XXVI 



BACK TO CIVILIZATION 



THE Jeanie was equipped with auxiliary power, 

 but her little engine was working poorly, and 

 could not be relied upon in an emergency. 

 Our chief dependence, therefore, were the sails. At 

 this season of the year ice is liable to hem one in at 

 any time, and so late in the season this would mean 

 captivity through the winter, if not destruction of 

 the vessel; but we were very fortunate, and little ice 

 was encountered in crossing Baffin's Bay. 



Shortly after leaving the Roosevelt a huge school 

 of bull-walrus was sighted, sleeping upon ice-pans. 

 I had a boat lowered away and in a little while had 

 two bulls with fine heads harpooned. None of the 

 crew had ever seen walrus before, and without the 

 assistance of Eskimos we experienced some difficulty 

 in severing the heads. 



The ice-pack was encountered a considerable dis- 

 tance off the mouth of Jones Sound. No opening 

 offered an entrance to the sound, and we headed 

 southward, following its outer edge, keeping a sharp 

 lookout meanwhile for bear. We had followed the 

 ice but a short distance when reward came. Two 

 large bears were sighted close at hand and I fired 



435 



