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(2 [[boxed]] 1861 May 6th Mond. [[/boxed]] footprints of their noble predesessor, could not mistake [[underlined]] such [[/underlined]] tracks! The Innuits [[underlined]] in time, [[/underlined]] were ready. Whipping the dogs from their [[underlined]] napping- [[/underlined]] positions, scattered here & there as far and as promiscuously as the long traces [[underlined]] (E-pe-u-[[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] tin [[/underlined]] - singular number, or one trace, E-pe-u-tung) would permit, I made a dive for the sledge - & was honored in [[underlined]] warming [[/underlined]] a seat for the Commander by the time we came up to him. [[strikethrough]] The [[/strikethrough]] It was slow work to get the dogs fairly under way - but once under way, [[underlined]] pell-mell [[/underlined]] they went. Though there [[underlined]] was [[/underlined]] fun in riding behind such a team, proudly bounding [[strikethrough]] along [[/strikethrough]] over a floor, white with the [[underlined]] untrodden [[/underlined]] snows of Heaven (save by the fact of the one who preceeded us) yet, I felt there would be little of it in my returning, as I had nothing but slip shoes on my feet & common [[strikethrough]] c[[?]] [[/strikethrough]] clothing on my body. There was fun to see my "Greenlander" with the other Innuit dogs weaving & ^[[knitting]] braiding ^[[& banding]] Ook-guke lines into knots & webs that apparently would defy human devices to unravel! One dog leaping over the backs of a dozen - another dog receiving the ^[[snap]] [[strikethrough]] crack [[/strikethrough]] of the 30 feet lash, thinking it the work of his nearest neighbor-dog & seizing [[underlined]] him [[/underlined]] ^[[as]] [[strikethrough]] if [[/strikethrough]] if to repay by another ten-fold severer snap - another & another joining in the fray, till all became involved in a regular dog fight! [[underlined]] A picture thus [[/underlined]] = 25 dogs flying with the speed of speedy winds, led off by Capt. B., my humble self & the 2 Innuits gracing the drawn Kum-mi-tie! In returning, I found very laborious travelling, my nether limbs sinking deeply into the unhardened snow; yet the snow is just attempered enough to beare up the dogs & sledge on its surface. On [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] making even with Capt. B., I told him I resigned my seat to him, hopefully believing it would sustain his honor (?) as well as - [[underlined]] warm it! [[/underlined]] As he threw himself onto place upon the flying Kum-mi-tie, I could only hear a part of what his last words were. Among it all, I made out: 'Well, Hall, I cannot always be with you - [[underlined]] take ^[[care]] of yourself'! [[/underlined]] A few minutes after, & - I am back again. Quite a distance to go to feed dogs, nearly 20 Eng. miles - & in [[underlined]] such [[/underlined]] weather - with [[underlined]] such [[/underlined]] travelling! But it must be that dogs have fresh food, & [[underlined]] enough of it, [[/underlined]] or they cannot do service. - So of men. To-day Ebierbing built him an Igloo on "Crow Island". I have allowed him & his nu-li-an-a the luxury of sleeping in my birth since their arrival here, while I have [[underlined]] "taken the floor" [[/underlined]] of our little aft Cabin, sleeping as soundly as tho' on the Captain's bed of "Down"! This afternoon we have had continuation of gale with thick snow. I fear Capt. B. will find trouble in making the point he designs. (12 Midnight - the storm yet ruling - temperature warmer - a [[underlined]] thaw [[/underlined]] coming!) [[end page]] [[start page]] Tuesday May 7th 1861 AM 35[[degree symbol]] 28.475 E. fresh Rain, Snow & hail! M. 35[[degree symbol]] 28.475 E. " [[ditto for: fresh]] Mist - Thick Moist Weather P.M. 33[[degree symbol]] 28.500 E. Gale - Rain & Snow Bad weather continued. A Storm of sleet commenced soon after 12 midnight. The Igloos about us nearly in a falling-in-state. Thermometer this Morn 35[[degree symbol]] wh. of course indicates a moist state of affairs. The Igloos are now uncomfortable places for residences - repose. The Innuits as they came in for their coffee & hard bread were quite uniform in their exclamations of [[underlined]] 'E-e-e-irk!' [[/underlined]] Ebierbing has been erecting him a tupic to-day - [[underlined]] the f^[[i]]rst tupic of the Season! [[/underlined]] At X 1/2 O'Clock this night, Capt. B. & the auxilliary Innuits returned, [[underlined]] to our astonishment, [[/underlined]] for the day has been [[strikethrough]] one [[/strikethrough]] the most unpleasant for travelling of the year. Capt. B. gave as his reason that he might as well be [[underlined]] out [[/underlined]] in rain storm as to be [[underlined]] in [[/underlined]] Igloo liable every moment to have it falling in upon him. The party arrived at Annawas last night about same hour as arriving here. [[strikethrough]] The [[/strikethrough]] Capt. B. succeeded in getting all the Walrus meat he desired. He says he announced this morning what he wanted among the [[strikethrough]] pe [[/strikethrough]] village Innuits - & that they responded by bringing forth from their Igloos enough for 1/2 doz. sledge loads. He only took a portion - a small portion to bring with him. When the company arrived this Eve I was the only one up - all the others retired. Hearing the cry of the dogs I hastened on deck - jumped down on the ice & met the Capt. wet as a drowned rat. Assisting in [[strikethrough]] in [[/strikethrough]] clearing the dogs of their harnesses [[strikethrough]] [[?]] of [[/strikethrough]] & the sledge of its load of Walrus meat, I hastened in - found Capt. B. trying to get himself [[underlined]] out of his skin-dress [[/underlined]] which was soaked completely from the exposure of the day. [[strikethrough]] Himself [[/strikethrough]] "Richard himself again", that is to say, Capt. B. having cast off his liquid charged dress & adorned himself with dry, he came out & told us '[[underlined]] He [[/underlined]] ^[[too]] had been to Bobs ^[[(see note close of this day)]]! - & [[strikethrough]] cant can [[/strikethrough]] what is better - [[underlined]] got back again, [[/underlined]] & he rather guessed - [[underlined]] he would stay back awhile any-how!' [[/underlined]] The labor of getting over the land route on the return to-day was [[strikethrough]] a [[/strikethrough]] severe on the Capt. Coming up the steep rise on the other side of the dividing ridge from his description it was quite enough for him. He could [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] only make 2 or three steps before he was obliged to rest - each step carried him thigh deep into the "putty"-like snow. He began to feel his fate would not[[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] be less terrible than the Frenchman's if he were alone.
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edited to denote inserts and add striketroughs