Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/113

94 I then asked him, "How many years ago was it when the Innuits first saw these things?" His reply was, "Am-a-su-ad-lo" (a great, great many). His father, when a boy, had seen them there all the same. Had heard his father often talk about them.

"Some of the pieces of iron were very heavy, so that it was as much as the strongest Innuit could do to lift them." "Had often made trials of strength, in competition with other Innuits, in lifting. It was quite a practice with the young men to see who was the strongest in lifting the ' heavy stone ' " (Innuits so call the iron).

"On the point of another island near by, an oo-mi-ark-chu-a (ship) was once built by kodlunas (white men) a great many, many years ago—so the Innuits of a great many years ago had said." I took from the boat a little bag which contained some of the coal that I had gathered up with my own hands at Niountelik, and asked him if it was like that he had seen. He said, "All the same." I then asked him "where it came from."

His reply was, "He supposed from England, for he had seen the same kind on English whaling vessels in Northumberland Inlet." This information I obtained from the old man; and I could not help noticing how closely it corresponded with that given to me by Ookijoxy Ninoo some months before. The whole interview was particularly interesting. I felt as if suddenly taken back into ages that were past; and my heart truly rejoiced as I sat upon the rock and listened to what the old man said of these undoubted Frobisher relics. After this interview with Artarkparu, we started at 2.45 along the coast, closely examining its features, and noting down everything of importance which we saw. The land was bold and high, with much of the iron-rust look about it. Scarcely any vegetation was perceptible. Numerous islands bordered the coast; and, as I looked across the outer waters,