"Well, Johannes, what do you say to this?" said the captain, when he
appeared on deck the next morning--a natural morning Steve called it,
for there had been darkness once more in the night.
"Winter's coming, sir," replied the Norseman, as he glanced round him at
the dark, clear, metal-like ice which spread from shore to shore, and
looked strong enough to bear.
"Yes, but has it come? Surely this will melt before sunset, and we
shall have some mild weather ere the cold regularly sets in?"
"If we were two or three hundred miles farther south, sir," replied the
man, "I could answer you; but who can tell what the weather is likely to
be up here, where man has had no experience. We can only wait and see."
They waited; and for a fortnight longer the ice which formed in the
night melted in the day. Then came one that was dull and sunless, when
the ice did not melt, and they had a fall of snow. That night the ice
more than doubled in thickness, and they started ashore next morning for
a good long tramp eastward, drawing a light sledge bearing provisions,
and ready for the carriage of any game that might be shot.
This was a new experience, for winter garments were now worn, with heavy
boots and mittens, fur caps, and eye-protectors. The snow filled up the
inequalities of the ground, and the sledge glided easily upon its
runners; but its load was soon increased, for the walking was heavy, and
as the sun shone out the men were glad to pile their heavy coats upon
the light framework and walk without them.
The scene was brilliant, and every here and there they found traces of
animals, of whose presence they would otherwise have been ignorant.
Skene was the first to notice footprints, snuffling loudly and growling,
and setting up his fur about his neck, according to his custom when he
smelt an enemy; and upon these tracks being examined, they proved to be
similar to those which would be made by a dog with thick claws and very
hairy feet.
"Wolves," said Johannes directly. "Those which you heard the other
night, Mr Steve."
A sharp look-out was kept for these visitors, but none were seen. Soon
after, though, they came upon the fresh-looking footprints of a bear--
marks so big that they indicated an animal of large size. But the beast
which printed the long marks had gone toward the shore, and though arms
were kept ready for instant use, they marched on seeing nothing but the
dazzling snow.
After a time the doctor called a halt and gave orders. "Spectacles at
once," he said, "or I shall be having cases of snow-blindness to
attend."
So eye-protectors were mounted, and the party moved on again, the
captain choosing a fresh direction, one not previously tried, and, in
spite of the heavy walking, as there was no halting to track game, they
made plenty of progress, getting miles beyond any point previously
reached before they stopped to attack the provisions and rest.
It was intensely cold, but the sun shone brilliantly, and there was not
a breath of air; so that the great lowering of the temperature was not
unpleasant, especially as the exertion had sent the blood racing through
their veins, while the novel aspect of the scene was full of interest
for Steve. The peaks glittered in the new-fallen snow, and, look where
they would, it was at a world of dazzling whiteness, save where the
shadows and valley-like rifts in the mountain-sides appeared to be of a
delicate blue.
"We must take advantage of all the light now, Steve," said the captain,
"and make expeditions inland whenever it is possible. We might pick out
a few places and make _caches_ of provision, so as to get farther out
each time. But it is more from a sense of duty than anything else. We
must feel that we have done everything possible to find our friends."
"Yes, sir. Why not make our way right across?"
"Across where?"
"The island to the farther shore, and then work right round the coast,
and come up again on our side."
"For several reasons, my lad," said Captain Marsham, smiling. "It would
be very risky to take the men so far from our headquarters, not knowing
how soon we may be attacked by a terrible storm. We do not know that we
are upon an island with a farther shore. And it would be impossible to
make such a journey as you propose. Are these reasons enough?"
"Plenty, sir. Are we going any farther?"
"No. We have got by the days of endless light, my lad, and I don't wish
for us to be benighted out in these snowy valleys."
So the captain gave the word to turn back, and they reached the ship
just at dusk, after a most uneventful journey, not having encountered a
single head of game.
The next morning they found that more snow had fallen, and the deck had
to be cleared. There was not the most remote prospect now of doing more
that season, so the boats were made snug and covered; and as there was
no likelihood of the ship moving in a drift, so set fast was she in the
ice, the men were now started to rig up an awning like the roof of a hut
and completely cover in the deck. This was worked at with a will, till
a double thickness of canvas was spread, and over that tarpaulins.
"Keep some of the cold out, eh, doctor?"
"Yes," said that gentleman; "and I suppose in a night or two you'll have
snow over it to keep us warmer."
"It is probable. Wonderful how rapidly we are settling down into
winter. A long one, too," he added in a low voice. "Can you keep us
all in good health till the summer comes again?"
"It depends more upon yourselves than upon me," said Mr Handscombe
sharply. "Keep every one so busy that he gets tired and has no time to
think."
"I mean to," said the captain quietly. "There will be enough to keep
them pretty well employed in getting and sleighing over to here all the
coal I hope to have on board--enough, that is, to make up for all that
is gone, and so as to give us an ample supply to keep our stoves burning
as much as we like."
"Well," said the doctor, "with plenty of work, plenty to eat and drink,
and the means of keeping up bonny fires, I do not see why we should not
pass through the winter pleasantly enough. The darkness will be
depressing when it comes, but the men will have grown pretty well
accustomed to it; for it comes on, I suppose, so thoroughly by degrees.
Let's see, how long will it be perfectly dark?"
"Not at all, I hope," said Captain Marsham. "Nature counteracts a great
deal of the gloom by the brilliancy of stars and moon, and the
reflection from the dazzlingly white earth. Then, too, I suppose we
shall have the aurora pretty often."
"But for how long does the sun disappear entirely?"
"About eighteen weeks," said the captain. "Once it has reached its
farthest point to the south I don't care, for then it will be journeying
back to us. Our task seems to be to keep the men in good heart up to
the shortest day; after that we can manage."
Days passed with a fair amount of sunshine, and then came a week of
storm, the wind giving them a taste or two of what might be expected
later; and the snow fell heavily, loading down the great tent-like
arrangement over the deck to such an extent that the men were busily
employed rigging up the extra spars and spare yards as rafters and
ridge-poles, to help bear the strain put upon the ropes; and then all
knew that there was to be no autumn, for the brief northern summer gave
place at one bound to winter.
After the storm the snow was piled and drifted up round and about the
bows to such an extent that in one place there was a complete slope from
the top of the bulwark, and the snow lay deep upon the ice, though here
and there a few passages were left where the wind had swept the surface
pretty clear; and as the day was fairly bright and the way open in the
direction of the narrow, jagged rift, it was decided to take advantage
of the opportunity and have a trip through the gorge to the seashore.
Anticipating that the zigzagging, canal-like waterway would be too
slightly frozen in so sheltered a spot to bear a party of men, a boat
was run down the snow-slope on to the ice, and then skated along on the
iron of the keel where the snow was absent, and driven over or through
it when it lay deep. The men took to the task readily, the dog entered
into the excitement of the business, and Steve followed sedately enough
with the captain and doctor, envying Watty his spirits, for the lad had
permission to accompany the party, and he was revelling in the
excitement of a day's freedom from the slavery of the galley. The men,
too, thoroughly enjoyed their task, dragging and pushing with plenty of
cheering as they got the boat through some great snow-wreath which
barred their way to the chasm-like opening in the side of the fiord.
"Black water--no ice!" cried Steve, who made his way to the front when
they were nearly across.
"Na, tat's not watter," said Watty, who had followed him. "She's a'
ice."
"Nonsense! Look how clear it is!" cried Steve. "It must be water."
But as he reached the entrance he had to alter his opinion, for the
black-looking water proved to be perfectly solid; and Watty dashed on,
slid some distance, and ended by jumping upon it.
"Tak' car', laddie!" cried Andrew; "ef she gangs through she'll hae to
stay."
But there was no fear, and the boat was left upright in a snow-drift,
the provisions packed on the little hand-sleigh brought as well, and the
journey commenced through the chasm. At first every one proceeded
cautiously, expecting moment by moment to hear a sharp crack; but after
a few minutes confidence was felt in the strength of the ice, and all
stepped out boldly.
"Hadn't we better have brought the boat, after all, sir?" Steve asked
the captain. "There'll be open water as soon as we are through, and we
might get a seal or two, if we didn't get a walrus."
"If the water is frozen in this sheltered passage, my lad," replied the
captain, "there is no fear about the water on the other side."
"What! you think it would be frozen?"
"Certainly. I expect we shall find the open sheet of water along the
shore frozen from side to side."
"Then there'll be no walrus?"
"Not one."
"Nor seals?"
"I don't expect we shall see anything now for months but bears, wolves,
and foxes. Beside them, we shall be the only occupants of the place. I
have not seen a bird for days."
It proved as the captain had said, for as soon as they were well through
the narrow passage there lay the ice to right and left, and not a patch
of open water was to be seen. Winter had set in indeed, and after a
long tramp without seeing a single animal the party retraced their
steps, and returned to the ship light enough, but in excellent spirits,
the inevitable being accepted; and as there was an abundant supply of
food in store, the absence of game in boat and sleigh, though it made
Mr Lowe smile, was deemed to be of not the slightest consequence.
The next day the coaling began, the men being divided into four parties,
one to hew down the coal on the mountain-side, another to collect and
pass it down to the sledges, and the other two parties to draw the
loaded and empty sledges to and fro. The mineral fuel was abundant, and
the men worked so well that very soon the beaten track through the snow
was blackened with dust and small fragments of coal; while, after this
had been kept on for a week, the men treating the dirty job as quite a
frolic, Steve felt that the sooner another fall of snow came down the
better for the face of nature. He was not kept long waiting, for the
second night after the captain had been satisfied that no more coal
could be stored with any convenience down came the storm again, lasting
a couple of days, and the last hope of the weather becoming open that
season departed.
"No, sir," said Johannes; "the winter has come, and means to stay."
"Right on through the long, black darkness when there is no sun," said
Steve with a slight shiver, and he went and looked at the glass.
The doctor saw him go, and joined him. "Down to zero, my lad," he said.
"That would make people at home stare. But it's only the mercury
that's down to zero; our spirits must be up to a thoroughly genial
height."
Steve nodded, but he could not help a curious sensation of awe creeping
over him as once more he thought of the coming six months, during which
they would almost have bidden good-bye to the sun.
"I can't quite think how we shall do without any light, Mr Handscombe,"
said Steve quietly.
"Nor I neither, my lad; but _experientia docet_, as the Latin folk used
to say."
"But doctors should not," said the captain merrily, as he came up.
"_Docet_ sounds suggestive from the lips of a medical man. Now, Steve,
I appoint you commander-in-chief of the fires. See that they are
properly kept up from now till the end of next spring."
"If spring there be," said the doctor. "I expect that we shall step
from winter into summer, as we did from summer to winter; but we shall
see."
"Yes," said the captain, "we shall see."