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BELZONI; F0RMIN6 AN INTERESTING HISTORY OP THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CHARACTERS OP VARIOUS NATIONS, VISITED BY ENTERPRISING TRAVELLERS. SELECTED BY CAPTAIN JOHN FREDERICK DENNETT. OF THE ROYAL NAYY. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY J. JAQUES AND W. WRIGHT, 13, PATBRNOSTER ROW. 1836. V II 'i 9 AI>VI':ilTISlCMKNT. I IV thin age, when the Jirst rudiments of knowledge are obtained by the lowest orders of society, it must be attended with advantage to become acquainted ivith the state of mankind in other parts of the woyid. It will be productive of contentment and resignation under all the ills of life, to find that the lowest state of comfort in this country is preferable to all the enjoyments within the reach of natives of other climes. The adventures (f our bold and daring fellow :ountrymen in the pur- suit ofdiscovery will be a source of no small gj^atifica- tion. Under these impressions the following pages are submitted to the reader by the publishers, as form- ing an appropriate Supplement to JAQUES and Wright's edition of the Voyages and Discoveries of Captain Cook. <^ DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES. -4^ The head of Captain Parry to face the Title Native Esquimaux View of the Vessels of the Northern Expedition View of an iceberg The Vessels frozen up The Vessels forcing through the ice The head of 3fr. Belzoni Head of Captain Franklin PAGE . 121 63 52 109 48 541 304 VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, ov CAPTAIN PARRT, AND OTHERS. 51 \3 \2 19 18 11 14 •I. i) E very great interest nvhich the Voyages of Capt. Perry have excited in the public mind, cannot but render a larrative of the occurrences valuable to all classes of read- ers. The journals already published embrace a volu- minous account, interesting to nautical and scientific men, but of little importance to the general reader. The narrative presented in the succeeding pages embraces only those incidents i^vhich will lead the reader to appreciate more (ban ever the blessings he enjoys, under the protec- tion of just laws, mildly and equitably administered. It is said that history is philosophy teaching by example k when the reader is introduced to a knowledge, that there are many of his fellow men who have a very limited supply even of the necessaries of life, with the almost entire priva* tion of those social and other comforts which are placed within the grasp of almost every individual of the British c mpire, how will he be led to be satisfied in the station of Lfe assigned him ; and instead of murmuring that he has not all he desires, he will feel sentiments of gratitude that his comforts are so numerous as they are. To draw such conclusions is the proper duty of the reader ; and then only education becomes useful to society, when the information P. V. 1 B s parry's voyage to it obtains influences and regulates the will and affections, and produces order and propriety of conduct. The idea of a passage to the East Indies by the North Pole was suggested as early as the year 1527, by Robert Thome, merchant, of Bristol, as appears from two papers preserved by Hackluit ; the one addressed to king Henry VIII ; the other to Dr. Ley, the king's ambassador to Charles V. In that addressed to the king be says, " I know it to be my bounden duty to manifest this secret tc your grace, which hitherto, I suppose, has been hid.'^ This secret appears to be the honour and advantage which would be derived from the discovery of a passage by the North Pole. He represents in the strongest terms the glory which the kings of Spain and Portugal had obtained by their discoveries East and West, and exhorts the king to emulate their fame by /undertaking discoveries towards the North. He states in a very masterly style the reputa- tion that must attend the attempt, and the great benefits likely to accrue to the subjects of this country, from their advantageous situation, should it be crowned with success, which, he observes, seems to make the exploring this, the only hitherto undiscovered part, the king's peculiar duty. To remove any objection to the undertaking which might be drawn from the supposed danger, he insists upon " tkc great advantages of constant day-light in seas, that men say, without great danger, difficulty, and peril, yea, rather, it is impossible to pass ; for they being past this little way which they named so dangerous (which may be two or three leagues before they come to the Pole, and as much more after they pass the Pole), it is clear from thenceforth the seas and lands arc ns temperate ns in these parts." In the paper addressed to Dr. Ley he enters more mi- nutely into the advantages and practicability of the under- taking. Amongst many other arguments to prove the value of the discovery, lie urges, that by sailing northward and passing the Pule, the navigation from Blngland to the THE NORTH POLE. s Spice Isliinds would be shorter, by more than two thou> sand leagues, than either from Spain by the straits of Ma- )E^ellan,or Portugal by the Cape of Good Hope ; and to shew the likelihood of uccess in the enterprize be says, it is as probable that the cosmographers should be mistaken in the opinion they entertain of the polar regions being impassa- ble from extreme cold, as, it has been found, they were, in supposing the countries under the line to be uninhabitable from excessive heat. With all the spirit of a man convinced of the glory to be gained, and the probability of success in the undertaking, he adds, — " God knoweth, that though by it I should have no great interest, yet I have had, and still have, no little mind of this business ; so that if I had faculty to my will, it should be the first thing that 1 would understand, even to attempt, if our seas northward be na- vigable to the Pole or no.*' Notwithstanding the many good arguments, with which he supported his proposition, and the offer of his own services, it does n^t appear that he prevailed so far as to procure an attempt to be made. No voyage appears, indeed, to have been undertaken to explore the polar seas, till the year 1607, when "Henry Hudson was set forth, at the charge of certain worshipful merchants of London, to discover a passage by the North Pole to Japan and China." He sailed from Gravesend on the first of May, in a ship called the Hopewell, having with him ten men and a boy. Great pains have been taken to find his original journal, as well as those of some others of the adventurers who followed him ; but writhout success : the only account is an imperfect abridgement in Purchas, by which it is not possible to lay down his track ; from which, however, are drawn the following particulars : — He fell in with the land to the westward in latitude 73% on the twenty-first of June, which he named Hold-wit! -Hope. The twenty-seventh, he fell in with Spitsbergen, and met with much ice ; he got to 80° 23', which was the northern, most latitude he observed in. Giving an account of the B 2 4 parry's votaqb to conclusion of his discoveries, he says, " On the sixteenth of August I saw land, by reason of tiie clearness of the wea- ther, stretching far into 82°, and, by the bowing and shew- ing of the sky, much farther ; which wben I first saw, I hoped to have had a free sea between the land and the ice, and meant to have compassed this land by the north ; but now finding it was impossible, by means of the abundance of ice compassing us about by the north, and joining to the land ; and seeing God did bless us with a wind, we re- turned, bearing up the helm/* He afterwards adds : " And this I can assure at this present, that between 78^"^ and 82*, by this way there is no passage." — In consequence of this opinion, he was the next year employed on the north- east discovery. In March 1600, old style, " A voyage was set forth by t4ie right worshipful Sir Thomas Smith, and the rest of the Muscovy Company, to Cherry Island, and for a further discovery to be made toward the North Pole, for the iil^eii- hood of a trade or passage that way, in the ship called the Amity, of burthen seventy tons, in which Jonas Poole was master, having fourteen men and one boy." — He weighed from Blackwall, March the first, old style ; and after great severity of weather, and much difficulty from the ice, he gnade the south part of Spitsbergen on the I6th of May. He sailed along and sounded the coast, giving names to several places, and making many very accurate observations. On the 2dth, being near Fair Foreland, he sent his mate on shore ; — and in speaking of this at his return, says, " More- over, I was certified that all the ponds and lakes were un- frozen, they being fresh water ; which putteth me in hope of a mild summer here, after so sharp a beginning as I have had ; and my opinion is suci), and I assure myself it is so, that a passsage may be as soon attained this way by th'^ P*>^«, as any unknown way whatsoever, by reason t4ie sun da th jrive a great heat in this cHmate, and the ice (I mean TUB N0RT4I POLE. that freeeeth here) is nothing so huge as I hnve seea iu seventy-three degrees." These hopes, however^ he was soon obliged to relinquish lor that year, having twice attempted in vain to get beyond 70* 50'. On the 21st of Jttne, he stood to the southward, to get a loading of fish, and arrived in London the last of August. He was employed the following year (1611) in a small bark called the Eli'iiabetA), of 50 tuns. The instruc- tions for this voyage, Which may be found at lengtl> in Pur- chas> are excellently drawn up : they direct him, after having attended the fishery for some time, to attempt dis- coveries to the North Pole as long as the season will permit ; with a disass that way ; and the strong tides ntaking it dafeigerous to deal with the ice, l»e determined to stand along it to the southward, to try if he could find the sea more open that way, and so get to the westward, and proceed on his voyage. He f«und the ice to lie nearest SVV and SWbS and ran along it about an hundred and twenty leagues. He had no ground near the ice at 100, 180, or 200 fathoms : per- ceiving the ice still to trend to the southward, he deter- Uiined to return to Spitsbergen fur tlve fishery, wl>ere he lost luis ship. In the year 16J4, another voyage was undertaken, in which BaHn and Fotherby were employed. With much dUliculty, and after repeated attempts in vain with the sh^p, they got with their boMs to the firm ice;, which joined to 6 parhy's voyacr to Red-Beach ; they walked over the ice, to that place, in hopes of finding whale-fioB, &c. in which they were dis- appointed. Fotherby adds, in his account : " Thus, as we could not find what we desired to see, so did we behold that which we wished had not been there to be seen ; which was great abundance of ice, that lay close to the shore, and also off at sea as far as we could discern. On the eleventh of August they sailed from Fair-Haven, to try if the ico would let them pass to the northward, or north-eastward ; they steered from Cape Barren, or Vogel Sang, NEbE eight leagues, where they met with the ice, which lay EbS and WbN. The fifteenth of August they saw ice frozen in the sea of above the thickness of an half- crown. Fotherby was again fitted out the next year in a pinnace of twenty tons, called the Richard, with ten men. In this voyage he was prevented by the ice from getting farther than in his last. He refers to a chart, in which he had traced the ship's course on every traverse, to shew how far the state of that sea was discovered between 80 and 71° of la- titude, and for 26o of longitude from Hackluit's headland. He concludes the account of his voyage in the following manner : v.; " Now if any demand my opinion concerning hope of a passage to be found in those seas, I answer, that it is true, that I both hoped and much desired to have passed further than I did, but was hindered with ice ; wherein although I have not attained my desire, yet forasmnch as it appears not yet to the contrary, but that there is a spacious sea betwixt Groinland and king James his new land [Spitsbergen] al- though much pestered with ice ; I will not seem to dissuade this worshipful company from the yearly adventuring of 150 or 200 pounds at the most, till some further discovery be made of the said seas and land adjacent." It appears that the Russia company, either satisfied with his endeavours and despairing of further success, or tired of the ezpence, neve ' employed anymoieshipson thIs.disooTery, THB NORTH POLE. As these voyages were fitted out by private adventurers, k>r the double purpose of discovery and present advantage ; it may be supposed that the attention of the navigators was in a measure diverted from pursuing the more remote and less profitable object of the two, with all the attention that could have been wished. In justice, however, to the me- mory of these men, it may be observed, that they appear to liave encountered dangers, which at that period must have been particularly alarming from their novelty, with the greatest fortitude and perseverance ; as well as to have shewn a degree of diligence and skill, not only in the ordi- nary and practical, but more scientific parts of their pro<* fession, which might have done honour to modern seamen, with all their advantages of later improvements. This great point of geography, perhaps the most impor« tant in its cotisequences'to a commercial nation and mari- time power, but the only one which had never yet been the object of royal attention, was suft'ered to remain without further investigation, from the year 1615 till 1773, when the Earl of Sandwich, in consequence of an application which had been made to him by the Royal Society, laid before his Majesty King George the Third, a proposal for an expedition to try how far navigation was practicable to> wards the North Pole : which his Majesty was pleased to direct should be immediately undertaken, with every en- couragement that could countenance such an enterprize, and every assistance that could contribute to its success. Capt. Constantine John Phipps, afterwards Earl of Mulgrave, had the honour of being entrusted with the con- duct of this undertaking. The nature of the voyage re- quiring particular care in the choice and equipment of the ships, the Racehorse and Carcass bombs were fixed upon as the strongest, and therefore properest for the purpose. The probability that such an expedition could not be carried en without meeting with much ice, made some additional strengthening- necessary : they were therefore immediately H 9ARRY*t TOYAOB TO taken into dock, and fitted in the moat complete manner for the service. The complement for the Racehorse waa fixed at ninety men, and the ordinary establiahment de< parted from, by appointing an additional number of offi- oers, and entering elective men instead oi the usual num- ber of boys. In giving an account of this Toyage, Capt. Phipps says— • ** I was allowed to recommend the officers ; and was very happy to find, during the course of the voyage, by the great assistance I received on many occasions from their abi- lities and experience, that I had not been mistaken in the characters of those upon whom so much depended in the performance of this service. Two masters of Greenland- men were employed as pilots for each ship. The Race- horse was also furnished with the new chain-pumps made by Mr. Cole according to € apt. Bentinck's improvements, which were found to answer perfectly well. We also made use of Dr. Irving's apparatus for distilling fresh water from the sea, with the greatest success. Some small but useful alterations, were made in the species of provisions usually supplied in the navy ; an additional quantity of spirits was allowed for each ship, to be issued at the discretion of the commanders, when extraordinary fatigue or severity of the weather might make it expedient. A quantity of wine was also allotted for the use of the sick. Additional clothing, adapted to that rigour of climate, which from the relation of former navigators we were taught to expect, was ordered to be put on board, to be given to the seamen wlien we ar- rived in the high latitudes. It was foreseen that one or both of the ships might be sacrificed in the prosecution of this undertaking; the boats for each ship were therefore calculated in number and size, to be fit, on any emergency, to transport the whole crew. In short, every thing which oould tend to promote the success of the undertaking, or contribute to the security, health, and convenience of the ship's companies, was granted. ■:»— ^ THE NORTH POLK. 9 On the 19tU of April, 1773, Capt. Phipps received his commission for the Racehorse, with an order to get her fitted with the greatest dispatch for a voyage of discovery towards the Nortli Pole, and to proceed to the Nore for further orders. On the 27th, he anchored at the Nore, and was joined by Capt. Lutwidge, in the Carcase, on the 30th : her equipment was to have been in all respects the same as that of the Racehorse, but when fitted, Capt. Lutwidge finding her too deep in the water to proceed to sea with safety, obtained leave of the Admiralty to put six guns on shore, to reduce the complement of men, and return a quantity of provisions proportionable to that reduction. On the 4th of June they sailed, and on the 20th began to make use of Dr. Irving's apparatus for distilling ^esh water from the sea : repeated trials gave us the most satisfactory proof of its utility : the water produced from it was perfectly free from salt, and wholesome, being used for boiling the ship's provisions ; which convenience would alone be a desirable object in all voyages, independent of the benefit of so use- ful a resource in case of distress for water. The quantity produced every day varied from accidental circumstances, but was generally from thirty- four to forty gallons, without any great addition of fuel. Twice indeed the quantity produced was only twenty -three gallons on each distilla- tion ; this amounts to more than a quart for each man, which, though not a plentiful allowance, Is much more than what is necessary for subsistence. In cases of real ne- cessity there was no reason to doubt that a much greater quantity might be produced without an inconvenient ex- ])ence ot fuel. After many ineffectual attempts up to the first of Augtist to proceed, being in latitude 80" 31', and longitude 18* 48, the captain in his journal says, " The ice pressed in fast j there was not now the smallest opening ; the two shipw were within less tlian two lengths of each other, separated P. V. 1 P ■^7-TT i M 10 parry's voyagr to -.1; by ioe, and neither having^ room to turn. The ice which had been all flat the day before, and almost level with the water's edge, was now in many places forced higher than the main yard, by the pieces squeezing together, and there seemed to be no probability of getting the shi|>s out again, without a strong east, &r north-east wind. There was not the smallest appearance of open water, except a little to- wards the west point of the north-east land. The seven islands and north-east land, with the frozen sea, formed almost a bason, leaving but about four points opening for the ice to drift out, in case of a change of wind. On the Srd, the weather was very fine, clear, and calm ; we perceived that the ships had been driven far to the eastward ; the ioe was much closer than before, and the passage by which we had come in closed up, no open water being in sight, either in that or any other quarter. The pilots having expressed a wish to get if possible farther out, the ship's com])anies were set to work at five in the morning, to cut a passage through the ice, and warp through the small openings to the westward. We found the ice very deep, having sawed sometimes through pieces twelve feet thick. This labour was continued the whole day, but without any success ; our utmost efforts not having moved the siiips above three hundred yards to the westward through the ice, at the same time that they had been driven (togctlier with the ice itself, to which they were fast) *':ir to the NE and eastward, by the current ; which had also forced the loose ice from the westward, between the island, where it became packed, and as firm as the main body. On the 5th, the probability of getting the ships out ap- pearing every hour less, and the season being already far advanced, some spet dy resolution became necessary as to the steps to be taken for the preservation of the people As the situation of the ships prevented us from seeing the state of the ice to the westward, by which our future proceedings must in a great measure be determined, I sent Mr. Walden» t t THK NORTH POI.B. u one of the inidsliipmcn, with two pilot!!, to an island about twelve miles off: on his return they stated that the ice, thoui;h close all about us, was open to the westward round the point by which we came in. They also told me, that when upon the island they had the wind very fresh to the eastward, though where the ships lay it had been almost calm all clay. This circumstance considerably lessened the hopes we had hitherto entertained of the immediate effect of an easterly wind in clearing the bay. We had but one al- ternative ; either patiently to wait the event of the weather upon the ships, in hopes of getting them out, or to betake ourselves to the boats. The ships had driven into shoal watery having but fourteen fathoms. Should they, or the ice to which they were fast, take the ground, they must be in- evitably lost, and probably overset. The hopes of getting the ships out was not hastily to be relinquished, nor obsti- nately adhered tO) till all other means of retreat were cut off. Having no harbour to lodge them in, it would be im- possible ta winter theta here, with any probability of their being again serviceable; our provisions would be very ^hort for such an undertaking, were it otherwise feasible ; and sup- posing, what appeared impossible, that we could get to the nearest rocks, and make some conveniences for wintering, being now in an unfrequented part, where ships never even attempt to come, we should have the same difficulties to encounter the next year, without the same resources ; the remains of the ships company, in all probability, not in health ; no provisions, and the sea not so ope;t, this year having certainly been uncommonly clear. Indeed it could not have been expected that more than a very small part should survive the hardships of such a winter with every advantage ; much less in our present situation. On the other hand, the undertaking to move so large a body for so considerable a distance by boats, was not without very serious difficulties. Should we remain much longer here, the bad weather must be expected to set in. The stay of C 2 I n parry's voyage to K ^'it ttie Dutchmen to the Nor(h>var«l is very douhtful : if the northern harbours kept clear, they stay till the beginning of September ; but when the louse ice sets in, they quit them immediately. I tliou<^lit it proper to send fur the otficers of both ships, and informed them of my intention of prepairing the boats for goin:^ away 1 immediately hoisted out the boats, and took every precaution in my power to make them secure and comfortable ; the fitting would necessarily take up some days. The water shoaling, and the ships driving fast towards the rocks to the NE, I or- dered canvass bread-bags to be made, in case it should be necessary very suddenly to betake ourselves to the boats : 1 also sent a man with a lead and line to the northward, nnd another from the Carcass to the eastward, to sound wherever they found cracks in the ice, that we might have notice before either the ships, or the ice to which they were fast, touk the ground ; as in that case, they mu; t instantly have been crushed or overset. ** On the 7th, in the morning 1 sei out with the launch over the ice ; she hauled much easier than I could have ex- pected ; we got her about two miles. I then returned with the people for their dinner. Finding the ice rather more open near the ships, I was encouraged to attempt moving them. The wind being easterly, though but little of it, we set the sails, and got the ships about a mile to the west- ward. They moved indeed, but very slowly, and were not now by a great deal so far to the westward as where they were beset. However, I kept all the sail upon them, to force through whenever the ice slacked the least. The peo- ple behaved very well in hauling the boat ; they seemed re- conciled to the Idea of quitting the ships, and to have the fullest confidence in their oflicers. The boats could not with the greatest diligence be gut to the water side before the fourteenth ; if the situation of the ships did not alter by that time, I should not bejustiiied in staying longer by them. In the mean time, 1 resolved to carry on both attempts to- ■■• ^^ THE NORiH POLE. 13 gether, moving the boats constantly but without omitting an opportunity of getting the ships through. On the 8th, at half past four, I sent two pilots with three men to see the state of the ice to tlie westward, that I might judge of the probability of getting the ships out. At nine they returned, and reported tlie ice to be very heavy and close, consisting chiefly of large fields. Qetween nine, and ten this morning, I set out with the people, and got the launch above three miles. The weather being foggy and the people having worked hard, I thought it best to return on board between six and seven. The ships had in the mean time moved something through the ice, and the ice itself had drifted still more to the westward. At night there was little wind, and a thick fog, so that I could notjudgeprecisely of the advantages we had gained ; but I still feared that, however flattering, it was not such as to justify my giving up the idea of moving the boats, the sea- son advancing so fast, the preservation of the ships being so uncertain, and the situation of the people so critical. On the 9th, we moved the ship a little through some very small openings. In the afternoon, upon its clearing up, we were agreeably surprised to find the ships had driven much more than we could have expected to the westward. We worked hard all day, and got them something more to the westward through the ice ; but nothing in comparison to what the ice itself had drifted. We got past the launches ; I sent a number of men for them, and got them on board. Between three and four in the morning the wind was west* eriy, and it snowed fast. The |)eople having been much fatigued, we were obliged to Resist from working for a few hours. The progress which tiie ships had made through the ice was, however, a very favourable event ; the drift of the ice was an advantage that might be as suddenly lost, as it had been unexpectedly gained, by a change in the cur- rent; we had experienced the incflicacy of an easterly VAind when far in the bay, and under the high land ; but having 14 parry's votagb to now got through so much of the iee, we began again to con- ceive hopes that a brisk gale from that quarter would eoon effectually clear us. On the 10th, the wind springing up to the NNE in the morning, we set all the sail we could upon the ship, and forced her through a great deal of very heavy ice ; she struck often very hard, and with one stroke broke the shank of the best bower anchor About noon we had got her through all the ice, and out to sea. I stood to the NW to make the ice, and found the main body just where we left it. At three in the morning, with a good breeze easterly, we were standing to the westward, be- tween the land and the ice, both in sight ; the weather hazy. On the llth, came to an anchor in the harbour of Smeerenberg, to refresh the people after their fatigues. We found here four of the Dutch ships, which we had left in the Norways when we sailed from Vogel Sang, and upon which I had depended for carrying the people home in case we had been obliged to quit the ships. In this sound there is good anchorage in thirteen fathoms, sandy bottom, not far from the shore ; it is well sheltered from all winds. The island close to which we lay is called Amsterdam Is- land, the westernmost point of wnich is Hacluyt's Head Land ; here the Dutch used formerly to boil their whale-oi), and the remains of some conveniences erected by them for that purpose arc still visible. Once they attempted to make an establishment, and left some peopla to winter here, who all perished. The Dutch ships still resort to this place for the latter season of the whale fishery. The black moun- tains, white snow, and beautiful colour of the ice, make a romantic and uncommon picture. Large pieces frequently break off from the icebergs, and fall with great noise into the water ; we observed one piece which had floated out into the bay, and grounded in twenty-four fathoms ; it was :.:^^- THE NORTH POLE. 15 fifty feet high above the surface of the water, and of the same beautiful colour as the iceberg. " We saw no springs or rivers, the water, which we found in great plenty, being uli produced by the melting of the snow, from the mountains. During the whole time we were in these latitudes, there was no thunder or lightning. I must also add, that I never found what is mentioned by Marten, (who is generally accurate in his observations, and faithful in his accounts) of the sun at midnight resembling in appearance the moon ; I saw no difference in clear weather between the aun at midnight and any other time, but what arose from a different degree of altitude ; the brightness of the light appearing there, as well as else- where, to depend upon the obliquity of his rays. The sky was in general loaded with hard white clouds ; so that I do not remember to have ever seen the sun and the horizon both free from them even in the clearest weather. We could al- ways perceive when we were approaching the ice, long be- fore we saw it, by a bright appearance near the horizon, which the pilots called the blink of the ice. Hudson re- marked, that the sea where he met with ice was blue ; but the green sea was free from it. During the time that we were fast amongst the Seven Islands, we had frequent op- portunities of observing the irresistible force of the large bodies of floating ice. We have often seen a piece of several acres square lifted up between two much larger pieces, and as it were becoming one with them ; and afterwards this piece so formed acting in the same manner upon a second and third ; which would probably have continued to be the effect, till the whole bay had been so filled with ice that the different pieces could have had no motion, had not the stream taken an unexpected turn, and set the ice out of the bay " On tne22nd, the season was so very far advanced, and fogs as well as gales of wind so much to be expected, that nothing more could now be done, had any thing been left 16 varry's voyage to %\ untried. The summer appears to have been uncommonly favourable for our purpose, and afforded us the fullest oppor- tunity of ascertaining repeatedly the situation ol that wall of ice, extending for more than twenty degrees between the la- titudes of eighty and eighty-one, without the smallest ap- pearance of any opening. " I should here conclude the account of the voyage, had not some observations and experiments occurred on the pas- sage home. "In steering to the southward we soon found the weather grow more mild, or rather to our feelings warm. August 24th, we saw Jupiter ; the sight of a star was now become almost as extraordinary a phenomenon, as the sun at mid- night, when we first got within the \rctic circle. The wea- ther was very fine for some part of the voyage ; on the 4th of September, the water being perfect'y smooth with a dead calm, I repeated with success the attempt 1 had made to get soundings in the main ocean at great depths, and struck ground in six hundred and eighty-three fathoms, with cir- cumstances that convince me I was not mistaken in the depth ; the bottom was a fine soft blue clay. From the 7th, of September, when we were off Shetland, till the 24th, when we made Orfordness, we had very hard gales of wind with little intermission, which were constantly indicated several hours before they came on by the fall of the baro- meter, and rise of the manometer : this proved to me the utility af those instruments at sea. In one of these gales the hardest, I think, I ever was in, and with the greatest sea, we lost three of our boats, and were obliged to heave two of our guns overboard, and bear away for some time, though near a lee shore, to clear the ship of water. In one of these gales on the 12th of September, Dr. Irving tried the temperature of the sea in that state of agitation, and found it considerably warmer than that of the atmosphere. This observation is the more interesting, aa it agrees with a passage in Plutarch's Natural Questions not (I believe) T.'-j-siu TFIi: NORTH I'OLt:. 17 before taken notice of, or confirmctl by exjxJiiinont, in wliicu lie remarks, " that the sea becomes warmer by being atji- tated in waves." The frequent ami very heavy gales at thelatte. en'.l of the year, confirmed me in the opinion, that the time of our sa'.I- inir from Kng-land was the properest that could have been chosen. These gales are as common in the Spring as in the Autumn ; there is every reason to su|)pose therefore, tliat at an early season we should have met with the same bad weather in going out as we did on our return. The una- voidable necessity of carrying a ((uantity of additional stores and provisions, rendered the ships so deep in the wa- ter, that in heavy gales the boats, with many of the stores, must probably have been thrown overboard ; as we expe- rienced on our way home, though the ships were then much lightened by the consumption of provisions, and expendi- ture of stores. Such accidents in the outset must have de- feated the voyage. At the time we sailed, added to the fine weather, we had the further advantage of nearly reaching the latitude of eighty without seeing ice, which the Green- landmen generally fall in with in the latitude of seventy - three or seventy-four. There was also most probability, if ever navigation should be practicable to the Pole, of find* ing the sea open to the northward after the solstice i the sun having then exerted the full influence of his rays, though there was enough of the summer still remaining for the purpose of exploring the seas to the northward and west- ward of Spitsbergen. With these observations Capt. Phipps concludes his narrative. To seek for a passage by the North Pole was among the objects committed to the exertions of that great navigator Captain Cook, but their efforts led them to assert the utter impossibility of effecting it. Passing over other attempts, we shall proceed to a narration of the circumstances which attended the efforts of Lieut. Parry in the First Voyage which was committed to his superintendance. P. V. 1. D / . (i^^ M' 18 TARRY S VOYAGK TO The spirit and capacity manifested by hiin when he ac- coiDpanied Capt. Ross, led the government to select him in another attempt at discovery of a passage into the Pacific : accordingly be was appointed to command a bomb ves- sel called the Hecla, of three hundred and seventy-five tons burthen, and put into commission on the 21st of Ja- nuary 1819. A gun brig, named the Griper, was also ap- pointed to this service and the command given to Lieut, Liddon, with orders to obey Lieut. Parry's directions. Both ships underwent a thorough repair, and every mode was adopted to strengthen their timbers and enable tivin to encounter the rough and tempestuous seas they were to explore. The officers and crew were to receive double pay ; and us most of the seamen who had sailed with Capt. Ross entered themselves for the present voyage, more expert and qualified seamen were not to be found. Every thing which former experience 2ou\d suggest, and which money and ef- fort could produce, was adopted for the comfort of tlie crew and to render the voyage successful. Upwards of one hun- dred chaldrons of coals were taken in as ballast. Abun- dance of warm clothing was also provided to be used when necessary, and a quantity of such articles as it was supposed would be acceptable to any of the natives of the different places they might visit. That the most satisfactory assurances might be procured of proper attention being paid to every arrangement, tli« first Lord of the Admiralty and others high in office visited the vessels previous to their sailing All the preparations were completed early in the month of April and the vessels now only waited for a wind to take them down the river. The following is a statement of the completement of each, with the rank they held. \ :}' THE NORTH POLE. W Names of the officers, &c. who sailed on board the two ships. On hoard the Hecla. Lieut. William Edward Parry, .... Commander Capt. Edward Sabine, li.A Astronomer. Frederick William Beechey, Lieutenant. John Edwards, '. Surgeon. Alexander Fisher, Assistant Surgeon William Harvey Hooper Purser. IMessrs. Nias, Dealey, Palmer, ( _,. , , , , ' ^ f Midshipmen. Ross, and Bushnan, ' James Halse, Clerk. James Scallon, Gunner. Jacob Swansea, Boatswain. Willianr. Wallis, Carpenter. Other officers and seamen, 43. On hoard the Griper. Lieut. Liddon, Commander. H. P. Hoppner, Lieutenant. Charles James Beverly, Surgeon. Messrs. Reid, Skene, and Griffiths, Midshipmen. Cyrus Wakeham, Clerk. With 29 inferior officers and seamen. The following instructions for his general conduct were issued to Capt. Parry by the Lords of the Admiralty. />*/ th; Commissioners for executing the Office of Lrrd High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Sjc. ^'c. WHEREAS wo have tliouj-ht tit to appoint you to the command of an Expedition, for the purpose of endeavoiiriiii^ to discover a Nortii-West Passage from (he Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean ; you are hereby required and directed to put to sea in the Hecla, and, in company with the Griper, which, with her commander Lieutenant Liddon, has been placed under your orders, make the best of your way to thf entrance of Davis' Strait. D '2 I 20 rARRVS VOYAGE TO fil-' On your arrival in t!iis Strait, your further proceedings must be regulated chiefly by the position and extent of the ice; but, on finding it suiliciently open to permit your ap- ])ronch to the western shores of tiie Strait, and your ad- vance to (he nortliward as far as llie opening into Sir James Lancaster's Sound, you are io proceed in the first instance to that part of the coast, and use your best endeavours to explore the bottom of tliat Sound ; or, in the event of its proving a strait opening to the westward, you are to use all j)ossible means, consistently with the safety of the two sl)i])s, to pass through it, and ascertain its direction and com- munications ; and if it should be found to coimect itself witli the northern sea, you are to make the best of your way to Behring's Strait. If, however, you should ascertain that there is no pas- sage tlirouijh Sir Jumes Lancaster's Sound, but that it Is enclosed by continuous land, or so completely blocked up with ice as to afford no hope of a passage through it, you are in that case to proceed to the northward, and in like manner examine Alderman Jones's Sound. Failing to And a passage through this Sound, you are to make the best of your way to Sir Thomas Smith's Sound, which is described by Baffin as ttie largest in the whole bay ; and carefully ex- plore, as far as pr-^cticable, every part of it, as well as of any strait you may discover, leading from it into any other sea. On failing to make a passage through this Sound, you are to return to the southward down Baffin's Bay, and endeavour to make your way through Cumberland Strait nr any opening in that neighbourhood which may lead you to the seas adjoining (he eastern or northern coast of America; you are then, by whatever course you may have reached these sea«, to pursue your voyage along that coast to the northward or westward to Behring's Strait. We have hitherto sui)posed that, on your first arrival in Davis' Strait, the navigation to the northward shall be found practicable. If, however, you should find the contrary to \4 THE NOUTH POLE. 21 be the case, and that the sea towards the western side of the Strait is so loaded with ice, as to render it difRciilt and dan- gerous for the ships to proceed so far to the northward as Lancaster Sound, at so early a period of the season ; it may be adviseable, in that case, to endeavour in the first in- stance, to examine Cumberland Strait, or any other open- ing that may be likely to bring you to the eastern coast of America, in preference to the loss of time and danger to the ships, which might be occasioned in persevering too anxiously in the atteutpt to get to Lancaster Sound ; and should you, on your first reaching Davis' Strait, find it to be impract' cable to make your way up the western side of the Strait to that Sound, or even to Cumberhind Strait, you will understand, that you are at liberty to proceed towards those places, go- ing round by a more easterly track, if the state of the ice, and all other circumstances, should induce you to think it most advisable to do so. Thus, although the track, which we wish you to pursue, if practicable, is pointed out ; you will, nevertheless, perceive, that the course to be finally adopted by you for getting to the northward, is, in fact, left to your own discretion, on a careful examination into the state of the ice on your arrival in Davis' Strait ; always bearing in mind, that it is an important object of the Expe- dition, that Lancaster Sound be thoroughly examined by you, and afterwards those of Jones and Smith, if you should have failed in previously finding a passage to the westward. Should you be so successful as to find a passage to the westward, it will be advisable to make the best of your way, without stopping to examine any part of the northern coast of America, to Behring*s Strait ; and if you should fortu- nately accomplish your passage through that Strait, you are then to proceed to Karatschatka (if you think you can do so without risk of being shut up by the ice on that coast), for the purpose of delivering to the Russian Governor, dupli- cates of all the Journals and other documents which the --rl. ftsrr I^^Tm^^^S wmi 33 parry's voyagr to i^ j>assai;c may liavo supplied, with a request tliaf tli.'V may be i'oruarded ovpr-lajul to St. Petorshurj^li, to l)e conveyed from thence to London. From Kamtsehatka you will ])ro- cced to the Sandwich Islands, or Canton, or such other place as you may think proper, to refit the ships and refresh the crews ; and, if during; your stay at such place, n safe oj)- portunily should occur of sendinjr papers to England, you should send duplicates by such conveyance. And, after having refitted and refreshed, you are to lose no time in returning to England, by such route as you may deem most convenient. If, at any period of your voyage, biit particularly after you shall have doubled the north-eastern extremity of America, the season shall be so far advanced as to make it unsafe to navigate the ships, on account of the long nights having set in, and the sea not being free from ice ; and the health of your crews, the state of the ships, and all con- current circumstances, should combine to induce you to form the resolution of wintering in those regionsj you are to use your best endeavours to discover a sheltered and safe harbour, where the ships may be placed in security for the winter ; taking such measures for the health and comfort of the people committed to your charge, as the materials with which you are sup])lied for housing-in the ships, or hutting the men on shore, may enable you to do. And, if you shall find it expedient to resort to this measure, and you should meet with any inhabitants, either Esquimaux or Indians, near the place where you winter, you are to endeavour, by every means in your power, to cultivate a friendship with them, by making them presents of such articles as you may be supplied with, and which may be useful or agreeable to them. You will, however, take care not to suffer your- self to be surprised by them, but use every precaution, and be constantly on your guard ai;^ainst any hostility You will endeavour to prevail on them, by such reward, and to be paid in such manner, as you may think best to an- Tin: NORTJI I'OI.K. 38 swer the piirposo, to cany to any of the settlements of the l!iul>oirs Ray Company, or of the Xoith-West Company, an account of your situation an(i proceedings ; witli an ur- gent request that it may be forwarded to England with the utmost possible despatch. In an undortakina: of this description, much must, of course, be always luit to the discretion of the commanding officer ; and, as the objects of this Expedition have been fully explained to you, and you have already had some ex- perience on service of this nature, we are convinced we cannot do better than leave it to your Judgment, when on the spot, in the event of your not making a par^sage this season, either to winter on the coast, with the view of fol- lowing up next season, any hopes or expectations which your observations this year may lead you to entertain, or to return to England, to report to us the result of such obser- vations ; always recollecting our anxiety for the health, comfort, and safety of yourself, your officers, and men ; and further considering how far the advantage of starting next season from an advanced position, may not be counter- balanced by what may be suffered during the winter, and by the want of sach refreshment and refitting, as would be afforded by your return to England. We deem it right to caution you against suffering the two vessels placed under your orders to separate, except in the event of accident or unavoidable necessity, and we desire you to keep up the most unreserved communications with the commander of the Griper ; placing in him every proper confidence, and acquainting him with the general tenor of your orders, and with your views and intentions, from time to time, in the execution of them ; that the ser- vice may have the full benefit of your united efforts in the prosecution of such a service ; and that, in the event of un- avoidable separation, or of any accident to yourself, Lieut. Liddon may have the advantage of knowing up to the latest ])racticable period, all your ideas and intentions, re- f • 84 I'.VUUYS VOYAGE I'O lativc tu a satisfactory cuiaplction of this interesting uiuler- takint^. We also recommend, that as frequent an exchange take place, as conveniently may be, of the observations made in tlie two ships ; that any scientilic discovery made by the one be, a^ quickly as possible, communicated for the advanta/^c and guidance of the other, in making their future observa- tions ; and to increase the chance of the observations of both being preserved. We have caused a great variety of valuable instruments to be put on board the ships under your orders ; of which you will be furnished with a list, and for the return of which you will be held responsible ; and we have also, at the recommendation of the President and Council of the Royal Society, ordered to be received on board the Ilecla, Captain Sabine, of the Royal Artillery, who is represented to us as a gentleman well skilled in Astronomy, Natural History, and various branches of knowledge, to assist you in making such observations as may tend to the improve- ment of Geography and Navigation, and the advancement of science in general. Among other subjects of scientific inquiry, you will particularly direct your attention to the variation and inclination of the magnetic needle, and the intensity of the magnetic force ; you will endeavour to ascertain how far the needle may beallected by the atmos- pherical electricity, and what effect may be produced on the electrometer and magnetic needle on the appearance of the Aurora Borealis. You will keep a correct register of the temperature of the air, and of the sea, at the surface and at diflferent depths. You will cause the dip of the ho- rizon to be frequently observed by the dip sector, invented by Dr. W'ollaston ; and ascertain what effect may be pro- duced by measuring that dip across fields of ice, as com- pared with its measurement across the surface of the ope« sea. You will also cause frequent observations to be made for ascertaining the refraction, and what effect may be pro- 1 ■, \ THE NORTH POLE. 3S duced by obierving an object, either celestial or terrestrial, over a field of ice, as compared with objects observed over a surface of water; together with such other ineteorolo- gicial remarks as you may have opportunities of making. You are to attend particularly to the height, direction, and strength of the tides, and to the set and velocity of the cur- rents ; the depth and soundings of the sea, and the nature of the bottom ; for which purpose you are supplied with an instrument better calculated to bring up substances than the lead usually employed for this purpose. And you are to understand that although the finding a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific is the main object of this expedition, yet, that the ascertaining the cor- rect position of the different points of the land on the west- ern shores of Baffin's Bay, and the different observations you may be enabled to make with regard to the magnetic influence in that neighbourhood supposed to be so near the sition of one of the great magnetic poles of the earth, as well as such other observations as you may have opportunities of making in Natural History, Geography, &c. in parts of the globe &c. little known, must prove most valuable and in^ teresting to the science of our country ; and we, therefore, desire you to give your unremitting attention, and to call that of all the officers under your command, to these points ; as being objects likely to prove of almost equal importance to the principal one before mentioned, of aseertaiuing whe- ther there exist any passage to the northward, from the one ocean to the other. For the purpose, not only of ascertaining the set of the currents in the Arctic Seas, but also of affording more fre- quent chances of hearing of your progress, we desire that you do, frequently after you have passed the latitude of 65 degrees north, and once every day, when you shall be in an ascertained current, throw overboard a bottle, closely sealed, and containing a paper stating the date and posi- tion at which it is launched ; and you will give similar or- P. V. 2. E 2fi fARUYS VOYAGI TO IH. (lers to the Comiimnder of the Griper, to be executed in case uf S(>]>aratiori ; and, for this purpose, we have caused, each ship to be supplied with papers, on which is printed in several languages, a request, that whoever may find it should take measure for transuiittiiig it to this office. And althuui^h you are nut to be drawn aside from the main object of the service on which you are employed, as lon^ as you may be enabled to make any progress ; yet, whenever you may be impeded by the ice, or find it neces- sary to approach the coasts of the continent or islands, you are to cause views of bays, harbours, headlands, &c. to be carefully taken, tu illustrate and explain the track of the vessels, or such charts as you may be able to make ; in which duty you will be assisted by Lieutenants Beechey and Iloppner, whose skill in drawing is represented to be so considerable, as to supersede the necessity of appointing professional draughtsmen. You are to make use of every means in your power to collect and preserve such specimens of the animal, mineral and vegetable kingdoms, as you can conveniently stow on board the ships ; and of the larger animals you are to cause accurate drawings to be made, to accompany and elucidate the descriptions of them : in this, as well as in every other part of your scientific duty, we trust that you will receive material assistance from Captain Sabine. " In the event of any irreparable accident happening to either of the two ships, you are to cause the oflicers and crew of the disabled ship to be removed into the other ; and with her singly to proceed in prosecution of the voyage, or return to England, according as circumstances shall appear to rec^uire; understanding that the oflicers and crews of both ships are hereby authorized and required to continue to perform their duties, according to their respective ranks and stations, on board either ship to which they may be so removed, in the event of an occurrence of this nature. Should, unfortunately, your own ship be the one disabled, L THu Noinii I'ui.b:. 27 you aro, in thnt case, to take the coiutnand of the Griper ; and in the event of any fatal accident happening to yourself, Lieut. Liddon is hereby authorised to take the cummand o^ the Hecla, placini^ the oflicer of the expedition who may then be next in seniority to him in command of the Griper ; also, in the event of your own inability by sickness or other- irise, at any period of this service, to continue to carry these Instructions into execution, you are to transfer them to the oflicer the next in command to you employed on the Expedition, who is hereby required to execute them in the best manner he can, for the attainment of the several objects in view. " His Majesty's Government haviii; v^ THE NORTH POLE. 29 mess, that they might drink their sovereign's health. On the 18th they first saw the ice, and not long after noticed se- veral icebergs, or large piles or mountains of ice. On the 24th a succession of icebergs ware observed extending several miles, and the intermediate spaces were covered with ice beyond where the eye could reach. On the 25th the ships were completely surrounded with ice and immovable ; and continued in this state till the 30th, when after great efforts they succeeded in extricating the ships> but with some serious damage to the vessels. On the 3d of July, they again fell in with a succession of icebergs and the sea running high and dashing against them, had a very terrific appearance. The ice was so thick that the Gri- per had not power to force her way, but followed in the track of the Hecla ; and oftentimes the boat ^ were occupied in towing the ships into the nncu sea. Herds of sea horses were seen, which were so ttime that the boats came often within a few yards of them before the crew fired. They also saw several bears, some of which tliey killed ; these animals however sometimes attacked the boats and put the crews into an alarm. On t^e i8th of July, the ships had a most arduous duty in passing through the ice, and one of the boats, in which was Mr. Palmer one of the midshipmen, was upset. The crew escaped by getting on the ice. On the 21st having proceeded as far as the 73rd degree of latitude, and perceiving ^.o possibility of a passage from the closeness of the ice, they altered their course, and the ships were worked through the ice by hawsers, and from the crow's nest, (an enclosement of wood at the mast head) no opening could be discovered. At length on the 25th, a small opening appeared, and the ships were warped through the ice. Every effort was now used to get the ships through the ice, to Sir James Lancaster's Sound. On the 29th they got into the latitude of 73'' 51' and lon- gitude 67° 47', and the wind blowing strong, the ice dis- 90 PARRY » VOYAUE TO I persed, and the ships suiled upwards uf sixty miles, and soon entered Sir James Lancaster's Sound. They now found great numbers of large whales swimming around them, and were exhilarated at the knowledge that by perseverance stimulated by a confidence of success, they had reached their present destination a month earlier than Capt Ross had done. On the 31st the ships stood in for Possession Bay, and noticed a flag staff which had been erected the preceding year by Capt. Ross's people. Mr. Fisher the assistant sur- geon, on going a few miles up the country, perceived the marks of human feet, and noticed marks that the Esqui- maux had at some former period vis'tpfl this spot. They now proceeded to oai! up Sir James Lancaster's Sound, and made considerable way. In atl^mpting to take in some ice which was to supply the want of water, one of the bop.ts was upset by the fall of a large piec<^ of ice, as th» men were occupied in breaking it nfV P ;i; anxious to proceed, and the Griper being a he. ^ ^, .:or, Capt. Parry determined to proceed without her ; ami giving Lieutenant Liddon directions how to proceed and appoint- ing 85° west, and the middle of the sound as a place of ren- dezvous, the Ilecia b ;nt her way with a press of sail to de- termine tb' possi;>ility of a passage uiis way into the Arctic sea. The efforts now making arrested the attention of all on board ; ofiicers and seamen crowded the rigging, and every eye was fixed in anxious expectation. The place called the crow's nest, which as before obs rved, was an enclosed plane, at the mast head, from whence the appointed pe^ orj might keep a good look out, continually were makii., ' " - ports of the situations which presented themselves U i . -iv notice. The sea was free from ice, and many on board were now calculating upon seeing Icy Cape. The ships continued to make daily | .agrees up L;incaster Sound sometimes boring their way through long tracks of ice, and in foggy weather. Th^y passetl various islands, iff U^ THS SORTH POLK. 81 to which Capt. Parry gave names, and advanced westward as fast as the unfavourable winds would permit to the lat. of 74", lonj;itude 100°. The sea before them appeared as one field of ice, excepting a small channel ofsufficient breadth to admit the passage of the ships. On the 28th of August they reached an island to which Capt. Parry gave the name of Byam Martin's Island, in lati- tude 75° 3', longitade 103° 44'. Capt. Sabine, Mr. Ross, Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Fisher went on shore ; after which a thick fog coming on, guns were continually fired ^s signals from the ships. On returning the gentlemen stated that they had seen the remains of several Esquimaux huts and found the island more fertile than r ly land they had noticed in the polar regions. Tracks of the musk ox and rein deer were also visible in many places which shewed that these ani- mals had lately been in these parts. The ships continued to advance with great confidence to the '29th, when they found land to the northward arresting their progress ; to the southward the ice appeared as an ob- struction ; the compass had long ceased to fulfil their of- fice, — a thick fog enveloped them in darkness, so that the ships could see each other only at intervals and then only at a short distance. After some hours, the weather so far cleared as to enable t:!era to discover a track through the ice, which lay ahead, and some appearance of an open sea at a distance. The ships were often in the foggy weather in the habit of taking each other as the point to sail by. The Hecla keeping the Griper directly astern and the Griper keeping the Hecm right ahead ; thus . . jering one ship by the other. On the 1st of September a breeze springing up and the ice clearing away the ships shaped their course to the west- ward. On the following day they had sight of a star, being the only one they had seen for near two months, by which it must be manifest what fogs they had met with. The ships received now some heavy blows from the ice, although they — : » • • ••~-- •-— 32 parry's voyage to were from loose and broken pieces through which t'ue ships were now making their passage. Finding they could not get to the westward;, they stood in for land, and a large party from both ships went on shore with a view to kill deer. They had however but little success, although it appeared evidently that several musk oxen and deer bad been on the spot, and the place was in a high state of vegetation ; quantities of hair and wool being observed in different parts. They found several heads of the musk ox, and saw two deer, but they kept at too great a distance from the party to afford them the opportunity of killing them. The latitude was 74° 58', and their longitude 107* 3'. At this place a bottle was buried containing the names of the ships and other particulars. The approaches of winter now began to be manifest, the main ice approaching towards the shore, and contracting the space through which the ships could make their way. They were now making little progess, and were impressed with the great probability that they should have to pass a long winter somewhere near their present station ; still how- ever they took advantage of all opportunities of proceeding, and at a few minutes after nine o^clock in the evening of the fourth of September crossed the meridian of 110° W from Greenwich, and in the latitude of 74° 44', by which they be- came entitled to a reward voted by the parliament of five thousand pounds. This sun had been offered by the go- vernment under the authority of an act of parliament to en- courage the efforts for a discovery of a NW passage, and to commemorate the circumstance an headland on Melville Island which they had just pasbcd was called Bounty Cape. On the following day, being Sunday the 5th, Capt. Parry assembled the men on deck and gave them an official notifi- cation that they were entitled to the before msntioned reward, and then took occasion to urge them to use every effort to pro- ceed further before the winter advanced, as then he said, he doubted not of effecting, the ensuing summer, the passage they k. ( THB NORTH PUkB. S8 were particularly sent to explore, or determine its impossibility. He sent a message of like purport to Lieut. Liddon, and ordered an additional allowance of meat and beer on the occasion. The ships at this time lay in a bay to which Capt. Parry gave the name of Hecla and Griper Bay, and the wind increasing, the vessels were brought to anchor in seven fathoms water, having not till now dropped anchor since the ships left the coast of Norfolk in England. On the 6th the boats were sent to bring on board some moss peat which was substituted for coals, and the wind moderating, the ships made sail round a cape a short distance, but on ex- ploring the sea around, it appeared manifest that no passage to the westward could be effected. On the 7th a herd of ani* mals which were supposed to be musk oxen were seen feeding, and two white hares were killed by some of the officers. On the 8th the ships were towed in shore, and on the 9th the ice was so close as to preclude all chance of the ships being able to move. Two large bodies of ice called icebergs, which were aground near the shore, formed bays, in which the Hecla and Griper were secured from accidents from the large pieces of floating ice and other dangers. Three days after Mr. Dealy shot a musk ox, but the smell was unpleasant, and none seemed to relish the flesh as food. Tlie Hecla was moved farther in shore, which was a fortunate circumstance, as the iceberg to which it was attached was driven from its situation. On the loth Mr. Fife and a part of the crew of the Griper were sent in pursuit of rein-deer, whose footsteps tbey had no- ticed. Night came on without any appearance of their return, and considerable anxiety was felt for their safety. Early in the following morning therefore, a party was sent in search of them; but a heavy fall of snow coming on, all traces of the former party were lost, and these latter persons missed their road back, and it was not till after dark, and rockets were fired from the ship, that they were able to get back, in a state of great distress and suffering, after a fruitless search for their companions. Another night of distressing anxiety was passed, P. V. 2. F 34 PARRY S VOYAGE TO H 1 ! and parties were again sent on thelook>out. In the mean time a large mast with a flag was erected on an adjoining hill, and smaller poles with directions attached to them were stuck up, stating that provisions would be found under the flag staff. But it was not till the 13th, after they had been absent four days, that any of the party were discovered. Mr. Fife's party consisted of himself and six men ; and after they had wandered for three days they observed the flag staff at a great distance. Here a difference of opinion arose, whether what they saw was a pole erected before they had set out, at a considerable distance from the ships, or was intended for their guidance ; and their opinions on this circumstance so differed, that four of the party proceeded towards the signal post, and Mr. Fife, and two of the seamen, believing it to be the staff which had been erected previous to their journey, took a quite different route. The four men after a journey of much fatigue reached the flag staff, and partaking of the provisions and some rum placed there, they attempted to proceed to the ships, and perceiving footsteps, fell in with a party under Mr. Nias, who were in search for them. The distress of the officers and men was now increased, in the apprehension that Mr. Fife and the two sailors would perish. A new party were selected to go in search of them, and were just on the point of setting out, when advice was brought that they were found. Bvery attention was now paid to the (situation of such of the lost party as appeared to be in dan^^r. Some of them were severely frost bitten, and all of them in a state of great exhaus- tion ; but every attention being paid to the necessary means for their recovery, under the judicious care of the surgeon, they all recovered in a few days. This circumstance gave name to a point of land which was in consequence called Cape Providence. On the 16th the weather being clear, the ships made sail to the westward, passing Cape Providence. A large piece of ice, which drifted from the shore, ran so close to the; Hecia as to strike her violently, and lifted up her rudder. The ships con- tinued to sail near the land on the following day. iMj,;»<. f; u .. < ,?*:' THE NORTH POLE. 95 From this time to the aist, the ships sailed with difficulty through the small openinc^s which occasionally were discovered, and sometimes pressed through the new ice which was gather- ing round very fast. The Griper was forced on shore by a powerful body of ice. In this dikiima it appeared necessary to lighten her in order to get her afloat. Fortunately the wind drove the ice from the shore, and the tide rising, the vessel was got afloat. The near approach of winter, and the many hin- drances which daily presented themselves, now manifested the necessity of seeking the most eligible situation for the ships to be stationed till the ensuing summer. With this view, on the 22nd the ships weighed anchors, and steered towards Hecla and Griper Bay, at which place they had seen the most proper situ- ation to place the ships during the winter. The ice now accu- mulated so fast, that they began to fear the ships would be frozen in during the night, and that they might not reach the harbour. Capt. Parry manned a boat, and accompanied by another boat from the Griper, and the wind favouring them by opening a passage, they landed on the west side of the harbour, and made a signal for the ships to make towards it. A body of fixed ice of several inches thickness had formed in the harbour, and it appeared that to bring the ships into a place of security, it would be necessary to cut a channel through it, for the length of two miles. They made holes through the ice at different places, and found the depth of this intended channel to be several fathoms. On the 24th the ships were brought into a proper situation for commencing the opening, and Capt. Parry ordered a party to sound and mark the most proper way for the channel to be cut. The opening of this passage was a work of immense labour and fatigue, and on the second morning of the attempt, the opening through which the ships had passed was found so much frozen, that they were obliged to force the pieces of ice which were now cut to form the channel, under the great body of ice ; to effect which, several of the crew stood on one end of the pieces, while others with ropes raised the opposite end. In accomplishing this, the men stood up to their F 2 90 PARRY U vOYAGB TO kneel in water. On the third day the canal was completely cut, and the ships weie warped into their proper stations, and the captain named the place Winter Harbour. Having thus placed the ships, they had now time to reflect on the various difficulties which they might expect to encounter in the course of the ensuing months. Secluded from all inter* course with others, dark and dreary days and nights to be passed, and no means of recreation or comfort to be procured, excepting what the ships* stores afforded ; much depended upon the management and forethought of the officers in command : to this end regulations for the maintenance of good order and for promoting the health of the crews were issued. The decks were roofed over with a wadding tilt, and every mode was adopted to shelter the crew from the snow and wind. They were also cleared, so as to afford room for the crews to walk when the severity of the weather might prevent them from tak* ing exercise on shore. A house was built for the reception of the clocks and ma> themaical instruments which had been brought out. This was erected with some labour, as the ground was so frozen as to be opened with difficulty. It was however ut length so built and lined with moss, as to sustain a warm temperature at the severest part of the winter. Attention was also paid to adop^ ail useful regulations to promote the health of the crews, who at this time, with a few exceptions of a trifling nature, were in as good health and spirits as when they quitted their native country. Stoves were erected, and stove pipes so placed, as to impart heat and convey the warm air between the decks. Beer was brewed of the essence of malt and hops, until the weather became so severe that the liquor would not ferment. Donkin's preserved meat, sour krout, pickles, and vinegar were issued. Lime juice and su- gar, mixed with water, was supplied to the men. Attention was paid to their clothing, and the men were daily mustered and examined by the proper officers. The bedding also, was regularly examined. The medical officers exatained every TUK NORTH POLE. d7 inuii at stated times, to observe if uny uppearances of an unhealthy character were innnifested. To prevent a state of inactivity, Capt. Parry proposed to the officers to establish a course of theatrical auiusements ; which being readily acceded to, Lieutenant Bcechey was appuinted to superintend the performances, and on the 5th of November, the ships* crews were amused by a theatrical exhibition. A Newspaper was also established and pub* lished weekly under the conduct of one of the officers, to which they gave the Name of the North Georgia Gazette and Winter Chronicle. These various contrivances were adopted and pursued that the minds of the people might be occupied and diverted during the 'many dark and dreary months they had to remain frozen up in Winter Harbour. Before the close of the mouth of October, the sea was completely frozen over, and presented t» the eye one solid and conpact field of unmoveable ice. They saw several rein deer, and a white bear pursued one of the crew to the ships, where some of the people fired at, and wounded him, but nevertheless he made his escape. On the 10th of Octo- ber, a party went in pursuit of some rein deer ; and staying out until the night set in, considerable apprehension was ex- cited on their behalf, and others were sent in search of them, and rocket.^ fired to direct them the way. One man was found in that state of insensibility which excessive cold in- duces ; his hands were frost bitten, and probably he would have perished, but for the assistance of those sent in pursuit of them. His fingers were become stiff, and it was after- wards necessary to take off three of them. Some of the gen- tlemen who went on this party were so affected as to appear in a state of idiotcy ; but on being taken into the cabin and properly attended to, they soon recovered their useful fa- culties. In consequence of this circumstance, direction posts were erected on different high parts, pointing to the ships. About tlie middle of October the snow, durin,^ a hard gale of wind, drifted with such force that it was found ue- -. >r<*-5;**'^^«' -^■- 38 parry's voyage to !i tV cessary to keep under the coverings erected, and to extend a lino from ship to ship, and fruin (lie ships to the shed erected on the land, as tite sii>;ht was interrupted hy the accumulation of the snow. Tiie deer ahout this time accu- mulated in considerable numbers, probably it beini>- the time of their departure from these regions. Parties who went out afterwards with their guns to kill gaui», returned without discovering animals of any kind. The party had now about five hours of day-light, the remainder of the twenty four were marked by its absence. A peculiar sensation at- tended the touching of any metallic substance, tending to produce a kind of pain as when a person had passed his hand on healed iron. In the beginning of November the sun took his departure for the winter months ; and to excite a spirit of activity, and present a means of exciting attention among the Crew, the force of Miss in her Teeas was performed by different officers of the ships. The preparations necessary on the occasion occupied a few days of their time, and tended to their health and diversion ; these kind of amusements were afterwards repeated. Half the month of December had now passed away, and it was become exceedin^^fly dif- ficult to use some of the instruments ; for if on looking through the glasses any breath escaped from the mouth of the party, it became converted into a coat of ice on the glass. The vivid light of the Aurora Borealis was now constantly visiting them, and afforded most interesting sub- jects for their observation. The vinegar became frozen, the lemon juice, which had been carefully packed in bottles, froze, and the bottles burst. They *iad a few gallons of concentrated vinegar, which resisted the operation of the frost, at least it only assumed the consistency of lard. One half the winter passed away and they approached the new year, without having exi)erienced the tedium which such a lengthened period of darkness might have been ex- 1 THB NORTH POLE. 31) jjectcd to produce, an- i THE NOKTM I'ULK. 41 An acc'ulcnt of a most serious nature took place on the 24tli of February. The house erected on shore for the re- ception of the clocks and instruments, by some accident took fire. Tin; crew at the time were on deck taking their usual exercise, so that a most ready attention was paid, and for- tunately it was soon got under ; but the effort was accom- panied with distrossini^ circumstances of frost-bite to seve- ral of the crew. Almost every nose and cheek, manifested by their deadly whiteness, (while they were engaged in put- ting out (he (lames) the state in which they were, and the medical gentlemen, with assistants, were employed rubbing the parts with snow, so that no less than sixteen men were added to the sick list, in consequence of this accident, and with the loss of some of their fingers. On the loth of March, they concluded their theatrical per- formances with the Citizen, and the Mayor of Garratt. The theatre was now dismantled, and the enclosures removed to afford light to the officers cabins. Their solicitude to proceed on the purposes of their voy- age was now considerable. They had advanced to the mid- dle of April ; the sin was seventeen hours out of the twenty- four above the horizon, yet still the cold was extremely se- vere, and a cloudy sky, and a white surface, both on land and sea, chilled every prospect. The health of the ships companies however daily improved as the season advanced, and all appeared in a convalescent state. The temperature of the air, by the end of April, became so much more mild, that the thermometer stood at tbe freez- ing point, and some of the crew seemed disposed to forego the use of some of their clothing, but were prevented by their superior officers. Their clothing, which had hitherto been washed and dried below deck by means of the stoves, was now exposed for this purpose to the open air. Under the apprehension that it might be needful, the provisions were reduced to two-thirds the usual allowance, which was sub- mitted to by both officers and men without a murmur. P. V. 2. G 42 PARRY S VOYAGE TO Mf: fi ■ I In the middle of May, the crew proceeded to cut the ice from the sides of the ships. This was a cold and tedious per-' formance, and occupied their attention for nine days. To- wards the end of this month, they had a smart shower of rain, yet except in tliis instance, but little appearance of a thaw was mani est, and they were now approaching very near to the time of the i^'un's longest continuance among them. The Commander ha^*zr digging about two feet into the ice wiihout obtaining an opening, they resolved to return to the party, and procure more assistance. They returned therefore to their companions, and the ne^t morning pro- ceeded with the whole party, and renewed their attempt to •■ '.-l TllK NORTH POLK. 43 dig througli the ice. After several hours labour the peo- ple at length came to water, having dug into the ice to the depth of nearly fifteen feet. The wat*^- rose to nearly within a foot and a haif of the surface, and on tasting it it was manifestly the sea water. They met with a few ducks in this neighbourhood, and killed one. At this place they erected a monument of stones, twelve feet broad ; the base, and placed under it a tin case containiog an account of the party. Having proceeded to the northern extremity of Melville Island, they continued their journey in a different direction. About seven in the morning they halted, and were preparing for repose, when it was discovered that a knapsack be- longing to Mr. ReiU had fallen offthe cart in their journey . He set out to look for it, but did not return till eleven o'clock, when he appeared so severely affected by snow-blindness, as to be scarcely able to see his way, so great was the glare of the snow, when the sun shone most powerful upon it. On the 11th of June, they met with so rough a road, formed of large blocks of sandstone of all sizes, as occa- sioned the axle-tree of 'he cart in which they had carried their baggage to break. As it was now become useless, they pitched their tents, made a fire of the wood, and having shot a few ptarmigans, made a sumptuous meal com- pared with their usuni fare. Hi'hertothey had lived mostly on preserved meats, which in general they found hard fro- zen, when taken out of their canisters. It became necessary, in consequence of the breaking of the cart, that the baggage should be carried on the people's shoulders. It was accordingly distributed in regular pro- portions, the weight of the ofHcers knapsacks being a few pounds lighter than those of the men. Having proceeded in a -outherly direction, for several miles, over ice, they began to suspect that they were cros- sing a gulph of the seu ; and Capt. Pariy, desirous of satis- fying himself, was proceeding to dig through the ice, (; 2 «w -i U \" 44 PARRY'S VOYAGE TO whe" one of the seamen, going to a pool of water on tlie floe, that he might drink, stated that the water was suit, and thus satisfied his wishes without farther trouble. Alter this he ascended an eminence and obtained a distinct view of the entrance into it, and ramed it Liddon's Gulph, after the name of the commanding officer of the Griper. As the party were now drawing near Winter Harbour, they resolved to enjoy a day's sporting. They accordingly -went out in parties early in the morning, and soon saw a musk ox feeding ^in an excellent ])asture, and where from its appearance, many more of its kind, as well as deer, had been lately feeding. On firing at iiim, the distance was so great that the shot either missed him, or did not penetrate. He set off however at a rapid rate over the hills, and they saw him no more. They found a small herd of deer, some brer.t.geese, and ptarmigans, but did not profit much from their (xcursion. They discovered the remains of some £s- quimp.ux huts. The moss was spread over the floors, and appeared to be the growth of three or four years. As they drew near tlie ships, they were met by almost every officer ant\ seaman of the ships, who most heartily welcomed their return, and expressed their peculiar joy to perceive, as they said, that every one of the party appeared to look in better health than when they set out on their departure just a fort- night preceding. During the absence of the party in the preceding excur- sion. Lieutenant Liddon and the officer left in command of the Hecla, had been diligently occupied in making pre- parations for the departure of the ships, as soon as the wea- ther should permit. A great quantity of ballast had been taken into each ship, to supply the deficiences which had been occasioned by the consumption of coals, during the time they had been frozen into (heir present situation. A survey bad been made of the various stores and provi- sions, and excepting the lemon-juice and vinegar noticed before, all was found to be satisfactory. Indeed almost the i I, ' k. < THE NORTH POLE. 45 whole uppeaied to be in as excellent a state of preservation, as when taken on board at the time of tbeir sailing from Eng- land. The snow continued to melt \ery fast, and a great change was manifest in the ice ; it being covered with re- servoirs or basons of water, as the thaw proceeded. Flocks of ducks and geese, as well as deer and other birds, and animals, now continually made their appearance ; and (Japt. Parry being desirous to procure as large a sup- ply as possible for both ships, fror. which these creatures kept at a considerable distance, directed a party from each ship to go out to the distance of several miles, and to re- main there for a few days in order that they might have the better opportunity of success. Accordingly they set out, headed by Lieutenants Beechy nd lloppner, taking tents, blankets, fuel, and the regular allowance of provisions to each man. By tliis means they obtained a seasonable sup- ply of provisions, and the change of diet was highly gratify- ing to every man on board after having lived on such provi- sion i as the ship afforded for so many months. The face of the country also presented a general state of vegetation. Sorrel was gathered in considerable quantities, some of the men being regularly sent out to pick it. 7. he leaves were served out to the messes both of officers and men, and eaten as sallads or bulled as greens, ur made into puddings. So abundantly were the ships thus supplied, that their beneficial effei - 'ined ; but it appeared af- terwards that the great obstacle to his recovery, and which could not but counteract all systematic efforts, was an un> fortunate propensity to liquor, which he gratified by illicit bartering with others of the crew. This event, in a voyage undertaken and pursued under circumstances so different from all former voyages, in whnt had been considered an uninhabitable climate during the winter months, exposed to such a variety of circumstances tending to cause disease and death, can be considered only as remarkable, that it should stand alone, and be the only instance of the fatal power of disease among the crew. On the following Sun- day, after divino service had been perfo. u.jd, the body of the deceased was deposited in a grave made for its recc^>- tion a short distance from the beach. The ensigns and pendants were lowered half mast during the procession to the grave, which consisted of the whole crew, both officers and men, The whole was solemn and impressive, and con- ducted with great decorum. A tomb stone was placed at the head of the grave, with an inscription stating the cir- cumstance. In the beginning of July an herd of deer being observed, a party were dip'^^'tclied in pursuit of them ; but the open- ness of the country, giving the people no opportunity of approaching ihem unperceived, the whole of them escaped. The thaw was now become very Ea])id. Currents of water were pouring down the hills from the melting of the snow. Pools of water were every where forming on the ice from the thaw. Much rain also fell, which increased the number and depths of til" holes in the ice, which now approached to that state of rottenness as to make it dangerous to walk across the pools. Boats were able t'.» pass by means of these pools from ship to ship anil also from the ships to the laud. All the preparutious ncccbsui y for their departure THE NORTH POLE. 47 were now completed. The thermometer now generally stood at from 55 to 00° and the most pleasant sensations were excited in all at the comfortable alteration of the tempera- ture of the weather. The enjoyments of a pleasant walk, a plentiful supply of good living from the hunting parties, and the abundance of sorrel supplied now for every meal, presented such a scene of enjoyment as was most cheering so far as regarded all their temporal comfort ; but the month of July was so far advanced, that they began to be apprehensive there would be no time for active operations as to the main object of their enterprize, as winter would be soon again setting in, for the great body of ice bad not yet broken up so us to make sea room for the ships. About the 20th, during a strong breeze, the ice round the ships separated so as to leave them completely free ; no appearance however presented itself of any disruption or opening of the ice out at sea, so as to afford a prospect of their escaping from ^leir present situation. Some few hummocks of ice were pressed up round the beach, and the moving of these bodies as the wind or tide varied, put the ships sometimes into considerable peril. A large portion of the ice was detached on the 30th from the main body so as to leave a greater extent of clear water round the ships and the whole body of ice in the harbour appeared to be moving, but the mouth of the harbour remained as yet one body of ice. During the nights the cold now was manifest and the pools of water which were on the ice became on these occasions slightly frozen over. The following day the wind blowing fresh, and every appearance, by the driving of the ice, indicating that they would find an opening, Capt. Parry directed every thing that remained on shore to be embarked and prepared for sailing. On the first of August the ships weighed, and the ice moving, they sailed out of Winter Harbour, after having been frozen in upwards of ten months, having passed part of the September of the . ./ 48 parry's voyage to k s year 1S19 and quitting it in the montli of August in the year 1820. As the season of the year was so far advanced, they could not but feei anxious to make the best use of the little soimner which remained for the purpose of pursuing further dis' vertes. The heavy masses of ice which every where presented themselves and the smnll appearances of open sea were very discouraging ; but Capt. Parry resolved to use every effort in pushing to the westward. It required every exertion and tlie most quick judgment and decision to avoid being crushed by the large (Iv^es and hummocks of ice which were passing or repassing as the wind or tide changed. The Griper on different days was lifted two feet out of the water. Capt. Parry took repeated observations on the high land, as he sailed to the westward round Melville Island, but could discover no clear way for the ships to move. Tho Hecla was often obliged to unship her ruJder and to use prompt efforts to avoid the masses of ice, and was notwith- standing nipped or severely pressed in more than one in- stance. The Griper was twisted so as to make her crack a great deal. So truly alarming were the circumstances, that Lieutenant Liddon landed ail the journals and documents of importance, and made every arrau jement for saving the stares and provisions, as he now began to be apprehen- sive of shipwreck. Capt. Parry at this time also felt almost equally apprtSensive for the fate of the Hecla, as she was so closely surroUkHled by loose ice, that a slight pressure of so weighty a body towards the shore would have produced most distressing consequences. In the night, the ice gave the Hecla a heel of eighteen inches towards the shore, but it did not appear to do her any material injury. They were at length relieved from farther apprehensions at this time by the ice gradually receding from the shore, in consequence of a fresh breeze springing up. On the 16th, it being a fine day, Capt. Parry with some i I |2 C to 1/2 c a •A i THE NORTH POLE. 48 of the officers landed, and made an excursion to the west' ward, alon^ the hii^h part of the laud next the sea, with a view to ascertain the possibility of finding a passage that way. Tliey found a channel of opea water between the land and the ice, extending as far as a headland, to which they gave the name of Cape TJundas; but beyond this, to the westward, all appeared one solid body of ice. Cap- tain Parry, therefore, determined to attempt no longer sailing in this direction, but to make trial of a more south- ern latitude, in which he flattered himself his eflforts would be attended with success. Cape Dundts, which was the most westernmost point of the Polar Sea, which they made, is in latitude 74° 2', and in longitude 113° 57'. The length of Melville Island, which for so many months had been the scene of their residence, was about one hundred and thirty- five miles, and its bn^adth from forty to fifty miles. On the return of the party to the ships, they made sail to the eastward. A vigilant watch was directed to be made for any opening which might present itself. After sailing a few. miles, the Hecla was secured for the night in a kind of harbour formed by large masses uf ice, which, while it afforded the best security to be obtaii 1, was not a little terrific in its r4ppearance, as on the opj site side masses of ice were accumulated which leaned so much towards the ship, as to give the idea that they might fall upon it. The Griper viras made fast near the beach, in a more open situation, and her rudder unshipped, in case she should be assailed by the ice. In efforts try proceed, amidst all the difficulties which theso frozen seis presented, the succeed- ing days were spent. The laige floes of ice whi^h were sailing about, often drew more water tlian the ships, and they received some severe shocks from them. The new ice which formed every night, the situation in which the ships were placed, the shortness of the remaining part of the season, and the extent of their resources in provisions and necessary articles, req ^red now the most serious con- P. V. 3. H #. H 50 I'AIIRY « VOYAGE TO sideration, in referenco to the accomplishment of the pur- poses of the voyage, and the health and safety of the people. In a fortnight they would arrive at that period when it was considered no efforts to navigate the Polar Sea was practicable. — The distance to Icy Cape was eight or nine hundred miles, and all their efforts this season had not taken them the distance of one hundred miles in the de- sired direction. Indeed, they had experienced such a series of difliculties and delays, and the ships had been in such repeated states of danger, that Captain Parry consi- dered himself, under all circumstances, no longer justified in his attempt to proceed in discovery. The ships were siill in good condition — the health of the whole crew was as good, or nearly so, as when they quitted England; — but the loss of the lemon juice, whicli was con- sidered as so powerful an antiscorbutic; the inconvenience of crowding so many persons within the narrow limits which the ships afforded, which prevented the keeping the ships in a dry and healthy state; these, with other reasons, induced Captain Parry to submit a specific question to the officers, calling upon them to take into consideration all the circumstances, and after well reflecting on the whole, to give him their opinion, as to the propriety of pursuing further the specific object of their voyage. After due consideration, the officers gave in their opinion to Captain Parry, in which they unanimously agreed with him as to the futility of any further attempts at exploring the sea to the westward ; and agreeing in opinion also with him that it would be better to run to the eastward, and endea- vour to find an opening which might lead towards the American continent ; and that after a reasonable time fail- ing to find such passage, it would be more expedient to return to England, than to risk the passing another winter in these seas, from whence it did not appear Ihat they would derive any peculiar advanti)s»'e, as to starting early at the commencement of the ensuimj season. THE NORTH I'OLK. 61 Oh the ii7tli of August they passed the east end of Mel- ville Island. The naviijabic clianuel now increased as they sailed to the eastward, so that it became not less than ten miles wide. A coiu.lant look-out was had iVoui the crow's-nest ibr an u|>ening to the southward, but without any success. During a thick fog they kept the ships as close to the ice as possible, that they might not miss any opening to the southward. In the evening of this day they were near to the same spot as they had been on the same day of the preceding year ; and to add to the peculiarity of the circumstance, were reduced to the same necessity of steering the ships by each other, the Griper keeping the llecla ahead, and the Ilecla keeping the Griper directly astern, having no better means of knowing in what direc- tion (he ships were sailing. The ships having traced the ice, with a view to discover an opening to the southward, from the longitude of 114° to that of 90°, without effect. Captain Parry felt it to be his duty to return to England. In consequence of this reso- lution, by which there was no necessity to make such a reserve of provisions or fuel, as would have been the case, had they proceeded in an attempt at further discovery, they were put upon full allowance of food, and such an issue of coals as might contribute to their comfort. For near eleven months they had been on an allowance of two- thirds of bread and other provisions, and only a partial supply of coals ; and this during a severity of weather that particularly needed every comfort, both of nourishment and warmth ; an order to the effect above alluded to, could not therefore hut be received with the most heart-cheering satisfaction. On the 30th of August, having a westerly breeze, the ships advanced through the strait, with a view to run out of Lancaster Sound, it being the determination of Captain Parry, in his return, to make a general survey of the western coast of Baffin's Bay, conceiving that it might be h2 ^ PARttY's VOVAOE TO i an important advantage to Whalers on this station. It might also be possible to find some outlet into the Polar Sea in a lower latitude than that of Sir James Lancaster'^ Sound, a circumstance which would be of infinite im- portance in any further attempts at the discovery of the north-west passage. On the 3d of September, being in latitude 71^ 24', they passed some of the highest icebergs they had ever seen, one of them being nearly two hundred feet above the sea. Landing ii the beach at a plucii named Pond*s Bay, they found sev. ral ponds of water, ind Mr. Iloppner saw two large flocks of geese. They met also with the tracks of deer, hears, wolves, and foxes. Upon the beach they found part of the bone of a whale, which had been cut at one end ; they also funnel a quanlii.y of chips lying about it, by which it was raunifesst that these parts had heen visited recently by some of the Esquimaux ; indeed, Captain Parry surmised that some of these people were resident in the vicinity, but his time did not admit of his seeking to find them. The latitude was 71° 15'. On the 4th of September they were moi^t agreeably sur- prised with seeing; from the mast head, a ship, and soon afterwards two others. They soon percei 'ed that they were whalers ; but they lost sight of them duraig the en- suing night. — They came in sight of these and other whalers again on the 5th, and learned from Mr. Wi'liamson, the master of the ship Lee, of Hull, of the death of King George the Third, and also of the Duke of jKent. — Mr. Williamson also told them he had met with some Esqui- maux in the inlet called the river Clyde, when he was in these seas in the year 1818 ; and Captain Parry being de- sirous to have some communication with them, and also to examine the inlet more minutely, made up a packet of dis- patches and letters, and sent on board the Lee, and then made sail for the inlet, and made for that part where they were directed to look for the Esquimaux hufs. Night came en- ilers the king -Mr. [qui- U in ile- i<) to dis- Ithen Ithey If iv .X ^ ^ ^^ THE NORTH POLK. 53 on, however, before they could discover them, and the weather the next day hein^ very thick with snow, did not permit their standing in for the land. Here they found theiuselvcs near an immense iceberg, which they recognised to be the same, from its shape and dimensions, as they had met with in September 1818, and measured upwards of two miles in length. It was aground in the very same spot ns when then noticed. In the evening, being near one of the islands situated in this inlet, they saw some canoes paddling towards thu ships. They came along side with the greatest confi- dence, and made signs to have their canoes taken on board, and then came up the ships side without manifesting any apprehension. — The party consisted of four persons, an old man of about sixty, and three young men. They manifested their astonishment and delight by much noise, and a variety of gestures, if a present was made to either of them, or any thing they saw excited particular attention, their satisfaction was expressed by a bawling noise, until they became almast hoarse, and at the same time jumping antain Parry says, " Nothing can exceed the bold and enterprising spirit displayed by our fishermen in the capture of the whale. At whatever time of night or day, a whale is announced by the look-out man in the crow's nest, the men instantly jump into the boats, frequently with their clothes in their hands, and with an alacrity scarcely equalled even in the most highly disciplined fleet, push on in pursuit of the whale, regardless of cold, and wet, and hunger, fur hours, and sometimes for days together. Nor is it solely on occasions where their immediate interest is concerned, that this activity is displayed by them. It hap- pened, on the voyage of 1818, that in endeavouring to pass between the land and a body of ice, which was rapidly clos- ing the shore, the Alexander, then under nay command, |w i. THE NORTH PUkC. 61 touclied (lie ground Just a>^ the critical moment when it was iiL>ness;u'y (o push throui^h the narrow and uncertain pas- sage. It being nearly calm, tlie boats were sent a-head to tow, but the little way which they could give the ship, was not sufficient to have rescued us in time from approaching danger, and nothing less than the wreck of the ship was every moment to be expected. Several sail of whalers were foUowin^jf astern ; but seeing the dangerous situation in which the Alexander was placed, and the impossibility of getting through themselves, they instantly put about into the clear water which we had just left, and before we bad time to ask for assistance, no less than fourteen boats, many of them with the masters of the ships themselves attending in them, placed themselves promptly a-head of the Alexan- der, and by dint of the greatest exertion towed her off into clear water, at the rate of three or four miles an hour, not one minute too soon to prevent the catastrophe we had an- ticipated." Captain Parry continues his observations on the eligibi- lity of Baffin's Bay as a point where the whale fishery may be pursued with great success, and suggests the proper time in his view for coromr ncing the fishery season. On passing Cape Farewell, they met with a heavy gale of wind on the first and second of October. On the latter day a heavy sea struck the Hecia on the larboard quarter, which rendered it necessary to j)ress her forward under more can- vass. By this circumstance she lost sight of the Griper, and did not met with her again till they arrived in England. They had in their passage across the Atlantic, the most vivid appearances of the Aurora Borealis, exhibiting a bright- ness equal to that of the moon. On the 16th, the sea running high and the ship pitching violently, the bowsprit was carried away, and the foremast and maintopmast very quickly followed. The main mast at one time appeared in great danger ; but by the activity of the officers and men it was saved. They got up jury- I li nil fli parry's voyage. masts with all possible dispatch, and proceeded on their way. Captain Parry had appointed Lieutenaht Liddon in case of separation, to meet at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, aud to remain a week for his arrival, but on the 28th, tho wind being fresh from the northward, he resolved to pro- ceed to Leith. On the dOth, Captain Parry landed at Pe- terhead, and accompanied by Captain Sabine set out for London, where they arrived on the morning of the third of November 1820. Such were the excellent methods pursued in this voyage, with reference to the health aud comfort of the whole crew, that the Captain had the happiness of seeing every officer and man of both ships, consisting of ninety-four persons, with the exception of one only, return to their native country as well in health as on quitting England eighteen months preceding. In concluding the history of this voyage, it cannot but be remarked, that the perseverance and steadiness of pur- pose manifested by Captain Parry, are deserving the high- est praise, ^ '\ that all that human effort could accomplish was effecteu ay him. His second Voyage presents a va- riety of new incidents, which will be highly gratifying to every reader. . ■ i ^ x: ^ ^ ■i s V ^ .^ Xi >^ Ni ■• qr^ r t, ' 1 ' i 1 ,ti ■«i«naKs« i » THB SECOND VOYAGE Of CAPTAIN PARRY. The information which was obtained by the first voyage, under the direction of Captain Parry, to discover a NW passage through the Arctic Sea into the Pacific, afforded sticii reasons to scientific and infornaed men that there cer- tainly was a way open in some direction, favourable to its ul- timate success, as induced the government, in the succeed- iuj; year, to fit out a new expedition for the very same pur- pose. The Hecla having been found so well fitted for the purpose, was again put into commission ; 9nd the Fury, a vessel of the same description and size of the Hecla, was also appointed to tliis service. Captain Parry was appointed to the command of the Expedition, and received his com- mission for his Majesty's ship Fury, of three hundred and seventy-seven tons burthen, on the thirtieth of December 1820. The Hecla was re-commisioned by Captain George Francis Lyon, on the fourth of January following. The ofiicers who had accompanied Captain Parry in hi^ former expedition, who were desirous of entering on this service, had the preference given to them, and such of the crews as went on the former voyage, were preferred, so far as they were considered fit for the service. The Reverend George Fisher was appointed astroaonafir, at the recom- ii I liflH^ .4 A 1 1 I^B J^^H 1 !■■ ! 1! I' ei PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE I' iDendatioii of Uio Prosident and Council of the Royal Soci- ety, and who also was to net as chaplain to the expedition. The ships were strengthened by every means wliich could be devised, to enable them tu sustain the rougli seas they were expected to encounter. The ships being of eijual size, the foremasts and main masts, as well as other timbers of each ship, were exactly the same in size, so as (o readily fit either vess<>! in cnse repairs tihould be required or any accident take place. It had on former occasions been the usual custom to fit out one of the vessels of lesser burthen, that she might be able to go into shoaler water in circum- stances of necessity ; but Captain Parry remarks that all such purposes are much better answered by boats, which can be equipped and dispatri>''d on such emergencies ii) a few minutes, > that he gives a decided preference to V;ie mode adopted on the present occasion. The voyagf^ uow about to be described gave evidence of the great utility of this regulation in the article of anchors; indeed it increased their resources in this respect by the possibility of every ar- ticle being rendered useful. A thick lining of cork was applied round the ships sides and on the under part of the upper decks, fore and aft. Shutters of cork were also made for every window or other place, so as to surround those parts of the ships .which were occupied by the people and to retain the Mrarmth ex- cited by the (ires. A method was also adopted to convey a current of warm air iuto the several apartments by meaDs of flues. A vesse?; or rcuervoir was also contrived;, so that the smoke which arose from the galley-fire, and which was principally used for cooking, should so paus round the vessel as to melt tiiie snow which might be thrown into it from the 'i])per deck, and thus supply a quantity of water for the use of the sh'p. It was found fully to answer all the needfurcousurap- tion. Hftiumocks were also placed for the men, and cots for TO rHK NuriTH PULK. 00 the officers, so as to afford a iree circulation of warm uir. Every tliinj^ relative to victiialUiiy; tlie ships, whitb the ex- perience Ok the former voyai;o sui^ijested inijjht be im- proved, was ul.-io adopted. Preserved meat in tin cases to tiie amount of two |)ounds a week, and a - vided, so as to form an abundant su]>ply for three ycari co'isumj)tion. To assist them to carry such an abunda.:t supply of stores, the Nautilus transport was directed by the Commis- sioners of the Navy Board, to take part of their ladinp; as far as the margin of the ice ; some extra stores were also put into the transport, among which were twenty live bul- locks. The foliowiniif oflicial instructions were issued by the Lords of the \dmiraUy to Captain Parry. fii/ ihe, Commis.sioiu'fs for cxccufincf the Office of Lord Hifili Af'mtral of ihe Liiited KiiKjdom of Grcol Ih-ita/u mid Ireland, ^c. ^•c. Loni) Viscount Mehilie havinj;^ communii'ited to the Kintj -he procee purpose of renewinif the aUeiiipt to discover a j)ajsuge hy sea In twevn the Atlantic and Pucillc Oceans, and ol Ubccrtaininij the g-eoi5r.;p!iy of tho Xorth- r. V. 3. K :"j W r,iUJ a Bjri; i ' i M i Kr..r rrrr!*»*aBMW 66 t'AUKY» SUCUNU VOYAGE ern boundaries of tlio Americuii Continent, we have thought proper to appoint you to the coinmund of the Expedition ; and you are lierehy requircti and directed to put to sea in His ]\Iajesty's slii[) Fury under your command, together with His Majesty's ship Hecla, whose commander has been pU»eed under your orders, and taking also with you the Nautilus Transport, whieh we have directed the Navy Board to place at your disposal, (for the purpose of carry- ing a proportion of your provisions and stores across the Atlantic and Davis' Strait,) you are to proceed as quickly as may be consistent with every precaution to avnic' any risk of your parting company from either the one ship or the other, towards, or into, Hudson's Strait, until you shall meet witli the ice, when you are to take the first fa- vourable op|)ortunity of clearing the Nautilus Transport of the provisions and stores she is charged with for the Fnry and Hecla ; and having so done, you are to send the said transport back to England, so as to prevent her incurrin"- any risk of receiving injury amongst the ice, reporting by that opportunity your proceedings to our Secretary for our information. After having so cleared and dispatched the Transport, you are, with the two sliips of His IMajesty under your or- ders, to penetrate to the westward through Hiidsor.'-i Strait, until you reach, either in llepjilse Bay or on other part of the shores of Hudson's Bay, to the north of Wager Biver, some part of the coast which you may feel cou- viuced to be a portion of the ConHnant of America. You are then to keep along the line of this coast to the northward, always examining every bend or inlet whieh may appear to you likely to allbrd a practicable passage to the westward, in which direction it is the j)rincipal oltjcct of your voyage to endeavour to find your way from the Atlantic into tlie Pacific Ocean. In the event of your having cMjsiuned ilie open weather TO Till', norhi poi.u. 67 •icii. tli'i liicli re to [j.-ct (lie Ither in the exatniimtioii of tlie nortlierii boundaries of Hudson's or Cumberland's Straits, and of your havinj^, at the clos^i of the season, roturi.ed into Davis' Strait or BaiVin's Bay; or if you should have math; no considerable prot^ress to the ui'stward or nortliward in any inlet you may have found, it will be for you to consider, under all the circum- stances of the case, whether it may not be expedient that you should return to England to replenish, refit, and re- fresh, rather than winter on a j)art of the coast which you might reach again next season as early as would be neces- ary for prosecuting your further inquiries. The judgment which you have shewn in the conduct of the late Expedi- tion, and the experience which you have acquired, induce us to trust this point to your own discretion, on a view of all the diilerent circumstances which may exist at the time when your determination is to be formed. Should you be so successful as to find a practicable pas- sage from the one sea to the other, you are to make the best of your w ay in accomplishing that object, without stopping to examine the north coast of America, or for any other object not of imperious importance ; but when the ships arc checked in their progress by ice, or other unavoidable cir- cumstances, you will take every opportunity of examining the coasts you may be near, and making all useful observa- tions relating thereto. Should you hai)pily reach the Pacific, you are to proceed to Kauischatka, (if you think you can do so without risk of being shut up by the ice on that coast,) for the purpose of delivering to the flussian (iovernor duplicates of the jour- nals and other dncumeiits which tne passage may have sup- plied, with a recpiest that they may be forwarded over land to St. Petersburgh, to be conveyed from thence to London. From Kamsthatka you will proceed to the Sandwich Islands or Canton, or such other place as you may think proper, to refit the ships and refresh the crews; and if during your stay at such place a safe opportunity should k2 'Ml 4A- MmMMig i ' j- i ."'jwjj i j«m>M '. T-7: 08 PAURY g SnCO^D VOYAOK occur of seiuliii"^ j)a|»ers to Englnntl, you shotjhl semi (Itiplicatos by sucli conveyance. Ai.d after liaviniy refitted and refreshed, you ai to lose no time in returning to England by sucU route as you may deem most convenient. It may happen that your progress along the nortli coast of the American Continent may be so slow as to render it desirable that, if you should not bci'able to accomplish your passage into the Pacific earlier than the autumn of 1824, you should be assured of finding a depot of provisions at that period in the most advanced situation to which they can safely be conveyed. In the event then of our not re- ceiving from you such intelligence as may render the measure unnecessary, we shall, about the close of the year }S'23j direct the Commander-in-chief on the South Ame- rican staticm to dispatch a vessel with a supply of provi- sions and store'j, so as to be ot Behring's Strait about August or September, 1821. The commander of this ves- sel will be directed to make the best of his way round Cape Prince of Wales, where ho may expect, as we are in- formed, to find an inlet in latitude 68° 30', lit which Cap- t,\in Kolzebue is stated to have found anchorage a few years since. He will bo diiTctcd to lie in that anchorage, or in the nearest gorid niu-horage he may find to that 'ati- tude ; and lie will be ordered lo erect, in the most prouii- nent aii'l visible situntion, a lla^stail for your direction. As it is possible that yoii may touch at the Sandwich Islands, this Ollicer will bo directed lo call at Owhybee, in order that if you slinuld havt; passed (o the southward) he may not l)e put to the inc(»nvenicnce of going on to Cape Prince of Wales. Whenever the season shall he so far advanced as to maka it unsafe to navigate the ships, on account of the long nights having set in, and the sea being impassabU, on nc- CMint of ice, you are, if you should not return to Eny'.Mid, to use your best endpixvours to tliscover a slultered and safe hi^rbour, where the ships may be placed in s« . iirity lor the ro mC NOIMH POl.B. m winter, tttkina^ such incnsuivs for the healtli and citinfoft of I I .1 th pi' 01)1 e under y ou r coiiuHand, as the mutcrials with which you are suppiieil for housing- iu the ships, or hutting the men on shore, may enable you to do. And when you find it expedient to resort to this measure, if you slinuld meet with any inhabitants, either E^((ui^luux or Intiians, near the i)lace where you winter, you arc to endeavour, by every means in your power, to cultivate a friendship with them, by inakinj^ them prfsimts of such articles as you may be suj)plied with, and which may be usel'ul or as^reeable to ihem. You will, however, take care not to suiVor yourself to be surprised by them, but ust; every ))recaution, and be I'onstantly on your s^uard aj^ainst any hostility. You will endeavour to prevail on them by such reward, and to be paid In such manner as you may think best to an- swer the purpose, to carry to any ot' the settlements of the Hudson's IJay or Norlh-\A'est t'ompanies, an account of your situation and proceedini^s, with an ur<;'ent request that it may be i'orwarded to Eng'land with the utmost possible dis])atch. AVv tieem it rii>ht to caution \(m against suflfering' the two Vessels placed under your oiders to separate, except in i\'\v. event of acciilent or unavoitlable necessity ; and we •lesire you to keej) up the mt>st unreserved communica- tions with the Commandi r ol the Hecla, placing in him every pro])er confulence, aiul acquainting him with the ge- nera! tt-nor of your orders, and with your views and inten- tions, from time to time, iu the execution of them ; that the service Jiiay have the full benefit of your united eHVtrts in ttie prosecution of such a service, and tbut, in the event o4 unavoidabli; separation, or of any accitient to yourself, Ca|>lain Lyon may have the advautagi- of knowing, up to the latest practicable period, all your ideas arxl intentions relative to a safisiai-toi y completion of the undenaking. We . Iso recommend that as frequent an excha'igo take pUcc i:* ccuiveuientK imv be, of the observations made in «W»" " " ^ m iitri r - * 70 i'AltUYS bKCONI) ^OYAOE tlie two sliips ; that any siiciitifiu iliscuvery iiuulc hy the one be ns (|uic-kly an possible communicated (or the ad- vantage and guidance of tlic other, in making tlieir future observations, and t) increase the chance ol' the observations of both being preserved. We have caus^nl a great vuiiety of valuable instruments to be put on board the sliips under your orders, of which you will be furnished with n list, and for the return t)i' which you will be held respon.-;ible ; and we have also, at the recommendation of the President and Council of the Royal Society, ordered to be received on hoard the Fury the Rev, Mr. I'isher, who is represented to us as a gcnth;- man well skilled in Astronomy, Mathematics, and various branches of knowledge, to assist you in iraking such ob- servations as may tend to the improvement of Geogra])liy and Navigation, and the advancement of science in general. Amongst other subjects of scientific inquiry, you will ])articularly direct your attention to the variation and in- clination of the magnetic needle, and the intensity of the magnetic force ; you will endeavour to ascertain how fur tlje needle may be alVectcd by the atmospherical electricity, and what eit'ect may be produced on the eleclrometic and magnetic needles on the apjiearance of the Aurora Borealis. You will keep a correct register of the temperature of the air, and of the sea at the surface, and at difl'erent depths. You will cause frequent observations to be made for ascer- taining the refraction, and what eHect may be produced by observing an object, either celestial or terrestrial, over u field of ice, as compared with objects obst-rved over a sur- face of water ; together with such other nu'leorologieal remarks as you may have opportunities of making. \ mt nre also to attend particularly to the height, direction, and strength, of the tides, and to the set and velocity of the currents; the depth and rsoundings of the sea, and the na- luro of the bottom, lor whielt purpose you arc supplied viitli r lO THU NORIU I'OLK. 71 an iiisti uiiiont belter calculated to bniii; ii|) subsiances tha«i the lead usually einpioy'd lor tliis jjurposp. And yiu are to uiiderstand, that ultliou^h the fiiKling a l»a'>*>ui»e from the Atluiitic to liie Pacific is the main object of this Exjiedition, and that the aacertuinini; the Northern boundary of the American Continent is the next, yet thnt the diit'erenl observations you may be enabled to make, with regard to the mas^nt tic itiiluence, as well as such other ob- servations »s you may have opportunities of makini^ iu Na- tural History, C«coi|;raphy, &.c. in parts of the globe so little known, must prove most valuable and interesting to science ; and we therefore desire you to give your unremit- ting attention, and to call that of all the OHicers under your coinmanlr. Hushnan, Assistant Surveyor. \ou are to make use o[ all the means iu your power to colh'ct and preserve sucii sj)eeiinens of the AniiJiai, .Minc;- lul, and \ eg(>table Kin!;doms, as you can conveniently htiiw OH board the ships ; salting in casks the skins of tho ^^ *t. Ti PAHHV'si 81'CONb VOYAOG larger aniinalii, uh well a^ oaiisin<^ accurate drawing's tu be made to accompany and elucidate the ilescriptions of tliem ; in this, UH well as in every other part of your scientiiic duty, we trust that you will receive material asiiiistinu'e trorn Mr. Fisher, and the other Oflicers under your com- innnd. in the event of any irreparable accident hiippenini;' to either of the two ships, you are to cause the OtllicerH and Crew of the disabled ship to be remove Grilliths and Rird J ' W. MosTfj, Clerk. Josepli Mackliii, Uuiiner. Joseph Lilley, Uotttswuia. Charles Parfer, Cai (leiiter. George File, (ireeiihiiid Master. I Alexumler KIder, Greenland 31i\te. With 42 other officers and tteainen. The two ships, with the Nautilus transport laden with provisions, left the Norc on the 8th of^Iay, and on the 14th of June encountered the first ice-heri; in the entrance of Davis's Strait ; and having here cleared the Nautilus of her provisions and dispatched her ho;newards, they made sail to the westward, and proct-tdcd up Hudson's Strait with as much speed as contrary winds, tides, currents, and Hoes of ice always in motion, would perujit ; the last of which usually, perhaps invariably, hamper all ships that attempt to pass through them previous to the month of Ani^ust ; so much more difficult is the navigation of this strait, than that of Davis or BatFui's Hay, which are open and navigable, with little or no risk, as early as the month of May. On the first of July they passed a whaler apparently Iiomeward bound and deeply laden. On the 14lh they •aw three ships belonging to the Hudson's Bay factories, c^»'rying settlers for the lied River. The wind blowing a gu. , the ice suddenly closed, and nearly carried the Hccla^s bowsprit away. Th<' Fury also received a severe pressure, making her timlx is crack, but being so strongly built and fortified for this service, the injury she sustained was not material. Captain Pari; on the succeeding day sent to re- quest a visit from the master of one of the ships in sight. Accordingly Mr. i^aviilsoii, tlu master of the Prince of Wales, went on board the Fury. He said that they had on board uuc hundred and sixty settlers for the Ued River. ii w IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ui Hi £ US H2.0 2.2 m 1.4 11 1.6 PhotograDhic Sciences Corpoistion 23 WeST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4903 m iV :\ .V \ ^\ ^\ ^^ c> "^ I . I II I. J Wil l* J I I I U iW . "•*■•• trntummtnim ■wSC 76 PARUY !i SECOND YOYACK 4 -<"> Tbey consisted uf males and females of differeut uges. IIh;- fore parting they sent letters on board for Eni>;land, to Ifieir different friends, and also dispatches to the Govenmient, ivith particulars of their passage hitherto. Thoy continued to proceed slowly to the westward until the 21st, when in latitude 61° 50' they fell in with several islands ; and the wind cimnging, they anchored to an ice- berg. They had not been long in this situation, before they observed a number of canoes putting ott'frotn the shore and making towards the ships. On approaching tlie ships, they hauled their canoes up on the ice, and without delay or ti- midity manifested a desire to trade. Tlie commodities they brought with them consistv°d of the skins of seals, bears, foxes, deer, &c. whalebone, spears, and blubber. It was soon manifest that they iiad been accustomed to trade in this way, and tiiat they were for procuring the best articles in their estimation fur the commodities they had to dispose of. Knives, nails and pieces of irou were offered them in return ; and the mancevures of the keenest trader were ma- nifested by them in driving their bargains ; and when they bad, in their own judgment, obtained a valuable return, they manifested their satisfaction in Jumping about and other uncouth modes. As had been observed of the Kscpiimaux in the River Clyde on the former voyage, they always licked >vith their tongues whatever articles they obtained, and then thoy appeared to consider the contract as biirling. This party of Esquimaux consisted of seventeen persons ; and they were quickly followed by another party consisting of several women and four men with skins, oil and blubber. These latter were so extremely tenacious of obtaining a high price from the people of the Fury, that only a j)art was pur- chased by them, and the Esquimaux thinking to . TO THB NORTH PttLK. 81 Lyon was absent, was rainy, or snowed, or wat foggy, so as to prevent his obtaining a satisfactory view of the coun- try, but his conclusion was the probability of the existence of a passage to the NE. Captain Lyon remained on board the Fury during the night, and arranged with Captain Parry the plan of their future operations. They concluded that there certainly was a communication between the Frozen Strait and a sea to the northward and eastward of it, and it was determined to use every effort to discover it. From the narrowness of the channel, the strength of the tides, and weight of the ice, there presented so many hazardous circumstances to their notice as induced them to resolve on finding some place of shelter for the ships, during the time necessary for examin- ing the passage. To seek for a secure situation therefore. Captain Lyon, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan, again pro- ceeded. At this time the Fury was placed in a most perilous situ- ation. The night being very foggy, and the tide driving the ship too close to Passage Island, Captain Parry or- dered her to be got under sail that he might act as circum- stances should require. A large space of open water was observed at not more than a quarter of a mile distant ; but notwithstanding every effort, the tide was driving the ship between the island and a small rock lying to the eastward. Every exertion to resist this appearing useless, and the tide driving at the rate of a mile and an half an hour, their efforts were directed to keep her in mid-channel. Had they grounded, with the heavy masses of ice driving around them, every probability was that the ship would be wrecked ; but fortunately the ship drove through without sustaining any injury. At day-light on the twenty-sixth, after a most anxious night, they found themselves about the middle of the Frozen Strait. The Ilecla, having narrowly escaped a similar situation, rejoined her consort in the morning. At eleven Captain Lyon proceeded to search for a place of safety P. V. 4. M ^l! 1h^«^ ^H^'flM* HHIr' imif: •>]. n til Y ^ VKnR\ a SECOND VOYAGE '^ ; iur the sliij>s, and returned at nine in the evenuig, stating that he had found a small hay, which >vas clear of ice, and which did not appear to be influenced by the tide, bat re- questing Captain Purry to give it his own personal examina- tion. Accordingly the next day Captain Parry and Mr. Busfa- uan proceeded to examine the situation. On arriving at it, it a])peared to be almost entirely filled with ice. Ascending a hill which was near, they observed another bay, and-fiud- iui^ good anchorage, returned to the ships, placing a flag on a mass of grounded ice near a shoal point at the entrance. The Fury getting under way, made all sail for the inlet. On passing the shoal on which tiie flag was fixed, the water suddenly shoaled to two and three quarter fathoms ; but car- rying a press of sail the ship heeled, and by that means did not touch the ground, and they anchored in safety. It ap- peared that a quantity of grounded ice had changed its po- sition, and thus placed them in great peril ; and to prevent danger to the Hecla, a boat was placed off the reef. Captains Parry and Lyon now set out in their boats to examine two different channels, with a view to ascertain through which to take the ships. Captain Parry proceeded to the northern shore, steering for the highest hills. They pitched their tents and covered with their blankets, lay un- til four o^cIock in the morning, when accompanied by Mr. Ross, they ascended a hill to look out for a passage for the sliips ; they found their view however circumscribed by another hill a few miles distant, and which rose considerably higher. They returned therefore to their tents to breakfast. Captain Parry now feeling himself unwell left the examination to Mr. Ross, who, with his party proceeded accordingly. On his return Mr. Ross stated that on ascending the hill, he found himself overlooking an extensive range of sea. That there appeared to be several islands, which were incum- bered with ice, and that the sea appeared to extend to the northward, the direction in which Captain Lyon wa« pro- ' iu TO THE NORTH POLE. u ceedin^ to examine. He met with numerous piles of stones, and other evidences of the place liaving been visited by the Esquimaux. The party fell in also with a herd of rein-deer, one of which they shot, but under the supposition that he was dead, the man who had shot him goinj^ to fetch a knife from one of his companions in order to skin him, the animal in the interim so far recovered as to make its escape. After resting at night, the party on the following morning took to their boats and steered for another island, and having erected a flag on a particular point as a direction for the ships, they returned on board. Captain Lyon and his party had during this proceeded up the northern channel. They saw the bottom all across. To the northward they had the view of a noble bay, in which were a few islands ; to the eastward was a large opening to the sea. The land on the eastern side of the strait was evi- dently an island, and was named Georgina Island. The ships had now to pass through a narrow strait or channel to which the name of Hurd^s Channel was given ; and for safety three boats were previously sent to take sound- ings. All things being ready on the thirtieth, and the pro- per time for sailing arrived, not a breath of wind was stirring, so that they were obliged to remain at anchor till the next ebb tide. Shortly after three in the afternoon, a light wind springing up, the Fury weighed, and was by the help of the boats, got into the set of the tide. The ice was driving at the rate of five miles an hour, when a sudden gust of wind came on and had nearly driven the ship on shore ; and the Fury was twice turned completely round. The Ilecla ia rounding a point was beset by the ice, in which situation she remained for two hours, but by the assistance of the boats was at length towed out into clear water. On the first of September the appearance of the ice was very unfavourable to their proceeding to the northward. To the north-east, and to the south-south-east, there ap- peared nothing but sea, and that entirely covered with ice. M 2 7Tf¥-'«rr i ■ % I- i. i ^^ 84 paiiry's second toyacb About noon, the Fury in endeavouring to sail through some new ice, was so beset as to require the assistance of the Hecla. Captain Lyon sent his boats with lines to be fas- tened to the Fury, and by the impulse thus imparted, toge- ther with the aid of the wind, the ship got through ; the lines however broke in the effort. The annals of navigation perhaps do not furnish an in- stance of difhculties to be grappled with, and dungers so frequent and long continued, as occurred from the first en- trance of the Frozen Strait till Anally getting out of it. Nor was this all; slow as their progress had hitherto been, they had the mortiBcation on the 2nd of September to find that they had drifted back to the same spot where they had been a full month before. This most disheartening circumstance, at this time when the navigable season was so far advanced, did not however abate their exertions. The month of September was employed in examining se- veral inlets to which they gave the names of Lyon's Inlet, Iloppner^s Inlet, Gore Bay, and Ross's Bay. A number of coves and creeks were also minutely examined to their respective terminations, so that an extent of newly disco- vered coast to the amount of more than two hundred leagues was explored. In almost every place on which they landed traces of the Esquimaux having been on the spot were evi- dent. In proceeding with the boats to examine the coast. Cap- tain Parry on one occasion, observed three persons on a hill looking at them ; and as the boats sailed on, these persons ran towards them, and called to them. The boats accor- dingly put in and the people landed and went to them. Con- trary to what had been experienced on former occasions, on approaching them they remained silent, and manifested no disposition to hold an intercourse. These people in their fi- gure and appearance were also different from their former acquaintance, not being so round visaged. There were two luen, and one boy of about ten years of age. Each had in TU TUV XORTH POLB. 85 bis hand a ienl-gkin case, containing a few arrows nnd a bow. An exchange was made witlithem for one of these cases, for which a knife was given. At first they appeared a little ter- rified, but a familiarity was soon established. The party expressing a desire to visit their habitations, the Esquimaux most readily led the way. The di&tance was about two miles, over very rough ground ; but nhese people tripped along with a nin^Meness which the English could not follow. As they drew near their dwellings, two women with childrea on their backs came out to meet them. Their tent or dwel- ling place was situated on a rising ground, commanding a view of the sea. Shortly after their arrival two children joined them. Only three persons occupied this tent, the habitations of the others being farther distant. These peo- ple were more cleanly than most of the Esquimaux they had formerly met with, boil> in their persons and in their ha- bitations. As soon as a familiarity was established they began to ask for iron, and they were invited to accompany the party to the boats, with an assurance that they should have some. Although previously they had manifested a propriety of be- haviour ; yet no sooner were they arrived at the boats, and each party in some measure engaged with the other in mak- ing them acquainted with the use of the oars, &c. but the women busily employed themselves in pilfering whatever they could secrete, and conveying the articles into their boots, which in the women are always remarkably large, and have openings at the sides capable of containing considerable bulk. They managed this with such dexterity that till Mr. Sherer wanted a cup which was required at supper, no sus- picion arose of what was taking place. Upon this being missed, a general search was made, and the boots of the fe- males emptied of their ill-got wealth, and the whole party were dismissed with proper marks of disapprobation of thtir conduct. ". , On the 1st of October, just as they completed the «xa- 'f' ■h) § 'A « I I * i! 86 PARRY t! SUCOND VOYAGB ininatioD of the several inlets of the continent, unequivocal syroptoms of winter setting in were but too apparent. The thermometer had for several days past permanently fallen below the freezing point, and sometimes as low as 20° at night; which change, together with tlie altered appearance of the land, and the rapid formation of young ice near the shores, gave pretty evident notice of the approach of win- ter. The commencement of this dreary season in these re- gions, may, indeed, he fairly dated from the time when the earth no lunger receives and radiates heat enough to melt the snow which falls upon it. When the laud is once covered with this substance, so little calculated to favour the absorption of heat, the frigoriiic process seems to be carried on with increased vigour, defining very clearly the change from summer to winter, with little or no interme- diate interval to which the name of autumn can be dis- tinctly assigned. On the 8th the thermometer stood at zero, and the sea was covered with young ice. The nature and effects of thin very teasing substance are thus described by Captain Parry. The formation of young ice<-upon the surface of the water is the circumstance which most decidedly begins to put a stop to the navigation of these seas, and warns the seaman that his season of active operations is nearly at an end. It is indeed scarcely possible to conceive the degree of hinder- ance occasioned by this impediment, trifling as it always appears before it is encountered. When the sheet has ac- quired a thickness of about half an inch, and is of consider- able extent, a ship is liable to be stopped by it, unless faroured by a strong and free wind ; and even when still retaining her way tlirough the water, at the rate of a mile an hour, her course is nut always under the controul of the helmsman, though assisted by the nicest attention to the action of the sails, but depends upon some accidental in- crease or decrease in the thickness of the sheet uf ice, with which one bow or the other comes in contact. Nor is It 1 1 TU THE NORTH PULB. 87 puhsible ill Ihis tiituatiuu for the boats to render their usual ussibtaiice, by running out lines, or otherwise; for having once entered the young ice, they can only be propelled slowly through it by digging the oars and boat-hooks into it, at the same time breaking it across the bows, and by rolling the boat from side to side. After continuing this la- borious work for some time, with little good effect, and considerable damage to the planks and oars, a boat is ofteD obliged to return the same way that she came, backing out in the canal thus formed to no purpose. A ship in this helpless state, her sails in vaiu expanded to a favourable breeze, her ordinary resources failing, and suddenly arrested in her course upon the element through which she has been accustomed to move without restraiiit, has often reminded me of Gulliver tied down by the feeble hands of Lilliputians ; uor are the struggles she makes to effect a release, and tlie apparent insignificance of the means by which her efforts are opposed, the least just or the least vexatious part of the resemblance. All these circumstances pointed out the exp.^diency nf rmmedidtely placing the ships in the best security that coali be found for them during the winter. A small island lying off the point where the continent begins to trend to the northward, was found to afford, at its southern side^ good anchorage ; and having here suftered the ships to be frozen up, they gave to it the name of Winter Island. Every precaution was now taken for the preservation of the boats, sails, and other stores, daring the season ; and arrangements were made for the comfort and amuseinent of the men. Captain Parry observes, that it would be diffi- cult to imagine a situation in which cheerfulness is more to be desired, or less likely to be maintained, thdn among a set of persons (and those persons seamen too) se- cludec for an indefinite period from the rest of the world ; having little or no employment but Chat which is in a man- ner created to prevent idleness, and subject to a degree of sees:: z= '<- ' i ' '■i I f 1, I V' vt >M ^ I ( • i'i , ■ ■ i I ^ Ifc''" 88 parry's seconu voyagb tedious monotony, ill according with tlielr usual habits. Nothings can be more just ; and it is therefore of the utmost importance that constant employment, and a habit of cheer- fulness should be kept up by men so situated ; it being well known that there exists an intimate connexion between de- pression of mind, and that dreadful disorder the scurvy ; that hope and joy not only prevent, but materially aid in the cure of it, while gloom and despair never fail to aggra- vate its fatal malignity. As a source, therefore, of amusement to the people. Captain Parry renewed those theatrical entertainments from which they had derived so much benefit at Melville Island, on a former voyage, and on a larger and more commodious scale, while the theatre was improved in its de- corations, and, what was of more importance, in its warmth. Sylvester's stove, iu a few hours after lighting it, dissipated every drop of moisture which was found so annoying on the former expedition : the stream of air on the lower deck was generally 120° of Fahrenheit ; that in the cabin near the ap- paratus, 100°, and at the end of the flue, in Captain Parry's cabin, forty-six feet from the air vessel, from 65° to 72°. when the mean temperature of the atmosphere was about zero : this diffused warmth generally over the whole ship, and kept her perfectly dry. On some evenings they had music ; and on others (to furnish rational and useful occu- pation,) a school was established in both ships for the in- struction of those who might choose to avail themselves of this advantage ; and Captain Parry, who visited them fre- quently, observes, that he seldom experienced feelings of higher gratificatiou than in this rare and interesting sight : and it is truly gratifying to learn that, on the return of the ships to England, * every man on board could read his Bible.* In these pursuits, blended with a proper degree of exercise, the shortest day is said to have passed over their heads without any of that interest which, on a former yoy age, constituted a sort of era in their winter's calendar. TO THE NORTH POLE. 80 * Our winter,* observes Captain Parry, * was no long^er an experiment ; our comforts were greatly increased ; and the prospect of an early release from the ice as favourable as could be desired.* * In short,' he adds, * what with read- ing, writing, making and calculating observations, ob- serving the various natural phenomena, and taking the ex- ercise necessary to preserve our health, nobody, I believe, ever felt any symptoms of ennui during our continuance in winter quarters.* But, perhaps, the greatest of all their amusements, and that which excited the highest degree of interest, was the unexpected appearance, on the 1st of February, of a number of strange people coming towards the ships over the ice. A party who went out to meet them soon discovered them to be Esquimaux, who, on coming up, presented a few blades of whalebone, either as a peace-offering, or for barter, most probably the latter. Some of the women wore handsome clothes of deer-skin, which attracted the attention of the party : on observing this, they began, says Captain Parry, to our utter astonishment and consternation, to strip, though the thermometer stood at 38° below zero. All ap- prehension on this score, however, was soon relieved by finding that they were comfortably clothed in a double suit of deer skin. Having purchased whatever they had to sell and made them several presents, they were given to understand that it was the wish of the English to visit their huts ; which they very readily agreed to, and both parties set out to- gether. In their way thither the Esquimaux were much amused by a Newfoundland dog which had been taught to fetch and carry. It cannot but be considered as a remarkable circumstance thihi these people, to the amount of more than sixty persons, m(;n, women and children, should have erected their huts and established themselves on a spot within view of the ships, without having been observed by any of the people P. V. 4. N ' I l> I'A Mi rWTi'tf'i' mm |n 00 parry's second voyage \.. % r ■'< \ n M-jA on board, and to appearance as complete as though they had been long erected. They were formed entirely of snow and ice, in the form of a dome, the entrance being low and on the side, through a passage containing two door ways which were arched. From the first apartment, other arched door ways led into recesses or other apartments which were seyerally occupied, and the women were seen surrounded with the various utensils of their households, their children and their dogs near them. These apartments were aboul seven feet high in the centre, and each had a piece of ice, forming a window placed in the roof. Various articles were given to or bartered wtth them for other commodities, and no occasion was on this visit given to suspect their fair-' ness of dealing. After spending some time with them, the people set outon their return accompanied by some of the Esquimaux, who did not manifest that surprise which might have been ex- pected on being introduced to such novelties as presented themselves to their notice. They were greatly delighted on going on board the Hecla, at hearing the fidler play and the men dancing, and joined in the amusement with much apparent glee and satisfaction. They then returned to their huts. The next day a large party paid a visit to the huts, and were cheerfully welcomed. They dined in the huts and presented their new acquaintance with some of their meat and biscuit, which they gladly received. A little wine was afterwards given to them, but it did not meet their taste. On one of their visits to the ships they were requested to build a snow hut, which they proceeded to do, and in about three hours formed one of these habitations, placing a piece of ice at the top to admit the light ; and in forming it both men and women were employed. The officers having naturally selected different individuals to obtain information from and to make inquiries, found it produced a settled intimacy : one intelligent youth, who TO TH£ MORTH POLE. 91 attached himself to Captain Lyon, told him that he had seen persons like themselves some months previous. Sup- posing that this intercourse aiforded an opportunity of con- veying intelligence to England, Captain Parry desired he might be furnished with a letter and requested him to con- vey it to them should he meet with such people again. It appears that these people were often in want of neces- sary food, being very improvident ; devouring with greedi- ness large quantities of food when they had killed a seal or other animal, although it was in a most filthy and disgusting state, not being cleaned either from Mood or dirt ; but at other times when unsuccessful they were in a state of starv- ation, and it does seem that some of them would have pe- rished had not they been supplied from the ship with bread- dust. Thi^ supply was afforded them on several occasion^, and some of them were found gnawing a piece of hard seal- skin with the hair on it. The want of food is also generally accompanied with the want of light and warmth, as on such occasions they are also without oil to burn, so that it is altogether a state of the greatest wretchedness. In these circumstances also they could obtain no water, but swal- lowed the snow to quench their thirst. The Esquimaux appear to exhibit a strange mixture of intellect and dulness, of cunning and simplicity, of inge- nuity and stupidity : few of them could count beyond five, and not one of them beyond ten ; nor could any of them speak a dozen words of English, after a constant inter- course of seventeen or eighteen months ; yet many of them could imitate the manners and actions of the strangers, and were, on the whole, excellent mimics. One woman in par- ticular^ of the name of Iligliuk, very soon attracted the at- tention of the voyagers, by the various traits of that supe- riority of understanding for which, it was found, she was remarkably distinguished, and held in esteem even by her own countrymen. She had a great fondness for singing, possessed a soft voice, and an excellent ear ; but ther« was N 2 , ,1,1 1 1^1 I'l -iJIL, as. :i: 90 parry's sbcond yoyage 1 1." f J ■ii 1 scarcely any stopping her when she had once begun : she Dvould listen, however, for hours together to the tunes played on the organ. She seenaed to be aware of her own superiority, and betrayed, on several occasions, a conscious pride of it. But the superior intelligence of this extraordinary woman was perhaps most conspicuous in the readiness with which she was made to comprehend the manner of laying down, on paper, the geographical outline of that part of the coast of America she was acquainted with, and the neighbouring islands, so as to construct a chart. At first it was found difficult to make her comprehend what was meant; but when Captain Parry had discovered that the Esquimaux were already acquainted with the four cardinal points of the compass, for which they have appropriate names, he drew them on a sheet of paper, together with that portion of the coast just discovered, which was opposite to Winter Island, where they then were, and of course well known to her. ~.r; .' - , Having done this, he desired her to complete the rest ; accordingly with a countenance expressure of intelligence, she drew a chart of the coast, along her own country nearly north of Winter Island. Without taking her hand off the paper, she deputed the coast to the westward and to the south west, within a short distance of Repulse Bay. The country situated on the shores to the westward she named Akkoolee, and said that it was inhabited by numbers of Esquimaux. Between Akkoolee and Repulse Bay she de- scribed a large lake in which were found abundance of fish and on its banks many herds of deer. To the westward of these places she stated the existence of a vast and wide sea. A party once accompanied the Esquimaux on an excur- sion to catch seals. Seven of them, engaged in the same object formed themselves into a kind of line, each covering or walking immediately behind the one before so as not to be ^ ■^f .it -^.^^•x,^-^ TO THE NORTH POLE. «» seen in the direction they were moving. In this manner they approached a seal which was lying on the ice, prepar- ing their lines and spears for the attack ; but after they had been more than an hour in making their approaches, the seal suddenly took to the water and dissappointcd them of their prey. After this they turned their steps towards home, not a little alarmed at finding themselves a mile and a half from the shore, on a sheet of ice which might be drifted off to the sea, an accident which had occurred to former Esquimaux, and probably sometimes every soul had been lost, so that none survived to relate the misfortune. In moving towards the shore they passed a small rising of the ice, which quickly drew the attention of one of the Esquimaux, who immediately stopped. It was stated that this was the work of a seal, who probably would work through and come upon the ice. While watching at this spot the man often placed his ear near the ice as if to listen whether the seal was at work. On this occasion however there was no success* <■ When out on these parties, if an Esquimaux has reason to suspect a seal is working beneatli, he generally remains to watch until he has killed it. To protect himself from the cold wind he will raise a wall of snow, and will then sit for hours together, listening to the workingof the seal through the ice. When the seal has worked its way ta the surface, be drives his spear into the creature with all his force, having a Hue attached to the spear. He then clears away the ice and repeats the stroke if necessary until it' i^ killed. On the 20th several wnWes, which had for some days made their appearance, attacked a dog belonging to the Esqui- maux. Mr. Elder, the Greenland mate, witnessing the circumstance, hastened to the spot with his gun, but though the dog made considerable resistance, the wolves had torn him in pieces before Mr. Elder could reach the spot, leaving only one of his hind legs. On one occasion when a vist was paid to their huts, an saiotm ^111 '"IWiVii. an (^ 94 parry's bbcond voyage ■li f •ill' 3 I i 1. !^ : < Esquimaux had just brought la a seal. Two women with large knives in their hands, and besmeared with blood, were cutting up the animal, dividing it into two parts. The blond was then carefully put into the cooking pot, into which also all loose bits were thrown, except that occasionally they eat it tiiemselves, or gave a taste to the children and persons who surrounded them ; the youngest being glad to receive into its open mouth a lump of the raw flesh. When the flesh is cut up, the blubber is lastly taken away. During the pro- cess it is a custom to stick pieces of the intestines or skin on the foreheads of the boys, which they suppose will make them fortunate seal hunters. On the 26th of February the Theatre closed with the tomedy of the Citizen, and High Life below Stairs. At the conclusion of the perfbrmance the ships' companies testi- fied their thanks fay three iiearty cheers. The month of March was now entered on, and the sun was more than ten hours above the horizon every day, but the earth presented one uniform white surface of snow. The arrival of the Esquimaux hud indeed changed the scene of their amusements, and the time had passed away without their feeling any extraordinary solicitude as to its progress ; but those to whom the care of the expedition was entrusted, began to look forward with earnestness for the opportunity of proceeding in the discoveries. However anxious their feelings, they had no alternative but patience ; but the information they had obtained from Iligliuk suggested the advantage which would arise from an investigation of the coast by land, so far as Was practicable while the ships remained frozen up in Winter Island. Captain Lyon offered to take the command of the party ; and one of the Esquimaux, Ayoket, Captain Lyon's friend, was invited to accompany them. It was proposed to make an excursioh to Amitioke, lligliuk's country. Ayoket, however, after much uncertainty and wavering, declined to be of the party, notwithstanding a brightly po' lished brass kettle, of a larger size, and of much more TO THE NORTH FOLK. 96 value than any present hitherto made them, was to be the recompense of his journey. An Esquimaux is of a charac^ ter not to be mu<;h moved by the acquisition of property, and prefers a life of indolence to any riches which may be obtained by exertion. That part of the coast described by lligliuk, which the English had examined, was found very correct ; and other charts, which others of the Esqui- maux were desired to draw, without any concert with each other, were found to agree with lligliuk's in a surprising degree. Indeed, they received information from these peo- ple on various useful matters, which were afterwards found to be correct, when the ships came to the places described. On the I5th Captain Lyon left the ships, a breeze of wind blowing from the northward, accompanied with snow drift. The first night after his departure was one of the most severe and inclement that any of the people had been exposed to, and excited considerable apprehension for their safety among those remaining in the ships. The wind and drift continued during the whole of the 1 6th, and con- siderably increased the solicitude for their safety, but to send a party in quest of them while the state of the weather was such, appeared impossible, as no traces could be had of the way they had taken, and under such circumstances it would add to the number of persons placed in perilous si- tuations. A party was however held in readiness to proceed whenever the weather might moderate, when to the great joy of all on board, they arrived at the ships. The sufferings which this party had endured during their short absence were severe in the extreme. Having as- cended a hill to the northward, a strong wind blew the snow directly in their faces, and many of the party received se- vere frost bites. They proceeded towards a bay which had been observed, and afterwards descending suddenly arrived at the head of the bay. The extreme severity of the wea- ther determined Captain Lyon to pitch their tents. Every one of the party smoaked tobacco to promote warmth, but in •111 A ! wmu i I ^ r" ' !l di,-""mri 1 1 '!•. \i v^ 96 parry's second voyage Iff the severity of the cold was such that John Lee, one of the party, was seized with a shivering fit and severe pains in his loins. A hole was dug in the earth to admit of receiving them in a sitting posture. A fire was made with difliculty, and a mess of warm soup was prepared for every man. After taking this refreshment, they crept into their blanket bags and endeavoured, by keeping close to each other, to obtain a little warmth and sleep. In the morning they made a fire and pre])nred a cup of warm tea, after which they resolved to set out on their return to the ships, from which they supposed they were about six miles distant. The wind being at their backs, they proceeded rather briskly, but the cold was so intense that some of the party began to exhibit symptoms of drowsiness and insensibility which is so common and so fatal in intensely cold cli- mates. The faces of several were severely frost bitten, •nd they had lost the sense of feeling in their fingers and toes. Serjeant Spackman, though repeatedly warned that his nose was frozen, was in such a state of senselesuess at to take no notice of the advice, and one side of his face be- came frozen quite hard, the eye-lids stiff, and part of the upper lip was drawn up. Four of the party appeared to be in such a situation as to be incapable of surviving. In this state they unexpectedly came to a batten track which fortu- nately sooQ led them to the ships. All had severe frost bites in different parts of the body, which occasioned the loss of the flesh and skin, bnt proper care being now taken of them, they all ultimately did well. Early in the morning of the 2nd of April, the Esquimaux were observed moving from the huts, and several sledges drawn by dogs, heavily laden, went off to the westward. It apeared, on inquiry, that half of the people had gone over the ice in quest of food. On visiting the snow huts which they had just quitted they found^that the places compos- ing their beds and fire places were turned up and searched that no &rticles might be lost. The walls were stained H.ii, •■r*. TO THE NORTH POLE. 07 with lamp-black, blood, and other kiinl of fihh, and were in part demolished and laid open, to give them the more ready opportunity of removing their goods. The remainder of the party were out on the ice in pur- suit of walrusses ; and although the ice was floating and in detacheil masses, they seemed to be under no apprehen- sions as to the danger they were in. The wind at this time indeed set in for the laud, and this perhaps might render them confident. On the 13th of April, another party of the Esquimaux be- gan to remove their eilects, and lligliuk and her husband, and a few others, came on board to make a farcwel visit, ond said that on the succeeding day tliey all should remove from Winter Island. A few presents were made to them on their departure. At the close of the month of May it became a matter of general observation, and of course of generiil regret, how few symptoms of thawing had yet appeared ; and it was im- possible not to recollect that Melville Island had, on the same day, two years before, advanced full as far in throW' ing off its winter's covering ; that before this time, at the latter station, they had experienced several hours of hard rain ; and that, in consequence, the ice around Melville Is- land had assumed a green appearance, while at Winter Is- land, it remained perfectly white. Another comparison was made between the two winter-quarters. The first flower was brought on board as a matter of curiosity on the 0th June, which was one day later than it had made its appear-^ ancc at Melville Island. Again, in the middle of June, a few gallons of water were collected from some little pools, while, at the same date, at Melville Island, the ravines were beginning to be dangerons to pass, and were actually impassable during the third week in June; yet Winter Is- land is situated in lat. 664°, or 8 J' south of Melville Island, which lies in lat. 74|°. The lowest temperature at Melville Island was 55°, at Winter Island, 40®. P. V. 5. O 1! W'-'' 1 n 1 f'H 1 ' " 1 //■, jgU^tlUU^ ' 1t(l I; ) \ 1 98 pahry's skconi) voyage Having nearly completed the ninth month at Winter Is- land, on the 2d July, the ships, partly hy the exertions of the men in sawing the ice, and partly by the wind drifting from the land, finally effected their escape ; doubled the south'casit point of this part of America, and stood to the northward up Fox's Channel ; keeping the coast of the con- tinent, as directed by their instructions, close on board, and sailing in a channel of water from three or four hundred yards to two miles in width. The shore, in most places, was lined witli old ice, while, to sea-ward, large floes and masses were observed in violent motion, being acted upon by the wind, currents and tides. By these agents, in so confined a channel, one of the ships was swept against the other; and after some grinding and squeezing, they esco^ied with the loss of one of the Hecla^s boats, which was orn to pieces by the Fury's anchor. On the turn of the tide, however, when both it and the current set to the south- ward, the whole of the navigable channel, through which the ships were slowly working their way, was almost ioime- diately filled by a vast body of drift ice. The flood-tide coming down loaded with a more than or- dinary quantity of ice, pressed the ship very much, and ren- dered it necessary to run out the ^stream cable, in addition to the hawsers ^which were fast to the land ice. This was scarcely accomplished when a very heavy and extensive floe took the ship on her broadside, and being backed by another large body of ice, gradually lifted her stern as if by the action oi a wedge. The weight every moment increas* ing, obliged the Heclato veti* on the hawsers, whosefriction was so great as nearly to cut through the bitt-heads, and ul- timately set them on fire, so that it became requisite for peo- ple to attend with buckets of water. The presiure was at length too powerful for resistance, and the stream cable, with two six and one five inch hawsers, went at the same mo- ment. Three others soon followed. The sea was too full TO TIM. NORTH IM)Li:. 00 of ice to allow the Bhip to drive, ami tlic only way by which she could yield to the enorinous wcij^ht whicli opjjiossod her was by leaning over the land ice, while her stein ut Iho same time was entirely lifted more than five feet out of the water. The lower deck beams now complained very niucb, and Uitt whole frame of the ship underwent a trial which would have proved fatal to any less strengthened vessel. At this moment the rudder was unhung with a sudden jerk, which broke up the rudder case and struck the driver boom with great force. The pressure which had been so dange- rous at length proved their friend, for by its increasing weight the floe on which they were borne burst upwards, unable to resist its force. The ship righted, and, a small slack opening in the water, drove several miles to the south- ward before she could be again secured to geC the rudder hung ; circumstances much to be regretted at the moment, as the people had been employed with but little intermission for three days and nights, attending to the safety of the ship in this'dangerous tideway. The Fury had almost as narrow an escape as the Hecla ; a little before noon a heavy floe some miles in length, being probably a part of that lately detached from the shore, came driving down fast, giving serious reason to apprehend more fatal catastrophe than any yet encountered. In a few mi- nutes it came in contact, at the rate of a mile and a half an hour, with a point of the land-ice left the preceding night by its own separation, breaking it up with a tremendous crash, and forcing numberless immense masses, many toDs in weight, to the height of flfty or sixty feet, from whence they again rolled down on the inner or land side, and were quiekly succeeded by a fresh supply. While they werd obliged to be quiet spectators of this grand but terrific sight, being within five or six hundred yards of the point, the dan- ger was two-fold ; first, lest the floe should now swing in, suconilly, lest its picisuro shuuUl dotach the laud ice to o 2 "'■—■■' ■—«-- I I , ,vm, - •«' \s 100 parry's SlinONI) VOYAGK i I wliicli tlie ship was secured, and thus set them adrift and at the mercy of the tides. Happily however neitlicr of these occured, the floe remaining stationary for the rest of the tide and setting off with the ebb which made soon after. lu addition to the danger which threatened to crush and overwhelm the ships among these tremendous masses of ice, thus thrown into violent motion, was the chance of being beset In the midst of the floes, and in tliat helpless state swept away with the flood-tide and current to the southward, and drifted back again to Southampton Island, as had hap- pened Co them before, and thus again would the labour of weeks be inevitably lost. By the 12th of July, however, after long and unremitting perseverance, and by takinp^ ad- vantage of every opening and breeze of wind to move the ships to the northward, they had reached the latitude of 67° IS*, opposite to a considerable opening in the land, out of which a strong current was observed to set into the sea. On the following day they had an unobstructed run of fifty miles, an event of no very trifling importance, as Captain Parry says, in (his tedious and most uncertain navigation. About this place their Esquimaux friends had prepared them for meeting with vast numbers of the walrus, or sea-horse ; and accordingly they fell in with such a multitude of these animals, as, in Captain Parry's opinion, were probably not to be seen in any other part of the world. They were lying in large herds on the loose pieces of drift ice, huddled upon one another, from twelve to thirty in a group. They were not in the least frightened by the people getting upou the same piece of ice with themselves ; but when approached close, they began to show an evident disposition to give battle. From the prodigious numbers of these creatures, and other circumstances, the navigators were now certain that the names of the two islands, Amitioke and Ooglit, as laid down in the chart of Iligtiuk and the other Esquimaux, were ill their proper positions. On the short, ihey observed several tent?, and soon after M! TO THE NORTH POLE. 101 tlicy saw 8oinc canoes coming townnls tliem. Capiaina Parry and Lyon left the ships and went to meet the Esqui- maux in their boats. At first they manifested soma timi- dity, but this was soon overcome. It appeared however that they had no previous Icnowledge of the ships being in these seas, so that it was clear none of the people from Win- ter Island had yet arrived here. On reaching the shore se- veral more of the natives met them and conducted them to their tents, when they soon found themselves in the midst of a number of men, women, and children, all of them pro- vided with some article for barter. These tents formed the summer habitations of the Esqui- maux, and were of an oblong sliape, being formed of the skins of the seal and the walrus, having in the centre a pole by which they are supported. Sumctinies they join two tents together to form an habitation, when the families are large. These people were amused by a variety of anecdotes, which were related to them uf the occurrences which took place at Winter Island, and to which they listened with the most solicitous attention. After having spent a oonsidornblc time with tliem, the En- glish took to their boats in order to return. The weather had become very severe, the wind increasing to a gale. After considerable ctFurt to reach the ship, Captain Lyon was under the necessity of returning to ^'hore, having un- fortunately broken one ofliis oars. Captain Parry found it also impossible, after great exertions, to reach his ship and was obliged to return to his former landing place. The Esqui- maux gladly received them, and they were accommodated in diiferent parties with lodgings, at the tents of these peo- ple. Having all their clothes wet, they were provided with change of apparel by their hosts, and in these, with a seal- skin for a blanket, they contrived to pass a tolerably com- fortable night, and returned to the ships the following iiioru- ing. The ships: now i)rocccded to sail the s]»ot beyond 1 'J ^r% «■! I % Ifi 102 parry's second voyage them, where they expected to find that much iind lung- sought passage that was to conduct them into the Polar Sea. This passage they speedily recognized in its proper place ; and congratulated themselves on being at the very thres- hold of the door that was to open a way to the final success of their enterpriae : the mortification which succeeded, may b« imagined, when it was perceived that an unbroiceu sheet of ice extended completely across the mouth of the strait, from the northern to the southern land; and this too at so advanced a period as the middle of July. The disappointment became the nvore serious on finding, from the nature of tlie ice which formed the impediment, that it bore evident marks of being a floe which had long been at- tached to the land on every side ; and it was besides so le- vel and continuous as to convince them that it had suffered no disruption in the course of that season. To enter into the details of their unwearied endeavours to push to the westward through this frozen passage ; the scarcely perceptible progress made by *he partial and occa- sional fragments of ice that separated from the main body ; the anxiety with which every such breaking off was watched \ and the final repulse of the ships before they reached the middle of the strait, where it was hermetically sealed by the ice and three islands, among which it was closely jammed by n perpetual cuvrent from the westward, would be a repe- tition of simultaneous movements, from the time of their first arrival before it, until frozen again into their winter quar- ters. They struggled to make way for sixty-days ; during which the whole distance they advanced to the westward in the strait was about forty niilos ; of this period, however, twenty-five days were spent close to the edge of the ice, in the narrows, watching with intense anxiety for every piece that separated from the main floe, and took its departure to tliu eastward. From the moment of their arrivul before the mouth of the slrait, iheir exertions woro incessant, not only to force the 1-1 TO THE NORTH POLE. 103 imed uuar- ever, piece irc to >i' the te the ships to the westward, but to ascertain witli precision the ji^eographical position and features of this northern extremity of America, and of the numeroug islands and rocky inlets in this neighbourhood, by which the passage seemed to be guarded. Captain Lyon had accompanied an Esquimaux to a salmon fishery up a large inlet a little to the southward of the strait, but from the thick and inclement weather, he was unable to point out its exact direction, and returned without reaching its extreme westerly termination. It was therefore deemed possible that it might be a second strait, communicating with the Polar Sea. To ascertain whether this was the fact or not, was now of great importance. Stopped, as they had now been at the very threshold of the north-west passage for nearly four weeks, without advanc- ing twice as many [miles to the westward, suspense at such a crisis was scarcely the less painful because it was inevita- ble. As Captain Parry felt it his duty to pass no opening that held out the least chance of a passage, without deter- mining tiuat point, he sent out repeated parties to explore it, but without success ; tillatlengthhehimself effected it, but not without difficulty, having traced it into the American continent until he found only a few feet depth in water, and rounded its extreme end. This opening was named Hoop- er's Inlet. When the 1 7th of September had arrived, it was observed with pain that the ice of the preceding year*s formation was Dot yet detached from the shores, while a fresh formation had already commenced. Appearances were indeed opposed not only to making any further progress, but to continuing a moment longer in the strait, which Captain Parry naaaed the strait of Fury and Hecla, lest they should be frozen in, as in tiiat case it v^ould probably be eleven months before the ships would be extricated from the ipe. After the laborious efforts to obtain the desired passage, the disappointment ) which they now met with, can be probably appreciated only by those who possess spirits ar> — WI I I . III^W j ii . . ii«t«W>»*^^ww ■.wi.»» l W ff i . W iW ! ffi [^■■a 'I ! ^-^ 1 ,i 1 ! 1 If I if* ... 1 . 104 PARRYS SECOND VOYAGE dent in the pursuit of an object on which their desires are fixed. Captain Parry thought proper to take the opinion of the senior officers as to his future operations ; and with that view addrecsed a letter to Captain Lyon and Lieutenants lloppner and Nias, who coincided in opinion with him that it was proper not to risk being frozen up in the Strait. He then caused a ])ublic notification to be made on board each ship, stating his purpose to examine the coast of Cockburn Island to the northward and eastward for a proper place to winter in ; and if not successful there, to seek a place at Igloolik, hoping that by an early release of the ships in the ensuing summer, they should have an opportunity of se- lecting the most eligible place for their futuici attempts at discovery. During the night the new ice so accumulated as to pre- sent a strong resistance to the movements of the ships. Various means were resorted to, but oftentimes without ef- fect. The only successful mode appears to have been in what is called in the sea-phrase sallying^ that is, the men in a body run from side to side, by which means the ship rolls and is relieved from the ice. At length, after much effort, the ships got clear of the Strait. From an attentive observation of the tides, it appears that the flood comes from the westward, and in addition to this, that there is'a permanent current in the same direction. This current it was supposed arose from the melting of the snow on the shores of the Polar Sea, and that this Strait was the only outlet for it to the southward. ' A few days more decided what was to be done ; the young ice had assumed that consistency which baffles all attempt to operate upon it. Too thick to allow a ship to be forced through it ; too tough for regular sawing,' and yet dange- rous for men to walk upon. To get a boat her own length through it would occupy a dozen men a quarter of an hour ; and, after all, without being able to make a channel for the 4ihip* Under such circumstances, it was obvious that nu TO THE NORTH POI.B, 105 lime was to be lust in looking out for the best winter-quarteu that the neighbouring islands would afford ; but it was not till after many dark and stormy days were spent at sea among the floating ice, and the loss of several anchors* that they succeeded in bringing the ships into their destined births, at the island of Igloolik, on the 30th of October, after employing the men for several days in the arduous task of cutting a canal through the ice. The whole length of the canal was four thousand three hundred and forty-three feet ; the thickness of the ice in the level and regular parts being from twelve to fourteen inches, but in many places, where a separation had occurred, amounting to several feet. The cheerful alacrity with which the men continued this laborious work during thirteen days, the thermometer being frequently at zero, and once as low as Q° in that interval, cannot but be admired. It was satisfactory, moreover, to find that in the performance of this, not a single addition had been made to the sick list of either ship, except by the accident of one man's falling into the canal, and who returned to his duty a day or two after- wards. Captain Parry's reflections on this occasion are both just and natural ; and the expedient to which he at once deter- mined to resort speaks much as to his enterprising character. Flattering as their prospect appeared at the commence- ment of the past summer, their efforts had certainly not been attended with a proportionate degree of success ; and little satisfaction remained to them at the close of the season, but the consciousness of having left no means within their reach untried, that could promote the desired object. It re- quired indeed but a single glance at the chart to perceive that whatever the last summer's navigation had added to the geographical knowledge of the eastern coast of America, and its adjacent islands, they had effected nothing in refer- ence to the discovery of a North-West passage. The disco- very of the Frozen Strait, had made known a channel of P. V. 5. P ttmrntmrn-tii^-^^m U^ili^UfiSI |1V 106 parry's hkcond voyage fli I ift )t communication between the waters, but its frozen state formed an impenetrable barrier to any intercourse by human efforts. They were soon greeted by a number of Esquimaux, who shouted and jumped with all their might. A crowd of them met the party who landed and manifested every demonstra- tion of joy. When told that the English purposed to spend the winter among tliem, they manifested the greatest satis- faction. They made daily visits to the ships, bringing their wives and children in great numbers on sledges. They ap- peared gladly to assist in any duties which the people of the ships were employed in ; as pulling the ropes, sawing the ice, heaving the windlass, and other labour ; always accom- panying their efforts with the tone of voice which the crew used on such occasions, in the imitation of which they seemed to particularly pride themselves. Some of the Esquimaux with whom the ships companies had spent the preceding winter at Winter Island also had now arrived at Igloolik, and copying the manners of the En- glish, shook their friends heartily by the hand, as express- ing their pleasure at meeting tliem again. One of them, who had obtained the name of John Bull, accosted almost every individual of the ships' company, with a how do ye do ; and desirous of manifesting his knowledge and familia- rity with the uses of the machinery to his companions, he instructed them in the various uses to which they were ap- plied. Being now fairly fixed in their second winter-quarters, they set about making such arrangements as experience bad taught them would add considerably to their comforts. In- structed by the Esquimaux, Captain Parry caused a wall of snow twelve feet high to be thrown up round the Fury, at the distance of twenty yards from her, forming a large square like that of a farm yard, by which the snow-drift was kept out, and a good sheltered walk afforded against every wind ; aud by it was also prevented, in some measure, the abstrac- :i -n I TO THE NORTH POUE. 107 tioD of beat from the bhip, which was found tu be very con- siderable in high winds. The distance between the two ships was too great to allow of the continuance of theatrical entertainments, which, in fact, had, with other occupations, in a great degree lost their interest with their novelty ; the want of these, however, was amply compensated by the al- most daily visits of the Esquimaux, which afforded both to officers and men a fund of constant variety and never-failing amusement, that no resources of their own could possibly have furnished. The men, however, were too well aware of the advantages which they had derived from the schools, not to be desirous of their re-establishment ; this was accor- dingly done, and tbey continued to be attended regularly for the six succeeding months. The Esquimaux who had fixed their winter-quarters on the island of Igloolik were more numerous than those on Winter Island. The snow-houses were constructed on the same principle ; some, however, were lined with skins, over which was a covering of snow ; and some had passages to them from ten to fifteen feet in length, and from four to five feet high, neatly constructed of large flat slabs of ice, ce- mented together by snow and water ; others were entirely built of this materia], of a circular or octangular form. The first week in November a number of Esquimaux ar- rived from the island of Amitioke, among whom were some of their old acquaintance. Among others of their old friends was a youth of the name of Tooloak, who was on the eve of marriage with a very pretty young girl, of about the age of sixteen ; the youth himself being a year or two older. The ceremony of marringe appeared to consist in the intended husband's taking away the girl by force, her parents however quietly permitting it. It was understood that the parents' authority and will in this respect was very great. The new married couple then occupy a separate dwelling and form a new household establishment. Tooloak with his bride, af- V 2 Ill \ I *iT 108 PARnV's SBCOND VOYAGE 1 I I terwards paid a visit to tlie ships, and received a number of presents. One of tliese people, wlio had two wives, between whom some dispute or altercation took place, with his knife cut one of them several times across the forehead, and the other across the arm. To this severe chastisement they both ap- peared to submit without a murmur at his conduct ; and the man did not altogether approve of the sympathy which the English manifested on the occasion ; but seemed to act as under the conviction that liis conduct was most reasonable and proper. Captain Parry and Captain Lyon purchased each of them a sledge and dogs, which they often made use of during the winter. The dogs soon became familiarized to their new masters, and remained on board (be ships. The Esquimaux could not bear the idea of the ^dogs being killed, and would not part with them until assured that they should be kept alive. On the 8th of December two of the dogs belonging to the ships set off in pursuit of a wolf, but one of them (a terrier), was killed and eaten by the wolf. It was a matter of doubt whether these dogs had not mistaken the wolf for the Es- quimaux dogs. The Christmas of this year was kept as a festival. An additional allowance of provisions was issued, among which was a piece of beef which had been killed on board the Nau- tilus in the month of June 1821. In the months of December and January the Esquimaux had spread themselves widely around the space occupied by the ships, in order as was supposed to have greater oppor- tunities of fishing. They departed from their habitations in 80 quiet and peaceable a manner, that their removal had sometimes taken place for several days previous to the peo- ple on board the ships having any intimation of their having left the neighbourhood. At this time great numbers of the Esquimaux werelabour- 1 £< "s 55 ?■ V Ck <^ ^ «; jour- ffi| f :i' i ■*■■'■ I ! I: - i i If , ; '■ : < .t'«^,il V ~ : v^ TO THE NORTH POLE. 109 in^ under severe sickness. Several deaths took place in consequence of tlicir want of medical assistance, although, as soon as the knowledge of these circumstances came to the ears of Captain Parry, every possible assistance was af- forded them. They were taken on board the ships, and part of the cabin screened off for their accommodation. Warm broth, and other food was given to them, and every effort used for their recovery and comfort. One family were taken on board the Hecla. Captain Lyon says, the mother, named Poo-too-alook, was aboutSS years of age, the child about three years, yet not weaned, and a fe- male ; there was also another daughter Shega, about twelve or thirteen years of age, who as well as her father was a most attentive nurse. My hopes were but small as far as con- cerned the mother, but the child was so patient that I hoped from its docility soon to accustom it to soups and nourishing food, as its only complaint was actual starvation. I screened off a portion of my cabin, and arranged some bedding for them, in the same manner as the Esquimaux do their own. Warm broth, dry bedding, and a comfortable cabin did won- ders before evening, and our medical men gave me great hopes. As an introduction to a system of cleanliness, and preparatory to washing the sick, who were in a most filthy state, I scrubbed Shega and her father from head to foot and dressed them in new clothes. During the night I per- suaded both mother and child, who were very restless and constantly moaning, to take a few spoonfuls of soup. On the morning of the 24th the woman appeared considerably improved, and she both spoke and ate a little. As she was covered with so thick a coating of dirt that it could be taken off in scales, I obtained her assent to wash her face and hands a little before noon. The man and his daughter now came to ray table to look at some things I had laid out to amuse them ; and after a few minutes Shega lifted the cur- tain to look at her mother, when she again let it fall and trembling told us she was dead. ' \ t( 1 1 1 ■ ''^ ■ (■' k;&lv no pakry's abound voyage The husband sighed heavily, the daughter burst into tears, and the poor little infant made the moment more dis- tressing by calling in a plaintive tone on its mother, by whose side it was lying. I determined on burying the woman on shore, and the husband was much pleased at my promising that the body should be drawn on a sledge by men instead of dogs. Takkelikkeeta, her husband, had told me that when he left the huts with his wife, a dog was devouring the body of another Esquimaux, as he passed it. I'akkeelikkeeta now prepared to dress the dead body, and in the first place stopped his nose with deer*s hair and put on his gloves, seeming unwilling that his naked hand should come in contact with the corpse. I observed in this occupa- tion his care that every article of dress should be as care- fully placed as when his wife was living, and having drawn the boots on the wrong legs, he pulled them off again and put them properly ;; this ceremony finished, the deceased was sewed up in a hammock, and at the husband's urgent request her face was left uncovered. An officer who was present at the time agreed with me in fancying that the man, from his words and actions, intimated a wish that the living child might be enclosed with its mother. We may have been mistaken, but there is an equal probability that we were right in our conjecture ; for according to Crantz and Egede the Greenlanders were in the habit of burying their mother^ less infants from a persuasion that they must otherwise starve to death, and also from being unable to bear tlie cries of the little ones while lingering for several days without suste- nance ; for no woman 'will give them any share of their milk, which they consider as the exclusive property of their own offspring. My dogs being carefully tied up at the man's request, a party of our people accompanied by me drew the body to the shore, where we made a grave about a foot deep, being unable to get lower on account of the frozen earth. The body was placed on its back at the husband's request, and he then stepped into the grave and cut all the stitches TO TUB NORTH POLE. Ill of the hammock, although without throwing it open, s«Bin« ing to imply that the dead should be left unconfined. I laid ti woman*s knife by the aide of the body and we filled up the grave, over which we also piled a quantity of heavy stones which no animal could remove. When all was done and we returned to the ship, the man lingered a few minutes be- hind us and repeated two or three sentences, as if address- ing himself to his departed wife ; he then silently followed. We found Shega quite composed and attending her little sis* ter, between whose eye-brows she had made a spot with soot, which I learned was because being unweaned it must certainly die. During the night my little charge called on its mother without intermission, yet tlie father slept as soundly until morning as if nothing had happened. AH who saw my patient on the morning of the 25th gave me great hopes ; she could swallow easily and was even strong enough to turn or sit upright without assistance, and in the forenoon slept very soundly. At noon the sister of the deceased, Ootooguak, with her husband and son, came to visit me. She had first gone to the Fury and was laugh- ing on deck, and at her own request was taken below, not caring to hurry herself to come to the house of mourning. Even when she came to the Hecia, she was in high spirits, laughing and capering on duck as if nothing bad happened, but on being shewn to my cabin, where Shdga having heard of her arrival was sitting crying in readiness, she began with her niece to howl most wofuUy. I however put a stop to this ceremony, for such it certainly was, under the plea of its disturbing the child. The arrival of a pot of smoking walrus-flesh soon brought smiles on all faces but that of Takkeelikkeeta, who refused food and sat sighing deeply ; the others ate, chatted, and laughed, as if nothing but eat- ing was worth thinking of. Dinner being over, I received thanks for burying the woman in such a way that neither wolves, dogs, nor foxes could dig her up and eat her, for all were full of the stury of Kcimooseuk, and even begged li'fl "7!| ?■ 'H u fil I . 'r- n t\ *i • •( 112 PARRY S SECOND VOYAGIi some of our officers to go to Igloolik and slioot the offeiuliog dogs. A young woman named Ablik, sister to Ooyarra, was induced after much entreaty and a Tery large present of beads, to offer her breast to the sick child, but the poor little creature pushed it angrily away. Another woman was asked to do the same, but although her child was half weaned she flatly refused. The aunt of my little one seeming anxious to remain, and Shega being now alone, I invited her to stop the night. In the evening the child took meat and jelly and sat up tu help itself, but it soon after resumed its melancholy cry for its mother. At night my party had retired to sleep, yet 1 heard loud sighing occasionally, and on lifting the curtain I saw Takkeelikkeeta standing and looking mournfully at his child. I endeavoured to compose him and he promised to go to bed, but hearing him sighing in a few minutes, I went and found the poor infant was dead, and that its fa- ther had been some time aware of it. He now told me it had seen its mother the last time it called on her, and that she had beckoned it to Khil-la, (Heaven) on which it in- stantly died. He said it was "• good" that the child was gone, that no children out-lived their mothers, and that the black spot which Shega had frequently renewed was quite sufficient to ensure the death of the infant. My party made a hearty breakfast on the 26th, and I ob- served they did not scruple to lay the vessel containing the meat on the dead child, which I had wrapped in a blanket : and this unnatural table excited neither disgust nor any other feeling amoLgst them more than a block of wood could have done. We now tied up all the dogs as Takkeelikkeeta de- sired, and took the child about a quarter of a mile eastern ofthe ships to bury it in the snow; for the father assured me that her mother would cry in her grave if any weight of stones or earth pressed on her infant. She herself, he feared, had already felt pain from the monument of stones which we had laid upon her. The snow in which we dug TO TMB NORTH l>ULii. 113 the child's grave was not above a foot deep, yet we were not allowed to cut into the ice or even use any slabs of it in con- structing the little tomb. The body, wrapped in a blanket, and having the face uncovered, being placed, the father put the slings by which its deceased mother had carried it, on the right side, and in compliance with the Esquimaux cus- tom of burying toys and presents with their dead, I threw in some beads. A few loose slabs of snow were now placed 80 as to cover without touching the body, and with this very slight sepulchre the father was contented, although a fox could have dug through it in half a minute. We however added more snow, and cemented all by pouring about twenty buckets of water, which were brought from the ship, on every part of the mound. I remarked that before our task was completed the man turned and walked quietly to the ships. During the two last days, I obtained some information with respect to mourning ceremonies, or at all events such as related to the loss of a mother of a family ; three days were to be passed by the survivors without their walking out on the ice, performing any kind of work, or even having any thing made for them. Washing is out of the question with Esquimaux at moi^t t>mes, but now it was not allowed to perform the necessary ablutions of their hands and faces, however greasy or dirty they might be made by their food, the girl's hair was not to be put in pigtails, and every thing was neglected ; Takkeelikkeeta was not to go sealing until the summer. With the exception of an oc- casional sigh from the man, there were no «igns of grief; our mourners ate, drank, and were merry, and no one would have supposed they ever had wife, mother, or sister. When the three days, and it is singular that such should be the time, were expired, the man was to visit the grave ; and having talked with his wife, all duties were to be considered as over. The 28th was our third day, but a heavy northerly gale and thick drift prevented our P. V. 5. Q %\ i' U Bill 1'^ - -t^ 114 parry's second voyage ... i irisiting the ^rave. The 29th, although not fine, wns more moderate, and I accompanied him at an early hour. Arriving at the grave, he anxiously walked up to it and carefully sought for foot-tracks on the snow, but finding none, re- peated to himself, *^ No wolves, no dogs, no foxes, thank ye, thank ye." He now began a conversation which he di- rected entirely to the grave, as if addressing his wife. He called her twice by name, and twice told her how the wind was blowing, looking at the same time in the direction from whence the drift was coming. He next broke forth into a low monotonous chaunt, and keeping his eyes fixed on the grave, walked slowly rouud it in the direction of the sun four or five times, and at each circuit he stopped a few mo- ments at the head. His song was, however, uninterrupted. At the expiration of about eight minutes, he stopped, and turning suddenly round to me, exclaimed Tugwa, (that^s enough) and began walking back to theship. In the song he chaunted I could frequently distinguish the word Koyenna, (thank you) and it was occasionally coupled with the Kab- loonas. Two other expressions, both the names of the spirits or familiars of the Annatko, Toolemak, were used a few times ; but the whole of the other words were perfectly unin- telligible to me. I now sent Shega and her father home, well clothed and in good case. The week they had passed on board was sufficient time to have gained them the esteem of every one, for they were the most quiet inoffensive beings I ever met with, and to their credit they never on^^e begged. The man was remarkabb for his extraordinary fondness for treacle, sugar, salt, acids, and spruce beer, which the others of the tribe could not even smell without disgust ; and he walked about to the different messes in hopes of being treated with these delicacies. Shega was a timid well-behaved girl, and generally remained eating in my cabin, for I acn confident of speaking far within bounds when I say she got through eight pounds of solids per diem. As far as gratitude could -Lf TO THU NORTII POLE. IH } more rriving refully ne, re- thank I he di- e. He le wind >n from ii into a 1 on the the sun few mn- rrupted. ted, ftnd , (that's i song he Coyenna, the Kab- le spirits ed a fevr lly unin- be shevro by Esquimaux, which is sayini^ < koyenua' on receiving a present^, tny friends were sensible of the attentions I had shewn thein. The English were informed that the corpse of Piccooyak, who had died in the hospital, had been taken up by the dogs. The snow-covering being the second time put ov^r the body, a second disinterment was as easily effecteda day or two after, and another meal made by the hungry dogs. In relating this story, at which every feeling of common humanity revolts, the Esquimaux pretended tobeverymuch enraged with the dogs, and let some of the gentlemen know that they wished the Kabloonas would shoot them. ks it was not the owners of the dogs who expressed this wish, and as; a knife was quite as effectual in killing a dus^ as a gun would be, if applied with equal good will, they did not think proper to iniiict such a punishment, which, if due at all, would more properly have fallen on those who made the complaint. It is most certain indeed, that none but the im- mediate relatives of the deceased cared a jot about the mat- ter ; nor did the other iadividuals among them hesitate to laugh as they heard or told the story. On some of our peo* pie going out to the village, they found that Piccooyak's child had died, owing probably to the misery and consequent in- attention of its mother Kaga, who now lived as before with the infirm and aged parents of her late husband. 7?rom th'j morning of the 24th till midnight on the 26th, thct mer'iury in the barometer was never below iiO.32 inches, and at noon on the latter day had reached 30.52 inches, which was the highest they had observed it in the cours» of this voyage. This unusual indication of the barometer was followed by hard gales on the 27th and 28th, first from th«i S. W. and afterwards from the N. W., the mercury fal- ling from 30.51 inches at eight P. M. on the 26th, to 30.25 about five A. M. on the 27th, or y^out 0.26 of an inch in nine hours, before the breeze came on. At midnight on thel*7th it rcaciici! 20.30, and on the following night 29.05 Q 3 \ i ] i t m i 1 m 1 , ifr ^^:" ■ i<»W I*— ^W>Mi T^ss^mmm mmmmm r-1 K* ; t:-'! f1! r' 1 r " ■ ■^ V t f f Il^ 116 parry's second voyage which was its iiiinimum indication ilurin:^ the gale. These high winds were accompanied by a rise in the thermometer very unusual at this season of the year, the temperature continuing above zero for several hours, and very near this point of the scale for the whole two days. The mean temperature of January proved Indeed as re- markable for being a high one, as that of the preceding month had been in a contrary way, being only 17°.07, or more than ten degrees warmer than December. The first fortnight in February bid fair to present a similar anomaly ; the mild weather now experienced givirg gieat hopes of a winter rather favourable (ban otherwise, notwithstandiniif the severity with which it had set in. About this time they were much shocked to hear, by an ar- rival from the distint huts, of the death of a young man nafiied Noogloo, tlie flower of the whole tril 'J "■ com- plaint, so far as they could learn, had been of Sv, .e cuntinu- auce ; and Toolemak, a native who considered him at his adopted son, had been out to visit him two or three times, and was much afflicted by his loss. There was something peculiarly shocking in the havoc which ''^ath appeared now to be making mong the younger and more vigorous indi- viduals of this tribe. On passing some of the huts of the Esquimaux, Captain Parry entered the one belonging to the parents of Kaga, the widow of the Esquimaux so much esteemed by the English. They were apparently in a most wretched state with scarcely any clothes, and Kaga lay moaning, coverti with some dirty skins. On enquiring how she was, shesa u she was not ill, but wretched, some of the natives having robbed her of almost every thing she had, and which it was understood was too commonly the practice lowards the wi- dow on the death of the husband. All the presents which had been made to her and her husband from the ships were gone, there appeared nothing to eat, and the snow melting, there was a continual drip. r I M ' TO THE NORTH POLE. 117 Captain Lyon having been made acquainted i;vith the si- tuation of K.aga, sent to fetch her and lodged her in his ca- bin, and every endeavour was used for her recovery. Per- ceiving^ the wretched state in which widows are left, it sug- gested itself to him to endeavour to promote a matrimonial union between Kaja and Takkcelikkeeta ; the latter how- ever appeared so greatly to lament the loss of his late wife that no such intimation could be made unto him ; and fur- ther experience shewed Kaga to be void of those feelings which could induce a disposition to render her any service. In the mean time the place for the recep<'on of the sick, into which the Esquimaux also were admitted, began so to swnrm with lice as to render it necessary that the sick be ' longingto the ships companies should be removed, or the Es- quimaux no longer admitted into it. Captain Parry therefore resolved to build a place expressly for the reception of the Esquimaux. Having suggested this to the officers, ar- rangements were made without delay to erect a separate dwelling for the natives, and an house was quickly erected for their accommodation. ]VIr. Edwariis and Mr. Skeoch arranged every thing necessary to be attended to in the ma- nagement of this infirmary, anu Mr. Hooper provided a stock of sea-horse meat for their support. It appeared by a girdle worn by the mother of the young man Toolooak, that they] killed a great number of deer. This girdle was adorned with twenty -nine ears of that ani- mal, all which had been Killed by him in the . jurse of last summer. Although these people had not been discovered in many acts of thieving, yet it occasionally occurred, and it was manifest that their desire of possesing many of the articles which the ships' stores presented to their view, oftentimcg became irresistible. An old woman whom they had known at Winter Island, having been suspected by Mr. Skeoch of stealing a silver thimble out of his cabin, a few days previ- ous, now brought the thimble back, telling him that finding it bl ?wzr. .^L mjunuL^ssBSBS M i ■■', If. 1 \ 1 ! . ' 1 ■I ■ M f F i:^: •} 118 parry's sbcono voyage too small for her finger, a'ae had honestly brought it back and requested some present in return. Party feeling and petty animosities appeared to influence the Esquimaux as powerfully as those sensations are mani- fested among Europeans. The different families were as envious and ill disposed towards each other as though they were hostile nations, and envy of each others prosperity was not disguised among them. Mr. Hooper having been to the huts to purchase food for the sick Esquimaux in the hospital was asked by one of the patients of whom he had obtained it, and having named the person, the sick man declared he would on that account partake of none of it. No reply was made to this declaration, and after a few days the angry : ii^'ent r eceived the food offered to him without making fur- iL quiry. Tucy had among them a number of peculiar customs. A sick person was cautious not to see another sick person unless it were a Kabloona or European. Any vessel or cup, out of which a sick person drank, must be used by no other person, so that in taking care of the sick Esquimaux by the English, each individual had separate utensils. So particular was obe of them, that he would not take the water which came from the great boiler, but a lamp was obliged to be kept burning for his use. The powers of prejudice and the force of imagination cannot but be noticed in these cir- cumstances, that a people so filthy in their habits should have such strong objections tomattersof no irnnner of importance^ as to be able to resist the strong and powerful claims of their voracious appetites, which on all other occasions appeared to have the supreme ascendancy. Under such repeated calls for the exercise of their humane endeavours to alleviate the sufferings of these people, it may readily be supposed that the medical gentlemen and officers had their time greatly occupied in their attendauce on them. Indeed their patient and persevering attention and endea- vours to alleviate the sufferings of these people deserves the J- i I TO THE NORTH POLE. 110 highest commendation. The seemingly want of gratitude and thankfulness, the dirty and filthy state of their persons, added to other circumstances of a repulsive character, re* quired an effort of some force on the part of those attending them, to enable them to persevere until their patients were in a convalescent state. About the middle of February meat began to be very abundant in the village. Several sea-horses were killed, as well as a number of bears. A youth who had accidently met with a severe wound in his leg, and was taken into the hos- pital to be cured, manifested the strength of his appetite by eating four, five, and even six pounds of solid meat as his daily allowance. It may well be supposed that a people taking such quantities of food, however abundantly supplied on some occasions, would be often in a state of want, in a country where their resources were drawn from the sea, or from catching the wild animals which occasionally visited them. By way of proving what quantity of food these people would take, on one occasion a lad was treated with as full a supply as he was disposed tq eat during the day, the quan- tity being measured out to him. The following are the par- ticulars, lbs. fx. Sea-horse flesh frozen 4 4 Ditto boiled 4 4 Bread and bread-dust I 12 10 4 The proportion of liquids was Rich gravy-soup IJ pint Raw spirits 3 wine glasses "'■ter , 17 pints Strong grog i tumbler In the secluded situation of the Esquimaux, in a climate where the earth admits of no cnltivation, or at least scarcely any, uneducated and without the means of obtaining know- M, ■^» 'i 1 -gft w^' HI ^y\ ill w ,^1 w B' i'l mk I m 1 I') V . lip I mf.nT'-w^ "mi " " "* ss ri' t m 1 ■ 1 120 PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE ledge, all the happiness of these people appears to centre in the indulgence of their gluttonous appetites ; and to such a degree, that they gratify this disposition although the pros^ pect in future days may be the want of any food whatever. In the course of the long stay which the ships made among the Esquimaux, some idea was endeavoured to be con- veyed to them of the population, climate, productions, and civil government of the nations of Europe and of Great Britain in particular. But it was with great dithculty their minds were brought to conceive the various ranks and sta- tions which different persons filled in civilized society : all importance in their idea was to be measured by the riches which each possessed. The ships they supposed to bo the respective property of Captain Parry and Captain Lyon, and were consequently distinguished by the appellation of Lyon-ooraiak and Parry-oomiak. Upon the same principle they supposed the boats to belong to other individuals of the ships ; and were full of astonishment when informed that the ships and boats, and all they contained, belonged to one person, who had also a great number of other oomiuks, both larger and more valuable than these : that it was by his order they now paid this visit to them. One of these Esquimaux, named Ewerat, who possessed a much superior understanding to most of hi" countrymen, was shewn a chart, and the distance and situation of Great Britain, and many other countries, pointed out to him, as well as the space occupied by his own countrymen. He was soon led to estimate their comparative size and distance, and his astonishment was expressed by an emphatical hei-ya, which is their word of astonishment and admiration. After having pointed out these circumstances, he and his wife were asked if they would be willing to leave their country and friends and go with the English to their country. To this they mojst readily assented, and expressed the highest gra- tification at the prospect of seeing those wonderful things and plfices which had been presented to their attention. lessed m, as He tance, (ei-i/a> After were ly and lo iUis gra- lUing* m iffif ' 1 pi il \m II 1: P *K« j^ . jim^ii^t,,. "•ri as. ^> .1 if BHN ■ ■A»»''w«(HL./ ■»*«■-*-.' .,!! f. ^, 1 ', ). 5 TO THK NORTH rOLK. 1-21 As tlwse wlio had been sick rocovered any measure of liealth, they manifested the greatest impatience to be again rang'ing abroad in t\te open air ; so that by too great ex- ertions they sometimes brought on a relapse, and it was only by agreeing to tlieir wishes under certain conditions and re- strictions, that they were in most instances manageable in these circumstances' About the middle of March, two families of the Esqui- maux left Igloolik and moved to the southward, where they said the walrusses were more abundant, and before the end of the month many more families took their final de- parture. These removals cuuld not arise from a want of the opportunity of procuring food, but is the consequence of habit and the disposiiion of all uncivilized peo{>Ie to roam about and change their habitations. The state of the weather ^vas now such that the ships' crews engaged in a variety of gatn;»s on shore. Cricket, quoits, and other sports occupied some hours every day, and both officers and men found the cheering effects of being more abroad. On the 21st the wife of another of the Esquimaux died. She had been brought to the hospital a few days preceding in a very weak state, and died without a struggle. As she was on the point of expiring, she took the hand of Mr. Skeocli and pressed it to her lips as expressive of the gratitude she felt for the attention he had paid to her during her sickness. Her husband also manifested much thankfulness for his at- tention to her. A very short time before she died, the husband fetched two of his sons wno were then on board the ships, to see their mother, and on her expiring they all burst out into crying and lamentations for a few minutes and then left the spot apparently as cheerful as ever. Her husband now dressed her in hei clothes, and she was sewed up in a hammock, leaving her face uncovered. On the day liullowing she was buried, the boily being placed on a sledge and drawn by two men to tlie place of interment. When it P. V. 6. R 1 nm ±_^ ^Il' f 188 parry's second voyage S I' . 1 ■^1 ^! ll! if V I I M; 1; was put into the grave, some staves were placed across to prevent any weight resting upon it, and he then threw on large slabs of snuw. Having thus finished his duty, he per- mitted the English to throw on it a quantity uf stones and earth. The difference in the weather between day and night be- gan to evidence itself in a small degree as early as the mid- dle of March, but the return of the light of the sun, and the change from almost constant darkness to almost constant day was that which the English beheld as the most cheer- ing circumstance. Only a few weeks after the first re-ap- pearance of the sun, th?re was twilight during the whole of the night. In the first week in April, Captain Lyon paid a vii'efore con- sidered that it would be practicable for only one ship to make the attempt, and that the Fury should take as much provisions and stores as might be necessary out of the Hecla and Captain Lyon should return with her to England. By this means also he would hdve the opportunity of stating to the Lords of the Admiralty all their past eflforts, and thereby they might make any alterations in their purpose of sending the vessel which was to meet them in Beerings Straits. On all these matters he consulted with Captain Lyon, who coincided in opinion with him. Having thus determined, Captain Parry made known his intentions to the ships companies after divine service on the 20th of April ; and at the same time an invitation was R 2 I I »r?r rrs iPiWIffiiPl pi J J : 1 ■f -I \ \ H < 5 ! < f ■f" ' ■ i s f i l; i 1 .' ) p.' ' 9 y k "••• ?v^ ill 1!U Mltltv'fc KUC'ONl) VOYAGC given totheHeamt'norilieHeclatoen(eronboarcltLe Fury, as he intended toiiicrea«e tlie numbor of men on board bia 8hi|> beyond the com|»leraent originally appointed. A removal of provisions andstores also immediately coiumenced, undan exchange was also made with thelleela of the more service, able anchors, boats and cables. In about a fortnight the removal of stores to the Ilecla was completed, by means of the Esquimaux dogs, who performed the whole service of the removal, none of the crew beingcalled on to convey the stores from one ship to tho other, and it excited the astonishment of the ships companies to observe with what ease and expe- dition the dogs performed this service. Some idea may be formed of the value of the services of these animals when it is stated, that nine of them drew a body of stores weighing sixteen hundred and eleven pounds from the Hecia to the Fury, being a distance of nearly half a mile, in about nine minutes. In this manner the dogs laboured for about eight hours each day until the removal was cora])letetl. By the end of April tlie thawing of the sno' of which the Esquimaux huts were composed, rendered abodes of these people the most uncomfortable that can be conceived, the floor being constantly wet. They were necessitated also to place skins over the openings which the melting of the snow occasioned in their roofs. Several ot" the families also now began to remove ; some to another part of the is- land and others to some small island at a distance. The ship's now began to enjoy the comfort of opening the hatches every day to admit the fresh air, a luxury they had not en- joyed for the last si« months. The rapidity of the change of the temperature of the at- mosphere could not but be noticed by every individual, and the earth exhibited also the most evident tokens of the rapid approach of the summer. Instead of one unvaried white appearanct>, there were to be seen large dark patches of knd, with multitudes of caterpillars. To expedite the thawing of th« ice ruund llie shi{is and ,_^ 3*''^ ro TIIK NOHTil PULB. 125 to u|>t>n u puHsuy^e to tlie sea, the sledges drawn by lliu dogs were employed to carry sand i'rom tbe shore. A distance of f^reut part of a mile was thus covered and of the width of more than twenty feet, that by this nieuus the ice might be more quickly dissolved. At this period Captain Lyon went out on a shooting excursion to a point of land called Arlngnuk, accompanied by some of the Esquimaux. He met with considerable suc- cess, killing a great number of king-ducks, which the na- tives collected in their canoes. Finding their success so great, shooting parties were established in the neighbourhood accompanied by the small boats from the ships, as they found the Esquimaux were in the practice of keeping back many of the birds which were shot on these occasions. lu a few days this party brought to the ships a supply of one hundred and twenty ducks as well as other game, and the whole was dispersed among the ships companies. Captain Lyon at this timf undertook a journey to the shores of the Polar Sea, with a view tu obtain information respecting those parts which the ships had been prevented from approaching in consequence of the closeness of the ice. It was intended by this means to form a judgment as to the future movements of the Fury. Two persons were to accompany Captain Lyon and provisions for a mouth were to be conveyed on a sledge. On the 7th of May the captain quitted the ships, accompanied by Captain Parry, who proposed travelling to a place named Quilliam Creek, where they landed the next day. Here they pitched their tents, and fixed their abode for the remainder of the day, some of the party being atfected by snow blindness, and others by an inflammation of the face occasioned by the heat of the sun. On the 9th Captain Lyon went forward on his journey, and Captain Parry having been informed by one of the Es- quimaux that if they proceeded to the head of this Creek and broke through the ice, which was about five feet thick, they '•nteuKMuUMMMt^^. I t >M 12G parry's second voyage might catch abundance of salmon, proceeded to make the attempt. After several hours labour they obtained an openin^^ to tie water, which instantly rose to nearly the surface of the ice ; and the lines were thrown into the place, in full expectation of much success, but after several hours unsuccessful waiting, no appearance of success presenting itself, they set off on their return to the ships. In their journey the party became so blinded by the snow, that it was with difficulty they could direct the sledge. On the ]3tli they reached Arlagruk, where they found (he shooting par- ties with a large supply of ducks. Towards the end of this month they were visited by a few Esquimaux whom the) 'lad never before seen. From them they learnt that they hnd seen several Kabloona (Europeans) ships employed in killing whales ; and from the description oftheruu(,it was supposed they came from some part of the western coast of Baffin's Bay. They stated that two ships like the Fury had been driven on sliore by the ice, and the people escaped in their boats, a fact which has since been confirmed by the aceount of tlie Dexterity of Leith and the Aurora of llull having been wrecked in the month of August I82I, about the latitude of 72 degrees. It cannot but be remarked that the Esquituai'.x nation appear widely dis|)ersed and no doubt are sometimes carried out to sea by the breaking off of the field ice, which mcy account in some measure for thih circumstance. The following is a fact of very recent dati^ Account of the remarkahle preservation of tivo Ebtpdmmu hdjUjlng to t^^e Christian Congregation at Hopedale, one of the '-settlements of tlu- Moravians on the iMhrador coast, who wsre carried out to sea on afield of ice, and for nine days driven about ai the mercy of the waves. Peter, Titus, and Conrad, three Esquimaux, went to an island in the open sea called Kikkertarsook, their usual spring ])lane for catching seals. While on a large field of ice watchiiig for their prey, and drawing near the edge, TO THE NORTH POLE. m they found cracks in the ice in several pb.ces. S«.ddenly the part on which they stood was ti slodged by the wind and broke away from the land. Conrad turned his sledge into a kind of raft by tying skins and seals bladders to it, and contrived to paddle to the firm ice, using a seal javelin as a rudder. It was agreed that he should procure a kayak or boat and come to their assistance ; to procure which he hastened with all possible speed, but when he returned to the spot a south-west wind had carried them so far into the open sea that they could hardly be discernedy and to follow them was impossible. Conrad now proceeded to the families of the two unfor- tunate men to make k lown unto them the afflicting voircum- stance, and the distress which it gave them may perhaps be better imagined than described, when to their inexpressible joy and satisfaction, on the ninth day after they had been driven o it, they arrived in a a sledge. The account they gave was, that the size and strength of the field of ice was such as to afford them the meai of building a snow-house upoh it, about six feet in height, in which they took shelter during the night and when it rained. They had caught eight seals on the day of their departure which afforded them nourishment, and they drank the bluod. During five days there was so thick a fog that they could not see which way they were driven, but at length they saw land through the fog, and coming among the drift ice they examined it to enable them to judge of the possibility of escaping over it. At this time the field ice on which they were sustained a violent shock, and a large portion of it broke off. Upon this they left it, passing over the drift ice, and notwith- standing the hazardous situation both of them got safely to land. On the 24tli of June Captain Parry with Mr. Crozier and two seamen, accompanied by Toolemak, one of the Esqui- maux, and his wife, set out on a journey to the fishing place. The whole party travelled on sledges drawn by dogs, and 128 parry's SBCO^fD TOYAGE H (i fiii went tlic distance of forty miles the first day. It was ad- mirable to notice the laborious efforts of the dogs, ^vho went the whole distance without food, it beins: the custom of these people to feed them only once a day, and that in the evening". On the following day as the party were passing near to some piles of stones, which manifestly had been collected together for some purpose, Toolemak's wife suddenly fell on her knees and began to cry loudly and bitterly, in which she was also joined by her husband, and they both shed abundance of tears. This continued for a few minutes, after which they resumed their usual spirits. On beinjr asked the cause of this ceremony, Toolemak said that this place had been their residence in the summer, and the spot on which i.is wife knelt had been where a son had formerly slept, but v.ho was since dead. This incident may servp to shew the power of habit on the feelings, as their sorrow was to all appearance sincere, and having thus given it ex- pression, they resumed their former character. The purty proceeded to the head of the inlet, and then walking two miles over land came to a river which they were lold was to be their fishing place. Having pitched their tents, they set forwards on the ice, and making holes through it, which was several feet in thickness, let down the lines. The fish-hooks of these people were composed of an iron hook fixe '«t about three miles distant. " Heavy snow and calm weather obliged us to tent on the hill, which, on clearing away the snow for a sleeping place, we found to be covered with shingle limestone od a bed of yellow marl. Thermometer, at ten in the evening, 20°. Heavy snow all night ; and on the 11th it still con- tinued to fall thickly until thirty minutes after three in the afteriioon, when clearing a little, I determined on at- tempting to pass through a small opening in the mountains about W.S.W. of "s. The snow which had now fallen with .but little interiiJi&sion for two days and nigii'3 was so deep, that we proceeded very slowly and with great la- bour, and the mountains were as completely covered as in the middle of winter. After two hours* toil in ascending a steep hill we arrived on what we conceived was good table land, when we suddenly found ourselves on the brink of a precipice, and a chain of mountains extendimg from north to S.E. On St opping the sledge it sunk so deep in a wreath of snow that all our ofTorts to move it were in vain ; the dogs were quite overcome, and we were quite at a stand. We therefore unloaded it and threw away about one hun- dred weight of such things as could be spared, after which about half an hour's labour extricated it. When reloaded it overset and I was almobt 'empted to abandon it, for I saw Wjl W' TO THE NORTH POLB. 131 how impossible it was for even an unloaded raan to climb the snow-covered and steep mountains west of us. I how- ever resolved at last on returning to the low land, and by tracking along the foot of the hills, look out for the first opening to the westward. Seven hours' travel^ ng over the plain brought us to the foot of a mountain which I had ob- served to bear about S.E., and here we tented. " A heavy snow-gale confined us to the tent during the 12th and 13th, and apart of the 14th, a few minutes' sun at noon on the 13th, (the first time we had seen it since leaving Captain Parry,) gave me ai opportunity of obtaining the meridian altitude, and on the 14th by sights for the chrono- meter, I obtained the longitude. Lat. 69° 15' 6" long, l** 11'30"W. ofHecla. ** At five in the afternoon on the 14th, we proceeded in a south-easterly direction along the foot of the rocky hills. On the snow which was very soft we saw a beiir's track, and on a patch of shin;.^Ie found several sea- shells, Five hours travelling brought us to the end of the chain of bills, and from this point we saw the ship with a glass about N.E., twenty miles. I had for some time suspected that we had taken the wrong loute, as no Esquimaux could have passed with a sledge over the mountains at whose feet we had been travelling ; I had however better hopes at this place by seeing the hills become lower and trend to the south-west- ward, which answered in a great measure with the Esqui- maux description of the land they passed over. At the foot of this point lay a narrow lake of about three miles in length, and near it was a femall but deep craggy ravine. On the shingle ridges we saw several Esquimaux circles, and a golden plover passed us on the wing. Travelling hence about three miles southerly, we tented on the snow, the wind being at N. W., and the night extremely cold. " The morning of the 15th was thick and cold and the N. W. wind was unabated. Soon after noon we proceeded in a weeterly direction but without having a fixed object to S 2 r ! IE r I « f 1 iiJl J IH y i'1 1m' " We had now obtained sufficient proof that no passage was practicable in a southerly direction to the sea, and had also learned by experience the extreme difficulty of carrying a sledge over land, even to so fine a team of dogs as mine. That some other way might be found to obtain a view of the Western Sea, I was yet in hopes ; but it was not possi- ble to pass over land at this time, from the state in which the thawing had left the snow. A more advanced period of the season might perhaps be more favourable j but even a walking party, laden with tent and provisions, would make but little progress over the mountains." In the beginning of July the ice appeared to be rapidly dissolving. The space which had been covered with sand, and which had obtained from the crew the name of the canal, was covered with water to the depth of eighteen inches, and there was every reason to expect a speedy breaking up of the ice in that direction, and a liberation of the ships. There was however a distance of several miles beyond this canal which was still entirely frozen, but which it was hoped and expected would be so dispersed by the end of the month as to afford a passage for the ships into the open water. The success of the shooting parties at this time was very considerable, upwards of two hundred ducks having been killed in the course of one week. A considerable party of Esquimaux, whom they had never before seen, paid the ships a visit at this time. They came from Cockburn Island and from places to the west- ward of Igloolik. The distance they stated to be from six to eight days journey. These people confirmed the state- ment of former Esquimaux as io the two ships which had been wrecked, and one man was afterwards met with who had some of the boards belonging to the wrecked vessels. As this circumstance excited a strong feeling among tha ships crewS) Lieutenant Hoppner offered to accompany a party of the natives who were uout taking a journey north- ward, with a view to obtain more satisfactory information TO THE NORTH POLK. 137 as to the wrecked ships, and also to obtain a luore correct knowledge of the shores of Cockburn Island. As the at- tempt was likely to produce some interesting information, Captarn Parry acceded to his offer, and appointed three of the ships crew to accompany him, and four of the best dogs were to convey the baggage. On the fourth of July Lieutenant Hoppner, having heard that a party of the Esquimaux, intended to set out on the following morning, went with his people who were apppinted to accompany him, to their village, that they might be in rea- diness to go with them ; and accordingly the next day he proceeded in company with almost the whole of the natives, as not more than two or three visited the ships after this time. The following is his narrative of the journey. " We left the ship at fifteen minutes past eleven in the even- ing on the 4th, and arrived at the Esquimaux tents about five in the morning. The Esquimaux were all asleep, but being disturbed by the noise of our arrival, they flocked round us to know the cause of so early a visit. Our inten> tion of accompanying them seemed to afford great amuse- ment, and many jokes were passed apparently at our expense. Having rested about two hours, we were disturbed by the whispers and stifled laugh of the women and children ; and on going out found the tents all struck, the men already gone, and every appearance of the party, with whom we in- tended to travel, having fairly given us the slip. This unex- pected departure somewhat embarrassed us ; but we imme> diately prepared to follow them, and were relieved from our anxiety by finding they were still at the edge of the ice. Per- ceiving we were really in earnest, and that our dogs, of which they had only a few wretched animals, were likely to be of use to them, Erichiuk suffered us to place the loads upon his sledge. We left Keiyuk-tarruke at thirty minutes pat t nine, ia company with four other sledges ; and after clear- ing the grounded hummocks, travelled at a good pace in a north* easterly direction. When we got about five miles P. V. 6. T fin w tati,- -».». -...-i^,. ^ I "J! •■■.*.t 1 V ri i i f 1 1 i k 1 * ^-4 188 parry's second voyage from Igloolik, the water became knee deep on the ice, which rendered walking extremely fatiguing. The men and several of the women dispersed themselves in all directions in pursuit of seals; whilst the sledges were left entirely to the management of the females who remainded by them. Our assistance soon became necessary, and before the end of the day we quite gaiuc d their favour. It was at first the inten- tion of the men lo go to Tern Island to collect eggs, but about seven in the tening the weather assuming a threatening appearance, they determined to encamp on the ice. The number of stoppages, and the winding course which we made to pick up the seals left by the hunters, rendered the day's journey extremely fatiguing and unpleasant, particularly as we suffered a good deal from cold. After travelling abuut twenty miles, we at length halted at thirty minutes past seven in the evening. As we had nothing but our blanket- bags to place between us and the ice, Erichiuk kindly fur- nished us with staves procured from the ships, with which we floored the tent, and passed the night much more com- fortably than we had anticipated. The encampment vas formed on a small dry ridge of ice, almost the only spo*. frfr from water that we had seen during the afternoon. In con- sequence of their success, the Esquimaux passed the evening feasting on raw flesh ; only one or two taking the trouble to light their lamps. " The weather being fine on the 6th, we broke up the encampment at thirty minutes past seven in the morning, and travelled about fifteen miles in a N.N.E. direction. The hunters of both sexes again dispersed themselves, many seals were killed merely for their skins, and the carcases left on the ice, after being deprived of the entrails, of which the Esquimaux seemed particularly fond. At ^seven in the afternoon we landed on the north shore, and pitched our tent on a rocky point in the midst of the Esquimaux en- campment. The women brought us some roots of the "po- tentilla pulchella, which they had pulled whilst collecting TO THfi NORTH POLE. 139 dwarf- willow for their fires, and which had a pleasant flavour, resembling liquorice, but not so sweet. They seemed fond of it, and had brought in a considerable quantity, which they ate without cleansing from the soil. Nearly all the women had large kettles full of seals flesh boiling outside of the tents; when it was ready the master of the tent announced it by three loud shouts, to collect the rest of the men to partake of it. They had scarcely finished one before another was ready, to which they were again summoned ; and in this manner they kept up the feast until a late hour. ^ " On the 7th the weather was gloomy with light rain oc- casionally. The Esquimaux remained at home all day, most of them being laid up with snow-blindness. No in- telligence could be gained relative to their future move- ments ; the women, who are always the most communicative, seemed to know nothing ; and the men were either heedless of our inquiries, or very unsatisfactory in their answer. The land gradually rose behind our tents to hills of considerable height, well clothed with herbage, and seeming likely to afford game ; but after a long walk we saw only a few deer- tracks, two grouse, and some ducks, all so wild that it was impossible to get near them. From the top of a hill about three miles N.E.bE. from the tents, we saw a wide expanse of ice, bounded by high land to the northward, apparently about the same distance as Neerlo-nakto was from us. Its eastern point, which seemed low, bore E.N.E., and was nearly in a line with the north point of the easternmost of the Calthorpe Islands. Our view to the westward was bounded beyond N.W. by the land we stood on, which however did not appear to approach that seen to the northward. A strait, about three miles in breadth, and of the same length, separated the land we were on from the Calthorpe Islands. This channel was clear of ice, appeared deep, and had a strong tide or current setting through it to the southward. I endeavoured to learn from the Esquimauxwhether the land joined to the westward and formed a bay, but was un- T 2 11 it 'f £ '!> ;n ^ m^mmmmm i 'i ? f 140 VAURY S &KC(J> I) VOYAOK If iJ I't i successful in ipy iuquiries. This iclet was nn iied after Captain Sir Murray Maxwell, of tJie Royal Navy. In the evening we visited the tent of the old man from Toonoonek. He was an Angetkok or jugler and seemed fond of exhibiting his skill. He sat with his arms drawn out of the sleeves of his jacket and apparently folded over his breast, but in reality employed his fingers tapping upon the skins he sat on. This noise I was told was made by lis Tornga, or spirit, and a great many questions were puL to uim by the bystanders ; these were answered by tapping in a particular manner, and the sounds were then interpiet«^d by the craft of the old Angetkok. " On the 8th nearly all the men went out sealing, ac- companied by some of the women regularly equipped for the hunt. Our people returned in the evening with the carcass of a deer ; they liad been ten or twelve miles to the west- ward, in which direction they said the land improved in ve- getation ; but the few living creatures which they saw were as wild as those in the vicinity of the tents. •' The weather being very inclement on the 9th, confined every body within the tents. In the afternoon there was a dacce at the Angetkok'?, where nearly the whole party was assembled. The old man opened the ball by a performance which seemed a medley of conjuring and dancing ; several other men stood up after him, and last of all his son : when he had finished, most of the company retired, upon which he rushed into the tent, and sensing his youngest wife by the liair beat her severely. She seemed at first inclined to resist, and took up a tin-pot, as if intending *o throw it at him ; he immediately kicked her out of the tent, and struck her se- veral heavy blows with a walrus tusk. His other wife, fear- ing what was to follow, had placed her child in h?r hood, as if to protect herseh' from the \Tath of he i- husband. Hav- ing satisfied his vengeance on "le young one, he rushed in again, and snatching the child away, beat tbo other poor woman in a most barbarous manner over the h-^ad yfith some T(t TflU NORTH POI.B 141 heavy weapon which he had snatched up oii his eutraoce. She never spuke, and although streaming with blood, scarcely attempted to defend herself from his fury. Hav- ing continued to use her thus for louie minutes, one of the men present held his hand, upon which b<3 quietly seated himself and remained sulky the rest of the evening. The woman retired soon after with her child some distance trota the tent, where I found her giving vent to her feelings by the most piercing cries. Two or three women stood round her, who having satisfied their curiosity, left her without shewing the slightest symptom of pity. The only cause we could discover for this brutal transaction was, because they had not sung when their husband was dancing. He took no notice of it at the time ; but appears to have meditated revenge whilst seemingly wrapt up in his amusement. In the evening we found a small party assembled in the same tent to hear the different spirits whom the Angetkok was going to send into their presence. He came in soon after, and taking his station behind the screen, descended after previously putting a few questions to the bystanders. The performance differed very little from Toulemak's. Ten torngas rose in succession, some of whom did not confine themselves to speaking alone, but scratched and thumped against the skin behind the person address' d. The An- getkok's wife sung during the ceremony, but ajipeared to take little interest in it, and when her duties permitted, di- rected all her attention to us. "The weather was dull on the lOth, with. occasional fogs About ten in the morning there appeared a general move amongst our Esquimaux friends. On inquiry it appeared that (our familes were going to the eastward, whilst the party to which we were attached intended to remain another day, and then continue their journey towards Toonoouee-rooohiuk. Having gone out with our guns the Esquimaux men of our party took advntageof our absence and set oit* tor Tern Is- land to collect eggs ; carefuUy conoaaling their int^ntiuus i scs; mt, imm i : 'Mi. I \( r = 1, 4 • '^ ( U' ,1.: I \-l 142 parry's sbcond voyagb from us lest vre should propose to accompany them. It' was not until they were nearly out of sight that they told the man, who remained to look after our tent, where they were going, the idea of having deceived us seeming to afford them much amusement. *^ The early part of the 11th was hazy ; towards noon it cleared away and became fine. We had felt rather cold dur- ing the night, which was the first we had found at all un- comfortable. Our men went away to the westward in pur- suit of deer ; before they left the tent they informed me, that Che women had mentioned their intention of continuing their journey next day towards a station where they procure fish. I made inquiries, but could hear nothing ; and as it ap- peared from their previous conduct that they were unwilling to acquaint me with their designs, I directed the men to ga- ther all the information they could. It was now become evi- dent that they did not intend going direct to Toonoonee- roochiuk ; but as I conceived a longer stay with them might furnish something interesting, 1 determined on it ; mure es- pecially as the distance to Igloolik was greater than we could conveniently travel without diminishing our loads. The Esquimaux returned in the evening with a few seals, some ducks, and a great many eggs. They had emptied the latter out of their shells into walrus bladders, containing each between two and three gallons. They gave us two ducks and half a dozen eggs, an act of generosity of which they seemed to think highly, but with which we were by no means satisfied, after been disappointed of a trip to the islaiiil, where we might have collected some for ourselves. " We remained stationary on the 12th, the Esquimaux stating that their dogs were too lame to travel. They bu- ried most of their tin pots and iron hoops, which looked as if they intended returning soon. One of the women excited our attention by the ingenuity she displayed in mending a tin kettle which she had procured from the ships, and which had become unsoldered. She paid little attention to our iu- TO THE NORTH POLE. 143 fitrucUous, and at length completed the task, in her own way, by suspending the kettle over the flame of the lamp, and dropping pieces of solder obtained from the rim of a meat canister, which when melted she spread with a spike • nail over the joint. In the evening we were diverted by Kooeetseearioc, who went through the whole cer«>mony of raisingTornga. My men put up a screen, behind which he went after some persuasion, and performed the whole of his part with great skill, particularly the diving scene, where he ma- naged his voice so well that it really appeared to come some distance from under ground. It would seem from this that the art is not difficult, and that, from the ridicule with which they seemed to treat it, they were not imposed on. The old people alone seemed to pay respect to the Angetkoks, while the young ones invariably treated their mysteries with contempt. " At half- past ten in the morning on the 13thj we quitted this station, which by the mean of five meridian altitudes ia in lat. 60° 42' 20", and by the mean of seven sets of observa- tions for the chronometer, in long. 00° 46' 22" E. of the shipi* winter station. The ice was so full of cracks and holes that it was with difficulty the sledge could proceed, and it was only enabled to stand the heavy shocks it received by the looseness of its construction. Two large seals being seen on the ice, the sledges stopped while two of the Esquimaux went in pursuit of them. It was full two hours before they got close to one of them, which they effiicted by crawling feet foremost towards the animal ; one man lying concealed behind the other who, by scraping on the ice with his spear, and moving his feet in imitation of a sears-flipper, deceived the animal until they got within six or seven yards of it. They then remained stationary some time as if to accustom the seal to them ; when at length the nearest man, springing on his feet, darted his spear, which however striking a bone did not take eflect. Notwithstanding the quickness of the movement, the animal was half down the hole before the spear If : a I f !l! }" I 144 parry's second voyage quitted die man's hand. At four o'clock, having advanced about fourteen miles along shore to the westward, the party stopped at a rooky point, where they signified their inten- tion of remaining some days. A few miles to the westward a low point ran out with several smaM islands ofTit. Beyond this point was an extensive opening, which the Esquimaux represented to be a bay which they go up on their route to Toonoonee-roochiuk. Dunn joined us about an hour after our arrival, with the intelligence of having killed a deer five or six miles to the westward. By promising the Ne- rooka a part of the deer before mentioned by Captain Lyon, as considered a great delicacy by these people, a sledge was easily procured, upon which my two men went, accompanied by one of the Esquimaux, to bring it in. Our provision being nearly expended, I desired the men to endeavour to bargain with their companion for his sledge to carry us to Neerlonakto ; whilst I also endeavoured to hire one in the event of their failure. In the evening Kriohiuk and some others had a long conversation about the ships going to Toonoonee roochiuk, an event they seemed very anxious to bring about. He persisted in say- ing it was practicable for them to go by a western route ; and as he still continued positive after I had explained to him that we found the Strait blocked up by ice last summer, I concluded that he alluded to some other opening which the formation of the land precluded us from seeing at pre- sent. ** The man who had promised us his sledge the preceding evening, now refused it, because we did not immediately comply with his demands for the deer's sinews. In conse- quence of this I determined, if he persisted in his refusal next morning, to construct a light sledge with our boarding- pike^ to carry our baggage, which by this time was become tolerably light. " On the receipt of the sinews and «jome of the flesh how- ever, he was again willing to lend his sledge the following TO TIIK NORTH t»OLE, 145 (lay ; we therefore prepared to move immediately after breakfast. The latitude of this station by one meridian altitude was 69° 4l6' 12" N., the longitude, by means of two sets of sights for the chronometer, was 00" 34' 42" east of the ships. The Esquimaux seemed sorry to depart from us, a feeling rendered reciprocal by the kindness which they had uniformly shewn us. It is but justice to say that I never experienced more attention in my life , and that their whole conduct towards us seemed expressive of a grateful feeling for the advantages which they had derived from their intercourse with the ships. Our party was in- creased to six by two of the natives joining us just as we were starting. The ice was tolerahly smooth and had but lit- tle water on it, so that my men, who walked more than two- thirds of the way, did it without fatigue, and at half an hour past six in the evening we landnd nn Neerlonaktoo. Our companions, who had volunteered to carry us to the ships, were anxious to proceed, but compassion for our poor dogs would not suffer me to hear of it. Although these people were kind and attentive to us, they did not think it necessary to extend this feeling to our dogs, which were become very lame, nor would they even supply us with a piece of skin to make boots for them, without demanding an exorbitant price. Whilst on Neerlonaktoo we saw three deer and great numbers of geese and other water fowl, but they were so shy that all our attempts to get neal* them were ineffectual. ** Leaving the island at forty-five minutes past eleven, on the 16th, we arrived on Igloolik at twenty minutes past one. Having loaded our own doi,-s, the Esquimaux left theirs moored to a stone, where they were to remain with- out food until their return ; and walking across the island we reached the ships at four in the afternoon." The ice continued daily, though slowly, to dissolve, and there still was a distance of nearly five miles from the ships to th« open sea. The hope of extrieatinj^ the ships ther«- P. V. 7. IJ M' ■ t , I -i \ *! f .1 ]■ i\ ■M r n 11 I* H H 146 PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE fore side, about twelve or fourteen miles distant, becoming a very prominent object, I made towards it, hoping from thence to see the termination of the inlet, which here varied from one to three miles in breadth. At five in the afternoon, finding the hill above-mentioned still too distant for me to reach on foot, I landed on the right-hand shore, from whence the opening appeared to ex- tend at least a day's journey for the sledge, continuing about the same breadth and not appearing to terminate even at the furthest point seen. After resting a short time, I returned towards the tent, determining, if our people had killed any thing which would furnish a supply of food for the dogs, to run up with the sledge next day, and if possible reach its termination. Having walked about five miles back, I discovered an Esquimaux tent on the north side, which being pitched behind a point had escaped my notice on pass^ ing up, and which proved to belong to some of our old U 2 \\i\ w wm 148 PARRY^S SECOND VOYAGE I , I t friends. As the want of food fur the dogs had made me fearful we should be obliged to abandon our object before its accomplishment, I immediately bargained with them for a supply, promising to visit them the next day. They had a few pieces of very fine looking fish drying on the rocks. After stopping with them about ten minutes i took my leave, and, on reaching the point next above our tent, found tliat the rest of the Esquimaux had arrived during my absence. " At twenty minutes past twelve on the 25th we struck our tent and proceeded up the inlet, stopping a few minutes at the first point, where we purchased some meat for the dogs, and got the promise of a seal on our return. At three ia the afternoon we arrived at the tent of Erichiuk, from whom we purchased some more meat and a very fine sal- mon. The Esquimaux told us we might reach the head of the inlet to-day ; we therefore left one of our dogs which was lame in Erichiuk^s charge, and resumed our journey, with the intention of lightening the sledge at the first con- venient place. At four in the alternoon, having reached two small islets situated nearly in mid-channel, we buried whatever we could spare, to ensure the accomplishment ut our object; and having stopped half an hour to refresh our- selves, we set off at a quick pace. The weather was so thick that it was but very rarely we got a glimpse of the shores on each side of us ; when we did, they seemed /ocky and steep ; but a short distance from the beach the land ap- peared well clothed with vegetation. As we advanced the ice became very thin and rotten, and gave indications of our approach to its termination : at length, about half past nine, we found ourselves within fifty yards of the water, and were obliged to pick our way to the shore over a very rotten sur- face. On landing we were gratified by the sight ofa noble sheet of water, a mile and a half in breadth and perfectly fresh. The tide was out, but there was uo current percepti- ble in the middle, nor did we notice any during the wbok time of our stay. The Esquimaux had informed us of *^ TO TH& NORTH POLE. 149 large fall, but as >vc neither saw nor heard any thing of it, it must be a good way higher up, our point of view extend- ing full fifteen miles, when it terminated in two bluff points, between which the stream seemed to wind. To these points* to all appearance, it continued about the same breadth, and from the colour of the water it must be deep enougk for ships of large burden. The land on each side was high, and where we stood was more closely covered with vegeta- tion than any spot I had ever seen in these regions. The dwarf willow grew to a height and size almost entitling it to be called a shrub, and Andromeda tetragona was in the greatest abundance. " On the 26th I sent one of my men to the top of a high hill behind our tent, but his view from thence was not more extensive than what we had already procured. After stop- ping to get the meridional altitude, which gave the lat. 70° 06'42''N., the longitude, by chronometer, being 0° 39' 48* W. of the ships, we set out on our return. As the ice was broken up for two miles below us, we endeavoured to get on the solid floe by a narrow neck about one hundred yards broad ; but having got half way, it proved so thin and rot- ten that I considered it better to return, than to run tlie risk of crossing it. The dogs dragged the sledge along shore until we came to the firm ice, performing their task much better than we expected. We now returned down the river, and, having picked up the things left on the is- land, arrived at the Esquimaux tents at half-past eight. They received us very kiudty, assisting to unload the sleilge and carry the things to the top of the hill. We purchased of them some very fine salmon, which they caught in a small rivulet emptying itself into a bay about a quarter of a mile from the tents. " The 27th proving a fine day, the men all went out with their fishing-spears at high-water, but returned in a short time, saying there were no fish, from which it is pro- bable that they only come here occasionally, resorting at I I If fit EBOC il 150 parry's sbconu voyage other times to other places of the same description, witli which tlie river abounds. The latitude of this station is 70° 0' 13" N.; longitude, by ( hronoraeter, 0° 5' 40" W. of the ships. We left our friends about one in tlie afternoon ; they continued civil to the last, although the temptation to rob us was too great to resist. This, however, they did in a sly sort of way, removing things from where we had placed them ^ witli the idea, perhaps, that we should not miss them until we had taken our departure. On tasting the water nt this station, which is not more than seven or eight miles from the mouth of the opening, it proved nearly fresh. We kept close along the north shore, passing over very bad ice, with cracks extending across to the eastern part of the strait. It appeared only to want a strong breceze from the westward to drive it out, as it was quite detached from the land. At nine in the evening we landed on a small rocky island, the easternmost of a group about fifteen miles from the spot where we < the Esquimaux on our former journey. From this point i could see that the land was connected ; as the only part which had been doubtful was in a bay formed by the north-eastern point of the river, and another about five miles westward from our present station, where (the land being rather low) there was an appearance of an opejiing; this day's journey, however, proved the continuity of the coast. Our time being limited, I did not think it worth while going any farther to the eastward ; but ^s the dogs would require a day's rest previously to carrying us over to Igloolik, I determined to remain here until the 29th for that purpose. " The weather was so thick, that it was not until past ten on the 29th that we left the north land, and at seven arrived on thp west end of Neerlonaktoo, where we stopped for the night, our dogs bein^ too much tired to proceed. We found the ice in coming over far better than 1 expected. It was however separated from both lands by wide cracks, and did not average more than two feet in thickness as far TO THE NORTH POLE. 151 as I could jud^e ; it appeared nenrly in the tame state as last year at this season. " Leaving Neerlonaktoo at half-past eleven on the 30th, we reached Iffloolik at two in the afternoon. The ice be- tween the two islands was almost impassable for a sledge in some places, but the pools were all frozen over, for the first time, during the last night. We found great difficulty in landing on Igloolik, the ice having broken up into de- tached pieces along its shores. In getting the sledge across from one end to the other, we were frequently near losing it, the dogs having to swim across several of the spaces between the broken pieces of ice. Having crossed the isthmus, we got sight of the ships and arrived on board about four in the afternoon." They had now entered upon the month of August, yet the ships were so completely surrounded with ice as to pre- clude all approaches to the open water, excepting that around the ships to a small distance there was an open space of water. Captain Parry therefore resolved, arduous as was tlie attempt, to endeavour to saw a passage through the ice to the sea, a distance of nearly five miles, and with this view a tent was pitched for the ships' companies to take their meals in. On the third of the month, however, the ice opened to within a mile of the ship, so that the sawing might be proceeded on with a greater prospect of success, and the following day near four hundred yards of ice were cut through. In eiTecting this the crew endured much fa- tigue, and the ice often breaking several of the men fell into the water. One of them very narrowly escaped drown- ing, being at such a distance as that help could not be rea- dily afforded him. The prospect of being liberated from the ice being proba- ble, the parties which had been appointed to fish and obtain provisions were called in. The boats had a narrow escape one day in attacking a herd of walrusses, the J. I ^'! 1 !. V ■ n ■^l i Ml 152 PARRYS SECOND VOYAGE wouodail ones attacking them with tlieir tusks and stov« one of the bunts in several places. The circumstance of the season being so far advancpd as to afford a very short space for attempting further discove- ries, induced Captain Parry to reconsider his purpose of remaining another ivinter in these climates with the Fury only. The state of health of several of the officers and crew appeared also to have undergone a considerable chnnj^e ; and the effect of a third winter might be of too serious consequence to admit of his proceeding, without first taking the opinion of the medical gentlemen as to its probable effects. Impressed with these sentiments, he ad- dressed a requisition to them desiring their opinion under all the circumstances, and received from Mr. Edwards the following reply, with which in substance that of Mr. Skeoch coincided. " During the last winter and subsequently, the aspect of the people of the Fury in general, together with the increased number and character of their complaints, strongly indicated that the peculiarity of the climate and service was slowly effecting a serious decay of their constitutional powers. The recent appearance also of several cases of incipient scurvy in the most favourable month of the year, and occurring after a more liberal and continued use of fresh animal food than we can calculate upon procuring hereafter, are confirmatory proofs of the progression of the evil. " Willi a tolerable prospect of eventual success, other circumstances remaining unchanged, I should yet expect an increase of general debility, with a corresponding degree of sickness, though at the same time confident of our re- sources being equal to obviate serious consequences. But con- sidering the matter in the otherpoint of view, namely, asasin- gleship, it assumes a much more important shape. It is not necessary that I should dweli on the altered circumstances in which the crew would then be placed, as they are such as i on kl. TO TIIL NORTH POLl'.. I.W must Ions? n£jo have foroscen nnd weighed. I allude to tito iiicrrafie of labour and exposure resulting from the separation of the vessels, the privation of many salutary occupations, mental and corporeal, attending their union, and, I may add, at this late period of the season, the hopelessness of the success of the ensuing navigation being such as to excite feelings sufficiently lively to counteract those depressing causes. It is impossible, in fact, to reflect on the subject and not to apprehend a less favourable result than might be expected under the preceding conditions.*' On the 8th, the ice moved around the Fury, which mak- ing sail, got into open water. The ice around the Hecla however, though agitated at first, did not move out of the bay, and she still remained beset. Captain Parry however determined to occupy the time in an examination of the strait which closed their operations the preceding year. On arriving at the place, a most hopeless prospect presented itself, as the ice was attached to the shores on each side, and from the mast-head they had a distinct and extensive view of one solid piece of ice as far as the eye could see to the westward up the Strait. Being fully satisfied of the impracticability of a passage this way, the Fury returned towards Igloolik to rejoin the Hecla, who on the 0th was driven to sea, on the ice break- ing, in the middle of a floe in the most periluua manner. She was thus driven over shoals, in an unmanageable state, but fortunately escaped without any accident. In addition to the report of the medical officers, Captain Parry requested the opinion of Captain Lyon as to the pro- priety of pursuing the attempt of further discovery, and received the following reply. " As I consider the health of your crew as of most im- portance in every point of view, I shall in the first place state that, independently of the weighty opinions of your medical officers, it has for some time been my opinion that the Fury's passing a third winter in this country would be P. V, 7. X I 1 1 J vi : IHHD y( I^H^H h l^H^H \\ j^^^H % i:( '•^m "T^i ■'■ ; t , t I,> I :\ 154 parry's second voyage extremely hazardous. I am induced thus to express myself frocr. the g^reat change I have observed in the constitution of the officers and men of the Ilecla, and by the appearance of some severe cases of scurvy since the summer has com- menced ; I am also aware that the same scorbutic symptoms have been noticed, and do still exl^t, in the Fury. " Our long continuance on one particular diet, almost totvi deprivation of fresh animal and vegetable food for above two years, and the necessary and close confioement for several months of each severe winter, are undoubtedly the causes of the general alteration of constitution which has for some time past been so evident. I tharcWe con- ceive that a continued exposuke to the same deprivations and confinements, the solitude of a single ship, and the monotony of a third winter to men whose health is preca« rious, would in all probability be attended witli very serious consequences. " When at the cdnmencement of the last winter I gave it as ray opinion, thut the service would be benefited by your remaining outin the Fury, as you proposed, ;ind still attempt- ing a further passage to the westward, I did not anticipate so long a confinement in the ice as we have unfortunately experienced, and formed my o])inion on the sup;,osition, and in the full expectation that we should be at liberty about the Isi of July of this yenr, and that tbo generul good health which then prevailed would still continue. From cur being detained until the p*'esent time, however, I am of opinion that the season in wl.ich it is possible to navigate has now so far passed, that nothing material can be effected either by one or both ships. We know from the experience of last year, that it i.; not before the end of August or the beginning of Septen)ber that the ice breaks up in the Strait of the Fury and Hecia, and that it is not until that period that you will be enivbled to re examine its western entrance. Even whe: you should have done io, and, as tl.ere is every reason to expect, found it stilk closed, you would have TO THB NORTH POLE. 155 barely gufficient time to return to Igloolik to pass another winter. Again, should the sea prove open to the south- eastward, and should you deem it expedient to attempt, by rounding the very extensire land in that direction, to find some other passage to the westward, I conceive that the extreme lateness of the season would not admit of your making discoveries of any importance, or at all events of such importance as to warrant your passing a third winter, at the risk of the safety of your officers and crew. '< Having now stated my reasons for changing my former opinion, I beg to advise that the Fury and Hecla return to England together, as soon as such arrangement respecting ine removal of stores and provisions uh you may judge pro- per to make shall be completed.*' Considering himself not justiciable after this in continuing longer in these seas, at the risk of the health and lives of those committed to biS charge. Captain Parry communicao ted his intentions to the oflicersand ships companies. Ad- ditions were made to the daily allowance of provisions, and the various antiscorbutics, which had been reserved for a season of more expected emergency, were liberally issued. The provisions and extra stores that had been taken from the Hecla, with j view to her return to England alone, were now replaced, and such other arrangements were made as circumstcnces seemed to require. On thpi lllh flag- stall, fiffy-slx feet in heigbi, was erected on the main land, agreeable to the instructions of the Lords of the Admiralty, at the top of which a ball was placed formec! of iron hoopR and canvass, and a cylinder was buried at the foot of ihe stalf, containing a statement of the 8hin«j having been here. Captain Lyor. in the mean, time was occupied in bringing off the boats, tents, and other articles left on shore, vvhic!i from the drifting of the ice he did not accomplish without some difficulty. Ultimately one boat was left, which being very old was not considered material, especially as the wood would be very serviceable X 2 1. I. =s i5r» VAUUYIS SKCOND VOYA(;i; !} ^1 to their i'rieiuU the Esquimaux. In addition to this they left their sledges and a quantity of wood, spears, putUiles, and other articles, strewed about at considerable distance, that they naight become the property of ditfereot individuals. On the 12th of August they took their final leave of Ig- looUk, and the following day made the three islands called Ooglit, being a considerable run in an open sea. Here they saw a great number of walrusses. On the 14th several Es- quimaux who had their abode in this neighbourhood paid them a visit, among whom they noticed several of their old acquaintances. They continued to drift with the ice rather thau to sail for several succeeding days, and on tihe 3 1st arrived at their old quarters off Winter Island. In this period they had moved along the coast to the extent of one hundred and sixty miles, of which they had uot sailed fifty, the remainder having been effected by drifting while beset with the ice. As the natives of these inhospitable regions occupy so pru- mineat a place in the narrative, it may not be improper to insert an accouut of the settlement of the Moravians on the Labrador coast. Having established themselves in Gieeii- laud, some of them were desirous of extending their settle ment, and accordingly Matthew Stach, the oldest resident, in 1 752 solicited the Hudson's Bay Company for permissiun to visit the Indians belonging to the factories. His appli- cation proving fruitless, some of the friends in Londuii, joined by several well-disposed merchants, fitted out a ves- sel for a trading voya^'c on the coast of Labrador. Four persons went out in her, together with Christian Erhard, u Dutchman, who having been engaged in the whale fishery in Disko liay, had pickeil up some knowledge of the Greeii- landic. They set sail in May 1752, and in July cast anchor in a large hay on the coast of Labrador, to which they gave the name of Nisbet's Haven, in honour of one of the owners o|' the ship. Here they delcruiined to fix their residence, ami TO THE NUK'i'H PULE. 157 ei*ected their house which tliey had taken with them ready framed. Eriiard meanwhilu proceeded with the ship lar- tiier to tlie nortli, lor the purpose of trade. He found that he could make himself tolerably well understood by the Es- quimaux ; but as they were afraid to come on board on ac- count of Uie guns, he suffered them to persuade him to land in a bay between the islands in an unarmed boat with live of the crew. None of t^em returned, and as the ship had not another boat, no sea tuld be made for them. The cap- tain, having waited sev^.al days without being able to ga- ti>er any information respecting their fate, sailed back to Nisbet's Haven, and calling on board the settlers, repre< sented to them, that after the loss of his boat and the best part of his men, he could not accomplish his voyage home without their assistance. Under such circumstances they could not refuse his request ; but they left the place with ro ing these people with the English nation, but of instructing them in the Christian religion, I require, by virtue of the power delegated tc me, that all men, whomsoever it may concern, lend him all the assistance in their power.*' In May of the same year he arrived at St. John^s ; but he had to meet with many vexatious delays, before he reached his destination, every ship with which he engaged refusing to land for fear of the Esquimaux, lie was at length set on shore in Chateau Bay, on the southern coast of Labrador; here, however, he found no signs of population, except se- veral scattered tumuli, w:.h the arrows und implements of the dead deposited near them. Embarking again, he finally landed on the island of Quirpoiit or Quiveron, off the north- east extromity of Newfoundland, where he had the first in- terview with the natives. " The 4th Sp|)tcmber," he writes in his journal, " was the happy come again the next year, with some of my brethren, arwl were overjoyed when I pro- mised that I wouM. I told lUem also, that on my return, I would sj '?ak to them ot things wliich were of the greatest im- portance to their Itappiness, and instruct them in the know- ledge of God. One of them asked if God lived in the sun. Another enquired, whether it would make him more pros- perous in his alVairs, if he belLved m his Creator. I replied, there was no doubt of it, if lu attt ndetl to them with proper diligence ; but the happiness of a future life, was infinitely preferable to present prosj^^rily, and this might confidently be expected by those who trusted wi God while here, and lived according to his will. When 1 was about t« take leave of the intorestin;,' people, the Angekok Seguiha took me into his tent, and embracing me. said, ' He are at present rallier tiuid, but when you cuue again, we sill con vers,- together without suspicion.' " . On the third day the Ksqdimaux left the harbour altuge- lii* «B,.w.-*. ► V- i li 160 varrt's second voyag-b tlier, and nfter a short stay at Quirpont Haven returned to Newfoundland. Sir H. Palliser and the Board of Trade t^xpressed their entire approbation of his proceedings. He therefore made a second voyage in theensuing year, accom- panied by Christian Laurence Drachart, formerly one of the Danish missionaries in Greenland, and two others. Having arrived at Newfoundland, they went on board his Majesty^s ship Niger, Captain Sir Thomas Adams, and landed July 17, in Chateau Bay, latitude 52°, on 'the south coast of Labrador. Here the party separated ; Haven and Schlotzer engaging with another vessel, to explore the coast north- wards ; they did not, however, accomplish any thing material in this expedition, nor did they meet with a single Esqui> maux the whole time. Drachart and John Hill remained in Chateau Bay, and were fortunate enough to have the company of several hundred Esquimaux, for upwards of a month ; during which period they had daily opportunities of intercourse. As soon as Sir Thomas Adams had received intelligence that they had pitched their tents at a place twenty miles dis- tant, he sailed thither, to invite them, in the name of the Governor, to Pitt's Harbour. On the approach of tlie ship, the savages in the kayjaks hailed them with shouts of Tout camerade, oui Hu ! and the crew returned the same salutation. Mr. Drachart did not choose to join in the cry, but told Sir Thomas that he would converse with the natives in their own language. When the tumult had subsided, he took one uf them by the hand, and said, in Greenlandic, ' We are friends.' The savage replied, ' We are also thy friends.* Several of them were now admitted on board. A man in a white woollen coat said that it had been given hira by •loliHnncsingoak, (Jens Haven,) as a keep-sake, and en- ((uired where he \va«. They invited Drachart to go on shore, and the elders of tlio tribe, followed by the whole liorde, iimountiiig to not less than three hundred persons, conducted him round th« encampment from tent to tent, re- TO TMIi NOR I'll I'OLIi. 101 j)eate(lly exclttiiniii^", '• Ftur iiothiiiij ; we are fneiiils ; we uiuler.stand thy wonls. ^VIu'^ef()^e art thou come?" 'I have words to you,' said lie. Oii this they led him to a green plot, and seatetl ihentselves round him on the ji^rass. ' 1 come,' he heij;an, * IVouj the Karaltr in tlie east, where I had hitely a tent, wife, eliihhen, and servants.' On hear- ing this, they cried out, ' Tliese northern Karaler are bad people.' * [ come not from the north,' returned he ; ' but over the great sea, from the eastern Karaler, of whom you have perhaps heard nothing, as it is a very long time since they quitted this country. Hut they have heard of you, and Johannesingoak and 1 have visited you, to tell you that these Karaler are your friends, and believe on the Creator of all things, who is our Saviour, and that they wish you to know him too.' They were much perplex«Hl by this s])eech, which they made him repeat over and over, until, at length, an old man took upon him to e.\pl.iin lis import. ' He means Silla,' said he, and made several circles round his head with his hand, blowing at the same time with his mouth. * Yes,' said Drachart, ' he is Silla Pingortitsirsok, the Creator of the world. He has made the heaven, the air, the earth, and nian.' ' fJut where is he?' enquired one; and ' what is the meaning of the Saviour '' added a secorul. Drachart using the same gesticulations which he had seen the old man make, replied, ' He is every where in Hilla ; but he once became a man, and abode many years on earth to make men happy.' One of them now asked, if he was a teacher ; and when he repli(>\ards, and said tliat they were Angekoks. He took them by the hand, and placing riiem before Sir Thomas, informed (hem tliat he was the captain, and had been sent by a more pow- erful captfiin to enter into a friendship with them. Thus the conference eoneludfd, and Sir ThomaR hastened back to Pitt's Harbour to make his report to the governor. The peninsula of Labrador extends from latitude 5i;" 20', to latitude (j^*'. But though its northern c.\trenn(v, Cape V. V 7 y i\^ .!< ' . i 1A2 PARRY S SECOND VOVIGE i ' V. ! > Cliidlcy, lies iiiuier the same degree of latitude >vith Cope Farewell, the southeiniiiost point of Greenland, the rigour of the climate even exceeds, if possible, that of the latter country. This is no doubt owing to the vast tracts of land covered with snow and ice, or with immense forests, lakes, and morasses which impart a prodigious severity to the north, west, and south winds that blow in Labrador ; while on theother hand, their chilliness is mitigated, before they reach Greenland, by the intervention of Davis's Strait. It was with the utmost difTicully that they could be in* duced to visit the harbour where the ships lay. To Mr. Drachart's assurances of friendship, they replied, laughing, " Yes, yes, we know that you will not kill us, for you are a teacher ;'' and gave him their hands in token of amity, but when, after much persuasion, they had accompanied him to the bay, they absolutely declined going on board the com- modore's vessel, and lauded on the shore. Whenever they were admonished to abstain from doing any thing, their first question was, ''whether they should be killed for itf" They would sufier no one to examine their boats or uten- sils, or to take any draught of them. When a shallop came to their place of rendezvous, they would not allow the sailors to come on shore with their arms ; they even endeavoured to take the captain's gun, considering it as an infraction of the peace agreed upon, to carry weapons. An Indian, in attempting to cut away a tow from a wrecked ship, was perceived by a sentinel, who presented his musket, and an alarm was instantly given. The savages drew their knives, and set themselves in a posture of defence. One of them tore open his jacket, and bared his breast, daring the crew to fire. Order was, however, soon restored, and the bre- thren led away the Indians to their tents. Another time, a cabin-boy purloined an arrow from a kayak. A woman be* trayed the theft. A concourse of natives instantly flocked round him, snatched the dart from his hand, and were on the point of sacrificing him to their rage. They were appeased by the promise that they should have satisfaction. The cap* i\' ip, was and an knives, jf them »e crew lie bre- ^ime, a lan be- Iflockecl 1 on tbe ipeased le cap* I 1 i TO THE NORTH POLB. 1®* tain ordered the youth to be bound and llo-ged iu their pre- sence ; but scarcely had he received two lashes, when an angekok interfered, pushed baok the sailor who wi^s entrusted xsith the execution of the sentence, and unbound the culprit. Kvery one admired this instance of natural and humane feel- ins?, thus unexpectedly developed in savages, whose hearts were supposed to be as barbarous as their appearance was uncouth and forbidding. The governor wished to prevent them from crossing over to Newfoundland, where, according to their own account, they procured a certain kind of wood not to be found in their country, of which they made their darts. But since they interpreted this prohibition as a breach of peace, it was re- scinded, on their promise to commit no depredation on the fishing vessels they might meet with on the way ; to which engagement they scrupulously adhered. They evinced a friendly disposition and welcomed Haven on nis return, and praised him for being true to his promise. But though they showed no signs of a hostile in- tention, they were inclined to take several troublesome free- doms with their visitors. Thus, in one of their tents, Mr. Draehart had his pockets turned inside out. They took every thing they contained, and his hat into the bargain ; how- ever, on his appealing to the seniors of the horde, they obliged the plunderers to refund their booty, even to a knife which they begged as a keep-sake. The next time the rogues picked his pocket, they thought proper to do it se- cretly. Butno sooner did the old men ])erceive that he had missed somothing, than they assembled all the young sa- vages in the house, and ordered the article in question to be restored. The thiefimmediatcly stepped forwards, with- out the least marks of shame or fear : " There," said he, •' are your things ; you perhaps need them yourself." In their frequent journies backward and forward, between the station of the ships and the Esquimaux, the missionaries had to contend with fonuidabie obstacles, having frequently Y 2 hi ri I (I' ' :s 'M i . ■ 1 104 PAURVS SUCONl) VOVACi; to spend several nli^lits together sleepless, without a mor- sel of food, and exposed, under the open air, to the rain nnd wind. One dr( ;idful night is thus di'scribnd in their journal. " September 12. In the eveninj^, a violent storm, with rain, nrosu. A shallop was driven to tlic shore, and ran a-ground on the rocks. 13y the ofi'er of an ample rcwaici, we persuaded tlie savaj^x'S to lend us their assistance in brin^- inj; it oft'. Eii^ht of them put on their sea-dross, waded into the water up to tlic arm-pits, and toiled at it upwards of nn hour, without bein<^ able to set it ailoat. Our sliij), meanwliile, wore away from the shore, and left us alone with the natives. John Hill and (he ship's surgeon en- gaged to follow the vessel in a small boat, and make sonu' arrangements with the captain for their safety ; but their boat was dashed against the ship's side by the waves, wiili so violent a concussion, that it overset. Fortunately thcv caught hohl of a rope which hung over tlie side of the ves- sel, to which they clung, until those on board could draw them up. Drachart and Haven now betook themselves to the stranded shallop, but they were destitute of provisions, and the rain fell in torrents. The Esqiumaux came and n;- presented to us, that the boat could not possibly float be- fore the tide returned in the morning, and invited w^ In lodge for the night in their tents. We judged this tobetli iiiost eligible plan we could adopt in our present sittintion. Immediately, the angekok Segullia jjlungcd into the wator, und carried us ou'liis back to the beach. He then led us tu his tent, gave us dry clothes, and spread a skin on the flour for us to sit on. The tent was crowded with jieople. Tiny several times asked us * if we were not afraid ;' we an- swered, ' We are certainly ignorant of what passes in your minds, but you are our friends, and friends do not use to fear each other.' 'I'o this they rejoined, ' We arc good Karaler, and are now convinced that you are not Kabluniit, but well-disposed lunuit, for you come to us without wea- }\' TO THE NORTH POLE. 105 ;-:! pons. Tliey "set before us fish, water, and bread, which lust \iM\ been i^ivcn them by the sailors, and shortly after, ill! ri'tired to rest. Hut Sei^ullia now comn-enced his incan- tations, which he hepan withsini^infjsome unintelligible stan- zas, toi^elher with his wives. He then muttered over some charm, threw himself into every imaginable contortion of body, at times sending forth a dreadful shriek, held his liand over Drachart's face, who lay next to him ; and rolled about on the ground, uttering at intervals louii, but only half articulate cries, of which we could merely catch the words, ' Now is my Torngak come.' Perceiving that Drachart was awake, and had raised himself a little on his arm, as often as he extended his hand over his face, he kissed it. He now lay for some time as still as death, after which he again began to whine and moan, and at last to sing. We said we would sing something better, and re- peated many Greenlandic verses, of which, however, they could comprehend but very little. It was in vain 'that we endeavoured to compose ourselves to sleep for the rest of the night ; we, therefore, frequently arose and went out of the tent ; but Segullia appeared to view our motions with sus- picion and always followed us when we left the tent. In the morning he thus addressed us : < You may now tell your countrymen that you have lodged with me in safety. You are the first Europeaf»s that ever spent a night under my tent. You have 8ho\^ me, by ymr fearless behaviour amongst lis, that we have ii /thing to dread from you.' In return for our accommodations we distributed glass beads, fishhooks, and needles, amongst his people." The preparatory visits o Haven and Drachart cleared the way for the ultimate settlement of a mission of th< brethren at Nain in 1771, a grant of the land necessary for the pur- pose having been obtained frou) the Privy Council, and for- mally purchased by the missionaries from the Esquimaux, \\\\o testified tho higbtest gratification at the proceeding. !| iif' 11 -Ml -ml jll' iM I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) L ^ // // /- :a 1.0 IJ 1.25 Ik 2.5 ■^ 1^ III 2.2 1*0 IIIII2.0 u 1.8 1.4 1^ n" Sciences III 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) •72-4503 4^ %> W K s9 5^ I i , \i I 'f ' /'I ^ \ u 166 parry's second voyagb Besides (be two missionariei above-mentior ^d, were two married couples, and seven single brethren, the whole com- pany consisting of fourteen persons. Having taken with them the frame of a house, they immediately began to erect it, and, with the assistance of the sailors, completed it in less than two months. A company of brethren in London, united to send a ship annually to Labrador to supply them with the necessaries of life, and to carry on some trade with the natives. The missionaries also found means to be of service to the Esquimaux, and to earn something for their own subsistence, by building them boats, and making tools and other utensils. Some hundreds of Esquimaux, principally of the Nuenguak tribe, attended the preaching of the Gospel during the sum- mer months, but on the approach of winter they withdrew to various parts of the coast. Though they were, for the most part, very willing to be instructed, no lasting impression appeared to be made on their minds. The missionaries were therefore agreeably surprised by the intelligence, that Anauke, one of these savages, being on his death-bed in the beginning of 1773, had spoken of Jesus as the Redeemer and Saviour of men, had constantly prayed to him, and de- parted in confident reliance on his salvation. " Be com' forted," said he to his wife, who began to howl and shriek like the rest of the heathens, at his approaching end, *' I am going to the Saviour." The brethren had been prevented from visiting him during his illness by the inclemency of the weather ; but his happy dissolution had a favourable influ- ence on his countrymen, who ever after spoke of him under the appellation of, " The man whom the Saviour took to himself." As this settlement was found insufficient to serve as a gathering place for the Esquimaux dispersed along a line of coast not less than si ; hundred miles in extent, especially as it afforded but scanty resources to the natives during the winter season, when they had fewer inducements to rove TO THK NORTH POLE. 167 lly Lhe Ive from place to place, it v. as determined to established two other mission stations, the one to the north and tl>e other to the south of Nain. Accordingly, in 1774, four of the mis- sionaries undertook a voyage to explore the coast to the northward. Though they attained their object, the conse- quences of this expedition were most unfortunate. On their return, the vessel struck on a rock, where she remained fixed till her timbers were dashed to pieces. After a night of the utmost anxiety, they betook themselves early the next morning to their boat ; but this also foundered on the craggy shore. Two of them, the brethren Brasen and Lehmann, lost their lives; the other two, Haven and Lis* ter, together with the sailors, saved themselves by swim- ming, and reached a barren rock. Here they must inevit- ably have perished, had they not found means to draw their shattered boat on shore, and repair it so far that they could venture into it on the fourth day after their shipwreck. The wind was in their favour ; and they had soon the good for- tune to meet an Esquimaux, who towed them into the har- bour of Nain. The next year. Haven and Lister, accompanied by Mr. Beck, ventured to make a second voyage to the south, and penetrated as far as Nisbet's Havtn, where the adventur- ers had first landed, and where the ruins of their house were still seen. Here, after some search, they found a spot near Arvertok, better suited for a mission-settlement^ than any yet discovered. But before the directors of the missions were apprised of this new station, they had commissioned Brother Haven to begin a new settlement at Okkak, about a hundred and fifty miles to the north of Nain. The land was purchased from the Esquimaux, in 1775, and in the following year Haven, with his family, and three other missionaries, established themselves in the place. They immediately began to preach the Gospel to the neighbouring ^avages, and though their success was not rapid, it was sufficient to animate their }]\ Ml '^1 I i' ;! I I m l iW I . J.... - -I^ililf" I :1 *^ll ,( i ill i i iM ^ • 'It ' "1 i ^! > > ! ! f .M 168 VARRYS SECOND VOVAOE spirits. In 1778 the six first adults of this place were bap- tized, and many naore were added in a stuirt time. In March, 1782, two of the missionaries experienced a most merciful interposition of Providence when tlieir lives were in the utmost danger. Samuel Liebischj one of the missionaries at Nain, bein^ at that time entrusted with tlie general direction of the settlements in Labrador, the duties of his office required him to pay a visit to Okkak, in which he was accompanied by William Turner, another of the missionaries. They set out on their journey in a sledge driven by one of their baptized Esquimaux, and were joined by another sledge of Esquimaux, the whole party consisting of five men, one woman, and a child. All were in good spirits ; the morning was clear, the stars shining with un- common lustre, and, as the track over the frozen sea was in the best order^ they travelled with ease at the rate of six or seven miles an hour, so that they hoped to reach Okkak in two or three days. After passing the island in the bay of Nain, ihey kept at a considerable distance from the coast, both io gain the smoothest part of the ice, and to avoid (he high and rocky promontory of Kiglapeit. About eiglit o'clock they met a sledge with Esquimaux turning in to- wards the land, wlio gave them some hints that it might be as well to return. As the missionaries, however, saw no cause for alarm, and suspected that the other party merely wished to enjoy the company of their friends a little longer, they proceeded on their way. After some time, their own Esquimaux remarked that there was a ground-swell under the ice. It was then hardly perceptible, except on lying down and applying the ear close to the ice, when a hollow disagreeably grating and roaring noise was heard, as if as- cending from the abyss. The sky remained clear, except towards the east, where u bank of light clouds appeared, interspersed with some dark streaks ; but as the wind blew strong from the north-west, nothing less was expected than a sudden change of weather. TO THB NORTH POLE. 169^ ' The sun had now reached its height, and there was ac yet little or no alteration in the appearance of the skj. But as the motion of the sea under the ioe had grown more percep- tible, the travellers became rather alarmed, and began to think it prudent to keep closer to the shore. The ice also, in many places, had large cracks and fissures, some of which formed chasms of one or two feet wide ; but as these are not uncommon even in its best state, and the dogs easily leap over them, the sledge following without danger, they are terrible only to strangers. But as soon as the sun declined towards the west, the wind increased to a storm, the bank of clouds from the east began to ascend, and thadark streaks to put themselves in motion against the wind. The snow was violently driven about by partial whirlwinds, both on the ice and from off the peaks of the high mountains, and filled the air. At the same time the swell had increased so much that its effects upon the ice were very extraordinary and not less alarming The sledges, instead of gliding smoothly along upon an even surface, now ran with violence after the dogs, and now seemed with difficulty to mount a rising hill ; for the elas- ticity of so vast a body of ice, many leagues square, resting on a troubled sea, though it was in some parts three or four yards thick, gave it an undulatory motion, not unlike that of a sheet of paper aooomiuodftting itself to the surface of a rippling stream. Noises, too, were now distinctly heard in many directions, like the report of cannon, owing to the bursting of the ioe at a distance. Dismayed at these prognostics, the travellers drove with all hast^ towards the shore, intending to take up their night- quarters ou the north side of the Uivak ; but as they approached it, the }>ro»pect befor« them was truly terrific. The ice, having burst loose from the rooks, was heaved up and down, grinding and breaking into a thousand pieces against the precipice, with a tremendous noise, which, added to the roaring of the wind, and the driving of the snow, so con- P. V. 8. Z uss I I If If ( 'hH ^k U \l !' I 170 parry's second voyage founded them, that they almost lost the power of seeing or hearing any thing distinctly. To make the land at any risk was now the only hope they had left ; but it was with the utmost difficulty the frighted dogs could be forced forwards, the whole body of ice sinking frequently below the surface of the rocks, then rising above it ; and as the only time for landing was the moment of its gaining the level of the shore, the attempt was extremely nice and hazardous. By God's liiercy, however, it succeeded ; both sledges gained the land and were drawn up the beach, though with much difficulty. Scarcely had they reached the shore, when that part of the ice, from which they had just escaped, burst asunder, and the water rushing up from beneath, covered and pre- cipitated it into the deep. In an instant, as if at a signal, the whole mass of ice extending for several miles from the coast, and on both sides as far as the eye could reach, began to crack and sink under the immense waves. The scene was tremendous and awfully grand ; the monstrous fields of ice raising themselves out of the ocean, striking against each other, and plunging into the deep, with a violence not to be described, and a noise like the discharge of innumerable batteries of heavy guns. The darkness of the night, the roaring of the wind and sea, and the dashing of the waves and ice against the rocks, filled the travellers with sensa- tions of awe and horror which almost deprived them of the power of utterance. They etood overwhelmed with aston- ishment at their miraculous escape, and even the pagan Es- quimaux expressed gratitude to God for their deliverance. The Esquimaux now began to build a snow house, about thirty paocs from the beach, and about sine o'clock all of them crept into it, thankful for even such a place of refuge from the chilling and violent blasts of the storm. Before entering it, they once more turned their eyes to the sea, which was now free from ice, and beheld, with horror mingled with gratitude, the enormous waves driving furiously before TO THE NORTH POLE. 171 the wind, like huge floating castles, and approaching the shore, where, with hideous commotion, tliey dashed against the rocks, foaming, and filling the air with their spray. The whole company now took supper, and, after singing an evening hymn, they lay down to rest about ten o^clock. The Esquimaux were soon fast asleep, but Liebisch could get no rest, ,being kept awake by the tumult of the ele- ments, and suffering at the same time from a sore throat, which gave him great pain. The wakefulness of the missionary proved the deliverance of the whole party from sudden destruction. About two o'clock in the morning, Liebisch was startled by some drops of salt water falling from the roof of the snow house upon his lips. Though rather alarmed on tasting it, he lay quiet till the dropping became more frequent, when, just as he was about to give the alarm, a tremendous surf broke all at once close to the house, discharging a quantity of water into it ; a second quickly followed, and carried away the slab of snow placed as a door before the entrance. The brethren immediately cried out to the Esquimaux to rise and quit the place. They jumped up in an instant; one of them cut a passage with his knife through the side of the house, and each seizing some part of the baggage, threw it out on a higher part of the beach. While the missionary Turner assisted the Esquimaux, Liebisch and the woman and child fled to a neighbouring eminence. The latter were wrapt up in a large skin, and the former took shelter behind a rock, for it was impossible to stand agtunst the wind, snow, and sleet. Scarcely had the rest of the company joined them in this retreat, when an enormous wave carried away the whole house. In this manner were they a second time delivered from the most imminent danger of death ; but the remaining hours of the night were passed in great distress and the most pain- ful reflections. Before the day dawned, the Esquimaux cut a hole into a large drift of snow, to screen the woman and z 2 I^i p : 1 f. ■ iE £ ') fB § f' ''tI ' ' '\ . ('^ .i •I I I • 1 I. i, iaI ^^ 172 PARRt'S 8BG0]*ID VOYAOB child, and tlie two mitsionariea. Liebisch, bawevef, Could not bear the closeness of the air, and was obliged to sit at the entrance, where they covered him with skins to defend him against the cold, as the pain in bis throat was extreme. As soon as it was light, they built another snow house, about eight feet 8<|uare, and six or seven feet high ; yet their acooroniodatiotis were still very miserable. The missionaries had taken but a small stock of provisions with them, merely sufficient for the journey to Okkak^ and the Esquimaux had nothing at all. They were, there- fore, obliged to divide their small stock into daily portions, especially as there appeared no hope of soon quitting this dreary place, and reaching the habitations of men. Only two ways were left for effecting this ; either to attempt the passage across the wild and unfrequented mountain (tf Kig- lapeit, or to wait for a new ice- track over the sea, which might not be formed for several weeks. Tbey therefore resolved to serve out no more than a Uscuit and a half a day to each. The missionaries every day endeavoured to boil so much water over their lamp as might serve tlMm for coffee. They were all preserved in good health, and^Lie' bisch very unexpectedly recovered oA the first day from his sore throat. The Esquimaux, too, kept up their spirits, and even the sorcerer, Kassigiak, declared that it was pro* per to b3 thankful that they were still alive. Towards noon of the second day, the weather cleared^ and the sea, as far as the eye could reach, was perfectly free from ice ; but the evening was again stormy, so that the party could not stir out of their snow house, which made the Esquimaux very low spirited and melancholy. Eas* sigiak suggested, that it would be well " to try to make good weather;" but this the missionaries, of course, op* posed, and told him that his heathenish practices were of no avail. They were, likewise, so pressed for provisions, that the Esquimaux ate, one day, an old sack, made of fiab- skin ; and the next they be^an to devour a filthy worn-out TO THB NORTH POLB. 173 skin, which had served them for a mattrass. At the first of these meals, they kept repeating, in a low humming toue, " You were a sack but a little while ago, and now you are food for us." The savages, however, possess the con- veuient quality of being able to compose themselves to sleep whenever they please, and, if necessary, they will sleep for days and nights together. The temperature of the air hav- ing been rather mild, occasioned a new source of distress ; for the warm exhalations of (he inhabitants melted the roof of the 9U0W house, and jhis caused a continual dropping, which, by degrees, soaked every thing with water, and left them not a dry thread about them, nor a dry place to lie on. On the sixth day of their confinement, the floating ice, which had for some time covered the coast, was again con- solidated into a firm field. The Esquimaux belonging to the other sledge, set out the next morning to pursue their journey to Okkak; and the brethren resolved to retura again to Nain. Mark, their Esquimaux driver, ran all the way round Kiglapeit, before the sledge, to find a good track ; and, after travelling three hours, they reached the bay, and were consequently out of danger. Here they made a meal on the remnant of their provisions ; and thus re- freshed, continued their journey without stopping till they reached Nain, where they arrived at twelve o'clock at night. It may easily be conceived, with what gratitude to G«d the whole family at Nain bade them welcome ; during the storm, they had entertained considerable apprehensions for their safety, though \i» violence was not so much felt there, the coast being protected by the islands. The Esquimaux, who had met the two sledges when setting out, and had warned the travellers, in their own obscure manner, of the ground-swell, now threw out hints which terrified their friends, and especially the wives of the two missionaries. One of these Esquimaux, to whom Liebisch was indebted lor some article of dress, came to his wife for payment. " Wait a little," auswered she } " when my husband returns. (' IJif .1, i 174 parry's second voyage he will settle with you ; for I am unacquainted with the bargain between you." " Sanauel and William," replied the Esquimaux, " will return no more to Nain." " How, not return ! what makes you say so ?" After some pause, he replied, in a low tone, *' Samuel and William are no more I all their bones are broken, and in the stomachs of the sharks." He was so certain of their destruction, that he was with difficulty prevailed on to wait their return. He could not believe that it was possible for them to escape the tempest, considering the course they were taking. All their brethren, therefore, joined the more fervently in their thanks- givings for this signal deliverance. The same missionary. Turner, made two inland expedi- tions, in the spring and autumn of 1780, in company of an Esquimaux hunting party. On their way to the principal haunts of the rein-deer, they had to cross a lake fifty miles long and about one mile broad, with high mountainous shores. The deer rove in herds round the banks of numerous smaller lakes ; into these they are driven by the Esquimaux, who then pursue them in their kajaks, and easily dispatch them with the spear* But the constitution of the missionary re- ceived a severe shock, from the intense cold and violent storms of snow to which he was exposed, added to the change from his ordinary diet to raw rein-deer*s flesh, which was bis chief subsistence during these journey I 1 ' 1' 'I If 'Hi l|;^ i H, ::i ■ i\' ifi 178- parry's sbconu voyage more abundant and various resources than the Grecnland- ers. Besides whales and seals, the bays are stocked with large shoals of cod and other fish, and the rivulets afford srich plenty of salmon-trout, that the missionaries at Nain have, in favourable years, taken 5000 in the space of a week, The land furnishes a variety of fowl, hares, and rein -deer, which are sometimes found in great numbers in the interior, and the Esquimaux have killed 300 in a single hunt. Yet these supplies are so precarious, and so badly husbanded by this unthrifty race, that they are notunfrequently reduced to the greatest straits in winter. Towards the end of 1705, for instance, a great scarcity of provisions was experienced in Nain, and five of the Esquimaux were obliged to set out in sledges to fetch the deer which they had killed in the sum- mer, and deposited under stones. In this journey, which occupied a week, they could not have travelled less thau 800 miles, with no other sustenance than raw meat and cold w ater. In August, 1700, the missionaries at Nain were surprised by a visit from a native of the most northern part of the coast, for which they were indebted to a wonderful accident, He had gone out on the ice in the January of 1707, with three companions, to hunt seals ; but they were driven out to sea, with the fragment on which they stood, by a strong wind, till they lost sight of land. They must, if their reck- oning was correct, have spent four months on this floating ▼oyage, during which time (hey subsisted on raw seals, which they caught in great numbers, and was at length car- ried to shore in a distant part of the south. The simple and confidential manner of this Northlander favourably distin- guished him from his southern countrymen. Amidst the discouraging lukewarmnes and deadness which prevailed amongst many members of their flock, and the open deviations of several who had already been bap- tized, the brethren had the pleasure to perceive that on some hearts the word of atonement had taken its natural ef- TO THE NORTH POLE. 179 feet, producing a thorough change of conduct and senti- ment, and in the hour of parting nature affording the true believer a firm ground of faith and hope. Amongst the fore- most of this class was the widow Esther, who departed, at Okkak, in 1792. Being at Nain, on a visit with her parents, she beard of Jesus as her Creator and Redeemer, and, though quite a child, she retained a deep impression of these saving truths. It became her practice, as she afterwards related, to resort to a retired pdrt ofthehHl, near Killanek, her birth-place, and there pour forth her prayers and com- plaints before her heavenly Friend. After the death of her father, she became the third wife of a man of a rough and brutal disposition, who was a murderer and sorcerer. The miseries which she had to endure from this marriage did not cease with the death of her husband ; she was hated on his account, and her two children so cruelly beaten that they died in consequence. At length, the baptized Rebecca, who pitied her in this distress, took her with her to Okkak» Here her ardent aspirations for all the blessings of Christ's family were soon satisfied, and she passed the remainder of her mortal life in an increasingly happy communion with her God. " He is ray Father," she would often say ; " where- ver I am, he is with me ; and I can tell him all my wants." She was the first of the Esquimaux who kept their profes- sion of faith unblemished to the end. She constantly de- clined all offers of marriage, whether from believers or hea- thens, that she might continue, in summer as well as win- ter, with the brethren. Her natural talents were consider- able, and she soon learned to read and write. In her last illness she expressed her feelings in the words of holy writ : " Whe- ther I live, I live unto the Lord, and whether I die, I die unto the Lord ; whether I live, therefore, or die, I am the Lord's. He laid down his life for my ransom, and he will keep his purchase." She died in her thirtieth year. About the same time, the missionaries had the pleasure to witness the convercbn of Tuglavina, a noted Esquimaux, A a 2 \: T (1 m ii I ( ''^1 "mm' I f, hiiiiiin[i'»Tiiiri ;'J ■I '• ) ■i: t , .1,., ,, I'! -t Mi! ■' t. ^4 180 TARUY & SnCOND VOYAOR -who, with his wife Mikkak, had rendered great assistance to tliem in their first settlement in Labrador. By his strength* courage, and penetration, combined with the reputation of a potent Avizard, he had acquired an unbounded influence over his weaker countrymen, and his word passed for law. He had committed many murders with his own hands, and was accessary to many more ; for if any one had incurred his resentment, lie had only tu declare that the torngak had decreed his death, and a multitude of hands were instantly raised to seal the doom. But in the progress of years) when his bodily vigour began to decline, his extraordinary ascendency, which rested entirely upon his personal quali- ties, declined with it, according to the common fate of sa- vage chieftains. His friends of his own standing were con- tinually dropping olf, while those who inherited the wrongs done to their murdered or insulted kinsmen, were strong in youth and number. Ti'.giavina was redueed to poverty ; of his numerous wives, some deserted him in the wane of his fortunes, others were violently taken from him, without his daring to make resistance ; and only one of them all re- mained. In these depressed circumstances, he could no longer repress those pangs of compunction and remorse by which he was assailed. On the first arrival of the brethreu in the country, he had been convinced by their testimony, that he was a guilty and miserable man, exposed to inevit- able destruction, if he persisted in his career ; but he still found means to soothe the secret voice uf conscience. Now, however, he declared his resolution to change his life, that he might seek forgiveness for his crimes, of which he made a free disclosure to the missionaries, and find rest for his soul. On his pressing request, he was permitted to reside with his family at Nain ; and, though his pride led him at first into temporary aberrations from the right path, he gave such proofs of sincerity, that he was received into the con- gregation on Christmas-day, 1793. He had been baptized in Chateau Bay by a presbyterian minister, during a dange- TO THE NORTH POLE. 181 S: ' 'i if rous illness. After his admission to the holy communion, he made visible progress in humility and all other christian graces, and showed great anxiety for the conversion of his heathen countrymen, to which he contributed all in his power. Yet he once more suffered high thoughts to seduce him into such gross improprieties that it was necessary to exclude him for a time from the Lord's table, until he came to a due sense of his misconduct. He died in 1798, after a short ill- ness, at the age of sixty years. One of the objects of the establishment at Hopedale had been to promote an intercourse with the Red Indians who lived in the interior, and sometimes approached in small parties to the coast. A mutual reserve subsisted between them and the Esquimaux, and the latter fled with the great- est trepidation, when they discovered any traces of them in their neighbourhood. In 1790, however, much of this cold- ness was removed, when several families of these Indians came to Kippukak, an European factory about twenty miles distant from Hopedale. In April, 1799, the mis- sionaries conversed with two of them, a father and son, who came to Hopedale to buy tobacco. It appeared that they were attached to the service of some Canadians in the southern settlements, as well as many others of their tribe, and had been baptized by the French priests. They evi- dently regarded the Esquimaux with alarm, though they endeavoured to conceal their suspicions, excusing themselves from lodging in their tents, on account of their uncleanly habits. At parting they assured the brethren that they would in future receive frequent visits from their countrymen ; but this has not as yet been the case. In 1800, a most melancholy accident occurred at the set- tlement just mentioned. The missionary Reiman, having gone out alone on the 2nd of December to shoot partridges, returned no more, having probably lost his life by the ice breaking under him. As tne weather was remarkably fine, the brethren and Esquimaux persevered in their search for HPBIB f I' 'A ' . I , ■ ' y ! r ifi I 182 parry's second voyage Ilim nine days, but all to no purpose ; for though his foot- steps were seen in several places on the snow, they were lost again on the ice, nor were his remains ever discovered. Towards the close of 1804, the indiderent success which had hitherto attended the labours of the missionaries, owing to causes which have already been mentioned, the roving dispositions of the natives, their lurking unbelief manifested in their addiction to superstitious practices, particularly in cases of illness, and the absence of a vital principle of god- liness amongst those even who led a moral and decent life, was succeeded by a'new and a brighter period. A fire from the Lord was kindled at Hopedale, the very place which before presented the greatest discouragements, and spread from thence to the other two settlements. When the Esquimaux of this congregation returned from their summer excursions, our missionaries were delighted to find that they had not only been preserved from sinful prac- tices, but had made considerable progress in the knowledge of the truth. They had attained a deeper insight into the natural depravity of their hearts, and the wretched state of a person void of faith in Christ. This constrained them to cry for mercy ; and there was reason to believe that some, at least, had found forgiveness of tlieir sins in his blood, by which their hearts were filled with joy and comfort in be- lieving. Out of the abundance of the heart, their mouths spake of the love and power of Jesus ; and their energetic declarations made a serious impression on the rest of the inhabitants. They began to see the necessity of true con- version ; and earnestly sought for peace with God. Even several of the children were similarly affected. The mis- sionaries received daily visits from their people, who either came to enquire, what they must do to be saved ; or to testify of the grace of God, which they had already expe- rienced. While this heavenly flame was in full blaze at Hopedale, two Esquimaux, Siksigak and Kapik, arrived there from TO THB NORTH POLE. 183 Nain. The former of them brought his wife with him, whom he had married from thence two years before, intendinir to return her to her mother, and take another who promised to second him in every heathenish abomination, and to leave the Christian Esquimaux altogether. On entering his own mother's house, who likewise lived at Hopedale, he found the family engaged in evening prayer. They went on without being disturbed by his arrival ; and he sat down quite astonished at what he saw and heard, not knowing what they were doing. On his informing them of the pur- port of his visit, the whole company began to entreat him roost earnestly not to part from his wife, but rather to turn with his whole heart to Jesus. The missionaries too, added their exhortations to the same effect, but he persisted in his determination. His relations, perceiving that he was im- movably fixed, resorted to prayer. The following day they all assembled in his mother's house, and in his presence, joined in fervent supplications for his conversion. His mo> ther, amongst the rest, uttered the following petition : " O my Lord Jesus ! behold, this is my child ; 1 now give him up to thee; Oh, accept of him, and suffer him not to be lost for ever !" This scene, so unprecedented and unex- pected, had an instantaneous effect on the young man ; he was filled with concern for bis salvation ; his whole heart seemed changed ; he desisted from his wicked purpose, took back his wife, and became an humble enquirer after the truth, to whom the Lord afterwards showed great mercy. His companion, Kapik, was also powerfully awakened by the instrumentality of his relations. On their return to Nain, these two men, with energy and boldness, preached Jesus to their countrymen. Some of their friends heard them with astonishment ; others mocked and hated them ; but the impression on the rest of the inhabi- tants was a pleasing and permanent one. " We saw several of our people," say the missionaries, " yielding by degrees to conviction, and beginning to doubt whether their Chris- J r '■ ii n I p.. I hM • in I'll • (I n, iU I .■. 'L 184 parry's second voyagb tianity was of the right kind, and whether they had not heen deceiving themselves and others. They came and volun- tarily confessed their sins, some with many tears, and in a manner of which we had no instances hefore. The more they reflected on their former life, the more deeply were they convinced of the treachery of their hearts ; they wept on account of the deceit they had so often practised, and confessed to us things of which we could have formed no conception. Though we could not but feel pain on account of their former hypocrisy, our grief was balanced by the joy we felt at theamazingpower of our Saviour's grace, by which their hearts were thus broken and softened. Our drooping faith and courage revived, and we saw clearly that with God nothing is impossible." The news of these events was carried to Okkak by visi- tors from Nain, and was accompanied with the same happy effects. Many of the heathen who lived in the ueighbour- hood, were so astonished at these occurrences among their believing countrymen, that tiicy resolved to move to one or other of the settlements. Even the northern Esquimaux, who passed through the place on their trading excursions, were struck with admiration on beholding this genuine work of God. They came frequently to converse with tine mis- sionaries, listened to the Gospel with uncommon attention, and most of them expressed their earnest wish to become acquainted with Jesus as their Saviour. They expressed their regret that they lived at so great a distance, and could not well forsake their native country, but said that if the missionaries would come to them they would gladly receivs instruction. The subsequent years of the mission proved that this awakening was not the momentary blaze of a meteor, scarce seen before it is extinguished, but a divine flame emanating from the Spirit of God, anu kept alive by his gracious in- fluences. The labours of the missionaries became from this time comparatively light, for their instructions were no Ion- ■lAiM TO THE NOglTH POLE. tM ger listened to als A ttisk, but rfecelved wifh dVidJty by wil- ling hearers ; the scliools were dtligefitly fffe^^olented both by old and young; and their regular and devout at^ehtfaihWje on public worship, showed thnt they eondidered it no less as a pleasure thdn a dftty. Th* f6lloWin^ is one of man^ similar representations given by the brethVen 6f th*' eohdfitdt of their flock. " We have cattse to /-ejoice," they wrMe in their journal of 1812, " that we kttow, artton^ oof f)«d)!»l6, many who have found remission of their sins in the bl66d of Jesus. There are indeed exceptions, but We ca'n tifdly Say, that among the very considerable ntimbe'r of Eflqufmaux who live with us, we know of few who are notseriou'dly d^^i- rons to profit by what they hear, and to experience ankt ^njo^ themselves, that which they Sec their cotinti^ymen' poSsfeis*. Onr communicants give us ple^^ute, fdr it is tht wi^ of their very hearts to live unto th6 hbtd ; alid their cOnduci affords proofs of the ^ncefity of their professi6Ad. Thtts^ for example, E.^quim^ux sisters, who have i^o boat of theit own, venture across bays some miles in breadth, sitting' be- hind their husbands on their narrow kajaks, ii*! order to bd present at the Holy Sacrament, though at the pieril of thi^il^ lives. The baptized and candidates fot- baptism also de- clare, whenever they have an oppbrtunity of speaktW^ pr?- vately with' us, that they seek satisfaction in nothing but iii living to Jesus, and that their favourite occupation, irt lei- sure hours, consists in' singing hymns and readiikg'the Gos- pels which have been printed for their benefit. TheiJr Chris- tian deportmeht has this natural consequence, that tlieiii» neighbours who have not joined us, are inspired witlr a' de- sire to become equally happy and contented. Oiit youtig people ai'e a constant subject of our most eafn^t supt>lica. tion unto the Lord, that He would reVeal hng'^t tb^id'dl^ the eflicacy of divine grace. All these Uesrsiiigs; wliit^i we can only briefly touch upon, call for our sincerest gratitude unto the Lord; we devote ourselves most w^llin^ly tc^Wlf P. V. 8. B B 5^ I i: ill I ' 1 ,-w*^- M ■ u ,i( ' 9 I I r. ii li ti if' 1 180 parry's second yoyage service ; and if we may be permitted to bring but one stone to the building of his earthly Jerusalem, how great will be our joy!" Many pleasing incidents might be detailed to illustrate and confirm this statement, but it would swell this sketch to a size inconsistent with the brevity to be observed in this nar- rative. The following is a concise notice of the few pro- minent events which distinguish the remaining period of their history. In 1811, the inhabitants of Ilopedale were attacked by one of those pestilential disorders which have so often desolated these northern coasts. The missionaries give the following account of it : " Our Esquimaux were for a long time pre- served from any particular illnesses, except that they were subject to a species of eruption and boils, which, however, though painful and unpleasant, were rather beneficial to their general health. But on the 24th of July, as a boat filled with our people was leaving Tikkerarsuk, one of their provision -places, to return to Hopedale, several of them, one after another, were seized with a nervous and paralytic disorder, of a most dangerous and deadly nature, insomuch that during the next eight days, thirteen of them departed this life, of whom seven were communicants. Three of tbem were fishing in perfect health in tbemorning^ andin theeven- inglay corpses in the boat. Above thirty were taken ill, and some brought to the brink of the grave ; but now, thank God, the greater number have recovered, though a few are still very weak. As late as the 12th September, we buried an old communicant, called Luke. Terror and dismay seized the people, but we confidently believe that those who departed this life are now in the presence of Him whom they had ttnpwn her,e as their Saviour, and to whose holy will they expressed full resignation. " By this afflicting dispensation we have now a consider- able number of widows and orphans depending entirely upon charity, and we cannot withhold from them occasional TO THR NORTH POIB. 187 5 I n assistance. We often commend them in prayer to the Father of the fatherless, who will in mercy regard their wants." As early as the year 1800, the missionaries learned from the reports of Northlanders, who visited their settlements, that the main seat of the nation was on the coast and islands of the north, beyond Cape Chudleigh, and anxiously de- sired an opportunity of carrying the Gospel into that quar- ter. On asking their visitors whether it would be agreeable to them to have a mission established in their country, they assured the brethren that it would give them the greatest pleasure. " The whole land," they said, " would welcome them with one loud shout of rejoicing." Preparations were made by two of the brethren in 1800, for a coasting voyage to explore the country in that direction, but their plan was frustrated by unfavourable winds and weather. This project, however, though suspended for a time, was not abandoned ; and in 1811, the missionaries were autho- rized to fit out another expedition for the same purpose. The brethren Kohlmeister and Kmock, cheerfully engaged in this difficult and perilous enterprise, for which they both possessed eminent qualifications. Having engaged a Chris- tian Esquimaux from Hopedale, as a steersman, with his two-masted i^hallop, they embarked at Okkak on the Sdrd of June, accompanied by four Esquimaux families, besides that of their guide, amounting in all to nineteen per- sons. After encountering various dangers from the ice in their passage up the coast, which had never before been navigated by an European, they doubled Cape Chudleigh, and on the 7th of August, came to an anchor at the mouth of the Kangertluksoak, or George River, in the Ungava country, lying 140 miles S.S.W. of the Cape, in latitude 58° 57' north. Here they staid some days, pitching their tents on a green slope, overgrown with shrubs, and flanked by a woody valley, which possessed every advantage for a missionary station. B b 2 -^■»*^*>. * * " PtM i f ^Bim,- I ) i 4 ■i It it 188 PARWy S SECOND VOYAGE ^ ^^il pf six days brotigh^ tbein to the mouth uf the Koksoiilf, or Sp^tb Rivep, 68° 36' north latitude. It is six or seven hundred miles from Okliak, and its width about as broad as the Thames at Gravesend. Some way up the river^ they arrived at a >ivell watered and ferule plain, half v^ mile fi) e:^tent, which they also considered as well adapted for ^ sef^epippt. Being sfiti^fied from the accounts of the natiyies that jlhere were no other eligible places farther to the yie^tf they now returned l^omewards, and reached Ok- ka^ |n safejiy oi^ the 4th of October) after an absence of four- t^ef) vy^ek^, haviftg performed a voyage of frpm twelve to tl^jfte^p hmidred miles. It may he pbs^rved tlmt qo further steps have yet been talf^n towards ^he establishni^"^ of & fourth settlement in yi^gaya, a (jftlay \yhich bas arisen partly from the distresses occasioned by tbe late pontinental \v^ri ^^^\ Pf^rtly fvojpa the fuUpwIf^g i^ntowa^d accic|p|[^t. *f Pctqber 28t|i, X816," writes the narrator, " the Jemima arrive^ in the Thames from ](jabrador, after one of the most (jaiigerpus ap^ fatiguing passages ever known. The ship ar^iye^ at ihe ;y g^eat exertions, he got towards the outer part of the ioe. M^ifvevtheless, he wa9 beset by it for forty-nin^ diays, and (^d o^t r«;'>ch Okkak till August 29tli. The veiry next day th^ whpjie cpast, as far as the eye could reach, ^as entirely choked up v^itlji ice ; and after lying at Qkkak nearly three >\e?J^s, l^e. was twice forced back by it on hifi. passage to Naip, ^Uich place he cUd not reach till Septeiiibj^r ^U. After staying the. usual time, Captain j^^raser pruceediiedi, Qotober 3d, to Hupedale ; but though the weather waa ^ae^ theUtSf ) \ X tX ," **N^-v ■■ t^mmmm TO TUB NORTH POLK. 180 ness or iI)Q season, and the large qunntUies of drift-ice, left him little hope of reaching that settlement. He mentioned this opinion to the brethren at Nain. However, brother Kmock and his wife, and the two single brethren, Korner and Christensen, who were going to Hopedale, went on board, and they set sail. But the same evening it began to blow extremely hard, with an immense fall of snow, and very thick weather, so that they could not see the length of the ship, and being within half a mile of a dangerous reef of rucks, they were obliged to carry a press of sail to clear them, which they did but just accomplish ; for the gale af- terwards increased to such a degree, the wind being right on shore, that they could nut carry sail any longer, and were obliged to lay the ship to, the sea often breaking over her ,- and the captain was at length necessitated to bear away fur England, October 5th. He again experienced a gale equal to u hurricane, from the 8th to the lOth of October, which was so violent during the night of the 9th, that the captain momently expected the ship's foundering, ishe was at one time struck by a sea, which twisted her in such a manner that the seams on her larboard opened, and the water gushed into the cabin and the mate's birth as if it came from a pump, and every one thought her side was stove in. However, the Lord was pleased to protect every one from harm } and, considering all things, the ship did not suffer mitteriaUy, neither was any thing lost." Hy i\m disaster, the only serious one which has befallen the missionary vessel in her annual voyages during a period of fifty years, four zealous missionaries w^re abruptly truns- pojfted fr«(m the field of their activity, leaving their expect- ing fellow-labourers in Hopedale 'h\ a state of the most painful anxiety regarding tlieir fate. They returned to Labrador in the following summer, though not without en- cowfcterin^ the most imminent risks from storms, thick fogs, ^nd ice-fields, every qd^ of which, seen through the gloom, aj^pwired fri^ught wilb detvth. They were happy to fiad th»t I It • t ^m ■' w ..-u..^. )1 1 ;i 'I ' < m 1 5 [ii 1- \ '<^ 1 i" 1' w h ■ it' h^< \A h 190 parry's second yoyaoe their brethren in Hopedale, though disturbed by apprehen- sions for their safety, had suffered no want of provisions, having been supplied from the stores at Nain. The next year's vessel carried out a translation of the Acts of the Apostles, published for the use of the Esquimaux by the British and Foreign Bible Society, which has before, at different times, presented them with the invaluable gift of the four Gospels in their own language, and generously offered to print a version of the whole New Testament, which is now in progress. Besides this, the Harmony of the Gospel History, a hymn book, and a summary of Christian Doc- trine, for the benefit of the children, have been printed, and are in use among the Esquimaux. On reviewing the progress of these missions, whose history has been here described, God's mercy and goodness has been graciously manifested in thus raising up a seed to serve him in the deserts of the North, and for so gra> ciously preserving his faithful servants through a course of hardships and dangers encountered in these boreal climes, which, though monotonous in the recital, must have a fear- ful interest in the reality. But the motives which prompts them to brave these perils and privations is worthy of all their devotion, and the end which they propose to them- selves is a glorious one. If he, the Lord of the harvest, who has sent them forth, still continue to crown their en- deavours with his blessing, pleasing reflections may be in- dulged, that on the great day of decistoD,'when earth and sea shall render up their dead, the frozen rocks and icy se- pulchres of Labrador and Greenland, will yield no incon- siderable proportion of their charge to swell that choral shout which shall proclaim the finished work of the Re- deemer, and the fulness of his reward for the travail of his soul. Seals constitute great part of the food of the Esquimaux. They have a strong, tough, hairy skin like land animals ; but the hair is very short and appears as if rubbed with >,^' xi^VMiia TO THE NORTH POLE. 101 oil. The fore legs arc short, stand dowQwarda, and act as oars ; the hiiulcr ones, which are situated nearly in a line with the body, on each side of a short tail, serve both for steering and accelerating their motion. They have five toes on their feet, each consisting of four joints, and terminat- ing in a sharp claw, with which the animal clings to ice and rocks. The hinder feet are palmated, having the toes con- nected by a membrane, which the seal extends when swim- ming. Their proper element is the water, and their nou- rishment all kinds of fishes. They are fond of basking or sleeping in the sunshine on the ice or shore, snore very loud, and being very sound sleepers, are at such times easily sur- prised and killed. Their guit is lame, but they can nevertheless make such good use of their fore-feet, and take such leaps with the hind ones, that a man cannot easily overtake them. The head is pretty much like that of a dog with cropped ears. In some species it is rounder, in others more pointed. Their cry is somewhat similar to that of a wild boar, and their young ones make a piping noise like ths mewing of a cat. The mouth is armed with sharp teeth, and the lips furnished with a strong beard like bristles. They have two nostrils, and rise to the surface every quarter of an hour to take breath; large fiery eyes, with lids and eye-brows, and two small apertures for ears, without any external projection. Their body tapers towards the head and tail, a formation which facilitates their progress through the water. At first sight they most resemble a mole. Their blubber is from three to four inches thick ; and the flesh, which is tender and greasy, eats pretty much like that of a wild boar. It is not so oily and rancid as the generality of sea-fowl, and would be eaten by most Europeans with a greater rehsh, were they not dis- gusted by the name. Some species of these animals are met with almost in every part of the ocean. There are five species, which, as to the form of their It < |i:] • 1 ME I. W t i '? I»' ,< l!; {\ fj ' I h J 'i: 192 parry's second Voyage bodies^ are nearly alike; but difTer in size, in the quality of their hair^ and in the shape of their heads. 1. Kassigiak, the pied seal, phocabicolor, is a }oti^ seal vrith a thick bead. Its colour is a ground of blacky frecfkkd with white spots. The skiiis of their young ones, if bladi on the back, look almost as rich as telvet. They are e:xported in great numbers, and worn as waistcoats. The older the animal is, the largev are its spots. Some skins resemble those of panthers, and are used as horse cloths. A full grown »eal of this species is about two yards and a quarter in length. 2. The harp seal, phoca groenlandica, (Attersoak,) has a more pointed head, a thicker body, more and better blabber tha» the Ibrmer, and when full grown, measares four yarcb in length. It is then generally of a light grey colour, and has a black mark on its back like a double cres- cent, with the hornfs directed towards each other. There is also a blackish Yariety without any mark. AM seals change colour yearly, wh'vle growing ; but the alteration is most conspicuous in this species. In the.first year it is of a cream colour: in the second, grey: in the third, coloured: in the fourth, spotted : and in the fifth, when it is full grown, and gets its distinguished mark, Attarsoak. Their skin is stifTand strong, and is used to cover trunks. 3. The rough seal, phoca hispida, (neitsek,) does not dif- fer much ft'om the former, except that its colour is browner, inclining to a pale white. Its hair does not lie attionth^ but is rough and bristly like that of swine. 4. The htioded seal, phoca cristata^ besides its superio- rity in size, has under its hair a short thick set coat of black wool, which gives the skin a beautiful grey colour. The forehead is furnished with a thick folded akin, which the anhnal can draw over its eyes like a cap, to protect them from stones or sand, driven about by the sui'f in a storm. 5. The great seal, phoca barbata, i;^ the largest species h -' — *>«.Jm _. -^ TO THE NORTH POLE. 103 of seal, and about four ells Ions', with blackish hair, and a thick skin, out of which they cut thongs half an inch thick, for their seal fishery. The walrus, or sea-horse, rosmarus, may be classed among the seals, which it resembles in the form of its body. From its head, which is not pointed like a seal's, but broad, blunt, and armed with two long tusks, it might aptly be denominated the sea-elephant. The whole animal may be about nine yards long, and the same in circumference round the breast. It weighs about 1000 pounds. The skin is about half an inch in thickness, much shrivelled, especially ou the neck, where it is very grisly, and twice as thick as on the rest of the body. The fat is white, solid like bacon, about six inches thick ; but the train which it affords is neither so good, nor so abun- dant as that produced by seal's blubber, owing to its tough vesicles. Both fore and hind feet are longer and more clumsy than those of the seal. The toes have joints about six inches in length, but are not armed with sharp claws. Its mouth is so small that a man can with difficulty thrust his fist into it, and the under lip, which is of a triangular shape, hangs down between the two tusks. On both the lips, and on each side of the nose, there is a stripe of spongy skin, about a hand's breadth, stuck full of monstrous bris- tles, like treble twisted cord, as thick as straws, pel- lucid, and about six inches in length. These give the animal a grim but majestic aspect. The snout is not pro- minent : the eyea have no lids, and are not larger than those of an ox. The ears are situated in the neck ; their aper- tures, which are in the back part of the skull, without any external projection, are scarcely perceivable. It has no cutting teeth, but nine broad concave grinders, four in the uppi r, and five in the under jaw. It cannot therefore catch and chew fishes like the seal, for tho two long tusks bend- ing downwards over its mouth would rather impede than as- sist it in fishing. These tusks are exceedingly compact, of . P. V. 9. Co i i'i',' 'I n T f J): h J. J *' ^ '1 1; ,'■ * ' l- jL :ll 1 J96 PAIlttV'* SECOND VOYACe face, and affords a plentiful repast to the sea-fowl and white bears. If the cutting up of the whale is deferred on account of the turbulent weather, or to catch more fishes, it swells gradually with a humming noise, and at last bursts with a vehement explosion, ejecting from its entrails a filthy scarlet fluid which has an abominable stench. When the fishery is over, the ships retire into a harbour or to a large area of ice, in order to gain more room for cutting up the blubber. After having taken it all out of the hold, they strip off the skin, which is thrown into the sea. They cut the blubber into small oblong pieces, lower it down into the hold in leather bags, and fill one vessel after the other. While the latter work is going forward, the deck swims with train abov VOVAfifi Ic :| v'. ^ j! \ i catching seab, foniid their passage impeded by a new coat of ice, with which the intense firost had almost instantaneously overspread the surface of the sea, of such a thickness, that their oars were soon rendered useless, and they saw no hope of extricating their kajaks from the fragments which jammed them in on every side. Their desperate situation was noticed from the shore, but it was impossible to come to their assist- ance. At last a rising gale drove them out of sight, together with the ice-field in which they were embayed, leaving their friends to suffer all the tortures of the most exquisite suspence. Fortunately, however, they reached a piece of old ice, the only one remaining in the bay, where there was barely room for themselves and their kajaks. On to this they scrambled, and reposed themselves as well as they could during the piercing cold of the night. In the morning, the new ice had become so firm that it would bear their weight, and they walked home in safety. The very next year, a large party in a woman's boat met with a similar disaster, in the same place and accompanied with nearly the same circumstances. Being overtaken by a hurricane, and unable to make the land, they took refuge on &' masa ef floating- ioe, drawing up their boat after them with great difficulty. Thus situated, they drifted out to sea with the wind, and were already passing the last island, when the fury df the storm abated, on which they ventured to launch their boat and gained the land. Caleb, a native assistant oflichtenfels was about the same time obliged to spend two days and a night in the open air when the winter's cold was most intense. At night-time he drew his kajak upon the ice, and slept in it in a sitting pos- ture, while the thermometer stood at zero of Fahrenheit. Ott his return home he merely complained of thirst, though he had tasted no food during the whole time of his absence. But such privations are of common occurrence among these hardy natives. Another Greenlander had nearly lost his life by an unex- fit W 4^ TO THB NORTH POLE. 201 pectud attack from an animal of the whale tribe^ to which he had approached too near with his kajak. The fish by a sud- den spring seized the fore-part of the skin-boat with his jaws, raised it completely out of the water, and after uyi^'^.tting his enemy retreated into the deep. Two persons who happened to be at no great distance, hastened to the spot, and helped him to recover his balance, so that he escaped without any other injury than the alarm inspired by so unusual a ren- contre. But what peculiarly claims our attention in this brief re- view of the hardsliips and casualties to which life is subject in these arctic regions, is the imminent risk incurred by the mis- sionaries themselves in their passage to and from their sta- tions. The voyage of Mr. Grillich to Europe on business of the mission, is one out of several instances which furnish this remark. He left Greenland in October 1798, with a ship belonging to Julianahaab, but after plying about for five weeks in the lower part of the strait, the vessel was so much damaged by the drift-ice, that she was obliged to return. In Feb. 1799, he again set sail in the same ship, but the quantity of drift-ice was greater than before, and hampered them per- petually from the 18th to the 25th of thai month. At length the captain finding the ship so clogged and damaged that he could not hope to save her, resolved to quit her with all the property on board. On the last mentioned 'day, therefore, the whole ship's company began their march over the ice, draggmg a boat after them. They spent two nights in the open air, and had no means of quenching their thirst, but by drinking melted snow. On the third morning they came to open water, in which they launched their boat, and sailing: five leagues, again reached the barren coast of Greenland. Scarcely had they landed when a most tremendous storm arose with snow and sleet, so that had they been still at sea, they must all have perished. But they were now in a very disastrous situation, without any food or covering for the night. On the following day, however, it plea&ed God to P. V. 0. D D '^1 Ml 1 H M ti 202 parry's second voyagb ;^j' 'r' 4 send them a favourable wind, with which they sailed five leagues and reached the colony at Frederischaab in safety. After a further detention of a month in this place, Mr. Gril- lich once more reached Lichtenfels, and finally arrived in the October following at Copenhagen with the ship from Godhaab. Some years afterwards, in 1804, the missionary C. F. Rudolph and his wife experienced a still more remarkable preservation in an attempt to return to Europe, after a ser- vice of twenty-six years in Greenland. They left Lichtenau, June 18th, and went on board the same evening at Julianahaab, the nearest colony. The ship's company consisted of twenty-six persons, including the crew of a vessel stranded in the preceding year near Staatenhuk. They had on board a cargo of 700 barrels of blubber, but no peltry, owing to the number of rats with which the vessel swarmed. After lying a mouth in this bay, blocked up by the ice, the ship weighed anchor, and wore her way with much difficulty to Dutch Harbour, about two miles below the colony. Here they were again detained for several weeks by the southerly winds, which drove the ice constantly to- wards the shore. Intelligence at last arriving from Julianahaab, that the sea was free from ice off Nunarsuk, the captain again weighed anchor, though appearances were far from being favourable, The wind was S.E. and very high ; it rained heavily, and there was still much ice in sight. During the whole night they sailed continually between huge fields which made a roaring noise ; and the sea being rough, the vessel rolled ex- cessively. To secure her in some degree from the shocks to which she was exposed, large pieces of ice were fastened to her sides with grappling irons. In this manner they forced their way for three days and nights through the icy masses which surrounded them. " Early on the 25th of August," writes Mr. Rudolph in bis jouraalf " a storm arose from the south-west, which drove TO THE NORTH POLK. sot the ice-mount^ns close to our ship. The scene was awfVil and horrible; we expected momently that we should be crushed to pieces. As she drove with close-reefed sails before the wind through a multitude of smaller flaws, she struck upon a rock, from which, however, she got off without in- jury. But soon after, she ran her bows with such force against a large ice-field, that several planks started at once, and the water rushed rapidly into her. The captain immedi-> ately jumped into the small boat with part of the crew, and having landed them on a large field of ice, returned for ano- ther party. The rest were employed in unloosing the large boat, with the intention of saving themselves in it ; for the ship was filling fast with water, and perceptibly going down on her starboard side, till, by the time the boat was hoisted out, only the larboard gunwale appeared above water. The captain and all the sailors having left the ship, my wife and I were left alone above our, knees in water, holding fast by the shrouds. At last Captain Kiar of the stranded vessel, came to our assistance, saying, ' I cannot possibly forsake these good people.' By his friendly aid we got into the boat, and had our hammock and bed secured. Several tons of ship- biscuit, and other necessaries, with all the papers and letters on board, were also lowered into the boat. " We now left the wreck, being about twenty-eight miles distant from Lichtenau, and about a league from the neigh- bouring headland of Nunarsuk. Our boat was heavily laden with men and baggage, and had already taken in much' water. The sea broke over us continually, and the steersman fearing that the boat would sink, made for the nearest island. It proved to be a rough pointed and naked rock, deeply exca- vated in many places by the dashing of the breakers. . After ascending to some height, however, we found a small spot covered with low grass. We now endeavoured to land our provisions, but the waves beat frightfully against the rock, and tossed the boat up and down so furiously, that she broke from her moorings, and was hurried out to sea. Eight men B d 2 m \- 904 TU TUB NORTU ?OLC. n- I' ' immediately pushed off in the small boat in the hope of reco- vering her. They succeeded in overtaking her, and four of them instantly leaped on board, but the fury of the storm, which whirled the waves like smoke through the air, baffled all their efforts to regain the landing-place ; they were driven to the other side of the island amongst heaps of ice and foam- ing breakers, and we now beheld with horror, both our boats crushed to pieces ; nor did we entertain the least doubt that all the eight sailors had perished, as it appeared impossible that they could get over the ice to shore, while the waves rose so high. All our hopes now vanished, and the whole com- pany gave themselves up to loud cries and lamentations, see- ing no other prospect than that of miserably perishing by hunger on this naked rock. In the evening we lay down to rest, close together, without tent or covering. We were wet through, and lay in a pool of water ; for as it rained hea- vily and incessantly during the whole of this and the following day and night, the water flowed down in torrents from the summit of the rock. *' Aug. 26, we saw three men walking on the shore, op- posite to the spot where the boats had been wrecked, and concluded that these were the only surA ivors of the party. They fixed the only oar they had saved in the ground, as a signal, and tied a handkerchief to it. " Aug. 27, the captains, their mates, and the greatest part of the crew, prepared to make an attempt to gain the shore, by walking across the ice. By leaping from piece to piece, and drawing them nearer when they were at too great a distance, with leather thongs and hooks, they, with the ut- most difficulty, accomplished their object. We willingly would have ventured along with them ; but having fasted for two days, we were conscious that we could not bear the fa- tigues of such a journey. We were now alone on the rock with the ship's cook, whom weakness likewise prevented from following his comrades. In this dreadful situation, our only kope and trust was in the Lord, our Almighty Saviour. W» 3 lit ^^m TO THE NORTH POLE. 2or» wore comforted in believing that lie watdies over his children, and that without His will, not a hair of their head shall tall to the ground. Whenever the sun shone, we employed our- selves in drying the few things we had saved from the wreck ; but we were at last so enfeebled by hunger, that we were scarcely able to do even that, having nothing to support life but fresh water, collected in the holes and crannies of the rock. All day long we looked out towards the opposite shores, in the hope of descrying the Greenlanders coming to our rescue ; but no Greenlanders came, and we gave way to the dreadful supposition, that the ship's crew had perished on the road. The thoughts of ending our lives on this barren rock, and lying here unburied, to glut the maw of ravens and sea fowl, which were constantly hovering around us, and seemed impatient for their prey, troubled us for a short inter- val ; but the consolations of our Saviour supported us, and we soon felt entirely resigned to his will. " At length, on the 2d of September, Sister Rudolph happening to raise herself up from the hard couch on which they sought repose for their emaciated limbs, espied two Greenlanders in their kajaks making towards them, and hailing them. A new life now seemed to animate their limbs ; they climbed to the summit of the rock, and shouted with all their might to make themselves heard. It appeared that these Greenlanders, who, according to promise, had been dis- patched by the captain to bring them off, had been roving about the island the whole day, and seeing no person upon it, were just about to return, concluding that they were dead. From them the missionaries received a few herrings and some seals' fat, after being without food for nine days. But as the Greenlanders had no boat with them besides their kajaks, they were obliged to remain on the rock till the evening of the next day, when a woman's boat arrived for them. On the 4th they came to an island where they found the greater part of the ship's crew, and the party who had been wrecked in the two boats, with the exception of one man. These 1' i >l L f I ':tl ■ n h-; ill '' « ■I'' !i; !l ( ' Ml 'i t/: i*^' < 1 , ''Jli i ;.s^il» L%> V-^' 206 parry's sicond votacv latter had suffered extreme hardships, as was evident ia their appearance ; for they were quite emaciated, and had large red spots in their eyes. " They arrived at the colony of Julianahaab, on the 8th. and after recruiting their strength, proceed'^d in a few days to Lichtenau, where they were received with the most affec- tionate welcome, and with heartfelt gratitude to God, who had so wondrously wrought out thtir deliverance. Having remained here till the following May, they set out in a Green- land boat for Lichtenfels, where they arrived, after a peril- ous voyage of four hundred miles along the coast, in the end of June." A party of Christian Greenlanders, having celebrated Christmas at the settlement of Lichtenau, were returning to one of the out-places, where they resided, according to an order of government, intended to promote the interests of trade. They set out in a skin-boat, or umiak, in January, 1813, when the thermometer was twelve degrees under Reaumer's freezing point. Before they had proceeded far the floating ice encountered them, closed upon them, and crushed theii* boat to pieces. The party escaped upon a large field of ice, and drove about for four-and-twenty hours, when, during the night, a violent storm arose from the north, which carried them out to sea. Here they must have perished, as nothing more was heard of them. They were seventeen in number, old and young. A Greenlander, being beset by the ice, and in danger of being crushed to death, was obliged to jumn upon a large flake, and drag his kajak with a seal after him lOr three miles, frequently breaking in up to ♦he arm-pits. Another time, a woman s boat split in two. But four kajaks instantly rowed up to the spot, and lashing themselves two and two together, conveyed the female party safe to land. As a missionary was going with some Greenlanders in an umiak to the Sound, after they had :owed a considerable way, their boat began to sink, and their danger was observed by those on shore, wrm 'W TO THB NORTH POLE. tor who immediately sent to apprize them of their Bitnation. It was only with the utmost exertion, that they effected a timely landing. On imloading the boat, they found a large hole in the bottom, which they sewed up, and put out again to sea. A widower, on the point of a new marriage, went out to catch some fish for his wedding-dinner. On his return, he overset ; but as he was not far from land, he crept out of his kajak, laid himself flat upon it, and committing himself to the mercy of the waves, was driven by them to the shore. Four of the brethren, in a dreadful snow-storm, fell among the driving ice, and could neither get backwards nor for- wards. After long and wearisome toiling, they at length made the land, but the waves were so impetuous and bois- terous, that they could not go on shore without being dashed to pieces against the rocks. They only wished that one might escape to tell the fate of the rest. At last, however, the tide dispersed the pieces of ice in such a manner, that they could proceed on their way, and they arrived safe and well at Lichtenfels. Two Greenlanders, dispatched with letters to Frederlcs- haab, related on their return, that they were obliged to sit two nights in the kajaks upon the ice, which at first kept con- tinually breaking, till at last they met with a firm piece. During the third night, they arrived at a house. Had they not met with th?3 asylum, they must have perished with thirst, havinjj had no water for two days and nights. The sweat occasioned by their severe labour, had penetrated through then- clothes, and was instantly congealed into ice by the ex- treme cold. Their kajaks were much damaged, and one per- son had his hand frozen. As Peter Rudberg, one of the brethren, was crossing a pond, the frozen snow gave way under him, and he fell into the water. Having a belt round his body, his fur coat ex- panding on the surface, held him up, till he could reach the bottom with his long leaping staff. He then threw himself backwards upon tire £rn' ice, and succeeded in gaining the land. \x ih 1 r I km' ^ > : k^^^H In wKtf H^ il^KSi ni inW'; \ K jy|( '.i V J w, .; Wm^ 1 W' '. «^U i IV i'i I I ■i, .IT' -J»., *• ■ .. \ 1 1^1 ■'■ 208 l^ARRY'S SECOND V0TA6B Jonas, a lively child, about three years old, k-3t its life under a great floe of ice, driven on shore, behind which some Greenlanders had seated themselves to bask in the sun. Tiiey had all left the ice, and the mother was gone to fetch her child a draught of water, when the heat of the sun broke off a large piece, which crushed him to death. In case of family quarrels amongst the natives, one of the parties, but more commonly the man, runs away into (he wil- derness, and lives and dies in voluntary seclusion from hu- man society. Abia, an inhabitant of Lichtenfels, sud- denly disappeared, in November 1785, and as his empty kajak was found some time after, cast on the *?'iiore, the ge- neral belief was, that he had perished at sea. Nearly ten years afterwards, a Greenlander affirmed, that in a solitary excursion to catch eider-fowl, he had seen the long-lost Abia, sitting on a hill, and had conversed with him. He told him his name, and enquired after his wife and o *• <'n adding, " that he had withdrawn from the society ot raer, merely on his wife's account. The first winter had passed Tery heavily, but time rendered his solitude more bearable, and he now felt perfectly at ease. Having provided him- self largely with powder and shot, when he vk ' away, and using it sparingly, ne had still a store remaining. He thought much af his children, and of the Saviour, and trusted in his mercy. He had always cherished the wish to speak with one human being and only one before his death ; that wish was now satisfied, and he would never again suffer him- self to be seen by man." After making this solemn decla- ration, he beckoned the intruder to be gone. He was co- vered with rein-deer pelts, coarsely tied together, and had on a cap of hare-skin ; his boots had the appearance of be- ing netted. Minute and consistent as this statement appears, the mis- sionaries however express some doubt whether this interview, which rests on the testimony of a single person, may not have been the delusive presentation of a dream. There is 4 •'■ a hunter. The parents are not long about giv- ing th consent, for they leave their children, and espe- cially their sons, free to follow their own inclination in every rhing. Two old women are immediately dispatched to ne- gotiate matters with the parents of the bride. They at first say nothing of the marriage contract, but speak highly in praise of the bridegroom and his family. The damsel di< rectly falls into the greatest apparent consternation, and runs out of doors tearing her bunch of hair ; for single wo- men always aiiect the utmost bashfulness and aversion to any proposal of marriage, lest they should lose their reputation for modesty, though their destined husbands be previously well assured of their acquiescence. However their reluct- ance is not always dissembled, but of' really produces surprising effects. Some females, when a husband is pro- posed to them, will fall into a swoon, elope to a desert place, or cut off their hair, which among Greenianders is esteemed a mark of the deepest des^ipondency. In the latter case tbey are seldom troubled with farther addresses. This horror of matrimony may possibly originate in the frequent examples of divorced wives and overbearing concubines. During their daughter's bashful lit, the parents tauitly TO THE NORTH POLE. 211 comply with the proposal, without any express approba- tion. The women then go in search of the refractory maid, and drag her forcibly into her suitor's house, where she sits for several days quite disconsolate, with dishevelled hair, and refuses nourishment. When friendly exhortations are unavailing, she is compelled by force and even blows to re- ceive her husband. Should she elope, she is brought back an. I treated more harshly tlian before. Some parents, however, provide a settlement for their children, or betroth them in childhood, confirming the con- tract by mutual pledges. The parties then cohabit as soon as they please, without any ceremony. Sometimes a mar- ried man will drag another wife home by force, whom he finds alone or at a dance. In the latter case he must pro- vide himself with seconds, lest a scuffle should ensue, which however seldom happens. First cousins or strangers adopted into one family and educated together, seldom intermarry. On the other hand exa!t:ples occur, though they are rare, of a man mar- rying two sisters, or a mother and her daughter. Such conduct draws down general odium upon the parties con- cerned. Polgamy is not common among them, as scarce one out of twenty has two wives. Those who marry scvera! ar« not despised, but merely regarded as clever providers ; and since it is es-teeraed a disgrace to have no childrien, and especially no son to support their declining age, such childless persons as are competent to maintain several, will seldom restrict themselves to one. They indeed, in such a case, expose themselves to the criticism of their neighbours, whether their motive was genuine zeal for the welfare of their family, or only a lascivious disposition. Those men who marry three or four wives, or women who cohabit with several husbands, are subjecte-<'Ji, in continual dread of a di- vorce. If this takes place, they must enter into service again, and are often forced to barter their chastity in ex- change for the necessaries of life. Even if a wife remains with her husband, she must serve as his mother's maid, and often puts up with a blow in the face, besides perhaps being forced to pay \ier court to several other mistresses. When he dies she has no other join'ui-e than what she brought with her, and must serve more submissively in ano- ther family on account of her children, than a single maid who can go away when she pleases. But if a widow hap- pens to have grown-up sons, her situation is often prefer- able to that of a married woman, because she has their do- mestic concerns entirely at her disposal. Very old women generally pass for witches, and sometimes have no objec- tion to this reputation, as it is attended with present profit : but most of them come to a lamentable end, as, upon the least suspicion of having bewitched some one, they are stoned, precipitated into the ocean, or stabbed and cut to pieces ; and should they even escape this suspicion, if they become burdensome, they are often either buried alive, or compelled to throw themselves into the sea. The pre- mmm %m TO THE NORTH POLE. 217 tended motive of their relatives for such glurinj^ lm[iiety is compassion, hut ihcir real one is avarice. In spite of uil tlu-ir cares, toils, and vexation, the women commonly arrive at a greater nge than the men, who, hy spending most of tlieir time at sea, in snow and rain, in the severest winter, as well as during the heat of summer, and hy alternate fasting and gluttony, as they generally pine themselves during the day, hut gormandize so much the more at night, they are so debilitated that they seldom attain the age of fifty. Besides, as many perish in the waves, the j)opulation of Greer.! ;nd contains a greater proportion of females. The women frequently live eighty years and up- wards. At this age those among them who are not condemned for witch;;raft, uniformly become instruments of mischief* betaking themselves to lying, slandering, or match-making, to gain a livelihood ; and above all, instil their ridiculous superstitions into the minds of young persons, thereby pre- venting them from a rational inquiry into the truths of Chris- tianity. The method the Greenlanders make use of in dressing leather for their clothes, boots, and shoes, which is the chief employment of the women, is briefly as f:.'.!ovvs. For their hairy seal-skin dress, they scrape the skin thin, soak it twenty-four hours ^in the urine tub to extract the oil, and then stretch it with pegs on the grass to dry. In the subse- quent operation of dressing, it is sprinkled with urine, smoothed with a pumice stone, and softened by friction be- tween the hands. The sole-leather is steeped several days in the urine-tub. They then scrape otFthe lojsened hair with a knife or pull it out with their teeth, and lay the skin to dry. The leather called erisek, of which they manufacture the legs of boots, and the upper leather of shoes, is prepared nearly in the same way as the kapitek, but is scraped thin- ner. Of this they also make their great coats, which the men draw over their usual dress when they go a. fishing. It is indeed soon soaked through and through by the salt-water P. V. 10. F i- I ' I ¥ ll f il! I' ^ fci' n t V,| 1 1 1 I 1 1 •' 11 :>18 parry's second voyaoe 1)7 im*' Vr: \ .M'^ 11 > h .' and rain, hut keeps the iiiuler-drcss dry, and is often worn hy Eiiropcan sailors. The smooth hlack skins (ervgak) worn on shore, hosidts undergoini; the ahovementioned pre- paration, receive an additional rubhinj;^, which renders them more pliable, but at the same time unfit to keep out water or for the manufacture of shoes and boots. To cover their boats, they choose the strongest and thick- est scaUskiiis. They leave a quantity of blubber on the in- side, roll them up, and cither sit upon them several weeks, or lay them under some grass in the sun, till the hair be- comes quite loose. Then after being softened by lying a few days in the salt-water, they are (ound ready for covering women's boats and kajaks. In doing this they draw the borders of the skin together with their teeth, and then sew tliem uj), afterwards daubing the seams with old seal's blub- ber instead of pitch, to prevent their leaking. Great cau- tion must be used not to injure the surface of the leather, be- cause if this is in the least damaged, the salt water soon corrodes it into holes. Pieces of waste leather they scrape thin, and lay them on the snow, or hang them up to bleach, sometimes coloring them with fir-bark, which f" strip off branches driven near the shore by the waves. — <, opera- tion is performed with the teeth. The skins of birds are first detached from the head, and then drawn over the body. After scraping off the fat with a muscle shell, they hand them about by way of a collation to guests of respectability, to chew between meals. They are afterwards soaked in the urine-tub, dried, and eaten. The skin on the backs of sea- fowl is manufactured into a thin, light under-dress, and that which covers their bellies into warm winter clothing. Of the skin of the neck, they make fine dresses for extraordi- nary occasions, turning the feathers outside. The different offices of husband and wife are far more clearly distinguished among them, than among Europeans. Each knows his own business, and never interferes in the others affairs. The man makes his hunting and fishing im. plcmcnts, aud the frame work of the boats, and his wife TO THE NOirni POLK. 21!> covers them wUh leather. He hunts and fishes, hut having brought his hooty to h»n«l, tiouhles hinisfli" no iurthcr ahout it; for it would be a stigma on his charattcr, if he so much as drew a seal out of (he water. The wmneii perlurm the offiees of butchers, cooks, tanners, sempstresses, masons, and shoe-raakers, furnished only with a crooked knife in ihe shape of a crescent, several large and small needles, u thim- ble, and their own teeth, with which tliey stretch the lea- ther in tanning or currying. With the exception of the woodwork, they build the houses and tents, and though they have to carry stones, almost heavy enougli to break their backs, the men look on with the greatest insensibility, not stirring a finger to assist them. As some compensation for these toils, they have the entire management of the produce of the chase, excepting the blubber, which is sold hy the hus- band ; and in the absence of the latter they may feast with- out restraint. When all their provision is consumed, they will fast quite patiently, or eat the remnants of old shoes, and only the necessities of their chil aen seem to afflict them. When a married pair have no grown-up children, they frequently adopt one or more orphan boys and j;irls, or a wi- dow, to assist in hunting or housekeeping, luul to supply the future wants of the family. Though use*! as servants, they suffer no compulsion. The boy is regarded as the fu- ture master of the house, and the girl is left to her own op- tion either to stay in the family, or to seek another situation; A master never inflicts blows upon his servant, and to strike a maid would be deemed a great reproach. In the dirtiness and disorder of their housekeeping, the Greenlanders, at first sight, seem to resemble a society of gypsies. It is almost sickening to view their hands and faces smeared with grease, their food cooked and eaten so disgustingly, and their filthy clothes swarming with vermin. Yet an attentive observer will perceive an appearance of or- der and good management in some branches of their domes- tic economy, which though it may not counterbalance their F f 2 r~ ^^ 220 TAilRYS SLCONiJ VOYAGE :• ^1 k ' i": S4. 1 i UMclennliness, couUl scarcely be surpassed by Europeans in their circumstances ; and their habitations with all their fil- tliines:?, have often afforded foreigners a welcome refuge from the fury of the tempest. Ton families frequently live in a house not much abov2 ten fnhoms lonir, and two broad, yet their confined dwelliut^s and scanty furniture, are always in j:'ood order.. As to the hunting and fishing accoutre- ments, the man is always ropairijig or improving them. Such articles of dress is are not in daily use they lay by in leathern sacks, shaped nearly like a chest, and neatly embroidered with variou;' devices. Their water vessels are made partly of w, in new kajaks and large boats- They barter their lading of wood for the ho.ns of the narwhal, teeth, bones, and the sinews of the whale, which they in part sell again during their return homewards. They are so habituated to these migrations, which are well suited to the love of change, that if the motive of coin- luerce were wanting, they could not bear to remain iu one fi »* uM ' TO THB NORTH POLB. S25 place. Tliey take with them their whole funnily and sub- stance, as several years elapse before their return. When arrested in their course by winter, they repair, if possible, to the neighbourhood of a colony, build a house, and arrange plans for their livoliliood. The land and -sea are open to them, and as some of these roving families occasionally set- tle along the coast, they every where find useful friends and acquaintances. To the factors, the Greenlanders carry fox and seal-skins, but particularly blubber, for the sake of which, the traffic was probably set on foot. In ex 'change they receive no mo- ney; that is ol" no value whatever amongst them, and it is quite indifferent whether they have a piece of gold or a penny, glass beads or diamonds hanging round their neck. They esteem things of this kind merely because they shine, and instances are kno'vn of their giving a guinea or a Spa- nish dollar stolen from seamen, for a few ounces of gunpow- der or a bit of tobacco. Iron is in far more request, for they find it useful. They receive therefore from the i'actors ac- 'lording to a fixed price, iron heads for their darts, knives, saws, chisels, and needles ; also striped linen and cotton, kersey-stuffs, woollen stockings and caps, handkerchiefs, boards, hexes, wooden and pewter plates, and copper ket- tles ; with looking-glasses, combs, ribbons, and various trinkets for the children. Fowling-pieces and amiounition ar»> eagerly purchased, though they in general are a source of detriment rather than profit, to their domestic affairs. Tobacco, which they use only in snuff, is their small coin. They expect a piece of tobacco for every service : with this dmg they pay their shoemakers and tailors ; they proffer, f". a small quantity of it, a handful of eider-down, a parcel of eggs, birds, a plate of fish, and the like ; and for this many a poor, miserable spendthrift barters the clothes from his back, and starves with his children, rather than part with this luxury; this article in fine, like spirituous liquor* P. V. 10. G o 1 Mi \in 111 if' :^k: , ,j iiif 226 parry's skcond voyagb among other nalions, is a fertile source of indigence and misery. The dancing assemblies and the feast of the sun, are not religious cererao «»s, as amongst other heathens, but solely for diversion. The Greenlanders celebrate the sun feast at the winter solstice on the 22d of December, as a rejoicing for the return of the sun and good weather for hunting. They crowd together to it in largu parties from the whole country, entertain each oiher with their best cheer, and w'len they have eaten to satiety, for intoxication is impossible, the only beverage being water, they rise up to sport and dance. Their only musical instrument is the drum, which con- sists 6f a hoop of wood or whalebone two fingers broad, of a rather oval form, a foot and a half in diameter, covered on one side only with a fine skin, or the integument of a whale's tongue, and furnished with a small handle. The performer holds it in (he left hand, and strikes it with a small stick on the under surface, leaping up at each iitroke, though he does not change his ground. This is accompanied with many wonderful motions of the head and whole body, tani perforoaed in common musical time, bo that two strokes fall in every crotchet. He sings of the seaUhunt and their ex- ploits in the chace, chants the deeds of their ancestors, and testifies his joy for the retrogression of the sun. The spec- tators do not sit in silenct but accompany each verse of his song with a reiterated chorus of amnaajah, ajah-ah-ah! so that the first bar falls a fourth, and the next is begun a note higher, and so on. The musician sings four cantos in every act ; the two first commonly consist of the constant theme amna ajdi ; the others are a recitative, where a short stro- ])he without rhyme alternates with the chorus of amna ajab- Taken together it forms a complete cantata, as thus. The welcome sun returns again. Amna ajah, ajah, ah-hu ! And brings us weather fine and fair. Amna ajah, ajah, nh-hu ! wmmmm TO TllR NORTH POLE. 227 The singer well knows how to express the different pas- sions by the soft or nnimated notes of the drum and the motions of his body, which is naked down to his hips. An act lasts a full quarter of an hour. When one performer is tired and bathed in perspiration, another steps into the circle. This they prolong the whole night through, and after sleeping the next day and again gorging their sto- machs, they renew the sports in the evening. These revels are kept up for several nights, till all their provisions are consumed, or till they become too exhausted to itrticulate any longer. He who can make the drollest contortions of his body passes for the master singer. They likewise play at ball by moonlight. In tliis game, they separate into two parties. The ball is thrown from one to another of the same side, who endeavour to keep it to themselves, while it is the aim of the other party to wrest it from them. They also set up a goal, and exercise their agility at foot ball. ^They have several ways of trying laelr strength. Two competitors, for instance, strike each other with the fist on the naked back, and he who holds out longest is declored conqueror. The successful cham|)ion s'vaggers about, challenging others to the contest, till he likewise is drubbed to satiety. Again, they sit down and link their legs and arms together, and he that can out-pull the other is victor. Or they vary this contest, by hooking together their fingers, and then pulling. Sometimes they tie a cord to the beam of a house, suspend themselves to it by foot and arm, and throw themselves into many artful postures like rope-dancers. Young people are fond of turning round a board upon an axle, with an index fixed to it, something like an EO table, and he to whom the finger points, when its rotatory motion has ceased, wins the stake. '» The children, and especially the girls, amuse themselves by joining hands, forming a ring, and striking up a skip- ping dance, accompanying it with their voices. Such G G 2 i • .whit 4 It iif t-, iii^ if' I 228 parry's second voyage dancing-meetings are also held at other seasons of the year, when their store-houses are full, and little can be done at sea. The most remarkable circumstance is, that they even decide their quarrels by a match of singing and dancing, which they call the singing-combat. If a Greenlander thinks himself aggrieved by another, he discovers no symp- toms of revengeful designs, anger, or vexation, but he com- poses a satirical poem, which he recites with singing and dancing, in the 'presence of his domestics, and particularly the female part of his family, till they know it by rote. He then in the face of the whole country, challenges his antago- nist to a satirical duel. The latter appears at the appointed place, and both parties enter the lists. The complainant begins to sing his satire, dancing to the beat of the drum, and cheered by the echoing Amna ajahof his partisans, who join in every line, while he repeats so many ludicrous stories of which his adversary is the subject, that the auditor:< can- not forbear laughing. When he has finished, the respondent steps forth, and retorts the accusation, amidst (he plaudits of his party, by a similar string of lampoons. The accuser renews the assault, and is iigr-- "ebufFed ; and this conti- nues till one of the competi n. is weary. He who has the lust word wins the trial, and obtains thenceforward a repu- table name. An opportunity is here offered of telling very plain and cutting truths, but there must be no mixture of rudeness or passion. The assembled spectators decide the victory, .he parties in future are the best friends. This est is seldom attended with any disorderly con- duct, ti^c Jit that a man who is well seconded sometimes carries off a woman whom he wishes to marry. It serves a higher purpose than mere diversion. It is an opportunity for putting immorality to the blush, and cherishing virtuous principles ; for reminding debtors of the duty of repayment ; for branding falsehood and detraction with infamy ; tor iYM T TO THK NORTH I'OLE. 229 He piinishtiis^ f'-oud and injustice ; and, most of aill, for uver- wlielmin^ adultery with its merited contempt. Natliin^ so effectually restrains a Greenlander from vice, an the dread of public disgrace. And this pleasant way of revenge even prevents many from wreaking their malice in acts of vio- lence or bloodshed. Still it is easy to see that the whole af- fair depends upon volubility of tongue ; and the most cele- brated satirists and moral philosophers of the Greenlanders, are generally the most profligate in their lives. The drum -dances of the Greenlanders are their Olym- pic games, their areopagus, their rostrum, their theatre, their fair, and their forum. Here they cite each other to appear and decide their differences, without risking their lives in the duel, or wounding each other^s honour by the envenomed pen. We cannot blame their method of disgrac- ing malevolence, punishing guilt, and obtaining redress of wrongs, as long as they are savages without religion, and destitute of the very shadow of civil polity. They live as we may suppose the itumed'^ute descendants of Noah to have lived, before they learned to envy their fellow-mi^ ds, and to rob each other of hotiour, property, freedom, lul life. A father governs his family to the best of his ability, has no command beyond it, ncr will he submit to the authority of any one. Thus also several families livinc^ together in the same house, do not in t.ny way interfere with each other. They merely agree to repair the house in comuiGn^ and to move in and out together, as mr^ny lumps are requisite to honi it properly.. The men however generally defer to the lor wisdom of some senior father of a family, who is best skilled in the appearances of the weather, and in seal catching. He occupies the north end of the house, and watches over its good order and cleanliness. If any one re- fuses to follow his counsels, no compulsion or punishment is employed ; but the next winter all unanimously decline living under the same roof with such a refractory person, 11 li : b f 1-9yiii L m 1 1' v.. ,; M 230 parry'» second voyaob H^. ill and his faults are told him in a satire, if he is thought of siiflicient consequence to deserve this chastisement. Children remain with their parents as long as they live* even after marriage, and relations in general are solicitous to keep together, that they may liave the benefit of mutual assistance in time of necessity. In their voyages the whole number of kajaks in company put themselves under the gui- dance of soQie considerable man, who is best acquainted with the way, but are at liberty to separate from him whenever they please. In short, no one desires to usurp authority over his neighbour, to prescribe lawE to him, to call him to account for his actions, or to exact taxes for the public ex- igences. They have no superfluous wealth, and no oppor- tunity of growing ricli : their natural disposition is averse to any kind of compulsion, and the whole extent of the coun- try is free to all. ' They have however some useful traditional customs by which tfiey regulate tlieir conduct instead of laws ; but these are very partially observed, since there is no punishment to enforce the execution, witli the single exception of the sa- tirical dance. Every one has liberty to choose his own place of abode; but if he finds a spot already occupied, he does not land till he has announced his intention, and intimation is given that his society will be welcome. The chase and fishery, the only riches of this country, are the common birth 'right of all. No one can complain of a trespass, if an entire stran- ger comes to a rich fishing place, or even a salmon;om some particular crimes may partly be attributed to their phlegmatic disposition, partly to the ab- sence of bad examples and incentives to vice. Entire absti- nence from all stimidatingfocd anJ intoxicating liquois, may doulitless also contribute a great deal towards the growth of vices, which yet lie in embryo within them. The coiumu- nity of land, and the penurious simplicity of their house- keeping, also tend to prevent disorder. But poverty, which must restrain the commission of some evil practices, would un- doubtedly operate as a stimulus to others, as theft and de- cc't, so that we must trace their outward shew of uprightness in all their dealings to another source. Due reflection aided by self-interest in the mind of any rational being, it may be said, naturally leads to this first principle of justice: *' Do unto another as thou wishest that another should do unto thee ;" and ignorant as the Greenlanderr, are of all laws hu- man or divine, they r^ight in a great measure be deterred from crime by this simple axiom and by the secret roproofs of conscience. Their reasoning faculties are nifM rally as strong as those of other men. They sometimes use Ih'^m to advantage in Iheir concerns, and but too frequently misapply them. Yet t' i MPP TO TlIU NORTH POLE. 235 upon a closer examination of the want of foresight and in- considerateness, mostly manifested in their dealings, we shall be rather inclined to adopt a dilTerent solution of the prob- lem. According to the opinions of some on the subject, their apparently virtuous and upright deportment proceeds chiefly from an inrvard impulse resembling the instinct of ani- mals, which is nothing else than the secret working of the Deity. This hidden spring operates upon shame, fear, self- love, and interest, as its agents. On this subject it may be useful to make a few more remarks. The germ or disposition to evil lives within them, and their tendency to it is as natural and strong as in the rest of the human race ; but fear of retaliation restrains them from ' many vices, and the dread of losing their character from more. A Greenlander dare not rob, kill, strike, or vent his anger against another either in word or deed, for such con- duct might cost himself, or a dear friend, his life. Their de- portment towards each other must be friendly and courteous, or they incur general disgraci , and are drummed out of so- ciety at the next singing combat. Young people, especially, who transgress in the least against decency or a becoming re- serve, immediately forfeit their reputation and prospects in life. Their mutual affection, sociable and obliging disposi- tion in domestic life, and their hospitality to strangers do not originate iu benevolence, or sympathy with the helpless, as we shall presently see, but in self-love. From the uncer- tainty of their maintenance, a reciprocation of benefits is al- most necessary to their subsistence. A free man assists liis neighbour, that ho may receive a similar favour in time of need. They must be beneficent to strangers, in order that their fame for hospitality may be spread abroad, and that they may be entertained in return, when, according to their custom, they travel through the country, and have no time to procure then- own provisions. In brief, the general cha- racter given by Christ, Matt. chap. v. to all heathen, that they only love those i.iat love th(»m, and do good to those from H H 2 ■ui i. ■i f!^ V t ! Ik' ■ 1 236 parry's 8B0OND VOYAGE »,. whom they expect the same, is fully verified in the Qreen. landers. The GreeDlanders are well versed in the false but fashion- able morality of " saving appearances." They are very dextrous in stealing the good opinion of others, or at least in avoiding public scandal ; and it has often been manifest, that many fine gentlemen might not be ashamed of learning from them in this respect. But their character will not bear the smallest scrutiny. Numerous proofs might be cited, that their brotherly love, for instance, as has been remarked, is only a mere sham, played off in hopes of speedy remune- ration. When a stranger dies, leaving behind Itim no grown^ up sons, or near relations, no one pays the smallest atten- tion to his forlorn relict, except when they have occasion for her as their servant. Every door is shut against her, and after carrying off most of her goods, her countrymen are hard-hearted enough to see her perish with cold and hun- ger, without offering the smallest assistance. When peo))le on shore observe a kajak overset at sea, if he be not occu- pied by a near relation or friend, they can look on with tiie utmost unconcern, and even enjoy a savage delight in watch- ing the struggles of the expiring sufferer. It would be too much trouble to set off in another kajak and save his life. Should they be incommoded by the cries and lamentations of the women and children, they sneak off. When they sail out in company with another, they will help him in difficulty, because it costs them little exertion. Their treatment of animals, that is, such as are not used for food, also dis- plays an unfeeling heart, as even their children are exceed- ingly fond of torturing little birds, and watching them writhing with pain. Indeed both humanity and sympathy are so en- tirely excluded from their character, that (hey are not even found in the weaker sex. On the other hand, the bonds of filial and parental love seem stronger in them than amongst most other nations. They scarcely ever suffer their children to go out of their TO THE NORTH POLK. 237 N .1 slight, atul a mother has often been knuwn to tlirow herself into the water, when her child was drowned. This cai'e- lessness about the weal and woe of their fellow-creatures, with their ardent aflection and tender anxiety for their off- spring, goes to strengthen the notion, that the Geeeuland- ers are in a great measure guided by an instinctive impulse rather than bv rational reflection. Their wonderful inconsiderateness maybe adduced in sup- port of this opinion. Their maxim seems to be, live while ye live, and care for futurity never enters their thoughts. When tliey see any thing which takes their fancy, be it ever so useless to them, they immediately purchase it, though at the expence of their most necessary articles, and would ra- ther sufft>r want, than curb their desires. If they are obliged or helped out of a difficulty by any one, especially if he be an European, they know of no other acknowledgement than kujonak, (thank you,) and will seldom return the favour to their benefactor, when he is in need of their assistance. Those among them who have any finery about their dress, stmt about with a consequential air, sneering contemptu- ously at their fell6ws. This is also the case if they possess peculiar dexterity in any art, particularly in seal-catching. Though they can smoother their resentment for a length of time, if it once breaks out, it rages with senseless and brutal violence. Their will must be set through ; and no remonstrances, however eloquent, will prevent them from carrying it into effect. This obstinacy, accom])anied by a sly craftiness, is most conspicuous in the old, and proceeds partly from their want of reflection, and partly from their entire insubordination in chiklhood. It is a quality which is a source of great trouble to the missionaries, unless they can previously manage to divert them from forming their self-willed resolutions. But it may easily be imagined, that the Greenlanders are not all alike in disposition, and that consequently the above remarks must not be understood without exception. There 11 V i . \ ■ ' iii J^^^^l MaM mm >i 238 parry's skcond voyagb are some really considerate, beneficent cliaracters among them, but they are very rare. Those are far more nume- rous, who, having deadened tl)eir sense of shame, and got rid of all dread of retribution, give themselves up to the most detestable and unnatural vices. Lies and slander are most common among the women ; the poor and indolent are also addicted to stealing, especi- ally from strangers, and if ihey can purloin or even forcibly seize the property of a foreigner, it is a feather in their cap. Europeans, therefore, ought never to place much confi- dence in them, having frequently experienced their decep- tion. Examples have occurred in wliich they have enticed a foreigner on shore, murdered him, and carried off' his goods. On those foreigners, however, w!io have fixed their residence in Greenland, they dare not practice their roguisli tricks, as they are liable to be apprehended and punished. ''Their outward show of modesty is not at all to be de- pended on. However careful their young and single peo- ple m"y be to avoid all open irregularity in their deportment, they are in secret quite as licentious as those of other na- tions. Polygamy in the old does not always result from a desire of issue, but very frequently from pure lascivioiis- ness. There are also among them harlots by profession, though a single woman will seldom follow this infamous trade. The married will break their vows on both sides with the utmost shamelessness, and though we might suppose tliat among such an uncultivated race, there could bo no refine- ment in their licentious practices, the contrary is the case, for their women are as skilful in the language of the eyes as Turkish courtezans. Their unbounded self-interest, injustice, and even cruelty towards their helpless widows an; 11 ^■M ■■i if titer near the graves of the bodies which they animated, for five days. The latter then rise again, and pursue the same course of life in another world, which they were accustomed to in this. They therefore always lay the hunting implements of a deceased person near his grave. This childish opinion is, however, ridiculed by more ob- servant Greenlanders, who perceive that the deceased and his weapons remain unmoved, and go into corruption toge- ther. The follo'vingseems to bear more evident mark;? of a tra- dition relative to the resurrection, Aid is .he more remarkable, aT it involves belief ia a superior Being. They say, that af- ter the death of the whole huianan race, the solid mass of the earth will be shattered into small fragments, which will be cleared by a mighty deluge from the blood of the dead : a P. V. 11. K K >-• '1 n Vi 250 parry's second voyage f If i ff'P ' I ' tempest will then unite the purified particles, and give them a inure beautiful form, the new world will not be a wilder- ness of barren rocks, but a plain clothed with everlasting^ verdure, and covered with a superfluity of animals ; for they believe that all the present animal creation will be revivified. As for the men, Pirksoma, i. e. He that is above, shall breathe upon them : but of this personage they can give no farther account. Besides the soul of man, the Greenlanders speak of other greater and lesser spirits, which bear some affinity to tlie gods and demi-gods of the ancients. Two are pre-eminent, a good and a bad divinity. The good is called Torngarsuk. He is the oracle of the Angekoks, on whose account they undertake so many journeys to his happy subterranean re- gions, in order to confer with him about diseases, and their cure, fishing, and the changes of the weather. Their ac- counts of his person differ very much. According to sumc he is of small stature. Some afiirm that he resembles an im- mense white bear ; others a giant with one arm ; while others again contend that he is no bigger than a man's finger, lie is, however, allowed by all to be immortal, but yet might be killed, were any one to break wind in a house where witch- craft is carrying on. The other great but mischievous spirit, is a female with- out name: Whether she is Torngarsuk's wife or his mo- ther, is not agreed. The natives of the north believe, that she is the daughter of tlie mighty Angekok, who tore Disko island from the continent near Baal's River, and towed it an hundred miles farther north. This northern Proserpine lives undc: the ocean, in a large house, in which she en- thrals all the sea-raonstera by the efficacy of her spells. Sea- fowls swim about in the tub of train under her lamp. The portals of her palace are guarded by rampant seals which are exceedingly vicious. Yet their place is often supj)Iied by a large dog, which never sleeps longer than a second at a time, and can consequently rarely be surpriised. >Vlien ^ TO THE NORTH POLE. 351 there is a scarcity of seals and fishes, an Angekok must un- dertake a journey to her abode for a handsome reward. His Torngak or fumiiiar spirit, who has previously given him all proper instructions, conducts him in the first place under the earth or sea. lie then passes through the kingdom of souls, who spend a life of jollity and ease. Their progress is soon after intercepted by a frightful vacuity, over which a narrow wheel is suspended, and whirls round with won- derful rapidity. When he has been fortunate in getting over, I the Ton leads him by the hand upon a rope stretched across the c. sra, and through the sentry of seals, into the place of the fury. As soon as she espies her unwelcome guests, she trembles and foams with rage, and hastens to set on fire the wing of a sea-fowl, for the stench of this would enable her to take the sufibcated Angekok and his Torngak captives. But these heroes seize her before she can effect the fatal fumigation, pull her down by the hair, and strip her of her filthy amulets, which by their occult powers en- slave the inhabitants of the ocean. The enchantment being dissolved, the captive creatures directly ascend to the sur> face of the sea, and the successful champion has no difficul- ties whatever on his journey back. They do not however think, that she is so malicious as to aim at making mankind eternally miserable, and therefore do not describe her dwelling as a hell, but a place abounding in the necessaries of life ; yet no one desires to be near her. On the contrary, they greatly venerate Torngarsuk ; and though they do not hold him to be the Author of the Universe, they wish after death to go to him and share in his afllufnce. Man'v ''^reenlanders, when they hear of God and his Almighty power are easily led to identify him with Torngarsuk. The very etymology oi the word seems to denote that they at least formerly re- garded him as a Divinity. They call the soul of man Tarn- gek ; a spirit in general, Torngak ; a great spirit in their language is Torngarsoak, which is abbreviated into Torn- garsuk. The Indians of America also generally denominate K K 2 !!'|f| !' I 1 1 1 M ■;; N 352 I'ARUYi SCCOKl) VOYACl: the Divine Being, the Great Spirit, in contradistinction to the Manitu or lesser spirits, who inhabit all creatures, ani< mate and inanimate. They honoui forngarsuk as much as ancient lieathens did Jupiter, Pluto, or their other |)rincipal divinities, yet they do not regard him as that Eternal Being, to whom every thing owes its existence. They pay him no religious honours or worship, regarding him as much too beneficent a being to require any propitiations, bribes, or entreaties ; though it cannot well be construed into any thing but a sacrifice, when a Greenlander lays a piece of blubber or skin near a large stone, very olteu part of the flesh of that rein-deer, which is the first fruits of the chase. They cannot assign any other reason for this proceeding, except that their ancestors have done so before them, in or- der to ensure success in hunting. !<■ No one but an Angekok can obtain a sight of the greater spirits : but with the inferior surt, which inhabit all the ele- ments, most pretend to have some acquaintance. In the air dwells a certain Innua, (a possessor,) whom they call Innerterrirsok; the forewarner, because he inform j the Greenlanders, through the medium of an Angekok, from what they are to abstain, if they wish to be fortunate. Their Erloersortok also inhabits tho air, and lies in wait for those souls which pass up«vards, in order to take out their entrails and devour them. lie is described to be as lean, gloomy, and cruel as a Saturn. The Kongeusetokit are marine spirits : they catch and devour the foxes, who fre- quent the strand in order to catch fish. There are also spi- rits of the fire called Ingnersoit, who inhabit the rocks on the sea shore, and appear in the form of the meteor, vul- garly called jack-\vith-a-lanthorn. They are said to have been the inhabitants of the world before tho deluge. When the earth was turned round and immersed in water, they changed themselvts into Hames, and took refuge among the rocks. They frequently steal p vvay men from the strand, in order to have companions, and treat them very kindly* wa^t TO THE NORTH POLli. 2r>a ani- The Tunnci'suit nii'.i Innuurolit arc mouuluin 8])irit8 ,. the former six ells, and the latter unly six inches long, but at the same time exceedingly clever These latter are said to have taught tlie Europeans their arts. The Erkiglit are warlike spirits, and cruel enemies of mankind ; but inhabit only the cast-side of the country, and are perhaps meant to signify the remnant of the ancient Normans. Sillagiksartok is the /Eolus of Greenland. lie dwells upon an ice-field, and re- gulates the weather. The water has its peculiar spirits ; and when the Greenlanders meet with an unknown spring, in case there is no Angekok at hand, the oldest man in the company must first drink of it, in order to rid the water of any malicious spirits. When certain meats provo detrimen- tal to any one, espec ially to women who are great with child, and have infants at their breasts, theNcrrim Innuet, (mas- ters of diet), are blamed for enticing them to eat contrary to the rules of abstinence. Both the sua and moon are in- habited by their separate spirits who were formerly men ; and the air itself is a spiritual intelligence which men may irritate by criminal conduct, and apply to for counsel ; a notion which can surely not excite much surprise amongst those, who, according to the fashion of the day, are accustomed to call upo!i the heavens for their direction and blessing. If a man of some genius would undertake to reduce the Greenlandic superstitions to a regular system, they might perhaps rival the mythology of the Greeks and Romans, in every thing but its obscenity. The Greenlan.lers also relate many stories of ghosts, and imagine that all monstrous births are changed into bugbears, which sciire away the birds and seals. The AngtLoks a. one can see such a spirit or Anjiak and seize it in thenir. WhiMi engaged in this kind of hunting, they must be blindfolded, and us soon as they have made Ihem^elvessureof their game, either tear it to pieces or devour it immediately. I hat they also b«iieve in appanuous of the dead, is plain from the following well authcuticaicd relation. .•<> 31 Mi 224 parry's second voyage ll: ''V'.h I i 'i Jll I i'5 A boy while playin^^ in a field nt nomi-day, was suddenly seized by his mother, who had been buried in the place, and addressed in words like these : " Fear not ; I am thy mo- ther, and love you much ; you will cume to strange people, who will instruct you in the knowledge of him who created heaven and earth, &c.'* The story was related by the boy himself to a missionary after his baptism, and confirmed by many others. A Greenlander previous to assumini^ the office of Ang^e- kok, or diviner, must procure one of the spirits of the ele- ments for his Torngnk ur familiar. Marvellous tales, framed to support the belief of a real intercourse with spi- rits, are related of the manner in which this illapse takes place. The aspirant must retire for a time into a desert, cut off from the society of every human being, and spend his solitude in profound meditation, or in invoking Turn- garsuk to send him a Tornspak. This separation from man- kind, his fasting and pmaciiiti')n of body, together with the severe exercises of his mind, throw the imaginative faculty into disorder ; and various figures of men, beasts, and mons- ters, swim before his disturbed brain. He really supposes these to be real spiritual existences, since he thinks of no- thing else, and this throws his body into violent convulsions, which he labours to cherish and augment. Some who are destined to the art from infancy, distinguished by u parti- cular dress, and instructed by celebrated masters, find lit- tle difficulty in the initiation. Several however give out in.^t they sit down on a large stone, invoke Torngarsuk, and tell him their desire. On his appearance the aspirant shrieks out and dies, and lies dead for three whole days, at the end of which time he comes to life, and receives Torn- gak, who, on his desire, instils into him all power and know- ledge, and conducts him on his journey to heaven and hell. This cxpfMJitiofi can be made only in the end of the year. The way is shortest in winter when the nit(hts arc long und dark, *nd the rainbow, which is their first heaven, presents i^ TO TH£ NORTH POLE. 2G5 itself ill Uie greatest proximity to the earth. The Angekok begins the ceremony with drumming, and \?hirls himself round witli frightful contortions, till his frame is exhausted, and his spirits worked up to the proper pitch of enthusiasm. He is then led to the entry of the house ; one of his pupils ties his head between his legs, and his hands behind his back ; all the lamps are extinguished, and the windows closed. No one must witness his interview with the spi- rit, nor move a finger while it is going on, lest the spirit should be disturbed, or rather, lest the fraud should be de- tected. After beginning a song, in which all join, he groans, and pulTs, and foam^< with great perturbation, de- manding his familiar, who is frequently very slow to come. If the Torngak absolutely refuses to make his appearance, the soul of the wizard sets out to fetch him. After a short absence he returns with a loud I'augli of joy, accompanied, as a sensible European, who had several times been present, decli^red, with a rustling resembling the noise of birds flying over the roof, and then swooping down into the house. If, however, the Torngak cumes voluntarily, he remains without at the entrance of the avenue ; and there the An- gekok consults him on any subject, respecting which the Greenlanders wish for information. Two diiTerent voices are distinctly heard, the one on the outside of the house, the other within. The answer is always dark and ambiguous. The hearers unravel it amongst themselves, and if they arc not unanimous in tlieir explanation, they beg the Torngak to give the Angekok a clearer response. A strange Torngak sometimes comes, whom neither the Angekok nor the audi- tors can understand ; .so that the answer requires as much labour to develope it as those of the Delphic oracle, and leaves suflicieiit room for the sorcerer to exculpate himself, however the prediction turns out. But if his commission extends further, he soars aloft with his Torngak on a long i^tring, up to the realm of souls, where he holds a short conlereucc with the Angekok Poglik, It M J ' M' 1 ill. I'! ii It Ci V'r' * (\ 356 parry's second tOYAGE the fat or famous sages, and learns the fate of a sick patient, or oven brings him back a new soul ; or else he wings his way downwards to the Goddess of Hell, and liberates the animals detained by enchantment. But he soons returns, and having found means to disengage himself from his fet- ters, begins to howl and drum most hideously. He then relates all that he has seen and heard, though panting for breath, like one quite jaded with his excursions. Afterwards he strikes up a song, and going round the assembled circle, gives each his touch or benediction. The lamps are now lighted, and the Angekok is seen with a pale bewildered look, and in a state of such exhaustion that he can scarcely articulate. It is not every probationer that succeeds in this art, and one who has drummed ten times in vain for his Torngak must resign his office. But the successful conjurer may, after a certain period, assume the dignity of Angekok Pog- liki. The candidate must lie in a dark house unbound, and after he has intimated his wishes by singing and drumming, if he is thought worthy by Torngarsuk, though few attain to this high honour, a white bear comes and drag^ him away by the toe into the sea. There he is devoured by this bear and a wahrus, who, however, soon vomit him up again into his own dark chamber, and his spirit re- ascends from the earthy to animate the body. And now the mighty sorcerer is complete. The coarse imposture of the whole process is palpably ma* nifest, and has, in many instances, been made apparent to the Greenlanders themselves. But though the majority of their Angekoks are doubtlessly mere jugglers, the class in- cludes a few persons of real talent and penetration, and per- haps a greater number of genuine phantasts, whose under- standing has been subverted by the influence of some im- pression strongly working on their fervid imagination. Those sensible individuals who are best entitled to the uame of wfs«-meB, or Angekoks, for the import of the word TO THE NORTH POLE. 257 rs great and wise, have, either from the instructiuiis of their fathers, or from their own observation and h)n^ experience, acquired a useful knowledge of nature, wliich enables tliem io give a pretty confident opinion, to such as consult them on the state of the weather, and the success of their fishery. They discover equal sagacity in their treatment of the sick, whose spirits they keep up by charms and amulets, while, as long as they have any hopes of recovery, they prescribe a judicious regimen. Their unblameable deportment and superior intelligence, have made them the oracles of their countrymen, and they may be deservedly considered as the physicians, philosophers, and moralists of Greenland. Persons uf (his class, when put to the question by Euro- peans, avow the falsehood of their apputitions, converse with spirits, and all the mummery connected with it; but still they appeal to their ancient tiuditions for the truth of revelations made to their forefathers, and miraculous cures which they performed by a certain sympathy. With regard to their own practice, they readily admit that their inter- course with the spiritual world, is merely a pretence to de- ceive the simple, and that their frightful gesticulations are necessary to sustain their credit, and give weight to their prescriptions. Still there are many, even of those that have renounced these impostures along with heathenism, who aver that they have frequently been thrown into supernatural trances, and that in this state a succession of images appeared before them, which they took for revelations, but that afterwards, the whole scene appeared like a dream. A strong imagina- tion may easily produce a world of fanciful conceits. Many of the Greenlanders are strongly inclined to dream, and things which had never entered into their waking thoughts, are presented to them in sleep, with all the liveliness of real- ity. And who will say that the prince of darkness may not countenance these lying arts, to confer honour on his useful instruments, and assist them to delude a poor and ignorant P. V. 11. L L ^ \! . I fcf .'I ;, 't ' I 1 I ••! 268 parry's bbcomd vuyage race ? 6o much is certain that Aogekoks who have laid aside their profession in the waters of baptism, while they acknowledge thnt the main part is a tissue of fraud and im- posture, arc steadfast in asserting, that there is an inter, ference of some supernatural agency ; something which they now indeed ahhor, but are unable to describe. The bulk of these diviners are, however, barefaced im- postors, who pretend to have the power of bringing on, and driving away diseases, enchanting arrows, exorcising 8pi< rits, bestowing blessings, and of performing a whole cata- logue of similar feats. The dread excited by these, ima- gined powers of good and evil, procures them a formidable name, and an ample reward for their services. These sor- cerers mutter a charm over a sick man, and blow upon him that he may recover ; or they fetch him a healthy soul, and br«athe it into him ; or they confine themselves to a simple prediction of life or death. For this purpose they tie a bandage round the head, by which they raise it up and let it fall: if it feels light, the patient will recover ; if it is heavy, he will die. In the same manner they inquire the fate of a hunter who has stayed unusually long at sea : they bind the head of the nearest relation, and lift it up by a stick; a tub of water is placed beneath, and there they behold the absentee either overturned in his kajak, or rowing on in his erect posture. They will also cite the soul of a man, whom they wish to injure, to appear before tl; ^ in the dark, and wound it with a spear, upon which their *>nemy must consume away by a slow disease. The company present will pretend to recognise the man by his voice, Such malevolent wizards as pride themselves most upon their power of doing uHHchief, are called Illiseetsok. Many old hags, who have no other chance of supportinc^ them- selves, likewise carry on this profession. They are parti- cularly skilful in sucking out of a jswelled leg, lumps ol'liair, and scraps of leather, with which they have previously filleil their nioutlis. fl V r' %i I. ■ I TO THE NORTH POLE. 259 These bunglers have nearly brought the whole craft into disgrace, particularly since the roissionaries have exposed 90 many glaring instances of fraud ; so that a Greenlundur has sometimes been courageous enough to seize the Ange- kok during his journey to hell, and throw him nut of the house. V^t since they have observed many cases in which the predictions of the genuine Angekoks have been verified, and that many patients, whose lives have been charmed, have recovered, as in case of a miscarriage, the blame is easily thrown upon the ambiguity of the oracle, or the mis- chievous interpositian of one of the llliseetsok; and as these last, when brought out to suffer death, staunchly refuse to betray their craft by a confession of deceit, dying like mar- tyrs for their occult art, the Angekoks liave still so much in- fluence over the greater part of their countrymen, that those who ridicule their juggling tricks, implicitly follow their whimsical prescriptions, thinking that if they are useless, they will at least do no harm. The prescriptions of the Angekoks relate either to certain amulets, or to a course of diet, which includes the healthy as well as the sick. Women in child-bed have particularly much to observe. They dare nut eat in the open air : no one else must drink at their water-tub, or light a match at their lamp, nor must they themselves boil any thing over it for a long time. Their meals must consist of what their own husbands have ' »ught : the fish must be eaten before the meat, and the b< les are nvt to be throwu out of the house. The husband must abstain for several weeks from all pur- suits except the necessary iishiug. The ostensible reason of these restrictions is to prevent the death of the child, though it is plain that they were originally in^^ntcd for the conve- nience and preservation of the feeble mother. Abstinence from food and labour of certain kinds is like- wise enjoined to young maidens, who have thtt misfortune to be soiled by the ordure of the sud or moon, or more pro- pc' ly speikingofabird flying over-head. Those who neglect L 1 2 V <^ /a W IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I |50 l"^" 2.5 12.2 1.8 PhotDcrapmc Sciences Corpcretion 1-25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" ► 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. MS80 (716) 872-4503 V 4^ ^\^^ ? ./^P /. .

rected by the Norwegians ; so that in this respect it may have been no way inferior to the more famous eastern side. West Greenland is inhabited by Europeans between the 02d and 71st degrees of north latitude, and has sometimes been erroneously termed by voyagers Davis's Strait, which again has not unfrequently been confounded with the whole arm of the sea separating Greenland from America. Davis's Strait, properly so called, is only that narrow channel, about 40 leagues broad, between the promontory of Wal- singham on James' island in North America, and South Bay in Greenland ; and extends from lat. IV* as far as Disko island. It is called after John Davis, an Englishman, who dis- covered it while endeavouring to find the north-west pas- sage, and has since that time been visited by various na- tions, on account of the whale-fishery ; especially by the Dutch and English, who have furnished the best outlines of the coast. The shore, on this side, is high, rugged, and barren. V TO THE NORTH POLB. 263 rising close to the water^s edge, into tremendous precipices and lofty mountains, crowned with inaccessible cliffs, \f hich may be seen from the sea at the distance of a hundred miles. In these respects, it bears some similarity to the coast of Norway, with this difference, that the Norwegian moun- tains are clothed with wood, and rise with a more gradual ascent. All the Greenland hills, except where the rocks are smooth and perpendicular, are covered with eternal ice and snow, which accumulate particularly on elevated flats, entirely filling many valleys, and in all probability increasing from year to year. Those rocks on which they snow cannot lie appear at a distance of a dusky-grey colour, and without any signs of vegetation ; but upon nearer inspection they are found to be streaked with numerous veins of coloured stone, with here and there a little earth, which affords a scanty nourishment to some hardy species of heath. The valleys, which contain several small brooks and ponds, are overgrown with a sort of low brush-wood. The whole coast is indented with a series of deep bays or fiordes, which penetrate a great way into the land, and are sprinkled with innumerable islands, of various dimensions, and the most fantastical shapes. Of so wild a country, only thinly inhabited on the coast, a long geographical description would be needless. It may, however, be proper to give a brief account of the principal places, as they lie in order along the shore, obtained chiefly from a merchant who resided a great number of years in the country. The majority of the Greenland nation live between Staa- tenhuk and lat. 62° ; or, as the natives usually express it, in the south. In this part of Greenland no Europeans have settled, so that it is but very partially known. Farther north the first place deserving notice is the colony of Fredericshaab, founded in the year 1742 by Jacob Sevc- rin, a Danish merchant, upon a projecting point of land !l ':'!' ]i4i ! t i I 'i ' ^'•i. \ ,j ! t If (1 111 264 PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE ! ^il'' f.i r ju 5'?' 1 V:l called hy the Greenlandcrs Painiut, or a tail. It is an eli- gible place for trade, and possesses a good harbour, about a mile distant from the open sea. On an island to which the merchant vessels resort, many Greenlandcrs have fixed their abode, as they find there abundance of seals and rein- deer. Three leagues north of Fredericshaab is a bay abounding in capelins and herrings. At a distance of about nine leagues from the colony is the well-known ice-blink. It consists of a large and elevated sheet of ice, casting by its reflection •^ brightness over the sky, similar to the northern lights, which may be seen at a great distance from the sea. The mouth of the adjoining bay or fiorde, is blocked up by ice driven out by the efflux of the tide, and so wonderfully piled up by the waves, that the spaces between the islands are completely vaulted over, and the whole presents the sublime spectacle of a stupen- dous bridge of ice, of eighteen miles long and four and three quarters broadi Under the arches of this bridge, which are from twenty to sixty yards high, boats may enter the har- bour, though threatened with destruction by the masses im- pending from above. Large pieces of ice also, detached from the mountains, are frequently driven through by the tide. When the Greenlandcrs wish to fish in this bay, they carry their kajaks over land, and then find an open sheet of Tvater, twelve leagues long and about one in breadth. The remains of Greenland houses are found along the shores, whence may be concluded that the moutli of the bay has not always been closed. The points of land, which run out a great way into the sea, on both sides of the ice-blink, consist of banks of sand so fine and light, that when agitated by the gentlest breeze, it darkens the air like a cloud, and fills the eyes and mouths of all who approach within eight leagues of the shore. About twenty leagues from the colony there is an opening in the land, called in the maps Bear*s Sound, through which many suppwse that there is a passage tu the east sid" r- ,1 ,'. TO THE NORTH POLE. 265 If crediC inay be given to the accounts of tlic Grcenlanilera, the remains of old Norwegian buildings are found on its shores. Not far from this opening there is a lake of brackish wa- ter, which has a communication with the sea, at high water, by means of two narrow channels. In spring, speckled seals flock in great numbers to this lake, and are easily taken by the Greenlanders in an ebb-tide. In latitude sixty-three degrees, and twenty leagues north of Fredericshaab, there is a narrow bay called Fish-bay, from its containing a great variety offish. Near its mouth are two considerable islands, on one of which is a lofty mountain, by comparing which with the circumjacent sum- mits the Greenlanders trace their way to the bays frequented bv seals. Farther up in the bay, ruins are found, a)id among them pieces of a metal similar to bron;:e, probably fragments of bells used in the old Norwegian churches. Eight miles farther north lies Innuksuk, a Greenland place of residence ; and again twelve miles farther, the Groede fiorde, also fre- quented by Greenlanders. At a short distance from hence is a large creek, with an even, sandy shore, which, on ac- count of its extent and flatness, is called the muster-place, but at present uninhabited. Here the trade of the lodge may be said to termini^e. Next in order come the islands of Kellingeit, which lie within the sphere of trade of the colony at Godhaab. Seals are caught here in great abundance, as they may be easily intercepted in the narrow channel between the islands. Five leagues from hence isMerkoitsok, and the Buxe Fiorde, a Dutch harbour, where roving Greenlanders frequently spend the winter. The island Kellingarsoak, twelve miles farther north, was formerly well-peopled, and is only a short distance from the river Kariak, on the banks of which many Greenlanders still reside. About four miles from Kariak, the large Amaralik Fiorde, P. V. 12. M m m{ i 1 ffltlj 1 H MK9 ^ 1 1 if 11 I^^^HA 1 I |V(:^ m 260 parry's second voyage /•, i .;■ I i^^ ■■-^.',1 thiricen leagues in length and three in breadth, penetrates into the land in a nurth-easterly direction. Close by its mouth is the Piiester Fiorde, so called because the first missionary, Mr. Egede, had proposed settling a colony there, on account of the abundance of grass and underwood in the place. The rein-deer and seal-hunt in the Amaralik Fiorde is very productive. In the adjacent country there are ruins of old Norwegian villages, with abundance of free- stone, and veins of red granite ; but very few Greenlanders reside in the neighbourhood. A few miles farther is the Hiorte Tak, or Stag's Horn. This is the highest mountain in the neighbourhood, perhaps in the whole country. The highest of its peaks is visible from the sea, at the distance of one hundred miles and upwards, and owing to its steepness is free from snow, except in the hollows. This mountain is a beacon to navigators, and a weather-guide to the Greenlanders ; for when a tempest threatens from the south, its summits are enveloped in a light mist. Proceeding northwards under the Malina and Kyper or partridge mountains, is Godhaab, the third colony, lat 64° 14', about seventy miles north of Fisher's Lodge. It is si* tuated in Balls Revier, a bay which runs into the land in a north-westerly direction, sixty or seventy miles in length, reckoning from the islands in its estuary. These islands lie close together to the number of some hundreds, within a compass of four leagues. The remotest of them are called Kookornen or Cock islands, by the Greenlanders Kittiksut. Between them and Kangek to the north is the usual passage, the North Gat.^ Kangek, called by the Danes Hope Island, is surrounded by many smaller islands, Westerland, which borders on Kangek, is separated from the main-land by a narrow water, called Nepiset or Catfish Sound. In au- tumn, the Greenlanders have their best seal-fishery here. Towards the south, the Kookoernen are separated by the South Gat, another passage, from a multitude of consider- ■ ■> '! t TO THE NORTH POLE. 267 able islands. On tlie peninsula opposite the Kookornen is the harbour with the blubber«house adjoining. About a mile from the sea, the brethren's settlement of New Ilerrn- hut is situated, and the same distance farther north the co- lony of Godhaab. Besides the principal building, in which the factor and the missionary reside with their people, there is also a store-house, smith's-shop, and brewhouse belong- ing to the establishment. The church stands by a brook not far distant, and the houses of the Greenlanders lie scattered round it. Farther up is the Wildman's Ness, where Eider ducks are shot in abundance during the winter evenings; and near it lies the island of Saalberg or Saddlehill, so called be- cause its topmost peak, which may be seen ninety miles olf, resembles a saddle in appearance. Not far from thence is the Bear island, and close by it the island of Aupillartok. Both these islands are about twenty miles in length, and are very elevated. They divide the channel into two bays, one of which runs up oorth-east to Pissiksarbik, the best capelin fishery. On the western side of the north bay lies Kanneisut, an extensive and level coast with little rocky hills. It has a good salmon fishery, and a lake of fresh wa- ter at least twenty miles long, which does not however con- tain many fish. This bay again divides into two arms, near one of which, called Ujaraksoak, the finest Weichstein is found, and the remains of Norwegian buildings occur in the greatest abundance. 'Ibis north bay is separated from that of Pissiksarbik by a narrow neck of land, and both these are again divided from the Amaralik Fiorde by the long penin- sula on which Godhaab stands. Godhaab, the oldest colony iu the country, was founded in 1721, in Kangek, by Mr. Hans Egede, thefirst mission- ary, and Mr. Jentoft, the factor, who were commissioned for this purpose by a company in Bergen. In 1728 the es- tablishment was removed to the mainland by Governor Paars. Its trade is one of the best in the countr^y. Formerly some M m2 \., j S I ^, III 'I Mr ■ij M 2G8 parry's second voyage tliuusands of Qrecnlanders inhabiterl the banks of (his river; but sincaan attack of the small-pox in 1733, they have de- creased so much, that very few natives are seen in the neigh- bourliood, besides those under the care of the missionaries, and roving'families of Southlanders, who are fond of winter- ing in Kangek. A factor who resided many years in the country, and took pains to gather the most authentic information from the Greenlanders, made the following estimate of the population on the west coast. Within the compass of his trade, ex- tending eighty miles along the coast, about BalPs river, be computed only nine hundred and fifty-seven regular inha- bitants. Yet this part of the country is next in population to Disko Bay and the south coast. In some districts a man may even travel forty miles without meeting a human being. Now computing the inhabited part of the shore to be eight hundred miles in length, and allowing one thousand souls to a tract of eighty mites, in consideration of the su- perior populousness of the north and south parts of the coast to that from which the estimate is taken, it will give a total often thousand inhabitants. The above-mentioned factor, however, deducts three thousand from this amount, because so many tracts of land are absolutely desert. He asserts, that in the year 1730 the Greenland nation amounted to thirty thousand ; that in 1746, when he made his first cal- culation, it could still reckon twenty thousand ; and that since that time it has suffered a diminution of two-thirds, or at least one half of its numbers. The first station of Greenlanders from Kangek northwards is Pissugbik, twenty miles distant. Eight miles further is a fishing bay, where the first missionary had thoughts of settling, induced by the fishery and the quantity of grass. Twenty leagues from Godhaab lie the Napparsok islands. Here, and on the opposite continent, grass and drift wood are found in abundance. Thei^ is also great plenty of fish, birds, and seals. The ice fields, which float with the cur- M »"^« ' Mil VI». TO TriK KORTFl POLE. 209 rent and a Rtronjj south wiii»l round Stnatenliuk from the onst side, do not pass beyond tWxB point, as here the force of the stream subsides, and loses itself altogether still far- ther to the north. In 1756, the ship destined for Godhnivb was forced to run in here, and wait till a north-east wind had cleared the shore of ice. At no great distance is Omenak, a Greenland station. The former inhabitants of this place were infamous for mur- der throughout the country. Forty leagues from Godhaab, lat. 65° 46*, is the fourth colony of Zukkerlop, (sugar-loaf,) situated on the small island of Kangek, in Bruyne Bay. It was founded in 1755 by order of the company of trade, by Anders Olsen, factor. It owes its appellation to three conical peaks, by which the seamen steer their courso when entering the port. The harbour is very safe and com.'nodious, lying between two little islands, a mile distant froi i the open sea. The coun- try is barren and dreary, and has no rein-deers. Whales, however, which are extremely rare in more southern parts, are not unfrequently seen in the bay. They make their ap- pearance in January and February, but they are seldom taken by the Greenlanders, and by the, Europeans never, owing to the want of the necessary boats and tackle. The factor struck one once, and not having line enough, fastened to it some empty casks instead of bladders used by the Greenlanders, but the fish escaped. Coasting along by two fiordes, or bays, after a run of forty miles, is a large island. It lies low, with deep val- leys, and is frequented by salmon. There is found here a white shining clay, which does not burst in the fire. Amongst the rocks is one of particularly large size, with a deep valley in the middle, which is overflowed at high wa- ter. Here frequently more than a hundred seals enter with the tide in fair weather, and are caught and killed by the Greenlanders when the water retires. In lat. 67° lies Wyde-fiorde, and opposite to it the island *:i. M \m '! 1 if ' iji t\ St 270 PARRT'8 8BC0ND VOYAGB of Nepiset or Nepisenc. Ujion this island a lodge was built ill the year 1724, for the advantage of trade and wlialc fish- ing ; but it was forsaken the year after, and all the houses were burnt by the crews of foreign vessels. In the year 1720, a colony was established in the same place with a fort adjoining, which were also abandoned and demolished a short time after, by order of the king. Not far from hence, and about twenty-six leagues north of the Sugar-loaf, lies the Amarlok-fiorde, where the Green- landers catch every year a number of whales. Here alsu they founded the fifth colony, called Holsteinburg, in me- mory of the Duke ofHolstein, member uf the privy-council, and president of the honourable missionary society, The spot on which this colony is built, is one of the most elig;i. ble, both as an agreeable residence and convenient trading- place. Eight leagues from Holsteinburg, and in lat. 67° 30', lie. the well-known South-bay, the best harbour belonging to the whalers, and a suitable place of rendezvous when the fishing season is over. A colony was founded here in 1750, but since the settling of Holsteinburg, only one man resides on the premises, who buys in the blubber from the few Greenlanders in the neighbourhood. The whale fishery is often very productive near the two factories ; but most of the Greenlanders have withdrawn from their vicinity, although it is rich in all kinds of birds and fishes. In the neighbourhood of the last mentioned place, the sea is frozen throughout the winter, and not clear from ice till May, when the season for catching whales is past. Next in order come Riffkol and North-bay, beyond which, the sea penetrates into the land in a south-easterly direction, and forms the well-known Disko-bay filled with groups of small islands, of which the most considerable are, the West, Whale, Green, Dog, and Dunk islands, extending partly towards the east into Spiring -bay, and partly to the nortii^ TO THB NORTH POUB. 271 as far as Disko island. The entire circuit of tlie bay is about one hundred and twenty leagues. The land round about ii is liigh, flat on tlie top, and covered with ice ; though (lie shore along the roads is smooth and level. There is a place in the neighbourhood called Schans, which, accord- ing to the Dutch charts, contains a veiu of good stone-coal, though it has hitherto never been worked. It is remarka- ble, that Disko island is frequented by rein-deer, which is the case with no other. The channel which separates it from the main land is called Waygat, and is about (iyxic leagues in breadth. The fishery in the bay is the most productive of any in the whole country ; as in winter, when it is frozen, the Greenlanders kill vast numbers of seals upon the ice, and in spring, frequently catch small nod even full-grown whales in it. It is also the yearly resori of many Dutch whalers. The population of Disko-bay is more numerous than that of any other tract in Greenland, except perhaps the most southern part, where there are no colonies. Trade conse- quently flourishes most in its vicinity. The eighth colony, Christianshaab, was settled in 1734, by order of Mr. Jacob Severin, in VUre-bay, lat. 69° 30', or, according to others, 68° 34'. Three leagues farther to the north lies Ice-fiorde, which the Greenlan ■?'ivf| t u "i P r**''. Mm ii'f 1, ,. A f:4^J 1/ 272 parry's second voyage Waygat, lat. 71°. A ship touches every year at holh these places ; but their exports have hitherto been but small. Measures have since been taken to remove it some \3agues farther north, to Jacob's creek, where many Green> landers reside. There is no missionary in either of tliem. Concerning the face of the country, still farther north, all knowledge is confined. William Baffin, who sailed in the year 1616, with Captain Robert Bylot, in search of a pas- sage through Davis's Straits, and who has given his name to all that part of the sea, between lat. 72° and 78°, affirms, that he traded with the Greenlanders as far north as Horn- sound, in lat 73°. Even in lat. 74°, he was led to conclude, that the Greenlanders bad a summer residence, from the traces of tents visible in many places along the coast. The sea was found to contain abundance of seals and sea-uni- corns, and in Thomas Smith's Sound, lat. 78°, whales of the largest size were observed. The Disko Greenlanders say, that the land extends for more than 150 leagues north of their residence, and consequently as far as lat. 70° ; but it is very thinly inhabited, though it- abounds in eider-fowl, white bears, and seals ; no one being desirous of living in a place where the winter night is so long and cold. There Is also a scarcity of wood and iron, which the more southern Greenlanders receive in exchange for the horns of sea-uni- corns. The face of the country presents nothing but naked rockS cdvered with ice, so that the natives are forced to buy even the grass which they use in their shoes. Their houses (instead of the wooden rafters and sods) are roofed with the horns of the sea unicorn, clay, and seal-skins. The land stretches in a north-westerly direction, towards America, and is bordered with numerous clusters of small islands. Here and there, upright stones with projecting arms are said to be found, which look like our road-guides. Fear has also coloured them white, and given rise to the fa- ble of the gigantic Kablunuk (European) standing on a mountain, to whom passengers offer up a piece of whalebone. TO TIIK NORTH POLE. 273 The southern part olGroenlar.tl, which is likewise unin- habited by Europeans, is better known than the extreme nortli. In the autumn of 1723, Mr. Eq^ede undertook a voyage of Discovery thither. In the years 1749 and 52, a traveller in the pay of the Greenland company, went on se- veral trading expeditions ; during the last of which he spent two summers and one winter in the south. Very little is known concerning the particulars of his journey, and the ac- count must depend upon the relations of the Greenlanders living in those parts, a number of whom pay a yearly vi- sit to the north. The Greenland hills are generally so lofty that the snow on their summits seldom thaws, and what melts in the day- time is congealed during the night. They also abound itt deep chasms, into which the sun.beams seldom or never en- ter. Besides, even in the most precipitous mountains there are occasional flats and hollows, in which the rain dnd snow- water collects, and is frozen into ice. When the snow rolls down in heaps, or, after having been dissolved by the sua, descends in rivulets and torrents upon the ice already formed in these hollows, the latter gradually accumulates into a solid lump, upon which the action of the sun can make but a very partial impression ; and the decrease occasioned by thaw is amply made up by continual accessions from the snow and rain. These huge lumps of ice sometimes project a considera- ble way over the edge of the rocks, and do not melt so much on the surface as underneath, bursting in cracks of various dimensions, out of which the water continually oozes. Be* ing in this way gradually undermined to such a degree as to lose their equilibrium, they break loose from the rocks with a tremendous crash, and falling in enormous fragments over the edge of the precipice, plunge into the depth below, with a noise like thunder, and a commotion of the water suflicient to overset a boat at a good distance from the shore. Many a poor Grcenlander sailing unconcernedly in his kajak P. V. 12. N n 374 parry's second voyage ♦ . ' i I 'i I s - 1 1 ^m' if 1^ alon^ the coast, has lust his life by their fall. These masses of ice sometimes remain fixed in the chasms of the rocks, or frozen fast in the buys, for a number of years to- gether, and are continually increased by the snow-water, (which being sometimes mixed with earth and stones,) their prodigious magnitude cannot be wondered at. Those who have seen the glaciers of Switzerland, or the Tyrol, or even read descriptions of them, will not be at a loss to conceive how such immense pieces of ice may be loosened from the cavities in which they are formed. The chasms in them are occasioned by the ice thawing under- neath and freezing again during the winter. A large quan- tity of air is consequently enclosed, which when expanded by the heats of the summer, bursts the exterior covering, with a terrible explosion, and a concussion aptly denominated an ice- quake, so vehement that casual passengers are forced to sit down in order uot to be thrown off their legs. On such occasions, not only earth, wood, and stones, but even the bodies of men and animals which had been embosomed in the ice, are vomited forth, and large masses roll down into the valleys beneath, frequently covering whole mea- dows. Some conception may be formed of the size of these mas- ses from the description of the Rheinwald glacier, which at (he same time illustrates the nature of the Ice-blink. This glacier is said to be four miles long and two broad, and be- tween several hundred and a thousan4 fathoms in height. It consists entirely of masses of pure ice, precipitated from th^ mountains, and ranged side by side in perpendicu- lar columns. Towards the western extremity issues a tur- bid stream, which soon disappears again under the ice. On the ea^t side, a magnificent cavern opens far into the gla- cier. The neighbouring villagers say, that four miles from its mouth it is still high enough to admit of a man's stand- ing upright in it. A rivulet of crystal lYater discharges it- self through this channel. fr^Ks TO THE NORTH rOLiJ. 275 If such stupendous masses are precipitated from the hills of Switzerland, it is little wonder that the arctic seas of Greenland should be crowded with huge mountains of float- ing ice. The highest summits of the Cordilleras, which lie directly under the Equator, are covered witli perpetual ice and snow. It has however been too hastily concluded, that the line of congelation, which in hot climates is thirteen thousand three hundred and eighty feet above the level of the sea, gradually lowers itself towards the poles, till within the polar circle, it coincides with the surface of the earth. Ocu- lar demonstration disproves this. Greenlanders inhabit as far north as 75°, and Europeans have settlements in lat. 71°. On the highest Greenland mountains, which though not as high as Chirobora9o, have yet an elevation of at least six thousand feet, rain is more frequent than snow during the summer months, and even the snow which descends i.- quickly melted. The soils of this country afford little scope for description. They are in general extremely scanty and shallow. The country round Godhaab principally consists of clay, sand, or turf. The clay is pale blue, and very sandy and sterile. In other tracts a light grey marl prevails, which is inter^ mixed with mica, and stands the fire. There is also found a very fine and light micaceous sand, greasy to the touch, and a fine white pearl sand filled with black and red crys' tals of garnet, and uncommonly hard. Most of the sand in the country is grey or brown and full of stones : when ma- nured, it will support vegetation. Turf is found in all the marshes, mixed with black mould, sand, and gravel, and is not good for firing. The proper turf is an aggregate of vegetable matter, as routs, withered mosses, grass, putrid wood, and also bones ; and is found in low lands, on a bed of sand or on the solid roek. A kind of shell fish are sprinkled amongst its layers, not met with any where else in the country, deposited probably by some former inundation of the sea. This turf-ground probably N n 3 tut- klf ''i »!'' » ^ 276 parry's second voyage owes its formation to light earth and tjrass washed off hy (he rain from the adjacent mountains. The best sort grows on the highest ridges of the little desert islands and bare cliffs, where a multitude of birds make their roost in the night and deposit their eggs. Their ordure mixed with earth blown thither by the wind furnishes a soil for moss' and grass, which augmented by feathers, muscles, and bones, easily dis- cernable in the mass, form a tenacious covering of turf, two or three feet thick. This overspreads the summits of the rocks, and has buried a stone beacon erected by the sailors of former times. It is called kupp-turf. Owing to the tough roots it contains, it is difficult to cut through it, but it burns with a bright flame, and gives out a considerable heat. Grass is found not only on boggy, sandy, or turf land, where it is commonly very poor and diminutive, but also in clefts of rocks filled with earth, and particularly near hu- man habitations, where it grows very luxuriantly. One spe- cies, (Agrostis arundinacea,) much resembles the reed, but lias a more slender stalk, and the Grecnlanders twist very neat baskets of it. Another kind, less common, (Elymus arenarius,) grows near buildings, on a bottom of sand and gravel, and between stones, with long broad leaves, and a stalk upwards of a yard long. Its spike resembles that of wheat, and is often six inches in length. The grains are like oats, but owing to the shortness of the summer, they seldom come to maturity. The Greenlanders make use of this grass to line their shoes and boots. Several trials have been made to grow oats and barley. They send up as high a blade as in other countries, but sel- dom come into ear, and are in the very warmest situations prevented from ripening by the night frosts, t The gardens cannot be very productive, as no seed can be sown till the middle of June. Even then the soil is fro- zen at a little depth below the surface, and in September the frost recorameneos. Ever;^ thing must then be taken mmm TO THE NORTH POLE. 277 put of the Garth, and laid up to keep, except chives, which will endure the winter. Salad and cabbage will not bear lrans])lan(injf, and remain very small. Radishes thrive as well as in Europe. The black radishes arc small, and tur- nips seldom exceed a pigeon's egg in size, but they may be eaten with greens, and have an excellent taste. This is all that can be reared in the gardens, nor will they produce even this, unless they are screened from the north wind and the spray of the sea water. The most plentiful production of this country is moss, which grows in great plenty, and of many different kinds. One species (the Sphagnum or bog Greenland Master of that ship, had just expired, an event which fur souie days past there had been but too much rea- son to apprehend; the scurvy having within the last three weeks continued to increase considerably upon him. It is proper for me, however, both in justice to the medical of- ficers under whose skilful and humane care he was placed, and to the means with which we were in this way so libe- rally supplied, to state that during a part of that time Mr. Fife had token so great a dislike to the various anti-scor- butics which were administered to him, that he could seldom be induced to use any .of them. The disease, in conse- quence, reduced him to a state of extreme debility, which at length carried him off almost without pain. The Hecla being at the time closely beset, and in a situation of great danger among the shoals off Winter Inland, Captain Lyon caused the remains of the deceased to be committed to the sea with uU the solemnity which circumstances would per- mit. 1 cannot close this melancholy notice without expres- sing my most sincere regret, to which I may venture to add that of Captain Lyon and the other officers, for the loss of this very deserving individual, whose qualities as a seaman and navigator, had it pleased God to spare his life, would have rendered him an ornament to the naval service. Into which he was io have been admitted as a Master on the re- turn of the ships to England. Mr. Crawford, the mate of the Fury, was appointed, for the present, to act as Mas- ter of the Hecla in the room of Mr. Fife. " In the night of the 6th, tbTe ships, which had before nearly closed each other, were again separated to the dis- ■H TO THE NORTH POLK. 281 tance of several miles, though no motion was perceptible in the masses of ice about them. The Hecia was now car- ried towards Winter Island, and the Fury up Lyon Inlet, so that on the 10th we had reached the islands off Five- hawser Bay within three-quarters of a mile, where the Hecla was barely visible from the mast head. On the evening of the nth, however, the wind at length began to freshen from the north-west, when the ice almost immediately com- menced driving down the inlet at the rate of a mile an hour, carrying the Fury with it and within half a mile of the rocks, the whole way down to Cape Martineau, but keeping her in deep water. In the mean time the Hecla had been swept into much more dangerous situations, passing along the east and south sides of Winter Island ; and after driving nearly up to Five-hawser Bay, being carried near some danger- ous shoals about Cape Edwards, where Captain Lyon ex- pected every other tide that she would take the ground. Indeed for the last ten or twelve days the situation of the Hecla had been one of imminent danger, and every exertion to remove her from it had proved unavailing. From this time, however, the ice continued to drive to the southward, and, by some means or other, the ships once more closed each other. It was now observable, as on a former oc- casion in this neighbourhood, that the ice did not carry the ships in the direction opposite to the wind, but much more towards Southampton Island ; so that on the 14th we were once more off Fife Rock, and had, by great exertions in warp- ing, nearly rejoined the Hecla. We now alsp observed a dark water-sky to the eastward, which assured us that a clear sea could be at no great distance in that direction. On the following day, when the ships had closed each other within a mile, we could see the clear water from the mast- head, and the Hecla could now have been easily extricated^ Such however are the sudden changes that take place in this precarious navigation, that not long afterwards the Fury was quite at liberty to sail out of the ice, while the P. V. 12. Go i Uti' i I '>i 382 parry's second voyage m ifi-; Heola was now, in her turn, so immoveably set fast, and even cemented between several very heavy masses, that no power that could be applied was sufficient to move her an inch. In this situation she remained all the 16th, without our being able to afford her any assistance ; and the frost being now rather severe at night, we began to consider it not improbable that we might yet be detained for another winter. We were perhaps indeed indebted for our escape to a strong westerly breeze which blew for several hours on the 17th, when, the ice being sufficiently close to allow our men to walk to the assistance ef the Hecla, we suc- ceeded, after seven hours' hard labour, in forcing her into clear water, when all sail was made to the eastward, and our course shaped for the Trinity Islands in a perfectly open sea. " We thus finally made our escape from the ice after haT< ing been almost immoveably beii.et in it for twenty-four days out of the last twenty-six, in the course of which time the ships had been taken over no less than one hundred and forty leagues of ground, f^enerally very close to the shore, and always unable to do any thing towards effecting their escape from danger. When it is considered that, to have taken ground in this situation, with strong and high tides keeping the ice in constant muiion, must have almost in- volved the certain loss of the ships, and without the possi- bility of one offering assistance to the other, we cannot but consider this as one of the most providential escapes it has ever been our lot to experience." Captain Lyon, speaking of the Esquimaux says, ''the Es- quimaux whom he had seen at Winter Island and Igloolik, comprised nearly all the inhabitants of the north-east coast of America, from the Wager River to our second winter quarters, and as they were all related by blood or marriage^ I may speak of them as one tribe. They may more proper- ly be termed a small than even a middle-sized race. For though in some few instances, and in particular families, the TO THB NORTH POLE. S8S men are tall and stout, yet the greater portion of the tribe are beneath the standard of what in Europe would be called small men. The tallest I saw was five feet nine inches and ^hrce quarters in height ; the shortest only four feet ten inches ; and the highest woman was five feet six inches, while the smallest was four feet eight inches only ; between these, of course, there were intermediate sizes, all, however, in- clining to the lowest scale. 'Even in the young and strong men the muscles are not clearly defined, but are smoothly covered, as in the limbs of women ; and though when dressed they appear stout well-set people, yet, taking them in a body* their figures when uncovered are rather weak than other- wise. There is a remarkable contradiction in the form of the most robust, which is, that however prominent and well shaped the chest may be, the neck is small, weak, and of- ten shrivelled. They all stand well on their feet, walking erect and freely, with the toes rather turned inwards, and the legs slightly bowed. Their bodily strength is not so great as might be expected in people who, from their in- fancy, are brought up in hardy living and labour. Of this I had sufficient proof> by matching our people with Esqui- maux of equal sizes to lift weights, and it invariably hap- pened that burthens. Which were raised with facility by our people, could scarcely be lifted by the natives. They are active wrestlers among themselves, but can neither run nor jump. Hardy and patient of fatigue, yet, for persons brought up in so severe a climate, they bear the cold with less indifference than I should have expected. Few amongst them are in the slightest degree inclined to corpulency, al- though pot-bellies are universal. The females have a ten- dency, perhaps from their sedentary habits, to grow fat. Their plumpness, however, does not seem nvholesoine, but more properly may be called bloated, and that only on par- ticular parts of the body. "The neck and shoulders of the young women are gene- rally in good, though large, proportion ; and the arm and Oo8 « liH u \ liiji 1 ' V." ' \ii''" W- ^jH: m'.|" '■'-''' Av^' '^ li 1 i -li iliili ' jttii ,jij , . wYiw'' ' H|ji|| ^U 'Jl wli ij Hli i ' ml j 1 111... ii i'1 bd^ ;*f 284 parry's skconu voyagk i m n m ' H wrist are sometimes lianilsome. The feet of both Hexes are small and neat, well joined at the ankle, and free from bits inislies. The women, from the peculiar form of their boots, of which I shall soon have occasion to speak, have a cruit like that of a Muscovy duck, and they run unlike any creit. turc I ever saw, with their lej^s spread out and toes turned in, so as to avoid bcin§^ tripped up by their boots. For some time 1 was inclined to fancy that the hands of these people were small and well shaped, but latterly I changed my opj. nion, and it was evident, from repeated observations, that the original form was spoiled by labour. The fingers were short but not taper, and the pulm was disproportionately broad. The hands of the natives whom we met in Hudson's 8trait were certainly fur better shaped. The skin in both sexes appeared to be quite smooth, being unctuouii, and unpleasantly cold to the touch. Contrary to its out- ward show of fineness, it was, even in the females, very tough. The complexion of the Esquimaux, when clearly shown by a previous washing, is not darker than that of a Portuguese, and such parts of the body as are constantly covered do not fall short in fairness to the generality of the natives of the Mediterranean. A very fine healthy blush tinges the cheek of females and young children, but the men are more inclined io a sallow conij>lexion. The features ot the face are diversified in an extraordinary manner, yet, like the Jews, they have, even when their countenances are shaped like Europeans, an expression altogether peculiar. This may be attributed to the remarkable formation of the eye, which is in all alike. The inner corner points down- wards, like that of a Chinese, and the carunculus lacliry- malis, which iu Europeans is exposed, is covered by a mem- brane which passes ovr it vertically. The skin over the up- per part of the nose, between the eyes, is irequently, par- ticularly in the women, stretched as tight as the covering of a drum. The eyes ure small and black, expressive and sparkling when animated, and in most infants and u lew TO Tllli NORTH POLK. 285 live and a iew goung girls really very beautiful. Even in middle aged, or indeed yuung persons, the corner of the eye is marked by that dreaded figure, the crow's foot ; but in old people the wrinkles are so abundant, as to cover the temples, and to stray down the cheek to a degree we never see in Europe. Another peculiarity, though not so evident in all faces, is the prominence of the cheek bones, Tvhich frequently presents so flat a surface, as to give to ther women in particular the ap- pearance of having faces as broad as they are long. It is in consequence of this form, that the noses of such as are full faced are literally buried between the projections, and one of our chief belles was so remarkable in this way, that a ruler, when placed from cheek to cheek, would not touch the nose ! In some families, where both parents had oval faces, the children all resembled them ; and about a sixth part of the people we saw had high Roman noses, and an ex- pression of countenance, excepting always the eyes, which seemed of a diifercnt race. The other, and far the largest portion of the tribe, are broad and nearly round visaged. The mouth is generally kept open, with a kind of idiotic ex- pression, so that the teeth of either jaw are generally shown. The lips are rather prominent, and I think, if any difference at all exists, that in the men the lower, and in the women the up- per lip is the largest. The mouths are large, yet have a very wholesome healthy appearance. The teeth are strong and deeply fixed in the gums. They are formed like rounded ivory pegs, and are as flat on the upper end as if filed down. Old people have them worn quite even with the gums, and it is but rarely that any are decayed. The chin is small and peaked, and what we call a double chin is rare, the skin generally collapsing in fat people, instead of forming in a roll. The beards of the men are scanty, but few instances occurring of the chin being entirely covered. The moustacheos are more thick. The hair of both sexes is straight, coarse, and of a raven black. In infants it has, for a few years, a shade of brown. On the bodieis of adults if|'l';r t I ■;; (' HKil ! I' S86 parry's second voyage there is but little hair, in fact, some are totally destitute of it. " Thecostume of the people, continues Capt. Lyon, differs very much from that of the Hudson's Strait savages, though an equal degree of neatness and ingenuity is displayed in the work of each. The clothes of both sexes are principally composed of fine and well prepared rein-deer pelts ; the skins of bears, seals, wolves, foxes, smdmarmottes, are also used. The seal skins are seldom employed for any part of the dress, except boots and shoes, as being more capable of resisting water, and of far greater durability than other leather. " The general winter dress of the men is an ampleoutercoat of deers* skin, having no opening in front, and a large hood, vrhich is drawn over the head at pleasure. This hood is in- variably bordered with white fur from the thighs of the deer, and thus presents a lively contrast to the dark face which it encircles. The front, or belly part of the coat, is cut off square with the upper part of the thighs ; but behind it is formed into a broad skirt, rounded at the lower end, which reaches to within a few inches of the ground. The lower edges and tails of these dresses are in some cases bordered with bands of fur of an opposite colour to the body, and it is a favourite ornament to hang a fringe of little strips of skin beneath the border. These embellishments give a very pleasing appearance to the dress. It is customary, in blow- ing weather, to tie a piece of skin or cord tight round the waist of the coat ; but in other cases the dress hangs loose. Within the covering 1 have just described is another of pre- cisely the same form ; but though destitute of ornaments of leather, it has frequently little strings of beads hanging to it from the shoulders or small of the back. This dress is of thinner skin, and acts as a shirt, the hairy part being placed next the body : it is the in-doors habit. When walking, the tail is tied up by two strings to the back, so that it may not incommode the legs. Besides these two coats, they have also a large cloak, or, in fact, an open deer-skin, with TO THE NORTH POLE. 287 sleeTes : this, from its size, is more frequently used as a blanket ; and I but once saw it worn by a man at the ship, although the women throw it over their shouMers to shelter themselves and children while sitting on the sledge. " The trowsers, which are tightly tied round the loins, have no waistbands, but depend entirely by the drawing-strings ; they are generally of deers* skin, and ornamented in the same manner as the coats. One of the most favourite pat> terns is an arrangement of the skins of deers* legs, so as to form very pretty stripes. As with the jackets, there are two pair of these indispensables, reaching no lower than the knee-cap, which is a'cause of great distress in cold woather, as that part is frequently severely frost bitten ; yet with all their experience of this bad contrivance, they will not add an inch to the established length. " The boots reach to the bottom of the breeches, which bang loosely over them. In these, as in other parts of the dress, are many varieties of colour, material, and pattern, yet in shape they never vary. The general winter boots are of d'eer skin, one having the hair next the leg, and the other with the fur outside. A pair of soft slippers of the same kind are worn between the two pair of boots, and outside of all a strong seal skin shoe is pulled to the height of the ankle, where it is tightly secured by a drawing string. For hunting excursions, or in summer when the coun- try is thawed, one pair of boots only is worn. ' They are of seals^ gkin, and so well sewed and prepared without the hair, ihat although completely saturated, they allow no wa- ter to pass through them. The soles are generally of the tough hide of the walrus, or of the large sea] called Oo. ghioo, so that the feet are well protected in walking over rough ground. Slippers are sometimes worn outside. In both cases the hoots are tightly fastened round the instep with a thong of leather. The mittens in common use are of deer skin, with the hair inside : but in fact every kind of skin is used for them. They are extremely comfortHble when 1~ ■! ■V;Sf ^ m ! ft 288 parry's second toyagb dry, but if once wetted and frozen again, in the nnter afford as little protection to the hand as a case of ice would do. In summer, and in fishing, excellent seal-skin mittens are used, and have the same power of resisting water as the boots of which I have just spoken. At Igloolik, on ourhrst arrival, we found a few pair of fingered gloves, very neatly made. The dresses I have just described are chiefly used in winter. During the summer it is customary to wear coat, boots, and even breeches, composed of the prepared skins of ducks, with the feathers next the body. These are com- fortable, light, and easily prepared. When we first became acquainted with the different parties of natives, and before they had received presents from us, we found that the few ornaments in their possession were worn by the men. These were some bandeaus which encircled the head, and were composed of various coloured leather, plaited in a mosaic pattern, and in some cases having human hair woven in them as a contrast to the white skins. From the lower edge . foxes 'teeth hung suspended, arranged fts a fringe across the forehead. In different parts of the hair several wore a musk- ox tooth, a small ivory figure, or the bone of some small animal. The clothing of the women is of the same materials as tliat of the men, but in shape almost every part is different from the male dress. An inner jacket is worn next the skin, and the fur of the other is outside. This hind flap or tail is of the form before described, but there is also a small flap in front, extending about half way down the thigh. The coats have each an immense hood, which, as well as cover- ing the head, answers the purpose of a child's cradle for two or three years after the birth of an infant. This is called nma-oo-ta, and is the same as the amaut of Crantz. In or- der to keep the burthen of the child from drawing the dress tight across the throat, a contrivance, in a great measure resembling the slings of a soldier's knApsack, is affixed to the collar or neck part, whence it passess beneath the ama- TO THB NORTH POLE. 289 oo-ta, crosses, and being brought under the arms, is secured on each side the breast by a wooden button. The shoulders of the women's coat have a wide bag-Uke space, for which we were long unable to account; but it was at length ascertained to be for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the child from the hood round the breast without taking it out of the jacket. " When a girdle is worn round the waist, it answers the double purpose of comfort and ornament ; being frequently composed of some valuable trinkets, such as foxes' bones, those of the kableeaghioo, or sometimes of the ears of deer, which hang in pairs to the number of twenty or thirty, and are trophies of the skill of the hunter, to whom the wearer is allied. Tlie inexpressibles of the women are of the same form as those of the men, but they are not ornamented by the same curious arrangement of colours ; the front part i» generally of white, and the hack of dark fur. The man- ner of securing them at the waist is also the same ; but the drawing-strings are of much greater length, being suf- fered to hang down by one side, and their ends are fre- quently ornamented with some pendant jewel, such as a grinder or two of the musk-ox, a piece of carved ivory, a small ball of wood, or a perforated stene. "Children have no kind of clothing, but lie naked in their mother's hoods until two or three years of age, when they are stuffed into a little dress, generally of fawn-skin, which has jacket and breeches in one, the back part being open ; into this they are pushed, when a string or two closes all up again. A cap forms an indispensable i)art of the equip- ment, and is generally of some fantastical shape : the skin of a fawn's head is a favourite material in the composition, and is sometimes seen with the ears perfect ; the nose and holes for the eyes lying along the crown of the wearer's head, which, in consequence, looks like that of an animal. Although by necessity and habit an extremely dirty people, the Esquimaux appear fully aware of the truth of a well- known saying, and practically show that " a stitch in tim«" P. V. 13. p p 1^ '' t' 7J^^^ m 290 PARRY S SECOND VOYAGE does wonders ; for, however old or worn their dresses may be, it is rarely that ragged clothes are seen. , Our woollen jackets, shirts, or stockings, were very much esteemed ; and though not a tenth part so warm as the skin coverings, yet always had the credit with the Esqui- maux of being much more comfortable than those ; the poor creatures, who wore them generally outside their proper dresses, ascribing all the warmth they felt to the Kabloona cloth. In this way I have seen a thin cotton shirt placed over two coats, while the hap|)y wearer exclaimed with de- light that " it made him quite liot." The wind being favourable, the ship ran through Hud- son's Strait, and on thetwenty-third they took their final de- parture, passing Button's Isles. During their passage across the Atlantic the Aurora Borealis were generally seen every night. On one occasion they were so brilliant as to cast shadows on the deck. A solan goose was seen on the seventh of October, and as the ships approached the Orkneys several more of these birds were seen. Theappearanceof other vessels, indicative of the prospect of soon obtaining intercourse with those from whom th( y had been now separated for seven and twenty months, excited in all the most cheering feelings. The breeze increasing to a fresh gale from the southward in the course of the night, with a heavy sea from the same quarter, rendering it impossible to make any progress in that direction, they put into Lerwick in the Shetland Is- lands, to procure refreshments and await a change of wind, and on the lOth at ten in the morning anchored there, where they were immediately visited by a great number of the inhabitants, anxious to greet them on their return to their native country. On the first information of their arrival the bells of Ler- wick were set ringing, the inhabitants flocked from every part of the country to express their joy, and the town was at night illuminated as if each individual had a brother or a :'^'' , TO THIi NORTH POLE. 291 son among- tliecrew. On tlie 12th, being Sunday, the of- ficers and men of both ships attended divine service on shore, when the worthy minister, the Reverend Mr. Menzies, who was before well known to many, offered up in the most so- lemn and impressive manner a thanksgiving for their safe return. On the 13th, a breeze springing up from the northward, they took leave of their kind and hospitable friends, deeply sensible of the cordial and affectionate reception they expe- rienced. On the 16th, being off Whitby, Captain Parry went on shore there, accompanied by IMr. Fisher the astro- nomer, and after receiving the cordial greetings of a great number of the worthy inhabitants of Whitby, who had as- sembled, set off for London and arrived at the Admiralty on tlie morning of the 18th, The ships, after touching at the Humber for pilots, arrived in the River Thames shortly af- terwards, and were paid off at Deptford on the 14th of No- vember, 1823. Notwithstanding the attempts of this voyage to discover a north-west passage were ineffectual, Captain Parry says that his convictions of the possibility are increased ; but that the opening must be found through Prince Regent's Inlet, and that the passage will be into Bhering's Strait. He says, " While the probability of the existence of the passage has been greatly strengthened by the efforts of our various expeditions by land and sea, as well as by those of the Russians about Icy Cape, the hope of its ultimate ac- complishment has, notwithstanding our late failure, received no inconsiderable encouragement. That the sea is some- times navi<;;able upon the northern shores of America is no longer a matter of speculation or conjecture, but stands recorded upon the authority, and to the honour, of our dis-. tinguished countryman Captain Franklin, and his brave companions. A single view of the drawings •accomj)anyirig his description of their extraordinary canoe-navigation along these desolate shores, must at once convey to the minds of P p 2 '11 J i# . «^- '^-^ ^- « 292 parry's voyages "f:-^ I-, ^Mnf m' f those who are interested in the accomplishment of thi^ long*- sought olyect, a degree of encouragement which the most sanguine could scarcely have experienced before. And al- though there can be no doubt, that the various changes of wind and tide would occasionally block up with ice the shores surveyed by Caj)taiu Franklin, yet the open water he ob- served is a proof that the ice has a considerable space to move in : and I oannot, therefore, but entertain a very con- fident hope that if a ship could once be got upon (hat coast, she might, by patience and perseverance, ultimately complete the desired object. It becomes, therefore, a mutter of more interest than ever, to inquire by what route a ship is most likely to reach that part of the coast lately discovered and surveyed by Captain Franklin. " It is mcfre than probable, that the obstacles which finally arrested our progress in the Strait are to be mainly attributed to the current we found setting to the eastward, through it ; and which coincides with that observed by Captain Franklin and by the Russians to the westward. This stream, in finding its way out through the Strait, would undoubtedly have the etFect of keeping the ice close home upon its western mouth, so as to prevent the egress of a ship in that direction ; and I cannot help thinking that, on this account, the navigation of that Strait will seldom if ever be practicable." The information which the second voyage of Captain Parry produced, although unsuccessful in accomplisiiing the great object in pursuit, induced the Government to make further attempts ; and accordingly in the succeeding spring vessels were again fitted out, of which the following are the particulars. TO VHP. NORTH POLE. 393 CAPTAIN PARllY'S THIRD VOYAGE. THE Fury and Hecla, which had been paid off in No- vember 18'23, were re-commissioned, and to them was added the Griper, to be commanded by Captain Lyon, which last, however, was to take a different route, but to co-ope- rate with Captain Parry by land, each taking a course which former lights and experience pointed out as most likely to ensure success. It was intended that Captain Parry should endeavour to make the passage by the Prince Regent's In- let, which runs out ol Lancaster Sound to the southward, towards Hudson's Bay, and wliich was discovered by him in his second voyage ; Captain Lyon was to land in Re- pulse Bay, leaving charge of the Griper to Lieutenant G. Dixon, an«l to proceed over- land to tiie Copper-mine river ; Yirhilst Captain Franklin was to explore by land the coast of the Arctic Sea from Mackenzie's River to Icy Cape. Every advantage was taken of the experience obtained in the former voyages, and nothing was omitted which could add to the comfort or secure the safety of the crews in their perilous undertaking. Considerable improvements have taken place in the mode of warming the vessels in their seve- ral departments ; and increased strength iias been given to their bows by an additional casing of timber. Capstans upon a new construction have also been introduced, which promise less risk of injury than those formerly in use. The sails and cordage were all new, and of superior workman- ship; while the stores of every description are abundant and applicable to every casualty that can occur. Modern publications were added to the libraries, and nothing was ('' 294 I'ARRV'S VOYAGES I''!. JV''.' ; 1' It f 4 neglected vvhicli might afford amusement or information to the officers. A very splendid and hospitable entertainment was givon on board the Fury and llecla, lying off Deptford dock -yard, by Captain Parry, on Tuesday, the 4th of May. The most distinguished of the com|)aiiy present on this occasion were the Duke of Marlborough, Earl Bathurst, Lady Georgiana Bathurst, Lady Emily Bathurst, Lord and Lady Sidmoutli, Lord Nugent, Lord Clinton, Sir Everard Home, the Lord Mayor and family, the Right Hon. W. W. Wynn and fa- mily, Mr. and Mrs. Hobhouse, Sir J. Yorke ; Sir Henry, Lady, and Miss Martin; Captain J. Franklin, the Hon. Douglas Kinniiird, S. VVhitbread, Esq. Sir Alexander and Lady Johnston, Mrs. Admiral Hamilton, Captain and Mrs. Napier, Lieutenant Colonel Ady, Captain and Mrs. Wilbraham, Mr. Alderman Heygate and Lady ; and a long- list of others, too numerous to mention. The Hecla and Fury drojiped down the river from Dept- ford on Saturday the 8tli of May 1824. The crew of tlie Griper gave three cheers as she passed, which was answered by the Hecla's crew. This incident was interesting, inas- much as, the Griper being to take out the land expedition the next intercourse of ihose brave men was expected to bo in the regions of desolation and cheerless misery. Captain Parry proceeded on his voyage ; and of him we have heard notliing positive since, and doubt not but he found winter-quarters. Suddenly, however, and unexpect- edly, on the 10th of November 1824, the Griper, Captain Lyon, ran into Portsmouth-harbour, (without anchoring at Spithead,) with signal of distress flying, having narrowly escaped destruction in fruitless endeavours to get into Repulse. Bay. The ship appears to have suffered dreadfully. She had reached to within six hours sail of Repulse-Bay, when a most tremendous gale came on, hitherto unequalled for severity in those seas, which continued for several days with unabated fury ; and, after the crew had suffered in a dread- TO THE NORTH POLE. 295 i'ul manner, Captain Lyon was obliged to bear up for Eng- Iiuul to reiit, the sliip liaviiiii^ lust all tier anchors and ca- hles amon£j»t the ice, besides havinif been on shore and sus- tained damaijc in her bottom ; her boats were all stove in. We are Ijappy to learn, however, that no lives were lost. Captain Lyon, the moment he arrived in Londun, began to ])rL'pare a " Bri Evans, the purser of the Gripen On the 25th they made the high land at Pembroke, the next day passed abreast of it. The CQmpasses had now become quite useless, with the ship's head southerly, and that in particular to which the plate was fitted so power- less, that its north point stood wherever it was placed by the finger; but, with the head northerly, they all traversed again. This, however, benefited but little; for Captain Lyon says, as our rout lay to the south-west, we were without other guidance than celestial bearings, which could not always be obtained. On the 27th they fell in with a native, who, as he ap- proached, w^d' observed " seated on three inflated seal-skins, connected most ingeniously by blown intestines, so that bis vessel, was extremely buoyant. He was astride upon one skin, while another of a larger size was secured on either sid* of it, so t well furni to theknc stained pi by a tho beads beii fingers a( his forchi in hopes ( then joine having un terwards y which wer men, by Ii years of aj twelve moi piece of c painted bl many piece boarding-] among th( guished by a child, ro forehead . It consiste platted, bl ble a roug bound tig four feet. On the found 8om( gale, and Captain and a high able, and found, tha TO THK NURTll I'OLC. 21)0 of it, 80 that he was placed iit a kind of hollow. His lc<^s, well furnished with seal-skin hoots, were iinmeri^ed nearly to the knees in water, and ho rowed with a very slender soot- stained paddle of wlmlehone, wiiich was secured to his hoat by a thonj^. Me exhihited some signs of fear ; hut, some beads being given to him, he placed them with trembling fingers across a large bunch of hair which protruded from his forehead. Captain Lyon afterwards landed with him, in hopes of obtaining sights for the instruments, and was then joined by six others, w\\o all appeared most miserable, having only a piece of chipped flint for a knife. They af- terwards visited two tents, very small, and full of holes, in which were five women and six children. One of the wo- iFiCn, by her appearance, could have been scarcely fifteen years of age ; yet carried her own child, a stout boy at least twelve months old, at her back. In one tent was a little piece of deal, about three inches in length, planed and painted black on one side ; and, with three bows made of many pieces, 'was all the wood in their possession. Knives, boarding-pikes, and many other articles, were distributed among these wretched beings. Each man was distin- guished by an immense mass of hair, as large as the head of a child, rolled into a ball, and projecting from the rise of the forehead. Captain Lyon caused one of these to be opened. It consisted of six long strings of his own locks, originally platted, but so matted with dirt, deer's fur, &c. as to resem- ble a rough hair- tether. These extraordinary tresses were bound tightly together at their base, and measured above four feet. On the 20th they again landed to procure water, and found some Esquimaux graves. In the afternoon it blew a gale, and the ship was put under close reefed top-sails. Captain Lyon adds, a strong weather-tide rose so short, and a high sea, that for three hours the ship was unmanage- able, and pitched bowsprit-under every moment. We now found, that, although with our head off this truly dangerous Q «1 2 i' W ;f ■I, I H ! J y^ "1 §■ r. i ' ■ f *^ L "mIV ^. r '1 ' ■' .^ iif ; ■ J ^ i 'i^l u : .1 '1 , |{ : !"^* 1 300 PARRYS VOYAGIi^ shore, we werenearing it rnpidly, and driving boldly down on the shoa^ To add, if possible, to this distressing si- tuation, the masts were expected to go every monnent, and all hands were kept on deck in readiness. The tiller twice broke adrift, and two men were bruised. In the morning the wind came round and moderated from south-west, with a turbulent short sea. The deviation of the compasses now increased, and, with the lamentable sailing of the Griper, the strong tides, and bad weather, caused her situation to be most perilous. " Capt. Lyon says, as there was reason to fear the falling of the tide, which was from 12 to 15 feet on this cbast, and in that case the total destruction of the ship, I caused the long-boat to be hoisted out, and, with the four smaller ones, to be stored to a certain extent with arms and provisions. The officers drew lots for their respective boats, and the sliip's company were stationed to them. The long-boat having been filled with storos which could not be put below, it became requisite to throw them overboard, as there was no room for them on our very small and crowded decks, over which heavy seas Were constantly sweeping. In mak- ing these preparations for taking to the boats, it was evident to all, that the long-bt at was- the only one which had the slightest chance of living under the lee of the ship, should she be wrecked ; but every man drew his lot with the great- est composure, alt''ough two of onr boats would have been swamped the instant thf'y were lowered. Yet such was the noble feeling of those around me, that it was evident, had I ordered the boais in question to be manned, their crews would have entered them «\'ithout a murmur. " In the afternoon, on the weather clearing a little, we discovered a low beach all around astern of us, on which the surf was running to an awful height; ai.d it aripeared evident thc.t no human power could save us. At three in the afternoon the tide had fallen to twenty ( 1, K Uw. ■ ' I'M iM. << (• ,i 302 parry's voyages that the best bower had lost a fluke, and that the others •wen uninjured. This place, Captain Lyon adds, " in humble gratitude for our delivery, I named the bay of God's Mercy." The latitude of it is 63° 35' 48" N. longitude 86° 32' W. There was at this moment no anchor left in i.he ship. Notwithstanding, it was determined, if possible, to winter about Chesterfield Inlet, or even to the southward of that spot. The persevering efforts of aU on board were accord- ingly directed to gain the American shore ; but finding that the ship got into the shallows of Hudso!:*3 Bay, they were reluctantly compelled to edge away for Salisbury Is- land, still hoping that a few fine and favourable da^s would restore to then: their lost ground. At length the hope- less continuance of bad weather, the wretched condition of the ship (from her incapacities,) the officers rnd raw having suffered more hardships than on any prev. ,<.i.^ voy- age, the advanced stage of the season, wiUi numerous other concomitant miseries, compelled Captain Lyon to consent that the ship should be got out of Hudson's Straits (an ex- tent of 80G miles of dangeious navigatir^ ;) which i)lace they had scarcely cleared, when a southerly gale drove them up to Davis's Straits, 150 miles to the southward of Reso- lution Island. Providentially, a change of wind enabled them soon after to proceed on a southern passage homeward ; and the Griper arrived at Portsmouth io six weeks in the state described. The Griper spoke several whalers, all of which had been unsuccessful in the fishery ; no ship had more than two fisli, and many none whatever. From the master of the Phoenix whaler, Captain Lyon heard that Captain Parry's expedi- tionhad been seen in the middle of August, m lat. 71° beset with ice. On the whole, the season has been more boister- ous, and consequently the $'ea less clear, than it has been known for a number of years. It "vas very questionable if Captain Parry would be able to reach Lancaster Sound. Ihd (C TO THE NORTH POLE. 303 the Griper effected a wintering eitlier :n Repulse- Bay or Wager River, or Chesterfield Inlet, Captain Lyon, with a strong party, would have made a land-journey to Point Turnagain, near the Coppermine River, a distance of seven hundred miles, for which expedition they were fully equipped. Captain Parry, if he succeeds in passing Lancaster Sound* and getting to the south wt;rd r*own Prince Regent's Inlet (by which Captain Lyon was next year to communicate with him,) will send a land expedition, if possible, iu the same direction, as well as to Repulse Bay, in the hope of commu- nicating with the Griper. Whenever any further information shall be obtained as to the fate of the third voyage of Captain Parry, it will be nar- rated in this work. '^1 f fi! f *3W H hiU ( 304 ) CAPTAIN FRANKLIN'S JOURNEY TO THE POLAR SEA. 1^ ■I i^t ;"! (V. t I ,!! The Government having determined upon sending an ex- pedition from the shores of Hudson's Bay by land, to ex- plore the northern coast of America, from the mouth of the f rmine River to the eastward, Captain Franklin was app nted to this service by Earl Bathurst, on the recom- mendation of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty ; ^ho, at the same time, nominated Doctor John Richard- son, a surgeon in the Royal Navy, Mr. George Back, and Mr. Robert Hood, two Admiralty Midshipmen, to be joined with him in the enterprize. The main object of the Expe- dition was that of determining the latitudes and longitudes of the northern coast of North America, and the trending of that coast from the mouth of the Coppermine River to the eastern extremity of that continent. Circumstances were to guide him whether to proceed at once directly to the northward till be arrived at the sea- coast, and thence west- erly towards the Coppermine River j .. advance, in the first instance, by the usual route to the mouth of the Copper- mine River, and from thence easterly till he should arrive at the eastern extremity of that continent. In the adoption of either of these plans, he was to be guided by the advice of the Hudson's Bay Company, who would be instructed by their employers to co-operate cordially in the prosecution of the objects of the expedition, and who would pro? 'de him "HI: II '£/ \\>\ U'- ¥1 ■ f (JDASP^lTAli::^ IFIBi^STISIilin. %l A ;'' if ■ iJ 1^ H ft ! Vi il f\ ih ; ilk ) 1 1 km I "*!»* '< as mi^htbe useful in a commercial point of view, or inter- esting*; to the science of mineralogy. Joseph Berens, Esq. tlie Governor of tlie Hudson's Bay Company, and the gentlemen of the committee, afforded all kind of assistance and information, previous to his leaving England ; and they s'ont orders to their agents and servauts in North America, containing the fullest directions to pro- mote, by every means, the progress of the Expedition. The gentlemen of the North- west Company, both in England and America, also gave much useful information, and sent let- ters of recommendation to the partners and agents of that Company, resident on the line of route. The late Sir Alexander Mackenzltj, who visited the coast they were to explore, alForded in the most open and kind manner, much valuable information and advice. The provisions, instruments, and articles furnished by di- rection of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, were embarked on board the Hudson's Bay Company's ship Prince of Wales, appointed by the committee to convey theexpedi- tion to York Factory, their principal establishment in Hud- son's Bay. To Dr. Richardson, in particular, the exclu- sive merit is due of whatever collections and observations have been made in the department of natural history. The charts and drawings were made by Lieutenant Back and the late Lieutenant Hood. Both these gentlemen cheer- fully and ably assisted in making the observations and in the daily conduct of the expedition. Great praise is due to the fidelity, exertion and uniform good conduct in the most trying situations, of John Hepburn, an English seaman, and the only attendant, to whom in the latter part of the journey they owed, under Divine Providence, the preserva- tion cf the lives of some of the party. AH things having been previously arranged, the party em- barkvidon the 23d of May 1819, on board the Prince of Wales, a ahip belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company. The wind not being favourable they did not reach Yarmouth Roads fi-!-f TO TJIli I'OI-AR SUA. 307 until the 30tli, and expectinc^ to reinnin tliorc for a clianj^e of wind, several oflficcrH and j)assengers went on shore. They had not however been lonj^ landed before the wind changed to the south-east, and the ship fired sij^nal guns for all to be on board. Mr. Back having gone a few miles dis- tance on business, the ship sailed without him, but Cajitain Franklin left a letter directing him to proceed by coach to Stromneaa, at which place he arrived nearly at the same period as the ship, having travelled nine days almost with- out taking rest. At Stromness Captain Franklin endeavoured to engage some seamen adapted to the service on which he was pro- ceeding. On the 14th of June several persons met him by appointtuent ; but they were so impressed with apprehen- sion that great danger would attend the service, or that they would be taken further than the engagement required, that only four men offered them.^elves. The bowmen and steer- men were to receive forty pounds a year, and the middlemen thirty-five pounds. Captain Fianklin says " They stij)u- lated to be sent back to the Orkney Islands, free of expense, and to receive their pay until the time of arrival. Only these few men coulil be procured, although our requisition had been sent to almost every island, even as far as the northernmost point of Ronaldsha. I was much amused with the extreme caution these men used before tliey would sign the agreement; they minutely scanned all our intentions, weighed every circumstance, looked narrowly into the plan of our route, and still more circumspectly to the prospect of return. Such caution on the part of the northern marin- ers form a singular contrast with the ready and thoughtless manner in which an English seaman enters upon any enter- prise, however hazardous, without inquiring or desiring to know where he is going, or what he is going about. The Brig Harmony, belonging to the Moravian Mis- sionary Society, and bound to their settlement at Nain, on the coast of Labrador, was lying at anchor. With the view 11 r 3 308 FRANK MNS JOl RNKV V .* Wm m "■'I i'.-,! li • ■• 1 - y ■ ;. i '■ 4'\> si 1 '' ■ t||. i Ml,, of collecting surae Esquimaux words and senlonces, ov gaining any informatiun respecting the maiuiers and habits of that people, Doctor Richardson and myself paid her a visit. We found the passengers, who were going out as Missionaries, extremely disposed to communicat'; ; but an they only spoke the German and Esquimaux languages, of both wliich we were ignorant, our conversation was necessarily mucli coniined : by the ai ave me a translation of the Gos- pel of St. John in the Esquimaux language, printed by the Moravian Society in London." On the I6lh the Prince of Wiilcs made the preparatory signal for sea. At three in the afternoon the ships weiglicd, an hour too early for tlie tide ; as soon as this served tliey entered into the passage between Hoy and Pomona, and had to beat through against a very heavy swell, which the meet- ing of a weather tide and a strong breeze had occasioned, Some dangerous rocks lie near the Pomona shore, and on this side also the tide appeared to run with the greatest strength. On clearing the outward projecting points of Hoy and Pomona, they entered at one into the Atlantic, and commenced their voyage to Hudson's Bay, having the Eddystone, Wear, and Harmony Missionary brig, in com- pany. Being now fairly launched into the Atlantic, Captain Franklin issued a general memorandum for the guidance of theofficers during the prosecution of the service on which they were engaged, and communicated to them the several points of information that were expected from them by their i«- ro rnii; polar sl \. 30U striiclioiis. lie al^u^ur^ii»lle(l tlicin with (copies oltlic^ii^nals which hud been agreed upon between Lieulenant Parry anil himself, to be used in the event ut' retiehing the nurthern const of America, and tailing in with each other. At the e.)d of the month of June, the progress was found to have been extremely slow, owing to a determined N.VV. wind ;ind mucli sea. Numerous birds hovered round the ship ; principally fulmars and shearwaters, and they not unfre* (|uently saw shouls uf grampusses sporting about, which the Greenland seamen term tinners from their large dorsal fin. Some porpoise*, occasionally appeared, and whenever they did, the crew were sanguine in their expectation of having a speedy change in the wind; which had been so vexatiously contrary, but they were disappointed in every instance. By the 25th of July they had opened the entrance of Davis* Straits, and in the afternoon spoke the Andrew Marvel), bound to England with a cargo of fourteen fish. The mas- tor said that the ice had been heavier this season in Davis^ Straits than he had ever recollected, and that it lay particu- larly close to the westward, being connected with the shore to the northward of Resolution Island, and extending from thence within a short distance of the Greenland coast; that whales had been abundant, but the ice so extremely cross, (hat few could be killed. His ship, as well as several others, had suffered material injury, and two vessels had been en- tirely crushed between vast masses of ice in latitude 74° 40' N. but the crews were saved. No intelligence could be obtained respecting Lieutenant Parry, and the shi|)s under his command ; but blowing strong from the northward for some time, which would, probably clear Baffin's Buy of ice, they \yere ilisposed to hope favourably of his progrt^ss. On the tth of August, in latitude 59° 58' N. longitude 59° 53' W. they first fell in with large icebergs ; and in the evening were encompassed by several of considerable magnitude, which obliged them to tack the shi]), in order ;-U i ' )' 4f'' ?'l 310 franklin's JOLUNf^ a ! : / t i \\ to prevent gettini? entangled amoncfst lliem. The esti- mated distance from the nearest part of the Labrador coast was then 88 miles; here they tried lor soundinj^s, without gaining the bottom. On the 5th of August, a party of the officers endeavoured to get on one of the larger icebergs, but ineffectually, owing to the steepness and smoothness of its sides, and the swell produced by its undulating motion. This was one oF the largest they saw, and Mr. Hood ascertained its height to be 149 feet ; but these masses of ice are freijuently mai,^- nilied to an immense size, through the illusive medium of a hazy atmosphere, and on tiiis account their dimensions have often been exaggerated by voyagers. In the morning of the 7th, the Island of Resolution was indistinctly seen through the haze, but was soon aftervrnnU entirely hidden by a very dense fog. The favourable breeze subsided into a perfect calm, and left the ship sur- rounded by loose ice. Two attempts were ineffectually made to gain soundings, and the extreme density of thefoe^ precluded any other means of ascertaining th rection in which the ship was driving until half-past e, when they had the alarmitjg view of a barren rugged shore within a few yards, towering over the mast heads. Almost in- stantly afterwards the ship struck violently on a point of rock, projecting from the island ; and the ship's side was brought so near to the shore, that i)oles were prepared to ]>ush her off. This blow displaced the rudder, and raised it several inches, but it fortunately had been previously ciMifined by tackles. A gentle swell freed the ship from this perilous situation, but the current hurried the shij) along in coii^tact with the rocky shore, and the prospect was most alarming. On the outward bow was perceived a rug- ged and precipitous cliff, whose summit was hid in the f<>s^, and the vessel's head was pointed towards the bottom of a small bay, into which they were rapidly tlriving. There now seemed to be no probability of csca])ing shipwreck, being TO THt FOLAll SEA. 311 without wind, und having the rudder in its present useless istute ; the unly assii^tance v.as that of a boat employed in towitii;-, wliich had been placed in the water between the ship and the shore, at the imminent risk of its being crushed. The ship aj^ain struck in i)assiii«i: over a ledge of rocks, and happily the blow replaced the rudder, which enabled them to take advantage of a light bree/e, and to direct the ship's head without the projecting cliif. But the breeze was only momentary, and the ship was a third time driven on shore (»n the rocky termination of the cliff'. Here they remained stationary for some seconds, and with little prospect of being removed from this perilous situation, but were once more extricated by the swell from this ledge alsoj and car- ried still farther along the shore. The coast became now more rugged, and the view of it was terminated by another projecting point on the starboard bow. Happily, before they had reached it, a light breeze enabled them to turn the ship's head to seaward, and sho drew oft' the shore. They had made but little progress, However, when she was vio- lently forced by the current against a large iceberg lying aground. The prospect was now more alarming than at any preceed- ing period ; and it would be difficult to pourtray the anxiety and dismay depicted on the countenances of the female pas- sengers and children, who were rushing on deck in spite of the endeavours of the officers to keep them below, out of the danger which wss apprehended if the masts should be. car- ried away. Aftt r the first concussion, the ship was driven along the steep and rugged side of this iceberg with such amazing rapidity, that the destruction of the masts seemed inevitable, and every one expected to be forced on the rocks in the most disabled state ; but providentially, they escaped this perilous result, which must have been decisive. The dense fog now cleared away for a short time, and they discovered the Eddystone close to some rocks, having ' i\ 'll mmm If* i <;; 313 franklin's JOIHINRY three boats employed in towing; but the Wear was not vi- sible. The ship receiving: water very fast, the pumps were in- stantly manrfed and kept in continual use, and signals oi distress were made to the Eddystone, whose commander promptly came on board, and then ordered to our assistance hi" carpenter and all the men he could spare, together with the carpenter and boat's crew of the Wear, who had gone on board the Eddystone in the morning, and were prevented from returning to their own vessel by the fog., As the wind was increasing, and the sky appeared very unsettled, it was determined the Eddystone should take the ship in tow, that the undivided attention of the passengers and crew might be directed to pumping, and clearing th^ holds to ex- amine whether there was a possibility of stopping the leak. They soon found the principal injury had been received from a tlovv near the stern-post, and, after cutting away par* of the ceiling, tkie carpenters endeavoured to atop the rushiiiif in of the water, by forcing oakum between the timbers ; but this had not the desired eifect, and the leak, in spite of all efforts at the purapsj increased so much, tliat parties of the officers and passe'^j^ers were stationed to bail out the Mater in buckets at different parts of the hold. A heavy gale came on, blowing T/om the land, as the night advanced ; the sails were spli*, tlie ship was encompassed by heavy ice, and, in forcing through a closely>connected stream, the tow-rope broke, and they were obligiid to take a portion of the sea- men from the pumps, and appoint them to the management of the ship. Ok ♦'"! L"lh upwarus of live feet water was found in the well. Renewed exertions were now put forth by every per- son, and before eight in the morning the water was so much reduced as to enable the carpenters io get at other defective plft^es ; but the remedies they could apply were insufficient to repress the water from rushiLg in, and all their labours could but just keep the ship in the same state throughout the TO THK rOLAU SEA. 313 I not vi- were in- gnals ol ninander ssistancc Lber with lad gone irevented the wiiul sttled, it p in tow, and crew Idstoex- ■ the leak. lived from ay par* of le rushing ibers; but pitc of all ties of the he water gale came the sails :, and, in tow-rope >f the sea- nagement ind in the very per- so much defective isufficient lir labours ghout the d.iy, until six in the afternrton ; when the streui^th of every one began to fail, the expedient of thrusting in felt, as weil as oakum, was resorted to, and a plank ..ailfd over all. After this operation a perceptible diminution in the water was made, and being encouraged by the change, the utmost ex- ertion was used in bailing and pumping ; and before night, the leak was so overpowered that the pumps were only re- quired to be used at intervals of ten minutes. A sail, co- vered with every substance that could bo. carried into the leaks by the pressure of the water, was drawn under the quarter of the ship, and secured by ropes on each side. As a matter of precaution in the event of having to aban- don the ship, which was for some time doubtful, the elderly women and children were removed to the Eddystone when the wind was moderate, but the young women remained to assist at the pumps, and their services were highly valuable, both for their personal labour, and for the encouragement their exampli and perseverance gave to the men. At day-light, '•very eye was anxiously cast around the horizon in search of the Wear, but in vain ; and the recol- lection of their own recent peril caused considerable appre- hensions for her safety. Every glass was directed along the shore to discover any trace of their absent consort. Guns vere frequently fired to apprize any who might be near of their approach ; but no one appeared, and no signal was returned. At eight in the evening they were abreast of the island called Cape Resolution, which is a low point, but in* dicated at a distance by a lofty round backed hill that rises above it. They entered Hudson's Straits soon afterwards. They arrived abreast of the Upper Savage Island early in the morning of the 12th of August, and as the breeze was moderate, the ship was steered as noar to the shore as the wind would permit, to give the Esquimaux inhabitants an opportunity of coming off to barter, which tJiey soon em- braced. Their shouts at a distance intimated their approach some- P. V. 14. S s ill ■; ^ mv' m w 'i^ ?f, 314 FRANKLINS JOURNEY time before they described the canoes paddling to wards tlietu; the headmost of them reached us at eleven ; these were quickly followed by others, and before noon about forty ca- noes, each holding one man, wer; assembled round the two ships. In the afternoon, when we aj)proached nearer to the shore, five or six larger ones, containing the women and children, came up. The Esquimaux immediately evinced their desire to bar- ter, and displayed no small cunning in making their bar- gains, taking care not to exhibit too many articles at first. Their principal commodities were, oil, sea-horse teeth, whalebone, seal-skin dresses, caps and boots, deer-skins and horns, and models of their canoes ; and they received in exchange small saws, knives, nails, tin -kettles, and nee- dles. It WIS pleasing to behold the exultation, and to hear the shouts of the whole party, when an acquisition was made by any onr ; and not a little ludicrous to behold the eager- ness with which the fortunate person licked each article with his tongue, on receiving it, as a finish to the bargain, and an act of appropriation. They in no instance omitted this stranf>;e practice, however small the article ; the needles even passed individually through the ceremony. The wo- men brought imitations of men, women, animals, ami birds, carved with labour and ingenuity out of sea-horse teeth. The dresses and the figures of the animals, were not badly exe- cuted, but there was no attempt at the delineation of the countenances ; and most of the figures were without eyes, ears, and fingers, the execution of which would, i)erhaj)s, have required more delicate instruments than they possess. The men set most value on saws ; kuttee-swabak, the name by which they distinguish them, was a constant cry. Knives were held next in estimation. An old sword was bartere*! from the Eddystone, and I shall long remember the uni- versal burst of joy on the happy man's receiving it. It was delightful to witness the general interest excited by indivi- dual acquisitions. There was no desire shewn by any one ■ .1 ' TO THE POLAR SfiA. 315 li' j'i to over-reach his neighbour, or to press towards any part of the ship where a hargain was making, until the person in possession of the place had completed his exchange and re- moved, and, if any article happened to be demanded from the outer canoes, the men nearest assisted willingly in pass- ing the thing across. Supposing the party to belong to one tribe, the total number of the tribe must exceed two hun- dred persons, as there were, probably, one hundred and fifty around the ships, and few of these were elderly persons, or male children. Their faces were broad and flat, the eyes small. The men were in general stout. Some of the j inger women and the children had rather pleasing countenances ; but the difference between these and the more aged i)f that sex, bore strong testimony to the effects which a few jears produce in this ungenial climate. Most of the party had sore eyes, all of them a])peared )f a plethoric habit of body ; several were observed bleeding at the nose during their stay near the ship. The men's dresses consisted of a jacket of seal-skin, the trowsers of bear-skin, and several had caps of the whi'c fox-skin. The female dresses were made of the same ma- terials, Lut differently shaped, having a hood in which the infants were carried. They thougl'f their manner very lively and agreeable. They were fond imicking their speech and gestures ; but nothing afforded them greater amuse- ment than when they attempted to retaliate by pronuuncini^ any of their words. The canoes were of seal-skin, and similar in every re- spect to those of the Esquimaux in Greenland ; they ivere generally new and very complete in their appointmenis. Those appropriated to the women are of ruder construction, and only calculated for fine weather ; they are, however, useful vessels, being capable of containing twenty per^v)lls with their luggage. An elderly man officiates as steers- man, and the women paddle, but they have also a mast which carries a sail, made of dressed whale-gut. When S s 8 » ,i' t 1 t' I' f f II I out in their tirst ship. In the evening Dr. Richardson, Mr. Hood, and Captain Franklin, accompanied him to York Factory, which they reached after dark ; it is distant from the Flats seven miles. Enrly next morning the honour of a salute was conferred on the members of the Expedition. Captain Franklin informed tlie governor that he was di- rected tf) consult with liim antl the senior officers of the Com- pany as to the best mode of proceeding on their journey, and in reply was informed that instructions had been sent to him to render all possible assistance' to the expedition. He also received the most friendly iind full assurance from Mr. Shaw and other gentlemen belonginir to tlie North-west Company, of their cordial disposition to pion)ote the interests of the ex- TO THB POLAR SEA. 317 peditioit ; anil as at this period a violent commercial opposi- tion existed between the Hudson's Bay and the North-west Company, this assurance was highly gratifying. From these gentlemen they obtained much information respecting the interior of the country. Under a consideration of the o))posite interests of the <;wo companies, Captain Franklin issued an order strictly prohibiting all interference in their quarrels. This order he made know^, to the principals of the different Companies, and they expressed their satisfac- tion thereat. The opinion of Jhe gentlemen connected with both companies was that the party should proceed by Cum- berland House, and through the chain of posts to the Great Slave Lake, and Captain Franklin determined to pursue the route they recommended. York Factory, the principal de))6t of the Hudson's Bay Company, stands op the west Bank of Hayes' River, about five miles above its mouth, on the marshy peninsula which separates the Hayes and Nelson Rivers. The surrounding country is flat and swampy, and covered with willows, pop- lars, larch, spruce, and birch- trees ; but the requisition for fuel has expended all the wood in the vicinity, and the residents have now to send for it to a considerable distance. The principal buildings are placed in the form of a square, having an octagonal court in the centre ; they are two stories in height, and have flat roofs covered with lead. The of- ficers dwell in one portion of this square, and in the other parts the articles of merchandise are kept : the workshops, storehouses for the furs, and the servants' houses are ranged on the outside of the square, and the whole is surrounded by a stockade twenty feet high. A platform is laid from the house to the pier on the bank for the convenience of transporting the stores and furs, which is the only prome- nade the residents have on this marshy spot during the sum- mer season. The few Indians who frequent this establish- ment, belong to the Swampy Crets. There were several of them encamped on the outside of the stockade. Their - I t u /H f 318 franklin's journey tents were rudely constructed by tying twenty or thirty poles together .t the top, and spreading thena out at the base so as to form a cone ; these were covered with dressed moose-skins. The fire is placed in the centre, and a hole is left for the escape of the smoke. The inmates had a squalid look, and were suffering under the combined af- flictions of hooping-cough and measles ; but eve , these mi- series did not keep them from an excessive indulgence in spirits, which they unhappily cun procure from the traders with too much facility. Their sickness at this time was particularly felt by the traders, this being the season of the year when the exertion of every hunter is required to procure their winter's stock of geese, which resort in immense flocks to the extensive flats in this neighbourhood. These birds, during the sum- mer, retire far to the north, and breed in security ; but, when the approach of winter compels them to seek a more southern climate, they generally alight on the marshes of this bay, and fatten there for three weeks or a month, be- fore they take their final departure from the coiMitry. They also make a short halt at the same spots in their progress northwards in the spring. Their arrival is welcomed with joy, and the goose hunt 's one of the most plentiful seasons of the year. The ducks frcq'ient the swamps all the summer. All things having been prepared, and one of the largest Company's boats having been procured, the party prepared early in the month of September for their departure. The various stores provided however were found too bulky to be stowed in the boat, so that a part of the provisions were necessarily left behind. All of them excepting the ba- con, which was of too great a bulk, the governor promised to forward in the course of the next season, and the party embarked under a salute of eight guns and three cheers from the fort, thus commencing their voyage into the interior of America, The wind and tide failing at the distance ofsis miles above ::' \ TO THE POLAR SEA. 310 the B'actory, and the current beini^ too rapid for using oars to advantage, the crew liad to commence tracking, or dragg- ing the boat by a line, to which tliey were liarnessed. This operation is extremely laborious in these rivers. The men were obliged to walk along the steep declivity of a high bank, rendered at this season soft and slippery by frequent rains, and their progress was often further impeded by fallen trees, which, having slipj)ed from the verge of the thick wood above, hung on the face of the bank in a great variety of di- rections. Notwithstanding these obstacles, they advanced at the rate of two miles an liour, one lialf of the crew reliev- ing the other at intervals of an hour and a half. Tne breadth of the streau), some distance above the Factory, is about half a mile, and its depth, during this day's voyage, varied *"rom three to nine feet. At sunset they landed, and pitched the tent for the night, having made a progress of twelve miles. A large fire was quickly kindled, supper speedily prepared, and they then retired in their buffalo robes, and enjoyed a night of sound repose. On the 14th Mr. McDonald, on his ;vay to Red River, in a small canoe, manned by two Indians, overtook the party. The Indians, had on the preceding diiy, with no other arras than a hatch?*, killed two deer, a hawk, a curlew, and a sturgeon. Three of the Company's boats joined in the course of the morning, and they pursued their course up Hill Ri- ver in company. Captain Franklin's boat being overladen, they were unable to keep pace with tlie others ; and, there- fore, j)roposcd to the gentlemen in charge of the Company's boats, that they should relieve them of part of their cargo. Tins they declined doing, under the plea of not having re- ceived orders to that etl'oet, notwithstanding the circular, furnished by (Jovcrnor Williams, strictly enjoined all the Comj)any's servants to afford every assistance. In conse- quence of this refusal they dropt behind, and being de- prived of the advantage of observing the route followed by the guide, who was in the foremost boat, they frequently '1 I i ^ \ I t **. ''' ff 1 r » 1:] ■ ^1. i V 5- [".il ( n. '1? .1,' s . iti m- 320 FRANKLIN S JOURNEY took a wrong channel. The tow-line hroke twice, and the boat was only prevented from going broadside down dio stre.ini, and breaking to pieces against the stones, by th« officers and men leaping into the water, and holding her bead to the current until the line could be carried again to ibe shore. The traders, guides, and most experienced of the boatmen, being of opinion, that unless the boat was further lightened, the winter would put a stop to their progress be- fore they could reach Cumberland House, or any eligible po«t, sixteen pieces were left with Mr, Bunn, the gentle- man in charge of a depot called Rock House, to be for- warded by the Athabasca canoes next season, this beiiiir their place of rendezvous. The exertions of the Orkney boatmen, (whom Captain Franklin had engaged) in navigating the rivers deserve the highest commendation. They had often to lift the boats over rocks by leaping into the water, although the temperatuie was below the freezing point. The immense loads which on many occasions they had to carry in crossing the portages or rocky parts, were also astonishing as well as their acti- vity on these occasions. They continued their journey, and on the twenty-third ar- rived at a depot on Swamr*" .»e. Here they were supplied with a further stock of pi^visious, denominated pemmican. This food consists of buffrS meat, which is pounded and mixed with melted fat. On examination this provision was found to be mouldy ; but upon this wretched food the resi- dents at this cheerless abode, which consisted of only two person \ to subsist until more arrived. i^^ 24th they passed through some woods which were still sm ivmg, having caught fire in the summer, through the negligence of some party in not properly extinguisliing their fires when they left an encampment. This is no un- common occurrence in dry seasons ; and the woods on those occasions arc seen blazing to the extent of several miles. On the 28tb the party arrived at Oxford House, where t 1 1 TO THE POLAR SEA. S21 fdinierly U.j Hudson's Bay Company had a .station. A few Cree Indians were encamped in the neighbourhood, but t\jey were at this lime afflicted with the measles an! the hooping" cuug;h, and were altogether in a wretched state. Captain Franklin endeavoured to prevail on lome of these Indians to accompany them in hunting and killing ducks, which here were very numerous ; but could not prevail on i-^ny of them to join in the attempt. They procured on Holey Lake, on which Oxford House is situated, a supply of fish, which was very acceptable. On the following day two of the boats in passing Swampy Lake were broken against the rocks, and tliis accident detained them some time in order to repair the boats. At this place the river runs with rapid force, and they were informed that in the preceding year, in hauling a boat up one of the channels, a man was precipitated into the stream, and hurried down the r^pid with such force, that all efforts to save him were ineffectual. Or. the second of October while superintending the opera- tions of the party. Captain Franklin slipped fro- *he sum- mit of a rock into the river, and for a time all his Torts to extricate himself failed. He was carried a consideraole dis- tance down the stream, but at length he caught hold of a willow, and kept fast until two gentlemen belonging to the Hudson^s Bay company oame to his assistance. At Norway House they met with Lord Selkirk*s colonists who had been their companions as ihey sailed across the At- lantic, and had preceded their departure one day from York F "" V. The people were greatly pleased at meeting each o> again in so distant and wild a country. On the 14th sailing across Cedar Lake, they landed at an Indian tent, which contained two families, to the number of thirty persons. They were very poorly cloathed, and af- flicted with the hooping cough and the measles, and were at this time preparing a sweating house to cure their sick companions. By singing and drumming and sweating they cure all the diseases they meet with. At a short distance, . P. V. 14 T T ■y.jl ■I i ' I to I l' \ i;iU' M u\ f 332 franklin's journoy I ^ ffi' on an adjoining island, another party of Indians had fixed their residence, for the purpose of killing geese and ducks. They sailed up the Saskatchawan river, and passed another Indian party consisting of three teuts, who appeared to be in a more afflicted state than the former. They were con- eluding their incantations for their sick. Among other of their ceremonies on this occasion they hung up a dog as a propitiatory offering to their imaginary deity. Continuing their journey up the river, they came on the twentieth to another party of Indians. These had a very large tent, forty feet long and eighteen feet wide, covered with moose deer skins. There was a fire at each end, and openings for the smoke to pass through. In the centre of the tent there were drums and other instruments of enchantment hanging up, and sleeping apartments appeared to be marked out and divided for different families. The party continued their journey across Pine Island Lake, and soon arrived at a station belonging to the Hud- son's Bay Company called Cumberland House. The lake was so severely frozen near the sides, that they were under the necessity of breaking the ice to make their landing good. Governor Williams invited them to take up their winter re- sidence at this place, as it appeared impracticable to proceed any further with safety, the frost having set in with great severity. Captain Franklin being satisfied of the propriety of accepting his invitation, preparations were immediately made for their accommodation, and an unfinished building was completed with all speed and every needful arrange- ment made. Captain Franklin visited Mr. Connolly, one of the partners of the North-west Company, who assured him of every endeavour on his part to effect the object of his journey. The winter having set in with severity, on the ninth of November it was determined to send for a supply of fish from Swampy River, wh-""? a parly had been stationed for the purpose of procuring a supply of that article. For this TO THU I'OLAR 8BA. 323 purpose the sledges were prepared, and dogs and men were in full spirits at the prospect of tlu ir journey, and imme- diately on starting they went forwards with great rapidity. On removing into their newly-prepared house, they found it extremely cold, notwithstanding fires were kept up. On the 24th several Indians made their appearance at Cumberland House, who from illness had been incapable of hunting and procuring provisions. They appeared to be in great distress, and probably but for the supply now afforded them by the Company, they would have perished from want. Indeed, instances were stated in which these peo- ple had been so overcome by hunger, as to kill and feed upon each other. In the beginning of December there was a partial thaw, and the ice on the Saskatchawan River, and on the lake, broke up, so as to render travelling dangerous. One of the party attached to Captain Franklin having the conduct of a sledge and dogs, in passing from Swampy River with fish, being fatigued, and riding on his sledge, was missed by his companions, who were driving other sledges, and great ap- prehensions were entertained for his safety. A party were sent the next day in search of him, who found him in the M oods, to which he had turned, under the conviction that he could not get across the lake in his sledge. He was unpro- vided with materials for making a fire, and was much chilled by the cold ; but his companions brought him to the house in safety. The information which Captain Franklin obtained of the slate of the country, induced him to resolve on proceeding himself, during the winter, beyond the Great Slave Lake, and he communicated his resolution to the gentlemen who managed the concerns of the two trading Companies. He requested that by the middle of January he might be fur- nished with the means of conveyance for three persons, having resolved that Dr. Richardson and Mr. Hood should remain at Cumberland House till the spring. T T 2 I r B i m 1,5 I; 11 I '. I d/ h K' ,!:' '^!' / 3*24 FRANKLIN S JolKNEY Christmas-day was spent at Cumberland Fort with I'cs- tivity ; all the people belonging to the factory lmvi^^ met, to be present on the occasion, and to partake of a substantial dinner, which was provided on the occasion. The entrance of the new year was celebrated by the dis- charge of fire arms, a ceremony always adopted at this sea- son. On this occasion the captain and his party dined with the gentlemen of th North-west Company, and were regaled with the taste of a leaver, which they found to be excellent food. On the morning of the 17th of January, a wolf having been caught in a steel trap, ran off with it. A party went in search of him, taking two English bull dogs and a terrier. At first the dogs appeared fearful, and kept at a distaiK e, barking loudly, but one of the party firing at the wolf, and wounding it, the dogs made an attack upon the creature, and it was soon killed. The severity of the winter was felt by the Indians ; m.iny of them being reduced to a state of starvation and the great- est suffering. One evening a poor native entered the house. of the North-west Company, with his only child in his iniit, accompanied by his starving wife. They had been afllicttd with the measles, and as soon as they recovered they set out for Cumberland House. They had been compelled to (ted on bits of skin and offal, and at last had been several days without tasting food ; but the desire of saving the life of their infant child added strength to their efforts, and they perse- vered in their journey until they arrived at Cumberland House, but their infant expired just as they arrived within sight of the place. The gentleman in charge of the place received them with the greatest kindness, but language can- not describe their feelings in consequence of the loss of their child. Th^ origin of the Crees, to which nation the Cumberland House Indians belong, is, like that of the other Aborigines of America, involved in obscVjity. Mr. Heckewelder, a TO Tlin PUI.AK KUA. missionary, who resided long amonf^st these people, states, that the Lenape Indians have a tradition amongst them, of thoir ancestors having come from the westward, and taken possession of the whole country from the Missouri to the At- lantic, after driving away or destroying the original inhabit- ants of the land, whom they termed Alligewi. In this migration and contest, which endured for a series of years, the Mengwe, or Iroquois, kept pace with them, moving in a parallel but more northerly line, and final I v settling on the banks of the St. Lawrence, and the great lakes from whence it flows. The Lenape being more numerous, peopled not only the greater part of the country at present occupied by the United States, but also sent detachments to the north- ward as far as the banks of the River Mississippd and the shores of Hudson's Bay. The principal of their northern tribes are now known under the names of Saulteurs or Chip- peways, and Crees ; the former inhabiting the country be- twixt Lakes Winipeg and Superior, the lattqr frequenting the shores of Hudson's Bay, from Moose to Churchill, and the country from thence as far to the westward as the plains which lie betwixt the forks of the Saskatchawan. These Crees, formerly known by the French Canadian traders under the appellation of Knisteneaux, generally de- signate themselves as Eithinyoowuc (men), or, when they \^ish to discriminate themselves from the other Indian na- tions, as Nathehwy-withinyoowuc (Southern-men.) The moral character of a>hunter is acted upon by the na- ture of the land he inhabits, the abundance or scarcity of food, and in his means of access to spirituous liquors. In a country so various in these respects as that inhabited by the Crees, the causes alluded to must operate strongly in pro- ducing a considerable difference of character amongst the various hordes. Much of their character, no doubt, originates in their mode of life ; accustomed as a hunter to depend greatly on chance for his subsistence, the Cree takes little thought of \ I < .!i '■yi I;' V; i. \ »ji s < * ■ b m I- , ! 320 franklin's journey to-morrow; and the most offensive part of h behaviour— the habit of boasting — has been probably assumed as a ne- cessary part of his armour, which operates upon the fears of his enemies. Every Cree fears the medical or conjuriiig povrers of his neighbour ; but at the same time exalts his own attainments to the skies. " I am God-like," is a common expression amongst them, and they prove their divinity-ship by eating live coals, and by various tricks of a similar na- ture. A medicine-bag is an indis! vinsoble part of a hunter's equipment. It is generally furnisiied with a little bi* of in- digo, blue vitriol, vermilion, or some other showy article; and is, when in the hands of a noted conjurer, such an ob- ject of terror to the rest of the tribe, that its possessor is enabled to fatten at his ease upon the labours of his deluded countrymen. A iellow of this description came to Cumberland House in the winter of 1819. Notwithstanding tho then miserable state of the Indians, the rapucitv of this wretch had been preying upon their necess'ties, aad a poor hunter was ac- tually at the moment pining awa\ under the influence d his threats. The mighty conjurer, in mediately on his arrival at the House, began to trumpet forth his powers, boasting, among other things, that although his hands and feet were tied as securely as possible, yet when placed in a conjuring- house, he would speedily disengage himself by the aid of two or three familiar spirits, who were attendant on his call. He was instantly taken at his wcMrd, and that his exertions might not be without an aim, a capot or great coat was pro- mised as the reward of his success. A conjuring-house hav- ing been erected in the usual form, that i'', by sticking foui; willows in the ground, and tying their tc ps to a hoop at the height of six or eight feet, he was fettered completely, by winding several fathoms of rope round his body and extre*"'- ties, and placed in its narrow apartn mt, not e.vceeding tMO feet in diameter. A moose-skin beii. then thrown over the frame, secluded him from the sight. He forthwith began to I t ^^m'mmr'^ TO THK POLAR SEA. 327 chant a kind of hymn in a very monotonous tone. The rest of the Indians, who seemed in some douht respecting the powers of a devil when put in competition with those of a white man, ranged themselves around and watched the re- sult with anxiety. Nothing remarkable occurred for a long lime. The conjm*er continued his song at intervals, and it v/as occasionally taken up by those without. In this man- ner an hour and a half elapsed; but at length attention, which had begun to flag, was roused by the violent shakmg of the conjuring-house. It was instantly whispered round the circle, that at least one devil had crept under the moose- skin. But it proved to be only the " God-like man" trem- bling with cold. He had entered the lists, stript to the skin, and the thermometer stood very low that evening. His attempts were continued, however, with considerable resolution for half an hour longer, when he reluctantly gave in. He had found no dilliculty in slipping through the noose when it was formed by his countrymen ; but, iu the present instance, the knot was tied hy Governor Williams, who is an expert sailor. After this unsuccessful exhibition, his credit sunk amazingly, and he took the earliest opportunity of sneaking away from the fort. About two years before a conjurer paid more dearly for his temerity. In a quarrel with an Indian he threw out some obscure threats of vengeance, which passed unnoticed at the time, but were afterwards remembered. They met in the spring at Carlton House, after passing the winter in differ- ent parts of the country, during which the Indian's child died. The conjurer had the folly to boast that he had caused its death, and the enraged father shot him dead on the spot. It may b?? remarked, however, that both these Indians were inhabitants of the plains, and had been taught, by their in- tercourse with the turbulent Stone Indians, to set but com- paratively little value on the life of a man. During their visits to a post, they ar(> suffered to enter every apartment ii the house, without the least restraint, « .;:* .j a 4 .J ■ r ■■ ■& I '11 L H/ 1 I 328 franklin's journey and although articles of value to them are scattered about, nothing is ever missed. They scrupulously avoid moving any thing from its place, although they are often prompted by curiosity to examine it. In some cases, indeed, they carry this principle to a degree of self-denial which would hardly be expected. It often happens that meat, which has been paid for, (if the poisonous draught it procures them can be considered as payment,) is left at their lodges until a con- venient opportunity occurs of carrying it away. They will rather pass several days without eating, than touch the meat thus intrusted to their charge, even when there exists a prospect of replacing it. The hospitality of the Crees is unbounded. They afford a certain asylum to the half-breed children when deserted by their unnatural white fathers ; and the infirm, and indeed every individual in an encampment, share the provisions of a successfid hunter as long as they last. Fond too as a Cree is of spirituous liquors, he is not happy unless all his neigh- bours partake with him. It is not easy, however, to say what share ostentation may have in the apparent munificence in the latter article ; for when an Indian, by a good hunt, is enabled to treat the others with a keg of rum, " he becomes the chief of a night, assumes no little stateliness of manner, and is treated with deference by those who regale at his ex- pense. Prompted also by the desire of gaining a name, they lavish away the articles they purchase at the trading posts, and are well satisfied if repaid in praise. The Cree women are not in general treated harshly by their husbands, and possess considerable influence over them. They often eat, and even get drunk, in consort with the men ; a considerable portion of the labour, however, falls to the lot of the wife. She makes the hut, cooks, dresses the skins, and, for the most part, carries the heaviest load; but, when she is unable to perform her task, the husband does not consider it beneath his dignity to assist her. Capa- ble as they are of behaving thus kindly, they affect in their ~^ iV jrshly by er them, with the ■, falls to isses the ist load; husband Capa- in their TO THU POLAR SEA. 3S9 discourse to despise the softer sex, and on solemn occasions will not suffer them to eat before them, or even come into their presence. In this they are countenanced by the white residents, most of whom have Indian or half-breed wives, but seem afraid of treating- them with the tenderness or at- tention due to every female, lest they should themselves be despised by the Indians. At least, this is the only reason they assign for their neglect of those whom they make part- ners of their beds, and mothers of their children. When a hunter marries his first wife, he usually takes up his abode in the tent of his father-in-law, and of course hunts for the family ; but when he becomes a father, the fa- milies are at liberty to separate, or remain together, as their inclinations prompt them. His second wife is, for the most part, sister of the first, but not necessarily so ; for an Indian of another family often presses his daughter upon a hunter whom he knows to be capable of maintaining her well. The first wife always remains the mistress of the tent, and as- sumes an authority over the others, which is not in every case quietly submitted to. It may be remarked, that whilst an Indian resides with his wife's family, it is extremely im- proper for his mother-in-law to speak, or even look at him ; and when she has a communication to make, it is the eti- quette that she should turn her back upon him, and address him only tlu-ough the meditim of a third person. This singu- lar custom is not very creditable to the Indians, if it really had its origin in the cause which they at present assign for it ; namely, that a woman's speaking to her son-in-law is a sure indication of her having conceived a criminal affection for him. Tattooing is almost universal with the Crees. The wo- men are in general content with having one or two lines drawn from the corners of the mouth towards the angles of the lower jaw ; but some of the men have their bodies co- vered with a great variety of lines aud figures. It seems to be considered by most rather as a proof of courage than an P. V. 14 U u i"F -i > V A:' I > <-• 4 i ^ ^) I'RANKMNS JOT'RNRV !,!'_,■ m f.i < If ornament, Dw oprraticn "being very painfnl, and, if the figures are numerous and intricate, lasting several days. The lines on the face are formed by dexterously running an awl under the cuticle, and then drawing a cord, dipt in char- coal and water, through the canal thus formed. The punc- tures on the body are formed by needles of various sizes set in a frame. A number of hawk bells attached to this frame, serve, by their noise, to cover the suppressed groans of (he sufferer, and, probably for the same reason, the process is accompanied with singing. An indelible stain is produced by rubbing a little finely-powdered willow-charcoal into the punctures. In the month of May, whilst Dr. Richardson was at Carl- ton House, a Cree hunter resolved upon dedicating several articles to one of his deities named Kepoochikawn. The ceremony took place in a sweating- house, or, as it may be designated, from its more important use, a temple, which was erected for the occasion by the worshipper's two wives. It was framed of arched willows, interlaced so as to form a vault capable of containing ten or twelve men, ranged closely side by side, and high enough to admit of their sit- ting erect. It was very similar in shape to an oven, or the kraal of a Hottentot, and was closely covered with moose skins, except at the east end, which was left open for a door. Near the centre of the building there was a hole in the ground, which contained ten or twelve red-hot stones, having a few leaves strewed around them. When the wo- men had completed the preparations, the hunter made his appearance, perfectly naked, carrying in his hand an image of Kepoochikawn, rudely carved, and about two feet long. He placed his god at the upper end of the sweating-house, with his face towards the door, and proceeded to tie round its neck his offerings, consisting of a cotton handkerchief, a looking-glass, a tin pan, a piece of ribband, and a bit of to- bacco, which he had procured the same day, at the expense of fifteen or twenty skins. Whilst he wai thus occupied, TO TH£ POLAR SEA. 331 several other Crees, who were encamped in the neighbour- hood, having been informed of wliut was going on, arrived* and, stripping at the door of the temple, entered, and ranged themselves on each side; the hunter himself squatted down at the right hand of Kepoochikawn. The hunter, who throughout officiated as high priest, com- menced by making a speech to Kepoochikawn, in which he requested him to be propitious, told him of the value of the things now presented, and cautioned him against ingratitude. This oration was delivered in a monotonous tone, and with great rapidity of utterance, and the speaker retained his squatting posture, but turned his face to Ids god. At its conclusion, the priest began a hymn, of which the burthen was, " I will walk with God, I will go with the animal;" and, at the end of each stanza, the rest joined in an insigui' ficant chorus. He next took up a calumet, filled with a mixture of tobacco and bear-berry leaves, and holding its stem by the middle, in a horizontal position, over the hot stones, turned it slowly in a circular manner, following the course of the sun. Its mouth-piece being then with much formality held for a t«w seconds to the face of Kepoochi- kawn, it was next presented to the earth, having been pre- viously turned a second time over the hot stones ; and after- wards, with equal ceremony, pointed in succession to the four qaarters of the sky; then drawing a few whifis from the calumet himself, he handed it to his left-htmd neighbour, by whom it was gravely passed round the circle. When the tobacco was exhausted by passing aevecal times round, the hunter made another speech, similar to the former; but was, if possible, still more urgent in his requests. A second hymn followed, and a quantity of water being sprinkled on the hot stones, the attendants were ordered to close the temple, which they did, by very carefully covering it up with moose-skins. They continued in the vapour-bath for thirty-five minutes, during which time a third speech was made, and a hymn was sung, and water ocoasioeally sprin- V V 2 • IV V I 1 '•;) r\r 'M 332 pHANKLtN*M JOURMKV tf ] . kled on the stones, which still retained much heat, as wa<; evident from the hissing noise they made. The coverings were then thrown off, and the poor half-stewed worshippers exposed freely to the air; but they kept their squatting pos- tures until a fourth speech was made, in which the deity was strongly reminded of the value of the gifts, and exhorted to take an early opportunity of shewing his gratitude. The ce- remony concluded by the sweaters scampering down to the river, and plunging iuto the stream. It may be remarked, that the door of the temple, and, of course, the face of the god, was turned to the rising sun ; and the spectators were desired not to block up entirely the front of the building, hut to leave a lane for the entrance or exit of some influence of which they could not give a correct description. Several Indians, who lay on the outside of the sweating-house as spectators, seemed to regard the proceedings with very lit- tle awe, and were extremely free in the remarks and jokes they passed upon the condition of the sweaters, and even of Kepoochikawn himself. One of them made a remark, that the shawl would have been much better bestowed upon him- self than upon Kepoochikawn, but the same fellow after- wards stripped and joined in the ceremony. Dr. Richardson took an opportunity of asking a com- municative old Indian, of the Blackfoot nation, his opinion of a future state; he replied, that they had heard from their fathers, that the souls of the departed have to scram- ble with great labour up the sides of a steep mountain, upon attaining the summit o*" which they are rewarded with the prospect of an extensive pi.*.. , abounding in all sorts of game, and interspersed here and tl:ere with new tents, pitched in agreeable sitimtions. Whilst they are absorbed in the contemplation of this delightful scene, they are de- scried by the inhabitants of the happy land, w ho, clothed in new skin-dresses, approach and welcome with every de- monstration of kindness those Indians who have led good lives; but the bad Indians, who have imbrued tlieir hands in TO TdU PUi.AR REA. S83 the hlood of their countrymen, are told to return from M hence they came, and without more ceremony precipitated down the steep sides of the mountain. Women who have been guilty of infanticide, never reach tlie mountain at all, but are compelled to hover round the seats of their crimes, with branches of trees tied to their legs. The melancholy sounds which are heard in the still summer evenings, and which the i<; norance of the white peo- ple consider as the screams of the goat-suckers, are really, according to the old Indiana account, the moanings of these unhappy beings. The Crees have somewhat similar notions, but as they in- habit a country widely different from the mountainous lands of the Blackfoot Indians, the difficulty of their journey lies in walking along a slender and slippery tree, laid as a bridge across a rapid stream of stinking and muddy water. The night owl is regarded by the Crees with the same dread that it has been viewed by other nations. One small species, which is known to them by its melancholy nocturnal hootings, (for as it never appears in the day, few even of the hunters have ever seen it,) is particularly ominous. They call it the cheepai-peethees, or death bird, and never fail to whistle when they hear its note. If it does not reply to the whistle by its hootings, the speedy death of the inquirer is augured. When a Cree dies, that part of his property which he has not given away before his death, is burned with him, and his relations take care to place near the grave little heaps of fire-wood, food, pieces of tobacco, and such things as he is likely to need in his journey. Similar offerings are made when they revisit the grave, and as kettles, and other arti- cles of value, are sometimes offered, they are frequently carried off by passenj^ors, yet the relations are not dis- pleased, provided sufficient respect has been shewn to the dead, by putting some other article, although of inferior value, in the place of that which has been taken away. The Crees are wont to celebrate the returns of the seasons H .<>. * ' ' I I' n w^T^ i : P r ... ,M 334 franklin's journuy by religious feitivals, but we are unable to describe the ce- remonial in use on these joyous occasions from personal ob- servation. The following brief notice of a feast, which was given by an old Cree chief, according to his annual custom, on the first croaking of the frogs, is drawn up from the in- formation of one of the guests. A large oblong \i nt, or lodge, was prepared for the important occasion by the meu of the party, none of the women being suffered to interfere. It faced the setting sun, and great care was taken that every thing about it should be as neat and clean as possible. Three fire-places were raised within it, at equal distances, and lit- tle holes were dug in the corners, to contain the ashes of their pipes. In a recess, at its upper end, one large image of Kepoochikawn, and many smaller ones, were ranged with their feces towards the door. The food was prepared by the chiers wife, and consisted of marrow pemmicau, berries boiled with fat, and various other delicacies that had been preserved for the occasion. The preparations being completed, and a slave, whom the chief had taken in war, having warned the guests to the feast by the mysterious word peenasheway, they came, dressed out in their best garments, and ranged themselves accordiug to their seniority, the elders seating themselves next the chief at the upper end, and the young meu near the door. The chief commenced by addressing his deities in an ap- propriate speech, in whi«-h he told them, that he had 1ms- tened, as soon as summer was indicated by the croaking of the frogs, to solicit their favour for himself and his young men, and hoped that they would send him a pleasant and plentiful season. His oration was concluded by an invoca- tion to all the animals in the land, and a signal being giveu to the slave at the door, he invited them severally by their names to come and partake of the feast. The Cree chief having by this very general invitation dis- played his unbounded hospitality, next ordered one of the young men to distribute a mess to each of the guests. This / ? TU THB POLAR S' A. 33,V V as done in new dishes of birch bark ; and the utmost dili- gence was displayed in emptying them, it being considered extremely improper in a man to leave any part of that which is placed before him on such occasions. It is not inconsistent with good manners, however, but rather consideredas a piece of politeness, that a guest who has been too liberally supplied, should hand the sur})lus to his neighbour. When the viands had disappeared, each filled his calumet and began to smoke with great assiduity, and in the course of the evening several songs were sung to the responsive sounds of the drum, and seeseequay, their usual accompaniments. The Cree drum is double-headed, but possessing very little depth, it strongly resembles a tambourine in shape. Its want of depth is compensated, however, by its diameter, which frequently exceeds three feet. It is covered with moose- skin parchment, and painted with rude figures of men and beasts, having various fantastic additions, and is beat with a stick. The seeseequay is merely a rattle, formed by enclos- ing a few grains of shot in a piece of dried hide. These two instruments are used in all their religious ceremonies, except those which take place in a sweating-house. A Cree places great reliance on his drum, and I cannot ad- duce a stronger instance than that of the poor man who is mentioned in a preceding page, as having lost his only child by famine, almost within sight of the fort. Notwithstanding his exhausted state, he travelled with an enormous drum tied to his back. Many of the Crees make vows to abstain from particular kinds of food, either for a specific time, or for the remainder of their life, esteeming such abstinence to be a certain means of acquiring some supernatural powers, or at least of entailing upon themselves a succession of good fortune. One of the wives of the Carlton hunter, of whom we have already spoken as the worshipper of Kepoochikawn, made a determination not to eat of the flesh of the Wawaskeesh, or American stag ; but during our abode at that place, she was M. 'I I .'all •r I-} I *!l, ! i i 'i % i i. ■^jk iij 39G i'ranklin's journey induced to feed hearlily upon it, through the intentional dtceii of her husband, who told her that it >\ as buflalo meat. \V hen she had finished her meal, her husband told her of the trick, and seemed to enjoy the terror with which she contemplated the consequences of the involuntary breach of her vow. Vows of this nature are often made by a Cree before he joins a war party, and they sometimes, like the eastern bonzes, walk for a certain number of days on all fours, or impose upon them- selves some other penance, equally ridiculous. By such means the Cree warrior becomes godlike ; but unless lie kills iiii enemy before his return, his newly-acquired powers are es- timated to be productive in future of some direful consequence to himself. As the party did not witness any of the Cree dances them- selves, it may be remarked, that like the other North Ameri- can nations, they are accustomed to practise that amusement on meeting with strange tribes, before going to war, and on other solemn occasions. The habitual into^ ition of the Cumberland House Crees has induced such a disregard of personal appearance, that they are squalid and dirty in the extreme ; hence a minute description of their clothing would be by no means interesting. The dress of the male consists of a blanket thrown o\'er the shoulders, a leathern shirt or jacket, and a piece of cloth tied round the middle. The women have in addition a long petti- coat ; and both sexes wear a kind of wide hose, which reach- ing from the ankle to the middle of the thigh, are suspended by strings to the girdle. These hose, or as they are termed, Indian stockings, are commonly ornamented with beads or ri- bands, and from their convenience, have been universally adopted by the white residents, as an essential part of their winter clothing. Their shoes, or rather short boots, for they tie round the ankle, are made of soft dressed moose-skins, and during the winter they wrap several pieces of blanket round their feet. They are fond of European artiol^g of dress, considering 2.'.J.:' TO THE POLAR SRA. 337 their own dress as inforior. — The females strive to imitate tlie wives of the traders, wearing- shawls and printed calicoes when they can procure them ; but their custom of uaw^ fat to grease their hair and faces soon render all these garments so dirty and filthy, tlmt they lose very soon their original ii[)ppiirauce, and send forth an efllu via of a most disagreeable iiiitiire. They form a kind of cradle for their infants, which is ex- tremely suitable for the purpose. It is formed of a bag bedded with bog moss, and may be suspended to a tree, or hung on the parent's back in the most secure and comfortable in;inner. It may be profitable to the reader (amidst the many ills he thinks he has to bear), to compare his own state, and th»> comforts he possesses, with those enjoyed by these poor Indi- ans. The most distressed state of society in Great Britain, is comfort, ease, and security, compared with that of these people. While describing the character of these Indians, the following account of other tribes recited by John Eliot, a missionary, many years among them, may be added. He says, their housing is nothing but a few mats tied sbout poles fas- tened in the earth ; their clothing is but the skin of a beast, covering their hind-parts, their fore-parts having but a little apron where nature calls for secresy ; their diet has not a greater dainty than their nokehit-k, that is, a spoonful of parched meal, with a spoonful of water, which will strengthen them to travel a day together ; except we should mention the tiesh of deers, bears, moose, rackoons, aud the like, which they have when they can catch them; as also a little fish ^ which if they would preserve, it is by drying, not by salt- ing ; for they had not a grain of salt in the world, I think, till we bestowed it ou them. Their physic includes (excepting a few odd specifics, which some of them encounter certain cases with,) nothing hardly, but a hot-house, or a powaw; their hot-house is a little cave, eight feet over ; where, after they P. y. 15. X X . I ' 938 FRANKI.IN i> JOURNKY have teriibly heuted it, a crew of tlicin go Hit and sweat, and sinuke tor an iiour tugelher, and titun immediately run into bomu very culd adjacent brook, without the leasst iiiih- uhiet'to them. In this way they recover themselves uf suitie diseases; but in most of* their dangerous distempers, powaw ;iiust be sent for ; that is, a priest, who has more familiarity with satan than his neighbours ; this conjurer comes and roars, and howls, and uses magieal ceremonies over tlie sitk man, and is well paid fur it when he has done. If this do not etleet the cure, " i\w man's time is come, and there " is an end." They live in a country full of the best ship-timber under heaven, but never saw a ship till some came from Europe hither; and then they were scared out of their wits, to see the monster come sailing in, and spitting fire with a uiiirhty noise out of her floating side. They cross the water in canoes made sometimes of trees which they burn and hew till they have hollowed them ; and sometimes of burks, which they stitch into a light sort of vessel, to be eusdy carried over land ; if they are over-set, it is but a little pad- ling like a dog, and they are soon where they were. Their way of living is infinitely barbarous : the men are most abominably slothful ; making their poor sqawis, or wives, plant and dress and barn and beat their corn, and build their wigwams for them. In the mean time, their chief employment, when they will condescend unto any, is that of hunting, wherein they will go out some scores, if not hundreds of them in a company, driving all before thetn. They contintie in a place till they have burnt up all the wood thereabouts, and then they pluck up stakes, to follow the wood which they cannot fetch home unto themselves. Hence when they enquire about the English, *' why come " they hither ?" they very learnedly determine the cas^', "It was becapse they wanted firing." Their division of time is by sleeps, and moons, ani' win- ters; and by lodghig abroad they have somewhat observed TO TUB I'OLAK UU\. 399 lid sweat, lately run leiiijt tnih- es of some rs, powiiw familiarity oines and er the sick if this (lu aiul there liber under )in Eurtpe »vits, to see h a mii^hty e water in rn and hew i of harb, be easily 1 little iiad- xe. le men are sqaws, or corn, aud time, their into any, i^ :ores,if not •e thein. t w\t all the s, to follow hemselvcs. >vby come the casi^ f, anc' win- it observed the molions of the stars; amoiij* which it lias been surpris- jn^ to fin lar in the world. Ouc would think they had been growing over since Babel, unto iht diraensioiis to which they are now extended. For instance, Nummatche- kodtantamooongauunnoitash, signifies no more in Ellgli^h than, our lusts; i>nd to translate our loves, it must he nothing shorter tiian Noowomantammooonkanunonnanh. We find in all this language there is not the least iifiinity io, or derivation from any Europe;\ ' speech that we ore ac- quainted with. This tedious language l^liut quickly l>e~ ru THE POLAR SEA. 341 came a master of; he employed a witty Indian, who also spoke English well, for his assistance in it ; and compilintr some discourses by h".s help, he would single out a word, a noun, a verb, and pursue it through all its variations. Hav- ing iinished his grammar, at the close he writes, " Prayers " and pains, through faith in Jesus Christ, will do any " thing !" and being by his prayers and pains thus furnish- ed, he set himself to prench the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ among these desolate outcasts. The North-west Company was formed originally by the mercl)ants of Montreal, who wisely considered that the fur trade might be carried on to those distant parts of the con- tinent, inhabited solely I^v Indians, with more security and greater profit, if they joiued together in a body, than if they continued to trade separately. Tlie stock of the company was divided into torty shares ; and as the number of mer- chants in the town at that time was not very great, this ar- rangement afforded an opportunity to every one of them to join in the company if tiiey thought proper. The company principally carries on its trade by means of the Utawas or Grand River, that falls into the St. Law- rence about thirty miles above Montreal, and which forms by its confluence with that river, " Le Lac de Deux Mon- *' tflgnes et le Lac St. Louis," the Lake of the Two M»)untnins and thv> Lake of St. Louis, wherein are several large islands. To convey thr. furs down this river, they make use of cancer, formed of the bark of the birch tree, some of which are upon such a large scale that they are capable of containing t'vo tuns, hut they seldom put so much in them, espf;.;ially on this river, it being in many places shallow, rai)id, and full of r^cks, and contains no less than thirty -two portages. Tliese canoes are navigated by tlif |i:^rench Canadians, who are parMcularly fond of the employment, preferring it in general to that of cultivating the ground. A fleet wf thcra sets off from Montreal about the month of May, laden ^•' > ;) .'f L i|t' » , ^ I! f Vi' !l 943 FRANKLINS JOURNEY with ])rovisions, consisting chiefly of biscuit and salt pork, sufficient to last the crews till their return, and also with the articles given in barter to the Indians. At some of the shallow places in the river, it is sufficient if the men merely get out of the canoes, and push them on into the deep water ; but at others, where there are dangerous rapids and sharp rocks, it is necessary for the men to unlade the ca- noes, and carry both them and the cargoes on their shoul- ders, till tliey come again to a safe part of the river. At night they drag the canoes upon shore, light a fire, cook their provisions for the following day, and sleep upon the ground wrapped up in their blankets, If it happens to rain very hard, they sometimes shelter themselves with boughs of trees, but in general they remain under the canopy of heaven, without any covering but their blankets : they copy exactly the Indian mode of life on these occasions, and many of theut even wear the Indian dresses, which they find more convenient than their own. Having ascended the Utawas River for about two hun- dred and eighty miles, which it takes them about eighteen days to perform, they then cross by a portage into Lake Nispissing, and from this lake by another portage they get uj)on French River, that falls into Lake Huron on the north-cast side ; then coasting along this hist lake, they pass through the Straits of St. JMary, where there is another portage into Lake Superior ; and coasting afterwards along the shores of Lake Suj)erior, they come to the Grand Por- tage on the north-west side of it; from hence, by a chain of small lakes and rivers, they proceed on to the Rainy Lake, to the Lake of the Woods, and for hundreds of miles beyond it, through Lake Winnipeg, &,c. The canoes, however, which go so far u]) the country, never return the same year ; those intended to bring back cargoes immediately, stop at the Grand Portage, where the furs are collected ready for them by the agents of the com- pany. The furs are made up in packs of a certain weight, :M; k- i It wjm TO THE POLAR SBA. 343 lake get the jey ler Ollff 'or- of ke, lul and a particular number is put into each canoe. By know- iiii^ thus the exact weight of every pack, there can be no embezzlement ; aud at the portages there is no time wasted in allotting to each man his load, every one being obliged to carry so many packs. At the Grand Portage, and along that immense chain of lakes and rivers^ whicli extend beyond Lake Superior, the company has regular posts, where the agents reside ; and witli astonishing enterprise and industry have the aflfairs of this mpany been carried on, that trading pjsts are established within five hundred miles of the Pacific Ocean. In the first attempt which Mr. M'Kenzie made to pene- trate to the ocean, he set out early in the spring from the re- motest of the posts belonging to the company. He took with him a single canoe, and a party of chosen men ; and after passing over prodigious tracts of land, never before traversed by any white person, at last came to a large river. Here the canoe, which was carried by the men on their shoulders, was launched, and having all embarked, they proceeded down the stream. From the course this river took for a very great distance, Mr. M'Kor^zie was led to imagine that it was one of those rivers he was in quest of; namely, one which emptie \ itself into the Pacific Ocean ; but at the end of several weeks, during which they had worked tli**ir way down ward with greal eagerness, he was convinced, from thu gradual iiielination of the river towards another quarter, thut he must have been mistaken ; and that it was one of tliose immense rivers, so numero • on the continent of North America, that run into Baffin's Bay, or the Arctic Ocean. The party was now in a very critical situation; the sea- son was far advanced, and the lengtli of way which they had to return was prodigious. If they attempted to go back, and were overtaken by winter, they must in all probability perish for want of provisions in an uninhabited country ; if, on the contrary, they made up their minds to spend the winter I ' I li 844 franklin's journey vi i i;' W where they were, they had no ti^ie to lose in huilding huts, and goin^ out to hunt and iisii, that they might have sufficient stores to support them through that dreary season. Mr. M'Kenzie represented the matter, in the most open terms, to his men, and left it to themselves to determine the part they would lake. The men were lor going hack at all hazards ; and the result was, that tliey reached their tViends in safety. The difliculties they had to contend with, and the exertions they made in returning, were almost surpass- ing belief. In the second expedition entered upon by Mr. M'Kenzie, and which succeeded to his wishes, he set out in the same manner, well provided with several different things, which he found the want of in the first expedition. He was ex- tremely well furnished this time with astronomical instru- ments, and in particular with a good time-piece, tliat lie procured from London. He took a course somewhat different from the first, and passed through many nations of India is who had never before seen the face of a white man, ainon^$it some of whom he was for a time in imminent danger; but he found means at last to conciliate their good will. From some of these Indians he learned, that there was a ridge of mountains at a little distance, beyond which the rivers ail ran in a wostern direction. Having engaged some of them therefore for guides, he proceeded according to their direc- tions until he came to the mountains, and after ascending them with prodigious labour, found, to his great satisfaction, that the account the Indians had given was true, and that the rivers on the opposite side did indeed all run to the west. He followed the course of one of them, and finally came to the Pacific Ocean, not far from Nootka Sound. Here he was given to understand by the natives, and their account was confirmed by the sight of some little articles they had amongst them, that an English vessel bad quilted the coast only six weeks before. This was a great inortif. ■ cation to Mr. M'Kenzie. for had there been a ship on ute h. I i To THE POLAR SKA. 34.') but r I tlieir tides uittfil ortr. • coast, lie would most gladly have embarked in it rather than encounter the same diflieulties, and be exposed tu the same perils, which he had experienced in arettins^ there ; however there was no alternative; he set out after a short time on his journey back again, and having found his canoe quite safe under some bushes, near tiie head of tlie river, where he had hid it, together with some provisions, lest on going down to the coast the natives might have proved unfriendly, and have cut oif his retreat by seizing upon it, he finally arrived at one of the trading posts in security. INFany other individuals belonging to the North-west Company, before Mr. M'Kenzie set out, pen( (rated far into the country in diTerent directions, and much beyond what any person had done before them, in order to establish posts. In some of these excursions they iV'II in with the agents of the Hudson's Hay Conipnny, who were also extending their posts from another (juarler : this unexpected meeting be- tween the two companies, at one time gave rise to some very unpleasant altercations, and the Hudson's Ray Company threatened the other with an immediate prosecution for an infringement of its charter. By its charter, it seems, the Hudson's Hay Company was allowed the exclusive privilege of trading to the Bay, and along all the rivers and waters connected with it. This charter, however was granted at a time when the northfrn parts of the continent were much less known than they arc now, for to have the excluiiive trade along all the waters connected with Hudson's Bay was, literally sjieaking, to have the exclusive trade of the greater part of the contin-*!)' of North Amenca. Hudson's Bay, by a variety of rivers and lakes, is closely connected with Lake Superior, and from that chain of lakes of which Lakt 5>u[)erior is «in» , there is a water communication throajrhout all Canada, and a very great part of the United States . however, wlien the agents of the North-we» Company were fixing trading posts upon some riversi which ran immediately into Hudson's Bay, it P V ir> Y V I I *^il ,1 ' » •', / 346 FRANKLIN'S JOURNKY h undoubtedly appeared to be an infringement of the charter, and so indeed it must strictly have been, had not the Hud> son's Bay Com])any itself infringed its own charter in the first instance, or at least neglected to comply with all the stipulations contained therein. A clause seems to have been in the charter, which, at the same time that it granted to the company the exclusive privilege of trading to Hud- son's Bay, and along all the waters connected with it, bound it to erect a new post twelve miles farther to the westward every year, otherwise the charter was to become void. This had not been done; the North-west Company therefore rested perfectly easy about the menaces of a prosecution, satisfied that the other company did nut in fact legally pos> sess those privileges to which it laid claim. The Hudson's Bay Company, though it threatened, never indeed attempted to put its threats into execution, well knowing the weakness of its cause, but continued, nevertheless, to watch the motions of its rival with a most jealous eye ; and as in extending their respective trades, the posts of the two companies were approximating nearer and nearer to each other every year, there was great reason to imagine that their diiferences, instead of abating, would become still greater than they were, and finally, perliiips, lead to consequences of the most serious nature. A cir- cumstance, however, unexpectedly took place, at u time wh*n the greatest enmity subsisted between the parlies, which happily reconciled them to each other, and termin- ated all their (lis])utes. A very j)owerful nation of In an Indian girl, the liaughter of boaic enjincnt chief '' d ^ ti I |. i Mm :i'^ V Y 2 mm t ( m "i! Iv P I ! i JMH tranklin's journkv hy which ho giiins in a peculiar manner the aft'octions of iIk? whole irihe, a matt(T of great importance. Those marriages, as may be siipposod, are not considered as very binding by the husband; but that is nothing in the opinion of an Indian chief, who readily influences his sister or daughter to the match. Besides the furs and pelts conveyed down to Montreal frctm the north- western parts of the continent, by moans of the Utawas River, there are larger quantities also brought there across the hikes, and down the River St. Lawrence. These nca collected at the vjxrious towns and posts along the Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario, where the trade is open to all [)iirties, the several posts being protected by regular troops, at the expense of the government. Added likewise to what are thus collected by the agents of the company, and of private merchants, there are considerable quantities brought down lo Montreal for sale by traders, on their own account. Some of these traders come from parts as remote as the Illinois Country, bordering on the Mississippi. They ascend the Mississippi as far as Onisconsing River, and from that by a j)ortage of three miles get upon Fox River, which lulls into Lake Michigan. In the fall of the year these two rivers overflow, and it is then sometimes practicable to pass in a light canoe from one river to the other, without any portage whatsoever. From Lake Michigan they get upon Lake Huron, afterwards upon Luke Erie, and soon to the S(. l^awrence. Refore the month of September is over, the furs are all brought down to Montreal; as they arrive they are inuiuHliately shipped, and the vessels dispatched in Oc- tober, beyond which month it would be dangerous for them to rcuiain in the river on account of the setting in of winter. 7'he Indians generally go in large parties to iHint hears, and on coiuing to the place where they suppose these aninuds are lurking, they form themselves into a large circle, and as they iidvaiu-e endeavour to rouse them. Dogs of a large size arc chosen for bear-hunting ; those most generally pre 'tm VU TIIK POLAR VRA. 341) ftrrcd scom to be of a brood between the blood-ljomul and tho nuistid'; they will follow tho scent of tho bear, as indeed most field dogs will, but their ehief use is to keep the bear at hay when wounded, or to follow him if he attempt to make oil' whilst the hunter is reloading his gun. Bears will never attempt to attack a man or a dog while they ean make their escape, but once wounded, or closely hemmed in, they will fmlit most furiously. The young ones, at sight of a dog, };cnoralIy take to a tree; but the old ones, as if conscious of their ability to fight a dog, and at the same time tliat they cannot fail of becoming the prey of the hunter if they ascend a tree, never do so, unless indeed they see a hunter coming towards them on horseback, a sight which terrifies them greatly. " It is seldom that the white hunters muster together in suflicient numbers to pursue their game as the Indians, says a writer who accompanied a hunting party, but when* '^ver they have men enough to divide themselves so, they always do it. We proceeded in this manner a* Point Abineau, wIkto three or four men are amply suflicient to hem in a bear between the water and the main land. The \)o'mt was a very favourable place for hunting this year, for the bears, intent upon emigrating to the south, used, on coming down from the upper country, to advance to the extreme end of the point, as if desirous of getting as near as possible by land to the opi)osite side of the lake, and scarcely a morning came but what one or two of them were found upon it. An ex- perienced hunter can at once discern the track of a bear, deer, or any other large animal, in the woods, and can tell with no small degree of precision how long a time before it was that the animal passed that way. On coming to a long valley, between two of the sand hills on the point, a place through which the bears generally passed in going towards the water, the hunters whom I accomi)anied at once told how many bears had come down from the upper country the preceding night, and also liov many of them were cubs. To the eye of a common observer the track of these animals i ''i \'U . s * ; 1 T 35(» FRANKLINS JOUHNEY amoiijtfst the leiivos is wholly imporceptihle ; iiidoed, in many instances, even after tho hunters had pointed them out to me, I couhl haroly perceive the prints of their feet on tlio closest inspection; yet the hunters, on coming up to tlu- place, saw these marks with a glance of the eye. After kiilinj? a bear, the first care of the hunters is tostrij) him of his skin. This l)usiness is jjcrformed l)y them in a very few minutes, as they always carry knives about thnn particularly suitiul for the piirpose ,- afterwards the carcase is cut up, an operation in which the tomahawk, an inslnmicdt that they mostly carry with them also, is particularly useful. The choicest parts of the animal are then selected and carried home, and the rest left in the; woods. These Indians hold tlie paws of the bear in great estimation ; stewed with younif puppies, they are served up at all their principal feasts. On killiniT the aninml, the paws are gashed with a knife, and, afterwarils, hung over a lire, amidst the smoke, to dry. Tho skins of tlie bears are applied to numberless uses, in tho country, by the farmers, who set no small value upon tlioni. They are commonly cured by being spread upon a wail or between two trees, before the sun, and in that position scraped with a knife, or piece of iron, daily, which brin^^ out the grease or oil, a very considerable quantity of wliiiL oozes from them. Racoon and deer skins, &,r. are cured in a similar manner. The Indians have a method of dressini; these different skins with the hair on, am. ''rendt'riiig tlieni at the same time as pliable ns a piece of cU4h; this is prin- cipally elfected by rubbing the skins with the Iiand, iu tiio smoke of a wood lire. Ijake Erie is of an elliptical form; in length about three hundred miles, and in breadth, at the widest part about ninety. The depth of water in this lake is not more than twenty fathoms, and iu calm weather vessels may securv"ly ride at anchor in any part of it ; but when stormy, the an- chorage in an open part of the lake is not safe, the sands ;U bottom not beiutt,lirm, and the anchoid ^yt therefore to lose t t TO THR POLAR SRA. 351 \\\v\r hold. Whenever there is a pale of wind the waters inuiKMliatcly hccomc lnrl)i(l, owiiip to (he qiiantlty of yellow sand (hat is \\ ashed up from (ho l)<)((om of (ju' lake; in calm weather (ho water is clear, and of a deep greenish colour. The northern shore of the lake is very rocky, as likewise are tho shores of the islands, of which there arc several clus- ters towards the western extremity of the lake; but nlonp most parts of the southern shore is a fine gravelly beach. The height of the hind bordering on the lake is very unequal, in some places long ranges of steep mountains rise from the very edge of the ^ ater ; in others the shores are so flat and so low, that when the lake is raised a little above its usual level, in consequence of a strong gale of wind setting in towards the shore, the country is deluged for miles." A young gentleman, who was sent in a bateau with dis- patches across the lake, not long previous to the writing this account, perished, with several of his party, owing to an inundation of this sort that took place on a low part of (he shore. It must hero be observed, tliat when you na\ ii(ato the lake in a bateau, it is customary to keep as close as pos- sible to the land; and when there is any danger of a storm, you run the vessel on shore, which may be done with safety, as the bottom of it is perfectly Hat. The young gentleman alluded to was coastin.;' along, when a violent storm suddenly arose. The buteau was instantaneously turned towards the shore; unfor. -lately, Iv^wever, in running her upon the beach some mismanagement took place, and she overset. The wav«^9 had already brgim to break in upon the shore with prodigious impetuosity ; each one of them rolled farther in than the pn eding one; the party took alarm, and instead of makuig as strenuous exertions as it w is supposed they might have made, to riuht the bateau, tliey took a few necessaries out of her, and attempted to save themselves by (light; but so rapidly did the water How after them, in consequence of the increasing storm, that before they could proceed far enough up (he country to gain a place of safety, they were all over- 4 ' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4 1.0 I.I 1.25 l^|28 ||2.5 ■50 "^~ ''htSi ^ us. 2.2 2.0 UUU 1.8 U 11.6 PhotogTdphic Sciences Corporation a WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. I4S80 (716) 872-4S03 # r<\^ \ i\ \ v ^*<» ,«^.^. O^ •^ ^ ^9> ^^^\ ^#^ ^.%? V.x ^ ^ !W^l?;;^^SiWBRS!^^HW ^v p I 352 franklin's journey V :1 ... 1,1 ■ ' ^ ■ i !' trri.- whelmed by it, two alone excepted, who Lad the presence of mind and ability to climb a lofty tree. To the veuy grom. irregularity of the height of the lands on both sides of it, is attributed the frequency of storms on Lake Erie. The shores of Lake Ontario are lower and more uniform than those of any of the other lakes ; and that lake is the most tranquil of any, as has already been noticed. There is a great deficiency of good harbours along the shores of this Lake. On its northern side there are but two places which afford shelter to vessels drawing more than seven feet water, namely Long Point and Point Abineau ; and these only affbrd a partial shelter. If the wind should shift to the southward whilst vessels happen to be lying under them, they are thereby exposed to all the dangers of a rocky lee shore. On the southern shore, the first harbour you come to in going from Fort "Erie, is that of Presqu' Isle. Vessels drawing eight feet water may there ride in perfect safety ; but it is a matter of no small difficulty to get into the harbour, owing to a long- sand bar which extends across the mouth of it. Presqu' Isle is situated at the distance of about sixty miles from Fort Erie. Beyond this, nearly midway between the eastern and western extremities of the lake, there is another harbour, capable of containing small vessels, at the mouth of Cayahega River, and another at the mouth of Sandusky River, which falls into the lake within the north and western territory of the States. It is very seldom that any of these harbours are made use of by the British ships; they, indeed, trade almost solely between Fort Erie and Detroit River; and when in prosecuting their voyages they chance to meet with contrary winds, against which they cannot make head, they for the most part return to Fort Erie, if bound to Detroit River ; or to some of the bays amidst the clusters of islands situated towards the western territory of the lake. It very often hap- pens that vessels, even after they have got close under these islands, the nearest of which is not less than two hundred and forty miles from Fort Erie, are driven back by storms i: (■■ <. TO THE POLAR SEA. 350 sence of ; of it,, is he shores those of mquil ol" ilong the e but two ban seven and these lift to the hem, they lee shore, o in going jving eight is a matter 5 to along resqu' Isle Fort Erie. id western lapable of ga River, lich falls ry of the )Ours are e almost when in contrary y for the it River; s situated ifteu hap- tder these hundred ly storms the whole way to that fort, and it is not without very great difficulty that they can keep their station. It is seldom that vessels bound from Fort Erie to any place on Detroit River, accomplish their voyage without stopping amongst these islands: for the same wind favourable for carrying them from the eastern to the western extremity of the lake will not waft them up the river. The river runs nearly in a south- west direction; its current is very strong; and unless the wind blows fresh, and nearly in the opposite direction to it, you cannot proceed. The navigation of Lake Erie, in general, is very uncertain ; and passengers that cross it in any of the King's or principal merchant vessels, are not only called upon to pay double the sum for their passage, demanded for that across Lake Ontario, but anchorage money besides, that is, a certain sum per diem as long as the vessel remains wind bound at anchor in any harbour. The anchorage money is about three dollars per day for each cabin passenger. The islands at the western end of the lake, which are of various sizes, lie very close to each other, and the scenery amongst them is very pleasing. The largest of them are not more than fourteen miles in circumference, and many would scarcely be found to admeasure as many yards round. They are all covered with wood of some kind or other, even to the very smallest. The larger islands produce a variety of fine timber, amongst which are found oaks, hiccory trees, and red cedars ; the latter grow to a much larger size than in any part of the neighbouring country, and they are sent for even from the British settlements on Detroit River, forty miles distant. None of these islands are much elevated above the lake, nor are they diversified with any rising grounds ; most of them, indeed, are as flat as if they had been overflowed with water, and in the interior parts of some of the largest of them there are extensive ponds and marshes. The fine timber, which these islands produce, ind.ates that the soil must be uncommonly fertile. Here are found in great num- P. V. 15 Z z »1 i -" ^1 . Il; JJ m li i i 354 franklin's journey bers, amongst the woods, racoons and squirrels; bears are also at times found upon some of the islands duriig the winter season, when the lake is frozen between the main land and the islands ; but they do not remain continually, as the other animals do. All the islands are dreadfully infested with serpents, and on some of them rattlesnakes are so nu- merous, that in the height of summer it is really dangerous to land. There are two kinds of rattlesnakes found in this part of the country , — one of these rattlesnakes is of a deep brown colour, clouded with yellow, and is seldom met with more than thirty inches in length. It usually frequents marshes and low meadows, where it does great mischief amongst cattle, which it bites mostly in the lips as they are grazing. The other sort is of a greenish yellow colour, clouded with brown, and attains nearly twice the size of the other. It is most commonly found between three and four feet in 'ength, and as thick as the wrist of a large man. The rattlesnake is much thicker in proportion to its length than any other snake, and it is thickest in the middle of the body, which ap- proaches somewhat to a triangular form, the belly being flat, and the babk bone rising higher than any other part of the anfmal. The rattle, with which this serpent is provided, is at the efid of the tail; it is usually about half an inch in breadth, one quarter of an inch in thickness, and each joint about half an inch long. The joint consists of a number of little cases of a dry horny substance, inclosed one within another, and not only the outermost of these little cases ar- ticulates with the outermost case of the contiguous joint, but each case, even to the smallest one of all, at the inside, is connected by a sort of joint with the corresponding case in the next joint of the rattle. The little cases or shells lie very loosely within one another, and the noise proceeds from their dry and hard coats striking onie against the other. It is said that the animal gains a fresh joint to its rattle every ^J i i ^. I ii TO THE I'OLAR SEA. 355 year ; this, however, is doubted, for tlie largest snakes arc frequently found to have the fewest joints to their rattles. A medical gentleman in the neighbourhood of Newmarket, behind the Blue Mountains, in Virginia, had a rattle in his possession, which contained no less than thirty-two joints; yet the snake from which it was taken scarcely admeasured five feet; rattlesnakes, however, of the same kind, and in the same part of the country, have been found of a greater length with not more than ten rattles. One of these snakes, killed on Bass Island, in Lake Erie, had no more than four joints in its rattle, and yet was nearly four feet long. The skin of the rattlesnake, when the animal is wounded, or otherwise enraged, exhibits a variety of beautiful tints, never seen at any other time. It is not with the teeth which the rattlesnake uses for ordinary purposes that it strikes its enemy, but with two long crooked fangs in the upper jaw, which point down the throat. When about to use these fangs, it rears itself up as mach as possible, throws back its head, drops its under jaw, and springing forward up6n its tail, endeavours to hook itself as it were upon its enemy. In order to raise itself on its tail, it coils itself up previously in a spiral line, with the head in the middle. It cannot spring farther forward than about half its own length. The flesh of the rattlesnake is as white as the most delicate fish, and is much esteemed by those who are not prevented from tasting it by prejudice. The soup made from it is said to be delicious, and very nourishing. The exuviae of these snakes, is, in the opinion of the country people of Upper Canada, very efficacious in the cure of the rheumatism, when laid over the part afflicted, and fastened down with a bandage. The body of the rattlesnake dried to a cinder over the fire, and then finely pulverised, and infused in a certain portion of brandy,. is also said to be a never failing remedy against that disorder,. The liquor is taken inwardly, in the quantity of a wine glass full at once , 6 z2 ¥:■ hi M i' i \ l.V .-* ;''. '■ M i Mi ■ • 1 1 : ' f:.'^:' '1-^ 1 1 ; i - \ ' 1 ' ■ Ik . i ■'''. ! 1 1 1 i:.; 35() FKANKLIN!* JOURNKY about three times a day. No effect, more than from taking plain brandy, is perceived from taking this medicine on the lirst day, but at the end of the second day the body of the patient becomes suffused with a cold sweat, every one of his joints grow painful, and his limbs become feeble, and scarcely able to support him ; he grows worse and worse for a day or two; but persevering in the use of the medicine for a few days, he gradually loses his pains, and recovers his wonted strength of body. Many different kinds of serpents besides rattlesnakes are found on these islands in Lake Erie. KJr. Carver tells of a serpent that is peculiar to these islands, called the hissing snake: " It is," says ho, "of the small speckled kind, and about eighteen inches long. When any thing approaches it, it flattens itself in a moment, and its spots, which are of various dyes, become visibly brighter through rage; at the same time it blows from its mouth with great force a subtile wind that is reported to be of a nauseous smell, and if drawn in with the breath of the unwary traveller, will infallibly bring on a decline, that in a few months must prove mortal, there being no remedy yet discovered which can counteract its baneful influence." Were a traveller to believe all the stories respecting snakes that are current in the country, ho must believe that there is such a snake as the whip snake, which, it is said, pursues cattle through the woods and mpa- doM's, laphing them with its tail, till overcome with the fatigue of running they drop breathless to the ground, when it preys upon their flesh; he must also believe that there is such a snake as the hoop snake, which has the power of fix- ing its tail firmly in a certain cavity inside of its mouth, and of rolling itself forward like a hoop or wheel, with such won- derful velocity that neither man nor beast can possibly escape from its devouring jaws. The ponds and marshes in the interior parts of these islands abound with ducks and other wild fowl, and the shores 1 •'. m ' TO THE I'OI.AR SKA. 3: n m taking ne on the >dy of the one of his d scarcely r a dav or for a few lis wonted makes arc • tells of a the hissing kind, and roaches it, ich are of ige ; at the e a subtile d if drawn I infallibly )ve mortal, counteract 3ve all the ountry, he lip snake, and mfa- with the and, when it there is wer of fix- louth, and such won- ly escape of these the shores swarm with gulls. A few small birds arc found in the woods; none amongst them are remarkable either for their song or plumage. On the east side of Detroit River is the town of Maiden, where there are extensive ranges of store-houses, for the re- ception of presents yearly made by the British government to the Indians in this part of the country, in which several clerks are kept constantly employed. The following account is given by one engaged on the occasion. A number of chiefs of different tribes assembled at the place appointed by the head of the department in this quarter, and gave each a bundle of little bits of cedar wood, about the thickness of a small pocket book pencil, to remind him of the exact num- ber of individuals in each tribe that expected to share the bounty of their great Father. The sticks in these bundles were of different lengths, the longest denoted the number of warriors in the tribe, the next in size the number of women, and the smallest the number of children. On receiving them he handed them over to his clerks, who made a memorandum in their books of the contents of each bundle, and of the persons that gave them, in order to prepare the presents ac- cordingly. The day fixed upon for the delivery of the pre- sents was bright and fair, and being in every respect favour- able for the purpose, the clerks began to make the necessary arrangements accordingly. A number of large stakes were first fixed down in different parts of the lawn, to each of which was attached a label, with the name of the tribe, and the number of persons in it, who were to be provided for ; then were brought out from the stores several bales of thick blankets, of blue, scarlet, and brown cloth, and of coarse figured cottons, together with large rolls of tobacco, guns, flints, powder, balls, shot, case- knives, ivory and horn combs, looking-glasses, pipe-toma- hawks, hatchets, scissars, needles, vermillion in bags, copper and iron pots and kettles, the whole valued at about 500/. :*■ >•! 358 franklin's journey il: h i ^^n:-,i I '. If sterling. The bales of goods being opened, the blankets, cloths, and cottons, were cut into small pieces, each sufficient to make for one person a wrapper, shirt, a pair of leggings, or whatever else it was intended for; and the portions of the different articles intended for each tribe were thrown together in a heap, at the bottom of the stake which bore its name. This business took up several hours, as there were no less than four hundred and twenty Indians to be served. No liquor, nor any silver ornaments, except to favourite chiefs in private, are ever given on the part of government to the Indians, notwithstanding they are so fond of both ; and a trader who attempts to give these articles to them in ex- change for the presents they have received from government, or, indeed, who takes from them on any conditions, their presents, is liable to a very heavy penalty for every such act, by the laws of the province. The presents having been all prepared, the chiefs were ordered to assemble their warriors, who were loitering about the grounds at the outside of the lawn. In a few minutes they all came, and having been drawn up in a large circle, a speech was made on the occasion, without which ceremony no business, according to Indian custom, is ever transacted. In this they are told, " that their great and good Father, who lived on the opposite side of the big lake (meaning thereby the king) was ever attentive to the happiness of all his faith- ful people ; and that, with his accustomed bounty, he had sent the guns, the hatchets, and the ammunition for the young men, and the clothing for the aged, women, and children ; that he hoped the young men would have no occasion to employ their weapons in fighting against enemies, but merely in hunting ; and that he recommended it to them to be at- tentive to the old, and to share bountifully with them what they gained by the chase ; that he trusted the great spirit would give them bright suns and clear skies, and a favourable season for hunting ; and that when another year should pass i . r. ' Ml^i TO THB POLAR 8EA. a5o over, if he continued to find them good children, he would not fail to renew his b-unties, by sending them more presents from across the big lake. This speech was delivered in English, but interpreters at- tended, who repeated it to the different tribes in their re- spective languages, paragraph by paragraph, at the end of every one of which the Indians signified their satisfaction by a loud coarse exclamation of " Hoah ! Hoah !" The speech ended, the chiefs were called forward, and their several heaps were shewn to them, and committed to their care. They received them with thanks, and beckoning to their Avarriors, a number of young men quiclcly started from the crowd, and in less than three minutes the presents were con- veyed from the lawn, and laden on board the canoes, in wait- ing to convey them away. The utmost regularity and pro- priety was manifested on this occasion in the behaviour of * every Indian ; there was not the smallest wrangling amongst them about their presents ; nor was the least spark of jea- lousy observable in any one tribe about what the other had received ; each one took up the heap allotted to it, and de- parted without speaking a word. The presents delivered to the Indians, together with the salaries of the officers in the Indian department, are com- puted to cost the crown about 100,000Z. sterling, on an aver- age, per annum. When we first gained possession of Canada, the expence of the presents was much greater, as the Indians were then more numerous, and as it was also found necessary to bestow upon them, individually, much larger presents than are now given, in order to overcome the violent prejudices which had been instilled into their minds by the French. These prejudices having happily been removed, and the ut- most harmony having been established between them and the people on the frontiers, presents of a less value even than what are now distributed amongst .them, would perhaps be found sufficient to keep up the good understanding which now subsists ; it could not, however, be deemed a very advisable .< \ n' i \ .' mi- mi Ni !< : m •*''' ., < M t ifi ;h5 1^1 ■n 300 FRANKLIN S JOUUNEY measure to curtail them, as long as a possibility remained tha! the loss of their friendship might be incurred thereby. Acceptable presents are generally found eflicacious in conciliating the affections of any uncivilized nation; they have very great influence over the minds of the Indians ; but to conciliate their affections to the utmost, presents alone are not sufficient; you must appear to have their interest at heart in every respect; you must associate with them; you must treat them as men that are your equals, and, in some measure, even adopt their native manners. In general the skin of the Indians is of a copper cast, but a most wonderful diffierence of colour is observable amongst them; some, in whose veins there is no reason to think that any other than Indian blood flows, not having darker com- plexions than natives of the south of France or of Spain, whilst others, on the contrary are nearly as black as negroes. Many persons, whose long residence amongst the Indians ought to have made them competent judges of the matter, have been of opinion, that their natural colour does not vary from ours; and that the darkness of their complexion arises wholly from their anointing themselves so frequently with unctuous substances, and from their exposing themselves so much to the smoke. But although it is certain that they think a dark complexion very becoming ; that they take great pains from their earliest age to acquire such an one ; and that many of them do, in process of time, contrive to vary their original colour very considerably ; although it is certain like- wise, that when first born their colour diflfors but little from ours; yet it appears evident to me, that the greater part of them are indebted for their different hues to nature alone. The writer has been induced to form this opinion from tlu' consideration, that those children which are born of parents of a dark colour are almost universally of the same dark cast as those from whom they sprang. Nekig, that is, the Little Otter, an Ottoway chief of great notoriety, whose village is on Detroit River, has a complexion that differs f- TO -J HE POLAR SEA. 361 but little from that of an African, and lii« little boys, who are the very image of the father, are just as blac'i as himself. With regard to Indian children being white en their first coming into the world, it ought by no means to be concluded from thence, that they would remain so if their moth^ rs did not bedaub them with grease, herbs, &c. as it is well known that negro children are not perfectly black when born, nor indeed for many months afterwards, but that they acquire their jetty hue gradually, on being exposed to the air and sun, just as in the vegetable world the tender blade, on first peeping above ground, turns from a white to a pale greenish colour, and afterwards to a deeper green. Though the Mississaguis, who live about Lake Ontario, are of a much darker cast than any other tribe of Indians, yet the different shades of complexion observable amongst the Indians are not so much confined to particular tribes as to particular families; for even amongst the Mississaguis several men were comparatively of a very light colour. The Creeks, Cherokees, and other southern Indians, have a red- der tinge, and more warmth of colouring in it th^ that of the Indians in the neighbourhood of the lakes. Amongst the female Indians in general, there is a much greater sameness of colour than amongst the men. The In- dians universally have long, straight, black, coarse hair, and black eyes, rather small than fuU sized; they have, in general, also, high prominent cheek bones, and sharp small noses, rather inclining to an aquiline shape; they have good teeth, and their breath, in general, is as sweet as that of a human being can be. The men are for the most part very well made, it is a most rare circumstance to meet with a deformed person amongst them: they are remarkably straight, have full open chests, their walk is firm and erect, and many amongst them have really a dignified deportment. Very few of them are under the middle stature, and none of them ever become very fat or corpulent. You may occasionally see amongst them stout robust men, closely put together, but in P. V. 16. AAA I I .'ii ■\' TV r 4 ' I r-^ 3 it fp i :* i;l HilNvfii.:, ^ii i i. Ml 'f IS^ 36^ I'RANKLIN S JOURNEY general (lioy arc but slia:litly made. Their legs, arms, and hands, are for the most part, extremely well shaped ; and very many amon<3;st them would be deemed handsome men in any country in the world. The women, on the contrary, are mostly under the middle size, and have hjt^her cheek bones, and rounder faces than the men. They have very ungraceful carriages ; walk with their toes turned considerably inwards, and with a shuffling gait , and as they advance in years they grow remarkably fat and coarse. An Indian woman at the age of thirty, her eyes are sunk, her forehead wrinkled, her skin loose and si.iivellcd, and her whole person, in short, forbidding; yet, when young, their faces and persons are really pleasing, not to say sometimes very captivating. One could hardly imagine, without witnessing it, that a few years could pos- sibly make such an alteration as it does in their persons. This sudden change is chiefly owing to the drudgery im- posed on them by the men after a certain age ; to their ex- posing themselves so much to the burning rays of the sun; sitting so continually in the smoke of wood fires; and, above all, to the general custom of of prostituting themselves at a very early age. Though the Indians are profusely furnished with hair on their heads, yet on none of the other parts of the body, usually covered with it, is the smallest sign of hair visible, except, indcMl, on the chins of old men, where a few slender strag- gling hairs are sometimes seen, not different from what may be occasionslly seen on women of a certain age in Europe. Many persons have supposed that the Indians have been created without hair on those parts of the body where it appears wanting ; others, on the contrary, are of opinion, that nature has not been less bountiful to them than to us; and that this apparent deficiency of hair is wholly owing to their plucking it out themselves by the roots, as soon as it appears above the skin. It is well known, indeed, that the Indians have a great dislike to hair, and that such of the i I ^^ TO THU I'OLAR bKA. ilGii men as arc ambitious of appearing gayer than the rest, pluck it not only from their eye-brows, unci eye-lashes, but also from every part of the head, except one spot on the back part of the crown, where they leave a long lock. To pluck out their hair, all such us have any coDnection with the traders make use of a pliable worm, formed of flattened brass wire. This instrument is closely applied, in its open state, to the surface of the body where the hair grows, it is then compressed by the finger and thumb ; a great number of hairs are caught at once between the spiral evolutions of the wire, and by a sudden twitch they are all drawn out by the roots. An old squaw, with one of these instruments, would deprive you of your beard in a very few minutes, and a slight application of the .. urm two or three times in the year would be suiHcient to keep your chin smooth ever afterwards. A very greut number of the white people, in the neighbourhood of 31alden and Detroit, from having submitted to this operation, appear at first sight as little indebted to nature for beards as the Indians. The operation is painful, but it is soon over, and when one con- siders how much time and trouble is saved, and ease gained by it in the end, it is only surprising that more people do not summon up resolution, and patiently submit to it. The long lock of hair on the top of the head, with the skin on which it grows, constitutes the true scalp ; and in scalping a person that has a full head of hair, an experi- enced warrior never thinks of taking off more of the skin than a bit of about the size of a crown piece, from the part of the head where this lock is usually left. They ornament this solitary luck of hair with beads, silver trinkets, &c. and on grand occasions with feathers. The women do not pluck any of the hair from off their heads, and pride them- selves upon having it as long as possible. They commonly wear it neaMy platted up behind, and divided in front in the middle of tjie forehead. When they wish to appear finer than usual, they paint the small part of the skin, which a])- A A A 2 'I i; m ^m • ' '.),« y • 1 vrp 3(54 franklin's! journey pears on the separation of the huir, with a streak of ver- milion ; when neatly done, it looks extremely well, and forms a pleasing contrast to the jetty black of their hair. The Indians, who have any dealings with the English or Am^can traders, and all of them have that live in the neighbourhood of the great lakes at the north-west, have totally laid aside the use of furs and skins in their dress, ex- cept fur their shoes or moccasins, and sometimes for their lej^gings, as they find they can exchange them to advantage for blankets and woollen cloths, &c. which they consider likewise as much more agreeable and commodious materials for wearing apparel. The moccasin is made of the skin of the deer, elk, or buffalo, which is commonly dressed without the hair, and rendered of a deep brown colour by being ex- posed to the smoke of a wood fire. It is formed of a single piece of leather, with a seam from the toe to the instep, and another behind, similar to that in a common shoe ; by means of a thong, it is fastened round the instep, just under the ankle-bone, and is thus made to sit very closely to the foot. Round that part where the foot is put in, -a flap of the depth of an inch or two is left, which hangs loosely down over the string by which the moccasin is fastened ; and this flap, as also the seam, are tastefully ornamented with porcupine quills and beads ; the flap is edged with tin or copper tags filled with scarlet hair, if the moccasin be intended for a man, and with ribbands if for a woman. An ornamented moccasin of this sort is only worn in dress, as the ornaments are expensive and the leather soon wears out ; one of plain leather answers for ordinary use. Many of the white people on the Indian frontiers wear this kind of shoe, but a person not accustomed to walk in it, or to walk barefoot, cannot wear it abroad, on a rough road, without great inconvenience, as every unevenness of surface is felt through the leather, which is soft and pliable : in a house it is the most agree- able sort of shoe that can be imagined ; the Indians wear it uuivcrsully. TO THB POLAR SEA. 3G5 Abuve the muccasiii all tlic Indians wear wbat are called le<^^ings, which reach from the instep to the middle of thQ thigh. They are commonly made uf blue or scarlet cloth, and are formed so as to sit close to the limbs, like the mo- dern pantaloons ; but the edges of the cloth annexed to the seam, instead of being turned in, are left on the outside, and are ornamented with beads, ribbands, &c. when the leggings are intended for dress. Many of the young war- riors are so desirous that their leggings should fit them neatly, that they make the squaws, who are the tailors, and really very good ones, sow them tight on their limbs, so that they cannot be taken off, and they continue to wear them constantly till they are reduced to rags. The leggings are kept up by means of two strings, one on the outside of each thigh, which are fastened to a third, that is tied round the waist. They also wear round the waist another string, from which are suspended two little aprons, somewhat more than a foot square, one hanging down before and the other be- hind, and under these a piece of cloth, drawn close up to the body between the legs, forming a sort of truss. The aprons and this piece of cloth, which are all fastened together, are called the breech cloth. The utmost ingenuity of the squaws is exerted in adorning the little aprons with beads, ribbands, dec. The moccasins, leggings, and breech cloth constitute the whole of the dress which they wear when they enter upon a campaign, except indeed it be a girdle, from which hangs their tobacco pouch and scalping knife, &,c. ; nor do they wear any thing more when the weather is very warm ; but when it is cool, or when they dress themselves to visit their tViendiJ, they put on a short shirt, loose at the neck and wristu, generally made of coarse figured cotton or calico of some gaudy pattern, not unlike what would be used for window or bed curtains at a common inn in England. Over . '1 iV I ' '!■ at 1 I r ; I B { 1 H: 366 pranklin'ik journey il WP II :i,i ,!■ the shirt they wear either a blanket, a large piece of broad cloth, or else a loose coat made somewhat similar to a common riding frock ; a blanket is more commonly worn than any thing else. They tie one end of it round their waist with a girdle, and then drawing it over their shoulders, either fasten it across their breasts with a skewer, or hold the corners of it together in the left hand. One would imagine, that this last mode of wearing it could not but be highly inconvenient to them, as it must deprive them in a great measure of the use of one hand ; yet it is the mode in which it is commonly worn, even when they are shooting in the woods ; they genbrally, however, keep the right arm disengaged when they carry a gun, and draw the blanket over the left shoulder. The dress of the women differs but very little from that of the men. They wear moccasins, leggings, and loose short shirts, and like them they throw over their shoulders, occasionally, a blanket or piece of broad cloth^ but most generally the latter ; they do not tie it round their waist, however, but suffer it to hang down so as to hide their legs; instead also of the breech cloth, they wear a piece of cloth folded closely round their middle, which reaches from the waist to the knees. Dark blue or green cloths in general are preferred to those of any other colour; a few of the men are fond of wearing scarlet. The women in warm weather appear in the villages with- out any other covering above their waists than these shirts, or shifts, as they may be called, though they differ in no respect from the shirts of the men; they usually, however, fasten them with a broach round the neck. In full dress they also appear in these shirts, but then they are covered entirely over with silver broaches, about the size of a six- penny piece. In full dress they likewise fasten pieces of ribbamls of various colours to their hair behind, which are suffered to hang down to their very heels. A young squaw, I m ' hi ■» TO THE POLAR SBA. 367 broad Eir to a y worn id their Dulders, or hold e would t but be tein in a mode in noting in ight arm > blanket [rom that ind loose jhoulders, but most aeir waist, heir legs; of cloth "rom the in general )f the men ges with- ese shirts, iflfer in no however, full dress re covered of a six- pieces ol which are ng squaw, that has been a favourite with the men, will come forth at a dance with upwards of five guineas worth of ribbiinds streaming from her hair. On their wrists the women wear silver bracelets when they can procure them ; they also wear silver ear-rings ; the latter are in general of a very small size ; but it is not merely one pair which they wear, but several. To admit them, they bore a number of holes in their ears, sometimes entirely round the edges. The men wear ear-rings like- wise, but of a sort totally different from those worn by the women ; they mostly consist of round flat thin pieces of silver, about the size of a dollar, perforated with holes in different patterns ; others, however, equally large, are made in a triangular form. Some of the tribes are very select in the choice of the pattern, and will not wear any but the one sort of pendants. Instead of boring their ears, the men slit them along the outward edge from top to bottom, and as soon as the gash is healed, hang heavy weights to them in order to stretch the rim thus separated as low down as pos- sible. Some of them are so successful in this o])eration, that they contrive to draw the rims of the cars in form of a bow, down to their very shoulders, and their large ear-rings hang dangling on their breasts. To prevent the rim thus extended from breaking, they bind it with brass wire ; how- ever, there is not one in six that has his ears perfect; the least touch, indeed, is sufficient to break the skin, and it would be wonderful if they were able to preserve it entire, engaged so often as they are in drunken quarrels, and so often liable to be entangled in thickets whilst pursuing their game. Some of the men wear pendants in their noses, but these are not so common as ear-rings. The chiefs and principal warriors wear breast plates, consisting of large pieces of silver, sea shells, or the like Silver gorgets, such as are usually worn by officers, please them extremely, and to favourite chiefs they are given out, amongst other presents, VI I i':i 1 V ■BP mummm. mmm 368 franklin's journey a-*. •ilitl,':'; on the part of government. Another sort of ornament is likewise worn by the men, consisting of a large silver clasp or bracelet, to which is attached a bunch, of hair dyed of a scarlet colour, usually taken from the knee of a bufTalo. This is worn oh the narrow part of the arm above the elbow, and it is deemed very ornamental, and also a badge of honour, for no person wears it that has not distinguished himself in the field. Silver ornaments are universally preferred to those of any other metal. The Indians not only paint themselves when they go (o war, but likewise when they wish to appear full dressed. Red and black are their favourite colours, and they daub themselves in the roost fantastic manner. Some have their faces entirely covered with black, except a round spot in the centre, which included the upper lip and end of the nose, which was painted red; others again, have their heads entirely black, except a large red round spot on each ear ; others with one eye black and the other red, &c.; but the most common style of painting was, to black their faces entirely over with charcoal, and then wetting their nails, to draw parallel undulating lines on their cheeks. They generally carry a little looking glass about them to enable them to dispose of their colours judiciously. When they go to war they rub in the paint with grease, and are much more particular about their appearance, which they study to render as horrible as possible; they then cover their whole body with red, white, and black paint, and seem more like devils than human beings. Different tribes have differ- ent methods of painting themselves. Though the Indians spend so much of their time in adorn- ing their persons, yet they take no pains to ornament thoir habitations, which for the most part are wretched indeed. Some of them are formed of logs, but the greater part are of a moveable nature, and formed of bark. The bark of (he birch tree is deemed preferable to every other sort, and where it is to be had is always made use of; but in this part TO THE POLAR SEA. 369 of the country not being often met with, the burk of the elm tree is used in its stead. The Indians are very expert in stripping it from a tree; and frequently take tl,e entire bark from oiF the trunk in one piece. The skele.tons of their huts consist of slender poles, and on them th-? bark is fas- tened with strips of the tough rind of some youiig tree : this, if found, proves a very effectual defence agains; the weather. The huts are built in various forms : some v>f them have walls on every side, doors, and also a chimney'iii the middle of the roof; others are open on one side, ant;l are nothing better than sheds. When built in this last f.y\e, four of them are commonly placed together, so as to form a qua- drangle, with the open parts towards the insi'l^, and a fire common to them all is kindled in the middle. In fine wea- ther these huts are agreeable dwellings ; but ii:i the depth of winter they must be dreadfully uncomfortabl^i. Others of their huts are built in a conical shape. Many of the Indian nations have no permanent place of residcKce, but move about from one spot to another, and in the hunting season they ali have moveable encampments, whic;ii last are in general very rude, and insufficient to give th*(m even toler- able shelter from a fall of rain or snow. Th:3 hunting sea- son commences on the fall of the leaf, and cotuinu^s till the snow dissolves. In the depth of winter, wh'^n the snow is frozen on tlie ground, they form their hunting sheds of the snow itself; a few twigs platted together being simply placed overhead to prevent the snow, which forms the roof, from falling down. These snowy habitations are much more comfort- able and warmer in the winter time than any others that can be erected, as they effectually screen you from the keen piercing blasts of the wind, and a bed of snow is far from being uncomfortable. The utensils in an Indian hut are very few; one or two brass or iron kettles procured from the traders, or, if they live removed from them, pots formed of stone, together with P. V. 16 B B B > \V «.r 1' • r i .? 1 1 MS. ■HI 370 FRANKLIN S JOURNEY li'^s :'it; a few wooden spoons and dishes made by themselves, con- stitute in general the whole of thciu. A stone of a very soft texture, called the soap stone, is very commonly found ia the back parts of North America, particularly suited for Indian workmanship. It receives its name from appearing to the touch as soft and smooth as a bit of soap *, and indeed it may be cut with a knife almost equally easy. In Virginia they use it powdered for the boxes of their wheels instead of grease. Soft, however, as is this stone, it will resist (ire equally with iron. The soap stone is of a dove colour; others, nearly of the same quality, ure found in the country, of a black and red colour, which are still commonly used by the Indians for the bowls of their pipes. The bark canoes, which the Indians use in this part of the country, are by no mean^ so neatly formed as those made in the country upon, and to the north of the River St. Lawrence; they are commonly formed of one entire piece of elm bark, taken from the trunk of the tree, which is bound on ribs funned of slender rods of tough wood. There are no ribs, however, at the ends of these canoes, but merely at the middle part, where alone it is that passengers ever sit. It is only the center, indeed, which rests upon the water; the ends are generally raised some feet above the surface, the canoes being of a curved l"brm. They bring them into this shape by cutting, nearly midway between the stem and sleru, two deep slits, one on each side, in the back, and by lapping the disjointed edges one over the other. No pains are taken to make the ends of the canoes water tight, since they never touch the water. On first inspection you would imagine, from its miserable appearance, that an elm bark canoe, thus constructed, was not calculated to carry even a single person safely across a smooth piece of water; it is nevertheless a remarkable safe sort of boat, and the Indians will resolutely embark in one of them during very rough weather. They are so light that they ride securely over every wave, and the only precaution •*: 111 ^il TO TH£ POLAR fi>£A. 371 necessary in navigating them is to sit steady. A dozen people will go securely in' one, which might be easily carried by a single able-bodied man. When an Indian takes his family to any distance in a canoe, the women, the girls, and boys, are furnished each with a paddle, and are kept busily 'at work ; the father of the family gives himself no trouble but in steering tlie vessel. The Indians that are connected with the traders have now, very generally, laid aside bows and arrows, and seldom take them into their hands, except it be to amuse themselves for a few hours, when they have expended their powder and shot; their boys, however, still use them universally, and some of them shoot with wonderful dexterity. A young Shawnese chief, not more than ter- years old, fixed three arrows running in the body of a small black squirrel, on the top of a very small tree, and he scarcely missed half a dozen times in a day. It is astonishing to see with what accuracy, and at the same time with what readiness, they mark the spot where their arrows fall. They will shoot away a dozen arrows or more, seemingly quite careless about what becomes of them, and as inattentive to the spot where they fall as if they never expected to find their, again, yet afterwards they will run and pick them every one up without hesitation. The southern Indiahs are much more expert at the use of the bow than those near the lakes, as they make much greater use of it. The expertness of the Indians in throwing the tomahawk is well known. At the distance of ten yards they will fix the sharp edge of it in an object nearly to a certainty. They are not fond of letting it out of their hands in action, and they never attempt to throw it but when they are on the point of overtaking a flying foe, or are certain of recovering 11. Some of -them will fasten a string the lepgth of a few feet to the tomahawk, and will launch it forth, and draw it back again into their hand with great dexterity, they wi' B B B 2 I '« ' i^i I'^l ",4 !'f, E'" ' *'- ' ^- " s'k h If i 1 :ri 374 FKANKLlN'li JOURNliV also parry thu thrust or cuts of a. sword with the tuiuahswk very dexterously. The common tomahawk is nothing more than a light hatchet, but the most approved sort has on the back part of the hatchet, and connected with it in one piece, the bowl of a pipe, so that when the handle is perforated, the tomahawk answers every purpose of a pipe; the Indians, indeed, are fonder of smoaking out of a tomahawk than out of any other sort of pipe. That formerly given to the Indians by the French traders, instead of a pipe, had a large spike on the back part of the hatchet ; very few of these instruments are now to be found amongst them. The tomahawk is commonly worn by the left side, stuck in a belt. For the favourite chiefs, very elegant pipe tomahawks, inlaid with silver, are manufactured by the armourers in the Indian department. An Indian child, soon after it is born, is swathed in cloths or skins, and being then laid on its back, is bound down on a piece of thick board, spread over with soft moss. The board is left somewhat longer and broader than the child, and bent pieces of wood, like pieces of hoops, are placed over its face to protect it, so that if the machine were suffered tu /all the child would not probably be injured. The women, when they go abroad, carry their children thus tied down on their backs, t\ie board being suspended by a broad baud, which they wear round their foreheads. When they have any business to transact at home, they hang the board on a tree, if there be one at hand, and set them a swinging from side to side, like a pendulum, in order to exercise the chil- dren; sometimes, also, they unloose the children from the boards, and putting them each into a sort of little hammock, fasten them between two trees, and there suffer them to swing about. As soon as they are strong enough to crawl about on their hands and feet they are liberated from all confinement, and suffered, like young puppies, to run about, stark naked, into water, into mud, into snow, and, in short, ^ f'^' "O Tilt i'Ol.AR feiJiA. 373 li) go wheresoever their choice leads tliem ; hence they derive that vigour of constitution vvliich enables them to support the greatest fatigue, and tliat indiiference to the changes of the weather which they possess in common with tlie brute creation. The girls are covered with a loose garment as soon as they have attained four or five years of age, but the boys go naked till they are considerably older. The Indians are for the most part very slightly made, iiiid from a survey of their persons, one would imagine that tliey were much better qualified for any pursuits that re- quired great agility than great bodily strength. This has been the general opinion of most of those who have written uu this subject; however, others think that the Indians are much more remarkable for their muscular strength than for iheir agility. At different military posts on the frontiers, where this subject has been ngitated, races, for the sake of experiment, have frequently been made between soldiers and Indians, and provided the distance was not great, the Indians have almost always been beaten ; but in a long race, where strength of muscle was required, they have without exception been victorious; in leaping also the In- dians have been infallibly beaten by such of the soldiers as possessed common activity ; but the strength of the Indians is most conspicuous in the currying of burdens on their backs ; they esteem it nothing to walk thirty miles a day for several days together, under a load of eight stone, bnd they will walk an entire day under a load without taking any refreshment. In carrying burdens they make use of a sort of frame, somewhat similar to what is commonly used by a glazier to carry glass ; this is fastened by cords, or strips of tough bark or leather, rOund their shoulders, and when the load is fixed upon the broad ledge at the bottom of the frame, two bands are thrown round the whole, one of which is brought across the forehead, and the other across the breast, and thus the load is supported. The length of way an Indian will travel in the cuurse of the day, when uncu- 11 ''i!l i u > '■ m lA^, ':fi ■h' ' ? I > ^iMi A I.! 1m 374 franklin's JOURNEr cambered with a load, is astonishing. A young Wyandol, who was employed to carry a message, travelled but little short of eighty miles on foot in one day, and when he arrived at the end of his journey, he did not appear in the least de- gree fatigued. Le P. Charlevoix observes, that the Indians seem to him to possess many personal advantages over Europeans ; their senses, in particular, he thinks much finer; their sight is, indeed, quick and penetrating, and it does not fail them till they are far advanced in years, notwithstanding that their eyes are exposed so many months each winter to the daz- zling whiteness of the snow, and to the sharp irritating smoke of wood fires. Disorders in the eyes are almost wholly lui- known to them ; nor is the slightest blemish ever seen in their eyes, excepting it be a result from some accident. Their hearing is very acute, and their sense of smelling so nice, that they can tell when they are approaching a fire long before it is in sight. The Indians have most retentive memories; they will preserve to their deaths a recollection of any place they have once passed through ; they never forget a face that they huve attentively observed but for a few seconds ; at the end of many years they will repeat every sentence of the speeches that have been delivered by different individuals in a public assembly; and has any speech been made in the council house of the nation, particularly deserving of remembrance, it will be handed down with the utmost accuracy from one generation to another, though" perfectly ignorant of the use of hieroglyphicks and letters ; t')e only memorials of which they avail themselves are small pieces of wood, and belts of wampum ; the former are only used on trifling occasions, the latter never but on very grand and solemn ones. Whenever a confereiice, or a talk as they term it, is about to be held with any neighbouring tribe, or whenever any treaty or national compact is about to be made, one of these belts, differing in some respects from every other that ha? been TO THE POLAR SEA. 375 'yandol, lit little > arrived least de- [ti to him ns ; their sight is, them till that their the daz- ng smoke vholly uii- ;r seen in accident. they will they have ; they have he end of e speeches in a public le council lembrance, V from one of the use s of which nd belts of ;asions, the Whenever to be held r treaty or :hese belts, It has been made before, is immediately constructed; each person in the assembly holds this belt in his hand whilst he delivers his speech, and when he has ended, he presents it to the next person that rises, by which ceremony each individual is re- minded, that it behoves him to be cautious iu his discourse, as all he says will be faithfully recorded by the belt. The talk being over, the belt is deposited in the hands of the principal chief. On the ratification of a treaty, very broad splendid belts are reciprocally given by the contracting parties, which are deposited amongst the other belts belonging to the nation. At stated intervals they are all produced to the nation, and the occasions upon which they were made are mentioned; if they relate to a talk.one of the chiefs repeats the substance of wiiat was said ow^r to them; if to a treaty, the terms of it are recapitulated. Certain of the squaws, also, are entrust- ed with the belts, whose business it is to relate the history of each one of them to the younger branches of the tribe ; this they do with great accuracy, and thus it is that the remem- brance of every important transaction is kept up. The wampum is formed of the inside of the calm shell, a large sea shell bearing some similitude to that of a scallop, which is found on the coasts of New England and Virginia. The shell is sent in its original rough state to England, and there cut into small pieces, exactly similar in shape and size to the modern glass bugles worn by ladies, which little bits of shell constitute wampum. There are two sorts of wam- pum, the white and the purple ; the latter is most esteemed by the Indians, who think a pound weight of it equally valuable with a pound of silver. The wampum is strung upon bits of leather, and the belt is composed of ten, twelve, or more strings, according to the importance of the occasion on which it is made ; sometimes also, the wampum is sowed in different patterns on broad belts of leather. The use of wampum appears to be very general amongst tiie Indian nations, but how it became so, is a question that 5 1 > H^ , li .'.'i' \> 370 FRANKMN'ltt J(Jt'RNBY ! ■ i. ijm would require discussion, for it is well known llmt ihey an? a people obstinately uttached to old customs, and that would not therefore be apt to adopt, on the most grand and solemn occasion, the use of an article that they had never seen until brought to them by strangers; at the same time it seems wholly impossible that they should ever have been able to have made wampum from the calm shell for themselves; they fashion the bowls of tobacco pipes, indeed, from stone, in a very curious manner, and with astonishing accuracy, considering that they use no other instrument than a common knife, but then the stone which they commonly carve tims is of a very soft kind ; the calm shell, however, is exceed- ingly hard, and to bore and cut it into such small pieces ns are necessary to form wampum, very line tools would b,- wanting. Probably they made some use of the calm shell, and endeavoured to reduce it to as small bits as they could with their rude instruments, but on finding that Europonns could cut it so much more neatly than they could, laid aside the wampum before in use for that of our manufacture. The Indians are exceedingly sagacious and observant, mid by dint of mintite attention, acquire many qualifications to which we are wholly strangers. They will traverse a track- less forest, hundreds of miles in extent, without deviatin;; from the straight course, and will reach to a certainty the spot whither they intended to go on setting out ; with equal skill they will cross one of the large lakes, and though out of sight of the shores for days, will to a certainty make the land at once, at the very place they desired. Some of the French missionaries have supposed that the Indians are guided by instinct, and have pretended that Indian children can find their way through a forest as easily as a person of maturer years, but this is a most absurd notion. It is un- questionably by a close attention to the growth of the trees, and position of the sun, that they find their way. Ou the northern side of a tree there is generaUy the most moss, and the bark on that side in general differs from that on the op- TO TUB HOI.AK SUA. 37: posite one. The branches toward the south are for the most part more luxuriant than those on the other side of trees, and several other distinctions also subsist between (he northern and southern sides, conspicuous to Indians, who are taught from their infancy to attend to them, "which a common observer would perhaps never notice. Being ac- customed from their childhood, likewise, to pay great at- tention to the position of the sun, they learn to make the most accurate allowance for its apparent motion from one part of the heavens to another, and in any part of the day they will point to the part of the heavens where it is, although the sky be obscured by clouds or mists. An instance of their dexterity in finding their way through an unknown country, is noticed by Mr. Weld. He says, a number of the Creek nation had arrived at Staunton, in their way to Philadelphia, whither they were going upon some affairs of importance, and had stopped there for the night. In the morning some circumstance or another, what could not be learned, induced one half of the Indians to set off without their companions, who did not follow until some hours afterwards. When these last were ready to pursue their journey, several of the towns-people mounted their horses to escort them part of the way. They proceeded along the high road for some miles, but all at once, hastily turning aside into the woods, though there was no path, the Indians advanced confidently forward; the people who ac- companied them, surprised at this movement, informed them that they were quitting the road to Philadelphia, and ex- pressed tbeir fears lest they should miss their companions who had gone on before. They answered, that they knew better; that the way through the woods was the shortest to Philadelphia; and that they knew very well that their oompanions had entered the woods at the very place they did. Curiosity led some of the horsemen to go on, and to their astonishment, for there was apparently no track, they overtook the other Indians in the thickest part of the wood ; P. V. 16 C c c \i 1 r- f ' '•' ' I, ,'* ■' [ Ij 'Jt !'■ I '■ 1 1- 1 iiU?4 >•' id ... I .. J ,' < ii 378 FRANKLINb JOURNEY but what appeared most singular was, that the route which they took was found, on examining a map, to be as direct for Philadelphia as if they had taken the bearings by a ma- riner's compass. From others of their nation, who had been at Philadelphia at a former period, they had probably learned the exact direction- of that city from their village, and had never lost sight of it, although they had already travelled three hundred miles through woods, and had upwards of four hundred miles more to go before they could reach the place of their destination. The Indians, for the most part, are admirably well ac- quainted with the geography of their own country. Ask them any questions relative to the situation of a particular place in it, and if there be a convenient spot at hand, they will, with the utmost facility, trace upon the ground with a stick a map, by no means inaccurate, of the place in question, and the surrounding country; they will point out the course of the rivers, and by directing your attention to the sun, make you acquainted with the different bearings. The Indians, most commonly take upon them the name of some animal, as. The Blue Snake; Tiie Little Turkey; The Big Bear; The Mad Dog, &c. and their signatures consist of the* outline, drawn with a pen, of the different animals whose names they bear. Some of the signatures at the bottom of these deeds were really well executed, and were lively representations of the animals they were intended for. The Indians in general possess no small share of ingenuity. Their domestic wooden utensils, bows and arrows, and other weapons, &c. are made with the utmost neatness; and in- deed the workmanship of them is frequently such as to ex- cite astonishment, when it is considered that a knife and a hatchet are the only instruments they make use of. On the handles of their tomahawks, on their powder horns, on the bowls of their pipes, &c. you oftentimes meet with figures extremely well designed, and with specimens of carving far from contemptible. The embroidery upon their moccasins V : TO THE FOLAK SEA. 37U imd other "garments shews that the females are not less in- genious in their way than the men. Their porcupine quill work Mould command admiration in any country in Europe. The soft young- quills of the porcupine are those which they use, and they dye them of the most beautiful and brilliant colours imaginable. Some o^ their dyes have been dis- covered, but many of them yet remain unknown, as do also many of the medicines with which they perform sometimes most miraculous cures. Their dyes and medicines are all pro- cured from the vegetable world. A French writer tells of some Iroquois Indians that walked through several of the finest streets of Paris, but without expressing the least pleasure at any thing they saw, \jntil at last they came to a cook's shop, this called forth their warmest praise; a shop where a man was always sure of getting something to satisfy his hunger, without the trouble and fatigue of hunting and fishing, was in their opinion one of the most admirable institutions possible ; had they been told, however, that they must have paid for what they eat, they would have expressed equal indignation perhaps at what they saw. In their own villages they have no idea of refus- ing food to any person that enters their habitation in quality of a friend ; and there is not one of them but what would prefer his own wigwam to the most splendid habitations they see in any of these places. The shipping, however, at Phi- ladelphia and the other sea-ports, seldom fails to excite ad- miration, because they at once see the utility and advantage of large vt!>;sels over canoes, which are the only vessels they have. The young Wyandot, who, as before mentioned, made such a wonderful day's journey on foot, while at Phi- ladelphia, appeared highly delighted with the river, and the great number of ships of all sizes upon it; but the tide at- tracted his attention more than any thing else whatsoever. On coming to the river the first day, he looked up at the sun, and made certain observations upon the course of the stream, and general situut'on of the place, as the Indians never fail c f c 2 ■A 'l: 380 FRAN&LINS JULIKNRY ■ ' i « . i'i' III if ;;f'- to do on coming to any new or remarkable spot. The second time, however, he went down to the water, he found to his surprise thai ihe river was running with equal rapidity in a contrary direction to what he had seen it run the day before. For a moment Le imagined that by some mistake he m'^st have got to the opposite side of it ; but soon recollecting himself, and being persuaded that he stood on the very same spot from whence he had viewed it the day before, his as- tonishment became great indeed. To obtain information upon such an interesting point, he immediately sought out an aid-de-carap of General Wayne, who had brought him to town. This gentleman, however, only rendered the appear- ance still more mysterious to him, by telling him, that the Great Spirit, for the convenience of the white men, -vho were his particular favourites, had made the rivers in their coun- try to run two ways. Nothing gives more delight to the Indians than to see a man that excels in any bodily exercise ; and tell them even of a person that is distinguished for his great strength, for his swiftness in running, for his dexterous management in the bow or the gun, for his cunning in hunting, for his in- trepid and firm conduct in war, or the like, they will listen to you with the greatest pleasure, and readily join in praises of the hero. No people on earth are more alive to the calls of friend- ship ; no people have a greater affection for their offspring in their tender years ; no people are more sensible of an injury ; a word in the slightest degree insulting will kindle a flame in their breasts, that can only be extinguished by the blood of the offending party , and they will traverse forests for hun- dreds of miles, exposed to the inclemency of the severest wea- ther and to the pangs of hunger, to gratify their revenge; they will not cease for years daily to visit, and silently to mourn over the grave of a departed child; and they will risk their lives, and sacrifice every thing they possess, to assist a friend in dis- tress; but at the same time, in their opinion, no man can be ? ,r !*.-# eir coim- TO THE POL Alt SEA. 381 t'steeiued a good warrior, or a dignified character, that openly betrays any extravagant emotions of surprise, of joy, of sorrow, or of fear, on any occasion whatsoever. The ex- cellence of appearing thus indifferent to what would excite the strongest emotions in the minds of any other people, is forcibly inculcated on them from their earliest youth ; and such an astonishing command do they acquire over them- selves, that even at the stake, when suffering the severest tortures that can be inflicted on the human body by the flames and the knife, they appear unmoved, and laugh, as it is well known, at their tormentors. The Indians scarcely ever lift their hands against their children ; but if they are unmindful of what is said to them, they sometimes throw a little water in their faces, a species of reprimand of which the children have the greatest dread, and which produces an instantaneous good effect. One of the French missionaries tells of his having seen a girl of an advanced age so vexed at having some water thrown in her face by her mother, as if she was still a child, that she in- stantly retired, and put an end to her existence. As long as they remain children, the young Indians are attentive in the extreme to the advice of their parents; butwhen urrivedat the age of puberty, and able to provide for themselves, they no longer have any respect for them, and they will follow their own will and pleasure in spite of all their remonstran- ces, unless, indeed, their parents be of an advanced age. Old age never fails to command their most profound vene- ration. In their conduct towards one another nought but gentle- ness and harmony is observable ; but when intoxicated with spirits, which is but too often the case, a very different picture is presented to view, and they appear more like devils in- carnate than human beings; they roar, they fight, they cut each other, and commit every sort of outrage ; indeed, so sensible are they of their own infirmities in this state, that wlwjn a number of them are about to get drunk, they giw i^ .' ' . lii' 38-2 FRANKLINS JOURNEY ... ! \ .' I 1 up their knives and tomahawks, &c. to one of the party, who is on honour to remain sober, and to prevent mischief, and who generally does behave according to this promise. If they happen to get drunk without having taken this pre- caution, their squaws take the earliest opportunity to deprive them of their weapons. The Indians prefer whisky and rum to all other spirituous liquors ; but they do not seem eager to obtain these liquors so much for the pleasure of gratifying- their palates as for the sake of intoxication. There is not one in a hundred that can refrain from drinking to excess if he have it in his power, and the generality of them having once got a taste of any intoxicating liquor, will use every means to gain more ; and to do so they at once become mean, servile, de- ceitful, and depraved, in every sense of the word. Nothing can make amends to these unfortunate people for the in- troduction of spirituous liquors amongst them. Before their acquaintance with them, they were distinguished beyond all other nations for their temperance in eating and drinking'; for their temperance in eating, indeed, they still are remarka- ble, they esteem it indecorous in the highest degree even to appear hungry; and on arriving at tlieir villages, after hav- ing fasted, perhaps for several days preceding, they will sit down quietly, and not ask for any food for a considerable time; and having got wherewith to satisfy their appetite, they will eat with moderation, as though the calls of hunger were not more pressing than if they had feasted the hour before. They never eat on any occasion in a hurry. These Indians are by nature of a very hospitable, generous disposition, where no particular circumstances operate to the contrary ; and, indeed, even when revenge would fain per- suade them to behave differently, yet having once professed a friendship for a stranger, and pledged themselves for his safety, nothing can induce them to deviate from their word. The generality of the Indian nations appear to have two sorts of chiefs, council chiefs, and war chiefs. The former U .-iw, .:..^,,.M.<.vi-^'*'~ '" mm TO TJm POLAR SEA. 383 are hereditary, and are employed principally in the manage- ment of their civil afiairs; but they may be war chiefs at tlie same time ; the latter are chosen from amongst those who have distinguished themselves the most in battle, and are solely employed in leading the warriors in the field. The chiefs have no power of enforcing obedience to their com- mands, nor do they ever atteinpt to give their orders in an imperious manner; they simply advise. Each private indi- vidual conceives that he is born in a state of perfect liberty, and he disdains all controul, but that which his own reason subjects him to. As they all have one interest, however, at heart, which is the general welfare of the nation, and as it is well known that the chiefs are actuated by no other motives, whatever measures they recommend are generally attended to, and at once adopted. The Indians have the most sovereign contempt for any set of people that have tamely relinquished their liberty; and they consider such as have lost it, even after a hard struggle, as unworthy any rank in society above that of old wom6n ; to this cause, and not to the difference that subsists between their persons, is to be attributed the rooted aversion which the Indians have for negroes. You could not possibly affront an Indian more readily, than by telling him that you think he bears some resemblance to a negro; or that he has negro blood in his veins ; they look upon them as animals inferior to the human species, and will kill them with as much un- concern as a dog or a cat. An American officer, who, during the war with Great Britain, had been sent to one of the Indian nations resident on the western frontier of the States, to persuade them to re- main neuter in the contest, has stated, that whilst he re- mained amongst them some agents arrived in their village to negotiate, if possible, for the release of some negro slaves whom they had carried off from the American settlements. One of these negroes, a remarkably tall handsome fellow, had been given to an Indian woman of some consequence in J ' ' h I i m 384 FRANKLINS JOURNKY If. V S< M^l I : I the nation, in the manner in which prisoners are usually dis- posed of amongst them. Application was made to her for his ransom. She listened quietly to what was said ; resolved at the same time, however, that the fellow should not have his liberty, she stepped aside into her cabin, and having brought out a large knife, walked up to her slave, and with- out more ado plunged it into his bowels : " Now," says she, addressing herself coolly to the agents; " now I give you leave to take away your negro." The poor creature that had been stabbed fell to the ground, and lay writhing about in the greatest agonies, untill one of the warriors took compassion on him, and put an end to his misery by a blow of a toma- hawk. It is a very singular and remarkable circumstance, that not- withstanding the striking similarity in the persons, manners, dispositions, and religion of the different tribes of Indians from one end of the continent of North America to the other, a similarity so great as hardly to leave a doubt on the mind but that they must all have had the same origin, the lan- guages of the different tribes should yet be so materially dif- ferent. No two tribes speak exactly the same language ; and the languages of many of those, who live at no great distance asunder, vary so much, that they cannot make them- selves at all understood by each other. Some persons, who have made the Indian languages their study, assert, that all the different languages spoken by those tribes, with which we have any connection, are but dialects of three primitive tongues, viz. the Huron, the Algonquin, and the Sioux ; the two former of which, being well under- stood, will enable a person to converse, at least slightly, with the Indians of any tribe in Canada or the United States. All the nations that speak a language derived from the Sioux, have, it is said, a hissing pronunciation ; those who speak one derived from the Huron, have a gutteral pronunciation ; and such as speak any one derived from the Algonquin, pro- nounce their words with greater softness and ease than any of the other. !'fl i\ :ji ■^p«^p m^mt !SUi-'"" TO THK POLAR SUA. 38;> The Indians, both men and women, speak with great deli- beration, and never appear to be at a loss for words to ex- press their sentiments. The native music of the Indians is very rude and indifferent, and equally devoid of melody and variety. Their famous war song is nothing better tha«i an in- sipid recitative. Singing and dancing with them go hand in hand ; and when a large number of them, collected together, join in one song, the few wild notes of which it consists, mingled with the sound of their pipes and drums, sometimes produce, when heard at a distance, a pleasing effect on the ear ; but it is then and then only that their music is tolerable. A writer who v^as witness to their dancing says, three el- derly men, seated upon a tree, were the principal musicians One of these beat a small drum, formed of a piece of a hollow tree covered with a skin, and the two others marked time equally with the drum, with rattles formed of dried squashes or gourds filled with peas. At the same time these men sung, indeed they were the leaders of the song, which the dancers joined in. The dancers consisted solely of a party of squaws, to the number of twenty or thereabouts, who, stand- ing in a circle, with their faces inwards and their hands folded round each other's necks, moved, thus linked together, side- ways, with close short steps, round a small fire. The men and women never dance together, unless indeed a pretty squaw be introduced by some young fellow into one of the men's dances, which is considered as a very great mark of favour. This is of a piece with the general conduct of the Indians, who look upon the women in a totally different light from what we do in Europe, and condemn them as slaves to do all the drudgery. After the women had danced for a time, a larger fixe was kindled, and the men assembled from different parts of the island, to the number of fifty or sixty, to amuse themselves in their turn. There was little more variety in their dancing than in that of the women. They first walked round the fire In a large circle, closely, one after another, marking time P. V. 17. D D D ■» ri ■ 1 9 j 38G pbanklin's journey f, with shorf steps to the music ; the best dancer was put at their head, and gave the step ; he was also the principal singer in the circle. After having made one round, the step was altered to a wider one, and they began to stamp with great vehemence upon the ground ; and every third or fourtli round, making little leaps off the ground with both feet, they turned their faces to the fire and bowed their heads, at the same time going on sideways. At last, having made a dozen or two rounds, towards the end of which each one of them had begun to stamp on the ground with inconceivable fury, but more particularly the principal dancer, they all gave a loud shout at once, and the dance ended. In two or three minutes another dance was begun, which ended as soon, and nearly in the same way as the other. There was but little difference in the figures of any of them, and the only material difference in the songs was, that in some of them the dancers, instead of singing the whole of the air, came in simply with responses to the airs sung by the old men. They beckoned to us to join them in their dance, which we immediately did, as it was likely to please them, and we remained on the island with them till two or three o'clock in the morning. There is something inconceivably terrible in the sight of a number of Indians dancing thus round a fire in the depths of thick woods, and the loud shrieks at the end of every dance add greatly to the horror which their first appearance inspires. They never think of dancing till the night is considerably advanced, and they keep it up till daybreak. In the day time they lie sleeping in the sun, or sit smoking tobacco, that is, when they have nothing particular to engLge them. Though the most diligent persevering people in the world when roused into action, yet when at peace with their neigh- bours, and having got wherewith to satisfy the calls of hunger, they are the most slothful and indolent possible. The dances mentioned are such as the Indians amuse themselves with in common. On grand occasions they have oaimz TO THE POLAR SKA. 387 a variety of others much more interesting" to a spectator. The dances which you see in common amongst the Shawnese, and certain other tribes, are also, it is said, much more en- tertaining than those here described. Of their grand dances the war dance must undoubtedly, from every account received of it, be the one most worthy the attention of a stranger. It is performed both on setting out and returning from their war parties, and likewise at other times, but never except on some very particular and solemn occasion. The chiefs and warriors who are about to join in tiiis dance dress and paint themselves as if actually out on a warlike expedition, and they carry in their hands their war- like weapons. Being assembled, they seat themselves down on their hams, in a circle, round a great fire, near to which is placed a large post ; after remaining a short time in this position, one of the principal chiefs rises, and placing him- self in the centre, begins to rehearse, in a sort of recitative, all the gallant actions which he has ever performed ; he dwells particularly on the number of enemies he has killed, and describes the manner in which he scalped them, making ges- tures all the time, and brandishing his we^ipons, as if actually engaged in performing the horrid operation. At the end of every remarkable story he strikes his war club on the post with great fury. Every chief and warrior tells of his deeds in turn. The song of one warrior often occupies several hours, and the dance itself sometimes lasts for three or four entire days and nights. During this period no one is allowed to sleep, a person who stands at the outside of the circle be- ing appointed (whose business it is) to rouse any warrior that appears in the least drowsy. A deer, a bear, or some other. large animal is put to roast at the fire as soon as the dance begins, and while it lasts each warrior rises at will to help himself to a piece of it. After each person in the circle has iaturn told of his exploits, they all rise, andjoinina dance truly terrifying ; they throw themselves into a variety of pos- tures, and leaping about in the most frantic manner, bran- i) i> 1. 2 n i ^ ■V' Hi 1f .4 \'h ':.use in Bethlehem is common to the whole town ; a sh.'lf or boanl in it is allotted to e&ch family, and though there is no watch placed over it, and the doer be only secured by a latch, yet every person is certain of finding, when he comes for it, his pluie of bu«ior or bowl of milk, &c. ^xactly in the same state fv8ck E K E 2 U •!' I \ V f J 'I '*" m m ':f 'K' m ^ \i " * m m '' n ]imi m i \ 'W f^. <■■ I m rM d9C FRANKLlN'liJ JOURNEY throu(^hout the year, a public stage waggon runs between it and Philadelphia. At the distance of eighteen miles from the town of Nia- gara or Newark, are those remarkable Falls in Niagara River, whicli may justly be ranked amongst the greatest natural curiosities in the known world. The road leading from Lake Ontario to Erie runs within a few hundred yards of them. This road, which is within the British dominions, is carried along the top of the lofty steep banks of the river: for a considerable way it runs close to their very edge, and in passing along it the eye of the traveller is entertained with a variety of the most grand and beautiful prospects. The river, instead of growing narrow as you proceed up- wards, widens considerably ; at the end of nine or ten miles it > r >• Is to the breadth of a mile, and here it assumes muct. appearance of a lake; it is enclosed, seemingly on all sides, by high hills, and the current, owing to the great depth of the, water, is so gentle as to be scarcely percepti- ble from the top of the banks. It continues thus broad for a mile or two, when on a sudden tlie waters are contracted between the high hills on each side. From hence up to the falls the current is exceedingly irregular and rapid- At the upper end of this broad part of the river, and nearly at the foot of the banks, is situated a small village, that has been called Queenstown, but which, in the adjacent country, is best known by the name of " The Landing.*' The lake merchant vessels can proceed up to this yillage with perfect safety, and they commonly do so, to d sit, in the stores there, such goods as are intended to be sent higher up the country, and to receive in return the furs, &c. that have been collected at the various posts on Lakes Huron and Erie, and sent thither to be conveyed down to Kingston, across Lake Ontario. The portage from this place to the nearest navigable part of Niagara River, above the Falls, is nine miles in length. From the town of Niagara to Queenstown, the country TO THR POLAR SEA. 3<)7 in the neighbourhood of the river is very level ; but here it i)Uts on a different aspect; a confused range of hills, covered with oaks of an immense size, suddenly rises up before you, and the road that windu up the side of them is 80 steep and rugged, that it is absolutely necessary for the traveller to leave his carriage, if he should be in ane, and proceed to the top on foot. Beyond these hills you nguin come to an unbroken level country : but the soil here differs materially from that on the opposite side: it consists of a rich dark earth inlcmixed with clay, and abounding with stones; whereas, on the side next Lake Ontario, the soil is of a yellowish cast, in some places in- clining to gravel and in others to sand. From the brow of one *of the hills in this ridge, which overhangs the little village of Queenstown, the ^^ye of the traveller is gratified with one of the finest prospects that can be imagined in nature: you stand amidst a clump of large oaks, a little to the left of the road, and looking downwards, perceive, through the branches of the trees with which the hill is clothed from the summit to the base, the tops of the houses of Queenstown, and in front of the village, tho ships moored in the river; the ships are at least two hundred feet below you, and their masts appear like slender reeds peep- ing up amidst the thick foliage of the trees. Carrying your eye forward, you may trace the river in all its windings, and finally see it disembogue into Lake Ontario, between the town and the fort: the lake itself terminates your view in this direction, except merely at one part of the horizon, where you just get a glimpse of the blue hills of Toronto. The shore of the river, on the right hand, remains in its natural state, covered with one continual forest ; but on the opposite side the country is interspersed with cultivated fields and neat farm houses down to the water's edge. The country beyond the hills is much less cleared than that which lies towards the town of Niagara, on the navigable part of the river. I 4 1 :-■■ ^ « 'I ; 'it L S;. ■ ii ; 1 1 .A ' ', 404 FRANKLINS JUUKNCY :tt Having left this place, we returned once more through the woods bordering upon the precipice to the open fields, and then directed our course by a circuitous path, about on« mile in length, to a part of the cliff where it is possible to descend to the bottom of the cataract. The river, for manj miles below the precipice, is bounded on each side by steep, a nd in most parts perpendicular cliffs, formed of earth and rocks, and it is impossible to descend to the bottom of them, except at two places, where large masses of earth and rocks have crumbled down, and ladders have been placed from one break to another, for the accommodation of passengers. The first of these places which you come to in walking along the river, from the Horse-shoe Fall downwards, is called the " Indian Ladder," the ladders having been constructed there by the Indians. These ladders, as they are called, of which there are several, one below the other, consist simply of long pine trees, with notches cut in their sides, for the passenger to rest his feet on. The trees, even when first placed there, would vibrate as you stepped upon them, owing to their being so long and slender ; age has rendered thf still less firm, and they now certainly cannot be deeme{ , though many persons are still in the habit of descending by their means. We did not attempt to get to the bottom of the eliff by this route, but proceeded to the other place, which is lower down the river, called Mrs. Simcoe's Ladder, the ladders having been originally placed there for the accom- modation of the lady of the governor. This route is much more frequented than the other; the ladders, properly so called, are strong, and firmly placed, and none of them, owing to the frequent breaks in the cliff, are required to be of such a great length but what even a lady might pass up or down them without fear of danger. To descend over the rugged rocks, however, the whole way down to the bottom of the cliff, is certainly no trifling undertaking, and few ladies, I believe, could be found of sufficient strength of body to encountex the fatigue of such an expedition. TO THE HOLAK &RA. 105 On arriving at the bottom of the cliff, you find yourself in the midst of huge piles of mis-shapen rocks, with great masses of earth and rocks projecting from the side of the olifl', and overgrown with pines and cedars hanging over your head, apparently ready to crumble down and crush you to atoms. Many of the largo trees grow with their heads downwards, being suspended by their roots, which had taken such a firm hold in the ground at the top of the cliff", that when part of it gave way the trees did not fall altogether. The river before you here is somewliat more than a quarter of a mile wide ; and on the opposite side of it, a little to the right, the Fort Schloper Fall, is seen to great advantage: what you see of the Horse-shoe Fall also appears in a very favourable point of view; the projecting cliff conceals nearly one half of it. The Fort Schloper Fall, is skirted at bottom by milk, white foam, which ascends in thick volumes from the rocks; but it is not seen to rise above the fall like a cloud of smoke, as is the case at the Horse-shoe Fall ; nevertheless the spray is so considerable, that it descends on the opposite side of the river, at the foot of Simcoe's Lad- der, like rain. Having reached the margin of the river, we proceeded towards the Great Fall, along the strand, which for a con- siderable part of the way thither consists of horizontal beds of limestone rock, covered with gravel, except, indeed, where great piles of stone have fallen from the sides of the cliff". These horizontal beds of rock, in some places, extend very far into the river, forming points which break the force of the current, and occasion strong eddies along particular parts of the shore. Here great numbers of the bodies of fishes, squirrels, foxes, and various other animals, unable to stem the current of the river above the falls, have been carried down the precipice. The timber is generally terribly shattered, and the carcases of all the large animals, parti- cularly of the large fishes, are found very much bruised. A dreadful stench arises from the quaatity of putrid matter W i| Cl ■i^tl ,»v *l'- 111 \'.t n:|p! I r\ I) it u 1 '■\ ■'\i r- * '1 .,.f 'fB ■ V 406 franklin's journey lying on the shore, and numberless birds of prey, attracted by it, are always seen hovering about the place. Amongst the most numerous stories current in the coun- try, relating to this wonderful cataract, there is one that records the hapless fate of a poor Indian, which I select, as the truth is linquestionable. The unfortunate hero of this tale, intoxicated, it seems, with spirits, had laid himself down to sleep at the bottom of his canoe, which was fastened to ihe beach at the distance of some miles above the falls. His squaw sat ra the shore to watch him. Whilst thev were in this situation, a sailor from one of the ships of war on the neighbouring lakes happened to pass by; he was struck with the charms of the squaw, and instantly deter- mined upon enjoying them. The faithful creature, however, unwilling to gratify his desires, hastened to the canoe to arouse her husband; but before she could effect hef purpose, the sailor cut the cord by which the canoe was fastened, and set it adrift. It quickly floated away with the stream fron the fatal spot, and ere many minutes elapsed, was cairied down into the midst of the rapids. Here it wac distinctly seen by several persons that were standing on the adjacent shore, whose attention had been caught by the singularity of the appearance of a canoe iu such a part of the river. The violent motion of the waves soon awoke the Indian; he started up, looked wildly around, and perceiving his danger, instantly seized his paddle, and made the most surprising exertions to save himself; but finding in a little time that all his eflforts would be of no avril in stemming the impetuosity of the current, he with great composure put aside his paddle, wrapt himself up in his blanket, and again laid himself dv. , n in the ;;ottor.i of the rr.noe. m a few seconds he was hur- ried down the prec'pice, but neither he nor his canoe were ever seen more. It is supposed thai not more than one- third of the different things that happen to be carritAl down the falls re-appear at bottom. From (he foot of Simcoo's Ladder you may Malk al^mg tlu ^ wmmt ^l\ TO THE POLAR SBA. 407 strand for some distance without inconvenience ; but as you approach the Horse-shoe Fall, the way becomes more and more rugged. In some places where thf cliff lias crumbled down, huge mounds of earth, rocks, and trees, reaching to the water's edge, oppose your course ; it seems impossible to pass them ; and indeed, without a guide, a stranger would never find his way to the opposite side ; for to get there it is necessary to mount nearly to their top, and then to crawl on your hands and knees through long dark holes, where passages are left open between the torn up rocks and trees. After passing these mounds, you have to climb from rock to rock close under the cliff, for there is but little space here between the cliff and the rivei, and these rocks are so slippery, owing to the continual moisture from the spray, which descends very heavily, without the utmost precaution it is scarcely possible to escape a fall. At the distance of a quarter of a mile from the Great Fall we were as wet, owing to the spray, iS if each had been thrown into the river. There is nothing whatsoever to prevent you from passing to the foot of the Great Fall ; and y» • might even proceed behind the prodigious sheet of water that comes pouring down from ttie top of the precipice, for the water falls from the edge of a projecting rock ; and, moreover, caverns of a very considerable size have been hollowed out of the rocks at the bottom of the precipice, owing to the violent ebullition of the water, which extends some way underneath the bed of the upper part of the river. T advanced within about six yards of the edge of the sheet of water, just far enough to peep into the caverns behind it ; but here my breath was nearly taken away by the violent whirlwind that always rages at the bottom c*" the cataract, occasioned by the con- cussion of such a vast body of water against the rocks. I confess I had no inclination at the time to go fariher; iior, indeed, any of us afterwards attempted to explore the dreary confines of these caverns, where death seemed to await him that should be daring enough to enter their threat- il\ a I (^ ! ' ;! I'i ■i i *^. •« i\ i.i V h i » I I I mk 406 FRANKLIN'S JOURNEY ening jaws. No words can convey an adequate idea of the grandeur of the scene at this place. Your senses are ap- palled by the sight of the immense body of water that comes pouring down so closely to you from tl 3 top of the stupend- ous precipice, and by the thundering sound of the billows dashing against the rocky sides of the caverns below ; you tremble with reverential fear, when you consider that a blast of the whirlwind might sweep you from off the slippery rocks on which you stand, and precipitate you into the dread- ful gulph beneath, from whence all the power of man could not extricate you ; you feel what an insignificant being you are in the creation, and your mind is forcibly impressed with an awful idea of the power of that mighty Being who com- manded the waters to flow. Since the Falls of Niagara were first discovered they have receded very considerably, owing to the disrupture of the rocks which form the precipice. The rocks at bottom are first loosened ^y the constant action of water upon them ; they are afterwards carried away, and those at top being thus undermL\ed, are soon broken by the weight of the water rushing over them ; even within the memory of many of the pros mt inhabitants of the country, the falls have re- ceded several yards. The commodore of the King's vessels on Lake Erie, who had been employed on that lake for upwards of thirty years, said, that when he first came into the country it was a common practice for young men to go to the island in the middle of the falls ; that after dining there, they used frequently to dare each other to walk into the river towards certain large rocks in the midst of the rapids, not far from the edge of the falls ; and sometimes to proceed through the water, even beyond these rocks. No such rocks are to be seen at present ; and were a man to advance two yards into the river from the island, he would be inevitably swept away by the torrent. It has been conjectured, that the Falls of Niagara were originally situated at Queenstown ; and indeed the more pains you take to examine the course of the wver w vm m W. J'!-U. ro THB POLAR SliA. 409 from the present falls downward, the more reason is there to iinagme that such a conjecture i^ well founded. From the precipice nearly down to Queenstown, the bed of the river is strewed with large rocks, and the banks are broken and rugged; circumstances which plainly denote that some great disruption has taken place along this part of the river; and ■we need be at no loss to account for it, as there are evident marks of the action of water upon the sides of the banks, and considerably above their present bases. Now t^j river has never been known to rise near these marks during the greatest floods; it is plain, therefore, that its bed must have been once much more elevated than it is at present. Below Queenstown, however, there are no traces on the banks to lead us to imagine that the level of the water wa? iver much higher there than it is now. The sudden increase of the depth of the river just below the hills at Queenstown, and its sudden expansion there at the same time, seem to indi- cate that the waters must for a great length of time have fallen from the top of the hills, and thus have formed that extensive deep basin below the village. In the river, a mile or two above Queenstown, there is a tremendous whirlpool, owing to a deep hole in the bed ; this hole was probably also formed by the waters falling for o great length of time on the same spot, in consequence of the rocks whic b composed the then precipice having remained firmer than those at any other place did. Tradition tells us, t the great fall, in- stead of having been in tlie form of a horse-shoe, ouce pro- jected in the middle. For a century past, ho v. tr, it has remained nearly in the present form; and as the ebullifion of the water at the bottom of the cataract is so much great- er at the centre of this fall than in any other part, and as the water consequently acts with more force there in under mining the precipice than at any other part, it is not unlikely that it may remain nearly in the same form for ages to come. At the bottom of the Horse-shoe Fall is found a kind of P. V. 18. Geo r \ ^ t' M iVv U ./ 410 franklin's jovjrney n? ii- i: !i s n % Tvhite concrete substance, by the people of the country, called spray. Some persons have supposed thai it is formed from earthly particles of the water, which descending, owing to their jircat specific gravity, quicker than the other particles, adhere to the rocks, and are there formed into a uaass. This concrete substance has precisely the appear- am^e of petrified froth ; and it is rera?Tkable that it is found adhering to those rocks against which the greatest quantity of the froth that floats upon the water, is washed by the eddies. We tember effectually banish these noxious animals. The natives who visit Cumberland House calculate the value of all articles by beaver skins ; a black fox skin or a large bear skin is equal to four Leaver skins, and so of all other animals. A fowling piece will purchase fifteen beaver skinSi and a coarse woollen blankei is equal to eiglit skins. These regulations do not bear a correct proportion as to their cost by the trading companies ; but having obtained this standard, their dealings are regulated by this rule. The Indians obtain credit for their articles in the autumn, and are to repay by skins which they procure by hunting in the course o.' the winter. In general they faithful >y fulfil their engagements. ■■■: The Hudson's Bay Company have about thirty men at Fort Cumberland, and about the same number of women and children. The North-west Company have still a greater number. Their support is principally fish caught at Beaver Lake, about fifty miles distance, where nearly three thou- sand were caught during the season in which Captain Frank- lin^s party wintered there. Tie greater part of the servants of the company take Indian women for their wives, and their progeny are be- coming very numerous. There is indeed but little restraint upon their moral conduct ; and as there is not the oppur- tuni'y of much education, they cannot be expected to manl- iest sentiments and feelings which are congenial to European manners. The girls are frequently wives at twelve years of age ; and sometimes they sell their wives for a season or altogether, receiving some small articles in exchange. , Having given a description of the names, character, and G G G 2 n 4. '\ mm i; ^ i^j*- .' . ^ ' ) t > 'it ii'.' " '" / ■■ Ml* 41-2 FRANKLINS JOURNKY general habits of many of the various tribes scattered over the cold norlhern parts of America, it will be proper to resume the narative. Captain Fran' .ii bavins^ determined to proceed durinij the winter beyond tho Great Slave Lake,, as stated in the former part of this work, in order to procure such further information as the servants of the Companies resident there mlij^ht afford, and beins^ furnished with the necessary equip- ments, set out on his journey on the I8th of January, 1820. The party consisted of Captain Franklin, Mr. Back, and John Hepburn. Each individual carried a blanket, a hatchet, a flint, steel and tinder. They had two siefl^^es, and two carioles, which is a sledge with a covering of lea- ther affixed so as to embrace the lower part of the body. They wore leathern trowscrs, which closed round the mo- cassins or Indian shoes, so as to keep out the snow. The gentlemen who managed the concerns of the two companies provided the dogs which were necessary to drav< the sledges, and proper persons to drive them. They also attended to the providing and arrangement of the articles necessary to be taken, which when stowed in the sledges, almost filled them. Th'-ee dogs were attached to each sledrre, which when filled was rather more than three hundred pounds, and with this the do£;s generally proceeded at the rate of about fifteen miles a day. Dr. Richardson, Mr. Hood and Mr. Connolly accompanied the party a short distance, and then returned to Cumberland House, bidding farewell for a season to their companions. Mr. Mackenzie of the Hudson's Bay Company joined the party with four sledges, having to go to Isle a la Crosse. The snow being deep the party proceeded in a line, so that each followed in the same track. After proceeding about six miles they encamped for the night ; after clearint,' the ground and covering the place with branches of trees, they spread their blankets u])on them, and making a good lira composed themselves to sleep in the open air TO THE POLAR »BA. 413 On tlie third tiny ol" llieir journey they were overtaken by Mr. Isbester, i)elongini«; to the Hudson's Bay Comj)any, and an Orkney man who was a servant of the Company. Mr. Isbester's province was to collect furs from the Indians. For this purpose he luul to seek out the Indians on parts of this dreary waste where it had been previously agreed they should liunt. With this precarious information he went for- ward apparently without concern, although he had not more than a week's provision ; and although it frequently occurs that the Indians remove from the appointed places of meet- ing when their efTorts are attended with but little si ccess ; indeed he had on a former journey been four days v.'thout food either for himself or dogs. On the twenty-fourth they met with two dead red deer, at the base of a precipice. It was supposed that they had been driven over the precipice by a party of wolves. It is said that while a herd is quietly grazing, the wolves, who are upon the wat-vh for their prey, will often assemble in great number • and so surround the herd, t!at having no means of escape any other way, they juu-.o ft-t m these high cliffs and are often killed by the fall. A wolf this day passed close by the man who was beating the track, but offered no violence. On the twenty-sixth, after travelling seventeen miles, they came to a deserted house belonging to the Company at Upper Nippeween, where they passed the night ; but the dilapidated state of the house, being without doors or win- dows, afforded them so little shelter, that they found the place less comfortable than sleeping in the opon air. The following morning was severely cold ; bui as there wa&little wind they did not experience more inconvenience than for- merly, and found that it was not altogether the temperature of the weather, but the force of the wind, which affected their feelings the most. In the course of the twenty-seventh the party passed the ruins of an establishment which the traders had been com- i' I] ii ii r. <^ r (^ f liJI y.m ifi ty\ I' 414 franklin's journby pelled to abandon through the Traudulent habits of the Stone Indians, who not only stole all they possibly could, but some years previous had murdered the party who resided here. On the twenty-ninth the party arrived at a place near the Net-setting river, where there is a figure of their gud Kepoochikawn, which was formerly held in veneration and is still respected. Formerly offerings were made to it in abundance, but the reputation in which this god was held has much declined. By this time the provisions became scarce, and the dogs had been so scantily supplied that they forced open a box, containing various other articles, to pro- cure a small piece of meat which had been placed there for security. At day-light on the thirty-first the party renewed their journey, anxious to get to Carlton House, the next station of the Hudson's Bay Company. Here they arrived about noon, and met with a welcome reception from Mr. Prudens, who had charge of the place. They were quickly supplied with buffalo steaks, to appease their hungry appetites ; and after- waids enjoyed the further comforts of a change of dress, having travelled for fourteen days without possessing the means of doing so. Captain Franklin felt disar • .d at learning that a party of the Stone Indians had leti the house the preceding day, as he was particularly desiroi of seeing them ; however he was afterwards so far gratified as to find that every day dur- ing his residence at Carlton House, one or more of these people cf vhom the traders of this river have constantly to guard against. It must require a long resi- dence among them, and much experience of their manners, to overcome the apprehensions their hostility and threats are calculated to excite. Through fear of having their provision and supplies entirely cut off, the traders are often obliged to overlook the grossest offences, even murder, though the delinquents present themselves with unblushing e(!'rontery almost immediately after the fact, and perhaps boast of it. They do not, on detection, consider themselves under any obligation to deliver up what they have stolen without receiv- ing an equivalent. The Stone Indians keep in amity with their neighbours the Crees from motives of interest ; and the two tribes unite in determined hostility against the nations dwelling to the westward, which are generally called Slave Indians— a term of reproach applied by the Crees to those tribes agaiost whom they have waged successful wars. The Slave Indians are said greatly to resemble the Stone Indians, being equally TO THE POLAR SEA. 417 desperate and darintr in their acts of aggression and dis-^ honesty towards the traders. These parties go to war almost every summer, and some- times muster three or four hundred horsemen on each side. Their leaders, in approaching the foe, exercise all the cau- tion of the most skilful generals ; and whenever either party considers that it has gained the best ground, or finds it can surprise the other, the attack is made. They advance at once to close quarters, and the slaughter is consequently great, though the battle may be short. The prisoners of either sex are seldom spared, but slain on the spot with wanton cruelty. The dead are scalped, and he is consi- dered the bravest person who bears the greatest number of scalps from the field. These are afterwards attached to his war dress, and worn as proofs of his prowess. The victori- ous party, during a certain time, blacken their faces and every part of their dress in token of joy, and in that state they often come to the establishment, if near, to testify their delight by dancing and singing, bearing all the horrid in- signia ofvar, to display their individual feats. When in mourning, they completely cover their dress and hair with white mud. On the sixth of February the party accompanied Mr. Pru- dens to an encampment of Cree Indians, about six miles from the house. The largest tent belonged to the chief, who gave them a hearty welcome. Fresh grass was spread on the ground, and buffalo skins placed for them to sit on. After a short conversation the English party invited the Indians to smoke the calumet, upon which others joined the party, and the women and children retired, as was always the custom on such occasions. The calumet having been lighted, on being handed to the chief, he pointed with it to the four cardinal points, and taking three whiffs gave the calumet to the Indian who sat next him ; this person having taken the same number of whiffs handed it to the next and thus it went round. After this sooie spirits mix«d with P. V. 18. H H H : !t :c If' ' /( 418 KUANKI.IN'li JOlfRTHFY i. i.-i .V* \ ^ .■ water were banded to llie chief, on receiving which he ad- dressed a prayer to the Great Spirit that he would cause plenty of buffaloes to come into their pound, that they all might enjoy health, and also other blessings. In the course of his supplications, his companions frequently exclaimed aha ! Ha\ing concluded his address, he drank of the liquor and passed it to the next, and it went round as before. When these ceremonies were concluded, the whole party indulged more freely in smoking and drinking as suited their inclina- tions. One individual i ndian however not indulging in these pursuits, was ridiculed for his forbearance ; but it appeared by the statement of the residents at Carlton House, that his conduct as a hunter, and in all his dealings, was most con- sistent and upright, and that his refraining from a participa- tion of these indulgences was in consequence of his convic- tion of their injurious tendency. During the above visit some Stone Indians arrived, and were invited to partake of the entertainment. Captain Franklin being considered by these people as a considerable chief, took upon himself to hurangue them on the necessity of their being kind to the traders, and in being careful to pro- vide them with provisions and skins. He also required theu' not to commit thefts, and said that if they attended to his ad- vice he would mention their conduct to their Great Father (by which they understand the king of Great Britain), and that in so doing they would acquire his esteem and friend- ship. To this advice they all attentively listened and pro- mised to pay due attention to it. Having finished this address, the English party went to visit different tents and also the buffalo pound. This pound was a fenced circular space of about a hundred yards in diameter ; the entrance was banked up with snow, to a sufficient height to prevent the retreat of the animals that once have entered. For about a mile on each side of the road leading to the pound, stakes were driven into the ground at nearly equal distances of about twenty yards ; these were ii • (M ) TO THE POLAR SKA. 419 lis conviC' intended to represent men, and to deter the Hnimuls from attemptins^ to break out on either side. Within fifty or sixty yards from the pound, branches of trees were phiced between these stakes to screen the Indians, who lie down behind them to await the approach of the buffalo. The principal dexterity in this species of chase is shewn by the hors«meu, wlio have to manoeuvre round the herd in the plains so as to urge them to enter the roadway, which is about a quarter of a mile broad. When this has been accomplished, they raise loud shouts, and, pressing close upon the animals, so terrify them that they rush heedlessly forward towards the snare. When they have advanced as far as the men who are lying in ambush, they also rise, and increase the consternation by violent shouting and firing guns. The affrighted beasts having no alternative, run directly to the pound, where they are quickly despatched, either with an arrow or gun. Other modes of killing the buffalo are practised with suc- cess. A hunter mounted on horseback, on seeing a herd of bufialos, will select one individual and strive to separate him from the rest. When he hath accomplished this, he will pre- vent his joining the herd again, and when he finds that he has approached sufficiently near he fires at the beast and it is seldom he misses wounding the animal. Considerable dan- ger accompanies this pursuit ; for when closely pressed the buffalo will turn suddenly upon his pursuer, attack the horse and sometimes dismount the rider. Another mode of kil- ling the buffalo is by approaching the herd on foot, unper- ceived, which requires much caution, as if the person be noticed they take to flight. This animal is of an uncouth shape, with shaggy curling hair about the head, especially in the bull buffalos. A party of Stone Indians being encamped in this neigh- bourhood, several of the party expressed a wish to pay them a visit, but were dissuaded by the traders informing them II H II 2 V ' ( i li J * I iy Vi'i 4. I, n "*!'■' 1 f ' t 4\, ik i i ; 1 . 420 franklin's journby that they were suffering under the hooping congrh and mea- sles, which the Indians believed to have be u introduced among them by some of the people belonging to the Com- pany ; in wliich case it was not improbable that these savages might seek revenge by the death of some of the party. These diseases had carried off nearly three hundred of the Indians. Carlton House is situated on a flat ground within a short distance of the river. The land ^'•educes wlieat, barley, potatoes and oats. The object of this station is to obtain a depot of provisions, which is couierted into pemmu .ii and forms the principal support of those agents of the Company who pass this way. The mode of mailing pcmmican is as fol- lows : the wheat is dried by a lire or in the sun ; it is then pounded, imd the proportion of one third of melted fat is adacd to it and well mixed. It is then put into leathern bai^s and closely pressed down, after which it is put into a cool place to be used as emergencies may require. In this state it will remain fit for use for a year ^-..lu sometimes for a inuc!\ greater length of time. At La Montee, adjoining Carlton House, the station of the North west Company, there were about one hundred and thirty persons, men, women and children, who consumed upwards of seven hundred poimds of bull'alo meat daily. Each man had an allowance of eight pounds. It must be noticed however that they had no lotu or vegetables. Having rested for a few days at Carlton House, on the ninth of February the party set forwards on their journey to Isle a la Crosse. They receiviM from the agents of both the Hudson's Bay and North-west Company, such a supply of provisions and other necessaries as they required. On the tenth, after ascend .ni^ a hill and passing through a wood, they came in view of Lake Iroquois. On their road they came to the remains of an Indian hut, adjoining to whicii "'n« a pile of wood. The Canadian Indians belonging to the party, supposing that provisions ver^ buried under thu .■»• . .- ind mea- troduced le Com- ; savages lie party, ed of the lin a short , barley, obtain a tiii'in and Company a is as ibl- it is then ilted tat is then) l)an;s cool place tate it will or a much intieth, having been supplied with provisions and all necessary articles, the party set forward on their journey. On taking their departure they were honoured with a salute of fire arms, which was fired by the females, the men being all absent. They found the advantage of the necessary articles they had just received at the Green Lake; and wrapped up in their buffalo skins, and seated in their carioles, or sledges, they proceeded on their journey through the whole of the day, notwithstanding the weather was ex- tremely cold. On the twenty-third they received a supply of provisions, which Mr. Clark, the resident agent of the Hudson's Bay Company at Lake a la Crosse, had sent for them, wliicli place they reached the same evening. Mr. Clark gave the party a most hearty welcome, receiving them uuder a fire ol small arms; and Mr. Belhuno, who was in charge el a ;■ I W-m ^ y north exceed yater ii5 s in the out are lat time of somci it. They m many IS. This bably, he traent, in tlie hunt- :nn to be se for use prize Dr. it at the ! them to berlamh provisions on their lononred e females, iige of the ten Lake; d in tlieir y through 3r was ex- )rovisions, dson's U»y lem, wli'i'l' •k gave the er a fir^ of Iv.u^n- cf " TO THE POLAR SEA. 423 house occupied by the North-west Company, manifested an equally kind disposition. These establishments are situated on the .«outhern side of the lake, and close to each other. They are forts of con- siderable importance, being placed at a point of communi- cation with the English River, the Athabasca, and Colum- bia districts. The country around them is low, and inter- sected with water, and was formerly much frequented by beavers and otters, which, however, have been so much hunted by the Indians, that their number is greatly decreas- ed. The Indians frequenting these forts are the Crees and some Chipewyans; they scarcely ever come except in the spring and autumn; in the former season to bring their winter's collection of furs, and in the latter to get the stores tiiey require. Three Chipewyan lads arrived during their stay, to report what furs the band to which they belonged had collected, and to desire they might be sent for; the Indians having de- clined bringing either furs or meat themselves, since the opposition between the Companies commenced. Isle a la Crosse Lake receives its name from an island situated near the forts, on which the Indians formerly as- sembled annually to amuse themselves at the game of the Cross. It is justly celebrated for abundance of the finest tittameg, which weigh from five to fifteen pounds. The re- sidents live principally upon this most delicious fish, which fortunately can be eaten a long time without disrelish. It is plentifully caught with nets throughout the year, except for two or three months. On the 5th they recommenced their journey, having been supplied with the means of conveyance by both the Com- panies in equal proportions. Mr. Clark accompanied the party with the intention of going as far as the boundary of Ills district. This gentleman was an experienced winter traveller, and caused the men to arrange the encampment i) ii >i| 424 franklin's journey f'l t ■> ! with more attention to comfort and shelter than their former companions had done. On the seventh of March they arrived at a house belonjj- ing to the North-west Company and received a hearty wel- come from Mr. Mac Murray, one of the partners. This post is frequented by only a few Crees and Chipewyans. The country round is not sufficiently stocked with animais to afford support to many families, and the traders subsist almost entirely upon fish caught in the autumn, prior to the lake being frozen ; but the water being shallow, they remove to n deeper part, as soon as the lake is covered with ice. Mr. Mac Murray gave a dance to his voyagers and the women; a treat which they expect on the arrival of any stranger at the post. On the tenth the party set forward on their journey, and following in a beaten path made considerable progress Passing the Methye Lake they came to a trading post occu- pied by some of the hunters. On the thirteenth Mr. Clark took his leave of the party, and set out on his return to his residenf'e near Isle a la Crosse. Crossing a small lake, they gradually ascended hills beyond it, until they arrived at the summit of a lofty chain of mountains commanding the most picturesque and romantic prospects. Two ranges of high hills ran parallel to each other for several miles, until the faint blue haze hid their particular characters, when they slightly changed their course, and were lost to the v"ew. The space between them is occupied by nearly a level plain, through which a river pursues a meandering course, and re- ceives supplies from the creeks and rills issuing from the mountains on each side. The prospect was delightful even amid the snow, and though marked with all the cheerless characters of winter. Crossing the Cascade Portage, which is the last on the way to the Athabasca Lake, they came to some Indian tents, containmg five families, belonging to the Chipewyan tribe. ri-r ' TO THE POLAR SEA. 425 ^ ^' They smoked the calumet in the chiefs tent, whoso name was the Thumb, and distributed some tobacco and a weak mixture of spirits and water among the men. They received this civility with much less grace than the Crces, and seemed to consider it a matter of course. There was an utter neglect of cleanliness, and a total want of comfort in their tents; and the poor creatures were miserably clothed. Mr. Frazer, who accompanied Captain Franklin from the Methye Lake, accounted for their being in this forlorn condition by ex- plaining, that this band of Indians had recently destroyed every thing they possessed, as a token of their great grief for the loss of their relatives in the prevailing sickness. It appears that no article is spared by these unhappy men when a near relatives dies ; their clothes and tents are cut to pieces, their guns broken, and every other weapon rendered tiseless, if some person do not remove these articles from their sight, which is seldom done. Mr. Back sketched one of the children, which delighted the father ver^ much, who charged the boy to be very good, since his picture had been drawn by a great chief. On the I6th they came to some Indian lodges, which be- longed to an old Chipewyan chief, named the Sun, and his family, consisting of five hunters, their wives and children. They were delighted to see the party, and when the object of the expedition had been explained to them, expressed themselves much interested in the progress. The party smoked with them, and gave each person a glass of mixed spirits and some tobacco. A Canadian servant of the North- west Company, who was residing with them, said that this family had lost numerous relatives, and that the destruction of property, which had been made after their deaths, was the only cause for the pitiable condition in wliich they now were, as the whole family were industrious hunters, and therefore, were usually better provided with clothes, and other useful articles, than most of the Indians. Theypur- cliased a pair of snow- shoes, in exchange for some ammuni- P. V. 18. Ill ■ i /. ?■•■ n; I 14 "', J : ( 1! i li ) i 1 ' : ; ' 1 ' t t 1- 42G franklin's journey tion. The Chipewyans are celebrated for making them good and easy to walk in ; some were upwards of six feet long, and three broad. With these unwieldy clogs an active hunter, in the spring, when there is a crust on the surface of the snow, will run down a moose or red deer. On the 18th they met two persons belonging to the es- tablishment at Pierre au Calumet; and following the track, proceeded with expedition, although the weather was stormy, and on the following Jay arrived at the station occupied by the North-west Company. Mr. Stuart, one of the partners, resided at this post, and received the party with marks of great kindness. This gentleman having travelled across the country until he reached the Pacific Ocean, was well quali- fied to give advice with respect to the best modes of travel- ling, and to state the obstacles in the way. His passage to the Pacific had been by the river Columbia, so that he was not acquainted with the road Captain Franklin was now pur- suing farther than the Great Slave Lake- His opinion was, however, that satisfactory information might be obtained from the Indians residing on the western side of the Great Slave Lake, who visited the forts in the spring. Mr. Stuart said that it was not very likely any of the Canadians would be prevailed on to accompany the Captain to the sea, as the Esquimaux were very hostile, and had killed a party who were sent to open a tralfic with them; he said, however, that every endeavour should be used on his part to aid the purposes of the expedition. Pierre au Calumet receives its name from the place where the stone is procured, of whu,. 'nany of the pipes used by the Canadians and Indians are mauo. It is a clayey lime- stone, impregnated with various shells. The house, which is built on the summit of a steep bank, risuig almost perpendi- cular to the height of one hundred and eighty feet, com- mands an extensi\ e prospect along this fine river, and over the plains which stretch out several mile.s at the back of it, bounded by liills of considerable height, and apparently lii i ^ I ,! TO THE I'OIiAR SEA. 427 better furnished with wood than the neiffhbourhood of the fort, where the trees grow very scantily. On the 22nd ihey |)roceeded on tlieir journey to Fort Chipewyan, at which place they lioped to be able to arrange the plans for their further progress. On the 24th, they joined an Indian who was carrying meat on his sledge to Fort Chipewyan. His sledge though heavily laden (having nearly three hundred pounds weight on it) was drawn l)y only two dogs. The weather was extremely stormy and compelled the party to encamp. On the 2Gth, they arrived at Fort Chipewyan, where they received a hearty welcome from Messrs. Black and Keith, two partners of the North- west Company residing at this post. The distance from Cmnberland House to Chipewyan Fort was nearly nine hundred miles, which Captain Franklin and his party had now travelled in the depth of winter ; oftentimes having to quit the carioles and walk in snow shoes, weighing perhaps three pounds in addition to the incumbrance they otherwise produce. On the following day the Captain and Mr. Back waited ou Mr. Macdonald, who occupied the post of the Hudson's Bay Company. At this post they made enquiries as to the means of reaching the Coppermine River. One of the In- dian servants of the North-west Company, who had been on that river, described several particulars of the coast; and Captain Franklin after this wrote to the gentlemen in charge of the posts at the Great Slave Lake, to communicate the object of the expedition, and to solicit any information they possessed, or could collect from the Indians, relative to the countries to be passed through, and the best manner of pro- ceeding. As the Copper Indians frequent the establish- ment on the north side of the lake, they were requested to explain to them the iil)ject of the visit, and to endeavour to procure from them some guides and hunters to accom- pany the party. Mr. Dease, a gentleman belonging to th«» establiihment of Ii I 2 H f' Hi h I ( ( 'Ui m t:d ■«( ■Mi ■ 428 FRANKLIN'S JOURNEY the North-west Company, having passed several winters on the Mackenzie's River, and at the posts to the northward of Slave Lake, possessed considerable information respecting the Indians, and those parts of the country, which he very promptly and kindly communicated. During this conversa- tion an old Chipewyan Indian, named the Rabbit's Hp-mI, entered the room, to whom Mr. Dease referred for inlor- mation on some point. He stated that he was the step-son of the late Chief Matonnabee, who had accompanied Mr. Hearne on his journey to the sea, and that he had himself been of the party, but being then a mere boy, he had for- gotten many of the circumstances. He confirmed however, the leading incidents related by Hearne, and was positive he reached the sea, though he admitted that none of the party had tasted the water. He represented himself to be the only survivor of the party. The second week in May they were gratified with the sight of the flower anemone. The trees began to shoot; rain frequently descended ; and the advance of the Sprina, was every way denoted. Captain Franklin now thought it necessary to prepare for his departure, and requested the ^advice of the different gentlemen who superintended the concerns of both the Companies at this place. He found however such a spirit of hostility between the agents of the two Companies, that in order to avoid hurting the feelings of either, he directed a tent to be pitched at a short distance from the settlements, and then invited the gentlemen con- nected with each Company to a conference. They all readily accepted his invitation, and gave such answers to his various enquiries as was in the compass of their knowledge. After ibis Captain Franklin requested the agents of each Company to supply him with eight men each, and also to furnish cer- tain stores which he named. To his mortification he was informed that there had been such an expenditure of goods as to leave them the means of furnishing only a partial sup- ■Pfffl TO TfIB I'ULAK SUA. 42J) ^ ii ply ; and hardly a man appeared willing to engage in the journey of discovery. On the third of June, Mr. Smith, a partner of the North- west Company, arrived from the Great Slave Lake, hear- ing the welcome news that the principal Chief of the Copper Indians had received the communication of Captain Franklin's arrival with joy, and given all the intelligence he possessed respecting the rout to the sea-coasl hy the Copper-Mine River ; and that he and a party of his men, at the instance of Mr. Wentzel, a clerk of the North-west Company, whom they wished might go along with them, had engaged to accompany the expedition as guides and hunters. They were to wait at Fort Providence, on the north side of the Slave Lake. They had no doubt of being able to obtain the means of subsistence in travelling to the coast. This agreeable intelligence had a happy eff'ect upon the Canadian voyagers, many of their fears being removed : several of them seemed now disposed to volunteer ; and, on the same evening, two men from the North-west Company offered themselves and were accepted. , On the liftb Captain Franklin and Mr. Back waited on Mr. Robertson, superintending Fort Wedderburne, belong- ing to the Hudson's Bay Company. He stated that not- withstanding his endeavours to persuade them, his most experienced voyagers still declined engaging without very exorbitant wages. After some hesitation, six men, who were represented to be active and steady were engaged ; Mr. Ro- bertson also gave permission to St. Germain, an inter- preter belonging to this Company, to accompany them from Slave Lake if he should choose. The bow-men and steers- men were to receive one thousand six hundred livres Ha- lifax per annum, and the middle men one thousand two hundred, exclusive of their necessary equipments ; and they stipulated that their wages should be continued until their arrival in Montreal, or their rejoining the service of their present emj>loyers. Five men were afterward engaged i i »' I' I ' A !i \^ \ '' ' 490 franklin's journey 1 1 ',!• t I it from the North-west Company, for the same wages, and under the same stipuhitions as the others, besides an inter- preter for the Copper Indians ; but this man required three thousand livres Halifax currency, wiiich they were obliged to give him, as his services were indispensible. The residents of these establishments depend for sub- sistence almost entirely on the lish which this lake adbrds ; they are usually cau I f IP I If if' Mif ^1 'i W i ]\ .!i '! ! I 1 I If ! 436 FRANKLINS JOURNEY to be furnished with; after a little deUiy however, some men arrived with meat, and from the depots of the two Compa- nies a supply of nearly six hundred pounds of dried'provi- sions were procured ; and as they calculatre encamped at some distance from the fort, at a good lishina;' station. A fire was lighted on the top of a hill to annoutu-e the arrival of Captain Franklin and his party, and a present of tobacco and other articles was sent to him. Tlu; duties allotted to Mr. Wentzel were, the manageiiK'nt of the Indians, the superinteudance of the Canadian voyagers, the obtaining, and the general distribu- tion of the provision, and the issue of the other stores. These services he was wt-ll (|ualilied to perlbrni, having been ac- custonuul to execute similar duties, during a residence of ii[)wards of twcMity years in this country; he was one of the few traders who si)eak the Chipewyan language. As external appearances make lasting impressions on the Indians, the party prepared for the interview by decorating themselves in uniform, and susj)ending a medal round each of their necks. The tents had been previously pitched and over oiu* a silken union fiag was hoisted. Soon after noon, on July ilOtli, several Indian cunoes were seen advancing in a regular line, and ou their approach, the chief was discovered le men 'ompa- ~p ro vi- le y had »lved to n's Bay inha- e. The buffalo, , Moose- had Ira- iity-uinth e North- ' have u{» At this interpre- iie Indian mce i'roui ted on the luklin and kcles was were, the ;c of the distribu- cs. These .■ been uc- lidence ol" me ot the TO THE POLAR SEA. 4ff7 in the headmost, which was paddled by two men. On land- ini? at the fort, the (;hief assumed a very grave aspect, and walked up to Mr. Wentzel with a measured and dignified step, looking neither to the right nor to the left, at the per- sons who had assembled on the beach to witness his debarka- tion, but preserving the same immoveability of countenance until he reached the hall, and was introduced to the officers. When he had smoked his pipe, drank a small portion of sjjirits and water him.self, and issued a glass to each of his companions, had ;>eated themselves on the floor, he commenced his irang^ie, by mentioning the circumstances that led to his agreeing to accompany the expedition, an en- j,fagement which he was quite prepared to fulfil. He was rejoiced, he said, to see such great chiefs on his lands; his tribe were poor, but they loved white men >yho had been their benefactors; and he hoped that the visit would be pro- ductive of much good to them. It was at first rumoured, he said, that a great medicine chief accompanied the party, who was able to restore the dead to life ; at this he rejoiced ; the prospect of again seeing his de|)arted relatives had enlivened his spirits, but his first communication with Mr. Wentzel had removed these vain hopes, and he felt as if his friends had a second time been torn from him. He now wished to be in- formed exactly of the nature of the expedition. In reply to this speech, which had been prepared for many (lays, Captain Franklin endeavoured to explain the objects of the mission in a manner best calculated to ensure his exer- tions in the service. With this view, says Captain Franklin, r told him that we were sent out by the greatest ^bief in the world, who was the sovereign also of the trading companies in the country ; that he was the friend of peace, and had the interest of every nation at heart. Having learned that his I hildren in the north, were mnch in want of articles of mer- rhandize, in consecjueme of thr extreme length and dilliculty of the present rente, he had sent us to search for a passage by the sea, which if found, would enable large vessels to >l'| 1 I k I,' !•» i nsK !^E' m n ] I'^lli V; 9 J-f J V?. ;i 1 1 % l'.^ • 1 1 1 ^ ■ T C« I ii ' 1 1 il i 486 franklin's journey transport great quantities of goods more easily to their lands. That we had not come for the punose of traffic, but solely to make discoveries for their beneiii, as well as that of every other people. That we had been directed to inquire into the nature of all the productions of the countries we might pass through, and particularly respecting their inhabitants. That we desired the assistance of the Indians in guiding us, and providing us with food; finally, that we were most positively enjoined by the great chief to recommend that hostilities should cease throughout this country ; and especially between the Indians and the Esquimaux, whom he considered as children, in common M'ith other natives; and by way of en- forcing the latter point more strongly, I assured him that a forfeiture of all the advantages which might be anticipated from the expedition would be a certain consequence if any quarrel arose between his party and the Esquimaux. I also communicated to him that owing to tiie distance we had tra- velled, we had now few more stores than was necessary tor the use of our own party ; a part of these however, should be forthwith presented to him; on his return he and his party should be remuperated with cloth, ammunition, tobacco, and some useful iron materials, besides having their debts to the North-west Company discharged. The chief, whose name was Akaitcho or Big-foot, replied by a renewal of his assurances, that he and his party would attend them to the end of the journey, and that they would do their utmost to provide them with the means of subsist- ence. He admitted that his tribe had made war upon the Esquimaux, but said, they were now desirous of peace, and unanimous in their opinion as to the necessity of all who ac- companied them abstaining from every act of enmity against that nation. He added, however, that the Esquimauv were very treacherous, m\d therefore recommended that tliey should advance towards them with caution. The communications whic'j the chief and the guides tkn gave respecting the route to the Copper- Mine River, and " ■>• TO THE POLAR SEA. 439 course to the sea, coincided in every material point with the statements which were made by others at Chipewyan, but they differed in their descriptions of the coast. The infor- mation, however, collected from both sources was very vasyui and unsatisfactory. None of his tribe had been more tlian three days* march along the sea-coast to the eastward of the river's mouth. As the water was unusually high this season, the Indian guides recommended going by a shorter route to the Copper Mine River than that they had first proposed to Mr. Wentzel, and they assigned as a reason for the change, that the rein- deer would be sooner found upon this track. They then drew a chart of the proposed route on the floor with char- coal, exhibiting a chain of twenty-live small lakes extending towards the north, about one half of them connected by a river which tlows into Slave Lake, near Fort Providence. One of the guides, named Keskarrah, drev/ the Copper- Mine River running through the Upper Lake, in a westerly direction towards the Great Bear Lake, and then northerly to the sea. The oth« r guide drew the river in a straight line to the sea from the above-mentioned place, but, after some dispute, admitted the correctness of the first delinea- tion. The latter was elder brother to Akaitcho, and he said that he had accompanied Mr. Hearne on his journey, and though very young at the time, still remembered many of the circumstances, and particularly the massacre committed by the Indians on the Esquimaux. Tiiey pointed our another lake to the sotithward of the river, about three days' journey distant from it, on which the chief proposed the next winter's establishment should be formed, as the rem-deer wwildpass there in the autumn and spring. Its waters contained fish, and there was a suflinency of wood for building as well as for the winter's consumption. They could not siiy wlujt time it would take in reachin;; the lake, until thev sau 'he manner (if innellnig in the large canoes, but they supj>osed it would be about twenty days. \' ii ir. Im f. um { m i ^ .:! • , ! , If: 440 franklin's journey ill .. . Akaitcho and the guides having- communicated all the in- formation they possessed on the different points to whicli questions had been directed, Captain Franklin placed n medal round the neck of the chief, and the officers presented theirs to an elder brother of his and the two guides, commu- nicating to them that these marks of distinction were given as tokens of friendship. Being conferred in the presence of all the hunters, their acquisition was highly gratifying to them, but they studiously avoided any great expression of joy, because such an exposure would have been unbecoming the dignity which the senior Indians assume during a confer- ence. They expressed themselves sensible of these tokens of regard, and that they should be preserved during their lives with the utmost care. The chief evinced much pene- tration and intelligence during the whole of this conversa- tion. He made many inquiries respecting the discovery ships, under the command of Captain Parry, which had been mentioned to him, and asked why a passage had not been discovered long ago, if one existed. The chief was desirous of being present, with his party, at a dance which was given in the evening to our Canadian voyagers. They were highly entertained by the vivacity and agility displayed by them in their singing and dancing; and especially by their imitating the gestures of a Canadian, who placed liimself in the most ludicrous postures; and, whenever this was done, the gravity of the chief gave way to violent bursts of lauojhter. In return for the gratification Akaitcho had enjoyed, lie desired his young men to exhibit the Dog- Rib Indian dance ; and immediately they ranged themselves in a circle, and, keeping their legs widely separated, began to jump simul- taneously sideways; their bodies were bent, their hands placed on their hips, and they uttered forcibly the interjec- tion tsa at each jump. Devoid as were their attitudes of grace, and their music of harmony, the novelty of the exhi- bition was amusing. TO THE PULAK tiUA. 441 i\l the in- to which placed a presented i, comrau- rere given presence 'atWying to iression of nbecoming cr u confer- 16 se tokens uring their much pene- s conversa- e discovery ch had been id not been was desirous which was They were displayed by ially by their d himself in lis was done, s of laughter, enjoyed, he ndian dance ; a circle, and, jump simul- their hands y the interjec- ir attitudes of y of the exhi- Ttie custom of dispersing and destroying the musquitoes, by lighting fires and leaving the coals to burn, Wiis attended with a very serious accident. The tent in which Captain Franklin slept caught fire and was entirely consumed. A quantity of powder was stowed in the tent, and Hepburn was sleeping within it . He awoke just in time to throw the pow- der out of the tent, and to preserve the baggage ; otherwise this circumstance would have put an end to the further pro- gress of the expedition. On the first day of August the Indians quitted Fort Provi- dence, and proceeded to the entrance of Yellow Knife Ri- ver. After their departure the stores were made up into packages of about eighty pounds for the convenience of con- veyaqce. In this arrangement the absence of the Indians was indispensably necessary, as they were always begging every article which came under their notice. Tha expedition now consisted of the following persons, to- gether with three females, the wives of the voyagers. John Franklin, lientenant of the royal navy andcommauder. John Richardson, M.D., surgeon of the royal navy. Mr. George Babk, of the royal navy, midshipman. Mr. Robert Hood, of the royal navy, midshipman. Mr. Frederick Wentzel, olerk to the North- West Company John Hepburn, English seaman. Pierre St. Germain, Jean Baptiste Adam, Interpreters. Chipewyan Bois Brules. Canadian Voyayers. Joseph Peltier, Gabriel Beauparlant, !\fatthewPelonquin,dit Credit, VinctMiza Fontano, Solomon Belanger, Registe V'aillaut, Joseph Benoit, Jean Baptiste Parent, P. V. 19. L L L '^ I ; 'I Ir U'2 franklin's juurnky ■v'' t ^( '••'. z M Joseph Gagne, Pierre Dumas, Joseph Forcier, Ip^iue Perrault, Francois Sumandre. Jean Baptiste Belanger, Jean Baptiste Belleau, Emanuel Cournoyee, Michel Teroahaut6, an Iroqnoij. On the 2ncl of August the party encamped at about eight miles distance from Fort Providence, and on the followiug day arrived at the entrance of Yellow Knife River, where they found Akaitcho and his party witli their Aimilies. Tlipy mustered a lleet of seventeen canoes, and the whole party proceeded together up the River. Akaitcho endeavoured to sustain the importance of his character, and was rowed by a youth whom he made captive ; when however he was so far from observation as to admit it, he laid aside his importauce, and aided by his personal exertions in paddling the canoe. Several of the canoes were paddled by women. In crossing a portage, the Indians had much the superiority ; the men carried the canoes, and the women and children the clothes, so that they soon accomplished their journey ; while those of the Expedition had to make four journeys to convey their canoes and stores. At night, on encamping, the men were divided into different watches for the night, with an of- ficer attached to each watch. This was done for security of the property, and to manifest to the Indians that no oppor- tunity could occur for dishonest attempts ; and Akaitcho, the chief, observing the systematic efforts pursued for their pro- tection, declared that he should be without apprehension of danger from the Esquimaux, as no opportunity could occur when the party might be surprised. On the 5th, an issue was made of the last portion of dried meat in their possession ; and a few pounds of preserved m«at and some portable soup was all that remained. To supply their future wants, the hunters were sent forward to shoot the rein deer which usaally frequented a place they were ap- TO THE POLAR btA. 443 y A ger, nlroqnois. bout eight d followiug ver, where lies. Thpy vhole party eavoured to IS rowed by e was 60 tar proaching. Akuitcho also int'ormed them that some lakes which they wouhl soon approach abounded with lish. The voyagers began to complain that they could not proceed with the scanty subsistence which was now given them. In the night of the seventh, the dry moss whore they were encamped, by some accident took lire, and tliey narrowly escaped losing great part of their canoes and l)aggage. Arriving at Car]) Lake, which the Indians said was very productive of fish, they resolved to rest for a day or two to af- ford the opportunity of recruiting their supply of provisions. The chief and all the Indians went forwards to endeavour to procure some rein-deer, and the nets produced a sufficient quantity of fish to give the whole party some hearty meals. Being refreshed by this supply they proceeded on the ele- venth, and received the agreeable information that the hun- ters who were in advance had obtained a supply of rein-deer. This was a most welcome account, as the Canadians bad ex- pressed great discontent at having so scanty a supply of food, and complained that they had been led into a country where there were no means of subsistence. On the 14tli they entered Hunters' Lake, situated in lat. ylxty-fourdeg. six min. and in long, one hundredand thirteen deg. twenty-five min. The hunters brought in more meat this evening, but the nets produced scarcely any fish. On the following day they received no less than seventeen deer, 1)0 that a sufficient store was now obtained for some days to come. Akaitcho now proposed that he and his hunters should proceed towards Winter Lake to procure a fresh store of pro- visions against the arrival of the party. He also desired the opportunity of providing clothing for himself and people. He accordingly was permitted to proceed. As the supply of provisions was now very abundant, and a prospect of its continuing so, the people resumed their cheer- fulness, and on the niueteeth the party arrived at a small lake to the westward of Winter Lake, where Akaitcho re- commended them to take up their residence for the «vinter L L 1. 3 .ll^i. t lf .. '•»-, IP 1 If: ■ ' • I 'iv' i - t' " J ' ;? SilJ 444 FRANKLIN Si JOLRNKY It being Sunday, divine service was performed uis usual when opportunity ollered. The distance from Fort Chipewyan, which the party had travelled was nearly six hundred miles , and the servants in conveying; the stores across the portiisjes had walked upwards of one hundred and fifty miles. As the party were expected to spend njany months at this place, they set about erecting a place of residence, and thev gave to it the name of Fort Enterprise. Mr. Wentzel had the principal superintendance of this erection, and the build ing was made as comfortable as the resources and cinuni- stances would admit. The party were the next day divided into two companies; one company was to procure wood and erect a store-hoiisr, and the other company were to bring in the provisions. As it was the intention of Captain Franklin to descend the Cop per-mine River, he sent for the chief, who was huntiiiif in the neighbourhood, according as he had appoint* I on leaving the party some days preceding. On his arrival how ever it appeared that he had procured but few deer : for hav ing heard of the death of his brother in law, several days had been spent in lamentations on that account. He also refused to accompany the party to the Copper-mine River, sayins; that the winter was too far advanced, that the rein-deer had left the river, and that provisions would not be to be pro cured. Captain Franklin still asserting th:it he should niako the attempt, Akaitcho said that it should n. be laid to their charge that their visitors were suflered to go .ilone; and al- though Lt did appear to him that the journey would be at the peril of their lives, yet that some of his young men should accompany the party. Captain Franklin assured the duel that he, in common with a^l his companions, was solicitous for the welfore of all that accompanied them ; but that it was of importance to obtain some correct knowledge of that river. in ori^er that in their next dispatches to the Great duel (the King of Great Britain) they might state some particulars respecting it. Akaitcho, after all, appeared so greatly to oh TO TIN'. POLAR SBA. 4 l.i jett to the journey, thut it was tlioufjlit prudent to decline the iittompt. On holding a (;outer«'m;c with the officers on the subject, it was finally resolved that Mr. Hack and Mr. Hood should be sent to exph)re those parts, in a light canoe. On the 25th, .fohn Hepburn, the English seaman, having gone out to hunt, a dense fog coming on, he missed the road, and not returning in the evening, the greatest anxiety pre- vailed for his safety. Nothing was heard of him on the fol- lowing day ; and on the twenty-seventh a party of Indians went in search of him. They fortunately succeeded, and brought him back the same evening, although he was much fatigued. He had been wandering about during the whole time, and had eaten only a partridge, and the tongue of a deer which he shot. After partaking of some food, and tak- ing rest, he recovered his usual health and strength. An eclipse being to take place about this time, Akaitcho was informed of it, and when the circumstance occurred, it brought him to the most decided admission of the superior knowledge and talents of the white people, who could account for, and foretell such an event; and he said that he and his people could not but be glad to have the company of such intelligent persons, and that on their part every exertion should be made to procure provisions. On the 2J)th, Mr. Hood and Mr. Back, accompanied by Pierre St. Germain, eight Canadians and one of the Indians, embarked to ••xplore the Copper-mine River. If the wea- ther permittee, he was, im arriving at its banks, to trace its course and ninke observations for a f(>w days and then to return. A t this time also the Indian chief took his departure, leaving two <•'' his people to procure provisions. On the 9th of September, having nothing wliich particu- larly required their attention to prev»nt it. Dr. Richard.soii and Captain Franklin set out on an excursion to the Copper- mine River, taking three of the servants with tlwm. They attempted as straight a cour.se as the country would permit. The \ki\d wa.4 extremely barren, tiiere being scarcely any ) M 4 ' il ^l 4t J IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1,^/ iSO "•^ IWIi 1.1 2.5 I^IS 140 LI •- .. WUi. 11.25 iu 1.6 (?/* PhotKjrapIiic Scicaices ion 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^ iC V :\ \ 4 ,1^. ^ o^ 4- ^\> ' .W-? s 1 vV 446 FRANKLINS JOURNEY in ■ U i I I I /!!' iit-i'i 'U Vh, ( i I 4 a i! trees. One of the party killed a . 3in- deer, of which they all partook. At night, they had to sleep on the froze*! .^ound, with only a small quantity of twigs under them, and little co- vering upon them. An Indian who was of the party stripped himself naked ; and then warming himself by the fire, co- vered himself with his garments and went to sleep. They passed a herd of rein-deer on the second day and killed one of them ; but they were so loaded already that they left the greater part of the carcase behind, carefully covered with stones, some of the party intending to possess themselves of it on their return. On the thirteenth they came in view of the Copper- mine River, and soon arrived on the edge of Point Lake, which is about the lat. of 65 deg. 9 min. and long. 112 deg. 57 min. Having satisfied themselves as far as the present circumstances admitted, they set out on their re- turn to the fort. The coldnes of the weather had consi- derably increased. The ground was covered with snow, and the whole country had a wintry appearance. On the 16th they arrived at their old quarters at Fort Enterprise. Mr. Back, Mr. Hood and the party accompanying them, had re- turned from their journey to explore the Copper-mine Ri- ver. They had travelled upwards of fifty miles to the north- ward, as far as the Lake into which the Copper-mine River runs. Although the cold was severe, and fuel was scarce, yet they cheerfully persevered in their journey, and no complaint was made of any one attached to the party. During the absence of the reconnoitering parties Mr. Wentzel had proceeded in the erection of the house, and in the beginning of October, the place being finished, the party removed into it. It was merely a log-building, fifty feet long, and twenty-four wide, divided into a hall, three bed rooms and a kitchen. The walls and roof were plastered with clay, "he floors laid with planks rudely squared with the hatchet, and the windows closed with parchment of deer- skin. The clay, which from the coldness of the weather re- quired to be tempered before the fire with hot water, froze They TO THB VOLKR «KA. 44? as it was daubed on, afterwards cracked in such a manner as to admit the wind from every quarter; yet, compared with the tents, their new habitation appeared comfortable ; and having filled the capacious clay-built chimney with fag- pound.) ish froze re after- revived, al liours. ■ovidenc«^ , it occa- Indians, isions, to [ they had had been 1 of their in Franic- lest confi- jting their s, until on the voya- rance. He 16 fore in a now fell in orra. He >f the wea- been sent west Com- luns. He had been aderstand- i-west and ious disap- is impossi- to the loss scessary to of the In- oftheEs- ■d were on ^e Indians, TO THE POLAR SEA. 451 as thev were fearful if they proceeded northward of meeting' with a party of that nation, and being- killed by them. On the day following the Indians whom Belanger liad left behind, arrived; but they gave out reports of so painful a na- ture as to put the success of the enterprize to hazard. They stated that Mr. Weeks, the gentleman in charge of Fort Providence, had told them, that so far from being the oflicers of a great Chief, the party were merely a set of dependant wretches, whose only aim was to obtain subsistence for a sea- son in the plentiful country of the Copper Indians; that, out of charity they had been supplied with a portion of goods by the trading Companies, but that there was not the smallest probability of their rewarding the Indians when their term of service was completed. Akaitcho, with great good sense, instantly desired to have the matter explained, stating at the same time, that he could not credit it. Captain Franklin then pointed out to him that Mr. Wentzel, with whom they had long been accustomed to trade, had pledged the credit of his Company for the stipulated rewards to the party that accompanied them, and that the trading debts due by Akaitcho and his party had been already remitted, which was of itself a sufficient proof of influence with the North-west Company. He also reminded Akaitcho, that having caused the Esqui- maux to be brought up at a great expense, was evidence of their future intentions. The Indians retired from the con- ference apparently satisfied, but this business was in the end productive of much inconvenience, and proved very detri- mental to the progress of the Expedition. The residence of so great a number of persons as abode at Fort Enterprise caused such a large consumption of pro- visions as induced Captain Franklin to represent the circum- stance to Akaitcho ; and he promised to send his party away. The balls which had been received by Belanger were given him for the use of his hunters, and after lingering a week longer they quitted their residence near Fort Enterprise. Akaitcho's mother being at this time very ill, he left her be- M M M 2 ?( t f i f mm 463 FRANKLINS JUtUNBT / »( hind, with two female companions, requesting, in case of her death, that she might be buried at a distance from the house, that his mind might not be pained whenever he came back. The wife of Keskarrah, one of the Indian guides, being afflicted. Dr. Richardson gave him a medicine to be taken by her. In receiving it, he practised a variety of ceremonies which in their opinion were no doubt as effectual to her recovery as the medicine itself, which fortunately assisted her recovery. They had a daughter named Green Stockings, who was considered by all as a great beauty. Indeed so high an opinion had her mother of her charms, that on sitting for her picture, which after some unwillingness Mr. Hood was permitted to take, the good old lady expressed her con- viction that when the Great Chief (King George) saw her picture, he would not be satisfied until he had sent for the original to make her his wife. The young lady, although un- der sixteen years of age, had already had two husbands. The weather at this time was extremelv cold, 29° belov? zero; yet notwithstanding this severity the people went about their regular daily labours, wearing leather mittens, furred caps, and rein-deer shirts. Although their faces were without covering, they experienced no ill effects, ex- cepting when on the water, or any unsheltered place, where the wind came with full force. The operation of the cold however upon the trees was such as to to render them as im- pervious as a stone, so that in attempting to fell them almost every hatchet was broken. Captain Franklin says, as it may be interesting to know how we passed our time at this season of the year, I shall mention briefly, that a considerable portion of it was occupied in writing up our journals. Some newspapers and maga- zines, that we had received from England with our letters, were read again and again, and commented upon, at our meals ; and we often exercised ourselves with conjecttiring the changes that might take place in the world before we ^1 ■, fnimii TO TUB POLAR SHA. 453 f.ould hear from it again. The probability of our receiving letters, and the period of their arrival, were calculated to a nicety. We o.;casionally paid tlie woodmen a visit, or took a walk for a mile or two on the river. In the evenings we joined the men in the hall, and took a part in their games, which generally continued to a late hour ; in short, we never found the time to hang heavy upon our hands ; and the peculiar occupations of each of the oilicers .ifforded them more employment than might at first be sup- posed. On the 15th some of the men arrived from Fort Provi- dence. They brought some rum, a barrel of powder, some tobacco, sixty pounds cf ball, and some clothing. The spirits were frozen, and so severe was the temperature that their fingers adhered to the glass. It appeared by the confession of one of the Indians who accompanied the party from Fort Providence, that they had drawn out some of the rum. This disposition to a breach of trust was the occasion of much dis- tress, as it manifested how little reliance was to be placed on these people. It was more peculiarly distressing when it was manifest that their superiors were suftering equal if not greater privations than themselves. The ammunition, and a part of the rum, were sent to Akaitcho. On tli^ 27th the two Esquimaux arrived. Their names were The Belly and The Ear. Mr. Went/el, and St. Ger- main, one of the interpreters, accompanied them. The Es- quimaux had also a name given to them corrrespondent with the month of their arrival at Fort Churchill, and were called Junius and Augustus. On the 5th of February, Akaitcho sent for further supplies of ammunition ; and by his people Captain Franklin was in- formed that reports most unfavourable to that confidence so requisite on the part of the Indians, were circulated, and that it was said Mr. Weeks had not fulfilled some demands made on him. It appeared that the E''quimaux Augustus rame from 1 i i.i> ■»l^« J: i ^ !: ■ ! ■9' i 451 PKANRl.IN'S JOURNRY the neighbourhood of Churchill, and on comparing thoir lan- guage with the printed books for the use of those of the same name on the Labrador coast, it was essentially the same, Augustus, after his arrival, erected a snowhouse, cutting out slabs of snow three feet long, six inches thick, and two feet deep. The building was about eight feet high; and the layers of snow were placed over each other in a most me- thodical form until a complete dome was erected. The en- trance was approached by steps, which led into a hall or porch ; then going through a passage there was an antecham- ber. From thence you ))assed into another passage, on one side of which was the cooking house, and on the other are- cess for wood. At one part of this passage was the fire-place, the only one in the building. From thence you entered ano- ther apartment, on each side of w hich were bed places, and in the centre a sitting place. Beyond this was a smaller arartment where the provisions belonging to the family were carefully stowed. On the 5th of March, the people returned from Fort Pro- vidence bringing all the stores that could be procured. It consisted of a cask of flour, thirty-six pounds of sugar, forty pounds of powder, and a roll of tobacco. Mr, Weeks took the opportunity of writing to Captain Franklin to assure him that the reports which had been circulated stating that he had said they were only a party of adventurers was entirely with- out foundation, but that on the contrary he had strove every thing in his power to aid the efforts of the Expedition, and had discountenanced Akaitcho when he signified to him his intention of leaving all connection with Captain Franklin's party. These declarations being made known to the Indians • then at Fort Enterprise, one of them asserted that he liim self had heard Mr. Weeks express himself in contempt of the expedition, and was surprised that he should deny that he had said so. Akaitcho soon after this sent them the full- est assurances that he would continue to render them every service in his power. Ilji '\W\l\ '9 THE POLAFt SEA. 4&;i On the 17th Mr. .Back returned. He liad proceeded a.s far as Fort ChipewjuK. having travelled un foot since he took liis departure from Fort Enterprise, more tlian one thousand miles. When he and Mr. W ent/el quitted Fort Enterprise on the eif^hteenth of October, to visit Fort Prnv idence, two Canadians, two Indian hunters, and their v i\es accompanied them. Their rout lay sometimes over lak"s so thinly frozen, that the ice often bent under them. On passing over one of the lakes an instance occurred of the kindest feeling on the part of the Indians: provisions being scarce, oneof the women mak- ing a hole through the ice, caught a fine fish, which they refused to partake of, saying that they were accustomed to seasons of hunger, and could therefore better bear up under such privations than the gentlemen wlw were with them. This was not a solitary instance of such generous feeling, but oc- curred in subsequent parts of their journey. In one instance, while attempting to cross a branch of the Great Slave Lake^ Mr. Back fell through the ice; but fortunately by the aid of his companions he was quickly extricated. On the first of November the party arrived safe at Fort Providence, an establishment of the North-west Company, and were kindly received by Mr. Weeks, who was in charge of that post. Mr. Back was so dissatisfied with the information he re- ceived at this post of the progress of the various stores which were to be expected, thai he resolved to proceed to the Athabasca Lake to enquire into the cause of the neglect, and to expedite their conveyance ; and dispatching the packet of letters and a few musket balls to Fort Enterprise as before noticed, waited the freezing up of the Great Slave Lake, in order to proceed on his enquiries. While he remained at Fort Providence, a party of the Slave Indians arrived with furs ; and from their reports it appeared they had a knowledge of the settlement at Fort Enterprise, and would have paid them a visit, but feared meeting some of the Copper Indian nation. On the 27th of December, Mr. Back left Fort Providence V} V ,i t'f, 450 FRANKLIN S JOL'RNliY I: ?;i WU-1 m^ ;r K I . ' I'l tor the purpose of crossing- the lake, which was now suffici- ently frozen. The keenness of the wind was severe, and at the solicitations of the servants Mr. Back wrapped himself up in a rein-deer skin and a blanket, and placing himself on a sledge, was lashed on, leaving the head sudiciently at liberty just to notice the road, and on the ninth arrived at some fish- ing huts near Stony Island, which some Indians occupied, where they remained for the night. On the succeeding day they set out at an early hour, and reached the residence of the North-west Company on Moose-deer Island. Here ho found additional information that the stores which were to be forwarded had not arrived, only five packages being at the fort. At this place he met the two Esquimaux, who were to join the expedition as interpreters. Disappointed of the stores so necessary for the expedition, Mr. Back resolved to proceed lo Fort Chipewyan on the Athabasca Lake. Accordingly on the twenty-third of De- cember, he set out for that place, accompanied by the Cana- dian Beauparlant and Bois Brule s. The severity of the wea- ther greatly affected them in their journey, which notwitli- standing all the sufferings they had to endure, they accom- plished on the second of January, after an interval of eleven days from the time of their leaving Fort Providence. Mr. G. Keith and Mr. Macgilliray were greatly surprised at his presence, as was also Mr. Simpson, the resident at the Hud- son's Bay Fort ; for it had been reported to thera that the party had been killed by the Esquimaux, Mr. Back sent a requisition to the heads of each Company desiring a supply of ammunition, tobacco, spirits, and other stores, stating that unless his request was complied with, the Expedition could not proceed. He remained at Fort Chi- pewyan five weeks, but could not obtain the supplies he re- quired. During this time a few laden sledges arrived, which brought letters from Great Britain, for Captain Franklin and his people ; and after earnestly requesting that supplies might be sent from the depots as early in the year a^ could Ml TO rUU POLAR sr.A- 4d: be accomplished, Mr. Back prepared for bis return to Fort Enterprize. Oij theOtliof February, having every thing prepared, Mr. Buck set out. He had under liis direction four sledges, laden with goods for the Expedition, and a Hfih belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, He returned exactly by the same route, sufTering no other inconvenience but tiiat arising from the chafing of the snow-shoe, and bad weather. Some Indians, whom they met on the banks of Little Buflalo Ri- ver, were rather surprised at seeing them, for iliey had heard that they were on an island, which was surrounded by Esqui- maux. The dogs were almost worn out, and their feet raw, when, on February the '20th, they arrived at Moose-Deer island all in good order. Toward, the end of the month, two men arrived with letters from Lieutenant Franklin, con- taining some fresli deman Ui, the major part of wliicli Mr. Back was fortunate enough to procure without the least trou- ble. Having arran'^^od the accounts and receipts between the Companies and the Expedition, and sent every thing be- fore him to Fort Providence, he prepared to depart; anl it is but justice to t'lc g':'nl'?men o^ both particn at Moose Deer Island to remark, that they aTordel the meanri of forward- ing the stores in the most cheerful and pleasiat rainu3r. On the 7th of March, Mr Back arrived at Fort Provi- denca, and found the .stores safe and in good order. Thejre being no certainty when an Indian, who was to accompany him, would arrive, and impatience to join bis companions increashig, after making the necessary arrangements with Mr. Weeks respecting the stcres, on Marca the lOth Mr. Back quitted the fort, with tsvo men, who hiid each a couple of dogs and a sledge laden with provision. On the 13tU they met the Indian, Meor Icy Portage, and, on the 17th, at an early hour, he arrived at Fort Enterprise, having trav-elled about eighteen miles a-day. He had the pleasure of meet- ing bis friends all in good health, after an absence of uoariy five months, during which time ho had travelled one tlicfusand P. V. 30. N >f N ^' I ifi »' '^ft<4«k.. P: u *% ! « it )i I ■ I I / J »l 458 FRANKLINS JOURNEY one hundred and four miles, on snow-shoes, and had no other covering at night, in the woods, than a blanket and deer- skin, with the thermometer frequently at 40°, and once at 57° ; and sometimes passing two or three days withont tast- ing food. About this time a chief named the Hook, who was next in authority to Akaitcho, sent a message, that if Captain Franklin would send him ammunition, he would provide a stock of provisions for the Expedition in their passage alon^ the Copper-mine River. As he generally occupied during the summer monihs, a portion of country adjoining Great Bear Lnkc, and near the Copper mountain, it was easy for him to provide a supply ; but there was such a scarcity of every article, that Captain Franklin could not with any pro- priety spare any part ; he however sent the Hook word that he would give them an order on the agents of the North- west Company for the value of any provisions they might provide for them; and desired that as in the interim they would probably take their stock of furs to Fort Providence, they would satisfy themselves by speaking to Mr. Weeks on the subject. It appeared further that the Hook was ill and wished to have the advice of Dr. Richardson. The variety of difficulties which presented themselves worked upon the fears of some of the servants of the Expe- dition ; and it appeared that Pierre St. Germain, one of the interpreters, had so expressed himself as to excite a disin- clination in some of the Indians to proceed. On being ques- tioned by Captain Franklin he acknowledged, after much equi- vocation, that he had spoken to them of the very great dif- ficulties they would have to meet, and his fears for all their personal safety ; and it further appeared that he was excited in a measure to express himself against the success of the enterprise, because he did not receive that attention he thought belonged to him. On being threatened to be ar- rested and sent to England to be punished, he exclaimed that he might as well die in the journey they were on tb§ K^jd no other id deer- i once at iiont tast- was next • Captain provide a iage along ed during ing Great IS easy for scarcity of h any pro- i word that the North- they might terim they Providence, Weeks on was ill and themselves the Expe- one of the :ite a disin- being ques- rmuchequi- ry great dif- fer all their was excited iccess of the attention he ,d to be ar- ) exclaimed were oa ^% TO THK POLAR SJiA. 459 eve of taking, as in any other way ; and although he thought such would be the result, he would willingly continue with the Expedition. As his services were of importance, no further steps were taken, than to admonish him as to his fu- ture conversations. On the 29th, Akaitcho arrived at the Fort, having been sent for to request him to procure a stock of provisions pre- vious to the commencement of their journey, and also to be satisfied as to his accompanying the party. In reply he said that his hunters should use every exertion to procure a good store of provisions, and that he and his men would accompany them to the mouth of the Copper-mine Kiver ; and if they were unmolested by the Esquimaux, they would extend their journey farther. The chief desired that in case of meeting with any other tribes of Indians or with the Esquimaux, that the captain would influence them to live in peace with his people ; a request that was heard with the greatest sa- tisfaction by Captain Franklin, and which he gave the full- est assurance to Akaitcho he would endeavour to promote. On the 4th of April the last supply of goods from Fort Providence arrived, the fruits of Mr. Back's arduous journey to the Athabasca Lake ; and on the 17th Solomon Belanger and Jean Baptiste Belanger, set out for Slave Lake, with a box containing the journals of the officers, charts, drawings, observations, and letters addressed to the Secretary of State for Colonial AflFairs. They also conveyed a letter for Gover- nor Williams, in which Captain Franklin requested that he would, if possible, send a schooner to Wager Bay with pro- visions and clothing to meet the exigences of the party, should they succeed in reaching that part of the coast. About the commencement of the month of April, provi- sions became extremely scarce ; the hunters sent in no supr plies, and the women and children belonging to the Indians, who preferred a stationary residence near the house, to the continual removing to which they were subject in following the hunters, began to endure great privations, and were N N N 2 ;i ( It " " ', 460 FRANKLINS JOURNEY " Lit Hi compelled to sustain themselves by picking up the bones of the animals uhtch had been Killed, and pounding th^m for food. Pieces of the hides of the deer were also cut up and eaten. Tiie appearance that there wouM he shortness of food for the v.liole parly ^v^.■. •'.ery alarniin"-, and only one moose-deer, Mhich had been killed at the distance of nearly fifty miles from the house, was procured for several days. On the 27th a supply was s?nt in from Akaitcho, who had taken Augustus, one of the Esquimaux, with him when he last quitted the neialibourhood of Fort Entei-prise ; and who now returned in company with the persons sent with provi- sions, and expressed };reat satisfaction at the reception lie met with among- Akaitcho's people. Dr. Richardson, who had made an excursion to collect specimens of natural curio- sity, returned on the seventh of May, and reported that lie bad visited the Indian tents, who had received an accession of several families of old people, which occasioned such a consumption of provisions as made him apprehensive there would not be sullicient provision obtained against the time tor the departure of the Expedition. On the llth Mr. Wentze!, v/ho had been to the Indian lodges, returned, having made the necessary arran2;ement.s with Akaitthj fcr the drying of meat for summer use, and bringing fresh meat to the fort and for procuring a sufiicien' quantity of the resin of the spruce fir, or as it is termed by the voyagers gum, for repairing the canoes previous to start- ing and during the voyage. He promised payment to the Indian women who should bring in any of the latter article, and sent several men to the woods to search for it. As Mr. Wentzelhad expressed a desire of proceeding no farther than the mouth of Copper-mine River, which was se- conded by the Indians, who wished him to return with them, Captain Franklin readily acceded to his wishes; and think- ing that he could render him the most effectual service in es- tablishing depots of provisions at certain places, arranged a plan to tliat effect, to be modified by circumstances. Duck* T' TO THB POLAT? SKA. 461 and geese now bc!:,an to appear in c-onaiderablo numbers. Blueberries, cranberries, and other symptoms of the advance of mihler ueather, presented themselves; the sap ran in the pine trees; aud though the ground continued frozen, tlie power of the sun was evident. On the IGtha Chief of the Copper Indian nation arrived from Fort Providence. He brought with him his son. Be- ing aftected with snow blindness, Dr. Richardson relieved him by pouring a few drops of laudanum into his eyes, a re- mddy which had always proved eflectual whenever any of the party became affected by that complaint. On the 21st all the men belonging to the Expedition who had been sent to assist Akaitcho returned, and information was given that Akaitcho was on his journey to tlie Fort, and that he ex- pected to be received with a salute of muskets a'.id other ho- nours. As soon as his approach was announced, a flag wa^* hoisted, and a salute fired ; which was returned by l:'s own people. His standard bearer marched before him, and he followed with martial step, and was received with all possi- ble parade by the captain and his party. The calumet or pipe was passed round the assembly, each lakitjg a whiff, and a present of such things as could be produced and spared, placed before the chief, whose people seated themselves in a circle around him. He then made a speech, in the con- clusion of which he expressed his hope that the Great Chief (the King of Great Britain) would send him a present. This he was assured should be done provided he was faithful to the engagements he had made. He then spoke of many dis- appointments he had experienced, and said that the reports he had received were to the discredit of the party and caused him to doubt as to their being what they represented them- selves. In conclusion he said that he should decline the pre- sent laid before him. To these ebservations Captain Franklin replied, that Akaitcho ought .^ot to credit the reports he had heard to the prejudice of the Expedition, and that it was within his (tb« Wj r ■' m 1::'' !.\i / f^ li *f: i K I th they met the heads of the Indian party again in council. Akaitcho complained that Mr. Wentzel had ob- tained a greater distribution of presents for the Canadians than they ought to have received, and thereby his share had been reduced ; upon which Mr. Wentzel reminded him that on the very outset it had been slated to him that the presents were to be made to him on his return, from accompanying the Expedition ; and his brother Hump} said that he himself was present at a conference when that declaration was made. One of the guides now declared that he would accompany the white people to the sea, expecting the presents on his re- turn. These assertions so silenced Akaitcho, that after some further enquiries made by him whether the trading Compa- nies were rich, and an effort to obtain a few more kettles and blankets, to supply which the officers each gave up a blanket from their own beds, he ceased urging his request. It seemed evident that his purpose was to get every article the party had taken with them as presents to the Esquimaux or other strangers they might meet, and before the day closed, he explicitly declared to his people that if any of them chose to follow the Expedition they might, but that the presents were too few to satisfy him. Upon this several came for- wards and declared their readiness to proceed, and then re- ceived their share of the presents ; a proceeding most con- solatory to Captain Franklin, as rendering the conduct of the chief of very little importance. On the 28th, Long-legs had a meeting with the captain, and stated that his brother the Hook was on the borders of the Copper-mine River procuring provisions for the party ; Akaitcho entering the room at the time, assumed acheerfui ,f(. 1 '• , 464 franklin's journey .»'■■ ft; ' I • Mi M demeanor, and said that as he was fully satisfied the captain had it not in his power to make any more presents, he should rely upon his promises, and would proceed to the river as soon as the weather would permit them to travel. By the end of the montli of May, there was daylight dur- ing the whole twenty- four hours. Every thing being ready as far as their resources would admit, on the 4th of June one party of the Expedition, headed by Dr. Richardson, set out on their journey of discovery. They had three sledges, drawn by dogs, to convey the stores and other necessaries, and each man had to take also a package of about eighty pounds, be- sides such articles of their own as were necessary. The whole party comprehended twenty- three persons, consisting of Indian hunters and guides with their wives, exclusive of children. On the same day Akaitcho and the hunters under his direction quitted the house. On their leaving", twenty balls were given to each hunter, with a proportion cf powder, and they were desired to make depots of provisions for the Expedition on the road to Point Lake. It was then particularly urged upon the chief, in the presence of all his people, that he should make a depot of provisions at this place previous to next September, as a resource should the party return this way. He and the guides not only promised to see this done, but suggested that it would be more secure if placed in the cellar, or in Mr. Wentzel's room. The Dog-ribs, they said, would respect any thing that was in the house, as knowing it to belong to the white people. At the close of the conversation Akaitcho exclaimed with a smile, " I see now thut you have really no goods left, (the rooms and stores being completely stripped.) and therefore I sbalL not trouble you any more, but use my best endeavours to prepare provision for you, and I think if the animals are to- lerably numerr^Ms, we may get plenty before you can embark on the river." The snow was now confined to the bases of the hills, and the hunters gaid that the sea^ou was early. The operations TO TlIIv POLAR S1;A. 465 of nature, however, seemed very tardy. They were eager to be gone, and dreaded the lapse of summer, before the Indians woukl allow it had begun. On the J 1th the geese and ducks had left the vicinity of Fort Enterprise, and pro- ceeded to the northward. Some young ravens and whiskey- johns made their appearance at this time. On the 12th Winter River was nearly cleared of ice, and on the 13th the men returned, having left Dr. Richardson on the borders of Point Lake. Dr. Richardson stated by letter that the snow was deeper in many parts near his en- campment than it had been at any time last winter near Fort Enterprise, and that the ice at Point Lake had scarcely be- gim to decay. Although the voyagers were much fatigued on their arrival, and had eaten nothing for ihe last twenty- four hours, they were very cheerful, and expressed a desire to start with the remainder of the stores next morning. On the I5th and 16th of June, the canoes having been re- paired, the remainder of the party attached to the Expedition Jiook their departure from Fort Enterprise, full of spirits at embarking in the further pursuit of the great objectwliich en- gaged their atten«tion. In one of the rooms they left a box in which was deposited a journal of their progress, which, on the return of Mr. Wentzel, was to be conveyed to England in th(> most ready manner in which it could be accomplished. The room was blocked up, and, by the advice of Mr. Went- zel, a drawing representing a man holding a dagger in a threatening attitude, was fixed to the door, to deter any In- dians from breaking it open. They now directed tbeir course towards the Dog-rib Rock, but as the servants were leaded with the weight of near one hundred and eighty pounds each, they proceeded at a slow pace. The day was extremely warm, and the musquitoes, vliose attac!:s ''o ,1 TO THE POLAR SEA. 467 remain and close his eyes. These Hve were furnished with ammunition, and sent forward to hunt on the south border of the lake, with directions to place nny meat they might pro- cure near the cdp^e of the lalve, and set up mark> to fi,uide to the spots. AkaiUlu), his brother, the guide, and three other men, renv.iitii :l. They were much surprised to per- ceive an e\traor;!inaiy 'iilVerence in climate in so short an ad- vance to the northward as fifty miles. Tlie snow iiere was lying in large patches on the hills. The dwarf- birch and willows were only just begiiniing to open their buds, which had burst forth at Fort Enterprise many days before their departure. Vegetation seemed to be three weeks or a month later here than at that place. The pi'ovision consisted of only two bags of pemmican, two of pounded meat, tive of suet, and two small bundles of dried provision, together with fresh meat sulHcient for supper at night. It was grati- fying to witness the I'eadiness with which the men prepared for and commenced a journey, which threatened to be so very laborious, as each of them had to drag upwards of one hundred and eighty pounds on his s'edge. The sufferings of the people in this early stage of the jour- ney were truly discouraging. Captain Franklin, therefore, determined on leaving the third canoe, which had been prin- cipally carried to provide against any accident to the others. They would thus gain three men, to lighten the loads of those who were most lame, and an additional dog for each of the other canoes. It Avas accordingly properly .secured on a stage erected for the purpose near the encampment. Dried meat was issued for supper, but in the course of the evening the Indians killed two deer. They continued their journey till the 29th, when their at- tention was drawn to some pine branches which were scat- tered on the ice, and which proved to be marks directing to a place where the hunters had deposited the carcases of two deer. Akaitcho, judging from the appearance of the meat* O o o3 ' h n\ r I, \ , 'I ;. •< i \ .■ I ; ■^i- li: h I.' i' ' i:''"\l ' III! i i I '.r im rUANkMNS JOLIiNEY thoug-lit it had been placed there three days before, and that the hunters were considerably in advance. On tile 30th of June, the men havinu' i^uinmed tlie canoes, embarked witli tlieir burdens to descend tlie river. The ri- ver Mils about two iiundred yards wide, and its course being- uninterrupted, a san^aine hope was indul;;ed of i^cttini^' on more speedily, until tlicy perceived that the waters of Kock- nest Lake were still bound by ice, and that recourse must again be had to the sledjies. TJie ice was much decayed, and the party were exposed to great risk of breaking" throuiili in making? the traverse. In one part they had to cross an open channel in the canoes, and in another were compelled to quit the Lake, and make a portage along the land. NVlicii the party got upon the ice again, the guide evinced much un- certainty as to the route. The ice cracked at e\ery ste;), and the party were obliged to separate widely to prevent ac- cidents. The guide being still uncertain as to the road they were pursuing, they came to a bay on the north side of llock-nest Lake, expecting to iind the Copper-mhie lliver; hat to their great disappointment, they perceived only a small stream emptying itself into the Lake. The guide novv confessed that he knew not a\ here he was, and desired the party to wait while he ascended a hili to take a view of the country, that he might set himself right. While ^\uitmg his return, two rein-deer were seen running swiftly near them, pur- sued by a wolf; but the latter, on perceiving the party, lied away when within a few paces of the hindmost of the deer. On the return of the guide, he said that he had discovered the Copper-mine River, at a distant part of the lake ; and they immediately proceeded towards it. The canoes and stores were dragged over the ice, and passing two hazardous rapids, they approached the Copper-mine River. It was two hundred yards wide at this place, and the sides were well covered with wood. At this place Akaitcho and several ot the Indians met them, and stated that their companions were cross ikii TO THE P(il,AR SSTA. 469 behind, luivina^ placed five reiii-detr under cover for the party. These were immediately sent lor. They embarked at nine in tlie inoininj^- on the :2nd of July, and descended a succession of strong' ra|)ids lor three miles. They were carried alon^- with rapidity, shoolin;;' over lar>j;e stones, upon which a sin^le stroke would ha\ebeen destruc- tive to the canoes, and were also in danger of breakinj;' them, for the want of the long ])oles which lie along' their bottoms and equalize their cargoes, as they plunged very much, and on one occasion the first canoe was almost tilled with the waves. In one place the passage was blocked up by drift ice, still deeply covered with snow. A channel for the ca- noes was made for some distance with the hatchets and poles ; but on reaching the more compact part, they were under the necessity of transporting the canoes and cargoes across it ; an operation of much hazard-, as the snow concealed the nu- merous holes which the water had made in the ice. The guide was again in doubt as to the correctness of his rout, and the party rested for the day while the guide and two men were sent to examine the country. In the evening some of the hunters arrived, and stated that it was reported the party had perished in crossing one of the rapids. This arose from the circumstance of one of the dogs having two days before set ofl' in pursuit of some deer, and finding the encampment of the hunters, had joined them ; and these people being always disposed to apprehensions and fears, concluded that this dog had escaped alone. The consequence of these surmises was, that leaving the meat they had collected, they set out for the place at which they supposed Long-legs was hunting, and the distance they had left the meat behind was too great for them to return and fetch it. Akaitcho and the hunters now therefore proceeded forwards to a spot emi- nent for the success which the hunters met with, and where they calculated upon meeting with plenty of deer. In parsing through the rapids which they had crossed, the boats had sustained considerable injury, and Captain Frank- ti iV I) %^ M, i "f K ) ,.^i4 I, r i; ■■¥■ ' ! ?'> 470 franklin's journey lin now ordered that in future no rapid should be entered un- til tlie bowman ha. I (examined whether it were safe to go throu;;h it, as otherwise they were directed to land and con- vey the canoes over. Havinj? given these directions, early in the mnrniufl;' of the 4th of July the party i^^,i^\u set forward, and on tlie same (\i\\ passed ihrouiih several dangerous rapids, the persons in charge of the boats takini'' the precaution, wherever any hazard a])peared, of landing several of the ar- ticles; yet notwithstanding^ all their care, the bark of one of their canoes was split. I'iie damage however was soon re- paired. After this they came to a part of the river w here the drift ice had accumulated so as to fdl the channel, and they were compelled to carry the cargfoes and canoes over it. In doing thi»<, three of the people fell through, but sustained no other inconvenience than a thoroug;h wetting. After travelling uj)wards of twenty miles they encamped, and received the agreeable intelligence that Akaitcho and his hunters had killed eight musk oxen. Some of the party were sent off to assist iu bringing' in this seasonable supply. The musk oxen, like the buHalo, herd together in bands, and generally fVequent the barren grounds during the sum- mer months, keeping near the rivers, but retire to the woods in winter. They seem to be less watchful than most other wihl animals, and when grazing are not ditiicult to approach, provided the hunters go against the .wind ; when two or three men get so near a herd as to iire at them from different points, these animals instead of separating or running away, htiddle closer together, ind several are generally killed; but if the wound is not mortal they become enraged and dart in the most furious manner at the hunters, who must be very dextrous to e\ ade them. Thev can defend themselves hv their powerfid liorns against the wolves and bears, which, as the Indians sriy, they not unfrequently kill. They feed on the same substances with the rein-deer, and the prints of the feet of these two animals are so much alike, that it requires the eye of an experieuced hunter to distinguish them. The hunt«r!i added two more to their steek in the course of th» \\i ! i ■ TO TUB POLAR tBA. 471 nij^lit, and as they lind now more moat than tlip party could c fisiimc (Vcsli, tlicv (U'!ii\0(l liiiMr \omiuo next day to dry it. The hiiiitors wore supplieJ with more animuiiitioti, ai)d sent forward; butAkaitcho, his brother, and another liiJian, re- niiiiiied. The oflicers had Iroaled Akaiti^'io more distantly since their departure I'rom Point Lake, to mark lhc>ir opinion of his mis- conduct. The diligence in huntinu:, however, which he had evinced at tiiis phice, induced them to receive him more fa- miharly when became to the tent. During; convrrsa'ion he enJeavoured to excite suspicions aj^ainst tlie Hook, by say- in:^, " 1 am aware that yon consider me the worst man of my nation; but I know the Hook to be a great rogue, and I think he will disappoint yon." On the 0th, they again set forward, passing- through seve- ral more rapids. On the following day they arrived at the Hook's encampment. There were with him at this time only three of the hunters, and some old men and their families, the remain !er of his party romainingon the conlincs of Bear L.ike. Keskurrali, one of the guides, had joined him some days previous, as had his brother Long-legs, and on meeting, the Hook at once informed the captain what preparations lie had made in respect of provisions for the party. He said that an unusual scarcity of animals this season, together with the circumstance of having only just received a supply of am- munition from Fort Providence, had prevented him from collecting the quantity of meat he had wished to do. The amount, indeed, he said, is very small, but I will cheerfully give you what I have : we are too much indebted to the while people, to allow them to want food on our lands, whilst we have any to give them. Our families can live en fish until we can procure more meat, but the season is too short to al- low of your delaying, to gain subsistence in that manner. He immediately desired, aloud, that the women should bring all the meat they had ; and soon collected sulficient to make three bag^s and a half of pemmicaii, besides some dried meat V ':}' ii ;l r:\ < %i M < ■ I If m%' '' H ! J. ^|- 473 franklin's journey and tongues. The party were truly delighted by this prompt and cheerful behaviour, and would gladly have rewarded the kindness of himself and his companions by some substantial present, but were limited by the scantiness of their store to a small donation of fifteen charges of ammunition to each of the chiefs ; however they accepted notes on the North- west Company, to be paid at Fort Providence ; and to these was subjoined an order for a few articles of clothing, as an additional present. ' As the animals abound, at all times,. on the borders of Bear Lake, the Hook promised to remain on the east side of it until the month of November, at a particu- lar spot nearest to the Copper-mine River, from whence there is a commiuiication by a chain of lakes and portages. There the principal deposit of provision was to be made ; but during the summer the hunters were to be employed in putt- ing up supplies of dried meat at convenient distances, not only along the communication from this river, but also upon its banks, as far down as the Copper Mountain. They were also to place particular marks to guide to their stores. The confidenc^e manifested by the Hook in the assurances of a liberal payment for what supplies he procured, was highly pleasing, and Captain Franklin promised to send the neces- sary documents by Mr. Wentzel. The great anxiety also which the Hook expressed for the safety and welfare of the party gave additional pleasure, i^ fier representing the nu- merous hardships they would have to encounter in the strong- est manner, though in language similar to what had often been heard from Akaitcho, he earnestly entreated they would be constantly on guard against the treachery of the Es- quimaux ; and no less forcibly desired they would not pro- ceed far along the coast, as they dreaded the consequences of being exposed to a tempestuous sea in canoes, and having to endure the cold of the autumn oji ashore destitute offtiel. The Hook, having been an invalid for several years, rejoiced • I ^•i TO THE POLAR SEA. 473 nt the opportunity of consulting Dr. Richardson, who imme- diately gave him advice, and sup])iied liim wit!' medicine. Proceeding on their voyage, an! passing the base of a range of hills, and through several rapids, they arrived at a place which exhibited n:anifest tokens of having been recently visited. They therefore encamped, and made a large fire as a signal, which was answered in a similar way. Mr. Wentzel was immediately sent, in expectation of getting provision from them. On his return, they learned that the party consisted of three old Copper Indians, with their fa- milies, who had supported themselves with the bow and ar- r3w since last autumn, not having visited Fort Providence for more than a year ; and so successful had they been, that they were enabled to supply the party with upwards of se- venty pounds of dried meat, and six moose skins fit for mak- ing chocs, which were the more valuable as they were ap- prehensive of being barefooted before the journey cotild be completed. They now came to a rapid which had been the theme of discourse with the Indians for many days, and which they hui described as impassable in canoes. The river her^ descends for three quarters of a mile, in a deep, but nar- row and crooked channel, which it has cut through the foot of a hill of six hundred feet high. It is confined be- tween perpendicular cliff's, resembling stone walls, varying in height from eighty to one hundred and fifty feet, on which lies a mass of fine sand. The body of the river, pent within this narrow chasm, dashed furiously round the projecting rocky columns, and discharged itself at the northern extre- mity in a sheet of foam. The canoes, after being light- ened of part of their cargoes, ran through this defile with- out suslaining any injury. In the evening the Indians made a large fire, as a signal to the Hook's party that they had pas:;ed the terrific rapid in safety. The hunters were sent forward to hunt at the Copper Mountains, under the super- intendence of Adam, the interpreter, who received strict in- P. V. 20. P p p ;i; 't J: •If i i-^ ^N ■'■■ ' I ii t w f'l i 'j I ' ^ ii . j ' 1 I ' ■ 1 (1 ' ■ : ■ i ! [^ 1 474 franklin'* joukney junctioni^ not to permit tliem to make any lai\^e fires, lest fliey slioiiid alarm strafj^olitip; parties ot the Esquimaux. The hititude of tlieir situation at this time was 67° 10' lonj^itude 11(>° 25'. They had provisions for fourteen days; althojf>'h the weather was warm, much snow rejiained on the mountains. The Indians, knowina^ the course of the river to be nownothinpf but a succession of rapids, said it was useless to take the canoes any farther, but Captain Parry expecting that circumstances might arise which would require the use of a canoe, directed one to be conveyed with the party. As they were now entering* the confines of the Esquimaux country, the g^uides recommended cttution in lighting fires, lest they sliould discover themselves, adding that the same reason would lead them to travel ^.j much as possible in the valleys, and to avoid crossing the tops of the hills. Large masses of ice twelve or fourteen feet thick, were still ad- hering to many parts of the bank, indicating the tardy de- parture of winter from this inhospitable land, but the earth around was rich with vegetation. In the evening two musk- oxen being seen on the beach, were pursued and killed. Whilst waiting to embark the meat, the Indians rejoined, and reported they had been attacked by a bear, \vliich sprung upon tliem whilst they were conversing together. His attack was to sudden that they had not time to levy their guns properly, and they all missed except Akaitclio, who, less confused than the rest, took deliberate aim, and shot the animal dead. Eeing informed that they were now within a short distance of those parts which the Esquimaux always frequent, the tents were pitched ;ind a party sent forward to examine the country. The remains of an Esquimaux residence were visible, and a watch was constantly kept to prevent surprise. The remainder of the party slept with their arms, ready to r-^pel ev^ry assault ; and Junius and Augustus, the two Esquimaux who vere attached to the expedition, were sent forward to seek for an interview with some of their nation. UK, I TO THE POLAR NliA. 475 es, lest ix. 67° U»' ?n days; ?d on the t river to s useless ixpecting s the use rty. squimaux lighting that the )ossible in Is. Large i still ad- tardy de- t the earth two nuisk- and killed, rejoined, lar, ^vhich together, levy their tcho, wlio, id shot the They were most desirous of being' so employed ; and each concealing a brace of pistols in tlieir dress, and being provided with looking glasses, beads, and other trinkets, prepared \o depart. It was with much reluctance on the part of Captain Franklin that they were put in an exposed situation ; but they cheerfully engaged in the diity ; and putting on the Es- quimaux dresses which had been prepared for them, and receiving directions to state to their people that the white men were desirous of promoting peace and reconciliation between them and the neighbouring nations, they set forward on their journey. They were also to enquire by what pas- sage large ships might be sent to the Esquimaux people. If possible, he was to prevail on some of the people to return with him ; but if he found no inhabitants, he was to return without delay. The Indians were required at this time to keep within their encampment, and the solicitude for the welfare of the two Esquimaux T,as such as to induce the officers to ascend a hill which was near, for the purpose of ascertaining their return. Dr. Richardson, having the first watch, had gone to the summit of the hill and remained seated, contemplating the river that washed the precipice under his feetj long after dusk had hid distant objects from his view. His thoughts were, perhaps, far distant from the surrounding scenery, w hen he was roused by an indistinct noise behind him, and on looking round, perceived that nine white wolves had ranged them- selves in form of a crescent, and were advancing, apparently with the intention of driving him into the river. On his rising up they halted, and when he advanced they made wf y for his passage down to the tents. He had his gun in his hand, but forbore to lire, lest there should be Esquimaux in the neighbourhood. During Mr. Weutzel's middle watch, the wolves appeared repeatedly on the summit of the hill, and at one time they succeeded in driving a deer over the precipice. The animal was stunned by the fall, but re- P p p 2 m^ \' f ^ 'i^'m n. ■ M 'I . i. • '1 / f. I 470 pbanrlin's journey covering itself, swam across the stream, and escaped up the river. Tiie night lurving- passed aN\ay v.ithout the return of either Juiiiiis ov Vi'.gustus, Capiaiii rraiiklin resolved to seek for tlieni. It WHS witU dilliculty that tuey prevailed on tlie In- diuii.5 to remain at the encampment, which it was wished tliey should do, to prevent their heing seen by ihe Esquimaux. Akailcho was, as usual, full of fearful apprehensions, say- ing that Junius and Augustus must have been killed, and that no doubt the Esquimaux were collecting for the pur- pose of attacking the party. After much persuasion, how- ' ever, he agreed to remain, provided Mr. Wentzel continued with them, which he accordingly did. Having thus far succeeded, the party proceeded along the river, each person carrying a gun and a dagger. On as- cending a hill to take a view of the country before them, to their great disappointment, no sea v\as discernible, but an extent of land bounded by a range of hills, quite contrary to what their guides led them to expect. In the course of the day they met Junius, who was returning to inform the party tiiat they had found some Esquimaux tents at one of the Falls, on the opposite side of the river, the people in whitli vere asleep ; that they afterwards spake to them across the river, and told them of the arrival of some white people from a very distant part, and that they had brought some useful articles, to give the Esquimaux in token of peace. Junius said that they appeared considerably alarmed at the infor- mation ; but that on'^' of the party approached the shore on the side where Junius and Augustus were, and spake with the latter, who was able to converse with them, although there was some difficulty in making each other understand. After a few hours rest, Junius set out again to join Augustus, taking sufficient provisions with him, the want of which had given occasion to his present return. He was now accom- panied by the seaman Hepburn, who was to follow at a short distance. TO THB POLAR SBA. 477 Soon after they were mortified by the appearance of the Indians with Mr. Wentzel, who hucl in vain endeavoured to restrain them from following. The only rca.-;on a>isigned by Aktiitcho for his conduct was, that he wished for a re-as- surance of the captain's promise to establish peace between his nation and the Esquimaux. He again enforced the necessity of their remaining behind, until the party had ob- tained the confidence and good will of their enemies. After supper, Dr. Richardson ascended a lofty hill about three miles from the encampment, and obtained the first view of the sea ; it appeared to be covered with ice. A large pro- montory, and its lofty mountains, proved to be the land they had seen in the forenoon, and which had led them to believe the sea was still far distant. He saw the sun set a few minutes before niidniijht from the same elevated situation. It did not rise during the half hour he remained there, but before he reached the encampment its rays gilded the tops of the hills. On the 15th of June they proceeded on their journey, restraining vith difficulty the Indians from accompanying them, notwithstanding Captain Franklin threatened tliat he would withhold the reward he had promised them if they did not wait till he had prepared the Esquimaux to receive them. At noon they perceived Hepburn lying on the left bank of the river, and lauded immediately to receive his information. As he represented the water to be shoal the whole way to be rapid (below which the Esquimaux were,) the shore party were directed to continue their march to a sandy bay at the head of the fall, and there await the arrival of the canoes. Some of the men incautiously appeared just as Augustus was speaking to one of the Esquimaux, who had again approached in his canoe, and was almost persuaded to land. The unfor- tunate appearance of so many people at this instant, revived his fears, and he crossed over to the eastern bank of the river and fled with the whole of the party. They learned from Augustus that this party, oousisting of four men and .1' 'ft I' (, I I « 1 478 fhanklfn's journey \ s • f,^y hi i !; as many women, had manifested a friendly disposition. Two of tlie formerwere very tali. The man who first came to speak to him, inquired the number of canoes that he had with them, expressed himself to be not displeased at their arrival, and desired him to caution the party not to attempt running- the rapid, but to make the portage on the west side of the river. Notwithstanding this favourable appearance, the Esqui- maux soon after fled ; but it was ho|)ed that they would return after their first alarm had subsided ; and therefore Augustus and Junius were sent across the river to look for the runaways, but their search was entirely fruitless. They afterwards put a few pieces of iron and trinkets in their cnnoes, which were lying on the beach. Severalhu- man skulls, which bore the marks of violence, and many bones were strewed about the ground near the encampment, and as the spot exactly answers the description given by Mr. Hearne, where the Ciiipewyans who accompanied himbad perpetrated the dreadful massacre on the Esquimaux, no doubt was made of this being the place, notwithstunding the difference in its position as to latitude and longitude given by him. On the morning of the 16th three men were sent up the river to search for dried wood to make floats for the nets. Aclam the interpreter was also dispatched with a Canadian, to inform Akaitcho of the flight of the Esquimaux. Adam soon returned in the utmost consternation, and said that a party of Esquimaux were pursuing the men who had been sent to collect floats. They had come quite unawares upon the Esquimaux party, which consisted of six men, with their women and children, who were travelling to- w^ards the rapid with a considerable number of dogs carry- ing their baggage. The women hid themselves on the first alarm, but the men advanced, and stopphig at some distance from the party, began to dance in a circle, tossing up tiieir hands in the air, and accompanying their motions with much shouting, to signify, as supposed, their desire of peaco. n. Two I speak to th them, ival, and miiiig the nt up the the nets. Canadian, c. Adam aid that a had been unawares six men, .veiling to- ilogs carry- on tlie first ne distance ig up tiieir with much of peaco. TO Tflli POLAlt SFA. 479 Neither party was willing to approach tl»e other ; and at leii^ili the Esquiniaux retired to the hill, from whence tli(?y had descended w hen first seen. 'I'hey proceeded i)i the hope of gaining an interview with them, and on the summit of the iiill they found, lying behind a stone, an old man who was too inlirm to ellect his escape with the rest. He was much terrified when Augustus advanced, and probably expected immediate death; but that the fatal blow might not be unrevenged, he seized his spear, and made a thrust with it at his supposed enemy. Augustus, however, easily repressed the feeble efi'ort, and soon calmed his fears by presenting him with some pieces of iron, and assurhig him of his friendly intentions. Dr. Richardson and Captain Franklin then joined them, and after receiving some presents, the old man was quite composed, and became communicative. His dialect differed from that used by Augustus, but they uu- derstood each other tolerably well. Tlie old man said that the party who accompanied him, amounted to seven persons with their families. He had heard, he said, of white men having been seen by some of his nation, a considerable distance to the eastward. In reply to enquiries addressed to him, he said that drift wood would be found along the coast, that fish were plentiful, that seals were abundant ; and that it was usual witii his nation at this season to come into these parts to procure salmon, which >,vere now abundant about the Bloody Fall. He said his nanve was White Fox and that his tribe called themselves the Deer Horn Esquimaux. He said that at the conclusion of the time for catching salmon they removed to the westward, where they built themselves snow-ho»ises on the borders of a river. After this White Fox proposed to go to his store ; but appearing too infirm to walk without the help of sticks, Augustus assisted him; and when arrived there he presented some dried meat to each of the party, which being considered among these people as an offer of peace, was eaten by them although it was far from being sweat. Being given to un- '- if i WL ft W'i^mm ** A ( \'^ ' I ,-' ;?l :tV r 480 franklin's journey (lerstancl that the party wanted provisions, he said that he had a j^uod supply for them, which he would shew them. Captain Franklin now communicated to him that they were accompanied by some Copper Indians, viio were very desirous to make peace with his nation, and that they had re- quested him to prevail upon the Esquimaux to receive them in a friendly manner ; to which he replied, he should rejoice to see an end put to the hostility that existed between the na- tions, and therefore would most gladly welcome them. Hav- ing dispatched Adam. to inform Akaitcho of this circumstance, they left White Fox, in the hope that his party would re- join him ; but as they had doubts whether the young men would venture upon coming to the tents, on the old man's bare representation, Augustus and Junius were sent back in the evening, to remain with him until they came, that they might fully detail their intentions. White Fox v,as bent with age, but appeared to be about five feet ten inches high. His hands and feet were small in proportion to his height. Whenever he received a present, he placed each article first on his right shoulder, and then on his left ; and when he wished to express still higher satisfac- tion, he rubbed it over his head. He held hatchets, and other iron instruments, in the highest esteem. On seeing his countenance in a glass for the first time, he exclaimed, " I shall never kill deer more," and immediately put the mirror down. The tribe to wdiich he belongs repair to the sea in spring, and kill seals ; as the season advances they hunt deer and musk oxen at some distance from the coast. Tlieir weapon is the bow and arrow, and they get sutlicienlly nigh the deer, either by crawling, or by leading these animals by ranges of turf towards a spot where the archer conceals him- self. Their bows are formed of three pieces of fir, the cen- tre piece alone bent, the Oiiier two lying in the same straight line with the bowstring; the pieces are neatly tied together with sinew. Their canoes are similar to those in Hudson's Straits, but smaller. Tiiey get fish constautly in the rivers, TO TilU I'OLAR SEA. 48L and in the sea as soon as the ice breuks up. This tribe do not make use of nets, but are tolerably successful with the hook and line. Their cooking- utensils are made of pot-stone, and t!: y form very neat dishe« of iir, the sides being made of thin \i J 1- J ' ' \ )|i ■• )!• age after noon, they proceeded along the coast, which is fringed by islands ; and at five in the afternoon, entered another bay, where they were for some time involved in difllcul- ties by the intricacy of the passages ; but having cleared them in the afternoon, they encamped near the northern entrance of the bay, at a spot which had recently been visited by a small party of Esquimaux, as the remains of some eggs con- taining young were lying beside some half-burnt wood. There were also several piles of stones put up by them. Embarking at four on the morning of the 12th, they pro- ceeded against a fresh piercing north-east wind, which raised the waves to a.height that quite terrified some of the people, accustomed only to the navigation of rivers and lakes. They resolved, however, to persevere, feeling that the short sea- son for operations was hastening away ; but after rounding Cape Croker the wind became so strong that they could pro- ceed no further, and encamped for the night. On the fol- lowing day a paddle was found, which Augustus, on exami- nation, declared to be made after the fashion of the "White Goose Esquimaux, a tribe with whom his countrymen Lad had some trading communication. Some articles left by them attracted attention ; they found a winter sledge raised upon four stones, with some snow-shovels, a small piece of whale- bone, an ice-chisel, a knife and some beads. Most of the headlands they now visited shewed that the Esquimaux had been upon them. On the 24th tliey saw some geese and swans, and also several deer, but the coun- try being open they easiily escaped. In the evening, after the tents were pitched, Mr. -Back stated that the canoes were materially damaged. On examination it appeared that fif- teen timbers of one of the canoes Avere broken, and that the others were so loose in the frame, that there was dauger of the bark separating if exposed to a heavy sea. Distressing as were these circumstances, they gave less pain than the discovery that the voyagers, who had hitheito displayed a courage beyond expectation, now felt seriouo apprehensions ■?( til 1 1 TO THE POLAR SlvA, 491 for their safety, which so possessed their minds that they were not restrained even by the presence of their oflicers from ex- prfssing them. Their fears had been principally excited by the interpreters, St. Germain and Adam, who from the out- set had foreboded every calamity. The strung breezes which now prevailed and other circum- stances indicated that the winter was fast setting in, and se- vere weather was to be expected. Destitute as the country was of fuel, and reduced as their stock of provisions now was to about three days consumption, it became the duty of Cap- tain Franklin to be careful for the safety of his people. Though rein-deer were seen, they could not be easily ap- proached on the level shores they were now coasting, besides it was to be apprehended they would soon migrate to the south. It was evident that the time spent in exploring the sounds and inlets^ had precluded the hope of reaching Re- pulse Bay, which at the outset of the voyage they had fondly cherished ; and it was equally obvious that as the distance from any of the trading establishments would increase as they proceeded, the hazardous traverse across the barren grounds, which they would have to make, if compelled to abandon the canoes upon any pswt of the coast, would become greater. On stating to the oflicers his sentiments on these points, their opinions coincided with his own. All were convinced of the necessity of putting a speedy termination to their voy- age, as a hope of meeting the Esquimaux and of their procuring provision from them, could now scarcely be re- tained ; but yet fdl were desirous of proceeding, until the land should be seen trending again to the eastward. As it was needful, however, at all events, to set a limit to their voyage, it was determined to return in the course of four days, unless they should meet the Esquimaux, and be ena- bled to make some arrangement for passing the winter with them. This communication was joyfully received by the men, and it was hoped that the industry of the hunters being thus exoited, they should be able to add to their stock of provitiou. R R R 2 ! :i! 403 FRANK.I.1N li JOL UN i:Y t ?t r h .^ ii/; On tlie IGth of August they paddled along the coast for several miles, until at length a thick fog compelled them to land on a point of land to which they guve the name of Slate Clay Point, At this place they found marks of its having been visited by the Esquimaux, although none v, ere now to be seen. A human skull was also found set up on a conspi- cuous part. Continuing their progress along the coast, they passed a deep bay, and rounding a point, of land Avhich they named Cape Flinders, proceeded northward, with an open sea, quite clear of islands. This view of the great ex- panse of waters excited great astonishment in the Canadian voyagers, who had not before obtained an uninterrupted view of the ocean. They continued tlieir course along the coast until eveninc, Avhen a change in the ^\ ind and a threatening thunder squall Caused them to encamp ; but the water was so shallow, tliut they found some dilliculty in approaching the shore. Large pieces of drift wood evidenced that they had finally escaped from the bays. Their tents were scarcely pitched before tlipy Avere assailed by a heavy squall and rain, which was suc- ceeded by a violent gale from w(\st-north-Avest, which tlirice* overset the tents during the night. The wind blew with equal v iolence on the following day, and tho sea rolled furi- ously upon the beach. The Canadians had now an opportu- nity of witnessing the efl'ect of a storm r.pon the sea ; and die sight increased their desire of quitting it. The hunters were sent out, and saw raany deer, but the flatness of the country defeated their attempts to approach them ; they brought, however, a few unfledged geese. As there was no appearance of increasing their stock of provision, the allowance was limited to a handful of pemmican, and a small portion of portable soup to each man per day. The la- titude was G8° 18' N., longitude 110° 5' W. On August 18th the stormy weather and sea continuing, there was no prospect of being able to embark. Dr. I^ioh- ardson, IVL^. Back, and Captain Franklin, therefore, set out ■Ptl TUB I'OLAIi .Sf A. 40:J on foot to discover whether the land witliin ii day's inarch in- clined more to the east. They Aveiit from ten to twelve miles along the coast, which continued Hat, and kept the same di- rection as the encampment. The most distant land had the same bearing north-north-east, and appeared like two is- lands, which was estimated to be six or seven miles off; the shore on their side seemingly trended more to the east, so that it is probable Point Turjuigain, for so this spot was named, forms the pitch of a low Hat cape. Augustus killed a deer in the afternoon, but the men wero not able to lind it. The hunters found the burrows of a num- ber of white foxes, and Hepburn killed one of these ani- mals, which proved excellent eating, equal to the young geese, with which it was boiled, and far .superior to the lean deer upon the coast. Large Hocks of geese passed over tho tents, tlying to the southward. The lowest temperature to- day was tib° ThoTigh Point Turnagain is only six degrees and a half to the east of the mouth of the Copper-mine River, they sailed,, in tracing the deeply indented coast, five hiuulred and fifty- five geographic miles, which is little less than the direct dis- tance between the Copper-mine liiver and Repulse Bay, Having extended his voyage to the utmost limits which the season and circumstances would admit. Captain Franklin now contemplated his return. To have attempted to proceed would have been to have put the lives of the people under his charge to the greatest hazard. With scarcely any provi- sions, and failing of all intercourse w ith the Esquimaux, it would have been an unjustiliable circumstance to delay any longer their return. It therefore became a matter of deep importance to determine by what rout they should proceed. His original intention had been to return by the Copper- mine River, and in pursuance of arrangements with the Hook to tra/el to Slave Lake, through the Vine of woods extending thither by the Great Rear and Marten Lakes; but the scanty stock of their provision and the length of the voyage rendered )'■' \.' if •liM ! 494 FRANKLINS JOURNIiT , 'tl I -1^ li' it necessary to make for a nearer place. They had found that the country, in the direction of the Copper-mine River, would not supply their ^vants, and this it seemed probable would now be still more the case at this advanced season ; and they had to expect the frequent recurrence of gales, which would cause great detention, if not danger in proceeding along that very rocky part of the coast. He determined, therefore, to make at once for Arctic Sound, where they had found the animals more numerous than at any other place ; and entering Hood's River, to advance up that stream as far as it was navigable, and then to construct small canoos out of the materials of the larger ones, which could be car- ried in crossing the barren grounds to Fort Enterprise. They remained at their encampment until the 22nd, and during their stay, Junius, Belanger, and Michel were sent to search for a deer which had been killed. Junius returned in the evening, bringing part of the meat, but owing to the thickness of the weather, his companions parted from him and did not make their appearance. Divine ser- vice was read. On the 20th they were presented with the most chilling prospect, the small pools of water being fro- zen over, the ground covered with sncvi, and the thermome- ter at the freezing point at mid-day. Flights of geese were passing to the southward. The wind, however, was mode- rate, having changed to the eastward. Considerable anxi- ety now prevailing respecting Belanger and Michel, others were sent out to look for them. The search was successful, and they all returned in the evening. The stragglers were much fatigued, and had suffered severely from the cold, one of them havmg his thighs frozen, and what under pre- sent circumstances was most grievous, they had thrown away all the meat. The wind during the night returned to the north-west quarter, blew more violently than ever, and raised a very turbulent sea, the snow remained on the ground, aud the small pools were frozen. The hunters were sent out, but they returned after a fatiguing day's march without TO THB POLAR SEA. 495 hfiving- seen any animals, and they made a scanty meal off a handful of pemmican, after which only half a bag remained. Cheered by the prospect of returning, the men shewed the ulmost alacrity on embarking ; and, paddling with unusual vigour, they crossed Riley's and Walker's Bays, a distance of twenty miles, before noon, when they landed on Slate- Clay Point, as the wind had freshened too much to permit them to continue the voyage. The whole party went to hunt, but returned without success in the evening, drenched with the heavy rain'which commenced soon after they had set out. Several deer were seen, but could not be approached in this naked country ; and as their stock of pemmican did not admit of serving out two meals, they went dinnerless to bed. It is a curious coincidence that this Expedition left Point Turnagain on August 22nd, on the same day that Captain Parry sailed out of Repulse Bay. The parties were then distant from each ot^er 539 miles. A severe frost caused them to pass a comfortless night on the 23rd, and in the afternoon of that day they launched out to make a traverse of fifteen miles across Melville Sound, before a strong wind and heavy sea. The privation of food under which the voyagers were then labouring absorbed every other terror, otherwise the most powerful persuasion could not have induced them to attempt such a traverse. It was with the utmost difficulty that the canoes were kept from turning their broadsides to the waves, though they sometimes steered with all the paddles. One of them narrowly escaped being overset by this accident, which occurred in a mid-chan- nel, where the waves were so high that the mast-head of one canoe was often hid from ihe other, though it was sailing ^vithin hail. On the 24th they crossed the entrance of the bay, which had before taken them so many days in pu'ling up, and landed on an island near the opposite shore. Soine deer being seen on the beach, the hunters went in pursuit of them, and suc- ceeded in killing three females, which enabled them to save i'fl f I \ 496 franklin's jouhnky ^ ^i^ .,1; \-^m\ their last remaining meal of pemniicun. They saw also some fresh tracks of mnsk-oxen on the hanks of a small stream which tlowed into a lake in the centre of the island. These animals must have crossed a channel at least three miles wide, to reach the nearest of these islands. On the 25lh the hunters killed two deer, which relieved ihem from ap- prehension of immediate want of food. From the deer assem- bling at this time in numbers on the islands nearest to the coast, it was conjectured that they were about to retire to the main shore. Those they saw were generally females with their young-, and all of them very lean. Leaving this island they entered Hood's River, which tliey ascended as high as the first rapid and encamped. Here terminated their voyage on the Arctic Sea, during which they had gone over six hundred and fifty geographical miles. The Canadian voyagers could not restrain their joy at having turned their backs on the sea, and passed the evening in talking over their past adventures with much humour and no little exaggeration. The consideration that ibc most painful, and certainly the most hazardous part of the journey, was yet to come, did not depress their spirits at all. It is due to their character to mention lliat they displayed much courage in encountering the dangers of the sea, magnilied to them by their novelty. On leaving their encampment on t'ne 2Gth of August, an assortment of iron materials, beads, looking-glasses, and other articles, were put up in a conspicuous situation for the Esquimaux, and the English Union was planted on the lof- tiest sand-hill, where it might be sjen by any ships passing in the offing. Here also was deposited, in a tin box, a letter containing an outline of the proceedings, the latitude and longitude of the principal places, and the course they intended to pursue towards Slave Lake. Embarking at eight in the morning, they proceeded up the river which is full of sandy shoals, but sufficiently deep for canoes in the channels. It is from one hundred to two hundred yards TO riiF, I'oLAR si;a. 497 wide, and bounded by high and steep banks of clay. Bear aud deer tracks had been numerous on the banks of the river wlien they were here before, but not a single recent one was to be seen at this tima. Credit, however, killed a small deer at some distance inland, which, with the addition of berries, furnished a delightful repast. The weather was remarkably fine, and the temperature so mild, that the rous- quitoes again made their appearance, but not in any great numbers. The next morning the net furnished ten white fish and trout. Having made a further deposit of iron work for the Esquimaux, they pursued their journey up the river, but the shoals aiid rapids in this part were so frequent, th^t they walked along the banks the whole day, and the crews laboured hard in carrying the canoes, when lightened, over the shoals or dragging them up the rapids. The walls of a chasm through|which the river flowed were two hundred feet hgih, quite perpendicular, and in some places few yards apart. The river precipitates itself into it over a rock, forming two magnificent and picturesque falls close to each other. The upper fall is about sixty feet high, and the lower one at least one hundred; but perhaps considerably more, for the narrowness of the chasm into which it fell prevented them from seeing its bottom, and they could merely discern the top of the spray far beneath their feet. The lower fall is divided into two, by an insulated column of rock which rises about forty feet above it. The whole descent of the river at this place was about two hundred and fifty feet. Captain Franklin named these magnificent cascades *' Wilberforce Falls," as a tribute of respect for that distinguished philan- thropist and christian. The river being surveyed from the summit of a hill, above these falls, appeared so rapid and shallow, that it seemed useless to attempt proceeding any farther in the large canoes, he therefore determined on con- structing out of their materials two smaller ones of sufficient size to contain three persons, for the purpose of crossing any river that might obstruct their progress. This operation was P. V. 21. S s s ' ) \. ■i M 408 FRANK F.IN'S JOURNEY H aocordinj^ly commenced, and by the 31st both the canoes heinn^ finished, they set out on the foUowinpf day. Tlie leather whicli had been preserved for makin*^ shoes was equally divided among the men, two ])air of flannel socks were given to each person, and such articles of warm clothing as remained, were issued to those who most re- quired them. They were also furnished with one of the officers' tents. This being done, Captain Franklin commu- nicated to the men his intention of proceeding in as direct a course as possible to a part of Point Lake, m hich was only distant one hundred and forty-nine miles in a straight line. The people received the communication cheerfully, consi- dered the journey to be short, and were in high spirits. The stores, books, &c. which were not absolutely necessary to be carried, were left behind, in order that the men's burdens might be as light as possible. The next morning was warm, and very fine. Every one was on the alert at an early hour, being anxious to com- mence the journey. The luggage consisted of ammunition, nets, hatchets, ice chisels, astronomical in "uments, clothing, blankets, three kettles, and two cam hich were each carried by one man. The officers carnea such a portion of their own things as their strength would permit ; the weight carried by each man was about ninety pounds, and with this they advanced at the rate of about a mile an hour, including rests. In the evening the hunters killed a lean cow, out of a large drove of musk-oxen; but the men were too much laden to carry more than a small portion of its flesh. The alluvial soil, which towards the mouth of the river was covered with grass and willows, was now more barren and hilly, so that they could but just collect sufficient brush- wood to cook tlieir suppers. About midnight then: tent was blown down by a squall, and they were completely drenched with rain before it could be re-pitched. On the morning of the 1st of September, a fall of snow cook pUirue ; ths canoes became a cause of delay, from the 1 ■"(1 TO TUB POLAR SUA. UK) le canoes (Ufliculty of carrying them in u hij^h wind, and they sus- tained much damaj^e through the fall of those who had charge of them. At the end of eleven miles they encamped, and sent for a musk-ox and a deer, which St. Germain and Au- gustus had killed. The day was extremely cold, the ther- mometer varying between 34° and 3l>°. In the afternoon a heavy fall of snow took place, on the wind changing from north-west to south-west. They found no wood at the en- campment, but made a fire of moss to cook the supper, and crept under their blankets for warmth. Having ascertained from the summit of the highest hill near the tents, that the river continued to preserve a west course ; and fearing that by pursuing it further they might lose much time, and unnecessarily walk over a great deal of ground, Capt. Franklin determined on quitting its banks the next day, and making as directly as they could for Point Lake. They accordingly followed the river on the 3d, only to the place where a musk-ox had been killed, and aftet the meat was procured, crossed the river in the two canoes lashed together. Having walked twelve miles and a half, on the 4th, they encamped at seven in the afternoon, and distributed their last piece of pemmican, and a little arrow-root for supper, which afforded but a scanty meal. This evening was warm, but dark clouds overspread the sky. The men now began to find their burdens very oppressive, and were much fatigued by this day's march, but did not complain. One of them was lame from an inflammation in the knee. Heavy rain com- menced at midnight, and continued without intermission until five in the morning, when it Avas succeeded by snow, on the wind changing to north-west, whicli soon increased to a violent gale. As they had nothing to eat, and were desti- tute of the means of making a fire, they remained in bed all the day ; but the covering of the blankets was insulKcient to prevent feeling- the severity of the frost, and 8ufieriB{f incoa- 8 s 8 S I i Li t ^ 'V!\ ff'l 500 fuanki-in's JOOUNI'.Y ' ? i ! I ^''l /!» venience I'rom the drifting of the siiov/ into the tents. There was no abatement of the storm next day ; the tents were completely frozen, and the snow had drifted around them to a depth t '' three feet, and even in the inside there was a covering of several inches on the blankets. Ou the morning of the 7th, just as they were about to commence their nu^rch.Capt, Franklin was seized with a faint- ing fit, inconseqi.eMce of exhaustion and sudden exposure to the wind; after imting a morsel of portable soup, he re- covered so far as to be able to move on. Those who carried the canoes wen; rcpeat'jdiy blown down by the violence of the wind, and they often ihW, i'rom making afi insecure step on a slippery stoue; on one of these occasions, the largest canoe was so mud' broken as to be rendered utterly unser- vice^able. This was :x serious t'lsastcr, as the remaiaiiijf canoe having through mistake been made too small, it was doubtf'd whether it would be sullicient to carry them a«Toss ari\ ;r. As the accident could not be remedied, I' ey turned it to the best account, by making a fire of the bark and timbers of the broken vessel, and cooked the remainder of the portable soup and arrow-root. This was a scanty meal after three days' fasting, bat it served to allay the pangs of hunger iv.;d enabled them to proceed at a quicker pace than before. The depth of tlie snow caused them to march in Indian file, that is in each other's steps; the voyagers taking it in turn to load the party. A considi^rable fjuautity of tripe de roche was gathered, and with half » part: jdge each, (which they shot in the course of the day,) furnished a slender supper, which they cooked with a few willows, du<^ up from beneath the snow. They pa&»ed a conaortless night in their damp clothes, but tooK the precitution of sleeping upon their socks and shoes to pre- vent them iVom freezing. This plan was afterwards adopted throughout the journey. At half past five in the morning they proceeded ; and after TO TUB POLAR KHA. 5()l walking nbotit two miles, came to Ciiicrofl's River, flowing to the westward, with u very rapid current over u rocky channel. They had much dlflicult'^ in crossing this, ine canoe being useless, not only from the b<,ttorii of the channel being obstructed by large stones, but also from its requiring gum- ming, an operation which, owing to the want of wood and the frost, they were unable to perform. However, after following the course of the river some distance, they ellected a passage by means of a range of large rocks that crossed a rapid. As the «!urrent was strong, and many of the rocks were covered with water to the depth of two or three feet, the men were exposed to much danger in carrying their heavy burdens across, and several of them actually slipped into the stream, but were immediately rescued by the others. Their only meal to-ciay consisted of a partridge each (which the hungers shot,) mixed with tripe de roche. This repast, although scanty for men with appetites such as their daily fatigii'!^ created, proved a chcorful one, and was received with thankfulness. Most of the men had to sleep in the open air, in consequence of the absence of Credit, who carried their tent; but they fortunate ly found an unusual quantity of roots to make a fire, which prevented their suffering much from the cold, though the thermometer was at 17°. They started at six on the 9th, and at the end of two miles regained the hunters, who were halting on the borders of a lake amidst a clump of stunted willows. This lake stretched to the westward as far as they could see, and its waters were discharged by a rapid stream one hundred and fifty yards wide. Being entirely ignorant where they might be led by pursuing the course of the lake, and dreading the idea of going a mile unnecessarily out of the way, they de- termined on crossing the river if possible ; and the canoe was gummed for the purpose, the \/illow furnishing them with fire. Junius, who had been sent to seek for the best crossing place, arrived in the afternoon and said that he had seen a large herd of musk-oxen on the banks of Cracroft's River, ;l'l .-fr, I' I! ' !■ ■fi I ■ f 'Hi] i ■ 602 franklin's journey *'* . aud had wounded one of them, but it escaped. He brought about four pounds of meat, the remains of a deer that had been devoured by the wolves. The poor fellow was much fatigued, having walked turoughout the night, but as the weather was particularly favourable for crossing the river, they could not allow him to rest. After he had taken some refreshment they proceeded to the river. The canoe beii)g put into the water was found extremely ticklish, but it was managed with much dexterity by St. Germain, Adam, and Peltier, who ferried over one passenger at a time, causing- him to lie flat on its bottom, by no means a pleasant position, owina: to its leakiness. but there was no alternative. The transport of the whole party was effected by five o'clock, and walking about two miles further they encamped, having come five jiniles and three quarters on a south-west course. T«o younc; alpine hares were shot by St. Germain, which, with the Pinall piece of meat brought in by Junius, furnished the suryper of the whole party. On the 10th they had a cold north wind with foggy at- mosphere. The ground they passed over was hilly, and more deeply covered with snow. In gathering tripe de rocho the cold was so benumbing that they collected scarcely siiiK- cient for a scanty meal. They saw this day the track of a man, and also several tracks of deer on the snow. About noon the weather cleared up a little, and to their great joy, they saw a herd of musk-oxen grazing in a valley below. The party instantly halted, and the best hunters were sent out ; they approached the animals with the utmost caution, no less than two hours being consumed before they got with- in gun-shot. One of the largest cows fell ; another was wounded, but escaped. This success infused spirit into the starving party. To skin and cut up the animal were the work of a few minutes. The contents of its stomach were de- voured upon the spot, and the raw intestines, which were next attacked, were pronounced by the most delicate to be excellent. A few willows, whose tops were peeping through « TO THH POLAR SEA. 503 ! brought that had ^as much it as the the river, ^ken some loe being but it was L(lam, and e, causing jt position, tive. The 'clock, and aviug come irse. Two ivhich, -with rnished the h fosgy"^ hilly, and pe de rocho arcely sulH- > track ol" a ow. About ir great joy, illey below. ■s were sent Dst caution, ev gotwitb- another was lirit into the i\ were the achwercde- whichwere elicate to be ping tlirough fhe snow at the bottom of the valley, were quickly grubbed, the tents pitched, and supper cooked, and devoured with avidity. This was the sixth day since they had had a good meal ; the tripe de roche, even where they got enough, only serving to allay the pangs of hunger for a short time. After supper, two of the hunters went in pursuit of the herd, but could not get near them. The gale had not diminished on the 12th, and as they were fearful of its continuance for some time, they deter- mined on going forward ; their only doubt regarded the pre- servation of the canoe, but the men promised to pay particu- lar attention to it, and the most careful persons were ap- pointed to take it in charge. The snow was two feet deep and the ground much broken, which rec ?red the march ex- tremely painful. The wholes party complained more of faint- ness and weakness than they had ever done before ; their Strength seemed to have been impaired by the recent supply of animal food. In the afternoon the vdnd abated, and the snow ceased ; cheered with the change, they proceeded for- ward at a quicker pace, and encamped at six in the after- noon, having come eleven miles. Supper consumed the last of the meat. On the 13th they came to the borders of a large lake. Tliej coasted along it to the westwiird in hopes of finding a crossing place, and afterajouniey of only six miles encamped lor the evening. They had oiily a single partridge, upon which and tripe de roche the party sup)>f'd. This evening they were extremely distressed, at thscovering that their companions had thrown away tlwee of the Ushing-nets, and burnt the floats. Being thus deprived of their principal rt source, that of fishing, and the men evidently getting weaker every day, it became necessary to lighten their burdens of every thing except ammunition, clothing, and the instruments that were required to find their way. Captain Fiantvan, therefore, issued directions to deposit at this encaiitpiiient tJie dipping needle, azunuth compass, magnet, a large ther- .'iV V n * "h 504 FRANKLINS JOURNEY n I ! jir , I mometer, and a few books, ha^oiig torn out of these s'l.ch parts as were required to work the observations for latitude and longitude. On the 14th Credit having killed two deer, they halted and prepared breakfast. After this, having selected a place where the current was most smooth, the canoe was placed in the water, and St. Germain, Solomon Belanger, and Cap- tain Franklin, embarked in order to cross. They went from the shore very well, but in mid-channel the canoe became diffi- cult to manage imder her burden as the breeze was fresh. The current drove them to the edge of a rapid, when Be- langer unluckily applied his paddle to avert the apparent dan- ger of being fovced down it, and lost hr balance. The ca- noe was overset in consequence in the middle of the rapid. They fortunately kept hold of it; until they touched a rock where the water did not reach higher than their wai^3ts ; here they kept footing, notwithstanding the strength of the cur- rent, until the water was emptied out of the canoe. Belan- ger then held the canoe steady whilst St. Germain placed Captain Franklin in it, and afterwards embarked himself in a very dextrous manner. It was impossible, however, to embark Belanger, as the canoe would have been hurried down the rap''' the moment he should have raised his foot from the rock on which he stood. They were, therefore, com.pellea to leave him in his perilous situation. They had not gone twenty yards before the canoe, striking on a sunken rock, went down. The place being shallow, they were again enabled to empty it, and the third attempt brought them to the shore. In the mean time Belangei- was suffering ex- tremely, immersed to his middle in the centre of a rapid, the temperature of which was very little above the freezing point, and the upper part of his body covered witu n6t clothes, exposed in a temperature not much above zero, to a strong breeze. He called piteously for relief, and St. Germain on his return endeavoured to embark him, but in vain. The canoe was hurried down the rapid, and when he TO TIIL POLAR SliA. 605 landed he was rendered by the cold incapable of further ex- ertion, and Adam attempted to embark Belanger, but found it was impossible. An attempt was next made to carry out to him a line, made of the slinks of the men's loads. This also failed, the current actinjy so strongly upon it, as to prevent the canoe from steering, and it was finally broken and carried down the stream. At length, vhen Belanger's strength seemed almost exhausted, the canoe reached him with a small cord belonging to one of the nets, and he was dragged perfectly senseless through the rapid. By the di- rection of Dr. Richardson, he was instantly stripped, and be- ing rolled up in blanket.^ two men undressed themselves and went to bed with him ; bnt it was some hours before he reco- vered his warmth and sensations. As soon as Belanger was placed in his bed, the officers sent over some blankets, and n person to make a fire. Augustus brought the canoe over, and in returning he was obliged to descend both the rapids, before he could get across the stream ; which hazardous ser- vice he performed with the greatest coolness and judgment. By this accident Captain Franklin had the misfortune to lose his port-folio, containing his journal from Fort Enter- prise, together with all the astronomical and meteorological observations made during the descent of the Copper-mine River, and along the sea-coast. On the 15th, the rest of the party were brought across, and Belanger was so much recovered as to be able to prqceed, but they could not set out until noon, as the men had to pre- pare substitutes for the slings "\vhich were lost. Soon after leaving the encampment they discerned a herd of deer, and after a long chase a fine male was killed by Perrault. The party were nov/ in good spirits at the recollection of having crossed the rapid, and being in possession of provision for tlie next day. Besides which, they took the precaution to bring away the skin of the deer to eat when the meat should fail. On the IGth, the party again comnaeiK«,d their journey at P. V. 22. T T T f 1 '". I- 1 . J :t n: u 1 n n M am franklin's journey seven o'clock in ihe morninjj. After having travelled for a few hours the\ came to a spot where they observed branches of willows visible above the snow, and they halted for the purpos' >r providing some refreshment. As they proceeded they found the country extremely rugged, and their toil in ascending and descending the different ravines with which the country was intersected was great and very fatiguing. They met with some deer tracks, and also marks which had been placed by Indians as direction points. On the 17th they saw some deer, and found the track of a large herd which the hunters said had passed the day before ; unfortu- nately however they failed in killing either the deer they saw, or of overtaking the herd whose foot-steps they had traced. They were therefore compelled to put up with a scanty meal upon some ;)ieces of a singed hide, and some tripe de roche. On the 18th they came to another track of the rein-deer, who had passed in such numbers as to produce a beaten road, Vvdiich they followed for a short lime, until it deviated from the course to Slave Lake so much as to render it necessary to quit it. They crossed several small lakes, which were now so frozen as to be capable of being crossed without the least hazard. Their repast this evening consisted only of the tripe de roche which they had gathered during their pro- gress. A great fall of snow took place this evening, and the whole party were become extremely faint, so that on the fol- lowing day it was with difficulty that they got forwards on their way. Notwithstanding all their difficulties, however, they proceeded about ten miles on their journey. They were obliged to gather Iceland moss this evening for their suppers, not having met with any tripe de roche during the whole of the day. It was however a substitute so unpleasant and bit- ter, that most of the party partook of but a very small por- tion. The severity of the weather was now so piercing that it is wonderful how they were enabled to endure it. At the TO THli POLAR SEA. 607 conclusion of the day's march the first operation was to tliaw their frozon shoes, if a suflicient fire could be made, and dry ones were put on ; each person then wrote his notes of the (lally occurrences, and evening prayers were read; as soon as supper was prepared if was eaten, generally in the dark, and they went to bed, and kept up a convei'sation until their blankets were thawed by the heat of iheir bodies. On many nights they did not even go to bed in dry clothes, for Avhen the fire was insufficient to dry their shoes, they would not ven- ture to pull them off, lest they should IVeezo so hard as to be unlit to put on in the morning, and, therefore, uiconvenient to carry. By the 20th, travelling became so laborious that the party proceeded with great difficulty. Mr. Hood, who had hitherto followed the leading man to direct him in the line of march which was to be pursued, became so weak that he could no longer sustain his post, and Dr. Richardson was obliged to occupy it. By calculation they were so near to Point Lake that they < xpected to be within view of it this evening; and this so inspirited the men that the- T>roceeded on quickly. Af- ter all their efforts how ever they were disappointed of see- ing it ; and this, with a sparing supply of tripe de roche, so excited their murmurs that they threatened to give up all further efforts and to qiiit the party ; and this it is not im- probable would have been the case if they had not been con- vinced that the captain had the moans of tracing the direct road, which they themselves did not possess. On the 21st they again set forward, although the men were much dispirited and very weak. By taking an obser- vation Captain Franklin found they were six miles too much inclined to the southward of that part of Point Lake to which they had purposed to journey, and accordingly they altered their course, and fired some muskets to give the hunters an intimation of the change of their rout. Some tripe de roche, and two partridges wliich they had killed, were all which they were able to procure this day. The error which Cap- T T T S ii I I , A\ i^:| :/ 608 FRANKLIN S JOUIINUY ,•' [ i i ;r,-i: 11 \ f Uy I I 'I'l 1 ' a I .r i i^^ !■ tain Franklin had fallen into in calculating their journey to Point Lake now excited increasing- fears in the Canadians, as they supposed they had lost their way and were returning back again. On the two following days their progress was extremely slow, and they were arrested in their journey by a large lake, along the banks of which they were compelled to walk for a considerable distance. Joseph Peltier, one of the Canadian voyagers, who carried the canoe, having fallen several times, by which the canoe was greatly injured, al last refused to carry it, and it was given to Kegisle Vaillani, ano- ther of the Canadians, who managed to carry it with greater ease to himself, and they made for a time considerable speed. Captain Franklin and Dr. Richardson, not going forwiirds with the party, but following afterwards, accidentally paved them ; and not finding a track to guide them, returned i-nd discovered their companions among some willows, uliere they had found some pieces of skin and bones of a deer, on which, added to some old shoes, they were making a meal. They found Peltier and Vaillant also here, who said that the eanoe was so broken by another fall as to be perfectly use- less, and that they had left it behind. The anguish this in- telligence occasioned may be conceived, but cannot be de- scril)ed. Inipr , hoMever, with the necessity of taking it forward, even in the state these men repre.sented it to be, Captain Frankl. urgently desired them to fetch it ; but they declined going, and the strength of the ofiicers was in- adequate to the task. To their infatuated obstinacy on this ccasion, a great portion of the melancholy circumstances which attended their subsequent progress may, perhaps, be attributed. The men now seemed to have lost all hope of being preserved ; and all the arguments that could be used failed in stimulating them to the least exertion. After con- suming the remains of the bones and horns of the deer, they resumed their march, and in the evening reached a con- tracted part of the lake, which they forded, and encamped QU the opposite side. Heavy rain began soon afterwards ■\ I ' « TO THB POLAR SEA. 509 and continued all night. On the following morning the rain haa so wasted the snow, that the trades of Mi. Back and his companions, who had gone before with the hunters, were traced with diHiculty ; and the frequent showers during the day almost obliterated them. The men became furious at the apprehension of being deserted hy the hunters, and some of the strongest; throwing down their bundles, prepared to set out after them, intending to leave the more weak to foU low as they could. The entreaties and threats of the oflicers, however, prevented their executing this mad scheme ; but not before Solomon Belanger was dispatched with orders for Mr. Back to halt. Soon afterwards they overtook Mr. Back, who had been detained in consequence of his companions having followed some recent tracks of deer. After halting an hour, during which they refreshed themselves with eating their old shoes, and o few scraps of leather, they set forward in the hope of ascertaining whether an adjoining piece of wa- ter was the Copj)er-mine River or not, but were soon com- pelled to return uod encamp, for fear of a separation of the party, as they could not see each other ;' ^f^n yards' distance. The fog diminishing towards evening, Au istus wns sen*, to examine the water, but having lost his ,\ny he did not reach the tents before midnight, when he brought the infor- mation of its being a lake. They supped upon tripe de roche, and enjoyed a comfortable lire, having found some pines, seven or eight foet high, in a valley near the encampment. The next morning, they killed fivf small deer out of a herd, which came in sight as they were on the point of starting. This unexpected supply re-animated the drooping spirits of the men, and filed every heart with gratitude. They so earnestly and strongly pleaded their recent sufferings, and their conviction, that the quiet enjoyment of two substantial meals, after eight days' fasting, would enable them to pro- ceed next day more vigorously, that their entreaties could not be resisted. The flesh, lue skins, and even the contents of the stomachs of the deer were equally distributed amon|j^ il ;■> u V .n [ ;V J, "', r , A TT 510 FRANK MN'S journey ,11^ Uf hi . I • W I "1 'I the parly by Mr. Hood, who had volunteered, on the de- parture of Mr. Wentzel, to perform the duly of issuing the provision. This invidious task he Jiad all along performed Avith great impartiality, but seldom without producing some grumhling amongst tlio Canadians ; and, on the present oc- casion, the hunters were displeased that the heads and some other parts, had not been added to their portions. It is pro- per to remark, that Mr. Hood always took the smallest por- tion for his own mess, but this weighed little with these men, as long as their own appetites remained unsatisfied. They all suffered much inconvenience from eating animal food after their long abstinence, hut particularly those men who indulged themselves beyond moderiition. The Canadians, with their usual thoughtlessness, consumed above a third of their por- tions of meat that evening. On the 2Gth they arrived at the Copper-mine River. It flowed to the northward, and after winding about five miles, terminated in Point Lake. Its current was swift, and there were two rapids in this part of its course, which in a canoe could have been crossed with ease and safety. These rapids, as well as every other part of the river, were carefully exa- mined in search of a ford ; but finding none, the expedient occurred, of attempting to cross on a raft made of the wil- lows which were growing there, or in a vessel framed with willows, and covered with the canvass of the tents ; but both these schemes were abandoned, through the obstinacy of the interpreters and the most experienced voyagers, who de- clared that they would prove inadequate to the conveyance of the party, and that much time would be lost in the attempt. The men, in fact, did not believe that this was the Copper- mine River, aad so much had they bewildered themselves on the march, that some of them asserted it was Hood's River, and others that it was the Bethe-tessy, (a river which rises from a lake to the northward of Rum Lake, and holds a course to the sea parallel with that of the Copper-mine.) In .short, their despondency bad returned, and they all de- ■H: :M TO THE POLAR SEA. 611 de- spaired of seeing Fort Enterprise again. However, the steady assurances of the odicers that they were actually on the banks of the Copper-mine River, and that the distance to Fort Enterprise did not exceed forty miles, made some impression upon^ them, which was increased upon their finding some hear-berry phints, which arc reported by the Indians not to grow to the eastward of the river. They then de|)lored their folly and impatience in breaking the canoe, being all of opi- nion, that had it not been so completely demolished on the 23d, it might have been repaired sufficiently to take the party over. Peltier and Vaillant were exiunined as to its state, with the intention of sending for it ; but they persisted in the declaration, that it was in a totally unserviceable condition. St. Germain beuig called upon to endeavour to construct a ca- noe frame with willows, stated that he was unable to make one sufficiently large. It became necessary, therefore, to search for pines of sufficient size to form a raft ; and being aware that such trees grow on the borders of Point Lake, they considered it best to trace its shores in search of them; and, therefore, resumed their march, carefully looking for a fordable part, and encamped at the east end of Point Lake. As there was little danger of losing the path of the hunters whilst they coasted on the shores of this lake. Captain Frank- lin determined on again sending Mr. Back forward, with the interpreters to hunt. In this arrangement, he had the fur- ther object of enabling Mr. Back to get across the lake with two of the men, to convey the earliest possible account of their situation to the Indians. He instructed him to halt at the first pines he should come to, and then prepare a raft ; and if his hunters had killed any animals, he was to cross im- mediately with St. Germain and Beauparlant, and send the Indians as quickly as possible with supplies of meat. Mr. Back and his party set out at six in the morning, and Captain Franklin started at seven. As the snow had en- tirely disappeared, and there were no means of distingubh- ing the footsteps of stragglers, he gave strict orders for all f 1 '{i r Pi. 012 franklin's journey •ii (I r ^ H 'I (■• the party to keep together ; and desired the two Esquimaux not to leave them, they havinj? often strayed in search of the remains of animals. The people, however, through de- spondency, had become careless and disobedient, and had ceased to dread punishment, or hope for reward. Much time was lost in halting and firing guns to collect them, but the labour of walking was so much lightened by the disap- pearance of the snow, that they advanced seven or eight miles along the lake )efore noon, exclusive of the loss of distance in rounding its lumerous bays. At length they came to an arm, running away to the north-east, and apparently con- nected with the lake which they had coasted on the 22ud, 23rd, and 24th, of the month. The idea of again rounding such an extensive piece of wa- ter and travelling over so barren a country was dreadful, and they feared that other arms, equally large, might obstruct their path, and that the strength of the party would entirely fail, long before they could reach the only part where they were ceriiiin of finding wood. While they halted to consider of this subject, and to collect the party, the carcase of a deer was discovered in the cleft of a rock into which it had fallen in the spring. It was putrid, but little less acceptable to them on that account ; and a fire being kindled, a ^nr'^, ■ por- tion was devoured on the spot. The men, cheered by this vmlooked-for supply, became sanguine in the hope of being able to cross the stream on a raft of willows, although they had before declared such a project impracticable, and they unanimously desired to return back to the rapid, a request which was acceded to. Credit and Junius, however, were missing, and it was also necessary to send notice of their in- tention to Mr. Back and his party. Augustus being pro- mised a reward, undertook the task, and it was agreed to wait for him at the rapid. It was supposed he could not fail meeting with the two stragglers on his way to or from Mr. Back, as it was likely they would keep on the borders oi the lake. '■|, I TO TIIU t'ULAit SKA. 5l;J In the nif^lit thoy heard tlio report of Oroilil's f;tiM in an- swer to signal niuskels, and he rejoined iheni in 22 FHANKLINS JOURNEY Ihey saw but few tracks of the rein-deer, wliich the preced- ing year had been very numerous. On the 13th of October, the wind being high, the snow drifting very much, the party remained at their residence, and in the course of the day Solomon Belanger made his ap- pearance in a state of great exhaustion and distress. His hair was frozen, his whole dress was covered with ice, and it was with difliculty ho gave them to understand that he had fallen into one of the rapids and narrowly escaped with his life. He brought a letter from Mr. Back, in which he said that he had not been able to meet with any of the Indians, and requested Captain Franklin to signify his wishes as to the road he should take. Every endeavour was used to reanimate the almost expir- ing spirits of Belanger; they gave him some warm broth, took off his frozen garments, rubbed his chilled limbs, and ex- erted every effort to make him comfortable. It could not but be noticed how much a sense of the sufferings they had endured, and the still awful appearan«-.es as to what awaited • Ihem, appeared to influence their behaviour. Oaths, to which some of the party were greatly addicted, now no longer came out of their mouths ; a spirit of humble submission to their fate ajjpeared to influence them ; and feelings of the most affectionate nattire were now particularly manifest towiirds the suffering Belanger. That the custom which had pre- vailed, during the whole progress of the expedition, of pay- ing regard to the Lord's Day, arul of prayer to the Divine Being on other occasions, had now its measure of influence upon the most thoughtless and reprobate, cannot be doubted, and the circumstance may be added to the many arguments which history and experience holds forth, to those who arc in any measure of authority, that their duty is to profess their dependence and manifest their reliance upon the over-ruling providence of God, assured that the time of suffering and difliculty will lead others to seek for the salvation of Him in whom they live, and move, and have their being. TO THF. POL'.R SKA. 5-23 Ab from the letter of Mr. Back, it appeared there were no fndians in the neijjflibourhood of Fort Enterprise, Captain Franklin resolved to proceed towards Rein-deer Lake, which was in the road to Fort Providence. He wrote to this ef- fect to Mr. Back, and also apprised him of the state and cir- cumstances in which Mr. Hood and the other persons were left behind, that they might receive any attention which cir- cumstances might present. It was three days before Belan- ger was sufficiently recovered to return, and then he was dis- missed with the letter. Captain Franklin now proceeded to arrange for his jour- ney to Fort Providence ; but it appeared impossible for him to take the whole party, as Adam, one of the hunters, was so aflilicted with numerous swellings in different parts of his body, as to be incapable of walking. He therefore deter- mined to take Benoit and Augustus, and to send assistance by one of them the very first opportunity. Preparatory to removing ho made up a package for the government in Eng- land, consisting of their journals and other papers, which was left to the care of the persons who 'were to remain at Fort Enterprise, and to be given to the Indians, should any call, directing them to send it to any of the North-west or Hud- son's Bay settlements, as they might have opportunity. Cap- tain Franklin then wrote a letter (to be sent when opportu- nity offered) to Mr. Hood and Dr. Richardson. Having given some other directions to Peltier, Samandre and Adam, who were to remain at Fort Enterprise, they bade them fare- well. This was a season which excited all their feelings and brought afresh to their recollection the various sufferings which they had mutually endured. A disposition to be re- signed to the divine will, be the result whatever it might, appeared to influence the whole party ; and every one ap- peared to possess a mind prepared for all the sufferings and privations each might have to pass through. Having singed some pieces of skin to be used for food, and mended their snow shoes, Captain Franklin and his two X X X 2 W V ■ M J fh. W.i 'H ;/ iiMli. •r I ' I ! 021 franklinV journuy Th.y compunions quitted Fort Eiitorpriso on tlio 2()th i'ouiicl thcmselveH so weak, and the road so dillicult, that af- ter six hours labour they had only proceeded four miles, and then lixed their abode for the nij^ht on the edg0(liiit>- day MiiJiel, who with HeUiic^or li.nd, ns noticod ill u proccdiii^ pari of tlio narrative, been compelled to re- liii(|iiisli the jouriioy, join(!d liini. He stated that Belang(?r Imd left him, but the doctor said that tho uircunistancert which afterwards occurred led him since to suppose that Michel had murdered ]iis companion. Michel brought with liim a hare and a partridge, which w as a most acceptable sup- ply to tho hungry party, and uft«'r jiartaking thereof they rested for the night. On the succeeding day they proceeded to the place which Captain Franklin had by letter recom- mended him to move to, and afterwards Mr. Hood removed (o it. Michel, who had remained by himself the preced- ing evening, brought some meat, which he said was part of a wolf which had becm killed by a deer, b«it which the parties since have supposed to be i)art of a human body, and that lie had killed Perrault also. After this Michel refused to hunt or to assist in conV(»y- iug the wood for the fire ; he manifested also in various other ways much of an angry s|)irit, sajing " you had better kill aiul eat me, for there are no beasts to be found." Tn this state some days passed, until one morning, after having read the prayers, ])r. Richardson went out to endeavour to gather some (I'ipe de roche, and Hepbiirn w as engaged in procuring wood, in order that lu; might leave a stock for a few days sup- ply, as it was purposed that he and Michel should set out for i'ort Enterprise. They had not been long absent from the house when they heard tlic report of a gun, and shortly after Hep- burn, in a state of great alarm, called to the doctor to come instantly to the house, where Mr. Hood lay dead, a ball having passed through his forehead. Their distress at view- ing him in that state >vas indescribable : at first Dr. Richard- son supposed that in a fit of despondency he had hurried him- self into the presence of his Almighty Judge, by an act of Ids own hand ; but the conduct of Michel soon gave rise to other thoughts, and excited suspicions, which were confirmed, when upon examining the body, he discovered that the shot ^ |i 'V f 5 ^v I' . h ' '•.. .1 F^ ( I 528 franklin's journby had entered the b?.ok part of the head, and passed out at the forehead, and that the muzzle of the gun had been ap- plied 80 close as to set fire to the night-cap behind. The g^n, which was of the longest kind supplied to the Indians, could not have been placed in a position to inflict such u wound, except by a second person. Upon inquiring of Mi- chel how it happened, he replied, that Mr. Hood had sent him into the tent for the short gun, and that during his ab- sence the long gun had gone off, he did not know whether by accident or not. Hepburn afterwards said that previous to the report of the gun, Mr. Hood and Michel were speak- ing to each other in an elevated angry tone ; that Mr. Hood being seated at the fire-bide, vat liid from him by interven- ing willows, but that on hearing the report, he looked up I'ua saw Michel rising up from before the tent- door, or just be- hind where Mr. Hood was seated, and tlien going into the tent. Thinking that the gun had been discharged for the pur- pose of cleaning it, he did not go to the fire at first ; and when Michel called to him that Mr. Hood was dead, a consi- derable time had elapsed. The loss of a young officer of such distinguished and varied talents and application, can- not but be fell and duly appreciated by th« persons under whose command he had served ; but the calmness with w'uich he contemplated the probable te~.nination of a life of uncom- mon promise, and the patience aad fortitude with which ho sustained great bodily sufferings, can only be known to the companions of his distresses. Owing to the effect that the tripe de roohe invariably had, when he ventured to taste it, he undoubtedly suflered more than any of the survivors of the party. Bickersteth's Scripture Help was lying open beside the body, as if it had fallen from his hand, anri it is ])r jbable that he was reading it at the instant of his death. They passed ihe night In the tent together without rest, every one being om his guurd. Next day, having determined on going to the Fort, they began to patch and prepare their clothes for the journey. They singe J the hair ofl' a part of 'HI .'? r , 1 Tf) THK POLAR SFA. 52y the buflalo r(J)ft tlmt h«!loiif;o(l to Mr, Hood, and boiled and ate it. They afterwards set oat oa their journey to Fort En- terprise. Hepburn and Michel had each a gun, and the doctor car- ried a small pistol which Hepburn had loaded for him. In the course of the march Michel alarmed them much l)y his gestures ^nd conduct ; he was constantly muttering to him- self, expressed an unwillingness to go to the Fort, and tried to persuade them to go to the southward to the woods, where he said he eould maintain himself all the winter by killing deer. In consequence of tliis behaviour, and the expres- sion of his countenance. Dr. Richardson requested hira to leave them, and to go to the southward by himself. This proposal increased ln» ill-nature; he threw out some obscure hints of freeing himself from all restraint on the morrow ; and was overheard muttering threats against Hepburn, whom he openly accused of baT*ing told stories against him. He also, for the first timo, assumed such a tone of superiority in ad- dressing Dr. Richardson, as evinced that he considered both to bo completely in his power, and he gave vent to several expressions of hatred towards the white people, or as he termed them in (he idiom of the voyagers, the French, some of whom, he ?aid, had killed and eaten his uncle and two of his relations. Takijig- every circumstance of his conduct into consideration, Dr. Richardson and Hepburn concluded that he would attempt to destroy them on the first opportu- nity hat olfeved, and (hat ho had hitherto abstained from do- ing so from his ignorance of his way to the Fort. In their journey, Miclul coming to a rock on which there was some tripe de roche, halted, and said he would gather it whilst they went on, and tSat he would soon overtake them. Hep- bi'rti and the doctor wore now lei!, together for the first time since Mr. Hood's death, and they were of opinion that (here was nossifety 'or thrni exce])f in Micliel's dea(h. Convinced of (lie necessity of siirli a dreadful act, Dr. Richa'xlson resolved to take the whole responsibility upon himself; and immedi- P. V. '^.i. Y V V Nw ;l 530 kuanklinV journey atehr upon Miohel'D cominp^ up, be put an end to his life by shooting him through the head with u pistol. 'J'he narrative here cannot but excite feelings of the most distressing kind in the mind of the reader, at the awful cir- cumstances which have been stated. It appears, however, that the doctor was a man of too benevolent and humane a character to have proceeded to those extremities, but from a sense of its absolute necessity. After this awful event they proceeded on their journey, and ultimately arrived at the fort as before noticed. Hepburn, who was the strongest of the party, went out on the 31st in quest of deer, and Dr. Richardson took his gun and set out in search of some provision. A herd of deer passed within view of the doctor, but he was so weak as to be unable to kill one of the herd. On the 1st of November, Hepburn again set out in pursuit of some deer, but his weak- ness was so great as to render him unsuccessful. Dr. Rich- ardson gathered some tripe de roche, but Semandre and Peltier were become so weak, and their throats so sore, that they could partake of only a small portion. The latter ma- nifested such lassitude that he could no longer sit up, but sunk upon his bed. Supposing him to have laid dowu be- cause of its being a more easy posture, no particular appre- hensions were entertained for him until a rattling was heard in his throat ; this circumstance excited their attention, and on Dr. Richardson's examining him, he found him speech- less, and he expired before the morning. This circumstance appears to have so aftected Semandre, that he died in a few hours after. Tlie severe shock occasioned by the s\idden dis- solution of their two companions rendered them very melan- choly. Adam became low and despondent, a change to be lamented the more, as he had been gaining strength and spirits for the two preceding days. The labour of collecting wood now dovolvtid upon Dr. Riihardson and Hepburn, and lluy wore occupied the whole of the next o change their posture was a labour whidi required a considerable effort to accomplish, and they were obliged to assist each other to rise from their seats. Thus reduced, they had the pleasure on the 7th of November to hear the sound of a musket, and the voices of persons shouting. They soon after bad the great pleasure of seeing three Indians named Boudelkell, Crooked-foot and the Rat, approaching them, having been sent by Akaitcho on the 5th with a supply of dried deer's meat, a few tongues and some other articles, of which they imprudently eat so much as to render them very unwell for a time. It appeared that Mr. Back had reached their encampment, and on stating to Akaitcho tlie distressed state of his companions, the chief immediately dispatched tliQ three men to the fort, Mr. Back's journey had been attended with a variety of circumstances almost as afflictive as those of Captain Frank- lin. In crossing the lakes which were frozen, Belanger twice fell through the ice, and was in one instance saved by Mr. IJack and his people pulling him out by fastening the belts which they wore together. Mr. BacK in describing his suf- ferings says, " my shoulders were as if they would fall from' my body, my legs seemed unable to support me, and had it not been for the remembrance of my friends behind, who re- lied on me for reliof, as well us the necessity of regarding those persons of whom Iliad charge, 1 should have preferred remaining where I was to the pain of attempting to remove." Y Y V -> I I ! t/)l 1/. 1 3 1 1 i i 533 franklin's journry Bcauparliuit, one of Mr. Buck's conpniiiuns, weighed down with fatigue and over( me by the severity of the wea- ther, died on the 16th of October; tiie otlier men, with Mr. Back, after great fatigue, reached the encampment of Akait- cho as before stated. Boudelkell was sent back to Akaitcho, and with a letter to Mr. Back desiring a further su])ply of provisions to be sent with all speed ; the other two Indians remained with the party at Fort Enterprise, and proceeded to cl'^ar the apart- ment of the dirt and fragments of bones and other thing'« which were spread over It. They rendered their habitation by this means, and by the large fires which they now made, so much more comfortable, that the spirits and recovery of the party considerably increased. The Indians caught several fish in Winter Lake, and used eVi^ry exertion to make their abode comfortable ; but finding that the supply of pro- visions which was expected from Akaitcho did not arrive, they suddenly quitted the house on the 18tU of Novuniher, witnout giving the least intimation of their intention eitlieif to Captain Franklin or his companions. This circumstance ap- peared so unaccountable that they were at a loss to surmise a cause, until by questioning Adam they learned that flieir fears least the long delay of provisions "which wins expectec' might bo the occasion of renewed sufferings in the captain and his people, and that t\wy had gone away purposely to hasten its conveyance. On the next day, they were obliged to return to their for- mer diet of eating singed skin, and Hepburn hud again to procure wood for the fire ; the succeeding day also they wcr«! occupying themselves in the same way, when Hepbmu de- scried a party approaching the house. He instantly gave information to his companions, and they set about clearing their apartment and removing the scraps of skins out fr'shh*, as it is one of the curious opinions of the Indians that sue/, a practice occasions d'sappointmcnt to the; hunters. Thiic lii- diaus quickly arrived and two of theii" wives. I'cujit alsid men and wuMueu. In the cour.ic oftlie day tiiev (II <' '4 i iA m ■ ,SJ I I 634 franklin's journky were visited by every person of the band, not merely from curiosity, but from a desire to evince their tender sympathy. On the first of December, they proceeded in company with the Indians towards Fort Providence ; and on the Gth Belanger and another person from Mr. Weeks met them with two trains of dogs, some spirits and tobacco for the In- dians, a change of dress for the captain, and a little tea and sugar. They also brought letters from England, and from Mr. Back and Mr. Wentzel. Their letters from England informed them that they had been promoted. All the Indians flocked around to learn the news, and (u receive the articles brought for them. Having got some spi- rits and tobacco, they withdrew to the tent of the Chief, and passed the greater part of the night in singing. They had now the indescribable gratification of changing their linen, which had been worn ever since their departure from the sea- coast. On the 8th of December, after a long conference with Akaitcho, they took leave of him and his kind conipaniuiis, and set out with two sledges heavily laden with provision and bedding, drawn by the dogs, and conducted by Uelau- ger and the Canndian sent by Mr. Weeks. Hepburn and Augustus jointly dragged a smaller sledge, laden principally with their own bedding. Adam and Benoit were left tu fol- low with the Indians. They encamped on the Grassy- Lake Portage, having walked about nine miles, principally ou the Yellow-Kniiie River. It was open at the rapids, and in these places they had to ascend its banks, and walk through the woods for some distance, which was very fatiguing, espe- cially to Dr. Richardson, whose feet were severely galled in consequence of some defect in his snow-shoes. On the 11th, they arrived at Fort Providence, where Mr. Weeks gave them every attention. Their joy and gratitude to God for having again brought them to a place where ad tlujir necessities could be relieved was great, and they lUiiUd in thanksgivin}? and praises for their mercies. The ston-s and n«v; 9, and to some spi- liief, unci n»ey Kail jir linen, from the rou >ng, espo- irulleii iu where Mr. rutitude to •V ail tlieir nniftd in lions and TO THK POLAR SKA. presents for the Inttians having partly arrived, Captain Frank- lin resolved to wait until Akaitcho and his party came up, that ho might present them unto him himself. He arrived '>n the 14th with all his people. Having smoked his pipe ac- cording to their usual custom, and made a speech to Mr. Weeks, he addressed himself to Captain Franklin, in which he said he felt disappointed that so small a portion of the present and supplies intended for them had arrived, because, he said, his people looked to him to secure that rc- nnmeration to them which had been promised. That he did not however intend to cast any blame on the captain and his companions. " This world goes badly," he said, " all are poor ; you are poor, the traders appear to be poor, I and my party are poor likewise ; and since the goods have not come in, we caimot have them. I do not regret having supplied you with provisions, for a Copper Indian can never permit wiiite men to sufl'er from wantoffood on his lands, without Hying to their ai«I. I trust, however, that v/e shall, as you say, re- ceive what is due next autumn ; and at all events," he added, in a tone of good-humour, " it is the first time that the white people have been indebted to the Copper Indians." He was assured the supplies should certainly be sent to him by the autumn, if not before. He then cheerfully received a small present for himself; and, although they could give but a few things to those only who had been most active in their service, the others, who, perhaps, thought themselves etpially deserving^ did not murmur at being left out in the distribution. Akuitcho at the conclusion of the meeting desired that a tfood report might be made to the people of England of the louduct of his Indians, and he was assured that his kindness sliould very soon be noticed. Such of the Indians as owed ilie trading Company money, now received a discharge to the amo'iut of any articles which had been furnished to the i;aptain and his party, and a credit was entered on the Com- pany's books to the \aluo due to any others and to Akaitcho I i ^* hi ssr* I'ttANKI.lN'S .lOURNRY .1 ) y-A » « liimscJf. Ilavinp thus adjusted tlieir engjigcmenfs, die (wip- tuiii presented the band with a barrel of spirits mixed with water, and they retired. Having concluded all his engagements to their mutual sa- tisfaction; Dr. Richardson, Captain Franklin and others of the i)arty left Fort Providence on the 15th, and proceeded to Moose-deer Island. The party consisted of Belanger, who had charge of a sledge laden with the bedding, and drawn hy two dogs, and the two cariole men, Benoil, and Augusdis. Previous to their departure, they had another conferciico with Akaitcho, who, as well as the rest of his party, bade them farewell, with a wannlii of manner rare among the Indians. The badness of Helanger's dogs, and the roughness of the ice, impeded their progress very much, and obligerl them to encamp very early. They had a good fire made of the drift wood, which lines the shores of this lake in great quiintities. The next day was very cold. They began the journey at nine in the morning, and encamped at the Big Cape, haviiit; made another short march, in consequence of the roughness of the ice. On the 17th, they encamped on the most southerly of the? Rein-deer Islands. The night was very stormy, hut the wind abating in the morning, they proceeded, and by sunset reached the fishing-huts of the Company at Stony Point. Here they found Mr. Andrews, a clerk of the Hudson's ]Jii y Company, who regaled them with a supper of (ixcellenf white fish, for which that part of Slave Lake i*particularly cele- brated. They setofTinthe morning before day break, with seve- ral companions, and arrived at Moose-deer Island about one in the afternoon, where they had the great satisfaction of again meeting Mr.; Back. Their mutual feelings on meeting again af- ter having passed through such a series of sufferings was of the most afl'ecting kind. Mr. M' Vicar, the chief resident at Moose- deer Island received them with the greatest kindness, and by his attention to their diet and th^ir comforts, their health and .strength were fully restored. Here they remained until tht; TO THR POLAR SEA. 587 middle of May, during which time the remainder of the stores intended for Akaitcho and his people arrived ; and the cap- tain had sufficient to add an additional present of ammunition to every one who had assisted them. On the 26th they set out for Fort Chipewyan, where they arrived on 2nd of June, which they quitted on the 5th, and proceeded to Norway House, which they reached on the 4th of July. At this place they discharged the Canadian voyagers, sending them home hy canoes which were going to Montreal. On the 14th, thoy arrived at York Factory, thus concluding n journey, perhaps unparallelled in history, of upwards of five thousand five hun- dred miles by land and water. That this journey did not attain all its objects must be ad- mitted, yet it made an important addition to the northern boundaries of America ; and not only established the fact of an ocean o.i that side, but ascertained its latitude. Captain Franklin's expedition also threw much light on arctic disco- very, which must be of great service in all new attempts io reach the North Pole. The importance of having an overland expedition at the same time as one by sea for the Arctic Regions, has so strongly impressed itself on the British government, that on Captain Parry sailing again in 1824 to those regions, where " Pale suns unfclt at distnnco roll away, And on the impassive ice the lightnings play," It was determined that Captain Franklin should follow in the spring, and renew his arduous task of traversing those bleak and inhospitable regions to the northern shores of America. Captain Franklin is accompanied by Dr. Richardson, his former travelling companion, Mr. Drummond, a young bo- tanist, and others. They sailed from Liverpool in February 1825, for New York ; and thence proceeded, by the Lake Erie Canal, to Lac Huron, where the party, about thirty in number, were on the 22nd of/pril, 1825. From Montreal to Lac Huron, no incident worth record- P. V. 2:3. Z z z .V' V 5;i8 IRANKI.INS JOIIUNRY i ri inpf occiirrtMl ; hut the journey was performed with «Mse uitd ex|)<'(litioii ; cvc^ry man cnjoy'Hl rxcellent li(!altli niul daily felt his spirits becoming more buoyant from the continued calmness and liru'ness of the weather. On tlio 2lth of April, lilt) party were to eml)ark in two larti^e canoes lor Fort Wil- liam, traversin;^ in their course the upper end of Lac liuron, 8uult St. Mario and Lake 8n])erior. I'rom thence tlujy pro- ceed in lour cunoes by Lac hi Pluie, Lake Winipeg', Cum- berhind House, and Methy-portai^e, to Athabasca, wiiero tliey expect to overtake three boats with their crews of Ar^•ylHhire-nlen who weri; sent out from En}»land in the sum- n)er of 1K24, and hav<' had anijile time to forward tho in- struments and lug-^aj^'e entrusted to their care. In their voyage through the princiiial htkes, tho travellers will be conveyed in American steam boats, and when that ac- commodation c(!ases, they will procure, as formerly, the ser- vices of stout Canadian boatmen. One of tiie greatest evils attendant on this expedition, is, that it requires upwards of twelve months to convey them to wiiat may be called tho starting point of discovery. And however heavily the time may hang on their luuuls, they must patiently wait the tardy lapse of an Arctic \\ inter, and even after the sun begins to j)eep above the horizon, there are not above six or eight weeks, during which they can travel with any thing like safety. Fort Reliance, situated on tho shore of the Great JJear Lake, and the most nor f hern piece u. uisonry ui the; world, was expressly built for the safety and comfort of the tra\el- lers, and will terniinufe their wanderings for tlie first season. This spot they expect to reach by tlu^ end of September, and in tile spring Captain Franklin and his old companion, Mr. Itack, who goes out on projnotion, with one half of the party, M ill proctM'd down Mackenzii 's River, and from thence ex- j;Ior<; (he coast to the \\(\s(war(l, as far us Icy Cape and n«;hring'.s Straits. Here Captain lieechy, who sailed in the IMo.-ison\ on the 'Jlst of JMav I8"20, is to endeavour to join mi .' TO TIIF IMiLAR si: A. 5a') Ciiplain Frniiklin, oiul affor roiuU'riiif,' him every iissistaiuo, is to ptirsup his exploratory inviisti^ations in such jxirts ahont JJchring's Straits as nrv iniporftctly known. Kvcry thinfj that can contributo to the siicctss of these several expedi- tions anil add to the (wmlort, or rather h'ssen the privations of the onterprisin from child- hood discovered a genius for poetry, published a poem in six. cantos, ^entitled the " The V(!ils, or the Triumph of Con- stancy." The union of po(>tical grace and scientific intelligeuiie in this poem excited much admiration, and in thr(-'e years af- terwards it was i'ollowcd by " TIk; Arctic lixpedition," an in- teresting poetic tribute to the gallant adventurers Captains Ros ind Buclian, and Lieutenants Parry and Franklin, then engaL, I in one ';t() mankind Hk- inhospitable zone. And Briton's tridtiil plant .n s Ij) X, ''LHLiUi!t-'U tti. .1 M^Lf :i ^' V-l.riii.U I'A. vHN' tfl I f It ttCjW, ■■.1% iui"! Mil i'V >l: S^ U /:' i-'^ ■^!^Li^(;«« ( Ml ) BELZONIS TRAVELS m IN EGYPT AND NUBIA, The Narrative of the Travels and Researches of Mr. Bel- zoni have obtained a justly deserved attention among the readers of the present day. In his introductory preface to his own narrative he says, '* I made my discoveries alone. I have been anxious to write my book myself, though in so doing the reader will consider me, and with great propriety, guilty of temerity; but the public will perhaps gain in the fidelity of my narrative what it loses in elegance. I am not an Englishman, but I prefer that my readers should receive from myself, as well as I am able to describe them, an ac- count of my proceedings in Egypt, in Nubia, on the coast of the Red Sea, and in the Oasis; rather than run the risk of having my meaning misrepresented by another. If I am intelligible, it is all that I can expect. I shall state nothing but the plain matters of fact, as they occurred to me in these countries, in 1815-16-17-18 and 19. A description of the means I took in making my researches, the difficulties I had to encounter, and how I overcame them, will give a tolerably correct idea of the manners and customs of the people I had to deal with." Much has been written on Egypt and Nubia by the travellers of the last century, by Denon, and the French S9avans, whose general account of these coun- tries has scarcely loft any thing unnoticed; and by Mr. i h' 542 RF.LZONIS TRAVF.LS it %MU Ilamilton, whose description is unimpcachcd, and by Mr. Burckhardt, who was so well acquainted with the lanp;uiip,e and manners of these people, that none of them snspecletl him to be an European J His account of the tribes in these countries is minutely correct, as well as his observations on modern Egypt and Nubia in general. No traveller had ever^ such opportunities of studying the customs of the natives as were afforded to him, for none had ever to deal with them in so peculiar a manner. His con- stant occupation was searching after antiquities, and this led him in tlie various transactions he had with them, to observe the real characters of the Turks, Arabs, Nubians, Bedo- weens, and Ababdy tribes. Thus he was very difl'erently circumstanced from a common traveller, who goes merely to make his remarks on tlie country and its antiquities, instead of having to persuade ignorant and superstitious people to undertake a hard task, in labours, with which they were previously totally unacquainted. Mr. Belzoui was born in the city of Padua, was of a Ro- man family, which had resided there for maay years. Tlie state and troubles of Italy in 1800, which are too well known to require any comment, compelled him to leave it, and from that time he visited different parts of Europe, and suffered many vicissitudes. The greater part of his younger days he passed in Rome, the former abode of his ancestors, where he was preparing to become a monk when the sud- den entry of the French army into that city altered the course of his education, and destined him to travel ever since. His family supplied him occasionally with remittan- ces, but as they were not rich, he contrived to live on his own industry, and the little knowledge he had acquired in various branches. He turned his chief attention to hydrau- lics, a science tliat he had learned in Rome, and which was ultimately the cause of his going to Egypt. In 1803 he arrived in England, and soon after married, and after rc- .siding in it nine yours, he formed the resolution of going <<> IN EGYPT AND NUUIA, 543 by Mr. ispcctod in these itions on s of a Ro- sars. The too well leave it, tlie south of Europe. Takinsj Mrs. Belzoni with him, he visitc*^ Portugal, Spain, and Malta, from which latter place they embarked for Egypt, where they remained from J815 to 1819. Here he was the discoverer of many remains of antiquity of that primitive nation. He opened one of the two famoii3 Pyramids of Ghizeh, as well as several of the tombs of the kings at Thebes. Among the latter, that which has been pronounced by one of the most distinguished scholars of the age to be the tomb of Psammuthis, is at this moment the principal, the most perfect and splendid monu- ment in that country. The celebrated bust of young Mem- non, now in the British Museum, was discovered by him, and after an abseniie of twenty years, he returned to his native land, and from thence proceeded to England. On the 19th of May, 1815, Mr. Belzoni, his wife and an Irish lad, named James Curtain, set sail from Malta, and arrived at Alexandria on the 9th of June. The principal cause of his going to Egypt was the project of constructing hydraulic machines, to irrigate the fields, by a system much easier and more economical than what is in use in that country. On entering the harbour of Alexandria, the pilot informed them that the plague was in the town. To an European who had never been in that country, this was alarming intelligence, and wishing to have sojnc information concerning the state of the disease, Mr. Belzoni did not land till the next day, when two European gentlemen came alongside in a boat, and said that the plague was rapidly diminishing. They then landed, but with much caution, and proceeded to the French Occale, where] they were to per- form quarantine. Fortunately, St. John's day, which is the 24th of June, when the plague is supposed to cease, was near. Some superstitious persons attribute this to the power of the saint himself; but it is well known, that extreme heat checks the plague in the same manner as the cold sea- son; and, that when the heat of summer is not so great as usual, the phigue lusts longer; while, on the other hand, f 'Hx hf. 544 BBLZONI'S TRAVBLB til r when the oold season oontinues longer, tbo plague comes late^. The Occale is an enclosure of several houses, so disposed as to form a square. There is no entrance to the area of the square but by the great gate, leading to a common stair- case, above which a gallery leads to every house. In plague time, the people of these habitations must communicate with each other without touching ; no provision can enter without being passed through water, nor must bread be touched whilst warm. The disease is so easily caught, that a piece of thread blown by the wind is quite sufficient to infect the whole country. Had it been known that they were ill, no one would have approached them, except the Arabs, who go in case of sickness indiscriminately to every one ; and are thus likely to spread the plague, by giving it to those who have it not. Many die the victims of neglect, merely because every disease is taken for the plague; others are victims of a different kind, of the atrocious, interested views of their relatives, who, profiting by their death, may take what ad- vantage they please, even by poison, as no investigation takes place in any instance. " He died of the plague" is the general cry, whatever may be the disease ; and as several hundreds perish daily, they are all carried away without dis- tinction. After the 24th of June, called the great St. John, the plague nearly ceased, and desirous of reaching Cairo, they hired a boat, in company with Mr. Turner, an English gen- tleman, who was going up the Nile. They sailed on the 1st of July, but owing to the contrary winds, were brought back the same evening. The next day they re-embarked, and were then obliged to land at Aboukir, in consequence of high winds, and visited the place where General Abercromby, and many of the brave army under his command, had fallen in war, and to the glory of their country. Several human bones were scattered about. Continuing their voyage the same day, they entered tie le oome» disposed I area of ion sta'u- [n plague icate with ■r without 5 touched at a piece infect the ere ill. no bs, who go 3 ; and are those who ly because victims of W8 of their ^e what ad- ivestigation igue" is the as several vithout dis- ;. John, the Cairo, they ^iUglish gen- i on the 1st Tought back barked, and isequence of ^bercromby, d, had fallen veral human entered the IN EGYPT AND NURIA. 545 mouth of the Nile, and lauded at Rosetta; and in four days more arrived at Boolak, within a mile of Cairo. The bustling scene here was most striking. The majestic appearance of Turkish soldiers in various costumes, without regularity or discipline, Arabs of many tribes, boats, canjeas, camels, horses and asses, all in motion, presented a striking picture. Mr. Belzoni lainded, and went immediately to Cairo; and as the holy fathers of the convent of Terrasanta could not re- ceive women within their walls, they were accommodated in an old house in Boolak, belonging to Mr. Baghos, to whom Mr. Belzoni was recommended He was the princi- pal interpreter of Mahomed Ali, and director of all foreign affairs; a man of great acuteness of understanding, and so well disposed towards strangers, particularly Europeans, that it was soon arranged, that on a particular day he was to bo presented to his highness the Bashaw, to make a proposal. The house they inhabited was old and out of repair, all the windows were shut up with broken wooden rails; the stair- case was in a wretched condition, and scarcely a step entire; the door was fastened simply by a pole placed against it, having neither lock nor any thing else to secure the entrance. There were many rooms in it, but the ceiling in all of them was in a most threatening state. They had mattresses and linen, otherwise they must have adopted the Arab method of sleeping : as there are no chairs in this country, they sat on the ground; a box and a trunk served as a table; fortunately, they had a few plates, as well as knives and forks, which they had provided to use in the boat; and James, the Irish lad, bought a set of culinary utensils of pottery. Such were their accommodations. Mr. Belzoni took an opportunity of going to see the won- der of the world, the pyramids, with Mr. Turner, who ob- tained an escort of soldiers from the Bashaw to accompany tliem. They went there to sleep, that they might ascend the pyramid early enough in the morning to see the rising of the P. V. 23 4 A \i: •] u I 54(5 llKLZONl'S TRAVELS 4: ♦ J5 u '*'.! sun; and iiccordingly were on the top of it long before tlu* dawn of day. The scene was majestic and grand far beyond description ; a mist over the plains of Egypt formed a veil, which ascended and vanished gradually as the sun rose and unveiled to the view that beautiful land, once the site of Memphis. The distant view of the smaller pyramids on the south marked the extension of that vast capftal; while tho solemn, endless spectacle of the desert on the west inspired reverence for the all-powerful Creator. The fertile lands on the north, with the serpentine course of the Nile, descend- ing towards the sea ; the rich appearance of Cairo, and its numerous minarets, at the foot of the Mokatam mountain on the east, the beautiful plain which extends from the pyra- mids to that city ; the Nile, which flows magnificently through the centre of the sacred valley, and the thick groves of palm trees, altogether formed a scene, of which very imperfect ideas can be given by the most elaborate description. Hav- ing examined several of these mausoleums, they returned to Cairo with the satisfaction of having seen a wonder, which they had long desired, but never supposed they should have the happiness to behold. Soon after this Mr. Baghos introduced Mr. Belzoni to the Bashaw, that he might come to some arrangement re- specting the hydraulic machine, which he proposed to con- struct for watering the gardens of the seraglio, and which was in flict the main object of his visit to Egypt. As they were proceeding towards the palace, through one of the principal streets of Cairo, a brutal Turk struck Mr. Belzoni so fiercely on the leg with his stirrup, that it tore away a large piece of flesh. The blow was so severe, and the dis- charge of blood so copious, that he was obliged to be con- veyed home, where he remained under cure thirty days before he could support himself on the wounded leg. When able to leave the house, he was 'presented to the Bashaw, who received him very civilly, but on being told of the misfortune which had happened to hiru, contented luin^ulf I' 'ti r.i rCYPT AND NUr.IA. 547 with cooVly observing:, '• that such n»A^idcnts could not bo avoided where there were troo|)s." An arrangement was immediately concluded for erecting a machine which was to raise as much water witli on(> o\, as the ordinary ones do with four. Mr. Belzoni soon found however, that he had many prejudices to encounter, and many obstacles to overcome, on the part of those who were employed in the construction of the work, as well as of those who owned the cattlo engaged in drawing water for the Bashaw's gardens. The fate of a machine which had been sent from England, taught him to augur do good for that which he had undertaken to construct. Though of the most costly description, and every way equal to perform what it was calculated to do, it had failed to answer the unreasonable expectations of the Turks, because " the quantity of water raised by it was not sulHcient to inundate the whole country in an hour, which was their measure of the power ^of an English water-wheel," While Mr. Belzoni resided at Cairo a rerolutlon broke out among the soldiers, and some of the troops pursued the Bashaw to the citadel, whither he had retired for safety. All the soldiers ran after him, but as to the rest of the people, no one came out of their houses. All the Franks in their quarter were alarmed, and prepared for defence, in case the gates should be attacked. Mr. Belzoni proceeded to the house of Mr. Baghos, in the same quarter, as he had business with him. He had not gone far, when he met a body of armed soldiers running towards the centre of the town. Advancing further, he heard several muskets discharged in a street near, and many others at some distance: indeed there was a continual firing kept up. On approaching the Esbakie, he saw several soldiers running towards the serag- lio, and others hastening towards him. When they came up one seized the bridle of his donkey, while another took him by the collar, and t\e rest were busied in rifling his pockets. He had fortunal'^lj but a few dollars in his possession, 4 A 2 SI- 'S w M8 liKLZONl'S TKAVFI.S 1,v I :i';.J For several days thoy kept close in the house: during this time, i]w soldiers phindered the shops in Cairo, and the Uashaw sent the Syrian horse against them, now known under the appellation of Tartoor. These were the only troops faithful to him; hut bejng mounted, they could not follow the Albanians, Avho were posted in ploughed fields between Cairo and Boolak. One day the cavalry advanced and the Albanians retired towards Boolak. The house in which Mr. Belzoni resided wns so situated, that from the upper part of it he could see the firing of the troops on one side, and on the other the confusion of the people, who had taken to the boats, which were soon crowded with them, and in the hurry many of them went adrift. There was a universal cry among the people, and the troops advanced to the very entrance of the town; but, fortunately, they were prevented from coming in by the cavalry, who, by making a circuit, had taken post on the road. The confuf'on con- tinued in this manner for several days: at last, after having plundered and ravaged Cairo at their pleasure, the troops retired to their camps, and in a few days more matters wcic arranged again. The discontented troops were all sent to encampments in various stations, at a distance from Cairo, and part towards Mecca; but the European exercise, to in- troduce which was said to have been the cause of the revolt of the troops, was wholly abandoned, and consigned to ob- livion. Turks are averse to controul of any sort, and parti- cularly to what is not the result of Mahommedan customs. One of the buffoons of the Bashaw took it into his head one day, for a frolic, to shave his beard ; which is no trifle among the Turks, for some of them would sooner have their head cut off than beard; ho borrowed some Frank's clothes of the Bashaw's apothecary, who was from Europe, and, after dressing himself in European costume, presented him- self as an European, who could not speak a single word either of Turkish or Arabic, which is often the case. Being in the dark, the Bashaw took him for what he represented ing this only IN liCJYl'T AND NUBIA. 649 himself to he, nncl sent immediately for tli'> Interpreter, who put some questions to him in Italian, which he did not uiswer; he was then questioned in French, hut no reply; and next in the German and Spanish langua^'ns, and still he was silent; at last, when he saw that they were all deceived, the Bashaw not excepted, he hurst out in plain Turkish, the only language ho was acquainted with, and his well known voice told them who ho was; for such was the change of liis person, particularly by the cutting ofl' his beard, that other- wise they could scarcely have recognised him. The Bashaw was delighted with the fellow; and, to keep up the frolic, gave him an order on the treasury for an enormous sum of money, and sent him to the Kaciabay, to present himself as a Frank, to receive it. The Kaciabay started at the immen- sit) of the sum, as it was nearly all that the treasury could furnish; but upon questioning this new European, it was soon discovered who he was. In this attire he went home to his Momen, who actually thrust him out of the door; and such was tho disgrace of cutting off his beard, that even his fellow buffoons would not eat with him till it was grown again. Having heard of electricity, the Bashaw sent to England for two electric machines, one with a plate, the other with a cylinder. The former was broken by the way, the latter j,was dismounted. The physician of the Bashaw, an Arminian, did not know, though it was so easy a matter, how to set it up. ?ilr. Belzoni happening to be at the garden one evening, when they were attempting it, and could not succeed, he was requested to put the several pieces toge- ther, and having done so, he made one of the soldiers mount on the insulating stool, charged the machine, and gave the Turk a good shock ; who, expecting no such thing, uttered a loud cry, and jumped off much terrified. The Bashaw laughed at the man's jumping off, supposing his fright to be a trick, and not the effect of the machine; and when told that it was actually occasioned by the machine, ho afiirmed 'ft! {..' 650 fiBLZONl'S TRAVELS m i^\ I » ) .'-i' §'• positively that it could not be, for the soldier was at such a distance, that it was impossible the small chain he held in his hand could have such power. Mr. Belzoni then desired the interpreter to inform his highness, that if he would mount the stool himself, he would be convinced of the fact. He hesitated for a while whether to believe it or not; however he mounted the stool, the chain was put into his hand, and he received a pretty smart shock. He jumped off, like the soldier, on feeling the effect of the electricity; but imme- diately threw himself on the sofa in a fit of laughter, not being able to conceive how the machine could have such power on the human body. During Mr. Belzoni's stay at Soubra, a circumstance occurred, which shewed plainly the country he was in, and the people he had to deal with. Some particular business calling him to Cairo, he was on his ass in one of the narrow streets, where he met a loaded camel. The space that re- mained between the camel and the wall was so little, that he could scarcely pass; and at that moment he was met by a Binbashi, a subaltern officer, at the head of his men. For the instant he was the only obstacle that prevented his pro- ceeding on the road, and he could neither retreat nor turn round, to give lum room to pass. The soldier seeing it was a Frank who stopped his way, gave him a violent blow on his stomach. Not being accustomed to put up with such salutations, Mr. Belzoni returned the compliment with his whip across the shoulders of the Binbashi; upon which he in- stantly took his pistol out of his belt, and fired at the head of Mr. Belzoni, singed his hair near the right ear, and killed a soldier who at this time had come behind him. Finding that he had missed his aim, he took out a second pistol, but his own soldiers assailed and disarmed him. A great noise arose in the street, and as it happened to be near the seraglio in the Esbakie, some of the guards ran up, but on seeing what the matter was, they interfered and stopped the Binbashi. Mr. Bolzoui mounted his churgcr, IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 551 and rode off to Mr. Baghos, and told him what luid happened ; they repaired immediately to the citadel, saw the Bashaw, and related the circumstance to him. He was much con- cerned, and wished to know where the soldier was, but ob- served, that it was too late that evening to have him taken up, however, he was apprehended the next day. This was a lesson to Mr. Belzoni, who took good care in future, not to give the least opportunity of the kind to men of that de- scription, who can murder an European with as much in- difl'erence as they would kill an insect. A charming young lady, about sixteen years of age, daugh- ter of the Chevalier Bocty, consul-f^eneral of Sweden, went out of her house, in company with her mother, sister, and some other ladies, to go to a bath. They formed a caval- cade on asses, as is the custom of the country, and had not proceeded far from their door when they met a soldier, (a monster it should seem) who took a pistol from his belt, and with the greatest coolness, fired and killed the young lady. She was one of the most amiable creatures, both in manners and person, that ever lived; and was most deservedly la- mented by every one who knew her. To the honour of Mahommed Ali, the monster was taken and executed, but what satisfaction could this be to her afflicted parents. The Arabs of Soubra exhibit as much festivity, when a marriage of consequence takes place, as those of any of the villages in Egypt. Early in the morning of the grand holi- day, a high pole is planted in the centre of the place, with a banner belonging to the village. A large assembly of people gather under it, and preparations are made for an illumina- tion with glass lamps, &c. The Arabs from other villages come to the feast in procession, beating their tambonrines, and waving their flags. At some distance from the pole they halt. And do not advance till a deputation is sent to invite them to the feast. The elders of the village seat themselves around and under the pole, and the strangers at a little distance. One' of the villagers near the pole begin,9 l.rl ^ i f. i :i n 552 BBLZONI'S TRAVELS H ): i to sing, meanwhile the rest divide themselves into two parties, forming two circles, one within the other, round the pole and facing each other. By each man putting his arms over his neighbour's shoulders, each circle forms a continuous chain. The outer circle stand still, while the people of the inner circle keep dancing and bowing in an orderly manner to those in the outer. Thus they continue for three hours. Some of the Hadgees, who are desirous of exhibiting their powers in ceremonial devotion, go on for two hours, bending their bodies nearly to the ground, and raising them up again with such quickness, that it would be impossible for any one who is not accustomed to it, to undergo such exertion a quarter of an hour. All the women are at a distance by themselves, and among them is the bride. When the danc- ing and singing is ended, they all sit down in large circles, and a great quantity of boiled rice is brought to them in large wooden bowls, besides a number of dishes of melokie and bamies, (plants eaten in common by the Arabs as greens), and three or four large slieep roasted, which are immediately torn to pieces and devoured. For the drinking department they have a number of boys, who are fully employed in fetching water in large bardacks from the Nile. At night, the pole and all the place around it is illuminated; the people seat themselves in an orderly manner, in the form of an amphitheatre, the women forming a part of the circle, separate from the men. A band of tambourines and pipes is continually playing, and the entertainment begins with dancing, by two well-known and distinguished performers. When the dancing is at an end, a sort of play is performed, the intent of which is to exhibit life and manners, as in the European theatres. The subject represented an Hadgee, who wants to go to Mecca, and applies to a camel-driver to procure n camel for him ; the driver imposes on him, by not letting him see the seller of the camel, and putting a higher price on it than is really asked, giving so much less to the seller than he received from the purchaser. A camel is IN KOYPT AND NTRIA. 553 at length soomingly produced, which consists of two men covered over with u cloth and apparently in waitinf; to set out for Mecca. The Iladgee mounts and attempts to ride, but finds the camel so bad a beast that he requires his money to be returned. An altercation then arises between the driver and the buyer, during which the real owner of the camel appears, and on examination finds that the driver has sul>sti- tuted a camel of inferior value, and was thus defrauding the buyer and seller. Upon this the driver is severely beaten and in conclusion runs away. The whole audience appeared well pleased with the performance. This was followed by another performance, describing a European on his travels. Arriving at the house of a poor Arab, ho wished to obtain refreshment. The former made an ostentatious parade of his wealth by ordering his wife to kill a sheep, and this command she seems to obey, but quickly returns with an account that the flock had strayed to a great distance and could not be found. Upon this information he directs several fowls to bo killed ; but she returns and states that she cannot catch them. She is then sent to procure a supply of pigeons, but every pigeon is absent from their roost. At length, as their only r-emaining resoarco, the traveller is provided with a meal of sour milk and bread, which con- cludes the entertainment. Mr. Bankes, jun. arrived soon after this period, as did also the celebrated traveller Burckhardt, and Mr. Salt the British consul. During an interval of a few weeks, in which Mr. Bankes proceeded to Mount Sinai and visited other in- teresting' places, Mr. Belzoni had finished his water machine, and every preparation being made, on a stated day the Ba- shaw arrived from Alexandria and attended the exhibition of tlie powers of the machine, accompanied by several persons who were considered to possess a considerable acquaintance with hydraulics. The principle of the machine was that of a ^-.rane having a large tread wheel, in which an ox was to walk and draw np more water than four oxen could accomplish on P. V. 24 4 B i ■■^ ■i ,1 ' t- 1 1 \ 'ni I .1 ..• 554 helzoni's travels II % ! I :■ y I 5 >' the plang at that time adopted in the country. The machine being put in motion, drew six times the quantity of watet which their own machines produced ; but a considerable deal of envy and prejudice was manifested by the natives against the improved method, and every impediment and objection thrown in the way of its accomplishment. Mahomed Ali, the Bashaw, could not but notice the prejudice entertained by his people, and admitted that great improvement was effected, for instead of six hundred oxen aud drivers being necessary to procure water, it was evident that one hundred of each would be sufficient. A circumstance however took place which put a stop to the further prosecution of these plans. The Bashaw took it into his head to have the oxen taken out of the wheel, in order to see, by way of frolic, what ef- fect the machine would have by putting fifteen men into it, James, the Irish lad, entered with them : but no sooner had the wheel turned once round, than they all jumped out, leaving the lad alone in it. The wheel, overbalanced by the weight of the water, turned back with such velocity, that the catch was unable to stop it. The lad was tlurown out, and in the fall broke one of his thighs. Mr. Belzoni stopped the wheel before it did farther injury, which might have been fatal to him. The Turks are strong believers in fatalism, and tliis acci- dent was considered by them as so bad an omen, that accom- panied by the prejudices which were manifested, the Bashaw was prevailed on to abandon the use of this machine, and to continue the use of those already worked in that country. Being thus defeated in the further pursuit of the plan which brought him to Egypt, and also deprived of that pecuniary remuneration which he expected, as he received not the money which had been agreed by the Bashaw to pay him, his mind was led to the contemplation of other projects, and hs felt particularly reluctant to leave a country abounding with the grandest works of the ancients, and in the investiga- tion of which he felt peculiar delight. His finances however IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 555 were too circumscribed to afford him the opportunity of pro- ceeding to any distance, especially as he was accompanied by Mrs. Belzoni. Having had several interviews with Mr. Burckhardt and Mr. Salt while the machine was in progress, during which their conversation often turned naturally on the antiquities by which they were surrounded, the removal of the colossal bust of Memnon to Great Britain had been started by Mr. Burck- hardt as an object greatly to be desired. Being much dis- posed to such pursuits, Mr. Belzoni often expressed before them with what satisfaction he should like to undertake the removal of that bust, and to further any efforts to send it to the British Museum. These conversations however ended without producing any decisive measures, and upon a full consideration he at length resolved to trust to his own efforts, and calculating that with economy he could make a voyage to Assouan and back, he gave way to his enthusiastic love of antiquities, and which he had cultivated in early life while resident in Italy, he resolved to ascend the river Nile. Having resolved as to his course, he communicated his intentions to Mr. Burckhardt ; and on applying to the British Consul to request him to procure a firman, or protection from the Bashaw, he manifested great satisfaction. Mjr. Burckhardt was present at the time of his application to the Consul, and they said that it was their wish to obtain the colossal head, and to make a present of it to the British Museum. They requested Mr. Belzoni to undertake the removal of it, and he promised to use his endeavours to effect it, saying that it would afford him great pleasure in removing it to that place. In consequence of this interview the following plan of di- rections for his conduct M'as given to him. "Mr. Belzoni is requested to prepare the necessary imple- ments at Boolak, for the purpose of raising the head of a statue of the younger Memnon, and carrying it down the Nile. He will proceed us speedily us circumstances will allow, to Siout, 1 B 2 ji ; I) rati ■ ■' • !■• ' m.- i :■' y I;!' ^i F V. ■I J ^^H ' ,1 nil i;i;i Hi OdCJ invL/iONlS TRAVELS tlioro to dclivi:r his letters, prepared for that ofl'ect, (o Ibia him Bashaw, or whoevnrticularly those on the columns in the front of the temple facing tho outside ; but notwithstanding the disad- vantage, and the flatness of their form, there is a simplicity in their countenance approaching to a smile. The shafts ot the columns are covered with hieroglyphics and figures, which IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 5G1 uro in basso relievo, as are all the figures in the front and lateral walls. The front of the door- way, which is in a straight tine with the entrance and the sanctuary, is richly adorned with figures of sumlier size than the rest of the portico. The ceiling contains the zodiac, inclosed by two long female figures, which extend from one side to the other of it. The walls are divided into several square compartments, each containing figures representing deities, and priests in the act of ofTering or immolating victims. On all the walls, columns, ceiling, or architraves, there is no where a space of two feet that is not covered with figures of human beings, animals, plants, emblems of agriculture, or of religious ceremony. The inner apartments are much the same as the portico, all covered with figures in basso relievo, to which the light enters through small holes in the walls : the sanctuary itself is quite dark. In the corner of it is the door, which leads to the roof by a staircase, the walls of which are covered with figures in basso relievo. On the top of the temple the Arabs had built a village, but it is all in ruins, as no one now lives there. lif r. Belzoni descended into some apartments on the east side of the temple, and saw the famous zodiac on the ceiling. On the left, there is a small temple surrounded by columns. In the inside is a figure of Isis sitting with Orus in her lap, and other female figures, each with a child in her arms. The capitals of the columns are adorned with the figure of Typhon. The gallery or portico, that surrounds the temple, is filled up with rubbish to a great height, and walls of unburnt bricks have been raised from one column to another. Farther on, in a right line with the propyloeon, are the remains of an hypaethral temple, which form a square of twelve columns, connected with each other by a wall, except at the door-way, which fronts the propylteon. The eastern wall of the great temple is richly adorned with figures in intaglio relevato : they are perfectly finished : the female figures are about four feet high, disposed in different compartments. Behind the tem- ple is a small Egyptian building, quite detached from the P. V. 24. 4 C n ■ 1 ■ I* ,1 1' ! , r ; i 1 ''I r I.: ^ii (H]2 RRLZONI'S TRAVELS h^- > ll : 4r i ^ n largo edifice, and from its construction appeared to have been the habitation of the priests. At somo distance from the great temple are the foundations of another not so large as the first. Having continued the examination of these superb ruins as long as time would permit, the party returned to the Nile. Here a considerable number of persons assembled and sur- rounded the interpreter, a report having become current that he was a native of the place ; and they manifested a deter- mination not to permit him to be taken from them. It ap- peared that at the time the French army lay here, a youth belonging to this place accompanied them ; and the inter- preter having in the course of his conversations with the inhabitants stated that he had been in the French army, they immediately concluded that this must be the same person. Although he himself assured them to the contrary 1'iey could not be persuaded of their error, and declared that their coun- tryman should not be taken from them, for that he had passed already too much of his time among the Christian dogs, an appellation which they affix to persons of the Chris- tian religion. The mother of the boy who had joined the French army was rortuntitely still alive, although she resided at the distance of several miles from them. However as no other terms would pacify them, she was at length sent for, and on her arrival together with another son, she very quickly satisfied her neighbours that he was not her child, and he was permitted to depart. During the time of this uncertainty however, the interpreter was greatly caressed by the inha- bitants, and liberally supplied with fruits, milk, bread and other refreshments, so that he had no occasion to regret the intimacy which they insisted had formerly subsisted between them. " On the 22nd, they arrived at Luxor, and for the first time saw the ruins of Thebes. Of the magnificence and splendor of the buildings here presented to the eye of the beholder, no modern buildings are capable of conveying a just idea. been n the 'ge as I ruliiH 5 Nile, id sur- nt that deter- It ap- i youth ) inter- ith the ly, they persun. jy could sir coun- he had Christian le Chris- ined the resided ^er as no sent I'or, quickly and he [certainty the inha- »read and [egret the between first time splendor I beholder, just idea. IN KOYPT AND NUHIA. am Such is the difference, not only in magnitude, but in form, proportion, and construction, that even tlie pencil can con- vey but a faint idea of tiie whole. It appeared like entering u city of giants, who, after a long conflict, were all destroyed, leaving the ruins of their various temples as the only proofs of their former existence. The temple of Luxor presents to the traveller at onco, one of the most splendid groups of Egyptian grandeur. The extensive propylteon, with the two obelisks, and colossal statues in the front ; the thick groups of enormous columns; the variety of apartments and the sanctuary it contains ; the beautiful ornaments which adorn every part of the walls and columns ; the battles on the pro- pylteon, described by Mr. Hamilton ; cause in the astonish(!d traveller an oblivion of all that he has seen before. On the north side of Thebes the towering remains that project a great height above the wood of palm trees, w ill call his atten- tion to such an assemblage of ruins of temples, columns, obelisks, colossi, sphynxes, portals and other astonishing objects, as will be at once beyond the possibility of description. On the west side of the Nile, the temples ofGoumou, Memnonium, and Medinet Aboo, attest the extent of the great city on this side. The unrivalled colos- sal figures in the plains of Thebes, the number of tombs excavated in the rocks, those in the great valley of the kings, with their paintings, sculptures, mummies, sarcho- phagi, figures, &c. are all objects of the greatest admiration ; and the traveller will be led to wonder how a nation, which was once so great as to erect such stupendous edifices, could so far fall into oblivion, that even their language and writings are now totally unknown. Having taken a view of the various other objects which arrest the attention of the traveller and man of taste, they examined the colossal bust that was intended to be removed. Fourteen poles had been brought from Cairo toi'lay the bust on, and part of them were formed into a kind of car, on which it was to be placed. Being at this time far distant 4 C 2 Hi r' - ■ i: , ^:r. 5G4 BELZONI'S TRAVELS ■ !! i ■! I' from the boat which had brought them up the Nile, they took up their residence in a portion of the buildings with which they were surrounded. Mrs. Belzoui, who accom- panied her husband, manifested a disposition to conform to the privations and indifferent accommodations which pre- sented themselves, with as great a readiness as her husband. The time was now approaching when the Nile annually inun- dates the country, and it would in that case have been impos- sible to remove the bust this season ; and this induced Mr. Belzoni to use every effort to quicken the conveyance of the bust. On the 24th of July, he went to the Cacheff of Erments (o obtain an order to the Caimakan of Gournou and Agalta to procure eighty Arabs, to assist in the removal of the bust of young Memuon. He received him with that politeness (thich is peculiar to the Turks, even when they do not mean in the slightest degree to comply with a person's wishes, and which often deceives a traveller, who only en passant takes coffee, smokes his pipe, and goes away. There are exceptions among them, as there are among the Christians of Europe ; but in general the protestations of friendship and partiahty for a person, whom they never saw before, is so common among them, that at last it becomes a matter of course ; and: no reliance is placed on it, except by those who are unao-. quainted with the customs of the country. c ,;' He promised to do every thing in his power to get the Arabs to work. Mr. Belzoni told him he relied on his word, and gave him to understand, that if ho behaved in a manuer conformably to the orders of the Bashaw, ho would receive u present accordingly. All the promises made by the Gacheff were only so many attempts to deceive. Several fellahs, or persons of the la- bouring class, might have been procured, but they dared not assist without permission from the Cacheff or some person in authority, however desirous they might be of earning money. After repeated eflorts and solicitations, tha Cacheff IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 565 (lid, on the 37th, send a few men to aid him in Ids attempt. Mr. Belzoni agreed to pay them thirty paras a day, which sum was about the value of four-pence halfpenny of British money. This being considerably more than the wages usually paid, many more fellahs entered upon the work. The car which was built for the conveyance of the colossal bust being now ready, the work began. Upon seeing it move they all gave a loud shout, and said some spirit moved it ; and noticing that Mr. Belzoni was making marks as they supposed, he being at this time writing, they all concluded that by some talismanic charm he had caused the head tu move, and did not believe it to be the effect of their own eiforts. By means of four leavers he raised the bust, so as to leave a vacancy under it to introduce the car ; and, after it was slowly lodged on this, the car was raised in the front, with the bust on it, so as to get one of the rollers underneath. The same operation being performed at the back, the colos- sus was readily pulled up. Men were stationed with levers each side of the car, to assist occasionally, if the colossus should turn to either side. In this manner he kept it safe from falling, and by this means removed it the distance of several yards from its original place. Mr. Belzoni now sent an Arab to Cairo with intelligence that the bust had begun its journey towards Great Britain. When the Arabs found that they received money for the removal of what appeared to them only a stone, they entertained the opinion that it was filled with gold in the inside, and that a thing of such value ought not to be taken away. The heat of the climate, the exposure to the sun, and the efforts made by Mr. Belzoni himself, so overpowered him, that he was obliged to take a day to lest and recover his strength. They continued daily moving the head towafds tin) Nile, advancing sometimes one hundred yards and sometimes two or three hundred yards each day, until the tlic 5th of August, by which time they were nearly advanced over the lands, which if inundated by the overflowing of the i,i >l V k ;' ♦ h % If ■' 'r i Hi i lii r v). ■l' .'M. / 1 ; , 1; Si ; ( d66 BELZONl'g TRAVELS river wonld have stopped their p. ogress for that season. Anticipating a successful end to his efforts, Mr. Belzoni was surprised to find, on the morning of the sixth, that none of the fellahs came to his assistance. The pf rsons who had been left during^ the night to guard the head, informed him that the Caimakan, or head officer of the neighbourhood, had forbidden the fellahs to work any longer for the Christian dogs. The spot where the head lay being expected to be under water in a very few days; and in this case, inde- pendent of being obliged to wait till another season, the head would naturally be sunk deep into the earth or mud. Finding that the Caimakan was gone to Luxor, he set out to find him, accompanied by a Janizary whom he kept in liis service. Having found him, the Caimakan treated him with great insolence ; and hoping by long forbearance to concili- ate him, Mr. Belzoni restrained his anger and shewed a spirit of submission and conciliation which only increased the haughty demeanour of the Caimakan. Presuming on Mr. Belzoni's forbearance, he attempted to put his hands on him, which he resisted. Ho then became more violent, and drew his sword. Having received a good lesson at Cairo from another Albanian like himself, Mr. Belzoni gave him no leisure to execute his purpose, but instantly seized and disarmed him, placed his hands on his stomach, and made him sensible of his superiority, in point of strength, by keep- ing him firm in a corner of the room. The pistols and sword, which he had thrown on the ground, were taken up by the Janizary ; and after giving the fellow a good shaking, Mr. Belzoni took possession of them, and told liim, that he should ^end them to Cairo, to show the Bashaw in what manner his orders were respected. The Caimakan followed him towards the boat, and was no sooner out of the crowd than he began to be quite humble, and talk of matters us if nothing had happened, He then said, that the order he had given to the fellahs not to work he had received from tlie C.acheff himself, and it could not bo expected, that, bcin^ IN BOYPT AND NUBIA. aG7 only a Cttimakan» he could disobey Lib superior. It is in tliis way only the true character of these people can be known. Mr. Belzoni then hastened to Erments to the Cacheff, who had many of his principal officers, and several Hadgees and Santons at dinner with him, it being the time of Rama- tlaii. The custom of these Turkish travellers, at this season, is to live at great men's tables. There were about thirty. The tllnner was prepared in a field before the house, as no room within it could contain so many persons. An old carpet, about twenty feet long and three wide, was spread on the ground. They were just going to begin their repast, the hour of dining being always a little after sunset during the festival of Ramadan, as they are then not allowed to eat till the sun has wholly disappeared. The Cacheff received him very politely, and invited him to dine. Accordingly they sat all round the carpet, on the ground. The Turkish cookery does not always suit an European palate ; but there are a few dishes, that are equally agreeable with our own; particularly mutton roasted on a wooden pole, at a wood fire. They have a particular way of cooking it, putting it on the fne immediately after it is killed, and before it has lost its natural warmth ; and in this way it has a particular flavour, quite agreeable to the taste. The soldiers and Hadgees tucked up their large sleeves, and with naked arms dipped the fingers of their right hands into the various dishes. They never employ the left hand in eating, nor do they eat much out of one dish, but taste of all that are within their reach. They always finish their dinner with pilau, and seldom drink while eating. They wash immediately after, and pipes and coffee being served all round, they begin to converse rn their usual topics, horses, arms, saddles, or dress. At a proper opportunity he requested the CachoflT to give an order for the fellahs to proceed with the operations the next morning. He answered with indifference, that they must work in the fields for the Bashaw, and that; he could 11! ., hi « . .')68 BELZONI'S TRAVELS 'H not spare one ; but that, if Mr. Bclzoni would wait till the next season, he might have as many as he liked. Mr. Bel- zoni told the Cacheff that he should immediately proceed to Luxor to obtain some helpers, and then the Cacheff would lose the merit of his assistance. Among other things he ob- served that he had sent io Cairo for a very handsome pair of pistols which he intended to present to him. In an in- stant the Cacheff declared that he should have his request, and directed a firman or order to be made out, and which he jnstantly signed, and Mr. Belzoni took hb leave. Having given the firman to the sheik or officer, the fellahs were soon ready to their work, and on the 8th they had pro- ceeded so far that no danger of delay would arise from the overflowing of the Nile ; and on the 12th they arrived on the banks of that river. Besides their promised payment, he gave the Arabs a bakshis, Qr present, of one piastre each, equal to sixpence English, with which they were exceed- ingly pleased. No labour hardly can be compared to their exertions ; the hard task they had to drag such a weight, the heavy poles they were obliged to carry to use as levers, and the continual replacing the rollers, with the extreme heat and dust, were more than any European could have withstood : but what is still more remarkable, during all the days of this exertion, it being Ramadan, they never ate or drank till after sunset. Mr. Belzoni now sent a courier to Cairo to inform the English consul of his arrival on the banks of the Nile, and requesting him to send a boat proper to convey the colossus down, as none were then to be procured in Upper Egypt. As it would be several days before the messenger returned, Mr. Belzoni resolved to take the opportunity for an excur- sion up the Nile. Hitherto he had always appointed two persons at all times to remain with the bust; he now, how- ever, surrounded it also with an embankment of earth for greater security, and then sending his Irish lad to Cairo, and discharging- the carpenter, for whose service he had no Ki^ IN KGYPT AND NUBIA. longer any occasion, he set out accompanied by one Janixary and tlie interpreter. On the second day they arrived at Esne, where he was introduced to Klialil Bey, a governor of part of Upper Egypt. He was seated on a sofa made of earth, which was covered with a fine carpet, and satin cu- shions, and was surrounded by a number of his officers. As it might be possible that Mr. Belzoni would proceed into Nubia, he obtained from Khalil Bey a letter to Osseyn Cacheff, a prince in Nubia. Some conversation afterwards took place on the difficulties he would have to surmount, and persons he might probably meet with. He then took coffee and smoked a few pipes ; after which he took his leave and proceeded to the boat. On the 20th they passed Elethias with a strong wind, and arrived at Edfu. The temple here may be compared with that of Tentyra in point of preservation, and is superior in magnitude. The propyloeon is the largest and most perfect of any in Egypt : it is covered on all sides with colossal figures of intaglio relevato, and contains several apartments in the interior, which receive light by square apertures in the side. Here is one of those curious subjects of inquiry, which have never yet been explained. The square holes, or win- dows, viewed from the inside of the chambers, appear to have been made for the purpose ofgiving light to these apartments, or to hold some particular ornaments or emblems, placed in them occasionally on festival days ; consequently, it might be concluded that they were made at the same time with the building ; yet, on the outside, these very windows come in contact with the colossal figures which are sculptured on the walls ; and part of these appear as if cut off where the win- dows have been made ; so that, from the appearance on the outside, it is to be inferred that these apertures were formed after the building was finished. The pronaos is very wide, and is the only one to be seen in Egypt in such perfection, though completely encumbered with Arab huts. The portico is also magnificent ; but, unfortunately, tlu*ee- fourths of it is P. V. 24 4 D w I ' 1 r 1' ■ 1,' H |:' m ') .ij } /I rlii^ 1\ • ' f M V*. la 570 KFLZONl'S TRAVELS covered witli rubbisii. The Fellahs have built part of their village on the top of it, as well as stables for cattle, Sec. Tiie temple is surrounded by a high thick wall, which extends from each side of the propylaion, so as to inclose the whole building. Not only the temple, but every part of the wall, is covered with hieroglyphics and figures. On the side wall of the pronaos is seen the figure of Harpocrates which is de- scribed by Hamilton, seated on a full-blown lotus, with his finger on his lips, as in the minor temple at Tentyra ; and on the west side of the wall is the figure of an unicorn. This is one of the few figures of beasts to be observed in Egypt. The elephant is to be seen only in the entrance to the temple of Isis, in the island of Philoe ; the horse, as an hieroglyphic, is on the northern exterior wall at Medinet Aboo ; and the cameleopard is on the wall of the sekos of the Memnoniuni, and on the back of the temple at Erments. On looking at an edifice of such magnitude, workmanship, and antiquity, inhabited by a half savage people, whose huts are stuck against it, not unlike wasps' nests, and to contrast their filthy clothes with these sacred images, that once were so highly venerated, makes one strongly feel the dilFerence between the ancient and modern state of Egypt. The minor temple is but of small dimensions. It had a portico in the front; nothing of which is to be seen but fragments of columns buried in the rubbish. Some say that this temple was dedicated to Apollo ; but there is as much reason to suppose that it was dedicated to Typhon, as that the temple at Tentyra was dedicated to Isis. The square capitals on the columns at Tentyra are adorned with heads of Isis ; and this is one of the principal cii'cumstances that indicate the deity to whom the temple was dedicated. In the temple at Edfu the figure of Typhon is placed on the capitals in a similar manner ; and though there are representations of the beneficent deeds of nature on the walls, these may have been placed there by way of con- trast, to elucidate the power of the destroying god. Farther on 4o the south ispait of a building, which no doubt was a second IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 571 propyla30n, as it faces the one now standing. Farther still is a small temple, almost unnoticed by travellers, which has an avenue of sphinxes leading in a right line toM'ards the great temple. The sphinxes, several of which our traveller cleared from the surrounding sand, have a lion's body and female head as large as life. There are vast heaps of ruins all round these temples, and many relics of antiquity are probably buried there. Arriving near Assouan, which stands on a hill, they went to see the ruins of a convent, where they observed many grottos, which had served as chapels for the Christiari wor- pliip. The convent was formed of several small arched cells, separate from each other ; and commanded a very pleas- ing view of the cataract, Assouan, and the lower part of the Nile. One of the Arabian traditions relating to this place, is worth notice : There is in this spot, say the Arabs, great treasure, left by an ancient king of the country, previous to his departure for (he upper part of the Nile, on a war with the Ethiopians. He was so avaricious, that he did not leave his family any thing to live on; and he was in close friendship with the magician, whom he appointed to guard his treasure till his return. But no sooner was he gone, than his relations attempted to take possession of the treasure : the magician resisted, was killed in the defence of his charge, and changed to an enormous serpent, which devoured all his assailants. The king is not yet returned, but the serpent still keeps watch over the treasure ; and once every night, at a particular po- sition of the stars, he comes out of the caves, with a power- ful light on his head, which blinds all that attempt to look at it. He is of an enormous size; descends to the Nile, where he drinks ; and then returns to his cave, to watch the treasure till the king returns. The Aga paid the party a visit, attended by his whole train of courtiers, in their rags and finery. They were all clad in their gala attire, as this whs their grand feast of the Ka- 4 1) 2 ^1' * \'Pi- 572 BELZONl'S TRAVELS i-ir madan. The motlc)) confused manner in which this great divan was decorated was curious; one liad a new tunic of their brown cloth, and a ragged turban; another had a fine turban, and a ragged tunic; a third witliout turban or tunic, had a^fine red woollen shawl round his body ; the Aga himself was uncommonly dirty and showy, being dressed in green and red, and without a sliirt on his back. He came on board with all his suite. On the 28th, they passed several ruins on the bank of the Nile. The Reis to whom the boat belonged, and the sailors, went on shore at a village, leaving only Mr. and Mrs. Bel- Zoni and the interpreter in the boat. Soon after they wore gone, some of the inhabitiints came towards the boat and appeared to examine it with close attention. After this they all retired. Soon, however, a party were observctl approaching armed with offensive weapons. Alarmed rather by their appearance, Mr. and Mrs. Belzoni and the inter- preter armed themselves with pistols and stood upon their guard. The natives entered their boat, and mado towards Mr. Belzoni, who by signs desired them to keep at a dis- tance, as they understood not their language. Disregardidff his motions they came close, and he resisted the foremost with one hand, while with the other he presented a pistol at him, and gave him to understand that he would certainly fire if he persisted in his attempt. This checked them for a time, and the Reis and crew appearing in sight, thoy thought proper to withdraw. On the 29th, landing at a place near which stood the ruins of an ancient temple, they immediately entered it, but on coming out they found themselves surrounded by a party of the natives armed with offensive weapons. They de- manded to be paid for permission to come out; but Mr. Belzoni replied that be would not suffer money to be taken from himself by such conduct, but that he would make them such presents as he thought proper if they did not oppose him ; and instantly moving forward with a determined step, n !i IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 673 IS th(^y gave way and let the party pass. The next morning they proceeded to Gyrshe and entered a small temple, the floors of wliicli had mostly been dug up, probably in search of treasure. The natives were rather rough in their manners, but were t;asily sutistied with a piece of soap, a pipe of to- bacco, and a few paras. Here they bought some gargadan, a grain about the size of a small shot, which the Nubians use as coffee. It is a good substitute where no coffee is to be had, and is much cheaper. A little above this place is a dangerous passage of the Nile, a chain of rocks running across the river, and making it very alarming, when the waters are low ; but as they were now high, it was passed without danger. On the 1st of September they arrived at Korosko. The Reis caught some cameleons. These creatures feed on rice, or on flies. They bit off" each others legs. They swim faster than they can crawl. It was endeavoured to keep them alive, but without success. On the 5th. they arrived at Deir, the principal town of Lower Nubia. The houses are not mora than ten feet high, and are built principally of earth intermixed occasionally with stones. Mr. Belzoni waited on Hassan Cachoif, the governor of the place, who desired to know his business. He replied, that their parly were desirous of examining the antiquities of the country. This the Cacheff said would not be practicable, as at this time they were at war with the people who occupied the territories higher up the country. He made inquiry if any presents were intended to be made to him, and being given to understand that the party had but little, but that they would spare him part of their store of coffee, soap and to- bacco, and he appeared satisfied. He also gave the Cacheff" a large looking glass with which he appeared to be highly pleased. There were several of his people who had not seen a looking-glass before, and it astonished them greatly. The Cacheff' was never tired of admiring his bear-like face; and all his attendants beiiind him strove to get a peep at their i ■. t 1. . h; . k i> ;;;:!, i"'A f 1^ 0' ' M Hw )' . ul ■il 11 h ! i 1 674 BBLZOM'S TRAVRLJs own chocolate beauty, laughing, and much pleased ^ith It. The Cacheff gave it, not without fear, to one of them, with a fltrict charge to be careful not to break it. The Esquimaux are said to be very lilthy in their food, but these people were not unlike them in that respect. If they killed a sheep, the in trails were opened, and pieces Merc dip])ed into the water and eaten raw. The head and feet with the skin on, wool, hoofs, and all, were pxit into a pot to be half-boiled, when they drank the broth, and devoured the rest. On reaching Faras, they went to see the temples of Ybsambul. Crossing the Nile exactly opposite, they had an opportunity of examining and having full views of them at a distance. In the front of the minor temple are six colossal figures, which make a bettor appearance at a distance than when near. They are th'rty feet high, and are hewn out of the rock ; as is also the large temple, which has one figure of an enormous size, with the head and shoulders only pro- jecting out of the sand. The sand from the north side, accumulated by the wind on the rock above the temple, and which had gradually descended towards its front, choked the entrance, and buried two thirds of it, so that the hope of opening its entrance vanished ; for the amazing accumulation of sand was such, that it appeared an impossibility ever to Teach the door. The CachelF exercises the most tyrannical authority. He seizes on the property of any person at liis pleasure, and tiie life of his people is subject entirely to him. The son of the Cacheff, who exercised authority here at this time, desired to know what gave occasion to the visit of Mr. Belzoni and his people. To this it was replied, that Mr. Belzoni had a letter to his father from his uncle and that he came into the country in search of ancient stones. He laughed, and said that a few months before he had seen another man, who came in search of treasure, and took away a great deal of gold in his boat ; and that he siijiposed they came for llie t.V* <■! m IN EOVrr AND NUIUA. 676 same purpose, for what could tlicy want with stones, if it were not that he was able to procure gold for them. Mr. Uelzoni proposed to have the place opened, and on a promise, tiiat, if he succeeded, the Cacheil' should receive a bukshis, he consented on his own part ; but still he said his father remained to be persuaded, and then people to be procured, who would work at such a place without fearing harm from the devil. Mr. Belzoni told him, that those who worked would gain money. " What money do you mean ?'* said he, "money from Mahomet Ali, Bashaw of Cairo? What can we do with it? we cannot buy any thing here, or at Dongola." It appeared that they had little notion of commerce, and that what produce they carry to Cairo, Siout, or Esne, they exchange for other articles, which they send to the southern country of Nubia, and never receive any money for it. Mr. Belzoni produced Ji piastre, and showed it to some of the people : one of them took the piastre, and after looking at it for some time, asked who would give any thing for that small piece of metal. " Any one," said Mr. Belzoni, " will give a measure of dhourra for it, quite enough for a man to eat in three days." "That may be so in your country," replied he; *' but here, no one will give six grains of dhourra for so small a bit of iron." Mr. Belzoni told him, if he went on board his boat, and presented it to any one there, he would get for it dhourra enough to suffice him for the time mentioned. Off he ran like a deer, and in a few minutes returned with the dhourra folded in a rag fastened to his waist. Being very desirous to see the cataracts, Mr. and Mrs. Belzoni, with the Janizary and interpreter, proceeded as far as the day would permit, so as to return in proper time to the boat at night. They had many views of the cataract, and in different directions. It is a flat country, except a few rocks that project here and there, particularly at the river's side, but they are of small dixensions. Towards 1 H H ■'• , > [k 576 nOLZONl'8 TRAVELS I ■' ! h \f ' ' I! the desert they saw several wild antelopes, which kept at a great distance. As the Nile was hi|^h, the current had not so great a fall as when it is low ; hut the cataract i^ nut navigable at any time of the year. The rock forming tliis cataract ditfers from that of the first, for here is no granite, but a kind of black marble quite as hard. Early in the morning of the 14th, they took on board two men of the ishnd, to pilot them towards the cataract as far as the boat could go, and then to show the way to pro< ceed. Several of the women came to see Mrs. Belzoni, who made them presents of glass bead- necklaces, with which they were wonderfully pleased ; though, as it is their custom to take all, and give nothing, they did not even return thanks for what they received ; but took their pre> sents, laughed, and ran away immediately. The Cacheft's house was adorned with an old mat spread on the ground as usual, a water jar, and a chain with two hooks made in a particular manner. This was that same Osseyn, who was one of the two brothers that caused Mr. Burckhardt to return from Tinareh. He was about sixty- eight years of age, five feet eleven inches high, stout and robust, and able to support the charge he was born to hold. He was surrounded by thirty men, nil armed, some with matchlock guns and long swords, and some with spears and shields instead of guns. He was clothed in a long tunic down to his feet, made of white woollen cloth, with a belt round his waist, to which his sword, flint, and steel were attached. Over his shoulder he had a long shawl, made of the same stulf as the tunic, thrown partly over his head, so as to covf r it from the sun. He had also a red turban, and on his feet a pair of ragged shoes. Notwithstanding his dress, there was an air of superiority about him, which dis- tinguished him at once above all the rest. It is worthy of observation, that even among barbarians great respect is paid to superiors ; and those very men, who would murder a fellow creature in a difference about a few pipes of to- P. V. 2i Ifill IN BOYPT AND NUBIA. 67^ bacco, almost tremble at the frown of a single and some- times harmless old man. His inquiriua concerning Mr. Bel- zoni were very minute. Mr. Belzoni brought the affair of the temple forward, which did not a little surprise him. He .suid he knew the entrance into the temple very well ; that tho round ball on the largo head was the door of the great Dere, as ho named it, and tf removed any one could immedi- ately enter. This round boll was no other than the globe on the head of the hawk-headed Osiris, which stood over the door. At first he stated the great difficulty, if not impossibi- lity of opening this place ; and at last, when Mr. Belzoni had removed these obstacles, he received a promise, that if Mr. Belzoni found in the temple any gold, he should have half. To this Mr. Belzoni agreed, on condition that if he found only stones, they should be all his own property. The Cacheff immediately assented, for he said he wanted no stones. Next morning they went to Ybsambul. Having presented to Daoud the letter from his father, he sent for the men who were intended to work. These people were complete sa- vages, and entirely unacquainted with any kind of labour. They had changed their minds since Mr. Belzoni was last there ; and, though he had the authority of the Cacheff, they would not work. All perfiuiision was of no avail; first, because they were not inclined to such labour ; secondly, they did not know the value of money, &c. At last Mr. Belzoni pre- tended to give up his project, and go away. When the Ca- chaff saw that he meant to go, and that he should lose many a good present, he began to talk to them ; and at last, with much difficulty, reduced the payment to one half of what they had demanded before. On Mr. Belzoni agreeing to this, they immediately insisted, that he should employ as many as they chose. It was in vain that he stated, thirty were more than sufficient for his purpose ; they would not hear of less than a hundred. At last it was concluded, that he should take forty men, who were to be at the bark before the sun P. V. 25. 4 E f :i M \'i 'ir f "l f , '! i ,vl: 'M 578 huf-zoni's travkls rose next morning, as it was nearly two miles from tJie vil- lage to 1'^e temple. Kisiui;- early in the morning in expectation of seeing the ])eople whom he was to employ, Mr. Belzoni was surprised that not one made his appearaiicfc. On going in search of them, some few at last made their appearance. They pre- tended that they had seen a Bedoween, and feared that they should be killed or taken captives. They now proceeded to remove the sand and earth which covered the front of tlio temple, and expressed their expectation that much gold, and many jewels would be fnnid in the place. Concluding that such an opinion woiild stimulate their etforts Mr. Belzoni did not in the least strive to alter their opinion. On the lf)th the? CachefT began to start many objections, and to state many difficuivies. He said the fellahs would not work, and that they <:aid it was useless for them to labour hard for a I'ttlo money. After listening to many other trifling excuses, it was suggested to Mr. Be'zoni that a handsome present to the Cacheff would at once remove all the difticulties. Being from past experience, led to see tlrat they never are satislied •with whatever they receive, but were always contriving to obtain more than they agree for, if previously paid, Mr. Bel- zoni only assurec the interpreter, that the Cacheff, anii liini- self (the interpreter,) should receive a good bakshis- (present,) if they Avould serve him. At length several fellahs agreed "to work, and on the 20th t!\ey begun again to proceed, al- thfingh the exeitions made were not to much ellect. The Cacheff, with his attendants, cane to see how they were -pre'ceeding, and said h.e intended dining with them. Mr. Belzoni said be sliould be glad of his comjpany, but that he ■had nothing except boiled rice, luiless he would order iiis people to kill a sheep, wliich Mr. Belzoni said he wouM gladly pay for. They consulted abcnt who could afiord to part* with a sheep, nrid receive piastres hi payment, ajul at last'theordei' was given to an old man, who had i\\e, which 'was a greater nmnber than any bddy else. When the sheep IN KGYPT AND Nl HIA. 579 ^yns brought, the dillicuKy vas to li\ the price of it. Being the lirstever sold for money in that place, to put a iiigh price, on it would have increased the value of sheep in general, and consequently would have been against the intei-est of the Ca- che!!'; for when he receives his revenue in these animals, he sets them at a very low price, that he may have the more given him. To estimate it at a low price would be w orse, for it would be against them all in the exchange of sheep fot dhourra with the other villages. Finding it a dangerous poiut to decide, it was at length resolved, that no price at all should be put upon the sheep, but that the man should mako; a present of it, and Mr. Belzoni should give any thing he pleased in return. To prevent any standard being established from what he gave the man, he paid him in soap, tobacco, and salt. At diiiner the sheep was brought in pieces in two wooden bowls, and the Cacheft' and his attendants seated themselve;i in a circle on the sand near the temple. The extremities of their lilthy hands were soon washed in thv. liquor, and in a few seconds the whole was devoured. Soon after dinner cotl'ee was brought up from the boat, and Mr. Uekoni went on board to take dinner with Mrs. Belzoni, who had boiled rice and water for her fare, in preference to the chieftain's mess of mutton. In a short time the Cacheff approached, and signiiied his vi'ish to speak to him in secret. The great secret was this : on the night before, as he stood on the bank close to the boat, he saw him drinking a coffee cup of red liquor that he poured out of a bottle ; and having inquired what it was, was told it was nebet (wine). Now he had heard that the wine of the English was much better than what they made in their own country with dates; he wished, therefore, to have some to drink also, but in a secret way. Mr. Bel- zoni had a few bottles K-ft, which were ])reserved for extra- ordinary occasions ; uiid he sent the interpreter down to the boat to fetch one. When the wine was lirst poured out into a cup and presented to the Cachell', he sternly looked at the I E 2 ■ ili ,:ii J. ^"f .m t' ■, i\\ r» :t m"' 680 BBLZONl'S TRAVELS interpreter, and told him to drink first. The interpreter, who was a Copt, and h^d been in the French army for seve- ral years, did not want much persuasion to make a libation to Bacchus ; so with a smile he soon convinced the Cached of the plirity of the contents of the bottle, and the Cacheff did not hesitate to drink the next cup. At the first taste it did not appear to him so strong as he had supposed ; but at last he found it so good, that in three days the scanty stock was nearly finished. Next morning (21st), the people took, it into their heads to come in such numbers, that Mr. Belzoni could not employ them all, as the work was directed only to one point. There was warm debating on the subject i but, as ^e told (hem he would not spend one farthing more than he had promised from the first, they agreed at last that the pay should be di- vided amongst them all; and thus, instead of fov*v men, he had eighty for the same price, which was ie. V xpence a day. The anxiety to see the inside of the temple, and to plunder all that it might contain, brought the chiefs nov on board very early in the morning. They soon gave Mr. Bel- zoni to understand )>ki:^.Iy, that all that was there was their property; r d that the treasure shouid be for themselves. Even the savages began to lay their account in the division of the spoil. He assured them that he expected to find no- thing but stones, and wanted no treasure. They still per- sisted, that, if he took away the stor ).s, the treasure was in them; and, if he could make a drawing, or likeness of them, he could f.xtract the treasure from them also, without )ir perceivi» g it. Some proposed, that, if there were it *i gure discovered, it should be broken before it was carrie< away. In the course of tire evening, two ot men left the work, and went down the Nile to the boat. Finding Mrs. Belzoni on board, with only a little girl from the village, they were rather impertinent to her. and attemptfKl to go on board in spite of all she could say to them, intending to rob 'i^ boat. mH'^ ' K I : n it. Observing by his motions the disappointment strongly h i ( r' i. f- ■■i W ' i\ .1 if d84 BBLZONfS TRAVELS marked in his countenance, it destroyed their great expecta- tions of wealth from this invaluable jewel. When he told them, that it was only a piece of glass, the words affected their minds like the unhappy tidings of some great misfortune, and they walked off in solemn silence. The deception of these people is extreme. A traveller passing by a village stops his bark for an hour or two : what g'ood people he finds ! Some bring him a small basket of dates, others a few eggs, another some bread and milk ; M'ith which he is so pleased, that he immediately gives them five or perhaps ten times more than the worth of what he re- ceives, without being aware, that it is through such an ex- pectation they bring him these things ; and exclaims, that in £urope they do not treat a stranger so civilly. But let him take the smallest of these presents without giving any thing in return, or even no more than it is worth, they will not fail to murmur at him. If he give only double the price, they have the art of returning the money with scorn and contempt, in order to shame him to give more : and if he take the money returned, or give them nothing from the beginning, he must not expect that they will let him go away without pay- ing them for what they brought him. All this is unknown to a traveller merely passing by ; for there is no one in this cha- racter, who would be so mean as to accept auy thing, with- out returning double or treble its va'.'o. From t'.iese trifles it may be presumed what they are in all their dealings ; to night one word for such a thing, to-morrow another : their intrigues are beyond description : they have the art of mak- ing one thing appear like another so well, that it is very dif- ficult to avoid falling into their trap. Settling all his affairs with the Aga, and satisfying his de- mands of oil, vinegar, and some empty bottles, they left As- souan in the morning of the 30th, and in two days arrived at Esne, the current being very strong. On the morning of the 4th of October they arrived at Luxor. Seeing no boat had arrived from Cairo, though the jxpecta- 1 he told affected ifortune, traveller o : what )asket of iilk ; M'ith hem five it he re- h an ex- s, that in At let him any thing J will not rice, they contempt, he money nning, he hout pay- iknown to 1 this cha- ing, with- om t^iese ' dealings ; her: their rt of mak- i very dif- ng his de- ey left As- ys arrived urrived at hough the IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 566 H' consul had sent some money, Mr. BeJizoni set off in the same boat to Giieneh, arrived there the next morning, and went to see Mr. Sokiner, a person whom he knew. Having paid half the money down required for a boat, it was determined to ascend the Nile as far as Assouan, to un- load at that place, and to return immediately. On one occasion Mr. Belzoni dined with Calil Bey, the governor of Upper Egypt. The dinner was brought in a large tray. It consisted, as usual, of very poor rice soup, which, after eating three spoonsful, was taken away, and a dish of roast mutton brought forward. No sooner had they begun to eat of that, than a man came in with his hand full of large green peppercorns, and let them fall on the tray, which, being of metal, sounded like a drum-head. After him came another, with half-a-dozen onions peeled, which he let fall in like manner, and they rolled about the (ray like billiard balls ; and a third followed with peeled garlic, &c. After eating the mutton, a dish of very small fried fish was served up. They were about half-a-dozen, and there were eight of the party, so that no one could eat too much of this. It was soon removed, and a kind of tart was produced ; but neither the Bey, the Cacheff, the Sheik, nor Mr. Belzoni, could.eat a single bit of it. The fruit consisted of a water melon, which having demolished, they finished their repast by washing their beards. A t Camak, the work to be done consisted in transporting the six sphinxes and the white statue to Luxor for embarka- tion, a distance of nearly a mile, without a road. In many parts the water had left a soft ground where the statues had to pass ; and, as there was no mechanical power to assist, the Arabs had enough to do to carry them to the place of desti- nation. The time having elapsed in which Mr. Belzoni expected to receive letters from Cairo, he' resolved to return to Kenneh. On his arrival at that place, he found the courier had just en- tered it. He brought letters from Mr. Salt, with an order P. V. 25. 4 F . {■ k i'- ■i. ij 141 i-' f .J 1 '1 i 1 i ^1 .till Ji 'im% 58(5 nKLZONIS TllAVEI.S for money on the Seraf, or banker, of Kcnnch. He then finished his business there, and proceeded to Luxor, where ho found the boat returned from Assouan, to take the colossal bust on board : but he was soon informed by the i)roprietor, that it was loaded with dates, and that he was come himself from Esne, to return the money he had paid as earnest ; for they could not think of taking that large stone into the boat, as it would crush it to pieces. After various impediments, on the 17th of November the head of the younger Memnon was actually embarked. It was no easy undertaking to put a piece of granite, of such bulk and weight, on board a boat, that, if it received the weight on one side, would immediately upset ; and this was to be done without the smallest mechanical contrivance, even a single tackle, and only with four poles and ropes ; the water was about eighteen feet below the bank where the head Mas to descend. The causeway was gradually sloped to the edge of the water close to the boat, and with the four poles formed a bridge from the bank into the centre of the boat, so that when the weight bore upon th^ bridge, it pressed only on the boat. On the opposite side of the boat Mr. Bcl- zoni directed them to put some mats well ^dled with straw. In the ground behind the colossus a piece of a palm-tree was firmly planted, round which a rope was twisted, and then fastened to its car, to let it descend gradually. A lever was placed on each side, and at the same time tliatmen in tiin boat were pulling, others were slackening the ropes, and others shifting the rollers as the colossus advanced. Thus it de- scended gradually from the main land to the causeway, when it sunk a good deal, as the causeway was made of fresh earth. However, it went smoothly on board. The Arabs, who were unanimously of opinion that it would go to the bottom of the river, or crush the boat, were ^1 attention, as if anxious to know the result, as well as to learn how the operation was to be performed ; and when the owner of the boat, who consi- dered it as consigned to perdition, witnessed the success, and > IN EGYPT AND NUHIA. r)S7 saw the huge piece of stone, as he called it, safely on board, he squeezed Mr. Bolzoni by the hand, and exclaimed, they had reason to bo thankful. The boat then crossed the water to Luxor, for what was to be taken in there, which was done in three days, and on the 21st they left Thebes to return to Cairo, which they reached on the 15th of December, haying been twenty-four days from Thebes. From thence they pro- ceeded to Alexandria, which they reached on the 1 4th of Ja- nuary, 1817, and lodged it in the Bashaw's magazine ; he then returned to the capital ; and accompanied by Mr. Deechy, immediately proceeded up the Nile, with the determination, if possible, to accomplish the opening of the great temple of Ipsambul. At Philae the party was reinforced by Captains Irby and Mangles of the Royal Navy. Having conciliated the two Cacheffs by suitable presents, Mr. Belzoni agreed 'o give the workmen (eighty in nwrnber,) three hundred piastres for removing the sand as low down as the entrance : at first tli^y seemed to set about the task like men who were determined to finish the job ; but at the end of the third day they all grew tired, and under the pretext that the Rhamadau was to commence on the next day, they left Mr. Belzoni, with the temple, the sand and the treasure, and contented themselves with keeping the three hundred piastres. Being convinced, that, if the temple was to be opened at all, it must be by their own exertions ; assisted by the crew of the boat, they set to work, and, by dint of perseverance and hard labour, for about eighteen days, they arrived at the door-way of the temple, which Mr. Belzoni considers as the finest and most extensive excavation in Nubia, and one that can stand a competition with any in Egypt, except the tomb newly discovered in Beban el Molook. The temple of Ip« sambul has, in all probability, been covered with sand two thousand years, or more. The following s the description given of it. From what they could p». ?ceive at the first view, it was evidently a very large place ; but their astonishment increased, 4 F 2 I A86 HKhZONIb TRAVGLM when they fuuud it to be one oi' the most mttgnllicent of teiii- plea, enriched with beautiful intaglios, paintings, colossal fi- gures, &c. They entered at first into a large pronaos, tifty- 8«ven feet long and fifty -two wide, supported by two rows of square pillars, in a line from the front door to the door of the sekos. Each pillar had a figure, finely executed, an;l very little injured by time. The tops of their turbans reached the ceiling, about thirty feet high: the pillars were five led and a half square. Both these and the walls were covered with beautiful hieroglyphics, the style of which is somewhat superior, or at least bolder, than that of any others in Egypt, not only in workmanship, but also in the subjects. They exhibited battles, stormings of castles, triumphs over the Ethiopians, sacrifices, fltc. In some places were to be seen the same hero as at Medinet Aboo, but in a different posture. Some of the columns were much injured by the close and heated atmosphere, the temperature of which was so hot, that the thermometer must have risen to above a hundred and thirty degrees. The second hall was about twenty-two feet high, thirty- seven wide, and twenty-five and a half long. It contained four pillars about four feet square ; and the walls of this also were covered with fine hieroglyphics in pretty good preservation. Beyond this was a shorter chamber, thirty-seven feet wide, in which is the entrance into the sanctuary. At each end of the chamber was a door, leading into smaller chambers in the same direction with the sanctuary, each eight feet by seven. The sanctuary was twenty-three feet and a half long. It contained a pedestal in the centre, and at the end four colossal sitting figures, the heads of which were in good preservation, not having been injured by violence. On the right side of the great hall, entering into the temple, were two doors, at a short distance from each other, which led into two long separate rooms, the first thirty-eight feet ten inches in length, and eleven feet five inches wide ; the other forty-eight feet se- ven inches, by thirteen feet three. At the end of the first ^1 I I IN UGYPT AND NUBIA. 589 were several UDilnishud hieroglyphics, of which some, tliough merely sketched, gave tine ideas of their manner of drawing. At the lateral corners of the entrance into the second cham- ber from the great hall was a door, each of which led into a small chamber twenty-two feet six inches long, and ten feet wide. Each of these rooms had two doors leading into two other chambers, forty-three feet in length, and ten feet eleven inches wide. There were two benches in them, apparently to sit on. The most remarkable subjects in the temple were,lst, a group of captive Ethiopians, in the western corner of the great hall : 2nd, an hero killing a man with his spear, ano- ther lying slain lu.der his feet, on the same western wall : 3rd, the storming of a castle, in the western corner from the front door. The outside of the temple also was magnificent. It was a hundred and seventeen feet wide, and eighty-six feet high ; the height from the top of the cornice to the top of the door being sixty-six feet six inches, and the height of the door twenty feet. There were four enormous sitting colossi, the largest in Egypt or Nubia, except the great sphinx at the pyramids, to which they approach in the proportion of near two- thirds. From the shoulder to the elbow they measured fifteen feet six inches ; the ears tnree feet six inches ; the face seven feet ; the beard five feet six inches ; across the shoul- ders twenty-flve feet four inches ; their height was about fifty-one feet, not including the eaps, which are about four- teen feet. There are only two of these colossi in sight, one being still buried under the sand, and the other, near the door, is half fallen down, and buried also. On the top of the door was a colossal figure of Osiris twenty feet high, with two colassal hieroglyphic figures, one on each side, looking towards it. On the top of the temple was a cornice with hieroglyphics, a torus and frize under it. The cornice six feet wide, the frize four feet. Above the cornice was a row of sitting monkeys eight feet high, and six across the shoul- ders, twenty-one in number. The temple was nearly two- 1^. ^1 % . .i/i' \f '1^ 690 BRLZONl'S TRAVi;r-S r, (:l thirds buried under the 8und, of which thoy removed thirty- one feet before they oume to the upper part of the door. Mr. Belzoni observed that the heat on first entering the temple was so groat that they cotdd scarcely bear it, and the perspiration from their hands was so copious as to renn<^ the lbl(iin<;' of the miunniies, some cloth (pi i to as lint; as eommon miisliii, very stronif, and of an e(pial tex- ture. 'I'hey had the art of tanning h^atiier, witli which tliey nnuUi shoes, some of wiiich were found of various shapes. 'I'hey had also the art of stainiii'; the h!ath(!r witli various co- lours, and knew the mode of embossing on it, for they found leather with figures impressed on it, (piite elevated. It ap- pears to have b(!en done with a hot iron while tlie leather was damp. They also fabricated a sort of coarse glass, with which they made beads and other ornaments. Besides enamelling, the art of gilding was in great per- fection among them, as they found several ornaments of this kind. They knew how to cast copper as well as to form it into sheets, and had a metallic composition not unlike If.ul, rather softer, but of great tenacity, much like the lead which is on paper in the t<>!i-chests from China, but much thicker. They found some pieces of it covered on both sides with a thin coat of another metal, which might be taken for silver. SuJlicient proofs were also procured of the skill of the an- cients in varnisliing on baked clay, and that this art was car- ried to great perfection : in their colours, especially, the red, blue, green, and yellow, still remain, after so many ages, as brilliant and as beautiful as when first laid on. The inconvenience, and the hazard of visiting these sepul- chres, can only be duly appreciated by those who have made the experiment ; and nothing but an extraordinary degree of enthusiasm for researches of this kind could have supported Mr. Belzoni in the numerous descents which he made into the mummy pits of Egypt, and through the long subterrane- ous passages, particularly inconvenient for a man of his size. Of some of these tombs he says many persons could not withstand the suffocating air, which often canses fainting. A 592 HEI-ZONI'S TRAVELS i-' 1 j!\ :, 11' iM ^A ;ii 1 ^ vaut quantity of dust risep, so fine that it enters tlie throat and nostrils, and chokes the nose and mouth to such a ;1«- gree, that i' requires great power of lungs to resist it and the strong effluvia of the mummies. This is not all ; the en- try or passage wh«5re the hodies are is roughly cut in the rocks, and the falling of the sand from the upper part or ceiling of the passage causes it to bo nearly fdled up. In some places there is not more than the vacancy of a foot left, which you must contrive to pass through in a creeping posture like a snail, on pointed and keen stones, that cut like glass. After getting through these passages, some of them two or three hundred yards long, tliere is generally a commodious place, perhaps higi» enough to sit. But what a place of rest ! surrounded by bodies, by heaps of mummies in all di- rections ; which, previous to the beholder being accustomed to the sir';ht, impress with horror. The blackness of tbe wall, the ftmt light given by the candles or torches for want of air, the dilrerent objects that surround him, seeming to con- verse with each other, and the Arabs with the candles or torches in their hands, naked and covered with dust, them- selves resembling living mummies, absolutely formed a scene that cannot be o escribed. In such a situation Mr. Belzoni observes, he found himself several times, and often returned exhausted and fainting, till at last he became inured to it, and indifferent to what he suffered, except from the dust, which never failed to choke his throat and nose ; and though, fortunately, he was destitute of the sense of smelling, he could taste that the mummies were rather unpleasant to swal- low. After the exertion of entering into Sv . !i a i '.ace, through a passage of filty, a hundred, three hundred, or per haps six hundred yards, nearly overcome, he sought a rest- ing-place, found one, and contrived to sit ; but when his weight bore on the body of an Egyptian, it crushed it like a band-box. He naturally had recourse to his bauds to sustain his weight, but they foun^ no bettersupport; so that be sank altogether amoag the broken mummies, with a crash of bones, IN EUYl'T AND NUBIA. 503 he throat ich a de- ist it and ; the cn- iit in the sr part or I up. In foot left, ig posture like glass, em two or (mmodious I place of 8 in all di- ccustomed of tie wall, irsnt of air, ig to con- candles or lust, them- ned a scene ilr. lielzoni ;n returned lured to it, n the dust, ind though, melling, he ant to swal- [\ a I'.ace, red, or per ught a resi- st when his ished it like [Is to sustain that be sank ish of hones, rags, and wooden cases, which raised such a dust as kept him motionless for a quarter of an hour, waitin*' till it sub- sided aj^ain. He could not move from the place, however, without inoreasin;^ it, and every step he took he crushed a mummy in some part or other. Once he was conducted from such a place to another resembling it, through a pas- sage of about twenty feet in length, and no wider than that a body could bo forced through. It was choked with mum- mies, and he could not pass wit'nout putting his face in contact with that of some decayed Egyptian ; but as the pas- sage incUned downwards, his own weiglit helped him on : liowever, he could not avoid being covered with bones, legs, arms, and heads rolling from above. Thus he proceeded from one cave to another, all full of mummies piled up in various ways, some standing, some lying, and some on their heads. The purpose of his researches was to rob the Egyp- tians of their papyri ; of which he found a few hidden in their brea. ts, under their arms, in the space above tlie knees, or on the legs, and covered by the numerous folds of cloth, that envelop the mummy. The tombs in the Beban el Molook were more capacious. The first that was opened had a sfaircase eight feet wide and ten feet high, at the foot of which were four mummies in their i 4aes, Hat on the ground, with i^c'ir heads towards the stairs ; further on wero four more in tlie same direction ; one of them had a covering thrown over it exactly like the pall on the coflins of the present day. Mr. Belzoni says, 1 went through the operation of exa- mining all these mummies one by one. They were much alike in their foldings, except that which had the painted linen over it. Among the others he found one, that had new linen, apparently, put over the old r;'gs ; which proves that the Egyptians took great care of tlieirdead, even for many years after their decease. That which was distinguished from all the rest, he observed, was dressed in liner linen, and more neatly wrapped up. It had garlands of flowers and leaves, r. V. 25. 4 G - !t 504 BKLZONIS TRAVBLS I 1 I''- and on the side over the heart, Mr. Belzoni says, that he found a plate of metal soft like lead, covered with, another metal, not unlike silver leaf. It had the eyes of a coWf which so often represents 'sis* engraved on it ; and in the centre of the breast was another plate, with the winged globe. Both plates were nearly six inches long. On unfolding the linen, they still found it very fine, which was not the case witii the other mummies ; for, after three or four foldings, it was generally of a coarser kind. At last they came to the body, of which nothing was to be seen but the bones, which had as- sumed a yellow tint. The case was in part painted : but the linen cloth covering it fell to pieces as soon as it was touched. On the 16th, Mr. Belzoui recommenced the excavations in the valley of Beban el Molook, and pointed out the fortunate spot whicL' paid him for all the trouble of his researches. He may call tliis, he adds, a fortunate day, one of the best per- haps of h'.s life ; from the pleasure it afforded him of present- ing to the world, a new and perfect monument of Egyptian antiqu! ty, which can be recorded as superior to any other in point of grandeur, style and preservation, appearing as if just finished on the day they entered it ; and what he found in it, he adds, will shew its great superiority to all others. Certain indications had convinced him of the existence of a large and unopened sepulchre. Impressed with this idea he caused the earth to be dug away to the depth of eighteen feet, when the entrance made its appearance. The passage, however, was choked up with large stones, which were with difficulty, removed. A long corridor, with a painted ceiling, led to a staircase twenty-three feet long, and nearly nine feet wide. At the bottom was a door twelve feet high ; it opened into a second corridor of the same width, thirty-seven feet ioi}g, the sides and ceiling finely sculptured and painted. The more he saw, he says, the more he was eager to see. His progress, however, was interrupted at the end of this second corridor by a pit thirty feet deep and twelve wide. Beyond this he perceived a small aperture of about two feet «l IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 595 fqtiare in the wall, out of which hang a rope reaching jMrobably to the bottom of the well ; another rope fastened to a beain of wood stretching across the passage on this side also hung ipto the well. One of these ropes was apparently for the purpose of descending on one side of the well and the other for that of ascending on the opposite side. Both the wood atad the rope crumbled to dust on being touched. By means of two beams Mr. Belzoni cortrived to cross the J)it or well, and to force a larger opening in the waH, beyond which was discovered a third corridor of the same dimensions as the two former. Those parts of the wood and rope which were on the further side of this wall did not fall to dust, but were iii a tolerably good state of prese^ vation, owing, as he supposed, to the dryness of the air m these more distant apartments. The sepulchre was found to open into a number of cham- bers of different dimensions, with c arridors and staircases. Of the chambers, the first was a beautiful hall, twenty-seVeii fett six incues by tweniy-five feet ttn inches, in which werb four pillars each three feet square. Mr Belzoni says, at the ehd of this room, which he called the entrance-hall, and op- posite the aperture, was a large door, from which iiuee steps le-^. down into a chamber with two pillars, which was twenty eight feet two inches by twenty-live leet six inches. The pillars are three feet ten i u-s square. He gave it the name of the drawing room ; for it "^ fovered with figures, wliich, though only outlined, are so fin*- ; id perfect, that one Would thihk they had been drawn only tie day bet'< e. Re- turning into the entrance- hall, thy saw on the left of the aperture a large staircase, which descended into a coindor. It is thirteen feet four inches long, seven and a lialf wide, and has eighteen steps. At the bottom they entered a beautiful corridor, thirty-six feet six inches by six feet eleven inches. They perceived, that the paintings became mor^ effect ^s they advanced farther into the interior. They rutaintd fHeif gloss, or a kind of varnish over the colours, which had a 4 G 2 I'' •jj I., >r' m :\ I! > * I?' W M if i .; 1 696 BBLZONIS TRAVELS beautiful effect. The figures are paiiitfid on a white ground. At the end of this corridor, they descended ten steps, w liich he called the small stairs, into another, seventeen feet two in- ches by ten feet five inches. From this they entered a small chamber, twenty feet four inches by thirteen feet eight in- ches, to which he gave the name of the Room of Beauiies; for it Avas adorned v ith the most bt'aiitilul figures in basso r'^ ■ lievo, like all the rest, and painted. When standing in (he centre of this chamber, the traveller is surrounded by i, i assembly of ' Egyptian gods and goddesses. Proceeding further, ihey entered a large hall, twenty-seven feet nine inches, by twenty-six feet ten inches. In this hall are two rows of square pillars, three on each side o'i the erirance, forming a line witli the corridors. At each side of tlvJ!: !..:! was a .small chamber: that on the right is ten feet five inches by eight feet eight inches: that on the left, ten feet five inches by eight feet nine inches and a half. This hall he termed the Hall of Pillars; the little room on the right, Isis' Room, as in it a large cow is painted ; that on the left, the Room of Mysteries, from the mysterious figures it ex- hibits. At the end of this hall they entered a large saloon, with an arched roof or ceiling, which is separated from tlie Hall of Pillars c. "^y a step ; so that the two uuiy be reckoned one. The .saloon is thirty-one feet ten inclies by twenty-seven feet. On tlie right of the saloon is a small chamber without any thing in it, roughly cut, as if uniinislied, and without painting: on the left they entered a chamber with two square pillars, twenty-five feet eight inches by twenty-two feet ten inches. This he called the sideboard room, as it !iud a projection of three feet in form of a side- board all round, which n\:!S ptiiiaps intended to contaiji the articles necessary lor the funeral ceremcjny. The pillars are three feet four inches square, and the whole beautifully painted as the rest. At the same end of the room, and facing the Hall of Pillars, they entered by a large door into another chamber with four pillars, one of which is fallen k IN EGYl'T AND NUBIA. 597 ight in- ilowu. This chamber is forty- three feet four inches by iseventeen feet six inches ; the pillars three feet seven inches square. It is covered witii white plaster, where the rock did not cut smoothly, but there is no painting on it. He named it the Jj nil's, or Apis' Room, as tliey found the carcase of a bull in it, embalmed with asphaltum ; and also, scattered in various places, an immense quantity of sm.dl wooden figures of mummies six ur eight inches long, and covered with asphaltum to preserve them . There were some other figures of fine earth baked, coloured blue and strongly varnished. On each side of the two little rooms were some wooden statues standing erect, four feet high, with a circular hollow inside, as if to contain a roll of papyrus. There were likewise fragments of other statues of wood and of composition. The description of what was found in the centre of the saloon, merits the most particular attention, not having its equal in the world, and being such as they had no idea could exist. It is, sajs Mr. Belzoni, a sar<;ophagus of the finest oriental alabaster, nine feet five inches long, and three feet seven inches wide. Its thickness is only two inches; and it is transparent when a light is placed inside of it. It is rahmtely srulptiired within and without with several hundred figures, which do not exceed two inches in height, and repre- sent, as he supposes, the whole of the funeral procession and ceremonies relating to the deceased, united with several emblems, &,c. Nothing can give an adequate idea of this beautiful and invaluable piece of antiquity, and he says, that nothing has been brout:!»t into Europe from Egypt that can be compared with it. The cover was not there ; it had been taken out, and broken into several pieces, which they found in digging before the first entrance. The sarcophagus was over a staircase in the centre of the saloon, which com- municated with a subterraneous passage, leading downwards, three hundred feet in length. At the end of this ])assage they found a great quantity of bats' dung, which choked it up. 'k\ 998 BCLZOTfl'S TRAVRL8 «o IImC they could go ho further without digging. Tl wa;; ioeariy filled up too by the faUing in of the upper part. The wh-^^.e of the figures and hieoglyphics in this wonderful excavati i »e sc«ilptured in has relief and painted over, except ill one cbamher, where the outlines are only given. Great care appears to have been taken to have these accu- rate; as several sketches were observed on the walls in red lines, which had afterwards been traced with corrections in black; the stone was then cut away from the side of the chamber all round the black lines, leaving the figure raised to the height of half an-inch or more, according to its size. A coat of whitewash was then passed over it, which Mr. Belzoni says is still so beautiful and clear, * that his best and whitest paper appeared yllowish when compared to if. The painter came next and finished the figure in colours, which after more than 2000 years still retain all tlieir original brilliancy. Among the numerous representations of figures in various positions, one group is singularly interesting, as describing the march of a military and triumphal procession with three different sets of prisoners, who are evidently Jews, Ethiopians, and Persians. The procession begins with four red men with white kirtles followed by a hawk- headed divinity; these are Egyptians apparently releas-^d from captivity and returning home under the protection of the national deity. Then follow four white men in stripec ond fringed kirtles, with black beards, and with h simple white fillet round their black hair ; these are obviously Jews and might be taken for the portraits of those, who, at this day, walk the streets of London. After them come three white men with smaller beards and curled whiskers, with double-spreading plumes on their heads, tattoed, and wear- ing robes or mantles spotted like the skins of wild beasts; these are Persians or Chaldeans. Lastly, come four negroes with large circular ear-rings, and white petticoats supported by a belt over the shoulder; these are Ethiopians. The Egyptians appear to have had three different modes of IN KGYPT AN 13 NUBIA. dOO embalming their dead; Herodotus says, that these modes were according to the inclinations of the friends of the deceased, whether they were disposed to be sparing in tho expense, or not. He says, Certain persons were appointed by the laws to the exercise of this profession. When a dead body was brought to them, they exhibited to the friends of the deceased different models, highly finished in wood. The most perfect of these, he said, resembles one, wliom I do not think it religious to name on such an occasion ; the second was of less price, and inferior in point of execution ; the other was still more mean. They then enquired after which model the deceased should be represented. When the price was determined, the relations retired, and the embalmers proceeded in their work. In the most perfect specimens of their art, they extracted the brain through the nostrils, partly with a piece of crooked iron, and partly by the infusion ofi drugs. They then, with an Ethiopian stone, made an incision in the side, through which they drew out" the intestines. These they cleansed thoroughly, washing them with palra-wiue, and {.lierwards covering them with pounded aromatics. They then tilled the body with powder of pure myrrh, cassia, and other spices, without frankincense. Having sewn up the body, it was covered with nitre for the space of seventy days, which time they were not allowed to exceed. At the end of this period, being first washed, it was closely wrapped in bandages of cotton, dipped in a gum, which the Egyptians used as a glue. It was then returned to the relations, who enclosed the body in a case of wood, made to resemble a human figure, and placed it against the wall in the repository of their dead. This was the most costly mode of embalming. For those who wished to be at less expense, the follow- ing method was adopted. They neither drew out the in- testines, nor made an incision in the dead body, but injected a liniment made from the cedar. After taking proper means to secure the injected oil within the body, it was covered flOO BELZONiS TUAVKL8 i, i with nifre for the time hbove specified. On the hist day they withdrew the liquid before introduced, which brought with it all the intestines. The nitre dried up and hardened the flesh, so that the corpse appeared little but skin and bone. In this state the body was returned, and no further care taken concerning it. There was a third mode of embalming, appropriated to the poor. A particular kind of lotion was made to pass through the body, which was afterwards merely left in nitre for the above space of seventy days, and then returned. Such is the account given by Herodotus. Mr. Btjizoni says, that Herodotus was incorrect in some of his accounts of the mummies ; be mentions them as erect: but it is somewhat singular, that in many pits which Mr. Belzoni opened, not a single mummy was standing. On the contrary, he found them lying regularly, in horizontal rows, and some were sunk into a cement, which must have been nearly fluid when the cases were placed on it. The lower classes were not buried in cases : they were dried up, as it appears, after the regular preparation of the seventy days. Mummies of this sort were in the proportion of about ten to one of the better class, as near as he could calculate by the quan*:^" he saw of both; and it appeared, that after the open .,. jf the nitre, adopted by the mummy- makers, these bodies may have been dried in the sun. Among these torn us they saw some which contained the mummies of animals intermixed with human bodies. There were bulls, cows, sheep, monkeys, foxes, cats, crocodiles, ^ and birds. Some of the mummies have garlands of ers, and leaves of the acacia, or sunt tree, over their h -ads and breasts. This tree is often seen on the banks of the Nile, above Thebes, and particiiiarly in Nubia. The flower, when fresh, is yellow, and of a very hard substance, appearing as if artificial. The leaves, also, are very strong, and though dried and turned brown, they still retain their firmness. In the inside of these mummies are found lumps I ■ h IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 00^ last (luy 1 brou*>^iit hardened ind bone. ;her care 1 riated to ! to pass t in nitre returned. t in some them lis its which standing, lorizontal lust have hey were )n of the roportion he could ippeared, mummy- m. lined the There •ocodiles, rlands of ver their banks of ia. The ubstance, y strong, ain their id lumps of asphaltum, sometimes so large as to v;eigh two pounds. The pntraiis of these mummies are often found bound up in linen and asphaltum. What does not incorporate with the fleshy part, remains of the natural colour of the pitch ; but that which does incorporate becomes brown, and evidently mixed with the grease of the body, forming a mass, w hich on pressure crumbles into dust. The wooden case is first co- vered with a layer or two of cement, not unlike plaster of Paris; and on this are sometimes cast figures in b»sso relievo, for which they make holes cut in stone. The whole ca«ie is painted ; the ground generally yellow, the figures and biero- glypics blue, green, red, and black. The last is very seldom used. The whole of the painting is covered with a varnish, which preserves it very effectually. It is somewhat singular that no instruments of war are found in these places, when it is considered what a war-like nation the Egyptians were. The reader may see several of these mummies in the British Museum; ^vhich place is open to the public every Monday, "Wediiesday, and Friday, and any person decently dressed is admitted between the hours " ten and two o'clock. Dr. Young oby,erves, that the sepulchral inscriptions con- stitute the most considerable part of the Egyptian literature which remains ; that the general tenor of them, as might be expected, from the testimony of Herodotus, appears to be the identification of the deceased with Osiris, and, if a female, with Isis; and that the subject of the most usual re- presentations, seems to be the reception of this new personage by the principal deities. By a diligent uud accurate comparison of a great number of these hieroglyphical and pictorial representations, he has succeeded in ascertaining the names of the principal deities, and of several of the kings of Egypt, as well as the meanimg of the epithets attached to them ; and from the hieroglyphic of the name, and other corroborating circumstances, he P. V. 26. 4 H Jl m !'■? s: , ' V V i| h' a ':■' 1 -II w C02 bulzunTs travels entertains no doubt wliatever, that the principal Agure taken from the wall of the catacomb in question, is meant for Psammia, who, according to Herodotus, was the son of Nccos or Nechao. There was a procession of native Egyptians, and of cap- ti\e Ethiopians, Jews, and Persians, each distinctly and characteristically marked in feature, colour and dress; an event which we shall find to accord with the history of the times: for we know from the great source of all authentic information relating to ancient history, the Bible, that Necho, the father of Psammis, carried on war aganst the Jews and Babylonians ; and Herodotus notices his expedition against the Ethiopians ; so that this procession may very naturally be considered as consisting of the three descriptions of captives made in his wars. In turning to the 35th Chapter of the 2nd of Chronicles, we shall find this painting of the catacomb most strikingly elucidated by the following remarkable passage : ' After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho, king of Egypt, came up to fight against Charchemish, by Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him. But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, what have I to do with thee, t'jou king of Judea? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war ; for God commanded me to make haste ; forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. Nevertheless, Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. And the archers shot at King Josiah ; and the king said to his servants, have me away, for I am sore wounded. His servants there- fore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.' And again, in Chapter Z: * Then the people of the land, took li IN UGYPT AND NUHIA. fl03 Jehoabaz, the son of Josiah, and made him king m his father's stead in Jerusalem. Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And the King of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. And the King ol Egypt made Eliakim, his brother, king over Judah and Jeru- salem, and turned his namB to Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz, his brother, and carried him into Eijypt.' The wonderful sculptures of the Egyptians are to be admired for the boldness of their execution. Their enormous sizes rendered it difficult for the artists to muinlain their due proportions, which were according to the height of the figure. For instance, if a statue were erected of the size of life, the head was of the natural size ; if the statue were thirty feet high, the head was larger in proportion to the body ; and if fifty feet high, the magnitude of the head was farther increased. Had it been otherwise, in statues of so great height, the distance from the eyes of the spectator would have so much diminished the size, that the head would have appeared too small in proportion to the legs. The tedious work of the endless hieroglyphics which are to be seen in every part of every edifice, the numberless figures on the temples, tombs, obelisks, and walls, must have required wonderful labour. They had only four sorts of stones in general use for sculpture, the sandy, the calcareous, breccia, and granite. All, except the first, are very hard, and what is most singular is, it is not known with what tools they were cut out. Ocular demonstration shews, that the tools of the present day will not cut granite without great difficulty. When a young man wants to marry, he goes to the father of the intended bride, and agrees with him what he is to pay for her. This being settled, so much money is to be spent on the wedding-day feast. To set up housekeeping nothing is requisite but two or three earthen pots, a stone to grind meal, and a mat, which is the bed. The spouse has a gown 4 H 3 y "■n C04 BBLZONr^ TRAVELS k and jewels of her own ; and, if the bridegroom present her with a pair of bracelets of silver, ivory, or glass, she is happy and fortunate indeed. The house is ready, without rent or taxes. No rain can pass through the roof; and there is no door, for there is no want of one, as there is nothing to lose. They make a kind of box of clay and straw, which, after two or three day's exposure to the sun, becomes quite hard. It is fixed on a K and, an aperture is left to put all their pre- cious things inl > it, and a piece of mummy case forms the door. If the house do not please them, they walk out and enter another, as there are several hundreds at their com- mand. At Carnak, one morning, previous to crossing the Nile to Gournou, Mr. Belzoni set several men to work on a spot of ground at the foot of a heap of earth, where part of a large colossus projected out. Mr. Beechey, who sometimes visited the ruins, superintended the work on that day ; and had the pleasure to discover a colossal head, larger than that which had been sent to Englarld. It was of red granite, of beautiful workmanship, and uncommonly well preserved, except one car, and part of the chin, which had been knocked ofl' along with the beard. It is detached from the shoul-Jer at tlic lower part of the ncek, and has the usual corn measure, or mitre, on its head. Though of larger proportion than the young Memnon, it is not so bulky or heavy, as it has no part of the shoulder attached to it. Mr. Belzoni had it removed to Luxor, which employed eight days, though the distance is little more than a mile. Besides this head, which is ten feet from the neck to the top of the mitre, he procured an arm belonging to the same colossus, which measures also ten feet, and with the head, will give a just idea of the size of the statue. At this time an order came from the Deftcrdar Bey, wlio had arrived at Gamola, three miles north of Thebes, to all the Cacheffs and Caimakans, who commanded on both sides of Thebes, not to permit the English to accumulate any f IN BOYPT AND NUBIA. 605 I « moru ant1(|iiltics, nor to uUow tho Arabs to work or sell any thing moro to them on any account. Mr. Bolxoni waited on the Bey the next mornin^^, and found him seated in his divan, surrounded by Lis Cucheft's, and a number of other attendants. Ho received him coolly. He inquired whether he had not yet made up his collection. He answered, that, as long as ho had his permission, ho would still endeavour to find something moro. It was manifest ho wanted an excuse for bis oondaot ; for ho said ho had been informed that the Fellahs had complained of being exceedingly ill-treated, and that they drew their swords to cut off their heads, and Mr. Bckoni's people beat them continually The Bey said, that Mr. Belzoni had bought nearly every article of antiquity that could be obtained in Gournou, and therefore it was time to stop their proceedings. Mr, Bel- zoni replied, that what we liad bought had been voluntarily sold by the Arabs, and begged the Bey not to believe what ho heard from his opponents. The Bey inquired whether Gournou was far off. On being shewn the place out of the window, six miles distant, he ordered horses, and in a few minutes they set off for that place. He went straight on to Memnonium ; where he inquired about the great mosquees, as he named them, and put several questions con- cerning the buildings and the colossi that are there. He then proceeded to the. two colossi. After a general survey of the ruins, he seated himself before tho famous battle painted on the wall, and gave his opinion respecting it ; ob- serving, it was impossible that the colouring could have been done at the time the figures were made, as it was so fresh, and tho stones so much broken. Mr. Belzoni said, it was owing to the climate of the country that these things were preserved ; but he persisted in his opinion, that it was im. possible it could be so. Then, quitting his station, he seated himself under tho archway of the first entrance, and called the Shiek of Gournou, whom he knew to bo their friend, and !^|r) ■ i\ 5j' P'i'-jl 606 BELZONIii; TRAVKLS who had received the order the nigli before. The poor Sheik, trembling all over at this call, was asked how many men there were in Gournou who dug the ground in search of mummies. The Shiek answered six or seven. It was plain the Dey did not know what to do to gratify his spleen ; ■ and, as he could not avoid retracting the order, the poor Sheik was to suffer. A c'iabolical thought came into his head ; and he asked the SheiL' if he could fmd in Gournou a mummy that had not heeu optned. The Sheik answered, that one might be found, if he gave him time *o search ; but the people who find them always open them instantly. Ou this the Bey tlew into a great rage, and insisted that one should he found immediately ; and, if he did not find it, he would give him the bastinado. The poor Sheik was ordered to dig directly under his feet, and take out a mummy; but he answered, that the mummies were in Gournou, and none were ever found in the place whore he stood ; and it was well for him that one of the attendants and a CachefT con- firmed what he fac»id. Ihe Bey then sent him to Gournou, and told him to see that '^e found a mummy, in its case, and unopened; and he aUowt)d him an hour for doing it. The poor Sheik attempted to speak, but was turned out by three or four soldiers. They then went to Gournou, and under a doum-tree sa^ the Shiek and some of the Janizaries, with the mummy ready for his highness. Before he drew near to ascertain the fact, the Bey began to cry out that he was sure it had been opened by one of the fellows who search for mummies; and it was' in vain he was told otherwise. None could imagine things would be carried on to such an extreme. That the case had been opened no -^ne could suspect ; but the Boy wonted a pretence to beat the poor Sheik for being Mr. Belzoni's friend. Accordingly, he ordered him to be immediately stretched on the grouufi ; and such a scene en- sued, as drew ftom the Tur's themselves expressions both of d'=pl«asure and disgust. ,^.. Belzoni endeavoured to inter- cede for the unfortunate wretch, who all this time was undet IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 007 the stick, but it was useless, as tlie more he entreated, the more beating he received. The interpreter not reflecting on what he did, ventured to intercede in the name of Mr. Salt, the British consul, at which the Bey laughed. He then begged in the name of his father-in-law, the Bashaw; and the Bey made answer, that he was the sole commander in all business there ; adding, to the man who was punishing the Sheik, •* Go on, go on, and hard." By this time the poor fellow was like the mummy that lay by his side, deprived of sense and feeling ; and with a little more beating would have remained there for ever, and been buried where he lay. At hast he told the man to stop, and the miserable Sheik was carried to his cave as into his tomb ; and was, indeed, more fit for the tomb than for a house. The Bey then caused the mummy to be opened, and finding nothing, he exclaimed, if they did not bring him one that was entire, he would throw the Sheik into the river. An order was sent, that they might have twenty men to work for eight days. When Mr. Belzoni perceived that the Bey did not stop, he spoke to 'he Cacheff, to use his influence, that the order might be enforced ; but he seemed desirous of evading it, as he was aware it was merely a pretext on the part of the Bey. He says, I saw plainly, that we had been calumniated to the Bey; and the Cacheff protested, that if it had been in his power, he would have befriended jis. Accordingly I gave him to understand th;)t it would be to his advantage to be friendly to our party, as well as to the other, and that the Bey's enmity would not last much longer. Mr. Belzoni said, it was some business which had prevented the Consul from coming, who intended to bring with him presents both to the Bey and the Cacheft, when all would be set to rights again. At length, persuasions prevailed : andhe ordered the men to work ; and in a few days Mr. Belzoni collected all the pieces of antiquity together on the quay of Luxor ; and caused a mud wall to be made round them. Various phenomena often happen in Egypt. The xvhirl- - /i 006 BSLZUNIS TRAVGL8 i'fi--i' winds occur all the year round, but especially at tbe time oi' the camseen wind, which begins in April, and lasts lil'ty days. Hence the name of camseen, which in Arabic signi- fies fifty. It generally blows from the south-west, and lasts four, five, or six days without varying, so very strong, that it raises the sands to a great height, forming a general cloud, so thick that it is impossible to keep the eyes open, if not under cover. It is troublesome even to the Arabs ; it forces the sand into the hou :;es through every cranny, and fills every thing with it. The caravans cannot proceed in the deserts ; the boats cannot continue their voyages ; and the travellers are obliged to eat sand in spite of their teeth. The whole is like a chaos. Often a quantity of sand and small stones gra- dually ascends to a great height, and forms a column sixty or seventy feet in diameter, and so thick, that were it steady on one spot, it would appear a solid mass. This not only revolves within its own circumference, but runs in a circular direction over a great space of ground, sometimes maintain- ing itself in motion for half an hour, ond where it falls it accumulates a small bill of sand. The next phenomenon is the mirage, often described by travellers, who assert having been deceived by it, as at a distance it appears like water. It generally appears like a still lake, so unmoved by the wind, that every thing above is to be seen most distinctly reflected by it, 'which is the principal cause of the deception. If the wind agitate any of the plants that rise above the horizon of the mirage, he can- not see through it, so that it appears to him clear water. On approaching it, it becomes thinner, and appears ns if agitated by the wind, like a field of ripe corn. It gra- dually vanishes as the traveller approaches, and at last entirely disappears when he is on the spot. The third phenomenon is the locusts. These animals axe seen in such clouds, that twice the number in the ftnme space would form an opaque mass, which would wholly in- tercept the rays of the sun, and cause complete darkness. ); i IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. GOd They alight on fields of corn, or other vegetables, and in a few minutes devour their whole produce. The natives make a great noise to frighten them away, but in vain ; and, by way of retaliation, they catch and eat them when fried, considering them a dainty repast. They are something like the grasshopper in form, about two inches in length. They are generally of a yellow or gold colour, but there are some red and some green. The work of the columns of a temple in the isle of Philoe, is in a much lighter style than the old Egyptian, evincing that nation would have improved gradually ; and in due course of time, by amalgamating the Grecian elegance with the vast and lofty magnificence of its own works of art, would have formed an architecture of which we have no idea, but, no doubt, most sublime. There are other proofs that this temple is a more modern structure, formed of the materials of an older edifice. In one of the columns, opposite the gate in the portico which leads to the sanctuary, there is in the centre, a stone, sculptured with hieroglyphics inverted ; and another stone of this kind is to be seen in the same column on the west side, near the ground. The whole edifice consists of two temples, nearly united together. A small temple, dedicated to Isis, is within the peristyle of the larger, which was dedicated to the same goddess, to Serapis, and to the rest of the gods. The building faces the south, with a large portal or propylaeon, flanked by two porticoes or colonnades, the capitals of the pillars of which are diiferent from each other. At the entrance of the first portal lies an obelisk of granite, thrown down, its pedestal having a Greek inscription on it, which is a complaint of the priests, addressed to Ptolemy and Cleopatra, against the soldiers and the go- vernment of the place, and proves that the Egyptian priests had no influence in the government at that period. The inscription was discovered by an English traveller, Mr. Banks, who, not having time to dig it out, left it, and Mr. Beechey took a copy of it. Part of another obelisk and pedestal are P. V. 26. 4 I 11 ' ' I. » J TH • t ni\. If' '\ w «^ fli I < I i I , •' '1 . 1 i imm ii,.f 1 i '1 GIO BEI.ZONIS TRAVELS to be seen in the mud wall opposite. There are also two lions, of grani(c. After passing the first portal is the entrance to the pro- naos ; on the west of which is the small temple of Tsis, sur- rounded by square pillars, with the head of the goddess as the capital. The inner part consists of three apartments : the portico, the cella, and the adytum. The hieroglyphics on it are nearly perfect, but almost covered witli mud, as it has served as a Greek chapel. On the east side of tlie pronaos is a gallery with several cells, no doubt for the use of the priests ; and the north is the second portal, covered with colossal figures like the first. On passing this you come to the portico, which is reckoned the most perfect and beautiftd part of this building. The hieroglyphics are entire and highly painted, as are the capitals of the columns, which are ten in number. The figures on the Mali of this portico are all di- vided into several groups, forming compartments of five feot high ; those on the columns formijjg the ornaments of this hall are highly beautiful. There are other ruins on the west of the island, which formed the entrance into the temple by the water-side; and on the north-east are the remains of three arches made by the Romans. The middle prch lias fallen down. On the key-stone the words " sanctum, sarctum, sanctum," are cut; aflbrding clear evidence, that this island served as a holy seat not only to the Egyptians and Greeks, but also to the Romans. There are marks of the whole tem- ple having been fitted up for Christian worship. Tlic> walls are covered >vith mud, to hide the hieroglyphics on them ; and some figures peculiar to the Christian religion were painted on tiiis; but time uncovered the hieroglyphics again, as the mud lost its hold in several places. At the back of the temple, or on the north side of it, are the foundations of a building that served for a Greek church, and was formed of the stones from the ruins of the other buildings, as is obvious from the hieroglyphics on them. This island is perhaps the most superb group of ruins ever beheld together in so small a IN EGYPT ANU NUBIA. 611 space of ground. The whole islau'l, which is not more than a thousand feet in length, and less than five hundred in breadth, is richly covered with ruins ; and beinjj detached from the other barren islands which surround it at sor.ie dis- tance, has a very superb appearance. Iri a valley to the westward of Beban el Malook Mr, Belzoni found that the Egyptians had a particular manner of forming the entrance into their tombs, which gave him many leading ideas to the discovery of them. Besides, the suppo- sition that many of these tombs must have been buried under the stones and rubbish, which continually fall from the moun- tains, the great quantity of materials cut out of the tomb ac- cumulated in considerable heaps in different parts in the val- ley, might give various suggestions of the spots where the entrance to the tombs was to be found, as is justly observed by Mr. Hamilton. He set men to work near a hundred yards from the tomb which he discovered the year before ; and when they had got a little below the surface, they came to some large stones, which had evidently been put there by those who closed the tomb. Having removed these stones, he perceived the rock had been cut on both sides, and found a passage leading down- wards. He could proceed no fartlier that day, as the men were much fatigued, and he had more than four miles to re- turn to Thebes. The next day they resumed their labour, and in a few hours came to a Avell-built wall of stones of various sizes. The following day he caused a large pole to be brought, and by means of another small piece of palm-tree laid across the entrance, he made a machine not unlike a battering-ram. The walls resisted the blows of the Arabs for some time, but they contrived to make a breach at la.«t, and in this way the opening was enlarged. Mr. Belzoni and his party immedi- ately entered, and found themselves on a staircase, eightfeet wide and ten feet high, at the bottom of which were four miunmies, in their cases, lying Hat on the ground, with their 4 12 mn m lA U I 612 BliLZONlS TRAVELS heads toward the outside. Farther on were four more lying in the same direction. The cases were all painted, and one had a large covering thrown over it, exactly like the pall upon the coffins of the present day. lie went through the operation of examining all these mummies one by one. They were much alike in their fold- ings, except that which had the painted linen over it. Among the others he found one, that had new linen appa- rently, put over the old rags ; which proves, that the Egyptians took great care of their dead, even for many years after their decease. That which was distinguished from all the rest, was dressed in finer linen, and more neatly wrapped up. It had garlands of flowers and leaves, and on the side over Uie heart was a plate of metal, soft like lead, covered with another metal, not unlike silver leaf. It had the eyes of a cow, which so often represents Isis, engraved on it ; and in the centre of the breast was another plate, with the winged globe. Both plates were nearly six inches long. On unfolding the linen, they found it very fine, which was not the case with the other mummies ; for, after three or four foldings, it was generally of a coarser kind. At last came the body, of which nothing was to be seen but the bones, which had assumed a yellow tint. The case was in part painted ; but the linen clotli covering it fell to pieces as soon as it was touched, owing to the paint that was on it, which consisted of various devices and flowers. The cases were sunk four inches into the cement already men- tioned. Some of the painting on the inside of the cases ap- peared quite fresh, u^ '''recently done; and there was gene- rally a coat of varnish. ¥o: what purpose this tomb might have been intended, cannot be said, perhaps it was origi- nally designed for one of the royal blood. It appeared by the entrance to have been commenced on a scale similar to those of the kings; though it seems to have been finished for a more humble family. The result of the researches g ive all the satisfaction de- IN EGYPT AND NUBIA, 613 sired, offinding mummies in cases, in their original position : but this was not the principal object ; for, as he was near the place wliere the kings of Egypt were buried, bethought he miglit have a chance of discovering some of their relica. The sacred valley, nemed Beban el Malook, begins at Gournou, run.s towards the south-west, and gradually turns due south. It contains the celebrated tombs of the kings of Egypt, and divides itself into two different branches, one of which runs two miles farther to the westward, making five miles from the Nile to the extremity. The other, which con- tains most of the tombs, is separated from Gournou only by a high chain of rocks, which can be crossed from Thebes in less than an hour. The same rocks surround the sacred ground, which can he visited only by a single natural en- trance, that is formed like a gateway, or by the craggy paths, across the mountains. The tombs are all cut out of the solid rock, which is of calcareous stone, as white as it is possible for a stone to be. Tliey consist in general of a long square passage, which leads to a staircase, sometimes with a gallery at each side of it, and other chambers. Advanc- ing farther they came to wider apartments, and other pas- sages and stairs, and at last into a large hall, where the great sarcopliagus lay, which contained the remains of the kings. Some of these tombs are quite open, and others in- cumbered with rubbish at the entrance. Nine or ten may be reckoned of a superior class, and five or six of a lower or- der. Strabo may have counted eighteen, as may be done tu this day, including some of an inferior class, which cannot be esteemed as tombs of the kings of Egypt from any other circumstance, that that of having been placed in this valley. Mr. Belzoni says in his opinion the tombs in the valley of Beban el Malook were erected subsequently to those in Gournou ; for he could scarcely find a spot in the latter place adapted to the excavation of another of the grest tombs, and it may be supposed, that when all the beit spots for large tombs in Gournou had been occupied, the Egyp- >;,■, *^^1 614 BELZONIS TRAVKLy I • tians went over the rocks to seek another situation in which to deposit their kin^s. Certain it is, that the tonihs in (lie valley of Heban el Mulook are in far better condition than those at GoiirnuQ. On the 11th of October^ they went to see the tombs in Gournou, and the temple in the valley behind Memnonium. A tomb discovered the h, and beautifully cut out of sycuinore- wood : it is nearly perfect except the nose. They found also a number of little images of wood, well carved, repre- senting symbolical figures. Some had a lion's head, others a fox's, others a monkey's. One had a land- tortoise instead of a head. They found a calf with the head of a hippopota- mus. At each side of this chamber is a smaller one, ei^^ht feet wide, and seven feet long ; and at the end of it is ano- ther chamber, ten feet long by seven wide. In the cliainber on the right hand they found another statue like the first, but not perfect. No doubt they had been placed one on each side of the sarcophagus, holding a lamp or some offering in their hands, one hand being stretched out in the proper pos< ture to hold something, and the other hanging down. The sarcophagus was covered with hieroglyphics merely painted, or outlined : it faces south-east by east. On the 13lh of October they caused some spots of ground to be dug at Gournou, and they succeeded in opening a mummy-pit, so that they had the satisfaction of seeing a pit just opened, and receiving clear ideas of the marner in wluch the mummies are found, though all tombs are not alike. It was a small one, and consisted of two rooms IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 015 painted all over, but not in tlic best style. It appeared tliat the tomb helonjjed to some warrior, as there were a great number of men enrollini^ themselves for sohliors,and another wrilinif their names in a book. There were also several other ri:;ure9, &c. In the lower apartment they saw the inummios lyini^ here and there, without any rej^ularity. To all appearance therefore this pit had been opened by the Greeks or some other people, to plunder it. Mr. Bclzoni after repeated attempts made an entrance into a new Pyramid. An Arab tiien entered with a candle, and returned saying, that the place within was very fine. Mr. B(dzoni at last made the entrance large enough to squeeze himself in ; and after thirty days exertion he had the plea- sure of finding the way to the central chamber of one of the two great pyramids of Egypt, which have long been the ad- miration of beholders. lie entered a passage twenty-two feet seven inches long, and the works including the port- cullis occupy six feet eleven inches in all. >Vhere the gra- nite work finishes at (he end of this passage, thut did not observe tlie hones ainon^; the riibbi»jti (ill the next day, us hi» intention wus principally bent in search of some inscription that would throw lii;lit on the sul>Ject of this pyruinid. They examined every part of t!ie walls, and observed many scrawls executed with charcoal, but in unknown characters, and nearly impercep- tible. They rubbed oil into dust at the sli^litest touch ; and on the wall at the west end of the chamber he perceived an inscription in Arabic. The follorving ia a translation of the Inscription by Mr. Siilame. " The Master Mohammed Ahmed, lapicide, lias opened them ; and the Master Otiiman attended this (openini^) ; and the Kin<^ AliJ Mohammed at first (from the bey^inning) to the closing up." Mr. Delzuni adds, that the circumstances of the pyramid having been again closed up agrees with what he has said of his finding it so. It appears, that in the time of Herodotus as little was known of the second pyramid as before the late opening, witti this exception, that in his time the second pyramid was nearly in the state in which it was left when closed by the builders, who must have covered the entrance with tlie coating so that it might not be perceived. At the time Mr. Delzoni was fortunate cnougli to find his way into it, the eotrauce was concealed by the rubbish of the coating, which must have been nearly perfect at the time of Herodotus. The circumstance of having chambers and a sarcophagus ( whicli undoubtedly contained the remains of some great |)ersonage), so uniform with those in the other {lyramid, leaves no question but that they were erected as sepulchres ; and it is a wonder, that any doubt has ever existed, consi- dering what could be learned from the first pyramid, which has been so long open. This contains a spucious chamber P. V. 26. 4 K H18 KKI.ZONl S TUAVKLS \\\l\\ ii sarcophagus ; tlif {lassugts tiro of such dimensions as to a«lniit iiothiiii^ 1im ^cr than ttic sarcoplrat^us ; tlu^y had been ch»K(.'ly sluit up by lari^e blocks of f;ranilo from within, evidently to prevent liic removal of that relic. Ancient au- thors are preUy well agreed in assertinj;, tliiit these monu- ments were erc^eltd to contain Jhe remains of two brothers, Cheops nnti Ceplircn, kings oi' Ki;ypt. They are surrounded by other sin:iller jiyramids intermixed with mausoleums on burial-grounds. 31any mu inny pits have been continually found there ; yet with all these proofs, it has been asserted, that they were erected for many other purposes than the true one, and nearly as absurd as that they served for granaries. Some consider (h -m as built for astronomical pvirposes, but (here is nothing in thoir construction to favour this su|)- position. Others maintain, that they were meant for the j)erfor'nance of holy ceremonies by the K|^yptiun priests. Any thing, in short, for the sake of contradiction, or to have something new to say, finds its advocate. If the ancient au- thors liad advanced, that they were erected for treasuries, the moderns would Iiave agreed perhaps, more in confv)r- niity with the truth, that they were made for sepulchres ; and they would not have failed to see plainly those circumstances, which clearly prove the facts, and which are not noticed as they ought to be. It will be agreed that the Egyptians, in erecting these enormous maijses, did not fail to make their sides due north and south, and consequently, as they are square, due cast and west. Their inclination too is such as to give light t*) (lie north side at the time of the sols- tice. But even all this docs not prove in the least, that they were erected for astronomical purposes ; though it is to be observed, that the Egyj)(ians connected astro- nomy with their religious ceremonies, as various zodiacs were found, not only among the ten^ples, but in their tombs also. By the measurement of the second pyramid it was as follows : IN KCYl'T AM) N I III A. 'UU Vvt't. The basis GHl Apolome or t'ciitriil line down the li'ofit, IVom the toj) to the basis . . . . 5(58 Perpeiulituhir 45(1 Coutintj Iroin the top to the place '.vhere it ciuls IK) it wag as Mr. Belzoni now osjuin procecdeil to TlicboH, ;ii\(l on nr- riving at Siout went to the IJey. lie was about a mile out of town, exercising his soldiers and young Mainelukes in guniH-ry and horseinanshii). The cann(»n excrcis(! was with balls against the rocks ; and they were better marksmen than he expected to find among soldiers without discipline. The Bey fired himself at the same mark with two balls in one barrel of an Knglish 'f^nn, of which some one in Cairo had made him a present. lie liked it extren;ely ; and ob- served, " These guns may become olVensive to their makers some day or other." Alter the caution exercise, they be- gan to fire at an earthen pot plac'cd on a kind of pedestal of about six feet high. They commence their course at two hundred feet from it ; ride towards it at full gallop ; at the distance of fifty feet drop the bridle, take their gun, and fire at the pot while at full speed. The horse is so accustomed to this, that, before he reaches the stand on which the pot is, he wheels to the right, to make room for the next in thj course. It is a very difiicult matter to hit a small pot about a foot high, while the horse is running with all speeng time al- ter. A tliousand blows is ri:ck(ined a moderate numbci for a witncs'j to receive. It was said, afterward, that several of IN liCYPT AND NUBIA. 621 tlioflo supposed to be concernecl in the murder had their headH cut oil*. Mr. nelzont npiin comrnenced his operations near Thebes, and having obscrviMl, that the part when; the sekos and cella inusjt be was not touched, he set the men to work there, and on the second day of his researches came to a hirijc sta- tue, wliich proved to be tlie finest of the kind yet found. It is a sitting; fi>^u/e of a man, in all points resembling the great colossus of Memnon. It is nearly ten feet high, and of the most beautiful Egyptian workmanship. The stone is gray granite, and has the peculiarity of having particles in it of a colour not unlike that of the substance gene- rally known by the name of Dutch metal. Part of its chin and board liavt; '. made an excellent (on)position. The greatest ditriculty was to take the impression of the figure without injuring the colours ot it. The figures, were ixs large as life) in all a hundred and eighty-two : those of a smaller size, iVom one to three i'eet, could not be less than eight hundred. \>, :i 1 I, I i ». I ) 1% B G22 BELZONI S TRAVliLS TI)eliiero<^lyphics are nearly five hundred, of which he took a faithful copy, with their colours ; they are of four different sizes, from one to six inches ; so that he was obli|ij[ed to take one of each size, which makes nearly two thousand in all. At the latter end of June they had a visit from Mr. Briggs, on his return from India. He brought with him from thnt country the pine-apple and the mnngo, some of which he had planted in the garden of the Aga at Kenneh, and sunie he tried to cultivate at Thebes. The mango ut Kenneh turned out very well ; but those which were planted in Thebes died, from want of care. After this Mr. Belzoni ceased all sort of researches, as Mr. Drouetti and others claimed the privilege of opening different places themselves. Having communic;itprehend it would rise to such a height. They generally erect fences of earth and reeds around their villages, to keep the water from their houses ; but the force of this inundation butlled all their efforts. Their cottages, being built of earth, could not stand one instant against tlie current, and no sooner did the water reach them, than it levelled them with the ground. The rapid^^ stream carried off all tliat was before it ; men, IN EGYPT AND NLBJA. G-23 women, children, cattle, coin, every thing was washed away in an instant, and lelt the place where the village stood without any thing to indicate that there had ever heea a house on the spot. It is not the case, as is generally sup- posed, that all the villages of Egypt are raised so high ahove the general level of the ground, that the water can- not reach them ; on the contrary, most of those in Upper Egypt are little if any thing higher tlian the rest of the ground, and the only w;iy they have to keep oil' the water o '■'1 ri^e of the Nile, is hy artificial fences made of earth a,. leds. 'J he Hiat village they came to was Agalta, whither they went not merely to see the place hut to desire the Cai- makan to send a soldier to guard the tombs, in addition to the Arabs, who were left there. He expected to be washed away by the Nile. There was no boat in tlds village; and should the water break down their weak fences, the only chance of escape was by climbing the palm-trees, till Providence sent some one to their relief. All the boats were employed in carrying away the corn, from villages that were in danger. Both in Upper and Lower Egypt the men, women and children are left (o be last assisted, as their lives are not so valuable as corn, which brings money to the I5i»shasv. As this villuge was then four feet below the water, the j)oor Fellahs were on the watch day and night round thfir fences. They employed their skin machines or hags to throw the water out again which rose from under the ground ; but if their fences should be broken down all was lost. On the 17th several villages ^re in great danger of being destroyed. The rapid stream had carried away the fences, and their unfortunate inhabitants were obliged to escape to higher grounds, where it was possible, with what they could save from the water. The distress of these people was great. Some of them had only a few feet of land, and the water was to rise twelve days more, and i'l ^r ', 'II j ^' : »i N 62 i BBLZUNl'S TRAVKLS after that to remain twelve days at its hcit^ht, according to the usual term of the inun'' ition. Fortunate was he who could reach high ground, ^ome crossed the water on pieces of wood, some on buffaloes or cows, and others with reeds tied up in large bundles The small spots of high ground that stood above the water, formed so many sanctuaries for these poor refugees, and were crowded with people aim beasts. The scanty stock of provisions they could save was the only subsistence they could expect. In some parts the water had left scarcely any dry ground, and no relief could be hoped till four and twenty days had elapsed. The Cacheffs and Caimakans of the country did all they could to assist the villages with their little boats, but they were so small in proportion to what was wanted, that they could not relieve the greater part of the unfortunate peo- ple. It was distressing to behold these poor wretches in such a situation. On arriving at Erments, where fortu- nately the land is very high, they found many of the neigh- bouring people collected, employing the boat to fetch the people from an opposite village. The Caimakiin set otf himself with another boat, and in the course of an hour he returned with several men and boys. He sent the boats again, and they returned loaded with men, corn, and cattle. The third trip brought still more corn, buffaloes, sheep, goats, asses, and dogs. The fourth voyage was employed in fetching the women, as the last and most insignificant uf their property, whose loss would have been less rej^^retted than tliat of the cattle. This circumstance will convince the European fair sex of their superiority over the Turks and A'.abs, at least in point of due respect to them. The party was now increased by a soldier from Esne, four camel-drivers, and a Sheik to guide, making in all twelve men. They had sixteen camels, six of which were laden with provisions,, water, culinary utensils, &c. In the morning of the 23rd they set off very oarly, and arrived at the first well in three hours.. SeveT.1 or the >N liCJVPT \NU NL'IUA. 025 Abalnle nation came to water their c:\lllc at the well, but kept at a distance. They live scattered about in the rocks and little valleys amoui^ the mountains, but occasionally assemble to'j^ether in a. few minutes. To i)ass this place without a t;ood underslandiiiji; with their Sheik for security would he imprudent antl duni^crous. On the 24th they set oil' pretty early. The valley af- forded a very level and good road. At the entrance of this valley stands a high rock, on the left of which is a small Egyptinii temple. To this they directc a |dat- form or gallery, rnised six feet high, on which a guard of soldiers might walk all round. On the upper part of the wall are holes for disf^harging arrows, similar to i\u)>c lorraed in our ancient buildings for the same purpose. The sides of the gateways are buili of calcareous atones and the wall is of bricks. On the 'iotii, they eontinuc^i their journey. No vegetation of any sort was to be sefMi any where. SometinK's they passwl ov««" wide ami leve plaitii, and sometimes -, ressed rugged hills, till two hottrv before sunset, when they en- P. V ',>7. 4 L G-20 liKI./l S TRAVUrS tored the valley culled Hcczitk by tbe ArabH. At this place Ml*. RIcci, the doctor, was attacked with a violent diH- iirder, niul it was decided that be sbould return the next morning, ns it would increase if be advanced fariber in tbe ilesert. From tbis place tbey travelled to the valley where it was intended to halt. The caravan bad reached tbe place an hour belore. Hero tbey found two wells, one of salt water, and tbe other (inite putrid and brackish. Tiiere are few waters in the world better than that of tbe Nile ; and now to have to drink the worst was such a change in one day, that tlicy could not help feeling tbe consequences of it. Air. Becchcy was taken very ill, from drinking at tbe first well^ and they hud great a|)prehension of tbe nextj which was worse. 'I'hcy bad provisions for a month, but tbe fresli meat was gone, and it was with difliculty they could procure a very lean goat. Tbe tribe of tbis country are all Ababde, and extend from tbe confines of Suez to the tribe of Bisbarein, on tbe coast of tbe Red Sea, below the latitude ol 2;i°. Tlie manner of tbis race show them to be lovers of freeilom : th<'y prefer living among these solitary rocks and deserts, where they ^ut nothing but dhourra and chink water, before subi^ission to Ihe conumuid of any govoni- uient on earth. It ii a great feast among (Item when they take tlie rtsojulion of killing a lean goat, hut tliey cut U without fearing that any rajtaeious hands sbould take it IVoui them. A man of this stamp, acciiHtomed to liberty and indepcndanee, woidd naturally iind himself as in a prison, if under the cojitrol of even the best of govt'rnnients. Tiieir greatest care is for their camels, which are tlieir sup- port. Tliey breed (Item up (o a certain growth, and then send them to \u>. t'xcbiuiged lor dhourra, witicli cons(itutes their food. Tlie camels, as well as other animals, live upon the cummuii (honi |>iunis, which is the most abundant (o be found in (tie couii(ry. Some nf (be most industrious of the Ababde cut wood, and make charcoal with it, which they IN EOYPT AND Nl'UIA. n-37 send to the Nilo un camels, and l);»rtcr It for dhourra, tv\Uow, nnd tent clotli. Few, however, nixlerijo such ii lahour, for tliey like to live ut tlieir case. A j)ij»e ol" tobacco is a hixury, and a piece of a fat ram (luite raw a f^reat dainty- They are all nearly naked, badly made, and of small sta- ture. They have fine eyes, in piirlicular the women, as far as we could see of those that came to the wells. Tlie married women are covered, the rest uncovered. The head-dresses are very curious. Some are proud of havinij hair long enough to reach below their ears, and there formed into curls which are so entangled that it would be impossible to pass a comb through them, therefore the wo- men never use such an instrument. >Vhen they kill a sheep that has any fat, which is very seldom, they grease their heads all over, and leave the fat in small piices to he melted by the sun, which makes them appear as it' they had powder on their heads ; and this lasts lor several days, till the sun melts the whole, and i)roduces an e\([uisite odour for those who have a good nose. As their hair is very crispy, their heads remain dressed fir a long time ; and that tliey may not derange their coillure when their heads itch, they have a piece of wood soniething like a packing tu'edle, with which they scratch themselves with great ease without disordering their head-dress, of which they are very j)roud. Their complexions are naturally of a dark chocolate ; their hair (juite black ; tlieir teeth line and white, protuberant, and very large. In the winter all the scattered Ababde in the n)ountains assemble together here, and if any marriage takes place, it is at this time. It is always performed with tlue ceremony. The bridegroom lirst sends a camel to the father ol the bride. If this he accepted, he applies personally to herself, in the presence of one man as a witness, if she consent, the day of marriage is appointed, before which the lover does nottiee his britle for seven days. On the eighth she is presented to him in the tent of her father. This day is 1 3. J ^i» — ^ — ^ % h •.^f^ , I'i ;. , f ' ! .[i ! I I I : • r I . 628 HKLZONJ Si TRAVKLS celebrated by killiiii^ 8otnc of their lean sbcep, uiul by camel races. The next day the ha|)|)y couple retire to tlie tent of the bridegroom. If the man becomes tired of iiis wife, he iiends her back with the same camel whicli he sent to her father, as this is her own from the time of the marriage. The mother of the bride must not speak a word to the bride- groom as long as she lives : a regulation intended to pre- vent her from making mischief between tlie young couple. VVIien a child is born, the next day the father kills a sheep and gives the child a name. When they are sick, they say hulla kerim, and lio down till they are better, or till they die. There were old men that did not know or could not toll their age, as they keep no account of such things ; but by appearance they must have been ninety years old. When any one dies, they dig a hole in the ground, and put the corpse into it, and very often on the spot where the person died, and then remove their tents a little farther on. They never intermarry with any but their own people. A girl had been refused in marriage to a Turkish Cacheff, though she was as poor as any of her tribe. The CachetF attempted to use force, and the consequence was, that they assembled to the number of above three hundred, and he prudently re- tired, leaving his intended bride to be married to her cousin. Some of these wild people, as they are called, came to the well in the course of the day, and as they saw the parly quiet and peaceful, they ventured, at the persuasion of the drivers, to approach. A few of them had been as far as the Nile to purchase dhourra, and these were accounted men of knowledge, but the greater part had never quitted their mountains. One of them seeing a piece of lemon -peel lying on the ground, wondered what it was ; and another who had been to the Nilc; to shew his great knowledge of things, took it up, and ate it with an air of self-sutliciency. They gave them a piece of loaf-sugar, and when they had eaten it, they declared, that their valley n)ust be better than their own, as it produced such good and sweet bread. VV utii IN liGYPT AND MUBIA. C*20 tliey buy tlliyurra they c^enerally get it ground with the usual hand inillsloiU! in the village where lliey buy it, and carry the lluur intu the desert. Their bread is baked under the ashes, and is in the form of u large cake, without leavun ur salt. Their great enemies were Ihe tribe of El Mahasa and Banousy, which dwell IVum between Suez to the inte- rior of Arabia and the confines of Syria. With these tribes they had had many battles, but it appeared, that ueither one nor the other advanced beyond their old possessions. They had also been at variance with the Bishareines on the south, but were now at peace with them all. On the 20th they saw the Red Sea at a great distance, and having entered a range of mountains, stopped at a place called Owell, or phcoof the dragon. On the 30lh they set otT early, bent their course to the south- soulh-west, and passed through several valleys, to- wards a very high mountain called Zubara, a name given to it in consequence of the emeralds which have been found there. At the foot of this mountain about fifty men were encamped, and at work in the old mines of the anci- ents, in hopes of finding Romc of the precious stones : but it appeared, that their predecessors had searched pretty well before they <)uit{ed their ivorks. These unfortunate wretches receive a supply of provisions from the Nile, but some- times it did not arrive in due time, and great famine of cuurse prevails among them. There are two small wells, not more than half a day's journey distant, and one of thein had a tolerably good quantity of water. Their work had com- menced about six months before, but had been attended with no success. The mines or excavations of the ancients were all choked up with the rubbish of the upper part that had fallen in, and the labour to remove this rubbish was great, for the holes were very small, scarcely capable of contain- ing the body of a man crawling like a cameleon. They were all thoroughly tired of their situation. They rose several times against their leaders, and in one instance two of theui h,. ^^l m y> i » I (.'i.il 1 1 1 1 fl. I'M' ?* ■ 1 '. |f?1 9, ()30 UHLZONI S TRAVMLs were killod. On (he «lny llio pnrty wi'if fliore one of tin; poor wretches iiourly fell a vi(;tiiii to tlio uviiricious caprice of their powerful employi-r. As ho \v«s peiM'trutiii:^ into owe of tho holes, part of the roof fell down uiioii hiui, anil not only cut oiT* his retreat, but nearly killed him on the Kpot. lie was fortunately taken out ulive, hut it did not give nuicli encouragement to the rest. - Having procured on old man from among the nutivoH to guide to the ruins of Berenice, they prepared for de[)arlure on the next morning, the 1st of October. The road was among the \\\'^\\ rocks, and in very narrow valleys, hut in wliich there were a grt^al niiniher of trees. Here they were led hy the old man in various directions through wild and craggy places for seven hours. At lengili, about noon, the valley ojieued all at once, and at the dis- tance of five miles they saw the Arabian gulf. The sight of an open horizon, after the contracted view of a long anil narrow valley, was much welcomed. On reaching the shore, they plunged into the sea like the crocodiles into the Nile, and found that a bath after a long Journey was very refre.sli ing. They had no time (o lose, as tlieir biscuit, as tliey calculated, would last only seventeen days, and not anliour longer. In some rocks that lay at th(>foot of th*- mountains fiieiiig the Red 8en, they saw several mines of sulphur, hut it w.ts a doubt whether (heir produce would advantageous, ow- ing to (heir situation. " They are near Hk- sea, but the con- veyance by land to the Nile v.oidd prevent any benefit from the speculation. They made some repast on ^jomc shelMisli, which abound in great (puintities along the coast. The large ])eriwinkles are excellent, and, when young, are very ten- der and delicious, particularly to a hungry n)an. Some of them weighed half a pound, and part of the tail was quite delicate, though the white, or upper part, is rather tough. 'IMic guide met with an acquaintance of his who lived by catching lish, not far from this spot. IJis only habitation I N lie ^ V I WD NT lUA. 0:)l oonsistoil of a tent four feel liiuli, iii»i\ ftva f»'ct wi'W' ; and li'iH wife, n (liuiKlitor, niid a youiii; man, lier husbiuul, formed llic whole fiimily. 'I'lirir mode of lisirmij is sonunvliat Htruhj^c ; tlipy tlirow in the water ii paitof tlie trunk of the doomttree, jicrhiips ten or twelve feet loni?, at each end of wliieh is a piece of wood in an horizontal direction, so ns to prevent the tree from turning round ; at one of the ends a small pole is stuck upright to serve a» a mast, on the top of which there is a piece of wood horizontally fastened as that heluvv. A woollen shawl thrown over it, and fastened at each end, and to the piece of wood horizontally fastened below, forms a kind of sail, and two fishermen mount on the lar*ro trunk like on horseback, and by means of a cor 032 BBLZONl'S TRAVELS that it ran in a straight direction towar s the south-enst. Early on the 6th, the camels arrived with a load of fro,<^S water, and it was well they did so, for their thirst was in- creased, not only from the scarcity of water, but by tlie shell-fish which they had found and eaten abundantly ; an inconvenience which the fishermen had nut to contend with, being accustomed to the bitter water of a well not far off. They now divided their .caravan into two parties ; and sent all (he luggage, culinary, utensils, the soldier, the Greek servant, and the best part of the camels, to a spring of run- ning water in the mountains of Amuse, there to wait till Mr. Belzoni and his companions returned. They took as much water as they could, and formed a party, consisting of Mr. Beechey, Mr. Belzoni, a Greek servant, four drivers, and the two Arab boys brought from Gournou, with five camels in all. ' They set off in the forenoon, and went along the coast till they arrived at El Whady Abghsoon, near the mines of El Kebrite, or sulphur, and on the south-west were the mountains of Hamata. He observed the coast all the way, and took its direction. On the road they met some fisher- men. When they saw the party at a distance, they left their tents and marched off towards the mountains. On ar- riving at their tents, they found some excellent fish just roasted, which, no doubt, these people had made ready for their supper. They partook of their meal, and left some money in payment, on the top of a water jar, and continued their journey. For two days they had been troubled with the winds from the east, blowing strong and resembling tlie siroccos of Italy, so that all their nerves were relaxed. During this time, every thing was wet, and at night there was an excessive heat, and the atmosphere quite covered with clouds ; fortunately it changed after two days, and the north wind dissipated all. Had it lasted longer, they could not have prooeeded on their journey. At night they stopped at a well of bitter water. IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 633 On the 7tli, they set off early to see the mines of EI Ke- hrite, or sulphur, as they were not out of their road. They never were productive ; but what little they may have af- forded, it appeared that the ancients had carried entirely away, so that they left thena exhausted like those of the enoeruids. On the 8th, early in the morning they set off, and two hours afier, saw the sea at a distance, and went over a very extensive plain. At about noon they approached the sea, very thirsty, and regaled themselves with a little wa- ter ; and at one o'clock arrived on the shore. They arrived all at once on one of those moles of ruins which show the spot of ancient towns, so often seen in Egypt. They entered, and at once saw the regular situations of the houses ; the main streets, their construction, and in the centre, a small Egyptian temple, nearly covered by the sand, as well as the insides of the houses ; and their wonder increased on ex- examining the materials with which the houses were built. They could see nothing but coral, roots, madrepore, and several petrifactions of sea- weeds, &c. The temple is built of a kind of soft, calcareous, and sandy stone, but decayed much by the air of the sea. The situation of this town is delightful. The open sea before it is on the east, and from the southern coast to the point of the cape is like an amphitheatre of mountains, except an open- ing on the north-west plain. The Cape el Gulahen extends its point nearly opposite the town on the east, and forms a shelter for large ships from the north and north-west winds. Right opposite the town there is a very tine harbour entirely made by nature; its entrance is on the north; it is guarded on the east by a neck of incrusted rock, on the south by the land, and on the west by the town ; the north side being co- vered by thu range of mountains which forms the cape, pro- tects the harbour also. Its entrance has been deep enough fur small vessels, such as the ancients had at those times, buf no doubt was deeper. It has at present a^bar of sand P. V. 27. 4 JM hh m- ['.■ f m !l ■ -'I i 1 ;Vll wri ^BJi ^■m' ll^lli It r"^ m 634 BBLZONrS TRAYBLS across, so (hat nothing could enter at low water; but a pas- sage could be easily cut, and the harbour rendered useful. They concluded this to be the Berenice described by PUny, and laid down by D'Anville ; it nearly agreed with the situ- ation where it is marked on the map ; but in order to ascer- tain with more accuracy, they resolved to venture by going half a day higher towards; the south. The town is, in breadth, from north to south, 1600 feet, and in length, from east to west, 2000 feet. The temple seems to be in construction according to the Egyptian style, and they imagined that if the Greeks had built it they had taken their plans from this ancient people, as they had done in many other things. It is one hundred and two feet long, and forty-three feet wide ; it contains four chambers, one on each side of the sekos and cella, and two in the great hall in the front. It was three days since they had eaten any thing but dry biscuit and water, except the fish found at the fishermen's hut. On the morning of the 9th, before the sun rose, they set the little Mussa to digging. He was one of the Arab boys brought frem Guurnou. Ue hatt no spade, but with a shell or caquille, he worked very well, as it was only soft sand. The boy had excavated about four feet of sand close to the north-east corner of the cella, and they saw that the temple was Egyptian. The part of the wall which was dis- covered was adorned with Egyptian sculpture in basso re- lievo, and well executed. They could see three figures, two feet three inches high. The remaining part of the wall was covered v.ith hieroglyphics, &c. In the same hole the boy ound part of an Egyptian tablet covered with hieroglyphics and figures. It is a kind of a reddish pudding-stone or breccia, not belonging to the rocks near that place. They took it away as a memorandum of having seen an Egyptian temple on the coast of the Red Sea ; a circumstance that, as yet, no antiquarian has had any idea of. The plain that surrounds this town is very extensive : the nearest point to Wf IN BOTPT AWD IfUfclA. oas the mountains which form the crescent is ahout five miles on the west of it. On the north, the mountain is about twelve miles distant, and on the south fifteen. All the plain is inclined to vegetation, such as a sandy soil can produce; but, in particular, the lower part of it towards the sea is perpetually moist, and would produce, if cultivated, pas- ture for camels, sheep, and other animals. This moisture is naturally produced by the damp of the sea, whicli is very strong when it happens. The upper part of the plain is not so damp, and would be perhaps more productive of dry plants. The houses were not so extensive as they are built at this day. It was the custom of those people to live close to each other. The largest houses were about f jrty feet in length, and twenty in breadth ; some were smalier; the square of 2000 feet would contain 4000 houses ; but, as there were spaces of ground without buildings, which may be reckoned half the town, Mr. Belzoni counted them to be only 2000. These people had no need of great sheds to put coaches, chariots, or any such luxurious lumber. Their cattle and camels lay always in the open air, as they still do in all these countries : qor had they extensive manufactories. The only massy buildings for their commerce could be but a few store- houses, nor could the narrow lanes, which were in use in those times, occupy much of the ground. He calculated that, with the houses out of town, which are scattered about in groups here and there, the population of that port must have exceeded 10,000 inhabitants : a town which even to this day would be reckoned considerable, if situated on that coast, as a port for commerce with India. He observed also some of the tombs dug in the nearest lower rocks, of a kind of soft or calcareous stone, which are the only ones on the plain near the town on the western side. They left the spot before the evening uf the same day, in consequence of the want of water; and, as the camel-drivers had nearly lost their patience, they gave them half a pint each, and conii- 4 M 2 <*? / ii 636 bblzomTs tuavbls nued their road towards the mountain on the north-west, with tlie firm intontioii of returning prepared to scrutinise the whole of these ruins. The 20th, they set off, and passed through a wide plain. As they left the mountain, and arrived at IJaboukraog, a place that appears to be at the entrance of the chain of moun- tains that leads to the Nile, the camels were so tired they could hardly crawl: they had lost three on the road, and one they expected would not last lonj^. It is difficult to form a correct idea of a desert without having been in one ; it is an endless plain of sand and stones, sometimes inter- mixed with mountains of all sizes and heights, without roads or shelter, without any sort of jjroduce for food. The few scattered trees and shrubs of thorns, that only appear when the rainy season leaves some moisture, barely serve to feed wild animals, and a few birds. Every thing is left to na- ture ; the wandering inhabitants do not care to cultivate even these few plants, and when there is no more of them in one place, they go to another. When the trees become old, and lose their vegetation in such climates as these, the sun, which constantly beams upon them, burns and reduces them to ashes. The other smaller |)lants have no sooner risen out of the earth than they are dried up, and all take the colour of straw, with the exception of the plant hurack ; this falls off before it is dry. Speaking of a desert, there are few springs of water, some of them at the distance of four, six, or eight days journey from one another, and not all of sweet v.ater ; on the contrary, it is generally salt or bitter, so that if the thirsty traveller drinks of it, it increases his thirst, and he suffers more than before ; but when the dreadful calamity happens that the next well, which is anx- iously sought for, is found dry, the misery of such a situa- tion cannot be well described. The camels, which afford the only means of escape, are so thirsty that they cannot proceed to another well ; and if the travellers kill them to IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 637 extract the little liquid which remains in their stomachs, they themselves caniiut iidvance any farther. The situation must he e small chapel, a large hyena rushed from the apartments beneath the chapel. The animal stopped three or four yards from IN EGYPT AND NUBIA. 047 )iim, and then turned round as if deternained to attack him ; but it appeared on second thoughts to have relinquished its intent, and after having shown its pretty teeth, gave a hi- deous roar, and set ofF galloping as fast as it could. On the morning of May 5, they took the road on the west side of the lake, and saw the site of a town named El Ha- man, of which nothing now remains but scattered pieces of brick and part of a bath. This place is situated full forty feet above the lake, and the ground all round was covered with small shells such as cockles, small conchilies, and others not unlike periwinkles. They returned afterwardg on the east on the same day, and passed several ancient vil- lages, built of sun-burnt bricks. At a place named Terza Mr. Belzoni observed several blocks of white stone and red granite, which evidently must have been taken from edifices of greater magnitude than what had ever stood there. He could not see the smallest appearance of an edifice, either on the ground, or any appearance from under it ; but he observed all through that part of the country a great num- ber of stones and columns of beautiful colours, of white marble and of granite. These pieces were scattered about for the space of several miles, some on the road, and some in the houses of the Arabs, and others put to various uses in the erection of hut«, &c. They continued their journey, in a direction parallel with the lake, through several villages, woods of palm and other fruit trees, and well cultivated lands, and at sunset arrived at Fedmin el Kunois, which means the Place of Churches : it stands on a high mound of earth and rubbish, and has evidently been rebuilt on other ruins. It is divided into two parts by a small canal from the Bahr Yousef. One side of the town is inhabited by Christian Copts, and the other by Mahomedans ; and though the two religions offi- ciated almost in sight of each other, they never interfered in each other's rights. The poor Copts were destitute of the principal moans of educating their children ; and the ouly A;t ■H iV 046 BBLZONl'S TRAVELS reference they had to the rites of the Christian religion wa» an old book of manuscripts, copied from the Bible ; but even this was kept as the only relic they had. Mr. Belzoni says if he had possessed an Arabic Bible or Testament he might have become a great man among them, and states his won- der that the Missionaries of the Bible Society, who had lately visited Egypt, omitted this place, being a noted Christian town. A young man of the name of Burckhardt, cousin to the celebrated traveller of that name, went, unprotected, into ^Syp^ for the purpose of distributing Bibles, and was in consequence persecuted and obliged to fly in great haste. He went into Syria, but with over fatigue, or perhaps from the effects of the climate, he was unable to proceed higher than Aleppo, where he died. The tradition of the town of Fedmin el Kunois is, that in ancient times there were on that spot three hundred churches which were allowed to fall in ruins by the old inhabitants of the place, and that when the Mahomedans succeeded to the country, they built the present town on these very three hundred churches ; for which reason the town is named Fedmin of the churches. The story is somewhat strange and may afford grounds for a modern traveller to place the Egyptian Labyrinth in this spot ; for, by conceiving that the three hundred churches were the three hundred cellars of the Labyrinth, as mentioned by Herodotus, or by supposing that the father of history meant to say three hundred instead of three thousand, the above churches could have been no- thing less than the old Egyptian Labyrinth itself. AH this might pass off well enough among the wanderers; but, un- fortunately, there is proof to the contrary, which will do away with any such supposition. The above branch of the Bahr Yousef passes through the town, cut not abof e two centuries ago ; and none of the said churches appeared in the progress of the excavation through the town, which must have been the case had it been built on the said three _ f- ■ ,1 IN EGYPT AND NUHlA. 04U hundred churches. Hpwever, notwithstanding the little probability there is of the Labyrinth being in this place, it must have been at no great distance from the lake, as the great quantity of materials which is scattered about the coun- try has evidently belonged to some extensive and splendid building. On the morning of the 7th they went to see the ruins of the ancient Arsinoe. It had been a very large city ; but nothing of it remained, except high mounds of rubbish. The chief materials apiiear to have been burnt bricks. There are many stone edifices, and a great quantity of wrought granite. In the present town of Medinet were several frag- ments of granite columns, and other pieces of sculpture, of a most iragnificent taste. Having seen all he wished in this plaf;e, Mr. Belzoni went to see Hussuff Bey, wlio had returned from Cairo. He was a native of Circassia, and bought at the usual mar- ket as a common slave, by the Bashaw of Egypt, who, af- ter many years' servitude, made him Bey^ or governor, of ttie finest province of that country. He was uncommonly civil, and eager to know any thing with which he was un- acquainted ; but, on application for a Bedoween guide to conduct them through the desert, he said that the Bedo- weens were all encamped in that part of the province which was subject to Khalil Bey at Benisouef. It was quite night before they arrived at the banks of the Nile ; and, as no business could be done that evening, Mr. Belzoni caused his saddle to be prepared for his bed, and went to sleep. I do not know, says he, to what cause it is to be attributed, but I certainly slept more soundly on the banks of the Nile, or on the sands of the desert, than I ever did in any other place, and particularly under a roof. Mr. Belzoni went to the cofTee-house in the bazar of the town, the only place of amusement. These places are only I'requented by the Turkish soldiers, for though a cup of coffee is only five paras, little more than a halfpenny, yet it P. V. 28. 4 O it H (1)0 IU;i,Z<>NI S lUAV Bl-S is more than an Arab can nd'ord to pay, as his general pay for a day's labour is only twenty paras, three-pence, so that it is very seldom an Arab ij to he seen in these spend- thrift places. It is somewhat singular to observe, that ^vhilc these soldiers are drinking their coffee, they assume the ssimc airs and consequence as their Beys. A hcenbashe, who is only in rank with a scrjoant, issues to the corporal the order he received from the Cacheft*, in the same tone as it was delivered to him ; the corporal does so to the soldier, who occasionally passes it to an Arab in the sunto manner. On the morning of the 27f h of May, Mr. Helxoni was taken to see the seat of an old town a short distance in tlie south. As he thought he might «ee some inscription on the wall, Mr. Belzoni took from Win ])ocket a small telescope, nhich, when opened, was not more than two feet long. Having put it in a direction tu the upper part of the wall, all the peo- ple that were there retired in great precipitation, and the others near were on the point of doing the same. An old man stared at the telescope, and wished to know what he was about. He thought it best to please the old man by letting him have a peep. lie was shy at first, but he tuok it ; and, after a long examination, put it to his eyes. At last he caught the focus of the glasses, and was much usto* nished that the stones of the wall should come so near to him. They entered through a house into the interior of a temple; but there was nothing but Ihe inner ])art of a wall, which must have been the sanctuary. All was apparently the vast ruins of a great edifice, covered with mud cottages which formed the village, and the standing part of a temple built by later nations. The materials of the former temple having been employed to erect the latter, but the stone had been diminished in size. By this time the principal people of the village had arrived. The telescope was wh^' drew their attention at present, and it was handed from one to another j but unfortunately, after IN HGYI'T AND NUUIA. 051 the flrst, no one could see any thing; he protested that a branch of a date-tree, which was at some distance, came 80 close to him that it touched his nose. Ail the r«'st were willing to sec this wonder, but he unwarily had put tho teles- cope olF its focus, consequently the others could not see. When put right again, the first that could see exclaimed, that he was close to the tree. His ))leasurc of sight did not last long, for no sooner did he say that he saw something, than the glass was taken from him, and ])ut out of its focus again. Tiiis created sport for more than two hours, and Mr. Belzoni then received his telescope hack again without injury. They were so pleased with it and with their know- ledge of it, that Mr. Belzoni proposed to take a tour round the village on (he outside of it, and they all agreed to ac- company him. They set out with at leabt half (he people. Mr. Belzoni inquired from some of them, who seemed to be dis- posed to ,tell any thing, if there were any places underground any where : they seemed surprised how he should know of any places of the kind, and told hin\ that there were many round the village. On going towards (hem, he ])erceived several tombs cut out of the rock. On entering he found three or four chambers, in each of which were several sarco- phagi of burnt clay with the mummies inside, their foMing not so rich or so fine, the linen of a coarse sort, and the corpses without asphaltum, consequently not so well pre- served. They arc in great quantity in each tomb. Many of the sarcophagi are still in good preservation, but he could not take any away, as it would have been too great a burthen for a camel. After a long tour over these tombs, tbey returned. Mr. Belzoni inquired if any of them had any articles to dispose of, and told them that he would give them money in return : nothing was brought to him of any consequence, only a broken Grecian vase of bronze, about eight inches high, of a very curious shape; and a small cherub of Greek work, not more than three inches high. During the morn- 4 O 2 '^5 *f; h i,i ! 11 .*" irn If S ■ 'Si i ;: 1'^ or)-2 BRLZONIS TRAVELS ing Mr. Belzoni was taken on one side by the Cady, who was uncommonly polite to him all this time, for which atten- tion he could not account : he told him in a few words, that himself, the Sheik Salem, and his father, had made up their minds to offer him to remain tiicre with them, that he should become a Mahomedan, and that a great feast would be made on his account on the day of the festival of that ceremony ; that he should partake of part of their lands, and if he knew how to introduce some new produce, it would be all to his own advantage; and lastly, that he might choose four wives from among their own daughters, and that he should be happy there without going about so much after stones. He had not a little difficulty to get himself out of this scrape, lie left the Cady, giving him hopes that he would return soon, and then, perhaps, his mind might be more inclined to stop there and marry ; but, for the present, he could not leave all the rest of his affairs at Cairo unsettled. His Si- cilian servant was attacked also at the same time, but he got off in a more speedy way ; he promised them, that as soon as he had accompanied his employers to Cairo, he vrould return immediately, and stay there with them all the rest of his life. A feast of rice eating was kept in consequence of the death of a man related to Sheik Ibrahim, the landlord of the house where he was, and who was taken to be buried just before. No sooner was the eating ended, than the most tremendous noise issued from the outer doors ; it was the widow of the deceased, who returned home, accompanied with all the rest of the matrons of the village, all in great uproar. On the next day the widow who had buried her husband cume and seated herself near Mr. Belzoni, sobbing, as he supposed, for the loss of her husband. The Sicilian servant tried to persuade her to bear her loss patiently ; but she con- tinued sobbing : at last she said, that none but Mr. Belzoni could restore her to happiness, and that she hoped that he would not r«fuse her the favour. At last he asked what IN KGYPT AND NUBIA. 653 sho wanted. She said, that she saw him writing magic, and begged he would write two pieces of paper— one to get another husband, as soon as possible, and the other to make use of for the same purpose if he should die. He endea- voured to persuade her that he was not in possession of ma- gic ; but she would not be convinced, and went away much displeased. After various adventures, on the 15th of June the whole party returned to Bcnisouef, where they embarked for Cairo ; from thence they proceeded to Alexandria ; and Mr. Bel- zoni having arranged all his affairs in Egypt, in the middle of September, 1819, he embarked for Europe. The head of Memnon, the sphynxes and other antiquities were sent to Great Britain and placed in the British Mu- seum. There they are open for the public inspection, and the reader is recommended to pay a visit to that place, to which every person who is decently dressed is admitted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, except on holydays or other particular days. There they will be led to appre- ciate in some degree the valuable and arduous services of Mr. Belzoni. 1 ' b ■f'i ■ >ii ( fl5i ) CAPTAIN ROSS'S VOYAGE TO THE ARCTIC REGIONS. The voyagQ of Captain Ross, aUhoiigh now introduced into this work, took pince prior to those of Captains Parry and Franklin. The cause of this arrangement is, that the voyage of Captain Ross was not marked by such interesting incidents as those of the latter. There is however much tu be noticed even in this voyage, and such circumstances will form the history now to be given,, which consequently will be comprised in a few pages. On the rith of December, 1817, Captain Ross received a letter from Sir George Hope, one of the Lords of the Admiralty, informing him tliat tw« ships were to be sent out to ascertain the existence or non-existence of a north- west passage, and desiring him to say whether he shouhl wish to undertake it ; at the same ume informing him, that he would be accompanied by a man of science, and by Green- land pilots accustomed to navigate those seas. To this he returned for answer, that he had no liesitation in undertak- ing the service, particularly with the promised assistance. On the 16th he received orders from Sir George to make the best of his way from Luch Ryan to Greenock, in the Driver (which ship he then commanded), and when super- seded he was to proceed to London. Having arrived in London on the 30th of December, and receiving directions, he visited the ships, and chose the KOSS S \ OVACli. 0A5 Isabella, as beint^ the most proper ship for the Kciiior otB- cer; he was aftcrwuriU (MiipUiycd in phinnin^ the necom- inoihttioiis, and (iiriM-tinir the various alterations which were necessary tor the; safety of the ships and comfort of the crews, as well as in ohtainin^ information from the dilT'ercnt masters of the (ireenland ships, and other persons who had been aeenslouiod to nuvijii^atc the iey seas, lie was furnii^hed with the following oilicial instructions. Ihf I he (Jommitisioutrs for crecutim/ the Office of Liurd High Ailmiral of the IhiHed Kingdom of Great Britain find Infand, SfC. Hfc. HIS R<»yal Highness the Prince Regent having sigiri- fied his pleasure; to Viscount Melville, that an attempt should be made to discover a Northern ]iassaf^e, by sea, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean ; We have, in conse- quence thereof, caused four ships or vessels to be fitted out and appropriated for that purpose, two of which, the Isa- bella and the Alexander, are intended to proceed together by the north-westward throuf^h Davis' Strait; and two, the Dorothea and Trent, in a direction as due north as may be found practicable through the S|)itzbergen seas. And whereas we have thought fit to intrust you with the command and direction of liie former expedition, and have directed Lieutenant Parry, who has been appointed to com- mand the Alexander, to follow your orders for his further proceedings ; you are hereby required and directed to pro- ceed to sea, with all convenient despatch, in the Isabella, and, taking under your orders the Alexander above men- tioned, make the best of your way into Davis' Strait, through which you will endeavour to pass to the northward, without stopping on either of its coasts, unless yon shall find it ab- solutely necessary. In this passage you may expect to meet with frequent obstructions from fields and islands of ice; to get clear of which, and to ensure the safety of the ships and people committed to your charge, will require from you, and all who are under your orders, the greatest precaution ti 1 I ■1 I' i:- 056 Ross's VOYAGE TO und vigilance. And, as the navigation among ice may be considered us an art to be acquired only by prnctico, wo have directed that there be appointed to each of the shijis un- der your orders, a master and a mate of whale-fishing ves- sels, well experienced in those seas, from whose knowledge and skill you may derive material assistance. It is not improbable that in the early part of the season, when you may be expected to arrive in Davis' Strait, the ice may be found to stretch across from land to land ; but as ice is known to vary in its position from year to year, and, several times in the course of the year, and in those plactis where not fast by the ground, is almost constantly in mo- tion by winds, tides, and currents ; if, on your arrival, it should appear to present a compact barrier, you will, to course, be prepared to avail yourself of the iirst open- ihg which may be discovered, to pass to the northward. As, however, in the present state of uncertainty with rej^.ird of thd movements of the ice, and with the very imperfect knowledge we have of this struit, and still more so of the sea beyond it, no specific instructions can be given for your guidance, the time and manner of proceeding to fulfil the ulterior object of your destination, in places where impedi- ments may occur, must be left entirely to your discretion ; in the exercise of which we rely on your zeal and skill in your profesnion for the accomplishment, as far as it can be accomplished, of tlie service on which you are employed ; not doubting that every exertion will be made on your part, and on that of your officers, while, at the same time, no pre- caution will be omitted, that prudence may dictate, to avoid accidents on an enterprise of so arduous a nature as that of conducting ships in safety through fields of ice in unknown seas. It may not, however, be amiss to suggest, as a ge- neral observation, that a passage through fields of ice is most likely to be found where the sea is deepest and least coivnected with land; as there is reason to suppose that ice is found to 1 3 more abundant near the shores of the con- tinent and islands, in narrow straits, and deep. bays. And TIIR ARCTIC RBGION8. 657 ic season. it may aldo be expected, that the sea will be must clear of ice wliere the currents are strongest, as the stream of n ri- ver will continue open long after the sides arc frozen up. From the best information we have been able to obtain^ it would appear that a current of some force runs from the noithwurd towards the upper part of Davis' Strait, during the summer season, and, perhaps, for some part of the win- ter also, bringing with it fields of ice in the spring, and ice-bergs in the summer. This current, if it be considerable, can scarcely be alto- gether supplied by streams from the land, or the melting of ice; there would, therefore, seem reason to suppose, that it may be derived from an open sea ; iu which case, Bailiii's Bay cannot be bounded by land, as our charts generally re- present it, but must communicate with the Arctic Ocean. In passing up the Strait, if such a current should be dis- covered, it will be of the greatest importance to you, in pointing out that |>art of the Strait which is likely to be the least encumbered with ica, as well as leading you direct to the opening by which it may be supposed to pass from the Arctic Sea into Davis' Strait. In tracing this current, you will soon discover whether it takes its origin in the nortli-east or north-west quarter: if in the former, you will, of course, abandon all pursuit of it further ; but if it should come from the north-west or west, it will prove the best guide you can follow, to lead you to the discovery of which you are in search. The strength and direction of the current should be tried once in twenty-four hours; or ol'tener, if any material change is observed to take place ; and it will be most ad- viseable to take its temperature at the surface frequently, as you proceed, to compare it with the temperature of the sur- face, where theie is no current. If the reports of several intelligent masters of whaling ves ■ sels may be relied on, that part of the sea to the northward of Davis' Strait, which is marked on the charts as Baffin's P. V. 28. I P ilui 658 ROSSfcJ VOYAO K TO Bay, (that is to say, from the 72«l det^iee of northern lati- iw\p, to the 77(h, where BatHn is supposed to have seen the l;iiul,) is t^fnerally free from field-ice, which, from its ex- tent of surface, offers the greatest impediment to naviga- tion. Should you find this actually to be the case, it may be advisable to stand well to the northward, before you edge away to the westward, in order to get a good offing, it) rounding the north-east point of the continent of Ame- rica ; whose lalilude has not been ascertained, but which, if a conjecture may be hazarded, from what is known from the nortliern coast of that continent, may perhaps be found in or about the 72d degree of latitude. In the event of your being able to succeed in rounding this point, and finding the sea open, you are carefully to avoid coming near the coast, where you would be most likely to be impeded by fixed or floating ice ; but keeping well to the northward, and in deep water, make the best of your way to Behring's Strait, through which you are (o en- deavour to pass into the Pacific Ocean ; and, in the event of your succeeding to pass this Strait, you are then to make the best of your way to Kamtschatka if you tliink you can do so without risk of being shut up hy tho ice on that coast, for the purpose of delivering to the Russian Governor, duplicates of all the journals and other documents which the passage may have supplied, with a request, that they may be forwarded overland to St. Petersburgh, to be con- veyed from < hence to London ; and from this, you will pro- ceed to the Sandwich Islands, or New Albion, or such other place in the Pacific Ocean as you may think proper, to refit and refresh your crews ; and if, during your stay at such place, a safe opportunity should occur of sending these papers to England, you should send duplicates by that conveyance. If the circumstances of your passage should be such as to encourage your attempting to return by the same course, you may winter at the Sandwich Islands, New Albion, or «! :^$ rilK ARCTIC REGIONS. 659 1^ any other proper place ; and early in next spring, may pio- ceed direct tor Behring's Strait, and use your endeavours to repass tlie same ; and should you succeed in this attempt, you are to proceed, if possible, to (he eastward, keeping in sight and approaching the coast of Amtrlca, whenever the position of the ice will permit you so to do, in order that you may be enabled to ascertain the latitudes and lonijiludes of some of the most remarkable headlands or inlets that may occur; taking every possible precaution, however, aijainst being beset by the ice. and thus compelled to winter on that coast. Before, however, you determine on returning by the same way, you will maturely consider and weigh the prude'ico of making such an attempt. If your original passage sliould be made with facility, and you see reason to believe that your success was not owing to circumstances merely acci- dental, or teaaporary, and that there is a prob.ihility that you may be able also to accomplish the passage back, it would be undoubtedly of great importance that you should endeavour to make it : but if, on the other hiiiul, it shall have been attended with circumstances of dautyer or difti- culty, so great as to persuade you that the attempt to re- turn would risk the safety of the ships, and the lives of the crews, you, in this case, are to abandon all thoughts of re- turning by the northern passage, and are to make the best of your way home-ward, by Cape Horn. Previous to your leaving England, or at any rate befure your departure from Shetland, you are to fix with Captain Buclmn, to whom the other expedition is intrusted, \ipon a rendezvous in the Pacific ; and if you should be joined by the Dorothea and Trent, or either of them, you are to take them under your command ; and, having detached one ship, with a copy of all your papers, and a complete set of despatches reporting your proceedings, to England, by the route of Cape Horn, you are to proceed with the other ships to rej)ass Behring's Strait, as above directed, if you should I P 2 660 Ross's VOYAGE TO have determined on that course ; but if you should have re- solved to return by the South, you are to t.ke care to in- terchanere with Captain Buchan copies of your respective journaSs and despatches ; or, if you do not meet Captain Buchan, or his ships, you are to deposit copies of your own papers on board the Alexander, in order to ensure, as far as possible, the arrival of these important documents in Eng- land, by thus multiplying the modes of conveyance. If, however, it should so happen, that from obstruction of ice, or any other circumstance, your progress to tlie westward should prove too slow to admit of your approach to Behring's Strait, before the present season siiall be too far advanced, to make it safe to attempt that passage ; and, at the same time, your progress should be too considerable to the westward, to ensure your return the same season by the way of Davis* Strait ; you are, in that case , to edge down to the northern coast of America, and endeavour to find out some secure bay, in which the ships may be laid up for the winter; taking such measures for the health and comfort of the people committed to your charge, as the ma- terials with which you are supplied for housing-in the ships, or hutting the men on shore, may enable you to do: and, if you shall find^ it expedient to resort to this measure, and you should meet with any inhabitants, either Esquimaux or Indians, near the place where you winter, you are to en- deavour by every means in your power to cultivate a friend- ship with them, by making them presents of such articles as you may be supplied with, and which may be useful or agreeable to them : you will, however, take care not to suf- fer yourself to be surprised by them, but use every \ne. c;iution, and be constantly on your guard against any hos- tility. You will endeavour to prevail on them, by such reward, and to be paid in such manner, as you may think best to an- swer the purpose, to carry to any of the settlements of the Hudson's Bay Company, or of the North-west Company, TUli ARCTIC RCGIONtt. 061 an account uf your situation and proceedings, with an ur- js^ent request that it may be forwarded to England with the utmost possible despatch. If, however, all your endeavours should fail in getting so far to the westward as to enable you to double the north- eastern extremity uf America, (round which these Instruc- tions have hitherto supposed a passage to exist,) you are, in that case, to use all the means in your power, by keep- ing to the northward and eastward, to ascertain to what ex- tent you can proceed along the western coaslofOld Green- land ; and whether there is any reason to suppose that it forms a part of the continent of America ; and you are also to endeavour to improve the very imperfect geography of the eastern coast of America, and of the island or islands which are supposed to intervene between it and Disko Island in Davis* Strait ; but you are, on no account, in this latter case, to remain on this service so leng, unless accidentally caught in the ice, as to be obliged to winter on any part of (he eastern coast of America, or the western coast of Old Greenland, or the intermediate islands ; but to leave the ice about the middle or the 20th of September, or the 1st of October at the latest, and make the best of your way to the River Thames. Although the first, and most important, object of this voy- age, is the discovery of a passage from Davis' Strait, along the northern coast of America, and through Behring's Strait, into the Pacific ; it is hoped, at the same time, that it may likewise be the means of inproving the geography and hydrography of the Arctic Regions, cf which so little is hitherto known, and contribute to the advancement of science and natural knowledge. With this view, we have caused a great variety of valu- able instruments to be put on board the ships under your orders, of which you will be furnished with a list, and for the return of which you will be held responsible ; and have also, at the reci^mmendationof the President and Councilof ■i(^ Il 1 il' B HI \m H '::lilll I ^m HI * i il I ■ i '^ i ''flB 'U "(' 1 ' ' ^^^BhI^hi wl^l 1' ) IhI^Ii^ 'Hjif 1 ''' ^^■iflHH 'Kii ^f JH|g|B )§|,:J*;' ■ fl 1?HP 662 ROSS S VOVAGR TO the Royal Society, ordered to be received on board the Isabella, Captain Sabine, of tlie Royal Artillery, who is represented to us as a gentleman well skilled in astronomy, natural history, and various branches of knowledg^e, to as- sist you in makini^ such observations as may tend to the im- provement of geoj^fraphy and navigation, and the advance- ment of science in general. Amongst other subjects of scientific enquiry, you will particularly direct your atten- tion to the variation and inclination of the magnetic needle, and the intensity of the magnetic force ; you will endeavour to ascertain how far the needle may be affected by the at- mospherical electricity, and what effect may be producefc 666 ROSSES VOYAGE TO Jportunity of mukini;^ a return for the kindness expe- rienced, and assisted in liberatinn^ her. A serious accident happened on b(»ard the Ariel whaler, a boat belonging to her having been crushed by the ice against the ship's side, by which one of her crew was killed, and another much hurt. On the 29th, the weather being moderate, Captain Ross ordered the Esquimaux, John Sacheuse, who bad accom- panied the expedition from England as interpreter, to go on shore and communicate with the natives. He returned with seven natives in their canoes, or kajaks, bringing a small supply of birds. Their village, lying on the south side of the bay, appeared to consist of a few huts made of seal-skins, sufficient for the residence of about fifty persons. Being desirous of procuring a sledge and dogs. Captain Ross .of- fered them a rifle musket for one completely fitted, which they promised to fetch ; with much honesty and principle, however, refusing to accept the rifle till they had brought the sledge. They soon returned, bringing the sledge and dogs in a boat man' white : he was scon harpooned by the Isabella's boat ; the '6rst harpoon sticking him on the hack a little behind the l6ft fin, and at first appear ng to be effectual. The boat was then carried to the edge of the ice, and several lines veered away, but, after holdiag a time, it was porceived thai he had escaped ; be soon however appeared, about a 1 If TUB ARCTIC REGIONS. 67A mile and a half distant, with the harpoon in his baclt, being then a loose fisli. As he remained nenr the surface, and ap- peared to suffer from tlie wound, the young officers of botli ships, who each commanded boats, pulled with emulation to the spot where each expected him to rise, waiting for the moment of his appearance with anxiety. Fortune favoured Mr. James Ross, the animal rising nearest to his boat, and giving his hnrpooner an opportuoity of infixing his weapon, following it by a third and fourth, which mado the capture certain. He was now much exhausted, and obliged to re- main near the surface, thereby exposing himself to the Ian-* ccrs ; the blood, at intervals, flowing from bis wounds, and being thrown up in volumes as he rose to breathe. At length, becoming exhausted, he had only strength to make a last and most terrible struggle. The peopI« in the boats, aware of their danger, retreated, leaving him to spend his fury on the water, where he was seen rolling and writhing in dreadful agony, lashing the sea from side to side with his tail and fins, till he expired : he then sunk, remaining sus- pended by the lines of the harpooners, who weighed him to the surface, and towed hitn on board in triumph. On the6lh of August, the weather proving fine, the ships were tracked vvltli labour tlirough about a mile of bay-ice to the narrowest part of a flue which obstructed their passage into the pool a-head ; the usual resort was had to sawing, but their labours were soon suspended by the discovery of a pas- sage a httle to the eastward. To ihis, therefore, they warped the ships through the loose und bay-ice, and thus managed to proceed about a mile further. As it appeared likely their people would be at work throughout the night, an extra allowance of provisions was served cut ; their labours were incessant till half-past one, when, being almost worn out with exertion, they were al- lowed to rest till five. At half-past six the ice began to move, and the wind increasing to a gale, the only chance left was to endeavour to force the shi|} through it to the north, P. V. 2tJ. 4 U rl \l'k M I I* I ' i , 1 674 ROSt's VOYAGE TO where it partially opened ; but tlie channel was so nuicli obstructed by heavy fragments, that th^ utmost efforts were ineffectual ; the field closed in, and, at noon, they felt its pressure most severely. A large floe which lay on one side of the Isabella appeared to be fixed, while, on the other side, another of considerable bulk was passing along with a ra- pid motion, assuming a somewhat circular direction, in consequence of one side having struck on the fix ;d field. The pressure continuing to increase, it became doubtful whether the ship would be able to sustain it ; every support threatened to give way ; the beams in the hold began to bend, and the iron tanks setth^d together. At this critical moment, when it seemod impossible to bear the accumulat- ing pressure much longer, the hull icse several feet ; whJle the ice, whicli was more than six feet thick, broke 'Against the sides, curling back on itself. The great stress now fell upon their bow, and, after being again lifted up, they were carried with great violence towards ihe Alexandra, ^ 'i"ch had hitherto been, in a great measure, defended h belia. Every effort to avoid their getting foul of each o'.hei' failed ; the ice anchors and cables broke one after another, and the sterns of the two ships came so violently into con- tact, as to crush to pieces a b')at tlmt could not be removed in time. The co''ision v/as tremendous, w.j anchors and chain-plates being broken, and nothing less than the loss of the masts expected : but, at this eventful instant, by the in- terposition of Providence, the force of the ice seemed ex- hausted ; the two fields suddenly receded, '\nd the Isabella passed the Alexander with comparative little damage. The last things that hooked each other were the two bower anchors, which, being torn from the bows, remained sus- pended in a line between the two ships, until that of the Alexander gave way. A clear channel soon after opened, and they ran into a pool, thus escaping imai te danger. Neither the masters, the mates, nor those men who had been all their lives in the Greenland service, had ever ex* THB ARCTIC UBGIONS. 675 in M<: perienced such immense peril ; and tliey declared, tbat a common whaler must have been crushed to atoms. It was soon after perceived, that a field of ice, to which they moored, was drifting rapidly on a reef of icebergs which lay aground ; the topsails were therefore close-reefed, in order that they might run between two bergs, or into any creek that might be found among them ; when sud- denly the field acquired a circular motion, so that every exertion was now necessary for warping along the edge, that being the sole chance they had of escai)ing the danger of being crushed on an iceberg. In a few minutes they observed a part of the field, into which they had attempted to cut docks, come in contact with the berg, with such rapidity and violence, as to rise more than f Tiy feet up its precipitous side, where it suddenly broke, the elevated part falling back on the rest with a terrible crash, and overwhelming with its ruins the very spot they had previ- ously chosen for their safety. Soon afterwards the ice appeared sufficiently open to pass the reef of bergs, and they once more were in a place of security. On the 9th they were surprised by the appearance of several men on the ice, who were hallooing to the ships : the first impression was, that they were shipwrecked sailors, probably belonging to some vessel that had been crushed in the late gale ; they ther^jture tacked, hoisted their colours, and stood in for the shore. On approaching the ice, they discovered them to be natives, drawn un rudely-fashioned sledges, by dogs, which they continued to drive backwards and forwards with wonderful rapidity. When they arrived withiu ..ail, Sacheusecaliei' unavoidably received some severe shocks, but fortunately suir-rcd no damage. Towards the evening they successively made out the nortli and south jioints of the land across the bottom of this bay or inlet, which agreed with Baflin's ne side of the north 1 this part ge Hope's ffy wlio had of this ex- his death- of the bay, hose which lis landap- 'here was a extending the nearest orge War- I after Via- icame thick 1 that there • into which aetic obser- ch was at a THE ARCTIC UBOIONS. 680 They continued to pioceed until tlie 6th of September, when it became cahn : afterwards there were some light and variable airs of wind. At e'^jht it again fell calm, and con- tinued 60 the whole day. The ship's head had, howerer, been generally kept near the course, by the assistance of the swell, which was from the north ; and they made four- teen miles of southing and a degree of easting, although the log only gave hnlf as much. They obtained some good observations in the forenoon for the longitude ; and the sun being visible in the meridian, they also took its altitude for the purpose of ascertaining the latitude. At six it being quite calm, and the water smooth, they sounded with the deep sea clamms, and found one thousand and Afty fathoms, which were the deepest soundings they ever reached in Baffin's Bay. As they had only one hundred and twenty fathoms fifteen miles further north, it is evident that the bottom of the sea, like the land, must be very niountainous. The mud at the bottom was so soft that he instrument was completely buried, and it required corsiderable force to draw it out. The sea being a dead calm, the line became perfectly perpendicular, and they had a jjood opportunity of obtaining the exact depth before i( started out of the ground. The instrument came up completely full, contain- ing about six pounds of mud, mixed with a few stonen and some sand. This mud was much coarser than that which they had before obtained, and was also of a much looser na- ture : when the line cume u i small star-fish was found attached to it, below the po!ii( marking eight hundred fathoms. The instrument took twenty -seven minutes to descend the whole distance. When atlive hundred fathoms, it descended at the rate of one fathom per second, and when nearly one thousand fathoms down, it required one second and a half per fathom. Although the check made to the motion of the line when it struck the bottom, wum evident to all, to put the fact beyond doubt, it was so niely set as to act on the least resistance. The self-ret^is; .ing P. V. 29. 4 T 1 ^^B iH Is ll V 1 III ! 1 fl Hi m i n iSiBK 'If T-; -flti ', ^ . HHk i:: wBt ' n ■'W^m [| iliffl K>Ei 'ifl^l ^*i P ' flB mi; ■■ 690 ROSS S VOYAGE TO tliermonieter, was then attached to it, aiul it was letdown, first to five hundred fathoms, and afterwards to six hun- dred, seven hundred, eie^ht hundnMi and a thousand, in succession. At each time it came up empty, the thermo- meter each time showing a lower temperature ; thus prov- ing that the water was colder as it became deeper, and also indicating that the instrument had nut reached the bottom, even at the depth of one thousand and five fathoms. It occupied one hour for all hands to pull it up from that depth. When the boat was off Agnes' Monument, they saw two large bears which swam otFto the ships, which were at the distance of six n;iles from the land ; they fetched the Alexander, and were immediately attacked by the boats of that ship and killeti ; one, wh;ch was shoi ilirough (he head, unfortunately sunk ; the other, on being wounded attacked the boats and shewed considerable play, but was nt length secured, and towed to the Isabella by the boats of both ships. In this aifair, Mr. Bisson, Mr. Nius, mid- shipmen, and Mr. Fisher, assistant- surgeon of the Alex- ander, shewed much dexterity and address. This animal, 'weighed one thousand one hundred and thirty-one pounds and a half, besides the blood it had lost, which cannot be estimatttd at less than thirty |)uunds. Its dimensions were carefully taken, and i ' "^^evcrly undertook to preserve the skin, in which he perfectly succeeded ; the bones of the head and foot were also preserved in their places, so that he was sent to the British Museum in excellent order. On the llth, seven leagues to the eastward of this rock, and at two miles distance, they discovered the [largest iceberg in latitude 70° they had ever seen at such a distance from the land. As it was nearly calm, they determined on ascertaining its ^ize, and sent Lieutenant Parry, Mr. Ross, and Mr. Bushman, and a boat with the necessary instruments, to obtain the magnetic dip of variation. Con- siderable dilliculty was experienced in the attempt to lan«l, THE ABCTIC REGIONS. 091 let down, osix liiin- lusand, in K> (lierinu- iius prov- and also le bottuit), lioins. It from that they saw hich were y fetched the boats rough che wounded y, but wus the boats Uius, mid- the Alex- is aniinal, e pounds L*annot be ions were serve the es of the , so thai [ler. his rock, ! [larjjest distance uined on ry, Mr. eeessary . Con- to land, as in rowing round it they founit, when the animal came to the edge of the precipice, which was fifty feet high, he plunged into the sea without hesitation, and (here being nu boat on that side of the island, he escaped. The party remained until sun-set, and had good observations -, and Lieutenant Parry reported, that the iceberg was lour thousand one hundred and sixty-nine yards long, three thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine yards broad, and fiftj-one feet liigh ; being aground in sixty-one fathoms. Its appearance was much like that of the back of the Isle of Wight, and the cUIFh ex- actly resembled (he chalk cliffs (o the west of Dover. On the 25th of 8eptend)er, the slops which were supplied by Government for winter clothing were served to the ships' companies, orders being sent to Lieutenant Parry to that effect. The whole of this day the weather was so foggy that the land was completely obscured. On the 30th of October they made the island of Fula, and, passing between Fair Isle and Sumburg Head, ar- rived at Shetland, anchoring in Brassa Sound, after an absence of exactly six months. The Lerwick packet being ^ •• ^ Ross sent a short account tpt: of their proceedings to the Secretary of the Admiralty, for the information of their Lordships ; in which, after recoin- 692 ROSS S VOYAGE. mcnr'iing the offTcers and men of both ships, for their me- ritorious conduct, he conchided in the following words ; — " Not an instance of punishment has taken place in this ship, nor has there been an officer, or man, on the sick list ; and it is with - .^eelinjj not to be expressed, that I conclude this letter, by i eporting that the service has been performed, and that the expedition, which 1 had the honour to com- mand, has returned, without the loss of a man. I have, &c. J. Rosa." On the 7th of November they sailed from Brassa Sound with a fair wind, which carried them off FJamborough Head, where they met with a strong breeze of N.B. wind ; and after beating for several days they anchored in Grimsby Roads, on the 14th of November. The logs, journals, charts, and other memoranda, being sealed, and collected from all the officers of (he e7^>edition, Captain Ross here left the ship and departed for London, where he arrived on the 16lh, and delivered them with a full account of the proceedings to the Lords of the Admiralty. He was directed by Lord Melville tc signify their Lord- ships approbation of the conduct of the officers and crews of the two ships ; and to acquaint them, that it was probable an expedition of a similar nature would be undertaken in the ensuing spring ; and that those who we.e desirous of volunteering their services, should have a preference over all others, should be found employment during the winter, granted a month's leave of absence, and kept in pay until the ships were ready for receiving men ; upon which nearly the whole vjlunteered, and the Isabella and Alexander were paid off on the 17th of December. THE END. ? 4 'i 9 :> their me- words :-— ice in this sick list ; [ conclude terformed, ir to com- J. Ross." ssa Sound imborough .E. wind ; n Grimsby , journals, d collected I Ross here arrived on lint of the their Lord- s and crews as probable dertaken in desirous of irence over the winter, in pay until rhich nearly . Alexander