IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

1.0 !ri^ 11^

I.I

1.25

'^ lii 1 2.2

It.

■- R'O

y. 1116

Pholo^'tiphic

Sciences
Coipurdlion

^. '^

91 WHT MAIN (TMIT
WHITIRNY MSIO

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHM/ICIVIH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Inttltuta for Historical Microraproductiont / inttltut Canadian da microraproductiont historiquas

Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et btbliographiques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.

D
D
D

D
D

Coloured covers/
Couverture de couleur

Covers damaged/
Couverture endommagde

Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaur^e et/ou pelliculAe

Cover title missing/

Le titre de couverture manque

Coloured maps/

Cartes g^ographiques en couleur

Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/
Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleuo ou noire)

Coloured plates and/or Illustrations/
Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur

Bound with other material/
RellA avsc d'autres documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/

Lareliure serrAe peut causer de I'ombre ou de la
distortion te long de la marge intirleure

Blank leaves added during restoration may
appnnr within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se p»ut que certalnes pages blanches 9|outAas
lors d'une restaurntlon apparalsaent dans le texta,
mall, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas At* fllm«M.

L'institut a microfilm* la meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a *t* possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui pouvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une
modification dans la m*thode normale de filmage
sont indiqu*s ci-dessous.

D
D

n
n

D
D
D

Coloured pages/
Pages de couleur

Pages damaged/
Pages endommag*es

Pages restored nnd/or laminated/
Pages restauries et/ou pellicul*es

Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
Pages d*color*es, tachet*es ou piqu*es

Pages detached/
Pages d*tach*es

Showthrough/
Transparence

Quality of print varies/
Qualit* InAgale de I'lmprassion

Includes supplementary material/
Comprend du materiel supplAmentaIre

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
Blips, fisauas, etc., have been ref limed to
ensure the best possible Image/
Les pages totalemant ou partiellement
obscurcle. par un feuillet d'errata, una palure,
etc, ont itA fllmAas A nouveau de fagon A
obtanir la mellleure Imago possible,

Additional comments:/
Commentalres supplAmantalret;

This Item Is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Co document est fllmi au toux do rAduotlon Indiqu* cl doitoui.

10X

14X

18X

22X

2«X

30X

12X

lex

20X

24X

28X

32X

ills

difier

jne

lage

The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:

National Library of Canada

The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.

L'exemplaire filmd fut reproduit grSce d la
g6n6rosit6 de:

Bibliothdque nationale du Canada

Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le
plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et
de la nettetd de l'exemplaire filmd, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.

Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the fro-^t cover and ending on
the last page with a prioted or illustrated impres-
sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.

Les exemplalres orlginaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprimde sont film6s en commengant
par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la
derniire page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second
plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplalres
orlginaux sont filmds en commenpant par la
premiere page qui comporte u;ie empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par
la derniire page qui comporte une telle
empreinte.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol — ^ (meaning "CON-
TINUED "I, or the symbol y (meaning "END ").
whichever applies.

Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la
derniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le
cas: le symbole —^ signifie "A SUIVRE ', le
symbols V signifie "FIN".

Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at
different reduction ratios. Those too large to be
entirely Included in one exposure are filmed
beginning in the upper loft hand corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diagrams Illustrate the
method:

Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre
fllmAs 6 des taux de reduction diffirents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre
reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est filmA A partir
de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite,
et de haut en bas, on prenant le nombre
d'Images nAcessairo. Los diagrammos suivants
illustront la mAthodo.

rata

olurt,

ilX

OUR NORTH LAND.

Bniwr, hu CHTuHh'Ibr'mR NORTH LANt, j

TRACK CHART,- CANADIAN GOVERNMENT

H TiiM/v lor OUR NORTH LANf, |

DVERNMENT

iSONS BAY EXPEDITION 1554

;

OUR NORTH LAND:

BEING A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE

CANADIAN NORTK-WEST AND HUDSON'S BAY ROUTE,

TOGETHER WITH

A NARRATIVE OF THE EXPERIENCES OF THE HUDSON'S HAY

EXPEDITION OF 1884,

INCLUDING

A b-SCRU'TION OF THE CLIMATE, RESOURCES, AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF

THE NATIVE INHABITANTS BETWEEN THE 50TH PARALLEL

AND THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

By CHARLES R. TUTTLE,

0/ the Hudson's Bay Expedition, author of the ^^Illustrated History of the Dominion"

Etc., etc.

illuatratcb luith JHape iinb ©ngrabin ^ j.

TORONTO :
C. BLACKETT ROBINSON, s JORDAN STRKET

1885,

TUT) Le r /<{

Entered according to Act of Parliament of Ganaila, in the Year one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-five, by C. Blackktt KoniNSON, in the office of the Minister of
Agriculture.

PREFACE.

?HERE is no portion of the Dominion of which so little is generally
known as " Our North Land," a term which I have applied to that
vast expanse of territory stretching from the Atlantic to the
a^J Pacific, and from the fiftieth parallel to the Arctic Circle ; and
yet I venture to say that there is no other part of the continent which
presents a greater variety of interesting features — features interesting
to the student of imtural history ; to the lover of travel, romance, and
adventure ; to the man of business, on the look out for opportunities of
profitable trade and commerce ; to the miner and prospector ; to the
promoters of railway and steamboat lines ; to the student of meteorology ;
and especially to the young, who should improve every opportunity of
extending their knowledge of the physical geography of their own country.

The following pages are founded chiefiy upon the experiences of the
Canadian Government Expedition to Hudson's Bay and Strait ; Mr.
Klotz's overland Expedition to Hudson's Bay ; Dr. Bell's Hudson's Bay
Explorations ; the Travels and Explorations in the North-West of Dr.
Selwyn, Mr. Marcus Smith and many others, and the Travels and
Experiences of the Author.

I have endeavoured, from the information thus obtained, to give an
account of the vast resources of the region in question, to describe the
industri(!8 now in active operation, and to point o'lt tlio possibilities of
their future development. Tlie export from the products of the oil-bearing
animals of the waters of Hudson's Bay alone amounts, at the present
time, to over $150,000 annually, and may bo increased to five times that
amount ; in many districts the fur trade is yet in its infancy ; and tlio cod,
salmon, and trout fislu^ries oiler large and sure returfts to almost any extent
tliat capital and labour can bo found to develop them.

vi.

Preface.

In a description of the habits and customs of the native inhabitants,
and an account of the adventures of traders, whalers, navigators and
missionarie'^, I have not avoided a certain degree of romance, with which
these narratives are necessarily interwoven. But the reader must not
mistake this for fiction, which has been rigidly excluded.

In a discussion of the question of the practicability of the proposed
Hudson's Bay route as a commercial highway, I have brought to bear upon
the subject all the evidence obtainable, and left the reader to judge for
himself, whether or not, in the near future, the necessities of trade will
find a successful channel of transportation from China and Japan to
Europe across the American Continent by way of the waters of Hudson's
Bay and Strait ; and whether or not these waters will become a successful
outlet for the products of the Canadian North- West.

I have been actuated by the belief tliat the information convcsyed in
these pages will be a contribution, more or less valuable ; that the work
will aid in bringing the vast resourcos and future pos8il)ilitieH of the
Dominion to the attention of the world ; and serve, also, to entertain and
amuse, as well as to extend, in a limited degree, the knowledge of tlie
reader.

OUAS. R. TuTThB.

WiNNiPKo, January, 1885.

CONTENTS.

Chapteb I.

THE ATTKAOTI()>f OF THK NORTH.

PAOB.

Tho North- VVostorly Trond of Civilization — A Quostioii of TriuiBportation —
Tho Canadian Pacific Railway and tiio North- West — i'roposod Now
Transcontinental Lino 17

Ohai'tkr IJ.
THK Hudson's hay kxpkdition.

Tho Question of tho Hudson's Bay llouto in tho liouao of Coniuions — Tho

Soloot Coniinittoo — Tho Evidonco— Doi)arturo of tho Expedition 26

Ohai'tkr III.

THIC LAIIUADOR.

Blano Sablon -Tho Iceborgs — Tho Poojtlo and PursuitB of tho Labrador

— Tho Noptuno in a Wind Storm 37

Chaj'tkr IV.

THK MORAVIAN MIHSIONS.

'Ford's Harbour — Tho Lono Vishorwoniaii Holi^ion and Husincss- Tho
Christiaui/od Kskinio -A Curious Huriai (irounil — Tho Moravian Church
—Tho VilhvKo of Nain 43

• OHAI'TKR V.

THK WONHKRS OK NACHVAK.

Tho Ktornal Hiiow-oniwui'd IIIIIh of Naohvak A Dosolato Hudson's Kay

I'ost (Irand Natural Hconory Skynnor's Covo r.t. lluniford's Cavo.. . . 51

OUAITKH VI.
TAI'M OHlM)t,HY. — rOHT IM'RWRI.Ii.

In Hudson Strait -Pisoovtwy of a Maifuiltoont Haiixmr Tho flrandour
of Mo Lolan Strait Thu Ruins of NownuuK*' Tho Kskinio - An HJskinio
Ciilof and i'rinuoss nS

OUAITKR VII.

IN IIOlmON HTHAIT.

ClooKraphv of tlio Strait Looking for ii Harbour in lloavy W(<atli(>r A
lllin(iiu^ AuKunt Snow Htoriu Itusoluliou island Tumporarily Aban-
donod - Runnini; tho loo lloos noar Mi^ Island . . , <17

Vlll.

Contents.

ClIAPTKK VIII.

NOKTH BLUFF — AHIIE's INLET.

PAQB.

Visit from. Huskies — Strange Account of a Shipwreck — Getting Information
Through an Interpreter — Trading with the Natives — Ice Jams— Bad
Weather — A Monster Iceberg 72

Chapter IX.

PKINOE OF WALEH SOUND. '

Interesting Interview with an Eskimo— The Marriage of a Native heauty —
Trading with f'^j Huskies — Tlie Romance of Love-Making — How a
Bravo Wins a Bride in the Far Nortii 77

Ohaptkh X.
htupakt's hay station.

CharacteristicH of tlio Eskimo— Description of tlio Kayak— The Difliculties
of Inhind Travi'l— The "American Man" — Eskiino Vilhiges- Articles of
Tra(Ut 80

Chaptf.h XI.

<tIlJKOTS OF OIlSKUVINd STATIONS.

Meteorological Work to \w Done — IVroveiiu^nls of Ico, Tides, etc., to ho
keconled — Terrestrial iMagnttiMu — Tlu' Variation of the Oompass--
Dip of the Magnetic Needle, etc 03

('lIAVTF.U XII.
FKIHTIM) FIKI.D-It'K.

No SunHliine Kamming Ice Vans — Layiiiy; to in Field-ice All Night- Ap-
proaching Salishury and Nottingliam IslandH The Neptune's Propeller
Mrokeu- Desolate Api)earance of Nottingham 1)8

OlIAPTKU XIII. •

AdllOHM HUDMON'h It.W.

Fighting the Ice at Nottingham — An I'nHUci'eHMful Altem|il to Find a llarhour
on Manntitdd iHliind Mho on Soutliaiiiplon Island- -A I'luaHant Voyage -
Singular Formation Arriveil at Miuhle hland 105

ClIAI'TKH XIV,
TUK STOKV or MAItlll.l': ISLANt).

A DeHoIalti (Irave-yard MoiiumenlH with Ilistorit'S Wreck of the AumcI
(]il>lm A Taht of Sullering and Death The Lohn (Vf Six U halers in
till) Woloouio— ('uriouH liuiiiH Writing on the Itoekn 110

OlIAl'TKH XV.

KHOM MAKIILK ISLAND TO CllliUCIMLL,

Uain, Wind, Fog and Heavy Seas Untling ami I'itohing, aiul Waiting for
Fine Weatlior-Hea-nioknosii Arrival ut Ohurohill Olioering I'ronpeot. 131

Contents.

IX.

Chapter XVI.

SUNDAY AT PORT CHURCHILL.

PAOK,

Preparations fur Church— Tlio Rov. Mr. Lufthouso— A Curious Courtship
by Piiotos^raph and Lottor -An IntundoJ Hrido Starts from tho Old
Country to Hudson's Bay to Bocomo tlio Wife of a Missionary l"ho
Church and the Sermon — The Dinner at Ciiurchill, etc 120

Chapter XVII.
churchfll i'kople anu industries.

The Half-breeds of Churchill — Their Condition, Habits, etc. — Uncle Sanniiy
and (Jranny Gray — Description of Churchill Villai,'e-Tho Couunerce
and industries of Churchill- Old Fort Prince of Wales \'>i^>

Chaptkr Will.

TIIK ATTRA(;TI()N.S ok VOHK I'A(!T()RY.

An Anchora^o in the Open Water — A Voyaj^o in a York lioat — The Streets
an I Buildings of tins .Ancient MetropoliH nf York — The ('roe Scttle-
inent--(Jreat Kindness of the Hudson's Bay Couiiiany's People- Sick-
ness— Death— A Murder Trial 145

Chaptkr XIX.

AN EX(!ITINil POLAR IIIOAR HUNT.

Fnun York to Cape Di^Kos — A Pleasant Voyai,'e .\crosB the Bay — Kstablish-
miMit of an Observini,' Station at Dium-s -A (ilaneo at Ca|)e Wolsten-
hoinie (Japtiire of Tliret" Polar Bears |)( partnre from Diyi{es .\riival
at i'ort DoBouciiervillo — Weather Notes IM

ClIAI'TKK XX.
ON TIIK HOCKS oK KKSOLUTKtN.

The Homeward .lourney Visit to Ashe's Inlet —Stupart's Bay and I'ort
Burwell .Attempt to Make a Landinu' on Bt'sobiiion Island- I'ast on
the Rocks -Arrival at St. John's, N. K., and llalifa.K, N.S 17.'$

CUAl'TKU

XXI.

'P.USONAI, ANI» IMI'KUSONAI,.

Brief I'oraonal Sketches of Lieutenant (Jordon, Captain Sopj) and Dr Bell —

Their I'oouliarities ,uul CiuiracteristieH.

I HO

CnArri'.it XXII.

OAMK. oil" TMi; Ml Dson's HAY RKtIlON.

The IMarmii^an or Aretio TarlridKe Tlie NVild Dui'Ls and (leese -(Mlier
Wild Kowl-The Charactermties of the Reindi'er or Caribou Singular
Trails and tlharaeteristies of tl\e Polar Bear ISO

ClIAPTKH XXIII.
NOIITIIKRN WIIAI.KH AND WIIAI.INtl.

An Kxeitiim Vocation —llarpooniiin a Wliale The Appearance iiiul llnliils
of tint Whale The Swivel Harpoon «un The Man in the Crow's Nist
--"A I'alll"- A " Flurry" — Ineidenls of Whaling -Value <.f Our
North. Ill Wivtorn 104

Contents.

Chapter XXIV.

THE PORPOISE, THE WALRUS, THE NARWHAL AND THE SEAL.

PAOH.

Character and Value of these Animala — The Porpoise Fisheries — The Walrus-
Hunt — Peculiarities of the Narwhal — Probabilities of a Seal-Breeding
Ground in the Strait— Groat Opportunities of the Oil Industry 202

Chapter XXV.

THE RCONOMIC! FISHES OF HUDSON'S BAY AND STRAIT.

The Wonders of tlie Common Codfish— The Beauty, Tact and Skill of the Sal-
mon — Delicious Trout— -How Fortunes May bo Made in the Hudson's
Bay Fisheries 210

Chapter XXVI.

FUR-IIKARINO ANIMALS.

The Silver, Blue, Grey, Red, and White Foxes— Tiio Ermine— The Marten
—The Otter— The Varying Hare -TJio Lynx— Tlio Wolf— The Wolverine
—The Sable— The Musk ox Tiie Polecat— Tiie Badger— The Mu»k-rat
—The Racoon— The Fur Trade 210

Chapter XXVII.

THK ESKIMO INHAltlTANTS.

Their Origin — Their Coinitry— Appearance and Dress — Dwellings — Occupa-
tion — Imi)lonionts — Food- Moral Character — Beligion — Language —
Population-Marriage, Courtship, etc 280

Chapter XXV III.

NAVIGATION OF HUDSON'S HAY AND STRAIT.

The Discovery and Exjjloratiitn of Hudson's Bay — Hudson Strait— The Tidal
and Other (Jurreiits — Winds and Wind Storms — Meteorological Data —
Fogs — Tem[)eraturo of the Air, etc 238

Chaptkr XXIX.
NAvnuTioN OK Hudson's hay and HTiiKn.—Coutinncd,

Climate— Tomporature nf the Water Vegetation— Comparative Tempera-

t uroB 254

Omaptkh XXX.

NAVKIATION OK HUDSON'S HAY AND STRAIT.

(^tniiinied.

loobergs and Tlioir Origin -Various Kinds of Too Found in Hudson Strait —
lioiial loo -!tH'riuokiu»HH,MovninontHaml Interfcroneo witli Navigation —
The Kox (!liannol Ice — lis ThioknosH and Frecpionoy of Appearance in
the Strait - The Season of Navigation . 259

(■HAl'TEIl XX XT.
NAVKIATION oii Hudson's hay and m'HAir.—Ctnttiiiuvd.

Oharaotnr of the loo in llu<l«on'« Bay — Neither loeborgs nor Arotio loo —
Opinions Favouraldo tn the l*raolioabili(y (if tho Houto by |)r, H, Hell, of
Ottawa l''.xl(>nl and l'rnduotivoii(>HHof tlio lludHon's May Hasin Kudu'o
(h'eat ImportaiK'o of the IIuiIhouh Hay Kouto ax a Commoroial Highway. 2UH

Contents.

XI.

Chaitek XXXII.
THE Hudson's bay route.

PAQH.

Contemplations at Churchill — Tho Transcontinontal Short Lino — Port
Simpson to Churchill— Tho Calgary, Prince Albert and Hudson's Hay
Line — Tho Winnipeg and Hudscjn's Bay Road— Roads from Winnipeg
to the Pacific Coast— Tho Future of Canada and tho North- West —
Government Control of Railways 279

Chaptek XXXIIL

FKOM THE PACIFIC TO HUDHON'h UAY.

From Port Simpson to tho Pino River I'ass— Tho Harbour of Port Simp-
son — The Va)ley of the Skeena -The Forks of tlie Skeeiia -Lakes
Barbino, Stewart, McLnod, etc. -The Pino Rivor Pass Temperature —
Railway Advantages — Resources, etc 286

Chai'teh XXXIV.
FROM THFi PAtUFic TO hudson'.s BAY. — OontiuKed.

From tho Pino River Pass to Churchill -A View of tho (Iroat Fertile Plains
of tho North- West —The Peace Rivur Country Tho Alluvial Plains
of tho Athal)aska— Tho Five Future Provinces of tho Nortli-West—
Transportation — The Hudson'H Ray Route Distances !ilO

Chapter XXXV.
the klotz <)veri,ani) Hudson's iiav expedition.

Tho (Jroat Saskatcliowan Country— The North and South Saskatcliowan —
Tho I'roposed Calgary. Prince Albert and Hudsun's Ray Railway Dis-
tances as (vompared with tiio Canadian Pacilio Railway - Advantages of
tho Route 318

Chapter XXX VL

THE KOI.TZ (»VKRI,AND HI'DHON'h IIAV EXPEomoN. — (\intinuc(l.

From the Forks to Lake Winniiuig- Fort a la Corne — Cumberland Houau
— 'I'lie Pass Ch(Mnaliawin Orand Rapids Tho Characteristies of tho
Saskatchewan 324

Chaptiui XXXVIl.

FIloM I-AKK VVINNIPKO TO IMIDSON's IIAV.

Tho Ntdson River Routti The DaHliiug Rapids of tlm Nelson Norway
llnUHo The Lakes and Islands nt tlie River The Timber The Month
of tho Nulson as a liarbour — Charaeteristics of tho Country 341)

nil.

Chapter XXX VIII.

MEM.'s IIUDHON'h IIAV KX PI.OUATIIINH.

Tho I'^'ast Main Coast of llnilHon's May Vast Tract of Agrieultural Laiidn
Tiying Mel ween I he (heat IjukeM and .lami'H'H Hay Tli(> ('liuiide of (but
Country Minerals <>!' the Kust Main Coast (iunural Fuaturus of tho
Country Timber, etc 308

Xll.

Contents.

Chapter XXXIX.

li.E INDIANH OK THE NORTH.

FAGB.

The Croes and the Chippewayans— The Sioux and the Blackfeet— Thoir
Homes, their Haunts and thoir Habits — Shvves of the Hudson's Bay
Company 375

Chapter XL.

THE OHBAT NOTRH-WEST.

Extent of the i^reat Fortih) Areas— The Five Future Provinces of the North-
VVest— Probal)lo Future of the Central Portions of Canada-- Railways
- The Hudson's Bay Route— Cause of the Agitation and Discontent in
Manitoba 382

Chapter XLT.

the oueat nokti'-west - manitoba.

The Central Province of Canada -Soil and Productions of the Province
— Climate — The Hudson's Hay Route -The (Jrowth and Probable
Future of Winnipet,' and Manitoba ^92

Chapter XLTT.

the ureat noutii-west the terhprories.

Boundaries and Areas of the North West Territoritis --'rcstimony of 'I'ravol-
lers and Eminent Men on (he Extent and Croat Fertility of the
Canadian North-West Tiio Oliiuafo of the Hi<fh Latitudes — The
great Ikead and Meat Produoiii;,' C'ountry 403

Chapter XLIII.

THE (iUEAT NORTH-WE.ST— Con<("nW(/.

Testimony as to the Suitableness of tlie North-Weat for Agriculture and
Stock raising from tho Si-tllers tlumiHoivos— The " Discontent " Ex-
plained —The Resources of tliu North- Wosi 420

Chapter XLIV.

THE NORTH-WEST AND THE HANADIAN PAOIKlC RAILWAY.

The Ehimontary Steps in Canadian National ProuM'ess- -The Advantages of
the Cnnadian Pncifio liuihvay to Canada -Tlio Monopoly Clause and
tlu( People of Manitoba lUundors of the Manitol)a i'remier — The
Hudson's Bay Route 436

CitAn'KR \LV.

FKhERAI, UEI.ATIONH (»!' THE NOHTH-WKHT.

AciiuiHition of the Nortli West Territories Serviotm of Sir Ci>orgo Cartier
aiul llonoural>lo William MeDougall The lied Kiver Rebellion Res-
toration of Peace — Formation of the Provinoo of Manitoba 448

Chapter XLVl.

FMDRUAI, llEliATIo.Ns OK THE NORTH-WEHT — (hnHllHcd.

Manitoba lliglits under the Ibilisb North Ameriea .Act The Canadian
Pacilic Kailway and IMsallotvanee Tiie Manitoba ,\gitation _ Tho
Farmers' Convtintiou PropositioiiH from the Federal lloveriHnont -
Their Uefumvl by tho Legislature— Tho Hudson's Hay (JIuoBtion 463

Contents.

Xlll,

Chapter XLVII.
needed railway competition in the north-west.

PAOK.

The Railway System that ought to bo Encouraged — Lines Competing with

the Canadian Pacitic Railway llociuired — The End of Monopoly 468

Chapter XLVIII.
PROVING thk Hudson's ray route.

Inefficiency of the Stationary Parties to Determine the Period of Navigation
— The Period of Navigation to bo i)r<)vud only by Navigating the
Straits— True Value of Observing Statitms 471

Chapter XLIX.
a propohkd two years' tour.

The Rest Method of Settling the Question of tlio Navigation of the Hud-
Hon's May Route — Necessity of Krocting Heacona and nmkiiig a Survey
of the Coasts —A Winter Expedition Neconsary 477

Chapter L.
opening the Hudson's ray route.

Cost of t;i'< Proposinl Enter])riae — The Lines from Winnipeg and Prince
Albert to (/liurcliill — OnoTIiousand Miles — Twenty Wooden SteiuiishipB
— Twenty ^Llli()ns of DoUiirs - Proijosed Land and Cash Sul)sidy -A
Hudson's May Syndicate Wanted 481

Chapter LL
commeruiai- importan(^e of hudson's hay.

The MuilHon'a May Masiii The Principal Rivera Linnber, Minerala, Oil-
bearing AiiinniN, and Other Productions— Practicability of tlio Hudson's
May Route — CoMuuercial Advantages of the |{oute 4H(5

Chaptkr LTL

TIIK ni'USON's HAY ROUTE SUPI'ORTKD.

The Debate in thu IIouh(> of ('ommona Speech of Mr. Moyal, Mr. Watson,
Mr. (^iHey, Dr. Oilou, Mr. Dawson, Sir.lohu A. MacDonald and Hon.
Mr. Mlake Kailli KxprcHHi'd in the Route — Its Advantagca to the
North-West Ita Importancu to (!anada - I'roposed Expedition 4SM>

Chaptkr LI II.
THM hudhon's may ROUTK. OPI'OSKD.

The Enterprise and Oppoaition of the Toronto Af(ti7 Newapuper Miuatato-
nu»ut of Facts Coiitradieted and Explained Why the Occim Nymph
waa Detaiiu'd — Sirange Detention of tlui Prince of WaUm 'i'he Cam
Owen lltuU the Htrait O[)on Late in Ootobor 617

XIV.

Contents.

I*
il

Chapter LIV.
the question of immigration.

PAGE.

The Exodus from the Countries of Europe — Canada Getting Ready to
Receive a Population — Political and Commercial Union — Millions in
the Old World yet to Come to the Now — British Columbia as a Field
for Immigration — The North- West 628

Chapter LV.
A nobleman's view of the north-west.

A Graphic Description of the Vast Prairie Region — Future Homes of
Millions of People — The Canadian Zone and Transcontinental Trade —
Opinions of the Marquis of Lome — The Future of Canada 53G

Chapter LVI.
immigration and the Hudson's bay route.

Contrast between Travelling from Europe to the North-West by the St.
Lawrence and the Hudson's Bay Route — The Advantages of the Latter
— The Distance Saved and the Pleasures Enjoyed — Proposed Special
Immigration Steamships 554

Chapter LVTL

THE growth of C!ANADA AND IMPERIAL FEDERATION.

Growth in Population, Trade and Commerce — Extention of Territory —
Consolidation — Confederation C'cmonted by the Means of Interpro-
vincial Commerce— The Era of Nation-building — The Great Railroads
— The Hudson s Bay Route — its Advantages to Canada and Great
Britain — Imperial Federation 668

528

INDEX TO ILLUSTllATIONS.

PAon,
Map of Hudson's Bay Rojrion frontispiece.

Map of the Dominion facimj 279

" Apostles' Creed "— Chippewayan .** 131

" Barns," The, Lake Nipegon 303

Beaver 217

Bi' -5k Whale 194

-hippowayan Syllabarium 379

Cod, Labrador 39

Cree Indian Church, York Factory 149

Creo Indians forming for a Dance — York Factory 153

Cree Indian Sylhibarinm 37O

Cumberland House 332

Dead Man's Island— Marble Island 115

Ducks, Wild (Eider, etc. ) 188

Ducks, Wild (" Howdens ") 188

East Main Coast of Hudson's Bay 3(59

Entrance to Richmond Gulf, East Main Coast of Hudson's Bay 371

Ermine 227

Eskimo (Jravo, An (Jl

Eskimo Snow Huts 58

Eskimo Syllabarium 1]86

Fort i\ la Come 827

Foxes, Blue, (iroy, and White >219

Harpooning a Whale 195

Hudson's Hay Company's Post, Urand Rapids 341

Hymn, " Knocking, Knocking," etc. — Eskimo 236

Inside of Stockade, Norway House 340

Kayak, The 88

Ku-killia-ke-a-kuni 82

liabradi (^oat 38

Ijord's I'rayer- Kskimo 236

Martun 220

Mot (led Seal 208

Mouth of the SaskatchowftU 338

XVI.

Index to Illustrations.

\ »

PAOE_

Narwhal and Porpoise 205

Nelson River — Missinaibi River 354

Neptune, The, Steaming through Field-ice 101

Norway House 344

Ocean Nymph, Arrival of — York Factory 147

Old Fort Prince of Wales 141

Old Fort Prince of Wales, Ground Plan of 143

Otter 221

Polar Bear 163

Polar Bears 192

Porpoise (White Whale) 202

Ptarmigan — Grouse 187

Red Fox 218

Reindeer 189

Robinson Portage 358

Salmon 213

Scene on the Nelson River 351

Seals, A Bevy of 206

Stupart's Bay 78

Walrus 203

White Mud Falls, Nelson River 348

Wolf 226

Wolverine 226

York Factory — Side View 151

York P^actory— Front View 156

1 PORTRAITS.

Lieutenant Andrew R. Gordon, R.N 180

R. Bell, M.D., LL.D., F.G.S 183

Alfred R. C. Selwyn LL.D., F.R.S 287

Otto J. Klotz, D.T.S 319

A I'PENDIX.

Lieutenant A. R. Gordon's Roi)ort of the Hudson's Bay Expedition, with
Comments.

CHAPTER I.
The Attraction of the North.

THE north-westerly TREND OF CIVILIZATION — A QUESTION OF
TRANSPORTATION — THE CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY AND THE
NORTH-WEST — PROPOSED NEW TRANSCONTINENTAL LINE.

The world's march of Commerce, and Science, and Skill,
In errands of blessing, their work to fulfil.
Move in the same course— north-westerly still.

RHE directive magnetic force that controls the mariner's
p needle is not a more attractive problem than is the not
less unerring north-westerly trend of human progress.
^ Westward and northward have the marching orders been,
until the people of the present generation must look southward and
eastward for the homes of their ancestors. The greatest deeds have
always been accomplished in high latitudes, because the highest
latitudes produce the greatest men. And yet, strange as it may
seem, the north is always underrated.

Go to the Eastern Hemisphere for examples of this. Half a
century before the birth of Christ, CiBsar concluded a mighty series
of north-west conquests, by subjugating the hardy inhabitants of
the then far north, the British Isles ; but the act was regarded by
the Romans more in the light of erecting the Imperial standard on
the utmost confines of the north, than as a conquest of valuable
territory. A few short centuries and the island camping-ground of
the Roman conqueror became the mistress of the world. Upon
those far northern shores a mighty commerce began to develop, and
vast industrial enterprises grew up, until, in every part of the earth,
England was hailed as the greatest nation under the sun. But

Our North Land.

there was no prophet to foretell England's glory, nor was there
anything in the general appearance of the country upon which a
high degree of future greatness could have been predicted. Lati-
tude is one of the secrets of Britain's importance.

History is ever repeating itself, and the political transforma-
tions of the Old World may yet, to a great extent, be re-enacted in
the New. Here on this continent the trend of all ma.terial progress
is north-westerly. The flow of immigration is north-westerly, and
the Great Creator, as if to make way for the advance, has pushed
back, as it were, the cold of the Arctic nearer to the Pole, and spread
out the vast fertile belt of the North Temperate Zone from the
Great Lakes to the Mackenzie River ; so that may not this England
of the New World yet become to the Western Hemisphere all that
the England of the Old World is to the Eastern ?

For many years Canada has held an obscure place among the
countries of the globe. Our borders have been pictured as the
abode of perpetual snows, and our people as indifferent, easy-going,
indolent. But a change is taking place. The narrow, little, rugged
country on the margins of the St. Lawrence has extended its
borders from Atlantic to Pacific, and to the Arctic Circle of the
north ; the harvest-patches of Western Ontario, once the pride of
United Canada, have blossomed into boundless fertile prairies,
stretching away toward the setting sun, and pushing their golden
fields far above the fifty-fifth parallel. With these changes have
arisen national questions of trans-Pacific and transcontinental trade,
and Canada is putting on the garment of preparation to enter the
race of nations.

Canada's progress is but another evidence of the strength and
productiveness of the north, but another development of power and
commercial importance in higli latitudes, antl it will probably
achieve the greatest advancement to which the race has yet
attained. Canada has soil enough for the happy homos of a
hundred millions of people. Bread and beef may bo produced
within her boundaries to food a hundred millions more ; and, aside
from all this development of husbandry, the resources of the
Dominion will sustain the most gigantic industrial enterprises.

Tiie Attraction of the North.

as there
which a
I, Lati-

Qsforma-
lacted in
progress
erly, and
s pushed
id spread
from the
England
e all that

inong the
d as the
,sy-going,
,6, rugged
mded its
le of the
pride of
prairies,
ir golden
ges have
al trade,
nter the

igth and
l^wer and
irobably
I has yet
Los of a
produced
fid, aside
of the

•n

•jf.

',4!
'§

Commerce, the sure passport to national greatness, is destined to
set up a throne of universal e^npire in Canada, because the immense
volume of transport traffic passing from the eastern shores of China
and Japan to the western shores of Europe, which has hitherto
cast its wealth into the coffers of the United States, will soon seek
the shorter and less expensive routes about to be opened up across
the continent through Dominion territory. It is probably by
solving the one question of transportation that Canadians will
overcome the last obstacle to their material progress, and a solution
of this is already at hand.

I will submit a few figures of distances in this connection, that
will explain to some extent the northward inclination of latitudinal
transportation, and give you the reason why, just now, so many
eyes are turned toward the north; why the Canadian Government
Expedition was sent out to Hudson's Bay and Strait, and why our
north land is destined to attract so much attention in the future.
These figures are given in respect of transcontinental lines and of
lines proposed as direct outlets from the fertile prairies of the
North-West.

If we take Yokohama, a central point in Japan, and Liverpool,
the great commercial centre of Europe, it will bo an easy matter to
find the shortest lines between the two.

LINE NUMBER ONE.

Yokohama to San Francisco (nautical miles) 4,470

San Francisco to New York (statute miles) 3, .390

New York to Liverpool (nautical miles) 3,040

Total navigation and railway distance 10,900

LINE NUMBER TWO.

Yokoliama to Port Moody (nautical miles) 4,374

Port Moody to Montreal, C.P.R. (statute miles) 2,885

Montreal to Liverpool (nautical miles) 3,000

Total navigation and railway distance 10,259

Our North Land.

LINE NUMBER THIIKE.

Yokohama to Port Simpson, B.C. (nautical miles). 3,865
Port Simpson to Churchill, Hudson's Bay (statute

miles) ' 1,450

Churchill to Liverpool (nautical miles) 2,9^0

Total navigation and railway distance 8,275

Route No. 1. — Total nautical and statute miles. .. . 10,900
Route No. 2. — Total nautical and statute miles. .. . 10,259
Route No. 3. — Total nautical and statute miles. . .. 8,276

Difference in favour of No. 2 over No. 1 641

DifTerenco in favour of No. 3 over No. 1 2,625

Difference in favour of No. 3 over No. 2 1,984

These fi<jfiire3 apeak for thomselvea. But look also at the alti-
tudes. Tlio railway portion of route No. .'}, which is by the Pino
River Pas.s, Peace River country, Hudson's Bay, etc., will have for
its highest point, above tlie level of the sea, an altitude of but 2,850
feet, nearly 1,000 feet lower tlmn the highest point of the Canadian
Pacific Railway (route No. 2), and 5,800 feet lower than the
liighest point on route No. 1. But let a comparison be made
between the railway portions of these routes : —

Miles.
No. 1 — San Franoisoo to Now York (Union and

Central Pacifies) 3,390

No. 2— Port Moody to Montreal (C.P.R.) 2.885

No. 3— Port Simpson to (Mmrohill 1,450

I)i(lt!renco in favour of No. 2 over No. 1 505

DifTerfMioo in favour of No. 3 over No. 1 1,940

Diflerenoo in favour of No. 3 over No. 2 1,436

Before referring to the proposed Hudson's Bay rov^U^ m a direct
outlet from the prairies of the North-West, it will bo in keeping
with my pur|)ose to consider the transjpoi'tution issiie as m\ inter-
Provincial ipiestion. There is probably no other counlry undfU" the
Hwn which furnishes a purallel to (Canada in this n^spect. With a
territory stretching from the Allantiu tu the i'acitiu Ocean, and

i'
v'l

i.1.

The Attraction of the North.

duTct

(u>])ing

intor-

iiM" l.h(>

^Vith a

\\, and

from the International Boundary on the south to the Arctic Circle,
Canada contains very divergent interests — interests predicated upon
the physical geography and natural resources of the country, which,
even under the best conducted parliamentary rule, must frequently
clash, setting Province against Province, and section against section;
or, perliaps, more properly speaking, the Provincial against the
Federal authority.

Nova Scotia was the first to apprehend this dangoi* and to
raise this cry. Before Confederation was an accomplished fact, in
18G7, and while the scheme was being agitated, some of the people
of that Province looked upon the promised Intercolonial Railway as
an effort to change the natural channels of commerce. If built as a
Government measure, tliey reasoned, the Government would bo in
duty bound to sustain it by encouraging in every possible way sifch
inter- Provmcial conunerco as would enable Montreal and Toronto in
a great degree to supplant New York and Boston in their trade
relations with Halifax and St. John. The one was a natural
chatmel of commerce, th(^ other artificial. Both were advi.sahle, but
the latter could become .sell -sustaining only undcir a tariff sulHciently
protective to cut off a grrat portion of the shipping trade between
the United States and the Maritime Provinces — a policy which the
people down by the sea have not yet been able to fully reconcile
with their geograpMcal position.

But Confederation was accom])lished, the Intercolonial was con-
structed, and the days of the high tariff were inauginated, not to
protect the railway, but resulting in such protection all the same.
Immediately Nova Seotians began to trade with Montreal and the
oiticis of Ontario, and in such proportion as this was <lone the Inter-
colonial reapeil a biMiclit and the shipping trade between Nova
Scotia and the UnitiMl States suliert'd loss. All this was probably
in the interests of the Doniinion, as a whole, atid possibly for the
ultinuite welfar(> of Nova Scotia, hut many (if (Im* peoph* did n(,t,
for a longtinui.reatlily accept the new situation ; in fact th»>y do not
accept it yet.

History again repeats itself, The ease of Manitoba in 1880
And 1881, in respect of the Pacific llailwny, was very much the

Our North Land.

same in many ways as that of Nova Scotia touching the Inter-
colonial at, and subsequent to, Confederation. For that matter the
respective positions of the two Provinces remain unchanged, and are
likely to continue in the sarpe way for years to come, unless Nova
Scotia finds more than her due in receiving the Atlantic terminus
of the Canadian Pacific, which is improbable. The parallel, how-
ever, is not without its disagreements. Manitoba, in 187H, had but
a small population, and the Province was only beginning to be
thought of as a Held for immigration. The Canadian Pacific Rail-
way, undertaken to connect British (^olumbia, commercially, with
the Dominion, to which it had been united by political ties, seemed
to open up the vast fertile prairies of Manitoba and the North-
West to settlement and cultivation.

The expenditure of large sums of public money, and the richness
of the soil in that region, together with the prospect of early railway
communication between Manitoba and the Eastern Provinces over
Canadian territory, (paused a rush of immigration. In a short time
Manitol>a contained a numerous and enterprising jjopulation, and
Winnipeg was on the road to great coninuTcial importance. Ti»i»
developntent brouglit new conditicms, and cimsetpientiy now ideas,
to the settlers. h\ IH(S() the Syndicate, or C-anadian Pacific Railway
(vonjpany, was brought into legal existence by Pai'lianuMjt, and the
railway transf(>rred to that (-ompany on terms which gave consider-
able alarm in Manitoba, principally on account t)f the so-called
twenty years' monopoly claiisi>,

The p(M)pl(> saw themselves shut out from the markets of St.
J*aul an(l Chicago by the t/anadian proti'ctivc tarilf, as also by the
twt>n(y years' protection to the (^inatlian I'acilic linilway ('onipany,
and lookt^l to a long future subjiu-t to a "grinding monopoly," jis
the mon? violctit w«m(> inclined t(» characterize it. Impati(«nt at this
prospect, nn effort w<is made to secui«> the eonstruction of railway
oonunimication with the United Statrs, by Provincial LegiHlativo
enactment, but the veto powei* of the K(Ml(Mal aiithority was oxer*
oisi'd and the charter disallowed, Following this, tlu' hegislaturo
placed other enactmi'nts un the statute book authorizing the eon-
(Htruotion of linen, contrary to the provisions of the Syndicate

The Attraction of the North.

bargain, and tliese, too, were promptly Jisallowed by the Central
Government.

Meanwhile, discontent in Manitoba was beginning to take root,
Liberal politicians seized upon these acts to prejudice the people
against the Dominion Government, and every effort was made to fan
the discontent into a flame of open defiance of the Federal authority.
In the midst of this agitation Providence visited the farmers with
heavy frosts, and consequent bad harvests. This visitation, together
with scanty railway communication, greatly augmented the feeling
of discontent, which, manipulated by designing politicians, cul-
minated in sevei'al j)olitical n.eetings at which unwise and mislead-
ing resolutions were passed, calculated to discourage immigration
and otherwise greatly injure the Province.

Somehow this agitation ^^ave rise to a movement in favour of
the construction of a railway from Manitoba to Hudson's Bay, or to
the establishment of t\u) Hudson's Bay route from Manitoba to the
markets of the Old World. As far back as bS?!), charters had been
obtanied from Parliament authorizing two such roads ; but nothing
had been done under them, and, until tlw^ beginning of lHiS4, few
people in the North-Wost Ix^came at all interested in the project.
But now the "Hudson's Bay Kouto" became the only streak of
sunshine in the " Manitoba agitation." Resolutions were passed
declaring faith in the practicability of the route, urging tlu)
Dominion Government to grant substantial assistance in opening it,
and re('oiinu(Uidin^^ the Provincial Ijcgislaturo to authorize the Local
Oovernment to undtMtako tho construction of the railway on the
credit of the Province.

Pursuant to the will of tlu^ people, tho Manitoba Goveriunoiit
applied to the Central A<liuinistration for the e.xtension of the
boiuidarioH of tlio Provijice northward to Hudson's Bay. TIun
application was made with a view to bringing th(\ proposed railway
under Provincial authority, but the scheme was met by considentble
opposition and the extension ask(Ml was not granttvj. On the othor
hand, the Dominion (JovernnuMit took the (piestion of tho jiroposed
route into consid(<ration, and di^termined to do (<V(M'ything posNible
to encour«g»> it.

Our North Land.

•

Indeed the Federal Administration was forced into action by the
threatening attitude of Manitoba. True, their hands were already
more than full with a practically bankrupt railway company ; and
not only so, but, as it would seem, any action leading to the
immediate discovery of the practicability of the proposed Hudson's
Bay route might have a tendency to impair the already doubtful
credit of the Canadian Pacific, and in that way embarrass the
country generally, which stood committed and re-committed to the
construction of the Pacific railway. Nevertheless, the people of
Manitoba would not be appeased short of prompt and decisive
action, and made a strong eflfort through their Provincial Govern-
ment to secure such Federal legislation as would bring the matter
within their own control. Hence Parliament voted the funds, and
an Expedition was fitted out to enquire into the navigability of the
waters of Hudson's Bay and Strait.

I do not know how nuich, if any, faith the Federal Administra-
tion had in the possibility of establishini; a commercial highway
over the waters of Hudson's Bay and Strait as a transportation line
for the carrying trade of the (Canadian North-Wcst; b»it, supposing
they had none, they were all the same justified in yielding to the
im|)ortunities of Manitoba, to the extent of investigating the (pies-
tion. In the North-West it was (juite dillerent; there the people,
without a full knowledge of the character of the ice, which might
or might not wholly destroy the navigation of the Strait nine
months in the year, dote»'minod in their own minds that the Maker
of Hudson's Hay had created that vast inter-ocean and |)laced it in
the centre of the ncyrthern portion of the continent for purposes ol"
commercial intercourse lK>tw«H)n thorn and the countries of northern
Europe, and all ice arguments melted before their sanguine faith.
The trend of the mighty streams, including the K(>d and Saskat-
chewan systems, was toward Hudstju's Bay, and tht^ bent of the
pooplo 1'o11ow(m1 the rivers. They romombored that when the
Nortiiern Pacific promoters launched that enterprise they wore
ridiculed and laughe»l at by the Union and Central Pacific people
and the dnion and (Ventral Pacific^ p» ople's friiMids ; they remem-
bered also that when this ridicule and this laughter died away

The Attraction of the North,

under a realized certainty of Northern Pacific success, and when
the promoters of the Canadian Pacific launched that enterprise, they
were in turn ridiculed and laughed at by the Northern Pacific
people and the Northern Pacific people's friends ; and now, as that
ridicule and that laughter are dying away under a realizing cer-
tainty of the Canadian Pacific succet.. nd as the people of Mani-
toba and British Columbia are trying to launch the still more
northern Canadian Pacific as the best route of them all, it has come
to be the .turn of the Canadian Pacific people and the Canadian
Pacific people's friends to ridicule and laugh ; and so the world
moves on, and moves northward.

The people of Manitoba had figured out the distances, and saw
plainly thiit, should the waters of Hudson's Bay and Strait prove
to be navigable for a sufiicient length of time, the farmers would bo
able to reach Liverpool wi< their products hy that route with a
saving of about one thousand miles of railway traffic, or sotno thirty
cents a buHhel on their wheat. The cstablishmvi of such a route
would therefore be an incalculable boon to the iNortli West, would
mark the beginning of an era in Canada, and would guarantee the
development of a vast British Empire north-west of the great
lakes that might one day become the Greater Britain.

i 'I

. !

CHAPTER II.

The Hudson's Bay Expedition.

the question of the hudson's bay route in the house of
commons — the select commitiee — the evidence — depar-
ture of the expedition.

Our work is a step in prof^ress
Of the onward inarch of man ;
Wo open the gates of another road
To the wheels of a mighty van.

'HE question of the Hudson's Buy route was removed from the
\i>'-* recklessness of a misguided agitation in Manitoba to the
House of Commons of Canada where, on the eleventh of
'^^^■^ February, 1884, Mr. Joseph Royal, M.P., of St. Boniface,
moved : " That a select eonnnittee, composed of Messieurs Abbott,
Brecken, Casey, Dawson, Des jardins, Foster, Macmaster, Paint. Rispel,
Ross, Royal, Scott, Watson, White (Cardwell), and Wdodworth, be
appointed to take into consideration the question of the navigation
of Hudson s Bay, with power to send for persons, papers and records."
Mr. Royal supported Ins motion by an able address, in whicli he
th'ew considerable light upon tlie subject of the navigation of our
northern waters, and pointed out the great achnntages the route, if
found navigabl(>, wouhl be to the people of Manitoba. Ho was
followed by the Hon. EdWard Blake nnd the Right Hon. Sir Jolin
A. Macdonald, both of whom siipported the motion, and evinced a
desire that steps should be taken as soon as possible to increase
our knowl(Mlg(M)f the navigation of Hudson Strait. The motion
was adojited, a»ul the committee at once comnumced its labours,
holding its first session on the 22nd of F«>bruary, at which Dr.
Rob(?rt Hell, Senior Assistant Director of the ()(M)logical Survey of
Canada, waH examined at length. Mn had, in the course of his pro-
fessional duties, visited ilie inunediute shores of Hudson's Bay, or the

The Hudson's Bay Expedition.

country surrounding it, each of the six years from 1875 to 1881,
both inclusive, and was therefore in a position to give much
valuable information to the committee. Besides, he had passed
through Hudson Strait, and had been to considerable trouble in
collecting information from others concerning the navigability of
those waters.

Having travelled much over the country, he gave it as his
opinion, based on an extensive knowledge of engineering, that
there were, no great obstacles in the way of the construction of a
railway from Winnipeg to Hudson's Bay. He further stated that
the Bay and Strait were open long enough each year to be utilized
for ordinary commerce, or to the extent of four and a-half months,
and possibly longer. His own language was : " We know them
both to be open for four and a-half months at least ; say, from the
middle, and certainly from the end, of June until the middle of
November." The Doctor gave a full account of the resources of
the Bay and Strait and surrounding country, all of which was
exceedingly favourable to their value.

Statf-Commandor J. O. Boulton, Il.N., was examined on the 9''th
of February. Ho had been to Ungava Bay, but his personal
knowledge of the Bay and Strait was very limited. " What 1
would wish to do," he said, " would be to offer a few stiggestions as to
what I consider the best way to acquire further information, and to
establish the duration of the navigable season, which seems to mo
to be the great object. I should first pro| »so that the Dominion
Oovernment woald hire a steamer — one of the St. John's, New-
foundland, steamers, for instance, which arc always at hand ; and
her captain should lu^ one of the St. ilohn's sealing captains, well
expi^rienced in ice navigation — if possible, the captain of the same
vcHHol — and he should have the selection of his crew ; and if you
want a pilot, the l)omini(m (Jovornment could apply to the Hud-
son's Bay Company for a miin vvlio ha" been in their service.
P(>rhap8 one of the mates of the two vessels, Ocean Nymph and
I'rince of Wales, which go to York Factory now. might bo lent, if
there is no retired man who would i)o suitable and avnilable for tho
work. Tim Hritish Atlmiralty should also bo applied to for a sur-

Our North Land.

veyor. In addition to the gentlemen I have enumerated at present,
namely, the surveyor, the captain, the pilot, and ^ne crew, I think
there should be six or seven small parties taken out in the vessel, to be
landed at points in the Strait hereinafter mentioned, to be left all
winter and picked up in the following spring. These parties should
consist of a Canadian gentleman in charge, with some slight know-
ledge of how to make a local survey and the use of instruments,
with a couple of men, one of whom should be an English-speaking
Eskimo, who, I think, could be picked up at York Factory.
That would make about twenty altogether in all the parties. The
Admiralty surveyor would have charge of the Expedition, and would
select the localities for the landing parties, and direct the course of
the vessel through the Strait, subjoct to the information of the
sailing-master in all matters relating to ice, because the gentleman
from the Admiralty might not be acquainted with the ice, and, if a
surveyor, the chances are he is not. Then there comes the question
of coal for the steamer. The distance from St. John's, Newfound-
land, to York Factory and back, is about 4,000 miles, and the vessel
would probably burn about 450 tons of coal ; therefore it would be
necessary to have a vessel large enough to carry that (quantity
of coal, to take her there and back. 1 think the vessel should
leave St. John's on the 5th of July, arriving at the Strait about the
12th of July. She should then proceed, under the guidance of the
pilot, to York Factory; the surveyor making a running survey and
taking a line of soundings across Hudson's Bay. The ves.sol might
visit Churchill, which probably would be a most suitable place for a
terminus — the west harbour of Cniurchill — as well as York Factory.
" Then, 1 think, the olHcer in charge should endeavour to pro-
cure half-a-dozen English-speaking Mskimos frotu the Hudson's
Bay post at York Factory, one of whom should be landed with each
party to act as interpreter, in the event of visits from northern
K.skimoH during tiieir stay on shore. The vessel should then
return toward the Strait. Tarty No. 1 should bo landed on
Manstield Inland, with material for building a hut, a year's ])ro-
visions, a small boat, and a few instruments, as may be determined
upon hureaftur. The vessel should then proceed, and similar parties

^■1

The Hudson 8 Bay Expedition.

present,
, I think
isel, to be
e left all
IS should
it know-
ruments,
speaking
Factory.
2s. The
id would
course of
1 of the
ntleman
and, if a
:iuestion
vvfound-
le vessel
'ould be
uantity
sliould
tout the
of the
^oy and
might
e for a
aetory.
;o pro-
It Ison'.s
I each
rtheni
then
ed on
H pro-
iiiiiiod
)artioH

be landed — one at Cape Wolstenholme, and another at Nottingham
Island. The fourth party should be left either on the highest of the
Upper Savage Island group or on North Bluff; that is, in the vicinity
of North Bay. Another party should be landed in the vicinity
of Cape Hope on the mainland side, just opposite to the position
mentioned on North Bay. A couple of parties should also be left,
one on Resolution Island, and the other on the northernmost of the
Button Islands, so as, between them, to command one of the most
important positions in the Strait. With reference to the return of
the vessel to St. John's, running surveys should be made according
as the amount of open water and the quantity of coal remaining
would permit, and this should be continued until the vessel finally
returns to St. John's, leaving the parties in the Strait. The follow-
ing summer a similar vessel should bo hired again and engaged to
pick \ip the parties landed.

" I will now sper.k as to the duties of the parties landed. The
principal object of these stationery jmrties is that, from their com-
manding elevation, assisted by a good telescope, the daily condition
of the ice, as far as they could see, particularly at the close and
opening of navigation, the character of the ice, and the drift or set
of the ice, and so on, could be ascertained; also the nature of the
currents, their velocity, etc. In addition to this a record of meteoro-
logical phenomena should be kept, the instructions in regard to
which might bo obtained from one of the Dominion observatories
before starting."

On the saipe day the examination of Dr. Bell was concluded,
when, in answer to the question : —

" Supposing that the Canadian Government resolved to send a
steamer to Hudson's Bay for the purpose of increasing our know-
ledge of that region, what matters would you consider should bo
attended to by thy party in charge ? " ho said : —

" Well, there are so many things that could be done which would
be of great value that it is hard to say what would be the most
important. I will begin by speaking of the appro.ximate surveys
which might be made, and which would certainly greatly improve
the charts now in existence and solve some of the problems already

Our North Land.

i i

|li! •^

I 1

n '

li 1

referred to by members ot' the committee, such as the supposed
channel between Bay of Hope's Advance and Mosquito Bay. A
track-survey might be made of both sides of Hudson Strait ; the
astronomical positions of the more prominent headlands, which
might have reference to the navigation of the Bay, might be obtained;
the positions of the more important groups of islands should be
determined ; soundings might be taken everywhere ; the rise and
fall of the tide, and the time of high water at full and change, should
be ascertained, all of which would benefit navigation very much.
The positions and nature of harbours of refuge should also be
determined, and the most desirable points at which to place beacons
or lighthouses. So much for geographical data. Then, as to the
question of th« fisheries : it is extremely important to ascertain
whether or not cod and other valuable food fishes exist. Meteoro-
logical observations of all sorts and magnetic observations might be
taken, which would be of very great interest indeed. The magnetic
pole lies at no very great distance northward of Hudson's Bay, and
observations in regard to the dip and variation of the compass and
other magnetic phenomena would be both valuable and useful.
Observations in regard to the aurora borealia, which is a conspicu-
ous phenomenon in this region, might also prove highly interesting.
But, to my way of thinking, the geological part would be one of the
most important. A vessel cruising around Hudson's Bay would
afford such splendid opportunities of visiting widely-separated
localities, as well as the islands otherwise inaccessible, that we might
accomplish as much in one year as would be possible, in many years
in our usual way. Many of the problems in regard to the rock
formations and the economic minerals of this extensive region could
thus bo easily solved. It would also give us an opportunity of
bringing homo largo geological and minoralogical collections, which
would bo impossible where specimens Iiave to bo carried on men's
backs or in canoes ; but if W(? had a ship alongside we could transfer
them to it at once. I do not think that an hour would pass that
something could not bo recorded which would afterwards turn out
to bo valuable. It appears to bo a perfect mine of information,
waitinjj to bo explored."

The Hudson's Bay Expedition.

I have quoted Captain Boulton's and Dr. Bell's suggestions in
full, as they were pretty generally adopted ; or, perhaps, I should
say, as the plan adopted and their suggestions generally agree.

A number of other witnesses were examined, including Malcolm

McLeod, Esq., Barrister, of Aylmer, P.Q. ; George S. Pierce, Esq., of

Ottawa ; Honourable W. J. Christie, of Brockville ; C. J. Pusey,

Esq., of New York City ; Richard Harper, Esq., of Toronto ; Walter

Haydon, M.D., of Weston, Ont. ; William Smith, Esq., Deputy

Minister of Marine ; Robert Crawford, Esq., of Indian Head,

N.W.T., and Walter Dickson, Esq.. of Lake Francis, Man. The

evidence given by the Deputy Minister of Marine was that obtained

from the log-books of the Hudson's Bay Company's ships from 1870

to 1883, inclusive. It was quite voluminous, but the following is ?.

very condensed

Summary : —

o
6

Name of Ship.

Yeak.

Entbreu.

Passed
Through.

Prince Rupert

Ocean Nymph

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

10
17
18

Lady Head

Ocean Nymph .
Prince of Wales .
Ocean Nymph .
Prince of VValoH .
Ocean Nymph .
Prince of Wales .
Ocean Nymph .
Prince of Wales .

1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
1875
1875
1870
1870
1877
1877
1878
1878
1879
1871)
1881
1882
1883

July 30 .

.1 19 .

M 29 .

Aug. 2 .

6 .

n 7 .

M 19*.

„ 10 .

M 4 .

July 31 .

n 27 .

M 25 .

„ 22 .

M 28 .

M 20 .

M 22 .

Aug. 10 .

July 29 .

Aug. 8 .

.. 7 .

10 .

Condition of
THE Ice.

28 ..

20 ..

23 ..

„

17 ..

15 ..

13 .

14 ..

5 ..

July

28 ..

Aug.

3 ..

23 ..

Some heavy ice.
No detention.

Heavy ice two days.
Heavy ice.

ti
No ice.
No detention.

No ice.

Not detained.

Heavy ioo.

Full of huavy ice.

Our North Land.

*iu

ill

Ijh

ijl

Mr. M. P. McElhinney, of the Department of Marine and
Fisheries, furnished the committee, through Mr. Smith, the f':!-
lowing remarks, based upon his observations of the log-books
furnished the Government by the Hudson's Bay Company : —

" The ice during the years 1870, 1875 and 1883 appears to have
been exceptionally heavy, the ships having taken seventeen, twenty-
two and thirty-two days, respectively, to get through the Strait.
The passages made during the seasons of 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874^
1876, 1877, 1878, 1879 and 1881, the Strait was passed without any
detention from ice, excepting from cautionary measures during
foggy weather. Ice was seen at times, and intervals of fog, requiring
great care in sailing. A steamer could have been kept moving to
better advantage than a sailing vessel.

" The earliest date of entering the Strait, given in these logs,
was July 19bh, 1871, the ship taking ten days to get through. The
earliest date of passing through was July 28th, 1879, taking six
days to get through.

" The shortest time through was made in 1876, the ship entering
on August 19th, and getting through August 23rd, being in the
Strait only four days. The longest time given was in 1883, the
ship entering on the 22nd of .July and not getting through until
August 23rd. The detention here may have been caused by the
ship getting jammed in the pack-ice and being obliged to drift
with it.

" There is no record in any of these logs as to the date of the
closing of the Strait. The latest given of passing out was October
27th, 1883, having sailed from Moose Factory October 7th. No
loose ice was . ^-^n in the Bay or Strait ; only a few icebergs in the
Strait.

" I am of the opinion that steamers fitted for the work could
make the passage with very little detention from ice as early as
August 10th, entering after the 1st, and keeping along the north
shore, avoiding the pack-ice,

" Three months' navigation is all that could be depended on,
extending from t)ie 1st of August to the 1st of November."

It will be seen from the evidence submitted to the committee^

III I

The Hudson's Bay Expedition.

that there was a difference of opinion as to the duration of naviga-
tion in Hudson Strait. Mr. McEHhinney, with the log-books of the
Hudson's Bay Company's ships, covering thirteen years from 1870,
to guide him, said that " three months' navigation is all " that can
be counted upon; while Dr. Bell, from personal experience, to a
certain extent, felt sure that four and a-half months, at least, could
be relied on.

Such was the tenor of the evidence submitted to the committee,
viz.: that by Dr. Bell, decidedly favourable ; that from Hudson's Bay
Company, decidedly unfavourable. The other witnesses examined
threw but little additional light upon the subject.

The committee made a lengthy report to the House, in which
they endorsed the project of sending an Expedition to Hudson's
Bay, and concluded in the following language : —

" To declare that it will be time enough to pay attention to the
question of navigating Hudson's Bay when the railways become
insufficient to move the traffic of the North-West, appears to us to
be an erroneous view to take of the matter. What we have to do
is to promote production by offering to it new and more favourable
conditions.

" There also results, from the evidence gathered by your com-
mittee, a necessity for the Government to examine a great number
of questions intimately connected with the navigation of Hudson's
Bay and Strait.

"Without the intervention of the State, this navigation will
remain what it is at the present moment : uncertain, of short dura-
tion, without any attraction for capitalists. In this direction,
several have set forth their opinions as to the nature of the exami-
nations which the Government might have made, and as to the
organization and character of a proposed surveying and exploring
Expedition.

" They almost all agree in stating that these observations should
cover a period of at least three years, and should be conducted by
means of observatories, erected on the shores of the Strait, as well
as on certain places on the coasts of Hudson's Bay. "

While this enquiry was in progress at the capital, a select com-

Our North Land.

mittee of the Manitoba Legislature was taking evidence at Winnipeg
on the same question, and by that means much valuable information
was also obtained, extending our knowledge of the subject.

Parliament voted $100,000 with which to fit out an Expedition,
and arrangements wevo made for chartering one of the steam vessels
of the Newfoundland sealing fleet. It was decided that the Expe-
dition should be partly exploratory, partly observatory, and that a
number of observing stations should bo established on the shores of
the Bay and Strait, so that magnetic and meteorological observa-
tions could be taken throughout the year, and especially in the
winter season.

Lieut. A. R. Gordon, R.N., Assistant Superintendent of the
Meteorological Service of Canada, was appointed to the command.
The selection in many respects was a good one. He had had ten
years' experience of the British Navy, and five in the work of
" weather guaging ;" so that by his t-'ainiiig he was necessarily well
qualified to command so important an undertaking. There were
many applications for positions in connection with the Expedition,
and from these the following staff was selected : —

Commander,
LiBUT. Andukw H. (Joudon, K.N., ok Touonto.

Oeologist and Afedical Officer,
RoMKRT Bkll, M.D., LL.D., F.U.S., of Ottawa.

Observers,

ChaH. \l Tuttlo,
II. W. Hurwoll,
C. V. Do Houohorvillo,
ir. T. Honnott.
W. W. Fox, Photogniphor.

Station Mm,

Join W. (^hiipHn,
H. M. HiviiiHford,
VV. li. Jordan,
V. Drymliilo,
Adam Mnhor,
W. K. Kiidailo.

K. ¥. Htupart,
W. A. Aflho,
A. La|n«rrioro,
Wni. Skynnor,

H. Currio,
J. K. OftiMplddl,
M. W. KcHtin^,
A. I). IiikHh,
W. S. guigly,

The Hudson's Bay Expedition.

Carpenters,

William Yeodon,
AnguB McNeill,
Robert Youill.

The H.8. Neptune, one of the Newfoundland sealing fleet, owned by
Messrs. Job Bros., was chartered for the Expedition. She is a very
strongly-built vessel, barque-rigged, of Dundee build, 100 A feet long,
29.8 feet beam, 18.4 feet in depth of hold, and engines of 110
nominal horse-power. She is G84 tons gross, 40(5 nett, and regis-
tered in St. John's, N.F., at 430 tons, but has often carried over 800
tons, and liad on board 833 tons of freight when leaving Halifax on
the voyage to Hudson's Bay. She was built in 1873. Besides her
many sealing voyages, the Neptune had seen something of arctic
navigation, having been employed, commanded by Captain William
Sopp, in 1882, in the (Iroely Ri-lief Expedition, on which occasion
she reached to within thirty miles of. the 80th degree of north
latitude.

She arrived in Halifax on Tuesday, July 14th, in command of
Oapt. Sopp, and reported ready for duty to Lieut. Oonlon, who was
then in that city. Tlui Neptune had been chartered by the Canadian
Government for three months from July l.')th, for the sum of
$10,500, with the provi.so that if the work of the ExpcMlition eoidd
not bo c()m|)li^tod, oi* the vessel returned to St. John's, N.F., fronj any
cause, until November 1st, the amount was to be $l7,r)00. In the
event of her being detained out after that, the Government was to
I)urcha(,e her outright for the sum of £15,000 sterling, which suia
was to bo inclusive of her charter. Asides from her charter price of
$10,500, the N(«pt.uno received S5 a week for each of the ofHcers, and
$4 a week for each of the carpenters and station-num of the Kxpedi-
tion.as board money during the voyagtv The Neptune was oflieered
ami nuinned as follows: —

OAfT. Wii.LiAM Hoi'p, OK St, .I<uin'«, N,K.

Mntf,
Oftpt. John J. Barry, of llurlxtr (Jrnue, N.K.

Our North Land.

Second Male,
Alfred King, of St. John's, N.F.

Stewards,
John McGloudry, Chief ; Solomor* Kinp;, Aasistant.

Ujigiiiemen,
William lluxton. Chief ; 11. H. Bridge, Second.

Cooks,
Robert Allison, John Hanrahan ;

and one oiler, three firemen, one blackHUiith, two tri"^mers, and
twelve able-bodied seamen.

The time was occupied from the 15th to the 22nd of July in
filling the Neptuno with coals, lumber and .supplies for the observing
stations, and in completing arrangements for the trip. The Hon.
A. W. McLelan, Minister of Marine and Fisheries, and Mr. William
Smith, Deputy Minister of Marino, arrived in Halifax on Sunday,
the 2()th ; and, by Monday following, all the members of the I'iXpedi-
tion wcn^ on hand ready for the departure. At three o'clock on
Tuesday, all being in readiness, the N(>ptuno, with all on board, left
the marine wharf, when the Minister, Depiity Minister, and a
mnnber of the citizens of Halifax, gatluu'ed to bid us adieu, and wish
Uod-speed to the Expedition.

As we backed away from the nuirino wharf, those on the dock
gavti hearty ehcois in honour of the event. These were r(>spondod
to heartily by those (m board, after which the latter joined in singing
" Auld Lang Syne." On leaving her mooringn, the ship was taken
up to H(Mlford Hasin, and swung, in ord(»r to asc(>rtain the error of
the compass. We then steamed out of the harbour, dipping Mags
with the tmsign on the buildings of the nuirine dock, and with that
of u (h^rnuln man-of-war at anchor lutar the Dartmouth shore. It
WOH six o'clock in the eviining before wo were fully outside, into the
swoIIh of the Atlantic. A stiff breeze, with showiu'sof rain, weleonu'd
UN to the ocean.

CHAPTER III.

The Lahuadoh.

blanc sahlon— the iceheros— the people and pursuits of

THE LAHUADOH — THE NEn'UNE IN A WIND-STOllM.

On a bold, and bleak, and storilu shoro,
Where the pcilar wnids througli tlio icebergs roar,
And the wretched poor of the Labrador,
Hungry and cold, and in want everniure.
Drudge out a tiHhi'rinan'B life.

^N the 22n(l of July, the Hiulson'a Bay Kxpodition sailed
from Halifax, and was amid the icebergs of the Straits of
Belle Isle on the 2(Jth, having spent an hour of that morn-
ing in the wild-looking little harbour of Blanc Sablon. .
Hlane Sablon was interesting to us, as marking the boundary line
between the Dominion proper and the Ijabrador. The latter, of
counio, is a dependency of Newfoundland. It was blowing a gale
when we visited it; but subsrquently 1 learned that a gah is the
normal state of the Labrador weather. The bay, or harbour, is
apparently well proto(!ted by (Jooige and (Ireeidy islands, and by
the coast of the muinhind, which is high n.nd yo shaped as to form,
with th(« islands, a ])artial land-lock. Hut you must not bo guided
by app(>arances on the Tiabiador. Shelter or mo shelter, tln^ wind
was howling in the Neptune's rigging, and the waves wore
breaking into whiUweaps all ov(>r the basin. 1 could not tell how it
got over the hills and luuidlands to us, btit it got ti>ere all the same.
I do not believe that there is a H(puire foot of tho whole tioast above
groutid where «)ne ean c.scapt^ a furious wind. And 80 it blow on
that Saturdiiy niorning.

There are thn^e lishing Htations at Itlane Sablon. The Jenty
Hltttion on (Ireenly Island, and the rooms bidonging to Job, Brothots

! .If

Our North Land.

and Company, one on the mainland and one on George's Island, and
the lighthouse on Greenly, constitute all there is to be seen, except
the stunted vegetation which spreads over the somewhat level sand-
stone formation of the coast. These were not more attractive than
the immense icebergs which studded the Straits like small white
islands.

Capt. Blandford, the agent of the Job Brothers' station, at once
recognized the Neptune, which he commanded in his last sealing
voynge, taking the almost unprecedented catch of 42,000 seals, and
pushed out from the shore in a fishing-boat, and, assisted by three
fishermen, pulled toward the vessel. They had a struggle. At

one miniito the little
craft stood perpendi-
cular, bow upwards ;
at the next her posi-
tion was reversed ;
twery now and then
the waves broke com-
pletely over the men,
but they struggled on ;
there wore moments
when wo ontettninod
serious fears for their
safety, but they came
through, and were
soon oti board, gi'ooting their old friends of the Neptune's cicw
warmly.

T catmot pass this strange-looking coiintry called the [iabra(,lor,
which is geographically, and ought to be politically, a part of the
Dominion, but which, through some mismanagement or niislake
of inter-colonial affairs, has wrongfully drifted tuider the wing of
Newfoundland, without making a few observations on some of its
more striking featur(\s. It extends from HIano Sablon to Capo
Chiilley, and embraces the coiintry (eastward to the height of land.
Aloi\g Ihe Straits of Hello Isle th(> country is (juito level, owing to
its sandstone formation; but, in the interior, and to the north of tlio

THR I.AIIItAIIOR (lOAT.

The Labrador,

Straits, the ancient Laurentian gneiss hills rise in rugged declivities
two, three, and even four thousand feet above the level of the sea.

The chief products are the cod, halibut, herring, salmon, trout,
seal, and fur-bearing animals. The coast is severely inhospitable.
Agriculture is not attempted, and only a limited extent of garden-
ing in turnips, lettuce, beets, potatoes, etc., is found possible.
•I Domestic animals, except dogs and wretched-looking goats, are not
kept. The dogs — miserable, snarling, yelping, haggard, wolf-like
brutes — are exceedingly valuable. They are to the settlers in
winter time all that horses are to the people of Canada, hauling
their sledges for hundreds of miles over rocks, ice, and mountains
from station to station, and the logs, from which boards are
whipped, from the interior down to the Hottlemonts on the coast.

The population of the Labrador consists of fisherni ii.principnlly
Ncwfoimdianders, a few French Canadians,
Moravian Missionaries, Montaijrnais Indians
and Eskimos, and, of course, Indian and
Eskimo half-breeils. The number of in-
habitants varies aecordint:; to the season.
During the iishing months there are gener-
ally scattered along the coast, in schoonerM,
on the islands, and at the stations, about
twenty thousand souls, while in winter this

nnmbiM- dwindles down to less than live thousand. All yield a willing
obedience to the laws of Newfoundland, but, fortunately, they are
not over-governed. Onco or sometimes twice during the year, a
judge, or marine justice, i.s sent out on ship-board. Ho makes a
judicial tour, so to speak, of the princij)al settlements, administering
such law ami jyntice as the necessities of the p(M)pIo rociuiro. Thoro
are no custom-houses on the coast, but the revenue-cutter appears
piM'iodically.

At some of the Htafcions along the coast where a wretched white
population, employed only during the iHliing season, nuuains during
tho winter, there is nuicli suH'ering \x\\*\ want. Sometimes the
peoplt^ actually, or nearly, starve, (vspiHiially when the llshery has
proved a failure. They insist upon estalilishing themselves on tho

TIIK COD I.AIIHAIIOU.

ill

Our North Land.

bleakest portions of the coust, merely because, by so doing, they will
be close to the fishing grounds.

The climate is severe, but healthy ; and doctors, where such exist,
have little to do except to look after the poor half-starved fisher-
men and their families, many of whom suffer from exposure, poor
food, and a disregard of the simplest rules of health. The poor
creatures have no ideas beyond the cod-fish. They live and die,
ground under the releutlcos heel of debt, always from hand to
mouth, and without a shilling to call their own.

The fishing stations are almost too numerous to mention. There
are Hudson's Bay posts at Cartwright Harbour, at Rigoulette, at
Hamilton's Inlet, at Davis Inlet, and at Nachvak ; and Moravian
Mission stations at Hopedale, Zoar, Nain, Okkak, Hebron and
Ramah.

There are not more than a hundred Indian families altogether,
but as you go northward the Eskimos arc mot with in consider-
able numbers. All the natives seem to lead a happy life, and in
many respects are better oil' than the white people. Thoj are expert
in hunting and trapping, and thoroughly acquainted with the
coimtry. As a rule they are sober, honest, and industrious ; but the
Newfoundlanders give them a pretty bad character. The Indians,
and further to the north the lOskimos, frecpicnt the interior, hunt-
ing and trapping furs. They bring the catch to the coast and
exchange iu at the stations for pork, Hour, Uni, molasses, powder,
shot, tobacco, etc. They are plentifully supplied with food from
the flesh of the deer, seal and small game which abounds on the
coast and in the interior.

There is nothing connected with the natural appearance of the
country or condition of the people to impress one favourably. The
few houses scattoriMl here and there, occujiicd by the whites, are
mostly neat and clean, and wear the aj)pearaiice of extreme isolation.
There is but little fortune-making, now a-days, on the hahrador.
The fishing vocation is one atten<l(>d with great hardships, and nnich
exposure to the cold, and not infrecjuently to considerable danger ;
and, withal, the roturns reaped Mcarcoly roi>ay the pains and labour

cxpen»

led.

The Lahvador.

Icebergs may be met with on the Labrador coast, in great
numbers, ahnost any day, except in the winter season. At times we
counted as many as twenty or thirty from the Neptune's quarter-
deck. They were of various sizes, and of many shapes, and, reflect-
ing the strong light of the sun, presented a most picturesque scene.
An iceberg looks like a small mountain of gypsum, or, if you please,
a well formed elevation of white marble ; or, better still, it looks like
just what it is, a huge })ile of solid ice.

But one steaming along the Labrador will not only be enter-
tained by icebergs, and the strange wild character of the bold, rocky
coast, but by the wind-storms as well. If you have never been
in a Labrador wind-storm, then you have never been there at all.
It is always blowing furio' ly. Clearing Belle Isle, we steamed out
into the North Atlantic. The wind — we knew it would — freshened
into a strong gale, and the western sky became a picture of wild-
ness. Clouds were being driven rapidly with the upper currents,
and, as they parted or passed over the face of the .setting sun, and
mingled their dark shadows with his dazzling rays, the deep shades
and bright colours with which the horizon was j)ainted rendered
the scene intensely thrilling. The Neptune was rapidly carrying
us from the sight of laud, upon which wo feasted our vision all day,
and steaming out upon the increasing swells of the angry sea. It
was plain to the captain, and indeed to all on board, that the niglit
wo)iid bo exceedingly rough ; but that was not all, the furious gale
was directly ahead, so that but little progress could be made.

Lieutenant (Gordon and Captain Sopp held a hurried conversa-
tion in the (duirt house on the advisability of putting into a harbour
until the wind should subside. I think the captain was in favour
of adopting such a precaution, not so much to avoid danger, as
none was apprehended, but to save coals, as steaming against the
strong wind eould avail but little. However, Lieutenant ilordon,
using his usual phrase, thought sho \ ould " »lip along," and urged
that course, which was adopt(^d.

The wind increasiMJ in strength. The seas rolled higher and
higher, and th(* N^^p^unn began to roll and i)itch. Most of our mm
wcMX) driven below, and, turning in, sea-sick and disheartened, did

Our North Land.

not much concern themselves with the prospect of the night. They
were too much occupied ^ h their own wretched condition. Mean-
while the conduct of the )1 became worse, and, now and then,
great seas were breaking with a smashing sound over the starboard
bow. The waves ran very high, very uneven, and furious withal ;
but our ship fought them bravely, not, however, without much
groaning, and creaking and trembling. At one moment she was
thrown violently on her side with a heavy sea pouring and dashing
across her decks. She received the blow (j^uietly, then shook, as
with anger, and, mounting the swell, lode in majesty out of the
trough upon the long waves. But these triumphs were ever des
tined to be of momentary duration ; again and again was she
pelted, and dashed and thrown by the sea, and again and again she
came forth, trembling and shaking and groaning, but in the power
of a conqueror.

But, while the Neptune was fighting and conquering the waves,
she was utterly regardless of her passengers and the movable objects
on board. Everything not stationery was sliding and slamming and
knocking about the cabin, jiantry and state-room floors in a terrific
pandonioniuni. Sea-sick expeditionists were forced to brace them-
selves in their berths in order not to bo thrown out upon the floor.
Sick cans were tossed from their places and upset, and thrown into
and out of the beds. The dishes in tiio pantry seemed to bo in a
promiscuous heap, dashing about the floor and against the walls.
In short, every movable thing was in aggravated motion, boating
against the floors, walls, and striking against each other. The wind
was terrific, the waves relentless, the night wretched, the men dis-
heartened, and the seamen angry ; but on, or rather up and down,
and sideways, we rode, pitching and rolling, and rising and falling,
shaking and trembling and groaning, while without, t^e noise of
the elements added a doleful, surging, moaning, wailing sound. Wo
wore simply rolled and pitched about all night, intensely sick,
itjtonsely blue, and intensely out of patience.

:. II!

CHAPTER lY.
The Moravian Missions.

ford's harbour — THE LONE FISHERWOMAN — RELIGION AND BUSI-
NESS — THE CHRISTIANIZED ESKIMO — A CURIOUS BURIAL-GROUND
— THE MORAVIAN CHURCH — THE VILLAGE OF NAIN.

Where the sermi)n in Eskimo langurgo is made
For tlie good of his soul and the sake of his trade.

'HE Expedition made its way from the outer Labrador coast,
in, through more than a hundred isUinds of solid, barren
rocks, to the Moravian capital of Nain. On the voyage in
''^ we cast anchor, and g, ont the night of July 29th, in Ford's
Harbour, at the east end of Paul's Island; but if you were there
you could not see any difference between Paul's Island and any of
the other many mounds of naked rocks which crop out of the water
here and there in any direction. It was about four o'clock in the
afternoon when the anchor was let go. It was, in some respects, a
delightful place. The boats wore lowered and a largo party went
on shore. Passing round the bluffs — I mean one sot of bluffs or
cliffs — there are bluffs ami cliffs very nearly everywhere on the
Labrador — we visited the house and home of the Fords, after whom
the harbour is called. Old Father Ford is dead and gone, but his
good widow, at a ripo old ago, is still living. We called her the
'* lOno tishorwoMum," notwithstanding she has living with her a
married son, two marriageabK» daughters, and ono or two hired
fishermen. The Fords are Eskimo (piarter-brocds, very industrioua
and very hospitable.

fjieutenRnt Gordon's business with Mr. Ford was to secure hin
Morviccs to pilot us next morning into Nain, which he did, agreeing

It,

Our North Land.

r 1

to pay him twelve *Iollars therefor. He was to be on board the
Neptune the next morning at three o'clock, and he kept his
appointment to the minute.

We had scarcely reached the harbour, before the Nain Mission
buildings and Eskimo huts, on Wednesday, when we saw approach-
ing boats and kayaks containing the missionaries and natives
of the Moravian capital. They were all welcomed on board. The
Eskimos were much delighted with the ship, but the Moravians
met with a sore disappointment. The Chief Superintendent came
with his mail-bag, fully believing the Neptune was one of their
own vessels, and highly confident of receiving letters and papers
from the fatherland. It was really distressing to see his coun-
tenance drop on being informed who and what we were. This
intelligence did not, however, disturb the delighted curiosity of the
Eskimos. They were much amused with all they saw, and examined
the steamer from one end to the other, making curious ejaculations
at the wonderful engines, tire-arms, etc. I undertook to interview
them, but their stock of English was too small, and the attempt
was an utter failure. I learned, however, that they had all been
Christianized, at least so far as to receive Christian names. Instead
of the Eskimo Pudolik, Komakin or Kikastouk, they boasted
such biblical cognomens as David, Jonathan, Caleb, Nicodemus and
Benjamin. These civilized and Christianized natives were not
unlike the pure savage specimens that wo met with in the Straits
afterwards, except in this small matter of names.

Superintendent Bourguin extended a polite invitation to our
party to visit his village. This was heartily accepted. The boats
were lowered, and, in half an hour, more than a dozen expeditionists
were investigating the curious town. We were first conducted to
the great reception-room of the mission-house, and treated to lager
beer. The German will have his lager wherever he goes, and wo
all voted the Moravian (»ornian much the bettor for it. Owing to
a regulation of the Government, liquor of all kinds — lime-juice only
excepted — was e.xcluded, except in one or two very isolatetl cases
of a clandestine eharacter. These had not gone far enough, for
those who strictly obeyed the oHicial order bogged from those who

The Moravian Missions.

n board the
e kept his

ain Mission
V approach -
knd natives
Doard. The

Moravians
ndent came
ne of their
and papers
e his coun-
were. This
osity of the
id examined
ejaculations
to interview
the attempt
ad all been
es. Instead
Ley boasted
ademus and
3 were not

the Straits

iion to our
The boats

peditionists

anducted to

ed to lager

es, and wo

O'ving to

-juice only

lated cases
nough, for
those who

partly disobeyed it ; and, long before the day of which I am writing,
the last of the smuggled spirits had been improvidently imbibed.

We drank the lager with the relish of people who had taken a
drink before, and knew how to appreciate a good thing. It tasted
very much like Canadian lager. 1 noticed that the offer of a second
glass round was objected to, by those most entitled to speak on our
behalf, only to the extent of ordinary politeness. The brethren —
that is what they call themselves — found it an eas'' matter to force it
upon us. This lager they manufacture themselves from imported malt.

When we had been formally introduced all round, our party
dispersed, each man looking up something of interest after his own
tastes. Wc all had more or less important duties. Lieut. Gordon,
with his magnetometer, set about the difficult task of ascertaining
the variation of the compass ; Mr. Stupart, with his dip-circle, deter-
mined the dip of the magnetic needle ; Mr. Burwell ascertained the
height of the great rock hills forming the background to Nain ;
Dr. Bell went forth in quest of geological and botanical specimens ;
Messrs. Fox and Ashe busied themselves taking photographs of the
Eskimos and the towering gneiss cliffs that overhung the valley
on all sides ; the ship's crew entered upon tie less attractive work
of storing the vessel with fresh water, while Capt. Sopp enjoyed
himself in a leisurely way becoming the dignity of his position.

I attached myself to the Rev. Hermann Jannasch, one of the
missionaries, because " Brother " Jannasch could speak the best
English. The staff at the Mission consists of Rev. T. Bourffuin.
Superintendent, and Brothers Jannasch, Woiz and Wirth. These
all do missionary duty in their turn, one acting as store-keeper
each year. These reverend gentlemen are comfortably housed,
with their families, in a, largo two-storey and a-half building, sub-
stantially built, and they seem to enjoy all the luxuries possible to
the sterile climate in which they live. They have plenty of woll-
traimid, obedient Eskimo servants. Their store-houses, of which
they have several largo ones, are well filled with supplies suitable
to their own wants ,and to the profitable trade which thoy carry on
with tho natives in connection with their Christian duties, Thoy
have also quite extensive gardens, a neat, well-kept grave-yard, a

Iff 1

IP'

ill'' "

ilr

Our North Land.

commodious church, and all other characteristics necessary to com-
parative happiness.

There is a wide difference between the condition of these trader-
evangelists and their slave subjects, the Christianized Eskimos.
The latter live in rude huts made of flattened poles, with sort of
turf or thatched roofs, without floors, except of the earth, without
furniture, and in the midst of filth and dirt. Npthwithstanding, I
would be doing an injustice not to say that their condition is much
better than that of their brother natives who have not been subjected
to the influences of Christianity.

The very best of feeling exists between them and their masters,
the missionaries. This is due to the honourable dealings of the
latter, and equally to the good nature of the Eskimos. There
are about two hundred natives residing at Nain ; and, to the great
credit of the missionaries be it said, every one of them, of sufficient
age, can read and write in their own language. There are two
reasons why they do not learn to speak English : one is, that the
Germans speak but little or no English themselves, the other, that
they are of opinion that to learn any language but their own is
degrading; and, despite all the Moravians have done, they have
not been able to drive this out of their stubborn heads. There are
about forty-five Eskimo huts, besides the frame buildings belonging
to the missionaries. These are clustered together a short distance
from the mission, or indeed close to it, on a little plateau about
thirty-five feet above the level of the harbour and at the foot of a
range of hills over one thousand feet high.

I have said that I attached myself to Brother Jannasch. This I
did wholly from a selfish motive — that of pumping him, so to speak,
concerning Nain, and the Moravian stations generally. With this
affable gentleman as my guide and informant I first visited the
burial-ground. It is an enclosure of about an acre, well protected
by a neat picket fence, about three hundred yards from the cluster
of dwellings, accessible through gates, from which, leading at right
angles all over the yard, are pretty gravelled walks. Upon entering
one is struck with the cleanliness of the place. Each grave is
marked by a small wooden tablet, about 8 X 14 inches in size, two

The Moravian Missions.

ary to com-

hese trader-
d Eskimos,
rith sort of
•fch, without
tistanding, I
ion is much
3n subjected

eir masters,

ings of the

nos. There

to the great

of sufficient

3re are two

is, that the

) other, that

heir own is

they have

There are

s belonging

>rt distance

,teau about

le foot of a

ch. This I
30 to speak,
With this
visited the
I protected
the cluster
ng at right
)u entering
h grave is
I size, two

inches thick, and fastened to the ground, one over each grave.
These are numbered from one upwards, and contain also the Chris-
tian name of the deceased in blackened letters engraved or sunken
in the tablet, together with the dates of the birth and death of the
person commemorated. This burial-ground has been in use one
hundred and twelve years, and contains over nine hundred graves.
It is very level, well kept, and, I should say, a credit to Nain.
I read on one tablet, the oldest of them all : —

No. 1.

Beata Brazen.

1772.

It was that of a child of one of the earlier missionaries, so that
you will see the Germans and Eskimos use the same ground for
their dead. There were nearly a thousand inscriptions, of which the
following are samples : —

No. 321.

No. 555.

No. 548.

Lea,

NOA,

Jonathan,

1849-1850.

1818-18G4.

1822-1864.

Y^om. this attractive burying-ground we entered the not less
attractive chapel, a long, narrow, low building, but neatly built.
One end of it is used for a school-house, the other, and the larger,
for a church. The school-room contains blackboards, with various
Eskimo text-books and other apparatus suitable for imparting
the rudiments of an Eskimo education. They make use of the
German alphabet in all of these books, and have by great industry
reduced the Eskimo language to writing, and brought it within
grammatical rules practical to the natives. The Superintendent is
now engaged on a now Eskuiio grammar, which he intends to have
printed in Germany tlii.s year.

You will be surprisec^ when I £ell you that the church contains
an organ. It was brouglit out from Germany nearly half a century
ago, and had been in use for a long time previous to that. Did J
say an organ ? Well, it is a melodeon, or rather a cros.^ l>etween a
harpsichord and a melodeon. It is a peculiarly-shaped 'ai.stvument.

if*

.■ii

!f'<

li',"

L 'l

!;''

Our North Land.

something after the fashion of an old st\ le, high cupboard. The
pipes are of tin, in its natural colour ; the bellows are operated by-
pulling out at one side a leather string and allowing it to recede ;
the keys are of bone ; it contains six stops, and is cased in some sort
of wood of dark colour, probably mahogany. Its tone is a combina-
tion of the organ, the harmonium, and nearly all othv'^r musical
instruments you can think of, I at is really very sweet. At least it
sounded so to me in that far-off out-of-the-way and desolate village
church.

Evidently the natives are very fond of music, and I v/as not
long in discovering that the missionaries show a commendable enter-
prise in meeting their inclinations in this respect. Hence, the choir
of the Moravian chapel at Nain will compare favourably with that
of a modern church in Canada. I refer more particularly to its
numerical and vocal vtrength. Besides the organi.st, who is always
a pleasant-looking missionary's wife, and the twelve loading Eskimo
singers, there are eight Eskimo violinists. With this combina-
tion the whole congregation Joins in right good eanu^st ; and my
informant said: "The house is filled with music to its fullest
capacity." I do not know what ho meant by this expression, unless
it was that an auijnientation of the choir would raise tho roof. Tho
church will seat abo\it two hundred, but as many as three hundred
hav(^ crowded into it.

Th(> Moravian festival season begins about the first of November
and continues until Easter. During this period they have throe
RorvicoH each Sunday, and nine during tho six working days. So
that if th(> I'iskiujos get small pay for their services in procuring furs
and fish for thti Moravians, they make up for it in tho number of
religious services to which the missioiuiries treat them.

Thoy have largo hymn-books, containing both hymns and tuniw,
printed in Kskimo. One of tlu^si includes most of tho popular
Sankoy colle(rtion. So that the husky of Nain can sing, " Gates
Ajar," "Tlu^ llonjo Over There." " Hyoand-By," in his or hor
own tongtie, with considi^rable easr\ and souiotimes with good oirect.

The gjinlons are an attractiv«> ftMituro of Nain, Thoy aro all
neatly onolpsed by board or picket fonoos, t^pprotvchud througii

i^H

miss

«oco

Tim
pers

..'-

main

Ifll

t • •

"he Moravia'^r Missions.

ird. The
erated by
to recede ;
some sort
combina-
r musical
f\.i least it
ite village

NovimuIhm-

hiivo throe

(hiys. So

[urin^f furs

lumber of

laud t\moH,

10 popuhir
Ijr, "dates
lis or her
food ell't'ct.

<y are r11

11 thro\i|;;h

pretty gates. They are detached, located here and there as places
of suitable soil and shelter were found. The chief esculent grown
— potatoes — looked well, but had to be covered, to protect the tops
from the frost every night, with strips of canvas. They are planted
in narrow beds, over which hoops are bent in such a way as to
prevent the covering from coming in contact with the tops. Turnips
and beets are grown plentifully with less trouble. So also are
rhubarb and winter onions. The cabbages, and lettuce, and spinach
were looking well, and the peas in the hot-beds were almost ready
for the table. But the most beautiful phase of the gardens was a
large variety of flowering plants. Of these the Moravians are
passionately fond.

Nain is abundantly supplied with pure spring water, which is
conducted from a (lowing sj)ring on an elevation about three
hundr(!d yards distant, to the Missicm House, in wooden pipcis.

Observing such lino buildings and such an extent of tidy board
fences, 1 encpiired where the lumber canje from, and received a
curious answer: "The logs," said Brother Jannasch, "are cut .some
five or six nules inland, where there is a plenty of moderate size,
say from eight to ten inches in diameter, and are hauled to the
town in the winter season by tiie dogs ; here they are sawn into
hoards or dimension stuff, as reipiir'^d by whip-saws by the men."
This was the whole story, simpN^ but astonishing.

You will have »)bscrved that the Moravians have a double
mlBsion on the Labrador. First, that of Ohristiani/.ing the Eskimo ;
secondly, that of carrying on a good trade with their converts. If
I have placed the second where the tlrst ought to be, I know the
Moravians will overlook the error, because they <lid their best to
persuade nio that the income or prohis from th(> trade which they
maintain with the natives does not more thati pay one-half tho
expt'nscs ofnuiintaining the missions. Now I would not disbeliovo
• good, pious Moravian ; they an* nbout the most iipright pt^iph^ in
the world, and eortainly on the Labrador; but 1 was fonuMl to tho
oonelusion that they were making a slight misealeulation. Tho
Chief H»\p(<rint»«ndent of them all, llev, Mr. Hourguin, was th(» very
]»ieture of asliaip trader. A thin, spare, cold, calculating, sclllsh-

Our A'orth Land.

.1 i

looking man — he impressed me as one who would go ten times as far
to procure a black fox skin as he would to convert a dirty, greasy
husky. At the same time I think the method of these combination
stations — a combination of religion and business — is a good one,
well conducted by the Germans.

The Eskimos stand in the same relation to the Moravians that
the natives do elsewhere to the Hudson's Bay Company, that of
well-used slaves. They are wholly subject to the dictates of the
whites, but the obedience is one greatly founded on respect.

There are but three seasons at Nain in the year: summer, fall
and winter. Summer is warm and plea, int, including a part of
April, all of May and June, and perhaps a little of July. Fall is
windy and stormy and dirty and chilly, and runs on from the
middle of July to the end of September, or it may be a few days
into October. " Winter is cold, very cold, terribly cold ; long, very
long, ttirribly long ; stormy, very stormy, terribly stormy." I give
this doHcriptiou in the language of Brother Jannasch, and have no
doubt of its correctness.

• '1

II ! I

'"ll

CHAPTER V.

The Wonders of Nachvak.

the eternal snow-crowned hills of nachvak- -a desolate
Hudson's bay post— grand natural scenery — skynnkr's
COVE vs. rumfoud's cove.

High on tho oternal rocka of tho north,
Oloso by tho wild iind Bwift tidal wroth,
'.Vhuru porpetaal snown iiroh suniniit and ])eak.
And tho winds boat hard on tho barrun and bloak
MuuntainoiiB range.

||ARLY on tho morninf:^ of August 1st, tho Expodition.stoaming
nortliiwnnl, arrived oil' tlio ontranco to Naclivak Hay. Thoro
waH a li^ht rain in tho oarly morning, but l)y ton o'clock
tho wcathor was dearitig, and Hoon hocanio bright and fair.
Tho ju'oMpoct as wo approachod was ono of oxcooding grandour. At
first tho coast in tho distanco k)okod liko a groat ruggod wall of
rocks, towering two thousand foot above tho water, without ai'
opening of any kind; but tho Noptuno stoanjod toward it full
apood. Approachitig noar(«r and nearer, tho scono liocanio ono of
intense interest. Thoro ai)peiirod, slowly opening, an inlet, very
narrow and completely hid by tho ndghty cliffH. On tho loft of
this tho rooks rose in bold desolation high abovi^ tho dark blue
wavoH, surmounted by a pinnacle which wo called the Devil's
Table, said to have an elevation of two thousand feet. On tho north,
.tho singularly-shap(>d an»l gigantic form of Mount Ua/or Hack broke
Upon our view gradually through tho mist and fog, lifting its sharp
ra/.or-like back two hundred ftM>t abovti all its surroundings.

T1h> sceiu< is beyond the possibility of my pen. and I shall not
attempt it. The rocks were entirely barren, except hen* an<l tluu'e,
<ui tho hiwer ranges, where tho slopes were gradual, and patches of

I
i

mil

' 1

lit

,l|i

i'l

» i

' *>'

Our North Land.

heather, or bog, or stunted vegetation of some kind, relieved the
dullness of their uniform colour. Higher up near the clouds on the
great precipices, we could see, hero and there, a rough, broken
garment of moss, the growth, probably, of a thousand years. The
summits were capped with perpetual snow in many places, that
sparkled and glowed in the morning sun, as its rays broke through
the parting clouds, like crowns of glory. The prospect was strange
and wild — strange in the angularity of the steep declivities, bold,
rugged, barren and desolate, yet, altogether, as one passes within
the entrance, combining to inspire a sense of security.

From this entrance to the Hudson's Bay Company's Post at
Nachvak, the distance is about twenty miles, and the wonderful
channel leading thereto, from a half to two miles wide, winding and
very picturesciue in its course. Wo were in this curious inlet most
of the day, or from eleven o'clock until early evening, before we
cast anchor before the lonely buildings of the post. The whole
distance is a succession of most impressive natural scenery. On
either side the rocks lift their snow-covered heads almost perpen-
dicularly for more than a thousand feet above the water, and in
many places nearly two thousand foot, and are moulded in such a
variety of shapes, langes, peaks, precipices, terraces, shelves, ravines.
ledges, etc., as to da/o the wondering admirer.

On the (mo hand we were alike delighted and awed by a dashing,
foaming, roaring torrent, tuml^'ing down at an angle of 4')", storrn-
ing against the rocks, turning in sharp curves, throwing its foam
high in the air, and falling from IcMlge to lodge, or dashing in mad-
dened fuiy from some lofty clilf to a lower range, hiding the spot
from view l>y lllling the space with whiii> mist or spray ; while on the
other our deejJOHt adnuration was called into expressions of wonder
and praise by smaller rivulets hanging down, as it were, from thu
higher roeUs, like beautiful white silken cords, [louring their waters
into the blue abyss at the feet of these eternal hills, one or two
thousand fetit below their soiirce. A day in this spot was but an hour;
nor could we have grown weary ol the scenery in a whole week.

Our stay al Nachvak was during the night <»nly. W«^ U\\'t with
the tirat light of the following day. At the post then^ are but three

III ,

Tfie Wonders of Nachvak.

elieved the
ouds on the
igh, broken
years. The
places, that
jke through
was strange
ivities, bold,
asses within

ly's Post at
e wonderful
winding and
IS inlet most
g, before wo
The whole
scenery. On
inost porpon-
^ator, and in
id in Huch a
Ives, ravines,

by a dashing,
f 45°, storin-
\\\]t its foam
liniX in mad-
ling the spot

wliiloontht^
Ins of wonder
\i\\'ii, from thd

their waters
, one or two

lud. an \\o\\v \
lv()l(< wcu'k.

We left with
lave Init three

buildings — a very small residence and two small storehouses. These
are located on a little piece of land at the water's edge covered with
bog and grass, nestled at the base of a range of hills of solid, barren
gneiss. The harbour is at an abrupt bend of the inlet, where the
<leep water approaches close to the rocky shore. It is a safe and
pleasant anchorage.

The post is conducted by Mr. Ford, brother to the Mr. Ford who
conducted us from Ford's Harbour to Nain. He has a wife and
two children and two or three servants, and about twenty miserable-
looking, snarling uo-s. There are a few Eskimos scattered in the
neighbourhood, but hardly to the extent to merit the title of a
population. The place is excessively lonely, barren and unfruitful
in every respect, except that the bay is alive with cod and trout, as
are all the inlets of the Labrador. Game is also plentiful.

At this place, lat. ')<) ' 4' N., long. G.T' 51' no" V:., the ice does
not form in the harbour imtil the middle of November, and fre-
<juontly not until the first of January, and it always goes out by
the middle or 20th of June. This is in accordance with Mr. Ford's
''t locord of seven years.

With his dogs and skin-c^.'^rod koamatik, Mr. Ford makoH
winter trips for two or thiee hundrc ^ miles along I he coast, gather-
ing furs from the natives. We had the dogs harnessed to this
I curious sledge, and obtained photographs of the buildings with this
loutHt in the foreground. Lieut. (Gordon obtained only a very few
I furs here, but was repaid for the trouble of going by securing the
isorvicos of Mr. James Lane, an Eskimo half-breed, as interpreter.
[Ho proved to be of great stu'vico in Hudson Strait, and was a
[valuable ae<|uisition to the l*]xpeditiim.

I may as well break the thrcMvd of the narrative at this jioint,
for a few moments, to state that observing station No. 2, which wo
rore unable to place on Resolution Island for reasons that will bo
J'given further on, waH located on the north side of Nachvak liay,
>about live milcM froni tlu^ enlranei*. at a place called Jlumford'H
('ove. This station was placed in charge of Mr. Williani Skynnor,
of Toronto, with Messrs. Kainsford and Jordan, as station-men. It
was deeidoti to call Mr. Skynner'M locnti(m " Skynnir's (/ovo."

5<J.

Otur North Land.

ll.

ii'

lliji

I '

f I !

' >i

,|. in

I do not know whether or not Mr. Rumford will consider him-
self aggrieved by the fact that a few enterprising Canadians have
seen fit to affix the name of Mr. Skynner to a part of his cove ; but,
in all conscience, I should think him greedy and void of national or
international sentiment, should he object. Captain Rumford, of the
schooner Lassie, of Green Bay, N. F., however, comes to this cove
annually to fish cod ; and, should he be a member of the anti-
confederation party in that ungrateful island, he may, when he
arrives next season, call upon Mr. Skynner to evacuate, or surrender
in the name of Newfoundland.

Those circumstances suggest to my mind the importance of Mr.
Skynner's station, but the realization of this brings with it an
enlargement of the mission of the Expedition. Added to the ques-
tion of the Hudson's Bay route, that of territorial acquisition is not
to be underrated. Newfoundland has exorcised civil and political
Jurisdiction over the Labrador lonp riough, I admit ; and surely the
timo has come when Canada mu, , extend her natural rights over
all the territory north of the St. Lawrence to the Arctic Circle, and
beyond. That sho will be compelled to do so, now, Lieutenant Gordon
.shouKl receive tho thanks of the whole country ; because, in placing
a station at Naehvak, with tho Dominion flag flying over it, tho
integrity of i\u) Government of (>anada is i)ledgeil to tho extent of
tho army, navy, and treasury to <lefend it. But, seriously, tho station
at Naehvak is not all that could be desired, but was, I suppose, tho
best that could bo done under tho circumstances.

i\'n^,

I tioi
I th(>>
^^T ft ■'^1

isider him-
bdians have
cove; but,
national or
ford, of the
io this cove
if the anti-
j, when he
»r surrender

ince of Mr.
with it an
to the ques-
aition is not
nd political
d surely the
rights over
5 Circle, and
lant Gordon
u', in placing
over it, the
le extent of
, the station
suppose, the

CHAPTER VI.

Cape Chidley -Port Burwell.

in hudson strait — discovery of a magnificent harbour — the
grandeur of m'lelan strait — the ruins of newnango —
the eskimo— an eskimo chief and princess.

Whoro the desolate waters from Ungava Sea
Meet the swift flowing current at the Cape Ohidley ;
Whore the sun circles low in the southern sky
And the sea-gulls drearily scream as they Hy.

f'ROM Nachvak wo took our course toward Capo Chidley,
arriving otF Hudson Strait at daylight on Sunday morning,
vXS" August .Srd. Thoro was a dense fog prevailing, and we wore
0.^ conipelletl to lay to until Tuesday, tlodging about in the
waters at tho mouth of Davis's Strait. We wore so anxious to got
into tho Strait toward Hudson's Bay, that tho time appeared long;
but I managod to engage myself among tho ship's crow, nmch of the
time hearing from them many curious reminiscences of soa-faring
life. Among thoir number was nearly every kind of sailor-character.
Tho old and the young, tho retired and the talkative, tho wicked
and tho good, the prudent and the rockloss, tho mean and tho
generous-hearted ; but altogether 1 think they were a good lot of
fellovvs.

Tiio least but not the most unintoresting of the crow, was
Johmiy, tho Neptune's scullion. I suppose all well-rogulatotl vessels
have a souUion. I do not ktiow fully what the word means
in its nautical application, except in so far as Johntiy's posi-
tion, and conduct, and iroatmont itidicatod ; and, judging from all
these, 1 should say, although I was informcvl to the contrary, that
ft ship's scuUiim was a boy ongagod to do a little of everything, with

1 '"%

■'.'■i\

Our North Land.

1111111)

(1:

11 '.

I'll',.

;' '''

II, ill

III " I'
i ' !, I

,, l|l|

the understanding that he was to do that little only when driven to
it, contrary to instructions, to receive orders from every one, and to
obey no one, to enjoy knocks and kicks and slaps, and to amuse
himself with abuse ; to hide away with the slightest prospect of his
being wanted ; to steal everything he can lay his hands on ; to keep
himself as ragged and dirty as possible, and to sit cross-legged on
the top-gallant yard in a gale to amuse the sailors. Su[)posing him
to have been engaged for these purposes, Johnny filled the position,
varied as it was, to perfection. During the whole of our voyage I
did not observe him to laugh, or even smile, except at receiving a
kick or a cufF. That li<' had come to a state of training in which
abuse was a matter of solid comfort to him, while on the other hand
words of prais" and commendation were an abomination, there can
be no question.

We whiled away the time of Sunday and Monday, until Tuesday
morning, the best we could. Being continually in the fog the con-
versation naturally turned in that direction. We discovered the
causes, or thought we did, in the comparative temperatures of the
air and water, and finally came to the conclusion, which wo considered
generous, that owing to the confluence at the entrance to Hudson
Strait of the cold water from Baffin's Bay and the warmer water
from Hudson's Bay, fogs wore produced ; and that in the Strait where
these conditions do not exist, fogs do not occur.

The fog wont with the darkness of Tuesday morning, and we
renewed our course toward Cape Chidley, sighting land at eight
o'clock. At twelv(^ o'clock, noon, w wore steaming through Grey's
Strait, between the Button LsiajidH and Cape Chidley, looking for
a harbour. It had V)con decided, for some reason, to place station No. I
on the mainland, therefore no ettbrt was made to secure an anchorage
on either of the islands. At one o'clock wo had turned the Capo,
and were moving toward IJngava Bay.

Wo liad on every hand many t'vidonces of the high latitude of
our i)osition. Mesides the low temperature were the barren rocks,
and the numerous large pHtches of snow, whicl), whenever wo
approached the land, were visible on the higli rooky coast.

As wo ncarod tho rocks of the main shore, just round the capo,

„V;

Gape Chidley — Port Burwell.

it became evident from appearances that we had hit upon an excel-
lent harbour. The Neptune was taken into he bay with great
care, and anchored in ten fathoms of water at five o'clock of a
beautiful evening. As soon as the clanking of the anchor's chains
had ceased, Lieutenant Gordon said: " This place shall be called Port
Burwell, in honour of Mr. Burwell, the observer, who is to take
charge here ; " and Port Burwell it was called accordingly. We made
a landing immediately.

Port Burwell is a pretty cove or bay, well sheltered by F^at
Point on the north and a lonely high circular projection of the land
on the south, which we called Cape William Smith, in honour of the
Deputy- Minister of Marine. The eiu.rance is well guarded from the
north-west winds, and is one of the finest harbours of Hudson Strait,
probably the best. The holding ground is good, and there is room
in the basin to accommodate from fifty to a hundred ships. The
liarbour is, in one sense, almost a landlock. I" it a vessel could
outride the worst possible storm in perfect security. The water is
from ten to twenty fathoms.

The place was fairly alive with cod, and the men belonging to
the ship took some ten or twelve quintals in a few days. The
shores were for the most part high and rocky, but there are one or
two gently sloping ra.inos, covered with a sort of bog-turf. Even
the summits have in some places a rough, thin garment of uioss.

On the evening of our arrival, in company with the Expedition
geologist, I made a voyage along tlio coast, to discover what we
might anil enjoy ourselves hunting. Wo were accommodated with
one of the Neptune's boats and two men, or rather a man and
boy Johnny. Our little excursion also included Mr. Fox and Mr.
Skynner, of Toronto.

I mention this side expedition particularly, because wo made an
important discovery, and mot with very much of interest. This
Ui.scovory was an addition to goograj)hy in the way of a channel
running through from Ungava Bay to the ocean on the Labrador
<'<)a.st. I do not refer to the channel some twenty miles south of
il»<i cai)(», indioatcMl on the published maps, but to one hitlierto
Muknown (but supposed by Lioutonant-conunanding Alexander

(

i :! (

a k

Ill I'tiii

mi:

fli!

141

'\m

'i l1!i

i! ft

":t

:i \'

iLi! \

li,;

Our I^orth Land.

Murray, United States Navy, to exist in 1860), about eight miles
south of the cape. We explored this channel and called it McLelan
Strait, in honour of Hon. A. W. McLelan, the Canadian Minister of
Marine and Fisheries. We were absent three days, camping most
of the time on the shores of the little channel, where we met with
Eskimos. These, consisting of two families, were camped in a
little ravine on a small inlet off the Strait, where the barren gnr^iss
hills towered on either side for more than four hundred feet above
the water's level, in almost perpendicular cliffs. Here, in this se-
cluded valley, walled about by high cliffs, were the ruins of an
Eskimo village, where, perhaps a century before, when these

curious p-^ople were more nu-
merous, dwelt a thrifty popu-
lation of over three hundred.
From the appearance of the
ruins, and bv the aid of the Ex-
pedition interpreter through
whom I made many ini^uiries
of those now residing at the
cape, I learned much about
this now ruined and deserted,
but once flourishing town. It
was originally, and the place
is still, called New-nan-go,
which, in Eskimo,, means a
hidden place. The town had been constructed on a small cone-
shaped hill. compof:ed of gravel and boulders. The huts or dons
were merely small excavations, circular shaped, about ten feet
under the surface, approached by small subterranean passages.
There was a row of these around the little elevation, at the base ;
another row a little further up, extending around in a circle, and
nearer the top ; still another, and of course more contracted circle ;
while at the top, and over all, was the dwelling cf the Ut-ter-ick, or
chief. The circle next below him, comprising about six dens, had
been the dwelling-places of the IJttorick's chief men. As you
descended toward the base of the hill, not more than thirty foot

KMKIMO HNOW HUTS.

Ga^e Ghidley — Port Burwell.

high in all, the huts or caves were smaller. In this heap of ruins
there were piobably ten or fifteen dwellings, yet well defined, while
originally there had not been less than forty. This number would
be more than doubled i.\ hhe winter, by means of snow houses,
which, in the case of villages, are built up among the mounds of the
underground caves.

In these cave-huts we found numerous relics, such as thrown-
away stone shot and bullet moulds, old rusty pieces of lances and
spears, and other evidences of Eskimo industry. Two or three
bore evidence of recent habitation ^ and, upon inquiry, I learned that
old chief Ki-ur-chur, the last of the long line of illustrious Ut-
tericks, who have ruled the Cape Chidley natives for centuries, and
who, in late years, takes up his summer residence on the extreme
northern point of the cape, resides, in winter, with his two wives
and large family of children, in one of these caves, at the seat of
power of his royal ancestors. I paid the tented castle of Ki-ur-chur
a visit, of which I will speak presently.

From the ruins of ancient Newnango, I visited the Eskimo
tent a little way off", where a native named Komikan, with his
brother, two sons, wife and daughter, and a little papoope whoso
sex I could not guess from its great youth, resides, and has his
miserable being. The tent was made of skins of the reindeer, held
up by a few drift poles picked up on the shores, and held down
around the bottom by heavy gneiss boulders which were everywhere
at hand. Near the tent, strung on cords of walrus and seal -skin
wore vast quantities of black seal's flesh, in all stages of drying,
seal's blubber, seal's liver, seal's hearts, and even seal's entrails, which
are stretched, dried and made into very light water-proof garments.
Among the stones at hand were vast heaps of oily blubber and seal
flesh mixed together. Thus was Mr. Komikan's larder well stored ;
nor was he wanting in venison and wild fowl.

Passing v;ithin, the scene was one well calculated to sicken an

ordinary stomach. The stench was intense, but, so to speak, a sort

of oily stench, and therefore slightly endurable. On onp side were

huge piles of venison, seals' carcases, seal blubber, in a promiscuous

mass, well-besmeared with blood and grease. Behind these were

!' '

• I

I?
in

ii'ji

n:i:

Owr North Land.

rolls of seal and reindeer skins, white fcx skins, rabbit skins, swan
skins, and skins of all kinds of birds. At the other side was a large
flat stone, on which sat the stone lamp, partly filled with seal oil,
with a bit of moss for wick, from which a blaze was flickering and
burning languidly. Close to this sat two Eskimo children, one
about four years old, the other five or six. They were very greasy,
and exceedingly dirty. Between them, rolled in a piece c^ pelt,
lay the baby, or last addition to the papoose department of the
family. They were partaking their noon-day meal, or rather eating
because they felt like it, which is the only rule of eating among
them. They have no regular hours for meals. The boys were also
feeding the baby, and boys and baby alike were covered with seal
fat and seal blood from head to feet. Near to them was the carcase
of a seal, stripped of the pelt and entrails. About two quarts of blood
and oil had settled in the cavity of the body. This had been their
soup, and was now their syrup. With pieces of seal's liver they
were dip'ping into the liquid, and enjoying a sort of dessert, every
now and then mopping the face of the helpless little babe with a
piece, and painting its fat little cheeks with crimson by their efforts
to get the food into its mouth, which the struggling infant bravely
resisted.

Further along, at the back end of the tent, raised on two or three
layers of uneven boulders, over which several thicknesses of soft
deer skins were spread, on which was every conceivable object in
the way of knives, fish-spears, pieces of raw-hide line, work-bags of
skin, pieces of leather, etc., was the family bed, and the family
lounge : a sort of general " turn to." I did not investigate, but
probably its crawling population exceeded the number of inhabitants
in the whole Dominion. On this bed lay Mrs. Komikan, the good-
man's wife, very sick, and by her side, in cross-legged style, reclined
Miss Kirtalabanafilda Komikan, her daughter, very handsome, but
very dirty. Her long black hair, hanging down in three well-kept
braids, was ornamented with some strings of beads which had been
ingeniously interwoven with the plaiting. I spoke to her, bowing
as politi'ly as I could. She was very shy, and only blushed. I
learned that she was very proud, and had refused several offers of a

Gape Chidley — Port Burwell.

..,. -».-4,aikK ^^rf^^^HBB

1 1 mm ' " '-'*fWMP"B^

'^^'"fl^H^^HI

^.-TnCKBIKKn^M^^^H^^^^^HI^^^I

l^/^t^nH^BI^^^^IH

^^^H

^^g^HH

AN ESKIMO GRAVK.

husband. She is waiting, it is said, until the chief's son, at the cape,
her cousin, gets old enough to take a wife ; for it must be nicer to
be the wife of an Utterick than the slave of an ordinary hunter,
especially the first one, as the first always rules the second.

Here I must mention that on our return, in September, we
learned that Mrs. Komikan
had died, and been buried or
laid away up among the cliffs
of Newnango.

Turning from this wretched
abode of the Komikans, we
continued our tour of observa-
tion, and were richly rewarded,
ascending the steep acclivities
to a height indicated by the
barometer of five hundred feet,
on the summits of which 1 pro-
cured some interesting botani-
cal specimens. The scene was
full of interest. At the foot of one of these ranges, near to the
channel, a curious spectacle was observed, rudely described by the
following impromptu lines, pencilled on the spot : —

Upon the eternal rocks of the north,

And close by the wild and swift tidal v.roth

In a dark sheltered cleft ;
Where perpetual snows arch summit and peak,
And the winds beat hard on the barren and bleak

Mountainous range ;
Where the seal and the walrus lazily play,
And the grim polar bear comes up from the bay,

Lonely and strange ;
Where the desolate waters from Ungava Sea
Meet the swift-flowing current at the Cape Chidley

In tidal return ;
Where the sun circles low in the southern sky,
And the sea-gulls drearily scream as they fly.

A casual glance, and. lo !
Covered o'er by the hands of the tawny and bravo
I discovered the bne and desolate grave

Of a poor Eskimo.

Our North Land.

! <' It

!ft

She had sickened and died, aa Eskimos die,

In a hut made of snow, 'neath a cold suUon sky,

Without Christian hope ;
But she saw through the mistu of the valley of shade.
And spoke of a place that death can't invade,

The glad hu.^.ting land —
Where the deer and the seal and the walrus are found,
And the rarest of furs in plenty abound.

On that beautiful strand.
She died, with the skin of a boar 'neath her head,
With the hides of reindeer and seal for her bed.

In stillness and gloom.
They carried her out to this bleak table rock,
Without formal rite or cantaUon to uiook

The last solemn deed.
It was not a grave, but a lust resting-place ;
A rude sepulchre, the tomb of her race.

'Twos less than her need.
Nor casket, nor coffin, nor shroud to disguise
The ghastly remains, which, exposed to the pkios,

Lay sciirouly at rust ;
The hard granite boulders wore thick on her clay,
Tlmt vultures, perchance, might not steal away

T'le mouldering dust.
Ihit these wont ill-Hlui|)ud, nor did they conceal
The rude winding-shout made of skins of the seal,

Or the bead-woven fringe ;
Her long raven hair, in three narrow braids,
That survives in all tombs when everything fades,

Wore cnly a tinge —
Hhov/ed only a spot, or a blur, or a stain
F*" m the iron-charged rocks washed down by the rain.

Turning sadly away from this Kiki.no tomb,
I wan forced to think of the fate or the doom

Of this singular race ;
Hut tlu« ansvvor is Hcalr ! until tliat great day
Wiien tribeb, and poophi and tongues shall ol)ey,

And meet face to face.

This channel, or Mcht^lan Strait ,v^ wo oallod it, pOHsoN throujjh
tbn hi^b j^noiNH i'onnation, iioiit I'n^'tiva Hay to tho Atlantic. \{h
wcstorn t'ntraiuM* i.s about hovoh !iiilt>H south of tho <*n\w, Un <»aMtorn
pidhaMy ton niiloH or nioni. Its avora^o l»ioa«ltli in not ov(M- tlm»o-
i}U(uiuiti uf a niilo; in Moniu placuN it m a milu and a-hall', and thun

(7ape Chidley — Port BuinveU.

a<Tain narrows down to four or five hundred yards. In places it
divides into two and sometimes three channels, forming small barren
islands. Its cliffy shores rise to a height of three and four hundred
feet, and are rugged and broken with occasional gulches, or deep
narrow ravines leading inland, such as the picturesque little slope
upon which we encamped. The whole distance through is not over
sixteen miles.

In some of the narrowest places of the channel, the tide race, at
both ebb and flood, is over ten knots an hour, while in the event of
a contrary wind, it is torn into la.shing rapids to such an extent
that no boat could venture upon it. The hcenery presented on every
hantl to one travelling through the strait, is wild and sometimes
thrilling. Every now and then the hill-walls of the iron-charged
rocks, which rise almo:;t ,,t)rpendicularly three, and occasionally four,
hundred foot above the water, give way to low, narrow, hidden
circuitous turf or bog-carpotod ravines, from which dark cavern-
like gulohos lead every hero and there to the perpetually snow-
capped summits above. Through tho.se gulohos, or following in their
precipitous and broken descent, flow protty, white silver streams,
filling tho air with their soft cold spray. Dashing against souio
j)rojocting reef an«l round tho sharp curves, and again violently tipon
some little isiot, tho swooping tide-race breaks into tho roar of a
cataract, while tho pure white mist-mantlod rivulets, heaping from
tho lofty clifl's within the lUvorging valleys, mingle their sounds
with this roar of the greater voice, as mingle tho sweet o(mtralto
strains of a church choir with tho deep rich melody of the sanctuary
oongiogation. Such is tho cbannol which I assisted in discovering
and exploring, and which I bad the honour of suggesting .should bo
culled Mcli(>lan Strait.

The physical geography and charaeteristics of I'ort Hurwcll, and
Caj)o Chidloy, at onc(i become matters of interest. Hero wo have
found an (excellent harbour so close to tho Atlantiir that wo
nuiy exp(>ct it to bcconie the supply point for futures operntioiis in
Hudson fStniit. It is r<<<'ugr>i/,able by the mariner in approaching it,
after rcMinding ('ape (/bidley, by Flat Point, and Oapo William
Smith. Flat Point is a snuill island thirty feet higit, and the tonni-

■

iir

III:

Our North Land.

nation of the north-west of the peninsula of Cape Chid ley. From
this shore the cast coast of Ungava Bay trends W. S. W., four miles
magnetic, var. 50° W., to an islet forty feet high close to the coast.
The point of which this islet is the extremity forms the southern
arm or shelter of Port Burwell, and is called Cape William Smith.
The position of Flat Point is lat. (50° 29' N., long. 04,° 44' W.

Cape William Smith lies abou' six miles W. S. W. magnetic,
var. 50' W. from Flat Point. The shore in the locality is compara-
tively low. Position, lat. 00° 24' 44" N.. long. 04° 44' 40" W.

Cape Chidley is the northern extremity of the Labradoi' coast,
at the entrance to Hudson Strait, is one thousand five hundred feet
high, lat. 50° 25' N., long. 04° 1«' W.

The cape proper is the southern of two high islands, apparently
bold-to, and api)oars when seen from the southward as an island with
two lumps, the western being the higher, from which it is easy of
recognition. The northern ot those two islands is about one thousand
feet high. There is every appearance of (lee[) water between these
islands, and between both and the main shore. Fron\ the northern
island the Labrador trends soutli-west, mag. 50° var. W., a distance
of about ten miles, to an opening which is the entrance to McLelan
Strait. Those rooks lie S. S. W., live and one-half miles distant from
the capo, the centre and highest one being lifty foot above high
water. The other two are about thirty foot iiigli. An isolated rock
thirty feet high is the northern of the outlying rocks which skirt
the coast botwcu^n tho cape and Nachvak. Kron> the cape the coast
trends N. by W. mag. ton miles, thonco N. W. ] N. mag. a furtltor
distance of six miles to Flat Point.

Tho Button IslandN, composed of four largo and three or more
very Htnall ones, Ijo to tho north of (-ape (Chidley. Tho east
point of the South Huttim Island boars N. F, by N. mag., eight
niilos distant from ('apo (*hidloy, and a dotaohod island ono
hundrtul foot high, oil' tho nearest point of tho Wo.st Button Island,
N. E. by K. mag., eight miles distant from Flat Point. South
Hutton Island is about live hundriMl foot high, and is faeitd by Nmiitl
rlills, and has two snuvltor islands at tlu^ south and west oxtrumitinn,
We^t Hutton Island has, generally, the nanio appearanuo, but is

Cape Chidley — Port Burwell.

jr. From

'our miles

the coast.

, southern

im Smith.

magnetic,

compara-

idor coast,
ndred feet

apparently
slantl with
is easy of
thousand
woon these
10 northern
[ a distance
McLelan
4,ant from
u)ve hi^h
ated rock
•hich skirt
the coast
II I'urtiior

<(> or more
Thn east
nai?., ei^ht
Mland one
ton Island,
nt. Soutli
>d \*y Nutiill
xtreinitioN.
\w, but ii»

much higher. There is apparently a good passage between South
and West Button Islands. The detached island to the westward of
West Button Island, one mile, is round and cliffy, about one hundred
feet high.

Grey Strait is the passage between Cape Chidley and the
Mutton Islands. It is apparently clear of shoals. The Neptune
steamed through it on both the outward and the homeward voyages.
The narrowest part of the eastern entrance is about four miles wide.
The flood and ebb streams in the Strait are of nearly equal duration
and strength, the former running into and the latter out of Ungava
Bay. The velocity is about six kaots an hour, off the cape. There
18 considerable race ; and, where the stream is opposed by strong
winds, a breaking sea is formed, which is dangerous to very small
vessels. During strong westerly winds in Ungava Bay, the squalls
in Grey Strait are severe.

r must now mentitm something about the Eskimo Chief Kir.r-
cliur, his two wives and large family, who reside in the summer
season on one of the islands at the oxtre»no northern point of Capo
(JhitUcy. Ho is a man of over llfty, of the usual high cheek-
bones, bliick hair and eyes, and insullieient beard. He wears a great
cap of bright red cloth, decorated with beads and precious stones,
p()lish(»d from pieces of latrobite and labradorite, and other gon\s
iiiiligenotis to that roek-hound coast, and is otherwise attractively
clad, llis (^ap is stulled with the down from many ducks, until its
diameter will measure twenty inches. He has put awiiy skins,
except for the severity of winter, and wears a sort of common cloth
jof Kuropean nuvnufacturo, procured, no doiibt, at Kort Chnno. He
jhas plenty of dogs, and, as a murk of royalty, his private koamatik
ii covered with reindiMM- skin and is drawn by ten dogs. Ho Koeps
kwo servants, a man and womiui. wlu» are married. Those two tlo
11 the drudgery of the family, the younger of whom are indulged
In idleness. C^hiofs and their families used to be sup|)orted by
rre(|Uont cimtributions from their s ibjects -and in this respect thoy
tre not unllk«* civilizo<l chiefs ; but now that i\w Rskiino population
i^s become so small in this UtteriekV district, the older members of
ds family arc compelled to work for their living. His two wivos

Our North Land.

1 !

M
• i

'\\

are rather plain-looking women, the eldest being much broken, so
that if she ever did possess any natural charms, they have long
since been supplanted by the hideous wrinkles and other traces of
Eskimo old age, which is the most horrid sort of old age I have
ever met with. The elder wife rules the younger, and the latter
submits with a willing obedience.

Some of the chief's daughters are (^uito handsome — .one in partic-
ular. Her name is Put-away-all-talk, which I am sure would never
do for a white lady ; but it is very appropriate for Miss Kiurchur,
or Princess Put-away-all-talk, because she is of but few words.
She is like all the Eskimo girls, extremely diffident, and bashful to
a fault. She is extremely fond of fine dress, is (juite tall, slender,
well formed, with small hands and feet, long pretty eyelashes, 'a
well shaped forehead, a handsome nose and chin, rather a plain
mouth, a remarkably fair complexion, with rosy cheeks and lips,
and beautiful Jot-blaek hair, extending nearly down to the ground.
She is anxious to marry, but is extremely particular, and has refused
all offers up to the present time. Her sister, or half sister, is as
ugly as the princess is beautiful ; she is as grim, and greasy, and cold
and lazy as a polar bear.

Game is plentiful at Port Hurwell. There nre a great variety of
ducks, and abundance of ])tarmignn. Sharks made their appearance
fre<]uently near our boats, whales came to the surface now and
then, HO did the walrus and seal ; but they did not put themselves
very much in our way.

The work of landing hunber and suj)pli(w and erecting the
station buildings was begun on Tuosdny evening, August fith ; and
HO well was th(> work managed that, by three o'clock on Frida)'
afternoon, a space of less than tln'ee <lays, th(> task was eomj)let<Ml,
a triangulation survey of the harbour niad(\ magnetic observations
taken, and we were rea«ly for departure, having enjoyed fair weather
during tlw whole tinui. The observations taken sbowt'd the [)t)Hiti(tii
of Port Purwell to be lat. (10" 22' N., long. 04 tM' \/. The resull,
of the nuigneti<* obHervatioiis taken was : variation of the eompass
40' 20' W., and the dip of magnotio noodle H2 0'.

CHAPTER VU.

In Hudson Strait.

OEOQRAPHY OF THE STRAIT — LCOKIN(} FOR A HARROUR IN HEAVV
WEATHER — A HIJNIHNO AUdUST SNOW-STORM — RESOLUTION
ISLAND TEMPORARILY ABANDON ED- -RUNNING THE ICE-FLOES
NEAR RIO ISLAND.

Whcro tho tido-riiou, tuooting tlio north- west gale,
Roars, and hiHlios, and fuiiniB ; and thu wail
Of porputiial snow-siiualla niovos not tho soul
Of tlio anciunt gnoipa cIIMh. Whoro docp watora roll
And tho oil-boaring nianiniala abound.

.N tho 8th of August tlio Expodition loft Port Burwcll, at
tho entnmco to llugava Bay, ami Htoaniod out into Hudson
Strait. Wo ha<l already ostahlishod one of tho six obsorvinj;
stations to bo locatod on tho shores of tho Strait ; and it
was dotorniinod to push acn)H.s to Rosolution Island in hopu of
fintlinij; a suitahKs placo thoro for locatinjj tho socond. Tho distance
is about forty-fivo or fifty nulos.

Heforo following; tho nairativo of tho oxporioncos of tho Expedi-
tion farther, wo nuiy as well tako a hurrio<lglanet! at Hudson Strait.
Its length, from (lapo Chitlloy on tho North Atlantio to tho outer
Diggos Island off (^ape Wolst(«nholu>o at tho ontranee to Hudson'H
Hay, is four hundred and fifty miles. From tho outer Hutt(m Island,
ofi'Capo Chidh^y, to Cape Host on Rosolutinn, it is forty-livo nnle.s
vvitle, but its narrowest chatniol is at the wostorn extremity, where
between (^ape VVolsteidiulme on tho south shore and Nottingham
Island, tho <listaneo is not more than thirty-fivo miles. Tho tides
in the Strait rise and fall from fiftiM^u to thiifty-tivo feet, and the
tide race runs at from four to ten miles an hour, at half-tide,
according to location. Its ))rinoipal islands are Resolution on the

'•!

•I t

Our North Land.

mp •

'W^'

north of the entrance from the raouth of Davis's Strait ; Big Island
on the north side of the Strait, close to the mainland, called North
BiufF; Charles Is'and about fiftjen miles from its south shore, and
about the same distance north-west of Cape Weggs ; Salisbury,
about forty miles from the north-main coast, with Mills Isla^nd
twelve miles to the north-west of it, both at the mouth of Fox
Channel ; and Nottingham, near the centre of the Strait at the
entrance to Hudson' Bay.

The smaller or group islands are the Buttons, about five miles
north of Cape Cnidley ; Lower Savages, north-west of Resolution,
and between it and the north-main shore ; tfie Middle Savages and
Saddle Backs, lying close to the north main coast, about sixty miles
north-west of the Lower Savages, close to, and east of the Upper
Savages ; Big Island at the entrance to North Bay ; and the Digges
six miles west of C&pe Wolstenholme, at the south side of the
entrance to Hudson's Bay.

The water in the Strait is uniformly verj Jeep ; between Reso-
lution and Capo Chidley it is throe hundred itithoms. The centre
of the Strait to the west will average from two himdred to one
hundred and lit'ty fathoms, getting shallower as the entrance to
Hudson's Bay is reached. There are no shoals or dangerous reefs
to render navigation precarious. The same may practically be said
in regard to fogs and gales ; fogs occur, but are tisually of short
('uration. Heavy gales are of rare occurrence. In this respect the
Strait is in happy contrast with the over-squally Labrador coast
The variation or error of the magnetic nocdlo, in its ajjplication to
Httvigatio.* to Hudson Strait, is as rogular and reliable in its varia-
tion as in any part of the world. It is about 50° W. at (^ap(^ Chid-
ley, and at the entrance to Hudson's Bay, say at Nottingham Island,
about 5')' VV. There is no local magnetic force to interfere with one
navigating the centre of the Strait, and the compass, that is, the
patent Sir William Thompson compass, may bo depended upon, but
the ordiiuiry marine coinpaHs is practically worthless. This arises
from the close proximity of the Strait to the magnetic polo, on
account of which the dirurtivo force acting on the uuedle is greatly
<lim* lished.

In Hudson Strait

6{)

In certain seasons of the year the navigation of Hudson Strait
is greatly interrupted by ice — ice formed in the Bay and Strait, and
that which comes down Fox Channel in the summer. It is estimated
that these ice-floes were heavier this and las,t year than for the
previous twenty seasons ; " and yet the Neptune," says Copt. Sopp,
" if she had been bound for Churchill with a cargo, or from that
porf; outward, this year, would not have suffered more than twenty
hours' delay on account of ice, or anything else." But more of this
anon.

The shores of the Strait are high, bold and barren, consisting of
the Laurontian gneiss formation. The waters abound in whales,
porpoise, walrus, seal, and many kinds of fish, while on the shores
and the borders of the lakes and streams of the interior, fur-bearing
animals, deer, white bears and a great variety of small game, are
plentiful. The Eskimos inhabit both the north and south shores,
and the borders of the rivers and lakes inland.

Friday night, August the 8th, was calm and pleasant, and
Saturday morning found us in sight of Resolution Island. Th(Te
was a light fog early in the morning, but by eight o'clock it was all
gone, and the morning w cold and clear and bright. We spent
the whole day looking for a harbour on the shores of Resolution,
among the Lower Savages and on the north main coast to the west
of the islands, but without success. By one o'clock a north-wosi
breeze sprang up and the waters were lashed into a heavy sea, so
that the Neptune's boat was sent ashore with great difficulty, on
two occasions, in a fruitless search for an anchorage. We mot with
])lcnty of icebergs, and the coast was we decorated with largo
siicots of perpetual snow, while tho higher ranges of rooks were
completely covered.

About four o'clock in the aftirnoon, a heavy storm with a north-
west gale sot in, and wo wore compelled* to steam out from the rocks
towarl tho centre of the Strait, there to roll and pitch, and dodgo
about during tlu^ night. It was indnod a dark, rough, gloomy night,
tiio Neptune riding the heavy soa-t which ndled in lumpy, uneven,
uhd rapid succession, somotimoH 1)reaking over tho docks with
great violence. A good many of tho men —and conspicuously tho

in f

Our North Land.

writer — turned in, sick enough, and wished themselves back to
Canada.

Sunday morning brought us no improvement. The weather
was still thick and the seas running high. We sighted land again,
and coasted along for some time ; but the storm was too heavy to
venture near enough to the coast to look for a harbour. By nine
o'clock a blinding snow-storm set in from the south-east, and our
condition was gloomy enough. In the midst of these adverse cir-
cumstances, Lieutenant Gordon decided to cancel that station (to be
loca ed on Resolution) for the time being, at any rate, and gave
.dei* to push on toward the Upper Savages, where, at North
''uif, station number three was to be located.

A t ten o'clock on Monday we sighted the dreaded enemy of the
navi^vv ^r in the Hudson Stniit — field-ice. From a distance it
did not look very formidable. There was only a snow-white streak
on the horizon, extending from the Middle Savages out into the
Strait, as far as the eye, aided by a powerful telescope, could seo,
and, for at least twenty miles, perhaps much farther. There was
one compensation to be derived from these ice-floes. As we ap-
l)roaclKMl them the swell subsided, and close to tl.o water was as
smooth as glass.

But if this field-ice was ])owerful enough to subside the waves
it was also able to reduce our speed, although the Neptune steamed
thrciigh it something after the I'ashion of a Grand Trunk snow-
plough in a (Janadian snow-drift.

This strip of ice, about three miles wide, was not very solid, and
but little (iiiruMilty was experienced in making our way through it.
The operation, however, to those who experienced it for the first
time, was very exciting. Great blocks or pans were split or smashed
into pieces as if mere glass shells. In some instances they were
borne down under the ship'A ke(»l, and held there to midships,' when
they would shoot up on one side, or, if broken, on both sides, rising
fifteen or twenty feet above the water, only to fall back again,
crushing to pi(>ees other masses of the same material.

For some throe miles th(^ good ship went smashing and tearing
and crushing through this mass of ice, like a vast nuichino of dos-

In Hudson Strait.

truction, clearing a water-way for her strong body with apparent
ease, only trembling and jolting now and then, when the heavier
pans were met with. But with a sailing vessel it wrnld have been
very different. Such a craft would have been helpless.

Early in the afternoon we again encountered ice, which proved
to be more formidable. It extended, as before, out fro the .lOrth
coast towards the centre of the Strait beyond our aide \ ». >servation,
narrower than the first, but the pans were thicker anu more com-
pact. For several lengths the Neptune ploughed through it as
before, but was finally brought to a halt. However, she was not
defeated. Backing up about a hundred yards, the ship was put
under full steam, her solidly constructed ice-smashing prow directed
for the unyielding obstruction. Coming up with great force, the
havoc was most terrific. Great piles of ice were smashed into atoms,
split, torn asunder, or overridde T^he ship groaned and trembled,
but moved onward with irresip^/ible ce, crushing and smashing all
before her. This display wa'^' * ob ,ip for four or fiv.i lengths of
the vessel, with an impatior. , i rei ul tremor. Again she came to
an unwilling halt, but was not you conquered. Reversing her power-
ful engines, she drew back o .aoro, and again advanced towards
tho foe, snorting with pent-up vengeance, and forcing her impreg-
nable front through and over the ice, and winning another victory.

Half a dozen of those wonderfid feats carried us throuirh to the
open water beyond. Wo wore ])y this time c[uito near to the land,
and on the east coast of Big Island. Ne " j entran"*^ to North Bay,
a suitable harbour was discovered, in wh. i the Neptune cast anchor
about four o'clock in the afternoon. Tho harbour is formed bv a
narrow ridge of rocii:8 that run out parallel with tho coast, over
which we could see from the yards of tho ship tho open water of
the Strait.

mn^n^M^

i.. I.

Ji! n

CHAPTER VIII.

■'I

North Bluff — Ashe's Inlet.

visit from huskies — strange account of a shipwreck — •
getting information through an interpreter — trading
with the natives — ice jams — bad weather — a monster

ICEBERG.

Nestled in rocks of gneiss
Formed while chaos-gloom yet shrouded earth,
And sheltered by eternal snow-crowned cliffs,
Yet lashed by many a gale, the restless waves,
Unceasing, chant the dirges of eternity.

'E had not been anchored in this harbour at North Bluff,
j)^' which Lieutenant Gordon decided to call Ashe's Inlet,
'''' but a tew minutes, when we observed the ice-floes fol-
•■'^^p^^i lowing our tracks with the tide and wind, and before
dark the whole ba}' was filled with ice, the pans being tightly
wedged and jannued together, with our ship in the centre. This
desolation was made the more miserable by a cold storm of mixed
snow and rain which continued far into the night.

Before the ice overtook us, and while the anchor was yet upon
the Neptune's bow, an Eskimo, observing our approach, pushed
away from the dark outline of the shore, and paddled toward the
ship in his odd-looking kayak, and came on boaH. soon after.
From him our interpreter learned that nearly p hundred natives
were residing and hunting along the north coa^:t in that vicinity,
all of whom had been in the habit of trading with the " American
sailor," Captain Spioer. Ho told us how that they had shot two fine
stags that yary day, and Captain Sopp arranged with him at onco
for the venison, agreeing to give him powder and shot for it.
But in a little while another Eskimo arrived with the hearts of

North Bluffs Ashes Inlet.

two deev, and you may be sure they were served on the Neptune
for breakfast the next morning.

Captain Spicer's trading station is located about thirty miles
west of Ashe's Inlet, on the north-main coast of the Strait. The
Captain is an old whaler, an enterprising Connecticut Yankee, who
had* maintained a profitable trade with the Eskimos for several
years. He has the only trading post on the Strait. We made an
attempt to visit his establishment but could not accomplish the
desire.

The darkness of the stormy night was upon us, and, with our
native visitors, by means of the Expedition interpreter, we settled
down to obtaining some information about that section of the won-
derful north. They first entertained us with the story of a shipwreck.

" They say," says Mr. Lane, our interpreter, " that only a short
time ago — they don't say quite how long — most likely a month or
more, how that a schooner (a yankee vessel), they think it's a yankee
vessel, got stuck in the field -ice ofi" here, in the Strait ; she drifted up
and down the shore about five miles off, they thinks, most likely it
was five miles, for days and days, with the heavy winds and tides.
Finally, they says how the crew got out of the vessel and made a
camp out of the sail (most likely thj sail from the schooner) and
camped on the ice-pans, not a great ways from the vessel. Then
they says how most Mkely they got provisions and coals from the
ship and built a fire on the ice, and cooked most likely salt pork.
Then they says how most likely the Eskimos gathered on the shore
and watched the sufferers, for most likely, they says, the sailors
suffered from the cold. Then they tells mo how the schooner got
nipped in the ice and went down, most likely in a hundred fathoms
of water. ,Then they tells me how the men drifted about on the ice-
paii for days. Then they says how they finally lost sight of them,
but they says most likely there was a favourable wind and thoy
were driven towards the shore and escaped to the land, and most
likely went to sailor Spicer's."

Such was the story of the shipwreck, and upon close encjuiry wo
found that their account was probably truthful, although they could
not be certain of the escape of the crow.

Our North Land.

A suitable place had been selected on the rugged shore for the
station buildings, and work was to have been commenced on the
morning of Tuesday, the 12th of August, in landing lumber and
supplies ; but the circumstances forbade an attempt. The Neptune
was entirely surrounded by ice, so thickly jammed that the harbour
presented a scene similar to that of mid- winter, V/^ith each ebbing
tide it would pass partially out, but with the returning flood it
returned, thicker and more formidable than ever. Indeed, the ice
seemed to be gathering outside as well as in the harbour.

With such an immense mass moving to and fro, the Neptune's
anchors were found insufficient, and steam was kept up to render
such assistance from time to time as was necessary. Notwith-
standing this, we moved into and out of the harbour, with each tide,
nearly a hundred yards. In this condition we lay all day on
Tuesday, unable to do anything except to land a small quantity of
lumber in the evening.

At four o'clock eight huskies came on board, without kayaks,
by walking on the ice, jumping from pan to pan. They brought
with them a large quantity of reindeer meat, for which Captain
Sopp gave them knives, powder, bullets, and tobacco ; dealing, I
think, in a spirit ot' liberality with a view of fostering their custom.
This was considered the best means of advertising in this latitude
and among this peculiar people, especially when it was remembered
that we had unequal competition in the person and presence of
Captain Spicer, who resided but thirty miles distant, and perhaps
less. We took good care to explain, patriotically of course, to these
poor creatures, that Captain Spicer was a foreigner — a Yankee
foreigner, at that — an interloper, — one who had no business in the
country ; that he was a smuggler, etc.; in short, we called him hard
names. And not less emphatically we told them that we were the
owners of the soil (rocks) ; Canadians: the right people in the right
place, and that they should trade only with us. We told them also
of our groat and good mother, Queen Victoria, and of her noble
Oovernor-doneral, Lord Lansdowno, and indicatofl that, perhaps
— with an emphasis on the pevhtpn — very likely, one day, th(!
same good Governor-General would make a treaty with them for

North Bluff — Afthe's Inlet.

all this country (these rocks), and give them " tobaci-mik," and
powder, and shot, and guns, and even tea and coffee. They smiled
credulously, but didn't understand what was meant, or if they
understood at all, one thing is certain, they didn't care a ping of
• toback " whether we were Canadians or Hottentots.

Here, in company with P". Bell and Mr. Fox, I made another
trip inland. We made the excursion in the interests of geology and
general discovery, and more particularly general sport. After
climbing the rocks for an hour we were kbout a mile inland, and
two hundred and fifty feet above the water. After that the pro-
gress was much easier, but it was little less than rock climbing all
the time. We did not succeed in getting more than seven miles
from the vessel, nor in making discoveries of any great value. The
deer kept out of our way, and we carried our rifles that day for
naught. The ptarmigan were more obliging ; we could easily kill
them with stones.

We journeyed over .a rough, uneven country. It was alternately
very wet and very dry. The long ranges of rough gneiss rocks,
heaped about, were dry enough, but hard on the feet; while between
there were curving ravines, partly covered with bog, which were
always wet and interlaced with running streams, or dotted here and
there by ponds of water.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and the most of Saturday, the
l.3th, 14th, ir)th and IGth, were spent in Ashe's Inlet. Friday
brought in more than a dozen Eskimo women and their dirty little
papooses, naked, and tucked down the backs of their mothers under
their seal-skin jackets next to the skin to keep them warm. Satur-
day morning another squad of natives boarded the ship, with such
peltries as they had. We traded with them as with all the othern,
giving tobacco, powder, etc., and taking their skins at our own prices.
At noon, on Saturday, wo had twenty-seven natives, men, women,
and eight papooses on board, and when wo were about to swin^j
ship it was a curious sight to see these thiity-five souls piling into
one small boat to return to land.

Wo loft Ashe's Inlet, all being in remiiur'-.s, and the station
buildings having been completed, on Saturday at t'.ro o'clock. It

ill

I 'It

-t

i; !

Our North Land.

had been comparatively fine, but at noon the barometer was falling
and there was every appearance of a storm. Mr. A. W. Ashe
«nd his men, Messrs. Rainsford and Jordan, left in their boat as
soon ns dinner was over. They rowed away toward their station
buildings amid the cheers of tho.se on the ship, and Infer we steamed
out into the Strait, pa.ssing live or six immense icebergs grounded
at the entrance to the harbour. We took our course for the south
shore, toward Cape Hope, or Prince of Wales Sound, where a station
in charge of Mr. Stupart, of Toronto, was to be established.

In half an hour we wore in a blinding snow-storm, but it was of
short duration. It was succeeded by a thick mist or fog, but this,
like the snow, soon passed away. However, the ice had been car-
ried awny by the wind and tide to parts unknown. When the fog
lifted we were treated to one of the finest sights in the way of an
iceberg that we had yet seen. It was on our port bow, about
seventy-live feet high above the water, and fully half a mile long.

CHAFER IX.
PuiNCE OF Walks Sound.

INTKRKSTINa INTKHVIEW WITH AN KSKIMO — TUK MARUIAQR OF A
NATIVE BEAUTY — TIIADINQ WITH THE HrSKIKH — THE HOMANCR
OF LOVE-MAKIN(» — lioW A lUlAVK WINS A HUIDE IN THE FAR
NORTH.

* * Tho ])rincoHB m^worod, poinh
Tho monator kin^ of Arctic hoiw : '' To him
" Who hriiiKM, unaidud hut by lanco and norve,
" Tho soft wliitu \w\i of that huKU hoar
" I'll ifivo my liand, and ^rant my fatltor's crown.'*

IIR (listanco acroHs tho Strait from North Bhifl'to Princo of

Wales Sound, on tho Houth-inain coiiNt, i.s between sixty

''^^JU' ind aovonty iniloH. Wo h'ft tho Urnt in tho afternoon, and

t' would havo reached tho latter early tho next niorniiij^
but for tho field ieo which wo cneonntered soon after daylight,
fortunately it was not very hep,vy, and tho ship stcainod tlirough
it for some tlftcon niiloH, and at one (j'clock the anehor was cast in
n pretty little harbour, or ("ovo, on the north -west side of tho on-
tranco to IVinco of Wales Sound. It was on a Sunday. A larj^o
party were soon on shore exainiuinj^ the eharacter of the plaei*.

Tho eoii.Ht was found loss ru^jgod than at Ashe's Inlet. Tho
g(MU'ral formation was tho same, but tlu^ hills were not so hii^h
nor steep. The surface was sloping, and to a considerable extent
covered with bog and short grass, with ln>ro and tluMo specimens
of llowering plants. As at al' tho places wo visited, there was an
abiindauee of pure fnsh water in snuill rivule(M, sprinji^N, little lakun
nosllod among tho rocks, and in large ponds in tho vulleys.

The sound of the Neptune's whistle brought some twenty or
thirty Eskimos — laon, wuinen and children — from thi inturior io the

ii'i i

II t

ifllW

i "'

Our North Land,

water's edge. They seeme'l to bo in good cireuinHtances, and, as we
afterwards learned, were tented in large numbers about six miles
further uj) the Sound. They were greatly delighted at our presence,
and when informed of the intention to build a house and leave
men in charge of it, they shouted and danced round each other like
children let loose from school.

I had an interesting day with the natives on Monday. They
had gathered on the shores of Stupart's liay — for that is what Lieut.
Gordon decided to call the place, as soon as he decided to place an

HTt'l'AHtrt »A*.

observing station tline whore the men wore erecting the Ntaiion
buildings, to the number of al out thirty t»r forty all greatly dilight«<l
with the impression thiiit we were to rMtublish a permanent dwelling
place then'. Tlioy ha<l hitherto travelled three hundred milen to
Kurt t'himo in order to exehange their peltrieH for stieh necesHArieH
AN could l»o obtained at that plaee. and the .stablishment of the
MUlion. HO f vriiH they could iinderMtiuid i*., was bringing civiliwition
and wmmorce to tlieir very doorn, and they welconied the nmvemont
enthu«ia»ii rally

Our ifii«rpruter, Mr. han<>, explainud matteix to them, and hr,

)

Prhicc of Malea Sound.

more than any one else, became their hero. They watcliod the per-
formance of the erection of the biiil(lin;i;,s in wonder and amazement,
;^'iving utterance to peculiar Hound.s, expressive of their pleasure
and surprise as the structures were sheeted in ; but when the rafters
were put into position, and the roof was taking shape, their astonish-
ment knew no bounds. It was an achievement beyond the power
of their imaginations, and they were overcome with the wonders of
the white people.

We visited their camp, about three or four miles away, and
♦ tbtained some skins of the reindeer and the seal, and had the
pleasure of some broken conv<rrsations with tluMn. I li«'gan to study
the Itiskinio language, and succeeded in connaanding a few words,
and in nuikiiig myself partly understood.

I had m my hands a Snyder rifle, which attracted tl.;^ admira-
tion of a young hunter. I allowed him to examim^ it, and remaikod,
"oonlu-ko-olik," which means," It is a ritl(»." He was greatly pleased
with the idea that I eouM sp(>ak his tongue, and went into a rignui-
lole of gibb(>ris}i of which I understood nothing, and to which I
nspomled : " Ontuke," which is, " 1 do not understand." 'rinm liin
counfcnaiiee dropped, but to revive him 1 said : " Ki-chin-a-coma,"
which is, " I will give you tobacco." His smiles returned, and ox-
lending one hand he waited anxiously, for all Kskimos love tobacco.
Kxhibiting the toluieco, I asked, " kito-ma-.sliima-yiik >* " Thin
<ltiuan«l for «le(>r skin brought another cloud to his face, but after
n moment's pauHe he shouted o\it, " ko le tuk " m'*aning a wonum's
iJreMM of doer skin, lie exhil'it^'d two i»f thrsr madi< of In-autifully
tlressed skins, with shotddei botKls fur papoose, and the inevitable
lung tailx, the only di.stin^uisbiti<r nuirk In'tween the <lreMN of the
men and that of the women. He laid (hem on tiie gro\ind, and I
placetl four plugs of black tobaeeo near by and ftMkud, Oonab,
oiimung <lo / " or, " will yo\i tjiko this for that i" He noddo<l MMent
and tlio trade was ovi^r, but not \intil his exelamation of • Mftt<'b-»-
iiiic," had so(Y»»ne(| me to the o.\teut of onr -ard of imiteh«<>i

I tlu'U aMk«»d for " poyea," or h<>hI wkin He bi"ought frv»t »*<«
bag of the same material four large «kins, and tlir «ainr> porfortnanM
wftM fiipeatiMl. I obtained thnm for four nu»an liH' '^ntfV plu||i< fif

1 fit-,

(V'i

1 ■' ,

■

(

i
I'

Our North Land,

tobacco, and felt that the native had been badly swindled ; while, on
the other hand, he seemed to think ho had struck a bonanza, and
grinned all over his great broad ugly face.

With a disposition to continue the traffic I inquired for " Nan-
nuk," or white boar skin. Ho exhibited a piece about eighteen
inches scjuaro, and I brought out some more tobacco, but he shook
his head and wanted "og-jik" (powrler). I nad none of this. Then
ho wanted " in-nip-a-lowlito," (gun caps) ; I had none ; and then ho
shouted " do-vine-lookft," all of whicii meant only " shot," but I had
none. However, he was not to bo easily discouraged and called for
a " shi-powit," or a pipe. I had onl one, and could not part with
that, so I Haid, turning away, " ok-shan-i," or good-bye. This was a
good stroke — T moan a business stroke. He came to time without
<lolay and called after me : " Pish-shoe-yon-ma-go-lova-too-goot," or
" I want to trade." I then exhibited two plugs of black-strap, and
asked, in a decided tone of voice, as if it were my last offer,
" oomungdo ? " Ho yielded, and I became the happy owner of this
small piece of valuable skin.

Just then a now ariival advanced, and, extending my hand, I
said carelessly, " kan-wo-kuk "' (how are you). Ho took my hand
and .shook it heartily, and spreading out his skins, said, '* pish-sheo-
yon-nui-go-lova." I turned him over to a companion who relieved
him of his peltries, giving in return th(Teior as little in value as i
had dime for the goodn obtained from th lirst.

Every man on Hhip-l)oard, as soon as wo got into Hudson Strait,
became a trader, from the eook's-devil (.lohnny; to tlu^ skipimr, and
for woi'ks it was unsafe to Irave p(>\vd<>r, nhot, tobacco or any other
article of coiiuuuree lying routtd louse, as they W(m*< liablo to bo con-
verted into pcltrioM sometimes without the consiMit of tlu) proper
personii. All obtaimul something, and got that u>iiiothing cheaply.

liAter in the tlay, I all *mpted to interview one of the natives,
through an intiMprntar, without much succohs, nn follows: —

" \re thfire many natives in this section of the country ?"

" He says ntost likely ihe^t) in."

" \Uit don't he know t"

" Yes, he says mtmt likely tliere i-^ a good nmny."

I^i'ince of Wales Sound.

" How many ? "

" Most likely a jfooil nmny."

" A hundrod or a thousand ? "

" He doesn't counts."

" Is there an Eskimo village in these pints, — a town where
they come to^'ether in winter i"

" He says most likely there is."

"Doesn't he know i* "

" Most likely ho does."

" Hut ask him ! "

" Ho says most likely there is."

"Whoro is it?"

" He doesn't know."

"Then he doesn't know whether there is a village near this
place or not ? "

" Most likely he doesn't."

" Have the Kskim(>s any ideas of religion I "

"Most likely they have."

" Hut nsk him."

" He says he doesn't understand what religion is."

" Does he tfxpect to go to any place when ho dies ? "

" Most likely he does."

" Ask him where i "

" !lo says most likely he don't know whoro."

" Have ihvy any 'Mirial service when one of thoir nvimhor (U«s?"

" He savs most likely they hasn't."

" At what age does the Kskimo u> ly ' '

" Most likely the girl will he tei twolvo and thr mai soven-
teell or eighteen."

" Do they ever qiiarrol and sopa te?"

' ll<< says most likely they d.ni»s

' What do they <lo then f"

" \\v says mo*t likely the wonian goi-s ftuuthor man, and the man
most liki'ly finds another woman."

" Do the men over nuvrry m<;rti than ouo woman, or itav•^ two or

I hire wivuH at onu tiniu ?"

I ' »I

if A

1 '■'' ^■'*^',^'-

'^■^^1^

J *

1 ^

Our North Land.

I! I
I

I! I>

' I il I

• lii

" He says most likely they does."

" Do they not know that it ia wrong to have more than one
wife?"

" He says most likely he won't go on."

" What does he mean ? "

" Most likely he is sulky and won't answer."

" Have the natives here ever seen a vessel before ? "

" He says only one of them has."
" He says most likely he won't
toll you anything else."

During the day a number of us
made an excursion in one of the
Neptune's boats, about three miles
along the coast, on the north side
of Prince of Wales Soinid, and goin^'
on shore wo walked about two miles
when wo found several Eskimos in
tents, made of skins, all, as usual,
dirty and filthy. In our wanderings
among the hills and rocks we cann'
to a little inlet, a narrow arm of
tho Sound extending in among the
rocks, entirely bid from view iintil
the travtiller a|)[)roa<;heH the water ■-
edge. There were natives rosidinj.,'
on both sides of tho covo. It was
evident that nomothin/* unusual
was going oit. An old chief, with
bis great red cap, stood upon a clitl'
near bis tent on one side, while, upon
tho waters of tho lake-like iidet, a
boat and liaif a do/en kayaks HIIimI
with huskies wore appan-ntly (iiijoying a holiday. Hpon making'
en«|uirioN, I found that thi« chief 'h only child and jlaugbb i . a nfttivo
beauty, had junt given her hand in marriage to a young Kskinio
Tho event was much out of the order of I'^^arriages, as the now!)-

KII-KII,I,IA-KK A-KtIM.

Prince of Wake Sound.

5r of us
of the

ue miles

ivth sidi'

ml goin^

iwo miles

tkimoH in

I as usvial,

ntulevings
wo cam''

V arm •»!
tnor.g th^'
i.>w until
!(• wat«!v's

)s rositiiu^i;
;. It was
unuH'snl

■hiet, wi<l>
ipon a ditV
jvbile,\il"">
\ii\ inlt't, II
,yakH nH'"l
,on uxakiu^:
,,r. ft niktivo
n^ KHk»n\<'
tho nowly-

made husband was to succeed the old chief as head man over this
scattered population. A few questions revealed sufficient romance
to make the wedding very interesting. I cannot vouch for the
truthfulness of the narrative, but, pretty much as I re" ived it, it is
f^iven to you in the following measure : —

Nestled in rocka of gneiss,
Formed while clmoa-Kloom yet shrouded earth,
And sheltered by eternal snow-crowned cliffs.
The placid waters of the cove, by not
One ripple stirred, bore on their li(juid breast
Kayaks, trimmed out with spears and gaila and hooks,
A guard of honour due the pair made one
In bonds unsanctitied by rite of church or creed.

The whale-boat had, by yonorous loan, or from

The loaner'a wxnh to foster trade, contained,

Uesidea the tawny brave and bluahin^j bride,

Seated aft on akins of Polar bear, foiir more

Strong bending to the oars. Mor jacket was

Of seal, the tail bedecked with finer furs

C(mtrastim; shades and colourn gay -not wide,

lint pennant-iihaped, and ftu'ther trimmed with strips

Of feathered skills ' rctio birds of whito

And shades of eve. _ 'ue. Of raven black

Her hair in braids liung d 'wn \ip<«n her breast.

And falling baek, trailed in the liipiid blue.

Her head was bare; nor was the use of veil

Indulged, nor decorations grand, except

A neatly twisted wreath, t<.\tending fron\

Her forehead baek, of Arctic pop])ies bright.

And freshly gathered fnun the rooky shore.

Her hands ungloved ; her feet in boots of seal ;

Her neclk was girt about with ivory balls

And balls of hitrobite, strung on a thread

Of ■kin, and from it, on her throbbing breast,

Hung down a cross, hewn from a tusk, —

A oroNs wMhoiit a nu>aiting tn the bride,

Hut patterned from the pictmes left

hy aniliirs, who for fur.'i had traded them.

Her oharms hnd fiimod her in a hundred camps.
And far and wide her namn, on native tonguet,
In words <<f praise and IxMMt was spokon oft.
A princnsB of a royal Hum of chiefs,
An h«ir t" idleness »ud wimu, with right

i 1

• i

11 I

:Vff^l

Our North Land.

.!|'

II •!

To be attended by the common herd

And give command. Her home a ruler's hut,

And hence a palace grand. The imly heir

And only child of Chief Utongkakum,

Whose rule of thirty years as native chief

Of Eskimos for many miles around

Had blessed his race, i'^.nd made his name a word

For common use. The aged chief could not

Much longer wear his modern cap of red,

But soon his crown must rest on other's head.

To gain the princuss-daughtor's hand was much

To bo desired f(ir hor natural charms,

Hut more because with that the winner gained

A crown. Princess Lu-killia-ke-a-kum

Utongkakum, by many suitors wooed,

But, won by nono, until by test to find a man

As true, as bravo, and worthy to bo called

.\ chief, the comjuust of hor heart was made

\\y young Shemomamik.

The contest for her hajid, the battle for

The crown, was brought on thus. The evening shades

Wore falling, when, as four brave hunters sat

On skins about her royal father's hut,

Each waiting for the word, the answer to

A prayer that sweet Lu-killia-ke-a-kuni

Would stoop to be his bride. Behold, a grim

Uu;^o Polar bear approached, but turned

Away as yelping dogs disclosed to him

His peril. Tho princess answered, pointing to

Till' iiionstur, king ot Arctic seas: "To him

Who brings, unaided but l)y lance and nervo,

The soft, whitii pelt of that huge bear,

I give my hand and grant my father's crown "

The iHtar-skin on the whaler's stern nheetn spread,
As cuHhion for thx beauty, princess bride,
Was from tlie body of that boar. The ;,'room,
Whose arui supported her, and on whi>au head
The ruling orown, a oa|) of reddisli cloth,
Reposed, and at wIioh«> siilr a laiioe was slung,
Our hero! Brave Hhemoiiiamik had won!

Novr thure in very littlu corotnony coniu^otod wit.h an Flskiino
inaniagu, nut uvuu with tho nmrriagoof a ohi(frH unly (lau|;htor,anil
that littlu cuniiiHtH of thu tbrtunatu man conducting liin wifo I'roiii

' il

Prince of Wales Sound.

the tent of her people to the tent of his people. That is all there is
to it. And, very often, the little romance connected with thi.s per-
formance is annihilated by the fact that the bride is so conducted
iigainst her will. You will notice that the Eskimos are mated, so to
speak, while they are yet children. That is to say, the parents of
the girl and the parents of the boy agree that, when the proper
time comes, they — the two — shall live together as man and wife.
ITiis agreement, of course, comes to the knowledge of the girl and
hoy concerned while they are yet very young, and it may be that
they grow up to think very much of each other, and become happily
joined together ; but it may also happen that the girl will take a
hoarty dislike of the choice made on her behalf, and grow up to
thoroughly hate and despise him. All the same, when ho becomes
old enough to nuiintain her by the chase, ho demands his property,
as it were, and she is compelled to submit. But we must not sup-
pose the latter to have been the ease with the marriage in question.

CHAPTER X.

Stupart's Bay Station.

! II!

characteristics of the ESKIMO — DESCRIPTION OF THK KAYAK —
THE DIFFICULTIES OF INLAND TRAVEL— THK " AMERICAN MAN "
— ESKIMO VILLAGES — ARTICLES OF TRADE,

Where the swan, and tlie duck, uiid the curlew breed,
■ And tlie geese, by thousands, come to feed,

And the reindeer bound on the rocky phiins,
And the Husky thrives on his liunting gains.

i. M

^' S we met a very large number of Eskimos at i rinco of Wales
\l Sound, Stupart's Bay, I must not pass the pls> e without
^ referring to some of their peculiarities. Their customs and
"^•^ characteristics are, for the most part, similar to the North
American Indians, and the points of greatest difference are where tlie
difference of latitude and climate enforce a change. They wear but
two garments — generally of soal-skin or reindeer skin — jackets
which they slip on over their heads, and sort of trow.sers of the same
n\atorial, with skin boots. There is a hood on the jacket which
they \\\\\\ over their heads at will. The men and women dre.ss ex-
actly the same, except that there is a long narrow trail or tail to the
jackets worn by the women, generally decorated with trimmings.
They never put any clothing on the infants. These are kept in a
completely rude state until about one or two years of age, protected
frotn the cold by being tucked down the backs of their mothers,
under their loose jackets. When they become hungry they crawl
u]) and over the naked shoulder of their mother, and when supplied
crawl back again. They look very dirty, and in this respect greatly
rcHemble their ])arentH.

The Eskimos, in their original state, or as they are found to-day.

Stupart'a Bay Station.

when uninfluenced by Christ ^ ^nity, have no religious inclinations
whatever. They worship nothing and nobody, and have no ideas
of a future state that are very well defined, except that which is
usually found among the other savages of North America. They
have no doctors, take no medicines, and are ([ was going to say,
therefore,) seldom sick. When they die their bodies are laid away
on the rocks, and covered over with boulders.

They have no regular hours for eating, but eat whatever they
have on hand whenever they feel like it, which is quite often. They
seldom all eat together, except when they have been half starved
for some time, and are lucky enough to take a deer or seal. Then
they eat enough to make up for the deprivations of the previous
(lays of hunger. They do not keep track of the days of the week,
know nothing whatever of the Sabbath ; but they have a sort of
record by moons and winters. They have no summers. Their
store of knowledge is very small. The men P'-e adepts in the use
of the gun, the spear, or the harpoon ; the women sew neatly,
and display good taste in making garments from skins. Both are
moderately industrious, generous toward white people, and willing
to do most everything they are told. They are something like the
Indian, but more enterprising. If they are filthy, they are honest ;
and if they are below, the Indian in the fiist, they are above him in
the latter. But the corrui)ting influences of civilization soon over-
come their nattiral inclinations. They learn to steal with the
greatest ease, and take delight in practising the art when they have
learned it.

One of the most attractive features of Eskimo life is the kayak.
Wliat the canoe is to the Indian, the kayak is to the husky of the
nortli. They are not the same in shape, in construetion, or in any-
thing (dso, except in weight and the dangers to wliich a greenhorn
is exposeil in attempting to navigate them. In shape they are
similar to an oM-fashionod weaver's shuttle, and draw loss water
than *he ordinary canoe. They are about thirty fcrt long, not more
than two feet from top to bottom at the (Hmtre, atul about thirty
inches wide at the same point. The top is straight from ft»rwartl
point to stern point, except that from the centre to the ends eaeh

:i|l

^1 .

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

l^|28 |2.5

t Itt llio

J£

1-25 1.4 11.6

9B3RSBBBBEBS iHDlill^^B It H^^^^B

« 6"

i^ >

^'j:"

Ph()t()gi'Ji|)hic

Sciences
QMIxmilion

11 WMT MAIN •TMIT

WIIITIR.NV I4SI0

(TU) •79-410)

!■

ill

Our North Land.

way they gradually become narrower, until at the points the width
is not over two < '• three inches; and from the centre, each way
toward the ends, and toward the top as well, the bottom slants
upwards and outwards, until at the points the thickness is about
two inches. It is flat at the bottom, but much narrower than at
the top. The frame is of strong wood, and the whole is covered
with seal-skin carefully sowed together and stretched ovei- tightly.
There is a round hole in the top, at the centre, formed by a hoop to
which the seal-skin is attached. The Ks([uimo sits in this hole,
with his feet stretched out toward the foivvard end and his head
and shoulders above it. In rough weather ho wears a thin water-
proof jacket nun le from the bla<lder of the walrus or other mammal,

! I

TIIK KAYAK.

that stretches something like rubber. Tliis is drawn down over the
hoop, so that the w.ives nuiy pass over the kayak again and again,
and not ono drop ol' water enter it. A kayak will aceonnuodate
but one person at a tiuu^

In ono of these kiiyaks the Kskimo paddles about, souu^tinu'H
nuiking very remarkaltle spt^tul, (pilte a little monarch of the nortli-
ern seas, On i\w Hat top of his little eraft, secured by loops of
walrus-skin, are his lance, his spcnr and his hook, while by his vide,
partly in I In- kay.ik, is his raithl'nl gun. At his back is r buoy,
which looks th(< image of a seal, Ixu'auHit it In no nu)re or U^ss than
thi> pril ol' a stml tightly tilled with air. Attached to this In a
harpoon at. the end of a pitwn^ ol' walruw hide thirty or forty I'oet
long, if thu s(>al or walrus comes near iMiough, he is harpoon(M)

i ;

Stupart'8 Bay Statiov.

Moith-

)(»|)M of

is Kuh,

l»iioy,

ts than

,y I'ot^t

IiiioIUm)

and when he can no hmger be held by the line he is allowed to go,
buoy and all ; but the latter betrays his whereabouts, and not only
secures his capture, but is often the cause of attracting other seals
which are secured also. It is a sight to soe an Eskimo fighting a
walrus in one of these kayaks. The latter invariably attempts to
pierce th(! kayak with his tusks ; but when ho makes the venture,
in his fool-hardy courage, he not only fails to succeed, as the little
craft moves too easily in the water to give him any power over it,
but receives a harpoon in his side, or is pierced to the heart with a
deadly lance. With the buoy attached, to keep his i)rize from
sinking, ho paddles it in tow to the shore.

Tlie natives use but one paddle in the kayak ; but it is not the
same as that used ly the Indians in tlu^ canoe. It is a double
paddle ; that is to say, both ends are llattoned, and, in paddling,
first Olio end is used and then the other, on one side and the othor
icspoctively. The central portion of the padille \r, round, and the
water is prevented from running down upon the hands, as the
instrument is used, by pieces of skin which ai"o ))laced tightly around
at the proper places. A new beginner will have sonio trouble in
navigating tlu^ kayak, and it will bo well for him, at first, to koop
in shallow water. It tips over with the slightest provocation, and,
as you can extricate yotirself from tlui hole with sonu* littl(> difH-
cidty, and as you are precipitated into the water head first, it
beconu^s a, matt(>r of impoitanee that you eitluM" know how to
lialance yonrs(^lf properly or are j)r(>pared for a plunge bath. One
of tho N(^])f^lnt^'s erew, in nudting the attempt, wtMit over head
first into ten fathoms of water ; but, as he was a good swimmer, he
soon managed to kick himst^lf loone and take rescue in an adjoining
boat, lie was fi<arfully wot and cold, but got sonu^ retlress by
soundly cutling the hoy Johnny for laughing at him. A good nuiny
others laughed that wt<re not cuflod at all, We all admired the
kayak, but nont^ of \\h ventured to test the dtdightful pleasures of
riding in ouo. It dotw n<»t take long however to learn to haiulle
one, and I wo'ild leeoinmeiid kayak clubs as ii mpans of Ijeftlthy
amus(Mnent for youitg ('anadians,

Wo remained at Stupart's Hay from Sunday noon until Friday

' I

■f

Our North Land.

]',

'' tiitt

evening, the time being occupied in putting up the four buildings
required for the work of the station, in making a triangulation
survey of the harbour, and by inland excursions from which we
learned something of the cl: ara cter of the country. We had so much
bad weather that but little progress was made in the latter. On
Tuesday, and again on Thursday, I went inland with the Expedition
geologist, some seven or eight miles each day, but we saw little of
interest except native villages or Eskimo settlements of three or
four huts each, in the shelter of the deep gulches which abound
everywhere on the coast. There is no way to get inland except on
foot, and the walking is exceedingly bad. It is a continual climbing
up and down ov(M' hills of barren gneiss rocks, very sharp and un-
even, and across ravines in which running streams have to be forded
by jumping from rock to rock, an operation frc(]uontly attended by
the accident of slipping into the cold water. The coast is every-
where very much broken, exceedingly uneven, s(>verely barren, and
cut into innumerable islands and headlands by gulches, inlets, bays,
coves, etc., into which the tidal wave comes and goes at the rate of
from five to eight miles an hour according to location. So nmch is
this the case that an attempt to follow any one direction itdand will
be frustrated bel'oro luvlf a mile is travelled by a gulch, perhaps
over a liundred feet deep, or a winding arm of the sea, with steep
precipitous rocky shores, so that a decided change in the direction
will have to be made. There is (ifton considerable danger attending
thifji travel on foot among the rocks, in attempting to descend the
clills to th(^ b()it()n\ of one of these gulches one is often compelled to
return by precipices wliieh forbid further progress; an<l in the
edbrt to wuikii another (bourse* it is (juito possible to lose one's way
and become, as itw»»ro, a prisoner in the rocks, nn that the traveller
In required to bo on the look-out constantly.

The " Amtiriean-nuin " is an absolute nocossity to the travel lor
among the rock-hills of the north, as also to tlie fishermen and
otluMs who navigate the coasts. It nuiy be that all do jjot mulor-
stand the meaning of this term. An " Amerieim-man" is sinq)ly a
few boulders piliMl one upon the other on some hill-f.op, so as to
attract the eye and serve as a guide. There is such a sameni^ss In

Stupart'8 Bay Station.

the coast and in the interior that one cannot judge in the least
wliere he is going by the appearance ol the country. The sun in
seldom in sight, the sky being for the most part overcast, so that ho
can scarcely be depended upon as a director. Under these circum-
stances, the " American-man " is indispensable. It is but little
trouble to build one, as loose rocks of all sizes are to bo had every-
where.

It was by such means as this that we marked our route inland
in the excursions wo made while at Stu part's Bay. Here and there
in the journeys wo would chance upon a native grave. Some of
them were marked only by a few well bleached bones, and tho har-
poons, knives, spears, etc., which tho unfortunates used in their life-
time. Those things are always placed by the side of an Eskimo's grave,
and it is hold to be such a curse upon any one who is evil-minded
enough to remove them, that they are generally loft to rot. and rust
long after the mortal remains have disap])oared altogothor. In tho
case of a female, her cutting-knife, noedlo-caso, etc., and clothing are
placed undcM" the rocks with her body.

Tho throe small villages that wo visited, all within sovon or
eight miles of our anchorage, contained a jjopuiation aggregating
less than sovonty-fivo souls. They are all a dirty, wretched s«t,
imj)r()vident, and theri^fore alternating bctwcM'u oxtn^no poverty
and plenty, such as it is, according as the hunt proves .successful oi*
unprolltable. They live in tents of walrus or seal skins in summer,
and in snow or cave huts in the winter. They gen(>rally eat every-
thing raw, and their food consists of the flesh of seals, walrus, j)or-
poise, reindeer, .sea-trout, salmon, and fowl, such as geese, dueks,
Itiarniigan, «>to. Tlu^y sonu^times cook th(> fowl, anil fn^pumtly the
ll»>Hh of the deer. This is done generally in stone kettles, heated
oviw stone lamps : a sort of trough hewn from a piece of rock. Tlwi
fuel is oil, of eours(^, of which they gen(>rally have plenty, the wick
being lichen moss .'■ueh as tho deer I'eod upon. With this arrange-
nu'ut tlu\v can cook with ease, but th(*ir preferonco for raw llesh
generally dispenses with that trouble.

The int(M'ior of th(>se tents wiuj very muc^h tho Mftmo as tho»e
that wo had met witli elsewhere. They wore filthy beyond

■k

i|i

iijiiii

Our Nm'th Land.

deacription. Great heaps of blubber, seal or walrus fat were lying
along the sides, while at one end the bed of skins on the rocks
generally supported from two or three to half a dozen women and
children, lounging in a half nude state, unwashed, uncombed, and
unconcerned. The women were sometimes leisurely sewing on
moccasins, jackets or other skin garments. In one of the tents we
met with a very aged woman. She was haggard, grey, bald,
wrinkled, decrepid, rickety, cross, dirty, half blind, half naked,
toothless, with linger nails nearly an inch and a-half long, skinny,
half crazy, unable to walk, out of patience, talkative, and unhappy.
She was probably seventy years of age, and will soon leave all that
is mortal of her to be frozen, and bleached, and diied and decayed
upon tlie rocks.

In the same tent Vvas a little child — there are often representa-
tives of three generations dwelling in one hut — ;just old enough to
toddle around, with her diity black hair long enough to hang down
ov<^r her black eyes and dirty face, with her one scanty garment of
deer skin, and with her hands and face covered with blood. This
child was a scene to be pitied, perhaps, hut for us, to be laughed at.
She was half sitting on a rock, with one hand newly dipped in a
dish of stone partly lilled with mixed seal-oil and blood. She had
been eating the raw flesh from the carcase of a seal, and drinking
this mixture of blood and oil ; and, chihi-like, she was bedaubed with
it in such a way as to indicate that her appetite was good and that
she had not yet been traincfd in the art of eating, as she probably
never will bo.

Tlio men generally do the trading when Ihey are at hand, and
will foolishly part with anything they have, not only skins but
spears, lances, harpoons, hooks, tlsh-spears, or anything, for tohacco'
powder, shot, gun-caps, knives, etc. Most of the inon have guns,
probably loaned to them, as a business stroke, by traders, and they
Hoem to bo pretty well ac(|uainted in the use of thorn. Jiesides
several pelts, wo obtained from them one or two harpoons, and
various articles illustrative of their nuxlo of life.

CHAPTER XI.
Ouj ECTS OF Observing Stations.

METEOROLOOICAL WORK TO RE DONE — MOVEMENTS OF ICE, TIDES,
ETC., TO BE RECORDED — TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM — THE VARIA-
TION OF THE COMPASS — DIP OF THE MAGNETIC NEEDLE, ETC.

Science kindly !,'iviiig aid and light
Has made tliu storms of darkest night

To warn us of their coming ;
Science spuakini,' on tlie compuHH dial,
Bids nui^nu't-forces talk and Huiilu,

And tell their secret meaning.

• li-tHl <l

land

X^TR^T Stupart'.s Bay, as also at Aslio's Tnlot opposite, on tho north
side of tho Strait, wo woro always in sight of field ice,
which lay in extensive sheets outside of the little harbour,
^'^P^ and which canio in with the tide whenever there was not
a contrary wind, hut this, let me observe, did not reach into tho
centre of the Strait where navigation was wholly unobstructed.

The buildings at Stupart's Station werti sutllciently completed
by three o'clock on Friday, the 22nd of August, to be left by the
Neptime in charge of the four nuni wlu) wero to reside there.
They consisted, at that place, of a dwelling, a storehouse, the
nmgn(>tie obst^rvatory for ditterential observations and a building
for absolutti observations. An extra nuin was left at that station on
account of the extra work to bi^ done. It is the only plaee on the
Strait where magnetic observations are to be taken ; huucu the two
extra buildings which are tuHressary for that work.
'J'he (luti(vs of the various observing stations are : —
1. Ii(^ading the barometer cvory four hours, oomincnoing at
throe o'clock, a.m.

Our North' Land.

i I, I!

2: Recording the register of the dry and wet bulb thermometers,
also every four hours, taking out the force of vapour, relative
humidity and dew point, recording the anemometc , etc.

As the primary object of the whole Expedition is to ascertain for
what period of the year the Straits are navigable, all attention is to
be paid to the formation, breaking up and movements of the ice.

Each station is supplied with a sun-dial and time-piece, and the
clock is to be tested each day when there is sunshine about noon.
A table of corrections is supplied for the reduction of apparent time to
local mean time, to this the difference of time will be applied to 7otli
meridian, all entries being made in the time of this meridian, and
observations will be taken regularly at the following times through-
out the year, viz., 3 h. 08 m., 7 h. 08 m., 11 h. 08 m., a.m. and p.m.

Each morning the sums and means of the observations taken on
the previous day will be taken out and checked over; they will then
bo entered in the abstract books supplied for the purpose.

After each observation during day-light the observer on duty is
to take the telescope and carefully examine the Strait, writing
down at the time all that he s(3es, stating direction and (when possi-
ble) velocity of tide, movement of ice, if any, and also describe
the condition of the ice, whether much broken up, solid, field,
etc., etc.

Each day the time and height of high and low water is to be
carefully observed, and during the open season the character of the
tide will bo carefully noted for two days before and three days
after the full and change of the moon. For this purpose a post
marked off in feet and fractions of a foot is placed in the water at
low tide in some sheltered spot, and the height of the water noted
every half hour during the rise and fall of one tide on each of tho.se
days — the height to bo noted most carefully every five mimites
during the hour of high water and the same at low water ; the five
minute observations will also bo taken for one hour during the
most rapid portion of the rise. Special observations of barometric
pressure are to bo taken in connection with these ti(hil observations.
All remarks in regard to the movements of birds, lish, etc., anil
also the growth of gnissos, will bo carefully entiired.

to be

ff tho

lays

post

or at

[lotod

(those

iiutos

b live

tho

[otric

fions.

ami

Objects of Observing Stations.

As it was impossible to give the officers in charge of stations
detailed instructions which would be of service in every contingency
which might arise, they were required to observe and enforce the
following rules :

(a) " Every possible precaution is to be taken against fire ; and
as it is anticipated that the temperature can be maintained consider-
ably above the freezing point inside the houses, two buckets full of
water are always to bo kept ready for instant use.

(b) " As the successful carrying out of the observations will in a
great measure depend on the health of the party, the need of exercise
is strongly insisted on during the winter months, and also that each
member of the party shall partake freely of the lime juice supplied.

(c) " Each party is supplied with a boat ; but unless some emerg-
ency require it, it must be a rule that neither afloat nor ashore must
any of the party leave the station for a greater distance than they
can be sure of being able to return the same day.

(d) " As soon as possible after the houses are completed and tho
stores all in place, tho party will set to work collecting sods, grass or
any other non-conducting matorial ; and before the winter sots in the
whole house is to be covered with this, boards overlaid and snow
packed over all ; the assistance of the Eskimos should, if jiossible,
be obtained, and the whole houses arched over with snow."

Besides all this work,Mr.Stupart will make extensive observations
in terrestrial magnetism. Tho magnetic action of the terrestrial globe
produces results greatly affecting the mariner's compass, hence it
becomes necessary not only that navigators shall bo acquainted with
these forces, but that, as they differ in different latitudes, they should
have a knowledge of these diflbroncos, which can bo obtained only
by a long series of observations. In order that the navigator of
Hiidson Strait may bo able to intelligently road his compass, a!i<l
thorofbro avoid running u[)on tho rocks, it is absolutely necessary
for him to bo ac([uaintod with tho magnitude of the magnetic forces
in every portion of tho Strait. This is done by recording such ob-
Horvations as Mr. Stupart will make during his stay at tho place
which boars his own name.

1 havo gathorod from Walker's work on Terrestrial and Cosmical

■;i

'J, :

> >i> ilii I

1 'f

li'^

Our I^orth Land.

Magnetism the following observations bearing upon the magnetic
work which Mr. Stupart is to perform. They will i\o doubt be
interesting and instructive to the reader ; —

The question is best opened by making two propositions, viz. :

1. If a rigid rod be suspended freely by a string without torsion,
passing through its centre of gravity, its position will ordinarily be
horizontal, whatever be the vertical plane in which it is situated.

2. If, however, a bar of magnetized steel be thus suspended, this
horizontality of position and indifference as to the azimuth of the
vertical plane in which it hangs no longer obtains. On the con-
trary, it is found that when the bar comes to rest, its direction
makes a certain angle with a horizontal line in the vertical plane
containing the bar and the suspending string ; this vertical plane
makes a certain angle with the meridian of observation.

Now the causes producing these effects is called terrestrial mag-
netism.

The angle which the horizontal needle of a compass makes
with the meridian of the place of observation is called the declination
(or by some the variation), and is said to be so many degrees east or
west, according as the north pole of the needle deviates to the east or
west of the meridian.

The vertical plane passing through the magnetic axis of the
needle is called the magnetic meridian.

The angle which the vertical plane needle makes with a hori-
zontal line in its plane of motion (supposed to coincide with the
magnetic meridian) is called the dip or inclination, and is said to
be north or south according as the north or south polo of the
needle is below the horizon.

The horizontal noedlo furnishes the moans of determining the
mtensif]/ — or isochnmous oscillations of the horizontal needle when
(liaplacod from its position of eciuilibrium on either side of the mean
position, — of the horizontal component ; and the direction and piano
of action being known, the resultant force, or intensity, is known in
magnitude and direction.

To show at (mco the value of those magnetic observations to tho
navigator, it is only necessary to state that tho dooliuation or varia-

y;l'il!i".

Objects of Observing Stations.

tion of the magnetic needle on Lake Erie is about 4° west, while in
Hudson Strait, at Cape Chidley, it is 50° west, and at North Bluff
it is 52° west. The vessel is guided by her compass, it is true,
but not alone by the direction of the needle, but by the true
needle, which is ascertained by calculating the difference between
the variation and the true north. This variation, as I have
observed, is more or less, according* to place of observation, east or
west, north or south. The inclination or dip of the magnetic needle
at Toronto is nearly 75°, while at North Bluff, on Hudson Strait, it
is 84°.

The instruments to be used by Mr. Stupart for these observa-
tions are, the unifiler magnetometer for determining the absolute
declination ; the dip circle ; an inclinometer for differential observa-
tions *, a declinometer for the same purpose ; a bifiler for showing
the horizontal force ; the sextant and the chronometer.

Ill

!
1

CHAPTER XII.

Fighting Field Ice.

no sunshine — ramming ice pans— laying to in field ice all
night — approaching salisbury and nottingham islands —
the neptune's propeller broken — desolate appearance
of nottingham.

Where arctic ice pans crush and flow
In eternal winter ; and the snow,
As anciei:t as the rocks it shrouds,
Knows no melting; and the clouds
Forever hide the sun.

^E left Stupart's Bay on the evening of Friday, 22nd August,
'i'^ just one month from the hour of leaving Halifax. We
\l §/p>lj ^^^ been in Hudson Strait since August 5th, or seven-
t -^ «#'^ t(jen days, and had met with bad weather most of the
time. There were but few really rough days, but it was ever
changing, raining one hour, snowing the next, and partly fine the
next. We had experienced no positively fine days. The sun was
not visible on an average of once in two days, and generally made
its appearance but for a short time on each occasion. We found no
cod either at Ashe's or Stupart's, but some fine trout were caught in
the streams of fresh water running into the Strait, and into which
they had found their way from the sea. Reindeer were seen inland,
and the interpreter, Mr. Lane, captured a walrus, the heart of which
made us an excellent breakfast. Ducks were plentiful, many of
which were served on the ship'n table.

The scene at Stupart's harbour, on the afternoon (August 22nd)
wo left it, was very remarkable. The shores near to us were lined
with largo pans of ice, left high ami dry by the wind and tide. ' On

E ALL
NDS —
RANCE

nd flow

LOW,

'ouds,
jlouda

«LUgUst,

seven-
of the
1,8 ever
|ne the
in was
made
ind no
ight in
which
nland,
which
ny of

22nd)
lined
• On

Fighting Field Ice.

the slope, just over the Neptune's stern, were the four fmall build-
ings of the station, with Mount Bennett, an elevation named by
our commander, just in the back-ground. On three sides of us were
high rocks, decorated here and there with spots of frozen snow,
while away to the south the long ranges of the main shore were
covered with newly fallen snow. o seaward, as far as the eye
could discern anything, was a vast stretch of field ice.

Weighing anchor, the Neptune headed towards the latter, the
men and crew on board cheering Mr. Stupart and his assistants as
they rowed away to the shore. In a quarter of an hour we were in
the midst of the ice, battering awa}'' at it in right good earnest. At
first the pans were scattered and we got along without much diffi-
culty, but they became thicke*" and more compact, until the good
ship was compelled to stop. Reversing her fan, she backed away,
and again advanced in a more promising direction. By this
method she made some little headway, but the progress was very
tedious. At ten o'clock in the evening we were about ten miles
from land, but still in the ice, which was so compact as almost to
defy advance.

The tearing, and crashing, and smashing sounds were by no
means pleasant, added to which, the lurching, and rolling, and
raising, and pulling of the ship made all on board feel uncomfortable.
The captain longed to be " outside " in the centre of the Strait,
where, of course, the water was free from obstruction; but darkness
intervened, and we were doomed to keep company with the relent-
less ice. The Neptune laid to, and all was quiet again, until the
returning light of Saturday morning warranted a renewal of opera-
tions.

The propeller was put in motion at daylight on Saturday morn-
ing, and by half-past six o'clock wo were through* the ice into open
water. Capt. Sopp estimated that we had made our way through
over twenty miles of field ice, all more or less compact, between
Stupart's Bay and the open water, which was reached just before
breakfast hour on Saturday morning. It began to snow and blow
at an early hour, and continued until noon. The afternoon was a
mixture of snow and rain, with moderate winds and spells of partly

■i.i n

■|: S

■.''ill

I 1

"ir

r i!

100

0^ir North Land.

fair weather. About two o'clock in the afternoon we were passing
a stretch of field ice, which ever kept to starboard. It was
about ten miles in length, and was the first T/e had seen near the
centre of the Strait. The water was quite smooth during the after-
noon.

The Neptune encountered heavy ice-floes at half-past three
o'clock on Sunday moriiing, the 24th August, and was kept busy
enough fighting them for over fifteen miles, or until we found an an-
chorage on Sunday evening about 4.80 o'clock. At times we enjoyed
say an hour, and once nearly two hours' freedom, Ijut the day's
journey was fully three parts through ice, some of it not very heavy,
while in other places it was almost beyond the power of the Nep-
tune to penetrate.

Sunday was exceedingly fine and bright, especially during the
afternoon, when wo enjoyed the additional blessing of warmth. The
temperature was not very high, but the bright sun made it appear
warmer than it really was. As wo approached the shores, first of
Salisbury then of Nottingham Islands, the ice became heavier, and
while the Neptune was struggling with the thickest of it, trying to
nuiko what appeared to be a good anchorage on the east coast of
Nottingham Island, she became entangled in the ice, broke her pro-
peller, and had to nuike lior way to the cove with a ono-wing(Ml fan.
'This lop-sided navigation, consequent upon the accident, cast a
cloud over our spirits and took nuich enjoyment out of the day. It
was the first time wo saw Capt. Sopp really out of i)atienco. In
short, ho was out of temper to the extent of using unparliamentary
language. Tinu'e was another fan on deck, brought along in ciuse of
accident; but itretpiired two or tinee (hiys and nuich difiicult labor to
put it into position, so that, everything considered, tlu^ accident was
no small misfortuno.

The scene around us during our last ten miles' approach to
Nottinghniu Island, and whihi wo wore coasting among the ico in
more than one unfruitful att(«mpt to n;ake an anchorage, vvill not
(uisily be forgott(>n by those on board the Neptune^ during that .
expurionce. The w»»rk of orushing a passiige through the ice, which
was oxcoodingly heavy, called every iiorvo into play. It wa; a

i-]

ich to
lico in
not
Miat
rluch
ni' a

■1'

I'll
11- 1

-lUii

102

Our North Land.

carnival of the elements. Great pans of solid blue ice were smashed
into pieces and ground up like corn between mill-stones. The pana
had been driven so closely together by wind and tide that there
was not room for them to swing out of the ship's way, and their
strength, although they were often six and eight, and sonu;time»
twenty-five feet thick, and twenty by fifty yards in superficial
measurement, was not sufficient, except in two or three instances, to
stop the ship. In the jamming and smashin consequent great
pieces were often driven upwards on their ends, and thrown with
great force against each other. In such cases the havoc was fearful
to look upon. On several occasions the martingale and guys nar-
rowly escaped being torn away.

As far as the eye could see, from Nottingham to Digges's Islands
on the south coast, some forty miles, the field ice lay wedged iu
tight and fast, covered with four or five inches of nowly fallen snow,
while to the west and north lay th(\ bleak, barren rocks, covered
here and there with liberal Htrotches of perpetual snow, of Notting-
ham and Salisbury Islands. This wild place, this inhospitable
island Nottingham, was to be the homo, for a year or more, of Mr.
C V. ])o Boucherville and his men. It ought to have been caliche}
" I)e Boucherville's Disgust," for ho looked upon it, if one may bo
allowed to judge by his eountcmanco on that occasion, with feelings
of unmitigated disgust; and I am sure that it v(>(|uired a lively
exoreiso of all his nerve power, of which ho possesses a liberal store,
to reconcile himself to this voluntary exile.

As soon as we had couw to anchor, a number of us landed and
selected a place fur the buildings. The harbour proved to be a
very good one, and the places was duly naminl Port De Houcherville,
Tlu* whole tioast, as far as we could judge at ebb tide, was alive
with a great variety of ducks. In about half an hour Mr. Lane, tho
interpreter, with his kayak and gun, bagged twenty of them.

While on shon^, nbout live o'clock, I observeil from the high
nicks, about half way Ixitween when* wo stood and the difis of (/ape
WolsttMjh()lm(\ forms which I took to bo vessels. I imuKMliatcly
called I/ieut. (Icnion's attention to them, and he, upon hioking, camo
to th(« Huuie conclusion. We had no glasH(>s with us and could not

Fighting Field Ice.

103

Mr.

(1 iiiul
1)0 a

rvillo.
alivo

{\ Iho

( U\.\n\
iat.('ly
oatno
(1 not*

make certain of our discovery ; but on reaching the ship a man was
sent aloft. He reported a brigantine about twelve miles to the
south, fast in the ice ; a schooner three miles west of the brig, and
about the same distance to the south, also fast in the ice ; a barque,
in lino with the other two, but two or three miles still further to
the westward, likewise fast in the ice. He also reported that, so
far as he could make out, the whole channel between Nottingham
and the south main shore was blocked solid with field ice.

If ever mortals were guilty of the truthfulness of the saying,
" misery loves company," some of us wore. We had put in a very
bad day in the ice, and would have been helplessly fastened a dozen
times with a less powerful ship than the Neptune ; we had come
to a safe harbour, but. on a most wretched coast ; wo had broken
our prop(iller, and had only another to depend upon, and that might
be broken in the next battle with the ice ; for these and other
reasons we wore a gloomy lot. And I fear that the discovery of
those sailing craft, revealing as it did the fact that there were
others, not far off, in perhaps a much worse predicament than our-
Holvos, brought with it a sort of gratilicatiou to which human
weakness is nearly always subject under such trying circumstances.

I had predicted two or three days before that we wouhl lind the
Strait blockiMl with ice opposite Fox Ohannel, and that wo would
overhaul the Hudson's Wny ship, stiiek in the ice, before reaching the
open waters of Hudson's Bay. The |)rtHliction was laughed at as
nonsense, <»specially by Dr. Bell, who was so enthusiastic in favour
of the Hudson's Hay route that he could not be persuaded that it
rained when it poured ; or that there was any wind, when it blow a
gale of thirty nules an hour ; or that there was any ice, wlien the
Neptune was rearing and plunging in the midst of it like a nuid
i»ull ; or that it was cold, wh(>n the .uercury was down to 'A'S above,
and wh(>n he wa.^ pacing the deck, compelled to wear u great coat of
reindeer ; in fact, ho was almost ready to InOieve that the pr()p^^ller
had hit a wluile rather than the ice. But, alas 1 lie was overcome bv
the weight of acoumulat<ul evidence. With ice on the right of him.
and ice on the left of him, and Wo in front of him, as far as the (^yu
could wander; with thn>e vessels stuck in the ioo to the south of

i' !

lii

I! i

1 I

11^^

104

Our North Land.

him ; with the keen air biting the nose off him, and with thoughts
of Saturday's blinding snow-storms tormenting him, he yielded, and
acknowledged, and admitted, and said : " Yes, gentlemen, there is
field ice, and lots of it ; but this is an exceptionally bad season ;"
and so it was.

There were many surmises as to the identity of the vessels in
the ice, but nearly all were agreed that one of them was the out-
going Hudson's Bay Company's ship, and afterwards it proved to
be so.

While at Nottingham, tho engineers and firemen were engaged
for three days shipping a new propeller. The task was a most
difficult one, but it was accomplished most successfully — thanks to
the skill and pains of Chief Engineer, William Ruxton, and his able
second, Mr. Bridge.

^^m

CHAPTER XIIT.

Across Hudson's Bay.

fighting the ice at nottingham—an unsuccessful attkmpt to
find a harbor on mansfield island — also on southampton
island — a pleasant voyage — singular formation — arrived
at marble island.

In the placid inter-ocean'a swell,

Where tho black whale blows, and the porpoise dwell.

THURSDAY, the 28th, was fine and warm. The buildings of
1^1' |» the station nt Nottingham were almost completed, and as it
■' [f' was evident that the work of putting in tho now propeller
^ would be finished before nightfall. Lieutenant (Gordon
announctul that the Neptune would weigh anchor antl commence to
battle with the ice at daybreak on the following morning. Hut
little or no change had taken place in the ice between Sunday and
Thursday, so far as we could see. Tho sea in every direction, as
far as a glass would carry our vision, was entirely covered, except an
occasional dark streak, indicating open water. However all tho
vessels, except the schooner, had succeeded in passing out of our
sight, toward tho bay. There wore fotir visible on Wednesday,
but on Thursday evening only one, and that one had s\iceeodod in
making her way until she appeared no larger than a mere spec on
tile horizon.

Friday, the 2!)th, came bright and fair, but tho Nt^jtune was
not gotten under way until nine o'clock, owing to the fact that her
anchors were embedded in the bhu^ glue-like day at tlu> bottom of
lln^ harbour, and ()ccuj)ied th(^ men several hours in weighing thorn.
Mr. C V. de Bouoherville and his men, Messrs. W. K. Esdaile and
Andrew I). Inglis, loft tho ship in their boats, followed by tho choers

■H'

l! !

106

Our North Land.

of those on board, a little before nine, and ten minutes later we
were struggling in the heavy field-ice, making our way slowly from
Nottingham.

The reader will have already observed that no Eskimos were met
with on Nottingham Island. We did come across indications of old
camping grounds, but these were such as not to show a recent
occupation of the island. Three or four dilapidated caches were
also discovered. They were made of loose boulders, and had been
put up, probably, by the natives, to protect walrus blubber or mept,
as well-bleached and partly-decayed walrus bones were scattered in
the vicinity.

I should say that the neighbourhood of Nottingham Island
would make a profitable walrus fishery. One day off Port de Bou-
cherville I counted at one time between seventy and eighty walrus
either swimming in the water or sunning themselves on the ice-pans.

Wc found the ice so much jammed that, after making a few
miles from the harbour in which the Neptune had been anchored,
she laid to, and waited for the tide to loosen it. After a stop of
three hours, another attempt was made with better success, and by
five o'clock in the evening we had penetrated ten or twelve miles of
it, mostly heavy, and found our way into partly open water.
While passing through this we came pretty close to the barque
which wo had seen in the ice. She had a good breeze from the
eastward, and was using all her canvas in a pretty well-managed
endeavour to make headway. A little later wo passoil the schooner
so closely that we could plainly see, with our glasses, the stars and
stripes which she had hoisted to her peak in token of recognition.
Tlie Neptune dipped Hags with her and stoanied alumd. We soon
loft them and the two other vesH(<ls we had seen far in the rear.

Night had scarcely settled u]M)n us when again wo were in heavy
ice, which became so much of an impediment in the darkness that
we were compelled to lay to until daylight the next morning. Oper-
ations were resumed jit tliree o'clock on Saturday morning, and for
fully five hours the Nej>tune strtiggled with tlu^ ice, mooting with
considorablo diniciilty. Hofon^ nine o'clock, however, we had h^i't
the DiggoH Island, oil' Capo Wolstouiiolme, far behind, and outered

itl

Acros^ Hudson's Bay.

107

the broad, placid, warm waters of Hudson's Bay, with the low,
sandy, barren, flat rocks of Mansfield Island before us. We greeted
the warmer water and the general prospect with feelings of delight,
and I fancied all on board entered into a better spirit of thanks-
giving for having escaped, for the time being, the inhospitality of
Hudson Strait.

The coast of Mansfield Island is exceedingly low and flat, and
the water is very shallow for a considerable distance from the shore.
We spent the most of Saturday coasting along the eastern and
southern shores of the Island in a fruitless attempt to find a suitable
anchorage, so as to erect an observing station. One of the Nep-
tune's boats was sent ashore twice, but on both occasions she brought
back the report that there was no harbour, and no fresh water to
be found.

In our observations of the coast during the day, we noticed a
curious formation of rocks rising in the siiape of the ruins of an old
castle, from the dull level, much resembling the ruins always to be
met with on the Rhine. There was a little field ice skirting along
Mansfield Island, but none to interfere with navigation. While
looking for an anchorage on Mansfield we could see to the north-
eastward the distant shores of Cape Wolstonholmo, and the Digges
Island, and far away to the south-east, near the entrance to Mos-
quito Bay, the masts and sails of a vessel, probably a briguntine.
But the most interesting objects that camo within the reach of our
gla.ssos, were two polar boars, probably the mctljer and her cub,
walking leisurely over the low, flat, barren rocks of Mansfield Island.
Upon noticing the Neptune, three or more miles distant, they ran
away into the interior.

On the last occasion upon which the boat was sent ashore on
ManHlicld, Dr. Tioll accompanied the men and procured a handsome
collection of botanical and grnlogical specim(ms, together with some
shells. There was no sign of animal life of any kind on the island
save the bears to which 1 have roA^rrod, and two or Miroe long ago
deserted Eskimo caches. Everywhere the prospect was utterly
bleak and barren.

Before darkness overtook us on Saturday evening, Lieutenant

. /,j 1

I'M

i K!

I' '

til

V 'I

a ' i'

5;)

I-
l

I ■: l\

il;!

^ 'Jl

) l.>Jili

i'lnt

f: j'

108

Our North Vand.

Gordon had decided to abandon Mansfield Island altogether. In
the first place, because no suitable place for erecting -an observing
station could be found ; and secondly, because, so far as we could see
on the spot, no great object could be served by the maintenance of
a station there, even were it possible to establish one. He gave
orders, and the Neptune was directed towards the most southern of
the Southampton Islands, which we sighted about ten o'clock on
Sunday morning, August 31st. In leaving Mansfield by the south-
west, the Neptune encountered considerable ice, but it was not very
heavy, and was penetrated without difficulty.

Most of Sunday was spent in an unsuccessful effort to find a
suitable harbour or anchorage on Southampton, so that an observing
station could be erected there, but the attempt was given up on
Sunday evening. The day was exceedingly fine, and, ua on the
previous Saturday, in coasting Mansfield, every opportunity was
attbrded for approaching close to the shore and making a thorough
examination of the coast, and yet a landing could not be made. It
was thought that a station on this island would be useful in watch-
ing the channel between it and Nottingham, and also in making
general observations as to the character and movements of the ice in
the north-western portion of Hudson's Bay, and it is to be regretted
that the attempt to find a suitable place on the island was unfruit-
ful. The Neptune approached the shore near Cape Southampton,
and coasted along to the south-east of the island, in a north-east
direction, some twenty miles beyond Carey's Swan's Nest. About
two o'clock in the afternoon it became apparent that the search for
a harbour would end as it did, and that we were burning coals to
no good purpose, and Lieutenant Gordon ordered the ship about.
Hor course was directed towards Marble Island ; but at noon on
M(mday, thanks to the sun which wos shining brightly, our latituie
and longitude showed the Neptune to be in the entrance to Chester-
field Inlet, a groat distance to the north of Marble Island. The
mistake had been made by a miscalculation in taking the departure
from Southampton, and by the variation of the compass, which
Lieutenant Gordon had not been able to ascertain by niagnetio ob-
.servations since leaving Nottingham.

Across Hudson's Bay.

109

We saw nothing on the shores of Southampton indicating in-
habitants save a few deserted caches, and the ruins of a few long
since forsaken Eskimo huts. The island was exceedingly low, flat
and barren, much the same as Mansfield.

At half-past six o'clock on Tuesday morning, we entered a nar-
row inlet on the south-west coast of Marble Island, and before seven
o'clock were anchored within two hundred yards of the odd-looking
quartzite rock, mostly barren, of which the island is composed. It
is of a whitish colour, in some degree resembling marble, hence, I
suppose, the name of the island. The place has become famous as
the wintering quarters of the ^ nerican whalers. The island is
about five or six miles wide ana twenty or twenty-five long. The
harbour is pretty well sheltered. It is a long, somewhat winding
inlet, bordered on either side by rocks, rising out of deep water to
the height of thirty or forty feet above the sea.

Our voyage across Hudson's Bay was exceedingly pleasant. We
had fine weather, favourable winds, and, therefore, comparatively
smooth water The temperature was much higher than it had been
in the Strait, and the weather was a decided improvement.

ice in
etted
ruit-
pton,
-east
bout
1 for
.la to
Ibout.
In on
tuie
ster-
The
ture
hich
ob-

CHAPTER XIV.

The Story of Marble Island.

desolate grave-yard — monuments with histories— wreck
of the " ansel gibbs " — a tale of suffering and death —
the loss of six whalers in the welcome — curious ruins
— writing on the rocks.

Alaa ! for the crew of the barque " Ansel Gibbs,"
They were wrecked on a cold, barren shore,
Far away in the north where the wind and the sea
Chant the songs of the deep evermore.

^RRIVING at this place we were both surprised and disap-
||f pointed. Disappointed at not finding natives or inhabitant
"^ of some kind, and surprised at seeing so many indications
''^P^ of the dead. No human form of any kind met our gaze.
All was motionless. Over our port bow, on the gravel of the shore,
far above high water mark, where patches of grass relieved the dull
monotony of the scene, were a small pile of common boards, half-a-
dozen barrels, a large tank, a tub, an old rocking-chair, a boat
bottom side up, a castaway anchor, a window, and the lumber for a
shanty, a hoop jigger, a small stove, and a quantity of material left
there by the whalers. Further to the left and directly to the south
of us on a high gravel ridge was a string of graves, some twenty in
number, marked by large well-formed wooden monuments, crosses
and short pieces of boards. The scene about us was singularly im-
pressive. In the stillness of the morning, while the sun was yet
low in the eastern horizon, bathing the vast sea over which its
refreshing rays fell toward the little island, in golden brightness,
and before the breeze had yet awakened into life : without the voice
of beast or bird, or the breath of life to stir the atmosphere, and ere

The Story of Marble Island,

111

disap-
.bitant
ations
^aze.
shore,
dull
lalf-a-
boat
t'or a
1 left
south
ty in
osses
y ira-
yet
h its
tness,
(voice
Id ere

the crew of the Neptune had been fully aroused, I stood upon the
quarter-deck of our good ship and surveyed this prospect.

It was the most north-westerly point that the Expedition would
reach, and it appeared to me, some way, that to have reached it, with
the good old flag of the Dominion floating over us, was no small
achievement. I regarded it as, to us, the signal of Canadian progress,
a sign of the ever onward march of British power, British commerce,
and British freedom ; and, I thought of it, as to future generations,
embalmed in history, a landmark of Canadian advancement which
shall have added much importance to the world's greatest Empire-
Kingdom. It was, indeed, the place and the hour for contempla-
tion, and I could not readily turn away from its opportunities.
Standing where I was, and looking back, so to speak, over the in-
habited portions of Canada, and then over the history of the people
of Canada, and over the history of Great Britain, and over the
history of modern times, it seemed to me that, stretching from the
land of the Norsemen, and the waters of Archangel, to " India's coral
strand," all peoples, and tribes, and tongues, from the earliest days
of Chaldean power down through the history of Assyrian, Persian,
Grecian, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon supremacy, have, in the progress
of the arts and sciences, in the growth of political institutions of
government and civil liberty, in the development of commerce and
the advancement of industrial pursuits, and in the rise and glorious
reign of Christianity, been moving forward north-westerly. The
contemplation, visionary in one sense, was real in another, and his-
tory was the source of its inspiration. The general course of human
progress, for thousands of years, has been to the north-west ; it was
still in the flood tide of Hs strength north-westerly, and the flag of
the Dominion, floating from the mizzen-peak of the Neptune in the
little anchorage 'at Marble Island in the north-western waters of
Hudson's Sea, in the early morning light of September 2, 1884, was
beckoning that progress onward to higher latitudes.

Mankind, in nil n^rea, in mnrchinu; along

Tho highway of coinmorco, by mighty and strong

Inipulao of progress, invariably throng

A course that loads north-westerly.

nl.ll ■'!

\ii

^- I

i Jwl

l I

'■Til 'III

tiifi!

' r I

);iV;

III
m

112

Our North Land.

'Twas true of the Norseman ; 'twas true of the Dane ;
'Twas true of the Norman, the Phoenician,
Also of the Saxon, who came to remain.

With England's gay festivity.

'Twas true of the Pilgrims who built Bunker Hill,
And 'tis true of the French at Quebec citadel.
And Patrick from Cork, who came to instil
A love of his nativity.

'Tis true of the German from dear " faderland ;"
'Tis true of all people, in tribe or in band.
From tropical Spain to India's strand —

The course is bent instinctively.

War-loving Caesar, extending the sway
Of proud, haughty Rome, in battle array.
In the march of his conquests, came on the same way,
In carnage and profanity.

The world's march of commerce and science and skill,
In errands of blessing their work to fulfil.
Move in the same course — north-westerly still —
The path of Christianity.

As soon as the anchor was down, and before breakfast had been
taken, Lieutenant Gordon, Captain Sopp and the writer, with two
of the ship's crew, jumped into the gig and pulled to the shore.
We first directed our attention to the graves. Walking a little to
the left and ascending to the high gravel ridge, about fifteen or
twenty feet above the level of the water, where the dead had been
buried in a long row parallel with the shore, along the top of the
elevation, a little mound of small stones marked each grave,
raised about two feet above the ground and rocks of which the
ridge was composed. At the first, and the most westerly, was a
high wooden monument newly painted white, on one side of which
was engraved and made very readable by the use of black paint>
the following inscription: —

Sacred to the memory

Captain William Murphy,

Schooner Abbie Bradford,

Who died of consumption at Marble Island, April 6th, 1881, aged 48 years.

^i||'

The Story of Marble Island.

113

Then came two or three graves marked only by numbers on
small pieces of board, and then a high cross made of boards and
painted white. There was an inscription on it which I copied : —

Daniel O'Connell,

Died of consumption, December 24th, 1876.

Bark A. Houghton.

Next was a row of fourteen graves, numbered from one to

fourteen on small pieces of wood. About midway of the row was

a monument considerably higher than the others, on which were

inscribed the names of the dead in the fourteen graves. On one

side I read : —

Bark A. G. Crew :

Antoine,
E. Bender,

0. SiNSER,

M. McCoNNELL,

M. Louis,
On the other side were : —

L. DeValle,
C. Stiles,
M. Enos,
F. Battisto,
C. Hadle.

lars.

Bark O. J. Crew;
J. Marshall, J. Garriety,

F. Coleman, J. Graham.

A little further on a grave was marked by a monument with
this inscription: —

Harry B. Martin,
Died January 28th, 1873 ; age, 38 years months. Second mate of schooner

Abbie Bradford.

Next to this was a high monumeYit. The inscription it bore
explained its meaning : —

£reoted to the memory

of the

Larboard boat's crew of the Abbio Bradford, h)8t in the Welcome,

September 5th, 1874.

W. F. Robbnson, mate, C. Wadk,

W. F. Burnham, boat-steerer, F. Dale,

J. Randall, H. K. Sbbman.

!' n \

i •'!

i i,i

114

Our North Land.

1 1

On another wooden slab I quoted these words : —

Memory of

HifiRMAN BrAUN.

Drowned October 14th, 1874. Marble Island.

And on still another, the last of the long row : —

Erected by the crew

of the

Bark George and Mary to the memory

Geo ROB Vrrino,

Who died of consumption, Friday, September 26th, 1878 ; age, 22 years.

While I was copying the inscriptions from the monuments, one
of the two men who had charge of our boat had been looking about
among the debris a little way otf" where the whalers had left a dory,
about a dozen long ice siiws, a pile of lumber for a shanty, a stove, a
large tank, half a dozen barrels, and a dozen other things, discovered,
tied to the hoop-jigger, a small bottle, evidently containing a letter.
He brought it to Lieutenant Gordon, who extrq,cted an unsealed
letter without difficulty. It was written plainly in pencil on a half
sheet of foolscai), and was as follows : —

" Aug. 7th, 1M84. On board the barque George and Mary, at
Marble Island. All well. Throe whales. The north part of the
bay has been lilled with ice since the 10th of July ; could not got
up the bay nor to the cast shorci. Mad a very cold winter and spring.
Ou the 23rd of May the thermometer was 4° below zero. Got out
7th of June ; laid in the outer harbour all winter. No natives come
to the ship while we lay at Marble Island. Had plenty of scurvy
Imt camii out of it all right. • Shall stay in the Welcome until the
last of August, then start for homo, if nothing happens.

"K. li. KlHlIKH,

"Of the George and Mary."

Tho barque George and Mary had evidently been whaling in
these waters for scleral years, as. by tho evidence of tho grave of
Verino, she had been at Marlile Island six years ago an<l probaldy
before that date. Wo could not discover whether collins had been

111

The Story of Marble Island.

115

used in burying the dead on Marble Island or not ; nor was there
any evidence that even graves had been excavated in the ordinary
way. The mounds of small stones were at least three feet high, and
suggested the idea that the rigours of this northern climate may
have forced them to adopt, in a great measure, the Eskimo style of
disposing of a dead body. They may have been able to dig or clear
out a small trench, of suitable length and breadth, ten or tifteon
inches deep, and then, placing the bodj' in it, cover it over with
gravel and small stones, raising the mound that still characterized it.

DRAI) MAN'H IHl.ANI)-MAUni,K IHIiANI).

At any rate the burials must have boon very rude, and such as to iill
the mourner^ with t'e(>lings of the dtM^poHt sorrow.

There were niiietciMi of thesi* grav(>H, as nearly as \ could make
out, whiclj, considiMing the short spaer of time tlu> island has boon
used by the wluilers, l<)ok«rd like an alaniiiiigly exeessive death rate.
Hetweon ccmsuniption and sliipwreck, and the severity of the weather,
a good many had been taken off, br(<ntliing their last, at\d l(>aving
their pou* bodies upon these oohl rooks, where tli(< winds ol' almont
perpetual winicM' blow in pifiless and withering blasts.

1 looktMl uj)()n the inscription on the tablet, " Kreoted to tho
meujory of the larboard boat's en>w," of the Abbie Hradl'ord, " lost

■ H

- ' \

■|

fl !

116

Our North Land.

'i|!

i II

•I ll

■ ill

in the Welcome," on the 5th of Sept., 1874, commemorating the
six whose names I have given. Here was a key unlocking a most
thrilling piece of history. The record of the lust days of these men
of the Abbie Bradford's larboard boat was forced upon me unaided
by the imagination. They were " lost in the Welcome." Now
this " Welcome " is Row's Welcome, a body of water lying in the
extreme north-west portion of Hudson's Bay, a strait, really, loading
from Hudson's Bay into the Frozen Strait that further loads easterly
into the northern part of Fox Channel. It is a large sheet of water,
known now as the " American whaling ground." Standing by this
grave I can see the Abbie Bradford far up in the troubled waters of
Row's Welcome. The look-out-man has discovered a whale from
the crow's nest at the forotop. He descends, takes his place at the
holm of the larboard boat, which has been lot down and manned,
ready for the chase. The course is given and four men, bending
to the oars, a fifth at the swivel-gun, and tlic hehnsinan, making up
the doomed six, they speed away. On and on, rising aixl falling
with :ho swell, turning this way and that, to avoid the floating ice.
At length the monster of the seas rises, it may bo, but fifty or sixty
yards from their boat, and blows the water with tremendous power.
Turning the gun upon hiin, the harpoon is discharged into his fat,
oily side. Down ho plunges 1 But to rise again, perhaps nearer
than before. And now, we eannot tell, but it is not improbaltle, ho
turns his mighty tail with a we 11 -directed, irresistible blow towards
the boat, smashing it to pieces, or sending it high into the air to fall
again emptied of its contents. However it may hav(i occurred, it is
useless now to conjecture. Th(\re are so muny ways '\\\ which death
and destruction could ov(>rtal<e a frail boat in the Welcome, that U)
speculate as to the particular inanntu- in which tluvst^ six men were
pn<cipitate(l into eternity, is ntMMlhvss. Ont^ thing we know, they went
down intt) the cold waters of How's Welconu^ to rise ru) more until
the soivs shall give tip thoir deail. Thoro is imt little now to per-
petuate their memory, save it bo tho aeliOH of broken-h(^art«Ml
widows and motluMs and sisters, in tho bereaved New ICngland
iujmes which W(^ro darkened Ity tlu>ir deatii. Hut their noble-heart«Ml
oumruduH, who had fellowshipped with them in the hardships of

The Story of Marble Island.

117

the whale fishery, let it be spoken to their praise, have erected this
monument on the spot where they would have carefully laid their
bodies could they have recovered them. It is very simple, very
plain, and badly lettered ; yet it stands away up in that far north
land, declaring to the God above and to all who find shelter in the
little harbour, that those whose lives it commemorates died in the
discharge of their dangerous duties, and were mourned over by true
and att'ectionato friends.

Here is another slab that speaks In powerful language : " Erected
by the crew of the barque George and Mary," to mark the grave
and perpetuate the memory of George Verino, " who died of con-
sumption," in 1878, in the twenty-second year of his tige. Poor
George Verino ! at the age of only twenty-two ; away up on the
barren rocks of inh(vs})itable Marble island, he dies of consumption-
There arc marks about his grave that indicate how he was beloved
by all the crew. The little mound had been sodded over with a
stunted grass turf, obtained with some labour and exertion from a
noighboui'ing valley, no doubt to keep the grave green, as a token
of the way in which his memory should be kept by his comrades.
Poor Verino had diotl after facing the grinj monster for many long
weary days, as all consumptives die, wasting away and sinking
under the infiuence of slow disease. How lonely m d how heart-
sick ho nniat avo been in tlie dark, dirty, grave-like forecastle of
the little barque Spring came late in Jun(», but there were no open-
ing flowers or budding trees to gladden his heart ; there wore no
singing birds to bring his soul into close connnunion with its Master.
Loved ones were far away; he longed to be with then>, but death
held him in its grasp. The bible that his mother gave hini, if he luid
been so cart^ful as to preserve it, was read long and often. Tlio
photographs of ndations and IVientls wore liis best companions ; and,
more than likely, ht^ ])ressed to his lips tlu^ likeness of one dearer
than all others, tlu^ one whom lie had proniised to love and protect.
He cotdd see her no more in this world. How sad were tlie last
days of ])oor George Vi'rijio. Hut he cseaped, we ti\ist, to the better
land; and it matters, I fancy, b\it littl(« to lum today, that the point
of his depart urt> was in the ever frozen regions of the far north.

I ''

118

Our North Land.

There is a high board cross erected over the grave of Daniel
O'Connell, who "died of consumption, Dec. 24, 187G." The tablet
gives no record of his age, but its form indicates the faith in which
he died ; and the fact that it was erected, so far as I can judge from
the other graves, by Protestants, indicates that, meeting death
calmly and deliberately, he made request concerning his burial and
the emblem of his church that so appropriately marks his last
resting place in this lonely spot.

Of the fourteen whose graves are marked by numbers, and
whose names and numbers are inscribed on the largo wooden
monument, under the title of " Bark A. G. : crew " and " Bark
0. J. : crew," what shall I say ? Was it shipwreck that brought
them all to their graves, or was it disease, or were they all frozen to
death? I cannot toll. It makes one almost shudder to look upon the
little mounds of stones and read the only half intelligible inscription.
In their last hours there was groat distress. They came to their
end in some awful calamity. That is enough. Let us turn away
from these graves, and hope that no friend of ours will have such
an end.

About five o'clock in the afternoon I discovered on the gently
sloping rocks on the side of tho narrows loading from the outer to
the inner harbour, a vast (quantity of writing which had boon execu-
ted with a small brush and black paint. It proved to bo of considor-
ablo value in explaining, to some extent, how tho victims of the
fourteen graves, of which a description has just been given, came to
their deaths. The inscription, " Bark A. O.," evidently m(>ant tho
barque "Ansel Gibbs;" for 1 was able to dociphor from the writing (m
tho rock tho following hoad-linos over about thirty names : " Survi-
vors of tho crew of tho bannio Ansol (Hbbs, wrecked on tho I7th of
Oct., 1872." There wore following about thirty nanuvs, but many
of thorn wore so much oblitoratod that T Tound it inqjossiblo to make
a comploto list. Near by was another list of those who had "died
from scurvy" during tho wintiM" following tho loss of tho vesHol.
Those names were mostly intelligible, and I was enabled to ascertain
that thoy worn tlu* same as tho list alroady given tho reader, (pU)t<Ml
from tho woo<len motunnent in the burial ground. Tln^re wore, how-

The Story of Marble Island.

119

Mirvi-
'th of
many
iimko
(lied

OHHlll.

M'tain

tiot-^Mi

how-

ever, some slight differences. There were just fourteen, the same as
on the monument ; but the name " Antoine " was written " F.
Antoino," the latter, no doubt, being correct. The name " Battisto "
was written " Baptiste," and that of " Hadle " " Hadley."

Not far from this writing on the rock were the remains of a
hurriedly built stone hut which had no doubt been thrown up to
protect and shelter the unfortunate crew of the lost vessel. In this
hut, with such food, clothing, etc., as they had been able to save
from the wreck, the winter of 1872-3 was passed, or endured, by
such of them as survived its hardships. Fourteen of their number,
one after another, were carried off, victims to scurvy. It must have
been an awful winter ; and I can fancy that death would be little
else than a relief to those who became a prey to the disease.

Following along the shores of the narrows and of the inr har-
bour, I came upon an old wreck lying partly out of the waiur. It
might have been the remains of the "Ansel Gibbs;" but what was
left of it indicated the size of a schooner rather than that of a
barque, especially the dimensions of the timber ; but, notwith-
standing, if the "Ansel Gibbs" did not exceed throe hundred tons,
the wreck in question might properly be said to be what in all
probability still remains of her.

As for the six victims whoso names are recorded on the eastern
side of the monument under the heading "Bark O. J.: crew," I
cannot separate thorn from the crew of the "Ansel Gibbs." The same
nanvoH appear, fourteen in all, both on the monumont and on the
rock. They may have, at some previous date, belonged to a barque
called "O. J."; or, indeed, tlu- "O.J." may have loft jmrt of her
crow to winter with the "Ansel (Jibbs." It is vory ditHcult to say.
One thing, however, is certain : the whole fourteen died and were
buried on that far-otl, desolate island, and their memories share
alike in the one monumont.

The lottor left by Oapt. Fisher of the bar(|Uo "George and Mary,"
((»u)t(vl above, deserves some attention. It shows, in the first place,
that thtvso American whalers are in the habit of communicating
with <MU'.h other in this way. I take it that the "George and
Mary " came in lost year, and possibly found, on hor arrival, u lutttir

' I

120

Our North Land.

from the captain of the "Abbie Bradford," that is, if the latter
barque remained there the previous winter. The letter left in the
bottle, which we read and carefully replaced, was no doubt intended
• for the outgoing ship of this year, and that one of those passed in
the strait between Nottingham and Cape Wolstenholme is the
vessel.

The letter revealed the fact that they had spent a hard winter ;
yet they were? able to saw themselves out of the harbour and reach
open water in^this extreme northern patt of Hudson's Bay by the 7th
of June. I am sure this is most remarkable, and furnishes another
certificate of the navigability, to some extent at least, of Hudson's
Bay.

There is an outer and inner harbour at Marble Island. A narrow
channel leads from the outer harbour to a little basin further in
among the rocks. This channel at high water will float an ordinary
vessel which, when inside, is like being taken within the four walls
of a huge enclosure. In these harbours the whalers spend the long
cold winters; and, as the number of graves indicates, suffer and
sometimes die from the inclemency of the weather, especially those
of weak or diseased lungs.

Lieutenant Gordon spent the day at Marble Island,* finding the
latitude and longitude, the dip of the magnetic needle, and the
variation of the compass. This work ho completed by two o'clock,
except the calculations, and sot about making a triangulation sur-
vey of the harbours, and taking soundings. By nine o'clock in the
morning Dr. Bell, with three of the Expedition hands, started out
in a boat on a geological excursion. Ho coasted around the western
end of the ishmd, obtained a good collection of specimens, and re-
turned at seven o'clock in the evening, without making any remark-
able discoveries.

CHAPTER XV.

From Marble Island to Churchill.

li;^

RAIN, WIND, FOa AND HEAVY SEAS — ROLLING AND PITCHING, AND
WAITING FOR FINE WEATHER — SEA-SICKNESS — ARRIVAL AT
CHURCHILL — CHEERING PROSPECT.

'E left Marble Island at seven o'clock on the evening of
Tuesday, September 2nd, and steamed towards Chur-
chill. The sky had become covered with clouds, the

"t^*^^^-' evening was cold, but there was as yet only a light
breeze and smooth water. This pleasant state of the weather, how-
ever, did not long continue. Before midnight the seas were rolling
high and the Neptune was labouring in the swell. With each ad-
vancing hour the wind became stronger, and the vessel rolled and
pitched with great violence.

We reached a point off the mouth of the Churchill before day-
light on Thursday morning, but the furious storm of wind and rain
which characterized nearly every mile of our voyage from Marble
Island, was still raging. It had grown worse instead of bettor.
The wind was blowing at the rate of forty and forty-five miles an
hour.

It was impossible to approach the coast wliilo the weather was
so thick, therefore the Noptuno was laid to, and allowed to boat
about with hor bow to the gale all day Thursday, the 4th, all night
Thursday night, all day Friday, the oth, and I was going to say, all
night Friday night. The only exception to this was that during
Friday night we approached nearer to the coast. In the hope of
being able to iiuike an entranee on Saturday morning. At six
o'clock, a.»n., we sighted Knight's iiilt beacon, which is twet\ty-llve
milos south of Churchill harbour. At ton o'clock wo were o(f the

ill'

122

Our North Land.

.. I

mouth of the Churchill, with the three beacons and old Fort Prince
of Wales plainly in sight. The storm had abated so that now the
wind was down to ten or fifteen miles an hour, and the mist was
becoming light.

Our record from Marble Island to Churchill was one of wind
and rain and storm and sea-sickness. The Neptune " weathered
the gale " beautifully, so they all said ; but I was not in a conditioa
to appreciate her style. Confined to my berth from Tuesday even-
ing until Saturday morning, by a fit of sea-sickness, which was
wretchedly bad, I was in no mood to appreciate anything. In fact,
I had but sm.iU regard for the doctor who visited me only on the
third day, and then went away leaving me as a medicine, I suppose,
nothing save the remark, " lay on your side and don't eat too much."
Now I couldn't lay any other way, and hadn't eaten a mouthful for
nearly three days, and you may be sure that, for once in my life, to
say the least, I entertained feelings of contempt for a doctor. The
advice was no doubt good, in its place, but I was the last man on
earth to require it. I could have gone up to the mizzen cross-tree
and enjoyed a smoke in the rigging, as easily as to have eaten a
mouthful. I told this at the Neptune's dinner-table, intentionally
at the doctor's expense, a few days afterwards, but it turned out
to my own cost, and none laughed more heartily than the doctor
himself. I don't care how seriously sea-sick one becomes, he must
expect to be laughed at by those who, by some strange freak of
nature, escape its horrors. But there are times at sea, — times
when the winds howl and screech furiously, and the waves toss
their angry tongues into the rigging, — times when sea-sickness be-
comes, as it were, a sort of common heritage to all on board. Such
was to some extent our experience in the memorable trip from
Marble Island to Churchill ; and, although very sick myself, I derived
no small degree of comfort from the fact that the fellow in the
next berth was a fnllow-suHeror.

The mist and the rain and the wind of Saturday morning —
all slightly abating — did not prevent us from enjoying the sights
that gnioted us on ontoritig the Churchill River. On the right wore
the beacon and the long, low ruins of old Fort Prince of Wales,

From Marble Island to Churchill.

123

relieving Eskimo Point of its dull outline, to some extent, and pre-
senting a strangely interesting feature. On the left wore the beacon>
the flag-staff, the ruins of an old discarded battery, three common
looking storehouses, and a. high, long trestle pier, scattered along on
Battery Point. Passing between the two headlands, where the
entrance to the harbour is less than half a mile wide, and where it
required full speed from the Neptune's engines to overcome the
combined strength of the ebbing tide and river currents, we steamed
into one of the grandest harbours on the North American Contnent.
Dr. Bell, who was familiar with the mouth of the river, was the
Neptune's pilot, and right well he performed the office.

Port Churchill is a beautiful basin, from a mile to a mile and a
half in width, and from two to two and a half miles in length ; and
averaging from five to twenty fathoms of water throughout ; but
beyond this magnificent harbour the Churchill is not navigable for
even the smallest craft.

From the harbour, the present Fort Churchill, as it is improperly
called, is not visible. The trading post is some four and a half miles
farther up the river, hid by the intervening high rocks. The only
attractions observable in the harbour are the old fort on the north,
and on the south the remains of the old battery, three storehouses,
and the high, long trestle landing pier.

There was considerable rain throughout the whole of Saturday,
so that but little progress was made in making examinations on
shore. The men were put to work obtaining ballast, and it was
decided that the trip up the river would not be undertaken until
Sunday morning.

I had almost forgotten to state that while we were yet steaming
into the harbour, the smoke of tlie Noptune was observed by Mr.
Spencer, chief trader, Mr. MacTavish, chief clerk, and their half-breed
servants who were at the lower storehouses attending to some
work. This brought them over the point in groat surprise. They
had been watching and waiting, long, anxious ^vl>oks, for the aiTival
of the Hudson's Bay Company's vessel, but as yet tlu'y had waited
and watch(Hl in vain, and wore beginning to bocomo greatly dis-

r ■

■
t '

124

Our North Land.

couraged. The previous year had been one of delays approaching
almost to disaster. The Ocean Nymph had not. reached this post
until very late, owing to the exceptionally large quantity of ice met
with in the Strait, and was unable to make the return voyage, and
was laid up all winter in Churchill harbour. She had but three
months' provisions, and with a crew of fourteen men. Chief Trader
Spencer found himself without sufficient supplies, necessitating long
tedious trips overland to York to procure them, in order to provide
for his unfortunate guests.

As I have said, this rendered the winter unusually hard, and put
things out of joint generally, so far as communicati'^n with the home
office was concerned. The inhabitants of Churchill had not been
informed as to the steps taken for their accommodation the present
year. Of course they knew that a ship would have to be sent out,
but the sixth of September had been reached, and that ship had not
yet arrived. The prospect was, indeed, gloomy enough. If by any
mishap the outcoming vessel should not be able to get through, the
winter must, per force of circumstances, bring them many hardships,
and impose upon them many privations. No wonder, therefore,
that they had started up in surprise and expectancy at noticing the
smoke of our steamer. They were not long, however, in deciding
who and what we were. Already the overland mails from Winni-
peg had informed Mr. Spencer of the agitation going on in Manitoba,
concerning the proposed Hudson's Bay route, of the projected enter-
prise of constructing a railway from Winnipeg to Churchill, and
lastly, of the fact, that during the month of September, he might
expect the honour of a visit from the first Canadian Government
Expedition to enquire into the navigation of the northern waters of
the Dominion. '

They must, therefore, have been greatly disappointed, but they
were not the less cordial in bidding us welcome on that account.
Jumping into one of their two-masted whale-boats — a small craft
kept for handy use — they came alongside, borne by the current and
wind with great speed, while the Neptune's anchor chain was yet
clanking at the bows. In a few minutes Messrs. Spencer and
MacTavish, with four half-breed servants, were on dock, and the

'ti'

From Marble Island to Churchill.

125

pleasant duty of hand-shaking was performed with unusual warmth
by all parties concerned.

Dr. Bell, who was well known to Mr. Spencer, received an
exceptionally hearty welcome from that gentleman, and was pre-
vailed upon to accompany him, at a later hour, to the village, as
his guest for tlie night, and, as it afterwards turned out, the whole
time we remained in that port. The Chief Trader also extended
the hospitalities of Churchill to Lieutenant Gordon, Capt. Sopp, and
such members of the Expedition as were still on ship-board, in a
most cordial manner ; but as the weather was unpleasant, and the
day well-nigh spent, the invitations could not be accepted until the
following Sunday.

Saturday afternoon in Churchill Harbour was a pleasant relief,
notwithstanding the rain. We seemed to be somewhere in the vicinity
of civilization again ; and although the much talked about railway —
proposed railway — from Manitoba to this point was not j^et con-
structed, we could almost realize, by a stretch of the imagination,
that wo were within a twenty-four hours' Pullman trip of old Fort
Garry. Since leaving Nain, on the Labrador coast, we had not seen
so much in the way of vegetation as a tree : not even a stunted
spruce bush ; but, at Churchill, far away in the distance, on almost
every hand, were real Canadian forests. The trees were not large
on the coast, nor very close together; but, as I was informed, farther
inland the timber was of good size, and of much value. We had
high hopes concerning the Sunday that was to follow. We were to
have the first opportunity in ^i\ weeks of attending church, and
that opportunity was not to pass unimproved, that is as far as our
attendance was concerned.

»'■

I .

! 1 '»■!;■

li in 't I

CHAPTER XVI.
Sunday at Fort Churchill.

preparations for church — the rev. mr. lofthouse — a curious
courtship by photograph and letter — an intended bride
starts from the old country for hudson's bay to be-
come the wife of a missionary — the church and the
sermon — the dinner at churchill, etc.

Where an odd little preacher is hunting a wife,
And the comforta of home and the blessings of life,
On the edge of perpetual winter are found.

I OOD fortune favoured us all day on Sunday, the 7th Septem-
ber. The morning was warm and bright, and by six o'clock
all on board were in active preparation for the visit to the
village. A number of the ship's crew and some of the
Expedition men " forward " had gone off with the rising of the sun
to 'desecrate the day, in shooting curlew, ducks and geese, and the
sharp reports from their guns came to the Neptune on the still, soft
morning air as the first sounds of awakening life. Boots that had
been banging about under berths with the rollir-^ and pitching of
the ship for weeks, were brought out and polished up in grand style ;
razors wex strapped and faces were shaven ; wrinkled white shirts
and crumpled white collars were straightened out, and buttons were
fished out of dk ordered valises and fixed into their places ; even
hair oil, perfumed soap, and Florida water made their appearances ;
creased up and much mussed coats and vests and pants were shook
and pressed and dusted , jammed and broken hats were patted into
something like their original shapes ; and in every corner of the
cabin, in the state rooms, and on the quarter-deck, wherever there
was a nook or corner available, might have been seen some one

Sunday at Fort Churchill.

127

actively engag*>id washing, or combing, or shaving, or fixing on an
unruly collar that was too short or too long, or torn at the button-
hole. By nine o'clock the work of transformation was complete ;
and, let me say, the change was such that almost every man was
filled with astonishment at the appearance of the others. There
was our Mr. Fox, the Expedition photograph artist, for instance.
He had become careless of his appearance, possibly because every
one else had become the same, and also because his whole energies
had been fully concentrated on picture making and picture taking.
To see him was to see a camera in one hand and a set of wooden
legs in the other, with a package of prepared plates under each arm.
But the idea of going to church was sufficient, for the moment, to
tear him from the idol of his heart. He laid aside his photograph-
ing paraphernalia long enough to black his shoes and tie on a pair
of patent leather leggings, to adjust a stand-up collar, and to
straighten out a pair of long-neglected kid gloves ; but, no longer.
Not he ! Instead of a cane he carried, on the way to the house of
•God, in his right hand, the legs of his instrument, and instead of a
prayer-book he pressed to his bosom, under his left arm, the same
old camera, fully determined to photograph both preacher and
congregation : a determination which, as the reader will see, he
carried out to the fullest extent.

We started from the Neptune at nine o'clock in a boat manned
by four of the ship's crew. The party consisted of Lieut. Gordon,
Capt. Sopp, the aforesaid artist, the chief-engineer, Mr. Laperriere,
and the author. Three miles of the distance were made in the boat,
the other mile overland, and the whole journey was accomplished
in less than an hour. The little village, at the foot of a hill, burst
upon our view while we were upon its summit. There were not
more than a dozen buildings, and these were closely huddled together,
some of them painted a sort of dull red. It is called the New Fort —
I cannot tell why ; because it is very ancient, and was never in any
way connected with a fort — unless it be for the reason that it is not
as old as old Fort Churchill at the mouth of the river, and that it
took the place of that fort as the abode of the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany's officers about a century ago.

it .'

M^t

128

Our North Land.

The present residence of the chief trader has a recoi'd of over
thirty years, and is still in a good state of preservation. It is a
small cottage, with only' four or five rooms ; but is comfortably fur-
nished, and best of all is veil tenanted. Here we were received by
Mr. Spencer, and introduced to his good wife and four little children.
He has two not at home, one at York Factory, and one attending
St. John's College at Winnipeg. And here also we met Mr. Mac-
Tavish, the Rev. J. Lofthouse, and were rejoined by Dr. Bell.

The Rev. Mr. Lofthouse becomes at once a peison of interest to
my readers, for one reason in particular. He is, as you will have
supposed, the missionary stationed at this post by the Church of
England, and is a pleasant looking, affable young jierson, well quali-
fied to get along in a (juiet way, without occupying any more space
in the world of thought and action than the small duties of his
limited spliero require. Ho came out from his Yorkshire home in
1882, and has been since located part of the time at York. He had
only a few days before completed the journey from that place to
Churchill along the coast on foot, a distance of over cmo hundred
and fifty miles, in order to meet the outcoming Hudson's Bay (com-
pany's ship as soon as she reached her iiist anchorage on the west
shore of the bay. Do you a.sk why he could not wait for her arrival
at York? For the best of all reasons I If arrangenu'nts have not
miscarried, his future wife comes out with the vessel to join him in
nuitrimony and the cares of nuirried life in his adopted home on the
hhores of Hudson's Hay. As soon as these circumstances iiad been
communicatiMl to me, I told him that 1 felt quite sure the muclv
longed-for and, no doubt, constantly prayed-for sliip which wo had
uii loijbt -lily passed in the Strait would sail into the Churchill
bof)ro the close of the day; but his confidence had become shaki'ii
in Huch prophecies, and my attempt at consolation was a failure.

Thon< is a good deal of romance conneottul with the story of the
reverend gentleman's courtship. After becoming settled in his new
V()rth-w»\Htern home he lu>tliought him of the necessities of his new
|'„?iiti(>n. Of (iourse the cond'orts of iiome could not be ooniph^te
without a wife, and mother nl York nor at Churchill was tluM-e to
b(i found a person suitable. In fact there wore no ladiuM — unmarried

Sunday at Fort Churchill.

129

ladies — at these places at all, except Cree ladies ; and although some
of these are really beautiful and fairly well-educated, thoy are not
just suited to the necessities of the parsonage. Under these circum-
stances, the Rev. Mr. Lofthousc oxchauged photographs, through
friends in the old country, with a young lady whom he had never
seen, but of whom he knew something by hearsay. The courtship,
the proposal, the acceptance, and the whole business had been com-
pleted in the narrow scope of two letters ; but let not the reader
suppose it lacked sentim(!nt and feeling on that account. Far from
it. On the contrary, I fancy, the intended bride, and I am sure the
intended bridegroom, were greatly overcome by the peculiarity of
the circumstances. They were to meet as strangers, as lovera-
betrothed, promised, engaged, and for the purj)oso of nuirriage.

I can imagine that as Mr. Lofthouse gazed at her photograph, ho
would ask himself, "I wonder if she is largo or small ; her likeness
looks well ; she is the picture of goodness, indeed, she is beautiful in
the photograph ; but the photo cannot speak or smile, and I want
to meet the original." And I can also imagine that, as tlu^ adventur-
ous young lady looked upon his likeness, she would say, " Ho looks
s|»lon<lid, doesn't ho ? 1 wonder if I'll like him ?" and so on.

But I thought of the young lady who was coming out to bo his
wife, and of the hardships she must endure on the voyage in a
rough sailing vessel, and of the privations she will sutler in this
nortlu^rn climate. Supposing her to bo in one of the ice-bound
vcsssels \\i) had ])asHed in Hudson Strait, it struck me forcibl}' that
she will have meritt>d a pretty good husband by the time she readies
(Ihurchill. Jiut 1 sup])ose ladies will nevtu' cease makijig endless
sacrifices for shiftless man. Tlu^re has never bmui a time in the
history of th(^ worh' when (he pion(M<rs of civilization wi^re lacking
of good, true, brave, noblo-ln>arted wonuui ; and the history of
('hurchill is but another demonstration of it. Whuro uion daro to
go, women will venture to follow.

Our pleasant convofHation in Mr. Spencer's n'sidetiec^ was md-
denly brought to r cIono by the ringing of the ehap(«l bell. Mr.
lioflhousr observed that It was timo for Merviet>, and hurried away
across the yard, passing through a swarni of husky dogw towards the

1 1 §

I i

ffcl

130

Our North Land.

church. The little population were following his example. It was
a red letter day for Churchill. The visit of the Neptune was an
event overshadowing all others, in nearly every respect, for a whole
century. She was the first steamer that had ever entered Hudson's
Bay, and was a source of indescribable wonder to the natives. Our
mission was nearly altogether unexplainable to them ; but it was all
the more a matter of debate on that account.

The servants' tenement row, as I must call it, a long low building
divided in some six or eight apartments, and the abode of about
fifty souls, half-breeds, was alive with commotion. Every one from
old " Uncle Sammy " and "Granny Gray " down to the little children,
of whom there was i* surplus, seemed to bo engaged in an effort to
rise equal to the occasion ; and I must do them the justice to say that
they succeeded as far as it was within their power. They were all
making their way across the well-kept yard to the little galvanized
iron church, the men dressed in their best, with bright-coloured
handkerchiefs tied about their necks, tassels hanging from their
ornanjented caps, and with prayer-books in their hands. The women
did not appear to bo as paiticular in the matter of dress as the men.
Half-breed women never are, so far as I can judge. They wore plain
black dresses, with common-looking shawls thrown over their heads,
and looked stupid. The children were gay, happy and frolicsome.
They had togged themselves out with every available article within
their reach. One little boy not over five years of age, trotting
along by the side of his mother, wore a high beaver hat, higher in
tlui crown than he was long by two or three inches. He presented
a uuKst coniical siglit, and it was with muw dilliculty that I dis-
suadi'd Mr. Vox from an attempt to photograph the little fellow on
the spot.

There was nothing very ronuirkable about the little church. It
was of galvanized iron outside, and sealed with matched boardi4
inside. In size it was about thirty feet, long by eight(>en fe(»t wi<le,
and might seat lil'ty or sixty people. There were three windows on
eitluir side, each containing oighteiui panes of glass, and shaptMl in
the usual church v^^indow style. A good sized bell was suspended
in the steeple, which pealed forth the call to worship in right good

'<<

Sunday at Fort Churchill.

131

earnest. Within, the scene was one of the greatest interest. At
the entrance was the plain comfortable-looking box stove; on either
side were rows of benches, ten altogether. At the upper end, fenced
off from the auditorium by a neat railing were the table and deles
covered with red cloth. Behind these, on the wall, were four tablets
of sheet iron, upon which were handsomely painted, in the Chip-
pewayan language, the

Apostles' Creed on the
first, the "^en Command-
ments on the next two,
and the Lord's Prayer on
the last. On either side
of those was a small
picture, unframod, and
tacked to the wall : one

C2D <n ^"D'^n.

the scene of " Christ D", eJUJ«»- V<\jCq CI>n<!5S VP-^ 0"
Cleansing the Templo," ^, SA'!":' D" ^, CC>"D GTIT 5* CLPJl
the oth(.', the " Return of ^^ ^^ C[q^c{ >n (LPc'O, "^^ S*-

>M) n (LAR >Jlil, UT] CPCL ^,

nn bn'^K ccr^u "o^, obco-na
vo"uiQ, ir><!M) >pir <*^<n< t*, u-d

I>Vi^ n C->Q.r', A^di^ CPU •<-nji

" AI'0HTI,RR' OPHBI) "--(IIIII'I'KWAVAN.

the Prodigal Son." Un
dornoath the whole, in
large letters in English,
wore the words : " Bo-
cause Thy loving-kind-
nesH is bettor than lifo,
njy lips shall pniis(('rhoo."
Thoreworo \infranu'd |)ic-
turos tacked to the walls,
botw(>on the window, of 3»
"Tho Sacrifice of (^ain

and Abol," " Mos<\s savod

by Pharaoh's Daughter," " Tho Brazon Sorpont," " Davi.l and Coliali,"
"Christ Kooiling tlu M;iltit(i.lo." " Christ II«>aling tho Mullitudo."
" Christ AnntMinood to tho Shophords," "Tho Worship and OH'oriugH
of tho Wiso Mon,""J(»hn I'roaoliing in tho Wildonioss," "(Christ
and tho Woman at Jacob's Woll," " Doath of Antuinia,s," and otiu.r
ap])ropriato decorations.

!;'

' it

4.'1 !.

■"

I 1

iM^

I
t

i i

1.32

Our North Land.

I I

At one side, near tho railing, was an old melodeon that has been
in use at Churchill for about a quarter of a century. I CQuld not
learn where it came from. It is sadly out of tune, very rickety, and
can't last much longer without repairs.

When we had all been seated, the parson wearing his surplice
behind the desk, Mrs. Spencer at the melodeon, and the congre-
gation on the high-backed benches, numbering altogether nearly
. forty, the service commenced in the usual Episcopalian style ; but
when we came to the following very appropriate references in the
canticle, I was so forcibly reminded of our experiences in Hudson
Strait as to forget my devotions : —

" ye dews and frosts, bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify
him forever."

" ye frost and col« lot ye the Lord, praise him, and magnify
him forever."

" O ye ice and snow, oless ye the Lord, praise him, and magnify
him forever."

I had always regarded the Church of England ritual as a master-
piece of Englisli, but never before supposed it to contain so many
Hpocial references to the peculiar characteristics of Hudson's Bay and
Strait. .

The reverend gentleman read his text in a clear voice : Isaiah Iv. :
and 7: " Seek yo the Lord while ho may be found, call ye upon
him while ho is near ;"

" Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy
upon him, and to our God for he will nbundantly pardon."

In the first place we wore impressed with the idea that the price
of salvation was the asking or seeking it ; but to be found it must be
sought wliilfi it nuiy be found, as there was a time coming to (^ach
pi^rson. who failed to s«^ek, when it cannot Ix^ found. The method
of seeking was very simple. The connnand was- call upon Clod.
"There was life for a call on the m(*rciful One." A good uumy
people stumbliMl over this Himplieity. The call wan to be made
" while h(^ is near," as there are tiujos 'n the lil'i^ of evt^'y one when,
tlirough special providences and othei wise, (Jod is nearer than at

flu

Sunday at Fort Ghurchill.

133

others. The price of salvation also included forsaking sin. Every
man had an abundance of sin, therefore no mistake need be made
about forsaking it. Evil companions, dissipation, etc., were to be
forsaken, and evil thoughts were to be subdued. Further, the price
of salvation included returning unto God. One might have some-
thing to give up in forsaking sin, but he had much more to gain in
returning to God. When these conditions were complied with, the
seeking, forsaking, returning sinner was to be abundantli/ pardoned.
There would be no half-way measure, but a full whole-souled par-
don. To illustrate this abundant pardon, the preacher told a story
of a young Scotch lad, well brought up by Christian parents in a
country place, who at a certain age left his home in Scotland to
enter upon a business life in the great city of London. There he
met with evil companions, got led into gambling dens and stole his
master's money. Being discovered, his master told him of the fear-
ful wickedness of his crime ; but to his great joy and surprise said
ho had decided, in view of his great temptations, to forgive him.
The young lad began to weep with joy, and to thank his employer
that ho was not sent to prison, and was told that he was not only
fully forgiven, but was to bo reinstated in his old position. This
added surprise to his astonishment, but it was not all yet. His
master wont on and said that lie had dodidod not only to fully for-
give him, and to fully reinstate him into his eonfidenoo and employ-
ment, but to promote him to a higher station. Such, sai<l the Rev,
Mr. Lofthouso, is the character of (h)d's abundant par Ion.

It Hoeinod to mo, however, that the illustration wont a Httlo too
far. It was all right perhaps for the London merchant to have for-
given the waywanl young Scotchnmn, and oven to have roinstatod
him, but the promotion biisiiu'ss looke*! too much like placing u
premium on rascality. However, it was a pretty good sermon to
meet with away up in ('iMnchill ; and one who had not been treated
to a sermon for so long was not (liHj)osed to find fault, eHpecially as
the hearty singing, aided by the sereaky ni(>lodeon, had a t(Uuloncy
to smooth oil' Huiall rotigh (ulgivs of <loctrin(\ in the al'ternooti I
viaited i\ui Sunday M(>hool, tiiducted by tlie parson, and found some
twenty children, mostly girls, nuioh inteiosted in the exuroii^uH.

'(! i

If,

r t

134

Our North Land.

It was amusing to observe the tactics of our Expedition photo-
grapher at the close of the morning service. Scarcely had the last
syllables of the benediction died on the parson's lips, when that
er.terprising young man approached him and, introducing his subject,
remarked that the Canadian people were deeply interested in the
welfare of the Hudson's Bay missions, and were most anxious to
learn everything possible concerning them. To meet this require-
ment, and in order to c ry back with him tangible evidence of
church work in the far north, he had ventured, even on the Sabbath,
and even on the occasion of visiting the Lord's house, to bring along
with him a small camera, and — would the parson be so kind, would
he think it out of place, would it be possible, and would the people
not be too much shocked ?

The prison looked greatly bewildered, and the young man saw
plainly that the point must bo reached without delay as the congre-
gation was rapidly separating.

" Would it be too much," he asked, " to get the people together at
the door of the church, just for a few seconds ; and there, with their
shepherd at their front, I could secure a photograph of the whole,
the little church included, in loss than a minute. The people of
Canada would bo so glad to so'^ .v.:ch a picture. "

The roverond gentleman began to understand the position. He
thought that perhai)s the emergency would warrant the seeming
•lisregard of the Sabbath ; and, after a few hurried words with the
chief trader, gave his consent and began to got the motley crowd
into position. As Mr. Fox, with a groat rubber coat over his head,
began to adjust the lens, while an ugly looking husky dog growled
threateningly at his side, I said, surely the energy and enterprise of
our artist has reached a climax. But the photograph was secured,
and I do not Huppi)S(> the sonnon lost any of its good results in con-
sequence.

'^BCftO^"

! ^'

CHAPTER XVII.
Churchill Peoplf. and Industries.

THE HALP-BREEDS OF CHURCHILL — THEIR CONDITION, HABITS, ETC —
UNCLE SAMMY AND GRANNY CRAY — DESCRIPTION OF CHURCH-
ILL VILLAGE — THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES OF CHURCHILL —
OLD FORT PRINCE OF WALES.

f HERE is neither an Eskimo nor yet a resident Indian popula-
tion at Churchill. The inhabitants of the place number
about forty. These are Chippewayan half-breeds, except the
^ officers of the post and their families. There arc, however,
about two hundred natives in the neighbourhood who visit the
fort, oft' and on, durinpf various seasons of the year. The Indians
(Chippewayans) come in the early 8prin<;f to trade, bringing with
them the valuable skins of the otter, the deer, and the martin, the
mink, the silver-grey fox, etc. The Eskimos visit the fort, generally
during the winter, laden with white bear, doer, white fox, wolf or
other fur-bearing skins. In tins way a considerable traffic is carried
on, to the great profit of the Hudson's Bay Company and to the
many hardships and privations of the natives, who, however, appear
most in their true clement when half naked, half starved, and
very dirty.

The half-oroed po|mlation of Churchill, loss than forty souls,
dwell, with a few exceptions, in a long, low building, owned by the
Company, in which tlur are sort of tenants at will. In the best
Honso o" the term they are nothing more or loss than slaves. They
are called servants. The luime, perhaps, suits their conditi(m and
circumstances best. There is generidly a sort of engagement or
ftgreemt^nt Ix'twcen the wun atid the (■ompany. They are engaged
for periods of from three to live years, at stipends ranging IVoni one

I J
I

* I

136

Our North Land.

pound to two pounds ten shillings a month, and are always pai i
merchandise at Hudson's Bay Company's prices — prices that are
never complained of because there is not the slightest advantage in
complaining, but which are large enough to make up for the in-
frequency of pure' ases. They live and die in the service of the
Company, enjoy but few privileges, few comforts, and have no oppor-
tunities of learning anything about the world in which they live.

From the large number of children among them, and their very
healthy condition, it is plain to be seen that they are on the increase.
They are provided with all the absolute necessities of life in full
supply. They are seldom in want of food, except occasionally when
the supplies at the post run short, as the country is full of deer,
wild geese in their season, and small game ; and, as the Company's
agents treat them honourably, their condition is one of comparative
comfort. In conversation and manners they are very simple, plain,
dull, and quiet people ; and, in speaking with them, one is impressed
with the dense ignorance of all things in which they live. Their
knowledge of mechanics is confined to fire-arms and sailing craft.
A steam engine is totally beyond their powers of comprehension.
One of them, in looking over the Neptune's machinery, thought it
could not have been made by man : that it must have grown. I was
interrogated at some length by a Churchill breed above the average
in intelligence, concerning the proposed " locomoty," as he called it,
that Canada was going to "send "from Fort "Garry to Churchill.
He had no idea whatever of a railway, and thought of the project
as a vast machine, the movements of which might bo hard to control,
and dangerous in the extreme.

" How high is a locomoty ?" he asked. I told him, and then ho
observed, " I hears it is a terrible thing to yell : Docs it yell most
in th(( (lay time or in nights ?" My explanations were not intel-
ligible to him. Ho moditiitcd for awhile, and then broke out:
" How does they fasten it ?" 1 compared it, to some extent, with
tlio engines of the Ncptunti, but soon learned that I had made a
fatal niislako. That man is irrecoverably confused with tlio idea
that a railway is a sort of ship, and 1 found it imp' ssibin to afford
him any light on the subject.

f,-.

Churchill People and Industries.

137

But any reference to the half-breed population of Churchill
without mention of Uncle Sammy, and Granny Gray, would be
doing violence to the simplest rules of justice. Uncle Sammy is a
white man, a native of England, and is considerably over eighty
years of age. He has resided on the shores of the bay for about
three quarters of a century, and is the grand old patriarchal ancestor
of the Churchill breeds. His wife, not quite so aged, is a Chippe-
Wayan squaw, active, intelligent and happy as a clam. The old man
is as deaf as a granite boulder, and hasn't heard a sound of any kind
for years. He walks as straight as a Crimean soldier, and feels him-
self to be of considerable importance. He is very white, and begins
to look much the worse of wear, and will soon lay down to rest in
the historic burial-place, on the banks of the Churchill. These two
old people are as much a part of the village as is old Fort Prince of
Wales, a feature of Churchill. Around these are the children of the
fourth and fifth generations, who look back to the boyhood days of
old Uncle Sammy Gray with some such feelings as Canadian
children contemplate the chih^hood of Abraham, Isaac or Jr.cob.

Churchill Village has nothing attractive in its appearance. The
buildings are all, except three or four store-houses, a little distance
away, within a square not exceeding two acres, and are enclosed by
a high palisade, now partly broken down. The little church, with
its tiny steeple and bell, gives an air of civilization to the place,
while the everywhere prowling husky dogs, of which there are not
less than fifty, lend the hamlet an air of lazy animation. The do-
mestic animals consist of two cows, two calves and a bull. There is
an abundance of good pasture at hand, and hay of a fair quality is
plentiful, so that the chief trader and chief clerk's residences are
well supplied with butter and milk at small cost.

The gravii-yard, a little way in rear of the buildings, on the side
of the hill, is pooriy kept, and presents no very interesting points.
There are but two tablets containing inscriptions. All tiie other
grav(!s have been neglected, and are scattered among the scrub, hero
and there with but littl(\ and sometimes nothing, to mark their
exact location. Churchill is an exceedingly healthy place, there
having been but three or four deaths during the i)a8t ten years.

r-i;
hi

': ,1 ,

I '\

iii

138

Our North Land.

'J '

The stockade, or palisade, that once surrounded the place is fast
going to decay, and in many places is entirely broken down. It has
a generally dilapidated appearance, and what is still standing has a
slope outwards and sideways, which says plainly enough that its
usefulness as a stockade has gone. The entrance faces the river,
which at this point was nearly due north. The buildings consist of
Mr. Spencer's house, which stands at the west end of the enclosure.
On the north side is one long wooden building which from its ap-
pearance might have been builL a century ago. This is the servants'
tenement house. Opposite to this is the little church to which I
have already full} referred. Next to this is the clerk's quarters. It
is a low, long building. Next to this is a small hut, the dwelling
of one of the principal hunters of the village. Then comes the
store-house, work -house or factory, the dairy of the chief trader,
and the stock-house, and further on, the magazine, built from stone
with a lead-covered roof.

The little garden seemed a lonely feature of the place. It is not
more than sixty feet square, and I was informed by Mr. Spencer
that the soil of this garden had been carried in baskets and barrows
from a considerable distance. It contained turnips and a few other
vegetables, but these had x..ade but little headway and would not
be able to reach maturity. The turnip tops are used as greens ; the
roots never develop to be of much si. .'vice.

Outside of the palisade, and on the river's bank, is a large oil
reiinery where the blubber from the walrus and porpoise is " tried
out." This building contains largo cast iron tanks, and is other-
wise equipped for reducing blubber on a large scale. It contained
a number of casks of oil, and a few hogsheads of blubber, all of
which omitted an odour not in anywise desirable. A long pier or
wharf extends from tliis refinery out into the stream, by means of
which boats are loaded and unloaded. Down on the south shores of
the harbour there are two other refineries, both larger than that to
which I have just referred.

I had intended to say something concerning the commercial im-
portance of (Churchill, — to speak of the trade with the natives, and
the oil industry which is being rapidly developed, and will do so

Churchill People and Industries.

139

in a general way further on. Early every spring two large "boats
are sent up to the walrus grounds just to the north-west of Marble
Island. Last season this enterprise was conducted by Mr. George
MacTavish, chief clerk, who, with a crew of half-breeds and Indians,
took twenty-two large walrus in a few days, and could have easily
secured as many more, only that the blubber from the carcases of
those he captured more than loaded his boats. He experienced a
very succep^ful trip, with the exception that one of his Indians
died suddenly of heart disease during the voyage up.

Aside from the walrus hunt, Mr. Spencer is developing a large
porpoise, or white whale fishery, on the very shores of Churchill
harbour, where, with his nets and traps, he took last season one
hundred and ninety of these mammals of immense size. By extend-
ing his facilities, five hundred or a thousand might be taken an-
nually. As I have said, two large blubber refineries have been
opened at Churchill, where the fat from the porpoise and walrus is
refined and placed in casks ready for shipment to Europe. This
oil, together with the furs which are taken from the natives in ex-
change for merchandise, and the ivory from the walrus, make up an
annual budget at Churchill of great value. These products of the
Dominion are exported each year in the Company's ships, and find
a ready market in the old world, to the great advantage of the
Company's treasury.

I was greatly struck with the advantages of Marble Island, or
the west main coast in that vicinity, for a trading station. If an
enterprising company were organized with oven a moderate capital,
and established properly in the north-western portion of the bay, with
all the appliances for whale, porpoise, and walrus ^«hing, and with
plenty of marketable merchandise to exchange with the natives for
furs, the enterprise would unquestionably bo fruitful of very largo
returns. I wonder that this opportunity has not been improved
long ago.

Since the arrival of Mr. Spencer at Churchill, some seven years
ago, he has worked successfully to develop the porpoise and walrus
fisheries. " Thoroughly tmderstanding the business himself, ho went
to work, erected buildings, built boats and nets, and was soon doing a

if!

140

Our North Land.

I !^

' I

i i'

! ■ \-

flourishing business. Last spring they secured nearly two hundred
white whales, as they call the porpoise. Three years ago Mr. Mac-
Tavish, who is an enthusiast in the interests of the company,
coasted the whole way from Churchill to opposite Marble Island,
where he has since done an extended business with the natives in oil
and walrus ivory. Last spring his visit netted the company two large
double lugger loads of oil and about two hundred pounds of ivory.
The rendering or "trying out" house is a large two-storey buiWing at
the fort, fitted up with huge vats for receiving the blubber and oil.
The method of capturing the porpoise is as successful as it is in-
genious. A huge net is securely anchored at the bottom of the river,
and is so placed that when the tide is in it lies on the bottom and offers
no impediment to the progress of the animals up stream. Just before
the tide turns, however, the hunters raise the net, and as the water
recedes the porpoise are prevented from returning to sea. As the
tide ebbs the animals are left high and dry on the mud, and are
easily despatched by the hunters. They depend for their fresh
meat here on the reindeer, or barren ground caribou, hundreds of
which are sometimes killed in a single season."

The accountant's department at Churchill contains some things
of interest. Chief among these is the accountant himself, Mr. Mac-
Tavish, who is a young man of pleasing address, very obliging, and
thoroughly conversant with his work. The accounts are kept in
£ 8. d., as in the old country. " One may see here," says a con-
temporary writer, " the names of the Indian hunters who receive
credit from the company at this post. One, for instance, has received
credit for a couple of blankets, powder and shot, a kettle, and so on.
For these ho will pay next spring, when he comes in with his furs,
and receive a new credit. At Churchill, however, very little credit
business is done. The trade with the Indians is small, the great
bulk of the business being with the Eskimos, who come down once
or twice a year from the far north. No money is used in any
transactions with the natives, the unit of exchange being a beaver
skin. Thus a bear skin is worth so mnny beavers, and the same
with every other kind of fur or article kept for sale in the store.
Small pieces of sticks about throe inches in length, and branded,

Churchill People and Industries.

141

' pass as beaver skins,' are given or taken in exchange for every-
thing at the store." •

Churchill has its full supply of miserable, snarling husky dogs.
They have no horses, but these dogs take their places. A good dog
is reckoned to haul fifty weight on a sledge, so that with a team of
six or eight dogs, thi-ee or four hundred pounds can be transported,
often at the rate of fifty miles a day. In fact these dogs are indis-
pensable to the natives and people of the north generally.

Before leaving Churchill Village, I must mention the generous
hospitality of Mr. Spencer, the chief trader, and his good lady. We
had the great pleasure of dining with them on Sunday, the 7th. The
table was a sight that could not fail to sharpen the appetite of any
Canadian. There were
fat, delicious wild geese,
nicely roasted, and there
were ducks of various
kinds cooked in like man-
ner ; and there was fried
curlew, and roast curlew,
and fried snipe, and
broiled snipe, and ptar-
migan on toast, and a
variety of other small
game. 0, such a dinner !

Such a variety of game ! And then our host made each one at the
table feel that he was sole proprietor of all the birds that had been
served. There was but one thing lacking. It was not ale. We had
something better than that ; but they had no potatoes. Instead,
turnip leaves were served in the style of greens. Thevc was havoc,
that day, among the game at Churchill ! I cannot tell who ate the
most, but everyone seemed to feel that his whole duty was not done
until he had partaken liberally of every kind and variety, and, so
far as I could see, every one's whole duty was discliarged without
stint.

On Monday, the 8th, Mr. Spencer and family, accompanied by
the Rev. Mr. Lofthouso and Mr. MacTavish, visited the Neptune.

■^^^^^K'""---'=*^^^-_^^^^^H?^^ -^^^^^""

mmm.^--

m. .. Kim- ■.„-■. ,

OLD FOUT PniNCE OF WALKS.

! lU

•fl 5-

142

Our North Land.

i^'

They had with thorn a number of men-servants to manage the boat
in which they made the journey, and two maid-servants to look
after the four children. Capt. Sopp had ordered the cabin put in good
order, and directed the steward concerning some extra attentions to
the dinner, so that everything possible was done to make their visit
pleasant.

The day wa'^ exceedingly fine, warm and summer-like; and in
the afternoon we all made an excursion to Old Fort Prince of Wales,
on Eskimo Point, about two miles distant, and spent several hours
among the very interesting ruins of that long-ago deserted post

Old Fort Prince of Wales was commenced about 17.*}5, and oom-
plcted, probably, in 1700, by the Hudson's Bay Company, I suppose
to protect their poas^Maions from the French ; but it was not much
more than completed when La Perc-nse captured it, and carried its
commandant, Samuel Hearno, a prisoner to Franco. But for this,
and the destruction of the fort, as also that at York, the F»"inch
Government is said to have paid a good sum at the close of the
war.

It is the old Roman stylo of fortress, about three liundrod and
lifty foot square. The outer wallfi, whicli are a little over six foot
thick, of solid mascmry — the face stones being all well dressed —
were originally about twenty foot high. They are now somewhat
dilaj)i(lated, and in places partly broken down, but the uresent
average, height is still over sixttien foot. Within, nearl}' everything
has fallen into <lecay. The walls of the barracks and otticers'
(piartors are still standing, but will not hold out much longer. Th(>y
have parti'il every here and there; many of tho stones have ^nml)l(>d
down, and at the ontis they are tottering to their fall. Th(< arch
over the UAxm entrance has collapsed, and partly fallen into the
passage. That portion which still remnins in position has assunuMJ
a threatening attitude, and the visitor passes under with feelings of
ins(!curity.

Tho parapets are well covered with grass, and afford a very
pleasant pronianade. Tlu^ inner walls are in a good state of pronor-
vation, and will stand for centuries to come. From the ramparts
one can seo a vast stretch of ocean and landscnpe, and the prospect,

Churchill People and Industries.

143

on a fine day, is full ^f mterest. Thei'e are a large number of guns,
all more or less damaged, 13'ing here and there on the parapets, but
the balls and other movable objects of interest have been pretty
much carried away by travellers. The guns are all stamped " G. R."
representing the reign of King George I., and are principally nine,
eighteen, and twenty-four pounders. Some of them arc; about two
and a half tons in weight. We carried away some fifteen or twenty
balls, nearly every one in our party securing one or two.

There are six inscriptions on the outer front walls, but these
indicate nothing of im-
portance. Take, for in-
stance the following : —

" Guildford Long,

Of Rothorhithe : Fecit.

1754."

This means nothing

more than that the stone

bearing the inscription

was dressed by Mr. Long

in 17')+, and that said

Long haili'd from ilothor-

hitlio. Tho others are :

"W. Matthews of Ilothor-

hitho,17r)r),""Jno.l'iitor-

Bon, 1754," " Henry llob-

inson, 1753," " Jamen

Whoroy Taylor. 17H," and " Wm. Irwin. 1752."

Theio are a numbor of graves n»iar tlio fort, some of th(«ni wi II
preserved, with rude tombstones. On one of the lattor I noticed
the initials "C H.," and on another, "John Sutherlantl, IHL')." At
one of the graves a number of bones wore exposed, whicli we placed
together and covered j'ver with the loose gravel at hand.

While on K><Uimo Pojjtt, upi.n which the old lort stands, I visited
Sloop's Oovo farther up the harbour, where there In a (juantity of
writing or otigravingupon thn rocks, of more or h'ss historical value.
In 1741, a man named .lohn Kelloy was hanged, it is said, for steal-

(IHOIINI) ri.AN OK «)l.n KOUT I'UINCK OK WAI.KR,

! 'i'

144

Owr North Land.

ing a salt goose : at least that is what the Hudson's Bay people have
handed down from one generation to another to the present time.
On one of these rocks is the figure of a man hanging to the gallows,
under which are the words, " John Kelley, from the Isle of Wight."
On other rocks are the names: "Robert Smith, 177G," "Robert
Fowler, 1776," "Richard J. Johnson. 1753," "SI. Hearne, July,
1707." This is probably the father of the Hearne who abandoned
Fort Prince of Wales in 1782. There is also the name of " George
Taylor, 1787," and the inscription: "Furnace nnd Discovery, 1741."
It will be remembered that those wore the two vessels brought out
by Captain Middloton in his unsuccessful attempt to find the north-
west passage in the year named. After visiting Churchill he went
as far as Repulse Bay, and then returned homo, where he was
sevoroly taken to task for his great lack of energy in prosecuting
the work of the ox^)editi()n.

We carried away from old Fort Prince of Wales two or throe
cannon shot each, and returned to the shij) about six o'clock, well
satisfied with our excursion.

' ii

T' ■•■'• ■*■

CHAPTER XVIII.

The Attractions of York Factory.

I 1'

anchoraoli in thr opkn watkr — a voyage in a york boat —
the streets and buildings of the ancient metiiocolis of
york — the oree set'i'lement — great kindness of the
Hudson's bay company's people— sickness— death — a mur-
der TRIAL.

,jll .^URING our stay at Churchill Lieut. Gordon made arranj]fo-
n /ill "^""^'^ with Chief Factor Spencer to act as meteorological
11 f^JJI observer. The anemometer was oroctod on one of tlio
buildings, a thoruiometer .shod was Hot up, and the baro-
meter hung in a suitable pliice. Mr. Sj)oncer had received the
I)roper instructions, and on Tuesday eveniug, the Dth, the Nej^tuno
was ready for departure. We steamed out of the harbour at dark,
on our way to York Factory, taking with us Mr. George MacTavish,
Chief Accountant at (Churchill, who availed himself of the oppor-
tunity to make. the journey.

On Wednesday evening wo arrived off the mouth of the Nelson
and Hayes Rivers ; but the water was quite sluillow, and darkness
having overtaken us, the Ne|)tuno was laid to until morning. The
weather was (piite thick all day, but there was only a moderate
wind. Thursday morning brought us but little improvement ; but
at nine o'clock it was clearing, and wo wt»r(^ in sight of the beacon
on M('ae»»n I'oint, a nan-ow, low point of land, at which tli(> waters
of the Nelson and Hayes Kivers unit^^ Our cajttain kn(>w that
there was no harbour at York, and therefore approaehtMl the " five
fathom hole" anchornge, linden miles off ilu> Fort, with great
caution. Mr. MacTavish acted as pilot, lie was quite wtdl ac-
quaintml with the ground ; but by some niiscalculation wu wont a

t J i

IS';

i| 'I'

146

Our North Land.

littlo too far in, and at ten o'clock, for the first time, the Neptune
struck the bottom. She turned a-starboard without difficulty, and
was promptly taken out over her tracks some two miles and
anchored. The lead was being swung constantly when she touched, so
that it must have been a sand-bar that camein contactwith her bottom.

The vessel was anchored fifteen or eighteen miles off the post ;
her ensign and liouse flag were unmrled ; the r.mall gun on the
forecastle-deck was discharged some four or five times ; and the
whistle was sounded to its fullest capacity, in the hope of attracting
the attention of the people on shore. Twelve o'clock came, and
there was no sign of any one approaching. The swell was quite
heavy, and none of the Neptune's boats were large enough to weather
it. At last Mr. Lane, the interpreter, was induced to undertake the
voyage to land in his kayak. His frail skin craft was lowered to
the turbulei t water, and the bravo Eskimo half-breed entered it.
Witii his paddle flying from one side to the other to steady him in
the waves, ho rose and fell on tho surging bay like a sea-gull speed-
ing away towards tho beacon, lie had not gone out more than two
miles when, from tho mizzon crosstrees, the boatswain sij^htod a boat
approaching in tho distance. Ouns wore then discharged and tho
whistle blown to recall Mr. Lane. Ho understood the signals a'ld
returned; but tho York b()at<lid not boat hisr way out until five o'clock"

She was in charge of Chief Accountant Cowio, who had with
him tho well-known pilot, John Smith, ])r. Matthews, and six men.
They all had suj)por on ship-ooard. They had luuird of tho Expedi-
tion, and. wore on tho look-out for us, and when thoy saw the smoke
of tho NopUino thoy knew tho long looked for c«)mpany's ship had
not arrivoil, but that tho Expedition had. Noverthek'ss, thoy W(^ro
prompt in sending oil' tho boat, which would have roachod ouj" vo.s.sol
by noon had tho tidtt and wind not b(>on unfavourable.

Lieutenant (lordon, Dr. Hell, Mossrs. liaporrioro, Fox, and tho
writer, accompanied tliom back to tho Factory. We loft tho Nep-
tune in thoir oxcollont boat at sovon o'clock ii; the evening, and
ftrriviMl at York Factory at throe o'clock on Friday morning. Tho
journey will never bo forgotten by those who made it. H(^ating
about in the open water in the darknoNH, sending up rockets and

The Attractions of York Factory.

147

burning blue lights to attract attention, in the hope that lights
would be exhibited on shore by which we might be guided ; run-
ning on rocks and shoals, and anchoring until the incoming tide
would float us off again ; now hoisting the sails, and then shortening
them, as the case ro(![uired. Thus we put in the night in a sorry
plight, indeed. At ten o'clock tea was made over the fire-kettle,

AUIIIVAI. OF (H!BAN NYMPH — YOWK KAOTORY.

and served with bread, butter, and canned beef. At one o'clock
coffee was lik(iwis«i made, and served with pie. On the outward
trip one ol' the men had shot a fine goose. This was picki'tl.cleaiu'd,
and roaded or cooked in some way over the fir«^-k(>ttUs and tlevoured
by tlu* men. Hy those divorsioiiH the night was worn away, enliv-
ened now ami then, doHpite our condition, by songs and jokoa.

At three o'clock in th(* morning wo reached the landing, and
Wttlkiul up throiigh lh(< gate into the gnMit yard, on the bioail board
walks of York Factory, jfieeted, as ev(»r, by a host of contempf ibio
husky ilogs, growling and sjuirling and yelping. We were well
entertained, and slept soundly until eight o'clock, when wo were

1 ■\'i

I'TT I

I '

M* \l

148

Our North Land.

1.!

greeted with one of the most beautiful mornings that ever delighted
the human heart.

I went forth to view the beauties of York Factory, and found
much to admire. The general appearance of the village is pleasant
to look at. As a Hudson's Bay post it is by no means what it has
been, and yet nothing has fallen into decay. The buildings, of
which there are about fifty belonging to the post proper, many of
them large and handsome, are clean and bright -looking, and must
have been erected at great expense. The main factory building is
a square, with a court-yard in the centre, being over two hundred
feet on each side. The front centre is three storeys high, the other
portion two storeys. If/ is of wood, as are all the buildings belonging
to the place. It stands back about three hundred feet from the front
palisade, which runs along parallel with the Hayes river, upon
which it fronts. On the right, as you enter through either of the
two gates, is a row of buildings extending from the palisade back
to the factory, or to the end of the long summer house on a line
with the front of the factory. Those are the department store-
rooms, net houses, stores, shops, etc. The summer house was used to
accommodate the officers from inland posts when visiting the factory.

On the loft is a corresponding row of buildings, of the same stylo,
two storeys l»igh. These are the " old trading rooms," the provision
house, etc. As I have said, the great factory is in the form of a
square, extending back about two hundred feet. There are rows of
buildings parallel with the sides of this square, extending all the
way round. These arc the chief factor's residence, the chief ac-
countant's residence, residence of tlio clergyman, the doctor's house,
the church, the school-house, the ho.spital, the servants' houses, the
middle-men's liouses, the photographic rooms, the general offices
the library, the cooper-shop, the blacksmith shop, the bake-house,
and many other l)ui'dings. The high palisade extends completely
rouiul the whole, but tliero are a few buildings outside of it, notably
the Indian church, which is capable of accommodating over three
Inindrod, and is an imposing structure with a high towtjr
surmounted by a large cross.

In front of the factory building are the gardens, divided by the

'f ,']

' ff

f --'

►,

■ ;

li-..

The Attractions of York Factory.

149

two main walks leading from the esplanade along the river front.
The principal features of these gardens were potatoes and turnips,
which are doing as well as could be expected in that latitude.

Away to the north of the village, about three miles, are the ruins
of old Fort York, which was captured and destroyed by La Perouse
in 1782. Between this and the new fort, as it is generally called,
and n(5ar to the latter, is the powder magazine, enclosed by a high
palisade, and the grave-yard. Near to the entrance of the latter is

OIIKB INDIAN OHUnUH, YOUK KAOTOBY.

a grave, enclosed by a picket railing, with a large gravo-atono upon
which I noticed the following inscription : —

Sacrod
To the memory of
William Sinclaiu, Esq.,
Chief Rector
Honourable Hudson's Hay Company's Service,
Who ditMl 20th of April, 1818.
Ago, 52 years.
' Behold Thoti hAst made my days as an hand-breadth, and my
age as nothing before Theo. Verily, every man at his best estate is
altogether vanity.'

Erected as a tostiiiumy of adection, by his won.

l»IK;i

l;i

! (

:*!

150

Our North Land.

Within the high picket fence there are a large number of graves,
most of them marked by tomb-stones, but there is nothing particu-
larly interesting in the inscriptions on them. Two are written in
Oree, and attract attention on that account. In speaking with the
doctor I learned that York has not of late been considered very
healthy. There were twenty-five deaths last year, fourteen of them
in a single month. The greater number were taken off by an epi-
demic of bronchitis. Last year, however, was an exceptional ck-
j)erienco in this respect : two Indian children died of cholera.

Passing from the grave-yard I visited the little church within
the palisade, where the white people attend service uuder the
ministry of the Rev. George Winter of the Church of England. It
is a neat little structure, much like that at Churchi'V but about
double the size. It contains a melodeon, and is other vvise well
appointed. Next to it is the school-house, just outside of the pali-
sade. It is a neat, clean, well kept building, where in the summer
months school is kept up from eight o'clock in the morning until
aboul five o'clock in the evening. There are, including white and
Cree, about one hundred and twenty-five children. These have but
one teacher, the Rev. Mr. Winter, but are taught separately.

The white children attend school, and English branches are
taught from eight to half-past ten in the forenoon. From that hour
until five in the evening the Indian children are taught in Cree, to
read and write, and to apply the rudiments of arithmetic. Great
progress has been made in the education of the Cree Indians. The
same syllabic characters are used as in teaching Chippowayan. A
number of useful text-books have been printed, and, through the in-
defatigable eHbrts of Mrs. Mason, the mother of Mrs. Fortesque, wife
of Chief Factor Fortesciuc, the entire Olil and New Testaments have
been printed and published in the Cree languago. I look upon ifc
as a great credit to the efforts put forth at York Factory, on behalf
of education, that almost all the Indians there, who are of sufficient
age, can road and write with ease in their own language. I visited
several of the Indian houses close by, and fhund copies of the Croo
bible in all of th<Mn. Ah a test of their knowledge of the Scriptures,
and their ability to read and understand them through the medium

. li

Tlie Attractions of York Factory.

151

of their own language, I got two or three of them who can speak
English to turn up certain passages and translate them to me, in
their own broken way. By looking at a copy of the English trans-
lation, I was enabled to see that they were familiar with all the
passages which they read, and explained them with the greatest
ease.

The Indian village is located about half a mile to the south of
the post, and contains about three hundred inhabitants. There are

YORK FACTOHY— 81I)K VIEW.

about fifteen well-built houses, and a largo number of pole camps.
The village is alive with children and dogs. They scorn to have
entered into a contest to see which can make the most noise, but
the dogs liavo out-done the children. A striking feature of the
Indian sottlement is the large clay oven, in which baking is done,
once a week or so, for the entire inhabitants of tlio place. A fire is
made, the oven is heated, and then, each family having its dough
ready, the pans are placed in, to the number of twenty or sometimes
thirty, the door closed iipou them, and when the broad is done the
squaws select their respective loaves and carry them liome. This

a I,

:«.i|

\ ti

(

4
I'

Bb:'

■■ 1

'^i

kI'

1^^

11 ,

■.1

InL

iH' ■

iB'

jEtn^ •

-»

K;i

K||>

Wi) .

w|» ''

Bf , .

•

152

Our North Land.

oven is a great convenience. It was l)uilt by the Company several

years ajjo.

York Factory, aside from the Indian population, a great portion
of which is ever on the go and come, has a few halt-breed inhabi-
tants. The servants of the Company number over thir*:y men, each
being, of course, the head of i; family. The Chief Factor, Joseph
Fortesque, Esq., who has been in charge, off and on, for nineteen
years, left this year with his wife and family, provided the Hudson's
Bay Company's ship has reached York, and departed for home, on a
year's lesLve of absence. He is succeeded, temporarily, by Murdock
Matheson, Ksq., of La Cloche, Ont., who had taken charge just before
our arrival. Mr. James Cowie is Chief Accountant; R. W. Matthews,
M.D., is the Medical Officer ; Mr. Geo. Mowat is the Second or Fore-
man ; Mr. John G. Mowat is the Foreman's Clerk ; Mr. Wm. Wood
is Storekeeper ; Mr. John Smith i.^ the Pilot ; Mr. Archie Arthurson
is the Oattlc-k coper, and so on. There are no horses at the post, but
five or six cows atid some young cattle are kept.

The hospital at York Factory is a most valuable institution. It
was founded tlirough the efForLs of Dr. Matthews, who has left
nothing undone in any way calculated to improve the health of the
people, and minister to the comfort of the sick. It contained two
patients at the time of my visit. One, an old man, who had been
taken from his filthy camp, a sufi'orer from ccurvy. He is doing very
well under the kind attention of the Company's doctor, and the oblig-
ing matron of the hospital, but cannot last long. Age and disease will
very soon bring ii.ui to his grave. The other was a >oung Indian
lad, .suffering from rickets. Hu has greatly improved under the
doctor's treatment, and there are some chances of h'u recovery. The
regulations of the hospital are posted U|) in the patients' room in
both En':;lish and Croc, u.">d are dated July liOth, 188.S. The insti-
tution has itoenbui a short time in operation, and is much in need
of funds. Dr. Matthews would be glad to hear from philanthroi)ic
Canadians in aid of his oflbrts to make the hospital a permanent
success.

There is nothing remarkable to record in connection with tlio
services at the churches. In the Indian church congregational singing

Ilf -Si

'HI

i . II

5,
n

o
to

a
>

o
to
n

;sr::

: t I

;i' i!

llO

FT •' "

P ■:

I •!''

^ ^p

fli:

154

Our North Land.

is successfully encouraged, and the natives enter into the responsive
service with apparent relish ; while at the little chapel, within the
palisade, divine worship is made attractive by a choir of school boys,
and the melodeon.

Last year, 1883, the quiet of York Factory was disturbed by a
murder. Tn a brawl between two Indian women named Nancy
Natainew and Mary Quaqua, the former llirew an axe at the latter,
which she managed to avoid, but it struck her son, a small boy, John,
on the head. He died from the effects of the blow two days after.
The woman, Natainew, was duly tried before Justice Fortesque in
the school-house. Chief Factor Fortesque, besides exercising some
judicial functions as the head officer at the post, is a Justice of the
Peace for the North- West Territories of Canada.

Dr. Matthews, acting as Clerk of the Court and Crown Prosecutor,
interested himself in bringing the murderer to justice; but, before
the trial proceeded far, he found himself surrounded by many and
great difficulties. At the outset, the natives were loud in their
denunciations of the conduct of the hostile squaw, and manifested
the greatest desire to see her brought under the penalties of British
law ; but, as the trial proceeded, their manner became greatly changed.
All the feelings of their race became aroused, and they looked upon
the prosecution as a piece of tyranny or persecution on the part of
the Hudson's Bay Company. Before the trial came on they had
seen the whole affair, and related every phase of it with great exact-
ness ; but in the witness-box they knew nothing about it whatever.
Indeed they were dumb. As the examination progressed, the
feelings of the natives became more intense in favour of the prisoner;
and finally the woman, Natainew, became a martyr to the fullest
extent of their appreciation of the idea.

It was plain that anything like conviction by the use of Indian
witnesses would bo an impossibility, and Doctor Matthews gave the
case up, leaving it to the discretion of Justice Fortesqi'r. to deal with
the squaw as he might think tit. Sha was sentenced to one month
imprisonment, and to the worse penalty of having her beautiful,
long, black hair cut off' close to her head. This punishment, in the
oyos of her sympathisers, was nearly as bad as hanging. To have

13*'!

The Attractions of York Factory.

155

the hair cut off is, among these Indians, a mark of the greatest
disgrace.

' As soon as Nancy had served out her thirty days, she lost no
opportunity in exciting the feelings of the natives. They sympa-
thised with hei', and she took every possible method of showing that
she ap'Dreciated their sympathy. On a Sunday morning, while on her
way to the church, walking erect and stately, she was frequently
honoured by special marks of attention : the Indians, men and wo-
men, drawn up in open file near the Fort, so as to attract tlie atten-
tion of the Hudson's Bay Company people, shook hands with her
one after another, and took every method to fully reinstate her in
the good graces of the "best society." Nancy's hair gradually
renewed its existence, and, to-day, it is half as long as it was before
the penalty was administered, and she is quite indifferent to all that
has happened, notwithstanding that, in a wide sense, she committed
a double murder. As I have stated, the child died from the effects of
his injuries, and the child's mother, whom Nancy endeavoured to
inj ure, died soon after her child, from the fright. She was in a delicate
state of health at the time, and never recovered from the shock.

This affair must not be looked upon as characteristic of the
Indians on Hudson's Bay. They are a quiet, peaceable set, very
obedient to the Hudson's Bay Company's officials, and altogether verj'
industrious. They are anxious to make the most. of their oppor-
tunities, educationally, and put to the best use what little knowledge
they have been able to acquire. They are already sufficiently in-
formed to know that their condition ought to be still more improved
by the advance of civilization, and they are very anxious to see the
iron horse coming through from Winnipeg. They have heard some-
thing of a locomotive, but have no ideas of a railway ; and, so far as
I could judge from what they said, they think the great iron ship
would come snorting over the rocks to their very doors, provided
Canada and the Hudson's Bay Company agree to allow it. SeyeKal
years ogo, when they were told that the Canadians were about to
send out an Expedition, a number of them sot to work and built
houses to sell to the expected now settlers. They never came, and
the Indians now occupy them themselves j but they stand ready to

^1 ^IM;

,r '

•i

K V i

r! m

W..

^ I

Ws, v

'H-.i

ll I "

h ^

n? ■

■4',

|i:

11'

\:.

\y S'

at
g

7Vi(! Attractions of York Factory,

157

sell out, and return to camp life, if by ho doing they can encourage
immigration and facilitate the railway.

In this respect they differ somewhat from the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany's officials. The latter, for the most part, discourage, as far as
they can do so by talking against it, the possibility of navigating
the Strait. They do not want their trade interfered with, as a
matt' r of course ; and besides the jteople at York see perfectly that
the roa'l, if built, will never come :o that place, as they have no
harbour. At Churchill there is a better feeling, and they, with ono'
accord, anxiously hope to see the enterprise succeed. The worst
opposition to the propc >i'' Hudson's Bay route that I have met with
is that expressed by the acting chief officer at York, Mr. Matheson.
Ho simply ridicules the whole thing. It is (piite different, however,
with Dr. Matthews, who has given the subject much attention. Ho
is a believer in the practicability of the navigation, and is most
auiciouH to see tht people of Canada uuiko use of it.

The Hudson's Hay Company's officers at York are all provided
with excellent houses, well and comfortably furnished. They have
any number of servants, and live, in some resjiects, in considerable
style. The warehouses are heavily stocked with all kinds of mer-
chandise suitable to the trade of that northerri country. Kverything
from a needle to an anchor, and everything in its place, may bo
s'>en as one passes through the storehouses. The only things upon
which there seems to bo any linut us to cpiantity are the provision
stores. They ke(>p oidy a supply sufficient for two years, and, as in
the case of last year, when svipplies had to be sent to Churchill to
me"t th«' re((uirements conse(pient upon the detention of the Ocean
Nymph, they began to grow painfully less: so much so, that wIhmi
've left York, they were beginning to I»m^1 exceedingly anxious h>ast
the outcoming vessel might not arrive, as in that event provisionM
would positively run short before anotlu^r year. When wo loft
(Churchill, it was thought that perhaps the Contpany's vossol, not
having arriv(\d then>, might have found it advanfageoiis to go on to
York tirst, but our arrival at thu latter place dispelled this coi^uc-
turo.

We left York Factory in a York boat for the Neptune at three

' i

I :

i ■;•

r '

158

Our North Land.

o'clock on Friday afternoon, and reached our good slup at precisely
six. Mr. Cowie accompanied us out with a number of his men, took
supper n ship-board, and left us as we were weighing anchor. All
the otticers and ladies of York came down to the little pier to bid
us farewell, as we boarded the sail-boat to take leave of the place.
It was a line, warm, summer-like afternoon, and, as we pushed out,
the waving of handkerchiefs and words of kind wishes, and booming
of the great gun on the river's bank in the salute of five guns given
in honour of the Expedition, rendered the situation very interesting.
The people of York were very hospitable indeed. Their kindness
did not stop at providing us with the best their supplies aSorded to
eat and drink, but most of us were favoured with valuable presents
to carry homo to wife or ehildron. 1 cannot adequately express the
groat kindness and generous hospitality of the people of both
Churchill and York. Wo loft both places iilled with the deepest
feelings of ros])ect for the Hudson's Bay folks, sorry to part from
them, and glad only that wo had commenced the homeward journey.

wMI

rl^H

Biff

f m

' ;:'(

CHAPTER XIX.

An Exciting Polar Bkar Hunt.

from york to capk di(i(jks — a im.kahant v()ya(jk across thk
bay — kstaulishmknt of an omskrvind station at dkjukh —
a olanuk at capk wolstknholmk— cal»ture of thrkk polar
hkars — dfparturf from digoks— arrival at dk houciikr-
villk— wfather notks.

jUR shij) .steamed away from the moutli of the NelHon and
BOlsri ^^^'^ Hayes, at eight o'clock on the evening of Friday the
12th of September. The course wa.s taken toward (^apo
Wolstonhoime, wlioro Lieutenant Oordon had decided to
cstahlish an ok.erving station, in lieu af Mansfield Island. Ah I
have stated, a landing could not bo made on Mansfield, on account of
the shoals which prevail along its shores. Moreover, an examination
of its position demonstrated that a station there woiUd not serv(5 the
objects of the Expedition as well as at the Cape opposite^ thcstatioti
on Nottingham. The distance from Nottingham to the soutli main
shore is not over thirty-five or forty miles, so that the two stations
will be able to determine in a measure to what exti^nt navigation is
obstructed by ice in that channel.

The voyage from York to Digges Islanils occupied four nights
and three days. Wo (dijoycd delightful wc^ather the wht)le of the
way, oxcept that on Sunday there was a light fog until the 'Middh^
of the afternoon, and on Monday a thick fog until about the same
hour. There was also a light rain during most of Monday night
Thoro wore no heavy winds, th»* temperature w»is .'(inipara-
tively high, an<l the Neptuim bowled along in smooth wator for the
whole disfaiu'e. On Monday afttMi»ooi» we wen^ oH'llit* souih (U)ast
of Mansfield Island, in ten lathoms of water, and were compeliiul to

.. ■ r

: ■{• ;i

>■

! *

I "^

I" t

u \

ino

Our North Land.

• ■' 1;

. 'I

m\\'.

bear to the southward, a little out of a direct line from York to the
Digges, in order to keep in deep water.

I have intimated that we did not arrive at the Diggea until
Tuesday morning. This is correct, only because we had to discover
our own anchorage. The Neptune could have reached the desired
land by eight o'clock on Monday evening, but was compelled to lay
to until the following morning, in order to have the benefit of day-
light in looking for a harbour. At the break of day, on Tuesday
morning, we made toward the outer Digges, with full steam ; but at
.seven o'clock a blinding snow-ftorm overtook us, and for three-
([uarters of an hour falling snow was so thick that one could not see
fifty yards in any direction. However, it soon passed over,
and we steamed along toward the islands, which wore now but a
little distance off, with the lofty snow-covered headlands of Cape
Wolstenholmo a little further to the east, glistening tmder the rays
of the morning sun, breaking through the drifting clouds.

At eight o'clock, the remarkably good luck which had followed
us at every step, was crowned by our steaming into n magnificent
little harbour on the south-west side of the outer large Digges
Island. The place was called Laperriere Harbour, after Mr. A. IjSl-
perriere, the observer to be placed in charge. A very suitable place
for the station buildings was at once chosen, and before ton o'clock
the men wore at work landing hiiubor and supplies, and the car-
penters in getting up the Irauie of the observatory.

The island just off (^ape WolsU^nholme was selected for the
station rather than the mainland, because, wliile affording every
opportunity for watching the south portion of the channel between
the Cape and NottMigham, it also furnished n position for observing
the entrance t»» Hue ^'s Bay.

1 had settled m, * down for a day's writing on Tutvsday, but
was disturbed abo wo o'clock in the afternoon by a rush to the
cabin of Messrs. Vox and Fiaperriere, accompanied by tho assistant
engineer. They wore all out of breath, and most intensely oxoited,
and began to p\tll dow]) the ship's rifies in the most frantfo manner.

" Steward ! steward ! quick ; get nio a co\iple of packages of
exproHM cartridges. Hurry ! " said Mr. Fox, as he oxamint^l a " Henry"
b(Oottglng to the Nepttinu.

An Exciting Polar Bear Hunt.

161

The steward, already infected by their manner, made great haste
in complying with the request, and upset my ink bottle in his
efforts. I asked three times for an explanation before any one of the
excited trio took the time to relieve my curiosity. At length Mr.
Bridge, tlie engineer, blurted out : —

" On with your coat. Get your rifle. Come ! the hills are filled
with bears ! "

It seems that Mr. Bridge had gone out alone with a shot-gun in
search of game, and had walked inland on the island about a mile,
when he found himself face to face, about fifty yards off, with five
gigantic polar bears. He is of a most excitable temperament, and
works himself into a perfect worry over the slightest ruffle in the
every-day affairs of life, and his condition and manner on tuo occasion
to which I refer were beyond tolling. Ho had managed to part
coiupany with the bears, although, he says, they followed him for a
considerable distance. Ho came to the shore, completely out of
breath, pale with excitement, and treiubling from the realization of
tlu' great escapo that he had inad«\ Here he conununicated his dis-
covery to Messrs. Fox and Laporriere, who wore running a base line
from which a triangulation survey of the harbour was to be made,
and altogether they had come to the ship for guns and ammunition,
fully re.solved on pursuing the bears.

Putting aside my numuscripts I readily joined them. In three
minutes wo wore in one of the Neptune's boats pulling for the shore,
five in all, each ^(juippcd with a Henry rifle and ton explosive cart-
ridges. Reaching the shore wo started »ip a narrow ravine towards
the Kpot where Mr. Bridge had left the bears. Nearing the place, a
halt was made, and, after a hurried conversation, we placed our-
selves under the coinniand of Mr. Fox, v/ho had had a little experi-
ence in deer hunting in Muskoka. We were to bo guided in our
actions by him.

For the present only general instructions were given. *The

ad VI' ice was to be ituido carefully, and when W(* had approached to

within a huntu'ed yanls or less, oiw or two wore to fire, and the others

were to hold ihemselvt^s in readineNs to lead up the attack, so as to

hold tlie white monsters in check, while those who had emptied
11

1^1

:!■' 11^

162

Our North Land.

»i Hi

their rifles were re-charging. We were to keep veiy close together,
so t? at if the bears came down npon us in retaliation, as we
expected they would do, the danger of shooting etch other would be
minimized.

On we wont under the leadership of Mr. Bridge and the general-
ship of Mr. Fox, but not very far, when our guide turned in wild
excitement.

"Halt! drop!" said he, acting upon his own woi Is before they
were fully uttered.

We dropped, so to speak, about as quick as wo knew how ; and
I am right in saying that the act way performed so abruptly that
each man's heart slipped up into his mouth.

" Where are they ?" whi°pcrcd three voices simultaneously.

" Raise your head, and gaze over there," said Mr. Bridge, his eyes
distended with emotion.

We obeyed his direction, and beheld a sight that extracted from
our breasts, in less than an instant, every trace of bravery or hero-
ism that we possessed, and wo possessed a great deal. Indeed, we
had even coTitemplated a hand-to-hand combat, and provided our-
selves with bolts and sheath-knives again.it such a necessity. Wo
had even counted the cost of an embrace from the.se creatures, and
had gone through a battle in our minds with them, in which we
received many a cruel blow and many a dangerous scratch, but
from which wo had come, conquering heroes, with each of these five
monsters lifeless at our feet. There was not even room for fear in
any one of us, so full of bravo determination to dare and do were
our noble breasts. Such a thing as war* of courage had not been
mentioned, nor even thought about.

Alas ! how (piickly things chnngo. Just over the rocks, on a
little piece of marsh below us, by the side of a lake no larger than
a potato patch, and near to the i)ase of a rang»> of clills raising their
sharp, precipitou.'^ lodges for more than a hundred feet above them,
wore these ugly brtites. We looked at them and wore terrified.
The shock was both muttuil and simuitantMxiM.

Mr. Bridge had a lump in his throat, aiul therefore 'lo didn't
Hpoak ; Mr. Fox hud a lump in his Ihruat, and couldn't apuak ; and

An Exciting Polar Bear Hunt

163

Lhan
Ihoir
lioni,
ked.

idn't
and

the writer had two lumps in his, and was too busily engaged trying
to swallow them, at that moment, to utter any lengthy sentences.
The others were no better off, and, of course, silence reigned in our
camp for at least half a minute. That half minute brought, with its
close, unspeakable relief, solid relief, born of the fact that these
fearful-looking brutes had not observed us.

There wo lay like fine, helpless babes, no one daring to raise the
hammer of his rifle. The bears were within easy rangj, but they
were completely out of danger. The guns were trusty and powerful ;
the charges were deadly ;
we were all good shots ;
the bears were in excel-
lent position, just far
enough from one another
80 that each man could
pickouthismark. Every-
thing was favourable,
but wo didn't shoot! Not
a bit of it. Why ? be-
cause wo didn't feel like
shooting boars of that
sort. They woro not the
kind we expected to find
at all — not according to
contirtct; and wo had a

perfect right to back out there and then, and we l)acked o»it accord-
ingly.

They woro five or six foot longer than th(» bears wo had come to
kill; they must have weighed over a thousand pounds avoirdupois
each, and wo <liiln't go up an\ot g these rocks to interforo with bears
that would weigh more than thre.> or four hundred pounds. One
of them opened her ujoulh to yawn a little in the sun. and her jjvws
woro more than eighteen inches long, and we didn't want boar.i with
jaws more than six inches long ; another raised himself up on inn
hunkers, and stuck his sneaky-looking fiose up into the air about
eight foot, and ovor> man of mh know that wo didn't want a bear

A raLAH IIKAH.

t "

'i ' V

m \

' Hl'r

til I

164

Our North Land.

that was eight feet high sitting on his hunkers. In short, there
were many and strong reasons why we didn't want them. We had
no room for them on the Neptune ; and, what is more, we had no
means of transporting their carcases to the boats, suppose we did
shoot them. Taking the matter altogether, we came to the unani-
mous conclusion, each man for himself, without argument or per-
suasion, without favour, but with a surplus of intimidation, that we
didn't want and wouldn't have those bears.

What did we do ? Why, we took council together, reasoned
together, as it were. "The lumpp ha^ gone from our throats, and our
yoices kindly returned.

"See here," said Brii ' ^ . are not afraid of those bears, or
anything of that sort; but 'on ., v^ant to make fools of ourselves.
Those bears are valuable, and we don t want to lose one of them.
Suppose we were to fire "

" Don't talk so loud ! " expostulated one of our party, knitting
his brow into a terrible frown of disfavour, and interrupting Mr.
Bridge.

" As I was saying," says Bridge, in a lower tone, " we are not
fools, but wo don't want to scare those bears. Suppose we were to
fire, each man of us picking out his bear, ten chances to one, two or
three of them would get away and we would run ourselves out of
breath chasing them, and, perhaps, in the race shoot one another.
Now, sir, I'll tell you what to "

" For heaven's sake, talk lower," broke in another.

" As I was saying," says Bridge, " I'll tell you what to do. I
will go back "

"Easy; lay low ; that brute is looking this way 1" interrupted
yet another. Wo laid low accordingly.

" As I was saying," says Bridge, " I will go back to the ship and
bring out "

Here I could not help interrupting Mr. Bridge with an intimation
to tho efibct that I was a good runner, and could go to the ship,
most likely, quicker than he could. I thought it most unselfish to
make tho siiggostitm.

At this juncture, not wishing to frighten the bears away, and

An Exciting Polar Bear Hunt.

165

having a most important point to settle, we withdrew a short
distance where less restraint in discussion was necessary. At length
it was decided that I should go to the shore of the harboiiV where
Lieut. Gordon and Capt. Sopp were taking magnetic observations,
and where the men were working on the buildings, and procure a
staff of men and more guns, in order to surround the brutes and
capture them in their tracks. This was a most noble, self-sacrificing
decision on our part, and one which I had special reason to appreci-
ate, as it gave me an opportunity to discommode myself for the
benefit of my companions. We might have fired upon them there
and then, but we didn't ; and we most commendably denied ourselves
the rarest sport in the world, for the present, in order, by waiting
for assistance, to capture them all.

I ran toward the Neptune as fast as my legs would 'rry me,
and was very soon completely out of breath. When with'. ■ s^ t of
the ship and the men at work upon the beach, I looke ba^i not
before— and saw, to my surprise, Messrs. Fox and Br' '^^> i Uowing
me at a spirited canter. Wlien they came up, I learned iie*^ they
were prompted to follow, in order to hurry me up. ''^o "^ther two
were close behind them. Ti.ey came away in order not co frighten
the bears : an exceedingly wise move.

We spread the alarm, and wore soon organized for the attack.
Marching under the leadership of Lieutenant Gordon, about fifteen
strong, wo carried nine rifles, six bowio-knives, and five axes. T'
riflemen took the lead, flanked by the lancers, who in their tu
were supported by the axe-men. As we hurried along up the narrow
vdlloy, Mr. Fox explained in sentences, very much broken by the
want of breath, how tliat wo had gotten all ready to charge upon tlio
bears ; but that, in the very moment when our lioarts were running
over with tho pleasure of shooting polar bears, wo romombored that
perhaps, as there were only five of us to five boars, possibly ono
or more of them might escape, and we would be blamed for
recklessness.

I supported Mr. Fox by tho remark that wo had, T thought, aotod
most prudently ; and novor in my life wore my words more iu
harniony with my honost convictions.

1^ it I

I •; i

w . <y.

; 1,1

160

Our North Land.

III

But we had reached the' spot, and, peeriug over the rocks, found
that two had disappeared round the bluffs, the other three having
moved over to the foot of the high cliffs wher^ a ridge of snow,
sheltered from the rays of the sun by the high wall of rocks, skirted
the range. One of them was looking up the cliffs, as if to pick out
a passage from ledge to ledge by which he might reach the summit.

Our force was then divided. Four were sent forward, ordered
to charge upon the bears. The remaining five were to follow up
and relieve the advance as soon as their rifles were discharged. All
being ready, the order was given, and four men dashed forward in
open view to the enemy. The distance was about two hundred
yards at the start. This was reduced by at least fifty yards before
the brutes began to move. They looked at our advancing host in
great surprise, and, I suppose out of respect to our numbers, decided
to move OD. Instead of escaping up the ravine they undertook to
climb the cliffs, at which, I am bound to say, they are decided
experts. Stretching up their great paws to a sharp ridge eight or
ten feet above them, they can haul up their immense bodies in a
manner that fills one with wonder and admiration.

We were within a hundred yards, or nearly, when the foremost
had ascended the steep rocks some twenty or thirty feet, and the
others were rapidly following. The wurd was given to fire. At
this point discipline proved a failure. The great desire to have a
hand in the sport outweighed the orders of our commander, and, from
the nine rifles, explosive and Snyder bullets fairly rained against the
cliffs.

The uppermost bear was first struck in the hind leg by Lieu-
tenant Gordon. She was not badly injured, but, turning round, gave
vent to horrifying growls that might have been heard for more than
a niilo away. She was now ready for the fight, and manifested a
disposition to descend rather than make farther effort to escape.
Meanwhile the others had reached her height upon the rocks, and
one of them pushed on up, from ledge to ledge, until at least seventy-
five feet nbovo the frozen snow at the base. Here he received a
bullet which di.sablod hiui, and he turned his face toward us, join-
ing the tirst in giving vent to liia anger and pain.

An Exciting Polar Bear Hunt.

167

The first, after growling for a few seconds, scaled two or three
more ledges, reaching an altitude of about sixty feet, when she
received a bullet in the head from the rifle in the hands of Mr.
Laperriere, and fell backwards. Her descent was one of the most
thrilling spectacles that the eye of any hunter has ever been
favoured to behold. Her well-formed, beautiful white body, not less
than eight hundred pounds in weight, came tumbling down from
terrace to shelf, and from shelf to ledge, and from ledge to sharp,
craggy, projecting rocks, striking them with a dull, sickening thud,
falling ten or fifteen feet at a stretch, until, rolling over and over,
her lifeless carcase came to our very feet on the snow beneath.

No sooner had the dead bear come to rest on the snow, than a
bullet from Mr. Fox's rifle entered the side of the huge brute at the
very summit of the cliffs, exploding in its passage through his body,
and causing the blood to burst out in a torrent upon the naked
rodks. Falling over, lifeless, his immense body rolled from the
shelf upon which he met his death, and fell to the snow beneath,
a distance of some seventy or eighty feet, striking against the
rugged spurs along the face of the dizzy precipice, and causing
the blood to gush out in spurts, sometimes in streams, leaping up
three and four feet above the falling body, and painting the rocks
in crimson.

The third bear had also reached to within a few feet of the top
of the cliffs without receiving more than slight injui*ies. I had
given hira my best attention, had hit him twice, but had not put an
end to his energies to escape. At length I was lucky enough to
t trike him in the shoulder, and he fell backwards, descending to the
snow as had the other two before him.

' The whole performance occupied a little less than ninety seconds,
and was one of the most exciting situations of sport that one could
|)ossibly look upon. Leaving their dead bodies, wo hurried on up
the narrow opening between the high ranges of rocks, hoping to
overtake the other two, but they had hid themselves or departed
out of our roach.

Evening was now upon us, but wo skinned the three boars and
carried their heavy pelts, together with two quarters of the meat, to

:v ■.\-

i I

v. ||

1 ' i

11 ^1

168

Our North Land.

the boats, and took them to 'the Neptune. But this does not finish
my bear story. There were three valuable skins. Who owned
them ? That was a question not so easily settled as you may
imagine.

You will observe that we had shot nine bears. Each man had
shot his bear. It was not a matter of doubt, not a thing he would
hesitate in swearing to, but a thing of the greatest certainty. He —
each of us — had taken deliberate aim, had watched most carefully,
and had seen the brute fail a victim to his correct marksmanship.
Besides, he had run to the body as soon as it reached the snow, and
examined the very spot at which he had aimed, and found, on that
identical place, a hole corresponding to the character of the bullet
used. Yes, we had killed nine, — each man his bear ; but somehow
they wouldn't go round. Six were missing. There was a mis-
calculation somewhere, but who could doubt the oft-repeated and
importunate assertions of each member of the hunting army? Silch
a thing would be an aggravated insult. Reason and common sense
were in favour of the claims set up. It was the first time we had
fired at polar bears, and, being only seventy or eighty yards away,
it was most unlikely that we were going to make a miss-shot. Then,
again, the brutes were so large, how could one miss hitting them ?
But, notwithstanding, the number of dead bears was insufficieno to
sustain these assertions. There was a mistake. Some one was out
in his calculations, and altogether we were six bears short.

To meet this difficulty, Lieutenant Gordon was unanimously
voted sole and final arbitrator, and was to award the bears as he
might see fit, and with his decision we were to abide content. He
hit upon a happy solution of the difficulty. The three bears were
pooled, so to speak, into shares. Each of the nine gunners was
awarded a full share. Three shares represented a bear, and the
bears were designated l)y numbers, and their names attached to
each number. Under this arrangement it was only necessary for
one man to purchase the shares of his two partners to become the
sole proprietor of a bear skin. The bidding was spirited. Bear
shares shot up with a buoyancy that would do credit to the gold
market in Wall Street in war times. One dollar was ofterod and

An Exciting Polar Bear Hunt.

169

laughed at. Two dollars were indignantly refused. Three dollars
were considered an insult. Four could not be entertained. On the
one hand, bear skins were set forth as the summit of human ambi-
tion : to possess one was a passport to great distinction. On the
other, bear skins were held to be mean, dirty, greasy, good-for-
nothing pelts. Those who were anxious to buy, spok: depreciatingly ;
those who wished to sell, extolled them.

The bear-skin business was the rage of the Neptune for three or
four days. Nor were the transactions confined to cash. Walrus
tusks were offered and sometimes accepted in part payment of shares.
Eskimo ladies' dresses of deer skin, with long tails trimmed with
fancy furs that had cost many a plug of black strap, were reluctantly
given up, with an occasional harpoon, or spear, or lance, or model
kayak thrown in.

The skins, with the heads and paws attached, were hung up on
oars that were lying above the deck, and left over night. Now,
our expedition geologist. Dr. Bell, was away up on the higher rock
ranges, three or four hundred feet above the water level, taking
photographs during the whole of the afternoon in which the bear
hunt took place. When he returned to the ship, in the evening, and
learned of the sport that we had enjoyed, he looked like an injured
man, but he prudently said nothing. On Wednesday forenoon the
doctor, with one of his most delicate surgical lances, set himself at
'vork removing the skin from the long hand-like paws, devoting
himself to the task with the relish of a surgeon performing a most
difficult operation. His conduct excited moat agonizing suspicion,
Could it be possible, we asked ourselves, that the doctor contemplated
appropriating these skins to increase the attractions of the Ottawa
Geological Museum ? Surely not. We were all patriotic enough,
and were ready to make most any sacrifice in the interest of science ;
but the line must bo drawn somewhere, and we had irrevocably
drawn it at p lar bear skins.

One of the iJien who, at great cost, had purchased a controlling
interest in skin No. 2, eyed the doctor with an air of i>ne whose
property rights were being infringed. Ho could endure the suspcmio
no longer, and broke out :

'■•1

i It

1,r!

170

Our North Land.

" I say, doctor, what in thunder are you doing with my bear
Hkin?"

"Your bear akin? Indeed!" said Dr. Boll, with a roguish
twinkle in his right oyo, continuing his oporationtj. " I guess not,

sir

" You guess not ! What do you nitAn, sir ? I'll give you to
know that this is my skin. It is skin No. 2. I own a full share in
it, and have purchased one of the other shares, and have bargained
for the third, and don't want any one to meddle with it."

" O, you don't, aye ? And so you have bargained for the third
share, have you ? And suppose I have already purchased it, what
then ? One share ought to give me the right to skin the paws, to
say the least," addod the geological nan, tauntingly.

"What do you say ? You have purchivscd the third, have you ?
Wo will sea about that." And the two-thirds proprietor of skin No. 2
turned away frantically.

Here was evidently a dead-lock. At first sight the two-sharo
proprietor would seem to have an advantage, but at tirst sight only.
When two-thirds is pitted against one-third, and the latter is backed
by science, patriotism, and a national musoiun, the odds, if any, may
turn out in favour of the museum.

I suppose 1 have already detained the reader too Umg with this
white bear story ; but apologies are useless.

The Diggi's Islands, to which I have incidentally referred more
than once, are a group of some fifteen or twenty, lying off the north-
west of (/ape Wolstenholme at the sotith side of the entrance from
Hudson Strait to Hudson's Hay. One, the largest, is some five
miles wide an<l eighteen long. The others are all very muih smaller,
some not more than two miles in eireuinferenee.

We had anc^horiMl i.t the largest island, an<l the one sittiated
farthest from the coast, lUMirly twenty miles, and p(<rhaps more,
north-w«'st from the Cape. W«' travtdled pretty thoroughly over it,
and judged it to \w t\\\\ miles wide ity about eighteen mileH
h»ni;, eonjj)osed of entirely barren rocks, with an elevation of fnun
thirty tt» fo»«r Inimhed feet above the level t)f the water. The hills
were drap(<d about by winding ravinuH ur bogtuarHluM, through

An Excliin(j Polar Bear Hunt.

171

which narrow curving rivulets found their circuitous routes to the
sea, often falling down steep cliffs or over precipices from the higher
Buinraits. Here and there patches of snow were met with, and,
scattered in every direction, the water was decorated with small ice-
pans floating to and fro with the wind and tide.

We had met with no ice whatever, while in Hudson's Bay, but a
day's northerly wind brought us to Digges's vast stretches, which, from
the hilla, wo could seo lying to the north and east of our anchorage.

The work of erecting the station buildings and landing the
necessary stores at Laperriero Harbour was pushed forward as
rapidly as possible, and on the 20th of September the task was com-
pleted, and wo were ready to continue our homeward voyage. About
eleven o'clock in the forenoon we took leave of Mr, Laperriore and
his two men, Messrs. Quigley and MaluT, and pushed on toward
Nottingham Island. Having favourable weather, and the ice being
HO thin or scattering as not to impede the progress of the ship, we
reached Port l)e Boucherville a little before six o'clock in the even-
ing, having been absent from the place just three weeks. We came
in contact with sonje scattering pans of ice while entering the har-
bour, in the same place where the Ncptunt^'s propeller was broken
three weeks before ; but, beyond having to smash three or four of
thorn, no obstruction was met with. Wo di<l meet, however, with
some forty or fifty walrus. Tlu^y were sleeping in twos or threes
on small sheets of \w, or swimming^ round in the water, We shot
two, but they sank befoie they could bo reached.

We fotmd Mr. I)t^ Hourherville and his men, Messrs, Inglis and
Kasdaile, both well and happy. They had not been visit^Ml by luitives,
nor even had a polar lH>ar exhibited himself. They had secured
plenty of gaim', one or two foxes, soiiu* seals, and were getting their
house in order for a walrus hunt ; but, up to the date of our arrival,
they had been so much engaged in banking their horse and prepar-
ing for the wint(>r, that th<«y had not made many excursions of any
kind. The report they had to givo tis of their experi("iu't< was tluwe-
for> somewhat uninteresting, Their stove had not worked well,
enpoeially in baking llow(*V(«r, they gave us some splendid bread,
which was an improvement over that served on the Neptune,

M i

172

Our North Land.

ii"

I copied the following weather notes from their observation
book : —

" September 1. — The Strait is blocked with ice in every direc-
tion.

" September 2. — Misty ; the ice is the same as yesterday.

" September 3.— Fine ; Strait tilled with ice. Geese ujring over in
large numbers.

" September 4.— Rainy ; Strait still filled with ice.

" September 5. — Misty ; Strait completely free of ice.

" September 6. — Rain ; very little ice to bo seen.

" September 7.— Rain ; Strait clear of ice.

" Soptwnbor 8. — Some fog ; ice packed to the north-east.

" September 9. — Ice can be seen to-day in every direction.

" Septonibor 10. — Cloudy ; a (jtiantity of ice off the harbour.

"September 11. — Fair; no change in appearance of ice.

" September 12. — Light snow ; Strait opposite clear of ice.

" September 13. — Light rain ; ice same as yesterday.

" September 14. — Overcast ; very little ice in the Strait.

" September 15. — Fair; conHiderablo ice to the east.

" September 1(1. — Snowing ; plenty of ice in sight.

" September 17. — Fine ; harbour packod with ice.

" September 18. — Ovorcjutt ; ice .same as y«wterday.

" September 19. — Some fog; no ice in the Strait.

" Septembor 20.— Misty ; very little lee to btt seen."

When he says " no ice in the Strait," or " Htialt packiMJ with
ice," it muHt be undcr.Htond to mean as far tm ho can m-f wbich dors
not rxecMMJ five iniJcH at f'artheNt.

M(^ ha<i ••xpericneed no heavy winds, thirty miles an hour )>eing
MiH strongest gale, and that did not last but a t'rw )un%rn. Tho
lowt^st ttMiiperaturn had Imm<u 30' Fall, above zero ; not as low a^ wo
had met with at (Jape Digge**.

CHAPTER XX.
On the Hocks of Resolution.

THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY — VISIT TO ASHE'h INLET — STUPART'S RAT
AND PORT HURWELL — ATTLMIT TO MAKE A LANDINO ON RESO-
LUTION ISLAND — FAST ON THE ROCKS — ARRIVAL AT HT. JOHN'S,
N.F., AND HALIFAX, N.8.

'HE Expedition left Port Do Bouchorvillo at daylight on the
moniingof Sunday, the 2lHt So])t('inl)er, and Hteamcd away
toward Ashe's Inlet, on the northern coast of the Strait,
hoping to bo al»lo to pay Oaptain Spicer's trading-station at
North Blurt' a visit on our way. Wo met with hut very little ice,
only here and there a lone island pan. The day was tine and the
water smooth. On Monday there was a light wind Mowing alK)Ut
'jwelve niiloH an hour tVoni the south, which nuide the water a little
Itimpy. The mist that rendered the morning rather thick cleared nway
hy noon, and we spent most of the day coasting along from four to
six miles oH the ruggt^l north shores of the Strait, west of Hig iHliwxi.

We Itad the had luck not to he ahle to iind the Rpic4)r triMiing-
post ; and while we were yet scanning the coast t^rvl lly, in the
hope of (lighting some tra(uw)f it, the boatswain announced Ashe's
utatlon, which was no little surprise. We anchored in th«« harbour
at three o'clock, anrl were welcomed by Mr. Aslio and the men with
him, as only ihes<< lonoly luortals C(»uld welcome us. They w«'re all
well, and well contented. The larj^e numlK r of natives with them,
when we left, had taken leave of the station a day or two after th«
Neptune sailed, and noiu) had mad<< their appetnance since. For
this, they said, they ha<l no regrets, h.s they were grrat lH?gg»rii and
much in tlm way.

The\ had (collected a number of deer and seal skinii, half m*

I'*

■ P

si "

'■■ I

I, I

174

Our North Land.

arctic fox skins, and other pelts ; but the greatest attraction of their
collection was tho long ivory horn of the narwhal or unicorn. The one
which they had obtainod from tho Eskimos was over five feet long
— a most curious specimen of natural history.

They hail t^periencod very good weather, with occasional flur-
ries of snow, but no heavy winds. They had had one gale of fifty
miles an hour, but it was of short duration. The mean temperature
of tho last two weeks in August was sot clown at 3G" Fah. above
zero. One or two light fogs wore noted, but they had seen little or
no ice since wo left them.

They recorded tho greatest rise and fall of titlo which wo rao;
with in tho Strait, a maximum of thirty-two feet.

They gave us an account of a visit, a day or two after wo left
them, of some thirty natives in a largo skin boat, a sort of family
craft. Thoy wore a happy lot of b(«ings, and parted with such
skins as they had for mi.norablo black t()i)acco, without demanding
much of that. Thoy renuiiried round the station a few days and put
off again, promising to return as soon as tho ico made.

A change was made with the men at Ashe's station. Messrs.
Skinner, llainsford aixl dordan ^'l\uu^ l)ack to the Neptune, and Mr.
Aslio was given Me.H.nrs. Keating and Drysdalo, tho mon originally
not down for him. Mr. Skinner and his assistants came on board to
bo taken Itaek to Hivsnlution, where another attempt was to be made
to find an anchorogtt.

At six o'clock, p.m.. wo were olf for Stupart's Hay, on tho south
Mhore opposite, a distance of alM)ut sixty nautical miles. Tho trip
acro.HS woM nuirkod by a heavy swell, which struck us aho\if four
ti'clock tho npxt morning, eaunod by a heavy wind from the south-
nant The Neptune wjis laying to waitirig for daylight in order to
make the harbour at tho time, but nlio rode the waves in goivl stylo,
yielding readily tu tite utution of the wiitwr ua aooouiii of botng but
lightly l»allnstod.

Wo ojMt anchor in Stupart's Hay at niiM o'olook on Tuesday
morning. th« Neptune still rising and tailing and rolling in tho
swf<ll wh'«.'), owing to the south naiiUuly wind, came Into the aU'hor-
age, whiutt ts <*! (ft dy nnproteetod at that «|uarter.

On the Rocks of Resolution.

175

At Stupart's, as also at Ashe's, on the north shore, the rocks
were well covered with newly fallen snow, and the general appear-
ance of the country was wintry enough. As at Ashe's, the ice had
departed from Stupart's, and the water was wholly unobstructed.

The Eskimo population encamped near the station was still there,
and had been considerably augmented. I visited one village the day
wo arrived, consisting of seven camps and over sixty inhabitants. A
little way beyond there were still others. A number of these people
are in the habit of visiting the .station buildings daily. They are
peaceful and quiet, but quite persistent beggars. They are not
allowed to enter the house where the men reside, but they crowd
round the door and avail themselves of every opportunity to request
" tobbacimick," or other, to tiiom, necessaries of life. Often, while
the station-men are eating their meals, ten or fifteen of these curious
visitors well nigh darken the windows, watching them. Every
movement of the white man is the cause of wonder and amazement
to them.

As soon as the Neptune's whistle rent the morning air all the
Eskimos for miles round rushed to the shore, nearly a dozen paddling
rapidly out over the stirging waters toward the ship. A
* number of uh wont on shore and began to traffic with them, giving
tobacco, powder, shot, and gun-caps in exchange for deer and seal
skins, bows and arrows, model kayaks, and other curiosities of
Eskimo life.

We were entertained at Stupart's by a curious freak of an
l^^skimo boy named I'odolik, who, with a piece of lead pencil wlii( h
he had obtainttd at Ungava many months before, and a bit >f brown
paper whitOi he had pii^ked up near the station, had m u a neat
oitiline nmp of the whole coast of Prince of Wales So«i i. IFpon
examining him through our interpreter, wo found tlv his effort
was based upon a good knowledge of the shores in < it vicinity,
lie told us where trout could lie had in large i|uantiti< 'ointed out
the best sealing grounds, ami described the coast for ne i v a hundred
mile^ to the eastward. \\i<i WON a bright lM>y alxtut fourteen years
of Age.

A number of us dlnod at Stupart's, flnding their cook well up

ill

:i' :

176

Our North Land.

V.I

in the business. We enjoyed the meal very much. Lieut. Gordon
occupied his time at this station getting the magnetic instruments
into adjustment, and assisting Mr. Stupart in the magnetic work.

The Neptune left her anchorage at five o'clock p.m , and took
her course toward Resolution Island. We were accompanied out of
the harbour by six Eskimos in their kayaks. We were steaming
about half speed, say at ihe rate of four miles an hour, but they
found it quite easy to keep abreast of us, which pleased them
greatly ; but, when sufficiently away from the shore to open out full
speed, they were at once left behind. This greatly surprised or
annoyed them, or both, and they gave up the race, returning some-
what disgusted.

The voyage from Stupart's to Resolution occupied two nights
and a day. The second night, we laid to most of the time waiting
for the light to aid us in a search of the coast for a harbour.
Durinj? Thursday, the 26th, there was nothing to relieve the dreari-
ness of the uea. savo a good view of the Middle Savages, which
appfatired in tho distance — n pretty chain of mounds rising in
Hymm'^trieal beauty above the troubled waters of the Strait.

The morning cf tho 2Gth was fine and cold, with some wind*
Wo wore approaching Resolution on the south-west <?oa.st ; and a
Httlp before nine o ;iock what ft})pearod to bu a (H'^ty well sheltered
iniot was observed. Tiiis Lieut. Gordon decided to explon in the
hope of finding an anohora^^o. Mr. Harry, the Neptune's u»ate, wan
despatched with fo\ir men in one of the boats, to examine the place,
make soiuulings and n^port upon its condition. Wo followed him
in .'or some <liHtance, going •iu'i-d slow, one of tlio ship'n crew takiag
fre<iuont ea-stings of t!u» k d over ilm side of the vessel a.s wo
advanced. At a I'ttlo before nine it became apparent, oven before
Mr. Harry returned, that the place would not afford \ih the desired
inchorage. The Neptune aime to a halt and began to swing under
thr force of the wind. She was allowed to come alH)ut, and, when a
little more than half way round, her l>ow, or the forward portion of
hiT keel, eaino upon the rockn, giving her a Mhock which sent all on
board Htaggering to keep their feet, Tli<> eaptaia at once gave the
•ignal "full Hpecil 'VNiern, and ordered the lu'lm " haid-aotarbuard."

On the Rocks of Resolution.

177

Under the pressure of this movement, the ship careened partly over
on her side, and grated heavily upon the rocks. For a moment it
seemed that her entire bottom was upon the rocks, and the wildest
excitement prevailed. The idea, fortunately in error, that the tide
was ebbing, seemed to seize all on board. Had this been correct,
and had we been unable to get off the rocks at once, the most serious
consequences would have undoubtedly followed. The tide has a
rise and fall of about thirty feet at the place, and, as it was then
about flood, the Neptune in a few hours would have been left high
and dry. Besides, a fresh breeze was springing up from the north-
west, the water had already become quite lumpy, and heavy swells
were making their appearance, sending their spray, now and then,
over the ship's rails. To bo held on the rocks in this condition for
any considerable length of time might result in shipwreck. Happily,
however, the tide had not reached its full flood, and had about an
hour yet to rise ; moreover the diligence and skill of Capt. Sopp and
his active crew wore crowned with success. After grinding, and
twisting and careening on the rocks for a little under eight minutes*
the Neptune was gotten ofl', and began to move a"'"'' from the shore ;
but not until pieces of her keel, some throe ci four feet long,
came to the surface of the water, inicadting the severity of the
struggle that had been going on beneath us.

It would ho dirticult to describe our feelings while wo were
struggling to got IVeo from the I'ocks ; hut still harder the task of
telling how wo felt witli the first evidences of liberty. The former
brought to us, in the swiftness of thought, pictures of a winter's
hardships on Resolution Island, with insiiflicient shelter, without
adequate clothing, and with no r'»RdHy avuilahh^ moans of communi-
cating our condition to the people of Canada; tlm latter swelled our
hearts with a mighty pulsation of thanksgiving for deliverance
from anticipated horrors.

The Neptune lost no time in getting away from the laiul into deep
water again ; ail h andsbroathed much ('asier , and there was h dispu-
iiition shown, 1 think, by thecomiiiaiulerof the ship, to get away from
the island altogether. 'Hi is was not acted upon at the time, how-
ever, for wo oxMtited along toward (^|>c Bust, ami by noon were
11

", II ,

»i*

;r V

178

Our North Land.

again investigating an inlet not more than five or six miles north*
west of the Cape. A boat was sent in as before, and, after remaining
for a considerable time, returned with the report of " ten fathoms
and no bottom," as far as they had gone. From this, the conclusion
was reached that we had at last found an anchorage ; and I am of
opinion that, with more care in entering, we might have secured a
harbour sufficient to our wants. The Neptune was taken in, " easy
a-head," for some distance, then " dead slow," with frequent castings
of the lead from her side, when, at fifteen minutes after one o'clock,
we atruck with considerable force against rocks that must have
reached nearly to the surface of the water. The shock was so great
that se^^-al who were in the cabin at the time were knocked almost
entirely off their feet. No great damage, however, was done. The
Neptune had a portion of her breast-plates torn away ; but at that
point she was about seven feet thick of solid timbers, and, of course,
gave no signs of leaking whatever. She was backed away from
the enemy at onct\ and no further effort was made to get in. We
coasted along to tho Cape, and rounded it at a little distance, rolling
and pitchitig in the sea which had now become quite heavy umler
the foHN v>f the increasing wind ; but tho coast presented no signs
of af^rding an anchorage, and Lieut. Oordon decided to abandon
th* island altogether. The Neptune was accordingly put about and
her course was dirocted towards Cape C>hidley.

Wo anohorod at Port Burwell (Cape Chidley) early on the follow-
ing morning, wher we found the observer and his n»en enjoying good
health. Their experiences during our alwence won^ not of a remark-
able character. The ice had not visited them, and there had been
nothing to interrupt their dull monotonous life, except tho occasional
visits from Eskimos, who camo for purposes of trade.

From Port Hurwell the ox{)edition steamed to Nachvak, an inlet
on northern Labrador about ninety miles south of C^ape ('hidley,
and established an olisorving station there, in charge of Mr. William
Skynner, of which an aceoutit huH already b(>en given.

The voyage front Nachvak to St. John's, N. K., was (>xceedingly
rough, anil the ship lahourod in tho hoavy swell for four <lays ; but on
the morning of Haturday. the eleventh day of October, the Neptune

On the Rocks of Resolution.

179

arrived at her home, and was delivered over to her owners. From
St. John's, Lieutenant Gordon and the members of the Expedition
who returned with him, took passage in the steamer City of Mexico,
arriving at Halifax at an early hour on the morning of Tuesday, the
14th, a little less than three months from the date of our departure.

'Il'i

v?*'Tif"

CHAPTER XXI.
Pkusonal and Impersonal.

.brief personal sketches of lieutenant gordon, captain sopp,
and dr. bell — their peculiarities and characteristics.

^^AVING purposely hurried through a narrative account of the

*|\ movements and acts of the Hudson's Bay Ex[)edition, I

Wt will now ask the reader's attention to a consideration of

^M the various features of the Hudson's Bay region that came

under my notice ; but before doing so, will make a few obser-
vations, of a personal kind,
concerning the chief men
connected with the eucer-
prise.

Lieutenant Andrew R.
Gordon, R. N., Assistant
Superintendent of the
Meteorological Service of
Canada, and Commander
of the Expedition, was
born on the l.Sth of Feb-
ruary, 1851, in Aberdeen,
Scotland. At the a^^e of
thirteen he enlisted in the
British Navy, in which he
remained for ten years,
reaching the position of
Lieutenant. Me lias been

five years connected with the meteorological service of the Dominion,

and is considered one of the most eflicient men in the omploynient

of the department.

I.IKUT. ANIIHKW l«. (lOUDON, H.N.

ws<-

■

Personal and Impersonal.

181

For many reasons, in placing him in command of the Expedition,
the Government made an excellent choice. He is pretty well versed
in the science of navigation, and has had much experience in the
practical application of that science, though not, of course, in the ice-
bound regions of the north. He is acquainted with the use of mag-
netic instruments, an importi-nt qualification for one navigating the
northern waters of the Dominion. In every way, so far as experi-
ence, education, and character can fit a man for any station. Lieu-
tenant Gordon was well prepared to undertake the very important
responsibility of commanding the first Expedition to enquire into
the navigation of Hudson's Bay and Strait.

He is young, ambitious, thoughtful, persistent, unassuming, cheer-
ful, obliging, a little headstrong, tenacious of his own opinion, scep-
tical of the opinions of others, very English in his views, and equally
Engiish (although a Scotchman) in his nationality. He is strict in
the observance of Oiiristian ordinances, and of a high moral charac-
ter. He conducted during the voyage a brief service, condensed
from the Church of England ritual, each Sabbath morning in the
cabin of the Neptune. Ho was well liked by the officers and m«n
of the Expedition, and will long enjoy their fullest respect and
highest esteem.

The more than ordinary abilities of Captain W. Sopp, master
of the Neptune, demand that he should receive some notice. He
was born in Earnloy, Sussex, England, on the 15th of December,
1840, and first went to sea in September, 1854, as a boy, in the
coast trade. In 18.57 he became an able seaman. In 1861 he re-
ceived a second mate's certificate, and the papers (lualifying him for
first mate in 18G8. In 1807 he rocoivc^d a captain's certificate, and
comntandod his first vessel, the Isabella Ridley of Liverpool, in 1S()8.
He has been in command of vessels from that date until th.e present
time, continuously, and in the employ of Messrs. Job Brothers and
Co., 9f St. John's, Newfoundland, since 1870. He connnanded the
Noptuno in the Greoly Relief Expedition in 1882, and reached the
high latitude of nearly 80" N.

Captain Sopp is a tall, quiet, unassuming man, with some very
marked characteristics. Ho is cautious almost to excess ; a thorouglt

i I !

IMAGE EV/ALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

.<^ii..

1.0

I.I

(.25

£ itf IIM

U 111.6

Hiotognipliic

Sciences
Corix)Riti()n

*f^ '^

13 WW MAIN ITMIIT

VtflllTMN r 1 4110

|7U) •73-4I0)

l^.r

I/.

i: i\

182

Our North Land.

navigator, well acquainted with almost all navigable waters of the
globe, and enjoys the most implicit confidence of his employers in
every respect. Ho is a man of most exemplary habits, sober, steady,
honourable, and, withal, a gentleman of considerable culture for one
who has made his home on the high seas from the age of fourteen
years.

One of his peculiarities is that of repeating his remarks, prefacing
his words, the last time, with " I say." As for instance, " A head
wind is a miserable thing. 1 noy, a head wind is a miserable
thing." Ho is a man of even temper, nearly always in a good
humour, but holds his crew at a considerable distance. Having in
his early life experienced all the hardships of a sea-faring life, he
is not over tender-hearted in the care of his men, especially in regard
to their diet. In faiit, 1 don't think he will ever bo guilty of extra-
vagance at his own table, nmch less in boarding his crew. He is
essentially a plain man, plain in speech, in dress, and in appearance,
and ajJpiMirs just a little dull ; but this appearance is very deceptive.
lie is, on the contrary, very keen, wide-awake, alwayti on the alert,
a close olwervor, and constantly well ))oste<l concerning every act
and movement of those whose acts and movements concern him.
Like all sea captains, he is talkative, good natured,and covered with
smiles in line weather Jind fair winds; but in the storm, or in a
contrary gale, lu» is impatient, eross and sour. Ind»>ed, the weather
ban m\ieh to do in souring or swiM'tt^ning s(>amen. They are sort
of barometers of th(( wimiMum", without being awari^ of it. Mefore
wo had lienn at sea a w(M>k, I fancied I could M\ wlu^n a storm
was appioachiug by the captain's countc^nanee (|uicker than by the
luercurial eoluinn. No lu<tter man, it seems to me, could have been
found to command the ship in the lirst llmlson's Hay K\p(<dition,

Robert Hell. M.I)., lil.l).. K.(l..*^.. and Assistant Din^ctor of the
Geological Survey of ( *amida, lhi» (l(<ologist and Medical OHicor of
the Kxpedition, was born in Ontario in IHI-.'i. lie was lirst (Mlu<;ated
in tht^ public school of Dundas, and afterwards at the (Iraunuar
School of L'Orignal. Sub,se(|tu<ntly he took a lull scieiu^o oourse at
Mc(}ill (M)llege, Montr(»al. where he obtaineil the degroon of M.l).,
CM., O.K. and HS, or H, Ap, So., and Idi.D. at (Queen's, lie com-

t ^. ,*,j

menced his college career in 1858, which was continued more or
less uninterruptedly for a considerable time. From 1803 to 18G8 he
was Professor of Chemistry and Natural Science in Queen's Uni-
versity, Kingston, Ontario ; but, from 1857 to the picsent time, he
has been, in one way or another, connected with the Geological
Survey of Canada. Ho has taken an important part in the work of
the department with which ho is connected, and his name is inter-
woven with the geological survey of tho countiy from (Jjuspo to the
Mackenzie River, and from Lake Erie to Hudson's Hay and Strait.
He has devoted six years to
an examination of tho Hud-
son's Bay country, and is
well ac(iuainted with its
geological character and
mineral resources.

His ominont (luallflca-
tions, and the livulv interest
which he has taken in the
(piostion ol" the Hudson's
liay route, fully ontithMl him
to tho proiiiiiuMit \Ani'v on
the stad' of tho Expedition

hioh 1

10 rocoivo(

llo made i\\o most of his
very limited possibilitios in
oonnoction with tlit^ Expo-

DU, 11. IIKl.t., I.l..l>,, K.CI.H,

dith.n. Hocuro.l many .^xc.^l- ^^'*'''""" ''•'•*•••""' "' '*' "'"("•<'/•"•'•<" •^"»'"'V.y
I(Mit photographs, collootcd

half a cart-load of botanical spocimons, including plt<i»ty of moss ;
proctirod Iittl(> sluinipH, slu^lls, star-lhh and worms of all kinds from
tho bottoni of tho bays, by dredging; skinned lots of poor, innocent
binis; got half a ship-load of very f(nnmon looking rocks ; tirownoti
luwtH of littlo llsh in aloohol ; talked gtMUMously with various
mombors of tht^ Expedition on Koiontilio Nubjocts, which (boy know
nothing about, to ploast^ thoni ; potted and oarcssttd his planU , ntnsivl
and coui\to(l and turned over his rookH in pure love of thorn ; made

U\ : i

I il I

k I

184

Our North Land,

himself agreeable to every one, and convinced all, without ever
referring to the subject, that he was not satisfied with the narrow
scope afforded for his work in connection with the Expedition.

He was enthusiastic on only one topi'', that of the navigation of
Hudson's Bay and Strait. This subject had completely mastered his
naturally reserved nature, and, when speaking on it, he was always
extravagant. If we found ourselves exposed in a gale of thirty or
forty miles an hour, and one should happen to observe :

" Doctor, this is horrible — an awful gale ! "

"O, pshaw ! it's on'y a little blow, only a temporary thing."

Or, if a blinding August snow-storm rendered it so dark as that
those on the (luartor-deck could not distinguish the foremast, and
one remarked :

" Well, doctor, this looks a little bad for the Hudson's Bay route."

He would answer quickly and sharply, " Why so ? Not at all.
They have snow-storms in the Atlantic worse than this, and yet they
navigates those waters. Pshaw ! this is nothing."

Or, if we had boon all day in a dense fog, and some one happened
to remark that fogs wore frequent, or that the Strait was likely
subject to fogs, the doctor would, with the greatest ease, talk the
whole fog out of e.Kistonco. As for ice, the Neptune might plunge
and tear amongst it all day, and yet the doctor could see nothing in
it to interfere with navigation. It was only when she broke her
propeller that he yioldt^d to any extent at all, and oven that ho
HoenuHl to regard as an exceedingly snuill matter.

Dr. Hell was tirulerstood to i>o not only the Kxpedition geologist,
but ])hysieian as well. However, when the Neptune got to m\(i wo
found iluit he had no nledloines except away under th(^ hatch,
whore tlu^y could not readily be had. Fortunately wo had no oeca-
HJon for their use, tixcept for minor complaints. The g(Mieral health
of tlie men and crew was exceptionally good throtighout ; the only
exception bi>ing that of the writer, whose dontinual sea-sieknoss,
while not enjoying the repose of a harbour, rendered him couHtanMy
un<'<>mfortalil(v The doctor pulled a lew teeth, made up half a do/eti
or HO simple doses as thoy wer»< nM|uired ; and, as no one was serioiisly
nick, and as he fortunately appi«(ir(>d aviM'se to ovi^r-dosing, but little

Personal and Imperaonal.

185

physic was administered, and perhaps, as a consequence, no one was
very ill.

Such were ray impressions of the three leading men connected
with the Hudson's Bay Expedition. Besides these, I have only space
to mention the names of Captain John J. Barry, the Neptune's
mate, Messrs. Ruxton and Bridge, the engineers — all of whom wore
efficient, pains-taking officers.

f 11

f i\

•h.

i' 1

:i i

CHAPTER XXII.

. Game of the Hudson's Bay Region.

the praumiqan, oil auctic pautuidqe — the wild ducks and
geese — other wild fowl — the chauacteuistics of the
reindeer, or carihou — singular traits and chauacrfer-
istics of the polar rear.

I):

'HE northern region of Canada, from Labrador to the
Rooky Mountains, and northward to the Arctic, abounds in
game. Were its plains, and clifis, and .strcanis, and lakos not
^ HO dillicult to reach, it would bo the best available hunting
ground in the world ; and I doubt not, as our means of communication
with these districts are improved, hunting expeditions to the far
north will become one of the most attractive features of Canadian
sporting lile.

Foremost auiong the game birds is the grouse, or ptarmigan
(liHgopus Salici'ti) as they are projun-ly called. They are grey in
summer and wliite in winter. Th(>y ditl'er from the real grouse by
having the toes thickly feathered as well as the legs. These aboimd
from soutlicrn liabrador north-westward throughout the entire
Hudson's Hay country. 'I'h«\y breed mostly a short way iidand
whore they aro not disturbed, b\it shift towai'd the coast in the fall.
They travel in Hocks or coveys of from ten to twelve, and allord
good sport except in the more unfretpiented territories where they
aro so tame that it is imjiossible to rais(^ tlwim. Tlu^y are (h^licious for
the table, oxc<Oh'(l only, I think, iiy the curlew (NuuuMiius borealis)
which nuike their apjiearance on the shores in the fall season, pre-
paratory to starting for warnuM- Iatit\id(>s. They generally arrive in
imnuMise iloeks, and feed upon the small luuries which are found
alotig th(> rocky shores and barrens within the ni)rthern portions of

Game of the Hudson's Bay Region.

187

the vegetation belt. They come down to the beaches at ebb, and
return inland at flood tide. They are very plump, and sometimes, whe..
shot on the wing, burst upon falling to the rocku. Like the ptar-
migan, the curlew are too stupid to fly readily. 1 frequently di.s-

t' :

I I

I'lAUMIUAN (lUUUHK.

chargtMl lioth bant^ls of a fowling-pirco into a flock, killlnu^ three or'
four, and yet they would not fly, nor oven rui\ away. It in
exc(MMlingly easy to kill theju, and although the sport appronches to
cruelty, it \h very pardotinble for one trav(>lling in that n*gion, an
their IIchIi in oxcoptionally palatuhlo. Our cabin talfle was often

188

Om' North Land.

made attractive by curlew and ptarmigan stews while in the Strait
and they never failed to meet with keen appetites.

Wild geese — the ordinary Canada wild goose, I think — are
numerous everywhere in the Hudson's Bay region. While we were
at York, an Indian shot nearly one hundred in a single day, withjn
six miles of that place. They were fat, and, to my taste, equal to^any

WILD DU0K8 (KIDKB, ETC.).

game we secured. There are various other kinds of geese, aside
from the ordinary Canada specimen, bvic we met with only a few
and neve more than half a dozen together. Those are smaller, and
not so ii'ablo for the table, and afford less sport in shooting.

WILD DUOKH ("HOWUKNh").

OH they will often como down within ten or fifteen yards of you,
and siand looking in groat aHtonishmcnt until blown to pieces, as
memlu^rH of our party somctimos tr(>atod thoin.

or wild (luckM we mot with so many varlotios that I cannot

h
.it;

rait

-iire
rere
)hin
any

lide
few
md

■lUS

Game of the Hudson's Bay Region.

189

undertake to describe them. They are very numerous. In some
places we saw them, in droves of a thousand together, enjoying the
magnificent feeding grounds on the sand and gravel bottoms of the
flats, which skirt the coves and inlets everywhere on the shores of
the Bay and Strait. They seemed to feel very mich at home
running round through the innumerable small ice-pans that are
generally grounded along the coast of the Strait at ebb tide. There
are black ducks, dive i .s, howdens, eider ducks, and ducks of all kinds.

TIIK UKINDKKU.

I should say that the .sportsman could take his choice of at least
half a dozen varieties in a single day's hunt, and take more than
a man could carry in a short time. Wt? also came across a number
of sea pigeon, but thoy seemed to bo a little out of their latitude or
season.

1 cannot toll whether the white bear or the deer shoidd rank
first in the (estimate of the hunter in the Hudson's Bay rt'gion.
Possibly the greatest sport may be had in hunting the reindeer or

' I

..r

1 -r

190

Our North Land.

caribou, as you please to call them. There is no danger in shooting
them, while with the bears you cannot tell what minute you may
be compelled to fight for your life. They are not so high or hand-
some as the red deer, the legs being shorter and not so well shaped,
feet broader, ears shorter, and nostrils larger. The skin is brown in
the summer, brown and white in the fall, and white in the winter.
It is extremely thick and beautifully soft, being covered with a down
or wool underneath, and long white or mottled hairs under all. This
gives it a soft, soothing touch. The antlers of the stag are palmated,
sweeping backward, and of most wonderful proportions. The brow
antlers meet over the nose, like one's two hands, palms together,
with the fingers straight out. He is in every way prepared to resist
the cold, and travel over the rough country which he inhabits. He
does not scrape away the snow to get at the lichen moss upon which
he feeds, with his horns, as some have supposed, because he has
none in winter. He clears away the snow with his nose, which is
covered with a hard skin for the purpose.

The stags shed their horns in November, after the rutting season.
They obtain their full growth by the first of September. Terrible
battles take place among them in the month of September, and it is
hard to find, after that, a full-grown stag whose horns are not broken
or battered. In many cases the brow antlers are broken off"
altogether, and the animal badly bruised about the head and fore-
legs. Unlike the ordinary deer, the female caribou are also provided
with antlers, but not always. She brings forth her young in May,
when two years old, retaining her horns till then. A full-grown
caribou hind is about the size of a red door stag ; and a full-grown
stag in his prime, say from six to ten years old, will weigh about
four hundred pounds.

The reindeer of northern Canada, like the rest of the deer family,
are guided almost entirely by thoir wonderful sonso of sinoll. They
have also the peculiarity of feeding down wind, which is always taken
advantage of in liunting them, for if tho sportsman can obtain a good
hiding-place to looward, thoy will food almost on top of him. Those
<loor, from l)oing very little hunted, have but little foar of man, so
long as thoy do not scont him, and will often allow od'j to approach

Oame of the Hudson's Bay Region.

191

boldly in open view. Indeed .le older stags, especially during the
ratting season, are much more inclined to fight than to run while
you are to leeward. The Eskimos call, or toll, them up to within
fifty and often ten or fifteen yards. They generally go in droves of
three or five, or more; one stag only, all the others being hinds.

The flesh of the reindeer in August and September is most
delicious; when they often have as much as three or four inches of
fat on them. You may be sure the Neptune was not wanting in
venison while we were within easy reach of the land in Hudson
Strait.

There is considerable to be said about the Nannook (polar bear).
He is a most interesting looking animal, but exceedingly ugly, as are
all bears. The most valuable thing about him is his pelt, which is
worth from $10 to $15. The hair is very soft, a beautiful creamy
or blue-white, very thick, and highly prized. His size is monstrous,
weighing over six hundred pounds, if full grown. The flesh of a two
or three months' old cub is fat, tender, and very palatable. In
hunting them one cannot tell what to expect, '^hey may run away
at first sight, or they may come upon you wit,h furious rage. If you
sight one two hundred yards off, and wish to get close, it is better
to let the beau come towards you, than to attempt to approach him.
This may nearly always be accomplished by walking away from
him a short distance, and then stopping. He will follow and stop
also. In this way you may lead him on another fifty yards. He
will seldom run after that. It is only when they see you at a con-
siderable distance that they put off" as if alarmed. If you come
suddenly upon them they will stand their ground, and always figlit
as soon as they are attacked, often before.

The polar bear is a most wonderful swimmer, and is able to cross
channels of great width, and, where ice abounds, to almost live in
the water. Ho makes the voyage across Hudson Strait with perfect
ease, and lives luxuriantly on the journey. In a])poaranco the white
boar, like all others of his race, is sleepy and lazy, but is really most
active and alert. His powers of acjuatic locomotion aro almost
marvellous. He will often plunge into the water of tho rivers
flowing into Hudson Strait, whore salmon al)ound, and, after a f(^w

192

Our North Land.

moments beneath its surface, return with one of these luscious fish
between his great jaws. But he is most at home, perhaps, in the
pursuit of seals.

You can imagine four or five seals sleeping upon an ice-pan.

POLAR DEARS.

They are observed by the polar, while he is yet a considerable
distance away, probably on another sheet of ice. He drops silently
into the water, and, diving far below the surface, swims in the

Oame of the Hudson's Bay Region.

193

direction of hia intended prey. If compelled to come to the surface
for breath he will do so, while in pursuit of game, in a wonderfully
quiet manner, take his bearings, and again slip under the water ; and
so accurate are they in the measurement of distances that the last
time he comes up he will be within a few fe u of the unfortunate
seals. Their doom is now settled. No matter whether they remain
on the ice or endeavour to take refuge in the water, he can move so
much quicker than they can, that, in an instant, one at least is
destroyed.

The polar bear is an animal of most wonderful physical powers
and very tenacious of life. Even when pierced with bullets he will
often continue to fight in the most desperate manner. His teeth
and claws are formidable weapons, and the rapidity and skill with
which he uses the latter, whether in a battle for his life, or devouring
his prey, or climbing precipitous clifi*s, claims our admiration. Their
young are nearly always two in number, and are brought forth in
curiously constructed snow huts, in which they dwell during the first
few weeks of their existence.

■ ■ * ' !

(,;

(^/Ainy> ^Ol

CHAPTER XXIII.
NoRTHKHN Whales and Whaling.

AN KXCITINU VOCATION — HAUI'()(>N1N(J A WHAI,K — TIIP: APrKARANCK
AND IIAIUTS OF THK WIIALK — THK SWIVKL HAlirOON-dUN — THE
MAN IN THE (JUOW'S NKST — "\ FALL!" — A " FLUURY " — IN-
CIDENTS OF WHALING — VALUE OP OUK NOIITHERN WATERS.

DUOrKRLY s[)cakintj;, the nortlvrn whales are not tishes, ))ut
animals, though thoroughly acpia^ic. They live entirely in
3 l'(J the water and ohtain their livelihood there ; hence their
entire structure is fitted for the seas only ; and wlien they
are unfortunately cast upon shoals, they cannot of their own
power re-enter the water, but perish from starvation.

Tiiey are forced to rise to the surfnce of the water to breathe, which
is called "spouting," because a column of njixed vapour and water is

ejected from the "blow-holes," rising above
the surface of th(> water for more than
twenty feet. The limbs are simply uude.
veloped h^gs, suited to atpuitic locomotion ;
but their chief use seeujs to bo to keep
their immense bodies in position and in
caring for thoir young, as the propelling
power is located altogether in the tail.
The whale — and I speak exclusively of the northern whale — is,
wh( n lully grown, about seventy feet long, and will girth about
tUirty-Hvo or forty feet, its colour is volvety-black upon the upper
half of its body, as also are its tins and tail, but its belly an<l lower
part of its jaw arc nearly white. The sh'ek, shiny a])p(^arauee t)f
its body is duo to the oil which '\h constantly emitted through th«
pores of the skin. 'IMie skin is thr(>efold ; tlu^ inm>r, or true skin,

A III.AOK WHALK,

t;
t,(

tl
I'

Northern Whales and Whalhg.

195

|u — Ih,

mltoufc
^il)pt'r
lower
hcc 1)1
III tho
Nkin,

is nothing more or less than the bhibbcr, or fat. This blubber is
generally about eighteen inehcs to two feet thiek according to loca-
tion on the body, anti, bewides being of value as an article of com-
merce, is of great use to the whale, offering an elastic resistance to
the waves and pressure of the water. In a full-sized whale the
blubber will weigh thirty or forty tons.

IIAIiruoNINll A WIIAI.K.

Tlio liead of the wlmlo is of enormous si/e, being about onu-third
(>r the length of the entire bo«ly. The Jaws are very long — more
than llfteon foot — about eight <<s>t wide, and ten or twelve l'(«et fi-om
top ♦<» bottoiu when op(>n. The most peoulinr part of the mouth Ih
the abujidance of whalebone that it contaius. It lies in a serioM of
plateH, thiek ami close where it is attached to the jaw, but nmning

•\ \

! It!

196

Our North Land.

I • M!'

into fibres liko hair at tho ends. On each side of the jaw there are
over three hundred of these rows with tho bone usually about ten
or twelve feet long. A good sized whale will furnish about one ton
of bone, which is very valuable as an article of commerce. The
whalebone is of use to the whale in enabling it to separate its food
from tho water.

A natural history writer describes the method of feeding of the
whale as follows : — " The animal frequents those parts of '\o ocean
which are the best supplied with tho various creatures on Which it
feeds, an which are all of very small size, as is needful from the
size of its gullet, which is not quite two inches in diameter. Small
rhrimps, crabs, and lobsters, together with various molluscs and
modusna, form the diet on which the vast bulk of the Greenland whale
is sustained. Driving with open mouth through the congregated
shoals of these little creatures, tho whale ongulls them by millions
in its enormous jaws, and continues its destructive course until it
has sutriciontly charged its mouth with prey. Closing its jaws, and
driving out through the interstices of the whalebone the water which
it has taken together with its prey, it retains the captured animals,
which are entangled in tho whalebone, and swallows them at its
ease."

I have been told, and tho statement is confirmed by such
naturalists as T have been able to consult, that tho northern whale
produces only a single cub at a time. This assertion is now ho well
established that tho (yanadian Government will be justified in taking
necessary steps to prevent the o.xternjination of whales in our
northern waters. It is well known that ten years ago there were
whales in the waters of tlie Oulf of St. Lawrence snfilciently
numerous to «injpIoy a good sized whaling llet^t, but that, under tho
treaty concludiMl in IHTH, the American wluiN^rs oamn into these
waters with their o.xplosive bombs and otluu' objectionable methods
of securing these animals, and that, as a (lonstnpience, they have
departed altogether. Of course this result would have followed, no
matter what was the ratio of their natural iiu'rease; but their great
value, their vast numlun'v., and the slow ratio of their incroaso,
tuguthor with the eas(> witli which they may bo driven out uf our

Jit its

8uch
whalo

woU
.iikii)^
111 oiir

woro
•i(Mi(ly
n- thn

tlu>so
(^tliodn

havo
rod, no

^rcat

of our

Northern Whales and Whaling.

197

waters altogether demand that some wise regulations should be
adopted for their protection.

The whales suckle their young. When first born the young whale
is without whalebone, and, therefore, its mouth is not equipped for
supplying its body with food, so that it is wholly dependent upon
its mother for subsistence. The maternal whalo keeps close to her
offspring, and does not forsake it until the whalebone is grown and
it is able to support itself.

A brief sketch of the Tnodua operandi of whaling, as now carried
on in the northern portion of Hudson's Bay and in northern waters
generally, will be interesting. Many of my readers may be already
familiar with this, from the numerous accounts which they havo road,
but I fancy it will be instructive to the majority. Whaling is one of
the most exciting vocations known to man. It is not attended with
as many dangers an writers have generally depicted, but with many
hardships, great exposure, and, of course, some ri.sk of life. Steam
vessels havo pretty much sncoeedod sailing craft in this trade, and
are found, for many reasons, to bo very much more adapted to it ;
but in Hudson's Bay the sailing vessel is still used. When the ship,
with her crow and hunting appliances, has reiichod tho whaling
waters, tho " crow's nest " is fastcnoil to tho main-mast head as a
looi^out. A "crow's nest" consists of a barrel, supplied with lura
an(' comfortables, without any top, and with its bottom arranged so
»vs to open and shut on hinges. Tho lookout-man ascends tho
rigging, passes up into this nest, closes tho traj) after him, and, with
the aid of a telescope, keeps a vigilant outlook for whales. Mean-
while all is gotten ready t)n deck for putting off ir» tho boats whon-
over a monster is sight(Ml. The lookout-nmn may havo to endure
many long, weary, todious hours before his ai^uiig oyos aro ghuldoned
liy a sight of tho object of his watch, but as soon as he obsiTVOH a
whale, ho carefully notes its location and the diroction from thu
voHsol to it. Then, opening tho trap, he rapidly but (juitrtly dosconds.
Not a word is spoken, but tho man on tho bridge giv(»s tho sign and
a boat is mado roady. Six oiuhukmi and a holinsman !U'o at their
posts. Tho lookout-man jumps into tho boat, takes hi-4 |)lae(« at the
swivel harpoon gun, and at once boconies the harpooner. Ho gives

198

Our North Land.

the course, and the boat with muffled oars puts away toward the
whale, and, after cruising about for several hours, it may be, the
giant comes to the surface to blow, perhaps within a hundred yards
of the hunters. He generally remains partly out of the water five
or ten minutes, so that there is time to get the boat into position.
The swivel gun is turned upon him and discharged, sending into his
side a harpoon, some two feet, to which is attached a line six hundred
and twenty fathoms long. The harpoon is about eighteen inches or
two feet long. The stock is inserted in the muzzle of the gun, and
the line is fastened to a ring at one side. The barbed point of the
deadly weapon projects from the gun some ten or twelve inches.
Fourteen fathoms of the line are left loose, in a proper coil, so that
the harpoon will be impeded as little as possible. If they have
succeeded in making fast to the whale, which generally makes off
under water, the lino is payed out with the friction of two turns
round the " bullet head," and a small Hag, call d the " boat's jack,"
is sent up as a signal indicating the situation to the ship.

Meanwhile the oaptnin has taken up his position in the " crovr's
nest," and as soon as the signal is given he gives the word from the
look-out, " a fall ! " This is taken up by the cook or others on dock ;
and, for a minute, all are shouting " a fall !" " a fall !" and all are
rushing for the boats. Should the men be in their berths, no time
ia allowed for droHsing. Thoy sleep with their clothes on, and with
such extra garments as tlu\y may nMjuire in a small bag attached to
their persons by a rope, so that when the word is given they require
only to junj]) for the boats. Kach man knows his station in one
of tlio six boats sent out on " a fall ! " The helmsmen, the oarsmen,
the lancers, and the harpooners, are each and all at their posts, while
with nnillled oars thciy spee<l away toward tlui struggling whalers
in the first boat scuit out, leaving on ship-board only tho captain, the
cook, and one or two sailors.

The great object of these assisting boats is to got as near tlie
whale as |K)ssil)le when ho comes to the surl'aeo, and to discharge the
contents of tluur harpoon guns into his side's, so as to secure him by
additional limvs. A prtMuium is plaeiMl upon this work (o th(M>xtent
uf one dollar a man for each harpoon inserted. The assisting boats

Northern Whales and Whaling.

199

are equipped with swivel harpoon guns, the same as the first boat sent
out. When the whale has been secured by four or five harpoons,
and when he has " flurried," and not until then, the lancers approach
hitn. The whale "flurries" soon after V *ng harpooned, or by the
time he has been fastened by two or three lines.

I cannot very well describe a " flurry," having never seen one ;
but it if:, \ flurry with a vengeance. The whale becomes alarmed,
excited, and loses his head, and in this condition he blows and tears
round in indescribable fury, lashing the water with his tail, and
rendering approach to him exceedingly dangerous. All keep their
distance, so to speak, during the " flurry ; " but this exhibition of
power is generally succeeded by a calm, in which the victim is said
to be getting sick. He comes often to the surface, and remains
partly out of the water for several minutes each time. The boats
approach closer and closer, near the forward fin, so as to avoid his
tail, and with hand lances — lances on polos about ten foot long —
pierce his sides. Sometimes ho is fired into with " exploding bomb
lancos/* which, after piercing his llosh somo two feet, explode iiiside,
making groat havoc with his vital parts.

Under this treatment ho soon begins to blow blood, which is a
most wonderful spectacle. But there is no mercy for the whale.
Ho is lanced and piouced and butchered until he turns himself over,
in a sort of death act, and yields himself up to his captors. The
men with knives make holes through iiis tail and lower lii), and
fasten lines thereto, when another signal is given for the approach
of the ship, which presses hurriedly towards them. No matter how
long and arduous the men have worked, or how cold and exhausted
they have beoomvi, they are all jolly now, and, holding on to their
prize, they while the iMinutes away, until the vessel arrives, by
singing somo of their favourite songs, such aa : —

" Whinkoy in tho lifo of man,

Whidkoy Johnny —
Wo'll drink whJHkoy whilo wo can,

VVhiiiktiy for my .lolmny,
Wliinkoy kmn-koil my ojtl (la<l down,

Wliinkoy .lolmny —
WluHkoy o<m< mo many a crown,

VVhiikoy for my Johnny."

>M,

200

Our North Land.

! !

?,Mi

On the arrival of the vessel, the whale is made fast to her side,
tail forward, so that the large open mouth will not fill with water
in case of the advance of the ship, and the work of sculping is begun.
This is done under the superintendence of an official called " the
Inspectioneer." Eight or ten men are lowered upon the body of the
whale, with nails or brads in the soles of their boots, like creepers,
in order that they may not slip off his round form ; and with long
knives, well sharpened for the purpose, commence the work of
removing the blubber, or fat, which is generally eighteen inches
thick over the whole carcase. The men usually indulge their vocal
powers, during this work, in some such enlivening pieces as : —

" O, waken her, O, shake her,

O, shake that girl witli a blue dress on ;

My Johnny come down in a high low."

or the following, which is a particular favourite with whalers : —

" Weigh, ha, blow the man down.
Blow the man down to New York town.
Give mo some time to blow the man down."

The blubber is hoisted to the deck by means of block and tackle
and stored away in the bunkers. Care is exercised in removing the
bone in order not to damage it, as it is worth oyer £1,000 storljng a
ton. Each whale contains something loss than half a ton of bone
(some contain a ton), averaging a length of about eleven feet. It is
often fourteen feet long. The tongue is also valuable for oil, and if
the whale is not an exceedingly largo ono, this member can be hoisted
on dock in throo pieces. A fair sized whalo will yield twenty to
thirty tons of blubber. The hide is not valuable, and is cut into
pieces along with the fat.

The vahio of the fat or oil in its rough stato is about £40 a ton,
HO that the whalo, if a good sizod ono, is worth from £1,000 sterling.
A Binall steam vossol of say six huiulrod and fifty tons could socuro
any season ton or twenty whales, or a cargo to tho value of from
£.10,000 to £50,000, or, say U 50,000 to ii^JiOO.OOO. The sinallost craft
novor secure loss than live whales, or a oargo worth $.'10,000.
HomotimoH whales are hard to bo found and but fi^w are taken ; but

i A

Northern Whales and Whaling.

201

in this event porpoise, walrus and narwhal are always plentiful, so
that a cargo equally valuable can generally be obtained.

The Americans have been whaling in the northern part of
Hudson's Bay for about a quarter of a century, and have been very
successful. One or two ships, sometimes more, winter at Marble
Island every season so as to be on hand for the whaling as soon as
the ice moves, which is the most favourable season for catching
them. From such information as I have been aible to gather I
estimate that they have taken oil and bone from the Hudson's Bay
region, during the last twenty-five years, to the value of S2,000,000.
This is estimating at less than fifteen whales a year. If this if! to
continue, it is about time that Canadians received something for the
privilege.

During the voyages of the Expedition we saw a great many
whales, although we were in no instance far enough to the north to
be in their midst. From what we saw and heard I am persuaded
that whales abound in the extreme northern parts of the bay in
great numbers, and that the whaling industry now carried on there
may be developed to vast proportions. As a knowledge of these
things come to the public one may depend on greater activity in the
whaling business ; and once more I urge upon the authorities the
necessity of adopting some means of enforcing proper regulations
among whalers in our waters, in order that one of our most valuable
resources may not be wholly destroyed.

■; ! 'ti ■! ;

H. '

]K.

.I'F

^'1

iiji

■mi

'I :"

CHAPTER XXIV.
The Porpoise, the Walrus, the Narwhal and the Seal.

character and value of these animals — the porpoise fisheries
— the walrus hunt — peculiarities of the narwhal — proba-
bilities of a seal breeding ground in the strait — great
opportunities of the oil industry.

"X^UDSON'S Bay and Strait are the dwellings of the porpoise.
, , 11 There, countless thousands may be seen tumbling about on
the waves and performing all sorts of sportive exercises.
They herd together in vast droves — often thousands and
tens of thousands in one swarm. Sometimes these shoals will form

A I'OUl'OIHK (WHITH WHALK).

in " Indian file," and siioot over the water, showing their backs like
a long, black, winding, t;vor-chaiiging streak on the surface of the
sea. We met with them everywhere, and I am justified in saying
that the waters are alive with them.

Their mouth- arc furnished with sharp tooth, which are so
arranged that they interlock when the animal closes its jaws, so
that it is well adapted to devour the food upon which it lives and

lES
BA-

EAT

use.
) on
.ses.
and
orni

iko
the

li'>«

I. HO

tn<l

The Porpoise, the Walrus, the Narwhal and the Seal. 203

thrives. They eat herrings, pilchards, sprats, and a host of other
fish, which flee before those vast destroyers in great terror. They
are clumsy looking creatures, but they can turn and twist and leap
with such wonderful agility that they often catch salmon and other
such fish.

The porpoise is seldom seen in very deep water, and generally
keeps pretty close to the coast, frequenting bays, inlets, and the
mouths of large rivers. They generally ascend the rivers with the
tide, but will never go further than the tidal flow, and will always
stop when it stops, and descend when it descends.

IIIE WALUfS.

They are very fat and contain blubber similar to the whale, which
is very valuable. A good sized porpoise is worth about $75.

The walrus belongs to the seal family, and presents, as one
writer has put it, a " terribly grotesque appearance." Its most
conspicuous part is its head, with its ugly nose bri.stliiig with long,
wiry hairs, and its fearfully long canine teeth or tusks, always
viHible, projooting from the upper jaw. These uskM, in large ones,
measure from foiirteen incli(>s to two feet in length, the girth at the
base being five or six inches, and the weight about eight or ten
poun<ls each. The ivory of which those tusks are composed is of a
very Huperior (puility, and commandf"' a high price in the market.

i I

:■>!

t i'

204

Our North Land.

r I

i L

i;!

Ill

The walrus is an exceedingly valuable animal, both as an article
of commerce and to the Eskimo of the north. The blubber, ivory
and skin are always in demand. The tusk furnishes ivory of a
peculiarly white hue, said to hold its colour longer than that of the
elephant's tusk. The oil produced from the blubber is very delicate,
and always commands a high price. The skin is thick and extremely
tough, and is valuable to the Eskimo for dog-harness, and to civilized
man for many purposes. The Eskimos use the tusk for harpoons,
spears, fish-spears ; the intestines for nets ; its oil and flesh for food ;
and its bones for kayak frames and other purposes.

The walrus, like the seal, climbs upon rocks and ice-pans to
sleep and rest in the sun, and although very clumsy, with their vast
bodies and insufficient limbs, can, when alarmed, scramble along with
almost wonderful rapidity. It uses its tusks to assist it in moving
forward, and gets along by jerks and leaps.

If the walrus is cornered it will invariably attack the hunter,
advancing fiercely upon its enemy, striking out with its long tusks
and often inflicting dangerous wounds. If attacked by an Eskimo
in his kayak it will raise its head out of the water, and make an
attempt to force its tusks through the skin of which the frail craft
is composed ; but the wily native is generally too quick for the
unfortunate animal, and manages to disable him with his haiYoon
before receiving damage or injury.

A full grown walrus is from ten to twelve feet long. The skin
is brown and smooth, and is covered with short brown hairs. We
met with walrus on our voyages both in the Bay and Strait, and
counted over seventy from the dock of the Neptune, at one time,
sleeping or lounging on the ico. They are very numerous.

The seal is a curiously interesting animal. It was to bo seen
everywhere, at every turn. Like the walrus, and even the porpoise,
it makes sad havoc among the fish. It is rather a handsome animal,
with its beautifully mottled skin and largo bright eyes. The colour
of its fur is generally a dark green, sometimes a greyish yellow,
sprinkled with spots of brown, or brownish black, which are larger
and more noticeable along the back than on the sides. The total
length of the seal is about live foot, the head boing about eight

\'l

The Porpoise, the Walrus, the Narwhal and the Seal. 205

inches long. Its feet are short, and the claws of the hinder feet are
fully developed.

The seal is richly coated with blubber, the same as the whale,
porpoise and walrus, and seal oil produced therefrom is known and
valued the world over, while the skins are of great value, either
when tanned into leather or prepared with the fur on, and used for
making various garments of usefulness and luxury.

THH NARWHAL AND FOBPOIBB.

It seems almost incredible, but the seal is easily tamed, and will
become, with some attention, one of the most docile of animals,
attaching itself, it is said, with wonderful affection to its keeper.
Many have been taken when young, and have been thoroughly
domesticated, and have dovolopod a gentle, loving disposition.

But I must endeavour to say something about the narwhal, or

(■■

5-
1

i' '

:.- 'f

1,1

III!

206

Our North Land.

sea-unicorn, as the animal is popularly called. The head of the
narwhal is round and convex at the front. There are no teeth in
the lower jaw, and the upper jaw, which is wide and of a peculiar
shape, contains teeth. From the front of the head projects the long,
curious, straight weapon, or horn, or tusk, whatever you please to call
it. This weapon is about three inches in diameter at the base, and
tapers to a sharp point, and is about six feet long, perfectly straight.
The force of this horn or tusk is very great when urged with
the impetus of the narwhal passing swiftly through the water ; for
the whole weight and velocity of the animal is directed along the

A BEVY OK SKALH.

line of the tusk. " A narwhal," says one writer, " has been known
to encounter a ship and to drive its tusks through the sheathing and
deeply into the timbers."

The ivory of this tusk is of a very fine quality and susceptible of
an « .iXeedingly high polish. A full sized horn is valued at from $(>0
to i$80. " In the upper jaw," says Dr. Wood, " of the young, or
female narwhal, are found two small or hollow tusks imbedded in
the bone, which, in the female, are generally undeveloped throughout
the whole of the animal's existence, but in the male narwhal are
strangely modified. The right tusk remains in its infantile state.

lllSH

The Porpoise, the Walrus, the Narwhal and the Seal. 207

>1
■ i

excepting that the hollow becomes filled with bony substance ; but
the left tusk rapidly increases in length, and is developed into along,
spiral, tapering rod of ivory, sometimes attaining to the length of
eight or ten feet." We did not meet with many of these animals
during the voj^ages of the Expedition ; and, so far as I can learn, they
are not very numerous in those waters.

The methods employed in procuring the porpoise, walrus, narwhal,
etc., iu the Hudson's Bay region afford material for interesting
descriptions ; but I can but allude to them in general terms. The
porpoise are obtained by means of nets or traps and the tides. Vast
shoals swim into the rivers with flood tides, and, as I have said, go
out again with the ebb. A net is arranged, extending out from the
shore, covering a cove that is dr}'^ at low tide, but covered by fifteen
or twenty feet of water at high tide. This net is fastened to the
bottom, but may be sprung at will by means of a line, when, by the
assistance of floaters, its upper portion comes to the surface.

A watch is placed on the banks of the river, and if a shoal of
porpoise are seen ascending the river the net is sprung as soon as
they have gotten above it. Then Eskimos go out in their kayaks
and beat upon the water with air-bags, making a dull sound, and
driving them, as they return to the sea, from the channel into the
cove and behind the net, where they are Kept going to and fro,
driven by these sounds, until the tide runs out, leaving them high
and dry upon the flats. They are then secured to lines, and with
the returning tide hauled to shore and sculped. At Ungava Bay
the Hudson's Bay Company have developed an immense porpoise
fishery in this way, and also at Chulrchill. Last year Mr. Spencer
obtained nearly tr,o hundred of these immense animals, by the
method which I have roughly described, in a cove in the Churchill
river, within three miles of the post. In fact, from their vast num-
bers and the ease with which they may be taken, I do not overstate
the truth when I say, with proper facilities, four or five thousand of
these oil-bearing aninmls could be taken at one place in a single
season ; which means blubber to the value of over $300,000.

The walrus are generally shot on the ice, where they may be
found in vast numbers, in the Strait and in the northern portions of

■ ; '
; 'I'm :

■ ' 1

'■r, ■■'-

.- ;t

1;u 11

illi

I .1

I. I

li I

i! ,

208

Our North Land.

the Bay. The natives frequently secure them in the open water
with harpoons, but this is a slow method. At certain seasons of the
year, in the early sprin;; particularly, ihey are found in multitudes
sleeping and lounging on floating ice-pans, and may be shot with
repeating rifles very rapidly. In proof of this I may mention that
tlie Hudson's Bay Company's agent at Churchill has, for some years
back, sent a walrus expedition to the north of the Bay each spring,
and on every occasion the men have loaded their vessels with
blubber, hides and ivory in a remarkably short space of time. There
seems to be a great number of these animals in those waters, so that

THK MOTTLRIJ HKAU

tlui industry, like the porpoise fishery, may bo extended to almont
wnliinitod proportions.

From the information I have rocelvod I am not in a position to
state wlictlier or not the noal can bo found in the vast herds, by the
liundrodH of thousands, (m the ico in early sjuing in Hudson Strait,
as they appear annually oil' the coasts of Labrador and Newfound-
land. They are very numerous in the waters of both the Bay
and the Strait ; and as tlKue has never been an attiunpt made to
prove or dispiove tluur existence in the Strait in breeding herd«,
such OS have sustained tho vast scaling industry of nortliorn Now-

The Porpoise, the Walrus, the Narwhal a7id the Seal. 20!)

foundland these many years, I am justified in the supposition that
future investigation will discover that in the nionth of April the
moving ice in Hudson Strait is as heavily freighted with young
harps as are the ice-pans of the North Atlantic, north of New-
foundland.

However this may be, enough is now known to warrant the
belief — nay, to assure beyond a doubt — that the almost inexhaustible
numbers of oil-bearing animals in the northern waters of the
Dominion invite the establishment of an oil industry, and of oil
industries, there — industries, too, that may bo developed into an
export trade of millions of dollars annually, yielding immense profits
to those who undertake the enterprise.

There is probably no opening in which capital can find em]>loy-
ment to-day with such a certainty of largo returns as that of the
oil business of Hudson's Bay. A few Americans are neaping fortunes
in an adventurous way in the whaling industry already, and the
Hudson's Bay Company reap over $r)0,()OOanniuilly from the blubber
of the porpoise and walrus, an enterprise which they regard as only
in a snmll way auxiliary to their immense fur trade.

jil

• ..

\l i(

luont

^i to
the
rait,
knd-
^ay
|e to
Irdn,
Lw-

1 1

i '

r-:"

CHAPTER XXV.

The Economic Fishes of Hudson's Bay and Strait.

the woni)l-:ils of the common codfish — the heauty, tact and
skill of the salmon — i)elt(!ious trout — how fortunes may
be made in the hudson's hay fisheries.

r;ALTlEADY the reader has obtained some idea of tlio immense
,^y\\7 wealth of the Hudson's Bay region in oil-bearing animals,
:/MV such as the wiiale, the walrus, the porpoise, th(s narwhal, the
^^^^ seal, etc.; and I must now direct attention to the economic
fishes of those waters. The cod abounds in countless legions in
many portions ol the Strait, and in all the coves and iidots which
everywhere characterize the shores of Ungava Bay. Everybody has
Ix^ard of the codfish, but few are aware of the oxcoUont sport in
catching them. During our voyages on the Hudson's Bay Expedition
we had many opportunities of enjoying this, and I availed myself
of them on uiore tlian one occasion.

The cod is one of the most useful fishes that inhabits any water,
and at certain seasons of the yoav is captured in (juantities so vast
as to fill one witli astonislnnent. The shores t)f Newfoundland and
of the entire liiiln-ador coast are, in the spring and early summer,
literally alivti with these fish, except in seasons, which rarely occur,
wluMi they a|>peiir in scatttiring numbers, and the cod-fishery becomes
a failure, and thousands go hungiy in conseipienco. The cod-fishery,
considered as a whole, is an innnense industry. On th(* shores of
Newfoundland and habrailor there are thoiisands of vessels (Muployed,
and some seasons over fifty thuuiiand souls engaged in fishing for
and eiu'ihg the cod.

They an^ always caught by the hook and line. The liiu»s are of
two duMoriptions, One is a long line f,o which aro attached a great

V
H

ijt

-'/I- !

I'litor,

vast

and

iiiniur,

occur,

'OUIOH

4»ory,
rt'H of
oyoil,
ijr for

in> «»f
I groat

Tlie Economic Fishes of Hudson's B<nj (ind Straits. 211

number of short lines, and the other is the ordinary "jigger." I
have not seen the combination arrangement in operation, but a
ilescription of it is at hand : — " The long lines sometimes run to an
extraordinary length, and shorter lines, technically called snoods,
are affixed to them at definite distances. To the end of each snood
is attached a baited hook, and, as the sharp teeth of the fish n\ight
sever a single line, the portion of the snood which is near the hook
is composed of a number of separate threads fastened loosely together,
so as to permit the teeth to pass between the strands. At each end
of the long line is fastened a fioat or buoy, and when the hooks have
been baited with sand lance, limpets, whelks, and similar substances,
the line is ready for action. The boat, in which tht* line is ready
coiled, makes for the fishing ])lace, lowers a grapnel or small anchor,
to which is attached the buoy at one end of the line, and the vessel
then sails ott", paying out the line as it proceeds, and always "shooting"
the line across the tide, so as to prevent the hooks from being
washed against each other or twisted round the \'nu\ which is usually
shot in the interval between the ebb and How of the tidi , and hauled
ill at the end of about six hours. Ah soon as the long line has been
fairly shot, and both ends firmly afiixed to the grapn<>ls, the fislieinien
improve the next six hours by angling with short lines, out' of wl ieh
is held in each iiand. I'hey thus capture* not only codfish, but
hatltlock, vvlnting, hake, pollock, and various kinds of flat fishes.
On favourable occasions the (puintity of fish captured by a single
boat is very great, one man having taken morn than four hundred
cod alone in wn hours." *

But tho fisherman of to-day on the li.ibradoi' coast generally takes
the coii with the "jigger." Over thirty thousand souls, nu'n and
women, put out from their scanty homes in Newfoundland (»very
spring for the Labrador. Anchoring in souuionoof tluunnumcrablo
small harbours of that rugg(Ml coast the men ^o out in their boats and
"jigg" at certain stages of the tide, returning to the vcvssol atmening,
or perhaps twice a day, heavily laden with i\wHv fish. Tht^y are
thrown on deck with a Hort of fork, and cleaned by the women, and,

• Wnmln' NftUifftl niKtory.

';■
t

';:■?

I i

212

Our North Land.

liir

indeed, the women may often be seen out in the boats "jigging"
with the men.

" Jigging " is good sport, but one will soon tire of it. A "jigger "
is simply two or more codfish hooks springing out of the mouth of
a leaden caplin, from the tail of which a cod line extends to the desired
length. This is lot down from the side of a boat until it touches
bottom, then ^.ulled up about six foet. The line is now in position,
and the "jigging" consists of jerking the line (juickly about two
feet, as fast as it will sink to position by the weight of the leaden
caplin. The latter is of a light colour, and appears just like a live
caplin sporting in the water. The cod make a rush to devour it, and
are captured.

Sometimes, in attempting to swallow the caplin, they will get one
of the hooks in their great mouths, and will come to the surface
caught in that way ; but nnich oftener they are hooked in the side
or belly by the sudden movement of the hooks in the water. When
vou feel a coil on the hook the sensation is delightful. Sometimes
it requires considerable strength to hold them and land them safely
in the boat; and if you are lucky or unlueky enough to hook a
shark, which frecpuMitly occurs, then look out. Unless you are well
up to the business you will los(> both shark and jigger, but by good
managtuuent you may bring him close (Miough to use the spear.

Fro(pu'ntly,in jigging cod, you will land two, and sometimes ov()n
throo, at one time. One afternoon while at Capt^ Chidley, at tlm
entrance to ITnguva Hay, I went out in one of tl.e Neptmie's boats
along with Mr. iiii<lge, fho second engineer, and enjoyed nearly two
hours' most delightful sport. We anchore(l and commencc^d to jigg.
Th(> watoi' was very clear, and 1 could see down some t«Mi or twelve
feet. At a depth of ten foi^t the cod were so thick that the only
way I can desciibe their numbers wouhl be to say that th(>r(^ were
njillions and millions of them to the acre. We tn.ptured nearly four
hundnnl in an hour and twenty minutes; and as our <lory would
hold no u\nn\ we were obliged to stoj) and return to the ship. Tli(>
.skin was worn from my fingers in many placcis l)y the process of
jigging; but so exciting was the sport that I di«l not ubservo this
until it was all over.

!iU,

The Economic Fishes of Hudson's Bay and iStraits. 213

)k a
well
irood

ovOn
tlio

loats
two

]W
ivolvo

only

woro

four

'0\ll»l

>SH of

There are plenty of cod in Hudson Strait, and no doubt they will
shortly find their way into the Bay also. In any of the inlets of
Ungava Bay a schooner might be loaded in a few days. This
fishery is exceedingly valuable, and steps should bo taken to protect
it. Now that it is known that cod are so plentiful in that quarter
fishing vessels will not be long in rounding the Capo, and skirting
the shores of Ungava in quest of these valuable fish.

All things considered, I think the salmon is destined to become
the most valuable fishery of the Hudson's Bay region.

The Rev. Mr. Cook, a clever naturalist, has said that the salmon
is the " king of British river fish." He is right ; but this does not go
far enough. The
trout must be in-
cluded. The sal-
mon is, indeed, a
beautiful fish; "the
silvery sheen of its
glittering scales, its
wonderful tactnnd
activity', allovding
iiingnill'.'cnt sport
to the angler, the
interesting nature
of its life from the
egg to full njatu-
rity, and last, but not least, for the exquisite llavour and nutritive
I'harac'ter of its flesh :" for these reasons is the salmon nnu'li sought
after.

Here is a sort of lament of the salmon lover : - '' In former days,
before civilization had substituted man and his dwellings for the
broad meadows and their furred and featlienMJ innuites, the salmon
was found in many an English riv(n'. Nt)W, however, there are but
few streams wlnu'e this splendid fish can bo seen ; for in the great(<r
number of Hritisli rivers the water has beeji so defiled by human
agency that the fastidious salmon will not sullor itself to bo poisoned

A S.VI.MUN,

|:f

I I

{ 'i

214

Our North Land.

W- .

Mi^N'

i 1

by such hateful mixture of evil odours and polluted waters, and in
the few streams where the water is still sufficiently pure for the
salmon to venture into them, the array of nets, weirs, and all kinds
of salmon traps is so tremendous, that not one tithe of the normal
number is now found in them."

The writer of the above should go to the rivers, and brooks, and
torrents, and leaping, foaming, dashing streams that everywhere
empty their turbulent waters into Hudson Strait. There the salmon
has taken up his abode ; there, far away from the haunts of civilii-ed
man ; there, whore cataracts roar and rapids foam ; and where is only
the spear of the wily Eskimo to avoid, and the jaws of the porpoise,
the walrus and the seal, the otter and the agile polar bear to shun,
dwells the salmon in its virgin beauty.

The salmon is of course a migratory fish, annually leaving the
sea, its really permanent home, and travelling up the rivers and into
all sorts of streams to meet the fresh water for the purpose of
depositing its s|)awn. The perseverance and skill of this fish in
working it3 way up the streams is wonderfid. It penetrates the
swiftest currents, and scales the swiftest rapids, nor even is it always
checked by falls. It will sometimes spring out of the water, leaping
several feet above the surface, and scaling the falls in a manner that
is altogether incredible. In this way it often ascends a series of
falls in a river, some fifteen or twenty feet, and having gotten above
them it burrows into the gravelly bottom and there deposits its
spawn.

Tiio salmon abound in the streams running into Hudson Strait so
plentifully that a ship can bo loaded with them in a few days.
Air- ly, at ITngava Hay, the Hudson's Bay (/ompany have opened
a salmon fishoiy, and ship a refrigerator stoamship load to the Old
Country annually. These salmon are pronoinuied the finest in the
world — much bettor in (piaiity than those caught on the Pacific
slope or in ilio more southern waters of the Dominion. They abound
in Huch itmnonse (juantities, in such a vast stretch of country, that
the possibilities of deveh)pment of the Industry are unlimited, and we
may fairly expect that in the near future fresh salmon will not only
bu sent in a frozen statu from the Hudson's Jiay country to all the

m- ■

ways

sapin*?

that

ics of
above

ts its

rait so
(layn.
peiUMl
o Ol.l
n the
*aciHc
)oun(l
, that
1(1 wo
only
1 tho

The Economic Fishes of Hudson's Bay and Strait. 21 o

principal parts of the world 'vhere there is a demand for these fish,
but that large salmon canneries will make their appearance on the
shores of our northern waters, reaping good profits to those' who
invest capital and labour in the enterprise.

Pretty much all I have said of the salmon may be said of the sea
trout which fill the streams of the north in certain seasons in
" countless legions." They *re like the salmon, beautiful, fastidious,
sportive, and delicious for the table. Their number, if possible, is
even greater than that of the salmon in the north. They are nearly
as large as the salmon, being a little longer, but not quite so stout.
The Eskimos spear them and feed upon their sweet, luscious flesh in
the spring and early summer, and consider them, as well they may,
a great luxury. They brought numbers of them to the Neptune
during our stay in the Strait, and traded them for powder and shot,
and of course we were ready purchasers.

In many places the Hudson's Bay Company are carrying on
extensive trout fisheries by means of simple traps, which they set
in the shallow streams when the tide rises some ten or twelve feet.
At ebb-tide they often find thousands of these excellent fish secured
in these nets. They are . Ited in casks or barrels, and shipped to
England.

If a Canadian company wore organized, with oven a limited
capital, and equipped for cod, salmon, and trout fishing, with stations
at suitable places on Hudson Strait, those fish might l)o annually
exported to tho value of hundreds of thousands of dollars. It would
' require a much greater outlay of capital, as also more experience and
skill, to deal successfully with tho oil-liearing animals ; but I have
no doubt tho returns reaped would be correspondingly greater. In
either case it would require but the space of a few years to amass
an extensive fortune. Tho wealth is there in inoxhatistiblo supply
awaiting skill, labour, and capital to develop it. Who will bo first ?

Thoro is a variety of smaller fish in those waters, but they are
not of HO nuich importance, and I had no opportunity of learning
anything concerning them.

t *

V M:

)i\.-]

I ir'

CHAPTER XXVI.

Fur-Bearing Animals.

the silver, blue, grey, red and white foxes — the ermine— the
marten — the otter — the varying hare — the lynx — the
wolf — the w0lverin3 — the sable — musk-ox — the polecat
— the badger — the musk-rat — the racoon — the fur trade.

W- HAVE spoken of the oil-bearing animals, the economic fishes,
and will now briefly direct attention to the fur-bearing animals
yji of the Hudson's Bay country. 1 may tell you, in the first place,
'^'^ that should the traveller in that region depend upon the
Hudson's Bay Company's emploj'^es for his information concerning
these rosoui-ces, ho would remain in ignorance. These people, when
being questioned concerning the furs or other products, can manage to
talk and yet say the least of any persons I have ever met with.
Without being personal, I will give the reader a sample of an inter-
view with a Hudson's Bay Company man of the north. The same
one will lit anywhere you go. They have all learned the one
lesson : —

"Did you got many furs last year, sir ?"

"Not many, sir. They are very scarce now."

" Do you get any of the silver or black fox skins, these days ?"

" A very few, sir. Just one or two ; they aro very scarce, sir."

" Are the porpoise very plentiful in those waters ?"

" No, sir. They are very scarce, sir." /

" Did you get many last season ?"

" No, sir ; very few, sir."

" How about the walrus ?"

" Tlioy are very scarce too, sir."

" Did you got any last season V

Fur-Bearing Animals.

217

" Just a few, sir."
" Are there many black whales ?"
" No, sir. Very few ; only one here and there."
" Of course the seals are plentiful ?"

" No, sir. They are very scarce, sir ; only one here and there."
" Oh ! Are there any deer ?"
" Very few, sir. Only one here and there."
" Of course there are plenty of marten ?"
" No, sir, only a few. We get one now and then, sir."
" Oh, indeed. How about the otter ?"
" They are very scarce too, sir ; only one here and there."
And so it goes. Everything is scarce; and yet the Hudson's Bay
Company load five ships from the products of the Labrador and the

'iU':

i :H1

h i I

TIIK IIKAVKU.

Hudson's Buy country annually, exporting those products to the
value of not loss than IJoOO.OOO.

In many districts all that tlio Hudson's Bay Cy\)mpany s people
say concoi'ning fur-bearing animals generally will certainly apply
to the boaver. This valuable animal is indeed " very scarce, sir,
only one here and there;" and yet no one can write of the furs of
northern Canada and forget the boavor ; but it is only in the more
southern portions of the Hudson's Buy Comjiany's domain that those
aniu\als are mot with, so that I will not detain the roador with a
description of their valuable furs at present.

iiliii

I I

218

Our North Land.

But the foxes, they are still plentiful. Of these there are many
kinds, and the value of their skins range from one dollar to five
hundred, so that the fur trader must be well versed in all these
varieties in order to know the value of the various skins brought to
him for traffic. Foxes have so many names, and there are so many
different names for the same fox, that one me'ets with a difficulty in
, attempting to describe them. We hear of the black, the blue, the
silver, the grey, the cross, the red, and the white fox.

I suppose the most fashionable fur of to-day is that of the silv ^r
fox, which is found plentifully in the Hudson's Bay region. It is a
rich, deep, glossy black, with a bluish tinge ; so beautiful are they

THK RED KOX.

that $500 have been given for a single skin, and La Houtan states
that, in his time, the skin of one of those foxes brought its weight in
gold. Skins frequently bring $250. Of the two thousand caught
yearly in different parts of North America, about one thousand are
used in England; and they are occasionally seen in the United
States upon the streets. The choicest skins are taken on the
northern .sliorcs of Hudson Strait, and on the rough coast of the
extreme north-western portions of Hudson's Bay. Some are caught
in Russia, but the fur is of a poorer quality, and not valued so
highly.

The cross, rod, blue, groy and white foxes are all of considerable
importance, each having a certain commercial value. Tho best cross

I, >.5'i:«

Fur-Bearing Animals.

219

fox skins are worth $40 each, and over 10,000 are shot or trapped in
the northern regions yearly. The blue fox skins are worth S20 apiece,
and'about 7,000 are captured annually, but some of these are secured
on the borders of the White Sea and Greenland. The other varieties
bring from one to five dollars. Of the ordinary red fox over 100,000

IILUK, UUKY, AND WHITK VO.VKM.

are secured every year atnong the Hudson's Bay Company's posts of
the north.

The ermine, or the stoat, is a fur of ancient time.", when only
the nobility were allowed to wear them ; but the demand for
thorn to-day is as great as when they wore confined to royalty.

fiiii

1 ;

I I i

■ ;

i ' '
1 '

i 1

•

' 4' ■

I'll

!' I

I 1

220

Our North Land.

The best specimens are caught in Ischia and Siberia, but a few are
taken in the extreme northern parts of North America. In the
summer they are useless, their colour being a dingy yellowish-brown,
changing in the winter to a pure white, except at the tip of the tail,
which is jet-black. The change is undoubtedly a protective measure,
rendering the animal invisible as it creeps along, with its peculiar
snake-like motion, upon the snow. The change is not effected by
the loss of the summer coat, as many would suppose, but by the
actual change of colour in the fur. The skins are now rated at about
$150 apiece, and the coat of Louis IX., made of these skins, was
probably worth at the time $2,500.

The skin of the marten is in good demand. There are two or

1 !;i;
•i:!"Nii.

THK MAllTliN.

three varieties obtained in the north, the best on the east main coast
of Hudson's Bay. They are found all over the north, and ma'iv
thousands are taken annually. Ordinarily they are worth abjut
five dollars a skin, but th" price varies according to siza and quality.
Some are valued at twenty lollars. The mink and the squirrel are
also valuable.

The otter produces most valuable fur, and is very plentiful in our
north land. It is an amphibious anunal, living both on the land and
in the water. Its feet are webbed, its nostrils are provide^ with
valves for diving, and its lungs, being large, it is able to remain under
water for a considerable time. The otter is very destructive to fish,
which it brings to land to cat. It is very wasteful. Catching a

Fur-Bearing Animals.

221

salmon, ifc will eat only a narrow strip along the back, and leave
the rest to decay on the rocks. The fur is exceedingly beautiful, the
skins being valued at from $20 to $30 each. They are quite large,
some being from four to six feet long, the average being about three
and a half feet. There are vast numbers of the otter in the far
north, and especially to the west of Hudson's Bay. Thousands of
them are taken annually by Eskimos and Indians, and the skins
traded at the Hudson's Bay posts.

The hair or fur of the Canada lynx, which is of a dark grey,
flecked with black, is quite long. Large and indistinct patches of
the fur are of a considerably darker tint than the generality of its
coat. The hairs are all white at the tips, which gives them a pecu-

'i;i

THK OTTKU.

liar hue. The limbs are darker than the rest of the body, and the
ears almost entirely whito. The peculiar colour of the fur varies
according to the season. In summer it becomes a sort of chestnut,
but in the depth of winter it attains its whitest hue.

The limbs of the lynx are very powerful. Its somewhat massive
feet are furnished with long, whito claws, completely hid from view
by the bushy fur which covers them. Its favourite diet is the hare,
which it devours ravenov sly. The lynx is a good swimiper, being
able to cross streams two and three miles wide. One of its pecu-
liarities is the ease with which it may bo killed. A slight blow on
the back with a small stick is sufficient to destroy its life. The

'I I

!■;!

■ w

ii i!ii ni

222

Our North Land.

i .1!

Li —

: '

i|«a.

natives eat its flesh, which is tender, but not well-flavoured. It is
larger than a cat, being about three feet long. The skins have a
high commercial value and are always in good demand.

Of the weasel family, the sable and ermine are of great value.
There is one highly-prized species of the sable found in Russia,
another in Japan, but that taken in the northern part of America is
equal to the best. An ordinary skin is worth IJJio, and many have
been obtained which command as much as $G0 or $75.

The sable loves to dwell in the mountain snow wastes where its
drifts, heaped about like mountains, are ever chaniiting position and
shape. Here they are followed by the hunter with great difliculty,
and sometimes with positive danger. They have their winter homes
in holes in the ground or rocks, and readily disappear beneath the
sno n the approach of danger. They make warm nests out oF
moss, dried leaves, etc.

They are frequently captured in traps, and sometimes, where
V"<ro numbers of them dwell together, they are taken by digging
in'..' their holes and catching them in nets as they are forced to
cape by a kind of smoke which is injected. If the unfortunatq little
anii'ial takes shelter in the branches of a tree, a noose is thrown
over Its head and it is secured in that way.

A great peculiarity of t1ie sable fur is that it will lay any way
you stroke it., eipially smooth. It is long in pr()j)ortion to the
size of the aiiim.^l, and extends down the limbs to the claws. It is
an oxeeeilingly rich brown, mottled with white about the head, with
grey on the neck, and always brings high prices.

The flsher is als(, much sought alter, and, in the west, large num-
ber." are amnially captured,

Hut even the detested polecat becomes valuable und(^r the refln-
ing iniliienco of noriJuM-n snows. It is not quit<^ so large «is the
nuirten, but is more vicious, and will destroy hares with great ease.
It is famous, not only for its blood-thirsty disposition, but for the
inipieiwant odour which it luus the povvor to emit at will. When
wcnndod or anTio;. d in any way, it fills the air with this insuller-
ttblo odour, driving lutth man and luvvst from its vicinity. The skins
aro "aluable,aiid a largo number an> annually takon in the far north-

r.i

Fu r- Bearing A ni mala.

223

west by natives, and traded at the Hudson's Bay Company's posts
for powder, shot, tobacco, etc.

There, too, is found the inoffensive badj^cr, whose skin is always
present in the fur packs at Cumberland House or at York. The
food of this quaint animal is partly vegetable and partly animal. It
is fond of snails and worms and insects. The badger is of the weasel
family, and is furnished with an apparatus which secretes a substance
of an exceedingly offensive odour, which it often emits when
attacked.

It is a most curiously marked animal, its colors being grey,
black and white, strangely distributed. The head is white with the
exception of a rather broail and very definitely-marked black lino
on each side, commencing near the snout and ending at the neck,
including the eye and the Car in its course. The body is of a reddish
grey, changing to a white-grey on the ribs and tail. The throat,
chest, abdomen, logs and feet are of a deep blackish brown. The
average length of the badger is two feet six inches, and IIaS height
at the shoulder eleven inches. The skins are of a decided commercial
value, and are yearly secured by the Hutlson's Bay Company in
great ninubers.

The musk-rat {Ondatra) is there, but ho does not go as far north
as some of his neighbours. However, in many of the low, nuirshy
districts of the (/Imrohill River they may be seen in groat numbers.
The upper portions of its body are of a dark brown. It is tinged
with a reddish hue upon its neck, ribs and legs, the abdomen being
ashy-grey ; the tail is of the same dark hue as the body. " In total
length it rathiu" exceeds two feet, of which measurtMn(Mit the tail
occupies about ten inches. The incisor teeth are hright yellow, and
the nails ani white. The who".>i colouring of the animal is so wondor-
fidly like the hue of the muddy banks tm which it resides that a
practised naturalist him often nnstakcn the Undtitrtti for mere lumps
of mud until they began to move, and so dispelled the illusion. The
hinder feet of the OnUatranro well webbed, and their imprint on the
Hoft mud is very like that of a conunon dnek. The food of tho
Oiidatra in a wild state appfars to \w abnost wholly of a vegelable
luiture, although, when confined in a eage, onu uf thcMo aninuils has

224

Our North Land.

been seen to eat mussels and oysters, cutting open the softest sheila
and extracting the inmates."

The musk-rat lives mostly in burrows, which it digs in swamps
or banks of rivers in which it finds its food. Where, in swamps, it
is very wet, it builds little houses that rise three or four feet above
the wot surface, and look like small niounds. Its fur has a standard
commercial value, and many thousands of these skins are annually
exported from America by the Hutlson's Bay Company.

Here, too, wo meet with the well-known racoon, with its peculiar
long fur. The hairs composing its coat are of two kinds, the one of
a woolly character, lying next to the skin, and the other of long,
rather stiff hairs, that project through the wool for some distance.
The woolly fur is of a uniform grey, while the long hairs are black
and greyish white. At the top of the head and across the eyes the
fur is of a very dark blackish brown. The tail is short and bushy,
and is uuirked with five and sometimes six blaokish rings upon a
ground of grey.

Tl'.i racoon foods upon both animal and vegotablo food, but is
ftaiil to prefer the latter. It is about the size of a small fox, and
slightly resembles the fox, but is lioavier. Its skin lias also a standard
conunorcial value, and as the animal abounds ph iitifully and is ojisiiy
captrnHMl, great (luantitios of the fur are annually exported.

One of the curious litilti animals of tlie far north is the vary-
ing hare, or, perhaps, thi^ ali)iiu? hare. So far as a name goes, wo
had better call it the arctic hare. It is perfectly white in winter,
and indeed it is pretty nearly white? all the tim(>. In a warni suin-
mei', wh«>n the ice disappears altogetlu>r from the Hudson's Hay
region, and there is no snow (hither on the smumits or in the sheltered
ravines they become (piite giH>y or asortof brown ; but in a backward
summer, when the snow is in a large measure perpetual, these littlo
creatunvs rcMiuiin pretty nearly white all the year.

Naturalists tell us that tlu^se. and nearly all other, varying animals
change their fur w\nm they change their col mv ; but I am sceptical
on this point, so far as the haro is concerned, and aluo ho far as tho
]>larn\igan are concerned, hu'eed, 1 woultl like to lind soirte really
sound authority on this subjuob. My travels in the north load mo to

:u_-.. I

X'^

Fur-Bearing Animals.

225

believe that nearly all varying birds and animals vary in the colour
of their feathera and fur without changing them. This is known to
be true of the ermine, and I believe it is true of the hare. I have
met with reliable parties in tbe north who say that, there, hares change
their colour somewhat three or four times in the course of as many
months. If there be two or three weeks of rainy weather they
become grey, and if it becomes cold and dry. with snow, whether it
be in August or October, they become white. Be this as it may,
when the rocks of ohe north are naked these hares are pretty much
of the same colour, and when covered with snow, and the whole
region is draped in white, they are white also j and, squatting down

A WOtiK.

on the snow, one cannot distinguish bc«WGon their forms aid the

general appearance of the unevotj surface.

Both the onliiuiry wolf and the wolverine are found in the far

north. The wolf in the icy regions is as ferocious as his niMghbour

Farther to the south. Ho is solitary and sullen, auvi [ am told fro-

i(uently perishes from Imnger on the barnui rocks ol' thai storilo

couiitry. In a{)pearance the wolf of the north ditfers but little

I'rom those seen in these parts. Their heads are pc^rhaps a little

longer, and their noses sharper. Their teeth are long and horrid

looking. Their enrs are very sharp, and stand up stilfand straight.

The tail in (piito long ami very bushy. They are generally a

pale, yellowish bruwu, and thoir oyoa are a bright dark gruen.
IS

u II *

226

Our North Land.

a1 ?

When huugry — and a atate of intense hunger is its normal con-
dition — the wolf of the north is very dangerous. He will not only
attack natives, but reindeer and the musk-ox, and I am told that
they have even ventured to assault the white bear ; but in this contest
they always suffer defeat. They will eat anything from human
beings down to lizzards, and will devour the flesh of their own kind
with a keen relish. A weak, sickly or wounded wolf is sure to fall
a prey to the sharp teeth of its companions. They are fearfully
ravenous, and if one becomes greatly besmeared with the blood of
the prey that has been devoured, he is instantly attacked and eaten
up by his companions.

The wolves usually hunt in bands, and woe be to the animal that
is unlucky enough to be pursued by n pack of these hungry brutes.
No matter how fleet it may be, it v bt . vertaken and devoured at

last. A great number of
those animals are annually
captured in the far north,
and their skins are of con-
siderable value, always nmr-
kotablc, (U)nuiianding high
prices.

The wolv(>rlno is some-
times called the glutton, and
is noted for its ferocity. Tn appearance it is something like a young
In'ar. It is of a brownish black, its muzzlo'is entirely black as far as
the eyebrows, an<l the space between the eyes is (juitc^ brown. Tiiore
are gen«»rally a few white spots on the un(l<M* jaw. The sides of the
body are tintinl alight brown. The paws are black, the claws of ivory.
IMuvsc claws are highly prized aniong Iho natives. 1 saw an I'^skinio
lady a great beauty in the estinrntion of her people — whoworc* the
claws n\' a wolverines ingeniously lasiened together, with the u])per
ends hid by a tuft ol' fur, as a brooch or ornain(<nt. The skin of the
wolvei'ine coniinnndH a high price, and is much ii\ re(|uest. A great
many are nnnually taken in the Hudson's Hay region.

I havo aln^ady n^lerred to tluM'elebrated ermine, eonitnonly calliMl
the Htoat. It may bo a surprino tu somo tu know that tho ooatly

A WOI.VKUINK.

Fur-Beanng Animals.

227

ermine and the everywhere detested stoat are one and the same.
The stoat, in a warm climate, is a mean-looking reddish weasel-like
animal, a little smaller than a cat, avoided by everyone, but in the
north his fur becomes the softest and the purest cream white, and
the most valuable of all the furs obtained. The change of colour
which takes place by exposure to the cold of the ice and snow-
bound regions of the north is not accomplished by a gradual substi-
tution of white for dark hairs, as was always supposed, but is caused
by an actual whitening of the fur.

The ermine is more or less valuable according to the degree of
cold to which it is exposed. An ordinary Toronto winter would not
render its fur worth anything, while away up, almost to the arctic
circle, where they are often found in great multitudes, their skins
are worth fabulous
prices. The hairs are
of a most delicate
cream white when
completely bleached
by the cold, but the

tip of the tai 1 i.s always ^^PBR!^?^^!^^W«iJBIII^fcHraW*?'^V
black.

As may bo sup-
posod, from the oxtromo delicacy of the skin and groat value of the
fur, the capture of the ermine by the Eskimos and Indians of the
tiorth is attended with groat ililliculty. Tlio traps which are used
l)y Hoino for the piir])oso of catching thtvso little creatures are formed
HO as to kill them withotit bnmking the skin. A good many Jiro also
snared in ♦ho ordinary way. Oni^ is naturally much astonislu^l rt
the great value of these little skins, being, aceortliiig to tluur si/(\
when caught under projjor conditiouH, worth more than the skin of
any other fur-bc^aring aiiinuil in tlio world.

The skins of the polar Itoar and the reindeer — animals that have
been fully noiiood in a previous chapter — an> valuahle iiriioI(\s of
comnuTce at <Jm^ Hudson's May posts of '>e north, and groat lunnbors
ol' thoni, ospooialiy of the latter, are annually exported to lingland,
along with other furs, whore thoy linil a ready market.

TMK KUMINK.

■'1 {1

i ,

1 . '

'■ i'!

Ill

li!

228

Our North Land.

^4t^-i

I must not forget to mention the Oomingncak of the Eskimos, or
the musk-ox, which inhabits the north even up to the seventy-fifth
parallel of north latitude, penetrating the ice-bound regions even
farther than the hardy Eskim js themselves. It is a fleet and active
animal, and traverses the rou jh, uneven plains with such ease that
there is no other animal swift enough to overtake it. It is frequently
dangerous to hunters, often charo-ing upon the daring Eskimo, and
laying him low by one blow from it^-. great horns.

Its long woolly hair falls almost to the ground in every direction,
so that its legs arc nearly altogether concealed, as also its wonderful
head. The horns are extremely large at the base, and form a kind
of shield. They then sweep boldly downward, and are again hooked
upward at the points. The horns of the female are set very widely
apart from the sides of the forehead, and are slightly curved. The
head is entirely covered with long hair, except at the end of the
nose.

Its flesh is strongly perfumed with musk, especially in certain
months of the year, but in the winter season the Eskimo finds it
wholesome and desirable food. It is usually very fat. It is not a
large animal, but the great length of its hair mnkes it appear much
larger than it is. Its colour is a yellowish brown. They roam over
the far northern barrens in hundreds of tho'jsands, and multitudes
are captured annually by Eskimos, their flesh appropriated for food
and their skins brought to the trading stations where they are always
in good demand. For sleigh robes the skin of the musk-ox is prized
higher than that of the well-known buflalo.

The skins of those and other animals that I have not mentioned
are taken in their season by Eskimos and barren-ground Indians
and by the Indians still further to the south, and exchanged for
povvdor, Hhot, tobacco, guns and other necussaries of native life, at
the Htidson's Bay posts, which are scattered along from the coast of
Greenland to the Pacific slope in the far north, and by this means
the fur trade, which has boon going on for upwards of throe cen-
turies, has boon conductod to the groat advantq,ge of the far-famed
Hudson's Hay C\)mpany.

Ah au indication of the volume of tlie fur businoaH, even in these

Fwr-Bearing Animals.

229

days, the following list of the furs collected at Cumberland House
in the winter of 1882 will be interesting :

Bear 372

Ermine 226

Blue Fox 4

Red " 91

Silver" 3

Marten 2,157

Musk-rat 180,791

Skunk 6

Wolf 76

Musk-ox 1

Beaver 4,684

Fiaher 50

Orot,^ Fox 30

White " 332

Lynx 442

Mink 7,790

Otter 424

Wolverine 175

Weenisk 1

I' i

ioned
idians
od for
ifo, at
taHt of
noans
' cen-
fauiuil

I \

1!^:

,;,,

I >:

CHAPTER XXVII.

The Eskimo Inhabitants.

their origin — their country — appearance and dress — dwell-
ings — occupation — implements — food — moral character
— religion — language— population — marrla.ge, courtship,

ETC.

|SK1M0, or Esquimau, is the name applied to that peculiar
people, in widely separated tribes, scattered along the coasts
of the arctic regions of America and Asia. The French
name for these people is Esquimau, or Esquimaux. The
Danish form of the word is Eskimo, or Eskimos, and the latter has
taken the place of the former in general use. The meaning of the
word is " those who eat raw flesh." The name which these people
apply to themselves is " Innuit," or " the people."

The Eskimos are the most widely-spread aboriginal people in the
world. They are unknown in Europe, and are confined to the arctic
coast of America, and to a small portion of the shore of Behring's
Strait in Russian America. In America they are found in broken,
scattered tribes, from east Greenland to the shores of Alaska, never
very far inland from the coast or south of the icy regions. They
thus stretch for much over three thousand miles.

They do not maintain much intercourse with each other, yet the
separate tribes of these people have preserved a common language
and coinuion customs for over a thousand years.

It is conjectured that they originally belonged to America, but at
a very remote ])erio 1. There is also the idea that the Eskimos were
formerly llshing IndiauH, living on the banks of the great rivers
flowing into the arctic sea, fjid were gradually driven seaward by
the more southern Indians, against whom, for some reason, tb jy
maitiUvin, until the present day, a thorough hatred.

4r-

The Eskimo I7ihahitant8.

231

From the western coast of the continent they probably migrated
eastward, finding convenient homes along the lake and river systems
north of the 55th parallel of latitude, and on the shores of Hudson's
Bay and Strait, and finally in Greenland. They are supposed to
have crossed Smith's Sound near Cape Union, They are now in
every part of Greenland, and on both shores of Davis's Strait and
Baffin's Bay, and everywhere on the coasts of Smith's Sound.

They remain for the most part pretty close to the shores. Even
on hunting expeditions they follow closely to some coast. On the
eastern side of the continent they extend southward to the 50th
parallel of latitude, while on the western side they are seldom found
south of the 60th, on the eastern shore of Behring's Strait. On the
shores of Hudson's Bay 55° north latitude is their southern limit.

Throughout this vast domain no other tribes intervene, except
in two places on the western shore, where Kennayan and Uglange
Indians come down to the sea for purposes of fishing. Rink divides
them into the following groups : —

1. The East Greenland Eskimos, few in number, every year
advancing further south.

2. The West Greenland Eskimo, civilized, living under Danish
rule, and extending from Cape Farewell to 74° north latitude.

3. The Arctic Eskimos, living in the neighbourhood of Smith's,
Whale, Murchison's and Wolstenholme Sounds, not, within the mem-
ory of man, having any intercourse with those residing south of them,
They are very isolated, having greatly diminished in numbers of late
years. These Eskimos did not, until very recently, possess the
kayak — skin-covered canoe — the uoniiak, or open skin boat, or the
bow and arrow. They are bold hunters, pagans, and are thoroughly
typical Eskimos. There are at present ..bout three hundred of
these people, and one authority says that they have begun to increase
in numbers again.

4. The Labrador Eskimos, mostly civilized.

6. The Eskimos of the Interior, occupying the coasts on Hudson's
May, Hudson Strait, and westward to Barter Ishind beyond Mac-
kenzie River, inhabiting a stretch of country two thousand miles
long and eight huudred miles wide.

''hW

t :i ,

1 ' !

1 iii

232

Our NoHh Land.

6. The Western Eskimos, from Barter Island to the western
shores of America. These differ somewhat from the others in their
habits and style of dress, and they are allied to certain Indian tribes
in Alaska.

7. The Asiatic Eskimos, different altogether from those of
America, with whom they have no connection whatever.

Of these divisions I will confine myself to those of the Labrador
and the interior of the northern part of the American continent.

First, as to their appearance. They are not a very small race.
Their height is about live feet eight inches or five feet ten inches,
sometimes six feet, but rarel^^ ; but their style of dress makes them
look smaller than they are. Both men and women are muscular
and active, having pleasant, good-natured faces. Sometimes they are
handsome. They are sure to " grin " on the slightest provocation.

Their faces are oval, broad and flat, with fat cheeks. The forehead
is not high, and quite retreating. Their teeth are good, but owing to
the character of their food are worn down to the gums in old age.
Their noses are flat generally, but not always. Their eyes are small,
black, and bright. Their heads are large, and covered with coarse,
black hair, which the women generally keep in braids, or fix up
into a top-knot on their crowns, ana the men clip in front and
allow to fly loose behind. The men have a slight moustache and
insignificant whiskers. The skin, when cleaned A grease and smoke,
is only so slightly brown that red shows readily in the cheeks,
especially of the women and children.

They soon age, and seldom live to be over sixty. Their hands ana
feet are small and well-formed, and as a rule are better looking than
the best of the Indians. Tho men, women and children dress entirely
in skins of the seal, reindoor, boar, dog, and even fox ; but the first
two greatly predominate. The men and women dress much the
same. The jacket of the men has a hood which, in cold weather, is
iised to cover the head, leaving only the face exposed. This jacket
must be drawn on over the head, as it has no opening either in front
or behind. The women's jacket has a fur-lined " amowt," or large
hood, for carrying a child, and a very absurd-looking tail behind,
which is generally trimmed.

The Eskimo Inhabitants.

233

The trousers are usually fastened into the tops of boots well
made from prepared seal-skin. The women's trousers are nearly
always ornamented with eider duck's necks or embroidery of beads, or
other decorations. In the winter they wear two suits of clothes,
boots, trousers, jacket and all, one with the fur out, and the other —
that worn inside — with the fur turned in. They also sometimes
wear shirts of bird-skins, and stockings under their boots of dog or
young reindeer skin, but this is noticeable only in the case of chiefs.

Their clothes, like all other articles of Eskimo manufacture, are
very neatly made, fit perfectly, and are sewn with " sinew-thread "
with a bone needle, if a steel one cannot be had. In person they are
usually filthy, and never wash themselves. The children, when very
young, are sometimes cleaned by being licked with their mother's
tongue before being put into the bag of feathers, which serves them
as bed, cradle and blankets, when they are lucky enough to have
such bags, t^ ay being more generally consigned to the " amowt,"
without clothing of any kind.

In summer the Eskimos live in conical skin tents, and in winter in
half underground huts (igloos) built of stone, turf , earth, etc., entered
by a long tunnel-like passage which can only be traversed on all fours.
Sometimes they erect neat dwellings from blocks of snow, with a
sheet of ice for a window. These are comfortable only in cold
weather. As soon as the soft weather of spring comes they begin to
leak and are deserted.

In their dwellings one will always find the stone lamp, the flames
of which, the wick being of moss, supplied by oil, of which they
generally secure a plenty, serve as fire and light. On one side '^f
the tent is the bed or the lounge where, on innumerable skins of all
kinds, they sleep and lay round day and night. The floor is usually
very filthy, cl)aracterizod often by a pool of blood or the carcase of
a seal.

These tents or huts are always surrounded by a host of wolf-like
dogs. These, in the summer, sleep outside, but in winter in the
huts, or in the passages leading to them, Sometimes one hut or tent
accommodates two or three families, and often oaJu family will have
a dwelling by itself.

■i ! :;"
r

I .Ml

\ ,1

\
i

.. . .

■!■;

■ i-

I I !

i\\

•■ \-

ilil,;

i I

I ii:

I I

:i.

( 1,1

234

Our North Land.

They are exclusively hunters and fishers, and derive nearly the
whole of their subsistence from the sea. They use no vegetables, and
live exclusively upon the flesh of animals and fish. The seal and
other oil-bearing animals, the reindeer, the polar bear, supply them
with food, clothing, fuel and light, and frequently also, when drift-
wood is scarce, the material for various articles of domestic economy.

The shuttle-shaped kayak, covered with hairless seal-skin,
stretched on a wooden frame, is sometimes made on a frame of bones
from the walrus, or horns from the reindeer. I have fully described
the kayak in another part of this volume. The Eskimo in this
kayak is generally covered with a water-proof entrail dress, tightly
fastened round the mouth of the hole in which he sits ; so that, should
the craft overturn, which sometimes happens, not a drop of water
will enter. A skilful kayaker can turn a complete somersault,
kayak and all, through the water.

The umiak is a flat-bottomed skin luggage boat, open at the top,
generally rowed by women. I have seen as many as twenty of these
people, men, women and children, in one of these peculiar vessels,
They have also the sledge, made of two runners of wood or bone,
imited by cross bars tied to the runners by walrus thongs, and
drawn by from four to eight dogs harnessed abreast.

Some of their weapons are specimens of great ingenuity. This is
particularly the case with the harpoon, with the point detachable
after it has struck the seal, narwhal, or white whale. The line to
which the harpoon is fa'Btened, with the inflated seal-skin at the end,
which tires out the prey, besides marking its course, and buoys it up
when dead ; the bird spear, with bladder attached, is a curious con-
trivance ; so also is the rib bow.

They sometimes cook their food, especially wild fowl, but this is
done only on rare occasions, and this in stone kettles over the stone
lamp with an oil fire. They scarcely ever cook the flesh of the oil-
bearing animals, but eat the flesh and drink the oil with a keen relish.
They are enormous eaters. Two Eskimos will dispose of a whole seal
at one meal. They eat no imported food whatever — no vegetables,
Their rations will consist, in scarce times, generally of two and a half
to four pounds of flesh with blubber, and, in season, one pound of fish

'it:

The Eskimo Inhabitants.

235

a day ; but when there is plenty an Eskimo will eat ten pounds of
raw meat in a single day. Often he is scarcely able to move round
from stuffing himself.

They move about from place to place during the fishing and
shooting sisason, following the game in its migrations. They have
no regular or set property, and do not often lay up a large supply of
food. They possess only such utensils as harpoons, spears, kayaks,
dog harnesses, sledges, and frequently guns. If one family is out
of food they share with their neighbours, and are usually very
generous toward each other.

The Eskimos are not a vicious people. Their intelligence is
considerable. In some instances they display not only a taste, but a
talent, for music, chart-making, drawing, and show an abundance
of humour. They are excellent mimics, and are not long to learn the
songs and dances of the white people. They gamble a good deal, but
are moderate. Whatever they have for sale they leave to the pur-
chaser to determine its price. It is affirmed by those competent to
judge that they avoid indecency calculate 1 to give rise to public
offence, but in their private lives their state of morality is low. They
are naturally very honest, but will soon learn to steal, especially
from whites, and lying ip common among them in the same way.

In many places they have become moderately well educated. At
Nain, where there is a partly civilized settlement of over three
hundred, nearly all of sufficient age have learned to read and write
in their own language. They have also made considerable progress
on the east main coast of Hudson's Bay. The syllabic characters used
are the same as those adopted for the Cree and Chippewayan
languages.

Their religious teachers, the missionaries, find them quite ready
to participate in the Sabbath and other services, especially in tho
singing, and to facilitate their worship, hymn, tune, and pfayor-
books have been provided for them. These may be found in use at
tho Moravian mission stations on the northern Labrador, and at
some of the Hudson's Bay stations further to the north and west.
Following is the Lord's Prayer and two well-known Gospel hymns,

, I

; I

i I

^1'
I

\ I

S^l !

236

Our North Land.

" Knocking, Knocking,"
and " Safe in the Arms of
Jesus," in the Eskimo
language : —

45. A'^APOo* />-u?nfc-
Ko-b.

1. a.c.rs ^t.r«,
^'AoKO'* i>LJ« ?

An?Lx?b Ac-'^^^

ixjAix^t^?^

Pc^r ><jr A''K<n«^ Do-VAPrid^.

AxV<«-:><>> A/«LP'«»»tr<pc /<j Xd«
I><<no.jj« <lv=<)c-r!C Ar'LP'5'«^rq<nP«'.
I>fc3«-3«-a^)<3lo« AOolC A«^ndc- A-
-dV<<-»'»5»». ac-bcr'* A^Wo-^-a <a.a-
r-U APbSr AVbapDJC. <rs

THK LOHD's rBAYKB— KSKIHO.

and I am iDclined to think that much of
it )L> unreliable. In his natural state he
has but few, if ary, religious ideas, and

2. Q.£.P«, ?c^>»',

bothers himself with

worship

of no kinc

ridAM Lo->b,
pnje-p« <1 Ui^

71
V

ACwc-^£.l>Vb 2^£_

< <

Ac-^a* jodaJ.

t
k

c c

b fc

46. ANAPno-" ^ w?nk-

I «'

kc*.

L t

1. nvrALtor-jo-

•0

Q. ••

JA<dQ.»^-^m

■»

•M

c ••

Tim HYMN "KNItOKINd, RNOCK.
INO," nu.— KMKIMO.

A. f(Ood dual luiH Ixu n

< <

writton about tluiroli>j[i(m
of the uncivilized Kskinto

WKIMO aYLLAlURIUM.

S <

The Eskimo Inhabitants.

237

whatever; hut hia contact with EuiOpeana has developed a disposition
of worchip and a soirit of religion vague and uncertain in its outline.
It is an error to state that the Eskimos have no chiefs, or
" Uttericks," as they call them. They do not dwell in large settle-
ments, but in every district the number of families dwelling there
submit themselves in many things to the ruling voice and advice of
their chief man, and generally contribute to his support. They are,
however, but little governed, and never go to war with each other,
and seldom quarrel. However, they are not without courage. On the
Coppermine and Mackenzie Rivers, where they sometimes come into
collision with the Indians, they fight fiercely, and are greatly dreaded.
Again, T must correct most writers on the customs of these people
in saying that polygamy is rare among them. All their head men
maintain two or three wives, and it is a sign of importance that a
man supports more than one wife. Moreover, they often separate,
the man finding another wife, and the woman another husband.

Their courtship and marriage is very simple. Parents generally
agree as to the marriage of their children while the latter are yet
very young, and as soon as they grow up to realization, they find
that their matches are made for them. They have only to do a certain
amount of courting, and at a very early ago — say ton or eleven for the
girl, and twelve or thirteen for the boy — they dwell together as man
and wife. There is neither marriage nor burial ceremony. Nothing.
All is simplicity, and very unromantio. Soraotiuum the nmtchoH n< ide
between children by theu parents will not hold good. The children
thus betrothed may grow up to dislike oach other, and in that case
there is no marriage. Tf, however, the girl dislikes the boy, and the
boy is fond of the girl, she will have to sulnnit and become his wife.
The whole Eskiuk ) population of the world is put down at forty
thousand. It is probably less. There are probably not more than
ton thousand between Cape (yhidley on the north Atlantic and
Alaska; eertaiidy not over fifteen thousand.

In the narrative of the movoment'S of the iludnoii's Hay lOxpcvU-
tion I 1iAV(« iii.'Mle many observations on the lludson Strait MHkiinon,
which, not boin,j repeated bore, ought to bo road in connection with
this brief sketch,

*[i^

i liH

1 1

■Ij '

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Navigation of Hudson's Bay and Strait.

Wli

THE DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION OF HUDSON S BAY — HUDSON
STRAIT — THE TIDAL AND OTHER CURRENTS — WINDS AND WIND-
STORMS — METEOROLOaiCAL DATA — FOQS — TEMPERATURE OF THE
AIR, ETC.

'HE first occupation of tlie shores of Hudson's Bay, although
^ shrouded in considerable uncortain</, was accomplished by
means of the navigation of Hudson Strait. It is claimed
^ that the Cabots discovered the mouth of the Strait in 1497,
but this is di,sput(Hl by those who hold that neither of the brothers
ascended a higher latitude than the northern shores of Newfoundland.
The French claim to have discovered Hudson's Strait in 1504,
through some of their adventuroiis fishermen, and a French work
sets up this claim as far back as 1(171 ; and although recent writers
disercMlit it I have not seen any evidence to overthrow it, and am
inclined to believe it to be W(>ll founded.

Of course the first authentic record wo have of the discovery and
oxphnalion of the Hay and Strait tells of the daring and unfortunate
adventures of Henry Hudson, who, on t\w lOth of Ai)ril, 1010, sailed
in the ship Discoverie, nnd passed tlirough the Strait, and across
the waters of the Hay. The waters of the iatt<»r received his body
in keeping until the resurrection, and both will throughout all time
b(<ar his name.

The sad story of his fate n\ay bt> brietly related. Aft»>r gaining
entrance through the Strait, in 1(110, he and his crew wintennl on
the shores of .Iam«^s' Hay, and in Mm> spring of Mil I, while on their
way north, probably in tlu> vicinity of liitth> Whale llivnr, on the
east main coast, Hudson, his Hon, and sovun uf his mon, wuro, owing

Navigation of Hudson's Bay and Strait.

331)

to a mutiny, placed in a shallop and sent adrift. It was on a fine
midsummer day. Their fate is unknown. They wore never heard
of afterwards.

The guilty crew suffered great hardships before reaching home,
some of their number having fallen victims to the Eskimos, made
furious by their indiscretions. The bodies of such of the Discoverie's
crew as fell into the hands of the natives were eaten by them, it is
said, on the Digges Island, near Cape Wolstonhome. We visited the
island this summer, but there were no Eskimos residing there,
but v*e found evidence of their previous occupation. There is a
good anchorage — the same, probably, occupied by the Discoverie in
1611, while her crew were on shore in search of game to prevent
starvation. There is a tradition among the Eskimos that on account
of this unfortunate transaction which occurred on the island, it is
bad luck to reside there, and for that reason it has been deserted for
centuries. Dr. Bell pronounced the ovidoiiceH of habitation wo mot
with on the island as indicating an occupancy of more than two
centurios ago.

ThoHo of tho Discoverio's crow who were fortunate onougli to
e-'capo tho indignant Eskimos succoodod in reaching Eiii<klan(l, whore
the ship liad boon llttod out by a company of Englisli morchants.
Tho sanio company at once o(|uipp(Ml anothor expedition with two
vessels callod tho Kosoluto and tho J)iscovori(s and Captain (aftorwards
Sir) ThotiiHH Button was a])p()intod to tho conunand. Sir 'IMioinas
passod through tho Strait, across tho Hay, and onterod tho Nolson
Rivor, whoro ho wintered during 1(512-13.

Sir Thomas Button has loft his name in Hudson's Strait to com-
memorati^ th(> succoss of Ids oxpodition, tho ishinds -Button Islands,
off Oape (yhidU^y — being caUoil aft«M' him. I shouhl nitiutioii hero
that those expeditions, and tlioso that loUowod, wore for tho |.urpaso
of <lisc(»V('ring anorth-wost passage. SirThonjasroturn(>«l to l']nghui<l
in 1013, when anothor oxptMlition was fitted out. which loft for
Hudson Strait in Kil-Kconnnandod by (^aptain ( Gibbons. Ilodid not
suooood. Missing i\w ontranco to tito Strait he returned tht^ same
year.

Now Heems tu follow a blank in tlie north-west passage business

^:1P

t I

il.it

I I

\\\')

240

Our North Land.

! I ■

' i

1 1

I '

until 1(531, when Captain Fox, the same who gave his name to the
well-known Fox Channel, found his way in the Charles into Hudson's
Pay, and made somewhat extensive examinations of the north and
west shores. He also entered the Nelson River. On his return in
August he fell in with Captain James with the Mary, who was also in
search of the supposed passage. The latter mu.st have expected to
find the passage, for he carried letters of introduction from Charles
the First to the Japanese Emp-^ror.

Again follows a period in which there seems to have been nothing
done to further the north-west passage enterprise. " In 1632 peace
was concluded between the English and French, and by the treaty
of St. Germain-en- Laye, New Franco was relinquished to the French
without any particular designation of its limits. The provisions of
the Treaty of 1632 seem to have been respected for a period of thirty-
six years, when in 1008 the next English expedition entered the
Bay, which was the first trading voyage ever made by British
subjects, and which resulted in the formation of the Hudson's Bay
Con>pany, and the grant of the charter two years after. In saying
this was the first purely commercial enterprise of the British in
Hudson's Bay, it is to bo understood that the previous enterprises
wore undertaken with the definite object alone of reaching th«^
Pacific."*

A Frenchman named Jean Bourdon made a voyage into Hudson's
Bay in IGoO, but whether or not his expedition was purely com-
mercial, or in the hope of discovering the pasHago through to the
Pacific, does not appear. Some writers claim that the voyage waa
never made, b\it 1 fail to find the claim disproved.

The expedition of 1608, to which Mr. Boll refers, was of more
than ordinary importance, and marks the beginning of an era in the
history of Hudson's Bay. The expedition was purely commoroial,
and was undertaken by the English at the suggestion of two French
('anadiatiH named Do Qrozolier and lladisHim. Tlieso enterprising
(Canadians had already beenengageil in the fur triule of the Hudson's
Bay rrgion, but the French (lovernment refused to give them oxchi-

• B«n*i ••NorthtrnWftton."

,0 the
ison's
1 and
irii in
ilso in
;ed to
harles

3thing

peace
treaty
French
ions of
thirty-
ed the •
British
I's Bay

saying
tish in

rpriscs

ng th*^

idson'w
coni-
to the
jjo waa

nioro
in the
kiorcial,
[('rench
brining
lidHon's
I oxclu-

Navigation of Hwiaon's Bay and Strait.

241

sive privileges. Hence they went to England and succeeded in
interesting English capitalists. The expedition was placed under
t le command of Capt. Gillraan.

Now, from this movement, can be traced the first beginning of
the Hudson's Bay Company, and the competition between French
and English fur traders, resulting in a bitter warfare. Forts were
soon erected, and annual voyages became a matter of course. It is
not my purpose, however, to write a history of the Hudson's Bay
Company, nor to give an account of the wars between their outposts
atid rival traders. From the date of Gillman's expedition to the
present day,with some few interruptions, vessels have passed between
the mother country and the trading posts on the shores of Hudson's
Bay by moans of which a regular traffic has been kept up. This
shows that for a certain season each year the navigation of Hudson's
Bay and Strait has boon utilized for more than two centaries, with
a regularity that furnishes no insignificant recommendation of the
route.

There are throe entrances to Hudson Strait from the north
Atlantic, viz. : that between Capo Chidley and the Button Islands,
five or six miles wide ; that, the main channel, between those islands
and Uosolution Island, about forty-live miles wide ; and Uiat between
Kosolntion an(' the north main coast, about ton ntiles wide. Tins first
is called (Iroy Strait, and the latter Gabriel Strait. Those are the
narrowest channels, ex(;ept at the western extremity, where Not-
tingham, Salisbury and Mill Islands divide the Strait into four
channels. The main one, and that usually travelled betwo(»n Not-
tingham and (/ape Wolstonho'nie, orC^apo Diggos, is about thirty-five
or forty miles wide; that between Nottingham and Salisbury is not
more than twelve miles wide ; that between Salisbury and Mill,
about tlie same ; and that between Mill and the north main coast
(Kox Land) probably fifto(\n miles. Kxcopt at the points nanu«l,
and excepting also between North Blul! and Cape Prinoo of Wales,
in the centre of the Strait where the distance is about sixty-five
miles, tlie width of Hudson Strait in over one hundn^d milen.

At the entrance from the North Atlantic the water is very deep,

over three hundred fathoms in the centre of the Strait. The shores
It

. W. !

M'Hn

,i r
I

i I

'I'

ill

'
i

iih

242

Our North Land.

on both sides throughout are high, rugged and barren, with deep
waters close to the cliffy, rock-bound coast. As you proceed west-
ward toward Hudson's Bay the water becomes shallower. In the
centre of the Strait, say between Cape Prince of Wales and North
Bluff, it is a little less than two hundred fathoms, while at the
western end, in the centre of the channel between Nottingham
Island and the south shore, it is less than one hundred fathoms,
while between Nottingham and Salisbury it is not twenty-five
fathoms. The average depth of the water in Huddo" s Bay is about
eighty fathoms, except in the southern portion, wheiC it does not
much exceed sixty.

The distance from Capo Chidley, at the eastern end of the Strait,
to Cape Digges at the western end, is about four hundred and fifty
r"'les ; the distance from ('ape Digges across the Bay to Churchill
Karbour is not more than five hundred and fifty miles, and that from
Cape Digges to the mouth of the Nelson is about the same. The
whole distance, therefore, from Churchill, or York, to the borders of
the North Atlantic at Caj)P Chidley is one thousand miles, or a little
less, and not thirteen or fourteen hundred miles as has been previ-
ously stated.

In discu.ssing the <|uestion of the navigation of the Bay and
Strait, wo must consider the currents, the fogs, the winds and
storms, the character of the ice, the temperaf iro of the air and water,
the depth of the water, absence or presence of dangerous reefs,
rocks, etc., etc.

I should say that the currents met with between Cape Chidley
and Churchill are the tides, the general How of the waters towards
the ocean, and that ])ortion of the arctic curnmt flowing southward
through Vox duinnel. The tidal current runs at the rate of from
five to eight miles an hour, according to location ; and in narrow
channels along the coast, through islands, and at the mouth of the
rivers it isofteji hard to overcome. For instance, in entering Clnirchill
Harboi'r at half «'lib-tide,a current is met with in which full steam
jK)Wor is requii'ed to make headway.

The general moviMue'it of the watiMs from the west towards the
}ivvi\\ Atlantic, by wliich the vost territory through which the

Navigation of Hudson's Bay and Strait.

243

Hudson Bay system of rivers runs is drained, is scarcely perceptible.
No doubt the tidal records kept at the observing stations will show
less time occupied by the incoming tide than is consumed by the
outflow. The flood current, under the pressure of this general
easterly trend, will naturally come to rest sooner than the ebb
current, which, on the other hand, will be slightly prolonged by it.

There is a cold cuirent coming down Fox Channel into Hudson
Strait, bringing with it, in some seasons, avast volume ot heavy ice.
This is carrit d southward betweeii Mill, Salisbury and Nottingham
Islands, and far away to the south shore at Cape Wolstenholme, and
easterly or westerly according to the winds. The Atlantic entrance
to the Strait is also slightly attected by the main arctic or Labrador
current, which, coming down from Baffin's Jiayand Davis Sti Itwitli
great force, finds its way into the Strait when the tidal current is
favourable. By this current, when easterly winds prevail, the
v'ntrance to the Strait is sometimes partly blocked with ice from
Bartin's Bay.

The rise and fall of the tide (springs) in Hudson Strait is from
oighteon to thirty-five feet according to location, and future investi-
gation may discover })laces where it is nmch greater. At North
BluH', half-way through the Strait, and on the north main coast, it
is thirty-two foot. Following is the record of the tide guago at that
point from five o'clock a.m. until five p.m., on the 20th of Sej)tember
last, with flood tide, at forty minutes past oigiit a.m. : —

1:1.

I M

i I

Ii n '

:h.fr

i!i

ill

244

Our North Land.

TIDAL RBOORD, NORTH BLUFF, HUDSON STRAIT, LAT. 62° 32' 44" NORTH,

LONG. 70° 45' 15" WEST.

Feet.

5:00 a.m., 12*0 above zero, rising.

5:30

140

6:00

20-3

6.80

23-8