286 THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE KARLUK 
allow their being taken off the island. To this in¬ 
quiry I replied: 
St. Michael’s, Alaska, 
May 30, 1914. 
Hon . G. J. Desbarats, 
Naval Service, Ottawa , Canada . 
Russian ice-breakers Taimir and Vaigatch soon 
make annual exploring trip north coast Siberia. 
Strongly advise you try arrange Russian Govern¬ 
ment these vessels relieve men. Vessels wintered 
Vladivostock but may have already left for north. 
Failing this arrangement another Russian ice¬ 
breaker Nadjeshny lying idle Vladivostock might 
be obtained. Another chance United States reve¬ 
nue cutter Bear now in Bering Sea. Possible ar¬ 
rangements United States Government. If Bear 
goes should seek convoy Russian ice-breakers. No 
other available vessels these waters. My opinion 
July or early August before ice breaks up around 
Wrangell though seasons differ. Plenty bird 
other animal life island good Eskimo hunter should 
not suffer food. I want go relief ships. Russian 
ships have wireless can get in touch with them if 
already at sea. 
Bartlett, Captain. 
The Bear , as I have mentioned before, had been 
one of the ships to rescue the survivors of the Greely 
expedition thirty years before. I had never made 
a trip in her but I knew what kind of ship she was. 
Built in Scotland in the seventies for the New¬ 
foundland seal-fisheries, she was considered a crack 
sealer for that period and made many successful 
voyages. In 1883 the United States Government 
