NORTH MAGNETIC POLE AND NORTHWEST PASSAGE. 257 



"\Tord to heart in order at once to check any warlike desires, shoukl 

 tliey be apparent. This first meeting was exceedingly ridiculous 

 and is one of our liveliest reminiscences. With two companions, 

 armed to the teeth — namely, Anton Lund and Helmer Hansen — I 

 started oS to meet the Eskimo, walking first myself, with two com- 

 rades following me at about 3 paces' distance. They had shouldered 

 their guns, and had such a fierce expression on their faces that it alone 

 would have been enough to put a warlike detachment to flight, to say 

 nothing of the five unfortunate Eskimo wdio were aj^proaching us. 

 The stej) and set-uj) of my detachment were unexceptionable. Ar- 

 rived at about 100 paces from us, the Eskimo stopped, and we, not 

 wishing to show less strategic ability, did likewise. Now, I thought, 

 is the moment to set this matter at rest, and shouted " teima " at 

 the top of my voice. It did not seem to affect them in the least, and, 

 after a short parley among themselves, they recommenced their 

 march on us. They were five in number, had formed in a sort of 

 fighting line, and now- advanced toward us, smiling and humming. 

 Two of them had their bows firmly secured to their backs, and the 

 three others were apparenth' unarmed. We, on our side, of course, 

 leassimied our advance, repeatedly shouting, " teima, teima," and the 

 Eskimo answered, but with quite another word — namely, " manik- 

 tu-mi." We now^ approached one another quickly, and finally ended 

 by meeting. It was a remarkable encounter. The Eskimo stroked 

 and patted us both in front and behind, all shouting " manik-tu-mi '' 

 as hard as they could. We, true to our original plan of campaign, 

 copied our adversaries, and shouted and howled, patted and slapped, 

 to the best of our ability. 



They were fine men, these Eskimo,, tall and strongly built, and in 

 their appearance reminded me more of Indians than of Eskimo, 

 having the redskin type of complexion; they were, moreover, slim, 

 and, as I said before, tall. The ordinary broad and fleshy Eskimo 

 nose was exchanged for one better in shape, somewhat hooked; their 

 hair Avas cut short, with the exception of a small crest of long hair 

 which stretched from one temple round the nape of the neck to the 

 other temple. We now proceeded, laughing the whole time, to 

 the vessel. These Eskimo called themselves " Ogluli Eskimo," and 

 looked upon the North American coast from Back River westward 

 to Adelaide peninsula as their hunting fields. We made many good 

 friends among this race, but it was not till later, when we met with 

 the " Nechjilli Eskimo," that we made inseparable allies. 



On November 2 the permanent station began its w-ork. I will try, 

 in as few words as possible, to explain terrestrial magnetism and the 

 use of our magnetic instruments. 



Terrestrial magnetic power is, with regard to direction and force, 

 SM 190G 17 



