Page 347

347

property from the Expedition. Specifying
when how and what articles in detail.
Finally I told him that a penitentiary
hung over him and that I would give
him a chance to escape it by restoring
him to duty and giving him another trial.

The short handed condition of the brig
made me unable to confine him. Therefore I
deemed it best to put him again to work.
The villany and desperate hardihood
of this man may, however, be understood
by the sequel of my story. He accepted
my lenity with thankful hippocrisy, went
to duty and in less than an hour escaped.
I was hunting at the time but the watch
reported his having first been discovered
on the ice-foot and out of pursuing
distance, his intention undoubtedly is to
attempt to reach Eepah on Leiper Bay
and robbing Hans of sledge and dogs
proceed south to Neilbik.

Should he succeed the result will
be a heavy loss to us. The dogs are absolutely
necessary to us as purveyors in the hunt
and aids in transporting us to Anatok.
The step, however, is not likely to be successful.
Bill has no enduring courage, he will
have to walk seventy miles and to rest
out for one halt at the hut. I doubt
whether he has spunk enough to do it.
My fears are that he will return to the
brig utterly worthless. [It may be that
he meditates lying in wait for violence to
myself but this I doubt as he is terribly
afraid of me. At all events he is
off and I [am sorry to have to] regret that
duty prevents me from rejoicing at his
departure. I should like to know
this mans history.