At four A.M. on the 5th, we cast off and made sail for the land,

with a fresh breeze from the southeast. The ice was closely

packed, against the land near the passage I had intended to try,

and as it appeared slack to the eastward, I determined to run

between the southeast point of Baffin Island and the smaller

islands lying off it. The wind drawing more to the eastward as we

approached the channel, we had several tacks to make in getting

through, but carried a good depth of water on each side, though

its breadth does not exceed three quarters of a mile. As we now

advanced to the northward, we found less and less obstruction, the

main body of the ice having been carried to the southward and

eastward by the late gale, which had in so extraordinary a manner

drifted us in the same direction. This was one of the opportunities

I have before described as the most favourable that ever occur for

making progress in these seas. We had, therefore, a fine run during

the day along the east side of Sturges Bourne Islands; for, having

found the passages between them still choked with ice, we were

obliged to run to the northward with the hope of attaining our

present object, till it was time to look out for an anchorage.

Having first sent the boats to sound, we hauled into a small

bay, where we anchored at dusk in seventeen fathoms, good

holding-ground, though the bottom was so irregular that we had

from five to thirteen close upon our quarter.

We had now once more approached a part of the coast, of which the

thorough and satisfactory examination could not possibly be

carried on in the ships, without incurring constant and, perhaps,

useless risk, and a certain and serious loss of time. I

determined, therefore, to proceed at once upon this service in two

boats, one from each ship. Having communicated my intentions to

Captain Lyon, and requested him to move the ships, when

practicable, into some more secure situation, I left the Fury,

accompanied by Mr. Ross and Mr. Sherer, taking with us our tents,

blankets, and stove, together with four days' provisions and fuel.

CHAPTER IV.

Hoppner's Inlet entered and surveyed by the Boats.--Continuity of

Land there determined.--Proceed to examine another Opening leading

to the Westward.--Favourable Appearance of a continued Passage in

that direction.--Meet with some Esquimaux.--Arrival in Ross Bay,

being the Termination of Lyon Inlet.--Discovery and Examination of

various Creeks.--Return to the Ships, after finding the Land

entirely continuous.--Some Account of the Natural History of this

Part of the Coast.

A thick fog unfortunately coming on just before we left the ships,

prevented us from making choice of any part of the land which

might be the most likely to afford a passage to the northward and

westward. We could only, therefore, direct our course northerly,

with tolerable certainty, by a compass bearing previously taken on

board, and by occasionally obtaining an indistinct glimpse of the

land through the fog. Having rowed four miles, we came to a high

point, round which we turned rather to the westward, and then

landed a little beyond it.

The tents were struck at thirty minutes past three A.M. on the 7th

and our course directed, up the inlet, the weather being calm and

tolerably clear. At three miles and a quarter we passed on our

starboard hand a point of land, which, from the bright colour of

the rocks, composed chiefly of feldspar, obtained the name of _Red

Point_.

Opposite to Red Point was a small opening, which we next proposed

to examine. We had not, however, advanced a mile within the

entrance when the boats grounded, the water becoming more and more

shoal within. As it was plain that no passage could here be found

for the ships, which alone it was my present object to discover, I

did not choose to wait for the flowing of the tide to enable us

farther to explore this place, but determined to prosecute our

examination of the other parts of the coast without delay. There

were here a great number of stones placed in an upright position

in every conspicuous spot, many of them looking like men at a

distance. These marks are generally placed without regard to

regularity, but there were here several lines of them about fifty

yards in length, the stones being four or five yards apart, and

each having a smaller one placed on its top. Having rowed out of

the inlet, we landed at six P.M. in a little bay just outside of

the last night's sleeping-place, pitching the tents on a fine

shingly beach, which was the kind of ground we usually looked out

for towards the conclusion of the day, as affording the softest

bed, consistently with dryness, that nature supplies in this

country. Of such a convenience the men were not sorry to avail

themselves, having rowed above thirty miles since the morning.

The boats were launched at daylight on the 8th, and we soon came

to a much more promising opening on the same shore, about a mile

wide at the entrance, and leading directly to the westward. After

rowing four miles in that direction, we arrived at the mouth of a

bay from three to five miles wide, out of which there did not

appear the least chance of discovering an outlet. As nothing,

however, but rowing round the bay would satisfactorily determine

this, we were proceeding to do so, when we observed in the

northern corner something like a low point overlapping the high

land at the back. Towards this spot we steered, as the readiest

way of completing the circuit of the bay, and half a mile short of

it landed to breakfast.

In the mean time I sent Mr. Ross to one hill, and ascended another

myself, expecting to save the time and trouble of rowing into the

nook. I was not a little astonished to find, from my own and Mr.

Ross's observations, that there was on the other side of the point

a broad and apparently navigable channel, through which the tide

was setting to the northward, at the rate of three or four miles

an hour. I am thus minute in the discovery of this channel, which

afterward promised to be of no small importance, to show how

nearly such a place may be approached without the slightest

suspicion being entertained of its existence, and the consequent

necessity of _close_ examination wherever a passage is to be

sought for.

We continued our examination, and I despatched Mr. Sherer to the

ships for a fresh supply of provisions. On his return on the 10th

we proceeded to the westward. In running along the coast with a

fresh and favourable breeze, we observed three persons standing on

a hill, and, as we continued our course, they followed us at full

speed along the rocks. Having sailed into a small sheltered bay, I

went up, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan, to meet them on the hills

above us. In sailing along the shore we had heard them call out

loudly to us, and observed them frequently lift something which

they held in their hands; but, on coming up to them, they remained

so perfectly mute and motionless, that, accustomed as we had been

to the noisy importunities of their more sophisticated brethren,

we could scarcely believe them to be Esquimaux. There was,

besides, a degree of lankness in the faces of the two men, the

very reverse of the plump, round, oily cheeks of those we had

before seen. Their countenances at the time impressed me with the

idea of Indian rather than of Esquimaux features; but this variety

of physiognomy we afterward found not to be uncommon among these

people. The men appeared about forty and twenty-two years of age,

and were accompanied by a good-looking and good-humoured boy of

nine or ten. They each held in their hand a sealskin case or

quiver, containing a bow and three or four arrows, with a set of

which they willingly parted, on being presented with a knife in

exchange. The first looks with which they received us betrayed a

mixture of stupidity and apprehension, but both wore off in a few

minutes on our making them understand that we wished to go to

their habitations. With this request they complied without

hesitation, tripping along before us for above two miles over very

rough ground, and crossing one or two considerable streams running

from a lake into the sea. This they performed with so much

quickness that we could with difficulty keep up with them, though

they good-naturedly stopped now and then till we overtook them. We

were met on our way by two women, from twenty to twenty-five years

of age, having each a child at her back; they too accompanied us

to their tent, which was situated on a high part of the coast

overlooking the sea. It consisted of a rude circular wall of loose

stones, from six to eight feet in diameter and three in height, in

the centre of which stood an upright pole, made of several pieces

of fir-wood lashed together by thongs, and serving as a support to

the deerskins that formed the top covering. Soon after our arrival

we were joined by a good-looking, modest girl of about eight, and

a boy five years old. Of these nine persons, which were all we now

saw, only the elder man and two of the children belonged to this

tent, the habitations of the others being a little more inland.

The faces of the women were round, plump, tattooed, and, in short,

completely Esquimaux. The _kayak_ or canoe belonging to this

establishment was carefully laid on the rocks close to the

seaside, with the paddle and the man's mittens in readiness beside

it. The timbers were entirely of wood, and covered, as usual, with

sealskin. Its length was nineteen feet seven inches, and its

extreme breadth two feet; it was raised a little at each end, and

the rim or gunwale of the circular hole in the middle was high,

and made of whalebone. A handsome sealskin was smoothly laid

within as a seat, and the whole was sewn and put together with

great neatness. The paddle was double, made of fir, and the ends

of the blades tipped with bone, to prevent splitting.

The fireplace in the tent consisted of three rough stones

carelessly placed on end against one side, and they had several

pots of _lapis ollaris_ for culinary purposes. These people seemed

to us altogether more cleanly than any Esquimaux we had before

seen, both in their persons and in the interior of their tent, in

neither of which could we discover much of that rancid and pungent

smell which is in general so offensive to Europeans. One instance

of their cleanliness which now occurred, deserves, perhaps, to be

noticed, both because this is justly considered rather a rare

quality among Esquimaux, as well as to show in what way they do

sometimes exercise it. When leaving the tent to return to our

boats, I desired one of the seamen to tie the articles we had

purchased into a single bundle, for the convenience of carrying

them; but the elder of the two male Esquimaux, who watched the man

thus employed, would not permit it to be done without excluding a

pot, which, as he explained by wiping the lampblack off with one

of his fingers, would soil a clean sealskin jacket that formed

part of the bundle.

Among the few domestic utensils we saw in the tent was the woman's

knife of the Greenlanders described by Crantz, and resembling, in

its semicircular shape, that used by shoemakers in England. The

most interesting article, however, was a kind of bowl, exactly

similar to that obtained by Captain Lyon from the natives of

Hudson's Strait, being hollowed out of the root of the musk-ox's

horn. As soon as I took the cup in my hand, the boy who was our

first companion, and had since been our constant attendant,

pronounced the word _oomingmuk_, thus affording an additional

confirmation to that obtained on the former voyage, of the musk-ox

being the animal described by the natives of the west coast of

Greenland as having occasionally, though rarely, been seen in that

country.

As soon as the Esquimaux became a little more familiar with us,

they repeatedly asked for _sowik_ (iron), in answer to which we

gave them to understand that they must accompany us to our boats if

they wished to obtain any of this precious article. Accordingly,

the whole group set off with us on our return, the males keeping up

with us, and the women a short distance behind. The whole of the

children carried bundles of the branches of ground willow, which

we had just before seen them bring in for their own use, and

which they seemed to consider an article of barter that might be

acceptable to us. As we returned I noticed a quantity of the _ledum

palustre_, and, having plucked some of it, gave it to the boy to

carry; after which, though he very much disliked its smell, he

gathered every root of it that we came to, and deposited it at our

tents. This lad was uncommonly quick and clever in comprehending

our meaning, and seemed to possess a degree of good-humour and

docility which, on our short acquaintance, made him a great

favourite among us.

We had hitherto been much pleased with our new acquaintance,

who were certainly a good-humoured, decent sort of people. We

therefore loaded them with presents, and endeavoured to amuse them

by showing them the manner of rowing our boats, which were hauled

up on the beach. While the men and children were occupied in

observing this, the women were no less busily employed, near the

tents, in pilfering and conveying into their boots some of our

cups, spoons, and other small articles, such as they could

conveniently secrete. This they accomplished with so much

dexterity, that no suspicion would have been excited of their

dishonesty had not Mr. Sherer fortunately missed a cup which was

required for supper. A general search being instituted in

consequence, and the cargo of the women's boots brought back to

our tents, I directed all our presents to be likewise taken from

the two offenders; and, dismissing the whole party with great

appearance of indignation, thus put an end, for the present, to

our communication with these people.

We spent the two next days in exploring a creek which we called

CULGRUFF, and another on the opposite or eastern shore, which

received the name of NORMAN'S CREEK, and returned to the Hecla on

the evening of the 14th.

I learned from Captain Lyon that the Hecla had just anchored at

her present station, the Fury still remaining at the former place,

into which the ice had lately come so thick as to require the

assistance of all hands from both ships to warp and tow the Hecla

out. Proceeding with a fresh boat's crew towards the Fury, which

we found close beset by thick and heavy ice, we succeeded, after

much difficulty, in hauling the boat through it, and arrived on

board at ten P.M.

As soon as the tide would serve in the offing on the morning of

the 15th, we weighed, and, by means of warping and towing, in

which we were assisted by Captain Lyon's boats, succeeded in

joining the Hecla at her anchorage at three P.M.

CHAPTER V.

Farther Examination in the Boats for the Purpose of Connecting the

Shores of Lyon Inlet with that of Gore Bay.--Continuity of the

Land determined.--Fresh Detention by the Ice.--Boats carried over

Land.--Return to the Ships.--Progress out of the Inlet prevented

by the Ice.--The Fury grounds upon a Rock.--Anchor in Safety

Cove.--Heavy Easterly Gales.--Proceed out of the Inlet.--Arrival

in a Bay on the south Side of Winter Island.--Ships secured in

Winter-quarters.

Again leaving the ships on the 15th, we rowed before sunset

between six and seven miles along the high southwestern land,

passing what appeared a small harbour, with an island near the

middle of the entrance, and landed on a shingly beach near a small

bay or creek, extending three quarters of a mile to the W.N.W.,

and then terminating in a deep, broad valley. We left the shore at

half past four A.M. on the 16th, and in an hour's sailing, with a

fresh northwest wind, came to some loose ice, through which we

continued to make our way till eleven o'clock, when it became so

close that a passage could no longer be found in any direction.

There was also so much young ice in every small interval between

the loose masses, that the boats were much cut about the

water-line in endeavouring to force through it. In order,

therefore, to avoid the risk of being altogether driven from the

shore, I determined to attempt a passage into the bay, which was

three quarters of a mile distant; and in this, after two hours'

labour, we at length succeeded. Finding that the ice was likely to

prove an obstacle of which we could not calculate the extent or

continuance, we began at once to reduce our daily expenditure of

provisions, in order to meet any contingency.

Ascending the hill at daylight on the 17th, we were much

disappointed in finding that, though the ice continued to drive a

little to the S.E., it was even more compact than before, the

loose masses through which we had sailed the preceding day being

now closely set together.

As soon as it was light enough on the 18th to make out the

situation of the ice, which had now drifted considerably to the

southward, we left the bay with a fresh and favourable breeze, and

at a quarter past eight A.M., after a quick run through "sailing

ice," landed to breakfast on the southeast point of this shore,

which afterward received the name CAPE MARTINEAU. Proceeding from

hence with a strong breeze and a considerable sea ahead, but the

flood tide still running slowly with us to the N.W., we rowed

several miles close along the shore, and entered at dusk a little

cove, where the tents were pitched and the boats moored for the

night.

The night being cold, clear, and nearly calm, a quantity of

"bay-ice," half an inch in thickness, had, on the morning of the

19th, formed in the cove, and for some distance outside of it,

which again cut the boats' planks very much, besides occasioning

great loss of time in getting through it. This symptom of

approaching winter, which had now for the first time occurred to

us, rendered it expedient in future to select the most open

beaches for our resting-places at night. After tracing every bend

of the shore which here occurred, we landed at the point called by

Captain Lyon POINT FARHILL, and, ascending the hill to take

angles, obtained a view of Gore Bay, easily recognising every

other feature of the lands discovered by Captain Lyon. A mile or

two of coast was now all that remained to be examined, in order to

determine the connexion of Gore Bay with the rest of the land

recently explored. Proceeding, therefore, as soon as our

observations were finished, we soon after entered the bay, and in

the course of an hour had satisfied ourselves on this point.

The ice remained closely packed on the 21st, as far as we could

see along shore, so that we were still detained in the same place.

Some snow which fell in the course of the preceding night, lightly

powdering the land, had entirely disappeared before evening,

except in places having a northern aspect, where it now

permanently remained for the winter.

On the morning of the 22d the ice was not only as close as ever,

but had forced its way much higher up towards Gore Bay. A party

was therefore sent out to endeavour to procure game farther

inland; and another employed in gathering ground-willow, which was

here abundant and in good condition for fuel. Two bears, a female

and her cub, being probably attracted by the smell of our cooking,

came towards the tents upon the ice, but, upon hearing our voices,

set off in the opposite direction. A good deal of snow fell in

partial showers in the course of the day; it was nearly of that

fine kind which usually falls during the winter of these regions,

but we had flake snow and even light rain some days after this.

The snow, however, now remained undissolved upon the land in all

situations. Our hunting party returned late in the evening without

success, having merely seen a number of reindeer, which the want

of cover prevented their approaching. Seven days out of the nine

for which we were victualled having now elapsed, a party was

selected for walking over to the ships on the following day,

should the ice still continue in its present state.

The ice continuing in the same state, we commenced our work at

break of day on the 24th, and in three journeys had carried all

the lighter part of our baggage over land by eleven o'clock. All

hands then returned for the two boats, across the gunwales of

which the masts and oars were lashed for lifting them, the ground

not allowing us to drag them except for a short space here and

there. By half past one the first boat had been carried over, and,

by the unwearied exertions of the officers and men, we had the

satisfaction of launching the second before four o'clock, the

distance being a mile and a half, and chiefly over rocky and

uneven ground. As soon as we had dined, the boats were reloaded;

and at five o'clock we left the shore. A quantity of ice was still

aground upon the shoals and islets off Cape Martineau, through

which, however, we fortunately found a passage before dark, when,

having cleared every obstacle, we sailed in an open sea and with a

fresh breeze to the northward. Keeping close along the shore to

avoid missing the ships in the dark, our first musket was

immediately answered by a blue-light; and, being guided by the

lights now shown by the ships, we arrived at nine P.M., where we

found that our late detention had excited some alarm for our

safety.

On the 1st of October some small rain fell, which, immediately

freezing, made the decks and ropes as smooth and slippery as if

coated with glass; 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 the altered

appearance of the land, and the rapid formation of young ice near

the shores, gave pretty evident notice of the approach of winter.

The commencement of this dreary season in these regions may,

indeed, be fairly dated from the time when the earth no longer

receives and radiates heat enough to melt the snow which falls

upon it. When the land is once covered with this substance, so

little calculated to favour the absorption of heat, the frigorific

process seems to be carried on with increased vigour, defining

very clearly the change from summer to winter, with little or no

immediate interval to which the name of autumn can be distinctly

assigned.

We passed Cape Edwards on the 6th; but on the 8th the formation of

young ice upon the surface of the water began most decidedly to

put a stop to the navigation of these seas, and warned us that the

season of active operations was nearly at an end.

When to the ordinary difficulties which the navigation of the

Polar Seas presents were superadded the disadvantages of a

temperature at or near _zero_, its necessary concomitant the young

ice, and twelve hours of darkness daily, it was impossible any

longer to entertain a doubt of the expediency of immediately

placing the ships in the best security that could be found for

them during the winter, rather than run the risk of being

permanently detached from the land by an endeavour to regain the

continent. We were in hopes of receiving effectual shelter from

the numerous grounded masses, but could only find berths within

one of them in five to six fathoms water. We now, for the first

time, _walked_ on board the ships; and, before night, had them

moved into their places, by sawing a canal for two or three

hundred yards through the ice. The average thickness of the new

floe was already three inches and a quarter; but being in some

places much less, several officers and men fell in, and, from the

difficulty of getting a firm place to rest on, narrowly escaped a

more serious inconvenience than a thorough wetting. The whole

sheet of ice, even in those parts which easily bore a man's

weight, had a waving motion under the feet, like that of leather

or any other tough flexible substance set afloat, a property which

is, I believe, peculiar to salt-water ice.

In reviewing the events of this our first season of navigation, and

considering what progress we had made towards the accomplishment of

our main object, it was impossible, however trifling that progress

might appear upon the chart, not to experience considerable

satisfaction. Small as our actual advance had been towards

Behring's Strait, the extent of coast newly discovered and minutely

explored in pursuit of our object, in the course of the last eight

weeks, amounted to more than two hundred leagues, nearly half of

which belonged to the Continent of North America. This service,

notwithstanding our constant exposure to the risks which intricate,

shoal, and unknown channels, a sea loaded with ice, and a rapid

tide concurred in presenting, had providentially been effected

without injury to the ships, or suffering to the officers and men;

and we had now once more met with tolerable security for the

season. Above all, however, I derived the most sincere satisfaction

from a conviction of having left no part of the coast from Repulse

Bay eastward in a state of doubt as to its connexion with the

continent. And as the mainland now in sight from the hills extended

no farther to the eastward than about a N.N.E. bearing, we ventured

to indulge a sanguine hope of our being very near the northeastern

boundary of America, and that the early part of the next season

would find us employing our best efforts in pushing along its

northern shores.

CHAPTER VI.

Precautions for the Security of the Ships and their Stores--And

for the Health and Comfort of the Crews.--Establishment of

Theatrical Entertainments and Schools.--Erection of an Observatory

and House on Shore.--State of Health at this Period.--Partial

Disruption of the Ice in the Bay.--Anchors and Cables taken to the

Shore.--Gradual Increase of Cold, Appearance of the Aurora

Borealis on several Occasions, and various other Meteorological

Phenomena to the Close of the Year 1821.

Our operations at sea being now at an end for the season, my chief

attention was directed to the security of the ships, and to the

various internal arrangements which experience suggested as

necessary for the preservation of cleanliness, health, and comfort

during the winter, as well as for the economical expenditure of

provisions, fuel, and other stores.

The situation which circumstances obliged us to put up with for

our winter-quarters was by no means as secure as could have been

wished. The bay, though as fine a roadstead as could have been

desired if situated in a more temperate climate, was still only a

roadstead; and, being entirely open to the south, was exposed to a

pressure from the ice in that direction, unless the solid floe now

about to be formed round the ships should shortly become

sufficient to guard them from external injury. There was some

reason, however, to doubt the efficacy of this protection; for, as

the spring-tides approached, the numerous grounded masses around

the shores of the bay began to evince symptoms of instability, one

or two having fallen over, and others turned round; so that these

masses might be looked upon rather as dangerous neighbours, likely

to create a premature disruption of the ice, than as the means of

security, which, in seas not subject to any considerable rise of

tide, they had so often proved to us on former occasions. To

these circumstances was added our uncertainty whether very high

tides during the winter might not crack the ice, thereby exposing

the ships to the double danger of being "nipped" about their

water-line, and of being drifted out of the bay by northerly gales.

That which was, however, perhaps the most to be apprehended, was

the possibility of the ships being forced into shoal water, without

detaching themselves from the mass of ice cemented to their bends,

the weight of which, hanging upon the sides of a ship left aground

by the tide, could not but produce very serious injury.

About the time of our arrival in the bay, when the thermometer had

fallen nearly to _zero_, the condensation of vapour upon the beams

of the lower deck, and in the cabins near the hatchways, commenced

just as it had done at a similar temperature before. To remedy

this evil, no time was lost in lighting a fire in the warming-stove

upon the orlop-deck, everything being previously moved from its

neighbourhood that was likely to create danger. The iron tanks in

the main hatchway were laid bare on the top, and the interstices

between them filled with sand, to form a secure platform in front

of the fire; and the sailroom, bulkheads, and stancheons covered

with sheet copper. Four steady men, of whom one was a petty

officer, were appointed to attend the fire in regular watches,

being made responsible for the due expenditure of the fuel, and

for the safety of everything about the stove. They had likewise

particular charge of the fire-engine, buckets, and two tanks of

water, all of which were kept in the hatchway in constant readiness

in case of accidents. In addition to these precautions, some

general regulations were established for stationing the officers

and men in the event of fire; and a hole was directed to be kept

open in the ice alongside each ship, to ensure at all times a

sufficient supply of water. In twelve hours after lighting the

stove not a drop of moisture remained.

The regulations for the maintenance of due cleanliness among the

ships' companies were principally the same as those established on

the preceding voyage. As a source of rational amusement to the

men, soon after our arrival I proposed to Captain Lyon and the

officers of both ships once more to set on foot a series of

theatrical entertainments, from which so much benefit in this way

had, on a former occasion, been derived. This proposal was

immediately and unanimously acquiesced in; Captain Lyon obligingly

undertook to be our, manager, and, some preparation having been

made for this purpose previous to leaving England, everything was

soon arranged for performing a play on board the Fury once a

fortnight.

To furnish rational and useful occupation to the men on the other

evenings, a school was also established for the instruction of

such of the men as were willing to take advantage of this

opportunity of learning to read and write, or of improving in

those acquirements.

While these internal arrangements were making, the interests of

science were not neglected. A day or two after our arrival, Mr.

Fisher and myself selected a spot for the portable observatory,

which was immediately erected for the purpose of making magnetic

observations; and, as soon as the carpenters could be spared from

the necessary duties of the ships, a house was built for the

reception of the instruments requisite in conducting the other

observations and experiments.

Soon after our arrival here, Captain Lyon expressed a wish that

his officers and men, with himself, should attend divine service

on board the Fury during the continuance of the ships in

winter-quarters. This arrangement was accordingly made, and we

formed one congregation for the rest of the winter. Our lower deck

afforded abundance of accommodation in this respect; some psalm

tunes, which had been purposely set upon an organ, were played at

the proper intervals of the service, and our little church formed

a pleasing and interesting scene to such as are disposed to be

interested by scenes of this nature.

I have before mentioned the myriads of small shrimps (_cancer

nugax_) which for some weeks past had been observed near the

surface of the sea. These insects were found to be still as

numerous as ever in any hole we made in the ice; and such was the

extreme avidity with which they immediately seized upon any meat

put overboard, to thaw or soak for the sake of freshness, that

Captain Lyon to-day sent me a goose to look at, belonging to the

officers of the Hecla, that had been thus deposited within their

reach only eight and forty hours, and from which they had eaten

every ounce of meat, leaving only a skeleton most delicately

cleaned. Our men had before remarked that their meat suffered

unusual loss of substance by soaking, but did not know to what

cause to attribute the deficiency. We took advantage, however, of

the hunger of these depredators to procure complete skeletons of

small animals, for preservation as anatomical specimens, enclosing

them in a net or bag with holes, to which the shrimps could have

access, but which prevented the loss of any of the limbs, should

the cartilage of the joints be eaten. For want of this latter

precaution some specimens were at first rendered imperfect.

A pair of snow-boots were now issued _gratis_ to each individual

in the expedition, being part of a stock of extra warm clothing

liberally furnished by government, to be supplied to the officers

and men at my discretion, as occasion should require. These boots

were made of strong drab cloth, with thick soles of cork, the

slowly conducting property of which substance, together with their

large size, allowing a free circulation to the blood, afforded the

utmost comfort that could be desired. Boots or shoes of _leather_

never retain the warmth long, under circumstances of very severe

exposure.

The wind veering to the S.E. on the 24th and 25th, the thermometer

gradually rose to +23°. I may possibly incur the charge of

affectation in stating that this temperature was much too high to

be agreeable to us; but it is nevertheless the fact, that

everybody felt and complained of the change. We had often before

remarked, that considerable alterations in the temperature of the

atmosphere are as sensibly felt by the human frame at a very low

part of the scale, as in the higher. The difference consists only

in this, that a change from -40° upward to about _zero_ is usually

a very welcome one, while from _zero_ to the freezing point, as in

the instance just alluded to, it becomes, to persons in our

situation, rather an inconvenience than otherwise. This may be

more readily imagined by considering that our clothing, bedding,

fires, and other precautions against the severity of the climate

having been once adapted to a low degree of cold, an increase of

temperature renders them oppressive and inconvenient; while any

reduction (of the first two, at least) is impracticable with

safety. To this must be added, that at this temperature the snow

becomes too soft for convenient walking, and the accumulation of

ice in the crevices and linings of the officers' cabins is

converted into a source of extreme annoyance, which, while it

continues solid, is never experienced. It is true that these

inconveniences occur in a much greater degree in the spring; but

being then hailed as the harbingers of the return of permanent

warmth, it is easy to obviate some, and would be hard to complain

of any of them.

_Nov. 6._--For several days about this period the weather

continued remarkably mild, the thermometer generally rising as

high as from +20° to +28° in the course of the day, from the 6th

to the 16th. Most of our necessary arrangements for the security

of the ships and stores during the winter being now completed, the

people were employed in what they called "rigging the theatre,"

and on the evening of the 9th the officers performed the play of

the "Rivals," to the infinite amusement of both ships' companies.

On the 1st of December there was a space of many miles in which

none of the "old ice" was visible. The sea was here for the most

part covered with a very thin sheet of "young" ice, probably the

formation of a single day, since the westerly wind had driven the

'floes' off the land. The whole of this was in motion with the

tide, which, breaking the thin floes, left several spaces of clear

water. It was observable that, though a considerable frost-smoke

arose from the young ice, it was not so dense as that from the

clear water, immediately over every pool of which a little thick

cloud floated, corresponding as well in size as in situation with

the pond from whence it issued. A number of dovekies were swimming

about the point; and it being desirable, if possible, to obtain

some of them for the sake of ascertaining their plumage at this

season, we hauled the small boat over and launched her. Mr. Ross

succeeded in killing one of the birds, which was preserved as a

specimen, but it was with great difficulty that the boat avoided

being carried away from the shore by the young ice. I was, on this

account, afraid of repeating the attempt during the rest of the

winter. One grouse was seen on shore; it appeared entirely white,

except having its tail black near the tip.

I was this day under the necessity of closing in my stern

dead-lights, and fixing cork shutters between the double

window-frames of my cabin, the temperature having lately fallen

rather low at night; in consequence of which, one of the

chronometers had stopped on the 26th of November. We had before

this time banked the snow up against the sides; but it was now

thrown higher, and its thickness at the bottom increased to about

four feet. Besides this, a bed of snow, three feet deep, was

subsequently laid on the deck over my cabin, and also on the

forecastle over the sick-bay, to assist in retaining the warmth in

those parts of the ship; an office which it seemed to perform very

effectually. It was impossible, however, as the cold increased, to

keep up a tolerably comfortable temperature in the cabin if the

fire was suffered to go out for several hours: for instance, the

night after the above arrangements had been made, the fire was out

for only six hours; and the consequence was, that the thermometer

fell to 27°, and could be got no higher on the following day, in

the after part of the cabin, though only nine feet from the stove,

than 33°. This was, indeed, a most inclement day, the temperature

of the atmosphere having for the first time fallen to -27°,

accompanied by a fresh wind from the northward and westward.

A great squeezing of the young floes took place at the S.E. point

of the island on the 12th. The noise it makes when heard at a

distance very much resembles that of a heavy wagon labouring over

a deep gravelly road; but, when a nearer approach is made, it is

more like the growling of wild animals, for which it was in one or

two instances mistaken. It was, however, rather useful than

otherwise, to encourage the belief that bears were abroad, as,

without some such idea, people are apt to become careless about

going armed.

The thermometer rising to -5° in the course of the 17th, the

weather appeared warm to our feelings. It proved favourable also

for another play, which had been fixed for this night, and the

"Poor Gentleman" was performed by the officers in so admirable and

feeling a manner as to excite uncommon interest among the men, and

to convince me more than ever of the utility of our theatrical

amusements. The 18th was a remarkably clear day, without any of

that cloudiness which usually hung about the southern horizon. The

sun was therefore clearly visible at noon, when such was its oval

shape that its horizontal diameter exceeded the vertical by 4'

07". We had light in the cabin for reading and writing for three

hours and a quarter without candles, and about five hours for

convenient walking.

On the evening of the 24th, being Christmas eve, the ships'

companies were amused by the officers performing the two farces of

"A Roland for an Oliver," and the "Mayor of Garratt." On Christmas

day, divine service on board the Fury was attended by the officers

and crews of both ships. A certain increase was also made in the

allowance of provisions, to enable the people to partake of

Christmas festivities to the utmost extent which our situation and

means would allow; and the day was marked by the most cheerful

hilarity, accompanied by the utmost regularity and good order.

Among the luxuries which our Christmas dinner afforded was that of

a joint of English roast beef, of which a few quarters had been

preserved for such occasions by rubbing the outside with salt, and

hanging it on deck covered with canvass. The low latitude in which

our last summer's navigation was performed would have rendered its

preservation doubtful without the salt.

On the arrival of the last day of the year, it was impossible not

to experience very high gratification in observing the excellent

health and spirits enjoyed by almost every officer and man in both

ships. The only invalid in the expedition was Reid, our

carpenter's mate, and even he was at this period so much improved,

that very sanguine hopes were entertained of his continued

amendment. In consequence of the effectual manner in which the men

were clothed, particularly about the feet, not a single frostbite

had occurred that required medical assistance even for a day; and,

what was more important to us, not a scorbutic symptom had

appeared.

To increase our ordinary issue of anti-scorbutics, liberal as it

already was, we had from the commencement of the winter adopted a

regular system of growing mustard and cress, which the superior

warmth of the ships now enabled us to do on a larger scale than

before. Each mess, both of the officers and ships' company, was

for this purpose furnished with a shallow box filled with mould,

in which a crop could generally be raised in from eight to ten

days. The quantity thus procured on board the Fury now amounted to

about fifty pounds' weight, and before the arrival of spring to

nearly one hundred pounds; and, trifling as such a supply may

appear to those who are in the habit of being more abundantly

furnished, it will not be considered to have been without its use,

when it is remembered how complete a specific for the scurvy

_fresh_ vegetable substance has invariably proved.

With respect to the occupations which engaged our time, during

this season of unavoidable inactivity, I can add little or nothing

to my former account of the manner in which we passed the winter

at Melville Island; for the two situations were so nearly similar,

and our resources necessarily so limited in this way, that it was

not easy to produce much variety in the employment of them. It may

be imagined, and was, indeed, anticipated by ourselves, that want

of novelty was on the present occasion a disadvantage likely to

render our confinement more tedious than before; but this by no

means appeared to be the case: for the men, sufficient employment

may always be found to prevent the possibility of their being

idle; and I have already noticed the auxiliaries to which we had

recourse to assist in promoting this end; while most officers have

resources within themselves, of which scarcely any situation or

circumstances can divest them. What with reading, writing, making

and calculating observations, observing the various natural

phenomena, and taking the exercise necessary to preserve our

health, nobody, I believe, ever felt any symptoms of _ennui_

during our continuance in winter-quarters.

Among the recreations which afforded the highest gratification to

several among us, I may mention the musical parties we were

enabled to muster, and which assembled on stated evenings

throughout the winter, alternately in Captain Lyon's cabin and my

own. More skilful amateurs in music might well have smiled at

these our humble concerts; but it will not incline them to think

less of the science they admire, to be assured that, in these

remote and desolate regions of the globe, it has often furnished

us with the most pleasurable sensations which our situation was

capable of affording: for, independently of the mere gratification

afforded to the ear by music, there is, perhaps, scarcely a person

in the world really fond of it, in whose mind its sound is not

more or less connected with "his far distant home."

With our time thus occupied, our comforts so abundant, and the

prospect to seaward so enlivening, it would, indeed, have been our

own faults had we felt anything but enjoyment in our present

state, and the most lively hopes and expectations for the future.

CHAPTER VII.

Many Foxes caught.--Continued Open Water in the Offing.--Partial

Disruption of the Ice in the Bay.--Meteorological Phenomena, and

Temperature of Animals.--Arrival of a Tribe of Esquimaux.--First

Meeting and subsequent Intercourse with them.--Esquimaux in Want

of Provisions.--Supplied with Bread-dust.--Some Account of a

Sealing Excursion with them.--Fresh Disruption of the Ice in the

Bay.--Closing of the Winter Theatre.--Meteorological Phenomena

till the End of February, 1822.

The first day of the new year was a very severe one in the open

air, the thermometer being down to -22°, and the wind blowing

strong from the northwest. The effect of a breeze upon the

feelings is well known to every person, even in comparatively

temperate climates, but at low temperatures it becomes painful and

almost insupportable. Thus, with the thermometer at -55°, and no

wind stirring, the hands may remain uncovered for ten minutes or a

quarter of an hour without inconvenience; while, with a fresh

breeze, and the thermometer nearly as high as _zero_, few people

can keep them exposed so long without considerable pain.

About noon on the 2d, Captain Lyon observed a considerable body of

snow taken up by the wind and whirled round in a spiral form like

that of a water-spout, though with us the breeze was quite light

at the time. It increased gradually in size till lost behind the

southeast point. As a proof of the difficulty which the hares must

find in obtaining subsistence during the winter, these animals

were at this time in the habit of coming alongside the ships upon

the ice to pick up what they could from our rubbish-heaps. A fox

or two still entered the traps occasionally, and our gentlemen

informed me that they had always been most successful in catching

them after a southerly wind, which they attributed, with great

probability, to the smell of the ships being thus more extensively

communicated over the island. One or two of these poor creatures

had been found in the traps with their tongues almost bitten in

two. The traps made use of for catching these beautiful little

animals were formed of a small cask, having a sliding door like

that of a common mouse-trap, and were baited with oiled meat or

blubber. The whole number caught during the winter was between

eighty and ninety, of which more than seventy were taken before

the end of December. In a single trap of Captain Lyon's, no less

than fifteen were caught in the course of four hours, on the night

of the 25th of November; and the people engaged in watching the

trap remarked, that no sooner had one of these animals been taken

out, and they themselves retired a few yards, than another entered

it. So stupid, indeed, are they in this respect, that, in several

instances, those which had escaped from the ships entered, and

were recaught in the same traps as before.

_Jan. 14._--An ermine, of which the tracks had been traced the

preceding day up the Hecla's stern, and even on board her, Captain

Lyon to-day succeeded in catching in a trap. This beautiful

creature was entirely white, except a black brush to its tail, and

a slight tinge of the usual sulphur or straw colour on the root of

the tail, and also on the fore part of the fore legs. The little

animal being put into a convenient cage, seemed soon to feel

himself perfectly at home, eating, drinking, and sleeping

without any apparent apprehension, but evincing a very decided

determination to resent a too near approach to the wires of his new

habitation.

_Jan. 18._--At a late hour this evening the stovepipe of my cabin

caught fire, which gave us a momentary alarm, but, buckets and

water being at hand, it was soon extinguished. This accident was

occasioned by a quantity of soot collected in the stovepipe, and

yet was not altogether to be attributed to neglect in the persons

appointed to sweep the whole of them twice a week. As the cause of

it is such as is not likely to be anticipated by persons living in

temperate climates, and as the knowledge of it may be serviceable

to somebody destined for a cold one, I shall here explain it. The

smoke of coals contains a certain quantity of water in the state

of vapour. This, in temperate climates, and, indeed, till the

thermometer falls to about 10° below _zero_, is carried up the

chimney and principally diffused in the atmosphere. When the cold

becomes more intense, however, this is no longer the case; for the

vapour is then condensed into water before it can escape from the

stovepipes, within which a mass of ice is, in consequence, very

speedily formed.[*] The vapour thus arrested must necessarily also

detain a quantity of soot, which, being subsequently enclosed in

the ice as the latter accumulates, the brush generally used to

clean the pipes cannot bring it away. By any occasional increase

of temperature, either in the external air or in the fire below,

the ice sometimes thaws, pouring down a stream of water into the

fire, and bringing with it a most pungent and oppressive smell of

soot. For these reasons, as well as to avoid accidents of the

nature above alluded to, it is necessary to sweep the pipes much

more frequently than in warmer climates, and even occasionally to

thaw the ice out of them by a fire made expressly for the purpose.

[Footnote: When the weather was not very severely cold, and a part

of the vapour escaped from the pipe of the galley-fire, the

fore-rigging was always coated with ice, from the smoke passing by

it.]

On the morning of the 1st of February it was reported to me that a

number of strange people were seen to the westward, coming towards

the ships over the ice. On directing a glass towards them we found

them to be Esquimaux, and also discovered some appearance of huts

on shore, at the distance of two miles from the ships, in the same

direction. I immediately set out, accompanied by Captain Lyon, an

officer from each ship, and two of the men, to meet the natives,

who, to the number of five-and-twenty, were drawn up in a line

abreast, and still advanced slowly towards us. As we approached

nearer they stood still, remaining, as before, in a compact line,

from which they did not move for some time after we reached them.

Nothing could exceed their quiet and orderly behaviour on this

occasion, which presented a very striking contrast with the noisy

demeanour of the natives of Hudson's Strait. They appeared at a

distance to have arms in their hands; but what we had taken for

bows or spears proved to be only a few blades of whalebone, which

they had brought either as a peace-offering or for barter, and

which we immediately purchased for a few small nails and beads.

Some of the women, of whom there were three or four, as well as

two children, in this party, having handsome clothes on which

attracted our attention, they began, to our utter astonishment and

consternation, to strip, though the thermometer stood at 23° below

zero. We soon found, however, that there was nothing so dreadful

in this as we at first imagined, every individual among them

having on a complete double suit. The whole were of deerskin, and

looked both clean and comfortable.

However quietly the Esquimaux had awaited our approach, and still

continued to conduct themselves, there was as little apprehension

or distrust visible in their countenances or manner as it was

possible for one strange set of persons to evince on meeting

another. As soon, therefore, as we had bought all that they had to

sell, and made them a number of valuable presents, we expressed by

signs our wish to accompany them to their huts, with which they

willingly complied, and we immediately set out together. On our

way the Esquimaux were much amused by our dogs, especially by a

large one of the Newfoundland breed, that had been taught to fetch

and carry; a qualification which seemed to excite unbounded

astonishment; and the children could scarce contain themselves for

joy when Captain Lyon gave them a stick to throw for the dog to

bring back to them. A child of five or six years old, thus amusing

itself, on such a day and in such a climate, formed by no means

the least characteristic figure of our motley group. An old and

infirm man, supported by a stick, which, indeed, he much needed,

was soon left behind us, his companions seeming to take no notice

of his infirmities, and leaving him without reluctance or apology

to find his way home at his own pace. When we had approached the

huts within a few hundred yards, three of the Esquimaux went on

before us, having previously explained that they were going to

confine their dogs, lest, being frightened at our coming, they

should run away.

When it is remembered that these habitations were fully within

sight of the ships, and how many eyes were continually on the

look-out among us for anything that could afford variety or

interest in our present situation, our surprise may in some degree

be imagined at finding an establishment of five huts, with canoes,

sledges, dogs, and above sixty men, women, and children, as

regularly and, to all appearance, as permanently fixed as if they

had occupied the same spot for the whole winter. If the first view

of the exterior of this little village was such as to create

astonishment, that feeling was in no small degree heightened, on

accepting the invitation soon given us to enter these extraordinary

houses, in the construction of which we observed that not a single

material was used but snow and ice. After creeping through two

low passages, having each its arched doorway, we came to a small

circular apartment, of which the roof was a perfect arched dome.

From this three doorways, also arched, and of larger dimensions

than the outer ones, led into as many inhabited apartments, one on

each side, and the other facing us as we entered. The interior of

these presented a scene no less novel than interesting. The women

were seated on the beds at the sides of the huts, each having her

little fireplace or lamp with all her domestic utensils about her;

the children crept behind their mothers, and the dogs, except the

female ones, which were indulged with a part of the beds, slunk out

past us in dismay. The construction of this inhabited part of the

huts was similar to that of the outer apartment, being a dome

formed by separate blocks of snow, laid with great regularity and

no small art, each being cut into the shape requisite to form a

substantial arch, from seven to eight feet high in the centre, and

having no support whatever but what this principle of building

supplied. I shall not here farther describe the peculiarities

of these curious edifices, remarking only that a cheerful and

sufficient light was admitted to them by a circular window of ice

neatly fitted into the roof of each apartment.

We found our new acquaintance as desirous of pleasing us as we

were ready to be pleased; so that we were soon on good terms with

them all. While we were engaged in examining every part of their

huts, their whole behaviour was in the highest degree orderly,

respectful, and good-humoured. They eagerly received the various

articles that were given them, either in exchange for their own

commodities or as presents, but on no occasion importuned us for

anything, nor did the well-known sound of "pilletay" once escape

from them. We had also great reason to believe that these people

possessed, in no ordinary degree, the quality of honesty; a

quality the more desirable to us, as we had on shore, besides the

house and observatory, all our boats and other articles, which,

had they been disposed to pilfer, it would have required all our

vigilance to guard. If we dropped a glove or a handkerchief

without knowing it, they would immediately direct our attention to

it by pointing; and if the owner had left the hut before they

discovered it, would run out after him to return it. Numberless

instances of a similar kind occurred in the course of our

subsequent communication with them, some of which I shall

hereafter have an opportunity of relating.

After remaining with them a couple of hours, and proposing to

spend the following day among them, we set out on our return to

the ships. Being desirous of trying their disposition to part with

their children, I proposed to buy a fine lad, named _Toolooak_,

for the very valuable consideration of a handsome butcher's knife.

His father, apparently understanding our meaning, joyfully

accepted the knife, and the boy ran into the hut to fetch his

mittens, which seemed to be all that he cared for in leaving his

home. He then set off with us in high spirits, and at first

assisted in drawing a sledge we had purchased to carry our things;

but as he began, by our additional signs, more clearly to

comprehend our true meaning, he gradually relaxed in his zeal to

accompany our party, and, being afterward overtaken by a number of

his companions, he took an opportunity to slink off among some

hummocks of ice, so that, when we arrived on board, Toolooak was

missing.

On our reaching the ships, these people expressed much less

surprise and curiosity than might naturally have been expected on

their first visit, which may, perhaps, in some measure, be

attributed to their being in reality a less noisy kind of people

than most of the Esquimaux to whom we had before been accustomed.

Quiet and orderly, however, as they were disposed to be, this

first visit showed them to be as fond of merriment as their

countrymen are usually considered; for, on Captain Lyon's ordering

his fiddler up on the Hecla's deck, they danced with the men for

an hour, and then returned in high glee and good-humour to their

huts.

On our return on board we were informed that, during our absence

in the morning, a flock of thirteen wolves, the first yet seen,

crossed the ice in the bay from the direction of the huts, and

passed near the ships. These animals, as we afterward learned, had

accompanied or closely followed the Esquimaux on their journey to

the island the preceding day, and they proved to us the most

troublesome part of their _suite_. They so much resemble the

Esquimaux dogs, that, had it not been for some doubt among the

officers who had seen them whether they were so or not, and the

consequent fear of doing these poor people an irreparable injury,

we might have killed most of them the same evening, for they came

boldly to look for food within a few yards of the Fury, and

remained there for some time.

In order to prevent our people from occasioning the Esquimaux any

disturbance or apprehension, I directed that only six from each

ship should be allowed to visit the huts at one time, and that

they should then be always accompanied by an officer. A strict

prohibition was, at the same time, issued against the smallest

article of the ships' stores being given to the people without

permission, on pain of severe punishment.

At an early hour on the 2d we set out, with a large party, on our

proposed excursion to the huts. The natives received us with great

cordiality, though with somewhat more noisy expressions of

pleasure than before; and we soon began a more minute examination

of their habitations and furniture, in which they readily assisted

us, except that they always sat very closely on the deerskins

which composed their beds, under which were stowed such articles

as they were least willing or able to dispose of. They sold,

however, a great number of their things without reluctance; and it

was, indeed, astonishing to see with what eagerness they would,

for the mere sake of change and variety, barter some of their most

indispensable articles for the veriest trifles in our possession.

For instance, a single sewing-needle, of which they possessed

abundance not much inferior to our own, procured from them a

large, well-sharpened _p=anna_, or man's knife, made of stout

iron, for which, in point of absolute utility, a hundred needles

would not have been a fair equivalent. Various other instances of

the same kind occurred, by which, indeed, they were not ultimately

losers, though they certainly would have been so had our

intercourse ended here.

We dined in the huts, and the Esquimaux gladly partook of our

biscuit and meat, and even of a little wine, which, however, they

did not relish. We returned on board about sunset, much gratified

with the interesting day we had passed; having laid the foundation

of that perfect confidence and good understanding which, with

little or no interruption, afterward subsisted between us and our

new acquaintance.

On the morning of the 3d, a number of these people were observed

to set off over the ice to the southwest, to bring, as we

conjectured, either some more of their people or of their property

from their last place of abode. On walking out to the huts after

divine service, however, we found they had been seal-catching, and

had succeeded in taking four. The very small quantity of food

which they had in their huts at first coming, consisting of a

little venison, and the flesh and blubber of the whale and seal,

induced us to suppose they had left some of their provision

behind, and that they would return for it as occasion demanded.

But we now found that even at this rigorous season they were

entirely dependant in this way on their daily exertions, and they

had only removed into their present quarters on account of the

failure of their summer's store, and of the greater facility of

obtaining seals at Winter Island than where the sea was more

closely and continually frozen.

On the 4th a number of Esquimaux came to the ships, and we took

the opportunity of getting them to go through the process of

building a snow hut for our amusement and information. From the

quickness with which they completed this, our surprise at the

sudden appearance of their village ceased; as we now saw that two

or three hours would be more than sufficient to complete the whole

establishment just as we at first found it. They were then taken

on board, and derived great amusement from our organ, and from

anything in the shape of music, singing, or dancing, of all which

they are remarkably fond. Nor can I here omit a striking instance

of the honesty of these people which occurred to-day. Some of the

gentlemen of the Hecla had purchased two of their dogs, which had

the preceding evening made their escape and returned to the huts.

After the departure of the Esquimaux to-day, we were surprised to

find that they had left two dogs carefully tied up on board the

Fury, which, on inquiry, proved to be the animals in question, and

which had been thus faithfully restored to their rightful owners.

On the 5th a number of the natives came on board, according to

promise, to rebuild the hut in a more substantial manner, and to

put a plate of ice into the roof, as a window, which they did with

great quickness as well as care, several of the women cheerfully

assisting in the labour. The men seemed to take no small pride in

showing in how expeditious and workmanlike a manner they could

perform this; and the hut, with its outer passage, was soon

completed. From this time they were in the constant habit of

coming freely to the ships; and such as it was not always

convenient to admit usually found very profitable employment in

examining the heaps of ashes, sand, and other rubbish on the

outside, where their trouble was well repaid by picking up small

scraps of tin or iron. All that they found in this manner we

allowed them to consider as their lawful property; but were very

particular in preventing their handling anything on board without

permission.

The wolves had now begun to do us some damage; for not even the

sails that were fastened round the house and observatory could

escape their ravenous fangs, and they had thus, in the course of a

single night, much injured two of our studding-sails. We set traps

for them on the ice, and also large shark-hooks, secured with

chains and baited with meat; but the former they entered and

destroyed, and the latter was always found broken or bent, without

securing the depredators. These animals were indeed so hungry and

fearless as to take away some of the Esquimaux dogs in a

snow-house near the Hecla's stern, though the men were at the time

within a few yards of them.

From the circumstance of Captain Lyon and myself having

accidentally gone into different huts on our first visits to the

village (for by this name I believe we must venture to dignify the

united abodes of more than sixty human beings), particular

individuals among the Esquimaux had already, in a manner, attached

themselves to each of us. Captain Lyon now informed me that one of

his acquaintance, a remarkably fine and intelligent young man,

named _=Ay~ok~et_, had given him to understand that he had

somewhere or other seen _Kabloona_[*] people like ourselves only a

few months ago. This being the case, there seemed no reason why,

if it were made worth his while, he should not be able to see them

again in the course of next summer. Anxious to profit by this

unexpected mode of communication, I requested Captain Lyon to

endeavour to direct Ayoket's attention to the scheme of conveying

a letter from us to the persons of whom he spoke.

[Footnote: European.]

On the 7th I paid another visit to the huts, where I found

scarcely anybody but women and children, the whole of the men,

with the exception of the two oldest, having gone on a sealing

excursion to the northeastern side of the island. One of the

women, named _Il=igliuk_, a sister of the lad Toolooak, who

favoured us with a song, struck us as having a remarkably soft

voice, an excellent ear, and a great fondness for singing, for

there was scarcely any stopping her when she had once begun. We

had, on their first visit to the ships, remarked this trait in

Iligliuk's disposition, when she was listening for the first time

to the sound of the organ, of which she seemed never to have

enough; and almost every day she now began to display some of that

superiority of understanding for which she was so remarkably

distinguished. A few of the women learned several of our names

to-day, and I believe all thought us Angekoks[*] of a very

superior class, when we repeated to them all round, by the

assistance of our books, the names of all their husbands, obtained

on board the preceding day. On our way back to the ships we saw a

party of them, with their dogs, returning over the hill from the

northeastward; and we afterward met another of eight or ten, who

had walked round by the southeast point on the ice, all alike

unsuccessful, after being out in the wind for six hours, with the

thermometer from 18 to 22 degrees below _zero_. Thus hardly did

these people obtain their daily subsistence at this severe season

of the year.

[Footnote: Sorcerers or wizards, pronounced as written above in

Greenland; but at Winter Island _Ang-~et-k~ook_; and by the people

at Igloolik, _An-n~at-k~o_.]

A wolf being caught in one of the traps this evening, which was so

close as to be easily watched from the ship, a party of the

officers ran out to secure the depredator, and fired two balls

into the trap at once to despatch him. Finding, after this, that

he continued to bite a sword that was thrust in, a third shot was

fired at him. The trap was then sufficiently opened to get his

hind legs firmly tied together, after which, being considered

tolerably secure, he was pulled out of the trap, which, however,

his head had scarcely cleared, when he furiously flew at Mr.

Richards's throat, and would certainly have done him some serious

mischief had not that gentleman, with great presence of mind,

seized the animal in his turn by the throat, squeezing him with

all his force between both hands. This made the wolf relinquish

his first attempt, and Mr. Richards only suffered by a bite in his

arm and another in his knee, which, on account of the thickness of

his clothes, were happily not severe ones. As for the wolf, he

prudently took to his heels, though two of them were still tied

together; and, being favoured by the momentary confusion,

occasioned by his late rencounter with Mr. Richards, succeeded in

escaping his pursuers. He was found dead the following day at the

distance of three quarters of a mile from the ships.

On the 8th we were visited by a musical party of females,

consisting only of a few individuals expressly invited for this

purpose. A number of the officers assembled in the cabin to hear

this vocal concert, while Mr. Henderson and myself took down the

notes of their songs, for which, indeed, they gave us every

opportunity, for I thought they would never leave off. We

afterward amused them with our little band of flutes and violins,

and also by some songs, with the whole of which they were

extremely well pleased. I feared several of them, and especially

Iligliuk, would go into fits with delight when we introduced into

our song some of their names mingled with our own. While most of

us were thus employed, Captain Lyon took the opportunity of making

drawings of some of the women, especially of _Togolat_, the

prettiest of the party, and, perhaps, of the whole village. She

was about six-and-twenty years of age, with a face more oval than

that of Esquimaux in general, very pretty eyes and mouth, teeth

remarkably white and regular, and possessing in her carriage and

manners a degree of natural gracefulness, which could not be hid

even under the disguise of an Esquimaux woman's dress, and, as was

usual with Togolat, the dirtiest face of her whole tribe. Her

husband, _Ewerat_, a little ugly man of about five-and-forty, was

the only individual among them laying claim to the title of

Angetkook, and was, in reality, a sensible, obliging man, and a

first-rate seal-catcher. They had two children, one of which, a

little girl, Togolat still occasionally suckled, and, according to

custom, carried in the hood behind her back; the other, a boy

about eight years of age, quite an idiot, deaf and dumb from his

birth, and squinting most horribly with both eyes.

Finding that these poor creatures were now really in want of food,

for the men had again returned from an unsuccessful excursion, I

was happy to avail myself of a hint given to me by Captain Lyon,

to furnish them occasionally with a small supply of bread-dust, of

which we had two or three casks in each ship. Our present party

was therefore, in addition to other articles, supplied with

several pounds, which they immediately expressed their intention

to take home to their children. Several of them visited the ships

as usual on the 9th, and among the rest Ka-oong-ut and his son

Toolooak. The old gentleman was not a favourite with us, being the

only one who had yet begun to tease us by constant begging. We had

often expressed displeasure at this habit, which, after a day or

two's acquaintance, began to be extremely troublesome; but I had

to-day to take cognizance of his stealing a nail, of which I

determined to take a rather serious notice, as it might otherwise

lead to more extensive theft. I therefore collected all the other

Esquimaux who were on board, and having in their presence

expressed great indignation at this conduct, turned the offender

away in disgrace. Some of those best acquainted with us were

afterward taken into the cabin, where our sentiments were more

fully explained to them. Among these I was not sorry to have

Toolooak and Iligliuk, who would not fail to report at the huts

all our proceedings, but who did not appear to consider themselves

in the slightest degree implicated in their father's offence, or

concerned in his disgrace. The people of the huts being much in

want of food, we again distributed some bread-dust among them;

taking care to send a portion to the infirm old man, _Hik-k~ei-~er=

a_, by _Ok~otook_, the husband of Iligliuk, a fine, active, manly

fellow of about two-and-thirty, who, as we were pleased to find the

next day, had punctually executed his commission.

The Esquimaux went out on the 10th to endeavour to catch seals as

usual, but returned unsuccessful after several hours' labour. As

it was now evident that their own exertions were not at all times

sufficient to procure them food at this season, and that neither

indolence nor any idea of dependance on our charity induced them

to relax in those exertions, it became incumbent on us carefully

to attend to their wants, and, by a timely and judicious

application of the slender resources we had set aside for their

use, prevent any absolute suffering among them. We therefore sent

out a good meal of bread-dust for each individual, to be divided

in due proportion among all the huts. The necessity of this supply

appeared very strongly from the report of our people, who found

some of these poor creatures actually gnawing a piece of hard

sealskin with the hair on it, while few of the huts had any lamp

alight. It must be remembered that the failure of their

seal-fishery always involves a double calamity, for it not only

deprives them of food, but of fuel for their lamps. When this is

the case, not to mention the want of warmth and light in the huts,

they are also destitute of the means of melting snow for water,

and can therefore only quench their thirst by eating the snow,

which is not only a comfortless, but an ineffectual resource. In

consequence of this, it was surprising to see the quantity of

water these people drank whenever they came on board; and it was

often with difficulty that our coppers could answer this

additional demand. I am certain that Toolooak one day drank nearly

a gallon in less than two hours. Besides the bread-dust, we also

supplied them to-day with a wolf's carcass, which, raw and frozen

as it was, they ate with a good appetite; and, indeed, they had

not the means of cooking, or even thawing it. I cannot here omit a

pleasing trait in their character, observed by our people who

carried out their supplies; not a morsel of which would the

grown-up people touch till they had first supplied the wants of

their hungry little ones.

On the morning of the 12th, Okotook and his uncle _Arnaneelia_, a

sensible and worthy man of about five-and-forty years of age,

coming on board from their fishing, we showed them the stage and

scenery that were just put up, and invited them and their wives to

the play about to be performed this evening. They accordingly went

back and brought the women, who understood they were to be present

at some diversion, though they did not well know what. It was

enough, however, with Iligliuk, just to make the motion of turning

the handle of the organ, which, conveying to her mind the idea of

music and merriment, was always sure to put her immediately into

high spirits. As they came three or four hours before the

performance of "John Bull" was to commence, they began to grow

tired and impatient, especially when it became dusk, and candles

were brought into the cabin. The men then explained that it would

soon be dark, and that, in returning late to their huts, they

should disturb the people who would then be fast asleep there.

Finding that they grew uneasy, I made no objection to their

returning, and sent them off loaded with bread-dust and some oil

for each of their lamps. They remained long enough, however, to

have a peep at _Mrs. Brulgruddery_, whose dress, when they were

informed it was that of a _kabl=o=ona nooll=e=e-~o_ (European

wife), they were very anxious in examining, and seemed to grieve

at going away without sharing the diversion which this and other

preparations seemed to promise.

On the 13th, our friends at the huts were fortunate in procuring

three seals, an event that created great joy at the village. Mr.

Allison, who happened to be there when one of these prizes was

announced, informed me that there was a general outcry of joy; all

the Women hurried to the doors of the huts, and the children

rushed to the beach to meet the men dragging along the prize. One

of these little urchins, to complete the triumphant exultation

with which this event was hailed, instantly threw himself on the

animal, and clinging fast to it, was thus dragged to the huts.

Each woman was observed to bring her _=o=otk~oos~eek_, or

cooking-pot, to the hut where the seal was dissected, for the

purpose of receiving a share of the meat and blubber.

On the 15th it blew a strong gale from S.W. to W.N.W., and the

thermometer, either on account of the strength of the wind or its

having occasionally some southing in it, rose to -4°, being the

highest temperature registered in our journals since the 27th of

December preceding. I had agreed with Okotook to accompany him on

a sealing excursion, but the day proved too inclement, the

Esquimaux not going out themselves, though it was not very often

that the weather could prevent them. Considering it desirable to

increase, by all the means in our power, the chances of these

people giving information of us, we distributed among several of

the men large round medallions of sheet copper, having these words

punched through them: "H.B.M.S. Fury and Hecla, all well, A.D.

1822." These we suspended by a piece of white line round their

necks, giving them to understand that they were to show them to

any Kabloona people they might ever meet with in future. Similar

ornaments, but of a smaller size, were subsequently presented to

many of the women, having on them the words "Fury and Hecla,

1822."

Early on the morning of the 16th, observing a party of the

Esquimaux, equipped with spears, passing near the ships, I joined

them, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan and one or two others. Having

crossed the point of the island, they walked over the ice to the

eastward, where we did not overtake them till they had got above a

mile and a quarter from the shore. This party consisted of eight

persons, among whom we were glad to find Arnaneelia, Okotook,

Toolooak, _Pootooalook_ his elder brother, and one or two others

whom we knew. They had by this time, however, separated into two

or three different parties, stationed at the distance of half a

mile from each other, along the edge of the floe, beyond which, to

the eastward, there was clear water as far as we could see for

frost-smoke.

The party we at first joined were seated on a high hummock of ice,

with their spears in their hands, looking out for seals. After we

had talked to them for a few minutes, Okotook suddenly started up

and set off along the edge of the ice, without giving us at his

companions the least warning. The latter seemed so much accustomed

to this, that they took no farther notice than by immediately

following him, and we did the same; the whole party walking at a

very quick rate, and the natives keeping their heads constantly

turned towards the sea to look out for seals. After being thus

engaged for an hour and a half, we judged, from the motions of a

party at some distance beyond us, that they had game in view. As

we approached them, Okotook evidently began to be apprehensive

that we, who did not understand the matter, would spoil their

sport. To prevent this, he did the most civil thing that could

well have been devised, which was, to send his companions one by

one to the spot, and to remain with us himself, keeping us at such

a distance as to allow us to see their proceedings, without

alarming the animal they were in pursuit of. The other seven

Esquimaux, now forming one party, disposed themselves into a

single line, so as to make as small an appearance as possible in

the direction in which they were going, and in this manner crept

very cautiously towards the margin of the floe. On a sudden they

all stooped down quite low to hide themselves, and continued thus

a quarter of an hour, during which time they prepared their lines

and spears; and then, when the animal appeared to be intercepted

from their view, again took the opportunity of gaining a few paces

upon him, in the same cautious manner as before. When they had

been thus occupied for a full hour, alternately creeping and

stooping down, the seal, which had been lying on the ice, took the

water, and they then gave up their chase. During this time,

Okotook could scarcely restrain his impatience to be nearer the

scene of action; and when we produced a spyglass, which appeared

to bring his companions close to us, he had not words to express

his surprise and satisfaction. In a short time he held it as

steadily as we did, and explained by signs every motion he

observed.

As soon as they had given up the seal they had been watching, the

whole party seemed with one accord to turn their steps homeward,

in which direction, being that of the ships also, we were by this

time not sorry to accompany them. We were now between three and

four miles northeast of the ships, and full a mile and a half from

any part of the shore. In the open water beyond the floe, the tide

was running two knots to the northward, and as the ice on which we

stood had been formed only within the last fortnight, and a sheet

as substantial as this had before been carried away by the stream

it was impossible not to feel some apprehension lest we might thus

be detached from the shore, an accident that has been known to

happen to Esquimaux ere now,[*] and has probably more frequently

befallen them, when none have survived to tell the tale.

[Footnote: Crantz, London edition, 1820, Appendix, p. 310.]

As we returned towards the land, we came to a small rising on the

level surface of the floe not larger than a common molehill, and

of much the same shape, at which one of the Esquimaux immediately

stopped. His companions, still walking on, called us away,

explaining that what we saw was the work of a seal, and that it

was probable the animal was about to complete his hole and to come

up on the ice, in which case the man would endeavour to kill him.

We watched the man at the hole, however, with a glass, for more

than half an hour, observing him constantly putting his head down

towards the ice, as if in the act of listening for the seal, but

without otherwise changing his position; after which he followed

us on board without success.