158 THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 



to Dr. Anderson, the second in command of the expedition. These 

 instructions are so important for the understanding of future events 

 that a summary of them must be given. 



Before leaving Collinson Point I had, to guard against the pos- 

 sibility of our not returning to shore before the ice broke up, left 

 with Dr. Anderson certain instructions to cover that eventuality. 

 I had also discussed with him, with Storkerson, and with others, 

 my plan to proceed to Banks or Prince Patrick Island in case the 

 drift of the ice made it necessary, or in case we found we could not 

 get satisfactory results on the basis of a return by sled to Alaska. 

 There was also the possibility of finding new land — remote, it is 

 true, especially because of our late start. If land were found, I 

 had expressed my intention to spend a year there. Or, I had said, 

 we might go to Prince Patrick or Banks Island, partly because of 

 the data to be secured on the way and partly to explore those islands 

 during the summertime and to kill deer and dry the meat and skins 

 for use as provisions and clothing the coming winter. 



This second letter to Dr. Anderson emphasized the increasing 

 possibility that we might go to Banks Island instead of returning 

 to Alaska and instructed him more particularly than before as to 

 certain things. The main point of both .previous and present in- 

 structions was that in case of the non-return to Alaska of my party 

 in the spring of 1914, he was to assume that we had landed at the 

 northwest corner of Banks Island or the southwest corner of Prince 

 Patrick Island. He would then find himself in command of the 

 vessels in Alaska, of which he was to make the following disposi- 

 tion. 



With the Alaska and as much cargo as she could carry and with 

 certain members of the expedition, he was to proceed to the main- 

 land shore of Dolphin and Union Straits. In that vicinity he was 

 to select a winter base for the southern section of the expedition 

 to occupy the coming year and possibly a second year following. 

 With the Alaska were to go two oil-burning launches, which I had 

 purchased especially for use in surveying river deltas and among 

 the hundreds of small islands of Coronation Gulf. 



The Mary Sachs, under Captain Bernard, was to take a cargo 

 of goods into the same region, landing them there at the winter 

 quarters of the Alaska or at some neighboring point preferred by 

 Dr. Anderson. The Mary Sachs was then to return to Herschel 

 Island and if the season still allowed, which was probable, take a 

 second cargo from there to Cape Kellett at the southwest corner of 

 Banks Island; or possibly, if the conditions seemed favorable, up 



