THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 699 



Alaska. The Challenge had come in without trouble and was 

 now wintering in Minto Inlet, half a day's journey by sled from 

 Walker Bay and the Bear. Crawford had left Nome late enough 

 to report that Dr. Anderson's party in the Alaska, including Wil- 

 kins, had reached Bering Straits. This should mean that their dif- 

 ficulties were over and they were safe home. Chipman and pos- 

 sibly some others had not been with the Alaska but had crossed 

 overland from Coronation Gulf to Bear Lake, going home by the 

 Mackenzie River, a more pleasant journey than the sea voyage 

 and one which I much prefer, having tried both routes. 



Another piece of news was that Captain Lane in the Gladiator 

 the previous summer had been unable to get beyond Herschel 

 Island by ship but had gone out during the winter overland, sell- 

 ing the ship to Ole Andreasen. One of Captain Lane's men had 

 died of scurvy at Herschel Island during the winter. 



Captain Gonzales explained why he had not come earlier in the 

 year or sent a sled to Melville Island. He had learned from Craw- 

 ford — who, on his voyage in, had met the Herman going out — that 

 my old friend. Captain Pedersen, of that ship had landed mail for 

 the expedition and certain supplies, including sledge material, at 

 our Kellett base. Captain Pedersen learned then that Thomsen 

 had not attempted the previous summer to carry out my instruc- 

 tions either to return to Melville Island before the break-up of the 

 ice or else spend the summer with his family at Mercy Bay. In- 

 stead he was with Captain Bernard at Kellett but intended to leave 

 in November for Liddon Gulf by way of the west coast of Banks 

 Island, bringing mail and two new sledges. He had explained to 

 Captain Pedersen that he knew we were in great need of the 

 sledges and that he would not start from Melville Island until Cap- 

 tain Bernard had these made. 



Since these were Thomsen's plans it had seemed to Gonzales 

 best to communicate with him before sending a team to Melville 

 Island. Accordingly, he had sent the Kilian brothers, Herman and 

 Martin, with a fast dog team and a light load early in November 

 with a message, advising Thomsen to go to Melville Island by 

 way of the Bear and Prince of Wales Straits at the same time that 

 the party which Gonzales intended to outfit would go. The 

 brothers were to cross Banks Island by the route followed by me 

 the fall of 1915 when one of them, Martin, was a member of 

 my party. Later Martin had returned over the same route with 

 Thomsen, so there was no doubt about his knowing the way. 

 Furthermore, there was now a half-way station, for the Challenge 



