WINTERING IN THE BAY 27 



in finishing their house and shed. Floating ice soon hampered 

 landing operations. On the 17th October the ice in the harbour 

 set fast and, soon after, the work of transporting materials to 

 and from the shore was done with sleds. 



By the end of the month, the ship had been placed in a north- 

 and-south position, so that her bow faced north into the prevail- 

 ing cold winds. The decks were covered with a temporary roof, 

 made from a part of the lumber intended for the police build- 

 ings. This housing kept the snow from the decks, and greatly 

 increased the inclosed space on the ship. It later proved so 

 comfortable that the carpenter worked in it, almost without 

 interruption, throughout the winter, at the repairs to the launch. 

 The house and shed were made weather-proof, and a supply of 

 provisions and outfit, sufficient to keep the ship's company until 

 the following summer, was stored in them, as a precaution 

 against the destruction of the ship by fire. The galley was 

 moved from the deck to between-decks, and the range connected 

 with two large copper tanks, in which the daily supply of ice 

 was melted; at the same time all the provisions likely to be 

 injured by frost were stored alongside the range. All the oil 

 and powder were stored on an island away from the provisions, 

 and the boats placed either on shore, or on the ice alongside the 

 ship. 



Shortly after our arrival the natives congregated about the 

 ships, and to avoid misunderstanding, an agreement was made 

 with Captain Comer, that he should care for the Aivillik tribe, 

 while the Kenipitu tribe would belong to the Neptune. By this 

 arrangement, about a dozen able-bodied men and their families 

 fell to our portion, and about double that number to the Era. 

 The men were employed, during our stay at Eullerton, in bank- 

 ing the ship with snow, hauling ice and other necessary outside 

 work. Several of them hunted continuously, and at small cost 

 kept the ship in fresh caribou meat throughout the winter. 



