The sun., 1919-05-04
By VILHJALMUR STEFANSSoN.

by NlLHJALMOk , lEFANSSON.
4 LAY nth We had said good-by
MI to the last Eskimo We saw
- IN Victoria Island. Their
camp lay little west Of the middle of
Prince Albert Sound. Although it
must have been nearly two months
since they started with loaded sledges
on the eastward journey from their
winter hunting district on the south
east shore Of Banks Island. they We're
still living chiefly on supplies OF polar
bear meat brought with them; but the
time had come for them to start the
caribou hunt.
Some of their friends already had
moved into tho mountains to the north
that separate Prince Albert Sound
from Mimic Inlet, and 1t was the in
tent!on OF those last three families
with whom we had been visiting to
follow them northward the day after
our departure. AS a matter Of fact,
they would have gone even sooner
had It not been for our visit.
think 1t was Cape Back on Vic
toIia Island for which we headed on
leaving the Eskimo village. The
charts were not very accurate here.
any more than anywhere else in the
Arctic, and It is only tho most con-
splcuous points that one can certainly
identify. After travelling for about
four hours we camped to give me
chance to enter in my diary more
fully the varied information of which
I had taken only hasty notes during
cur stay with the people.
Caribou Moving Northwest.
IN something like twelve miles Of
travel this day We must have crossed
at least Ave hundred caribou tracks.
but most OF them were over week
old. The general direction In which
the trails led was approximately
northwest. We saw only three bands,
Of eight, seven and three animals, re-
spectiYely. All Of them were too wild
10 allow us a close approach, although
Natkusiak fred two or three vain
shots at one of tho bands.
We saw no seals either. 1t was as
vet TOO early for the common seal
eactida) to appear on top or the icc'
and the bearded seals frequent III gen
Ell only the neighborhood Of land.
,ce expected that tomorrow on our
approach to land We should see some
q them.
Our sled was so heavily loaded with
to chronological specimens purchased
and the geological ones picked up on
Victoria Island that 1t was impossible
for US to haul much meat with US.
Our second day, therefore, found us
- xxr11n aNrOThinR
expectations, on approaching within
about seven miles of Cape Back VIC
saw a bearded seal lying beside tide
crack out OF which it had hauled IT
ef.r, II was an especially wakeful
animal and it took Natkusiak over
Two hours to make a successful ap-
proach. AS neither the dogs nor our
selves had had quite enough to eat In
the morning. we camped near where
the animal was killed and allowed
the dogs to gorge themselves.
Hewed Roads with Axe.
From Cape Back until We rounded
Hano Barring We had rougher Ice than
we wore used 10 and our heavy and
nnKy load made the going somewhat
difficult. Here and there we were
'nrced to use an axe which we had
aIonS with US for the purpose OF road
making. and 1t sometimes took us an
nour to make fifteen or twenty yards.
between Cape Barring and what the
admiralty chart calls "Cape Kendall"
me Ice also was rough, and moreover
the weather was so thick with falling
snow and fog that we could seldom see
"0re than a few hundred yards.
N"oh We reached Cape Kendall"
W. mad come TO the point from which
T traverse OF the western end of
uoIphln and Union straits had to be
o,E1n. Following the island coast
",ound toward Point Williams. where
e"e straits were narrower. might have
oeeh The safer thing tn do at this sea-
~" OF the year. for spring was ap-