THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 121 



sure, was merely a desire for notoriety. It was well known that 

 no useful purpose could be served by it, the theory on which it 

 was based had the support of no well-known arctic explorer or 

 any one on the expedition, and of no whaler or Eskimo, in so far 

 as the soundness or tenability of the basic hypothesis was con- 

 cerned. If I were not prevented I would doubtless go out on the 

 ice with several sledges; we would have as many hardships and 

 adventures as possible within a safe distance from land, would stop 

 when we had had enough and come back, reporting that we had 

 made a brave attempt but that the difficulties were insuperable. 

 To all of which farce he and the rest had made up their minds 

 they would not be parties. They were going to report everything 

 in full to Ottawa and felt sure that the Government would sustain 

 them. 



When Anderson's statement had been made, I asked him whether 

 they intended to withhold by force supplies which my compan- 

 ions and I needed for making the proposed trip: to which he re- 

 plied that there would be no companions, for no one would go 

 with me. 



Hereupon I made a sort of roll-call of the men to find out from 

 each one whether he would obey my orders and go with me out 

 on the ice if necessary. I began with Captain Bernard, for I 

 knew he would say he would go. Obviously his prompt agreement 

 surprised the others. I fear that some of the men had in a meas- 

 ure deceived Dr. Anderson, misleading him into thinking he would 

 aave the whole-hearted support of everybody. Besides expressing 

 snthusiastic support of my project, Captain Bernard informed the 

 gathering that Crawford, too, would take part in the ice trip, if 

 lesired. The break in the ranks having been made, the others 

 rollowed. Wilkins said he would go; Captain Nahmens of the 

 ilaska expressed willingness to do anything I might direct; Thom- 

 en, who was not present, had sent word by Captain Bernard that 

 le would volunteer; Johansen said he would go "if I would make 

 lim certain pledges." When I asked what those were, they turned 

 )ut to be merely that he was to be allowed to do scientific work, 

 ^s Johansen could never conceivably have been taken on such a 

 rip except for the purpose of doing the sort of work which he 

 /anted me to promise he should be allowed to do, it was a simple 

 latter to make him that promise. 



Chipman considered he could not go even for the "support 

 arty," for it would make him too late for his topographical work 

 n shore. In this I agreed. Had we been able to start two, three 



