THE STEPPING-STONES 



I shall go again some day, for I think I shall catch 

 a white bear, and his skin is fine and warm. It is 

 only seldom that we can go to the Tutjat, for the 

 tide is very strong against our kajaks, and it is far. 

 But I will go to the farthest of the Tutjat, where 

 we can sometimes see Tutjarluk." 



Tutjarluk ! Another link in the old chain ! 



From the farthest of the Button Islands, or 

 Stepping Stones, they can sometimes see Tutjarluk, 

 " the Big Stepping Stone." 



There it is, away in the haze, a blue-grey patch 

 where sky and sea meet ; Resolution Island, " the 

 Big Stepping Stone " of the old Eskimo story. The 

 link is perfect, for from Resolution Island it is 

 but a step to Baffin's Land. 



It was fine to see the enthusiasm in Bob's ruddy 

 Eskimo face as he thought of that white bear hunt 

 which was awaiting him among the Tutjat ; but he 

 had said his say ; he smoothed his mop of coal-black 

 hair with his broad, plump hand, and with his pipe 

 between his teeth he turned to lead me to the village. 



" Where do you live ? " I asked him. 



He pointed along a winding stony path to a 

 smoke-blackened calico tent. " Tuppiga " (my tent), 

 he said, and trotted amiably on. The tent was no 

 more than a bunch of poles with a calico cover 

 thrown over them ; the poles stuck out through a 

 hole in the top, and the cover was kept in place by 

 big stones laid upon its edge. The ground was too 

 rocky for tent-pegs, and doubtless stones were the 

 next best thing ; but I thought with a shiver of the 

 probable fate of the tent on some wild autumn night. 



" Does your tent never blow over ? " I said. 



He laughed. " Oh yes, it sometimes blows over 



