been busy, with "Matt! The Commander wants
you," "Matt do this," and "Matt do that," and with going ashore and
trading for skins, dogs, lines, and other things; and also
walrus-hunting. I have been up to my neck in work, and have had small
opportunity to keep my diary up to date. We have all put on heavy
clothing; not the regular fur clothes for the winter, but our thickest
civilized clothing, that we would wear in midwinter in the States. In
the middle of the day, if the sun shines, the heat is felt; but if foggy
or cloudy, the heavy clothing is comfortable.

All of the Esquimos want to come aboard and stay aboard. Some we want
and will take along, but there are others we will not have or take along
on a bet, and the pleasant duty of telling them so and putting them
ashore falls to me. It is not a pleasant job to disappoint these people,
but they would be a burden to us and in our way. Besides, we have left
them a plentiful supply of needfuls, and our trading with them has been
fair and generous.

The "Crow's-Nest" has been rigged upon the mainmast, and this morning,
after breakfast, Mr. Whitney, three Esquimos, and myself started in Mr.
Whitney's motor-boat to hunt walrus. The motor gave out very shortly
after the start, and the oars had to be used. We were fortunate in
getting two walrus, which I shot, and then we returned to the ship for
the whale-boat. We left the ship with three more Esquimos in the
whale-boat, and got four more walrus.

Sunday, at Kangerdlooksoah; the land of the reindeer, and the one
pleasant appearing spot on this coast. Mr. Whitney and his six Esquimo
guides have gone hunting for deer, and I have been ashore to trade for
dogs and furs, and have gotten twenty-seven dogs, sealskin-lines for
lashings, a big bearskin, and some foxskins. I try to get furskins from
animals that were killed when in full fur and before they have started
to shed, but some of the skins I have traded in are raw, and will have
to be dried.

I have had the disagreeable job of putting the undesirable ashore, and
it was like handling a lot of sulky school children.

Seegloo, the dog-owner, is invited to bring his pack aboard and is
easily persuaded. He will get a Springfield rifle and loading-outfit and
also a Winchester, if he will sell, and he is more than willing.

And this is the story of day after day from Cape York to Etah Harbor,
which we reached on August 12.

CHAPTER III

FINDING OF RUDOLPH FRANKE--W