Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/72

Rh bottom, could be found. He remained an hour there, and then struck a course direct down the bay for the whaling dépôt. The wind, however, came against him with so great force that he was obliged to make for Sampson's settlement, and remain there for that night. Next morning he again set out, and on the way his Innuit crew killed many ducks, which they ate raw, Rogers was offered some, but he said to me, "I could not go that." He arrived at the whaling dépôt, at Cape True, about 11 on the 26th, and finally returned to the ship as already stated. The return of the George Henry's crew on board, and the breaking up of the ice, were the signal for the ship's departure to another place, to try anew the chances of whaling; but with all relating to such work, except where it is connected with my own personal labours, I have nothing to do. My task was that of research, exploration, and discovery, and not to aid in the capture of whales, albeit that, in itself, was an exciting and adventurous occupation. I had come to the North for another and, to me, a more glorious purpose. When, therefore, the time approached for the vessel to move away, the hour had also come for me to leave her and take up my abode with the natives, as I had originally proposed. What my plans and intentions were, as noted and recorded at the time, I will now proceed to show. It was now the 28th of July, 1861. In two or three days the vessel was to leave Rescue Harbour to cruise for whales. I intended, therefore, to make a boat voyage to explore the so-called "Frobisher Strait," which had been proved to me, by Innuit testimony, in the fall of 1860, while in Rescue Harbour, to be a bay. The course I purposed to pursue was down and across Field Bay to Lupton Channel and Bear Sound, and thence along the northern coast of the misnamed "strait" to its termination, and thence, if possible, down Kingaite (Meta Incognita) side; then crossing over to "North Foreland," and returning to Field Bay by way of the south side of the "dreaded land," and thence through Bear Sound