WINTER UPON US 69 



turned out to be Nowdingyah, whose deserted camp we visited 

 last month. He is much larger in every way than Ikwa, and 

 seems bright and intelligent. When offered a knife in ex- 

 change for one of his dogs, he said the dog we wanted was the 

 leader of his team of bear-dogs, specially trained, but he 

 would come again by and by and then give us three others. 

 We have now little difficulty in understanding the natives, or 

 making ourselves understood by signs. 



Saturday, October 17. The weather still continues lovely, 

 although the days are rapidly getting shorter. Late Thurs- 

 day night Ikwa, who had departed with our visitor, returned, 

 telling us that the natives where Nowdingyah lived would 

 soon come over to see us ; he also said that Nowdingyah had 

 seven puppy-dogs, and this is why he was so willing to give 

 us three. Ikwa has been laying in a supply of sealskins for 

 a tupic and kayak, and says he will need fifteen for these 

 articles alone ; he will require an additional supply for kamiks 

 for himself and family. The seal is evidently the most valu- 

 able animal of the chase to the natives, who utilize every 

 particle of it for food or clothing. About three o'clock we 

 discovered the boys, who had gone to Five-Glacier Valley, 

 on the opposite side of the bay, coming across the ice, and 

 about an hour later they arrived jubilant with a load of ten 

 deerskins, one blue fox, and one Arctic hare. Gibson had also 

 shot two seals, which they could not, however, bring with them, 

 as the ice was too thin for the hunters to reach their booty. 

 Still later Ikwa came in, and said " Innuits pingersut" (Eski- 



