On our return on board we were informed that, during our absence in the morning, a flock of thirteen wolves, the first yet seen, crossed the ice in the bay from the direction of the huts, and pa.s.sed near the ships. These animals, as we afterward learned, had accompanied or closely followed the Esquimaux on their journey to the island the preceding day, and they proved to us the most troublesome part of their _suite_. They so much resemble the Esquimaux dogs, that, had it not been for some doubt among the officers who had seen them whether they were so or not, and the consequent fear of doing these poor people an irreparable injury, we might have killed most of them the same evening, for they came boldly to look for food within a few yards of the Fury, and remained there for some time.
In order to prevent our people from occasioning the Esquimaux any disturbance or apprehension, I directed that only six from each ship should be allowed to visit the huts at one time, and that they should then be always accompanied by an officer. A strict prohibition was, at the same time, issued against the smallest article of the ships" stores being given to the people without permission, on pain of severe punishment.
At an early hour on the 2d we set out, with a large party, on our proposed excursion to the huts. The natives received us with great cordiality, though with somewhat more noisy expressions of pleasure than before; and we soon began a more minute examination of their habitations and furniture, in which they readily a.s.sisted us, except that they always sat very closely on the deerskins which composed their beds, under which were stowed such articles as they were least willing or able to dispose of. They sold, however, a great number of their things without reluctance; and it was, indeed, astonishing to see with what eagerness they would, for the mere sake of change and variety, barter some of their most indispensable articles for the veriest trifles in our possession.
For instance, a single sewing-needle, of which they possessed abundance not much inferior to our own, procured from them a large, well-sharpened _p=anna_, or man"s knife, made of stout iron, for which, in point of absolute utility, a hundred needles would not have been a fair equivalent. Various other instances of the same kind occurred, by which, indeed, they were not ultimately losers, though they certainly would have been so had our intercourse ended here.
We dined in the huts, and the Esquimaux gladly partook of our biscuit and meat, and even of a little wine, which, however, they did not relish. We returned on board about sunset, much gratified with the interesting day we had pa.s.sed; having laid the foundation of that perfect confidence and good understanding which, with little or no interruption, afterward subsisted between us and our new acquaintance.
On the morning of the 3d, a number of these people were observed to set off over the ice to the southwest, to bring, as we conjectured, either some more of their people or of their property from their last place of abode. On walking out to the huts after divine service, however, we found they had been seal-catching, and had succeeded in taking four. The very small quant.i.ty of food which they had in their huts at first coming, consisting of a little venison, and the flesh and blubber of the whale and seal, induced us to suppose they had left some of their provision behind, and that they would return for it as occasion demanded.
But we now found that even at this rigorous season they were entirely dependant in this way on their daily exertions, and they had only removed into their present quarters on account of the failure of their summer"s store, and of the greater facility of obtaining seals at Winter Island than where the sea was more closely and continually frozen.
On the 4th a number of Esquimaux came to the ships, and we took the opportunity of getting them to go through the process of building a snow hut for our amus.e.m.e.nt and information. From the quickness with which they completed this, our surprise at the sudden appearance of their village ceased; as we now saw that two or three hours would be more than sufficient to complete the whole establishment just as we at first found it. They were then taken on board, and derived great amus.e.m.e.nt from our organ, and from anything in the shape of music, singing, or dancing, of all which they are remarkably fond. Nor can I here omit a striking instance of the honesty of these people which occurred to-day. Some of the gentlemen of the Hecla had purchased two of their dogs, which had the preceding evening made their escape and returned to the huts.
After the departure of the Esquimaux to-day, we were surprised to find that they had left two dogs carefully tied up on board the Fury, which, on inquiry, proved to be the animals in question, and which had been thus faithfully restored to their rightful owners.
On the 5th a number of the natives came on board, according to promise, to rebuild the hut in a more substantial manner, and to put a plate of ice into the roof, as a window, which they did with great quickness as well as care, several of the women cheerfully a.s.sisting in the labour. The men seemed to take no small pride in showing in how expeditious and workmanlike a manner they could perform this; and the hut, with its outer pa.s.sage, was soon completed. From this time they were in the constant habit of coming freely to the ships; and such as it was not always convenient to admit usually found very profitable employment in examining the heaps of ashes, sand, and other rubbish on the outside, where their trouble was well repaid by picking up small sc.r.a.ps of tin or iron. All that they found in this manner we allowed them to consider as their lawful property; but were very particular in preventing their handling anything on board without permission.
The wolves had now begun to do us some damage; for not even the sails that were fastened round the house and observatory could escape their ravenous fangs, and they had thus, in the course of a single night, much injured two of our studding-sails. We set traps for them on the ice, and also large shark-hooks, secured with chains and baited with meat; but the former they entered and destroyed, and the latter was always found broken or bent, without securing the depredators. These animals were indeed so hungry and fearless as to take away some of the Esquimaux dogs in a snow-house near the Hecla"s stern, though the men were at the time within a few yards of them.
From the circ.u.mstance of Captain Lyon and myself having accidentally gone into different huts on our first visits to the village (for by this name I believe we must venture to dignify the united abodes of more than sixty human beings), particular individuals among the Esquimaux had already, in a manner, attached themselves to each of us. Captain Lyon now informed me that one of his acquaintance, a remarkably fine and intelligent young man, named _=Ay~ok~et_, had given him to understand that he had somewhere or other seen _Kabloona_[*] people like ourselves only a few months ago. This being the case, there seemed no reason why, if it were made worth his while, he should not be able to see them again in the course of next summer. Anxious to profit by this unexpected mode of communication, I requested Captain Lyon to endeavour to direct Ayoket"s attention to the scheme of conveying a letter from us to the persons of whom he spoke.
[Footnote: European.]
On the 7th I paid another visit to the huts, where I found scarcely anybody but women and children, the whole of the men, with the exception of the two oldest, having gone on a sealing excursion to the northeastern side of the island. One of the women, named _Il=igliuk_, a sister of the lad Toolooak, who favoured us with a song, struck us as having a remarkably soft voice, an excellent ear, and a great fondness for singing, for there was scarcely any stopping her when she had once begun. We had, on their first visit to the ships, remarked this trait in Iligliuk"s disposition, when she was listening for the first time to the sound of the organ, of which she seemed never to have enough; and almost every day she now began to display some of that superiority of understanding for which she was so remarkably distinguished. A few of the women learned several of our names to-day, and I believe all thought us Angekoks[*] of a very superior cla.s.s, when we repeated to them all round, by the a.s.sistance of our books, the names of all their husbands, obtained on board the preceding day. On our way back to the ships we saw a party of them, with their dogs, returning over the hill from the northeastward; and we afterward met another of eight or ten, who had walked round by the southeast point on the ice, all alike unsuccessful, after being out in the wind for six hours, with the thermometer from 18 to 22 degrees below _zero_. Thus hardly did these people obtain their daily subsistence at this severe season of the year.
[Footnote: Sorcerers or wizards, p.r.o.nounced as written above in Greenland; but at Winter Island _Ang-~et-k~ook_; and by the people at Igloolik, _An-n~at-k~o_.]
A wolf being caught in one of the traps this evening, which was so close as to be easily watched from the ship, a party of the officers ran out to secure the depredator, and fired two b.a.l.l.s into the trap at once to despatch him. Finding, after this, that he continued to bite a sword that was thrust in, a third shot was fired at him. The trap was then sufficiently opened to get his hind legs firmly tied together, after which, being considered tolerably secure, he was pulled out of the trap, which, however, his head had scarcely cleared, when he furiously flew at Mr.
Richards"s throat, and would certainly have done him some serious mischief had not that gentleman, with great presence of mind, seized the animal in his turn by the throat, squeezing him with all his force between both hands. This made the wolf relinquish his first attempt, and Mr. Richards only suffered by a bite in his arm and another in his knee, which, on account of the thickness of his clothes, were happily not severe ones. As for the wolf, he prudently took to his heels, though two of them were still tied together; and, being favoured by the momentary confusion, occasioned by his late rencounter with Mr. Richards, succeeded in escaping his pursuers. He was found dead the following day at the distance of three quarters of a mile from the ships.
On the 8th we were visited by a musical party of females, consisting only of a few individuals expressly invited for this purpose. A number of the officers a.s.sembled in the cabin to hear this vocal concert, while Mr. Henderson and myself took down the notes of their songs, for which, indeed, they gave us every opportunity, for I thought they would never leave off. We afterward amused them with our little band of flutes and violins, and also by some songs, with the whole of which they were extremely well pleased. I feared several of them, and especially Iligliuk, would go into fits with delight when we introduced into our song some of their names mingled with our own. While most of us were thus employed, Captain Lyon took the opportunity of making drawings of some of the women, especially of _Togolat_, the prettiest of the party, and, perhaps, of the whole village. She was about six-and-twenty years of age, with a face more oval than that of Esquimaux in general, very pretty eyes and mouth, teeth remarkably white and regular, and possessing in her carriage and manners a degree of natural gracefulness, which could not be hid even under the disguise of an Esquimaux woman"s dress, and, as was usual with Togolat, the dirtiest face of her whole tribe. Her husband, _Ewerat_, a little ugly man of about five-and-forty, was the only individual among them laying claim to the t.i.tle of Angetkook, and was, in reality, a sensible, obliging man, and a first-rate seal-catcher. They had two children, one of which, a little girl, Togolat still occasionally suckled, and, according to custom, carried in the hood behind her back; the other, a boy about eight years of age, quite an idiot, deaf and dumb from his birth, and squinting most horribly with both eyes.
Finding that these poor creatures were now really in want of food, for the men had again returned from an unsuccessful excursion, I was happy to avail myself of a hint given to me by Captain Lyon, to furnish them occasionally with a small supply of bread-dust, of which we had two or three casks in each ship. Our present party was therefore, in addition to other articles, supplied with several pounds, which they immediately expressed their intention to take home to their children. Several of them visited the ships as usual on the 9th, and among the rest Ka-oong-ut and his son Toolooak. The old gentleman was not a favourite with us, being the only one who had yet begun to tease us by constant begging. We had often expressed displeasure at this habit, which, after a day or two"s acquaintance, began to be extremely troublesome; but I had to-day to take cognizance of his stealing a nail, of which I determined to take a rather serious notice, as it might otherwise lead to more extensive theft. I therefore collected all the other Esquimaux who were on board, and having in their presence expressed great indignation at this conduct, turned the offender away in disgrace. Some of those best acquainted with us were afterward taken into the cabin, where our sentiments were more fully explained to them. Among these I was not sorry to have Toolooak and Iligliuk, who would not fail to report at the huts all our proceedings, but who did not appear to consider themselves in the slightest degree implicated in their father"s offence, or concerned in his disgrace. The people of the huts being much in want of food, we again distributed some bread-dust among them; taking care to send a portion to the infirm old man, _Hik-k~ei-~er= a_, by _Ok~otook_, the husband of Iligliuk, a fine, active, manly fellow of about two-and-thirty, who, as we were pleased to find the next day, had punctually executed his commission.
The Esquimaux went out on the 10th to endeavour to catch seals as usual, but returned unsuccessful after several hours" labour. As it was now evident that their own exertions were not at all times sufficient to procure them food at this season, and that neither indolence nor any idea of dependance on our charity induced them to relax in those exertions, it became inc.u.mbent on us carefully to attend to their wants, and, by a timely and judicious application of the slender resources we had set aside for their use, prevent any absolute suffering among them. We therefore sent out a good meal of bread-dust for each individual, to be divided in due proportion among all the huts. The necessity of this supply appeared very strongly from the report of our people, who found some of these poor creatures actually gnawing a piece of hard sealskin with the hair on it, while few of the huts had any lamp alight. It must be remembered that the failure of their seal-fishery always involves a double calamity, for it not only deprives them of food, but of fuel for their lamps. When this is the case, not to mention the want of warmth and light in the huts, they are also dest.i.tute of the means of melting snow for water, and can therefore only quench their thirst by eating the snow, which is not only a comfortless, but an ineffectual resource. In consequence of this, it was surprising to see the quant.i.ty of water these people drank whenever they came on board; and it was often with difficulty that our coppers could answer this additional demand. I am certain that Toolooak one day drank nearly a gallon in less than two hours. Besides the bread-dust, we also supplied them to-day with a wolf"s carca.s.s, which, raw and frozen as it was, they ate with a good appet.i.te; and, indeed, they had not the means of cooking, or even thawing it. I cannot here omit a pleasing trait in their character, observed by our people who carried out their supplies; not a morsel of which would the grown-up people touch till they had first supplied the wants of their hungry little ones.
On the morning of the 12th, Okotook and his uncle _Arnaneelia_, a sensible and worthy man of about five-and-forty years of age, coming on board from their fishing, we showed them the stage and scenery that were just put up, and invited them and their wives to the play about to be performed this evening. They accordingly went back and brought the women, who understood they were to be present at some diversion, though they did not well know what. It was enough, however, with Iligliuk, just to make the motion of turning the handle of the organ, which, conveying to her mind the idea of music and merriment, was always sure to put her immediately into high spirits. As they came three or four hours before the performance of "John Bull" was to commence, they began to grow tired and impatient, especially when it became dusk, and candles were brought into the cabin. The men then explained that it would soon be dark, and that, in returning late to their huts, they should disturb the people who would then be fast asleep there.
Finding that they grew uneasy, I made no objection to their returning, and sent them off loaded with bread-dust and some oil for each of their lamps. They remained long enough, however, to have a peep at _Mrs. Brulgruddery_, whose dress, when they were informed it was that of a _kabl=o=ona nooll=e=e-~o_ (European wife), they were very anxious in examining, and seemed to grieve at going away without sharing the diversion which this and other preparations seemed to promise.
On the 13th, our friends at the huts were fortunate in procuring three seals, an event that created great joy at the village. Mr.
Allison, who happened to be there when one of these prizes was announced, informed me that there was a general outcry of joy; all the Women hurried to the doors of the huts, and the children rushed to the beach to meet the men dragging along the prize. One of these little urchins, to complete the triumphant exultation with which this event was hailed, instantly threw himself on the animal, and clinging fast to it, was thus dragged to the huts.
Each woman was observed to bring her _=o=otk~oos~eek_, or cooking-pot, to the hut where the seal was dissected, for the purpose of receiving a share of the meat and blubber.
On the 15th it blew a strong gale from S.W. to W.N.W., and the thermometer, either on account of the strength of the wind or its having occasionally some southing in it, rose to -4, being the highest temperature registered in our journals since the 27th of December preceding. I had agreed with Okotook to accompany him on a sealing excursion, but the day proved too inclement, the Esquimaux not going out themselves, though it was not very often that the weather could prevent them. Considering it desirable to increase, by all the means in our power, the chances of these people giving information of us, we distributed among several of the men large round medallions of sheet copper, having these words punched through them: "H.B.M.S. Fury and Hecla, all well, A.D.
1822." These we suspended by a piece of white line round their necks, giving them to understand that they were to show them to any Kabloona people they might ever meet with in future. Similar ornaments, but of a smaller size, were subsequently presented to many of the women, having on them the words "Fury and Hecla, 1822."
Early on the morning of the 16th, observing a party of the Esquimaux, equipped with spears, pa.s.sing near the ships, I joined them, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan and one or two others. Having crossed the point of the island, they walked over the ice to the eastward, where we did not overtake them till they had got above a mile and a quarter from the sh.o.r.e. This party consisted of eight persons, among whom we were glad to find Arnaneelia, Okotook, Toolooak, _Pootooalook_ his elder brother, and one or two others whom we knew. They had by this time, however, separated into two or three different parties, stationed at the distance of half a mile from each other, along the edge of the floe, beyond which, to the eastward, there was clear water as far as we could see for frost-smoke.
The party we at first joined were seated on a high hummock of ice, with their spears in their hands, looking out for seals. After we had talked to them for a few minutes, Okotook suddenly started up and set off along the edge of the ice, without giving us at his companions the least warning. The latter seemed so much accustomed to this, that they took no farther notice than by immediately following him, and we did the same; the whole party walking at a very quick rate, and the natives keeping their heads constantly turned towards the sea to look out for seals. After being thus engaged for an hour and a half, we judged, from the motions of a party at some distance beyond us, that they had game in view. As we approached them, Okotook evidently began to be apprehensive that we, who did not understand the matter, would spoil their sport. To prevent this, he did the most civil thing that could well have been devised, which was, to send his companions one by one to the spot, and to remain with us himself, keeping us at such a distance as to allow us to see their proceedings, without alarming the animal they were in pursuit of. The other seven Esquimaux, now forming one party, disposed themselves into a single line, so as to make as small an appearance as possible in the direction in which they were going, and in this manner crept very cautiously towards the margin of the floe. On a sudden they all stooped down quite low to hide themselves, and continued thus a quarter of an hour, during which time they prepared their lines and spears; and then, when the animal appeared to be intercepted from their view, again took the opportunity of gaining a few paces upon him, in the same cautious manner as before. When they had been thus occupied for a full hour, alternately creeping and stooping down, the seal, which had been lying on the ice, took the water, and they then gave up their chase. During this time, Okotook could scarcely restrain his impatience to be nearer the scene of action; and when we produced a spygla.s.s, which appeared to bring his companions close to us, he had not words to express his surprise and satisfaction. In a short time he held it as steadily as we did, and explained by signs every motion he observed.
As soon as they had given up the seal they had been watching, the whole party seemed with one accord to turn their steps homeward, in which direction, being that of the ships also, we were by this time not sorry to accompany them. We were now between three and four miles northeast of the ships, and full a mile and a half from any part of the sh.o.r.e. In the open water beyond the floe, the tide was running two knots to the northward, and as the ice on which we stood had been formed only within the last fortnight, and a sheet as substantial as this had before been carried away by the stream it was impossible not to feel some apprehension lest we might thus be detached from the sh.o.r.e, an accident that has been known to happen to Esquimaux ere now,[*] and has probably more frequently befallen them, when none have survived to tell the tale.
[Footnote: Crantz, London edition, 1820, Appendix, p. 310.]
As we returned towards the land, we came to a small rising on the level surface of the floe not larger than a common molehill, and of much the same shape, at which one of the Esquimaux immediately stopped. His companions, still walking on, called us away, explaining that what we saw was the work of a seal, and that it was probable the animal was about to complete his hole and to come up on the ice, in which case the man would endeavour to kill him.
We watched the man at the hole, however, with a gla.s.s, for more than half an hour, observing him constantly putting his head down towards the ice, as if in the act of listening for the seal, but without otherwise changing his position; after which he followed us on board without success.
If, however, a man has any reason to suppose that a seal is at work beneath, he immediately attaches himself to the place, and seldom leaves it till he has succeeded in killing the animal. For this purpose, he first builds a snow-wall about four feet in height, to shelter him from the wind, and, seating himself under the lee of it, deposites his spear, lines, and other implements upon several little forked sticks inserted into the snow, in order to prevent the smallest noise being made in moving them when wanted. But the most curious precaution to the same effect consists in tying his own knees together with a thong, so securely as to prevent any rustling of his clothes, which might otherwise alarm the animal. In this situation a man will sit quietly sometimes for hours together, attentively listening to any noise made by the seal, and sometimes using the _keip-kuttuk_, an instrument hereafter described, in order to ascertain whether the animal is still at work below. When he supposes the hole to be nearly completed, he cautiously lifts his spear, to which the line has been previously attached, and, as soon as the blowing of the seal is distinctly heard, and the ice consequently very thin, he drives it into him with the force of both arms, and then cuts away with his _panna_ the remaining crust of ice, to enable him to repeat the wounds and get him out. The _neitiek_ is the only seal killed in this manner, and, being the smallest, is held while struggling either simply by hand, or by putting the line round a spear with the point stuck into the ice. For the _oguke_, the line is pa.s.sed round the man"s leg or arm; and for a walrus, round his body, his feet being at the same time firmly set against a hummock of ice, in which position these people can, from habit, hold against a very heavy strain. Boys of fourteen or fifteen years of age consider themselves equal to the killing of a _neitiek_, but it requires a full-grown person to master either of the larger animals.
On the 17th, a number of the Esquimaux coming before the church service, we gave them to understand, by the sun, that none could be admitted before noon, when they quietly remained outside the ships till divine service had been performed. We then endeavoured to explain to Iligliuk that every seventh day they must not come to the ships, for, without any intention of offending, they had become rather an annoyance in this way. They now brought with them a great many little canoes and paddles, sledges, figures of men and women; and other toys, most of them already bespoke by the officers and men, and the rest for sale.
Toolooak, who now considered himself as quite privileged to find his way into the cabin without a conductor, and was not backward in thus practising his newly-acquired art of opening and shutting the door, sat with me for a couple of hours on the 18th, quietly drawing faces and animals, an occupation to which he took a great fancy; and we often were reminded, by this circ.u.mstance, of a similar propensity displayed by his amiable countryman, our lamented friend John Sackhouse. We soon found that Toolooak possessed a capacity equal to anything he chose to take an interest in learning; and could he, at his present age, have been voluntarily removed from his companions, and his attention directed to the acquirement of higher branches of knowledge than that of catching seals, he would have amply repaid any pains bestowed upon his education. I had always entertained great objection to taking any such individual from his home, on the doubtful chance of benefiting himself, or of his doing any service to the public as an interpreter. My scruples on this head had hitherto been confined to the consideration due to the individual himself, and to the relatives he leaves behind. In our present case, however, not the smallest public advantage could be derived from it; for it had long ago become evident that we should soon know more of the Esquimaux language than any of them were likely to learn of English in any reasonable period of time. I was therefore far from desiring to receive from Toolooak an answer in the affirmative, when I to-day plainly put the question to him, whether he would go with me to _Kabloona noona_ (European country). Never was a more decisive negative given than Toolooak gave to this proposal. He eagerly repeated the word _na-o_ (no) half a dozen times, and then told me that if he went away his father would cry. This simple but irresistible appeal to paternal affection, his decisive manner of making it, and the feelings by which his reply was evidently dictated, were just what could have been wished. No more could be necessary to convince those who saw it, that these people may justly lay equal claim with ourselves to these common feelings of our nature; and, having once satisfied myself of this, I determined never again to excite in Toolooak"s mind another disagreeable sensation, by talking to him on this subject.
Besides the toys and models I have mentioned above, as articles of barter with these people, we also employed them more usefully in making wooden shades for the eyes, after their own method, as the time was fast approaching when some such precaution would become necessary to guard the eyes from the excessive glare of reflected light. There was also a considerable _trade_ established in mittens, which being made of prepared sealskin, and nearly water-tight, were particularly serviceable to our men when constantly handling the leadlines in the summer. In this manner we contrived to turn our new acquaintance to some little account.
Among the natives who visited the Fury to-day was Ewerat; of whom I have already spoken as _Ang-et-kook_, or chief sorcerer of the tribe, a distinction with which he had made some of our gentlemen acquainted at one, of their earliest visits to the huts. Being desirous of seeing him perform some of the tricks which had acquired for him this pre-eminence, I requested him to indulge me with a sight of them. After some little demur, he began to make his lips quiver, then moved his nose up and down, gradually closed his eyes, and increased the violence of his grimaces till every feature was hideously distorted; at the same time, he moved his head rapidly from side to side, uttering sometimes a snuffling sound, and at others a raving sort of cry. Having worked himself into this ridiculous kind of phrensy, which lasted, perhaps, from twenty to thirty seconds, he suddenly discontinued it, and suffered his features to relax into their natural form; but the motion of his head seemed to have so stupified him, as indeed it well might, that there remained an unusual vacancy and a drowsy stare upon his countenance for some time afterward. Being pressed to repeat this piece of buffoonery, he did so two or three times; and on one occasion Togolat asked him, in a serious tone, some questions respecting me, which he as seriously answered. In general, however, the women paid little attention to his grimaces, and the whole ended with a hearty laugh from all parties.
I had to-day some conversation with a woman named Appokiuk, whom Iligliuk had mentioned as having seen Kabloona people before us.
This woman was gifted, however, with such a volubility of tongue, that speaking, as she did, in a language very imperfectly known to us, she gave no time for questions, and therefore afforded little information. All we could make out for certain was, that she had, within a year past, seen two _Kabloona oomiak_ (whether ships or boats was still doubtful[*]), and that her husband was now far away. From all this we concluded that she had been far enough to the southward to see the Hudson"s Bay ships in the course of their annual voyage; and this account gave us very sanguine hopes of being thus able to communicate with them by means of some of the Esquimaux.
[Footnote: These people apply the word _oomiak_ to any vessel larger than a canoe.]
On the 20th, a number of our new friends having been allowed upon the upper deck, an old woman named _Ay=ug-g~a-lo~ok_ stole our cooper"s punch, which she was showing to her companions alongside the Hecla just afterward, when Lieutenant Hoppner observed it, and sent her back with an escort. It was impossible not to admit that the fault was chiefly on our side, in permitting these poor people to roam about too freely amid temptations which scarcely anything human could have withstood; but as it was necessary to take some notice of it, I went through nearly the same process as with Kaoongut, and dismissed her with great appearance of indignation to the huts. We were glad to find that their wants had there been well supplied to-day, three seals having been caught. They had lately, indeed, been tolerably successful in general, and required but little of our a.s.sistance. Mr. Elder observing one of their dogs attacked by several wolves, and hastening to the spot with his gun, found that these animals had made such quick work in the part.i.tion of their prey, that, though he reached the scene of action in a few minutes, and the dog had at first made considerable resistance, only one of its hind legs remained, each wolf having run off with its share. It is remarkable that these creatures had never entered our traps since the moon had declined to the southward, whereas not a night elapsed before that without their going to them. The Esquimaux had in theirs caught only a fox.
During the eclipse of the sun which took place to-day, the diminution, of light was very considerable, but the weather was unfavourable for observing it for any useful purpose. Captain Lyon remarked, that some of the Esquimaux, who were on alarmed at this phenomenon, which, indeed, made a general bustle among them. Two of them were found on the ice lying on their faces, but it was not ascertained whether their superst.i.tions on this subject were the same as those of their brethren in Greenland.
Mr. Henderson being desirous of seeing something of the customs of these people during the hours of darkness, obtained my permission to pa.s.s the night at the huts, accompanied by Mr. Griffiths. Soon after they left the ships in the evening it came on to blow strong from the northwest, with much snowdrift, so that, losing the tracks, they with difficulty found the village. Returning on board in the course of the next forenoon, we were pleased to hear that they had met with every attention, and especially from Okotook, with whom they lodged. As they had slept in Kaoongut"s hut, one side of which was occupied by Okotook and his family, the old fellow thought it a good opportunity to make up the quarrel occasioned by his dishonesty; and he accordingly made his appearance on board to-day for the first time since that event.
Toolooak was deputed to bring his father down into the cabin, where a formal reconciliation took place, to the great satisfaction of the latter, who had found out that to be out of favour with us was attended with the serious consequence of being also out of pocket.
It was laughable to observe the pains he now took to impress on the minds of every person he saw that he was no longer a _tigliktoke_, by which name he had lately been distinguished; for he seemed to think that my receiving him again into favour was a perfect absolution from his offense.
On the 23d I paid another visit to the huts, and found the greater part of the men absent on their sealing excursions. We thought, however, that, except on pressing occasions, one man was left in each hut to keep an eye on the conduct of the women, and this was the case to-day. The huts had in the interior a.s.sumed a somewhat different appearance since I had last seen them; the roofs were much blackened by the smoke of the lamps, and the warmth had in most parts given them a glazed and honey-combed surface; indeed, the whole of the walls had become much thinner by thawing, so that the light was more plainly visible through them. The snow also, on which the lamps stood, was considerably worn away, so as to destroy, in great measure, the regularity of the original plan of construction. To these changes might be added that of a vast quant.i.ty of blood and oil that now defaced the purity of the snowy floor, and emitted effluvia not very agreeable to European noses; so that, upon the whole, it may be imagined that our first impressions of the comfort and cleanliness of these habitations were more favourable than their present state was calculated to excite.
To the original apartments they had now also added various small places for stores, communicating with the huts from within, and looking something like our ovens, though without any door to them.
In some of these they deposited their upper jackets, which they usually take off in coming into their huts, as we do a greatcoat; while in smaller ones, like little shelves in a recess, they kept various articles of their Kabloona riches. These and similar alterations and additions they were constantly making throughout the winter; for their inexhaustible materials being always at hand, it required but little time and labour to adopt any arrangement that might suit their convenience.
After distributing a number of presents in the first four huts, I found, on entering the last, that Pootooalook had been successful in bringing in a seal, over which two elderly women were standing, armed with large knives, their hands and faces besmeared with blood, and delight and exultation depicted on their countenances.
They had just performed the first operation of dividing the animal into two parts, and thus laying open the intestines. These being taken out, and all the blood carefully baled up and put into the _ootkooseek_, or cooking-pot, over the fire, they separated the head and flippers from the carca.s.s, and then divided the ribs. All the loose sc.r.a.ps were put into the pot for immediate use, except such as the two butchers now and then crammed into their mouths, or distributed to the numerous and eager by-standers for still more immediate consumption. Of these morsels the children came in for no small share, every little urchin that could find its way to the slaughterhouse running eagerly in, and, between the legs of the men and women, presenting its mouth for a large lump of raw flesh, just as an English child of the same age might do for a piece of sugar-candy. Every now and then, also, a dog would make his way towards the reeking carca.s.s, and, when in the act of seizing upon some delicate part, was sent off yelping by a heavy blow with the handles of the knives. When all the flesh is disposed of, for a portion of which each of the women from the other huts usually brings her ootkooseek, the blubber still remains attached to the skin, from which it is separated the last; and the business being now completed, the two parts of the hide are rolled up and laid by, together with the store of flesh and blubber. During the dissection of their seals, they have a curious custom of sticking a thin filament of skin, or of some part of the intestines, upon the foreheads of the boys, who are themselves extremely fond of it, it being intended, as Iligliuk afterward informed me, to make them fortunate seal-catchers.
The seals which they take during the winter are of two kinds--the _Neitiek_, or small seal (_phoca hispida_), and the _Oguke_, or large seal (_phoca barbata_). These and the _E=i-~u-~ek_, or walrus, const.i.tute their means of subsistence at this season; but, on this particular part of the coast, the latter are not very abundant, and they chiefly catch the neitiek. The animal we had now seen dissected was of that kind, and with young at the time. A small one taken out of it had a beautiful skin, which, both in softness and colour, very much resembled raw silk; but no inducement could make Pootooalook part with it, he having destined it for that night"s supper.
After quitting this scene of filth, I found, on returning to Kaoongut"s hut, that Toolooak had been no less successful than his brother, and that the same operation was also performing here.
Having, therefore, explained to Iligliuk that none of them were to come to the ships the following day, I had no inclination to see the process repeated, and was glad to take my leave.
On the 28th, Okotook and Iligliuk coming on board, an occurrence took place, which, as it shows the disposition of the Esquimaux, and especially of one of the most intelligent and interesting among them, I may here relate. Some time before, Iligliuk, who, from the superior neatness and cleanliness with which she performed her work, was by this time in great request as a seamstress, had promised to cover for me a little model of a canoe, and had, in fact, sent it to me by the sergeant of marines, though I had not rightly understood from the latter from which of the women it came. Believing that she had failed in her promise, I now taxed her with it, when she immediately defended herself with considerable warmth and seriousness, but without making me comprehend her meaning. Finding that she was wasting her words upon me, she said no more till an hour afterward, when the sergeant accidentally coming into the cabin, she, with the utmost composure, but with a decision of manner peculiar to herself, took hold of his arm to engage his attention, and then looking him steadfastly in the face, accused him of not having faithfully executed her commission to me. The mistake was thus instantly explained, and I thanked Iligliuk for her canoe; but it is impossible for me to describe the quiet, yet proud satisfaction displayed in her countenance at having thus cleared herself from the imputation of a breach of promise.
There being among the presents with which we were supplied a number of pikes, we presented two or three of these from each ship to the most deserving of the Esquimaux, to serve as staves for their spears; and valuable ones they proved to them. Upon each pike were marked, by small nails driven into the wood, the words "Fury and Hecla, 1822."
Almost the whole of these people were now affected with violent colds and coughs, occasioned by a considerable thawing that had lately taken place in their huts, so as to wet their clothes and bedding; though we had, as yet, experienced no great increase of temperature. From the nature of their habitations, however, their comfort was greater, and their chance of health better, when the cold was more severe. On this account, they began to make fresh alterations in these curious dwelling-places, either by building the former apartments two or three feet higher, or adding others, that they might be less crowded. In building a higher hut, they constructed it over, and, as it were, concentric with the old one, which is then removed from within. It is curious to consider that, in all these alterations, the object kept in view was _coolness_, and this in houses formed of snow!