Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/81

62 the angeko (Jennie) leave while Ebierbing was sick I therefore gave her up, accepting Koodloo's offer to go without her. On Thursday morning, the 8th of August, I found that Ebierbing had slept better than for several nights past. At 9, while Koodloo was on the top of our island (Whale Island), he cried down to Tookoolito, who was making our morning coffee, under the lee of some rocks, that a boat was coming from the ship. I ran up, and was delighted to find it so, for I knew by this that the proposals I had made to the Innuits Koojesse and Charley, whom, with their wives, I wanted for my crew, had been accepted; and yet I was pained, as I thought of the necessity of leaving behind my faithful friends Ebierbing and Tookoolito. I hastened back, took my cup of coffee and dish of lump pemmican, and breakfasted. Well, the boat arrived, and brought me a note from Captain B. I told Ebierbing that we could now remove him and his effects; that Captain B had kindly responded to my request, and sent down for him, and that so good an opportunity ought not to be lost. He was willing to do as I advised; but Koodloo was slow to move. Meanwhile almost a gale had sprung up in the east, rendering it inexpedient to venture to take Ebierbing to the ship in his weak state. As it was necessary to visit the ship prior to my final departure on the proposed voyage, I left Ebierbing and Tookoolito with the assurance that I would call again the next day, and that they would be removed as soon as Ebierbing could bear it and the weather should permit. We arrived on board just at noon. Shortly after, Koojesse and Charley came aboard from the Innuit village near the ship, when I soon found that they were fearful I wished to prolong my stay at the head of Frobisher Bay until the cold weather, and, if so, they were not disposed to go. I therefore explained to them that I should probably return in about a month, or, at farthest, in less than two months. They were then quite satisfied, and agreed to accompany me. My journal of this day, August 8th, 1861, concludes thus:—