WKARV DAYS OF WAITING 1 57 



who had been watching it closely, inimediately recognized it 

 as one of Mr. Peary's pack, and said that it was in a starving 

 condition. The poor animal was hardly able to get along, and 

 had e\-idently had nothing to eat for a week or ten days. He 

 is very weak, especially in his hind legs, and he has a cut from 

 his left eye down to his mouth. The dog is the one which 

 we had designated the "devil dog," and was in charge of the 

 supporting-party. Can it be that the supporting-party has 

 met with mishap, or are they returning by way of Smith 

 Sound? The incident brings up unpleasant forebodings, but 

 I am utterly powerless in my position. 



Thursday, June 2. Three more days of increasing sus- 

 pense, and still no news. It is now twenty-seven days since 

 Gibson left us to rejoin the party, and at that time Mr. Peary 

 wrote, "We go over the ice-cap to-night," and he thought 

 that the supporting-party would be back in ten days, or at 

 most in two weeks. Spring is now rapidly coming to us, and 

 the mercury, in the sun, has risen well into the seventies. 



Friday, June 3. My nightmare is over; the boys have 

 returned, and they bring good news of my husband. I can- 

 not describe how I felt when the doctor, on shaking hands 

 with me, told me he had left Mr. Peary and Astrup both in 

 good health and .spirits, and doing good traveling. Both boys 

 look exceedingly well, although their faces, and noses partic- 

 ularly, are much burned and blistered by the sun and wind, 

 and Gibson complains of his eyes. I got them something 

 hot to drink, made them chocolate, and then retired to my 



