244 Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



plentiful, but we managed fairly well. But the second winter was a tough 

 one. Most all our provisions were gone and we had no fuel left, nor was there 

 any chance of getting any seal. 



"Victoria strait was practically open imtil the middle of January, and 

 when it did close up the ice was so rough that it was practically impossible to 

 get across to the nearest natives, whom we supposed were on the ice of Simpson 

 strait. Our nearest neighbours to the west were the Kilelairmut, who were 

 at Cambridge bay until early fall, but moved to the western end of Dease strait 

 in December; so as it stood we could not get any help from the natives. 



"In December, I, with a young native whom I had engaged in the summer,- 

 went over to the westward looking for game or the natives, cutting across the 

 land from a bay near Cape Adelaide, striking due west up to the southern arm 

 of Albert Edward bay, then across to the sea, and as we hadn't seen anything 

 of game I desired to go to the natives. The weather was extremely cold and 

 stormy. After nine days we found the natives in Wellington bay. They were 

 very friendly. They had but little meat or fish and no oil. Most of the houses 

 were in darkness and they could not, it seems, get any seal, and they were 

 fearing starvation and were moving west to the natives of Bathurst inlet, so 

 we had to turn back without obtaining but httle help, a httle dried fish and a 

 few frozen fish. After nine days of the worst kind of weather and travelling 

 I have seen we got home, having left two dogs on the trail and the rest of them 

 so fagged out they couldn't stand up. So we had to put through the winter 

 as best we could, using (naphtha) distillate mixed with moss and ashes for fuel in 

 February. We made three unsuccessful attempts to cross Victoria strait, finally in 

 April I succeeded in getting across and foxmd the natives near the mouth of 

 Sherman inlet. They too had not fared too good during the dark days. Two 

 families were reported to have starved to death in Simpson strait. 



"It seems as if the same conditions prevailed on the mainland side as around 

 Taylor island, Victoria land. The cause of it, as I believe, was that on the 

 8th of October a thaw (after a heavy snowfall) brought over the land a sheet 

 of ice two inches thick in places. It seemed to have driven the game inland. 

 Through the spring and summer all game was scarce. 



"It was the first of September, 1919, before we could get out of this bay; 

 even then it was only after a hard bucking with ice, but once we got around 

 De Haven point we had open sea to the westward. Considering the season 

 too far advanced to make around Point Barrow [in Alaska] we decided to winter 

 in Coronation gulf. . . . We went into winter quarters Kogaryuk [Kugar- 

 yuak]. If I found conditions changed in 1916 there is also as much change 

 in 1919, that is in game. There were not fifty head of caribou landed within 

 a radius of twenty miles,- and it seems, from what I can find out from the natives, 

 that they have been scarce all along the coast. . . . 



"Although there are few islands marked on the chart in Queen Maud's 

 sea I believe they are as numerous as they are in Coronation gulf. They are 

 of a much different formation, mostly all low and rocky and gravel bars formed 

 by ice pressure; some are of considerable size. Lying south of Lind island 

 there is practically a chain of them from the land seen by Rae to the mouth of 

 .Sherman inlet. Amundsen when he sailed through there laid a couple of 

 them on his chart 



"I note quite a distinct difference comparing the people of Adelaide peninsula, 

 the King Wilham land and the Great Fish river with those of Victoria island 

 and Coronation gulf, both in stature, hfe habits, and dialect. They average 

 heavier and taller. Their clothing too is much different from the gulf people. 

 The Natchelengmut [Netsilingmiut] or King WilUam land people are by far 

 the most numerous of the three tribes. In winter time they are on the ice 

 in Simpson strait and to the east of King William land, and the most of them 



