Here immediate preparations were made to camp.
There was no bank from which snow blocks could be cut for an igloo,
and the blinding snow so obscured their surroundings that they could
not so much as find a friendly ice hummock to take refuge behind. The
gale, in fact, was so fierce that they could scarce hold their feet
against it, and had they released their hold of the komatik even for
an instant, it is doubtful if they could have found it again.
The deerskin sleeping bags were unlashed and the sledge turned upon
its side. In the lee of this the bags were stretched upon the ice and
with their skin clothes on they crawled into them. Each called
"Oksunae"--be strong--have courage--to the others, and then drew his
head within the folds of his skin covering.
Bob wore the long, warm coat that Manikawan had made for him, and as
he snuggled close into the bag he thought of her kindness to him, and
he dreamed that night that he had gone back and found her waiting for
him and looking just as she did the morning she waved him farewell, as
she stood in the light of the cold winter moon--tall and graceful and
comely, with the tears glistening in her eyes.
The dogs, still in harness, lay down where they stood, and in a little
while the snow, which found lodgment against the komatik, covered men
and dogs alike in one big drift and the weary travellers slept warm
and well regardless of the fact that at any moment the ice might part
and they be swallowed up by the sea.
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