XXIII 



THE DANGERS OF THE SEA 



WITH continuous day and nature's conse- 

 quent lessened demand for sleep, I was 

 possessed with increased restlessness, and 

 a desire always to be on the move. Therefore when 

 the sea subsided and the Eskimos invited me to ac- 

 company them on a walrus hunt, I welcomed the op- 

 portunity. 



While the men were bringing around the boat, 

 which was still on the rocks where we had left it after 

 our attempt and failure to reach Littleton Island, I 

 went to the mouth of a large stream emptying into 

 the bay to fish. The Eskimos had told me that every 

 year after the ice went out they had observed num- 

 bers of large fish here, and I determined to catch 

 some of them if possible. For half an hour I tried 

 spoon-casting, but not one strike did I get as a re- 

 ward. 



In my walk over the rocks to the stream I came 

 upon a bed of dandelions which had just come up. 

 When fishing failed I returned to the dandelion bed 

 and picked a large quantity of the leaves, which I car- 

 ried back to camp, washed thoroughly, and then boiled 

 with generous pieces of pork. The result was the 



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