NORTH POLE OF THE WINDS 



spected our camp, they departed in the whale-boat 

 to return to the coast. 



This was the day that Larry Gould and Bel- 

 knap had fastened the outboard motor to the canoe 

 and were testing its performance on the fjord. 

 Church, Fergusson and Oscanyan were busy about 

 the storehouse while I with one of the Eskimo men 

 was standing on the shore observing the perform- 

 ance of the canoe. I had become somewhat wor- 

 ried because Gould was venturing so far out, at 

 least three-quarters of a mile from the shore where 

 the water seemed very rough. By this time the 

 whale-boat was well out from shore and moving 

 rapidly away. As I continued to watch the canoe 

 I suddenly observed that the heads of the two men 

 went out of sight behind a wave, reappeared again 

 and then disappeared, and I thought I made out 

 a faint cry for help. As I turned and shouted for 

 help the kayaker, who had also been watching, 

 launched his kayak and paddled swiftly to the 

 scene of the accident. It was probably not two 

 minutes before Oscanyan and I had launched the 

 other canoe and were pushing it rapidly through 

 the water, while Fergusson and Church in some 

 way managed to launch the heavy dory and with 

 a single pair of oars only, followed in our wake. 



The water of the fjord is icy cold. Would the 



34 



