40 MY ARCTIC JOURNAL 



the best hunting-grounds, and assist in bagging all kinds 

 of game, while the woman could attend to making our skin 

 boots, or kamiks, and keeping them in order. They were also 

 instructed to visit the loomeries, as the breeding places of the 

 birds are called, and bring back as many birds as possible. 



During their absence Matt was at work on our protection 

 wall of stone and turf around Redclifife, and Mr. Peary busied 

 himself as best he could in making observations for time, 

 taking photographs, and pressing flowers and other botanical 

 specimens which I gathered for him. He even ventured part 

 of the way up the cliffs at the back of the house, but this was 

 slow and laborious work. The ground was so soft that his 

 crutches would sink into it sometimes as much as two feet. 

 The weather continued bright and balmy, and I did not feel 

 the necessity of even a light wrap while rambling over the 

 hills. What I did long for was an old-fashioned sunbonnet 

 made of some bright-colored calico, and stiffened with strips 

 of pasteboard, for the sun was burning my face and neck very 

 badly. The boys returned at the end of a week, bringing 

 with them a native man named Ikwa ; his wife. Mane ; and 

 two children, both little girls — Anadore, aged two years and 

 six months, and a baby of six months, whom we called Noyah 

 (short for Nowyahrtlik). 



