The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-13


and quick 10 understand. although We
could only communicate by signs. They
were living I'm tepees. or sealskin tents.
and had an abundance of raw seal and
walrus meat lying around on piles OF
stones high enough TO keep the dogs from
devouring II should they get loose. one
man had lost his right eye and we under
stood that IL had been put out in an en-
I counter with walrus, but learned after
ward that he was stabbed by one OF the
\ Esquimaux on the American side. whittier
he had gone for wife. They were anxi-
Gus for needles, and would give almost
anything they possessed In exchange for
them. Next to the needles they wanted
wood and then knives. We only stopped
at this settlement long enough to get one
Of their tents, a sledge and such other
chronological specimens as we could make
them understand were wanted
The Kite then steamed along the shores
of Northumberland and Herbert islands.
where we saw deserted settlements, and
then headed for Cape Acleiand. near the
head Of Ingleheld gulf. Before we had
gone very far we were stopped by the
ice which extended I'm an unbroken foe
from shore TO shore. After consulta-
ton and view Of the country by Mr..
Peary with the aid Of a mirror which
held over the transom under which he
lay II was decided TO try the shores OF
Mccormick bay for a site for our new
homo. whole day was devoted to ex-
ploring these shores, as IL was Of the
greatest importance that our house, once
built. should be in the most favorable
spot.
AS soon as we landed on the south
shore Of the bay we saw a reindeer quiet
~ grazing half way UP the cliffs, about a
mile distant BY his actions we could
plainly see that the deer had not been
disturbed in this part Of the country
by the natives, and that we would have
no trouble in getting all the venison we
wanted, for the deer tracks were count
less
We decided to build our house on the
south shore. and early the next morning
our boys accompanied by some of the
members of the West Greenland expedi-
ton, went ashore, armed with picks and
shovels, and began TO dig the foundation
of our house at the foot Of some red
cliffs about seventeen hundred feet high.
Never before had these cliffs witnessed
such a sight.
Here. in the midst OF field OF yellow
poppies and purple flowers, surrounded
by great beds OF the greenest of moss,
watered by tiny rivulets which gurgied
down from these bright red cliffs. stood |
in white shirt sleeves and others stripped |
to the waist-diggng up the earth which |
had never before been disturbed by man. |
The sun was shining bright and warm,
and the little Kite out on the bay. sur |
by foes and chaos heaped ice |
looked like a toy ship in contrast with |
high cliffs on one side and the huge bergs |
on the other. The boys worked until |
late at night and began again early in |
the morning.
The longer I looked at these shores,
which were to be my home for at least |
one and possibly two years, the better l
liked them With the aid OF my mirror
I again endeavored TO show the beauties
Of the landscape to Mr.. Peary, but l fear
1t was not satisfactory. AT any rate, that
afternoon he insisted upon having the tent
put up near the site of the house and
being carried into it, / made him bed
upon some patent fuel boxes from which
he could watch the progress of the house.
Here also the boys could come to him for
any information they might want, as they
were all novices at the work.
Two days after Mr.. Peary was carried
ashore all our provisions had been landed
with seven tons of coal from the Kite
The walls of the house were up and the
loor down, and, although not a plank