Snow-houses.—­Few travellers have habitually made snow-houses, except Sir J. Franklin’s party and that of Dr. Rae.  Great praises are bestowed on their comfort by all travellers, but skill and practice are required in building them.  The mode of erection of these dome-shaped buildings is as follows:—­It is to be understood that compact, underlying snow is necessary for the floor of the hut; and that the looser textured, upper layer of snow, is used to build the house.  First, select and mark out the circular plot on which the hut is to be raised.  Then, cut out of that plot, with knives, deep slices of snow, 6 inches wide, 3 feet long, and of a depth equal to that of the layer of loose snow, say one or two feet.  These slices are to be of a curved shape, so as to form a circular ring when placed on their edges, and of a suitable radius for the first row of snow-bricks.  Other slices are cut on the same principle for the succeeding rows; but when the domed roof has to be made, the snow-bricks must be cut with the necessary double curvature.  A conical plug fills up the centre of the dome.  Loose snow is next heaped over the house, to fill up crevices.  Lastly a doorway is cut out with knives; also a window, which is glazed with a sheet of the purest ice at hand.  For inside accommodation there should be a pillar or two of snow to support the lamps.

Snow Walls with Tenting for their Roofs.—­Sir L. McClintock says:—­“We travelled each day until dusk, and then were occupied for a couple of hours in building our snow-hut.  The four walls were run up until 5 1/2 feet high, inclining inwards as much as possible, over these our tent was laid to form a roof.  We could not afford the time necessary to construct a dome of snow.  Our equipment consisted of a very small brown-holland tent, macintosh floor-cloth and felt robes; besides this, each man had a bag of double blanketing, and a pair of fur boots, to sleep in.  We wore mocassins over the pieces of blanketing in which our feet were wrapped up, and, with the exception of a change of this foot-gear, carried no spare clothes.

“When we halted for the night, Thompson and I usually sawed out the blocks of compact snow, and carried them to Petersen, who acted as the master-mason in building the hut.  The hour-and-a-half or two hours usually employed in erecting the edifice was the most disagreeable part of the day’s labour; for, in addition to being already well tired and desiring repose, we became thoroughly chilled while standing about.  The dogs were then fed, then the sledge unpacked, and everything carried into it.  The door was now blocked up with snow, the cooking-lamp lighted, foot-gear changed, diary writing up, watches wound, sleeping-bags wriggled into, pipes lighted, and the merits of the various dogs discussed, until supper was ready; the supper swallowed, the upper robe or coverlet pulled over, and then to sleep.  Next morning came breakfast, a struggle to get into frozen