Dr. C.C. Birchard's film documenting activities onboard the Nascopie, governmental Arctic patrol and mail ship and Arctic trader for the Hudson's Bay Company, on her 1935 Eastern Arctic Patrol. The patrol itinerary and personnel, as stated in Birchard's hand-typed intertitles, includes the following: Labrador, Hudson Strait, Hudson Bay, Baffin Island, Devon Island and Ellesmere Island; personnel: Major David L. McKeand, Department of the Interior, Commander C.T. Beard, Royal Canadian Navy for the Department of National Defense, W. M. McLean, Post Office Department, Physicians: Dr. Arthur Richard, Dr. Cecil C. Birchard, and Dr. I.M. Rabinowitch, C.H. Ney, Geodetic Survey, Douglas Leechman, anthropologist, D.A. Nichols, physiographer, W.J. Brown, entymologist, and Major T.V. Sandys-Wunch, superintendent, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Scenes and activities include: ice flows; Port Burwell, Hudson Strait, RCMP officers and Inuit cross a mile of pack ice to board the Nascopie; taking supplies ashore to the HBC post and police post equipment to the ship since police post will be closing; Major McKeand and Silasi, a male Inuk from Inukjuak (formerly known as Port Harrison) who has been under arrest for a few years; view of the Nascopie; the Fort Garry, HBC's diesel auxiliary schooner has a heavy cargo from the Nascopie, and starts for Ungava Bay points; Lake Harbour, South Baffin, where Dr. Birchard examines an Inuk man on deck of the Nascopie, and where he has found cases of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis in this region; Inuit (Eskimo) encampment at Lake Harbour, where the white fox catch has been poor; Inuit men and boy with Nascopie personnel at Eric Cove [sic] near Cape Wolstenholme; an Inuk (Eskimo) paralyzed below the waist, spends much time in his kayak; unloading freight at high tide; close-up of tattooing on face of Inuk woman; kayak at Inukjuak (formerly known as Port Harrison); Kimpey, a dog from Hudson Strait and his RCMP master; three Inuit men laying downon deck of Nascopie, undergoing basal metabolic rate (BMR) tests for tuberculosis; Leo Manning, manager at Povungnituk and one of the best Inuktitut interpreters, doubles as technician to help with tests; Glaucous gulls; carrying 60 pound cargo cases ashore; Dr. Birchard's intertitles describe his medical views on health concerns of Inuit at Inukjuak such as eye and eye lid disease and decaying teeth; residents of Inukjuak came aboard the Nascopie to enjoy a meal; Churchill, Manitoba; rescue of Eddie Harris near Churchill; Inuit women at Chesterfield Inlet, chewing seal hide; ice slide on iceberg at Davis Inlet; Florence Smith and friend kayaking; Inuit in front of tents at Clyde River; dogs; and boat full of Inuit approaching Nascopie. <11mn 36s>
