CHAPTER XX 
TWO NARROW ESCAPES — ^ARRIVAL AT ETAH — 
HARRY WHITNEY — ^DR. COOK's CLAIMS 
CROM Karnah the Roosevelt sailed to 
^ Itiblu, where hunting-parties secured 
thirty-one walrus and one seal. By the 11th 
of August we had reached the northern shore 
of Northumberland Island, where we were 
delayed by storm. It was shortly before 
noon of this day that we barely escaped an- 
other fatal calamity. 
Chief War dwell, while cleaning the rifle of 
Commander Peary, had the misfortune to 
have the piece explode while in his hands. 
From some unknown cause a cartridge was 
discharged, the projectile pierced two thick 
partitions of ineh-and-a-half pine, and pene- 
trated the cabin occupied by Professor Mac- 
Millan and Mr. Borup. The billet of that 
bullet was the shoulder and forearm of Pro- 
fessor MacMillan, who at the time was sound 
170 
