THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 251 



supplies at the coast unprotected, bringing Ole inland to help with 

 the hunt. I was also interested in the condition of the ice on the 

 coast, for the coming of the Star was continually in my mind and 

 the month of the possibility of this was almost at hand. The ice 

 should have broken up already all along the north coast of Alaska 

 and the three ships were, according to our best estimates, probably 

 now in the vicinity of Herschel Island. It would not be more than 

 a week or two till the Star could come across from the mainland to 

 the south end of Banks Island, where in the vicinity of Cape Kellett 

 she would await her chance to proceed north along the west coast 

 whenever the ice should break away. The caribou were now get- 

 ting towards their fattest and their skins had the right length of 

 hair for clothing. It was important to hunt energetically for two 

 or three weeks so as to have a large amount of meat and skins 

 ready when the Star should arrive. 



So I started for Ole's coast camp, leaving Storkerson behind 

 occupied with the meat-drying. He might be expected occasionally 

 to kill caribou that came near camp, but his chief task was to 

 assemble the drying meat and cover it up at the approach of rain 

 or of a heavy fog, to spread it out again when the sun came out or 

 the wind began to blow, and to protect it from gulls, foxes and 

 wolves. 



It was a fine day when I started towards the coast, though it 

 soon began to rain. Walking along the level bottom lands of 

 the river, I came upon several small bands of caribou, and as I 

 had not previously seen any when I had not needed to kill at least 

 one of the band, I took the opportunity to experiment and see 

 whether these were afraid of the appearance of a man. I found they 

 behaved about the same as caribou would on the mainland in dis- 

 tricts where they are frequently hunted. 



Before I got half-way home I was soaking wet, but one accus- 

 tomed to the Arctic does not mind that as long as he keeps moving, 

 though it is not easy to get used to being wet in camp at night. 

 One adapts himself to almost anything, however, and I have been 

 told with apparent sincerity by northern Indians that they do not 

 mind sleeping in wet clothes, even when they are so cold that they 

 shiver. After all, the testimony of one man who is used to a 

 thing and likes it is worth more than that of a hundred who are 

 not used to it and cannot imagine how they ever could find it 

 tolerable. So probably any one could get used to sleeping cold 

 and wet. 



About six miles from camp I came upon six bulls, one much 



