814* THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE KARLUK 
back so soon. Then I began to fear that perhaps 
she had broken her propeller and was now taking 
advantage of the favoring wind to put for Bering 
Strait and Alaska. 
I watched her as she drew nearer and nearer; then 
she hove to and we were soon alongside. I looked 
sharply at the men on her deck; her own crew was 
fairly large, but soon I could pick out Munro and 
McKinlay and Chafe, and of course the Eskimo 
family, and I knew that our quest was over. A 
boat was lowered from the Bear , with Lieutenant 
Miller in charge; I obtained permission from the 
captain to go along and was soon on board the 
King and Winge , among the Karluk party. 
“All of you here? 5 ’ was my first question. 
McKinlay was the spokesman. “No,” he an¬ 
swered; “Malloch and Mamen and Breddy died on 
the island.” 
There was nothing to be said. I had not really 
expected to see the mate’s party or the Mackay 
party, for I had long since ceased to believe that 
there was any reasonable chance that they could 
have got through to a safe place, but though it was 
hard to be forced to what appeared the inevitable 
conclusion in their case, it was an especially sad and 
bitter blow to learn that three of the men whom I 
had seen arrive at Wrangell Island had thus reached 
safety only to die. 
