THE EXPEDITION BASE 



son for a time as their assistant, though as a rule 

 our botanist was kept free for his botanical studies 

 because the flowering season of the plants would 

 soon be over. Oscanyan also was relieved of this 

 labor and gave his time mainly to his radio prepara- 

 tions. Abraham, who was engaged as hunter, is too 

 old to do heavy packing. Once more our Eskimos 

 have disappointed us as hunters and especially so 

 Abraham, for he is a man of much experience in 

 hunting and one who enjoys a great local reputa- 

 tion. He is certainly a fine shot with the rifle, but 

 he seems to be a hunter who has every qualification 

 except that he is unwilling to hunt — go out after 

 the game. Already in the summer of 1926, when at 

 Camp Cooley he and his Eskimo companions were 

 starving, a fat hare hopped into our midst and got 

 up upon his haunches without any of our Eskimos 

 observing him. It was necessary for me to draw 

 Abraham's attention, whereupon he went after his 

 rifle, the hare obligingly standing at attention the 

 while. Several seals had appeared off Camp 

 Lloyd, and as I am up early to get the breakfast 

 I see them and must go and waken the Eskimos, 

 by which time the game is generally too far away. 

 Ducks also settle upon the fjord close to our camp 

 in the early morning, but by the time the hunters 

 arrive they have moved too far away to be bagged. 



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