THE FRIENDLY ARCTIC 259 



would probably give chase to the wolves, and in a fight there could 

 be no doubt of the outcome. The dogs were about the same size 

 as wolves, weighing up to 130 pounds, but they had neither their 

 swiftness of foot nor their cunning. Wolves would not allow them- 

 selves to be overtaken unless they were numerous enough to get 

 the best of the fight. 



To show what was most in our minds all through August, I 

 quote my diary for the first day of that month: 



"This is probably the month of keenest expectations of all I 

 have spent in the North. It is the season of navigation and our 

 three small ships should be, with luck, as far east now as Cape 

 Bathurst. The Star coming direct may arrive here any day the 

 ice leaves the beach. She should reach Kellett in a few days from 

 now and wait her chance there to proceed north. The Sachs should 

 complete her errand accompanying Anderson to Liston Island and 

 be at Kellett, too, soon after August 10th. The Alaska almost cer- 

 tainly will have little trouble in reaching Cape Bexley if once she 

 gets to Herschel Island. Even the Karluk may be heard from. 

 There is nothing in the present or future I would not give to be 

 aboard of her, and few things I would not give for news of her — 

 nothing I would not pay for her safety, or rather that of her men. 

 The vessel herself would not so much matter if nothing but hopes, 

 plans and equipment went down with her." 



On our inland journey Ole and I had watched the weather, pre- 

 pared to make rapidly for the coast should the wind lead us to 

 think the ice might leave. The camp where we rejoined Storkerson 

 was on a hill so high and commanding that although fifteen miles 

 inland it allowed through glasses a view of the ice along the coast 

 and around Bernard and Norway Islands. 



Now we spent much of every day scrutinizing the coast, watch- 

 ing the gradually widening lane of shore water between the main- 

 land and the grounded sea ice that was being melted by the warm 

 water pouring from the land. It was one of the virtues of the 

 Star that on account of her shallow draft she would be able to 

 work her way up along this lane of thaw water even before the ice 

 offshore broke up and was carried to sea by the wind. Once or 

 twice near the middle of the month there was a slight shifting of 

 the ice but the tide fell and grounded it again. But towards tiie 

 close it became clear that although there was a ribbon of ice in the 

 middle distance the ocean outside was clear. Strong winds blew 

 from the east day after day, making it evident that no floating ice 

 could be near, although the fogs that always hang to seaward when 



