ESKIMO VISITS ON BOARD THE 'PRAM.' 115 



visiting-cards which I had brought him, and expressed his grati- 

 tude for Captain Sverdrup's offer of assistance, in case it should be 

 required. At this juncture his dinner was brought in, and so our 

 conversation was broken off. Peary asked me if I would dine 

 with the ship's officers, as he, himself, being an invalid, was bad 

 company. I accepted the invitation with alacrity, for I was as 

 hungry as a wolf. Lieutenant ' Peary expressed his desire of 

 talking with me after dinner, and I was then shown aft. Here I 

 made the acquaintance of Captain Bartlett, Mr. Bartlett the 

 "mate," and Dr. Dedrick. Formal greetings being exchanged, 

 we all fell to at once on the dinner, which was excellent. 



' After dinner our tongues were loosened, and I heard that the 

 " Windward " had been beset as early as August 18. Judging from 

 Captain Bartlett's expressions, her chances of getting away were 

 anything but favourable. He was of opinion that the old ice 

 which surrounded the ship, and which was firmly fixed on the 

 inner side of several rather big grounded icebergs, would lie for 

 a long time after the winter ice had broken up in the strait and 

 Kane Basin. He did not think that the " Windward " was in any 

 way exposed to danger, although she was hot in harbour, for the 

 vessel lay well off land, and was efficiently protected by the ice- 

 bergs outside. 



' Captain Bartlett thought our chances were much better, and 

 was of opinion that we should get away fairly early, and be able to 

 proceed northward. 



' The " Windward," on her departure from home, had been pro- 

 visioned for fifteen months, so that there was no question of 

 attempting to spend another winter up there ; although she still 

 had seventy tons of coal left, while the steamship " Hope " had made 

 an equally large coal-depot in Foulke Fjord, together with some 

 stores. If the situation should develop in such a manner that the 

 " Windward " saw her chance of getting north, and back, with cer- 

 tainty the same year, i.e. this summer, they would certainly push 

 northward. It was, of course, also possible that the condition of 

 the ice might be such that, one fine day, we might see the " Wind- 

 ward's " entire crew on the march southward. The worst of it all, 

 as regards the crew, was that they were badly equipped with 



