IX 



WAITING FOR THE SHIP 



OUR second spring with its continual day was now 

 upon us. The big glaucous gulls (Larus hyper- 

 horeus) were sailing on outstretched wings along the face 

 of the cliffs, ever ready to pounce upon one of the 

 myriads of dovekies {Alle alle) which filled the air with 

 wheeling black dots and a volume of music. The 

 Eskimo tupiks were being erected one by one. Sledges, 

 black with women and children, were passing up and 

 down the fiord. One was of more than passing interest. 

 Five small pups were straining at a heavily loaded sledge 

 containing our bath-tub; and in the bath-tub were two 

 undried bearskins, two children, two babies, and three 

 women. 



Fine weather and spring restlessness tempted me out 

 onto the trail again — another thorough search of Rens- 

 selaer Harbor for the remains of the Elisha Kent Kane 

 Expedition. A careful search at Cairn Point failed to 

 disclose the "K" burnt on the rock with powder; the 

 cairn, however, was easily found. 



The run from Etah to Rensselaer Harbor, up to that 

 time the most northern habitation of man, was easily 

 accomplished in two marches. What a flood of book 

 memories came over me as we rounded Sylvia Head- 



