109 Arctic adventures the search continued 



killed by a wandering grizzly it would just make a lot of trouble 

 and extra paper work for them. We gladly accepted the rifle. 



A trial landing was made on the Anderson delta on July 13. 

 It is a good-sized stream that rises to the north of Great Bear Lake 

 and flows on northward, jogging west to join the Carnwath and 

 so on north again to Wood Bay and the sea. The delta is hemmed 

 in by upland tundra on the west and high bluffs to the east, and 

 is not very extensive. As the river reaches its terminus close to 

 the bay two channels are formed, but several islands intervene at 

 this point, so that there are actually four channels when the 

 Anderson finally empties into Wood Bay. On the widest of these, 

 between the two largest islands, Bob decided he would find 

 enough water to land. He skimmed low over it once, came around 

 a second time, and put her down without difficulty. We anchored 

 and waded ashore. To the west of the channel we found an island 

 suitable for camping. Later we learned that at low tide our chan- 

 nel was so narrow and shallow that either a landing or a take-off 

 would be impossible. At low water the amphibian lay flat in the 

 soft mud of the bottom, literally high and dry. 



When we returned to "the Real Neglek Island," as we called 

 it, after the Eskimo name for the black brant, we had to wade 

 ashore again, in cold, waist-deep water, carrying our camping out- 

 fit and supplies on our heads. There was no timber and not enough 

 driftwood along the beaches to supply firewood. Cooking had to 

 be done on a small G.I. -type gasoline pressure stove, a highly 

 efficient, one-burner affair. We found a dry place for the tent and 

 in less than an hour we were established and supper was steaming 

 in the pot. We stayed several days in this lonely spot, investigating 

 the bird colonies on the adjacent islands and exploring the edge 

 of the nearby tundra. They were wonderful days after the exacting 

 routine of constant flying. Ordinarily only Eskimos would visit 

 such a location, and even these people would not show up there 

 very often. Nevertheless, we saw the tracks of three pairs of 

 mukluk-shod feet in the mud at the brant colony and guessed that 

 a party of natives had raided the nests not long before to obtain 

 the eggs or young geese, as is their practice all along that coast. 

 But throughout our stay we saw no other signs of human beings. 



