Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/226

CHAPTER XI.

Rough Travelling overland—High Cliffs—Descent of the Sledge on to the frozen Sea—Camp on the Ice—First Night in an Igloo—Dangerous Travelling—Second Night on the Ice—An icy Beard—Hair-cutting—Fearful Peril—Deep Snow—Treacherous footing—Arrive at Rogers's Island—Great Thirst—Innuit Welcome—A Cup of Water—Night's Rest—Disappearance of the Ice—Remarkable Preservation—Frostbites—A serviceable pocket Mirror—Whale-skin eaten as food—Innuit Seal-hunting—Starving Condition of the Party.

Having a great desire to try and do something in the way of exploring, and particularly to accustom myself to actual life among the Innuits, I at length determined to venture on an excursion by sledge and dogs to Cornelius Grinnell Bay, whither Ugarng had already gone. Accordingly, after due preparation, myself and party were ready on the 10th of January, 1861, and away we went.

The following account of the first day's journey is from my journal, as written every evening in an igloo—snow hut:—

"Thursday, January 10th, 1861.—Thermometer 30° below zero, or 62° below freezing point! My company consists of self, Ebierbing, Tookoolito, and Koodloo, the cousin of the deceased Nukertou. By 4 a.m. I was up, and, with lantern in hand, went and called Ebierbing and his wife. They arose, and at once proceeded to gather up whatever things they would require during our stay. I then returned to the ship and packed up my own material. The outfit for this trip consisted, in provisions, of 1½ lb. preserved boiled mutton in cans, 3 lbs. raw salt pork, 15 cakes (4 lbs.) sea-bread, ¼ lb. pepper, 2 lbs. ground burnt coffee, 1 quart molasses, 1 quart cornmeal, and 3 lbs. Cincinnati cracklings for soup. Then, for bedding, 1 double wool blanket, 1 sleeping-bag, 1 cloak and 1 shawl for bed-covering. For clothing, besides my native