1915] TO UPERNAVIK AND BACK 141 



skin window burst into view. Tails and ears came up, 

 the pace quickened; and then came that glad short 

 dash over the tidal crack through the broken shore ice 

 to the level ice-foot. 



In addition to the two rock igloos occupied by Sipsoo 

 and Oo-quee-a there were three snow houses in which 

 were Panikpa, Ak-kom-mo-ding-wa, and Ka-shung-wa. 

 My dogs had dropped to sleep, as usual, each one a furry 

 ball, never barking, begging, or whining for food. Panik- 

 pa started toward them with the frozen hind leg of a 

 walrus, planning to chop it up and feed them piece by 

 piece. The old king-dog became dimly conscious of 

 the fact that something was coming, and jumped to his 

 feet. In a flash his half-awakened team-mates stood 

 beside him, as stiff as statues. When that incredulity 

 turned to conviction, the positiveness that at last food 

 was near, together with the medley of yelps came a 

 mighty leap, tearing the hitching-strap from its ice 

 fastening, and an overpowering rush. Panikpa, the 

 meat, and the dogs were a pulling, tugging, snarling black 

 mass. It was some minutes, and then only with con- 

 siderable difficulty, before the three could be differen- 

 tiated, and this was only accomplished by dragging the 

 meat toward the hole in the ice, where the dogs were 

 refastened and fed. 



E-took-a-shoo arrived in about an hour. The other 

 two sledges had given up and had gone in toward Nerky. 



While we were resting our dogs here on February 

 6th, two of my Eskimos constructed one of the largest 

 snow houses which I have ever seen. It was twelve feet 

 in diameter and eight in height. It was my intention, 

 after driving to Etah, to return here, join in the walrus- 

 hunt, and put my dogs in condition for Ekblaw. 



