extra glass of grog. Next morning we bmlt a cairn, hoisted the English flag on it buried a record of our visit under it, and turned lioinewaids— I mean sJiipwards." " I suppose you had a warm welcome when you got there with your good news ?" " You may be sure of that, and very welcome and Avarm we found the good ship too. Poor old Investigator!' It is sad to think of her lying tJiere deserted now !" "I cannot let you think or talk more to-night John, said Mrs. Armstrong. "Take him up to US room, Edward. I only fear we have let him tell us too much." " I will obey, for I do feel rather tired Mind I must have my window wide open, and no blanlcets. Goodnight! I can hardly believe I am gouig to sleep at home once more." 105 CHAPTER IX. THE RESCUE. Xt was several days before John was able to .._ave his room. His happiness at first had made him appear better tlian he really was. But the good nursing ho received, and the cheerful ayonings with Edward, who always sat by Uim after lio came in, soon began to have a good effect on liim, and by the Saturday tliat ended the week he was able to take a sho.-t walk in the woods, often stopping to rest His dehght with the wide views of the country and the exclamations ho would sometimes make at the beauty of the commonest wild flower made them understand, better than any descrij^tion could have done, what a dreary scene he had been accustomed to look upon for the last throe years When they wore returning, and taking their last rest within sight of the cottage-roof which rose among the trees, John declared that ho ha.l hnmd such a deligiitful bed among the heather and such a soft log for a pillow, that if they would indulge him by sitting still for a little longer ho would reward them by telling, what he knew iT^argriii;! m espeeiul was full of curiosity to know Iiow he managed to get home, and why ho felt eo coiufortablo about Capt^iin M'Cluro and his crew u !■ (Ij; 11 A 106 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. though the poor " Investigator" could not bring them, "Oh, thank you, John!" cried Margaret; "I made Edward promise he would not let you tell him without mamma and me, and I know he has kept his word. But before you begin I want to ask you one question ; did you keep Christmas-day ?' "Yes, we did, every year — even our last dreary winter. We had religious service, and wo managed to make something like a feast, and to get up some games, some good stories, and good laughs." "And did you think of us? We always thought of you, and drank your health, and wished for you safe home again." " I did indeed ! Many a time did my heart turn to you all, and to my dear home— my home since I was a boy of ten years old. I remember, as well as if it were yesterday, how your motlier and father came for me to my grim old school, for which I had no fancy, and brought me away to this very cottage we see there among the trees, and never let mo go again except to my .shi])s. and always welcomed me back from eveiy voyage- I remember thinking Uncle Henry liad married the most beautiful and the sweetest lady in all the world. No orphan-boy had ,':uch a home as I had, 1 believe. But. Maggie, I will go on with my story now : you know I left ofl" in Prince of Wales' Strait; we never moved till July of next a ^ »' •' ouitiilicr. " We are in ol now/' said Edward. f Jl THE RESCUE. 107 " The year of the Great Exhibition in London, and such a fine warm summer ! What a contrast to yours I" " Contrast enough ! We had drifted to within twenty-five miles of Melville Sound, but there we found the impenetrable pack ice extending from shore to shore. It was vain to hope to get through it, so M'Clure made up|^ his mind at once. The helm was put up ; the good ship wore round upon her keel, set all sail, and sped rapidly to the south-west before the wind, to round the southern shore of Banks' Land, pass up its western coast, and enter Melville Sound by its northern coast. We had a splendid run, with six miles width of clear water on the southern shore, always seeing the great ice-field beyond. This lasted till we changed our course to the north ; but I can give you no idea of the stupendous nature of the west coast of Banks' Land. The ice drew from forty to fifty feet water — I mean, it was forty or fifty feet thick below the water — and sometimes a Imndred above it. The clift's, on the other liand, were precipices of four or f.ve hundred feet in heiglit; between these we sailed. The lane of water had diminished to two hundred yards, sometimes much less. Once the quarter-boats had to be topped ap, to prevent tliem touching one or the other. Once the lower studding-sail boom had to be topped up for tlie same reason. We reached the north-west [)oint of tlie island, liowever, after a narrow enc jgh escape, and there we were beset: there was not room to drop a I i 108 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. lead-line down round the vessel, and the copper upon her bottom was hanging in shreds or rolled ap like brown paper." •' You had had a battle with the ice, indeed ! " "Yes; I fancy Sebastopol is not harder to conquer. We used to make excursions ashore while we were beset, and among other tilings we lound that there had been great forests of trees there once: portions of them, chiefly fossilized appeared in the ravines in whole layers." "How very curious!" said Edward. "Does anything grow there now ? " "Large tracts are covered with the moss on winch rein-deer feed. There are some coarse grasses, and here and there anemones, sorrel pop- pies, and saxifrage. Willow and birch a)-e found but certainly not of very splendid growth ; some of them may reach the height of five inches." " John, you are laughing at us ! " " No, indeed, it is quite true. The fossil trees were not very large ; we measured some, about a foot and a half in diametei-, but there may be arger. that we did not seo. It will perhaps set learned people speculating to think at what time the chmate was mild enough to grow them. They were extremely hard and heavy." " And were there many animals ? " " Immense herds of deer and nuisk-oxcn ; and contrary to usual experience in the Arctic regions, they did not migrate southward in winder." Ihat will uiii'ikfioo T-./^^v.xi,. I » __• 1 1:1 1 .. " We sjaw numbers of ptarmigan also, and J THE RESCUE. 109 must not forget the tish. How you would have liked to see them, Maggie ! We found two deep fresh-water lakes ; one of them had no fish at all, the other was crowded with the prettiest little salmon-trout, and after it was frozen over we could see them as plainly as possible through the beautiful transparent ice sporting about." " I should have liked to see them very much," said Margaret. " Then how far did you sail ? Did you get into Melville Sound ? That is what I want to know," said Edward. " We did, but we were again driven into the pack, and had such tremendous conflicts with the ice that we were thankful to get into a safe bay on the northern coast of Banks' Land— so thank- ful, indeed, that M'Clure named it 'the Bay of God's Mercy.' There we lay through the winter of '51-2, and there the ' Investigator ' lies still : we never got her out. In vain throughout the next summer we looked for an opening. We employed the season in making sledge-journeys in search of Franklin. During the course of the season, also, M'Clure crossed the ice with a sledge and visited Winter Harbour in Melville Island ; he hoped to have found provisions or even a ship there, and was bitterly disappointed to find nothing." " Did he see Parry's stone at the entrance of the harbour, t«n feet high, with the namesof the 'Hecla' and 'Griper ' engraved on it?" asked Edward. '■'Yes, and left a record of his own visit on the top of it, telling where the ' Investigator ' lay, and 110 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. of his di.scoveiy of the north-west passage ; and thereby hangeth a tale." " Oh ! what ?" cried Margaret. " You shall hoar in good time. We were now in '52 you know ; and though we got abundance of fresh provisions, venison, and beef, yet many were on the sick list. The long darkness tried the men, but more than all, the disappointment at Melville Island, which caused anxiety and despondency. The winter of '52-3 came on, and then we were on short allowance, besides all else, for our captain had to provide against the chance of even a foui-th winter, and to think how it would be if the ice never opened throughout the summer of '53. Our coal fell short too, and we suffered from damp as well as cold." " Ah, you have gone through much suffering ; I do not wonder at your pale face now." " It would have gone worse witli us but for the venison. Strange to say, the deer haunted the neighbourhood of the ship. The extreme cold, the darkness — though that was relieved often by splendid moonlights and by the aurora —and our weakness, would have jjrevented our following them, but we had only to be out a few hours to bring in three or four. M'Clure called them our ' manna.' I have not told you of my accident and sprain; I will another time. It threw me on the sick list, with many others. When the spring of '53 came on, it was too evident that a number of us could nnt strand another vvintcr. M'Clure had made up his mind not to dosert his THE RESCUE. Ill and ship till forced by dire necessity, but he deter- mined to send off his weakest hands, in hopes of their reaching home by some ship, or other aid. We were told off in two parties of fifteen each ; one under Lieutenant Haswell, to go to Griffith's Island, where he knew Captain Austin had left a boat, and to attempt to roach Greenland." "Griffith's Island!" exclaimed Edward. "It is an immense journey from Mercy Bay. Sick, disabled men, to make such a journey, and then row to Greenland !" " It was a forlorn hope," replied John ; " but wo had to take our choice of one forlorn hope or another. The second party was to retreat upon Princess Royal Island — that island whose cliffs we so nearly struck upon, and which we honoured with this name— we had left a dep6t of provisions and a boat there in case of need. The second party, therefore, was to take this boat, load it with the provisions, and push for the Coppermine River, to the Hudson's Bay territories, and thence home." " That sounds like an easier journey, and yet we know by Franklin's experience thirty years ago what it might be," said Mrs. Armstrong. " Yes, we know that ; but we said nothing to the men, and all kept up heart, though be sure that many a poor fellow as ho limped about the ship with black and swollen limbs, knew full well, that though the journey vrould be his only chance for life, yet it was but a very poor one : and M'Clurc, with those who wore to remain — thcii-s was, perhaps, even less." 112 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " I see you here before me, or I should despair of It altogether," said Mrs. Armstrong ^ "We were to start on the 15th of April; mean- while, we had every care and i-est ard extra food to prepaid and strengthen us. The fii^t death that had occurred among us since we left England happened on the 5th. It had a bad moral effect and our captain made an address to us that day' us of the difficulties mastered, the honours won the rewards that were before us, the merciful Pro- vidence which had hitherto upheld us. He ended with these words-how often have I thought of them since!-' In the gloomiest hour of trialfrelief may and often does come, and the darkest cloud nas a silvery side.' "It was the 6th of April; one week before we were to start. M'Clure and the first lieutenant were walking near the ship, deliberating how to dig a grave for the poor fellow who had died while the ground was frozen so hard, when a hgure was seen rapidly walking towards them from the rough ice at the entrance of the Bav From his pace and gestures they fancied he was one of our party pursued by a bear. Presently i'o began to speak and gesticulate. The high wind carried his words away and brought only wild shouts to their ears. His dress was strange and unhke ours. His face covered with a t..ck=mask. Ihey stood still in astonishment, and when his words reached them they seemed incredible. "'I'm Lieutenant Pim, late of the "Herald/ n ? ' ■ "T'ln Lieutenant Tim of the 'Resolute' ; Caiitiiin Kellat is in lier (itr Melville Jsland."— />. 113. THE EESCUE. 113 now of the " Kesolute." Captain Kellet is in her off Melville Island.' " You may think how they rushed at him, and seized his hands. You may think how the news that relief had come, that our country' had not forgotten us, that a stranger was among us, flew through the ship. The sick forgot their weak- ness, and leaped from their hammocks; the work- men dropped their tools and ran to the hatchway. Lieutenant Pim will never forget the welcome he had that day." "No wonder! no wonder!" said Mrs. Arm- strong. Edward and Margaret had each hold of one of John's hands. He had risen up from his heather bed and soft pillow in his excitement. " We knew of the mission of the ' Resolute * and ' Intrepid ' to look for you," said Mrs. Aiin- strong, "or our anxiety would have been dreadful. It was mainly owing to Mr. Cresswell, the father of your first lieutenant, whose letter to the Ad- miralty succeeded in rousing the fears of Govern- ment about Captain Collinson's expedition. My husband had also exerted himself about it the very moment he returned from his own voyage. I was glad to hear you mention the ' Enterprise ' as likely to come home," "Yes, she has made some important discoveries in geography, and will arrive soon, I hope ; but has heard nothing of Franklin." " But was Lieutenant Pim all alone ? and how did he find out where you were?" asked Margaret "No, he was not alone. Two men came up 'H 3 1 4 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. soon after him with a dog-sledge; As to how he found us, that is my 'tale.' The 'Resolute' arrived at Melville Island in the autumn of 1852, and soon afterwards a sledge party went to Winter Harbour to deposit provisions, and look out for our expedition, and the lieutenant in command found, to his joy, M'Clure's document on Parry's famous stone, telling of the discovery of the north-west passage and the position of the ' Investigator,' The moment, therefore, that siu-ing permitted another sledge party to start, Lieutenant Pim was sent off to us, Ho left the 'Resolute' on the 10th of March, and reached the * Investigator,' as I have said, on the 0th of April." "And now, what did you do next ?" "Our captain set off back to the 'Resolute' with Pim, to confer with Captain Kellett, still determined to stand by his ship. We, the sick, were despatched in detachments, and by the aid of sledges and the abundance of food which wo could now freely use, we reached the two shipM in safety, and met with indescribable care and kind- ness ; and it was not long before we were joined by M'Cluro and tlio remainder of our crew. How- ever mucli Captain Kellett might sympathise in M'Clure's desire to stand by his whip, ho could not, as tlie superior officer, sanction it. Two more jnen had died; the medical oHicer's report was very bad ; M'Cluro was obliged to yield. So they landed the stores and provisions for the use of UoUiiison or any ono else ; secured the ship ho oa THE RESCtrfi. 115 to prevent her being blown to sea in any futurp» gale; hoisted the colours to the mast-head; and turned their backs on he* as sorrowfully as you would on any well-tried .riend in his adversity. Soon afterwards Lieutenant Cresswell was sent off with a sledge party to Beechey Island, where the 'Phoenix' steamer wa«. I accompanied him, and with him returned home in her. I hope the two ships will soon follow us ; they only waited for the ice to break up." "Our hearts are very grateful that you are safe with ug, after all these dangers," said Mrs. Armstrong ; and then she sat silent, shading her face with her hand. She never uttered any of the sad forebodings that she felt herself; but her thoughts liad flown to him who was in the midst of dangers equally great, and in remote regions, where no ships were likely to meet with him, or rescue him, if ho needed it. The melancholy tone of John's voice as ho went on seemed to echo her thoughts. " Wo have brought home one very sad piece of news. Bollot, the French officer, who wo** beloved like a brother throughout Sir Kdward Belcher's scjuadron, ia dead ; lost in a chasm of the ice." " Oh ! liow deeply grieved my husband will be for him," said Mrs Armstrong. " No one that knew him will ever forget liim," said John, " Even the Esquimaux mourned for him. He had done them many kind ollices. ' Poor Bellot!' they would say, shaking their heads, •Poor Bollot!'" rp 116 CHAPTER X, TEIDENT. On Sunday evening, John, who was beginning to get stronger every day, joined Edward and Mar- garet in a walk to the village, to call on Peter He said he longed to see the old fellow again, and hear what he would say about the "Investigator" and her discovery. Peter was sitting in his parlour, in his respect- able Sunday clothes, reading his weekly paper and came out to the gate to let them in, in a state of excitement, such as he very seldom showed, for he was very much pleased to see John, who had always been a great favourite with him. " Come in, come in, sir !" said he ; "and Master l!.dward and Miss Margaret. I am very glad to see you come back safe, sir ; only you do look wonderful bad. Come down, Susan ! Here's the lieutenant come back from the North Polo. Sit down, sir ; plea^so to sit down all. Here's cheers." Miu Grecly ioon made her appearance, look- ing as nice, and fresh, and bright as possible, in her best gown and cap. She made many curtsies and said the visit was very kind, and begged them to bo seated. "I was just reading the account of iho. north- west pasaage in the i)apers," said Peter. "You ii TRIDENT. 117 do look bad, though, Mr. John. Why, you're not above half the size you was when you went. I spent fifteen shillings a-week on the doctors all the first year after I came home, and you're like to do the same to all appearance." John laughed, and said he hoped not, and asked Peter what he thought of the news ? " It's a good thing the north-west passage is found, and so we shan't have men risking their lives looking for it," said he. " As to the passage itself, what's the use of it? I don't see any, unless ships can be made to sail over ice. Per- haps we shall have some patent discovery of that kind soon." "Well, but then, Peter, you wouldn't have given it up ? Confess, now, you would have gone on tiying till you made it out somehow?" said Edward. Peter gave various grunts, but it was impos- sible to say exactly what they meant. Then he looked down at the lieutenant's lame foot, and said, " Frost bite, 1 .suppo.se i" "Sprain first and frost bite afterwards," re- plied John. " What are they going to do for you, d'ye think, after all this?" was his next qu(3stion. "According to you, I have not done anything to deserve nmch of a grateful country," replied John. "Your captain's not come liomo, neither, yet," Maid Peter. "Tht'y wont .sol about the reward till then. Perha|).':) the ' Kesoluto ' will be fro^ i ii I •118 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. up again. Who knows ? You left her at Melvillo Island, they say." "I (devoutly hope she will not," said John. "But 'who knows,' Peter, as you truly observe." " They must give the reward for discovery of the noith-west passage — that's a promise, you know— and your ship did it; unless, indeed, Franklin should he found, and it turns out he discovered it before you." " And I am sure tliere is not a man among us who would not joyfully give it up to him, if it was a hundred times as much." " I believe ye, sir," said Peter. " But, without any detiiment to Franklin, I hope you will get a good share of it. I'm sure there's not an officer in her Majesty's navy deserves it better than you." ' Thank you, Peter, heaitily, for your good opinion of mo." "I'm glad, though, sir," said Peter, "you don't expect much. It's best not. When wo weie aboard of the ' Isabella,' I said to Barney Wood, one of our seamen, says I, ' We're all to be kings and queens when we land, you know. Now I bet you a shillin the first man wo meet when wo touch English ground, will try to cheat us.* ' Done,' says Barney. Well, ho and I landed at Woolwich in the steamer out of a boat with two other men. We see them pay sixpence each, so wo lugged out sixpence. ' It's a shillin,' says tho waterman. 'You cheating knave,' says I, 'we ci... j.„^. ".--jst_iis.c. i-ju iiiai/i/cr, says he; 'vou owe me a shillin each.' 'What's the TRIDENT. 119 row ? ' saya a lad ashore. ' We're two o' the " Victory's " crew/ aays I, * and he wants us to pay a shillin for landmg us.' A crowd gathered in no time, and thoy began liooting and abusing the waterman ; and in the midst of the confusion we cut away, and paid nothing at all." "At all events," said Edward, "the crowd, like worthy representatives of 'a grateful coun- try,' took your side." "Yes, but I won my bet for all that," said Peter. "So you did," said John. "But how hap- pened it you landed at Woolwich? I thought the ' Isabella ' was bound for Hull." " She v/as, sir ; but I'll tell you how that was. When we got to the Humber the officers went asliore in a steamer. We laid at anchor for the tide. Next day morning we got under weigh at four o'clock, and should have been in at seven. As we came nigh we saw every i)laco crowded, where there was a view, to see us land ; as thick as bees the peoi)le were. I should tell you, that bi'foro '^aptain Ross went ashore we mustered and asked him for some money. ' Oh ! ' says ho, ' you don't want any money yet.' Well, all wo wanted was to get ashore r.t Hull." " I've no doubt of that," said John. " Wo knew wo should have been treated to anything. But, first of all, before we went ashore wo thought wo would have a slap-up breakfast. You see, when wo first got aboard of tiie 'Isa- bella' in Baffin's Bay, Captain Ross says to J- -I 120 THE VOYAOR OP THE CONSTANCE. Captain Humphreys— that was the name of the captain of the ' Isabella '—' Now,' he says, 'Cap- tain Humphreys, 1 give these men to your charge and disposal/ 'Proud I am,' answered he, 'to take charge o' such a set o' men. Well, my lads,' says ho, 'you as like to work may work, and you as like to play may play, and when I serve out grog to my crew I servo out grog to you all.' Three cheers at that." " Of course," said John. " But after breakfast, what then ? " " Oh, you have not got to breakfast yet." "What, "twixt the cup and the lip there'a many a slip,' was that it ? " "That's where it is, sir. We'd spread our table all comfortable, when the London steamer came alongside. Some one sings out, ' Here's a steamer ! Come up and have a look at the Lon- don steamer.' She popped up alongside and demanded sixteen of the 'Victory's' crew. There was a death blow ! " "Then you did not like to go to London?" asked Margaret. " No, no, miss. It was at Hull we wanted to land. The people was like be(>s, as I said before waiting for us. Well, the 'Isabella' was lashed ostain of the steamer, and we wore handed over the starn and off wo went. The men put our luggage into the boat and sent it aboard, and gave us three cheers, which we returned." "And you had had no breakfast either TRIDENT, 121 after all the trouble of getting it," said Mar- garet, looking reproachfully at John, who wa.s laughing. " As soon as we parted I says to our steward, ' Now, Bill, what do you think o' this ? Hero we are ! no money in our pockets, and no breakfast!' ' It's a bad job,' says he. Well, it was a bad job I couldn't sanction nohow. So I takes off my cap and goes round the deck to the passengers, and says, ' *' Victory's " crew ! ' and I think I collected sixteen shillin's. I called all our men together and showed them how much. Then wc called the steward o' the steamer, and asked him if he couldn't accommodate us with some breakfast. Ham and beef; quart o' rum; dozen o' stout; dozen o' ale." "Well done, Peter," said John. " He says, ' I've some news to tell ye. Captain Ross called at our office last night, and he left £2 for each man, and said that was to pay your pass- age to London, and keep you for a few days ; but the steamboat company, taking into consideration the hardships we had endured, they had given us a free passage to London, and he was to supply us with provisions at cost price.' At this hand- some conduct we gave three cheers. This roused the ship. All the passengers came forward to see us, and mighty civil they were." " Well, come," said John, " you got on pretty well after all." " C!H.''>tii!n T^iOHH. HR!(I Ptti^sr. " lis.(l fJn'o.fl diniisi'S provided for him at Hull, where he went and 1 .1 -m dna I 122 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. showed iiisself, and tlien he posted to London and dined with the king." " No, no, Peter ; I think he was presented to the king," said John. " Oh, well, it may bo so. I want to ask you some questions, sir, about this account of your voyage in the papers, if you will be so good as explain about it. "I will, with the greatest pleasure," replied John. " I'll call again soon, and tell you anything you want to hete, but we must go now. It's getting late." '■ Good evening, sir, then, and thank you for coming; and the same to you, Master Edward, and Miss Margaret." "Yes, I'm sure," said Mrs Greely, "and I wish you better soon, sir." " Old Greely has always a great deal of truth on his side in his diy remarks," said John, as they walked away. " Everybody at home is thinking too much about the Crimean war to care much about discoveries in the Arctic seas, I fancy." " They do care," said Margaret, indignantly. " I am sure it would be a great shame if thoy did not." "So it would, Maggie. Only think of Peter having taught me to grumble ! What a fine dog that is of yours ! What has become of poor old Nep ? I have been on the point of asking after him a dozen times, but we have had so much to talk of that I never have." " Poor tlilwftrd. old ffillow ho. (b'nd laaf. lAgf. vQar ID 1/1 i TRIDENT. 123 " And where did you get this one ? This is a finer dog than Neptune was." "I am sure you will laugh, John, when you hear," said Margaret. "I'll tell you how it was," said Edward. " When Sir Hugh lived at the Cedars — before he went to Aberdeen, you know — he had a favourite Newfoundland called Chloe, who had three pup- pies and then died." " We were so sorry," said Margaret, " and so was Sir Hugh." " He had the puppies brouglit up by hand," continued Edward, " and great care taken of then^. We often used to go and see them, and Nep always went with us, and he took the most extraordinary affection for them ; he used to lick them all over, and when they began to run about, would lie down and let them play with his tail, and bite his ears, and jump about him. At last he took to trotting off to Sir Hugh's by himself, and staying there for a good while with them." "Yes, and he used to lead them out on the lawn there," added Margaret, " and look after them when they played about; and if you had seen how fierce he was if any stranger came near them ! And if any other dog showed his face, he was soon sent off." "I can exactly fancy Nep guarding them," said John. "He was certainly a most original old fellow." « 117-11 Al- _ ! ±1-_X i»_jl _ >T uii, i/iit; very uvciiiiig tuai/ my itiiner camo home from his last voyage," continued Edward ; Mi 124 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. again, "Nep disappeared after dinner, and pre- sently made his appearance at tlie drawing-room window, looking very important, wagging his tail slowly and with dignity, and behind him stood the three puppies, all staring in with their round, wide-opened eyes, and wagging their little scrubby tails. He waited till we had patted and praised him, and petted his adopted children as long as he thought proper ; then he led them home again, and came back to attend to his duties here. After this they were cbntinually coming up and wan- dering about the wood with Nep, he teaching them to scratch about, and letting them play while he watched." " And is this fine fellow one of Nep's adopted sons ? " " Yes ; and I'll tell you how he got his funny name," said Margaret. " Edward said, that very first day when they came to the window, ' Why, Neptune, so you've got your Trident now ! ' So we always used to say when we saw them, ' Here comes Nep with his Trident.' Well, John, one of the poor little things died of the distemper. Nep pined about it very much. He really did. Didn't he, Eddy?" "Oh, I'm sure he did." " We used to say, ' Poor Nep ! you've lost one prong of your Trident,' and he quite understood." " I don't at all mean to say he died of grief," Edward went on, " but certain it is that he had a fit. poor felloW; not lonsr after and thovch wf> d'd aU we possibly could to save him, he died." TRIDENT. 125 "Poor old Nep! Then Sir Hugh gave you this fine fellow to console you, I suppose ? " " Yes, and we called him Trident. His sister, the other puppy. Sir Hugh kept for himself, and called her Chloe, after her mother, and took her away to Aberdeen with him. She's quite black, and very handsome they say," ^ "Well, I think poor old Nep showed great kindness of heart, and wonderful sentiment, too." " Yes, we were very sorry at his death," said Margaret. "We buried him in the wood, and planted a silver fir on his grave. We will show it to you when you like; but here we are at home, and I daresay you will be glad to go in and rest; besides, tea is ready, and there is mamma at the window looking for us." 126 CHAPTER XI. SIR HUGH ARMSTRONG. The winter that followed was unusually severe. The snow lay on the ground for five weeks. John would not suffer his aunt to draw the inference that it must, therefore, bo unusually severe in the Ai-ctic regions, or she would cer- tainly have done so. He assured her that we know nothing about that, and that it was quite impossible to judge by weather here what it might be there. John enjoyed the cold, and got better rapidly. Indeed, he had not been two months at home before he recovered his lame- ness, and began to look like himself again. Ed- ward, too, seemed to enjoy the cold ; at least, so most people used to say who observed how he went on. He continued his habit of bathing and swimming in the river near the cottage every morning, even when he had to break tlio ice at the edge. He kept his window open all night and cared little whether the study fire wa,s lighted or no while he prepared his lessons. No weather, rain, snow, or storm, prevented his going to Dr.' Truman's, and when the half-y.mr's report wa- made up he was found to be the only student who had never missed one day's attendance. His character in everv other resnppf. wna h\"h v.rr.^ SIR HUGH ARMSTRONG. 127 in Latin, wliicli used to bo his bane, the result of the examination was " Good" written against his name. It must bo allowed, however, that if the examination had been in snow-balling, sliding, and skating, the word would have been " Excel- lent." . But it was not that Edward had acquired a new taste for ice and snow, frosty wind, and freezing water. He had a secret purpose in this process of hardening himself. " If you had been one year older you might have borne it," he said to himself, repeating his father's words. " My father would not think I was wrong to go the voyage next spring even; the foUowing one lie would quite approve of it, and if I harden myself to bear cold, not only this winter but next, I am sure I could stand it well." A dread, which some people would call a presenfnuciii but which was, in truth, only the necessary consequence of his knowledge of the nature of the Arctic regions, and of the dangers John had escaped from— a dread that his father would not return throughout the next season had taken possession of him, and he had resolved thai if it really turned so he would find some means of following when the next spring came round, and rescuing his dear father, if God permitted. To wait tlirough the second winter would be a dreadful time, but it was impossible to help it. He must not risk a third winter in the ice ; that was certain. The other aiteriiaiive, ine luua, tuixi> ma x^^t.^r Ao.j.a be lost, he drove away with horror. " If by the ilH! 128 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, end of next season he is not heard of, I will go and find him ;" that was his fixed determination. His mother alone had guessed his secret, but she said nothing. The conflict in her heart was too severe for words. If in the attempt to rescue her husband she had to risk her son, now dearer than ever to her, what a hard trial awaited her ! But she was prepared to meet it. She knew that when the time came, if come it must, she should speed him on his way. Edward employed himself during the Christ- mas vacation in training Trident to draw a sledge Every one but Edward's mother thought this was only an amusement, but she knew well that it was another part of his plan. "He is ricrht" thought she. " A faithful dog like Trident may do some great service. He shall go too." Many a time her eyes were dimmed with tears while she watched the merry party careering along- Margaret, seated in the pretty little light sledge' wrapped up warmly, while Trident pulled with a good will, and Edward ran full speed by the side, teaching him to obey according to the word ot command. Right ! left ! halt ! walk ! trot ! gallop I hurrah ! ! At this last word Edward was left far behind, for Trident wont full speed, and Margaret's voice waa sometimes heard trying to make him attend to the order of " halt 1 " In this way they travelled miles over the snowy roads. The slodiro was n. rnnsfju-m'onQ r^f P^i««»_ __a " ~ I '■'■ Awtcia art, as8isto«■ 138 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Say whence, nor how far. He took it again in his hands, and went down with it, and as he did so he stopped suddenly, as the thought occurred to him "though he brings no note he must have left my father's care within a few days ; tour or five days ago, then, my father was safe." He hurried into the house, and got a cup of cold water, rightly thinking that was the first want of his poor little pet. He put its beak into the water ; it lay there without moving ; he tried in vain for many minutes to rouse it to drink ; then he took water in his own mouth, put Launcy's beak to his lips, and tried so, and succeeded at last. The poor little thing swallowed a few drops, then lay motionless, as if the etfort had been too much for it ; then again swallowed a little ; till, having once begun, it went on and drank freely a long draught from the cup. Poor Launcy was saved. Edward then tried to get him to eat, and managed first to get some canary seed, that Mar- garet kept for her birds, down his throat ; then some hemp seed ; then bread crumbs ; and at last a few peas. Afterwards water again. Edward then placed him gently in i basket with some soft hay, and watched him till ho folded his wings and settled to sleep. All this time Edward's doubts and guesses about his father liad become continually more terrible. If n.y father wore on his way home- ward ho would not have sent the bird. He said bo would not isk Ills life in tiiat case — at least, unless he found Franklin ! But then ho would THE MESSENGER. 139 surely have sent a note to say so. How can it be that there is none ? Has the ship been wrecked, or some dreadful disaster happened, and the bird escaped and flown away ? There may have been something tied under the wing, and ft may have been lost ; but if everything was right, and he had time, my father would have been sure to tie it on securely. Tormenting himself with these fears, Edward looked up at his mother's windows. It was still so early that he could not bear to disturb her; but he longed so much to tell her that the poor bird had come back to them, and to hear what she felt and would think about there being no note, that he went softly to her door, and tapped very gently, caiiying the basket. She opened the dcjr herself; she was up and dressed. Ho was not prepared for this, and had intended to announce the news carefully to her, lest he should give her a shock ; but now, when seeing liis agi- tated face, she asked rather hurriedly what was the matter, ho held up the basket. "Oh, he has sent it!" she ciied. "It has come! Give mo his note!" "There is none, my dear mother .'—there is nothing," said Pxlward ; and ho placed the basket on the floor, held her hands tenderly in his, and looked at her anxiously. " None !— not a word ! He would have sent a letter carefully if he had been able, and ho would not iiavo sent the hird at all so late in the season M this if ho were coming himself this year. But 140 THR VOYAGE OF THK COXSTAXf'R. that little creature has come from his hands; perhaps only a few days ago he held it. He is going farther from ua, Edward — I know he is!" and she trembled so that she was obliged to sit down. "But I cannot understand," she went on, "there being no note. I begin to fear something dread- ful. The ship may have been wrecked, and the bird has escaped and flown back." These w^ords, echoing Edward's thought, made him start and turn pale ; and instead of being able to strengthen his mother, his tongue seemed to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and she looked at him in terror. But the sound of their voices had awakened Margaret, who slept in the next room ; and she had started up, and ran in to see what was the matter. She was in a moment kneeling beside the basket, kissing and fondling her little Launcy, rejoicing that he had returned, and asking for his message. " None, my child ! — no message ! " said her mother, in a tone of anguish. "But there has been one!" cried Margaret. "Look here! I fel a little cord under the feathers. Lo'»k, mannnal Feel, Pldward ! " She was right. There was a small and fine cord, as she naid, carefully faRteno ONSTANCE. could hold out, ho would never have sent to us; he would not huve encouraged a useless risk of other valuable lives , I know my husband too well for that. If he knew that before -".a > 3ome they must ;" but she could not go on— the dreadful ininges that came before hei- made her turn desAly pale. Both J -hn and Edward went to her. Edward's arm supj)urted her, and she soon recovered herself. " 1 uLi must go now, my dear boy !" she said ; but I shall see you again ?" " Oh yes ! I shall only settle with Sir Hugh what can be done, and then return to prepare for the voyage." John had already- got the portmanteau on his shoulder, and w{}3 standing at the door. "He only goes to see me off," said Edward; " he will be back with you directly, and tell you of all our plans and hopes, thai I have no time for. Good-bye, my poor little Maggie !— my uear, dear mother !" And he ran nfter J( in, who was already on his way. 149 CHAPTER XIII. PREPARATION. The third day brought the following letter from Edward to his mother: — " Aberdeen, June 8th, 1854. " My Dear Mother,— Sir Hugh gives us a ship ! He will not hear the word 'expense.' He will not let you even share it with him. But, better t}?an all, we may be off by the 1st of July. How it happens that he can be so quick over his pre- pai :ions I will tell you when I have time. How kind, ,4 ^nerous, and noble Sir Hugh is ! I knew he was, t >ut he is more than I knew, " Tell Jo' 1 we want him here the very moment he can settle .is business at the Admiralty. He is wanted here very much indeed. I shall wait till he comes, and do all I can, for there is a great deal to do ; but then I am so ignorant about it all, that I can do hardly any ^nod without him. " My dear mother, I think of you very often. Sometimes I feel as if you could never get through such a hard trial nnd terrible time as this will be; but I hope you will, for our sakes— for my father's sake ! Think of him when he comes home ! He must find you well, to cheer him after all he has suffered. "Oaly think that Sir Hugh, who we little 1 11: a 150 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. fancied had any anxious thoughts about my father, has been all tiiis time pieparing a ship that it might be ready for next spring, in case he did not come home this year. She is built of great strength, for Arctic service, and if never wanted for this search, was to be used as a whaler, but she is now fitted with a screw-enedne. This is of the greatest importance for our speed. We shall not care for calms or contrary winds, and boring through the ice is much easier with a steamer. She is christened the ' Constance ;' do you like that name ? " I have just found out that I may go and see her before the post hour, so I will stop now, and finish when I come in. w » » « « "I have seen the 'Constance,' and am delighted with her. She has three masts. They say her build is so capital, and she carries such a crowd of sail, that she has proved a first-rate sailer, though she is five feet solid timber in the bows and has a double deck. Tell Maggie she is painted black, with a bright band of white and blue, and a lady dressed in white and blue for a figure-head. I wish the face was like you, but it is not. Maggie will not think black sounds pretty, but it will look very well rising out of the blue sea, with the tall masts and new white sails. We shall have several flags for signals, and mean to come back into har- bour in triumph, decked out in them, and you aie both to be on the pier to receive us. " 1 liave not told you thai Aunt Mary Bets oflf PREPAEATION. 151 this afternoon f(T London, to go to you. Sir Hugh cannot bear to be without lier, but he is ready to do anything to comfort you. She has been so affectionate to me ! She is very unhappy about us all. I shall soon come and bring her, you, and Maggie back here with me, if you will consent. Sir Hugh hopes you will. You will then see us off. "I have only a very little more time now, but I have a great deal to tell you. One thing I must say, Trident and Cliloe are both to go, if you will let Trident, and I know you will ; and Sir Hugh wiU look out for four more Newfoundlanders to make a splendid team. I have no time to tell you about our plans, sledges, etc., now. " I only arrived here early this morning, At first they would not believe me, but I showed them the little bit of paper, and then they did You were right to give it me. Aunt Mary cried so bitterly, and Sir Hugh quite trembled and looked white. He kept saying, ' My dear Harry' my dear Harry ! I sent him ! It was I sent him ! ' And then he rose up tlie moment I spoke of a ship, and told me about the one he had prepared and declared that we should have her ready in three weeks. And he was so pleased about John going, I cannot tell you all he said: ' He's a brave noble fellow ! I could not have found such a commander at a short notice! But then he began to make it a condition that I should not want to RO too. I hardlv know wlmf, I aa\A l^„4. u^ very angry with me— called me a headstrong, i: li! 152 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. foolish boy, that couhl lie of no use, and would run into danger for nothing. I pleaded very hard with him. I said, ' Remember, John will have his ship to think of; his crew to care for; I shall have only one aim in the world — to find my father and save him. Just at the moment when he might be found, and when by delay we might lose him, John might be obliged by duty to stay by his ship and his men. I am not, indeed I think I am not, headstrong ; I only want to save my father.' " Well, 1 know that before I had done I was shaking all over, and that they both came to me, and Aunt Mary said, ' He is right, my dear uncle.' I heard her say that, and then he asked if you had consented, and I said you had. So then he consented, too, and was very kind to me. Aunt Mary made me have some breakfast, and would not let me speak again, but made me go and lie down on the bed, and I was so dreadfully tired that I went to sleep directly, and when 1 awoke it was twelve o'clock; and when I had had time to think and remember the ship, and that it was all settled, and wo were really to go, I could hardly believe it. But now I must not write any more. Give my love to Maggie, and, my dear mother, I am your affectionate son, " Edward Armstrong." This letter, wliich told Mrs. Armstrong all that was most iniportant tx) know, was speedily Ibllowed by the amval of her sister-in-law, who PEEPAEATION. 153 ^as astonished at her firmness under such trials. She ««;«^ed to have only one thought, and that was to speed the departure of the rescue-ship. She was employed every hour in preparing tl e necessary outfit for both John and Edward And now she had, besides, to make her arrange- ments for leaving Fernhill for a time, for she had agreed to accept Sir Hugh's invitation. In all tins Margaret assisted her, and while so fully empioyed recovered her spirits and often cheered lier mother. Aunt Mary was also of the greatest use by her affectionate sympathy and her act i vity and when there was any time for conversation her talk wa^s nearly always of Edward, whom she seemed unable to praise enough. Jo3m had so much business in town that ho nould be very little with them. He had, how! ever, completed everything; engaged ten first- rate seamen to mke up the requisite number ^^ ^h those Sir Hugh expected to secure in Aber- de.^:. and given the necessary orders for tents Pledges, and such of the provisions and stores as' were to be supplied in London, four days after Edwards letter arrived. He had left Qrcelv in charge of seeing everything .shipped off by the steamer when he should send notice that it was time and now he was sitting on the terrace with watch m hand, m order not to miss the train encourngmg Mrs. Armstrong to hope and trust' and setting the example by his checful face end' voice. Wlion anma /.rip "••• — * ^» ■ '- waiting and anxious to see him for five minutes. WMmmKammmim i54 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "Well, Peter, what is it?" said John, as he came up. "I'm come to say, sir," said Peter, "that if you haven't engaged with a carpenter, and will take me, I'm your man." " I have not fixed on a carpenter, and I heard this very day they have not found one yet down there. I could not have a better man than you, I know ; but tliink what you are about ! You'ie well off here." • " That's my nflfair, sir. I'm ready if you are. The Captain might ha' done better if he'd have taken me. I've had experience, don't you see. That's where it is. Then, Master Edward is very young to go the voyage. I'm fixed to go and see after him, and not let him go on rashly^ that's the idea of it. No harm shall happen to him, please God keep me alive. I'll be answerable for him. I'm fond of the young genolman." Mrs. Armstrong was much affected by the feeling Peter showed, and felt that his going would be a comfort to her, if it could bo done without injury to himself, and said so to John. " Well, Greely," said he, " you shall be carpen- ter of the ' Confitance.' " " Thank ye, sir," said Peter, brightening up. "1*11 be bound to say you shall never repent taking me. Pay all right, I suppose ? " " Quite right 8ir Hugh's a liberal payinaster." " Yes, sir, I know that." "But how do you mwiage as to your home and your wife i " C) PREPARATION. 155 " Well, sir, my wife has made up her mind tc. It, and we were going to ask the favour of you ma am, to let us store up our things in your loft.' She means to let the cottage, and go somewhere else for he time. She has one or two ideas about It, not altogether fixed yet." ««,V1 ^r'^'^A °^^'^^y ^^^ '^^^^^^ «^ ^^'^ furniture," «aid Mrs. Armstrong, "and we will think farther of what she could do. Perhaps she will let me advise with her ? " do thlt'"^ ^^'^ '^^ '^''''^'^ ^^ ^^'^'"^ "^^ I^''^"^ *^ There was no time for more. " Good-bye till we meet at Aberdeen," was said, and John waa oft. His arnval at Aberdeen was announced in another letter from Edward. "He is as mucli delighted with the 'Con- stance as I am," Edward went on to say "I must tell you some more about her. I hav.- told you her strength of build. She is warmed by a plan imitated from the French; a set of pipes heated by such a little furnace as you would not believe, carry warn. th uU over Iier, and also she is cleverly ventilated. We shall have neither cold nor damp, nor bad air. You should see the Cap- tainn cabin ! It is very small to be sure, but so neat, and there is one ju.t to match it for iny father, lo have him in such comfort all next wmW Will not that be a blessing ? and wo snall^ 1 always remember your words. • Jf ho did ^ now he could IM out till help came, he would not have sent this message.' 156 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. i!^ " John is quite pleased, too, with our crew. I am so glad Peter is to go! What a kind old fellow he is ! "We have a master who has sailed every season in the whale fishery for fifteen years, and his mate is capital — first-rate ! Then we are to have a surgeon who was educated at King's Col- lege here, and Sir Hugh says he is sure we shall like him ; and I think we shall, from what I have seen of him. His name is Allen. He has never been an Arctic voyage, but has travelled over all the rest of the world ; at least some new place is always turning up. His last travels (in Africa) not very good preparation for the ice you will say. Then there is Greeley and his mate, who is an Orkney man. Beside all these, we have five-and- twenty seamen. Those that John chose in Lon- don have all come , fine fellows they aie, and every man of tliem han been at least one Arctic voyage. The reHt. are some from Orkney, some from ^htftitokd, and the rest from Peterhead or Abcrde«l,iRl*l are all used to the Greenland fishery. " We h»ve five bc«te, one of these is a life- boat; m^ w#r l^ve besides a couple of India- rubber tcaitt' ' mf^Ml tbkigs — ^that you can caiTy W' lb« dBltpt 904^ kWBch in any water you may have to croM. Jtboi Imubi ordered two of the regular Jyim^eMy idedges in London, and six tents, twr- of which are gutta i^rcha, two canvan, and two seal-nkin. Wo shall get more sledges in Greonland. mmd twenty or thirtv docm Beti(k« all the»o, there are icfe-sawi*, K'fl- M I ■'1 chisels ice-anchors, and the crow's nest Havl quantity of rough boards for housing over in winter, and gutta-percha for covering the deck bestTu^itTf" "'!* "^ "•'""''-'• -1 »f «- wretched 'short aUow=.ce' ^ha 't c„ l*^' men more than anything else. They wan^good food, and plenty of it, u> keep out the ZT %hl Mid pork, the preserved meat, soups, a«d vege- tables, are procured here. Vou wonl^ a^^mshed at the amount of pickllsld^t rv : oide,ou Scotland is famous for the ,ast pe^aUy, you know. Then there is a quanfaV of Iime-juice, and an immense store of tea coffeT ugar, and cocoa. Spirits we are to use on^tr' Ihics, or extraordinary occasions. John" onlv conditions are like Kane's, 'Temperance and no profane language.' The Esquimaux, wh^ Tern t^ hve a^d grow fat where our people dwindtl^ die, do no know what ardent spirits are But wtrk Xft !i T" ^'"' ^" *" ""> hardest andizrurki^""""*^-'-'--*- They dross TntiX [^3,^"— - P-^'ble. Amminf nf u ttr UUiU . ©■^ roindef-r-skin for ins and can brave any We tHko a doable suit of seal every one of m, and between 158 THE VOYAGE OP THE CONSTANCE. \ thirty and forty spare suits for my father and his crew. I don't know whether Maggie knows that on the Arctic voyages they all sleep tied up in bags, with only their heads coming out. I suppose she does though, because I remember Peter telling us about it. We shall take blanket bags for the temperate climate at first, but afterwards we shall use nothing but bags made of skins, and we take about a hundred. One of Sir Hugh's ships has lately come hi from Godhavn on the Greenland coast, with a great cargo of reindeer and bear and seal-skins, among other things, so we are easily supplied. " And now, having described our preparations, I shall tell you our plan. You know I have read every Arctic voyage that has been published, and John has had experience. Well, we both agree that the great difficulty seems always to have been to get out of harbour in spring. Com- manders have naturally pushed on as far a^ possible the year they go out, before going into winter quarters. Perhaps they penetrate to a point where it does not happen every season that the ice opens at all ; and so they have to wait year after year, and at last have to abandon their ships. John has resolved, therefore, to lay up the 'Constance' for the winter where wo are certain from all experience that there is open water early in summer. This will be as near to the north-east pomt of Lancaster Sound as lie can find a haibrever little, to find her papa. ieU me what becomes of her, Edward " she sa.d; "and if some Uttlo Esquimaux giZet, h r andseemstolikeher." And he promisf d hf dd but never guessed how much it was to MaK-.e ' F™ i.'; ■ ""' ''''™" at FernhiU had °come Every thmg was ready. The cottage looked deserted and melancholy, and a strange sUence seemed to have taken the place of The 1 Irty preparataons of the last week or two, and the cheerful sounds that used to be heard in it T le studt" m "''r "r "*""" *«S«"^- - the t^tf, ^^^g""*. who had been so busy and time to thmk, wa^ quite tired, and her eyes seemed ready to close. ■' n,,,!?" "''. '° ,'"='^> had only l.t^t begun to tram would have been usele^ and Launcy wa, much too weak to 1,„ moved y^i. U ^^ doubtful, even with the earo they had be ^^wod on h„„, and all Mr.s. (Jreely 1 Jpron,i.se°l to wi.umie, wnoli.er ho would live, Eveii to t„ U„ h.m to Scotland was impossible wi.houT.i,kS f: 1C6 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. his life, far less could he bear the confinement and uustle of the ship. Soon after nine they were seated in the train for Edinburgh, where they were to stop for the night. They made a prosperous journey. Mar- garet, recovering her spirits a little, enjoyed the changing views, and was full of questions to Edward, especially as they drew near Scotland. Her mother, too, who had generally remained very silent, and often with closed eyes, began to look out eagerly when they came in sight of the sea. It seemed to her that now, at last, they were really on their way towards their great object. They were too tired to do anything but go to bed in the hotel that evening ; but Edward had time to take Margaret a walk about the beautiful city of Edinburgh before the train started for the north the next day. She saw the hills and the sea ; the Frith of Forth, with its islands and rocks and the varied coast of Fife opposite. She saw too, the Castle on its grand rock, and the old Palace of Holyrood, and the strange picturesque buildings of the old town, and the long wide streets and squares of the new town. Mrs. Arm- strong only shook her head when they asked her to come and look at these things. She had one object always in her heart, and though she could preserve her calmness, and even talk and smile, she felt any attempt to amuse her only a cruelty, and every one soon understood her. No one suited her so well rn her "■nntlo sister • and Edward Baw this, and felt great comfort in the thought GOOD-BYE TO FESNHILI,. I67 w^ Sir r V ''T '•'■^ '^'^ ^™t Mary. It with him till the hoped-for return of the shin but It was of no use to propose it to her at pre- sent. Slie wa^ not able to think of her nians and prospects yet. ^ ^ The railway, as it approaches Aberdeen runs TJZ^f *''' '"^" ^^^'''- »°d tl^'re is b^S tr""'T.. ^' ''"^ "^^"^ '""■'^'l ■"o'-e rorou? of r T ^,^^™''i■^• The fuU moon sTZf I *''\^*f "« ^^ in the ea«t as the sun went down behind the hills on the west and the extreme freshness of the air brought a cMour at the station, and led them to Sir Hu« ^hip walked to the entranop <.f ^i. l 7 "^^^^^ they passed on to the very end ofTh!^ ■ ' ^,"' "Constance " lay there rTJv. P'""' ^^ tho tide. John stoo7„r?^ ""''"' ""* ^'^^ .oceive the; E e ° nttnf T"^."''''^ *" was no hurry nor^orsir "?, T'. ^'''™ clean and white • tl>« T . i " '^^''''' ^ere to receive rhet;wd\VLTt:w 'u' ''"'' si'read to the wind fh. , ""''' '™'' ">« the • ,ats wer^t' *f T'''^ ™' ''-™d up; a— tthatthoturwthirrKa" 170 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. yet longed for, was at hand. She pressed Ed- ward's arm and trembled, but liur heart was firm and her faith supported her. She held out her hand to John, and as he led her on board she tried to say something to him; but, though her lips moved, no words came. ^ Every one on board stood bareheaded to re- ceive her, and a fine set of men they looked— men who bore the promise in their faces that they would do their work bravely ; and there was not one among them but felt, as he looked at her pale face and her beautiful eyes, so full of feeling and yet of courage, that he would go through any dangers for her sake. John introduced his officers and men to her by name. Peter was not the only one among them she had seen before. Several of those John had brought from London had been at Fernhill; but at this moment she could not speak to any one, and scarcely could distinguish one face from another. It required all her strength to preserve her calmness. " Tell them," she whispered to John, " that I am not able to say to them how much I feel for one and all." He had scarcely occasion ; they saw and under- stood the expression of her face, Margaret, who did not observe the signs of instant departure so quickly, was all impatience to see everything, and Edward's cabin in the first place ; so he led her there directly. It was, as she very naturally exclaimed, a funny little place, about six feet long and five vviuy. Jlidward chose to sleep in a hammock, so THE CONSTANCE SAILS. lyj end If f ^^P' '""^ *■"" <=''*-'>°*s, one at each end of his cabm; ^d there could only be rom« opening at the top, made a washin^-stan r1 A i^ article. Oa one l,un» „ T ^ '"""' ''''^''•'' i^.;bottie.ona:iir!i:jr^^^^^^ +^11 r, "eer-sKm, and his sleepin^-bacrs • nnrl every article of which Im.! k. ""utreiothing : his mother's hani or din ^v b. 7'^ ""' leaned her face down and left «t- ^\ ^'''^^''^■ lie closed the lid ^''' *^^'"^ ^^^^^^ lcenn!;;l?Lrrres\^ ^f^^'^ conducted to the fore pfrt of ? T' '\'^' ™ comfortable kennpir.^ ^ '^"P' ^^^^^'^ ^^^ Chloe were „M "! '^"^^'^- '"^"^^^nt and hnttZZ^lT, 1?^^-^ -^-- they liked. and Juno- were Tl "^ \'^''"''' '^'^''"' '^^"^^^^^ 'no were chained up, and Edward would 4e! 172 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, not let her go too near tbem, as, though they knew him, he was not sure of their behaviour to her. The sledges he could not show her. He could only point out to her where they were stowed away ; but he took her to see the crow's nest, and she saw how c. ..4 -door opened at the bottom to let the man go through, and then stand securely in it. He also sho^yed her the ice-saw, twenty feet long, for sawing .through the ice; the ice-chisels and ice-anchors, great iron hooks for throwing out and holding to bergs or floes, with the lines belonging to them, j^argaret next saw the captain's cabin, and one to match it for her father, and peeped into some of the bed-places of the officers and men, and wenc down to the engine- room, and saw the engine, which would not be wanted while this wind Ip^ted; the furnace, and the apparatus for melting snow or ice to supply water; also the steward's room. She exclaimed m wonder at the multitude of useful things it contained, stowed away in such small compass. She ended her jouniey over the ship by going into the large cabin between decks. Here there were long dining-tables ; plenty of comfortable seats; also book-cases well filled with books; the whole giving it an air of comfort. Here she found her mother, who had been led over the ship by John. Sir Hugh was there also, the munificent provider of all. Mrs. Armstrong laid her hand on his arm. "We are very grateful to you," she said, as well as her trciabling lips could say the words. THE CONSTANCE SAILS. 173 are 'attv '^f '"'s"^ **'" Constance, while they are away, he rephed; "and we wiU help each other to bear the tedious time tUl the ship retu^ carlXt'd^"""/' '"""^ *•>''* ^'- t^^e care ^ you and your dear Uttle girl " vou 'onf'h— ""f ''"' '^y ^^'^' ^^d let us meet you on this pier when that time comes. Keen un Wa^ strength, and courage," said EdwIT' TTn.K' "^'"'./^^ ^^P^ed, and laid her hand in Sir o^fi:4*^*^"'''-^''«-""-p^'^ +irr,n ^^^ understood him. The view of the harbour was filled with people to L the rescue-ship sail; for great interest had bel exited for the Armstrong famUy in their e:iamH" p&:tSe'tltr£tH oS^r?,^' P^*"* ^"-- Edward & lowed: his httle sist«r, who had only just founrf sot at .*™''' ""r "^ '° I'im, con^lsed ;"h sobs and tears, so that he was obliged to IP»dT along with his arm round her waiS 1^ ^^ pitying look foIIo„„l"i,„ ,f_'''^^'»"dm*"y'' Armstrong was -already'';;ate7;ir^ Hul i ) 174 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. and Miss Armstrong, who received her little niece in her arms when Edward lifted her in. The carriage-door was shut. "Drive round to the high ground, where we can see the ship," said Sir Hugh. The coachman obeyed, and they drove off. John and Edward were on board the next moment. There was a pause for five minutes. Then the gangway was removed; a bustle began on deck; the pilot stood at the helm; the ropes that held the ship were hauled in; slowly she began to move; she passed the end of the pier; loud cheers arose from the crowd, mixed w'th cries of " God bless and prosper ye ! " " Gude-bye, and blessings on his young head that gangs sae far to save his father!" " Gude luck t'ye, and come hame safe!" "Send them hame!" and many a kind word of sympathy. And now, as the sounds ashore fell into silence, three hearty cheers rose from the ship, where the whole of the crew were collected on the quarter-deck, their young Captain and Edward conspicuous in the midst of them The next moment the ropes and ladders were swarming with busy hands ; from every yard the sails were unfurled, and flapped and fluttered against the masts ; each took its place and swelled to the wind ; the pilot dropped from the stern into his boat to come ashore, and the " Constance " bounded over the waves. 175 CHAPTER XVI. GOOD-BYE TO BRITAIN. winrl l^h \ \ **'' '^'^ sP'-ead to the wneei, diiecting the two men who steered H» had forgotten home and aU its ^.res, and jl and ^rrows and his whole soul wa. in his slap ' Mr ^o^tt "aster, waa giving his sho^^d SfustTsTng"''^''""^-^'''''"^-°P--th Edward alone stood looking over th^ side to And the group who filled his heart at that ml;nt ll^f"^""^^ fowds ashore, but not thoTe ht rf 1, N'"'' "'^"^""Ok at his mother's fa.e made him long to see that she was aUe to h! there, somewhere. '° °® Fast and faster flies the -jhir. Ti. i, spires of the city, the eUffs thfhiufSnZu into distance; the people look smalle; aid smutr selrur r"'''" •"' ^"•^'^■"'- ''a)f aloud as S sees four figures appear clearly agamst the hln! ■ ilugh « arm, and ^unt Mary i, at her othe? I on 176 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. side ; and there is Maggie, mounted on a pinnacle of rock behind them, and stretching out her arms towards him in her eager, loving way, not thinking any one can see her. But he can see her ; he has his glass at his eye, and can see them all distinctly. He even sees their faces plainly. Sir Hugh is steadying a glass for his mother, and she looks through. He waves his handkerchief. She returns his signal. And now Maggio— he feels as if he could hear her call his name as she jumps off her rock— is looking too, and she pulls off her shawl and waves it. It makes a long red streamer in the wind. The breeze freshens. Not a breath of it is lost. The masts bend under the crowd of sail that is spread; the ship flies faster and faster; the forms he loves so well fade and melt into air • home IS left behind; and the rescue voyage has' begun in earnest. " Ain't she slippin' through the water pretty ?" said Peter's voice behind him. Edward started, for the tone and words made a strange contrast to the thoughts that were swel- ling within him ; but he looked after Peter who was hurrying off, tools in hand, to the fore pkrt of the ship, and then dashed off after him, ami was soon hard at work, haiumering, sawing, and plan- ing with him and his mate at some required altera- tion. Edward had refused to take any charge in the ship, for ho wanted to bo free to give all his energie.^ to his «ne groat alMoct. His iiands were iraer m already harti vAtl^ the GOOD-HYE TO BRlTAU 177 the sliip was fitting out, and work he had done wliik he was an exj)ert enough carj^enter also fast leal-ning t;;.;;;;; r^i t- "f^ ^'-'^ the ropes for tJi?. . JfV ^ ? ^'^'^'''' ^"^ ^^"^^^ l^cH, lor WHS sort of damberino- l^ri „i been much more to his taste 1 " n l"^^^'^ Latin. So as he tnl^ T I . ^"^ ^''^'^' *^"^i sideredas^'Boy" in t1. k' 7'' *' ^' ^°"- everything. If he mu f"^'' '^^ ''' '' ^''^^' '' be " Maste' of hrDT^f" fori" ^ ''''' ' ' "^'^^ complete cliarco If fi ,^ ^"^*°^^ *« ^^ke There was almost a lull of work on boanl TI I aiterward.s >vlien they were relieved. There was a kind of I II 178 TUE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. feast tluH flrnt clay, provided by Sir Hugh, and it looked m If tho fruit-market must have been emptied, ho groat was the show of strawberries. Edward dul juHtico to the good fare with such an appetito m to make Jolm laugh, and draw forth a mock lamontfttion from Allen, who said he had flattered JniUHuIf he should have had one patient at all ovontH. i\ v a few weeks ; but he saw there was no hnpo Jor hini: for if the pitching of the ship over tl.iH ,lay'« lung rolling swell did not pro- duce a tourh oi Hca-sickness, there was not much chance for tliu future. Tiie captain made a speech after dinner He reminded tho crow of the purpose of the voyage • told them ,„ Himplo but touching language how the disaHtor of tho " Pole Star" had come to h^ht • spoke ol tho p,.0HHing necessity for haste to relieve' Captain AnuHtr.»rig and his crew; said he felt assured ho could trust every man present to do his duty, and forward their great aim by ready obedience to diHoipline and the course he should think It right to pursue, and by cheerful endur- ance of hards up and danger, if need were; and that It should bo his aim. while he pressed forward through fair woafhor and foul, to promote tlie harmony and woll-boing of them all. "But let our motto bu, ho concluded, " Onward to the rescuer' waited w,th Kdwftrd to preside at the second fill- mg of tho tftblo. and repeated something of tho same kmd fo fliM nfj,,.,. „u.^ -n-4.u i i -• uimi |ji^,p, .ji^^.j. ^jj„^. i^^j dined. GOOD-BYE TO BRITAIN. j^j) there directly I" "We'll i« .,,''•!,.'' *°""' °°« heart!" andi on ' '""' '^'"•' "K'^«P i«g nl"^ ^0?;"/" "" f ;"""'■'' Head, and hold- wLKd^rd:r:::i':;r:tdr^"^^ *hat golden!™: ",rt:"Lf'""''T^'- ^'' evening prayer, led W T r """""""^M to -01. and :i:::f:;::';'' •='""'> '-^to his ha., land i;:u:;ie^::httf™T ^"'^*' *» )a.t ehanee befWo l/cy tot ,t i,""'' "f"'-'^"'^^ -whenEdwanl a^oLZ!^'' *"'» Atlantic voiee proelaimin. "One t ' t" """' T' "' """" l'» .iun.l.ed out, and had " I, ?? "•''""■" ' «° on —-^a^^ 180 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. to ride to a small farm about two miles off, having heard a man say there were plenty of fresh e-rcl there. Adam tried to persuade him not to To lor fear he should be too long about it; but Ed- ward insisted on the good breakfasts the e-as would supply, and gained his point. So tha°t after the pony had kicked and turned round two' or three times, it was obliged to yield to his urgent remonstrances in the shape of a stick, and galloped oft up the stony road. He drew up at the door of the farmhouse, and, telling his errand, was kindly a.ked to walk in Early as it was, the family was all aslir. There was but one room, but it was of good size. There were box bedsteads along the walls, which, having just given out their inhabitants, were in disorder" The peat fire had been newly lighted on the hear h in the middle of tbe floor, sheltered from the draught by a wall, about four feet l.icdi • the smoke partially escaping at a hole above. A larcre iron pot full of water, ready to make ^he porrid'e for breakfast, hung over it by a chain susj.en.led from the rafters In one coiner was a calf and a bevy of the fowls, to whom Edward's visit was in fact paid, for he came for their ecrgs • a pig, a dog, and several ducks, were in another corner. All the human part of the household were gone out, except the gudewife. with a babv in her arms, and she went to <;ollect the eggs without delay. She soon retr.rned with four dozen in a basket, and asked so small a price for the whole, thnf, Kflwnivl . .l,p- i- i ' • . .,,,^ . ji(;„ j^y ^^g^y Hiung the ^ ^ GOOD-BYE TO BRITAIN. ,3, on some little altercati™!' »■ ^^"^ ""'^J «- ground at l.or foeUy the ^ "1 ''"*°'"^'l °" ■■^g on a boisterous game within'' f"^" bers of tlie eg-rs were , To 1 J' ^^ '^"S- Num- in all direction, the r^"'""? "" ^^^* ™"ed ^ &st as possible ! '^ ? ^ f ° *" <''=™'"' them fewoutofSornt" t *'"= *'<"'^- -ho tl'o dog barked fc sl'^th \'^""""« ^"""^ J?>'der still, and the „ L^ ^^''y ^-^--"ed aimed blows at ni„ dof ,lTj \ "'"« " "Wok, .^Edward cont':a'':t tToil, ""'""'•'"• with some difficultv l,„f 1 1, *''" «<='-«'nble feet, than he ^^Ltl Tf^ ^^ '"' «° ^^ •"•chin of a bovLr? f'' '° ""' *''»' » "ttle feft tied to al; at thr r"'' *'" """y l-^ had ened at the wfy't had fl ' *"'' "'«»■ %l>t- go. .nd so thT;™;'^:,"^ "P;'V'-'^. had let ««ain. Everything sanlinf 'P'''"' '"»»« comparison with thefear o^^ .'™'°'"ifi»m=e in keeping the boat waitW 1 I *" '"'« ''"<' given to the eggs, EdSdlTed off V'T"' Wing thegndewife lamenting o'er 1^1' "' Surely ve'Jl nn ^„ * . "® navoc. shrieked after ,l"°Cf "Tf *''** g^'e," she f-gforitr Geto'otir;!* '7'""'- ?" "-- be w ' ve " «j,fi „,, , , .7 ^"^ « Je, and sorrow "'ng and flvi„„ ,„,! f'fS »" her creatures run- ^-hochargedr^undth-ti^S-trbr^ 182 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. again. "And you must gang and meddle wi' the powney, too," she cried to the boy outside. "Dinna stand greetin' there, but rin awa' down the lang loan and thro' the muckle field and see if ye canna catch him for the puir callant; and here, tak the tae half o' his siller back till him." Off went the boy, and disappeared round a corner, while Edward in vain pursued his scamp of a pony, who cantered a little in front down the road, increasing his pace whenever it seemed likely he should be caught. Once he stopped to eat some grass, and then Edward believed he should have him; the hand was almost on the mane, when a bright twinkle of the eye from out of the shaggy hair showed that there was no chance of any such thing, and the chase began again. They were at the corner of a field at this moment, along two sides of which the road ran, the pony cantering down it. Edward cUmbed the stone fence and ran across the field. A boy was clambering over a gap at the opposite corner, towards which he steered; and, liaving also clam- bered over, he found to his joy his pony standing, captured by the same boy who had let him loose. " Thank ye, my boy," cried Edward, mounting, and throwing sixpence to him. " Mither's sent ye the half of the siller, will ye no tak back the siller?" criuil the boy, but Edward only shook his head and galloped off. scarcely hearing what was said. It was not till afterwards, THE OCEAN. 183 when he thought it over, that he understood the poor woman's honesty. The boat's crew had begun to handle their oars and look out impa- tiently for him when he reached the beach ihey had made a successful marketing, but Ed- ward had but a poor account to give of his There was many a laugh afterwards at his bargain in Orkney; and to offer him a fresh egg at break- last was a standing joke. The ship had begun her westward course be- tore the boat had been hauled up for many minutes and the Head of Hoy, the highest point of the red cliffs of Orkney, was lost to view before two hours were over. The last inhabitant ot the islands they saw was an eagle, soaring overhead homewards to his eyrie. CHAPTER XVII. THE OCEAN. The • Constance " had a splendid run across the Atlantic. Ten days after she left her harbour the flocks of sheerwaters, or Cape hens as the sailors call them, announced the near neighbour- hood of Cape Farewell, the southern point of Greenland. The wind had been wonderfully steady till tins time, generally blowing from the south and east, but now a change seenuMl at Inuu] 1 heav- mist covered the sea on the night of the"l2th; 184 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. II hi . the vmd became variable, blew in squalls from i^ie wes then changed to south-east again and n eased to a gale, under which the mtsts van- 1 hed, and showed a sky covered with heavy cbuds, and the sea rose and dashed against the ship breaking m foam over her decks. But the good sliip was able to battle with the storm She had but little sail, for the wind was so strong tha the canvas would have been split into pieces by tlje funous blasts before which she was driven The waves followed her almost as fast as she darted through the boiling waters, heaving up her stern, and then sinking her bows deep into the hollow of the sea, as if she would have dived down beneath the waves. Throughout every hour of this night John stood on deck two steady seamen we'e at the wheel, Macleod was at his post, and a careful look-out was kept. The long twilight of night and morning prevented total darkness, except for about one hour, when, as there was no moon a Me curtain seemed to have fallen aroui;d, through which the roar of the tempest wa. heard Then It was that Edward could see by the licrhts on board the steady faces of officers Ld men as every one did his duty. He learned more in tMs night of John s character than he had ever known before, and the strong affection between them was made still stronger, for now he saw that the care- less merry cousin, who had played with him as a boy was as cool and firm in the hour of danger as he was careless and merry in play. ' THE OCEAN. 185 ^ Edwarf would not go below, but chose to re- main in the niuM of the men, working with them ip di7:ot "'"■! 'k ' *'" ™'^"* ■"°«™ "f «™ the energy of his mind that kept him up and his tor the storm, because it was driving them „n tl *o7f^ .''^ .''''*'>^'- ^'>^^- "oweveT i^ would ' ''P'°^ "''^^ I^y '"" "!""> a duck, or one them divers as went swimming past us in HmTY ■.J"^' " "^"^ *« '^' that she is" The wind gradually abated as the night wore on, and about two o'clock in the morning a 11"^ pitdsudTV'"' ,'"",' ''"''^' -- ""^ l-o' '- .— n.ofaiti::i-?hercrb;!5 ll N 186 THE YOYAQE OF THE CONSTANCE n„ r T^"' ■^'^™'''^' "y ''"y •' " ^'<3 John, coming there s a view to cheer our hearts I We've had ag^od %ht for it this night, but we're In it wo .haJl soon be in smooth water. I must go to bod and get some sleep before we get up our steam, which we shall have to do before niZ noTrtlC"''"'''"^-"-^"^""-'^-^"- Edward promised to follow soon to take some rest ^d refreshmeni, but be could not all at once take his eyes off the grand view of the Greenland coast, that opened as the light increased. As he was making up his mind to go down, the Cter gave orders for the crow's nest to be hoistel to Jts pa.e and he could not resist waiting to see the look-out man take his station. V n hi waited a Uttle longer, for the work that i...J just been done suggested the ice, and he longed to have the first look at it. Mr. Macleod told him two bergs had drifted past in the night, but h^ had not seen them. " ' ® Ten minutes had not passed, when "A berg a^headr was shouted frorj the crow's had?."'' "/^'tte first iceberg Edward's eyes had seen, often as he had imagined one; ajid a ^d sight It was. It looked,°as it bor^ Town on the ship, hke a ^ — ■ • 1 i.l great mountam 01 ice rising THE OCEAIJ-. jgy out Of the sea. The waves thundered agaiist it and dashed up its side a hundred feet. ' iTou re in luck, Mr. Edward," said Macleod ■ you -Idom see a taller berg tLan thai i ft' ^uth ^ we are now; and it will pass us to wind ward, so you may take a good look of it " Edward asked its height, and was answered about three h-ondred feet above the wateTand twice as much below." ' As they drew nearer, the great berg presented the appearance of a conical hill, bearin.. on Tts with blue nsmg mto countless minarets and pires, wh.eh caught the rosy tint of the d.y "^ the,r peaks. Every instant new wondem tfe. which he found very comfortable, stag- gered down to his cabm and got off his wet clothes, not without several bumps and tumbles, lor the motion was still excessive. AUen who was his near neighbour, hailed him as he was settlmg down in his hammock. "Holloa, Edward, is that you?" " Yes ! where have you been aU this time?" "Very miserable in bed. I thought I could stand any amount of pitching, but it has con- quered me to-night." I' Poor old feUow! Can I do anything for you?" " No— not unless you can steady the ship, and 1 suppose that's beyond you." ^^ru^'^T^'"^ ^^^ ^'^^^P ^^^•^^^ ^^ last word. When he awoke at eight o'clock there was no mo- tion at all. He began to think they were stand- ing still, and got up that he might go and see. He had not finished dressing when Allen's voice without any of the lamentable sound of the early morning in it, called out io him to " Come up, for the}^ lad ^0+, among the ruins of Thebes " What a scene be saw when he got on deck ! The sea was as deep a ^^le as the sky above it and perfectly calm. The bok/ coast of Greenland! with Its dark cliffs and mountains capped with dazzling snow, lay on the right hand. On the left was -what was it? Allen had called it " the rumsof "'*iobes." To E^v - i-. eyf s there appeared at the edge 01 the dart.-u. :c c.^a an extensive plain, covered 4 « ^i THE OCEAN. 189 With the remains of ruined cities. Obelisks and needles of pure white marble shot up into the colours of t;ie maibow, supported fantastic cupo- ks ana domes studded with flashing diamonds Fragments of massive walls tumbled about in conmsion here standing out square and dark against the sky, there shivered into angular forms, above which would again rise some grVat temple with porticoes and arches. While he gazed at this scene m blank amazement, he started, for it vanished as suddenly as a flash of lightning leaving in its place the calm sea with a distant fleet of icebergs on its surface. He had been looking at one of the wonders of refraction : so it has been a^eed to call that state of the air which makes it reflect and repeat in irregular order or upside down, or in wavy outline, natural objects which happen to be present. It is sometimes seen in our chmate, and is common in the Arctic regions fh«f " -i^'^n ''''* "^f^* *^ *'^^"^ *^ ^OTt after that, saidAUen. " What we have seen is like the work of the Titans, and Kamac a temple of the pigmies in comparison." While ne spoke^he wonderful sight returned as suddenly as it disappeared, but all distorted and indistinct, then vanished again. " Oh, John, make haste ! " cried Edward, seeing him emerge from his cabin. "Perhaps Thebes will come again. Yes ; look there I" The plain appeared again, more grandly covered than ever. Sometimes Allen decWd it 11 ill P" 2 190 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Jike Thebes. John had never seen refraction make .uch a splendid picture before. ZCZ 80 It was gone, and it did not return " That's right, Macleod," said he, as he turned away, and looked up at the funnel, out of wUeh the smoke was rising: "you're gating up the The sails were, indeed, flapping lazily aoainst the ma^te, a„d Edward had b'ogun to fLf "rt slowness of tho.r progress. Ho had had no opportunity of feeling so before duringlhdr rapid voyage. Any one might have rhoullt that he could take the opportunity of skeSn ' a ve.y picturesque iceberg that had just com "f J.gl.t, pourmg down a cataract of pure wat " from a fcoUow near its summit; but he feTno mclmation to attempt it. Every hour since the mommg when the dreadful news wa. brourf t .ome he had spent in energetic action of f„e k nd or other, towards forwarding the rlseu" E I.cr he had been travelling, helping to paet odenng stores, or actually at work in tho' h p To stand st,I and sketch would disgust m He felt a.s ,f he .should never caro for it JZ- ,"" *" * »» <''^*. >'" was on the point of coinj down to the engine-room, to see how the ,th n 1 I 194 THE VOYAGE OP THE CONSTANCE. ing the valleys. The glaciers of the Alps are th« constant springs from which many of The" are constantly fed." "Tlien wlmt beats me," said Peter "is whv the ice don't stop on land and grow th okerind broader continually, and why ittll com sUpp,V do,™, aa they say it does, and gets into ^he 'sea ^oi„".^^;*tr'' " °°°*"' P^^o^^ "f thawing going on m the summer on all the outer surfnro and at tie outer edges of the ice-fiold th n the earth has a certain warmth that loosens thdr hoU and so they come down by their oZwj^; and cause movements. The icp n„.fo T, sound like thunder, sending ^t a bCVa ' o? freezmg coldness that ha. been imprisoned be "I remember," said Edward, "reading i„ KaneUccount of the expedition of the - Id vfnce" and 'Rescue' m 1850, a description of the ■ S of an iceberg,' given by Herr Omndeitz, depu v assistant of one of the Danish colonies in & land. Ho was fishing in a boat in i ij., at the base of the cHfls, I 'dluce 1 aZuT!? seals sporting beneath one of tl.Ml! ? protruded over the sea, formi.Va: if rnlv'^f enormous weight and thickness, S„da"X a "" ■•" ■ ••.... ,v... J't.tr-"» -»-> trifle about hrm he took a knife and two pai,^ of seizors out of his pocket and laid them\n the -eat. The od man and woman brightened up and seemed highly pleased, but tlie poor young mother never raised her head. Wh«,. however .e chaueed to find a string of blue beads, a^d' ph«=ed rt i-ound the baby's head, she -ooked up , . - • ^ ""^o "^"^ uaurgencaijy. Ho then hurried out again and joined Potor, and whel ho rf"*^!' 'J ■ i 210 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. looked round at the fat, merry, careless faces of the Esquimaux that were crowding about him, he was half consoled for the misery he had just seen. " They don't seem to mind it," he thought to him- self. But yet the misery tells upon them; this people is wearing out, according to all accounts. Their deserted settlements are found in many places, and they themselves say that they used to number more than they do now. Having reached the height, they were invited into the tent. No one was there but an old man and four little children, except a litter of puppies with their mother: the fatlier and mother of the children entered with Edward and Peter, and the other people pressed forward at the opening, but there was no possible room for more inside. The object of bringing the visitors here seemed to be to offer them the five puppies. At this Peter put on an air of the utmost dis- dain, and was hurrying away, when the man caught him by the arm, and after a great many words, which Peter pretended to understand, though in fact he made but little of them, began to call loudly to his dogs. A troop of twenty were very soon round the tent, and now began a noisy process of bargaining. Two other men soon came up, followed by more dogs, till nearly sixty were collected; another next appeared with a sledge. The scene had become very exciting, and Edward was obliged to re- mind Peter how little time they had to spare, the Captain having resolved to bo under THE I^OGS AND THEIR MASTERS weigh in two hours stopped. The agreement was to be made in money, for these Esquimaux are Danish subjects and used to buying and selling. At last Edward saw to his joy ten dogs set apart, and then Peter began to look at the sledges; another had been meanwhile brought, so he had to choose between them, and having fixed on one he began to drag it aside. But no sooner had he laid his hands on it than a woman threw herself upon it, holding it tight with both hands, and screaming and howling with all her might, rivers of tears streaming from her eyes. Peter stood confounded. He fancied that this woman had agreed to his offer for her sledge, but now it was certain that he was mistakan. "I tell you I don't want your sledge," he shouted in her ear, forgetting she could not un- derstand him. She shrieked and kicked more violently than before. He then said a multitude of words in the Esquimaux language, which he meant to be a polite assurance that he would let her alone; but they appeared to have been just the wrong thing, for they only produced louder shrieks. "Come away, Peter!" said Edward. "The best thing we can do is to move off. Pay them for the dogs and the other sledge, if they will sell it, and let us go." As he spoke he handed five sovereigns to Peter, who had told him he thought that might be a fair price. W r 212 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Peter accordingly beckoned to the man, who evidently agreed to part with Ins sledge, and to the owners of the ten dogs, and held up the five sovereigns. But at the sight of the money, hoots and exclamations of wrath began; the women talked, the children cried, the dogs howled, and the clamour was so great that they were almost deafened. "It's a fair price," said Peter. "They're all mad together, I believe." "They don't understand the money," said Edward. "That's where it is, I suppose," said Peter; "but what are we to do?" " Let us go to the Governor's house, and try to make them follow us." Peter accordingly began running about among the crowd, shaking some, pushing others, pointing the way he wanted to go, and calling out " Hoskey House," which is their name for the Governor's, till at last they understood, and the whole troop of people and dogs moved off with him after Edward. The aggrieved woman alone remained seated on her beloved sledare. As they approached the shore they saw three of the boats employed in carrying coals to the ship, and two Danish boats loading with oil, and presently John and Allen appeared with the Governor, and seemed much astonished at the crowd and noise. Edward humed on and ex- plained the matter to tliein, to John's infinite amusement ; and Allen, who spoke Danish a little ; THE DOGS AND THEIR AUSTERS. 213 and German well, soon made the Governor un- derstand what was the matter, and found that, in fact, the poor Esquimaux did not understand the value of the sovereigns. This was no sooner explained to them, than the dogs and sledge were put on board an oomiack, or woman's boat, with the most amusing bustle, and ten more dogs were offered, a fresh bargain made for them, and hap- pHy concluded. These being also put on board the oomiack, the late owners embarked with them and would have star^sd off for the ship instantly had not John insisted that they should wait till either he or Edward could receive them on board But it required all the authority of the Governor tc make them obey; they wanted to gratify their curiosity, and perhaps to see what they could get- though they might not have stolen anything, for the missionaries have worked a wonderful im- provement on the morality of those tribes on the Greenland coast. Edward now brought forward his package, and the people were made to understand that ho wanted to barter with them for skins. Some of them instantly ran off to their tents others brought bundles out of their sledges, and at the sight of a heap of large clasp knives, and some nails, the ground was strewn with fox and rein- deer skins, and the thick white fur of the Arctic hare. Very soon Peter had gathered up the skins, and every man present was made haT)))v - I— " "i a xijiiie iiiiu some naiis and began shouting with laughter, jumping and leap- Jf "f. ' ' ' ■ 1 214 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. ing about. Many jumped straight up and down and continued this exercise for ten minutes. Ed- ward now beckoned to the women, and gave to each as a free gift a pair of scissors, some pins, needles, and thread. The jc/, gesticulations* laughter, and even tears that followed, were won- derful. Two women then came forward holding up a full suit of clothes, intended for some special occasion— perhaps for a bride— for they were made of white and grey fox-skin, arranged with some taste, and neatly sewn with tendons of reindeer. The boots were also dyed yellow. Edward bought this with a fresh supply of knives, scissors, and thimbles, and besides brought out as an offering to the whole party some beads and bright hand- kerchiefs; fresh acclamations following, and the two women beginning a sort of dance. Then he made the children come forward, and gave every one some toy. Balls, hard and soft, whips and tops, which he hastily set spinning himself, little wooden dolls, and tin animals. It seemed as if he would be deafened and pulled to pieces besides, in the frantic glee that followed, when, observing his cousin beckon to him from his boat, which was already in motion, he threw two footballs down, and kicked first one and then the other in the direction opposite to the boats. The boys soon caught the idea and set off after them, most of the girls and many of the men did the same, and began a game that left Edward free to escape. He scampered off and jumped into tho last boat among the oil-casks. Tbe oomiack was ah-eady " The joy, gcstirnlatinns, Irm^'liter, ami even tears that followwl were woiuloiful. " ;). 214 THE DOGS AND THEIR MASTERS. 21; o alongside, and there it still lay when the boat came up. Peter was seated among the dogs, and was gravely writing something in his large pocket book. John was calling out to him to make haste, and in one of his towering passions because of the delay. "What are you about, Peter ?" said Edward. " Taking down the dogs' names. We should be losi else. Here, you Ben! chain up all the Newfoundlanders, Trident and all. Now then the rest of 'era, Nannook, Myouk, Disoo, Una, Huskc, Toodla, Whitey— that's all the twenty. Hoist 'em up. Lend a hand. Master Edward! They'll most on 'cm answer to their names, and them as don't we'll give 'em new ones. Ay, ay, Captain ! Ready in a crack we shall be. Now for the sledge!" "Ho! yeo!" sung out the seamen, as it was swung up on deck, Peter scrambling after it. Edward and the boat's crew weio already oi: deck and the boat hauled up. " It's no go. You can't come aboard," sliouted Peter to the Esquimaux, who were clinging to the ro[)o tliat still liung down. " Oh, I forgot, they can't understand. I'll go on sliakin' of my liead." The rope was hauled in— the "Constance" be- gan to move— they were off. Tlie Esquimaux set up a howl, but the Cai)tain was inexorable. Some time beyond his appointed two liours had ])assod; his last cargo of oil liad been upset in an awkward maimer by the Danish boatmen, and ho had come away Vr'itaout it. It took hiin at lo.istten minutes to cool down, but then lie had a good laugh over ill ."if t ; 216 THE VOYAOE OF THE CONSTANCE. the bustlo and noiso with Edward, and was all right again. There wm plenty to do, stowing away all they had bought, ooal«, oil, skins, and dogs. The last were Edward'^ charge. He and Peter had their IcennelH ready long ago. He fed them plentifully with sealH- rtoHh and fish, which Peter had pro- vided, gave them abundance of water, and began to try to umko ao(iuaintance with them; but they appeared very wild and untamed, and looked scared at the furious barking of the Newfound- landers, who wore all in violent excitement. The Esquiniaux vory rarely caress or pat their dogs, and manage thorn solely by the whip; so it would take him Homo time to make any impression on them. But it wa« necessary to reconcile Trident and all tho Nowfoundlanders to the company of these intrudorH, and this task he set himself, and succeeded in a wuok or so pretty well. UHAPTER XIX. THE ICE. A VERY unfavourable change of weatlier occum^d on the following day. Tliu wind got round to the north, blow iuiid, and brought floating ma.m\s of ice down upon them, with a long swell, through which tho Ml)i|. laboured heavily. ThiH wind way succeeded by 4 uonHo fog, that wan even worae. TBE ICE. 217 Edward wandered about the deek with his hand, went down to his cahm, which was quite dark in nalr^' f f j"-' '""•?' «°' «»' Pe", ink, and W^ ^^ ""*''' * *<»* «'^t'-'"=t or two ^s Li'Ci;!!:;^ r- f;^ *'*^" '•i ^-^ -* Then he be^^: ' ''^'"^ '"'""'^^' " August is coming fast upon us, and we are or alolt. There are plenty of eyes there if onlv y could .see an inch before them, and if we run oul of a berg or a floe we must hope we shall not he smashed. The best thing I can do is to dr^ve «ay the present, if I can, by writing about whit I'appened last week. To-day is thf 29th tot I H oeT t"\f ''' '"PI'^™'^ '-' Thu^day Here I go. It is the 2«h of July. I am sittW very comfoiiably on the maintopsfil-yarTlol „f light down mto the water, and what I see there makes me fancy I can hear Maggie's voice readZ Jrte.maKl. It was th.s, as far as I can .-emem- « ■ Now you must not imagine that there is ^^Ire'^hri,!:,":'::.,"'':^"'"'-™"''""'"^ that they arc waved to and fro by the sli.jhtlt > ■ I' !| 218 THE VO , AGE OF THE CONSTANCE. motion of the water. Fishes, great and small, glide in and out among the branches, just as birds' fly about among our trees.' Well, I am looking at all that as I sit here. The sea is as clear aa crystal. Fourteen fathoms down I see a whole forest of sea-weeds ..t the bottom. Among them, fastened to the branches, and opening to the light' there are millions of sea anemones of every colour —actinia Allen calls them. There are groups of shell-fish, chiefly of the various kind of snail and whelk;* but these common names give no idea of their gay colours and lovely shapes. There are jelly-fish floating everywhere, medusce (Allen says) and clios, whole shoals of them, flashing colours in shady places, dancing merrily along, looking like butterflies before they spread their wings, or opening their crimson discs to the yun in a^lazy fit. Now and then an exploring crab ventures up to the tree tops, but soon sidles down again into the shads. We are sailing, or rather steaming, for we owe most of our progress to the screw, along a broad channel, having on our riglit the mountains of Greenland, and on our left, about ten miles off", the ice. It will come nearer to us soon, and we shall have to grapple with it by and by, I wish we had begun," Another extract, dated the 5th of August, givoa a diflbrent picture of the sea: — "We have got into another fog, I never write but in a fog, for if we can move I always find Romething else to do. But wo have had some fine * Jiiinaciuiu auil eutouiostruoa. THE ICE. 219 weather and got on well for the last week, tni to- day. All this time we have had to make our way through water as green as gi-ass, and quite thick. No more forests down below; no more pretty elio to be seen. For all I know they may be there but they are invisible if they are- Jt in a D iii^e us. This greenness is caused, they say, by 1. toe myria^^.. of minute creatures of the medusa ^nd. Al en my great aathority in learned mat- to here, tells me that they can be distinguished by the microscope, and that they occupy nearly one-fourth of the Greenland seas/ Of course, my h nks of the numbers there must be, one is lost Jt IS by this hvmg water and the small creatures I saw before that the whale is nourished. His throat IS too small for a herring to go down. I ought to have remembered all this, for I must have read it, but it was new to mo. We are not above twenty miles from Upernavik now, if only we^could move on. We are to stop there for an The fog had cleared by the next day, and they were only ten miles from Upernavik, in fine bright weather, when Edward, who wa^ in the crow's nest looking at the coast, saw a dark object, which he cou d not make out, at the foot of the cliffs. He studied It through his glass, and distinctly saw tliat It was a poor Esquimaux, who had been oast ashore, and was lying motionless on the sand. ~ ■; ""-^'^u uowri ana loid John, who looked out and saw the aame. ■it: I m 220 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " Perhaps that poor fellow is not dead," said Edward. "I wish we could get ashore to see. It is wretched to lose a moment that we can avoid; but won't you send a boat ashore to see about him?" John thought for a moment. " If there were life in the poor fellow," he said, " he would never lie there. Surely he could walk to Upernavik?" " He may be still alive," said Edward, " and only stupefied. I cannot help thinking I saw him move his head just now." " I will lower a boat, Edward, if you like to go ashore with two of the men, and we will proceed on our course and get through the business at Upernavik. You may row on to us and catch us up by the time we are ready to sail again, and bring him, if he is alive. Take Peter for one, if you go." " The very thing!" said Edward. Orders were given. The ship lay-to for a minute. A boat was lowered, and Edward, Peter, and Magnus Trail, one of the seamen, swung them- selves down into it. They were just pushing off when Allen appeared with a bottle of brandy, say- ing that if it was a case of a half-drowned man, he must come and help ; so he was seated next Edward, who prepared to steer, while the others took the oars. "I see you've got your bottle, doctor," said Peter; " but I'll be bound to say I know what an Esquimaux likea best; and so you'll see when he down in the bottom the dogs' rations THE ICE. 221 o' the boat. I stole it out o' and you'll see how he'll pitch into it-if he's got any life in him, that Ihey 13. rapidly neared the land and went ashore waing through the breakers, having lefttheS m Norman's charge. They were soon by the Es qmmaux He lay as if dead in his kay4 The ^Tp^n's t't^P^"^** *^ '""' -h-l/sometime only danger they run on the sea. He had either struek on a sunken rock or a tongue of ice under water and his kayack had broken in he mWdt In this case a kayack becomes a hopele^ fk long he might liave lain in this state no oil could say, but to aU appe««nce he was starved" Allen felt the pulse and .shook his head: then managing to get his hand tlirough the thick cod- ing of skin., felt the heart, andlnstantly apZed a 1 ttle brandy to the lips; then. unelosiL Them poured some in, and told Peter and Edward to 'Usengago the man from the kavack. Z t^ few more small doses of bmndy, and loosenin-- his hood, which was fastened tightly under his eh^ porZitr:^'?.!:::ut:fr?L\r'i he added, .seeinir fhnf fi,. .„ A ^^"^ ^^'"' A draught of water must be his next medi- ;f ■yfi 222 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. cine," said Allen, producing a tin can, which he had had the forethought to bring out of the boat. Edward ran off to find the water, and had not far to go. A fine cascade came foaming over the rocks to the right, and there he filled the can and returned with all speed. They put it to ^he poor fellow's lips; and he, at first swallowing with difficulty, soon went on greedily, and then ac- cepted the tempting morsel which Peter again offered. Allen now declared that he considered his patient safe, but that it was necessary he should lie quiet for, at any rate, half-an-hour, while he fed him now and then; so Edward started off to explore, for the sight that had struck him when he went for the water made him long to see more of it. He found that the cascade flowed from a great glacier, or sea of ice, that sloped from the high mountains which bordered the coast. The spot from which the water issued might be about a hundred feet from the level of the sea. Lookinsf up, he saw that curious sight that ho had often read of — large patches of bright crimson snow, contrasting with the glittering whiteness that was predominant. The cause of this singular appear- ance is now known to be a red vegetable produc- tion growing abundantly in the snow. At his il it was an Arctic flower-garden and forest. The "!? .«,cor had filtered through the soil, and wandered in little sparkling streams through moss of the richest green. Among the moss he found some utixsss^XmKKttH THE ICE. 223 which he the boat, i had not over the 3 can and > ^he poor ing with then ac- ter again lered his le should while he ,ed off to lim when see more tn a great the high The spot ! about a Looking lad often on snow, that was ,r appear- 3 produc- . At his est. The wandered iss of the md some poppies in flower, some ranunculi, one bright blue gentian, some chickweed, and soitcI. These plants were of the most minute size. He could have covered the whole garden with his jacket; but each miniature flower was perfect both in shape and colour. Walking on towards the rocks, he found coarse grass and sedges growing, and then some heaths and some birch-trees. These trees were also miniatures. One birch that he measured was thirteen inches high, but it was the tallest. He next got into a thicket of willows, reaching about up to his ankle. Among these was a wild honeysuckle, so small, that the whole plant, root and branches, might have been stuck in his but- ton-hole. He carefully pulled it up, and then dug up a few specimens of the birches and willows. He laid the whole collection on a ledge of rock, and then, having made up his mind to spend the remaining twenty minutes he had to spare in climbing the rocks, to look into the auks' nests, he began his ascent. He mounted to a consider- able height, and was making his way in a hori- zontal direction to the place where he observed a multitude of nests, when he suddenly found that everything was sliding down under his feet. Frag- ments of stone bounded over him, and at each side of him; the pole he had brought with him was carried away; in vain he caught, first at one pro- jecting point of rock, then at another; everything gave way with him, and the current of broken rocks and sand was bearing him headlong into the sea. Feeling this, he gave a desperate jump, P'fl *•'■ •; Ml 224 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. managed to land on a large point of feldspar that was firm, and sat down to take breath. He had been nearly a quarter of an hour going up; but his descent had not occupied half a minute, so he had time. He was still at a considerable height. The auks and gulls were screaming round, wheel- ing so close to him that they sometimes touched him. At the very top of the rock several grave burgomasters were seated, looking as if they de- spised the bustle and clamour below. Looking landward into a hollow behind his point of rock he saw a large frozen lake, on which two ravens were fighting for some garbage, and one small animal that he supposed was a fox. It was a strange wild scene. He could hardly take his eyes off it. "HoUoahl Master Edward! where have you got to?" shouted Peter from below. "Here! I'll be with you directly," returned Edward, and taking a good aim so as to alight on firm ground, instead of dropping into the sea, he let himself go, and was down in an instant, amidst showers of stones and rubbish, just as Peter came round to the spot. Edward shook his clothes, and tried to look very composed, so that Peter might not find out where he had been, and lecture him ; but Peter's eye M'^as too quick to be deceived. "You've been at some of your clambering now, Master Edward, I see that; you'll just do it once too often some day. And I ought to have come wim juu, iiiBtciiu ul lueciiu Liiau iLsquimaw. lies eaten all the seal, every bit, and drank two more THE ICE. 225 spar that He had up; but te, so he } height. 1, wheel- touched al grave they de- Looking of rock ravens le small "t was a :ake his ave you returned ilight on B sea, he J, amidst :er came hes, and r might ire him ; ^ed. ng now, ) it once 7e come V. Hes vo more cans o' water that I fetched; and the doctor's ready, so it's time for you to come." Edward had only to run off to the rock, where i he had left his little forest-trees, and was up with ■ Peter directly. The sick maji was already on his feet, and Peter, taking him by the arm, helped him down to the boat, while Edward made Allen hurry with him to take one glimpse of the green cove and crimson snow, and then they got off. The Esquimaux was laid in the bottom of the boat, and fell fast asleep directly. Allen had made out that the poor fellow's name was Olaf He had been christened that name. He belonged to Pro- ven, and was half way to Disco when his misfor- tune happened; but how many days ago it was he had no idea. He was astonished to find that he had drifted to within ten miles of Upernavik, and he said he should like to go with the ship. He could speak enough of a sort of broken Danish to make himself understood. Peter strongly advised that lie should be taken with them. "Better not ask his leave," said Peter, winking one eye and handling his oar vigorously all the time he talked. " He'll be better off by a long way, whether he thinks so or no. What's he to do with no kayack nor nothing at Uper- navik, if we land him ? and we want a good driver for our dog-teams. I can drive, so can the Cap- tain; so he says, that is. And Ben, he says he can. Master Edward can manage his Newfound- landers, but hasn't had no experience o' the Esqui- maw dogs. They're 'Altogether a different thing. 226 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. The Cap+ain oughtn't to have to drive much, for I defy any man to have his wits about him for anything else when he's got them dogs to mind They're a worrit, as keeps any man at his wits' ends, let alone the whip — that's so long and heavy that your arm gets dead tired out in two hours." "We ought to have ten more dogs, too, if possible," said Edward, "to make two teams of fifteen each; and I hope we shall." " Yes, if the Captain takes my advice, he'll buy ten more where he's gone now. And I'm sure. Master Edward, you know so many's a great charge. This Esquimaw Olaf, if that's his queer name, would be a great help with that." " An' he'd make ye a pair o' whips or so," said Magnus, the other oarsman. "I mind ye said ye'd clean forgotten them at Disco." " In short," said Allen, " my patient seems to be too valuable to part with. He little knows as he lies there what designs we have on him." "I think there's no doubt about it," said Edward. "He'd better go on with us, and, ac- cording to you, he would like it. We can land him somewhere as we go home." This thought, the word " home," brought on one of Edward's fits of impatience. He made Peter take the rudder in hand and give him the oar. Steering was not half hard enough work. Whenever Edward was idle or quiet, his restless anxiety about his father came on. He was fylad to see, therefore, when they neared Upemavik, THE MIDt)LE PACK. 227 that the boats were in the davits, and everything ready to start. They found, on getting on board, that John liad bought ten more dogs, even with- out Peter's advice. He had got a splendid show of white bearskins in exchange for tools, knives, iron hoop, and barrel staves, and had also nur- chased a quantity of fresh fish, meat, an-i but! »r, the two last of which articles came from .^h*^tland and twenty dozen ducks' eggs from the L ilhi's, or Duck Islands, where the eider ducks bic din thousands. He had despatched the letters, and brought to Edward the kindest messages of sym- pathy and the warmest hopes for his success from the Danish governor and his lady, who well re- membered the visit of the " Pole-Star " and her Captain, and had now heard of his disaster for the first time. CHAPTER XX. THE MIDDLE PACK. It seemed as if summer had been left behind at Upemavik. The temperature fell to only one or two degrees above the freezing-point. The sun now set about eleven at night and rose again at one; and though twilight filled up the interval, and there was no darkness, yet the want of his rays made it colder. The rigging was often ...r.F^.^ vnicx».ijr witii liugu cryooals of ice, wiiich fell in showers on deck when a rope was handled, ri' i M i \w 228 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. and the men were glad to wear warmer clothing. Another extract from Edward's journal will de- scribe the aspect of things: — " We are no longer sailing through a channel of water ten miles broad, with the mass of ice at a distance, and an occasional iceberg or fleet of ice- bergs floating about us, and the waves giving ua an occasional heave and toss as the wind sweeps over them. As we have got more to the north, the mass of ice — the great pack — has come closer and closer to us, and we are now steaming ten knots an hour by its margin through a smooth channel that looks like a deep, calm river, the land being on our right hand, and a broad field of ice stretching away as far as we can see to the left. The sun shines out of a cloudless sky for twenty-two out of tlio twenty-four hours. The field of ice sparkles, and its edges are reflected in the black water ; you can see the pointed tongues of ice that stretch out below the surface. Millions of birds actually darken its edges, feeding on the small sliell-fish they find there. Now and then a seal pops up its head, stares round, and dives again. Here and there an enor. lous iceberg, stranded on the pack, rises two or three hundred feet above its level. " The surface of the ice is not so monotonous as people fancy : it rises into hummocks, which cast shadows ; it moits into black pools, which sometimes are as large as small lalces ; it freezes, CkW^/l •■l»V-\ l^'kAjIci li4» .U4. '/.,„« {iixU tiiv icttUSJ UcUOniv Origllt- HiiVSi TiV'^rS, ^ivkiivlniz in the sun. U >^»mmm Vl I l l lii m THE MIDDLE PACK. 229 " I have not said half enough about the seals. I counted a hundred at once, one day, on the floes; each had his hole. If you look through your glass, you may see him at ease (but always within re- trei^iing distance of his hole), and in his natural state a perfect picture of solitary enjoyment. He rolls like a horse, wriggles in a queer way, which sailors call 'squirming;' every now and then he rubs his head in the snow; now he looks just like a dog, with his head lifted as if listening; then hke a great snail; then very like an Esquimaux crouching. " I saw one day two bearded seals, overgrown monsters, eight feet long. They are at a distance; I watch them through my glass. Presently one dives; the other lies rolling on the ice, not think- ing an eye is upon him. What is that yellowish- white mass stealing round a hummock ? I have lost it. There it comes again, up to the top of that other hummock, li is a bear— my first bearl There is no doubt about it, and a very large bear too ! He makes a dash at the poor old seal, but the seal is too quick for him: down goes the seal into his hole, and the bear after him. I watch to see how it ends: the boar clambers out again, and walks discomfited away towards the hummocks j the seal has escaped. " We have had some splendid appearances in the sky lately. One I must describe, that I may not forgot it. Tiie sun was surrounded, at noon, by two circles of light, the first at a distance from* him of 2T, the second of 40'. In each were sot. Li!' ^ iff 1 II n • i ; ■1 ••iii *i •' ; 1 ' ■! ! i| If ' 1' 1 f 1 1 ■ iJHl 230 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. at regular infcorvalM, four mock suns, or parhelia, as they are callgd; those in the inner circle were as bright as the sun himself, those in the outer were fainter; tho wh-jla made a magnificent spectacle." If the captain and crew of the "Constance" had been out on a j)lea«ure excursion, nothing could well have man much more agreeable than all this. But it was far otherwise. They had reached the latitude of Lancaster Sound, and could not enjoy their calm sailing through the channel, which was carrying them too far north. Changes of weather were to bo oxpoutod continually. The middle of August was approaching; it was now the 12th, and the grand (jbjoct was to get as fast as possible, and before tlio ino grow firmer, across the pack, to the westward, unless, indeed, it should be resolved to hold on to t!»o northward and round it ; but Lancaster Sound now lay nearly due west of them. If they sailud farther north to round the pack, they must loso valuable time; and as the season was already laUi, thoy might get entangled in ice, let them go an far as thoy might. On the other hand, tho br«a to the crack along which we want to force ou" way. Peter jumps after him with his ice-d i.: and I as his apprentice, jump after him and we make holes for both anclio,^ Jo fix in. A haLlr 3 then fixed to the smaller end of each, th slclc of wluch ,s parsed round the shaft of he pa ent wmch-an apparatus of =ogs and levers sti m i,L m he bows of the ship. All is ..ady for heaving^ The screw is set to work to help u., ■ the l.awser ,s hauled taut. Everybody is at wo'rk-! eaptom, doctor, ma,t„r, carpenter, the mates, ■ the liai ,lle.s. Ihc ico yields; a lane is opened ust L wJe as the bows. Wo work with fLh oCy go at it for two hninsj . „.wl :..„i. ^ t , ..' " go at It for two hom-s ; and just a^ John miivs, aoms action of wave Wu vn »nu/lo f rent jams the ice close, and tells or cur- US wo are hopelessly besot, « II f; lly •« w t Ml 234 THE VOYAGE OF THE C0K5?TANCE. "We Avipe our foreheacL;, and stare about vn'm provocation. Cry of 'Bear!' fr«;m somebody- Peter, I daresay;— he is always wide avrake. There he fjoes I walking along the iloes with the leisure] V niarcli of perfect freedom, about lialf-a- mile olf, looking as unlike as possible t. the caged monster ol' the Zoological Hardens grovelling in his wet den. Thic bear, with his M'-eighty legs and rounded back, r«nnin'U;d me of an elephant. He was about nine fee>^. long: his colour, a delicate yellow, contrasVenow ; his nose, an intense black. He seemed opjnessed with a sense of his own dignity, which forbade him to move his august legs higher than was absolutely necessary. ' Off sets a party iu chase of him, I among the 1 cr,t; but I woului't have the dogs let off'. I have no mind to endanger their lives in useless hunts of b( rs. Our adventures were anything but honoui.ble. Allen disappeared under the ice, rifle and all; but we hauled him up, and sent him back to the ship to change his clothes. The wnter was at 30°, but his bath has done him no harm. We went on for a whole hour, getting re- j>cated duckings and tumbles. I went in twice. The bear, meanwhile, never varied from his un- concerned walk, and was at last lost to view in a labyrinth of hunnnock-ice. " Wo get back, looking foolish enough, and Peter receives me with a lecture. John also laufdis at mo. Upon the whole, I think I deserve it; so I bear it 'phi'.oHoph 'ly. The only advan tago of my absurdity is, vl^... I am so tired that I 1 I HCi 1 p bout us in mebody — le avrake. , with t be )ut half-a- the cag«>'l ivelling ill ighty legs elephant. , a delicate is nose, an ith a sense move his necessary, among the ff" I have less hunts '^thing but r the ice, d sent him hes. The ne him no getting rc- t in twice, im his un- ) view in a lough, and John also c I deserve nlv ndvan ired that I I THE MIDDLE PACK. 235 ^an% holp 1-Jling asleep, and so forget that we are "I am aw-oke from a sound sleep by the crvof en u do, J. at „,gl,t, and I have been asleep smce ■ "= 1 here is a complete change in the floes • no MrdV"'; '"'/'" ■" - "^ken, thin 'and tall and Ben is out upon it carrying a forty. rtrhed°*p *°7"^1' ' '""^ -titelh'ale-linfls attached. Ben tumbles over the ice, getting two 0.- three duckings as he goes along, Ind plant! US anchor in the firm side of a gieatberg, sZt mg m the direction we want to go. The lino passes inboard through a block, afd with a few clever turns around the capstan its slack or loosl nd IS carried to a little windlass, Now comes round to a jolly chorus of sailors' song.,, and we get over a few hundred yards in no tu„°e: time; suddenly they open, and the sliip is i„ a canal agam. Our good screw can do L w"rk for us now; but for it we should be out inJhe h:r 2";"'° ^^^ *"« ""^^ •'" -"^ ■-» at if^P w '."' ^'^ '""''^ «""'• ™y. «"J keep tt ve" .7^ '^"'7° '"'™ ''«''* ^™"Sh even a't tvelve o clock; and at three in the morning John d> ves me down to bed. I hate to go because the lead keeps open, and we are getting on famously; but I ^a soon asleep and fof^et oLy" M'"g. 1 have not noticed what a day'of enjoy. ment It has been for the dogs; they have beTn f 'i I Si 236 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, out on the floes whenever we were beset or only moving slowly, and they shall be whenever we can manage it. Olaf turns out w ell ; he manages the Esquimaux dogs famously, and they begin to know me too ; but all I can do they won't look j)leased at anything, and never wag their tails. Dogs that don't bark and don't wag tails seem very dull, and they do neither. They really never do wag their tails, but I shall not rest till I make them. But their delight, rolling on the ice and among the snow, is quite refreshing ; and Trident and all his coixipany make up in noise and bustle for the quietness of the others." It was the 27th of August when, for the last time, the "Constance" lay imprisoned in the pack ; she had nearly reached her harbour. Al- ready the dark cliffs of Cape Osborne, the north- east point of Lancaster Sound, loomed at intervals through the drift. There were signs of open water at a few miles' distance. It was hard to be idle so near the end of the voyage ; but there was more than anxiety to get free in the faces of the captain and the master, as they stood together on deck, sometimes looking up at the heavy, leaden clouds that flew across the sky, somttimos scanning the horizon with their glasses. The wind roared across the floes. Ahead and between them and the open waters of the Sound stood a threatening an-ay of icebergs, against which heavy ice-tables were reared up, ground to atoms, arid carried off on t'^e wavp-s ; wliile others suc- ceeded, to be dashed to pieces in their tuni. THE MIDDLE PACK. 237 t or only never we ! manages begin to ''on't look heir tails. :ails seem ey really t rest till ig on the hing; and D in noise rs." r the last 3d in the bour. Al- bhe nortli- ,t intervals s of open IS hard to but there ;he faces of )d together the heavy, somttimes sses. The id between ound stood inst whicli d to atoms, others suc- their turn. There was something awful in the death-like sti Iness of the ship in the near presence of that wild tumult. The walrus were numerous, rest- ing on the ice or floating in their holes and ploughing up the water with their tusks. Tnese dusky monsters approach the land in storms ihey came very near the ship, often within twenty feet of her. Every sail was close-reefed everythmg on board was prepared to stand any shock that might come ; every man stood ready to do his duty when tlie shock came. "Edward, keep close by me, and hold fast on a rope I" said John, in a suppressed voice The words were hardly spoken and obeyed when, with a sound only to be equalled by the loudest thunder, tke ice broke up, and the ship drifted before the howling gale and at its mercy. hhe scraped along a lee of ice of great thickness t^ien scudded onward among the heaving masses! One of them, upturned by the waves, rose above the gunwale, smashing in the bulwarks and deposit- ing half a ton of ice upon the decks. The staunch httle ship bore herself through the wild adven- ture as if she had a charmed life. But it was on the enemy in front that the eyes ot her captain were turned. Directly in front just beyond the line of the floe-ice against which she was sliding and thumping, was the fleet of bergs. It was impossible to avoid them the only question was, whetho- she would be dashed to nioPPa qrrniricf lU„. .. _ I .1 ., ' Ui. " ^ ••^«inc!C rnt r r whether they might not ofier some providential nook of refuge. ef;T7 1 238 THE VOYAGE OF '■ lii. COlvXANCE. But as tlie ship nearcd them it was found that they were at some distance from the floe- edge, and separated from it by an interval of open water. Into this channel she wn' tlvlvf-j by the gale, wl:en, from an eddy, she lost her headway. Almost at the same moment it became evident that tljy bergs were not at rest, that they were bearing Hjwn upon the floes, with a mo- mentum of theii own, and that it must be the fate of the " Constance " to be crushed between them. John looked at Edward, who stood close to his side. Edward's face was pale as death ; his lips quivered, his eyes had an expression of anguish. "My father, my father, we cannot save you now!" These wordj burst frcn him as John's L>ok rested on him. A pang of agony passed through the young captain ; dreadful pictures of a lingering death and of broken hearts came before him. He looked upward and around, as if ^or help. Ab< ve and around the storm was ragii.j^, but behind iiim he saw his men firm, quiet, ready for action, ready for death. Just then a broad, low, waterwashed berp- came driving up from the east. A sudden th<^' j,lit dashed through him, and as the masR leared. ho gave the word, and Ben, who had the en Lh of a giant, managed to plant an nnchor i il 4de, and hok^ ^n to it by a whale line. The ship fell behind, and followed the mass of ice. The noble tow-lior3e towed her bravely on, the spray dash- >^i THE MIDDLE PACK. Jgf, ing over his windward flanks, and his forehead ploughmg up the lesser ice, as if hi scorn. TwTce Jrth a noise as of thunder did other bergs eome tremble, and h,s harness strain and groan, twice did he conquer, and bear the vessel on th. '""^ .''"■^ encroached upon him, th ,r,h they wore driven with less violence. The channd narrowed The yards had to be braced andTh poit-quarter boat would have been crushed by the impending ice if Peter had not, with miracu! lous qnicimess, tai.en it from the davits. The ^Constance i,.„sed through, and got under the ad h!?; ""■ ^"? '"*» " -»l--«vely open lead Her crew now detached her from the brave sea.hoi.e, which h, saved them from cert:in But scarcely had th, ime to breathe snd congratulate each other, when a floe dive thc"n f«>m their shelter, and the gale soon carr ed them beyond the lead. Again they were in he ice, sometimes escaping its onset by wan,in„ sometimes obliged to rely on the stfength'^i taoyaucy of the ship to withstand its m-essure -metimes scudding wildly through the drift On every occasion when men could possibly avert a danger by any effort, every man was^ready and many narrow escapes were made. The bar- ncade stanchi,_ns were ca^ied away, the b^t ^een lovverf.i for the warpings was left »m , ' ■ ^vt HIM warp behind on the Hoes with three brave feU «jws in it. !| I I 240 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. when a little pool of open water leceived the ship at last. The pool was just beyuiid a lofty cape that rose up like a wall, and under an iceberg that anchored itself between her and the gale. John did not stop an instant, even to congra- tulate himself or his friends. He was out on the berg to look after his three men, first pushing back Edward by main force, and ordering Peter to hold him, and not suffer him to follow. He took three of his best tried sailors, used to the Greenland fishery, with strong whale-lines and boarding-pikes. Holding on with difficulty, they succeeded in gaining the other side of the berg, threw out their lines, which the men caught, hauled in the boat, and landed the men on the ice, leaving the boat to the mercy of the waves. There was a hearty cheer when they all seven appeared on the berg, and got on board again. The men would have gone to death for their young captain at that moment, and Edward rushed to him and seized him by both hands, but could not speak. Officers and men had worked alike through this terrible time, and all were pretty well worn out, John sent them to rest after Peter and his mate had fastened two good anchors in the berg, but he and Macleod kept watch alternately. The gale was unbroken, and the floe-ice pressed heavily on the sheltering berg, so much so as to sway it from its vertical position, and at one time to make its top over- hang the ship. But morning broke, and they still lay safe. I^l'i he ship at cape that berg that )o congra- ut on the I pushing ing Peter low. He sd to the lines and Lilty, they the berg, 1 caught, sn on the he waves, all seven again. for their Edward ands, but d worked all were n to rest two good ieod kept Dken, and jheltering 3 vertical top over- md they THE MIDDLE PACK. 241 About eight in the morning the precarious har- bour was broken up, both the anchors gave way, and the vessel was again among the ice The r^tala ^^ '-'^ '' '-'' ^- '^ %^* *^« Now began the nippings. The first shock took her on the port-quarter, but she bore it weH and rose by jerks on the ice. The next came Irom an enormous floe, irresistible by wood or ha? '; /^^ t---d face of the ic^eberrtha had sheltered her through the night presented an mchned p^ane descending deep into trewatet and up this she was driven, as if iome great Iteam screw-power was forcing her into a^ dry dock Immense blocks piled against her, ranj upon range, pressing themselves under her keel as 5 they would carry her bodily up the face ^f the berg when, by some mysterious relaxation in the ice It lowered her gradually into the rubbish and forced her out of the line of pressure towards the shore. She was made fast in a safe harbour and the peril was over. ' Only those who have passed through such penis know how to hold at its true value the steady courage of men in the midst of them John never forgot the manly bearing of his com-' panionsm that fearful passage between mZd death, nor the unflinching glance of Edward's l7thTtT '' "^' 'rf every moment ex! cept that one moment of despair. Edward scarcely knew what fear wa.. It wa. forT^ hi -0 li •I Is I" !'l § 242 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. father that anguish liad overcome him, and John understood him. They were no Avords of mere form, but heartfelt thanksgivings, that rose to heaven that morning before the exhausted crew- went once more to rest, and John was able to close his eyes with an easy mind. The gale began to abate towards evening, and fell completely before midnight. On the morn- ing of the 29th, there was a dead calm, but winter had begun; young ice covered the sea; and no time was lost in getting under weigh a<^ain to settle in a more satisfactory harbour. The screw carried them on expeditiously, making nothing of the slight impediment that the thin crust of ice presented, and by six o'clock on the evening of the 2l)th August, the "Constance" dropped her anchor into a (juiet cove' in Croker Bay. She was safe in winter quarte.rs. CHAPTER XXI. AN EX 1' Ell 1 MENTAL TUll». FiioM the anchorage in Croker Bay a journey of about a hundred miles would lead the intended sledge-party to the shores of Jones' Sound, wliero they ha'l every reason to boliovo the " Pole Star " 1 1 K«£.« wrc^kvvl J'.nd whoro thov hoi>od to liiid her (japtain and crew. id John of mere rose to Bil crew- able to ing, and e inorn- Im, but die sea ; r weigh harbour, makivig the thin : on the istance " I Croker iiirnoy of intended d, where )IcStar" 1 t(> iind I i AN EXPERIMENTAL TRIP. £43 The plan arranged was to travel with three sledges. One drawn by the Newfoundland dogs and two by teams of fifteen E«quiniaux d.^^r.s in each. A fourth sledge, drawn by six men^was intended to accompany the expedition on the first day's journey, and after supporting the whole party on its provisions that day and the next morning, was to leave the rest of the food it had brought safely secured from bears-ew cache as It IS termed— and return to the ship. Afoitnicrht afterwards, if the expedition had not then 1-e- turned, the loa,ded relief-sledge was to start again for the same spot, and advance, if need were one day's journey forther, following a track to bo marked for their guidance. The three dog-sledges were to be loaded with all that was necessary for food and shelter for the party going the journey and for those they went to rescue, till t'.ey returned to the ship. The party goin^r consisted of John himself, Edward Peter, Olaf, Bv.n I'iddes, and Adam Black. The plan agreed oji vva^ to travel straight northward to the coast; on arriving there to separate, two sledges taking the westerly route as the most hivt^ly to lead to success, and the other the easterly, having ai)pointed a place beforehand a place of rendezvous. The diip was to bo left in charge of Macleod and Allen. The duty of those h-ft in h.>r would be tc repair the damngo she had suffered in the storm to iiuu;se over her deck for winter, to keen hor dry and in perfect order, to get up the m arm- % PI I I UU I! . m 1 , '1! m 244 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. ing apparatus, and to have every cabin and sleep- ing place Viifyly for the returning party. No opportunity wm to be lost of obtaining fresh provisions; but m the birds were migrating southwards in largo flocks day and night, and they did not 8^ yot know if there were deer in the neighbourhood, sucoeps must remain un- certain. '^ The days had considerably shortened now- They were within three weeks of the equinox ; the thennoniuttjr had sunk to 10° below the freez- ing-point, and a heavy fall of snow had covered the young ico on the sea and the hills ashore with one uniform whiteness. Wliile th« nhip was getting into safe anchor- age, Edward ha«l employed ever/ hour in helping the steward ttf»d Peter to get out the stores and ])rovi8ionH for tlie Hlodges. Early in the morning he was at work again. The ^ledges had been brought up, lowiired, and got ashore on to a fine broad torraco of mt that lined the beach, and was now covered with snow. Hero they were to be loaded ; but \n:(um this work was begun Edward harnessed bin Newfoundlanders, and at the same time mitdif Oinf and r(*ter harness the Ks(jui- maux dogs, and all the three teams were tried. 'J'here woh much «•« infusion at first, but an hour's practice brouj^lit thorn into some order, and was Muflicieut to prove that they wotild get on very well. Ah U) Trident and < hloe, thoy were already pei'ffr'i'i!*' ti'ltituMl. and beini/ harnessod qm loftdorSj tiio other four xoon followed without giving %t,m H AN EXPEEIMENTiL TRIP. 215 trouble, and obeyed the voice. The Esquimaux dogs on the contrary, had to be managed solely by the whip. They dragged with wonderful s rength and speed when once well in hand, but at first It looked very hopeless. They are not harnessed as the Newfoundlanders were two abreast but each puUs his own independent hne of tough walruH-hide. They are apt. therefore at times, to get into what looks like inextricable confusion. Sometimes a battle takes place be- tween two of them ; others join, and nothing but the unerring lash aimed at the offenders by the driver restores order. Olaf pioved highly dex- terous and Peter, whose hatred at being undone made him exert himself to the utmost, succeeded tolerably. Satisfied that the dogs would do their part Edward next employed himself in helping Olaf to give them abundance of food, and attend- lug to his own six-a task he never aUowed any one to take from him-and then returned to the sledges to help to pack them. The sledges were to carry provisions for the 81X men of the party for forty days, and for thirty-ono more for fifteen days. It being reck- oned, that though the search might occupy twc>nty-five days, yet the return to the ship Miien tlie rescue had been effected, could not take, at the utmost, above a fortnight. The food consisted of pemmican, preserved meat, biscuit giound to powder, tea, coffee, sugar, and lime- jmoe. A small quantity of brandy and some medicines were added by Allen. The fuel waa 246 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. oil and spirits of wine. The cooking apparatus, fitted wJth a spirit-lamp, was very simple, the most important part being the apparatus for melting snow and boiling water. All the cups, tumblers, and spoons were of horn; the plates and dishes, tin; knives and forks, and all other imple- ments required, as light and as few as possible. Eveiy man ha^thi.rg before his departure, when Edward asked for I momen s conversation. It was the afternoon of the fii-st day after corning to anchor ^ "Everything is in good train, John," he said; 2T >'"!; i' T'" ^ impossible to have th/ ledge, oadcd, gu-e the n==n a proper rest, and b.art bolore to-morrow mornin -Hingofthissrl: t:r''^-f»'7'ythe from an enormous cavern of- J^** '^™'"' «o strangely desolate ?^J .""' "'^''^' '°*od fringed with lorn" :M;rthr:V,° 'T^'f^'-aU ;:. wds it to ^^x^:^:z!t near it, and dowTi vonVl •^'^'?'^;^°^^"g any wlieres -■■be made in™ a' i^i le^;^ erCor'' t"'^' back aga n ! It's nn no. + J^^u^seit. Come along ■Wn'tnopXr;*:?'''-^- ^'-r- TI.,V resolied .^ g .^ri *" >* T l--«e. "■•■"■•loclbyHudingf t L , f ■ ""'' "■"'■« >•»- '•"■I a-haif a l,r t'l ''"' :''^'«nco ofan<,tl,er mile ■'■»'«t <:!!;» rX.Zd'2i*l'™"'^' ''•'''^■" "- «™>1. all white wti I r'""«^ '"''''-' ""rth- tn,-„.,l ,•„*„ ', r"'' 8l'"«"'W HBow, Tl„.,. roceeded for thr »«.-, , I ife mi k p'-rMfii I 250 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, the dogs, and look about tliem before they be- grin their way back. They were on a great plain, bounded to the north by a range of hills. Their journey might begin with ease and safety. Edward suddenly jumped from the sledge with a wild cry, and ran at full speed to the left. Peter stared in astonishment, and then looked round : he could see nothing. "One would ha thought," he said to himself "there had been a bear at his heels; and yet, too, he's not one to run away and leave me to fight for it. Whatever has he got in his head ? Why, what's that? Mercy upon us!— it can never be that we've found the captain a'rcady!" And Peter stopped talking, and stood looking in amazement at tlie tall figure of a man in a cloak, who stood motionless on a solitary rock, and showed dark against the clear sky on the horizon. "Mercy upon us!— it never can be!" he said again ; and as he said so, the figure ex- tended his arms, as if to receive Edward, who was now very near. Peter put tlie dogs in motion, and ran by their side after Edward. Suddenly the myste- rious figure leaped from the rock, aiid disap- peared. Edward was on the spot in half a minute. Peter was soon by his side. They looked around: no one was near— not even a footn.ark broke tho uniform smooth whiteness of the snow. There „,„_ „^ -fl<",. v^'l' vnov »>'> rilnpfv nf liidimr nor was iiu uliicl ivvjix livUi — I — — c Bheltcr. they be- •eat plain, Is. Their he sledge >o the left, en looked to himself ; and yet we me to his head? i I — it can Et'ready!" od looking man in a itary roc-k, ky on the ' can be!" figure ex- ward, who nd ran by the myste- attd disap- ' a minute. kcd around: k broke tho •ow. There liidiiur nor AN EXPEEIMENTAL TRIP. 251 Edward chmbed to the top of the rock, with the Idea that some chasm might be there capable of concealing a man. No !-the top was smooth and flat, ana the snow bore no marks except the prints of two small claws of a bird. The truth flashed on him at once : he had been deceived by one of those strange tricks of refraction that aie so common in the Polar regions. What he had seen was a bird with wings outspread, ready for «>ght; and he did in truth see, as he Jooked up a solitary bird flying southward. Some petrel or other bird of passage had stopped for a few minutes to rest here. ^ Edward sat down by the rock without speak- ing The sudden dashing down of a vague liope that he saw his father before him had left him sick and giddy. Peter saw this, and tried by talking to raise his spirits. " It was a strange tiling, too, Master Edward " he said " that you should think a bird was a man'" Did you not see clearly the figure of a man. too f ' "Oh:-ah!-ye8! But I could ha' told you many a tale to prevent your making such a mis- take, if you'd have asked me. One day now as Joe, and I was out on a tramp, we see at a distance two men coming on. one o' them with a rifle. ' Who's there ?' says I. 'I think U's Laptain James and tlie doctor,' says he- 'I'm sure it is, indeed.' Well, we walks on, and comes ,- ,..,.,„„„_^.^e!i uicick stone with a patch s. %M, ^■■E 252 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. of snow in the middle of it. People say it's re- fraction. As to that, I don't make no remark. It's strange— that's all I can say ; and in these here Arctic regions there's many unaccountable sights and sounds that we don't have in Chris- tian countries. Any way, I'm not .to be taken in by it now." ^ ^ " We had better get back," said Edward ; " it s no use to go any further." Peter said he would try to find some water for the dogs, and began turning the stones that lay at the base of the rock. He had not turned many when he found some that was bright and clear, of which they lapped as much as they liked. "Hulloah, Master L.]vvard! where are your eyes?" cried Peter, ' lljnly pointing his rifle. "A bear!" Edward looked oui., and saw, indeed, a white monster coming on ; but it turned and fled rapidly before it came within range of their rifles.^ The doers were in the greatest excitement, and it was airPeter could do to hold them and prevent their running away after it with the sledge. " I never saw a bear with a long sweeping tail like that," said Edward, as they saw it going away across the snow. When they got to the place where it had turned, it was evident, from the marks on the snow, that what they had seen was a white fox. "The wind's getting up," said Peter, trying not to look foolisli, -'^and I feel the snow-drift beginning very uncomfortable. We had better be going home." AN EXPERIMENTAL TRIP. £53 But before they could take their seats a gust came sweeping across the snowy plain, and dfove the hght snow in such thick showers of drift into their faces that they were nearly blinded ; and when they tried to go on, they did not know whu^h way to take. Their footmarks were coZ ered m a moment. 1« I'f?^' ™ly«»ngwe can do is to get under the Peter The' T^ " "? t" "^^ ^*°'"' ™ '" ^^^ I'eter. The sledge is half buried a'ready, and wolldTo :o,"'*''^ '■"^"^^'^^ ^--'- 'W Edward followed Peter's advice : there was no hmg else for it. They could hardly fiTd 21 tLrT " T '" *''°'"' *■'<= ''"ft h"^'! become undt ; ^u^ ^T"^ ''■ '^"y '"''^ themselves under Its shelter, kept the dogs close to them drew he sledge in front, spread the bear-skins ovTr their heads, and in this way sat with tolerable thr^iT' ''" ™ "'"■ ^'" *^ -"<» -H* the diift became more and more violent. A com- them, and the bear-skins became heavy with iT The sun was near setting, and under these circum- stanees It seemed dark already. Edward began • to fel wretchedly impatient at his Wd inactfon and to thmk how vexatious it would be if thev could not get back all night, and so delay the expedition. Happily, Peter was occupied for some time m aiTanging the bear-skins and quiet Ogo , - . ° ' ^"^ When he had succeede(i he began with various provoking remarks, such as:- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ''/.■ .<^ M^^ m^ S,. 'V , m. M/. ^ ^ Ua 1.0 I.I 1.25 112.8 I- ^ 1 2.5 III 2.2 12.0 1.8 U IIIIII.6 V] ^ n / ^^? %."^ > '/ Photographic Sciences Corpordtion 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14S80 (716) •7a-4S03 ^V -^^ 4? :\ 'ci^^ \ b|s 4^ I 254 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " You might ha' done better than come at all to-day, Master Edward. We should have been down on the shore by this time if you hadnt have run after that 'ere man." And so on. Edward had the greatest difficulty to restrain his temper, but only advised Peter to try to go to sleep, and not to talk, whatever be did, for there was quite enough to bear .dthout that. Peter accordingly remainec^ quiet ro long that Edward believed he really did sleep, though after about half-an-hour, when he moved again, he positively denied having closed his eyes, and then he began again : — . " They'll be putting everything wrong, and at sixes and sevens on the loaded sledges, without me to see after 'em. I never thought we should ha' stayed above an hour, or I should ha' tried t<. advise the captain not to let you come. Pretty mess we shall be in in the morning, keeping the sledges waiting, or else having them start without us I Captain 'ull be in a sweet temper, and it ain't my o])inion as he'll wait." When Peter, after grumbling and scolding for ten minutes, at last came to this, Edward lost all ])aticnce, and, starting up, stumbled over dogs, Mledgo, and everything, out into the wind and snow. It was perfectly dark— inkj' davk— without a ray of light ; the clouds hid the stars, and the coM was piercing, but the wind had gone down anvas as well to avoid such topics just tli'n Presently they had to get out and walk, leadinc; the dogs, for the path was difficult. The aurora sometimes grow pale, but never left them in total darkness; after a few minutes it always shone out again, with some beautiful cliange or other llie streams of light became tinted with yellow and rod ; the arch broke up and formed circles and snake-like forms in raj.id motion. Edward 'H 1 1 tool Iv cvorxr care of the dogs allowed pp'*rtunity of watching it that the II gJW— 258 THE VOYlGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " The roarer's at a new game now!" said Peter, as tliey turned out of the pass and reached the ice-belt on the shore at last. " It's a rocket, Peter," said Edward. " They're putting up rockets to guide us." Peter fired his rifle directly, as a signal they were coming. The shot was answered so in- stantly and near that they saw the flash. " If I was able to believe my eyes at all, now, I should say that was our captain on that rock under the cliff"," said Peter. " Hulloah !" shouted a voice near. "HuUoahi Is that you, John?" shouted Ed- ward back. " Yes ! Glad you're come ! You got into the drift, I suppose ?" The last words were said as John took his seat in the sledge, and set Peter's mind at rest about getting a "blowing up," as he called it, which he was much too proud to like. They went swiftly on. The great headland at the eastern corner of the bay, and soon after- wards the light masts and spars of the "Con- stance" were visible. The sight was very wel- come. Edward was telling John of the good pass they had discovered, and the promising aspect of the snow for their journey. "Here wo are!" said ho, in return. "Sup- per's ready for you both, and for tlio dogs. You arc all hungry enough, I dare say. Tlien a good sound sleep, and up at six to-morrow morning, to bo ready for our start 1" 259 } ' If I rot into the CHAPTER XXir. THE SLEDGE JOURNEY. It was seven o'clock on the morning of the 1st of beptemher, exactly two months from the day the Constance" left Aberdeen harbour, that the sledo-P- party assembled on the ice-belt, only waitino- tlie appearance of their captain. The sledges were loaded, the dogs harnessed, the six men that were to draw the reserve sledge " toggled to the warp " as they call it. Tlie men were in good spirits heart, and hope. Tliey had had a long night's rest and a good breakfast, and the weather was fine— very cold; but clothed as they were thev fhd not mind that. ' The whole ship's company had soon collected round them There was hearty shaking of hands Ihere were many kind farewells, and wishes for a quick return and a happy one. Edward kept a little^ apart from the rest. He tried to avoid Allen's eye when they pressed each other's hands and said good-bye, lest ho should break down, f,)/ now the hope that had supported him throughout must soon bo realized or dasiied down for over J Within a period that must now bo very near, ho should bo made supremely happy or misorablo. Ho stood nuar the sledge ho was to drive, close by Tndcnt, who every now and then looked in hia ■:HJ.! Ill 260 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. face, slowly wagging his tail, as if he wanted to say something it would be a comfort to hear. A loud cheer announced the captain's appear- ance. He passed into the midst of the men, and held up his hand for silence, implored a blessing on the undertaking, and then gave the order to move on. Those he wa^ to leave crowded round him for one grasp of his hand before he went. Then they gave three cheers. Their cheers were returned heartily, and the party was off. They went on for three hours at a steady pace, with notliing to interrupt their progress. Peter was not a little gratified to hear the captain say to Edward that the experimental trip of last night had done good service. They found that the dogs easily went five miles an hour, and that, with a short stoppage at the end of the first five miles, they had accomplished ten by eleven o'clock. The drivers ot the toams were, at first, Edward, Olaf, and Peter, but their places were taken by the captain, Adam, and Norman, for the next stage. Ben despised the idea of knocking up with any length of walk that might be before him. The party with the dog-sledges rested at eleven. They sat on the sledges and had some refreshment. In order to get water for themselves and the dogs, who were well fed with seals' flesh, they had to light a spirit-lamp and melt snow, but that was easily done. They had brought food for the dogs sufficient for a day or two, but did not encumber themselves with much, feeling sure that sufficient provision for them could be shot by the men ; and. THE SLEDGE JOUliNEY. 261 indeed on this first morning's march they saw while to shoot any of them, and to increase the burdens on the sledges. h.f'^\'^lV^'^^ "P '^^*^ *^^«^^ reserve-sledge before the halt was over, and found their luncheon prepared, and a hearty welcome. They were left belund agam at the second start to rest longer and promised that they should find bed and botd waiting them in the tent when they reached it for the night. The same prosperous progress ivas made for another fifteen miles, occupying with its two halts nearly five hours, and then John ordered the tent to be pitched for the night. Thev had i-eached the base of a range of hiUs. If such progress as this could have been made every day, the hundred miles to the coast would have been got over in five days. But it was not so They had hitherto travelled over a wide plain admirably adapted to sledges; already the hills that rose in front cf them showed very different paths-full of difficulties. The weather'^had b'en very fine, but nearly to a certainty there would occur fogs, drifts, or snow-storms, during which to move, even, would be impossible. But the party had no time or inclination to think of to-morrow's toils. Lvery man was occupied about the food and rest of to-day, and in good spirits and ready to set about preparing for it. A sufficient space of snow was cleaxed away, the tent pitched, bear- skins wrova ^qiA f^r^ i^V,- i ,i . . ' , '^'"^ ^^^ ^^"^ giuuau, the Cooking-Iampa were brought out, snow was collected, melted, and 262 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE boiled ; a large kettle of good hot tea was pre- pared (and every Arctic traveller knows wliat a refreshment that is); Peter was dubbed cook; the pemmican was brought out and cut up; the bread-powder dividf^d into thirteen portions; the plates, the cups, all that could be wanted, spread ready. While all this was going on, Edwar'' and Olaf were busy with the dogs, feeding them and supplying them with water, and were pleased to see them stretch themselves out and go to sleep. To sleep on the snow was delight to the Esquimai.x dogs, but a little shelter was provided for the others. They had a skin to lie on, and a canvass thrown over cross-sticks to shield them from the wind. John had enough to do superintending every arrangement both for sleeping and supper, and the other three men were pitching the tfjnt, unloading the sledges, and drawing them up in line by it. All were fully engaged, and tl;e ar- rangements had not long been completed when the other sledge came in sight. The men came on steadily, singing as they stepped along, and cheered when they saw the lamps in the tent shining out in the twiUght. They were not al- lowed to put their hands to any work. Their sledge was drawn up by the others, and they were seated at once at the feast prepared for them, and feast it was to men who had walked five-and-twenty miles, dragging a good heavy- weight. " Prince Albert never had such a supper in his life;' Bftid one. THE SLEDGE JOURNEY. _ "An Invitation to Windsor would be declined " said another, putting down his empty cup after draining the smoking hot tea to the last drop, and then turning round to attack his penunican. 1 don t care if I march live-and-twenty miles once a-week all the rest o' my life, to see such a pleasant sight at the end of it as this here tent wtth all o you at the opening, and the lights be-' liind ye, and the dogs all round. It was the prettiest sight I ever saw." So they went on, till, having finished supper, the pipes were brought out. Then there was thorough enjoyment for an hour. Now and then one would stop smoking to tell a good story, Peter tigurmg as usual on such occasions; but in general there was quietude and occasional dozing. The tent was now cleared ; everything that had been used cleaned up for tlie morning's breakfast; the lamp, necessary to warmth, trimmed and pre- pared for burning all night; the sleeping-bags brought m; the tent closed carefully; boots and jackets taken off, and then every man got into his bag and lay down, by Peter's careful instruction, head to feet. As he went on placing them, Edward could not help remembering the evening when Peter was at Fernhill, and gave the illustration with the pen and pencH laid side by side, to show how people slept in tents ; and then the thought ot home, of his mother, Maggie, and, above all, hia lather, came before him, as though he saw them all. It was well for him that he was tired and overcome with sleep, after so many hours d out ex- n 264 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. posure to the cold air, or he would have been un- able to drive these visions away. As it was he was soon stretched by John's side, as sound asleep as ail the rest. The morning broke with wind and drift, and much as they had longed to start, it was ten o'clock before they could move. When the wind fell they prepared to set out, after taking leave of the party of six who had brought the reserve- sledge, and were now to return to the ship. The sledge was first unloaded of as much of its provi- sions as would make up for what had been used for the party, so that the fresh start was to be made with full sledges ; all the remainder of the food was carefuUy secured from the attacks of bears and foxes, and a tent-pole with a flag was planted to mark the place. All this done, the two parties separated and went their several ways. The day's journey through the hills proved as laborious as that of the Jay before was easy. They only advanced five miles, and yet had much more fatigue to endure. Nothing, however, could exceed the courage and cheerfulness of the men, nor the docility and sagacity of the dogs. The sledges toiled up steep blocks of ice, dogs pulling up, and men hanging at the back, when the top was reached, to save them from pitching down the other side; then a loud laugh would be heard, and though the dogs and sledge were safe, the men were floundering in a snow-wreath, or stretched at full length on slippery ice. Sometimes they had to deacend into deep ravines, and cross the THE SLEDGE JOURNEF. 265 snowy beds of mountain torrents • th^n + r . precipitous hills and rocks or make' 1- ' ™^ avoid them TT/i^ j ^ ^^"^ rounds to Food and rest were very welcome ti,„* and were the more agreeabl a aTe™ Jr""" more stretched to the northward a^dZ hT began to take a westerly direction S >\ ^ had prowled about all day and Ben ^i'f''' went off with their rifl J'nft """^ ^'''"" others pitched th« tent w ^ "*"■ ''°''' *'"'« «'e missed him. Twtad tLT ■■f™^^, having «d hares, the fomer j JI T' '^"^ "^"""^ ''°^<'^ the dogs and th? Lf '^ '""'' '''*™**<1 to cooke/Weresot, e ■ "■"■" ^'*^''' ^ilf"' ^ mak^; soTpT tZ^l-S^r 'n" night was clear and cold with ,.^'^''^^^^^' The a ^ilver bow amongle'ti trr^T^ aurora also was occasionally visible rin!^ " streams from the southern hTr.^^' tf"? "f. » up the whole of the expan f ' .^ V'fef "^ them, jiidward U^r ^^ i . ''"ow before and think^nThow S,e d™ wS", '? '"-'°^. plain. =" ^ """^^ *^o* across the gentle slope at a r„^M !„''?" «"'"« "^o^n a rapid pace, and was fl„f „-.j , ^ , -'^-i^x,. paue, ana was r Hat and level surface, when suddt.ily he s now '^" heard a a IIH 266 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. loud crack and the dogs stood still. At that in- stant the sledge began to sink througli ice, and he found he was on a frozen lake. He turned liis dogs, however, and succeeded in reaching the shore just as John had reached it, by going at the utmost speed. It was necessary to keep by the edge of this lake, instead of proceeding dnu north, but there was an easy and level track of ice close to its shores, along which they ailxanced with ease. Some rocky and difficult road had to be passed over towards the end of the day, but on th(3 whole they found they had advanced fifteen miles. Nearly half the journey to the coast was now accomplished. The fourth was a trying day. A storm of wind and drift prevented their travelling more than one mile. Many times durinr, the weary hours Edward had to remend:)er his father's lessons of courage and trust, and, after all, succeeded but ill, John did all ho could to keep up the spirits of his men, by telling them his own adventures in the " Investigator," and encouraging them to tell some of their adventures; and the whole party, men and dogs, had a good rest and many hours' sound sleep. Even Edward could not help con- fessing next morning that be felt stronger and bettor in consequence ; but his si)irits were raised by the sight of a biiglit morning, or perhaps he would not have felt so. They wore o' . ''"'^^'*- ^ ^'"'^^ were the crew of tlio when John"'?;: L;v;™r:t,-'^'"" •■Follow ,„„ with y„,„.t. am oLf v '" '"'"• thorn ovcrythin.^ I ,1 , ^ou must ask koep your ri^^ ' " : !"'"'; "' ''""'y- ""'' "" camo to a halt anu.";,. thoZk" ^"'"'"""^ _Tl.oy drove on. A« thoy approached H,„„ <,. '= oi ineiii como out <•.-.- l-. ■ . --""•' "" lYty^M dotting tho •om behind tho rocka snowy poak8 with their dark figiu-es, ti fl *>•*' 268 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. There might be about five-and-twenty men. They looked wild and uncouth, and were tall and gene- rally strong, most of them carrying lances or weapons of some sort, and were all well clothed in skins, having jumpers of the white or grey fox, and booted trowsers of bear-skin, ending in the claws of the animals. They had a number of dogs with sledges, and had picketed the dogs by their seal-skin traces to their lances, which were stuck in the ground. A great commotion began, both among dogs and men, as John drove near. The men bran- dished their lances, but did nothing really hostile. At a word from his captain, therefore, Olaf dis- mounted and walked quickly towards them. See- ing him, the Esquimaux became still, and a tall man, who was apparently the chief, advanced to meet him. For some minutes there was loud talking, accompanied by violent gesticulation. Then Olaf and the chief seized each other by the hair. Any one that did not know their customij might have supposed this was the beginning of a pitched battle, but, on the contrary, it was a sign of good will. They then rubbed noses, which completely cemented the friendship. John, now feeling (piite at :5ase as to the re- ception he might expect, dismounted also, and followed by Edward, went forward towards the chief, who met him half-way. The ceremony of ])ulling hair and rubbing noses had to bo s/one through. For this John was prepared, and ho ^i»H.f>-^-^^m'immSi THE SLEDGE JOUENEY. gfin at any other tim 1: t wouM S"'^' ^'""^'^ wise things now wl,;i„l .,'""' """""^ """"h to hear .oSr;- ^h!: tir "''^*'"^ '- ■'»'- »aid Yes? '^"""°°' •■"^«'™<' •'■^ answer, and Edward's liopes rose. ,3''«° did you see them i " Ihree moons aj,'o " of tht^^L'k!""^ "™ ™"^ then-about the time "How many were there ? " twil Ltln !foK" """'«™ o^""'" ''»'^'' Twenty-nine r Tw ' w "^ "«""'' """'"'"g ""o- thenuL , Wl!il, t;rn,iT-T *" ""»?'»'« Leart sank agair. ^^' " '"' ' ^J^"<1'» ■'Wlierodidyouseotliem?" thon^^h-tsr' '"''^' ""=™"-''° Po-ted to "Wliat were they doing?" fron>yfur ^ '**"'' *" y™' " *■»' anything "They wanted vyol auii 'What did they give you fur them ? » r;:;grsi^i ^gMiwiWMu^»jjiiil'« «i 270 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. " All their dogs. They had lost their sledges and did not want them." " Did they say where they were going ? " "No." At a sufXirestion from Edward, John next asked, "Did they give anything besides their dogs ? " "They gave a jumper of one that they said was not with them, and we gave bear-skins for them." " Where is that jumper ? " There was a great talking and noise now. Every one seemed to have something to say, and a few women appeared from behind the rocks with their children, and joined in the consultation. Olaf had to answer a great many questions. To pull hair and rub noses with several of the men, and seemed as if he would never have ended his long speeches to them. At last he -^amo to John and Edward, who were both in a fever of im})atience, and explained to them that the jumper had been given to the chief's wife; and that she had given it to her father who was dead ; and tliat she and the rest of the women were some mil; s (^If among the hills with the angekok, or ]»rophet, burying him; and that the men did not like to tell where the place was, till he had sworn that no harm should bo done to the proj)het or the women. " I must SCO that jacket," said Edward to John; " T '.nust soQ if it belonc'ed to any of my father's crew I" THE SLEDGE JODRNEY. ■ 271 "Say we must see them," said John "and that wo swear we will not do any harm n.;^ hurt but^^ey rlrtoklT '"'' ""^ -nferenee ; y roiuscd to ct tlie women be disturbed. Tnl.n" -^ r.P '"'""' ^""' VK^'^ts will do John, sa,d Edward. "We brought a parcel of kmves and ,on.e other thing,, with us." '^ «Cnor;;te!;tsth„"«r;rat-f .ntotheehiefs hand, and then dif^^ll ^.tete* L ool till'""' ^'""° ^'^" ^'^'»^"^' -"'. »d a Ills hand. Great joy was shown. Tl.ev lauo-hed jumred, and shouted, and some of them r» to bnng seals' flesh from their sledge to 2" tinough Olaf he wanted none. Still there was "0 movement to get the jaeket for them X.et us try the won„.n, Edward," said John- what have wo got for tliem ? " ' liandkeZlf '■""='.;' "'" """" •"'■«'" "-O'l "'"i Wuo tt-m Th ' *='"'"« ^''-^'''J' Ji«t>ibuted tlicm The women received these gifts with ran at them While ]:,lward was etnigglinf. to .ret out «t he crowd that ha,l collecte.1, he fclt some a l.ttle girl hohhng up one of those miv h"n,it,... dnefs which he had dropped by mistake; and which «I." gave back to him. Ple^d by L;r honesty! ;y 272 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. he tied it rouDd her throat, on which a renewed shout of dehght sounded from the women. Sud- denly he remembered Margaret's doll which, as it happened, he had brought, and he took it out and gave it to this little girl. She looked at it, and screamed with joy, wlii)'^ shouts of inextin- guishable laughter resounded from all, both men and women. But when he took it out of her hand, and placed it in the handkerchief behind her head, with its face looking over her shoulder like an Esquimaux baby, the shouting and uproar were deafening. " Try again, Olaf, to get that jumper for us," said Edward. " Ask this little girl's mother." Scarcely had Olaf said two words to her, when she went to the chief and talked with him, and then Olaf was desired to say that the young nalegak, by which they meant the young captain, Edward, might go with the chief in his sledge and see the jumper ; but the rest must stop behind. John was averse to letting Edward go alone with this wild chief, he knew not where. But Edward would not hear of any objection. He took his scat in the chief's sledge innncdiately ; but there was a little delay. The chief objected, through Olaf, to the young captain taking what ho held in his hand ; the white men had those things, and they were fearful. It was his rifle. Edward cared for nothing but delay. He laid it down, only signing that the chief should also put away his iuiice, which he did. They then started. The chief, whii)ping up SS^^fMm t i ai /mm'mivrmmm-im m^ THE SLEDGE JOUENEY. 273 a fine team of twenty dogs, started off at the rate ot seven miles an hour, along a wild pass among the hills. ° They had not travelled in this way above half an hour, when Edward saw in front a group of women collected in one spot, while, on the slope ot the hill behind them, there were a number of children and some dogs. All set up a wild shriek as the sledge drew near. The chief seemed to order silence, for the noise stopped as he dis- mounted and beckoned to Edward to follow him lliey pressed through the crowd, and Edward saw as he advanced that there was a man to whom tlie chief pomted and said, " Angekok," bending over over a ghastly object in the midst of the women There, seated on the snow, his hands resting on his knees, was the corpse of an acred Esqui- maux man. The angekok, assisted by 5ie women was building a ring of stones round him which' made a wall that now reached as high' as his knees, and was intended entirely to cover him At this sight Edward stopped, looking nearly as pale as the dead man; but it wa^ not at the sight of that ghastly corpse that he had turned so pale, nor that he shook so that he had to exert all his strength not to fall down ; it was that the coqose was dressed in a jacket which, thoucrh tattered and soiled with dirt and grease, he knc^w m a moment, by the buttons, had belonged to hia lather. Ho leaned on the circle of stones, grasped them tight, and tried to collect his senses. As lie did i I m . ni irr tin , "IHii I; ; 274 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. III SO, a loud, discordant howl rose from the women. It was their wail for the dead, and he answered it by a moan of anguish. Then again he tried to think, "They said this belonged to one that was not with them," he said to himself. " This does not mean that he was dead ! Oh, no, my Father in heaven, it may not mean that he was dead!" He tried to be calm. He regretted bitterly that he could not speak the Esquimaux language, but yet he felt that he could probably learn no more. Then he pulled out some trifling presents, and showed them to the woman, whom he sup- posed to be the wife of the dead man, making signs that he wanted to exchange them for the jacket. A very unceremonious undressing of the corpse immediately took place, and the exchange was made. Edward laid the jacket on the sledge and got in with gestures of entreaty to be driven back. The women pressed round, talking fast to him, and laughing and pointing at him with deri- sion, because he could not understand them, till the chief pushed them back ; and taking his seat, moved off at the same rapid pace as he had come. John was looking out anxiously, and so was Peter, when they reached the halting place ; but the pleasure of seeing Edward safely back was damped by the misery de])icted in his face. Ho showed them what he had brought back, and at his story Potcr shook his head, but John would ncii nll'^"' +liof opTTflnnn- -urou -nrr^vji/l l^\r if. iXKJV diii^ Tr viitvv tvi • j ^ ■> |-=^ - --j --. "You know," said he, "that your father landed THE SLEDGE JOURNEY. 275 safely because he sent off the pigeon. The time that these people met his party was very little removed from the time of the wreck. Why should you torment yourself with fears that, after escap- ing from the wreck, he died ashore? Rouse your- self, Edward ! Let us press on to the coast. We have still fifty miles to go, but the weather is favourable to-day, and we may get over twenty ot them before night, if we are lucky " Edward was cheered by John's manner, even more than by his words. They did not halt for the night till the twenty miles were accomplished- and then were one and all so tired that they slept soundly, not excepting Edward. . Again, however, a trial awaited him. A thick fog prevented above five miles of progress on the following day. While they loitered, however Adam had shot a bear, who intruded upon the encampment, and Olaf and Peter had skinned him, and deposited in the sledge, where there was most room, abundant supplies of his flesh for the dogs ; Olaf appropriating a good share to himself as he assisted. The next day, the seventh since the expedition started, broke fine and clear Five- and-twenty miles only, as well as they could reckon, now lay between them and the coast, and John set forward with his party, determined to reach it before halting for the night. The first six or eight miles wire accomplished easily; but then a formidable impediment ap- pearp.d in flip iiroTT a j — _ • , - " * ' ^ "'V- --^ auup ravine lay stretched across the country from south-ea^t to north-west, '■ ;f!| '.M'^rC- ,i.>'^!#s^f^«S«WiiiHh»HE£^^ 276 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. i'.' and at the bottom was a broad mountain torrent, which, though covered with ice at each side, yet flowed with such depth and violence in the mid- dle, that, sheltered as it was from the winds, it was not yet frozen over. There was a consulta- tion whether to attempt to cross it, or whether to travel up its banks and seek an easier part ; and having resolved on the latter, they travelled about a mile along the top of the ravine, but then, seeing no end to it, resolved to cross. It was a great labour. They had to get out the gutta-percha boat ; to unload tlie sledges till they were light enough to bear floating with their own sides fas- tened well up; to carry the cargo they had unloaded across in the boat ; and to transport the Esquimaux dogs in the same way. It was all that the strength of the Newfoundlanders could do to stem the current and cross it by swimming. In. this work two hours were lost, and before the sledges were reloaded the whole party were so tired as to require rest. They halted for another hour, therefore; had food and water; fed the dogs; and then, thoroughly recruited, started again in good spirits. " We don't give up gettin' to the coast to-night yet, for all that's come and gone," said Ben. "Not we," replied Peter; "but, Master Ed- ward, you must get up and drive now. You had a tough job with the dogs crossing, and you'll knock up." John insisted on this arrangement, and they went on without further hindrances, rapidly, till THE SLEDGE JOURNEY. 277 the usual dinner hour had passed, and then de- clared they would not halt yet, but push on; they had got wi hm five miles of their journey's end T ^. u^.f'^ '"''''^ y"""^ ^^^ "g^* a-head," said John, and then halt for the night. Greei; must drive one of the teams. He's oldest, and Edward's youngest. We must think of both " mnrfT^^ U^ ""'f^^ ^^''^ ^''^'^ «"' ^^^ the more difficulty as the ground was rapidly risincr. They reached the rock-they wound round i?8 ba^e to get out of the wind. First one and then another, as he came round, stopped suddenly, till all were in a line. They tried to cheer; but so worn out were they, that it was only Ben who Had strength to make a sound. The sun was setting in the north-west, in a splendid sky. The frozen waters of Jones' Strait lay at their feet at the distance of about three miles. Illuminated by his rays, and stretched to he horizon They had succeeded, in spite of all their difficulties. fl, Tf!»'^T' ""^ """"•" '^'^ J^^"- "Pitch resUots-all.- '''' ''''''' ^^' ^ '^^' ^'^'^''^ He began as he spoke to look out throuo-h his g^ass ami so did Edward. The coast was gener- ally low. A little to the west, perhaps at the distance of three miles, it was bounded by hills which took an abrupt southerly direction, as if a creek or inlet occurred tLere. On one of these hills there rose, standing black and distinct against the crimson sky, a flagstaff, with a flag fluttering m> ' 'I m II' xs 278 THE vol AGE OF THE CONSTANCE. from its summit, J'>8>n and Edward sa\>^ it at the same instant, and |V,jU;r's quick eye had caught it without a glass, lie had pointed it out in a moment to the others. A ciieer did sound noAv, and a good hearty one. Edward seized John by the arm, but couLl not speak at first. Then he said, " We cannot halt ■ ''e in sight of that." " J., von't do to halt hero," echoed Ben. The others did not speak. Even Peter was knocked up. The dogs, relieved from their traces, were already stretched on the snow, with their tongues hanging out. John took Edward's hand. " We must not hope too much from what we see, 1. iwart ' he said. " I have not a doubt that flagstaff marks the place of the 'Pole-Star's' winter-quarters. Nothing more." " Ah, yes ! I see. After the wreck they had no flag, no means of erecting it. That is well secured by chains. We must wait till morning." Edward sat down on the snow, gazing out eagerly at the flagstaff. While the others were preparing to rest for the night, he, generally so ready to help, still sat looking forward towards the place where there might be traces to show where his father was. "We won't wait till morning," said Adam Black, pointing to the sUent and sad figure of the boy. " No more we won't," said Ben. " If we could only get a lamp alight and melt some snow," said Peter, "s"> that all on us, dogs and men, could have a good driii ^-c-. oould do it yet." — '-"■""WBil THE SLEDGE JOUENEY. £79 When Edward found that they meant to dVy. ''''' ''' '' '-'' ''-'' ^y^vZJy John ordered out a lamp. A little wall nf snow was built up to shield it fiw »' e wind an 1 a P entiful supply o^ „,ter soon »elto1 ™1° eCr. 'T'-T' "™-''"- - adir; eatmg theu- ,,o,fons of beU' flesh, and Olaf eho Tr^kTl /'" ""t' *" ^''^^^ -'* them He' stone etfi S'' =""°" °f ^t*'^' ""d «at on a stone eat.ng a long strip of bear, which he had ™u„d up in a ball, and then puttin. one end mto h.s ,noutb, let it unwind do^n his^th™ t ' Only just look at him I" said Peter to Ben None of us eouldn't do that, for all ,e think ourselves wisest." ■•" «e tnmk Ben gave a grunt. He was half asleen and had got h,s pipe in his mouth beside.. ^' ' the sl'set*" '7? r°°""s''' -™- ■"' '">« ^ter tne sun sets, s.aid John. "Spread the bear-skins on the snow. Let six sleep, well eoverrd „ iT one watches for a quarter o'f' an LurH;: all "M: pi^e^^ ,,ot out," said Ben. "Lie down Captain. That would be a proper game ]'' ' till TR,'.'"'^.'^ '^'T'' ^'^'^ ^"^ k^e^ nothing till Bens voice called them— " Tj^.^.'^ .,„ ... ^ i^ie down, Ben, and have your turn." THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "Look at the moon!" was his answer. "I don't want no turns." The moon was indeed declining, though still high. Ben had watched the half-hour. They roused the dogs and harnessed them. Edward's heart smote him as he woke up Trident ; but the fine fellow shook himself, and licked his master's hand, as if to say he forgave him. Tliey went on, feeling stiff and aching at first ; but after the first few hundred yards they got into a quick, regular pace, and never stopped till they reached the foot of the flasjrstali'-hill. CHAPTER XXIII. THE FLAtJSTABT AND THE CAVE. "Halt here, my men!" said John. "Pitch the tent and get supper ready, while I walk up the hill. Edward, you will go with me, I know.*' The orders were obeyed as quickly as the tired men were able, and the two cousins set off to- gether. The wind freshened as they drew near the top of the height, blowing very cold. The moon was near setting, but the aurora occasion- ally threw up pale gleams of light, and the stars were brilliant. They could see at their foot a nnrrnw iiil(>t c)f tha sea. now entirelv frozen, and occasionally could distinguish the opposite shore THIS FLAGSTAFF AND THE OAVE 281 John listtTaMnl*;, Taf .''^ t^'"*'^ thoy examined it eloselt Th ""S'^'' «"d "on on it, written on a table? >T "" ''^''"P- Edward .ead it ^.ZC^::'!^ *° «- -od " The ' Polo q+o V. ' J • " ^^''^ ^^'^' 1854. anehor n th tl„rTr^ ^'"i^' ''^ '-" "» and oflice., are t good tuh " xi ^ "^''*^"' extensive siedge-joLev to L ^''!T ''»™ "-ade ing last autumn and the ! "°'*->™*'t dur- heard no tidt"rof SiHr ?™«' '"'">^™ Esquimaux who live ^'/.tr''""' ^""o ™».mer. and .nigra'trsoTth t^^ in'Se'r"^ never seen a shin nm- « ,„i •* winter, have of extraordina.yS„:j ''°,"'f" ''^^"■°- 1-=^ entirely b,oel./g So ;-^/J;-^^^^^^^^ tlmt, direction It i^ fj.„ .• ^ *Jic ship n f-SlU.:ereisJer:rC:r'''T'''^' Imve passed into it hv , . ''•>^^''"^' "» ship can year/ 1 have tl™f ^„ r i;,: dTl'" '"'"'^ ■".■tted by Hiu, who order all If } '"", P""'" witliout further ecaml, 1 ' '"''"'" ''omo ';..andioanVttfor,rb"o,r'';r''^r d-cument as a reeord of our st .vh ? "™ grateful memorial of our nrl "^, .'""''■•• ""d as a »«fety up to this i,"! H T"™ '"'"■» and j-biyL,,ingt,arH V ';^;'S^r- - "W. EaI tu restuic us to our hoinas. '" " ' "HeNHV AUMSTJlOiio." i f 282 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Who can dcsciibe Edward's feelings as he read this record, written little more than three months ago by his father's hand? "He was coming home, then ! But for the calamity that occuri-ed, he would perhai)s have been safely at home by this time!" ., " How far has he gone from this spot ? saul John. " If we only knew that !" "The Esquimaux said the party they met were going to the north-west. They pointed that way. What could be the reason for going farther ?" " There nnist have been some reason. Perhaps to seek provisions. Did you observe Ijy what that Esquimaux chief said that the white men had rifles ? I was much relieved by that, though I did not like your giving up yours. We must go down now. The wind pierces one through. Supper was ready when they entered the tent, and their news was eagerly listened to. Edward had found it difficult to eat, and now could not Bleep for some time ; but when at last sleep came, it was sound, so very tired was he. After the lapse of a few hours he started up, with a consciousness that some uimsual sound had awakened him. The lamp was alight. Ho looked at his watch. It was two o'clock. He disencumbered himself of his Hleeping-\,ag, went to the opening of the tent and looked out He found that a north wind was blowing hard, and the aurora ha.l become much more brilliant, but ho could Heo noiluiig iicai vo a^u...... .- -i- sound. whatever it was. Ho closed tho tent !».«jiii"it lor tho )8ed tho tent THE FLAGSTAFF AND THE CAVE. 283 because of the extreme cold, and Trident, who ad been asleep at his feet, came to his sid , and listened also with erect ears. a vitinTl f^ '^'''' ^^^^"- '^^'^ «^^^^P crack of a ifle-sho at some distance, but near enough to be distinctly hea.d ! He looked out again^ut 1 ough the aurora was brighter than before, ho could see no one near. 'ittlA''!TT 'T '''' ^'"^ ^'""^ ^"^ ^«d been attacked by a bear. ]lo counted the sleepers St tched on the groun..; They were all there. hat ho shot nn.,st haxe been hrod by some of iHH lather s party. Esquimaux, even if any were near, have no fire-arms. He awoke John, and told him what he had hoard. John agreed with him that some of the lu.st party must be near, and advised him to no out and fii-e his rifle immediately, as a signal; which ho d,d, and listened attentively, but no signal in answer was returned. "It is vain for me to attempt to rest, John " said he, returning to the tent. " It is ahnost as hght as day. I must go out and find what it Hieans^ I should like to take tho little sledge, with Trident and Chloe in it, and drive in the uirection the sliot came from." " I quite undei-stand what you feel. Tho men are quite knocked u|>. We were out very late and 1 nmst think -*' '' '■ - -^ . "' lift their wuii m to will go with you. power to go back as go on. But you shall not go alono : I 284 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "That you shall not, Captain," said Peter, sitting up in his bag. " We can't spare you, and if you knock up what's to become on V3 all? I sliall go. I'm wonderful rested, for I've slept sound, and a man of my age does with less sleep than you youngsters; that's a fact, don't you see." All this time Peter was getting out of his bag, dressing himself, and pulling on his boots. Then he set a pot of coffee to boil on the lamp, talking to himself all the time. " The coffee 'ull warm us. I shall go and get the little sledge untacklcd." Then aloud, "Go and harness four o' the dogs — if you think pro- par, that is — Master Edward." Edward squeezed John's hand ; told him old Greely was the best helper he could have, and that more than two could not sit in the sledge without inconvenience. "Go to sleep again, John, if you can;" and with the words ho was out harnessing Trident, Chloo, Samson, and Lion, as the four strongest of his dogs. " Here's the sledge, sir," said Peter, dragging it forward. " Put 'em to." Peter then went back to the tent, and returned in a few minutes with water for the dogs, and a cup of cofl'je and some biscuit for Edward. " Drink it, sir," he said; never mind whether you can. I've had mine M'hile the water was meltin' for the dogs." Ho next went in for a bottle of brandy, a canister of meat, a spirit-iamp, anu three or lour bear-skins. All these he put in the sledge, say- 'eter, dragging THE FLAGSTAFF AND THE CAVE. 285 ing half to himself, " Who knows but what who- evers nigh may be half starvin'." They were off as soon as all was ready. The wind blew fiercely in their faces, with casional dnft when they turned the side ^f the lull. Ihey drove on for half a mile. " What's the matter with Trident, Peter ? Let me get out. He pulls, and won't obey my word " crinJ «f r^ T '""^^"^ ^* ^^'' ^^"^^""d, and drag- fhofe ^^^^^« <^«™'J« the rough ice on the ^ "What's the matter with ye ? Go on, then " cried Peter. ' . " I.don't understand it. Tiiere must be some- thing m it. Let him have his way. Go on Tri head ''' ^'"'''' ^^''"' ' ''^'^ ^^™^' I^^^*i"S i"« Trident allowed to do as he liked, began to drag the sledge right towards the icy sea, and Edward made the other, follow He and Peter walked by the side, taking care of the sledge which was often m danger from the roughness of the shore. Sometimes they passed over blocks of ice ten or twenty feet high, but generally Tri- dent led them with wonderful care through intri- cate winding ways, smelling and snuffing all the line. At ast tliey got on comparatively smooth ice. and both took their seats in the sledge a<^nn, The wind roared round them, sometimes drivinc^ showers of sleet in their faces. Still Tn.lnnf h.4 on They had fixed their eyes on somethin.r white and glittering in the distance, that somot < I * f 286 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. II times appeared and sometimes went. The dogs stopped suddenly. A sound louder than the wind, that had been heard for some minutes, had increased to a continuous roar. Edward was on his feet and by Trident, who trembled all over and leaned heavily against him. The other dogs had lain down. That roar could be mistaken no longer. It was the dashing of waves. The ice to seaward was breaking up before the gale, and the breakers were foaming nearer every instant, their white points flashing like hungry flames in the light from above. With desperate efforts Peter and Edward to- gether turned the dogs. The ice had begun to crack all round them with loud explosions. "Get in !" screamed Peter. '' Not without you, and the ice will not bear us both," said Edward. Peter took him in his arms with a force ho could not resist, seated him on the sledge, threw himself full length on the ice, seized one runner of the sledge, and joining in Edward's shouts to the dogs got them into rapid motion. In a few minutes they wore dragged into safety. They stopped only to lot Peter get in, and not again till they hod reached the rough ice on the shore. Here they drew up, exhausted and breathless. "You have saved my life, Peter," said Ed- ward. It was seldom Peter had no words, but this time ho had not for a minute or two, and then ho ■ ir 1 1 will not bear THE FLAGSTAFF AND THE CAVE. 287 only said, "Thank God! thank God! Master iidward. '' "^^^y had got under the shelter of a great block of ice ; and lay there to rest for a little while, wrapped in bearskins. Trident began to wander about with his nose to the ground again '^ Yon may snuff as you like," said Peter. " I wont go on the sea-ice again for any of your tantrumja." '' -^ But Trident was pulling quite in the opposite direction now. Edward unharnessed him and asking Peter to wait by the sledge and the other dogs, took up his riHe and followed the way Trident led. He had not far to go. They stopped by a great mass of something lying on the snow l!.dward started and pointed liis riHe. It was a large bear. But it lay immovable. It was dead. Here, then, was the explanation of Trident's strange behaviour. This bear had been on the ice. Trident had followed its track there, and ashore to the place where it was shot. That was all I But shot ! By whom ? Yes ; that was the shot he heai-d ; but wlio iired it ? and whoever fired it, where was ho gone 'i Edward sliouted to Peter, who came on with the sledge, and advised that they should both fire, which they di.l, but there was no answer except an echo which rang througli the rocks' near. They then shouted as loud as thoy nr^jM and tlio echo returned their voices, but'no an- swering shout came. II 288 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. •r \t The dogs had got into an excitement about the bear, and could with difficulty be kept away from him — all but Trident, who had his nose on the ground again. " It must ha' been something besides the bear he smelt," said Peter, " for the bear couldn't walk two v.'-ays at once; and he's going quite a new way now. If only there wasn't such a wind we should see footmarks if any one had been nigh, but you see even the bear's is all gone with the drift." They walked on, following Trident. Sud- denly he stopped, took something in his mouth, wagging his tail and making sounds that Edward knew as expressing his strong affection for any one he was fond of He dropped what he had seized at Edward's command. Edward took it up and held it in the light. The aurora was shooting up more brightly than ever. What he held was a fur glove, and it seemed to him that he recognised it as one his mother bought. He was staring eagerly at it when the aurora sud- denly disai)peared and total darkness succeeded. Clutching the relic in his hand, while Trident leaped up with violent efforts to regain it, Ed- ward cast his eyes upwards in despair, and made an inward cry for light! light! But no light came. Even the stars were obscured. He stood motionless. " We must get ourselves into our sledge as well as we can," said Peter, " and make the dogs liC on our icct, and cover up weu witii bcarsiQns. There's no other way to keep from freezing." THE FLAGSTAFF AND THE CAVE. 289 ~ItutV:-rf /''^ ^"^ lay quietly down al but Indent, wlio was so restless that Ed- iJaeed rt between his paws, laid his nose on it and became quite still. ' Now that Edward had time to think his thoughts half maddened him. It seemed ;«? d^ubt thi,™ . "'^ '"'"' ""'''■ '"' "^^ -"'d °ot And vet 1 \f°l ^^ ^"<'^"*'^ excitement. relic of lum in possession of another. Then how was It that all signals were in vain-th;t „T answer came, when some one who fired that shot must be near! Perhaps his father was lyin! mangled and senseless somewhere on the snow ^ Edward .sprang up and had one foot out' of the sledge a. the thought occurred. The dark- ness was still complete. Peter^*"" "" ^°" "'""'*' *'^*''' ^'^™<' '" ^^aH of tlio cave ; and I trust that now Oreely and I have droBsed his wounds, AWAKINa. jgj ajid he ha» been refreshed with tlie food, and, recover '1': ;™'" ""' ""' ''« ''='^ '^''™' '- «" Poor fellow ! how was he hurt ?" "He was attacked by a bear. I had brought im w th ine from our hut, which is forty mfles off, as I told you. My purpose was to posi up at our wm er-quarters a notice of our locality there, before the weather became too severe to traveh that any rescue-party which miglit come next Hpnng might find us. I never dreamed of the possibdity of a rescue now. I sent the pigeon as a forlorn hope but it was scarcely a h^re with me ; and besides, it was so lafp in +i,i ui/i.nr, T i 1 • . ^ ^^ •'"^ season when I sent Inm, that before a .hip could be leady or a party got up-even if he did arrive autuma So I reasoned, and naturally. I had full confidence in your coniing next spring. Often T have said to myself, 'I know he will come -'" i^dward felt too much to speak cave^WuTrrf ^" ^nowwhyl was in this cave. \\ hat I had meant was to get to our win- ter-quarters last night. We had a small de,,6t of provisions there, landed in the course of the winter; we were det^iined, however; our day's journey had been long and difficult, and we were lnT\ r^""^"^ ^^" "'"^« ^'^- '^^''^^ 'Aurora enabled ns to start about one in the mornir.ff and Dush on for f.lin ..;«+„- ^.^.. "'"^"fe. an« i,o.,c* 1 -Vi T~ '"'^^^-4"»iw^nsas we were ex- hausted witli hunger. On the way we diverged I 296 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. on to the sea-ice, to try to shoot a seal, but he escaped." "Did you fire, then?" " No ; we never got within gun-shot of him ; but Trident was right in tracking me there." Edward had his arm round the fine fellow, and was praising him again. " We turned ofl:' the ice, got ashore, and almost instantly Tom Bolt— my poor fellow that lies there— was seized by the bear. I fired, and be- lieved I had killed the monster ; but while I was raising poor Tom I heard a growl, and saw my work hod only been half done. I fired my second barrel, and the bear fell dead." " Yet! ; you iirod tv.^o shots only, then ?" "Only two. I found Tom was quite unable to inove ; he could not stand. I had no resource but to cany hiin in here ; and, weakened as I v/as with ftitigup and hunger, it was all I could do, for he is a strong, heavy man. To save us fi..^m bemg IVozen to death, I was obliged, as soon as I had laid him down in the most sheltered p.art i4 th(! ca^^e, to build up the entrance with enow, .^or the wind was howling in." "Thtt was why you heard none ot our signals." " Yes ; the snow makes an impenetrable bar- rier against sound. You see we liave filled up the opening now with skins, and we hear the wind now and then. Tlio first thing that aroused mo from a sort of stupor into which I had fallon from cold, hunger, and fatigue, was the sound of 297 saw ATTAKINO. Trident's bark. No wonder that when I your face I believed I was mad." Tl^.t A^'i^'^'J ^"^«^i<^n« and answers followed. Ihey talked about home, about the voyage, about |e ship, and the hopes that opened before them till anxiety about John and why he did not come began o disturb them. Edward had already got "P. and was sitting by his father, who now told him that he would find a pool of water at the farthest end of the cave, where he could have the refrcshn^ent of a bath if he liked: and Edward gladly ran off to take it. On the way he passed poor Tom, who lay asleep, and could easily see by the comfortable pillow they had made for him' and the way the bear-skins were arranged about hnn, how carefully his father and Peter had done ^leir nursing. All the world seemed bright to Edward this morning, and so he felt no fears about anything. Tom would soon bo well-so bath '"'^""^'''^ bo proceeded to enjoy his Ho had to hurry on his clothes again, for ho tb'.ught ho heard a cheer. Ho listened; yes ceitamly, he heard a cheer ! Ho ran out. bright well, and as strong as over; he met the fresh cold air a^ ho g.,t into the outer part of the cave, and He saw John bound over the snow at the en- trance and rush in with a face more joyous than even his face ever looked before, and Hei;5o his father by both hands, and heard their hearty, allectionato groctinL'. Behind. ihrnn,A. f i,p .,y^.^\,:J he saw the whole party. Peter and^all. ^Le loadcHl filedg s, the dogs;— they wore all together now. ii> u 298 THE VOYAGE OF VHE CONSTANCE. John and Edward had been brothers in trial and danger; now they were brothers in happi- ness. How they shook each other by the hand, and cono-ratulated each other ! Then all the men came in to see " the Captain " they had so often talked about and had come to save. There was nothing but rejoicing — only, at least, one sad thought, poor Tom Bolt ! They were all going to him, but Captain Armstrong only took one at a time, and would allow no noise near him. When they had calmed down a little, and had time to sit quiet and think what had better be done, it was resolved to pitch the tent close to the cave, and under the shelter of the rocks, to rest during the remainder of the day, have a jolly supper and evening, and not think of moving till the morning. John and his ])arty had already had some iiitigue. They had, it is true, slept till seven o'clock, before, one after another — John first of all — awoke with the anxious question, "Where are Edward and Peter?" Parties of two hurried out in various directions, but none chanced to go the right way; and when ?eter reached the tent they were all out but Adam, who was left to guard it. Adam went out, fancy- incr he knew which direction the others had taken, but missed them ; and when they came in he had to bo waited for. At last they loaded their sledges and came on to the cave. Their Hup]>or and evening were indeed jolly There was abundanoo of laughter; and as they had left tho cave (j[uiet, to be poor Tom's sick- iNCE. bhers in trial rs in happi- by the hand, 1 all the men had so often There was ast, one sad ere all going 7 took one at ir him. ittle, and had lad better be tent close to the rocks, to , have a jolly )f moving till had already jrue, slept till lother — John oiis question, ' Parties of )ns, but none [ when Peter it but Adam, nt out, fancy- 3 others had they came in they loaded re. indeed jolly and as they f Tom's sick- AWAKING. 2QQ room, well warmed with a lamp, and shut in with made a prodigious one. If any bear on his road wondered what was going on there. Many jokes were passed at Captain Armstrong's fashfonab L appearance, and he, in return, told them Tey were a set of dandies. He was a strange Thaly s^ns , patched together with the utmost skill of tyT'T^^^''^ Y '^'^" ^''^ -il^l -d strange J' n and Edward both saw that he looked tldn and haggard, but they would not say anything to mar the happiness of the evening, and promLd themselves he should look better soon P ter did ell hnn he looked " wonderful bad," but no one took any notice. ' He led John and Edward aside before he settled for the night, to iix their plans as to the journey back to the ship. ^J] /r.f " ^'' "'''^' " ^^ ^^ *^ "^y ^»'avo follows and tell thorn we are rescued. They have be-' haved with the greatest courage in every trLl and borne all. even with cheerfulness. MVi them on to you, John. It would be a wrste of "But as to provisions?" f J^lJ;r__t""!:"" "^ ^"'-'"' Tl- journey vn,7;^^ ^' ^a-^- 1« lorty iiHics. I can i)oint out to you a certain hill, at the distance of twenty, to 300 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. which if you will travel and encamp, Edward and I will bring all my party. Poor Tom must go with you on one of your sledges." It was finally agreed to do as Captain Arm- strong proposed. The little sledge, with the six dogs, would take him and Edward rapidly over the forty miles. By starting early and resting in the middle of the day, half the journey could be accomplished in one day ; the rest on the next. The only load they should have to cany would be the small gutta-percha tent to encamp for the night, the suits of rein-deer-fur clothing for all his men, which would be very acceptable on their journey, and some tea, sugar, lime-juice, and bis- cuit, which would be luxuries, besides sufficient provision for themselves and the dogs on the way. John was to make for the appointed hill, and there wait. One of his sledges could be emptied, as the other two would easily carry the provi- sions that remained ; and the wounded man could be laid, well defended from cold, on it, and dragged by the men. All this arranged, they settled for the night. 301 m i CHAPTER XXV. THE LITTLE MAGGIE. All were astir by four o'clock, and tlie little edge witi. Its handHome team, was packed and ready by five. Edwa^-d and his fathei *ook their seats immediately, and were off, all the party hey left ^atcnmg them as long as they were in sight It was a fane morning, and the sun was near its nsing among gorgeous-coloured clouds. To their right lay the blue sea-ice ; to the left, as hey drove along the tops of the cliffs, stretched the snow-covered plain. To Edward's eyes, the whole desolate scene looked like Paradise, he was so happy. ' Trident seemed to know perfectly well whom he was drawing, and never went so splendidly before. Captain Armstrong praised the sledge, the dogs, their training, and the way in which Ldward managed them -much to Edward's Jle light It was such a new feeling to him to bo light at heart, to have no galling anxiety for ever weighing upon him, that he felt as if he must .lump out of the sledge and rush on faster than tlie dogs could go, and sometimes he did He had told Peter before he starfnd whof y,^. true, that the only thing not quite right with him was, that they two who had up to this time rsww^wwrwJwwwSw 802 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. always been together when anything had to be done, should be separted now. " Still, Master Edward, it's best, though," paid Peter. "Three would be too many for the sledge; and, besides, I shall be none the worse for the rest. When the Captain was wroppin' me up last night, and puttin' me to sleep like a baby, I says to myself, ' You must be dead beat, old fellow, or you'd nevei stand this !' We shall have an easy journey to the halting place, and I shall be all right, don't you see, by the time you come up." " Yes, yes, Peter, that's all very well ; but if you had thought you could help us in any way, you would never have thought whether you were tired or no ; but you think we have nothing but plain sailing before us now." "Well, I hope so. Master Edward. I think we've go into smooth water, leastways not such very rough ice. But don't you be runnin' into dangers now, nor gettin' frost-bites, through any o' them careless ways I've seen in you !" Edward laughed, and so they parted. Now, once more alone with his father, he found that there were still endless things he wanted to know. Captain Armstrong had re- fused, from the first, to tell him about the wreck, because he would not spoil their happiness with dreadful recollections ; but he willingly told him all that had happened during the three months ILai had passed since. " We had saved nothing but about ten rifles, omrm-mttMflimiiSM 'ih THE LITTLE MAGGIE. 803 Bome ammunition, our dogs, and the pigeon," said he. " I brought Launcy ashore inside my rough coat, after all my crew had left the wreck. But we were not swallowed up in that boiling and surging abyss of ice and \7ater, in which every fragment of the ship soon disappeared. Our lives were saved. That was the fu-st feeling. After- wards came thoughts dreadful enough. I went a little apart from the rest ; we had got under the shelter of some rocks out of the gale that still raged ; I sat alone and forced myself to think of what must be done to save those thirty lives con- fided to my care. The whole courso I must pursue came rapidly and in order before me, but that day all we could do was to creep into holes and corners of the rocks, and seek rest. We were spent witl. toil and hunger, but it was impossible to shoot birds or anything else till the gale abated. "I awoke after some hours, and found thjjt a calm had succeeded the storm. It was midnight, but the sun was above the horizon. Then it was that I wrote the note to your mother in pencil on a leaf of my pockut-book. There were not many words beside the 'We are wrecked' that you made out. I told the latitude and longitude of our disaster." " It would have been a great comfort to us to know that," said Edward. " Yes; but guided by the Esquimaux, you found us wonderfiillv soon T f]\A r\M uo»wi r.4V fi.,. i,:„j at once. I waited till nearer his natural time of ■f i S04 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. awaking. Then I fed him on a Httle biscuit that one of the men chanced to have in his pocket, and let him drink at a fresh pool I found. I had fed him also the night before in the same way. You saw what I tied on my note with. Here is the other half of the chain. I have always kept it," " My fatlier ! my dear father ! how different it all is now : Think of that time and of this !" Yes, indeed !; I never, as I told you, was so wild as to hope for a rescue this season. I despatched the pigeon to try to ensure one next spring ; but I always believed— felt certain, I may say— that you would come next spring, whether the pigeon reached you or not." " You were right. I had always resolved that you should not have a third winter to spend in the ice." " I fastened on my piece of paper as well as I could, but I always knew that in the long flight there was gioat risk of its being lost. Still, I could do no better. When it was done, I climbed to the highest point of rock I could find, and held him up at arm's length. It was a long while before he started away. He fluttered on my arm, took many short flights, and returned. It was an hour at least before he rose in the air, flew round in a large wheeling circle, rose so liigli as to be neaily lost to my eyes, and then began a steady flight to the south-ca^t. I think that moment when I lost sight of him was the bitterest I have yet experienced, though I had accomplished this THE LITTLE MAGGIE. 305 iihmitable wa^te, most likely to perish; or if he The • tT' ^'''* " "•^"<'°««' '' ^""O- -«»1^ fl , ^ , .?™ ,"'""* *■"= '■^"ollection of our home to which that little fading speck w., joumeyrg moment ''"'"' "^™^-»° ^ ^'l* -* thl moment-see agam. I seemed to see you and your mother in your anguish, »ou.tyarut SOG THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. ' learn to do without tobacco since. Water we found abundantly. In short, I knew we could easily subsist in summer, as we had rifles. To prepare for winter was the great object. You will see how we succeeded when I take you into our hut." "When was it that you parted from the others ? " "We knew of two places to the westward where miUions of sea-birds breed. That was our destination ; but in travelling towards it a doubt arose as to which was best. I pushed on with one of the men to choose. While we were absent the others met with a tribe of Esquimaux, who were migrating to the east, and bartered with them for food, giving our dogs in exchange. I had directed them to do so if any opportunity offered." "But your jacket, how did they come by that?" and Edward told all the story of his Buti'erings about it. " Tliat happened in the simplest way imagin- able. Philip Stewart, my fii'st officer— a lino fellow, whom you will like, Edward— had his clothes torn to slircds in escai)ing from the wreck; so 1 gave him my jacket, as 1 had my rough coat over it, having been on deck many hours, and ho oxchauged it with the Esquimaux for several reindeer-skins and a jumper for himself besides. The jacket was too thin Tor our life here." «' Oh, yea ! It was a good exchange, and now I see how it all happened." THE LITTLE MAGGIE. SQ? The hours flew in this and much more dis- course. The letter Edward had brought from his mother had been an indescribable con.fort to Cap- tain Armstrong; still the thought that nearly a IZnZTi P ^''■^''"'' "'"y ^""'"l ^ home often made him anxious for her. But he would not yield to anxiety. Edward wished for another messenger as good as poor Launcy, and longed hat his mother and Margaret could but share his joy. io him. the whole jouniey, the halt at noon, pitchmg the tent at night, waking in the morning, starting again, all was one e^tinuod joy and he found himself seated on a large stono Bke ching. just in his old way, their little tent with the dogs and sledge by it. and his father standmg looking out at the setting sun. before he recol ected how long it wa. since he had boon ablo to draw a Jiue. An hour after sunset on the second day ti.ev turned into a ravine or pass, which reminded i-dward ol tliat by which they left the shore of Lancaster Sound The moon gave li^ht enough to go on with safety. ** said'll^'*' ^'"^ approaching the coast, 1 suppose?'' " Yes, we are near our rocks, but tliey are all deserted now. The birds have migrated' to the "Are wo very near the hut ?" ^ " Yes. Do you see that sliadow on the snow f nat 18 east by the rock that shelters it." '• Now 1 BOO two UtUo dome-shaped buUdings rni 1" 808 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. i like large beavers' houses stuck together. That's the place, I suppose. Much too splendid to be called a ' hut.' Does that light couie from the window?" " Yes. That is the light of our lamp shining through a sheet of ice that makes our window- pane. Our hut is built of rough stones, but you see it is coated outside with snow to make it warm. Now draw up at the door, unharness the dogs and keep them close, and follow me in with them." Edward drew up at the end of a. long narrow entrance, built in imitation of the E^sc^uimaux, and fastened up by a door of walrus hide. His father went round to the window and tapped three times, then stood by him at the door. It was unfastened from the inside in lialf a minute, and a strong voice exclaimed : "Why, Cai)tain, you've made good speed! We never hoped for you before to-morrow!" There was only room for one tu pass along at once, so having opened the door the speaker turned back quickly, stooping low, for the pas- sage M as not five feet in height, talking all thb time, saying, " Here's the Cai)tain and Tom all right, mates ! They're all at home, Captain, and gla(1 they'll bo to see you." Captain Ai'mstrong followed close, and as Edward emerged into the room at the end, and stood upright by his side, said in as loud a voice au ho could command, •< My ajjn ]»aH co!!io to rescuB us!" Uis agitJition was so great that he could say no more. ARCTIC HOUSEKEEPING. gQO But it was enough. There was a wild crv of joy and surprise. Those strong men who il borne their hpivid.;^ i , ^ ' ^"^ "^^1 J'inoas were in the word/ T ', "' ""'' ''"P- l^award and hi. fatl.e™ ™any a IIT""'^^'' ;™ bathed in tears; many a'^in'/XS w til sobs. On evcy side he hef „ • His hands wer: grasped • hh^! "*="■ wore unfastens,, that' ty^iZZ^^""" and when thoy saw his iL b™„ „! wHh T' and exc:to„,ent, and saw what ayoun/ho^„^ come to save them, their enthusiasmw'a. Zir than ever. It was a welcome, indeed ^ '' ::)' i crrAPTER xxvr. AKCTIO HOUSBKEEITNO. When the f],«t moment of surprise was ove, aM,ta,„ Annstrong spoke again.'and tZ t ,™ ' w^. jaT,,:!;::f,t,:''r '" ^""-'- within thirty n.iiro ' hL Zl' thr t"""""'"" --"ing they we,, to start tf in it rraH <-'" the ICO in spring, and a happl return hoZ 310 THE VOYAGE OF THE CO STANCE. The fact that they were really rescued, which seemed at first wild and incredible to some of them, came home to every heart now. There were rapid questions and exclamations. The story of the pigeon's return and of Sir Hugh's generosity were told. "And who do you think commanded our rescue-ship, the ' Constance V and has brought the sledge-party forward to find us ? Who but my nephew, John Armstrong, of the 'Investigator!'" "God bless him!" "He's safe home, then." " We feared to ask you, Captain i" echoed through the hut. • " Wait a minute ! John Armstrong brought our ship this season, but last season ho came home with the news that his captain, M'Clure of tlie ' Investigator,' had discovered the north-west passage." At this announcement three such cheers as might have been expected to knock the roof off the hut rose from the crew of the " Pole-Star." As the sound died away a young man among them, who had decidedly the air of a gentleman in spite of a very rag«'j(Ml jacket, stepped forward, and taking (.'ajttain Armstrong by the hand said; " Wo must think of you now, who never think of yourself Let me keep my command to-night, and you only think of rest. You are very tired." " Agreed," said Captain Armstrong. " Ed- WPTd, this is my first ofiicer — my right hand, Philin Stowart: mv risrht hand throutrh all our struggles and suftbrings." ARCTIC HOUSEKEEPING. 31 J They Shook hands. Edward felt he had made a new friend. "Now, then," cried Philip, raising his voice, no more questions; no more talk till we have taken care of our captain and his son. Who is fep ead bear-skins and make tliem rest, and biW water and seals' flesh to the don-,s " ^ All were in motion directly,"and while another young rnan, who said he had a right to take care ot them because he was the doctor, took off their warm furs the others Jmd cleared the room of all Wn7/i^ '^ '''"'' ^^'°"^' ^'"'^^^"^ everything mto little nooks and crypts at the sides. Then with seals oil and a wick of moss, a fashion they had learned fix>m the Esquinmux, and placed a large pot over it. i -'^ «. Captain Armstrong now directed them to un- oad the sledge, and the heap of fur clothing was soon piled in a corner. ^ he 'Zl7^""^ 'I'^'SM'^ f^^^- ^'■^. yon see," said he. and we shall go among our brothers less shaggy and wikl-looking th^n we might hive done The rest of our cargo consists o.Iy of a tew luxuries they sent to you." Tlio things were brought in, and especially and a kettle for making it excited a laugh, and much admiration. "" Edward, meanwhile, stretclicd at his ease, with Trident, at his feet, his father opposite to him.and ii! J i Hill 312 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. gladness in his heart, had time to observe the construction of the hut and all the contrivances of its masters. It was built of rough stone and consisted of two chambers, united by a small opening, that could be closed or opened at pleasure. That he was in might be twelve feet each way, and rose to a dome-shaped roof, not above ten feet high in the middle. Round the wall was a kind of raised bench made of stones ; the whole being after the plan of an Esquimaux hut, only larger and better built. It was on this raised bench that Edwaixl and his father were lying. There was a large irregular-shaped stone in the midtUo, flat at tlie toj), and reared on four fragments of rock that served as a table; and four great stones, one at each side of it, were seats. In the middle of this table one of the men, who was steward to-night, placed some small stones, the purpose of which puzzled Edward, He then brought a great pile of empty crab-shells, half of which he stood at one end and half at tin; other. A number of knives and forks, made of bono or walrus tusks, were laid beside them. Then came drinking cups or various shapes and sizes, most of them being hollow shells. The large pot was now placed on the stones, steaming out a very savoury smell, and the supper was announced to be served. Edward was invited to take his seat at the puntain's table ; his father and his first ofHcer took each end ; hh'. Wilson, the surgeon, sat oppoaito "••- •'"•iiriiiiiiiii ARCTIC HOUSEKEEPING 313 you with a so,!p- dt ^wZr rr' "*"* ste;.» ''' ■ '^" »■■« <=ontained in this kittietkT;:t'i^lL*"pf;.' «'f -k o.d cmb Sf "; '"'" ' '"'^ I''""" ™' on,, of S to «D ',r ?f I ^ ,'"^, ''""'= ""'■ '' ""g'-t bo apt with a preparation of rein-deer horn, .!,„ i , boon bought from the E^uLaur'Tiriime jrZA:"'"™ "r'''™'" "'o-holecor Stt;atx,Sh:-.^ Tlioynoxt course was hom-.,t..„l.. „^,i..j [ridiroa made of brolcon ra--^'"'"- ' "" a wali-ua tu«ka. I'oda stuck in 31 i THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Supper being over, everything was cleared away with wonderful quickness, the kettle was set to boil, and tea made. Every one now be- came very merry, and enjoyed it to the utmost, while jokes and laughter filled the room with pleasant sounds. CHAPTER XXVII. A MEETING AND A PARTING. "He is awake, you need not creep about any longer." .,. ,-, n t. These words, spoken by Philip, were the first Edward heard next morning, as he opened his eves and started up, seeing every one was dressed and that preparations for departure were going on raiiidly. . , t»i -t "It is only five o'clock,'* continued Phihp, "and the men have been anxious you should rest as long as possible ; but come now, and I will show you your dressing-room. You will find plenty of water, but as to soap and towels—— Sdwar.i Rtopped him to congratulate him on his fashioimblo appearance ; to which Philip re- plied '^ •' ^-> "elt as warm and comfortable as he was fashlonable-perhaps, indeed, rather more so —and the.t, they wore all quite proud ot them- selves and expected tc create a complete sensation amon'-«"'^o added, his feZ^ '™"° "^ ^--g-o-. Edward mot "We are nearly ready, Edward," said he require for our n,areh. All we shall have to do and ler^'r' V ^^'" "P °" "'0'^ -d hut and leave them for the Esquimaux if any come th« ^way. Come and see our larden a„d~ Edward followed to some low snow-houses bmlt agamst the back of the hut, and loTkinT ^ »aw great numbm of birds of vari us kids' hares, foxes, portions of seal, bear, and wd™, eggs. Heaps of dry leaves, which his father told lum were sorrel, had a compartment to themselves In another were ski,>s full of oil, and great quant titles of dry moss for fuel, and skins, furs Td s'S '-' """'-'""- -'' ^- -™.th -X'. It appeared to Edward, as he looked that ^lilS's^™ ''"^ -"^"^ »'-- ^» ^^^ ''f„,'.'?iI-T '' ^"f ""^"t'" said Captain Arinstron-. >v^nd^^r:r:.nt.t^^™''^''''^'^ ahnost exhausted: -Ourchirfdrn'g^ZMhrv": aiisen from tlie cold. Our suppl/of oU wL t™ 1^;^ I I 316 . THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE, small. We should have been obliged to shut out every breath of air, in order to keep up the tem- perature, and oui sufferings in the four months of darkness, and the extreme severity of the chmate in early spring, must have been very great. We should have found ourselves at the end weakened by illness, and probably short of our numbers by many deaths. From all this we have been saved by your arrival." Edward's head was bowed down by his grati- tude for the blessing. When he spoke, it was to express his wonder at the amount of work ac- complished during the tlu-ee months that had passed. "We ^vere never idle for an hour, said His father. " By no other means could all the men have kept their health. In bad weather we at- tended to 'the interior of the hut,' as you artists would say, or performed the part of tailors ; and having no books, we that had read told stories, histories, anything we could remember, and I had a sip'^ing-class. All the men that have voices can sing in parts. With all this we have done capitally, and but for poor Tom's accident we should every one have left our summer-quarters perfectly well." They were summoned to breakfast very soon, and a substantial one it was, the dogs faring as well as their masters. Then there was a general move. Some were clearing up, for everything must be left Ml perfect order; others were sealing up the storehouses with stones and snow. Edward, who A MEETING AND A PARTING. 317 had the materials about him, was writing, under ms tathers dictation, a short record, to be left behind, fastened up against the wall of the room, iiie record was as follows:— "This hut was built by the crew of the 'Pole- fetar, Captain Armstrong, R.N., which was crushed m the ice with all her stores, thirty miles to the eastward of this spot, June 2nd, 1854. They were rescued by the arrival of the Captain's son, who brought them news that the 'Constance,' s.rew steamer, manned and fitted out by Sir Hu-h Armstrong, and commanded by Lieutenant John Armstrong, R.N., was waiting to receive them in brokers Bay-a note brought homo by a carrier- pigeon to the Captain's wife having told her the story of their misfortune four days after it hap- pened. The rescue ship arrived in Croker's Bay on the 2nd of September in the same year, and tlie news of it reached the crew of the 'Pole-Star' in this hut on the night of the 13th. "This record is written before starting to ioin the ship, with grateful hearts for their preserva- tion up to this time, and for the rescue that has been permitted to reach them. ' ' Uih September, 18i> i. " By the time thij had been signed by the Captain and all the crew, and fastened up all was done Edward had already begged for a few rehcs, and packed them in the sledge. These were some of the knives and forks of wahus , om.. tiat ohcii^i used; for plates, a drinking cup or two, a few skins of each bird, and of the ».,''t, lie i'li !i 318 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. fox and hare, to ^tuff, u bag of the soft eider down, £.^ id some of the moss. Now every head was uncovered, and, standing round their captain, every voice joined his in a short but fervent prayer and thanksgiving. Then they followed him out in silence, closed up the entrance of the deserted hut, and turned their faces homewards. It is not easy to imagine the joy in every heart, but there was something solemn in the silence with which they marched on. Suddenly Edward heard a chant rise upon the icy air, led by the fine strong voice of his father; with what joy did he join his own with it once more, after their long separation ! "Oh give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people. "He telleth the number of the stars: He calleth them all by their names. Great is our God, and of great power. His understanding is infinite. "He sendeth forth His commandment upon earth: His word runneth swiftly. "He giveth snow like wool: He scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth His ice. Who can stand before His cold? "He sendeth out His word, and melteth them-. He causeth His wind to blow, and the waters flow. "The Lord healeth the broken-hearted, and bindeth up their griefs." The voices died away, and the high spirits of the partv soon broke out in talk, laughter, and songs. They walked mile after mile without A MEETING AND A PARTING. 319 re&/f ^"'''"\''^^'^^^ *^ -stand neTd of tod ~^^^ they felt any be owned thevdtlV^!''~^^^ ^'^ '^ ^"«t AftPrTw f^ ? ^"^^ J"'tice to their good cheer. head, and patted and encouraged him 17^ snow 11 hile thev «!«,,* \ ''^'^* ^'*'» rai=,prl !>;=. I , P ' '^'"'° °°« after another then aU sprang to their feet barkin/furio„r At the same moment a lo,,^^ i, i ^"^^""^v- cubs came sterthl^nt'foM ."^^ *'*\'™ front. Captain An^^^ngTveS ^l"f '" id two or three others. "^^' '" comes^'o? ' "T],f H ^' '' "If' "» »"" ^' ""l^sa she lomes on. U\a dogs will turn her " press d bThu:°;r T' • '^'"''j~^^'>^^^y i^^.rl in tliQ world. LiO'^k at him >athiso with a bear, \d tep.ch now, ■'" '"-> had his sledges unloaded, and brought all three, with ten Jogs m each, and four of his men, to br ng on the t.red tavelluu There was a joyous n.octing. •■Whi^ •"'t-^'""' "^'"l''""^ Which is he?" -iiich IS Lieutenant Arnistiong ?" This crv soon arose among the rescued crew ^ "That's him, and no mistake," answered Pote^ push.ng several n,en out of the way f ho „,on pressed forward to receive his heartv slmke of the lutnd. "Now, then! Don'rC a moment ! Oct in, and we are oBT' The party wrro divided among the sledircs not a foot more must any one wjk. The £ 322 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. men unharnessed the Newfoundlanders, and left them to trot on at leisure, while they themselves dragged the " Little Maggie." " Captain Armstrong and Master Edward must come in our sledge," said Adam Black. "But give us a good load," said Peter, who was an established wit, and sure of a laugh. " We're four-horse power, an»^ not afraid of it." Philip must come in by Edward. Nov/ they were all seated. " Which is the doctor ?" asked Peter. " Here he is !" answered Wilson for himself. " Tliat's all right. You're wanted !'■ "How is Tom!" asked Captain Ai'mstrong, tiiking alarm. " Very bad." " Peter is apt to take the gloomy side, father," whispti-jd Edward. The tii.ee tents, with their lights raying into the darkness, looked cheerful and inviting as they came on. J olm, who had walked at the head of the cavalcade, ushered his guests into the two largest. His men unharnessed the dogs, which went and stretched themselves out in snow-hut built ex})ressly for them during leisure-time, where their food and water were ready ; Trident, of course, and Chloe, as a special privilege, keeping by Edward. Supper was spread, and there was a pleasant warmth and V)righino8s from the lamps in each tent, and bear-skins laid for i-esting on. Tn tliQ mon from the hut, hq lon^ used to tlioir wild life, the comfort seemed something wonder- A MEETING AND A PARTING. 323 M Ready hands were at work in a moment. lelpmg ott wraps, serving out food and drink (actually in cups and plates), and fatigue, hunger, and trouble seemed banished from the world. But while every one else was in fuU enjoyment taptain Armstrong, who had only swallowed a draught of water, was seated by his poor wounded man. and had grasped the rough hand that was held out to him in both his. Tom Bolt lay in the third tent, on a bed of soft skms as comfortably aiTanged as possible. Ihe tent had been coated without with snow and "^Zt^^^^ ^^^"^^d by the lamp, and perfectly Tom's eyes were fixed on his captain with a look of love and confidence. " Maybe I shall get better. Captain, now you're come, he whispered. He was too weak to say it ouder. "They've all been as kind to me and as tender to me as if I'd been a young child, but I've been longmg for a sight o' your face." "I've been longing for a sight of yours, too, my dear fellow." said Captain Armstrong, who saw too clearly that death was written there. Tom smiled and looked up. and Captain Arm- strong, lollowing the direction of his eyes, saw ±idward besidi* him. "The sight of him does mo good." said Tom. Its hare chief, I consent. tr/ZI^r^, '^ """«"- 'i'' »d you shalUave .11 r^ ^' ^ ^^^' ^"" "'^° ''^^'' OlafstooThSedarT '"■""" -gand-rX-----^^^^ . ■^'^ ^^ weather, without much winr^ +T, ,^ IS not too sevprp in n i. ^"> ^^^ cold a_enri:;rop"e::-u°^lrr-? bears as menZn l7 !r2 "'>" "^ '"'<' deck.read,tog„doru,tZTr'"^*»*« of thet .t;'an''™'''h "'^ ^^"' -'■o -- one forth, "aidl:" Z.tltZl;'''"' "" '"-"^ jW On ,-„ "" "'■? "^y '■•■-^'^ *o your u«po" mouth I? '■,';'"' """P J"" 'ongue in ^ur mouth. It would n^i^iy .^.t to /our lips.Cd r M (^la^dfii^iemeAai^xsiK^im^igaaaibs^Xi 330 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTA NCii:. make a pretty little wound by palling off the skin. ' You talk of that ble wound quite tenderly said John, who was another of and con amove,' the bears. ,. • j "Oh, that's professional, you know, said Allen ; "I should recommenu (professionally also) that you avoid winking. Your eyelashes wiU be apt to freeze together." "Anything else," asked Captain Armstrong, also one of the party. "Why, yes: unless your mittens are oi the best quality, don't carry a rifle ; you may be burnt ; and if you feel something like a hot coal in your pocket, don't be alarmeJ, it's only your penknife. Keep on your masks. I'm glad to see the slits of the eyes are very small. They cannot be too small. Wilson and I have had severai cases of snowblindness to nip in the bud ; and some frost-bites during this week. We are off to skate now. Won't you join us ? " " What do you say, John ? I wiU, if you like, when we have had our walk," sair! Cptain Armstrong. John agreed, and they all sallied forth and went down the snow-steps ; their breath made a cloud of smoke, as if each had fired a pistol, as h opened the door. Th<:y walked very fast, an kept their mouth- +ight shut for a time, for at first the air seemed to pierce them. But ten minutea vigorous exercise made them feel it enjoy- r.ble. They passed quickly over the ice, which WINTEB IN LANCASTEE SOUND. 331 WM all bathed in a flood of moonlight. It was ^ odock, two hours after breakfast; but ly and night were only words to th. m now wherftr't 'T"'^ ^!" * ^P"' <"*■ ''"■ne distance, where they had appointed to meet Edward It waa ea«y to find him by the noise of tlTe do " who were a ways careering abo.t on the i^e n^ of^clnt t r^ ""'^ P"''**! numerous pieces Si sort! Jti ^T' 8™^' P'""^' bridges- Cshe?^? fX- ^ gigantic snow-man°was tashed all but his head, ™d three or four sailors w.,r m the act .r rolling an immense snow-baU towards him, .. h th! intentC rf ofif r*/P '"*" "^ P'""^ *" perform the part of the head. When thev had ,f it ;„ •. ? they said they should gi've^^- „ a W "om: ^T eyes and mouth. John, venturing speak for' the first tnue, recommended hair and I beard "iciir '"'' *" ~"'"™ ""'' '-- »o- 'S ^vl^i'? '"'" "'^" *^"''«'' Victoria, sir? I .mshed her crown," asked one of the mk ■■ She stands there ,.n front of that "ere cattle, and weVe gomgto have Britannia opposite very ^oon The crown 8p^l< los real pretty in the moon" Thoy found the Queen, whose diamond crown d.d, mdeed, flari, splendidly, and went on J^ itllng.""^"™'"^ *" "^' ^«" *" l»t Tt "here we are!" """'""^ '"''"*" ^''°'"™»«i r 332 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. « All right ! " answered Peter, putting iiis head out of a cottage window. " Coining, father !" cried Edward, appearing on the roof, where he was constructing the chimneys. 'Captain Armstrong did stop now in spite of the cold, and his heart beat fast. It was a model of Femhill. He and John had been under a promise not to go that way till they had per- mission. "That snow-wreath beyond," said Edward, « we shall make into the wood. Isn't it like ?" " Very like, my boy. It is beautiful." "Now, come to something else that we've done." "I must stop a moment longer," said John, "to look at the dear old place. Well done, Peter!" "Am I to go on with the wood. Master Edward?" asked Peter. " No, no ; wait till I can help. It must stop tiU to-morrow. I'm going now, so I suppose you have plenty to be about without me somewhere or other." " Yes, yes ; I have. All right !" The three walked on ; the eight dogs in their train. They went some distance ; almost to the entrance of the bay. "There is my cathedral!" said Edward, proudly. The form that some hummocks had taken had suggested it ; by building up snow-walls, below the pinnacles and towers into which the hum- WINTER IN LANCASTER SOUND 333 beautiful work Pm ' „h ^^'"lP'-»'^™«d a really usual clevrrneas ZT^ l^I'^f '^''^'^ ^'* '"^ xcveiuess, Had wished to do sevprnl irr-orr^io^ hmgs, such a. making a dome in th m tT S p| " ;i»»^ door, and such things but i iharitr''*^"^ ^ --Sw.a^d h" ^^ould have ,t as correct as he knew how to make fa.^tk^n'^f l^''?''- '' "■' "^^^'^"^^ *° *« Ml ^«s- ~; Edw T"' *'"^ "^"' *° ^"^ skating- capital exercise, quite warri and in h^h spir they passed a place where another paffy 12' sailors had contrived a game like wW *! Parisians call " Montcynef Zslt'' C^i^l the7h:dtr-'-»^---o4'-^S xnh?d-:4^theTrrutdts:- games, and sometimes dancing ' The work of the ship went on regularly all periect as it is m a man-of-war. Everv ^fi^r^ noon, also, the cabin, which had l^Inl f^^i dmmg-room an hour before wa« conve-t - ° a -hool. Classes were formed.- and taught";;" ■illi 14- \ ''f m 334 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Captain Armstrong, John, and the two surgeons. Edward had a drawing-class. Sometimes they had lectures ; sometimes evening readings ; some- times concerts, in which glees and choruses were performed with much applause. In this way the long darkness, and the many periods of storm, fog, and snow-drift passed on with wonderful quickness. Much of Captain Armstrong's time was spent in the observatory, where Edward acted as his assistant. Edward had resumed his studies under his father, and was very happy. As the cold in- creased in intensity, and the thermometer fell to 20" below zero, which it did before Christmas, he was not allowed to go out, except for a short, quick walk, and only when it was calm. If there was any wind, he experienced a sensation of breathleasness and torpor, and ajipeared stupefied, like a man half intoxicated, and his father, seeing this once, would not allow him to bo exposed to it again. All but the strongest among the men sometimes felt th^ same. Chrljtmas-dry was kept with all possible re- joicing. An extract from Edward's journal will give the best idea of it : — " 25th of December. — I awoke at six, and re- membered it was Christmas-day, and thought of my mother and all at homo. I couldn't lie think- ing loitg, for I was obligful to bo ready by the half hour to deck the cabin. ' It is black as pitch c itsido,' Peter says, when he comes to wish mo J^py-TTr ( jVjriaf jtjnu. All thfi iTiorfi tip.p.ii ijCi bp! b?*icrh^- insido. Wo lighted twelve laraps^ — John helping WINTER IN LANCASTER SOUND. iiS5 tff^' ^j^^?^^^^ked very well. We all mustered before my fatner came in, and greeted him with a l^iinstmas carol. " We had service at eleven ; I thought of you kind of address to us. He said many beautiful things to us You know how he would feel and 6l.eaK ; and I am sure he had made us very happy for we were m wild spirits when we rushed up» deck to make ourselves warm before dinner. We had a splendid dinner.andwere astonished roast beef, preserved in ice, and six great plum- puddmgs. With our hot coffee afterwards we dmnk toasts and got very meny. 'Our friends at Home nd may our next Chi-istmas-dav be spent with them/ wae the last. ^ "Allen read Dicken.s' "-hristraas Carol' to us after dinner. He is a capit.,l v.«der, and the men enjoyed ,t very ,„„ch. We ha,l a concert at night Many a time throughout the day wo threo-I mean my father, John, and I-g„t together to talk about you. There is but one clfu l.pon John and me. It is to see that my father often fill t al, my dear mother. Even now. seven long months, at the very least, must pas. before wf conget homo to yi.u." inJlT'' ''"•":. I'"' ""■""'I part of the sutTer- __ .,„ „,,n.p,,i„d nore. Ihoro were times wb.« ,t «,omod to Captain Amurtrong that ho mtm 336 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. I should only go home to find he had lost her ; that she coald not endure so long a period of anxiety At these times he shut himself up alone, and struggled with his grief till he had mastered it. Edward's journal was faithfully kept all this v/inter, and illustrated throughout. Every de- scription had its sketch. The following, written on New- Year 's-day, was accompanied by one or two very spirited ones: — "1st January, 1855. Think of that date! We brought in the new year that is to take us home, all standing in one great circle, with three cheers. We have been very jolly all day. Wo are to have a ball at night on deck, and shall light up by and 1 )y. We are all making up our journals, for the sake of writing '1855' fur the first time. We have only just settled, aft<^r get- ting into a scrape on the ice. We have no moon, and it is cloudy, so it is just as dark as the fog made it on Christmas-day ; but after dinner Peter, who always has his isyes wider open by half than any one else, proclaimed that the 'roarer was blazin' away.' 80 out we sallied, after mufHing up; 1 protnising my falli< r only to stop out a quarter of an hour. It was a splendid sight! Arche.'?, circles, palm-branches, crosses, were flash- ing over the sky. l^Iaclood warned us not t-o go far t)fV, knowing how suddenly the aurora fades It yrm well he did. Out it went in a nioinunt, and wo, about twenty of us, wore left in inky darkness. Ihey began to put up blue liglds and rockets from the Hhi|i iiiKtantly, and wo got safo WINTER IN LANCASTER SOUND. 337 in; but we knocked each other dovm without the least idea we were near, a^ we came groping back, and Ben and another great strong fellow ran foul of the snowman, and down he went; his head came bounding over the icr-, and sent half a dozen flat on their faces, but our bear-skins are too thick for us to care about tumbles. Here we are very snug. The ball to-morrow. "2nd. The ball was great fun. We chose out all the tallest and roughest follows on board to be ladiea, and you should have seen Allen's airs and graces. He is more than six feet high, and with two flags arranged as drapery he looked wonderful. Our music was a flddle and tambourine, played by Macleod and Peter. The tambourine Peter and I made out of a wooden hoop, with parchment stretched over it. and the bells off" the 'Little Maggie.' Our ballroom was the deck, and in spite of the housing, which is now coated with snowniesides, and the lamps, and all of us, it was not up to freezing-point; you may suppose, there- fore, it would have been cold enough for our musicians if wo had not made them an orchestra It was somotliing like a 'Jack-in-the-green ' only large enough for two, and made of bear-skins in- stead of green bougiis They had a lamp inside, and an opening opposite to each for breath. There we could 8 ^ Maclfcod's l)rown face as he played witli all his might, continually bursting with laughter ttt our performances, and Peti'r's as grave and im- Dorian f. HH nunal urliiLk l.„ il„ :_t ^ 1 J » 1 J ~ ' ^rxixic sirr ;si;mjr5iiua and DftnguUi and made artistic strokes with his thumb on his H i.'^- If ••>' 338 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. instrument, and criticised everything we did, you may be sure. "Suddenly, just as we were recovering our breath after the 'Haymakers,' came a sound of music of a different order. A few of those power- ful, stirring chords we all know so well, made a prelude to 'Rule Britannia.' My father had taken the fiddle in hand. We all sung it in chorus, then 'God save the Queen,' and our New-Year's-day was ended. "I am going to work hard now all the rest of my time. When spring comes I have numbers of sketches to make, and we have quantities to do in the observatory. I mean to be something like an astronomer when I come home. "I must toll some of the extraordinary sights we have seen. One night th(5 moon sfomed to stand on a column of liglit that rented on a hill ashore. Another she looked all notched round the edges, and ofteii cut half off. W^ ha^fe had two or three splendid «?xhibit*^;n» of parhelia, or mockmoons, as the sailors m\ Four smaller moons set in a circle of light roiHMl her. " Strange things hap] ^ '^ all kinds. When wo first go inta! frost in a mmute. There are sounds of strange moan« and groann about the ship that make one tl*iiik of Peter's ghost stories. Then the food 1 He might make his sawdust puddings now» if he was on shori WINTER IN LANCASTER SOUND. 339 allowance. But he isn't, for we have plenty of e^rerythlng. All the meat has to be sawn up; butter and lard require a chisel and mallet; the brown sugar is cut in large sUces. The lamp-oil no longer requires a barrel; it stands alone, look- ing like a sandstone roller for a gravel walk. I could go on telling such things for an hour." The cold increased, and the thermometer feU to 30° below zero before the end of January. The long darkness began to tell on them all, and they said very often to one another, "How white you look ! " Febi uary was ushered in by a violent storm. The ice in their harbour continued im- movable, but they could see, by tlie crimson light that now began to glow in the south about noon, a terrible commotion beyond the headland. The force of the storm had broken the ice in some places, and enormous blocks of it seemed to heave up against the sky in black hills, then sink again, and the whole scene melt into night, while the wind raged, and a sound like one continuous peal of thunder reverberated round the ship. How often did Edward look round at the con- tontud faccM in the comfortable cabin as he sat by his father, and think what they must liave suffbrod in this drt adful season in their luit ! How grate- ful was his hooi't that they were savodi 840 CHAPTER XXIX. SPRING i>: LANCASTER SOUND. "Feb. 8th, 1855.— You must try to fancy us all out on the ice. every man of us except John, who is at the miiso Isuad; and Peter, who stands near the ship's bell. It is clear weather, but there are soino heavy clouds. They are deep black and bright crimson. The sky behind them in the south is gold. It flashes — it grows dazzling. Eight bells tell us it is twelve o'clock. " ' Sun in sight !' shouts John, and next minute the yards are manned, and we give a loud cheer as the first rays dart through the air. Slowly he rises ! We do not know at home what a blessing the sun is, Maggie, dear !" Tlio sun that rose that day soon set again; but every day he rose earlier and set later, till day and night became equal, then day lengthened and lengthened, and bet ame perpetual. But dur- ing February and March the cold did not abate, it even increased. The air pierced like a sword. You couid see that it was filled with small part- icles of ice this! dazzled the eyes with their brilliance, and rayed out all the colours of the rainbow when the sun shone. At (ivery rise of temperature came storm, snow, and fog. Towards the middle of March there was a ohan^o for the better. The davy ii'tifytlioned Football on the ic becan a popular game. SPEINO IN LANCASTEE SOUND, 341 vanished long since, carried away by the storms bu^ no more were built up. HopL of a break™;! «^d getting out of harbour, had begun to take too much possession of every mind foi that. uno hne day, about this time tho man on Zi7T' " f^"'-- -hoi.;.-. prn«; UJat was seen ,n front, driving his team of iol "th men w' '^ '"'^- ,«^''-'' "-^ more sLdgft from thr^l. ": ""'• <='''"■■''"• A deputation g^ol an? k''-'"'! '" ■"""* ^^' b"* ""d bride- P^om and bring them on board, and with them, by laf s request, the chief and one or two more with ir ii*""^ ™'i^ p™-^ '>^ '™ -^«. "nd mauL 2l 1 f , , ^T'^y P'-'="y '"■■ » Esqui- maux girl, and behaved with great decoram. He wSt Snt ? 'L'tY '" ""^ ^'™^"'' -" " "^^^ " ^"^^ direction on every occasion ™s:::datT':'' ''™*''"'"'^- ^-kix:^ Ttheir part on r'V '""'''' *° '""'« "-o rest inoir paity on board, because Edward wantp^ to Uke portraits of tho bride and tho c If ?.|lf he had before. He succeeded very we with lb Wy-s, tter, but nothing could keep the Is,-; t U John, recollecting Parry's contriva e on a aive.[onof;i:;«s:sjr4:r5*"'^"«^- 312 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Meanwhile Macleod, who was on deck in charge of the party that had been invited on board, had begun bitterly to repent this act of hospi!.ality. After eating and drinking to an extraordinary amount, they had begun roaming about noisily, pushing into every corner, touching everything, and a few of them stealing what little things they could lay hands on. No detective officer, however, ooukl have watched them more narrowly than Peter, who recovered everything they took. They were not the least ashamed of being found out, and only went into fits of laughter. Peter brought Olaf up, and asked him why he did not teach them better. Olaf was quite in grief about it, and said such severe things to the thieves that they hung their heads and looked very disconsolate, and one woman stood wiping her eyes on a bird-skin. Olaf was evidently a great man among them, and he told Peter he was trying to teach them what the missionaries had taught him. So far, howtr* or, apparently, with- out much success. Edward came up with his father while all this was going on, and they botli encouraged Olaf to persevere, and saw so much about hira that pleased them that a sudden idea for his good occurred to Captain Ai'mstrong. Calling up Philip Stewart, Wilson, and all of his men that he could collect, he told them of it, and meeting with hearty approbation, summoned Olaf before him, gave hira exact directions how to find the hut, and entire possuusion of it and all its SPEING IN LANCASTER SOUND. 343 Hores. Olaf's gratitude was unbounded, and his wife, when made to understand, was in a rapture Ti. ^""^'^ f^ «rder to spread cheerfulness among the rest of the party, John and Edward ransacked their stores and gave a present to every one, but as they had very few left, these presents were often only some iron hoop, staves of old barrels, and such thmgs. They were, however, received with unbounded joy laughter and jumping, as usual. What shall I give to the children?" said Edward to Peter. "I have not a single toy remaining. ^ "^ i:'eter. It s sugar-plums to them." The steward was set to work to cut up some bars of soap, and Edward distributed them, givino- the greatest delight. Their guests took thei? eave with expressions of gratitude, and told Olaf to say they would never forget the white men Poor Olaf shed many tears when ho }»id good- bye. He said he knew the ship would be gone before he came that way again. They promised him to teU his people at Upemavik, if they touched there, that he was "alive, and happy and rich. These were his words, and so he di-ove away with his little wafe. Before the end of the month the housing was taken down and the decks left open to the air. Ihe boats, sails, and stores were shipped ; the men worked in lighter clothing; and frequent observa- " - tv v«a.cii iiuiii tag mast-iiead seaward. There was a sudden rise of temperature on the 344 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. 2nd. of April. The thermometer was one degree above the freezing-point. It was too warm to skate, so Edward started with his father, John, Allen, and Philip, for a walk ashore. Everything was wet; they sank in the soft snow, and long icicles that fringed the rocks were dripping on their heads. They felt exhausted with the heat. While they rested John had his glass at his eye. "Brown clouds on the horizon! Open water there!" he cried. Every one looked, and agreed that it was so. "What is that dark mass on the ice?" asked Edward. "It seems to move." "Another good sign for us," rr 5 lied his father. "Reindeer migi-ating northwa; i '^Leir instinct teaches them there is no time to ioi^v." The party watched till a large herd of deer were distinctly seen passing steadily on, turning to neither right nor left till they gained the shore and still held on. Only a few stragglers were left behind. Captain Ai-mstrong had left off watching them, and was looking seawards again. He called to the ethers to observe the frost smoke in three different places, a sure sign of leads in the ice. The appearance is simply a cloud of vapour rising from the water, and looks like the smoke from a bonfire. They walked on for some miles, passed a second headland, and descended again towards tbo shore. Edward had lingered behind in a cave under the cliffs, in front of which icicles of enor- SPRING IN LANCASTER SOUND. 345 mous length formed a great fringed curtain or canopy, now studded at every point with water- drops, which glittered in the sun, and fell with a plashing sound at his feet. He made a sketch of It, then tore it up as a lamentable failure, and ran out to jom his companions. Before he reached them, however, he stopped again. Six or eight conical elevations in the ice. a Kttle way from ?he shore, puzzled him. Strange sounds issued from them and as he looked the cones seemed to grow and began to steam. ^ " Allen ! " he cried, " do come here " AUen ran back to him; at the same time Peter who was out with a shooting-party, came up^ Neither had ever seen anything of the kind before. Allen said they looked like the mud vol- canoes of Mexico. Peter said the sound was exactly like a whale whistling. " A whale whistling ! " sa?d Edward. « How can you beheve in such nonsense, Peter ? " ^ "Haven't I heerd it myself, many a time ? " said Peter. Suddenly two of the cones began to spout up water with the vapour, then another the same then another. They crumbled, broke up, and fell m ruins, and a group of narwhales were seen floundering among the fragments, dashing the water about and rejoicing in their release. Their spouting under water had made the sound that s^lors call whistl.^--- .nd barking. Peter walked ott with his rifle as soon as the mvstery was ex- plained, looking even more grave and self-satislied z S I IMAGE EVALUAT:0N TEST TARGET (Mf-S) V €^c O <,. %° 1.0 I.I 11.25 I:. IIIIM lil^ 1.4 III 2.5 2.0 1.6 raotogiapmc Sciences Corporation V s ^v 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIR,N.Y 14510 (716) 873-4S03 ^ « ^\ o^ '^ v-" 84G THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. than usual. The gambols t»f the narwhales were most amusing, and Edward wished John could but see them, and have a good laugh over them ; but he and Captain Armstrong ard Philip were too far off to hear him. They had stopped now, however, and were waiting near three Esquimaux huts, examining them on every side. It was strange that Esquimaux should have been so near and they never know it ! So they thought at fust. But there were no signs of the life of those people near. No dirt, or offensive sights and odours. These huts were deserted. Edward said he would go and sketch an inte- rior — a good opportunity ; so he crawled in at th 3 o])cning passage after clearing away the snow that blocked it up, and emerged into the chamber at the end of it ; Trident followed him, but after a minute returned to the entrance and howled dis- mally, then ran in again. Taking alarm. Captain Armstrong went in and saw a dreadful sight. The hut was not empty ; it was inhabited not by the living but the dead. By the dim light that entered at the passage, and a small hole in the roof, he saw eight dead bodies. They were clotlied in their usual dross — the father, mother, and four children, and a very old man and woman, probably the grandparents The youngest child was in its mother's hood. Some were lying, some sitting on the iloor, in the attitude of life. Their dog lay stiff beside them. Edward was leaning against the wall, his face nearly as pale as tho faces uf the dead. It was a very Utile place, m SPRING IN LANCASTER SOUND. 347 not above eight feet each way; and the ghastly sight and heavy, sickening air, had nearly made nim laint. His father lost not a moment in dragging him out, and he soon recovered his breath and his senses, but not his good spirits. "What," he asked, " could have killed them ? " Ihe horror was increased when, on examining the other huts, John and Philip found that there we four dead bodies in one and nine in the other. Captain Armstrong's opinion was that coM must have been the cause of this horrible calamity tor the people were not emaciated; and, besides,' He had observed a large piece of walrus-flesh in a corner of the hut he entered.' The people had probably died in winter, and been preserved by the cold from decay. "^ Having closed the entrances with stones and snow, the party left tlie.c dismal tombs, with a feeing of relief when they were out of sight But Edward could not recover himself, he was oppressed witl. thoughts of the misery these poor people had suffered, and with a sort of shuddering imagination of how narrowly his father and all his crew had escape.l the danger of a like fate lie was lagging behind, when John hailed him and beckoned him on. Some change of weather seemed at hand. The wind rose, and with it large flakes of ^now came wet and cold against their xa^esj it was like Engliah muow, as Edward said and it chased away his gloom ; for it told of Hi !l 348 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. milder weather, and brought hopes of home again. No such snow had fallen all winter ; it had always been small, hard, and icy. They were soon nearly blinded, and a little uncertain of the way. It was only by keeping steadily in a line behind John that they held together, and even then they got into many hollows and pools ; so that at last they were very glad to hear voices hailing them, and to find they were near the ship. They were met with news that the sportsmen had brought in two rein-deer, and had found traces of musk-oxen. Something fluttered and fell at Edward's feet, as he passed along the snowy deck; it was a dovekey. He picked it up, and the sight was hailed by everyone. "The birds are coming back!" was called from one to another. This solitary one was much exhausted. Edward took it to his cabin, and tried to make it eat and drini but he could not. He then laid it in one of tLu boats, and put some pieces of fish by it. Next morning it was gone, and it had eaten some of the food. Edward enjoyed walking on the once more open deck. The fresh snow that had fallen had covered all that had been trodden by passing feet and all inequalities near the ship with one sheet of pure white. "Ai-e ye listening to the snow-birds, Mr. Edward ?" said Macleod. No ; Edward was admiring the fretted silver on the rigging ; but now he heard a sweet sound of chirping, and, looking higher, Haw the pretty saow-buniliigs tJiat had arrived in the night 1 SPRING IN LANCASTER SOUND. 349 fluttering about and resting on the spars and ladders. The little things were very tame, and came down for the food lie strewed for them ; and It was seldom, after this morning, that some of these fluttermg visitors were not to be seen. But a succession of storms foUowed the rise of temperature, and lasted to the end of the month breakmg up the ice to seaward, where tremendous conflicts went on. When it was possible to climb to the topmast, or to stand on the cliffls, it was a grand sight to see the war that raged there Blocks of ice forty or fifty feet in height would rise up, dash against the fixed ice near the shore and, recoiling, break into a thousand fragments' ashing the waves into fury. No wonder that a little ship, the work of men's hands, is now and then overwhelmed in such conflicts! But no doubts or fears came over the watchers of these sights— nothing but the hope of speedy deliver- ance. The ice was breaking up sooner than usual: it was the end of April now. It was rational to believe that before May was over they might get out of harbour. All the signs of an Arctic spring were about them : the sun never set ; whales had been seen, seals were plentiful ptarmigan had been shot in numbers; and when- ever they looked up, through the day or the night, the air was chequered with moving columns • all the varieties of Arctic birds wer6 in process towards that mysterious northern ocean that Cai.Laiu Armstrong believed in, and had so longed to reach ; the geese and eider-ducks, and every 350 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. variety of gulls, could be distinguished in myriads, and now and then a flock of wild swans. By the middle of May the ship was in sailing order, the toilers filled, and a constant watch kept up for openings in the ice. By the 27th it had become so thin, even in the harbour, where the stillness prevents its breaking up, that John ordered up the ice-saws and all the gear for cutting out, to b^ ready at a moment's notice. After Peter and his mate had brought them up, Peter asked leave to go for a tramp ashore, with a small party, to shoot deer or any game they could find. It might be the last chance before getting out, he said. Permission was granted, and the party set out about three in the afternoon. They had not returned at the evening muster, at half-past nine. It seemed strange, but no one was unoEusy except Edward ; he wondered very much that Peter, whose strong sense of duty ho knew so well, and who was, besides, very proud of hifi punctuality, should not have come in, considering tlio work that might have to be done, nobody could tell how soon, in cutting out of harbour. When ten o'clock came, and every one was turning in for the night, and still no tidings of the party came, his father and John began to feel alarmed, and four of the men were or'dered out to look for them, Mr. Wilson volunteering to take the command. It was known that the deer were to bo found to the westward, so there was no doubt which way to go. About two in the morning Edward awoke, SPRING IN LANCASTER SOUND. 351 and got up to ask the watch on deck if the pai-ty had come in. He met his father on the com- panion-ladder. The party had not come in, nor had Mr Wilson's returned. "They must be lost on the ice somehow," said Edward. " Has it opened between them and us. so that they cannot get back ?" "That is exactly my idea," said his father " I have ordered up the gutta-percha boat, and am going off directly, with four more men to look after them." "Without me?" " No, my boy ; I was on my way to call you." "Thapk you, father! Cannot we take the sledge and dogs?" The snow is impracticable for a sled«-e. We must walk. ° They walked fast, with a high west wind in their faces, more and more alarmed by the aspect of the ice, which had parted from the shore aU along the comt After two weary hours, they saw some men rapidly approaching. Edward, who was a very swift runner, started forward to meet them. "A boat! Run back and order a boat!" they shouted. "We return. The men waited for the advancing party, and proved to be three of those who went with Mr VilHon. Tlieir report was full of fear: it had been a long time before they could find Peter I,:. '1 ■I': have got one!" shouted Edward in ii n52 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. Grcely and tlio men with him ; at last thoy dis- covered them far out on tho ice, wandering along tlio edge of the water ; and between tliem and tho shore was a dark, wide channel ; worse than all, it was evidently widening, and tho whole body of sea-ice drifting to seaward. There was nothing for it but to press on. They walked mile after mile. To Edward's impatient spirit it seemed that many liours passed. They often lost sight of the sea by taking short cuts behind the rocks : then it seemed worse than ever. At last, as they came out behind a low hill that had liid it for some time, they saw Mr. Wilson and another man walking towards them, and a party of four, far out across the dark water. The boat was in the water in a minute. Captain Armstrong got in. Edward would fain have gone, but liis father called one of the sailors to go instead, reminding Edward that his arms were not so strong as the sailor's, and that the boat had to return, and would not carry more than six. Those left on tho beach watched the boat as it neared tho ice ; then they plainly saw one of the* men taken on board. Afterwards there was con- fusion and delay, and it was evident that one, if not all the rest, had been dashed into the water. There were live minutes of intense anxiety; then the boat put off, and began to move towards them. They breathed again. But silently and sadlv the boat annropf.h.pd the shore, and as it came neai-er Edward tried in ~l SPRINQ IN LANCASTER SOUND. 853 vain to count the proper number in it. One was wanting. "Whore i,s Peter!" ho cried, wildly. Poor Peter lay motionless and pale in the bottom of the boat. They could not teU what had happened to hi.n. The ice had broken as they took the second man aboard, and all had gone into the water, but the others clambered in J:'eter Greely must have struck his head on a tongue of ice under water, for he would have sunk It they had not pulled him out by the hair of his head. Edward knelt by the side of his old friend loosened his cap, and pressed his hands ; but Peter continued insensible. Mr. Wilson examined him and found a contusion and slight wound on the temple. It was necessary to carry him back to tne snip. " Lay him in the boat," said Captain Armstrong Wo SIX are fresh, and able to carry it Quick my lads! Help him in, and lay him carefully.' We have no time to lose." ^ They went steadily on, Mr. Wilson's party in- sisting on relieving Captain Armstrong's some- times; tired as they were, they would n-t suffer him and his men to bear the burden all the way but his seamen refused to give up. At last the' weary way was passed. It was nearly twelve o'clock. The last party had been out eight hours the others twenty-six, and poor Peter's forty-two.' W-ia^ p. contrast did the harbour present to their silent burden ! The anchors were heaved I 854 THE VOYAGE OP THH CONSTANCE. up, the "Constance" had moved out of the bed in which she had lain for nine months, her steam was up, and slowly and with careful steering she moved along a lane of water sawn in the ice. The sawing was going on continually a little ahead of her. The pieces of ico, .*3 they were cut out, wore broken up and sunk, or floated off past her. John was on deck, in the midst of the busy hands, directing everything in concert with Macleod.' Philip emerged from the group, and sent a boat along the lead to bring the returned party on board, waiting to receive thom at the gangway. "I congratulate you, my captain!— my dear Edward ! The ice is opening fast outside. We are afloat. But what is it .'—something is the matter ! " John hurried up at chis moment, with a face full of excitement, to v/elcome his uncle and ex- press his joy at the sight of the men who had been missing; but, like Philip, he stood aghast at the sight of poor Greely lying on deck, stiU quite unconscious. John talked aside with Wilson for a few minutes. " You are rAi exhausted with fatigue and this disaster," said he. "Allen will take the charge of our poor Greely from Wilson ; and you. Black and Trail, see that Captain Armstrong and all the returned party are properly refreshed. Get a good breakfast up instantly; then they must all turn in You will try to sleep," he said, turning to his uncle ; " and you also, Edward. We are going on as well as possible, and shall keep on steady at our cutting-out till six o'clock. To-morrow SPRING IN LANCASTER SOUND, 355 morning, if aU goes well, we shall be out of the bay." ^ "Let Greely be carried down to my berth" said Edward to Allen. I' "Where shall you be. You are tired out." "On the floor by him. He must not be left alone, and he must be quiet. You will stay by him till I have had something to eat ?" AU was done according to these arrangements • and then, after ascertaining that nothing more' could be done for Peter yet, and trying in vain to rouse him, Edward lay down by him on a bear- skin that filled the whole floor of his cabin and slept at last. ' But he started up, after many hours, with the new feeling of violent pitching and rolling the sound of the engine at work, the dash of the waves, the crunching of the ice, the rapid orders on deck, and the answering, " Ay, ay ! " and song ot the seamen. "The captain wants you," said Peter's feeble vmce; "he's been lookin' for jm. Go up to "You're better, Peter. You know me now • you can speak to me now." ' Peter closed his eyes, and two large tears rolled down his furrowed cheeks— the first tears Edward had ever seen on them, much as they had done and suffered together. He seized and grasped the hand that lay motionless outside the hammock and last and hot his own tears fell on it. "God bless you, Master Edward— you and 356 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. your father ! My blessing goes with you home. You'll take care of the old woman? " " You must go home, too. No, no, Peter — I cannot bear it ! God will not let you die ! " "Go up now; I want for nothing. They're all very kind to me. But you'll come back pre- sently; you're like a son to me. I'm going to sleep now." Philip appeared at that moment, and said he would remain in Edward's place, if he would go up to his father. His father, in a rough coat, dripping with the salt water that was dashed over the decL every minute, hurried to meet him as his head rose to the deck, and made him hold fast by his arm. Edward looked up and around. Clouds were scudding over the sky before the wind ; sea-birds flapped their wings and shrieked on the frowning cliffs of the headland they were passing; the masts stood up tall and bare, and a cloud of smoke issued from the funnel. The break-up had come. They were steering through zigzag leads of open water. Astern was a track of sea, some fifty ^ards across ; ahead, a wandering lane, little wider than the bows, encumbered with floating fragments of ice that were heaved and dashed against her by the waves. The "Con- stance " was fairly on her homeward voyage. 357 CHAPTER XXX. HOME. It was the 28th of July, 1855, and a breezy morn- ing, when, at about seven o'clock, Margaret and her Aunt Mary were seated on the rocks by the shore near Aberdeen, gazing over the sunny sea. ±5oth of them looked sad. It seemed strange to see on that young face a look of care and thought, but Maggie's had that expression, and she had grown taUer by more than a year since she bid Edward good-bye. They sat silent for some time, then she said — "Three days only to August now." "Yes, but you must not expect tlem in August It is too much to hope. September in the earhest we ought to think of." "Sometimes I get so sad about mamma. Aunt Mary. Are you ever anxious about her ? " Miss Armstrong did not know how to answer, bhe only looked pityingly into Margaret's face "Then you are frightened, too! I do not beheve she ever sleeps at aU. She was awake wnen I came out this morning, and if I ever awake m the night, her eyes are always open. Then how thm she ha^ become! And she hardly eat^ aiiythmg She tries to eat and cannot, and tries tuat we should not observe it." "Mv dear child, it is natural that she should be anxious. Her trial is very severe, and hsr calmness is wonderful." 358 THE VOYAGE OF THE CONSTANCE. "I think she would be better if she com- plained, but she never does. Oh, if they would but come home! I know John will not lose a moment. He knows the need there is for haste; but with all his will to bring them quickly, he may not be able." Margaret was silent for some time ; then she leaned her head on her cunt's shoulder and said, " If they do not come before winter, I don't know what will happen-" and her tears flowed fast. Miss Armstrong was very kind and gentle to her, and soon persuaded her to move homewards. They had a walk of nearly a mile to go before they reached Sir Hugh's house. The garden was bright with flowers. Margaret lingered behind to pick a beautiful bouquet for her mamma and took it to the breakfast-room. There she found her mamma, who kissed her as she gave the flowers. Everything looked bright in the room ; everything outward was cheerful : a sad contrast to the hearts that never forgot their great sorrow. How many months — long, weary months — had passed away since little Launcy brought hismessago home, and each one, as it dragged on, had seemed to make the sorrow the more diflicult to bear ! Sir Hugh came in. Even he looked melan- choly, and was much more silent than he used to be. " I have been reading an article on the dread- ful news that reached us last autumn of Sir John FrankUn," said Mrs Annstrong. ntanco." HOME. 35D "It makes no dilfercnce to me, Sir Hugh. I cannot hear or read anything so dreadful of shipwrecks, deaths, or starvation, that something more dreadful still has not been in my thou