420 HUNTING WITH THE ESKIMOS 



break in two, or roll over, and it is always wise to 

 avoid getting too close to them. 



A marvelous change instantly took place in the ap- 

 pearance of a berg as it turned. Seven-eights 

 of the mass of ice it will be remembered remains im- 

 mersed. Often bergs do not change their equilibrium 

 for months or even years, and during this period the 

 exposed parts, which are pure white, become weather 

 beaten, cut and furrowed into all manner of fan- 

 tastic shapes. When the position of a berg is 

 changed, however, and the part that has lain beneath 

 the water comes into view, it presents patches and 

 streaks of beautiful green and blue colorings, the 

 whole surface of adamantine hardness and as smooth 

 as polished glass. 



We had scarcely reached Etah when another hard 

 snowstorm began, which lasted for ten hours. Then 

 the sun came out with a terrible glare. I took the op- 

 portunity to spread upon rocks those of my musk- 

 ox skins that were still damp, first scraping the snow 

 from the rocks. The skins were out hardly three 

 hours, however, when snow again set in, and with the 

 help of the people I had to hurry them under cover. 

 Under such conditions of weather I feared some of 

 them would spoil before I could get them dry. 



Finally August eighteenth came just one year 

 from the day that the Roosevelt had steamed 

 out of Etah on her way to the Far North. This re- 

 membrance brought home to me with renewed force 

 the fact that my own relief ship was long in coming, 

 and bred new impatience and increased anxiety. The 



