THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 237 



one northwest from Cape Alfred, then north and then east to the 

 north end of Prince Patrick Island; the other northwest from the 

 north end of Prince Patrick Island, then north and east to Isachsen 

 Land and back to Prince Patrick or Melville Island (in whichever 

 place the Star is wintering). The most promising and interesting 

 ice trip that I can see, however, would be to go north from, say- 

 Cape Halkett in Alaska in February to 77° or 78° N. latitude and 

 then east to Prince Patrick Island. That is a trip I hope some 

 time to make." * 



And here is the record we placed in the beacon on Bernard 

 Island: 



"June 30, P. M., 1914. 

 "Storker Storkerson, Ole Andreasen and myself landed on the island 

 next offshore from this one June 25th — men, dogs and gear all in good 

 condition. Shall proceed to-morrow SE to the mainland. According to 

 circumstances we may go up the river, in the mouth of which this island 

 lies, to explore it; or we may go south along the coast towards Kellett. 

 If no traces of us have been found farther south, any vessel of the 

 Canadian Arctic Expedition finding this should proceed south along the 

 mainland ten or fifteen miles in search of a beacon with further informa- 

 tion. If none is found, the vessel should erect a beacon or two with infor- 

 mation and then go back to this island or some place near it and prepare 

 to winter. Wood should be energetically gathered from the beach within 

 20 miles each way and caribou should be hunted early to provide fat 

 meat. There appears to be a good harbor on the SE side of the island 

 (just beyond the prominent hill on the S comer). There seems also 

 a harbor on the east of the island offshore from this one and there may 

 be others on the mainland. If no suitable harbor is found, the vessel 

 should look for one to the north rather than the south. The Karluk, 

 should she come, might try to reach Prince Patrick Island if her com- 

 mander thinks it advisable; the North Star and Mary Sachs should not 

 go beyond Banks Island (except after picking us up). If no traces of 

 us are found, small caches with things not likely to be destroyed by bears 

 might be made for our use in two or three places. We have over 200 

 rounds of ammunition and both rifles are in good order, so there need 

 be no fear for us on the score of starvation. 



"V, Stefansson." 



For the first week or two in Banks Island we saw each day- 

 some new kind of bird. On June 30th appeared the first phalarope 

 and the first rock ptarmigan, although there had been already per- 



* A trip commencing with such a program was actually made in 1918. On 

 account of my illness, the command was taken by Storkerson who has written 

 an account of the enterprise which I have summarized in the Appendix of 

 this book. 



