BARTLETT REACHES 87° 47' 271 



realization — as loyal and responsive to my will as 

 the fingers of my right hand. 



My four Eskimos carried the technic of dogs, 

 sledges, ice, and cold as their racial heritage. Henson 

 and Ootah had been my companions at the farthest 

 point on the expedition three years before. Egingwah 

 and Seegloo had been in Clark's division, which had 

 such a narrow escape at that time, having been obliged 

 for several days to subsist upon their sealskin boots, 

 all their other food being gone. 



And the fifth was young Ooqueah, who had never 

 before served in any expedition; but who was, if pos- 

 sible, even more willing and eager than the others to 

 go with me wherever I should elect. For he was always 

 thinking of the great treasures which I had promised 

 each of the men who should go to the farthest point 

 with me — whale-boat, rifle, shotgun, ammunition, 

 knives, et cetera — wealth beyond the wildest dreams 

 of Eskimos, which should win for him the daughter of 

 old Ikwa of Cape York, on whom he had set his heart. 



All these men had a blind confidence that I would 

 somehow get them back to land. But I recognized 

 fully that all the impetus of the party centered in me. 

 Whatever pace I set, the others would make good; 

 but if I played out, they would stop like a car with a 

 punctured tire. I had no fault to find with the condi- 

 tions, and I faced them with confidence. 



