CHAPTER VIII. 



AT FLAXMAN ISLAND IN SUMMER. 



The Ship leaking badly Building a House ashore Abandoning the Vessel 

 Mr. Stefansson Native Dances Spring Arrangement of the Camp 

 Spring hunting Crew discontented Preparations to send them 

 Home Start for Point Barrow Meet Natives Storkersen wounds 

 himself Return to Flaxman Island Waiting for the Steamers to 

 come The first Steamer arrives Leave for Herschel Island. 



NEITHER Dr. Howe nor the men left behind had been idle 

 during our absence, and a good deal of work had been done. 

 The Doctor was very well satisfied with the behaviour of the 

 crew, as well during the hard days when the ship was 

 abandoned as later on when they were building a home on 

 shore and attending to the work in camp. Dr. Howe himself 

 had done considerably better than we ever expected. He had 

 found an able helper in Hicky, who again had acted as mate, 

 and the rest of the crew had been willing and cheerful through 

 everything. 



When Dr. Howe came back on March 17 after seeing us off 

 an unpleasant surprise was in store for him ; he found the men 

 at the pumps and the forecastle flooded. However, in spite of 

 continual pumping, it was impossible to keep the forecastle 

 clear of water, and all hands moved aft to the cabin on 

 March 18. They commenced at once to take everything on shore 

 from the cabin, so nothing was spoiled. Nor did they begin 

 too soon, for on March 19 the water could not be kept below 

 the cabin floor, although Eskimos had been called in to help at 

 the pumps. 



Meanwhile a continuous gale had prevailed, and a shelter 

 had to be built for the men at the pumps. It was evident that 

 things could not go on like this, and under Dr. Howe's orders 

 the men commenced to build a house on shore from the fittings 

 of the cabin and forecastle, wire netting, and canvas. Thuesen 

 superintended the building, assisted by Sachawachick and 



