s thought of trapping a large number of
white foxes; he fastened on their necks copper collars on which was
engraved the position of his ships, the _Enterprise_ and
_Investigator_, as well as where the supplies were left. These animals
run over immense distances in search of food, and James Ross hoped
that one of them might fall into the hands of one of the men of the
Franklin expedition. That's the simple explanation; and this poor
beast, who might have saved the life of two crews, has fallen
uselessly beneath our guns."

"Well, we won't eat it," said Johnson, "especially if it's twelve
years old. But we shall keep the skin as a memento."

Johnson raised it to his shoulders. The hunters made their way to the
ship, guiding themselves by the stars; their expedition was not wholly
without result; they were able to bring back several ptarmigans.

An hour before reaching the _Forward_, there was a singular phenomenon
which greatly interested the doctor. It was a real shower of
shooting-stars; they could be counted by thousands, flying over the
heavens like rockets; they dimmed the light of the moon. For hours
they could have stood gazing at this beautiful sight. A similar
phenomenon was observed in Greenland in 1799, by the Moravians. It
looked like an exhibition of fireworks. The doctor after his return to
the ship spent the whole night gazing at the sight, which lasted till
seven o'clock in the morning, while the air was perfectly silent.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER XXVI.
THE LAST PIECE OF COAL.

The bears, it seemed, could not be caught; a few seals were killed on
the 4th, 5th, and 6th of November, and the wind shifted and the
weather grew much milder; but the snow-drifts began again with
incomparable severity. It became impossible to leave the ship, and it
was hard to subdue the dampness. At the end of the week the condensers
contained several bushels of ice.

The weather changed again November 15th, and the thermometer, under
the influence of certain atmospheric conditions, sank to -24 degrees.
That was the lowest temperature they had yet observed. This cold would
have been endurable in calm weather; but the wind was blowing at that
time, and it seemed as if the air was filled with sharp needles.

The doctor regretted his captivity, for the snow was hardened by the
wind, so as to make good walking, and he might have gone very far from
the ship.

Still, it should be said that the slightest exercise in s