ESKIMO VISITS OX BOARD THE ' FRAM.' 117 



during the night. When I reached the deck, I found it was as 

 he described, but, in addition, I saw the gleaming of the sun, 

 away in the east, and therefore made up my mind to get off as 

 quickly as possible. I had a hot breakfast fried ham at half- 

 past five, and at six was on deck, ready to say good-bye to every- 

 body. Dr. Dedrick then told me that Lieutenant Peary would like 

 to see me before I left, so I went to his cabin, and remained with 

 him a quarter of an hour. He repeated his assurances of the 

 previous day of his sensibility of Captain Sverdrup's kind invi- 

 tation, and his liberal offer of eventual assistance, if required. He 

 asked me to thank him, and convey his remembrances to him and 

 the others on board, and sent by me a box of cigars for Captain 

 Sverdrup and the rest of the party. 



'I took the liberty of inquiring the range of,, his maps in 

 order to avoid unnecessary repetition, and collision. He told me 

 that from " the heights " he had taken the bearings of the greater 

 part of Bache Peninsula, also northwards in Princess Marie Bay, 

 and to the west of it, but not south of the peninsula, nor inland, 

 where he had met Captain Sverdrup. He had not yet worked out 

 his maps. He further told me that it was on a trip at the end 

 of February last that his toes had been frost-bitten, and that he 

 had been obliged to have them amputated. Upon my expressing 

 my regret at his accident, he answered laconically : " You must 

 take your chances up here, you know." He hoped, however, to 

 be up again in a few days. He could not make any promise to 

 visit the "Fram," either for himself or for his companions, but 

 thought that some of them would be sure to come down when the 

 weather grew milder. 



' I then said good-bye, wishing him a speedy recovery. The 

 captain, doctor, and mate, as well as some of the crew and a 

 few Eskimo, came with us to the place where we had left our 

 dogs and sledges. They all expressed admiration of our dogs, 

 saying in what good condition they seemed to be, and how well 

 trained they were. The loads were soon lashed to the sledges, our 

 last adieus made, and we on our way south again. It was still 

 snowing, but not enough to hinder us, and the air had become 

 much clearer. 



