INSCHAROKCAMP 193 



Later on I made a plan of Scharok harbour and its 

 entry, but it will be enough to say now that there is 

 nowhere any expanse of deep water ; only immediately 

 under the huts runs a wide creek which, after three 

 windings, finds it way out into the sea over a low bar 

 some two miles off. This entry we could clearly see, 

 because it was free from grounded ice. 



There is far more to be done when settlino- down into 

 camp life than many might suppose. As we had no 

 bucket or water-can, the Samoyed plan of melting snow 

 for drinking purposes would not do. But we found a 

 place down by the edge of the creek where a tiny stream 

 came under the snow. Breaking a hole through the 

 snow-crust we tapped the water and found it good. But 

 this spot was a long way off from our tent. 



Also we collected a quantity of tightly rolled-up birch 

 bark, which we found along high-water mark, for lighting- 

 fires. 



I have often puzzled over the origin of these rolls. 

 They are found in abundance on our own east coast after 

 heavy northerly gales, and are spoken of by writers on 

 Spitzbergen and Novaya Zemblya. It has been sug- 

 gested that they are used as floats by the Norwegian 

 fishermen. I scarcely think this would explain the 

 immense quantities in which they are found. Every 

 tide brought in a fresh supply, and we had a constant 

 store for fire-lighting. For this purpose birch bark is 

 superior even to pitch pine, for it catches instantaneously, 



N 



