TRIP UP BUDINGTON MOUNT.

253 that there was a sight worth the admiration of beings even superior to man!

"To-day I have purchased of the captain the chronometer that had belonged to the Rescue. I intend to make record of all the observations I take, leaving most of them to be worked up on my return home. Some undoubtedly will prove to be erroneous; but I shall do what I can to make all my observations reliable. There is nothing that has weighed more heavily upon me than the want of a good time-piece. When I make my journey westward and northward to King William's Land, I shall require the chronometer. Indeed, I need it in my journey up Frobisher Bay this spring. I am anxious to perform work that shall redound to the credit of those who have so generously, so nobly assisted me in my outfit for the voyage I am making here in the North. God giving me health and help in the prosecution of my work, I will do my duty as a geographer and a humanitarian.

"April 12th. This morning is gloriously fine. I must do outdoor work to-day. I will off for a trip up Budington Mount, and from its peak take some angles and bearings of prominent places around and about the bay. * Just returned, and a

*

fine time I have had of it. It was, however, dangerous business going up the mountain's steep, icy, and hard, snow-covered sides, but it was even worse coming down. Any one who is experienced in mountain excursions, especially in these regions, must know that the latter is far more difficult than the former.

"When at the summit it was very interesting. I had an Innuit companion with me, and, while I took my observations, he slept on a bed of snow, and seemed as comfortable as any white man on a bed of down. As we descended, he made steps for us with a long, sharp stone which he had picked up for the purpose; but even then we had to exercise great caution. A mishap might have endangered our lives, and also my instruments.

"To-night the aurora is beautiful as usual. Its rays shoot up somewhat more dome-like than before. It extends northwest around to the south, and thence to the east. How many are the times I am blessed with the sight of this phenomenon. Its changes are constantly going on. I never see it twice alike. Every moment the scene changes. In bright disorder, the heavens are almost nightly painted with the blaze of this incomparable, incomprehensible light. As its brightness oft is mirrored by my eyes and soul, I often feel that I am truly

"Eleven o'clock, night. A few minutes ago I came from deck. The aurora then spanned the heavens near to the zenith; a few minutes later I have just been on deck again—all is gone; not a beam any where visible. The stars have it now all to themselves, Jupiter bearing the palm, as he outshines them all.

"April 15th. Have had a long tramp to-day round the head of Field Bay, triangulating and making observations. Koojesse accompanied me for a while, but the charms of sealing soon took him away, and some time afterward, when I was on a mountain peak, I saw him at a distance, by the aid of my glass, most unmercifully punishing his dog, probably because the poor animal could not find a seal igloo. The Innuits, when they do punish dogs, beat them cruelly.

"April 17th. Yesterday I took my first lunar observation. I did it alone, expecting only to obtain an approximation to the true longitude of this place. To-day I have taken another, with assistants to measure altitudes at the same time.

"I have had equally unexpected success in making some of my own instruments. Being without a protractor, I made one, the other day, from a piece of copper which had formed a portion of the Rescue's sheathing; and this served a double purpose, being useful in my chart-work, and also remaining as a relic of the once memorable expedition schooner. Another instrument I had also to make, and succeeded in making, though it occupied much time, namely, an artificial horizon. I constructed it with various contrivances of my own, and now I have both these instruments by me as pleasing mementoes of my sojourn in these dreary regions, where no stores exist to supply me with articles so indispensable.

"April 19th. To-day I was not a little amused to see the rig in which the laughing Innuit Sharkey appeared. A present was made him of a new wool shirt, edged all around, except the flaps, with scarlet—bright flaming red. He proudly strutted around among us white folk with this on die outside of all his other clothes, wearing it like a frock!

"April 20th. To-day the snow embankment around the ship has been taken away, and the crew are busy putting the vessel in complete order for service. Paint and varnish are now freely used in the process of renovation.

"April 21st. I am preparing to go over to-morrow to the Innuit settlement on Frobisher Bay, intending to explore around the waters mapped out by the geographers as Frobisher Strait. My

PREPARE TO EXPLORE FROBISHER BAY.

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wish is to chart the lands around that place within the next mouth, and even to do much more. Koojesse has promised to go over with me if the weather will permit.

"I have omitted to mention the 'spot' on the sun that I first saw on the 19th when taking observations. At the moment I thought it was a defect in my sextant glass, but afterward found it to be on the face of old Sol.

แ

Twenty minutes before midnight. I have just returned from deck entranced by the fires that are burning in the heavens! A new play to-night by the aurora—at least so to me. Going up, I saw that the moon was struggling to penetrate, with her borrowed light, the white clouds that enshrouded her. Looking around, I found the heavens covered with petite dancers clothed in white. My powers of description of this peculiar appearance and workings of the aurora at this time are inadequate. There is no color in the aurora to-night; it is simply white, like the world beneath

it.

Midnight. I have been on deck again. I am now satisfied that I have occasionally seen the aurora during this month in the daytime, when the sun was well up in its course and shining brightly.

"I now retire to my couch for some refreshing sleep, preparatory to making an effort in the morning for commencing the exploration of Frobisher Bay."

CHAPTER XV.

First Excursion in Frobisher Bay.—Crossing the Mountain Pass.—Traveling on the Ice.—A Tradition concerning White Men masting a Ship.—Arrival at Oopungnewing. Annawa's Home.—Hospitable Reception.—Close Sleeping-quarters.— Ten Persons in a Bed.—Morning Walk.—The Innuit Village.—Twer-puk-ju-a. —Sterry living with the Natives.—Miner.—Charming a Seal.—Kokerjabin's Birthplace.—Kingaite.—Karmowong.-Author adopts Innuit Life. -Trip along the Coast. The "Ice-foot."—Summer Resting-places of the Innuits.—Sundry Articles belonging to a wrecked Ship.—Ec-vic-toon.—Native Monuments.—Grandeur of Kingaite Mountains.—The Grinnell Glacier.—A fatiguing Journey.—Disappointed of a Night's Shelter.—Moonlight Traveling.—A poor Supper.—Thirst.— An impromptu Igloo.—A cold Bed.—Next Day's Journey.—Discover the Natives. Sampson and his Family.—Kind Reception.—A Seal Hunt.-—Feasting The Seal's Eyes given to youngest Child.—Knowledge coming to an Inquirer.— Tide entering the Igloos at Night.—Innuit Women's Mouths good Receptacles for cleansing Purposes.—Snow-storm.—Author accustomed to Innuit Food.—How it is eaten.—Seal's Brains and Entrails. Author becomes an Angeko. — Return Journey.—Laughable Incident.—A tight Fit.—Curious Mountain Mark.—Abundance of Animal Life.—Arrival at Twerpukjua and at Annawa's. --An animated Sunday Picture.—Return on Foot to the Ship.—Arrival.

On Monday morning, April 22d, 1861, at half past 10 o'clock, I started on my trip—the first yet made by me into Frobisher Bay. My guide and companion was Koojesse; and as we should have to cross a neck of land between the two bays, thence travel on foot upon the ice, I could not carry much baggage. All, therefore, that I took was the following:

My native tuktoo jacket, pants, and mittens, an extra pair of native boots and stockings, my charts and chart material, protractor, dividers, parallel and plain rule, artificial horizon, with bottle of mercury, a pocket sextant, azimuth compass and tripod, marine glass, thermometer, besides beads and several plugs of tobacco, for presents to the natives. With these articles pendent to a strap passing over my shoulders, across my breast, and down my back, I departed.

Our course from the ship was westerly to the other side of Field Bay, where we struck the land, and met some of the natives with dogs and sledge, conveying walrus hide, meat, and blubber to the vessel. A couple more were also going thither to obtain

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eye-water for Sterry, who was at that time living with some of the people near the island called Oopungnewing. From Field Bay our track was over the mountain pass much frequented by the natives. This pass, which I have named after Bayard Taylor, was, in some parts of it, very steep and fatiguing, but the scenery was grand and captivating.

Half way on the route we stopped at a spring of delicious water, and there had our dinner. Thence we continued to ascend until reaching the summit of the pass. We then commenced our descent by following a course between high rocks, along a path that was, in one or two places, very steep.

Presently, after passing through a magnificent gorge, we came on to a small inlet leading up from an arm of Countess of Warwick Sound. This we traversed for about an eighth of a mile, until, coming to an abrupt turn where a bold, bluff mountain was on either side, I caught sight of Frobisher Bay, and the mountains of Kingaite beyond. The view was, to me, quite exciting. The ice-covered bay, with the distant peaks of Meta Incognita, and the dark, abrupt cliffs at our side, seemed a glorious picture to one, like myself, beholding it for the first time.

The sun was now descending, but the moon's silvery rays would serve to guide us on, therefore we hastened forward, though the distance was yet some miles to travel. In a short time more we were traversing the snow-wreaths that covered the bay-ice, and, as we passed on, Koojesse pointed out a place at our right which he said was where the "white men, a long time ago, had masted a ship;" but this seemed so improbable that I did not at that time believe him.

The island we were now going to was the one Annawa and his family went to at the time we escorted them part of the way the previous fall (see page 128), and we now intended to rest there for the night. But it was quite 9 P.M. before we arrived, and then some of the family were in bed. This, however, did not prevent our having a prompt and most friendly reception. The aged Annawa and all those with him quickly gave us food, and a prompt offer of hospitality for the night. They were all much rejoiced to see me, and, though there was no "spare bed," yet I was cordially invited to share theirs. Soon afterward, tired and sore with my long walk of near twenty miles over ice, mountain, and ice again, I retired to rest as best I could.

That night my sleep was a sound one, though I was tightly R