-past seven o'clock in the evening, but with
the sun still high and warm. Mollie had her small sled and three dogs,
with Muky and Punni Churah and their guns. The other sled was a large
one, and to it were hitched seven good dogs, accompanied by Ituk and
Koki. Upon the sleds were furs, guns, bags and fishing tackle. Along
shore there was considerable water on the ice, in a few spots the latter
had disappeared, and we could see the sandy beach, but farther east the
ice was firmer, and Mollie, who made for the best looking places, led
the way, I running closely in her footsteps.

Behind us came the men and teams, the calls of the Eskimos to their dogs
sounding musically on the quiet evening air. Mollie and I were now
leaping over water-filled cracks or lanes in the ice, she having assured
me that after getting away from the shore it would be better traveling,
and we could ride on the sleds when we were tired, but I felt
considerable pride in keeping up with her, and soon grew very warm from
the stiff exercise, unaccustomed as I was, while she was well used to
it.

After we had left the shore some distance behind us we halted for the
sleds to come up, Mollie seating herself upon the small one, I waiting
for the other a little later. There I ran at the handle-bars for a time,
but at last I threw myself upon the sled among the furs, and pulled a
parkie over me. We were now in the water a foot deep most of the time,
the dogs picking their way along over the narrowest water lanes, Ituk
and Koki shouting to them to gee and haw, and with Eskimo calls and
whip-snapping, urging them on continually.

Soon we left the smaller sled behind; Mollie, Muky and Punni making the
air ring with laughter and Eskimo songs. As we started out from home the
sun shone brightly upon us, but as we left the land at our backs, and
made our way farther out upon the bay, the sun dropped lower and lower,
the sky became a mass of crimson and yellow, and the whole world seemed
modestly blushing.

Along the east shore the rolling hills lay almost bare of snow, the
brown tundra appearing softly and most artistically colored. To the
north the mountains were still tipped with snow, as was also the
promontory--Cape Darby, at the extreme southeast point. This was spotted
and streaked with white, its rocky cliff black in shadow by contrast.
Our eyes eagerly scanned the horizon for steamers, and a schooner had
been reported off Darby loaded with fresh fruits a