prevailing, while bad weather every where else north is the ruling characteristic? "This certainly is a fact, that here, at the head of Frobisher Bay, a milder climate prevails than at Field Bay and elsewhere, or the luxuriant vegetation that is around here could not be. The grass plain, the grass-clothed hills, are abundant proof of this. I never saw in the States, unless the exception be of the prairies of the West, more luxuriant grasses on uncultivated lands than are here around, under me. There is no mistake in this statement, that pasture-land here, for stock, can not be excelled by any any where, unless it be cultivated, or found, as already excepted, in the great West.* "How is it with the land animals here? They are fat—'fat as butter.' The paunch of the reindeer killed by Koojesse was filled to its utmost capacity with grasses, mosses, and leaves of the various plants that abound here. The animal was very fat, his rump lined with tood-noo (reindeer tallow), which goes much better with me than butter. Superior indeed is it, as sweet, golden butter is to lard. The venison is very tender, almost falling to pieces as you attempt to lift a steak by its edge. So it is with all the tuktoo that have as yet been killed here. Rabbits are in fine condition. Not only are they so now, but they must be nearly in as good order here in winter, for God hath given them the means to make their way through the garb of white, with which He clothes the earth here, for their subsistence. "Koodloo returned this morning with the skins and toodnoo of three reindeer, which he has killed since his leaving the boat on Friday noon. In all, our party of hunters have killed eleven. reindeer, but very little of the venison has been saved—simply the skins and toodnoo. * * *This afternoon the wife of Jack has been ankooting sick Tweroong. The sun set to-night fine. I never saw more beautiful days and nights than here—the sky with all the mellow tints that a poet could conceive. The moon and aurora now make the nights glorious. "Monday, August 26th. This morning not a cloud to be seen. Puto visited me, the kodluna infant at her back. I made her * To a person going to the arctic regions direct from the pasture-land of the Middle States, this passage of my diary would naturally seem too strong; but when one has been for a year continually among ice, snow, and rugged rocks, as was the case with me, the sight of a grassy plain and green-clad hills could hardly fail to startle him into enthusiastic expression. some little presents-pipe, beads, file, and knife, and a small piece of one of the adjuncts of civilization—soap. Somehow I thought it possible that I had made an error of one day in keeping run of the days of the month, but the lunar and solar distances of yesterday have satisfied me that I was correct. I started on a walk up the hills. I came to an Innuit monument, and many relics of former inhabitants—three earth excavations, made when the Innuits built their houses in the ground. I now see a company of eight wolves across the river, howling and running around the rocks—howling just like the Innuit dogs. Now beside a noble river. Its waters are pure as crystal. From this river I have taken a draught on eating by its banks American cheese and American bread. The American flag floats flauntingly over it as the music of its waters seems to be 'Yankee Doodle.' I see not why this river should not have an American name. Its waters are an emblem of purity. I know of no fitter name to bestow upon it than that of the daughter of my generous, esteemed friend, Henry Grinnell. I therefore, with the flag of my country in one hand, my other in the limpid stream, denominate it 'Sylvia Grinnell River.' "For the first half mile from the sea proper it runs quietly. The next quarter of a mile it falls perhaps fifteen feet, running violently, over rocks. The next mile up it is on a level; then come falls again of ten feet in one fifth of a mile; and thence (up again) its course is meandering through low level land. From the appearance of its banks, there are times when the stream is five times the size of the present. Probably in July this annually occurs. The banks are of boulders the first two miles up; thence, in some cases, boulders and grass. Two miles up from where it enters the sea, on the east side, is the neck of a plain, which grows wider and wider as it extends back. It looks from the point where I am as if it were of scores and scores of acres. Thence, on the east side, as far as I can see, there is a ridge of mountains. On the west side of the river, a plain of a quarter to half a mile wide. This is a great salmon river, and so known in this country among the Innuits. At our encampment I picked up the vertebra of a salmon, the same measuring twenty-one inches, and a piece of the tail gone at that. "On returning from my ramble this afternoon up Sylvia Grinnell River, saw the wolves again on the other side. They have been howling and barking—Innuit dog-like—all day. I hear HOT SUN.-BLUEBERRIES. 395 them now filling the air with their noise, making a pandemonium of this beautiful place. I now await the return of Koojesse, Kooperneung, and Koodloo, when I hope to have them accompany me with the boat into every bay and to every island in these head-waters of the heretofore called 'Frobisher Strait.' "The hunting-party has not yet returned; possibly it may continue absent a week. When these Innuits go out in this way they make no preparations, carry no tupic or extra clothing with them. The nights now are indeed cold; near and at the middle of the day, and for four hours after, the sun is hot. This afternoon I started with my coat on, but, getting to the top of the hill, I took it off and left it. "August 27th. A splendid sun and a calm air this day. Tomorrow I hope to be off, even if Koojesse and party are not back, looking here and there, and taking notes of the country; I can man a boat with the Innuit ladies here if I can do no better. Puto came in with her infant on her back, and in her hand a dish of luscious berries that she had picked this afternoon, presenting the, same to me. Of course I gave her some needles and a plug of tobacco in return. The berries are of various kinds, among which are blueberries—called by the Innuits Ki-o-tung-nung—and poungnung, a small round black berry that has the appearance, but not the taste of the blueberry. "This evening, while in the tupic doing up my writing for the day, I was visited by several of the Innuits, among whom was Suzhi and Ninguarping, both well acquainted with this part of the country. I tried to get the former, when she first called, to sketch me Kingaite side of Frobisher Bay, as well as the coast about here; but she, having never used the pencil, felt reluctant to attempt its use; so she called loudly for Ninguarping, who soon came running with all haste to answer to her call. She told him what I wanted, and that he must assist her. I gave him paper and pencil, and he proceeded, giving me very good ideas of the Kingaite side. "The night is glorious! The sun left the sky in crimson, purple, and all the varied shades that go to make up one of God's beautiful pictures in these regions. The moon now walks up the starry course in majesty and beauty, and the aurora dances in the southern sky. "Wednesday, August 28th. Another day of beautiful, glorious weather. Jack called on me early this morning, presenting me with two reindeer tongues. Last evening I received another bountiful present from an Innuit of ripe poung-nung. They taste very much like wild cherries. But what carries me nearest home is the blueberry, it is so like in looks and taste to what we have. Ninguarping and Jack brought me in this afternoon a present of two fine salmon, each measuring twenty inches in length. The Innuits call large salmon Ek-er-loo; small salmon, Ek-er-loo-ung. Salmon are caught by the Innuits with a hook affixed upon a stick, which answers for a handle. They are also caught by spearing them with a peculiar instrument which the Innuits manufacture for themselves.* "On the return of the party, the seal which Kooperneung shot coming in was made the subject of a feast. He (Kooperneung) went around and invited all the men Innuits here, who soon came, each with seal-knife in hand. They squatted around the seal, and opened him up. A huge piece of toodnoo (tuktoo tallow) in one hand, and seal liver in the other, I did justice to the same and to myself. The Innuits and myself through, the ladies took our places. They are now feasting on the abundance left. Seal is the standing dish of provision among the Innuits. They never tire of it; while for tuktoo, Ninoo, ducks, salmon, etc., they soon find all relish gone. "Too-loo-ka-ah shot his deer with Koojesse's gun. He usually uses only bow and arrows, the same being in universal use among the Innuits on the north side of Hudson's Strait. This evening I got Toolookaah to try his skill in using these instruments—bow and arrow—in making a mark of my felt hat one hundred feet off. The arrow shot from his bow with almost the speed of a rifle-ball. His aim was a trifle under. He missed 'felt,' and lost his arrow, which is no small matter. Its force buried it in the ground, covered by the luxuriant grass, and all our long search proved unsuccessful. The arrow is made with great pains, pointed with iron, spear-shaped. *There is a third method of catching salmon much practised: A kind of trap, called tin-ne-je-ving (ebb-tide fish-trap), is made by inclosing a small space with a low wall, which is covered at high tide and dry at low water. The salmon go into the pen over the wall, but are left by the receding tide till it is too late to return the same way, and they thus become an easy prey. LAND AND WATERS OF PLENTY. 397 CHAPTER XXIV. Prepare to leave twelfth Encampment.—Proceed on the Voyage.—Passing along Head of Frobisher Bay.—Peale Point.—Bishop's Island.—Land on Kingaite, and make thirteenth Encampment.—Author ascends a Mountain.—The "Stars and Stripes." "-A new Country.—Night at the Camp.—Sunlight on the Mountains.— Talk with sick Tweroong.—The Bible.—Innuit Ideas of Heaven and Hell.—Foggy Day.—Aggoun.—Not a Tuktoo, but a Goose.—Vexatious Delays.—Fourteenth Encampment.—A Day of Trials and Discoveries.—Arrive at West side Head of Frobisher Bay.—Jordan's River.—Hazard's Banks.—Explore the new Land.— Beautiful Cascade.—Extensive and verdant Plains.—Brent Geese.—Silliman's Fossil Mount.—Romantic Pass, the Great Gateway.—A white Whale.—An Innuit's ill Humor.—His savage Attack on his Wife.—Another Walk to the Falls.— Picturesque Scenery.—Greenwood's Land.—Reindeer.—Start on Excursion to the Great Gateway.—Bad Weather. - Arctic Owl.—Fossils. Author sick.—Kind Attention of Tweroong.—Dish of Salmon.—Laughable Incident,—Koomuk and Pepper.—Another Excursion.—Visit to Silliman's Fossil Mount. It was on Thursday morning, August 29th, 1861, when we made preparations to leave our twelfth encampment to cross over to the westward to Kingaite, along the head of the Bay of Frobisher. Before I proceed with my narrative, let me bring forward an extract from my journal written the evening previous: * * * * "Indeed we are in a land and by waters of plenty. I am constantly overwhelmed with presents of the very best of choice eating—tuktoo tongues, toodnoo, venison, ducks, seals, and salmon. Kooperneung this moment (8 P.M.) comes in saying that Koojesse is near by. Now for the trip across the head of Frobisher Bay to Kingaite side. 8 30 P.M. Koojesse has just arrived; brought four tuktoo skins, showing that he has killed as many reindeer. What a pity that such excellent meat as venison should be abandoned? He has seen nothing of Koodloo, who still remains out. The weather continues fine, and indications are every way favorable of its continuance." Thursday morning Koodloo had not returned from his prolonged tuktoo hunt. Arrangements having been previously made with him that, in case he returned and found us gone, he should make his way over the land terminating Frobisher Bay to Kingaite, where he would find us, we decided to strike tupics, pack boats, and push on. At 10 30 A.M. the two boats and two kias were under way, our course nearly due west, to a point of land |