We then collected all the leaves we could, beating the snow off them, and laid them at the bottom of the hole; over the leaves we spread the other blanket, and taking our bundles in, we then stopped up with snow every side of the upper blanket, except the hole to creep in at.

It was quite astonishing what a warm place this became in a short time after we had remained in it.

It was almost too warm, although the weather outside was piercingly cold.

After a good meal and a dose of brandy, we both fell fast asleep, but not until I had taken off my woman's attire and resumed my own clothes.

We never slept better or more warmly than we did in this hole which we had made on the ground, covered with ice and snow..