noon
The whole party went to work , and in a wonderfully short time had constructed one of their snow bee-hives large enough to contain them all . Here they ate a hasty supper and spent several hours in a slumber so profound and motionless that it seemed as if they were all dead ; not a sigh , not even a snore , broke the stillness of the night . Next morning they were up and off long before the first glimmer of dawn proclaimed the advent of a new day . Fortunately a passage among the ridges of broken ice was found , through which the sledge was hauled with comparative ease , and before noon they had reached the open sea-ice beyond , over which they again set forth at full swing . Little food had been brought , for they depended chiefly on their weapons to supply them , and as seals abounded everywhere , as well as walruses , they had no lack . Thus they advanced for several days , sometimes being retarded a little by broken ice , but for the most part dashing at full speed over smooth surfaces . One day they came to a long stretch of land , extending to the right and left as far as the eye could reach , which seemed to be a check to their progress , for it was extensively covered with willow bushes .