NORTH POLE OF THE WINDS 



in connection with the southerly winds which had 

 brought us forward. All hands were piped on deck 

 to hoist sails. With many of the land-lubbers ill 

 in their bunks and with the husky Peary on duty 

 in the engine room, our inexperienced people toiled 

 hard with a "Yo Ho" before we had the heavy 

 mainsail up and were left with badly lamed muscles. 

 We could now understand the difficulties under 

 which Captain Bob had labored when on his recent 

 trip from North Sydney to New York he had in 

 bad weather carried on with a crew of only six men 

 including the cook and steward. 



All through the night and on Friday, July 2nd, 

 we thrashed about in the heavy swell. There was 

 but little wind and the sails flapped and M^ore the 

 gear more than during a full gale or through 

 months of ordinary sailing. When the mess call 

 sounded there were few who responded or could 

 do justice to the Friday menu of boiled cod in 

 bacon fat. The heavy seas continued throughout 

 Saturday the third of July, though the wind had 

 now shifted to the northeast and the ship was close 

 hauled. After mess we got the Captain "going," 

 yarning of the great events in which he has borne 

 so noble a part: the long association with Peary 

 in his great Arctic explorations, the loss of the 

 Karluk and the long trek which followed along the 



12 



