When the Creature was spotted from the ship the day before, it was noted that his
"sledge [was] drawn by dogs" (I:L4:3), suggesting that he was able to cope with the
conditions of ice-travel without danger to himself or his team of dogs. The fact that
Victor says nothing whatsoever about his lost dogs is a subtly pointed, if silent,
comment on his self-absorption. That he has only one dog remaining would have made
his continuation across the ice, even if it had remained stable, almost impossible.