Wandering arctic hares, reindeer, and musk-oxen never attempt to regale themselves on tin cans or wooden boxes.
I went ashore and walked over to Shelter River, living over again the experiences there in 1906, when, during my absence at Cape Thomas Hubbard, Captain Bartlett--for he was then, as now, the master of the _Roosevelt_--had tried to drive the ship south from her exposed position at Cape Sheridan to a more sheltered place in Lincoln Bay, where I was to rejoin them.
At Shelter River, the _Roosevelt_ had been caught between the moving pack and the vertical face of the ice-foot, receiving almost a fatal blow.

She had been lifted bodily out of the water, the stern-post and rudder smashed into kindling wood, and a blade ripped off the propeller.
Everything was landed from the vessel in the expectation that when the ice slacked off and she settled into the water, she would be leaking so badly it would be impossible to keep her afloat.
Bartlett and his men worked manfully in stopping the leaks, as far as possible; and when the pressure from the ice was partially released, the ship was floated.

But she lay there nearly a month, and twice during that time even the rigging of the ship was landed, when it seemed impossible that she could survive.
Here at Shelter River I had found the _Roosevelt_ on my return from "farthest west." A new rudder was improvised, and the crippled and almost helpless ship floated around into Lincoln Bay, whence she finally limped home to New York.
After an hour of retrospection at this place I walked back to the ship.
Borup and MacMillan had also gone ashore, in the hope of obtaining game but had not found any.

It was a dull, raw, overcast day and MacMillan, Borup, the doctor, and Gushue, the mate, amused themselves by target-shooting with their Winchesters.
The next day was seemingly endless, and still we lay there at Lincoln Bay, with a strong, raw, northeast wind blowing steadily and with increasing violence.

The edge of the moving pack was only a few yards from the ship, but we were fairly well protected by large pieces which had grounded outside of us.