1917] ALONE AT BORUP LODGE 277 



One letter was of especial interest. It was from 

 Stefansson, the Canadian explorer. He had gone into 

 the Arctic by way of the Pacific and Bering Strait; I 

 by way of the Atlantic and Baffin Bay. Our trails 

 crossed in the far North. He followed mine and came 

 to our snow house on the southern shore of Ellef Ringnes 

 Island, where he found and read my record. 



His letter was written from the Bay of Mercy in 

 Bank's Land, distant from Borup Lodge eight hundred 

 miles. To reach me it had traveled more than ten thou- 

 sand miles, almost in a complete circle, starting with 

 dog-team for Canada and America, crossing the ocean 

 to Denmark, thence to North Greenland, and to Etah 

 by power-boat. 



The report of a strange ship working northward 

 through the ice near Tasiusak led to all kinds of con- 

 jectures as to her identity. According to the native 

 report: "Her captain was in a glass house on deck. 

 He pointed northward and said, *Cape York.'" This 

 led us to believe that the ship was an American yacht 

 with a pilot-house. Since I have reached home I have 

 learned that the unknown was Captain Bernier, the 

 Canadian explorer, endeavoring to communicate with 

 us at Etah with the possibility of effecting our release. 

 With no reward or promise of reward, he had gone far 

 out of his way to render what aid he could. 



A chance remark by In-a-loo, one of the most intelli- 

 gent in the tribe, was interesting. 



"This land was at one time all under water." 

 Why do you think so?" I inquired. 

 There are clam-shells high up on the hills in many 

 places, and I have seen north of Kab-loo-na-ding-me the 

 bones of a large whale high up on the hill above the 



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