Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/327

306 The old woman further added that the Innuits had lived on that land, as Innuits do live—that is, moving about wherever food can be had—both before and after the white men's ships came years ago; but, since the great disaster occurred which swept so many of her people away, no Innuits would go there.

After eliciting all the information I then could from the old woman, I left her, with great astonishment at her powers of memory, and the remarkable way in which this strange people of the icy North, who have no written language, can correctly preserve history from one generation to another. Nine generations had passed away since the visit of Frobisher, yet now, on the 11th of May, 1861, I received from an old woman, probably a hundred years old, statements which I could not otherwise than believe to be facts concerning him and his co-adventurers! I was astonished, and also, in a measure, pleased, for it gave me stronger hopes than ever of my being able thereafter to obtain all the knowledge I required concerning the expedition of Franklin. Meanwhile I determined upon revisiting Oopungnewing, and going to Niountelik as soon as possible. At this time all on board the George Henry were very busy in certain matters connected with the ship, such as refitting and preparing her for the time when she might proceed to other quarters for whaling operations. Boats on sledges, men and their apparel, sleeping-gear, and other necessary material, were daily sent off to the working dépôt at Cape True, in Frobisher Bay, so that on the 17th of May only three white men remained in the vessel. I now decided to make a sledge exploring trip up the Bay of Frobisher, as I could not depart for King William's Land till about the 1st of August, the earliest practicable moment of being able to commence my journey by boat to that locality. At this time Tookoolito was suddenly taken ill. It was on the evening of May 8th, when, as I was engaged upon my charts, Tookoolito aiding me in the Innuit names, I noticed she suddenly dropped her head, as I thought, to reflect upon