Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Volume I Part 12

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 s.h.i.+ps or the village.

The month of February closed with the thermometer at -32, and, though the sun had now attained a meridian alt.i.tude 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 astonis.h.i.+ng 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 lat.i.tude.

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.--s.h.i.+ps 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 quant.i.ties whenever they came to the s.h.i.+ps, 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 bra.s.s 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 bra.s.s 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 a.s.sure 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 s.h.i.+ps on the morning of the 16th, a.s.suring 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 s.h.i.+ps, 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 quant.i.ty 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 antic.i.p.ated, 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 princ.i.p.al 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, princ.i.p.ally 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 ma.s.ses of ice in pursuit of walruses, that Captain Lyon, who observed their situation from the s.h.i.+ps, had it in contemplation, in the course of the evening, to launch one of the small boats to go to their a.s.sistance. 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 sh.o.r.e. 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 a.s.sist 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 surpa.s.sed 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 sc.r.a.ps of meat for their children and themselves. From this time, which was nine o'clock, till past midnight, fresh cargoes were continually arriving; the princ.i.p.al 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 quant.i.ty 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 circ.u.mstance 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 a.s.sured 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 superst.i.tious 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 ma.s.sacre of the Esquimaux recorded by Hearne, and gave them to understand that the Indians spared neither age nor s.e.x, 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+ps a.s.sume 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 s.h.i.+p 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 fas.h.i.+oned 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 s.e.x, 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 a.s.surance 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 s.h.i.+p, 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 sh.o.r.e was diminis.h.i.+ng. 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 a.s.sured 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 a.s.sisted 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 fas.h.i.+on 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 grat.i.tude, 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 ingrat.i.tude, 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 circ.u.mstance 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 quant.i.ty 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 a.s.sisting 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 antic.i.p.ate every want.

One of Okotook's brothers had arrived from the huts, bringing with him some walrus-flesh to tempt the appet.i.te 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 amus.e.m.e.nt 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 quant.i.ty 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 a.s.serted 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 superst.i.tion 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 grat.i.tude 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 s.e.x. Thus regarded, she had always been freely admitted into the s.h.i.+ps, 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, a.s.suming certain airs which, though infinitely diversified in their operation according to circ.u.mstances, 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 s.h.i.+ps 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, a.s.sisted 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 s.h.i.+ps 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 superst.i.tion 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 s.h.i.+ps 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.