THE WORLD OF ICE. 137

brought with him. He also read extracts from the
few other books they happened to have on board; and
after a time, finding unexpectedly that he had a
talent that way, he began to draw upon his memory
and his imagination, and told long stories (which
were facetiously called lectures) to the men, who
listened to them with great delight. Then Fred
started an illustrated newspaper once a-week, which
was named the Arctic Swn, and which was i. great
favour during the whole course of its brief existence.
It is true, only one copy was issued each morning of
publication, because, besides supplying the greater
proportion of the material himself, and executing the
illustrations in a style that would have made Mr.
Leech of the present day envious, he had to transcribe
the various contributions he received from the men
and others in a neat, legible hand. But this one
copy was perused and re-perused, as no single copy
of any paper extant—not excepting The Times or
Puneh-—has ever yet been perused ; and when it was
returned to the editor, to be carefully placed in the
archives of the Dolphin, it was emphatically the
worse for wear. Besides all this, a theatre was set
agoine, of which we shall have more to say here-
after.

In thus minutely recounting the various expedients
which these banished men fell upon to pass the long
dark hours of an Arctic winter, we may, perhaps,
give the reader the impression that a great deal of
thought and time were bestowed upon amusement, as