110 ANTHROPOLOGICAL SURVEY IX ALASKA [eth.axn.46 



of pumicclike fossil bone. Near 4.30 begins to rain a bit so we hurry 

 to boat, and in a little while, after depositing Isaac near his camp, 

 reach the Bear. 



Eskimo on shore had two skinned seal lying on the ground, and 

 there were many reindeer horns. A pile of them was over a fire, 

 being smoked. 



The wind has been the whole day from the northeast, the long- 

 wished-for wind, and the ice has moved out sufficiently to induce 

 the captain to make another start. So at 5 p. m. off we go again, 

 and for quite a while the screw sings merrily, until we reach some 

 remaining ice, when there are more bumps and staggers. 



The waters about the ship show, whenever calmer, the heads of 

 swimming seal, grown and little. But they are wary and keep at 

 a distance. Otherwise the only live things are an occasional gull, 

 and rarely a couple of ducks. In the icy water, however, on and 

 about the floes, are seen again numerous small, dark fish (from the 

 size of a big minnow to that of a tomcod) ; and along the shore swim 

 merrily hundreds of very tame and graceful little snipes, lovely small 

 birds, too little, luckily, to be hunted. 



Little enthusiasm about my collecting, but the boatswain and some 

 at least of the men are genuinely helpful. I believe some of the 

 others are a bit superstitious. But I get some chance at least, and 

 that is precious. 



Expect to reach Barrow before 12 p. m.. and to start back before 

 morning — a big chance for some sleep again if I want to do some 

 collecting. Sleep, through the frequent lack of it, has become a 

 kind of obsession in one's thoughts, yet when there were chances dur- 

 ing the days of waiting it would not come. 



August 9, evening, to 10 next morning. This is a land of odds and 

 wonders. In the morning things looked hopeless; toward evening 

 tiie wind has driven away enough ice to make a narrow open lane 

 near the shore, and utilizing this we arrived without difficulty 

 at 8 p. m. at the long unreachable Barrow. At 9 boat takes us 

 ashore. At 9.30 p. m. I start with an Eskimo and a seaman (Wee- 

 nie,) from the Bear on a collecting trip over about 3 square miles 

 of tundra behind Barrow, and at 12 :30 return to ship with four bags 

 of skulls and bones. But sleep! Hardly any since 12.30 last night, 

 and very little after return to-day, for due to fear of ice they 

 called in everybody from shore before 3 a. m., and the newcomers 

 keep on walking and talking and banging with their baggage until 

 5, when, fearing a return of the ice, we start once more southward, 

 toward— it feels strange, but it is so— home. It was a remarkable 

 good fortune, our getting there thus and getting out again, as we 

 did, without damage. 



