Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/288

Rh he was tracked to the fatal spot, but no other traces of him were ever discovered.

While on this subject I may as well relate one or two occurrences narrated to me by whaling captains, which show that white men often do go through seven perils, and endure the same sort of life as the Esquimaux. Captain Sisson, on one occasion, told me of a shipwreck that occurred in September, 1853, forty miles north of Cape East, in Kamtschatka. The crew were obliged to remain about eleven months on shore, living among the natives in a perfectly helpless condition, and without anything of value. Yet they were well treated, and soon acquired the habits of the natives, eating the same food, and living in the same manner; and finally, without the loss of a man, came away quite fat and healthy.

Again, another case may be mentioned as reported to me. In the fall of 1851, Captain Quayle, of the M'Clelland, whaler, from New London, entered a harbour in Northumberland Inlet, but, not meeting with success, it was proposed that some of the ship's company should winter there with a view to commence whaling in the spring, if that should be practicable. The first mate, now Captain S. O. Budington, and W. Sterry, with ten other volunteers, agreed to do so. Except the first officer, the whole were single young men. The understanding was that the M'Clelland should return for them by the next July; and meanwhile provisions, two boats, and various other effects, were placed on shore for their use. The twelve men now went to work to make preparation for their stay. A house was built of stone, filling in the walls with turf, and snow on the outside, making a total thickness of six feet. The roof was made of sealskins sewed together and placed on poles. For a window, which was in the roof, intestines of the whale answered well. The stove served for cooking and heating, and coal had been left for fuel; but this becoming exhausted by the end of December, an admirable substitute was found in some skeletons of whales, which were