396 FURTHER EXPERIENCES OF DR. HAYES 



produced a temporary bewilderment of mind, and the sleep which followed 

 was troubled and restless. Their frequent starts, groans, cries, and mutter- 

 ings, told of the fearful dreams of cold, starvation, thirst, and murder by 

 which they were distressed. 



"It was not until the following morning that we obtained the full par- 

 ticulars of their journey; but Petersen told us, while he drank his coffee, 

 what it was necessary that we should know at once. They had walked all 

 the way from Netlik, where an attempt had been made to murder them. The 

 Eskimos were in pursuit, and if not watched would attack our hut. 



"The idea at once suggested itself, that, with a combination of forty or 

 fifty persons, and an effort well directed, they might surprise us; and, dash- 

 ing in a body from the rocks above upon the slender roof of our hut, they 

 might bury us beneath the ruins, and harpoon us if we should attempt to 

 escape. We did not fear a direct attack. 



"A watch was accordingly set and kept up during the night. The sen- 

 tinel was armed with Bonsall's rifle, and was relieved every hour. The re- 

 mainder of our fire-arms were hung upon their usual pegs, in the passage, 

 having been previously discharged and carefully reloaded. The iron boat 

 was drawn up in front of the hut. 



"The night wore away. Mr. Petersen and Godfrey awoke, ate again, 

 and fell back into their sleep. The sentry marched to and fro along the level 

 plain, a few rods to the eastward of the hut ; and the creak, creak of his foot- 

 steps was distinctly heard as he trod over the frozen snow. Inside the hut 

 all was quiet, save now and then a low whisper, the heavy breathing and 

 occasional delirious outcries of the returned travelers, and the noise made by 

 the periodical changing of the watch. Scarcely an eye except those of Peter- 

 sen and Godfrey was closed in sleep. We were all too busy with our 

 thoughts, and too much agitated by our anxieties." 



The Eskimos did not attack, though it was plain they had intended to 

 murder Petersen. In his sleep he had heard them plotting. He heard them 

 say, says Hayes, that "the hut was to be surprised before Mr. Sonntag and 

 John could return from Akbat. In both cases Sip-su (One of Petersen's 

 Eskimos) was to lead the assault, and Kalutunah was to act as his second 

 in command. 



"Sip-su was just beginning to put into execution the first part of the 

 plan of operations, by instituting a search for Petersen's pistol, when Godfrey 

 came to the window and hallooed to his chief, to know if he was alive. He 



