g of the risible in it, was tolerated. When silence was
restored, the visitor resumed--

"I joined these searchers, as they wanted an interpreter, and we came
away north here. Nothing particular happened at first. We had a deal
of squeezing an' bumping in the ice of course, but got little damage,
till about six days back I think, or thereabouts, when we got a nip that
seemed to me to cut the bottom clean out o' the big kayak, for when the
ice eased off again it went straight to the bottom. We had only time to
throw some provisions on the ice and jump out before it went down. As
our provisions were not sufficient to last more than a few days, I was
sent off with some men over the floe to hunt for seals. We only saw
one, asleep near its hole. Bein' afraid that the sailors might waken
it, I told them to wait, and I would go after it alone. They agreed,
but I failed. The seal was lively. He saw me before I got near enough,
and dived into his hole. On returnin' to where I had left the men I
found a great split in the ice, which cut me off from them. The space
widened. I had no small kayak to take me across. It was too cold to
swim. The floe on which my comrades stood was driftin', along wi' the
big floe, where the rest of them were. The ice on which I stood was
fast. A breeze was blowin' at the time, which soon carried the pack
away. In an hour they were out of sight, and I saw them no more. I
knew that it was land-ice on which I stood, and also that the coast
could not be far off; but the hummocks and the snow-drift prevented me
from seein' far in any direction. I knew also that death would be my
portion if I remained where I was, so I set off straight for land as
fast as I could go. How long I've been on the way I can't tell, for I
don't feel quite sure, and latterly my brain has got into a confused
state. I had a small piece of seal meat in my pouch when I started.
When it was done I cut a strip off my sealskin coat an' sucked that. It
just kept body and soul together. At last I saw the land, but fell, and
should have died there if the Good Spirit had not sent you to save me,
Okiok--so give us a shake of your hand, old boy!"

To this narrative the natives listened with breathless attention, but at
the conclusion Okiok looked at the extended hand in surprise, not
knowing what was expected of him. Seeing this, Rooney leaned forward,
grasped the man's right hand, shook it warmly, patted it on the bac