Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/263

242 "On Friday last, March 15th, by the journal (my MS. journal), it will also be seen that Koojesse and Charley (Koo-per-ne-ung), went over to the Innuit settlements at Frobisher Bay with the dogs and sledge, for the object of trafficking for walrus tusks and meat. It was expected that they would return by the evening of the same day, but the inclement weather that succeeded their starting out, the gale of the night and next day, prevented their return till twelve meridian of Saturday, at which hour they started.

"John Brown and James Bruce feeling so much relieved of their complaint, they prepared themselves to return with Koojesse and Charley. While the load of walrus skins, walrus meat, &c. was being lashed to the sledge by the two Innuits, Brown and Bruce started on together. They had not proceeded more than half a mile when Bruce proposed that they should return, delaying their journey to another day, as the wind was blowing strong and cold; the indications of the weather being otherwise unpropitious. To this proposal Brown objected. Bruce declared they would be frozen before they could reach the vessel, and this being his honest conviction, he not only decided to go back to the igloo they had just left, but strenuously exerted himself to induce Brown to do likewise. The last words of this unfortunate young man to his companion (Bruce) were, 'I'm going on; for, by G—, I'm determined to have my duff and apple-sauce at to-morrow's dinner.'

"Bruce returned to Bob's igloo, taking from the sledge his sleeping blankets. Brown finally retraced his steps until he met the sledge party, which he joined, continuing his journey homeward to the vessel. The sledge was heavily loaded, so that their progress was very slow. Having proceeded some seven miles, hummocky ice obliged Charley and Koojesse to leave the greater part of the load. To unload and make a