426 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



released, and the natives ran to their sleds and hurried away 

 as fast as their dogs could travel. Zane appeared very 

 angry, but was much amused, and could not refrain from 

 telling them to put some water in the "rum" before drink- 

 ing it. 



The guns were left at Tapika according to promise, and 

 brought back by other natives. A knife which had been 

 carried off with the alcohol was also sent back, showing that 

 rum was what they wanted. 



After this little difficulty, a new agreement was made with 

 the Tapika people. The old men were to be allowed free 

 access to the house, and no more stealing was to be done. 

 The contract was honorably kept, and things went on 

 smoothly. The sled party returned March 2oth. 



Camp Hunt was abandoned May 5th. and its garrison re- 

 treated southward, traveling by dog-sleds. North Head was 

 reached May 10th, and on approaching South Head they 

 were overjoyed at seeing a steamer anchored there. 



It has already been stated that Waring, while looking for 

 Putnam, left letters at Plover Bay and Marcus Bay, directed 

 to the captain of any whaler which might arrive. Captain 

 Owens, of the steam whaler, North Star, of New Bedford, 

 got one of these letters and immediately started to rescue 

 the men. He forced his ship through the ice opposite St. 

 Lawrence Bay, reaching there May 8th, and fastened his 

 ship to the outer edge of the ice, so as not to be carried to 

 the northward by the large floes of ice floating by. 



On the 9th of May, some natives who first saw the vessel 

 informed Waring of her approach. The news caused great 

 excitement among the Rodgers crew, and when the North 

 Star came into the bay next day, they almost cried for joy. 

 Some went on board the whaler immediately, but it was not 

 until the evening of May 14th that all were on the ship. 

 The boats, rifles, ammunition, trade goods, and many other 

 smaller articles were distributed among the natives accord- 

 ing to the services they had rendered. The skin boat in 

 which a line was carried ashore from the burning ship, was 



