Narrative of an Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic Sea in 1846 and 1847 Part 6

CHAPTER VI.

Set out for the north--Equipment of the party--Snow-blindness--Musk-ox--Mode of killing it--Reach the coast near Point Hargrave--Ice rough along sh.o.r.e--Pa.s.s Cape Lady Pelly--Unfavourable weather--Slow progress--Put on short allowance--River Ki-ting-nu-yak--Pemmican placed _en cache_--Cape Weynton--Colvile Bay--High hill--Dogs giving way--Work increased--Snow-house-building--Point Beaufort--Point Siveright--Keith Bay--Cape Barclay--Another _cache_--Leave the coast and proceed across the land--River A-ma-took--Dogs knocked up--Lake Ballenden--Harrison islands--Party left to procure provisions--Proceed with two of the men--Cape Berens--Relative effects of an eastern and western aspect--Halkett Inlet--Reach Lord Mayor's Bay--Take formal possession of the country--Commence our return to winter quarters--Friendly interview with the natives--Obtain supplies of provisions from them--View of Pelly Bay--Trace the sh.o.r.e to the eastward--Travel by night--Explore the coast of Simpson's Peninsula--Arrive at Fort Hope--Occurrences during the absence of the exploring party--Character of the Esquimaux Ivitchuk.

Everything having been for some days in readiness for our contemplated journey, I only awaited the arrival of our Esquimaux ally Ivitchuk. He made his appearance on the 4th April in company with his wife, his father and brother, and their wives. I could have well dispensed with the presence of the party, excepting the man who was to go with us, as there were many things to be attended to. It is strange that throughout the winter, with one or two exceptions, the visits of these people have happened on Sundays. Our intended travelling companion having received a coat from one, inexpressibles from another, leggings from a third, &c., was soon completely dressed "a la voyageur," not certainly to the improvement of the outer man, but much to his own satisfaction.

Ouligbuck's arm being now in a fair way of recovery, there was no cause of detention.

The party, consisting, besides myself, of George Flett, John Corrigal, William Adamson, Ouligbuck's son, and Ivitchuk, started early on the morning of the 5th. We were accompanied by two sledges, each drawn by four dogs, on which our luggage and provisions were stowed. Our stores consisted of three bags of pemmican, seventy reindeer tongues, one half-hundred weight of flour, some tea, chocolate, and sugar, and a little alcohol and oil for fuel. At first the weather was far from favourable for travelling, as there was a gale of wind with snow, but about 8 A.M. the sky cleared up, and the day became as fine as could have been wished. The sun shone forth with great brightness, surrounded by a halo of the most brilliant colours, with four parhelia that rivalled the sun himself. Our route was the same as that followed in the boat last autumn; but although the snow was hard-packed and not rough, our sledges were too heavy to allow us to travel quickly.

Numerous bands of deer crossed our path, and enlivened the scene at the same time that they kept up the spirit of our dogs. Our lat.i.tude at noon, by an observation of the sun, was 66 42' N., variation of the compa.s.s 64 W. Between 7 and 8 P.M., both dogs and men being somewhat fatigued with their day's work, we stopped on the east side of Christie Lake to build our snow hut, which our Esquimaux friend was so long in completing on account of the bad state of the snow for building, that it was 11 o'clock before we got into our blankets. The situation of our encampment was in lat.i.tude 66 49' 30" N., longitude 87 20' W.

6th.--We pa.s.sed a comfortable night, and it was 6 o'clock in the morning before we were again on the march; three hours more brought us to the northern extremity of the lake, where we had left a bag of flour "en cache" the previous autumn. Two men who had accompanied us, for the purpose of taking the flour back to our winter quarters, returned from this place.

A little before noon we arrived at the snow hut of the two Esquimaux, s.h.i.+makuk and Kei-ik-too-oo, who, with their families, had been staying some time here angling trout. I had agreed with those people that they should build a large snow house for our accommodation, having expected to reach them at the end of our first day's journey. In this we were disappointed; but, as the contracting party had prepared a fine roomy dwelling for us, they received the stipulated price--a clasp knife. At noon, when still on the lake, the lat.i.tude 66 58' 16" N. was observed.

Kei-ik-too-oo having come with us for a short distance, I proposed that he should get his sledge and dogs and accompany us for two days; this, for a dagger as a consideration, he gladly agreed to do, and immediately went off at a great rate to bring up his team. Being quite light he soon overtook us, and was not long in getting a heavy load on. I soon saw the advantage of his iced runners over the iron ones, and determined to have ours done in the same way on the first opportunity; on this account we stopped sooner than we would otherwise have done, having travelled sixteen geographical miles. We found a number of old Esquimaux houses, one of which we prepared for our use by clearing out the snow that had drifted into it. Whilst the two Esquimaux were icing the sledges, the remainder of the men were cooking and preparing our bed; the latter being a very simple process, merely requiring the snow to be well smoothed, and one or two hairy deer-skins laid over it to prevent the heat of the body from thawing the snow. The weather was fair all day, and except in the morning when the thermometer was -16, it was rather warm for walking. After we got into our lodgings a strong breeze sprung up with thick drift. Some of the party were slightly affected with snow-blindness.

7th.--The weather was gloomy and dark this morning, with the thermometer at +5 when we started at half-past 3. Our sledges ran much easier since they had received a coating of ice on their runners, although they were not yet equal to Kei-ik-too-oo's. We followed the same route as that taken by the boat last autumn until 9 o'clock, when being two miles from the sea we struck across land towards Point Hargrave; at noon we were in lat.i.tude 67 16' 51" N., variation of the compa.s.s 74 30' W. We found the snow much softer than it was on the lakes and river, and our progress was consequently much slower than in the first part of the day.

At 2 P.M. we arrived at a small lake, about four miles from Point Hargrave. As this was the only fresh-water lake we were likely to meet with for some time, I determined to stop for the purpose of renewing the icing on the sledges, which had been a good deal broken by the irregularities of the road. Notwithstanding that we had gone only eighteen miles our dogs were very tired, and I began to fear that they would not hold out so well as was expected. Our Esquimaux friend was to leave us the next day, and as his sledge was light he expected to reach his house the same day. This is a favourite resort of the musk-ox as soon as the snow disappears. The mode of killing these animals is the same as that described by Sir J. C. Ross as practised in Boothia Felix by the Esquimaux: being brought to bay with dogs, they are either shot with arrows or speared.

When we resumed our journey at 5 o'clock next morning, there was a strong breeze right ahead with thick drift, the temperature being +6. A walk of three miles brought us to the coast about a mile from Point Hargrave. There was a great deal of rough ice along the sh.o.r.e, which gave both men and dogs much hard work to drag the sledges over. It had now begun to snow, and the drift was so thick that we could not follow the smoothest route; we consequently advanced but slowly, taking four hours to gain five and a half miles, which brought us to Cape Lady Pelly.

Since leaving Fort Hope, I had measured every foot of the ground we had pa.s.sed over with a line, but now the increased difficulty of the route made it requisite that all hands should be employed in dragging the sledges. One of our best dogs became quite useless, and although unharnessed would not walk, so that rather than lose the poor animal, we dragged him on the snow several miles before reaching our intended encampment.

After pa.s.sing Cape Lady Pelly the coast turns rather more to the westward. The weather continued very unfavourable all day, there being much snow-drift; we however advanced seven miles farther, and at 4 P.M.

built our night's lodgings on the ice, a few hundred yards from the sh.o.r.e. In an hour and a half we were comfortably housed. Finding that our day's journeys were much shorter than I had antic.i.p.ated, our allowance of food for supper was somewhat reduced. The thermometer in the evening stood at +11. Our snow hut was situated in lat.i.tude 67 35'

N., longitude 87 51' W. both by account.

After a sound night's rest we resumed our journey at 5 in the morning of the 9th. There was some snow falling, but the wind had decreased, and the temperature of the air was +2. Our course was N.W. by W. for three miles, when we came to a low point formed of s.h.i.+ngle and mud, with some rocky rising grounds a few miles inland. This point received the name of Swanston, after a friend. A short time before noon the sky cleared, and very satisfactory observations for lat.i.tude and variation of the compa.s.s were obtained, the former being 67 40' 53" N., the latter 71 30' W.

The dog that had been unharnessed the day before had become still weaker, and as I did not wish to leave him to the mercy of the wolves, he was shot. We offered some of his flesh to the other dogs, but there was only one of them that would eat it.

Having walked fourteen miles, we arrived at a small river 70 yards wide, and, although it was only half-past three, we commenced building our snow house. We here found a number of stones which allowed us to place "en cache" half a bag of pemmican, some flour, shoes, &c., for our homeward journey. The river, which is called Ki-ting-nu-yak, was frozen to the bottom, but in summer it is a favourable fis.h.i.+ng station, both salmon and a small species of the white fish being found. I did not see any of the latter, but from the description given by the Esquimaux I have no doubt that they frequent this part of the coast.

The evening was beautifully clear, and the thermometer fell to -16.

10th.--There was a thick haze this morning with light variable airs of wind; temperature 6 below zero. By striking straight out from land for a mile or two, we got upon somewhat smoother ice, and consequently made more progress. We pa.s.sed a number of hills, not of any great elevation however, and at noon we were opposite one named Wiachat, fully 500 feet high, and some miles from the coast. Here the lat.i.tude 67 53' 24" was observed, and the coast turned off to the westward, forming a point which was named Cape Weynton. We now commenced crossing a bay 5 or 6 miles deep, and apparently 12 wide, which received the name of Colvile, in honour of the Deputy Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. A mouse or lemming crossed our path, and the dogs, although they appeared to be scarcely able to put one foot before another, set off at full speed in chase, and before any one could interfere to save it, the poor little animal was quivering in the jaws of the foremost.

Being unable to reach the north side of Colvile Bay, at 4 P.M. we took up our quarters on the ice in our usual snug lodgings, in lat.i.tude 68 2' N., longitude 88 21' W. A high hill bearing west of us, and distant eight miles, called Oo-me-we-yak by the natives, was named after the late John George M'Tavish, Esq., Chief Factor. Several of our dogs had become very weak--so much so that during the latter part of the day's journey they did little or nothing, thus giving us all much additional work. They also required much more food to keep them in good condition, than the dogs generally used in the fur countries. We only walked sixteen miles this day; and I may here remark that all the distances mentioned in this journal are given in geographical miles.

Our usual mode of preparing lodgings for the night was as follows:--As soon as we had selected a spot for our snow house, our Esquimaux, a.s.sisted by one or more of the men, commenced cutting out blocks of snow. When a sufficient number of these had been raised, the builder commenced his work, his a.s.sistants supplying him with the material. A good roomy dwelling was thus raised in an hour, if the snow was in a good state for building. Whilst our princ.i.p.al mason was thus occupied, another of the party was busy erecting a kitchen, which, although our cooking was none of the most delicate or extensive, was still a necessary addition to our establishment, had it been only to thaw snow.

As soon as the snow hut was completed, our sledges were unloaded, and every thing eatable (including parchment skin and moose skin shoes, which had now become favourite articles with the dogs) taken inside. Our bed was next made, and by the time the snow was thawed or the water boiled, as the case might be, we were all ready for supper. When we used alcohol for fuel (as we usually did in stormy weather) no kitchen was required.

On the following morning we started about the usual hour, and directing our course nearly north, a walk of five miles brought us to the opposite side of Colvile Bay, which terminated in a long point covered with boulders of granite and debris of limestone, and having a number of stone marks set up on it. To this point the name of Beaufort was given, in honour of the gallant officer who, with so much advantage to his country and to nautical science, presides over the hydrographical department of the Admiralty.

Five miles farther we reached another low point called by the Esquimaux E-to-uke, but renamed by me Point Siveright. The coast, now turning slightly to the westward of north, continued in nearly a straight line during the rest of this day's march.

We were now tracing the sh.o.r.es of a considerable bay, as the land after taking a sudden bend to the eastward followed a south-east direction as far as visible. At 4 P.M. we stopped and built our snow hut; the day had been fine throughout, and the temperature in the evening was 16 below zero. The sh.o.r.es of the bay are very low, with the exception of a high bluff point bearing S.E. by E. 6 miles (by trigonometrical measurement). The point was named Cape Barclay, in honour of the Secretary of the Hudson's Bay Company, and the bay was called after my much respected friend, George Keith, Esq., Chief-Factor.

Since pa.s.sing Colvile Bay the coast had become much lower and more level, giving every indication of a limestone country. Being anxious to save our fuel as much as possible, we filled two small kettles and a bladder with snow and took them to bed with us, for the purpose of procuring water to drink--a plan which was frequently adopted afterwards. Our dogs had now become most ravenous; although they received what was considered a fair allowance of provisions, everything that came in their way, such as shoes, leather mitts, and even a worsted belt, was eaten, much to the annoyance of the owners and to the merriment of the rest of the party. We enjoyed a cold supper of pemmican and water;--as we could afford a hot meal only once a day, we preferred taking it in the morning.

12th.--Being informed by our Esquimaux companion that, by crossing over land in a north-west direction to a large bay which he had formerly visited, we should shorten our distance considerably, I determined on adopting the plan proposed. Our kettles of snow were found rather cool companions, but there was a little water formed. The bladder having been either leaky, or not properly tied, gave me and my next neighbour a partial cold bath. The morning was delightful, being clear and calm, with a temperature of -22. We started at half-past 5, and after having walked a short distance came to some loose pieces of granite and limestone, which afforded an opportunity, not to be lost, for making a deposit of provisions for our return journey.

After tracing the sh.o.r.es of the bay for three miles and a half further north to lat.i.tude 68 18' N., longitude by account 88 26' W., we left the coast and proceeded over land in a north-north-west direction.

Walking became more difficult, and the snow was too soft to support the sledges, the ice on the runners of which was now entirely worn off. A mile's walk brought us to a small river with high mud banks, and frozen to the bottom: it is named A-ma-took by the natives, and takes its rise from a lake of the same name about a day's journey west of us. We next pa.s.sed between two elevations covered with limestone. I ascended that on the right-hand or to the east of us, it being the highest and having two columns of limestone, the one fourteen, the other nine feet high, at its western extremity. There were many places here denuded of snow, showing that the sun had already acquired great power. At noon we were in lat.i.tude 68 22' 19" N., variation of the compa.s.s 79 35' W. An hour after, we reached a small lake, where we halted on account of our dogs being quite knocked up, although we had only advanced twelve miles; I therefore ordered a hut to be built that we might afford the dogs time to recruit, and also have the sledge-runners put in order. We found the ice on the lake 4 feet 8 inches thick, but we were disappointed to find that there were no fish to be caught. We here enjoyed water ad libitum, a luxury that had been rather sparingly dealt out for the last few days.

Ivitchuk drank as much as would have satisfied an ox. The thermometer in the evening was 9 below zero. A few tracks of foxes were here seen, but no signs of deer or musk-oxen. This part of the country appeared miserably barren in every respect.

On the morning of the 13th we commenced our march at 2.30 A.M.; the weather was fine with light airs from the north-west: thermometer -15.

At 5 o'clock we pa.s.sed a small lake about a mile and a half long, and an hour afterwards reached another of considerable size. Tung-a-lik, as the lake is called by the Esquimaux, is 7 miles long due north and south, and varying in breadth from a mile to a mile and a half. Near its centre was a curious-looking island, about 7 feet high and 200 yards in extent, covered with granite boulders and limestone. Its form is as nearly as possible that of a semicircle, the concavity being towards the south.

To this lake I gave the name of Ballenden, after a much valued friend.

When near the north end of Ballenden Lake (over which we had travelled rapidly, the snow being both hard and smooth), we turned more to the west. At noon we arrived at a lake which was to be our resting place for the night, as, although small, it was said to contain both trout and salmon; but, after cutting through five feet of ice, we did not succeed in catching any, although we tempted them with a bait from a buffalo hide. In the afternoon the weather became very gloomy; a strong breeze sprang up accompanied by a thick haze, and the thermometer rose to -11.

By meridian observation our lat.i.tude was 68 36' 58" N., variation of the compa.s.s 78 W., longitude by account 88 49" W.

14th.--This morning was so stormy, with thick drift and snow, that we could not start so early as usual; it however became more moderate at 5 o'clock, and we were able to continue our route, although the guide seemed much puzzled to keep in the proper direction, there being nothing to serve as marks in this wilderness of snow.

In the afternoon the weather again became worse, and the temperature fell to -12, which with a strong head wind made it sufficiently cold. I felt it probably more than the others, as I had to stop often to take bearings, and in consequence was once or twice nearly losing the party altogether. We trudged on manfully until 5 P.M., when it cleared up for two or three minutes, and we obtained a distant glimpse of some high islands in the bay for which we were bound, called Ak-koo-lee-gu-wiak by the natives. At half-past 5 we commenced building our snow house. This was far from pleasant work, as the wind was piercingly cold, and the fine particles of snow drift penetrated our clothes everywhere; we, however, enjoyed ourselves the more when we got under shelter and took our supper of the staple commodities, pemmican and water. Lat.i.tude 68 51' N., longitude 89 16' W.

15th.--It blew a complete storm all night, but we were as snug and comfortable, in our snow hive, as if we had been lodged in the best house in England. At 5.30 the wind moderated to a gale, but the drift was still so thick that it was impossible to see any distance before us, particularly when looking to windward, and that unfortunately was the direction in which we had to go. The temperature was 21 below zero,--a temperature which, as all Arctic travellers know, feels much colder, when there is a breeze of wind, than one of -60 or -70 when the weather is calm. But there was the prospect of both food and fuel before us, for seals were said to abound in the bay and heather on the islands of Akkooleeguwiak. Such temptations were not to be resisted; so we m.u.f.fled ourselves well up and set out. It was one of the worst days I had ever travelled in, and I could not take the bearings of our route more than once or twice.

To make matters worse, one of our dogs, a fine lively little creature, that was a great favourite with us all, became unable to walk unharnessed, and the men having enough to do with the sledges, I dragged, carried, and coaxed it on for a few miles; but finding that some parts of my face were freezing, and that my companions were so far ahead as to be out of sight, I was reluctantly compelled to leave the poor animal to its fate.

After a most devious course of nearly twelve miles, we came to the sh.o.r.es of the bay. The banks were of mud and s.h.i.+ngle, about sixty or seventy feet high, and so steep that it was some time before we could find a place by which to get down to the ice. We directed our steps among much rough ice towards the highest of the group of islands named Coga-ur-ga-wiak, apparently six miles distant, and encamped near its western end in a little well-sheltered bay. All the party, even the Esquimaux, had got severely frost-bitten in the face, but as it was not much more than skin deep, this gave us little concern. When our house was nearly built, a search was commenced among the snow for heather, and we were so fortunate as to procure enough in an hour and a-half to cook us some pemmican and flour, in the form of a kind of soup or pottage.

We were all very glad to get into our blankets as soon as possible. The weather became somewhat finer in the evening, but it drifted as much as ever. The thermometer was -16. Our lat.i.tude was 68 53' 44" N., longitude 89 55' 30" west. Notwithstanding that I carried my watch next to my skin the cold stopped it, and I could not tell exactly the time of our arrival at the island, but I believed it was near 2 P.M.

On the 16th, a gale of wind from N.W. with thick drift, and the thermometer at -20, would have prevented our travelling had I intended it; but as I purposed leaving some of the men and all the dogs here to recruit, I wished to find out the Esquimaux (who we knew were in the neighbourhood, as the recent foot tracks of two had been seen on the sh.o.r.e the day before), and obtain from them some seals' flesh and blubber for our use. Flett, Ivitchuk, and the interpreter were sent on this mission, but they returned in the evening unsuccessful. The drift was so thick in the bay that they could not see to any distance. In the meantime Corrigal and Adamson had been collecting fuel, and I being under the lee of the island obtained observations for lat.i.tude and variation of the compa.s.s, the former being 68 53' 44" north as above, the latter 87 40' west.

I prepared for an early start the next morning in company with Flett and Corrigal, for the purpose, if possible, of reaching Sir John Ross's most southerly discoveries, which could not now be distant more than two days' journey.

The party that were to be left behind had orders to kill seals, (for which purpose Ivitchuk was furnished with a spear,) to trade provisions from the Esquimaux if they saw any, and, above all, to use as little of our present stock as possible. All that we could afford to take with us was four days' scanty allowance. I had for the last week carried my instruments, books, &c., in all about thirty-five pounds weight; and I now intended to do the same.

The morning of the 17th was stormy and cold (-22), and we did not start until near 6 o'clock; when we had got well clear of the S.W. end of the island, we found the ice smooth, and the snow on it hard-packed. As the men had but a light load we travelled fast, our course being nearly N.W.

towards the farthest visible land in that direction. A brisk walk of seventeen miles brought us, an hour before noon, to the sh.o.r.e near a high point formed of dark gray granite, which I named Cape Berens, after one of the Directors of the Company. It is situated in lat.i.tude 69 4'

12" N. by observation, and longitude 90 35' 48" W. by account. The sh.o.r.e, which was steep and rocky, ran nearly in a straight line, and in the same direction that we had been already travelling. At 3 P.M. we came to two narrow points in a small bay, between which we built our snow-house. To these points I gave the name of "the Twins." Their lat.i.tude is 69 13' 14" N., longitude 90 55' 30" W.

There being one or two hills at a short distance from us, I ascended one of them to look for fuel, and to gain a view of our future route. I obtained neither of these objects, but fell in with some lead ore, specimens of which were brought away.

On arriving at the snow-hut I found it nearly completed, but so small that there was little prospect of a comfortable night's rest. Having but a very small quant.i.ty of alcohol for fuel, our supper was a cold one.

Thermometer in the evening 19 below zero. Flett (one of Dease and Simpson's best men) showed symptoms of fatigue, at which I was much surprised, as, from what I had heard of him, I fancied he would have tired out any of the party.

18th.--My antic.i.p.ations of pa.s.sing an uncomfortable night were fully realized. It might be thought that, as our whole bedding consisted of one blanket, and a hairy deer-skin to put between us and the snow, there was reason enough for my not sleeping soundly; but this was not the case, as I often pa.s.sed nights both before and after this with as little covering, but never found myself cold. We started at 3 A.M. The morning was fine but hazy, with a light air of wind from N.W. Thermometer -3.

The walking was still fair; and I may here remark, that wherever the land had an eastern exposure the ice was smooth, there being little or none of the former year forced up along the sh.o.r.e; whenever the coast was exposed to the west, the contrary was the case.

Our course was nearly that of the previous day, but a little more to the westward. After walking twelve miles we came to what proved to be the head of a deep inlet, the western sh.o.r.e of which we had been tracing, and which I named after John Halkett, Esq., one of the Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company, whose son (Lieut. P. A. Halkett, R.N.,) is the ingenious inventor of the portable air-boat, which ought to be the travelling companion of every explorer. Two reindeer were seen here.

As there could be no doubt that, if my longitude was correct, I must now be near the Lord Mayor's Bay of Sir John Ross, I decided on striking across land, as nearly north as possible, instead of following the coast. The men having had a short time to rest, we commenced a tiresome march over land, the snow being in some places both deep and soft. We crossed three small lakes, and at noon, when near the middle of another about four miles long, an excellent meridian observation of the sun gave lat.i.tude 69 26' 1" N. When we had walked three miles more we came to another small lake; and here, as there was yet no appearance of the sea, I ordered my men to prepare our lodgings, whilst I went on alone to endeavour to discover the coast.

A walk of twenty minutes brought me to an inlet not more than a quarter of a mile wide. This I traced to the westward for upwards of a league, when my course was again obstructed by land. There were some high rocks near at hand which I ascended, and from the summit I thought I could distinguish rough ice in the desired direction. With renewed hopes I slid down a declivity, plunging among snow, scrambling over rocks, and through rough ice until I gained more level ground. I then directed my steps to some rising ground which I found to be close to the seash.o.r.e.

From the spot on which I now stood, as far as the eye could reach to the north-westward, lay a large extent of ice-covered sea, studded with innumerable islands. Lord Mayor's Bay was before me, and the islands were those named by Sir John Ross the Sons of the Clergy of the Church of Scotland.