Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/92

Rh accomplished when within about one eighth of a mile from the island. The last shot was fired, and Ninoo instantly dropped his head without making another motion. We now pulled to him. He was quite dead, and we at once took him in tow by fastening a walrus thong around his lower jaw, its huge tusks effectually serving to keep the noose from slipping off. Thus we towed our prize along, until, reaching the land, we hauled him on shore, and made our third encampment upon the southwest side of Oopungnewing Island. During this chase I had a narrow escape from losing my life. Koojesse was seated on the locker at the boat's stern, with gun cocked and levelled at Ninoo, when, just as he was about to pull the trigger, I, intent upon the bear, suddenly rose, right in a line with his aim. It was but a second of time that saved me. Koojesse had just time to drop his gun, as frightened as man could be at the danger in which I had unknowingly placed myself. While we were firing at the bear, Tunukderlien and another of the women, for some reason unknown to me at the time, lay down in the boat completely covered with tuktoo skins. As soon as we landed I went to the top of the island to make observations and look around, but the vast swarms of musquitoes attacked me with such violence that I was almost desperate. After catching a few sights for time (longitude) and a solar bearing, and taking a round of angles, I beat a hasty retreat. So tormented was I that I thought I had lost as much blood during the time I was up there as the Ninoo we killed. Musquitoes are fond of white men's blood. They can smell it a long way off, I am sure, for they came in swarms from every direction, and made me the centre-point of their bill presentations. When I got back to the encampment I