NORTH POLE OF THE WINDS 



passed out to sea and ran into a strong southeast 

 wind and a heavy sea so that we were obhged to 

 run for shelter behind the httle island of Inug- 

 sugtussok, which has been used by the halibut 

 sloops for a haven and is known as Olsen's Harbor. 



We had hardly come to anchor before four of 

 these sloops one after the other trailed into the har- 

 bor seeking refuge and anchored near us. Even 

 here behind the island there was only partial 

 shelter. One of the halibut sloops had anchored 

 to windward of us, but in the sea running dragged 

 her anchor and fouled our anchor chain. With 

 both boats tugging at our anchor it looked for a 

 time as though both would be dragged out to sea. 

 Fortunately our anchor held while the crew of 

 the sloop worked manfully at their windlass to 

 take up the slack chain and so bring their anchor 

 near to the surface. After several futile efforts 

 they succeeded and their skipper standing in a 

 tossing dory got a rope's loop under the flukes so 

 that they were raised and we were again free. 



For three long days we had been storm-bound 

 and there seemed little prospect of any abatement 

 of the storm outside. Our Eskimos of the crew 

 had brought rations sufficient only for the voyage 

 in good weather. Our own supplies were mainly 

 covered deep in the hold, which was almost inac- 



120 



