BENNETT ISLAND. 219 



south point of the island in order to get a view of the south 

 side. It appeared very rugged and trended off to the west- 

 northwest. From a high hummock we saw land to the 

 west-northwest. 



About seven P. M. the captain mustered everybody on the 

 island. It was so steep that we could hardly get a footing. 

 He then unfurled the beautiful silk flag that had been made 

 for him by Mrs. DeLong, and took possession of the island 

 in the name of the President of the United States, and called 

 it 'Bennett Island.' This was succeeded by hearty cheers, 

 three times three, with a good American 'tiger.' There 

 were millions of birds nesting in the cliffs, and tlieir noise 

 was almost deafening. I think one seal was seen, but no 

 walrus, during our stay of nearly a week on the island. The 

 south cape was called Cape Emma, after the captain's wife, 

 and was in latitude 70 deg. 38 min. north, longitude 148 

 deg. 20 min. east. 



The whaleboat was so long that in crossing hummocks the 

 stern-post used often to receive heavy knocks and her gar- 

 boards had been stove ; indeed, she had been shaken up so 

 badly that she was as limber as a basket and required repairs, 

 as did the other boats. The captain and doctor thought, too, 

 that the party needed rest and change of diet, so the men 

 were sent out to get birds and driftwood, so that \ve could 

 economize on our alcohol. In a few hours they knocked 

 down several hundred birds with sticks and stones. These 

 were brought into camp and divided out. Their effect after 

 being eaten was like that of young veal, and pretty nearly 

 every one of the party was made sick, the doctor included. 

 1 used to eat half a peck of scurvy grass every day, and that 

 kept me well. But we had finally to return to pemmican, 

 and were very glad to do so after such a surfeit of birds. 



Mr. D unbar and the two Indians were sent up the east 

 ide of the island to explore. They were gone two days and 

 reached the northeast point. They found the land on the 

 east side was more promising than on the south. They 

 found several grassy valleys, some old deer horns, some 



