2l8 MV ARCTIC JOURNAL 



which they persist in calling " big dogs " ; and I can hardly 

 blame them, for my St. Bernard dog is almost as large and 

 tall as some of these little animals. After the provisions were 

 all ashore, each native took a load of about fifty pounds on his 

 back and carried it to the ice-cap ; but this was the last straw, 

 and every man decided that he really must return to his 

 family at once. 



On August 12, the work on the house being well advanced, 

 Mr. Peary decided to make a trip after walrus for dog-food, 

 intending to proceed as far as Smith Sound, if possible. It 

 takes quite a little pile of meat to feed eighty-three Eskimo 

 dogs. Accompanied by the two natives, Keshu and Myah, 

 we started for Karnah, the nearest settlement, where we had 

 intended to pick up one or two additional hunters ; but on 

 reaching the place we were shocked to hear that M'gipsu had 

 died "two sleeps ago." Mr. Peary went to Annowkah's tent, 

 and there sat the bereaved husband, with his sealskin hood 

 pulled over his head, looking straight before him, saying noth- 

 ing and doing nothing, apparently knowing nothing of what 

 was going on about him. It is the custom with these people 

 to act in this way for a certain length of time after a death, 

 and then they desert the hut or tent in which the death has 

 taken place, and it is never again occupied. M'gipsu's little 

 six-year-old boy, whose father died when he was very small, 

 also sat in the tent all huddled up in one corner. Poor little 

 fellow ! I do not know what will become of him now, for it is an 

 open secret that his stepfather, Annowkah, does not like him. 



