Byrd and Igloo: A Polar Adventure: Chapter 7–Epilogue

by Samantha Seiple
This nonfiction narrative focuses on the American naval officer Richard Evelyn Byrd, who was accompanied by his dog Igloo, as he explored both the North and South Poles in the mid-1920s.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapter 7–Epilogue
40 words 11 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. reveille
    a signal, usually a bugle call, to get up in the morning
    Each morning, at the sound of reveille, Igloo would wake up in his cozy bed.
  2. waft
    be driven or carried along, as by the air
    In the Mess Hall, Igloo and Byrd were greeted with the aroma of coffee wafting in the air.
  3. tender
    easy to cut or chew
    “Whale meat is good, tastes like a tender steak if you get a young one. Older ones taste fishy,” said Tennant.
  4. aerial
    existing, living, growing, or operating in the air
    Aerial photographer, Captain Ashley McKinley, who had the rare distinction of being a pilot in all three classes of aircraft—balloons, dirigibles, and airplanes—brought his fifty-pound camera on board and took photos out the window.
  5. compel
    force somebody to do something
    He has been compelled to dull his geological hammer on the ends of boxes while the rocks in the Rockefellers fairly cried out for investigation.
  6. considerable
    large in number, amount, extent, or degree
    The weather has been stormy and cold, and I am not sure the flight can be made without considerable risk.
  7. misgiving
    uneasiness about the fitness of an action
    When Byrd watched their plane take flight, he had misgivings, until he received his first radio message from Gould.
  8. inconsolable
    sad beyond comforting
    After Byrd left, Igloo was inconsolable. And just when he thought his troubles could not get any worse, they did.
  9. distraught
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
    He was so distraught that he wandered aimlessly through Little America, trying to collect himself.
  10. specimen
    an example regarded as typical of its class
    At first, the weather was calm, allowing Gould to collect some rock specimens, but then the wind started to pick up.
  11. magnanimous
    generous and understanding and tolerant
    “He did not say a word about the loss of the plane. No one who has not experienced it can appreciate his sense of fairness and justice, his magnanimous and generous consideration for others.”
  12. commandeer
    take arbitrarily or by force
    And to top it off, Holly kept making her way back into Igloo’s room, trying to commandeer his bed for her puppies.
  13. untrammeled
    not confined or limited
    “The whole camp stopped working at the sight, and watched with wonder how Moody and Watch nuzzled the veteran, and laid their paws on him in a most extraordinary gesture. That these wild and untrammeled animals should be capable of harboring so deep and lasting sentiment was beyond understanding.”
  14. sentiment
    tender, romantic, or nostalgic feeling or emotion
    “The whole camp stopped working at the sight, and watched with wonder how Moody and Watch nuzzled the veteran, and laid their paws on him in a most extraordinary gesture. That these wild and untrammeled animals should be capable of harboring so deep and lasting sentiment was beyond understanding.”
  15. contrite
    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow
    Although Spy never worked as a sled dog again, he recovered. And every time Igloo would see him, Igloo had the decency to act contrite. But Spy didn’t hold it against him.
  16. contingency
    a possible event or occurrence or result
    He had to consider all possibilities and make contingency plans if they crashed.
  17. endure
    undergo or be subjected to
    “They could not be captured, but prowled the camp, feeding on scraps of food that were put out for them, enduring the lowest temperatures without visible discomfort.”
  18. pungent
    strong and sharp to the sense of taste or smell
    The tunnel was dark—with the exception of the dogs’ glowing eyes—and it echoed with barks and howls, and had a pungent smell of dogs and raw seal meat.
  19. condescending
    characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
    No doubt, he believed he was a great fighter because we saved his life so often. He was even condescending in his attitude, especially toward the pups, although his life was really in great danger.
  20. invariably
    without change, in every case
    We had to watch him very carefully, because when he was allowed to run loose he invariably made for Dog Town. Almost always he returned in need of medical attention.
  21. epaulet
    an ornamental cloth pad worn on the shoulder
    The pups walked behind them, keeping a safe distance from Igloo, who was still fuming because his parka now looked ragged—its epaulets were torn and there was a large hole in the back.
  22. cache
    a secret store of valuables or money
    Gould and his team were going to map and study the mountains and leave emergency food and fuel caches along the flight route for Byrd.
  23. preliminary
    preceding or in preparation for something more important
    On October 15, the day the Geological Party was leaving for a two-day preliminary test, Byrd and Igloo were there to see them off.
  24. knotty
    highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
    “For many months our minds had been concentrated on the knotty problem of getting over this rampart…. We made very careful tests with the plane and had checked and rechecked our figures for weeks...there must be no mistake about our load,” said Byrd.
  25. cunning
    marked by skill in deception
    Igloo was greatly disappointed when Byrd removed him from the plane. His cunning plan to be a stowaway was foiled.
  26. intently
    with strained or eager attention
    Inside the plane, Balchen was busy at the controls while June listened intently to the roar of the motors.
  27. rarefied
    having low density
    The smell from the gasoline fumes and the rarefied air made it hard to breathe.
  28. perilous
    fraught with danger
    But soon the perilous mountain peaks were directly ahead of them, and just beyond, on the 10,000-foot plateau, was the South Pole.
  29. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
    “Quick! Dump more!” Balchen shouted over the din of the engines.
  30. vicinity
    a surrounding or nearby region
    My calculations indicate we have reached the vicinity of the South Pole.
  31. vital
    urgently needed; absolutely necessary
    But today, Igloo was attending a reception in honor of Byrd and his team, of which Igloo was a vital part.
  32. attainment
    the act of achieving an aim
    President Hoover, who became the president in 1929, had a passion for geology, and he was presenting Byrd with a medal for “the first attainment of the geographical South Pole and for distinguished contributions to world knowledge of Antarctica.”
  33. admiral
    the supreme commander of a fleet
    Byrd was also promoted to the rank of admiral.
  34. inspiration
    arousal of the mind to unusual activity or creativity
    “Great explorers...do not merely add to the sum of human knowledge,” said President Hoover. “But also they add immensely to the sum of human inspiration.”
  35. humanitarian
    marked by devotion to popular welfare
    A few days later, Igloo received a gold medal, too. The Tail Waggers’ Club, a humanitarian organization that only had dogs as members and strived “to make the lot of the dog a better one in this world,” presented one to Igloo for services rendered on the Antarctic expedition.
  36. render
    give or supply
    A few days later, Igloo received a gold medal, too. The Tail Waggers’ Club, a humanitarian organization that only had dogs as members and strived “to make the lot of the dog a better one in this world,” presented one to Igloo for services rendered on the Antarctic expedition.
  37. reception
    a formal party
    Since Byrd and Igloo had arrived back from the Antarctic, it had been a whirlwind of parades and receptions.
  38. waver
    be unsure or weak
    As soon as Byrd returned from the Arctic, he sent his navigational records to the U.S. Navy and the National Geographic Society for verification. After carefully examining his report, they agreed that Byrd had reached the North Pole. To this day, they have never wavered in their decision.
  39. meticulous
    marked by precise accordance with details
    Byrd was a meticulous record keeper, and he kept everything—even Igloo’s parka and boots.
  40. intermittent
    stopping and starting at irregular intervals
    One message indicates that there were strong, intermittent winds during their flight, which, if tailwinds, would have allowed the airplane to fly faster.
Created on Sun Jul 21 17:43:29 EDT 2024 (updated Mon Jul 22 14:24:15 EDT 2024)

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