THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 71 



to the Mackenzie delta to purchase dogs, hire Eskimos, buy gasoline 

 launches if they were available, and otherwise make all preparations 

 for extensive work in the delta by our topographers, Chipman and 

 Cox, the following spring. The preliminary task of surveying the 

 coast between the International Boundary and the mouth of the 

 Mackenzie might be finished in March, so that work on the Macken- 

 zie channels could be begun by sled before the river broke open, and 

 continued by boat, including soundings, from about the end of May 

 until July when the surveyors would proceed to Herschel Island 

 to rejoin the Alaska on her way eastward towards Coronation Gulf. 



But the main item of the instructions of the Government to the 

 expedition had been that we were to explore the ocean north of 

 Alaska and west of the already known Canadian islands to ascer- 

 tain the presence or absence of new lands, and to do soundings and 

 carry on other geographic and oceanographic work. I said that 

 it seemed to me this part of our program could still be carried for- 

 ward. Supplies to reinforce the outfits of the Mary Sachs and 

 Alaska could be purchased either from the Belvedere or Polar Bear, 

 or, should they be short as they might be, from the two traders, 

 "Duffy" O'Connor and Martin Andreasen who were wintering on 

 the coast between Collinson Point and Herschel Island. These sup- 

 plies together with those on the Alaska and Mary Sachs would be 

 adequate for carrying out next summer the Alaska's program of 

 going east to Coronation Gulf, and the survey work for the Macken- 

 zie in the spring. They would also provide a small party for a 

 journey north over the ice to carry out our main geographic program. 



The report then gave attention to what the expedition's pro- 

 gram would be if next year the Karluk turned up safe, and what it 

 would be if we had to carry on without her. In the latter event 

 we would especially need some scientific instruments, and these I 

 asked to have shipped to Herschel Island via Edmonton and the 

 Mackenzie River, which is the earliest and safest route. Other 

 important but less essential supplies not obtainable from whalers or 

 traders I asked to have sent in by ship through Bering Straits to 

 Herschel Island. 



Summing up the report: 



(1) With the resources we had or could get we intended to do 

 as much work this year as we could. 



(2) This year and the years following, whether the Karluk 

 was lost or not, the expedition intended to try to carry on according 

 to original plans, both in the Coronation Gulf district where de- 

 tailed scientific studies would be pursued, and in the Beaufort Sea 



