Life with the Esquimaux/Volume 2/Chapter 10
CHAPTER X.
A Storm—Detained at Niountelik—Examine the Island—Another Deposit of Coal found—Specimens collected—Revisit Kodlunarn—Minute Inspection—More Relics found of Frobisher's Expedition—A large Piece of Iron—The "Ship's Trench"—Depart on return to Ship—Revisit the Whaling Dépôt—Last Encampment by Lupton Channel—Innuit Deposits of Food—Good Faith and Honesty of the Natives toward each other—Avoidance of the "Dreaded Land"—Last Day's Journey—Arrive near Parker's Bay—Anxiety and Excitement as to the Ship—Gain Sight of her—Arrival on Board—All well!
On Tuesday, September 24th, 1861, a snow-storm from the north-east was upon us. This delighted me, for it made a stay of another day necessary, impatient as the Innuits were to get back to the ship. After breakfast, enveloped in my cloak, I sauntered out, determining to give Niountelik a good look. I first proceeded through snow and furious wind to the opposite side of the island, but found nothing worthy of note in my walk there. On my way back, however, by the beach east of the tupics, I found several pieces of coal in the sand, and up a gully much more, with some flint-stone. A little farther on I suddenly encountered another deposit of coal, No. 2 of Niountelik, on the bank, by a cove with a sandy beach, a short distance east of where I had found the first deposit some months before.
At this moment the Innuits came round with the boats, and landed in the cove; and the idea immediately struck me that this was the identical landing-place of Frobisher in 1578. The coal-bed was within thirty feet of high-water mark. Its depth, in the thickest part, was six inches. It was nearly overgrown with grasses, shrubs, and mosses; and some of it was washed down into the sand and shingle of the beach. The flint-stones were numerous, and of the same character as in the two other lots found. Having made a very thorough examination here, I looked elsewhere over the island. Relics of Innuits were in all directions, but especially on the eastern slope; and some small pieces of drift-wood, overgrown with grass, were met with and secured. After going to the camp for a seal-spear, I succeeded—by dint of great exertion and perseverance, digging through the frozen ground—in obtaining several good specimens of the coal interlocked with moss, grass, and shrubs.
The weather was not propitious on the morning of September 25th, but the Innuits were anxious to get away, and I had to submit. While the boat was being prepared, I went to the highest part of the island and took some bearings by compass, and carried with me, on my return to the boat, more coal and other relics to take home. Miner and his crew were not ready, owing to some of their dogs being missing; but I hurried off, hoping to induce my companions to stop once more at Kodlunarn on the way.
This I was fortunately able to do. I concluded an arrangement with them to stay there for a short time, for which favour I had to give to Koojesse five boxes of percussion caps, Koodloo two, and Charley two. I could not leave this locality without, if possible, making another examination of the "White Man's Island." Moreover, I wanted additional relics from the stone house; and, also, to take some measurements and bearings. Accordingly, after leaving Niountelik, our course was taken direct to Kodlunarn Island, where we landed at the same place as before, and I at once began to examine this interesting locality. I made a very close and minute inspection, taking measurements of distances, so as to be quite sure of the data from which my deductions could be drawn. Rough outline sketches were also made on the spot, and everything was done to insure correctness in my notes and observations. The plan of the island, which is incorporated in the chart accompanying this work, will better serve to convey the general facts to the reader than the most laboured description with the pen.
The result of this, my second examination of Kodlunarn, brought to light new facts in connexion with the past. A piece of iron, semi-spherical in shape, weighing twenty pounds, was discovered under the stone that had been excavated for the "ship's way," and many other small pieces were also found at the head of the trench. Fragments of tile were found all over the island, and numerous other relics, indicating that civilized men had visited the place very many years ago.
The large piece of iron was found in the following manner: Koojesse and I had been examining the "ship's trench" to see how high up in it the tide at full and change rose, and then, leaving him to search for relics, I ascended the eastern bank, and walked along it to the bluff facing the sea. As I looked down to the base of the tongue on which I stood, I saw, wedged in between two rocks, what appeared to be a stick of timber, about two feet long and six inches square, very old in appearance. I called to Koojesse, and directed him to examine it, as, from where I stood, it was some twenty-five feet perpendicular to the bottom; he hastened down and around, and, on arriving at the supposed relic of wood, said it was a stone.
ONE OF FROBISHER'S GOLD "PROOFS."
(An iron relic of 1578.)
I was surprised and disappointed, and then proceeded with my occupation of pacing off the trench. In half a minute I heard Koojesse shout "Sheveye-un!" (iron.) I turned round, and saw that he had boldly mounted the steep bank beneath me, using the sharp rocks as stepping-stones, and had his hand resting on a piece of rusty iron just protruding from the débris of stone that had been dug out of the trench, and thrown up, making a bank. Koojesse continued shouting "Iron! big iron! Can't stir him!"
I was soon on the spot, though at considerable risk, and trying to disengage the iron, but I could not move it. After digging around it, however, a few strong pulls started it. The rust of three centuries had firmly cemented it to the sand and stones in which it had lain.
The piece of iron[1] was of the same character as that found at Tikkoon, less than one mile from Kodlunarn, and also as that obtained on "Look-out" Island, Field Bay; and the origin of it, as well as its significance, may be gathered from the following facts:—
Of the one hundred men sent out from England with Frobisher in 1578, the majority were "miners," sent for the express purpose of digging for the rich ore of which Frobisher had carried specimens home on his return from his second voyage, and which was supposed to be very valuable. The miners made "proofs," as they are called, in various parts of the regions discovered by him. Some of these "proofs" are doubtless what I found, and they furnish clear evidence, in connexion with other circumstances noted in the course of this narrative, that I was, when at Kodlunarn, on the precise spot of Frobisher's "Countess of Warwick's Mine."
FROBISHER RELICS IN MY OLD STOCKINGS.
Delighted with my discoveries, and gathering up as many relics as I could carry, placing them in my old stockings, mittens, hat, and everything that would hold them securely, I labelled each article, and rejoined the boat, immediately afterward departing on our way for "home." That the reader may know the feelings with which I left this portion of my work, I here make a brief extract from my diary, hastily written on the spot:—
"As I had my hand upon the iron relic after having unearthed it and seen what it was, like a flash the whole of the circumstances flew across my mind—my determination before starting to induce my native crew to stop with me at Kodlunarn; the proposal while making the transit from Niountelik to Kodlunarn; their willing acceptance; the search, and finding of interesting relics; my calling to Koojesse; his response; his descending to look at what I thought to be wood; its proving to be a stone; Koojesse's mounting by an unexpected and venturesome way, thus finding the iron relic where it had lain undisturbed for three centuries; God blessing me in making me the instrument in determining the exact facts of what has remained a mystery to the civilized world for so long. Now it will be known throughout all the enlightened nations of the earth where Frobisher did attempt to establish the colony which Queen Elizabeth sent here in 1578."
That night we reached the termination of the high land below Sharko, and encamped[2] till the next morning.
Our passage on September 26th was made with some difficulty, owing to the heavy sea that prevailed. A moderate gale, or even a fresh breeze from certain directions, causes a dangerous sea for boats running between Countess of Warwick's Sound and Bear Sound, a fact we proved by personal experience. On arriving at the old whaling dépôt, Cape True, I landed and went to Flagstaff Hill. There was still enough remaining to show where the ship's company had lived so long: the tattered remnants of a flag, some boards, a dismantled table, an old cooking-stove, with broken-down walls around it, oil-casks covered with sods, some rope and ice-gear, with the usual indications of Innuit tent life, met my view; but it was solitary as compared with the life and animation displayed when I was there only a few months before. Slowly I turned my steps away from this place, where I had spent so many happy hours; and I could not help saying to myself, "Shall I ever again behold it? God only knows!"
We stopped at Cape True nearly an hour, and then pursued our way through Bear Sound. On arriving at the next place of encampment, the last before reaching the harbour where I had left the ship, the Innuits informed me that it was called Shar-toe-wik-toe, from a natural breakwater of thin or plate stone, the native word meaning "thin flat stone." It is on a tongue of land nearly surrounded by water, on the west side of Lupton Channel, within a mile of Field Bay, and has a beautiful little boat-harbour. A few moments after landing, some of the Innuits found the remains of recent encampments of their people. On examination, we discovered that several tupics had been there, and it was concluded that Annawa, Artarkparu, and other families had made this their resting-place on the way from where we had met them up Frobisher Bay to Field Bay. At this place I found some deposits of seal and walrus, evidently freshly made by the party preceding us; and here I noticed an instance of honesty and good faith which deserves mention:—
These deposits were beneath piles of stone, with a stick running up obliquely from each, so that if the ground should be covered with snow, the place might be easily found. The Innuits with me noticed all this, and saw the meat thus deposited, yet not one would touch a morsel of it. They knew it belonged to others, and therefore it was sacred in their eyes, unless in case of actual extremity.
From the present (27th and last) encampment our first one on the outward trip was not far distant—about a mile off—and on the opposite side of the channel was Lok's Land, the "dreaded land." I made some inquiries about it, but not one of my companions could give me any information, though only about a mile distant. They never had been there, and, as they said, "never would."
On the morning of Friday, September 27th, I mentally arranged a plan for getting from my Innuits all the flint-stone relics they had pocketed when making my researches in the coal deposits found at Niountelik and up Victoria Bay. I began my operations by feasting all my crew. I got Koojesse to make an abundant soup of pemmican and meat-biscuit for them all. After they had eaten this I gave to each a dish of hot coffee and handfuls of sea-biscuit. I was particularly conversational and cheerful with all; carried hot coffee and bread to "Miner" and his wife, and gave bread also to such others of his company as I knew to possess the relics I sought. Then I told Koojesse that, if he had any of the "flint-stones," I would give him some boxes of percussion caps when I got to the vessel if he would give them all to me. I told him, moreover, that I wanted him to assist me in inducing all the others to do the same, promising on my part to give Kooperneung and Koodloo the same reward I offered him, and to give to the nulianas of himself and Kooperneung, and to Suzhi, beads for all they had. My strategy worked like a charm; the relics came in by scores, each bringing me a quantity that surprised me, for I had not thought my company so largely deceitful. When I had obtained from my immediate crew all they held, I took Koojesse with me to "Miner's" company, and made an important addition to my stock there. The Innuits had secreted these flint-stones for their own use in "striking fire."
We soon after started on our way, and made good progress up Field Bay, arriving near Parker's Bay toward evening. There we heard the report of fire-arms from the shore, and saw tupics near the beach. My party immediately responded, and desired that we should land; but as we were now only about seven miles from the spot where I expected to find the ship, I refused permission. The usual opposition and sulky demeanour then followed. The men would not work, and the women, though willing, had to do as their masters told them. Night was approaching, and the cold was becoming severe; still, I felt it would be much better to go on and ascertain if the ship were really there than to encamp for another night. Accordingly, I tried every argument and persuasion to induce Koojesse and the others to persevere, finally succeeding after much sulkiness on their part.
And now I was full of excitement as we neared the place where we expected to find the ship; but darkness came over us before we got across the bay, and I became very anxious for our safety among the shoals, of which there were many about. Happily we escaped serious peril, and on reaching the point of land to be rounded before entering the harbour, danger was lost in the general excitement. We looked eagerly and often for a sight of the ship. Presently a dark mass loomed up before us. A few more strokes of the oars, and all doubt was removed. The George Henry was in sight!
As soon as the vessel was seen, my Innuit crew, unable to repress their joy, fired their guns and sent forth loud shouts and cheers, in which I could not help joining, overjoyed to find the ship not yet departed. The watch on deck was at first in doubt what to make of the noise, but a second thought told him that I had returned with my party, and, giving a shout in reply, he rushed to inform Captain B of our approach.
In a few minutes more I was alongside, and saw the captain, with all hands, ready to greet me. Quickly I ascended the ship's side, and was receiving the captain's warm grasp, and the hearty welcome of all around me. I found that every one on board and most of the Innuits around had given us up, concluding that we were lost. It was supposed that our boat could never stand the trip for so long a time, so that when we returned in safety it was almost as if the dead had come to life. A hot supper was at once prepared for the whole party of us, and, meanwhile, numerous questions and answers passed. My first question was, "How many whales secured?" and I was surprised to receive the reply, "Not one."
Until near midnight Captain B and myself prolonged our talk in the little after-cabin, and then, when I did retire, it was impossible to sleep, owing to the great change from the free, cool air of the tupics to that of the stove-heated ship. Fifty days and forty-nine nights I had been without any fire to warm me save that which burns within the human system. For many days before getting back to the ship the mountain streams had been fast bound in chains of ice, yet, as a general rule, and excepting the time during my recent sickness, I had always slept well. Now, however, I could not sleep, and was restless and disturbed through the whole night.
OO-MI-EN, OR WOMEN'S BOAT.