The wind blowing then from the West was not strong enough
yet, they said, to cause any trouble, and they did not think it would
rise, but still it was uncertain.
"Which way should they go?"
Bob's experience at Kangeva made him hesitate for a moment, but his
impatience to reach home quickly got the better of his judgment; and,
especially as the Eskimos seemed inclined to prefer the outside route,
he joined them in their preference and answered,
"We'll be goin' outside."
And the outside route they took.
All went well for a time, but hourly the wind increased. The dogs were
urged on, but the wind kept blowing them to leeward and they began to
show signs of giving out. Finally a veritable gale was blowing and the
Eskimos' faces grew serious.
They were now opposite that part of the shore where it rose a
perpendicular wall of rock towering a hundred feet above the sea, and
offered no place of refuge. So they hurried on as best they could in
the hope of rounding the walls and making land before the inevitable
break came. Presently Aluktook shouted,
"Emuk! Emuk!"--the water! the water!
Bob and Netseksoak looked, and a ribbon of black water lay between
them and the shore.
They lashed the dogs and shouted at them until they were hoarse, in a
vain effort to urge them on.
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