CHAPTER XVII 



A RACE OVER THE ARCTIC MOUNTAINS IN SUMMER 



When we got to Herschel Island we heard news that 

 worried both Captain Mikkelsen and me, although for 

 different reasons. I have mentioned in the preceding 

 chapter that after first getting to Flaxman Island I made 

 a hurried trip back to Herschel Island for a conference 

 with Captain Leavitt. At that time I had said to the 

 captain and to some of his officers that the Eskimos 

 around Flaxman Island believed the ice exploratory party 

 — Leffingwell, Mikkelsen and Storkerson — to have lost 

 their lives. We had discussed this a good deal. Captain 

 Leavitt had inclined to the view that the ice party were 

 safe but most of his officers and all the Herschel Island 

 Eskimos had agreed with the Flaxman Island Eskimos 

 that they were undoubtedly dead. During the spring 

 several boats had gone from Herschel up to Macpherson 

 to meet the Mackenzie River steamer, Wrigley. These 

 people had paid no attention to Captain Leavitt's minor- 

 ity view that the ice party were safe and had reported 

 the death of Leffingwell, Mikkelsen and Storkerson. The 

 Wrigley had left Macpherson about the middle of July, 

 carrying the news of the supposed tragedy. The bearers 

 of this report would arrive at the telegraph station at 

 Athabasca Landing probably between the 5th and 10th 

 of September, and the news of another polar tragedy 

 would be flashed to the world. When sent out this news 

 would have the weight of the authority of Mr. Harrison, 

 who was one of the outbound passengers and who was 



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