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better; but without one or other of these luxurious additions
a man in a hurry for dinner would be apt to risk his teeth.
In the present journey -- having nothing but tallow
I made my meat ball like a twist loaf --
and broke it with a stone.

I have no incidents to record in the
shape of disaster. My dogs were in excellent
condition and the ice good for travel. The
real incident of the journey was its early
success. My dogs carried me sixty four
miles in eleven hours.

Faithful Hans! Dear good follower and
friend. I was out upon the floes - just
beyond the headlands of our old "Refuge harbor"
and thinking of the different methods
by which I could meet Bill's expected
devilment -- when I made out a black speck
far in to Shore wards. Refraction will deceive
[old Nick] a novice on the ice but we have learnt to baffle refraction.
By sighting the suspected object with your rifle at rest,
you soon detect motion. It was a living animall,
-- a man. Therewards went the sledge off spring
the dogs -- ten miles an hour their driver
yelling the familiar provocation to speed, "Nannook" Nannook"
"bear, bear"! at the top of his lungs.

There was no room for mistaking the methodical
seal stalking walk of Hans. He hardly varied from it as he came near; but In about
15 minutes we were shaking hands and
jabbering in a broken patois of Esquimeaux and
English -- our mutual news.

The poor fellow had been really ill - five
days down with severe pains of limbs and at present "littee veak";
which means with Hans well used up. I
stuck him on the sledge and carried him
to Anaotok. Fortunately Anoatok for once
belied its name there was no wind and
the sun broke down on us with a genial + 14º
although the shade gave -28º. I had brought with

[recto]

me - expecting the boy might need it - a small [??]
bottle of our treasured molasses -- and a little
tea. We keep a Camp kettle at this hut and
both of us wore in our belts the inseparable tin
cup. How the boy enjoyed his hot tea! [I need
not say.] [?] had given him a few lumps of
frozen walrus liver, the very best provision for cold
travel: the cold had given us appetites: and the two [??] fitly harmonizing,
we croaked and carried away quite merrily. [Soon we were crunching & cracking [?]
and listening to each others
yarns.]

Hans reached Etah with [??] two days
after leaving us -- and at once commenced his
hunt. In the course of five days of most enposing
ice range, he killed two fine young animals,
and his three companions in the hunt killing only three,
He had the great advantage
of my powerful Marston rifle but his
tackle was very inverior. The [???]-laid twine
would not stand the powerful struggle of the beast;
and on one occasion parted while [??] in a large
female. His success must have acquired him the
good will of these people; for in the fleas -- or hunter's
division of spoils -- they gained by his companionship.

Part of this meat he cooked at Littleton Isd.
and another load he sent by William whose designs
he immediately penetrated. I find by questions
that this abandoned and ungrateful man urged him
to drive off with him to the south, and leave us sledgeless.
Upon Hans's refusal, he tried to obtain his rifle; but
this of course was easily prevented.
He consented at last to take [up?] the meat with a veiw of making
[??] and securing probably a companion. Baffled in this, or
I have [???] he made his escape a second time to L[eiper?] Bay.
There I am content to leave him -- an unwellcome guest
and dependant upon the Esquimaux. Strong and healthy
as he is, our daily work goes on better for his absence;
and the ship seems happier, when judged by his
desertion, but the example is disastrous. Coute qui coute, I must have
him back. Hans was taken sick from his [??]