Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/31

12 be occasioned by our coming from the "dreaded" land, especially seeing me, a civilized man, alone with the natives. But all my pleasant visions and romantic fancies were suddenly and rudely dispelled when we reached the other side, and stood upon a spot near the north shore. No ship—no vessel was there! Had she disappeared? No. The object upon which I had gazed with such a transport of feeling was indeed there before me, as I had seen it from above; but what was my disappointment—my utter amazement and chagrin, when I found that the supposed steamer was only a remarkably-shaped portion of the mountain's side! Never before had I been so completely deceived; and perhaps, had I had my perspective glass with me, I might have detected the mistake while upon the mountain-top. Yet even now, after the illusion was dispelled, I was astonished at the similitude which nature had here pourtrayed of a steam vessel. The black of that projecting rock, with the white snow apparently standing out apart from the mountain-side to which it belonged, made up a figure so completely like that of a ship, and my change of position at every few steps so magically represented the appearance of repeated tacking, that only the close inspection which I was now making could convince me of the illusion. But it was now dispelled. It was almost cruel, if I may venture to use such a term, to awake me from my late dream of expected joy to the reality of so great a disappointment. However, so it was; and if anything would have relieved my vexation, it was the blank look of astonishment depicted on the features of my two companions on ascertaining the truth. Strange to say, by the time we had arrived at the spot where the best view of it could be obtained, it looked no more like a vessel than a cow! One glance, and we turned away—I in disgust. Our journey back was anything but agreeable; but we took it leisurely, and at half-past 1 of the 11th arrived at our encampment.

In speaking to Ebierbing about the reasons for the Innuits deserting a place which we now had evidence to show was