OFF FOR THE POLE 
growing bald; his face is rather thin, and his 
neck is long. He has taken great interest in 
me and, being a teacher, has tried to teach me. 
Although I hope to perfect myself in naviga- 
tion, my knowledge so far consists only of 
knot and splice seamansliip, and I need to mas- 
ter the mathematical end. 
The Chief Engineer, Mr. Wardwell, is a 
fine-looking, ruddy-complexioned giant, with 
the most honest eyes I have ever looked into. 
His hair is thinning and is almost pure white, 
and I should judge him to be about forty-five 
years old. He has the greatest patience, and 
I have never seen him lose his temper or get 
rattled. 
Charley Percy is Commander Peary's old- 
est hand, next to me. He is our steward, and 
sees to it that we are properly fed while 
aboard ship, and he certainly does see to it 
with credit to himself. 
From Sydney to Hawks Harbor, where we 
met the Erik^ has been uneventful except for 
the odor of the Erik, which is loaded wdth 
whale-meat and can be smelled for miles. We 
passed St. Paul's Island and Cape St. George 
early in the day and through the Straits of 
19 
