cked the door and made my way down
stairs to Mollie. Above we could hear the captain's voice in angry
altercation with the men, they denying everything, of course, even the
stone throwing, with the window as evidence against them. It was
half-past four and I had slept little. There was no fire in the house,
and I was cold; so, throwing down a few skins in a corner of the
sewing-room, with my blankets upon them, I covered myself to get warm.

At last the house was once more quiet, and I slept for an hour, only to
meet black and angry looks from the men all day, accompanied by threats
and curses, though I said nothing to them. I picked up the stone from my
reindeer rug, where it had fallen after shattering the window pane, and
it lay only two feet from my head. It was about the size of an egg.

Of course it is impossible for me to leave Chinik, as the winter trails
are broken up, the ice has not left the bay, and no steamers can enter;
so we are practically prisoners. O, how I long to get away from this
terrible place! Never since I came to Chinik have I given these men one
cross word, and yet they hate me with a bitter, jealous hatred, such as
I have never before seen. Some weeks ago I pinned a slip of paper into
my Bible, upon which I have written the address of my parents, in case
anything should happen to me. O, to be once more safe at home with them!
God grant that I may be before many months shall have passed.

A splendid warm, bright day, June thirteenth, the most of which the
children and I have spent upon the sandy beach in front of the hotel.
Little Jennie lies and plays on the warm, dry sand, though, of course,
she does not stand on her feet nor walk. Other small Eskimos come to
play with them, for Charlie is always on hand for a play spell on the
sand, and I doze and read under my umbrella in the meantime, with an eye
always upon them. They make sand pies, native igloos, and many imaginary
things and places, but more than any other thing is my mind upon the
coming of the steamers, when I hope to get away.

Mollie came in last night from a seal hunt upon the ice, and she, with
the three native boys, secured a white seal, and eight others, but did
not bring all with them. There is a great deal of water on the ice at
this time, and none but natives like to travel upon it. Ducks and geese
are flying northward in flocks above our heads, and we feast daily upon
them. They are very large and tasty, and the cook kno