1915] WAITING FOR THE SHIP 171 



from his hole beneath the jib of our boat, called that 

 he could not possibly get out. Ak-pood-a-shah-o, our 

 Eskimo, was summoned to his aid and affected his 

 release. Jot declaring as soon as he reached the open that 

 the snowflakes were as large as postal cards. We 

 covered our tanalite tent, altogether unsuited for wet 

 snow, with the remains of an old miner's tent. The 

 thickened walls gave us adequate protection against 

 this very severe midsummer storm. Once more we 

 were comfortable, with the pot full of eider duck and 

 the frying-pan sizzling with bacon and delicious eider- 

 duck eggs. 



To our astonishment, the storm continued on the 

 11th and 12th, the weather being boisterous, with heavy 

 squalls and falling snow. The Eskimos declared that 

 such a prolonged storm at this time of the year was 

 unprecedented. They had never experienced nor had 

 they ever heard of such a storm before. All the nests 

 were buried, and the birds were flying disconsolately 

 up and down and over the length of the island, search- 

 ing for a bit of ground and a future home. To add to 

 our troubles, during the night Torngak, the evil spirit 

 of the North, attempted to rob us of a part of the ice- 

 foot and our two boats. Fortunately, the precaution 

 which I had taken of leading a long rope to the solid 

 rocks beyond the ice-foot saved them from destruction. 

 "Look for the best, but be prepared for the worst.'* 

 This should never be forgotten in Arctic work. 



On the morning of the 13th there were signs of clear- 

 ing, bearing out the old sailor's belief that the weather 

 is influenced by the new moon. Three narwhal playing 

 but a few yards away brought us out of our tent with a 



rush, but an attempt to harpoon them was unsuccessful. 

 12 



