shape of casks of lemon and lime juice, both of which are absolutely
indispensable to an Arctic expedition. Still the greatest economy was
necessary with regard to the stores, as a long period of bad weather
might cut off the communication between Fort Hope and the southern
stations.
CHAPTER XV. FIFTEEN MILES FROM CAPE BATHURST. September had now
commenced, and as upon the most favourable calculation only three more
weeks would intervene before the bad season set in and interrupted the
labours of the explorers, the greatest haste was necessary in completing
the new buildings, and Mac-Nab and his workmen surpassed themselves
in industry. The dog-house was on the eve of being finished, and very
little remained to be done to the palisading which was, to encircle the
fort. An inner court had been constructed, in the shape of a half-moon,
fenced with tall pointed stakes, fifteen feet high, to which a postern
gave entrance. Jaspar Hobson favoured the system of an unbroken
enclosure with detached forts (a great improvement upon the tactics of
Vauban and Cormontaigne), and knew that to make his defence complete
the summit of Cape Bathurst, which was the key of the position, must be
fortified; until that could be done, however, he thought the palisading
would be a sufficient protection, at least against quadrupeds.
The next thing was to lay in a supply of oil and lights, and accordingly
an expedition was organised to a spot about fifteen miles distant where
seals were plentiful, Mrs Paulina Barnett being invited to accompany
the sportsmen, not indeed for the sake of watching the poor creatures
slaughtered, but to satisfy her curiosity with regard to the country
around Cape Bathurst, and to see some cliffs on that part of the
coast which were worthy of notice. The Lieutenant chose as his other
companions, Sergeant Long, and the soldiers Petersen, Hope, and Kellet,
and the party set off at eight o’clock in the morning in two sledges,
each drawn by six dogs, on which the bodies of the seals were to be
brought back. The weather was fine, but the fog which lay low along the
horizon veiled the rays of the sun, whose yellow disk was now beginning
to disappear for some hours during the night, a circumstance which
attracted the Lieutenant’s attention, for reasons which we will
explain.
That part of the shore to the west of Cape Bathurst rises but a few
inches above the level of the sea, and the tides are-or are said
to be-very high in the Arctic Ocean-many navigators, such as Parry,
Franklin, the two Rosses, M’Clure, and M’Clintock, having observed
that when the sun and moon were in conjunction the waters were sometimes
twenty-five feet above the ordinary level. How then was it to be
explained that the sea did not at high tide inundate Cape Bathurst,
which possessed no natural defences such as cliffs or downs? What
was it, in fact, which prevented the entire submersion of the whole
district, and the meeting of the waters of the lake with those of the
Arctic Ocean?
Jaspar Hobson could not refrain from remarking on this peculiarity to
Mrs Barnett, who replied somewhat hastily that she supposed that there
were-in spite of all that had been said to the contrary-no tides in the
Arctic Ocean.
“On the contrary, madam,” said Hobson, “all navigators agree that
the ebb and flow of Polar seas are very distinctly marked, and it
is impossible to believe that they can have been mistaken on such a
subject.”
“How is it, then,” inquired Mrs Barnett, “that this land is not
flooded when it is scarcely ten feet above the sea level at low tide?”
“That is just what puzzles me,” said Hobson; “for I have been
attentively watching the tides all through this month, and during that
time they have not varied more than a foot, and I feel certain, that
even during the September equinox, they will not rise more than a foot
and a half all along the shores of Cape Bathurst.”
“Can you not explain this phenomenon?” inquired Mrs Barnett.
“Well, madam,” replied the Lieutenant, “two conclusions are open
to us, either of which I find it difficult to believe; such men as
Franklin, Parry, Ross, and others, are mistaken, and there are no tides
on this part of the American coast; or, as in the Mediterranean, to
which the waters of the Atlantic have not free ingress, the straits are
too narrow to be affected by the ocean currents.”
“The latter would appear to be the more reasonable hypothesis, Mr
Hobson.”
“It is not, however, thoroughly satisfactory,” said the Lieutenant,
“and I feel sure that if we could but find it, there is some simple
and natural explanation of the phenomenon.”
After a monotonous journey along a flat and sandy shore, the party
reached their destination, and, having unharnessed the teams, they were
left behind lest they should startle the seals.
At the first glance around them, all were equally struck with the
contrast between the appearance of this district and that of Cape
Bathurst.
Here the coast line was broken and fretted, showing manifest traces
of its igneous origin; whereas the site of the fort was of sedimentary
formation and aqueous origin. Stone, so conspicuously absent at the
cape, was here plentiful; the black sand and porous lava were strewn
with huge boulders deeply imbedded in the soil, and there were large
quantities of the aluminium, silica, and felspar pebbles peculiar to the
crystalline strata of one class of igneous rocks. Glittering Labrador
stones, and many other kinds of felspar, red, green, and blue, were
sprinkled on the unfrequented beach, with grey and yellow pummice-stone,
and lustrous variegated obsidian. Tall cliffs, rising some two hundred
feet above the sea, frowned down upon the bay; and the Lieutenant
resolved to climb them, and obtain a good view of the eastern side
of the country. For this there was plenty of time, as but few of the
creatures they had come to seek were as yet to be seen, and the proper
time for the attack would be when they assembled for the afternoon
siesta in which the. amphibious mammalia always indulge. The Lieutenant,
however, quickly discovered that the animals frequenting this coast were
not, as he had been led to suppose, true seals, although they belonged
to the Phocidæ family, but morses or walruses, sometimes called
sea-cows. They resemble the seals in general form, but the canine teeth
of the upper jaw curved down-wards are much more largely developed.
Following the coast line, which curved considerably, and to which they
gave the name of “ Walruses’ Bay,” the party soon reached the foot
of the cliff, and Petersen, Hope, and Kellet, took up their position
as sentinels on the little promontory, whilst Mrs Barnett, Hobson, and
Long, after promising not to lose sight of their comrades, and to be on
the look-out for their signal, proceeded to climb the cliff, the summit
of which they reached in about a quarter of an hour. From this position
they were able to survey the whole surrounding country; at their feet
lay the vast sea, stretching northwards as far as the eye .could
reach, its expanse so entirely unbroken by islands or icebergs that
the travellers came to the conclusion, that this portion of the Arctic
waters was navigable as far as Behring Straits, and that during the
summer season the North-West Passage to Cape Bathurst would, be open to
the Company’s ships. On the west, the aspect of the country explained
the presence of the volcanic débris on the shore; for at a distance
of about ten miles was a chain of granitic hills, of conical form, with
blunted crests, looking as if their summits had been cut off, and
with jagged tremulous outlines standing out against the sky. They bad
hitherto escaped the notice of our party, as they were concealed by the
cliffs on the Cape Bathurst side, and Jaspar Hobson examined them in
silence, but with great attention, before he proceeded to study the
eastern side, which consisted of a long strip of perfectly level
coast-line stretching away to Cape Bathurst. Any one provided with a
good field-glass would have been able to distinguish the fort of Good
Hope, and perhaps even the cloud of blue smoke, which was no doubt at
that very moment issuing from Mrs Joliffe’s kitchen chimney.
The country behind them seemed to possess two entirely distinct
characters; to the east and south the cape was bounded by a vast plain,
many hundreds of square miles in extent, while behind the cliff, from
“Walruses’ Bay” to the mountains mentioned above, the country had
undergone terrible convulsions, showing clearly that it owed its origin
to volcanic eruptions. The Lieutenant was much struck with this marked
contrast, and Sergeant Long asked him whether he thought the mountains
on the western horizon were volcanoes.
“Undoubtedly,” said Hobson; “all these pumice-stones and pebbles
have been discharged by them to this distance, and if we were to go two
or three miles farther, we should find ourselves treading upon nothing
but lava and ashes.”
“Do you suppose,” inquired the Sergeant, “that all these volcanoes
are still active?”
“That I cannot tell you yet.”
“But there is no smoke issuing from any of them,” added the
Sergeant.
“That proves nothing; your pipe is not always in your mouth, and it is
just the same with volcanoes, they are not always smoking.”
“I see,” said the Sergeant; “but it is a great puzzle to me how
volcanoes can exist at all. on Polar continents.”
“Well, there are not many of them !” said Mrs Barnett.
“No, madam,” replied Jaspar, “but they are not so very rare
either; they are to be found in Jan Mayen’s Land, the Aleutian Isles,
Kamtchatka, Russian America, and Iceland, as well as in the Antarctic
circle, in Tierra del Fuego, and Australasia. They are the chimneys of
the great furnace in the centre of the earth, where Nature makes her
chemical experiments, and it appears to me that the Creator of all
things has taken care to place these safety-valves wherever they were
most needed.”
“I suppose so,” replied the Sergeant; “and yet it does seem very
strange to find them in this icy climate.”
“Why should they not be here as well as anywhere else, Sergeant? I
should say that ventilation holes are likely to be more numerous at the
Poles than at the Equator !”
“Why so?” asked the Sergeant in much surprise.
“Because, if these safety-valves are forced open by the pressure
of subterranean gases, it will most likely be at the spots where the
surface of the earth is thinest, and as the globe is flattened at the
poles, it would appear natural that-but Kellet is making signs to us,”
added the Lieutenant, breaking off abruptly; “will you join us, Mrs
Barnett?”
“No, thank you. I will stay here until we return to the fort. I
don’t care to watch the walrus slaughtered!”
“Very well,” replied Hobson, “only don’t forget to join us in an
hour’s time, meanwhile you can enjoy the view.”
The beach was soon reached, and some hundred walrus had collected,
either waddling about on their clumsy webbed feet, or sleeping in family
groups. Some few of the larger males-creatures nearly four feet long,
clothed with very short reddish fur-kept guard over the herd.
Great caution was required in approaching these formidable looking
animals, and the hunters took advantage of every bit of cover afforded
by rocks and inequalities of the ground, so as to get within easy range
of them and cut off their retreat to the sea.
On land these creatures are clumsy and awkward, moving in jerks or with
creeping motions like huge caterpillars, but in water -their native
element--they are nimble and even graceful; indeed their strength is so
great, that they have been known to overturn the whalers in pursuit of
them.
As the hunters drew near the sentinels took alarm, and raising their
heads looked searchingly around them; but before they could warn their
companions of danger, Hobson and Kellet rushed upon them from one side,
the Sergeant, Petersen, and Hope from the other, and after lodging a
ball in each of their bodies, despatched them with their spears, whilst
the rest of the herd plunged into the sea.
The victory was an easy one; the five victims were very large and their
tusks, though slightly rough, of the best quality. They were chiefly
valuable, however, on account of the oil; of which-being in excellent
condition-they would yield a large quantity. The bodies were packed in
the sledges, and proved no light weight for the dogs.
It was now one o’clock, and Mrs Barnett having joined them, the party
set out on foot-the sledges being full-to return to the fort. There were
but ten miles to be traversed, but ten miles in a straight line is a
weary journey, proving the truth of the adage “It’s a long lane that
has no turning.” They beguiled the tediousness of the way by chatting
pleasantly, and Mrs Barnett was ready to join in the conversation, or to
listen with interest to the accounts the worthy soldiers gave of former
adventures; but in spite of the brave struggle against ennui they
advanced but slowly, and the poor dogs found it hard work to drag the
heavily-laden sledges over the rough ground. Had it been covered with
frozen snow the distance would have been accomplished in a couple of
hours.
The merciful Lieutenant often ordered a halt to give the teams
breathing-time, and the Sergeant remarked that it would be much more
convenient for the inhabitants of the fort, if the morses would settle a
little nearer Cape Bathurst.
“They could not find a suitable spot,” replied the Lieutenant, with
a melancholy shake of the head.
“Why not?” inquired Mrs Barnett with some surprise.
“Because they only congregate where the slope of the beach is gradual
enough to allow of their creeping up easily from the sea. Now Cape
Bathurst rises abruptly, like a perpendicular wall, from water three
hundred fathoms deep. It is probable that ages ago portion of the
continent was rent away in some violent volcanic convulsion, and flung
into the Arctic Ocean. Hence the absence of morses on the beach of our
cape.”
CHAPTER XVI. TWO SHOTS. The first half of September passed rapidly away.
Had Fort Hope been situated at the Pole itself, that is to say, twenty
degrees farther north, the polar night would have set in on the 21st of
that month But under the seventieth parallel the sun would be visible
above the horizon for another month. Nevertheless, the temperature was
already decidedly colder, the thermometer fell during the night to 31°
Fahrenheit; and thin coatings of ice appeared here and there, to be
dissolved again in the day-time.
But the settlers were able to await the coming of winter without alarm;
they had a more than sufficient store of provisions, their supply of
dried venison had largely increased, another score of morses had been
killed, the tame rein-deer were warmly and comfortably housed, and
a huge wooden shed behind the house was filled with fuel. In short,
everything was prepared for the Polar night.
And now all the wants of the inhabitants of the fort being provided
for, it was time to think of the interests of the Company. The Arctic
creatures had now assumed their winter furs, and were therefore of the
greatest value, and Hobson organised shooting parties for the remainder
of the fine weather, intending to set traps when the snow should prevent
further excursions.
They would have plenty to do to satisfy the requirements of the Company,
for so far north it was of no use to depend on the Indians, who are
generally the purveyors of the factories.
The first expedition was to the haunt of a family of beavers, long since
noted by the watchful Lieutenant, on a tributary of the stream already
referred to. It is true, the fur of the beaver is not now as valuable as
when it was used for hats, and fetched £16 per kilogramme (rather
more than 2 lb.); but it still commands a high price as the animal is
becoming very scarce, in consequence of the reckless way in which it has
been hunted.
When the party reached their destination, the Lieutenant called Mrs
Barnett’s attention to the great ingenuity displayed by beavers in the
construction of their submarine city. There were some hundred animals in
the little colony now to be invaded, and they lived together in pairs in
the “holes” or “vaults” they had hollowed out near the stream.
They had already commenced their preparations for the winter, and were
hard at work constructing their dams and laying up their piles of wood.
A dam of admirable structure had already been built across the stream,
which was deep and rapid enough not to freeze far below the surface,
even in the severest weather. This dam, which was convex towards the
current, consisted of a collection of upright stakes interlaced with
branches and roots, the whole being cemented together and rendered
watertight with the clayey mud of the river, previously pounded by the
animals’ feet. The beavers use their tails-which are large and flat,
with scales instead of hair at the root-for plastering over their
buildings and beating the clay into shape.
“The object of this dam,” said the Lieutenant to Mrs Barnett, “is
to secure to the beavers a sufficient depth of water at all seasons of
the year, and to enable the engineers of the tribe to build the round
huts called houses or lodges, the tops of which you can just see. They
are extremely solid structures, and the walls made of stick, clay,
roots, &c., are two feet thick., They can only be entered from below
the water, and their owners have therefore to dive when they go home-an
admirable arrangement for their protection. Each lodge contains two
stories; in the lower the winter stock of branches, bark, and roots,
is laid up, and the upper is the residence of the householder and his
family.”
“There is, however, not a beaver in sight,” said Mrs Barnett; “is
this a deserted village?”
“Oh no,” replied the Lieutenant, “the inhabitants are now all
asleep and resting; they only work in the night, and we mean to surprise
them in their holes.”
This was, in fact, easily done, and in an hour’s time about a hundred
of the ill-fated rodents had been captured, twenty of which were of very
great value, their fur being black, and therefore especially esteemed.
That of the others was also long, glossy, and silky, but of a reddish
hue mixed with chestnut brown. Beneath the long fur, the beavers have a
second coat of close short hair of a greyish-white colour.
The hunters returned to the fort much delighted with the result of
their expedition. The beavers’ skins were warehoused and labelled as
“parchments” or “young beavers,” according to their value.
Excursions of a similar kind were carried on throughout the month of
September, and during the first half of October, with equally happy
results.
A few badgers were taken, the skin being used as an ornament for the
collars of draught horses, and the hair for making brushes of every
variety. These carnivorous creatures belong to the bear family, and
the specimens obtained by Hobson were of the genus peculiar to North
America, sometimes called the Taxel badger.
Another animal of the rodent family, nearly as industrious as the
beaver, largely contributed to the stores of the Company. This was the
musk-rat or musquash. Its head and body are about a foot long and its
tail ten inches. Its fur is in considerable demand. These creatures,
like the rest of their family, multiply with extreme rapidity, and a
great number were easily unearthed.
In the pursuit of lynxes and wolverines or gluttons, fire-arms had to be
used. The lynx has all the suppleness and agility of the feline tribe
to which it belongs, and is formidable even to the rein-deer; Marbre and
Sabine were, however, well up to their work, and succeeded in killing
more than sixty of them. A few wolverines or gluttons were also
despatched, their fur is reddish-brown, and that of the lynx, light-red
with black spots; both are of considerable value.
Very few ermines or stoats were seen, and Jaspar Hobson ordered his men
to spare any which happened to cross their path until the winter, when
they should have assumed their beautiful snow-white coats with the
one black spot at the tip of the tail. At present the upper fur
was reddish-brown and the under yellowish white, so that, as Sabine
expressed it, it was desirable to let them “ ripen,” or, in other
words,-to wait for the cold to bleach them.
Their cousins, the polecats, however, which emit so disagreeable an
odour, fell victims in great numbers to the hunters, who either tracked
them to their homes in hollow trees, or shot them as they glided through
the branches.
Martens, properly so-called, were hunted with great zeal. Their fur is
in considerable demand, although not so valuable as that of the sable,
which becomes a dark lustrous brown in the winter. The latter did not,
however, come in the way of our hunters, as it only frequents the north
of Europe and Asia as far as Kamtchatka, and is chiefly hunted by the
inhabitants of Siberia. They had to be content with the polecats and
pine-martens, called “ Canada- martens,” which frequent the shores
of the Arctic Ocean.
All the weasels and martens are very difficult to catch; they wriggle
their long supple bodies through the smallest apertures with great ease,
and thus elude their pursuers. In the winter, however, they are easily
taken in traps, and Marbre and Sabine looked forward to make up for lost
time then, when, said they, “there shall be plenty of their furs in
the Company’s stores.”
We have now only to mention the Arctic or blue and silver foxes, to
complete the list of animals which swelled the profits of the Hudson’s
Bay Company.
The furs of these foxes are esteemed in the Russian and English markets
above all others, and that of the blue fox is the most valuable of all.
This pretty creature has a black muzzle, and the fur is not as one would
suppose blue, but whitish-brown; its great price-six times that of any
other kind-arises from its superior softness, thickness, and length. A
cloak belonging to the Emperor of Russia, composed entirely of fur from
the neck of the blue fox (the fur from the neck is considered better
than that from any other part), was shown at the London Exhibition of
1851, and valued at £3400 sterling.
Several of these foxes were sighted at Cape Bathurst, but all escaped
the hunters; whilst only about a dozen silver foxes fell into their
hands. The fur of the latter-of a lustrous black dotted with white-is
much sought after in England and Russia, although it does not command so
high a price as that of the foxes mentioned above.
One of the silver foxes captured was a splendid creature, with a
coal-black fur tipped with white at the extreme end of the tail, and
with a dash of the some on the forehead. The circumstances attending its
death deserve relation in detail, as they proved that Hobson was right
in the precautions he had taken
On the morning of the 24th September, two sledges conveyed Mrs Barnett,
the Lieutenant, Sergeant Long. Marbre, and Sabine, to Walruses’ Bay.
Some traces of foxes had been noticed the evening before, amongst some
rocks clothed with scanty herbage and the direction taken by the animals
was very clearly indicated. The hunters followed up the trail of a large
animal, and were rewarded by bringing down a very fine silver fox.
Several other animals of the same species were sighted, and the hunters
divided into two parties-Marbre and Sabine going after one foe, and
Mrs Barnett, Hobson, and the Sergeant, trying to cut off the retreat of
another fine animal hiding behind some rocks.
Great caution and some artifice was necessary to deal with this crafty
animal, which took care not to expose itself to a shot. The pursuit
lasted for half-an-hour without success; but at last the poor creature,
with the sea on one side and its three enemies on the other, had
recourse in its desperation to a flying leap, thinking thus to escape
with its life. But Hobson was too quick for it; and as it bounded by
like a flash of lightning, it was struck by a shot, and to every one’s
surprise, the report of the Lieutenant’s gun was succeeded by that of
another, and a second ball entered the body of the fox, which fell to
the ground mortally wounded.
“Hurrah! hurrah !” cried Hobson, “it is mine!”
“And mine!” said another voice, and a stranger stept forward and
placed his foot upon the fox just as the Lieutenant was about to raise
it.
Hobson drew back in astonishment. He thought the second ball had been
fired by the Sergeant, and found himself face to face with a stranger
whose gun was still smoking.
The rivals gazed at each other in silence.
The rest of the party now approached, and the stranger was quickly
joined by twelve comrades, four of whom were like himself “ Canadian
travellers,” and eight Chippeway Indians.
The leader was a tall man-a fine specimen of his class-those Canadian
trappers described in the romances of Washington Irving, whose
competition Hobson had dreaded with such good reason. He wore the
traditional costume ascribed to his fellow-hunters by the great American
writer; a blanket loosely arranged about his person, a striped cotton
shirt, wide cloth trousers, leather gaiters, deerskin mocassins, and a
sash of checked woollen stuff round the waist, from which were suspended
his knife, tobacco-pouch, pipe, and a few useful tools.
Hobson was right. The man before him was a Frenchman, or at least a
descendant of the French Canadians, perhaps an agent of the American
Company come to act as a spy on the settlers in the fort. The other four
Canadians wore a costume resembling that of their leader, but of coarser
materials.
The Frenchman bowed politely to Mrs Barnett, and the Lieutenant was the
first to break the silence, during which he had not removed his eyes
from his rival’s face.
“This fox is mine, sir,” he said quietly.
“It is if you killed it !” replied the other in good English, but
with a slightly foreign accent.
“Excuse me, sir,” replied Hobson rather sharply, “it is mine in
any case.”
The stranger smiled. scornfully at this lofty reply, so exactly what
be expected from an agent of the Hudson’s Bay Company, which claims
supremacy over all the northern districts, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
“Do you mean to say,” he said at last, gracefully toying with his
gun, “that you consider the Hudson’s Bay Company mistress of the
whole of North America?”
“Of course I do,” said Hobson; “and if, as I imagine, you belong
to an American company--
“To the St Louis Fur Company,” replied the stranger with a bow.
“I think,” added the Lieutenant, “that you will find it difficult
to show the grants entitling you to any privileges here.”
“Grants! privileges !” cried the Canadian scornfully, “old world
terms which are out of place in America !”
“You are not now on American but on English ground,” replied the
Lieutenant proudly.
“This is no time for such a discussion,” said the hunter rather
warmly. “We all know the old claims made by the English in general,
and the Hudson’s Bay Company in particular, to these hunting grounds;
but I expect coming events will soon alter this state of things, and
America will be America from the Straits of Magellan to the North Pole
!”
“I do not agree with you,” replied Hobson dryly.
“Well, sir, however that may be,” said the Canadian, “let us
suffer this international question to remain in abeyance for the
present. Whatever rights the Company may arrogate to itself, it is very
clear that in the extreme north of the continent, and especially on the
coast, the territory belongs to whoever occupies it. You have founded a
factory on Cape Bathurst, therefore we will respect your domain, and
you on your side will avoid ours, when the St Louis fur-traders have
established their projected fort at another point on the northern shore
of America.”
The Lieutenant frowned at this speech, for he well knew what
complications would arise in the future when the Hudson’s Bay Company
would be compelled to struggle for supremacy with powerful rivals, and
that quarrelling and even bloodshed would ensue; he could not, however,
but acknowledge that this was not the time to begin the discussion, and
he was not sorry when the hunter, whose manners, to tell the truth, were
very polite, placed the dispute on another footing.
“As for this present matter,” said the Canadian, “it is of minor
importance, and we must settle it according to the rules of the
chase. Our guns are of different calibre, and our balls can be easily
distinguished; let the fox belong to whichever of us really killed
it.”
The proposition was a fair one, and the body of the victim was examined
accordingly. One ball had entered at the side, the other at the heart;
and the latter was from the gun of the Canadian.
“The fox is your property, sir,” said Jaspar Hobson, vainly
endeavouring to conceal his chagrin at seeing this valuable spoil fall
into the enemy’s hands.
The Canadian took it, but instead of throwing it over his shoulder and
carrying it off, he turned to Mrs Barnett, and said “ Ladies are
fond of beautiful furs, and although, perhaps, if they knew better what
dangers and difficulties have to be surmounted in order to obtain them,
they might not care so much about them, they are not likely to refuse
to wear them on that account, and I hope, madam, you will favour me by
accepting this one in remembrance of our meeting.”
Mrs Barnett hesitated for a moment, but the gift was offered with
so much courtesy and kindliness of manner, that it would have seemed
churlish to refuse, and she therefore accepted it with many thanks.
This little ceremony over, the stranger again bowed politely, and,
followed by his comrades, quickly disappeared behind the rocks, whilst
the Lieutenant and his party returned to Fort Good Hope. Hobson was very
silent and thoughtful all the way; for he could not but feel that the
existence of a rival company would greatly compromise the success of his
undertaking, and lead to many future difficulties.
CHAPTER XVII. THE APPROACH OF WINTER. It was the 21st of September. The
sun was then passing through the autumnal equinox, that is to say, the
day and night were of equal length all over the world. These successive
alternations of light and darkness were hailed with delight by the
inhabitants of the fort. It is easier to sleep in the absence of the
sun, and darkness refreshes and strengthens the eyes, weary with the
unchanging brightness of several months of daylight.
We know that during the equinox the tides are generally at their
greatest height; we have high water or flood, for the sun and moon
being in conjunction, their double influence is brought to bear upon the
waters. It was, therefore, necessary to note carefully the approaching
tide at Cape Bathurst. Jaspar Hobson had made bench marks some days
before, so as to estimate exactly the amount of vertical displacement of
the waters between high and low tide; he found, however, that in spite
of all the reports of previous observers, the combined solar and lunar
influence was hardly felt in this part of the Arctic Ocean. There
was scarcely any tide at all, and the statements of navigators on the
subject were contradicted.
“There is certainly something unnatural here !” said Lieutenant
Hobson to himself.
He did not in fact know what to think, but other cares soon occupied
his mind, and he did not long endeavour to get to the rights of this
singular peculiarity.
On the 29th September the state of the atmosphere changed considerably.
The thermometer fell to 41° Fahrenheit, and the sky became covered with
clouds which were soon converted into heavy rain. The bad season was
approaching.
Before the ground should be covered with snow, Mrs Joliffe was busy
sowing the seeds of Cochlearia (scurvy grass) and sorrel, in the hope
that as they were very hardy, and would be well protected from the
rigour of the winter by the snow itself, they would come up in the
spring. Her garden, consisting of several acres hidden behind the cliff
of the cape, had been prepared beforehand, and it was sown during the
last days of September.
Hobson made his companions assume their winter garments before the
great cold set in, and all were soon suitably clothed in the linen under
vests, deerskin cloaks, sealskin pantaloons, fur bonnets, and waterproof
boots with which they were provided. We may also say that the rooms were
suitably dressed; the wooden walls were hung with skins, in order to
prevent the formation upon them of coats of ice in sudden falls of
temperature. About this time, Rae set up his condensers for collecting
the vapour suspended in the air, which were to be emptied twice a week.
The heat of the stove was regulated according to the variations of the
external temperature, so as to keep the thermometer of the rooms at 50°
Fahrenheit. The house would soon be covered with thick snow, which would
prevent any waste of the internal warmth, and by this combination of
natural and artificial protections they hoped to be able successfully to
contend with their two most formidable enemies, cold and damp.
On the 2nd October the thermometer fell still lower, and the first snow
storm came on; there was but little wind, and there were therefore none
of those violent whirlpools of snow called drifts, but a vast white
carpet of uniform thickness soon clothed the cape, the enceinte of fort,
and the coast. The waters of the lake and sea, not yet petrified by
the icy hand of winter, were of a dull, gloomy, greyish hue, and on the
northern horizon the first icebergs stood out against the misty sky. The
blockade had not yet commenced, but nature was collecting her materials,
soon to be cemented by the cold into an impenetrable barrier.
The “ young ice “ was rapidly forming on the liquid surfaces of sea
and lake. The lagoon was the first to freeze over; large whitish-grey
patches appeared here and there, signs of a hard frost setting in,
favoured by the calmness of the atmosphere. and after a night during
which the thermometer had remained at 15° Fahrenheit, the surface
of the lake was smooth and firm enough to satisfy the most fastidious
skaters of the Serpentine. On the verge of the horizon, the sky assumed
that peculiar appearance which whalers call ice-blink, and which is the
result of the glare of light reflected obliquely from the surface of
the ice against the opposite atmosphere. Vast tracts of the ocean became
gradually solidified, the ice-fields, formed by the accumulation of
icicles, became welded to the coast, presenting a surface broken and
distorted by the action of the waves, and contrasting strongly with the
smooth mirror of the lake. Here and there floated these long pieces,
scarcely cemented together at the edges, known as “ drift ice,” and
the “ hummocks,” or protuberances caused by the squeezing of one
piece against another, were also of frequent occurrence.
In a few days the aspect of Cape Bathurst and the surrounding districts
was completely changed. Mrs Barnett’s delight and enthusiasm knew no
bounds; everything was new to her, and she would have thought no fatigue
or suffering too great to be endured for the sake of witnessing such a
spectacle. She could imagine nothing more sublime than this invasion of
winter with all its mighty forces, this conquest of the northern regions
by the cold. All trace of the distinctive features of the country had
disappeared; the land was metamorphosed, a new country was springing
into being before her admiring eyes, a country gifted with a grand and
touching beauty. Details were lost, only the large outlines were given,
scarcely marked out against the misty sky. One transformation scene
followed another with magic rapidity. The ocean, which but lately lifted
up its mighty waves, was hushed and still; the verdant soil of various
hues was replaced by a carpet of dazzling whiteness; the woods of trees
of different kinds were converted into groups of gaunt skeletons draped
in hoar-frost; the radiant orb of day had become a pale disc, languidly
running its allotted course in the thick fog, and visible but for a few
hours a day, whilst the sea horizon, no longer clearly cut against the
sky, was hidden by an endless chain of ice-bergs, broken into countless
rugged forms, and building up that impenetrable ice-wall, which Nature
has set up between the Pole and the bold explorers who endeavour to
reach it.
We can well understand to how many discussions and conversations the
altered appearance of the country gave rise. Thomas Black was the only
one who remained indifferent to the sublime beauty of the scene. But
what could one expect of an astronomer so wrapped up in his one idea,
that he might be said to be present in the little colony in the body,
but absent in spirit? He lived in the contemplation of the heavenly
bodies, passing from the examination of one constellation to that of
another, roving in imagination through the vast realms of space, peopled
by countless radiant orbs, and fuming with rage when fogs or clouds
hid the objects of his devotion from his sight. Hobson consoled him
by promising him fine cold nights admirably suited to astronomical
observations, when he could watch the beautiful Aurora Borealis, the
lunar halos, and other phenomena of Polar countries worthy even of his
admiration.
The cold was not at this time too intense; there was no wind, and it
is the wind which makes the cold so sharp and biting. Hunting was
vigorously carried on for some days. The magazines became stocked with
new furs, and fresh stores of provisions were laid up. Partridges and
ptarmigans on their way to the south passed over the fort in great
numbers, and supplied fresh and wholesome meat. Polar or Arctic hares
were plentiful, and had already assumed their white winter robes. About
a hundred of these rodents formed a valuable addition to the reserves of
the colony.
There were also large flocks of the whistling swan or hooper, one of the
finest species of North America. The hunters killed several couples of
them, handsome birds, four or five feet in entire length, with white
plumage, touched with copper colour on the head and upper part of neck.
They were on their way to a more hospitable zone, where they could find
the aquatic plants and insects they required for food, and they sped
through the air at a rapid pace, for it is as much their native element
as water. Trumpeter swans, with a cry like the shrill tone of a clarion,
which are about the same size as the hoopers, but have black feet and
beaks, also passed in great numbers, but neither Marbre nor Sabine were
fortunate enough to bring down any of them. However, they shouted out
“au revoir” in significant tones, for they knew that they would
return with the first breezes of spring and that they could then be
easily caught. Their skin, plumage, and down, are all of great value,
and they are therefore eagerly hunted. In some favourable years tens of
thousands of them have been exported, fetching half a guinea a piece.
During these excursions, which only lasted for a few hours, and were
often interrupted by bad weather, packs of wolves were often met with.
There was no need to go far to find them, for, rendered bold by hunger,
they already ventured close to the factory. Their scent is very keen,
and they were attracted by the smell from the kitchen. During the
night they could be heard howling in a threatening manner. Although
not dangerous individually, these carnivorous beasts are formidable in
packs, and the hunters therefore took care to be well armed when they
went beyond the enceinte of the fort.
The bears were still more aggressive. Not a day passed without several
of these animals being seen. At night they would come close up to the
enclosure, and sane were even wounded with shot, but got off, staining
the snow with their blood, so that up to October 10th not one had left
its warm and valuable fur in the hands of the hunters. Hobson would not
have them molested, rightly judging that with such formidable creatures
it was best to remain on the defensive, and it was not improbable that,
urged on by hunger, they might attack Fort Hope before very long. Then
the little colony could defend itself, and provision its stores at the
same time.
For a few days the weather continued dry and cold, the surface of the
snow was firm and suitable for walking, so that a few excursions were
made without difficulty along the coast on the south of the fort. The
Lieutenant was anxious to ascertain if the agents of the St Louis Fur
Company had left the country. No traces were, however, found of their
return march, and it was therefore concluded that they had gone down to
some southern fort to pass the winter by another route.
The few fine days were soon over, and in the first week of November the
wind veered round to the south, making the temperature warmer, it is
true, but also bringing heavy snow-storms. The ground was soon covered
with a soft cushion several feet thick, which had to be cleared away
round the house every day, whilst a lane was made through it to the
postern, the shed, and the stable of the dogs and rein-deer. Excursions
became more and more rare, and it was impossible to walk without
snow-shoes.
When the snow has become hardened by frost, it easily sustains the
weight of a man; but when it is soft and yielding, and the unfortunate
pedestrian sinks into it up to his knees, the snow-shoes used by Indians
are invaluable.
Lieutenant Hobson and his companions were quite accustomed to walk in
them, and could glide about over the snow as rapidly as skaters on ice;
Mrs Barnett had early practised wearing them, and was quite as expert in
their use as the rest of the party. The frozen lake as well as the coast
was scoured by these indefatigable explorers, who were even able to
advance several miles from the shore on the solid surface of the ocean
now covered with ice several feet thick. It was, however, very tiring
work, for the ice-fields were rugged and uneven, strewn with piled-up
ridges of ice and hummocks which had to be turned. Further out a chain
of icebergs, some five hundred feet high, barred their progress. These
mighty icebergs, broken into fantastic and picturesque forms, were a
truly magnificent spectacle. Here they looked like the whitened ruins of
a town with curtains battered in, and monuments and columns overthrown;
there like some volcanic land torn and convulsed by earthquakes and
eruptions; a confusion of glaciers and glittering ice-peaks with snowy
ramparts and buttresses, valleys, and crevasses, mountains and hillocks,
tossed and distorted like the famous Alps of Switzerland. A few
scattered birds, petrels, guillemots, and puffins, lingering behind
their fellows, still enlivened the vast solitude with their piercing
cries; huge white bears roamed about amongst the hummocks, their
dazzling coats scarcely distinguishable from the shining ice-truly there
was enough to interest and excite our adventurous lady traveller, and
even Madge, the faithful Madge, shared the enthusiasm of her mistress.
How far, how very far, were both from the tropic zones of India or
Australia!
The frozen ocean was firm enough to have allowed of the passage of a
park of artillery, or the erection of a monument, and many were the
excursions on its surface until the sudden lowering of the temperature
rendered all exertion so exhausting that they had to be discontinued.
The pedestrians were out of breath after taking a few steps, and the
dazzling whiteness of the glittering snow could not be endured by
the naked eye; indeed, the reverberation or flickering glare of the
undulatory reflection of the light from the surface of the snow, has
been known to cause several cases of blindness amongst the Esquimaux.
A singular phenomenon due to the refraction of rays of light was now
observed: distances, depths, and heights lost their true proportions,
five or six yards of ice looked like two, and many were the falls and
ludicrous results of this optical illusion.
On October 14th the thermometer marked 3° Fahrenheit below zero, a
severe temperature to endure, especially when the north wind blows
strongly. The air seemed to be made of needles, and those who ventured
out of the house were in great danger of being frost-bitten, when death
or mortification would ensue if the suspended circulation of the blood
were not restored by immediate friction with snow. Garry, Belcher, Hope,
and other members of the little community were attacked by frost-bite,
but the parts affected being rubbed in time they escaped without serious
injury.
It will readily be understood that all manual labour had now become
impossible. The days were extremely short, the sun was only above
the horizon for a few hours and the actual winter, implying entire
confinement within doors, was about to commence. The last Arctic birds
forsook the gloomy shores of the Polar Sea, only a few pairs of those
speckled quails remained which the Indians appropriately call “ winter
birds,” because they wait in the Arctic regions until the commencement
of the Polar night, but they too were soon to take their departure.
Lieutenant Hobson, therefore, urged on the setting of the traps
and snares which were to remain in different parts of Cape Bathurst
throughout the winter.
These traps consisted merely of rough joists supported on a square,
formed of three pieces of wood so balanced as to fall on the least
touch--in fact, the same sort of trap as that used for snaring birds
in fields on a large scale. The end of the horizontal piece of wood was
baited with venison, and every animal of a moderate height, a fox or a
marten, for instance, which touched it with its paw, could not fail
to be crushed. Such were the traps set in the winter over a space of
several miles by the famous hunters whose adventurous life has been so
poetically described by Cooper. Some thirty of these snares were set
round Fort Hope, and were to be visited at pretty frequent intervals.
On the 12th November a new member was born to the little colony. Mrs
Mac-Nab was safely confined of a fine healthy boy, of whom the head
carpenter was extremely proud. Mrs Barnett stood god-mother to the
child, which received the name of Michael Hope. The ceremony of baptism
was performed with considerable solemnity, and a kind of fête was held
in honour of the little creature which had just come into the world
beyond the 70th degree N. Lat.
A few days afterwards, on November .20th, the sun sunk below the horizon
not to appear again for two months. The Polar night had commenced!
CHAPTER XVIII. THE POLAR NIGHT. The long night was ushered in by a
violent storm. The cold was perhaps a little less severe, but the
air was very damp, and, in spite of every precaution, the humidity
penetrated into the house, and the condensers, which were emptied every
morning, contained several pounds of ice.
Outside drifts whirled past like waterspouts-the snow seemed no longer
to fall horizontally but vertically. The Lieutenant was obliged to
insist upon the door being kept shut, for had it been opened the
passages would immediately have become blocked up. The explorers were
literally prisoners.
The window shutters were hermetically closed, and the lamps were kept
burning through the long hours of the sleepless night.
But although darkness reigned without, the noise of the tempest replaced
the silence usually so complete in these high latitudes. The roaring of
the wind between the house and the cliff never ceased for a moment, the
house trembled to its foundations, and had it not been for the solidity
of its construction, must have succumbed to the violence of the
hurricane. Fortunately the accumulation of snow round the walls broke
the force of the squall, and Mac-Nabs only fear was for the chimneys,
which were liable to be blown over. However, they remained firm,
although they had constantly to be freed from the snow which blocked up
the openings.
In the midst of the whistling of the wind, loud reports were heard, of
which Mrs Barnett could not conjecture the cause. It was the falling
of icebergs in the offing. The echoes caught up the sounds, which were
rolled along like the reverberations of thunder. The ground shook as the
ice-fields split open, crushed by the falling of these mighty mountains,
and none but those thoroughly inured to the horrors of these wild
rugged climates could witness these strange phenomena without a shudder.
Lieutenant Hobson and his companions were accustomed to all these
things, and Mrs Barnett and Madge were gradually becoming so, and were,
besides, not altogether unfamiliar with those terrible winds which move
at the rate of forty miles an hour, and overturn twenty-four pounders.
Here, however, the darkness and the snow aggravated the dread might of
the storm; that which was not crushed was buried and smothered, and,
probably twelve hours after the commencement of the tempest, house,
kennel, shed, and enceinte would have disappeared beneath a bed of snow
of uniform thickness.
The time was not wasted during this long imprisonment. All these good
people agreed together perfectly, and neither ill-humour nor ennui
marred the contentment of the little party shut up in such a narrow
space. They were used to life under similar conditions at Forts
Enterprise and Reliance, and there was nothing to excite Mrs Barnett’s
surprise in their ready accommodation of themselves to circumstances.
Part of the day was occupied with work, part with reading and games.
Garments had to be made and mended, arms to be kept bright and in good
repair, boots to be manufactured, and the daily journal to be issued in
which Lieutenant Hobson recorded the slightest events of this northern
wintering-the weather, the temperature, the direction of the wind, the
appearance of meteors so frequent in the Polar regions, &c., &c. Then
the house had to be kept in order, the rooms must be swept, and the
stores of furs must be visited every day to see if they were free from
damp; the fires and stoves, too, required constant superintendence,
and perpetual vigilance was necessary to prevent the accumulation of
particles of moisture in the corners.
To each one was assigned a task, the duty of each one was laid down in
rules fixed up in the large room, so that without being overworked, the
occupants of the fort were never without something to do. Thomas Black
screwed and unscrewed his instruments, and looked over his astronomical
calculations, remaining almost always shut up in his cabin, fretting
and fuming at the storm which prevented him from making nocturnal
observations. The three married women had also plenty to see to : Mrs
Mac-Nab busied herself with her baby who got on wonderfully, whilst Mrs
Joliffe, assisted by Mrs Rae, and with the Corporal always at her heels,
presided in the kitchen.
When work was done the entire party assembled in the large room,
spending the whole of Sunday together. Reading was the chief amusement.
The Bible and some books of travels were the whole library of the fort;
but they were all the good folks required. Mrs Barnett generally read
aloud, and her audience listened with delight. The Bible and accounts
of adventures received a fresh charm when read out in her clear earnest
voice; her gestures were so expressive that imaginary persons seemed
to live when she spoke of them, and all were glad when she took up the
book. She was, in fact, the life and soul of the little community, eager
alike to give and receive instruction; she combined the charm and grace
of a woman with the energy of a man, and she consequently became the
idol of the rough soldiers, who would have willingly laid down their
lives in her service. Mrs Barnett shared everything with her companions,
never holding herself aloof or remaining shut up in her cabin, but
working zealously amongst the others, drawing out the most reticent by
her intelligent questions and warm sympathy. Good humour and good health
prevailed throughout the little community, and neither bands nor tongues
were idle.
The storm, however, showed no signs of abating. The party had now been
confined to the house for three days, and the snow-drifts were as wild
and furious as ever. Lieutenant Hobson began to get anxious. It was
becoming imperatively necessary to renew the air of the rooms, which
was too much charged with carbonic acid. The light of the lamps began to
pale in the unhealthy atmosphere, and the air-pumps would not act, the
pipes being choked up with ice; they were not, in fact, intended to
be used when the house was buried in snow. It was necessary to take
counsel; the Lieutenant and Sergeant Long put their heads together, and
it was decided on November 23d that, as the wind beat with rather less
violence on the front of the house, one of the windows at the end of the
passage on that side should be opened.
This was no light matter. It was easy enough to open the window from
inside, but the shutter outside was encrusted over with thick lumps of
ice, and resisted every effort to move it. It had to be taken off its
hinges, and the hard mass of snow was then attacked with pickaxe and
shovel; it was at least ten feet thick, and it was not until a kind of
channel bad been scooped out that the outer air was admitted.
Hobson, the Sergeant, several soldiers, and Mrs Barnett herself ventured
to creep through this tunnel or channel, but not without considerable
difficulty, for the wind rushed in with fearful fury.
What a scene was presented by Cape Bathurst and the surrounding plain.
It was mid-day, and but a few faint twilight rays glimmered upon
the southern horizon. The cold was not so intense as one would have
supposed, and the thermometer marked only 15° Fahrenheit above zero;
but the snow-drifts whirled along with terrific force, and all would
inevitably have been thrown to the ground, had not the snow in which
they were standing up to their waists helped to sustain them against
the gusts of wind. Everything around them was white, the walls of the
enceinte, and the whole of the house even to the roof were completely
covered over, and nothing but a few blue wreaths of smoke would have
betrayed the existence of a human habitation to a stranger.
Under the circumstances the “ promenade “ was soon over; but Mrs
Barnett bad made good use of her time, and would never forget the awful
beauty of the Polar regions in a snow-storm, a beauty upon which few
women had been privileged to look.
A few moments sufficed to renew the atmosphere of the house, and all
unhealthy vapours were quickly dispersed by the introduction of a pure
and refreshing current of air.
The Lieutenant and his companions hurried in, and the window was again
closed; but after that the snow before it was removed every day for the
sake of ventilation.
The entire week passed in a similar manner; fortunately the rein-deer
and dogs had plenty of food, so that there was no need to visit them.
The eight days during which the occupants of the fort were imprisoned so
closely, could not fail to be somewhat irksome to strong men, soldiers
and hunters, accustomed to plenty of exercise in the open air; and we
must own that listening to reading aloud gradually lost its charm, and
even cribbage became uninteresting. The last thought at night was a hope
that the tempest might have ceased in the morning, a hope disappointed
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291
,
292
.
,
293
,
(
294
.
)
;
295
,
296
.
297
298
,
299
’
300
.
301
,
302
«
»
«
»
.
303
,
304
.
305
,
306
,
307
.
,
308
,
309
,
310
,
311
’
.
-
,
312
-
313
.
314
315
«
,
»
,
«
316
317
,
318
,
.
319
,
,
,
320
,
.
,
.
,
321
,
-
322
.
323
;
,
,
,
324
,
325
.
»
326
327
«
,
,
,
»
;
«
328
?
»
329
330
«
,
»
,
«
331
;
,
332
.
»
333
334
,
,
,
’
335
-
,
336
,
,
.
337
,
,
,
338
.
,
339
-
.
340
341
342
.
’
343
«
»
«
,
»
.
344
345
346
,
,
347
.
348
349
,
350
,
351
.
,
352
353
,
.
354
355
,
356
,
.
357
-
.
358
.
.
,
359
,
,
360
.
361
362
,
-
363
.
364
,
-
;
365
,
,
,
366
.
367
,
-
,
,
-
368
;
.
369
370
,
371
,
372
-
373
.
374
-
,
,
375
,
«
,
»
,
376
,
-
.
377
378
,
,
,
379
,
,
380
,
381
.
382
383
,
-
,
.
384
,
,
385
.
,
386
,
,
387
,
388
.
389
-
,
«
-
,
»
390
.
391
392
;
393
,
394
.
,
,
395
,
396
,
,
,
«
397
’
.
»
398
399
,
400
’
401
.
402
403
404
,
.
405
,
406
,
-
;
-
407
-
,
,
.
408
,
409
(
410
)
,
411
,
.
412
413
,
414
;
415
.
-
-
416
,
417
.
418
419
,
420
-
,
421
.
422
,
423
424
425
,
,
426
,
.
,
,
’
.
427
,
428
429
.
430
,
.
431
432
,
433
-
,
434
,
,
,
435
.
436
437
438
,
.
439
-
-
;
,
440
,
441
,
442
.
;
443
,
,
’
444
,
’
445
,
,
446
.
447
448
«
!
!
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,
«
!
»
449
450
«
!
»
,
451
452
.
453
454
.
455
,
456
.
457
458
.
459
460
,
461
,
«
462
,
»
.
463
464
-
-
465
,
466
.
467
-
468
;
,
469
,
,
,
,
470
,
471
,
-
,
,
.
472
473
.
,
474
,
475
.
476
,
477
.
478
479
,
480
,
481
’
.
482
483
«
,
,
»
.
484
485
«
!
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,
486
.
487
488
«
,
,
»
,
«
489
.
»
490
491
.
,
492
’
,
493
,
494
.
495
496
«
,
»
,
497
,
«
’
498
?
»
499
500
«
,
»
;
«
,
,
501
-
-
502
503
«
,
»
.
504
505
«
,
»
,
«
506
.
»
507
508
«
!
!
»
,
«
509
!
»
510
511
«
,
»
512
.
513
514
«
,
»
515
.
«
,
516
’
,
;
517
,
518
519
!
»
520
521
«
,
»
.
522
523
«
,
,
,
»
,
«
524
525
.
,
526
,
527
,
.
528
,
,
529
,
-
530
531
.
»
532
533
,
534
’
535
,
536
;
,
,
537
,
538
,
,
,
539
,
.
540
541
«
,
»
,
«
542
,
543
.
,
544
;
545
.
»
546
547
,
548
.
,
;
549
.
550
551
«
,
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,
552
553
’
.
554
555
,
556
,
,
«
557
,
,
,
558
,
559
,
560
,
,
,
561
.
»
562
563
,
564
,
565
,
.
566
567
,
,
,
568
,
,
569
.
570
;
571
572
,
.
573
574
.
.
.
575
,
,
576
.
577
578
.
579
,
,
580
.
581
582
583
;
,
584
,
585
.
,
,
586
.
587
,
588
;
,
,
589
,
590
.
591
,
592
.
593
594
«
!
»
595
.
596
597
,
598
,
599
.
600
601
.
602
,
603
.
604
.
605
606
,
607
(
)
,
608
,
609
,
610
.
,
611
,
,
612
.
613
614
615
,
616
,
,
,
,
617
.
618
;
,
619
620
.
,
621
,
.
622
623
,
624
.
,
625
,
626
627
,
.
628
629
,
630
;
,
631
,
632
,
,
633
.
,
634
,
,
,
,
635
.
636
,
,
637
.
638
639
«
«
640
.
;
-
641
,
,
642
.
643
,
644
645
.
,
646
-
,
647
648
.
649
,
-
,
650
,
,
651
,
652
.
,
653
,
«
,
»
654
«
,
»
655
,
.
656
657
658
.
’
659
;
,
660
661
.
662
,
663
.
664
;
,
665
,
666
.
,
,
667
.
668
.
,
669
,
;
670
;
671
672
-
;
,
673
,
674
,
,
675
,
-
,
676
,
-
,
677
678
.
679
680
681
.
682
.
683
,
684
,
685
?
686
,
687
,
,
688
,
689
.
690
691
,
,
692
,
693
.
694
695
;
,
696
.
697
.
698
,
.
699
700
,
.
701
,
.
702
703
.
704
705
,
706
.
707
,
,
,
708
,
.
709
,
710
,
711
,
712
.
,
,
713
,
714
,
,
715
.
,
716
«
»
,
717
718
.
,
,
,
,
719
.
720
,
.
721
722
,
,
723
,
.
724
,
,
,
725
.
,
726
.
727
.
728
,
729
,
730
.
731
732
.
733
.
734
,
,
,
735
,
736
.
737
,
738
,
,
739
,
.
740
,
741
.
742
743
,
744
,
745
.
746
747
.
,
,
748
,
749
.
750
751
,
752
,
,
753
,
-
.
754
,
755
,
756
,
,
-
.
757
,
758
-
.
759
760
,
761
;
,
762
,
-
763
.
764
765
766
,
;
767
,
768
.
769
,
770
771
.
,
,
772
,
-
,
-
773
.
774
,
,
.
775
,
,
776
.
777
,
;
778
779
;
-
780
,
,
,
,
781
.
782
,
,
,
,
783
,
784
;
,
785
-
786
,
787
,
,
.
788
,
,
789
!
790
791
792
,
,
793
794
.
795
,
796
797
;
,
798
,
799
.
800
801
802
:
,
,
,
803
,
804
.
805
806
,
807
,
808
.
,
809
-
,
810
811
.
,
,
,
812
-
,
813
814
.
815
816
817
.
,
818
,
819
,
.
820
,
821
«
822
,
»
823
,
.
824
825
,
,
826
827
.
828
829
,
830
831
-
-
,
832
.
833
,
,
834
,
,
,
835
.
836
837
.
838
,
.
839
840
.
841
-
,
842
.
-
843
,
.
844
,
845
846
.
.
847
848
,
.
,
849
.
!
850
851
.
.
852
.
,
853
,
,
,
854
,
,
855
,
.
856
857
-
858
.
859
,
860
.
861
.
862
863
,
864
.
865
866
,
867
.
868
,
869
,
870
,
871
.
872
,
-
,
873
.
,
,
874
875
.
876
877
,
,
878
.
879
.
,
880
.
881
-
,
,
882
883
.
884
885
,
,
,
886
,
887
,
-
.
888
,
,
889
;
,
,
890
,
,
891
,
,
892
.
893
894
.
895
,
-
896
897
.
898
,
’
899
.
900
901
,
.
902
,
903
,
,
904
905
-
,
,
,
906
,
.
,
.
907
,
,
908
909
;
,
,
,
910
911
.
912
913
,
914
,
,
915
.
916
,
917
,
,
918
919
.
:
920
-
,
921
,
,
,
922
.
923
924
,
925
.
.
926
;
927
.
928
,
.
929
930
;
931
,
932
.
,
,
,
933
;
934
,
935
,
936
.
,
937
,
938
,
939
.
940
,
941
.
942
943
,
,
.
944
,
-
945
.
.
946
,
947
.
948
,
-
,
949
;
,
,
950
.
951
;
,
952
,
953
,
954
.
955
956
.
957
,
958
,
.
959
,
960
;
,
961
.
962
963
,
,
,
964
,
965
,
.
966
967
.
968
-
,
969
.
970
,
;
971
-
,
972
,
973
974
.
,
975
,
976
,
977
.
978
979
«
«
;
980
,
981
-
,
982
.
983
984
,
985
986
.
987
988
,
989
;
990
.
991
992
;
-
993
,
.
994
995
,
,
996
,
;
997
,
998
.
999
,
1000