148 THE “WORLD OF ICE.

O'Riley, shutting his-eyes and clenching his teeth as
: he laid: fast hold of-the sides of the sledge.
The feet of the dogs went faster and faster ir
they pattered on the hard surface of the snow like
rain. Round came the Jong whip, as O’Riley said,
“like the shot of a young cannon,” and the next
. moment. they were across, skimming over the ice on
the other side like the wind.’
It happened that there had been a bireeie in the
-ice at this point on the previous night, and the floes
had been cemented by a sheet of ice only an inch
thick. Upon this, to the. consternation even of
Meetuck himself, they now passed, and in a moment,
ere they were aware, they were passing over a smooth,
black surface that undulated beneath them like the
waves of the sea, and crackled fearfully. There was
nothing for it but to go on. A moment's halt would
have allowed the sledge.to break through, and leave
them struggling in the water. There was no time
for remark. Each man held his breath. Meetuck
‘sent’ the heavy lash with a tremendous crack over
the backs of the whole team; but just as they neared
the solid floe the left runner broke through. In a
moment the men flung themselves horizontally upon
their breasts, and scrambled-over the smooth surface
until they gained the white ice, while the, sledge and
the dogs. nearest to it were sinking. One vigorous
pull, however, by dogs and men together, dragged the
sledge upon the solid floe, even before the things in
it had ree wet.