366 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



As usual they played cards, and I woke up several times 

 during the night to see the people sitting in a circle on the 

 floor, playing continually, forgetting the world about them, 

 their children and all. 



The next morning Oojooaktok was not very anxious to start, 

 but I persuaded him to do so, as the weather was too fine for 

 loafing, and almost to my own surprise I succeeded in making 

 him see my point. Two men from the house were starting at 

 the same time, as they had to go somewhere to buy food for 

 their, children. 



But the natives are not always pleasant travelling companions. 

 They do not like to travel long distances, and at 2 P.M., when 

 we came to a place thickly studded with driftwood, they swore 

 that there was no other wood within miles to the southward, 

 and I had to give in and commence to pitch the tent. But I 

 consented with a heavy heart ; we had only travelled for four 

 and a half hours that day, my provisions were very nearly 

 exhausted, and we had a long distance to cover before supplies 

 could be had. 



On November 30 we saw the last of the moon, using what 

 there was of it as long as we possibly could. It had been a 

 good friend to me all the way from Point Barrow and had made 

 it possible for me to travel several hours more a day than I 

 should otherwise have been able to do ; I had for days been 

 watching anxiously for its decrease and fearing the time when 

 we would be altogether without it, when we would have to 

 travel as hard as we could during the few hours' day. which in 

 our present state was far from easy, for our dogs were rapidly 

 losing their strength, their feet were bleeding, and a trail of 

 blood showed the course we had taken. Poor beasts underfed, 

 tired and footsore, a sledge dog's life is surely hard ! 



The last of November was fine, calm and cold (38 C.),and 

 I was surprised and thankful for my constant good luck in this 

 respect. Since I left Flaxman Island I had only to camp once 

 on account of a storm. It had blown while I was at Point 

 Barrow and at Icy Cape, but there I was in comfort, and, even 

 if it delayed my departure, my stay was pleasant and not like 

 the days spent on the trail, storm-bound in a tent. 



Although the moon was not shining now, we left camp at 

 7.30 A.M. on December i, and travelled as well as we could 



