THE GOING OF THE SUN 117 



and it was with considerable difficulty that they were 

 finally rescued. 



Three or four miles off shore the dogs were taken 

 from the sledges, tied to a block of ice to prevent 

 their wandering away, and the Eskimos left me with 

 the sledges while they went on foot in search of seals. 

 Though I wrapped myself in a musk-ox skin, it was 

 very cold waiting, and I was glad indeed when 

 Tukshu and Awhella returned, after killing two seals, 

 and said, "Let's go to igloo." 



The igloo was several miles away, and we started 

 for it at once, without waiting for Sipsu and Ox- 

 puddyshou, the other members of our party. We 

 had been traveling for an hour, when two blue foxes 

 started up a hundred yards ahead. The team gave 

 chase and for a little while there was an exciting run, 

 before the Eskimos succeeded in stopping the dogs. 

 I took a long shot at the foxes with my 30-40 rifle, 

 and had the luck to bring one down. What was my 

 surprise, however, upon reaching the dead fox, to 

 find that I had not struck it at all. The bullet had 

 hit the ice under it and a sliver of ice had struck and 

 killed the fox. 



We were within two miles of the igloo when 

 Tukshu, upon whose komatik I rode, sighted a seal 

 blowing through a hole in the ice. Quick as a flash, 

 harpoon in hand, he was off the sledge and after 

 the seal, leaving the team to my management. The 

 unruly dogs were headed for the igloo; do what I 

 could, they would not stop for me, and in fact tore 



