OFF FOR THE INLAND ICE 1 49 



to-night, I hope this morning's snow-storm has cleared the 

 weather for some time to come. Strange coincidence : just 

 six years ago I bade Mr. Peary good-by as he started on his 

 first Greenland trip. May it be a good omen, and he return 

 as successful as he did then! 



Saturday, May 7. The weather continues alternately dreary 

 and pleasant, but the approach of springtime is unmistakable. 

 Already the ravens ha\-e arrived, and moderate thaws have 

 begun to loosen our covering of snow and ice. Shortly after 

 six this morning I was awakened by hearing one of the hus- 

 kies cry, " My tigalay, my tigalay " (Matt has returned), and 

 in a minute later Matt and Gibson came in. The former had 

 returned on account of a frozen heel, while Gibson came back 

 for additional alcohol. In a note to me Mr. Peary stated that 

 he had met with a severe obstacle in the way of heavy snow 

 and steep up-grades, and therefore had not made the distance 

 that he had hoped to cover in a week's time. 



Sunday, May 8. At last it seems to have cleared, but still 

 the head of the bay is enveloped in mist. Gibson left us again 

 yesterday, and he is probably with his party this evening. The 

 thermometer is steadily rising, and with a temperature to-day 

 of 28° everything has been dripping, I got all the snow off 

 the roof of the house and the canvas-covered annex on the 

 west side, as water had begun running down between the 

 tarred paper. 



Tuesday, May 10. All night the wind blew a gale from 

 the east and northeast, and all day the snow has been flying 



