noon
At the same time I extinguished the fire , as I did not care to cook the entire bear all at once . My jar of water gave out the day that I was dropped upon the berg ; and at first I thought that I could quench my thirst by eating small bits of ice , but I soon found that this only increased the difficulty . I then remembered to have read in a magazine , that the amount of caloric taken out of the system in order to melt the ice in one 's mouth was so great as to only increase the feeling of thirst . All anxiety , however , on this point was soon at an end ; for the sun was now hot enough , for an hour or two at noon , to melt a sufficient quantity of the loose snow in certain localities to furnish all the water that I needed . With my bear-meat and Bent 's crackers for food , and my bearskin for a blanket , I might now be considered for the present as above the reach of absolute want ; and still it is not to be supposed that I was in a very contented and happy frame of mind . I was very thankful for all the mercies that I had received ; and , when I looked back upon all the wonderful deliverances that I had experienced , I could not help feeling confident that all would go well with me hereafter . -LSB- 1 -RSB- But the great want that I felt was _ a home _ , or at least something , -- some hut or hovel , or hole in the ground , -- to which I might retire when my labor was over , where I could eat my frugal meals , and lie down to slumber at night .