end ourselves against
their attacks; but to return to the palace, I should add that inside
there were mirrors, candelabra, beds, mattresses, pillows, curtains,
clocks, chairs, playing-cards, wardrobes well furnished, and all cut
out of ice; in fact, nothing was lacking."

"It was then a true palace?" said Bell.

"A splendid palace, worthy of a sovereign! Ice! It was kind of
Providence to invent it, since it lends itself to so many miracles and
accommodates so readily to the needs of castaways!"

It took them until March 31st to get the house ready; this was Easter
Sunday, and the day was set aside for rest; the whole day was spent in
the sitting-room, where divine service was read, and each was able to
judge of the excellent arrangements of the snow-house.

The next morning they set about building stores and a magazine; this
took them about a week, including the time employed for emptying the
_Porpoise_, which was not done without difficulty, for the low
temperature did not permit them to work very long. At last, April 8th,
provisions, food, and supplies were safely sheltered on land; the
stores were placed to the north, and the powder-house to the south,
about sixty feet from the end of the house; a sort of dog-kennel was
built near the stores; it was destined for the Greenland dogs, and the
doctor honored it with the title of "Dog-Palace." Duke partook of the
common quarters.

Then the doctor passed to the means of defence of the place. Under his
direction the plateau was surrounded by a real fortification of ice
which secured it against every invasion; its height made a natural
protection, and as there was no salient, it was equally strong on all
sides. The doctor's system of defence recalled strongly the method of
Sterne's Uncle Toby, whose gentleness and good-humor he also shared.
He was a pleasant sight when he was calculating the inclination of the
platform and the breadth of the causeway; but this task was so easy
with the snow, that he enjoyed it, and he was able to make the wall
seven feet thick; besides the plateau overlooking the bay, he had to
build neither counterscarp nor glacis; the parapet of snow, after
following the outlines of the plateau, joined the rock on the other
side. The work of fortification was finished April 15th. The fort was
completed, and the doctor seemed very proud of his work.

[Illustration: The fort was completed.]

In truth, this fortified enclosure could have withstood for