and a weakening frame had no doubt something to do with his depression.
His dogs, also, were in much the same condition with himself,--growing
thin, and becoming less lively. Clambering to the top of a hummock, he
surveyed the prospect before him. It was not cheering. The faint
daylight of noon was spreading over the frozen sea, bringing the tops of
the larger bergs out into bold relief against the steel-blue sky, and
covering the jumble of lumps and hummocks with a cold grey light.

Despite his resolute purpose the poor man sat down on a lump of ice,
buried his face in his hands, and meditated.

"Can it be," he thought, "that the Great Manitou knows my grief and does
not care? Surely that cannot be. I love my child, though she has fled
from me. I am a child of the Manitou. Does He not love me? I will
trust Him!"

A cold object touched his hand at the moment. It was the nose of the
faithful Attim.

Nazinred regarded the touch as a good omen. He rose up and was about to
resume the journey in a more hopeful frame of mind when a dark cloud on
the horizon arrested his eye. After a long gaze he came to the
conclusion that it was land. Two hours later he arrived at Waruskeek,
and with a beating heart made straight for the huts, which could be
plainly seen on the shore. But terrible disappointment was in store for
him. On reaching the Eskimo village he found that it was deserted.

Nevertheless the improved state of mind did not quite forsake him. It
was a comfort to have made a discovery of any kind, and was it not
possible that, during the brief daylight of the morrow, he might be able
to distinguish the tracks made by the party when they left the place and
follow them up?

With this idea in his mind he resolved to encamp on the spot, and
indulge himself as well as his dogs with a good feed and sleep.

With this purpose in view he collected all the bits of wood he could
find, and, with a few lumps of much-decayed blubber, made a rousing fire
in one of the huts. The flame cheered his canine friends as well as
himself, and filled the place with a ruddy glow. As the hut was
sufficiently large, he invited all the dogs to sup with him--an
invitation which, it is needless to say, they gladly accepted--and we
may add that the humble-minded Attim was not jealous.

The hut of which Nazinred thus took possession was that which belonged
to old Mangivik. With his usually observant nature, our Indian looked
ke