1917] THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEPTUNE 315 



sailed along those shores, rediscovering Hakluyt Isle 

 and confirming Baffin's account in every particular. 



^ Captain Bob, Mr. Burbank, and I landed upon this 

 historic island, which we found dotted with evidence of 

 former inhabitants—old stone igloos, tupik rings, store- 

 houses, and stone fox-traps. Little auks, or dovekies 

 (Alle alle), were swarming along the talus slopes on the 

 south side,^ while Brunnich's murres (Uria lomvia lomvia) 

 and Puffin's (Fratercula arctica naumanni) occupied the 

 striking vertical cliffs of the north. 



From the heights we saw it was impossible to proceed 

 west. The heavy pack extended as far as the eye could 

 reach. Possibly a passage south was offered by en- 

 circling the islands and hugging the land as far as Cape 

 York. This Captain Bartlett decided to do. At Oo- 

 loo-set, on the western end of Northumberland Island, 

 the^ natives visited the ship, smiling and sweaty with 

 their hurried exertions in working their kayaks through 

 the rapidly moving drift ice. 



At the first opportunity we moved south to Cape 

 Parry, where open water enabled the ship to reach 

 within twenty-five miles of Cape York. A call at the 

 now deserted village of Akbat recalled pleasant memories 

 of my visit two years before. The once pleasant, well- 

 warmed, and well-lighted igloo of my host was now but 

 a chaotic mass of rocks, wet grass, and melting ice. 

 Six rusty guns testified to their uselessness after the 

 ammunition had been expended. 



Bright weather on the 12th tempted Bartlett to steer 

 boldly south into the pack in the hopes of finding a 

 favorable lead, a somewhat dangerous procedure for a 

 vessel of small power, but perfectly safe for the old 

 Neptune. 

 21 



