Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/192

Rh of Innuits in the neighbourhood could not have been less than a hundred, I thought it an excellent opportunity for procuring what I sought. Accordingly, I went to some of their tupics, and getting Tookoolito to be my interpreter, asked a number of questions, the answers to which perfectly satisfied me with regard to the main facts concerning Frobisher's expedition and the fate of his men. The result of all the information thus obtained convinced me, however, of the necessity for another and longer examition of the locality possessing so much interest as regarded this subject. Therefore I again prepared for another trip, and on Monday, October 7th, at 11. I once more started for the Countess of Warwick's Sound. My boat's crew consisted of Ebierbing, as boat-steerer and interpreter, "Suzhi," "John Bull," Kokerzhun, Annawa, Ou-le-kier, and Shevikoo, thus having only one (Suzhi) of my previous party with me.

As this trip, owing to the very severe weather, was nearly a failure, I need only give such particulars of it as may prove generally interesting to the reader. The wind was strong when we started, and every dash of water upon our boat froze as it touched the side. Sometimes the gusts were so heavy that great care was needed lest we should be capsized; but we managed to cross the bay and reach land on the other side without mishap. Here, for a time, we had better weather, but the wind soon became adverse, and when we got near to French Head it was deemed advisable to encamp for the night. We stopped at a bight, or indentation of the land, close to the place where we used to cross over to Chapell Inlet, and there, in searching for drift-wood, I came across a piece of my lost expedition boat. The women attended to our encampment, consisting of two tents, one formed of my boat's covering, the other of boats' sails; five persons were in one and three in the other. Thus we passed the first night, and early next morning, October 8th, again started.

The weather was very discouraging; the wind was right against us, and occasionally it snowed heavily. A mile, or