Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/293

272 discoveries, and simultaneously commenced to make record of whatever was stated to be in subsequent interviews. The commencement of said notes is under date of April 9th, 1861. I now extract them from my original journal, as made immediately after an interview with the Esquimaux Koojesse on the of same date:—

"Among the traditions handed down from one generation to another, there is this: that many—very many years ago, some white men built a ship on one of the islands of Frobisher Bay, and went away. "I think I can see through this in this way: Frobisher, in 1578, assembled a large part of his fleet in what he called 'Countess of Warwick Sound' (said to be in that bay below us), when a council was held on the 1st of August, at which it was determined to send all persons and things on shore upon 'Countess of Warwick Island!' and on August 2d orders were proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, for the guidance of the company during their abode thereon. For reasons stated in the history, the company did not tarry here long, but departed for 'Meta Incognita,' and thence to England. "Now, may not the fact of timbers, chips, &c. &c. having been found on one of the islands (within a day's journey of here) many years ago, prove that the said materials were of this Frobisher's company, and that hence the Innuit tradition? "In a few days I hope to be exploring Frobisher Bay. I may thereafter have something to add to the matter above referred to."—I now turn to other matters in my journal. "April 9th.—As I write, the main cabin table of the ship is surrounded by natives playing dominoes. There are Ebierbing, Miner and his wife, Charley and his wife, Jim Crow with his wife. "The gale of to-day has been terrific. One would have to contest sharply with the elements in order to breathe, if outside of the cabin for a moment. In the afternoon an alarm was raised that Sharkey's wife had fallen down the forecastle steps and was dying. It seems that in mounting the stairs leading