238 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH [April 



the Pole, by having a cup of condensed coffee, a 'great 

 delicacy in the field. 



Strange to say, although going true west along the 

 southern shore of Axel Heiberg Land, our compass 

 course was about sixty degrees east. In other words, 

 to go west we headed by compass northeast by east, 

 one-quarter east. In a few days more we would be 

 heading exactly east to go west. This reminds me of 

 the old man's clock, of which he remarked, "When she 

 strikes three and the hands point to ten in the morning, 

 I know she is quarter past five in the afternoon." 



From the camp of April 7th I could see the loom of 

 North Cornwall on the western horizon, bearing about 

 thirteen degrees east of magnetic north. 



All anxiety over my meat-supply was relieved on the 

 8th, when the men returned to camp, after a fourteen- 

 hour hunt, with thirteen musk-oxen; sledges piled high 

 with rich red meat and thick warm skins. A hard bear- 

 fight here resulted in the loss of Arklio's king-dog and 

 the severe wounding of one of E-took-a-shoo's. We were 

 also compelled to shoot one with rabies, the fifth since 

 leaving Etah. 



Scarcely a mile from Musk-Ox Camp and another 

 bear suddenly appeared in front of us. With three dead 

 dogs behind us and one riding, unable to walk, we did 

 not need to be admonished to "hold our horses." Our 

 respect for the fighting qualities of this western bear 

 was steadily increasing. Arklio wounded him from his 

 sledge, going at full speed, before the dogs could reach 

 him. We buried the meat and skin on the trail for our 

 return. 



All along the southern shore of Axel Heiberg Land 

 the snow was marked with tracks of foxes, ptarmigan. 



