294 THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 



was averaging for a period of weeks forty-two degrees below zero. 

 Out at sea such cold is really an advantage, but now it prevented 

 us from doing what we should have done had the weather been 

 warmer — namely, tying boots upon the feet of the dogs to protect 

 their pads from the cutting ice. At this temperature we did not 

 dare to do it for fear the tight lashing might so interfere with the 

 circulation as to cause freezing of the feet. 



When we got to the northwest corner of Banks Island more 

 kerosene-containers were leaking. To have kerosene is an un- 

 doubted convenience; and now since the only hope of healing the 

 feet of our dogs was through a long rest, I sent Storkerson and* 

 Thomsen back to Kellett for more kerosene, with a team which we 

 did not expect to use on the ice, giving the sore-footed dogs a 

 rest meantime. The result of these delays was the healing of 

 most of the sore feet, but also that it was April 5, 1915, when we 

 were finally able to leave shore. It had taken us 55 days to get 

 from the south end of Banks Island where our base was, to the 

 north end of Banks Island where our base should have been. It 

 was now too late, in my opinion, for crossing to Prince Patrick; 

 Island, so we struck northwest from Cape Alfred. 



Our party up to this time had consisted of seven men. But 

 now I sent back Wilkins, Crawford, and Natkusiak, and the ice 

 exploratory party of that year therefore consisted of Storkerson, 

 Thomsen, Andreasen, and myself. 



Of the three men that went back, Crawford could not very well 

 have been taken on the ice, though he would have been an excellent 

 man otherwise, because he had the orthodox attitude towards meat: 

 that while it is a desirable part of any meal, no meal should con- 

 sist of it wholly. His view was that "no wages could pay him for 

 living on meat alone, like a dog or a savage." Natkusiak did not 

 mind living on meat, but he was afraid of the sea ice; he con- 

 sidered it luck or necromancy that we had not been lost on the 

 Martin Point trip. "Some time," he said, "you will go out to 

 sea and not come back." He did not consider himself a coward, 

 neither do I consider him so. On the basis of what he believed 

 about the sea ice he was merely making such a distinction as most 

 people approve between courage and foolhardiness. 



As for Wilkins, I would have liked to have him along and he 

 would have liked to come. But the value of a more northerly 

 base to work from next year, which had always been clear, was 

 more than ever clear now after two wasted months on the west 

 coast of Banks Island. The obvious thing to do was to send for 



