The sun., 1919-05-04
Story of the Evcntful Journey From
Victoria Island to the Mainland, Dur
ing Which Seal Supplies Food
When the Supply Runs Out

preaching and the ice in the open sea
could be expected TO break up with a
strong wind at any time and to float
to the westward, carrying US off with
it. But following the coast any farther
was very much out of the way. and
besides / had special reason for
wanting TO cross the straits just at
their western ends. where the charts
place Clerk Island"
Looking Tor an Island.
On our way east along the coast of
the mainland the year before We had
kept keen lookout for Clerk Island,
but had failed 10 see It, According
to the account of its discoverer, Sir
John Richardson, il is a good sized
island lying not more than twelve
miles off the mainland shore. 1t hap
pens that on this part of the main
land the Melvill mountains are near
the coast, and 1t had therefore been
an easy thing for me to climb a few
hundred feet into their slopes for the
purpose Of sweeping the sea ice with
my glasses. The weather on this por-
ton of our eastward journey had for
tufateiy been clear, and although the
mountains of Victoria Island itself,
sixty miles away, were clearly visible.
there was no sign OF Clerk Island. al
though under the conditions OF visibil-
ity which we had should have been
able to see an Eskimo camp had 1t
been no farther offshore than Rich
ardson describes Clerk Island as be-
ing.
pfr al
in my mind that Clerk Island did not
exist, and l was anxious TO put the
matter beyond doubt by crossing now
in direct line from Cape Kendall"
to Point Kinney. which should take
us across the site of Clerk Island.
A Delay in Meal Hours.
As the common seals were not yet
out, we decided that II we took to the
leo of the straits with our sled empty
OF meat Gas II already was, for we
had finished all we had taken with US
OF the seal killed two days before), We
should probably starve. for none but
common seals could be expected any
where over five miles from shore. We
were sailing so close to the wind IN
the matter OF provisions, on account
OF the weight of our load. that any
untoward circumstance such as bad
weather was sure to bring us to grief.
1t happened here that the weather
remained unfavorable, cloudy. and
with snow squalls. We camped for
two days without being able to secure
anything to eat. OF course We knew
the tide was bound TO turn soon, and
the matter caused US no anxiety cx-
cent that the season was advancing
and each day the crossing OF the
straits would become more and more
dangerous.
The third day dawned bright and
clear, and by o'clock in tho morn
ing the snow was thawing all around
us. This was the first thaw we had
seen in Victoria Island. With the
coming out of the sun the seals came
out also, and Natkusiak and ! soon
had one each. BY the middle OF the
afternoon MAY 26) we were on the
road TO the mainland, heading dir~~t
for Point Tinney, and taking our
course from q conspicuous mountain
on the mainland which We knew from
the year before.
A Conservative Explorer.
1t is possible moro than half a CEN
fury after the event. and long after
the death Of the distinguished explorer
naturalist who first described thu
mainland shore of Dolphin and Union
Straits, to read his psychology. to an
extent, ss though the man himself
were with us, by comparing his print
ed account with the, facts. lie was
evidently vigorously truthful in mat
tiers Of fact, but conservative" In his
judgments. II he says tho formation
is red sandstone. one may be sure It Is
sandstone. and red; II he were to say he
measured a stratum and found 1t ten
feet thick. should feel sure 1t was
ten feet tack; but II 20 says ne esli-