The San Francisco call., 1898-04-09

included in the outfit and an American ensign added to float from the mast head
 l loaded the sled with provisions to last us for fifteen days, in which time I expected to arrive at Point Hope, only allowing myself the same amount per day that all the men were getting two scant meals a day and frozen fish for my dogs.
 Everything being ready, my sail put up and the flag fluttering from the masthead, we shook hands all around, received lots of good wishes and en- couragement, and started on my trip toward civilization, all hands giving hearty cheers until was out of sight. l left Point Barrow at 12 m. on Oc- tober 22. my first objective point be- ing to get to the Belvedere and get from her a boat compass, a rifle for the natives, rifle and shotgun for my own use, parallel ruler, pair of di- viders, and chart, and a portable stove, which the blacksmith of the Orca was making for me.
 The first stop was made at the refuge station, now in charge of Michael Heeney, who is making an Arctic col lection of curios for the Smithsonian Institution. A number of shipwrecked officers are being sheltered and cared for by MT. Heeney He insisted on us having lunch with him, photo- graphed the outfit and off we started. About a mile farther south we met Dr, Drigs and his wife.
 Our outfit was photographed again, and the doctor prepared lot of lini- ment and medicines in case it would be necessary to use them. They wished me godspeed on my journey, and that night we camped at native village called Simroe. Left the enext morning at 5 o'clock. and reported the ship in time for supper, the actual travelling time from the point being seventeen and a half hours.
 The morning I left Point Barrow MT. Brewer had received news from the ships to the eastward and had succeed ed in getting six dog teams, and it was his intention to get Dr. Driggs to ac- company him to this fleet, as there were several that needed the doctors attention. He was also taking back with him all the men necessary to watch the ships.
 The steamers Fearless, Captain James McKenna, and the steamer Newport, Captain G. B. Leavett, were about sixty miles to the eastward of the point, five miles off shore and in heavy ice. The tender Jeannie, Cap tain P. H. Mason, was about fifteen miles still further to the east and about the same distance from shore. The bark Wanderer was about ninety miles west of Herschel Islands, but did not learn her exact position.
 The general opinion was that the entire fleet would be either ground to pieces or else carried away by the ice, but no lives would be lost.
 Our tent having been made and ev- erything finished, I left the Belvedere on the morning of October 26, being cheered by my shipmates as far as I could hear them, and that night camp ed at Point Belcher.
 We made an early start the next day and that night camped at Wainwright Inlet, and on the night of the 18th camped at Icy Cape. As the wind was blowing hurricane from the southeast we remained in camp all day, but man. aged to get an early start on the mOrn- ing of the 30th.
 The heavy wind had blown all the snow from the shore, and soon after starting came to water along the shore, so were compelled to go out on the ice. At one time we were eight miles from the beach. It was hard travelling that day, as the ice was rough and we had to go over considerable young ice.
 We kept trying this ice all the way with an ax to see if 1t was strong enough to sustain our weight. We tried this once too often and lost the ax, and was compelled to cut fuel with my