THE MOTOR-CANOE SWAMPED 



men be able to retain their hold on the canoe until 

 help arrived? It seemed very doubtful. 



As we paddled feverishly I got a glance at the 

 kayaker who was making wonderful speed, and 

 we soon became aware that the crew of the whale- 

 boat far out in advance of us had noticed the cap- 

 sized boat and they also were now rowing hard to 

 the rescue. Long before we arrived we saw the 

 kayaker reach the scene and get hold of the men 

 still clinging to the overturned canoe. It seemed 

 hardly a moment later when the whale-boat came 

 up and the men were pulled in. When Oscanyan 

 and I came up in the canoe the motor-canoe was 

 being drawn across the stern of the whale-boat and 

 Gould shouted to me that they were all right and 

 urged me to turn about before we should be 

 swamped in the rough water which we had already 

 entered. The canoe was turned about at once and 

 hurried back to camp where we arrived first. While 

 I prepared hot tea Oscanyan brought the Arctic 

 sleeping bags into the new storehouse where the 

 chilled men were removed from their wet clothing 

 and with teeth still chattering placed in the sleep- 

 ing bags. In a few hours they were quite them- 

 selves again, but except for the opportune presence 

 of the kayaker and the women in the whale-boat 

 this accident might have had a tragic ending. If 



37 



