106 HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC 



coolness as we steadily forged northwestward, but the 

 wind freshened and the barometer fell rapidly on the 

 third day out from Teller. As only enough fuel for 

 eighteen days' continuous running of the motor remained, 

 it was shut off during the afternoon. A flurry of rain 

 seemed at first to account for the falling glass, but 

 presently the wind hauled to the westward and then 

 ahead, forcing us to stand inshore to gain by the north- 

 ward drift. By evening the wind had shifted again, this 

 time to the southwest, and we lay to all night on the port 

 tack, making leeway northward in a heavy and growing 

 sea. A gorgeous red and orange sunset belied the inten- 

 tions of old Boreas, for by morning the wind was whist- 

 ling at forty miles an hour. 



Only an hour's sleep was given me that night, for the 

 damp chill penetrated my night clothes, which con- 

 sisted of heavy underwear, flannel shirt, sweater, breeches 

 and two pairs of heavy stockings, and over me four 

 blankets and a winter ulster. The wind did not abate, 

 but flecked the black-blue, angry sea with frothy white 

 scud. Wave after wave combed against the vessel, send- 

 ing her like a match box, and once in a while the crests 

 dashed up her sides and over the cabin house. We made 

 good weather of it nevertheless, but lay off and on and 

 logged no progress except that of our drift. The endless 

 rolling and pitching were exceedingly tiresome. Dr. 

 Young lay in his bunk reading a book with another under 

 his head. Albrecht moped in the saloon, his head down 

 on his hands. A Uttle whirl of snow passed over. A 

 dead walrus floated by with a half dozen gulls riding in 

 its lee. Probably it had been killed or woimded by the 

 "Kit," a Norwegian vessel, which we heard was hunting 

 these beasts for skins and ivory. The tawny mass 



