AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S father said he would not return home this summer, but would remain another year and once more try to reach the North Pole.
During all the long winter months, while AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S home had been on the “Windward,” the old ship had been as steady as a house on shore, for she was held firmly by the ice and could not move. But on June 7th, while AH-NI-GHI´-TO was at dinner with her parents, they were surprised to hear a loud creaking noise and at the same time feel the ship quiver and then roll slightly from side to side.
“A Narwhal”
“We are free,” said AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S father; “the old ‘Windward’ has broken out of her winter berth and longs to be off again.” Everybody rushed on deck, and surely enough the old ship was afloat once more.
But the ice had only melted away from her sides, leaving her without a support. Nowhere else did it seem inclined to break away, so that while the “Windward” was afloat she was still a prisoner in the ice.
By the middle of June the sea ice was covered with pools of water, and it was no easy task to get ashore from the ship without getting the feet wet. Snow buntings (our snowbirds) were flitting about the rocks, and small tufts of green grass were to be seen here and there.
The Eskimos harpooned some narwhal out at the edge of the ice, and AH-NI-GHI´-TO is perhaps the only little white girl who ever saw these strange Arctic sea animals, with their long white ivory horns and huge tails.
It was now decided to help free the ship by having the men saw a road through the ice to the open water beyond.
Saws eight and ten feet long were used, and for weeks the sawing went on.