FAREWELL TO THE SHIPS 37 



side next the foot. At this season, however, the fur 

 is not useful, as they are still shedding hair. 



With two Eskimo companions I made an excur- 

 sion to the head of the bay to try the trout -fishing. 

 First I tried flies, then casting a spoon with a bit of 

 pork on it, but did not get a rise, and finally gave 

 it up as hopeless. 



Never in my life have I seen so many birds at 

 one time as here. This is the home of the little auk, 

 which breeds in the cliffs that line the shore. The 

 air was full of them most of the time thousands 

 upon thousands of them darting hither and thither. 

 The Eskimos capture great numbers of them in nets, 

 and from the skins make warm shirts. From one 

 hundred to one hundred and fifty are required for 

 each shirt. The skins are first thoroughly dried, then 

 the women chew the flesh side until all oil is extracted 

 and the skin is soft and pliable, and ready to be sewn 

 into the garment with sinew. In preparing seal and 

 other skins for sewing the women always resort to 

 the chewing process. 



Upon my return from the unsuccessful fishing ex- 

 pedition Mr. Peary invited me to his room on the 

 Roosevelt, and we enjoyed a pleasant hour's chat over 

 a quart of champagne a great treat in this Arctic 

 wilderness of ice and desolation. 



It was all hustle and bustle now to get away the 

 Erik on her homeward trip to civilization, the Roose- 

 velt under the guidance of that inimitable navigator, 

 Captain Bob Bartlett, into the treacherous ice packs 



