ARRIVAL AT YORK FACTORY--ITS
SITUATION--CLIMATE--NATIVES--REIN-DEER--VOYAGE TO
UNGAVA--INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE--ARRIVAL AT UNGAVA--SITUATION
AND ASPECT.
I arrived at York Factory, the dépôt of the Northern department, early
in July. This establishment presents a more respectable appearance
than any other that I have seen in Rupert's Land, and reflects no
small credit on the talents and taste of him who planned, and partly
executed, the existing improvements, all which have been effected
since the coalition. When Mr. McT. first assumed the command, the
buildings were of the most wretched description--the apartments
had more the appearance of cells for criminals, than of rooms for
gentlemen.
The yielding nature of the swampy ground on which the buildings were
to be erected rendering it necessary to lay a solid foundation, the
object was accomplished in the face of every difficulty, and at a
great expense; and the present commodious buildings were commenced,
but not finished by the projector. Other improvements have been made
since then, so that they afford every comfort and convenience that
could be expected in so unfavourable a situation.
The dépôt is at present under the charge of a chief factor, assisted
by a chief trader, a surgeon, and two clerks. Here there is always a
sufficient supply of goods and provisions on hand to meet the demand
of the trade for two years--a wise precaution, as in the event of
any accident happening to prevent the vessel from reaching her
destination, the trade would not be interrupted. The very emergency
thus provided for occurred last autumn; the ship, after dropping
anchor in her usual mooring ground, was compelled by stress of weather
to bear away for England, after loosing her anchors, and sustaining
other serious damages. Yet notwithstanding this untoward event,
the gentlemen in charge of the different districts set off for the
interior with their outfits complete.
The climate, although extremely disagreeable, is not considered
unhealthy. In summer the extremes of heat and cold are experienced in
the course of a few hours; in the morning you may be wearing nankeen,
and before noon, duffle. Were the heat to continue for a sufficient
length of time to thaw the ground thoroughly, the establishment could
not be kept up save at a great sacrifice of life, through the mephitic
exhalations from the surrounding swamps. The ground, however, seldom
thaws more than eighteen inches, and the climate therefore is never
affected by them to such a degree as to become unhealthy.
One of Mr. McT----'s most beneficial improvements was to clear the
swamps surrounding the factory of the brushwood with which they were
thickly covered; and the inmates are now in a great measure relieved
from the torture to which they were formerly exposed from the
mosquitoes. These vampires are not so troublesome in the cleared
ground, but whoever dares to intrude on their domain pays dearly for
his temerity. Every exposed part of the body is immediately covered
with them; defence is out of the question; the death of one is avenged
by the stings of a thousand equally bloodthirsty; and the unequal
contest is soon ended by the flight of the tormented party to his
quarters, whither he is pursued to his very door.
There seems to be no foundation for the opinion generally entertained
that the natives do not suffer from the stings of these insects. The
incrustation of filth with which their bodies are covered undoubtedly
affords some protection, the skin not being so easily pierced; but no
incrustation, however thick, can be a defence against the attacks of
myriads; and in fact, the natives complain as loudly of the mosquitoes
as the whites.
The Indians of this quarter are denominated Swampies, a tribe of the
Cree nation, whose language they speak with but little variation,
and in their manners and customs there is a great similarity. But the
Swampies are a degenerate race, reduced by famine and disease to a
few families; and these have been still farther reduced by an
epidemic which raged among them this summer. They were attacked by
it immediately on their return from the interior with the produce
of their winter hunts, and remained in hopes of being benefited
by medical advice and attendance. Their hopes, however, were not
realized; they were left entirely in charge of a young man without
experience and without humanity; and the disease was unchecked. Every
day the death of some poor wretch was made known to us by the firing
of guns, by which the survivors fancied the evil spirit was frightened
away from the souls of their departed friends.
Not many years ago this part of the country was periodically visited
by immense herds of rein-deer; at present there is scarcely one to be
found. Whether their disappearance is owing to their having changed
the course of their migrations, or to their destruction by the
natives, who waylaid them on their passage, and killed them by
hundreds, is a question not easily determined. It may be they have
only forsaken this part of the country for a time, and may yet return
in as great numbers as ever: be that as it may, the present want to
which the Indians are subject, arises from the extreme scarcity of
those animals, whose flesh and skins afforded them food and clothing.
Their subsistence is now very precarious; derived principally from
snaring rabbits and fishing; and rabbits also fail periodically.
Their fare during summer, however, soon obliterates the remembrance
of the privations of winter: fish is then found in every lake, and
wild-fowl during the moulting season become an easy prey; while young
ducks and geese are approached in canoes, and are destroyed with
arrows in great numbers, ere they have acquired the use of their
wings. The white man similarly situated would undoubtedly think of
the long winter he had passed in want, and would provide for the next
while he could;--so much foresight, however, does not belong to the
Indian character.
Fishing and hunting for the establishment affords employment to a few
Indians during summer, and is an object of competition among them,
on account of the incomparable gratification it affords--grog
drinking--to which no earthly bliss can be compared in the Indian's
estimation. To find the Company serving out rum to the natives as
payment for their services in this remote quarter, created the utmost
surprise in my mind: no excuse can be advanced which can justify the
unhallowed practice, when the management of the native population is
left entirely to themselves. Why then is it continued? Strange to say,
while Indians were to be seen rolling drunk about the establishment,
an order of Council appeared, prohibiting the sale of ardent spirits
in any quantity exceeding two gallons to the Company's officers of
whatever rank, with the view of preventing the demoralization of the
natives!
Most of the natives have a smattering of English, and are said to be
a quiet, harmless race, addicted to few bad habits. Their remote
situation, and impoverished country protect them from the hostile
inroads of neighbouring tribes; hence the tame and pacific demeanour
by which they are distinguished. The poor Swampy often retires to
rest without a morsel to eat for himself or family, and that for days
together; yet he is under no apprehension from his enemies, and enjoys
his night's rest undisturbed; whereas, the warrior of the plain, while
he revels in abundance, seldom retires to rest without apprehension;
the hostile yell may, in fact, rouse him from his midnight slumber,
either to be butchered himself, or to hear the dying groans of his
family while he escapes. Thus chequered is the life of man with good
and evil in every condition, whether civilized or savage.
Every preparation for our departure being now completed, I took leave
of Fort York, its fogs, and bogs, and mosquitoes, with little regret.
We embarked on the 22d of August, in a brig that had fortunately
escaped the mishaps of the other vessels last autumn; and after being
delayed in port by adverse winds till the 26th, we finally stood out
to sea, having spoken the Prince Rupert just come in. The fields of
ice, that had been observed a few days previously, having now entirely
disappeared, the captain concluded that the passage was clear for him,
and accordingly steered for the south. He had not proceeded far in
this direction, however, when we fell in with such quantities of ice
as to interrupt our passage; but we still continued to force our
way through. Convinced at length of the futility of the attempt,
we altered our course to a directly opposite point, standing to the
north, until we came abreast of Churchill, and then bore away for
the strait, making Mansfield Island on the 7th of September. We
encountered much stream ice on our passage, from which no material
injury was sustained; although the continual knocking of our rather
frail vessel against the ice created a good deal of alarm, from the
effect the collision produced, shaking her violently from stem to
stern.
We were thus passing rapidly through the straits without experiencing
any accident worthy of notice, when I inquired of our captain, one
evening, how soon he expected to make the Island of Akpatok. He
replied, "To-morrow morning about nine o'clock." We retired to rest
about ten, P.M., and I had not yet fallen asleep, when I heard
an unusual bustle on deck, and one of the men rushing down to the
captain's room to call him up. I instantly dressed and went on
deck, where I soon learned the cause;--a dark object, scarcely
distinguishable through the fog and gloom of night, was pointed out
to me on our lee beam, two cable-lengths distant, on which we had been
rushing, propelled by wind and current, at the rate of thirteen knots
an hour, when it was observed. A few moments more, and we had been
launched into eternity. Had the vigilance of the look-out been relaxed
for a minute, or had the slightest accident occurred to prevent the
vessel from wearing at the very instant, our doom was certain.
The western extremity of the Island of Akpatok, terminating in a
high promontory seemingly cut down perpendicular to the water's edge,
formed the danger we had so providentially escaped. Next day we saw
the dismal spot in all its horrors. The island was still partially
covered with snow, and no traces of vegetation were discernible; but
a fresh breeze springing up we soon lost sight of this desolate spot,
and made the mouth of the Ungava, or South River, about an hour after
sunset. The captain was a perfect stranger on the coast, and had but a
very imperfect chart to guide him; he nevertheless stood boldly in for
the land, and fortunately discovered the mouth of the river, which we
entered as darkness closed in upon us.
By this time the breeze, that had carried us on so rapidly, increased
to a gale, so that if we had not entered the river so opportunely,
the consequences might have been serious. We were utterly unacquainted
with the coast, which presented a thousand dangers in the shape of
rocks and breakers, that were observable in every direction, as far as
the eye could reach to seaward; we therefore congratulated ourselves
on our fancied security--for it was only fancied, as will presently
appear. We kept firing as we approached the land, with the view of
apprizing the people of the post, who were directed to await us at the
mouth of the river. No sound was heard in reply until we had advanced
a few miles up the river, when we were gratified with hearing the
report of muskets, and presently several torches were visible blazing
a little ahead.
The night was uncommonly dark, the banks of the river being scarcely
perceptible; and although it appeared to me we were much nearer then
than prudence would warrant, we still drew nearer, when our progress
was suddenly arrested. The vessel struck violently on a sunken rock,
and heeled over so much that she was nearly thrown on her beam-ends.
Swinging round, however, with the force of the current, she soon got
off again; and our captain, taking the hint, instantly dropped anchor.
Soon after a couple of Esquimaux came alongside in their canoes, who
gave us to understand by signs that they were sent to pilot us to the
post.
Next day, as soon as the tide proved favourable, our Esquimaux made
signs to weigh anchor, which being done, one of them took his station
by the side of the helmsman, and never moved a moment from the spot,
pointing out the deep channel, with which he appeared well acquainted;
although the utmost anxiety appeared depicted in his countenance, lest
any accident should happen. Once or twice we touched slightly, when
he expressed his dissatisfaction by a deep groan; he managed so well,
however, that he brought us to good anchoring ground ere nightfall.
From 10 A.M. until late in the evening we had only advanced
twenty-five miles, although we pressed against the current with
top-gallant sails set and a strong wind in our favour.
Immediately we anchored, Captain Humphrey and myself determined
on rowing up to the post, where we arrived about four, P.M. I need
scarcely say with what joy our arrival was hailed by people so
seldom visited by strangers, in a situation which had no regular
communication as yet with any other part of the world.
I was much gratified by the appearance of every thing about the
establishment. The buildings had just been finished with materials
sent out from England, through the considerate and kindly feeling of
the Committee, whose compassion had been excited by the accounts they
had heard of the miserable hovels in which the people were lodged when
the place was first settled. After passing an hour or two examining
the fort, (as it is called _par excellence_,) we returned to the
ship, and weighing anchor at an early hour the next morning, (11th
September,) we were soon brought up to the establishment, and landed
without loss of time amid a violent snow-storm. It afforded us no
small consolation, however, to reflect that we had no further cause to
apprehend danger from icebergs or rocks, and that the post afforded us
greater comfort as to living and accommodation than we had been led to
expect.
The vessel, having discharged cargo, dropped down with the stream on
the 15th, leaving us to reflect in undisturbed solitude on the dreary
prospects before us. The clank of the capstan, while the operation
of weighing was being executed, echoing from the surrounding hills,
suggested the question, "When shall that sound be heard again?" From
the melancholy reverie which this idea suggested I was roused by the
voice of my fellow exile, "the companion of my joys and sorrows," in
whose society such gloomy thoughts could not long dwell.
This post is situated in lat. 59° 28', standing on the east bank of
South River, about thirty miles distant from the sea, surrounded by
a country that presents as complete a picture of desolation as can be
imagined; moss-covered rocks without vegetation and without verdure,
constitute the cheerless landscape that greets the eye in every
direction. A few stunted pines growing in the villages form the
only exception; and at this season of the year, when they shed their
leaves, contribute but little to the improvement of the scene.