Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/324

Rh in the upper part of Field Bay. He announced that the ship was nearly free, and that the ice of Field Bay was all broken up, and much of it had drifted out to sea. His orders were for all hands to proceed immediately on board. This news caused immense joy. All was excitement. Tents were quickly struck, boats were made ready, and stowed with such of the material as we intended carrying on board, and in a very short time we were ready for a start. As for myself, I had to regret the loss of some of my geological specimens, which I was obliged to abandon here on account of their weight in the already overloaded boat. At 4 we took our final leave of Cape True, after a friendly adieu to the people in that locality, with whom we had become so familiar. We struck direct for Hubbel's Point, and soon after were passing up Bear Sound. The day was calm and clear, and the boats had to be pulled nearly the whole way; but no fatigue was felt while anticipating a speedy arrival on board the ship. At seven o'clock we were through Bear Sound, where the tide, as usual, was running very swiftly and strong, though it was in our favour. Many well-known spots were quickly passed, receiving our farewell, and we were soon through Lupton Channel, when we turned into Field Bay, which was seen to be nearly full of drift-ice moving out and in with the tide. French Head, the scene of poor John Brown's death, was gazed upon with some saddening memories; but the brightness of the day, and the hope before us of soon being under way for home, forbade much lingering on painful recollections. At 1 we passed Parker's Bay, and in an hour and a half more arrived at the ship, glad again to tread her decks, but more especially rejoiced to find her once more free. I went on shore immediately after to take some observations; and then, upon my return on board, and after a supper of hard bread and salt junk, I started with a boat's crew down the north side of the bay to Farrington Cape, to bring off