292 HUNTERS OF THE GREAT NORTH 



us to be getting narrower. We decided, accordingly, to 

 stop and wait to see what would happen. We could have 

 rigged up a device we called a sled boat for ferrying our 

 party across, but this would have been a lot of bother 

 and did not seem necessary, for the prospect was that in 

 a few hours the ice masses would come together and we 

 could then keep on our journey. Expecting only a short 

 wait, we did not unhitch our dogs and everything was in 

 readiness to start whenever a crossing became possible. 



In the open water that was delaying us the seals were 

 numerous. We killed some, fed our dogs, and made a 

 great bonfire of blubber to boil a pot of fresh meat. 



In the winter time we keep our rifles, field glasses and 

 other similar things outdoors at all times. If they were 

 taken into the house, moisture would form on them and 

 this would be injurious. In the case of a rifle, it would 

 cause rust on the inside of the barrel and that is the 

 most important part of the rifle. During the winter 

 there is no appreciable rust so long as the gun is kept 

 outdoors, but now spring was approaching and with sum- 

 mer weather and increasing temperature there was likely 

 to be rust. Under such conditions, it is my custom to oil 

 the inside of the rifle barrel immediately after it has been 

 used. In this case I had not only oiled my rifle, but I 

 had put it in its case and strapped it on top of one of the 

 sleds to be ready for the start. 



We were sitting around the campfire enjoying our meal 

 of boiled seal meat, when the dogs all at once commenced 

 eat racket. From this point I shall allow Burt Mc- 

 Connell to tell the story. He is now one of the editors 

 of the Literary Digest but was then the youngest mem- 

 ber of my ice-exploring party. He had never before 

 seeD a polai bear, and so this was a great event for him. 



