444 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



arms inside her fur shirt, next to her skin, and sat it out. This is the great 

 advantage of furs, though there are many others. In them one can sleep 

 out without freezing. Any good hunter will chase cariboo all day, without 

 food, sleep out even two nights, if necessary, and come into camp as well as 

 he left it. In wool clothes a man can keep warm as long as he is on the 

 move, but the minute he stops the cold is felt. 



On March 3 we started out upon our ice trip ; three men, three sleds, 

 and twelve dogs, with about 1,600 Ibs. of outfit for ninety days. 



... On May 17, the second day after our return, I started for the 

 mountains with Erie and his eldest boy Gallikar. We went back to his 

 cabin and up the Ookpeelak river, sledding nearly to the mountains, and then 

 packing the rest of the way. I think the men had 50 Ibs. each, and the 

 four dogs about 45 Ibs. each. We were up there about six weeks, but had 

 much rain, snow, fog, and clouds, so I could not cover much ground. 

 Gallikar shot two cariboo and six mountain sheep. We saw many of the 

 latter, one day about fifty. 



Early in July we packed about fifty miles to the coast in four days, and 

 were marooned, until Mrs. Erie came in her umiak for us. Shortly afterwards 

 I returned here by boat sent for me. The schooner sprung a leak during 

 the winter, from having her caulkings pulled out by the ice. She was 

 abandoned in April, and the party have lived on shore ever since, in a com- 

 fortable roomy house built out of the schooner. The wreck is now lying on 

 the beach, with masts gone, and the decking ripped out : rather a woeful 

 sight ! The crew all go home by whaler, as well as Dr. Howe. Captain 

 Mikkelsen and I expect to stay on ; I for two years, but I do not know what 

 his plans are, since he is now at Herschel Island, buying dogs, and I have 

 not seen him since May. One of the sailors agreed to stay, but gave it up 

 at the last minute, and it may handicap Captain Mikkelsen's proposed ice 

 trip next spring. I expect to work inland with natives, so am not affected 

 by the loss of the sailor, except that more of the necessary work about the 

 place will fall upon us who are left. 



There are at least five rivers coming down to the sea from the mountains, 

 that are not indicated upon the map ; only one of these had been seen by a 

 white man before this year. The Ookpeelak which I worked upon had never 

 been seen, and I hope to penetrate the others during the winter. The coast 

 from Demarcation Point to Colville River I hope to map with as much 

 accuracy and detail as I can. This is summer work, because the snow 

 obliterates everything but the steep banks. In addition, there are three or 

 four others which are upon the map, from native information, and have never 

 been explored ; so I can find plenty to do. I hope to spend June and July 

 doing geological work in the mountains, before navigation opens up on 

 the coast, and then to work there. The past year has been rather unpro- 

 ductive, on account of the settlement of expedition affairs, etc., but I have 

 hopes of making some addition to the map before I get home. 



SEPT. 26, 1907. 



The sailor who expected to stay has returned to civilization, as I told you 

 in letters sent out by whaler. I also said that no mail had come for me. 



