282 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



unnecessary, as they thought that the ship was beyond 

 repair. 



Ned came back with his wife and children on May 3, as he 

 wanted to leave her behind in our care while he went away 

 into the mountains to do some prospecting. On May n 

 Magalik and his family appeared at our house. He was the 

 above-mentioned native who last September, just before we 

 reached Flaxman Island, had cheated us badly in a trade and 

 had wanted to take advantage of our ignorance of values. 

 Besides, he had purloined some small articles belonging to us, 

 but he had done it so cleverly that we did not discover his thefts 

 till some time after he had gone, and he was always afterwards 

 referred to as the " Artful Dodger." However, he had been 

 afraid to come back to us, but learning that Dr. Howe was 

 alone, he brought down some ptarmigan, some cariboo meat and 

 tongues, intending them as peace offerings. At the same time 

 he explained at great length that he had not meant to steal, 

 that he had thought the things were presents, that he was 

 an honest man, and loved the Kabloona (white men) as his 

 brothers. 



On May 12 all the natives had come back from the mainland, 

 and having plenty to eat, they were doing nothing but feast, 

 dance, and sleep. In acknowledgment of the valuable con- 

 tributions they had brought us in the shape of meat, they were 

 invited by Dr. Howe to come down to the house and have a 

 feed and a big dance. 



They came, every one of them, big and small, and danced and 

 ate and were happy. They talked about our ice journey, and 

 all thought us lost, except old Sachawachick, who had great 

 faith in the ability of white men, who, he said, could find their 

 way about, look at the sun, and thereby make out where they 

 were, and he thought that we would come back. He was a 

 nice old chap, and we shall all remember the time when he 

 said good-bye to us, and as if by way of encouragement added, 

 " Nanako keiliaktotin, ilibit mocke pichock." 



As stated above, on May 15 we arrived in splendid condition 

 and with the news to our comrades that we had found the 

 edge of the Continental Shelf. 



We went down to the village the next day to show our- 

 selves and talk over old times with our native friends, and old 



