NO REASONABLE HOPE. 



261 



where between that station and Bulcour, neither of which 

 places is marked on the ordinary map. They had been two 

 days without food when Noros and Nindermarm left them, 

 and the region is devoid of game and inhabitants. The 

 men had insufficient clothing, and there is no reasonable 

 hope. 



I think Chipp's boat swamped during the gale, for she 

 nearly did so on a previous occasion, and was a very bad sea 

 boat. If he succeeded in reaching the coast he had less food 

 than the other boats, and his chances of life were therefore 

 worse than the captain's party. If his boat swamped she 

 would probably come to the surface, after the bodies floated 

 out ; she had not sufficient weight in her to keep her down. 

 The specific gravity of pemmican is nearly that of water, 

 and we found that some of the canisters, which probably 

 contained air space, would actually float. The sleeping bags, 

 when water soaked, would be the heaviest weight in the boat, 

 and these were probably thrown overboard in the gale. The 

 northeast winds continued two days after the gale, and 

 Chipp's boat may have drifted ashore near the mouth of the 

 Olenek, if not carried to the northeast as the driftwood seems 

 to be that is, to the New Siberian Islands." 



16 



