awakened by the clatter and noise made by the return of Peary and his
boys.

The Commander gave the word, "We will plant the stars and stripes--_at
the North Pole!_" and it was done; on the peak of a huge paleocrystic
floeberg the glorious banner was unfurled to the breeze, and as it
snapped and crackled with the wind, I felt a savage joy and exultation.
Another world's accomplishment was done and finished, and as in the
past, from the beginning of history, wherever the world's work was done
by a white man, he had been accompanied by a colored man. From the
building of the pyramids and the journey to the Cross, to the discovery
of the new world and the discovery of the North Pole, the Negro had been
the faithful and constant companion of the Caucasian, and I felt all
that it was possible for me to feel, that it was I, a lowly member of my
race, who had been chosen by fate to represent it, at this, almost the
last of the world's great _work_.

The four Esquimos who stood with Commander Peary at the North Pole, were
the brothers, Ootah and Egingwah, the old campaigner, Seegloo, and the
sturdy, boyish Ooqueah. Four devoted companions, blindly confident in
the leader, they worked only that he might succeed and for the promise
of reward that had been made before they had left the ship, which
promise they were sure would be kept. Together with the faithful dogs,
these men had insured the success of the master. They had all of the
characteristics of the dogs, including the dogs' fidelity. Within their
breasts lingered the same infatuations that Commander Peary seemed to
inspire in all who were with him, and though frequently complaining and
constantly requiring to be urged to do their utmost, they worked
faithfully and willingly. Ootah, of my party, was the oldest, a married
man, of about thirty-four years, and regarded as the best all around
member of the tribe, a great hunter, a kind father, and a good provider.
Owing to his strong character and the fact that he was more easily
managed by me than by any of the others, he had been a member of my
party from the time we left the ship. Without exaggeration, I can say
that we had both saved each other's lives more than once, but it had all
gone in as part of the day's work, and neither of us dwelt on our
obligations to the other.

My other boy, Ooqueah, was a young man of about nineteen or twenty, very
sturdy and stocky of build, and with an open, honest countenance, a
smile