314 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



form, as uncompromising as it possibly could be. I was very 

 sorry that this should have happened, as, of course, our relatives 

 and friends would be greatly alarmed. At Herschel Island 

 Mr. Stefansson had received some letters, which, as he had half 

 expected, compelled him to go home, and he volunteered to 

 go up the Mackenzie River to Fort McPherson, and thence 



NATIVE WHALEBOAT RETURNED FROM A SUCCESSFUL CHASE OF 

 WHITE WHALE. 



along the Bell River until he reached the tributaries of the 

 Porcupine River. By means of a raft he would be able to 

 descend this river until he was picked up by a passing steamer. 

 It was a dangerous thing to do, but he did not like the prospect 

 of the long voyage home on board a whaler, so this was his 

 only alternative. Of course, as he was himself anxious to go, 

 I was only too glad to avail myself of his offer to take messages 

 to the outer world in that way, although I knew that it would 

 cost considerably more than his passage home in a whaler. 



The Mounted Police placed a boat at our disposal, and Mr. 

 Stefansson started with three natives on August 6. 



It took the men of the Beluga a whole week to change their 

 propeller, and when at last they were ready to start I was 

 invited to stay at the police barracks. The inspector, Major 



