Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/371

 camp of last night, and we have nothing to lie upon but the snow, which is only a shade softer than ice. Out of one of our provision tins we made a kettle, and of another a lamp, and so got some supper. Jensen is still partially snow-blind, and his sufferings have not diminished. This snow-blindness is simply an inflammation of the entire eye-ball, originating in the retina in consequence of the intense light produced by the glare of the sun reflected from the universal whiteness.

May 3d.

The storm detained us in our miserable den for twelve hours. The rest did the dogs good, and we have made the cheeriest day's work yet. But, as every rose has its thorn, so every day must have its drawback. Jensen, stumbling along with his bad eyes, got his leg into a crack and gave it a severe wrench. He tells me that the leg was broken two years ago; and the fracture having been oblique, and the parts allowed to overlap each other while healing, the union has been imperfect.

May 4th.

A fine day's run. We had some smooth ice, and got on briskly. Jensen's snow-blindness has disappeared, and our route having led us over old floes, his leg has not hurt him much and has improved. He is now digging a pit for our night shelter, and sings a Danish song as cheerily as the grave-digger in Hamlet. Knorr and McDonald are chopping up the cakes of desiccated beef for the dogs; and the wolfish brutes fill the air with the most hideous cries. The spectral pack of the wild Hartz huntsman never split the ear of belated traveler with more awful sounds than those which come from the throats of my wild