1915] TO RENSSELAER HARBOR 149 



turned because of violent winds and drift beyond Sun- 

 rise Point. Another trial on the 25th resulted in a 

 second return. The dogs could not face the drift. The 

 party left finally and successfully on the evening of the 

 26th, having waited impatiently through two whole 

 days for wind and drift to subside. 



Two men were to return from the head of Bay Fiord, 

 two from far up Eureka Sound, and two, E-took-a-shoo 

 and E-say-oo, were to accompany Ekblaw for the whole 

 distance. 



Tanquary was plainly out of the game. Hunt's 

 plans depended upon the wishes of Freuchen; mine 

 upon the condition of the dogs purchased by Tanquary 

 and left at Nerky. Harnessing a few pups and cripples. 

 Hunt and I started for Nerky and Peteravik on a 

 reconnaissance. Fifty-nine Eskimos were assembled at 

 the latter place, nearly one-quarter of the whole tribe, 

 all driven from their home in southern villages by lack 

 of food. Sledges were combing every day, reporting 

 caches empty, and, because of the vast extent of the sea 

 ice, game was scarce and diflficult to secure. 



On the evening of the day of our arrival, Ah-we-gee-a 

 drove in with the survivors of Tanquary's team, fifteen 

 out of twenty. Perambulating skeletons! How Tan- 

 quary ever drove them from Upernavik to Cape York 

 I do not know. All honor to Tank! Two were plainly 

 dying; the others were far from optimistic. Meat was 

 what they wanted, and this was given them, just as 

 much as dog-biscuit, tobacco, and oil would buy. They 

 gradually regained their strength, as was evidenced by 

 the elastic step, the straightening of the hooped spine, 

 the erect carriage of the body, and the wagging tails — 

 they were dogs again. 



