Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/64

Rh Mr. Rogers was carrying along over the rocks a jug of "lasas-ses," as the Innuits pronounce molasses. All at once the bottom of the jug dropped out, and the contents splashed down, his hand flying up as if an electric shock from a strongly, charged battery had been given him. Quick as it was noised about, the spot sweetened over with the "lasasses" was not unlike a sugar hogshead near a bee-hive on a warm sunny day. The Innuits, men, women, and children, crowded round tit [sic] to lick up the sweet mixture! After arranging all matters that Captain B had asked my attention to, and enjoying a good rest in one of the officers' tents, we started on our way back to the ship, taking with us several saddles of venison, half a dozen brace of ducks, and other good things for those on board. When about half way through Bear Sound, the commotion and roar of the waters were such as no person who has not witnessed the like could form an adequate idea of. Small icebergs were swept along, roundabout, this way and that way, at a speed of full eight knots an hour. On one side piles of ice were carried swiftly to the south, and on the other side ice was sweeping in the contrary direction. The turmoil and confusion seemed almost demoniac. At length the surging ceased for a while, and then it began again, everything to appearance being in readiness for a race up toward Lupton Channel. And so it continued, obliging us to ply the long steering-oar briskly to keep the boat in its course, as we were borne along with the rapid tide.

When we got out of the channel a fresh breeze helped us onward until we came near "French Head," when it failed. Here all the ice had disappeared and gone down the bay, thus, at last, carrying to the great sea the mortal remains of poor John Brown, there soon depositing them to rest quietly beneath the waters that link together people of all nations of the earth. He now lies buried in the world's great grave-yard. Nature, however, marks the spot where he must have fought valiantly the last battle of life. The bluff stands out boldly to view whenever any one may be navigating in or near Field Bay.