Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/183

164 ice-gear, with the usual indications of Innuit tent life, met my view; but it was solitary as compared with the life and animation displayed when I was there only a few months before. Slowly I turned my steps away from this place, where I had spent so many happy hours; and I could not help saying to myself, "Shall I ever again behold it? God only knows!" We stopped at Cape True nearly an hour, and then pursued our way through Bear Sound. On arriving at the next place of encampment, the last before reaching the harbour where I had left the ship, the Innuits informed me that it was called Shar-toe-wik-toe, from a natural breakwater of thin or plate stone, the native word meaning "thin flat stone." It is on a tongue of land nearly surrounded by water, on the west side of Lupton Channel, within a mile of Field Bay, and has a beautiful little boat-harbour. A few moments after landing, some of the Innuits found the remains of recent encampments of their people. On examination, we discovered that several tupics had been there, and it was concluded that Annawa, Artarkparu, and other families had made this their resting-place on the way from where we had met them up Frobisher Bay to Field Bay. At this place I found some deposits of seal and walrus, evidently freshly made by the party preceding us; and here I noticed an instance of honesty and good faith which deserves mention:—

These deposits were beneath piles of stone, with a stick running up obliquely from each, so that if the ground should be covered with snow, the place might be easily found. The Innuits with me noticed all this, and saw the meat thus deposited, yet not one would touch a morsel of it. They knew it belonged to others, and therefore it was sacred in their eyes, unless in case of actual extremity. From the present (27th and last) encampment our first one on the outward trip was not far distant—about a mile off—and on the opposite side of the channel was Lok's Land, the "dreaded land." I made some inquiries about it, but not one of my companions could give me any information, though