APPENDIX 723 



trading posts near Bering Straits. His chief argument against this 

 course was Malloch's partial disability; Bartlett mentions also that 

 Maurer had frozen his feet slightly and that Mamen still had some 

 trouble with his sprained knee. Then there was the hope that some 

 of the eight missing men might still be living and would possibly 

 arrive at Wrangel Island, when it would be a good thing to have 

 some one there to meet them. 



Apart from these considerations, it would have been easy to get 

 ashore, for the distance from Wrangel Island to the mainland is only 

 a hundred and ten miles. When a party can rely on food at the end of 

 the journey they need not carry with them very much. According to 

 Bartlett's estimate, they now had provisions for eighty days. They 

 could have thrown away fifty days' provisions. The remaining thirty 

 would not have overloaded them and, if it had, they could have thrown 

 away half, going with fifteen days' food and making up the rest from 

 the seals and polar bears that are numerous in this section. The 

 dogs were not in good condition, but they could have been fattened on 

 fresh meat for ten or fifteen days before starting, for the winter was still 

 abundantly long. 



But the consideration of the possible arrival of the eight lost men 

 who would find themselves in hard circumstances if the island were 

 deserted, appea.rs to have determined Bartlett to leave everybody behind 

 on Wrangel Island except the one Eskimo, Kataktovik, whom he took 

 as a companion. Before leaving, Bartlett issued the following letter 

 of instructions: 



"Shore Camp, Icy Spit, Wrangel Island, 

 "March 18. 1914. 

 "My dear Mr. Munro: 



"I am leaving this morning with seven dogs, one sledge and Katak- 

 tovik to get the news of our disaster before the authorities at Ottawa. 



"During my absence you will be in charge. 



"I have already allocated supplies to the different parties. Mc- 

 Kinlay has four men, Hadley is with the Eskimo Kerdrillo [KurralukJ 

 which makes four people, Mr. Williamson three men and yourself three 

 men. 



"McKinlay kindly made out a list for me and I will ask him to 

 give a copy to you when you get back from your trip to Shipwreck 

 Camp. 



"You will make a trip to Herald Island to search for traces of 

 Mate's party. On my way I will cover the coast as far as Rodgers 

 Harbor. 



"The great thing of course is the procuring of game. In this 

 Kerdrillo will be of great assistance. Let him have his dogs and the 

 two others so he can cover a good deal of ground ; and out own parties, 

 scatter them around so that they will be able to hunt and while away 



