Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/86

 CHAPTER III.

consort, the Rescue, having rejoined us, it was determined by Captain Budington to depart for his whaling-ground on west side Davis's Straits directly all the necessary preparations about the ship were completed for navigating among the ice. Meanwhile I availed myself of the spare time to frequently visit the shore, and take rambles in the neighbourhood. But, though I find many things in my journal that might be worth mentioning at this period, yet there is so much to be said elsewhere, when I arrive on the actual field of my labours, that I must now hurriedly go over what more occurred at Holsteinborg.

I here make a few extracts from my journal:—

"July 13th.—This afternoon Governor Elberg, with his lieutenant and wife, visited us, and were welcomed to the best of our power. I had promised the governor to show him a collection of Arctic charts brought with me, and also the British Parliamentary Reports of the Searching Expeditions, and the works of Kane, Franklin, Parry, &c. He was greatly interested, making many inquiries that I took pleasure in answering. A map of the United States much attracted his attention, and he asked several questions as to our home progress, and the rise of new cities, inventions, &c. Street-railroads were quite new to him, he never having heard of such in the Old Country. VOL. I.