THE SPRING AWAKENING 343 



was so heavily laden it would be swamped were a 

 heavy sea to overtake us. 



Several hours of hard pulling took us at length 

 to land, where the dogs had been picketed, and I left 

 the others to unload the boat and put the meat upon 

 the sledge while I walked back to camp, where I 

 arrived after nearly twenty hours' absence. 



When I arose after a good, restful sleep a strong 

 north wind was blowing, accompanied by flurries of 

 snow. I remained in camp the greater part of the 

 day and was preparing for bed again when two ex- 

 cited piccaninnies rushed in to tell me that Portloona 

 and Pennipar, two Eskimos who had been with 

 Peary, had arrived from Cape Sheridan. They had 

 left the Roosevelt on April third this was June 

 twenty-second and had reached us after a hard, ad- 

 venturous journey. They brought me a letter from 

 McMillan, in which he reported all well, and that, 

 up to the date of the departure of the Eskimos a 

 pleasant winter had been passed. 



The two travelers told of large numbers of seals 

 seen upon the ice north of Annootok, and several of 

 the Eskimos prepared to leave for Annootok to hunt 

 them as soon as weather conditions were favorable 

 for the passage north. My trophies were all cleaned, 

 though not thoroughly dry, and I felt that they were 

 now in such condition that I could safely leave them 

 in charge of the women. I therefore decided to ac- 

 company the party in the hope of a narwhal hunt. 

 Kulutinguah had previously advised me that the best 



