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K'OIB liALf^ FIJ^JM .Af4$" tSfc .i**' »•' 1 1 : fj; i 1 ^ ^M 1 l: LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX : A NARRATIVE OF ARCTIC EXPERIENCE IN SEARCH OF SURVIVORS OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN'S EXPEDITION. St CAPTAIN CHARLES FRANCIS HALL, OF THE WHALING BARQUE "OEORaK HENRY," FROM MAY 29, 1860, TO SEPTEMBER 13, 1862. POPULAR EDITION. COLOURED ILLUSTRATIONS, AND ONE HUNDRED WOOD CUTS. ^ LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, SON, AND MAESTON, MILTON HOUSE, LUDQATE HILL. ^ 1866. ti 186741 „ :<0- „ I n. I . PREFACE, i Uepore this book passes from the writer's hands into those of the reader, the author will be once more among the ice of the arctic regions. Though the last page of manuscript was written on the morning of his embarkation, the work itself has been no hasty one. He returned nearly two years ago from the expedition which he has endeavoured to describe. Almost every hour since then, which could be spared from the arrangements for his second expedition, has been devoted to the preparation of these volumes from his voluminous journal and notes taken on the spot. Before dismissing the work, however, from his liands, he wishes to say a few words by way of explanation of certain matters connected with his explorations. The reader will perhaps wonder why so much importance was given to the discovery of the Frobisher relics. He answers, partly because of the interest which attached itself to the remains of men so long ago left in that waste land ; but partly, too, because the discovery of these remains, and the tracing of their history .among the Esquimaux, confihned, in a remarkable manner, his belief that these people retain among them, with great positiveness, the memory of important and strange incidents; and as their traditions of Frobisher, when the author was able to get at them, were so clear, he is persuaded that among 3 "5 VI PREFACE. them may be sought, by one competent, with every chance of complete success, the sad history of Sir John Franklin's men. To make himself competent for this more interesting and important research, the author patiently acquired the language and familiarized himself with the habits of the Esquimaux, and he now returns to their country able to speak with them, to live among them, and to support his life in the same manner that they do theirs ; to migrate with them from place to place, and to traverse and patiently explore all the region in which it is reasonable to suppose Franklin's crew travelled and perished. The two intelligent Esquimaux, Ebierbing and Too- koolito, who accompanied the author on his return home, after remaining with him for two years, go back with him on this second voyage. The author enters upon tMs imdertaking with lively hopes of success ; he will not, like most previous explorers, set his foot on shore for a few days or weeks, or, like others, journey among men whose language is unintelligible : but he will again live for two or three years among the Esquimaux, and gain their confidence, with the advantage of understanding the language, and of making all his wishes known to them. The author cannot close without offering his thanks to the Artists for the beautiful and accurate drawings made by them, under his o"V7n eye, from his rough sketches ; and to the Engravers and Printers for their constant forbearance in the trouble he gave them, unaccustomed as he was to literary labours, yet anxious to obtain the utmost exactness in his narrative. ' C. F. H. m .# I) ■"ii TOOKOOLITO, C. F. HALL, Ai^D EBIEBBINO ^"^ ^ 1^" ^>. LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. INTRODUCTIOK As this book is to be a work of narrative and adventure, and not one of argument and discussion, I shall touch but very lightly upon those subjects which might lead to the latter, while I endeavour to give as much variety and as much fulness of detail as possible to the former. That argument and discussion may arise from portions of what I advance is very probable ; but, if so, it will be bettor to enter upon such in another form than this. Eeaders very naturally expect to be entertained, as well as, perchance, instructed in what a voyager or traveller puts before them. Long, prosy dissertations are seldom wanted. All that most people require is a truthful report of personal doings in strange lands, and a faithful record of incidents, discoveries, and interesting events connected with them. Such, then, is the task I have taken in hand, with the hope that a ready excuse will be granted for all those imperfections necessarily consequent upon the mode and manner of toy carry- ing on the work in which I was engaged. I pledge myself as to the literal accuracy of what I state, and my readers will be able to see, as they move onward with me through my narrative, how difficult it was — alone, and with no other jjair of hands, no other mind, no other thought, sense, or perception but my own — to record, day by day, the occurrences that came under my eye. In addition to this, I had to make all the observations — scientific, geographical, and otherwise — by myself, and this, too, with a knowledge self-acquired, and with instruments so few , and most of them so imperfect, till rectified by myself, that my labours were increased many fold. Thus, in the following pages, B f i I ii \t¥ i'U 2 INTRODUCTION. let truth, variety of incident, and a faithful report of discovery and adventure be alone expected. Elegance of style and diction must not he sought for. As it wOl he well to avoid, as much as possible, breaking in upon the thread of my narrative elsewhere, I here give some particulars as to the cause of my embarking on a voyage to the Arctic Seas. It is well known that, for many years past, the whole civilized world has had its interest attracted toward the polar regions in consequence of the lamentable fate of the Franklin Expedition. The labours of Great Britain to discover what had become of her lost children, and the sums of money devoted to that pur- pose (no less than 2,000,000^. sterling), stand unparalleled in past history. Nor was Amerid^ behindhand in the generous and humane work. That the missing navigators belonged not to her made no difference. The one general feeling was the same with reference to a desire for participating in the search after those who, having perilled themselves in devotion to science and the good of mankind, had become as brothers to us all. Hence the banner of Columbia floated to the breeze of an Arctic clime, side by side with England's proud flag, in the noble errand of humanity, for which a goodly fleet of some twenty vessels had been sent forth ! Of the many bright names already chronicled for their generous deeds in connexion with those arctic explorations, need I say that none stand more conspicuous than that of Henry Grinnell 1 What he and others have done is so familiar to all men who know anything of this matter, that I need not reca- pitulate what has been so often told ; but I cannot let pass the mention of that one name here without expressing the warm emotions of my own heart. ' Henry Grinnell has been to me, as he has shown himself to all who were at work in the Franklin search, a true and noble friend. To him I feel more than ordi- narily indebted. He not only helped me in my undertaking, but he has cheered me on, and spoken words of comfort and bright hope when my soul was often nearly overwhelmed. The memory of his generous kindness frequently sustained and helped to invigorate me anew, when wearied and exhausted in the wild regions I have lately been exploring. May every blessing, there- fore, attend him and his, is my earnest and grateful prayer. , As to the search for Franklin and his brave comrades, who has not heard of its fruitless residt ? Money and means ex- pended without success ! Large ships and small ships, in magni- ficent expeditions, sent out vainly as to the recovery of those '' i / Ni(! . i y i ' I." '! ! '.' * * INTRODUCTION. 8 lost ! True, some discoveries were made, and certain "elics and information brought to England by Dr. Kae in 1854, which gave a clue as to where the missing navigators could have been found ; but not until Captain M'Clintock, of the British Navy, in the spring of 1859, visited Boothia and King William's Land, was anything for certain known. Then, at last, we were positively assured of the locality where these martyrs to science had been, when, as a discovered document proved, the ships were abandoned, and the majority of the crews had taken to the shore. This oc- curred in April, 1848, and 105 men, as we are told, under com- mand of Captains Crozier and Fitzjames, landed at a given spot, with a view of making their escape, if possible, toward their native home. What became of them, except two skeletons found in a boat, and one other near the beach, has not yet been known. Supposition alone has induced the world to believe them all dead ; and, despite proof upon proof, from facts, expe- rience, and sound logical reasoning to the contrary, the Govern- ment of England, and British naval officials, witi^ some eminent exceptions, have discarded all idea of farther search, though the truth could now so easily be obtained, and the grouLd to explore so small and comparatively so easy of access ! I will not trouble the reader now with my reasons for making these statements, based, as they are, upon some years of careful study and examination of all that has been said and written upon the subject. Let me here briefly mention why I myself, with no previous experience, and no past history of my own to help me, took it up as I have done. In one word, then, it seemed to me as if I had been called, if I may so speak, to try and do the work. My heart felt sore at the thought of so great a mystery in connexion with any of our fellow-creatures, — especially akin to ourselves, — yet remaining unsolved. Why coiUd not their true fate be ascertained ? Why should not attempts be made, again and again, until the whole facts were properly known? Captain (now Sir F. L.) M'Clintock, in 1857-9, had gone forth once more to seek for some elucidation of this mystery, but still I felt that something more might yet be attempted toward co-operating with that brave officer. It was already known that his vessel, the Fox, had been caught in the ice and delayed a whole year. It was possible that she might still not be able to get through to her destination, and therefore I fancied the work could be more effectually done by an independent expedition proceeding in some other direction, afterward to join with M'Clintock, if need be, in his task. Aq- B 2 m It 1 1 4 INTRODUCTION. • cordingly, I conceived an idea that perhaps the Britisli Govern- ment woiikl lend, for a new American expedition, the arctic ship Hesolute, which, having been abandoned in tlio ice, had drifted out, and was picked up in 1855 by Captain James Budington, of New London, who brought her to the States, where she was completely refitted at our national expense, and returned as a generous gift, in amity and good will, to England. I Lad heard that she was afterward dismantled, and laid up as a hulk in the Eiver Medway, and I thought it possible she might now be loaned to us for another attempt to be made under the American flag. A printed petition to the British authorities was got up and signed by S. P. Chase, (then Governor of Ohio), U.S. Senator George Pugh, and Mayor Bishop, of Cincinnati ; but, before other names were attached to send it to England, M'Clintock re- turned with news of what he had discovered. Wliat tliis ,vas the civilized world is well acquainted with. He had obtained a few facts, but still left the matter very mysterious ! That it could have been otherwise was almost impossible by such a hurried and cursory examination of the ground as he made in spring, when the land is clothed in its winter's dress. !N"or could he obtain much knowledge of the truth by a few casual inter- views with detached parties of Esquimaux, through an interpreter who he himself says, " did not well understand them.'' No ; neither M'Clintock nor any other civilized person has yet been able to ascertain the facts. But, though no civilized persons knew the truth, it was clear to me that the Esquimaux were aware of it, only it required peculiar tact and much time to induce them to make it known. Moreover, I felt convinced that survivors might yet be found ; and again I said to myself, Since England has abandoned the field (I did not then know there were any fresh efforts in that country to renew the search), let 5we, an humble citizen of the United States, try to give to my . -country the gloiy of still continuing it, and perchance succeed in accomplishing the work. Accordingly, after mature considera- tion, I determined to make the effort. But how ? what were my means ? what the facilities for reaching the coveted goal of my ambition ? Cincinnati, where I then resided, was in a highly civilized part of the world, where ready transit from one place to another could be obtained ; King William's Land, where I wanted to go, was in the uncivilized and distant regions of the frozen North ! What was I to do ? give it up 1 Perhaps many would .say, as some did say, " Yes, what have you to do with it ? why does it concern you 1 Away with the idea ! " But not so ; my INTRODUCTION. convictions woro strong, and I could not resist the desire upon me. I determined, th(!rofore, to try ; and, first of all, get what means were in my power, then find a way. Many beft)re mo liad accomplished much in the world upon as slight a foundation as that of mine. What, then, was to hinder my making the at- tempt 1 Courage and resolution were all that I needed ; and though some persons might not concur in the wisdom or pru- dence of my effort, still, as my mind was upon it, try it I would, and try it I did. I need not enter upon all the many difficulties I encountered. These fall to the lot of every man who essays to try his hand at something new, and especially so if ho starts on a path trodden without success before him. But difficulties sharpen the wit and strengthen the mind. The experience of my native land was before me in proof of what man could accomplish ; and I can now safely say that, though the obstacles in my way were many and great, I finally succeeded in overcoming them. How I surmounted those difficulties and started upon my voyage can- not be told at any length here. Suffice it that I began in Cin- cinnati by mentioning my hopes and wishes, and laying my plans before several of the leading men and other persons well known in that city. I also wrote a letter to Mr. George Peabody, of London, stating that, in the event of my not succeeding in any other way to reach the arctic regions, I would attempt it overland by the great Fish River. This, however, was only an idea formed in case I could not get a ship of my own, or a con- veyance in one by the sea route. On the 8th of February, 1860, I issued a circular, to which were attached upward of thirty signatures, and among them were the names of W. Dennison, Governor of Ohio ; of the mayor, R. M. Bishop; of Miles Greenwood; Senator Chase; several other persons of note ; and Thomas Hickey, who was with Kane on the second Grinnell expedition. Mr. Hickey sent me a letter which, from its value as the opinion of one competent to judge, deserves notice. I here give an extract from it bearing upon my own ideas. He says : — " During the residence of our party in the arctic regions, we experienced many severe trials ; but, I must say, the major part of them emanated from our mode of living. When w^e lived as Esquimaux, we immediately recovered and enjoyed our usual health. If Providence had so ordered it that we should not find our way back to civilization, but should cast our lot with Esq d- maux, I have no doubt we would have lived perhaps quite as ; - i it 1,1!^^ Er |i INTRODUCTION. lonj(, and in quito aa pfood lioiilth, ns in tho TTnitod fitatos or England. Hud wo lost our (!oninmntI(T, I (lontidt^ntly Im^Hcsvo not one of onr (jxpodition would havo rciturnud. Our country- men might havo conio to uh, but wo could not havo como to thoni. White mm can live where Esquimaux can, and fre- quently where and when tluiy cannot. This 1 know hy expe- rience " Lifctlo did I think, on returning to tho United States with my companions and beloved commandin", that I wouhl over again go to tho north; but believing, on my aoul, from a practi in relations with the community of Esquimaux known to congre- gate at that point. I will there and then decide, by the circum- stances, whether to winter at Igloolik, return to Northumberland Inlet, or proceed southward on the east coast of Melville Penin- sula to Winter Island, or to push my way directly westward across the Gulf to Boothia, to Victoria Harbour. " During the winter and early spring, sledge-journeys will be undertaken with a view of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the country. " When at Northumberland Inlet and other places, I shall carefully examine into the facilities for travelling, so as to decide upon the most practicable course to pursue in my efforts to satis- factorily and truthfully determine the history of the Franklin Expedition. " To extend this undertaking to a favourable conclusion will require the assistance of my fellow-countrymen. " This voyage is one I am about to make for the cause of humanity and science — for geographical discovery, and with the sole view of accomplishing good to mankind." Shortly afterwards, Messrs. Williams and Haven, of New London, sent me the following most kind and generous pro- posal : — " As a testimony of our personal regard, and the interest we feel in the proposed expedition, we will convey it and its required outfits, boats, sledges, provisions, etc., free of charge, in the barque George Henri/, to Northumberland Inlet, and whenever desired, we will give the same free passage home in any of our ships." This generous offer relieved my mind of a great difficulty, and most gratefully I accepted their kind proposition. Having thus far succeeded in opening the way, I now gave directions for a suitable boat to be built. Mr. G. W. Eogers, of New London, who had built the boats for the expeditions under De Haven, Kane, and Hartstene, was commissioned to build mine. Its dimensions were as follows : length, 28 feet ; beam, 7 feet ; depth, 29^ inches ; and thick- ness of her planking, which was of cedar, seven-eighths of an ince. In form she was similar to a whale-boat, drawing only eight inches of water when loaded with stores and a crew of six persons. She had one mast, on which a jib and main-sail could be carried ; a heavy awning to shelter the crew at night or when at rest ; and the lockers for stores at each end were sufficiently large that a man could, if need be, comfortably sleep i i'- M M f- 10 INTRODUCTION. in either of them. Five oars, and all other essentials, formed a portion of her equipment. The sledge I took was made under my own eye in Cincinnati, as also a stock of pemmican. I now returned to the West for the purpose of settling my affairs and preparing for departure. The press gave a friendly notice of my intentions ; and a circular was issued by Mayor Bishop and Miles Greenwood, inviting my fellow-citizens to meet me at the Burnet House. This meeting took place on the 26th of April, and I was much gratified with its auspicious character. Soon after this (on May 10th), I bade adieu to my home and friends — to all of human ties that I held dearest to my heart, and departed for New York. Here I devoted the remaining time to various matters connected with my departure, constantly receiving advice and assistance from Mr. Grinnell. Finally, on Saturday evening, May 26th, I left for New London to join the George Henry. The funds for my expedition were, however, so low, that I found myself sadly deficient in many things that were almost absolutely necessary. But, at the last moment, when this was knoAvn to Mr. Grinnell, he unhesitatingly supplied the deficiency. On the 29th of May, accompanied by Mr. Grinnell and several citizens of New London, I stepped from the wharf, amid a crowd of friendly spectators, and entered the boat that v/as to convey me on board. A few strokes of the oars, how- ever, had only been made, when we returned at the voice of Mr. Haven hailing us. It was to give me a present, in the shape of a little book called " The Daily Food," which, though small in size, was great in its real value, and which proved my solace and good companion in many a solitary and weary hour. Once more bidding adieu to all on shore, the boat swiftly carried me to the ship, where preparation was being made for departure. In a few moments more the steam-tug was alongside, and we were towed out to sea. Then came the final moment of parting. The last farewell had to be uttered — the one word that w^as to sever me for many months, perhaps years, from my country, my home, my friends ! Never shall I forget the emotions I experienced when the noble Grinnell came to take my hand and say, " Good-bye ! God bless you ! " Hardly could I respond to his kind and earnest expressions towards me and on my behalf. With warm but trembling utterance, this truly great and good man spoke of the brave old navigators, and of those of our own times, who had often dared the perils of unknown seas, rel}iiig t n P b G n( to he ne nilViJll ''ijp.'i! ■'' INTRODUCTION. 11 on their own stout hearts, it is true, but depending more on the aid and support of a Supreme Power. He bade me ever do the same, and commending me to that Mighty Being, he once more, with moistened eye, said " Farewell ! " and hastily emberked on the tug that was to convey the visitors on shore. The last link binding me to my own dear native h.vA was now severed. The steamer cast off as we were passing Montauk Point, and then there arose one deafening shout from those on board, when three loud cheers were given for the name of Henry Grinnell ; and, as the echoes floated on the air, our good ship, now under sail, bore me rapidly away. Thus I left my country to try and accomplish that object upon which I had set my heart — namely, the solving of the yet unsettled mystery con- nected with the LOST Franklin Expedition. J w f HI oBt if ly or of lat I rn i H I fT CHAPTER I. Departure — "Rescue" Schooner — Nwnes of Crcv) — Outfit — Seasickness— Sight of Whales — William Sterry — Banks of Newfoundland — Storm at Sea ^* Sulphur Bottoms" — The first Iceberg — The Danish Brig " Marianc" — — Death and Burial of Kudlago — Halihnt and Codfish— First Meeting with Esquimaux— Native Pilots — Eprahim's Pants— Midnight Sun — Arrival at Holsteinhorg. It was on Tuesday, May 29th, 1860, that I departed from New London, Conn., on my voyage in the harque George Henry. "We were accompanied by a tender, the Amaret schooner, for- merly the far-famed " Rescue " of arctic celebrity — a name that I intend to retain in speaking of her throughout my narrative. The officers and crews of these two vessels numbered in all twenty-nine persons ; my expedition consisted of Kudlago and myself, thus making a total of thirty-one souls leaving New London. As I shall have frequent occasion to mention some of the ship's company by name, I here give a list of them and their rating on board. List of Officers caid Crew. S. 0. Budington Frank Rogers A. J. Gardiner Reuben Lamb Robert Smith C. Keeney E. "W. Morgan A. Bailey . . W. F. Roberts "W.R. Sterry. J. R. Hudson Geo. Beckwith R, A. Comstock H. Smith Captain. 1st Officer. 2d „ 3d „ 4th „ Boat-stcerer. / Blacksmith \ and Cooper. Steward. Seaman. A. S.Bradley J. B. Neil . J. Buckley . S. Willson . W. B. Russell J. Gray . . W. Stokes . W. Conley . W. Ellard . M. Silva . W. Johnson J. Bruce J. Antonio . F. Silva . . J. Brown . Seaman. My outfit for this voyage, and for this whole of my expe- dition, consisted of — SEA-SICKNESS. 13 The boat, already described ; 1 sledge ; 4 ton of pemmican ; 200 lbs. Borden's meat biscuit; 20 lbs. "Cincinnati cracklings —^wr^- scraps; ] lb. preserved quince ; lib. preserved peaches ; 250 lbs. powder; a quantity of ball, shot, and percussion caps ; 1 rifle ; 6 double-barrelled guns, covers, and extra fittings, one Colt's revolver comjdete ; glass beads, a quantity of needles, etc. for presents to the na,tives ; 2 dozen pocket-knives and choppers ; some tin-ware, 1 axe, 2 picks, files, etc. ; a good supply of tobacco and pipes ; wearing apparel for self, and red sliirts for preser.ls ; a supply of stationery and journal books, etc. ; 1 common watch ; 1 opera- glass ; 1 spy-glass ; 1 common sextant and 1 pocket sextant ; 1 artificial horizon, with extra glass and mercury; 1 azimuth compass; 1 common compass ; 2 pocket compasses ; 3 ordinary thermometers and two self- registering ones. Some navigation books and several arctic works, with my Bible and a few other volumes, formed my library. This list, with a few sundries, constituted all the means and material I had to carry out the great undertaking my mind had led me to emhark in. How far I accomplished aught commen- surate with the ideas I had formed, let the sequel show ; but, even had I wholly failed, assuredly it would have been excusable under such circumstances. With regard to myself personally, now that the excitement of preparation was over, and I had time to think more and more of my task, a reaction took place, which produced that depression of mind always to be found in similar cases. This was soon increased by the horrible sensation of sea-sickness which I experienced for several days after our departure. Wliat my feelings were may be judged by the following extracts from an irregular diary, the only work I could at that time perform. Writing on the hfth day out, I find myself saying, " More miserable days than these past few have been to me it would be difficult to imagine. And why ? Because of sick- ness — sea sickness. And what is sea-sickness ? Can any one tell unless they have experienced it ? I imagine not ; nor, per- haps, can many describe it who have come under its infliction. I know that / cannot well do so. I have felt myself swung, tumbled, jammed, knocked, struck, rocked, turned, skewed, slewed, warped, pitched forward and backward, tossed up and down, down and up, tliis way and that way, round and round, crossways and kit-a-cornered, in every possible manner. On the ocean, fresh from civilized life, this may be called seasickness, but elsewhere I should term it next to a torturous death ! !No more terrible experience can a man have of life upon the broad waters than his first few days at sea when thus attacked." I ii Again, at a later date I find, of it — ill nearly since we left ; and " A miserable time I have had now, as I write, my head is '^■# 14 1 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. like a mountain of solid rock. Sea-sickness is really too bad, especially after eating, or trying to eat, a good dinner." An ancient philosopher, on reviewing his work at the end of each day, and finding no special good acquired or accomplished, used to write down in his diary, " Perdidi diem" — I have lost a day. Alas for me, I had to repeat that in my journal for twelve days ! It is true that several times I recorded the temperature of the air and sea, the state of the barometer, and made \ arious other observations whenever the weather would permit, but, nevertheless, so powerless did I feel for mental or bodily work, that at the end of each day I felt compelled to enter down as a sad but truthful fact, ^^ Perdidi dkm." At length I quite re- covered, and on the 9th of June, for the first time since leaving port, I felt as a man should feel, once more strong and capable of any exertion. I soon began to classify my labours, devoting so many hours to reading, to study, to writing, exercise, reflection, and sleep. As my buoyancy of spirits arose, and I watched the good ship bounding on her wa} over the sparkling waters, everything seemed full of life and animation. The Giver of all good was supreme upon the blue ocean as He was upon the shore. Even the " Mother Carey's chickens " — the little stormy petrels — sportively played about, no doubt happy in their way, as they danced up and down, slightly dipping the tips of their wings in the uneven Avaves, and then hieing away to absent mates, that they might be brought to greet the passing ship. About a week after our departure, the cry was raised, " There she blows ! there she blows ! " and, hurrying on deck, I for the first time saw at a distance the blowing of whales. What this " blowing " was like may be described by asking if the reader has ever seen the smoke produced by the firing of an old- fashioned flint-lock ? If so, then he may understand the appearance of the blow of a wliule — a flash in the pan, and all is over. I watched with eager interest this school of " fin-backs," numbering some twenty-five or thirty whales — a rare sight to see so many together. But they are not generally attacked, as they are difficult to capture, and yield but little oil. A day or two after this, a cry of " Porpoises ! " brought all hands on deck ; and here a circumstance occurred, which, though trivial in itself, well serves to illustrate the unartificial character of one of the ship's company, the WUliam Sterry previously mentioned. It is related in my journal as follows : — " Directly the porpoises were seen, Sterry, who has a genial heart and strong arm, took his position by the martingale, or, to as all igh iter My lial lor. ! ■0 WILLIAM STERRY. 15 as a Dane would call it, ' Dolphin Striker,' which is under the bowsprit. Harpoon in hand, there stood Stcrry, prepared for a whale or aught else, ready for his blow. Now Sterry was Sterry — Sterry the cooper — Sterry the ship's carpenter — Sterry the ship's blacksmith — Sterry the millwright — Sterry the genius — the immortal Sterry, who could eat more pork and beans, and drink more whiskey out of a two-quart pantry pitcher, without distinguishing its smell and taste from that of pure cold water, than any other gentleman hailing from his native place of Groton. There indeed was Sterry, seemingly hanging between the heavens and the sea, his feet dangling on a tow line, and his hands grasp ing the martingale back-rope. While I stood watching him, his eyes appeared to roll in fire as they pierced the blue deep, especially so when he struck his head against the 'bobstay- chains' in turning to look for the contrast between the por- poises beneath him and the jibboom above. And here I may add that Sterry was a great philosopher on ' contrasts,' pros and cons ', positives and negatives were with him the only ' hanimals that have souls worth saving. Well, there stood Sterry pre- paring to ' pucker,' and j^ucker he did. A strange sound, which arrested my attention, stole out of his mouth. Startled, I lis- tened attentively, and found him actually whistling for the por- poises f But no porpoise seemed to listen to his charm. Often did he poise his harpoon as his intended victim glided swiftly through the waters beneath him, but as often did he have to drop it again. At length the porpoises retired, and Sterry had to give up L"' game. " When the attempt was over, I asked Captain B. if Sterry's whistling really did any good, and the reply was, as I expected, ' Ko, none whatever.' Sterry at the time was within hearing, and immediately said, 'I guess-it-didn't-do-much-of-any-harm- any-how-captain ; ' and then, turning to me, added, 'Captain Hall ' (so he always called me), ' I tell you what it is, Before you have been up North a great while, you'll find you've got to whistle as many whistles as there are species of /ianimals, birds, and fishes, or you can never get on up there ; you can never capture such things unless you do whistle.' " ' But,' said I, ' please to tell me, Mr. Sterry, what do you do when you see a whale ? ' ' Oh, then we always holler,^ was his quaint reply." I have mentioned this anecdote as characteristic of the man. He was frequently the life and soul of our party, and often I shall have occasion to allude to him. V 11 M\ :i::; ' n m .!!•« i; •.'. »■■.., ^...tAiA., B I 16 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. On the 1 2tli of June we passed through a fleet of codfishing schooners on the Banks of Newfoundland. Hundreds of boats were out, with a man in each, rapidly appearing and disappear- ing to our view as the fog, which was very thick, lifted, or as we neared them. The next day preparation was made, and a close look-out kept for icebergs, the thermometer having fallen rapidly ; but none were seen. Two whales, however, caused some interest in our vessel, and especially to myself. They were moving leisurely along in the same direction as the ship, and nearly under the bows. Every thu'ty seconds or so they came up to blow, and then sank beneath the water, leaving only a few feet above their backs. I saw them distinctly for several minutes, without cessation, thus propelling their vast bulk through the great deep. It was a most novel sight to me to see these two whales simidtaneously gliding side by side, and even with the ship. Had they been a pair of naiads harnessed to the car of Neptune, they could not have been more uniform in their move- ments. They came up together, " blowed " together, and de- scended together. Meantime two boats were lowered, with a chosen crew, to give chase. Swiftly they shot toward their prey ; but the whales immediately altered their course, the boats following after them. For an hour was the chase continued ; but, in spite of all efforts, the whales escaped, and our disappointed comrades returned. For several days after this, nothing of note occurred worth narrating. A delicate snowbird lighted on the rigging, and, according to nautical ideas, was the augury of good luck. Other marine birds and porpoises were seen, but there was little to relieve the monotony of our life except when the winds increased to a gale. Then, indeed, I found a change that in one respect I could admire. To myself, who had never before been upon the vast ocean, it was truly magnificent to behold the mighty workings of the great deep ! On one occasion, which I well remember, the sea appeared in "white caps," the bounding billows playing with us all day in fantastic gambols, while the ship plunged fearfully down into a deep abyss ; then, like a thing of life, would she leap skyward, as a mad wave struck the bow in all its fury, burying it beneath the sheet of spray, which flew far and wide in its impotent wrath. But the George Henry heeded it not. Like a lion shaking the dews of heaven from his mane, so did our good ship appear, bathed in crystal ,f\ .m^ ffl 20 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Of these Sundays at Hoa it i^ivos mo phiasuro to speak in favourable terms as to their ohservanee on hoard. The erew exhibited most oxceHent cUMueanour ; and as the Geor(/e Henry hud a small but cartifuUy-seleeted library in the cabin, furnished by the liouse of Williinns and JIaven (ownei-s of the vessel), good books were occasionally distributed by the captain among officers and men, much to their satisfaction, and, no doubt, advantage. ASCENT OF AN ICEDEltO. Again referring to my Journal : " June 2Gth, at midnight, I witnessed a scone never to be forgotten. I found the whole north illuminated — not by the aurora borealis — but by the reflection of the sun's rays. The northern sky presented tbo aj^pearance of a sunset perhaps twenty minutes over. I could hardly believe my eyes and my position as to the ponits of the ccL.pass for some time. It did not seem that the morning sun could thus early be approaching in the east, nor did it seem that the brightening before me was either east or west. But I soon found the cause that so attracted my attention was the northern sun ! I was indeed delighted ; for, though familiar with the tluiory o** our planetary system, yet I had little thought of the beauty and variety of sun scenes presented to the view of man l)etween tl^e latitudes of Cincin- nati and that of 581", where we then were. THE DANISH BRIO " MAUIANE. 2t jak in ) crow Henry niahed among doubt, to be )y the The )erha])8 and my It did oaching me was ttracted iglited ; system, scenes Cmcin- " Karly in tho morning, the captain came to my berth, and ralli'd mo, saying that a sail was in sight, and tliat lie was lioldiug up for her. 1 was on dccik in an instant with spy-glass ill liand. All the mon wore on tlic^ alert, and every eye strained to dis(!over what vessel it was. Our own colours were soon run up, an the end of life in my studies of Nature and her laAvs ! May I be strong in tho day of battle ; may I not forget that I am a child of Deity — a humble instrument created for work ! ^^ Saturday, June 30th. — In a conversation with Captain B. ^- ri «« »."««fc»!ltfW-« J, J »U,iili.aa: t,v .»^i.i«iuk/. 22 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. and his first officer, Mr. Rogers, this morning, I learned their views of the scurvy. They hoth understand the cause, the nature of it, and its cure. The former said he had gained his knowledge from dearly acquired experience. This is truly a fact, for in 1855, while in command of the Georgiana, on a whaling voyage, he lost thirteen of his men by scurvy. But, said he, ' I am not afraid of losing any more men by scurvy while I have command over them. Wlienever there are appearances of it aboard, I will have every pork and beef barrel — salt provision of every kind — headed up at once, and every man shall live upon bread and fresh provision, such as whale, walrus, seal, deer, bear, ptarmigan, duck, &c. ! w ■M ■■n I ' 'i: }'■ .i';;i' tT iB av ^etcae: ':*ktJ-..-Mi^\-juuUtt^^iimiilli:mi%iiiii.^: 26 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. snow-white monument of mountain size, and of God's own fashioning, was over it ! KUDLAOO'S MONUMENT. The next event of any importance to record was the celebra- tion of our glorious Fourth of July, At that time we were in Davis's Straits, near a place called Sukkertoppen, in Greenland, I ider all sail for Holsteinhorg, and we had been in great hopes to have arrived during the day, but contrary winds and calms pre- vented us. As it was, we did the best we could, and tried to prove ourselves, as we knew all of us to be, true sons of our country. The day, commencing at the turn of the midnight hour, was ushered in by cheers and firing of guns. Pistols, guns, blun- derbusses, were in readiness for the word that should make the mountains of old Greenlar.d echo back our thunderings for FREEDOM AND OUR NATIVE LAND ! % ESQUIMAUX PILOTS. 27 As the hour approached, several of us were stationed at various ])laces, ready to discharge the wc^ipons in our hands at command. Twelve o'clock came, and the Fourth of July, 1860, was upon us. " One ! two ! ! three ! ! ! Fire ! ! ! ! " was the signal ; and never did the George Henry quiver more under the peal of deep- throated guns, in a noble cause, than on that occasion. After this the jubilee was continued by firing, and cheers on cheers. The national colours were run up (for it was now broad daylight) and saluted. At noon another salute was given, and again twelve hours afterward, when the next midnight proclaimed that another anniversary of American independence had again departed. But we had other causes of rejoicing on this especial day. At five in the evening we had arrived at a point on the coast of Greenland which was very much like the neighbourhood of Holsteinborg. The bold mountain peaks were so thickly enveloped in clouds that it was impossible to determine the exact locality. The sea also was covered with fog ; hence it was wisely deter- liiined to run off the land for the night and lie-to, This was done, and as we were upon good codfish banks, lines were put over to catch some. "We were very successfv.l. Before twelve o'clock three lines had drawn in fiill 800 lbs. of halibut and codfish, the latter largely predominating. I myself caught four cod weighing in all 100 lbs. One halibut weighed no less than 125 lbs. and two others fifty pounds each ! I was aslonished at the sight of every cod drawn in. Such gormandizers had they been — preying upon the smaller ones of their kind — that their stomachs were distended to the utmost limit of expansion. The next day, Jvily 5th, we once more stood in toward the land, but it still continued foggy, and we were unable to get near till about 4- p.m. having just before again sighted the Mariane. At that time two Esquimaux were seen coming at full speed toward us. In a few moments more they were alongside, and hoisted — kyacks and all — into the ship. Their names were " Samson " and " Ephraim," each 5 feet 6| inches in height, with small hands, small feet, and pleasing features, except that both had some of their front teeth gone. These men had brought an abimdance of saltnon, caplins, sea-birus, &c. and eagerly began to trade with us. Speedily we were on the most friendly terms, and, as they were retained to pilot us in, merry- making was the order of the day. On entering the cabin to supper their conduct was most orderly, and when it was over they said, in good English, " Thank you." That night I had not long retired to rest before the captain V: 1 iW m '1^ It v\ ii nt' s l,i * H^T 28 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. came and told me it was calm, and a good opportunity for hali- but and codfish. I was quickly dressed and on deck with line in hand. Two or three minutes more, and a halibut weighing about 225 lbs. was fast to my line, fifty fathoms deep, and in another two minutes I had the fish up in the sun's rays with harpoon stuck through him. In one hour a ton weight of cod- fish and halibut was taken by the use of only three lines. Some- times, as I was informed, halibut have been caught weighing 500 lbs. each, and measuring eight feet in length. The Esqui- maiix in Greenland use the transparent membrane of the stomach of this fish instead of plates of glass. During the night our two faithful Esquimaux kept on deck, watching the almost obscured mountains, that they might guide us aright. Their clothing was quite wet from exposure to the high seas that prevailed when they came to us, but they sat themselves doAvn on deck, and there watched, coughed, and quivered. I thought, at the time, it were better if they could be prevailed upon to adopt the custom of our seamen — always on the move when out in the open air ; but I understood they look upon our walking to and fro as foolishness — a great amount of hard work, with much expenditure of tanned skins (shoe-leather) and muscle all for naught ! For about an hour, one of the Esquimaux made his way up into a whale-boat and went to sleep. On waking, he seemed quite thankful for the luxury of sleeping, though in the open air, his bed, for several days past, having been on the soft side of a boat, on the rocks of an island forty miles distant from Holsteinborg. He and his companion had been there engaged in hunting ducks, «fec. when they discovered the George Henry. They were very ragged, and Captain B. presented each with some new garments, which made them truly thankful. Some ui the articles were new pants, and each man immediately put on a pair. Samson's was a fair fit — that is to say, they were tight as a drum upon him ; but Ephraim's ! the waist would not meet within six inches. This, however, was all the same to him. He drew a long — ^very long breath ; so long, indeed, that I could not but think him like a whale, breathing once in ten minutes, or, if occasion required it, once in an hour ! Then, following this, Ephraim ceased for a moment to breathe at all, while he nimbly plied his fingers, and rapidly filled each button-hole with its respective button. Pants were now on and completely adjusted — buttoned I but as every living thing must have air or die, and as whales, when coming up to breathe, make the regions round MIDNIGHT SUN. 29 of on a ight meet He . not or, if this, mbly h its sted and ound about ring with the force with which they resnire and inspire, so even an Esquimaux has to take in fresh draughts of oxygen, or he ceasos to exist. Now Ephraim had, in buttoning his pants, suspenc ed respiration for some time longer than nature was capable of sustaining. Accordingly, Nature resumed her func- tions, and, in the act of giving a full respiration, Ephraim's pants burst, the buttons flying all over the deck ! Civilization buttons and New London-made pants could not stand against the sudden distention of an Esquimaux's bowels after being once so unnaturally contracted. Here the saying of old Horace would be useful : Naturam expelles furca tamen usque recurret— Yon may turn Nature out of doors with violence, but she will return ; and he might have continued — though the violence be an Esqui- maux's bowels much contracted by a pair of New London-made pants of the nineteenth century ! I will now again quote from my Journal : " Saturday/, July 7th. — After dancing around the harbour of Holsteinborg for many hours, we have at length made anchor within it. "During the last two or three days a fog of remarkable character has troubled us in making harbour. All at once the whole heavens would be clear and bright ; in five minutes a thick fog would encircle up all around, closing from our view sunlight, the long ridge of Greenland mountains, the well- defined sea horizon, islands, and icebergs. " Before coming to the North, I thought I was prepared to give a fair statement of the true theory of fogs. I now am satisfied that no one can give a satisfactory reason for the appear- ance and sudden disappearance — their reappearance and final dispersion, as I have witnessed them during the last four days. " At five o'clock this morning a Danish pilot 'jame on board, who understood fully his business, which is more than I can say of the two Esquimaux, Samson and Ephraim. Though they have shown great faithfulness, far beyond that of white men (as a general statement), yet I cannot award them great praise in navigating large ships in their own and neighbouring waters. " Last night was a happy night for me. No sunset. The slow descending sun, just dipping its edge in the Northern Sea, then hesitating in its course, then slowly mounting again into high heaven, gladdening my whole soul near to uncontrollable joy ! " The incidents connected are worthy to be recorded. The evening (at least after ten o'clock) was fine ; sky as clear as a bell ; the air cool and invigorating. "I found, by a hasty calculation, that we had made the liM ^: iJid^^^^ • ! 30 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. northing, which would allow us to see the sun continually when clear weather ; that the sun would gladden our sight day after day without setting. I announced to all hands that tlio sun would not go down that night ; that on such a moment it would commence to ret':<.rn — to rise again. This was a novelty to many of the ship's crew. I then made my calculations carefully as to Ime — the horn", minute, and second when the sun would arrive at its lowest meridian. This was necessary, that I might deter- mine, as well as the circumstances would admit, the variation of ' the needle. " Twelve o'clock, low meridian, midnight — I use this in dis- tinction of high meridian, midday — was approaching. Every man, captain, and the ship's officers and crew, save the portion of watch off duty heloAV and asleep, stood around me awaiting the anxious moment when the sun woidd cease its downv ard and commence its upward course. " The George Henry was sweeping gently along, beating up northerly and easterly against the wind. From the larboard side we peered out upon the glorious scene. "With my azimuth compass resting upon the bulwarks, my eye every other moment on it and the watch (the latter had just been placed in corre- spondence with the ship's chronometer below), I at length an- nounced the wished-for moment — 12 o'clock. Cheer — cheer upon cheer followed from the ship's company. Time passed on ; the sun was slowly on its upward track. At first its motion was imperceptible ; nevertheless, it was rising. " I continued to watch the upward and onward progress of the sun. Its northern declination is now growing less and less, therefore the sun's presonce here is less and less prolonged. Sooi:. the arctic night will take the place of the arctic day, which is now fast clothing the mountains in green and flowers. ^ " Before we finally entered Holsteinborg Harbour, the George Henry beat up against the wind by tacking ship four or five times. At last the hour came when the position of the fbip was pronounced by the Danish Esquimaux pilot — Lars Kleijt by name — to be good-^very good. The morning was all that a high-bounding spirit could wish. I had turned in about two o'clock A.M. and was now greatly refreshed from a short sleep. When I arose the vessel was bending her beak toward the long- wished-for haven. Every one was on tiptoe with the joyousness of the present. An inquiry had passed back and forth why the natives did not come to meet us, as they were wont to meet American and English vessels. While yet far off, some one exclaimed, ' There they come ! ' Every eye was quickly turned ARRIVAL AT IIOLSTEINBORG. 31 that way. I saw them at a distance coming swiftly in their kyacks. Their number seemed legion. On they came. They meet lis, and greet with smiles. The George Henry kept her course ; the kytirks followed in our wake. We looked forward ; others and oth.xo were coming, as if to welcome us to their bay and homes. " As we neared the land, how eagerly I sought to catch every view that was within sight. My eyes wandered far back to the most distant mountain ; then I brought them quickly to those which seemed about to shake hands with mo, piercing into their nooks and their time-worn rocks — now up their pinnacles, now down to their broad massive bases. I was happy. " We saw the little Danish flag on the hill that stands as sentinel to the rock-ribbed bay. We passed on ; the western ridge, that runs far out into the sea, stole away the winds which were so gracefully carrying us to our chosen port, yet enough favoured us to go slowly. Soon Holsteinborg, in all its imperial greatness, met our eye. 'Tis true, Holsteinborg was not gaudily attired, as some kings' palaces are ; but there she was and la, sparkling in diamonds of pure water, radiating rainbows in continual sunlight. There she was and is, surrounded by walls more ancient than Jerusalem, or Thebes, or Babel's Tower — of God's creation — mo'intains that seem to prop up this arctic sky — mountains whose southern sides are now clothed in green and laughing flowers, and whose northern slopes rest beneath a bed of white. "As we entered the harbour, our national colours, streamer, and ship's flag were raised, and the Governor of Holsteinborg responded by hoisting the Danish ensign. Then, at 10 a.m. of this day, the 7th of July, 1860, and the fortieth day from the port of New London, United States, we came to an anchor. Had it not been for head winds and calms, we might have made the passage in twenty-five to thirty days. Captain B. has made it in thirty-four ; he says it generally takes about thirty. As it is, we have reason to thank God for His care and protection over us in this voyage. Oh, may He continue His blessing ; may He be near unto me while in the prosecution of the great work before me ! With Thee, O God, I can accomplish much ; without Thee, what am I ? — nothing ! nothing ! ! " The Rescue schooner — our consort and tender — ^had not arrived. Her orders were to keep with us if possible ; but on the night of Thursday, 31st, the third day out, during the prevailing fogs and wind, we lost her. The rendezvous, however, was at this place, and we daily expected to see her. ^ •' .i .i-J-ir'. •'^itr. CHAPTER II. Land and visit the Govcnurr— Brief History of Greenland—The Ilolstein- borg District— Esquimaux and European Population— Protection and Care of the Natives by the Danish Cro^vn— Plagues of Greenland — Dinner at the Governor's— M'Clintock's Work— The Priest's Wife— Visit the Govern- ment Buildings— Arrival of the ^^ Rescue"— Lars' s Care for his Eaviily — Dance on Shore— A Mountain Excursion — Action of Freezing Water in Crevices — Esquimaux Amusements — Schools and Printing. Immediately aftei; we had dropped anchor, great excitement reigned on board. Some of us at once prepared for the shore, dressed in accordance with our home fashion of forty days ago, the captain and I intending to visit the governor. On landing, my heart leaped with joy as I touched the firm earth, and I could not help taking in my hands some of the rocky fragments on the beach, and saying, " Thank God, I am at last on arctic land, where I have so long wished to be ! Greenland's moun- fcains, I greet you ! " As Captain Budington had met the governor l)efore, my introduction to him was easy. It was in the afternoon when our visit took place, and Governor Elberg received us with much kindly warmth. But the events that occurred during our stay were so various, and have been so minutely narrated in my private diary day by day, that I must try and introduce them as much together as I possibly can, first giving a brief sketch of what relates to Holsteinborg and its vicinity. The early history of Greenland is generally well known, yet a brief resume of it may not be uninteresting to the reader. In many respects it borders upon romance, as indeed all the old Scandinavian chronicles do, but well-attested facts state nearly as follows : — About the middle of the tenth century, one Gunbibrn, an inhabitant of the previously settled Iceland, discovered land to the west, and, on returning, made a report of what he had seen. Soon afterward, in the year 983, a person known as " Eric the Eed," was sentenced by the Icelanders to banishment for the crime of manslaughter, and he determined to visit the country BRIEF HISTORY OF GKEKNLAND. 33 I, yet In old learly ( Junbiorn had discovered. Sailing westward in a small vessel, he arrived at the new land, and coasted it toward the south ; then turning a point now known as Capo Farewell, he came to an island, where ho passed his first winter. He then remained three years exploring the coasts, and finally returned to Iceland, where he gave such i report of " Greenland," as he tenned the new country, that ii induced many of the colonists of both sexes to go back with him. Only some of these reached their destination, the rest turning back or perishing by the way. A colony was now formed, and communication kept up with Ice- land, and even with Norway. Leif, the son of Eric, went to the latter place, and, by command of the king, was instructed in the Christian religion, whence he was afterward sent back, attended by a priest, who baptized Eric and all his followers. In the year 1001, one of the colonists, named Bjorn, was accidentally driven in his ship to the southwest of Greenland, and discovered a new country covered with wood. On his return, Leif fitted out a vessel, and, with Bjorn as pilot, went in search of this new land. He found it as described, and termed it Vinland, which there can be no doubt must have been part of North America, about the latitude of 45°. Meanwhile the colonists of Greenland increased in number and prosperity. In 1121 Arnold was elected the first bishop, and several churches were built. After this no less than seven- teen bishops are known to have been elected from first to last, and the two settlements of East and West Greenland (into which the colonists had divided) numbered about three hundred villages. They had their little barques going from place to place along the western coast so high up as lat. 73°, and even, as is suppospd from ancient records and from Eunic inscriptions seen there, to the entrance of the present-named Wellington Channel. For a long time after this the hii^itory of these colonists is in- volved in obscurity. Intercourse with Europe was obstructed about the beginning of the fifteenth century, and whether the colonists were cut off by hordes of the Esquimaux from the north or west, or were destroyed by a pestilence, is yet uncertain. There is, however, a document extant, discovered by Professor Mallet in the papal archives, which seems to warrant the idea of a hostile fleet "of wild heathen" having made a descent upon the colony, fell upon the people, " laid waste the country and its holy buildings with fire and sword, sparing nothing but the small parishes, and carrying captive the wretched inhabitants of both sexes." Nothing, however, has been certainly known J) r •wp- ^*t«< »-*«« jtf.*«.. 84 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. of their fate. Only ruins of tlioir cliurchos and convents now remain. At length, in l.^TG, Martin Frohialior visited Frieslund, now known to bo Greenland, on his V()ya<,'o of discovery to the nortli- west, but brought to light no ])articulars concerning the original colonists. Afterward, in 1G05, James Hall, an Englishman, under Admiral Lindenow, was sent by Denmark to rediac^over them if possible. lie succeeded in landing upon tln! west coast, and communicated with the natives, though nothing more resulted from his visit. Other voyagers touched uj)on its shores ; but not until 1721, when that brave, and good, and truly Chris- tian man, Hans Egede, conceived the ])roject of himself going to Greenland, to spread religion among its natives, was anything permanently effected. Then Greenland soon came into notice, and, at various times, colonics and missionary establishments, under the Danish flag, were formed along its coasts. At present there are thirteen settlements, besides commercial and missionary stations. The most northern official settlement is Upernavik, in lat. 73" N". but there is a fishing establishment, called Tesmisak, some few miles still farther on. Holsteinborg is in lat. 60° 5G' N., long. 5.'i° 42' W. This latter place was, according to Crantz, the fifth colony begun in Greenland, and first settled in the year 1759. It is one of the most convenient places both for dwelling and trading. Holsteinborg District begins at North Stromsfiord, and ox- tends for about ninety-two English miles. Its breadth eastward from the sea is also about ninety-two miles. There are four fiords in the district, and the mountains upon it are high, though not so lofty as farther north. The only European who has penetrated far to the eastward through this district is Kielsen^ in 1830. He found the land not so mountainous as toward the sea. The harbour of Holsteinborg is good, and well landlocked. The spring tides are about 12 feet. The buildings have, as I was told, the best appearance of any in Greenland. They may be thus enumerated : The governor's house ; priest's house ; the church ; the lieu- tenant governor's house ; the dance-house ; school-house ; brewing house ; the blacksmith's ; two warehouses ; one cooperage ; one " try " house for oil ; thirteen Esquimaux houses, Danish built ; three turf houses for Esquimaux, and one dead-house, where deceased persons are placed for six days before burial. Graves are dug, even in winter, for burying. Thus the total number of buildings in Holsteinborg amounts to 29. "L One lieu- jwing POPULATION. 86 Tlie population is as follows : Tho inhabitants in Ilolstcinhorg District proper number 197 ; in KemortusUk, 103; in OmanausUk, 97; in Surfangouk, 158; in Itiblik, 108 — making a total of GCii ouls. In tho town of llolsteinborg there are only ten Europeans, but throughout all (Jreenland in ^855 they numbered 260. At that date it was estimated tliei-e wore i),644 Esquimaux, three-fourths of whom were of Danish blood and tho rest pure. In tho Ilolstoinborg District there are three small schooners, five small boats, and eleven whale-boats. In 1859, Avhich was considered a bad year, oidy one whale was captured, though sometimes ton and twelve have been caught in a single season. Of reindeer 300 were secured ; of seal -blubber, 5,000 lbs.; liver of sharks, 2,00011)8.; blue fox-skins, 100; white fox-skins, 150; eider-down, before cleansing, 500 lbs. ; after cleansing, 100 lbs. ; and of stockfish — that is, dried codfish unsalted, 4,000 lbs. I may state that during Governor Elborg's time, since 1850, there have been killed from 5,000 to 6,000 reindeer. Several years ago there were obtained in two years from the Esquimaux about fifty tons of reindeer horn, costing some two skillings, or one cent federal money, per pound ; 4,500 lbs. of it were sent home to Copenhagen, but it would not pay freight. Tho governor also told mo that "whenever tho ships were obliged to take home to Copenhagen stone for ballast, they could sell it to no purpose, because it was complained of as rotten." This I found to be generally true. On several mountains I visited, stones exposed to the atmosphere were crumbling. On Mount Cunningham I had satisfactory proof of it. Small mounds of stone that have evidently crumbled off the larger mountains may be seen lying at tho base. The winters are doing their levelling work, and doing it rapidly. There are four midwives. Two have a good medical education, obtained in Copenhagen. They receive $70 (Danish) per year.* * The Danish dollar at the time of writing (1860), was worth two shillings and threepence sterlini;. The following is the interpretation of the Danish of the six-skilling nolc : "No. () Sk[illings] Cfoimtry] m[oney]. 2,450. " This order is ^';ood for Six Skillings Country Currency at the Com- mercial Towns in IJroenland. Copenhagen, 1856 "B * ** Noted [in the Registry of Records], «« T ♦ • « * * " ' One of these skillings is worth less than an English halfpenny. D 2 * ♦ * • ? f'l. ^i w f! i ■ m n ii hf t i'n I' U; 36 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMATJX. Danish. The schoolmaster receives per annum . . . . .'$126 00 Three other teachers, each „ . . . . . 100 00 Three ,, ,, „' • • . . 25 00 Three ,, „ „ • • . . 10 00 Two „ „ „ • • 6 00 One of these latter gets six dollars, and teaches his two chil- dren — the only two children of his district — to read and write ! Four women, who teach the children " A, B, C's," get each one dollar per year. The men, sixteen in number, in the employ of government, get each forty to ninety dollars per year, besides provisions for them- selves and families. Every fourteen days bread is baked for them. In the town there are twenty-four stoves — only one to each house; and these stoves require 100 barrels of coal and five fathoms of wood. There are reckoned to be 1,700 Esquimaux sealers in Green- land, 400 fishers, and one Esquimaux officer (a clerk), whose father was a Dane and the Governor of Lieveley — Goodhavn. In addition, there are of Esquimaux 17 foremen and boatsmen; 22 coopers and blacksmiths; 87 sailors; 15 pensioners, whose business is to look after goats, and who get half rations of beer, pork, meat, and butter, &c. but full rations of peas, barley, &c. There are also 20 native catechists or missionaries. The European missionaries and priests number 13 German and 11 Danish. Of the first and second governors there are 31. Three doctors visit each place one year. There are 36 European clerks ; 7 boat-steerers ; 28 coopers, carpenters, and blacksmiths ; 19 sailors and cooks ; and 8 pensioners. The whole body of missionaries are paid per annum, in Damsh money, $16,360; of which amount Government House gives $14,650, and the East India Missions, at the outside, $2,000. For schools and school-books the sum of $6,500 is appro- priated. I now proceed with my personal narrative. Among the numerous visitors that greeted us on our arrival, I was astonished to find myriads of mosquitoes. Little did we expect so warm a reception in the arctic regions. Talk about mosquitoes in the States as being numerous and troublesome ! Why, no man who has not visited the arctic shores in the months of July and August can have a good idea of these Lili- putian elephants. In the States the very hum of a mosquito is ,.», — ■» — »r- GREENLAND CURRENCY. 37 enough to set any one upon his guard. How many a poor soul there has been kept in a state of torment all night by the presence of only two or three mosquitoes ! But here, in the North, it is a common, every-hour affair to have thousands at one time around you, some buzzing, some drawing the very life-blood from face, hands, arms, and legs, until one is driven to a state approaching madness. Even the clothing worn in the States is no protection here against the huge proboscis with which each lady mosquito is armed. On Monday, July 9th, a laughable circumstance occurred. It consisted in the fact that Esquimaux had managed to outwit Yankee, and thus it was : Sterry — the sharp Sterry, who understands the Esquimaux language, had been assisting Smith, the third mate, in some "trade" with the natives. Samson, the pilot, was the man I ^'^i'V. •^ GREENLAND CITREENCY. who had come on board, with several others, to see what could be picked up. He was accosted by Smith, and asked if he had anything to trade ; but the reply was that "all had gone." In fact, he had parted with everything of value in his possession, and that, too, for nominal prices in return. Smith, however, was not satisfied, and again pressed the Esquimaux. At length #' MM m ^ 'it, ■ i'' M: M \ - ' 1 f4 ',i ^1 '■ w li.'l •OuUtDiUlAtiM-^: 3d LIFfi WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. it occurred to Samson that he had money, with which he could purchase outright some tobacco. So he asked Smith if he had any to sell. Smith replied, "Yes ; how much do you want?" Samson thereupon drew forth a Danish bill, marked " sex skilling" — a, shin pHster — and said, "How much ;^ou sell for this ?" Smith took the bill with avidity, and showed it to our acute, jocular, and ever good-humoured Sterry. A fac-simile of it is given on the preceding page. Sterry, seeing the "sex skilling" on the bill, thought it to be six shillings Yankee currency, and accordingly himself addressed the Esquimaux in native tongue. "How many plugs for this?" said he. ^^ Four,'* answered Samson. Now this, if each understood the other, would have been clear, straightforward, and a bargain. But Sterry, though well talking Esquimaux on the west side of Davis's Straits, was not so proficient in it at Greenland, where there is a material difference. Accordingly, Samson's reply he took to mean four p(mnds of tobacco, which amounted to thirty-two plugs. This, even at the "six shillings" Yankee currency, was a pretty " steep price," for the tobacco was worth at least one dollar and sixty-eight cents. However, for certain reasons connected with au extreme thirst then raging throughout both S ;erry and Smith, it was concluded to let the tobacco go that the money might be had. Smith, therefore went to his chest and got what Samson wanted. As the plugs of tobacco were counted over to the Esquimaux, his eyes expanded with immense delight and astonishment. He hastened to his kyack with the " godsend," and hurried to the shore, the richest native man in Holsteinborg. Immediately he communicated to his friends the imme^ise wealth that had befallen him from his " sex skillings ;" how he had asked only/oitr plugs of tobacco from the white man on board the ship, and he had got eightfold. It was enough. Wliat California was to Americans, so was the barque George Henry now to the Esonimaux of Holsteinborg. Kyack after kyack came with its dignified Esquimaux, each loaded with a large complement of the fortune-making "sex skilling." Samson, who had so quickly got rich, was among the new-comers, eagerly seeking for more. But, alas for the hopes of men, especially when founded on bank-bills ! A speculation had already com- menced in town on the " skilling notes." They ran up above par to 300, 400, and, at one time, 800 per cent. ! And when the Esquimaux, to some scores of persons, arrived on board, they found themselves partly ruined instead of being enriched. Our Sterry and Smith had discovered their mistake, and thus many % HSLLJfj irf*!!^ VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR. 39 an Esquimaux, who, like several white men, had invested his all in that sort of paper currency at high figures, found himself almost heggared. Directly Samson came on board, he was met by Smith at the gangway, and the following took piece, to the dismay of the numerous new traders : Taking the " cussed " bill from his pocket and handing it to Samson, Smith said, "No good; too little money for four pounds tobacco." Samson, with honest face, looked Smith in the eye, and replied, " He be good ;" which really was true — good for its face, sex skilling, equivalent to about three cents federal coin. But Sterry, who had joined, now insisted, in as good "Husky" (Esquimaux) language as he could command, that " too little money for good deal tobacco," and he held up his finger of one hand, a thumb and all his fingers of the other. Samson now understood, and woefully but honestly said, " I go get tobacco and bring it back." Smith handed him the bill, but Samson at once told him to keep it until he should return. " No," said Smith, " take it along with you. I'll trust you. I see you're honest, and wish to do what is right. It's Sterry's fault," he added, afterwards, " or I should not have been caught so. But, if I never get my tobacco again, I don't care. I've learned a good lesson, and that is, not to deal in * Husky' bank- stock. I'm now a Jackson man. D — n aU banks except that of Newfoundland, where I hope yet to catch more cod on my way to and from these parts." Need I say that the Esquimaux had to return on shore very crestfallen with their disappointment ? Who would not have been, especially after investing in stocks, as many of them had done 1 To finish the history of this affau', I may as well add here that, in a few days after this, " Samson," with r '* his family and his friends, left Holsteiiiborg for som.e other place. Smith therefore became minus four pounds of tobacco, and the " sex skilling" besides ! Thus the Esquimaux completely oatwitted two of our smart Yankees, and, what is more, did it without the smallest intention of dishonesty at the time. Sterry always declared that he thought the " sex skilling" bill was six Yankee shillings, and both he and Smith acknowledged they were anxious to get some Greenland money to " splice the main brace." Ever afterwards they had frequent reminders from our ship's company of the joke. Thursday, July 10th, wa." a most interesting day to me, on account of a visit paid by Captain Budington and myself to Governor Elberg. Leaving the ship, which was anchored half a i^ • ! ' ,! i! iii -■ -» I " m imi jt wi m^mmm :^«aiW-^»jii^itMi^i 40 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. mile from the landing, we were tiiken on shore by an Esquimaux boat rowed by natives, and arrived at Government House about 4 P.M. We found him busily engaged with his clerk in pre- paring an Annual Eeport for the King of Denmark; but he kindly welcomed us, and, putting aside his labours, escorted us into a private room. Here we soon entered into genial con- versation ; and a present from Captain Budington of sweet potatoes grown in Florida (never before seen by the governor), with a case of preserved quinces from me, much pleased him. Hearing that I had on board a copy of M'Clintock's Voyage, he asked for a loan of it, and I let him have it soon afterward. Captain M'Clintock, in the account of his voyage, thus speaks of his visit to Holsteinborg in the latter end of April, 1858 : — " "We have been visited by the Danish residents — the chief trader or gcvernoi', the priest and two others. ... I afterward visited the governor, and found his little wooden house as scrupulously clean and neat as the houses of the Danish residents in Greenland invariably are. The only ornaments about the room were portraits of his unfortunate wife and two children. They embarked at Copenhagen last year to rejoin him, and the ill-fated vessel has never since been heard of. . . . This is a grand Danish holiday ; the inhabitants are all dressed in their Sunday clothes — at least all who have got a change of garment — and there is both morning and evening service in the small wooden church. . . . This is the only part of Greenland where earthquakes are felt. The governor told me of aii unusually severe shock which occurred a winter or two ago. He was sitting in his room reading at the time, wlien he hoard a loud noise like the discharge of a cannon. Immediately afterwards a tremulous motion was felt ; some glasses upon the table began to dance about, and papers lying on tiie window-sill fell down. After a few seconds it ceased. He thinks the motion originated at the lake, as it was not felt by some people living beyond it, and that it passed from N.E. to S.W. . . . The mountain scenery is really charming. . . . The clergyman of Holsteinborg was born in this colony, and has succeeded his father in the priestly office ; his wife is the only European female in the colony. Being told that fuel was extremely scarce in the Danish houses, and that the priest's -svife was blue with the cold, I sent on shore a present of coals." The governor invited us to visit the various buildings and the town. We first dirticted our sieps to the general government store, where we saw almost as much variety as in a country store ■ ri5 THE SCHOOL-HOUSE. 41 10 lit ro at home. There was a little of everything, with a good deal of malt, barley, peas, and dry bread, which will keep for years. In a warehouse near the landing, I noticed large quantities of whale rope, butter, fish, and crackers enough for his whole population (numbering 700 souls) for two years. Everything was of the most substantial character, and stored in such a large quai:=tity in case the vessel which is annually sent to the colonists from Denmark should be lost. There was also a large supply of deer-skins, seal-skins, water-proof clothing, &c. In a loft over the store I saw some swordblades, used for cutting blubber I Eesolving swords into ploughshares is an old idea, but swords into blubber-cutters is something decidedly new. While at the store a customer arrived — an Esquimaux. He wanted some sugar and coffee. This was served to him, and ho paid for ii by a Greenland bill of twenty-four skillings, equal to fourteen cents American. AVe next visited the blacksmith's shop — a building that looks quite equal to a fine village dwelling-house. Inside was the machine-shop, with long rows of whale gear, harpoons, lances, &c. and three whale guns. Here I saw a cast-iron stove, which the governor said was tlie kind used by the natives. This stove was jiled all over and polished ; the stove-pipe, twenty feet long, also of cast iron. Its price was equivalent to 3^. sterling. The blacksmith Avas a fine-lookmg, intelligent mechanic. Our next visit was to the school-house. To enter it we had to stoop much. " He stoops to conquer," was an idea that entered my mind as I thought of the teacher who bends his head on entering that temple of knowledge. The teacher's business is to bend. "As the twig is bent, the tree's inclined." Intelligence and virtue will yet conquer ignorance and vice. ^H^io would not stoop that such a cause — the cause of knowledge — might progress ? On returning to the governor's house, we went into an upper room which overlooks Davis's Straits and the many islands around the entrance of the harbour. Here is the " apothecary's shop," the contents of which the governor himself dispenses as required among the sick natives. Shelves of stationery were also round the room ; and in a closet a quantity of eider-down, from which, in 1850, both Dr. Kane and Commodore Do Haven had some for their beds. The keys of the government buildings — many of ponderous size — were also kept in a closet here. After examining the several places of note, we sat down to an excellent supper of duck, salmon, trout, eider-duck's eggs, butter, ^ ! ■ liti:1 '!"-]' .;■ 1 ('.JiMUr..^Mi^Mb.«ailAMtlyMma.'^«*y /n- . a.«H ,,.,,l> a. j>.^..^^^.^.^,.^^^,^^,. 1 I 1. 1 i GREENLAND WOMAN AND CHILD. [Fac-simile of a wood-cut executed by an Esquimaux.] DANCING PARTY. 4o Esquimaux pilot, called Lars Kleij't, had joined us, and there we were, in real whaling fashion, towing the new arrival into harbour. Four boats of beautiful form and finish — two white, with blue gunwales, and two green — were in a line ahead of the Mescue^ pulling her along, while the merry voices of our men resounded upon the still waters, and were echoed back from the bold mountains in answering glee. It was a pretty sight as witnessed from the schooner's deck, and one to be often remembered. "Otto," a pure-blooded Esquimaux, stood at the wheel to steer us in, and all hands besides, except the cook, were in the boats. At midnight we came to an anchor within a couple of stones' throw of Government House. Both Otto and Lars Kleijt wore reckoned such good men and ice pilots that every confidence was placed in them. \ asked the latter, " What for " — meaning how much — " you go to West land (King William's Land) with me ?" His answer was, " My mother old man — she get no dinner — my little ones die ! " Captain Walker, of a Scotch whaler, last year tried to get " Lars " to go with him, and offered to make him second mate ; but Lars said, " Me no go for all the world. My family ! " A noble fellow this Lars. But, poor man ! he was then much distressed, owing to the loss of his wife, who had died a few weeks previous to our visit. He himself appeared very sick, and my sincere wish was that so good a husband, son, and parent might be spared for his little ones and the mother he so greatly loved. Otto loved his grog. He and Lars went out fishing. On return, coming aboard, he most earnestly asked for a glass of spirits, " to keep salt-water out of poor Esquimaux ! " In the evening of the following day, myself, the captain, mate. Lamb, and most of the crew, went on shore to a grand dance given by the Esquimaux girls to the white-men visitors. Sterry, our genial Sterry, was in his element. He had a most capital faculty for gaining the affections of the fair sex, and proved himself excellent on the variations. He had a continual crowd of the good-looking around him.. We had an old sea-captain (an Esquimaux), Ironface, as a fiddler, perched up in the window, with pipe in his mouth, and merry, right merry did all of us become. Several dances, in excellent order, were performed, and many of our company went through their waltzing with Esquimaux partnera in capital style. Everything was done in ?, M ^M ■Hi ■ :■: ■i.l ■ "S ■ 4e LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the most kindly and aj^eoable manner ; and when the party broke up, it left upon the mind of each of us a feeling of the most friendly nature. The first Sunday at Holsteinborg I determined to ascend the mountain on the north side of the harbour, and there worship in the great temple of the world's Creator. In the morning, ueoompanied by IS terry, we began the ascent, with a fine clear sky above, and the glorious sun shinin" warmly upon us. But, ei-e we had got far, swarms of mosquitoes came around. For- tunately, I had long hair on my head, and my beard and mus- tache were also of great length. Sterry, however, had to cover hij face with a handkerchief having two little holes for look-outs. As we went on, streams of pure and sparkling cold water came dancing down the mountain side, and at these we several times quenched our thirst. Thus steep after steep we mounted, but at what cost ! The sun's rays poured hot upon our backs, and both of us soon had to doff our coats, leaving the mosqui- toes to persecute us at will. All we could do was to push on quickly, to see if we could get into a higher region where these torments did not abound. But our bodies soon became weary ; and the steepness of the way was such that one false step would have proved fatal to us ; yet we were not without some relief. Patches of broad-leaved sorrel on the mountain side refreshed us greatly as we rested, and beds of moss, covered with smiling flowers, served as our temporary couch. In about two hours we gained the summit, both of us covered with mosquitoes, and driven almost to madness by their stings. In vain we tried everything that mind could think of to get rid of them. Nothing availed. We were doomed by these merciless invaders, and our very life's blood was copiously drawn forth to supply their gluttonous desires. On the other side of the mountain we saw a beautiful little lake ; and upon standing by its side, it was found to be clear as crystal, mirroring forth the lofty peaks above us. On its north shore was a low shingly beach, that had been thrown up by the winds coming in this, the only direction they could cross the water. This lake iVas fed by various small streams that were leaping down from the snowy mountains, and, if it had got no other name, I termed it " William Slurry " Lake. We walked along it, and saw numerous salmon, small trout (three of which we caught with our hands), and many skulls and horns of deer. It was now dinner time, and our appetite was well sharpened by the exercise we had enjoyed. Accordingly, a fire was lit A MOUNTAIN EXCURSION. 47 itle as rth the the jer. led lit wherohy to cook the fish, though at first I was greatly puzzled how we wore to get material for a fire ; but Sterry, who had been so much in this arctic region, well knew its resources. Where all looked barren to me, lie soon found moss and some low brushwood, like running hemlock. It is a tough shrub, with small leaves and white blossoms, which produce black berries with red sweet juice. Dwarf willow, heather, and small undergrowth wood of various descriptions are intermixed. The dead wood, the leaves, stalks, and limbs of preceding years, are thickly interspersed with the growing portions of this fuel, and it was with it that Sterry so quickly made a fire. A result followed, however, that we little expected. The abundance of such fuel around caused the fire to spread rapidly, and as a strong breeze was now blowing, it soon got beyond our control. Sterry, however, very calmly said, " Never mind ; let it burn. Of what use is this to anybody, hemmed in here by these mountains 1 " So I very quietly made myself content, and sat down to the primitive meal — a carpet of heather for our table, and huge precipices yawning close by, with high broken mountains, that pierced the sky, grimly looking down upon us. There is philosophy in everything, especially in eating. The world eats too much. Learn to live — to live as we ought. A little food well eaten is better for anyone than much badly eaten. Our pleasures have a higher relish when properly used. Thus we thoroughly enjoyed our food, and, after a. short nap, started on the return journey. As we passed along, I noticed several large rocks, thousands of tons in weight, that had evidently fallen from the tops of two lofty mountains, the detached portions corresponding in shape to the parts vacated. Everyivhere was seen the efiects of the freezing of the water that percolates into the crevices. The tremendous workings of Nature in these mountains of Green- land during the arctic winter often result in what many of the inhabitants think to be earthquakes, when, in fact, the freezing of water is alone the cause ! In descending, we encountered several little clear babbling brooks, innumerable flowers, and shrub-fuel in abundance. Peat was also plentiful. Fox holes in numbers were seen, and a natural canal, with an embankment, in appearance much like the levee at New Orleans. On arriving at the beach, which was a quarter of a mile long, we found it as smooth and inviting as that of Cape May. The limit of this beach was next to an abrupt bank with millions of broken shells upon it, and covered with driftwood ten feet above high-water mark. One piece was twelve feet long. Here, from M '! I lit «««*»>« lii —HI 48 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 'P: a hoat that took uh off, wo hoard that tho town of TTolstcinhorg was mu(!h alarmod ahout tho firo uj) in tlio mountain, anil, froiri what I aftorward gath(!rod iti an oxj)hi!.ation I had witli tho govornor, whiai I a])oh)gizod for our tlionglitloasnoss, it was evidont that tho Esquimaux droadod tlio h)SH of wliat thoy (!on- Biderod thoir l)eat Jields — not woods — of fuol. Fortunately, tho firo wont out in ahout an hour aftor its discovory hy tho ])('oplo. It was on this Sunday afternoon that I hoard of a curious custom hero. The danco-house is regularly ojxmed after 4 p.m. The people go to church in tho morning and afternoon, then they consider Sunday to cease, and amusement begins. I went to the dance-liouao, whore I found tho governor, his lieutenant, Miss Riilou, and Mrs. Kjer. Miss Biilou and the lioutcnant- govornor danced, but tho governor has not for years, and tho priest and his wife never. Sometimes 150 persons are crowded into this dance-house. I asked tho governor when the Sabbath began. Ho replied, " On Saturday evening, and ends Sunday at 4 p.m." I farther inquired if the Esquimaux were at liberty to work aftor that hour on Sundays. Ho said, " No, certainly not." " Then how is it tho government dance-house is opened for balls at that time?" said I. " Oh, that is not ivork!" responded the good Governor lillberg. Referring to the amusements of these native Greenlandcrs, I am led to speak of a great festival that occurs here on the Danish king's birthday, and is general, on the same day, through- out all the settlements. His Danish majesty supplies the good cheer, and Europeans as well as Esquimaux join in the festivity. It is a most enlivening scene, as the accompanying sketch will show. The original of this picture, which I have in my pos- session, was drawn by a Greenlander, and Mrs. Kjer, who gave it to me, said it was an admirable representation of the great festal day. On another occasion I visited the church one Sunday morning, when the school-teacher — a native Esquimaux — preached exceed- ingly well, and I must say that the general attention given would do credit to people anywhere. The preacher played an organ, and went through tho whole services in a most praiseworthy manner. Indeed, I was much struck with the great advance made by the native inhabitants of Holsteinborg in Christian and general educational knowledge. Their school is well attended, and reading and writing are carried on admirably. Very few persons here at home have any true conception of the great advance made in education by these Greenland Esqui- «• re € i?i w «^ f If 1 ll ll 1 li^; I f 1 ^i . ' m lai, it I !" i'lH lltSliiiU' il if?v.i ii '" ,; '^ f ];;> )i ■ 1 ■ ■A ' il ill! 1,1 * « •':fi [i »■ i ; I ■ i.>*.i.-..j»«i»«:j;.( \\ DANCE ON BOARD THE GEOHGE HENRY. all that occurred. In this merry dance the Esquimaux did their very best, and our bold sailor-boys showed themselves not a whit behind. Even Captain B. Mate Eogers, and — myself ! had to join in the dizzy whirl. As for myself, I was positively forced into it. In a jocular yet impressive manner, one and all in- sisted upon my treading on " the light fantastic toe." My hands were placed in those of two Esquimaux ladies, when I was fairly dragged into the dance ; and dance I did ! Yes, I danced, — T^ II iij 1 if 1 fA 1 1 i •11 i: .^-.^....-.afc. ^«..*.fj. 66 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. k il If I that is, I wont through certain motions which in courtesy to mo were called dancing ; but what would the belles of my own country have said of it ? I bluHh to think. However, it so happened that nobody was hurt, except a few of the Holsteinborg maidens, upon whose feet I had rather clumsily trod, and who afterward went away limping, with a remark, " That man may be a good dancer" (I never danced before in all my life), "but he's very heavT^ and far-reaching on his pedals ! " As for the dancing, let me honestly confess that I felt the better for it. I am sure that many evils in my nature then found a way out at my feet. ^Vfter the ball on deck, we succeeded in getting up some singing below in the cabin. Among the Esquimaux, the school- master — who is really a capital fellow — was the leader, and his singing was tndy excellent. There was, however, this singu- larity in it — many of the songs were to church times ! On our side, we had the national airs, " Hail Columbia," " Star-spangled Banner," &c. which were vociferously cheered. While the latter was sung, I raised the silk emblem of our beloved country that was given me by a dear one at home to erect over Franklin's grave. The schoolmaster, finding in " Ross's Second Voyage " some Esquimaux verses, first read and then sang them most admirably. During the whole evening unbounded happiness reigned on board. Several presents wore made, especially to the school- master's wife, who received them with much modesty and pleasure. At length the party broke up, when our visitors departed for the shore in their numerous kyacks and family boats. On the 18th of July o<^curred the sun's eclipse. The view in Holsteinborg Harbour w; ftne, though a part of the time it was . obscured by clouds. The Esquimaux were generally out looking at it with pieces of glass dipped in water ! A singiUar fact in connexion with this eclipse was told me by Mate Eogers. He said that " during it he and his party could catch no fish, though before and after it there was abuntlance obtained ! " In the afternoon it began to blow a gale, and at tlic time nearly all hands were away on some duty or other. Mate Rogers and men were catching cod in Davis's Straits, and only Captain B. myself, and the young seaman, John Brown, were on board. The vessel began to drag her anchor, and, though we contrived to drop another, yet we were within a stone's throw of the rocky coast before she again held on. The three etreni Mean the g( boat, onabl no loi out se small been reason felt dii our po in reqi waves spray i B. wh( come ! ' gling b tiu'moil they en them ra How d( themsel notice t. pull, fo] cry of e they can of revei] At leng directed exhauste have the It app at first t breakers but to B heavy set was the t and wave proved 1 cleared, a the ship, SITT' AND BOAT IN A GALE. ar Id a le three of us worked for our lives. John Brown put forth the strength of a giant, and myself and the captain did the same. Meantime our crew on shore had hastened off in a boat, and the governor had, in the midst of the gale, kindly sent another boat, with his superintendent and men, to our assistance. These enabled us to make all secure on board ; but our anxiety now was no longer for the ship, but for Mate Rogers and those with him out seaward in Davis's Straits. It seemed impossible that any small craft could survive in such a storm. Our chances had been doubtful, even in a good harbour; what, then, had we reason to expect for the fate of those in a boat outside ? We felt dismayed, and eagerly were our glances bent in the direction our poor comrades had taken in the morning. Every glass was in requisition to catch a sight of them, but only the mountain waves dashing against the rock-ribbed coast, and sending their spray full fifty feet in the air, met our view. At last Captain E. who was aloft, cried out, " There they come ! there they come ! " and sure enough, we now saw them at a distance, strug- gling bravely, perseveringly, desperately, amid the roar and fierce turmoil of the wild sea threatening to ingulf them. Presently they emerge from the confused mass of waters, and we behold them more distinctly. Oh, how they seem to strain each nerve ! How desperate their all but Herculean efforts to try and save themselves ! One moment they appear to be lost ; the next we notice them again struggling on as determinedly as ever. " Pull pull, for dear life's sake, my good men ! " was the involuntary cry of each on board ; and right bravely did they pull. On they came, thrown about and driven about in the very maddest of revengeful sport that Ocean and Wild Storm could devise. At length they near the ship. A few strokes more — a well- directed movement of the steering-oar, and our beaten and exhausted comrades are alongside ! Huirah ! thank God, we have them safe on board ! It appeared that the gale had overtaken them suddenly, and at first they attempted to land upon an island, but this the breakers would not admit. There was no alternative, therefore, but to make for the ship as best they could. In doing so, a heavy sea struck the boat, overwhelming it and them. But now was the time for trial of the will and arm of man against winds and waves. Brave souls were in that boat, and Mate Rogers proved himself fully equal to the occasion. The boat was cleared, and stem, bold hearts defiantly puUed her onward to the ship, which they finally reached, utterly worn out by their u'li f>i ^fifn 58 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. fuarful exertions. Now that they were safe, aV Nc'r power was gone. A child could have overpowered the .vholo togetlior. "Wet, cold, and enfeebled — their case reciuired imniedial j atten- tion. Dry clothing, warm drinks, and stimulants were at onco supplied ; and thus, with careful treatment, they soon recovered. At 10 P.M. the gale had died away to a calm, and wo all retired to sleep, completely exhausted with our bodily and mental labours of the past few hours. About this time I enjoyed a rare sight. One of the Esqui- maux turned summersets in tlie tvater seated in his kyack \ Over I ESQUIMAUX FEAT— A SUMMER8ET. and over he and his kyack went, till we cried " Enough ! " and yet he wet only his hands and face ! This is a feat performed only by a few. It requires great skill and strength to do it. One miss in the stroke of the oar as they pass from the centre (when their head and body are under water) to the surface might terminate fatally. No one will attempt this feat, however, unless a companion in his kyack is near. The next feat I wit- nessed was for an Esquimaux to run his kyack, while seated in it, over another. Getting some distance off, he strikes briskly and pushes forward. In an instant he is over, having struck the upturned peak of his own kyack nearly amidships, and at right angles, of the other. These feats were rewarded by a few plugs of tobacco. M ***T^ MISHAP TO THE WINDLASS. 59 Tho (lay after tho galo wo had a mishap on boartl that throatonud to provo serious, and, as it was, it detained us some days longer in Holstoinborg. Our anchors folded, and, in trying to get one of them, tho windlass gear broke. At this time our deck was crowded by tho crews of both vessels, and Esciuimaux men, women, and children, besides somo dogs I had purchased for my future sledge travelling. Those together presented a remarkably stirring picture, while the howling of tho dogs, the sailors singing in chorus as they pulled on tho ropes, with the varied voices of Americans, Esquimaux, French, Danish, and Dutch, made a confusion of tongues some- what akin to Babel. By noon all attempts to get tho anchor, now the windlass was defective, proved vain. It was therefore decided to call upon tho governor and ask him for liis blacksmith to aid our Sterry in repairing the gear. Permission was instantly granted ; but tho injury done was of such a nature as to require days to make it good. Tho following day, however, we succeeded in hoisting up our faithful anchor, and it was then determined, as soon as tho windlass was ready, to sail for the west or opposite side of Davis's Straits. While pulling on tho ropes sido by side with Esquimaux, I was strongly reminded of the opinion many civilized persons have of their savage and cruel nature. Why, instead of that, they aro glorious good fellows. As for eating a man up, they wouM sooner let a hungry man eat them out of all, without saying a word, unless it was, " Welcome, stranger ! as long as I have, you shall share with me." This is just their nature. The time I was at Holstoinborg I saw much of the inhabitants, and my opinion as to their honesty, good-nature, good-will, and genuine hospitality is strong and unmixed. They possess these virtues to an eminent degree. The vices so prominent and prevalent in more civilized communities are all but unknown here. Tho test they were put to on board the George Henry was enough to satisfy any man that they are honest. Numbers cf Esquimaux, of all ages and of both sexes, were almost constantly on board, yet not the slightest thing was missed by any of us. We never thought it necessary to " keep an eye " on this or that, though their desire for any of our trinkets was ever so great. Wherever we placed an article, there we found it. Among other incidents well remembered of my stay at Hol- steinborg, I must not forget the garden attached to Governor Elberg's house. He was very proud of this garden, though there 1;' 'I sl„ ■' 1 ,!!> I'll 1,.K' I * I '■ f I ii SB i-t^iHAi-tlkt:.^.. 60 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. la l« II was but little in it. One evening he took me there. The radishes and turnips looked flourishing, but they were diminutive in the extreme. Those I tasted were good. I relished them' exceed- ingly, tops and all. I have mentioned purchasing here some dogs for sledge-work. They were six in number, and the governor kindly gave me his experience in selecting the best animals. I bought the six for about Danish ten dollars, equivalent to a pound sterling. As these dogs will be frequently alluded to in my narrative, I here append a list of their Greenland names : 1. Kingo ; 2. Barhekark ; 3. Ei — pronounced Ee; 4. Me-lak-tor — the leader ; 5. Me-rok ; 6. Me-lak, or Ki-o-koo-lik^ afterward called Flora. For their food I purchased over two bushels of little dried fish (" capelins") for an English shilling. At length the repairs of our windlass were complete, and on Tuesday, July 24th, a fair wind gave notice we were .'.bout to take our departure. Two pilots — Otto and Lars — came on board, and as some of our men had gone ashore,, the colours were hoisted for their return. All was excitement. My letters for home had to be finished, and my last farewell uttered to kiixd Mends. As I wrote in the cabin below, there was at my side a beautiful bouquet of arctic flowers in great variety, sent me by several of the Holsteinborg young ladies ; and I could not but feel, as I then expressed my letter, astonished at the profuseness of Nature's productions in that part of the world. Having finished my letters all but a few concluding lines, I was soon in a boat rowed by Esquimaux, and carried to the land- ing-place at the foot of a hiU leading to the town. As we neared the shore all the inhabitants — including dogs and goats as well as Esquimaux and Danes — covered the place. On the beach were the George Henri/ s men just about to leave, having paid their farewell visit to .the warm-hearted people. Hearty cheers from the boat as it pushed off signified most clearly that not in words alone, but from the very soul, was meant " Farewell, good friends ; we thank you for yoiu* kind- ness, and will remember you for ever!" To this the Green- landers responded by similar cheers, and I am sure with similar feelings. Indeed, the parting exhibited several scenes worthy of notice. Almost every evening during our stay in the harbour, our " boys " bad been invited to dances with the Esquimaux. Acquaintance ripened as interviews increased. Friendships became firmly established, and, in some cases, love finally ruled ! ! ^v?gpp^fP!SS5F LEAVE-TAKING. 61 supreme. On this parting I saw more than one pair of eyes moistened. I say it to no one's discredit. Many eyes of our people also were darkened as the gloom of separation came upon them. I hastened up to the governor's house with my letters. He and his deputy met me, and I was heartily pressed to enter. Every one knew of our early departure, and numerous boats full of Esquimaux were seen hastening to the vessel. But my own feelings at the time will be better expressed by the following extract from my private journal. " Seated in the office-room, I added a few words to my corre- spondence home — to my dear ones, and to my noble friend, Henry Grinnell. I then sealed up my letters and gave them to the governor, who kindly offered himself to carry the packet to Godhaab, which place he soon intended to visit, and from whence a government vessel was to sail for Copenhagen in September. I was then invited down into the room where I had spent many pleasant hours with Governor Elberg. There I found awaiting the three parting glasses — one for me, cue for the governor, and one for the lieutenant-governor. Each had some good saying to utter. Blessings must and will follow to us all if kindly prayers can avail. With all my heart I thanked the governor for his great and increasing kindness to me while within his harbour ; ay, more, I thanked him for his hospitality, which was overwhelming. " My time was short. The lieutonant-governor took me to his domicile. Then I hastened to the priest's, to bid Mrs. Kjer and Miss Biilou farewell. I then found the governor had ordered his boat to take me on board, he and the lieutenant-governor intending to accompany me. The ladies walked down to the landing with us, where I expressed a hope to have the pleasure of again seeing them after three or four years' time in the United States. I especially promised that the lady who sometimes here is ' blue with cold ' should never be so while there. A warm — a last shake of the hand, and I bid them an affectionate adieu. I was then carried away, amid the sorrowing hearts of many. * * * " On tne 7th day of this month I rejoiced when I first put my foot where I was now bidding farewell in tears. Then I rejoiced that God had brought me in safety, that I might put my foot upon Arctic ground. Not a soul did I know in the whole North. In seventeen days I was acquahited with all Holsteinborg. I I-' 't ,ii ! I L ! N 62 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. / 1^. ■ % It \4 now leave with it regret. I sorrow at parting from so noble a people ! * * ♦ " Kyacks in large nnmbers danced around us as we made our way to the ship. I remarked to the governor that with all the progress in ship and boat building of civilization, we had nothing in way of rowing with which we could equal the speed of a kyack. This is so. One Esquimaux with his kyack can outstrip any man or men among our people — or any other of the en- lightened world — in rowing. " When we got on board they were heaving up the anchor, and had nearly succeeded in getting under way, when, to the general consternation, our windlass broke again in a second place. Here was a dilemma. What to do was for a moment doubtful. To delay longer would be almost giving up the voyage ; to go to sea thus would be unwise. One remedy alone was open to us. 8terry declared he could manage it if we had the screw-plate and certain gear in the blacksmith's shop that had been used in the repairs before. It was left to me to broach the subject to the governor, and after a consultation with him he generously granted what was desired. A boat Avas sent off for the articles, and upon its retui-n sail was made on the ships. A last leave-taking in the cabin took place, and finally the governor, his officials, aiid all the good people of Holsteinborg left us under repeated cheers. A few minutes later, and Otto and Xars, the two noble pilots, also departed, and we were once more alone to ourselves, the Rescue following us. " After our friends had gone I watched with long and eager gaze the receding mountains, especially the one I had ascended on July 14th. It was midnight, and the northern sky flooded in crimson light — the east and the west tinged in mellower hue — the long ridge of mountains, reaching far south, and far north sharply cutting their contour upon the sky, formed a glorious picture to the eye ! The mountains looked black as Erebus in contrast with the red and glowing clouds that were behind, so that only a profile could be taken of them. As they faded in the distance, so was shut out the very spot where Holsteinborg lay ; but not so was effaced the memory of it and its generous inhabitants while life exists within me ! " Crossin Beau ona Oale- and { The fi my ok than I, four pi night ( like thi and Ba Sea," tl lowest be whai Duri: not lik( but, on an Ind] holding morning water s^ position securely previous scatierec geneous cine che library ornithok magnetic charts an and mysc out of all got into and was ■l iW iii w i 'T' ■ ■■ " ^•" 1 y -n CHAPTEE IV. Crossing Davis's Straits — Changing Appearance and Movements of Icebergs — BeatUiful Sunsets and Morning Skies — Refraction — Mountains " hanging on a Thread " — God 's living Arches — Approach to Land — Fogs— Another Gale — Desperate Party of runaway Seamen — Horrible Tale of Starvation and Cannibalism — Anchor in Kowtukjua Harbour. The first day or two after our departure, I had a repetition of my old complaint, sea-sickness. Here the dogs managed better than I. They could walk the deck ; / was unable. Perhaps four props to my two considerably helped them. But the first night out we had a terrible shaking. Davis's Strait was more like the broad ocean, and certainly as boisterous. If this Strait and Baffin's Bay were, as I suggest, called " Davis and Baffin's Sea," then could its billows roll high as the heavens, deep as the lowest depths, without our once thinking of their assuming to bo what they are not. During the night, " things in general " got capsized. I would not like to swear that the George Henry turned a " summerset," but, on my honour, I can say that when I retired to my berth, an India-rubber cup, lashed finnly on my writing-table, and holding a beautiful Greenland bouquet in water, was the next morning emptied of its contents, aij' very flower and drop of water scattered far and near, thougii the cup remained in its position ! Three half-reams of paper, that had been placed securely over my bunk, and had there rested quietly all the previous part of the voyage Uiva New London, were found scattered over an area of say seventy-five feet. One hetero- geneous mass presented itself to all eyes in the morning. Medi- cine chest and contents — guns and ammunition — my arctic library and the library of the George Henry — geological and ornithological, cetaceous and floral specimens — sailors' chests — magnetic and astronomical instruments — pens, ink, and paper, charts and maps, &c. besides two human beings — the captain and myself — wrapped in deep slumber by their side. But soon out of all '.his chaotic mass we produced harmonj again. Things got into then* places ; and I, by degrees, mastered my sickness, and was the man once more. \-X i I F' .r n; f i ii ii i'lPi i! : tit i i|j I, * i 64 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. fy 1 I 1 On July 27th we had a heavy snow-storm, and soon after- ward the land on the west side of Davis's Straits were seen, the mountains covered with snow ; hut, owing to frequent fog (sometimes it seemed to rain fog) and unsettled weather, we could not near the George Henry's destination, which was now changed to a place more south of Northumberland Inlet. We came across but little ici except hergs, and frequently expressed mucli surprise at it. The icebergs, however, were numerous, and many of them deeply interesting — one especially so, from its vast height and odd shape. I say " odd," though that applies in all bergs, for no two are alike, nor does any one seem long to retain its same appearance and position. The following is a sketch of one I called the Belted Iceberg ; but ice movements ' I BELTED ICEBERG. are as mysterious almost as the magnetic pole. The captain told me that he had known two vessels to be beset near each other in the ice, and in a few days, though the same ice was around each vessel, yet they would be many miles apart ! Bergs have beaut courtl Of worils my at ruins roof short largo ing c)u ho Iiad a tance, ni; wliito as finish \\\ time dur with its \ Anotlii The side Ootliic o: smooth p tlioir pari cornice of and accui APPEAKANCES OF ICEJ3Ell(iS. 65 have been known to approach and roce(l(3 from each oilwr in as beautiful and stately a manner as the partners in the old-fashionod, courtly dances of years gone by. Of the various bergs 1 particularly noticed, a few descriptive words may here be said. The first vi(!W of one that attracted my attention looked as if an old castle v.'as before me. Tim ruins of a lofty dome about to fall, and a portion of an arched roof already tumbling down, were conspicuous. Then, in a short time, this changed to a i)icture of an elephant with two large circular towers on his back, and Corinthian spires spring- ing out boldly from the bi'oken mountains of alal)aster on which lie had placed his feet. The third view, when at a greater dis- iV m liis GOTHIC ICKBEUG. tance, made ' . like a light-house on the top of |)iled up rocks, white as the driven snow. It took no great stretch of fancy to finish the similitude when the sun to-day, for nearly the first time during a week, burst forth in all its splendour, bathing with its flood of golden fire this towering iceberg light-house ! Another berg I could not helj) calling tlie Gothic iceberg. The side facing me had a row of comi)lete arches of the true (jrothic order, and running its whole length were mouldings, smooth projections of solid ice, rivalUng in the beauty of all their parts anything I ever saw. The architecture, frieze, and cornice of each column supporting the arches above were as chaste and accurately represented as the most imaginative genius could F 1^' :i ("ij ^5^iUtl WW A ■ ■'^:' f'ilvr : f i ■r i F,i ': !-*i lit !K s 66 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. / VM S.I conceive. Here and there I saw matchless perfection displayed in the curvature of lines about some of its ornamental parts. Springing out from a rude recess, away up in its vast height, I saw a delicate scroll, which was quite in keeping with Hogarth's " Line of Beauty." As I was gazing upon one of the many bergs we passed, it overturned, and burst into a thousand fragments ! Relative to the formation of these icebergs, SteiTy — upon whose authority alone I mention it, and who is entitled to his own theory upon the subject — told me that, at a place between two mountains in Northumberland Sound, he once counted something like a hundred strata of ice that had been deposited, one layer each year. They were of various thicknesses, each course marked by a deposit of sediment like dirt. He did not complete counting the number of layers, as the height would not admit of his doing so. On our way across Davis's Strait, not far from Cape Mercy, we passed the spot where, in 1856, the En;.;li.sh discovery-ship Resolute had been found by the very vesi-ol 1 was now on, the George Henry. I have just been describing the beauty of icebergs as seen in our way across ; let me now attempt to picture some of those gorgeous sunsets and phenomena of Nature W3 witnessed. I extract from my tli.iry at the time : — " July 2^th. — This evening the whole horizon has presented a most beautiful sight. A zone of rich mellow purple, with match- less tints darting upward to the height of some thirty degrees, met the eye. Then all at once, as the sun disappeared, the purpk was replaced by a deep blue. As to the ' tints ' of which I write, I am at a loss to describe them. Take a thousand rain- bows — stretch them around the horizon — intermix them — en- twine them — spin and twist them together, and you have the appearance of those tints crowning that zone, first of purple, then of blue. ^^ July 31' ! — S' inge sights to-night. Looking through my marine glass lo the north-ea^t, when the sun was about three degrees above the horizon, ± was astonished at the view before me. Mountains, islands, icebergs, and the sea were in one vast confusion. From the sun northerly to the south-east, wherever I turned my glass, confusion worse than things confounded met my sight. A little reflection, however, brought me to a realisa- tion of the fact. The extraordinary appearance of everything at and beyond the horizon was from ' refraction,' so called. did I distal the 1 dangl turtiec Spree "A now o tion t notice( becomi balls HillJW the azu "Sooi it showe my Nau * August stared m as ' big a] should b( But here full moon else, not 1 limb was red, and s I . NATURE ON A SPREE. 67 " We speak of this and that ' looming up * at home, but little did I think what it signified until this night. Mountains far distant — mountains whose true position was considerably below the horizon — were now considerably above it, and icebergs dangling from their tops ! This refraction ? It was Nature turned inside out ! Nature turned topsy-turvy ! ! Nature on a Spree ! ! ! Yes, Nature on a spree ! " As I went forward I was met by many of the crew (those now on their first voyage to these regions), who called my atten- tion to some icebergs ahead. A few moments before, I had noticed these bergs as mere pigmies. Now the pigmies had become giants ! ' Nature on a spree ' had given to mere snow- balls on the horizon all the beauty and symmetery of ' Bunker's Hill Monument,' running high up, in alabaster columns, to prop the azure sky ! li IM!i i''' i f is „: ,i a m- m- Ihe lie, ree )re \st ^er let sa- ins DISTOUTED MOON. " Soon the moon came rolling up ; and what a phase or face it showed, with its woefully distorted countenance ! I took my Nautical Almanac for the year (1860), and there found, ' August 1st,' the sign for Full Moon ! The large round circle stared me in the face. There could be no mistake. A moon as ' big and round as a cart-wheel ' — as we boys used to say — should be the aspect of fair Luna in the heavens this night. But here was the rising moon ' up to time,' yet where was the full moon ? The moon as it ought to be was a moon somewhere else, not here ; for, as it ascended above the horizon, its lower liml) was like a crushed hat, then as a drunkard's face — fiery red, and swollen out to its utmost limit of expansion ! Sketch- f2 I li^.l 'MnV't ^% M. i. 68 LIF.E WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. il ing as it then a])j)Oiirccl, the preccduig may give the idea, so iiuiiatural was the goddess as she arose from her ocean bed to- night. But this, however, did not last long. A few moments sufficed to carry her ui)ward in her regal course, and a short time afterward, as I looked again, I found " ' How cnlinly f^lidiiig through the dark bhie sky, The midnight moon dusconds.' ^^ August Gth. — Going on deck this morning, found Nature again on a spree. I have heen observing its working for two hours. I will record some of its phenomena. " When I Hrst observed the unnatural appearance of the bergs, sea, and islands towards the south-west, the mo-uing sun was ten degrees high, and shining brightly. The barometer then stood 29 "35 inches, the thermometer 41°, wind blowing moderately from south-west. Looking to windward, I saw tlie top of a distant berg ; then all at once a snow-white spot, not larger than a pin's heati, appeared in the clouds hanging directly over the berg. In few seconds it enlarged to the size of an Egyptian pyramid inverted. At every roll of the vessel this resplendently wliite pyramid seemc^d to descend and kiss the sea, and then as often ascended again to its celestial throne. " Dioptrics, the science of refracted light, may satisfactorily account for all this, but I very nmch douljt it. Some land that was seventy-five miles distant, and the top of it only barely seen in an ordinary way, had its rocky base brought full in view. The whole length of this land in sight was the very symbol of distortion. Pendent from an even Ime that stretches along the heavens was a ridge of mountains. 'Life hangs upon a little thread,' but what think you of mountains hanging upon a thread 1 In my fancy I said. If Fate had decreed one of the sisters to cut that thread while I witnessed the singular spectacle, what con- vulsions upon the land and the sea al)out us might not have followed 1 But Is^aturc had an admirable way of taking down these rock giants hanging between the heavens and the earth. Arch after arch was at length made in wondrous grandeur from that rugged and distorted atmospheric land ; and if ever a man's eye rested upon the sublime, in an act of God's creative power, it was when He arcuated the heavens with such a line of stupendous mountains ! Between these several mountain arches in the sky were hung icebergs, also inverted, moving silently and majes- tically about as the sea-currents drifted those along of which they were the images. In addition to all this there was a wall of "w i iy ^ FOGS. 69 water, so it appeared, fur beyond the usual liorizon. This wall secinod alive with merry dancers of the most fantastic figures that the imagination could conceive, and its j)erpendicular columns were ever jilayfuUy changing. Oli, how exquisitely beautiful was this (Jotl-made living wall ! A thousand youthful forms of the fairest outline seemed to be dancing to and fro, their white arms intertwined — bodies incessantly varying, intermixing, falling, rising, jumping, skipping, hopjjing, whirling, waltzing, resting and again rushing to the mazy tlance — never tired — ever playful — ever light and aiiy, graceful and soft to the eye. Who could view such wondrous scenes of divine enchantment and not exclaim, ' O Lord, how m.inifold are Thy works ! In wisdom hast Thou made them all ; the earth is full of Thy riches !' " August 8th. — The sunrise this morning was line. Long before the sun came to the horizon the cloui's were all a-glow ! They were in long, narrow belts, one overto|),nng another, the lower edges of all visible and pendent, rellectii g the crimson of the sun's rays. To attempt to paint the beauty, the glory of this scene, either by mi/ pen or by the pencil of any mortal artist, seemed to me liku a sacrilege." ****** Our progress towards the hnvbour we wished to reach was very slow. At length, on July 30t]i, we were within three miles of " Sanderson Tower," on the west side of entrance to Northumber- land Inlet ; but as it was late, and the wind unfavourable, wo had to go seaward for the night. The following day head winds and calms still retarded us, and we were now also anxious for our consort, the Rescue, she having parted from us a short time previously. The place we wanted to reacdi was called by the Ks(piimaux Ookoolear, now named by me Cornelius Cirinnell Bay, the anchorage being in about latitude G3° 20' N. For several days we had been struggling against strong breezes, and on the 2d of August we had only about six miles more southing to make ; but a very thick fog again came on, and once more we had to stand off to sea. (.)n the 4th we were not far from Ookoolear, and occasionally hopes arose that we might reach an anchorage before night. But it was not so. A dozen times was the ship headed for our harbour, and as often were we baffled by the fog. Sometimes it would disperse, leaving the heavens bright and warm ; then would our gallant barcpie be swiftly plowing the deep towards the wished for haven. Suddenly the fog again descended, enveloping us in the gloom of night, so that we could not see a \ ! 70 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. / ^1 \ !■ I I i I quarter of a mile in any direction, and tlien once nuiro would the vesHcl's course have to be arrested. So it continiUMl all day, and toward vtniinji; the annoyance was increased Ijy a heavy ^ale. Of course there was no alternative but to run off the land to sea, and accordini ^^„r^^ <^yp V> ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4 ^0 1.0 I.I _ 1^ 1^ <^ Bii ■2.2 ■: 11^ IIIIIM m ^> 72 ^^i J^ >' >: '-^ 4V j^ ■> Photographic Sciences Corporalion ^ •1>^ v <^ ^. <«^ V 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WUSTIt.N.Y. USSO (7U)«73-4S03 ^^ ^o \ <> 5* ^5v 72 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. "When Captain B. had asked several questions, the chief of these unfortunate men modestly supplicated for some food, as tliey were all very hungry. This was immediately responded to by the captain saying ' Come and eat ; ' but at first they hesi- tated, fearing they might be arrested. But hunger prevailed, and, making secure their boat, they enter.^d the ship, and fell to upon the salt junk and biscuit like hungry wolves. Never MY LAST SIGHT OF THE RUNAWAYS. before did I see men eat with such avidity and relish. To them it was a feast, having had only half a biscuit each and one small duck among the whole number during the past day. " I found that nothing would alter their purpose as to pro- ceeding on their desperate voyage. They meant to strike for York Factory in Hudson's Bay ; but on my showing them a chart and the course to Resolution Island, thence across Hud- son's Strait to Labrador, this latter course was decided upon, with the hope that fishermen might pick them up. give name. ■aMMii ■fp ^\Mm>i.XiS&i>^-^^ RUNAWAY SEAMEN. 73 d- »n. " The captain kindly gave them some beef and pork, powder and shot, and a chart. To this I also added some ammunition and caps. "They remained with us about two hours, and then, after deciding to go on, instead of landing for the night (perhaps they were still fearful of being captured), they got into their boat, and with many thanks to us, started on their perilous voyage. I Avatched them long as they passed away from us bending to their oars. It was 9 p.m. when they departed. The moon was shining brightly in the east — tlie alabaster mountains of ice were scat- tered about upon the darkening waters — the craggy rocks sharply cut their black profiles against the distant sky, and the winds were gently but coldly blowing in sad harmony with the occa- sion. As they vanished from my view I said to myself, ' Will the civilized world ever see these desperate men again 1 It is next to a miracle if so. And yet what lesson do they teach me 1 If these nine men can undertake such a voyage, and under such circumstances, with so little preparation, Avhy should not I, having far better means, be able to accomplish mine 1 ' ' For themselves,' I added, ' God be Avith them ! I know not how just or unjust their cause may be, but I do know that human life is now at stake, and my sympathy goes with them.' " Before I pass from this strange occurrence, it will be better to give the sequel of their history, so far as yet known, through three of the wretched crew who reached Indian Harbour, Labra- dor. The following particulars I gleaned at St. John's, New- foundland, on my way home in the fall of 1862. ; It seems that a Captain Nathan Norman, who does 1)usiness in Labrador, and is also a magistrate, encountered the survivors of this boat's crew, and, hearing their tale, demanded from them a statement in writing; whereupon one of them, Sullivan by name, drew up an account, the original of which is in my possession. It was given to me by Mr. Eobert Winton, editor and proprietor of the St. John's Daily Neivs, through Mr. C. 0. Leach, United States consul at that place. The following is a verbatim copy of Sullivan's written statement, made in the fall of 1861 :— " My name is John F. Sullivan. I left my home in South Hadley Falls, Mass. about the 1st of March, 1860, for Boston. I remained in Boston until the 20th of the same month. I applied at different offices for a chance to ship ; being a stranger in the place, and a green hand, I found it very difficult to get a berth to suit me. At last I got a little discouraged, and that day signed my name at No. 172, Commercial Street, Boston, and left for New Bedford, Mass. Next morning, I shipped to go aboard of the ship II "-virii^. 74 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Daniel Webster, then laying at New Bedford, but to sail the same day on a whaling craise to Davis's Straits, to be gone 18 months. " I left New Bedford in i)\Q Daniel Webster on the 21st March, 1860. There were forty of us in the, crew, all told. We had very rough weather for many days after leaving, which caused many of us to be sea-sick ; I suffered from it about three weeks ; after that time I began to recruit. There was nothing happened of any consequence worth mentioning until we passed Cape Farewell, about the last of May. After that we had quite a hard time, working the ship through the ice ; occasionally, however, we made out to get her through, and came to anchor, July 6, 1860. "We spoke many vessels going in I will name some of them : the Hannibal, of New London ; the Black Eagle and Antelope, of New Bedford ; the Ansell Gibbs, of Fair Haven ; the Pioneer, of New London. These vessels were anchored very close to one another in the harbour ; the crews were at liberty sometimes to pay visits to each other ; each one would tell how he was treated, several complained of very bad treatment, especially the crew of the Ansell Gibbs ; they were planning some way of running away for a long time, bul they found no opportunity till the 4th of Augu&t. " My shipmate, whose name was Warren Dutton, was aboard that day, and heard a little of the conversation, and he joined in with them, and said he would go, and perhaps one or two more of his crew. He imme- diately came aboard and informed me ; and he pictured everything out so nice, that I finally consented to go with him. We had no great reason for leaving our vessel ; we could not complain of very bad treatment aboard ; all we could complain of was that we were very badly fitted out for such a climate ; and, after we arrived there, hearing of so many men that died there the last winter of scurvy, we were afraid to remain there, for fear that we might get it. We thought that by running away, also, we would be all right, but we were sadly mistaken. "After it was agreed upon to leave, each one was busy making prepara- tions for a start, I, with my shipmate, packed what few things we thought would be necessary into a travelling-bag which belonged to me ; we then crept into the hold, and filled a small bag and a pair of drawere with hard bread, and waited for an opportunity to hide it on deck, unknown to the watch. After we succeeded in that, we made a signal to the other crew that we were ready. It being boats' crew watches aboard the Ansell Gibbs, they every one of them left ; they found no diffiv^ulty vi lov/cring away the boat, which after they did so they lowered themselve lly into her, and soon paddled under our bows ; we then dropped oui ^>s into her, and, taking with us two guns and a little ammunitic r*, got into her, and soon pulled around a small point out of sight of the v jssels. The names of the crew that left the Ansell Gibbs are as follows : John Giles, boat-steerer ; John Martin, Hiram J. Davis, Williard Hawkins, Thomas Colwell, Joseph Fisher, and Samuel J. Fisher. "At 11 o'clock at night, on the 4th of August, we left the vessels in Cumberland Straits, latitude 65** 59', al)0ut five miles from Penny's Harbour. Although it being a little foggy, with a fair wind we stood across the Straits. When about half way across we dumped overboard a tub of towline to lighten the boat some. We had nothing but a small boat- compass to guide us ; we had no opportunity of getting a chart before we left, and not much of anything else. " We made the other side of the Straits by morning ; then, by taking mm 4P|Pl ^^tin the of )at- we mg DREADFUL SUFFERINGS. 75 the spy-glass, we thought we could perceive a sail in chase of us, hut we soon lost sight of her. The other crew were depending mostly on us for bread, as my shipmate informed them that we had a better chance to get it out of the hold ; their broad lay close to the cabin ; so, what bread they had, with ours, would not exceed more than twenty pounds. We all saw that the bread would not last long, so each one desired to be put on allowance of one biscuit a day to each man. "We hoped, by the time that was gone, to reach some place where we could find help. We made a very good run the first three days, sleeping at night in the boat ; on the fourth day out we fell in with the barque George Henry, Captain Budington, of New London. He asked us aboard ; the boat-steerer acted as spokes- man. The captain told us we were very foolish to leave the vessels to undertake so long a trip. I believe he would have taken us all if we wished to stay ; but as we had left a whaler, we did not like to go on board another, as he was also going to remain there through the winter ; so we were determined to push along, as we had been foolish enough to start in the first place. However, before we left, he gave us a small bag ot bread, a piece of salt pork and some ammunition ; also a chart. We then bade him good-by, and set oiF again. That night we made a * lee,' found some moss, and made a fire ; before we ran in we shot a small duck, which made a good steAv for all hands. Two days after this we shot a white bear ; he was in the water when we shot him, and there being a heavy sea on at the time, we could get no more than his hind quarters m ; theni we skinned — the rest we could not save. That night we managed between us to cook it, as we were divided into watches, two in each watch ; by doing so, we could watch the boat and keep her with the tide. We kept on in this way, always tracking the shore, and at night going ashore to lay on the rocks, with our boat's sail over us for shelter. " We had very rough weather in crossing the Straits. We were on Resolution Island four days, waiting for a fair wind ; we got it at last, but so strong that it came verj near swamping our little boat many times through the night. It kept two of us bailing water out all the time, and we were glad to reach the land, after being in the boat thirty hours, wet to the skin. What bear's meat and bread we had was most gone by this time ; there was nothing left but a few crum1)s in the bottom of the bag. There was nine parts made of the cinimbs ; then they were caked ofi", each man taking his share. **0n the 16th of August we made Cape Chidleigh ; on the 20th we divided the last crumbs ; after that we picked up what we could find to eat. We found a few berries and mushrooms ; we sutt'ered very much from the cold, very seldom having a diy rag upon us. " We continued on in this condition until the 3d of September, when, to add to our misfortune, Williard Hawkins and Hiram J. Davis (who we called 'the doctor') ran away from us that night, and took with them every- thing that was of any use to us ; they even took the boat's compass, and left us in a miserable condition, with our boat broadside on the beach. It being their watch, they made out to get oft'. We thought it was useless to make chase after them, so we let them go. It then commenced to rain, and there was a heavy sea rolling in, anil, weak as we were, we found some difliculty in shoving the boat off". However, after a hard tug, we succeeded, and then pulled out some ways ; we then up sail ; it was not up long before it blew so strong that it carried away the mast. We then ran in under a jib, and made a lee. About half an hour after we landed my tfi;H'!'i m m f \ ■t 76 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 1^ V i shipmate died of starvation. The evening he died, Samuel Fisher proposed to cat him ; lie took his knife and cut a piece off the thigh, and held it over the fire until it was cooked. Then, next morning, each one followed his example ; after that the meat was taken off the bones, and each man took a share. We stopped here three days. We then made a start ; hut the wind being ahead, we were obliged to put back. Here we stopjted two more days. During that time the bones were broken up small, and boiled in a pot or kettle we had ; also the skull was broken open, the brains taken out, anil cooked. We then got a fair wind, but as we got around a point, we had the wind very fresh oil" shore ; we could hardly manage the boat ; at last we drove on to an island some ways out to sea ; we got the boat under the lee of it ; but the same night we had a large hole stove into her. Being unable to haul her up, we were obliged to remain here eight days : it was on this ioland they tried to murder me. "The third day we stopped here, I was out as usunl picking berries, or anything I could find to eat. Coming in, I chanced to pick up a mushroom. I brought it in with me ; also an armful of wood to keep. AVhile kneeling down to cook the mushroom, I received a heavy blow of a chib from Joseph Fisher; and before I could get to my feet I got three more blows. I then managed to get to my feet, when Samuel Fisher got hold of my right arm ; then Joseph Fisher struck me three more blows on the arm. I somehow got away from them, and, b(!ing half crazy, I did not know what to do. They made for me again ; I kept begging of them, for Goil's sake, to spare my life, but they would not listen to my cries. They said they wanted some meat, and were bound to kill me. I had notliing I could defend myself with but a small knife ; this I held in my hand until they approached me. Samuel Fisher was the first to come toward me ; he had a large dirk-knife in his hand ; his cousin was coming from another direction with a club and a stone. Sanuiel came on and grasped me by the shoulder, and had his knife raised to stab me. I then raised my knife, and stabbed him in the throat ; he immediatoiy fell, and I then made a step for Joe ; he dropped his club, and then Avent where the rest was. I then stooped down to see if Samuel was dead ; he was still alive. 1 did not know what to do. At this time I began to cry ; after a little while the rest told me to come up ; they would see there was nothing more done to me. I received four deep cuts on the head ; one of the fellows dressed them for me, and washed the blood off my face. Next day Samuel Fisher died ; his cousin was the first one to cut him up ; his body was used up the same as my unfortunate shipmate's. "After a while we managed to repair the boat, and left this Lsland. We ran in where we thought was main land, but it proved to be an island, here we left the boat, and proceeded on foot, walking about one mile a day ; at last we reached the other side of the island in four days ; then put back again to the boat. It took us foxir days to get back again. When we got there, we found the boat was stove very bad since we left her. We tried to get around the island in her, but she sunk when we got into her ; we then left her, and went back again to the other side of the island, to remain there until we would die or be picked up. We ate our boots, belts, and .sheaths, and a number of bear-skin and seal-skin articles we had with us. To add to our misery, it commenced to rain, and kept up for three days ; it then began to snow. In this miserable condition we were picked up by a boat's crew of Esquimaux on the 29th of September, and brought to Okoke on the 3d of October. The missionaries did all that lay in their powe us on before false V were One s the do Harbt stoppe Kibok coast, waitini "Cf compa had a "Sh written In witli 1863 "Mi forms on the themse pitalityl privileg still rei under a country Soon were pas This ba " Sarah'! miles, ai channel towing 1 saw us 1 this time us. Th( a ship c Rescue. wheeled in. An hoats in '. oars, and mm ^S^^^iitj.*.!^.*!*:- KOWTUKJUA HARBOUB. 77 irec bleed liieir power to help us along, and provided us Avitli food and clothing, then sent us on to Nain, where wo met 'the doctor,' wlio was jjicked up three days before we were. He reported that his companion died, and told many false stories after he was picked up. " The missionaries of Nain helped us on to Hopcdale ; from there we were sent on to Kibokok, Avhero two of us remained through the winter. One stopped with a planter, named John Lane, between Nain and Hopedale ; the doctor stopped with John Walker until March, when he left for India". Harbour ; the remaining two, Joseph Fisher and Thomas Col well, also stopped with planters around Indian Harbour. Mr. Bell, the agent at Kibokok, kept two of us until we could find an opportunity of leaving the coast. We left his place about the 10th of July, and came to Macovie, waiting a chance to get oft". " Captain Duntan has been kind enough to give me a passage ; my companion was taken by Captain Hamilton, of the Wild Jiuver. We have had a very pleasant passage so far, and I hope it will continue so. "Sir, I nope you may make it out; it is very poor writing, and was written in haste. John F. Sullivan." In addition to the above, Mr. Leach kindly funiislied me witli the following information in a letter dated Feb. 25th, 1863 :— " Mr. Kenneth M'Lea, jun., merchant of Newfoundland, in- forms me tliat he has had letters from the missionary settlements on the coast of Labrador, in which they say these men conducted themselves ' shamefully.' Instead of feeling grateful for tlie hos- pitality they received, they demanded to be supported with the privilege of doing as they pleased. I understand one of them still remained at Labrador. 'No doubt thi^ rest have shipped under assumed names, feeling ashamed to return to their native country." Soon rtlter the boat, with its desperate crew, had left us, we were passing one of the channels leading to the long-sought bay. This bay is a very line sheet of water, and is protected by " Sarah's " Island at the entiance. Its length is about fifty miles, and its width six miles. On entering it by the south channel we were becalmed, and the boats were set to work towing us in ; but, though we were up all night, next morning saw us still at some ten miles distance from our harbour. At this time a perfect flotilla of boats was discovered approaching us. They were six whaleboats, fully manned, five belonging to a ship called the Black Eagle, Captain Allen, and one to the Rescue. As soon as they arrived, quietly greeting us, they wheeled in line ahead of our own boats, and aided in towing us in. An interesting scene it was before and around us : eight boats in line, pulling the ship onward, with brawny ai-ms at the oars, and merry voices pouring forth the sailor's songs as mea- 1 i ^||;|P W}< m F ■ :1 : ; WtK . if \ 1 '3 1 ■■ 78 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. sured and uniform strokes gave even time to the movement ; the still waters of the deep bay, the perpendicular rocks by our side, and the craggy mountains overhanging our heads, their peaks reaching up as if to kiss the clouds ! At noon, August 8th, 1860, we reached our anchorage, and at length were secure in the harbour we had so long been seeking. The Rescue had anchored before us. ICEBERO AND Kl-A. WSSS^:y A. .fm^ CHAPTEE V. Visited by the Natives — Brief Account of some of them — A very aged Woman — Oo-kirjox-y Ni-noo — Ugamg and his thirteen Wives— £bierbing and Toukoolito — Kudlago's Widmo, Kok-er-jah-in — ** Blind Oeorge" — Ex- cursion on Shore — Anecdote of the Greenland Dogs — BeaiUiful Scenery — An Alabaster Cave — Arctic Food — Mrst Taste of Bear-meat — A Blind Man threading a Needle and mending Clothes — Astonishment created by a Magnet — Author's narrow Escape from Death— Geological Character of the Rocks — Departure for and Arrival at Field Bay — A Cruise in the * ' Rescue " — Arrival in new Waters. 1 Previous to our anchoring, Captain Allen, Mates Lamb and Gardiner, joined us on deck, bringing with them an Esquimaux named Ugamg, and others of his people. Several women were also on board, dressed in the peculiar costume of the "West Land natives ; but not until we had dropped anchor could I do more than give a passing glance at these strange-looking figures. The excitement consequent upon arriving in a new place was naturally great on my mind. The land around me — its inhabitants, its rugged hills, its mountain tops covered with snow, all belonged to that especial part of the northern regions connected with the ultimate field of my labours. When, however, the vessel was made stationary, and the greatest excitement had abated, I could better examine our visitors, and never shall I forget the first impression they made upon me. It has been said by a writer, now deceased, when referring to the Esquimaux, in an arctic book he was reviewing, that they are "singular composite beings — a link between Saxons and seals — ^hybrids, putting the seals' bodies into their own, and then encasing their skins in the seals, thus walking to and fro, a compound formation. A transverse section would discover them to be stratified like a rolly-poUy pudding, only, instead of jam and paste, if their layei-s were noted on a perpendicular scale, they woidd range after this fashion : first of all, seal — then biped — seal in the centre with biped — and seal again at the bottom. Yet, singular enough, these savages are cheerful, and really seem to have great capacity for enjoyment. Though in the coldest and most comfortless dens of the earth, they are i:^l?' i X ) 1 / ! 80 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ^11 over on tlic grin, wliatovcr befalls them. When thoy see a white man and his knick-knacks, they grin. They grin wlien they rub their noses with snow, when they blow their fingers, when they lubricate their hides inside and out with the fat of the seal. Truly, then, as Sterne says, ' Providence, thou art merciful ! ' " The above description must speak for itself; but, without endorsing more than its reference to the good humour of tho Esquimaux, I must say that, whatever they may bo physically and socially, they are undoubtedly a kind-hearted, hospitable, and well-disposed race of beings. On my first meeting with them, at tho thne I am writing of, in Grinnell Jky, I was much struck by their peculiar dress and good-natured features. Tho women especially attracted my attention, and I could not but think of old Grimes — " that good old man " — in his long-tailed coat. The difference, however, in the coats of these Esquimaux women and that of old Grimes is that they do not butt(m down before. In truth, there is no button about these arctic coats. They liave a long, neatly- worked flap behind, with a baby-pouch on the shoulders, and are slij)ped over tho head like a frock. But a full description of their dress will be given in a chapter devoted entii'oly to the manners and customs of these singular people. Among the visitors on board when wo anchored were a few who will frequently figm-e in my narrative. Ugarng, who has been already named, was a very prominent character, and it seems to me well to give some account of him and his family, especially as the history of most of all the Innuits I met is so full of strange adventure, and so indicative of their i)eculiar customs, that it cannot fail to be interesting. Tho particulars were gathered only at intervals long after my first acquaintance with the parties. At the time of which I write there lived in the neighbourhood of my explorations a very aged and singular woman called Oo- ki-jox-y Ni-noo. This patriarchal dame was born on an island named An-nan-ne-toon, situated on the north side of Hudson's Strait, and when I first saw her I believe she could not have been less than one hundred years old. She was an important personage among her people, and, as the reader will find, proved of much service to me from the knowledge she had of Innuit traditions. Kow this woman had been married to a man called Pier-koo- ne-me-loon, who had .also, at the same time, a second wife, Poor- loong-wong, sister of Ookijoxy Ninoo. By the second wife he had 1 the 1 in a I child Th Ut previ( 2d, hood, chief, years she di told I tliree this w tell wl 3d. from ] named person niy nai 4th. Ebierb] had a as we n very fa^ she the his owi by us was a h loo-yer, "Blind Tho f bring fo The s lung. ' £-ter-loc grandmo The • ''Ph principal i chiefs or r another. }fcti^v.-.cu;:.'ji(^ coo- )or- lio 00-KI-JOX-Y-NI-NOO. 81 had tliree chiklron, with whom wo have nothing to do. But by the former }io had eight sons and daughters, and at length died in a good old age, leaving his other wife to survive all her own children except the Ugarng already named. The progeny of this old woman was as follows : 1«<. A daughter, that died at its birth, owing to an accidental fall previously received by its mother while playing ball in the spring. ^2d. A daughter, Tou-yer-nud-loon, who grew up to woman- hood, a largo, strong woman. She married a Pim-marin* or chief, who was considered a very smart Innuit. After many years she had by him two children, and at the birth of the latter she died. The infant was then allowed to die, because, as was told me, " it was impossible to take care of it ; " and two or three days afterward the husband also died. With regard to this woman, it was considered among the Innuits impossible to tell which looked oldest, her mother or herself. 3d. A daughter, called Noo-her-pier-ung, who was born not far from Newton's Fiord, in Frobisher Bay. She married a man named Oo-yung, and these were the parents of U-hier-bing, a person who will often appear as a very important character in my narrative. The mother died about 1852. ith. A son, New-wer-kier-ung^ who married, first, a cousin of Ebicrbing's wife, the intelligent Tookoolito, by which cousin he had a boy; secondly, a woman chWq^ E-ker-too-kong ("Polly," as we named her), by whom he had many children, who all grew very fast and fat, but died young. Ho died before his wife, and she then married a fine, bold, and — to white persons as well as his own people — most kindly disposed, humane man, christened by us " Bob," — his Innuit name, King-wat-che-ung. The wife was a half-sister to another good but afflicted man, called Pau- loo-yer, or, as I have always styled him from his loss of sight, " Blind George." Of him I will speak presently. The fifth child of the old woman was Ugarng, whom I shall bring forward in a moment. The sixth was a daughter, An-ner-sumg, who married Mik-e- lung. They had two or three children, but one of them, E-ter-loong, a little boy, cross-eyed, was almost always by his grandmother's side, and was evidently regarded by her as a pet. The seventh chUd was also a daughter, Kood-loo-toon^ who * '* Pim-ma-in" a term used in former times among the Innuits for the principal man (or chief) among them. It is now obsolete, as there are no chiefs or rulers among them. Eveiy man is now on an equality one with another. i ' }% I ^i! 82 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. married a brother of one " Chummy " (a man that visited the States in 1861-2). By liim she had ivvo children; one died young, and the other is now living and married. The eighth and last child was another daughter, Oo-yar-ou-ye- ung, who married and had two children, a boy and girl. The latter was named Oo-kood-lear, and I was well acquainted with her. These were the children and grandchildren of old Oo-ki-jox-y- ni-noo. Now let me turn to the account of Ugamg. This man was born at or near Newton's Fiord, in Frobisher Bay, and was about 50 or 55 years old. From his early days he displayed great qualities as a daring and successful hunter. Many of his well-attested exploits border on the incredible, so marvellous did they seem. Not a few, possibly, I shall be able to relate farther on. Perhaps, however, not among the least of them may be considered the fact that he had no less than thirteen wives ; and, at the period I formed his acquaintance, had three living with him. His first wife, Ak-chur-e-you, he left, long be- fore she died, because she bore him no children ; his second, Oo-soo-kong, gave him a son and daughter ; both, with herself, dead. The third wife was alive, but left at Padley. Afterward she had two cliildren by another man. The fourth also had two children by another man ; the fifth hung herself after giving him a daughter, now 14 years old. The sixth — still alive, and related to Tookoolito — had no children ; the seventh was Kun- ni'U, whom I shall frequently name. She likewise had no children up to the time of my last seeing her ; the eighth was Kou-nungj who had two children by another man — the children now grown up and married. The ninth was Kok-kong, or Pun- nie, his present second wife, but with no children ; the tenth was Ak-chuk-ei'-zhun, who, however, left him and went to live with Kooperneung (" Charley "), a man I often afterward em- ployed. The eleventh wife of Ugarng was Nik-ti-jar (" Polly*'), by whom he had a child called Menoun, about three years old when I last saw it. Nikujar died while I was up there. She had been the wife of Blind George, already mentioned, but left him a few years after he became blind. Ugarng was a remarkably intelligent man and a very good me- chanic. He had several excellent traits of character, besides some not at all commendable. In 1854-5 he was on a visit to the States, and among his re- miniscences of that visit he said about New York, " G — d — ! too much horse — too much house — too much white people. Women ? ah ! women great many — ^good ! " I loo-y knov Hev of hi his p cans, the :f The coven In very i third, Nik after each o ofier oi hold w Ugarng hunter, even m tached mother, for her i I sha tive, an( Anot] widow c side of had had Koo-choo cir-ping. woman t piiig, a fi ki-a.* \ and it is seal, whi( and his tioned in Kudlago, * The Gr but among i henceforth i Si KUDLAGO'S WIDOW. 83 Ime- lides re- I 1 Iple. I now bririR fonvard another man, already mentioned, Pau- loo-yor, or " Blind Georj^o." Of his parentage tlioro is but little known, even by himself, except that his mother hung herself. He was born about 1819, and when young the innuits took care of him. He grow up and became one of the first Esquimaux of his place. He was an excellent pilot, greatly attached to Ameri- cans, and very desirous of learning their language. He married the Nikujar already spoken of, and by her had three children. The first was bom in the spring of , and had black spots covered with hair on its body. It died before six months old. In 1852-3 he became blind through an epidemic that took oflf very many of the natives. His second child also died ; and the third, born in 1856, was an interesting girl called Koo-koo-yer. Nikujar continued with her poor blind husband for five years after his aflliction, and they were always attentive and kind to each other. But, as he was unable to work, she accepted the oflfer of Ugarng to become his principal or family, that is, house- hold wife. Slie took with her the little girl Koo-koo-yer, and Ugarng became partial to it, and as he was a bold, successful hunter, generally contrived to provide for all his household, and even many more, without stint. " George," though greatly at- tached to his child, knew it was for her advantage to be with her mother, and thus allowed her to go, though occasionally seeking for her company with him. I shall frequently speak of this afflicted Innuit in my narra- tive, and therefore have mentioned these particidars. Another person to be referred to here is Kok-or-jab-in, the widow of Kudlago. She was born at Kar-mo-vrong, on the north side of Hudson's Straits, probably about the year 1814. She had had tliree husbands, the first being a tall, stout man, called Koo-choo-ar-chu (" Samson "), by whom she had one son, JSIing-u- ar-ping. But this husband she left because he added another woman to his household. Her second husband was An-you-kar- ping, a fine, powerful man. He was lost by the upsetting of his ki-a.* When the ki-a was found it was broken into fragments, and it is thought by the Innuits that he had attacked a hooded seal, which, in return, ferociously attacked and destroyed him and his boat. By this husband she had one son, often men- tioned in my journal as " Captain." Her third husband was Kudlago, who had also been previously married to a woman * The Greenland term for a boat or canoe containing one man is Ky-ack, but among the Innuits I was acquainted with Ki-a is the word, and such I henceforth use, g2 W' ik '11 i :\ m ri:ii V'-f 84 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. named Ne-ve-chad-loo, by whom two daughters, Koh-er-zhun and Kim-mi-loo, were born to him. The first of these was a pretty young woman, aged twenty-three, and married to Shi-mer-ar-chu (" Johnny Bull "), who was always exceedingly jealous of her. Kimmiloo was an interesting girl of about sixteen years old. By Kokerjabin no children were born. She and her third husband did not get on happily together. On one occasion this woman was nearly dead from a severe dropsical complaint. The angeko was then called in, and his wife's brother undertook to perform an operation for her cure. This he did in the following manner : Ebierbing held Kokerjabm while the operator, with a sort of lancet having a blade three inches long, stabbed her quickly and forcibly in the abdomen. Water poured forth copiously, and soon after this she recovered. At the time of my first arrival among these Innuits, several of them were in different places hunting and fishing ; but I after- ward became so well acquainted with them, and was on such familiar terms, that they and others I shall introduce seemed almost of my own family. But I wlQ now proceed with my own personal narrative. In the afternoon, accompanied by Sterry, Gardiner, and Lamb, I went on shore. There I visited several of the natives in their tupics — summer skin-tents. The honesty of this people is remarkable. I noticed on the beach coal, wood, four tubs of whale-line, tar, oil-casks, mincing machine, coils of rope, trying kettles, harpoons, lances, &c. all left here since the previous fall, and yet as safe as on board the ship ! A nother trait of their character, however, is not at all commendable. One of the first things attracting my attention, close to the tents, was the skeleton of an Innuit, or Esquimaux woman, just as she had died some three years before ! She had been sick, and was left to take care of herself. The remains of her tent-^— her skin bedding, her stone lamp, and other domestic articles, were stUl by her side. This inattention to the sick and dead is a custom of the Esquimaux, and, in another place, I shall again refer to it. When I returned on board, Kudlago's wife had just arrived. She had heard on shore of her husband's death, and at once, with her son (the daughter not ai riving till next day), hastened to the ship. Sorrowfully, and with tears in her eyes, did the poor Esquimaux widow, Kokerjabin, enter our cabin. As she looked at us, and then at the chest where Kudlago had kept his things, and which Captain Budington now opened, the tears GREENLAND DOGS. 85 the cing . all the all tion, liaiix had IS of lestic and shall tved. dth the ipoor she his bears flowed faster and faster, showing that Nature is as much sus- ceptihle of all the softer feelings among these children of the North as with us in the warmer South. But her grief could hardly be controlled when the treasures Kudlago had gathered in the States for her and his little girl were exhibited. She sat herself down upon the rhest, and pensively bent her head in deep, unfeigned sorrow ; then, after a time, she left the cabin with her son. The following day I again went on shore for an excursion up the mountains, " Captain," a lad about fifteen years of age, ac- companying me. My dogs had been landed immediately upon our arrival, and now greeted me with much joy. Poor creatures, how they liked once more to bury their shaggy, panting bodies beneath the snow ! They skip, they run, they come and look, as if grateful, in my eye, and then bound away again in the wildest exuberance of animal spirits. I have before mentioned some particulars of these dogs, and I now relate an anecdote concerning them during our passage across from Greenland. One day, in feeding the dogs, I called the whole of them around me, and gave to each in turn a capelin, or small dried fish. To do this fairly, I used to make all the dogs encircle me until every one had received ten of the capelins apiece. Now Barbekark, a very young and shrewd dog, took it into his head that he would play a white man's trick. So, every time he re- ceived his fish, he would back square out, move a distance of two or three dogs, and force himself in line again, thus receiving double the share of any other dog. But this joke of Barbekark's Ibespoke too much of the game many men play upon their fellow- beings, and, as I noticed it, I determined to check his doggish propensities ; still, the cunning, and the singidar way in which he evidently watched me, induced a moment's pause in my in- tentions. Each dog thankfully took his capelin as his turn came round, but Barbekark, finding his share came twice as often as his companions', appeared to shake his tail twice as thankfully as the others. A twinkle in his eyes, as they caught mine, seemed to say, " Keep dark ; these ignorant fellows don't know the game I'm playing. I am confounded hungry." Seeing my face smiling at his trick, he now commenced making another change, thus getting three portions to each of the others' one. This was enough, and it was now time for me to reverse the order of Barbekark's game, by playing a trick upon him. Ac- cordingly, every time I came to him he got no fish ; and although ■m *'-'-i : Ui 86 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. he changed his position rapidly three times, yet he got nothing. Then, if ever there was a picture of disappointed plans — of envy at others' fortune, and sorrow at a sad misfortune — it was to be found on that dog's countenance as he watched his com- panions receiving their allowance. Finding he could not succeed by any change of his position, he withdrew from the circle to where I was, and came to me, crowding his way between my legs, and looked up in my face as if to say, " I have been a very bad dog. Forgi\ e me, and Barbekark will cheat his brother dogs no more. Please, sir, give me my share of capelins." I went the rounds three times more, and let him have the fish, as he had shown himself so sagacious, and so much like a repentant prodigal dog ! This dog Barbekark afterward again made himself remarkably noticed, as I shall have occasion to relate. He shared all my labours with me, and was here as my companion in the States, until he died a few months back. I now return to an account of my excursion on shore. The day was bright and lovely when I ascended the mountain. Beautiful crimwn snow lay about by the side of large patches of the purer white, and as I travelled on, my heart felt as light and buoyant as the air I breathed. The scenery was grand and enchanting. Two or tliree lakes were passed, one of them half a mile long by the same in width, with its waters at a temperature of 38°, and as clear as crystal, so that the bottom could be distinctly seen. It had deep snow-banks all around it, and yet, to my surprise, mosquitoes were floating on and over its surface, breeding by myriads. Some beautiful falls were situated here, walled in by huge mountains and their fragments. Many of these were enormous rocks, apparently capable of being easily set in motion by a man's power with a crowbar, so delicately were they poised upon each other. The frozen waters of winter have been doing wondrous work in throwing down these mountains. If water can find a crack in rocks, they are sure to be broken asunder. The inventions of men give them easy power to split rocks that are massive and hard. This is done by drilling holes and entering steel wedges, which are acted upon by slight blows. Another way is to drill deep into the rock and charge with gun- powder. But God has His way of splitting rocks ! He uses the little snow and rain-drops. They find their way into every recess. Crevices are at length filled with solid ice. They are enlarged j chasms now yawn; another winter, and down from their rude heights the cliffs fall, making the earth to quake in her career ! ■ iMi»jrii^ii'.'j^ii^^ m FIRST TASTE OF BEAR-MEAT. 87 There were mary. very many rocks that would be cast from their places, hirh -j the mountains, on the next spring. A person can hardly ..mceive the quantity of rock that is lifted from its base every season by the freezing of water. Xever can I forget the visit I made on this excursion to the stream that runs wildly down the mountain's side, between the first and second lakelets, near Kow-tug-ju-a — Clark's Harbour. For one-third of a mile the stream was covered with a huge pile of snow. I crossed to the upper part of this with my Esquimaux boy, and went down to the stream itself to slake my thirst. I kneeled and drank of the sparkling waters. As I looked round before rising, what did I see ? a cave of alabaster ! snow-arches, numberless and incomparable ! At a point where several arches commenced to spring were pendant finely-formed icicles, from which poured perpendicularly to the earth, unbroken streams of water, having the appearance of inverted columns of crystal supporting the arches. The number of these columns was great. Away, far away, down the cave, tlirough which the stream passed, all was dark — dark as Cimmerian darkness. From this I turned my eyes upward. Overhanging my head were pinnacled mountains 1,000 feet above me. Far as the eye could see they extended. On my still bended knees, I thanked God that I lived to behold how manifold and wonderful was the world's creation. None but God and that untutored Esquimaux saw me there, amid the roar of that mountain waterfall, ofiering up this, my heart's prayer ! While there I gave the dogs some dinner (capelins), and then had my own along with the Esquimaux. A good appetite made me relish the sea-biscuit and Cincinnati pork, and then, after resting a while, I began the return journey. I had ascended to a height of about 1,500 feet above the sea, and two miles from the beach, making a collection of various geological and other specimens ; but these latter I unfortunately lost. On my way down, a good snow-slide, for about a quarter of a mile, on an angle of 50°, carried me swiftly on, and, in due time, I got back to the ttnts, where a score of Esquimaux at once kindly greeted me. Away from all the rest, seated alone among the rocks, I saw Kudlagots widow, weeping for the loss she had sustained. Her son at once went and tried to console her, but she would not be comforted, and her grief was allowed to have vent un- restrained. The next day we had for dinner salmon, venison, and bear- meat ! It was then I took my first lesson in eating the latter. '!jW:Bi)u''. k ! 88 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. I found it passable, with a taste somewhat akin to lamp-oil, but yet, on the whole, good. A few days afterward I made another excursion ; and as I passed on my way up the mountain steeps, flowers greeted me at every step I took, lifting their beautiful faces from behind the gray old rocks over which I was passing. At length I reached a height beyond which I could mount no farther. Under the friendly shelter of a projecting cliflF, I sat myself down amid the most luxurious bed of sorrel that I ever saw. I made a good feast upon it, and in ten minutes I could have gathered a bushel, it was so plentiful. While here I had a look around. What a magnificent picture was before me ! The bold mountains across the bay. PIPE SKETCH — Cr.ARKS HAHBOUR. with high^ snow-capped ones behind them ; the waterfall of 500 feet ; the George Henry ^ the Rescue, and Black Eagle, lying at anchor beneath the shadow of those mountains, and the Esquimaux village low at my feet, was an admirable subject for a sketch. I seized my pencil, but paper I had left behind. Still I was not to be balked. 1 had a new clay pipe in my mouth. I took this pipe and inspected the bowl. A little fancy line ran down its centre opposite the stem. This line would serve to represent the dashing, foaming waterfall before me ; the plain surface W~-vfvr-'' KUDLAGO'S DAUGHTER. 89 of lie, the Ifor on each side would do for the sketch. This I made ; and such as it then was is here presented to the reader, even as I hoped I might be able to do, under the title of the " Pipe Sketch." After this I gathered a bouquet of flowers, some geological specimens, and returned. On my way I again met Kudlago's widow and another Esqui- maux woman. As we passed a place where some tents had formerly stood, Koherjahin called my attention, with tears in her eyes, to the spot where her husband had his tent when he bade her adieu on his visit to the States in 1859. She lifted up a portion of the back-bone of a whale which was bleaching near by, and said it was of one Kudlago had killed. Her tone, her manner as she spoke, was truly atfecting, and I have no doubt she felt deeply the loss she had sustained. On August 11th, among the Esquimaux arrivals was Kudlago's idol — a pretty little girl. She looked sad for the loss of her dear father. But how her eyes sparkled in the afternoon when several things were produced that her father had carefully gathered for her ! The account of her first arrival I find in my journal as follows : — "Kimmiloo has just been Americanized. Captain B 's good wife had made and sent to her a pretty red dress — a neck- tie, mittens, belt, &c. " Mr. Rogers and I, at a suggestion from me, thought it best to commence the change of nationality with soap and water. The process was slow, that of arriving to the beautiful little girl, whom we at length found, though deeply imbedded layer after layer in dirt. Then came the task of making her toilet. With a very coarse comb I commenced to disentangle her hair. She had but little that was long, the back part from behind her ears having been cut short ofi on account of severe pains in her head. How patiently she submitted to worse than the cui'ry-comb process I had to use ! This was the first time in her life that a comb had been put to her head. Her hau* was filled with moss, seal, and reindeer hairs, and many other things — too numerous to call them all by name. Poor thing ! yet she was fat and beautiful — ^the very picture of health. Her cheeks were as red as the blown rose. Nature's vermilion was upon them. " A full hour was I before getting that child's hair so that I could draw the coarse end of a coarse comb through it ! At last that job was completed. Her little fingers quickly braided a tag of hair on each side of her head. Then I gave her two brass Ml it 90 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. rings (which is the fashion among the Esquimaux women) through which to draw the hair. The skin trowsers and coat were thrown off, and the red dress put on." Many Esquimaux now visited us, .and from them I tried to obtain all the information I could as to my intended joui'ney toward King William's Land. I also discussed the question with Captain Allen, of the Black Eagle, who I soon found well capable and willing to advise me. It was, however, too late in the season to attempt commencing the joiu-ney then, and this all of those with whom I conversed, Esquimaux and white men, told me. I had therefore to wait, and meanwhile make myself well ac- customed to the sort of life I should have to endure while actually prosecuting my undertaking. A day or two afterward I was showing Kimmiloo, Ookoodlear, and Shookok (pretty little Esquimaux girls) the pictorial illustra- tions in a number of the Family Bible, when " Blind George " came on board. When I asked him his name, he said, in Esqui- maux, "George — poor blind George, aS' Americans call me." "What is your Innuit name?" said I. "Paulooyer," was the response ; and then immediately added, " What is yours ] " I told him, and after repeating it several times till he had pro- nounced it correctly, he was satisfied. I explained that the prefix " Mr." to the " Hall," which I had casually given, was an address applied io men ; whereupon, soon afterward meeting the steward and blacksmith, and hearing them called by those terms, he at once said, "Mr. Steward — Mr. Blacksmith." I tried to explain the difference to him, and it was not long before he understood me. He was quick to perceive mistakes, and, when he saw an error of his own, had a hearty laugh over it. He made all his clothes — sealskins ; and the way he threaded his needle was most amusing and singular. He took the eye end of a needle between his teeth, bringing the needle into proper position, and then placed it on his tongue near the end. He next brought the end of his thread toward the eye of his needle, and, after several trials, the thread was finally drawn through the eye by his very sensitive tongue. He then grasped with his lips and teeth the end of the thread, and thus the needle was threaded ! I have seen " Blind George " thus thread his needle, time and again, in ten seconds ! Wishing to test his quality as a tailor, I gave him one of my coats to mend in the sleeve. It was full of rents, but to only one did I call his attention. I left him at his work ; and being myself afterward busy at something else, I had forgotten him. liififTi'iMiijiia— THE MAGNET. 91 When I again went to him where he was generally seated in the main cabin, he had every break mended, and all his work well done. I took out my little magnet and put it into his hands. He passed it through and through his fingers, and then I placed the armature upon it. This was a mystery to him. The Esqui- maux exclamations that escaped his lips were numerous and amusing. I then took the armature and gave him a sewing needle, bringing it and the magnet together. This was also wondrous to him. It was many minutes before he became satisfied it was really so. He would pull one end of the needle off the magnet, and when he let go it would fly back. The approach of an armature to a magnet, both in his hands, also greatly surprised him. As they came near and he felt the attractive power, he instantly threw them aside, and it was some time before I could get him to make another trial. Still more careful was he the second time. The contact was at last made, and made quick as lightning, but just as quick did he drop the two. Finding, however, that he was not injured, and that the little girls were enjo3dng a hearty laugh at his expense — they having before tried it — ^he at last succeeded. I next tried him with a pair of needles, desiring him to bring the magnet near them. He did so, but at the cost of my time and patience, as I had to pick them up from all parts of the cabin. On dis- covering that the needles had sprung from his hand, he acted as if smitten by a thunder-bolt, throwing needles, magnet, and all helter-skelter away ! and still more, he at once declared I was an An-ge-ko ! At this time Ugarng was often on board the ship, and one day I was much amused at his vain attempts to pick up some mercury which I had out upon a sheet of white paper. The metal assumed a globular shape, and looked precisely like shot made of tin. Now the mercury thus presented to his view seemed to be quite beyond his comprehension. Generally, an Esquimaux is stoical under all circumstances, no matter how startling they may be, but here was something that completely upset his equanimity. After nearly half an hour's attempt to understand the lively substance before him, and to grasp it, he gave up, and also lost his temper. He burst out in some broken words, like oaths he had heard on board ship, declaring the d — 1 was in it, and nothing else. A short time after our arrival at this anchorage I had a narrow escape of my life. It was most providential, and afforded me 11' i> r,?i I I 92 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. an assurance that the Almighty had protected me. In the after- noon I went down seaward for the purpose of examining some rocks. I had with me my revolver, pencil, and portfolio. The stratification of these rocks was very remarkable, and for several rods I saw a quartz vein running as straight as a line N.N.W. and S.S.E. Its dip was 60°, and in thickness one and a half to two inches. Everywhere around, tha fallen ruins of mountains stared me in the face. I was i)erfectly astonished at the rapidity with which huge rocks had evidently been rent to pieces. I also saw, standing by themselves, square pillars of stone, the strata of which were completely separated, so that I could take them off one by one, as leaves of paper. Some were an inch, lialf an inch, two inches, and others six inches thick. Anxious to obtain some specimens, I was engaged, with my knife, digging out some quartz and gold-like metal, slightly bedded iu a fresh- broken rock before me, when, as I leaned forward, the revolver fell from my belt, and instantly exploded close to my hand and face ! For the moment I thought myself dangerously wounded, so great was the pain I experienced in my hand and forehead ; but the next instant T ascertained that the ball had just cleared me, merely forcing the powder into my hand, forehead, and round my right eye. It was a narrow escape, and a warning thereafter to be more careful how I left the hammer of any gun or pistol I had about me. The rocks about here were indeed very remarkable. One pile consisted entirely of mica, quartz, and feldspar ; and the nearest approach I can give to its appearance is to let the imagination conceive that the feldspar was in a state like putty, and worked up into various uncouth figures, the spaces between each filled up with mica and quartz. Then would there be an appearance similar to what I observed on these rocks, only that ages and ages should be added to cut out deeply the mica and quartz, leaving the pure quartz veins almost unaffected. On the 14th of August the brig Georgiana, belonging to the same owners as the George Henry^ arrived from some other whaling ground. Thus four vessels were now near each other, the Black Eagle ^ Georgiana, Rescue, and our own ; and a very sociable and agreeable time was spent, during leisure hours, in visiting each other. But none of us were unnecessarily idle. Preparations had to be made for the coming winter, and for Avhale-tishing while the season yet lasted. The Black Eagle and Georgiana had their own plans, but that of the George Henry was to visit another and smaller bay on the south side of this inlet. Meani house some roof V over a On winter the ba Sterry' The arrived { Field, we enter safe. Si whaling servedly ■WT^ *:SSS1 DEPARTURE FOR FIELD BAY. 93 Meanwhile Captain Budington had erected a stone and turf house for the benefit of his boats' crews, when, as was intended, some of the men should be stationed there "to fish." The roof was made from timber, with canvas well coated with tar over all. On the 16th we sailed for J^u-gum-mi-uke, the intended winter quarters of the George Henri/ and Rescue. As we left the bay, we passed several prominent places, and among them ISterry's Tower. The following is a sketch of it : — V-'M }L^ le. for ,nd vas sterry's tower. The next day, in company with many of the natives, we arrived at Nu-gum-mi-uke (a bay which I named after Cyrus AV. Field, one of the promoters of my expedition). The harbour we entered was hard to find, but it was thought to be perfectly safe. Soon afterward the ship and her crew made ready for whaling ; but for myself, I determined upon mixing unre- servedly with the natives, and for this purpose tried to secure iiifi 5>iii ■hj ;n 1 ; '? '•I;: I 94 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. it Ugarng as a guide and companion. I presented him with a beautiful ivory-handled knife. He was much pleased with it, and 8f id, in his own tongue, kuoy-en-na-mik (I thank you). Ugarng's wives were really good-looking, and capital workers, chewing more seal, reindeer, and walrus skins for boots and mittens than any other women of the country. This chewing process will be described at another time ; but I may here observe that it is one of the principal raodies of making the skins pliable, and changing them into any uesired form. It is a labour always performed by females, never by men. The Innuit women also washed clothes, and soon became so pro- ficient that they could do them as well as the Americans. One morning I gave my clothes to be washed by a woman called Nukertou, and by the evening she returned the articles to me completed and in good order. Ugarng gave me an excellent pair of native boots, made by one of his wives, and, in return, I presented her with some brass rings, which the women greatly prize for doing up the hair. Wishing to visit some of the innumerable islands that lay scattered about the bay, and also to place my dogs on some place best suited for them, where the remains of a whale were found, I took three Esquimaux boys and little Kimmiloo in the boat with me to pull. I accomplished my errand, and, on the return, much enjoyed the sight of my crew, including the girl (all fresh types of the Iron race of the North), smbking with pipe in their mouth, and, at the same time, pulling heartily at the oars ! On Monday, August 20th, after tea, the captain, myself. Smith, Sterry, Morgan, and Bailey took a boat, and went out a ducking. The wind was blowing fresh from the north-west, therefore we beat to windward. On the way we killed five ducks — a sport that was exciting enough, though not remunera- tive, five or six shots having to be expended in killing one duck. While tacking, I lost my venerable hat — the one I punctured with a pike when raising it high in the air on top of the first iceberg I visited. On the 2l8t of August, at 7 a.m. the Rescue was got under way for the purpose of taking a party of us over to an iidet on the opposite side of Field Bay. It was intended by the captain to examine this and other places to see their availability for fishing dep6ts, and I gladly took the opportunity of accompany- ing him. While heaving up anchor, an incident occurred that served well to illustrate the character of the Innuit Ugarng. His third wind! Prese] again, band, as if ] ahead about Tw( being small man v» for ro( and te they w for the Atg boats, { nearly and in wild ai view, that lee either s bold an into the The was ser excitem waters c at least, guided went al sprit en head, as quietud( during was mac tions in as the v( I had west, very low mvf''-^ A CRUISE IN THE "RESCUE." 95 .111 or third wife, Kun-ni-Uy witli the captain and myself, were at the windless brake, and it was (juite an amusing sight to behold us. Presently we had to stop for a moment, and, on commencing again, Kunniu could not quickly lay hold ; whereupon her hus- band, who was standing by, looking on with a sort of dignity, as if he wore lord of all ho surveyed, at once ordered her to go ahead ; and when she grasped the brake, ho turned and strutted about the deck in (juite an independent manner. Two boats had to tow us out of the harbour, owing to there being no wind, and we passed through a channel between two small islands that was probably never navigated before. One man went aloft to con the way, and I stood on the bow to watch for rocks under water. Several I saw far down — some at five and ten fathoms deep, and looking white and yawning ; but they were harmless, even had they been much nearer the surface, for the Rescue only drew eight feet water. At 8 A.M. a light breeze filled the sails, and, taking up our boats, away we wont across the waters of the bay. A course nearly duo south was steered, somewhat westerly of Bear Sound, and in due time we approached the opposite shores, where some wild and rocky, but magnificent scenery was presented to our view. At 2 P.M. wo turned into one of three or four entrances that led, by a safe channel, into a long and beautiful bay. On either side of us were towering mountains, one especially of a bold and lofty character, with its peak lookuig down majestically into the waters below. The breeze had now somewhat freshened from the N.E. and was sending us along full five knots an hour. Great was the excitement ; most exhilarating the whole scene. We were in waters quite new to us, and approaching Frobisher Straits — then, at least, so believed by me. Our lady-Esquimaux pilot, Kunniu, guided us safely on, but care was also needed ; Morgan, therefore, went aloft to look out, and I again took my place on the bow- sprit end. Occasionally a huge white old rock peered up its head, as if to ask, Who were we that thus disturbed the usual quietude of the place, and unsettled the peace that had reigned during the world's age ? But no interruption to our progress was made. We went on and on, creating the most joyous emo- tions in my breast as we proceeded. My heart leaped within me as the vessel bounded forward. I had taken my glass in hand and cast my eye to the south- west. There I could see the extent of the bay was limited by a very low coast, but beyond it were the high, bold mountains of 1=1 'ii> , fli ' ii mm i b ' if ! :| ;| i U ^ 1 fli 90 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Meta Incognita^ across tho oldoii " Straits " — so tcrmod — of Mfirtin FroWsher. Though in tlio hhio melting (listaiuio, and some fifty miles off, yet tliey seemed like giants close by. Then, too, tho lofty hills of rock on either side of us, with tho sun- glade, like a pathway of dazzling gold, ahead, made tho picture beautiful and exciting in the extreme. It was my first visit and approach to the scenes of Frobisher's discoveries, and well might 1 be excused for the joyousness of my heart on tho occasion. At length the schooner carried us to tho termination of tho bay, and in a few moments more wo had safely anchored in a good spot, having four and a half fathoms' depth at low water. : i •.'^Ka« CHAPTER VI. First Visit to Frohishcr Bay — ** Metn Incnffnita" — Fossils— Koojcin'' nnil his Family — Old AHarkparu — The beautiful Kitk-cr-zhun — l^kiniiiny /Jacks — Esquimaux Food — Native Mode of >SleejHny — lunuit llmd-ornamfiits — White Man's Oravc — Esquimaux (Urare — Iniiuit iikill in (Jroi/rn/ihy — Aurora liorvalis — Visited by Numbers of the Natives — Skill of the Wouien at Work —Trial oftlie Expedition Boat — Ancient J>ivellin-~^'-. -nnT |. .-I, _, i,n,____^ >»ux-.,ni,-»ii—»wmiw.. vA I if II i i.i liJSiiiiiliiliiiiL^iiiliGiiiilitiiKiiiiiiiiiiiliiii '■»!: -^Mj-n.aifc»..Jtgfe, FOSSILS. 99 'J •? >j o u 'A 5 c humlred and eighty-two years previously, iii that very month of August, tlie great English navigator, then on his third voyage, was sailing on the waters now within my view, and, after many perils from storms, fogs, and floating ice, he and part of his original fleet (which consisted of flfteen vessels) assembled in " Countess of Warwick's Sound," which I supposed to be not far off. As I gazed, how I longed to be exploring it, then hope- fully anticipating it would prove the highway to my ultimate destination. King William's Land ! But such was not to be. Disappointment is the lot of all men. Mine afterward proved gTeat ; and yet I have reason to be thankful for Avliat I afterward accomplished. I looked long and earnestly. The land on the opposite side of tlio " Straits " was clear before me, though at a distance of some forty miles, and it appeared as if a long line of ice or snow topped a considerable portion of it. I hastened from tlie place whereon I stood, and walked to the beach, where the waters of the so-called Frobisher Strait washed the shores. There, with spy-glass, I again carefully examined the opposite land. The same appearance presented itself. But not till some months afterward, when exploring up the " Straits," did I have positive proof that what I now saw was really an enormous and magnifi- cent glacier, which, when I visited it, I called after the name of Henry Grinnell. Continuing with my glass to trace the land westerly, it seemed to me that the mountains in that direction united with the land on which I stood, and if so, no " strait " existed. But, as refraction at first was going on, I fancied that I might be de- ceived. A longer look, however, made me still feel doubtful ; * and while I stood charmed and sjiell-bound by the picture before me, a crowd of strange thoughts filled my soul as I reflected upon my own position there, and remembered the history of those early voyages made by Froljisher and his companions. But I had not much time to ponder. The party was awaiting me, and I had to return. On my way back I found many other specimens of fossils, a quantity of which I secured ; and as I was well-loaded, Kunniu, Ugarng's wife, oflered to assist me in carrying them. Tlie hood of her long-tailed coat was widely opened to receive my load. Some fifty pounds' weight of rock specimens, &c. were placed in * A week later, as will be seen, six intelligent Esquimaux positively assured me that this was a bay, and not a *' strait." h2 :; f ,. iniilii ■ .fi- '■ In ' ' . 1. .v-^i il ! ''. I i ''* il i {!'' !!•! i; (■ ■; i ,( 1 ti i; 'f' il U i' U iiL s / If 1 T 1 h i 100 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX, this convenient receptacle, now answering the purpose of a geologist's saddle-bag; another tune, an Esquimaux lady's bonnet or pouch ; and, next, a baby-house ! One of the limestones, on being broken in two, exposed to view an imbedded mineral the size and shape of a duck-shot. I tried to cut it with my knife, but it was hard as steel ; and no effect was made upon it except by scraping off the oxyd, which then left displayed something like bright iron. Unfortunately, I afterward lost this specimen by dropping it in the ship's hold. Wo got on board the Rescue about nine o'clock, and had a very pleasant evening in the cabin. The next morning we were again on our Avay toward the George Henry. As we passed out of the bay, taking another channel, it fell calm, and two lioats' crews were ordered ahead to tow. There was a strong tide running, and right in the channel some rocks were seen just below water. It was too late to alter the schooner's course, and, though every effort was made to get clear, yet we should have been left upon those rocks had it not been for the swell of the sea and a good pull at the oars carrying us right over tJiem ! In the afternoon, while still towing, three ki-as, followed by oo-mi-ens (family boats of the natives) filled with women and men, approached. On the present occasion, a highly intelligent Innuit, Koojesse by name, was boat-steerer of one. »vliile his family and other Es(iuimaux, with all of their connexions, theh* tents, cooking utensils, &c. accompanied him. As soon as they reached the Rescue, all came on board, Koojesse having with him one of the finest Esquimaux dogs I had seen. INIore dogs, deer- skins, walrus heads and tusks, with abundance of game, such as ducks, &c., were with the party. Among the number now arrived was Kudlago's eldest daugliter, Koherzhun, a truly fair and beautiful young woman, already married to a young man called Shi-mer-ar-chu, otherwise Johnny Bull. She came alongside full of hope and happiness, expecting to hear of, and })erliaps to meet, her father. Both herself and Tunukderlien, the wife of Koojesse, delayed approaching until they had made a change of dress, and then, when ready, on deck they came. But, alas ! how sad was the blow she hatl to receive ! Seeing Kunniu, Ugarng's wife, whom she knew, the question was i)ut to her, ^'' Xou-ti-ma wong-a a-id-td?" — Where is my father 1 and when Kunniu, in a calm but kindly way, com- municated the painful news, it was as if a thunderbolt had riven her heart ! That face, a moment before beaming with hope and haj^piness at the thought of meeting her father, was instantly NATIVE ^lODE OF SLEEPINCi. 101 changed to an expression of deep woe ! Tears coursed down lier cheeks, and, though the usual calm dignity of Esquimaux nature forbade outcries or noisy lamentation, yet it was evident she most acutely felt the sudden calamity. Her Esquimaux friends, and all who knew her father, sympathized greatly with her, as indeed did we Americans. Everything in our power vras done to alleviate her distress, hut it was long before she got over the shock. In one of the oomiens there were no less than eighteen women and children, an old " patriarch" named Ar-tarhpa-ru, who was crippled in both nether limbs, but blessed with the heaviest be.ird and mustache yet seen among his people — ten dogs, tents, reindeer skins in immense number, venison, seal-blubber, ducks, Avalrus hsads and tusks, hunting instruments, and, in truth, all the worldly goods of some seven families 1 Having made fast the oomiens astern, taken the kias on board, hoisted the old man up by a rope, and allowed all the rest to mount as best they could, we soon had our decks crowded with about thirty good-humoured natives of all ages and sizes, and of both sexes. It was not long, however, before the female portion were put to work in skinning some of the duf^ks. While doing so I sat beside them, and eagerly watched their operations. They asked me for my knife, and were delighted with the excellent one I lent them. Taking a duck, and drawing the knife once round the outer joint of. each wing and the head, they seized the cut part Avith their teeth, and stripped the fowl entire ! The ducks were very fat, and most of it adhered to the skin. This caused these daughters of the N^orth to rejoice with each other on the feast of fat skins that awaited them on completing their work ! After all the ducks had been skinned, they were delivered to the cook as fresh provision for the ship's company. It was understood that for preparing these ducks the native women were to have the skins as pay, and this was considered ample. A short time afterward I saw mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters in bed on deck, with their duck-skins in hand, peeling off the " luxurious " fat with their teeth, each now and then giving a peculiar kind of grunt in great satisfaction ! "In bed " among the Esquimaux is to repose in purls naturalihus between reindeer skins with the hair on. Being well enveloped in these heat-retaining skins, they proceeded to eat themselves to sleep ! Most of the female portion of those on board had each a really beautiful ornament upon their head, bent like a bow, and ex- tending from points just forward and below the ears up over the II!!; ii ;:(: \ 102 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. J top of the head. At the apex it was one inch wide, tapering down to half an inch at the extremities, and it looked and glistened in the bright sun like burnished gold. There were two fastenings to this ornament — a string of variously-coloured beads going under the chin as a bonnet-tie, also one passing down behind the ears at the back of the neck and head. It struck me that this was not only a beautiful ornament to the Esquimaux women, but would also be to ladies at home. Before Artarkparu came on board he was very anxious to make well secure some drift timber he had found. One piece was a ship's deck-plank, probably a part of the English whaling vessel Traveller, wrecked in Bear Sound in 1858. This vessel was about 500 tons, and was lost by getting upon the rocks, when, the tide leaving her high and dry, she rested amidships upon a craggy point, and so broke her back. Her anchors, oil tanks, and 150 fathoms of chain were said to be still lying there. In the evening I conversed with Kokerzhun about her father's death. She was deeply interested at the many particulars I mentioned, and I was surprised to find her so intelligent and comparatively accomplished. She was, withal, really handsome, but retiring and ladylike. She understood several words of the English language, and was very solicitous of acquiring more knowledge of it. She and her husband were invited for the night into the cabin^ where Mate Gardiner gave them up his berth, and, my wrappers answering for coverlets, they were soon asleep. The next morning we arrived at our anchorage, and I soon returned to my quarters on board the George Henry. That evening I landed for a walk, and about half a mile from the beach I found a white man's grave — a mound of sand — at the head of which was an inscription cut upon a raised wood tablet, and reading literally as follows : — BIED, ON THE 31ST JULY, 1857, "WILLIAM J.vMES, aged 28 years, SEAMAN, P. II. D., ON BOARD THE S. SHIP INITUIT, OF P. H. D., J. H. S U T T E R, C0MMA.NDER. Dreary was the scene around that solitary grave, the last resting-place of one who was taken away in the prime of life, tar from home and all who were dear to him. At the end of each line was rudely engraved a willow branch, a substitute for the ■ ■■ I ^" t last far ach the INNUIT SKILL IN GEOGRAPHY. 103 cypress, which, in all ages, and in all parts of the civilized world, served as a memorial of the dead. Strangely enough, after an hour's walk I came across another grave, but this time that of an Esquimaux. The grave was simply a steep ledge of rocks on one side, and on the other long stones set up on end. Within this were the bones and skull of the deceased man. At the head was a pile of rude stone covering the utensils that belonged to him when living. Through the openings I saw a powder-flask, a little tin tea-kettle suspended over a blubber lamp, the knives which he was wont to use, and other trifles, all placed in perfect order. Beside this pile were his seal, walrus, and whaling instruments. The grave was with- out cover, that he might freely roam over the mountains and freely traverse the seas to that world whither he had gone. The grave was situated on an eminence or blulf overlooking the bay, islands, and scenery far and near. As I stood by this grave the setting sun was crimsoning the whole heavens, picturing to my mind the glory that follows death to those that deserve it. After-inquiries that I made enabled me to ascertain the name of the deceased, which I found to be one Al-lo-kee, a man celebrated in his day as a great hunter, persevering sealer, and daring whaler. On Friday, August 24th, Koojesse made me an excellent chart of Nu-gum-mi-uke, Northumberland Inlet, Bear Sound, and lands adjacent — especially of the so-called Frobisher Strait. He signified liis willingness to accompany me next season on my intended expedition, but declined to venture this year. Trade to-day commenced with the natives for whalebone and walrus tusks. Several polar bear skins had already been bartered. On Saturday, 25th of August (1860), had a very interesting, and, to me, important conversation with the intelligent Koojesse, Ugarng, and his wife Kunniu. The three of them were great travellers, both the former having been in the United States, and the latter was born at the " King's Cape " of Luke Fox, dis- covered by that i^avigator in 1631. She had been to the Meta Jncognita of Frobisher, and all along the north coast of that land, which, by her account (as clearly explained to me), was connected with the opposite shores, thus making Froliisher " Strait" an inlet or hay. Koojesse and TJgarng had also visited the land referred to, and each of them declared that there was no other water communication to what we call Fox's Channel except through the Hudson's Straits. This I was very desirous ili ^1 m >A J ? i i 'vM ■■■ fill . s ■■ :i; : 'I^. i il \vr / 104 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ',1 ; a ! i « of knowing more about ; and at my request Koojcsse finished drawing his chart of the coasts, bays, and islands from Northum- berland Inlet to Eesolution Island, and both sides of the so- called Frobisher Strait to its head. The original of this chart is now in my possession, and it has always astt)nished me for its remarkable skill and general accuracy of detail. A facsimile of most of it is shown on the opposite page, reduced to one-twelfth of its original size. The charts that I possessed of this locality were such as our geographers at that time believed to be correct, and I pointed out to Koojesse the places about which- 1 desired information. I showed him the route I proposed taking when I got up to about longitude 72°, in what I had supposed to be Frobisher fetrait, but he and the others stopped me by saying, "ar^i / an/i !" (No ! no !) They then took hold of my hand, moving it around till it connected with " Meta Incognita;" then following south- easterly the north coast of this land till arriving at the channel leading into Hudson's Strait, about longitude G0° W., and, turning round, went thence up Hudson's Strait cc ntinuously on to " King's Cape." Of course the names Avhich we place upon our charts are imknown to the Esquimaux, and, consequently, I have endeavoured in this work, where possible, to give both together. The knowledge that the Esquimaux possess of the geography of their country is truly wonderful. There is not a part of the coast but what they can well delineate, when once it has been visited by them, or information concerning it obtained from others. Their memory is remarkably good, and their intellectual powers, in all relating to their native land, its inhabitants, its coasts, and interior parts, is of a surprisingly high order. In what they related to me concerning Frobisher Strait there could be no doubt, and at once I felt convinced that no passage existed in that direction. However, this I determined to personally examine at the earliest opportunity. Meanwhile I tried all in my power to persuade Koojesse to go with me, witliout delay, to King William's Land, but in vain. Earlier in the season he would have gone ; now it was too late. I had, therefore, no alternative but to wait until the following spring. At midnight there was a fine display of the aurora borealis, or rather aurora australis, for the direction in which the lights appeared was south, not north of us. The barometer stood at 30"05 ; thermometer, 32° ; wind, moderate N.W. and the sky "clear as a bell." I took on deck two delicate compasses to o*\^ X a. a o 23 -H 0*11 fhi/ ■^A.^ ' ''^ '^-^ .'X rU ■\ c^ .^ > -% iial its In liild in to he no lis, hts at iky to In, !'( : y i! 'r i i: f %l •t I'-! rfl > »; 106 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ii >■ observe if they would be affected by the lights, but they were not in the least. The display was really beautiful ; the streams darting up like lightning, and passing the zenith. Some banks of light were so thick that the stars beliind were obscured, even those of the first magnitude. The following day we had a visit from Artarkparu, who, I fini!, is brother to Allokee, the man whose grave I had noticed. Artarkparu had a single brass button, as an ornament, pendent from his skin coat. TLe device on it was a bee with expanded wings, and the motto, " iive ut vivas." A young man Esquimaux, whom we called Napoleon, from a resemblance in features to Bonaparte, used to visit us daily, dressed in a blue military coat minus the tail (which had been completely torn oft), and with a row of big brass buttons running over each shoulder and doAvn in front. The device on these buttons was three cannon on carriages, with a crown for the crest. Another comical sight was a fat Esquimaux woman who appeared among us dressed in an old calico curtain put on over her seal-skin suit. The number of natives now visiting us was very great, but it was made a rule that all except a privileged few should leave the ship at 8 p.m. During the day much trade was carried on in bartering for skins, walrus tusks, &c. One pair of tusks measured full twenty-six inches in length. The skull of the walrus is very firm and thick. No rifle-ball would have the least efiect on it. I have specimens that will show this. Decidedly the Esquimaux are a happy people. A^ they crowded our decks, I one day noticed about a dozen women seated and busily engaged at their work. Two were mending one of the boat's sails. Some were chewing ooh-gook (large seal) skins for soles of kum-ings (native boots), others sewing ; while one was tending a cross baby. This little fellow, by-the-bye, was generally as good-humoured as the rest, but a piece of raw seal-blubber had disordered him, and hence Ixis troublesome manner. It is rare to find an Esquimaux child but what is very quiet, and only on extraordinary occasions will they raise any cries. One Esquimaux lady, whose husband was as dark as half the negroes of the States, had a very pretty ^ami-white baby, looking true American all over ! On the 29th of August I thought it advisable to try my expe- dition boat, with a view to preparing her for the trip to King William's Land. Accordingly, she was brought in from where ^ ANCIENT DWELLINGS OF THE INNUITS. 107 she was anchored r/iar the ship, and Captain B. myself, and Smith entered her for a sail. She was found to answer admi- rably, and proved herself of high merit in model and capabilities. Later in the day I again went away in her with Smith d two men. We pushed outside into the bay. A fresh easterly breeze was blowing, and this gave the boat a good test. Two of the ship's boats were also out under sail, but we passed them at such a rapid rate that it surprised every one. Truly glad was I to find my boat so good, and little did I then imagine she was so soon to be lost. On^ the 30th of August I went in an Esquimaux boat, with some of the natives, to convey across the bay, Annawa, his wife, their infant, and a son, besides the widow of old AUokee, toward their home, which was at the head of an inlet opening into Fro- bisher Strait. Koojesse was of the, party, which was comprised of fifteen persons. We left the ship at 9 a.m. and when about two-thirds of the way we landed in a bight of a large island. Here I saw an old Esquimaux settlement, and I should think there must have been no less than fifty huts formerly erected there within a space of 500 feet of where I stood. The Esquimaux do not make their winter habitations now as in the years when the huts I allude to were built, the remains of which ■sv^ere before me. During the last few years Esquimaux live almost entirely in igloos — "snow houses" — through the winter season. For- merly they built up an earth embankment, or a wall of stone about five feet high, and over this laid skeleton bones of the whale on spars of drift-wood, then on top of that placed skins of the seal or walrus. Many of the ancient embankments where we landet. had the largest of whale skeleton bones placed " cob- house " style, and so incorporated with the earth as to keep the whole firmly and enduringly together. The entrances were ser- pentine tunnels under ground, with side walls, and roofed with slabs of stone. To pass through them one is obliged to go on "all-fours." I noticed here a dog-sledge, such as the Esquimaux use in their winter excursions. It was ten feet in length, the runners of one and a half inch plank, and shod with the jaw-bone of the whale. The width was thirty inches, and the cross-bars fastened by strings of whalebone. Allokee's widow had wintered here, and she at once bent her steps to the spot where she had formerly halted, and took from the ground a large pewter plate that had been left there. I : [: I pkl :!' m 108 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. asked hor where slio had ohtaincd the plate, and her reply was " Enjj,lisli " — tliiis pr()])al>ly ohtained from one of tlie wliaU-rs. The use slio made of this piece of ware was as a receptacle for needles, knives, heads, reindeer sinew for sewing', t^e. After stayin},' liere a short time w»i again started, and arrived at our destination ahont one o'clock. Tlun-e the l^scpiimaux family left ns, intending to foot it for abont two days over mountains, through valleys, and across rivers before arriving at their home. Ihit not only had they to walk that «listance, they had to carry a heavy pack on their shoulders ; and I Avas appalled when I saw the load each one took, especially on such a journey, without the leaf t particle of food with them. Our return was maile without difficulty, and I got on hoard much pleased with the excursion. On the 31 of September we were visited by an old gray-haired Esquimaux woman called " Pe-ta-to.'* In talking with her she declared that her children had numbered twenty-tive, l)ut all were dead except tAVO. She explained this by throwing out both hands, fingers and thumbs widely spread, twice, and one hand thrice, thus making twenty-five. At the time I could not lielp doubting her, but she was afterward confirmed by other evidence. Of this kind old woman I shall have more to say farther on, but at the time of her first visit she greatly interested me by her intelligence and excellent memory. Kimnvi, Ugarng's third wife, also proved herself far more gifted than I should have supposed. Her husband wished me to have her as my own, and then she could go with me to King's Cape, where she was born ; and she herself frequently explained that I could not go the way I wanted by boat, owing to land all around the Frobishcjr waters ; but, as I was unable to start that season, I had to decline the offer. Some of the amusing tricks played by these Esquimaux women are especially deserving notice. The variety of games performed by a string tied at the ends, similar to a " cat's cradle," (fee. completely throws into the shade our adepts at home. I never before witnessed such a number of intricate Avays in which a simple string could be used. One arrangement represented a deer ; another a whale ; a third the walrus ; a fourth the seal ; and so on without end. This Kunniu was a first-rate woman in all relating to work, whether in boat or on shore. She was an excellent pilot, and could pull an oar with any of our men. One day a whale was FEAST FOR THE NATIVES. 10^ capturod by the Georr/e Henry's Ci'ow at tho lower j 'rt of thu Lay, ami it wan necossary for all aid to hi; rendered in towin the monster alon<,f8ide our ship. Tho natives ^'ave every as- sistance, and I also went with a boat, rowed by Kunniu and tl)ree others, to help. But I found they were doinj,' well without us, and accordingly returned. On our way back a strong? north- wester Avas blowin*,', and it was becominj,' very difficult to cross the channel. A heavy sea prevailed, ami the tide was stron*,', causing' a commotion in the waters anything but ])leasant. In the boat was that Estpiimaux woman I have mentioned as pos- sessing the semi-white child, and never did mother more dote upon a babe than she u})on this. Her care and solicitude for its preservation were truly affecting. It lay in the bow of the boat as she i)ulled and pulletl, seemingly with the strength of six men, and every now and then she would look at it with a tender glance, while renewed force was placed upon her oar. Mother ? Yes, she was a true mother ; and Kunnia evidently must have been the same, for she pulled like a giantess. How they watched to see if we i)rogressed ! How they turned their eyes to the sleeping babe, as a wave would occasionally mount up and top its white crest clear over our heads ! At length we were able to get the boat under the lee of an island, and so make more headway in smoother water ; and finally, after some very severe labour, we got on board. As for the whale, during the afternoon it was brought along- side, and a most interesting sight it was to see the seven boats towing this " king of fishes " toward the ship. I was reminded by it of the way in which old Rome celebrated her " triumphs " over great kings and kingdoms. We of the white race were i)roud of our victory over such a monster of the deep, and they of the darker skin were rejoiced at having aided in the capture of what would very soon give them an immense quantity of "black skin" and " krang" for food. The skin of the Mi/sticetus (Greenland whale) is a great treat to the Esquimaux, who eat it raw ; and even before the whale was brought to the ship, some of the skin, about twenty square feet, had, by permission, been consumed by hungry natives. The " black skin " is three-fourths of an inch thick, and looks like India-rubber. It is good eating in its raw state even for a white man, as 1 know from experience ; but wdien boiled and soused in vinegar it is most excellent. I afterward saw the natives cutting up the kmng (meat) of the ■;.■■ JJ(! )| : ill: ■! J >' : 110 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. whalo * into 8uch hw^c slices as tlieir v ves could carry ; and as they worked, so did tliey ' jcp eating. JJoat-load after boat-load of this did they send over to tlio village, where several deposits were made upon islands in the vicinity. All tlay long Avere they eating ; and, thought I, " Wliat monstrous stomachs must these Esc^uimaux liavo ! " Yet I do not think, on the whole, they eat more than white men. But the quantity taken in one day — enough to last for several days — is what astonishes me ! They are, in truth, a peculiar people. " Cfod hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the whole face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitations." Take the Esijuimaux away from the arctic regions — from the shores of the northern seas, and they would soon cease from the face of the earth. The bounds of their habitations are fixed by the Eternal, and no one can change them. Thus these people live. My opinion is, that the Esquimaux practice of eating their food raw is a good one — at least for the better preservation of their health. To one educated otherwise, as we whites are, the Esquimaux custom of feasting on uncooked meats is highly repulsive ; but eating meats raw or cooked is entirely a matter of education. " As the twig is bent, the tree's inclined," is an old saw as applicable to the common mind of a people in regard to the food they eat as to anything else. When I saw the natives actually feasting on the raw flesh of the whale, I thought to myself, " Why cannot I do the same 1 " and the response to my question came rushing through my brain, independent of prejudice, " Because of my education — because of the customs of my people from time immemorial." As I stood upon the rocky shore observing the busy natives at work carving the monster before me, my eye caught a group around one of the vertebrcBy from which they were slicing and eating thin pieces of ligament tjiat looked white and delicious as the breast of a turkey ! At once I made up my mind to join in partaking of the inviting (?) viands actuall"^ smoking in my sight. Taking from the hands of Ugarng his seal-knife, I peeled off a delicate slice of this spinal ligament, closed my eyes, and cried out " Turkey ! " But it would not go down so easy. Not because the stomach had posted up its sentinel to say " no whale can come down here ! " but because it was tou<'her than * The blood of this whale, a short time after its death, was rising 100 Fahrenheit. Forty-eight hours after, its kraug was still quite warm. DISCOVEIIY OF A FKOBISIIER KKLTC. Ill ftny l)ull bcof of Christendom I For lialf an hour I tried to nuis- ticjito it, and tliun found it was ovon tougher than when I began. At length I discovered I had boon making a mistake in the way to eat it. The lOsciuinuuix custom is to got as vast a i)iece into their distondetl moutlis us thoy can cram, and then, boa con- strietor-like, lirst hibricate it over, and so swallow it quite whole! " When you are in liome, do as the llomans do." Therefore I tried the Ms> [uimaux plan and succeeded, but that one trial was sulficient ut the time. A day (jr two afterward I again went on shore to whoro a portion of the whale's carcass renuiined. The natives wore so careful of the prize that numerous piles of stones, covering deposits of krang and blubber, were seen on the islands around. This would seem to bespeak a 2)rovUlent instead of an improvident trait in their character ; but I am inclined to think that the former is more the exception than the rule. One old woman kindly came to me and offered a generous slice of the " whale gam " she was feasting on. Eeaching out my hand, with one stroke of her " ood-loo " (a woman's knife — an instrument like a mincing-knife) she severed the white, fibrous strip as quick as thought. It cut as old cheese. Its taste was like unripe chestnuts, and its appearance like cocoa-nut meat. But I cannot say this experiment left me a very great admirer of whale's gum, though, if the struggle was for life, and its preservation depended on the act, I Avould nndoubtedly eat whale's gum until I got something better to my liking. On September 5th. while taking a walk on Look-out Island, half a mile south ol' the ship, I discovered a large piece of what I supposed to be iron mineral, weighing nineteen pounds, and "in shape anil a|>pearance resembling a round lo i of burned bread." Circumstiuces afterward furnished me with many in- teresting particu] us of this piece of iron, and ultimately I ascer tained it to be an undoubted relic of Frobisher's Expedition. / f \ H!'i <•! A / / ■■«i*<>--.&^«i»Mli(ii-fc»^V.*-^.„.._i «. ! CHAPTER YII. Boat Incident — Life hanf/ing on a Shoc-strinrf— Courae/e nf Esquimaux Boys — Arrival of the ^^Georcfiana " — A itthofs Sickness and Recover ij — Attention of the Natives — A fearful Gale — Tlic ^^ Jiescue" and the L\rpedition Boat tcrecked — The ** Geonjiana" on Hhorc — The ** George Henry" in great Danger. The incidents connected ydi\\ my evcry-day life for some time at this period, tliougli never -without novelty to myself, would, I fear, seem to present a sameness of character if too often brought forward in the disjointed form in which they occurred. I will, therefore, occasionally throw together several matters that refer to the same subject, though scattered over the next two or tliree weeks. Of these not the least interesting to me were the native habits and customs as displayed in their beautiful villages. I was never tired viewing them, and at every opijortunity was on shore among their tuples — summer tents. At other times I Avould make an excursion to some of the many islands around the sliij), for the purpose of exercise and collecting specimens. I took one or more of the natives Avith me generally, and, on a certain occasion, the following incident occurred : — In the morning of September 8th, I went over in a boat to an island. I had with me a little "oi'.e-eyed" Esquimaux com- panion, and, after about three hours' ramble, we returned to the landing only to find the boat entirely out of our reach. The tide had risen so much that api)roach to it was quite out of the question. The fastening of the boat was to a rock now far out, and beneath "the waters! Here was a dilemma. What was I to do ? The dashing waves threatened every nKjment to surge away the boat ; and if that went, and we were left upon that solitary, barren island for a night, the probability was we should both suffer greatly. There was no other way of getting off but by the boat, and the tide was still fast rising. For a time I was puzzled what to do. But, as " necessity is the mother of inven- BOAT ADVENTURE. 113 tion," I at length bethought me of a plan. If I had a line long enough to allow of a stone attached to it being thrown into the boat, all would probably be right. But I had no line. What then could I do ? Presently an idea struck me. The telescope- case, containing a spy-glass (which swung to my side), had a long leathern strap. My marine glass was also pendent from my neck by a piece of green curtain-cord. The native boots on my feet were made fast by strong thongs of sealskin. Quickly these were tied together and made into a line some twenty feet long. To this a moderately heavy stone was attached, and with a good throw I managed to cast it into the boat. With a steady, gentle pull, the boat was once more within reach, and my Esquimaux companion and myself able to rejoin the living world ! It is said that " our lives often hang upon a brittle thread ! " True, indeed. Certainly it was something like it in the present case, and I believe there can be no impropriety in saying that mine and my little Esquimaux's depended for once upon a strong shoestring ! Another boat adventure may be here worth narrating. About a month after the previous occurrence I went on " Look-out " Island to spend the day making observations, &c. Two. young Esquimaux accompanied me ; but, though the place where I landed was only about half a mile south of the ship, we were some time getting there, and on arrival I found, from the high breakers ashore, it would be better to send the boat back. The troubled sea was such that in a little time the boat, if left there, would have been pounded to pieces. I wrote a note to the ship, asking for one of the working-boats to call for me at evening. As the two boys went off in the boat, no small anxiety was caused by witnessing the difficulty and delay they experienced in reaching the ship. And no wonder. The boat they had to manage was twenty-eight feet long and six feet beam, and this to take across a channel where the sea is often very considerable. However, the tide helped them, and in time they got alongside. In the evening one of our whale-boats came for me under charge of Mr. Eogers, who also found much difficulty in ap- proaching any place where I could get on board. He neared a rock upon which I stepped, but instantly found myself slipping. I had in hand and about my person sextants, artificial horizon, nautical and surveying books, tape measurer, &c. &c., and there I was, poised upon the edge of a precipitous rock, fixed in deep water, with furious surf around it ! I felt alarmed, more, perhaps I I ij I; l; :;;! ).. :■ {^ 114 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. for my instruments than myself, for the former would he lost, while I might readily he saved. All of the boat's crew were anxiously bending their eyes upon me as I kept slipping, and for a moment unable to help myself. But, thanks to my Esquimaux boots, which had been ivell "chcAved" by the native women, I was able, by a great effort, to press my feet and toes upon the ice-covered rock, until Keenet/, the "boat-header," managed to spring on shore to my assistance, and in another moment I was in the boat. Thus I was saved on this occasion simply by the flexibility of Esquimaux boots ! One Sunday after dinner I took the dingey, a small boat belonging to the ship, and, accompanied by four Esquimaux boys, directed it to the foot of the mountains north of our harbour. The mountains are God's temples ; to them I like to bend my steps on Sundays. " God, that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands." I used, therefore, to say, " To what place shall I go where I can better worship my God than on the mountains 1 How can I so well learn his power as looking upon and contemplating His mighty works 1 " After leaving the boat in a safe little harbour, we began our upward tramp, and I was much interested in a pile of rock which seemed nearly undermined by old Father Time. The remaining stone was feldspar ; that which had been eaten out — a stratum of five feet thick — was composed of mica and a small proportion of quartz. The distance excavated in some places could not have been less than three or four fathoms ! At first it seemed decidedly venturesome to go under this rock shed ; but, on witnessing the firmness of the feldspar, its immense height, length, and breadth, it restored my confidence. I greatly enjoyed my walk, and returned on board without mishap by the evening. On the 10th of September we were visited by some new comers — an Esquimaux called Tes-su-ivin, and his family and boat's crew. They had left Ookoolear — Cornelius Grinnell Bay — on the previous day bringing a letter from Captain Allen, of the Black Eagle^ which vessel was still where we had left her on the 16th of August, when sailing for rh'iS place. The number in Tessuwin's boat was eleven, including four females. He had with him his wife, Neu-er-ar-ping, and a sister's child called Og-big, meaning whale. Tessuwin and liis wife had both been resists ABRIVAL OF THE " GEORrTlA.Nx\." 115 to Fox Channel from Ivemmisiiite, in Nortliuniberland Inlet, and the information they gave me concerning those parts, and all around the Frobisher waters, was very interesting, fully con- firming the other reports. Tessuwin had often seen, and, with many others, visited in his kia the Hudson's Bay Company's ships, as they passed up Hudson's Strait. He said that very few Innuits now dwelt on Kingaite (Meta Incognita), and nearly all the native inhabitants were fast dying off. Soon after Tessuwin's arrival another boat from Captain Tyson's ship, then at ihe same place as the Black Eagle, came on board, and after a stay of two days returned, taking back several of the natives, among whom was Kookoodlear, the young wife of one of the George Henry's hired Esquimaux crew. Tessu- win left us on the 15th, he having engaged himself and family to Captain Allen for the Avhaling season. A few days after this, on the 18th, we were much surprised at the sight of a vessel coming up the bay, and soon afterward we ascertained she was the Gcorgiana, Captain Tyson. It was evening when she neared, passing on the opposite side of some small islands that inclosed us in our harbour. As she was going along about three or four knots an hour, suddenly I perceived her upon a rock, and in another moment her bow was raised some four feet higher than the stern. All was then confusion. A boat was seen to take a line out, but the increasing darkness prevented mucli being observed, and I felt great anxiety as to her fate. Fortunately, the tide was on the flood, and in less than an hour I had the satisfaction of seeing her again free. In ten minutes more she dropped anchor about two cable lengths from us. The following days an interchange of visits took place, and new life was diliused by the friendly spirit of emulation created by the two ships' companies in whaling. One day, when the boats were out, it was seen by those of us who had remained on board that a whale had been captured, but at first we could not tell which ship's company were the victors. By-and-by it was ascertained to be the George Henrt/s, and I here mention it to relate an instance of generous feeling on the part of Captain Tyson. When Smith, who was the lucky captor, had fastened to the whale, and was looking for means to secure his prize, Captain Tyson, in his boat, came up, and, without a word, proceeded to lance the huge monster so as to render him incai)able of further resistance. Directly this was done, Tyson left, to go cruising I 2 tm i; 116 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. for others ; nor did he once make any proposition in reference to a claim for a share, as customary among whalers. His act was most friendly, especially so where whaling has so much to create strife. About this time I was very sick — indeed, had heen quite prostrated for several days by severe rheumatic pains. The cause originated with myself in consequence of needless ex- posure. I had experienced no material illness before since leaving home ; and I believed, even as I now believe, that what Governor Elberg, of Holsteinborg, said to me about the healthy condition of all who reside in the arctic regions, as compared with other parts of the worlds was true. But I had neglected even the commonest precautions during wet, cold, and fogs, and thus I now suffered. I allude to it for the purpose of showing the great sympathy evinced for me by the Esquimaux whenever they came on board. In moving about near my cabin they would walk on tiptoe, as though instructed in our customs at home; and on one occasion, two little girls, Ookoodlear and a companion, were so careful lest they should disturb me, that they would hardly turn over the leaves of an illustrated atlas that had been placed before them for their amusement. This sickness of mine continued, with intermissions, for several days ; but eventually I triumphed over it, and was able to move about again as I had been accustomed to. During my sickness various dishes were prepared for me from game that was captured, but I well remember the joy I felt on eating a portion of a rein- deer's tongue, brought on board by some of the Esquimaux after a successful hunt. The previous day all hands had been eating (and relishing it too) some soused " black skin " of the whale, and I had freely taken of my share, but the satisfaction was nothing compared to that produced by the "piindeer tongue. .T'-fevertheless, I still assert that the black skin is good, either raw or cooked ; and when prepared as pigs* feet usually are, it is luxurious. At this tii^e the George Henry was feeding and employing in the whaling service thirteen Esquimaux — that is, two boats' crews and one over. They got three meals a day in the cabin. The ration to each was one sea-biscuit, a mug of coifee, and a slice of salt junk. Besides this, they were furnished with all the pipes, tobacco, clothing, guns, and ammunition they wanted. In return, they generally went out cruising for whales just when they pleased, came back when they pleased, and did as they pleased. If one or several took an idea to go off deer-hunting. 1 )tured, tongue. either ce, it is ing in boats' cabin. and a ith all (ranted. [t when as they Luntiiig, DENMAEK AND THE ESQUIMAUX. 117 or for any other object, away he or they would go. They would be independent in the fullest sense of the word, and restraint was what they could not brook. We Americans talk about " freedom and independence," but we are far behind these !N'ortherners. While we are pleased with shadows, the dusky sons of an arctic clime enjoy the sub- stance. They will do as they please, without any one having the acknowledged right or power to say to them, "Why do you so 1 " I coidd say much, very much upon this subject, but perhaps it may be considered out of place, I therefore leave it for another opportunity. Still, I must make one remark. The Esquimaux really deserve the attention of the philanthropist and Christian. Plant among them a colony of men and women having right- minded principles, and, after some patient toil, glorious fruits must follow. I cannot realize the fact that here is a people having much of nobleness and even greatness in their composi- tion, yet unvisited and apparently uncared-for by the missionary world, i^othing, however, could be done toward their good until a course is adopted similar to that pursued by the King of Denmark with Greenland. It is a painful, but too evident fact, that the Esquimaux on the west of Davis's Straits are woefully debased, and fallen from their original virtues — though possessing many still — owing to the visits of reckless white men on their coasts. In Greenland the case is different. There, under the Danish king's control. Christian colonies, churches, schools, store-houses, and stores of every needful variety, are to be found interspersed from Cape Farewell to Upernavik, and the inhabitants comfortable and happy. Priests and catechists, schoolmasters and schoolmistresses, are educated to their several posts, and are well paid for their services from his majesty's coffers. Danes emigrate to the land, marry and intermarry with the Esquimaux. Knowledge and virtue, industry and pros- perity are the results. And, notwithstanding the expenses for the support of all this, including the salaries of inspectors, governors, and several scores of employes, yet the net proceeds of this apparently desolate land exceed ten thousand doUarL, federal money, per annum ! This is well for Greenland. Paying for all her imports ; paying the expenses of some ten ships annually from and to Copenhagen; paying all the other ex- penses named, including missionaries, and yet realizing an annual return of net profit for the King of Denmark of ten thousand dollars ! Ho^v many nations of this modern day do better ] m i -\ f 5i w . .^ 118 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ISi And, with this fact before us, why shall not the same occur (adopting the same plan) in the land of the Esquimaux on the west side of Davis's Straits ? Let my countrymen look to it whenever the first opportunity arrives. On the 27th day of September (1860) there broke upon us that fearful gale which caused the loss of my expedition boat and the far-famed Rescue, drove the Georgiana on shore, and came near proving the destruction of the George Henry and all on board. As it was of so serious a character, I will here give the particulars in detail. Wednesday, the 26th, commenced with light winds from the !N.E. At noon it began to snow, with an increasing breeze. At 1 P.M. all the boats came on board from their cruising-ground, and preparations were made for bad weather. The wind now rapidly increased to a gale, and at 8 p.m. the second anchor was let go, with all the cable given that could be allowed without letting the George Henry get too near the rocky island asiern of us. The schooner Rescue, at this time, was about fifty fathoms distant on our starboard bow, and the brig Georgiana a little more easterly. At 9 p.m. the gale was still increasing, and a heavy sea rising. At this time the deck watch came in the cabin and reported that the Rescue was dragging her anchors, and as we looked upon her dark form through the thick darkness of the night, it seemed, as she kept moving by, that her destruc- tion was inevitable and immediate. But, when abeam of us, she held on, though pitching and surging heavily. The Geor- giana was seen but faintly, and it appeared as if she, too, was in great danger. At 11 P.M. it was blowing a perfect hurricane, with thick snow, and just then we could perceive the brig driving astern toward the island. She had, as we afterwards learned, broken her small anchor, and dragged her large one. On she went, driving heavily, amid the wild stir of the elements, and the awful darkness of that snow-storm night — on and on, with nothing to save her, until presently we could see she had struck upon the island leeward of us, where, after " worrying " her anchor round a point of land, she got into some slightly smooth water, and there continued pounding her larboard side on the rocks. The crew now left her and went on to the island, ex- pecting every moment that she would part her remaining chain, and so be driven out into the bay, where there would be no possible chance of saving their lives. Meanwhile, we ourselves were momentarily expecting destruc- was 5truc- WRECK OP THE "RESCUE." 119 tion. It did not seem possible that our anchors could hold. Wind, and storm, and a raging sea appeared to he c(.:nhined against us. Thirty souls, besides near a score of natives, were on board, and all p "eparing for the moment when it was probable the George Henry would be adrift on the rocks. But thanks to Providence and ou' good anchors, we did not stir, though at no time very far from the rocks. Every now and then 1 was on deck, not to hear the howling winds, for the whole cabin below resounded with their roar, but to gaze upon the terrible scene. And what a scene ! It was truly awful. Never before had I seen its like — never had I pictured to my imagination the reality of such a night. As I tried to steady myself by holding fast to some fixed rope, my eyes were spell-bound by the fearful sight before me. There behind was the brig pounding away upon the rocks ; and here, closer to us, was our consort, the schooner, plunging and chafing at her anchors as if mad at the restraint put upon her, and insanely desirous of letting go her hold to rush upon the shore. Ever and anon would she throw her bows low down, taking up the briny sea, and then, swiftly surging to and fro, spring fearfully on her chains. On the rocky, desolate island astern, the moving figures of those belonging to the brig could be discerned, evidently doing their best to keep warm in that bitter night. Through the rigging of our ship came the howling wind and the driving snow, while the fierce waves played and leaped about in the wildest fury. Yes, it was indeed a fearful sight, especially as it was increased in horror by the dread uncertainty of oui* own and our consort's continued safety. At length these our fears were in part fulfilled. Toward morning the hurricane became stronger. Every blast seemed as if about to tear us from our hold, and then lift us into the air and hurl us upon the rocks for destruction. Presently our eyes caught sight of the Rescue in a moment dashing before the fciorm toward the dreaded shore. She had parted chain, and, with one bound, went hopelessly broadside on, amid the breakers at her lee. Thump ! thump ! crash ! crash ! away the tottering masts ! the ropes, the bulwarks, the all of what was once the noble- looking, beautiful, and renowned schooner Rescue ! In and among the rocks, with their jagged tops tearing her to pieces, and the boiling surges driving over her decks, as the snow-storm poured its heavy drift around, even as if it were a wondrous funeral shroud, so did the doomed craft meet its fate. So, too, was my expedition boat torn from its moorings, and, sharing the Rescues sad end, doomed me also to a wreck of dis- 11.;- ■f J' " ' ' ■iff f r: "^•^■^'^'-l um itt L .t/tJ^^ t 'I 11 > 120 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. appointment in the hopes I had cherished concerning her. And all this we saw as, witli startled gaze and anxious thought, we stood on deck, powerless to save, and equally powerless to avert our own doom, if it shoidd come. The night passed on. The morning liglit slowly and cheer- lessly pierced through the increasing thickness of falling snow as it Hew pu US Oil the driving wind. Dindy at first, then more distinctly, but still in dread spectre-like form, loomed up the rugged island scene, with its wrecks and desolation. Figures all but indistinct Avere moving about, and the two ships were pound- ing upon the rocks, tearing at their anchors as if in the most convulsive death-throes. The Rescue was on her broadside, with her bow easterly, and evidently breaking up. The Georgiana, being in a more sheltered spot, appeared to be less hurt. But it was necessary to do something, if possible, to release the men from their position on shore, and get them on board of us, for we seemed now likely to hold on. Accordingly, the moment a lull in the wind took place, which was at 9 a.m. of the 27th, a whale- boat was carefully lowered and passed astern. Into it two brave hearts, Mate Rogers and a seaman, stepped, with a view of ven- turing through the boiling waves and surf to try and assist their wrecked comrades. Cautiously the boat was allowed to drift off toward the island, a strong and good line of great length attached to it from the ship. Skilfully was it guided over the seas and through the breakers. Mate Eogers and his bold companion well and nobly did their work. In a few moments the boat was under the Jiescue's projecting bowsprit, and speedily, though requiring exceeding care. Captain Tyson, his crew, and those who had been on board of the schooner, got into her. A short time more, and all were standing safely on the George Hcnrt/s deck. / 1 noon both the stranded ships were pounding very heavily on the rocks, and jumping their anchors in such a manner as to "■ause the two vessels to move their position more round the island, though in opposite directions. Thus it continued through- out all of the 27th, the wind increasing rather than the contrary. But on the following morning the gale abated, and at nine o'clock a party of our jjeople managed to get on shore. We found the larboard side of the Rescue badly stove, but the Georgiana, by being in a much less exposed place, was perfectly tight, and com- paratively uninjured. Her crew soon afterward took possession of her again, and ultimately she was got off the rocks, and once more anchored in deep water. As for the Rescue, after a careful examination, it was found I (e wlio time [eck. [eavily as to id the •ough- |itrary. 'clock i\d the la, by corn- session once found ■ ^i\l> m U\ :i'i . irr-ir» i i *aii ,i T , ^;1 i &i i >»T 122 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. !ili Hi she was too far damaged to be repaired with any means at our command. Accordingly, it was determined to totally abandon her; and this was put in execution the following day by clearing her hold of all the contents, and saving whatever was valuable of her material. I went on shore to examine what remained of the schooner,, and also to look after my expedition boat. I found my boat totally wrecked, nothing remaining but the stern-post fast to a three-inch cable. It appeared that during a part of the gale she had been driven high up on the rocks, and though the Q^eorgianaJa crew endeavoured to save her by additional fastenings, her fate was sealed. The tempestuous elements would not allow her to escape, and she was broken to pieces in the fury of the storm. I need not say how much I grieved at the loss of my boat. To me it was irreparable, and for a time I was nearly overcome by the blow ; but I reasoned that all things were for the best in the hands of a good Providence, and I therefore bent submissively to His will. The natives who had been on board of the Georgiana were on the island when I landed. They had found the sail of my boat, and turned it to account as a shelter, and now were as happy and merry as though nothing unusual had occurred. The Rescw, when I examined her, was high and dry on the rocks with h\ r bottom stove in. I mounted her side (her decks were inclining to the shore at an angle of 45°) ; I entered her cabin, and looked into her hold, and again descended outside, going under and around her. Then as I gazed at her battered hull, grieving at tlie end she had come to, what a number of interesting associations crowded upon my mind. She had been of the " United States' Grinnell Expedition " in search of Sir John Franklin in 1850-1, being the consort of the Advance^ in which latter vessel Dr. Kane afterward made that memorable voyage (the second Grinnell Expedition) in search of Franklin in 1853-5. The Bescu^s quondam consort, after having given forth freely of its planks and timbers for the preservation and warmth of Dr. Kane and his party, was finally given up to the ices of the North which unrelentingly graspr m it. The Advance was abandoned Sunday, May 20th, 1855, in Eensselaer Har- bour, lat. 78° 37' N. and long. 70° 40' W. Five years, four months, and seven days after this occurred the total wreck of the Rescue, in a harbour named after her, situated in lat. 62° 52' N. and long. 64° 44' W. nearly due south of her former consort. DEPARTURE OF THE '* GEORGIANA." 123 After well examining the Hescue, I went to the wreck of Koojesse's whale-boat, lying on the windward side of the island. This boat had been fast to the schooner's stern, and, of course, went on the rocks at the same time. She had originally belonged to Kudlago, having been given to him in 1858. When Kudlago left for the States in 1859, l s gave the boat to Koojesso to use until his return.* I may add here, that an oomien (woman's or family boat) belonging to the natives went adrift during the storm and became a total wreck. A boat of this kind is of great value to the Esquimaux, and, when lost, is to them something akin to the loss of a first-class ship to us at home. I must now say a few words concerning myself. Even in the midst of the howling tempest, when our own safety on board the George Henry was a matter of doubt, my thoughts kept turning to what I should do, now that my expedition boat was lost. But it did not take me long to consider. I was deter- mined that, God willing, nothing should daunt me; I would persevere if there was the smallest chance to proceed. If one plan failed — if one disaster came, then another plan should be tried, and the disaster remedied to the best of my power. Thus, withoat delay, and while yet the hurricane blasts made the ship tremble beneath us, as the captain and I stood on her deck, I asked him if one of the ship's boats could be spared me to prosecute my voyage to King William's Land, now that my own little craft was wrecked. His reply, after some consideration, was favourable ; but, when the time approached for my departure, it was found the one that alone could be spared to me was frail, rotten, and not seaworthy. On the 1st of October the Georgiana^ having made good her defects so far as she could, left the harbour under all sail, for Northumberland Inlet to winter. By her I forwarded letters to friends at home, should she meet, as was expected, with whalers returning to England. * Before I close this account of the Rescuers wreck and the loss of my expedition boat, with the escape of the George Henry, it may be interesting to mention that this latter vessel did not live through another voyage after her return to the States in 1862. She was wrecked on the 16th day of July, 1863, on one of the lower Savage Islands in Hudson's Strait, about 100 miles farther south than Rescue Harbour. :in!'"' i:: '[;': "h S if CHAPTER VIII. Splendid Di|| | !'l 'W" ' W ' l»f in I II I iiii ' iii Mf i O yi-' LOST IN A SNOW STORM. 135 She tlyl icom- and ; and id— a me, could ny in- atified t, who BT very Prince c forget written jivilized d. She isty, and Isir." [at when- jheld her manners Iress with Lir deeply [principle admiring imeanouT. ilm intel- kd me. I rtunity it te people Ward the Id the f ol- int. She was then in native costume, and it seemed to me that this suited her even bettor than the other. Some short time after this, I made an excursion by myself to the island on wliich was situated the Esquimaux " North Star " village. The day became stormy after I had landed in one of the native boats, but I continued my walk, accompanied by the dogs, to a part of the island I wished to visit. On arriving there, I found a sort of natural causeway, formed of stones, leading to a smaller islet, and, crossing it, I continued examining the locality for for some time. At length the snowstorm increased so much as to compel my return, and I made my way back to the south side of the main island. But Tiow I could hardly see my way. The snow came down so thick that I was ft? in to take shelter under the lee of some rocks near me, and, while there, I examined my compass to ascertain if I was going right. To my astonishment, I found the course I had pursued was exactly the reverse of the right ope. I looked again and again, and yet the needle pointed exactly opposite to what I had expected. What was I to do ? retrace my steps ? For a moment I hesitated ; but at length moving on, I was about walking back as I had come, when, on looking at the compass again, I found it just the opposite of what it was before ! Strange, thought I. Surely there must be local attraction in the rocks where I took shelter. But still it made me anxious, especially as the weather was becoming worse. Indeed, I felt it very possible I might be lost in the storm, and perhaps have to wander about all the coming night, or be frozen to death by remaining stationary, should the compass play me another trick ; but at last, thanks to my faithful dogs, they actually guided me straight to the village, where I arrived without any mishap. The one I entered was Ebierbuig's. He himself had gone out, but Tookoolito welcomed me as usual, soon entering into lively and instructing conversation. Tvv^o jiative boys were there at the time, and Tookoolito herself was busy knitting socks for her husband ! Yes, to my surprise, she was thus engaged, as if she had been in a civilized land and herself civUized, instead of being an Esquimaux in her own native wilds of ice and snow ! It was a strange contrast, the sight within that tent and the view without. The latter presented a picture of barrenness and storm ; the former much that tended to the idea of warmth and home. Knitting stockings for her husband ! How much of dear 'f ', M IP, ^iv ; By thunder, I'm not going in tliere ! It's crowded, and smells horribly. How it looms up ! * He then turned away, but I, having more induce- ments to bear the infliction, detent 1 Uied to pass in. " Bowing down almost to a horizontal position, in went head, shoulders, body, and all. The next second I found myself butt up against a dozen Esquimaux, all lusty fellows, and crowded together in a heap, each armed with a knife ! But there was no cause for alarm. The knives were not for any warlike or evil purpose. They were being used simply for catting off strips of seal, to be shoved into the widely-extended mouths of the hungry people before me. Quite at the back of the tent I i '. i : i.t ^ II i •• tammmumimmmm '.^^tma twaaWH 140 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. perceived my Esquimaux friend Koojesse seated between two pretty females, all three engaged in doing full justice to a dish of smoJcing-hot seal-blood I Seeing me, Koojesse at first seemed abashed ; but, on my expressing a readiness to partake of any food they had to spare, one of the women immediately drew forth from the stew-pan about four inches of seal vertebrae, sur- rounded by good meat. I managed to eat the latter, and then determined to try the seal-blood. To my surprise, I found it excellent. " On first receiving the dish containing this Esquimaux stew, I hesitated. It had gone the round several times, being re- plenished as occasion required ; but its external appearance was not at all inviting. Probably it had never gone through the cleaning process, for it looked as though such were the case. But I screwed up courage to try it, and finally, when the dish came again to those by my side, I asked Koojesse, ' Pe-e-uke 1 ' (Is it good?) '■Armelarng, armelmmg' (Yes, yes), was the reply. "All eyes were fixed upon me as I prepared to join with them in drinking some of their favourite soup. " Now the custom of the Esquimaux in drinking seal-blood is to take one long s-o-o-o-p — one mouthful, and theii pass the dish on to the rest till the round is made. T followed suit, and, to my astonishment, found the mixture not only good, but really excellent. I could not have believed it was so far superior to what my previous notions had led me to expect. " Seeing I was pleased with it, she who presided at the feast instantly made ready a pretty little cup, which was clean outside and in, or clean as an Esquimaux can make it, and filled it with the hot seal-blood. This I sipped down with as much satis- faction as any food I had eaten in my life ; and, in return for the friendly act of my Innuit hostess, I gave her a highly- coloured cotton handkerchief. She was in ecstasies with it, and the whole company johied with her in expressions of kindness and goodwill toward me. Clearly I had ingratiated myself with one party of the natives here, and this I was determined to do in like manner elsewhere. " Soon afterward I left them, and crawling out of their tent on aU-fours, passed through the village toward the beach. On the way I heard a voice calling out ' Mitter Hall — Mitter Hall ;' and, on turning round, perceived poor ' Blind George.* I went to him, and found that he was in great trouble. He tried to tell me all his grief, but with difficulty could he give utterance to his words. * Ugarng,' said he, ' Ugarng home to-day 1 My iR. niniM j\,i. VISIT TO ESQUIMAUX VILLAGE. 141 two li^h nied any [rew Bur- then id it stew, Lg re- e was h tlie ! case, e dish -nke 1 ' reply. 1 with )lood is he dish and, to really )erior to pickaninny away go. Mitter Hall, speak-um, my pickaninny — speak-um, my pickaninny here.' " The fact was that, as already stated, Ugarng had got his chikl, and the poor hlind man wanted her to he with him fo}' a while. I therefore spoke to Ugarng, and often afterward little Kookooyer was seen by her father's side. "While in the village I called at another tent, and was treated to a liberal piece of ' black skin ' after it had been well cleansed of foreign substances by the free application of a lady's tongue ! " On November 10th I again visited the shore, accompanying the water-boat. We found the lakelet frozen over, and that our ice-axe by mistake had been left on board. This would have proved a great annoyance to us, had not one of the Esquimaux (Charley) brought his seal-spear to our aid, and speedily opened a good-sized " well-hole." In helping to carry the water, I fell into line with the natives, joining them in their mirthfulness of heart as they went along. As we passed the tupics, every woman and child gave a joyous smile and kindly word to the stranger. It was on this occasion, after I had been about two hours on shore, that I noticed something unusual had occurred. An excited crowd of natives were rapidly gathering round a young man who appeared to be frantically addressing them. Whatever his object, I soon perceived that he contrived to greatly affect his hearers. One moment he made them like infuriated demons ; at another, they were melted to tears. Now they were clenching their fists, and gesticulating in a maddened way ; presently they were calm, and full of joyfid repose. It was astonishing the hold he had over the people round him. So complete was this power, that a simple motion with the tip of his finger would be fol- lowed by demonstrative movements on the part of the audience. An Esquimaux might be quietly enjoying a smoke, when a word from the orator would bring the pipe from the smoker's mouth to the speaker's pouch, or into the man's own pocket, just as directed. I soon ascertained that the orator was an angeko, or wizard- man, nd that his name was Ming-u-mai-lo. Though young, he was very much credited by the whole population of that and the neighbouring village. As I approached, his eye soon caught mine, and immediately leaving his snow rostrum, he bounded like a deer toward me. With a face of innocence, and full of smiles, he grasped my hand and welcomed me to his magic home ; but, though returning the salutation in a friendly manner. It . |- ii!'..' ■aa*Mii*JaTHT riiii 142 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. I'll ! !l !l I could not so cordially evince pleasure at his acquaintance as I generally did with others. It appeared to me that he was one of those who lived upon the credulity and ignorance of his race, and this thought probably made itself perceptible on my fea- tures ; at all events, in a moment or so he left me, and, throwing his arm round Ugarng's neck, he walked with him into a tent, whither they were soon followed by Charley and the rest of our hired water-carriers. Koojesse was of the number ; and, while I was looking on, much surprised, loud and exciting words were heard from within. Presently Koojesse came out; and, upon my making inquiries, he told me, in a cautious manner, that the angeko was at work, as we should call it, exorcising and other- wise performing various spiritual exercises ! Fearing to be considered intrusive, I walked away toward the boat, Koojesse again taking up his water-bucket and continuing his work; but hardly had I reached the landing-place when down came Mingumailo with a proud and excited step. He took me by the arm and beckoned me to go with him. I did so, being desirous of witnessing some of the farther acts of this curious and important personage. We walked arm in arm, toward what, though only a tent, I might v/ell style his temple, for toward it several of his wor- shippers v/ere bending their steps. As we passed along, Koojesse was seen hi the distance with a bucket of water in each hand. In an instant, at one word, one motion of my companion, Koo- jesse, though otherwise a man of gi-eat intelligence and strong mind, left his water just where it was, and joined us. On approaching the tupic, Mingumailo ordered Koojesse to go in first, and then directed me to follow. I did so by falling upon my hands and knees, and, in this necessary posture, entered the abode of our Esquimaux prophet. The angeko followed, and immediately directed Koojesse to take a position on one side of the bed that was within, and me to be on the other side. Next to Koojesse was seated a pretty Esquimaux woman, one of the nulianas (wi-v "s) of the angeko, the other wife — for he had two — not then being at home. Now commenced the solemn exercises of the peculiar worship of these people. Mingumailo sat facing us. He began by rapidly clapping his hands; so rapidly, indeed, that it was impossible to count the strokes. Then he accompanied this clapping by some metaphorical expressions beyond the power of ordinary intelligences to divine; and, indeed, no one but an angeko is considered capable of divining them. In fact, the THE ANGEKO. 143 sI one ace, fea- v'mg tent, our v^hile were upon it the atlier- cdtTie inning when . He did so, of this I tent, I is wor- oojesse hand, in, Koo- strong 5. On |;o go in icf upon [ered the jed, and le side of Next [e of the Ihad two worship |)egan hy it was lied this I power of le hut an fact, the word angeko signifies " he is very great" and this is given as a reason why none hsit angekos — the really great — should under- stand. Of course, I demeaned myself accordingly, and was as quiet and serious a listener as any one there. Occasionally the angeko would cease his voice and the motion of his hands. Then all became still as death. Presently, with renewed vigour he would recommence his services, patting his hands — which were moved around during the operation — now in a circle, now before my face, now before Koojesse's. Another minute he would pat the chest on which he sat, first on one end, then on the other, next on this side, then on that, afterwards on the top, and so repeating all the operations again and again. Every now and then, with his eyes staring into the farthest recesses of the tent, he would become fixed as marble, and looking quite hideous. At such times Koojesse was brought into active use. He was directed, as much by the angeko's signs as by the sudden and sharp words uttered, to fix his eyes upon this point of the tent, then that, but more particularly to where it was said by the wizard, " Kudlago^s spint sliook the skin coverings." Poor Koojesse ! I could not help pitying him, though myself hardly able to control the laughter reigning within me. There he sat, large drops of perspiration streaming from his nose (Esquimaux sweat profusely only on the nose), and as earnest as though life and soul were the issue. All at once came unusual efforts. The climax was at hand. A grand finale was to take place, and this was done with a sprinkling of clear words in Esquimaux, just enough for Koojesse and myself to understand. The angeko spirit spoke : " He wa" in want. The kodluna {white man) could relieve his wants. Would not the kodluna give the spirit one of the double-barrelled guns in his possession ? " This was enough. I saw through the scheme in a moment ; but, though astounded at the impudence of the proposition, I betrayed nothing to show surprise. I merely turned to Koo- jesse, and quietly asked if that was really the angeko's meaning. The reply, in subdued tones, was "yes;" whereupon I farther asked liim if this man would be very useful in my future explo- rations to King William's Land ; and on being answ^ered in the affirmative, I said aloud, " Well, if Angeko goes with me next season, he shall have a gun — one of my best." This made the wizard-man leap for joy ; for he thought, as I afterward found, that I meant to give it him at once. He grasped my hands, he thi'ew his arms about my neck, he danced about the tent, and fill iH I m\ m 7 inrai MKoiiiiifFi if riwF 'i^M^Ji&iSStitlmtmm WWHW t; i! !i i ;■! ! M ! w !i ! 144 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. did many other extravagiint things, which showed his gratifica- tion on making such a triumph of skill and strategy. He had, as he chose to believe (though I immediately explained, or tried to explain, that the gift Avas not intended for the moment), accomplished a great feat in charming a hodiima into giving him a gun as recognition of his magical power. So complete was his happiness, that he told me I should have the choice of hid, two wives, all his tuhtoo sk'ns (reindeer furs) that I m'.ght need, and sealskins for makinf:^ boots, and other articles in abundance. That he had great r.cl of this description, probably obtained from his credulous voi shippers, was evident from the rolls of beautiful skins I saw around me. "While the angeko was thus expressing himself, his second wife came in, and quietly took a position near the household lamp, which she began to renew with fresh seal-blubber. This gave Mingumailo the opportunity to again press the offer of one of his wives to me. He begged of me, there and then, to select either of them ; but I soon gave him to understand I was jalready supplied with a wife at home. This, however, neither satisfied his ideas about matrimony, nor, as it appeared, those of his wives ; for both of them at once decked themselves out in all the smiles and blandishments that they possessed. I asked them if they really coincided in the offer their husband had made, and was immediately told that they gladly did. However, I was about again declining the offer, when the angeko suddenly made a sign to Koojesse, leaving me alone with the proffered wives. I uttered a few kind words to them, and, giving each a plug of tobacco with a friendly grasp of the hand, left the tupic and went toward the boat. On my way, and just outside the angeko's tupic, I noticed an oar of a kia stuck upright in a drift of frozen snjw. Upon it were suspended little packages done up in red woollen, rags, differently and ingeniously arranged. On one side hung a por- tion of a well-dressed sealskin, beautifully variegated by parti- coloured patches sewed on it, as if for signs. I inquired of several Esquimaux the meaning of this, but none would inform me till I met Koojesse, who said it was for a guide to any Innuit stranger travelling that way, and who was thus welcomed, as well as directed what to do. As soon as Koojesse had left the tent, he immediately set to work in completing the operation of tilling our water-cask. He had been told by Captain B to find, fill, and send off CHAKLEY'S INDEPENDENCE, 145 ca- ad, ied nt), liim liis two and nice, lined Is of L wife lamp, gave of his either U'eady imony, it once ts that in the ,d that lug the lojesse, a few with a ird the l,iced an Jpon it jjn.rags, a por- ired ot iriorni Innnit [med, as Itely set [ter-caslc. Isend oif another cask, left on shore during some stormy weather a few (lays back, and this he now did by directing nearly the wliole inhabitants of the village to aid in the task. Every conceivable article possessed by the natives that would hold water, from a pint up to a gallon, was brought into requisition. Most of the articles were made of tin, supplied by the various nhaling ships visiting Korthumberland Inlet, but it would have puzzled a white man to detect any difference between their colour and a negro's. Some of the vessels, however, were made of ookgook skins, and were excellent affairs, water-tight, light, but strong, and in no danger of being broken or indented. As poon as the one cask in our boat was full, we were ready for starting, when it was ascert£,ined that Ugarng and Kunniu were absent. Seeking for them caused some slight delay, and, meanwliile, Angeko began his tricks again. By signs he first ordered one and then another of the Esquimaux to do this and do that, and, with a single exception, all obeyed. The exception was Kooperneung (Charley), who, standing in the boat's stern, was smoking a pipe. He \vas told by tiie angeko to put away his pipe ; but Charley, with the same smiling face that he gene- mlly possessed, laughed loudly and heartily as he laid hold of his pipe, gave it a swing, and replaced it, smoking away as before. Evidently Charley was an Independent, though I imagined, from what I had seen of him before going to the wizard's tent, that his bravado now was more because he was under present civilized rule than from any real strength of mind in the matter. The other natives pulling the boat were servilely obedient. At a signal from the angeko, who s-vvung his arms on liigh, my Innuit crew tossed up their oars, and turned their attention to the shore. There we saw him surrounded by the villagers, and making signs for us to return. Now Ugarng had on his neck a coloured kerchief, given him by some civilized hand. This was stated by the angeko to be a gi'eat encumbrance, and would be better off than on — in fact, would be better \r. ms, the wizard's, possession, than the present holder's. Accordingly, with great reluctance, Ugarng unwound it from his neck and cast it on shore to his master. Mingumailo swimg it proudly in the air, wound it around his waist, and expanded it between his outstretched hands, all the time making his way toward the village like a conqueror, followed by his people ! After this we were allowed to depart, and in due time I got on board. Mi I M h- ..A ill '• I'! !' 146 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. m *''■ Novtmher \Wi, 18(;0. — Last night the ice from the head of the bay set down upoii the ship, completely closing us in. We are now cut off, for the present, from all the world. We cannot approach the land, nor can any one from the. shore approach us. This will continue until the ice becomes solid enough to make a path vvay upon it." Such is the record in my journal under that .: ha;l the fim shining upon us for a ftnv moments, to show me how prettily its soft light could play with the cvystai white of the ship's rigging. Again and again did I look upon the scene. It was truly beautiful ! Hoar-frost crystals — piles upon piles of crystals standing «)ut boldly to windw^ard, idx inches fron: the iiiasts ;i.u«l rigging ! Two (lay!^ afterward the ice had hardened fiufficiently to form a good prcLOctio.'i to the >hip during a heavy gale that came on, and which probil>iy would have driven us from our anchorage had we not becL tlms guarded. The next diiy, however, we had open water all around us, the ice having been broken and driven out to sea by a change of wind when the gale abated. But toward evening it again came in, though not strong enough to ins lose us. Thus it continued setting in from seaward until, on the 33d? we were again fast bound and firmly fixed by a solid pack for the winter. To me the change seemttl almost magical. At noon of Wednesday, 21st, we had been bedded in ice that seemed fast for the winter. At 6 p.m. of that day, in some places the ice began to give way. During the ensuing niglit all of it had left the harbo' t and bay. Morning of the next day saw us clear. At 3 p.m. the wind being southerly, some pieces of ice were seen floating toward us from sea, bat still we were free. This morning of the 23d, how- ever, the harbour and bay, save a narrow channel of water, formed one complete mass of ice. Up to the extent of the bay, running N.N.W. full fifteen miles from its entrance, all was quite a solid pack, much of it five to seven feet thick, though in some parts only from one to three feet. The temperature of the sea water at this time was 26'', and the air 18"" ; the barometer 29.55, and wind fresh from the west. On this day, finding it impossible any longer to use the boats, they were dismantled for the season. Nearly nine months must elapse before they can be used again. ,~ ^„^m ^ t *m^ 'WWfi'.^ ' ' "'^'V ad of We 3nnot )roacii Lgh to i tran- ireatlKV vo. hail lie liow of the sne. It pilo£: of l•0Il^ the ,o form a 3 on, and rage had we had id driven ,ed. But inough to until, on iy a solid t magical. 1 ice that line places t all of it the wind toward us 23d, how- ter, formed ly, running jiite a solid Isouio parts I6^ and the [e west, the boats, [onths muat A BEAR-HUNT. 147 Sunday, the 25th of November, we had a heavy gale from the eastward, bringing with it a remarkal)ly warm air (the thermo- meter 32°), and breaking up sr r»re of the ice in such a manner that one time we expected to be driven out to sea with it. "We were, however, presei-ved by the pack in one portion remaining firm, and thus giving us a shelter, though not more than a hundred yards from where the disruption was taking place. On the 1st of December there was a great calm, lasting till the 4th ; but finally, on the 6th of December, we were no longer under any doubt as to being well secured in the solid ice for the winter. In all directions, the harbour and bay were completely frozen over. 3n November 24th I had my first sight of, and encounter with, a polar bear. I was engaged writing in my cabin, when a shout was heard on deck, *' A bear ! a bear ! " and immediately relin- quisliing my pen for the rifle, I went up and joined a party who started in chase. Sterry and the Esquimaux Ugarng had already gone off to the hunt, and I rapidly followed, accompanied by " Charley," while all the natives that had been on board, and several of the ship's crew, came after us. The bear took a direction near the island where my dogs had been placed, and the howling they made was truly terrible. As Charley and I neared one of the outer islands, about half a mile from the ship, bang went the first gun. Then a second report, and soon afterward I could see the bear retreating across a <^!iannel to another island. He had received some severe wounds, for blood was pouring out on either side of him, crimson- ins his white coat and the ice beneath. The channel was covered over with ice that appeared too frail for us to make passage upon. Down through this ice every now and then the bear would plunge. But soon returning to the same hole, he slid himself out of it upon the ice in a very sprawling, but to me interesting manner. Once out, he immediately rose upon his haunches, knocked his tormentors (the Esquimaux dogs) to the right and left with his fore-paws, and then ran on. But the dogs were again upon his track, surrounding and cutting off his retreat to the shore. Thus we were soon up with him, though keeping at a respectful distance from the wounded prey. Charley desiring to try his hand at my rifle, and knowing he was a good marksman, I allowed him to do so. He fired as the bear was again on his haunches engaged with the dogs. The shot took effect in his breast, and the brave least fell kicking and tumbling ; but, after a moment's l2 f :pl '^^ 11 * ' ft i « i 'I V I ! i i ' 1 in tB il i 11 I i, I ii ! ;!: I 'i iiiii II ■'III! m w Hiii 148 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. struggle, was once more on his foot again, flying away. Morgan, of our ship, now tried his double-baiTel, with three bullets in each, but both banels missed fire. Another shot was then fired, and this time the bear tumbled over, as wo all thought, dead. A cheer from us followed : but hardly had our voices died away, when the poor be/^t was again on his feet struggling to get off, white men, Esquim ;. !y, and dogs all after him. Once more a heavy charge — this ti.i.e from Morgan's gun — went into him, striking his face and eyes, and down went Bruin *' dead again." One cheer was given, then another commenced, when, lo ! as if the noise had revived him, the brute, seemingly with as many bEAR-HUNT — " rAVPlNO THK JUGDLAU." lives as a cat is said to have, went off again, running feebly, but still with some remaining vigour. Spears were now thrown at him by the natives, but these rebounded from his tough hide, proving as harmless to him as tooth-picks. Once more he was down. Then raising his head, and looking round upon his foes, which numbered a full score without in- cluding the dogs, he seemed as if preparing for the last fight and death-spring. It was a dangerous moment, and so all felt. But rgan, its in fired, I. A away, et oif, lore a » him, igain. ! as if J many » yjt;^- feehly, "bnt [thrown at )Ugh hide, id looking nthout in- \i fight and felt. But VISIJ TO THE TUPIO OF EBIERBING. 149 now was the time for me to try my hand. Hitherto I had not fired. This, then, was the moment to do so. I stepped out, and placed the hair-trigger as it should he, and levelled my gun. " Shoot at his head ! give it him in the skull ! " was the cry of those around j hut I watched my opportunity, and, when he gave a certain downward throw of his head, fired, tapping the jugular vein. It was enough. One convulsive movement, as the hlood oozed out from the keen cut made hy my riflp ball, and the life of the polar hear was ended. The next task was to get the carcass on hoard, and at first we intended to drag it there. A line of sufficient length was upon the ground, ready for placing round the bear's neck ; but this was finally abandoned, as his weight (near that of an ox) would break through the treacherous ice around the island where we were. It was then decided that the Esquimaux should skin the animal on the spot, quarter it, and thus carry it piecemeal to the ship. Accordingly, we left them to the task, and had not long been back to our cabins whea the prize arrived, the carcass still smoking hot, though the skin was already frozen stiff. I should mention that, as soon as the bear was discovered, Ebierbing hastened after it with his dogs, which were regularly trained to keep bears in check until rifles and spears should arrive. The dogs which I had brought from Greenland never had been " educated " for bear fights, therefore they seemed to act upon the principle that " distance lends enchantment to the view " by getting upon the most distant and highest part of the island on which the bear was killed. As regards the use made of our prize, 1 have only to say that we divided it with the Esquimaux, and had a capital dinner off a portion of our share. I liked it better than the best of beefsteaks. A day or two after this bear-hunt I paid another visit to North Star village, accompanied by Ebierbing, who took me direct to his tupic. Alter passing on all-foiu's through the low snow-passage which he had made, leading to the interior, I found myself facing Tookoolito, seated near a lamp, and herself covered with skins, she having been taken sick on the last occa- sion of visiting our ship. Mittens, boots, stockings, and articles of clothing, all in a wet state, were on the " dry net " that always hangs over the lamp, but on this occasion the lamp was not performing its usual heat-giving functions. Owing to the backwardness of the cold season in freezing up the bay, the condition of the natives from want of blubber and food w^as in an .111 )i 'III I ill' i '• iil r I IJIl! :!,! :i ;ljl ,; m ill Ir « m 150 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. alarming state. Many of thorn could have no friondly lamp to give light and heat. The Esquimaux lamp is the " all in all " to these people. By it their igloo is ]i "jilted and kept warm; by it they melt ice or snow for their drink ; and by it they dry their clothing, mittens, boots, stockings, &c. Without the lamp, Esquimaux could not live — not so much because of its warmth or use iov cooking, but because it enables them to dry their skin clothing, melt ice for KOOD-L!N AND IK-KU-MF.E, the Stone Lamp ami Fire of tbe Esquimaux. drink, and gives them light during the long arctic night of winter. When I called upon Tookoolito the lamp was without oil, and could not give either suffieio' light, heat, or drying power, hence the melancholy aspect of her otherwise happy abode. Ebierbing, however, intended very soon to make a sealing excursion, and obtain blubber at any risk. When obliged, Esquimaux do not hesitate in undergoing the greatest privations to get food for their families. They will watch over a seal- hole for one hour or fifty, if need be, in the coldest weather, waiting for the seal to come up and breathe. Kudlago in this manner caught the first seeds of the complaint which carried him off. His family were starving; and after bearing the pain of seeing them suffer for a few days, he could endure it no longer. He went out in some of the worst and coldest weather known here, and exposed himself f >r nearly two tip to By ice or ittona, Id not ,g, but ice fov night of CHANGES IX TEMPERATURE. 151 (lays ami nights contini' sly, patiently watching for a seal, wliich ho eventually captunid. ELierbing now intended to do the same thing rather than allow his home to bo wretched much longer. I need hardly say that everything in my power was done for Tookoolito, as also for poor Nitkertou, who was very sick. From Tookoolito's I walked a little way on, and found two Esquimaux, " Charley " and " Miner" making an igloo, or snow- house. In a short time more it was finished, and I was quite surprised at its beauty. With the exception of a single stain upon its spotless snow at the apex or centre of the dome, it was one of the most chaste pieces of architecture I ever saw. The exceptional stain was, I am sorry to say, something emanating from civilization. It was the juice of tobacco ! I seized the long snow-knife from the hands of one of the Esquimaux, and scraped away that which so marred the beauty of the whole, while the inmates looked on, and then applauded me when it was done. About this time, and toward the end of November, I was much astonished at the changes in the temperature. On the 19th the thermometer, on this glorious fair and calm morning, was - 20°, barometer 30.175. Cold indeed; by thermometer, .52° below the freezing point. Yet so calm was the weather, that to my person it seemed no colder than at the commencement of the season, when the thermometer indicated 32° above 0. But let a smart breeze spring up coming from the N.W. then how like hot iron it will burn ! The weather was such that, unlesg we soon had snow, the ice would freeze thick and solid through- out the regions. Snow upon the ice serves to keep it warm, the same as snow on the ground in the Northern States of America. In my journal at this date I find as follows : " I have just been out walking and running, exposing myself, my face and hands, to the cold air. A light breeze prevailing from N.W, I am confident there is something yet to be discovered relative to air and cold. The human system is not such a liar as three excellent thermometers I have would make it, if I gave full credence to their story this morning. My three thermometers say 20° below zero, and yet far greater exposure now than at other times with a higher register of temperature, leads to no impleasant results. I am aware moisture in the air makes a great difference as affecting the human system ; but a fact is a fact. The cold air from the same direction — equally charged i Mf 1 i i^' , i i I '':i ' '.1 lii :•'' :3fr k'.r i -( !> ' '\ m ,^i*mtt»i Li i? 'I lill •If 152 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. witli nqiiooiis mattor at diftbront timos—sliows a f^i.'-enr.^ of toil to twenty dogroos in tho thcrmomoter ; and yoi lao air at the lowest toniporaturo atfects tlie human aystoni loss than the Iiighost. EK-KE-LU-YUN, The white-stone salmou-bait used by Es'^uimaux CHAPTER X. r ^i-i, Remarhahh Echo—Vinit of **fia)mo)i" — Inmiit mode of Washinrf the Face — " liridge of Sighs " — Motltcrs nursing their Children — Serviceable Hoods — Tails of Inmiit Dresses — Extraordinary mild Weather — Kelp used for Food — Christmas and New Year's Day — Sick Nukertoii — Cruel Abandon- ment — Innuit Supcrstitiom — Author's lonely Watch — Kooperarchu's Death — Innuit Idea of a Future State. The month of December came in, as I liavo previously said, with a great calm of four days, and though the ice was then much broken up, making a transit to the shore difficult, yet 1 contrived to frequently land for exercise, and to see more of Innuit life. One day, while walking near a channel between two islands, I lieard a very remarkable echo, of so striking a character that an Innuit boy and three dogs, near at hand, could hear my voice only through its reflected sound. The tide was out, leaving a rock bluff on the opposite side of the channel, whence the sound was reverberated. After giving utterance to my voice, in one second of time the echo came back to me, thus making the distance across 550 feet, as sound travels 1100 feet per second. On December 8th, at noon, the thermometer was at zero, and on the 9th, 15° below zero, or 47° below the freezing point. Yet, strangely to me, the cold was not felt so much as I should have supposed. The ice was solid around us, and our good ship quite laid up in winter quarters. Now and then we could hear some heavy and startling cracks, as if disruption was about to take place ; but nothing of any note occurred to disturb or to vary the usual monotonous life on board. Visits from the Esquimaux were made daily, and often we had several sleeping on the cabin floor and on sea-chests in impromptu beds made of sails, thick wearing apparel, &c. and a curious picture it was thus to see them. Frequently, accompanied by some of these visitors, I went to their village and to the islands around us, always being received by the natives in the most friendly manner. Once we had a stranger arrive who had formerly lived near " King's Cape," at a place called by Esquimaux Se-ko-se-lar* * From various sketches drawn forme by Esquimaux, I concluded Se-ko- se-lav to be a place on the north side of Hudson's Strait, near a large bay as yet undiscovered by white men. This bay is somewhere between the 111 ^''If n 'ii t ■ ;''. mm ill m " I .1-- •-•'*! \ 1 *-«"<^iU**«<«. ■.^■«)>*»Ui. i^, 1^ 111! I i 1 '1 1 i li • t 1 ■ l. biyil 1 ■■■■ .._«AM.i.%/ar.« 154 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. This man's name was Koo-choo-ar-choo, but known by us as " Samson," from his great size and strength. He was large and muscular, five feet six inches high, and weighing over 200 lbs. He was famous, too, as a great hunter, and had even captured whales by himself, with only the aid of a boy ! When he visited us, his pretty little daughter Puh-e-ne-yer, of about ten years old, accompanied him, and I was much amused with the nimble way in which she undid and then rebraided her hair. The use of a comb she did not know until I gave her one and showed her. As for the father, I found him very intelligent, and, THE " GEORGE HENRY " JN WINTER QUARTERS. through Tookoolito, who acted as my interpreter, he gave me much geographical information. Another of our visitors was Puto, the mother of a white child. This woman had once been considered handsome, and even now showed some signs of her former beauty. She was about 35 longitudo 72° and 75° west, making far up, due north, and abounding in seals, walrus, white whales, and the Mystkcti, or Greenland whales. — -?!Pf s as and I lbs. iured .sited years Imble le use lowed and, gave me [ite child. >ven now about 35 ending i" xles. MOTHERS NURSING THEIR CHILDREN. 155 years old, and, though she had a hard time of it alone, sup- porting herself and child, yet she was generally cheerful, smart, kind, and industrious. On one of my visits to Tookoolito's igloo, Puto with her child was there, and I then witnessed the operation — very rarely performed — of washing a child's face. This was done by licking it all over, much as a dog would do the hand that had just contained a fresh beefsteak. She did this twice while in my presence, and the true colour of the child's face was then more clearly seen. Owing to some cause or other which I could only surmise, Puto suffered more from various privations than the other women. She was often a week with hardly anything to eat, and, in consequence, her poor child was nearly starved. On the occasion I now refer to, after I had left the igloo and wandered about to other dwellings, I came across Charley and Ebierbing, just arrived with a sledge-load of frozen krang, whale-meat, for the dogs. Pttto at the moment also came to the spot, and im- mediately asked for some. They gave her about twenty-five pounds of it ; and this she slung on her back, along with a pack of equal weight already there, besides the child ! Ye mothers of America ! what say you to taking an infant, besides an additional pack of fifty pounds on your back, and starting off on a tramp of several miles — such was the distance to Puto's home — with the thermometer 40"^ or 45° below the freezing point 1 On this visit I met a sister of Ebierbing, and also another woman, just taking up their quarters in the same place. In foct, it was a matter of mutual accommodation, for the purpose of creating more warmth within, and economizing light and fuel. They arrived, bringing their worldly goods, while I was talking to Tookoolito, and at once the new-comers proceeded to place their lamp on the opposite side to that of the mistress of the igloo. They first filled it abundantly with seal-blubber, then putting in large wicks of moss, soon brought forth a long even train of light and a glorious heat. The new-comers, it appeared, had managed to procure some of the precious seal-blubber so much needed. At Ugarng's igloo, which I visited the same day, I there encountered several women and children congregated together. I was welcomed at once by Nikujar, " Polly," the first or family Avife of TJgarng, and by Punnie, his thit'd wife — No. 2 wife, K.mniu, being absent, though her lamp was bright and in full trim. Little Kookooyer (the child of blind G.'orge) was also ^1% i 'I ill >ip'. r ^-Mi' I'! m sli' hi -^l'\ aa 156 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. I ^. y. there, and, with her fat cheeks, laughing eyes, and pleasant voice, greeted me as I entered. " Polly," in speaking to me could only raise her voice to a whisper, for she was suffering from a pulmonic disease, and almost unable to utter a word without pain. While waiting at this igloo, in came Puto and her child — Puto finding it necessary to re-arrange the pack at her back prior to a final start for the upper village. Her infant was given to little Kookooyer to hold ; but, as it was rather noisy, I thought to pacify the babe by taking it in my own hands, and, in doing so, tried to show them how civilized mothers carry and nurse their children. This, however, only produced a hearty laugh ; and I was made to understand that, in all the matters relating to the tending of infants — even in the very minutest, as there and then shoAvn to me — the lunuit custom was the best. I could here mention one or two facts, but it will be unne- cessary more than to say that mothers here at home will com- prehend all my meaning when I tell them that an Innuit infant is carried naked in the mother's hood, yet in close contact with the parent's skin. Thus every childish necessity is generally anticipated in good time by the ever-sensitive, watchful mother. On the 18th December we heard of an arrival at the upper village from Annaiva, the Esquimaux who, with his family, it may be remembered, went away on the 30th of the previous August. This Esquimaux was a brother of some of the most enterprising Innuits in the North. He lived almost the life of a hermit — that is, he resided with his small family in a distant part, away from other people, his abode being at an island called Oo-pung-ne-ivinci, in the Countess of Warwick's Sound, on tlie north side of Frobisher's Bay. It was his son who had now arrived, with a view of doing a little trade, if he could. Many of the Esquimaux came to me, not only as ordinary visitors, and to see what they could get in the way of presents, but also to do some trading. At the same time, several of the younger ones gladly received instruction from myself in the civilized tongaie. As regards trading with them, it was generally done for articles of use, reindeer-skin dresses especially being necessary for me for winter, and no one could be more expert or more tasteful than the Innuit women in making them. On one of my visits to the upper village, a daughter-in-law of Artarkparu was just finishing off her winter coat with a long tail, tlio universal fashion there among the ladies. It was prettily ornamented (?) with federal coin of the United Stat'.^s — IGLOOS IN RUINS. 157 isant to a and lild— prior /en to lought doing nurse laiigl^ ; elating 3 tliere a unne- ill com- .t infant act with fenerally mother, le nppei" aniily, it previous ]lic most tic lite of , tlistant .id called [l, on the lad now ordinary [presents, al of the f in the generally \\y being expert or Lcr-in-law Ith a long It was Stat'.'s— old copper cents — eight in number, arranged in rows, and fixed as pendents to the tail. On another occasion, when Kokerzhun came on hoard with her husband, she had on a beautiful tuktoo (reindeer) fur dress, having a skirt standing out hoop fashion ! The variety of colours of the tuktoo was prettily arranged, and so well did she appear, that it was said by some of us that she would pass at home for a " Broadway belle." So excellent were the dresses made for me by these Innuit women, that I did not liesitate paying tolerably liberal for them, particularly as they were rather scarce. I obtained a native jacket for a knife, two small skins for another knife and some powder, and a good deerskin for more powder, buckshot, and caps. Many of the natives had guns, obtained from the whalers of Northumberland Inlet, either by barter or as returns for services rendered. I could not, at that time, get all I desired in the way of Innuit apparel, though it was useless to attempt travelling in any other costume, as nothing but that could with- stand the cold ; but from my first arrival I had been obtaining several articles, and thus I was now tolerably well supplied ^' Decemljcr 20^/i, 5.30 a.m. — Thermometer - 5°, barometer 30.200. Wind very light, N.W. Yet there must be a storm prevailing not far from us, as a tremendous roar of waters and cracking of ice comes from the direction of Davis's Straits. The ice around the slioro of this harbour is constantly ' singing,' indicating that a heavy sea is now affecting us even here .... 7 A.M. the wind went round to the N.E. -when it commenced snowing; thermometer 4°, barometer SO, J 00. At 10 p.m. we had the thermometer 14° above zero, barometer 30.050, wind N.E. blowing a gale, the ice breaking up in Eield Bay, and also in our harbour. " Friday^ December 21s^. — TheriiKineter 21° above zero, baro- meter 30.012. Wind light from east. The bay is nearly clear of ice. What little there is fastens up our harboiu". The weather is too warm for the igloos; they have commenced dripping. If the like continues, do\^i wiU come snow-houses. " Saturday, Deceniher 2'2d. — The thermometer is actually + 32^°; barometer 30.100. Wind N.E. During the night considerable rain fell. The natives are in sad plight. There has been not exactly a conflagration in the Esquimaux village, but disruption, and a meltmg down. Nearly everj'- igloo is in ruins, owing to the unexpected storm of rain. Some have fallen, others about to. The men Innuits are busily engaged in \\\\ m\ ■4 •'. 1 I! ■ 'I iii ■^1 158 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. erecting outer walls, tilling in snow between the old and the new. I visited nearly every habitation, and found the natives exclaiming, ' pe-ong-e-too 1 pe-ong-e-too ! ' — bad ! bad ! ^Karg-toon ' — very hungry. "At Ebierbing and Tookoolito's there was great distress. Their igloo was nearly destroyed. In the night the whole of the dome had fallen in, coveilng their bed, furs, dresses, &c. in wet snow. Ebierbing was busy in making a canvas tent over the ruins, while Tookoolito cleared out the snow from beneath. He was wet through, and had not a dry skin upon his back, having been out all the morning trying to save his igloo from the ahnost universal ruins around him. " Dec. 22d. — Eaining hard throughout this day, with occa- sional sleet and snow. Tookoolito visited the ship, and upon her return I let her have an umbrella, which, tliough slie well knew the use of it, was really a novelty to others of her people, who considered it a ' walking tent.' " The extraordinary mildness of the season has caused a most sad state of things among the natives. They cannot obtain their accustomed food by sealing, as the ice and cold weather alone give them the opportunity. Hence in many of the igloos I have seen great distress, and in some I noticed kelp (sea-weed) used for food. "Whenever I visited the natives, such small quantities of food as I could spare from my own slender but necessary stock were taken to them, and on one occasion I gave Tookoolito a handful of pressed ' cracklings ' which I had brought with me from Cincinnati. They were given me by a friend there for dog- food, and I can now record the fact that Cincinnati pressed * cracklings ' made as rich a soup as ever I had eaten." The preceding extracts from my diary about the weather, and its effects upon the condition of things around me, will shovNr that almost the very existence of these children of the icy North depends upon the seasons being uniform with tlie time of year. The high temperature we had experienced, however, did not long continue. A ^ days afterward, on the 30th of December, the thermometer \» down to zero ; and on the 5 th of January it was sixty degrees below freezing point ! The bay and harbour had again been coated over with solid ice, and parties of Innuits were out in all directions seal-hunting, but with such slight success that several of them departed for other quarters, where they hoped seals would be more abundant. Among these were Ugarng and liis family. They started for Cornelius Grinnell Bay, Wii ll;.i CHEISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S D.v but, before leavina a fow „ i, , ' 59 =;:■'"*» «'iw3 £ti-iBs Among the other incidents 1. 1. • ^ quarters with allTlip\ "^ "^'"^ celebrated bv us Y, n ^''*- I took the opportunity tr.ivel^l'^ rf °^ ^^^«*^a« Day and placed in my hands by the Yn. '.^i*' ^ ^^^^^ ^^at had W Cincinnati, and which T ^^ i ""^ ^^n's Christian Tit • i He- first act was to 3 thf T'f''^'„t«»*-'- 25^, 1860" ^iJima (jreorcfe) and ln'a 7-4.4.1 "."^^^^^am cabin P^^.i iirranv.^! "^ , ^"^ kittle air] Kr,r.i^^ ^^i^m. raulooyer ^mpped up, and Kimniiloo in >; "^^ °°-^^^' ^^^^ there, well a sea-chest Koojesse and his wj^^^^ bag, was asle p ^ and two other i:s,aimaux Z.^ 1^^"^''}^^'''^^^!^^^^ and Tookoolito were nn oT • ^ ^^^ ^abin floor l^li^J • ttem that, at half n^ f ^'' "" ^^^^^ ^^^^ igloo and f. '^'?^ "call" ir • ^'^"-past 5 a.m. I imr]« ,>, ° ^ ' and it was to call Various other 'calls" L "^^ ^^«<= ^ew Year. some beneficial resulc, and 7? .n Tt '''^^'' ^" ^^^1^ a view L :ti 'P- ^ i ^ ^ ill ■KHMlH 162 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. was then made, and, as soon as completed, I went into the igloo. Nukertou was calm, resigned, and even thankful for the change. Of course she knew that it was to he her tomh ; but she was a child of her "people, and as she had now become a helpless burden to them, with only a few days more to live, it seemed to me that she took it as a matter of right and justice, and no one could object. Therefore she was thankful that her last moments were being so carefully seen to. A new igloo of stainless snow, a well-made bed of the same material, where she could breathe her last, would make her few remaining hours happy. True, she would be alone — for such was the custom of the people — but she did not fear it. She was content, and appeared cheerfully resigned. On the 8th of January she died ; and as the incidents con- nected with her death were very striking, I will transcribe them from my journal as entered down at the time : — " Monday y January 7. — This evening, fearing that Nukertou was wholly neglected, I went on shore about five o'clock. Of course it was then quite dark, with the thermometer 57° below the freezing point, and it was necessary for me to have a lantern in hand, besides some of the natives to guide me across the ice. On arriving at the igloo, Ebierbing and the others remained out- side, while I, pushing aside the little snow door, drew myself tlirough the low, narrow-tunnel entrance, which was just of size sufficient to admit my squeezed-up body, and neared the inner part. A strange and solemn stillness pervaded the place, only interrupted by the perceptible, but irregular and spasmodic breathings of the dying creature within. I raised myself up, looked toward her, and gently uttered her name. She answereil not. A second call from me was alike unresponded to. I there- fore went to her and felt her pulse. It still beat, but told me that she was dying. I cried out for Ebierbing and Koodloo (the latter a male cousin of Nukertou) to com.e in. They did so reluctantly, and at my suggestion the former went to inform Tookoolito of Nukortou's condition. A few moments found Tookoolito in the presence of the dying. She remained here as long as was required, and returned to her igloo, leaving me and Koodloo with Xukertou. In one hoiii I left Koodloo alone in charge, and stepped over to Ebierbing's for a few moments. Upon my return to Nukortou's, what was my astonishment when I found the igloo sealed up — blocks of snow placed iirmly in and around the entrance way. It seemed DEATH OF NUKERTOU. 163 ito tlio for tho ah; but ecome a ) live, it . justice, that her the same ; her few -for such it. She lents con- jribe them Nukertou clock. Of . 57° below ^e a lantern •OSS the ice. knained out- rcw myself just of size '. the inner place, only spasmodic myself up, he answered ;o. I there- but told mo ^oodloo (the Ley did so t to inform ,ents found returned to In one hour Ebierbing's I's, what was t,— blocks of It seemed to toU me that she was dead. I had but a short time before learned it to bo the usual custom among the Innuits, when one of tlieir number is dying, for all to retire from the igloo or tupic, whichever it might be, and not return to it. But I thought after all, perhajis she is not dead. I tlirew back block after block of unspotted snow, till I made my way into the main igloo. " Nukertou was not dead ! She breathed, and was much about the same as when I last saw her. I determined then to remain, doing what I could to smooth the pillow of the dying. The lamp was nearly out ; the cold was intense, the thermometer outside being 51° below tho freezing point ; and though I had on the Esquimaux dress, it was with difficulty I could keep my blood from congealing. There I waa, the lone, silent watcher of the dying Esquimaux, encircled within walls tha*; were soon to become her tomb. " About twelve, midnight, I heard footsteps i pproaching. Soon the sound as if the entrance was being closed u > again. I thought, Can it be that I am to be imprisoned here, loomed to have this mi/ livdng tomb ? I listened a while. I found it true that I was being shut up as though dead. Of course those who were doing this knew not I was there. At length I cried out * Turbar ! turbar !' Stop ! stop ! At this, all was again silent .OS the grave for a moment. I then said, ' Ki-ete ' — come in ; and in came the two who were performing the last sad act of respect to the dead. But what shall I say of their last act to the living? The two proved to be Koodloo and a woman called Kco-ou-le-amg, or Suzh% as we named her. Here they remained half an hour with me, then departed. I was again alone with the dying Esquimaux. Nearer and nearer drew her end. Cold- ness was creeping over her. Indeed, I found the cold taking hold of me. The native lamp, which serves for light and fire, had ceased from want of blubber or oil. There was only my lantern-lamp to give light, and the oil of this was kept fluid by the caloric of my encircling hands. "During the day my fur stockings had become damp from perspiration, therefore my feet were nearly frozen. Every few minutes I was necessitated to jump and thrash myself-— to do anything I could to keep my limbs from frostbites. " How intently I watched each change in Nukertou ! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven did I slowly count in the inter- vals of her breathing, and these increasing to even double that number. At last I could count nineteen between her inspirations but her respirations were short and prolonged — irregular. At m2 .u ,l , ¥ If ill « ii: i. I I ssasi 16 1 LIFE AMONG THE ESQUIMAUX. M ! :l ! ^ ■>*• length Nukertou ceased to live. I exclaimed, ' She's dead ! Kecoive back hor 8])irit, I pray Thoo, God, for she is Thine.' " I now left for another part of the island, to call her cousin Koodloo. 1 1(, was isleep in an igloo, and, on awaking him, ho accompanied me hack. But I could find no one willing to lend a helping hand; no one would touch the uciiil, 1 therefore determined to lay the corpse out myself. Koodloo would do nothing hut hold the lamp, and I had to perform the whole. I put her on a snow bed, crossed her hands upon her breast, closed her lips, and placed lumps of the pure snows of heaven upon THE DVINO ESQUIMAUX— NUKEUTOU. her lips, with a snow pillow under her head. This done, I then left for the ship, having first taken the precaution to seal up the igloo so as to prevent the dogs from eating up her remains. " It was three in the morning when Nukertou died, and as I left her, so did her body remain, unvisited, uncared for, within that igloo tomb." My journal continues : "It might as well be here stated what occurred in Nukertou's igloo on the arrival of my valuable and esteemed friend Tookoolito, when her husband informed her of Uii Jiji;i ARUIVAL OF TOOKOOLITO. 165 tated wliat luable and led her of ' till Nukoriou's deatli, the ' < • to be put on again. hiess that wanted no M said. Under the cir- Lo my coui'so then and there. the dying condition of Nukortou. To my mind the inciilcnt goes to show how strongly are fixed among any peoi)le customs^ however absiu-d they may appear to others. " Tookoolito, on arriving last evening, proceeded to examine Nukertou's couLlition — feeling her pulse, listening to her breatliings, watching her every motion. Too true, indeed, did she find what I had said. Tookoolito gently spoke words that astonished mo, because they came from one who is not only con- versant with my vernacular, but with the beli(;f and practices of civilization. She said Nukortou was dying, and that we must all retire at once ; that if we dc^ skin dresses we had on would r " Tliis was spoken with ;. guarantee of her firm belief in cmustances, I had no hesitancy I knew she had confidence in me ; that she knew I always treated her people as well as I could my own ; that she knew I never endeavoured to cast a slur or make light of any of the customs of her country. Therefore I said, ' Tookoolito, listen to womj-a (me) a moment. On Christmas day I gave you a good book — the Bible. That book is the Word of God. It tells you and me — everybody — to visit the sick, the afllicted, the widow, the helpless, the poor.' " Kindly I proceeded, to the best of my poor ability, to show her wherein it was wrong thus to leave the sick — the dying. Her astonishment at what I said seemed as great to her as was mine at her recorded remark. During this important conversa- tion, allusion was made as to working on tuktoo furs during the seaoon of catching walrus. It is a fact that, when the Innuits begin to catch wahus, no work is done on reindeer skins ; there- fore all winter clotliing is made up before any attempts are made to get walrus. The reasons why will be stated some time here- after. " In my arguments with Tookoolito I told her it was not to he wondered at that she and her people believed many unreason- able thi^igs, when there had been no one to teach them better- no one to tell them of the Bible. I told her that some people of America and in England believed a great many ridiculous things, but that did not make them true ; told her that I only wished to do her good ; that whenever I could kindly show where they — ^her people — were doing wrong, I should do so ; that if she or her people could prove to me her or their ways were all the best, then I would be one to do as Innuits did. After this ■'r;!'. \ <:: ; • m-y '■if - ' Ml 1 !« f Ji:; ftti ^, ^f^^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGr (MT-3) ^ 1.0 I.I 1^128 |25 ■u Ui 12.2 2f HA ■" lU u liO Photograiiiic Sciences Corporation 4s ^"a ^. 23 WBT MAM STIHT WnSTIR,N.Y. I4SM (7U)t7S-4S03 s^O \ f- ff IS I i 'M 166 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. interview under the snow roof of the dying, I heard Toofeoolito, in her igloo, earnestly engaged in tellmg her wing-a all that I had told her. They both seemed thankful for what I had said.'" In connexion with the preceding account of Nukertou's death, and the Inniii customs referring to it, I may here mention another occurrence somewhat similar, which took place about the same time. There was a sick native, whom I visited on two or three occasions, named Kooperarchu, who suffered greatly from ulcers on the neck. His case was desperate, and no remedies we applied availed him. As his end approached, the angeleo took possession of him altogether, and when I once tried to see the patient, all the natives assured me it would be useless while the angeko was there. But I determined to make the trial, and, as a great favour, was admitted by the dying man's family. This time the angeko was a woman, and when I entered, her position was at the farther side of the igloo, with her back to me, but seated, cross-legged, under a pile of skins. At her side was the poor man, Kooperarchu, kneeling, and in a state of complete nudity, though snow and ice were above, beneath, and around him. At first I was startled at this ; but, remembering what great wonders have been and can be accomplished by a sick person's complete faith in his physician, I made no atteinpt at interference, except motioning for one of the brothers to place some covering over the patient's shoulders. The angeko was constantly engaged in addressing some un- known spirit, doing it in as varied a way as could be well con- ceived. The whole family participated in the scene, placing themselves in position, responding, ejaculating, and doing what- ever the angeko required ; and all this with a solemnity that was particularly striking, so much so, indeed, that the exercises re- minded me, in some respects, of what is known as a Methodist " love-feast." When the exercises were through, the angeko turned round, appearing to notice me, and expressed surprise; but I soon mollified her rising anger by a slight present, which made her and the family very friendly. ITotwithstanding all the efforts made by this angeko, they availed nothing in arresting the rapid strides disease was making on this poor man's life. On the following day, mysulf being sick on board, I requested Tookoolito to see the patient, and took to him certain medicines I gave her. She did so then, and like- ^>- ^sz ^im^}si& INNTJIT SUPERSTITION. 167 coolito^ . that I i said." 8 death, another lie same or three m ulcers jdies we jeko took ) see the while the l1, and, as • tered, her ick to me, r side was f complete ,iid around what great 3k person's terference, e covering some un- well con- Ae, placing loing what- [ty that was zeroises re- Methodist Ined round, 3ut I soon made her [geko, they ras making [ysulf heing it, and took and like- wise on the next day, remaining half an hour with him. Soon after she had returned to her igloo, " Jack," a brother of Kooper- archu, called and said the sick man was dying. Immediately TookooHto went back, and, feeling his pulse, found it almost gone. Kooperarchu felt himself dying, and said to her, as, in our language, she explained it to me, " I going to die — I cannot help it — I wish to die. My mother and fether in kood-le-par-mi-ung (the Innuit heaven)--! go meet them — I must go — I cannot stop I " She asked him, " Go now ? " He replied, " Yes." This was the last word he spoke. Thus Kooperarchu died. Kooperarchu was buried soon after his death. His friends and relatives wrapped him in two tuktoo skins and carried him away. The frozen corpse was suspended across the shoulders of his brother by a strap placed imder the arms and across the breast, as one would carry a gun. Tookoolito headed the funerpl train, and a married sister of the deceased, with a younger brother, and a couple of dogs, besides some of the natives, followed him to the grave. ITiis grave was but a little distance from the village, and merely consisted of a recess made in the snow, with the same material piled over the dead body. * « « » « » Three days after Kooperarchu's decease I was able to visit his family igloo. There I found his relations all sitting in a close group on the snow platform. They were bemoaning the loss of a brother and excellent seal-hunter. For three days from the death his family had thus to mourn, according to Innuit custom. At the end of that time they expected their lost brother would be in " kood-le-par-mi-ung," there for ever to enjoy its pleasures, feasting on reindeer meat, and wandering from star to star. ■.%^ Ft i .'fy ■ ll CHAPTEE XL Rough Travelling overland — High Oliffs — Descent of the Sledge on to the frozen Sea — Camp on the Ice — First night in an Igloo — Dangerous Travelling — Second Night on the Ice — An icy Beard — Hair-cutting — Fearful Peril — Deep Snow — Trea^herotts footing — Arrive at Roger's Island — Great Thirst — Innuit Welcome — A Cup of Water — NigM's Rest — Disappearance of the Ice — Remarkable Preservation — Frostbites — A serviceable pocket Mirror — Wliale-skin eaten as food — Innuit Seal-hunting — Starving Condition of tne Party. Having a great desiro to try and do something in the way of exploring, and particularly to accustom myself to actual life among the Innuits, I at length determined to venture on an excursion by sledge and dogs to Cornelius Grinnell Bay, whither Ugamg had already gone. Accordingly, after due preparation, myself and party were ready on the 10th of January, 1861, and away we went. The following account of the first day's journey is from my journal, as written every evening in an igloo — snow hut : — "Thursday, January V)th, 1861. — ^Thermometer 30° below zero, or 62° below freezing point ! My company consists of self, Ebierbing, Tookoolito, and Koodloo, the cousin of the deceased Nukertou. By 4 a.m. I was up, and, with lantern in hand, went and caUed Ebierbing and his wife. They arose, and at once proceeded to gather up whatever things they would require during our stay. I then returned to the ship and packed up my own material. The outfit for this trip consisted, in pro- visions, of l|^lb. preserved boiled mr i in cans, 3 lbs. raw salt pork, 15 cakes (4 lbs.) sea-bread. \ j^ieppor, 2 lbs. ground burnt coffee, 1 quart molasses, 1 quart corn-meal, and 3 lbs. Cincinnati cracklings for soup. Then, for bedding, 1 double wool blanket, 1 sleeping-bag, 1 cloak and 1 shawj. for bed- covering. For clothing, besides my native dress upon me, I took 1 extra imder-shirt, 1 woollen shirt, 2 pairs extra stockings, 1 pair extra pants, 2 toweld, and 2 pairs mittens. My books were Bowditch's Navigator, Burrit's Geography and Atlas of the Heavens, Gillespie's Land Surveying, Nautical Almanac for 1861, a Bible, and * Daily Food.' My instruments were, 1 tele- scope, \ self-registering thermometer, 1 pocket sextant, 2 mag- "▼^spm HOUGH TRAVELLING. 169 (Ml to the Oangerotis ■cutting — i Roger's igU's Rest )stUtes~-A al-hunting ae "wray of ,ctual life are on an y, whither eparation, 1861, and I from my Lut : — 30° "below lists of self, [e deceased Land, went id at once ^d require .packed up 3d, in pro- |3 Ihs. raw bs. ground and 3 lbs. L 1 double \\ for bed- ne, I took stockings, iMy books Itlas of the lanac for [ere, 1 tele- it, 2 mag- netic compasses, and 1 marine glass. I had also a rifle and ammunition, oil for lamp, and a hand-saw, besides paper, ink, pens, memorandum and journal book. "At 10 A.M. we were in readiness — ^Ebierbing with the loaded sledge and team of dogs (five of his and five of my Greenlanders) — alongside the George Henry. Tookoolito was gaily dressed in new tiitoo skirfe, tuktoo pants, jacket, &g. Bidding adieu to our friends on board, we then started, Tookoolito leading the way — ^tracking for the dogs — ^for about one mile to the shore, in a north-easterly direction. Thence our course was that which Ugarng had evidently taken the day before. Over hill and mountain, through vale and valley, away we went.* Sometimes, when on a descent, our speed was rapid. Now and then we all got on the sledge for a ride. My spirits were high, for this was my first sledge-travelling trip. Ebierbing managed the dogs admirably. ladeed, I should consider him a capital dog-driver. I think I never perspired so profusely as I have this day. Some of the events during our journey have been most amusing. Once we were descending a steep incline, all of the company holding on to the sledge, so as to prevent its too great speed downward, when, one of my feet brisaking through the treacherous snow-crust, headlong I went, and, like a hoop, trundled to the bottom of the hill. Tookoolito hastened to my relief, and, seeing a frostbite on my face, she instantly applied her warm hand, the Innuit wav, till all was right again. Another steep incline caused the sledge to descend so rapidly that at length it went over three or four of the dogs, who were unable to keep ahead of it, though running at great speed. " By 3 P.M. we neared the frozen waters of the ocean, after passing over some very abrupt and rocky ground. On the margin of the sea the clifis were almost perpendicular, and it was necessary to lower the sledge down to the ice below. Ac- cordingly, the dogs were detached, and while Tookolito, whip in hand, held on by their traces, which were from twenty to thirty feet long, we lowered the sledge. The tide, however, was out, and it caused some difiiculty in getting on to the main ice. At length all was safely accomplished, and once more we started on our way, Tookoolito again leading. Then we proceeded for about five miles, when we came to an igloo out on the ice, which * For route of this sledge-ship, see track on Chart. From Rescue Harbour, lat. 68° 52' N. long. 64° 44' W. over land to Tuk-e-Iik-e-ta Bay j thence on the sea to Roger's Island, lat. 63» 12' N. long. 64° 32' W, I 1: ipr" '*i 170 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. had evidently been erected and occupied the night before by Ugarng and his party. Here we should have stopped ; but, af the igloo was too small for building a snow house, we encamped at 5 P.M." Ebierbing and Koodloo at once commenced sawing out snow*- blocks, while I carried them to a suitable spot for erecting the igloo, which took us one hour to make. And a right good one it was, as I soon found. The door sealed up, and the cheerful lamp in full blaze, with a hot supper preparing, made me feel remarkably comfortable, though in a house of snow, built so speedily upon the frozen surface of the treacherous ocean. I will here give this matter more in detail. Soon as the igloo was completed, Tookoolito entered and commenced placing the stone lamp in its proper position. It was then trimmed, and soon a kettle of snow was over it making water for coffee and soup. She then proceeded to place several pieces of board we had brought with us on the snow platform where our beds were to be made. Upon these pieces was spread the canvas containing some of that small dry shrub I have abeady alluded to. Over this went the tuktoo skins, and thus our sleeping accommodations were complete. I should mention that every article on the sledge is passed in through an opening at the back of the igloo, for the purpose of convenience. When all is thus -vithin, then this opening is closed, and a proper entrance made on the side opposite the beds. The dogs are left outside. The drying of whatever has been worn during the day, or whatever has become wet with perspiration, falls to the lot of the " igloo wife." She places the things on the in-ne-tin (a net over the fire-lamp), and through the night attends to the turning of them, as occasion requires. Her other duties consist in the repairing of such clothing as maybe needed. Nothing is allowed to go one day without repair. Everything, where care is re- quired, even to pipes and tobacco, is placed in the igloo wife's hands — in this case, Tookoolito's. These matters I particularly noticed on the occasion of my jird night spent in an arctic igloo. Presently our evening meal was ready. It consisted of Cin- cinnati crackling soup, a small piece of raw salt pork for each of us, half a biscuit, and coffee. Tookoolito proved herself an excellent cook ; and I soon felt convinced that no party should think of travelling in these regions without an Innuit man and his wife, for the latter, above everything, is the " aU in all," or at least the " better half." # STORM-BOUND. 171 After supper, myself and the two male Esquimaux had each a pipe, and then turned in, my position being between the hot- blooded Innuits Ebierbing and Koodloo. I slept as well as I would ever wish, and on the following morning, about nine o'clock, after breakfast and repacking the sledge, we again started. Our proper course was due nor^h, but, owing to hummocky ice, we could not follow it. In truth, some- times we were obliged to make a retrograde movement to get out of " a fix " that we were occasionally in among icebergs and hammocks. Owing to this, we made but five miles direct toward our destination during the day. It had been expected that we could reach Cornelius Grinnell Bay in one day from the vessel, but too maliy obstacles existed to allow it, and thus a second night came upon us while still upon the frozen sea. A storm was also gathering, and its dark- ness, with the howling wind, which had changed from off the land to right upon it, was foreboding. We were likewise much wearied with the day's labours, and it was some time after we stopped before a suitable place was found and our second igloo erected. At length, though long after dark, we were comfortably located, enjoying a hot supper beneath the snowy dome, the foundation of which rested on the frozen bosom of the mighty deep. But not too soon were we under shelter. The storm had burst in all its fury, and we could hear the wind roaring outside as we warmed ourselves within. All night long the gale continued, and the next morning — ^the thirl of our journey — ^it was found impossible to go 07i. It was blowing a strong gale, and continued so all day, wiuh snow in impenetrable thickness. We were therefore obliged to keep in- side our shelter, wrapp-^d in furs. While thus detained, I took the opportunity to have my hair cut by Tookoolito. It had grown to a great length, even to my shoulders, and I now found it very inconvenient. My beard, whiskers, and moustache were also shorn nearly close to my face. In musquito time they were serviceable, but now they had be- come quite an evil, owing to the masses of ice that clung to them. Indeed, on the previous night I had to lose a portion of my whiskers. They had become so ice-locked that I could not well get my reindeer jacket off over my head, therefore I used my knife, and cut longer attachments to them. I may here mention that, ait^ this, when we vacated the snow-house, our dogs rushed in to devour whatever they could find, digestible or not, and niy locks were a portion of what they ! r» ■ ■ ' 172 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 1^ seized. In went my discarded hair to fill up their empty stomachs ! A few days later, I saw the very same hirsute material, just as clipped from my head, lining a step leading to another igloo, haying passed through the labyrinthian way hojn. a dog's mouth onward. About 4 P.M. Ebierbing ventured outside to see how matters looked, but he soon returned with the astounding news that the ice was breaking, and water had appeared not more than ten rods BTOBH-BOUND— ENCAMPMENT ON THE FLOE IN DA.VIS'3 STRAITS, JANUARY llTH AND 12TB, 1861. south of us ! I looked, and, to my dismay, found that a crack or opening extended east and west to the land, distant about three miles ! The gale had evidently set the sea in heavy motion somewhere, and its convulsive throbs were now at work under- neath the ice close to and around us. It still blew very hard, but as yet the wind was easterly, and so far good, because, if a nearer disruption took place, we should be forced toward the %«,3: jiteiiiilil PERILOUS STATE OF THE ICE. 173 machs t just as r igloo, J mouth matters that the ten rods llAITS, hat a crack kant about [avy motion ]rork under- very hard, because, if ItoWSHd the land, but if it changed to north or north-west, away to sea we must go and perish ! Seriously alarmed, we consulted as to what was best to do — whether at once to hasten shoreward, or remain in the igloo and stand the chance. 'On shore, nothing but rugged precipices and steep mountains presented themselves ; on the ice, we were in danger of our foundation giving way — that is, of being broken up, or else driven to sea. At length we decided to remain while the wind lasted in its present quarter, and, to guard as much as possible from any sudden movement taking us imawares, I kept within sight my delicately-poised needle, so that the slightest shifting of the ice on which we were encamped might be known. In the evening the gale abated, and by 10 p.m. it was calm, but the heavy sea kept the ice creaking, screaming, and thun- dering, as it actually danced to and fro ! It was to me a new but fearful sight. When I retired to b^d I laid down with strange thoughts in my mind, but with the conviction that the same protecting hand would watch over me there as elsewhere. The night passed away without alarm, and in the morning Koodloo made an opening with a snow-knii'e through the dome of the igloo for peering out at the weather. He reported all clear and safe, and, after a hot breakfast, we packed and started, though under great difficulty and hazard. The ice had given way, and was on the move in every direction. The snow was also very deep — sometimes above our knees — and moreover very treacherous. We could hardly get along ; and the poor dogs, which had been near starving since we had left the ship (Esquimaux dogs endure starvation, and yet work, amazingly), had to be assisted by us in pushing and hauling the sledge, while constant precauiion was needed against falling throug' t: j -Hi • ••,,.•., ;-!t i, "i-i- ..-.. W '))> ^■ii-r ' JC: W:^ if ■ .,,|i !-■ >v; n£«^: ^ '■■ iviAX ij ■V»'%t^' - •*(' ■v ? •-.•^n ;\;h1 i ''fr u i.' ; ■i • mlL- 9SS '— " w "Tfi* INNUIT MODE OP EATING. 183 through the ice. It was a dark night, and this made it the more difficult, for, in striking at a seal, it will not do to miss the exact spot where the animal comes to breathe — no, not by a quarter of an inch. But, to make sure of being right when aiming, Ebierbing put some dark tuktoo hair directly over it, and thus, after patiently watching the whole night long, he was rewarded in the early morning by hearing the seal blow. In a moment more he captured it by a well-directed aim of his spear. The next morning, January 25th, the Innuits Ugarng, Ebier- bing, and Jack all separated for some place where they hoped to get seals. I supplied them as liberally as I could with my pro- visions, and then myself remained behind to jwoceed with certain observations I daily made in reference to determining positions, and otherwise noting down particulars concerning the locality around me. The rations sent me from the ship were examined and placed in safety from the dogs, but not from the truly honest Innuits, for such precaution was not needed ; and then I tried to go on with some work. But it was colder than we had yet expe- rienced, the thermometer being that night (the seventeenth of my igloo life) 75° below the freezing point ! Eemembering that our sealers were out on the ice, and, as they had said, would each be watching for a prize, I shuddered, fully expecting they must be frozen to death ; but what was my surprise and pleasure in the afternoon to see Jack and Ebierbing return, each with a seal — the one captured about midnight, the other early in tho morning. Ebierbing admitted that he had felt the cold very much while watching, and, though well wrapped in furs tied around him, could hardly prevent his feet from freezing. As to his nose, that did get touched by the frost, but he soon remedied it by smoking a Yankee clay pipe " loaded " with Virginia tobacco. Ugarng returned in the evening unsuccessful. Another " seal-feast" was of course made, and on this occa- sion I supped on seal soup, with about two yards of frozen seal's entrails (very good eating) as a finish to the affair. These se^ suppers I found to be most excellent. The seal- meat is cooked in a pan suspended for three or four hours over the fire-lamp. Generally it is boiled in water — half of it sea water — and blood ! When ready, it is served up by first giving to each person a piece of the meat. This is followed by a dish of smoking-hot soup, that is, the material in which the seal has been cooked; and I challenge anyone to find more .palatable isi: I w f:: ^^ 184 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. food in the world. It is ambrosia and nectar ! Once tasted, the cry is sure to bo " More I more 1 " The seal-meat, I may state, is eaten by holding it in both hands, the fingers and the dental " mill " supplying the offices of both knife and fork. This mode of eating was known before such instruments were thought of. Among the Innuits generally, the folloAving practice prevails : before the igloo wife hands any one a piece of meat, she " soups " it aU over, that is, swks out all the fluid from the meat that would probably otherwise drip out. Farthermore, if there be any foreign matter upon it, such as seal, dog, or reindeer hairs, she licks them all off with her pliant tongue. On January 29th we had the cold so severe that the thermo- meter showed, during the night and in the morning, 82" below the freezing point ! yet, strangely, I had experienced more severe sensations of cold when the temperature was at zero than at this low state. Still it was cold, and bitingly cold 1 How Ebier- bing and the other men — who had again left on the previous evening — could keep to their watch during that cold night was to me marvellous; yet they did so; and when Ebierbing re- turned about 9 A.M. without success, he told me that he was unwearied in his watchfulness all through the dreary time. At midnight a seal had come to breathe, but he was not so ready or so smart — probably was too much frozen — as to strike in time, and therefore lost it. Sometimes the wives accompany their husbands scaling, even in such weather. Eecording my own experience of igloo life at this time, I may here say that, having then spent twenty nights in a snow house, I enjoyed it exceedingly. 2f^ow, as I look back at the past, I find no reason to utter anything different. I was as happy as circumstances permitted, even though with Innuits only for my companions. • Life has charms everywhere, and I must confess that Innuit life possesses those charms to a great degree for me. On the 31st we had a stranger visit us — a boy called Noo-ok- kong — ^who arrived from a spot one mile west of where our first igloo had been erected. He had found us out, and stated that he left behind, at the stopping place, Mingumailo the angeko, with his two wives. They had started for that spot a short time preceding us, but now, having been a long while without food, he came to see if we could supply him. The lad had an abun- dance given him, and never before did I see such an amount of gorging as I did by that boy. 'l!. i '^m^ IMPROVIDENCE OF THE NATIVES. 185 I fced, the in both ffices of I before merally, nds any 8 out all Irip out. . as seal, r pliant thermo- 2° below re severe ,11 at this w Ebier- previous light was irbing re- it he was ime. At 3 ready or e in time, ling, even me, I may ow house, ,e past, I happy as ily for my 1st confess (6 for me. id Noo-ok- our first itated that le angeko, ^hort time lout food, an abun- lount of Next day Ugarng departed on a visit to the ship, and with sundry presents of seal-meat, &c. from Ebiorbing to his aged grandmother and friends. I also sent a letter to Captain B., preferring to remain until I had completed all my observations. While taking some of these, however, I " burned " my fingers most sadly by laying hold of my brass pocket sextant with my bare hand. I say burned them, because the effect was precisely the same as if I had touched red-hot iron. The ends of my finger-nails were like burnt bone or horn ; and the fleshy part of the tips of my fingers and thumbs were, in appearance and feeling, as if suddenly burnt by fire. On the 3d of February we caught sight of some reindeer on the ice, making their way slowly in single file northward, and eventually coming within a quarter of a mile of our igloos. I had given my rifle to Ebierbing on the first sight of them, that he might try his skill in kUling one ; but, owing to the charge of powder being too small, he missed, and the reindeer, alarmed, darted off with the speed of the wind, much to our regret. That night, about 12 o'clock, we were aroused by a call from some one evidently in distress. The cry came from the passage- way just without the igloo, and was at once responded to by Ebierbing telling the stranger to come in. He did so, and who should stand before us but Mingumailo the angeko ! He spoke feebly, and said that he was very ill, thirsty and hungry; and that he, with his family, had had nothing to eat for nearly one month ! Immediately a pile of frozen seal-meat was pointed out to him, with permission to eat some, and, quick as lightning, the famished man sprang to it like a starving bear. But how he did gorge ! He swallowed enough, I thought, to have killed six white men, yet he took it without any apparent discomfort. Water was supplied to him, and of this he drank copiously — ^two quarts went down his camel stomach without drawing breath ! Seeiag his tremendous attack upon our precious pile of fresh provisions, I really felt alarmed lest he meant to demolish the whole, and leave us without. To feed a hungry man was well enough, and a ready act on the part of all of us ; but then for "him to have a stomach as huge and voracious as any polar boar, and try to fill that stomach from our limited supply of food, was more than we could reasonably stand. I grew impatient ; but finally the angeko gave in. He really had no power to stow away one piece more. He was full to repletion ; and, throwing himself flat on the igloo floor, he resigned himself to the heavy ''ii-,i. 1 '1 1 ■ 1 1 ■'!' 1 ''' illil 186 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. task Nature now had to perform in the process of digesting tlio inonatrous Iioap ho luid taken within. iVfter a time tlio angoko told us tliat one of his wives luid accompanied him, but had gone into another igloo. The other wife kept with them as far as she could, when he wos obliged to leave her till means of relief could be found. He had built an igloo for her, and then hastened on to our snow village. In the morning Noo-ok-kong, the Innuit lad, went with some food to her, and soon afterward brought her in, thus making an addition of no less than four hungry mouths to aid in consuming our supplies. To add to our dilemma, Ugarng returned on the fol- lowing day bringing with him three more fasting beings besides himself. They were his mother, Ookijoxy Ninoo, his nephew Eterloong, and liis niece Ookoodlear, all related to Ebierbing. Ugarng, however, brought for me additional supplies from the ship ; but I saw quite clearly that, whatever I might feel inclined to do for my late companions in their need, it would never answer to begin supplying all strangers that arrived, particularly the angeko, who was lazy, and living upon the credulity of his people. Therefore I determined to stop this as speedily as pos- sible. The angeko, however, left us in a day or two for another place, where he and his wives were afterward found, again starving. News from the ship told me that all were well on board, and that the natives had caught one seal, the captor being Koodloo, who had remained there when Ebierbing went with liim on the first trip back to the vessel. Sterry, of the ship's company, had been for some time living at a place in Frobisher Bay, and had, with the natives, caught two walrus. Captain B. intended going thither the next month with some men, to see what could be done the coming season in the way of whaling. After this arrival, the usual daily incidents of our life were unvaried for some time. Occasionally seals were obtained, prin- cipally by Ugarng and Ebierbing, and then a grand feast of raw food took place. The improvidence and thoughtlessness of the Innuit people are remarkable. If they can live bountifully and joyously to- day, the morrow may take its chance. This was repeatedly shown in the conduct of one and all during my residence with them in the igloos. Not even Ebierbing and Tookoolito were exempt from this failing. They would eat, and let others eat up all they had one day, though they — and, I must add, myself— VISIT TO Clark's harbour. 187 ;*'i ing tho VC8 hail le other (liged to built an In tho food to aiUUtion Qing our i the fol- s besides nephew rbing. from tho I inclined lid never irticularly ity of his ily as pos- Di another nd, again board, and ; Koodloo, dm on the ime living OS, caught ext month season in life were ined, prin- last of raw uit people oyously to- repeatedly donee with oolito were hers eat up a, myself— staiTcd the next. In addition to this want of duo consideration concerning food for theit iwii homo, Tookoolito was generous in the extreme, always j.'ivin;^' whan asked, and trusting to what might happen afterward for replcii'-liing the supply. Ugarng's numerous family, consi.sting of no losa than seven individuals, made incessant demaudH upon hoi' iiul Ebiorbing, and also upon myself, whenever it coulti ])o done by ciijolery, or — as I often thought would follow — by intiinidution. My own stores I freely gave to an extent that I considered advisable, and no more ; but I frequently pohited out to my Esquimaux friends the necessity of husbanding what they obtahied by their persevering and arduous labours. It was, however, of no use. Eat, eat, give, give, lot go and never mind, seemed the principle that guided them ; and, consequently, in a short time stoi'vation again stared the whole village in tho face. Ebiorbing, however, was a most persevering and indefatigable sealer. During that season ho caught more seals than ai'y other man ; and on one occasion, by the aid of my rifle, which I had loaned to him, ho succeeded in bringing back four seals, alter having taken six, but two wore lost. This was on an excursion he took by way of Clark's Harbour to Allen's Island. Lgarng had gone with him, and built an igloo near a narrow channel kept open by swift tides, discovered at that place. The angoko, staying at Clark's Harbour, would not stir from there, having found a deposit, formerly made by us in tho ship, of whale krang, and upon this he and his two wives were living — that is, so far as he allowed tho poor women to share with him. When, however, Ebiorbing was returning with his great prize, this lazy, worthless angoko must needs join him to share in the feast which followed. I need hardly say that my own feelings toward the man were not of the most peaceable ; but I was alone, and even my two Innuit friends yielded to tho sway of their angoko ; hence I was powerless to avert aught such a man might instantly command to be done, had I offended him. When Ebiorbing returned with the four seals he merely stayed long enough for tho feast, and was off again, with tho under- standing to look out for me, as I purposed following him. This I did on tho 16th day of February, being the thirty-eighth of my departure from the ship, and of my living thus wholly among the Innuits. The Innuit Jack was my companion, and wo arrived at Kowtukjua (Clark's Hai'bour) about 3 p.m. This place was where we had anchored in the ship during the previous I'all, and where I nearly lost my life by the accidental ; ; ;t '!. M;l 188 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. pistol-shot on tlie 13tli of August. I examined the locality, and then, at 4 p.m. started for AUen's Island. We arrived at Ugarng's igko about 7 p.m. and were welcomed by Kunniu, Ugarng himself being out sealing. Here I stayed until the 18th, aiding them as for as I could, and curiously watching the various efforts made to sustain and enjoy life by these singular people of the l!f orth. In a future chapter I shall dwell upon this more largely ; but now I must only say that great success attended Ugarng's exer- tions, and when we all started for the igloo village it was with a good store of food upon our sledge. We arrived in the after- noon, and, after the usual feast, passed the evening in social conversation. I had now been forty-two nights in an igloo, living with the natives most of the time on their food and according to their own customs. I therefore considered that I had gained si>me experience in the matter, and having made several observations for determining the locality of places, prepared for my return. I bade adieu to my Innuit friends in the village, and on the 21st of February left what I then called " my Northern Home " for the ship. I was accompanied by Ebierbing, Ugarng, and Kunniu, and we had the sledge and dogs with us. The parting from Tookoolito was affecting. She evidently felt it ; but the hope of herself and husband soon being with me again on my future excursions removed much of the disappointment she then felt at my going away. In fact, both she and Ebierbing were as children to me, and I felt toweird th«m like what a parent would. It was a fine day when we left the village at 7 a.m. and rapid progress was made. As we moved out into the bay, a glow of red light suffused the heavens at the eastern part of the horizon, and when we had made about four miles south the sun began to lift his glorious face, his darting rays kissing the peaks of the mountains around. Occasionally I looked back to the igloos where I had spent so many days — far from uncomfortable ones — among my Innuit friends ; but soon they were out of sight, and my thoughts now turned wholly to the warm hearts that I hoped to meet on board that night. At 9 a.m. we reached new ice, which started the sealers to try their hands once more for a prize. In ten minutes more Ebier- bmg had found a hole, and actually secured a seal ! He hailed me to come, and, on reaching the spot, I was asked to pull tlio seal up while he enlarged the hole, that it might be drawn on ^m»>idm^&i'^M '•'^■"t'~~r. "Ti _ EETURN TO THE "GEOEGE HENRY." 189 to the ice. I did so ; and as the beautiful, eloquent eyes of the victim met my sight, I felt a sort of shudder come over me, for it seemed to say, " Why disturb me here 1 I do no harm. Do not kill me ! " But the great sealer, Ebierbing, with his spear, had already enlarged the hole, and, hauling the prize higher up, speedily ended its life by a few well-directed thrusts midway between the seal's fore-flippers. Not a druggie did the victim make. Its end was as peaceful as that of a lamb. TJgamg had been unsuccessful ; but the one prize of Ebierbing was something, and, after properly securing it to the sledge, away we went on our course again. At 10 a.m. we lunched on frozen seal, and our dinner was the same. We reached the land at 3 P.M. and crossed in two hours and forty-five minutes to Field Bay. A half hour's travelling upon the ice brought us to the ship, where I found all the crew ready to welcome me with outstretched hands, and, I am sure, kindly hearts. For a moment, on once more standing upon the ship's deck, I felt myself overpowered ; but, speedily recovering, I returned the congratulations offered, and, after seeing my companions were attended to, I descended to. the cabin, where numerous comforts of civilization awaited me. A warm supper was most acceptable. I was much fatigued with my journey ; and, soon after a short conversation which followed, I gladly retired. Once more, then, did I enter my own little domicile, where I did not forget to return thanks to Him who had so preserved me in health and safety during that, my first experience of personal life among the native Innuit tribes of the icy North. 'I ilwl ■■A ;i i 1. ) i, CHAPTEE XIII. Irksome Change from a Snow House to tlhe Ship's Cabin — Native Village on tlie Ice — Scurvy on Board — Best Cure for it — A Meindeer Hunt — Dogs in Cha^e — A Venison Feast for a Ship's Creiv — Soine of the sick Crew sent to live with the Natives — The Innuit King-icat-chc-ung — His Kindness to White Men — Oue of the Sailors missing— The missing Man's Tracks; his erratic Movements ; he gets confused and goes Seaward ; has a rest in the Snow: moves on again, and proceeds Miles from the Ship; his Scramble round an Iceberg — Author and his Companion exhausted — Temptation to lie down and Sleep — Sledge arrives from the Ship — Search continued — Tracks led to the Shore — Signs of a fearful Struggle — Discovery of the Body, frozen stiff— Gfround too hard to dig a Grave — Cover the Corpse with Ice and Snoio — Return to the Ship. • My first night (February 21st, 18G1) on board the George Henry, after forty-three days away in an igloo, was a sleepless one ; not from any want of comfort, but in consequence of the super- abundance of it. From the pure atmosphere of a snow house to the warm, confined air of a small cabin, the change is great, and I felt it extremely while undergoing the resulting " sweat- ing " process. The next morning I visited the crew to see how the men were, and was sorry to find one or two cases of scurvy among them. The legs of one man, from his knees down to his feet, were almost as lalack as coal tar. In reply to a question put to me, I said that forty-tliree days in an igloo among Innuits was, in my opinion, the best cure for them^ I then went on shore with Captain B. My dogs were all well, and right glad to see me. The wreck of the Rescue still existed, though much of its materials had been used for fuel and other useful purposes. I found, astern of the George Henry, several igloos built upon the ice, though but few of the natives remained here. Nearly all the inhabitants of both villages had gone away to Frobisher Bay, where they hoped more success would attend their exertions to procure food. Indeed, I understood that not less than a hundred Innuits were located in one place, and doing well. On the 24th of February Ebierbing returned to Grinnell Bay, ^•ffr'graifjB**'^^^' '-^ ' REINDEER HUNT. 191 ;e eaten as food. Thus for thirty days the Innuits continued, until at length the ice upon which they were floating united to some near the land, and they were enabled to reach an island in the bay. Thence they got upon the main shore, and returned to tlicir families alive, but such skeletons in form that they were hardly recog- nizable by their friends. One of the party, from weakness, had fallen into the sea, but was taken out again, his garments immediately freezing hard upon him. The Innuits, Sharkey, Kop-e-o, whom I called " Dick," and most of those now at the lower village, were of this company. Another incident mentioned to mo was that a party of Innuits, a few years ago, went out on the sea-ice walrus hunting, and being driven away from land, were unable to reach it for three mmitlis ! Fortunately for them, however, they did not suffer as the others had done. Walruses were caught, and thus they were enabled to exist. Not a winter passes but similar occurrences take place among the Innuits. Indeed, during our stay in Rescue Harbour seveial .. ?'!i • t: f i •: ^m m : %m ml i H II 216 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. persons were carried away on the ice, but in a day or two after- ward succeeded in getting ashore again. Numerous anecdotes of remarkable escapes were at different times related to me by the Innuits. One or two may be aptly brought forward here. The following was told me by Tookoolito. In the spring of 1857, a company of Esquimaux, natives of Northumberland Inlet, were far out on the floe, by open water, for the purpose of whaling. A whale was at length seen moving leisurely along within striking distance, when the Esquimaux succeeded in making fast to it by four harpoons, each of which was fastened by a ten to fifteen fathom line of ookgook hide to a drug made of an uncut sealskin inflated like a life-preserver. By some incautious act of one of the harpooners, one of his legs became entangled in the line, and quick as thought the whale dragged him do^vn into the sea out of sight. His com- panions were horror-stricken, and for awhUe all around was still as death. The whole party earnestly peered out upon the blue waters far and near, looking for the reappearance of their com- rade. They paced to and fro ; when at last a shout came from one of their number — " The lost is found ! " — ^which brought all to one spot. The circumstance which led to this fortunate discovery was the sight simply of the finger-tips of one hand clinging to the top edge of the floe. The rescuers, on looking over the verge, found the almost dead man moving his lips, as if crying for aid, but his voice was gone ; not even a whisper responded to his most desperate struggles to articulate. Another minute, it was certain, would have sealed his fate — an ocean grave. It seems that, on coming up from the " great deep," the un- fortunate harpooner had attempted to draw himself on to the floe, .but this he was too enfeebled to do. When this whale turned flukes, as it instantly did on being struck, it went down perpendicularly for soundings, as the Mysticetus (Greenland whale) generally does. Its great speed, and the resistance of the " drug," with that of the drag of the victim's body, caused such a strain upon the line that it parted. On this very fortunate moment the buoyant "drug" shot up like an arrow, bringing with it its precious freight — a living soul. A few weeks after, this same whale wjth the four harpoons fast to it, was found in drift ice dead. The Esquimaux state that whenever a harpoon penetrates to the flesh of the whale, it will surely die. Har- poons struck into the blubber, and remaining there, will not ^"mmL INCIDENTS OF PEEILS AND ESCAPES. 217 prove fatal ; it is only so when it goes through, the hlubher into the "krang" (flesh). Another incident, but of a most fatal character, occurred not many years ago in Field Bay. A party of Innuits were out in two oo-mi-ens (large skin boats) when a whale was struck. The line, in running out, whipped round a leg of the harpooner, instantly teanng it from tJie body at the hip-Joint ! The shock capsized the boat and all that were therein. The sea all around the victim became thick with otig (blood). A landing was early sought and efiected, but the poor creature soon died. The following sad accident was also related to me : Koo-ou-le- arng's wing-a (husband) was killed, when Ebierbing was a boy, at Kingaite, in Northumberland Inlet. He was out sealing near the base of the high land (Kingaite signifies high land), when an avalanche of snow came suddenly upon him, not only over- whelming him, but a large extent of ice, carrying it and him down, far down into the sea. Being missed, he was tracked to the fatal spot, but no other traces of him were ever discovered. While on this subject I may as well relate one or two occur- x'ences narrated to me by whaling captains, which show that white men often do go through seven perils, and endure the same sort of life as the Esquimaux. Captain Sisson, on one occasion, told me of a shipwreck that occurred in September, 1853, forty miles north of Cape East, in Kamtschatka. The crew were obliged to remain about eleven months on shore, living among the natives in a perfectly helpless condition, and without anything of value. Yet they were well treated, and soon acquired the habits of the. natives, eating the same food, and living in the same manner ; and finally, without the loss of a man, came away quite fat and healthy. Again, another case may be mentioned as reported to me. In the fall of 1851, Captain Quayl-^, of the McClelland, whaler, from New London, entered a hai oour in Northumberland Inlet, but, not meeting with success, it was proposed that some of the ship's company should winter there with a view to commence whaling in the spring, if that should be practicable* The first mate, now Captain S< O. Budington, and "W. Sterry, with ten other volunteers, agreed to do so. Except the first officer, the whole were single young men. The understanding was that the McClelland should return for them by the next July ; and meanwhile provisions, two boats, and various other effects, were placed on shore for their use. The twelve men now went to work to make preparation for iA 5 218 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. their stay. A house was built of stone, filling in the walls with turf and snow on the outside, making a total thickness of six feet. The roof was made of sealskins sewed together and placed on poles. For a window, which was in the roof, intes- tines of the whale answered well. The stove served for cooking and heating, and coal had been left for fuel ; but this becoming exhausted by the end of December, an admirable substitute \> is found in some skeletons of whales, which were discovered frozen in the ice some thirty miles distant, and were transported to the house by means of dogs and sledges. The bone burned well, being full of oil, and it was easily cut up with an axe. An incident connected with the transport of this bone is worthy of record. One day in February, a younger brother of Captain Quayle, with a companion, set out for the bone d(5p6t on a dog-sledge. On their return a furious snow-storm came on, and the dogs, as well as the men, lost their way. Darkness overtaking them, they determined to rest till morning under the lee of an island, but during the whole night it was a terrible battle for life. The only salvation for them was in pounding each other, wrestling, tumbling, kicking, &c. Occasionally the " death-sleep " would be found creeping over them, when all their strength and resolution were called into action in the manner ju?t described. The next day they arrived in s* fety at the house. The stock of provisions left with the party was exhausted before any ship arrived, but whale-meat, seals, venison, and ducks were found in abundance. The natives also were very kind, sharing with thesn whatever game they found. Thus they lived until September, 1852, when Captain Parker, in an English whaler, took them away. On March 27th another man came near being frozen to death. Strangely enough, it was Bruce, the very companion of the unfortunate Brown ! It appeared that Bruce, who was still under attacks of scurvy, had again gone to the Innuit settlement at Oopungnewing, but one morning suddenly determined upon returning to the ship. Esquimaux "Bob," with whom he was staying, insisted upon his remaining that day, as the weather was too bad. But no ; Bruce would go, and at once started oJf alone. Seeing that the white man was apparently bent on his own destruction, or did not know what he was about, the noble- minded Esquimaux " Bob," being himself unable to leave, engaged an Innuit woman, whom we called Brcm New, to HEAVY SNOWSTORM. 219 accompany Bruce. The good creature readily did so, and by her means (as Bruce admitted) ho was enabled to reach the vessel in safety. Another circumstance occurred, which, though not very serious in results, might have proved so, had it not been for my dog Barbekark. On the 28th March Mate Eogers started for the whaling d<5p6t in Frobisher Bay. He had with him sundry articles required for spring operations, and a. sledge and dogs, driven by Koojesse. Among the dogs was my G^eenlander, Barbekark. They left at 6 a.m., the weather then moderate ; but at noon it was blowing a hard gale from the north-east, with thick-falling snow, which continued during the day. At half-past nine in the evening one of the ship's officers, Mr. Lamb, going upon deck, heard the cry of dogs, and soon found that Mr. Rogers was returning. In a few moments, to our astonishment, for the gale was severe, he and Koojesse, with the sledge, arrived alongside, and soon afterward the mate was down in the cabm, but so completely overpowered by exhaustion that he could hardly speak. His face was the only spot, in appearance, human about him, and even this was covered with V '-wreaths pelted at him by the ruthless storm. A ter sufficient time for restoration, he related the incidents of the past fifteen hours. It appears that, as they passed from Chapell Inlet to Field Bay, at about 1 o'clock p.m. it blew quite a gale, and the air was so filled with snow that they could hardly see the dogs before them. Here Koojesse advised that they should build an igloo, and remain in it until the end of the gale, but Mr. Rogers thought it better they should return home to Rescue Harbour, after resting a few minutes, and refreshing themselves with some snow-water. This, with some difficulty, they obtained, and at two they started back for the vessel. At first they got on pretty well as far as Parker's Bay, keeping the ridge of mountains running south-east and north-west on their left, and within sight. On reaching Parker's Bay, they then struck across the ice toward the ship. TJiis was almost fatal to them. Esquimaux dogs are often unmanageable when it is attempted to force them in the teeth of a storm, and so it proved now. The leader of the team, a dog belonging to the Innuit Charley, lost his way, and confused all the rest. The snow-storm was upon them in all its fury, and men, as well as dogs, were becoming blinded. Presently the leading dog directed the team towards some islands near the head of the bay ; but, on ap- ! K f- m mui' 220 LIFE WITH THE E..^jIMAUX. proaching them, it was seen that Barhekark was struggling to make a different route, and these islands convinced the ivro human minds that dog sagacity, when known to be true, was best when left to itself in such emergencies. Accordingly, Bar- bekark was allowed to have his own way, and in a short time be led them direct to the ship. I asked Mr. Rogers what they had intended to do if the vessel could not be found. His reply was, that when it became dark, Koojesse had once proposed to stop for the night on the ice, and, to insure as much safety as possible, they were to throw themselves among the dogs, cover themselves with the two bear- skins they had, and thus try to preserve life until daylight would help to show them where they were. The end of this adventure was, that Koojesse remained so far blind for days that he could not see to do anything ; and Mr. Eogers's face, in its imcovered portions, had actually tirned to a deep dark red, while the shielded paits were perfectly white, thus showing what contrasts these Northern storms can paint in one short day. A lesson to be gathered from this, as I then thought, and still believe, is to allow the natives to do what they consider best in such times. They thoroughly understand the way to prepare for and withstand the warring elements of their own regions, and it is well for white men always to heed their advice, however unreasonable it may seem to be at the time. On the 8th of April the cooking apparatus and other material were moved up from below, whore they had been during the whole winter, and thus what we might call symptoms of spring (though there is no real spring in those regions) presented themselves. About this time Koojesse made reference, in a vague way, to a certain matter which at first excited but little of my attention, and yet, in the sequel, it wUl be seen that it related to what was of the most important character. I had several conversations with this Esquimaux in the presence of Captain Budington, who, being more proficient at that time than myself in the Innuit vernacular, assisted me as interpreter. This native spoke of a time long, long ago, when kod-lu-nas (white men) built a vessel on an island in the bay lower down (Frobisher Bay). Spoke also of brick (^' mik-e-oo-koo-foo oug," small red pieces), timber, chips, &c. as having been left there. The idea of a vesse '. having been built in those regions seemed too improbable to be entertained for a moment. So unreasonable w ...iJiJIilH- feobisher's expedition. 22] -nas did the story appear of constructing a ship in i. ich a perfectly woodless country, that I thought it a waste of time and paper to make a record of it ; therefore what transpired in the first two or three interviews with Koojesse, in relation to this subject, is not in my original notes. Finally, in a few days, I began in my reflections to connect the Esquimaux report with the time when Martin Frobisher made his discoveries, and simultaneously commenced to make record of whatever was stated to be in subsequeLt intemews. The commencement of said notes is under date of April 9th, 1861. I now extract them from my original journal, as made immediately after an interview with Koojesse on the p.m. of same date : — " Among the traditions handed down from one generation to another, there is this : that many — very many years ago, some white men built a ship on one of the islands of Frobisher Bay, and went away. ■ " I think I can see through this in this way : Frobisher, in 1578, assembled a large part of his fleet in v;hat he called * Countess of Warwick Sound ' (said to be in that bay below us), when a council was held on the 1st of August, at which it was determined to send all persons and things on shore upon 'Countess of Warwick Island ! ' and on August 2d orders were proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, for the guidance of the company during their abode thereon. For reasons stated in the history, the company did not tarry here long, but departed for ' 3Ieta Incog- nita,' and thence to England. " Now, may not the fact of timbers, chips, &c. &c. having beer, found on one of the islands (within a day's journey of here) many years ago, prove that the said materials were of this Frobisher's company, and that hence the Tnnuit tradition 1 " In a few days I hope to be exploring Frobisher Bay. I may thereafter have something to add to the matter above re- ferred to." — I now turn to other matters in my journal. " April Wi. — As I write, the main cabin table of the ship is surrounded by natives playing dominoes. There are Ebierbing, Miner and his wife, Charley and his wife, Jim Crow with his wife. " The gale of to-day has been terrific. One would have to contest sharply with the elements in order to breathe, if outside of the cabin for a moment. In the afternoon an alarm was raised that Sharkey's wife had fallen down the forecastle steps and was dying. It seems that in mounting the stairs leading ;!|' m m m- Vi 222 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. therefrom with her semi-white cliihl, she was taken with a fainting-fit, in which she fell. Though no bones were fractured, yet she was so severely injured that she has heen in a critical condition ever since, and some of the time unconscious. " April 10th. — This day Sterry left for Frobisher Bay settle- ment, to remain awhile among the natives. Parties are now very often going backward and forward, conveying ship's ma- terial to the intended whaling dt^pot at Cape True.* In the evening there was another magnificent display of the aurora. At 9 o'clock a long line or arch, extending from the west to the east, began to rise from the horizon. I noticed a peculiarity of this night's display worthy of record. When the centre of the auroral arch had risen about three degrees above the horizon, a long line of narrow black clouds rested parallel with the base of the aurora. Slowly the arch mounted the heavens, the clouds all this time becoming less and less black, until they were finally exhausted. The clouds were as dark as * thunder-clouds ' when I first saw them. In half an hour the stars shone brightly where they had been. They seemed to follow upward as the arch lifted. When the arch became elevated 25°, other belts of aurora sprang into action, so that there was a sight worth the admiration of beings even superior to man ! " To-day I have pui'chased of the captain the chronometer that had belonged to the Rescue. I mtend to make record of all the observations I take, leaving most of them to be worked up on my return home. Some undoubtedly will prove to be er- roneous ; but I shall do what I can to make all my observations reliable. There is nothing that has weighed more heavily upon me than the want of a good time-piece. When I make my journey westward and northward to King William's Land, I shall requira the chronometer. Indeed, I need it in my journey up Frobisher Bay this spring. I am anxious to perform work that shall redound to the credit of those who have so generously assisted me in my outfit for the voyage I am making here in the North. God giving me health and help in the prosecution of my work, I will do my duty as a geographer and a humanitarian. ''^ April \2th. — This morning is gloriously fine. I must do out- door work to-day. I will off" for a trip up Budington Mount, and from its peak take some angles and bearings of prominent places around and about the bay. * * * Just returned, and • So named after Benjamin C. True, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Cape True is in lat. 62* 33' N. long. 64° 55' W, i-,;^ « i >Mi^M i ^ i i ' . ' ; ^>■ "f*»» BLIND GEORGE AND HIS DAUGHTER. was his way when it shines. He immediately recognized my voice, and gladly greeted me Avhen I hailed him. These, and many more, were domiciled in some half-dozen igloos built near Annawa's ; but there was also another village, called Twer-puk-ju-a, where several Innuits resided, and to this, after breakfast, I bent my way, taking Koojesse with mo. Before starting, I delivered everything I had, as was customary Avith the Innuits, into the hands of Nood-le-yong for safe keeping. We then started about nine o'clock, taking a »■"■" CIIARMINr, A SEAL. 229 course ovor tho liilly centre of the iHluiul. Arrivin;^' at tin? toj), I heard a sound Jillin<^ tlie air as it' sonicthiuf^ was swccpinj^ l)y. It was liku the rusli of nuiny water's, or tlie ^roaiiiii<; of ice far away. I asked Koojesse what it was, and he replicil Mcituks («hicks), J thouj^dit it couM not l)o possibU', l)ut was a whiuisi(!al reason j^mvcii l)y Innuits for souietliinj^ they know (exists, and yet cannot compreliend. I hiughed, shrugged my shouhlers, and then passed on. We arrived at the other viUage after a walk of about tliree miles, and there I met Mr. Sterry, the (Jeonje J/enrt/'n carpenter. He was suffering from snow-blindness, brought on l)y exposure ui)on the ice Avhilo out with a party of Innuits walrus hunting, lie hail olitained leave of abseu(!e from his duties on board, and was novv living with tlio natives, "keeping house" (igloo) as though he was of the country. Together we went on a hill to watch the movements of tho Innuit Mine)\ who, with a gun, was sealing. We saw him work'ing his way almost impercei)tibly along in his kia through the openings in the ice toward his covetecl p..>y, wl:.;h rest' il cjuietly unconscious of his presence. As Mhier approaclu^d, > " kept up a loud, peculiar noise, a mixture of Innuit singing ai.d bellowing, which seemed to work as a charm upo;^ the seal. Every few moments he would lay down his gun i.ml make a stroke or two with his long, double-bladed oar ; then the seal, as if alarmed, would seem about to depart. As soon as tlie slightest motion indicative of this appeared, Miner would again seize his gun and aim, at the same time vehemently increasing the tones of his seal-song. The seal, thus again chinned, kept quiet, and ISIiner would once more take to his oars, thus endea- vouring gradually to decrease the distance between them. So it occurred for several times, and evidently IMiner had great hope of securing a good prize, but suddenly, and when the hunter was almost as near as he desired to be, the seal broke away from the " soothing voice of the cl? j r.er," raised its head, made a plunge, and, before Miner could tire, disappeared. Then came upon our ears, as we looked and listened, the loud, peculiar ejaculation of disappointment, E-e-e-iih ! and no wonder, for the poor hunter lost by it about half a ton of fresh provisions. I, too, owing to the interest I felt, was also nigh having a loss, which, though not so important as his, was one which I did not then wish to experience. A meridional observation on the ice with my pocket sextant was secured only just in time to save it. ^ ■■ % 'C, i( '■ I' I,.; ,1 II V j . h 230 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. I continued my walk, and ascended a mountain close by, picking up fossil stones on its summit, and enjoying the view around me. Soon I was joined by the Innuits Kokerjabin (Kudlago's widow) and Neitch-ee-yong, both of whom were born on the shores of the great bay before us. Kokerjabin pointed out to me the place of her nativity, on the opposite side of the bay, called by her Kar-mo-wong, an inlet which makes its way up into the interior of Kingaite (Meta Incognita). She said that from a high point at the termination of that inlet she had often seen the oomiens of kodlunas (ships of the white men) pass up, and then, at a later time, down the waters which were on the other side of Kingaite. This made Kingaite to be merely a narrow tongue of land, the extreme of which, as Kokerjabin stated it to be, I could see bearing from me by azimuth compass 102°, or true bearing S. 16° W. Karmowong bore S. 51° W. true. I took several other observations and measurements the next and following days, for the purpose of mapping the locality and accurately placing upon record all that I might discover bearing upon Frobisher's expedition. My sleeping accommoda- tions at night were with the natives in their igloo, and I partook of their food, eating even as they themselves did, and, I might add, thorougldy enjoying it. Thus two days passed away, and on the third, which was April 25th, I again started for an extension of my trip. It was about noon when I left, accompanied by Sterry, Koker- jabin, and her son " Captain." This youth of twelve years would insist upon taking with him a toy sledge, to which " Pink," a little dog of a few months old, was harnessed, and, as he made it a point to have the sledge, I was obliged to let it be taken with us. Our first five miles was circuitous, though on a general course (true) of about W. N.W. From the breaking up and consequent absence of the sea-ice, which had occurred two days before my arrival, we were obliged to follow the shore-ice, walking on what Dr. Kane called the " ice-fvoV^ Thus we were one moment this way, the next that, and sometimes walking on shore. This made it very difficult to get on, especially as the tide at that time rose and fell full thirty feet ; and, besides, the frequent change from ice to land was no easy work. When we had gone about four miles, an old Innuit man was seen with h's gun quietly seated on the rocks overlooking the bay and watcliing for seals. A few words of greeting were exchanged, and I then looked around the place. I noticed pSJTTT it INNUITS' SUMMER KESTING-PLACES. 231 that here and there was quite a level spot of ground for these regions ; and what more particularly attracted my attention was a complete natural breakwater of stones, evidently thrown up by the heavy seas. The side next the sea was sloping at an angle of 40°, and that facing the flat of land, which it pro- tected, about 50°. The stones were of every variety of shape, though not much worn, and weighing from one to twenty-five pounds. On this flat portion of land I perceived many signs of its having been the frequent resort of Innuits during the summer months — circles of stones for keeping down the skins which form their tents ; bones of walrus and reindeer were also numerous. Here, too, I saw, to my surprise, ship's blocks, iron hoops two and a half inches wide, part of a coffee-pot, preserved meat canisters, an oaken bucket in good order, and several pieces of wood, all, as 1 afterward conjectured, formerly belonging to the " Traveller," an English whaling vessel, lost three years previous near " Bear Sound," about thirty miles nearer the sea. It was at this place we lunched, and had the pleasure of finding abundance of water on the rocks to quench our thirst. Here, on a point of land called by the Innuits Evictoon, was a native monument such as they usually erect on prominent places. As we were about to resume our march, two seals were dis- covered in the sun near some cracked ice. Ii mediately the old man started off to try his rusty gun upon them, at first stumbUng hurriedly over some broken ice that intervened, and then proceeding very cautiously. When within forty rods he lay down upon his front, and kneed, footed, and bellied himself along, not unlike the movements of the seals he was after. But, as in Miner's case, a moment afterward his prey, taking the alarm, rose up, and with a plunge instantly disappeared. The old man jumped up, crying aloud E-e-e-iik ! and walked on. As we travelled forward the mountains of Kingaite loomed up in magnificent grandeur, and, on looking at them, something struck me as it had done when first viewing the place in August, 1860, that more than mere land existed there. It seemed as if a he,, 3 ice ridge ran along parallel with the coast, uniting mountain with mountain and peak with peak. Seeing how intent I was upon this, Kokerjabin readily answered my inquiry as to what it really was. In reply, she said " it was solid ice, and never had she known it to change its appearance, either in summer or fall." ill!'' h «-i I ::l il fii-i Is'. '■i I M :■'•( *!■ ;?»! ;f;i . .'If 1 i m " 232 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. This was enough. I immediately concluded that there were glaciers over there, and certainly the one I then looked at appeared to be not less than fifteen to twenty miles long. But, as I afterward visited the locality, I shall reserve farther mention of them till I come to another part of my narrative. About dusk we reached the south point of the island Nouyarn,* where we had expected to find an Innuit village, the place of our intended visit. But, to our disappointment and vexation, the settlement was not there. Within two hundred fathoms of the shore we saw sledge-tracks leading from the land out into the bay, and thence northward and westward. Here, also on the ice, we saw two double-barrelled guns standing up in the snow, and an Esquimaux lamp ; but not a human being besides ourselves was there. We knew not what to do. Dark and cold, we should undoubtedly suffer much if unable to get shelter. What could we do? We might, for a wliile, follow the sledge-tracks, but not long, as the darkness was upon us. Eight o'clock, and we had neither shelter, food, nor light. Even to keep warmth in us for a moment, it was necessary to be in action, or the chances were we should freeze ; and to remain so all night, we might perish. Sterry proposed that we should return to the igloos we had left in the morning, but to this Kokerjabin and myself objected. The best thing we could do, as I thought, was to follow the tracks, and, if not meeting with Innuits, build an igloo and make the best of it. This was agreed to, and again we started forward, Kokerjabin leading the way, which she did most admirably, guiding us here and there among numerous inlets, without once being in the wrong or confused. The moon had now risen from her sea-bed, but looked as if guilty of some wicked act, being both horribly distorted and red in the face ! But the higher up she got, the better was her appearance, and the greater was her usefulness to us night- travellers. At length, about half-past ten, and when we had gone some three miles farther, Kokerjabui brought us to a small island called An-nu-ar-tung, where she expected to find the Innuits. We listened ; we strained our eyes for an igloo light, but in vain ; not a sound, not a glimmer of anything we had hoped for met our ears or our eyes. Still, we determined to bo thoroughly convinced, and accordingly tried to get on shore. * Lat. 62° 55' N. long. 65° 52' W. ■,Vi-i-e¥ •MJBtoT)^>' , ■ ■ ! U lljl i J ' , ' thing night- shoro. BUILDING AN IGLOO. 233 This, however, even in daylight, would have been a difficult task where there v>^as so great a rise and fall in the tide as thirty feet, but at night we found it a terrible job. At last it was accomplished ] and looking about for the igloos, and meeting with none, it was finally settled that we should have some supper before trying anything more. Our stock of food consisted of a small piece of " salt-junk " and some few pieces of hard bread, all of which I had brought from the vessel with me ; nevertheless, every mouthful we took was delicious to our hungry appetites. But the thirst ! how could we quench it 1 We had nothing by which to make snow- water, and we had vainly searched the rocks around for some. Every particle was firmly locked up in the fingers of zero cold. " Thirst, most thirsty ! " we had to say, and, in sooth, to remain thirsty. The next thing we did was to build an igloo, where, at all events, something like shelter could be obtained, and warmth by clustering together. Four human stoves, besides as many heating, smoking tobacco-pipes, would help to make us passably comfortable ; and so we found. Kokerjabin, the master-mason, aided by Sterry, built the igloo out of a snow-bank which faced a ledge of rocks running lengthwise of the island— under the lee of which, fortunately, it was — while I and the Innuit boy went upon the higher part of the land seeking for water. The igloo completed, on lying down we found that it was too limited, and that we should be inconveniently and perhaps* injuriously cramped ; therefore a remedy must be found, and this was by cutting " pigeon-holes " in the snow-bank for our feet. This answered, and soon we were fast asleep, though upon a bed of snow, and at my back a snow-bank. Toward morning I felt myself getting very cold, and, to warm us up, it was judged wise for all to smoke, which was done most agreeably. I then cut a doorway, and crawled out of the igloo on all-fours. The wind was fresh and piercing from the east, and, to get some circulation in our veins, Sterry and I made a run to the top of a hill. There we had a good look around, and then descended, but on arriving at the igloo we found Koker- jabin and her son gone. "We therefore followed in their tracks, and soon overtook them on the liighest point of the island. Presently Kokerjabin discovered, through the glass, some igloos on an island farther on. To these we immediately determined to bend our steps, more especially as Kokerjabin said she knew; ;■:! it^i ■'V. V y Fril 234 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the island well, and had often resided there. It was called A h- koo-wie-shut-too-ping* One hour's walk across the ice brought us close to it. Ice boulders, howe\<3ir, always between the sea- ice and the " ice-foot," gave us the usual trouble in getting on shore ; but, this over, we sooii found ourselves, to my great joy, among familiar faces. The first I saw was Samson, who, taking me kindly by the hand, squeezed it, hugged it, patted it, and then led me into his igloo. It was an early hour for them, and his family >Tere still in bed, yet they all aro and heartily welcomed me. Food, and especially water ^ was pl^^ntifully put before me, and I need not say how giatefully ! pj ti;ook of both. Four large igloos were there, each occupied by two families. The bay being partially frozen over, the men were preparing to stiirt on a grand sealing excursion toward Kingaite, which here seemed to be only about twenty-five miles off. Two of the women accompanied this party, and before they left I arranged with Samson to stay in his igloo until he returned. His wife was sick, and with her two daughters she remained to "keep house." Samson and his party started about 8 a.m. on Thursday, April 25th, and at noon a snow-storm raged so furiously that some fears were entertained for their safety ; but they returned in the afternoon, having captured one fine seal. A feast, as usual, followed ; and here I noticed for the first time an Innuit custom of giving to the youngest child the seaVs eyes. That night, while in bed, I received a rather unwelcome visitor in the following way. It has been justly said that " knowledge is often pursued under difficulties," but in my case the knowledge I desired came to me instead of my seeking it. I was desirous of making myself acquainted with the tides in that region, and took every opportunity to investigate the sub- ject ; but, on the night in question, between seven and eight o'clock, the tide came pouring into the igloo, threateriing destruc- tion to all within it. The full moon, by Greenwich time, was, April 24th, lOh. 23m. and, consequently, the highest rise of the tide would here be some forty hours after. I had watched for it during some time, and finally retired to my tuktoo firs, little expecting it would show itself to me by my bedside in the way it did ; but such a proof was enough. From it I ascertained that the rise of tide at full and change was thirty feet. For- tunately, the tidal flow and abrupt inundation produced no serious In lat. 62°56'N. long. (I5°51'W. THE SEAL FEAST. 235 damage, though it gave work to the females of the igloo, who hurriedly secured the fur dresses and other valuables from the salt Avater. It was strange to me to see them cleaning or currying the seal- skins. The mouth of the female currier served as a deposit for all the scrapings, and the tongue was kept in constant requisition to keep free the scraper, a dish being by to receive the contents of the mouth when full. The scrapings of board, hands, &c., all went first to the mouth, then to the dish, and thence to the dogs ! The storm continued during the following day, and I remained where I was, studying more and more the habits of this strange people, and endeavouring to give some elementary instruction to the children. Our breakfast and dinner were both excellent ; for the former, raw frozen walrus, of which I had a piece for my share of about five pounds, and tii the latter, seal. The portion of this allotted to me and Sterry was the head. "We complied with the Innuit custom. Sterry took a mouthful, then passed it to me, and when I had done the same it was returned to liim, and so on. Of (iowvse fingers were all in all. No knives and forks are found among the Innuits ; fingers and teeth are more than their equivalent. When the meat, skin, and hair were all despatched — even the eyes, except the balls, which were given to the youngest child of Samson — we " tapped " the brain. I was surprised at the amount of a seal's brain, and equally so at the deliciousness of them ! The skull was almost as thin as paper. Shoot a seal in the head and it dies. Shoot a walrus in the head, and the damage is to the hall, which immediately flattens, without effecting any injury whatever to the walrus. Later in the day I attended anotlier feast in the igloo of Kookin, who had invited his old mother, Skel-lii-ar-ping, and two other venerable dames, and I must say that if my friends at home could then have seen how like an Innuit I ate, they would have blushed for me. First came ^ portion of seal's liver, raw and warm from its late existence in full life. This, with a slice of ooksooh (blubber), was handed to each, and I made away with mine as quick as any of the old adepts. Then came ribs inclosed in tender meat, dripping with blood. How ambrosial to my palate ! Lastly came — what? Entrails, wliich the old lady drew through her fingers yards in length. This was served to every one but me in ill ij' ' '• I ill 'i 1 i 41 -It ill Mv ii h:; 236 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. pieces froiii two to three feet long. I saw at once that it was suj)po8ecl I would not like to eat this delicacy ; hut, having par- taken of it before, 1 sigaified my wish to do so now; for, he it remembered, there is no part of a seal but is good. I drew the ribbon-like food through my teeth Innuit fashion ; finished ii, and then asked for more. This immensely pleased the old dames. They were in ecstasies. It seemed as if they thought me the best of the group. They laughed — they bestowed uj)on me all the most pleasant epithets their language woidd poiinit. 1 was one of them — one of the honoured few ! Soon as this round of feasting wa? ended, one of tlic ')ld • idy Innuits drew my attentittn to hei afiiistions. She had a dreadful pain in her side and back, and had been badly trou]>Led for weeks. Before I had time for thought, she d'vw oft" her long-tailed coat over her head, and sat there before me nude as X iture n)ar]e her. The laughing face an-l the joyful, ringing voice of the uid hdy were now exchanged for expressions imJicative of sffferiiig and tLe neo'l of sympathy. The whole piuty presei)t were now abst rbed in the subject befoie me. I put on as long and dig- nified a fa:c u^i 1 could m this trying scene, and, as much was evidently cx])ected from me, I was determined no disappointment, should follow. Therefore I proceeded to manipulate the parts aflFeclod, or, raiher plowed my fingers in tlie rich loam — real estate — that covered the ailing places. The result was that I gave notice that slie should live on, eating as much fresh' seal and walrus as she wanted, drinking water several times a day, and applying the same amount at the end of every ten days that she had shrank in that time to the outside of her body by the process of scrubbing, which I there and then practically explaiTjed to her and the others. I told her, moreover, that as the suk-e-neir (sun) was day by day getting higher and higher, she must keep herself warm and dry, and then, in my opinion, she would soon be quite relieved. So caressingly did I finger the old lady's side during the delivery of my impromptu advice, that she declared I was the best angeko she had known, and positively she felt much better already. Placing on her coat, she then jumped up and ran away to her own igloo, as lively as a cricket. During the time I was stopping in Samson's igloo I made every inquiry possible about the tradition concerning the ships entering the bay a long time ago ; but I was unable, from my then slender knowledge of their language, to get intelligible answers. Therefore I had still to remain patient about it. WTrrjmifm CURIOUS MOUNTAIN MARK. 237 The following day, Saturday, April 27th, we commenced our return ; but it was cold and stormy, and, as I had left some of my fur dress at Annawa's, I sought to borrow reindeer trousers, mits, and socks there. These I readily obtained ; but the first- mentioned rrticle being too squall for my dimensions, one of the Innuit women slit them down with her oodloo till they did fit, after a fashion. But, on attempting to move, I was as if in a vice. I could not walk, I could not run, nor could I seat myself ; I could only waddle and tumble down ! On the ice in front of the igloos I tried to get on, but you, my reader, should have been there to have seen and enjoyed the sight I presented, and to have heard the ringing, side-splitting laughter of this generous-hearted and kind band of Innuits at the grotesque figure '^. cut in old Seko's skin-tight breeches. A sledge draAvn by dogs had been loaned to us ; and upon this I threw myself ; but, long after our departure, on my looking back, I could see the merry lot still watching, and apparently enjoying the fun I had created. Our sledge went fast, the dogs being good ones, with an ex- cellent Innuit driver, Ning-u-ar-ping, the son of Samson and Kokerjabin, On the smooth clear ice, which extended from Samson's village to where we had first halted on our way up, our progress was very rapid. As we passed the island where we had spent the night before meeting the Innuits, I saw our igloo still standing. A little farther on, I observed to the north a peculiar mark — the work of nature — by the west side of the entrance to I^ewton's Fiord, standing out boldly upon one of the mountains. On inquiry, I found it was considered by the natives as a remarkable spot, known to them from time imme- morial. It was called In-gee. Whoever would know what this means, let him confidentially ask an Esquimaux man. After some miles' travel we came to a d^pot of walrus flesh, made by Samson's people on a previous occasion; and here, after loading from it, the sledge left us on its return. Sterry and I, Kokerjabin and Captain, then walked on, and, after a tedious journey of about fifty miles — though direct only some twenty from the village — we arrived at Tiverpukjua at 2 P.M. so thoroughly fatigued as to be right glad of the ftiendly beds immediately oflfered us. Next morning I arose much refreshed, and took a walk on the neighbouring hill. The ice had before parted and left the bay almost free, but I was greatly astonished at the immense number of ducks I saw swimming about. For miles and miles around - i % 1 qf. ii ,?l J ! '.ii ii. M. 238 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 1^" the waters were literally covered and black with them, making such a thundering, indescribable medley of sounds as quite startled me. Talk about the " absence of life " in tliese regions of ice and snow ! Why, before my eyes were countless numbers of animated creatures, from the winged fowl of the sea to the seal and walrus ! What do all th se creatures live upon 1 Why are they here 1 Tlie waters must V>'. 3\\\q with other innumerable creatures ! Soon " great whales ' iU be here, and for what % Is there food for them here too ? At 9 A.M. I left Twerpukjua, and directed my way to Anna- wa's, at the island of Oopungnemng, where I arrived in due course, and was kindly welcomed as usual. Noodleyong was busy sewing skins together for making the summer tupic or tent, and Annawa, with other men, were out sealing. In the after- noon these latter returned, and we had the customary feast in the open air. It was Sunday, and I could not help thoughtfully looking upon the scene before me. There was the snow village of pure white igloos, with their ivadlings and took-soos embellished by trophies of the walrus hunts. A score of laughing, happy, untutored, uncivilized, and " unchristianized " sons and daughters of the Xorth were around or near me. There was a group on my right commencing the feast ; three women, that had been out gathering kelp (seaweed) as an article of food, coming up from the beach ; Annawa and his sealing company drawing up their kias on the floe-ice seaward ; open water near by covered with ducks : Blind George standing in front of Bob's igloo, facing and welcoming the sun's warm rays ; a number of boys drawing another captured seal across th.e rugged ice lining the shore ; and one young urchin with a brace of ducks newly shot. In the narrow distance were some icebergs and fl(>ating masses of ice, and behind, as well as far off, the bold mountains, which gave a grandeur to the view. The next morning, April 29th, accompanied by Esheeloo and his wife Oonga, I started on foot for the ship in Eescue Harbour, a distance of about twenty miles. Part of the way was over broken ice, and this made the journey both tedious and difficult. At noon we were at the foot of Bayard Taylor Pass leading to Field Bay, and after a lunch we walked on over the land, stopping a moment at the half-way station for a di ink of delicious water, and arrived on the other side at 4 p.m. . 7!^W?PP"W!R s? o a: K O ^i I III ' I ( ? Ill i.'. 240 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Field Bay had firm ice upon it, and over this we travelled as rapidly as we could, finally reaching the ship at 8 p.m. having been just twelve hours on the way. <^' COD-LOO, OR woman's KNIFE. Tlie illustration one-third the size of the original. In the hands of an Esquimaux woman, this simple instrument, made of bone and iron (the arc simply edged with iron), is equivalent to the knife, hatchet, scraper, and shear of civilisation. .M"Wi lifl •»"5H CHAPTER XVI. I Snow-blindness — Month of May — Ship released from hrr Ice-fetters — A spirited Scene — Sledge-dogs at full Speed — Terrific Encounter with a Bear — A Toss in the Air — A powerful Innuit — The Aged Woman, Ookijoxy Ninoo — Tookoolito Interpreter — Important Information — Traditions re- lating to White Men very many Years ago — Ships with many People liad arrived — Two Innuit Women taken away — Five Innuits killed by White Men — Five White Men among the Innuits — Written History confirmed by Oral Tradition — Barroio^s History of Arctic Discovery — Relies of the White Men to be found — Wood, Coal, Brick, Iron — Innuits must possess the Truth concerning Franklin's Expedition — The Dreaded Land — Pre- parations for Summer Work — lee — Pools of Water formed — Arrive on Land — Extensive View — A beautiful Orassy Plain — Comparison with Greenland — Lands behind the Coast, at this part, very fertile. Directly after my arrival on board, on April 29th, 1861, I had a good wash, which I stood much in need of. I then found that snow-blindness had come upon me. During the journey I had felt some difficulty in sighting the way, but did not experience any pain. Now, liowever, my face burned as if on fire, and my eyes were intolerably painful. My cheeks were much the colour of tanned hide, and all about my features gave unmistakable evidence of exposure to severe weather. That night I again enjoyed the luxury of taking off my skin dress, which I had not been able to do for the previous eight days. But my snow-blindness, which is attended with most excruciating pain, allowed me little rest, and the next morning found me so bad that I could hardly do anything. It was now the last day of April, and many symptoms of a change from winter to summer (the only real changes during the year in arctic climes) were observable. True, a heavy snow-storm was prevailing, but the weather was much milder than it had been, and the ice was beginning to yield. In the morning the ship was released from her ice-fetters, and had lifted herself up full two feet, showing how much lighter she had become through the consumption of stores since the period of freezing in. On the 3d of May, which was a beautiful and warm day, Ebierbing and Tookoolito arrived, with all their eflfects, intending B 'I ' 242 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. to stay with mo until I was ready, as provioualy arranged, to leave for King William's Land. They wore well, i v| li^d got through tho interval since I had last soon them in M- 'Hv.il pro- carious manner, sometimes with, sometimes withou/. baccess in sealing, so alteniatoly with or without food. Tho following morning we had another snow-storm, which continued with alight intermissions for several days. On tho Gth of May, Captain Ji., wishing tho dogs to be well fed previous to being emi)l()yod in transi)urting tho wluilo-hoats, stores, .a;«»SO. f,<4t.i 246 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. The position of Ookijoxy Ninoo was usually a reclining one, she resting her elbows on the pillow-place of her bed, and her chin upon her hands. By her side was her little kood-lin (lamp), and in front of that was a small board, on which was a handful of baked beans given to her by some one from the ship, and also a few broken pieces of sea-bread which Tookoolito had saved for her. There was, besides, abundance of walrus blubber and skin for her to eat when hungry. During the time I was in her tupic and listening to her words, a favourite grandchild of hers, E-ter-loong, was just outside, frequently crying for food. The old lady gave the child a part of the beans and biscuit ; but his noise was a great interruption. The weather was very cold — bitterly so ; and I often requested Tookoolito to take my place inside, but she preferred my retaining " the seat of honour." The following is the substance of her statements to me respecting the objects of my inquiry. Placing before her the sketch-chart formerly drawn by Koo- jesse, and showing her Cornelius Grinnell Bay, Singeyer, Field Bay, tracing along down through Bear Sound to Cape True, thence to Oopungnewing, I asked her if she recognised those particular parts. Her reply was that she did ; and immediately asked, " What is the name of the island where Koochooarclm was ? " meaning the island where myself, with S terry and Koker- jabin, visited Samson on the previous April 27th. I replied, ^^ Ak-koo-wie-shut-too-ping" " That," said she, " is where I have spent much of my life- many of my best days. But the place where the kodlunas (white people) of the ships landed is called Niountelik, an island near Oopungnewing." She then proceeded to say that upon !Niountelik she had seen bricks, and coal, and pieces of timber of various sizes. She had also heard from old Innuits that, many years before, ships had landed there with a great number of people. She remembered, when a little girl, hearing Innuits tell about these people having kiQed several Innuits ; also that farther down, or on Kingaite side, as the old lady spoke it, they took away two Iniiuit women, who never came back again. I asked her if she knew how many ships had come there ? Her reply was, They came every year ; hrst two, then three, then am-a-su-ad-lo oo-moo-arch-chu-a (manj' — a great many ships). ** Five Innuits were also killed by the kodlunas " (white people). Not feeling quite certain of the meaning of her answer, I repeated < ^^Lii { i.niippi,lli U.II TRADITIONS OF THE INNUITS. 247 the question, Hoav many ships came here ? Tookoolito, on receiving the answer, gave it to me in this way : " She said ' they came every yoar,' " and then ceased from repeating more of the old woman's words. This puzzled me ; I knew not what to make of it. I began to think that perhaps whaling ships had annually visited the great bay. But, after a few moments, I found Tookoolito had ceased speaking merely to consider the true interpretation of what the old lady had said into my ver- nacular. She continued by saying, "First two, then two or thi'ee, then many — very many vessels." This was clear ; and I immediately took up the only book I then had with me bearing upon the subject, "Barrow's Chronological History of Arctic Discovery," and, turning to the account of Frobisher's voyages, I read what had been given to the world by means of writing and printing, and compared it with what was now communicated to me by means of oral tradition. Written history tells me that Frobisher made three voyages to the arctic regions as follows : — First voyage in 1576, with two vessels. Second voyage in 1577, three vessels. Third voyage in 1578, lifteen vessels. Traditionary history informs me that a great many, many years ago the vessels of wliite men viBited the bay (Frobisher's) three successive years : — First, in two vessels. Second, in three vessels. Third, in many vessels. But this is not all that traditionary history gave me on that day. Written history states that F .obisher lost Jive of his men on his first voyage when conveying a native on shore. Oral history told me that five white men were captured by Innuit people at the time of the appearance of the ships a great many years ago ; that these men wi? tored on shore (whether one, two, three, or more winters, could not say) ; that they lived among the Innuits ; that they afterward built an ooinien (large boat), and put a mast into her, and had sails ; that early in the season, before much water appeared, they endeavoured to depart ; that, in the effort, some froze their hands ; but that finally they succeeded in getting into open water, and away they went, which was the last seen or heard of them. Thifj boat, as near as I could make out at the time, was built on the island that Frobisher and his company landed upon, viz. Niountelik. I have here put down a part only of what I recorded in my i ''■n ;£! M:. '•H-.,.v,.^«-fc;„„-A,,,,„., 248 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. journal at the time, and, consequently, much of it will be found to have been the result of some slight mistake in what I then understood ; but, ccmpled with the previous statements of Koo- jesse, and the information which I afterward obtained, it will be seen that the main facts aoout Frobisher's Expedition are well supported by evidence. The old lady further infon^ed me that fi-equently, in her lifetime, she had seen wood, chips, coal, and bricks, and large pieces of very heavy stone, on the island of Niountelik. This again puzzled me. What could " very heavy stone " mean ? I asked her " what kind of stone it was," and to this she replied, " It was hlojck, and very heavy. I!f o Innuits had ever seen such kind of stones before." This at once led me to conclude that the heavy stones were iron ; and stUl more so when Tookoolito observed, " I think, from what the old lady says, these stones were very heavy, a small one being as much as an Innuit could lift. I think, per- haps," added she, "they were iron." " And so do I. By-and-by, I will see to it," was my reply. The information thus obtained seemed so clearly to bear upon Frobisher's Expedition that I determined, as soon as I could, to visit Niountelik, and ascertain |ill about the matter. I thought to myself, if such facts concerning an expedition which had been made nearly three hundred years ago can be preserved by the natives, and evidence of those facts obtained, what may not be gleaned of Sir John Franklin's Expedition of only sixteen years ago ? The singular fate of La Perouse and his expedition was unknown to the civilized world for thirty-eight years, and then brought to light only by the exertions of one individual. Captain Dillon, an English master of a merchant ship ! Here, too, we have the first intimation of the fate of Frobisher's five men — after being shrouded in mystery for 285 years — all but deter- mined by personal inquiry among the natives ! Why not, then, be able to ascertain from the same natives — that is, of the same Innuit race — all those particulars so interesting, and many of them so important to f ice, concerning the Lost Polar Expe- dition ? I was now co. meed, more than I had ever been, that «/he whole mystery of their fate could have been, and may yet be easily determined with even the smallest well-directed aid. At all events, I felt that, while life and health should be spared me, I would devote myself to this undertaking. Such was the current of my thoughts at the time I was in the old lady's tupic and listening to her words ; and, let me add, .( .(■UWWI" THE DREADED LAND. 249 such are now my thoughts, and, so far as may be permitted, such are my intentions. In continuation of my interview with the aged Innuit, I asked her why Innuits, as I had been informed, do not now live upon the land beyond Bear Sound, extending eastward between the waters of Frobisher Bay and Field Bay ? To this, as interpreted, she said— "A great many years ago, before I (Ookijoxy Ninoo) was born, the Innuits all around these bays were very many. The number of Innuits on Ki-ki-tuk-ju-a (Loh's Land of Frobisher) and the other islands in that direction was groat ; but at one time they were nearly all out on the ice, when it separated from the land and took them out to sea. They never came back, nor did any Innuit ever hear of them again. Since then, Innuits never live there, nor ever visit the place." As she spoke about this catastrophe she did so under evident feelings of constraint and horror ; and when I asked if she had ever visited it, her emphatic reply was, " Never ! Never ! " This accounted to me for much apparent mystery which I had noticed respecting the regior. in question whenever I addressed any Innuit upon the subjeci;. They could not — or would not — give me any information about it ; and when I once tried to get a company of natives to go there with me, all refused. Yet every year they make frequent passages, backward and forward through the channel Is-se-hi-suk-ju-a (called by Frobisher Bear Sound), dividing the " ill-fated land " from the main. The old woman further added that the Innuits had lived on that land, as Innuits do live — that is, moving about wherever food can be had — both before and after the white men's ships came years ago ; but, since the great disaster occurred which swept so many of her people iway, no Innuits would go there. After eli( iting all the information I then could from the old woman, I left her, with great astonishment at her powers of memory, and the remarkable way in which this strange people of the icy North, who have no written language, can correctly preserve history from one generation to another. Nine generations had passed away since the visit of Frobisher, yet now, on the 11th of May, 1861, I received from an old woman, probably a hundred years old, statements which I could not otherwise than believe to be facts concerning him and his co-adventurers ! I was astonished, and also, in a measure, pleased, for it gave me stronger hopes than ever of my being able thereafter to obtain all the knowledge I required concerning n i ii;t irl^ I s M ii 11 j . I ■fe-V.-V.U*....4 250 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the expedition of Franklin. Meanwhile I determined upon revisiting Oopimgnewing, and going to Niountelik as soon as possible. At this time all on board the George Henry were very busy in certain matters connected with the ship, such as refitting and preparing her for the time when she might proceed to other quarters for whaling operations. Boats on sledges, men and their apparel, sleeping-gear, and other necessary material, were daily sent off to the working d6p6t at Cape True, in Frobisher Bay, so that on the 1 7th of May only three white men remained in the vessel. I now decided to make a sledge exploring trip up the Bay of Frobisher, as I could not depart for King William's Land till •^bout the 1st of August, the earliest practicable moment of being able to commence my journey by boat to that locality. At this time Tookoolito was suddenly taken ill. It was on the evening of May 8th, when, as I was engaged upon my charts, Tookoolito aiding me in the Innuit names, I noticed she sud- denly dropped her head, as I thought, to reflect upon something. But Sharkey's wife, who was sitting opposite, soon convinced me to the contrary by springing toward her. I saw what the matter was in a moment. Tookoolito had fainted ; and, when aided by such means as were in my power, she soon revived, but a general prostration, accompanied Ijy terrible pains in the head, ensued. As it was necessary for her to have immediate rest, she was placed in my berth, and the little girl, Ookoodlear, sent to attend upon her. Meanwhile I had another patient suddenly on my hands. Directly To<»koolito revived, Mam-ma-yat-che-ung^ wife of Sharkey, was seized with bleeding at the limgs. The poor woman, like many of her people, especially those of her sex, was in a rapid decline, and, as I thought, had not long to live. She had gone upon deck, where I found her coughing and vomiting up blood most fearfully. The snow-wreath at the gangway was crimsoued 2^ if a bear's jugular had been opened there. I at once ga\o her a glass of alum water, which checked it after she had bled for some tweni.^ minutes. She then went down to my cabin, and attended upon Tookoolito until the return of Ebierbing, who was greatly affected at the condition of his wife. Poor Tookoolito continued very sick for some days, but, with such care and relief as could be given to her, she ultimately got well enough to go about as usual. Perhaps the cause of her "li ■ ;. ' ' "'" ''• EXCURSION TO THE HEAD OF FIELD BAY. 251 sickness was over-exertion in moving their tupic from one island to another the day previous. It had been heavy work for her, but she had to do it, for the custom among Innuits is to make the women perform all such domestic and ordinary labour. Before leaving for my exploration of the Frobisher waters, I determined to examine the head of Field Bay, the bay where we were now at anchor. I commenced to work at 9 a.m. of the 20th of May. The Innuits Ebierbing and the angeko, with Mam-ma-7iar-ping, one of the wives of the latter, were with me, though the two former only went part of the way, they leaving me to chase some reindeer, the tracks of which we found near the foot of Grinnell Mountain. I myself, with the woman as guide and attendant, continued the trip alone. The travelling was very bad, in consequence of the snow having melted and formed several pools. Over these pools, which almost uniformly covered the sea-ice, was a thin coating of fresh-water ice, not uniformly of sufficient thickness and strength to bear our walking upon it ; indeed, but a small portion of it was firm enough to hold us up. Whenever it gave way down we would go, ankle deep, and sometimes deeper. Then, tco, the dazzling glare of the ice on the upper part of the bay caused additional care and labour in walking. Every few rods we saw seals out on the ice, basking in the sun's rays. At 4 P.M. we made land, and there stopped to rest and dine. I had abundance of hard bread and a large piece of salt pork, and at that season of the year there was plenty of fresh water to be obtained. Thus we were able to make a good repast, and, after a short stay, proceed on our journey. Our way led us toward Alden Mountain ; * and we had to go over an extensive plain, deeply covered with snow, which is at the head of Field Bay. Almost every half-dozen steps were sure to be succeeded by a downfall of no pleasant character, and it was severe to me, besides being injurious to my box chro- nometer slung at my side. Never did I experience more annoy- ing travel. As we proceeded it became much worse. Every few steps, down, down we went, oftener waist-deep than other- wise. Sometimes the surface snow would appear firm, and then I had hope of all being right for our getting forward, but the next moment we were sinking to our hips in some treacherous 1 ;■'! I II ' i' 'U.iK. flit m * A mountain at the extreme head of Field Bay, which I have named after Charles Alden, of Newburg, New York. 'i ^; n t w» * j '. . y asa*-»aBr' ■ 252 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. spot. Occasionally I would be making fair headway, when my Innuit guide would go down, and, while trj ing to help her up, the snow-crust would give way, and I then followed suit. It seemed as if it took three hours for us to make one mile. After much struggling we arrived at a small rocky hill, and, ascending it, an extensive view was before me. On the west of us I could see a lakelet, long and narrow, that extended in a northerly direction to the base of Alden Mountain. This lakelet, on my way back, proved to be influenced in its waters by the sea for two or three days at the periods of high tides — full and change. It was now 8 p.m. We were both much fatigued, and yet it woidd not do to remain. Not a blanket had we, nor any article that would servo to keep warmth in us during the nigut, which, however, was now daylight all through. The heavens were covered with portentous clouds, and many circumstances led me to conclude it most advisable to retui'n; but I could hardly determine in what direction it would be best to go. There were the plains, but they were covered with the treacherous snow. As I reflected, a passage in the " Good Book " came to my mind : " Be angry, and sin not ; " but, whether I sinned or not, God only is my judge. This, however, I must confess : that as I walked on that treacherous snow-crust, every now and then going down, down, down, my temper at length would fly up, up^ up, making the scale-beam keep dancing for full three hours, until some fair walking gave ease to my weary limbs and quiet to my ruffled soul. On a careful survey of the routes we could follow, I finally decided upon going to a low ridge which was farther west of us and free from snow. That ridge extended in a line running to the S.S.E. and lay in about the direction I wanted to go. To reach it we had to traverse along an abrupt sand bank bordering the lakelet already mentioned. We then came to a beautiful grassy plain quite destitute of snow, and over which it was a perfect luxury to travel. All my weariness and pain were quite forgotten in walking across this carpet of Nature. It was sur- rounded by rugged, sombre, rocky mountains, and consequently appeared to me like an oasis in the great desert. For nearly one year I had sighted nothing but rocks, rocks, rocks, here, there, and everywhere, piled into mountains of such varied and horrible shapes that they seemed as if created to strike terror into the heart of man ; and now to fall thus unexpectedly upon a plain covered with grass, yielding so friendly and " down "-like to my NUMEROUS REINDEER. 253 aching foet, particularly under the circumstances described, was enough for me to express my great joy and admiration. It is said that the name Greenland was given to that land by the Norwegians and Icelanders because it looked greener than Iceland. I could, therefore, on my trip across that grassy plain, fully appreciate their feelings on beholding a greener land than their own. Yet many a one going directly from the United States and visiting Greenland would from the bottom of his soul exclaim, " This Greenland ! Then, indeed, have I come into a Paradise, but into that of which Milton speaks : — i< < . . . o'er the back side of the world far oflf, Into a limho large and broad, since called The Paradise of Fools. ' " "With reference to the plain I crossed over, Tookoolito after- ward informed me that in 1860 a company oi Innuits, herself and Ebierbing of the number, spent three weeks in passing over the land amid the mountains, and on other plains of great extent westward of Cornelius Grinnell Bay. Their trip was made for a reindeer hunt. On their way, and running north- west from the plain near what I have called Alden Mountain, was another plain, extending in every direction as far as the eye could reach. This convinced me that in general arctic navigators know but little about the interior of the northern country. Earely any- thing but the coasts are seen and explored. On the trip I am now referring to I saw more level ground than since I left the United States. Nothing in Greenland that I saw could compare with it, Tookoolito also informed me that reindeer visit those plains in great numbers. On their excursion they killed as many as they wanted; and so numerous were the deer that they might be compared to flocks of sheep. Much of the meat they had ob- tained during the hunt was left behind. The fawns were chased down by the Innuits and caught ; as she said, " their feet being dry, they could not run well. When the feet of tuktoo are wet, they can go much faster over the mountain rocks." From information I afterward obtained, the plains here spoken of appeared to be well known to our friendly Innuits as a breeding-place for the deer; and the whole country between Frobisher Bay and Niountelik (a place in the north part of Northumberland Inlet) had been frequently traversed by several of the intelligent natives who visited us ; but, unless discreetly ' 1; i t ; '■] \'W i 254 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. questioned, it is rare for an Esquimaux to say much of lumsolf, his people, or his native lan«l. It is only by degrees, und by a long association with them, that any one can elicit any material facts. At half-past iO t'.m. we were on the top of another mountain. Hero wo had something more to eat ; and then, proceeding to the sea-ice, directed our steps toward the vessel, i'h,' walk was one of great labour, yet not so trying to the temper as that of some previous portion of the day. At three o'clock in the morning we arrived on board of the ship, completely exhausted with the fatiguing journey, made, during eighteen hours, over a distance of about twenty-tive miles. HEAD AND ANTLKIin OF THE ARCTIC r.EINDKUB. ,lf, ' a ial |in. to van of ihe ie, es. CHAPTER XVII. A successful Deer-hunt — Sc-ko-se-lar Innuits — The Land Pass — Magnificent Scenerif — Countess of Wanoick Sound — Important Discovery—Relic of Frobishcr''s Expedition ^S/rdge-drive in a Snow-storm — Value of a Cmn- pass — Safe Arrival on Board — State of the Ice — The Whale Dipdt — Stranger Innuits arrirr- Tim boats af White Mm land on the Coast — — Aftcr-knowlcdgr of (lie Truth — f ' -.v of the English Store-ship *^ Kilty" — The Locality of Sckosclar—T >n of Parry's Voyage — Old Innuits remember visiting him — Srh hmnits dislike civilization Food — " Barbarous StuJ^^' — Physicut ^ ./ ''/ of the Sekoselar Men. The following day, May 2l8i, ifstil, ICbierbing and Mingumailo returned from their deer-hunt. They liad been successful, having shot with a rifle of mine three deer, one of which was lost, and the other two were secured. It appeared that Ebierbing first shot one of a group of eight which they came across. It strug- gled and fell before he could approach the spot, but rose again and ran away. In a moment more, however, ho managed to shoot another, and Mingumailo a third. Thus was secured to us several hundred pounds of fresh venison. The deer were killed high up in the mountains, and the two hunters had to carry the carcases (portions at a time), a dis- tance of two miles down to the sea-ice, where they made a cache by piling on heavy stones. What they could carry off to the ship they did, and all of us on board had an excellent feast. About this time we heard that some Innuits had arrived at Samson's settlement from the " Sekoselar " mentioned in a note at page 153. The news made me still more anxious to proceed on my exploring trip, but various causes tended to prolong my delay, and, even when ready for the excursion, I was unable to proceed farther than a day's journey. The Esquimaux are good as guides, as companions, as hunters and purveyors of food, but it is impossible to place any great dependence upon them in keeping faith as to time or one's wishes on a journey. They tvill do just as they please ; and if aught is seen that may serve them for food, they will away in chase no matter how much delay is thereby occasioned in a white man's enterprise, or however great the loss and inconvenience. In my I .. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I Ui§2^ 12.5 ta lU 122 IL25 nil 1.4 I 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation •1>^ ;\ \ 23 WBT MAIN STRflT WnSTIR.N.Y. 14StO (n6)t72-4S03 256 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. }: case, absolutely dependent upon them for aid in exploring, I could do nothing but exercise my patience to the fullest degree. Hence it was not until the 27th of May that I wa: able to start on another trip to the waters of Frobisher Bay. At that season of the year, travelling over the ice and snow- covered land by dat/ was almost impossible. The slush and the numerous pools o^ water upon the former rendered a passage not only very difficult, but often dangerous ; and, upon the land, the fatigue occasioned was more than could be well endured. Night, therefore, was chosen for our journeys, unless occasion required us to continue on during the day. Accordingly, at 10 p.m. of the 27th of May I started from the ship with dogs and sledge, after having my outfit well at- tended to by Tookoolito. She was unable to accompany her husband, who had joined my company. The rest of my com- panions were two Innuit men and two women, one of them being Punnie, and the other a beautiful young woman called An-nu-tik-er-tung, wife of Kus-se-e-ung. Myself and the two women led the way, and in about an hour arrived where the upper village had been during the winter. Here we stopped to collect various things belonging to the Innuits who were with me, and which they had left there when departing for Fro- bisher Bay. We ako stopped at another spot not far off, and collected tent-poles, coverings, kia frames, buckets, skins, &c. making a very considerable addition to our already heavy load. It was an hour and a half past midnight when we again started, but our foot travel was now good, the best of the season, the ice being iirm during the night. During the walk I had an interesting conversation with Ebierbing, who, among other things, told me of the great price the Sekoselar Innuits were willing to give for any articles of iron; A small piece of good iron, suitable for a spear-head, would procure a seal or tuktoo jacket from them, and with a needle one could purchase a deerskin. The Sekoselar Innuits can only obtain iron occasionally, when a communication is had with natives living on the coast. They still use bone needles, bows, and arrows. • As we neared the land on the opposite side of Field Bay the sun was tipping the mountains with red. It was then nearly half-past 2 a.m. and I also noticed that clouds were hugging some of the high lands. This indicated a coming storm. At 3.45 A.M. we passed from the bay to the mam land, and now it began to blow strongly from the south-west. I selected the lee iMi-Jfi^) a JOURNEY TO FROBISHER BAY. 257 side of some rocks and took several compass bearings, then pro- ceeded on my way alone, the rest of my party, with the sledge, having gone on before. I overtook them at the summit of Bayard Taylor Pass, and then together we began the descent on the other side. I have already spoken of this pass, but each time I traversed it I could not help being transfixed with wondering awe. Near its western termination each side is walled by bold, craggy moun- tains, and the scenery there is truly magnificent. Shortly after, when we reached the frozen waters of the bay, the dogs and sledge carried us -along past scenery ever changing and remarkable. While crossing this, I judged it to be Trobisher's Countess of Warwick Sound. Our course this time, owing to a wide gap in the ice, led us to the north of Oopungnewing, as we intended to make for the low point of land called Twerpukjua ; hence we passed the island at some little distance. Here, when nearest to it, Punnie left us to go to Annawa's settlement ; and after resting awhile, employ- ing the time in sealing, we again proceeded. Niountelik Island we passed about a quarter of a mile ofP, and then, at 10 a.m. we arrived at Twerpukjua. When approaching the shore-ice we met a party of Innuits with a sledge and team of dogs going to the vessel, having just come from the island where I had been April 25th and 26th, while staying with Samson. Among them were Johnny Bull, his wife Kokerzhun, and New-wer-che, one of the most enter- prising and energetic Innuits with whom I was acquainted. They reported that the ice had broken up, and said it would be im- possible for me to proceed on my journey by sledge. This I soon perceived to be the case. While consulting with them, I could see quite enough to convince me so. The wind was then blowing strong from the south. A heavy sea was at work tear- ing up the ice between Niountelik and Twerpukjua. To where we were, the distance from the raging, open sea was not two hundred fathoms. It was a trial to me to give up this trip, yet I acted as I believe a wise man should, and accordingly determined to aban- don the attempt and try it by boat. I therefore ordered our return ; but as I wished to examine the islands of Ooopung- newing and Niountelik, I proposed to Ebierbing that we should stay three or four days at Annawa's ; and, to prevent our being encumbered with so much baggage as I had brought for an extended trip, told him to make a transfer of it from 258 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. our sledge to Johnny Bull's, who would take it back to the ship. While this transfer was being made, my eye accidentally caught sight of a piece of brick, among sundry odds and ends of Innuit articles brought from the upper village at the head of Field Bay. While looking upon it, I called to mind the story I had heard from old Ookijoxy Ninoo about relics of this kind seen on Niountelik, and I at once asked Kusseeung and Arngmer-che-ung what it was. They replied, " Stone " — a stone that the old mother of the latter had given him a long time ago. I then asked from whence she got it, and both Innuits immediately pointed to the island Niountelik, which was less than half a mile from where we stood. Ebierbing took this bright- coloured brick from my hand, looked at it, and said, " That is the same as I have seen on that island," pointing to Mountelik. He then added, " Many of my acquain- tances up the inlet (meaning Northumberland) have pieces of the same kind that came from that island." My feelings upon seeing the piece of brick, and hearing what was said about it, may be easily imagined. There, in my hand, was undoubtedly a relic of that expedition which had visited the place only eighty-six years after the discovery of America by Columbus, since which time it has remained unknown to the civilized world ! This relic, then, was more precious to me than the gold which Frobisher sought there under the direct patronage of Queen Elizabeth. Until now no proof had existed that Frobisher and his expedition ever visited the particular bay or " straits " bearing his name ; but, from all that I had gathered from the information given me by the natives, and from what I had now seen, a strong conviction rested on my mind that it was so, and doubt was at an end. After stopping at Twer-'^kjua nearly three hours, I bade adieu to those of my Innuit fr. =i who were going to Samson's, and proceeded toward Ar i^awu ^ do Oopungnewing. Johnny Bull and his party took their way to the ship, Ebierbing accompanying me. When near Oopungnewing, we saw Punnie coming to meet us, and soon she gave us the information that Annawa and the whole settlement had gone to Og-bier-seer-o-ping (Cape True), and now not a tupic remained. Here again was another disappointment. I had no tent with me, having left my own at the vessel, and it would not do to remain without shelter, as a gale was even then blowing, therefore we had no alternative but to return. LINCOLN BAY AND BAYARB TAYLOR PASS. 259 Accordingly, we rejoined Johnny Bull with his party, and were soon on our way, at a swift speed, over the ice, toward the land pass. Our backs were nearly to the wind and snow, and therefore our trouble from this source was far less than if facing it. The gale helped us greatly a part of the way back. It drove the sledge sometimes faster than the dogs could go ; thus occasionally they were dragged along instead of their drawing us. Besides this, the strong wind had closed the gap which we had been obliged to avoid in the morning, and we now traversed the ice as safely as though we were passing over a marbled floor. Soon afterward we came to the glare ice of Lincoln Bay,* which is on this (the west) side of the Bayard Taylor Pass. Here the wind and snow played fantastic tricks with the sledge, dogs, and all our company. "We were in company with the other Innuits, but Joe, myself, and Johnny Bull were footing it while passing along this bay. Had the wind been against us all would have been well, but it came quartering on our right hand and at our backs, and this caused numerous eddies and snow-^^Teaths. We were ahead of the sledge, intending to jump upon it as it passed. After resting a while, on it came ; and, watching the opportunity, Joe and Johnny were fortunately able to spring on, but I could not. Just as I made my attempt, a terrific gust sent me whirling along for nearly a quarter of a mile over the glassy ice. Then my feet caught upon a firm snow-wreath, and I stuck fast till I gathered my senses to look lound and see where I was. It was snowing fast and furiously, and what with that coming down, and that thrown upward by the wind, every object three or four fathoms distant was hidden from sight. Fortunately, the almost perpendicular side of a mountain that I had before noticed was within a distance that could be seen. From this I struck a course leading up the bay to the land-route. In a short time I had overtaken the party, which had been detained by ohq \ »• I I * There are three important bays that make up from the ever memorable "Countess of Warwick Sound," which was discovered and so named by Frobisher nearly three centuries ago. The geographical position of this sound, as well as the nature and extent of Frobisher " Strait " a (misnomer, for it is a bay), remained unknown to the civilized world from the days of Queen Elizabeth down to 1860-2, when I had the good fortune to re-discover, examine, and determine much relating to Frobisher's Expeditions of 1576, 7 and '8. The three bays — important on account of their geographical and historical connexions — I have named, — 1st. Lincoln Bay ; 2d. Victoria Bay ; and, 3d. Napoleon Bay. S 2 260 UFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. of the dogs giving out. Casting it off, I took a seat upon the sledge, and away we went merrily toward the pass. As we drove along we were a curious sight to "behold, for we resembled a living snow-bank. We ascended the pass on foot, crossed the summit, descended on the other side, and again made the seorice of Field Bay. Here two more of our dogs gave out, and we cast them adrift, though they still followed us. "We had nine remaining, and this made a good team. We rested half an hour, then started again, the Innuits en- deavouring to find their way, as usual, by the previous sledge- tracks ; but we had to go this way and that way, in and out among the numerous islands covering the head of the bay, until finally all traces of our route were lost. Nevertheless, they would have found a course to the ship, though, perhaps, with some delay and difficulty, but I saved all this by using my compass, and thus directing them which way to go, and by 9 p.m. we were on board, having been absent only 22^ hours. The following day. May 29th, was the anniversary of our departure from home. My thoughts I find mentioned in my diary as follows : — "One year ago to-day the George Henry sailed from New London. It seems to me a dhort year, though spent in regions that, to many civilized men, would be repulsive, and would appear unqualified desolation. Still, I like this country — not as a place in which to spend all my life, if it be one of four-score and ten years, but for work to be continued three or five years." On the following day, as there appeared to be some indica- tions of its turning out fine, I thought of taking a trip to a place called by the Innuits Sing-ey-er. Accordingly, I pro- cured the services of Ebierbing and started ; but in. two hours afterward there came on thick weather, and every indication of a storm. We had, therefore, to abandon the journey and return. While w^e were out, however, and I was engaged taking observations, I heard a cry, " Mr. Hall !" I looked around, and saw Ebierbing, at a little distance off, crawling out of a hole in the ice into which he had fallen. I hastened to his assistance, but before my arrival he was out. and fortunately without any injury. As I have before mentioned, it is risky travelling on the sea- ice at this season of the year, on account of pools of water just beneath a covering of snow. A traveller passing along over an apparently excellent route often finds himself unex- i i ^Sm itx. i. . >j4KEiWMi MAN-TRAPS. 261 ten pectedly floundering in water, and the cause of this danger may be explained in the following manner : — I examined several of these " man-traps " — as they really prove to be — and found large leaves of seaweed within these holes in the ice. Any extraneous matter, such as this seaweed, stones, ashes, &c. put on the surface of the ice, absorbs the solar heat, and soon sinks down into the ice, forming a water- hole not only the size of the objeci itself, but encircling quite a space around. A driving storm may afterward cover the surface with snow, and thus make a perfect man-trap. Soon after our retm-n on board there was an arrival from Cape True, where the George Henry's officers and men were staying to prosecute whaling. I learned that they were all doing well in the way of fresh food, ducks, walrus, &c. being abundant. On the second day of June a party of Sekoselar Innuits, six in number, came to the ship, and we soon became very friendly together. At first these natives said nothing very particular further than that they had visited the Hudson's Bay Company's ships while passing up and down ; nor should I have obtained any other news had it not been elicited abnost by accident. In fact, unless there be some motive to engage them in con- versation with strangers, the Esquimaux are seldom communi- cative. It is as if the knowledge which they possess ought not to be given aA>ay unless for some especial reasons. The Innuits, as a race, are naturally reticent. They are often dis- tant and reserved, and only by kindness, tact, and gradually leading up to a subject can any inibrmation be obtained from them. Thus it was not until the following day, when a letter arrived from Captain B. that I learned of these Esquimaux being acquainted with some facts concerning white people dying at Sekoselar. The captain had heard it so reported by other natives, and wrote to me that I might make some inquiries about it. On the receipt of this letter I immediately sent for Ebierbing and Tookoolito to come on board and act as interpreters. I then invited the two Sekoselar men (by name Ook-goo-al-loo and Too-loo-ka-ah) into the cabin, and opened a conversation, in which both participated. Tookoolito was the principal speaker, and she interpreted very well my own questions and their answers. That her interpretation was correct, and equally so their information, has, since my return home, been proved by facts, which at that time I was unacquainted with. Indeed, I then misapplied the story, firmly believing it to bear upon i lii> I I i 262 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the lost Franklin Expedition. What that story was may bo seen in the following substance of all which was related to mo through Tookoolito : — The Sekoselar Innuits said that " no kodlunas (whites) had ever been to or ever died at Sekoselar, but two years previous to this time two kodluna boats, with many oars (meaning many oarsmen), arrived at a place farther down (at Kaitnowong*) — so they, the Sekoselars, had heard — and there stopped awhile ; how long, whether one or two days, was not known. That these kodlunas had plenty guns, plenty powder, plenty shot, plenty balls, and plenty small ca^ks of provision. They had many tuktoo skins (reindeer furs) to wrap around their bodies and their feet. " To make their boats not so deep in the water, the kodlunas (whites) took out amasuadlo (a great many) balls and placed them on a rock. The Innuits at that place, and in the vicinity where the kodlunas landed, thought the balls were soft stones. They supposed the whites had come from ships that had been lost or wrecked in the ice. " When these whites left the land they went farther down toward the big sea. " The whites had arrived at Karmowong in the fall of the year, one day when the weather was very bad, wind blowing very hard, and snowing fast. It was very cold too. " The Karmowong Innuits thought the whites had obtained their tuktoo furs of the Sekoselar men. The skins had on the AWnter coat of the tuktoo. None of the kodlunas died there. They all went away in boats, and the Innuits never saw or heard of them more." From further questions that I put, and which were readily answered, I concluded in my own mind that the kodlunas must have been at Karmowong in the fall of 1858, and the way the Sekoselar Innuits heard of it was by a native man who had seen the whites and the two boats. J^ow, upon receiving this information, I at length came to the conclusion that it referred to some of Franklin's lost crews. Two boats of white men going toward the great sea, and apparently subsisting upon Innuit food, with reindeer skins for wrappers, and other such material, would seem to indicate that * I think Karmoxcmig to be the islands called by Baffin " Middle Savage Islands," north side of Hudson's Strait. Indeed, it may also include quite an extensive bay in that neighbourhood, which the Esquimaux sketched for me as being there. JKliHttW)Mfe^^-^v the the had SEKOSELAR TRADITION. 263 a few of the long-lost voyagers had at last made their way from King William's Land and Boothia toward the goal of their ultimate deliverance. The experience I had already gained of Esquimaux life proved to me what white men could endure under the exigency of circumstances. There was myself — not reduced to any such absolute necessity as the poor English voyagers undoubtedly must have been — yet capable of sustaining and even of enjoying life among the natives. How much more so, then, the unfortunate men of Franklin's wrecked ships? To me the matter seemed conclusive, although I could not give implicit confidence to what I had heard until personally testing the truth by examination. On my return home, however, I find that the whole story must have had reference to the loss of a British vessel called the Kitty, which was crushed in the ice of Hudson's Strait in the fall of 1859, and the crew obliged to escape by two boats. Some of the particulars of their history remarkably coincide with the information given to me by the Sekoselar Innuits, as may be seen in the Appendix. Another instance of the faithful preservation of traditions among the Innuits, and also of the accuracy of their reports when communicated freely, is to be found in the following additional information given to me by the Sekoselar natives. In seeking to obtain the truth concerning the two boats and white men, I induced Ookgooalloo to sketch me his " country " on paper. He did so, and by that sketch I was convinced that Sekoselar was not the King's Cape of Fox, as I had at one time supposed, but lies east of it, extending along the coast on the north side of Hudson's Strait about two degrees ; say from longitude 75° west to longitude 73° west. This, then, would fill the blank on Parry's, chart of that locality, and give to it, as the Innuit she Aod me, a deep bay, flanked by lowlands, with a narrow isthmus between the waters of this bay and the head of Frobisher Bay, thus shown so to be, instead of a " strait." The sketch which was drawn by Ookgooalloo extended from above Fox's farthest down to King's Cape, and thence along the north shore of Hudson's Strait to North Bay, where the upper Savage Islands are situated. "North Bluff" is adjoin- ing that bay, and is called by Innuits Ki-uk-tuk-ju-a, and King's Cape, Noo-ook-ju-a. When the Sekoselar party left home in the previous year, 1860, they travelled, as Innuits generally do, very slow. In the fall they arrived at the head waters of Fro- f. I i w m ! ;!l 264 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. > ! bisher Inlet, and Ookgooalloo marked upon liis sketch the track they pursued from Sekoselar to the place wliere they com- menced the land route across the isthmus. The head waters of Frobisher Bay they called See-see-ark-ju-a, and into it ran, according to his account (which I afterward found true), a river of fresh water, sometimes very large, and containing salmon in abundance. During the winter of 1860-1 this party of natives made their way down the bay till they came across " Samson" and his people, at the place which I had visited a short time previous. Ookgooalloo then told mo " that ships did not come in sight at Sekoselar, nor at Noo-ook-ju-a ; but his father, Koo-ook-jum, had said that many years ago two ships came close to Noo-ook- ju-a (King's Cape) and Sekoselar, and that he, Koo-ook-jum, with many other Innuits, went out to the ships in kias and oomiens, and went on board." Now these two ships could bo no other than Parry's, in his expedition of 1821-23, and consequently it was full forty years since the occurrence now mentioned took place. Parry's account is as follows : ''Juhj SUt, 1821.— Latitude 64° 01', longitude 75° 49' west. In the afternoon Captain Lyon discovered and made the signal for an Esquimaux oomiak coming off from shore under sail, accompanied by eight canoes. We tacked to meet them, and lay to half an hour for the purpose of adding to our stock of oil. In this boat were sixteen persons, of which number two only were men, an old and a young one, and the rest women and children. In the features, dress, and implements of these people we saw notliing different from those of the Esquimaux last described (those of the Savage Islands), but they were better behaved than the others, with whom our ships (meaning the Hudson's Bay Company's ships) have had more frequent inte'rcourse." Again, under date of August 1st, Parry continues : — " We beat to the westward, between ^Nottingham Island and the north shore (King's Cape), the distance between which is about four leagues, and the latter fringed with numerous islands. In the course of the morning several canoes and one oomiak came off from the main land, containing about twenty persons, more than half of whom were women and children. They brought a little oil, some skin dresses, and tusks of the walrus, which they were desirous of exchanging for any trifle we chose to give tliem." ',.-nWMW*^'»:aA^ i^mcmsmmM: ....«ii2ik&'. jti.-MVMm' m»a.'-i TRADITION OF PARRY S SHIPS. 265 PUS, ,ose In this account wo seo a complete verification of the state- ment made by Ookgooalloo as to his father's visit to the only- ships known to have been near his own " country." And I the more particularly allude to it because of many other reports given to me concerning the past, all of which, in my opinion, have received equal confirmation. The natives from Sekoselar were not partial to civilized food, especially Ookgooalloo and his wife Pittikzhe, for they had not tasted any before. We gave each of them a mug of coffee and some sea-biscuit. They tasted it — spit it out — tried it again and again, and finally the man contrived to " worry" it down; but the woman gave it up, declaring, in her own Innuit way, that " such 8tuf was not fit to eat." Though repeatedly urged to participate in the regular meals served to the Esquimaux on board, Pittikzhe positively declined tasting any more " such barbarous food." I found that the Innuits of Sekoselar had a very peculiar way of speaking — that is, with a slow, drawling tone. Their words are " long drawn out." The natives in our locality made fun of this, and it still more convinced mo that there is a considerable variance between the dialects of different bands of the Esquimaux. Another thing I noticed was the physical superiority of these men over those living around Field Bay, and along the coasts visited by whaling ships. AVhether all of the Sekoselar people were equal to those whom I saw I am unable to say, but " Sam- son," who was also a native of that district, showed, as I have before said, to similar advantage when compared with the Innuits in our vicinity. After making these men and women several presents, for which they expressed much gratitude, they departed at 5 p.m. on their return to Samson's tupic, then near jEvictoon, about one day's joiumey N.W. of Oopungnewing. #. J'^ CHAPTER XVIII. Jonrncy to (he Vnhiou'n, or ^* Dreaded Laiid" "-Sylvia Island — Lupton Channel — Joncn's Tower — A Butterfly — Cape Daly—JIammucky Ice — Ancient Piles of Stones — Discover a ne%o Chaniiel — Dr. Kane's Channel — Immense nnml»r of Seals — Extensive View — Davis's Straits — Resolution Island, and hiijh Land to the North — Sudden appearance of a Steam- sJiip — Mount Wanoick — Return Jonrticy — Mode of makiiuj Traces and Walrus Lines — Note-book lost — Its Recovery — Ancient Du'eUings of In- nuits— Rapid Journey back to the Ship — Dangerous Travelliny—Icc breaking up — Safe Arrival on Hoard — Means of sustaining Life in these Regions. On Wednesilay, the 5th day of June, 1861, a day or two after the departure of the Sekoselar Innuits, I prepared myself for another tri[), intending this time to visit what the Innuits term tlie " Dreaded Land," which comprises all the islands eastward of Bear's Sound and Lupton Channel, between Frobisher Bay and Field Bay. As was necessary, I left on board the ship some instructions how to find me and my companions in case the ice, which was becoming very precarious, should break up, and leave us on some of the islands, unable to get away. My intention was to fall back upon the land should the ice break up, and then, if we had to be sought, it would be necessary to look for us some- where between Hall's Island and Bear Sound.* On the 5tli of June, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, in company with Ebierbing and Koodloo, I left Rescue Harbour, and set out for the " Dreaded Land." Our sledge was drawn by six dogs, just half the number that such a journey required. Our progress was slow ; for, besides the want of a sufficient team, Ave saw many seals, the ice being dotted over with them, and the Innuits consumed much time in making their peculiar, cautious approaches (elsewhere described), which are always necessary in order to take these animals. Koodloo is a good sealer. Having ^ Hall's Island, lat. 62° 33' N. long. 64° 60' W. and Bear Sound, lat. 62° 31' N. long, 64" 50' W. were so named by Frobisher ; the former after Christopher Hall, master ,of the Gabriel, of the expedition of 1576 ; the latter after James ]3ear, master of the Michael^ one of the expedition ships of 1577. in*:., .^'ij^-^iajib LUPTON CHANNEL— SYLVIA ISLAND. 2G7 selected his pamo, ho succoedod in crawling up to within thirteen fathoms of the seal, and shot him in the head. In five minuteH wo who were on the sledge arrived at the spot where our prize lay hy his hole, when a general dog-fight took place. The weight of fresh meat thus obtained being no less than 200 pounds, wo found ourselves in tho predicament of the man who bought tho elephant. What should wo do with our seal ? Finally, wo fastened it behind our sledge, dragged it to a con- venient place, and cut it up ; took with us a part of the meat and blubber for present use, and deposited tho remainder en cache — that is, wo buried it under snow by tho side of a hiuumock, and tarried awhile to have a raw seal-feast. In tho evening, after our repast, we resumed our journey, pro- ceeding at first in the direction of Oillon Mountain,* at tho east end of " Lok's Land,"t but changed our course at ten o'clock on account of hummocks, and now proceeded due south toward Lupton Channel. I Some time after midnight wo made our first encampment on the ice, and lay down to repose upon a couch of snow. At 10*30 A.M. of June 6th we resumed our journey, and soon after observed a seal upon the ice ; but, as wo were to windward, it scented us, and down it went. We were still among hum- mocks, and enveloped in fog. Before noon the fog lifted, and we found ourselves in sight of land near Lupton Channel. We stopped a while opposite tho entrance to this channel for a seal which was discovered ahead. But seal, land, mountains, and clouds became closed in by thick fog ; a snow-storm came on from the W.N.W. and it soon blow a gale. This weather comiKilling us to hold over, we all left tho sledge * This prominent and peaked monntnin 1 have named in honour of a warm friend of arctic explorations, J. D. Dillon, of London, England. It is in lat. 60* 32' N. and long. 64° 12' W. t The land which I think I have identified as the one so named hy Frobisher in honour of Michael Lok, one of tho earliest, warmest, and most liberal supporters of his (Frobisher's) expeditions of 1576, '7, and '8. " Lok's Land is an island on the east side of Bear Sound and.Lnpton Channel, and extends easterly eighteen nautical miles ; its width is twelve. It is called by the natives Ki-M-tuk-ju-a, which means Long Island. The centre of «* Lok's Land " is in lat. 62" 29' N. long. 64° 28' W. (See Chart.) :J: I have named the channel uniting the waters of Field Bay to Bear Sound after James Lupton, of Cincinnati, Ohio, one to whom tho Young Men's Mercantile Association of said city owes a debt of gratitude for his great and untiring service in its behalf. Lupton Channel (its north termination) is in lat. 62" 35' N. and long. 64° 38' W. i t''i v'< II 'l ! 268 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. and dogs, and went a few rods on to the land, to prospect for a suitable spot for an encampment. We found one by the side of a mountain of rock. Here we broke up a beam — a part of our sledge — for fuel to prepare our coffee. We ought, for this pur- pose, to have taken with us more of the ooksook of the seal taken the day previous ; but we expected to have captured another by VIEW FROM THE TOP OF SYLVIA ISLAND. that time. We saw two in the morning, but they were shy, and went down. Had it not been for the hummocks, we should have pursued our course towards Hall's Island ; but it requires weather in which one can see more than five fathoms ahead to travel safely over such ice. The lend on which we here encamped is an island about a quarter of a mile long, which I have named Sylvia,* at the east * After the daughter of Henry Grinnell. Sylvia Island is in lat. 62^ 354' N. long. 64° 36' W. s ; a of lur Lir- en by ^^r shy, ould Hires d to >ut a east ;, 62" VIEW FROM THE TOP OF JONES S TOWER. 269 side of the entrance to Lupton Channel. When on the highest part of it, about 500 feet above the sea, I drew the opposite sketch. Here before me, looking southerly, was the open water of Lupton Channel, which, as my native attendants informed me, never freezes over, in consequence of the swiftly running tides. Yonder, leading south-easterly around the bold front of Lok's Land, is Bear Sound ; there, farther south, the low islands ; and, showing darkly over these, the open water of Frobisher Bay, and away in the blue distance the huge mountains of Kingaite (Meta Incognita) ; while there, on the right, and on the left, and behind me, all was solid ice. On Friday, June 7th, having slept soundly on the rock, we breakfasted on raw seal, and, with the aid of more fuel (another cross-bar) from our sledge, made some hot coffee, which indeed is a great luxury at any time to an arctic traveller. Not long after, Ebierbing started on ahead, while Koodloo struck tupic, harnessed the dogs, and packed the kummitie, and I triangulated and made observations for time, latitude, &c. With beautiful weather and a cloudless sky, Koodloo and myself left Sylvia Island, though not before halif-past 1 p.m. and travelled on the ice along the coast toward a noble-looking mountain not far off. The dogs Jlew, for they scented and sighted seals in the bay. At 3 o'clock P.M. we arrived at the base of Jones's Tower,* the mountain just alluded to. A short time after this I began to ascend Jones's Tower, the mountain which I especially observed for the first time some months before, when entering Field Bay. At the top of the tower I took several observations, and then attempted to descend on the opposite side to that by which I had climbed up. But I found here, as I had before, that going down a precipitous mountain is much worse than going up it. I could not manage it by the new route, and therefore had to reascend in order to take the other. :...'■; From the summit of this mountain the view was extensive, yet I could not thence discern Frobisher Bay, although, as I then thought, it was not more than from five to seven miles off. I here found a butterfly just bursting its prison walls. The wind at the time was so strong as almost to defy my power of holding on. The place looked like a huge tower rather than a mountain : * A mountain I have named after George T. Jones, superintendent of the Cincinnati branch of the American Bank Note Company. Jones's Tower is in lat. 62° 33' N. long. Qi" 34' W. (See Chart.) 'n '[ ni '!: 270 OFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. i \ t :l and on one side of it there was, as it were, a broad highway, leading spirally to within fifty feet of the apex. From this elevation a hundred icebergs were in view. On the way down I found some skeleton bones of a whale, about 300 feet above the sea-ice ; and also tufts of grass and some reindeer moss. At the base 1 found Koodloo and Ebierbing with more seals which they had killed, and a fire made of the small 8hrub*before mentioned. In the evening we encamped here, close to Eobinson's Bay;t a beautiful sheet of water on the east side of the ^ower. Here we erected our tupic, such as we could make, and the United States' flag floated from its top. Our appearance at that time may be conceived from the following sketch. EKCAMPMENT AT THE FOOT OF JONES'S TOWER. Next morning, having a cloudless sky and a gentle breeze (which afterward, however, increased to a strong gale), we pur- sued our way. In a short time we captured another fine seal, which was deposited en cache to be available on our return. As we proceeded, scenes of increasing beauty met my eye. The shore of the " dreaded land " presented many features of interest to me, for it was all new, and especially attractive from its asso- * Andromeda tetragona, a plant of the heath tribe that abounds through- out the arctic regions, t This Bay I named after Samuel Robinson, of Cincinnati, Ohio. r^-^ CAPE HAYES. — HUDSON'S ISLAND. 271 ciations with the expeditions of Martin FrolDisher, On the left were several channels of open water. Before and around me were several icebergs frozen in the pack — one berg in particular being very magnificent in appearance, and resembling a Gothic church. We had now advanced about six miles from Jones's Tower, and had reached Cape Daly,* when the rugged character of the ice hindered our farther progress with the sledge. Koodloo and I therefore walked ahead inland about half a mile to " prospect," and, arriving upon an eminence at the opposite side of the cape, we thence saw that we might have better travelling by rounding it and reaching the other side. Accordingly, we returned to the sledge and refreshed ourselves with a feast of raw seal. The wind greatly increasing in violence made travelling still more arduous, but we were determined to persevere, and so we rounded the cape, but with great difficulty, owing to humniocky ice and deep, soft snow. Cape Daly is the termination of a neck of land distinguished by a remarkable gap in its ridge. Resuming our proper course, we hurried forward toward another cape — Cape Hayesf — the most northerly point of Hud- son's Island. J There we again prospected, and found it would be impossible to proceed farther with the sledge on account of the hummocky ice in our way. Hall's Island at this time was less than two miles distant; but to reach it by our present course, on the northern side of Hudson's Island, was an utter impossibiUty, in consequence of the indescribably rugged ice with which M'Clintock Channel § was firmly packed. "While examining Cape Hayes we came to circles of stones, evidently placed there many years ago by the Innuits that formerly inhabited this now forsaken land; but beyond this. mgh- * Named in honour of Judge Charles P. Daly, of New York City. Cape Daly is in lat. 62° 35' N. long. 64° 21' W. t I have named this cape after I. I. Hayes, surgeon of the second Grinnell expedition. Cape Hayes is a low point of land, flanked by a high ridge of rugged rocks, and is the north extreme of Hudson's Island. t Hudson's Island, so called in honour of Frederick Hudson, of New York, a strong friend of arctic explorations. The centre of this island is in lat. 62° 34^ N. long. 64° 8' W. Its length is about three miles, ex- tending north and south ; width, two miles. § The channel between Hall's Island of Frobisher and Hudson's Island (vide Chart) I have denominated M'Clintock Channel, after Captain (now Sir Leopold) M'Clintock, commander of the yacht Fox in search of Sir John Franklin in 1857-9. M 272 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. t i nothing worthy of note was to be seen. We therefore returned to the sledge, and thence back about a quarter of a mile to a bight flanked by high mountains. While Koodloo and Ebierbing were here erecting a tent, I ascended one of these mountains, and thence discovered to the south-west, between Lok's Land and Hudson's Island, a channel that no white man (unless of Frobisher's expedition) ever saw before — a channel that probably no Innuit of any late generation had ever visited. The next day, June 9th, we pursued our journey down through Dr. Kane's Channel,* which connects Frobisher Bay with Field Bay; the extreme land, which I especially desired to visit, lying from five to seven miles to the east of the lower or southern termination of said channel. The sledge went swiftly, bounding from snow-wreath to snow-wreath, but I managed to pencil down my notes as we rode along. Never did I see a more interesting sight than that now pre- sented. Wherever my eye turned, seals appeared in great numbers on the ice by their holes ; and, as may be supposed from what I have previously said of the Innuit character, it was quite hopeless to expect that my companions, or the dogs, would attend to my wishes in getting forward. No ; a " seal-hunt " was inevitable ; and away we went at the rate of ten miles an hour, bounding like deer over the smooth ice, and were quickly among the animals, dealing death around. It was the work of but a few moments ; and the very notes from which I now write were recorded as I sat by a seal-hole, the water of which was crim- soned with blood, some of which still marks the age before me. Around me was a scene of death. Our captured seals were now so many that my Innuit companions did not know what to do with them. They appeared almost crazy with joy, at least so far as they are capable of showing signs of extravagant delight in matters of this kind. Ebierbing said that, " although they had all dreaded this land, it was a good land, and now he was not sorry he had come. There was plenty land — ^plenty water — plenty seal — and nobody there!" In addition to the numerous seals, we soon afterward came across polar bear-tracks, and could see where Bruin had torn up the sea-ice in his path. But just then we would not stop for anything except for Ninoo. It was "onward" with us now. The way was clear, the day fine, and good prospects before us * Thus named in memory of Dr. Kane, the arctic explorer. This channel divides Hudson's Island from Lok's Land. up for Inow. re us This CHARMING A SEAL. 273 for getting around to "Hall's Island" of Frobisher, to the extreme eastern limit of all that land toward the great sea. Therefore I urged my companions on, though it was with some difficulty I could persuade Koodloo to accompany us. He had been uncomfortahk from the moment we had trodden upon a portion of the "dreaded land," and now that we were going round it by the " big waters," which had carried oif so many of his people, he was in a state of great agitation. But I succeeded in persuading him to stay with us, especially as I promised to return as soon as I had visited the extreme land. As we opened out to the south, and arrived where we had expected to see the entrance of Frobisher Bay frozen and solid like Field Bay, which we had just left, my astonishment was great to see, at a short distance from us, open water, with numerous icebergs drifting, and a heavy sea rolling in, and beating on the edge of the floe. About noon we stopped to allow Koodloo to make up to a seal that he was desirous of obtaining, and I was as deeply in- terested as ever in the way in which he contrived to get so near his intended prey. While the seal would be taking his " cat- nap" (a sleep of ten to fifteen seconds), Koodloo made his approach by hitches, propelling himself along, recumbent on his side, by one foot, till he got close up, say within twelve fathoms of it. During the seal's watchful moments it seemed to be charmed by the peculiar talk, and by the scratching noise made, by the sealer. But the animal proved too shy : the charm was broken, and down through its hole in the ice it plunged ; and away we went again, our course leading us close by the side of the expanse of open water, in and upon which were numerous seals and ducks, giving evidence of animal life here in abundance. The seals were frequently hunted ; and although it did not aid our progress, yet it served to relieve the tedium, and give excite- ment to our journey. We now neared the land; and when within half a mile of " Hall's smaller island " of Frobisher, I went on by myself, leaving Ebierbing to occupy himself among the seals. On my walk I^ saw numerous bear-tracks, and such other evidences around me that I could not help exclaiming, "This outcast region is indeed one of plenty instead of barrenness ! " In a few moments I was on the top of the highest elevation of "Hall's smaller island," and from it took several compass bearings as I viewed the scene around. But I was unable to stay long ; and intending to revisit the spot, I soon went back to the sledge. % - ■ . i I 1 I I ^' 274 ' I LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. During my absence two seals had been killed ; but unneces- sarily, for it was impossible to carry more than their skins and livers with us. Still, wherever a seal was observed, the two Innuits would away after it. This seriously delayed us, and it was near midnight before we got back to our previous night's encampment on the northern side of Hudson's Island, where we again rested. The next day, Monday, June 10th, we once more passed through Dr. Kane's Channel, and at 8*47 p.m. reached the middle of the south shore of Hall's Island. Here we encamped by a little cove on this shore, near the west end of the channel which runs on the north side of the small island which I ascended the day previous. Ebierbing went to seek fuel, which he found on the shore of our little bay in the shape of drift-wood. Koodloo and he then prepared our food, while I was off to ascend the mountain that flanked the place of our encampment. On the top of this mountain I found an Innuit monument which evidently had been erected centuries before, for it was black with the moss of ages. The " monument" was a very long stone stuck up between two larger ones, and the whole made firm by other stones wedged in, and in a way peculiarly Innuitish. Tlie view from the summit was fine. Meta Incognita, Cor- nelius Grinnell Bay, Field Bay, Davis's Straits, and Frobisher Bay, were all in sight. Inshore of me there was a beautiful lakelet a mile long and half a mile wide, surrounded by several hills of rugged rock, that contrastr-d strangely with its smooth and uniform white. After spending a short time upon the summit, I began my descent, when, as I turned toward the north, what was my great astonishment and joy to perceive a vessel — a steamer — with English colours, close to the land ! There was the black hull, the smoke-stack, and everything about her seemed plainly visible. In a moment I was back to the summit for a more distinct view, and saw her tack ship again and again, presenting first one side of her hull and then the other, as she worked up and down the open "lead" (a narrow channel of water in the ice), close by the shore. What my thoughts were I leave the reader to judge. I was all but overpowered with joy. I should now hear news of my native home — ^perhaps of dear friends. I should again mingle with the inner world of civilization, and hear tidings of what was going on in the ever-changing theatre of active and social :.d^Mm. THE PHANTOM SHIP. 275 I was of my Imingle what social life at home. I should probably know who had been elected President of the United States, and how my own country pro- gressed in national" weal.* This and much more I should learn i£ I made speed and could get on board before this stranger vessel moved too far away. Accordingly, I rapidly descended to the encampment, ani told Ebierbing and Koodloo what I had seen. Not a moment was lost in getting ready for a walk across the land to the other side. Loaded guns were taken for the purpose ©f firing a signal, that the vessel might send us a boat ; and away we went, hur- rjong along as fast as the rugged surface of the ground would permit. How beautiful was the picture fancy painted in my mind while we were thus hurrying across the island from its south to its % north shore. How eagerly I wished we were there, and ready to push off on the ice, if need be, to visit the stranger. What surprise, too, I thought within myself, would be occasioned by our coming from the " dreaded land," especially seeing me, a ' civilized man, alone with the natives. But all my pleasant visions and romantic fancies were sud- denly and rudely dispelled when we reached the other si^Lj., and stood upon a spot near the north shore. No ship — no vessel was there! Had she disappeared? l\o. The object upon which I had gazed with such a transport of feeling was indeed there before me, as I had seen it from above ; but what was my disappointment — my utter amazement and chagiin, when I found that the supposed steamer was only a remarkably-shaped portion of the mountain's side ! Never before had I been so completely deceived ; and perhaps, had I had my perspective glass with me, I might have detected the mistake while upon the mountain-top. Yet even now, after the illusion was dispelled, I was astonished at the similitude which nature had here pourtrayed of a steam vessel. The black of that projecting rock, with the white snow apparently standing out apart from the mountain-side to which it belonged, made up a figure so completely like that of a ship, and my change of position at every few steps so magically re- presented the appearance of repeated tacking, that only the close inspection which I was now making could convince me of the illusion. But it waj now dispelled. It was almost cruel, if I might use such a term, to be aroused from my late dream of * Little did I then dream that my country had been plunged into a cruel civil war 1 T 2 Ti 276 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. L \ expected joy to the reaiity of so great a disappointment. How- ever, 80 it was ; and if Haything would have relieved my vexation, it was the blank look of astonishment depicted on the features of my two companions on ascertaining the truth. Strange to say, by the time we had arrived at the spot where the best view of it could be obtained, it looked no more like a vessel than a cow ! One glance, and we turned away — I in disgust. Our journey back was anything but agreeable ; but we took it leisurely, and at half-past 1 a.m. of the 11th arrived at our encampment. In speaking to Ebierbing about the reasons for the Innuits deserting a place which we now had evidence to show was abounding with animal life, he told me that the dread of it could not be removed. It had left upon the minds of all Innuits an impression of horror which descended from parent to child, and was likely to last for a long time. Even he himself would not have come now but for much persuasion and the influence of the civilized white man over the dark races, besides his strong personal attachment to me. As for Koodioo, he had been in- duced by the example and persuasions of Ebierbing more than by any favourable feelings on his own part. After he had arrived here, it was plain to me he regretted it ; and possibly, in his inner soul, " the mysterious ship " may have added to his superstitious feelings concerning the place. While returning from this trip across Hall's Island, Ebier- bing related to me the following anecdote, prefacing it by the simple remark that the breaking away of the sea-ice, and carry- ing off one or more Innuits is not a rare occurrence. Once two of his people were driven out of Cornelius Grinnell Bay while on the ice sealing. The ice finally brought up against Lady Franklin's Island,* twenty-five miles from the mainland, upon which island the forlorn Innuits landed. Here they lived for several months on ducks, walrus, bears, and seals, which they found there in abundance. They did not make their appearance for months, and were given up as lost. But, to the surprise of every one, they ultimately returned, having effected their escape by means of " floats " made of the skins of seals which they had killed. I may here mention that also, in returning on the before- described vexatious walk, we noticed a wall of stone — moss- eovered stone — at the outlet of the lakelet, which was made, as * Named by me in honour of Lady Franklin, in lat. 62' 55' 30" N. long. 63° 30' W. Lady Franklin Island is ^»- I A BEAR-HUNT. 277 3ow- ition, ■tures ge to view han a I took it our muits V was . of it nnuits child, would jnce of strong 3en in- re than tie had ^bly, in to his Ebier- [by the carry- be two while it Lady upon ed for jh they learance Drise of escape ley had before- -moss- lade, as llsland is #• Ebierbing said, by his people that had lived a great many years before, for a hiding-place, to enable them to kill tuktoo as they followed along their path, which was close by. 1> amerous old bones of this animal we saw by this wall. On the 11th of June, at noon, I put on a rock a delicately- balanced compass needle, the north pole of which stood on zero. At 12 midnight it was one degr'ee west of zero. At 3 'SO a.m. of the 12th it was one degree east of zero point ; but more about this in its proper place. On the same day, the 11th, half a mile north-west, on the top of the mountain in the rear of our camp, I took bearings of various prominent places ; and wliile taking the angle of an island live miles distant to the south, Ebierbing and Koodloo with me, the former, looking around with the glass, suddenly exclaimed, " Ninoo ! Ninoo ! " pointing, at the same time, in the direction of the very island I was sighting. In an instant Koodloo rushed off to harness up the dogs, and I after him, Ebierbing remaining behind for a moment to watch the bear's movements. Presently I decided upon returning to continutt my work and let both the Innuits go in chase. Reascending l/O the spot I had left, I continued to the northward and westward tiU I had ascended a stUl higher mountain, the table-topped " Mount War- wick " of Frobisher. There I remained for hours, with changes of the atmosphere so tantalizing that it vexed me greatly. One moment there was a beautiful sky, the next everything was enveloped in thick fog. So it continued, calm as a summer's day at home, not a cloud in the sky as the fog lifted, the sun shining brightly for a moment, and anon darkened by impenetrable vapour. I was greatly disappointed. I had fixed a capital point by sun to take my angles of various mountains, bays, headlands, &c. but, in conse- quence of the state of the weather, was obMged to leave my work incomplete. In descending to a lower point, I distinctly saw Mtta In- cognita, the fog having dispersed in that direction. Also Eesolu- tion Island, which bore S. 12'' W. (true). I returned to the camp shortly after, but Ebierbing and Koodloo had not yet returned. , While waiting for the two Innuits, I gathered some fuel, kindled a fire, and filled the tea-kettle to make coffee. Presently I heard the crack of my rifle, and concluded that another seal was killed, little imagining what had actually occurred. But near midnight, when Ebierbing and Koodloo arrived, they told I T ^ 278 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. me that not only one of the largest-sized seals (ookgook) was killed, but also the bear. I could hardly believe them. A bear ? It was too much to believe. I could readily conceive that they had succeeded mth seals, but that they had captured the bear, and without the smallest signs of any struggle, was almost in- credible. I could not, therefore, help laughing at Ebierbing as he persisted in the statement; and I said to him, "You are making game of me^ On the instant he replied, " Come to the sledge (which was only a short distance off) and see." There, true enough, was Ninoo's skin, with portions of the meat ; and now we had beef in abundance. The ookgook had been left on the ice, at the edge of the floe by the open water. Ebierbing told me that they went over to the mountain islan 1 where he had first espied the bear, and saw the brute lying down. On their approach he sprung up and darted away. Three of the dogs were immediately let loose by cutting the traces with which they were harnessed to the sledge. After these three had started, the remaining dogs were cast adrift, and soon overtook the others, and assisted in bringing the bear to bay. They barked, bit, struggled, and fought bravely, the bear doing his best to defend himself. Now and then Ninoo would start to run, but the dogs were quickly fost to his stern, turning him round more rapidly than the rudder does a ship under a nine-knot breeze. The dog and bear fight continued for half an hour, when Ebierbing, getting as favourable an opportunity as he desired, sent the messenger of death to Ninoo's heart. The bear was very fat, as all polar bears in the neighbourhood of the " deserted land " must be, in consequence of the immense number of seals there. His stomach was filled to its utmost capacity, and, Innuit-like, the two men took care of every portion that was serviceable. The bear was immediately skinned, and the best portions of the carcass brought away. The test was left to feast other animals than man. On returning from this bear-hunt, Ebierbing shot the ookgook which he referred to. Our feast that night was uncommonly good. Some of the fat, with portions of the lean, was well cooked ; and when we lay doAvn to rest, I would not wager that our stomachs were not as widely distended as had been that of the defunct Ninoo. I may here mention that the bear's bladder was inflated and hung up to the pole of our tupic, and, according to Innuit customs, should remain there three days. VISIT TO NORTH FORELAND. 279 Early in tho morning of Wednesday, the 12th of June, I was up, and ready for a proposed trip. It had been decided to set out this day on our return to the ship, but I could not think of leaving this interesting region without visiting the utmost ex- treme of land — the " North Foreland " of Frobisher. Leavuig my two companions asleep, I walked off alone. The snow was deep ilj NOBTH FORRLAKD OF FB0BI8HKR. and soft, making my travelling laborious. When about half- way, I ascended a hill that overlooks the channel between "Hall's Island" and "Hall's smaller Island." The channel was free from ice save near its west end, close by the little bay of our encampment, and presented an animated picture of life, for seals and aquatic birds in great variety were sporting there. But as only a brief time remained for this journey, I n! D:] l.lir 280 LIFE WITH THE EHQUIMAUX. ' |!il was obligocl to liaHton on. At l«nigth, after a laborioiiH walk, I rcatihod "North Forulaiul," tho goal of my amliition in tliis pleasant trip. Horo tho view was as onchanting fts it was cxtonsivo. Tho sea aroiuul, as far as the eyo could reach, was open ; yet much ici in tho various forms of " sconce " pieces, floes, and bergs, was drifting about. " North Foreland " presented a bold front. As I looked down from its heights (an elevation of several hundred feet), tho sea was " playing fantastic tricks," its mighty waves dashing in (piick succession against tho rocky ramj)art by which I was shielded, leaping upward as if to meet and greet me, saying, " White man, we saw your namesake hero nearly three hundred years ago ; where is he noio?'* Nearly south of North Foreland are three islets, tho nearest one-fourth of a mile off shore. Tho largest is a quarter of a milo long, and is distinguished by a prominent rock that looks like a huge bee-hive, with smaller ones on each side of it. The others aro quite small, being respectively about seventy and a hundred and forty fathoms in length. In every direction about here I saw recent traces of reindeer and rabbits, also circles of stones, and other signs of Innuits having lived here long ago. The following are some of the measurements which I made wliile on this morning walk : The width of North Foreland (which is the eastern extremity of Hall's Island), measuring it a short distance back from the cliff, is about a quarter of a mile. Hall's Island extends a mile farther eastward than " Hall's smaller island." The latter is eight-tenths of a mile in length. After spending an hour at this interesting spot, taking bear- ings of distant objects, and observing the general appearance of the locality, I reluctantly retraced my steps to our encamp- ment, a distance of two miles, where I found on the sledge everything in readiness for our departure. At 9'19 A.M. we set out on our return to Eescue Harbour. When out on the sea-ice, w^e stopped by the edge of the floe, next the open water, at the carcass of the ookgook killed by Ebierbing the day before. In the dilemma which followed as to what we should do with it, I proposed that it should be carried to land and buried under heavy stones, supposing that Captain B., then at Cape True with his men, might send a boat's crew round by Frobisher Bay, which was all open water, and get LOSS AND IlECOVERY OP NOTE-BOOK. 281 sralk, I U tlUH [;h ici , j;8, was I down :,ho sea 1 (iiiick lieliled, Du man, rs ago ; nearest f a mile )ks like t. The r and a n about I circles ire long I made breland ring it er of a Id than mile hear- mce of [ncamp- sledge [arbour, le iioe, lied by td as to I carried paptain 's crew Ind get the blubber, and [xirhaps the meat, and also some of our depoHitcil seals. lUit Ebiurbing awsured me that it mattered not what might 111 the si/o or tlie weight of the stones covering it, Ninoo would tinil ciiit tlie deposit and rip it up. It was finally concluded to save only tiu' f^l-cin. To ett'ect this, they girdled the animal's body, cutting the skin tmnsversely in wiilths of about five or six inches -uul then )i))ped it oil' in cylinders, each of which was to be aftci'wii'd cut Hpirally, making a long stri]) of skin, which is of great value for walrus and Hval lines, and dog-traces. This ookgook was an object of more than common interest. Though so easily despatched — the ritlo ball, on penetrating his skull, causing instant death — yet, as Ebierbing jwinted out, it bore numerous marks of wounds received in a conflict with a polar bear. It had had a stmgglo with its mighty foe, and had escaped. \Ve did not get ready to proceed on our journey until 12 a. m. We then crossed the floe at the south side of Hudson's Island, taking the same route we had travelled three times before. When wo were nearly through Kane's Channel, and while I was examining its shores, having occasions to make some record, I opened the covers of my note-book, and found, to my consterna- tion, that its contents were gone ! I kiiew not what to do. I felt that, if they should not be recovered, most of what were to mo the important notes that I had taken on this trip would be useless, owing to the break in my narrative which the loss of these would occasion. My hope of recovering them was indeed slight, for my record had been kept on a few small oblong leaves of paper, slightly stitched together, which the wind might speedily scatter away. Still, I determined to go back and search for them, Ebierbing agreeing to accompany me. We made our way back over rugged ice and snow by following our own tracks ; but the wind, then from the south-east, blew at right angles, and made it less likely that we should succeed. Ebierbing went ahead, a little on one side, and I kept straight on the course by which we had come. Thus we retraced our steps for some three miles, when, to my great joy, I heard Ebier- bing shout, " Ni-ne-va-ha I Ni-ne-va-ha ! " — I have found it ! I have found it ! And, sure enough, there, in his hands, I saw my little note-book, which he had just picked up. The distance we had traversed was three and a half miles, so that, in returning to the spot from which we had set out, we had walked full seven miles. This, however, was not of much account iu comparison with the value of my note-book. 'i Ji '. \ I If ! i: I " 1 282 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. i I had directed Koodloo to proceed with the sledge ; but before we had reached hun a furious gale from the north-east broke upon us, accompanied with much snow. This threatened an end to our day's travel, and I therefore determined to encamp as soon as possible. We traced Koodloo by the sledge-tracks down Allen Young's Bay,* near some sheltering land, and there found him, on the lee side of the sledge, flat on the snow, asleep ! yes, sound asleep, and covered with drift, while the gale was beating around, and roaring almost with a voice of thunder. So thick and fast did the snow come down that we could not see a dozen yards before us. Yet here did Koodloo — as most Innuits can — sleep away as undisturbed by the storm as if in his tent. Here a great danger threatened us. This gale might break up the ice ; and if so, and we were encamped on an island, escape would be impossible, for we had no boat. The wind was so furious that we could hardly stand erect, and already it was tearing up the ice in all directions about the main bay. It was an awkward position, and one that I had anticipated. But it was necessary immediately to prepare some shelter, and accordingly we selected a spot on a point of low land, north of and near Dillon Moun- tain, where Innuits evidently had erected their tupics very many years before. Bones of seal and walrus, fragments of wood, and circles of stones, showed the dwelling-places of Esquimaux who had lived there before the land became abhorred. The erection of our tent was a matter of great difficulty. One of us had to stand up before the blast to break its force, another to erect the tupic, and the third to try to make it stand. Placing the covering over the tent-poles was a toil especially arduous. The wind seemed to press with a force of tons. Flap, flap went the canvas, beating us about, and giving us such bruises that several times I thought it impossible to get through with tlie task. But at length it was accomplished. All the crevices were filled with moss, so as to render the admission of fine snow nearly impossible ; and thus, in the teeth of a re- markably heavy gale, we finally succeeded in getting as much shelter as could be expected under such circumstances. The next day, June 13th, the gale continued with unabated fury to 1 1 A.M. Most of the time during this storm we had to keep * Named in honour of Captain Allen W. Young, second in command under M'Clintock, in search of Sir John Franklin in l^'ST-O. Allen Young's Bay is in lat. 62'' 33' N. long. W U' W. its east side bounded by Dillon Mountain. EBSBBEISBaBM 26 ; but orth-east ireatened ) encamp Young's a, on the !S, sound \ beating So thick e a dozen its can — it. Here [) the ice j would be rious that ig up the awkward necessary e selected on Moun- revj many wood, and naux who dty. One e, another it stand, especially Ins. Flap, us such t through All the ission of of a re- as much ces. The id fury to to keep command -9. Allen lie bounded RETURN FROM THE DREADED LAND. 283 and whenever we did venture out, it was use great care, lest the force of the wind should That the tent stood was a marvel. But stand gave us shelter until Friday the 14th, about 12 inside the tent ; necessary to throw us down. it did, and gave us meridian, when we resumed our homeward route. Our journey was comparatively rapid. We arrived at Sylvia Island at 10 p.m. without any obstacle save in rounding Cape Daly, though the seaward ice was anything but safe ; and after HOMEWARD BOUND — ICE BREAKING UI". resting and partaking of coflfee prepared mth a tent-pole for fuel, we made a direct course for the ship. Now came the danger. Everywhere the ice was cracked, or moving, or gone ! "We care- fully pursued our way, literally with fear and trembling. Not for one moment was our footing safe. The thick-ribbed ice was broken into every conceivable form and size, and nothing but the ' absolute necessity of avoiding detention on the islands would have induced us to venture on the treacherous footing ; but it was our only hope under heaven — our only means of escape — and upon it, and across it, we pursued our \. -"v. To add to the dangers of our situation, a thick mi:t soon settled upon us ; and there we were, three men, the dogs, and sledge, on the broken ice, in the middle of a bay wide open to 'I' I !-'!' 1| m i \ ! pi w I f H m i. !i h:':' ■fT I h: 284 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the sea. Even the Innuits were more than usually alarmed, and finally became so confused that they wandered out of the proper course ; and it was only through my insisting that my compass was the best guide that, after going three miles out of our way, we at last arrived safely on board the ship at 10*37 a.m. on Saturday, the 15th of June. Thankful was I that we met with no serious accident ; and this was the more extraordinary considering our rate of travelling (we were only twenty hours coming from near Dr. Kane's Channel) and the dangerous character of the ice over which we had come. As an instance of what can be accomplished in securing the means of sustaining life in the arctic regions, I will here give a few particulars bearing upon the subject, and belonging to this particular journey. We set out with — 20 sea biscuits, weight 5 lbs. Salt-junk ,, 6 ,, Coifee and pepper, say 1 „ Total provisions for the three . . .11 lbs. Powder 1 lb. Balls, in number 30. 1 rifle, 1 gun, 2 seal spears, with lines and harpoons. We were away ten days, and in that time obtained — 1 polar bear, equal to 1000 lbs. 1 ookgook (largest sized seal) .... 1500 9 seals 1800 Making a total of 4300 lbs. — that is, over two tons of fresh meat, besides skins for clothing, and oil for fuel and light. Most of the meat and blubber we deposited en cache^ and the ookgook we left on the ice ; but we were obliged to abandon all, excepting a very little blubber, and the small proportion of meat which was consumed by ourselves and the dogs. The skins we saved. ! I lm^!>M^!»!imiilM> ''fW;. led, and B proper compass )ur way, A.M. on snt; and ravelling . Kane's vhicli we iring the sre give a ig to this |r clothing, le, and the tandon all, )n of meat skins we CHAPTER XIX. An excursion to the Whaling dep6t — Passage across Field Bay — Singular Mode of capturivg Seals — Chapell Inlet— Cross to Frobisher Bay — Cfreat mimber of Pieces of Limestone — Boat Trip to Bear S 1 , ■ m i I m r ■#" if 288 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. !v ill perhaps half a mile wide, covered with submerged ice. The floating qualities of the sledge as well as of the load, including ourselves, made our passage by water rapid, though not very comfortable. We crossed this " pass " — used frequently by the Innuits and the ship's crew in going to and from Cape True — and entered the inlet.* Here I found rzany portions of the ice covered with the melted snows, and in some places the sledge sank deep in the water, much to the annoyance of the dogs as well as to ourselves. On the way Koojesse again had " talk " with some more seals wliich we saw, and it was with great interest I watched him. He lay down on one side, and crawled by hitches or jerks toward his victim ; then, as the seal raised its head, Koojesse would stop, and commence pawing with his right hand and foot while he uttered his " seal talk." On this the seal would feel a charm, raise and shake its flippers both " fore and aft," and roll over on its side and back, as if perfectly delighted, after which it would drop its head to sleep ; then Koojesse would hitch, hitch along, till the seal's head would pop up again, which usually occurred every few moments. But Koojesse approached too near, and this broke the charm, allowing the seal to escape, and leaving the disappointed sealer to cry, "B-e-e-uk /" The great trouble with the Innuits in this mode of sealing is that they often endeavour to get too near — say within five or seven fathoms — so as to make sure of their aim with a gun or spear, and this alarms their prey. During our progress up the inlet I observed a very small newly-made igloo, and asked Koojesse what it meant. " Wich- ou, wich-ou " (wait, wait), said he in reply, and in a few moments we came alongside. The next instant Koojesse had jumped off the sledge, and with a grab through the snow, drew forth by one of its hind flippers a fine seal that he had killed when on his way up to the vessel. As we proceeded up the inlet, gradually the low land r.t its head appeared, and at two in the morning of the 22d we had reached it. From here we turned westward, following the sinu- osities of the coast for two miles, when we struck across the narrow strip of land dividing Chapell Inlet from Frobisher Bay. A few minutes sufficed to find us slowly working along the badly-broken shore-ice ; on that side, the bay itself being wholly free, except a few bergs. Occasionally the dogs went pell-mell down, and over the steep broken ice ; then the sledge would butt ARRIVAL AT CAPE TRUE. 289 The iluding »t very- its and entered 3d with deep in LI as to »re seals ted him. or jerks K-oojesse and foot lid feel a and roll er which Id hitch, a, which ►proached io escape, sealing is five or a gun or 3ry small " Wich- moments imped off |th hy one Isn on his lind rX its we had , the sinu- Lcross the Isher Bay. [along the ig wholly , pell-meU jrouldbutt against a perpendicular hummock, sending us forward, very much like a stone out of a sling; but we got along without serious mishap, and arrived at Cape True at half-past two in the morning. As my eye first caught sight of the whale depot I was quite astonished. I had formed no conception of its being such a busy-looking place. There were numerous and thickly-crowded habitations, white men and Innuit tents, mills (ioi/ wind-mills, and a liberty-pole, holding high to the breeze an extemporized emblem of our country ! People were already up and about, and every pinnacled rock had some person upon it to witness our approach. The dogs soon landed us on the rocks which formed the " public square " of the town, and quickly, from one and all, I received a hearty welcome. It seemed almost like home again to behold so many friendly and familiar faces. Several Innuits were here, most of whom I well knew, and they were de- lighted to see me. Immediately on my arrival I was invited by the captain and officers into their quarters, and had an excellent breakfast put before me. Of course one of the first inquiries was about my trip to and return from the " dreaded land." This I soon answered by giving an account of what I had done, and then, my morning meal ended, I took a walk along the beach. Everywhere I found fragments of limestone in abundance, and my pockets were soon filled with specimens, which I brought home. One object of my visit to the whale depot was to see about preparing for my departure to King William's Land, and to con- sult Captain B. respecting it. The boat promised me had to be made ready, and therefore I at once entered upon the subject with him. The Captain said that he had been out in this bay (Frobisher) several times since coming over, and that he had been much impressed with the subject of my making my trip or voyage this summer, as expected, in a whale-boat. He thought it his duty to open the matter to me at once, announcing the conclusion he had come to, painful to him and to me. The boat which I had had made in the States, especially designed and made for my expedition to King William's Land, was a suitable one for me, but a whale-boat was unfit. He continued to say that I had not any more of an outfit, provision, &c. than I should take, but that, with the crew necessary, I could not possibly carry more than a very small proportion of what I had. He found that U Ir IF I 290 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. J with the boat's crew, and the three line-tubs each boat had, no additional weight could be added to navigate in such waters as he knew I would be obliged to go in, in getting to the point of my destination. This, of course, was a serious matter with me. If the loss of my expedition boat, which was well planned and strongly made, had really taken from me the proper, the only judicious means of carrying out my purpose of going to King "William's Land, then I must delay — I must lose one year in returning home, and prepare again for the voyage that I am still determined to make, God tvilling. Among the Innuits staying at the whale depot was the woman Puto, mother of the semi-white child. This poor woman was very badly off, h«r husband being dead, and she had but scant mean:: of providing for herself and offspring. Seeing her sad condition, I gaA'e her several trinkets, and, in addition, a box of 100 percussion caps. This latter present caused her to weep for joy. She knew not how enough to thank me. With them she could trade among her people for many conveiiiences she wanted. Anything in the way of ammunition is thought more of by the Innuits than almost any other articles that could be named. At this time the weather was fine, and the view of Kingaite, with its miles and miles of mountain wall, its glaciers, and its snows, was grand indeed. More than ever was I desirous of exploring that coast ; and I thought that, even if nothing else could be done, I might possibly examine some of the places made famous by Frobisher's voyages in 1576, '7, and '8. " Bear Sound" was but a short distance to the eastward, and the second day after my arrival at the whale de^ ot, I took with me *' Captain " (Kokerjabin's youngest son), and walked toward it. But he proved only a hindrance to me. I had to go full fifteen miles to reach a point of land not more than two and a half miles in a direct Une. I was obliged to make for the head of Chapell Inlet by first wading through some soft, wet snow, that covered shore-ice and the land on my way. Then I had to make a long circuit around some stones and rocks, and afterward ascend hill after hill, going through valleys full of snow soft and deep enough to cover my whole body. But wherever I went, small pieces of limestone were in abundance, even to the very mountain- tops. At length I arrived at my destination on the west side of Bear Sound. There — ^beside those waters, on whose shores SJLI.I . ..[ lii.lL. DUCK-EGGING. 291 had, no 'aters as le point B loss of ly made, Ls means I's Land, ome, and to make, le woman man was but scant y her sad , a box of p to weep ^ith them ences she at more of could be ' Kingaite, rs, and its Lesirous of )thing else laces made " Bear the second with me toward it. full fifteen and a half le head of snow, that ad to make rard ascend t and deep ivent, small r mountain- est side of lose shores Frobisher and his men had laboured for the mineral wealth which he believed he had found there — I had my noon repast, my Innuit companion sharing it with me. Resting awhile, I forgot my youthful attendant, while contemplating the scene around me. Presently I rose to return, a ^ missed " Captain." I called ; no reply. Where had he gone . There was a steep precipice close by, and I became alarmed lest he had fallen over it. I therefore instantly sought for him, and after some moments found his tracks. He had left me without a word, intending to go by a more direct, but, as I thought, dangerous course to the depot. I followed him, and we returned together, arriving at the tents much fatigued. While I was stopping at Cape True the boats frequently went to get fuel from the scattered remains of the Traveller before mentioned. The shore was strewed with portions of the wreck, which would serve for many years for fuel for sliips' companies occupied as the George Henry's was at the whaling depot. The crew of the George Henry were at that time living " in clover." They had plenty of ducks, duck-eggs, seal, walrus, &c. and whenever they wanted a supply they had only to go and take what Nature here so plentifully furnished. On one of these occasions (June 24th) I accompanied a party that went "duck-egging." It consisted of two whale-boats, manned by whites and Innuits, under command of Charles Keeney and A. Bailey. I went with the latter, leaving the whale dep6t early in the morning, and striking right across a little bight to the west entrance of Bear Sound. On entering this sound I was surprised at the velocity and singular movements of the tides. As we advanced the tide was ebbing, and running swiftly up toward Field Bay. But when we had reached Ellis Island,* the movement of the tidal waters appeared to be reversed, and they were throwing themselves furiously about. Eddies, and whirlpools, and mill-races were there running and whirling around in the wildest and most fantastic way, carrying on their foaming surface small bergs, " sconce " pieces, and ice fragments of all shapes, in utter dis- regard of each other. When the tide turned, these masses came whirling back, as if madly bent on heaping destruction where- * A prominent, bold rock island, west side of Bear Sound, about one- sixth of a mile in diameter, three miles from Field Bay, and named after John W. Ellis, of Cincinnati, Ohio. " Ellis Island " is in lat. 62° 32' N. long. 6i° 46' W. u2 i i»: V"i i-t ;i i i } k .. li I'll I i ill I I iiill I 202 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ever they coiUd. This scene in Dear Sound was singularly grand and striking. As to egging and duck-hunting, I can say no more about it The ducks were very numerous, flying over our heads in now. every direction. They were in the water drifting with the swiftly-running tide, on the ice, and on nearly every one of the numerous islands we passed. Wherever we saw a groat many upon or around an island, we visited it for eggs. SCALIMO AN ICE COLLAR IK BEAR SOUND. The first island we pulled to was one in the midst of a sweeping, driving tide, so that it seemed to defy all human exertions to approach it ; yet, after " a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether," we conquered. The boat was taken round to the opposite side of the island from that where the tide struck it, and though the water rolled and tumbled as if mad, we managed by a plan of our own to get upon the top of the magni- ficent " ice-collar" that engirdled the island. ■ . ')i«Hi ju" ' iv" i ICE-COLLAUg. 293 l^ This was the first time in my lif*^ iiat I sax liflor-durkn' nests, and consequently the first occuh. in wh' 'i I ai(i \ iti abstracting the large, luscious eggs. In ton miuut<^'^ ton as gathered six dozen, and at another island, in twenty lu ite», sixteen dozen and five. The eggs taken are replaced 1>\ rresh ones, as the ducks lay every two or three days. Many ducks were shot, but, owing to the swift tide, only a few were obtained. The rest were swept away. In speaking of the " ice-collars " surrounding the islands, I may mention that if they had been simply perpendicular the difficulty in mounting them would not have been so great ; but they projected over from ten to thirty feet, and when the tide had fallen some twenty-four feet it was no slight task to surmount them. We managed it in some cases by extending two of our long oars from the boat to the top, thus forming a substitute for a ladder. Many of the islands in Bear Sound were locked together by natural ice-bridges, several of these being arched in a irost remarkable manner. We approached to within three miles of Sylvia Island, the same on which I and my Innuit companions had encamped on our late journey to the "dreaded land," and I could not but view it in a most friendly way when I remembered liow its warm, dry rocks gave us a good bed and protection from the storms. Our excursion lasted some hours, and we returned to the tupics, both boats well laden with eggs. The total acquisition of our two boats' crews was one hundred dozen eggs, and five ducks. An eider-duck egg is nearly twice the size of a hen's. At this time Captain B. was absent with two boats a short distance up the bay, " prospecting" for whales. He returned on the 28th of June, during a fierce storm of wind and rain, and he informed me that the trip back was made under most unfavour- able circumstances. The previous night had been passed on an island above Evictoon, the only shelter obtained from the storm being that which their boats' sails afibrded when put up as a tent. His own crew suffered greatly from the cold ; but the Innuits with him, not finding sufficient room inside the tent, went out and lay down under the lee of some projecting rocks ! Thei/ rested and slept well, while the white men could hardly keep themselves, as they said, from being frozen. On the evening of Friday, the 28th of June, having spent seven days at Cape True, I purposed starting back the next day I I ' ■ If! I c m III I' I i I ■ii|P^i[^i'-'mri 294 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. for the vessel. An extract from my journal of that date I will here introduce : — "To-morrow I accompany Captain B. hack to the George Henry. He goes with the (expectation of remaining there until the vessel is liberated, when he intends to return to this bay, and cruise around awhile, and if unsuccessful, to return to Field Bay, or proceed to Cornelius Grinnell Bay. Two boats' crews are to follow in a few days, while two remain here (Frobisher Bay) for a little while, to continue cruising for whales." Here follows another entry in my journal, made just before leaving the whaling dej)6t : — ^'■Saturday, June 29ii^ tlM '1 f:i i\ ^^'T' ••<''««*«»„■ ,-*Bi^„.^^ 296 LIFE AVITH THE ESQUIMAUX. a.ldition, had killed a white whale in Cornelius Grinnell Bay. He and several more Iniiuits went off to the whale depot to see what prospects existed there for hunting or fishing, but he did not remain long. Upon his return he determined to revisit the place he had lately left. Ugarng had great influence among his people, and I have often thought lie was not a man to he wholly trusted. In- deed, I sometimes felt that nothing ever done for him would cause a grateful return. He was a bold, successful, and expe- rienced hunter, and, as such, was frequently engaged by the whalers he encountered ; but little dependence could be placed upon him. The strongest agreement would be instantly set at nought whenever he saw anything more likely to conduce to his own interest. In the present case Ugarng was using all his powers of per- suasion to induce every Innuit to leave our locality and go with him. What his real motive was I cannot say ; but it is probable that now, when there was abundance to be had by hunting and sealing, he — who disliked the restraints of civi- lization — wanted to go farther away, and to take along all his friends, relatives, and acquaintances, so as to be perfectly and absolutely free. He tried every means to induce Ebierbing and Tookoolito to go with him, and for a time there was some hesitation on their part about it ; but their attachment to me prevailed, and neither of them would consent to go. A general migration, however, did take place. Many of the Innuits accompanied Ugarng ; and I afterward heard that several others, as Annawa, Artarkparu, and all belonging and known to them, went away about the same time from the whaling depot (^, here a few of the ships' crews still remained to look for whaleti), taking their course up Frobisher Bay. Ugarng's party consisted of his two wives, Kunniu and Punnie ; infant, Me-noun ; nephew, Eterloong ; and his aged mother, Ookijoxy Ninoo, besides Johnny Bull and his wife Kokerzhun, Bob and his wife Polly, Blind George and his daughter Kookooyer, and, lastly, E-tu the mfeless. About the time of leave-taking an incident occurred that especially deserves to be recorded. There was an Innuit young man named E-tu, who had lately joined the natives from some other place. This Etu I had noticed as somewhat singular in his ways, and remarkable in his appearance. He was much under the protection or rule of Ugarng, and seemed to be his willing follower. m II Bay. b to see he did Isit the I have d. In- L would d expe- by the ) placed y set at le to his i of per- go with lut it is had hy of civi- g all his sctly and bing and \as some t to me ^ general Innuits il others, ;o them, t (%,here whaled), mu and his aged his wife and his •ed that it young )m some igular in IS much lo be his ETU, THE SPOTTED BOY. 297 Now Ugarng wanted little Ookoodlear (cousin of Ebierbing and niece of Ugarng) to marry this Etu, but she unhesitatingly expressed her dislike to the proposal. On the day of Ugarng and his company's departure, I was on shore to bid them all farewell. I went into Ebierbing's tupic, and there found Tookoolito busy in attending to her friend Kokerzhun's departure. These two women were strong friends, and the separation for what would probably be a long time was evidently painful ; but I saw some one else also much affected. Little Ookoodlear was weeping as if her heart would break, and, on inquiry, I ascertained it was because Ugarng wanted to take her away and marry her to Etu. So great was her dislike to the young man, that nothing but force would make her his wife. Ebierbing, seeing the wretchedness of her mind on the subject, went, in company with Koodloo, to Etu, and told him that the girl was yet too young to marry, and that, moreover, slie did not like him. This explanation had some effect, and Ookoodlear was allowed to remain behind, on Ebierbing declaring that he and his wife would be her protectors. I heard a most extraordinary account of this Etu. It seems that, in consequence of something that happened to his mother before he was born, the poor infant came into the world marked over with snow-white spots and black spots, just like a kouoo-liky a large, spotted kind of seal. The father, looking upon this spotted child as a monster — a living curse in his family — determined to get rid of him, and accordingly conveyed the boy to Ki-ki-tuk-Ju-a, i.e. Long Island, called by me Brevoort Island,* the southern point of which is Cape Murcliison.t This island was quite destitute of means of subsistence, and, to appearance, the poor boy was left to perish of starvation. Strange to say, however, Etu lived on. He succeeded in catching partridges with his hands, an act never before or since known to have been done by Innuits. Thus the summer passed on, and winter approached. Still he lived, subsisting upon whatsoever he could find in the shape of food, a wild hermit-boy, on a solitary, almost * So named after J. Carson Brevoort, of Brooklyn, New York. This is a very long and prominent island south of the cape, on the west side of the entrance to Northumberland Inlet ; its southern cape— Cape Murchison — is nearly on a parallel with the north entrance to Cornelius Grinuell Bay. t Named after Sir Roderick I. Murchison, of London, England. La]>e Murchison, the south extreme of Brevoort Island, is in lat. 63° 13' N. long. 63" 65' W. P f w •-*««i«-w*.»^,^,^^^ 298 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. unapproachable island, far from his fellow-beings. Eelease came to him in the following manner : — One day a party of Innuits visited the island, and, to their astonishment, saw this young child standing upon a rock looking at them. He was like a statue, and they, knowing the place to be uninhabited, could hardly tell what to think of it. At length they went towards him, and he, seeing them kindly disposed, at once rushed into their arms, and was thus saved from the cruel death intended for him by his inhuman father. Since then he had grown to manhood, being, when I saw him, about twenty-five years old. He had had three wives, none of which remained to him. The first was accidentally drowned ; the second was taken away by her mother ; and the third — ^her fate I never learned. His intended fourth, Ookoodlear, who was only about thirteen years old, escaped in the way I have mentioned. Etu's fortune was a hard one. Few liked him. He seemed to be tabooed from his youth, and as if always destined to be an outcast, because Nature had put marks upon his body, making him to diifer from others of his kind. Whether it was the knowledge of this isolation that made him a lazy and indifferent hunter, I cannot say ; but certain it is, such was the character he had, and it redounds to the credit of Ugarng that he gave the poor feUow the hand of friendship in the way he did. ■•mmm. se came to their looking place to t length )Osed, at ;he cruel saw him, none of rowned ; ird — ^her who was I have e seemed to he an ^, making ; was the ndifferent aracter he gave the i[';.v CHAPTEK XX. The " George Jlenry" free from her icy Prison — Dog "Smile" capturing a Seal — Fresh Fish caught — A Walrus-attack an the boat— Islands in Frobisher Bay — Innuit Diseases — Consumption — Return trip through Luptwi Channel — A II the ice disappeared — Great Heat — Travelling over broken Ice — Dangerous Leaps — The "Rescue's" Ghost — Superstition of Sailors — Ice-floes pressing on the Ship — Mate Rogers — Incidents of his Trip up the Bay — Author's Plans for exploring — Leaves the Ship — Takes up his abode with the natives — The " George Henry" departs — Author's Visit to the "Rescue's " Hull — Arctic Robins — Unexpected Return of the Ship — Opening for Missionary Enterprise — Pemmican, best Mode of preparing it — Nice distinction as to what is Work — The Fashions — Suzhi the heaviest Innuit. On Wednesday morning, the 17th of July, 1861, we were delighted to find that our ship had hroken from her eight months' imprisonment during the past night, and now swung to her chains in the tidal waters of Eescue Harbour. But it was only in a pool she was free. Ice still intervened between our anchor- age and the main bay, and we could do nothing but wait yet longer with whatever patience we coidd command. I myself was getting quite impatient. Time was passing on, and no chance yet offered for my going away on one or other of my in- tended explorations. What could I do ? I was, at times, as if crazy ; and only a walk on some island, where I could examine and survey, or a visit to my Innuit friends, helped to soothe me. But the reader will feel little interest in aU this ; I will therefore pass on to some other incidents of my voyage. Ebierbing had been out one day with dogs and sledge where the ice was stUl firm, when suddenly a seal was noticed ahead. In an instant the dogs were off toward the prey, drawing the sledge after them at a marvellous rate. The seal for a moment acted as if frightened, and kept on the ice a second or two too long, for just as he plunged, " Smile" the noblest-looking, best leader, seal, and bear dog I ever saw, caught him by the tail and flippers. The seal struggled violently, and so did dog Smiley making the sledge to caper about merrily -, but in a moment more the other dogs laid hold, and aided in dragging the seal out of U- J ;ti ^:ii:| i<: .J I fff ■■^'''^*«**A|i«.**«^ '^^■«4a«. .»►.»■: «*ijft«^..^^.^^^.,^^_^^^. 300 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ■ i !ii 'IjIM 1 i i '' ^ ■1 .j Mi 11 Lis hole on to the ice, when Smile took it wholly in charge. The prize was secured this time wholly by the dogs. On the 18th we had an excellent supper oS fresh fish, caught by the Innuits with spears and hooks among the ice cracks ; and almost daily something fresh was added to our food. At this time most of the ship's crew were again at the whaling depot, cruising in every direction for whales. Indeed, Mate Rogers and some of the men had been left there to keep a look- out when the captain came away, to see about getting the vessel round, and frequent communication had, as usual, been main- tained. DOG "smile" CAf tubes A SEAL. On the 23d it was necessary to send a supply of sundries to the company there, and a boat's crew were despatched, I accom- panying them. As the ice still hung together bet*, jen the ship and open water in the bay, the boat was lashed upon a sledge drawn by dogs, my favourite Barbekark being one, and away we started, arriving at the sea-edge of the ice in about two hours' time. There we launched the boat, and were soon bounding along upon the sparkling waves toward Lupton Channel. Many seals were seen bobbing their heads above water ; and, as we entered among the islands within the channel, ducks were to be seen in every direction, some Hying, some in the water, and some on the islands. They were in such numbers that, when above us, they almost II ! 1 VISIT TO THE WHALING DEPOT. 301 te. The caught ks ; and whaling d, Mate ■) a look- le vessel jn main- mdries to I accom- and open I drawn by re started, Durs' time, klong upon seals were tred among in every hie islands. iiey almost darkened the air. Nearly all were king ducks (males), their mates being engaged in domestic affairs at home — sitting — while the " lords of the house " were gathering food for them. In passing through the channel and Bear Sound the tide was favourable, and swept us along witiv great rapidity. Occasionally we were in a mill-race of waters, and it required much care to navigate the boat. At a quarter past 4 p.m. we reached the .whaling dep6t, distant about thirty miles, having been eleven hours coming from the ship. We found the officers and men all well and in good condition. They had lived on ducks, duck-eggs, seal, walrus, and venison, which they had in abundance, but they were much disheartened at their poor success in whaling. Not a whale had been caught since the past fall. Walrus in any numbers could be obtained, and many had been secured for their skins and tusks ; but the main object of the voyage had as yet been a failure. With reference to the walrus, Mr. Eogers told me that one day, when out cruising for whales, he went, with two boats and crews, half way across Frobisher Bay, and then came to an iceberg one hundred feet above the sea, and, mounting it, with a spy-glass, took a look all around. Whales there were none : but walrus — " Why," to use his figurative but expressive wor Is, " there were millions out on the pieces of ice, drifting with the tide — walrus in every direction — millions on millions." On their way back, Mr. Lamb, in charge of the second boat, had a fight with some wabus in the following manner. Ap- proaching a piece of ice on which some of these creatures were basking, he attacked one of them, whereupon all the rest imme- diately rushed toward the boat, and vigorously set upon him and his crew. For a time it seemed necessary to fly for safety ; but all hands resisted the attack, and would have got off very well, but that one of the walrus herd pierced the boat's side with his tusks, and made the invaders retreat to repair damages. Mr. Lamb had to drag his boat upon an ice-floe near by, and stuff in oakum to stop a serious leak thus caused. Finally he succeeded, though with some difficulty, in getting back, and thus ended his encounter with a shoal of walrus. With reference to Frobisher Bay, I may here mention that, in taking a look with my glass from " Flag-staff Hill," adjoining this whaling depot, and sweeping around from the south-east extreme of Meta Incognita toward the land I recently visited (the dreaded land), I was astonished to see, just on the horizon. ' U!i "**>«>.'**«*•, '-*'*-'iti A >WliBjijh ■J'^* i»W^ 4i.kil> 302 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. s ;l: what appeared to be islands stretching nearly across. One of the Innuits (Sharkey) told me that he had been to those islands, and that his people sometimes made a passage across the entrance of the bay by startirtg on the Kingaite side, and then striking from one island to the other, by way of Too-jar-choo-ar (Reso- lution Island), until able to make the distance (avoiding the dreaded district) to the place where we then were — Cape True. Years ago reindeer were very numerous on those islands, but at last the moss failed and they all died. Their horns and bones are to be found scattered all over the place. Polar bears are plentiful there. I was sorry to find several of my Innuit friends at this place very sick from the complaint that was introduced to their race when first brought into contact with civilization, viz. consump- tion. Sharkey's wife was rapidly declining. Her bleeding at the lungs had left her white as the driven snow, and poor as fleshless bones could be. The following incident will serve to show how fond some of the Innuits are of sweets, as well as of fat or blubber. Mr. Rogers was carrying along over the rocks a jug of " las- as-ses," as the Innuits pronounce molasses. All at once the bottom of the jug dropped out, and the contents splashed down, his hand flying up as if an electric stock from a strongly-charged battery had been given him. Quick as it was noised about, the spot sweetened over with the "lasasses" was not unlike a sugar hogshead near a bee-hive on a warm sunny day. The Innuits, men, women, and children, crowded round it to lick up the sweet mixture ! After arranging all matters that the Captain had asked my attention to, and enjoying a good rest in one of the officers' tents, we started on our way back to the ship, taking with us several saddles of venison, half a dozen brace of ducks, and other good things for those on board. When about half way through Bear Sound, the commotion and roar of the waters was such as no person whg has not witnessed the like could form an adequate idea of. Small ice- bergs were swept along, roundabout, this way and that way, at a speed of full eight knots an hour. On one side piles of ice were carried swiftly to the south, and on the other side ice was sweeping in the contrary direction. The turmoil and confusion seemed almost demoniac. At length the surging ceased for awhile, and then it began again, everything to appearance being in readiness for a race up toward Lupton Channel. And ne of the I islands, entrance striking %r (Reso- ding the ipe True. Is, but at md bones bears are this place their race consump- leeding at id poor as i some of g of " las- ; once the hed down, ;ly-charged about, the ce a sugar le Innuits, ck up the asked my cers' tents, us several other good jommotion has not Small ice- t way, at a of ice were 3 ice was confusion 1 ceased for ippearance Inel. And FRENCH HEAD. 303 so it continued, obliging us to ply the long steering-oar briskly to keep the boat in its course, as we were borne along with the rapid tide. When we got out of the Channel a fresh breeze helped us onward until we came near " French Head," when it failed. Here all the ice had disappeared and gone down the bay, thus, at last, car ?ying to the great sea the mortal remains of poor John FRENCH HEAD. Brown, there soon depositing them to rest quietly beneath the waters that link together people of all nations of the earth. He now lies buiied in the world's great grave-yard. Nrture, how- ever, marks the spot where he must have fought valiantly the last battle of life. The bluff stands out boldly to view whenever any one may be navigating in or near Field Bay. " French Mead " is a monument as enduring as the everlasting mountains. 'fiv fill h. fnr ■-^iB'J*****., ■*^i>^»u-»mst)aht^f »'«»«h«ddft«»£«| 304 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ! iiliil! 11 At 4 P.M. we reached the ice-floe, and there re-lashed the boat upon a sledge sent forward ready for our arrival. The ice was very much worse than it had been the previous morning, and we fell through it in many places. Finally we reached the ship at 8 P.M. greatly fatigued with the laborious exertions we had made. At this time the iieat was almost overpowering. On the 25th " July, at 2 P.M. the mercury stood at 95° in the sun, and no work could be done except when we were clad in the lightest garments. "What a contrast to the period only a few weeks past, when my reindeer furs were needed. The day after my return to the ship I visited the tuples on shore, and took sundry articles of my apparel for Tookoolito and the other women to put in order for me, as they generally did. On the way I had far more difficulty than I anticipated. Two of the sailors had brought me in a boat as far as the broken ice would permit, and then I proceeded toward the shore by movir g from one piece of ice to another. But it soon became evident that there was much dangerous work ahead. The ice around the shores and about the harbour and bay was now disappeariiig like dew before the morning sun. I was indeed surprised to find the changes that had taken place within one day. Several wide chasms between boulders of shore-ice had to be crossed, and my leaps were often made with more or less danger of getting a downfall into the briny deep. Now and then I was obliged to throw my pack in advance, and then go back for a good run, so as to make my flying leap sure to carry me over the yawning gulf. For a full hour did I work thus to accomplish a distance of perhaps twenty rods. Now I would be upon a small piece of ice, pushing along as though it were a boat. Soon as I reached another piece I would have to run on to it ; thence to another, leaping cracks and channels that would certainly have made my hair stand on end at an earlier period of my life. At length I reached the last piece between myself and the shore. It was divided from the beach by a breach of some considerable distance ; but there was no alternative ; k?.p it I must. Therefore I first threw my pack ashore, wliich went into a pool of water on the rocks, and then, with a good run, made a great spring, which fortunately just carried me on to terra jirma. Many of these occurrences are common enough in the life of " an arctic voyager ; but I mention this one as a passing incident, and to show what was the state of the ice around our ship at the time we were all so desirous of moving her. THE GHOST. 305 e boat ce was g, and le ship VQ had le 25th and no lightest ks past, ipics on lito and lly did. l. Two oken ice movit g evident > around ppeariiig Drised to Several crossed, anger of en I was ack for a over the complish 3 upon a a boat. [>n to it; at would period of yself and 1 of some le?.p it I went into n, made a rra firma. ihe life of incident, IT ship at In the evening I got on board again without much difficulty, as a boat came for me to firm ice, which I had gained. The following morning, July 27th, all the ice about the vessel had nearly gone, though there was still some heavy pieces inter- vening between us and the outer bay. But what especially causes me to rem r» nber this day was the sudden disappearance of the wrecked Hiscue. On looking toward Cooper's Island, where her hull had remained for so many months, we were surprised to find it gone. The waters had floated it away, and, for a moment, we fancied nothing more of the famous schooner 4:, THE GHOST OF THE " RESCUE." would again be seen, unless away toward or on the great sea. But shortly afterward, on visiting Whale Island, close by, we saw that the Rescue had drifted off with the tide, and had got into the narrow channel of open water that then surrounded the island. The Rescue was doomed to wander about " like a ghost " — as some of the men said — for days. By the alternate ebb and flow of I J n,- If 306 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. I rtii the tide, she was carried seaward, to be brought back to her old place, then to be carried out again. Then back again she came, dancing from place to place, like the ever-changing ice-sconces surrounding her. She made the circuit of another island south- east of Cooper's, and again came near to us ; and so in and out, dancing here and moving there, the poor Rescue played about us, until at length her very presence seemed to cause a superstitious dread. This was especially so when another day, and yet an- other, passed on, and still our vessel could not be moved away. As an illustration of this superstitious feeling among the seamen, it may be mentioned that the want of success attending the George Henry in whaling was attributed to the circumstance of bringing the Rescue with them as a tender. Some said she had never been anything but a drawback since first built, and that she had nearly caused the loss of numbers of lives ; now she seemed to hang about them as an omen of ill luck — as a ghost I At 8 P.M. of the 27th of July the breeze freshened up strongly from W. and W.N.W. Soon the ice yet in the vicinity of the vessel began to move, and in heavy patches came toward the ship. All the crew had retired to rest, except the captain and myself, but the men were quickly called up to ward oflf the threatened danger. On came the ice, directly toward the ship. A portion struck the cable, and strained it till the metal tinkled like steel. Fortunately, a projecting point of Cooper's Island partly arrested the entire floe of ice, and thus broke the shock ; ye^ the strain upon the ship's cable was intense. Men were ordered to get over the bow on to the floe with chisels and other implements, to cut away that portiolf pressing upon the chains, which was done after some hard work. But we fully believed the ship was dragging her anchor, and at this precise moment, lo ! the immortal Rescue was seen, like the ghost in Hamlet, emerging from the mist^ and moving on from near Cooper's Island straight to the very spot where she had been at anchor when overtaken by the hurricane which had wrecked her. The instant she was discovered, an exclamation burst from the crew that the very acme of bad-luck seemed to have reached them ! They never could do anything until that curse was out of sight ! Indeed, some of the expressions used about her were much stronger, and certainly, to others less interested in the Rescue than myself, her appearance so often, and apparently in such mystic form, was enough to cause annoyance, if not actual superstitious dread. All through that night great vigilance was needed in guarding nipa*ounds of fresh beef, on being dried, is reduced to a pound.'* At 2*30 P.M. I went up to make my call on Captain B. in his new harbour, two and a half miles off, taking with me Koodloo and other Innuits as my boat's crew. We soon arrived, and after the first greeting between us, I mentioned my desire to take Koojesse with me instead of Ebierbing, who was too sick to go on my Frobisher Bay trip. The arrangement was made, so far as concerned the Captain (he having pre-engaged Koojesse's ser- vices), and, after a short stay on board, I departed. There was some difficulty in getting back to my Innuit home,. # H^ Pii iJ'« ^ W -: -l! 11 'f- ] r III ii. Hi HI' i 314 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ^'^'i\\ owing to both wind and tide being against me, and, when the island was reached, my boat could not be hauled up on account of low water. I was therefore obliged to keep on the watch nearly all night, to guard against the danger of losing her. The night was a stormy one ; the rain, at times, descending in torrents, and the wind blowing furiously. Every now and then I enveloped myself in an oil-suit, and went down to watch the condition of the boat. The tide would soon be up so far as to enable us to draw her on the beach ; so, thinking that all was right, I laid myself down to rest. About 2 A.M. of the 3d, however, I was aroused by invalid Ebierbing, who said that, from the noise, the sea was beating on shore. Immediately I went down to the boat, and, finding it in a precarious condition, called up all the natives, and with their aid at once had. her dragged above reach of the sea. This done, I agi in retired to my covich, and slept soundly till the musical voice of Angeko Jennie once more aroused me. Look- ing round, I saw she was renewing her professional practice over her patient. Tookoolito and Suzhi were seriously, I may say solemnly engaged in the exercises, enthusiastically making their responses to Jennie's ejaculations. The effect upon the suffering patient, Ebierbing, was, as before, quite beneficial. On Sunday, the 4th of August, while in the tupic, I learned something that surprised me. On the previous day myself and some Innuits had gone ducking and sealing without any success. Now I was told that our ill luck was on account of our working during Ebierbing's sickness, as all of the natives, including intelligent Tookoolito, sincerely believe. They consider that it is wrong to work when one of their number is sick, and especially to work on skins that are intended to keep out water ; for instance, it is wrong to work making kum-ings (outside or water-proof boots) and covering for boats. The way I happened to find this out was as follows : I had arranged for Koodloo to make a sealskin covering for Ebierbing's kia, and to put it on. This morning, as nothing else could be done on account of the bad weather, I asked Tookoolito if Koodloo could not proceed with it. To my astonishment, she replied that " Innuits could not do such work at the present time." Her answer seemed to me so strange that I made farther inquiries of her, when she told me that " if they worked on the skins for the kia, Ebierbing would never get well ; he would die. The ^Ji'rst Innuits ' adhered to this custom, and they must too. All thoii- people believe this, and could not help it. Many mr. LAST SIGHT OF THE "RESCUE. 315 n the iCOUllt watcli ing in i then ch the ' as to ill was invalid iing on iing it d with This till the Look- Lce over lay say ig their uffering learned ielf and success, working icluding that it ck, and water; tside or : I had ierhing's jould be oolito if lent, she present e farther id on the le would ley must i. Many I was also told that during Ebierbing's sickness the Innuits had died because of the working c i skins for kias and kum-ings while one of their number about them was sick at the time." She added, " The reason why Koodloo could not shoot anything yesterday, though close by some ducks, was because wrong was done in working while Ebierbing lay sick." " But," said 1 to Tookoolito, as I was engaged chafing Ebier- bing's 5iuc and back, and applying liniment, " what are you doing now but working." iSh'3 replied, holding up her hands full of needles that were flying svriftly in knitting, " This is not work." Her answer nearly made me laugh aloud ; but I repressed the feeling, and quietly accepted her definition of what was or was not work, angeko must do no work on any account. We were now living on pemmican and coflfee. I dealt out enough bread for Ebierbing, as he was sick, but there was no supply for any of us yet. Sunday night was a stormy one, with the wind from the northeast blowing almost a gale. Everything was in a wet state, outside and in, except bedding and clothing. A flood of water occupied half of the tupic. It would astonish most people at home to see how comfort- ably I lived with the Innuits, like one of themselves. Wliile I jotted down notes, or more fully wrote out notes previously made, Suzhi chanted some Innuit tune, and Ebierbing and Tookoolito enjoyed what among civilized white folks would be a " tea-table chat." We lived also, at times, on pemmican and kelp, a sea-weed gathered by the Innuits when the tide is out. These people are not exclitsiveli/ .flesh-eaters, for in the summer- time they occasionally gather and eai a few berries and leaves of stunted wild plants that grow sparsely in these regions. Both summer and winter they collect kelp, and eat it, but only as a sort of luxury, except in cases of great scarcity of food, and then they fall back upon this resource. I have acquired a taste for this sea-weed, and eat it as they do, raw or boiled, in which latter state it is more tender. The stormy weather continued some days, and no work could be done. On Tuesday, August 6th, the wind blew a gale, with rain. On Wednesday we had a little better weather, and I went ov^er to the ship again to see the Captain. I hoped to set out on my trip up Frobisher Bay within a day or two. On Wednesday evening, during ebb tide, the " ghost " of the Rescue drifted out of the harbour into the bay, and went seaward. I thought this was probably the last we should see of her. On I 316 LIFF. WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the same evening I communicated to Ebierbing and Tookoolito my intended immediate departure, and informed them that I had made arrangements with the captain for their removal nearer the ship, so that Ebierbing might receive some better attention. They were sorrowful at my leaving, but hoped to see me again before many weeks. I then requested Ebierbing to assist me in persuading Koodloo and his nuliana " Jennie " to accompany me, which would just complete my now proposed crew. I soon found that both Ebierbing and Tookoolito were very loth to have the angeko (Jennie) leave while Ebierbing was sick. I therefore gave her up, accepting Koodloo's offer to go without her. On Thursday mornmg. the 8th of August, I found that Ebierbing had slept better than for several nights past. At 9 A.M., while Koodloo was on the top of our island (Wliale Island), he cried down to Tookoolito, who was making our morning coffee, under the lee of some rocks, that a boat was coming from the ship. I ran up, and was delighted to find it so, for I knew by this that the proposals I had made to the Innuits Koojesse and Charley, whom, with their wives, I wanted for my crew, had been accepted ; and yet I was pained, as I thought of the necessity of leaving behind my faithful friends Ebierbing and Tookoolito. I hastened back, took my cup of coffee and dish of lump pemmican, and breakfasted. Well, the boat arrived, and brought me a note from the captain. I told Ebierbing that we could now remove him and his effects ; that Captain B. had kindly responded to my request, and sent down for him, and that so good an opportunity ought not to be iost. He was willing to do as I advised ; but Koodloo was slow to move. Meanwhile almost a gale had sprung up in the east, rendering it inexpedient to venture to take Ebierbing to the ship in his weak state. As it was necessary to visit the ship prior to my final departure on the proposed voyage, I left Ebierbing and Tookoolito with the assurance that I would call again the next day, and that they would be removed as soon as Ebierbing could bear it and the weather should permit. We arrived on board just at noon. Shortly after, Koojesse and Charley came aboard from the Innuit village near the ship, when I soon found that they were fearful I wished to prolong my stay at the head of Frobisher Bay until the cold weather, and, if so, they were not disposed to go. I therefore explained to them that I should probably return in about a month, or, at furthest, in less than two months. They were then quite satisfied, and agreed to SUZHI, THB HEAVIEST INNUIT. 317 koolito that I [ nearer tention. e again ioodloo aid just it Taotli angeko jave her md that ast. At (Wliale king our boat was io find it [e to the wives, I IS pained, f faithful took my sted. from the him and ly request, ought not )odloo was n the east, ,0 the ship ip prior to srbing and I the next bing could on board ,me aboard ■ound that le head of y were not b I should a less than agreed to accompauy me. My journal of this day, August 8th, 1861, concludes thus : — " As I meet Koojesse and Koopemeung (Charley), I find them in capital spirits. At tea their wives Tu-nuk-der-iien and Ak- chuk-. r-zhun are aboard, and appear in good new dresses, and hair dressed in 'States' fashion.' Converse with them of the voyage we are about to make to * wes-see-poke ' (far-off land). I am highly elated, my crew so far excellent. The captain advised me to take Ebierbing's aunt, Koo-ou-le-arng (Suzhi), making, with Koodloo, a crew of six — five at the oars and one boat- steerer, leaving me free to be constantly on the look-out. The only objection to Suzhi is that she is very heavy, weighing not less than 200 pounds — the very heaviest Innuit of the coimtry. " All arrangements are now made to start from the vessel early to-morrow morning. Breakfast is ordered to be in readi- ness at 5 A.M. The Innuits are to strike their tupics, and have the'ix m the boat, and be alongsiHe at that hour. The weather is E ow good, and to-night gives every indication of a fair day to- morrow. May it prove so. I have taken out of the ship's * run ' a can (ninety pounds) of pemmican, and one cask of * Borden's ' meat-biscuit (about one hundred pounds), brought with me from home. These I shall carry along in the boat, being the most condensed form of valuable provisions. Not that I expect these will be the only provisions I shall have, for there is reason to suppose we shall acquire much in going up Frobisher Bay in the way of ducks, seals, and reindeer, the latter when we arrive at the head of Frobisher Bay. " At a late hour I turn in, to rise early, that we may be off to reap the benefit of a fair tide not only in going down to, but proceeding tlirough, Lupton Channel. An ebb tide will favour us much in getting to the channel, and the flood in getting through it." *« ^ .1 H flf I „ CHAPTER XXI. Departure on Boat-voyngc to explore Frohisher Ban — ■'l'^ Innnit Crew — AtUhor the only White Man — Innuit Mode of drowning Ducks— Joyousnesa of the Crete — A Bear-hunt in the Water— Author's narrotv Escape — Land on Oopungnewing — Visit Niountelik — Explore tJie Island — Important Discovery — " Sea-coal/ " — Proof of Frobisher's Expedition having visited here — Joy of the Autlwr — Corroborative Testimony of Innuits from. Tradition — Return to Oopungneunng — Great Feast on the Bear — Innuit Customs — Bear's Bladder and Charms — Polar Bear's Liver poisonous. "Friday, August 9th, 1861. — I was up in good season, and got everything in readiness ; then started off in a boat a company of young Innuits — * trundle-bed Innuits,' as the captain called them — ^who slept aboard the George Henri/ last night, to call up Koojesse, and Kooperneung, and their nulianas (wives). " Breakfast was ready at the appointed moment, and the Innuits of my company ready for it. This despatched, my bag and baggage were placed snugly in the boat, along with the already well-packed assortment such as Innuits have. As usual in starting off, I compared chronometers "All in readiness and aboard, we start, purposing to stop at Whale Island for Koodloo, Koo-ou-le-arng (Suzhi), and my things, as well as to bid my Innuit chilcfi-en, Ebierbing and Tookoolito, good-bye. All hands were on deck to witness our departure. As the boat was pushed out into fair water for a * white-ash breeze,' standing with steering oar in my hand, I asked Captain B. if — ' in the name of God and the Continental Congress ' — I should take possession of the country I was about to visit and explore, planting the American flag upon it. " He answering affirmatively, I then bade him and all adieu, expressing the ii* > !iat when I returned I should find every cask of the George . /iry overflowing with oil, and all her decks filled high with bone "We started from the vessel at 6*14 a.m. and arrived at Whale Island at 7. I found the Innuits, my friends Ebierbing and Tookoolito, expecting me. They seem to regret they « i ' i! »f 'tim |n ii . > .i'i i | i inli ii tit Crew— ■Joijousness ape — Land - Important viwj visited nuits from ar—Innuit \(nsoiuMS. 3ason, and a company tain called to call up t, and the d, my T3ag with the As usual to stop at ), and my erhing and witness our w^ater for a my hand, I Continental I was ahout it. all adieu, . find every ill her decks arrived at Is Ebierhing I regret they EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 319 cannot accompany me on this trip. I was glad to find Ebier- bing improving. Having spent a few moments with them, I told them that, to make out my crew, I must have Koo-ou-le- arng, Ebierbing's aunt, if they could spare her. In ten minutes she was ready for the journey of two months. I called on Kood- loo, who made all haste in preparing to accompany me. Jennie, Koodloo's wife, as I have said, could not be spared, as Ebierbing and Tookoolito thought her indispensable in her profession as an angeko for the former while he is sick. "As we (Koodloo and I) had not succeeded in getting any- thing of consequence in the way of fresh provisions for Ebierbing and Tookoolito during my stay upon Whale Island, I left them the remainder of the can of pemmican on hand, also a small portion of the bread, coffee, and tea of the allotment to me for my Fiobisher Bay trip. Captain B. is to send a boat from the George Henry for these Innuits, also for Koodloo's wife and children, to remove them to the place where the other Innuits are, near the present position of the vessel." It was 8 A.M. when we left Whale Island, Eescue Harbour, under sail. My company consisted of Kocjesse and his wife Tu-nuk-der-lien (" Belle "), Koo-per-ne-ung (" Charley "), and his wife Ak-chuk-er-zhun ("Susy"), Koodloo, and the widow Koo-ou-le-arng (" Suzhi"). They were all in excellent spirits as well as myself. In about forty minutes a boat came alongside manned with Innuits, who were on their way across the bay for a tuktoo hunt. From the ship to Whale Island, and also from Whale Island out into the bay, we encountered much ice that the wind and tide had driven in from Davis's Straits. Between Parker's Bay and French Head we made an island which I found to be entirely of rock, without a particle of vegetation or of soil. An impene- trable fog had surrounded us nearly all the afternoon, and the boat compass was in constant use until toward evening, when the fog began to lift. Charley shot a seal at a long distance with my rifle. We now had a raw seal feast. As we approached Lupton Channel — which it was doubtful if we could get through, on account of the quantity of ice — ^we passed a berg, which Tunukderlien ascended. At 6*44 p.m. we reached the entrance of Lupton Channel, and found a strong tide running into Field Bay, whirling, foaming, roaring, and boiling like a caldron. As we laboured on, at our right were the iron clifis of Bache's *l; I I; ! ^ 4 : I : if m. ill i!' iii ■'■^Mt..AM,f.^'^, ri 11; iH' II "I ■J m I! ri 6l PASSING THKOUCai LUPTON CHANNKU NOVEL DUCK-IIUNT. 321 Peninsula,* and conspicuous amonp; them was a hold rock ter- minating like a chimney-top. On the left lay Lok's Land, the " much-dreaded land " of the Innuits ; and looking? forward down the channel, we saw the bold front of Ellis Island. By dint of hard pulling we at last got through the channel, but I had to give up all idea of reaching Capo True that night, as had been my intention and hope. We therefore stopped at 8 a.m. in a small cove on the southeast side of Bache's Peninsula, and opposite to Ellis Island, and there made our first encampment.t Bucks were abundant, and the Innuits phot several. We found w^ood plentiful, from the wreck of the Traveller. We were closely packed this first night out, in our large tupic, after a glorious supper of seal, ducks, and coffee. Here we found relics of former Innuit encampments, circles of stones, bones of seal, walrus, &c. We saw a white whale making its way up the channel. Next morning, Saturday, August 10th, 1861, at 8 a.m. we proceeded on the voyage. In passing down through Bear Sound, soon after leaving, T witnessed a novel proceeding on the part of my companions. It consisted in drowning some of the ducks that played about us in large numbers. This cruel method of obtaining game was used to save shot and powder, and the manner of accomplishing it is as follows : — A flock of ducks was seen swimming some distance ahead of us. As we approached, most of them flapped their wings and flew away, but the rest dived below the surface of the water. One of them was selected for the subject of Innuit amusement, thus : whenever it popped its head out of water, the natives made a great noise, accompanied with every conceivable motion, throwing about their hands and arms to frighten the bird down again. On its reappearance, wherever it showed itself, the boat was steered by Koojesse toward it. Then the same noise and frantic gestures were repeated, and continued without intermis- sion, so as to allow not one moment's breathing-time to the terrified duck. Koodloo stood on the bow of the boat, pointing out the course taken by^ the duck, which could be easily traced in the clear waters below, and on the instant of the sign being given, Koojesse most expertly turned the boat in the direction indicated. In seven minutes the duck gave up the chase. It * I have named this peninsula after A. D. Bache, Superintendent of the United States Coast Survey. It is bounded by Field Bay, Luptou Channel, Bear Sound, and Chapell Inlet. • t First encampment in lat. 62° 33' N. long. 64* 43' "W. * A, I J' s V : m i-A^..v ^,.. 22 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. caiuo to the surface utterly exhausted, and was easily captured by Koodloo, wlio luiuled it iu witli his hand. The joyous feelings displayed T)y tlie Innuita over this capture, ■which ■vvas to them a source of amusement, was hardly less than if they had killed a Ninoo. The rocks and hills bordering on Lear Sound resounded "vvith their joyous shouts and Ixjistorous laughter. Echo sent hack their merry voices, until I myself, though vexed at any delays that might retard us, could not helj) joining in the hilarity of the scone. This Avay of securing ducks was continued for some time, and ended with what Avas to me an affecting trait of nature, always touching to the heart. One of the ducks caught was a mother, with its young still unfledged. The parent was dying, and the fledgling, at each gasp of its mother, would place its beak in contact with that of its parent, as if soliciting food, and then crouch beneath the old duck's wings to nestle there. Again and again was this done, as if trying all its power to attract the watchful attention of its mother ; but it was soon left alone, and Tunukderlien then took care of it. So much time had been consumed in drowning ducks and in sealing that the tide was now against us, forcing us to hold over a while ; therefore we landed on Lett'erts Island,* which is in the midst of Bear Sound. Here I took a walk back upon the island while the Innuits were feasting on ducks and seal. At meridian I took observations for latitude, and soon after we again started, making our way down on the west side of the sound. The ducks we now saw were innumerable ; the water and air were black with them. On arriving at Cape True, the old whaling depot, we rested awhile, and I examined the now deserted place. Of course no white man's tent or Innuit tuples were to be seen, but several fragments denoted what had existed there. Trobisher Bay had no ice upon its waters except a few bergs, and not a ripple disturbed its glassy surface. This compelled us to use the oars for some time after leaving this place, and what with the many stoppages made for game by my Innuit com- panions, and a fog that afterward settled upon us, it was a tedious passage to our second encampment, which was at Cape Cracroft,t * So named by me after Marshal Leflerts, of New York City. This island is the largest in Bear Sound. fThis cape, at the soixth-east side of the entrance to the Countess of Warwick's Sound (of Frobisher), I name after Miss Cracroft, niece of Lady Franklin. It is in lat. 62° 41' 30" N. long. 65" 07' W. )turod by ^ capture, less tluvn (luring on |)(>isterous I myrtolf, il not lielp time, and iro, always I a mother, ,g, and the its heak in , and then Again and attract the t alone, and ucks and in to hold over ^Yhich is in k upon the d send. At bcr we again the sound. tor and air we rested course no hut several a few hergs, compelled us je, and what Innuit com- ^vas a tedious ,pe Cracroft,t rk City. This he Countess of t, niece of Lady POLAR-BEAR HUNT. 323 a point of land connected hy a narrow neck with Blunt'd Peninsula,* instead of at Niountelik, as we had expected. We passed tluj night as the j)revious one, and the next morn- ing again proceeded direct for Oopungnewing Inland. Tlie same kind of tantalizing but exciting chase after ducks delayed ua considerjxbly, until when about two miles from Oopungnewing. Koojesse was steering, when, suddenly taking up my spy-glass, and directing it to some islets near Oopungnowing, he cried out, "Ninoo ! Ninoo!" This was enough to make each of the boat's crow spring into new life, for of all game that they delight in Ni?ioo is the chief. They started ahead with fresh vigour, the women pulling hard, but as noiselessly oa they could, and the men loading tlieir guns ready for the attack. I i olieved Koo- jesse at the steering-oar. When we first saw Ninoo we were about two miles distant from him, and I could perceive this " lion of the North " lying down, apparently asleep ; but when within h;„lf a mile Is^inoo saw us, raised himself upon his haunclies, Ic ked ar* ;nd, then fixedly at us, and off he started. Immediately the ^;. n began to make some most hideous noises, which arrested -Niiioo in his course, and caused him to turn round. 7" ip was what we wanted, to gain time in the chase which ha I now begun, liut Ninoo was not so easily entrapped. His stay was only for a moment. Off he went again, flying over the island, and quickly disappearing. Then, with a strong pull, and a firm, steady one, the boat was sent swiftly along. Presently a point of the islet where w^e had seen !Ninoo was rounded, and again avc beheld him far ahead of us, swimming direct for Oopungnewing. This encouraged the Innuits. Tliey renewed their shouts without intermission. Every now and then the object of our pursuit would wheel his huge form around, and take a look at his pursuers ; and now the chase became very exciting. We were gaining on him. Ninoo saw tlii* a'.d therefore tried to baffle us. He suddenly changed his cour.ie, and went out directly for the middle of tlie bay,, In an instant we did the same, the old crazy boat bounding forward ;as swiftly as our oarsmen could propel it in the heavy sea thai, then prevailed. But we could not gain upon him. He seemed to know that his life was in jeoi)ardy, and on he went without any more stopping when he heard a noise. The " voice of the charmer " no longer had charms nor * The land hounded by Bayard Taylor Pass, Field Bay, Chapell Inlet, and Frolnshev Bay, I have named after Edward and George W. Blunt, of New York City. Y 2 ']) '-■-.('■■•»i(iiMiiaii^, 324 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. aught else for him. He had to make all speed away ; and this he did at about four miles per hour, striking out more and more into the open hay. Once he so changed his course that by some dexterous movement of ours we succeeded in cutting across his wake, and this gave us an opportunity to fire. We did so, but only the ball of Koojesse's gun took effect. Ninoo was struck in the head, but the poor brute at first merely shook himself and turned his course from down the bay in a contrary direction. WOUNDED NINOO TOWS HIS OWN CARCASS FOR US The shot, however, had told. In a moment or two we could see that Ninoo was getting enraged. Every now and then he would take a look at us and shake his head. This made the Innuits very cautious about lessening the distance between him and the boat. Again we fired. One or more shots took efiect. Ninoo'a white co-^^ t was crimsoned with blood about his head, and he was getting desperate. His movements were erratic, but we finally drove him in the direction of Oopungnewing, our policy being MUSQUITOES AGAIN. 325 A this I more y some •OSS liis so, hut struck self and irection. li 'It could see L he would le Innuits ^m and the Ninoo'a I and he was ■we finally policy heing to make him tow his own carcabs as near the land as would bo safe to prevent his escape, and then to end his life. This was accomplished when within about one eighth of a mile from the island. The last shot was fired, and Ninoo instantly dropped his head without making another motion. We now pulled to him. He was quite dead, and we at once took him in tow by fastening a walrus thong around his lower jaw, its huge tusks effectually serving to keep the noose from slipping off. Thus we towed our prize along, until, reaching the land, we hauled him on shore, and made our third encampment upon the southwest side of Oopungnewing Island.* During the chase I had a narrow escape from losing my life. Koojesse was seated on the locker at the boat's stern, with gun cocked and levelled at Ninoo, when, just as he was about to pull / the trigger, I, intent upon the bear, suddenly rose, right in a line with his aim. It was but a second of time that saved me. Koojesse had just time to drop his gun, as frightened as man could be at the danger in which I had unknowingly placed myself. While we were firing at the bear, Tunukderlien and another of the women, for some reason unknown to me at the time, lay down in the boat completely covered with tuktoo skins. As soon as we Itmded I went to the top of the island to make observations and look around, but the vast swarms of musquitoes attacked me with such violence that I was almost desperate. After catching a few sights for time (longitude) and a solar bearing, and taking a round of angles, I beat a hasty retreat. So tormented was I that I thought I had lost as much blood during the time I was up there as the Ninoo we killed. Musquitoes are fond of white men's blood. They can smell it a long way off, I am sure, for they came in swarms from every direction, and made me the centre-point of their bill presenta- tions. When I got back to the encampment I must have looked very hideous, for my hands and face were blotched all over. I found the Innuits had skinned Ninoo, and were feasting on its delicious meat — beef-like, bright red, and juicy. I made a ha '+.y meal, and, without further delay, prepared to gratify my now chcixshed and eager desire to penetrate the mysteries hanging over the Frobisher expeditions. I now copy from my journal : — * Oo-pung-ne-wing is near the west side of Countess of "Warwick's Sound, and is one mile and a half long, and one mile wide. It is like all the land of that country — rugged rocks and mountains. This island is in lat. 62" 46' 30" N. long. 66° 17' W. j!|i': n i ; ; *■ '•'->.A„4'.i4li!l, 326 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. M ''Sunday, August \\th,\m\. * * » ♦ * * * * I soon made up a company to go with me to Niountelik. It consisted of the women of the crew, Koo-ou-le-arng, Tu-nuk-der-lien, and Ak-chuk-er-zhiin. Of course I was boat-steerer. It was near 6 p.m. Eescue Harbour time, before we got under way. As we rounded the northwest point of Oopungnewing Island, a fresh breeze from the northeast met us. Before making half a mile it increased to almost a moderate gale, making progress difficult for us. By turning the boat off the course I desired to pursue we were able to make better head- way, being under the lee of the island Niountelik. Before getting across the channel between Oopungnewing and Nioun- telik, I began to think, as my crew was so small, I should be obliged to turn back. Indeed, the wind began to blow so furiously that I had thoughts that we might be blown out into the Bay of Frobisher, wliich often has all the characteristics of an open sea ; but, ^^eing shielded by the island, we coasted along the base of the bluffs on the southern side of Niountelik till we arrived at a small bight well protected from all wind. Into this T directed the boat, which greatly relieved us from the dangers through which we had just passed. This bight is partly sur- rounded with a high, steep sand-bank, most of it, however, by bluff rocks. I did not consider it safe to leave the boat without a party to care for it, as there was a heavy sea from the south, therefore I requested Tunukderlien and Akchukerzhun to re- main by or in it till I and Koo-ou-le-arng (whom I wished to accompany me as guide, as she had often visited the island in her young days) could make a search over the place and return. Climbing the steep bank, though a feat not easily accomplished, was soon performed. When up we directed our steps along a narrow, smooth, grassy, slightly inclined plain, hemmed in by rough old rocks. Thence we turned to the left, mounting the rocks leading to the highest part of the island. We kept our eyes fixed on the ground over which we made our footsteps, anxiously searching for fragments of brick, which I thought must somewhere be found on Niountelik. I had understood Koo-ou-le-arng to say that she had seen brick on this island, therefore every few minutes I said to her, ' Nou4i-ma brick ? ' (where is brick?) To make her understand ' brick,' I took up a small stone spotted over with a peculiar red moss, calling her attention to the red; and then, taking off her head ornament — * karoonff'* (a rounded, polished piece of brass in the form of a * For the way this ornament is worn, see head of Nikujar, page 130. I I' M ■ J A-,.*H SEARCH FOR RELICS. 327 to go crew, course time, point st met )derate >oat off p head- Before Nionn- )uld "be (low so )ut into istics of id along c tiU we nto this dangers rtly sur- ever, hy without le south, n to re- ished to sland in i return, iplished, along a )d in hy ting the cept out ■ootsteps, thought iderstood Ls island, . brick ? ' ook up a lling her lament — ■orm of a age 130. semicircle, fitted to and worn on the head by the Innuit women as an adornment), I made motions as if polishing it, for I knew, from information I had gained from time to time, that Innuits had procured pieces of brick on or somewhere in the neighbour- hood of the island on which we were, and used them specially for brightening their ornaments, to wit, hair-rings {toong-le-le-une), finger-rings (nuk-gner-ming), and kar-oongs. " Koo-ou-le-arng knew by my description what I desired to find, but did not seem to recollect where she had seen brick : though, from her expressions and conduct, I was satisfied she had seen mi-e-oo-koo-loo (small) pieces somewhere in the vicinity. Gaining the top of the island, we made search there for relics, but found none. I looked specially for some signs of a stone monument, which I conceived Frobisher might in his day (if he visited this island) have erected, this being the highest point of the whole island. But none whatever could I find. Thence we directed our way down on the west side to a small grassy slope, not far from the termination of the island. Here we made careful search, but without finding anything that I so ardently wished. Thence we commenced to make a circuit of the island, moving along as near the coast as the blufi* rocks would permit, keeping the main island at our right — that is, continuing north- west, then around to the north, thence northeast and east. At the northwest end of the island we found abundance of evi- dence that Innuits had made Niountelik a stopping-place. There we saw the usual circles of stones, always to be sesn where Innuits have had their tuples (summer tents). We saw seal, walrus, tuktoo (reindeer), meituk (duck), and various other bones in abundance, some moss-aged, and some nearly fresh, of not more than two or three years' exposure. Here we found also pieces of wood, som.e with the ends charred, small piects of tuktoo skins, and one relic of civilization— a piece of an old calico dress ! This did not excite me as a matter extraordinary, as I knew that the whalers now visit every year the inlet at the north, called ' Northumberland Inlet ' (the * Cumberland Straits ' of Davis), and distribute freely among the Innuits various articles of civilization, especially cast-off calico dresses that tln^y have brought from the States or from England, which are highly prized by the Innuit women. It is rare to find, at the present day, a native family that does not possess something of the kind. " We continued on around the island, finding, every few fathoms in our progress, numerous Innuit relics. At length we I M ^•tafcate. -^'^^!^<^'>i^iiMsimimmm^, I' Hill 328 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. arrived at a plain that extended back a considerable distance from tlie coast. Here we recogriised, at our right, about sixty rods distant, the point to which we first directed our steps on reaching the high bank after leavmg the boat. " I was several fathoms in advance of Koo-ou-le-arng, hasten- ing on, beinj; desirous to make as extended a search as the brief remaining du;:light would alloAV, when, lifting my eyes f:om the ground near me, I discovered, a considerable distance ahead, an object of unusual 'ppearance. But a second look satisfied me that what I saw were simply stones scattered about and covered with black moss J . ;ontiimed my course, keeping as near the coast as possible. 1 was now nearing the spot where I had first descried the black object. It again met my view ; and my original thought on first seeing it resumed at once the ascendancy in my mind. I hastened to the spot. ' Great God ! Thou hast rewarded me in my search ! ' was the sentiment that came over- whelmingly into my thankful send. On casting my eyes all around, seeing and feeling the character ('moss-aged, 'for some of the pieces I saw had pellicles of black moss on them) of the relics before and under me, I felt as — I cannot tell what my feelings were. What I saw before rie was the sea-coal of Frobisher's expedition of 1578, left here near three centuries ago ! " Koo-ou-le-arng, seeing that I had discovered something that made me joyous (even unto dancing), came running with all her might. Though she and other Innuits have known all about this coal being here (as I find by what she and Koojesse inform me to-night), yet not a word* had ever been communicated to me about it. I had, by perseverance, gained information during the year of brick and heavy stones (the latter, of course, I thought to mean iron), but nothing of coals..* As soon as Koo-ou-le-arnISCOVERY OF FB0BI9HEB RELICS NEARLY THR-^E HUNDRED YEARS O^D, SUNDAY, AUOUSX llTH, ISUl. one thing an Innuit could not do — that I had danced, and laughed, and made a complete somerset on the coal ! " And why did I feel so happy ? Because of the discovery I have made to-day of what is a confirmation of the testimony — oral liistory — I had acquired by great perseverance from the ii:;; 'i;. 330 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Innuitri, that a greai many years ago — many generations ago — hodlunarn oomiarkchua (white men with big ship) came into this hay (Tiji-nu-jok-ping-oo-se-ong) ; because of the chain that I felt was now complete, that determined this to be the bay tJiat Frobisher discovered in 1 576, and revisited consecutively in the years 1577 and 1578, and that Nioimtelik,* Lho ii^iknd of my visitation to-day, vas the identical one on wluch Fvobislici' landed with the obJ!.*ct of establishing wintp, and he or she will SUZUI'S BOOT "MILLINO." tell you at on';e, the people being in reality good natui'al anatomists. We passed on half a mile, and reached a point of high land, which looked out toward Niountelik, but could see none of our party returning. It was then ten o'clock ; the night Mas tine, and a few stars were visible, but it was not yet late enough in the season to bring out the host there is above. Koojesse and KOOJESSE DRAUGHTING THE COAST. 335 Ll natural iigh land, [ne of our Avas fine, 'uougl:! in kjesse and Ilia party returned aLout midnight, Init wlioUy unauccosaful, though thoy hud scci iglit tuktoo. Tliis, however, was not ot* aorious importance, as wo then had an abundance of provision. Wo resumed our voyage on the morning of the 1 3th. Twice before leaving the island I again heard the loud thunderings already alluded to, and felt the vibrations of the very earth itself. What could this be ? Was there a volcano on the Kin- gaito aide, or were its mountains of ice falling from theu* pre- cii)itou8 heights ? It took a long time to strike tupics, and get everything into the boat and in order. Last of all Suzhi brought aboard the Ninoo's bladder and the charms, and placed them at the bow of the boat, moimted on a stick. Without tlunn I strongly doubt whether the Innuits would have considered it safe to go on. Our course at first led toward Sarah G.'s Cape* (Twer-puk-ju-a), the way by which I went when making a hurried visit fom- months previous. Strangely enough, as it now seems to me, and no doubt to my readers also, I felt as safe and "contented as thougli I were with civilized men instead of being alone among the wild, independent natives of that frozen land. I even did not hesitate to depend upon them occasionally for some of the work I wanted done in the way of delineating the coasts as we passed along. Kooj esse— the really gifted Esquimaux — now and then acted as my assistant draughtsman, his sketches, however, being afterwards carefully examined by me. While I sat in the boat's stern steering — a position which allowed me to have good views of the land — he sat before me actually laying down most correctly upon paper the coast-line along which we sailed, and with which he, as well as Suzhi and Tunukderlien, was perfectly fiimiliai. There was not a channel, cape, island, or bay, which he did not know perfectly, having visited them again and again. One unacquainted with a new country would often make great mistakes by charting nearly everything as main land, where por- tions of it might be islands, fiiiling also to give proper depths of inlet coast, unless he had time to visit every locality. On my present tnyi up the bay I had not tliat time, and therefore I reserved — to be made, if possible, on my return — a closer exami- nation of places now draughted down under my eyes. During all this voyage, however, I kept up a constant record of dis- * This cape at the west entrance to the Countess of "Warwick's Sound (of Frobisher), I have named after Mrs. Henry Giinnell. Sarah G.'s Cape is two miles northwest of Oopungnewing, and is in lat. 62° 74' 30" N. long. 65" 20' W. in 1 in "^»*~a»*,.., •»**'^-%,A«5.>«,, ., 336 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. itiojia of tho tances run and courses steered, and made as 1V«'<; for taking observations for latitude, longitude, \. comi)ass, ^'c. as tho circumstances would admit. lietvvoen Oo-mer-nung Island and Iron Island — tho former in Wiswell Inlet* and the Latter near Peter Force Sound t — a heavy- sea prevailed, rolling in from tho northwest, and it was astonisli- ing to see my heavily-laden boat ride so well over tho dashing, heaving, irregular waters that came upon us. Iron Island is an interesting place, and I gave it tho name because of the resemblance of its rocks to oxydized iron. Innuit monumental marks, made of the huge bones of the whale, were upon the island. Here also, on our landing, was found an ex- cellent piece of timber — live oak — which probably belonged to the wrecked Traveller, abeady alluded to. It was dry, and so large and heavy that one of the Innuits could only just carry it. We took it away in the boat to use for fuel ; and on sawing oflf a portion, I found it as sound as it had ever been. The place where we determined to make our next or fourth encampment was called by the natives Toong-ivine ; this I named Jones's Cape, J and here we expected to find a settlement of Innuits. Before we reached it a breeze sprung up and helped us on. A snug little harbour appeared ahead, and an Esquimaux was observed on an eminence near the shore, eagerly watching us. As we drew near, all the inhabitants appeared to be out on the rocks to await our arrival; and when we landed, such as were able cheerfully assisted in getting up our tents and in other work. Most of those I now saw were familiar faces. They be- longed to the party which I had visited the previous April farther up the bay. But Samson was now away on a tuktoo hunt. He had recovered from his illness already mentioned ; the report of it brought us was doubtless exaggerated, being founded on an incorrect idea of the disease. The old ladies whom I then met — Shelluarping, mother of Kookin, and two of her friends — who were so pleased at my eating with them in the genuine Innuit i|i * This inlet I name after William Wiswell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. It is on the north side of Frobisher Bay, extending north twelve miles from Oomemung, a small high island on the east side of the entrance of the inlet, in lat. 62° 60' N. long. 65? 26' W. t A beautiful sheet of water, mostly surrounded by nigged mountains, and thus named by me after Peter Force, of Washington, D.C. The entrance to this sound is in lat. 62° 55' N. long. 65° 48' W. t So named after John D. Jones, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Jones's Cape is in lat. 62" 55' 30" N. long. 65" 45' W. NATIVE MONUMENT. »37 f the ler in heavy onish- shing, nam© Innuit 3, were an ex- iged to and 80 jarry it. ving off p fourth I named ment of I helped [[uiniaux .vatching le out on such as in other [They be- :il farther imt. He report of id on an jn met — ^^Q — ^who le Innuit Ihio. It is jmiles from Ince of the Imoiintains, ID.C. The les's Cape is stylo, were hero, and gave mo a hearty welcome. Oolcgooalloo was sick, and 1 theroforo visited him as scjon as I cuuUl. 1 was guided to his tupic hy his groans ; hut when I entered and asked tlio name of tho sufferer heforo me, 1 was surprised to learn that it was my old friend, so sadly changetl. Sickness seemed un- usually prevalent ; indeed, tho only three nuai of tho ])lace were so foohle that not one of them could go out hunting or sealing. INNVIT MONUMENT AT TOONa-WINE— JONES'S CAPE. At this spot were some remarkable monuments of stone, one being in the form of a cross, and about six feet high. In the evening, being in want of oil for my lamp, I went to Koojesse's tupic to obtain some. There I beheld a scene for a picture : Koodloo and Charley made search, found seal-blubber, brought it in, and passed it to Suzhi, who was in tuktoo, as I may say — that is, a-bed. Of course, like all Innuits when in bed, she was entirely nude ; but she immediately rose on her elbows, and proceeded to bite off pieces of blubber, chewing them, sucking the oil out, then spiiting it into a little cone-like dish, made by 111 5 ' t : i ii« p m ■I ■(' ." ; II »' MEETING WITH ARTARKPARU. 343 wet state while the women worked, using large braided thread of white-whale sinews. As I stood gazing upon the scene before me, Annawa's big boy was actually standing by his mother and nursing at the breast, she all the time continuing her work, while old Artarkparu liobbled about in the foreground by the aid of a staff in each hand. Venison and seal-meat were hung to diy on strings stretched along the ridge of each tupic, as shown in the opposite engrav- ing, and provisions were clearly abundant. In the tupic of Artarkparu, Koojesse and Tunukderlien were at home feasting on raw venison, and with them I was invited to partake of the old man's hospitality. Before returning to the boat I also received, as a present, a pocketful of dried tuktoo meat, given me by Annawa. After a short stay and friendly adieu, we again departed on our way ; but just then I thought it possible that old Artark- paru might be able to give me some information. Accordingly I turned back, and, through the aid of Koojesse as interpreter, entered into a conversation with him. We seated ourselves by his side, and the first question I put to him was, had he ever seen coal, brick, or iron on a uy of the land near Oopungnewing ] He immediately answered in the affirmative. He had seen coal and hiick a great many times on an island which he called Niountelik. He first saw them when he was a boy. He had also soen heavy pieces 3f iron on the point of Oopungnewing, next to Niountelik. " No iron there now, somebody having carried it off." " Bricks and coals were at Niountelik." I then asked him, " How many years ago was it when the Innuits first saw these things?" His reply was, " Am-a-su-au-lo " (a great, great many). His father, when a boy, had seen them there all the same. Had lieard his ftxther often talk about them. " Some of the pieces of iron were very heavy, so that it was as much as the strongest Innuit could do to lift them." " Had ofteii made trials of strength, in competition with other Innuits, in lifting. It was quite a practice with the young men to see who was the strongest in lifting the ' heavy stone ' " (Innuits so call the iron). " On the point of another island near by, an oo-mi-ark-chu-a (ship) was once built by kodlunas (white men) a great many, many years ago — so the Innuits of a great many years ago had said." ! i Mi ; i 1 liP': Miiifi III I,; It: II. 'J '■■i h\ t M ^E' '-I Pii "'i i '!i I I'll- .* if ifi '***"-*^^*-*«^*^i4u m^mahAmi 1 t- i 1 inn i i 1 HHii * ' 1 1 WH 'T CAPE STEVENS. 345 v, I took from the boat a littlo bag which contained some of the coal that I had gathered up with my own hands at Nioun- telik, and asked him if it was like that he had seen. He said " All the same." I then asked him " where it came from." His reply was, " He supposed from England, for he had seen the same kind on English whaling vessels in Northumberland Inlet." This information I obtained from the old man ; and I could not help noticing how closely it corresponded with that given to me by Ookijoxy Ninoo some months before. The whole interview was particularly interesting. I felt as if suddenly taken back into ages that were past ; and my heart truly rejoiced as I sat upon the rock and listened to what the old man said of these undoubted Frobisher relics. After this interview with Artarkparu, we started at 2*45 p.m. along the coast, closely examining its features, and noting down everything of importance which we saw. The land was bold and high, Avith much of tlie iron-rust look about it. Scarcely any vegetation was perceptible. Numerous islands bordered the coast ; and, as I looked across the outer waters, it seemed as if a complete chain stretched across the bay to Kingaite. On reaching the spot which we selected for our eighth encamp- ment — Capo Stevens* — I left my crew to unload the boat and erect tupics, while I ascended a mountain that flanked us. On the top I found numerous shells and fossils, some of which I brought away. On descending I took the opposite* or north- east side, next a bight that made iip into the land. This side of the mountain was almost perpendicular. The winter forces of the North had throAvn down to the base a mass of stone, Avhich enabled me to pass upon a kind of causeway to the foot of another mount toward the tupics. There I could not help pausing and glancing around in wondering awe. Overhead was hanging the whole side of a mountain, ready, as it seemed, at any moment, and by the snap of one's fiiiges, to fall ! I felt as if obliged to take light and gentle steps. I breathed softly ; and, as I looked and looked again, I praised God for all his mighty works. I ought to say that, on a better view of this mountain I * Named by me after John A. Stevens, Jun., of New York City. Cape Stevens is in lat. 63 21' N. and long. 67° 10' W. ir; it \\ I . 1 !■■ J II^ •vC^,..,,rt**iBiV.,, H,..WMtiJ^;i,y^._ 346 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ?!>'!• « V perceived on its peri-ipndicular side largo caverns, with hugo projecting rocks hanging directly over them. I returned to the tupics ; and that niglit, as I lay on my back by our camp-firo, viewing the glorious heavens, I beheld the aurora in all its wondrous beauty. In the vicinity of the moon, where the aurora was dancing and racing to ami fro, it was strangely grand. But the most remarkable phenomenon of the kind I ever witnessed was the peculiar movement of the clouds overhead. For some length of time they moved by " hitches," passing with the wind slowly, and then stopping for a few seconds. I called the attention of the Innuits to it, and they noticed this as something they had never seen before. It seemed as if the clouds were battling with an unseen enemy, but that the former had the greater power, and forced their way by steps along the vault above. These clouds were white, and of the kind classified as cumulus. I tliought it a very strange matter, and, according to my idea, the aurora hatl something to do with it. TUNCrKDERLlEN (wil'o of KOOJOSSC). hugo i i . « yf " " iig ' . " CHAPTER XXIII. Encampment on ltac*s Point — A Seal Feast — Reindeer Jfosa nhnulant — ■ More traditional History — A Two-mile Walk over lioeks—Jack the Angcko — The two Boats and two Kias — Picturesque aj^prarance of the Women Rowers — The Flag of the Free — Icehercfs on the Rocks — Visit to tlie Island Frobisher's Farthest — The Orccd Gateway — President's Seat — Beautiful and ivarm day — Abundance of Game — Seals and Reindeer .'n abundance — The Roar of a Cataract — Waters alive with Salmon — Dis- cover the Termination of Frobisher Bay— Enter an L'^ttiary — A Leming — Tweroong sketches Kingaitc Coast — Reindeer Ski; s for Clothing- Luxuriant Fields — Reindeer Tallow good — Innuit Mo lument— Ancient Dwellings— Sylvia Gi-inncll RiDcr — A Pack of Wolva— Glories of the calm clear Night — Aurora again — A Land abounding mth Reindeer — Bhicberries— Method of taking Salmon — Bow and Arroics. On the following morning, Monday, August 19th, 18G1, we were in readiness to leave our eighth encampment, and pursue our journey. Starting at 10*15, we crossed the mouth of a deep hay, across which, and ahout ten miles up from our course, lies a long island, called by the natives Ki-ki-tuk-ju-a. Koojesse informed me that he had been to that " long island," and that the bay extended a considerable distance beyond. The shores of this bay I found to trend about N.N.W. Koojesse also said that it was one day's journey to the head of it from the island. From this, and other data which he fiu-nished, I concluded, and so recorded it in my journal at the time, that the bay is from twenty to twenty-five miles in extent.* Unfortunately for my desire to get on, a number of seals were seen, and my crew were soon engaged in pursuit. This delayed us some time ; and when another similar stoppage took place, I felt that it was hopeless to think of going far that day, and accordingly landed, while the Innuits followed what they sup- posed to be seals, but which, as will shortly be seen, were quite another sort of game. ;iill \H * I effected a complete exploration of this bay and tlic island named on a sledge -joui'ney which I made in the spring of 1862. This, however, will come in its proper place in the seciuel of my narrative. ' tjifriii • >,',_ 348 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAGX. •■;i: '«' ■'!' I wnlkod amonff p;igantic old rocks, well marked liy the hand of Time, and then ■wandered away up the mountains. There I came acrns^s an Inmiit grave. It was simply a mnnher of stont s piled np in simh a way as to leave just room enougli for the dead body without a stone touching it. All the stones were covered with the moss of generations. During my walk ■;■>, storm of wind and rain came on, and compelled me to take shelter under the lee of a friendly ridge of rocks. There I could watch Koojesse and his company in the boat advancing toward what was thought an ookgook and many smaller seals. All at once what had seemed to be the ookgook commenced moving, and so likewise did the smaller seals. A slight turn of the supposed game sud- denly gave to all a different appearance. I then perceived a boat, with black gunwales, filled with Innuit men, women, and chil- dren, and also kias on each side of the boat. Seeing this Koojesse pulled in for me, and we started together for the strangers. A short time, however, proved them to be friends. The large boat contained " Miner," his wife Tweroong, To-loo- ka-ah, his wife Koo-muk (louse), the woman Puto, and several others whom I knew. They were spending the summer up there deer-hunting, and had been very successful. Soon after joining them we all disembarked in a snug little harbour, and erected our tents in company on Eae's Point,* which is close by an island called bv iijo natives No-ook-too-ad-loo. The mm was pouring down when we landed, and the bustle that followed reminded me of similar activity on the steamboat piers at home. As fast as things were taken out of the boats, such as had to be kept dry were placed under the shelving of rocks until the tuples were up. Then, our encampment formed, all parties had leisui-e to greet each other, which we did most warmly. Tweroong was'very ill, and appeared to me not far from her death. Her uniform kindness to me wherever I had met her made her condition a source of sadness to me. I could only express my sympathy, and furnish her with a few civilized com- forts. She was the mother of Kooperneung, one of my crew, by her first husband, then deceased. A great feast was made that evening upon the rocks. A captured ookgook was dissected by four carvers, who proved * Named by the author after' Dr. John Rae, the well-known English arctic explorer, Eae's Point, place of our ninth encampment, is in lat. 63° 22' N. long. 67° 33' W. INNUIT TRADITIONS. 349 Imnd loro I jton«.s 3 dead )Vored : wind er tlio jojesse loiight it had kewise le siid- ahoat, id chil- ng this for the friends. To-loo- several ip there * joining erected m island hustle eamhoat 10 hoats, Iving of formed, iid most from her met her uld only Lzed com- crew, hy ocks. A no proved English is in lat. Tweroong had frequentl heavy pieces of stone (iron often heard the oldest Inii other things were there lou'i themselves, as all Innuits are, skilful anatomists. Indeed, as I have before said, there is not a hone or fragment of a bono picked up but the Innuits can tell to what animal it belonged. In the evening 1 also took a walk about the neighbourhood, and was astonished to see such an abundance of niudeer moss. The ground near ( . ur tents was literally white with it, and I noticed many tuktoo tracks. Our stay at this encampment continued over the next day, and I took the opportunity of questioning Tweroong, who was said to know much about the traditions of her ])eople, as to any knowledge she might possess concerning the coal, brick, and iron at Niountelik. Koojcssc was m- interpreter, and through him I gained the following informa ; — the coal there, and likewise island close by. She had i k of them. The coal and before she was born. She had seen Innuits with pieces of brick that came from there. The pieces of brick were used for brightening the women's hair-rings and the brass ornaments worn on their heads. She said old Innuits related that very many years ago a boat, or small ship, was built by a few white men on a little island near iSiountelik. I showed her the coal I had brought with me from Nioun- telik, and she recognised it directly as some like that she had seen. Owing to the condition of my own boat, I was anxious to have the company of another craft in my voyage up the bay. I accordingly effected an arrangement with the Innuit " Miner " and his party to ^eep along with me ; and on the following day, August 21st, at 9 a.m. we all set out from the encampment to pursue our journey. While Koojesse and my crew were loading the boat, I ascended a mountain close by, and, after as good a look around as the foggy weather would allow, I began to descend by another path. But I soon found that the way I had chosen was impracticable. The r/ountain-side was one vast rock, roof-like, and too steep for human feet. Finally, after a long, hard tug down hill, up hill, and along craggy rocks, I gained the beach, and hailed the boat, which took me on board after a walk of two miles. We made what speed we could to the westward and north- ward, having to use the oars, the wind being right ahead. In an hour's time we came to an island, where the other boat was I : '.■^ 1 \\ ¥ :IB B a .1;' I. ^ I ij; !i. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / O 5< . ^. 23 WIST MAIN STRiiT WIBSTIII,N.Y. USM ( 71* ) 173-4303 6^ ^ •^z^. :^\^ ■'^S' 7j C^ # Ul t f ■i L I S50 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. stopping awhile. Here I saw " Jack," the angeko, performing tlie ceremony of ankooting over poor sick Tweroong. The woman was reclining on some tuktoo furs in the boat's bow, while Jack was seated on the tide-wet rocks, making loud exclamations on her behalf. It is very strange what faith these people place in sucb incantations. I never saw the ceiemony otherwise than devoutly attended to. I then took my usual exploring walk upon the island, seeing the bones of a huge whale, portions of which were covered with moss, and the rest bleached to a pure white, but all as heavy as stone. When we again started, the sight of the two boats and two kias pulling side by side was particularly interesting. There were fourteen souls on board the other boat, men, women, and children, the women pulling at the oars ; in each of the two kias was also an Innuit man. The raven hair of the females hanging loosely about the head and face — the flashing ornaments of brass on their heads — their native dress — their methodical rock to and fro as they propelled the boat along, formed, indeed, a striking picture. All were abreast, the two boats and the two kias, and pulling in friendly competition. " Miner " had a flag of checked red, white, and black at the bow of his boat, and the ensign of the United States was streaming to the breeze at the bow of mine. Our progress during the day was not very great, owing to the frequent stoppages of my Innuit crew. Let me be ever so anxious to get on, or to do anything in the way of making ob- servations, if a seal popped up his head, or anything appeared in the shape of game, away they would go in chase, utterly regardless of my wants or wishes. They mean no ill ; but the Innuits are like eagles — untameable. Before reaching our tenth encampment* that night, which was similar to the previous one, we passed numerous small bergs, left high and dry on the rocks near the coast by the low spring- tide, as seen in the following engraving. On the following morning, August 22d, we again set out, making our way among numerous islands, and along land ex- hibiting luxuriant verdure. Miner's boat and company pro- ceeded on up the bay, while Charley and I were set ashore on the north side of the island " Frobisher's Farthest," leaving * In lat. 63° 32' N. long, 67° 51' "W. by a small cove one mUe north of the important island I have named *' Fbobisher's Farthest," called by the Innvits Ki-ki-tuk-ju-a. FI10BISH£R*S FARTHEST. 351 ig tlie oman » Jack ms on ace in ) than r -walk Lons of a pure ad two There en, and wokias langing of hrass rock to ideed, a the two ad a flag (oat, and )reeze at ig to the ever so king oh- appeared utterly hut the which all hergs, w spring- set out, land ex- )any pro- et ashore ,," leaving lie north of called by instructions with the rest of the crew that we would make our way in two or three hours northerly and westerly to the upper end of the island, where we would get ahoard. The place where ICEBEBOS ON THE ROCKS— QREAT FALL OF TIDE. we landed was very steep, and the ascent was laborious. I had belted to my side my five-pound clironometer, and also a pocket sextant. In my hand I carried a compass tripod and azimuth Vil i* 352 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. compass. Charley had his double-barrelled gun, ready for rabbits or any other game. After getting to the summit the view was very extensive. To the N.W. the appearance was as if the bay continued on between two headlands, one the termination of the ridge of mountains on the Kingaite, Meta Incognita side, and the other the termination of the ridge running on the north side of Fro- bisher Bay. The coast of Kingaite was in full view, from the ** Great Gateway " * down to the " President's Seat," t a distance of one hundred nautical miles. A line of islands — their number legion — shoot down from " Frobisher's Farthest " to the Kin- gaite coast. » At noon and afterward the weather was exceedingly beau- tiful, and the water as smooth as a mirror. Kingaite side was showing itself in varjdng tints of blue, its even mountain range covered with snow, throwing a distinct shadow across the surface of the bay. The sun was warm, and yet casting a subdued light on all around. The rocks and mountains upon our right were bare, and of a red hue, while far to the southeast were the eternal snows of the Grinnell glacier. We encamped, % as before, among the friendly Innuits who had accompanied, us, and on the next morning (August 23d), at an early h-)ur, I went by myself for a walk among the hills. Mountains near the coast on that side of the bay had disap- peared, the land being comparatively low and covered with verdure. I was delighted to find this such a beautiful couSitry ; the waters of the bay were teeming with animal life, and I thought that here was indeed the place to found a colony, if any one should ever renew the attempt in which Frobisher failed. Before I came back from my walk I perceived the camp-fires sending up their clouds of smoke, and I w{ oon after par- taking of a hearty breakfast, cooked and ed in Innuit feshion. Abundance was now the rule Seals and blubber were so plentiful that quantities were left behind at our encamp- ment. Even whole seals, with the exception of the skins, were frequently abandoned. Thus these cLildren of the icy North * The opening between the two headlands alluded to above, which are about ten miles to the north-west of the head of the Bay Frobisher, I named the •* Great Gateway." + The most conspicuous mountain on the coast of Frobisher Bay I named President's Seat, after the chief executive officer of the United States Government. President's Seat is in lat. 62° 09' N. long. 66° 43' W. . t Our eleventh encampment was in lat. 63° 38' N. long. 68° 10' W. ibbits nsive. ed on Ige of ) other f Fro- )m the Lstance lumber e Kin- j beau- ide was n range surface mbdued ur right flrere the who had 23d), at he hills, id disap- red with couSitxy ; 3, and I olony, if er failed, amp-fires ifter par- n Innuit blubber : encamp- :ins, were cy North which are 'robisher, 1 5her Bay I ;he TJnited 66° 43' W. 10' W. LAND OF PLENTY. 353 live — one day starving, and the next having so much food that they care not to carry it away. We started at 10 a.m. and passed in sight of more low land, some of which was covered with grass. Seals and ducks were so numerous that it was almost an incessant hunt — more from habit, on the part of the natives, than from necessity. The signs of reindeer being in the neighbourhood were such that the males of my boat's crew landed to seek them. Some of the Innuits of the other boat had done the same, and frequent re- ports of fire-arms gave evidence that the game was in view. Presently Koojesse returned, having killed one of the largest of the deer, and after some trouble we got some portions of it on board — saddle, skin, hoofs, horns, and skull. My boat soon after carried at her bow not only the American flag, but also the noble antlers of the deer. I felt at home, with the flag of my country as my companion and inspiring theme. Early in the cay, before the shooting of the reindeer, I heard what seemed to be the roar of a cataract, and perceived that we must be approaching some large river. Presently I was astonished by Suzhi saying to me, " Tar-ri-o nar-me " (this is not sea-water). She then took a tin cup, reached over the boat's side, dipped up some of the water, and gave it to me, after first drinking some herself, to show me that it was good. I drank, and found it quite fresh. It was clear that the river was of considerable size, or it could not throw out such a volume of fresh water to a considerable distance from its mouth against a tide coming in. After a while we came to an estuary where the waters were alive with salmon. My Innuit crew were in ecstasies, and I too was greatly rejoiced. On a point of land at the mouth of this fine river we pitched our tents,* and away went the men for another hunt. They were out all night, and on the next morning, August 24th, re- turned with two more deer. This, with what had been shot on the previous day, made our list of game four reindeer, besides several seals and sea-birds. "We might have had more, but the Innuits were now indifferent to everything but the larger sort. "While at this, our twelfth encampment, there was quite an excitement occasioned among the Innuits by chasing a "rat." * Our twelfth encampment was in lat. 63° 43' 30", long. 68° 25'. It was on the west side of Sylvia Grinnell River, on a narrow strip of land called Tu-nu-zJioon, the south extreme of which is Ag-le-e-toon, which I named Tyler Davidson Point, after Tyler Davidson, of Cincinnati, Ohio. A A f I (I I:, 1 •> , mi II ri: i llf ' ' ' W ' m'i[ j^ft^fc^'i.:CiiM4aKfe m^i SKETCHING THE COAST. 355 There they were, when I went out of my tent, with chihs and stones, ready for battle with the little animal. But lo ! in a few moments the rat proved to be a leming — an arctic mouse. It was hunted out of its hiding-place and speedily killed. Shortly after another one was seen, chased, and killed in like manner. Both of them had very fine fur, and two of the Innuit women skinned the pretty little animals for me. I asked Tweroong if her people ever ate such creatures ? With a very wry face, she replied in broken English, " Smalley " (little, or seldom). While we stayed here, Tweroong employed herself in my tupic drawing, with remarkable skill, a rough outline of Frobisher Bay, Eesolution Island, and other islands about it, and the north shore of Hudson's Strait. Too-loo-ka-ah also sketched the coast above and below Sekoselar. Every half minute he would punch me with a pencil I had given him, so that I might pay attention to the Innuit names of places. As soon as he had sketched an island, bay, or cape, he would stop, and wait until I had correctly written down the name. At first he was very loth to make the attempt at drawing a map, but the inducement I held out — some tobacco — succeeded, and, for the first time in his life, he put pencil to paper. His sketch was really good, and I have preserved it, together with Tweroong's, to the present time. The whole of this day, August 24th, and the following day, were passed at the same encampment. All the Innuit men went out hunting, and killed an abundance of game, now valued not for food, Ci which there was plenty, but for the skins, of which there was very soon quite a large stock on hand. The w6men were employed in dressing these skins,* and in such other work as always fell to their lot. I was engaged in my observations and in making notes. The weather was delightful, and the scenery around fine. But as I am now -WTiting of that period when I was able to determine the question as to Frobisher " Strait " or Bay, I copy my diary as written on the spot. " August 25th, 1861, 3 '30 a.m. — Another and another is added to the number of beautiful days we've had since starting on this expedition. Can it be that such fine weather is here generally prevailing, while bad weather everywhere else north is the ruling characteristic 1 * The skins of the reindeer killed in August and September are vahied above others, for the reason that winter dresses can be made only of them. At the time mentioned they are covered with long, thick, and firmly-set hair. AA2 f i ill if'-* r \m ; '■ Jli m m rll i; - (■ ii'r- m 356 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. t " This certainly is a fact, that here, at the head of Frobisher Bay, a milder climate prevails than at Field Bay and elsewhere, or the luxuriant vegetation that is around here could not be. The grass plain, the grass-clothed hills, are abundant proof of this. I never saw in the States, unless the exception be of the prairies of the West, more luxuriant grasses on uncultivated lands than are here around, under me. There is no mistake in this statement, that pasture-land here, for stock, cannot be ex- celled by any anywhere, unless it be cultivated, or found, as already excepted, in the great West.* " How is it with the land animals here ? They are fat — ' fat as butter.' The paunch of the reindeer killed by Koojesse was filled to its utmost capacity with grasses, mosses, and leaves of the various plants that abound here. The animal was very fat, his rump lined with toodnoo (reindeer tallow), which goes much better with me than butter. Superior indeed is it, as sweet, golden butter is to lard. The venison is very tender, almost falling to pieces as you attempt to lift a steak by its edge. So it is with all the tuktoo that have as yet been killed here. Eabbits are in tine condition. Not only are they so now, but they must be nearly in as good order here in winter, for God hath given them the means to make their way through the garb of white, with which he clothes the earth here, for their subsistence. " Koodloo returned this morning with the skins and toodnoo of three reindeer, which he has killed since his lea^dng the boat on Friday noon. In all, our party of hunters have killed eleven reindeer, but very little of the venison has been saved — simply the skins and toodnoo This afternoon the wife of Jack has been ankooting sick Tweroong. The sun set to-night fine. I never saw more beautiful days and nights than here — the sky with all the mellow tints that a poet could conceive, The moon and aurora now make the nights glorious. " Monday, August 26th. — ^This morning not a cloud to be seen. Puto visited me, the kodluna infant at her back. I made her some little presents — pipe, beads, file, and knife, and a small piece of one of the adjuncts of civilization — soap. Somehow I thought it possible that I had made an error of one day in * To a person going to the arctic regions direct from the pasture-land of the Middle States, this passage of my diary would naturally seem too strong ; but when one has been for a year continually among ice, snow, and rugged rocks, as was the case with me, the sight of a grassy plain and green-clad hills could hardly fail to startle him into enthusiastic ex- pression. . ' i' II ..«s'?':rt SYLVIA GRINNELL RIVER. 357 jonceive. keeping run of the days of the month, but the lunar and solar distances of yesterday have satisfied me that I was correct. I started on a walk up the hills! I came to an Innuit monument, and many relics of former inhabitants — three earth excavations, made when the Innuits built their houses in the ground. I now see a company of eight wolves across the river, howling and running around the rocks — howling just like the Innuit dogs. Now beside a noble river. Its waters are pure as crystal. From this river I have taken a draught on eating by its banks American cheese and American bread. The American flag ^oa,ts Jlawitinglj/ over it as the music of its waters seems to be ' Yankee Doodle.' I see not why this river should not have an American name. Its waters are an emblem of purity. I know of no fitter name to bestow upon it than that of the daughter of my generous, esteemed friend, Henry Grinnell. I therefore, with the flag of my coimtry in one hand, my other in the limpid stream, denominate it * Sylvia Grinnell River.' " For the first half mile from the sea proper it runs quietly. The next quarter of a mile it falls perhaps fifteen feet, running violently over rocks. The next mile up it is on a level ; then come falls again of ten feet in one fifth of a mile ; and thence (up again) its course is meandering through low level land. From the appearance of its banks, there are times when the stream is five times the site of the present. Probably in July this annually occurs. The banks are of boulders the first two miles up ; thence, in some cases, boulders and grass. Two miles up from where it enters the sea, on the east side, is the neck of a plain, which grows wider and wider as it extends back. It looks from the p int where I am as if it were of scores and scores of acres. Thence, on the east side, as far as j i.- n see, there is a ridge of mountains. On the west side of the iver, a plain of a quarter to half a mile wide. This is a great salmon river, and so known in this country among the Innuits. At our encampment I picked up the vertebrae of a salmon, the same measuring twenty-one inches, and a piece of the tail gone at that. " On returning from my ramble this afternoon up Sylvia Grinnell River, saw the wolves again on the other side. They have been howling and barking — Innuit dog-like — all day. I hear them now filling the air. with their noise, making a pande- monium of this beautiful place. I now await the return of KoojeshO, Kooperneung, and Koodloo, when I hope to have them accompany me with the boat into every bay and to every 358 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. island in these head-waters of the heretofore called * Frobissher Strait.' " The hunting-party has not yet returned ; po8si])ly it may continue absent a week. When these Innuits go out in this way they make no preparations, carry no tupic or extra clothing with them. The nights now are indeed cold ; near and at the middle of the day, and for four hours after, the sun is hot. This afternoon I started with my coat on, but, getting to the top of the hill, I took it off and left it. ^^ August 27 22' W. (Fic^c Chart). 362 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. been done, with sufficient accuracy, for the civilized world to gain a knowledge of the general situation of Frobisher Bay. At least, the opinion that these waters are a strait ought not any longer to be entertained. LANDING FOB THE NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT. At 4 P.M. having made a distance of six miles from Peale's Point on a course S. 40° W. true, we entered a channel, with Kingaite on our right and Bishop's Island* at our left. The coast on each side was steep, but in many places covered with grass and the usual vegetation to be found here in the !N^orth. The entrance to this channel was about half a mile wide ; but, on making a quarter of a mile, it brought us into a harbour that appeared to be a fine one, not less than two and a half miles in * Thus named after R. M. Bishop, of Cincmnati, Ohio. The centre of this island, which bounds the north and eastern side of the harbour of the thirteenth encampment, is in lat. 63° 37' N. long. 68° 35' W. v "^ ,0 gam b least, i»»,t cam, as I depth several lliman's n -when lination erosting jen said Bncamp- of the I full of fc. tifteenth [sit here he tools dea that 6 might I mount, as well. d begun -day, we d every- s which for our 3 regrets denomi- CHAPTKR XXV. Departure from Orer.nwood's Land — Numerous Rocks — Furious Tides — Narrow Escape — Preservation Island — Beginning of Winter — Ice Form- ing — Visit the principal Islands at Head of the Bay ^Kooj esse a skilful Boatman — Nearly wrecked — Saved by the Rising Tide — Departure Homeward —The Kingaite Coast — Boisterous Weather — Detained on a Rugged Island — Dijiculties mth the Innuit Crew— Freedom and In- dependence — Land. My desire was to have continued hero much longer, and thoroughly to have examined the vicinity of the natural " Gateway," already mentioned ; but my companions were urgent to go, and I was obliged to yield. Accordingly, on the morning of September 6th, 1861, our tuples were struck, and we set out on the return journey. It was 9 '37 A.M. when we left our fifteenth encampment, and at ten o'clock we landed Koojesse and Koodloo on the opposite side of the estuary. They were desirous of going on another tuktoo hunt across the mountains, and were to rejoin us at the place where our thirteenth encampment had been made, the point to which we were now bound. There were thus left in the boat with me only the three women of my crew, and I was not free from anxiety till we had passed a point of land which I called the " Little Peak," and which was by the water's edge, surrounded by dangerous shoals. Then I supposed we had got over the critical portion of our way. When abreast of the fourteenth encampment, and near a small island about one mile &om that station, I found we were being carried along by the ebbing tide at a rapid rate, but I then apprehended no danger. Suzhi, who was experienced in boating, joyously called my attention to the swiftness of our progress, saying, with a sweeping motion of her hand, "pe-e-uke /" (good.) But soon this feeling of pleasure was destroyed. It was not five minutes after Suzbi's exclamation when we were all struggling for dear life. The island we were approaching was small, and it seemed to us that it n: .ittered little on which side of it we should pass. I. I u n 376 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. fn On standing up, however, and looking ahead, this opinion was changed. I saw that rocks began to peer out in the channel between the island and the mainland, and we therefore steered for the other channel. But all at once, and only half a mile ahead, rocks appeared above water right in our course. This led us quickly to look over the boat's side, to see if we could see the bottom. To our dismay, jagged rocks showed themselves almost within reach of our hands, the boat meanwhile being carried along at a mill-race speed by a fierce rushing tide. It was enough to make one feel how feeble a creature man is at such a time. The Innuits were terribly alarmed at the sight ahead and under us. The rocks showed how fearfully fast we were going. On smooth water the speed is not so perceptible : but where objects, and especially dangerous objects, are visible ahead, around, and under you, such swift motion is not only seen, but felt. So it was then with us. Immediate action, however, was necessary ; and seeing what I thought to be an eddy not far off, I at once turned the boat's head in that direction. By the time we reached this eddy we had been swept down some distance, and in order to clear the threatened danger from the rapids ahead, I reversed our course, and tried to pull back. The tide was now falling rapidly, and we rowed for our lives ; but all we could do was to hold our own. Our greatest exer- tions could not advance us one step away from the danger. Every moment I looked over the boat's side to see how far we might hope to escape the rocks ; and it was truly awful as I caught sight of what was beneath us. The tide was rushing as if in the maddest fury. We could not clear ourselves. Our strength was fast failing, and if the boat were allowed for a moment to sweep with the tide, we should be lost. No chance seemed possible unless we could make the island itself. But how to reach it was the question. The tide rushed along its side as fiercely as where we then were, with a noise which could be heard in all directions. Still, we had no alternative. Placing the boat's head in such an oblique direction as to make allowance for the current, we pulled toward a bight of the island, where there seemed to be smoother water. The next moment, however, the boat was whirled round, stem for stern, in such a manner as to take all power out of our hands. Then again we thought ourselves lost ; but the very movement which thus terrified us really threw us into such a position that a few strong pulls sent the boat within that island cove, where all was still as a summer lake. "Heaven be praised!" said I; and '■".**"I^>'V NARROW ESCAPE. 377 ion was channel I steered f a mile This led 1 see the 58 almost ; carried It was ,t such a lead and re going, it where a ahead, seen, but 3ver, was )t far off, Bpt down iger from uU back. )ur lives ; best exer- 3 danger. w far we wful as I ishing as '■es. Our red for a chance elf. But along its ich could J • ion as to ht of the The next for stern, s. Then nt which hat a few re all was 1 I; and there was occasion for gratitude, for not ten minutes after nearly- all the rocks in the course we had made were above water. Soon after getting on shore, the boat was left high and dry by the receding tide, and in another hour we could see the bottom of the bay for miles, one mass of boulder and shingle. The differ- ent islands could now be visited by walking to them dry-shod. No ship, and hardly a boat, except with much care, could venture up the side of the bay. It was only by watching, and taking advantage of the tide, that even our small boat could be navigated to the head of Frobisher Bay. A DESPERATE PULL. I may here mention the singular action of the tides. While on our way hither I had heard the roar of waters, as if a heavy surf were beating on the shore, and I several times asked Suzhi what it meant. Her reply was " Tar-ri-o," meaning " the sea ;" but as no severe storm had raged sufficiently to cause such an uproar of the waters, I replied, " Tarrioke na-me. Koong /" — not the sea ; it is the river. Thereupon she appealed to her companions, both of whom confirmed her statement, saying it was the sea. When we were upon the island I was convinced that they were right. The sea — ^that is, the waters of the bay — came rushing up on the flood tide, and went out with the ebb in the impetuous manner already described. It will be recol- lected that I doubted Koojesse's judgment on the day we left our twelfth encampment, and crossed with a view of proceeding • A ■f-- P. '- ■. \ w , I. ; i,ii 378 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ' I r^.\ I Mr; 1 1 IH I I 11 i U to Aggoun. He objected to making the attempt, asserting that there would be difficulty in doing it, owing to the shallow water and the tides. I now knew that he was right, and I well under- stood why the Innuits dreaded the trip, and held back. In commemoration of our providential escape, I called this place " Preservation Island." We remained on that island six hours, and at 6 p.m. resumed our trip. I found that the tide was quite eight feet higher when we left than when we put in to our place of refuge. How it could be so, and still be rushing past the island with such velo- city that little headway could be made against it, I cannot ex- plain. When the tide turned from ebb to flood we could see it coming in afar off. Its roar was like that of the sea raging in a storm. On it came with great volume and velocity. A person situated midway between some of the islands about there when a flood tide is commenciug would have to run at full five miles an hour to escape being overwhelmed. The flood tide, indeed, seemed even swifter than the ebb. How long and anxiously I stood on Preservation Island, watching that incoming of the mighty waters ! How I gazed at the boiling and the seething waters, the whirlpools — ^waterfalls — mill-races made by the tide as it rushed along ! The sun was fast sinking behind the mountains of Kingaite, and the air was becoming cold. I once thought we should have to stay there for the night, but it was evident that such a course would be our destruction, as the island would un- doubtedly be submerged at high water. Waiting, therefore, would not do ; and, accordingly, we pushed ofi" at the time I have mentioned. My continued illness made me almost incapable of exertion ; yet it was necessary to work, and to work hard. I steered the boat, and also aided Tunukderlien at the oar nearest me. I had constantly to keep a good look-out ahead for shoals. These, however, were foam-crested, showing where danger was to be avoided. And thus on we went, pulling rapidly down to the point of destination under difficulties that few can understand. Darkness coming on, our bark a frail boat, our crew Innuit women, and myself almost incapacitated by illness, it is easier to imagine than describe my feelings while we were thus making the passage from the head of Frobisher Bay to the place where our whole party had to encamp. Suzhi was so powerful at her oar that she often pulled the boat half round, and I had to guard against this by my twenty- two feet steering-oar. But all were earnest in the endeavour to ^W^^W^^*'' '' ■" ' ' **'''^ li 1 RETURN OF KOOJESSE AND KOODLOO. 379 reach a good landing before the tide again turned ; for if we should not accomplish this, nothing, in all human prohability, could save us. At length we arrived in safety at the place of our thirteenth encampment, the point we desired to reach, and where we now made our sixteenth encampment. Here most of the company were awaiting our arrival. On the 7th of September I kept myself quiet ; indeed, I was obliged to do so. The abscess on my shoulder was so painful that I could not stir without difficulty. I thought of the many obstacles I had encountered in the prosecution of my discoveries, but consoled myself with the reflection that, at all events, some- thing had been done since my leaving the United States. Over- whelmed with disappointment at not being able to proceed on my voyage to King WilUam's Land, I yet had some gratification in the knowledge that my present voyage had not been wholly lost. I had, at least, established a geographical fact, that " Fro- bisher Strait " is nothing but a hay. While I was reclining on my couch suffering severe pain, I said to myself, Perhaps the kind friends at home, who have helped me in my exertions, may consider that, under all the circumstances, I have not thrown away my time and labour, and may still give me their friendship and support. If so, I shall be well repaid. This day " Miner " and his crew departed for the purpose of hunting more game and securing furs for the winter. The males of my party — ^much to my annoyance — had left me two days before, on the chase. On the next day, September 8th, I felt that winter had indeed begun. Ice formed at night, and a severe snow-storm that morn- ing set in. We were still detained by Koojesse and his comrades, who continued absent ; and for two days I was confined to my tent, with only occasional walks in the vicinity. On the 10th of September I went over the mountains westward to make a survey, as far as possible, of the whole of this locality. On my route I met Koojesse and Koodloo, just returning from their four days' hunt. Koojesse was so much fatigued that he could hardly speak. Both of them had packs of skins upon their backs, which they soon tlirew off, and then sat down to rest. Their first call was for tobacco, but, much to their disappointment, I had none with me. Poor fellows ! they had been without a " smoke " or a " chew " for two days, and were suffering much from the want of it. I found that Koojesse had the skins of four tuktoo, and ft. iif 380 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Koodloo of tliree. For these seven skins they had been four days and three nights out, ascending mountains, wading rivers, sleeping out in snow-storms, their garments wet, with no spare ones to put on, and exposed to every change and privation. These Innuits do indeed toil for their winter clothing. I asked Koojesse how they managed in such stormy weather as we had experienced, and with the nights so dark. He replied that when each had killed one or two deer, they were all right. They stacked their guns, or, if near rocks, selected a suitable spot for a temporary tupic, made of the skins with the hair-side in. They then wrapped themselves in a tuktoo skin, and so slept warm and soundly. Helping them with their burdens as far as my weak state would permit, I continued on my trip of obser- vation and discovery, while the two Innuits returned to the encampment, where, much to their vexation, they learned from the woman that a bear had been seen close by. My walk alone, of six miles or more, resulted in my making the discovery of the two streams which flow into the Bay of the Two Eivers. That night another severe snow-storm came on from the south-east, and toward noon of the 11th the wind shifted to the north-west. The weather then moderated, and I set out in the boat, accompanied by Koojesse and Koodloo, for the purpose of visiting the islands inclosing a kind of harbour, on the shores of which we were encamped. The wind was blowing strong in our favour, and we therefore made sail, intending to keep under canvas the whole way. We had only one oar available, the rest having been used as frames for the tuples. As we sailed along, how exhilarating was the scene ! The boat seemed to fly, so buoyantly it sped on its way. Koojesse steered, and well did he guide us between rocks and sand-pits in our course. Bound- ing over the crested waves, and lifting itself clear of everything but spray, our frail bark soon carried us to the point I wished to reach. It was on the east side of the harbour, on Bishop's Island, that I landed with Koojesse, while Koodloo remained in the boat to keep it from grounding, as the tide was already on the turn, and going out swiftly. Our steps were rapid as we went over the banks of snow, up one hill, and then across a valley, and thence up to the crest of another hill — Mount Observation, as I called it — whence I could obtain a good view. Here I took several observations, as fast as I well could, noting uhem down at the time. The view from this point was extensive. It included the whole coast that terminates Frobisher Bay. I embraced that as the last 53!^!M? RETURN VOYAGE. 381 n four rivers, ) spare vation. [ asked we had. }d that I right, suitable lair-side so slept ,8 far as f obser- to the ed from k alone, y of the rom the id to the it in the rpose of ihores of g in our p under the rest id along, ) fly, so well did Bound- erything jrished to Bishop's lained in ready on snow, up crest of vhence I ations, as Ihe view ole coast the last opportunity I should have of linking together, by the use of my survey instruments, many important places in that locality. Some of the observations I there made for relative geographical positions include the following points : the Great Gateway ; Hazard's Banks, place of fifteenth encampment ; Peale Point ; place of twelfth encampment, by Sylvia Grinnell Eiver ; place of fourteenth encampment j place of thirteenth and sixteenth encampments ; island " Frobisher's Farthest j " and a long line of coast down on the Kingaite side. Having accomplished my purpose, we then quickly returned to the boat. Again we made sail ; but hardly had we started, when, in an instant, we were aground. Out jumped Koojesse, who, with two or three good " heaves," cleared the shore, and once more away we went. But soon — ahead, here, there, every- where — shoals appeared. Koojesse, however, now showed him- self to possess much of the daring and fearlessness of a skilful sailor. He was the wild spirit guiding us safely through many dangers. His skill, however, could not save us from a peril into which we now ran, and out of which we escaped only by the care of a merciful Providence. The tide proved too strong for us, and we found ourselves, near nightfall, driven on a small rocky island of the harbour by our sixteenth encampment. "We at length made our slow and tedious way in the midst of a strong gale, among dangerous shoals and threatening waves. At times, driven out of our course by the force of the wind, we would lose all the ground we had gained, finding ourselves really farther from home than when we started ; and at last we were on the point of giving up in despair of reaching our encamp- ment that night, when the tide turned. Even with this favour- ing us, we sped along in imminent peril ; and now, while I write, the thought of that moment comes to me with a thrill of excitement. As we flew over a rocky bottom that almost kissed our keel, I exchanged looks with my companions that expressed more than words could have said ; and as now and then our boat would ride with a shock upon some boulder in its course, all hands would work with a silent energy which spoke volumes regarding the critical posture of our affairs. Our satisfaction and my gratitude may be imagined when we at last reached the spot we called home, and found hot coffee, besides all the com- forts of Innuit life, awaiting us at the hands of Suzhi. Thursday, September 12tli, was the thirty-fifth day from the ship, and the seventh at the sixteenth encampment. On that morning I determined no longer to delay, but at once to return M %hi I !' ( -*■ 382 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. to the George Henry (if she had not sailed), going down by the Kingaite side of Frobisher Bay. Accordingly, at 10 a.m. we all started on our homeward journey. The tide at starting was just sufficient to float us over the rocks, and we had a breeze to help us, but the weather was unfavourable. In some places we could see a snow-storm raging, and every sigii of winter was now perceptible. Our trip that day was along the Kingaite coast, and after a few hours' sail we reached an island I have named Tweroong,* on wliich Miner's party had encamped, where we also pitched our tents for the night, making our seventeenth encampment. The next day (September 13th) we were confined to our tents on a small rocky island by a heavy gale and a furious sea ; but on the 14th the weather became more moderate, and we resumed our boat-voyage, crossing over from the island to Cape Eam- mel8berg,t on the Kingaite side, that I might examine it. While we were there, a fine-looking tuktoo was discovered lying on one of the little plains. Koopemeung at once went off with his double-barrelled gun to secure it. I could see the royal antlers of the noble animal as it quietly reposed, unconscious of its fate. As Kooperneung approached it scented a foe, started up, and away it went at full speed ; but too late. One report — another. The tuktoo was a prize, having rushed on its fate in fleeing towards a rocky pass where the cunning Innuit had secreted himself. We made our eighteenth encampment about four or five miles from this place, at Cape Caldwell, :|: and on the morning of September 15th proceeded on our way. I may here observe, that few of those who read this book can have any conception of the many difficulties I had to encounter in my task. Innuits are Innuits, and such they ever will be. They are independent of every other human being, and will never brook control, no matter what engagements they enter into. At this particular time of which I am writing — and, indeed, during all my work at the head of Frobisher Bay, and on my way thither and back — I was completely at the mercy of Koojesse and his companions. He especially would do just as . he pleased ; and if I attempted * After the noble-liearted Innuit woman Tweroong. This island, place of our seventeenth encampment, is in lat. 63° 28' N. long. 68° 21' W. t Named after Frederick Rammelsberg, of Cincinnati, Ohio. This cape is in lat. 63° 21' 30" N. long. 68° 20' W. t I have named this cape after John D. Caldwell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. ' It is in lat. 63" 23' 30" N. long. 68° 17' W. ANOTHER BOAT SCENE. 383 to show opposition or express a determination to do as I might wish, ominous looks and sharp words met me. Several times I felt obliged to submit, for I knew my life was wholly in their hands. When Koojesse, who steered the boat, was directing our course away from the Kingaite side, and when I requested him to remain where I wished to make an examination, he curtly and even savagely replied, " You stop ; I go." I was forced to smother my anger, and submit to the mortification of being obliged to yield before these untamed children of the icy north. Reflection has, however, convinced me that I can hardly blame them, as I then felt inclined. They are born free as their native wilds ; they have no one to control or check them ; they roam about as they will j and, while they have to find subsistence as best they can, it would be almost too much to expect any sub- servience from them to a stranger, especially when he is alone. They are in so many points naturally noble in their character, and I have received so much kindness at their hands, that it would be unjust to make their obstinate self-will, when on excursions with me, a cause of great complaint. I mention the matter, however, to show that I was unable to accomplish as much as I wished, owing to this very cause. CHAPTEE XXVI. Land on an Island — Leave Kingaite Coast for the North Side of the Bay of Frobisher. — Extraordinary Scenes — Singular Customs — Drinking Deer's Blood — More Ankooting — Mystical Songs — *^ Fool's Gold" — Parting with old Too-loo-ka-ah — Arrival at Niountelik — Proceed to Kodlunarn, or " 7/hite Man's " Islands-Important Discoveries — — Ship^s Trench — Ruins of Stone Houses — Coal and Tile — Return to Niountelik and Encamp — Cruise in " Countess of Warwick Sound " — Arrive at Tikkoon — Discovery of a heavy Piece of Iron — Passage across the Sound — Proceed up Victoria Bay — Precipitous Mountains— Ekkele- zhun — A fine and secure Harbour — Discovery of several Tons of Coal and Flint-stones — Return to Niountelik. On the ISth. of August, 1861, we started from our eighteenth encampment at 6*15 a.m. wind light from the west, and cloudy. Both boats and two kias under way. " Miner " has just shot a nowyer on the wing from his kia. First pop, down it comes. We are on the rocks first thing ; " bad beginning, good ending." Under oars ; the fifth oar cannot be used on account of the over-loaded boat. Another Job's comforter on my shoulder, the sinister. Geese flying to the southward. Little girl Shco-kok (whalebone) on board our boat. 8*45 a.m. land on a dmall island to bale the old leaky boat. This moment I ask Koojesse which way now, the many islands ahead *naking it doubtful which is the better course. He points across the bay to the other or north side. I suspected this was the way he was direct- ing the boat. He acts the devil with me. My work on this, the Kingaite side, is ended. I said to him I cannot do the work I wanted to. . . . At 9 A.M. we were crossing toward a long, high island that trends in the same direction as Kikitukjua (Frobislier's Far- thest). The head of Frobisher Bay not seen now, the sea or water of the bay to the north-west being the horizon. A remarkable sand or fossil mountain island, by Kingaite side, two mUes ofi" at our right, bearing W.N.W. by compass ; I could not determine itf true character with the glass. A line islands now seen that runs across Frobisher Bay from Fro oi AN-KOO-TING. 385 3/ the Bay - Drinking t Gold"— — Proceed Iscoveries — -Return to Sound " — isage across is—Ekkele- ns of Coal dghteenth id cloudy. list shot a it comes. I ending." nt of the lulder, the Shco-kok a small Koojesse douhtful ,y to the as direct- on this, the work land that tier's Far- the sea rizon. A [aite side, ; I could line 01 i'om Fro- hisher's Farthest to Kingaite side. The trend I will determine soon, and make a record of it. The snow-squall continued but four minutes. Very cloudy. Sun shining occasionally on the mountains each side of Fro- bisher Ba>. . . . Stop at meridian on an island after passing through a channel, the island of the group running from Fro- bisher's Farthest to Kingaite, and here ascended a 'high hill to triangulate. . . . As we came up the channel between the islands that lie across the Bay of Frobisher, we found the tide (which was ebbing) to run very swiftly. Made no headway for full half an hour, though under sail and oars. Through this channel the ebbing tide was running toward the head of Frobisher Bay — a curious feature, but accounted for by the position of the islands each side the channel. After spending half an hour on the island, we directed our course for the north side of the bay, which we made in one hour ; thence we coasted along toward Eae's Point, where we arrived at 3*15 p.m. and made our nineteenth encampment at the place of our ninth. During the evening the Innuits fired many salutes, and there was clearly some demonstration making, though I could not tell whether it was to invite the good spirits or to repel the bad, of whose presence thereabouts I suppose the angeko had told them. It would seem from the shouts of men, women, and children, and the reports of the guns, as if the 4th of July had come again. Jack's wife kept up a kind of shouting and howling till past midnight. After she had continued it for over two hours, with a voice that made the mountains about ring. Jack joined her, he being an angeko. At midnight there was a round of guns. Charley was in the same tupic as myself, having been asleep until the firing aroused him. He sprang up, and was but a moment in getting ready to join his people. Soon Jack, with his howling wife, came down from the hUl where they were, and marched around, keeping up the same hideous noises — so loud and broken, that only throats of brass, and cracked ones too, could equal them. It was a miserable, sleepless night for me — in Bedlam, and racked with pains. A remarkable feature of the mountains of Kingaite is that they are covered with snow, while those on the opposite side of the bay, near the coast, are wholly destitute of it. On arriving at the latter from Kingaite I at once felt the great difierence of temperature, it being much warmer. ... C C V !% < '1'., i-( ,' wv r i 1 im I Ifi 386 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 'I r',i I may here mention, as another illustration of the peculiar customs of the Innuits, that when they kill a reindeer, after skinning it, they proceed to cut off bits of different parts of the animal, and bury them under a sod, moss, stone, or whatever happens to be at the exact spot where the deer was shot. On two occasions I noticed tliis. Once they cut off a piece of the paunch, then a bit of the nose, next a portion of the meat, skin, and fat, burying these portions together, as just described. I asked one of them if such a custom was always practised by the Innuits when they killed tuktoo, and the answer, given in a very serious tone, was that it had always been so. On the previous day, when Charley killed the deer at our eighteenth encampment, I noticed that, on its being skinned, there was a greenish appearance about the legs and lower j^arts of the body. This made me remark to Koojesse that I thought the tuktoo must have been sick. He said " no ; " but that the peculiar look was from the deer's having been swimming mu'.h of late in the cold water of the bay, during his passage from point to point. The follo^ving day, September 16th, we resumed our voyage, but could not get far, owing to severe stormy weather, which compelled us to make our twentieth encampment on Mary's Island,* on the west side, and at the entrance of the inlet which I crossed on the morning of August 19th (vide page 347). Here we were detained two days, and I was no v so enfeebled by sickness that it was difficult for me even to write. The Innuit women, particularly Tweroong, were very attentive to me, but the men seemed to consider my sufferings as of little importance. Their demoniac yells, during a continuation of the same kind of exorcisms already described, were truly frightful, and to one sick as I was all but maddening. Fortunately, the next morning, September 18th, we were again under way on the homeward trip. A fair wind sent us rapidly along, and we passed our late encampments, as also many other places familiar to me from our visits when coming up. At one place — west side "Waddell Bay — Koojesse and the other Innuits landed to go in chase of some deer seen in the distance. We slowly followed in the boat, and came to a cove on the coast, where we saw them with a prize in hand. This deer — which made up the number thirty-nine now killed by my three hunters * So named by me, after one of the daughters of Augustus H. "Ward, of New York City. Mary's Island is in lat. 63° 22' N. long. 67° 38' W. ■"-"'*' "p ' .; I n ' lifi ' ) peculiar leer, after irts of the whatever shot. On ece of the aeat, skin, cribed. I 3ed by the ;iven in a eer at our y skinned, ower parts I thought it that the ming mu'.h from point lur voyage, bher, which on Mary's ' the inlet page 347). enfeebled vrite. The ttentive to as of little Eition of the y frightful, 1, we were ind sent us Ls also many coming up. id the other he distance. 3n the coast, leer — which iree hunters 3 H. Ward, of 7° 38' W. EXTRAORDINARY SCENE. ^87 — was a very fine one, and in a short time we were all feasting on portions of its meat. Wkc \ this deer was opened, old Too- lookaah, with his broail hand, scooped up the warm blood and drank it, to the quantity of nearly two quarts. I joined in the eating, and partook of some toodnoo and marrow, the latter blood-warm, from the mashed bones of the tuktoo's logs. The most delicious part of the deer is the toodnoo or fat which is on the rump, and it is this part the Innuits first seek. After our feast, we packed up tlie remains and again started, arriving about dark at the place of our twenty-first encampment, on the south side of Tongue Cape — the same cape where we had our seventh. The following day, September 19th, we made good progress downward, with nothing particular to note except the following incident : — Jack's wife, who was on board pulling at an oar, was suddenly taken with what I at first supposed to be a fit. She broke out into the wild singing which I have already spoken of as per- taining to the practice of ankooting. The scene at that moment in the boat was a strange one ; Jack was steering, Annuarping sat close wedged by my side, Ninguarping was between SuzM and the angekotress, holding the little dog Neitcli-uk, two women were puUing at the oars, Koodloo sat upon a huge pile of skins at the bow, and the little boy reclined where best he could. They all started into immediate action the moment Jack's wife began her mystical song. As she sent forth her unmelodious voice — her lips sounding like so many fire-crackers on a Fourth of July festival at home — one and then another of the Innuits took up a responsive chorus to her incantation. As she sang in this wild and singular strain, her arms worked stronger at the oar, and she seemed as if suddenly possessed of a demoniac strength. There was a startling vehemence about her ; and when the others joined in chorus, it was as though unearthly visitants had taken possession of them all. All night, when we again encamped, the strange ceremonies were continued. Jack took up the preaching — if it can be so termed — while the women sang, and the men loudly responded to their angeko. Thus it continued till a late hour, and, with intermissions, through the two following days. They seemed to regard it as a duty, somewhat as we hold sacred certain observances on set occasions. September 20th and 21st were but a repetition of preceding days, presenting difficulties in getting the male Innuits to work as I wished, forcing me to submit in almost everything. Per- haps, had I been in robust health, I could have managed them cc2 (I 1 '4 \ - i ' 1 i 'I ! \ 1 !■ ! i. - 1 m A i lif 'i'w 388 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIM UX. better, "but I was too sick and feeble to contend. Once, when Koojesse acted in direct opposition to my desireB, I turned upon him, and in sharp tones insisted on his doing as I wished about the boat. I spoke firmly, and with a show of determination. It had some good effect. He steered in the direction I wanted to go, and was as friendly afterward as though no hard words had passed between us. All this time the other Innuits continued at the oars, apparently as indifferent as though nothing was occurring ; but I must confess that I myself did not feel quite easy in my mind as to the possible consequences. On the 20th wo had a few minutes of excitement, which occurred thus : Miner's party had made a landing before my boat could get up, and I shortly afterward saw Tweroong sitting upon the tide-washed rocks in such a position that I thought she must be searching for some lost article. By the time we effected our landing, every Innuit of the other party was gathered round her in great commotion, some of them trying to break off pieces of the rocks about. I asked Koojesse what all that hubbub meant. He said Tweroong had found gold I This word started me at once. I threw my cloak from my shoulders and leaped over the bow, landing on a sand-beach, knee-deep in sea-water. I was followed by my whole crew, for I had communicated the yellow fever to them, and, bounding from rock to rock, we arrived at the desired spot. A huge, heavy "yellow boy" was soon in my hand. Gold, gold, indeed, was now in the list of my dis- coveries ! Ought I not to be satisfied, after all my trials and perplexities ? But, on the first touch of my knife, I found that I had only fool's gold, and I brought away but small specimens of this precious metal. A short distance from Gold Cove we made our twenty-third encampment, on the south side of Jones's Cape, not far from the fourth encampment. At this place old Toolookaah and his wife left our party. He intended to remain at that spot until his son, who was with Samson up an inlet near "oj, should return. I made him a present of matches and tobacco, and gave his wife two papers of needles. In parting with him I said, " Toolookaah, I may not see you again. Soon I shall go to my own country — America ; but I hope by-and-by to meet you in Kood-le-par-me- ung (heaven)." A tear started in his eye and trickled down his iron face as we pressed hands and said the final word, " Ter-hou- e-tief" (farewell.) Our twenty-fourth encampment was made on an island called Oo-mer-nung, at the entrance of Wiswell's Inlet, and on the .t«>EAl4kMUlK»^, IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES. 389 following (lay, nt 10 a.m. we wore again under way for Niountelik, then only a few miles off. After landing upon Niountolik, and taking an observation of the sun at the spot where I first discovered the coal, we proceeded toward an island, on which, according to Innuit tradition, the koiUiums built a small ship amasitadlo (a great many) years ago. The heavens were cloudless, there was a fine breeze from the northwest, and the boat bounded along i I M^^ >^:?^s*^^^^^ '^'j. : .^ r ONE OF FROBItSHKK'a OOLD MINGS, CALLED BY THE NA'l'IVES Hllll''8 XUGNCU. rapidly toward the island. Around us was high land, white with its winter dress, ivud beneath, an immense forest of sea vegetation, over which wo sailed. Wo soon reached the shore, and I immediately landed to examine the place as weL as the short time at my dispos;il would permit. I soon came across an excavation, which was probably the commencement of a mine dug by Frobisher, though the Innuits, judging only from wliat they saw, called it a reservoir for fresh water, a quantity of which collected in it at certain seasons. This excavation was at some distance from the ruins of the stone houses, and was eighty-eight feet long and six feet deep. On the shore of the north side of the island I found also an excavation which I called a ship's trench, for the Innuits said that was where a ship had l-een built by the white men. It had been dug out of stone, which was of such a nature as to yield to the persevering use of pickaxe, sledge-hammer, and the crow bar. The bottom of the trench, which was one hundred i '**i^i>Lmmiiittm^\ ■*%-«*s,»ij>.jei^,i,^ 390 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. and ten feet in length, was an inclined plane, running from the surface of the ground to a depth of twenty-five feet at the water's edge. On the top of the island I found the ruins of a house, which had been built of stone, cemented together with lime and sand. The foundation still remained, and was of " lyme and stone." It was about twelve feet in diameter, and every portion of it was covered with aged moss. From appearances, some of the stones had been turned over, as if done by Innuits seeking treasure. A few feet east of this house was a sort of stone breastwork, such as the natives erect for shelter when hunting, and also a pile of stones, which might have been made, as I thought, by Frobisher's men, to cover some memorial left by them when trying to escape in their ship. Much of the island was covered with shingle, and this, on the north side, was so compact, and of such even surface, that it reminded me of the small cobble-stone pavements in cities. I collected as many relics from these ruins as we could possibly carry, and, with Koojesse, returned to the boat. On our way he said to me, " The men who built the ship, and started with it, all died — died with the cold." I asked him how he knew this ; and he replied that " all the old Innuits said so." This agreed precisely with what old Ookijoxy Ninoo told me the previous winter in the oral history she then communicated to me, and I felt convinced that idl the evidences before me could refer to no other than Frobisher's expedition, and the men left behind by that explorer. She said that the five men built a ship, and found so much ice that they could not proceed, and finally all froze to death. This island is generally called " Kod4u-narn" because white men lived on it, and built stone houses, and also a ship. The ship was built for the object of escaping from this region. In the previous winter, while passing on our way from the ship to Oopungnewing — an island three miles southwest from Kodlu- narn — Koojesse had pointed out this latter island, and said that white men once built a ship there. I gave little heed to his statement at the time, because I knew that to build a ship such materials were required as the regions thereabout were quite destitute of. But when I heard the history of Ookijoxy IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES. 391 Ninoo, I saw at once the probability there was that Koojesse was right. From what I saw that day, I was fully convinced that many, very many years ago, men of civilization did live upon the island called by the Innuits Kodlunarn, and that they did build a vessel — probably a schooner — there. The evidence was contained in the following objects which I saw around me, viz. — Coal ; flint-stone ; fragments of tile, glass, and pottery ; an excavation which I have called an abandoned mine ; a trench made by the shore on an inclined plane, such as is used in building a ship on the stocks ; the ruins of three stone houses, one of which was twelve feet in diameter, with palpable evidence of its having been erected on a foundation of stone cemented together with lime and sand ; and some chips of wood which I found on digging at the base of the ship's trench. Upon this evidence, then — coupled with Esquimaux tradi- tion, as given to me by several persons apart from each other, and at different times — I founded my opinions respecting Frobisher's expedition, as I have already stated them. It was night before we left the island, darkness alone ending the search. We had to row back, the native crew pulling cheerfully as we bounded along. The lights of the tuples on Niountelik were my beacon ahead, and above were the glorious stars in all their beauty, while the silvery moon was rising from behind the mountains of Tikkoon. The time seemed long since all had appeared so fair to me as then ; and when we arrived at the tents, I went to my rest truly thankful at having been per- mitted to accomplish what I had that day been enabled to do. The following morning, September 23d, I continued my re- searches in this interesting sound, leaving Niountelik at 8 a.m. There was a strong head wind, but my crew were good at the oars, and away we went merrily toward the mainland beyond Kodlunarn. As we passed across the bay, my heart was greatly elated at the thought of what I was then accomplishing. A glance at the red, white, and blue cheered me onward in the work of ripping up the mysteries of three centuries. That symbol was my constant, cheering, helping companion night and day. In about an hour we arrived at the cape of land called Tikko on, and, upon landing, I proceeded to a small plain about a quarter of a mile from the cape. The Innuits went on before me, I having my compass and tripod in hand to take bearings. i's 1 H !( I « k^y ' i ■1 r t. ill i&K> i-Aiiui'^je.M'iiu:.^^. 392 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. All at once my attention was drawn to the extreme of the plain, facing Kodlunarn, by the beach, where I saw Koo-ter-e- nier (Miner) calling by shouts to the other Innuits and myself, holding up his arms and hands. The Innuits started on a run, and so did I, for I was sure something of interest had been found. Arriving at the spot, what was before me? A relic of three centuries ! Iron — time-eaten, with ragged teeth ! This iron, weighing from fifteen to twenty pounds, was on the top of a granite rock, just within reach of high tide at full and change of moon. The iron stain from this specimen was in the rock ; otherwise its top was cleanly washed. This was just what I wanted to find — some of the heavi/ stone which the venerable Innuit woman, Ookijoxy Ninoo, had told me about the previous winter. The Innuit circles of stones at Tikkoon, indicating this to be a place for the summer residences of the Innuits, were very numerous. I know not where I have seen more numerous signs of Innuits than on the plain a little distant from the cape. Between the plain and the extremity of the cape the usual rough old rocks are the nature of the land. The north side is flanked by high, bold mountains, a bay extending back for a mile or so on the west side. On the east side extends the bay, one branch of which leads toward Field Bay. The plain extends across the cape from one bay to the other, the distance being less than one-eighth of a mile. The " heavy stone " was found at the coast edge facing Kodlunarn, wiiich island is about half a mile off. Bones of ducks, tuktoo, walrus, and whale were numerous all around. Some were very old, being nearly overgrown with grass and moss. I doubt not, two or three centuries old were some of these remains. On leaving Tikkoon the wind was strong from the northeast, and it soon increased to a gale. Kooterenier (Miner) was my boat-steerer, and well he performed his task in passing several dangerous places where heavy gusts came rushing down the ravines or over the abrupt mountains. Our boat shipped much water, the mad waves frequently flying over us. Once a sharp gust caught us while under sail, and instantly sent the boat onward toward a dangerous reef of rocks' on our lee. In a moment sail was down, oars out, and all haads pulling strong and rapidly to clear the danger. Fortunately, a few moments of hard work carried us free, and we soon after reached Cape Ood-loo-ong and landed. Here I took a few compass bearings, and walked about to of the 'oo-ter-e- . myself, jd on a :est had me? A i teeth ! , was on le at full men was lie heavy aoo, had I this to vere very ous signs ihe cape, he usual h side is ick for a ;ends the Che plain 5 distance one " was island is Irus, and d, being >t, two or northeast, ■) was my ig several lown the pe.d much e a sharp the boat le. In a ng strong moments bed Cape about to PKECIPITOUS MOUNTAIN. 393 examine the spot. Many relics of Innuits were seen here. After remaining there an hour we again started, and proceeded up Victoria Bay, keeping well inshore for smoother water. The BOAT IN A STORM. scenery was magnificent. Stupendous clifis rose up almost perpendicular from the water's edge, and mountains towered high above me, the sides of some crumbling as if from age and 4-f ^ ■ 'Ml ■ H! i-f V ".'*>*''^''- W»i%4„^^V„; -i»*««feK««ifci., '*f'.^-«.'\«t4i»..i,,;,,^, 394 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. i : \ the work of winter's freezing power. One precipitous mountam, about half way up the bay, had the whole side of it torn from summit to base, and cast down. As we approached this mountain my eye caught sight of a cave. I landed to examine it, and the moment I set foot on shore I was struck with amazement at the huge rocks, high up and overhanging my head, seemingly ready to totter and fall. The cave was one of those made by the action of ice in winter and the sea in summer. The ice had rent the rocks and fastened upon them ; the sun, with its heat, and the wind, with its power, then went to work, tearing up the frozen masses of ice, and forcing out the rocks, thus leaving the mountain partly disembowelled, as I found it. By measui-ement, the cave was fifty feet long, by a width of ten feet, and a height of fifteen to twenty feet at the entrance. The strata of rocks were perpen- dicular. The sides, however, were not as rough and jagged as were the roof and base. Icicles, long, numerous, and large, hung from the top, giving an air of enchantment to the scene. Eeturning to the boat, we resumed our hard labour at the oars, the wind being right ahead. We had not proceeded far before Koojesse sighted a seal floating a little distance oil" on our right. He instantly prepared for a shot, and stood up in the bow of the boat ready to fire. In another moment, and within twenty-Jive feet of the seal, crack went the rifle. A floundering commenced, the boat was in an instant alongside of the prey, and Koojesse laid hold of his prize with both hands, the other Innuits immediately aiding him. I shall not soon forget that scene. A line was thrown around the seal's flippers, but the animal was still alive, and struggled so much that all the power we had could hardly get it into the boat. As it was dra^vn up, the dying seal glanced around and upon us with its plaintive eyes, and its innocent-looking face seemed to plead for mercy, as though it were human. I actually felt a shudder creeping over me as it looked at us ; but, on the instant, — a knife in the ha-xds of Kooperneung was buried deep in it. Another struggle, and the poor seal lay dead. Koojesse told me that occasionally, on a -svindy day, seals will thus float upon the surface of the water for the sake of having the wind blow on their backs. A little later we landed at Ek-ke-le-zhun, a point of interest and importance to me. This place is a tongiie of land which juts out nearly half across the bay, and servers to form above it oro of the safest and finest harbours I ever saw. The scenery ANOTHER COAL DEPOSIT. 395 around is grand and impressive, and I saw enough to convince me that it is a most desirable spot for a vessel to anchor in. "While the Innuits wera feasting on the seal 7 took a walk upon the shore. All 'ohe land above high-water mark was covered with snow ; but, looking attentively on the ground, to my delight I discovered a small, thin lamina of coal. On the day we left Oopungnewing (August 13th), on our voyage up Frobisher Bay, Koojesse told me that he knew of a place not far off, up a bay, where there was a great deal more of the coal such as I had found at Niountelik. My experience, now nar- rated^ shows both that Koojesse was honest in his statement, and also — which is a point of great importance — that the Esquimaux traditionary history, extending back for centuries, is wonderfully accurate. Imbedded in the rocks I also found some heavy black sub- stances, larger and more numerous than any I had before seen. These I concluded might be the " stone like to seacoal" described by Frobisher in the account of his voyages. I secured some specimens, which I brought home with me. But I was not content with the hasty examination thus made. After returning to the boat and lunching on raw seal, I renewed my search, in company with Koojesse and Kooperneung. Soon, by digging under the snow, coal was found in considerable quantities, and also a little pile of flintstones similar to those discovered in the coal at Mountelik, and in the cement of the stone-house ruins at Kodlunarn. My feelings were so buoyant and excited at this discovery, and the proof it furnished to my mind that Frobisher had been there, that I could hardly contain myself. But my excitement was considerably increased when Miner, from the top of the highest part of the tongue of land, raised a shout and said he had found more. "We rushed toward him, and lo ! more and more was indeed found. There was a large space clear of snow, and covered with coal to the amount, I thought, of some five tons. I was perfectly astounded. But I could not lose time. I therefore at once commenced an inspection of the heap, and soon found a large chip imbedded in the coal. This chip, my companion declared, was never the work of an Innuit knife. It had the appearance of having been chopped out of a large piece of oak timber with an axe. I dug down fifteen inches into the coal before coming to any earth. The Innuits willingly assisted me, and, as at Mountelik and Kodlunarn, everything they found was apparently passed to me. I discovered, however, , r; 396 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. H: *. it / i that they pocketed some of the best specimens of tii? flint- stones, and I had eventually to resort to diplomacy in order to recover them. Leaving the main pile, I dug in other places through the snow, and found coal extending over a wide area. There could be no doubt that a large deposit was made here, and I could arrive at no other conclusion — from the evidences of the age of the coal, in the mosses and other signs upon it — than that this was done by Frobisher. I filled a keg with specimens of the coal, the moss, and the lichens, to bring home, and just as I then packed it, so it appeared when opened in the presence of many persons after my return. Night was now fast approaching, and I could stay no longer. The Innuits had descended to the boat before I could tear myself away from the interesting spot ; and long after we left, and while we were running rapidly out of the bay under a favouring breeze, did I keep my gaze fixed and my thoughts centred upon it. Our course back was directly across Countess of Warwick's Sound to Niountelik. The wind was strong and in our favour, so that we made rapid progress, and in good time reached the island. But the surf was too high for landing on the weather- side. Accordingly, we went round into the same bight where I landed on the meuiorable day of my first discovering the coal here. It was dark when we arrived, and there was much difficulty in getting everything up the abrupt bank flanking the place of landing. My own labour was severe, especially in my then weak state. Many were the struggles I made to carry up safely the chronometer and other important articles. Two hours were occupied in doing this, and in getting up the boat above high water ; but at length all was accomplished, and we arrived at the tuples at a late hour, wearied beyond measure with our exertions. This time no hot cofiee or tea awaited me, as heretofore, when Suzhi attended to the matter. My supper was ice-water and molasses, with bread soaked in it, and some dried venison — a poor diet to a cold and enfeebled system. u? flint- order to lugh the jre could I could le age of ihat this 18 of the ust as I ssence of 3 longer. )uld tear p we left, under a tl tioughis Warwick's ir favour, iclied the weather- ht where ering the difficulty ) place of my then up safely ours were )ove high rrived at with our eretofore, ice-water /^enison — CHAPTER XXVII. A Storm — Detained at Niountelik— .Examine the Island — Another Deposit of Coal found — Specimens collected — Revisit Kodlunarn — Minute In- spection — More Belies found of Frobisher's Expedition — A large Piece of Iron — The " Ship's Trench " — Depart on return to Ship — Revisit the Whaling Depdt — Last Encampment by Lupton Channel — Innuit Deposits of Food — Good Faith and Honesty of the Natives toward each other — Avoidance of the ^* Dreaded Land " — Last Day's Journey — Arrive near Parker's Bay — Anxiety and Excitement as to the Ship — Gain Sight of her — Arrival on Board — All well/ On Tuesday, September 24th, 1861, a snow-storm from the north-east was upon us. This delighted me, for it made a stay of another day necessary, impatient as the Innuits were to get back to the ship. After breakfast, enveloped in my ^loak, I sauntered out, determining to give Niountelik a good look. I first proceeded through snow and furious wind to the opposite side of the island, but found notliing worthy of note in my walk there. On my way back, however, by the beach east of the tuples, I found several pieces of coal in the sand, and up a guUy much more, with some flint-stone. A little farther on I suddenly encountered another deposit of coal, No. 2 of Niountelik, on the bank, by a cove v/ith a sandy beach, a short distance east of where I had found the first deposit some months before. At this moment the Innuits came round with the boats, and landed in the cove ; and the idea immediately struck me that this was the identical landing-place of Frobisher in 1578. The coal-bed was within thirty feet of high-water mark. Its depth, in the thickest part, was six inches. It was nearly overgrown with grasses, shrubs, and mosses ; and some of it was washed down into the sand and .'shingle of the beach. The flint-stones were numerous, and of the same character as in the two other lots found. Having made a very thorough examination here, I looked elsewhere over the island. Eelics of Innuits were in all directions, but especially on the eastern slope ; and some small pieces of drift-wood, overgrown with grass, were met with and secured. After going to the camp for a seal-spear, I succeeded- — ,1 ■ i I >«'*»% /A^ti^iiA-artA •*««tojte,a«**^i«ttj«g^,^^ . i' . i- 398 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. "by dint of great exertion and perseverance, digging through the frozen ground — in obtaining several good specimens of the coal interlocked with moss, grass, and shrubs. The weather was not propitious on the morning of September 25th, but the Innuits were anxious to get aAvay, and I had to submit. While the boat was b'jing prepared, I went to the highest part o^ +he island and took some bearings by compass, and carried witu me, on my return to the boat, more coal and other relics to take home. Miner and his crew were not ready, OAving to some of their dogs being missing ; but I hurried off, hoping to induce my companions to stop once more at KodJimarn on the way. This I was fortunately able to do. I concluded an arrange- ment with them to stay there for a short time, for which favour I had to give to Koojesse five boxes of percussion caps, Koodloo two, and Charley two. I could not leave this locality without, if possible, making another examination of the " White Man's Island." Moreover, I wanted additional relics from the stone house ; and, also, to take some measurements and bearings. Accordingly, after leaving Niountelik, our course was taken direct to Kodlunarn Island, where we landed at the same place as before, and I at once began to examine this interesting lo- cality. I made a very close and minute inspection, taking measurements of distances, so as to be quite sure of the data from which my deductions could be drawn. Eough outline sketches were also made on the spot, and everything was done to iiisure correctness in my notes and observations. The plan of the island, which is incorporated in the chart accompanying this work, will better serve to convey the general facts to the reader than the most laboured description with the pen. The result of this, my second examination of Kodlunarn, brought to light new facts in connexion with the past. A piece of iron, semi-spherical in shape, weighing twenty pounds, was discovered under the stone that had been excavated for the " ship's way," and many other small pieces were also found at the head of the trench. Fragments of tile were found all over the island, and numerous other relics, indicating that civilized men had visited the place very many years ago. The large piece of iron was found in the following manner : Koojesse and I had been examining the " ship's trench," to see how high up in it the tide at fuU and change rose, and then, leaving him to search for relics, I ascended the eastern bank, and walked along it to the bluff facing the sea. As I looked down FROBISHER IRON. 399 igh the he coal )tember had to to the ompass, oal and t ready, ried off, dlimarn arrange- 1 favour Koodloo without, ;e Man's le stone bearings. IS taken tne place jting lo- , taking hhe data outline vas done plan of ring this le reader dlunarn, A piece ds, was for the bund at all over civilized manner : " to see ad then, ahk, and ed down bSw ONE OF FROBISBER'S GOLD " PR00F8.' (An Iron relic of 1578.) to the base of the tongue on which I stood, 1 saw, wedged in between two rocks, what ajDpeared to be a stick of timber, about two feet long and six inches square, very old in appearance. I called to Koojesse, and directed hira to examine it, as, from where I stood, it was some twerty-tive feet perpendicular to the bottom ; he hastened down aiia around, and, on orriving at the supposed relic of wood, said it was a stone. I was surprised and disappointed, and then proceeded with my occupation of pacing off the trench. In half a minute, I heard Koojesse shout " Shev ei/e-uni" (iron.) I turned round, and saw that he had boldly mounted the steep bar"! beneath me, using the sharp rocks as stepping-stones, and had his hand resting on a piece of 'usty iron just pro- truding from the debris of stone that had been dug out --^ of the trench, and tlirown up, making a bank. Koojesse continued shouting *' Iron ! big iron! Can't stir hun ! " I was soon on the spot, though at considerable risk, and trying to disengage the ii*on, but I could not move it. After digging around it, however, a few strong pulls started it. The rust of three centuries had firmly cemented it to the sand and stones in which it had lain. The piece of iron* was of the same character as that found at Tikkoon, less than one mile from Kodlunarn, and also as that obtained on " Look-out " Island, Field Bay ; and the origin of it, as well as its significance, may be gathered from the following facts : — Of the one hundred men sent out from England with Frobisher in 1078, the majority were " miners," sent for the express purpose of digging for the rich ore of which Frobisher had carried speci- mens home on his return from his second voyage, and which was supposed to be very valuable. The miners made " proofs," as they are called, in various parts of the regions discovered by him., Some of these "proofs " are doubtless what I found, and they fujnish clear evidence, in connection with other circum- * The same, together with a case of some of the other Frobisher relics which I discovered and brought home, I sent to the British government early in the year 1303, through the Royal Geographical Society of London. if; H !!i M f :1 ■ t t 1 i: «\. M Mf. 400 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. stances noted in the course of this narrative, that I was, when at Kodhinarn, on the precise spot of Frobisher's " Countess of Warwick's Mine." Delighted with my discoveries, and gathering up as many relics as I could carry, placing them in my old stockings, mittens, hat, and everything that would hold them securely, I labelled each article, and rejoined the boat, immediately afterward departing olQ our way for " home." IliOBISUEU KELICS IN MV OLD STOCKINGS. That night we reached the termination of the high land below Sharko, and encamped* tiU the next morning. Our passage on September 26th was made with some diffi- culty, owing to the heavy sea that prevailed. A moderate gale, or even a fresh breeze from certain directions, causes a dangerous sea for boats running between Countess of "Warwick's Sound and Bear Sound, a fact we proved by personal experience. On arriving at the old whaling depot. Cape True, I landed and went to Flagstaff Hill. There was still enough remaining to show where the ship's company had lived so long : the tattered rem- nants of a flag, some boards, a dismantled table, an old cooking- stove, with broken-down walls around it, oil-casks covered with sods, some rope and ice-gear, with the usual indications of Innuit tent life, met my view ; but it was solitary as compared with the life and animation displayed when I was there only a few months * Our twenty-sixth encampment was in lat. 62° 38' N. long. 65° 02' W. mn^ hen at boss of y relics 18, hat, id each parting id below le diffi- ite gale, mgerous Is Sound ice. On md went J to show Ired rem- jcooking- red with )f Innuit I with the months 55''02'.W. INNUIT HONESTY. 401 before. Slowly I turned my steps away from this place, where I had spent so many happy hours ; and I could not help saying to myself, " Shall I ever again behold it ? God only knows ! " We stopped at Cape True nearly an hour, and then jiursued our way through Bear Sound. On arriving at the next i)lace of encampment, the last before reaching the harbour where I had left the ship, the Innuits informed m- that it was called Shar- toe-wik-toe, from a natural breakwater of thin or plate stone, the native word meaning " thin fiat stone." It is on a tongue of land nearly surrounded by water, on the west side of Lupton Cliannel, within a mile of Field Bay, and has a beautiful little boat-harbour. A few moments after landing, some of the lunuits found the remains of recent encampments of their peo])le. On examination, we discovered that several tupics had been there, and it was concluded that Annawa, Artarkparu, and other families had made this their resting-place on tlie way from where we had met them up Frobisher Bay to Field Bay. At this place I found some deposits of seal and walrus, evidently freshly made by the party preceding us ; and here I noticed an instance of honesty and good faith which deserves mention : — These deposits were beneath piles of stone, with a stick run- ning up obliquely from each, so that if tlie ground should be covered with snow, the place might be easily found. The Innuits with me noticed all this, and saw the meat thus deposited, yet not one ivoulcl touch a morsel of it. They knew it belonged to others, and therefore it was sacred in their eyes, imless in cases of actual extremity. From the present (27th and last) encampment oiu* first one on the outward trip was not far distant — about a mile off — and on the opposite side of the channel was Lok's Land, the " dreaded land." I made some inquiries about it, but not one of my com- panions could give me any information, though only about a mile distant. They never had been there, and, a? they said, " never would." On the morning of Friday, September 27th, I mentally ar- ranged a plan for getting from my Innuits all the flint-stone relics they had pocketed when making my researches in the coaJ deposits found at Niountelik and up Victoria Bay. I began my operations by feasting all my crew. I got Koojesse to make an abundant soup of pemmican and meat-biscuit for them a'l. After they had eaten this I gave to each a dish of hot cofiee and handfuls of sea-biscuit. I was particularly conversational and cheerful with all ; carried hot coffee and bread to " Miner"' D D I I i i I i h'f 1 ! i li f It If! to' \ \' \n "^'"■■1^% 402 LIFK V'lTH THE ESQUIMAUX. und his wifo, and gave In-oatl also tn such otlu^rs of his company fis I know to possess the relics I souglit. Th(!n 1 told Koojesso that, if ho had any of the " llint-stonos," 1 would ^ivo, him some boxes of percussion caps when 1 <^ot to the vessel if he would give them all to me. I told him, moreover, that 1 wanted him to assist mo in inducing all the others to do the sjimo, promising on my j)art to give Koo])erneung and Koodloo the same reward I offered him, and to give to the nulianas of himself and Kooi)er- neung, and to Huzhi, beads it)r all tlu^y had. My strategy W(»rked like a charm ; the relics camo in by scores, each bringing me a quantity that suri)rised me, for I had not thought my (!ompany so largely deceitful. When I had obtained from my immediate crow all they hold, I took Koojesse with mo to "Miner's" comi)any, and made an important adrlition to my stock there. The Innuits liad secreted these flint-stones for their own use in ''striking tiro." Wo soon after started on our way, and made good progress uj) Field Lay, arriving near Parker's Bay toward evening. There we heard the report of fire-arms from the shore, and saw tuples near the beach. My party immediately responded, and desired that we shoidd land ; but as we were now only about sev(m miles fi"om the spot where I expected to find the ship, I refused permission. The usual opposition and sulky demeanour then followed. The men would not work, and the women, though willing, had to do as their masters told them. Night was ap- proaching, and the cold was becoming severe ; still, I felt it would be much better to go on and ascertain if the sliip were really there than to encamp for another night. Accordingly, I tried every argument and persuasion to induce Koojesse and the others to persevere, finally succeeding after much sulkiness on their part. And now I was full of excitement as we neared the place where we expected to find the ship ; but darkness came over us before we got across the bay, and I became very anxious for our safety among the shoals, of which there were many about. Hapi)ily we escaped serious peril, and on reaching the point of land to be rounded before entering the harljour, danger was lost in the general excitement. We looked eagerly and often for a sigliL of the ship. Presently a dark mass loomed up ])(^fore us. A few more strokes of the oars, and all doubt was removed. The George Henri/ was in sight ! As soon as the vessel was seen, my Innuit crew, unable to repress thou* joy, fired their guns and sent forth loud shouts and cheers, in which I could not help joining, overjoyed to find the pany as H(5 that, U 801U0 ! would I'd liim ! roward Koo])i'V- workod iij; inc a 'oini^aiiy muMliate oiupany, liimiits iiif;; tiro." jgrt'SH up . Thoru iw tuples (1 desired )ut seven I refused lOur then [i, tliougli was ap- I felt it lip were ilinfTly, I e and the ciness on the place 10 over us us for our Happily land to be )st in the a sight of A few kd. The unable to shouts and find the i( ARRIVAL ON HOARD. 403 ship not yet departed. The watch on dock was at first in doubt wlmt to make of the nois*!, l)ut a scicond thou \ ■ ,i DD 2 |Si •i rl tVv ill ■ii: n\ '■'ifUf-L^^,: ■i<' ''.*lttl:l«U4aa,'«»(l4jJ^^, :r CHAPTER XXVIII. i! Visit the Friendly Natives — EhicrUng and Tookoolito — A Surprise — Birth of a Son — ArtarkpariCs Information — More concerning FroUshcr's Expe- dition — A great number of Innuits around the Ship — They all conctir in the Traditionary History given to me — Author's Anxiety to renew his Discoveries — Another Boat-trip — Gross the Bay to Chapcll Inlet — Camp for the Night — Continue the Voyage — Encamp once more — Visit aninnuit Dep6t of food— A severe Hurricane — Boat-voyage abandoned — Return to the Ship — Capture of two Whales — A Man dangerously hurt by a WJmle. On the following morning, Saturday, September 28th, 1861, at an early hour, I was on deck, finding every one astir, getting ready for the customary cruise after whales. The ship's company generally started at daybreak to try their luck, and they were sadly disappointed with the result hitherto. On inquiry, I found that some of my Innuit friends were still in the neigh- bourhood, and, after breakfast, I went on shore to visit them. I may here state that, on my return, I found the vessel at the same anchorage — in George Henry's Harbour* — as it was when I left it on August 9th. The first call I wished to make was at Ebierbing's tupic, which was pointed out to me at no great distance. I entered without " ringing," and found " Jennie " — Koodloo's wife — there to wel- come me, as she did with unmistakable pleasure. On inquiring for Tookoolito and Ebierbing — whom I considered almost as adopted children — I found that I had entered the wrong tent, Ebierbing's tupic being next door, and thither I soon made my way. As I entered the tupic of Ebierbing I caught a mere glimpse of a woman's face, which I had hardly time to recognise as belonging to Tookoolito. She gave me one look, and then the face I beheld was buried in her hands trembling with excite- ment. It was, indeed, Tookoolito, overwhelmed with tears on eeeing me again. The tears sprang to my eyes also as I saw this * Thus named after the barque George Henry. This harbour is in lat. 62° 53' N. long. 64° 48' 15" W. and is at the south extreme of the longest island of Field Bay, not far from the termination of said bay. TOOKOOLITO'S GENEROSITY. 405 ic — Birth cr's Expc- concur in renew his d — Camp %n Innuit ', — Return \urt by a 1861, at ', getting company ley were iquiry, I le neigli- dt tliem, el at tlie vas wlien ic, which without ?e to Avel- inquiring ilmost as ong tent, made my e glimpse )gnise as then the h excite- tears on ; saw this ir is in lat. the longest evidence of strong attachment. It was some time before the silence of the tupic was broken by voices. She and her husband, in common with all the other Innuits and white men, had never expected to see me again. She had often ascended a liill, near by and overlooking the bay, to search the horizon for my return- ing boat, but had as often come down disappointed. In the midst of our talk I was startled by the plaintive cry of an infant, and, turning back a corner of the ample tuktoo furs with which Tookoolito was wrapped, I found a boy only twenty-four days of age, her only child ! Tookoolito told me she had been very ill, and had nearly died during her confinement. I was about to leave the tupic, having spent a very pleasant hour with my friend, when she drew toward hej a bag, from which she took two pair of nether garments — hod-lings — which she had made for me before her sickness. One pair was made of kus-se-gear (black sealskin and fur), a beautiful mottled material ; the other pair was of the common seal, made in the Innuit fashion, the former being made in the style of civilization. She also gave me three specimens of her netting or crochet-work, made especially for me to take home to America. They were table mats, and beautiful specimens of a skilful hand. But I had not yet reached the depths of her generosity; she next presented to me a pan* of sealskin socks, and a pair of meituk socks (made of the skins of eider ducks with the feathers on), saying, at the same time, that she had the material at hand, and would soon have ready for me a pair of winter boots — kumings. I told her she was doing too much for me. " Nay, nay," was her response, " I cannot do half so much as I ought for one who has been so kind to us." As I was leaving the tupic she said, " I was so glad when I heard last nigl that you had got back in safety that I could not sleep; I lay thinking of it all the night. I feel very happy now. My winga thought you lost too ; f\nd now he also is happy." In the afternoon old Artarkparu visited me. He had arrived, ■vvith his company, from up Frobisher Bay a little before my re- turn, and I now gladly conversed with him, through Koojesse as interpreter, about the pieces of iron I had obtained at Tikkoon and Kodlunam. I asked him if he had ever seen them before, and he replied, " !Ifo, not those, hut one much larger." He tiien made a circular motion with his hand over and around the piece of iron I had placed on the table, and, according to this, that which he had seen must have been five times as large. He ■ . i I if t.. ; " I !i i ! m m !i (Si 406 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. added to this remark that a very strong Inniiit could just lift it, and there were very few who were able to do so. This piece of metal was, as he explained, on the southwest side of Oopung- newing Island, just above high-water mark. He had seen it six years before, but not since. The metal was " soft " and "smooth," not " hard," like the pieces I had before me. Ebierbing, visiting me that day in our little after-cabin, was conversing T/ith me, and speaking of his sickness and recovery — of the critical state in which his nuliana lay for several days succeeding the birth of their child — of Uie lops of his very valuable seal and sledge dog " Smile," and another of his dogs. He said further, " We thankful that still live and able to work. Lose our dogs ; sick and unable to go tuktooing ; no tuktoo skins for winter ; never mind ; we alive and together ; got fine boy, and are happy." I thought this was indeed akin to Christian philosophy, deserving respect and admiration. Annawa and his wife !Nood-loo-yong visited me on the mor- ning of September 30th, and I showed them the relics I had obtained. They at once recognised them as coming from the places I had examined. These people had spent most of their days round the waters of Frobisher Bay, and especially on the islands Oopungnowing and Niountelik. The portion of bricP which I had found the previous winter, when transferring my things from one sledge to the other, opposite ^Niountelik, was unknown to them in so large a form ; but thoy had often seen smaller pieces, and also coal, in each of the places where I had discovered it. They had likewise found " heavy stone," such as I showed them, at Ku&se-gear-ark-ju-a, a cape half a mile K.N.W. of Kodlunarn. I asked them where these things came from, and the reply was, " Kodlunas brought them." I immediately said, " Did you see those kodlunas % " Their answer, with eyes wide open and countenances expressing surprise, was, '•'■ Ar-gi ! ar-gi!" meaning No ! no ! " How, then," said I, " do you know that kodlunas brought them ] " Their response was, " All the old Innuits said so. The first Innuits who saw the white men were all dead, many, a great many years ago." The more I searched into this subject the more I found it to be well known, as a traditionary fact, that white men — kod- lunas — once lived on the island then and since called by the Innuits Kodlunarn ; that these men had built a ship there ; had ""iih** ebierbing's statement. 407 launched it, and started away for their homes ; but that, before they got out of the bay, hands and feet were frozen, and finally the whole of them perished of cold. Ebierbing's statement to me was as follows : — Recollects hearing his father tell of these white men, and how they built a ship. The kodlunas had brought brick, coal, and " heavy stone," and left them on Niountelik and at other places about there. His father did not see them, but the Jlrst Innuits, who saw them, told other Inniits "O. and so it continued to his day. Old Inn aits tell young Innuits ; and when thei/ get to be old, they in turn tell it to the young. " When our baby boy," said he, " gets old enough, we tell him all about you, and about all those kodlunas who brought brick, ii'on, and coal to where you have been, and of the kodlunas who built a ship on Kodlunarn Island. "When boy gets to be an old Innuit he tell it to other Innuits, and so all Innuits will know what we now know." Thus, by the simple unadorned statement of Ebierbing may be known how it is that oral history is preserved among the Innuit people of the North. On +1; - vy following this conversation, several old Innuits arrived < ih different places; among them were Ugarng, with his two wives and child; "Bob," his wife "Polly," and children ; " Johnny Bull " and Kokerzhun, and Blind George, with his darling girl Kookooyer. Ugarng had left his mother, old Ookijoxy Ninoo, at Cornelius Grinnell Bay, so that I was unable to obtain from her any additional information concerning the relics I had found ; but the others all confirmed the story already given to me about the white men, and what they had left behind. The testimony of Blind George was particularly interesting from the circumstances under which he gave it. Being unable to see, he by signs and motions mapped out the pofdtion of various places in Countess of Warwick's Sound, where these things had been noticed by him before losing his sighc. Placing his hand on his own person, he said, " Oopungnewing ; " then placing it on a corner of a sea-chest in the main-cabin, where we were, he continued, " j^iountelik ; " then pointing with his finger to a spot on the table, he said, " Twer-puk-jti-a" to another, " Kodlunarn," to another " Tikkoon." Before he could place all to satisfy him, he went back and repeated his steps frequently, at last accomplishing the geographical feat satisfac- torily to himself and quite to my gratification. He also identified H .'■: 11 ; , <■ ■ '■ .1 -■*'*- ri-f sS*«Wi.ifcA;- !?ij».>.sw.%tesi(^^a. 408 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. ¥:['- fc- -i the specimen of " heavy stone " I placed in his lap by lifting it up and touching his lips to it ; he felt its indentations and roughness, weighed it in his hand, and said "all same" as he once saw at Kodlunarn. He then, without any leading questions, described the trenches made by the white men ; and his l,estimony was conlirmed by Tweroong, who also added that old Innuits said the ship was built from wood left on the island for an igloo — a word applied not only to their own snow-houses, bui; to the dwellings of civilized men generally. The information thus obtained, though satisfactory, still made me desirous for more ; and as at. that time the number of Innuits in the neighbourhood could not have been less than a hundred, I ;hought it an excellent opportunity for procuring what I soight. Accordingly, I went to some of their tuples, and getting Tookoolito to be my interpreter, asked a number of questions, the answers to whioh perfectly satisfied me with regard to the main facts concerning Frobisher's expedition and the fate of his men. Thfi result of all the information thus obtained coiivinced me, however, of the necessity for another and longer examination of the locality possessing so much interest as regarded this subject. Therefore I again prepared for another trip, and on Monday, October 7th, at 11 a.m. I once more started for the Countess of "Warwick's Sound. My boat's crevr consisted of Ebierbing, as boat-steerer and interpreter, " Suzhi," " John Bull," Kokerzhun, Annawa, Ou-le-kier, and Shevikoo, thus having only one (Suzhi) of my previous party with me. As this trip, owing to the very severe weather, was nearly a failure, I need only give such particulars of it as may prove generally interesting to the reader. The wind Avas strong when we started, and every dash of water upon our boat froze as it touched the side. Sometimes the gusts were so heavy that great care was needed lest we should be capsized ; but we managed to cross the bay and reach land on the other side without mishap. Here, for a time, we had better weather, but the wind soon became adverse, and when we got near to French Head it was deemed advisable to encamp for the night. We stopped at a bight, or indentation of the land, close to the place where we used to cross over to Chapell Inlet, and there, in searching for drift-wood, I came across a piece of my lost expedition boat. The women attended to our encampment, consisting of two tents, one formed of my boat's covering, the other of boats' sails ; five persons were in one and three in the ANOTHER BOAT EXCURSION. 409 y lifting ons and ime" as leading en ; and led that le island r-houses, ill made ■ Innuits lundred, what I ics, and mher of ne with tion and aced me, nation of I subject. Monday, mtess of ing, as kerzhtin, e (Suzhi) nearly a ly prove ng when oze as it lat great managed without ,he wind Head it close to ad there, my lost tnpment, [•ing, the !0 in the other. Thus we passed the first night, and early next morning, October 8th, again started. The weather was very discouraging ; the wind was right against us, and occasionally it snowed heavily. A mile or so after leaving our encampment a perfect storm came upon us, and I saw that Ebierbing aud the rest felt most unwilling to go on. Indeed, I myself now feared it would be impossible to prosecute our voyage. Tho delay had been such that every day now brought the severity of winter fast upon us ; still, I determined to persevere as long as we could, feeling that if the ship departed soon for home I should have no opportunity for examining farther into the Frobisher expedition. The wind soon increased to a gale, bringing the snow furiously into our faces ; the waves ran high, every crest leaping the boat's side, and almost burying it in the trough of the sea. Our con- dition was becoming dangerous, and so thought my Innuit com- panions, as they frequently glanced at me to learn my intent'ons. It was soon evident to me that all my hopes of getting forward were likely to be disappointed. The season was too far advanced for boat excursions ; snow-storms, cold and windy weather, met me each day. My companions, wiser than myself, plainly inti- mated that it would not do to persevere : they would go on if I determined to do so, but they knew their own coasts, their native waters, and their seasons better than myself; and I felt that, much as I wished to accomplish another examination of the islands where relics could be obtained before the George Henry sailed, I should be unable to do so without running a risk that would be considered foolhardy. Our encampment that night was at a place where, as we soon perceived, some Innuits had lately rested. Traces of their abode and deposits of provisions were found, and, upon inquiry, I dis- covered that one of my crew, Shevikoo, was of the party that had rested htre. This explained why he so readily opened the deposits, and took from the store of walrus and other meat what he wanted. The gale now increased almost to a hurricane. I had encoun- tered nothing so severe since the memorable one of the past year, when my boat was destroyed and the Rescue wrecked. We could only with the greatest difficulty keep our tents from blowing away; we frequently had to secure them afresh by additional weights of stones at their base, and my readers may conceive better than I can describe the position I was in during my detention on that desolate coast. ■iM ..-JattjtttiJtV; 410 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 1 : f \ n During this trip I had opportunities for much talk with the Innuits concerning the Frobisher expedition, and also concerning some of their own traditions and superstitions. Concerning the " dreaded land," Annawa said : — " Years ago many Innuits were carried away on the ice and never came hack again. Then Innuits would not live there for a long time. Finally they began to go there again in great numbers, when once more they were all lost, but hoiv no Innuit could tell. At last, hearing nothmg from the people who had gone there, a boat's crew of Innuits went to ascertain their fate. They arrived in the region they sought, but the very first night tliey could not sleep, owing to a terrible noise, all the same as if Nuna — the land — cracked, shook, and broke. There was no sea, no wind, no ice ; se-lar — sky — fine, weather good, yet the dreadful noise continued. However, the searching party went on shore to examine ; they looked around, and they went all over the land, but not one of their people could be found. All were gone ! Some mysterious fate had overtaken them. This frightened the new visitors ; they knew not what to make of it. Then, too, the dreadful noises continued ; each night their sleep was troubled by a repetition of the direful sounds. The earth cracked and rumbled, and seemed as if breaking up in all direc- tions. It was enough ! Without farther delay, the visitors took to their boat and left the dreaded land. Since then no Innuits will live there." Annawa said the last catastrophe hap- pened when he was a boy ; the first was a long time before he was born. On Wednesday, October 9th, though within a mile of Lupton Channel, I determined upon retiu*ning to the ship ; it was all but impossible to proceed. But here again were other disap- pointments ; the wind changed, a heavy storm set in right against us, and, after accomplishing a short distance, wo had once more to encamp, this time close to "French Head." My trip thus far had been anything but pleasant. In the boat I was so cramped, and wet with the spray, that I could hardly move. When I landed my limbs almost refused their several functions, and it was necessary for me to have a good walk before I could restore proper circulation. It was a comfort to have such a walk, a greater comfort to be within the tupic, and a still greater to have, after a time, hot coftee placed before me by the ready hands of Suzhi. The next morning, October 10th, we renewed our boat-voyage back to the ship. On the way a deer was seen, and my crew irith the icerning ling the ice and liere for in great a Innuit vho had leir fate. st night ime as if was no yet the rty went went all lid. All n. This ike of it. leir sleep Che earth all direc- ) visitors then no phe hap- before he Lupton was all er disap- right , wc had In the I could jed their a good comfort he tupic, }d before it-voyage my crew A WHALING INCIDENT. 411 immediately landed to secure it. This was done without much difficulty, guns having been brought into good use for the pur- pose. The animal was a fine one, and very soon made a great feast for all of us I. was quickly skinned, and the raw food greedily eaten. I partook of some of it, and especially of the marrow of the legs, the bones having been broken by pounding them with a stone. " Johnny Bull " took the head, broke open the skull, and feasted on the brains. Suzhi now and then thrust her fingers down into the paunch, drawing forth portions of the contents, and eating them with much relish. While waiting at this place I took a walk along the beach, and found a ship's beam high and dry on the rocks. It was of oak, twenty-seven feet long, and eighteen by twelve inches square. Spikes that had once helped to hold fast the ship's deck, and the bolts run- ning through at each end, were much eaten with rust. It probably belonged to the Traveller. When we again started it was with difficulty that any progress could be made, owing to the head wind ; but at last, toward evening, we neared the locality of the ship. At that time another boat under sail was observed, and we soon found it to be manned wholly by Innuits. It was a pretty sight, that boat, with no load save its light crew, sailing in the strong wind, with a heavy sea prevailing. The masts and sails were bent over, almost touching the waves, and yet she bounded forward, beau- tifully rising over the waters, and dashing along like a white whale in alarm. As soon as the boat neared us, we learned that during my absence the crew of the George Henri/ had captured two whales, and this news was soon afterward fully confirmed when I saw the huge carcasses alongside of the ship. On board, Captain B. and his crevr were busy and joyous over the work. A friendly word was hastUy given, and I went below. I regretted to learn that a man had been seriously injured, nearly losing his life by a blow from one of the captured whales. The boat in which this man was had run with a six-knot breeze right on the whale in an oblique direction, its b ^w actually mounting the monster's back near its tail. At that moment the " boat- header" — Morgan — threw, with all the force of a bold, expert man, two harpoons in quick succession. The whale, feeling the concussion of the boat and the sharp wounds of the irons in his back, desi3erately and fiercely struck his fluk»^s about, right and left, with the force of a thousand-horse engine. The sea became white under its maddened fury. Occasionally the tip of one ol his flukes was raised high above the boat's side, as if about to deal r "i I 11 i I ' V \\. i f h In 'II ■ mm VM'i 412 LIFE WITH THE ES^^UIMAUX. instant destruction to all, and once a Mow came heavily down. Morgan saved himself by jumping on one side ; but the nearest man was struck and knocked down senseless. The boat's mast was lifted from the step, and the sail thrown in the water, but, fortunately, the boat itself escaped destruction. The huge monster expended most of his power in lashing the water, and then " sounded," t^at is, dived into the depths below. On returning to the surface he was met by lances, which caused the usual spouting of blood, and then followed the death-stroke, which made the whale a prize to the daring seamen who attacked it. CHAPTER XXIX. The Anvil — Preparations for returning Home— Excursion to Bayard Taylor Pass — Hard Climbing — An extensive Vieiv — The Ice Pack in Davis's Strait— A rapid Descent — Return to the Ship — Startling Announcement of Captain B. — Another Winter in the Ice — Oeneral Gloom — A bitter Disappointment — How to live and keep Warm — Innuit Simplicity regard- ing Money — Author's Proposition concerning Stores. The events that followed my return to the ship on Thursday, October 10th, 1861, were similar to those that I have already related. We all naturally wished to get away and proceed on the voyage home ; ice had begun to form, and we felt that the time was now come for our departure, if we meant to leave that year. Thus a few days passed on, during which several of our friends, the Innuits, who had been at diflFerent places hunting and sealing, returned. Among them were Ugarng, Artarkparu, and Annawa. Each of these, on my questioning them, spoke of the particular relic on Oopungnewing I had been so anxious to obtain from the moment when Artarkparu told me of it, as re- corded in the previous chapter; and upon requesting them to do so, they each made from wood a model of the article, working at different times, and without the least consultation among themselves. Suzhi, at my request, made a pencil sketch of its shape— at least, as near as she could. She evidently never took a pencil in her hand before. Ugarng, who is quite experienced in map sketching, marked out its shape on the same leaf as Suzhi's sketch. This had some correspondence to the delineation of the one Artarkparu made some days since. I got Ugarng to cut out with his knife its representation in wood. When he finished it I held it out, asking " Kis-su ? " — that is. What was the heavy iron at OopungneAving formerly used for? His answer was an intelligible one, and one that determines the nature of this important reiic beyond all question. As an anvil ! such as were made in former times, without a horn. This Innuit had been to the States {vide page 82), and while there he visited various manufacturing establishments, being naturally of a mechanical turn of mind. His answer to I ! f it'i 11! 414 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. my qnostion wtvs, holding tlio index finger of his loft hand on the little carved block as I hold it up, with his other hand angled into fist and raised above finger to represent hammer, he said, " All the same as blacksmith." Tliis expression, in connexion with his i)ertinent symbolizing, settles the matter satisfactorily to my mind that tliis relic of Frobisher on Oopungnewing is an anvil. UGARNU'S WOOD MODEL OF THE IRON RELIC. ARTARKPARU'S WOOD MODEL OF THE IRON RELIC. Another wood model,* of great similarity to the above tvo, was executed on the 15th of October by Annawa. When Ugarng saw the relic, or " heavy stone," it was " red wdth rust ; " and Artarkparu informed me that it had been carried to Oopungnewing from Kodlunarn many years ago by Innuits on a sledge. Annawa, in speaking of it, said " it was some- thing that did not grow there," ^^^^^^^^^^ and each one confirmed the others' W z,^^^^^^^^^^ testimony, though examined apart and at different times. Suzhi also made a rude model of it by chewing some toodnoo and then fashioning it into the shape opposite. Thus Ro, ou-LE-ARNo's TOODNOO MODEL OF evcrytliiug sccnied to confirm me in tile belief that the article pro- bably yet to be found on Oopungnewing was an anvil formerly belonging to Frobisher's expedition ; hence my desire w^as great to induce some of the natives to go for it, hoping they might return before the ship sailed. But I found no one who cared to undertake the task. * This model I sent to the English government with many of the Frobisher relics which I discovered and obtained in the Countess of War- wick's Sound. ind on ? hand ler, ho iiexion ictorily g is an OK THE )ve two, 'as " red ad boen ago Ijy lavva, in some- tliere," others' d apart izlii also chewing lioning Thus firm me ;le pro- ormerly as great y might 10 cared IV of the 'of Wai- A SAD DISAPPOINTMENT. 415 It was the intention of Captain Tiudington to leave the country ' on the 20th October, and the minds of all had hecui made up accordingly. I was anxious to go, before sailing, to a high point near Bayard Taylor Pass, where I could coni])l(!te my ojierutions pertaining to the trigonometrical survey I had connnunced. With this tlesign I set out on the morning of October 17th for an excursion tliilher, and I now copy from my diary a portion of the record made; on the evening of that day and on subsecpient days : — • ^^ October 17 tk, 10 p.m. — At present it is thought that ive are ice-prisoned in Field Bay for the winter ! Solid ' yuck^ in Davis's Strait has been seen to-day. How true it is that we know not what a day may brhig forth ! " A few hours ago we were anticipating the short time that remained before the George Hear if » sails were to be given to the wind, and we to be away to our loved ones at home ; but now we are thinking of preparations for sustaining life in these « regions of ice and snow, I must make as enduring as ink and paper will allow the incidents of this day. I l)egiu with my trip across to the west side of the bay, to the highest mountain-top between Field Bay and the Bay of Frobisher. " Early this morning the four boats, with the George Henry's crew, started off to cruise for whales. I *?iit to work engaging a crew of the best Innuits among those who had just come aboard to accompany me across the bay, and a few minutes sufficed for this. Those selected were Ebierbing, Shevikoo, 'Jim Crow,' 'Miner,' ()o-7ning-mung, At-tou-se-ark-chune. " After making up the west side of the island, near which the vessel is anchored, and which forms the north and northwest side of the harbour, I was surprised to find much ice. Indeed, early this morning there was no ice in the harbour, but at the time we left it had formed so thick that it was with great diiiicidty that the boat could be pulled through it. Finding the i-ie too heavy to make progress, and apparently much thicker ahead of us, we concluded to turn our course and strike south- west, using the wind, which was favourable to the latter course. Sail being made, away we sped at a cai)ital rate, occasionally plowing through 'sludge,'* that served greatly to deaden our speed. " At about eleven o'clock we reached the land Avhere the winter passage is made in going to Frobisher Bay. A few minutes were spent here in deciding which of the party should accompany me * Just as the ice begins to make, sometimes the sea-water, to a con- siderable depth, becomes so cold that it is thick like ])onidge— so thick, indeed, that a boat might as well be pulled through a lake of tar as through "sludge." ft W 1 • hl\ >>H ^1 i \: \\ P i! !; 'I m \j 416 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. in my tramp to the mountain-top. All but one sccmod reluctant to undertake it ; the one I shall always remember, as ho seemed rather anxious than otherwise to "be my attendant; it was Shevikoo, an Innuit that I like more the more I see of him. The rest of the crew were to remain with the boat, taking it, if they chose, to himt duck and seal. "Shevikoo and I started. The first quarter of a mile was over a plain of fresh-water ice that had been formed by springs bubbling up and sj)reading their waters about. This passed, wo commen«!ed our ascent of the rugged hill that lay between us and the mountain jiroper that I desired to visit. A few minutes' walk up this incline decided what kind of work we had before us for the next tAvo or three hours. I started from the boat with my tuktoo jacket and trousers on. Climbing rough rocks covered with soft, treacherous snow created a boiling heat; I therefore divested myself of the said clothing, reserving only my civilization dress. " Resuming our walk — or rather our leaping, plunging, and tumbling, for this was the nature of our motions during the five hours we were absent from the boat — our progress up was slow — slow indeed, for the way was really rugged, though not so in ai)pearance. Had there been no snow we could have got along very well, but as it was, the travelling was terrible. This may be believed when I state that nearly the whole distance is covered with sharp and boulder rocks — rocks upon rocks — and over these a covering of snow that made all look fair, but, on attempting to make passage over it, down through soft snow we went till our feet rested on stones, which sometimes proved firm and some- times proved man-traps. Now and then we sunk thigh deep, our feet dropping into chinks, and becoming quite firmly wedged therein. As we wound our zig-zag way up the steep mountain, I was expecting every moment that my volunteer companion would refuse to go farther, but in this I was happily mistaken. He was a match for me. " I was rejoiced to find, as we drew near the top, that the snow became sufficiently hard to bear us up, thus enabling us to make better progress. The summit was finally reached, and a moment's look around was sufficient to repay me for all the efforts I had made to gain that point. Field Bay, Davis's Strait, Frobisher Bay, and Kingaite were within sight. I was surprised at the height we had evidently gained. Lady Franklin Island, out in Pavis's Strait, Monumental Island, and the islands of the extreme land between Frobisher Bay ■r w. ■ " ;> ' " till our hat the nahling cached, me for Bay, sight. Lady Island, er Bay THE ICE-P\CK. 417 and Field Bay, which I visited last winter, loomed up as I had never seen them heforo at so great a distance from them, showing that the high land on wliich I was was high indeed. FIELD BAY AND DAVIS'S STRAIT FROM THE IIEIQHT OF BAYARD TAYLOR PASS. "I took the spy-glass, and proceeded to make a prolonged observation. I first directed the glass toward the vessel, which was at a distance of seven miles ; I then directed it to Davis's Strait. This I saw was filled with a heavy pack. I swept with the instrument along down said strait to the extremity of Hall's Island. No black water — nought but pack, pack, met my view ! I was somewhat surprised at this, but thought that perhaps to the captain this woidd be but a familiar, every-\v;u affair. The sequel to this will be soon written. " I asked my Innuit attendant to take the glass and * tak-koo seko^ — look at the sea-ice. When Shevikoo had viewed it care- fully, I asked him, * Seko amasuit ? ' — Do you see much ice ? He replied, ^ Noudloo — noud-loo f — Yes — yes. From the deep, slow tones of his voice, as he answered me, I understood that he too was surprised at the sight. I wondered how a vessel was to get out of Field Bay ; but the next instant I thought, * Well, now. Captain B. will find some way, of course, which my inexperienced self cannot discover, by which the George Henry can be put through that pack.' My thoughts were also cf E E tli !i \ Hi I iii , 1 i IS I I'll 1 1 ■^ 4 % r V J^ i i ,1 i' J I. i i,i m ■'•«*>'J.i.a4ir«tt::5«.» 418 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Captain Parker and his son, who had, each with a vessel, left ahout this time last year and proceeded home, " I took another prolonged look, before I left, at Davis's Strait. Monumental Island was white, and its sides presented no black rock peering out ; and the same was true of Lady Franklin Island. The pack appeared very rough; much pinnacled ice was among it, and it was especially to be seen around the first island of the extreme land next Davis's Strait. As far as the eye could reach by the aid of the most excellent glass, up and down the strait, no open water met my view. I then turned to Kingaite. Miles on miles of mountain there were before me. A long line of black cloud stretched from the extreme south to the extreme northwest, just enveloping the tops of most of the Kingaite ridge. I was disappointed in not getting a sight of Oopungnewing and Niountelik ; the ridge of another mountain, distant two miles, ran in such a direction as to hide them, but a small island near Oopungnewing was in sight. The termination of the grass plain, Kus-se-gear-ark-ju-a, opposite and near Nioun- telik, was within view. The little bay on the Frobisher Bay side, making up to within one mile of Field Bay, was nearly down beneath us. " On climbing this mountain my clothing became saturated with perspiration. On making the top the wind was blowing cuttingly cold, thus serving to chill me too hastily for comfort or for long endurance. Before I finished the observations I made up there, I came near freezing my fingers, and the time was long, after leaving that exposed position, before I could bring them back to their natural warmth. The stinging pains I endured in those fingers, while the restoration was going on, seemed almost unbearable. " We remained forty-five minutes on this mountain-top. Had it not been for the lateness of the hour, I should have proceeded two miles farther ; this distance would have led me to the ridgo which limited my view, shutting out from sight the interesting places named. This ridge is by the entrance to the little bay, or, more properly, the harbour making up nearest Field Bay. " Taking a last look at the scenery around, we started down the mountain. Our steps were rapid. I had the misfortune to get one severe fall. As we were descending the steepest part, my right foot caught between two stones that were deep beneath a snow covering, and the swift rate at which I was going threw me headlong while I was fast in the rocks. I recovered myself and extricated my foot, though not until the cramp had seized STARTLING NEWS. 419 my leg and tied knots in it. I cried lustily to Shevikoo, who was ten rods ahead. He did not hear me at first, but the second call brought him to. I managed to get the knots rubbed out of my leg before he reached me, though it was some time before I could proceed. The time of our descent was not a quarter of that consumed in going up. When within a mile of the boat, I saw the remainder of my crew awaiting our return, and we reached the boat at 4 p.m. having been five hours absent from it. " "We started at once for the vessel, making slow progress at first on account of the ice. At length we reached open water, raised sail, and sped along. As we approached the harbour we found that the ice had become so thick that it was only by hard pulling, and hard drives of the oars into it, that we got to the ship. As soon as I was aboard, I asked the captain if his men had another whale. He replied that as yet he did not know, but the indications were, as his boats were not in, that they had. He was in fine spirits. But, alas ! how soon were they changed to the very depth of grief ! " Shevikoo was the first one of the crew up the side of the vessel. As soon as he got aboard he said they had seen much ice down at the entrance of the bay. The captain asked me if I had seen any heavy ice — "pack — in Davis's Strait. I told him that I had, and proceeded to give him as truthful an act ount of it as I could. I was astonished at the eflFect it produced upon him. Then it was that I first began to realize the overwhelming importance, the momentous character of that pack. On getting through my description, telling him that I not only took repeated careful looks of it through his glass, but had required Shevikoo to do the same, the captain, with fevered brow, responded, ' Our fate is sealed I Another winter Iiere ! We are already im- prisoned /' • " This was now the theme, the all-important subject of thought of every one who heard the explanation of how it was that all hope of returning to the States this season was now cut off. Captain B. no longer felt able to rejoice at the capture of another whale. To and fro he paced the cabin — ^now on deck — another moment back agau.. " At eight o'clock the four boats came in announcing the fact that another whale had been secured. At any other time this intelligence would have been received by the captain with a joyful heart, but now he was occupied in thinking what he was to do under the present dismal circumstances. When the boats EE2 i :' ; ', with a sledge drawn by dogs. Fluker soon reported tlin while going up to Jones's Cape, an come back and have the black tli forward with such a light and springing possil)le that his toe could be badly frozen. Soon after, he came down into the after-cabin, and sat down by the stove warming himself, and eating heartily. While taking his supper, he told us of the experiences of Sterry and himself. They left the ship, as was above stated, on January 4th, and were five days in getting to Jones's Cape. There they found abundant food, but he discovered that his toe was black, and he thought it best to return. The captain caused a poultice to be prepared, and then directed Fluker to pull off his boot ; the poor fellow made several ineffectual efforts to do so, when the captain said, " Hold on, Fluker; let me pull for you." With considerable difficulty the boot and double stockings Avere taken off, when the captain suddenly exclaimed, ^^ Fluker your foot is frozen now as hard as ice ! " In a moment the other foot was stripped of its gear, and that also was found to be frozen stiff. " Away, away with him from this fire ! What are we thinking about ! Ice-water and salt ! I fear this man's feet are gone ! " Such were the hurried exclamations of the captain, and all hands were at once engaged in endea'ours to thaw and preserve the feet of the unfortunate Fluker. The sequel may be given in a word : on the 17th the captain was obliged to amputate all the poor man's toes, per- forming the operation skilfully with instruments improvised for the emergency ; some days after it became necessary to take off another portion of his feet, and from that date the patient slowly recovered, being able after a time to resume his duties. I M .^ ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 l:i|2i 12.5 ■^ l&i 12.2 I? 144 ■" ^ 1^ 12.0 I IJiSi II lllll?^ Illll^^ < 6" ► w VI ^ ^^^^ K.S>'^ /I Photographic Sciences Corporalion 23 WBT MAIN STRUT WEtSTlR.N.Y. l4StO ( 71* ) •73-4503 ■^ 4r 444 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. On January 21st two of the ship's company arrived at the vessel from Cornelius Grinnell Bay, nearly dead from hunger. They had been without food, except a mere morsel, for several days. They had left the ship four weeks before, and they said that they had not eaten on an average more than three ounces a day, so little game had been secured in that locality by the natives. Some days they had to eat sealskins, walrus-hide, reindeer sinew, blasted whale-meat, and scraps remaining after trying out the ooksook.^ One of them, after two days' fasting, received from the hands of an Innuit a piece of- reindeer sinew, weighing perhaps an ounce, for his supper ; but, after chewing it awhile, he gave up the attempt to eat it. On the 20th of February Eobert Smith and five of the for- ward hands returned to the ship from Oopungnewing, where they had been living. Shevikoo, with his dogs and sledge, brought their bags of bedding. They said that the provisions at Oopungnewing were all out, and that they had had nothing to eat for several days. They reported also a sad occurrence. When the Innuits removed from the " Plains" to Oopungnewing they abandoned one of their number, the wife of " Jim Crow," leaving her, with but a trifle of provisions, to die. The reasons given for this act were that she was sick and unable to help her- self. As soon as I was informed of this, I at once proposed to raise a party and go the next morning to ascertain the fate of the deserted woman, and, if she were still living, to bring her on a sledge to the ship. In accordance with this purpose, I set out on the next day, February 21st, accompanied by Mate Lamb and four of the ship's crew, who volunteered for the work. We had a small sledge and four dogs, and took with us a variety of articles for the comfort of the sufiering woman, if she should be alive when we reached her. It was ten o'clock before we started, new harness having to be made for the dogs, and the sledge to be dug out of a heavy snow-drift. The prospect of a successful issue of the trip was doubtful at starting. As I anticipated, we found the travelling very laborious. We walked in Indian file ; I led the way occasionally, as did the others in turn. The walking through the snow was terrible work, and the one who led the way had to make footsteps for the others. No one except Lamb and myself could hold out longer than five minutes at a time in making these tracks. The snow was deep, and much of the way was just hard enough to almost bear our weight, but at each step down we would go, knee deep, thigh deep. It IS d at the hunger, r several they said ounces a y by the [rus-hide, ing after ' fasting, er sinew, chewing ' the for- g, where i sledge, irovisions I nothing currence. ignewing a Crow," e reasons help her- )posed to ite of the her on a lext day, r of the a small tides for ive when ted, new .ge to be uccessful tated, we lian file ; n. The one who No one minutes id much ght, but ). It is :i«M*Wfc THE EESCUE PARTY. 445 impossible to convey to any one a correct idea of the nature of the travelling we experienced on this journey. First one and then another of my companions gave up and returned, leaving only Lamb and myself to proceed. The wind had freshened to a gale, sweeping the snow directly into our faces, and cutting us like powdered glass. The cold was intense. What could we do ? Persevere ? Yes, while I had any hope at all of eft'ecting the object for which we had set out. Lamb tried hard to persevere : but finally, he too had to abandon the task as hopeless. The dogs were unable to get on, moreover, and I was at last reluctantly obliged to turn my face again toward the ship, having decided that it was my duty to return to save the living rather than to strive to reach one who might be abeady dead. Never had I experienced harder work than in travelling back. The condition of Lamb was such that I feared for his life if we did not soon get on board. Every few steps the snow had to be broken down to make a passage. It was of God's mercy that I had strength enough to hold up, else both of us must have perished. Occasionally I threw myself down on the ice or snow, thoroughly exhausted ; then I would start up, arouse Lamb, who seemed to be verging toward that sleep which in cold regions becomes the sleep of death, and once more battle onward. During this hard passage back to the vessel my noble dog Barbekark was like a cheering friend ; as now and then I lay almost exhausted upon the snow for a moment's rest, he danced around me, kissing my face, placing himself by my side, where •I could pillow my head upon his warm body. No one who knew his characteristics could fail to perceive that he realized the critical situation of Lamb and myself. He would bound toward me, raise himself on liis hinder legs, place his paws upon my breast, and glance from me toward the vessel, and from the vessel to Lamb, then leap away, leading the sledge-team on a distance ahead, there to wait till we again came near, the few dogs and the soft state of the snow preventing us from riding. I was indeed a happy man as I walked into the gangway of the George Henry, and learned that all my company were safely back to its shelter. On February 25th I made another attempt to see what had become of the woman who had been abandoned, and I now take from my diary the history of that excursion : — "This morning Ebierbing and I were up early. While my Innuit friend (who was to be my companion and auxiliary in my 1 1:: ■.!■; i ' I' i i l! 446 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. renewed attempt to rescue the one at the plains) was engaged in icing* the sledge and harnessing the dogs, I was busy bagging blankets, pemmican, oil, &c. — the same articles I provided my- self with on Friday last, with the object of making the woman comfortable before starting to bring her back. On getting the dogs together, Ebierbing found two missing. As it was essential to have a full team, we spared no exertions to find them. After searching all around the ship and the boats which are out on the ice, and not finding them, Ebierbing indicated that they might be over on the island at the deserted snow-houses of the Innuits. The two harnesses in hand, I offered to go and make a trial in getting them. I directed my steps to that part of the island where the abandoned igloos of Ebierbing and Koodloo are. " Arriving there after severe struggling through the deep snow, I found dog-tracks leading to the openings into the two igloos, the said openings being through the dome, where the seal-entrail windows had been. Looking down through chese openings, and searching around, I could see nothing of the dogs. I then made my way laboriously along, over to the village proper, on the farther side of Eresh-water Pond, and was unsuccessful here also. As I was making my return, I determined to visit again the igloos where I had first searched for the dogs, and on turning to them I saw one of the animals in the distance. On calling to liim the other soon made its appearance ; but, as I was a stranger to them, I had a difficulty in capturing them. They broke past me and ran into the broken-down passage-way leading into Ebierbing's deserted igloo. The drift, as well as the falling in of the dome, had so completely shut up this passage that I was a long time in enlarging the fox-hole sufficiently to admit my contracted size. By perseverance I kicked a way before me, being prostrate, and pushing along feet foremost ; but on cjetting the length of the passage leading to the main igloo, ur aking a turn so that I could not look ahead, my dilemma "./"as _ from enviable, for there the dogs were, beyond a possibility of my reaching them, the dome of the igloo having stooped, as it were, to kiss its foundation. By using dog-persuasive talk, I at length induced one of them to come out of the wolf-like den and ap- proach me. Here it played " catch-me-if-you-can," coming just without my reach, and dodging back into its lair. After fifteen minutes' coaxing the dog was tempted to hold out its paw, but as often as I attempted to meet it with mine it was tormentingly * See chapter xxxvii. ptfiyspfifi^ ' !*"■ ' ' ^ Wjij '■' .-"" ■ gaged in bagging ded my- } woman bting the essential .. After it on the 3y might Innuits. a trial in le island ire. sep snow, ro igloos, al-entrail ings, and len made , on the sful here Lsit again 1 turning jailing to , stranger :oke past ing into klling in lat I was dmit my ore me, . getting iking _ from f of my it were, it length and ap- aing just er fifteen paw, but lentingly SECOND RESCUE ATTEMPT. 447 withdrawn. The paw was finally fast within my hold, and quickly I had the dog in harness, dragging him after me, and of course his companion followed after. When back to the vessel I was covered with perspiration, though the thermometer was 62"^ below the freezing point. "At fifteen minutes past 10a.m. Ebierbing and I started, with little expectation of being back to-night. We took along the pair of snow-shoes of Ebierbing's (of Esquimaux style and make), to be used alternately by each of us if the occasion re- quired it, and added to our traps a snow-knife, with which to make us a snow-house on the way if we needed it. " The team of dogs was an excellent one, tractable, strong, and of great speed wherever and whenever the travelling would admit of it. The number was not what we could wish, being only seven, but it was as great as we could have. Had my four ' Greenlanders ' been here, their help would have been ample for almost any emergency. " The leader of Ebierbing's team proved to be of no ordinary quality. Though, for much of the way to the point where I was obliged to turn back on Friday last in order to save my remain- ing companion (Lamb), the tracks we had made were obliterated, yet this leader, with admirable instinct, kept us in the desired course. We had not proceeded far from the vessel before I found, to my joy, that the travelling had greatly improved since Friday. The snow, in many places, had become firmly packed — much of the way sufficiently firm to hold up the dogs and the broad shoe of the sledge with both Ebierbing and me on it. " We had other work than travelling to do. We worked desperately to keep our faces and feet from freezing. The wind was blowing a smart breeze all the way up the bay, directly from ahead, at a temperature of 62° below the freezing mark. The air calm, with a temperature of 100° below the freezing point of water, would be much more endurable than with such a wind charged with the temperature it was. We took turns in trotting along beside the sledge, more for the object of keeping ourselves from freezing than with the view of easing the dogs of our additional weight. By the aid of these seven dogs, and the broad runners of this sledge of Ebierbing's, we were enabled in two hours to reach the ultimatum of our attempt on Friday. After getting half a mUe beyond said point we really found good passable travelling, and, by keeping close inshore, as far as our course would admit of it, we found much fair ice, the tide having overflowed the snow and changed it to ice. H^ I I ■'^ i a ! kW !■ '.i \m Tvk • If ■ t'li 1!= iii ' ),M«.F m: i m 448 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. *' As we came within the distance of half a mile of the plains, I kept a constant look-out to see if I could discover some human figure out watching our approach. I may here remark, as an incident of this journey, that so cutting was the cold wind that it froze the water of the eyes, locking them up in ice, so that it was only by vigilance and eflbrt that I could keep myself in seeing order. Many a lump of ice that I was forced to with- draw from my eyes showed specimens of eyelashes embalmed in crystal. As I said, I kept as good a look-out as I could, hoping that our approach might be welcomed by the one we sought to snatch from her desolate imprisonment. The ascent from the sea-ice to the plains was so gradual that I knew not when we were on the one or the other. I was also in doubt about our having made the correct landing, for the snow had covered up all former sledge and dog markings; but, on watching the motions of our noble, vigilant leader, I felt satisfied that his instinct was proving true — that he was leading us, by marks imperceptible to human eye, to the point we so impatiently sought to reach. This confidence we soon found not misplaced, for ahead of us we perceived various articles left by the Innuits who were recently living there sticking up above the snow. The dogs increased their speed, as is usual with them on nearijg an inhabited place, and soon placed us alongside where the igloos had been. But where were the three igloos that I had visited Thursday, January 30th, a little less than four weeks ago 1 Not one to be seen ! I took my snow-knife from the sledge, and, after my companion had finished his work of whipping down the dogs to a prostrate position, I bade him follow me. "Around and around we walked, searching for the igloos. Sure was I that we were at the point I had struggled to reach. Could it be possible that the deep snow had covered them up ? My Innuit friend told me that such was probably the case. No footprints save our own could I discover. Were we travelling heedlessly over the grave of her whom we were fighting to save? This was a question that rushed into my brain. Then the thought came to me, Perhaps she still lives in some tomb be- neath our feet. List ! list ! methought I heard a sound as if muflfled ! All was as still as a charnel-house. Ebierbing's ac- customed eye was not long in discerning a spot that satisfied him that, by cutting down through the snow, it would lead to the dome of an igloo. " Knowing it to be repugnant to his feelings to touch any- thing belonging to an igloo covering the dead, I spared him all r ' m i i0\vM.' ^ ' ^ .■':■»■ v f »y . i£ ;„^,mm.mm^ LQ AS nh^' -\ -n^ ■ ri,^-'. i -h' -rrivn-i^.'rt^Ujd-Vniy. ... . i . . . . fl|\<-.fh'-r. Fiv^ ("k tteawph iht: ■iOiiffh c'f- '('». . (i'jl '.'_J1.'' 'f tUl' '',,\ ' ■'.■■. rA .^'-^ yj _■> portion oi tlie Tje.^o .li-.- ~- . :Tn-;'^ ■""; 'i;'':i _^r!/^ l", . ■^^'L The wainx?! .stv-McV •>■:• Htt aO i The laaiiB ' \ " ,{-.i,i Ipte a po';"" wfilnts hji.i •- "-.r'^i i^ 'luu-.klv rk".*pHlt-'li! ' ' ■ ru\^s mid C':-ol i. f,.A f Wf*'- ht^ i;rt the ,?oti-7C".«, 'lieai ' aa-fsiyd <;; ■•:;.• ■:. : e.u. Tht n Siia-ckey and 'fCooj^Bft pnKsj-ii.^ ;:it«r aonnrted <>?• *^ y5r<.J*^'Pt>t ^ ■ tbiti pur pof^t;, TluMi oae ano: ■ ' out; KTMno- ■■ ■; ' ■ • '! ^ivf, an ijaploYi-- *' i:t I . S I ■ .; ' 'alSa f>|| ill • I f ,■1 ''■■ > icM.-^ "■TMpr- ! ''■ HOW TO BUILD AN IGLOO. 459 a huge cut of walrus. The news he communicated was cheering. He had struck and secured one, and Annawa another. Five had been struck through the day, though only two had been secured. Ooksin struck one, but his iron " drew ;" Kook- smith lost one by the breaking of his " gig." A considerable portion of the next day was consumed in bringing in the meat. The walrus struck by Annawa was of good size, weighing not far from 1,500 pounds ; that of Koojesse was not so large. The manner of taking the walrus is as follows : The hunter has a peculiar spear, to which is attached a long line made of walrus hide ; this line is coiled, and hung about his neck ; thus prepared, he hides himself among the broken drifting ice, and awaits the moment for striking his game. The spear is then thrown (as shown in the accompanying engraving), and the hunter at once slips the coil of line off his head, fastens the end to the ice by driving a spear tlirough a loop in it, and waits till the walrus comes to the surface of the water, into which he has plunged on feeling the stroke of the harpoon ; then the animal is quickly despatched by the use of a long lance. The reckless- ness and cool daring of the Innuit is forcibly shown in this operation, for if he should fail to free his neck of the coil at just the right moment, he would inevitably be drawn headlong beneath the ice. At length, on the morning of April 7th, I resumed my trip. Ebierbing had come over with the sledge on the pre^dous day, and I made an exchange with him, taking his, and giving him that belonging to the ship. My company consisted of Koojesse, his wife Tunukderlien, Kar-nei-ung (" Sharkey "), his wife Noud- lamg (" Jennie "), and young Henry Smith. We proceeded on the seaice, nearly north-west, for Chapel's Point, at the west side of the entrance of WisAvell's Inlet. Our sledge was heavily laden, especially with how (walrus hide) for dog food, and walrus beef for our own eating ; but the travelling was good, and we made better progress than I had expected, arriving at the place named at about 4 p.m. Then Sharkey and Koojesse proceeded to build an igloo in the regular mpuner, which may be described thus : They first sounded or " prospected " the snow with the'r seal-spears to find the most suitable for that purpose. Then one commenced sawing out snow blocks, using a hand-saAT, an implement now in great demand among the Innuits for this purpose ; the blocks having been cut from the space the igloo was to occupy, the other h {I I f-m Innuit proceeded to lay the foundation tier, which consisted of I 460 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. seventeen blocks, each three feet long, eighteen inchf;'" wide, and six inches thick. Then commenced the "spiraling," allowing each tier to fall in, dome-shaped, till the whole was completed, and the key-stone of the dome or arch dropped into its place, the builders being within during the operation. When the igloo was finished the two Innuits were walled in ; then a square hole was cut at the rear of the dwelling, and through this Smith and I passed some snow blocks which we had sawed out. These Sharkey and Koojesse chipped or " minced " with their snow knives, while Tunukderlien and Jennie trod the fragments into a hard bed of snow, forming tho couch or dais of the igloo. This done, the women quickly erected on the right and left the fire-stands, and soon had fires blazing, and snow melting with which to slake our thirst. Then the usual shrubs, kept for that purpose, were evenly spread on the snow of the bed-place ; over that was laid the canvas of my tent, and over all were spread tuktoo furs, forming the bed. When the work had been thus far advanced, the main door was cut out of the crystal white wall, and the walrus meat and other things were passed in. Then both openings were sealed up, and all within were made happy in the enjoyment of comforts that would hardly be dreamed of by those at home. I must here mention an incident which shows that the Innuits are equal to any emergency which may arise in their own country. For my supper I had some pemmican soup, but, on tasting it. it was too fresh, and we had no salt. What could we do ? In a moment that was decided. Sharkey, on hearing what was wanted, took his knife and cut down into the snow floor of the igloo, in less than a minute coming to salt water. This astonished me, and I asked how it was that salt water had thus got above the main ice. They replied that the great depth of snow on the ice pressed it down. During that day's trip I found that two puppies formed part of our company. Their mother was an excellent sledge-dog of our team. The pups were carried in the legs of a pair of fur breeches, and they rode on the sledge when travelling. Every time we made a stop they were taken out of their warm quarters and given to the mother for nursing. When we arrived at our encampment above referred to, Sharkey built up a small snow hut for the parent dog and her offspring. The Innuits take as much care of their young dogs as they do of their children, and sometimes even more. The following day, April 8th, I found that some of my Green- A seal's igloo. 461 land dogs t, ' ' missing. This consequently delayed me. All I could do was to wait paiiently until they were recovered from Oopungnewing, to which place they had returned. Koojesse and Sharkey went out after young seals, and came back with one, its coat white and like wool. In the evening we had our supper from a portion of this seal, and never did I eat more tender meat. It were a " dainty dish to set before a king." But the great delicacy we enjoyed was milk. Every young seal has usually in its stomach from a pint to a quart of its mother's milk. The Innuits consider this a luxury, either raw or boiled, and so do I. I partook of this milk, eating some of it first raw, and afterward some of it boiled. It had the taste of cocoa-nut milk, and was white like that of a cow. The next two days, April 9th and 10th, were spent at the same encampment, though on the former day I explored Wiswell Inlet to its northernmost limit. On the morning of the 11th we proceeded on our journey. As we neared Peter Force Sound, a sledge party of Innuits met us, and it was soon found that we were mutual friends. They were stopping on an island close by Nouyarn, and intended to go up the bay ; I therefore expected to meet them again. We arrived at a place on the ice near Brewster's Point, on the western side of Peter Force Sound, and the two male Innuits immediately began to erect an igloo. The two women started off, each with dog and hook, to hunt for seal igloos, and in ^ five minutes Jennie's loud voice annoimced that Tunukderlien had captured a young seal. Instantly Koojesse and Sharkey dropped their snow-knife and saw, leaped the walls of their partly-erected igloo, and hastened with all speed to the women. Henry and I had preceded them ; but, after we had all started, I remembered that we had left our walrus meat and other provision exposed to the dogs ; I therefore directed Henry to return and look out for them. On reaching the place of capture, we found that Tunukderlien had beneath her feet a young seal alive and kicking. Koojesse immediately made a line fast to one of its hind flippers, and allowed the seal to re-enter the igloo where it had been caught. As this was something new and interesting to me, I intently watched what followed. The seal was perhaps two or three weeks old, and, like all young seals, was white, though not as white as untainted snow. While Koojesse kept hold of the line, four or five fathoms long, the seal worked itself hastily back into the igloo, its birthplace, and there made a plunge down the seal-hole into the sea. Koojesse allowed it the whole play of 'i i'l > \ :^ III : i J ti; • 1 r 462 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Pi his line, crawling into the igloo, taking the seal-hook with him, and waiting patiently for the parent seal to come up. I was close by him, there being just sufficient room through the opening made when the young seal was caught for me to push myself in. There, lying flat down, we both carefully watched. In three or four minutes the young seal returned, popping up its round, shining head, and blowing or puffing like a whale, though on a i*educed scale, its large eyes glistening like lights from twinkling stars. It came directly to its bed-place where we reclined. As it attempted to crawl up, Koojesse gave it a stroke on the head, signifying "Go away — dive down — show to your mother that you, the darling of her affections, are in trouble, and when she comes to your aid I'll hook her too." The two women were now close by us, each with a seal-dog, and while thus waiting I had a good opportunity for inspecting a seal's igloo. It was a model of those which the Innuits make for themselves, and was completely dome-shaped. It was five feet or so in diameter, and two and a half feet high, with a depth of snow above it of some five feet. The platform of sea-ice was where the parent seal gave birth to its young and afterward nursed it. On one side was the seal-hole, filled with sea-water, which was within two inches of the top of the platform. After waiting for some time, and finding that the old seal would not show itself, the young one was withdrawn and placed on the snow. Then Koojesse put his foot upon its back, between the fore-arms or flippers, and pressed with all his weight, the object being to kill the seal by stopping its breath. Innuits adopt this mode in preference to using knife or spear. It prevents the loss of what is to them the precious portion — the blood. On returning to our encampment, we found that the dogs had made sad havoc with our walrus meat and blubber, and other things in general. However, as it could not now be helped, we put up with it. Our supper that night was blessed cold water, chunks of cold pemmican, and raw frozen walrus meat. The following day, April 12th, while Sharkey and Koojesse were engaged in the locality of my third encampment hunting young seal, I started, accompanied by my attendant, Henry Smith, to explore another bay which appeared to run up some distance beyond Peter Force Sound. I expected to be able to go and return in one day, and therefore made no preparations beyond taking half a pound of pemmican. and a quarter of a pound of Borden's meat-biscuit, intended for our lunch. As I .iMWUJu. ...Ml CAUGHT IN A STORM. 463 wished to keep a careful account of the distance travelled, I took the line used by mo when on the Greenland coast, near Holstoin- borg, in drawing out of the groat deep many a cod and halibut, and measured otf with tape-line seventy-five feet ; my log then consisted of a cold chisel used by me in cutting out my rock pemmican. It should be said, however, that previous to this time, and on all subsequent occasions when my whole company were with me, and all our provision was to be carried, no one could ride on the sledge, the dogs having difficulty evren in dragging their necessary load. Consequently, at such times, all my measurements be- tween my astronomically-determined points had to be made by pacing — a tolerably accurate, but, withal, a very tiresome method of working. I found many apparent heads to the bay during my passage up, and at each turn it seemed as if we had reached the ter- mination ; but, on making the several points of land, others were found beyond. After some hours of travel the dogs became very tired, the snow allowing them to sink to their bodies at every step. It was growing late ; a snow-storm was coming on ; to return was im- possible ; we therefore set about making ourselves as comfortable as circumstances would allow. Wo had no snow-knife, but an impromptu igloo was planned which we built of the sledge and snow, getting out the blocks of the latter in the best way possible, that is to say, with a broken sledge-beam. When the igloo was finished, and before the door was sealed up, we took in the dogs, and were soon really comfortable. The storm came down fearfully, but we were well protected; the beating snow sought an entrance, but could find none. For- tunately, we had saved a piece of the pemmican from our lunch, and this served to give us just a mouthful for supper ; some fragments of the meat-biscuit also remained; and after this frugal repast and some pipes of tobacco, we retired to our snow bed. I had one dog for my feet-warmer, another for my pillow, while a third was arched at my back. Henry was also comfortably provided for. My diary for that day, written in the igloo of a white man's invention, concludes as follows : — " Now within a few minutes of midnight. Hark ! a singular noise strikes the ear. Perhaps it is a polar bear ! We listen. Again the same alarming noise. Another sound, and we deter- mine its source. It is the snoring of one of the dogs ! So good ■i (i; . ■iij v i si f ; S: 11 i' :l II !ii i i n, m m 464 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. night to all tho sleeping world. Heaven bless all those who need it ; none needs it more than myself." The next morning, April 13th, I arose from my snowy couch at five o'clock, knocked my head against the snow door, made my way over its ruins on all-fours, then stood erect and looked around. The heavens seemed to indicate the dawn of a beau- tiful day. I called up Henry, and soon the dogs were harnessed, when we proceeded towawl the head of this narrow bay — New- ton's Fiord* as I named it — which we reached at 7 a.m. The termination I found to consist of a broken nan'ow plain, walled by a line of mountains on either side. THE RETURN FROH NEWTON'S FIORD. Before we reached this spot, the snow commenced falling, though the fall was accompanied by no wind, and the weather was very thick. Soon after seven we started on our return journey to our encampment, and at nine o'clock we were abreast of the place where we had passed the previous night. At that time the wind was freshening, and it was snowing hard. Our passage thence to the place of our encampment was very difficult. Not only had we to encounter a severe northwest gale, charged with cold at 32° below the freezing point, accompanied by drift- snow filling the air so thickly that often no object at three * Named after 0, E. Newton, M.D. of Cincinnati, Ohio. The termina- tion of Newton's Fiord is in lat. 63» 22' N. long. 66° 06' W. I I J [iillldtllii > l i n n^yiiiiny. DIFFICULT TKAVELLINO. 465 fathoms' distance could bo soon, but the dogs bocamo perfectly exhausted from being overworked, nr\d from going long without food. On making inquiries of Henry Smith, I learned that Sharkey f^' d Koojosse had been feeding their own dogs and neglecting my " Greenlanders," which wore now Just upon the point of giving out. Two of thora wore so knocked up before reaching home that they could not pull a pound ; one was so fatigued that he repeatedly fell down. I was obliged to lead the way for several miles by the compass, it being impossible to see the land, though the fiord was only from half a mile to two miles wide. During the afternoon the sun shone down through the storm that seemed only hugging the earth. For the last nine miles which I made along tlio west side of the fiord and Peter Force Sound, the mountains would every few minutes show a shaded contour — a ghost-like faintness — by which I was enabled to make ray course without the compass. When within two miles of the igloos I came upon our sledge-tracks of the day before, and those I followed carefully while they were visible ; but, with all my care, the track was soon lost ; and as the land was again closed from view, we should have been in grievous diffi- culty had not the compass guided me. The risk was great indeed ; for in such a storm we might easily have gone out to sea, or the ice of the bay on which wo were travelling might have broken up and carried us away. Providentially, we reached the encampment — my fifth, as I called it, which was the same as the third — at 5*10 p.m. finding Sharkey on the look-out, anxiously awaiting us, while Koojesse was out in search of me. The Innuits, all through the previous night, had kept my lantern suspended to a pole by the igloo as a beacon light. Hot suppers were quickly prepared for us by the women, and we soon retired to rest. ' I! M irged Irift- bhree una- H H m CHAPTER XXXIII. Continue the Journey up Frohisher Bay — Arrive at Beauty Bay — The Sledge attacked by hungry Dogs — Meeting with Friends — Bereavement oj old Allokee and his Wife— Death of Tweroong — Heart-rending Particu- lars — A Seal-feast— A sudden Excitement — Strange Visit of an Angeko — Parting with Allokee — Visit to the Cfrinnell Glacier — Ascent by Polar Bear Tracks — A Sea of Ice — An exciting Journeyback. DuiiiNG the day, April 14th, 1862, I remained quiet in the igloo, engaged in writing and working up observations. On the 15th I made a trip up the east arm of Peter Force Sound ; and on the 16th we left the fifth (same as third) encampment, and proceeded on up Frohisher Bay. "We made hut slow progress on account of sealing, there being a necessity for obtaining all the food that could be found. Six of us, beside the dogs, required a large quantity. After journeying seven miles, we made our next encampment on the ice a few paces from a point of land forming the west cape of a pretty little bay, which, on the boat voyage in the previous fall, I had called Beauty Bay. That night we had a different kind of dwelling from the one ordinarily occupied by us. The weather was now occasionally warm enough to admit of half igloo and half tupic, which was made by omitting the dome, and placing tent-poles, covered with canvas, on the snow walls. An exciting scene occurred while the igloo wall was being erected. Koojesse and Sharkey were at work on the building, while Henry and I removed everything from the sledge. We being at some little distance, the dogs suddenly sprung in a pack upon the sledge, and each snatched a piece of the meat and blubber still remaining upon it. With a club in my hand, and seal-spear in Henry's, we belaboured them lustily, but they were so hungry that it really seemed as if they cared nothing for blows. As a piece of meat was rescued from the jaws of one, another, and perhaps two others, as quickly had it. Blow fol- lowed blow; dogs flew tliis way and that, all acting like devils, determined to conquer or die in their devouring work. It was quite five minutes before the battle was through, and not then till Koojesse leaped the walls of the igloo, and came to our SLEDGE ATTACKED BY HUNGRY DOGS. 467 ty Bay—The 'ereavement of ding Particu- 'an Angeko — cent by Polar uiet ill the IS. On the Jound ; and ipment, and ow progress btaining all ^e the dogs, 1 miles, we rom a point ', which, on jeauty Bay. )m the one occasionally which was overed with was being le buUding, ige. We prung in a le meat and r hand, and t they were aothing for iws of one, Blow fol- like devils, •k. It was d not then line to our assistance. During this mMeej Henry unfortunately broke the wood portion of Koojesse's oo-nar (seal-spear), and this enraged the Innuit to a degree not easily to be described, for no instm- ment is constructed by the natives with more care than this. WE MUST CONQUER OR STARVE. The following day, April 17th, I made an exploring trip up Beauty Bay, and on my return found that our igloo had fallen ill. The sun was now becoming so powerful that the upper tier of the snow wall melted, and brought down the top and poles upon the two women who were within, and were consequently overwhelmed in the ruins. Next morning, April 18tli, at 9 a.m. we again started, taking a course direct for Gabriel's Island of Frobisher, in the main bay, called by the Innuits Ki-U-tuk-ju-a. Our progress was slow, owing to the heavy load and the poor condition of the HH 2 I' A m^ 'I !*iV il I s i>ii i i hrnn . i' I*'' 1 >l I I li 11! !!! 468 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. dogs; and at noon, symptoms of a gale coming on, it was' deemed advisable to make for shelter. Before we could obtain it, the gale had burst upon us, fdling the air with the " white dust" of the country. Presently we saw an Innuit in the distance approaching, and, after winding in and out among numerous small islands, we met him. It proved to bo Mnguar- ping, son of Kokerjabin, oat seal-hunting. He said there were other Innuits not far oflf, among them Miner and Kooperneung, with their funilies, and we quickly made towards them. I was glad to learn that these Innuits were so near ; for I thought I would take my dogs and sledge, and run up from my next encampment to see my good friend Tweroong. I should have been sadly disappointed had I done so, as will soon appear. Ninguarping then accompanied us to the spot selected for our encampment, and assisted in building an igloo. Soon a sledge of Innuits, with a team of fourteen dogs, came bounding wildly towards us. They were quickly alongside, proving to be our friends " Jack " and " Bill," on their way to an island not far off for a load of walrus beef which was deposited there. They invited us to go to their village. This we did, abandoning our half-completed igloo. We arrived about 4 p.m. and found a village of five igloos, all inhabited by Innuit families, composed of my old friends and acquaintances. Old Too-loo-ka-ah was one of the first whom I saw, and he invited me to his capacious igloo, where his wife, Koo-muk, quickly gave me water to drink and food to eat, the latter being portions of frozen walrus entrails. To say that I enjoyed this food would only be to repeat what I have said before, though, no doubt, many will feel surprised at my being able to eat, as I so frequently did, raw meat, contents of tuktoo paunch, entrails of seals and walrus, whale skin and krang, besides drinking train-oil and blood. In the previous December, when on my trip to Jones's Cape after skins, I saw Toolookaah and his wife, and was both sui*- prised and gratified to learn that she had an infant ; it was a girl of only two weeks, and had been named Ek-her-loon. Toolookaah was at this time, as I thought, sixty years old, and his wife not less than fifty-five years. When I now saw the parents again on this journey of which I am writing, I inquired for the child, and received the mournfully sad reply, " Tuh-a-woke,^' meaning, it is dead. I should add to this record the news I received at the same time of the death of my never-to-be forgotten friend Tweroong. "^^.Ltl^U-^.^^i-t SUDDEN EXCITEMENT. 469 m, it was lid obtain he "white lit in the ut among ) Ninguar- fchere were )perneung, ni. I was thought I my next ould have m appear. 3d for our a a sledge ing wildly to be our id not far re. They oning our igloos, all 'lends and rst whom 3 his wife, ;o eat, the say that I have said my being of tuktoo nd krang, Qes's Cape both sui'- ; it was a k-ker-loon. y^ears old, '. now saw writing, I sad reply, the same rweroong. Oo-soo-kar-lo, son of old Petato, told me that she had died several weeks before. Some days later I obtained the details of her death, and they were truly heart-rending. When her husband "Miner," and her son, "Charley" removed from Ooj^ungnewing, a few weeks before this time, Tweroong was unable to walk, and had to be carried on a sledge. After going a few miles up Frobisher Bay, an igloo was built for her, when she was placed in it, without any food, and with no means of making a fire-light, and then abandoned to die alone. A few days after some Innuits visited the igloo and found her dead. The next day, April 19th, in the afternoon, I received an invitation from old Petato to come into her igloo and partake of a seal-feast. Taking Henry Smith along with me, I accom- panied Oosookarlo to the place indicated. "We found Petato seated on her dais, with an immense stone pot hanging over the full blazing ikkumer ; the pot was filled with smoking-hot seal and seal-soup ; Sharkey, Kopeo, his wife and infant, and several young Innuits were there, awaiting the " good time coming." Petato, the presiding genius, took out a piece of the seal with her hands and gave it to me, doiag the same by the others. Before I had half-finished mine, the old lady handed me another and a larger piece ; but, without difficulty, I did ample justice to all of it. Henry declared he never partook of a meal he relished more. The second course was seal soup, of which Petato gave me a huge bowl full ; that is the nectar of a seal-feast. After I was supplied, another bowl, of a capacity equivalent to four quarts, was placed on the floor for the dog to wash with his pliant tongue ; when he had lapped it clean, outside as well as withia, it was filled with the luscious soup, which the Innuits at once disposed of, taking turns at the bowl. Later in the evening, as I was seated in my own igloo surrounded by my company, I heard a loud Innuit shout just outside. As quick as thought, Koojesse, Sharkey, Tunuk- derlien, and Jennie sprang for the long knives lying around, and hid them wherever they could find places. My first thought was that a company of warlike Innuits were upon us, and I asked Koojesse the meaning of all this. He replied " Angeko ! angeko !" Immediately there came crawling into tne low entrance to the igloo an Innuit with long hair completely covering his face and eyes. He remained on his knees on the floor of the igloo, feeling round like a blind man at each side of the entrance, back of the fire-light, the place where meat is * ifii ''i i i 9 470 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. usually kept, and where knives may generally be found, Not finding any, the angeko slowly withdrew. I asked Koojesse what would have been the consequence if the angeko had found a knife ; he replied that he — the angeko — would have stabbed himself in the breast. On April 22d we broke up our encampment, all the Innuits with the exception of Toolookaah's family, being about re- moving up Frobisher Bay. Two families, including Petato, Kopeo, Oosookarlo, with the wives and children of the two men, were to go with me one day's journey at least. Old Toolookaah, who was to remain behind, wore a sorrowful face on account of my departure. I find in my diary the following record : " This noble free-hearted Innuit loves me, I do believe ; I know that I love him. We have now been acquainted more than a year ; have voyaged together, have shared perils of storms and the glory of sunshine, have feasted together, slept beneath the same tupic, have been, as it were, father and son. Success- ful be his sealing, his tuktoo hunts, and his conflicts with the polar bear — the lion of the North ; and, at last, peace and glory to his noble soul. When all were ready for a start this morning, this old Innuit accompanied me from this island some distance on the ice. At last we locked hands, and, with prolonged ' terboueties,' tears started in his eyes, and rolling down his iron-ribbed face, we parted, probably never to meet again on earth." Throughout our day's journey there was a continuous gale, with snow-drift, closing all from our view; but we finally reached our next encampment, on a small island, above Kikitukjua, at 4*30 p.m. having gone nearly nine miles. The following day we parted with Petato and my other Innuit friends, and proceeded some five or six miles direct toward Kingaite coast, making our ninth encampment * on the main ice clear of land. We were obliged to remain here encamped for ten days, the desperate struggle being to get enough to sustain life. My hunters and sealers, Sharkey and Koojesse, went down every fair day a distance of five miles to the open water, where were white whales, seals, and ducks in abundance, but they were then all so shy that it was impossible to approach them within killing distance. That they might be successful was our earnest wish, * The ninth encampment was in lat. 62° 61' N. long. Q6° 40' W. due east of Gabriel's Island, and midway of it and Xingaito coast. (See Chart.) iij, i mi i i i j- ii i i wy « w: nd. Not Koojesse jeko had )uld have e Innuits about re- Petato, the two ist. Old il face on following • believe ; ted more of storms 1 beneath Success- with the md glory morning, distance Tolonged own his again on Dus gale, 8 finally i, above iT Innuit ) toward he main [ays, the fe. My n every ere were ere then 1 killing «t wish, due east Jhart.) VISIT TO GEINNELL GLACIER. for we were living mostly on dog food — koto — that is, walrus hide with hair on. Besides, we had no oil for the lamp, and without the lamp we were unable to obtain fresh water. One day they came home successful, having caught a seal, the first of the season, and no happier beings could exist than we were for the time at the feast of raw seal that followed. In the evening of the next day, April 28th, Koojesse and Sharkey drove up with two seals, one of about 200 pounds' weight, and the other weighing 100 pounds. This was success indeed, and it enabled them to feed the dogs as well as ourselves. By this time the weather had become so warm that we could not keep our igloo dry, and it was resolved to erect a tupic or tent. This finished, we moved into it; and a few minutes after we had vacated our old home, down fell the igloo a mass of ruins. On May 1st, 1862, I started from this encampment on a trip to Kingaite coast. While Henry was engaged harnessing up the dogs, I put together my instruments, a little bag of rock pemmi- can, and some Borden meat-biscuit, of which I had saved merely a trifle for use on excursions of this kind. Sharkey, with sledge and dogs, was ready, and, after a good hot breakfast, we started, at 7*40 a.m. for the point I had selected — near the President's Seat — viz. that where an ascent could probably be made of the glacier which I had seen on my voyage up the bay the previous fall. My course across the bay to Kingaite coast was south 4° east, true. The number of dogs in the team was ten, but as they were in poor condition, we made but three and a half to four and a half miles per hour. In crossing the bay we found abundance of hummocky ice, and the snow-wreaths were numerous, abrupt, and high. A few minutes before noon we drew into a small bay that extended on toward thf? point I sought to reach. With great solicitude, I watched that part of the heavens in which the sun was, but, to my deep regret, the thick clouds were as a veil between my eyes and it. I had my instruments in readiness in case the sun should show itself for a few moments. If I could have got two solar observations, keeping correct account of the time elapsing between, by which to obtain accurately the " hour angle," I should have done so, for thus I could have determined my actual latitude ; but the clouds were too thick for the sun's rays to penetrate them. I kept, however, a careful account of my course and of the distance made, by which I determined the latitude of Kingaite coast where I struck it. ;;jfl m' '■ ii !|' M ■I ill III ill 472 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. As the dogs turned up the narrow bay leading to the point of land we were making, I was delighted to see the face of an abutting glacier, which fully proved the truth of my anticipa- tions that there were iceberg discharges on Kingaite side. At noon our progress was arrested by the glacier, which seemed to smile a defiance — " thus far, and no farther." Here, by this crystal wall, I stood, in admiration and awe beholding its beauty and grandeur. My Innuit companion seemed satisfied and gratified in witnessing the effect it had upon me. I turned and took a look seaward. A few degrees of opening between the points of land leading into the harbour in which we were gave a view bounded only by the sea horizon. My quickened thoughts almost made me exclaim, "Tell us, time-aged crystal mount, have you locked in your mirror chambers any images of white man's ships, that sailed up these waters near three centuries ago?" This train of fancy-painting was soon dissipated by the substantial reality of a lunch on cold rock peramican and gold dust (Borden's pulverized meat-biscuit), washed down with chips from the glacier, after which we were prepared for an attempt to scale the ice mountain. This could be done only by ascending one of the rock ridges flanking the abutting arm of the glacier, and thence striking up its steep side. For the first quarter of a mile it was very abrupt, and diffi- cult to climb. The most laborious and dangerous part of the ascent was accomplished by following the footsteps of a polar bear. My "illustrious predecessor" had evidently ascended the glacier some time previous, just after a fresh fall of snow, impacting it by his great weight into such hard steps that the gales had no effect in destroying them. These polar bear steps made it feasible for us to ascend where we did. After the first quarter of a mile the inclination of the glacier was gradual, then for a quarter of a mile farther it became greater, but it did not so continue. Each side of this arm of the glacier was walled in by mountains, the east side by the group I called the President's Seat. On making two miles — S. 16° E. true — ^we arrived where the glacier opens to a sea of ice. At this time and point the glacier was covered with snow, with a cropping out here and there of the clear, crystal blue ice, giving relief to the view of an appa- rently illimitable sea of white around. My Innuit companion, being well experienced in all the coast from Karmowong, a plase on the north side of Hudson's Straits, to Keaolution I ' T - mnim ir M r ""- H i' M i >u 4 ^ »iftUww°^ ^< ii M .^..|Mw? " y«i M: ''^-~-- -,^ 3 point of ace of an anticipa- lite side, h seemed and awe jmpanion 3t it had V degrees ) harbour the sea exclaim, in your at sailed tmin of il reality Borden's rom the scale the ? one of cier, and nd diffi. t of the a polar iscended )f snow, bhat the 5ar steps the first lal, then did not alied in jsident's lere the glacier here of a appa- panion, ?"ong, a lolution si 1| ! JiiS [ till ;>;{| W s"' «■ ; '', 4 hi ■I. 474 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Island, and all about Frobisher Bay, said that this great glacier extended far, far below where we then were, and also continued on northwest a great way, reaching over also nearly to Hudson's Straits. From the information I had previously gained, and the data furnished me by my Innuit companion, I estimated the Grinnell glacier to be fully 100 mUes long. At various points on the north side of Frobisher Bay, between Bear Sound and the Countess of "Warwick's Sound, I made observations by sextant, by which I determined that over fifty miles of the glacier was in view from the southeast of the President's Seat. A few miles above that point the glacier recedes from the coast, and is lost to view by the Everett chain * of mountains ; and, as Sharkey said, the ou-u-e-too (ice that never melts) extends on wes-se-too-ad-loo (far, very far off). He added that there were places along the coast below wnat I called the President's Seat, where this great glacier discharges itself into the sea, some of it large icebergs. Irom the sea of ice down to the point where the abutting glacier arrested my advance with sledge and dogs, the ice-river or arm of the glacier was quite uniform in its rounding up, pre- senting the appearance — though in a frozen state — of a mighty rushing torrent. The height of the discharging face of the glacier was 100 feet above the sea. Without doubt, the best time of the year to travel over glacier mountains is just before the snows have begun to melt. Thfe winter snows are then well impacted on the glacier surface, and all the dangerous cracks and water-ditches are filled up. Storms and gales do good work with snow-flakes once within their fingers. Grinnell Glacier,+ a limited portion of which was visited, would, in three and a half or four months' time, present quite a different ap- pearance. Now it was robed in white ; then, below the linq of eternal snow, it would be naked, — clear, bright, flashing cerulean blue meeting the eye of the observer. This contrast I have seen. When on my boat-voyage up the bay in the previous fall, this great glacier of Kingaite heaved heavenward its hoary head, sup- ported by a body of crystal blue : on my return the same was covered with its winter dress. Before the cold weather sets in, all the crevices in the glacier are charged with water, which, con- gealing, is caused to expand ; and the ice explodes with a sound * Named after Edward Everett. For location of " Everett Chain," see Chart. + This great glacier I named after Henry Grinnell. Its height, in the vicinity of President's Seat, is 3,500 feet. )at glacier 3ontinued Hudson's I, and the lated the >us points 3und and itions by 3S of the nt's Seat. • the coast, ins; and, ctends on here were it's Seat, some of abutting ice-river ? up, pre- a mighty e of the er glacier 3lt. Thfe 'face, and Storms IT fingers, would, in erent ap- le lin^ of cerulean ave seen, fall, this Bad, sup- amc was p sets in, lich, con- a sound min," see it, in the VISIT TO OEINNELL GLACIEB. 475 like loud thunder, rending the mountains and shooting olF ice- bergs and smaller fragments at the various points where the glacier has its arms reaching down to the sea. After some tim^ spent on the glacier, of which my view was not so extensive or protracted as it would have been but for the clouds that capped the heights where we were, my companion and myself returned to the sledge. I then walked to the shore and obtained a few geological specimens, and we started on our way back to the ninth encampment. Two or tliree miles from the glacier we came to a small island. I took several bearings of distant objects and sextant angles for elevation of the moun- tain heights; but the wind began to freshen almost to a gale, and caused considerable risk in crossing the bay. There was a probability of the floe cracking off and drifting us to seaward ; the open water was within a mile of our course, and the floe, giving way, would have been swept rapidly to the southeast. My driver was constantly urging the dogs to their greatest speed while making passage over the most dangerous part of the way. Fortunately no mishap occurred, and we arrived at the tupic in the evening. "If 2 1^ >\ ill ^1 f ■ '■ i ■ f I H '•'iS ^■^.1 m CHAPTER XXXIT. Inmcit Food — Picture of a Dimur-party — Rabbit-charming — Proposed Fly- ing Trip — Freaks of Jennie — Her Foot-race after the Sledge — Feminine Coquetry — Slmrkcy'ii Despair — Cluinge of Plans— Departure on Flying Trip — An Upset — iVolves — Chase of a Bear and Cub — Capttire of the latter — Night Travelling — Return to Place of Starting — Set out for the Ship — Arrive on Board. On leaving our ninth encampment on Saturday, May 3d, 1862, we proceeded toward some islands nearly due east of us, and, after a journey of ten miles, came to M'Lean Island,* where we found two i(];loos occupied by the Innuits Koo-kin and " Bill," with their families. We were hospitably received, and made our tenth encampment t there. I was now living wholly on Innuit food, to which I had become so accustomed as to eat it without difficulty. Were I to mention in detail what took place, and what was eaten at our meals, it would doubtless appear disgusting to most of my readers ; but there is no alternative in the matter of eating with Innuits. One has to make up his mind, if he would live among that people, to submit to their customs, and to be entirely ceo of them. When a white man for the first time enters one of their tupics or igloos, he is nauseated with everything he sees and smells — even disgusted with the looks of the innocent natives, who extend to him the best hospitality their means afford. Take, for instance, the igloo in which I had an excellent dinner on the day last mentioned. Any one fresh from civilization, if entering this igloo with me, wodld see a company of what he would call a dirty set of human beings, mixed up among masses of nasty, uneatable flesh, skins, blood, and bones, scattered all about the igloo. He would see, hanging over a long, low flame, the oo-koo-sin (stone kettle), black with soot and oil of great age, and filled to its utmost capacity with black meat, swimming in a thick, dark, smoking fluid, as if made by boiling down the * Named after the late Judge John M 'Lean. It is an island in the midst of Frobisher Bay, near to and due west of Gabriel's Island. t Our tenth encampment was near the southern extreme of M'Leau Island, and was in lat. 62° 52' N. long. 66'' 28' W. FREAKS OP JENNIE. iff 'oposcdFly- —Feminine oil Flying ttire of the out for the 3d, 1862, ^ us, and, where we l»d"Bm,» made our ih I had "Were I eaten at ost of my iting with ve among ely cGn of e of i/heir md smells ives, who Take, for n the day ering this lid call a of nasty, about the ame, the jreat age, nming in lown the nd in the d. jf M'Leau dirty scrapings of a butcher's stall. He would see men, women, and children — my humble self included — engaged in devouring the contents of that kettle, and he would pity the human beings who could be reduced to such necessity as to eat the horrid stuff. The dishes out of which the soup is taken would turn his stomach, especially when he should see dogs wash them out with their long pliant tongues previous to our using them. But I will not mul- tiply particulars. Sharkey this day saw a rabbit when out on the island hunting partridges, but could not get a shot at it. If " Jennie," or any other female songster, had been with him, he would probably havo secured it. Innuits, when they go after rabbits, generally have such a vocalist with them. While she sings " cliormingly" the sportsman is enabled to have a fair shot. The rabbit delights in listening to the music of a female Innuit voice, and will stop, sit up, and be shot under its charms. The scarcity of provisions, combined with the troubles I en- countered with the evil-disposed Innuits, Koojesse and Jennie, had been so great, that I had determined to abandon my journey farther up the bay, and return at once to the Countess of "War- wick's Sound ; but we now found ourselves so abundantly sup- plied that I concluded to take Sharkey, and, leaving the rest of my company at the place of the tenth encampment, to make a fljdng trip up the bay with sledge and dogs. Sharlvcy at first cheerfully assented to my proposition, but on May 6th he signi- fied to me his desire to take Jennie with him. I declined to accede to this request, and he acquiesced in my decision, but Jennie flew into a rage. She put on her kodlings and dodged out of the igloo, attempting to run away; Sharkey darted after her, and in about an hour they returned, on apparently amicable terms. The next morning, May 7th, I went on %vith my preparations for departure ; the movements of Jennie showed plainly that she intended to go. "When the sledge was nearly loaded I went to Koojesse and asked him if Jennie was really going with us ; he answered affirmatively, and therefore I called Sharkey into the igloo and talked with him. He acted nobly, telling Jennie she must remain with Koojesse and Tunukderlien till our return. He had previously bound her jacket and tuktoo bed upon the sledge, but at once threw them off, though I could see that he had a mountain of trouble within. After much delay we started. "When we were out on the sea-ice we kept a sharp watch of Jennie's movements. She was out on the rocks with her head .1:1 iil I ^' m i 1 1 111 :!i m v. J':f,ii 478 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. turned to a bluff, and btllowing like an angoko wliilo engaged in Bome of his incantations. In abouu lialf an hour she was dis- covered following us ; Sharkey cloHcdy examined her movements through the glass, and declared that she was indeed after us, and that she would travel all day and all night till she reached us. I at once decided to await her coming up, for my heart was moved for the poor fellow, who so fondly loved her, though she was unworthy of his affection. When we paused for her to conio up, Sharkey took the water- bag auu the tin cup, and set out for an island at our left, dis- tant a quarter of a mile, for water. His course was taken so that ho intercepted Jennie wlien ho Avas returning with his water to the sledge. She, however, paid no attention to him, l)jt kept on, turning neithtr to the right hand nor to the left. Sharkey called to her, but she turned not, still continuing her rapid gait, and proudly striking into her open hand a loose mitten she carried in the other. Sharkey tpiiiikened his pace to catch up to her, repeatedly calling to her, biit she walked stoically on. At length he overtook her, and tried to arrest her in her course. She thrcAV him aside as if he were a viper, and walked on. Then Sharkey once more approached, and threw his arm around her caressingly. She gave no heed. Finally, in despair, he gave up, stooped down, buried his face in his hands, and poured out his weeping soul in a flood of tears. Then, rising up, he swung his arms about, and gave vent to his feelings in loud and broken cries, returning to the sledge, while the stubborn idol of his affections, with apparent indifference, pm'sued her way. I addressed him sympathizingly, my heart overflowing with love for my wounded friend. He pointed to his wife, who still trudged on, crying " Jennie ! Jennie ! " putting his hand on his heart and weeping. Under the circumstinces, I decided to return to our encampment. As soon as we reached it, Sharkey started out with the dogs, ostensibly for the purpose of sealing. I kncAV, however, that his purpose was to go in pursuit of his wife. Some hours later he returned with Jennie, both appa rontly contented I now at first thought I might as well give up tliis trip, and commence my return down the bay. Then I determined to take Henry as my dog-driver, and proceeded to explore the bay alluded to on page 347, some fifty miles to the N.W. by W. of our tenth encampment. I had before believed that Koojesse was ot the bottom of Jennie's evil actionc, and I now became AKUIVAL AT THE NARROWS 470 ngagod in Wfts dis- lovoments LT us, and lod us. I ms moved slio wa» ho water- left, dis- tfikeii H<) with his to him, tlie left. uing her 1 a loose his jiacc B walked irrest lier iper, and id threw Finally, e in his of tears, mt to his ,'e, while ifference, ing with who still d on his 3ided to Sharkey sealing, it of his pnfciitly rip, and lined to the bay y W. of ^oojesse became thoroughly convinced of tlie fact ; for, when ho heard of my latest plan, ho scioniod doterniined to put as many blocks in my way us poHHible. Ho consiiuted, fur a consideration, to lot mo have the use of his tlo^s, but refused to allORT. ;. After ig deter- 3ction, I Narrows. g I had I is from n of this i beauti- As we view, on ong line rmination of black, jagged, buttress-like mountains on either side of the pure white pathway before us presented a scene that I shall not soon forget. As we returned down this inlet, going at a slower rate than usual, a seal was seen ahead. In an instant the dogs, which were very hungry, bounded off at a rate of not less than twelve miles an hour. The seal, frightened, made a plunge down into its hole ; the dogs, flying onward so furiously, passed it, but the wind, carrying the smell of the seal to their noses, made them tui'n sharply round in a second. The consequence was that the sledge-runner caught in the snow-crust, and sent me heels over head off the sledge, to which my Innuit companions clung with all their might. The runners of this sledge were twelve feet long, and the left one was split from stem to stem ; but, though this was a serious disaster, yet no considerable regret was manifested on the part of the natives. Koojesse and Shar- key immediately set to work with their seal-spears, and suc- ceeded in mortising three holes in the lower half of the runner in the short space of time that it took me to write the pencil notes recording the incident. It was not long before the runner was strapped together, and we were again on our way down on the western side of the large island which we passed in the morning, I hoping not to see another seal that day. It was 10 P.M. when we arrived at the south end of the Kikitukjua — Augustus Island, as I called it — and made our fourteenth en- campment. We had travelled forty miles that day after leaving the thirteenth encampment, which was on a small island not far from the east side of Augustus Island. We slept soundly, though our couch was the bare rock. On the morning of the 12th, when we awoke, we found ourselves beneath a snow-drift — that is to say, some eight or ten inches of snow had fallen during the night, giving us a clean, warm coverlet. The weather being unpropitious for travelling, we remained at the same place during the day. The following day. May 13th, at 10 a.m. we resumed our journey, passing along down by the coast of Becher Peninsula,* on the west side of the inlet, directing our course towards Mary's Island, the place of the twentieth encampment of my boat expedition the previous fall. We had not proceeded far on our way when a smart breeze from the northwest sprung up, and before we had made half the distance to Mary's Island it increased to a gale, accompanied with pelting drift. I know * The land between "Ward's Inlet and the main Bay of Frobisher I thus named after Captain A. B. Becher, R.N. of England. See Chart. II "J ■ f:''il i:i 482 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. not that I ever experienced more disagreeable travelling than on this occasion. The snow flew furiously, eddying around our heads, and dropping do^vn into our laps as we sat upon the sledge with our backs to the gale. The sun was out with thawing heat, melting the snows in our front, wetting our furs, while the temperature at our backs was 14° below the freezing mark. When we reached the point at the west side of the entrance to Ward's Inlet at 8 a.m. we were compelled to stop and go into camp. My notes, written upon the spot, read, " Stop on account of the driving gale and drift. Sharkey proceeds to make an igloo. Koojesse is sick — knocked up completely, while I am in perfect health." As I have said, the sun was out, notwithstanding the flying drift ; therefore I proceeded to occupy myself as usual in making observations for time, and taking a round of angles, &c. I continue extracts from my rough and ready note-book of same date (May 13th) : " The gale abated 2 p.m. yet snow flying thick over toward Kingaite. Thought of starting, but, desirous of having good and extensive views when I cross the Bay of Frobisher to Kingaite side, I decided to hold over till to-morrow. It will take two days' good weather to get back to the place of tenth encampment — perhaps three. Koojesse and Sharkey gathered from the mountain's side a skin jacket full of Northern wood (dwarf shrub), with which we cooked a soup. The dogs have no food. To supply them and ourselves, shall have to let the Innuits seal to-morrow. Gave Koojesse pUls to-night ; he is badly off. " Wednesday, May \ith. — Up at 2 a.m. We cooked our breakfast of tuktoo and seal. Used the straw (dwarf shrub) of our beds for fuel. This morning, as a matter of trial of the pluck of my companions, I proposed to continue up to the head of Frobisher Bay. The Innuits expressed a willingness to go. I have no idea of doing this, but now intend to cross Frobisher Bay to-day from Noo-ook-too-ad-loo, a small island close by Eae's Point, direct to Kingaite, and thence pass down by the coast to near where I had my ninth encampment, and then recross the bay to place of tenth encampment. The weather is thick this morning, but there is a bright streak along the horizon in the east. The dogs are very hungry. Last night they ate up the whip-lash, which was thirty feet long. They are vivacious. I witnessed a sight some days since of a hungry dog swallowing down a piece of how (walrus hide and blubber) one inch and a i g than on ound our upon the out with our furs, B freezing de of the d to stop ccount of an igloo. in perfect the flying n making c. e-book of low flying desirous Bay of o-morrow. e place of Sharkey Northern The dogs ave to let night ; he )oked our shrub) of ial of the ) the head ess to go. Frobisher B by Eae's le coast to across the bhick this son in the te up the acious. I wrallowing ach and a CROSSING FROBISHER BAY. 483 half square and six feet long in seven seconds ! The act I timed by chronometer." At 5 A.M. we left the place of sixteenth encampment, direct- ing our course to the westward, and in two hours arrived at the island Noo-ook-too-ad-loo, which Sharkey and myself ascended. Here we saw some partridges and many rabbit tracks. One of the former Sharkey shot. While on this island I took a round of angles, sighting various important points necessary toward completing my chart of the bay. Thence we departed at 9 a.m. striking nearly due west to cross the Bay of Frobisher. We found the ice very rough, and consequently our progi'ess was slow. A few minutes before twelve, meridian, as wo were about to enter among the numerous islands that lie across the bay, beginning at " Frobisher's Farthest," we stopped, when I pro- ceeded to make observations for latitude, solar bearings, &c. When I found my position was such that various capes, promon- tories, islands, and inlets that I had visited were in sight, and knowing I could then better determine their relative geographi- cal position, I was delighted, and especially so when I had the President's Seat dancing and circling round in the mirror of my sextant, till it finally rested on the mountain heights of Fro- bisher's Farthest, on the exact spot where I had made astronomi- cal observations on the 22d of August, 1861, the previous year. Thence we proceeded among many islands, and came to a channel where we found a space of open water abounding in ducks and other aquatic birds, and seals. Here the tide was rushing furiously through like a mill-race, and this prevented us from securing more than half of our game, for as the ducks and seals were shot they were liable to be carried rapidly away beneath the ice. Sharkey, however, shot and secured one seal which weighed about three hundred pounds, and also killed several brace of ducks. While the hunters were engaged at this work I took my instruments and went upon the hill of an island to have a look around and to triangulate. When at the summit and quietly taking a survey, I heard a deep tiger-like growl. I listened, and glanced quickly in the direction whence it came. I saw nothing, and soon raised my sextant to my eye, when another and another growl assailed my ear. Again I looked around, but could see nothing, though I concluded it must be either a polar bear or a wolf. Therefore, considering my unarmed state, and the distance I had climbed up the mount, away from all assist- ance, I thought the better part of valour in such a case was to Il2 d' [I ; i m I m rs:'l 484 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. beat a hasty retreat. The distance to the sea-ice was one mile, and thence to where my companions were, another mile. I shall not soon forget that day's adventure. I awaited the fourth growl, and when that came I quickly packed up instruments and started on a run, turning every few moments to see whether I was ahead. In my course was a long drift of snow, and as I was making a rapid transit of this, a spot in it proved treacherously soft, which gave me a fall, and heels over head I went to the bottom of the hUl. Fortunately it was the quickest and most direct passage I could make, and, as it happened, no bone or anything else was broken. When I arrived back and told my companions what I had heard, they declared I had had a narrow THE HUNGRY WOLVES. escape from either hungry wolves or a polar bear. It was 4*30 P.M. when we resumed our way across Frobisher Bay, Having got fairly through the passage between the islands on the ice-foot, we turned southerly. We soon saw ahead immense numbers of seals out on the ice. They extended over a large area, and were so numerous that with my glass I could not count them. Just as we were turning off the ice to an island — J. K. Smith Island, as I named it — on which we had proposed to make our seventeenth encampment, thiee wolves appeared in sight, coming swiftly on our track, and presently on came a fourth — all most ferocious-looking brutes. They were bold, approaching quite near, watching our movements, and now and then opening and snapping their teeth, and smacking their chaps, as if already feasting on human steaks and blood. We prepared for the fray )ne mile, I. I shall th growl, d started er I was as I was iherously it to the md most bone or told my a narrow was 4*30 Having 3 ice-foot, imbers of and were k. Smith nake our b, coming -all most ng quite tiing and f already ? the fray THE HUNGRY WOLVES. 485 by arming with rifle, gun, and spear, each ready to defend him- self as best he could. Between the wolves and us was much hummocky ice. Behind this ice we placed ourselves, each seek- ing to get a good shot. Sharkey led in the attack, levelling his gun on the instant that one of these savage foes begar to make its approach. The result wa^' that the hungry wolf turned tail, and went off limping, minus a man-supper, his companions following him. After the excitement of this affair was partially over, Koojesse informed me that he had knoAvn many instances in which Innuits had been attacked, killed, and devoured by hungry wolves. When once so attacked, it was generally sure death to the Innuii It was, indeed, with thankful heart that I retired to my snowy couch that night, as I thought of my narrow escape from the very midst of that hungry pack, unarmed as I was, and far away from all help save that of Him who is ever mighty to save. The following morning, May 15th, we were about to resume our journey, when, the wind having increased to a gale, accom- panied with drift, and Koojesse being quite ill, we were obliged to hold over, and keep in the igloo all day. Our fare that day was raw seal and raw ducks. The ducks were very fat, the fat being like butter both in appearance and taste. Tn the morning of Friday, the 16th, the weather was thick, and at times spitting snow. We were up at 3 a.m. intending to start early, and complete the crossing of Frobisher Bay to Kin- gaite coast ; but the shore-ice by the island of our encampment was in such an impassable condition from ebb tide that we had to wait for the flood. At 7 '30 we were under way, passing to the westward and northward for some time along the coast of Resor Island * on our left, over the rough ice, and among the thousand and one islands of that part of Frobisher Bay. At 1 1 a.m. we arrived at White Island, which I had seen on my boat-voyage in the previous fall, and then thought very remarkable. On this occasion I landed to examine it and procure geological specimens. Thirty minutes after meridian we arrived close to a point of Kingaite coast, whence I could see what the natives call Sharho (low land), where I had my eighteenth encampment of the boat- voyage in the fall of 1861. Having reached the point — Turn Point, t as I called it — where my survey of the Kingaite coast * "Named after "William Resor, of Cincinnati, Ohio, this island is in lat. 63° 16' N. long. 67° 65' W. + Turn Point is in lat. eS'' 19' N. long. 68° 09' W. The centre of * ! ,N' I 111 ■• 'a ' ■■■ff 'ill' "^ i ■If. 486 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. terminated when on that voyage, I turned about and resumed the survey, passing rapidly down a beautiful channel — Cin- cinnati Press Channel, as I named it, in honour of the Associated Press of the Queen City- -between Kingai*;e and Pugh Island,* A BGAR-UUMT. At 3 P.M. while we pursued our journey down the channel, an exciting scene occurred. A polar bear, with its cub, was observed on the ice near the base of a bold high mountain. Immediately the dogs were stopped and the guns loaded. Koqjesse forgot that he was lame and sick, and prepared to join us in the hunt. I, with spy-glass in hand, watched the bear's movements, and when all was ready, the dogs were again started. They soon caught sight of the prey, and bounded forward. While drawing us with great speed, and when within 200 fathoms, the draught- * Xamed after George E. Pugh, of Cincinnati, Ohio. This island is ten miles long, the centre being in lai. 63° 16' N. long. 68° W. resumed nel — Cin- Vssociated Island.* lannel, an observed mediately 3se forgot the hunt, ents, and hey soon 3 drawing draught- ) island is AN EXCITING SCENE. 487 line of the leadf^r was cut, and away he flew toward the bear. Then another, and then another of the running dogs was cut loose and sent in chase, untU. all were free from the sledge and in pursuit. The bear, with her cub following, made her way over the broken ice between the main ice and the shore, direct for the mountain steep, which they .it once began to ascend. One of the dogs had now neared them, and constantly attacked the cub until it became separated from its mother. Then another dog sprang at the hinder part of the old bear, which turned and made a plunge at the dog, causing both to tumble headlong down the declivity, which was so steep that I wondered how the bear could have ascended it. The flght now became earnest, and the dog yelped with pain, as the bear's paw came heavily upon him. Presently Bruin was obliged to turn again, and, with head swinging to and fro, and roaring plaintively on hearing the cries of her cub, she reascended the mountain where it was impossible for dog or man to follow. The eleven dogs finally aU took after the cub, which was part way up the mountain side, and, as one seized it, over rolled cub and dog together, and so came tumbling down. While Koojesse and Sharkey sought to get a shot at the old one, I went forward simply to see the fray between young polar and the dogs. On making my way from the main ice to the shore, the cub made i rush at me with jaws widely distended. I instantly placed my- self in position, prepared to receive the threatened shock. I received young polar on the point of my spear, having directed it well toward the neck, and pierced it through. The dogs at once flew to my aid, and soon the savage beast was flat over on its back. Withdrawing the spear, a stream of hot blood imme- diately poured forth ; and then, with heavy blows on the head, I broke in its skull, and thus killed it. I took it that my Innuit friends would rejoice on learning my success, but I soon found how mistaken I was in this idea. On showing them what I had done, they shrugged their shoulders and — said nothing. Of course I was surprised, and knew not what to make of such conduct, it being the reverse of what I had expected. It was not long before I learned the mistake I had made in killing the young bear. I'his I ascertained in the following way : While Koojesse and Sharkey were engaged skinning ar-tuk-ta (young polar bear), I proposed to them to go into camp where we were. They objected to this. I then told them how desirous I was to remain in that locality for a day or so. My great and earnest I! u !i U,' \ I m III* ll:v SJi, Ill I m (I ; il !^ h t m 488 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMA.UX. object was to ascend the high land close by, and connect together some of the points of my past and prospective visitation. I found that nothing whatever would induce them to stop and make en- campment there. They said that the old bear would return in the night, and, smelling the blood of her young, she would be YOCNO POLAK COMING TO THE POINT. enraged to madness, and kill all of us. Furthermore, they said that their people always avoided killing the young of a Ninoo till the old one was dead, from the very fact that the previous death of the offspring made the mother a hundredfold more terrible than she otherwise would be. The result of this matter was no camp there or about there that night. INNUIT PRECAUTION. 489 >ct togothor n. I found [ make en- l return in I would be they said a Ninoo previous old more is matter My companions, having completed their work of skinning the bear, buried in snow the liver and head, which Inuuits never eat, nor allow their dogs to eat, if they can help it. However, one of my dogs, Barbekark, got loose from the sledge and found the liver, when the whole pack bolted away and pitched in for a share. The carcass of the bear was placed on the sledge, when (5 p.m.) we started on our wy down the channel. In half an hour we arrived at open water — a tide-opening one- third of a mile long and thirty fathoms wide. Sharkey had told me about this open water while we were at the seventeenth encampment, on occasion of my proposing to strike from thence to Kingaite, and continue down the coast. Sharkey said it was altogether doubtful whether we should be able to do so, on account of the ou-hun-nier (an extended opening in the ice caused K.y the tides). It seems that, during the coldest weather, these open places between the numerous islands in this part of F-'obisher Bay never freeze over on account of the swiftly- running tides. However, we experienced no great trouble in making our way over an ice-belt that led past this ou-kun-nier. This space of water abounded in seals. In the course of a few minutes Sharkey fired two shots, the last being successful, killing a fine large seal, which we soon had fast to the sledge. We now had a Ninoo and a seal — enough for a feast for both men and dogs. When at the tide-opening we were only one mile and a half from where we had killed the bear. This distance would not satisfy my friends by several miles for making encampment, therefore, at 6 p.m. we resumed our journey. A few minutes brought us to where the channel opened out to a beautiful bay, which I named Eggleston Bay.* Our course then was over a smooth field of ice. After making a distance of some six miles from where the bear was killed, and as wt were making good progress homeward directly down the bay, all at once the dogs were turned by the driver sharply to the left, nearly but not quite half round, and directed toward the south termination of Pngh Island, where we made our eighteenth encampment. Before we retired for the night the sledge was stuck up on end in an ice-crack, and the guns and spears were put in order, at the head of our couch, for immediate use, if occasion should require it. As I needed an explanation of some of these move- ments of my Innuit companions, so my readers may require one * Named after Beniamin Eggleston, of Cincinnati, Ohio, of this bar is in lat. 63° 13' N. long. 68° W. See Chart The centre ■:^: • 1^ ! ¥ '•5 1 f i i :i '! Ij: 490 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX, of me. I thus give it : The reason of going to such a distance from the scene of the bear-hunt before making our encampment has already been given. The sharp turn — ^nearly reversing our course — was designed, as the Esquimaux explained it, for a safeguard against pursuit by the enraged old bear. If she should attempt to pursue on our sledge-track, her movements would be rapid ; and, finding the track nearly in a straight line for so long a distance, she would become somewhat confident, " thinking " that the same undeviating course had been kept to the end ; therefore, on her reaching the place of the sharp turn, it might be unnoticed and unscented, and she would continue her course some time longer before discovering her mistake. But, in case she should track us to our igloo (our sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth encampments were igloos or snow- houses), then the first thing she wo^ild do would be to throw down the sledge (one of many things that polar bears do not like to see standing), and thus we should be awakened, and put on our guard against the ferocious beast. But, happily, no enraged " she bear " made her appearance. The trick of the sharp turn may have saved us. The bladder of the young Ninoo was kept hung up, at what- ever place we happened to be, for three days, according to custom; and that night we had an excellent supper off my prize, the flesh appearing and tasting like veal. • On the morning of Saturday, May 17th, having first ascended the heights of the island of our encampment, and made the necessary observations for continuing my survey, we resumed our journey down the biy, passing rapidly, on our right. Cape PoiUon and Newell's S> »und, and at our left Pike's Island, our course being along near the Kingaite coast and direct for Cape Vanderbilt, which point we reached at 3'40 p.m. On arriving there, I found it a capital point for connecting together much of my previous work by a round of angles. Unfortunately, before I could accomplish much work in that line, a thick fog closed distant objects from view. As I did not like to leave such a favourable point without additional sights, I proposed to my company to remain there till the next day. To this Koojesse, who was quite ill and peevish, obstinately objected. I therefore concluded to strike across the bay at once for the place of tenth encampment, our starting point on this flying trip, which we had left on the 8th instant. At 5*17 p.m. we left Cape Vanderbilt, purposing to travel all night. Our course was almost in line with Cape Hill, which is the south termination of Chase Island. A SCENE OF GRANDEUR. 491 I distance ampment srsing our it, for a If she ovements light line onfident, L kept to arp turn, continue mistake, ixteenth, or snow- to throw 's do not , and put )pily, no k of the at what- rding to : off my ascended nade the resumed ;ht. Cape land, our for Cape ng there, h of my before I g closed ) such a i to my ^oojesse, therefore of tenth hich we aderbilt, in line I Island. Never shall I forget that night. It was very cold, and we sat on the sledge well clothed in furs, while the dogs flew merrily and at their most rapid rate. Occupying a place in the rear of all the rest, where all was clear for action, with the box chronometer under my eye, I threw the log every ton minutes, holding the reel up in my right hand.* We all felt the cold severely, and had recourse to various contrivances to keep some warmth in our limbs. No doubt I presented rather a grotesque appearance as I sat with native stockings on my hands now and then instead of outside mittens. Toward n idnight we felt the want of shelter and rest ; but, in my own case, all sense of discomfort which was banished by the beauty Nature placed before me. The grandeur of Kingaite's grotto mountains that we were leaving behind us, with their contrasts of light and shade, as viewed in the night, and watched as light increased with advancing day, filled my soul with inexpressible delight. It was like behold- ing a mighty city of cathedrals, monuments, palaces, and castles overthrown by an earthquake, the ruins resting amid mountain drifts of snow. At 3 A.M. of the 18th, when near the islands which diversify Frobisher Bay in the locality between M'Lean Island and Chase Island, the sun began to peer out from behind the dark clouds, when we stopped the dogs, threw ourselves flat on the bare snow, and slept soundly for one hour and thirty-five minutes. At 8 A.M. we arrived at the eighteenth encampment (which was the same as the tenth), whence we had started on the 8th instant, making an absence while on this journey of just ten days. The number of miles travelled was 176 nautical, or 203 English miles, this distance having been made in exactly fifty- four hours and thirty-one minutes travelling time.t * See accompanying engraving, and also type on larger scale of sledge- log, line and reel, on page 510, drawn to one-sixth of the size of the original. This contrivance was made while encamped on the ice in the middle of Frobisher Bay (ninth encampment). The reel was wood, the line a codfish line, the log a relic of the wrecked Rescue— a ring-bolt, weighing just two pounds, which answered admirably the purpose for which I desired it. t Taking my departure from the tenth encampment on May 8, 1862, and sledging 176 miles (nautical), now, on my return to same place, my •' dead reckoning " — which has been kept independent of all the astronomi- cal observations taken during the trip — makes the same place differ in latitude 2t*VV miles, and in longitude less than half a geographical mile, an approximation I little expected to make. i 1 II V !!, mi h' I ^»i II : 111 If m EETURN TO THE SHIP. 493 u 3: n c O 'A b 'A o a a I found ITcnry very sick, and it was noccsflary tliat I sliould got him to tho vchkoI as soon as ])OHHil)lo. TuiiuktlDiIicsn and .[ennio woro well, tlio latt(!r as ovil-di.s|»os('d as (fvcr. Hluirkey, liowover, hml to rocuavo sad news. ]»y his foniicr wife 1 o Imd a child, wliich had been given in care to anoth(!i' Innuit. This child would occasionally, by various acts as are common to young children, annoy its guardian, who accordingly conveyed ■ it to the top of a lonely and rocky mountain, sewed it up in a seal-skin, and threw it down a deep cleft, leaving it there to 1)0 frozen to death, and there its little corpse was afterwi ^s dis- covered by some Innuits. We found j)lenty of food among the people here, and blubber, the commercial value of which would have been some hundreds of dollars, and yet all soon, to be wasted. One ookgook which they had captured must have weighed quite 1,500 pounds, and its blubber was two inches thick. The following day. May 19th, finding that Koojesse was too sick to accompany me farther, and that Sharkey had to remain with his wife, I made arrangements with the Innuit "Bill," who agreed to take Henry and myself, with my dogs, to Oopungnewing. After farewells with my Innuit friends, away we went, all six of us (Bill would have his wife and two chil- dren along too), down the bay ; but in the evening a heavy snow-storm came on, and, though we tried to breast it for some time, we were at length obliged to give in, and encamp, after midnight, on Clarke's Island, wliich is between Jones's Cape and Chapel's Point. The next morning, the 20th, we again proceeded, the travel- ling, in consequence of rough ice, being very bad, and, on arriving at a point near Twerpukjua, we were obliged to make our course over a narrow neck of land, called the Pass of Ee-too- nop-pin, which leads directly to the Countess of Warwick's Sound. The channel between Niountelik and Oopungnewing was also much broken up, and it was only with great difficulty wg reached the latter-named place in the afternoon. Here I found numerous Innuit families, and also heard that Captain B. had visited the place, but had gone down to Cape True fifteen days before. " BiU," my sledge-driver, was so stricken with snow- blindness that I had to make arrangements with Innuit " Char- ley " to carry me back to the ship. This was speedily effected, and in an hour's time we again started. We proceeded rapidly across the sound to Lincoln Bay, and thence, taking Bayard Taylor Pass, arrived at Field Bay. While ' ,' ! p. ■f\ M 1*1 494 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. on the descent of the land pass, Field Bay side, the sledge cap- sized and broke down, and one of the runners split from stem to stem. At first we thoug?it that it was a complete wreck, and that nothing could be done except to walk the remaining distance ; but " Charley " at once proceeded to unload the sledge and make -^repairs. With a seal-knife he bored three holes through the two- inch plank runner, bound the shattered parts together, made all secure, reloaded the sledge, and then, when we had taken some- thing to eat and drink, declared that all was once more ready to proceed. The dexterity with which "Charley" did this was remarkable. In fifty minutes from the time the sledge was broken he had it all in order again. It was nearly two o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, May 21st, when we arrived at the ship, where I found on board only the steward and " Fluker." WALRT7S SKULL AND Tl'SRS. sledge cap- from stem :, and that y distance ; ) and make jh the two- r, made all iken some- re ready to I this was sledge was , May 21st, d only the CHAPTER XXXV. Ehierhing arid TooTcoolito — They decide to Visit America — More FroUsher Relics — A Musket-hall — Old Odkijoxy Ninoo — Interesting Conversation — Her Sketch of the Monument — Innuit Superstition — The Lock of Hair — Sledge-journey alone — Another Trip u*ith Ehierbing — Danger on the Ice — Remains of Innuit Subterranean Houses — A Critical Situation — Boat- ^lecursion to Countess of Warwick's Sound — A large Travelling Company — Kodlunam again — Fresh Discoveries — Another Voyage— Sharkey's Monument — Walrus Meat. For a week after my return to the ship nothing especially worthy of note occurred. An extract from my diary of May 25th, 1862, will show that I was reasonably certain of having Innuit companions on my return to the United States : " Ehier- bing and his nuliana, Tookoolito, wiU return here in season to accompany me to America. I am to take them for the purpose of having them accompany me on a future expedition to King WilUam's Land. I hope, after what I have done here in the North in the way of explorations, in discovering relics of Fro- bisher's expeditions of near three centuries ago, and in deter- mining the probable fate of the five of his company that were kidnapped here, I shall have no insurmountable obstacle to overcome in preparing for that voyage which I still have at heart — the voyage to King William's Land and Boothia — ^to investigate all the facts relative to Sir John Franklin's expedition while in the vicinity of the places named. That the Innuits are still living who know all about the mysterious termination of that expedition / have not the shadow of a 'hvht. What is re- quisite is to visit those regions, get acquainted with and establish friendly relations among the Innuits there, become familiar with their language, and then learn of them the history of that expedition." On the 3d of June I was fortunate in obtaining two more relics of the Frobisher expedition. Ooksin, an Innuit whom I had known before, came on board from Oopungnewing, and gave me, as a present from Annawa's wife, Noodlooyong, a piece of brick, or rather of tile, about two inches long, one inch thick, and one and a half inches wide, and also a musket-ball, both ili m If' .p.. mi I ! 1 496 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. found on Kodlunam many years ago, and before guns were used by the natives. The piece of tile was similar to those used by the native women in that locality for polishing their brass orna- ments. It afforded evidence enough, in dirt and grease, that it must have been in Innuit hands a long time. The ball had the appearance of having been carefully preserved since first found. It had several small indentations upon its surface, and the whole of it was covered with a white coat (oxide of lead), in conse- quence of long exposure. It is ^ths of an inch in diameter. Ooksin said the ball was found on Kodlunarn, under one of the embankments by she " ship's trench," before Innuits knew any- thing of guns, and when they used only bows and arrows. A day or two after this, on June 7th, I started on a sledge- exploring trip to Cornelius Grinnell Bay, being accompanied by Ebierbing as dog-driver, but after proceeding down the bay, coasting along by Clement's Land,* rounding Farrington's Cape,t and making some distance to the north, we were obliged, on account of the deep, soft snow upon the sea-ice, to return on the 10th of June without accomplishing my object. While on this trip, however, I met with old Ookijoxy Ninoo — ^who, with Ebierbing, Koodloo, and their families, was living near Farrington's Cape, on a spot called by the natives Twer-puk- ju-a-chu7ie, which means a place with many small stones — and had an interesting conversation with her concerning matters pertaining \,o Frobishev's expedition, being fortunate enough to find her in a communicative mood. She was in her tupic, some- times sitting, sometines reclining, and, as usual with her (being old and infirm, and mostly confined to her bed), was quite naked, with the exception of a tuktoo coverlet over her shoulders. When she reclined she rested her chin in her hands, which were propped up by her elbows. Beside her lay her sick grandchild, a one-eyed boy of nine years, at whose illness she greatly grieved. Near at hand was Ookoodlear, Ookijoxy Ninoo's granddaughter, who was tlmost constantly employed in attending to the calls of the old lady; she was now engaged in dressing a tuktoo skin and tending the infant of Tookoolito, who acted as my interpreter. The old lady then, in answer to questions put by me through Tookoolitf », repeated to me, though in a somewhat different form, what I had. learned in previous conversations with her, namely, that ships with white men came to those regions; that the kodlunas who were left behind, built a ship, attempted to escape * For Clement's Land, see Chart. t This cape is in lat. 62° 50'. N long. 64° 33' W. '''^K I were used )se used by brass orna- (ase, that it all had the first found. the whole ), in conse- L diameter. one of the knew any- rows. n. a sledge- npanied by the bay, on's Cape,t obliged, on turn on the joxy Ninoo was living 3 Twer-puk- itones — and ing matters » enough to tupic, some- L her (being [uite naked, : shoulders, which were grandchild, itly grieved, nddaughter, the calls of 00 skin and iterpreter. me through ferent form, ler, namely, 3; that the ed to escape L INNUIT TRADITIONS. 497 from the country, failed in the attempt, and finally froze to death. She also gave me two names, which show how accurately the traditions of the Innuits are handed do\vn ; one was the name of a native who was particularly kind to the white men, and who was called " E-loud-ju-arng ; " he was a Pim-ma-in, a great man or chief among the Innuits, as Tookoolito, translating the old lady's words, said, "All same iS king." When the white men were about to set out with their ship for home, this Eloud- juarng liad a song made wishing the kodlunas a quick passage and much joy, and he caused his people, who were then very numerous, to sing it. The other nime handed down is that of one native who saw the kodlunas, ' McM-nu." Ookijoxy Ninoo gave me, moreover, an entirely new fact. She said that the kodlunas in the ships who first cane to the country went up the bay called by the Innuits Ktr-nuk-too-joo-ay and by me Newton's Fiord, and there, a little distance inland, erected a monument. Some time later, Tookoolito brought me a sketch of the monument, made by the old lady herself, and the accom- panying illustration presents a facsimile of this sketch. The monument itself is not on very high land. The Innuits for a very long time, and down even to the present day, have been in the habit of going there ; and wishing success in hunting, they would give it presents of young tuktoo meat, bows and arrows, beads, &c. I:- s g the same on it or placing them close about it. It was on n occasions treated with the greatest respect, the belief being that he who gave much to the monument would kill much game. Ebierbing, on seeing the sketch, said that he had frequently given arrows in a similar way. At one point in her narrative old Ookijoxy Ninoo seized an oodloo — a knife shaped like the chopping-knife in use among us (see page 240) — and severed a lock of her hair, which she gave into my hands with the request that I would take it to America, and show it to many people as that of the oldest Innuit in- habitant. She said that there was no oneli ving in her couiitry who was a child when she was. Her hair was nearly all bhick, there being only now and then a white or grey hair on her head. I doubt not Ookijoxy Ninoo was fully 100 years old. Finding the old lady becoming exhausted, I took my leave and returned to the sledge. On the 14th of June I left the ship on a visit to the whaling depot at Cape True. As no other sledge was at hand I took a small one which I had previously made of such material as I found on board, and with two dogs started on my journey alone. KK lilll , I lii : i !lt 498 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. h i i I was not expert at driving, and at first made sic. progress, hut finally succeeded in getting my team into good working order. AC-siMiLE SKETCH BY OoKiJOXY NiNoo, who represents herself performing her devotions to the kok-kon-e-tu-ariig, the ancient monument of the kod-lu-nas {white men). Th-i rude sketch in the lower part of this illustration represents a fresh-water lake, which is near the monument. The pending lines around the top of the monu- ment are strings to wluch the natives hang their presents. Barhekark was my leader, and, by dint of hard blows, I managed lo keep him in a right position. On my way I called at the 'Ogress, but kinij order. '. performing her kod-lu-nas ( white lenta a fresh-water top of the inonu- vs, I managed called at the TRIP TO CORNELIUS GRINNEIiL BAY. 499 tuples of Ebicrbing and Koodloo, at Farrington Cape. Here I had a pleasant conversation with Tookoolito, and, soon after, Ugarng arrived from Allen's Island, in Cornelius Grinnell Bay. I stopped here for the night, and the next morning departed for Cape True, my company being increased by seven souls, with two large dog-teams and two sledges. We arrived at the whaling depot without mishap, and found the captain and his men, and several Innuits — among them my faithful attendant " Sharkey " — all well, fat, and healthy. I remained a short time at this place, and then — June 18th — ^returned to the sliip, whence 1 expected to depart in a few days for Corr.elius Grinnell Bay, for the purpose of making a survey of it. At 7 '2 3 on the morning of the 25th, Ebierbing and myself left the ship, taking our course directly down the Bay for^ Farrington Cape. Thence we turned and travelled northwardly and eastwardly for Cape Haven,* a mountain island at the eastern extreme of Williams's Peninsula.f Cape Haven was the place of my first encampment on this trip, and distant by sledge route from George Henry Harbour fifteen miles. On ascending its heights I found the view that it commanded to be very extensive. On the following day I held over at the place of my first encampment till 11 a.m. hoping the sun would make its appearance from behind the clouds, so that I might make obser- vations for time, latitude, and solar bearings. Having no prospect of sun, we started on, striking along to the north on the ice of Davis's Strait, our course leading us not far from the coast of Williams's Peninsula. Before leaving Cape Haven, however, we discerned from its summit the state of the ice over w^hich we expected to travel that day, and found it rent here and there with wide and diversified fissures. The prospect before us was certainly not very flattering, still we determined on doing the best we could in making a trial. This trial we innde, but with what success will now appear. In passing almost direct for Eogers's Island, we found the ice of a very dangerous character. It was groaning and cracking to an alarming extent. The open water was only some three miles off, and the heaving sea beneath us threw up the frozen mass * Cape Haven is in lat. 62° 54' N. long. W 23' W. + The Esquimaux name of the land which I called "Williams's Peninsula is Sing-ey-er. K k2 V '1 m K'i ilH 500 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. upon which we travelled in a way that made it doubtful if Ave could proceed. Wide fissures and nui.:erous tide-holes were met, and frequently my companion Ebierbing and myself had to move along the edge of these fissures for some distance before we could find any passage across. On one occasion the dogs were trotting along by the side of an ice-fissure, while I was intent upon examining the land we were passing, and Ebierbing was looking after a seal; they suddenly drew the sledge almost into the yawning chasm ; but, on my raising a cry of warning, Ebierbing, by a word, turned the team off from the dangerous spot, and thus saved us. We arrived at Rogers's Island at 7 p.m. and made our second encampment, having made the distance of just twenty miles from Cape Haven on a course N. by W. true. We were detained on Eogers's Island one full day and two nights by a terrific gale and snow-storm which occurred on the 24th. It was an anxious time with us, for there was every probability that the gale would make disastrous work with the ice over which I intended to make my return to the ship. In case it did so, we should not be able to reach the vessel in less than two or three weeks, as we should have been obliged tf) make our way as best we could to the land on the opposite side of the bay, and thence, abandoning everything, to have gone on foot over mountains of rock and snow to Field Bay. Fortunately, we were preserved from this peril, and on the 25th of June we reached Allen's Island in safety ; but, although I had originally intended to go to the extreme of this bay, the advanced season had made ice-travelling so precarious that I was forced to confine my labours to the survey of that part of the bay south of Allen's Island, and I commenced a renewed examination of the place. A short distance from where we had our third encamj^ment, which was on the south end of Allen's Island, I saw the ruins of an old Innuit village, which showed a custom of the people in former times of building their winter houses or huts underground. Circles of earth and stones, and skeleton bones of huge whales were to be seen, as also subter- ranean passages. There were, moreover, bones of seals and other animals beneath sods and moss, indicative of their great age. I discovered with my glass two monuments at the distance of about a mile inland, and thither I directed my steps. They were seven or eight feet high, four feet square at the base, and about three fathoms distant from each other. The top of one had been torn or blown down. The stones IW^H" il if we es wero self had distance ,sion the while I Ing, and Irew the ing a cry from the Rogers's , having von on a and two 3d on the ras every with the ship. In sel in less )bliged to )osite side re gone on id on the , although is bay, the ous that I lat part of a renewed Bre we had of Allen's ch showed lieir winter stones, and Iso siihter- seals and their great nts at the irected my t square at each other. The stones CAPE HAVEN. 501 of which they were composed were covered with black moss. They were erected by the Inruits evidently ages ago. My record of the succeeding day commences thus : — " Thursday^ June 2Qth, 1862. — I much desired to continue my trip up to the extreme of this bay, but, on consulting freely with my Innuit compa )ion, I found that my better policy was to give up the idea vi doing so. It would take some three or four days to go up and return, allowing the loss of one or MONoMliNTAL ISLAND Ot SIR JOHN FliANKLIN. two days bad weather, as Ebierbing said, and in that time the probability of losing our chance to return on the ice with our sledge and instruments; besides, Ebierbing said that Ugarng had told him that there would be great risks to run in going up til echannel on either side of Allen's Island on account of thin ice and tide-holes." On the .norning of the above day we commenced our return to the vessel. I omitted nothing on my way back that I could do in the way of making observations for com])leting my chart. 'If §!il m li the most were far off. Prominent among these were the Monumental Island of Sir John Franklin,* twenty miles distant, bearing E.S.E. (true), and Lady Franklin Island, nearly due east, while far away to the north were Cape Murchison, Brevoort Island, Kobinson Sound t Beekman's Peninsula, J Archibald Promon- tory, § and Cape Arnoux.|| A channel or strait, which I named Anderson Channel,^ leading from Eobinson Sound up toward * I so named this island as my tribute to the memory of Sir John Franklin. The Innuit name of it is Oo-mi-en-wa, from its resemblance to an inverted oo-mi-en (a woman or family boat). Its geographical position I determined by triangulation, which was done repeatetuy and carefully, that I might have confidence in recommending this as a desirable and re- liable point by which navigators, who might desire it, could regulate their chronometers. The centre of the Monumental Island of Sir John Franklin I found to be in lat. 62° 45' 45" N. and long. 63° 41' 07" west of Green- wich. See Chart. + This extensive sound I have named after Captain Heniy Robinson, of Newburg, N. Y. It is between Beekman's Peninsula and Brevoort Island. See Chart. X Named by me after James "W. Beekman, of New York. Beekman Peninsula is bounded on the east by Robinson Sound and Anderson Channel, and on the west by Cornelius Grir.nell Bay. § Named after E. M. Archibald, H. B. M. consul at New York. This promontory is on the west side, at the ontisr'" ' Robinson Sound. II Named after William Heniy Arnoux, o. York. Cape Ai-noux is on the east side, at the entrance to Comelivi' . /.iiiell Bay. H This channel I named after Captain Aiu^.'^rson, of the steam-ship China. . CVilliams's again •ack As I was numerous therefore . I had at lent work, fine — that reeze from r, just cold this cape, itraits and s that had view; in most were ital Island ng E.S.E. while far rt Island, I Promon- b I named ap toward of Sir John emblance to ical position d carefully, able and re- igiilate their bn Franklin it of Green- y Kobinson, id Brevoort Beekman d Anderson S'ork. This Jound. )e Ai-noux is I steam-ship VISIT TO COUNTESS OF WARWICK'S SOUND. 503 Northumberland Inlet, was lost to my view by the high land of Beekman's Peninsula. The observations I made at this point were quite numerous and important. On the following day (27th) we continued our return, and at 5 p.m. arrived at the ship, whore Captain B. with four of the crew had arrived the day previous from Cape True. On the 30th of June I started on a sledge trip to Cape True, where most of the officers and crew of the George Henry were yet staying. There I remained for several days, trying to form a company of natives to go with me by boat to Countess of Warwick's Sound. I succeeded in obtaining a company of eleven, consisting of Minor and his new wife " Suzhi " — my old boat companion on my voyage up Frobisher Bay — Kooperneung and his two wives — for he had recently married a second — Sharkey and his Jennie, young " Captain," " Bone Squash," and two Innuit children — a girl and a boy. We left Cape Tiue at 9*45 a.m. on the morning of July 13th, and at 3 p.m. reached a small island near Oopungnewing, named by me Ookijoxy Ninoo ; thence, after a short stop, we went on to Oopungnewing. My purpose in visiting this island was to hunt for the " anvil," which, as I have abeady stated, had been thrown from the south end into the water. It was just after the full moon, and therefore the tides were rising and falling to their extreme limits, near thirty feet ; at low water a wide shore was left perfectly exposed, and nothing could have escaped my eye. I sought carefully and with anxiety for the relic I so much desired to obtain, but in vain ; it was not there. It was clear that the " thick-ribbed ice " had embraced it, as it evi- dently had every loose stone and heavy rock in that locality, and had carried it away from the land in its grasp. On the following day, July 14th, we started for Kodlunam, where we remained till the 17th, during which time I occupied myself in making researches for relics, investigating all that I could which had a bearing upon the subject, besides making a complete survey of the island. These days of hard work resulted in the discovery of additional relics, confirming me in the opinions I had previously formed, and which I have else- where in this work expressed. In addition to what I had done before, I found very clear evidences of the existence of a black- smith's forge or a furnace. I must not omit to say here that the Esquimaux women and children, and occasionally che men, aided me greatly while on Kodlunam, searching for and securing relics. 'm M' 11 t SI' J! I •■; i i 4. f ] )m I, ' 504 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. The men were obliged to be off, most of tlio time, sealing and hunting tuktoo for our subsistence. Our tupics were close by the place that we called the "ship's trench" (see Plan No. 1 on Chart Sheet), and occasionally, as I have said, all hands were engaged with me in gathering Frobishor relics. One may got a good idea of our appearance when so engaged from the accompanying engraving. The Author and his Ivnijit Companvoii K( dhtiinin, or White Man's lalaud, gatheihi'' Frobi;iher Relics, July 14-17, 18(32. The following list is an extract from the catalogue that accom- panied the Frobisher relics which I sent to the British govern- ment, through the Eoyal Geographical Society of London, shortly after my return to the States, and embraces twenty articles that were inclosed in a small black-velvet-lined box, lettered J, which, with all that I sent, have been deposited by the British govern- ment in the Greenwich Hospital Museum, the same institution in which the Franklin relics are to be seen. The unabridged list comprised 136 separate parcels. aling and le " ship's lally, as I Frobishor when so iland, gatheriii'' that accom- iish govern- ion, shortly irticles that 3(1J, which, iish govern- institution unabridged FROBISUER BEUCS. , t h il I 500 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. LIST OF ARTICLES ILLUSTRATED IN TITE PRECEDINO ENGRAVING. " 1. Frngmcnt of tilo nncl 4 gravcl-stonoa, uiiitod by the moss of ages. 2. Fragment of Pottery, found near '• Best's Rulwark." E. Seo Chart, Plan No. 1. 8. Small pieces of cord (apparently of hair), found deeply imbedded in coal-deposite of Ekkelezhun. 4. Four fragments of glass (apparently of a jar or bottle), found on the ground near the ship's way. The exact spot, I. 5. Piece of oxyd of iron, with the moss of ages npon it, found near the ship's trench. AA. 6. Piece of wood dug up at the foot or base of the ship's trench. AA. 7. Sea-coal, with the moss of ages upon it, found near "Best's Bul- wark." E. 8. Piece of ])ottery, found near "Best's Bulwark." E. 9. Fragment of white pottery (?) black glazing outside and inside, found on Kodhuiarn, near "Best's Bulwark." E. 10. Choice specimen of tile, covered with the moss of ages, from Kod- lunarn. 11. Sea-coal, covered with the moss of ages, from coal-deposite, Ekkele- zhun. 12. Stone, covered with the moss of ages, from the top of one of the ship's embankments. GG. 13. Flint-stone, covered with the moss of ages, found near the head of the ship's way. AA. 14. Fragment of tile (glazed), apparently a portion of a human figiiie represented upon it — leg and foot in relievo. Largest piece of tile found : dug from beneath one of the ship's embankments. GG. 15. Stone, with lime cement, from the ruins of stone house. B. 16. Probably one of the ears or knob-handles of an earthen jar, from near " Best's Bulwark. " E. 17. Flint-stone with the moss of ages upon it. 18. Chip found deeply imbedded in coal-deposite, Ekkelezhun. 19. Burnt flint-stone, with lime cement, from the ruins of stone house. B. 20. Charcoal of coarse-grained wood, apparently of thrifty growth, found under stones and sods by the ruins of the blacksmith's shop. The grain of this charcoal indicates it to be of the same kind of wood as that found at the base of the ship's trench, A A. Vide box D, 1." The reader may observe that the capital letters here and there appended to the descriptions in the list refer to spots of ground indicated by those letters respectively in Plan No. 1 of the Chart Sheet. The form and general appearance of each of the twenty articles are exhibited in the preceding engraving, taken from a photograph. Of course they are reduced in size. On the 18th, after coasting by Tikkoon, visiting the bluff LAST EXPLORING TRIP. 507 EDINO of ngcs. Seo Chart, ibeddcd in und on the id near the •h. AA. Best's Hill- side, found from Kod- te, Ekkele- one of the he head of man figiue st piece of ; )ankments. B. 1 jar, from tone house. )wth, found ith's shop, same kind , rench, A A. ' and there of ground the Chart he twenty :en from a the bluff Ne-pon-e-tie Sup-hinff, crossing the Countess of "Warwick's Sound, and entering Victoria ]Jay, I landed at Ekkclezhun, wlicrc 1 liad found the licap of coal in the previous fall. Here I again care- fully examined tlie i)lace, and on the next day commenced my return, encamping at niglit near a bay or inlet — Sabine Bay* — on the east side of Sharko. Wliilo exploring this inlet, I was led to the discovery of a monument, built within the previous hve or six years, on the top of a mountain in the rear of our encampment, and wliich I learned from the Esquimaux had been erected by an English whaling-captain named Brown. From this monument I took numerous compass bearings and sextant angles, and then, returning to the boat, started back for Cape True, where we arrivoil in the evening. Without delay I pro- ceeded up, along the coast, one mile, and renewed my observa- tions to connect with those made at Brown's Monument, and thus — as far as lay in my power with the instruments I possessed — completed the link of bearings and sextant angles, that now extended all round Frobisher Jiay. I now wanted to make another trip to the "southeast extreme" — the Hall's Island of Frobisher. On my mentioning my desire to the nativeti, all of them, at first, refused to accompany me, owing to the^r drea*.'. of the place ; but at length Sharkey, the bold Innuit who was of my company in the late sledge-journey up Frobisher Bay, con- sented to go, if I would allow his wife to be of the party. Mai e Lamb and four of the ship's crew also went with me, as tie ship's company were doing nothing, except now and then captur- ing a wabus and eating it, simply living at Cape True until the ice in Field Bay should break up and free the ship. They remained at Cape True to be near the walrus grounds. Our only means of subsistence consisted of such products as the countiy afforded. About 100 pounds of raw walrus meat was placed in the bottom of the boat, and, besides that, every man had enough of the same food, cooked, to last two days. "We left the whaling depot at 3 a.m. of the 21st of July, and proceeded through Bear Sound and Lupton Channel to Sylvia Island, where we arrived at five o'clock. I landcil «■ d went to the summit, where I could obtain a good view, and, to my vexation, found that Field Bay was still heavily covered with ice. I had purposed making my outward trip along the north side of Lok's Land, and return coasting a^ong its south shore, thus making a complete circuit of the island ; but the presence * Named by me after Edward Sabine, of Loudon. The entrance to Sabine Bay is in lat.62° 39' N. long. 65° 06' W. (I i H'- i- ii;i , ' ;: ! Nil, 508 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. of the ice convinced me that this could not be done by boat, and consequently I had to try the southern, or Frobisher Bay side. After spending an hour there, taking a round of angles, and doing other work in the way of contirming my survey, we there- fore retui'ned down Bear Sound, passing directly under the b,eetling cliffs of Matlack's Island,* which is near the centre of the Sound. About meridian we were among the islands at the entrance of Bear Sound, visiting one after another for egg and duck hunting, which proved to be quite successful. A short time after we rounded Cape Chapel,t and made our course nearly due east, coasting along under oars. We had not proceeded far before we were passing the mouth of a beautiful bay — Bigler Bay,:}: as I named it — which made up some two miles into Lok's Land. Then we entered a long narrow channel — New York Press Channel § — having low land on either side, that at our right being what I called Harper Brothers' Island. |i After several hours' hard pulling at the oars we arrived at the termi- nation of this channel, and made our first encampment on Lok's Land, opposite the east end of Harper Brothers' Island. We had boiled ducks and eggs for supper, and our sleeping accom- modation for the men was made of the boat's sails, while that for Mr. Lamb and myself was merely a shawl to cover us. At 7 A.M. next day, July 22d, we again started, and, as we passed along Lok's Land, I noticed a monument of stone stand- ing near the edge of the shore. Sharkey told me that this was erected by himself and some Innuit companions on reaching this spot a few years ago, after having been drifted out to sea when the ice broke away, at a time they were out on a walrus hunt from Toongwuie (Jones's Cape). It was in the winter, and the weather was so severe while they were thus adrift that their dogs all died. The Innuits escaped by the tide setting the ice inshore. They managed to return to their families by crossing the island, and thence reached the main land by traversing the ice-pack. Before they got back every one had considered them lost, and their return was an occasion of joy to their friends, as if the dead had come to life. * Named after B. Matlack, of Cincinnati, Ohio. t Named after Captain Edward A. Chapel, of Hudson, New York. This cape is on the east side, at the entrance to Bear Sound of Frobisher. + Named after James Bigler, of Newburg, New York. § Named after the Associated Press of New York City. |l Named after "Harper Brothers" of New York. The centre of Harper Brothers' Island is in lat. 62° 20' 30" N. long. 64° 30' W. tnuK'wnvf^m "^ "*■*■ BEAR ISLAND. 509 ^■1 il oat, and ay side, es, and e there- ier the centre ands at for egg A short ;e nearly eded far — Bigler to Lok's w York it at our After le termi- on Lok's id. We y accom- hile that us. d, as we ne stand- this was hing this sea when rus hunt ', and the hat their ig the ice f crossing jrsing the )red them 'riends, as !Tew York. Frobisher. ! centre of W. More monuments were seen, and I was informed that they indicated the land dreaded by all Innuits, and that they told of a time long ago (already mentioned), when many of the native people lived there, who ultimately were all los+^j since when, no Innuit dares dwell upon the island. In the course of the day I visited Bear Island — the place where, one year before, while on my sledge-trip, Ebierbing, with Koodloo, had killed a bear — and at 2 p.m. we reached its eastern end. Here we found the pack-ice setting in with the tide too heavily for risking the boat, and we again had to encamp. Next morning, however, we succeeded in crossing the entrance to Osbon's Bay,* and getting to Hall's Island of Frobisher — the Extreme Land — and, as soon as possible, I was on my way to the summit of Mount Warwick, which I had ascended in the previous year. It was a laborious task on this occasion, with the sun's hot rays pouring down upon our backs ; but, finally, I reached the spot where, on my former visit heavy fog-banks had shut out all distant objects from my sight. Now I was more for- tunate. A meridian observation of the sun was made, and two solar bearings obtained, which enabled me to connect many important places by sextant angles. In recognising distant lands I received much assistance from Sharkey, who is well acquainted with the coast from Northumberland Inlet down to Resolution Island, and also up Hudson's Strait to Karmowong. The view from the point where I stood was a very extensive one, and probably there is no place in the whole country equal to it. Certainly no place which I visited while North affords such a commanding view as this from Mount Warwick. I couVl see far away to the north, even to the high land near the entrance of Northumberland Inlet, and thence, sweeping round by the west, away to Resolution Island south. Seaward, as far as my eye could reach from an elevation of 1,200 feet, was pack-ice. Field Bay, except the entrance, was also full of last winter's ice, as was also as much of Frobisher Bay as I could observe. Our return was made, though not without danger and some difficulty. Leaving Hall's Island of Frobisher at 6. p.m. we arrived at the place of our first encampment at 9*30, night, where we made our second and last. Next morning, at 4*25, we started, continuing our return voyage. Before we got through New York Press * Name! by me after B. S. Osbon, of New York. Osbon's Bay is at the east end of Lok's Land. The entrance to it is on the south side of Hall's Island of Frobisher and Hudson's Island. M n 510 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. Channel the wind had freshened to a gale from the northeast, but on and on our boat bounded like a thing of life. The gale continued, if anything increased, till we were athwart Bear Sound, when it burst into fury, madly hurling the foaming breakers in upon us and the unnumbered islands that lay in our course. To add to our dangers, a thick fog was upon us ; yet our little craft, though with half sail, and all the time nearly upon her beam-ends, flew full fifteen knots an hour. Speedily and safely, but wet as "drowned rats," we arrived at 8* 15 a.m. though in our passage across Bear Sound we had but just escaped destruction. I may here state that the whole party at Cape True were in no want of food while I was there. Walrus was abundant, and was, indeed, almost exclusively our diet. We had walrus brains for supper; stewed walrus, or walrus boiled, for dinner; but always walrus, and 7io h'cad. MV SLEDOG-LOO, LINE, AND REEL. rtheast, he gale ft Bear baming f in our us ; yet nearly speedily •15 A.M. escaped were in ant, and Ls brains ler; but CHAPTER XXXVI. Revisit Victoria Bay-^Packed Ice setting in the Sound — Detention and Difficult Escape — Return to tlic WJialing Depdt— Joyous News from the Ship — All Hands summoned on Board — Great Excitement — Adieu to Bear SouTid, Lupton Gliannel, and French Head— Arrival on Board— The Ship free from Ice — Preparations for Sailing— August 9th, 1862, the "George Ileiiry" lifts Anchor, and gets under way for Home- Friendly Adieux to the Natives — Once more at Sea — First Sign of Civi' lization for Twenty Months —Newfoundland — Pilot comes on Boa.rd — First News of the War — Kindly Reception at St. John's — Arrival ai New London — Conclusion. I WILL here give a few brief extracts from my journal, written while stopping at Cape True, commencing with — " Thursday, July 31«^, 1862. — One year ago to-day the George Henry broke out of her ice-prison. This morning, Mates Eogers, Gardiner, and Lamb, with their three boats and crews, went out in the Bay — Frobisher Bay — after walrus. A short time after they left a thick fog set in, and the tide carried them up opposite Countess of Warwick's Sound before they were aware of it. After the lighting up of the fog a little, they fell in with a shoal of walrus, of which they harpooned three large ones. This walrus party returned at 3 p.m. with three tons of fresh meat. There is no place in the world where a " living " is obtained with less work than here. These three walruses added make the whole number forty that have been taken since the George Henry's company first came here this season, not including some two or three young ones. " Friday, August \st. — And stilly as we learn, the George Henry is fast in the ice. Anxious are all of us to depart for the States, but King Ice will not yet let us go. A good ' nor' wester ' would drive away the pack which presses so closely and so unrelentingly the west side of Davis's Strait, and allow the ice which holds dominion over the George j.ienry's pathway to the sea to give way. It may be the pack w vi keep us here another year; but I hope not. I trust in two weeks more we shall be on our way home, there to prepare for the voyage I have so much at heart. God grant an early deliverance from our ice-foe. "August 2d. — This afternoon, learning that the Innuits here were about to remove up into Field Bay as far as the open water m B mm fr"' mi M 512 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. i:> would allow them, I at once set my wits to work to devise some plan to secure some of them to accompany me again to Countess of Warwick's Sound, and to be of such service to me in the boat that I shall be able to keep good dead reckoning. I first conversed with Mate Rogers. He agreed to accompany me, with two of his men not otherwise engaged. The Innuits * Miner ' and ' Charley ' signified a willingness to accompany me with their wives and kias. I hope now to complete my survey of the Countess of Warwick's Sound, and to be enabled to keep a correct account of distances and t .:rses made. Arrangement?! are now complete to start to-mor o""', with the expectation of being absent two or three days. B;; uhat time I hope that we shall have word to vacate this piace (Cape True), and make for the ship, to deport for the States. This will probabl^r be my last research voyage before leaving for home. I wish the time would admit of my proceeding up to Ker-nak-too-ju-a (Newton's .Fiord), near which is that monument (see page 498) which the natives say was erected by kodlunas long, long time ago, which I have been so very anxious to visit since old Ookijoxy Ninoo first told me about it." At 8 A.M. of August 3d, with an increasing breeze, we left the whaling depot, my whole company being in one boat, except Charley and Miner, who were each in his kia. Our progress was good, and we got on without any mishap over half way; but when near Cape Cracroft, at the entrance to the sound we wished to enter, the storm which had been threatening for some time broke upon us all at once, tearing up the sea in its wildest fury, so that several times we were in great danger. The heavy squalls from off the high land at our right caused us to exercise the greatest caution in managing the little sail we were able to carry ; the rain was pouring down, and the white-caps tumbled into our boat, mrking it necessary to keep incessantly baling ; but finally, after much skilful management on the part of Mate Itogers as boat-steerer, we effected a safe landing at Cape Ood- loo-ong. Directly after landing I ascended Harris Highlands,* to ex- amine the Countess of Warwick's Sound, when, to my vexation, I found that between us and Hazard's Land,t Oopungnewing, * The mountainous land between Lincoln Bay and Victoria Bay I named Harris Highlands, after J. N. Harris, of New London, Connecti- cut. f The land on the north of the Countess of Warwick's Sound, and east of Wiswell's Inlet, I named Hazard's Land, after A. G. Hazard, of Enfield, Connecticut, • e some )untesa in the I first e, with Miner ' e with rvey of keep a rementfj ition of that we lake for be my ihe time [ewton's hiich the which I noo first , left the ;, except progress ilf way ; ound we for some 3 wildest tie heavy , exercise re able to tumbled baling ; of Mate ape Ood- to ex- vexation, Lgnewing, ria Way I Connecti- 1, and east Hazard, of GOOD NEWS. 513 Niountelik, and Kodlunarn, all was packed ice, and in such a state that no boat could be forced through it. The presence of this ice is accounted for in tliis way : the heavy, incessant gale of July 24th and 25th had driven the pack hard on to the west side of Davis's Strait, and when, on August 2d, another gale prevailed, coming from the southeast, it drove the rattling pack up into Frobisher Bay, filling it almost solid, except close inshore between Bear Sound and Victoria Bay. My hopes, therefore, to accomplish what I designed in making this final trip were doomed to be disappointed; but, while an opportunity remained for doing anything, I determined to thoroughly examine the remarkable bay in which we then were — Victoria Bay — and its surroundings. This I did on the following day. The weather, however, was very bad, and it was with difficulty I could accomplish anything at all. Then, too, we had to guard against being shut up in the pack ; and our critical situation became so evident that, on the morning of the 5th, we saw that to delay our return a moment longer would be sheer presumption. Accordingly, at an early hour we started, tlie whole company in the boat (the two kias were left at Cape Ood-loo-ong) ; but we had not gone far before we met the pack drifting in with the tide, and blocking up our way. And now began the usual work of hauling the boat over ice, tracking her through narrow channels, turning now to the right, then to the left, going forward awhile, then back to another opening, and cutting away obstructions. Several hours of heavy labour were consumed in lifting, push- ing, and pulling our boat over several miles of driving, drifting, whirling, crashing, thundering ice. Occasionally, while my com- pany — ^both men and women — would be getting the boat upon an ice-floe, and dragging it along, the dogs and children accompany- ing, I would be busily engaged with my instruments taking my "last sights" of the principal places in and aroimd the ever memorable " Countess of Warwick's Sound," which had been lost to the world for near three hundred years, but now was found. At last we got clear, arriving at open water, when we at once launched the boat and pushed off". From thence it was not long that we were :xi v ui' way to Cape True, where we arrived in perfect safety, though, within two hours after our arrival, the pack ribbed the whole coast, and we thus narrowly escaped being closed in the second time. Two days after our return, on Friday, August 8th, we were agreeably surprised, in the early morning, by the arrival of Cap- tain B. in a boat direct from George Henry Harbour, in the LL II <^ m If f w 514 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. upper part of Field Bay. He announced that the ship was nearly free, and that tlie ice of Field Bay was all broken up, and much of it had drilted out to se i. His orders were for all hands to proceed immediately on board. This news caused immense joy. All was excitement. Tents were quickly struck, boats were made ready, and stowed with such of the material as we intended carrying on board, and in a very short time we were ready for a start. As for myself, I had to regret the loss of some of my ge .logical specimens, which I ESCAPE OVER DRIFTISO PACK.— MY " LAST SIGHTS." was obliged to abandon here on account of their weight in the already overloaded boat. At 4 A.M. we took our final leave of Cape True, after a friendly adieu to the people in that locality, with whom we had become so familiar. We struck direct for Hubbel's Point,* and soon after were passing up Bear Sound. The day was calm and clear, and the boats had to be pulled nearly the whole way ; but no fatigue was felt while anticipating a speedy arrival on board the ship. At seven o'clock we were through Bear Sound, where the tide, as usual, was running very swiftly and strong, though it was in our favour. Many well-lmown spots were quickly passed, * This point, on the west side at the entrance of Bear Sound, I have named after Charles C. Hubbel, of Hudson, New York. HOMEWARD BOUND. 515 lip was ten up, e for all Tents ed with and in a If, I had which I ght in the a friendly- ad hecome and soon and clear, but no board the where the though it kly passed, »und, I have ly receiving our farewell, and we were soon through Lupton Chan- nel, when wo turned into Field Bay, which was seen to be nearly full of drift-ice moving out and in with the tide. French Head, the scene of poor John Brown's death, was gazed upon with some saddening memories ; but the brightness of the day, and the hope before us of soon being under way for home, forbade much lin- gering on painfiU recollections. At 1 r.M. we passed Parker's Bay, and in an hour and a half more arrived at the ship, glad again to tread her decks, but more especially rejoiced to find her once more free. I went on shore immediately after to take some observations ; jiid then, upon my return on board, and after a supper of hard bread and salt junk, I started with a boat's crew down the north Side of the bay to Farrington Cape, to bring off Ebierbing and Tookoolito, with their child. 1 had previously asked them several times about accompanying me to the United States, and they had expressed a desire to do so. Now, however, the time for preparation was so short, and the event, withal, so sudden to them, that I feared they would not like to come ; but on my arrival at their encampment, some seven miles down, I was agreeably surprised, after some conversation, to find them pre- pared to make the venture. In less than an hour these children of the icy North had packed up their effects, and, together with their child and their fine seal-dog " Eatty," were with us in the boat, ready to proceed on a voyage to a strange and distant land. My faithful dog Barbekark could not be forgotten nor left be- hind ; he was already aboard. The arrangement we had made was, that they shoidd accompany me to the States, and then on my voyage to King William's Land ; and that, if the ice would admit of it, on leaving the States and getting near their country, I would stop with them to see their friends. The only objection they made was, that they were fearful they should lose their in- fant boy while on board the ship.* At the same time, Ugarng, " John Bull," Koodloo, and their wives, came along with us in their boats ; and many other Innuit families, from various places near the ship, with whom we had been acquainted, did the same. It was near midnight when we got on board, and I found everything in readiness for the vessel's departure on the following morning. Saturday, the 9th of August, commenced with calm and clear weather. All were full of excitement. Every man felt equal to * Tuh-e-lik-e-ta, the infant child of Ebierbing and Tookoolito, died in New York City of pneumonia, on February 28th, 1863. LL 2 ^ m. m if: III i*:i'i 516 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. and ready for any amount of work. Eagerly was the word of command waited for. The ice had cleared away ; the ship was swinging lazily to her anchors, and all now required was to weigh them and spread sail. But there was no wind. Tliis, for a time, made us hold on, until at length the captain, finding it useless to wait longer for a breeze, gave the signal, and away went the windlass round to the mirthful : otes of joyous men, as they hove in chain and lifted anchor oii;..:J more. Soon the ship was clear, and then, with lines out, all tht 'oats were manned to tow her down the bay. " Ter-lou-e-He, In-nu-it "—(Farewell, lunuits). As we left the anchorage all our Innuit friends surrounded us, and with many words of kind regret again and again bade us " ter-hou-e-tie " (farewell). There were not a few among us who felt this parting. We had received much and constant kindness at their hands, and the final adieu was not without those softer shades of feeling which generally characterize partings at home. But now it is over. The vessel moves on her way. The kias and oomiens, with their occupants, gradually recede from our ARRIVAL AT NEWFOUNDLAND. 517 view, and with a last wave of the hands, a parting look, wo turn our glances seaward, and allow our thoughts to be occupied oidy with home. During the morning we were compelled to use the boats in towing, but in the afternoon made sail, though with a light, baffling breeze. In the evening, however, a fog came up, and at 1 1 P.M. we had to make fast to a floe. The weather continued the same next day until midnight ; then, with a fresher breeze, we made all sail, and kept working through the ice for twenty- four hours, when at length we got clear, and were once more fairly at sea. It was a strange feeling I had when again experiencing the peculiar motion of a sliip on the heaving, ever-restless bosom of the ocean. After being so long imprisoned in that ice-locked region, the sensation now was similar to what had come over me when taking my departure from home. But a few days soon put me to rights, and as the vessel made good way, my spirits Tose buoyant over the temporary attack of sea-sickness, and I was anyself again. On the 1 7th we were all delighted by the sight of four vessels, the first signs of civilization we had seen for twenty months. As we neared one of them bearing the English flag, an officer, with a boat's crew, was sent from our ship on board, to try to obtain some provisions, as we were living on very short allow- ance — three-fifths of a pound of sea-biscuit per man per day, with a little salt junk and salt pork. Unfortunately we could get none, as the supercargo of the ship stated that they had no more than enough for themselves. Another ship was tried. She proved to be a Spanish vessel ; but a small quantity was obtained from her, and this was most acceptable. On the 21st we neared St. John'*;, Newfoundland, and it was considered advisable that we should visit that port to obtain supplies, as all of us were nearly half-stirved. Of course, we made all the preparations we could m regard to our persons and our dress, for we were once more to mix with civilized beings. At 6 A.M. on the 23d, a pilot came on board, and, as soon as he had passed the gangway, I put the question, which is generally the first from an American's lips on such occasions, " Who is President of the United States 1 " But so little did our affairs trouble this Newfoundlander that he could give us no information. I put the leading names to him, but still without effect. He "did not know." This was mortifying, for I was naturally anxious to learn who had the ruling power in my native land ; but, seeing I could get no satisfactory reply, I turned aside, .ill 'I '>■''>.] yi m 518 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. while the pilot conversed with Captain B. Presently the latter came to mo and said, — " So there's war, then, in reality, among us at home. The North and the South are tightinfr against each otht;r." " What ! " I exclaimed, in utter amazement ; " what — war ? War in the United Statet, and amonff ourselves ? " " True enough," was the response ; " at least so says our pilot." A few words with the i)il()t assured mo of the main fact, though without infomiing me of any particulars, for he could give none. But the news was so astounding that I did not for awhile recover from the shock. Bitter was the feeling that came over me on receipt of the intt lligence, and I tried hard to doubt it, until doubt became impossible, especial !y when I landed and heard all the facts from our consul. This lirst news from homo created a general gloom among us on board, and much of the joy which we should naturally have felt on reaching a civilized port was lost by reflecting upon the fact that so serious a calamity had fallen upon our beloved land. As we approached the harbour of St. John's the excitement among us was intense. The head became somewhat confused as it turned from one object to another in the vast and noisy assemblage around us. But when the ship had diopped anchor and I had landed, the overpowering sensations that followed were moi-o than I can describe. I was in a constant whirl. It seemed to me as if I were just coming from death into life, and it was with difficulty I could manage to control myself in the society of the many kind and warm-hearted friends to whom I was soon introduceil. The news of our arrival soon spread through the town, and many persons flocked round the ship to see us, all expressing much surprise at our robust and healthy ap])earance. My Innuit companions, Ebierbing and Tookoolito, with their infant, also attracted much attention. Everywhere oi . 1 INNUIT CHARACTER, CUSTOMS, ETC. 521 i-na, as to mnn. rmatioii I, amoi'g botwoou aodifica- ',8 (white , beads, 3, when- ■e-taij I " ifios not 3nty. I lieso un- aparison mo that es, there dness of bod. If hose are 38sful in ,ve them e about, invited people of great (" tell a lass. infancy. do with the be- , usually lan. In woman, agreed, There BJoicings live in )wo who ns for a larriage. It may happen, in such a case, that the trial develops a want of congeniality, or what is called in a higher state of civilization " an inc()mpati])iUty of temper." Then the two separate, ami the woman returns to her parents. In all cases, lovo — if it come at all — comes after the marriago. There generally exists between husband and -wife a steady, but not very demonstrative aft'ection, though the woman is frequently subjected to violent usage by reason of some sudden outbreak of temper on the man's part, and though, when she is near her death, he leaves her alone to die. When a child is born, the mother is attended by one or more of her own sex ; even the husband is not allowed to be present. If it is a first child, the birth takes place in the usual tupic or igloo ; * if it is a second, or any other than the first, a separate tupic or igloo is built for the mother's use, and to that she must remove. Male children are desired in preference to females, but no difference is made in their treatment, and there are always rejoicings and congratulatory visits when an infant is born. Immediately after the birth, the infant's head must be firmly squeezed side to side with the hands, and a little skin cap placed tightly over the compressed head, which is to be kept there for one year. This custom prevails throughout the region of Fro- bisher Bay, Field Bay, C. Grinnell Bay, Northumberland Inlet, and all places known to me and my Innuit informants. The infants are nursed until three or four years of age. The chil- dren, when old enough, find their amusement in playing with toys made of bone and ivory in the forms of various animals. "When older, the boys are educai^ed in rowing, hunting, and sealing ; the girls are taught to trim the fire-light and keep it burning, to cook, dress leather, sew, help row the oomiens, and to do various other kinds of work. The women are not prolific. I believe they consider children troublesome. The race is fast dying out. Not many years more and the " Innuit " will be extinct. The affection of the parents for their children is very great, and disobedience on the part of the latter is rare. The parents never inflict physical chastisement upon the children. If a child does "svrong — for instance, if he becomes enraged, the mother says nothing to it until it becomes calm. Then she talks to it, and with good effect. * There is an occasional exception to this rule, as in the case of TookooUto. She was obliged to have a separate tupic. This was so ordered by the angeko, because of Ebierbing's sickness. f ) Hi 1 ■Hi 522 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. On Saturday, Februaiy 28th, 1863, the infant son of Ebierbing and Tookoolito died in New York, aged eighteen months. The loss was great to both of them, but to tiie mother it was a terrible blow. For several days after its death she was un- conscious, and for a part of the time delirious. When she began to recover from this state she expressed a longing desire to die, and be with her lost Tuk-e-lik-e-ta. The chilJ. was greatly beloved by both of the parents. In truth — I must be allowed to diverge here for a moment — there was cause for their great affection, and reason for peculiar grief on the part of the bereaved mother. I never saw a more animated, sweet-tempered, bright- looking child. Its imitativeness was largely developed, and was most engaging. Tukeliketa was a child to be remembered by all who ever saw him. For a certain length of time after a child is born the mother must remain in her own home, visiting no other tupic or igloo. The period for which this limitation holds good varies, sometimes reaching to the length of two months. At the expiration of the time she makes a round of calls at all the dwellings about, having first changed all her clothing. She never touches again that which she throws off on this occasion, and which she has worn since the birth of the child. Another custom forbids the mother to eat by herself for a year after the birth of the child. When asked the reason of this, Tookoolito only said, " The first Innuits did so." In respect to Innuit customs in general, it may be observed that they are often adhered to from fear of ill report among their people. The only reason that can be given for some of the present customs is that "the old Innuits did so, and therefore they must." Another custom in relation to their females is this : — At certain periods separation igloos are built for them. The woman must live secluded for so many days, and it would be a great ofience for her to enter into any other tupic or igloo during this time. On one occasion, while on my sledge-journey in the middle of Frobisher Bay, and at the place of the tenth and nineteenth encampments, I met Samson, his wife, and family proceeding to another encampment. While I was talking with them the wife asked me for something to eat. I was surprised at this, for I knew Samson's family were generally well provided with food. But an explanation followed. I was told that the Innuit custom is for females, at certain times, not to partake of certain kinds of Innuit food. In this case, Samson's wife had been nearly a week without eating, and was very hungry. I INNUIT CHAEACTER, CUSTOMS, ETC. 523 gave her what little I had of pemmican. She insisted on my taking something for it, thrusting into my hands twelve mi- niature ducks and other sea-birds, carved in walrus ivory. These I retain as mementoes of the occasion. T^e women, generally, are tattooed on the forehead, cheeks, and chin. This is usually a mark of the married women, though unmarried ones are sometimes seen thus ornamented. This tattooing is done from principle, the theory being that the lines thus made will be regarded in the next world as a sign of good- ness. The manner of the operation is simple. A piece of reindeer-sinew thread is blackened with soot, and is then drawn under and through the skin by means of a needle. The thread is only used as a means of introducing the colour or pigment under the epidermis. The longevity of this people, on the whole, in latter years is not great. The average duration of life among them is much less than formerly. The time was, and that not long ago, when there were many, very many old people, but now they are very few. Old Ookijoxy Ninoo, as 1 have already mentioned, once observed to me that there were no Innuits now living who were young when she was. She was, as I believe, over 100 years old when I saw her. She died a few months after my departure for the States. I learned this last fall (1863) by one of the American whalers, who saw her son Ugarng at Northumberland Inlet two months previous. The Innuit social life is simple and cheerful. They have a variety of games of their own. In one of these they use a number of bits of ivory, made in the form of ducks, &c. such as Samson's wife gave me, as just mentioned. In another, a simple string is used in a variety of intricate ways, now repre- senting a tuktoo, now a whale, now a walrus, now a seal, being arranged upon the fingers in a way bearing a general resemblance to the game known among us as "cat's cradle." The people were very quick in learning of me to play chess, checkers, and dominoes. If an Innuit stranger come among them, an effort is made to conform as closely as possible to the manners of the section from which he comes, for it should be observed that there exists a great diversity of manners and habits among the people of different regions not ve^y far separated from each other. Though in old times there wore chiefs among the Innuits, there are none now. There is absolutely no political organiza- tion among them. In every community, with them as with all i' ^'1 li' II ■ ! K ;;v M w.: m I' j, i .'I 524 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. the rest of the world, there is some one who, in consideration of his age, shrewdness, or personal prowess is looked up to, and whose opinions are received with more than usual deference; but he has no authority whatever, and an Innuit is subject to no man's control. The people are not naturally quarrelsome, and theft and murder are almost unknown. When a quarrel arises, the two ftarties keep aloof from each other, sometimes for a long time. Sometimes, however, a mutual and elderly friend arranges the matter, and then a quiet talk often shows that the quarrel — with them as with us — was the result of an entire misunder- standing of words reported by gossiping tongues. If a murder is committed, it appears, from what the Innuits say, that the nearest relative or most intimate friend of the slain has a right to kill the murderer ; but tliis crime is very rare. Innuit opinions upon theological questions are not easily obtained in an intelligible form. Their belief on some points may thus be very generally stated : There is one Supreme Being, called by them Ang-u-ta, who created the earth, sea, and hea- venly bodies. There is also a secondary divinity, a woman, the daughter of Anguta, who is called Sid-ne. She is supposed to have created all things having life, animal and vegetable. She is regarded also as the protecting divinity of the Innuit people. To her their supplications are addressed ; to her their offerings are made; while most of their religious rites and superstitious observances have reference to her. The Iimuits believe in a heaven and a hell, though their notions as to what is to constitute their happiness or misery hereafter are varied as one meets with different communities. Tookoolito says : — " My people think this way : Kood-le-^MV-mi-ung (heaven) is upward. Everybody happy there. All the time light ; no snow, no ice, no storms ; always pleasant ; no trouble ; never tired ; sing and play all the time — all this to continue without end. ^^ Ad-le-^mr-me-un (hell) is downward. Always dark there. No sun ; trouble there continually ; snow flying all the time ; terrible storms ; cold, very cold ; and a great deal of ice there. All who go there must always remain. " All Innuits who have been good go to Koodleparmiung ; that is, who have been kind to the poor and hi' gry — all who have been happy while living on this earth. Any one who has been killed by accident, or who has committed suicide, certainly goes to the happy place. "All Innuits who have been bad — that is, unkind one to iLk. INNUIT CHAEACTEE, CUSTOMS, ETC. 525 another — all who have been unhappy while on this earth, will go to Adleparmeim. If an Innuit kill another because he is mad at him, he will certainly go to Adleparmeun." They have a tradition of a deluge, which they attribute to an unusually high tide. On one occasion, when I was speaking with Tookoolito concerning her people, she said, " Innuits all think this earth once covered with water." I asked her why they thought so. She answered, "Did you never see little stones, like clams and such things as live in the sea, away up on the mountains'? " The subject of the religious ideas and observances of the Innuits is nearly connected with that of their angekos, who have a great influence among these people, and exercise the only authority to which they in any degree submit. With regard to these angekos, it appeared to me that man or woman could become such if shrewd enough to obtain a mental ascendancy over others. The angeko's business is twofold : he ministers in behalf of the sick, and in behalf of the community in general. If a person falls ill the angeko is sent for. He comes, and, before proceeding to his peculiar work, demands payment for his services, stating his price, usually some article to which he has taken a liking. Whatever he demands must be given at once, otherwise the expected good result of the ministration would not follow. Wlien the preliminary arrangements have been satisfactorily disposed of, the family of the sick person sit around the couch of the patient, and with earnestness and gravity join in the ceremonies. The angeko commences a talking and singing, the nature of which it is impossible to state more precisely than to say that it seems to be a kind of incantation or prolonged sup- plication, perhaps mingled with formulas which sn\ ■ apposed to charm away the disease. At intervals during this performance the family respond, frequently uttering a word corresponding to our amen. As to medicine, none is ever prescribed, nor do the Innuits ever take any. The duties of the angeko, with reference to the community, consist in ankooting for success in whaling, walrusing, sealing, and in hunting certain animals ; for the disappearance of ice, and for the public good in various particulars. These more public ministrations are accompanied by what sounds to a stranger's ear like howling, but is doubtless a formula, either handed down by tradition, or composed on the spot by uiie 526 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. angeko, varying according to the talent of the operator. Some descriptions of ankooting have been given in the bod}*^ of this work. Even Tookoolito was not exempt from the general belief in the efficacy of the angeko's ministrations, One day, when visiting her, I found that she had parted with her cooking-pan, which she had always considered indispensable and of great value. On inquiry, I learned that she had given it to "Jennie," a female angeko, in payment for her attendaj e upon Ebierbing when sick ; and, moreover, she had in like manner given nearly all her valuable things, even to some of her v^arments. I was hardly astonished, for I knew that the Innuits considered that in proportion to the value of what they give for an angeko's services, so are the benefits conferred upon the sick. " Make poor pay, and the help is poor; good pay, and the benefit is great." On one occasion (it was at the time we were about to start for the States, but were suddenly ii'ozen in at the commencement of the second ^vinter), having seen the angeko very busy ankooting on the hills, I asked Ebierbing and Tookoolito what it was for. They replied, " To try and get the pack-ice out of the bay." It may be remarked here that this attempt to get the ice out of the bay was caused by the desire of the Innuits to have the George Henry leave the country, they having become tired of the presence of the sailors, and being, perhaps, somewhat jealous of them. On the occasion referred to, the angeko had told the people that on a certain day they were not to do any v/ork. Then, in the evening, he commenced his incantations ; and on that day it had been noticed by the ship's company that the Innuits went on board the vessel in their best attire, though no one then knew the cause. The general deference to the wishes of the angeko has some exceptions, though they are rare. One such exception was this : One day in the month of July, 1861, the angeko Mingumailo, who had two wives, sent from his tupic among the mountains to Koojesse, who was then staying at Cape True, with an order for the exchange of wives. Now Koojesse's wife, Tunukderlien — " Isabel," as we sometimes called ^ — was something of a belle, and, though Koojesse had been a ^ jd disciple of the angeko, he would not now yield to his demands. He refused to exchange his Tunukderlien for either of the two wives sent for his choice, and the latter returned to their husband. Thereupon the angeko became so enraged that he immediately came from the mountains, INNUIT CHARACTER, CUSTOMS, ETC. 627 Some of this slief in when ng-pan, if great ennie," Dierbing nearly I was red that aiigeko's " Make enetit is start for ement of nkooting was for. iay." It lut of the tie George d of the jealous of told the ny work, i ; and on that the ihough no has some was this : ingumailo, untains to 1 order for kderlien — of a belle, angeko, he 3 exchange his choice, the angeko mountains, and entered the village of tuples like a demon. He first tried to negotiate a peaceable exchange, and then attempted by threats to effect what he wanted. With a loaded musket and a large knife, he prowled all night long around Koojesse's tupic, trying to take his life ; but Koojesse had been warned, and finally took up his abode in one of the white men's tents near by. The next day Mate Rogers arrived, and the angeko, fearing him, fled away to his haunt in the mountains. Another instance of inattention to the angeko's advice I will relate here. One of the former husbands of Suzhi was sick. The angeko said Kokerjabin, who was at that time the wife of Bamson, must live with the invalid husband for two or three months, or he would die before spring. All the Innuits thought the angeko should be obeyed, but Kokerjabin refused to comply, declaring that she did not believe what the angeko said. Before spring, Suzhi's husband died as the angeko predicted, and there- fore ull the people despised Kokerjabin. I will now mention various customs which have relation to the religious belief of the Innuits, though many of them can be explained only by the broad phrase, " The first Innuits did so." When they kill a reindeer, and have skinned it, they cut oft' bits of different parts of the animal, and bury them under a sod, or some moss, or a stone, at the exact spot where the animal was killed. When an Innuit passes the plaOi where a relative has died, he pauses and deposits a piece of mt at near by. On one occasion, when travelling with Sharkey, I saw him place a bit of seal under the snow near an island which we were passing. When I questioned him, he said that it was done out of respect for the memory of an uncle who had died there. When a child dies, everything it has used, either as a play- thing or in any work it did, is placed in or upon its grave. When Tukeliketa, Tookoolito's boy, died, some weeks after the mother collected all his playthings and put them upon his giave.* Visiting the spot some time after, she fomif' that one article, a gaily-painted little tin pail, had been taken away, and her grief was severe at the discovery. In March, 1862, while I was in the Northern country, the wife of Annawa found beneath the tuktoo bed of their recently-deceased child a toy game-bag. A consultation among the Innuits who were then there was held, and the bag, together with all the articles that had been preseiiced to the child by the ship's hands from time to time, * The remains of Tukeliketa rest in Groton, Connecticut, in the burial- ground near the residence of Captain Budiugton. Ill ii: 528 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. 31 ri J f: 1 \h* consisting of powder, shot, caps, tobacco, and a pistol, was de- posited at tlie grave of their beloved boy. There exists also among the Innuits many curious customs connected Avith hunting. They cannot go out to take walrus until they have done working upon tuktoo clothing ; and after beginning the walrus hunt, no one is allowed to work on reindeer skins. One day in March, I wanted Tookoolito and Koodloo's wife to make me a sleeping-bag of tuktoo skin; but nothing could persuade them to do it, as it was then wabus season. They " would both die, and no more walrus could be caught." When a walrus is caught, the captor must remain at home, doing no work, for one day ; if a bear is killed, he must remain quiet, in like manner, for three days ; after the taking of a whale, two days. If, however, he is on a hunt and game is plentiful, the Innuit frequently keeps on at the sport, making up all his resting davs at the end of the hunt. When •! s« al is captured, a few drops of water are sprinkled on its head before it is cut up. If there is no water to be had, the mail iv>lds snow in his hands, till he squeezes out a single dif {I. the application of which answers every purpose. V m! u!i ;?e not allowed to eat of the first seal of the season, and liiia ^nle is so strictly enforced that they do not feel at liberty e u ..o chew the blubber for the sake of expressing the oil. AVlieii Tunukderlien and Jennie were with mo on my sledge journey up Frobisher Bay, the first seal of the season was caught, and Henry was obliged to pound the blubber to obtain the oil we needed, because the women were not allowed to do it. There is a regular order for cutting up a walrus. The first man who arrives at the captured animal cuts off the right arm or flipper ; the second, the left arm ; the third, the right leg or flipper ; the fourth, the left leg ; the fifth, a portion of the body, beginning at the neck, and so on till the whole is disposed of. One very curious custom among the Innuits is this : At a time of the year apparently answering to our Christmas, they have a general meeting in a large igloo on a certain evening. There the angeko prays on behalf of the people for the public prosperity through the subsequent year. J'hen •oUows something like a feast. The next day all go out into the open orv and form in a circle ; in the centre is placed p vessel of water, and each mem- ber of the company brings a piece of meat, the kind being immaterial. The circle being formed, each person eats his or her meat in silence, thinking of Sidne, and wishing for good raa cle- ustoms walrus id after eindeer )odloo'8 nothing season, ght." ; home, remain I whale, Lentiful, ) all his crinkled be had, a single ) season, i feel at. sing the on my season ibher to allowed !'he first Lght arm it leg or he body, ed of. it a time y have a here the I'osperity ^ like a brm in a ch mem- id being )s his or for good INNUIT CHARACTER, CUSTOMS, ETC. 529 things. Then one in the circle takes a cup, dips up some of the water, all the time thinking of Sidne, and drinks it ; and then, before passing the cup to another, states audibly the time and the place of his or her birth. This ceremony is performed by all in succession. Finally, presents of various articles are throAvn from cue to another, with the idea that each will receive of Sidne good things in proportion to the liberality here shown. Soon after this occasion, at a time which answers to our New Year's day, two men start out, one of them being dressed to represent a woman, and go to every igloo in the village, blowing out the light in each. The lights are afterward rekindled from a fresh fire. When Tookoolito was asked the meaning of this, she replied, " New sun — new light," implying a belief that the sun was at that time renewed for the year. When one of these meetings and outdoor ceremonies took place, I was absent from the village where most of my Innuit friends were living. Koojesse, Sharkey, and others wished to have me sent for, thinking I would like to be present ; but old Artarkparu objected, fearing that I should grow weary before the ceremony was complete, and, retiring from the circle, break the charm. So I was not sent for, but was obliged to gam my information from the natives. The language of this people is peculiar to themselves. They have nothing written, and all that they can tell is derived from oral tradition, handed down from parent to child for many generations. The pronunciation of the same words by Esqui- maux living a considerable distance apart, and having little intercourse, is so different that they can hardly understand each other on coming together. It was with the greatest difficulty that the Innuits who came to Field Bay from Seko- selar, or any other place on the northern shores of Hudson's Strait, could make themselves understood by Innuits residing north of them. Sometimes Innuits arrive from Igloolik (which is at the entrance to the Strait of Fury and Hecla), at Northum- berland Inlet, and it takes a long time for the two parties to understand each other. Still more difficult is it for a Green- land native to be understood by those on the west side of Davis's Strait. The Innuits with whoaa I was acquainted could count only ten, as follows : — At-toii-sen, one. Muk-ko, two. Ping-a-su-it, three. Tes-sa-men, four. Ted-la-nien, five. Ok-bin-er-poon, six. Mok-ke-nik, seven, Ping-a-su-nik, eight. Tes-sa-men-ik, nine. Kood-lin, ten. MM 3 ir: " il it I :ii 530 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. However, there was this exception : Koooulearng (Suzhi), whose native place was on the north side of Hudson's Strait, could count to twenty. She said that all the people of her country — meaning Kar-mo-wong, which is on the north side of the strait — could do the same. By signs — that is, by throwing open the fingers, Innuits everywhere can and do count much larger numbers. The dress of the Innuits is made of the skins of reindeer and of seals; the former for winter, the latter for summer. The jacket is round, with no opening in front or behind, but is slipped on and off over the head. It is close-fitting, but not tight. It comes as low as the hips, and has sleeves reaching to the wrists. The women have a long tail to their coat reaching nearly to the ground. These jackets are often very elaborately ornamented. In one of my visits to Samson, I noticed that his wife's jacket was trimmed thus : Across the neck of the jacket was a fringe of beads — eighty pendents of red, blue, black, and white glass-beads, forty beads on each string. Bowls of Britannia metal, tea-spoons, and table-spoons were on the flap hanging in front. A row of elongated lead shot ran around the border of the tail. Six pairs of Federal copper cents, of various dates, were pendent down the middle of the tail ; and a huge brass bell, from an old-fashioned clock, was at the top of the row of cents. On another occasion, Tweroong, the wife of Miner, came on board with a dress made of the fur of very young deer, with a spencer of reindeer hair cut off short, and so evenly that I could not well understand how it was done. I made her a present of a lady's hand dressing-glass, which sent her into ecstasies, especially when she found it would enable her better to arrange her hair. All the jackets have a hood made at the back for carrying their children or covering their heads in cold weather. In winter they wear two jackets : the exterior one with the hair outside, the inner one with the hair next to the body. Before the men enter into the main igloo they take oft' the outer part of their jackets, and place the same in a recess made in the snow wall of the passage-way. Their breeches reach below the knee, and are fastened with a string drawn tightly around the lower part of the waist. Those worn by the women are put on in three pieces, each leg euid the body forming separate parts. The full winter dress for the feet consists of, 1st. Long 1:1 INNUIT CHARACTER, CUSTOMS, ETC. 531 [Suzhi), Strait, of her side of irowing .t much reindeer lummer. 1, but is but not ching to reaching borately ced that c of the )d, bhie, . Bowls . the flap ound the f various d a huge p of the came on eer, with ly that I ,de her a her into ler better carrying her. In the hair Before juter part de in the led with a it. Those ig and the 1st. Long stockings of reindeer fur, with the hair next the person ; 2d Socks of the eider-duck skins, with the feathers on and inside ; 3d. Socks of sealskin, with the hair outside; 4th. Kumings [native boots], with legs of tuktoo, the fur outside, and the soles of ookgook. AU wear mittens, though the women generally wear only one, and that on the right hand ; the left is drawn within the sleeve. NO. 1, SECTIONAL VIEW OF SEAL HOLE AND SEAL lOLOO. Finger-rings and head-bands of polished brass also form part of the femald costume. The Innuits show a remarkable sagacity in studying the habits of their animals, and gaining therefrom lessons of value for their own guidance. They observe how the seal constructs its igloo or snow hut, and their own winter dwelling is formed upon this model. The above illustration gives a sectional M M 2 M 632 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMALX. view of a seal's hole and igloo,* with the young one lyb'j; within, and the mother coming up to visit it. By the time the sun melts ofif the covering snow, exposing and destroying the NO. 2, a£CTtOJ n WBT MAIN STRUT WltSrn,N.Y. MSM (716)«72-4S03 '^ '^^^T'.fci^- 534 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. game. The seal meanwhile is taking its naps of about Imi seconds each, ultimately raising its head and surveying the entire horizon before composing itself again to brief slumber. As soon as it raises its head the bear " talks," keeping perfectly still. The seal, if it sees anything, lises but the head, which it takes for that of another seal. It sleeps again. Again the bear hitches himself along, and once more the seal looks around, only to be " talked " to again, and again deceived. Thus the pursuit goes on till the seal is caught, or till it makes its escape, which it seldom does. In Chapter XXXII. there occurs a description of the man- ner in wluch a young seal is often used to lure the mother within striking distance of the hunter. This is copied by the Innuits from the habits of the polar bear. This animal finds by his keen scent where a seal's igloo has been built under the snow. He then goes back a little distance, runs and jumps with all his weight upon the dome, breaks it down, and immediately thrusts in his paw and seizes the young seal. Then, holding it by one of its hind flippers, he scoops away all the snow from the seal hole leading up through the ice into the igloo, and after- ward allows the young one to flounder about in the water. When the old seal comes up, the bear draws the young one slily on toward him, till the anxious mother gets within reach, when he seizes her with his other paw. The natives tell many most interesting anecdotes of the bear, showing that they are accustomed to watch his movements closely. He has a very ingenious way of kiUing the walrus, which is re- presented in the accompanying engraving. In August, every fine day, the walrus makes its way to the shore, draws his huge body up on the rocks, and basks in the sun. If this happen near the base of a cliff, the ever-watchful bear takes advantage of the circumstance to attack this formid- able game in this way : The bear mounts the cliff, and throws down upon the animal's head a large rock, calculating the distance and the curve with astonishing accuracy, and thus crushing the thick bullet-proof skull. If the walrus is not instantly killed — simply stunned — the bear rushes down to it, seizes the rock, and hammers away at the head till the skuU is broken. A fat feast follows. Unless the bear is very hungry, it eats only the blubber of the walrus, seal, and whale. The bear can catch a seal in the water. He sees it, drops his body beneath the surface, allowing only his head to be visible, INNUIT OHARACTER, CUSTOMS, ETC. 535 that having the appearance of a piece of ice. While the seal has its head above water, and is looking around, the bear sinks, swims under it, and clutches it from beneath. When the sea-ice begins to make, we will say about the middle of October to the Ist of November, the female bear captures and kills several seals, which she hides away among the hummocks. f 1:: i HI BEAR KIIiUNO WALRUS. Then she retires to the land and eats moss, the object being to produce an internal mechanical obstruction called " tappen." After this she goes to her deposits of meat, and feasts upon seal- blubber to her utmost limit of expansion. She is now ready for retiring to her winter's home, which is generally an excava- tion she has "chiselled out" of a glacier. Some time after en- tering she brings forth her young, which sometimes number one, more frequently two, and sometimes three. In this crystal nursery she continues exercising her progeny daily by walking them to 536 LIPE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. and fro till about the 1st of April, at which time seals begin to bring forth their young. The bear family then walks forth, the matron snufl&ng the air. Perhaps it is charged with seal-scent. >She then follows up the scent till it brings her to a seal igloo. When she is satisfied that all is right below, she prepares herself, gives a fearful leap — high and far — striking forcibly with her paws upon the roof, crushing it in, and seizing the young occu- pant of the house, soon making of it a dainty feast for the young polars. It is a custom among the Innuits, dating from time imme- morial, that whoever first sees a iNinoo is entitled to the skin, no matter whether the fortunate person be man, woman, or child. If the captured bear be a male, his bladder, with certain instru- ments belonging to the men, must be placed for three days on the top of the iglo( or tupic. If the bear be a female, her bladder, with one of the women's brass head-ornaments and some beads, must be hung in like manner. The Innuits show a remarkable degree of ingenuity in all the operations of life, and an astonishing readiness in emergencies, lliey thoroughly know their waters and coasts. An illustration of this is shown in the accompanying /ammi^e of a chart made by Koopemeung, which I have in my possession. When traveling with a sledge they are accustomed to coat the bottom of the runners with ice, thus making a shoe which is smoother than anything else that could be invented. The man- ner of performing this operation is curious. The sledge is turned bottom up, and the Innuit fills his mouth with water in which has been mingled a little seal's blood, in order to give it tenacity. He then sends it out in a fine, well-directed, and evenly-applied stream upon the runner, where it at once congeals. When, after some hours' travel, the coating is worn away, it is renewed in the same manner. But the question n' 'dly arises. How can the water be carried without tieezmrj '6 Innuit does this by filling a bag of sealskin or ooA.gook bladder, and slipping it down between his shoulders, under his clothing, the warmth of his body keeping it liquid. Once, while I was on a sledge-journey with Koojesse, I was suflfering from thirst, and we had no water. Koojesse turned aside, and went off with his seal-spear upon a little fresh-water pond. I knew that the ice there would naturally be ten feet thick at that season, and therefore wondered how he expected to find water. After looking about carefully for some time, he se- lected a place where the snow seemed to be very deep, and there, ESQUIMAUX CHART, No. II. DRAWK BY K00PERNBT7N0 (OHABT^BY) WHILE WE WERE AT CAPE TBUE, AUOUST, 1802. A. Frobislier Bay. B. CouD.tess of Warwick's Sound. C. Lupton Channel, which leads down to Bear Sound. On the right is Lok's Land ; on the left Bache's Peninsula. D. Cyrus W. Field Bay. E. Cornelius Grinnell Bay. F. Bobinson Sound. G. Resolution Isles. H. Hudson's Strait. X. Cape True, on Blunt's Peninsula. I i r 538 LIFE WITH THE ESQUIMAUX. after cleaxing it away, he struck with his spear upon the ice, and very soon made a hole through which he obtained water. When 1 inquired about it, I learned that a heavy body of snow falling upon the ice would press it down, allowing the water to come up and collect above it. The surface of this collected water would freeze, forming a comparatively thin coating of ice, but leaving a reservoir of water inclosed, which could be easily reached, as I found to my relief. On another occasion, while travelling in a bitter cold day, facing a cutting breeze, I found great difficulty in keeping the lower parts of my body from freezing. The Innuits saw me trying to shield myself and gain additional warmth by adjusting a thickly-folded scarf; this they took from me, made it into a girdle, and tied it tightly round my body just above the hips. This restored warmth to me at once, and warded off the danger of freezing. APPENDIX. TheWreckof the "Oeorge Henry."— Page 12Z. The following account of the wreck of the George Henry appeared in a New Loudon journal, shortly after the occurrence of the disaster to which it relates : — "Captain Christopher B. Chapell, of Norwich Town, has arrived in the baric Monticello, from Hudspn's Bay, together with the mate and part of the crew of the bark George Henry, of New London, which has been wrecked upon the Lower Savage Islands. She was forced upon the rocks the 16th of July, by strong tides in calm weather, heavily beset by large floes of ice, which, for the lack of wind, rendered the vessel unmanageable, and she became a total wreck. After saving a great quantity of provisions, stores, and other valuable property. Captain Chapell left the island, with his whole crew and officers, m five boats, to make the best of their way toward St. John's, Newfoundland. Leaving the island on the 26th of July, they crossed down to Resolution Island 28th, when a stress of weather, and much ice, caused them to land on the rocks, where t^^ey were detained for four days, at the end of which time they launched toward Button Island, on the opposite side of the Straits, distant ^fty miles ; but, owing to calms and head^winds, were thrown back near Eesolution Island, and surrounded by a pack of ice. This closed together so quick upon theu* boats that they had but just time enough to haul them up on the ice, and save them from being crushed to pieces. Three of them were slightly stove. They remained on the ice three hours, before it got so still that they could launch with safety, and make for the shore, which the last two boats reached in time to shun a gale which came on suddenly. Here the boats were detained for ten days, both ice and wind bound, and the rain scarcely ceased during the time, making their situation very uncomfortable. On the 10th of August they launched ai^:ain, and proceeded on the voyage. Owing to lack of wind, they had to toil with oars for twelve hours, when with a breeze came fog ana rain, that soon wet and chilled all hands. They then sailed among ice, making a course as well as they could toward Button Island, which they were unable to reach for ice. On the night of the 11th two of the boats got separated in thick, dark weather, and on the morning of the 12th a gate of wind came on, which, together with a high sea, discomfited the boats not a little. Consulting one another how best ' to proceed for safety, it vrm decided to run for land, which was distant I .1 540 APPENDIX. twenty-five miles. On running toward the land, they came to a heavy f»ack of ice, through which it was necessary to go, if possible, to reach the and, it being their only way of safety. They sailed on, and fortunately found the ice so slack that the boats could nin among it — still heading for the land, which now appeared only about six miles, though it was much farther off, and presented nothing but perpendicular cliffs, up which it would be impossible for man to climb, and no prospect of saving the boats, without which there would be no chance of escape from the barren island, where they might have been delivered from the jaws of the ocean only to starve. So they held another consultation. In all eyes their hope seemed forlorn, and their hearts sank within them as the gale increased and the sea arose. Then all were readv to give up in despair, when, lo 1 a sail appeared — a tiny sail — and they rejoiced that the lost boats were still afloat. With the aid of a glass they made out a schooner, for vliich they steered with joyful hearts, and, after a long time, were discovered by her captain and kindly received. It was then found that, two hours before, she had picked up the missing boats. Thus all were providentially drawn together, and delivered out of much danger." FroMsher'a Expeditions. — Page 247. Frobisher left England on the 16th of June, 1576, with three vessels— the Gabriel, a bark of twenty-five tons ; the Michael, a bark of twenty tons ; and a pinnace, of ten tons. On the 11th of July "he had sight of an high and ragged land, " which was the southern part of Greenland ; but he was kept from landing by ice and fogs. Not far from that point his pinnace, with four m«n, was lost. ''Also the other barke, named the Michael, mistrusting the matter, conveyed themselves privily away from him, and returned home, with great report that he was cast away." Fro- bisher, nevertheless, went on alone with the Gabriel, and after encountering much severe weather, entered the water which he called *' Frobisher Strait," now to be known by the name of Frobisher Bay. He shortly after had interviews with the natives, several of whom came on board his vessel. The mariners, trusting them, began to hold open intercourse with the people, and a party of five went on shore in a boat ; these were cap- tured by the natives, and the captain could get no intelligence of them during the remainder of the time he spent there. Frobisher then turned his attention to obtaining some tokens of his voyage to cany back with him to England. He lured one of the native men on board, and took him oflF with him. "Whereupon," says Hakluyt, "when he found himself in captivity, for very choler and disuaine he bit his tongue in twaine within his mouth ; notwithstanding, he died not thereof, but lived till he came in England, and then he died of cold which he had taken at sea. " Frobisher reached England, on his return, early in October of that year. Among the relics and t(^ens he brought home with him was one piece of black stone, of great weight, " much like to a sea cole in colour. This, being accidentally put in the fire, presented an appearance something like gold. Certain refiners of London expressed the opinion that the specimen submitted to them contained gold, and a second expedition was quickly set on foot. This expedition was, as Hakluyt says, " for the searching APPENDIX, 541 more of this golde ore than for the searching any further discovery of the passage." On the 31st of May, 1577, Frobisher sot sail on his second voyage, having three vessels— the Hyde, of two hundred tons ; the Gabriel, and the Michael — and in due time again entered Frobisher Bay. On the 19th of July he went ashore with a large company of his officers and men, and ascended a high hill, which, with much ceremony, he named Mount War- wick. Two of the Englishmen then had an interview with two of the natives, a great crowd of whom had collected to view the strange spectacle exhibited before them. This interview resulted in trading to a consider- able extent. Shortly afterward, Frobisher went with the master of his vessel to hold an interview with two others of the natives, meaning to seize them and carry them on board his vessel, intending to dismiss one with many presents, and to retain the other as an interpreter. They made the attempt at capture as agreed upon, but their feet slipped on the snow, and the natives escaped from their grasp ; thereupon tummg and attacking the two Englishmen, slightly wounding Frobisher. Some of the ship's companv, coming to the others' assistance, captured one of the natives and earned him on board. On the 26th of July, what was thought to be a very rich mine of ore was discovered in the Countess of "Warwick's Sound, and twenty tons of it were got together. On one of the islands in Bear Sound a tomb was found with a white man's bones in it. The captive native, being interrogated by signs, declared that the man had not been killed by the Innuits, but by wolves. In the latter part of July, various portions of the clothing of the missing five men of the first expedition were found in York Sound. The finding of the clothes gave hope that the men were yet alive, and a note was written and left where the relics were discovered. These things having been reported to the others, an expedition was made to the point indicated. When the place was reached, however, all vestiges had disappeared, having clearly been taken away by the natives. The expedition penetrated farther from the shore, and soon came upon a village of tents, tne inhabitants of which, to the number of sixteen or eighteen, put to sea in a boat. Being then hardly pressed, the natives went again on shore on a point in YorE Sound, where they were attacked by the English. In the fight which ensued, five or six of the natives were killed, most of the rest escaping. The 7 arty thereupon returned to the ships, carrying with them one of their own men dangerously hurt by an aiTow, and a nptive woman who had been captured. Then all the vessels returned to the Countess of Warwick's Sound. Not long after, the natives came to treat for the return of the captive woman. Frobisher intimated to them that he demanded first the release and delivery of his five men. The captive man, who acted as interpreter, was at first so much afiected at sight once more of his people, that he "fell so out into tears that he oould not speake a word m a great space." Then he conferred with them, and afterward assured Frobisher that the men were alive, and should be delivered up ; calling on him, moreover, to send them a letter. Therefore a letter was written, and on the 7th of August the natives took it, signifying that in three days they would return. At the appointed time they indeed returned, ana showed themselves in small numbers, but yet brought no letter or word from the missing men. More- over, it was observed that many of them were concealed behind the rocks, and it seemed clear that some treachery was meditated ; whereupon the 542 APPENDIX. English prudently kept away from the trap. By the 21st of Auciist, the work of loadine tne snips with two hundred tons of the ore was finished, and on the 28a sail was made for England. The show of ore which Frobisher took back to England excited so much enthusiasm for another expedition, that a fleet of fifteen vessels was ready to sail in May, 1578. It was proposed to establish a colony of one hundred persons, who should live through the year on an island in the Countess of Warwick's Sound. This colony was to consist of minera, mariners, soldiers^ gold-refiners, bakers, carpenters, &c. A " strong fort or house of timber, ailificially framed and cunningly devised by a notable learned man," was to be carriea out in the ships, and put up on the island. On the way out, however, one of the barks was sunk, and part of the house was lost. On the 1st of August the order was given from Frobisher, who had reached the Countess of Warwick's Sound, to disembark from the vessels all the men and stores, and land them on the Countess of Warwick's Island, and to prepare at once for mining. " Then," says Hakluyt, "whilst the Mariners rilyed their worke, the Captaines sought out new mynes, the foldfiners made tryall of the Ore," ftc. On the 9tn, a consultation on the ouse was held. It was discovered that only the east side and the south side of the building had come safely to hand, the other parts having been either lost or used m repairing the ships, which had been much beaten by storms in the passage. It was then thought, seeing there was not timber enough for a house to accommodate one hundred people, that a house for sixty should be set up. The carpenters, being consulted, declared that they should want five or six weeks to do the work, whereas there remained but twenty -three days before the ships must leave the country ; consequently it was determined not to put up. the house that year. On the 30th of August, as Hakluyt says, " the Masons finished a house which Captaine Fenton caused to be made of lyme and stone upon the Countess of Warwick's Island, to the end we might prove, against the next yeere, whether the snow could overwhelme it, the frost break it up, or the people dismember the same." Again: "We buried the timber of our pretended [intended] fort." The fact that this expedition carried a large quantity of coal is shown by the following extract from Hakluyt, concerning the leakage of water on board the fleet : " The great cause of this leakage and wasting was for that the great timber and sea cole, which lay so weighty upon the barrels, brake, bruised, and rotted the hoopes asunder." On the last day of August the fleet set sail on its return to England. The following, upon the same subject, is from the Oentleman's Magazine for 1764, vol. xxiv. p. 46 : — ** Philadelphia, Nov. 16. — Sunday last arrived here the schooner iirflfo, Captain Charles Sivaine, who sailed from this port last spring on the dis- covery of the N.W. passage. She fell in with the ice off Farewell; left the eastern ice, and fell in with the western ice, in lat. 68, and cruized to the northward to lat. 63 to clear it, but could not, it then extending to the eastward. On her return to the southward, she met with two Danish ships bound to Bull river and Discoe, up Davis's streights, who had been in the ice fourteen days, off" Farewell, and had then stood to westward ; and assured the commander that the ice was fast to the shore all above Jlvd- son*s streights to the distance of 40 leagues out ; and that there had not been such a severe winter as the last these 24 years that they had used APPENDIX. 543 gust, the finished, so much iras ready hundred untess of soldiersi f timber, I," was to way out, St. who had le vessels V^arwick's "whilst ynes, the on on the the south ring been beaten by ot timber house for ared that remained isequently id a house upon the t the next up, or the jer of our is shown f water on as for that els, brake, gland. : Magazine oner Argo, \n the dis- ewell; left cruized to ling to the xnish ships een in the nrard ; and bove Htid- re had not T had used that trade ; thoy had been nine weeks from Copenhagen. The Argo^ find- ing she could not get round the ice, pressed through it, and got into the streight's mouth the 26th of June [sic], and made the island Kesolution ; but was forced out by vast quantities of driving ice, and got into a clear sea the 1st otJuly [sic]. On the 14th, cruising the ice for an opening to get in again, she met four sail of Hudson^a Bay ships endeavouring to get in, and continued with them till the 19th, when they pai-ted in thick weather, in lat. 62 and a half, which thick weather coniinued to the 7th of August ; the Hudson^ a Bay men supposed themselves 40 leagues from the western land. The Argo ran down the ice from 63 to 57.80, and after repeated attempts to enter the streights in vain, as the season for discovery on the western side of the Bav was over, she went in with the Labrador coast, and discovered it perfectly from 66 to 65 ; finding no less than six inlets, to the heads of all which they went, and of which they have made a very good chart, and have a better account of the country, its soil, Soduce, &;c. than has hitherto been published. The captain says 'tis much le Norway; and that there is no communication with Hudson's Bay through Labrador, where one has been imagined ; a high ridge of moun- tains running N. and S. about 51 leagues within the coast. In one of the harbours they found a deserted wooden house with a brick chimney, which had been built by some English, as appeared by sundry things they left behind ; and afterwards, in another harbour, they met with captain Goff, in a snow from London, who inform'd [sic] that the same snow had been there last year, and landed some of the Moraman brethren, who had built the house ; but the natives having decoyed the then captain of the snow, and five or six of his hands, in their boat, roimd a point of land at a dis- tance from the snow, under nretence of trade, carried them all off (they having gone imprudently without arms) ; the snow, after waiting sixteen days without hearing of them, went home, and was obliged to take the Moravians to help to work the vesseL Part of her business this year was to inquire after those men. Captain Swaine discovered a fine fishing-bank, which lies but six leagues off the coast, and extends from lat. 57 to 54, supposed to be the same hinted at in Captain Davis's second voyage." P. 677, [under date] "Tuesday, Zlat Dec. 1764. * « • The schooner Argo, Captain Swaine, is arrived at Philadelphia, after a second unsuc- cessful attempt to discover a northwest passage. {See an account of the first voyage, p. 46. See also p. 542.) " [On that page, 642, there is merely a list of all voyages to discover a northwest passage, &c. previous to that of the Argo. — Hall.) Macpherson {" The Aimals of Commerce, Manufactures, Fisheries, and Navigation," in 4 vols. London, 1806, vol. iii.) says : — "This summer [Sept. 1722. — H.] some gentlemen in Virginia subscribed for the equipment of a vessel to be sent upon an attempt for a northwest passage. Under their auspices, Captain Wilder sailed in the brig Diligence to the lat. 69° 11', in a large bay which he supposed hitherto imknown. He reported that, from the course of the tides, he thought it very probable that there is a passage, but that it is seldom free of ice, and therefore impassable. * But an impassable passage (if such language may be allowed) * This Virginia voyage of discovery had escaped the diligence of Dr. Forster, the historian of voyages and discoveries in the North. > . : . ^ . ■( H 544 APPENDIX. is no passngo for ships. But tho impossibilitv of finding snch a passage, in any navigable sea, was, at the sumc time, futther demonstrated b^ the return in this summer of Mr. Heame, a naval officer then in th ^ service of the Hudson Bajr Company," &c. Ac. [Following this is matter that refers to the information the Indians gave Hearno. — Hall.] in. The Loaa of the Bark " JKWy."— Page 263. The Bark Kitty, of Newcastle, England, sailed from London for Hudson's Bay, on the 21st of June, 1869, and was wi'ecked on the ice, September 6th in the same year. The wife of the captain, writing to an arctic voyager, with the hope that he might procure some tiding of her husband, tnus states the material facts, as reported by the survivors who had returned to England. After mentioning the date of the shipwreck, she continues as follows : — "The crew, having sufficient time to provide themselves with every necessary they thought prudent to take into their boats, landed on Saddle- hack Island, and remained there four days, during which time they met several natives. The^ a^preed to separate themselves into two boats, and to proceed up the straits in hope of meeting the Company's ships coming down. My nusband. Captain Ellis, with ten men in the long-boat, ana Mr. Armstrong, chief mate, with four in the skiff, left SaddleMck Island on the morning of September 10th, and at night, either from a snow-storm or in the dark, the boats lost sight of each other. The skiff, inshore the next morning, could see nothing of the long-boat. They then proceeded down the straits again, and sailed for the coast of Labrador. After sailing sixty-one days, they were picked up by the Esquimaux and taken to a Moravian missionary settlement. Finally, they arrived at North Shields on tho 28th of August, 1860, and since then there has never been any tidings of the missing long-boat and her crew." The following, on the same subject, is from the Londion Times of Nov. 17th, 1862 :— "Murder of British Seamen.— In September, 1859, the Kittys of Newcastle, was lost in Hudson's Straits by being nipped in the ice. Five of her crew, who got into a small boat, after endunng great suffering by exposure to the cold, succeeded in reaching a Moravian missionary station, where they were hospitably entertained, and three of them sent to their homes in England next summer. But of the fate of the master of this vessel Mr. Ellis, and the remainder of the crew, who left the ship in a long-boat, nothing has been heard until the arrival of the vessels from the Hudson's Bay stations this autumn, when the sad intelligence has been brought that the eleven poor fellows fell into the hands of unfnendly Esquimaux, and were murdered for the sake of their blankets. The mis- sionaries at Okak, writing to the widow of the master of the vessel in August last, say, ' It is with grief, madam, we must inform you that it is, alas ! only too true that the long-boat, wilii her master and crew, arrived at Ungava Bay, but that none of the men survive. Last winter, Esquimaux APPENDIX. 645 from Ungava Bay visited our northommost settlomont, Hebron, who rdntcd that in the winter of 1869-60, several Europeans in a boat landed at the island called Apatok, in Unguva Hay. They lived with the Esiiuimaux until about January, upon what the latter could provide for thorn ; but then, most likelv when their provisions became shoit, the Esquimaux attacked them when they wore asleep and killed them, stabbing thorn with their knives. There is no doubt of these ually being the iiiou from the Kitty, because the Esquimaux knew there had been another boat, with five men belonging to thorn, whom they deemed lost. They said one man ot the murdered company had very frostbitten feet, and him the Esquimaux would not kill by stabbing, but showed him a kind of heathen mercy, as they put him in the open air until he was dead by severe cold. ' It seems that these unfortunate men had been murdered for the sake of the blankets they had with them. It would appear that one of the Esquimaux wanted to save the three Europeans who lodged with him, but they met the same fate as their companions. The tribe who have committed this murder do not appear to have been brought in contact with the European missions ; and tne friendly tribe who brought the information into Hebron further informed the Moravian missionaries at that place that a little farther north from Ungava Bay, a whole crew, consisting in all of about forty men, were enticed on shore and then killed by the Ei^uimaux." IV. Mineralogical and Geological Specimens. — Page 867. The following is from Silliman^s Journal of March, 1863 : — "Ifeport on the Oeological and Minernlogical Specimens collected by Mb. C. F. Hall in Frobisher Bay. "To THE New York Lyceum of Natural History:— "One of your Committee, appointed to examine the collection of mine- rals and fossils made by Mr. Charles F. Hall in his late Arctic Exploring Expedition, begs leave to report that he found the collection of fossils small in number of individual specimens, and limited in the range of its species, but possessing great interest to the student of arctic geology. "The specimens are as follows : — ~ ** Machirea magna {hesaeva). Casts of lower surface. Endoceras protei/orme t (Hall). Orthoceras (badly worn specimens). Helioliles (new species). Heliopora „ ,, HalysUes catenulata (Fischer). Beeeptaculites (new species). No. of specimens 7 8 1 8 2 1 1 1 it »i »* »» t» »f »» >» »» »> »» ft " This collection was made at the head of Frobisher Bay, lat. 63' 44' N. and long. 68° 66' W. from Greenwich, at a point which, Mr. Hall says, is * a mountain of fossils,' similar to the limestone bluff at Cincinnati, with which he is familiar. This limestone rests upon mica schist, specimens of N N ^ i 546 APPENDIX. which he also brought from the same locality. Whether the limestone was conformable to the schist or not, Mr. Hall did not determine. It is much to be regretted that this interesting point was not examined by him, as it is doubtM whether this locality may ever be visited by any future explorer. "The fossils, without doubt, are all Lower Silurian. The Maclurea magna would place the limestone containing it on the horizon of the Chazy limestone of New York. The Halysitea catenulata has been found in Canada in the Trenton beds, but in New York not lower than the Niagara limestone. The Endoceras proteiforme belongs to the Trenton limestone. The Jteceptacvlites is unlike the several species of the Galena limestone of the West, or the R. occidentalis of Canada. Mr. Salter speaks of one found in the northern part of the American continent. This may be that species, or it may be a new one ; which it was we have no means of determining. The Orthocerata were but fragments, and so badly water- worn that the species could not be identified. " The specimens of corals were very perfect and beautiful, and unlike any figured by Professor Hall in the Palaeontology of New York. The Heliolites and Heliopora belong to the Niagara group in New York, but in Canada they have been found in the Lower Silurian. For the identi- fication of strata, corals are not always reliable. Whether these species are similar or identical with any in the Canadian collection, it was out of my power to determine. They are unlike any figured by Mr. I. W. Salter. *'R. P.Stevens. " One of the Committee appointed to examine the mineral specimens brought from Frobisher Bay by Mr. Hall, reports that the specimens, though quite numerous, were mostly of the same general character. The rocks were nearly all mica schist. Some of the specimens were taken from boulders ; some from the ruins of houses, and had the mortar still attached ; and some were from the rock in its natural position. There was nothing peculiar in the rock, it presenting the usual variations in composition. The other specimens were an argillaceous limestone, determined by its fossils to be Lower Silurian ; a single specimen of quartz, crystallized, and presenting, besides the usual six-sided termination, another pyramid whose angle was much more obtuse ; magnetic iron, some of which was found in situ, and other specimens which were evidently boulders, and had under- gone for some time the action of salt-water ; a few pieces of iron pyrites, bituminous coal, and nodules of flint or jasper "[The part of this report omitted gives reasons for believing the coal and siliceous nodules to have been brought from England by Frobisher, who, it is well known, took out large supplies and many miners, expecting to mine and smelt ores. Some ' blooms ' of iron which Mr. Hall found may have been the result of their operations with the magnetic iron. — Eds.] " . . . . This theory is supported by the tradition of the natives, who say that the coal was brought there by the foreigners,* as well as by the entire absence of any indications of geological strata so high up in the series as the Carboniferous formation. The siliceous pebbles seem to have served as giavel for the mortar used in building the houses for canying on the various objects for which the expedition was sent out. No trace of any mineral containing silver existed in the collections. The sands sup- * Everything that seems to them peculiar they refer to this source. aaiMM ■aetei APPENDIX. 647 ewas much him, uture If'* posed by Mr. Hall to be those in which Frobisher found gold have not yet been assayed. A small bead detached from an ornament worn by the natives was found to be lead. " Thos. Egleston." t. Arctic Sledge,— Fage 465. The sledge which I had made in Cincinnati, and took with me on my expedition to the North, was made after the sledge "Faith," the favourite sledge ot Dr. Kane on his last expedition. The only difference between his and my sledge was as follows : — Dr. Kane's was 3 feet 8 inches wide, while mine was only 2 feet 6 inches. The shoeing of Dr. Kane's was three- sixteenths-inch steel, while the shoeing of mine, on arriving at the North, was slabs of the jawbone of the whale (the article used by the natives), 1 inch thick and 34 inches wide. The dimensions of the "Faith" (of Dr. Kane's) were as follows : — ft. in. Length of runner 13 Height of ditto 8 Horizontal width of rail 2J „ ,„ base of runner .... 03^ „ „ other parts 2 Thickness of all parts 1^ Length, resting on a plain surface 6 Cross-bars, five in number, making a width of . 3 8 THE END. R. CLAY, SON, AND TAYLOK, PBINTKIRS, BREAD STREET HILL. 1 ! I \ a Et0t of 93oolt0 PUBLISHING BY SAMPSON LOW, SON, and MARSTON. 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