stefansson-wrangel-09-32-011r

THE FIRST WINTER AND SECOND SUMMER 229

not infrequently and snow occasionally. There is no
complete weather record, but on August 11th Knight
mentions, for instance, “When I arose the ground was
covered with about two inches of snow, which soon
melted.” He evidently found it a very strange summer,
having experienced among the eastern islands so much
more sunshine and warmth at the corresponding season
even several hundred miles farther north.

The hunting at this stage was generally successful,
although the amount of game was not large. But spells
of bad luck are inevitable in hunting, and on August
20th “a large bear was spotted about a mile to the west
on the beach coming this way. Crawford, Maurer and
Galle set out intending to hide near the other side of
the river and wait for him to come up. But the bear
started up the west side of the river and Crawford and
Galle took after him. The bear saw them and the last
we saw of him was a white streak going north.”

It was now that the lack of the Eskimo skin boat
(umiak) began to be felt. August 29th was “a beautiful
day, but cold... A great many walrus heard off-
shore, but too far away to be seen and too far to go after
because of the ice.” This ice, which was insuperable to
men with a dory, would have been almost an advantage
to the same party equipped with a light, stronger, more
portable but equally seaworthy umiak. During the
next two or three days the walrus were continually heard
snorting, but were usually either beyond the horizon or
hidden by the ice.

On September 2nd “about 6 P. M. two walrus were
seen on a small cake of ice about a mile southeast of
camp. All hands with the dory went after them and we
landed on a large cake about 150 yards northwest of