THE WORLD OF ICE. 171

“Down, Poker! quiet, good dog!” said West, as he
endeavoured to restrain the ardour of the team, which,
being fresh and full fed, could scarcely be held in by
the united efforts of himself and Meetuck, while their
companions lashed their provisions, etc, on the sledge.

“ Hold on, lads!” cried Fred, as he fastened the last
lashing. “We'll be ready in a second. Now, then,
jump on, two of you! Catch hold of the tail-line,
Meetuck! All right!”

“Wall right!” yelled the Esquimau, as he let go the
dogs and sprang upon the sledge.

The team struggled and strained violently for a few
seconds in their efforts to overcome the vis inertiw of
the sledee, and it seemed as if the traces would part;
but they were made of tough walrus-hide, and held
on bravely, while the heavy vehicle gradually fetched
way, and at leneth flew over the flocs at the rate of
seven or cight miles an hour. Travelling, however,
was not now quite so agrecable as it had been when
they set out from the ship; for the flocs were swept
bare in some places by the gale, while in other places
large drifts had collected, so that the sledge was cither
swaying to and fro on the smooth ice, and swinging
the dogs almost off their fect, or it was plunging
heavily through banks of soft snow.

As the wind was still blowing fresh, and would
have been dead against them had they attempted to
return by a direct route to the ship, they made for
the shore, intending to avail themselves of the shelter
afforded by the ice-belt. Meanwhile the carcass of