_Pass Cape Nennoktok. Visit the Esquimaux families at
Kummaktorvik and Amitok. Description of an Esquimaux travelling
bed. Mountains seen at Ungava. Netsek seal described. Greenland
houses. Danger of being shipwrecked near Kakkeviak._
July 20th.--We proceeded with little or no wind, and taking to our oars,
doubled the great Cape of Nennoktok. Here a strong swell from the sea
met us, and tossed our boat violently about, and, having no wind, it
drove us nearer to the shore than was perfectly safe. We remained about
an hour in this unpleasant situation, when a breeze sprung up, which
carried us out to the open sea among islands. It now began to rain very
hard, and the wind rose. While Brother Kmoch was assisting the people on
deck, Brother Kohlmeister had enough to do below, to keep peace among
the furniture of our cabin, and sometimes found himself defeated in his
attempts, pots and pans, and boxes, and every thing that was not a
fixture, tumbling upon him. Several of our people were in the skin-boat,
and the fury of the wind and sea would not permit them to come to our
assistance. The weather also became so thick and foggy between the
islands, that we were unable to see to any distance. Jonathan was
therefore glad to have been yesterday on shore, when from the mountain
he discovered the situation of the promontory, the coast, and the
islands before us, and now contrived to steer in the proper direction.
We soon found ourselves in smoother water, and among islands, where a
vast number of seals and birds made their appearance. At six in the
evening we reached _Kummaktorvik_, and came to an anchor.
Having landed, Brother Kmoch shot a hare, close to the beach. These
creatures are white in winter, and grey in summer, and in winter so
numerous, that though, when roasted, they are excellent food, we were
almost tired of them last year at Okkak.
The rain continuing during the whole of the night and forenoon of the
21st, we found it necessary by sufficient rest to strengthen ourselves
for future watchfulness.
An Esquimaux travelling bed consists of a large bag of reindeer-skin,
with the hair turned inward, covered with seal-skin, the hair turned
outward. It is furnished with a broad flap to cover the mouth, and a
strap to fasten down the flap. This bag comprehends the whole apparatus
and furniture of an Esquimaux bed-room. Having undressed, the traveller
creeps into it, and a kind neighbour having shut him up close by
fastening the strap, he leaves him to sleep on till morning, when he
helps him out again. In summer the flap is dispensed with. The
invention, however, is of European origin, and a luxury introduced by
the Missionaries; for an Esquimaux lies down in his clothes, without
further preparation.
In the morning we landed, and had the usual Sunday's service with our
people on shore; after which Brother Kohlmeister visited the Esquimaux
in their tents, and had some religious conversation with them, to which
they seemed to pay attention. Afterwards Kuttaktok, John, Nukkapiak, and
Kajulik, with their wives, came to see us on board. They are the winter
inhabitants of this bay. John was baptized in infancy at Okkak, but
afterwards left the settlement, and not only associates with the heathen
Esquimaux, but has even been guilty of murder. All of them, however,
come occasionally to Okkak. They had two tents about four miles from our
landing place.
22d. The contrary wind forbidding our departure, Brother Kohlmeister,
accompanied by Jonathan, Jonas, and Thukkekina, walked across the
country to the N.W. bay, to return their visit. When they saw them
coming at a distance, they fired their pieces, to direct them to the
tents, and came joyfully to meet the Missionary and his party. Nothing
could exceed the cordiality with which they received them. A kettle was
immediately put on the fire to cook salmon-trout, and all were invited
to partake, which was the more readily accepted, as the length of the
walk had created an appetite, the keenness of which overcame all
squeamishness. To do these good people justice, their kettle was rather
cleaner than usual, the dogs having licked it well, and the fish were
fresh and well dressed. To honour the Missionary, a box was placed for
him to sit upon, and the fish were served up to each upon a flat stone
instead of a plate. After dinner, Brother Kohlmeister, in acknowledgment
for their civility, gave to each of the women two needles, and a small
portion of tobacco to each man, with which they were highly delighted.
All of them being seated, a very lively and unreserved conversation took
place concerning the only way of salvation, through Jesus Christ, and
the necessity of conversion. With John and his mother Mary, Brother
Kohlmeister spoke very seriously, and represented to them the danger of
their state, as apostates from the faith; but they seem blinded by
Satan, and determined to persist in their heathenish life. The Esquimaux
now offered to convey the party across the bay in their skin-boat, which
was accepted. Almost all of them accompanied the boat, and met with a
very friendly reception from our boat's company. In the evening, after
some hymns had been sung by our people, Jonas addressed them and the
heathen Esquimaux in a short, nervous discourse, on the blessedness of
being reconciled unto God.
Kummaktorvik bay runs N.E. and S.W. and is defended by some islands from
the sea. It is about four or five miles long, and surrounded by high
mountains, with some pleasant plains at their foot, covered with
verdure. It's distance from Nachvak is about twelve miles. This chain of
mountains, as will be hereafter mentioned, may be seen from
Kangertlualuksoak, in Ungava Bay, which is a collateral proof, that the
neck of land, terminated to the N. by Cape Chudleigh, is of no great
width. Both the Nain and Okkak Esquimaux frequently penetrate far enough
inland to find the rivers taking a westerly direction, consequently
towards the Ungava country. They even now and then have reached the
woods skirting the estuaries of George and South rivers.
23d. We set sail at sun-rise, but the wind being too high to suffer us
to proceed with safety, we again anchored in a commodious harbour in
_Amitok_ island. Our people were here busily employed in repairing the
damaged rigging and sails. Towards evening Jonas caught a seal, to the
great gratification of our party. It was dressed immediately, and we
joined them in their repast with a good appetite.
The _Netsek_ is the only species of seal which remains during the winter
under the ice. They form in it large caverns, in which they bring forth
their young, two at a time, in March. More than one cavern belongs to
one seal, that he may, if disturbed in the first, take shelter in the
second. No other kind of seal is caught in winter by the Esquimaux.
24th. Brother Kmoch rose at two, and went on shore to examine the island
more minutely. The morning was beautiful, and the sun rose with great
splendour. _Amitok_ lies N.W. from Kummaktorvik, is of an oblong shape,
and stretches out pretty far towards the sea. The hills are of moderate
height, the land is in many places flat, but in general destitute of
grass. On the other side are some ruins of Greenland houses.
The Esquimaux have a tradition, that the Greenlanders came originally
from Canada, and settled on the outermost islands of this coast, but
never penetrated into the country, before they were driven eastward to
Greenland. This report gains some credit, from the state in which the
abovementioned ruins are found. They consist in remains of walls and
graves, with a low stone enclosure round the tomb, covered with a slab
of the same material. They have been discovered on islands near Nain,
and though sparingly, all along the whole eastern coast, but we saw none
in Ungava bay. The rocks on Amitok contain large masses of a crumbly,
semi-transparent garnet, of a reddish hue. (From some specimens sent
out, it rather appears to be a rose red quartz, or beryllite).
As it appeared as if we should be detained here, Brother Kmoch had made
a fire, and was leisurely cooking a savoury mess of birds for breakfast,
when Jonathan returned from the hills, with intelligence that the wind
was abating in violence, and he therefore would proceed. The tent was
struck, and all hurried on board: yet we had long to combat both an
unfavourable wind and a strong current, which compelled us to double the
East point of the island, and seek shelter among some small islands,
steering for _Niakungu_ point. From hence we got the first sight of
_Tikkerarsuk_, (the Esquimaux name for a low point stretching from the
continent into the sea), of the island _Aulatzevik_, and the high
promontory of _Kakkeviak_. The whole country to the west of _Niakungu_
is called _Serliarutsit_. It fell calm as we doubled the point, and we
took to our oars, and came to an anchor in an open bay, south of
Tikkerarsuk.
25th. At 6 P.M. we got under weigh with a fine S.E. wind, and made for
the island of _Aulatzevik_, which is about the same size as an island of
the same name, near Kiglapeyd. The passage between the island and the
main is too shallow for an European boat like ours. The wind rising we
sailed towards Kakkeviak at a great rate. To the right lay a chain of
small islands called by the Esquimaux Pikkiulits, (the habitation of
young eider-ducks). Having nearly doubled _Kakkeviak_ cape, we perceived
two tents on shore, which occasioned loud rejoicings on board. They
belonged to _Kumiganna_ of _Saeglek_, with his party, who being bound to
Killinek, had promised to accompany us thither. The wind was very high,
and the Cape encircled with numerous visible and invisible rocks, but
there was a clear passage to the shore, keeping outside of the breakers.
But whether from the violence of the wind, or from the eagerness with
which our trusty captain wished soon to join his countrymen, he steered
right through the midst of them, when suddenly the boat struck with
great violence upon a sunken rock. The shock was so great, that all on
board were thrown down, and every thing tumbled about. Poor Agnes,
Jonas's wife, got a severe wound in her head. We immediately took in all
our sails, and after hard labour, succeeded in pushing the boat off the
rock. On examination we found that all was safe, and thanked God, with
hearts filled with humble acknowledgments of His mercy, for preserving
us from danger and death. The boat had struck in such a manner, that the
keel, which was new and strong, being constructed of one solid piece of
timber, sustained the whole shock. Had she taken the rock with her
bottom, she would most likely have bilged, or upset, and it is a great
question, whether our lives, but particularly the lives of the little
children, could have been saved, the sea running very high. The
skin-boat was thrown right over the rocks on shore, by the violence of
the surf.
Kumiganna soon came off in his kayak, and advised us to steer for the
land right before us, where he thought we should find _Uttakiyok_; nor
was there any safe anchorage in this place. We therefore took a young
Esquimaux on board as pilot, and steered between the main land and the
islands, for _Oppernavik_, twenty English miles off. Having left the
skin-boat to follow us, we cut swiftly through the water, and soon
reached the place of our destination.