72 HUNTING WITH THE ESKIMOS 



every opening, and with long waits, we had the sat- 

 isfaction at half -past four in the evening of finding 

 ourselves nearly opposite Annootok. 



At this critical moment, when our goal seemed al- 

 most within reach, the ice began running strongly to 

 the southward, and we had to turn and keep ahead of 

 it. With one narrow escape from being squeezed 

 between two large pans, we finally succeeded, by get- 

 ting out of the boat and cutting our way through the 

 ice, in effecting a landing four miles below Annootok. 



Hope of proceeding further with the boat at this 

 time was now abandoned, and the following morning, 

 each with a heavy pack on his back, we took up the 

 journey on foot. 



It was fearful walking everything as slippery as 

 glass with three high mountains to cross, and I sus- 

 tained two hard falls; but finally in the evening, we 

 reached our winter home at Annootok, where I found 

 that my fears as to the shack were partially confirmed. 

 The canvas roof had blown off, several of the boxes 

 that formed the sides were blown out of position, large 

 cracks had opened, and it was little more protection 

 against the cold north wind than a sieve. 



