68 MY ARCTIC JOURNAL 



reached the head of the bay shortly after six. We immedi- 

 ately set about putting up the tent and arranging our sleep- 

 ing gear, and Mr. Peary got the stove ready and put on ice 

 for tea, and also a can of beans to heat. I was disabled by a 

 sick-headache. 



During the next few days the boys made a number of un- 

 successful hunting-expeditions, and their failure decided us to 

 return to Redclifife. The mercury had already descended at 

 nights to —4°, yet I did not feel the low temperature, and 

 indeed had not felt uncomfortably cold for more than a few 

 minutes at a time. On the 9th, at noon, just half the disk of 

 the sun appeared over the top of the mountain back of the 

 glacier, and it was evident that we were in the shadow of the 

 Arctic winter. Two days later we saw the first aurora — not a 

 good one, however. 



Monday, October 12. Back again at Redcliffe. In the 

 evening Matt came in very much excited, saying that there 

 was a moving light on the opposite shore. We all rushed 

 out to see it. How queer it seems to be the only human 

 beings on this coast ! Ikwa said Eskimos were eating their 

 supper, and would be here to-morrow. Astrup fired a rifle. 



Tuesday, October 13. About three o'clock this afternoon 

 Mane came in and said " Innuit " (Eskimo) was coming with 

 *' kamutee " (sledge) and " mikkie " (dog). We ran out, and 

 with the aid of the glass saw two Eskimos, one of them Ikwa, 

 and a sledge drawn by three dogs. The strange " husky " 



