stefansson-wrangel-09-32-009v

226 THE ADVENTURE OF WRANGEL ISLAND

day on the ice and, although he saw several seals, he did
not get a shot. While duck hunting at the mouth of the
river near camp I killed another seal in the water with
the shotgun, which immediately sank.”

At this time the hunting was going very well. On
July 4th “Maurer got three seals. Galle killed five seals,
three of which he secured. Total six seals. . . , As a
sealing place this is getting better all the time.”

Between July 7th and 12th Knight made a trip east
along the south coast and north along the east coast to
the northeast corner of the island, visiting the two camps
occupied by the Karluk crew in 1914, Rodgers Harbor
and Waring Point. Apart from ordinary weathering, he
found everything as our men abandoned it. The tents
had been left standing at Waring Point, but had natu-
rally collapsed since.

On this journey Knight encountered one of the largest
streams of the island, Skeleton River. On the way
north he was able to avoid it by an ice bridge just outside
the mouth, but when he came back he found that this
had melted. Thinking he might find a shallow place
somewhere inland, Knight traveled west along the north
bank of the stream seven hours, but found no ford.
“Occasionally I tried likely looking places for a crossing
and, although I found places that I do not think were
more than shoulder deep, the current was so rapid that
to keep one’s footing was impossible. Finally I decided
to swim the river, so, putting my kodak, films, matches,
etc., in a pair of water boots, across we went. I did not
put my trusty watch in the water boots. It stopped then
and I lost track of the time. After traveling about five
hours more through snow, mud and water, I reached the
camp site at Rodgers Harbor. Had a sleep and rest, then