578 THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 



be seen from discrepancies between it and Bernier's list supple- 

 mented by Storkerson's original statement that we never had a cor- 

 rect inventory of everything found in the depot. For instance, 

 neither Storkerson nor Bernier mentions that there was jam, and 

 yet Storkerson mentions caching twenty pounds of it in Liddon 

 Gulf. Still there were no important items beyond those mentioned 

 either by Bernier or Storkerson. 



Storkerson and I were at first alone in thinking the discovery 

 of this food cache a nuisance, but before winter was over nearly 

 every one agreed with us. Storkerson said that before this, while 

 they had nothing to eat but ovibos meat and nothing to drink 

 but the broth, there were only two of the men who kicked and 

 even with them it was largely a matter of form. But now we had 

 all the troubles of a boarding house. My diary on October 31st 

 tells it thus: 



"Discontent and bickerings have resulted from finding the food 

 at Winter Harbor. Before, there was plenty of meat and there 

 was nothing else. There were only one or two men who com- 

 plained and the rest resented their complaining. Now there are 

 various foods besides meat. This increases greatly the time of 

 cooking and the fuel consumption (making the house uncomfort- 

 ably hot). Where formerly one pot of meat furnished soup for 

 drink as well, it now furnishes only meat, and coffee must be 

 boiled in addition. These delays several of the men, including 

 myself, find annoying in the morning when there is work to do, and 

 the women object to getting up earlier to do the added cooking. 

 Then some want to save such things as butter. Because they are 

 fond of them they want to make them last; others because they are 

 fond of them want to eat them up at will. While two of the men 

 have a passion for butter that leads to gluttony, one of them has 

 a reverence for it that approaches worship. Some want coffee 

 every meal; some want it occasionally "for a change" though they 

 prefer tea in general; some are fond of it but want it only once a 

 day so it may last a long time; others are fond of it and want 

 it every meal. No one but Castel cares much for potatoes but 

 when I wanted to give him more than his share of them nearly 

 everybody else objected. 



"The kerosene, lantern and hardwood are useful. I wish Ber- 

 nier had left more of such things and no grub." 



The potato subject related to an arrangement for placing Castel 

 in charge of the outfitting base at Cape Grassy, for, although the 

 Eskimos up there had their excellent qualities, I knew them to be 



