The man on the “lookout” had been looking at ice and water in the glaring sunshine for so long that he had failed to notice the bear who was just the colour of the ice on which it stood, and so it was that AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S mother was the first one to see it, and call the Captain.
Captain Sam never undressed when he went to bed while the ship was in motion, and so it was only a few moments before he appeared with his rifle. The poor bear did not seem to know that he was in danger for he stood quite still, with his head up sniffing the air, and watching the ship slowly nearing him. The Captain fired, and the bear jumped into the water and began to swim away. The Captain fired again, and though the poor brute did not stop, the water about him turned red and we knew he had been hit. Another shot and his head drooped and his body floated on the water. He was dead. A boat was lowered and the animal hoisted on board, where he was hung in the rigging to dry before being skinned and cut up.
“Skinning the Bear”
AH-NI-GHI´-TO was very much excited. Her heart bled for the bear, and she hoped all the while the shooting was going on that he would get away. Her mother told her it was necessary to kill these animals for her father, who needed the meat to feed his dogs and his Eskimos, and the skin to make into clothing to help keep him warm during the long, cold winter. But AH-NI-GHI´-TO still grieved for the bear.
V
A few days later Etah, the place where her father had built his winter house, was sighted, and AH-NI-GHI´-TO thought that in a few hours she would be in his arms; but she was to be disappointed, for before the ship reached the inlet AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S mother saw that the dear old stars and stripes were not flying from the little red house, and told her this was a sure sign that father was not there.
As soon as the ship’s anchor was down a boat full of Eskimos came off from the shore and they said that Peary had not yet returned, but he had sent letters which were in his house on shore. Captain Sam jumped into the boat and in a short time brought letters from AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S father, in which he told the Captain what he wanted done at Etah and that he wished the ship to come on to Fort Conger where he would meet it.