FIELD WORK OF THE PEARY ARCTIC CLUB, 1898-1902. 435 



and barrels and broke them up to feed the tire. The dog's left on 

 Bellot Ishxnd were brought in, Init sexeral died before they got used 

 to the frozen salt pork and beef, which was all I had to feed them. 

 The natives made two attempts to reach and bring- in tlie 2 men left 

 at Cape Cracroft, but were driveji back both times b}' the darkness 

 and furious winds. Finally, some ten days after we left the dugout, 

 the}" reached it again, and found that the 2 men, after eating some 

 of their dogs, had started for the ship on foot, the few remaining 

 dogs following them. 



On the 18th of February the moonlight and the remaining twilight 

 aiforded enough light for a fair day's march in each twenty-four hours; 

 we started for the Windvxird. My toes were unhealed, the bones were 

 protruding through the raw stumps on both feet, and I could hardly 

 stand for a moment. I had 12 dogs left, but their emaciated condi- 

 tion and the character of the road precluded riding b}^ anyone but 

 myself. Lashed firmly down, with feet and legs wrapped in musk-ox 

 skin, I formed the onh' load of one sledge. The other carried the 

 necessar}' provisions. 



On the 28th we reached the WhiduHird^ ever}" one but mj^self having 

 walked the entire distance of not less than 250 miles in eleven daj^s. 

 Fortunately for us, and particularly for me, the weather during our 

 return, though extremely cold, was calm, with the exception of one 

 da}' from Cape Cracroft south, during which the furious wind kept us 

 enveloped in driving snow. The mean hiinimum daily temperature 

 while we were returning was — 56.18'^ F., reaching the lowest, — 65° 

 F., the day we arrived at the W/?idward. 



Marc/i o. — 1 started one of my Eskimos for Whale Sound with a 

 summons to the hunters there to come to me with their dogs and 

 sledges. Between the 3d and 14th a party of Eskimos coming unex- 

 pectedly, the last of the musk-ox meat on Bache Peninsula was 

 l)rought to the ship, and another bull musk ox killed. 



March IS. — Thetinal amputation of my toes was performed. Pend- 

 ing the arrival of more natives, I sent a dory to Cape Louis Napoleon 

 to be cached and had dog food and current supplies advanced to Cape 

 Fraser. 



March 31. — A contingent of 5 natives and 27 dogs came in. My 

 messenger had been delayed by heavy winds and rough ice, and the 

 ravages of the dog disease had made it necessary to send to the more 

 southerly settlements for dogs. 



Ajn'il S. — Henson left with these natives and 35 dogs, with instruc- 

 tions to move the supplies at Cape Lawrence to Carl Hitter Bay, then 

 push on with such loads as he could carry without double banking to 

 Fort ("onger, rest his dogs and dry his clothing, and if 1 did not join 

 him bv that time to start back. 



