THE GOING OF THE SUN 111 



difficulties it was so dark when we reached there that 

 one could scarcely see far enough ahead of the dogs 

 to judge of the ice or select a route. But I was not 

 permitted to ease the komatik of my weight, the 

 Eskimos insisting upon my riding, even when it was 

 all the poor dogs could do to move the sledge, and 

 I should have felt very much better to have walked. 



Below Littleton Island open water blocked the 

 way, and we were forced to the land, with a long, 

 steep hill to ascend and descend. It was very diffi- 

 cult climbing, for the wind had swept the ground bare 

 in places, and in others the snow was piled in high 

 drifts. The descent was steep and even more diffi- 

 cult than the ascent. Here we found a hard crust, 

 upon which it was impossible to hold the sledges. 

 The drivers put the dogs behind, and tied a rope 

 around one runner to act as a drag, but even then 

 it was all we could do to keep the komatik from get- 

 ting away. 



Finally we reached the Etah shack in safety, and 

 I was tired enough, when I had started a fire, to roll 

 in a musk-ox skin and sleep soundly until I was 

 aroused by Kulutinguah's entrance several hours 

 later. 



My feet were very sore indeed, the wind was blow- 

 ing a gale from the northwest, and I concluded that 

 I had better remain in camp, for a while at least. 

 But presently Sipsu, Tukshu and Awhella dropped 

 in to see me and urged me to accompany them on a 

 walrus and seal hunt south of Cape Alexander as 

 soon as the wind moderated somewhat. The pros- 



