THE WHITE WORLD 



he said I would not be able to start from the moraine into 

 the interior before the next morning. 



After dinner I left for the snow-house again, and when 

 I had almost reached it I met the two natives, who said that 

 after having repaired the house they had become frightened 

 at the continuous wind and the loneliness of the ice-cap 

 which was the abode of the " Kah-koy-ah," or devil, and 

 had wanted to get away from 

 his influence by returning to 

 the coast. The natives are 

 very superstitious about the 

 ice-cap, and never go into the 

 interior unless led there by 

 some white man. 



I laughed at them and told 

 them to come back with me, 

 as I was not afraid of the 

 devil, and I would protect 

 them from him. They replied 

 that before they had left the 

 moraine they had untied the 

 dogs, so that the devil could 

 not get them, and they were 

 scattered all over the side of 

 the mountain. It would be 

 useless to go back as there 

 were no dogs with which 

 to make the trip into the 

 interior. 

 I never have been able to determine whether this action 

 was taken to free the dogs from the influence of the devil, 

 or in order that the Eskimo might have a good excuse for 

 not returning to the moraine with me, knowing full well 

 that they must meet me on their way home. 



A sight of one of the dogs up on the mountain side 

 showed me their story was true. I knew that they would 

 find their way back to the lodge, but it was impossible 

 to catch them at this time, so I went back and reported 

 to Lieutenant Peary. The suggestion was made that I take 

 two other natives and a new team of dogs, and go back to 

 the moraine later in the evening, after the moon had risen, 



ESKIMO ATTENDANTS 



152 



