ANOTHER COAL DEPOSITE.

433

importance that the Esquimaux traditionary history, extending back for centuries, is wonderfully accurate.

Imbedded in the rocks I also found some heavy black substances, larger and more numerous than any I had before seen. These I concluded might be the "stone like to sea-coal" described by Frobisher in the account of his voyages. I secured some specimens, which I brought home with me.

But I was not content with the hasty examination thus made. After returning to the boat and lunching on raw seal, I renewed my search, in company with Koojesse and Kooperneung. Soon, by digging under the snow, coal was found in considerable quantities, and also a little pile of flint-stones similar to those discov ered in the coal at Niountelik, and in the cement of the stonehouse ruins at Kodlunarn.

My feelings were so buoyant and excited at this discovery, and the proof it furnished to my mind that Frobisher had been there, that I could hardly contain myself. But my excitement was considerably increased when Miner, from the top of the highest part of the tongue of land, raised a shout and said he had found more. We rushed toward him, and lo! more and more was indeed found. There was a large space clear of snow, and covered with coal to the amount, I thought, of some five tons. I was perfectly astounded. But I could not lose time. I therefore at once commenced an inspection of the heap, and soon found a large chip imbedded in the coal. This chip, my companion declared, was never the work of an Innuit knife. It had the appearance of having been chopped out of a large piece of oak timber with an axe. I dug down fifteen inches into the coal before coming to any earth. The Innuits willingly assisted me, and, as at Niountelik and Kodlunarn, every thing they found was apparently passed to me. I discovered, however, that they pocketed some of the best specimens of the flint-stones, and I had eventually to resort to diplo macy in order to recover them.

Leaving the main pile, I dug in other places through the snow, and found coal extending over a wide area. There could be no doubt that a large deposit was made here, and I could arrive at no other conclusion—from the evidences of the age of the coal, in the mosses and other signs upon it—than that this was done by Frobisher. I filled a keg with specimens of the coal, the moss, and the lichens, to bring home, and just as I then packed it, so it

EE

appeared when opened in the presence of many persons here after my return.

Night was now fast approaching, and I could stay no longer. The Innuits had descended to the boat before I could tear myself away from the interesting spot; and long after we left, and while we were running rapidly out of the bay under a favoring breeze, did I keep my gaze fixed and my thoughts centred upon it.

Our course back was directly across Countess of Warwick's Sound to Niountelik. The wind was strong and in our favor, so that we made rapid progress, and in good time reached the island. But the surf was too high for landing on the weather-side. Accordingly, we went round into the same bight where I landed on the memorable day of my first discovering the coal here.

It was dark when we arrived, and there was much difficulty in getting every thing up the abrupt bank flanking the place of landing. My own labor was severe, especially in my then weak state. Many were the struggles I made to carry up safely the chronometer and other important articles. Two hours were occupied in doing this, and in getting up the boat above high water; but at length all was accomplished, and we arrived at the tupics at a late hour, wearied beyond measure with our exertions.

This time no hot coffee or tea awaited me, as heretofore, when Suzhi attended to the matter. My supper was ice-water and molasses, with bread soaked in it, and some dried venison — a poor diet to a cold and enfeebled system.

ANOTHER COAL DEPOSITE.

435

CHAPTER XXVII.

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.—Twenty-sixth Encampment.— Revisit the Whaling Dépôt.—Passage through Bear Sound.—Twenty-seventh and 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 northeast 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 cast 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 coalbed 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 Tots 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 favor 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. According ly, 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 every thing was done to insure correctness in my notes and observations. The plan of the island, which is incorporated in the chart accompanying this volume, will better serve to convey the general facts to the reader than the most labored description with the pen.

The result of this, my second examination of Kodlunarn, brought to light new facts in connection 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 walk

As I looked down to the

ed along it to the bluff facing the sea. 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. I was surprised and disappointed, and then proceeded with my occupation of pacing off the trench. In half a minute I heard Koojesse shout "Shev-eye-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 debris 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!"

ONE OF FROBISHER'S GOLD "PROOFS."
(An iron relic of 1578.)

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 The rust of pulls started it. three centuries had firmly ce

mented it to the sand and stones in which it had lain.

This piece of iron* 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 connection 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."

The same, together with a case of some of the other Frobisher relics which I discovered and brought home, I sent to the British government early in the year 1863, through the Royal Geographical Society of London.