about dog and komatik travelling as they did
themselves. Thus a sort of good fellowship developed at once.

One evening after a hard day's travelling as they came over the crest
of a hill the first grove of trees that Bob had seen since shortly
after leaving Ungava came in sight. It was the most welcome thing that
had met his view in weeks, and when the dogs were turned to its edge
and he saw a small shack, he knew that he was nearing again the white
man's country.

The shack was found to have no occupants, but it contained a sheet
iron stove such as he had used in his tilts, and that night he
revelled in the warmth of a fire and a feast of boiled ptarmigan and
tea.

"'Tis like gettin' back t' th' Bay," said Bob, and he asked the
Eskimos, "Will there be igloosoaks (shacks) all the way?"

"Igloosoaks every night," answered Aluktook.

The following morning a westerly breeze was blowing and the Eskimos
were uncertain whether to keep to the land or follow the sea ice along
the shore. The former route, they explained to Bob, passed over high
hills and was much the harder and longer one of the two, but safer.
The ice route along the shore was smooth and could be accomplished
much more quickly, but at this season of the year was fraught with
more or less danger. For many miles the shore rose in precipitous
rocks, and should a westerly gale arise while they were passing this
point, the ice was likely to break away and no escape could be made to
the shore. The wind blowing then from the West was not strong enough
yet, they said, to cause any trouble, and they did not think it would
rise, but still it was uncertain.

"Which way should they go?"

Bob's experience at Kangeva made him hesitate for a moment, but his
impatience to reach home quickly got the better of his judgment; and,
especially as the Eskimos seemed inclined to prefer the outside route,
he joined them in their preference and answered,

"We'll be goin' outside."

And the outside route they took.

All went well for a time, but hourly the wind increased. The dogs were
urged on, but the wind kept blowing them to leeward and they began to
show signs of giving out. Finally a veritable gale was blowing and the
Eskimos' faces grew serious.

They were now opposite that part of the shore where it rose a
perpendicular wall of rock towering a hundred feet above the sea, and
offered no place of refuge. So they hurried on as best they could in
the hope of rounding