work beneath, he immediately attaches himself to the place, and
seldom leaves it till he has succeeded in killing the animal. For
this purpose, he first builds a snow-wall about four feet in
height, to shelter him from the wind, and, seating himself under
the lee of it, deposites his spear, lines, and other implements
upon several little forked sticks inserted into the snow, in order
to prevent the smallest noise being made in moving them when
wanted. But the most curious precaution to the same effect
consists in tying his own knees together with a thong, so securely
as to prevent any rustling of his clothes, which might otherwise
alarm the animal. In this situation a man will sit quietly
sometimes for hours together, attentively listening to any noise
made by the seal, and sometimes using the _keip-kuttuk_, an
instrument hereafter described, in order to ascertain whether the
animal is still at work below. When he supposes the hole to be
nearly completed, he cautiously lifts his spear, to which the line
has been previously attached, and, as soon as the blowing of the
seal is distinctly heard, and the ice consequently very thin, he
drives it into him with the force of both arms, and then cuts away
with his _panna_ the remaining crust of ice, to enable him to
repeat the wounds and get him out. The _neitiek_ is the only seal
killed in this manner, and, being the smallest, is held while
struggling either simply by hand, or by putting the line round a
spear with the point stuck into the ice. For the _oguke_, the line
is passed round the man's leg or arm; and for a walrus, round his
body, his feet being at the same time firmly set against a hummock
of ice, in which position these people can, from habit, hold
against a very heavy strain. Boys of fourteen or fifteen years of
age consider themselves equal to the killing of a _neitiek_, but
it requires a full-grown person to master either of the larger
animals.
On the 17th, a number of the Esquimaux coming before the church
service, we gave them to understand, by the sun, that none could
be admitted before noon, when they quietly remained outside the
ships till divine service had been performed. We then endeavoured
to explain to Iligliuk that every seventh day they must not come
to the ships, for, without any intention of offending, they had
become rather an annoyance in this way. They now brought with them
a great many little canoes and paddles, sledges, figures of men
and women; and other toys, most of them already bespoke by the
officers and men, and the rest for sale.
Toolooak, who now considered himself as quite privileged to find
his way into the cabin without a conductor, and was not backward
in thus practising his newly-acquired art of opening and shutting
the door, sat with me for a couple of hours on the 18th, quietly
drawing faces and animals, an occupation to which he took a great
fancy; and we often were reminded, by this circumstance, of a
similar propensity displayed by his amiable countryman, our
lamented friend John Sackhouse. We soon found that Toolooak
possessed a capacity equal to anything he chose to take an
interest in learning; and could he, at his present age, have been
voluntarily removed from his companions, and his attention
directed to the acquirement of higher branches of knowledge than
that of catching seals, he would have amply repaid any pains
bestowed upon his education. I had always entertained great
objection to taking any such individual from his home, on the
doubtful chance of benefiting himself, or of his doing any service
to the public as an interpreter. My scruples on this head had
hitherto been confined to the consideration due to the individual
himself, and to the relatives he leaves behind. In our present
case, however, not the smallest public advantage could be derived
from it; for it had long ago become evident that we should soon
know more of the Esquimaux language than any of them were likely
to learn of English in any reasonable period of time. I was
therefore far from desiring to receive from Toolooak an answer in
the affirmative, when I to-day plainly put the question to him,
whether he would go with me to _Kabloona noona_ (European
country). Never was a more decisive negative given than Toolooak
gave to this proposal. He eagerly repeated the word _na-o_ (no)
half a dozen times, and then told me that if he went away his
father would cry. This simple but irresistible appeal to paternal
affection, his decisive manner of making it, and the feelings by
which his reply was evidently dictated, were just what could have
been wished. No more could be necessary to convince those who saw
it, that these people may justly lay equal claim with ourselves to
these common feelings of our nature; and, having once satisfied
myself of this, I determined never again to excite in Toolooak's
mind another disagreeable sensation, by talking to him on this
subject.
Besides the toys and models I have mentioned above, as articles of
barter with these people, we also employed them more usefully in
making wooden shades for the eyes, after their own method, as the
time was fast approaching when some such precaution would become
necessary to guard the eyes from the excessive glare of reflected
light. There was also a considerable _trade_ established in
mittens, which being made of prepared sealskin, and nearly
water-tight, were particularly serviceable to our men when
constantly handling the leadlines in the summer. In this manner we
contrived to turn our new acquaintance to some little account.
Among the natives who visited the Fury to-day was Ewerat; of whom
I have already spoken as _Ang-et-kook_, or chief sorcerer of the
tribe, a distinction with which he had made some of our gentlemen
acquainted at one, of their earliest visits to the huts. Being
desirous of seeing him perform some of the tricks which had
acquired for him this pre-eminence, I requested him to indulge me
with a sight of them. After some little demur, he began to make
his lips quiver, then moved his nose up and down, gradually closed
his eyes, and increased the violence of his grimaces till every
feature was hideously distorted; at the same time, he moved his
head rapidly from side to side, uttering sometimes a snuffling
sound, and at others a raving sort of cry. Having worked himself
into this ridiculous kind of phrensy, which lasted, perhaps, from
twenty to thirty seconds, he suddenly discontinued it, and
suffered his features to relax into their natural form; but the
motion of his head seemed to have so stupified him, as indeed it
well might, that there remained an unusual vacancy and a drowsy
stare upon his countenance for some time afterward. Being pressed
to repeat this piece of buffoonery, he did so two or three times;
and on one occasion Togolat asked him, in a serious tone, some
questions respecting me, which he as seriously answered. In
general, however, the women paid little attention to his grimaces,
and the whole ended with a hearty laugh from all parties.
I had to-day some conversation with a woman named Appokiuk, whom
Iligliuk had mentioned as having seen Kabloona people before us.
This woman was gifted, however, with such a volubility of tongue,
that speaking, as she did, in a language very imperfectly known to
us, she gave no time for questions, and therefore afforded little
information. All we could make out for certain was, that she had,
within a year past, seen two _Kabloona oomiak_ (whether ships or
boats was still doubtful[*]), and that her husband was now far
away. From all this we concluded that she had been far enough to
the southward to see the Hudson's Bay ships in the course of their
annual voyage; and this account gave us very sanguine hopes of
being thus able to communicate with them by means of some of the
Esquimaux.
[Footnote: These people apply the word _oomiak_ to any vessel
larger than a canoe.]
On the 20th, a number of our new friends having been allowed upon
the upper deck, an old woman named _Ay=ug-g~a-lo~ok_ stole our
cooper's punch, which she was showing to her companions alongside
the Hecla just afterward, when Lieutenant Hoppner observed it, and
sent her back with an escort. It was impossible not to admit that
the fault was chiefly on our side, in permitting these poor people
to roam about too freely amid temptations which scarcely anything
human could have withstood; but as it was necessary to take some
notice of it, I went through nearly the same process as with
Kaoongut, and dismissed her with great appearance of indignation
to the huts. We were glad to find that their wants had there been
well supplied to-day, three seals having been caught. They had
lately, indeed, been tolerably successful in general, and required
but little of our assistance. Mr. Elder observing one of their
dogs attacked by several wolves, and hastening to the spot with
his gun, found that these animals had made such quick work in the
partition of their prey, that, though he reached the scene of
action in a few minutes, and the dog had at first made considerable
resistance, only one of its hind legs remained, each wolf having
run off with its share. It is remarkable that these creatures
had never entered our traps since the moon had declined to the
southward, whereas not a night elapsed before that without their
going to them. The Esquimaux had in theirs caught only a fox.
During the eclipse of the sun which took place to-day, the
diminution, of light was very considerable, but the weather was
unfavourable for observing it for any useful purpose. Captain Lyon
remarked, that some of the Esquimaux, who were on alarmed at this
phenomenon, which, indeed, made a general bustle among them. Two
of them were found on the ice lying on their faces, but it was not
ascertained whether their superstitions on this subject were the
same as those of their brethren in Greenland.
Mr. Henderson being desirous of seeing something of the customs of
these people during the hours of darkness, obtained my permission
to pass the night at the huts, accompanied by Mr. Griffiths. Soon
after they left the ships in the evening it came on to blow strong
from the northwest, with much snowdrift, so that, losing the
tracks, they with difficulty found the village. Returning on board
in the course of the next forenoon, we were pleased to hear that
they had met with every attention, and especially from Okotook,
with whom they lodged. As they had slept in Kaoongut's hut, one
side of which was occupied by Okotook and his family, the old
fellow thought it a good opportunity to make up the quarrel
occasioned by his dishonesty; and he accordingly made his
appearance on board to-day for the first time since that event.
Toolooak was deputed to bring his father down into the cabin, where
a formal reconciliation took place, to the great satisfaction of
the latter, who had found out that to be out of favour with us was
attended with the serious consequence of being also out of pocket.
It was laughable to observe the pains he now took to impress on the
minds of every person he saw that he was no longer a _tigliktoke_,
by which name he had lately been distinguished; for he seemed to
think that my receiving him again into favour was a perfect
absolution from his offense.
On the 23d I paid another visit to the huts, and found the greater
part of the men absent on their sealing excursions. We thought,
however, that, except on pressing occasions, one man was left in
each hut to keep an eye on the conduct of the women, and this was
the case to-day. The huts had in the interior assumed a somewhat
different appearance since I had last seen them; the roofs were
much blackened by the smoke of the lamps, and the warmth had in
most parts given them a glazed and honey-combed surface; indeed,
the whole of the walls had become much thinner by thawing, so that
the light was more plainly visible through them. The snow also, on
which the lamps stood, was considerably worn away, so as to
destroy, in great measure, the regularity of the original plan of
construction. To these changes might be added that of a vast
quantity of blood and oil that now defaced the purity of the snowy
floor, and emitted effluvia not very agreeable to European noses;
so that, upon the whole, it may be imagined that our first
impressions of the comfort and cleanliness of these habitations
were more favourable than their present state was calculated to
excite.
To the original apartments they had now also added various small
places for stores, communicating with the huts from within, and
looking something like our ovens, though without any door to them.
In some of these they deposited their upper jackets, which they
usually take off in coming into their huts, as we do a greatcoat;
while in smaller ones, like little shelves in a recess, they kept
various articles of their Kabloona riches. These and similar
alterations and additions they were constantly making throughout
the winter; for their inexhaustible materials being always at
hand, it required but little time and labour to adopt any
arrangement that might suit their convenience.
After distributing a number of presents in the first four huts, I
found, on entering the last, that Pootooalook had been successful
in bringing in a seal, over which two elderly women were standing,
armed with large knives, their hands and faces besmeared with
blood, and delight and exultation depicted on their countenances.
They had just performed the first operation of dividing the animal
into two parts, and thus laying open the intestines. These being
taken out, and all the blood carefully baled up and put into the
_ootkooseek_, or cooking-pot, over the fire, they separated the
head and flippers from the carcass, and then divided the ribs. All
the loose scraps were put into the pot for immediate use, except
such as the two butchers now and then crammed into their mouths,
or distributed to the numerous and eager by-standers for still
more immediate consumption. Of these morsels the children came in
for no small share, every little urchin that could find its way to
the slaughterhouse running eagerly in, and, between the legs of
the men and women, presenting its mouth for a large lump of raw
flesh, just as an English child of the same age might do for a
piece of sugar-candy. Every now and then, also, a dog would make
his way towards the reeking carcass, and, when in the act of
seizing upon some delicate part, was sent off yelping by a heavy
blow with the handles of the knives. When all the flesh is
disposed of, for a portion of which each of the women from the
other huts usually brings her ootkooseek, the blubber still
remains attached to the skin, from which it is separated the last;
and the business being now completed, the two parts of the hide
are rolled up and laid by, together with the store of flesh and
blubber. During the dissection of their seals, they have a curious
custom of sticking a thin filament of skin, or of some part of the
intestines, upon the foreheads of the boys, who are themselves
extremely fond of it, it being intended, as Iligliuk afterward
informed me, to make them fortunate seal-catchers.
The seals which they take during the winter are of two kinds--the
_Neitiek_, or small seal (_phoca hispida_), and the _Oguke_, or
large seal (_phoca barbata_). These and the _E=i-~u-~ek_, or
walrus, constitute their means of subsistence at this season; but,
on this particular part of the coast, the latter are not very
abundant, and they chiefly catch the neitiek. The animal we had
now seen dissected was of that kind, and with young at the time. A
small one taken out of it had a beautiful skin, which, both in
softness and colour, very much resembled raw silk; but no
inducement could make Pootooalook part with it, he having destined
it for that night's supper.
After quitting this scene of filth, I found, on returning to
Kaoongut's hut, that Toolooak had been no less successful than his
brother, and that the same operation was also performing here.
Having, therefore, explained to Iligliuk that none of them were to
come to the ships the following day, I had no inclination to see
the process repeated, and was glad to take my leave.
On the 28th, Okotook and Iligliuk coming on board, an occurrence
took place, which, as it shows the disposition of the Esquimaux,
and especially of one of the most intelligent and interesting
among them, I may here relate. Some time before, Iligliuk, who,
from the superior neatness and cleanliness with which she
performed her work, was by this time in great request as a
seamstress, had promised to cover for me a little model of a
canoe, and had, in fact, sent it to me by the sergeant of marines,
though I had not rightly understood from the latter from which of
the women it came. Believing that she had failed in her promise, I
now taxed her with it, when she immediately defended herself with
considerable warmth and seriousness, but without making me
comprehend her meaning. Finding that she was wasting her words
upon me, she said no more till an hour afterward, when the
sergeant accidentally coming into the cabin, she, with the utmost
composure, but with a decision of manner peculiar to herself, took
hold of his arm to engage his attention, and then looking him
steadfastly in the face, accused him of not having faithfully
executed her commission to me. The mistake was thus instantly
explained, and I thanked Iligliuk for her canoe; but it is
impossible for me to describe the quiet, yet proud satisfaction
displayed in her countenance at having thus cleared herself from
the imputation of a breach of promise.
There being among the presents with which we were supplied a
number of pikes, we presented two or three of these from each ship
to the most deserving of the Esquimaux, to serve as staves for
their spears; and valuable ones they proved to them. Upon each
pike were marked, by small nails driven into the wood, the words
"Fury and Hecla, 1822."
Almost the whole of these people were now affected with violent
colds and coughs, occasioned by a considerable thawing that had
lately taken place in their huts, so as to wet their clothes and
bedding; though we had, as yet, experienced no great increase of
temperature. From the nature of their habitations, however, their
comfort was greater, and their chance of health better, when the
cold was more severe. On this account, they began to make fresh
alterations in these curious dwelling-places, either by building
the former apartments two or three feet higher, or adding others,
that they might be less crowded. In building a higher hut, they
constructed it over, and, as it were, concentric with the old one,
which is then removed from within. It is curious to consider that,
in all these alterations, the object kept in view was _coolness_,
and this in houses formed of snow!
Some of them had caught a wolf in their trap; but we found that
nothing less than extreme want could have induced them to eat the
flesh of that which we had given them, as, now that they had other
food, they would not touch it. Only four wolves at this time
remained alive of the original pack, and these were constantly
prowling about near the ships or the village.
The month of February closed with the thermometer at -32°, and,
though the sun had now attained a meridian altitude of nearly
sixteen degrees, and enlivened us with his presence above the
horizon for ten hours in the day, no sensible effect had yet been
produced on the average temperature of the atmosphere. The
uniformly white surface of the snow, on which, at this season, the
sun's rays have to act, or, rather, leaving them nothing to act
upon, is much against the first efforts to produce a thaw; but our
former experience of the astonishing rapidity with which this
operation is carried on, when once the ground begins to be laid
bare, served in some measure to reconcile us to what appeared a
protraction of the cold of winter not to have been expected in our
present latitude.
CHAPTER VIII.
A Journey performed across Winter Island.--Sufferings of the Party
by Frost.--Departure of Some of the Esquimaux, and a separate
Village established on the Ice.--Various Meteorological
Phenomena.--Okotook and his Wife brought on board.--Anecdotes
relating to them.--Ships released from the Ice by sawing.
Our intercourse with the Esquimaux continued, and many occasions
occurred in which they displayed great good humour, and a degree
of archness for which we could have scarcely given them credit.
On the 12th Okotook came, according to an appointment previously
made, with a sledge and six dogs, to give me a ride to the huts,
bringing with him his son Sioutkuk, who, with ourselves, made up a
weight of near four hundred pounds upon the sledge. After being
upset twice, and stopping at least ten times, notwithstanding the
incessant bullying of Okotook, and, as it seemed to me, more
bodily labour on his part to steer us clear of accidents than if
he had walked the whole way, we at length arrived at the huts; a
distance of two miles, in five-and-twenty minutes. Of this
equipment and their usual modes of travelling, I shall have
occasion to speak more fully in another place.
I found that several fresh alterations had been made in the huts
since my last visit, all, however, of the same, kind, and having
in view the same object as those last described. In these
alterations they seem to consult the convenience of the moment,
and to do it all by such unanimous consent, that no consultation
or difference of opinion ever appears to exist about it. So much
snowdrift had now collected about the huts, that their external
appearance was as much altered as that of the interior, and it was
difficult to trace any resemblance to the original village, or
even to perceive its present limits. The snow was now as high as
the roofs on every side, so that one might walk completely over
them, and, but for the round plates of ice composing the windows,
without suspecting the little hive of human beings that was
comfortably established below. This, however, was not always done
with impunity, when the thawing within had too much weakened the
roofs, in which case a leg sometimes made its way through, and
discovered in what parts repairs were become necessary. The
natives were at this time extremely well furnished with seals'
flesh for food and oil for their lamps, and all they would accept
from us (except meat, which we could not afford to give) was
water, and this they swallowed in such quantities whenever they
came to the ships, that it was impossible to furnish them with
half as much as they desired.
We had before this time communicated to Ayoket and his countrymen
our intention of sending a party of our people to the northward in
the spring; and Captain Lyon had displayed to him all the charms
of a brightly-polished brass kettle, of greater magnitude than
had, perhaps, ever entered into an Esquimaux imagination, as an
inducement, among various others, for him to accompany the
Kabloonas in their excursion. The prospect of such riches was a
temptation almost irresistible; but enterprise is not the genius
of an Esquimaux; and Ayoket, we soon began to perceive, had no
fancy for the proposed trip, which all his friends persisted in
saying could never be accomplished. This was evidently to be
attributed, in no small degree, to jealousy of any one individual
among them being thus selected; and the brass kettle was speedily
the means of increasing the distance to "Iligliuk's country" from
sixteen to twenty-four days' journey. We had long, indeed,
observed that this feeling of jealousy was easily excited among
these people; but, what is extraordinary, it never displayed
itself (as is most usual) among themselves, but was entirely
vented upon us, who were, though innocently, the authors of it. As
an instance of this, a man of the name of _Karr~etok_ refused to
take from me a strong and useful pair of scissors as a present,
because, as he did not hesitate to assure me, I had given Okotook
a pike, which was _more_ valuable. To show him that this temper
was not likely to produce anything to his advantage, I took back
the scissors, and, having sent him away, went to my dinner. Going
accidentally on deck an hour afterward, I found Karretok still on
board, who, having had time to reflect on his folly, now came up
to me with a smiling face, and begged hard for the scissors,
which, of course, he did not get. Many similar instances occurred,
both to Captain Lyon and myself.
To this discouragement on the part of his friends, was added, on
that of Ayoket, the same wavering and inconstant disposition which
most other savages possess, rendering it impossible to place any
dependance on his promises and intentions for two hours together.
Indeed, the more our scheme was pressed upon his attention, and
the more he saw of the actual preparations for the journey, the
less doubtful his intentions became; and arrangements were
therefore made for completing the party without him. For the
reasons now given, it was equally impossible even to direct the
attention of the Esquimaux, with any hope of success, to our
scheme of their conveying letters to the Hudson's Bay settlements.
Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, some of the
Esquimaux had, by the foot and sledge marks, found their way to
the ships on the morning of the 16th, assuring us, as we found to
be too true, that, in consequence of the gale, which prevented
their going out for seals, they had not any food, nor a single
lamp alight in the village. In the course of the following day, we
had farther proofs of the wretchedness which these poor people
were enduring at the huts; for, though the weather was little
better than before, above forty men and women, besides some
children, came down to the ships, and begged with more than their
usual earnestness for something to eat. It now once more became an
act of humanity, and consequently of duty, to supply them as well
as we were able; and all were admitted to partake of as much
bread-dust as they could eat, besides a quantity which they took
away with them. It had been long since Okotook and Iligliuk cared
to accept this kind of food from us, partly because our respect
for the latter generally ensured them something better, and partly
because, of late, they had procured plenty of seals; to-day,
however, they devoured it eagerly, and seemed very well satisfied
to take their share with the others. When the usual time of
departure came, they all discovered a wish to remain on board;
but, as we could not find lodgings for the whole tribe, they were
obliged very reluctantly to return. _Nannow_, a fine, quiet young,
man, whose native country is near Chesterfield Inlet, and who,
having only a sister here, used to live with Okotook, begged very
hard to remain on board; but, as I did not like to give the
preference to one in particular, he also took his leave.
On the 18th, almost every man from the huts was out seal-hunting,
and three or four, as the women informed us, had gone to a
considerable distance "for walruses" and with the intention of
remaining out for the night in a snow hut. While the men were thus
employed, their wives did not fail to use their endeavours also to
procure food; and I believe that every female belonging to the
village, without a single exception, made her appearance at the
ships to-day, and was supplied with a proportion of bread-dust for
her family. It was pleasing to observe that they were always
punctual in returning the buckets and bags which we lent them for
carrying out their provisions.
The endeavours we had lately been making to gain from the
Esquimaux some knowledge of the geographical features of the land
to the northward, had at length been crowned with greater success
than we had anticipated, and some information of a very gratifying
and interesting nature thus obtained. I shall here, therefore,
give some account of that information, and of the progressive
steps by which it was communicated, which may, at the same time,
serve to show the kind and degree of dependence that is to be
placed on geographical notices thus obtained.
The first attempt made in this way was by placing several sheets
of paper before Iligliuk, and roughly drawing on a large scale an
outline of the land about Repulse Bay and Lyon Inlet, and,
terminating at our present winter-quarters. Iligliuk was not long
in comprehending what we desired, and with the pencil continued
the outline, making the land trend, as we supposed, to the
northeastward, and giving the names of the principal places as we
proceeded. The scale being large, it was necessary, when she came
to the end of one piece of paper to tack on another, till at
length she had filled ten or twelve sheets, and had completely
lost the sight of Winter Island (called _Ne-y=uning-E=it-d~u~a_)
at the other end of the table. The idea entertained from this
first attempt was, that we should find the coast indented by
several inlets, and in some parts much loaded with ice, especially
at one strait to the northward of her native island Amitioke,
which seemed to lead in a direction very much to the westward.
Within a week after this, several other charts were drawn by the
natives in a similar way, principally by the desire of Captain
Lyon and Mr. Griffiths, who took great pains to acquire
information of this nature, and sent me copies of these
productions. The coast was here delineated as before, on a very
large scale, but much more in, detail, many more islands, bays,
and names being, inserted. It was observable, however, that no two
charts much resembled each other, and that the greater number of
them still less resembled the truth in those parts of the coast
with which we were well acquainted.
Early in the morning the Esquimaux had been observed in motion at
the huts; and several sledges, drawn by dogs and heavily laden,
went off to the westward. On going out to the village, we found
one half of the people had quitted their late habitations, taking
with them every article of their property, and had gone over the
ice, we knew not where, in quest of more abundant food. The
wretched appearance which the interior of the huts now presented
baffles all description. In each of the larger ones some of the
apartments were either wholly or in part deserted, the very snow
which composed the beds and fireplaces having been turned up, that
no article might be left behind. Even the bare walls, whose
original colour was scarcely perceptible for lampblack, blood, and
other filth, were not left perfect, large holes having been made
in the sides and roofs for the convenience of handing out the
goods and chattels. The sight of a deserted habitation is at all
times calculated to excite in the mind a sensation of dreariness
and desolation, especially when we have lately seen it filled with
cheerful inhabitants; but the feeling is heightened rather than
diminished when a small portion of these inhabitants remain behind
to endure the wretchedness which such a scene exhibits. This was
now the case at the village, where, though the remaining tenants
of each hut had combined to occupy one of the apartments, a great
part of the bed-places were still bare, and the wind and drift
blowing in through the holes which they had not yet taken the
trouble to stop up. The old man Hikkeiera and his wife occupied a
hut by themselves, without any lamp, or a single ounce of meat
belonging to them; while three small skins, on which the former
was lying, were all that they possessed in the way of blankets.
Upon the whole, I never beheld a more miserable spectacle, and it
seemed a charity to hope that a violent and constant cough, with
which the old man was afflicted, would speedily combine with his
age and infirmities to release him from his present sufferings.
Yet, in the midst of all this, he was cheerful, nor was there a
gloomy countenance to be seen at the village. Almost all the men
were out; and some of them had been led so far to sea upon the
floating and detached masses of ice in pursuit of walruses, that
Captain Lyon, who observed their situation from the ships, had it
in contemplation, in the course of the evening, to launch one of
the small boats to go to their assistance. They seemed, however,
to entertain no apprehensions themselves, from a confidence,
perhaps, that the southeast wind might be depended upon for
keeping the ice close home upon the shore. It is certain,
notwithstanding, that no degree of precaution, nor any knowledge
of the winds and tides, can render this otherwise than a most
perilous mode of obtaining subsistence; and it was impossible,
therefore, not to admire the fearlessness as well as dexterity
with which the Esquimaux invariably pursued it.
Having distributed some bread-dust among the women, we told old
Illumea and her daughter Togolat that we proposed taking up our
lodging in their hut for the night. It is a remarkable trait in
the character of these people, that they always thank you heartily
for this, as well as for eating any of their meat; but board and
lodging may be given to _them_ without receiving the slightest
acknowledgment either in word or deed. As it was late before the
men returned, I asked Togolat to get the rest of the women to
perform some of their games, with the hope of seeing something
that was new. I had scarcely time to make the proposal when she
darted out of the hut, and quickly brought every female that was
left at the village, not excepting even the oldest of them, who
joined in the performance with the same alacrity as the rest. I
could, however, only persuade them to go through a tedious song we
often before heard, which was now, indeed, somewhat modified by
their insisting on our taking our turns in the performance, all
which did not fail to create among them never-ceasing merriment
and laughter. Neither their want of food and fuel, nor the
uncertain prospect of obtaining any that night, was sufficient to
deprive these poor creatures of that cheerfulness and good-humour
which it seems at all times their peculiar happiness to enjoy.
The night proved very thick, with small snow, and as disagreeable
and dangerous for people adrift upon floating ice as can well be
imagined. If the women, however, gave their husbands a thought, or
spoke of them to us, it was only to express a very sincere hope
that some good news might shortly arrive of their success. Our
singing party had not long been broken up, when it was suddenly
announced by one of the children, the usual heralds on such
occasions, that the men had killed something on the ice. The only
two men who were at home instantly scrambled on their outer
jackets, harnessed their dogs, and set off to assist their
companions in bringing home the game, while the women remained for
an hour in anxious suspense as to the extent of their husbands'
success. At length one of the men arrived with the positive
intelligence of two walruses having been taken, and brought with
him a portion of these animals as large as he could drag over the
snow. If the women were only cheerful before, they were now
absolutely frantic. A general shout of joy instantly re-echoed
through the village; they ran into each other's huts to
communicate the welcome intelligence, and actually hugged one
another in an ecstasy of delight by way of congratulation. One of
them, _Arnal=o=o~a_, a pretty young woman of nineteen or twenty,
knowing that a dog belonging to her husband was still at the huts,
and that there was no man to take him down on the ice, ran out
instantly to perform that office; and, with a hardihood not to be
surpassed by any of the men, returned, after two hours' absence,
with her load of walrus flesh, and without even the hood thrown
over her head to shelter her from the inclemency of the weather.
When the first burst of joy had at length subsided, the women
crept, one by one, into the apartment where the first portion of
the seahorses had been conveyed, which is always that of one of
the men immediately concerned in the killing of them. Here they
obtained blubber enough to set all their lamps alight, besides a
few scraps of meat for their children and themselves. From this
time, which was nine o'clock, till past midnight, fresh cargoes
were continually arriving; the principal part being brought in by
the dogs, and the rest by the men, who, tying the thong which held
it round their waist, dragged in each his separate portion. Before
the whole was brought in, however, some of them went out three
times to the scene of action, though the distance was a mile and a
half.
Every lamp now swimming with oil, the huts exhibited a blaze of
light, and never was there a scene of more joyous festivity than
while the operation of cutting up the walruses continued. I took
the opportunity, which their present good-humour afforded, to
obtain a perfect head and tusks of one of these animals, which we
had not been able to do before; and, indeed, so much were their
hearts opened by the scene of abundance before them, that I
believe they would have given us anything we asked for. This
disposition was considerably increased also by their taking into
their heads that their success was in some way or other connected
with, or even owing to, our having taken up our night's lodging at
the huts.
After viewing all this festivity for some time, I felt disposed to
rest; and, wrapping myself up in my fur coat, lay down on one of
the beds which Illumea had given up for our accommodation, as well
as her _k=eipik_, or large deerskin blanket, which she rolled up
for my pillow. The poor old woman herself sat up by her lamp, and
in that posture seemed perfectly well satisfied to doze away the
night. The singularity of my night's lodging made me awake several
times, when I always found some of the Esquimaux eating, though,
after we lay down, they kept quite quiet for fear of disturbing
us. Mr. Halse, who was still more wakeful, told me that some of
them were incessantly employed in this manner for more than three
hours. Indeed, the quantity of meat that thus they contrive to get
rid of is almost beyond belief.
Having at length enjoyed a sound nap, I found on waking, about
five o'clock, that the men were already up, and had gone out to
renew their labours on the ice, so that several of them could not
have rested more than two or three hours. This circumstance served
to correct a notion we had entertained, that, when once abundantly
supplied with food, they took no pains to obtain more till want
began again to stare them in the face. It was now more pleasing to
be assured that, even in the midst of plenty, they did not
indolently give themselves up to repose, but were willing to take
advantage of every favourable opportunity to increase their store.
It is certain, indeed, that, were these people more provident (or,
in other words, less gluttonous, for they do not waste much), they
might never know what it is to want provisions, even during the
most inclement part of the year. The state of the ice was to-day
very unfavourable for their purpose, being broken into pieces so
small that they could scarcely venture to walk upon it.
The morning of the 5th proved favourable for a journey I had in
contemplation to the distant huts, to which Iligliuk, who had come
to Winter Island the day before, promised to be my guide. At six
o'clock I set out, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan and two of the men,
carrying with us a supply of bread-dust, besides our own
provisions and blankets. As the distance was too great for her son
Sioutkuk to walk, we were uncertain, till the moment of setting
out, how this was to be managed, there being no sledge at hand for
the purpose. We found, however, that a man, whom we had observed
for some time at work among the hummocks of ice upon the beach,
had been employed in cutting out of that abundant material a neat
and serviceable little sledge, hollowed like a bowl or tray, out
of a solid block, and smoothly rounded at the bottom. The thong to
which the dogs were attached was secured to a groove cut round its
upper edge; and the young seal-catcher, seated in this simple
vehicle, was dragged along with great convenience and comfort.
The ice over which we travelled was a level floe that had never
suffered disturbance since its first formation in the autumn, and
with not more than an inch and a half of snow upon it. The path
being distinctly marked out by the people, sledges, and dogs that
had before travelled upon it, one might, without any great stretch
of the imagination, have almost fancied it a road leading over a
level and extensive heath towards a more civilized and substantial
village than that which we were now approaching, Iligliuk walked
as nimbly as the best of us: and, after two hours' and a half
brisk travelling, we arrived at the huts, and were received by the
women (for all the men were absent) with every expression of
kindness and welcome. Each was desirous of affording us lodging,
and we had speedily arranged matters so as to put them to the
least possible inconvenience.
These huts, four in number, were, in the mode of their
construction, exact counterparts of those at Winter Island on our
first visit, but, being new and clean, presented a striking
contrast with the latter, in their present disordered and filthy
state. What gave a peculiarity, as well as beauty also, to the
interior appearance of these habitations, was their being situated
on the ice, which, being cleared of the snow, presented a flooring
of that splendid blue which is, perhaps, one of the richest
colours that nature affords. A seal or two having been lately
procured, every lamp was now blazing, and every _=o=otk~ose~ek_
smoking with a hot mess, which, together with the friendly
reception we experienced, and a little warmth and fatigue from
travelling, combined in conveying to our minds an idea of comfort
which we could scarcely believe an Esquimaux hut capable of
exciting.
On the arrival of the men, who came in towards evening with two
seals as the reward of their labour, we were once more greeted and
welcomed. _Arnaneelia_, in particular, who was a quiet, obliging,
and even amiable man, was delighted to find my quarters were to be
in his apartment, where _An=e=etka_, his wife, a young woman of
about twenty-three, had already arranged everything for my
accommodation; and both these poor people now vied with each other
in their attention to my comfort. The other two apartments of the
same hut were occupied by Kaoongut and Okotook, with their
respective wives and families; it being the constant custom of
these people thus to unite in family groups whenever the nature of
their habitations will allow it. Mr. Bushnan being established
with Okotook, and the two men with Kaoongut, we were thus all
comfortably lodged under the same roof.
Toolooak having been concerned in killing one of the seals just
brought in, it fell to his mother's lot to dissect it, the
_neitiek_ being the only animal which the women are permitted to
cut up. We had therefore an opportunity of seeing this filthy
operation once more performed, and entirely by the old lady
herself, who was soon up to her elbows in blood and oil. Before a
knife is put into the animal, as it lies on its back, they pour a
little water into its mouth, and touch each flipper and the middle
of the belly with a little lamp-black and oil taken from the under
part of the lamp. What benefit was expected from this preparatory
ceremony we could not learn, but it was done with a degree of
superstitious care and seriousness, that bespoke its indispensable
importance. The boys came eagerly into the hut as usual, and held
out their foreheads for the old woman to stick the charms upon
them; and it was not till now that we learned from Iligliuk the
efficacy of this very useful custom. As soon as this dirty
operation was at an end, during which the numerous by-standers
amused themselves in chewing the intestines of the seal, the
strangers retired to their own huts, each bearing a small portion
of the flesh and blubber, while our hosts enjoyed a hearty meal of
boiled meat and hot gravy soup. Young Sioutkuk ate at least three
pounds of solid meat in the first three hours after our arrival at
the huts, besides a tolerable proportion of soup, all which his
mother gave him whenever he asked it, without the smallest remark
of any kind. We now found that they depended on catching seals
alone for their subsistence, there being no walruses in this
neighbourhood. As they were several miles from any open water,
their mode of killing them was entirely confined to watching for
the animals coming up in the holes they make through the ice.
In the course of the evening our conversation happened to turn on
the Indians, a people whom none of these Esquimaux had ever seen;
but with whose ferocity and decided hostility to their own nation
they seemed to be well acquainted. They described, also, their
peculiar manner of paddling their canoes, and were aware that they
made use of the kind of show-shoes which we showed them. When I
related to them, as well as I was able, the massacre of the
Esquimaux recorded by Hearne, and gave them to understand that the
Indians spared neither age nor sex, it seemed to chill them with
horror, and I was almost sorry that I had told them the story.
_April 11._--We were now glad to begin making some show of
re-equipping the ships for sea; for though this was a business
that might, if necessary, have been very well accomplished in two
or three weeks, it was better to employ the men in occupations
having an evident and determinate object, than in those less
obviously useful ones to which it was necessary to resort during
the winter. We therefore brought down some of the boats to the
ships to repair, put up the forge on the ice, and built a snow
house over it, and set about various other jobs, which made the
neighbourhood of the ships assume a busy and bustling appearance.
I had to-day a visit from Okotook and Iligliuk, who, with their
son, came in upon their sledge from the distant huts. Being
desirous of entertaining them well, in return for their late
hospitality, we provided abundance to eat, and showed them
everything about the ship that we thought likely to amuse them. Of
all the wonders they had ever seen on board, there was nothing
which seemed to impress them so strongly with a sense of our
superiority as the forge, and the work which the armourer
performed with it. The welding of two pieces of iron especially
excited their admiration, and I never saw Iligliuk express so much
astonishment at anything before. Even in this her superior good
sense was observable, for it was evident that the utility of what
she saw going on was what forced itself upon her mind; and she
watched every stroke of the hammer and each blast of the bellows
with extreme eagerness, while numbers of the other Esquimaux
looked stupidly on, without expressing the smallest curiosity or
interest in the operation, except by desiring to have some
spear-heads fashioned out by this means. Iligliuk was always very
much entertained also by pictures having any relation to the
Esquimaux in other parts, and derived great entertainment from a
description of any difference in their clothes, utensils, or
weapons. Of these the sail in an Esquimaux boat seemed particularly
to attract her notice; but, in general, she had no inclination
to admit the inferiority of her, own tribe to any other. She
was always extremely inquisitive about her own sex, whether
_Innuees_[*] or _Kabloonas_, listening with eager attention to any
account of their dress or occupations, and in common, I believe,
with all the rest of the Esquimaux, wondered how we came to travel
to their country without our wives. The assurance that many among
us were not married, they received with evident incredulity.
[Footnote: Esquimaux.]
On the 13th, a number of the natives from the Winter Island huts
formed a second detachment, and set off for the other village.
They carried their goods on sledges as before, even to the
exclusion of poor old Hikkeiera, whom some of our gentlemen
overtook crawling after his companions with a stick, and who, but
for their remonstrances, might that day have finished his
pilgrimage on earth. They insisted, however, on his being placed
on one of the sledges, which was accordingly complied with; but,
on their arrival at the village, his companions left him lying
there till their huts were built. All the Esquimaux pressed our
gentlemen very strongly to sleep at the village; but one of the
women gave Mr. Bird an indifferent specimen of her hospitality, by
picking his pocket of a handkerchief, though not so dexterously as
to escape detection. The few who visited the ships to-day told us
that they were all about to leave Winter Island on the morrow; and
Okotook and Iligliuk, who had not yet returned, came on board
among the rest to pay a last visit. I gave the former a large
piece of oak wood for a bow and two arrows, a second iron
spear-head, and various other articles, to add to the stock of
wealth he had from time to time received from us. As these good
folks found themselves perfectly at home in my cabin, I was
usually in the habit of continuing my occupations when they were
there, without being disturbed by them. Being now engaged in
writing, my attention was unexpectedly directed towards them by
Iligliuk's suddenly starting from her seat, moving quickly towards
the door, and, without saying a word either to me or any of the
officers present, hastening directly on deck. Okotook, indeed, as
he followed her out of the cabin, turned round and said "Good-by,"
of which expression he had learned the meaning, and then, without
giving us time to return the compliment, they both hurried out of
the ship, leaving us in some astonishment at this singular
leave-taking, which we then supposed to be the last.
We could now begin to perceive, from day to day, that the snow on
shore was diminishing. How slow this process was, may, however, be
understood by the fact, that it was necessary to make a mark on
some stone to be assured it was thus receding. Our snow-wall had
indeed settled down nearly a foot by the gradual diminution of the
blocks of which it was composed; but the thawing had been
artificially assisted by the black cloth hung against it. Five
ravens were seen to-day, all quite black; four of them were flying
in pairs.
On the 22d a number of the Esquimaux came to the ships with a
sledge, and among the rest my late host Arnaneelia and his wife,
the latter having the front of her jacket adorned with numberless
strings of beads that we had given her, arranged with exact
uniformity, to which, in the fashion of their dresses and the
disposition of their ornaments, these people always rigidly
adhere. Aneekta had scarcely reached the cabin when she produced a
little ivory comb and a pair of handsome mittens, which she
presented to Mr. Edwards, at the same time thanking him for the
attention he had shown her on an occasion when she had been taken
in a fit alongside the Fury, from which she was recovered by
bleeding. This expression of gratitude, in which she was heartily
joined by her husband, was extremely gratifying to us; as it
served, in some degree, to redeem these people in our estimation
from the imputation of ingratitude, which is, indeed, one of their
greatest failings. They stated having seen two reindeer the
preceding day going over the ice to the main land. They spoke of
this with great pleasure: and we were ourselves not displeased
with the prospect of changing our diet for a little venison. They
now became extremely urgent with us for wood to make bows and
arrows, most of their own having, with the childishness that
accompanied their first barterings, been parted with to our
officers and men. Having several broken oars which could be turned
to little or no account on board, we were enabled, at a small
expense of useful stores, to furnish them very abundantly with
wood for this purpose. Arnaneelia also informed us that Okotook,
who had been unwell for some days, was now much worse, and seemed,
as he described it, to be labouring under a violent pulmonary
complaint. On the circumstance being mentioned to Mr. Skeoch, he
kindly volunteered to go to the village, and accordingly took his
seat on the sledge, accompanied also by Mr. Sherer. They carried
with them a quantity of bread-dust to be distributed among the
Esquimaux at the huts, their success in seal-catching having
lately been indifferent.
A number of Esquimaux came to the ships on the 25th,
notwithstanding a strong breeze from the S.W.b.W., with a
considerable snowdrift. From these people we learned that
Okotook's complaint had increased since Mr. Skeoch's visit, and
that he was now extremely ill. Mr. Bushnan immediately offered to
go to the huts for the purpose of bringing him on board, where, by
Mr. Edwards's kind attentions, and the enjoyment of warmth and
dryness, we hoped soon to recover him. Mr. Bushnan, therefore,
without waiting for the return of the sledges, set out for the
village at an early hour in the forenoon, accompanied by the
sergeant of marines. At eleven at night our party returned on
board, bringing on a sledge Okotook, Iligliuk, and their son. That
Iligliuk would accompany her husband, I, of course, took for
granted and wished; but as the boy could do us no good, and was,
moreover, a desperate eater, I had desired Mr. Bushnan to try
whether a slight objection to his being of the party would induce
Okotook to leave him with his other relations. This he had
cautiously done; but, the instant the proposal was made, Okotook,
without any remark, began to take off the clothes he had himself
just dressed in to set out. No farther objection being made,
however, he again prepared for the journey, Iligliuk assisting him
with the most attentive solicitude. Before the invalid was
suffered to leave his apartment, some of the by-standers sent for
Ewerat, now better known to our people by the undignified
appellation of the "conjuror." Ewerat, on this occasion,
maintained a degree of gravity and reserve calculated to inspire
somewhat more respect than we had hitherto been disposed to
entertain for him in that capacity. Placing himself at the door of
the apartment opposite Okotook, who was still seated on the bed,
he held both his thumbs in his mouth, keeping up a silent but
solemn converse with his _toorngow_,[*] the object of which was,
as Mr. Bushnan presently afterward found, to inquire into the
efficacy and propriety of the sick man's removal. Presently he
began to utter a variety of confused and inarticulate sounds; and
it being at length understood that a favourable answer had been
given, Okotook was carried out and placed on the sledge, Ewerat
still mumbling his thumbs and muttering his incantations as
before. When the party took their leave, there were a great many
doleful faces among those that remained behind; and Mr. Bushnan
said that the whole scene more resembled the preparations for a
funeral than the mere removal of a sick man. When the sledge moved
on, Ewerat was the only one who had not a "Good-by!" ready, he
being as seriously engaged as at first, and continuing so as long
as our people could observe him.
[Footnote: Familiar spirit.]
Okotook was extremely ill on his arrival, having been three hours
on the sledge, and Iligliuk, who, as Mr. Bushnan told me, had
scarcely taken her eyes off her husband's face the whole time,
seemed almost worn out with fatigue and anxiety. A bed of wolf
skins being prepared for him, Okotook was soon placed upon it, and
such remedies applied as Mr. Edwards judged necessary for his
complaint, which was inflammation of the lungs to a degree that,
if left to itself, or even to Ewerat, would soon have proved
fatal, or, at best, have terminated in consumption.
On the 26th, a southeast wind brought a heavy fall of snow in
flakes much larger than before. The thermometers on the ice at
noon stood at 23° in both aspects. We heard from Illumea, who came
to see her son Okotook, that a part of the natives had gone still
farther to the westward upon the ice, one spot not affording
sufficient subsistence for the whole of them. Our patient felt
much the better for a comfortable night's lodging, and now
submitted with great patience to the application of a blister,
though I believe his confidence in our mode of cure was afterward
shaken for a time by the pain which it occasioned. Both he and
Iligliuk, however, seemed very sensibly to feel the comforts and
advantages of their present quarters; and a "coyenna" (thanks) now
and then fell from their lips. Nothing could exceed the attention
which the latter paid to her husband; she kept her eyes almost
constantly fixed upon him, and seemed anxious to anticipate every
want.
One of Okotook's brothers had arrived from the huts, bringing with
him some walrus-flesh to tempt the appetite of the invalid, whose
stomach, however, very fortunately for his complaint, was not
disposed to this kind of delicacy. When his brother was about to
return, Okotook took it into his head to send his son away with
him, probably because he heard they had the day before killed two
seals, which afforded better feeding than we had to give him; be
this as it may, we were not sorry that he went, and the boy
himself seemed no less pleased; for, without playfellows or
amusement of any kind, his time hung very heavily on his hands
while he remained on board. It was amusing to see Okotook take a
dose of physic for the first time in his life to-day. He knew its
taste was not pleasant, but this was certainly not all that he
dreaded; for, before he put the cup to his lips with one hand, he
held on by his wife with the other, and she by him with both hers,
as though they expected an explosion, or some such catastrophe, as
the immediate effect of the potion; nor did he venture to relinquish
his hold till the taste began to leave his mouth. The quantity of
water which he drank in the course of the four-and-twenty hours
is beyond conception; and the cabin fire could scarcely, by the
melting of snow, furnish enough for their consumption. These people
are extremely particular as to the purity of the water they drink.
Some that had been melted in our steamer, and which I thought very
good, neither of them would touch, or, at least, always spat out
again. If the water was much above the temperature of 32°, they
also disliked it, and immediately put snow into it to cool it
down. Iligliuk, who came on board with one side of her hair loose,
loosened the other also to-day, in consequence of her fancying
Okotook worse, though it was only the annoyance of the blister that
made him uneasy; for even in this sequestered corner of the globe
dishevelled locks bespeak mourning. It was not, however, with her
the mere semblance of grief, for she was really much distressed
throughout the day, all our endeavours not availing to make her
understand how one pain was to be removed by inflicting another.
Captain Lyon being desirous of having some little clothes made as
models of the Esquimaux costume, and thinking Iligliuk's present
leisure afforded her a good opportunity of making them, had
yesterday obtained her promise that she would do so. Okotook being
now very much better, and she having herself resumed her usual
gayety in consequence, I pressed her to commence her work, and
placed the skins before her, when she said that she could not do
them here, as she had no needles. These being supplied her, she
now complained of, having no _t=o=okt~oo-e-w=all~oo_ (reindeer
sinew), their usual thread. This difficulty, unfortunately for
Iligliuk's credit, was as easily overcome as the other; and when
scissors, pattern clothes, and all the other requisites were laid
before her, she was at length driven to the excuse that Okotook's
illness would not permit her to do it. Seeing us half laughing at
the absurdity of these excuses, and half angry at the selfish
indolence which prompted them, she at last flatly asserted that
Okotook desired her not to work, which, though we knew it to be a
falsehood, the latter did not deny. We then supposed that some
superstition might be at the bottom of this; but having, a little
while after, by way of experiment, thrown Iligliuk some loose
beads upon the table, she eagerly employed herself for half an
hour in stringing them that not one might be lost; which proved
that, where her own gratification or interest were concerned,
Okotook's illness was not suffered to interfere. This anecdote
shows, in a strong light, that deep-rooted selfishness, which, in
numberless instances, notwithstanding the superiority of
Iligliuk's understanding, detracted from the amiability of her
disposition. The fact was, that she did not feel inclined so far
to exert herself as to comply with Captain Lyon's request; and the
slight degree of gratitude and proper feeling which was requisite
to overcome that disinclination was altogether wanting.
I have related this anecdote just as it occurred, with the hope of
showing the true disposition of these people, and not with a view
of unduly depreciating the character of our friend Iligliuk. I am,
however, compelled to acknowledge, that, in proportion as the
superior understanding of this extraordinary woman became more and
more developed, her head (for what female head is indifferent to
praise?) began to be turned with the general attention and
numberless presents she received. The superior decency and even
modesty of her behaviour had combined, with her intellectual
qualities, to raise her, in our estimation, far above her
companions; and I often heard others express what I could not but
agree in, that for Iligliuk alone, of all the Esquimaux women,
that kind of respect could be entertained which modesty in a
female never fails to command in our sex. Thus regarded, she had
always been freely admitted into the ships, the quartermasters at
the gangway never thinking of refusing entrance to the "wise
woman," as they called her. Whenever any explanation was necessary
between the Esquimaux and us, Iligliuk was sent for as an
interpreter; information was chiefly obtained through her, and she
thus found herself rising into a degree of consequence to which,
but for us, she could never have attained. Notwithstanding a more
than ordinary share of good sense on her part, it will not,
therefore, be wondered at if she became giddy with her exaltation,
assuming certain airs which, though infinitely diversified in
their operation according to circumstances, perhaps universally
attend a too sudden accession of good fortune in every child of
Adam from the equator to the poles. The consequence was, that
Iligliuk was soon spoiled; considered her admission into the ships
and most of the cabins no longer as an indulgence, but a right;
ceased to return the slightest acknowledgment for any kindness or
presents; became listless and inattentive in unravelling the
meaning of our questions, and careless whether her answers
conveyed the information we desired. In short, Iligliuk in
February and Iligliuk in April were confessedly very different
persons; and it was at last amusing to recollect, though not very
easy to persuade one's self, that the woman who now sat demurely
in a chair, so confidently expecting the notice of those around
her, and she who had at first, with eager and wild delight,
assisted in cutting snow for the building of a hut, and with the
hope of obtaining a single needle, were actually one and the same
individual.
Togolat came down to the ships to-day to see her brother Okotook;
she was accompanied by Arnalooa, and on their arrival they were
both sent for into the cabin. We observed, however, that they
required an unusual degree of solicitation to make them go near
Okotook, or even to the side of the cabin, where he lay concealed
by a screen; and, after all, they remained in the opposite corner
next the door; and, having talked freely to the invalid for some
time, took their leave without seeing him. In the evening, after
they were gone, we found that this unfortunate though well-intended
visit was occasioning great distress to Okotook, who talked for two
hours almost incessantly about "Arnalooa's having seen him," which,
it seems, ought not to have been the case. What misfortune was to
be apprehended in consequent of this event we could not learn; but
he spoke of it in a kind of agony, and was evidently labouring
under the influence of some powerful though absurd superstition
respecting it. Towards night he suffered a dreadful bleeding at the
nose, followed by much sickness at the stomach, which, together
with the phanton of Arnalooa, that still haunted his imagination,
combined to make him extremely unwell for some hours. The next day,
however, he was free from complaint of any kind, and began once
more to put on a smiling countenance.
The caulking of our bows being now completed, the ships were
released from the ice by sawing round them; an operation which
caused them to rise in the water six inches and a half, in
consequence of the increased buoyancy occasioned by the winter's
expenditure.
CHAPTER IX.
Increased Extent of open Water in the Offing.--A Travelling Party
despatched to the Northward.--Unsuccessful Attempt to raise
Vegetables on Shore.--Decease of James Pringle.--A Party of
Esquimaux build Huts near the Ships.--Return of the Travellers,
and Account of their Journey.--First Appearance of the
Plants.--Birds become numerous.--Commence cutting a Canal through
the Ice for liberating the Ships.--Illness and Decease of John
Reid and William Souter.--Breaking up of the Ice in the
Bay.--Account of Winter Island.--Abstract of Observations made
there.
As there was an increased extent of open water in the offing, and
the weather being now, to all appearance, tolerably settled, I
determined on sending away a travelling party under Captain Lyon.
It consisted of Lieutenant Palmer, five seamen, and three marines,
the whole being victualled for twenty days, and furnished with a
tent, fuel, and every other convenience of which such a journey
would admit. The baggage was placed on light sledges, resembling
those used by Captain Franklin on his late journey to the shores
of the Polar Sea, made out of staves shaved thin, six feet eight
inches long, fourteen inches broad, and turned up before. Being
secured entirely with thongs of hide sunk by grooves into the wood
to keep them from wearing, they were perfectly flexible, so as to
be in no danger of breaking on uneven ground. Each individual of
the party was furnished with one of these, which also served to
sleep and sit upon; the weight dragged by each of the men being
about one hundred and twenty pounds, and that of the officers from
ninety to ninety-five. Each person had also a pair of snow-shoes,
a deerskin jacket and boots for sleeping in, and another pair of
boots of water-tight sealskin.
The general tenour of Captain Lyon's instructions was, "after
crossing to the continent, to proceed along that coast to the
northward, carefully examining any bend or inlet he might meet
with, so as to leave no doubt, if possible, of its actual extent
and communications, thereby preventing the necessity of the ships
entering it on their arrival there." I added, also, the necessary
directions for remarking everything of interest relating to the
tides, and the natural productions of the country; and I limited
Captain Lyon to the end of the month in returning, to avoid the
possibility of detaining the expedition.
Their preparations being completed, our travellers left the ships
under a salute of three cheers from both the crews, and
accompanied by a large party of officers and men to assist them,
for the first few hours. A day or two after their departures a
supply of provisions was lodged on shore, according to a plan
previously agreed on, in case of our being forced out to sea with
the ice before their return. Arrangements were also made for
putting an officer and two men on shore, as a guard to this as
well as to the clock, tent, or any other articles that might be
left behind, in the event of an occurrence of this nature.
In the course of the forenoon of the 15th, a message to our
medical gentlemen announced the fall of James Pringle, one of the
seamen of the Hecla, from her mizen-topmast-head to the deck; and
in a few minutes after I was much shocked in receiving Lieutenant
Hoppner's report of his death, no sign of life having indeed
appeared in him from the first moment after his fall. On
examination, it was found that the base of the scull was
fractured, and the neck also dislocated. A grave was directed to
be dug near the observatory, and arrangements were made for the
funeral taking place on the following Sunday.
On the 16th, Ewerat, with his wife and family, arrived at the
ships, bringing with them all their goods and chattels, and with
the intention of taking up their abode upon the ice near us. They
accordingly built their hut about a hundred yards from the Fury's
stern, but whether with the view of living upon us, or the seals
that frequent the bay, we were at first at a loss to conjecture.
Ewerat's household consisted not only of his own family, but of
Appokiuk and Itkamuk, the former of whom having no husband, and
the latter no relative, they both seemed to be fairly "on the
parish." Besides this establishment, a second, on a smaller scale,
also made its appearance in our neighbourhood, consisting of a
very little man, named _Koo-il-li-ti-uk_, nicknamed by the sailors
"John Bull," and his pretty little wife _Arnal=o=oa_, whose zeal
in bringing up her husband's share of the seahorses I have before
described. These persons, being eight in number, had determined on
travelling to Amitioke for the ensuing summer, influenced
probably, in some degree, by the hope of falling in with us again,
as they knew that we were going in that direction. Be this,
however, as it may, it was soon evident that they intended making
the most of us while we remained neighbours; for, on the 17th,
though the weather was favourable, and they had no food of their
own, they made no effort to procure any, except from the ships, to
which the women brought their _ootkooseeks_ for bread-dust. Though
I objected to encouraging this, and told them we should give them
nothing if they did not also labour for themselves, they were all
such favourites with our people that I believe they found it
answer very well; contriving not only to get plenty of food, but
also a number of useful presents. They made, indeed, some return
for this, by the usual barter of mittens, of which our people were
now furnished with an abundant supply.
On the 19th, after an impressive sermon delivered by Mr. Fisher,
the last mournful duties were performed over the remains of our
deceased shipmate. Nothing worthy of notice occurred till the
evening of the 21st, when, soon after eight o'clock, Captain Lyon
and his party were seen on their return over the hills, and, being
met by a number of the officers and men from the ships, arrived on
board before ten, when I was happy to find our travellers in good
health, excepting a little snow-blindness and "foot-foundering,"
of which they soon recovered. The result of this journey of
Captain Lyon's served to excite very reasonable hopes that he had
seen the northeastern extreme of the great peninsula, round which
we entertained the most sanguine expectations of shortly finding
the desired passage into the Polar Sea.
On the 23d, our neighbours the Esquimaux, who had long, by their
own account, been setting off for Amitioke, at length began in
earnest to pack up for their departure. As soon as their
preparations were finished, I sent for them all on board, and gave
them one of their own sledges, of which they were much in want,
for carrying their goods, a couple of boarding-pikes, some knives,
and several tin canisters filled with bread-dust, for their
journey. These presents had scarcely been made them, when we had
reason to apprehend so sudden an influx of wealth might produce
serious effects, especially upon the women, whose joy threw them
into immoderate fits of laughter, almost amounting to hysterics,
which were succeeded by a flood of tears. The men seemed thankful,
though less noisy in the expression of their acknowledgments. As
soon as some degree of composure was restored, we accompanied them
to their baggage, which they had stowed on two of the small
travelling sledges given them by Captain Lyon, but which they now
shifted to their own. When all was ready, and some other valuable
presents had been added to their stock by Captain Lyon, they
proceeded to the northward, the women assisting to drag the
sledge, for they had only one large dog and one puppy. On taking
their departure, these good-humoured and ever-cheerful people
greeted us with three cheers in the true Kabloona style, a mode of
salutation they had observed once or twice among us, and
frequently practised for their amusement and ours. On the 24th, we
found they had only proceeded a few miles, as "John Bull" once
more made his appearance on board, and returned to his companions
in the evening. From this specimen of their travelling, of which
we had, as yet, little experience, we had great reason to hope
that their days' journeys would be found but short ones, and that,
therefore, our distance round the northeastern point of the
American continent was not very considerable. The show fell
softer, and more melting was going on to-day than on any before
observed, though only a few black tips of the rocks were yet
visible on shore. The animals now began to appear in greater
numbers; for on the 25th, a flock of nearly two hundred
long-tailed ducks were swimming about in the open water to the
southeast of the point. Some of the Esquimaux who came from the
nearest western village also reported having seen a great many
reindeer; but they had not yet succeeded in killing any.
At the close of the month of May it was a matter of general
observation, and, of course, of general regret, how few symptoms
of thawing had yet appeared, either on shore or on the ice.
Naturally pursuing our usual comparison with the circumstances of
the former winter passed in these regions, it was impossible not
to recollect that Melville Island had, on the same day two years
before, advanced full as far as the country now before us in
throwing off its winter covering. The parts of the land which were
now the most bare were the smooth round tops of the hills, on
which here and there occurred a little pool of water, from which,
taking all together within half a mile round the ships, we should
at this time have had great difficulty in filling half a tun.
There were also on the lower lands, a few dark uncovered patches,
looking, when viewed from the hills, like islets in an extensive
sea. Vegetation seemed labouring to commence, and a few tufts of
the _saxifraga oppositifolia_, when closely examined, discovered
some signs of life. A botanist, in short, might have considered
vegetation as begun, but in the popular acceptation of the word it
certainly had not. Such was the state of things on shore at the
conclusion of the month of May. Upon the ice appearances were not
more promising. Except in the immediate neighbourhood of the
ships, where, from the constant trampling and the laying of
various stores upon the ice, some heat had artificially been
absorbed, it would have been difficult to point out in what
respect any advances towards dissolution had been made upon the
upper surface, where six or seven inches of snow yet remained in
every part. Here again, without any undue partiality for our old
winter-quarters, it was natural, as well as reasonable, to bear in
mind, that before this time we had there experienced several hours
of hard rain, than which nothing proves more effectual in
dissolving the ice. The consequence was, that for the last week in
May, at Melville Island, the surface of the ice had assumed quite
a green appearance; while here it was still as white as a covering
of snow could make it.
Under these circumstances I came to the determination, now that
the ships were ready for sea, to try what could be effected
towards their release, by sawing and cutting the ice; for it was
vexatious to see open water daily in the offing, and not to be
able to take advantage of it. Arrangements were therefore made for
getting everything, except the tent and instruments, on board the
next day, and for commencing this more laborious occupation on the
following Monday.
On the 1st of June, having launched a boat at the mouth of the
bay, I went to sound in that neighbourhood and along the eastern
side of the island, preparatory to marking out the intended canal.
A good deal of ice still remained attached to the land; but as far
as we could distinguish to the N.N.E. there was a lane of clear
water wide enough for the navigation of the ships.
On the morning of the 3d, at six A.M., both the ships' companies,
under their respective officers, were set to work upon the ice. A
line was accurately marked out from each of the Fury's quarters,
where they were fifty feet apart, diverging to two hundred and
fifty at the edge of the floe, the latter being distant from the
ships two thousand and twenty feet, or just one third of a
nautical mile. It was proposed to make a cut through the ice with
the saws, along the two lines thus marked out, and then a
transverse section here and there, the divergency of the sides
being intended to facilitate the removal of the pieces thus
detached by first pulling them out with strong purchases, and then
floating them down the canal to the sea without. Nothing could
exceed the alacrity with which this laborious work was undertaken,
and continued daily from six in the morning till eight at night,
with the intermission only of mealtimes: nor could anything be
more lively and interesting than the scene which now presented
itself to an observer on the southeast point. The day was
beautifully clear, the sea open as far as the eye could stretch to
the northward, and the "busy hum" of our people's voices could at
times be heard mingling with the cheerful though fantastic songs
with which the Greenland sailors are accustomed at once to beguile
their labour, and to keep the necessary time in the action of
sawing the ice. The whole prospect, together with the hopes and
associations excited by it, was, to persons cooped up as we had
been, exhilarating beyond conception.
In the course of the first week we had completed the two side
cuts, and also two shorter ones in the space between the ships;
making in all a length of two thousand three hundred feet on each
side of the intended canal, the thickness of the ice being in
general four feet, but in one or two places (where the junction of
the sea-ice with the bay-floe occasioned some squeezing) above ten
feet and a half, scarcely allowing our longest saws to work.
Laborious as this part of the operation had been, we soon found it
likely to prove the least troublesome of the whole; for, on
endeavouring to pull out the pieces in the manner at first
intended, every effort failed, till at length we were reduced to
the necessity of cutting each block diagonally before it could be
moved from its place. After a week's experience, we also learned
that much time had been lost in completing the whole of the
lateral cuts at once; for these, partly from frost, and partly by
the closing together of the sides of the canal, all required
sawing a second, and in some places even a third time. It was
surprising, also, to see how powerful a resistance was occasioned
by the "sludge" produced in sawing, or, as the sailors called it,
the "sawdust," continuing in the cut, and appearing to act, like
oil interposed between two plates of glass, in keeping the masses
united. In some cases, also, a saw was squeezed so tight by the
pressure of the ice in the cut, that it became necessary to enter
a second in order to release it, by sawing out a circular plug of
ice completely round it. Fatiguing as this work proved to the men,
I directed it to be continued to-day, the sea remaining so open on
the outside as to give every encouragement to our exertions.
One of our people, in walking over the island, met with a swan's
nest, which Captain Lyon went out to see, and made a drawing of
it. It was built of moss-peat, being no less than five feet ten
inches in length, four feet nine inches wide, and two feet deep.
The hole of entrance in the top was eighteen inches wide. Two
eggs, each weighing about eight ounces, were found in the nest, in
which the old birds were also sitting at first, but too wild to be
approached. The eggs are of a cream or brownish white colour, in
some parts a little clouded by a darker tinge. The female
subsequently laid a third egg, and soon afterward both birds
appeared to have wholly deserted the nest.
In the second week our progress with the canal had been
considerable, it being now completed within two hundred yards of
the Fury's stern.
At the conclusion of the day's labour on the 19th, we had every
prospect of getting to sea in forty-eight hours more; but, early
on the following morning, when the ebb or northeasterly tide had
made, and was assisted by a breeze from the southward, the whole
body of sea-ice came forcibly in contact with the bay-floe, which
was now so weakened by our cutting as to split the whole way from
the edge up to the Hecla's stern, a little to the westward of the
canal, the latter being almost immediately closed with a
considerable crush, but without affecting the ships which lay
beyond it. The closing of our artificial canal had the effect of
partially opening a natural one at the place where the ice had
just been detached; but, as this was incomplete, coming gradually
up to a point astern of the Hecla, we were at a loss to know on
which of the two our labour would best be employed. An attempt was
first made by four strong purchases, stretched from side to side
across the new crack, to pull the parts together again, and thus
to leave our original canal _in statu quo_. All our power,
however, being insufficient to accomplish this, we commenced with
the saws upon the upper part of the crack, with the intention of
widening it sufficiently for the passage of the ships. In this
work we had made considerable progress, when, towards evening, it
was perceived that _this_ was now closing, and our former canal
reopening by the action of the wind and tide. Relinquishing our
last attempt, therefore, we lost no time in floating some heavy
pieces of ice into the canal, to serve as wedges for keeping the
sides apart, in case of any fresh pressure from without again
disposing them to close.
At two A.M. on the 21st, the piece of the floe which formed the
separation between the two canals drifted bodily outward, as far
as the rocks at the mouth of the bay and the ice that lay upon
them would permit, taking with it a heavy-grounded mass that lay
near the Hecla, and on which it had before been turning as on a
pile or pivot; shortly after a second mass on the eastern side of
the canal broke off, the separation taking place upon the line
where the ice had been weakened by the sand we had laid upon it.
Our work was now at an end, and we had only to wait for a
northerly or westerly wind to release us from our present
"besetment," for, in fact, it was now nothing more. Directions
were therefore given for closely watching the motion of the ice,
both from the ships as well as by regular visits to the shore at
the end of every watch.
It now becomes my painful duty to turn from these busy
occupations, where animation, cheerfulness, and hope prevailed, to
the sad and solemn scenes of sickness and death; for with both of
these did it please the Almighty to visit us at this period!
William Souter, quartermaster of the Fury, who, in the early part
of this week, had complained of a slight sickness at the stomach,
and, having been quite relieved, was, in consequence, discharged
to duty, was again, on the morning of the 21st, affected in a
similar manner while on deck. On the 24th, his alarming symptoms
had so much subsided, that increasing hopes were entertained of
his continuing to do well. These flattering appearances, however,
received a sudden check about noon on the 25th, after which time
he began rapidly, though gradually, to droop, and between six and
seven in the evening breathed his last.
The impossibility of removing Souter from the sick bay, after the
last alarming change took place, rendered his death, or, rather,
the convulsive struggles which for some hours preceded that event,
a dreadful trial to poor Reid, whose state had for some time past
been scarcely better, the difficulty in his breathing having
increased to a most distressing degree. When Souter was dying,
Reid remarked that he should not be long after him; and on the
26th, when Mr. Fisher had attended and prayed with him, he said
that he should go at one bell (half past six), and then enumerated
all his clothes to one of the men, who, at his request, wrote them
down for him. After four o'clock he did not speak, and, gradually
sinking, expired at the time he had mentioned.
On the 28th, the remains of our deceased shipmates were committed
to the earth, with every solemnity that so mournful an occasion
demanded. They were interred in one grave, on a rising ground a
few hundred yards from the sea to the northeastward of the ships.
A handsome tomb of stone and mortar was built over the spot,
having at one end a stone let in, with the usual information
engraved on it. The sides were plastered with a kind of viscous
clay found in one of the ponds, and the top covered with tufts of
the purple saxifrage. The duties of the ships now permitting it,
Captain Lyon employed his men in building a similar tomb over the
grave of Pringle.
END OF VOL. I.