When we boarded the Pelican, which, by the way, is an old British
cruiser, we were received by Mr. Peter McKenzie, from Montreal, who
has superintendence of eastern posts, and Captain Lovegrow, who
commanded the vessel. They told us that they had called at Rigolet on
their way north and there heard of the arrival of Richards, Pete and
Stanton at Northwest River. This relieved my mind as to their safety.

We spent a very pleasant hour over a cigar, and heard the happenings
in the outside world since our departure from it, the most important
of which was the close of the Russian-Japanese war. We also learned
that the cause of delay in the ship's coming was an accident on the
rocks near Cartwright, making it necessary for them to run to St.
Johns for repairs; and also that only the fact of the distressful
condition of the Post, unprovisioned as they knew it must be, had
induced them to take the hazard of running in and chancing imprison-
ment for the winter in the ice.

Mr. McKenzie extended me a most cordial invitation to return with them
to Rigolet, but the Eskimo pilots had brought news of large herds of
reindeer that the Indians had reported as heading eastward toward the
Koksoak, the river on which Fort Chimo is situated, and I determined
to make an effort to see these deer. This determination was coupled
with a desire to travel across the northern peninsula and around the
coast in winter and learn more of the people and their life than could
be observed at the Post; and I therefore declined Mr. McKenzie's
invitation.

Captain James Blanford, from St. Johns, was on board, acting as ship's
pilot for the east coast, and he kindly offered to carry out for me