1916] BACK ACROSS ELLESMERE LAND 251 



pointed. On the contrary, it steadily increased, giving us the first 

 real taste of bad weather and discomfort we have had on the trip. 



The condition of our dogs also added to our troubles. Rounded 

 out with meat as they were, anything faster than a slow walk was 

 positively painful. Consequently, we were compelled to walk the 

 twenty-five miles, with the result that when we arrived at our old 

 igloo on the east side of Hassel Sound we were wet with sweat and 

 our clothes were driven full of snow. We are now trying to dry out, 

 with both stoves going. 



Arklio lost another dog to-day, a young dog loaned to him by 

 Noo-ka-ping-wa. It was so badly injured by being run over with 

 the sledges that he left it on the trail. 



Thus far we have lost ten in all — Arklio, four; Noo-ka-ping-wa, 

 three; E-took-a-shoo, one; I, one; and Ak-pood-a-shah-o, one. 



Our dogs should go better to-morrow when they have digested 

 some of their awful load. My king-dog is as round as a barrel and 

 as lazy as a negro with the hookworm. To-day he is in disgrace. 

 Was compelled to shorten his trace and warm him up a bit — the first 

 time in three years of driving. He is eight years old, which is very 

 old for a sledge-dog, but still holds up his end of the work. 



April 25, 1916 y Tuesday, Thirty-fifth day. Cub Camp. — 



Temp. —20.2° F. 



it ii ( < ( 



(( it it < 



At lOh. 47m. p.m. Sun bears 319°30' 



" 320 



325°30' 



< < < ( 



ti a it t 



318°30' 



320 



319°30' 



The above bearings show that the compass needle between the 

 Magnetic and North Poles is somewhat erratic. I had the same 

 trouble when I was here before. 



We arrived here after a long march of nine hours, to find our 

 igloo smashed in and our things left here considerably scattered. 



Papa bear has been home. Not finding the cubs, as I had them 

 well hidden, and not getting any response from his spouse, he grabbed 

 her by the hair of the head, dragged her out of the igloo, ate oflF both 

 her hind legs and her belly, and left her a complete wreck behind 

 an ice hummock, the cannibal! Mamma is not worth taking home, 

 unless I decide to use her for dog harness. 



If we can judge of papa's size by his feet, he is a monster! Let 

 us hope that he will come home again to-night. He has probably 

 17 



