6o MY ARCTIC JOURNAL 



mind, and announced his discovery of a cached seal. He asked 

 Mr. Peary if he might bring the seal to Redcliffe in the boat, 

 saying it was the finest kind of eating for himself and family. 

 We could not understand why this particular seal should be so 

 much nicer than those he had at Redcliffe ; but as he seemed 

 very eager to have it, we gave him the desired permission, and 

 off he started, saying that he would be back very soon. About 

 half an hour later the air became filled with the most horrible 

 stench it has ever been my misfortune to endure, and it grew 

 worse and worse until at last we were forced to make an 

 investigation. Going to the corner of the cliff, we came upon 

 the Eskimo carrying upon his back an immense seal, which 

 had every appearance of having been buried at least two 

 years. Great fat maggots dropped from it at every step that 

 Ikwa made, and the odor was really terrible. Mr. Peary 

 told him that it was out of the question to put that thing in 

 the boat ; and, indeed, it was doubtful if we would not be 

 obliged to hang the man himself overboard in order to disin- 

 fect and purify him. But this child of nature did not see the 

 point, and was very angry at being obliged to leave his trea- 

 sure. After he was through pouting, he told us that the more 

 decayed the seal the finer the eating, and he could not under- 

 stand why we should object. He thought the odor " pe-uh- 

 di-och-soah " (very good). 



At noon we passed Cape Cleveland, homeward bound, and 

 an hour later reached Redcliffe. The house seemed very 

 cold and chilly after the bright sunshine. Verhoeff, who had 



