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Thoughts through Space – Sir Hubert Wilkins and Harold M Sherman

On November 23rd Sherman recorded at the very beginning of his "session":

"First time-don’t think it imagination-I get strong, urgent feeling which seems to come from you-eager feeling as though you thinking of me few minutes before time for our attempted communication-figuring difference of our time - getting formulated your mind what thoughts send me. You Aklavik-been there over 24 hours- vibrant quality in the air- different attitude of mind- vital concentrated radiation from you . . . You down to business now – mind freer than it has been for weeks. You seem to be in three-story building-men’s rooms down hall- cold and perhaps eight inches of snow on the ground-you make Aklavik in two hops. There seems to be long sloping hill in vicinity of landing field and several cabins on it – or along its base -considerable excitement and interest your doings on part of natives of Ahtavik.   You’ve been to dinner with some officials, men, women-several children in teens present."

What were the facts?

It was the first night I had been absolutely alone and able to relax fully and prepare for our "sitting," and carry through with the experiment.

I had an early dinner with the doctor, his wife, and some nurses from the hospital. The doctor’s daughter and her Eskimo companion came down from their room to visit us. Wanting to keep the appointment with Sherman, I excused myself and returned to my room, checked the time, and sat waiting for the moment when our "session" was to commence.

I did not write down any account of what I would endeavor to send, although had I known then that Sherman was making so many "hits," I would have been inclined to do so. I reviewed the situation – I did not consciously think of the dinner condition, though it would naturally be fresh in my mind.

I was in a two-storied house. It was really two rooms high, but had a windowed attic which made it look like a house of three stories.

We had reached Aklavik in two flights. The village of Aklavik is situated on the sloping banks of a low hill or rise which bounds the river; the river, now frozen over, fronted the houses, and served as a landing field. Eskimos, some of whom I had known years ago when in the North with Stefansson’s Expedition, came to visit me and see the plane - and they brought many of their friends with them. We had unloaded the planes. I had been busy checking over the possibilities and advisability of establishing the radio direction-finding outfit at Aklavik, and comparing that site and its conveniences with possibilities at Baillie Island, where there would be fewer conveniences.

Sherman had received all of these conspicuous matters, and had given a good description of Aklavik.