178 MY ARCTIC JOURNAL 



and he said, "Well, we will see when the time comes." My 

 brother Emil writes that I should have " some consideration 

 for my friends and relatives." And what of my husband? 

 He says further, " What good can you do Bert on the coast 

 while he is on the ice?" Does he suppose that if Mr. Peary 

 is alive he will stay on the ice the whole year round? And 

 when he returns and finds he is too late for the " Kite," will 

 that not be disappointment enough, without finding that I, too, 

 have deserted him? I know just how my dear ones at home 

 feel, and I know, too, that they cannot long for me any more 

 than I long for them. It will go hard to remain — harder for 

 me than for them, for they will know that I am well and com- 

 fortable ; and besides, they have friends and acquaintances, 

 and intelligent and interesting employments and amusements 

 with which to occupy their minds and time, while I have only 

 a few white men and some uncivilized people, together with 

 three months of darkness, to make my life pleasant. Not a 

 very enviable existence, I am sure. As for cold, hardship, and 

 hunger, that is nonsense. Of course, if I feel so inclined, I 

 can go out and sit on an iceberg until I freeze to it, and let 

 the wind and snow beat upon me, even starve myself ; but my 

 tastes do not run in that direction. 



Tuesday, July 26. The " Kite " leaves to-day for Littleton 

 Island, to be gone three or four days. When the professor 

 left, at 2.30 A. M., Matt had not yet returned ; I think he must 

 have gone to the " Kite." 



Wednesday, July 27. Yesterday and to-day were bright, 



