Sled Making
At Kellett Base on Banks Island, "Captain Bernard occupied
most of his time making sledges. Much of the material was obtained by stripping
the ship [Mary Sachs] of her 'ginger work' to secure the hardwood and iron."
In January 1915, "Captain Bernard, a wonderful carpenter, blacksmith and
mechanic in all lines worked as early as Wilkins and as late repairing or making
sledges. His ingenuity and industry were beyond price, for we had no good sledge
except the one used in coming to Banks Island over the ice the previous spring.
Neither did we have any really suitable material for making a new sled, but by
plundering the Sachs of a bit of hardwood here and a strip of iron there Bernard
was able to make us one of the finest sleds we ever used" (Stefansson 1921).
A new sled for the Southern Party was built by Mike Siberia and Ambrose Agnavigak:
"Mike and Ambrose have nearly finished the Nome sled which they started building
a few days [ago] - a hardwood sledge about 14 ft. long. They are using one of
the large deserted Eskimo snow houses for a workshop. Heating it by Primus stoves"
(R.M. Anderson Diary, December 20, 1915, Bernard Harbour)
 
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