CHAPTER XXII
ON THE MAINLAND
Jack Marcy and the remainder of the party soon joined Hugo, and the old boatswain surveyed the round heap that had been discovered with a critical eye.
“It is an ice hut, sure enough,” he said, quite excitedly, “but it is probably a long time since it was used. Let us get to work at it and see if it is habitable.”
They scraped off what ice and snow there was, and then Jack cut a block out of the side of the structure.
He crawled into the house and came out again with a pleased look on his face.
“We’ll sleep warm tonight,” he said.
“Why?” asked Will, eagerly.
“Whoever occupied the hut before left quite a lot of things behind. Creep in after me and see.”
The rest of the party did so and found themselves in a hut much larger than the one they had built on the island.
Upon the floor was a rudely constructed lamp, such as is in common use among the Eskimo.
By its side was a pouch or pail made of the skin of a bear or fox, and containing frozen chunks of the blubber or fat of some animal.
The floor of the hut showed a long occupancy in the past and was discolored with grease and bits of meat and fish bones.
The discovery cheered all of the party, for it showed that the place had once been visited and that they might in time find some native settlement.
At any rate, the hut was a comfortable shelter for them.
Jack directed Hugo, Willis, and Tom to get the hut in order, and he and Will went out with the guns in search of food.
They saw some birds and animals, but could not get near to them.
Returning after a disappointing tramp, they made a second discovery that later proved of the utmost importance.
コメント