FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO ST. LAWRENCE BAY. 93 



the date of sailing for St. Lawrence Bay. If God will 

 only give us fair winds and let us save our coal until 

 we are through Behring Strait, we may find Nor- 

 denskjold and reach Kellett Land before the ice freezes 

 us in. 



Although the beginning of my letter was dated the 

 9th, I have been writing a little in it every day. So 

 you must not suppose that nine days went by without 

 my having thought of you and written to you. In fact, 

 I am all ready to go on and tell you about the crew 

 where I left off the day before yesterday. 



There is no doubt about it that we have as fine a 

 crew as ever went on board of a ship. They are cheer- 

 ful, good-humored, ready for anything, and as harmo- 

 nious as one family. There has not been a sign of a 

 disagreement or a suspicion of a growl. The men seem 

 to realize that every effort is being made to make them 

 comfortable, and they are really very comfortable. Well 

 clad, well fed, and easily woi'ked, they seem to appre- 

 ciate the easy places in which their lines have been 

 cast. Being in ports where it is illegal to sell liquor 

 there is none to be had, and liberty means simply a 

 chance to go ashore and wander around in the mud 

 and grass. We have set our seine, and have caught 

 enough salmon and flounders to give everybody fresh 

 fish nearly every day. When we could get geese and 

 ducks we have sent a fair portion forward among the 

 men, and have shared alike ; and when no geese or 

 ducks were to be had we eat canned meat in common. 



The Chinese cook is a good cook, and, as I said in my 

 previous letter, makes good bread ; but unless we con- 

 clude not to watch things too carefully, and to make no 

 fuss over a stray hair or so, we cannot be happy. 



The steward is fair as a steward, and the boy is sim- 



