Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/324

Rh ceased speaking merely to consider the true interpretation of what the old lady had said into my vernacular. She continued by saying, "First two, then two or three, then many—very many vessels."

This was clear; and I immediately took up the only book I then had with me bearing upon the subject, "Barrow's Chronological History of Arctic Discovery," and, turning to the account of Frobisher's voyages, I read what had been given to the world by means of writing and printing, and compared it with what was now communicated to me by means of oral tradition. Written history tells me that Frobisher made three voyages to the arctic regions as follows:— FrstFirst [sic] voyage in 1576, with two vessels. Second voyage in 1577, three vessels. Third voyage in 1578, fifteen vessels.

Traditionary history informs me that a great many, many years ago the vessels of white men visited the bay (Frobisher's) three successive years:— First, in two vessels.

Second, in three vessels. Third, in many vessels. But this is not all that traditionary history gave me on that day. Written history states that Frobisher lost five of his men on his first voyage when conveying a native on shore. Oral history told me that five white men were captured by Innuit people at the time of the appearance of the ships a great many years ago; that these men wintered on shore (whether one, two, three, or more winters, could not say); that they lived among the Innuits; that they afterward built an oomien (large boat), and put a mast into her, and had sails; that early in the season, before much water appeared, they endeavoured to depart; that, in the effort, some froze their hands; but that finally they succeeded in getting into open water, and away they went, which was the last seen or heard of them. This boat, as near as I could make out at the time, was built on