94 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



Saturday, September 15. Mr. Storkersen called me when he 

 came on board, in order to tell me that they had found a very 

 narrow channel close in shore, through which we might 

 manage to pass if we took good care. Early in the morning 

 it was buoyed off, and we started under a light north-east 

 wind. We came across the bar without taking the bottom, 

 and followed along a twelve feet channel, eastward. 



However, there was no room to beat up, and we had to 

 anchor shortly after crossing the bar. A boat was sent up to 

 Flaxman Island and soon came back telling us that they had 

 deep water, that is eleven to twelve feet, and that they had 

 found a good place to anchor the ship in. The wind had died 

 down and a heavy fog had again settled round us, spreading 

 gloom and dissatisfaction everywhere. 



Sunday, September 16. Calm and foggy weather, as usual. 

 As we were tired of waiting for a fair wind, we ran out a 

 kedge anchor and started kedging the ship along. At last we 

 grounded, and although there ought to have been more than 

 an inch under us, we were not able to move at all, and decided 

 to lie there until next morning. We had kedged from 7 A.M. 

 to 7.30 P.M. and had made two-and-half miles fine progress. 



A native family came alongside, and as we expected that 

 they would probably be our neighbours during the winter, we 

 treated them well, took them down into the cabin, and gave 

 them crackers and tea. They were nice-looking people and 

 had three children. We wanted to strike a bargain with them 

 about some deerskin they had in the boat, and finally came to an 

 arrangement. But after the man had been round the ship and 

 seen what we had, he came back and wanted about three times 

 as much in exchange as we had just agreed to give. Naturally 

 he got his skins back ; they were not worth the price he asked. 

 We must be careful, of course, not to begin by paying too high 

 prices for things, seeing that we shall have to live here for 

 almost a year. 



Hicky is ill to-day ; he has a bad cold. I am sorry, as we 

 cannot very well do without our full crew, but it cannot be 

 helped. 



Monday, September 17. We had floated off during the night, 

 and as soon as it was light enough we started to tow the ship 

 the last three miles. It is surprising to see how much better 



