Part 10 (1/2)

The musquitoes were rather troublesome; but this I was not sorry for, as the Esquimaux said that the ice in the bay would soon break up after these tormentors made their appearance.

As our native friends were now getting sufficient fish to maintain them, they required no further a.s.sistance from us at present. Their mode of catching salmon is a very simple one. They build a barrier of stones about 1 or 2 feet high across a creek, some distance below high-water mark. The salmon, which keep close to the sh.o.r.e at this season, are by this means, during the ebb of the tide, cut off from the sea, and are easily speared. About sixty were thus killed this day. The spear used is usually made of two diverging pieces of musk-ox horn, from 4 to 5 inches apart at the extremities; between these there is a p.r.o.ng of bone about 3 or 4 inches shorter than the outer ones. Each of the longer p.r.o.ngs is furnished with a barb on its inner side, made of a bent nail or piece of bone, which prevents the fish from escaping. The handle is 6 or 8 feet long. The head of the instrument much resembles a three-p.r.o.nged fork, with the middle p.r.o.ng a little shorter than the others.

The moon was full this day. High-water at 45 minutes past noon. Arkshuk, s.h.i.+makuk, and Kei-ik-too-oo visited us on the 28th, bringing a few pairs of boots for sale. The tins which contained preserved meat, and table knives and forks, were in great demand among these good folks. One of the ladies to whom I gave a fork, used it as neatly in eating fish as if she had been accustomed to it from childhood. Thermometer as high as +60 in the shade.

The ice in the bay had broken up for more than a mile from the sh.o.r.e opposite the mouth of the river, but some distance out it looked as white and firm as ever.

I had for some time observed that large stones, some of them of one or two tons weight, were making their appearance on the ice; and I was much puzzled to make out how they came there. They could not have fallen from the sh.o.r.e, as the beach was sloping at the place, nor had they been carried in by drift ice of the previous season. The only way that I could account for it was this. At the commencement of winter the ice layer acquiring considerable thickness, had become frozen to the stones lying on the bottom, and raised them up when the tide came in. The stones would get gradually enclosed in the ice as it grew thicker by repeated freezings, whilst by the process of evaporation, which goes on very rapidly in the spring, the upper surface was continually wasting away, so that in June and July there was little of the first formed ice remaining, and thus the stones which at first were on the under surface of the ice appeared on the top. This may perhaps in some measure account for boulders, sand, sh.e.l.ls, &c. being sometimes found where geologists fancy they ought not to be. Ice has been time out of mind the great ”conveyancer.”

August 1st.--We were visited this day by an Esquimaux named I-ik-tu-ang, whom I had not before seen. He had pa.s.sed the winter near the Ooglit Islands, a few days' journey from Igloolik. He said that, when a boy, he was frequently on board the Fury and Hecla in 1822-23, and that the ”Kabloonans” killed a number of walruses, and some black whales, with two small boats; that the walruses were put in ”cache” for them (the Esquimaux), who were rather short of provisions at the time, and that they received the _skins_ of the whales. They had abundance of provisions last winter, but were visited by a very fatal disease--from what I learnt of the symptoms, resembling influenza--which carried off twenty-one grown-up persons. The children were not attacked with this complaint. Two of the party at Igloolik had been reduced to the necessity of putting to death and eating two children, to save themselves from starvation.

Four men, whilst hunting the sea-horse with their canoes lashed together, were a.s.saulted by this fierce animal, struck down with his formidable tusks, their canoes capsized and broken, and the whole party drowned. Another poor fellow having early in the winter harpooned a walrus through a hole in the ice, was dragged into the water before he could disengage himself from the line. The ice being still thin and transparent, the body was found a few days after.

I-ik-tu-ang also informed me--as I had already supposed from various appearances--that there is open water throughout the winter between this and the Frozen Strait, through which a strong current runs with the flow and ebb of the tide,--so strong is it that when bears are pursued and take the water, they are often swept under the ice and drowned.

In the afternoon two more Esquimaux with their wives from the same quarter, accompanied by Akkee-ou-lik and his family, made their appearance.

Some of the natives who had taken up their quarters near us were supplied daily with fish. They appeared quite as indolent as most of the other savage tribes of America, and never thought of looking out for food, so long as they could get enough to support life from us. Although they had a wear made for confining the salmon, they would not take the trouble to spear them when in it.

We endeavoured to get some young marmots, but without success. I find that these curious little animals leave their winter habitations, which are usually formed in dry sandy banks, as soon as the snow has in a great measure disappeared, and take up their summer residence among the rocks, where, I have no doubt, they are much safer from their numerous enemies.

The weather was still fine on the 6th, but it appeared to have little effect on the ice in the bay, which still remained hard and fast. All the largest and deepest lakes were covered with strong ice.

9th.--On looking out this morning I was happy to see a lane of open water stretching completely across the bay, but there was still a strong barrier between us and the south point, although a pa.s.sage to the northward might easily have been made. The nets produced eighty salmon, the greater part of which were given to the Esquimaux. The fishery was now abandoned, as we could procure close at hand as many salmon as we required.

During the whole of our spring fis.h.i.+ng Halkett's air-boat was used for setting and examining the nets, and was preferred by the fishermen to the large canvas canoe, as it was much lighter, and pa.s.sed over and round the nets with more facility. Notwithstanding its continued use on a rocky sh.o.r.e, it never required the slightest repair. It is altogether a most useful little vessel, and, as I have said before, ought to form part of the equipment of all surveying parties, whether by land or sea.

The men from the fishery were followed soon after by the Esquimaux with their baggage, which it took more than a dozen trips of our canoe to ferry over.

The large lakes were still covered with a thick coat of ice. There were a great many seals in the open water, and some of the fish in the nets had been eaten by them.

10th.--A storm from the north with rain and snow until noon, when the wind somewhat abated, and the weather cleared up. Great havoc was made among the ice, and in the evening there was a clear sea as far as the point of the bay.

11th.--There was a gale of wind all day with rain occasionally--the weather cold and unpleasant. We were all busily employed in preparing for sea. All the snow-banks for six or eight feet from the ground having been converted into solid ice soon after the spring thaw commenced, we had to dig out the chain and anchor of one of the boats, which were buried under ice of that thickness; yet on the very spot where this chain and anchor lay, there was not a particle of either ice or snow on the 25th July last year; such is the variable nature of this northern climate.

In the afternoon Nibitabo was sent to endeavour to get some fresh venison for our voyage, and shot two young deer; St. Germain and Mineau set the nets for a supply of salmon, and I was busy distributing among the Esquimaux axes, files, knives, scissors, &c. &c. &c.

The large lakes were still covered with ice, but in the bay there was little or none to be seen.

FOOTNOTE:

[4] Receipt.--Seven lbs. flour, 1 oz. carbonate soda, oz. citric acid, oz. common salt, water (cold), about gallon. The salt, soda, and acid being finely powdered and dry, are to be well mixed together; this mixture being well wrought up with the dry flour, the water is to be added in 2 or 3 parts and mingled with the flour as quickly as possible; the dough being put into pans is immediately to be placed in the oven.

CHAPTER IX.

Voyage from Repulse Bay to York Factory.

Having got every thing ready, the boat launched and loaded about 2 o'clock P.M. on the 12th of August, I was about to distribute our spare kettles, some hoop iron, &c. among the Esquimaux, when the compa.s.s of one of the boats was missing. Search was made, but no compa.s.s was to be found. At last I thought of turning over some heather that lay close to where my tent had been, and there discovered it. It had been concealed by one of the Esquimaux women--a widow--to whom more presents had been made than to any of the others.

Some of the most decent of the men appeared really sorry at parting, and waded into the water to shake hands with me.