d the matter. But
there they lay, panting and faint--to start up suddenly with a fearful
howl. A bear was on them. Sakalar fired, and then in rushed the dogs,
savage and fierce. It was worse than useless, it was dangerous, for
the human beings of the party to seek to share this windfall. It was
enough that the dogs had found something to appease their hunger.

Sakalar, however, knew that his faint and weary companions could not
move the next day if tea alone were their sustenance that night. He
accordingly put in practice one of the devices of his woodcraft. The
youngest of the larches was cut down, and the coarse outside bark was
taken off. Then every atom of the soft bark was peeled off the tree,
and being broken into small pieces, was cast into the boiling pot,
already full of water. The quantity was great, and made a thick
substance. Round this the whole party collected, eager for the moment
when they could fall to. But Sakalar was cool and methodical even in
that terrible hour. He took a spoon, and quietly skimmed the pot,
to take away the resin that rose to the surface. Then gradually the
bark melted away, and presently the pot was filled by a thick paste,
and looked not unlike glue. All gladly ate, and found it nutritive,
pleasant, and warm. They felt satisfied when the meal was over, and
were glad to observe that the dogs returned to the camp completely
satisfied also, which, under the circumstances, was matter of great
gratification.

In the morning, after another mess of larch-bark soup, and after a
little tea, the adventurers again advanced on their journey. They were
now in an arid, bleak, and terrible plain of vast extent. Not a tree,
not a shrub, not an elevation was to be seen. Starvation was again
staring them in the face, and no man knew when this dreadful plain
would end. That night the whole party cowered in their tent without
fire, content to chew a few tea-leaves preserved from the last meal.
Serious thoughts were now entertained of abandoning their wealth in
that wild region. But as none pressed the matter very hardly, the
ledges were harnessed again next morning, and the dogs driven on. But
man and beast were at the last gasp, and not ten miles were traversed
that day, the end of which brought them to a large river, on the
borders of which were some trees. Being wide and rapid, it was not
frozen, and there was still hope, The seine was drawn from a sledge,
and taken into the water. It was fasten