"As the man who ate when a little pocket-sun [chronometer] told him; who
guided himself on the trail by a live turning-iron [compass]; who made
fire by rubbing a bit of wood on his sleeve [matches]; and who by
looking hard at something white [prayer-book] made it possible for the
Inuit to catch black foxes--the most valuable of all their furs."
Father Petitot made his plans the following summer to renew his efforts
to improve the method of life of these wretched and remote natives, and
to instil in them moral lessons which his later acquired knowledge of
the Eskimo dialect would facilitate. An epidemic, however, destroyed
many of the Inuits as well as of the Indian tribes in the Mackenzie
region, thus preventing a renewal of the missionary's crusade against
immorality and misery.
Nevertheless the adventurous midwinter mission of Father Petitot, in
facing fearlessly the danger of death, in enduring uncomplainingly its
physical tortures, and in taking up a daily life, Inuit fashion, under
such almost revolting conditions, displayed the heroism of the true
missionary. While Petitot's self-sacrifice, in the way of physical
comforts and of personal sufferings, is not the most remarkable in the
annals of the church in arctic history, yet it may well serve as an
example for the aspiring and altruistic souls who are willing to do and
to dare for the welfare of their fellow-man.
FOOTNOTES:
[20] M. Petitot tells us that the yearly outfit for the chief factor
was, in pounds, 600 flour, 800 sugar, 200 each of rice, raisins, and
salt, 100 tea, 20 chocolate, 10 black pepper, and liberal amounts of
twisted or nigger-head tobacco.
[21] The Eskimos call themselves Inuits, that is, _the men_ of the whole
world.
[22] The beaver-skin was the standard coin of the Hudson Bay territory,
its value in our money being fifty cents.
SCHWATKA'S SUMMER SEARCH
"On Fame's eternal camping ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead."
--O'HARA.
Among the startling and too-often believed stories of the polar regions
are many which have their origin as whalers' "yarns." Spun for the
purpose of killing time and of amusing hearers, by repetition and
circulation they attain the dignity of "reliable personal accounts."
Among such credited "yarns" in the early seventies was one to the effect
that the missing records of the proceedings and discoveries of the lost
squadron of Sir John Franklin were to be found in a cairn which was
located near and easily accessible from Repulse Bay. Told and retold
with an air of truth, it became the foundation on which was based the
Schwatka-Gilder search of King William Land. This expedition sailed
under the favoring auspices of the American Geographical Society of New
York on the whaler _Eothen_, from which landed at Repulse Bay the party
of five--Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka, United States Army, W. H.
Gilder, H. W. Klutschak, F. E. Melms, and Eskimo Ebierbing, known as Joe
(see p. 196).
In establishing their winter camp near Chesterfield Inlet they adopted
as closely as possible native methods of life as to food, clothing, and
shelter. In the intervals of hunting trips they ran down the several
"yarns" on which their search had been planned, and were dismayed to
find that they were entirely unfounded.
Schwatka was not the man to turn back without results, and so he
determined to visit the regions in which the Franklin party had
perished, hoping that he might be able to throw new light on the
disaster. If he had been deceived as to the Franklin records being
cached at a particular point, he possibly might find them elsewhere, as
records must have been somewhere deposited for safety. It was a daring
venture, but there might be a possibility of more thoroughly examining
King William Land when snow-free.
The more striking phases of Schwatka's unique and successful experience
in the search are told here.[23]
* * * * *
During the winter there was much visiting to and fro with the Eskimos
camped near them. They soon found that there was a bright side to life
among the Inuits, and that the natives indulged in games of skill much
as we do. Gilder tells of the men playing the game of _nu-glew-tar_,
which demands a quick eye and alert, accurate movements: "A small piece
of bone is suspended from the roof by a line made of walrus hide, and a
heavy weight dangles below it to keep it from swinging. The bone is
pierced with four small holes, and the players stand around, armed with
small sticks with which they jab at the bone, endeavoring to pierce one
of the holes. Some one starts the game by offering a prize, which is won
by him who pierces the bone and holds it fast with his stick. The winner
in turn offers a prize for the others to try for." It is not a gambling
game, but by prizes it encourages the acquirement of keen eyesight and
accurate aim, so needful to success in hunting.
With the opening of April, 1879, Schwatka's party took the field,
crossing the land in as straight a line as they could to Montreal
Island, near the mouth of Back River. Twelve Eskimos--men, women, and
children--were added to the party, and with their forty-two dogs they
hauled about two and one-half tons, of which less than one-fourth
consisted of provisions of a civilized character--bread, pork, beef,
coffee, tea, etc.--being food for one month only. Travel overland was
very difficult owing to the rocky region traversed, which stripped the
runners of their ice-shoes. He says: "The ice is put upon the runners
the first thing in the morning when coming out of the igloo, which was
built every night. The sledge is turned upside down, and the water,
after being held in the mouth a little while to warm it, is squirted
over the runners and freezes almost immediately. Successive layers are
applied until a clean, smooth surface is acquired, upon which the sledge
slips over the snow with comparative ease."
Of the Ook-joo-liks they met with Gilder says: "Instead of reindeer
gloves and shoes they wore articles made of musk-ox skin, which had a
most extraordinary effect. The hair of the musk-ox is several inches
long, and it looked as if the natives had an old-fashioned muff on each
hand. They explained that it was almost impossible to get near enough to
kill reindeer with arrows, their only weapons."
An old Ook-joo-lik said that he had seen a white man dead in a ship
which sank about five miles west of Grant Point, Adelaide Peninsula.
Before the ship sank the Inuits obtained spoons, knives, etc., from her,
and the story seemed true from the number of relics of the _Erebus_ and
_Terror_ in their possession.
The explorers visited Richardson Inlet, where they were told that a boat
had been found by the natives with five skeletons under it. The most
important information was gained from a Netchillik woman who said that
on the southeast coast of King William Land "she with her husband, and
two other men with their wives, had many years ago seen ten men dragging
a sledge with a boat on it. Five whites put up a tent on shore and five
remained with the boat. The Inuits and the whites stayed together five
days, the former killing several seals and giving them to the white
men." The whites attempted to cross to the main-land, and the Eskimos
remained all summer on King William Land and never saw the whites again.
She also said that "the following spring she saw a tent standing
at the head of Terror Bay. There were dead bodies in the tent and
outside--nothing but bones and clothing. Near by were knives, spoons,
forks, books, etc."
While elated at his success in learning from the Ook-joo-liks these
incidents, which added much to the reports of Rae and McClintock as to
the fate of Crozier and his comrades, Schwatka was not content. With a
courage bordering on rashness he decided to cross Simpson Strait to King
William Land and thoroughly search for records while the ground was free
from snow. This meant passing the summer on this desolate island, for he
could not hope to recross the strait, save by chance, until the autumnal
colds should form new ice.
He had just learned that the island was so barren of game in 1848 that
one hundred and five men had there perished of starvation. Some of the
natives told him that the same fate awaited the white men of to-day. Yet
such was the dominating power of this fearless soldier that not only did
his white comrades go forward zealously but several Eskimos followed,
including his hunter, Too-loo-ah, of whom it was said: "There is a
legend in his tribe that he was never known to be tired."
Among the hunting feats of the natives was the spring duck-hunting, when
the birds are moulting and unable to fly. Fitted with his spear the
Eskimo carries his kayak to the remote lake where the birds feed.
Cautiously advancing until the flock is alarmed, he makes a furious dash
toward the largest bunch. When within some twenty feet of the struggling
birds he seizes his queer-looking spear, with its three barbs of unequal
length, and with an expertness gained from long practice hurls it at a
bird, which is nearly always killed, impaled by the sharp central barb.
The wooden shaft of the spear floats the game until the hunter reaches
it.
Scarcely had the party marched a single day on the ice-pack of Simpson
Strait when some would have turned back, the crossing being doubtful.
Gilder records: "We would sink to our waists and our legs would be
dangling in slush without finding bottom. The sledge often sank so that
the dogs, floundering in the slush or scrambling over the broken ice,
could not pull. Then we gathered around to help them, getting an
occasional footing by kneeling on a hummock or holding on with one hand
while we pushed with the other. Yet through the skill and experience of
our Inuit dog driver we made a march of ten miles." In this journey even
the athlete, Too-loo-ah, was so exhausted that the party had to rest the
following day.
Schwatka with Gilder and his other white companions then made a most
exhaustive search of the island, the Eskimos aiding in the intervals of
the hunt or while going to and fro. The search revealed four despoiled
graves, three skeletons, Crozier's original camp and his daily bivouacs
during his fatal southward march, the Erebus Bay boat, and the record
deposited by McClintock in 1859. Especially interesting was the grave of
Lieutenant John Irving, one of Franklin's officers. Evidently the body
had been wrapped in his uniform and then encased in canvas as if for
burial at sea. A personal medal of Irving's and other articles
identified the remains. Unfortunately none of the Franklin records or
traces thereof were anywhere found.
It is not to be thought that these marches and discoveries were made
otherwise than with great suffering, with danger even of starvation.
More than once they were entirely without food, and as a rule they lived
from hand to mouth.
Gilder relates this semi-humorous experience: "While Klutschak was
cooking the last of our meat he left the fire a few minutes. The dogs
breaking from their fastenings poured down on the culinary department
like an army of devouring fiends. Too-loo-ah, knowing the state of our
larder, slipped out under the end of the tent, stark naked from his
sleeping-bag, and by a shower of stones sent the dogs away howling."
Their greatest discomfort arose from the lack of shoes and stockings,
their outer foot-gear being soon worn-out beyond repair, while hard
travel had rubbed all the hair from their stockings. Under these
conditions walking was often physical torture, which frequent moccasin
patching only slightly relieved. Finally they had to send to the base
camp at the south end of the island, where the two native women were, to
obtain foot-gear for their return journey from Cape Felix, the
northernmost point of King William Land.
While sledging along this point Too-loo-ah discovered a bear on the ice
of Victoria Strait far to the north. Dumping his load he urged his dogs
forward, plying the whip until the team sighted the as yet unconscious
bear. With wolf-like ferocity and swiftness the excited dogs rushed
madly forward, the empty sledge swinging from side to side on the rough
ice-floes or splashing through the pools or tide cracks that lay in the
road. When within a mile or so of the bear he saw his coming enemies,
and with his lumbering, rocking gait rushes off at a speed that
astonishes a novice who notes his awkward motions. Ook-joo-lik leaning
forward cuts the traces with his sharp hunting-knife, freeing in a bunch
the yelping dogs who run swiftly after the fleeing animal. Soon the dogs
are at bruin's heels, snapping and biting him so that he is obliged to
halt and defend himself. A battle royal now occurs, the defiant,
growling bear, rushing and striking fiercely at his enemies. The old and
experienced dogs attack him either in the rear or by side rushes when
his attention is given to another quarter, and when he turns they elude
the clumsy brute with great dexterity. Now and then an untrained
youngster attacks directly, only to receive a blow from the powerful
paws that either kills or maims him.
Soon Too-loo-ah came up almost breathless from his haste, and waited for
a chance to get a shot without killing a dog. Gilder tells us of the
unusual experience of the native at this time: "The bear disregarding
the dogs made a rush for the active young hunter that almost brought his
heart into his mouth. Recovering his composure in good season, he sent
three bullets from his Winchester rifle, backed by a charge of
seventy-five grains of powder behind each, right into the animal's
skull, and the huge beast lay dead almost at his feet."
At times their hunger, when meat was lacking, was appeased by a small
black berry called by the natives _parawong_, which was not only
pleasing from its welcome spicy and pungent tartness, but was really
life-supporting for a while at least.
While making thorough search of every ravine or hill-top for records or
for relics, "The walking developed new tortures every day. We were
either wading through the hill-side torrents or lakes, which, frozen on
the bottom, made the footing exceedingly treacherous, or else with
seal-skin boots, soft by constant wetting, painfully plodding over sharp
stones set firmly in the ground with the edges pointed up. Sometimes as
a new method of injury, stepping and slipping on flat stones, the unwary
foot slid into a crevice that seemingly wrenched it from the body."
Under stress of hunger and in due time they came to eat the same food as
their native hunters. We are told that "In the season the reindeer are
exceedingly fat, the tallow (called by the Inuits _tudnoo_) lying in
great flakes from half an inch to two and a half inches thick along the
back and over the rump. This tallow has a most delicious flavor and is
eaten with the meat, either cooked or raw. The intestines are also
encased in a lace-work of tallow which constitutes a palatable dish.
Indeed, there is no part of any animal used for food but what is eaten
by the Eskimos and which we also have partaken of with great relish. A
dish made of the contents of the paunch, mixed with seal-oil, looks like
ice-cream and is the Eskimos' substitute for that confection." It has
none of the flavor, however, of ice-cream, but, as Lieutenant Schwatka
says, may be more likened to _locust_, _sawdust_ and _wild-honey_.
After the breaking up of the winter floes in the strait the hunters gave
much time to the pursuit of the reindeer and killed many. Too-loo-ah
gave a new instance of his courage and of his resourcefulness as a
hunter. Going to the beach to find some drift-wood for fuel he left his
gun in camp. Near the coast he came upon a she bear with her half grown
cub. Knowing that the game would escape if he went back for his rifle,
"he drove the old bear into the sea with stones and killed the cub with
a handless snow-knife." His great pleasure was in the slaughter of
reindeer, of which great herds appeared during the late summer, while
Schwatka was awaiting the coming of cold and the formation of ice on
Simpson Strait for the crossing of his heavy sledges. Too-loo-ah
indulged as a pastime in seal-hunting in these days of prosperity. When
he got a seal one of his first operations was "to make a slit in the
stomach of the still breathing animal, and cutting off some of the warm
liver with a slice or two of blubber, the hunter regaled himself with a
hearty luncheon." Now and then the keen scent of a dog or his own
hunter's instinct discovered a seal _igloo_ on the floe. This is a house
built for their young near the air-holes where the mothers come for
breathing spells. Gilder says: "Here the baby seals are born and live
until old enough to venture into the water. When a hunter finds an
occupied _igloo_ he immediately breaks in the roof in search of the
little one, which remains very quiet even when the hunter pokes his head
through the broken roof. The young seal is easily killed with the spear,
and the hunter waits for the mother who is never absent a long time from
her baby. The young seal is usually cut open as soon as killed and its
little stomach examined for milk, which is esteemed a great luxury by
the Eskimos."
Gilder gives an account of their camp life while waiting on events. "We
ate quantities of reindeer tallow with our meat, probably about half of
our daily food. Breakfast is eaten raw and frozen, but we generally have
a warm meal in the evening. Fuel is hard to obtain and now consists of a
vine-like moss called _ik-shoot-ik_. Reindeer tallow is used for a
light. A small, flat stone serves for a candlestick, on which a lump of
tallow is placed close to a piece of fibrous moss called _mun-ne_, which
is used for a wick. The melting tallow runs down upon the stone and is
immediately absorbed by the moss. This makes a cheerful and pleasant
light, but is most exasperating to a hungry man as it smells exactly
like frying meat. Eating such quantities of tallow is a great benefit in
this climate, and we can easily see the effects of it in the comfort
with which we meet the cold."
It was most interesting to see the southward migration of the reindeer,
which began as soon as the ice on Simpson Strait would bear them. They
went in herds, and by the middle of October the country was practically
bare of them.
Of their own trip southward Gilder writes: "The most unpleasant feature
of winter travelling is the waiting for an igloo to be built, which is
done at the end of every day's march. To those at work even this time
can be made to pass pleasantly, and there is plenty that even the white
men can do at such time. Another task that the white men can interest
themselves in is the unloading of the sled and beating the ice and snow
out of the fur bedclothing. The Eskimos do not use sleeping-bags for
themselves, but instead have a blanket which they spread over them,
while under them are several skins, not only to keep the body away from
the snow, but also to prevent the body from thawing the snow-couch and
thus making a hole that would soon wet the skins. On the march the
bed-skins are usually spread over the top of the loaded sledge, the fur
side up, because it is easy enough to beat the snow from the fur, while
it might thaw and make the skin side wet. Continued pounding will remove
every vestige of ice without disturbing the fur, if the weather is
sufficiently cold."
Of the dogs he says: "Twice the dogs had an interval of eight days
between meals and were in condition for hard work. That they could live
and do any work at all seemed marvellous. I am constrained to believe
that the Eskimo dog will do more work, and with less food, than any
other draught animal existing."
Of the travel he adds: "The weather is intensely cold, ninety-seven
degrees below freezing, with scarcely any wind. It did not seem so cold
as when the wind was blowing in our face at fifty degrees below
freezing. We were so well fortified against the cold by the quantities
of fat we had eaten that we did not mind it."
Conditions of travel were very bad in December, when they had to lie
over for hunting, game being so scarce. But January, 1880, was their
month of trial, the temperature sinking to one hundred and four degrees
below the freezing-point on one occasion, while they were harassed by a
violent blizzard of thirteen days' duration. Wolves later attacked their
team, killing four dogs in their very camp. Indeed, Too-loo-ah had a
most narrow escape when surrounded by a pack of twenty wolves. "He
jumped upon a big rock, which was soon surrounded, and there fought the
savage beasts off with the butt of his gun until he got a sure shot,
when he killed one. While the others fought over and devoured the
carcass of their mate he made the best of his opportunity to get back
into camp."
Through famine, cold, and wolf raids the teams began to fail. "It was
almost our daily experience now to lose one or more dogs [in fact, they
lost twenty-seven on this trip]. A seal-skin full of blubber would have
saved many of our dogs; but we had none to spare for them, as we were
reduced to the point when we had to save it exclusively for lighting the
igloos at night. We could not use it to warm our igloos or to cook with.
Our meat had to be eaten cold--that is, frozen so solid that it had to
be sawed and then broken into convenient-sized lumps, which when first
put into the mouth were like stones. Sometimes, however, the snow was
beaten off the moss on the hill-sides and enough was gathered to cook a
meal."
In the last stages of famine the party was saved by the killing of a
walrus. Of conditions existing at this time Gilder records: "All felt
the danger that again threatened them, as it had done twice before when
they had to kill and eat some of their starving dogs. People spoke to
each other in whispers, and everything was quiet save for the
never-ceasing and piteous cries of the hungry children begging for the
food that their parents could not give them."
In this laudable effort to find the Franklin records Schwatka and his
comrades passed through experiences unsurpassed in arctic life by white
men, and that without loss of life or with other disaster. They adopted
Eskimo methods of dress, travel, shelter, and life in general. As an
expedition it surpassed in distance of travel and in length of absence
from civilized life, or of external support, any other known. It was
absent from its base of supplies for a year (lacking ten days), and
travelled three thousand two hundred and fifty miles.
The success of Schwatka is important as showing what can be done by men
active in body, alert in mind, and firm in will. He acted on the belief
that men of force, well armed and intelligently outfitted, could safely
venture into regions where have lived for many generations the Eskimos,
who hold fast to the country and to the method of life of their
ancestors.
The most striking phases of the journeys of Schwatka and his white
comrades evidence heroic qualities of mind and unusual powers of
endurance which achieved sledging feats that have excited the admiration
of all arctic experts. Such success, however, could have been obtained
only by men of exceptional energy, practically familiar with field
work, and gifted with such resourceful minds as at times can dominate
adverse conditions that would involve less heroic men in dire disaster.
The Franklin Search by Schwatka, Gilder and Klutschak was quixotic
in its initiation, ill-fitted in its equipment, and rash in its
prosecution. It was redeemed from failure through the heroic spirit of
the party, which gained the applause of the civilized world for its
material contributions to a problem that was considered as definitely
abandoned and as absolutely insoluble. Such an example of accomplishment
under most adverse conditions is worth much to aspiring minds and
resolute characters.
FOOTNOTE:
[23] See map on page 177.
THE INUIT SURVIVORS OF THE STONE AGE
"Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple,
Who have faith in God and Nature,
Who believe, that in all ages
Every human heart is human,
That in even savage bosoms
There are longings, yearnings, strivings
For the good they comprehend not,
That the feeble hands and helpless,
Groping blindly in the darkness,
Touch God's hand in that darkness;--
And are lifted up and strengthened."
--LONGFELLOW.