nt
of the igloos most of the time, climbing every little while to the top
of the ice pinnacle back of the igloos to strain my eyes through the dim
light to the south, sleeping through a few hours out of each
twenty-four, with one ear open for the slightest noise, rising
repeatedly to listen more intently for the eagerly desired sound of
incoming dogs--all this punctuated, in spite of my utmost efforts at
self-control, with memories of the effect of the delay at the "Big Lead"
on my prospects in the previous expedition. Altogether, I think that
more of mental wear and tear was crowded into those days than into all
the rest of the fifteen months we were absent from civilization.

The additional supply of oil and alcohol, which Marvin and Borup were to
bring to me, was, I felt, vital to our success; but even if they did not
come in with it, I could not turn back here. While pacing the floe, I
figured out how we should use our sledges piecemeal as fuel in our
cookers, to make tea after the oil and alcohol were gone. By the time
the wood of the sledges was exhausted, it would be warm enough so that
we could suck ice or snow to assuage our thirst, and get along with our
pemmican and raw dog without tea. But, though I planned, it was a plan
of desperation. It was a harrowing time, that period of waiting.

CHAPTER XXV

SOME OF MY ESKIMOS LOSE THEIR NERVE

The protracted delay, hard as it was upon all the members of the
expedition, had a demoralizing psychological effect upon some of my
Eskimos. Toward the end of the period of waiting I began to notice that
some of them were getting nervous. I would see them talking together in
twos and threes, just out of earshot. Finally two of the older men, who
had been with me for years and whom I had trusted, came to me pretending
to be sick. I have had sufficient experience to know a sick Eskimo when
I see one, and the excuses of Poodloonah and Panikpah did not convince
me. I told them by all means to go back to the land just as quickly as
they could, and to take with them a note to Marvin, urging him to hurry.
I also sent by them a note to the mate of the ship, giving instructions
in regard to these two men and their families.

As the days went by, other Eskimos began to complain of this and that
imaginary ailment. Two of them were rendered temporarily unconscious by
the fumes of the alcohol cooker in their igloo, frightening all the rest
of the Eskimos half out of their wit