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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/39013-8.txt b/39013-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0306089 --- /dev/null +++ b/39013-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9663 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of North-Pole Voyages, by Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: North-Pole Voyages + +Author: Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +Release Date: February 29, 2012 [EBook #39013] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTH-POLE VOYAGES *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Albert László and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: This author often uses "run" where we to-day would +use "ran." This was retained.] + + +[Illustration: Captain C. F. Hall. + +See page 289] + + + + +NORTH-POLE VOYAGES: + +EMBRACING + +SKETCHES OF THE IMPORTANT FACTS AND INCIDENTS + +IN THE LATEST + +AMERICAN EFFORTS TO REACH THE NORTH POLE + +FROM THE SECOND GRINNELL EXPEDITION TO THAT OF THE POLARIS. + +BY REV. Z. A. MUDGE, + + AUTHOR OF "VIEWS FROM PLYMOUTH ROCK," "WITCH HILL," "ARCTIC + HEROES," ETC., ETC. + + Five Illustrations. + + NEW YORK: + + NELSON & PHILLIPS + + CINCINNATI: HITCHCOCK & WALDEN. + + SUNDAY-SCHOOL DEPARTMENT. + + + + + Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by + + NELSON & PHILLIPS, + + in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +FOR more than three hundred years an intense desire has been felt by +explorers to discover and reveal to the world the secrets of the +immediate regions of the North Pole. Nor has this desire been confined +to mere adventurers. Learned geographers, skillful navigators, and +scientific men of broad and accurate study, have engaged in these +enterprises with enthusiastic interest. The great governments of the +Christian world have bestowed upon them liberally the resources of their +wealth and science, and never to a greater extent than within the last +three years. Failure seems but to stimulate exertion. Scarcely have the +tears dried on the faces of the friends of those who have perished in +the undertaking before we hear of the departure of a fresh expedition. +Something like a divine inspiration has attended these explorations from +the first, and their moral tone has been excellent. + +This volume sketches the latest American efforts, second to no others in +heroism and success, and abounding in instructive and intensely +interesting adventures both grave and gay. + +We have followed in this volume, as in its companion volume, "The Arctic +Heroes," the orthography of Professor Dall, of the Smithsonian +Institution, in some frequently-occurring Arctic words. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. NORTHWARD 9 + II. ANCHORED AT LAST 17 + III. THRILLING INCIDENTS 23 + IV. LOST AND RESCUED 31 + V. MORE HEROIC EXCURSIONS 43 + VI. THE OPEN SEA 53 + VII. AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT 60 + VIII. TREATY MAKING 68 + IX. ARCTIC HUNTING 75 + X. THEE ESCAPING PARTY 89 + XI. A GREEN SPOT 99 + XII. NETLIK 109 + XIII. THE HUT 120 + XIV. ESQUIMO TREACHERY 131 + XV. LIGHTS AND SHADOWS 142 + XVI. DRUGGED ESQUIMO 150 + XVII. BACK AGAIN 160 + XVIII. SCARES 171 + XIX. SEEKING THE ESQUIMO 179 + XX. DESERTERS 186 + XXI. CLOSING INCIDENTS OF THE IMPRISONMENT 194 + XXII. HOMEWARD BOUND 201 + XXIII. NARROW ESCAPES 209 + XXIV. ESQUIMO KINDNESS 216 + XXV. MELVILLE BAY 221 + XXVI. SAVED 228 + XXVII. OFF AGAIN 234 + XXVIII. COLLIDING FLOES 241 + XXIX. THE WINTER HOME 249 + XXX. GLACIERS 255 + XXXI. A STRANGE DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT 263 + XXXII. THE CROWNING SLEDGE JOURNEY 270 + XXXIII. LAST INCIDENTS OF THE EXPEDITION 279 + XXXIV. SOMETHING NEW 287 + XXXV. A FEARFUL STORM 295 + XXXVI. THE AURORA 304 + XXXVII. THE DYING ESQUIMO 311 + XXXVIII. CUNNING HUNTERS 317 + XXXIX. ROUND FROBISHER BAY 326 + XL. THE "POLARIS" 333 + XLI. DISASTER 344 + XLII. THE LAST OF THE "POLARIS" 357 + XLIII. THE FEARFUL SITUATION 364 + XLIV. THE WONDERFUL DRIFT 371 + XLV. THE WONDERFUL ESCAPE 380 + + +Illustrations. + + CAPTAIN C. F. HALL 2 + WALRUSES--A FAMILY PARTY 81 + CAPTAIN BUDDINGTON 337 + UNLOADING STORES FROM THE "POLARIS" 345 + PERILOUS SITUATION OF THE "POLARIS" 354 + + + + +NORTH-POLE VOYAGES. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +NORTHWARD. + + +THE readers who have been with us before into the arctic regions will +recollect the good American brig Advance, and her wonderful drift during +live months, in 1851, from the upper waters of the Wellington Channel, +until she was dropped in the Atlantic Ocean by the ice-field which +inclosed her. Dr. Kane, then her surgeon, took command of this same +vessel, in 1853, for another search for the lost Franklin. We have seen +that the place of Franklin's disasters and death was found while Kane +was away on this voyage, so the interest of the present story will not +connect with that great commander, except in the noble purposes of its +heroes. + +The Advance left New York on the thirtieth of May, having on board, all +counted, eighteen men. Kind hearts and generous purses had secured for +her a fair outfit in provisions for the comfort of the adventurers, in +facilities for fighting the ice and cold, and in the means of securing +desired scientific results. Of the thousands who waved them a kind +adieu from the shore many said sadly, "They will never return." + +We shall make the acquaintance of the officers and men as we voyage with +them, and a very agreeable acquaintance we are sure it will be. The +rules by which all agreed to be governed were these and no others: +"Absolute obedience to the officer in command; no profane swearing; no +liquor drunk except by special order." + +The voyagers touched at St. John's, and among other kindnesses shown +them was the gift by the governor of a noble team of nine Newfoundland +dogs. + +At Fiskernaes, the first Greenland port which they entered, they added +to their company Hans Christian, an Esquimo hunter, nineteen years of +age. Hans was expert with the Esquimo spear and kayak. He will appear +often in our story, and act a conspicuous part; he at once, however, +prepossesses us in his favor by stipulating with Dr. Kane to leave two +barrels of bread and fifty pounds of pork with his mother in addition to +the wages he is to receive. The doctor made his cup of joy overflow by +adding to these gifts to his mother the present for himself of a rifle +and new kayak. + +The expedition next touched at Lichtenfels. Dr. Kane obtained here a +valuable addition to his outfit of fur clothing. Stopping at Proven, a +supply of Esquimo dogs was completed; lying to briefly at Upernavik, the +most northern port of civilization, their equipment in furs, ice-tools, +and other necessary articles known to arctic voyagers, was rendered +still more complete. At this last port the services of Carl Petersen +were engaged for the expedition. We have met this intelligent, heroic +Dane among our "Arctic Heroes." He will for a long time appear in the +shifting scenes of our story. + +On the twenty-seventh of July the "Advance" drew near to Melville Bay. +The reader who has accompanied the earlier arctic explorers into this +region will remember their terrific experience in this bay. Every arctic +enemy of the navigator lurks there. Their attacks are made singly and in +solid combinations. At one time they steal upon their victim like a +Bengal tiger; at other times they rush upon him with a shout and yell, +like a band of our own savages. Giant icebergs; fierce storms; cruel +nips; silent, unseen, irresistible currents; with ever-changing, +treacherous "packs" and "floes," and the all-pervading, relentless cold, +are some of these enemies. A favorite movement of these forces is to so +adjust themselves as to promise the advancing explorer or whaler a +speedy and complete success; then, suddenly changing front, to crush and +sink him at once, or to bind him in icy fetters, a helpless, writhing +victim, for days, weeks, or months, and finally, perhaps, to bury both +ship and men in the dark, deep waters of the bay. + +The "Advance" was at this time treated by these guardians of the +approach to the North Pole with exceptional courtesy. We suspect that +they secretly purposed to follow them into more northern regions, and +there to attack them at even greater advantage. This they certainly did. + +But just to show them what it could and was minded to do, the evil +spirit of the bay invited them at one time to escape impending danger by +fastening to a huge berg. This they did, after eight hours of warping, +heaving, and planting ice-anchors, a labor of prostrating exhaustion. +Hardly had they begun to enjoy the invited hospitality of the berg, when +it began to shower upon them, like big drops from a summer cloud, pieces +of ice the size of a walnut, accompanied by a crackling, threatening +noise from above. A gale from out of its hiding-place on shore came +sweeping upon them at the same time, driving before it its icy +supporter. Mischief was evidently intended. The "Advance" retreated from +the berg with all possible haste, and had barely gone beyond its reach +when it launched after it its whole broadside, which came crashing into +the water with a roar like a whole park of artillery. Could any thing be +rougher? But then it was true to its icebergy character. + +The "Advance" was not injured, but the ice held as a trophy more than +two thousand feet of good whale line, which had to be cut in the +retreat. + +These bergs, though thus harsh and treacherous as a rule, _can_ do a +generous thing. May be, like some people, they are all the more +dangerous on account of exceptional generosity. The loose ice, soon +after this incident, was drifting south, and would have borne the +navigators with it back from whence they had come, perhaps for hundreds +of miles. But a majestic berg came along whose sunken base took hold of +the deep water current, and so, impelled by this current, it sailed +grandly northward, sweeping a wide path through the rotten floes. It +condescendingly offered to do tugboat service for the "Advance," and +invited its captain to throw aboard an ice-anchor. We wonder he dared to +trust it, but he did, and, grappling its crystal sides, made good +headway for awhile until other means of favorable voyaging were +presented. + +Soon after the explorers parted from this bergy friend the midnight sun +came out over its northern crest, kindling on every part of its surface +fires of varied colors, and scattering over the ice all around blazing +carbuncles, sparkling rubies, and molten gold. + +August fifth the "Advance," fairly clearing the hated Melville Bay, +sailed along the western coast of the "North Water" of Baffin Bay. At +Northumberland Island, at the mouth of Whale Sound, their eyes were +again delighted by an exhibition of beautiful colors, delicately tinted, +but this time not made by a gorgeous sunrise over a gigantic iceberg. +The snow of the island and its vicinity bore, over vast areas, a reddish +hue, and great patches of beautiful green mosses broke its monotony, +while here and there the protruding sandstone threw in a rich shading of +brown. So God paints the dreariest lands in colors of great beauty, and +scatters over them profusely at times the richest sunlit gems. + +On the sixth of August they passed the frowning headland of Smith's +Sound, known as Cape Alexander. It stands like the charred trunk and +limbs of some mighty oak, at the entrance of an unexplored, gloomy +forest, seen in the murky darkness. Cape Alexander seemed a mighty +sentinel of evil purpose, toward all who dared pass to the mysterious +regions beyond. It inspired the sailors with superstitious fear, and +admonished their officers that eternal vigilance must be the price of +safety in the waters beyond. + +Arriving at Littleton Island, our explorers built a monument of stones +as a conspicuous object from the sea, surmounted by the stripes and +stars, put under it a record of their voyage thus far, and, two miles +north and east, upon the mainland, deposited a metallic life-boat, with +provisions and various stores. These were for a resort in case of +accident in their further progress. + +While making this deposit they discovered the remains of Esquimo huts, +and graves of some of their former occupants. The dead had been buried +in a sitting posture, their knees drawn close to their bodies; the few +simple implements belonging to the deceased were buried with them. In +one grave was a child's toy spear. So even the rude Esquimo child has +its toys, and, no doubt, the mother looks upon its trinkets, as she lays +them beside its dead body, with tearful interest. + +Soon after making these deposits in the life-boat, the "Advance," while +making a vigorous struggle with the broken ice, was borne into a +land-locked inlet, which Dr. Kane called Refuge Harbor. It was rather a +cosy place for an arctic shore, and in it the explorers waited for the +movement of the ice. + +While here they were much annoyed by their dogs, fifty in number. Two +bears had been shot, which were the only game which had been taken for +them. They were now on short allowance, and were as ravenous as wolves. +They gulped down almost any thing which could go down their throats, +even devouring at one time a part of a feather-bed. Dr. Kane's specimens +of natural history fared hard at their jaws. He happened once to set +down in their way two nests of large sea-fowl. They were filled with +feathers, filth, moss and pebbles--a full peck, but the dogs made a rush +for them and gobbled down the whole. There were plenty of wolves not far +from the brig, on which they delighted to feed. But the hunters had no +luck in trying to take them. Rifle balls glanced from their thick hides +as if they had been peas from a toy gun. They needed the Esquimo harpoon +and the Esquimo skill. But fortunately a dead narwhal, or sea-unicorn, +was found. Under its soothing influence, when fed out to them, the dogs +became more quiet. + +After remaining a few days at Refuge Harbor, a desperate push was made +to get the vessel farther north and east. For twelve days they manfully +battled with the ice, and made forty miles. This brought them to the +bottom of a broad shallow bay, which they named Force Bay. Here they +fastened the brig to a shelving, rocky ledge near the shore. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ANCHORED AT LAST. + + +ON Wednesday, August seventeenth, the heralds of a storm from the South +reached the brig. They made their announcement by hurling against her +sides some heavy floe-pieces. Understanding this hint of what was +coming, the explorers clung to their rocky breakwater by three heavy +hawsers. Louder and louder roared the blast, and more fiercely crashed +the ice which it hurled against the ledge. At midnight one of the +cables, the smaller of the three, parted, and the storm seemed to shout +its triumph at this success as it assailed the writhing vessel more +vigorously. But the ledge broke the power in a measure of the wind and +ice, and was, indeed, a godsend to the imperiled men, so they put it +down on their chart as Godsend Ledge. + +The next day the huge, human-faced walrus came quite near the brig in +great numbers, shaking their grim, dripping fronts. The dovekies, more +cheerful visitors, scud past toward the land. Both walrus and fowls +proclaimed in their way the terribleness of the increasing tempest. The +place of the broken hawser had been supplied, and the worried craft +strained away at three strong lines which held on bravely. Everything on +board was stowed away, or lashed securely, which could invite an +assault by the wind. + +Saturday, late in the afternoon, Dr. Kane, wet, and weary with watching, +went below and threw himself for rest and warmth into his berth. +Scarcely had he done this before a sharp, loud twang brought him to his +feet. One of the six-inch hawsers had parted; its sound had scarcely +been lost in the uproar before a sharp and shrill "twang! twang!" +announced the snapping of the whale line. The brig now clung to the +ledge by a single cable--a new ten-inch manilla line, which held on +grandly. The mate came waddling down into the cabin as the doctor was +drawing on his last article of clothing to go on deck. "Captain Kane," +he exclaimed, "she wont hold much longer; it's blowing the devil +himself." + +All hands now gathered about the brave manilla line on which their fate +seemed to depend. Its deep Eolian chant mingled solemnly with the rattle +of the rigging and the moaning of the shrouds, and died away in the +tumult of the conflicting wind and sea. The sailors were loud in its +praises as they watched it with bated breath. It was singing its death +song, for, with the noise of a shotted gun, and a wreath of smoke, it +gave way, and out plunged the brig into the rushing current of the +tempest-tossed ice. + +Two hours of hard and skillful labor were bestowed on the vessel to get +her back to the ledge; first by beating, or trying to do so, up into the +wind; and then by warping along the edge of the solid floe, but all in +vain. A light sail was then set, that they might keep command of the +helm, and away they scud through a tortuous lead filled with heavy, +broken ice. + +At seven o'clock on Sunday morning the vessel was heading, under full +way, upon huge masses of ice. The heaviest anchor was thrown out to stay +her speed. But the ice-torrent so crowded upon the poor craft that a +buoy was hastily fastened to the chain, and it was slipped, and away +went "the best bower," the sailor's trusted friend in such dangers. + +The vessel now went banging and scraping against the floes, one of which +was forty feet thick, and many of which were thirty feet. These +collisions smashed in her bulwarks, and covered her deck with icy +fragments. Yet the plucky little brig returned to the conflict after +every blow with only surface wounds. + +These assaults failing to turn back or to destroy the little invading +stranger, the arctic warriors now brought into the field their mightiest +champions. Not far ahead, and apparently closing the lead, was a whole +battalion of icebergs. It was an unequal light, and down upon them, with +unwilling haste, came the "Advance." As it approached it was seen that a +narrow line of clear water ran between the bergs and the solid, high +wall of the floe. Into this the vessel shot, with the high wind directly +after it. The sailors, caps in hand, were almost ready to send to the +baffled enemy a shout of triumph, when the wind died away into a lull, +which amounted, for a moment, to almost a dead calm. But on that moment +the fate of the expedition appeared to hang. The enemy saw his +opportunity and began to close up. There seemed no possible escape for +the brig. On one side was the steep ice-wall of the floe, on which there +could be no warping. On the other were the slowly but steadily advancing +bergs in a compact line. Just in time, the anxious, waiting, and almost +breathless crew, hailed their deliverer. It was a broad, low, +platform-shaped berg, over which the water washed. It came sailing +swiftly by, and into it they planted an ice-anchor attached to a tow +line. Away galloped their crystal racer, outrunning the "pale horse" +which followed them! So narrow became the channel between the bergs and +floe e'er they reached the open water beyond, that the yards had to be +"squared" to prevent them from being carried away, and the boats +suspended over the sides were taken on deck to prevent them from being +crushed. They came round under the lee of a great berg, making the enemy +of a moment ago their protector now. Dr. Kane says: "Never did +heart-tried men acknowledge with greater gratitude their merciful +deliverance from a wretched death." + +But the fight was not over. A sudden flaw puffed the "Advance" from its +hiding-place, and drove it again into the drifting ice along the edge of +the solid floe. Once she was lifted high in the air on the crest of a +great wave, and, as it slipped from under her, she came down with +tremendous force against the floe. The masts quivered like reeds in the +wind, and the poor craft groaned like a struck bullock. + +At last they reached a little pond of water near the shore. They had +drifted since morning across Force Bay, ten miles. A berg, with +pretended friendliness, came and anchored between the brig and the +storm. The situation seemed to warrant a little rest, and the men went +below and threw themselves into their bunks. Dr. Kane was yet on deck, +distrusting the treacherous ice. Scarcely had the men begun to sleep +before the vessel received a thump and a jerk upward. All hands were +instantly on deck. Great ice-tables, twenty feet thick, crowding forward +from the shore side with a force as from a sliding mountain, pressed the +vessel against the shore front of the berg; had this been a +perpendicular wall, no wood and iron wrought into a vessel could have +prevented a general crash. But the unseen Hand was apparent again. The +berg was sloping, and up its inclined plane the vessel went, in +successive jerks. The men leaped upon the ice to await the result. +Personal effects, such as could be carried and were deemed +indispensable, were in readiness in the cabin for leave-taking. Sledge +equipments and camping conveniences were put in order and placed at +hand. The explorers had experienced a midnight assault, and were ready +for the flight. But Dr. Kane bears warm testimony concerning the +coolness and self-possession of every man. While awaiting the fate of +the vessel, on which hung their own fate also, not a sound was heard +save the roaring of the wind, the crashing ice, and the groaning of the +vessel's timbers, as she received shock after shock, and mounted +steadily up the ice-mountain. Having attained a cradle high and dry +above the sea, the brig rested there several hours. Finally she quietly +settled down into her old position among the ice rubbish of the sea. + +When the escape was apparent, there was for a moment a deep-breathing +silence among the men, before the rapturous outburst of joyful +congratulation. + +While this last thrilling incident had been transpiring, four of the men +were missing. They had gone upon the ice some hours before to carry out +a warp, and had been carried away on an ice-raft. When the morning came, +and the vessel grounded in a safe place, a rescue party was sent out, +who soon returned with them. A little rest was now obtained by all. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THRILLING INCIDENTS. + + +AFTER a brief rest our explorers continued their voyage. They warped the +vessel round the cape near which they found shelter, into a bay which +opened to the north and west. Along the shore of this bay they toiled +for several days and reached its head. It seemed impossible to go +farther, for the ice was already thick and the winter at hand. A +majority of the officers, in view of these facts, advised a return +south. But Dr. Kane thought they might winter where they were, or +further north if the vessel could be pushed through the ice, and their +explorations be made with dog-sledges. To learn more fully the +practicability of his view he planned a boat excursion. While this was +in contemplation an incident came near ending all further progress of +the expedition. The brig grounded in the night, and was left suddenly by +the receding tide on her beam ends. The stove in the cabin, which was +full of burning coal, upset and put the cabin in a blaze. It was choked +by a pilot-cloth overcoat until water could be brought. No other harm +was done than the loss of the coat and a big scare. + +About the first of September the doctor and seven volunteers started in +the boat "Forlorn Hope" to see the more northern shore-line. The boat +was abandoned at the end of twenty-four hours, all the water having +turned to ice, and the party tramped many a weary mile, carrying their +food and a few other necessary things. Dr. Kane attained an elevation of +eleven hundred feet, from which, with his telescope, he looked north +beyond the eightieth degree of latitude, and through a wide extent of +country east and west. From this observation he decided that sledging +with dogs into and beyond this region was practicable. This had seemed +doubtful before. He therefore returned with the decision to put the +"Advance" into winter-quarters immediately. + +A few facts interesting to the scientific were learned on this +excursion. A skeleton of a musk ox was found, showing they had been, at +no distant time, visitors to this coast. Additions were made to their +flowering plants, and up to this date twenty-two varieties had been +found. + +The brig was now drawn in between two islands, and the mooring lines +carried out. The explorers were in a sheltered, and, as to the ice, safe +winter home. They called it Rensselaer Harbor. Near them an iceberg had +anchored as if to watch their movements. A fresh-water pond on the +upland promised them its precious treasure if they would _cut_ for it. +An island a few rods distant they named Butler Island, and on this they +built a store-house. A canal was cut from the brig to this island, and +kept open by renewed cutting every morning. They then run the boat +through this canal, thus transferring the stores from the hold to the +store-house. + +While one party was thus engaged, others were equally busy in other +directions. The scientific corps selected a small island which they +called Fern Rock, and put up a rude "observatory," from which not only +the stars were to be watched, but the weather, the meteors, and the +electrical currents were to be noted. + +While this outside work was going on Dr. Kane was taxing his ingenuity +to arrange the brig, now made roomy by the removal of the stores, so as +to have it combine the greatest convenience, warmth, and healthfulness. +A roof was put over the upper deck, which was then made to answer for a +promenade deck for pleasure and health. + +Even the wolfish Esquimo dogs were remembered in this general planning. +A nice dog house, cozy and near, was made for them on Butler Island. But +the dogs had notions of their own about their quarters. Though so savage +at all times as to be willing to eat their masters if not kept in abject +fear, yet they refused to sleep out of the sound of their voices. They +would leave their comfortable quarters on the island and huddle together +in the snow, exposed to the severest cold, to be within the sound of +human voices. So they had to be indulged with kennels on deck. + +While these matters were being attended to the hunters scoured the +country to learn what the prospect was for game. They extended their +excursions ninety miles, and returned with a report not very +encouraging. They saw a few reindeer, and numerous hares and rabbits. It +was plain that hunting would not make large returns. + +The winter came on with its shroud of darkness. On the tenth of +September the sun made but a short circuit above the horizon before it +disappeared again. In one month it would cease to show its disk above +the surrounding hills; then would come a midday twilight for a few days, +followed by nearly a hundred days of darkness in which no man could +work. Even now, at noon, the stars glowed brightly in the heavens, +though but few of them were the familiar stars of the home sky. + +While the work of which we have spoken was going on Dr. Kane's thoughts +were much upon the necessity of establishing, before the winter nights +fully set in, provision depots at given distances northward for at least +sixty miles. These would be necessary for a good start in the early +spring of a dog-sledge journey North Poleward. For the spring work the +Newfoundland dogs, of which he had ten, were in daily training. +Harnessed to a small, strong, beautifully made sledge called "Little +Willie," the doctor drove his team around the brig in gallant style. +These Newfoundlanders were a dependence for heavy draught. The Esquimo +dogs were in reserve for the long, perilous raids of the earnest +exploration into darkness and over hummocks. + +While all this busy preparation was going on the morning and evening +prayers were strictly maintained, bringing with them a soothing +assurance of the Divine care. + +On the twentieth of September the provision deposit party started on an +experimental journey. It consisted of seven men in all, M'Gary and +Bonsall officers. They carried about fourteen hundred pounds of mixed +stores for the "cairns." They took these stores upon the strong, +thorough-built sledge "Faith," and drew it themselves, by a harness for +each man, consisting of a "rue-raddy," or shoulder-belt, and track-line. +The men then generously did a service they would in future have the dogs +do. + +While this party was gone the home work went on, enlivened by several +incidents involving the most appalling dangers, yet not without some +comic elements. + +The first was occasioned by rats. What right these creatures had in the +expedition is not apparent; nor do we see what motive impelled them to +come at all. If it was a mere love of adventure, they, as do most +adventurers, found that the results hardly paid the cost. They were +voted a nuisance, but how to abate it was a difficult question. The +first experiment consisted of a removal of the men to a camp on deck for +a night, and a fumigation below, where the rats remained, of a vile +compound of brimstone, burnt leather, and arsenic. But the rats survived +it bravely. + +The next experiment was with carbonic acid gas. This proved a weapon +dangerous to handle. Dr. Hays burnt a quantity of charcoal, and the +hatches were shut down after starting three stoves. + +The gas generated below rapidly, and nobody was expected, of course, to +go where it was. But the French cook, Pierre Schubert, thinking his soup +needed seasoning, stole into the cook room. He was discerned by Morton, +staggering in the dark; and, at the risk of his own life, he sprung to +his relief, and both reached the deck bewildered, the cook entirely +insensible. + +Soon after this Dr. Kane thought he smelt a strange odor. The hatches +were removed and he went below. After a short tour between decks, he was +passing the door which led to the carpenter's room, and he was amazed to +see three feet of the deck near it a glowing fire. Beating a hasty +retreat, he fell senseless to the floor at the foot of the stairs which +led to the upper deck. The situation was critical. A puff of air might +envelope the hold in flames, with the doctor an easy victim; but the +divine Hand still covered him. Mr. Brooks, reaching down, drew him out. +Coming to the air the doctor recovered immediately and communicated his +startling discovery quietly to those only near him. Water was passed up +from the "fire-hole" along side, kept open for just such emergencies. +Dr. Kane and Ohlsen went below, water was dashed on, and they were safe. + +The dead bodies of twenty-eight rats were the net result of this +onslaught with carbonic acid gas. But they were but few among so many. +The rat army was yet in fighting order. + +The other incident was less serious, yet quite on the verge of fatal +consequences. Several Esquimo dogs became the mothers of nice little +families. Now these young folks in the kennels were considered intruders +by the master of the vessel--rather hard on them since they were not to +blame in the matter. But it happens with dogs as with the human race, +that they sometimes suffer without fault of their own. Six puppies were +thrown overboard; two died for the good their skins might do as mittens; +and, alas! seven died more dreadful deaths--they were eaten by their +mammas! Whether these puppy calamities bore heavily upon the brains of +the dog mothers or not we cannot tell, but the fact recorded is that one +of them went distracted. She walked up and down the deck with a drooping +head and staggering gait. Finally she snapped at Petersen, foamed at the +mouth, and fell at his feet. "She is mad!" exclaimed Petersen. +"Hydrophobia!" was the dreadful cry which passed about the deck. Dr. +Kane ran for his gun. He was not a moment too soon in reappearing with +it. The dog had recommenced her running and snapping at those near. The +Newfoundland dogs were not out of her reach, and the hatches leading +below were open. But a well-directed shot ended at once her life and the +danger. + +It was now the tenth of October. The sun, though just appearing above +the horizon to the surrounding country, only sparkled along the edge of +the hill-tops to the gazers from the "Advance." The depot party had been +gone twenty days, and Dr. Kane was beginning to feel anxious about +them. He harnessed four of his best Newfoundlanders into the "Little +Willie," and, accompanied by John Blake, started in search of them. + +For a little time the party progressed very well. But after awhile the +new ice between the broken floes was found thin. The seams thus frozen +had to be leaped. Sometimes they were wide, and the dogs in their +attempts to spring across broke in. Three times in less than as many +hours one had received an arctic bath. The men trotted along side, +leaping, walking, running, and shouting to the dogs. Extended and +exhausting diversions were made to avoid impassable chasms or too steep +hummocks. Thus four days had passed in a fruitless search for the +missing ones. + +On the morning of the fifth day, about two hours before the transient +sun showed his glowing disk, Dr. Kane climbed an iceberg to get a sight +of the road ahead. In the dim distance on the snow a black spot was +seen. Is it a bear? No, it now stretches out into a dark line. It is the +sledge party! They see their leader's tent by the edge of a +thinly-frozen lead; into this they launch their boat and come on, +singing as they come. The doctor, in breathless suspense, waits until +they draw near, and counts them: one, two, three, four, five, six, +seven! They are all safe! Three cheers go up from both parties, followed +by hearty hand-shaking and congratulations. The depot enterprise was a +success. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +LOST AND RESCUED. + + +THE sun had disappeared, but the moon completed her circuit in the +heavens with great beauty. Her nearest approach to the horizon was +twenty-five degrees. For eight days after the return of the party to the +vessel it shone with almost unclouded brightness, as if to give them a +joyful welcome. + +When November came our explorers were well settled in their +winter-quarters. They had made them by judicious ventilation and a +careful distribution of heat tolerably comfortable. Below decks they had +a uniform temperature of sixty-five degrees above zero, and under the +housing of the upper deck it never went below zero, while outside the +thermometer averaged twenty-five degrees minus. + +While shut up in the darkness, relieved only by the light from the +sparkling stars and the glowing moon, the daily routine of the ship's' +duties were strictly performed. Each had his assigned work. The +monotonous meals came at the stated hour, and the bell noted the +changing watches. The morning and evening prayers, and the religious +observance of the Sabbath, were pleasant and profitable prompters to +serious thought. These became more and more needed as the inactive +season progressed. The continued darkness without, made dense often by +heavy clouds, wore upon the spirits of the men; besides, their light +within became less cheerful by the failure of the supply of oil. The +lamps refused to burn poor lard, and muddy corks and wads of cotton +floating as tapers in saucers filled with it gave but a lurid light and +emitted an offensive smoke and odor. It would be strange, indeed, if in +this ice-imprisoned company there were no homesick ones, however bravely +the feeling might be suppressed. Hans, the Esquimo, at one time packed +his clothes and shouldered his rifle to bid the brig's company good-bye. +A desperate, lone journey homeward he would have had of it! It was +whispered that in addition to his drawings to his mother there was at +Fiskernes a lady-love. He, however, was persuaded to stay on shipboard, +and Dr. Kane gave him for his sickness a dose of salts and promotion. +They worked well, and he seems to have been very contented afterward. + +The usual resort was had to dramatic performances, fancy balls, and the +publication of a paper called the "Ice-blink." A favorite sport was the +"fox-chase," in which each sailor in turn led off as fox in a run round +the upper deck, followed by the rest in chase. Dr. Kane offered a +Guernsey shirt as a prize to the man who held out the longest in the +chase. William Godfrey sustained the chase for fourteen minutes, and +_wore_ off the shirt. + +November twenty-seventh the commander sent out a volunteer party under +Bonsall to see if the Esquimo had returned to the huts which had been +seen in the fall. The darkness at noonday was too great for reading, and +the cold was terrible. The party returned after one night's encamping, +the sledge having broken, and the tent and luggage being left behind. A +few days after Morton started alone to recover the lost articles. In two +days and a half he returned bringing every thing. He tramped in that +time, with the cold forty degrees below zero, sixty-two miles, making +only three halts. The darkness during the time was such that a hummock +of ice fifty paces ahead could hardly be seen. + +The effect of the darkness on the dogs was very marked, but so long as +there was any sledging for them to do their spirits kept up. One of the +Newfoundlands, named Grim, was a character. He was noted for a profound +appreciation of his dinner, of which he never had enough, for a +disrelish for work, and a remarkable knowledge of the arts of hypocrisy. +His cunning fawning, and the beseeching wink of his eye, procured for +him warm quarters in the deck-house, and a bed on the captain's fur +coat, while his fellows had to be content with their kennel. Though Grim +thus proved his knowledge of the best place at the dog-table, and the +best bits it afforded, as well as the best place to sleep, he never +could understand a call to the sledge-harness. He always happened at +such times to be out of the way. Once, when the dog-team was about to +start, he was found hid in a barrel, and was bid join the party. But +Grim was equal to the occasion. He went limping across the deck, as much +as to say, Would you have a poor lame dog go? The joke was so cute that +he was allowed to remain at home, and after that he became suddenly lame +as soon as a movement toward the sledges was made. Grim thus attained +the usual success of shallow-brained, flattering hypocrisy--many favors +and universal contempt. His end, too, was very befitting his life. His +master, thinking he was becoming too fat in his lazy dignity, commanded +him to join a sledge party. Grown presumptuous by indulgence, he +refused, and showed his teeth, besides pleading lameness. But the order +was peremptory this time, and a rope was put round his body and attached +to the sledge, and he was made to trot after his faithful fellows. At +the first halt he contrived to break the rope, and, carrying a few feet +of it dragging after him, started in the darkness for the ship. Not +having come home when the party returned, search was made for him with +lanterns, as it was thought the rope might have caught and detained him +in the hummock. His tracks were found not far from the vessel, and then +they led away to the shore. Old Grim was never seen again. + +Grim could be spared, but the explorers were much alarmed soon after his +death by a strange disease among the whole pack. They were at times +frenzied, and then became stupid. They were taken below, nursed, tended, +and doctored with anxiety and care, for on them much depended. But all +died except six. Their death threw a cloud over the prospect of further +successful exploration. + +But a still darker event threatened the explorers. Every man was more or +less touched with the scurvy, except two, and some were prostrate. It +was with great joy, therefore, that, on the twenty-first of January, +1854, they saw the orange-colored tints of the sun faintly tracing the +top of the distant hills. Daylight and game would be important medicines +for the sick. A month later and Dr. Kane made a long walk, and a hard +scramble up a projecting crag of a headland of the bay, and bathed in +his welcome rays. It was about a week later before he was seen from the +deck of the "Advance." + +A very busy company now was that on board the brig, making preparations +for spring work. The carpenter was making and mending sledges; the +tinker making and mending cooking apparatus for the journeys; many busy +hands were at work on the furs and blankets for a complete renewed +outfit for wearing and sleeping. But though March had come, the average +cold was greater than at any time before. Still a sledge party was in +readiness to start by the middle of the month, to carry provisions for a +new deposit beyond those made in the fall. The party consisted of eight +men. A new sledge had been made, smaller than the "Faith," and adapted +to the reduced dog-team. To this the load was lashed, a light boat +being, placed on top. The men harnessed in but could hardly start it. +The boat was then removed and two hundred pounds of the load, and thus +relieved away they went, cheered by the hearty "God bless you!" of their +shipmates. Dr. Kane had added to their provisions by the way, as an +expression of good-will, the whole of his brother's "great wedding +cake." + +But as they started their ever watchful commander thought he saw more +good-will than ability to draw the load, and a suspicion, too, impressed +him that the new sledge was not all right. So he followed, and found +them in camp only five miles away. He said nothing about any new orders +for the morning, laughed at the rueful faces of some of them, and heard +Petersen's defense of _his_ new sledge as the best which could be made. +He saw them all tucked away in their buffaloes, and returned to the +brig. We have before referred to a sledge called the "Faith." It was +built by Dr. Kane's order, after an English pattern, except that the +runners were made lower and wider. It had been thought too large for the +present party. The doctor now called up all his remaining men. The +"Faith" was put on deck, her runners polished, lashings, a canvas +covering, and track-lines were adjusted to her. By one o'clock that +night the discarded two hundred pounds of provisions and the boat were +lashed on, and away the men went for their sleeping comrades. They were +still sound asleep when the "Faith" arrived. The load of the new boat +was quietly placed upon it, all put in traveling order, and it was +started off on an experimental trip with five men. The success was +perfect. The sleepers were then awakened, and all were delighted at the +easier draught of the heavier load. Dr. Kane and his party returned to +the vessel with the discarded sledge. + +Ten days slipped away, and no tidings from the depot party. The work of +clearing up the ship, and putting the finishing touch to the preparation +for the distant northern excursion, which was to crown the efforts of +the expedition, and unlock, it was hoped, at last, some of the secrets +of the North Pole, progressed daily. At midnight of the eleventh day a +sudden tramp was heard on deck, and immediately Sontag, Ohlsen, and +Petersen entered the cabin. Their sudden coming was not so startling as +their woe-begone, bewildered looks. It was with difficulty that they +made their sad tale known. Brooks, Baker, Wilson, and Schubert were all +lying on the ice, disabled, with Irish Tom Hickey, who alone was able to +minister to their wants. The escaped party had come, at the peril of +their own lives, to get aid. They had evidently come a long distance, +but how far, and where they had left the suffering ones, they could not +tell, nor were they in a condition to be questioned. + +While the urgent necessities of the new comers were being attended to, +Dr. Kane and others were getting ready the "Little Willie," with a +buffalo cover, a small tent, and a package of prepared meat called +pemmican. Ohlsen seemed to have his senses more than the others, though +he was sinking with exhaustion, having been fifty hours without rest. +Dr. Kane feeling that he _must_ have a guide or fail to find the lost +ones, Ohlsen was put in a fur bag, his legs wrapped up in dog-skins and +eider down, and then he was strapped on the sledge. + +Off dashed the rescue party, nine men besides their commander, carrying +only the clothes on their backs. The cold was seventy-eight degrees +below the freezing point. + +Guided by icebergs of colossal size, they hurried across the bay, and +traveled sixteen hours with some certainty that they were on the right +track. They then began to lose their way. Ohlsen, utterly exhausted, had +fallen asleep, and when awakened was plainly bewildered. He could tell +nothing about the way, nor the position of the lost ones. He had before +said that it was drifting heavily round them when they were left. The +situation of the rescue party was becoming critical, and the chance of +helping the lost seemed small indeed; they might be anywhere within +forty miles. + +Thus situated Dr. Kane moved on ahead, and clambered up some ice-piles +and found himself upon a long, level floe. Thinking the provision party +might have been attracted by this as a place to camp, he determined to +examine it carefully. He gave orders to liberate Ohlsen, now just able +to walk, from his fur bag, and to pitch the tent; then leaving tent, +sledge, and every thing behind, except a small allowance of food taken +by each man, he commanded the men to proceed across the floe at a good +distance from each other. All obeyed cheerfully and promptly, and moved +off at a lively step to keep from freezing; yet somehow, either from a +sense of loneliness, or involuntarily, there was a constant tendency of +the men to huddle together. Exhaustion and cold told fearfully upon +them; the stoutest were seized with trembling fits and short breath, and +Dr. Kane fell twice fainting on the snow. They had now been eighteen +hours out without food or rest, and the darkness of their situation +seemed to have no ray of light, when Hans shouted that he thought he saw +a sledge track. Hardly daring to believe that their senses did not +deceive them, they traced it until footsteps were apparent; following +these with religious care they came after awhile in sight of a small +American flag fluttering from a hummock. Lower down they espied a little +Masonic banner hanging from a tent pole barely above the drift. It was +the camp of the lost ones! It was found after an unfaltering march of +twenty-one hours. The little tent was nearly covered by the drift. + +Dr. Kane was the last to come up, and when he reached the tent his men +were standing in solemn silence upon each side of it. With great +kindness and delicacy of feeling they intimated their wish that he +should be the first to go in. + +He lifted the canvas and crawled in, and in the darkness felt for the +poor fellows, who were stretched upon their backs. A burst of welcome +within was answered by a joyful shout without. "We expected you," said +one, embracing the doctor; "we _knew_ you would come!" For the moment +all perils, hunger, and exhaustion were forgotten amid the +congratulations and gratitude. + +The company now numbered fifteen, the cold was intense, but one half the +number had to keep stirring outside while the rest crowded into the +little tent to sleep. Each took a turn of two hours, and then +preparations were made to start homeward. + +They took the tent, furs for the rescued party, and food for fifty +hours, and abandoned every thing else. The tent was folded and laid on +the sledge, a bed was then made of eight buffalo skins, the sick, having +their limbs carefully sewed up in reindeer skins, were then put in a +reclining position on the bed, and other furs and blanket bags thrown +around them. The whole was lashed together, allowing only a breathing +place opposite the mouth. This _embalming_ of the sufferers, and getting +them a good meal, cost four hours of exposure in a cold that had become +fifty-five degrees minus. Most of the rescuers had their fingers nipped +by the frost. + +When all was ready the whole company united in a short prayer. + +Now commenced the fearful journey. The sledge and its load weighed +eleven hundred pounds. The hummocks were many; some of them were high, +and long deviations round them must be made; some which they climbed +over, lifting the sledge after them, were crossed by narrow chasms +filled with light snow--fearful traps into which if one fell his death +was almost certain. Across these the sledge was drawn, some of them +being too wide for it to bridge them, so it had to be sustained by the +rope, and steadily too, for the sick could not bear to be lashed so +tight as not to be liable to roll off, and the load was top-heavy. + +In spite of these obstacles all went bravely for six hours. The +abandoned tent was nine miles ahead, the sledge on which life depended +bravely bore every strain, the new floe was gained, and the traveling +improved, so that good hope was entertained that the tent, its covert +and rest, would be gained. Just then a strange feeling came over nearly +the whole party. Some begged the privilege of sleeping. They were not +cold, they said; they did not mind the wind now; all they wanted was a +little sleep. Others dropped on the snow and refused to get up. One +stood bolt upright, and, with closed eyes, could not be made to speak. +The commander boxed, jeered, argued, and reprimanded his men to no +purpose. A halt was made and the tent pitched. No fire could be +obtained, for nobody's fingers were limber enough to strike fire, so no +food or water could be had. + +Leaving the company in charge of M'Gary, with orders to come on after +four hours' rest, Dr. Kane and Godfrey went forward to the tent to get +ready a fire and cooked food. They reached the tent in a strange sort of +stupor. They remembered nothing only that a bear trotted leisurely +ahead of them, stopping once to tear a jumper to pieces which one of the +men had dropped the day before, and pausing to toss the tent +contemptuously aside. They set it up with difficulty, crept into their +fur bags, and slept intensely for three hours. They then arose, +succeeded in lighting the cooking lamp, and had a steaming soup ready +when the rest arrived. + +Refreshed with food and rest, the feeble re-adjusted, they commenced the +home stretch. Once the old sleepiness came over them, and they in turn +slept three minutes by the watch and were benefited. They all reached +the brig at one o'clock P.M. All were more or less delirious when they +arrived, and could remember nothing of what had happened on the way, +with slight exception. The rescue party had been out seventy-two hours; +of this time only eight hours were spent in halting. They had traveled +about eighty-five miles, most of the distance dragging their sledge. + +Dr. Hayes took the sick in hand. Two lost one or more toes; and two, +Jefferson Baker, a boyhood playfellow of Dr. Kane, and Pierre Schubert, +the French cook, died. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +MORE HEROIC EXCURSIONS. + + +ON the seventh of April, a week after the return of the party just +noted, our explorers were startled by shouts from the shore. Dark +figures were seen standing along the edges of the land ice, or running +to and fro in wild excitement. It was not difficult to make them out as +a company of Esquimo. Dr. Kane, seeing by their wild gesticulations that +they were unarmed, walked out and beckoned to a brawny savage, who +seemed to be a leader, to approach. He understood the sign, and came +forward without fear. He was full a head taller than the doctor, and his +limbs seemed to have the strength of those of the bear. He was dressed +with a fox skin, hooded jumper, white bear-skin trousers, and bear-skin +boots tipped with the claws. Though he had evidently never before seen a +white man, he manifested no fear. His followers soon crowded around and +began to use great freedom, showing an inclination to rush on board the +ship. This they were made to understand they must not do. Petersen came +out and acted as interpreter, and matters went on more smoothly. The +leader, whose name was Metek, was taken on board, while the rest +remained on the ice. They brought up from behind the floes fifty-six +dogs and their sledges, and, thrusting a spear into the ice, picketed +them about the vessel. + +While Dr. Kane and Metek were having their interview in the cabin, word +was sent out that others might come on board. Nine or ten mounted the +ladder with boisterous shouts, though ignorant of how Metek had fared. +They went every-where, handled every thing, talked and laughed +incessantly, and stole whatever they could. Finally all hands had to be +mustered, and restraint laid upon the Esquimo to keep them within due +bounds. This they took good naturedly; ran out and in the vessel, ate, +and finally _sat_ down like tired children, their heads drooping upon +their breasts, and slept, snoring the while most famously. + +In the morning, before they departed, the commander assembled them on +deck for an official interview. He enlarged upon his wonderful qualities +as a chief, and the great benefits to his visitors of his friendship. He +then entered into a treaty with them, the terms of which were very few +and simple, that it might be understood, and the benefits mutual, that +it might be kept. He then showed his beneficence by buying all their +spare walrus meat and four dogs, enriching them in compensation with a +few needles, beads, and treasures of old cask staves. The Esquimo were +jubilant. They voted, in their way, Dr. Kane a great captain, promised +vociferously to return in a few days with plenty of walrus meat, and +loan their dogs and sledges for the great northern journey, all of which +they never remembered to do. + +When the visitors had gone, it was ascertained that an ax, a saw, and +some knives, had gone with them. Besides, the store-house on Butler +Island had been entered, and a careful survey of the vicinity revealed +the fact that a train of sledges were slyly waiting behind some distant +hummocks for a freight of its treasures. + +All this had a hard look for friendly relations with the Esquimo; but +our explorers felt that conciliation, with quiet firmness, was their +best policy. The savages could do their sledge excursions much harm, +and, if they would, could greatly aid them. + +The next day there came to the vessel five natives--two old men, a +middle aged man, and two awkward boys. They were treated with marked +kindness, some presents were given them, but they were told that no +Esquimo would in future be admitted to the brig until every stolen +article was restored. They were overjoyed at the gifts, and departed, +lifting up their hands in holy horror on the mention of theft; yet in +passing round Butler Island they bore away a coal barrel. M'Gary was +watching them, and he hastened their departure by a charge of fine shot. +Notwithstanding all this, one of the old men, known afterward as +Shung-hu, made a circuit round the hummocks, and came upon an +India-rubber boat which had been left upon the floe, and cut it in +pieces and carried off the wood of the frame-work. + +Soon after this a sprightly youth, good-looking, with a fine dog team, +drove up to the vessel in open day. When asked his name, he replied +promptly, "Myouk I am." He spoke freely of his place of residence and +people, but when asked about the stolen articles he affected great +ignorance. Dr. Kane ordered him to be confined in the hold. He took this +very hard, at first refusing food. He soon after began to sing in a +dolorous strain, then to talk and cry, and then to sing again. The +hearts of his captors were made quite tender toward him, and when in the +morning it was found that the prisoner had lifted the hatches and fled, +taking his dogs with him, even the commander secretly rejoiced. + +April twenty-fifth, M'Gary and five men started with the sledge "Faith," +on another exploring excursion. They took a small stock only of +provisions, depending on the supply depots which had been made in the +fall. The plan this time was, to follow the eastern coast line a while, +which run north and west, cross over Smith Sound to the American side, +where it was hoped smooth ice would be found; and once on such a +highway, they anticipated that the Polar Sea would greet their delighted +vision, and may be speak to them of the fate of the lost Franklin. + +Two days after M'Gary's party left, Dr. Kane and Godfrey followed with +the dog sledge loaded with additional comforts for the journey, the men +trotting by its side. Only three dogs remained of the original supplies, +which, harnessed with the four purchased of the Esquimo, made a +tolerable team. + +Ten men, four in health and six invalids, were left to keep the vessel. +Orders were left by the commander to treat the Esquimo, should they come +again, with fairness and conciliation, but if necessity demanded to use +fire arms, but to waste no powder or shot. The credit of the gun must be +sustained as the bearer of certain death to the white man's enemies. + +Dr. Kane and his companions overtook the advanced party in two days. +They pushed forward together with tolerable success for four days more, +when they all became involved in deep snow-drifts. The dogs floundered +about nearly suffocated, and unable to draw the sledge. The men were +compelled to take the load on their backs, and kick a path for the dogs +to follow. In the midst of these toils the scurvy appeared among the +men, and some of the strongest were ready to yield the conflict +altogether. The next day, May fourth, Dr. Kane, while taking an +observation for latitude fainted, and was obliged to ride on the sledge. +Still the party pushed on; but they soon met with an obstacle no heroism +could overcome. They were without food for further journeying! The bears +had destroyed their carefully deposited stores. They had removed stones +which had required the full strength of three men to lift. They had +broken the iron meat casks into small pieces. An alcohol cask, which had +cost Dr. Kane a special journey in the late fall to deposit, was so +completely crushed that a whole stave could not be found. + +On the fifth of May Dr. Kane became delirious, and was lashed to the +sledge, while his brave, though nearly fainting, men took the back +track. They arrived at the brig in nine days, and their commander was +borne to his berth, where he lay for many days, between life and death, +with the scurvy and typhoid fever. Thus closed another effort to unlock +the secrets of the extreme polar region. + +Hans made himself exceedingly useful at this time. He was promoted to +the post of hunter, and excused from all other duties; he was besides +promised presents to his lady-love on reaching his home at Fiskernaes. +He brought in two deer, the first taken, on the day of this special +appointment. The little snow-birds had come, of which he shot many. The +seal, too, were abundant, and some of them were added to the fresh +provisions. These wonderfully improved those touched by the scurvy. + +One day Hans was sent to hunt toward the Esquimo huts, that he might get +information concerning the nearness to the brig of clear water. He did +not come back that night, and Dr. Hays and Mr. Ohlsen were sent with the +dog-sledge to hunt him up. They found him lying on the ice about five +miles from the vessel, rolled up in his furs and sound asleep. At his +side lay a large seal, shot, as usual, in the head. He had dragged this +seal seven hours, and, getting weary, had made his simple camp and was +resting sweetly. + +May twentieth, Dr. Hays and Godfrey started with the dog team, to make +another attempt to cross Smith Strait and reach, along the American +side, the unknown north. The doctor was a fresh man, not having been +with any previous party. The dogs were rested, well fed, and full of +wolfish energy. The second day he fortunately struck into a track free +from heavy ice, and made fifty miles! But this success was after the +arctic fashion, made to give bitterness to immediate failure. On the +third day they encountered hummocks, piled in long ridges across their +path; some of them were twenty feet high. Over some of these they +climbed, dragging after them both sledge and dogs. Long diversions were +made at other times, and their path became in this way so very tortuous +that in making ninety miles advance northward they traveled two hundred +and seventy miles! + +Snow-blindness seized Dr. Hays in the midst of these toils. But, nothing +daunted, after short halts, in which his sight improved, he pushed on. +But Godfrey soon broke down, though one of the hardiest of explorers. +Their dogs, too, began to droop; the provisions were running low, and so +the homeward track was taken. Before they reached the vessel they were +obliged to lighten their load by throwing away fifty pounds weight of +furs, the heaviest of which had been used as sleeping bags. + +This excursion resulted in valuable additions to the extreme northern +coast-line survey. + +On the afternoon of June fourth, M'Gary, with four men, started on a +last desperate effort to push the survey, on the Greenland side, a +hundred miles farther, by which Dr. Kane thought the limits of the ice +in that direction might be reached. Morton, one of the company, was to +keep himself as fresh as possible, so that when the rest came to a final +halt he might be able to push on farther. Hans was kept at the vessel +until the tenth, four days later, when he started light with the +dog-sledge to join them. His part was to accompany Morton on the final +run. + +The hunter of the vessel being gone, Dr. Kane, who was now much better, +took his rifle to try his skill at seal hunting. This animal is not +easily taken by unpracticed game seekers. He lies near the hole which he +keeps open in the ice, and at the slightest noise plunges out of sight. +Seeing one lying lazily in the sun, the doctor lay down and drew himself +along softly behind the little knobs of ice. It was a cold, tedious +process, but finally getting within a long rifle shot, the seal rolled +sluggishly to one side, raised his head, and strained his neck, as if +seeing something in an opposite direction. Just then the doctor saw with +surprise a rival hunter. A large bear lay, like himself, on his belly, +creeping stealthily toward the game. Here was a critical position. If he +shot the seal, the bear would probably have no scruples about taking it +off his hands, and, perhaps, by way of showing that might makes right, +take him before his rifle could be reloaded. While the doctor was +debating the matter the seal made another movement which stirred his +hunter blood, and he pulled the trigger. The cap only exploded. The +seal, alarmed, descended into the deep with a floundering splash; and +the bear, with a few vigorous leaps, stood, a disappointed hunter, +looking after him from the edge of the hole. Bruin and Dr. Kane were now +face to face. By all the rules of game-taking the bear should have +eaten the man; he was the stronger party, the gun was for the moment +useless, he was hungry, and had lost his dinner probably by the +intrusive coming of the stranger, and, as to running, there was no +danger of his escape in that way. But the bear magnanimously turned and +ran away. Not to be outdone in Courtesy, Dr. Kane turned and ran with +all his might in the opposite direction. + +On the twenty-sixth, M'Gary, Bonsall, Hickey, and Riley returned. The +snow had almost made them blind; otherwise they were well. They had been +gone about three weeks, had made valuable surveys, and fully satisfied +the expectations of their commander. Hans caught up with them after two +weeks of heroic travel alone with his dogs and sledge. He and Morton +had, in accordance with the programme, pressed on farther northward. + +The returned party had their adventure with a bear to tell. They had all +lain down to sleep in their tent after a wearisome day of travel. The +midnight hour had passed when Bonsall felt something scratching at the +snow near his head, and, starting up, ascertained that a huge bear was +making careful observations around the outside of the tent. He had, in +looking round, already observed, no doubt, the important fact that the +guns, and every thing like a defensive weapon, were left on the sledge +some distance off, though perhaps the importance to him of this fact he +did not appreciate. There was consternation, of course, in the camp, and +a council of war was called. It had hardly convened before bruin, as a +party concerned, thrust his head into the tent door. A volley of lucifer +matches was fired at him, and a paper torch was thrust into his face. +Without minding these discourteous acts, the bear deliberately sat down +and commenced eating a seal which had been shot the day before and +happened to be in his way. By the laws of arctic hospitality this should +have been considered fair by the tent's company, for strangers are +expected to come and go as they please, and eat what they find, not even +saying, "By your leave." But the stranger did not conform to the usage +of the country. Tom Hickey cut a hole in the back of the tent, seized a +boat-hook, which made one of its supporters, and attacked the enemy in +the rear. He turned on his assailant and received a well-aimed blow on +his nose, by which he was persuaded to retire beyond the sledge and +there to pause and consider what to do next. While the bear was thus in +council with himself, Hickey sprang forward, seized a rifle from the +sledge, almost under the nose of the enemy, and fell back upon his +companions. Bonsall took the deadly weapon and sent a ball through and +through the bear, and the disturber of the rest of our explorers +afforded them many bountiful repasts. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE OPEN SEA. + + +MORTON and Hans returned to the brig on the tenth of July, after having +been on their separate exploration three weeks and a half. Their story +is full of thrilling incidents and important results. + +The first day they made twenty-eight miles, and were greatly encouraged. +The next day the arctic enemies of exploration appeared on the field, +skirmishing with deep snow through which dogs and men had to wade. Next +came a compact host of icebergs. They were not the surface-worn, +dingy-looking specimens of Baffin Bay, but fresh productions from the +grand glacier near which they lay. Their color was bluish white, and +their outlines clearly and beautifully defined. Some were square, often +a quarter of a mile each side. Others were not less than a mile long, +and narrow. Now and then one of colossal size lifted its head far above +its fellows, like a grand observatory. Between these giant bergs were +crowded smaller ones of every imaginable size and form. + +Through these our explorers had to pick their way. Beginning one night +at eight, they dashed along through a narrow lane, turning this way and +that, for seven hours. Then they came against the face of a solid +ice-cliff, closing the path altogether. Back they urged their weary +dogs, and their own weary selves, looking for an opening by which they +might turn north, but none appeared until they reached the camp from +which they had started. Resting awhile, they commenced anew. + +Sometimes they climbed over an ice hillock, making a ladder of their +sledge. Morton would climb up first, and then draw up the dogs, around +whose bodies Hans tied a rope; then the load was passed up; lastly Hans +mounted, and drew up the sledge. + +Having broken through the bergy detachment of their arctic foes and +reached smoother ice, other opposing columns met them. Dense mists, +giving evidence of open water, chilled and bewildered them; but the +welcome birds, giving other proof of the nearness of the Polar Sea, +cheered them on. + +The next attack was in the form of insecure ice. The dogs were dashing +on in their wild flight when it began to yield beneath them. The dogs +trembled with fear and lay down, as is their habit in such cases. Hans, +by a skillful mingling of force and coaxing, succeeding in getting the +party out of the danger. + +At one time a long, wide channel presented its protest to their farther +progress. To this they were obliged so far to yield as to go ten miles +out of their way to reach its northern side. + +Their right of way was also challenged by seams in the ice often four +feet deep, filled with water, and too wide for their best jumping +ability. These they filled up by attacking the nearest hummocks with +their axes and tumbling the fragments into it until a bridge was made. +This work often caused hours of delay. + +The signs of open water became more and more apparent. The birds were so +plenty that Hans brought down two at one shot. Soon they struck the icy +edge of a channel. Along this they coasted on the land side. It brought +them to a cape around which the channel run close to a craggy point. +Here they deposited a part of their provisions to lighten the sledge. +Morton went ahead to learn the condition of the land-ice round the +point. He found it narrow and decaying, so that he feared there would be +none on their return; yet, forward! was the word. The dogs were unloosed +and driven forward alone; then Hans and Morton tilted the sledge +edgewise and drew it along, while far below the gurgling waters were +rushing southward with a freight of crushed ice. + +The cape passed, they opened into a bay of clear water extending far and +wide. Along its shore was a wide, smooth ice-belt. Over this the dogs +scampered with their sledge and men with wonderful fleetness, making +sixty miles the first day! The land grew more and more sloping to the +bay as they advanced until it opened from the sea into a plain between +two elevated rocky ranges. Into this they entered, steering north, until +they struck the entrance of a bay; but the rugged ice across their path +forbid farther sledge-travel in that direction. So they picketed, +securely, as they thought, the dogs, took each a back load of +provisions, and went forward. Their trusty rifles were in hand, and +their boat-hook and a few scientific instruments were carefully secured +to their persons. Thus equipped, they had tramped about nine miles from +the last camp when an exciting scene occurred. It was a bear fight, +shaded this time with the tender and tragic. A mother-bear and her child +came in sight. They were a loving couple, and had plainly been engaged +in a frolic together. Their tracks were scattered profusely about, like +those of school children at recess in a recent snow. There were also +long furrows down the sloping side of an ice-hill, upon and around which +the footprints were seen. Morton declared that they had been coasting +down this slope on their haunches, and this opinion was supported by the +fact that Dr. Kane did, at another time, see bears thus coasting! + +Five of the dogs had broken away from their cords and had overtaken +their masters. So they were on hand for the fight. + +Mother and child fled with nimble feet, and the dogs followed in hot +pursuit. The bear, being overtaken by her enemies, began a most skillful +and heroic skirmishing. The cub could not keep up with its mother, so +she turned back, put her head under its haunches and threw it some +distance ahead, intimating to it to run, while she faced the dogs. But +the little simpleton always stopped just where it alighted, and waited +for mamma to give it another throw! To vary the mode of operation, she +occasionally seized it by the nape of the neck and flung it out of harms +way, and then snapped at the dogs with an earnestness that meant +business. Sometimes the mother would run a little ahead and then turn, +as if to coax the little one to run to her, watching at the same time +the enemy. + +For a while the bear contrived to make good speed; but the little one +became tired and she came to a halt. The men came up with their rifles +and the fight became unequal, yet the mother's courage was unabated. She +sat upon her haunches and took the cub between her hind legs, and fought +the dogs with her paws. "Never," says Morton, "was animal more +distressed; her roaring could have been heard a mile! She would stretch +her neck and snap at the nearest dog with her shining teeth, whirling +her paws like the arms of a windmill." Missing her intended victim, she +sent after him a terrific growl of baffled rage. + +When the men came up the little one was so far rested as to nimbly turn +with its mother and so keep front of her belly. The dogs, in heartless +mockery of her situation, continued a lively frisking on every side of +her, torturing her at a safe distance for themselves. + +Such was the position of the contending parties when Hans threw himself +upon the ice, rested upon his elbows, took deliberate aim, and sent a +ball through the heroic mother's head. She dropped, rolled over, +relieved at once of her agony and her life. + +The cub sprung upon the dead body of its mother and for the first time +showed fight. The dogs, thinking the conflict ended, rushed upon the +prostrate foe, tearing away mouthfuls of hair. But they were glad to +retreat with whole skins to their own backs. It growled hoarsely, and +fought with genuine fury. + +The dogs were called off, and Hans sent a ball through its head; yet it +contrived to rise after falling, and climbed again upon its mother's +body. It was mercifully dispatched by another ball. + +The men took the skin of the mother and the little one for their share +of the spoils, and the dogs gorged themselves on the greater carcass. + +After this incident the journey of our explorers soon ended. Hans gave +out, and was ordered to turn leisurely aside and examine the bend of the +bay into which they had entered. Morton continued on toward the +termination of a cape which rose abruptly two thousand feet. He tried to +get round it, but the ice-foot was gone. He climbed up its sides until +he reached a position four hundred and forty feet, commanding a horizon +of forty miles. The view was grand. The sea seemed almost boundless, and +dashed in noisy surges below, while the birds curveted and screamed +above. Making a flag-staff of his walking-stick, he threw to the wind a +Grinnell flag. It had made the far southern voyage with Commodore +Wilkes, and had come on a second arctic voyage. It now floated over the +most northern known land of the globe. + +Feasting his eyes with the scenery for an hour and a half, Morton struck +his flag and rejoined Hans. The run home had its perils and narrow +escapes, but was made without accident, and with some additional +surveys. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT. + + +IT was now well into July. The last proposed survey was made, and all +hands were on shipboard. But the arctic fetters still bound the +"Advance," with no signs of loosening. The garb of midwinter was yet +covering land and sea, and in every breeze there was a dismal whisper to +the explorers of another winter in the ice. The thought was appalling to +both officers and men. They had neither health, food, nor fuel for such +an experience. To abandon the vessel and try to escape with the boats +and sledges was impossible in the prostrate condition of the men. + +Having carefully studied the situation Dr. Kane resolved to try to reach +Beechy Island, and thus communicate with the British exploring +expedition, or by good luck with some whaler, and so secure relief. This +island we have often visited in our voyages with the "Arctic Heroes." It +is, it will be recollected, at the mouth of Wellington Channel. + +When this plan was announced to the officers it was approved cordially. +Both officers and men were ready to volunteer to accompany him; he chose +five only--M'Gary, Morton, Riley, Hickey, and Hans. Their boat was the +old "Forlorn Hope." The outfit was the best possible, though poor +enough. The "Hope" was mounted on the sledge "Faith;" the provisions +were put on a "St. John's sledge." The "Faith" started off ahead; the +smaller sledge, to which Dr. Kane and two of the men attached +themselves, followed. + +It took five days of incessant toil, with many head flows, to reach the +water and launch the "Hope," though the distance from the brig was only +twenty miles. + +The boat behaved well, and they reached Littleton Island, where they +were rejoiced to see numerous ducks. Watching their course as they flew +away, the explorers were led to several islets, whose rocky ledges were +covered with their nests, and around which they hovered in clouds. The +young birds were taking their first lesson in flying, or were still +nestling under their mothers' wings. In a few hours over two hundred +birds were taken, the gun bringing down several at one shot, and others +were knocked over with stones. But the men were not the only enemies of +the ducks. Near by was a settlement of a large, voracious species of +gull. They swooped down, seized, gobbled up, and bore away to their +nests the young eiders, without seeming to doubt that they were doing a +fair and, to themselves, a pleasant business. The gulls would seize the +little eiders with their great yellow bills, throw their heads up, and +then their victims would disappear down their throats, and in a few +moments after they would be ejected into their nests and go down the +throats of their young. The ducks fought the gulls bravely in the +interests of their brood, but the victory was with the stronger. + +Our voyagers pitied, of course, the bereaved eider mothers, despised the +cormorant gulls, but gladly increased their stock of needed provisions +with both. They filled four large india rubber bags with these sea-fowl +after cleaning and rudely boning them. + +Leaving this profitable camping place, the boat was soon in the open +sea-way. One day's pleasant sailing was quite as much in that way as +experience taught them to expect. A violent storm arose, the waves ran +high, and their clumsy boat, trembling under the strain, was in danger +of sinking at any moment. The safety of the whole company depended +entirely upon the skill and nerve of M'Gary. For twenty-two successive +hours he held in his strong grasp the steering oar and kept the head of +the boat to the sea. A break of the oar or a slip from his hand and all +was lost! They finally grappled an old floe in a slightly sheltered +place, and rode out the storm. + +For twelve days heroic exertions were made to get the boat through the +pack which now beset them, with the view of working south and west. +Little progress was made and the men, wet, weary, and worn, began to +fail. In view of this state of things the commander directed his course +to Northumberland Island, near which they were coasting. Here they found +three recently occupied, but now forsaken, Esquimo huts. The foxes were +abundant, and their young ones greeted the strangers with vociferous +barking. They found here, too, what was more valuable--the scurvy grass. +Rest, fresh fowl, and cochlearia greatly refreshed the whole party. +Seeing the utter impossibility of going south, they made the best of +their way back to the brig. It was a sad and joyful meeting with their +old comrades. Their return safely was joyful, but the return spoke of +another winter. + +By great exertions the brig was loosened from her icy cradle and warped +to a position more favorable for an escape should the open water reach +the vicinity. On the seventeenth of August, instead of a glad breaking +up of the old ice, came the formation of new ice, thick enough to bear a +man. The question of an escape of the brig seemed settled. The allowance +of wood was fixed to six pounds a meal; this gave them coffee twice a +day and soup, once. Darkness was ahead, and if the fuel utterly failed +it would be doubly cheerless. The Sabbath rest and devotions became more +solemn. The prayer, "Lord, accept our gratitude and bless our +undertakings," was changed to, "Lord, accept our gratitude and restore +us to our homes." + +Affairs looked so dark that Dr. Kane deemed it wise to leave a record of +the expedition on some conspicuous spot. A position was selected on a +high cliff which commanded an extensive view over the icy waste. On its +broad, rocky face the words, "'Advance,' A. D. 1853-54," were painted in +large letters which could be read afar off. A pyramid of heavy stones +was built above it and marked with a cross. Beneath it they reverently +buried the bodies of their deceased companions. Near this a hole was +worked into the rock, and a paper, inclosed in a glass vessel sealed +with lead, was deposited. On this paper was written the names of the +officers and crew, the results in general thus far of the expedition, +and their present condition. They proposed to add to the deposit a paper +containing the date of their departure, should they ever get away, and +showing their plans of escape. + +Now, more earnestly than ever, the winter and what to do was looked in +the face. Some thought that an escape to South Greenland was still +possible, and even the best thing to do. The question of detaching a +part of the company to make the experiment was debated, but the +commander arrived at a settled conviction that such an enterprise was +impracticable. + +In the mean time the ice and tides were closely examined for a +considerable distance, for the slightest evidence of a coming liberation +of the poor ice-bound craft. + +As early as August twenty-fourth all hopes of such a liberation seemed +to have faded from every mind. The whole company, officers and crew, +were assembled in council. The commander gave the members his reasons in +full for deeming it wise to stand by the vessel. He then gave his +permission for any part of the company who chose to do so to depart on +their own responsibility. He required of such to renounce in writing +all claims upon the captain and those who remained. The roll was then +called, and nine out of the seventeen decided to make the hazardous +experiment. At the head of this party was Dr. Hayes and Petersen. +Besides the hope of a successful escape, they were influenced in the +course they were taking by the thought that the quarters in the brig +were so straitened that the health and comfort of those remaining would +be increased, and the causes of disease and death diminished by their +departure; and still further, if the withdrawing party perished, an +equal number was likely to die if all remained. + +The decision having been made, Dr. Kane gave them a liberal portion of +the resources of the brig, a good-bye blessing, with written assurances +of a brother's welcome should they return. They left August +twenty-eight. + +Those who remained with Dr. Kane were Brooks, M'Gary, Wilson, +Goodfellow, Morton, Ohlsen, Hickey, and Hans. The situation of these was +increasedly dreary on the departure of half of their companions. They +felt the necessity of immediate systematic action to drive away +desponding thoughts, as well as to make the best possible preparation +for the coming struggle with darkness, cold, poverty, and disease. The +discipline of the vessel, with all its formality of duties, was strictly +maintained. The ceremonies of the table, the religious services, the +regular watching, in which every man took his turn unless prevented by +sickness, the scientific observations of the sky, the weather and the +tides, the detailed care of the fire and the lights, all went on as if +there was no burdens of mind to embarrass them. + +In view of the small stock of fuel, they commenced turning the brig into +something like an Esquimo igloë or hut. A space in the cabin measuring +twenty feet by eighteen was set off as a room for all hands. Every one +then went to work, and, according to his measure of strength, gathered, +moss. With this an inner wall was made for the cabin, reaching from the +floor to the ceiling. The floor itself was calked with plaster of Paris +and common paste, then two inches of Manilla oakum was thrown over it, +and upon this a canvas carpet was spread. From this room an avenue three +feet high, and two and a half feet wide, was made. It was twelve feet +long, and descended four feet, opening into the hold. It was moss-lined, +and closed with a door at each end. It answered to the _tossut_ of the +Esquimo hut, or the sort of tunnel through which they creep into their +one room. All ingress and egress of our explorers were through this +avenue on their hands and knees. From the dark hold they groped their +way to the main hatchway, up which, by a stairway of boxes, they +ascended into the open air. + +The quarter-deck also was well padded with turf and moss. When this was +done, no frost king but the one presiding over the polar regions could +have entered. Even he had to drop his crown of icicles at the outer door +of the avenue. + +The next step was to secure, so far as possible, a supply of fuel for +the coming darkness. A small quantity of coal yet remained for an +emergency. They began now, September tenth, to strip off some of the +extra planking outside of the deck, and to pile it up for stove use. + +Having thus put the brig itself into winter trim, they went diligently +to work to arrange its immediate vicinity on the floe. Their beef-house +came first, which was simply a carefully stowed pile of barrels +containing their water-soaked beef and pork. Next was a kind of +block-house, made of the barrels of flour, beans, and dried apples. From +a flag-staff on one corner of this fluttered a red and white ensign, +which gave way on Sundays to a Grinnell flag. From the block-house +opened a traveled way, which they called New London Avenue. On this were +the boats. Around all this was a rope barrier, which said to the outside +world, Thus far only shalt thou come! Outside of this was a magnificent +hut made of barrel frames and snow, for the special use of Esquimo +visitors. It was in great danger of a tearing down for its coveted +wood. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +TREATY MAKING. + + +THE stock of fresh provisions was now alarmingly low. To secure a fresh +supply, Dr. Kane and Hans started with the dog team on a seal hunt. The +doctor was armed with his Kentucky rifle, and Hans with a harpoon and +attached line. They carried a light Esquimo boat to secure the prey if +shot. They expected to find seal after a ten miles' run, but the ice was +solid until they had traveled another hour. Now they entered upon an icy +plain smooth as a house floor. On the dogs galloped, in fine spirits, +seeming to anticipate the shout which soon came from Hans--"Pusey, +puseymut!"--seal, seal! Just ahead were crowds of seals playing in the +water. But the joy of the hunters was instantly turned into a chill of +horror. The ice was bending under the weight of the sledge, and rolling +in wavy swells before it, as if made of leather. To pause was certain +death to dogs and men. The solid floe was a mile ahead. Hans shouted +fiercely to his dogs, and added the merciless crack of his whip to give +speed to his team; but the poor creatures were already terror-stricken, +and rushed forward like a steam-car. A profound silence followed, as +painful as the hush of the wind before the destructive tornado. Nothing +more could be done; the faithful dogs were doing their utmost to save +themselves and their masters. They passed through a scattered group of +seals, which, breast-high out of water, mocked them with their curious, +complacent gaze. The rolling, crackling ice increased its din, and, when +within fifty paces of the solid floe the frightened dogs became +dismayed, and they paused! In went the left runner and the leading dog, +then followed the entire left-hand runner. In the next instant Dr. Kane, +the sledge and dogs, were mixed up in the snow and water. Hans had +stepped off upon ice which had not yet given way, and was uttering in +his broken English, piteous moans, while he in vain reached forward to +help his master. He was ordered to lay down, spread out his hands and +feet, and draw himself to the floe by striking his knife into the ice. +The doctor cut the leader's harness and let him scramble out, for he was +crying touchingly, and drowning his master by his caresses. Relieved of +the dog he tried the sledge, but it sunk under him; he then paddled +round the hole endeavoring to mount the ice, but it gave way at every +effort, thus enlarging the sphere of operation most uncomfortably, and +exhausting his strength. Hans in the mean time had reached solid +footing, and was on his knees praying incoherently in English and +Esquimo, and at every crushing-in of the ice which plunged his master +afresh into the sea exclaimed, "God!" When the fatal crisis was just at +hand, deliverance came by a _seeming_ accident. How often does God +deliver by such seeming accidents! One of the dogs still remained +attached to the sledge, and in struggling to clear himself drew one of +the runners broadside against the edge of the circle. It was the +drowning man's last chance. He threw himself on his back so as to lessen +his weight, and placed the nape of his neck on the rim of the ice +opposite to but not far from the sledge. He then drew his legs up slowly +and placed the ball of his moccasin foot against the runner, pressing +cautiously and steadily, listening the while to the sound of the +half-yielding ice against which the other runner rested, as to a note +which proclaimed his sentence of life or death. The ice, holding the +sledge, only faintly yielded, while he felt his wet fur jumper sliding +up the surface; now his shoulders are on; now his whole body steadily +ascends; he is safe. + +Hans rubbed his master with frantic earnestness until the flesh glowed +again. The dogs were all saved, but the sledge, Esquimo boat, tent, +guns, and snow-shoes were all left frozen in to await a return trip. A +run of twelve miles brought them, worn and weary, but full of gratitude, +to the brig. The fire was kindled, one of the few remaining birds +cooked, a warm welcome given, so that the peril was forgotten except in +the occasion it gave for increased love to the _Deliverer_. + +We have had no occasion to notice the Esquimo since the escape from +prison of young Myouk. Soon after Dr. Hayes's party left, three natives +came. They had evidently noted the departure of half of the number of +the strangers, and came to learn the condition of those left behind. It +was Dr. Kane's policy to conciliate them, while carrying toward them a +steady, and when needed, as it was often, a restraining hand. + +These visitors were quartered in a tent in the hold. A copper lamp, a +cooking-basin, and a full supply of fat for fuel, was given them. They +ate, slept, awoke, ate and slept again. Dr. Kane left them eating at two +o'clock in the morning when he retired to the cabin to sleep. They +seemed soon after to be sleeping so soundly that the watch set over them +also slept. In the morning there were no Esquimo on board. They had +stolen the lamp, boiler, and cooking-pot used at their feast; to these +they added the best dog--the only one not too weary from the late +excursion to travel. Besides, finding some buffalo robes and an +india-rubber cloth accidentally left on the floe, they took them along +also. + +This would not do. The savages must be taught to fear as well as to +respect and love the white men. Morton and Riley, two of the best +walkers, were sent in hot pursuit. Reaching the hut at Anoatok, they +found young Myouk with the wives of two absent occupants, the latter +making themselves delightfully comfortable, having tailored already the +stolen robes into garments worn on their backs. By searching, the +cooking utensils, and other articles stolen from the brig but not +missed, were found. + +The white officers of the law acted promptly, as became their dignity. +They stripped the women of these stolen goods and tied them. They were +then loaded with all the articles stolen, to which was added as much +walrus meat of their own as would pay their jail fees. The three were +then marched peremptorily back to the brig; though it was thirty miles +they did not complain, neither did their police guardians in walking the +twice thirty. It was scarcely twenty-four hours after these thieves had +left the brig with their booty before they were prisoners in the hold. +"A dreadful white man" was placed over them as keeper, who never spoke +to them except in words of terrifying reproof, and whose scowl exhibited +a studied variety of threatening and satanic expressions. The women were +deprived of the comfort of even Myouk's company. He was dispatched to +Metek, "head-man of Etah and others," "with the message of a +melo-dramatic tyrant," to negotiate for their ransom. For five long days +the women sighed and cried, and sung in solitary confinement, though +their appetites continued excellent. At last the great Metek and another +Esquimo notable arrived, drawing quite a sledge load of returned stolen +goods. Now commenced the treaty making. There were "big talks," and a +display on the part of Dr. Kane of the splendors and resources of his +capital, its arts and sciences, not forgetting the "fire-death," whose +terrific power so amazed the Etah dignitaries. On the part of the +Esquimo there were many adjournments of the diplomatic conferences to +eat and sleep. This was well for the explorers no doubt, as plenty of +sleep and a good dinner are very pacific, it is well known, in their +influence even on savages. In the final result the Esquimo agreed: Not +to steal, to bring fresh meat, to sell or lend dogs, to attend the white +men when desired, and to show them where to find the game. On the part +of _Kablunah_ (the white men) Dr. Kane promised: Not to visit the +_Inuit_ (Esquimo) with death or sorcery; to shoot for them on the hunt; +to welcome them on board the ship; to give them presents of needles, +pins, two kinds of knives, a hoop, three bits of hard wood, some kinds +of fat, an awl, and some sewing-thread; to trade with them of these, and +all other things they might want, for walrus and seal meat of the first +quality. + +Dr. Kane sent Hans and Morton to Etah, on the return of Metek, as his +representatives, and this treaty was there ratified in a full assembly +of its people. + +This treaty was really of much importance to the famishing, ice-bound, +scurvy-smitten strangers. It was faithfully kept on the part of the +natives, but it was believed that the example of the white man's +prodigious power given by Morton and Riley, in the tramp of sixty miles +in twenty-four hours, had quite as much to do with its faithful +observance as any regard to their promise. They might not understand the +binding nature of promises however solemnly made, but they could +comprehend the meaning of strong arms and swift feet. + +Having made peace with the Etahites, Dr. Kane sent M'Gary and Morton to +the hut at Anoatok on a like errand. They found there of men, Myouk, +Ootuniah, and Awatok--Seal Bladder--who were at first shy. The rogue, +Myouk, suspected their visit might mean to him another arrest. Seeing it +did not, all went merry as a marriage-bell. The treaty was ratified by +acclamation. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ARCTIC HUNTING. + + +EARLY in October the Esquimo disappeared from the range of travel from +the brig. Hans and Hickey were sent to the hunting grounds, and they +returned with the unwelcome news, no walrus, no Esquimo. Where could +they have gone? Were they hovering on the track of the escaping party +under Dr. Hayes? and where were these? Would the natives return from a +trip south, and bring any news of the battle they were fighting with the +ice and cold? + +While such queries may have been indulged by the brig party, they had +serious thoughts concerning their own condition. Their fresh provisions +were nearly exhausted. Without walrus or bear meat, their old enemy, +scurvy, would come down upon them like an armed man. There was now +plainly another occasion for one of those accidental occurrences, +through which the eye of a devout Christian sees God's kind hand. In the +midst of these painful thoughts the shout by Hans was heard ringing +through the brig: "Nannook! nannook!" + +"A bear! a bear!" chimed in Morton. + +The men seized their guns and ran on deck. The dogs were already in +battle array with the bear, which was attended by a five-months-old +cub. Not a gun was in readiness on the instant, and while they were +being loaded the canines were having rough sport with bruin. Tudla, a +champion fighter, had been seized twice, by the nape of his neck, and +made to travel several yards without touching the ground. Jenny, a +favorite in the sledge, had made a grand somerset by a slight jerk of +the head of the bear, and had alighted senseless. Old Whitey, brave but +not bear-wise, had rushed headlong into the combat, and was yelping his +utter dissatisfaction with the result while stretched helpless upon the +snow. Nannook considered the field of battle already won, and proceeded, +as victors have always done, to a very cool investigation of the spoils. +She first turned over a beef barrel, and began to nose out the choice +bits for herself and child. But there was a party interested in this +operation whom she had not consulted. Their first protest was in the +form of a pistol ball in the side of her cub. This, to say the least, +was rather a harsh beginning. The next hint was a rifle ball in the side +of the mother, which she resented by taking her child between her hind +legs and retreating behind the beef-house. Here, with her strong +forearms, she pulled down three solid rows of beef barrels which made +one wall of the house. She then mounted the rubbish, seized a half +barrel of herring with her teeth, and with it beat a retreat. Turning +her back on the enemy was not safe, for she immediately received, at +half pistol range, six buck shots. She fell, but was instantly on her +feet again, trotting off with her cub under her nose. She would have +escaped after all but for two of the dogs. These belonged to the +immediate region, and had been trained for the bear hunt. They +embarrassed her speed but did not attack her. One would run along ahead +of her, so near as to provoke the bear to attempt to catch him, and then +he would give her a useless chase to the right or left, the other one, +at the right moment, making a diversion by a nip in her rear. So coolly +and systematically was this done that poor Nannook was hindered and +exhausted without being able to hurt her tormentors in the least. + +This game of the dogs brought again Dr. Kane and Hans on the field of +conflict. They found the bear still holding out in the running fight, +and making good speed away from the brig. Two rifle balls brought her to +a stand-still. She faced about, took her little one between her fore +legs, and growled defiance. It took six more balls to lay her lifeless +on the blood-stained snow! + +This method of conquering the foe was no doubt, from the bear point of +view, mean and cowardly; instead of the hand-to-paw fight, recognized as +the Arctic lawful way of fighting, it was sending fire-death at a safe +distance for the attacking party. With her own chosen weapons--two +powerful arms, and a set of almost resistless teeth--the bear was the +stronger party. But then it was the old game of brains against brute +force, with the almost sure result. As to the cruelty, the bear had no +reason to complain. She came to the brig seeking, if haply she might +find, a man, or men, to appease her craving hunger and feed her child. +The men sought and obtained her life that they might stay the progress +of their bitter enemy, the scurvy, and save their own lives! + +When the mother fell, her child sprung upon her body and made a fierce +defense. After much trouble, and, we should think, some danger from her +paws and teeth, both of which she used as if trained for the fight, she +was, caught with a line looped into a running knot between her jaws and +the back of her head, somewhat as farmers catch hogs for the slaughter. +She was marched off to the brig and chained outside, causing a great +uproar among the dogs. + +The mother-bear's carcass weighed when cleaned three hundred pounds; +before dressing, the body weighed six hundred and fifty. The _little_ +one weighed on her feet one hundred and fourteen pounds. They both +proved most savory meat, and were eaten with gratitude, as the special +gifts of the great Giver. + +This bear capture was soon followed by one no less exciting and truly +Arctic in its character. It was the hunt and capture of a walrus, the +lion of the sea, as the bear is the tiger of the ice. The story is as +follows:--- + +About the middle of October Morton and Hans were sent again to try to +find the Esquimo. They reached on the fourth day a little village beyond +Anoatok, seventy miles from the brig. Here they found four huts, two +occupied and two forsaken. In one was Myouk, his parents and his brother +and sister; in the other was Awahtok, Ootuniah, their wives, and three +young children. The strangers were made to feel at home. Their moccasins +were dried, their feet rubbed, two lamps set ablaze to cook them a +supper, and a walrus skin spread on the raised floor for them to stretch +and rest their weary limbs. The lamps and the addition to the huts' +company sent the thermometer up to ninety degrees above zero, while +outside it was thirty below. The natives endured this degree of heat +finely, as the men and children wore only the apparel nature gave them, +and the women made only a slight, but becoming, addition to it. The +strangers after devouring six small sea-birds a piece enjoyed a night of +profuse perspiration and sound sleep. + +In the morning Morton perceived that Myouk and his father were preparing +for a walrus hunt, and he cordially invited himself and Hans to go with +them. The two strangers accepted the invitation thus given, and the +party of four were soon off. + +A large size walrus is eighteen feet long, with a tusk thirty inches. +His whole development is elephantine, and his look grim and ferocious. + +The Esquimo of this party carried three sledges; one they hid under the +snow and ice on the way, and the other two were carried to the hunting +ground at the open water, about ten miles from the huts. They had nine +dogs to these two sledges, and by turns one man rode while the other +walked. + +As they neared the new ice, and saw by the murky fog that the open water +was near, the Esquimo removed their hoods and listened. After a while +Myouk's countenance showed that the wished-for sound had entered his +ear, though Morton, as attentively listening, could hear nothing. Soon +they were startled by the bellowing of a walrus bull; the noise, round +and full, was something between the mooing of a cow and the deep baying +of a mastiff, varied by an oft-repeated quick bark. The performer was +evidently pleased with his own music, for it continued without cessation +while our hunters crept forward stealthily in single file. When within +half a mile of some discolored spots showing very thin ice surrounded by +that which was thicker, they scattered, and each man crawled toward a +separate pool, Morton on his hands and knees following Myouk. Soon the +walruses were in sight. They were five in number, at times rising +altogether out of the deep, breaking the ice and giving an explosive +puff which might have been heard, through the thin, clear atmosphere, a +mile away. Two grim-looking males were noticeable as the leaders of the +group. + +[Illustration: Walruses--A Family Party.] + +Now came the fight between Myouk, the crafty, expert hunter, and a +strong, maddened, persistent walrus. Morton was the interested +looker-on, following the hunter like a shadow, ready, if it had been +wanted, to put in his contribution to the fight in the form of a +rifle-ball. When the walrus's head is above water, and peering +curiously around, the hunter is flat and still. As the head begins to +disappear in the deep he is up and stirring, and ready to dart toward +the game. From his hiding-place behind a projecting ice knoll the hunter +seems not only to know when his victim will return, but where he will +rise. In this way, hiding and darting forward, Myouk, with Morton at his +heels, approaches the pool near the edge of which the walruses are at +play. Now the stolid face of Myouk glows with animation; he lies still, +biding his time, a coil of walrus hide many yards in length lying at his +side. He quickly slips one end of the line into an iron barb, holding +the other, the looped end, in his hand, and fixes the barb to a locket +on the end of a shaft made of a unicorn's horn. Now the water is in +motion, and only twelve feet from him the walrus rises, puffing with +pent up respiration, and looks grimly and complacently around. What need +_he_ fear, the mighty monarch of the Arctic sea! Myouk coolly, slowly +rises, throws back his right arm, while his left arm lies close to his +side. The walrus looks round again and shakes his dripping head. Up goes +the hunter's left arm. His victim rises breast-high to give one curious +look before he plunges, and the swift, barbed shaft is buried in his +vitals! In an instant the walrus is down, down in the deep, while Myouk +is making his best speed from the battlefield, holding firmly the looped +end of his harpoon-line, at the same time paying out the coil as he +runs. He has snatched up and carries in one hand a small stick of bone +rudely pointed with iron; he stops, drives it into the ice and fastens +his line to it, pressing it to the ice with his foot. + +Now commence the frantic struggles of the wounded walrus. Myouk keeps +his station, now letting out his line, and then drawing it in. His +victim, rising out of the water, endeavors to throw himself upon the +ice, as if to rush at his tormenter. The ice breaks under his great +weight, and he roars fearfully with rage. For a moment all is quiet. The +hunter knows what it means, and he is on the alert. Crash goes the ice, +and up come two walrusses only a few yards from where he stands; they +aimed at the very spot but will do better next time. But when the game +comes up where he last saw the hunter he has pulled up his stake and run +off, line in hand, and fixed it as before, but in a new direction. This +play goes on until the wounded beast becomes exhausted, and is +approached and pierced with the lance by Myouk. + +Four hours this fight went on, the walrus receiving seventy lance +thrusts, dangling all the while at the end of the line with the cruel +harpoon fixed in his body. When dying at last, hooked by his tusk to the +margin of the ice, his female, which had faithfully followed all his +bloody fortune, still swam at his side; she retired only when her spouse +was dead, and she herself was pricked by the lance. + +Morton says the last three hours wore the aspect of a doubtful battle. +He witnessed it with breathless interest. + +The game was, by a sort of "double purchase," a clever contrivance of +the Esquimo, drawn upon the ice and cut up at leisure. Its weight was +estimated at seven hundred pounds. + +The intestines and the larger part of the carcass, were buried in the +crevices of an iceberg--a splendid ice-house! Two sledges were loaded +with the remainder, and the hunters started toward home. As they came +near the village the women came out to meet them; the shout of welcome +brought all hands with their knives. Each one having his portion +assigned, according to a well understood Esquimo rule, the evening was +given up to eating. In groups of two or three around a forty pound +joint, squatting crook-legged, knife in hand, they cut, ate, and slept, +and cut and ate again. Hans, in his description of the feast to Dr. +Kane, says: "Why, Cappen Ken, sir, even the children ate all night. You +know the little two-year-old that Aroin carried in her hood--the one +that bit you when you tickled it?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, Cappen Ken, sir, that baby cut for herself, sir, with a knife +made out of an iron hoop, and so heavy it could hardly lift it, cut and +ate, sir, and ate and cut, as long as I looked at it." + +Morton and Hans returned to the brig with two hundred pounds of walrus +meat and two foxes, to make glad the hearts of their comrades. + +Besides these Arctic monsters of the sea, and shaggy prowlers of the +land and ice, there was another sort of game, requiring a different kind +of hunting, found nearer home. + +We have related the experiment, a year before this, of the explorers +with the rats. They had failed to smoke them out by a villainous +compound, and, as the experience came near burning up the vessel, it was +not repeated. They bred like locusts in spite of the darkness, cold, and +short rations, and went every-where--under the stove, into the steward's +drawers, into the cushions, about the beds, among the furs, woolens, and +specimens of natural history. They took up their abode among the bedding +of the men in the forecastle, and in such other places as seemed to them +cosy and comfortable. When their rights as tenants were disputed they +fought for them with boldness and skill. + +At one time a mother rat had chosen a bear-skin mitten as a homestead +for herself and family of little ones. Dr. Kane thrust his hand into it +not knowing that it was occupied, and received a sharp bite. Of course +his hand left the premises in rather quick time, and before he could +suck the blood from his finger the family had disappeared, taking their +home with them. + +Rhina, a brave bear-dog, which had come out of encounters with his +shaggy majesty with special honors, was sent down into the citadel of +the rats. She lay down with composure and slept for a while. But the +vermin gnawed the horny skin of her paws, nipped her on this side, and +bit her on that, and dodged into their hiding-places. They were so +many, and so nimble, that poor Rhina yelled in vexation and pain. She +was taken on deck to her kennel, a cowed and vanquished dog. + +Hans, true to his hunter's propensity, amused himself during the dreary +hours of his turn on the night watch, by shooting them with his bow and +arrow. Dr. Kane had these carefully dressed and made into a soup, of +which he educated himself to eat, to the advantage of his health. No +other one of the vessel's company cared to share his pottage. + +Hans had one competitor in this "small deer" hunting, as the sailors +called it. Dr. Kane had caught a young fox alive, and domesticated it in +the cabin. These "deer" were not quick enough to escape his nimble feet +and sharp teeth. But unfortunately he would kill only when and what he +wanted to eat. + +December came in gloomily. Nearly every man was down with the scurvy. +The necessary work to be done dragged heavily. The courage of the little +company was severely taxed but not broken. But where were the escaping +party under Dr. Hayes? Were they yet dragging painfully over their +perilous way? were they safe at Upernavik? or had they perished? + +While such queries might have occupied the thoughts of the dwellers in +the "Advance," on the seventh of the month Petersen and Bonsall of that +party returned; five days later Dr. Hayes arrived, with the remainder +of his company. Their adventures had been marvelous, and their escape +wonderful. It will be a pleasant fancy for us to consider ourselves as +sitting down in the cabin of the "Advance," and listening to their story +from the lips of one of their party. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE ESCAPING PARTY. + + +HAVING, as has been seen, provided for all the contingencies of our +journey as well as circumstances permitted, we moved slowly down the +ice-foot away from the brig. The companions we were leaving waved us a +silent adieu. A strong resolution gave firmness to our step, but our way +was too dark and perilous for lightness of heart. At ten miles distance +we should reach a cape near which we expected to find open water, where +we could exchange the heavy work of dragging the sledges for the +pleasanter sailing in the boat. This we reached early the second day. +But here we experienced our first keen disappointment. As far as the eye +could reach was only ice. Before us, a thousand miles away, was +Upernavik, at which we aimed, the first refuge of a civilized character +in that direction. As we gazed at this intervening frozen wilderness it +did indeed seem afar off. Yet every man stood firm through fourteen +hours of toil before we encamped, facing a strong wind and occasional +gusts of snow. After this the shelter of our tent, and a supper of cold +pork and bread with hot coffee, made us almost forget the wind, which +began to roar like a tempest. + +We looked out in the morning, after a good night's rest, hoping to see +the broken floe fleeing before the gale, giving us our coveted open sea. +But no change had taken place. We had no resort but to weary sledging. +We carried forward our freight in small parcels, a mile on our journey, +finally bringing up the boat. + +We took from under a cliff of the cape the boat "Forlorn Hope," which +Dr. Kane had deposited there. It was damaged by the falling of a stone +upon it from a considerable height. Petersen's skillful mending made it +only a tolerable affair. Thus wearied and baffled in our efforts at +progress, we returned early to our tent, and slept soundly until three +o'clock in the morning, when we were aroused by shouting without. It +came from three Esquimo, a boy eighteen years old, and two women. The +boy we had before seen, but the women were strangers. They were filthy +and ragged--in fact scarcely clothed at all. The matted hair of the +women was tied with a piece of leather on the top of the head; the boy's +hair was cut square across his eyebrows. One of the women carried a baby +about six months old. It was thrust naked, feet foremost, into the hood +of her jumper, and hung from the back of her neck. It peered innocently +out of its hiding-place, like a little chicken from the brooding wing of +its mother. + +They shivered with cold, and asked for fire and food, which we readily +gave them, and they were soon off down the coast in good spirits. + +These visitors were only well started when Hans rushed into our camp, +excited and panting for breath. He was too full of wrath to command his +poor English, and he rattled away to Petersen in his own language. When +he had recovered somewhat his breath, we caught snatches of his +exclamations as he turned to us with, "Smit Soun Esquimo no koot! no +koot! all same dog! Steal me bag! steal Nalegak buffalo." + +The fact finally came out that our visitors had been to the brig and +stolen, among other things, a wolf-skin bag and a small buffalo skin +belonging to Hans, presents from Dr. Kane. Hans took a lunch, a cup of +coffee, and continued his run after the thieves. + +The ice had now given way a little, and small leads opened near us. +Loading the boat, we tried what could be done at navigation. But the +water in the lead soon froze over and became too thick for boating, +while yet it was too thin for sledging; so after trying various +expedients we again unloaded the boats and took to the land-ice. But +this was too sloping for the sledges, so we took our cargo in small +parcels on our backs, carrying them forward a mile and a half, and +finally bringing the sledges and boat. Bonsall had, on one of these +trips, taken a keg of molasses on the back of his neck, grasping the two +ends with his hands. This was an awkward position in which to command +his footing along a sideling, icy path. His foot slipped, the keg shot +over his head, and glided down into the sea. Coffee without molasses was +not pleasant to think of, and then it was two hours after our day's work +was done before we could find even water. Our supper was not eaten and +we ready to go to bed until ten. We slept the better, however, from +hearing, just as we were retiring, that Bonsall and Godfrey had +recovered the keg of molasses from four feet of water. + +The next morning we resolved to try the floe again. It was plain we +could make no satisfactory progress on the land-ice, so we loaded first +the small sledge and run it safely down the slippery slope. Then the +large sledge, "Faith," was packed with our more valuable articles. +Cautiously it was started, men in the rear holding it back by ropes. But +the foothold of the men being insecure, they slipped, lost their control +both of themselves and the sledge, and away it dashed. The ice as it +reached the floe was thin; first one runner broke through, now both have +gone down; over goes the freight, and the whole is plunged into the +water! Fortunately every thing floated. A part of our clothes were in +rubber bags and was kept dry; all else was thoroughly wet. No great +damage was done except in one case. Petersen had a bed of eider-down, in +which he was wont snugly to stow himself at night. When moving it was +compressed into a ball no larger than his head. It was a nice thing, +costing forty Danish dollars. It was, of course, spoiled. So rueful was +his face that, though we really pitied him, we could not repress a +little merriment as he held up his dripping treasure. Seeing a smile on +Dr. Hayes's face, he hastily rolled it up into a wad, and, in the +bitterness of his vexation, hurled it among the rocks, muttering +something in Danish, of which we could detect only the words "doctor" +and "Satan." + +Our situation seemed gloomy enough. The men's courage was giving way, +and one took a final leave and returned to the "Advance." Yet we pressed +forward; we were not long in readjusting the load of the "Faith," and +met with no further accident during the day; but our fourteen hours toil +left us six more hours of ice-travel before we could reach what seemed +to be a long stretch of clear sea. + +Hans returned from his pursuit, having overtaken the thieves, but did +not find about them the stolen goods. He proposed to remain and help us, +but we could go no farther that night. We encamped, and obtained much +needed rest and sleep. + +We were awakened at midnight to a new and unexpected discouragement. +M'Gary and Goodfellow arrived from the "Advance" bringing a peremptory +order from Dr. Kane to bring back the "Faith." We could not understand +this. We had been promised its use until we reached the open sea. We had +only one other, which was very poor and utterly insufficient for our +purpose. We were sure it was not needed at the brig; what could the +order mean? But there it was in black and white, so we delivered it up, +and the messengers returned with it on the instant. + +This journey of Goodfellow and M'Gary was a wonderful exhibition of +endurance. They had worked hard all day; having eaten supper, they were +dispatched with the message. They were back to the brig to breakfast, +having traveled in all to and fro thirty miles without food or rest. + +Our sledging, almost insufferable before, was more difficult now. +Petersen exhausted his skill in improving our poor sledge with little +success. We made about six miles during the day, gained the land at the +head of Force Bay, and pitched our tent. We had shipped and unshipped +our cargo, and had experienced the usual variety of boating and +sledging. Several of us had broken through the ice and been thoroughly +wet. Old rheumatic and scurvy complaints renewed their attacks upon the +men. + +While the supper was cooking, three of the officers climbed a bluff and +looked out upon the icy sea. To our joy they reported the open water +only six miles away. With a good sledge we could reach it in one day's +pull. With our shaky affair it would take three. Indeed, it seemed a +hopeless task to make at all six miles with it. Such was the situation +when our supper was eaten and we had lain down to sleep. Its solace had +scarcely come to our relief when Morton's welcome voice startled us. He +had come to bring back the "Faith." How timely! And then he brought also +a satisfactory explanation of its being taken away. Dr. Kane had been +informed that a dissension existed among us, and that the sledge was not +in the hands of the officers. The next morning the good sledge "Faith" +was loaded, and the men, now in good spirits, made fine speed toward +the open sea. Morton pushed on after the thieves. Late in the afternoon +he returned with them. He had overtaken them where they had halted to +turn their goods into clothing. They had thrown aside their rags, and +were strutting proudly in the new garments they had made of the stolen +skins. Morton soon left, with his prisoners, to return to the "Advance." + +We did not reach the open water until midnight. Every thing was now put +on board the boat, and we sailed about two miles and drew up against +Esquimo Point, pitched our tent on a grounded ice-raft, and obtained +brief rest. + +In the morning, Riley, who had been sent to us for that purpose, +returned to the "Advance" with the "Faith." We packed away eight men and +their baggage in the "Forlorn Hope." It was an ordinary New London +whale-boat rigged with a mainsail, foresail, and a jib. Her cargo and +passengers on this occasion brought her gunwale within four inches of +the water. But for five miles we made fine progress. Then suddenly the +ice closed in upon us, compelling us to draw the "Hope" up upon a solid +ice-raft, where we encamped for the night. Near was a stranded berg from +which we obtained a good supply of birds, of which we ate eight for +supper. + +In the morning, while our breakfast was cooking, the ice scattered and a +path for us through the sea was again opened, and we bore away joyously +for the capes of "Refuge Harbor." With varying fortune, we passed under +the walls of Cape Heatherton, and sighted the low lands of Life-boat +Bay. There, as has been stated, in August, 1853, Dr. Kane left a Francis +metallic life-boat. Could we reach this bay and possess ourselves of +this life-boat, a great step would have been taken, we thought, toward +success. For awhile all went well; then came the shout from the officer +on the lookout, "Ice ahead!" We run down upon it before a spanking +breeze, and got into the bend of a great horseshoe, while seeking an +open way through the floe. We could turn neither to the right nor left, +and we were too deep in the water to attempt to lay-to. The waves rolled +higher and higher, and the breeze was increasing to a tempest. Our +cargo, piled above the sides of the boat, left no room to handle the +oars, if they had been of any use. There was no resort but to let her +drive against the floe. John sat in the stern, steering-oar in hand; +Petersen stood on the lookout to give him steering orders; Bonsall and +Stephenson stood by the sails; the rest of us, with boat-hooks and +poles, stood ready to "fend off." The sails were so drawn up as to take +the wind out of them. Petersen directed the boat's head toward that part +of the ice which seemed weakest, and on we bounded. "'See any opening, +Petersen!' 'No sir.' An anxious five minutes followed, 'I see what looks +like a lead. We must try for it.' 'Give the word, Petersen.' On flew the +boat. 'Let her fall off a little--off! Ease off the sheet--so--steady! A +little more off--so! Steady there--steady as she goes.'" + +Petersen, cool and skillful, was running us through a narrow lead which +brought us into a small opening of clear water. We were beginning to +think that we should get through the pack when he shouted, "I see no +opening! Tight every-where! Let go the sheet! Fend off." + +Thump went the boat against the floe! But the poles and boat-hooks, in +strong, steady hands, broke the force of the collision. Out sprang every +man upon the ice. + +No serious damage was done to our craft. Our first thought was that we +were in a safe, ice-bound harbor. But no! See, the floe is on the move! +We unshipped the cargo in haste, and drew up the "Hope" out of the way +of the nips. The stores were next removed farther from the water's edge, +the spray beginning to sprinkle them. The whole pack was instantly in +wild confusion, ice smiting ice, filling the air with dismal sounds. But +it was a moment for _action_, not of moping fear. Our ice-raft suddenly +separated, the crack running between the cargo and the "Hope!" This +would not do! A boat without a cargo, or a cargo without a boat, were +neither the condition of things we desired; but as the ice bearing the +boat shot into the surging water, it was evident no _human_ power could +hinder it. Yet _divine_ power could and did prevent it--just that Hand +always so ready to help us in our time of need, and seeming now almost +visible. The boat's raft, after whirling in the eddying waters, swung +round, and struck one corner of ours. In a minute of time the "Hope" +was run off, and boat, cargo, and men were once more together. + +Soon the commotion brought down a heavy floe against that on which we +had taken refuge, and no open water was within a hundred yards of us. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A GREEN SPOT. + + +WE seemed now to be in a safe resting-place. Dr. Hayes and Mr. Bonsall, +accompanied by John and Godfrey, took the advantage of this security to +go in search of the life-boat, which they judged was not more than two +miles away. + +After a walk over the floe of one hour they found it. It had not been +disturbed, and the articles deposited under it were in good order. There +were, besides the oars and sails, two barrels of bread, a barrel of +pork, and one of beef; thirty pounds of rice, thirty pounds of sugar, a +saucepan, an empty keg, a gallon can of alcohol, a bale of blankets, an +ice anchor, an ice chisel, a gun, a hatchet, a few small poles, and some +pieces of wood. They took of these a barrel of bread, the saucepan +filled with sugar, a small quantity of rice, the gun, the hatchet, and +the boat's equipments. They were to carry this cargo, and drag the +life-boat, back to the camp, unless a fortunate lead should enable them +to take to the boat. + +They ascended a hill, before starting, to get a view of the present +state of the fickle ice. All was fast in the direct line through which +they came. But, a mile away, washing a piece of the shore of Littleton +Island, was open water. They concluded to push forward in that +direction, and wait the coming of their companions in the "Hope." + +They reached this open water in six hours--a slow march of one mile--but +it must be remembered that they had to carry their cargo, piece by +piece, then go back and draw along the boat, thus going over the +distance many times. Besides, they had to climb the hummocks with their +load, and lower it down the other side and tumble about generally over +the rough way. + +The island thus reached was three fourths of a mile in diameter. They +landed in a tumultuous sea, which only a life-boat could survive. There +was no good hiding-place from the storm, which was increasing. They were +completely wet by the spray, and ready to faint with cold and hunger. In +a crevice of the rock a fire was kindled, the saucepan half filled with +sea water, and an eider duck John had knocked over with his oar was put +into it to stew. To this was added four biscuit from the bread barrel. +The hot meal thus cooked refreshed them, but it was their only +refreshment. Bonsall and Godfrey crept under the sail taken from the +boat, and, from sheer exhaustion, fell asleep. John and Dr. Hayes sought +warmth in a run about the island. Dr. Hayes wandered to a rocky point, +which commanded a view of the channel between the island and the "Hope." +He watched every object, expecting to see her and her crew adrift. He +had not watched long before a dark object was seen upon a whirling +ice-raft. After a close and careful second look, he saw that it was +John. He called but received no answer. John's raft now touched the floe +and away he went, jumping the fearful cracks, and disappearing in the +darkness. What could inspire so reckless an adventure? Had he seen the +"Hope" in peril, and was this a manly effort to save her and his +comrades? He was going in the direction in which he had left them. + +Bonsall and Godfrey were soon frozen out of their comfortless tent, and +joined Dr. Hayes on the rocky point. They took places of observation a +short distance apart, and watched with intense anxiety both for the +"Hope" and John. The morning came, the sea grew less wild, and the wind +subsided, but nothing was seen of the boat. + +Leaving Dr. Hayes and his party thus watching on the island, we will +glance at the experience of those of us who were left in the camp. + +Soon after they left, the wind and the waves played free and wild. The +spray wet our clothes, buffaloes, and blankets, as it flew past us in +dense clouds. Our bread-bag, wrapped in an india rubber cloth, was kept +dry. We pitched our tent in the safest place possible, but were driven +out by the increasing deluge of spray. We tried to cook our supper, but +the water put out the lamp. So we obtained for thirty hours neither rest +nor a warm meal. Dry, hard bread without water, was our only food. +Finally the floe broke up, and, hastily packing, ourselves and stores +into the "Hope," we went scudding through the leads, earnestly desiring +but scarcely daring to hope that we should fall in with Dr. Hayes and +his party. As we approached Littleton Island the lead closed, and the +pack for a moment shut us in. As we waited and watched, we saw a dark +object moving over the floe in the misty distance. Had we been on the +lookout for a bear, we might have sent a bullet after it at a venture. +But a moment only intervened before John, nimbly jumping the drifting +ice-cakes, sprung into the boat! He brought the welcome news of the +whereabouts of our companions with the life-boat, and his needed help in +our peril. Soon a change of tide brought open water, through which, with +all sails set, we bore down on the island. About eight o'clock we saw +Dr. Hayes watching for our coming from his bleak, rocky lookout. + +So rough was the sea that we could not land, but rowed round Cape +Ohlsen, the nearest main-land, where we found a snug harbor with a low +beach. The life-boat and her crew followed. The cargoes were taken from +the boats, and they were hauled up. From a little stream of melted snow +which trickled down the hill-side our kettles were filled. The camp was +set ablaze, some young eiders and a burgomaster, shot just before we +landed, were soon cooked, a steaming pot of coffee served up, and we +talked over our adventures as we satisfied our craving hunger. John was +questioned concerning his wild adventure. He had not seen the "Hope," +nor did he know where she was. But he was concerned about her, and +"wanted to hunt her up." + +After dinner we set ourselves at work, preparing the boats for a renewed +voyage, which we had some reason to hope would be one of fewer +interruptions. The "Hope" was repatched and calked by Petersen. A mast +and sail was put into the life-boat, which we named the "Ironsides." The +heavier part of the freight was put on board the "Hope," of which +Petersen took command, with Sontag, George Stephenson, and George +Whipple as companions and helpers. Dr. Hayes commanded in the +"Ironsides," with whom was Bonsall, John, Blake, and William Godfrey. + +Having spread our sails to a favoring breeze, we gave three cheers and +bore away for Cape Alexander, about fourteen miles distant. As we sped +onward the scene was delightful. On our left was Hartstene Bay, with its +dark, precipitous shore-line, and white glacier fields in the +background. The outlines of Cape Alexander grew clearer over our bows, +and cheered us onward. But a dark, threatening cloud crept up the +northern sky, sending after us an increasing breeze, and tipping the +waves with caps of snowy whiteness. The storm-king came on in frequent +squalls, giving earnest of his wrath. We could not turn back, nor did +such a course at all accord with our wishes; nor could we run toward the +shore on the left, where only frowning rocks awaited us. We could only +scud before the tempest toward Cape Alexander, come what would. The wind +roared louder and the waves rolled higher, yet on we flew. We came +within half a mile of the cape unharmed. Now the current, as it swept +swiftly round the cape, produced a "chopping sea." The "Hope," being +made for a heavy sea, rounded the point in good style. The "Ironsides" +was shorter, stood more out of the water, and was, therefore, less +manageable. John, who was intrusted with the steering-oar, in minding +the business of Bonsall and Godfrey instead of his own, let it fly out +of the water, and so permitted the boat to come round broadside to the +current. Of course the sea broke over us at its pleasure, filling every +part which could be filled and sinking us deep in the water. But for its +metallic structure and air-tight apartment we should have sunk; as it +was we held fast to the sides and mast to prevent being washed +overboard, and thus we drifted ingloriously round the cape. + +Here we found our consort, ready to come to our assistance; but as the +water was smooth under sheltering land, we bailed out our boat, took in +our sails, unshipped the mast, and rowed for a small rock called +Sutherland's Island, hoping to find a harbor. But we found none, nor was +it safe to land anywhere upon the island. There was nothing to do but to +pull back again in the face of the wind. The men were weary and +disheartened; the sun had set and it was growing dark; our clothes were +frozen and unyielding as a coat of mail; cutting sleet pelted our faces, +and we were often compelled to lose for a moment part of what we had +with such toil gained. But the sheltering main-land of the cape was at +last gained, and we coasted slowly along for some distance looking for a +haven. We finally came to a low rocky point, behind which lay a snug +little harbor. "A harbor! here we are boys; a harbor!" shouted the +lookout. The men responded with a faint cheer--they were too much +exhausted for "a rouser." + +The boats were unladen and drawn upon the land. Every thing in the +"Ironsides" was wet, but the stores of the "Hope" were in perfect order. +We pitched our tent, cooked our supper, and lay down to sleep. The sea +roared angrily as its waves broke upon the rocky coast, and the wind +howled as it came rushing down the hill-side; but they did but lull us +to rest as we slept away our weariness and disappointment. + +Two days we were detained in this place. Once a little fox peered at us +from the edge of the cliff, which set our men upon a fruitless hunt for +either his curious little self or some of his kindred. We greatly +desired a fox stew, but fox cunning was too much for us. + +We started for Northumberland Island on the eighth of September. To +reach it we must pass through a wide expanse of sea which was now clear; +not a berg greeted our vision, no fragments of drifting ice-packs met +our sight. The wind was nearly "after us," and the boats glided through +the waves as gloriously as if carrying a picnic party in our own home +waters. The spirits of the men run over with glee. "Isn't this +glorious?" cried Whipple as the boats came near enough together to +exchange salutations; "we have it watch and watch about." + +"And so have we," replied Godfrey. + +"We're shipping a galley and mean to have some supper," shouted +Stephenson. + +"And we have got ours already!" exclaimed John. "Look at this!" he +added, flourishing in the air a pot of steaming coffee. + +But these joys were emphatically of the _arctic_ kind, which are in +themselves prophecies of ill. Bergs were soon seen lifting their +unwelcome heads in the distance, and sending through the intervening +waters their tidings of evil. Next came long, narrow lines of ice; then +these were united together by a thin, recent formation. We were now +compelled to dodge about to find open lanes. Coming to a full stop, the +officers climbed an iceberg to get a view of the situation. The pack was +every-where, though in no direction was it without narrow runs of open +water. Then and there they were compelled, after careful consultation, +to decide a question deeply concerning our enterprise. It was this: +Should we take the outer passage, or the one lying along shore. The +first would afford a better chance of open water, but if this failed us, +as it was even likely to do at this late season, we must certainly +perish. The second gave us a smaller chance of boating, but some chance +to live if it failed. But we were on a desperate enterprise, and were +inclined to desperate measures. But Petersen, who had twenty years' +experience in these waters, counseled the inner route, and by his +counsel the officers felt bound to abide. + +While this consultation was going on the sea became calm, and the boats +could be urged only by the oars. It was night before we found a +sheltered, sloping land behind a projecting rock. The boats were +anchored in the usual way--by taking out their loads and lifting them +upon the land. + +The tents were pitched upon a terrace a few yards above the boats. This +terrace, we were surprised to find, was covered with a green sod, full +of thrifty vegetation. The sloping hill-side above had the same +greenness. A little seeking brought to our wondering sight an abundant +supply of sorrel and "_cochlearia_," anti-scurvy plants which our men +much needed. Some of the men soon filled their caps with them. A fox had +been shot and was already in the cook's steaming pot, to which a good +supply of the green plants was added. Such a supper as we had! Nothing +like it had been tasted since we left home! Our scurvy plague spots +disappeared before its wonderful healing power. The men became as +hilarious as boys when school is out. They reveled and rolled upon the +green arctic carpet like young calves in a newly found clover field. +They smoked their pipes, "spun yarns," and laughed cheerily, as if their +lives had not just now been in peril, and as if no imminent dangers lay +at their door. Our camp had indeed been pitched by the all-guiding Hand +in a goodly place. The men declared on retiring that they felt the +healing _cochlearia_ in their very bones, and it is certain that we all +felt the glow of our changed condition throughout our whole being. + +The next day two of us climbed the highest land of the island for a +glance at our situation. We found it as depressing as our paradise of +greenness had been encouraging. We could see southward the closed +ice-pack for twenty miles, and faint indications of the same condition +of the sea could be discerned for twenty more miles. + +We returned, and a council was called in which all, men and officers, +were called upon freely to discuss, and finally to decide by vote, the +question, Shall we go forward or attempt to return to the "Advance." All +the facts so far as known were fairly brought out. Upernavik was six +hundred miles in a straight line; the brig was four hundred. Dangers, if +not death, were everywhere, yet none desponded. Whipple, or "Long +George," as his messmates called him, made a heroic speech which +expressed the feelings of all. He exclaimed: "The ice can't remain long; +I'll bet it will open to-morrow. The winter is a long way off yet. If we +have such luck as we have had since leaving Cape Alexander, we shall be +in Upernavik in two weeks. You say it is not more than six hundred miles +there in a straight line. We have food for that time and fuel for a +week. Before that's gone we'll shoot a seal." + +We voted with one voice--"Upernavik or nothing." The decision was made. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +NETLIK. + + +WE were unwillingly detained on the island several days more. During the +detention we were visited by an Esquimo, who came most unexpectedly upon +us. His name was Amalatok. He had been at the ship last winter, and had +seen Dr. Kane in his August trip. His dress was strikingly arctic--a +bird-skin coat, feathers turned in; bear-skin pants, hair outward; +seal-skin boots; and dog-skin stockings. He carried in his hand two sea +birds, a bladder filled with oil, some half-putrid walrus flesh, and a +seal thong. He sat down on a rock and talked with animation. While thus +engaged he twisted the neck from one of the birds, inserted the +fore-finger of his right hand under the skin of its neck, drew it down +its back, and thus instantly skinned it. Then running his long thumb +nail along the breastbone, he produced two fine fat lumps of flesh, +which he offered in turn to each of our company. These were politely +declined, to his great disgust, and he bolted them down himself, sending +after them a hearty draught of oil from the bladder. The other bird, the +remaining oil, and the coil of seal-hide we purchased of him for three +needles. + +Soon after Amalatok's wife came up with a boy--her nephew. The woman +was old, and exceedingly ugly looking; the boy was fine looking, +wide-awake, and thievish--we watched him narrowly. In the evening the +Esquimo left for their home on the easternly side of the island. + +In the afternoon of the fourteenth of September we left the island, and +set our course toward Cape Parry. The sky had been clear, the air soft +and balmy, and the open sea invited us onward. But a cold mist soon +settled down upon us, succeeded by a curtain of snow, shutting out all +landmarks, and leaving us in great doubt as to our course. The compass +refused to do its office, the needle remaining where it was placed. We +struck into an ice-field and became perfectly bewildered. As we groped +about we struck an old floating ice-island, about twelve feet square. On +this we crawled and pitched our tent. The cook contrived, with much +perseverance and delay, to light the lamp, melt some snow, and make a +pot of coffee. This warmed and encouraged us. But as the snow fell +faster and faster, we could not unwrap our bedding without getting it +wet; so we huddled together under the tent to keep each other warm. None +slept, and the night wore slowly away as our ice-island floated we knew +not whither. There was great occasion for despondency, but the men were +wonderfully cheerful. Godfrey sung negro melodies with a gusto; Petersen +told the stories of his boyhood life in Copenhagen and Iceland; John +gave items of a "runner's" life in San Francisco; Whipple related the +horrors of the forecastle of a Liverpool packet; and Bonsall "brought +down the house" by striking up, + + "Who wouldn't sell his farm and go to sea?" + +During this merriment a piece of our raft broke off, and came near +plunging two of the men into the sea. + +The morning dawned and showed the dim outlines of some large object near +us, whether iceberg or land we could not tell. Before we could well make +it out we were near a sandy beach covered with bowlders. We tumbled into +the boats and were soon ashore. As we landed, Petersen's gun brought +down two large sea-fowl. We were in a little time high on the land, our +tent pitched, and all but John, the cook, lay down in the dry, warm +buffalo-skins and slept away our weariness. John in the meantime +contended through six long hours with the wind, which put out his lamp, +the snow, which wet his tinder when he attempted to relight it, and the +cold, which froze the water in the kettle during the delay, as well as +chilled his fingers and face, and cooked us at last a supper of sea-fowl +and fox. As we ate with appetites sharpened by a fast of twenty-four +hours, we heard the storm, which raged fearfully, with thankfulness for +our timely covert. God, and not our wisdom, had brought us hither. + +When the morning broke we learned that we had drifted far up Whale +Sound, and were camped on Herbert Island. After a little delay we +entered our boats, rowed for several hours through "the slush" the snow +had created near the shore, and then spreading our canvas, we sailed for +the mainland. We struck the coast twenty miles above Cape Parry. + +We had scarcely time to glance at our situation before we heard the +"Huk! Huk! Huk!" of Esquimo voices. It was the hailing cry of a man and +a boy who came running to the shore. While Petersen talked with the man, +the boy scampered off. + +The man was Kalutunah, "the Angekok" or priest of his tribe. He had +been, as will be recollected, at the ship in the winter. He said the +village was only a short distance up the bay, where was plenty of +blubber and meat, which we might have if we would allow him to enter our +"oomiak" and pilot us there! + +While we were talking with Kalutunah, the boy had spread the news of our +visit through the village. On came a troop of men, women, and children, +rushing along the shore, and throwing their arms about, and shouting +merrily, with howling dogs at their heels. The "Kablunah" and +"Oomiak"--white men and ship--had come and they were happy. + +We took on board Kalutunah from a rocky point, before the crowd could +reach it, and pushed off and rowed up the bay. Our passenger was +delighted, having never before voyaged in this wise. He stood up in the +boat and called to his envious countrymen who ran abreast of us along +the shore, exclaiming, "See me! See me!" + +We landed in a little cove, at the head of which we pitched our tent. +The sailors drew up the boat over the gentle slope, shouting, +"Heave-oh!" At this the natives broke out into uproarious laughter. +Nothing of all the strange shouts and sights brought to their notice so +pleased them. They took hold of the ropes and sides of the boats, and +tugged away shouting, "I-e-u! I-e-u! I-e-u!" the nearest approach they +could make to the strange sound of the white faces. + +A short distance from the beach, on the slope, stood the +_settlement_--two stone huts twenty yards apart. They were surrounded by +rocks and bowlders, looking more like the lurking places of wild beasts +than the abodes of men. + +The entertainment given us by our new friends was most cordial. A young +woman ran off to the valley with a troop of boys and girls at her heels, +and filled our kettles with water. Kalutunah's wife brought us a steak +of seal and a goodly piece of liver. The lookers-on laughed at our +canvas-wick lamp, as it sputtered and slowly burned, and the chief's +daughter ran off and brought their lamp of dried moss and seal fat. + +We gave them some of our supper, as they expected of course that we +would. They made wry faces at the coffee, and only sipped a little; but +Kalutunah with more dignity persevered and drank freely of it. We passed +round some hard biscuit, which they did not regard as food until they +saw us eat them. They then nibbled away, laughing and nibbling awhile +until their teeth seemed to be sore. They then thrust them into their +boots, the general receptacles of curious things. + +After supper the white men lighted their pipes. This to the natives was +the crowning wonder. They stared at the strangers, and then looked +knowingly at each other. The solemn faces of the smokers, the devout +look which they gave at the ascending smoke from their mouths as it +curled upward, impressed the Esquimo that this was a religious ceremony. +They, too, preserved a becoming gravity. But the ludicrous scene was too +much for our men, and their faces relaxed into smiles. This was a signal +for a general explosion. The Esquimo burst into loud laughter, springing +to their feet and clapping their hands. The religious meeting was over. + +The "Angekok," who seemed desirous to show his people that he could do +any thing which the strangers could, desired to be allowed to smoke. We +gave him a pipe, and directed him to draw in his breath with all his +might. He did so, and was fully satisfied to lay the pipe down. His +awful grimaces brought down upon him shouts and laughter from his +people. + +The mimic puffs, and the poorly executed echoes of the sailors' +"Heave-oh," went merrily round the village. + +Having established good feeling between ourselves and the Esquimo, we +entered upon negotiations for such articles of food as they could spare. +But they in fact had only a small supply. They wanted, of course, our +needles, knives, wood, and iron, and were profuse in their promises of +what they would do, but their game was in the sea. + +It was midnight before the Esquimo retired and we lay down to sleep. Dr. +Hayes and Stephenson remained on guard, for our very plausible friends +were not to be trusted where any thing could be stolen. The stars +twinkled in the clear atmosphere while yet the twilight hung upon the +mountain, and all nature was hushed to an oppressive silence, save when +it was broken by the sudden outburst of laughter from the Esquimo, or +the cawing of a solitary raven. + +Leaving Stephenson on guard, Dr. Hayes walked toward the huts. Kalutunah +hearing his footsteps came out to meet him, expressing his welcome by +grinning in his face and patting his back. The huts were square in front +and sloped back into the hill. They were entered by a long +passage-way--tossut--of twelve feet, at the end of which was an ascent +into the hut through an opening in the floor near the front. Into this +the chief led the way, creeping on all fours, with a lighted torch of +moss saturated with fat. Snarling dogs and half-grown puppies were +sleeping in this narrow way, who naturally resented in their own amiable +way this midnight disturbance. Arriving at the upright shaft, the chief +crowded himself aside to let his visitor pass in. A glare of light, +suffocating odors, and a motley sight, greeted the doctor. Crowded into +the den, on a raised stone bench around three sides, were human beings +of both sexes, and of all ages. They huddled together still closer to +make room for the stranger, whom they greeted with an uproarious laugh. +In one of the front corners, on a raised stone bench, was a mother-dog +with a family of puppies. In the other corner was a joint of meat. The +whole interior was about ten feet in diameter, and five and a half high. +The walls were made of stone and the bones of animals, and chinked with +moss. They were not arched, but drawn in from the foundation, and capped +above with slabs of slate-stone. + +The doctor's visit was one of curiosity, but the curiosity of the +Esquimo in reference to him was more intense and must first be +gratified. They hung upon his arms and legs and shoulders; they patted +him on the back, and stroked his long beard, which to these beardless +people was a wonder. The woolen clothes puzzled them, and their +profoundest thought was at fault in deciding the question of the kind of +animal from whose body the material was taken. They had no conception of +clothing not made of skins. + +The boys' hands soon found their way into the doctor's pockets, and they +drew out a pipe, which passed with much merriment from hand to hand, and +mouth to mouth. + +Kalutunah drew the doctor's knife from its sheath, pressed it fondly to +his heart, and then with a mischievous side glance stuck it into his own +boot. The doctor shook his head, and it was returned with a laugh to its +place. A dozen times he took it out, hugged it, and returned it to its +place, saying beseechingly, "Me! me! give me!" He did want it _so much_! +The visitor's pistol was handled with great caution and seriousness. +They had been given a hint of its power at the sea-shore, where Bonsall +had brought a large sea-fowl down into their midst by a shot from his +gun. + +While this examination of the doctor was going on he examined more +closely the objects about him. There was a window, or opening, above the +entrance, over which dried intestines, sewed together, were stretched to +let in light. The wall was covered with seal and fox skins stretched to +dry. + +There were in the hut three families and one or two visitors, in all +eighteen or twenty persons. The female head of each family was attending +in different parts of the hut, to her family cooking. They had each a +stone, scooped out like a clam shell, in which was put a piece of moss +soaked in blubber. This was both lamp and stove, and was kept burning by +feeding with fat. Over this a stone pot was hung from the ceiling, in +which the food was kept simmering. These, and the animal heat of the +inmates, made the hut intensely warm. Seeing the white man panting for +breath, some boys and girls laid hold of his clothes to strip him, after +their own fashion. This act of Esquimo courtesy he declined. They then +urged him to eat, and he answered, "Koyenuck"--I thank you--at which +they all laughed. Though he had dreaded this invitation, he did not +think it good policy to declare it. A young girl brought him the +contents of one of the stone pots in a skin dish, first tasting it +herself to see if it was too hot. + +All eyes were upon the visitor. Not to take their proffered pottage +would be a great affront. To him the dose seemed insufferable, though of +necessity to be taken. Shutting his eyes, and holding his nose, he +bolted it down. He was afterward informed that it was one of the +delicacies of their table, made by boiling together blood, oil, and seal +intestines! + +After thus partaking of their hospitality, the doctor left the Esquimo +quarters, escorted by "the Angekok" and his daughter. + +We were astir at dawn, preparing to leave this little village known as +Netlik. We had obtained a valuable addition to our slender store of +blubber, and a few pairs of fur boots and mittens, for which we amply +paid them. + +Knowing that the Esquimo had never heard of the commandment, "Thou shalt +not covet," and that they did not understand well the law of "mine" and +"thine," we watched them closely as our stores were being passed into +the boat. When we were ready to push off it was ascertained that the +hatchet was missing. Petersen openly charged them, as they stood upon +the shore, with the theft. They all threw up their hands with +expressions of injured innocence. "My people _never_ steal!" exclaimed +the affronted chief. + +One fellow was so loud in his protestations of innocence that Petersen +suspected him. The Dane approached him with a flash of anger in his +eye, which told its own story. The Esquimo stepped back, stooped, picked +up the hatchet, on which he had been standing, and gave it to Petersen +with one hand, and with the other presented him a pair of mittens as a +peace-offering. + +We pushed off, and they stood shouting upon the beach until their voices +died away in the distance as we pulled across the bay. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE HUT. + + +WE now made for Cape Parry with all speed, though this was slow speed. +The young ice which covered the bay was too old for us, or, at any rate, +it was too strong for easy progress. It was sunset when we reached the +cape. Beyond this there had been open water seen by us for many days +past, from the elevated points of observation which we had sought. From +this point, therefore, we expected free sailing southward, and rapid +progress toward safety and our homes. But here we were at last at Cape +Parry against a pack which extended far southward. In our desperation we +tried to force the boats through. The "Ironsides" was badly battered, +and the "Hope" made sadly leaky by the operation, and no progress was +made. We then pushed slowly down the shore through a lead, and having +gone about seven miles, darkness and the ice brought us to a stand, and +we drew up for the night. + +In the morning we observed a lead going south from the shore at a point +twelve miles distant. For six days, bringing us to the twenty-seventh of +September, we fought hard to reach the lead, but failed. We could now +neither retreat nor go forward. Ice and snow were every-where. The sun +was running low in the heavens, seeming to rise only to set; and soon +the night, which was to have no sunrise morning until February, would be +upon us. Our food was sufficient for not more than two weeks, and our +fuel of blubber for the lamp only was but enough for eight or ten days. +Our condition seemed almost without hope, but it had entered into our +calculations as a possible contingency, and we girded ourselves for the +struggle for life, trusting in the Great Deliverer. + +We were about sixteen miles below Cape Parry, and about midway between +Whale Sound and Wolstenholme Sound. We pitched our tent thirty yards +from the sea on a rocky upland. After securing in a safe place the boats +and equipments, we began to look about us for a place to build a hut. It +was, indeed, a dreary, death-threatening region. Time was too pressing +for us to think of building an Esquimo hut, if, indeed, our strength and +skill was sufficient. + +While we were looking round and debating what to build and where, one of +our party found a crevice in a rock. This crevice ran parallel with the +coast, and was opposite to, and near, the landing. It was eight feet in +width, and level on the bottom. The rock on the east side was six feet +high, its face smooth and perpendicular, except breaks in two places, +making at each a shelf. On the other--the ocean side--the wall was +scarcely four feet high, round and sloping; but a cleft through it made +an opening to the crevice from the west. + +We at once determined to make our hut here, as the natural walls would +save much work in its construction. The only material to be thought of +was rocks. These we had to find beneath the snow, and then loosen them +from the grasp of the frost. For this we fortunately had an +ice-chisel--a bar of iron an inch in diameter and four feet long, bent +at one end for a handle, and tempered and sharpened at the other. With +this Bonsall loosened the rocks, and others bore them on their shoulders +to the crevice. When a goodly pile was made we began to construct the +walls. Instead of mortar we had sand to fill in between the stones. This +was as hard to obtain as the stones themselves, as it had to be first +picked to pieces with the ice-chisel, then scooped up with our tin +dinner plates into cast-off bread-bags, and thus borne to the builders. + +This work was done by four of us only, the other four being engaged in +hunting, to keep away threatened starvation. In two days our walls were +up. They run across the crevice, that is, east and west, were fourteen +feet apart, four feet high, and three thick. The natural walls being +eight feet apart, our hut was thus in measurement fourteen feet by +eight. The entrance was through the cleft, from the ocean side. We laid +across the top of this door-way the rudder of the "Hope," and erected on +it the "gable." One of the boat's masts was used for a ridgepole, and +the oars for rafters. Over these we laid the boats' sails, drew them +tightly, and secured them with heavy stones. Being sadly deficient in +lumber, Petersen constructed a door of light frame-work and covered it +with canvas; he hung it on an angle, so that when opened it shut of its +own weight. A place was left for a window over the door-way, across +which we drew a piece of old muslin well greased with blubber, and +through which the somber light streamed when there was any outside. + +We then endeavored to thatch the roof and "batten" the cracks +every-where with moss. But to obtain this article we had to scour the +country far and near, dig through the deep snow, having tin dinner +plates for shovels, wrench it from the grip of the frost with our +ice-chisel, put it in our bread-bags and "back it" home. + +In four days, in spite of all obstacles, our hut assumed a homelike +appearance--at least homelike compared with our present quarters. We +said: "To-morrow we shall move into it and be comparatively +comfortable." But that day brought the advance force of a terrific storm +of wind and snow. It caught some of us three miles from the tent. We +huddled together in our thin hemp canvas tent and slept as best we +could. Two of our company crawled out in the morning to prepare our +scanty meal. They found the hut half full of snow, which had sifted +through the crevices. But they brought to the tent's company a hot +breakfast after some hours' toil; we ate and our spirits revived. + +We tried all possible expedients to pass away the time, but the hours +moved slowly. The storm continued to howl and roar about us with +unceasing fury for four days. Our little stock of food was diminishing, +our hut was unfinished, and winter was upon us in earnest. Our situation +was one of almost unmitigated misery. + +On Friday, October sixth, the storm subsided, and nature put on a +smiling face. We renewed our work on the hut, clearing it of snow with +our dinner-plate shovels, and then, under greater difficulties than +ever, because the snow was deeper and our strength less, we finished it. +The internal arrangements were as follows: an aisle or floor, three feet +wide, extended from the door across the hut. On the right, as one +entered, was a raised platform of stone and sand about eighteen inches +high. On this we spread our skins and blankets. Here five of us were to +sleep. On the back corner of the other side was a similar platform, or +"breck" as the Esquimo would call it; here three men were to sleep. In +the left-hand corner, near the door, Petersen had extemporized a stove +out of some tin sheathing torn from the "Hope," with a funnel of the +same material running out of the roof. This sort of fire-place stove +held two lamps, a saucepan, and kettle. On a post which supported the +roof hung a small lamp. + +Into this hut we moved October ninth. Compared with the tent it was +comfortable. It was evening when we were settled. At sundown Petersen +came in with eight sea-fowl, so we celebrated the occasion with a stew +of fresh game, cooked in our stove with the staves of our blubber kegs, +and we added to our meal a pot of hot coffee. + +The supper done, we talked by the dim light of our moss taper. A storm, +which was heralded during the day, was raging without in full force, +burying us in a huge snow-bank. We discussed calmly our duties and +trials, and we all lay down prayerfully to sleep. + +What shall we do now? was the question of the morning. Indeed, it was +the continual question. John reported our stores thus: "There's three +quarters of a small barrel of bread, a capful of meat biscuit, half as +much rice and flour, a double handful of lard--and that's all." Our +vigilant hunting thus far had resulted in seventeen small birds; that +was all. Some of us had tried to eat the "stone moss," a miserable +lichen which clung tenaciously to the stones beneath the snow. But it +did little more than stop for awhile the gnawings of hunger, often +inducing serious illness; yet this seemed our only resort. + +The storm still raged. We were all reclining upon the brecks except +John, who was trying to cook by a fire which filled our hut with smoke, +when we were startled by a strange sound. "What is it?" we asked. We +could not get out, so we listened at the window. "It was the wind," we +said, for we could hear nothing more. In a half hour it was repeated +clearer and louder. We opened the door by drawing the snow into the +house, and made a little opening through the drift so we could see +daylight. "It was the barking of a fox," says one. "No," said another, +"it was the growling of a bear." Whipple, who was half asleep, +muttered, "It was just nothing at all." + +While these remarks were being made the Esquimo shout was clearly +recognized. Petersen put his mouth to the aperture in the snow and +shouted, "Huk! huk! huk!" After much shouting, two bewildered Esquimo +entered our hut. They were from Netlik, the village we had last left, +and one was Kalutunah. Their fur dress had a thick covering of snow, +and, hardy though they were, they looked weary almost to faintness. They +each held in one hand a dog-whip, and in the other a piece of meat and +blubber. They threw down the food, thrust their whip-stocks under the +rafters, hung their wet outer furs upon them, and at once made +themselves at home. The chief hung around Dr. Hayes, saying fondly, +"Doctee! doctee!" + +John put out his smoking fire, at the Angekok's request, and used his +blubber in cooking a good joint of the bear meat. We all had a good meal +at our guests' expense. Necessity was more than courtesy with hungry +men. + +While the cooking and eating were going on, we listened to the marvelous +story of the Esquimo. They left Netlik, forty miles north, the morning +of the previous day on a hunting excursion with two dog-sledges. The +storm overtook them far out upon the ice in search of bear, and they +sheltered themselves in a snow hut for the night. Fearing the ice might +break up they turned to the land, which they happened to strike near our +boats and tent. Knowing we must be near, they picketed their dogs under +a sheltering rock and commenced tramping and shouting. + +The supper eaten, the story told, and the curiosity of our visitors +satisfied in closely observing every thing, we made for them the best +bed possible, tucked them in, and they were soon snoring lustily. + +In the morning we tunneled a hole from our door through the snow. +Kalutunah and Dr. Hayes went to the sea-shore. The dogs were howling +piteously, having been exposed to all the fury of the storm during the +night without the liberty of stirring beyond their tethers. Besides, +they had been forty-eight hours without food, having come from home in +that time through a widely deviating track. Every thing about them was +carefully secured which could be eaten, and they were loosened. + +Dr. Hayes turned toward the hut, and having reached the snow-tunnel he +was about to stoop down to crawl through it, when he observed the whole +pack of thirteen snapping, savage brutes at his heels. Had he been on +his knees they would have made at once a meal of him. They stood at bay +for a moment, but seeing he had no means of attack, one of them +commenced the assault by springing upon him. Dr. Hayes caught him on his +arm, and kicked him down the hill. This caused a momentary pause. No +help was near, and to run was sure death. It was a fearful moment, and +his blood chilled at the prospect of dying by the jaws of wolfish dogs, +whose fierce and flashing eyes assured him that hunger had given them a +terrible earnestness. His eye improved the moment's respite in sweeping +the circle of the enemy for the means of escape, and he caught a glimpse +of a dog-whip about ten feet off. Instantly he sprang as only a man thus +situated could spring, and clearing the back of the largest of the dogs, +seized the whip. He was now master of the situation. Never amiable, and +terribly savage when prompted by hunger, yet the Esquimo dog is always a +coward. Dr. Hayes's vigorous blows, laid on at right and left with much +effect and more sound and fury, sent the pack yelping away. + +In our discussions of the question of subsistence, we had about decided +that we must draw our supplies from the Esquimo or perish. Our hunting +was a failure, and our supply of food was about exhausted. So when +Kalutunah came back we proposed to him through Petersen to purchase +blubber and bear meat with our treasures of needles, knives, etc., so +valuable in the eyes of the natives. He looked at our sunken cheeks and +desolate home with a knowing twinkle of his eye, and a crafty expression +on his besotted face. This was followed by the questions, "How much +shoot with mighty guns? how much food you bring from ship?" These +questions, and the speaking eye and tell-tale face, were windows through +which we saw into the workings of his dark heathen mind. They meant, as +we understood them, "If you are going to starve we had better let you. +We shall then get your nice things without paying for them." + +But Petersen understood and outmanaged the crafty chief. + +"How we going to live?" he boldly exclaimed, facing the questioner. +"Live! Shoot bear when we get hungry, sleep when we get tired; Esquimo +will bring us bear, we shall give them presents, and sleep all the time. +White man easily get plenty to eat. Always plenty to eat, plenty sleep." + +The glory of life from the Esquimo point of view is plenty to eat and +nothing to do. They held those who had attained to this high estate in +profound respect. The starving could scarcely be brought within the +range of their consideration. Hence the policy adopted by Petersen, and +it had its desired effect. Kalutunah and his companion tarried another +night, and departed promising to return with such food as the hunt +afforded, and exchange it for our valuables. + +Two weeks--days of misery--passed before their return. We set fox-traps, +constructed much after the style of the rabbit-traps of the boys at +home, tramping for this purpose over the coast-line for ten miles. One +little prisoner only rewarded our pains, while the saucy villains showed +themselves boldly by day, barking at us from the top of a rock, dodging +across our path at the right and left, and even following us within +sight of the hut. But all this was done at a safe distance from our +guns. + +Petersen went far out to sea on the ice, but neither bear nor seal +rewarded his toil. We had burned up our lard keg for our semi-daily fire +to cook our scanty meals, and now, with a sorrow that went to our +hearts, began to break up the "Hope." We knew this step argued badly for +the future, but what could we do? Besides, it was poor, water-soaked +fuel, and would last but a little while. We saved the straightest and +best pieces for trade with the Esquimo. + +Our scanty meals, badly helped by the stone moss, told upon our health. +Stephenson gasped for breath with a heart trouble; Godfrey fainted, and +was happily saved a serious fall by being caught in John's arms. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +ESQUIMO TREACHERY. + + +THE kind Providence which had interfered for us in so many cases came +with timely help. October twenty-sixth, Kalutunah and his companion +returned. They had been south to Cape York, nearly a hundred miles, +calling on their way at the village called Akbat, thirty miles off. They +had killed three bears, the most of which they had upon their sledges. +They sold us, reluctantly, enough for a few days. We ate of the +refreshing meat like starving men, as we really were. Our sunken eyes +and hollow cheeks _seemed_ to leave us at a single meal. The faint +revived, and our despondency departed. Our past sufferings were for the +moment at least forgotten, and we looked hopefully upon the future. + +The next day the Esquimo called and left a little more meat and blubber. +We caught two small foxes, one of them in a trap, and the other was +arrested by a shot from Dr. Hayes's gun. The audacious little fellow run +over the roof of our hut and awoke the doctor, who, without dressing, +seized his double-barreled gun, and bolted into the cold without. It was +dark, and he fired at random. The first shot missed, but the second +wounded him, and he went limping down the hill. The doctor gave chase +and returned with the game, but came near paying dear for his prize, +barely escaping without frozen feet. + +On Sunday, the twenty-ninth, in the midst of pensive allusions, and more +pensive thoughts, concerning home, in which even Petersen's +weather-beaten face betrayed a tear, an Esquimo boy came in from Akbat. +His bearing was manly, his countenance fresh and agreeable, if not +handsome, and his dress, of the usual material, was new. He drove a fine +team with decided spirit. He was evidently somebody's pet, and we +thought we saw a mother's partial stamp upon him. He was on his way to +Netlik, and our curious inquiries brought from him the blushing +acknowledgment that he was going "a courting!" He was nothing loath to +talk of his sweetheart, and he bore her a bundle of bird-skins to make +her an under garment as love-token. We gave him a pocket-knife and a +piece of wood, to which we added two needles for his lady-love. He was +full of joy at this good fortune, but when Sontag added a string of +beads for her his cup run over. He had on his sledge two small pieces of +blubber, a pound of bear's meat, a bit of bear's skin. These he laid at +our feet, and dashed off toward Netlik in fine spirits. + +When he was gone we renewed our ever-returning, perplexing, +never-settled question, What shall we do? We could agree on no plans of +escape, for all seemed impossible of execution. Yet we did agree in the +expediency of opening a communication with the brig. But how to do it +was the question. + +Our dependence upon the Esquimo growing more humiliatingly absolute +every day, pained us. We feared their treachery, of which we already saw +some signs. "What _shall we do_?" was ever repeated. + +While thus perplexed, Kalutunah made his appearance. With him were a +young hunter, and a woman with a six months' old baby. The little one +was wrapped in fox-skin, and thrust into its mother's hood, which hung +on her neck behind. It peered out of its hiding-place with a contented +and curious expression of face. Its mother had come forty miles, +sometimes walking over the hummocky way, with the thermometer +thirty-eight degrees below zero, with a liability of encountering +terrific storms, and all to see the white men and their _igloë_. Mother +and child arrived in good condition. + +We conversed with the chief about our plan of going to Upernavik on +sledges, and proposed to buy teams of his people, or hire them to drive +us there. He received the proposal with a decided dissent, amounting +almost to resentment. His people, he said, would not sell dogs at any +price; they had only enough to preserve their own lives. + +This we knew to be false. We offered a great price, but he scorned the +bribe, and talked with an expression of horror about our plan of passing +with sledges over the Frozen Sea, as he called Melville Bay. + +While we were urging the sale by him of dogs and sledges he looked +quizzically at our emaciated forms and sunken cheeks, and turning to the +woman with a significant twinkle in his eye, he sucked in his cheeks. +She returned the knowing glance, and sucked in her cheeks. This meant: +We shall get all the white men's coveted things without paying when we +find them starved and dead. This was a comforting view of the case--for +them. + +We dropped the plan of going south, and proposed to the chief to carry +some of our party to the ship. This he readily assented to, and said at +least four sledges should go with Petersen, if to each driver should be +given a knife and piece of wood. We closed the bargain gladly, and +Petersen was to start in the morning. + +Guests and entertainers now sought rest. We gave the mother and child +our bed in the corner. This was to us a self-denying act of courtesy, +compelled by policy. We had usually given a good distance between us and +such lodgers on account of certain specimens of natural history which +swarmed upon their bodies, which, though starving, we did not desire. +But to put her in a meaner place would be a serious affront, for which +we might be obliged to pay dearly. + +About midnight voices were heard outside, and soon our young lover, the +boy-hunter, entered, accompanied by a widow who was neither young, nor +beautiful. The hut was in instant confusion. There was but little more +sleep for the night, which was peculiarly hard on Petersen, who was to +start in the morning on his long journey. + +We had no food with which to treat our guests, which they saw, and so +supped upon the provisions which they brought. The widow ate raw young +birds, of which she brought a supply saved over from the summer. The +Angekok had decided that her husband's spirit had taken temporary +residence in a walrus, so she was forbidden that animal. She chewed +choice bits of her bird and offered them to us. We tried _politely_ to +decline the kindness, but our refusal plainly offended her. + +The widow's husband had been carried out to sea on an ice-raft on the +sudden breaking up of the floe, and had never been heard from. Whenever +his name was mentioned she burst into tears. Petersen told us that, +according to Esquimo custom in such cases, we were expected to join in +the weeping. + +At the first attempt our success was very indifferent. On the next +occasion we equaled in sincerity and naturalness the expressed sorrow of +the heirs of a rich miser over his mortal remains. Even the tears we +managed so well that the widow, charitably forgetting our former +affront, offered us more chewed meat. + +In the morning Petersen was off, Godfrey accompanying him at his own +option. + +The same evening John and Sontag went south with the widow and young +hunter. Thus four of us only were left in the hut, and of these, one, +Stephenson, was seriously sick. His death at any time would not have +been a surprise to us. The hut was colder than ever, and our food nearly +gone. A few books, among which was a little Bible, the gift of a friend, +were a great source of comfort. + +In a few days John and Sontag returned. They had fared well during their +absence. They were accompanied by two Esquimo, who brought us food for a +few days, for which they demanded an exorbitant price. They, like people +claiming a higher civilization, took advantage of our necessity. When +they were about to depart on a bear hunt, Dr. Hayes proposed that two of +us accompany them with our guns, but they declined. We went with them to +the beach, saw them start, watched them as they swiftly glided over the +ice, and, dodging skillfully around the hummocks, faded into a black +speck in the distance. + +The day was spent as one of rest by four of our number, while two of us +visited the traps, returning as usual with nothing. The evening came. A +cup of good coffee revived us. The temperature of our den _came up_ to +the freezing point. We were in the midst of this feast of hot coffee and +increased warmth, when we heard a footfall. We hailed in Esquimo, but no +answer. Soon the outer door of our passage way opened, a man entered and +fell prostrate with a deep moan. It was Petersen. He crept slowly in as +we opened the door, staggered across the hut, and fell exhausted on the +breck. + +Godfrey soon followed, even more exhausted. They both called piteously +for "water! water!" + +They were in no condition to explain what had happened. We stripped them +of their frozen garments, rubbed their stiffened limbs, and rolled them +in warm blankets. We gave them of our hot coffee, and the warmth of the +hut and dry clothes revived them, but the sudden and great change was +followed by a brief cloud over their minds. They fell into a disturbed +sleep, and their sudden starts, groans, and mutterings, told of some +terrible distress. + +Petersen, while sipping his coffee, had told us that the Esquimo had +thrown off their disguise and had attempted to murder them; that he and +Godfrey had walked all the way from Netlik with the Esquimo in hot +pursuit. We must watch, he said, for if off our guard they might +overwhelm us with numbers. + +This much it was necessary for us to know; the details of their terrible +experience he was in no mood to give. + +We immediately set a watch outside, who was relieved every hour; he was +armed with Bonsall's rifle. Our other guns we fired off and carefully +reloaded, hanging them upon their pegs for instant use. + +Petersen and Godfrey awoke once, ate, and lay down to their agitated +sleep. No others slept, or even made the attempt. The creak of the boots +of the sentinel as he tramped his beat near the hut, on a little plain +cleared of snow by the wind, was the only sound which broke the solemn +silence. The enemy would not dare attack us except unawares, knowing, as +they did, that there were eight of us, armed with guns. At midnight +noises were heard about the rocks of the coast. They were watching, but +seeing the sentinel, and finding it a chilling business to wait for our +cessation of vigilance, they sneaked away. In the morning one of our men +visited the rocky coverts and found their fresh tracks. + +We received at the earliest opportunity the details of Petersen's story. +They left us on the third of November, and were gone four days. They +arrived in Netlik in nine hours, and were lodged one in each of the two +_igloës_. Their welcome had a seeming heartiness. They had a full supply +set before them of tender young bear-steak and choice puppy stew. Many +strangers were present, and they continued to come until the huts were +crowded. + +The next day the hunters all started early on the chase, to get, as +Kalutunah said, a good supply for their excursion to the ship, as well +as a store for their families. This looked reasonable, but when night +came the chief and a majority of the men returned not, nor did they +appear the next day. The moon had just passed its full, no time could be +spared for trifling, and Petersen grew uneasy. This feeling was +increased by the strangers which continued to come, the running to and +fro of the women, the side glances, and the covert laugh among the +crowd. + +Kalutunah returned on the evening of the third day of our men at the +hut. Several sledges accompanied him, and one of them was driven by a +brawny savage by the name of Sipsu. He had shown his ugly face once at +our hut. He was above the usual height, broad-chested and strong limbed. +He had a few bristly hairs upon his chin and upper lip, and dark, heavy +eyebrows overshadowed his well set, evil-looking eyes. He was every inch +a savage. While the crowd laughed, joked, and fluttered curiously about +the strangers, Sipsu was dignified, sullen, or full of dismal stories. +He had, he said, killed two men of his tribe. They were poor hunters, so +he stole upon them from behind a hummock, and harpooned them in the +back. + +Whatever shrewdness Sipsu possessed, he did not have wit enough to hide +his true character from his intended victims. + +About twelve sledges were now collected, and Petersen supposed they +would start early in the morning for the "Advance," so he ventured to +try to hurry them a few hours by suggesting midnight for the departure. +To this suggestion they replied that they would not go at all, and that +they never intended to go. The crowd in the hut greeted this +announcement with uproarious laughter. + +Petersen maintained a bold bearing. He rose and went to the other hut +and put Godfrey upon the watch, telling him what had happened. He then +returned and demanded good faith from the chiefs. They only muttered +that they could not go north; they could not pass that "blowing +place"--Cape Alexander. He then asked them to sell him a dog-team; he +would pay them well. They evaded this question, and Sipsu said to +Kalutunah, in a side whisper, "We can get his things in a cheaper way." + +Now commenced the game of wait and watch between the two parties; the +chiefs waited and watched to kill Petersen, and he waited and watched +not to be killed. He had his gun outside, because the moisture of the +hut condensing on the lock might prevent it from going off. He had told +the crowd that if they touched it it might kill them, and this fear was +its safety. Those inside thought he had a pistol concealed under his +garments. They had seen such articles, and witnessed their deadly power. +Their purpose now was to get possession of this weapon, and Sipsu was +the man to do it. + +Petersen, cool as he was prompt and skillful, had not betrayed his +suspicions of them; so he threw himself upon the breck and feigned +himself asleep, to draw out their plans. + +The strategy worked well. The gossiping tongues of men, women, and +children loosened when they thought him asleep, and they revealed all +their secrets. Petersen and Godfrey were to be killed on the spot, and +our hut was to be surprised before Sontag and John returned from the +south. Sipsu the while moved softly toward Petersen to search for the +pistol. Just at this moment Godfrey came to the window and hallooed to +learn if his chief was alive. Petersen rose from his sham sleep and went +out. A crowd were at the door and about the gun, but they dared not +touch it. The intended victims kept a bold front, and coolly proposed a +hunt. This the natives declined, and they declared they would go alone. + +It was late in the night when our beset and worried men started. They +were watched sullenly until they were two miles away, and then the +sledges were harnessed for the pursuit. Fifty yelping dogs mingled their +cries with those of the men, and made a fiendish din in the ears of the +flying fugitives. What could they do if the dogs were let loose upon +them, having only a single rifle! One thing they intended should be +sure; Sipsu or Kalutunah should die in the attack. + +When the pursuers seemed at the very heels of our men, _that one gun_ +made cowards of the Esquimo chiefs. They seemed to understand _their_ +danger. The whole pack of dogs and men turned seaward, and disappeared +among the hummocks. They meant a covert attack. + +Keeping the shore and avoiding the hiding-places, Petersen and Godfrey +pressed on. The night was calm and clear, but the cold was over fifty +degrees below zero. When half way, at Cape Parry, they well-nigh fainted +and fell. But encouraging each other, they still hurried onward, and +made the fifty miles (it was forty in a straight line) in twenty-four +hours. The reader understands why they arrived in such distress and +exhaustion. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LIGHTS AND SHADOWS. + + +DURING the two days following the return of Petersen and Godfrey we +spent our working hours in building a wall about our hut. It was made of +frozen snow, sawed in blocks by our small saw. This wall served a double +purpose, that of breaking the wind from our hut, and as a defense +against the Esquimo. It gave our abode the appearance of a fort, and we +called it Fort Desolation. John muttered: Better call it Fort +Starvation! This was in fact no unfitting designation. Our food was +nearly gone. Those who alone could keep us from starving were seeking +our lives. A feeble, flickering light made the darkness of our hut +visible. Darkness, and dampness, and destitution were within, and +without were fears. We could not be blamed, perhaps, if the death which +threatened us seemed more desirable than life. Yet we could not forget +Him who had so often snatched us from the jaws of our enemies--cold, +hunger, and savages--and we trusted him to again deliver us. And this he +did, for the next day Kalutunah and another hunter appeared. They did +not come as enemies, but as angel messengers of mercy from the +All-Merciful! + +The chief was at first shy, nor could he so far lay aside the cowardice +of conscious guilt as to lay down for a moment his harpoon, at other +times left at the hut door. He brought, to conciliate us, a goodly piece +of walrus meat. After spending an hour with us he dashed out upon the +ice on a moonlight hunt for bears. + +Petersen spent the day in making knives for the Esquimo, in anticipation +of restored friendship. With an old file he filed down some pieces of an +iron hoop, punching rivet holes with the file, and whittling a handle +from a fragment of the "Hope." Though the knife, when done, was not like +one of "Rogers's best," it was no mean article for an Esquimo blubber +and bear meat knife. + +The next day four sledges and six Esquimo made us a call. One of them +was our old friend the widow, with her bundle of birds under her arm. + +They were all shy at first, showing a knowledge at least of the wrong +intended us, but we soon made them feel at home. It was indeed for our +interest to do so. They bartered gladly walrus, seal, bear, and bird +meat, a hundred pounds in all. It made a goodly pile, enough for four +days, but, alas! the duty of hospitality, which we could not wisely +decline, compelled us to treat our guests with it, and they ate one +third! In three hours they were off toward Netlik. + +The next day an Esquimo man came from Northumberland Island; we had not +seen him before, and he did not appear to have been in the council of +the plotters against us. He sold us walrus meat, blubber, and fifty +little sea fowl. + +Our health absolutely demanding a more generous diet, we ate three full +meals, such as we had not had since leaving the ship. Our new friend's +name was Kingiktok--which is, by interpretation, a rock. Mr. Rock was a +man of few words, and of very civil behavior. We fancied him, and +courted his favor by a few presents for himself and wife. They were +gifts well bestowed, for he at once opened his mouth in valuable and +startling communications. He said that he and his brother Amalatok were +the only two men in the tribe who were friendly to us. Amalatok was the +man we met on Northumberland Island, who will be remembered as skinning +a bird so adroitly, and offering us lumps of fat scraped from its +breast-bone with his thumb nail. + +Mr. Rock's talk run thus: He and this brother were in deadly hostility +to Sipsu. The reason of this hostility was very curious. The brother's +wife, whom we thought decidedly hag-like in her looks, was accounted a +witch. _Why_ she was so regarded was not stated. Now the law of custom +with this people is that witches may be put to death by any one who will +do it by stealth. She may be pounced upon from behind a hummock and a +harpoon or any deadly weapon may deal the fatal blow in the back, but a +face to face execution was not allowed. It was understood that Sipsu +assumed the office of executioner, and was watching the favoring +circumstances. On the other hand the husband, and his brother, Mr. +Rock, watched with courage and vigilance in behalf of the accused, while +she lacked neither in her own watching. Thus the family had no fraternal +relations with the villagers, though visits were exchanged between them. + +Concerning the conspiracy, Mr. Rock thus testified: Sipsu had for a long +time counseled the tribe not to visit nor sell food to the white men, +holding that they could not kill the bear, walrus, and seal, and would +soon starve, and so all the coveted things would fall into Esquimo +hands. Kalutunah, on the other hand, held that their "booms"--guns--could +secure them any game, and that our poverty of food was owing to a dislike +of work. + +There had arisen, too, a jealousy about the presents we gave. Sipsu's +let-alone policy caused his wife to complain that she only of the women +was without even a needle. This drove him to a reluctant visit to us in +which he got but little, so the matter was not bettered. + +Besides this, the condition of apparent starvation, in which the +visitors found us from time to time, finally gave popularity to Sipsu's +position, and Kalutunah yielded to the older and stronger chief. + +When Petersen and Godfrey arrived at Netlik, Kalutunah went fifty miles +to inform Sipsu at his home of the good occasion offered to kill them. +Sipsu was to lead the attack, and Kalutunah follow. The arrangement was +as we have stated, but failed on account of Sipsu's fear of the +"auleit"--pistol. Having failed, his chagrin and anger led to the hot +pursuit, in which he intended to set the dogs upon our men. But this +failed when he saw how near he must himself venture to the "_boom_." + +This story agreed so well with what Petersen and Godfrey saw and +suspected that we fully believed it. + +Mr. Rock left us in the morning, and that evening eleven natives, one of +whom was Kalutunah, called upon us on their way from Akbat to Netlik. +The Angekok was full of talk and smiles. He gave us a quarter of a young +bear, for which we gave him one of Petersen's hoop-iron knives. He was +not pleased with it, for he had learned before the difference between +iron and steel. He attempted to cut a piece of frozen liver with it and +it bent. He then bent it in the form of a U, and threw it spitefully +away, grunting, "No good." We satisfied him with a piece of wood to +patch his sledge. + +Among our guests were two widows having each a child. One of the little +ones was stripped to the skin, and turned loose to root at liberty. It +was three years old, and plainly the dirt upon its greasy skin had been +accumulating just that length of time. + +One of the hunters was attended by his wife and two children--a girl +four, and boy seven years old. + +The fat fires of the several families were soon in full blaze, which, +added to the heat of nineteen persons, warmed our hut as it was never +warmed before. The heat set the ceiling and walls dripping with the +melted frost-work, and every thing was wet or made damp. Besides, the +air became insufferable with bad odors. It was now Fort Misery. + +But the frozen meat at which we had been nibbling was soon thrown aside +for hot coffee, steaming stew, and thawed blubber. Strips of blubber +varying from three inches to a foot in length and an inch thick +circulate about the hut. Strips of bear and walrus also go round. These +strips are seized with the fingers, the head is thrown back, and the +mouth is opened, one end is thrust in a convenient distance, the teeth +are closed, it is cut off at the lips, and the piece is swallowed +quickly, with the least possible chewing, that dispatch may be made, and +the process repeated. The seven-year-old boy stood against a post, +astride a big chunk of walrus, naked to the waist, as all the guests +were. He was sucking down in good style a strip of blubber, his face and +hands besmeared with blood and fat, which ran in a purple stream off his +chin, and from thence streamed over the shining skin below. Our +disconsolate widow supped apart, as usual, on her supply of sea-fowls. +Four, each about the size of a half-grown domestic hen, was all she +appeared to be able to eat! + +We all ate, and had enough. Then followed freedom of talk such as is +wont to follow satisfied appetites, and jokes and songs went round. +Godfrey amused the women and children with negro melodies, accompanied +by a fancied banjo. Dr. Hayes and Kalutunah try to teach each other +their languages. Bonsall looks on and helps. The chief is given "yes" +and "no," and taught what Esquimo word they stand for. He tries to +pronounce them, says "ee's" and "noe," and inquiringly says, "_tyma?_" +(right?) Dr. Hayes nods, "tyma" with an encouraging smile, at which the +chief laughs at the "_doctee's_" badly pronounced Esquimo. + +They try to count, and the Angekok says "_une_" for one, strains hard at +"too" for two, and fails utterly at the "th" in three. + +The "doctee" tries the Esquimo one, gets patted on the back with "tyma! +tyma!" accompanied with merry laughs. The chief tries again, gets +prompted by punches in the ribs, and significant commendation in +twitches of his left ear. + +Having reached ten, the Esquimo numerals are exhausted. Sontag, with the +help of Petersen, questions one of the hunters about his people's +astronomy. The result in part is as follows, and is very curious. + +The heavenly bodies are the spirits of deceased Esquimo, or of some of +the lower animals. The sun and moon, are brother and sister. The stars +we call "the dipper" are reindeer. The stars of "Orion's belt" are +hunters who have lost their way. The "Pleiades" are a pack of dogs in +pursuit of a bear. The _aurora borealis_ is caused by the spirits at +play with one another. + +It has other teachings on the science of the heavens equally wise. But +they are close observers of the movements of the stars. We went out at +midnight to look after the dogs, and Petersen asked Kalutunah when they +intended to go. He pointed to a star standing over Saunders Island, in +the south. Passing his finger slowly around to the west he pointed at +another star, saying, "When that star gets where the other is we will +start." + +Our guests at last lay down to sleep, but we could not lie down near +them nor allow them our blankets; so we watched out the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +DRUGGED ESQUIMO. + + +THE visitors left in the morning. We were now all well except +Stephenson. Though we had just eaten and were refreshed, in a few days +we might be starving, so we renewed our planning. To open a +communication with the "Advance" seemed a necessity. Petersen +volunteered to make another effort if he could have one companion. +Bonsall promptly answered, "I will be that companion," at which we all +rejoiced, as he was the fittest man for the journey next to the Dane. + +A dog-team and a sledge were an acquisition now most needed for the +proposed enterprise. In a few days an old man came in whom we had never +seen, belonging far up Whale Sound; then came a hunter from Akbat with +his family. Of these men after much bartering we purchased four dogs. +Petersen commenced at once the manufacture of a sledge out of the wood +left of the "Hope." All of his excellent skill was needed to make a +serviceable article with his poor tools and materials. + +On the twentieth of November the sledge was nearly finished, and a +breakfast on our last piece of meat assured us that what was done for +our rescue must be done soon. But God's hand was, as usual, opened to +supply us; in the evening a fox was found in our trap. Stephenson, who +had been cheered by our tea, received the last cup. + +We were reduced to stone-moss, boiled in blubber, and coffee, and a +short allowance of these, when two hunters left us three birds, on which +we supped. + +We were now out of food. The Esquimo had, most of them, gone north, +owing to the failure of game at the south; soon all would be gone. +Further discussion led us to the conclusion that we must all return to +the "Advance," and start soon unless we chose to die where we were. So +we commenced preparations for the desperate enterprise. + +To carry out this plan it was absolutely necessary to have two more +dogs, for which we must trust to our Esquimo visitors. A sledge drawn by +six dogs could convey our small outfit and poor invalid Stephenson. We +purposed to direct our course straight for Northumberland Island, which +we hoped to reach by lodging one night in a snow-hut. For each person +there must be a pair of blankets. Our clothing was wholly insufficient +for such a journey, so we set at work to improve it the best we could. +Our buffalo robes had been spread upon the stone breck for beds. They +were of course frozen down; in some places solid ice of several inches' +thickness had accumulated, into which they were imbedded. When +disengaged, as they had to be with much care and great labor, the under +side was covered with closely adhering pebble-stones. The robes were +hung up to dry before we could work upon them. We now slept on a double +blanket spread on the stones and pebbles--a sleeping which refreshed us +as little as our moss food. + +We now, under the instructions of Petersen, cut up the buffalo robes and +sewed them into garments to wear on our journey. We refreshed ourselves +with frequent sips of coffee, of which, fortunately, we had a plenty, +and made out one meal at night on walrus hide boiled or fried in oil, as +we fancied. It was very tough eating. + +At the close of the second day's tailoring four hunters came in from +Akbat, with five women and seven children. We stowed them all away for +the night, and gladly did so for the opportunity of purchasing +forty-eight small birds, a small quantity of dried seal meat, and some +dried seal intestines imperfectly cleansed; but better, if possible, was +the purchase of two dogs. Our team of six was complete. The hand of the +great Provider was plainly manifested. + +The visitors were soon gone, but the four hunters came back the next +day. They were bent on mischief. They stole, or tried to steal, whatever +they saw, and seemed glad to annoy us. Unfortunately for us, close upon +their heels came another party, from the south also, and equally bent on +mischief. Among them was an old evil-eyed woman. Whatever she saw she +coveted, and all that she could she stole. Going to her sledge as the +party was about to start, we found a mixed collection of our articles, +some of which could have been of no use to her. But we had missed two +drinking cups which we could not find. We charged her with the theft, +but she protested innocence. We threatened to search her sledge, and she +straightway produced them, and, to conciliate us, threw down three +sea-fowl. We were gladly thus conciliated. + +The whole party became so troublesome that we were compelled to drive +them away. The hunters lingered about, intending, we feared, to steal +our dogs, two of which were purchased of them. We set a watch until they +seemed to have left the vicinity, but no sooner was the sentinel's back +turned than one of them and one of the dogs were seen scampering off +together. Bonsall seized his rifle, and a sudden turn round a rock by +the thief saved him from the salutation of an ounce of lead. + +On the twenty-ninth of November we were ready for a start. Our outfit +was meager enough. It consisted of eight blankets, a field lamp and +kettle, two tin drinking cups, coffee for ten days, eight pounds of +blubber, and two days' meat. This last consisted of sea-fowls boiled, +boned, and cut into small pieces. They were frozen into a solid lump. We +hoped to be at Northumberland Island in two days, and get fresh +supplies. + +The sled was taken out through the roof of the hut, loaded, and the load +well secured, and poor Stephenson carried out and placed on top of it. +The dogs were then harnessed, and we moved away. + +The thermometer was forty-four degrees below zero when we left the hut, +but it was calm, and the moon shone with a splendid light. We were weary +and ready to faint at the end of one hour, how then could we endure days +of travel! The sledge was a poor one, the runners, the best our material +afforded, were rough, and the dogs could not drag the sledge without two +of us pushed, which we did in turn. We had thus gone about eight miles +when Stephenson said he would walk. This we refused to let him do, +knowing his extreme weakness. But soon after he slid off the sledge. Dr. +Hayes assisted him to rise, and supported his attempt to walk. He had +thus gone about a mile when he fell and fainted. + +Near us was an iceberg in whose side was a recess something like a +grotto. Into this we bore our companion, and added to the shelter by +piling up blocks of snow. The lamp was lighted to prepare him hot +coffee. For some time he remained insensible, and when he came to +himself he begged us to leave him and save ourselves. He could never, he +said, reach the "Advance," and he might as well die then as at a later +hour. + +Go without Stephenson we would not. Go with him seemed impossible. In +fact we were all too weary to take another step, so we concluded to +camp. But this, after unloading our sledge and making some effort, we +could not do. We had no strength to make a hut, and we were already +bitten by the frost; so we resolved to repack the sledge and return to +the hut. + +All arrived at the hut that day, but how and exactly at what time we did +not know, only that some were an hour behind others, and that several +finished the journey by creeping on their hands and knees. We had just +enough consciousness left to bring in our blankets and spread them on +those we left on the breck, and to close up the hole in the roof. We +then lay down and slept through uncounted hours. + +When we awoke it was nearly noon. Though hungry, cold, and weak, we were +not badly frost-bitten. The first desirable thing was a fire. The +tinder-box with its fixings could not be found. The one having it in +charge remembered it was used at the berg, and this we all knew, and +that was all any one knew about it. Without this we could have no fire. +Never before in all our exigencies was such a feeling of despair +expressed on our countenances. In this plight one in attempting to walk +across the tent struck something with his foot. We all knew the +tinder-box by its rattle. Our lamp was soon lighted, coffee was made, +and half of our meat warmed. The other half was given to Petersen and +Bonsall, who started immediately to go, as we had once before planned, +to the brig, while the rest remained in the hut. + +Dr. Hayes and Sontag accompanied them to the shore. The last words of +the noble Petersen were: "If we ever reach the ship we will come back +to you, or perish in the attempt, so sure as there is a God in heaven." + +Four days passed, after our companions left us, of accumulating misery. +The hut was colder than ever, and we were in utter darkness most of the +time. Our food was now scraps of old hide, so hard that the dogs had +refused it. + +In this our condition of absolute starvation, three hunters, with each a +dog-team, came to us from Netlik, one of whom was Kalutunah. They +entered our hut with only two small pieces of meat in their hands, +enough for a scanty meal for themselves. We appropriated one piece to +ourselves without ceremony. The visitors frowned and protested, but this +was not a moment with us for words. We soon satisfied, or seemed to +satisfy, them by presents, and both pieces were soon steaming. + +Dr. Hayes renewed his proposal for the Netlik people to carry us to the +"Advance." Kalutunah refused curtly. Would they _let_ teams to us for +that purpose? No! The spirit of the refusal was, We won't help you. We +know you must starve, and we desire you to do so that we may possess +your goods. It was evident they understood our desperate condition +perfectly. + +These convictions of their purposes and feelings were confirmed when one +of our number found buried in the snow, near their sledges, several +large pieces of bear and walrus meat. This they were evidently +determined we should not taste. + +Kalutunah did not pretend that destitution or short supplies at Netlik +made a journey to the brig inconvenient, but, as if to taunt us, said +that a bear, a walrus, and three seals had been taken the day before. + +The case then, as we saw it, stood thus: Six civilized men must die +because three savages, who had plenty, choose to let them, that they +might be benefited by their death. We at once and unanimously decided +that it should not be so, and that the Esquimo should not thus leave us. + +Not willing to do them unnecessary harm, Dr. Hayes proposed to give them +a dose of opium; then to take the dogs and sledge and push forward to +Northumberland Island, leaving them to come along at their leisure when +they awoke. We could, we thought, push forward fast enough to be out of +the reach of any alarm that might reach Netlik. + +To this proposal all agreed. To carry it into execution we became +specially sociable, and free with our presents. To crown the freeness of +our hospitality we set before them the stew just prepared, into which +Dr. Hayes had turned slyly when it was over the fire a small vial of +laudanum. To prevent any one getting an over dose it had been turned out +into three vessels, an equal portion for each. It was, of course, very +bitter. + +They at first swallowed it very greedily, but tasting the bitter +ingredient only ate half of it. + +The next few moments were those of intense anxiety. Would it stupefy +them? Soon, however, their eyes looked heavy, and their heads drooped. +They begged to lie down, and we tucked them up this time in our +blankets. + +We were in our traveling suits ready for a start, dog-whips at hand. As +a last act Godfrey reached up to a shelf for a cup, and down came its +entire contents with a startling noise. Dr. Hayes put out the light with +his mitten, and cuddled down instantly by the side of Kalutunah. The +chief awoke, as was feared, grunted, and asked what was the matter. The +"doctee" patted him and whispered, "Singikok," (sleep.) He laughed, +muttered something, and was soon snoring. + +Fearing from this incident that we could not trust the soundness nor +length of time of their sleep, we carried off their boots, coats, and +mittens, that they might be detained in the tent until relief came. +Stephenson was, most fortunately, better than he had been for some time, +being able to carry a gun and walk. All the firearms being secured, Dr. +Hayes stood at one side of the door outside with a double-barrelled +shot-gun, and Stephenson on the other with a rifle. The purpose was if +they awoke to compel them, at the mouth of the guns, to drive us north. + +Sontag and the others brought up the most of the meat which was buried +in the snow, and put it in the passage way. This would last five or six +days, and keep the prisoners from starving until help came. The dogs +being harnessed, we mounted the sledges and once more turned our backs +on Fort Desolation. + +The dogs objected decidedly to this whole proceeding; they especially +disliked their new masters, and were determined on mischief. John and +Godfrey were given by their team a ride a mile straight off the coast +instead of alongside of it, as they desired to go. Dr. Hayes was worse +used by his. They drew in different directions, went pell-mell, first +this way, then that, at one time carrying him back nearly to the hut. +Finally they became subdued apparently, and sped swiftly in the way they +were guided. The other sledges had in the mean time dropped into the +desired course. All seemed to be going well, when, just as the doctor's +dogs had shot by the other teams, they suddenly turned round, some to +the right and others to the left, turning the sledge over backward, and +rolling the men into a snow-drift. The doctor grasped firmly the +"up-stander" of the sledge, and was dragged several yards before he +recovered his feet. As the dogs at this moment were plunging through a +ridge of hummocks, the point of the runner caught a block of ice. The +traces of all the dogs excepting two snapped, and away went the freed +dogs to their imprisoned masters. They yelped a taunting defiance as +they disappeared in the distance. + +The doctor and Mr. Stephenson, taking each a dog, went to the other +teams, and we were again on the fly, leaving the third sledge jammed in +the hummock. We reached in safety the southern point of Cape Parry, +found a sheltering cave, and camped. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BACK AGAIN. + + +WE tarried in our camp full two hours. We obtained a pot of hot coffee +and rest. The whips had been used so freely that they required +repairing, for without their efficient help there could be no progress. + +All being in readiness, we were about starting when three Esquimo came +in sight. They were those we had left asleep in our hut! Dr. Hayes and +Mr. Sontag seized their guns, and rushed down the ice-foot to meet them. +They stood firm until our men, coming within a few yards, leveled their +guns at them. They instantly turned round and threw their arms wildly +about, exclaiming in a frantic voice, "Na-mik! na-mik! na-mik!"--don't +shoot! don't shoot! don't shoot! + +Dr. Hayes lowered his rifle and beckoned them to come on. This they did +cautiously, and with loud protestations of friendship. By this time +Whipple had come up. Each of our men seized a prisoner, and marched him +into the camp. Reaching the mouth of the cave, the doctor turned +Kalutunah round toward his sledge, pointed to it with his gun, and then +turning north, gave him to understand, mostly by signs, that if he took +the whip which lay at his feet, and drove us to the "Oomeaksoak" (ship) +he should have his dogs, sledge, coat, boots, and mittens; but if they +did not do so that he and his companions would be shot then and there; +and to give emphasis to his words, he pushed him away and leveled his +gun. + +The chief went sideling off, crying, "Na-mik, na-mik!" at the same time +imitated the motion of a dog--driving with his right hand, and pointed +north with the other. His declaration was, "Don't shoot! I'll drive you +to the ship!" + +Dr. Hayes seeing he was understood, told Kalutunah that the dogs and +sledges were the white men's until the promise was fulfilled, to which +he answered, "tyma"--all right, approaching with smiles and the old +familiarity, as though some great favor had been done him. He could +respect pluck and strength if nothing else. + +The prisoners had been awakened by our escaped dogs, which, on arriving +at the hut, run over the roof and howled a startling alarm. Their +masters starting up, found means of lighting a lamp, and being refreshed +by sleep and the food we left, entered at once on the pursuit. Coming to +the abandoned sledge, they harnessed the dogs and made good time on our +trail, bringing away with them as many of our treasures as they could +well carry. + +They were rare looking Esquimo just at this moment. They had cut holes +in the middle of our blankets and thrust their heads through. One had +found a pair of cast-off boots and put them on; the others had bundled +their feet up in pieces of blanket. Neither of them had suffered much +from cold. + +We expressed our confidence in their promises by restoring their +clothes. They jumped into them, happy as Yankee children on the Fourth +of July. They were as obedient, too, as recently whipped spaniels. They +touched neither dogs, sledge, nor whip until they were bidden. "Onward +to Netlik!" we shouted as we mounted our sledges and dashed away. Our +distant approach was greeted by the howling of a pack of dogs, which +snuffed our coming in the breeze. As we drew nearer, men, women, and +children ran out to meet us. As soon as we halted fifty curious and +wondering savages crowded around us, pressing the questions why we were +brought by their friends, and why we came at all. But our bearing was +that of those who came because they pleased to come without +condescending to give reasons why. We told Kalutunah that three of us +would go to each of the two huts, and stop long enough to eat and sleep, +and then we would continue our journey. A renewed leveling at him of our +guns, and pointing northward, brought out the prompt "tyma," giving the +gaping bystanders a hint of the nature of our arguments for the services +of their friends. + +When we had entered the huts, the crowd rushed in too, making quite too +many for comfort or safety. We told our hosts to order out all but the +regular occupants of the huts, as many strangers had come in who were +lodging in the adjoining snow-huts. They did not understand our right +to give such a command until a hint about our "booms" convinced them. +Ours was the right of self-preservation by superior strength. + +We had traveled fifteen successive hours, making in the time fifty +miles. So weary were we that even these Esquimo dens, affording as they +did refreshment and rest without danger of freezing, were delightful +places of entertainment. The women kindly removed our mittens, boots, +and stockings, and hung them up to dry. They then brought us frozen +meat, which intense hunger compelled us to try to eat, but the air of +the hut was one hundred and twenty degrees warmer than that without, and +we fell asleep with the food between our teeth. Having taken a short nap +we were aroused by the mistress of the house, who had prepared a +plentiful meal of steaming bear-steak. We ate and slept alternately +until the stars informed us that we had rested twenty-seven hours. We +intimated to Kalutunah that we would be going, and in a few moments he +had every thing in readiness. + +Our next halting place was Northumberland Island, a distance, as we +traveled, of thirty miles, which we made in six hours. Here we found two +huts belonging to our old friends, Amalatok and his brother, "Mr. Rock." +We divided ourselves into companies of threes as before, and made +ourselves at home in the two households. Mr. Rock, aided by his wife, +and the witch-wife of his brother, was kindly attentive. Our fare was +varied by abundant supplies of sea-birds, which in their season swarm +here. We tarried until our physical strength was sensibly increased. We +learned that Petersen and Bonsall had been at this hospitable +halting-place, eaten and rested, and pushed northward under the guidance +of Amalatok. + +Our next run was to Herbert Island, and, passing round its northwestern +coast, we struck across to the mainland, and halted near Cape Robertson, +at the village of Karsooit. We were on the northern shore of the mouth +of Whale Sound. We had made a run of fifty miles, halting to eat our +frozen food only once. We had walked much of the way to prevent being +frozen, and to lighten the load of the dogs over a rough way. + +The village consisted of two huts half a mile apart. One of them +belonged to Sipsu, our old enemy. He received us gruffly, and because he +felt that he must. His only kindness was a fear of our _booms_. The huts +were crowded, there being here, as at Netlik, many stranger visitors +from the south. We were almost suffocated on entering, passing as we did +from a temperature of fifty degrees below zero to one seventy-five +above. Our entertainers immediately laid hold of our clothes and began +to strip us. They were much surprised at our persistence in retaining a +certain part of them. We feasted on seal flesh, slept, were refreshed +and encouraged. + +Our stay was short, and our next run was to a double hut, a distance of +thirty miles, which we made in five hours. We had been joined at +Karsooit by an old hunter named Ootinah. We were on four sledges, the +dogs were in good condition, the ice smooth, the drivers full of +merriment and shouts of "Ka! ka!" by which their teams were stimulated +onward. + +Our next run was to be one of sixty miles, including the rounding of +Cape Alexander, and ending at Etah. It was to be a terrific adventure we +well knew. At the mention of it our drivers shrugged their shoulders. +The natives dread the storms of this cape, with their blinding snows, as +the wandering Arabs of the desert do a tempest-cloud of sand. + +The first twenty miles was made comfortably. But we were yet many miles +from the rocky fortress guarding the Arctic Sea, when we were saluted +with a stunning squall. It cut us terribly, though it was but an eddy, +for the wind was at our backs; it was only a rough hint of what we might +expect when the giant of the cape sent his blast squarely in our faces. +The night came on, lighted only by the twinkling stars. The ice was +smooth, and the wind at our backs drove our sledges upon the heels of +the dogs, who ran howling at the top of their speed to keep out of their +way. The cliffs, a thousand feet above us, threw their frowning shadows +across our path, pouring upon the plain clouds of snow sand, and +shouting in the roaring wind their defiance at our approach. Yet we sped +swiftly on, until a dark line was seen ahead with wreaths of +"frost-smoke" curling over it. "Emerk! emerk!" shouted the Esquimo. +"Water! water!" echoed our men. Our teams "reined up" within a few +yards of a recently opened crack, now twenty feet across and rapidly +widening. We were quite near Cape Alexander, but between it and us was +ice, across which numerous cracks had opened. Against the cape was open +water, whose sullen surges fell dismally upon our ears. It was plain +that we could not go forward upon the floe; to mount the almost +perpendicular wall to the land above was impossible; to turn back and +thus face the storm would be certain death. Our case seemed desperate. +Even the hardy Esquimo shrunk at the situation and proposed the return +trail, against which to us, at least, ruinous course they could not be +persuaded until the pistol argument was used. + +In our peering through the darkness for some way of escape we caught a +glimpse of the narrow ice-foot, hanging over the water at the bottom of +the cliff. Along this we determined to attempt a passage. + +We ascended this ice-foot by a ladder made of the sledges. Then we ran +along the smooth surface and soon passed the open water below; but we +had advanced a short distance only before a glacier barred our progress +and turned us to the floe again. A short run on this brought us to +another yawning crack with its impassable water. We ran along its margin +with torturing anxiety, looking for an ice bridge. Finding a place where +a point of ice spanned the chasm, within about four feet, Dr. Hayes made +a desperate leap to gain the other side. Lighting upon this point, it +proved to be merely a loose, small ice-raft which settled beneath his +feet. Endeavoring to balance himself upon it to gain the solid floe +beyond he fell backward, and would have gone completely under the water; +but Stephenson, standing on the spot from which the doctor jumped, +caught him under the arms and drew him out. As it was he had sunk deep +into the cold stream, filling his boots and wetting his pants. + +In the mean time a better crossing was found, and Dr. Hayes followed the +last of the party to the other side. + +We returned to the ice-foot and found a level and sufficiently wide +drive-way, and made good progress, soon reaching and running along that +part of the icy road which overlooked the open water below. We met with +no interruption until we came to the extreme rocky projection of the +cape. Here the ice-foot was sloping, and for several feet was only +fifteen inches wide! Twenty feet directly below was the icy cold, dark +water, sending up its dismal roar as it waited to receive any whose foot +might slip in attempting the perilous passage. The wind howled fearfully +as it swept over the cliff and along the ice-foot in our rear, pelting +us incessantly with its snow sand. + +"Halt!" was passed along the line, and the whole party, men and dogs, +crouched under the overhanging rocks, seeming for the moment like beings +doomed to die a miserable death in a horrid place. + +There was no time for indecision, and the pause was but for a moment. +Dr. Hayes, taking off his mittens, and clinging with his bare hands to +the crevices of the rock, was the first to make the desperate +experiment. His shout announcing his safe landing on the broad belt +beyond the dangerous place, welling up as it did from a heart +overflowing with emotions of joy and gratitude, sent a thrill of +gladness along the shivering and shrinking line, of which even our poor +dogs seemed to partake. + +The teams, each driven by its master, were next brought up, as near as +safety permitted, to the narrow, slippery pathway. The dogs were then +seized by their collars, and one by one dragged across safely. Next the +sledges were brought forward. Turning them upon one runner, they were +pushed along until the dogs could make them feel the traces; then a +fierce shout from their drivers caused a sudden and vigorous spring of +the animals, which whirled the sledges beyond the danger of sliding off +the precipice. Cautiously, one by one, then came the remaining members +of the party, all holding their breath in painful suspense, and each, we +trust, in silent prayer, until all were safe over. The Divine arm and +eye had been with us! We could not have gone back, nor have turned to +the right or left. A few inches less of width in the ice-foot, or +slightly more slope, and we had all perished! + +Except some frost bites on our fingers, every man was all right. We had +traveled five miles on the ice shelf above the foaming sea. We now had +a smooth, safe ice-foot, which conducted us soon to the solid ice-field +of Etah Bay. Across this, fifteen miles, we scampered with joyous speed, +and arrived at the village of our old Esquimo friends, a worn and weary, +but thankful party. + +Good news met us at the hut. Petersen and Bonsall had, we were told, +preceded us, and arrived safely at the ship. + +But our trials were not ended. There was a sledge journey of ninety-one +miles yet awaiting us. Dr. Hayes's frosted feet gave him intense pain +and he could not sleep. There was danger, if the heat of the hut thawed +them, that he would lose them altogether. So, after only four hours' +rest, he whispered his intention of a speedy departure toward the +"Advance," to Sontag, who was to take charge of the party; he then crept +stealthily out of the hut, accompanied by Ootinah, the faithful Esquimo +from Karsooit. Sontag was not to mention his departure to his comrades +until they were rested and refreshed. + +He had hardly started before the rest of our company were at his heels. +They did not wish their leader to endure the perils of the journey +without them; besides, they too had reason for a desire to be speedily +at the brig. + +The wind was high, the floe full of hummocks, the cold intense, and +altogether the journey was not unlike in its dangers that already +endured. Whipple, ere they had reached the end, began to whisper that he +was not cold, and finally fell from the rear sledge, benumbed and +senseless, and was not missed until he was a hundred yards behind. He +was lifted again to the sledge, but others gave signs of the approach of +the same insensibility. + +But the track becoming smoother, the drivers cracked their whips and +shouted fiercely, goading onward their teams to their utmost speed in +the fearful race for life. Now old familiar landmarks are passed; the +hull of the dismantled ship opens in the distance, and its outlines grow +clearer until we shout with feeble voices, but in gladness of heart, +"_Back again!_" During the last forty hours we had been in almost +continual exposure, with the thermometer eighty degrees below zero, in +which time we had traveled a hundred and fifty miles. During the run of +ninety-one miles from Etah to the "Advance" we encamped once only, but +failing to light our lamp, or to secure any protection from the cold, we +immediately decamped and finished our run of forty-one miles. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCARES. + + +WHEN the Esquimo arrived with Bonsall and Petersen, Dr. Kane resolved at +once to send them back with supplies for the remaining portion of Dr. +Hayes's company, supposed to be, if living, at the miserable old hut. +Petersen and Bonsall were utterly unable to accompany them. Of the +scanty ship's store he caused to be cleaned and boiled a hundred pounds +of pork; small packages of meat-biscuit, bread-dust, and tea were +carefully sewed up, all weighing three hundred and fifty pounds; and the +whole was intrusted to the returning convoy, who gave emphatic +assurances that these treasures, more precious than gold to those for +whom they were intended, should be promptly and honestly delivered. But +this promise, we have seen, they did not keep, and, probably, did not +intend to keep; they ate or wasted the whole. This untrustworthy trait +of the Esquimo character goes far to show that nothing but Dr. Hayes's +"boom" could have assured their help in his desperate necessities. + +When Dr. Hayes arrived it was midnight. Dr. Kane met him at the gangway +and gave him a brother's welcome. All were taken at once into the cabin. +Ohlsen was the first to recognize Hayes as he entered, and, kissing +him, he threw his arms around him and tossed him into the warm bed he +had just left. The fire was set ablaze, coffee and meat-biscuit soup +were prepared, and, with wheat bread and molasses, were set before them. +In the mean time their Esquimo apparel was removed and hung up to dry. +They ate and slept; but many weary days passed, under skillful treatment +by Dr. Kane, and kind care by all, before they fully recovered from the +strain of their terrible exposures and fearful journey. + +When the returned comrades were duly cared for, Dr. Kane turned his +attention to the conciliation of the Esquimo who had accompanied them +back. They, of course, had their complaints to make, and, may be, +meditated revenge, though they were, as usual, full of smiles. It was +the white chief's policy to impress them with his great power and stern +justice. He assembled both parties, the Hayes men and their Esquimo, in +conference on deck. Both were questioned as if it were a doubt who had +been the offenders. This done, he graciously declared to the savage +members of the council his approval of their conduct, which he made +emphatic, in the Esquimo way, by pulling their hair all around. + +The great Nalekok having thus expressed his good will, showed it still +further by introducing his guests, now to be considered friends, into +the mysterious _igloë_ below where they had not before been permitted to +enter. Their joy was that of indulged children during a holiday. They +were seated in state on a red blanket. Four pork-fat lamps burned +brilliantly; ostentatiously paraded were old worsted damask curtains, +hunting knives, rifles, chronometers, and beer-barrels, which, as they +glowed in the light, astonished the natives. With a princely air, which, +no doubt, seemed to the recipients almost divine, he dealt out to each +five needles, a file, and a stick of wood. To the two head men, +Kalutunah and Shunghu, knives and other extras were given. A roaring +fire was then made and a feast cooked. This eaten, buffaloes were spread +about the stove, and the guests slept. They awoke to eat, and ate to +sleep again. When they were ready to go, the white chief explained that +the sledges, dogs, and some furs, which his men had taken, had been +taken to save life, and were not to be considered as stolen goods, and +he then and there restored them. They laughed, voted him in their way a +good fellow, and, in fine spirits, dashed away, shouting to their +wolfish dogs. They had taken special care, however, to add to the +treasures so generously given, a few stolen knives and forks. + +As the whole company are now crowded into the little cabin, and the +darkness is without, so that the days pass without much incident, except +that all are crowded with heavy burdens upon mind and body, we will +listen to a few of the yet untold stories of the earlier winter. + +At one time Dr. Kane attempted a walrus hunt. Morton, Hans, Ootuniah, +Myouk, and "a dark stranger," Awahtok, accompanied him. He took a light +sledge drawn by seven dogs, intending to reach the farthest point of +Force Bay by daylight. But as the persistency of the Esquimo had +overladen the sledge, they moved slowly, and were overtaken by the night +on the floe in the midst of the bay. The snow began to drift before an +increasing storm. While driving rapidly, they lost the track they had +been following; they could see no landmarks, and in their confusion, +turned their faces to the floating ice of the sound. + +The Esquimo, usually at home on the floe, whether by night or by day, +were quite bewildered. The dogs became alarmed, and spread their panic +to the whole party. They could not camp, the wind blew so fiercely, so +they were compelled to push rapidly forward, they knew not whither. +Checking, after a while, their speed, Dr. Kane gave each a tent-pole to +feel their way more cautiously, for a murmur had reached his ear more +alarming than the roar of the wind. Suddenly the noise of waves startled +him. "Turn the dogs!" he shouted, while at the same moment a wreath of +frost smoke, cold and wet, swept over the whole party, and the sea +opened to them with its white line of foam, about one fourth of a mile +ahead. The floe was breaking up by the force of the storm. The broken +ice might be in any direction. They could now guess where they were, and +they turned their faces toward an island up the bay. But the line of the +sea, with its foaming waves, followed them so rapidly that they began to +feel the ice bending under their feet as they ran at the sides of the +sledge. The hummocks before them began to close up, and they run by them +at a fearful risk as they hurried cautiously forward, stumbling over the +crushed fragments between them and the shore. It was too dark to see the +island for which they were steering, but the black outline of a lofty +cape was dimly seen along the horizon, and served as a landmark. As they +approached the shore edge of the floe they found it broken up, and its +fragments surging against the base of the ice-foot to which they desired +to climb. Being now under the shadow of the land, it was densely dark. +Dr. Kane went ahead, groping for a bridge of ice, having a rope tied +round his waist, the other end of which was held by Ootuniah, who +followed, at whose heels came the rest of the party. The doctor finally +succeeded in clambering upon the ice-foot, and the rest one after +another followed with the dogs. + +The joy of their escape broke out into exultation when they ascertained +that the land was Anoatok, only a short distance from the familiar +Esquimo huts. God had guided them with his all-seeing eye to where they +would find needed refreshment! In less than an hour they were feasting +on a smoking stew of walrus meat. + +Having eaten their stew and drank their coffee they slept--slept eleven +hours! Well they might "after an unbroken ice-walk of forty-eight miles, +and twenty haltless hours!" The Esquimo sung themselves to sleep with a +monotonous song, in compliment to the white chief, the refrain of which +was, "Nalegak! nalegak! nalegak! soak!"--"Captain! captain! great +captain!" + +Without further special incident the party returned to the brig. + +At one time an alarm was brought to Dr. Kane that a wolf was prowling +among the meat barrels on the floe. Believing that a wolf would be more +profitably added to their store of meat than to have him take any thing +from it, he seized a rifle and ran out. Yes, there he is, a wolf from +the tip of his nose to the end of his tail! Bang goes the rifle, whiz +goes the ball, making the hair fly from the back of--one of the +sledge-dogs! He was not hurt much, but he came near paying with his life +for the crime of running away from Morton's sledge. + +The fox-traps made occasion for many long walks, great expectations of +game, and grievous disappointment. Dr. Kane and Hans were at one time +examining them about two miles from the brig. They were, unfortunately, +unarmed. The doctor thought he heard the bellow of a walrus. They +listened. No, not a walrus, but a bear! Hark, hear him roar! They sprung +to the ice-foot, about ten feet above the floe. Another roar, round and +full! He is drawing nearer! He has a fine voice, and, no doubt, is +large, and fat, and savory! But then a bear must be killed before he is +eaten, and that is just where the difficulty lies. It don't do for two +men to run, for that is an invited pursuit, and bears are good runners. +"Hans!" exclaimed Dr. Kane, "run for the brig, and I will play decoy!" +Hans is a good runner, and this time he did "his level best." + +Dr. Kane remains on the ice-foot alone. It is too dark to see many yards +off, and the silence is oppressive, for the bear says nothing, and so +Kane makes no reply. He queries whether, after all, there is any bear. +How easy it is for the imagination to be excited amid these shadowy +hummocks, and this dreary waste through which the wind roars so +dismally! He gets down from his comparatively safe elevation upon the +floe, puts his hand over his eyes, and peers into the darkness. No bear +after all! But what's that rounded, shadowy thing? Stained ice? Yes, +stained ice! But the stained ice speaks with a voice which wakes the +Arctic echoes, and charges on our explorer. It is a hungry bear! Dr. +Kane's legs are scurvy-smitten affairs, but this time they credit the +fleetness of those of the deer. He drops a mitten, and his pursuer stops +to smell of it, to examine it carefully, and to show his disgust at such +game, by tearing it to pieces. These bears are famous for losing the +bird by stopping to pick up his feathers. The man stops not, but drops +another mitten as he flies. Before these articles are duly examined he +has reached the brig. Dr. Kane has escaped, and the bear has lost his +supper. + +It is now bruin's turn to run, for fresh hunters and loaded rifles are +after him. He does run, and escapes! + +But if there were fears without the brig, there were fightings with a +fearful enemy within. The crowded condition of the cabin, after the +Hayes party returned, made it necessary for the pork-fat lamps to be set +up outside the avenue, in a room parted off in the hold for their use. A +watch was set over them, but he deserted his post, the fat flamed over +and set the room ablaze. Eight of the men lay in their berths at the +time helplessly disabled. The fire was only a few feet from the +tinder-like moss which communicated with the cabin. The men able to work +seized buckets, and formed a line to the well in the ice always kept +open. In the mean time Dr. Kane rushed into the flames with some fur +robes which lay at hand, and checked it for the moment. The water then +came, and the first bucket full thrown caused a smoke and steam which +prostrated him. Fortunately, in falling he struck the feet of the +foremost bucket-man. He was taken to the deck, his beard, forelock, and +eyebrows singed away, and sad burns upon his forehead and palms. Nearly +all received burns and frost-bites, but in a half hour the fire was +extinguished. The danger was horrid, and the escape wonderful! Neither +wild beasts nor the flames hurt whom God protects! + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +SEEKING THE ESQUIMO. + + +DECEMBER twenty-fifth came, and our ice-bound, darkness-enshrouded, +sick, or, in a measure, health-broken explorers tried to make it a merry +Christmas. They all sat down to dinner together. "There was more love +than with the stalled ox of former times, but of herbs none." They +tried, at least, to forget their discomforts in the blessings they still +retained, and to look hopefully on the long distance, and the many +conflicts between them and their home and friends. + +Immediately after Christmas a series of attempts were commenced to open +a communication with the Esquimo at Etah, ninety-one miles away. The +supply of fresh meat was exhausted. The traps yielded nothing, and +Hans's hunting could not go on successfully in the dark. The +scurvy-smitten men were failing for the want of it, and so every thing +must be periled to make the journey. The first thing to be done was to +put the dogs, if possible, into traveling order. They were now few in +number, for fifty had died, and the survivors had been kept on short +rations. Their dead companions, which had been preserved in a frozen +state, were boiled and fed to them for fresh food. Dog _did_ eat dog, +and relished and grew stronger on the diet. + +Dr. Kane and Petersen made the first attempt, starting on the +twenty-ninth of December. They had scarcely reached the forsaken huts of +Anoatok, "the wind-loved spot," so often used as a resting place, when +the dogs failed. A storm, with a bitter, pelting snow-drift, confined +them awhile. An incident occurred here--one of the many which happened +to the explorers--which shows plainly the unseen, but ever present, eye +and hand which attended them. + +They were just losing themselves in sleep when Petersen shouted: +"Captain Kane, the lamp's out!" His commander heard him with a thrill of +horror! The storm was increasing, the cold piercing, and the darkness +intense. The tinder had become moist and was frozen solid. The guns were +outside, to keep them from the moisture of the hut. The only hope of +heat was in relighting the lamp. A lighted lamp and heat they _must_ +have. Petersen tried to obtain fire from a pocket-pistol, but his only +tinder was moss, and after repeated attempts he gave it up. Dr. Kane +then tried. He says:-- + +"By good luck I found a bit of tolerably dry paper in my jumper; and, +becoming apprehensive that Petersen would waste our few percussion caps +with his ineffectual snappings, I took the pistol myself. It was so +intensely dark that I had to grope for it, and in doing so touched his +hand. At that instant the pistol became distinctly visible. A pale, +bluish light, slightly tremulous but not broken, covered the metallic +parts of it, the barrel, lock, and trigger. The stock too was clearly +discernible, as if by the reflected light, and, to the amazement of both +of us, the thumb and two fingers with which Petersen was holding it, the +creases, wrinkles, and circuit of the nails, clearly defined upon the +skin. The phosphorescence was not unlike the ineffectual fire of the +glowworm. As I took the pistol my hand became illuminated also, and so +did the powder-rubbed paper when I raised it against the muzzle. + +"The paper did not ignite at the first trial, but the light from it +continuing, I was able to charge the pistol without difficulty, rolled +up my paper into a cone, filled it with moss sprinkled over with powder, +and held it in my hand while I fired. This time I succeeded in producing +flame, and we saw no more of the phosphorescence." + +When the storm subsided they made further experiment to reach Etah. But +dogs and men found the wading impossible, and they returned to the brig, +the dogs going ahead and the men walking after them. They made the +forty-four miles of their circuitous route in sixteen hours! + +Thus closed the year 1854. + +The three following weeks were mainly occupied by Dr. Kane in a careful +preparation for another attempt to reach Etah, this time with Hans. Old +Yellow, one of the five dogs on which success in a measure depended, +stalked about the deck with "his back up," as much as to say, "I must +have more to eat if I am going." Jenny, a mother dog, had quite a family +of little ones. Yellow being very hungry, and not seeing the use of such +young folks, gobbled one of them down before his master could say, +"Don't you." Dr. Kane taking the hint, and thinking that the puppies +would not be dogs soon enough for his use, shared with Yellow the rest +of the litter. So both grew stronger for the journey. + +The new year, 1855, came in with a vail of darkness over the prospects +of our explorers. The sick list was large, and threatened to include the +whole party. A fox was caught occasionally, and beyond this stinted +supply there was no fresh meat. On Tuesday, January twenty-third, the +commander and Hans, with the dog-team, turned their faces toward the +Esquimo. All went well for a while, until hope rose of accomplishing the +journey, getting savory walrus, and cheering their sinking comrades. +Suddenly, Big Yellow, in spite of nice puppy soup, gave out, and went +into convulsions. Toodla, the next best animal, failed soon after. The +moon went down, and the dark night was upon the beset but not confounded +heroes. Groping for the ice-foot, they trudged fourteen wretched hours, +and reached the old _igloë_ at Anoatok. The inevitable storm arose, with +its burden of snow driven by a strange, moistening southeast wind, +burying the hut deep and warm. The temperature rose seventy degrees! An +oppressive sensation attacked Dr. Kane and Hans, and alarming symptoms +were developed. Water ran down from the roof, the doctor's sleeping bag +of furs was saturated, and his luxurious eider down, God's wonderful +cold defier, was "a wet swab." + +After two days in this comfortless hut, the storm having subsided, they +once again pushed toward Etah! Their sick, failing comrades were the +spur to this desperate effort. But it was in vain, for the deep, moist +snow, the hummocks and the wind, defied even desperate courage. They +returned to the hut and spent another wretched night. + +In the morning, in spite of short provisions, exhaustion, continued +snowing, they climbed the ice-foot, and for four haltless hours faced +toward the Esquimo! But in vain. Dr. Kane says: "My poor Esquimo, Hans, +adventurous and buoyant as he was, began to cry like a child. Sick, worn +out, strength gone, dogs fast and floundering, I am not ashamed to admit +that, as I thought of the sick men on board, my own equanimity was at +fault." + +Dr. Kane scrambled up a familiar hill that was near and reconnoitered. +He was delighted to see, winding among the hummocks, a level way! He +called Hans to see it. With fresh dogs and fresh supplies, they could +certainly reach Etah. So, after another night at the hut, they returned +to the brig, comforting the sick with the assurance that success would +come on the next trial. + +The month closed with only five effective men, including the commander, +and of these some were about as much sick as well. Dr. Kane could not +be spared from his patients, so, February third, Petersen and Hans tried +another Etah adventure. In three days they returned, with a sorrowful +tale from poor Petersen of heroic efforts ending in exhaustion and +defeat. + +But God always sent many rays of light through the densest darkness +besetting our explorers to cheer them and inspire hope. The yellow tints +of coming sunlight were at noonday faintly painted on the horizon. The +rabbits prophesied the spring by appearing abroad, and two were shot. +They yielded a pint of raw blood, which the sickest drank as a grateful +cordial. Their flesh was also eaten raw, and with great thankfulness. + +Following these moments of comfort came a dismal and anxious night. +Thick clouds over-spread the sky, a heavy mist rendered the darkness +appalling, followed by a drifting snow and a fearful storm. The wind +howled and shrieked through the rigging of the helpless, battered brig, +as if in mockery of her condition and the sufferings of her inmates. +Goodfellow had gone inland with his gun during the brief day, and had +not returned. Roman candles and bluelights were burned to guide him +homeward. Altogether it was a night to excite the superstitious fears of +the sailors, and they proved to be not beyond the reach of such fears. +Tom Hickey, the cook, having been on deck while the gale was in its full +strength, to peer into the darkness for him, ran below declaring that he +had seen Goodfellow moving cautiously along the land-ice and jump down +on the floe. He hurried up his supper to give the tired messmate a warm +welcome, but no one came. Dr. Kane went out with a lantern, looked +carefully around for some hundreds of yards, but found no fresh +footsteps. Tom seriously insisted that he had seen Goodfellow's +apparition! + +Such was the state of things when one of the sailors went on deck. There +was hanging in the rigging an old seal-skin bag containing the remnant +of the ship's furs. Its ghostly appearance in ordinary darkness had been +the occasion of much jesting. Now, to the excited imagination of the +sailor, it pounded the mast like the gloved fist of a giant boxer, +glowed with a ghastly light, and muttered to him an unearthly story. He +did not stop to converse with it, but hastened below with the expression +of his fears. His messmates laughed and jeered at his tale, but their +merriment was but the whistling to inspire their own courage. + +The morning came and so did Goodfellow, none the worse for his night's +experience. The storm subsided, Hans killed three rabbits, they all +tasted a little and felt better, and the seal-skin bag was never known +from that time to utter a word. _Fears_ may endure for a night but joy +cometh in the morning! Dr. Kane devoutly remarks: "See how often relief +has come at the moment of extremity; see, still more, how the back has +been strengthened to its increasing burden, and the heart cheered by +some unconscious influence of an unseen POWER." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +DESERTERS. + + +HANS had been for some time promising the hungry company a deer. He had +seen their tracks, and he was watching for them with a good rifle, a +keen eye, and a steady hand. He came in on the evening of February +twenty-second with the good news that he had lodged a ball in one at a +long range, and that he went hobbling away. He was sure he should find +him dead in the morning. The morning came and the game was found, having +staggered, bleeding, only two miles. He was a noble fellow, measuring in +length six feet and two inches, and five feet in girth. He weighed about +one hundred and eighty pounds when dressed. The enfeebled men with +difficulty drew him on board. His presence caused a thrill of joy, and +his luscious flesh sent its invigoration through their emaciated frames. + +The following Sunday, as Dr. Kane was standing on deck thinking of their +situation, he lifted up his eyes toward a familiar berg, for many months +shrouded in darkness, and saw it sparkling in the sunlight. The King of +Day was not yet above the intervening hills, but he had sent his sheen +to proclaim his coming. Glad as a boy whom the full mid-winter moon +invites to a coasting frolic, he started on a run, climbed the +elevations, and bathed in his refreshing rays. + +During the month of February, Petersen, Hans, and Godfrey had been sent +out on the track of the Esquimo, but they returned and declared that +Etah could not be reached. Their commander said, "Nay, it can!" + +By the sixth of March the brig was again without fresh meat. The sick +were once more suffering for it, and the well growing feeble. Hans, the +resort in such emergencies, was given a light sledge, the two surviving +dogs, and to him was committed the forlorn hope. His departure called +forth from his commander a "God bless you!" and prayers followed him. + +His story is simple and touching. He lodged the first night in the +"wind-loved," forsaken, desolate, yet friendly hut of Anoatok. He slept +as well as he could in a temperature fifty-three degrees below zero. The +next night he slept in a friendly hut at Etah. The oft-tried feat was +accomplished. But he found the Etahites lean and hungry. Hollow cheeks +and sunken eyes spoke of famine. The skin of a young sea-unicorn, their +last game, was all of food which remained to the settlement. They had +even eaten their light and fire blubber, and were seated in darkness, +gloomily waiting for the sun and the hunt. They had eaten, too, all but +four of their ample supply of dogs. + +They hailed the coming of Hans with a shout. He proposed to join them in +a hunt, but they shook their heads. They had lost a harpoon and line in +the attempt to take a walrus the day before. The ice was yet thick, and +the huge monster in his struggles had broken the line over its sharp +edge. Hans showed them his "boom," and bidding them come on, started for +the hunting-grounds. Metek--Mr. Eider Duck--speared a fair-sized walrus, +and Hans gave him five conical balls in quick succession from a Marston +rifle, and he surrendered at discretion. + +The return of the hunters caused great joy in the city of Etah, whose +two huts poured out their inhabitants to greet their coming, and aid in +rendering due honors to the game itself. As usual they laughed, feasted, +and slept, to awake, laugh, eat, and sleep again. Hans and his boom were +great in their eyes, but the Kablunah, whose representative he was, rose +before their vision as the glorious sun which scatters the long winter +darkness. + +Hans obtained a hunter's share, and his appearance on the deck of the +"Advance," heralded by the yelping of the dogs, sent a thrill of joy +through every heart. As Dr. Kane grasped his hand on the deck, and began +to listen to his story, he exclaimed: "Speak louder, Hans, that they may +hear in the bunks!" The bunks did hear, and feel too, as the good news +came home to their hunger-wasted bodies in refreshing food. + +As the commander had requested, Hans brought Myouk with him to assist in +hunting. The smart young hunter was delighted to be with the white men, +though his itching fingers would secrete cups, spoons, and other +valuables, which were made to come back to their proper places by sundry +cuffs and kicks, which, though perhaps not altogether pleasant of +themselves, caused him to cuddle down in his buffalo at his master's +feet like a whipped spaniel, and their relations grew daily more +enjoyable. + +Hans and Myouk made soon after an unsuccessful hunt. This made the fresh +meat question come up again with its emphatic importance. The fuel +question, too, was becoming more and more a cause of concern. The +manilla cable had been chopped up and burned, and such portions of the +brig as could be spared, and not destroy her sea-going value, had gone +in the same way. Now the nine feet of solid ice in which she was +imbedded seemed to say that she would never float again, so she might as +well yield her planks to the fire. But to see her thus used went to the +hearts of her gallant men. + +On the nineteenth of March Hans was dispatched to the Esquimo, well +supplied with the first quality of cord for their harpoons, and such +other prompters to, and helps in, the walrus hunt as occurred to his +commander. He would bless thereby and please these starving people, +hoping that the blessing would return in the form of fresh walrus to him +and his suffering men. + +During the absence of Hans there were unusual and painful developments +at the brig. William Godfrey and John Blake had given Dr. Kane much +trouble from the first. They were now evidently bent on mischief, and +made constant watchfulness over them a necessity. Just as Hans left they +feigned sickness, and were suspected of desiring rest and recruited +strength for desertion. Their plan was believed to be to waylay Hans and +get his sledge and dogs. Dr. Kane contrived so shrewdly to keep one of +them at work under his eye, and the other in some other place, that they +did not perceive his suspicions of them. One night Bill was heard to say +that some time during the following day he should leave, and this was +reported to the commander by a faithful listener. He was, of course +watched, and at six o'clock was called to prepare breakfast. This he +commenced doing uneasily, stealing whispers with John. Finally he seemed +at his ease, and cooked and served the breakfast. Dr. Kane believed he +meant to slip out the first opportunity, meet John on deck, and desert; +he therefore armed himself, threw on his furs, made Bonsall and Morton +acquainted with his plans, and crept out of the dark avenue and hid near +its entrance. After an hour of cold waiting John crept out, grunting and +limping, for he had been feigning lameness, looked quickly round, and +seeing no one, mounted nimbly the stairs to the deck. Ten minutes later +Godfrey came out, booted and fur-clad for a journey. As he emerged from +the tossut his commander confronted him, pistol in hand. He was ordered +back to the cabin, while Morton compelled John's return, and Bonsall +guarded the door preventing any one passing out. In a few moments John +came creeping into the cabin, awful lame and terribly exhausted in his +effort to breathe a little fresh air on deck. He looked amazed as by the +glare of the light he saw the situation. + +The commander then explained to the company the offenses of the +culprits, giving from the log-book the details of their plotting. He had +prepared himself for the occasion, and Bill, the principal, was punished +on the spot. He confessed his guiltiness, promised good behavior, and in +view of the few men able to work, his hand-cuffs were removed and he was +sent about his customary business. In an hour after he deserted. Dr. +Kane was at the moment away hunting, and his escape was not noticed +until he was beyond the reach of a rifle ball. + +The next two weeks were weary, anxious weeks, though the ever-watchful +Hand tendered in good time occasion for hope. Six sea-fowl and three +hares were shot by Petersen, and gave indispensable refreshment to the +sick. + +On the second of April, just before noon, a man was seen, with a +dog-sledge, lurking behind the hummocks near the brig. Dr. Kane went out +armed to meet him. It proved to be Godfrey the deserter, who, seeing his +old comrades, left the sledge and run. Leaving Bonsall with his rifle to +make sure of the sledge, the doctor gave chase, and the fugitive, seeing +but one following, stopped and turned around. He said he had made up +his mind to spend the rest of his life with Kalutunah and the Esquimo, +and that no persuasion nor force should prevent him. A loaded pistol +presented at his head did, though, persuade him to return to the brig. +When he reached the gangway he refused to budge another step. Petersen +was away hunting, Bonsall and Dr. Kane were so weak that they could +barely stand, and all the other men, thirteen, were prostrated with the +scurvy, so that they could not compel him by physical force. As the +doctor was desirous not to hurt him, he left him under the guardianship +of Bonsall's weapons while he went below for irons. Just as he returned +to the deck Godfrey turned and fled. Bonsall presented his pistol, which +exploded the cap only. Kane seized a rifle, but being affected by the +cold, it went off in the act of cocking. A second gun, fired in haste at +a long range, missed its mark. So the rebel made good his retreat. + +He had come back with Hans' sledge and dogs, and reported him sick at +Etah from over exhaustion. But there was one consolation in the +affair--the sledge was loaded with walrus-meat. The feast that followed +revived the drooping men wonderfully. They ate, were thankful, and +looked hopefully on the future. + +Godfrey was suspected of having come back to get John. The desertion of +two well men when so many were sick would imperil the lives of all. The +commander felt that the safety of the whole required the faithfulness of +each man, he therefore explained the situation to the men and declared +his determination to punish desertion, or the attempt to desert, by the +"sternest penalty." + +Hans became now the subject of anxiety. Some unfair dealing toward him +on the part of Godfrey was feared. It was thought but just that he +should be sought, and, if in trouble, relieved. But who should go? Dr. +Kane finally resolved to go after him himself. Besides, the question of +more walrus was again pressing. + +April tenth the doctor was off. The first eleven hours the dogs carried +him sixty-four miles, a most remarkable speed for their short rations. + +While thus speeding along, far out on the floe, he spied a black speck +in-shore away to the south. Was it some cheat of refraction? He paused, +took his gun, and sighted the object, a device of old Arctic travelers +to baffle refraction. It is an animal--yes, a man! Away went the dogs, +ten miles an hour, while the rider cheated them with the shout, +"Nannook! nannook!"--a bear! a bear! In a few moments Hans and the +doctor were in grateful, earnest talk. He had really been sick. He had +been down five days, and, as he expressed it, still felt "a little +weak." He took his commander's place on the sledge and both went to the +friendly hut at Anoatok, where hot tea and rest prepared both for the +return to the brig. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +CLOSING INCIDENTS OF THE IMPRISONMENT. + + +HANS had his story of adventure while at Etah. But the most important +item in his estimation, and that which might prove far reaching in its +results, was the fact that a young daughter of Sunghu appointed herself +his nurse during his sickness, bestowing upon him care, sympathy, and +bewitching smiles. She had evidently done what Godfrey tried in vain to +do--she had entrapped him, at the expense, too, of a young Esquimo lady +at Upernavik. + +Hans had been successful in the hunt, and, besides what he had sent by +Godfrey, had deposited some walrus at Littleton Island. He was at once +sent after this, and intrusted at the same time with an important +commission. Dr. Kane had been for some time meditating another trip +toward the polar sea. To do this he desired more dogs. The Esquimo had +been reducing their stock to keep away starvation, but Kalutunah had +retained four. These, and such others as he could find, Hans was +authorized to buy or hire, at almost any price. This northern trip made, +the next move might be toward the abandonment of the "Advance." She +could never float, it was plain, for now, late in April, the open water +was eighty miles south. + +While Hans was gone, the sick, yet numbering two thirds of the whole, +and in a measure all of the other third, except the commander, were +without fresh food, as they had been for several days. Yet the sunshine +and the occasional supplies had put them all on the improving list. They +could sit up, sew or job a little, making themselves useful, and keeping +up good spirits. But, hark! what sound is that breaking on the still, +clear air. It comes nearer. Bim, bim, bim, sounds upon the deck. It is +Hans, whose coming is ever like the coming of the morning. A rabbit-stew +and walrus liver follow his arrival, and over such royal dainties good +cheer pervades the family circle. + +Hans brought Metek with him, and Metek's young nephew, Paulik, a boy of +fourteen. Metek and Hans spoke sadly of the condition of the Esquimo +settlements. We have seen that the escaping party found those of the +south flying northward from starvation. The report now was that they had +huddled together at Northumberland Island until that yielded to the +famine, and now they had come farther north. It was a sad sight to see +men, women, and children fleeing over the icy desert before their +relentless foe. Yet, says Hans, they sung as they went, careless of +present want, and thoughtless of the morrow. Many had died, and thus +year by year these few, scattered, improvident people decline, giving +earnest that in a few years all will be gone. + +Though light-hearted, death did bring its sorrows to these benighted +heathen. Kalutunah lost a sister; her body was sewed up in skins, not +in a sitting posture but extended, and her husband, unattended, carried +it out to burial, and, with his own hand, placed upon it stone after +stone, making at once a grave and a monument. A blubber lamp was burning +outside the hut while he was gone, and when he returned his friends were +waiting to listen to his rehearsal of the praises of the dead, and to +hear the expressions of his sorrow, while they showed their grief by +dismal chantings. + +If sorrow did not keep the deceased in the memory of the living, imposed +self-denials did. The Angekok, or medicine man, as our Indians would +call him, determines the penance of the mourner, who is sometimes +forbidden to eat the meat of a certain bird or beast, under the idea +that the spirit of the departed has entered into it; at another time the +mourner must not draw on his hood, but go with uncovered head; or he may +be forbidden to go on the bear or walrus hunt. The length of time of +these penances may be a few months or a year. The reader will recollect +the widow with her birds, who appeared so often in the narrative of the +escaping party. + +Though thus mourning for the dead, these Esquimo do not hold life as a +very sacred trust. The drones and the useless are sometimes harpooned in +the back merely to get rid of them. Infants are put out of the way when +they greatly annoy their parents. Hans, on one of his returns from Etah, +had a story to tell illustrative of this. Awahtok, a young man of +twenty-two, had a pretty wife--_pretty_ as Esquimo beauty goes--sister +of Kalutunah, and about eighteen years old. Dr. Kane had regarded this +couple with some interest, and the husband "stuck to him as a plaster." +Their first-born was a fine little girl. Well, Hans reported with +becoming disgust and indignation that they had buried it alive under a +pile of stones! When Dr. Kane next visited Etah he inquired of his +friends Awahtok and his wife after the health of the baby, affecting not +to have heard about its hard fate. They pointed with both hands +earthward, but did not even shed the cheap, customary tear. The only +reason reported for this murder was, that certain of its habits, common +to all infants, were disagreeable to them! + +Such is the mildest heathenism without Christianity. These and other +similar gross sins were common among the South Greenland Esquimo, but +have disappeared before the teachings of the Moravian missionaries. + +Hans returned with the walrus he had deposited at Littleton Island, but +he had made no progress in getting dogs, so Dr. Kane resolved to go to +Etah for that purpose himself. Besides, having learned that Godfrey was +playing a high game there and defying capture, and also fearing his +influence over the friendly relations of the Esquimo, he resolved to +bring him back to the brig. Metek was just starting for Etah, so he +invited himself to return with him, while Paulik, his nephew, remained +with Hans. This arrangement effected, Dr. Kane was soon approaching +Etah, perfectly disguised in the hood and jumper of Paulik, whose place +on the sledge he occupied. The whole city ran out to meet their chief, +among whom was the deserter, who shouted, and then threw up his arms +with the most savage of them. He did not perceive his commander until a +certain well understood summons entered his ear, and a significant +pistol barrel gleamed in the sunlight near his eyes. He surrendered to +this "boom" argument without discussion, and trotting or walking, he +kept his assigned place ahead of the sledge through the eighty and more +miles to the brig, halting only at Anoatok. We hear nothing of further +attempt at desertion. + +A little later Dr. Kane made another visit to Etah. The hunt had become +successful, and the famine was broken; all was activity and good cheer. +The women were preparing the green hides for domestic use. Great piles +of walrus tushes were preserved for various useful purposes; some of +these the children had selected as bats, and were engaged in merry +sport. Their game was to knock a ball made of walrus bone up the +slanting side of a hummock, and then, in turn, hit it as it rolled down, +and so keep it from reaching the floe. They shouted and laughed as the +game went on, much as our boys do over their sports. + +Dr. Kane observed on this trip a way of taking walrus which has not, we +think, been noted before. The monster at this early season sometimes +finds the ice open near a berg only. He comes on the ice to sun +himself; finds the change from the cold sea very agreeable, stays too +long, the water freezes solid, and he cannot return. As he is unable to +break the ice from above, he either waits for the current about the berg +to open the ice again, or works himself clumsily to some already open +place. In this helpless state the dogs scent him afar off, and the +hunters, following their lead, make him an easy prey. + +Hans came in on the twenty-fourth of April, accompanied by Kalutunah, +Shanghee, and Tatterat, each of the Esquimo having sledges, and sixteen +dogs in all. Hans had been sent to Cape Alexander, where Kalutunah was +sojourning, to invite him to the brig in order to secure his aid in the +proposed northern trip. He was fed well, and propitiated by a present of +a knife and needles. He said, "Thank you," and added, "I love you well," +which might uncharitably be taken to mean, "I love your presents well." +The result of the presents, feasting, and flattery was a start north by +the three Esquimo, with Dr. Kane and Hans, all the dog teams +accompanying. The old route across Kennedy Channel to the west side, and +so north-poleward, was attempted. First came a very fair progress; then +came the hummocks, over which, by the aid of their dogs, they clambered +until thirty miles from the brig had been made. Then Shanghee burrowed +into a snow-bank and slept, the cold being thirty degrees below zero; +the rest camped in the snow and lunched. Just as a fair start was again +made, the party neared a huge male bear in the act of lunching on seal. +In vain the doctor attempted to control either dogs or drivers. +"Nannook! nannook!" shouted the Esquimo as they clung to their sledges, +and the dogs flew over the ice in wild and reckless pursuit. After an +exciting chase the bear was brought to a halt and to a fight, which the +rifles and spears soon terminated against bruin. A feast by dogs and +men, and a night's halt on the ice followed, to Dr. Kane, at least, both +vexatious and comfortless. + +The next day he would press on to the north. But bear tracks were +every-where, and the savage chiefs preferred hunting to exploring; +besides, they had, they said, their families to support, and there was +no use trying to cross the channel so high up. The English of it was, we +are "going in" for the bears, and you may help yourself. A day more was +spent in a wild hunt among the bergs, and the party returned to the +brig. + +A little later still another attempt was made to unlock further the +secrets of the extreme icy north, this time by only Kane and Morton with +a six-dog sledge, the explorers walking. This, the last effort of the +kind, ended in the usual way, excepting some additions to the surveys. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +HOMEWARD BOUND. + + +THE final escape from the brig must now be commenced. From the early +fall its necessity had been thought of, and preparations for it +commenced. Since the sick had begun to improve, the work in reference to +it had been going on with system. Coverlets of eider down, beds, or furs +which could be used as such, boots, moccasins, a full supply to meet +emergencies, were prepared. Provision bags were made and filled with +powder, ship-bread, pork-fat, and tallow melted down, and cooked +concentrated bean soup. The flour and meat biscuit were put in double +bags. Two boats had been made from the ship's beams twenty-six feet +long, seven feet across, and three feet deep. Incredible toil by weak +and sick men had been expended upon these boats. A neat "housing" of +light canvas was raised over each of them. One other boat, the "Red +Eric," was in readiness. There was no assurance that either of these +boats would long float, yet all was done which the circumstances allowed +to make them sea-worthy. + +The three boats were mounted on sledges. The necessary outfit, so far as +they could bear, was to be stowed away in them. + +Every thing being in readiness, a vast amount of _thinking_ having been +employed by the commander in reference to all contingencies, a +peremptory order of march was issued for the seventeenth of May. The men +were given twenty-four hours to get ready eight pounds of such personal +effects as they chose. From the date of starting the strictest +discipline and subordination was to be observed, which came hard upon +the long-indulged, improving sick ones. The perfectness of the +preparations had a good effect, yet there were many moody doubters. Some +insisted that the commander only meant to go further south, holding the +brig to fall back upon; some thought he would get the sick nearer the +hunting grounds; others believed that his purpose was to secure some +point of lookout for the English explorers, or whaling vessels. + +When the memorable day of departure came, the boats were in the cradle +on the sledges, and the men, with straps over their shoulders and +drag-ropes from these to the sledges, started for the ice-foot along +which they were to travel. They had not yet received their loads, so +they glided off easily, exciting a smile on some rueful countenances. + +In twenty-four hours the boats were laden, on the elevated drive-way, +covered with their canvas roof, and, with a jaunty flag flying, were +ready for a final leave the next day. The exhausted men, for nearly all +of them were yet invalids, returned to the vessel, ate the best supper +the supplies afforded, "turned in," prepared for their first effort at +dragging the boat-laden sledges. + +But one sledge could be moved at once, with all hands attached; the +first day they made two miles only with this one. For several days they +made short distances and returned early to a hearty supper and warm beds +in their old quarters, so that they marched back to the drag-ropes in +the morning refreshed. The weather was, by the kind, overruling Hand, +"superb." + +The final leave-taking was somewhat ceremonious. All the men were +assembled in the dismantled room which had been so long both a prison +and providential home. It was Sunday; all listened to a chapter of the +Bible, and prayers. Then, all silently standing, the commander read a +prepared report of what had been done, and the reasons for the step +about to be taken. He then addressed the company, honestly conceding the +obstacles in the way of escape, but assuring them that energy and +subordination would secure success. He reminded them of the solemn +claims upon them of the sick and wounded; called to their minds the +wonderful deliverance granted them thus far by the infinite Power, and +exhorted them still confidently to commit all to the same Helper. + +The response to this appeal was most cheering to Dr. Kane. The following +engagement was drawn up by one of the officers and signed by every +man:-- + +"The undersigned, being convinced of the impossibility of the +liberation of the brig, and equally convinced of the impossibility of +remaining in the ice a third winter, do fervently concur with the +commander in his attempt to reach the south by means of boats. + +"Knowing the trials and hardships which are before us, and feeling the +necessity of union, harmony, and discipline, we have determined to abide +faithfully by the expedition and our sick comrades, and to do all that +we can, as true men, to advance the objects in view." + +The party now went on deck, hoisted a flag and hauled it down again, and +then marched once or twice around the vessel. The figure head--the fair +Augusta--"the little blue girl with pink cheeks," was taken by the men +and added to their load. She had been nipped and battered by the ice, +and a common suffering made her dear to them. When Dr. Kane remonstrated +against the additional burden, they said: "She is, at any rate, wood, +and if we cannot carry her far we can burn her." + +The final departure was too serious for cheers, and when the moment came +they all hurried off to the boats and the drag-ropes. + +Four men were sick, and had to be carried; and Dr. Kane was with the +dog-team the common carrier and courier, as we shall see, so that there +were but twelve men to the boats; these were organized into two +companies, six each, for the two sledges; M'Gary having command of the +"Faith," and Morton command of the "Hope." Each party was separate in +matters of baggage, sleeping, cooking, and eating; both were +concentrated, in turns, upon each sledge under the command of Brooks. +Both morning and evening of each day all gathered round, with uncovered +heads, to listen to prayers. Every one had his assigned place at the +track-line; each served in turn as cook, except the captains. + +From an early day of the preparations, Dr. Kane had been at work +refitting and furnishing the broken-down, forsaken hut at Anoatok. For +this purpose many trips were made to it with the dog-team; it was made +tight as possible; the filth carefully removed; cushions and blankets +were spread upon the raised floor at the sides and a stove set up; +blankets were hung up against the walls, and the whole made to look as +cheerful as possible. While the sledges were approaching this place by +short stages, Dr. Kane, with his team, brought to the hut the four sick +men; they were Goodfellow, Wilson, Whipple, and Stephenson. Dr. Hayes, +yet limping on his frozen foot, bravely adhered to the sledges. When the +sick entered the hut none could wait upon the others, except Stephenson, +who could barely light the lamp, to melt the snow and heat the water. +But Dr. Kane made them frequent visits, supplying their wants, and +reporting the daily progress toward them of their whole company. They +grew better, and were able to creep out into the sunshine. Besides +carrying the sick to Anoatok, Dr. Kane had, with his dogs, conveyed +there and stocked near the hut most of the provisions for their march +and voyage; eight hundred pounds out of fifteen were now there, and he +proposed to convey the rest. This was done to relieve the overladen +sledges. + +The red boat--"Red Eric"--joined the party on the floe a few days after +the start, increasing their burden, but assuring them of increased +comfort and safety when they reached the open water. + +One incident of this period will illustrate its hardships and the +Christian courage with which they were met. + +It was soon after the last sick man was borne to the hut that Dr. Kane, +having, in one of his dog-team trips, camped on the floe, came upon the +boat party early in the morning. They were at prayers at the moment, +and, as they passed to the drag-ropes, he was pained at the evidence of +increased scurvy and depression. Brooks's legs were sadly swollen, and +Hayes ready to faint with exhaustion. They must have more generous +meals, thought the noble-hearted commander. Taking Morton, he hastened +back to the brig. As they entered a raven flew croaking away; he had +already made his home there. Lighting the fires in the old cook-room, +they melted pork, cooked a large batch of _light_ bread without salt, +saleratus, or shortening, gathered together some eatable, though +damaged, dried apples and beans, and, the dogs having fed, hastened back +to the men on the floe. Distributing a good supper to their comrades as +they passed, and taking Godfrey along with them, they hastened to the +hut. The poor fellows confined in it were rejoiced to see them. They +had eaten all their supplies, their lamp had gone out, the snow had +piled up at the door so that they could not close it, and the arctic +wind and cold were making free in their never-too-warm abode. The poor +fellows were cold, sick, and hungry. The coming of their commander was +as the coming of an angel messenger of good tidings. He closed their +door, made a fire of tarred rope, dried their clothes and bedding, +cooked them a porridge of pea-soup and meat-biscuit, and set their +lamp-wick ablaze with dripping pork-fat. Then, after all had joined in +prayer of thankfulness, a well relished meal was eaten. This was +followed by a cheerful chat, and a long, refreshing forgetfulness in +their sleeping-bags of all privations. When they awoke the gale had +grown more tempestuous, with increasing snow. But they went on burning +rope and fat until every icicle had disappeared, and every frost mark +had faded out. + +On their arrival at the hut the night before, Dr. Kane, seeing the +condition of things, sent Godfrey forward to Etah for fresh supplies of +game. After a time he returned with Metek, and the two sledges well +laden with meat. A part of this was hurried off to the toilers at the +drag-ropes. + +Having blessed by his coming these weary voyagers, Dr. Kane, with +Morton, Metek, and his sledge, went once more to the brig. They baked a +hundred and fifty pounds of bread and sent it by Metek to Mr. Brooks, +and the faithful messenger, having delivered it, returned immediately +for another load. While he was gone, a hundred pounds of flour pudding +was made, and two bagfuls of pork-fat tried out. This done, the three +lay down upon the curled hair of the old mattresses, they having been +ripped open and their contents drawn out to make the most comfortable +bed the place afforded. They slept as soundly "as vagrants on a +haystack." + +The next day they set their faces toward the sledge company and Anoatok, +both sledges having heavy loads, which included the last of the fifteen +hundred pounds of provisions. + +Dr. Kane had made one of his last trips to the brig: he would return for +provisions only; but all his specimens of Natural History, collected +with much toil, his books, and many of his well-tested instruments, he +was compelled to leave. His six dogs had carried him, during the +fortnight since the company left the brig, between seven and eight +hundred miles, averaging about fifty-seven miles a day. But for their +services the sick could scarcely have been saved, and the rest would +have suffered more intensely. + +Leaving, as usual, a part of the food with Mr. Brooks's party, they +hastened on to replenish the stores and cheer the hearts of the lonely +dwellers in the hut. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +NARROW ESCAPES. + + +HAVING brought forward the provisions to Anoatok, Dr. Kane, with the +help of Metek and his dogs, began to remove them still farther south, +making one deposit near Cape Hatherton, and the other yet farther, near +Littleton Island. But an immediate journey to Etah for walrus had become +necessary. The hard-working men were improving on this greasy food, and +they wanted it in abundance. Dr. Kane found the Etahites fat and full. +He left his weary, well-worn dogs to recruit on their abundance, and +returned with their only team, which was well fed and fresh. They made +the trade without any grumbling. + +When he came back the Brooks party were within three miles of Anoatok. +They were getting along bravely and eating voraciously, and the old cry, +"more provisions!" saluted the commander. Leaving the dogs to aid in +transferring the stores to the southern stations, Dr. Kane and Irish Tom +Hickey started afoot to the brig to do another baking. It was a sixteen +hours' tramp. But ere they slept they converted nearly a barrel of +flour, the last of the stock, into the staff of life. An old +pickled-cabbage cask was used as a kneading trough, and sundry volumes +of the "Penny Cyclopedia of Useful Knowledge" were burned during the +achievement. Tom declared the work done to be worthy of his own +country's bakers, and he had been one "of them same," so he deemed that +praise enough. When the doctor lamented that the flour so used was the +last of the stock, Tom exclaimed: "All the better, sir, since we'll have +no more bread to make." + +Godfrey came to the brig on the third day, with the dogs, to carry back +the baking. But a howling storm delayed them all on board. It was +Sunday, and the last time that Dr. Kane expected to be in the cabin with +any of his men. He took down a Bible from one of the berths and went +through the long-used religious service. The dreary place was less +dreary, and their burdened hearts were no doubt made lighter by thus +drawing near to God. + +The commander and Tom left the next day with the sledge load, leaving +Godfrey to come on after farther rest. But scarcely had the sledge party +delivered their load of bread, and begun the sound sleep which follows +hard work, when Godfrey came in out of breath with the hot haste of his +journey. He reluctantly confessed the occasion of his sudden departure +from the brig. He had lain down on the contents of the mattresses to +sleep. Suddenly Wilson's guitar, left with other mementoes of two +winters' imprisonment, sent forth music soft and sad. Bill was sure he +heard aright, for he was awake and in his right mind. He fled on the +instant, and scarcely looked behind until he reached his companions. He +had never heard of the musical genius of Eolus, and it was not strange +that the old forsaken, mutilated, ghostly, looking brig should excite +the imagination of the lonely lodger. + +The invalids of the huts were now doing well. Their housekeeping assumed +a home-like appearance--after the fashion of Arctic homes--and they +welcomed the doctor with a dish of tea, a lump of walrus flesh, and a +warm place. The Brooks party were not afar off. + +A storm which out-stormed all they had yet seen or felt of storms came +down upon our explorers at this time. + +When the storm had blown past, Morton was dispatched to Etah with the +dogs, accompanied by two Etahites who had been storm-bound with the +boat-parties. His mission was to demand aid of these allies on the +ground of sacred treaty stipulations, and well-recognized Esquimo laws +of mutual help. Dr. Kane took his place with the men on the floe. +Sledging was now not only made by the storm and advancing season more +laborious, but very dangerous; around the bergs black water appeared, +and over many places there were to be seen pools of water. The boats +were unladen, and their cargoes carried in parcels by sledges, yet +serious accidents occurred. At one time a runner of the sledge carrying +the "Hope" broke in, and the boat came near being lost; as it was, six +men were plunged into the water. Sick and well men worked for dear life, +and affairs were growing more than cloudy when the helping hand of the +great Helper was seen as it had been so often. Morton returned from +Etah, having been entirely successful in his appeal to the natives for +aid. They came with every sound dog they possessed, and with sledges +loaded with walrus. The dogs alone were equal to ten strong men added to +the expedition. Dr. Kane took one of the teams, and with Metek made his +last trip to the brig, and on his return commenced bringing down the +invalids of the hut to the boats. As he came near the floe-party he +found Ohlsen sitting on a lump of ice alone, some distance in their +rear. He had prevented the "Hope's" sledge from breaking through the ice +by taking for a moment its whole weight on a bar which he had slipped +under it. He was a strong man, and the act was heroic, but he was +evidently seriously injured. He was pale, but thought his only +difficulty was "a little cramp in the small of his back," and that he +should be better soon. Dr. Kane gave him Stephenson's seat on the +sledge, carried him to the boat, and gave him its most comfortable +place, and muffled him up in the best buffalo robes. Dr. Hayes gave him +tender and constant attention all that night, but he declined rapidly. + +Having stowed the sick away in the boats, the morning prayers being +offered, the men on the sixth of June started anew at the drag-ropes. +Two hours' drawing sufficed to show all hands their insufficiency for +the task. Just then a spanking breeze started up. They hoisted the sails +of the boats, and the wind increased to a gale and blew directly after +them. Away the sledges sped toward the provision depot near Littleton +Island. Ridges in the ice which would have delayed them at the +drag-ropes for hours, but gave them the rise and fall as they glided +over them of a ship on the waves. God, who "holds the wind in his fist," +had unloosed it for their benefit. The foot-sore, weary men, who a few +moments ago felt that an almost impossible task was theirs, were now +jubilant, and broke out into song--the first sailor's chorus song they +had sung for a year. They came to a halt at five o'clock P. M., having +made under sail the distance of five drag-rope days. + +While here they were joined by old Nessark, and by Sipsu, the surly +chief who appears so conspicuously in the narrative of Dr. Hayes's +escaping party. They came with their fresh dog-teams, and offered their +services to the explorers. Nessark was sent after the last of the sick +men at the hut. + +The following five or six days were those of peril and discouragement. +At one time a sledge had broken in, carrying with it several of the men, +bringing affairs to a gloomy crisis. But the men scrambled out, and, to +still further lift the burdens from the party, five sturdy Esquimo +appeared, with two almost equally strong women. They laid hold of the +drag-ropes with a will, and worked the rest of the day without demanding +any reward. So there was always help in their time of need. + +Nessark came in good time with Wilson and Whipple, the last of the sick; +the old hut was now deserted, and all were with the boats except one. +Hans had been missing for nearly two months. Early in April he came to +his commander with a long face and a very plausible story; he had, he +said, no boots; he wanted to go to one of the Esquimo settlements a +little south to get a stock of walrus-hides. He did not want the dogs; +he would walk, and be back in good time. But the hitherto faithful and +trusted Hans had not returned. When inquiry was made of the people of +Etah they said he certainly called there, and engaged of one of the +women a pair of boots, and then pushed on to Peteravik, where Shanghee +and his pretty daughter lived. The last information they had of him they +gave with a shrug of the shoulders and a merry twinkle of the eye. He +had been seen by one of their people once since he left Etah; he was +then upon a native sledge, Shanghee's daughter at his side, bound south +of Peteravik. He had forsaken the explorers for a wife! + +The party were one day feeling their way along cautiously, pioneers +going ahead and trying the soundness of the ice by thumping with boat +hooks and narwhal horns. Suddenly a shout of distress was heard. The +"Red Eric" had broken in! She contained the document box of the +expedition, the loss of which would make their whole work profitless to +the world even should the party be saved. She had on board too many +provision bags. But, after great exposure and labor, all was saved in +good condition, and the boat hauled upon the ice. Several of the men had +narrow escapes. Stephenson was caught as he sunk by the sledge runner, +and Morton was drawn out by the hair of his head as he was disappearing +under the ice. A grateful shout went up from all hands that nothing +serious resulted from the accident. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +ESQUIMO KINDNESS. + + +THE company made slow and tiresome progress by Littleton Island, and +were carrying their entire load forward in parcels to the mainland at +the northern opening of Etah Bay, when the sad news was whispered to Dr. +Kane, who was with the advanced party, that Ohlsen was dead. A gloom +spread over the whole company. The fact was carefully concealed from the +Esquimo, who were sent to Etah under the pretext of bringing back a +supply of birds, the entire dog force being given them to hasten their +departure. + +The funeral service, though attended by sincere grief, was necessarily +brief. The body was sewed up in Ohlsen's own blankets, the burial +service read, the prayer offered, and it was borne by his comrades in +solemn procession to a little gorge on the shore, and deposited in a +trench made with extreme difficulty. A sheet of lead, on which his name +and age was cut, was laid upon his breast; a monument of stones was +erected over it, to preserve it from the beasts of prey, and to mark the +spot. They named the land which overshadowed the spot Cape Ohlsen. + +Having given two quiet hours, after the funeral service, to the solemn +occasion, the work at the drag-ropes was continued. The Esquimo +returned in full force, and with abundant provisions. They took their +turn at the drag-ropes with a shout; they carried the sick on their +sledges, and relieved the whole expedition from care concerning their +supplies. They brought in one week eight dozen sea-fowl--little +auks--caught in their hand-nets, and fed men and dogs. All ate, hunger +was fully satisfied, care for the time departed, the men broke out into +their old forecastle songs, and the sledges went merrily forward with +laugh and jest. + +Passing round Cape Alexander, down Etah Bay, a short distance toward the +settlement, the expedition encamped. The long-sought, coveted open water +was only three miles away; its roar saluted their ears, and its scent +cheered their hearts. The difficult and delicate work of preparing the +boats for the sea-voyage now commenced. In the mean time the people of +Etah, men, women, and children, came and encamped in their midst, +leaving only three persons--two old women and a blind old man--in the +settlement. They slept in the "Red Eric," and fed on the stew cooked for +them in the big camp-kettle. Each one had a keepsake of a file, a knife, +a saw, or some such article of great value. The children had each that +great medicine for Esquimo sickness, a piece of soap, for which they +merrily shouted, "Thank you, thank you, big chief." There was joy in the +Esquimo camp which knew but one sorrow--that of the speedy departure of +the strangers. At the mention of this one woman stepped behind a tent +screen and wept, wiping her teary face with a bird-skin. + +Dr. Kane rode to Etah to bid the aged invalids good-bye. Then came the +last distribution of presents. Every one had something, but the great +gift of amputating knives went to the chief, Metek, and the patriarch, +Nessark. The dogs were given to the community at large, excepting +Toodla-mik and Whitey; these veterans of many well-fought battle-fields +were reserved to share the homeward fortunes of their owners. Toodla was +no common dog, but earned for himself a place in dog history. As we are +to meet the dogs no more in our narrative, we will give Toodla's +portrait to be set up with our pen sketches. He was purchased at +Upernavik, and so he received the advantages of, at least, a partially +civilized education. His head was more compact, his nose less pointed +than most dogs of his kind, and his eye denoted affection and +self-reliance, and his carriage was bold and defiant. Toodla, at the +commencement of the cruise, appointed himself general-in-chief of all +the dogs. Now it often happens, with dogs as well as with men, that to +assume superiority is much easier than to maintain it. But Toodla's +generalship was never successfully disputed. The position, however, cost +him many a hard-fought battle, for the new comers naturally desired to +test his title to rule. These he soundly whipped on their introduction +to the pack. He even often left the brig's side, head erect, tail +gracefully curled over his back, and moved toward a stranger dog with a +proud, defiant air, as much as to say, "I am master here, sir!" If this +was doubted, he vindicated his boasting on the spot. Such tyranny +excited rebellions of course, and strong combinations were formed +against him; but dogs which had been trounced individually make weak +organizations, and the coalitions gave way before Toodla's prowess. It +is but fair, however, to say that he had strong allies upon whom he fell +back in great emergencies--the sailors. Toodla died in Philadelphia, and +still lives--that is, his stuffed skin still exists in the museum of the +Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. His reputation is of the same +sort as that of many of the heroes of history, and worth as much to the +world. + +Dr. Kane having distributed the presents and disposed of the dogs, there +was nothing now but the farewell address to render the parting ceremony +complete. Dr. Kane called the natives about him and spoke to them +through Petersen as interpreter. He talked to them as those from whom +kindness had been received, and to whom a return was to be made. He told +them about the tribes of their countrymen farther south whom he knew, +and from whom they were separated by the glaciers and the sea; he spoke +of the longer daylight, the less cold, the more abundant game, the +drift-wood, the fishing-nets, and kayaks of these relatives. He tried to +explain to them that under bold and cautious guidance they might, in +the course of a season or two, reach this happier region. + +During this talk they crowded closer and closer to the speaker, and +listened with breathless attention to his remarks, often looking at each +other significantly. + +Having thus parted with the natives, our exploring party hauled their +boats to the margin of the ice. The "Red Eric" was launched, and three +cheers were given for "Henry Grinnell and Homeward Bound." But the storm +king said, "Not yet!" He sounded an alarm in their ears, and they drew +the "Eric" from the water and retreated on the floe, which broke up in +their rear with great rapidity. Back, back, they tramped, wearily and +painfully, all that night, until the next day they found a sheltering +berg near the land, where they made a halt. Here they rested until the +wind had spent its wrath, and the sea had settled into a placid quiet. +Their voyaging on the floe with drag-ropes and sledges was ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +MELVILLE BAY. + + +ON the nineteenth of June the boats were launched into the sea, now +calm, the "Faith" leading under Kane, and the "Eric" under Bonsall, and +the "Hope" under Brooks following. The sea birds screamed a welcome to +the squadron, and flew about them as if to inquire why they came back in +three vessels instead of one, as when they sailed northward two years +before. But there was no leisure for converse with birds. They had just +passed Hakluyt Island, when the "Eric" sunk. Her crew, Bonsall, Riley, +and Godfrey, struggled to the other boats, and the "Faith" took the +sunken craft in tow. Soon after Brooks shouted that the "Hope" was +leaking badly, and threatening to sink. Fortunately the floe was not far +off, and into one of its creek-like openings they run the boats, +fastened them to the ice, and the weary men lay down in their bunks +without drawing the boats from the water and slept. + +The next day they drew their leaking crafts ashore, and calked them for +another sea adventure. For several days they struggled with varying +fortunes until they brought up, weary, disheartened, and worn down by +work and an insufficient diet of bread-dust, and fastened to an old floe +near the land. Scarcely were they anchored when a vast ice raft caught +upon a tongue of the solid floe about a mile to the seaward of them, and +began to swing round upon it as a pivot, and to close in upon our +explorers. This was a new game of the ice-enemy. Nearer and nearer came +the revolving icy platform, seeming to gather force with every whirl. At +first the commotion that was made started the floe, to which they were +fastened, on a run toward the shore as if to escape the danger. But it +soon brought up against the rocks and was overtaken by its pursuer. In +an instant the collision came. The men sprang, by force of discipline, +to the boats and the stores, to bear them back to a place of safety, but +wild and far-spread ruin was around them. The whole platform where they +stood crumbled and crushed under the pressure, and was tossed about and +piled up as if the ice-demon was in a frenzy of passion. Escape for the +boats seemed for the moment impossible, and none expected it; and none +could tell when they were let down into the water, nor hardly how, yet +they found themselves whirling in the midst of the broken hummocks, now +raised up and then shaken as if every joint in the helpless, trembling +boats was to be dislocated. The noise would have drowned the uproar of +contending armies as ice was hurled against ice, and, as it felt the +awful pressure, it groaned harsh and terrific thunder. The men, though +utterly powerless, grasped their boat-hooks as the boats were borne away +in the tumultuous mass of broken ice and hurried on toward the shore. +Slowly the tumult began to subside, and the fragments to clear away, +until the almost bewildered men found themselves in a stretch of water +making into the land, wide enough to enable them to row. They came +against the wall of the ice-foot, and, grappling it, waited for the +rising tide to lift them to its top. While here the storm was fearful, +banging the boats against the ice-wall, and surging the waves into them, +thus keeping the imperiled men at work for dear life in bailing out the +water. They were at last lifted by the tide to the ice-foot, upon which +they pulled their boats, all uniting on each boat. They had landed on +the cliff at the mouth of a gorge in the rock; into this they dragged +the boats, keeping them square on their keels. A sudden turn in the cave +placed a wall between them and the storm, which was now raging +furiously. While they were drawing in the last boat, a flock of eider +ducks gladdened their hearts as they flew swiftly past. God had not only +guided them to a sheltered haven, but had assured them of abundant food +on the morrow. They were in the breeding home of the sea-fowl. Thus +comforted they lay down to sleep, though wet and hungry. They named +their providential harbor the "Weary Man's Rest," and remained in it +three days, eating until hunger was appeased, and gathering eggs at the +rate of twelve hundred a day, and laughing at the storms which roared +without. + +On the fourth of July, after as much of a patriotic celebration as their +circumstances allowed, they again launched into the sea. + +For some days they moved slowly south, but it was only by picking their +way through the leads, for they found the sea nearly closed. As they +approached Cape Dudley Digges their way was entirely closed. They pushed +into an opening that led to the bottom of its precipitous cliff. Here +they found a rocky shelf, overshadowed by the towering rocks, just large +enough and in the right position at high tide to make a platform on +which they could land their boats. Here they waited a whole week for the +ice toward Cape York to give way. The sea-fowl were abundant and of a +choice kind. The scurvy-killing cochlearia was at hand, which they ate +with their eggs. It was indeed a "providential halt," for the fact was +constantly forced upon them that they had come here, as they had to +"Weary Man's Rest," by no skill or knowledge of their own. + +It was the eighteenth of July before the condition of the ice was such +as to make the renewal of their voyage possible. Two hundred and fifty +choice fowl had been skinned, cut open, and dried on the rocks, besides +a store of those thrown aboard as they were caught. + +They now sailed along the coast, passing the "Crimson Cliffs" of Sir +John Ross. The birds were abundant, their halting-places on the shore +were clothed with green, and the fresh-water streams at which they +filled their vessels were pouring down from the glaciers. They built +great blazing fires of dry turf which cost nothing but the gathering. +After a day's hard rowing the sportsmen brought in fresh fowl, and, +gathered about their camp-fire, all ate, and then stretched themselves +on the moss carpet and slept. They enjoyed thankfully this Arctic Eden +all the more as they all knew that perils and privations were just +before them. + +They wisely provided during these favored days a large stock of +provisions, amounting to six hundred and forty pounds, besides their +dried birds. Turf fuel, too, was taken on board for the fires. + +They reached Cape York on the twenty-first of July. From this place they +were to try the dangers of Melville Bay, across which in their frail +boats they must sail. It had smiled upon their northward voyage; would +it favor their escape now? It certainly did not hold out to them +flattering promises. The inshore ice was solid yet, and terribly +hummocky. The open sea was far to the west, but along the margin of the +floe were leads, and fortunately there was one beginning where they had +halted. The boats were hauled up, examined, and as much as possible +repaired. The "Red Eric" was stripped, her cargo taken out, and her hull +held in reserve for fuel. A beacon was erected from which a red flannel +skirt was thrown as a pennant to the wind to attract attention. Under +this beacon records were left which told in brief the story of the +expedition. This done, and the blessing of God implored, the voyagers +entered the narrow opening in the ice. + +For a while all went well, but one evening Dr. Kane was hastily called +on deck. The huge icebergs had bewildered the helmsman in the leading +boat, and he had missed the channel, and had turned directly toward the +shore until the boat was stopped by the solid floe. The lead through +which they had come had closed in their rear, and they were completely +entangled in the ice! + +Without telling the men what had happened, the commander, under the +pretense of drying the clothes, ordered the boats drawn up, and a camp +was made on the ice. + +In the morning Kane and M'Gary climbed a berg some three hundred feet +high. They were appalled by their situation; the water was far away, and +huge bergs and ugly hummocks intervened. M'Gary, an old-whaleman, +familiar from early manhood with the hardships of Arctic voyaging, wept +at the sight. + +There was but one way out of this entanglement; the sledges must be +taken from the sides of the boats, where they had been hung for such +emergencies, the boats placed on them, and the old drag-rope practice +must be tried until the expedition reached the edge of the floe. One +sledge, that which bore the "Red Eric," had been used for fuel; so the +"Red Eric" itself was knocked to pieces, and stowed away for the same +use. About three days were consumed in thus toiling before they reached +the lead which they had left, launched once more into waters, and sailed +away before a fine breeze. + +Thus far the boats had kept along the outer edge of the floe, following +the openings through the ice. But as this was slow work, though much +safer, they now ventured a while in the open sea farther west; but they +were driven back to the floe by heavy fogs, and on trying to get the +boats into a lead, one of those incidents occurred so often noticed, in +which God's hand was clearly seen. All hands were drawing up the "Hope," +and she had just reached a resting-place on the floe, when-the "Faith," +their best boat, with all their stores on board, went adrift. The sight +produced an almost panic sensation among the men. The "Hope" could not +possibly be launched in time to overtake her, for she was drifting +rapidly. But before they could collect their thoughts to devise the +means of her rescue, a cake of ice swung round, touched the floe where +they stood, reaching at the same time nearly to the "Faith," thus +bridging over the chasm. Instantly Kane and M'Gary sprung upon it, and +from it into the escaping boat. She was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SAVED. + + +MATTERS were getting into a serious condition. The delays had been so +many that the stock of birds had been eaten, and the men had been for +several days on short allowance, which showed itself in their failing +strength. They were far out to sea, midway of the Melville Bay +navigation, and the boats were receiving a rough handling, and required +continual bailing to keep them from sinking. + +It was just at this crisis that the ever timely aid came. A large seal +was seen floating upon a small patch of ice, seeming to be asleep. A +signal was given for the "Hope" to fall astern, while the "Faith" +approached noiselessly upon him, with stockings drawn over the oars. +Petersen lay in the bow with a large English rifle, and as they drew +near, the men were so excited that they could scarcely row; the safety +of the whole company seemed staked upon the capture of that seal. When +within three hundred yards, the oars were taken in, and the boat moved +silently on by a scull-oar at the stern. The seal was not asleep, for +when just beyond the reach of the ball he raised his head. The thin, +care-worn, almost despairing faces of the men showed their deep concern +as he appeared about to make his escape. Dr. Kane gave the signal to +fire; but poor Petersen, almost paralyzed by anxiety, was trying +nervously to get a rest for his gun on the edge of the bow. The seal +rose on his fore-flipper, looked curiously around, and coiled himself up +for a plunge. The rifle cracked at the instant, and the seal at the same +moment drooped his head one side, and stretched his full length on the +ice at the brink of his hole. With a frantic yell the men urged the +boats to the floe, seized the seal, and bore him to a safer place. They +brandished their knives, cut long strips of the seal, and went dancing +about the floe, eating and sucking their bloody fingers in wild delight. +The seal was large and fat, but not an ounce of him was wasted. A fire +was built that night on the floe, and the joyous feast went on until +hunger was appeased; they had driven away its gnawings, and, happily, it +returned no more. + +On the first of August they had passed the terrible bay, and sighted +land on its southern side. Familiar landmarks of the whalers came in +sight. They passed the Duck Islands and Cape Shackelton, and coasted +along by the hills, seeking a cove in which to land. One was soon found, +the boats drawn up, a little time spent in thanksgiving and +congratulations, and then they lay down on the dry land and slept. + +They continued to coast near the shore, dodging about among the islands, +and dropping into the bays, and landing for rest at night. It was at +one of these sleeping-halts on the rocks that Petersen saw one of the +natives, whom he recognized as an old acquaintance; he was in his kayak +seeking eider-down among the rocks. Petersen hailed him, but the man +played shy. "Paul Zacharias," shouted Petersen, "don't you know me? I am +Carl Petersen!" + +"No," replied the man; "his wife says he's dead." + +The native stared at the weather-beaten, long-bearded man for a moment +as he loomed up through the fog, and then turned the bow of his boat, +and paddled away as if a phantom was pursuing him. + +Two days after this the explorers were rowing leisurely along in a fog, +which had just began to lift and dimly reveal the objects on shore. At +this moment a familiar sound came to them over the water. It was the +"huk" of the Esquimo, for which they had often taken the bark of a fox +or the startling screech of the gulls; but this "huk! huk!" died away in +the home-thrilling "halloo!" + +"Listen, Petersen! what is it?" + +Petersen listened quietly for a moment, and then, trembling with +emotion, said, in an undertone, "Dannemarkers!" + +Then the whole company stood up and peered into the distant nooks, in +breathless silence to catch the sound again. The sound came again, and +all was a moment silent. It was the first Christian voice they had heard +beyond their own party for two years. But they saw nothing. Was it not +a cheat after all of their nervous, excited feelings? The men sat down +again and bent to their oars, and their boats swept in for the cape from +which the sound proceeded. They scanned narrowly every nook and green +spot where the strangers might be found. A full half hour passed in this +exciting search. At last the single mast of a small shallop was seen. +Petersen, who had kept himself during the search very still and sober, +burst into a fit of crying, relieved by broken exclamations of English +and Danish, gulping down his words at intervals, and wringing his hands +all the while. "'Tis the Upernavik oil-boat!" "The Mariane has come! and +Carlie Mossyn--" + +Petersen had hit the facts. The annual ship, Mariane, had arrived at +Proven, and Carlie Mossyn had come up to get the year's supply of +blubber from Kinqatok. + +Here our explorers listened while Carlie, in answer to their questions, +gave them a hint of what had been going on in the civilized world during +their long absence. The Crimean war had been begun and was in bloody +progress, but "Sebastopol wasn't taken!" "Where and what is Sebastopol?" +they queried. "But what of America?" Carlie didn't know much about that +country, for no whale ships were on the coast, but said "a steamer and a +bark passed up a fortnight ago seeking your party." + +"What of Sir John Franklin?" they next inquired. Carlie said the priest +had a German newspaper which said traces of his boats and dead had been +found! Yes, found a thousand miles away from the region where our +explorers had been looking for them! + +One more row into the fog and one more halting on the rocks. They all +washed clean in the fresh water of the basins, and brushed up their +ragged furs and woolens. The next morning they neared the settlement of +Upernavik, of which Petersen had been foreman, and they heard the +yelling of the dogs as its snowy hill-top showed itself through the +mist, and the tolling of the workmen's bells calling them to their daily +labor came as sweet music to their ears. They rowed into the big harbor, +landed by an old Brewhouse, and hauled their boats up for the last time. +A crowd of merry children came round them with cheerful faces and +curious eyes. In the crowd were the wife and children of Petersen. Our +explorers were safe; their perils were over! + +Having lived in the open air for eighty-four days, they felt a sense of +suffocation within the walls of a house. But divided among many kind, +hospitable homes, they drank their coffee and listened to hymns of +welcome sung by many voices. + +The people of Upernavik fitted up a loft for the reception of the +wayfarers, and showed them great kindness. They remained until the sixth +of September, and then embarked on the Danish vessel "Mariane," whose +captain was to leave them at the nearest English port on his way to +Denmark. The boat "Faith" was taken on board, as a relic of their +perilous adventure; the document box containing their precious records, +and the furs on their backs--these were all that were saved of the +heroic brig "Advance." + +The "Mariane" made a short stay at Godhavn. The searching company under +Captain Hartstene had left there for the icy north one the twenty-first +of July, since which nothing was known of them. + +The "Mariane" was on the eve of leaving with our explorers when the +lookout shouted from the hill-top that a steamer was in the distance. It +drew near with a bark in tow, both flying the stars and stripes. The +"Faith" was lowered for the last time, and, with Brooks at the helm, Dr. +Kane went out to meet them. As they came alongside Captain Hartstene +hailed: "Is that Dr. Kane?" "Yes!" Instantly the men sprung into the +rigging and gave cheers of welcome; and the whole country, on the +arrival of the long-lost explorers, repeated the glad shout of welcome; +and the Christian world echoed, "Welcome!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +OFF AGAIN. + + +DR. KANE'S party came home, as we have seen, in the fall of 1855. Dr. +Hayes, with whom we have become acquainted as one of that number, began +immediately to present the desirableness of further exploration in the +same direction to the scientific men of the country, and to the public +generally. His object was to sail to the west side of Smith's Sound, +instead of the east, as in the last voyage, and to gather additional +facts concerning the currents, the aurora, the glaciers, the directions +and intensity of "the magnetic force," and so to aid in settling many +interesting scientific questions. He aimed also, of course, to further +peer into the mysteries of the open Polar Sea. + +These efforts resulted in the fitting out for this purpose, in the +summer of 1860, the schooner "United States," and the appointment of Dr. +Hayes as commander. She left Boston July sixth, manned by fourteen +persons all told. The vessel was small, but made for arctic warfare, and +as she turned her prow North Poleward, she bore a defiant spirit, and, +like all inexperienced warriors, reckoned the victory already hers. But +if the vessel was "green" her commander was not. He was well able to +help her in the coming battle with icebergs and floes. + +Among her men were only two besides the doctor who had seen arctic +service, one of whom was Professor August Sontag, who had been of Kane's +party, and had also been of the number who accompanied Dr. Hayes in the +attempt to escape. Of the rest of the crew were two young men nearly of +an age, about eighteen, who are represented as joining the expedition +because they would, and in love of adventure. Their names were George F. +Knorr, commander's clerk, and Collins C. Starr. Both pressed their +desire to go upon Dr. Hayes, and Starr told him that he would go in +_any_ capacity. The commander told him he might go in the forecastle +with the common sailors, and the next day, to the surprise of the +doctor, he found him on board, manfully at work with the roughest of the +men, having doffed his silk hat, fine broadcloth, and shining boots of +the elegant young man of the day before. The commander was so pleased +with his spirit that he promoted him on the spot, sending him off to be +sailing-master's mate. + +In a little less than four weeks of prosperous sailing, the "United +States" was at the Danish port of Proven, Greenland. It was the +intention of the commander to get a supply here of the indispensable +dog-teams, but disease had raged among them, and none could be bought. +The vessel was delayed, in order that the chief trader, Mr. Hansen, who +was daily expected from Upernavik, might be consulted in the matter. +When he arrived he gave a gloomy account of the dog-market, but kindly +_gave_ the expedition his own teams. The couriers which had been sent +out to scour the country for others, returned with four old dogs and a +less number of good ones. + +On the evening of the twelfth of August the explorers arrived at +Upernavik. The Danish brig "Thialfe" lay at anchor in the harbor, about +to sail for Copenhagen with a cargo of skins and oil, so the first +letters to the dear ones at home were hastily written to send by her. +They bore sad news to at least one family circle. Mr. Gibson Caruther +retired to his berth well on the evening of their arrival, and in the +morning was found dead. He had escaped the perils of the first Grinnell +Expedition under Capt. De Haven to die thus suddenly ere those of his +second voyage had begun. He was beloved, able, and intelligent, and his +death was a great loss to the enterprise. His companions laid him away +in the mission burial-ground, the missionary, Mr. Anton, officiating. + +Before leaving Upernavik, Dr. Hayes secured the services of an Esquimo +interpreter, one Peter Jensen, who brought on board with him one of the +best dog-teams of the country; and soon after he came, two more Esquimo +hunters and dog-drivers were enlisted; and a still better addition to +the expedition were two Danish sailors, one of whom is our old friend +whom we left here some five years ago rejoicing in re-union with wife +and children--Carl Christian Petersen. Petersen enlisted as carpenter +as well as sailor. + +With these six persons added to her company, making it twenty in all, +the "United States" left Upernavik to enter upon the earnest work of the +expedition. The settlement had scarcely faded in the distance, when the +icebergs were seen marshaling their forces to give the little voyager +battle. A long line of them was formed just across her course, some more +than two hundred feet high and a mile long. They were numberless, and at +a distance seemed to make a solid, jagged ice-wall. When the schooner +was fairly in among them, the sunlight was shut out as it is from the +traveler in a dense forest. She felt the wind in a "cat's-paw" now and +then, and so the helm lost its control of her, and she went banging +against first one berg and then another. The bergs themselves minded not +the little breeze which was blowing, but swept majestically along by the +under current. The navigators were kept on the alert to keep the vessel +from fatal collision with its huge, cold, defiant enemies, as the +surface current drove it helplessly onward. Sometimes, as they +approached one, the boats were lowered, and the vessel was towed away +from danger; at another crisis, as it neared one berg, an anchor was +planted in another in an opposite direction, and she was warped into a +place of security. Occasionally they tied up to a berg and waited for a +chance for progress. + +While thus beset with dangers, there were occasions of some pleasant +excitement. The birds were abundant and of many varieties, affording +sport for the hunters and fresh food for the table; the seals sported in +the clear water, and were shot for the larder of the dogs; and Dr. Hayes +and Professor Sontag found employment with their scientific instruments. + +Such had been the state of things for four days, when one morning the +vessel was borne toward a large berg, of a kind the sailors called +"touch-me-nots." It was an old voyager, whose jagged sides, high towers, +deep valleys and swelling hills, showed that time, the sun, and the +tides, had laid their hands upon it. Such bergs are about as good +neighbors as an avalanche on a mountain side, just ready for a run into +the valley below. Warps and tow-boats, instantly and vigorously used, +failed to stop the schooner's headway. She touched the berg, and down +dropped fragments of it larger than the vessel, followed by a shower of +smaller pieces; but they went clear of the vessel. Now the berg began to +revolve, turning toward the explorers, and as its towering sides settled +slowly over them, fragments poured upon the deck--a fearful hail-storm. +There was no safety for the men except in the forecastle, and there +appeared to be no escape for the schooner. But just in time an immense +section of the base of the berg, which seemed to be far below the water +line, broke off, and rose to the surface with a sudden rush, which threw +the sea into violent commotion. The balance of the berg was changed; it +paused, and then began, slowly at first but with increasing rapidity, +to turn in the opposite direction. If this was intended as a retreat of +the bergy foe, it defended well its rear. At its base, from which the +piece had just been broken, was an icy projection toward the vessel; as +the berg revolved, this tongue came up and struck the keel. It seemed +intent upon tossing the vessel into the air, or rolling her over and +leaving her bottom side up upon the sea. The men seized their poles and +pushed vigorously to launch the vessel from the perilous position, but +in vain. Just in time again the unseen Hand interfered for their +deliverance. Deafening reports, like a park of artillery, saluted their +ears, and a misty smoke arose above the berg. Its opposite side was +breaking up, and launching its towering peaks into the sea. The berg +paused again and began to roll back, and thus for the moment released +the vessel. The boat had in the meantime fastened an anchor in a +grounded berg, and the welcome shout came, "Haul in!" Steadily and with +a will the men drew upon the rope, and the vessel moved slowly from the +scene of danger, not, however, before the returning top of the berg had +launched upon her deck a shower of ice-fragments, in fearful assurance +that its whole side would soon follow and bury them as the shepherd's +hut is buried by a mountain slide. A few moments later and the side came +down with a tremendous crash, sending its spray over the escaped vessel, +and tossing it as the drift-wood is tossed in the eddies beneath a +water-fall. + +All that day the roar of the icy cannon was continued, as if a naval +battle was in progress for the empire of the north, and berg after berg +went down, strewing the sea with their shattered fragments, while misty +clouds floated over the field of conflict. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +COLLIDING FLOES. + + +AFTER this ice encounter the expedition put into a little port called +Tessuissak, to complete their outfit of dogs. An impatient tarry of two +days enabled them to count, on the deck of the little vessel, thirty +first-class, howling dogs, whose amiable tempers found expression in +biting each other, and making both day and night hideous with their +noise. + +This port was left on the twenty-third of August, and, much to the joy +of all, the dreaded Melville Bay was clear of the ice-pack; the +icebergs, however, kept their watch over its storm-tossed waters. +Through these waters driven before a fierce wind, and buried often in a +fog so dense that the length of the vessel could not be seen, the +"United States" sped. Its anxious commander was on deck night and day, +not knowing the moment when an icy wall, as fatal to the vessel as one +of granite, might arrest its course and send it instantly to the bottom +of the sea. Once they passed so near a berg just crossing their track +that the fore-yard grazed its side, and the spray from its surf-beaten +wall was thrown upon the deck. A berg at one time hove in sight with an +arch through it large enough for a passage-way for the schooner. The +explorers declined, however, the novel adventure. The passage of +Melville Bay was made, with sails only, in fifty-five hours. The pack +which had invariably troubled explorers seemed to have been enjoying a +summer vacation, and the bergs were off duty. The expedition had reached +the North Water and lay off Cape York. + +The ocean current which sweeps past this cape, and opens the way to the +other side of Baffin Bay, is wonderful. It is the great Polar current +which comes rushing down through Spitzbergen Sea, along the eastern +coast of Greenland, laden with ice, and taking the waters of its rivers +with their freight of drift-wood as it passes. Leaving most of the wood +along its shore, a welcome gift to the people, it sweeps around Cape +Farewell, courses near the western shore in its run north until it has +passed Melville Bay. When it has crossed over to the American shore near +Jones Strait, it joins the current from the Arctic Sea, turns south, and +makes the long journey until it reaches our own coast, dropping its ice +freight as it goes, and sending its cooling air through the +heat-oppressed atmosphere of our summer. + +As our explorers approached the shore of Cape York they looked carefully +for the natives. Soon a company of Esquimo were seen making their wild +gesticulations to attract attention. A boat was lowered, and Dr. Hayes +and Professor Sontag went ashore, and as they approached the +landing-place one of the Esquimo called them by name. It was our old +friend Hans, of the Kane voyage, who, the reader will recollect, left +his white friends for an Esquimo wife. The group consisted, besides +Hans, of his wife and baby, his wife's mother, an old woman having +marked talking ability, and her son, a bright-eyed boy of twelve years. +Hans had found his self-imposed banishment among the savages of this +extreme north rather tedious. He had removed his family to this lookout +for the whale ships, and had watched and waited. It was the dreariest of +places, and his hut, pitched on a bleak spot the better to command a +view of the sea, was the most miserable of abodes. It had plainly cost +him dear to break his faith with his confiding commander and the friends +of his early Christian home. + +Dr. Hayes asked Hans if he would go with the expedition. He answered +promptly, "Yes." + +"Would you take your wife and baby?" + +"Yes." + +"Would you go without them?" + +"Yes." + +He was taken on board with his wife and baby. The mother and her boy +cried to go, but the schooner was already overcrowded. + +Leaving Cape York, the vessel spread her sails before a "ten-knot" +breeze, and dodging the icebergs with something of a reckless daring, +seemed bent on reaching the Polar Sea before winter set in. At one time +what appeared to be two icebergs a short distance apart lay in the +course of the vessel. The helmsman was ordered to steer between them, +for to go round involved quite a circuit. On dashed the brave little +craft for the narrow passage. When she was almost abreast of them the +officer on the lookout shuddered to see that the seeming bergs were but +one, and that the connecting ice appeared to be only a few feet below +the surface. It was too late to stop the headway of the vessel, or to +turn her to the right or left. She rushed onward, but the water of the +opening proved to be deeper than it appeared, and her keel but touched +once or twice, just to show how narrow was the escape. + +Hans was delighted with his return to ship life. His wife seemed pleased +and half bewildered by the strange surroundings. The baby crowed, +laughed, and cried, and ate and slept--like other babies. + +The sailors put the new comers through a soap-and-water ordeal, to which +was added the use of scissors and combs. Esquimo do not bathe, nor +practice the arts of the barber, and consequently they keep numerous +boarders on their persons. When this necessary cleansing and cropping +was done, they donned red shirts and other luxuries of civilization. +With the new dresses they were delighted, and they were never tired of +strutting about in them. But the soap and water was not so agreeable. At +first it was taken as a rough joke, but the wife soon began to cry. She +inquired of her husband if it was a religious ceremony of the white men. + +The vessel made good time until she came within three miles of Cape +Alexander. It was now August twenty-eighth, and so it was time these +Arctic regions should begin to show their peculiar temper. A storm came +down upon them, pouring the vials of its wrath upon the shivering vessel +for about three days. During a lull in the storm the schooner was hauled +under the shelter of the highlands of Cape Alexander and anchored. She +rocked and plunged fearfully. At one time when these gymnastics were +going on, the old Swedish cook came to the commander in the cabin with +refreshments, but he was hardly able to keep his "sea legs." He remarks +as he comes in, "I falls down once, but de commander sees I keeps de +coffee. It's good an' hot, and very strong, and go right down into de +boots." + +"Bad night on deck, cook," remarks the captain. + +"O, it's awful, sar! I never see it blow so hard in all my life, an' I's +followed de sea morn'n forty years. An' den it's so cold! My galley is +full of ice, and de water, it freeze on my stove." + +"Here, cook, is a guernsey for you. It will keep you warm." + +"Tank you, sar!" says the cook, starting off with his prize. But +encouraged by the kind bearing of his captain, he stops and asks, "Would +the commander be so kind as to tell me where we is? De gentlemen fool +me." + +"Certainly, cook. The land over there is Greenland; the big cape is Cape +Alexander; beyond that is Smith's Sound, and we are only about eight +hundred miles from the North Pole." + +"De Nort Pole! vere's dat?" + +The commander explains as well as he can. + +"Tank you, sar. Vat for we come--to fish?" + +"No, not to fish, cook; for science." + +"O, dat it! Dey tell me we come to fish. Tank you, sar." + +The old cook pulls his greasy cap over his bald head and thinks. +"Science!" "De Nort Pole!" He don't get the meaning of these through his +cap, and he "tumbles up" the companion-ladder, and goes to the galley to +enjoy his guernsey. + +Dr. Hayes and Knorr went ashore and climbed to the top of the cliffs, +twelve hundred feet. The wind was fearfully breezy, and Knorr's cap left +and went sailing like a feather out to sea. The view was full of arctic +grandeur, but not flattering to the storm-bound navigators. Ice was +evidently king a little farther north. + +Soon after the explorer's return to the vessel the storm gathered fresh +power, and the anchors began to drag. Soon one hawser parted, and away +went the schooner, with fearful velocity, and brought up against a berg. +The crash was appalling, and the stern boat flew into splinters. The +spars were either bent or carried away; and, as they attempted to hoist +the mainsail, it went to pieces. The crippled craft was with difficulty +worked back into the projecting covert of Cape Alexander. Her decks were +covered with ice, and the dogs were perishing with wet and cold, three +having died. + +Having repaired damages as well as they could, they again pushed into +the pack of Smith's Sound, which lay between them and open water, +visible far to the north. Entering a lead under full sail, they made +good progress for awhile; but suddenly a solid floe shot across the +channel, and the vessel, with full headway, struck it like a battering +ram. The cut-water flew into splinters, and the iron sheathing of the +bows was torn off as if it had been paper. + +Pushing off from the floe, and passing through a narrow lead, they +emerged into an area of open water. But the floe was on the alert. This +began to close up, and, taking a hint of foul play, the explorers +steered toward the shore. But the ice battalions moved with celerity, +piled up across the vessel's bow, and closed in on every side. In an +hour they held her as in a vice, while the reserve force was called up +to crush her to atoms. The foe was jubilant, for the power at his +command was kindred to that of the earthquake. An ice-field of millions +of tons, moved by combined wind and current, rushed upon the solid +ice-field which rested against the immovable rocks of the shore. Between +these was the schooner--less than an egg-shell between colliding, +heavily laden freight trains. As the pressure came steadily, in well +assured strength, she groaned and shrieked like a thing of conscious +pain, writhing and twisting as if striving to escape her pitiless +adversary. Her deck timbers bowed, and the seams of the deck-planks +opened, while her sides seemed ready to yield. + +Thus far the closing forces were permitted to strike severely on the +side of the helpless vessel, to show that they could crush her as rotten +fruit is crushed in a strong man's hand. Then He, without whose +permission no force in nature moves, and at whose word they are +instantly stayed, directed the floe under the strongly timbered "bilge" +of the hull, and, with a jerk which sent the men reeling about the deck, +lifted the vessel out of the water. The floes now fought their battle +out beneath her, as if they disdained, like the lion with the mouse in +his paw, to crush so small a thing. Great ridges were piled up about +her, and one underneath lifted her high into the air. Eight hours she +remained in this situation, while the lives of all on board seemed +suspended on the slenderest thread. + +Then came the yielding and breaking up of the floes. Once, at the +commencing of the giving way, an ice prop of the bows suddenly yielded, +let the forward end of the vessel down while the stern was high in the +air. But finally the battered craft settled squarely into the water. + +She was leaking badly, and the pumps were kept moving with vigor. The +rudder was split, and two of its bolts broken; the stern-post started, +and fragments of the cut-water and keel were floating away. But, strange +to say, no essential injury was done. She was slowly navigated into +Hartstene or _Etah_ Bay, where we have been so often, anchored safely, +and repairs immediately commenced. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE WINTER HOME. + + +ONE more effort, after the repairs were finished, was made to push +through the ice-floe of Smith's Sound. This resulting in failure, it was +plainly impossible to get farther north. The vessel was brought into +Etah Bay again, a harbor found eight miles north-east of Cape Alexander, +and eighty by the coast from the harbor of the "Advance," though only +twenty in a straight line, and preparations were at once begun for +winter. Peter, the Esquimo dog-driver, and Hans were appointed a hunting +party. Sontag, the astronomer, with three assistants, was mainly engaged +in scientific observations and experiments. There was work for all the +rest. Some were engaged in unloading the cargo and lifting it by a +derrick to a terrace on the shore, far above the highest tide, where a +storehouse was made for it. The hold of the schooner was cleared, +scrubbed, and white-washed, a stove set up, and made a home for the +sailors. The sails and yards were "sent down," the upper deck roofed in, +making a house eight feet high at the ridge, and six and a half at the +sides. + +The crew moved into their new quarters on the first of October. The +event was celebrated by a holiday dinner. There was joy on shipboard; +thankful for escapes granted by the great Protector, trustful for the +future, and, greatly encouraged by present blessings, none were unhappy. +The hunters were very successful, bringing in every day game of the best +kind, and in great abundance. A dozen reindeer were suspended from the +shrouds, and clusters of rabbits and foxes were hung in the rigging; +besides these, deposits of reindeer were made in various directions. The +hard-working men ate heartily of the relishing fresh food, and laughed +to scorn the scurvy. They called the place of their winter quarters Port +Foulke. + +When the floe became frozen, the sledges were put in readiness for the +dog-teams. The dogs having been well fed, were in fine condition. + +Blocks of ice were used to make a wall about the vessel, from the floe +to the deck, between which and her sides the snow was crowded, making a +solid defense against the cold. + +On the fifteenth of October the sun bade them farewell for four months, +and they anticipated the coming darkness under circumstances certainly +much better than had been often granted to arctic sojourners. + +As there was yet a long twilight, dog-trips were very exhilarating. Dr. +Hayes once rode behind his dogs twelve measured miles in an hour and one +minute, without a moment's halt. Sontag and the captain raced their +teams, the captain beating, as was becoming, by four minutes. + +The dogs were made to know their masters--a knowledge quite necessary +for the good of all. Jensen observed that one of his team was getting +rebellious. "You see dat beast," he said. "I takes a piece out of his +ear." The long lash unrolls, the sinewy snapper on its tip touches the +tip of the dog's ear, and takes out a piece as neatly as a sharp knife +would have done. + +The same day Jensen's skill at dog driving was put to a severe test. A +fox crossed their path. Up went their tails, curling over their backs, +their short ears pricked forward, and away they went in full chase. In +such a case woe be to the driver who cannot take a piece of flesh out of +any dog in the team at each snap of his merciless whip. Jensen was +usually master of such a situation, but it so happened that a strong +wind blew directly in the face of the team and carried the lash back +before it reached its victim. Missing its terrible bite, the dogs became +for a while unmanageable and raced after the fox at full speed. To make +matters worse, treacherous ice lay just ahead. The dogs were already on +the heels of the fox, and about to make a meal of him, when Jensen +regained full control of his whip. It stung severely, now this one and +then that. Their tails dropped, their ears drooped, and they paused and +obeyed their master. But they were greatly provoked at the loss of the +game, and at the harsh subjection, and, with characteristic amiability, +they commenced to snap at and bite each other. Jensen jumped from the +sledge and laid the whip-stock on them, knocking them to the right and +left, until, it is presumed, made very loving by the process, they went +about their assigned business. + +Parties of the explorers were out nearly every day, hunting, or pursuing +the scientific inquiries. + +Knorr, the secretary of the commander, was off with Hans. He had his +adventure to talk about on his return. He wounded in the valley a +reindeer, which hobbled on three legs up a steep hill. The young hunter +followed, and, getting within easy range, brought it down by a +well-aimed shot. The deer being in a line with Knorr, came sliding down +the hill, and, knocking against him, both went tumbling down together. +Fortunately he carried no broken bones, but only bruises to the vessel +as mementoes of his deer hunt. + +Sontag, on the same day, had his perilous incident. He had climbed to +the top of a glacier by cutting steps in the ice. Across the ice was a +crack, bridged over with thin ice, but entirely concealed by it. +Stepping on this he broke through and fell into the chasm; fortunately +it was a narrow one, and the barometer which he carried, crossing the +creek, broke the fall and probably saved his life. On what a slender +thread hangs this mortal existence! + +During this sledging season Dr. Hayes visited the homes of our old +acquaintance at Etah, which was only four miles from the schooner; but +they were deserted. Near the huts was a splendid buck, busily engaged in +pawing up and eating the moss from under the snow. He seemed so +unsuspecting, and withal so honestly engaged, that the doctor, though +he had crept on the leeward side, within easy range, was reluctant to +fire. Twice he aimed, and twice dropped his gun from its level. Bringing +it to sight the third time he fired, and the ball went crashing through +the noble animal. We hear nothing of compunction in eating him on the +part of any on shipboard, and probably the pitying reader would have had +none. + +Our old friend Hans does not appear so favorably in the present +narrative as he did in that of Dr. Kane. His five years of chosen exile +among his purely heathen countrymen does not seem to have left many +traces of his Christian education. Some allowance, however, must be made +for a difference of estimate of his character by his former and present +commander. In Dr. Hayes's judgment, "he is a type of the worst phase of +the Esquimo character." + +Hans's domestic relations are represented as not of the most happy kind. +His wife's name is Merkut, but is known to the sailors as "Mrs. Hans." +She passes for a "beauty," as Esquimo beauty goes; has a flush of red on +rather a fair cheek when, exceptionally, she uses soap and water enough +for it to be seen through the usual coating of dirt. Their baby, ten +months' old, bears the pleasant name of Pingasuk--"Pretty One." Hans has +a household of his own. He pitched a tent, when the schooner went into +winter-quarters, under the roof of the upper deck. The Esquimo Marcus +and Jacob make a part of his family. Here, wrapped in their furs, where +they choose to be, they huddle together, warm "as fleas in a rug," +though the temperature is seldom higher than about the freezing point. +Little "Pretty One" creeps out of the tent about the deck, having for +covering only the ten months' accumulation of grease and dirt, not +unfrequently accompanied by its mother, who on such occasion is +guiltless of "costly array," or much of any whatever. + +Hans's gentlemen lodgers were taken on board as dog-drivers, but they +seemed to have been of no possible use except to give occasion for the +mirthful jokes of the sailors. + +Peter, chief dog manager, a converted Esquimo, brother to Jacob, gave +his commander excellent satisfaction and stood high in his esteem. He +was skillful, industrious, and trustworthy. Between him and Hans an +intense jealousy existed. Hans had, under Dr. Kane, no rival in his +sphere. Peter was now, at least, a peer, and so the glory of his +exaltation from Esquimo hut-life was greatly eclipsed. His master even +preferred Peter before him; but Prof. Sontag clung, with a little of the +Dr. Kane partiality, to the favorite of the former voyage. + +Hans had no reason, however, to complain of the consideration shown him +by his chief. At one time he gave him, to quiet his jealousy, a new suit +of clothes, with the very reddest of flannel shirts. In these he +appeared at the Sunday inspection and religious service, quite as elated +at his personal adornment, though probably not more so, as the "fine +gents" of our home Sabbath assemblies. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +GLACIERS. + +THE glacier is one of the wonderful things of the northern regions. We +will visit one with Dr. Hayes, and, on our return to the vessel, listen +to some curious and interesting facts concerning it. Although there was +no sunshine at the time of the first glacier excursion, the twilight was +long and clear; it was October twenty-first. The run was made to the +foot of the glacier from the vessel, with the dogs, in forty minutes. It +appeared here as a great ice-wall, one hundred feet high and a mile +broad. The glacier in descending the valley extended in breadth not +quite to the slope of the hills, so it left between them and each of its +sides a gorge. It is very curious that the ice should not lean against +the hills as it slips along and thus fill up all the valley as water +would. + +Our party first stopped and examined the front face of the glacier. It +was nearly perpendicular, but bulging out a little in the middle. It was +worn in places by the summer streams which run over it, and marred in +other parts by the fall of great fragments into the valley below. While +our visitors were gazing at it a crystal block came down as an angry +hint for them to stand from under. Wisely heeding the warning, they +turned up one of the gorges between the glacier side and the hill. Here +was rough traveling, and, we should think, dangerous too. There were +strewed along in their path ice fragments from the glacier on one side, +and rocks and earth which had slid down the hill on the other. If the +glacier was as evil disposed as its children, the icebergs, it might let +loose some of its projecting crags on their heads. + +Finding a favorable place, they began to cut steps in the side of the +glacier in order to mount to its surface. Having reached the top they +cautiously walked to the center of the icy stream, drove two stakes on a +line in it, and then two half way between these and the sides of the +glacier. Then they measured the distance of these stakes from each +other, and sighted from their tops fixed objects on the hills. They +purposed to come in the spring and examine the distance apart of the +stakes, and sight from them the fixed objects, so as to determine how +fast the frozen river was moving down the valley. Having set the stakes +they scampered back to the vessel. + +After a little rest another journey to the glacier was made, this time +without the dogs, the sledges, having a light outfit, being drawn by the +men. These were young Knorr, the sailor M'Donald, Mr. Heywood, a +landsman from the west--an amateur explorer--the Dane, Petersen, and the +Esquimo, Peter. When they arrived at the gorge, the way was so rough +that they were compelled to carry the sledge loads in parcels on their +backs. It was rough work, and they sought an early camp; but with the +frowning ice-cliffs on one side and hill-crags on the other, both +evil-minded in the use of their icy and rocky missiles, and with also +the uneven bed of rocks beneath them, no wonder they did not sleep. They +were soon astir, pushed farther up the gorge, and finding a favorable +place, began to cut steps up the glacier. The first one who attempted to +mount reached some distance, then slipped, and in sliding down carried +with him his companions who were following, and the whole company were +promiscuously tumbled into the gorge. The one going ahead had better +luck the next trial, carrying a rope by which the sledge was drawn up, +and all mounted in safety. + +They now started off up this ice-river toward the great sea of ice from +whence it flowed. The surface was at first rough, and of course slightly +descending toward its front edge. Dr. Hayes walked in advance of the +sledge party, carrying a pole over his head grasped by both hands, being +fearful of the treacherous cracks hidden by their ice. Soon down he went +into one, but the pole reached across the chasm and he scrambled out. +The depth of the chasm remains a mystery to this day. The ice grew +smoother as they proceeded, and they made about five miles, pitched +their canvas tents, cooked with their lamp a good supper, made coffee, +ate and drank like weary men, crept into their fur sleeping bags, and +slept soundly though the thermometer was about fifteen degrees below +zero. The next day they traveled thirty miles, and came upon an even +plain where the surface of the ice-sea was covered with many feet of +snow, the crust of which broke through at every step. This made very +hard traveling, yet the following day they tramped twenty-five miles +more. Now came the ever-at-hand Arctic storm. They camped, but lower and +lower fell the temperature, and fiercer and fiercer blew the wind. They +could not sleep, so they decided to turn their faces homeward. The frost +nipped their fingers, and assailed their faces, as they hastily packed +up and started. They were five thousand feet above the level of the sea, +and seventy miles from the coast, and were standing in the midst of a +vast icy desert. There was neither mountain nor hill in sight. As in +mid-ocean the sailor beholds the sea bounded only by the sky, so here +they beheld only ice, which stretched away to the horizon on every +side--truly a sea of ice. Clouds of snow whirled along its surface, at +times rising and disappearing in the cold air, or drifted across the +face of the setting moon--beautiful clouds of fleecy whiteness to the +eye, but "burning" the flesh as they pelted the retreating explorers, +like the fiery sand-clouds of the Great Sahara. They scud before the +wind, which they dared not for a moment face, nor halted until they had +traveled forty miles and descended two thousand feet. They then pitched +their tents, the cold and wind having lessened though yet severe. They +arrived at the ship the next evening, not seriously the worse for their +daring "sea-voyage" on foot. + +Having been refreshed by food and rest, no doubt our explorers discussed +the great glacier problem, and pleasantly chased away many an hour in +talk about what they had seen and what they had read on this interesting +subject. We think their conversation included some of the following +facts:-- + +The ice upon which they had been voyaging is a part of a great ocean of +ice covering the central line of Greenland from Cape Farewell on the +south to the farthest known northern boundary, a distance of at least +twelve hundred miles. Instead of being formed of drops of water like +more southern oceans, it is made up of crystallized dew-drops and +snow-flakes, which have been falling for ages, and which in these cold +regions have no summer long enough, nor of sufficient heat, to convert +them into water again. + +But if the crystal dews and snows continue to fall for ages, and never +melt, what prevents them from piling up to the sky, and sinking the very +continent? The all-wise Director of the universe has made a very curious +arrangement to prevent such a result. This ice-ocean runs off into the +sea in great ice-rivers which find their way to the shore on both sides +of the continent, just as the water does which falls from the clouds on +the top of the Andes of South America. There we see the mighty Amazon, +one of its rivers, almost an ocean of itself, as it sweeps along its +banks between mountains, and through immense forests. Greenland has its +Amazons in vastness and grandeur, as well as its smaller rivers and +little streams. It has also its lakes and sublime Niagaras, its falls +and cascades. But they are ice instead of water; that is all the +difference between this Arctic circulation and that of warmer regions. + +But of course this ice is not like that which many of the readers see +every winter. It is a half-solid, pasty kind of substance. It holds +together, yet slides along from the higher land where it accumulates, +filling up the valleys, breaking through the openings in the mountain +and hilly ridges, and pouring over the precipices; slowly, silently, but +with mighty force, ever pressing onward until it reaches the sea. + +These ice rivers move very slowly. It will be remembered that Dr. Hayes +drove some stakes down in the one he visited in October. In the +following July he visited the glacier again, and compared the relation +of these to the landmarks he had noted. He thus found that this +ice-river moved over one hundred feet a year. It had come down the +valley ten miles. Two more miles would bring it to the sea. Some glacier +streams which they visited were yet many miles from the shore, one as +far away as sixty miles. The Great Glacier of Humboldt, farther north, +was several times visited by Dr. Kane and parties of his explorers. Its +face is a solid, glassy wall three hundred feet above the water-level, +and in extending from Cape Agassiz, a measured distance north, of sixty +miles, and then disappearing in the unknown polar regions. Surely this +must be the mouth of the Amazon of glacier rivers. + +But the history of these rivers does not end when they reach the sea. +When their broad and high glassy front touches the water it does not +melt away nor fall to pieces, but goes down to the bottom, and if it be +a shallow bay or arm of the sea, pushes the water back and fills up the +whole space, it may be for many miles. When it reaches water so deep +that more than seven eighths of its front is below the surface, it +begins to feel an upward pressure, just as a piece of wood when forced +below its natural water-line will spring back. So after a while this +upward pressure breaks off the massive front, perhaps miles in extent, +and many hundred feet in height. As this is launched into the sea its +thunder crash is heard for miles, and the water boils like a caldron, +while the disengaged mass rolls and plunges until, finding its +equilibrium, it sails away a majestic ICEBERG. Hereafter the snow will +at times cover it with a mantle of pure whiteness; the fierce storms +will beat upon its defiant brow; the beams of the rising and setting sun +will display their sparkling glories on its craggy top, or, falling upon +the misty cloud which envelopes it, will encircle it with all the +varying hues of the rainbow. As it voyages in stately dignity southward, +anchored, it may be, at times for months, it will pass in sullen silence +the drear, long, dark Arctic night, and emerge into the brief summer to +be enlivened as the home of innumerable sea-fowl, who will rear their +young upon its cold breast. Ultimately it will go back to the drops of +water from which it came, to make a part of the great ocean, and +possibly to sail away in clouds over the frozen regions, and to drop +again upon its glassy plain in sparkling crystals. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +A STRANGE DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT. + + +THE winter was fully settled down upon Port Foulke, but the dwellers in +the schooner "United States" knew nothing of the anxieties and suffering +from cold and hunger which most of the arctic voyagers have known. There +was one foe, however, which they, in common with all who had gone before +them, had to fight; namely, depression of mind produced by the weeks of +inactivity and darkness. We have seen how many means were used by +earlier as well as later explorers to meet and vanquish this foe. Dr. +Hayes availed himself of the hints given by his predecessors, and had +some devices peculiarly his own. To the "school of navigation," dramatic +performances, and the publishing of a weekly "newspaper," was added the +pleasant stimulus of a celebration of the birthday of every man on +board. Such occasions were attended by special dinners, the passing of +complimentary notes of invitations to the intended guests, which +included all, and by fun-making, at which all laughed as a matter of +course. + +On Sunday all assembled in their clean and best suits. Brief religious +service was performed in the presence of all, and the day was spent in +reading or conversation, save the performance of the necessary routine +work. + +During the favoring light of the moon some excursions were attempted. +One was made by Professor Sontag, accompanied by Hans and Jensen with +two dog sledges. The object was to reach the harbor where Dr. Kane's +"Advance" had been left, and ascertain if possible her fate. He started +early in November, but returned in a few days, baffled by the hummocks +and wide intervening, treacherous ice-cracks. The party had an encounter +with and captured a bear and her cub. The mother fought with maternal +fury for her child, tossed the dogs one after another until some of the +stoutest and bravest retired bleeding and yelping from the field, and at +times charged upon and scattered the whole pack, while the cub itself +behaved bravely in its own defense. When the men came up they threw in, +of course, the fatal odds of rifle balls. Once Hans, his gun having +failed to go off, seized an Esquimo lance and ran at the beast. +Accepting the challenge of a hand-to-hand fight, she made at him with +such spirit that he dropped the lance and ran, and nothing saved the cub +from supping on Esquimo meat but two well-directed balls, which whizzed +at the right moment from the guns of Sontag and Jensen. The bears made a +splendid resistance to the unprovoked attack upon them in the peaceable +pursuit of an honest calling, that of getting a living, but were +conquered and eaten. + +Among the sad events of the winter was a fatal disease among the dogs. +They all died but nine by the middle of December. This was alarming, for +upon them depended mainly the spring excursions North Poleward. Such +being the situation, Sontag took at this time the surviving dogs, and, +on a sledge with Hans as a driver, started south in pursuit of Esquimo. +If they could be brought with their dogs into the vicinity of the ship +and fed, there would be a fair chance of having dog-sledges when they +were wanted. The nearest known Esquimo family was at Northumberland +Island, a hundred miles off, and others were at the south side of Whale +Sound, fifty miles farther--perhaps all had gone to the most distant +point. They departed in fine spirits, and well equipped. Hans cracked +his whip, and the dogs, well fed and eager for a run, caused the sledge +to glide over the ice with the velocity of a locomotive. Their +companions sent after them a "hip! hip, hurrah!" and a "tiger." The moon +shed her serene light on their path, and all seemed to promise a speedy +and successful return. + +The second night after their departure the solicitous commander had a +strange, disquieting dream. He says in the journal of the following +morning: "I stood with Sontag far out upon the frozen sea, when suddenly +a crash was heard through the darkness, and in an instant a crack opened +in the ice between us. It came so suddenly and widened so rapidly that +he could not spring over it to where I stood, and he sailed away on the +dark waters of a troubled sea. I last saw him standing firmly upon the +crystal raft, his erect form cutting sharply against a streak of light +which lay upon the distant horizon." + +Christmas came and was duly regarded. Stores of nice things, the gifts +of friends far away, were brought out from secret corners where they had +been hid. The tables were loaded with that which satisfied the appetite +and gratified the eye, while the rooms of officers and men blazed with +cheerful lights. Outside a feeble aurora seemed to be trying to exhibit +an inspiring illumination, which contrasted strongly with its cloudy +background. + +January, 1861, came, and half its days passed, yet no tidings came from +Sontag. The twilight had returned, and already the coming sun was +heralded along the golden horizon. The commander was becoming uneasy +concerning the missing ones, and began to devise ways of knowing what +had become of them. Mr. Dodge was sent to follow their tracks, which he +did as far as Cape Alexander, where he lost them and returned. A party +was instantly put in readiness for farther search, and was about to +start on the morning of January twenty-seventh, when a violent storm +arose, detaining it two days. As it was on the instant of starting +again, two Esquimo suddenly appeared at the vessel's side. One of them +was Ootiniah, who appears so creditably in the narrative of Dr. Hayes's +boat voyage. They were bearers of sad news. Professor Sontag was dead. +Hans was on his way to the vessel with his wife, father and mother, and +their son, a lad who was left behind with mother when Hans was first +taken on board of the schooner. Some of the dogs had died, and the +family were necessarily moving slowly. + +Two days later Hans came in with the boy only, having left the dogs and +the old people near Cape Alexander and come on for help. He was very +cold and much exhausted, and both were sent below for food, warmth, and +rest, before being questioned concerning the disastrous journey. The +large sledge, drawn by fresh men, was sent for those left behind. The +old people were found coiled up in an excavation made in a snow bank, +and the dogs huddled together near them, neither dogs nor Esquimo being +able to stir, and so all were bundled in a heap on the sledge and drawn +to the schooner. The hardy savages soon revived under the influence of +good quarters and good eating, but the dogs, five in number, the remnant +of the strong force of thirty-six, lay on the deck unable to stir, and +not disposed to eat. + +Hans's story was this:-- + +They made a good run the first day, passing Cape Alexander, and camped +in a snow hut on Sunderland Island. The next day they reached an Esquimo +settlement, but found its huts forsaken. Resting and eating here, they +started for Northumberland Island, and having traveled about five miles, +Sontag, becoming chilled, sprang from the sledge and ran ahead of the +dogs for warmth by exercise. Hans having occasion to halt the team to +disentangle a trace fell some distance behind. He was urging forward his +team to overtake his master when he saw him sinking. He had come upon +thin ice covering a recently open crack, and had broken through. Hans +hastened up and helped him from the water. A light wind was blowing, +which disposed Sontag not to attempt to change his wet clothes--the +fatal error. They hastened back to the hut in which they had spent the +night. At first the professor ran, but after a while jumped on the +sledge, and when he reached the hut he was stiff and speechless. Hans +lifted him into the hut, drew off his wet clothes, and placed him into +his sleeping bag. Having tightly closed the hut, he set the lamp ablaze, +and administered to him a portion of brandy from a flask found on the +sledge. But the cold had done its fatal work; he remained speechless and +unconscious for nearly twenty-four hours, and died. + +Hans closed up the hut to prevent beasts of prey from disturbing the +body, continued south, and on the second night came upon a village where +he was rejoiced to find several native families, who were living in the +midst of abundance. Here Hans rested until two Esquimo boys, whom he +hired with the Sontag presents, could go to Cape York after his wife's +parents and their son. They over-drove or starved four of the dogs, +which were left by the way. + +The natives whom he found were ready on the moment of his arrival to +return to the vessel with him, and Ootiniah and his companion were the +first to show their good-will by starting with Hans on his return. + +A few weeks later the body of Sontag was brought to the vessel, a neat +coffin was made for it, and the whole ship's company followed it, +mourning, to its last resting-place. The burial service was read, and it +was carefully secured from molestation. At a later period a mound was +raised over it, and a chiseled stone slab, with his name and age, marked +the head. + +August Sontag was only twenty-eight years of age when thus suddenly cut +off. His loss to the expedition was very great. + +Hans's parents and brother were added to his own family on deck, and +proved to be much more efficient helpers in domestic affairs than Mrs. +Hans. The boy was washed and scrubbed and combed by the sailors, with +whom he became a great favorite, filling much the place on board as a +pet monkey, and proved to be full as annoying to the old cook, who, in +his extreme vexation at his mischievous tricks, threatened to "kill +him--_a le-e-t-le_." The old folks getting tired of the close quarters +on board, built after a while a snow hut on the floe, and set up +housekeeping for themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +THE CROWNING SLEDGE JOURNEY. + + +"THE glorious sun" reappeared February eighteenth, tarrying only a +moment, but giving a sure prophecy of a coming to stay. Scarcely less +welcome was the appearance soon after of Kalutunah, Tattarat, and Myouk, +all old acquaintance whom the reader will not fail to recognize. +Kalutunah was Angekok and Nalegak--priest and chief. His gruff old +rival, who advised the starvation policy toward the escaping party in +the miserable old hut, had been harpooned in the back and buried alive +under a heap of stones. These comers brought the much-desired dogs, and +they were followed by other old friends from Northumberland Island with +additional dog-teams. These natives were treated with consideration--the +were made content with abundant food and flattered with presents, all of +which told favorably upon the success of the enterprise of the generous +donors. + +In the middle of March the northward excursions commenced. The first +consisted of a party of three, Dr. Hayes and Kalutunah driving a team of +six dogs, and Jensen with a sledge of nine. It was to be a trial trip, +and the experiment began rather roughly. A few miles only had been made +when Jensen, whose team was ahead, broke through the ice, and dogs and +man went floundering together into a cold bath. The other team, +fortunately, was just at hand, so they were drawn out, and all returned +to the vessel for a fresh and warm start. The next trial they were gone +four days, and traversed the Greenland shore to Cape Agassiz and to the +commencement of the Great Glacier. The cold at one time was sixty-eight +and a half degrees below zero. Yet the sun's rays through even such an +atmosphere blistered the skin! The grains of snow became like gravel, +and the sledge runners grated over it as if running on the summer sand +of our own sea-shore. Kalutunah had an ingenious remedy for this. He +dissolved snow in his mouth, and pouring the water into his hand coated +the runners with it. It instantly freezing, made something like a glass +plating for them. + +Kalutunah was greatly puzzled in attempting to understand why this +journey was made. But his perplexity took the form of disgust when the +fresh tracks were seen of a bear and cub, and the white chief forbade +the chase. He argued in the interest of Dr. Hayes, who might thereby +have a new fur coat, pointed to the hungry dogs, and finally pleaded for +his own family, who were longing for bear meat. But all in vain. The +circumstances had changed since, in the same spot nearly, he had urged +the dogs after a bear in spite of Dr. Kane, and thus defeated the +purpose of his long trip. + +On their return they turned into Van Rensselaer Harbor, the place made +so famous by Dr. Kane's expedition. Every thing there was changed. +Instead of smooth ice, over which Dr. Kane's party came and went so +often, there were hummocks piled up every-where in the wildest +confusion. Where the "Advance" was left when her men took a last look at +her was an ice-pile towering as high as were her mast-heads. Old +localities were undiscernible from the snow and icy aggressions. A small +piece of a deck-plank picked up near Butler Island was all that could be +found of the "Advance." The Esquimo told nearly as many diverse stories +of her history after the white men left her as there were persons to +testify, and some individuals, apparently to increase the chance of +saying some item of truth, told many different stories. According to +these witnesses she drifted out to sea and sunk, (the most probable +statement,) she was knocked to pieces so far as possible and carried off +by the Esquimo, and she was accidentally set on fire and burned. The +graves of Baker and Pierre remained undisturbed, but the beacon built +over them was broken down and scattered. + +The result of this experimental trip was the decision of the commander +not to attempt to reach the Open Polar Sea by the Greenland shore, but +to cross Smith Sound at Cairn Point, a few miles north of the schooner. +To this point provisions were immediately carried on the sledges for the +summer journey beyond. + +On the third of April the grand effort to reach the North Pole +commenced. The party consisted of twelve persons, who were early at +their assigned positions alongside of the schooner. Jensen was at the +head of the line of march, on the sledge "Hope," to which were harnessed +eight dogs; Knorr came next, "the whip" of the "Perseverance," with six +dogs. Then came a metallic life-boat with which the Polar Sea was to be +navigated, mounted on a sledge and drawn by men each with shoulder strap +and trace. Flags fluttered from boat and sledges, all was enthusiasm, +and at the word "march" the dogs dashed away, the men bent bravely to +their earnest work, the "swivel" on deck thundered its good-bye, and the +party were soon far away. + +The very first day's exposure nearly proved fatal to several of the +party. One settled himself down in the snow muttering, "I'm freezing," +and would have proved in a half hour his declaration had not two more +hardy men taken him in charge. The spirits of the men ran low, and they +were two hours in building a snow-hut in which to hide from the pitiless +wind. A rest at Cairn Point and increased experience gave them more +energy, and the next snow-hut was made in less than one hour. They +proved the snow-shovel a fine heat generator. On the fifth night out +they were overtaken by a storm, and were detained two days in their hut. +This was a pit in the snow eighteen feet long, eight wide, and four +deep. Across its top were placed the boat-oars; across these the sledge +was laid; over the sledge was thrown the boat's sails; and over the +sails snow was shoveled. They crawled into this hut through a hole which +they filled up after them with a block of snow. Over the floor--a +leveled snow floor--they spread an India-rubber cloth; on this was laid +a carpet of buffalo-skins, and over this another of equal size. Between +these they crept to sleep, the outside man of the row having no little +difficulty in preventing his companions from "pulling the clothes off." +The wind without blew its mightiest blow, and piled the snow up over the +poor dogs, which were huddled together for mutual warmth, and were kept +restless in poking their noses above the drift. The cooks were obliged +to call to their help the commander in order to keep the lamp from being +puffed out, and two hours were consumed in getting a steaming pot of +coffee. But after a while the bread and coffee, and dried meat and +potato hash, were abundantly and regularly served, and the men contrived +to pass in talk and song and sleep the hours of the really dreary +imprisonment. + +Before the storm had fully subsided, the party went on the back track to +bring up to this point a part of the provisions they had been obliged to +deposit. This done, they put their faces to the opposite, or American +side of the sound. But the difficulties were truly fearful. The ice, +like great bowlders, was scattered over the entire surface, now piled in +ridges ten, twenty, and even a hundred feet high, and then scattered +over a level area with only a narrow and ever-twisting way between them. +Over these ridges the sledges had to be lifted, the load often taken off +and carried up in small parcels, and the sledges and boat drawn up and +let down again. Frequently in the midst of this toil a man would fall +into a chasm up to his waist; another would go out of sight in one. +These terrible traps were so covered with a crust of snow that they +could not be discerned. The boat was, of course, capsized often, and +much battered. When a ridge had been scaled, and the party had picked +their way for a time through the winding path among the ice-bowlders, +they would come to a sudden impassable barrier, and be obliged to +retrace their steps. A whole day of gigantic exertion, and of many miles +of zigzag travel, would sometimes advance them only a rifle-shot in a +straight line. + +Of course it was simply impossible to carry the boat, and it was +abandoned. They were yet only about thirty miles from Cairn Point, but +had traveled perhaps five times that distance. + +For several days after this the heroic explorers struggled on. A fresh +snow with a half-frozen crust was added to their other obstacles. +Hummocks and ridges and pitfalls grew worse and worse. The sledges +broke, the limbs of the men were bruised and sprained, their strength +exhausted, and at last their spirits failed. They had toiled twenty-five +days, advanced half way across the sound, and brought along about eight +hundred pounds of food. + +On the twenty-eighth of April the main party were sent homeward. Dr. +Hayes, Knorr, M'Donald, and Jensen, pushed on toward the American shore. +Their way was, as one of the party remarked, like a trip through New +York over the tops of the houses. They progressed a mile and a half, +and traveled at least twelve, carrying their provisions over the ground +by repeating the journey many times. Such was the daily experience, +varied by many exciting incidents. Jensen sprained a leg which had been +once broken; the dogs were savage as the wildest wolves with hunger, +though having a fair amount of food; once Knorr in feeding them stumbled +and fell into the midst of the pack, and would have doubtless been +devoured as a generous morsel of food tossed to them, had not M'Donald +pounced upon them at the moment with lusty blows from a whip-stock. All +four of the explorers held out bravely in this fearful strain on mind +and body, even young Knorr never shrinking from the hardest work, nor +the longest continued exertions. + +On the eleventh of May the party encamped under the shadow of Cape +Hawkes, on Grinnell Land, off the American coast. The distance from +Cairn Point, in a straight line northwest, was eighty miles. They had +been traveling thirty-one days, and made a twisting and clambering route +of five hundred miles. + +The travel up the coast had the usual variety of dangers, hair-breadth +escapes, and exhausting toil. A little flag-staff, planted by Dr. Hayes +during the Kane expedition, was found bravely looking out upon the drear +field it was set to designate, but the flag it bore had been blown away. +Remains of Esquimo settlements long deserted were found. A raven croaked +a welcome to the strangers, or it may be a warning, and followed them +several days. + +On the fourth day up the coast Jensen, the hardiest of the vessel's +company, utterly failed. He had strained his back as well as leg, and +groaned with pain. What could be done? The party could not proceed with +a sick man, nor would they for a moment think of leaving him alone. So +the following course was adopted by the commander: M'Donald was left in +the snow-hut with Jensen, with five days' food and five dogs, with +orders to remain five days, and then, if Hayes and Knorr, who were to +continue on, had not returned, to make his best way with Jensen back to +the vessel. + +The journey of Dr. Hayes and Knorr was continued two full days. On the +morning of the third day they had proceeded but a few miles when they +came to a stand. They had on their left the abrupt, rocky, ice-covered +cliffs of the shore; on their right were high ridges of ice, through +which the waters of an open sea broke here and there into bays and +inlets which washed the shore. Farther progress north by land or ice was +impossible. They climbed a cliff which towered eight hundred feet above +the sea, whose dark waters were lost in the distance toward the +north-east. North, standing against the sky, was a noble headland, the +most northern known land, and only about four hundred and fifty miles +from the North Pole. The spot on which our explorers stood was about one +degree farther north than that occupied by Morton, of Kane's +Expedition, yet on the shore of the same open water. Now, if they only +had the boat they were obliged to leave among the hummocks in Smith +Sound, with the provisions and men they had _hoped_ to bring to this +point, how soon would they solve the mystery locked up from the +beginning, and in the keeping of his Frosty Majesty of the Pole itself! +But, alas! there were neither boat nor provisions, and the movement of +the treacherous floes warned the daring strangers that the bridge of ice +over which they had come to this side might soon be torn away, and make +a return impossible. They built a monument of stones, raised on it a +flag of triumph, deposited beneath it a record of their visit placed in +a bottle, and turned their faces homeward. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +LAST INCIDENTS OF THE EXPEDITION. + +DR. HAYES and Knorr were buffeted by a fierce storm soon after starting. +They were over fifty miles from M'Donald and Jensen, only ten of which +were traversed before they were obliged to encamp. But the storm howled, +and tossed the snow-clouds about them, making it impossible to build a +snow hut. After a brief halt, and feeding the dogs with the last morsel +of food which remained, they pushed on. The snow was deep, often nearly +burying the dogs as they plunged along; the hummocks and rocks over +which they climbed lay across their path, and the wind blew with +unabated fury; yet they halted not until the remaining forty or more +miles were accomplished, and they tumbled into the hut of their +companions. The dogs rolled themselves together on the snow the moment +they were left, utterly exhausted. The weary men slept a long, sound +sleep. When they awoke a steaming pot of coffee and an abundant +breakfast awaited them. They had fasted thirty-four hours, and traveled +in the last twenty-two over forty miles, which the hummocks and deep +snow made equal to double that distance of smooth sledging. The last few +miles were made in a state of partial bewilderment, so their final +safety was another of their many marked deliverances. The remaining run +to the vessel had its daily perils and escapes. As they were approaching +the American shore they stepped across a crack on the ice. They had +traveled but a short distance when they perceived that there was an +impassable channel between them and the land ice. They ran back to +recross the crack, and that had become twenty yards wide. They were, in +fact, on an ice-raft, and were sweeping helplessly out to sea! They had +hardly collected their thoughts after this terrifying surprise before +one of the shore corners of their raft struck a small grounded iceberg, +and on this, as on a pivot, the outer edge swung toward the shore, +struck its margin, allowed them to scamper off, and then immediately +swung again into the open water, and shot out to sea. + +The poor dogs, being insufficiently fed, and necessarily overworked, now +began to fail. Jensen's lameness compelling him to ride, increased their +burden. One died just before the party left the hummocks, and two soon +after. A fourth having failed, the commander, thinking to shorten his +misery, shot him. The ball only wounding him, he set up a terrible cry, +at which his companions flew at him, tore him in pieces, and, almost +before his last howl had died away in the dreary waste, they had eaten +the flesh from his bones. + +They arrived at the schooner safely after two months' absence, during +which they had traveled thirteen hundred miles. + +The commander was cheered to learn that the party who returned under +M'Cormick had reached Port Foulke in safety. The whole ship's company +were in good health. The vessel was immediately thoroughly examined and +put in sailing order. As the summer came on, the birds, the green +mosses, hardy little flowers, several species of moths and spiders, and +even a yellow winged butterfly, appeared to greet its coming. The open +water was daily coming nearer the schooner. While awaiting the loosening +of its icy fetters, a boat's crew had an exciting walrus hunt. Dr. Hayes +had been on a hill-top which overlooked the bay, when the hoarse +bellowing of distant walrus saluted his ears. Drifting ice-rafts were +coming down the sound, on which great numbers of these monsters could be +seen. He hurried to the vessel, and called for volunteers. Soon a +whale-boat was manned, and the men, armed with three rifles and a +harpoon and line, dragged it to the open water, launched it, and rowed +into the midst of the drift-ice. The first cake of ice which they +approached contained a freight of twenty-four walruses, pretty well +covering it. The lubberly, ugly looking sea-hogs appeared as content as +their very distant relatives of our sties, while they huddled together +and twisted for the sunniest spot, and bellowed in one another's ears. +Our hunters were all eager for the fight as they approached with muffled +oars, but on coming near to the floe, it was apparent that the hunt was +not to be all fun, nor the fighting on one side only. The hides of the +monsters looked like an iron plating, and were, in fact, an inch thick, +smooth, hairless, and tough, suggesting a good defensive ability; while +their great tusks, projecting from a jaw of elephantine strength, hinted +unpleasantly to the invaders that their antagonists were prepared for +assault as well as defense. Very likely if one could have seen at that +moment the countenances of our boat's crew, they would have shown more +of a wish to be in the vessel's cabin than they would have cared to +confess with their lips. But there was no flinching. There were two male +walruses in the herd--huge, fierce-looking fellows, which roused up a +moment to scan the strangers, and then, giving each other a punch in the +face with their tusks, stretched out again upon the ice to sleep. + +In this walrus party there were, besides the two fathers, mothers with +children of various ages, from the "little ones" of four hundred pounds, +to the "young folks." Of course they were a loving, happy group. The +boat came within a few times its length of the ice-raft. Miller, an old +whaleman, was in the bow of the boat with a harpoon. Hayes, Knorr, and +Jensen stood in the stern with their rifles leveled each at his selected +victim, while the oarsmen bent forward to their oars. At the word the +rifles cracked, and the oarsmen at the same moment shot the boat into +the midst of the startled walrus. Jensen hit one of the males in the +neck, not probably doing him much harm; Hayes's ball struck the other +bull in the head, at which he roared lustily. Knorr killed a baby +walrus dead, but he disappeared from the raft with the rest, probably +pushed off by his mamma. When the old fellow which was wounded by the +commander rolled into the water, Miller planted his harpoon in him with +unerring skill, and the line attached spun out over the gunwale with +fearful velocity. There were a few moments of suspense, and then up came +the herd, a few yards from the boat, the wounded bull with the harpoon +among them. They uttered one wild, united shriek, and answering shrieks +from thousands of startled walruses, on the walrus laden ice-rafts for +miles around, filled the air. It was an agonized cry for help, and the +answering cry was, "we come!" There was a simultaneous splash from the +ice-rafts, and the hosts, as if by the bugle call, came rushing on, +heads erect, and uttering the defiant "huk, huk, huk!" They came +directly at the boat, surrounding it, and blackening the waters with +their numbers. The wounded bull, attached still to Miller's line, led +the attack. The hunters had aroused foemen worthy of their steel, and +they must now fight or die. It seemed to be the purpose of the walruses +to get their tusks over the side of the boat, and so easily tear it to +pieces or sink it, and then, having its audacious crew in the water, +make short work of them. As they came on, Miller, in the bow, pricked +them in the face with his lance, the rowers pushed them back with their +oars, while Hayes, Jensen, and Knorr sent, as fast as they could load +and fire, rifle-balls crashing through their heads. At one time a huge +leader had come within a few feet of the boat. Hayes and Jensen had just +fired, and were loading, but Knorr was just in time to salute him with a +ball. The men were becoming weary, while the walrus assaulting column +was constantly supplied with fresh troops. The situation was now +critical, when, as if to crush his enemy and end the conflict in victory +on his side, a walrus Goliath, with tusks three feet long, led on a +solid column of undismayed warriors. Two guns had just been fired, as +before. His terrible weapons were fearfully near the gunwale, when +Knorr's gun came to the rescue; its muzzle was so near his open mouth +that the ball killed him instantly, and he sunk like lead. This sent +consternation through the walrus ranks. They all dove at once, and when +they came up they were a considerable distance off, their tails to their +foes, and retreating with a wild shriek. The battle was ended, and the +saucy explorers were victors. The sea in places was red with blood. The +harpooned bull and one other were carried as trophies to the vessel. + +On the twelfth of July the schooner floated, after an ice imprisonment +of ten months. The Esquimo seeing that the white friends were about to +leave them, gathered on the shore in sorrowful interest. They had been +the receivers of gifts great in their estimation, and they had rendered +the strangers no small favors, especially in the use of their dogs, +without which no excursions of importance could have been made. +Kalutunah actually wept on parting with Dr. Hayes. He had enjoyed under +his patronage the Esquimo paradise--"plenty to eat, plenty sleep, no +work, no hunt." He spoke feelingly of the fading away of his people. +"Come back," he said, "and save us; come soon or we shall be all gone." + +He had reason to express these fears concerning his people. Since Dr. +Kane left thirty-four had died, and there had been in the same time only +nineteen births. There seemed to be in all the settlements, from Cape +York to Etah, only a hundred! + +The explorers bid adieu to Port Foulke on the fourteenth, and sailed +away to the west side of Smith Sound, and reached a point about ten +miles south of Cape Isabella. The hope was entertained by the commander +that he might work his way with the vessel north through the now +loosening ice over which he had just been traveling with sledges, get +through even Kennedy Channel, to the open sea on the shore of which he +had so lately stood, and then sail away to the North Pole. What a +stimulating thought! But he found the schooner ice-battered, and, +weakened by the "nips" she had experienced, was unequal to the required +fight with the defiant pack which every-where filled the sound. So the +explorers turned homeward. They arrived at Upernavik on the twelfth of +August after many exciting incidents but no accident. Here they learned +the startling news of the commencement of the great Rebellion. During +their absence President Lincoln had been inaugurated, the black cloud +of war had settled heavily over the whole country, and the bloody battle +of Bull Run had been fought. They were now to return home and transfer +their interest in fighting ice-packs, bergs, and Polar bears, to the +conflicts of civil war. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +SOMETHING NEW. + + +WHILE the civilized world were awaiting with deep interest the results +of the search for Sir John Franklin, and while learned geographers and +practical navigators to the regions of cold were devising new methods of +search for him, a young engraver was working out a problem in reference +to this great enterprise peculiarly his own. Without special educational +advantages, without the resources of wealth or influential friends, but +with the inspiration of one feeling, "a divine call" to the undertaking, +he matured his plans and began to publish them abroad. He seems to have +at once imparted his own enthusiasm to others. The mayor of his own +city, Cincinnati, the governor and senator of his own State, Ohio, the +latter the eminent Salmon P. Chase, late Chief-Justice of the United +States, became his patrons. Coming east, many of the great and wise men +of our large cities gave him an attentive hearing, and not a few +encouraged his project. The princely merchant, Henry Grinnell, who had +already done so much in the Franklin search, took him at once into +kindly sympathy. + +From New York he went to New London. From the old whalemen, at least +from individuals of them of marked character and large experience in +Arctic navigation, he obtained encouraging words. + +His plan of search which thus so readily commended itself was this: He +would go into the region where it was now known that Franklin and some +of his men had died; he would live with the Esquimo, learn their +language, adopt their habits of life, and thus learn all that they knew +of the history of the ill-fated expedition. He assumed that many of its +men might yet be alive, and if they were, the natives would know it, +know where they were, and could guide him to them. + +To prepare himself for this work he became conversant with Arctic +literature, learning all that the books on the subject taught; he +applied himself closely to the study of the practical science bearing on +his enterprise, learning the use of its instruments. He sought +interviews and correspondence with returned explorers and whalemen. In +fact, his heart was in the work with a downright enthusiasm. + +The marked features of his plan seemed to be two--it was inexpensive and +new. As to the manning of his expedition, he proposed to go alone; as to +vessels, he asked none. He only asked to be conveyed to the proposed +Esquimo country, and to be left with its natives. We might name a third +attractive feature of this plan, one which always inspires interest--it +was bold, bordering on the audacious! + +We need hardly say to our readers that the name of this new candidate +for Arctic perils and honors was Charles Francis Hall--a name now +greatly honored and lamented.[A] + +Mr. Hall was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1821, where he worked +a while at the blacksmith's trade, but left both the trade and his +native place in early life for the Queen City of the West. The result of +Mr. Hall's enthusiastic appeals was an offer by the firm of Williams & +Haven, whale-ship owners of New London, to convey him and his outfit in +their bark "George Henry" to his point of operations, and if ever +desired, to give him the same free passage home in any of their ships. +The "George Henry" was going, of course, after whales, and proposed thus +to convey him as an obliging incident of the trip. + +This proposal was made in the early spring of 1860. On the twenty-ninth +of May he sailed. His outfit was simple, and had the appearance of a +private, romantic excursion. It consisted of a good sized, staunch +whale-boat built for his special use, a sledge, a few scientific +instruments, a rifle, six double-barreled shot-guns, a Colt's revolver, +and the ammunition supposed to be necessary for a long separation from +the source of supply. A start was given him in a small store of +provisions; beyond that he was to supply himself. A tolerable supply of +trinkets were added as a basis of trade with the natives. What funds +this miniature exploring expedition required was given largely by Mr. +Grinnell. + +The "George Henry" was accompanied by _a tender_, a small schooner named +the "Rescue," having already an Arctic fame. The officers and crew of +both vessels numbered twenty-nine, under command of Captain S. O. +Buddington. + +We have spoken of Mr. Hall as the only man of his exhibition; he had +after all one companion. The previous year Captain Buddington had +brought home an Esquimo by the name of Kudlago, who was now returning to +his fatherland and to his wife and children. Upon him Mr. Hall largely +depended as an interpreter, a friend, and guide, in his work. + +The run of the "George Henry" to the Greenland coast was made with but +one marked incident. That was to Mr. Hall a very sad one, giving him the +first emphatic lesson in the uncertainty of his most carefully devised +schemes. It was the death and burial at sea of Kudlago. He had left New +London in good health, taken cold in the fogs of Newfoundland, and +declined rapidly. He prayed fervently to be permitted to see his wife +and children--only that, and he would die content. He inquired daily +while confined to his berth if any ice was in sight. His last words +were, "_Teiko seko? teiko seko?_"--Do you see ice? do you see ice? The +Greenland shore was just in sight when he departed, and his home and +family were three hundred miles away. + +The "George Henry" and her tender, the "Rescue," sailed north, along the +Greenland coast, as far as Holsteinberg, where Mr. Hall purchased six +Esquimo dogs. The vessel then stood southwest across Davis Strait and +made, August eighth, a snug harbor, which Mr. Hall called Grinnell Bay, +a little north of what is known as Frobisher Strait. Here Mr. Hall was +to land and commence his Esquimo life, alone and far away from a +Christian home, while the vessel went about its business capturing +whales. His feelings on the voyage are indicated by the following +extract from his diary: + +"A good run with a fair breeze yesterday. Approaching the north axis of +the earth! Aye, nearing the goal of my fondest wishes. Every thing +relating to the arctic zone is deeply interesting to me. I love the +snows, the ices, the icebergs, the fauna and the flora of the North. I +love the circling sun, the long day, _the arctic night, when the soul +can commune with God in silent and reverential awe_! I am on a mission +of love. I feel to be in the performance of a duty I owe to mankind, +myself, and God! Thus feeling I am strong at heart, full of faith, ready +to do or die in the cause I have espoused." How he felt when actually +engaged in his "mission of love," we shall see. + +We must not, however, think of Mr. Hall in a region comparable to that +which included the winter-quarters of Kane and Hayes in the expeditions +we have just described. They were at least twelve degrees farther north, +Mr. Hall being south of the arctic circle, so that his winter nights +were shorter and milder. His present field of operation was on a coast +visited by the whale-ships, and where they at times wintered. Besides, +natives had been for many years in contact with white men, and were in +_some_ respect more agreeable companions. He will therefore, as we +follow him, lead us into new scenes of peculiar interest, and show us +novel features in the character of the Esquimo. + +The whale-ship "Black Eagle," Captain Allen, lay in Grinnell Bay on the +arrival of our voyagers, and the captain soon appeared on the deck of +the "George Henry," with several Esquimo. One of these natives, named +Ugarng, especially attracted Mr. Hall's attention. He was intelligent, +possessing strong lines of character, and a marked physical development. +He had spent a year on a visit to the United States. Speaking of New +York, he said with a sailor's emphasis: "No good! too much horse! too +much house! too much white people! Women? Ah! women great many--good!" +Ugarng will become a familiar acquaintance. + +Mr. Hall had been giving special attention on the voyage across Davis +Strait to his dogs, and they were now to become a chief dependence. He +fed them on _capelin_, or dried fish. One day he called them all around +him, each in his assigned place, to receive in turn his fish. Now there +was one young, shrewd dog, Barbekark, who had not heard, or had never +cared to heed the proverb that "honesty is the best policy." He said to +himself, "If I can get _two_ of the fish while the other dogs get but +one, it will be a nice thing to do;" so, taking his place near the head +of the row, he was served with his capelin. Then, slipping out, he +crowded between the dogs farther down, and with a very innocent look +awaited his turn. His master thought this so sharp in young Barbekark +that he pretended not to see the trick, and dealed him a fish as if he +had received none. On going the round again his master found him near +the head of the row and then at the foot, so the rogue obtained +Benjamin's portion. Seeing his success, he winked his knowing eye as +much as to say, "Ain't I the smartest dog in the pack!" But Barbekark +had entered on a rough road with many turns, as all rogues do. After +going round several times, during which the trick was a success, Mr. +Hall _skipped_ the trickster altogether. It mattered not what place he +crowded into, there was no more fish for him. The upshot was that he +received many less than did his companions. Never did a dog look more +ashamed. From that time he kept his place when fish were distributed. + +Mr. Hall, making the vessel his home, made frequent visits ashore, and +received many Esquimo visitors on board, and was thus becoming +acquainted with the people. An early visitor was Kokerjabin, wife of +Kudlago, accompanied by her son. She had learned in her tent that her +anxiously awaited husband had been left in the deep sea. She entered the +cabin and looked at her husband's white friends, and at the chest which +contained his personal goods, with deep emotion; but when Captain +Buddington opened the chest, the tears flowed freely; and when she, in +taking out things, came to those Kudlago had obtained in the States for +herself and her little girl, she sat down, buried her face in her +hands, and wept with deep grief. She soon after went ashore with her son +to weep alone. + +Another very marked character was Paulooyer, or, as the white men called +him, Blind George. He was now about forty years of age and had been +blind nearly ten years, from the effects of a severe sickness. To this +blindness was added domestic sorrow. His wife Nikujar was very kind to +him for five years after his loss of sight, sharing their consequent +poverty. But Ugarng, who had already several wives, offered her a place +in his tent as his "household wife"--the place of honor in Esquimo +esteem. The offer was tempting, for Ugarng was "a mighty hunter," and +rich at all times in blubber, in furs and skin tents and snow huts. So +she left poor George, taking with her their little daughter, called +Kookooyer. This child became a pet with Ugarng, as she was with her +blind father. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[A] See Frontispiece. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +A FEARFUL STORM. + + +WHILE the "George Henry" lay at Grinnell Bay, Mr. Hall talked much with +the masters of the whale-ships and with the most intelligent of the +natives concerning his proposed journey to King William's Land. This was +a far-away region, where the remains of the Franklin expedition had been +found. He proposed to secure the company of one or more Esquimo and make +an attempt to reach it with a dog-sledge, and to take up his abode with +its natives in search of information of the lost ones. But both his +white and Esquimo advisers agreed that it was too late in the season to +begin such a journey. Mr. Hall would then take the whale-boat built for +him, man it with natives, and make the attempt by water. But this was +deemed impracticable until spring. So he decided to make his home on +board the vessel so long as she remained on the coast, and pursue his +study of the Esquimo language and his survey of the region of country, +with this home as a base of operations. + +On his return from one of his inland excursions with Kudlago's son, whom +the whites called _captain_, he saw his widow, apart from all the +people, weeping for her great bereavement. Her son ran to her and tried +to comfort her, but she would not be comforted. When Mr. Hall approached +she pointed to the spot where their tent was pitched when Kudlago left +for the United States. She also showed him the bones of a whale which he +had assisted in capturing. + +Soon after this the widow visited the vessel with her daughter, +Kimmiloo, who had been the idol of her father. She looked sad on the +mention of her father's name, but, child-like, her eyes gleamed with joy +on seeing the fine things his chest contained for her. Captain B.'s wife +had sent her a pretty red dress, necktie, mittens, belt, and other like +valuables of little white girls. But Mr. Hall suggested that Kimmiloo's +introduction to the dress of civilization should be preceded by soap and +water. The process of arriving at the little girl through layers of dirt +was very slow. When this was done, her kind friend Hall took a _very +coarse_ comb, and commenced combing her hair. This had never been done +before, and of course the comb "pulled" in spite of the care of the +operator, but Kimmiloo bore it bravely. Her locks were filled with moss, +greasy bits of seal, and disgusting reindeer hairs, besides other things +both _active_ and numerous. A full hour was spent on the hair, but when +the comb went through it easily, then the little girl run her fingers +into it and braided quickly a tag on each side of her head; she then +drew these through brass rings which Mr. Hall had given her. Her Esquimo +fur trowsers and coat were thrown off, and the now clean and really +beautiful girl put on the red dress. Her happiness would have been +complete had her father been there to share her joy. + +Mr. Hall's kindly nature led him to study the natives in these +incidents, and to record them in his journals. Ugarng was one time in +the cabin when Mr. Hall had put a few small balls of mercury on a sheet +of white paper. It was a new article to the Esquimo, and he tried to +pick it up with his thumb and finger, but it escaped his grasp. His +efforts would scatter it over the sheet in small globules, and then as +he lifted the corners of the paper it would run together, and Ugarng +would commence catching it with new vigor. He continued his efforts for +a full half hour. Amused at first, but finally losing his temper, he +gave it up, exclaiming petulantly that there was an evil spirit in it. + +Blind George became a constant visitor. At one time Mr. Hall gave him a +much worn coat, showing one of the several holes in it. George +immediately took a needle, and, bringing his tongue to the aid of his +hands, threaded it, and mended _all_ of the rents very neatly. At +another time Mr. Hall put into George's hand a piece of steel with a +magnet attached. The way the steel flew from his hand to the magnet +amazed him. At first he seemed to think it was not really so; but when +he clearly felt the steel leap from his fingers, he threw both steel and +magnet violently upon the floor. But feeling he was not hurt, and that +some little girls laughed at him, he tried it again more deliberately, +and was better satisfied. Mr. Hall next gave him a paper of needles, +desiring him to bring the magnet near them. He did so, and when the +needles flew from his hand by the attraction he sprung to his feet as if +an electric current had touched him, and the needles were scattered in +every direction over the floor. He declared that Mr. Hall was an +"Angekok." + +On the fourteenth of August another whaling vessel belonging to the +owners of the "George Henry" arrived at Grinnell Bay. Her name was the +"Georgiana," Captain Tyson; so there were now four vessels near each +other--the "Rescue" and "Black Eagle," besides those just named. There +were social, merry times. But Captain Buddington, having built a hut +here that some of his men might remain to fish, took his vessels farther +south, for winter-quarters, into a bay separated from Frobisher Bay on +the south by only a narrow strip of land. This Mr. Hall named Field Bay. +Here, snugly hid in an inlet of its upper waters, the vessels proposed +to winter. The Esquimo were not long in finding the new anchorage of the +whites, and in a few days a fleet of kayaks containing seven families +appeared. Among them was Kudlago's oldest daughter, now married to a +native the sailors called Johnny Bull. She had not heard of her father's +death, and stepped on deck elated at the thought of meeting him. "Where +is my father?" she inquired of Ugarng's wife. When she was tenderly told +the sad story of his death she wept freely. + +Mr. Hall was at once busy visiting the "tupics," summer tents made of +skins, pitched by the natives near the shore. He also rowed to the +islands in various directions, generally accompanied by one or more +Esquimo. On one of these visits to an island with a boy he had a narrow +escape. After several hours' ramble they returned to the landing, where +they had left their boat fastened to a rock. The tide had risen and the +boat was dancing on the waves out of reach. Here was a "fix!" They were +far away from the vessel, the night, cold and dark, was coming on, and +they were without shelter. But necessity sharpens one's wits, After some +delay and perplexity, Mr. Hall hit upon this plan: He took the seal-skin +strings from his boots, and the strings by which various scientific +instruments were attached to his person, tied them together, and thus +made quite a long and strong line. To this he tied a moderate sized +stone. Holding one end of the line in his hand, he tossed the stone into +the boat and gently drew it to him, jumped into it, and was soon at the +vessel. If Mr. Hall had not been a _green_ boatman he would not have +fastened his boat below high-water mark when the tide was coming in! He +probably did not again. + +One day the crew of the "Henry" captured a whale in the bay, and the +Esquimo joined with others in towing the monster to the ship. In one of +the boats was an Esquimo woman with a babe; she laid her child in the +bow of the boat and pulled an oar with the strongest of the white men. +Before they reached the vessel the wind blew a gale, the sea ran high, +and at times the spray shot into the air and came down in plentiful +showers into the boat. The mother cast anxious glances at her child, +and, as if it was for its life, rowed with giant strength. At last the +prize was safely moored to the "Henry," and the natives were rewarded +with generous strips of its black skin, which they ate voraciously, raw +and warm from the animal. They carried portions of it to their tupics on +shore for future use. This skin is about three fourths of an inch thick, +and, in even Mr. Hall's estimation, is "good eating" when raw, "but +better soused in vinegar." + +Soon after this, Captain Tyson brought the "Georgiana" round into Field +Bay, and the crews of the two vessels were often together when a whale +made its appearance, a circumstance sometimes the occasion of strife +when he is captured. One day Smith, an officer of the "Henry," fastened +a harpoon in a whale, and was devising means to secure his prey. Captain +Tyson, who was near in his boat, killed the monster with his lances, and +without a word, left Smith to enjoy the pleasure of taking it to his +vessel. The generous act was appreciated on board the "Henry." + +On the twenty-sixth of December a terrible storm commenced, causing the +boats which were cruising for whales to scud home. The three +vessels--the "Henry," "Rescue," and "Georgiana"--were anchored near each +other, and near an island toward which the wind was blowing. It was +about noon when the storm began, and as the day declined the wind +increased, bringing on its wings a cloud of snow. When the night came on +it was intensely dark, and the waves rose higher and higher as, driven +by the tempest, they rolled swiftly by and dashed upon the rocky shore. +The vessels labored heavily in the billows and strained at their +anchors, now dipping their bows deep in the water, then rising upon the +top of a crested wave, and leaping again into the trough of the sea, as +if impatient of restraint and eager to rush upon the rocks to their own +destruction. The roar of the sea and the howling of the winds through +the shrouds were appalling to all on board, while they awaited with +breathless interest the integrity of the anchors, on which their lives +depended. + +As the night wore on the watch on deck, peering through the darkness, +saw the dim outlines of the "Rescue" steadily and slowly moving toward +the shore. "She drags her anchors!" were the fearful words which passed +in whispers through the "George Henry." But all breathed easier to hear +the report from the watch soon after that she had come to a pause nearly +abreast of the "Henry." + +About midnight the storm put forth all the fury of its power, and the +small anchor of the "Georgiana" gave way, and the others went plowing +along their ocean beds, and, as the vessel neared the island, her +destruction and the loss of all on board seemed certain. The endangered +craft worried round a point of rocks, pounding against them as she went, +and reached smoother and safer waters, where her anchors remained firm. +The ghostly-looking forms of her men were soon after seen on the island, +to which they had escaped! In the mean time the men on the "Henry" were +in constant fear that their vessel would be dashed upon rocks. + +Just as the morning was breaking the "Rescue" broke away and went +broadside upon the island. With a crash the breakers hurled her against +the rocks, and seemed to bury her in their white foam. She was at once a +hopeless wreck, but her crew still clung bravely to her. When the +morning light had fully come, at the first lull in the storm, while yet +the waves rolled with unabated fury, a whale-boat was lowered into the +sea from the stern of the "Henry" with a strong line attached, and mate +Rogers and a seaman stepped into it. Cautiously and skillfully it was +guided to the stern of the "Rescue." Into it her men were taken, and +drawn safely to the "Henry." All were saved! A shout of joy mingled with +the tumult of the elements! + +The "Henry" safely outrode the storm. The "Georgiana" was not seriously +injured, and her men returned to her and sailed away for other +winter-quarters. The "Rescue" was a complete wreck, and, what was a +stunning blow to the enterprise of Mr. Hall, his expedition boat, in +which, with an Esquimo crew, he had hoped to reach the far-away land of +his lone sojourn and search for the Franklin men, was totally wrecked +too! What now should he do? That was to him the question of questions. +One thing he resolved _not_ to do--he would not abandon his mission. +Captain Buddington thought at first that he might spare him one of the +ship's boats in which to reach King William's Land; but, on careful +inquiry, he found that the only one he could part with was rotten and +untrustworthy. So waiting and watching became his present duty. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +THE AURORA. + + +MR. HALL had an eye for the beautiful in nature. The aurora deeply +impressed him, inspiring feelings of awe and reverence. It will be +noticed that explorers in the low latitude of Frobisher Bay are treated +to displays of the aurora on a scale of magnificence and beauty never +seen in the high latitudes of the winter-quarters of Dr. Kane and Hayes. +Night after night through the months of October, November, and December +Mr. Hall's sensitive nature was in raptures at the wonderful sights. The +heavens were aglow. The forms of brightness, and colors of every hue, +changed with the rapidity of fleecy clouds driven before the wind. +Before the mind had comprehended the grandeur of one scene, it had +changed into another of seeming greater beauty of form, color, and +brightness. Thousands of such changes occurred while he gazed. No wonder +he exclaims: "Who but God could conceive such infinite scenes of glory! +Who but God execute them, painting the heavens in such gorgeous +display!" + +Again he exclaims: "It seemeth to me as if the very doors of heaven have +opened to-night, so _mighty_ and _beauteous_ and _marvelous_ were the +waves of golden light which swept across the azure deep, breaking forth +anon into floods of wondrous glory. God made his wonderful works to be +remembered." + +Mr. Hall had been on deck several times, witnessing the enrapturing +display, and had returned into the cabin to go to bed, when the captain +shouted down the companion-way: "Come above, Hall, at once! _The world +is on fire!_" Mr. Hall hastened on deck. He says: "There was no sun, no +moon, yet the heavens were flooded with light. Even ordinary print could +be read on deck. Yes, flooded with _rivers_ of light!--and _such_ light! +light all but inconceivable! The golden hues predominated; but in rapid +succession prismatic colors leaped forth. + +"We looked, we saw, and we trembled; for even as we gazed the whole belt +of aurora began to be alive with flashes. Then each pile or bank of +light became myriads; some now dropping down the great pathway or belt, +others springing up, others leaping with lightning flash from one side, +while more as quickly passed into the vacated space; some, twisting +themselves into folds, entwining with others like enormous serpents, and +all these movements as quick as the eye could follow. It seemed as +though there was a struggle with these heavenly lights to reach and +occupy the dome above our heads. Then the whole arch above became +crowded. Down, down it came! nearer and nearer it approached us! Sheets +of golden flames, coruscating while leaping from the auroral belt, +seemed as if met in their course by some mighty agency that turned them +into the colors of the rainbow. + +"While the auroral fires seemed to be descending upon us, one of our +number exclaimed, 'Hark! hark!' Such a display, as if a warfare were +going on among the beauteous lights, seemed impossible without noise. +But all was silent." + +After the watchers, amazed at what they saw, retired to the cabin, they +very naturally commenced a lively conversation on what they had +witnessed. Captain Buddington declared that, though he had spent most of +his time for eleven years in the northern regions, he had never +witnessed so grand and beautiful a scene. And he added in an earnest +tone: "To tell you the truth, friend Hall, I do not care to see the like +again!" + +In November Mr. Hall became acquainted with two remarkable Esquimo whom +we shall often meet. Their names were Ebierbing and his wife Tookoolito, +but were known among the white people as Joe and Hannah. They had been +taken to England in 1853, and lionized there for two years. They had +visited the great and good of that land at their homes, and had aptly +learned many of the refinements of civilization. Queen Victoria had +honored them with an audience, and they had dined with Prince Albert. +Joe declared that the queen was "pretty--yes, quite pretty;" and the +prince was "good--very good." They made their visit on shipboard in a +full-blown English dress, but when Mr. Hall returned their visit in +their _tupic_ on shore they were in the Esquimo costume. Yet Tookoolito +busied herself with her _knitting_ during his call. She said, as they +conversed: "I feel very sorry to say that many of the whaling people are +bad, making the Innuits bad too; they swear very much, and make our +people swear. I wish they would not do so. Americans swear a great +deal--more and worse than the English. I wish no one would swear. It is +a very bad practice I believe." + +Tookoolito's spirit and example had done much to improve her people, +especially the women; these, many of them, had adopted her habit of +dressing her hair, and of cleanliness of person and abode. In her and +her husband, whom we shall meet often, we shall see the Esquimo as +modified by a partial Christian civilization. + +Mr. Hall made frequent visits to the Esquimo village on shore, mingling +with the people, conforming to their habits, and studying their +character. Their summer, skin-covered huts--tupics--had now given way to +the _igloos_, the snow-house, essentially like those we have before +seen. We will accompany Mr. Hall in a visit made in October. He found on +creeping into a hut a friend whom he knew as a pilot and boatman; his +name was Koojesse. He was sitting in the midst of a group of women +drinking with a gusto hot seal blood. Our white visitor joined them, and +pronounced the dish excellent. On going out he was met by blind George. +"Mitter Hall! Mitter Hall!" shouted the blind man on hearing Mr. Hall's +voice. There was a pensive earnestness in the call which arrested his +attention. "Ugarng come to-day!" continued George. "He come to-day. My +little Kookooyer way go! She here now. Speak-um, Ugarng! My little +pickaninny way go! Speak-um." + +The facts were these: Ugarng, who, as we have stated, had married +George's wife, and taken with the mother his little daughter, was at the +village attended by the latter. George, who was very fond of the child, +desired her company for a while. Mr. Hall did of course "speak-um." +Ugarng and the darling Kookooyer were soon seen in happy intimacy with +her father. + +Mr. Hall's attention was attracted by an excited crowd, who were +listening to the harangue of a young man. He was evidently master of the +situation, for at one moment his audience clenched their fists and raved +like madmen, and then, under another touch of his power, they were calm +and thoughtful, or melted to tears. He was an _Angekok_, and was going +through a series of _ankootings_, or incantations. His howlings and +gesticulations were not unlike those of the heathen priests of the East, +and of the medicine men of our Indians. On seeing Mr. Hall the Angekok +left his snow-platform, from which he had been speaking, and ran to him +with the blandest smiles and honied words. He put his arm in his and +invited him into his tent, or place of worship, as it might be called; +others ran ahead, and it was well filled with worshipers. Koojesse, who +was passing at the time with water for the ship, on a wave of the +Angekok's hand set his pail down and followed. All faithful Esquimo in +this region obey the Angekok. If he sees one smoking, and signifies that +he wishes the pipe, the smoker deposits it in the Angekok's pocket. + +When in the tent the Angekok placed Koojesse on one side, and Mr. Hall +facing him on the other side. Now commenced the service. The Angekok +began a rapid clapping of his hands, lifting them at times above his +head, then passing them round in every direction, and thrusting them +into the faces of the people, muttering the while wild, incoherent +expressions. The clapping of his hands was intermitted by a violent +clapping of the chest on which he sat, first on the top, then on the +sides and end. At times he would cease, and sit statue-like for some +moments, during which the silence of death pervaded the audience. Then +the clapping and gesticulations broke forth with increased violence. Now +and then he paused, and stared into the farthest recess of the tent with +the fiery eyes and the hideous countenance of a demon. At the right +time, to heighten the effect, the wizard, by a quick sign or sharp word, +ordered Koojesse to fix his eyes on this point of the tent, then on +that, intimating in mysterious undertones that in such places _Kudlago's +spirit shook the skin covering_! Koojesse, though one of the most +muscular and intelligent of the natives, obeyed with trembling +promptness, while the profuse sweat stood in drops upon his nose, +(Esquimo perspire freely _only_ on the nose,) and his countenance +beamed with intense excitement. The climax was at hand. The Angekok's +words began to be plain enough for Mr. Hall's ears. Kudlago's spirit was +troubled. Would the white man please give it rest? One of his +double-barreled guns would do it! White man! white man! give Kudlago's +spirit rest! Give the double-barreled gun! + +The cunning wizard! But Mr. Hall, who, though brimful of laugh, had been +a sober-looking listener, was not to be caught with this chaff, _except +in his own interest_. He whispers to Koojesse, "Would the Angekok be a +good man to go with me in the spring to King William's Land?" + +"Yes," was the reply. + +Then Mr. Hall turned to the Angekok and said aloud, "If you go with me +next spring on my explorations you shall have one of my best guns." + +Thinking the gift was to be given immediately, his crafty reverence +shouted, thanked Mr. Hall, threw his arms about his neck, and danced +with an air of triumph about the tent, seeming to say as he looked upon +his amazed followers, "I have charmed a kablunah"--white man. + +Mr. Hall tried to set him right about the terms of the gift--that it was +to be when he had served him in the spring. But he would understand it +as he would have it. His joy found a fullness of expression when, +pointing to his two wives, he said to Mr. Hall, "One shall be yours; +take your choice." He was disgusted when the white man told him that he +had a wife, and that kabluna wanted but one wife. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +THE DYING ESQUIMO. + + +CHRISTMAS and New Year's (1861) were not forgotten as holidays by the +sojourners in the regions of cold and ice. Mr. Hall gave his friend +Tookoolito a Bible as a memento of December twenty-fifth. She was much +pleased, and at once spelled out on the title-page, _Holy Bible_. + +Mr. Hall having heard that an Esquimo named Nukerton was seriously sick, +invited Tookoolito to visit her with him. Sitting down with the sick +one, with Tookoolito as an interpreter, Mr. Hall spoke to her of Jesus +and the resurrection, while many of her friends stood listening with +intense interest. Tookoolito bent over her sick friend weeping, and +continued the talk about God, Christ, and heaven, after Mr. Hall had +ceased. + +Mr. Hall visited the sick one daily, administering to her bodily and +spiritual wants. Going to see her on the fourth of January, he found +that a new snow-hut had been built for the dying one, and her female +friends had carried her into it, opening, to pass her in, a hole on the +back side. It was at once her dying chamber and her tomb. For this +purpose it was built in conformity to the Esquimo usage. He found +Nukerton in her new quarters of stainless snow, on a bed of snow +covered with skins, happy at the change though she knew that she had +been brought there to die, _and to die alone_, as was the custom of her +people. Mr. Hall proposed to carry her to die on board the ship. But +even Tookoolito objected to this. It was better she should die alone; +such was the custom of their fathers. Mr. Hall remained to watch alone +with the dying one, but, on his leaving her igloo to do an errand at a +neighboring tent, her friends sealed up its entrance. He threw back the +blocks of snow piled against it and crept in. Nukerton was not dead; she +breathed feebly; the lamp burned dimly, and the cold was intense; the +solemn stillness of the midnight hour had come; sound of footsteps were +heard, and a rustling at the entrance. Busy hands were fastening it up, +not knowing, perhaps, that Mr. Hall was within. "Stop! stop!" he +shouted, and all was silent as the grave. "Come in!" he again said. +Koodloo, Nukerton's cousin, and a woman came in. They remained a few +moments and left. Mr. Hall was alone again, and remained until the +spirit of the dying woman departed. He gently closed her eyes, laid out +the body as if for Christian burial, closed up the igloo, and departed. + +Mr. Hall knew cases, later in his stay with this people, in which the +dying were for some time alone before the vital spark was extinguished. +The only attendance that the sick have is the howling and mummery of the +Angekoks, who are sometimes women. They give no medicine. + +Mr. Hall made several sledge excursions with his Innuit friends. One to +Cornelius Grinnell Bay was full of thrilling incidents, of storms, of +perils by the breaking up suddenly of the ice on which he had encamped, +and one showing the wolfish rapacity of Esquimo dogs. He also had a bear +chase and capture. But these, though full of exciting interest, are +similar to those of other explorers, already related. The Esquimo +themselves, with all their knowledge of the ice and storms, have many +desperate adventures. A party of them was once busily engaged in +spearing walrus, when the floe broke up and they went out to sea, and +remained three months on their ice-raft! The walrus were plenty, and +they had a good time of it, and returned safely. + +We have given our readers an incident relating to Mr. Hall's dog, +Barbekark--a not very creditable incident, it will be remembered, so far +as that dog's discernment of moral right is concerned. But then we must +remember that heathen dogs are not supposed to know much in that +respect. Barbe, as we will call him for shortness, appears again in our +story in a way which shows that he was very knowing about some matters +at least. + +One day, at nine in the morning, a party of the ship's company, attended +by the native Koojesse, started for an excursion into Frobisher Bay. +When well out of sight of the vessel a blinding storm arose, making +farther progress both difficult and dangerous. Koojesse counseled an +immediate construction of a snow-hut, and a halt until the storm +subsided, which was the right thing to do. But the white leader ordered +a return march. The dogs, as they generally will with a fierce wind +blowing in their face, floundered about in reckless insubordination. +Their leader, a strong animal, finally assumed his leadership, and +dragged them for a while toward some islands just appearing in sight. +But Barbe set back in his harness, pricked up his ears, and took a +deliberate survey of the situation. To be sure he could _see_ only a few +rods in any direction, but his mind was made up. He turned his head away +from the islands, and drew with such vigor and decision that all, both +men and dogs, yielded to his guidance. Through the drifts, and in the +face of bewildering clouds of snow which darkened their path, he brought +the party straight to the ship! A few hours more of exposure and all +would have perished. + +Young Barbe was a brave hunter as well as skillful guide. On a bright +morning in March, the lookout on the deck of the "Henry" shouted down +the gangway that a herd of deer were in sight. Immediately the +excitement of men and dogs was at fever-heat. The dogs, however, did not +get the news until Koojesse had crept out, and from behind an island had +fired upon the deer. His ball brought down no game, but the report of +the gun called out Barbe with the whole pack of wolfish dogs at his +heels, in full pursuit of the flying, frightened deer. The fugitives +made tortuous tracks, darting behind the islands, now this way, and +then off in another direction. But Barbe struck across their windings +along the straight line toward the point at which they were aiming, +while the rest of the dogs followed their tracks, and so fell behind. +Koojesse returned to the vessel, the hope which just now was indulged of +a venison dinner was given up, and the affair was nearly forgotten, +except that some anxiety was felt lest the dogs should come to harm in +their long and reckless pursuit. + +About noon Barbe came on board having his mouth and body besmeared with +blood. He ran to this one, and then to that, looking beseechingly into +their faces, and then running to the gangway stairs, where he stopped +and looked back, as much as to say, "An't you coming? Do come, I'll show +you something worth seeing!" His strange movements were reported to Mr. +Hall in the cabin, but being busy writing he took no notice of it. One +of the men having occasion to go toward the shore Barbe followed him, +but finding that he did not go in the right direction he whined his +disappointment, and started out upon the floe, and then turned and said +as plainly as a dog could speak, "Come on; this is the way!" + +A party from the ship determined now to follow. Barbe led them a mile +northward, then, leaving them to follow his foot-prints in the snow, he +scampered off two miles in a western direction. This brought the men to +an island, under the shelter of which they found the dogs. Barbe was +sitting at the head of a slaughtered deer, and his companions squatting +round as watchful sentinels. The deer's throat had been cut with Barbe's +teeth, the jugular vein being severed as with a knife. The roots of the +tongue, with bits of the windpipe, had been eaten, the blood sipped up, +but nothing more. Several crows were pecking away at the carcass +unforbidden by Barbe, who petted crows as his inferiors. + +Barbe wagged his tail and shook his head as the men came up, and said in +expressive dog-language, "See here, now! didn't I tell you so!" + +The disturbed and blood-stained snow around showed that the deer had +fought bravely. One of his legs was somewhat broken in the bloody +conflict, which incident might have determined Barbe's victory. + +The men skinned the deer, and bore the skin and dissected parts to the +vessel. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +CUNNING HUNTERS. + + +OUR sketch of Mr. Hall's Esquimo life brings us to the early summer of +1861. He had made many excursions in and about Frobisher and Field Bays +which we have not noted. Their results were mainly valuable for the +relics obtained of the visits here of the famous old explorer Frobisher, +nearly three hundred years ago. There were, too, he ascertained, +traditions among the natives of these visits, as well as that of Parry, +nearly fifty years before, which so well accorded with the known facts +as to show the reliability of such traditions. + +An incident occurred during one of these excursions which illustrates +the deceitful effect of refraction in the northern atmosphere. He landed +on a headland in Frobisher Bay, and secured an enchanting view of land +and sea. Points of historic interest were under his eye, and nature was +clothed with a wild Arctic beauty. But an object of still more thrilling +interest comes in view. A steamer! Yes, there is her hull and +smoke-pipe, all very unmistakable! See, she tacks, now this way, then +that, working her way no doubt toward the land on which he stands. + +Mr. Hall ran to the camp, and told the good news to Koojesse and +Ebierbing, his companions. His mind was fairly bewitched with visions of +news from civilization, from his country, and perhaps letters from his +dear ones of the family circle. Each shouldered his loaded gun, and +walked round to the point on the shore toward which the steamer was +coming. They would make a loud report with their guns, and _compel_ +those on board to notice them. When they reached the spot there was no +steamer. The Esquimo looked with blank amazement, and turned inquiringly +toward Mr. Hall. Had she sailed away? No, that was impossible. It was +only that rock yonder, half buried in snow! There, it does even now look +like a steamer! Wait a while. No, it no more looks like a steamer than +it looks like a cow! It is a cruel "sell!" + +It will be recollected that the "George Henry" had made her +winter-quarters in a little nook in Field Bay called Rescue Harbor. From +his home in her cabin Mr. Hall was going forth on his explorations. But +the whalers had made a "whaling depot" on a cape of Frobisher Bay, which +commanded a view of its waters and of the waters of Davis Strait. Here +they watched for whales, or made excursions after them. To this depot +Mr. Hall made an excursion with Koojesse about the middle of June. On +their way over the ice, Koojesse gave illustrations of two Esquimo +methods of taking seal that were very peculiar. The dogs scented the +seal and broke into a furious run, making the sledge "spin" over the +ice. Soon Koojesse perceived him lying with his head near his hole. On +the instant the dogs and their driver set up a vociferous, startling +yell. The seal lifted up his head, frightened almost out of his wits, so +that the dogs were within a few rods of him before he so far recovered +his senses as to plunge into his hole and escape. + +Koojesse said that only young seals are so caught. In this case fright +had nearly cost the poor seal his life. + +At another time Koojesse saw a seal sunning himself, and lying, as is +their habit, near his hole. The hunter stopped the sledge, took his gun, +and, keeping back the dogs, lay down and drew himself along upon his +breast, making at the same time a peculiar, plaintive sound, varied in +intonation. To this "seal talk," as the Esquimo term it, the animal +listens, and is charmed into a pleasant persuasion that some loving +friend is near. He looks, listens, and then lays his head languidly upon +the ice. So the wily hunter approaches within easy range, the rifle +cracks, and the fatal ball goes through the vitals of the confiding +seal. Thus seals, like men, sometimes die of alarm, and are sometimes +taken in the flatterer's snare. + +Mr. Hall found the whale depot a busy place. Numerous tents of the white +men and Esquimo were grouped together, in the midst of which, on a +substantial flag-staff, the stars and stripes were waving. The Esquimo +and dogs proclaimed their welcome in their peculiar way, and the +officers and crew made the visitor feel at home. + +The question soon discussed concerned a boat for Mr. Hall's journey to +King William's Land. Captain Buddington said seriously that the question +had been much on his mind, and had been anxiously considered, and his +painful conclusion was that he had no whale-boat adequate for the +undertaking. The boat made on purpose for that service, which had been +lost when the "Rescue" was wrecked, was the only one brought into those +waters which could convey him safely. To go in any other would be to +throw away his life. So Mr. Hall said heroically: "I will make the best +of my stay here, in explorations and study of the Esquimo traits and +language. Do you return to the States, get another suitable boat, and, +God willing, I will yet go to King William's Land." + +Touching incidents of Innuit life were constantly passing before Mr. +Hall. Here is one. There was a young man, Etu, about twenty-five years +of age, whom our old acquaintance, Ugarng, had taken into his favor. Etu +had the misfortune to be born spotted all over his body, precisely like +the snow-white and black spotting of the skin of one species of seal. +His heathen parents seemed on this account to have loathed their child, +for, after enduring his presence a few years in the family, the father +carried him to an unfrequented barren island to die. But God, who cared +for the child Ishmael and the little Moses, watched over Etu. He caught +the sea-birds which flocked to the land _with his hands_--an +extraordinary exploit. The summer thus passed and winter came, and the +boy yet lived. It so happened--shall we not the rather say, God so +ordered--that a kayak of natives rowed that way. They were surprised +when they saw a boy alone on a drear island, and the child was +frightened at their presence. But when they made friendly signs he +rushed into their arms. + +The boy returned to his people, but being shunned and slighted he became +discouraged and indolent. Such was his situation when Ugarng took him +into his family. One day Mr. Hall entered the tent of Ebierbing and +found there a girl thirteen years of age, Ookoodlear, weeping as though +her heart would break. She also was of Ugarng's family, but had been +staying with the kind Tookoolito, wife of Ebierbing. Her trouble was +that Ugarng was coming to take her away and make her the wife of Etu! +Marry a seal-spotted man! the thought was awful! Then, she was so young! + +Ebierbing took with him a friend, and called upon Etu and told him the +dislike felt toward him of the girl. Poor Etu! Then Tookoolito agreed +with Ugarng to take charge of Ookoodlear, so the marriage was prevented. + +Marriage contracts among the Esquimo are made by the parents or other +friends, often in the childhood of the parties. Those immediately +concerned seldom have any thing to do or say in the matter. Among the +Esquimo of Whale Sound the proposed bridegroom was sometimes required to +be able to carry off to his igloo, in spite of herself, his intended +bride. The resistance in such cases on the part of the woman is +supposed to depend upon circumstances. + +There is no marriage ceremony. In these Esquimo communities the two +great events, marriage and death, transpire without special note. Among +the natives of the region we are now visiting the newborn child +generally first sees the light alone with its mother, and in an igloo +built expressly for her. + +Late in July the ice broke up and liberated the "George Henry" from her +icy prison. The sailors returned on board, and she sailed away on a +whaling cruise. Mr. Hall was left alone with his Innuit friends. He had +planned a voyage of exploration in his whale-boat with a crew of them, +to be absent about two months. On his return, if he found the whalers in +those regions he would go to the States in one of them; if not, he would +remain in Esquimo life until their return. + +Ebierbing and Tookoolito were of course to be of his party. But +Ebierbing was taken seriously sick and so was prevented from +accompanying him, much to his regret. His crew, as finally selected, +were Koojesse and wife, Charley (his Esquimo name is too long to write) +and his wife, Koodloo, and a widow, Suzhi, remarkable for her great size +and strength, weighing two hundred. + +The party were off the ninth of August. They passed through Lupton +Channel, a narrow run of water connecting Field Bay with Frobisher Bay. +A white whale preceded them, leisurely keeping the lead, as if conscious +that there were no harpoons in the boat; perhaps he assumed his safety +from the presence of the women. The sea-fowl were abundant. The Esquimo, +to save ammunition, adopted one of their own amusing yet cruel ways of +capturing them. They rowed softly and swiftly to a cluster of them in +the water. Just as the birds were about to fly the whole crew set up a +most terrific yell, at the same time stamping and throwing their arms +about with wild gesticulations. Down go the frightened birds, diving, +instead of flying, to escape the enemy. The crew now seize their oars, +and the steerer guides the boat by the disturbed surface of the water to +the spot where they come up. The moment they show their heads the uproar +is renewed. Down go the birds again without taking breath. This course, +though exciting sport to the hunters, is soon death to the poor birds, +which, exhausted and finally drowned, are picked from the surface of the +water. One of the ducks taken in this way was a mother with a +fledgeling. As the parent gasped in its dying agony, the child would put +its little bill in her mouth for food, and then nestle down under her +for protection. + +The explorers having entered Frobisher Bay, sailed west along its +northern shore. They camped at night on the land, and made slow progress +by day. The Esquimo were in no hurry, while Mr. Hall would make good +time to the extreme west of the bay and survey that line of coast, as +the waters had hitherto been deemed a strait. But his free and easy +companions were more disposed to have a good time than to add to +geographical knowledge. At one time Koojesse, taking up Mr. Hall's +glass, saw a bear some miles away on an island. Fresh duck was plenty on +board, and a chase after "_ninoo_" at the expense of time was +unnecessary. But it would be _fun_; that settled the matter. Away sped +the rickety old whale-boat, impelled by strong hands. Bruin soon snuffed +the strangers, stood and looked, then comprehending the danger, turned +and ran over to the other side of the island. Soon the boat was in sight +of him, and he plunged into the water. The Esquimo now adopted a part of +the game they had played so successfully on the ducks. They occasionally +made a sudden and deafening uproar. Ninoo would stop and turn round to +see what was the matter, and so time was gained by his pursuers. But he +made good speed for the main land, and after a while began so far to +comprehend the situation that no noise arrested his course. On he went +for dear life. The balls soon reached him and dyed his coat in crimson, +yet he halted not until one struck his head. This enraged him; he deemed +the play decidedly foul. He turned, showed his teeth, and this brought +the boat to a stand-still. The hunters did not care for a hand-to-paw +fight. The rifle settled the unequal conflict, and ninoo's body was +towed ashore. + +The bladder of the bear was inflated, and with some other _charms_, put +on a staff to be elevated on the top of the tupic when the party +encamped, and in the bow of the boat when sailing. This insured good +luck according to Esquimo notions. + +The explorers were, while in camp at one time, in want of oil for their +lamp. Koodloo found some strips of sea-blubber and carried it to Suzhi, +who was "in tuktoo"--that is, in bed. She sat up, rested upon her +elbows, put a dish before her, took the blubber, bit off pieces, chewed +it and sucked the oil out, and then spirted it out into the dish. In +this way she "milled" oil enough to fill two large lamps. This done she +lay down again and slept, with unwashen hands and face. There were no +white sheets to be soiled. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +ROUND FROBISHER BAY. + + +THE explorers found occasionally during their voyage encampments of +natives. In these many incidents occurred illustrating Esquimo habits. +At one place the women were busily employed on seal-skins, making +women's boots. One of them was diligently sewing while her big boy +_stood_ at her breast nursing! + +Before reaching the head of the bay Mr. Hall's party was joined by a +boat load of Esquimo, and several women canoes. A beautiful river +emptied into the bay here which abounded with salmon, which proved most +excellent eating. Vegetation was abundant. The women brought Mr. Hall a +good supply of berries, resembling, in size and color, blueberries. They +were deemed a great luxury. Wolves barked and howled about the camp. The +aurora danced and raced across the heavens in strange grandeur. The deer +roamed about the rocky coast undisturbed except by the occasional visits +of the Innuits. + +Mr. Hall, having pretty thoroughly explored the head of the bay, +purposed to return on the side opposite that on which he came. Here were +hills covered with snow. It had no attractions for his Esquimo +companions, and they muttered their discontent at the route. Ascending +one of these hills, Mr. Hall planted on it, with much enthusiasm, a +flag-staff from which floated the stripes and stars. On returning to the +encampment he found his tent occupied by several Esquimo busily engaged +in various items of work. One of the women having done him a favor he +gave her some beads, asking her at the same time what she had done with +those he had given her on a former occasion. She said she had given them +to the Angekok for his services in her sickness. Mr. Hall went to a tin +box and took out a copy of the Bible and held it up before the woman, +saying, "This talks to me of heaven!" Instantly, as though a light from +heaven had flashed upon them all, both men and women left their work, +and springing to their feet looked at Mr. Hall. At first they seemed +terrified; then a smile of joy came over their faces, and they said, +"Tell us what it talks of heaven." + +As well as he was able, with but a slight knowledge of their language, +he unfolded to them the great truths of Revelation. When he paused one +of his hearers pointed downward, inquiring if it talked of the grave, or +perhaps meaning the place of the wicked. When he answered "Yes," they +looked at each other with solemnity and surprise. + +But an incident which occurred soon after showed that these Esquimo did +not feel the presence of eternal things. A white whale had been seen and +chased by the men and women. He escaped, and the men returned in bad +humor. As one of the women was helping to unload the boat her husband +threw a seal-hook at her with great force. She parried the blow, and it +caught in her jacket. She calmly removed it, and continued at her work +as if nothing had happened. + +Esquimo men are generally the mildest, if not the most affectionate, of +savages in their relation of husbands; yet in their fits of passion they +throw any thing that is at hand at their wives, a hatchet, stone, knife, +or spear, as they would at a dog. + +At one time the Esquimo men all left Mr. Hall's boat on a hunt. He +continued his voyage with the three women rowers. The boat was +pleasantly gliding along, when in passing an island it fell into a +current which rushed over a bed of slightly covered rocks with the +rapidity of a mill-race, seething and whirling in its course. The women, +though frightened, rowed with great vigor, Suzhi showing herself more +than an ordinary man in the emergency. For some time the struggle was +fearful and uncertain. To go with the current was certain death; to get +out of it seemed impossible. At last slowly, steadily, they gained on +the rushing current, and then the boat shot into a little cove in +tranquil waters. They landed and rested six hours. + +Mr. Hall had now, September twelfth, been out thirty-five days, and he +determined to return to Rescue Harbor, hoping to find that the "George +Henry" had returned from her whaling trip. This pleased the Esquimo, but +they did not like his south-side route. Koojesse would, in spite of Mr. +Hall, steer the boat toward the opposite side, and the rowers enjoyed +the joke. At one time our explorer wished to stop and make further +examination of a certain locality, but Koojesse was heading the boat +northward. His captain urged him to stop, and he replied with savage +sharpness, "You stop; I go!" Even the women rowers when alone with Mr. +Hall set up an independent authority at one time, and it was only after +considerable urging that they yielded to the white man. Once when +Koojesse was acting contrary to orders, Mr. Hall turned upon him with +tones of authority and a show of determination. He yielded, and five +minutes afterward the whole Esquimo crew were as jovial as if nothing +had occurred. Yet it was not quite certain that this was a safe course. +The life of the lone white man was in their hands. + +During this voyage Mr. Hall was treated without stint to the delights of +one Esquimo practice. We have spoken of the wild songs of their +incantations, rising often into a dismal howl. One of the crew, a woman, +had a gift in this way, and when she _ankooted_ the rest accompanied, or +came in on the chorus. In this way they often made the night of their +encampment hideous. One day the boat was gliding smoothly along under +the steady strokes of the rowers. The unemployed were nestling down in +their furs, dreamily musing, while the dreary expanse of sky and sea was +profoundly still, save the distant screech of the sea-fowl, and the +occasional bark of the seal. Suddenly the female enchanter commenced her +mystical song. Her voice was shrill as a night-bird's, and varied by +sharp and sudden cracks, like fourth-of-July firecrackers. The Esquimo +crew came in on the chorus, and the rowers put forth at the same time a +frantic energy, their eyes glaring and countenances fearfully distorted. +The whole scene was intensely demoniac. The enchanters seemed +intoxicated with their howlings, and continued them through the night +and most of the two following days. + +Only one incident more of a noticeable character occurred on this +excursion. When one of their nightly encampments had just commenced _a +gold fever_ seized the Esquimo, and shook the little community as if +they had been white folks. A huge lump of gold had been found! It was +precisely the article for which the sovereign of England and her savans +had sent here, three hundred years before, the sturdy Frobisher, with a +fleet of empty ships. It was emphatically _fool's gold_. + +Friday, September twenty-seventh, 1861, the explorers arrived at Rescue +Harbor. The "George Henry" was already there. Her energetic officers and +crew had toiled through all the season and taken nothing! The explorer +and the ship's commander, after a warm supper, sat in the cabin talking +over the incidents of their experience while separated until a late hour +of the night. The whole community were jubilant at their return, as +fears were indulged that the crazy craft had sunk with all its +occupants. + +Mr. Hall was not long in finding the tupic of his friends, Ebierbing and +wife. When the wife of Tookoolito saw him she buried her face in her +hands and burst into tears so great was her joy. While chatting with +them, Mr. Hall heard the plaintive sound of an infant voice. Turning +back the folds of Tookoolito's fur wrapper a little boy was seen only +twenty-four days old, an only child. + +October twentieth came, and the whalers had secured three whales--an +encouraging success after a long failure. But her captain had not +intended to stay another winter. His time was out, and so, nearly, were +his provisions. But while Rescue Harbor was yet clear of ice, and he was +getting ready to return, purposing to take with him the still +enthusiastic explorer, the heavy "pack" was outside of the harbor in +Davis Strait. It had come, an untimely, unwelcome voyager from the +north. While the anxious whalemen were looking for a "lead" to open and +permit them to sail homeward the Frosty King of the north waved his icy +scepter, and Davis Strait was as unnavigable as the solid land. Another +winter was spent in Rescue Harbor, and it was not until early in August, +1862, that the vessel was set free and spread her sails for home. This +year, too, was diligently improved by Mr. Hall in explorations and the +further study of the Esquimo language and character. He confidently +expected to return, after a short stay in the United States, and carry +out his proposed plan of explorations in King William's Land. He took +home with him Ebierbing and Tookoolito, with their infant boy, +Tuk-e-lik-e-ta. The dog Barbekark made one of the returning party. + +They arrived in New London September thirteenth, 1862, after an absence +of two years and three and a half months. + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +THE "POLARIS." + + +WE have seen that Mr. Hall's enthusiasm for arctic research was unabated +when he returned from his first adventure. In 1864 he was off again. He +sailed from New London in the whaler "Monticello," accompanied by his +Esquimo friends, Ebierbing and Tookoolito. The "Monticello" entered +Hudson Bay, landed the daring explorers on its northern shores, and left +them to their fortunes. From thence they made the long, dreary journey +to King William's Land, where the relics of Franklin's party had been +found, some of whom Hall hoped to find alive. For five years he lived an +Esquimo life, experiencing many thrilling adventures, and escaping many +imminent dangers. At one time he saved his own life only by shooting an +assailant who was leading against him a party who had conspired to +murder him. The result of his long sojourn in this region of cold was a +store of knowledge of the Esquimo habits and language, but nothing +important relating to the fate of the Franklin expedition. Many sad +confirmations were indeed found of the fact before generally accepted, +that they had all miserably perished. + +On his return, Mr. Hall, nothing daunted by hardships and failures, +commenced writing and lecturing on the theory of an open Polar Sea. As +he had done before, so now he succeeded in impressing not only the +popular mind but scientific men and statesmen with the plausibility of +his theory and the practicability of his plans. Another North Pole +expedition was proposed; Congress appropriated to it fifty thousand +dollars, and Mr. Hall was appointed its commander. A craft of about four +hundred tons, being larger than either of its predecessors on the same +errand, was selected, and named the "Polaris." She was a +screw-propeller, and rigged as a fore-topsail schooner. Her sides were +covered with a six-inch white oak planking, nearly doubling their +strength. Her bows were nearly solid white oak, made sharp, and sheathed +with iron. One of her boilers was fitted for the use of whale or seal +oil, by which steam could be raised if the coal was exhausted. She was +supplied with five extraordinary boats. One of these must have been the +last Yankee invention in the boat line. It is represented as having a +capacity to carry twenty-five men, yet weighing only two hundred and +fifty pounds; when not in use it could be folded up and packed snugly +away. The "Polaris" was, of course, amply equipped and ably manned, and +great and useful results were expected from her. President Grant is said +to have entered with interest into this enterprise of Captain Hall, and +the nation said, "God bless him and his perilous undertaking!" though +many doubted the wisdom of any more Arctic expeditions. A few days +before his departure Mr. Hall received from the hand of his friend, +Henry Grinnell, a flag of historic note. It had fluttered in the wind +near the South Pole with Lieutenant Wilkes, in 1838; had been borne by +De Haven far northward; it had gone beyond De Haven's highest in the +Kane voyage, and was planted still farther North Poleward by Hayes. "I +believe," exclaimed Captain Hall, on receiving it, "that this flag, in +the spring of 1872, will float over a new world, in which the North Pole +star is its crowning jewel." + +The "Polaris" left New York June 29, 1871, tarried for a few days at New +London, and was last heard from as she was ready to steam northward, the +last of August, from Tussuissak, the most northern of the Greenland +outposts. At this place Captain Hall met our old acquaintance, Jensen, +of the Hayes expedition. He was flourishing as "governor" of a few +humble huts occupied by a few humbler people, and he put on +consequential airs in the presence of his white brother. He would not be +a dog-driver again to an Arctic exploration--not he! Hall says he had "a +face of brass in charging for his dogs." But the full complement of +sixty was made up here, and his stock of furs was increased. + +As our voyagers are now about to enter upon the terribly earnest +conflicts of North Pole explorers, and as their complement of men _and +women_ are complete, we will further introduce them to our readers. + +The commander, Hall, they know; he is well-proportioned, muscular, of +medium height, quiet, but completely enthusiastic in his chosen line of +duty, believing thoroughly in himself and his enterprise, yet believing +well too easily of others, especially of the rough men of his command, +some of whom have grown up under the harsh discipline of the whale-ship +or the naval service. The next in command is the sailing-master, Captain +S. O. Buddington of our last narrative. Captain Tyson, commissioned as +assistant navigator to the expedition, has been introduced to the reader +at Frobisher Bay, while in command there of a whale-ship. We shall have +occasion to become very intimate with him. Here is our old acquaintance, +William Morton, whom we knew so favorably by his heroic deeds in the Dr. +Kane expedition; he is second mate now. + +Of course, Captain Hall's old friends of his first and second Arctic +experience, Ebierbing and Tookoolito, his wife, are here. They are now +known as Joe and Hannah, and although it does some violence to our taste +to drop their Esquimo names, we will conform to the usage about us, and +know them in this narrative by these English names. They are accompanied +by an adopted daughter from among their people, about ten years old, +whom they call Puney. + +[Illustration: Captain Buddington.] + +And here, too, is our old friend Hans, taken on board at Upernavik. +Having been with Kane and Hayes, nothing daunted by the perils of their +voyages, he is here to see, if possible, with Hall, the North Pole, +though no doubt thinking much more of his twenty-five dollars a month as +hunter and dog-driver than of the desired discoveries. His wife and +their three children are with him, for, like a good husband and father, +he would not be separated from his family. The children are Augustina, a +girl about thirteen years, heavy built, and most as large as her mother; +Tobias, a boy of perhaps eight, and a little girl, Succi, of four years. +Think of such a group daring the known and unknown perils of Arctic ice +and cold! + +With the rest of the ship's company we shall form acquaintance as our +narrative progresses. + +On the twenty-fourth of August the "Polaris" left Tussuissak, and fairly +began her Arctic fight in the ice, current, and wind encounters of +Melville Bay. But on she steamed, passing in a few days through the Bay +into the North Water, into Smith Sound, passing Hayes's winter-quarters, +yet steaming on by Dr. Kane's winter-quarters, not even pausing to +salute our old friends Kalutunah and Myouk, sailing up the west side of +Kennedy Channel, the scene of Dr. Hayes's conflicts and heroic +achievements, the "Polaris" finally brings up in the ice barriers of +north latitude 82° 16´. The highest points of previous voyages in this +direction are far south. That new world of which the North Pole star is +"the crowning jewel," is less than six hundred miles farther. If that +open sea located in this latitude by confident explorers was only a +fact, how easily and how soon would the brave "Polaris" be there! But +the ice-floe, strong and defiant, and the southern current, were facts, +and the open sea nowhere visible. The "Polaris" was taken in hand by the +ice and current in the historic, Arctic fashion, and set back about +fifty miles. The Ice King had said, "Thus far and no farther," and +pointed with his frosty fingers southward. + +The "Polaris" early in September was glad to steam in under the land, +anchor to an iceberg, and make her winter-quarters. Captain Hall called +the harbor "Thank-God Harbor," and the friendly anchorage "Providence +Berg." He had a right here now, for a little farther north, at a place +he called "Repulse Harbor," he went ashore, threw the stripes and stars +to the breeze, and took possession of the land "in the name of God and +the President of the United States." We shall not expect to hear that a +territorial representative from this land enters the next Congress. If +this part of our national domain has a representative in the life-time +of our distinguished acquaintance, Kalutunah, we nominate him for the +position, as one of the nearest known inhabitants. + +Now commenced in earnest preparations for an Arctic winter. We have seen +how this is done, and Hall and some, at least, of his officers knew how +to do it. The hunters were abroad at once, and an early prize was a +musk-ox weighing three hundred pounds. His meat was tender and good, +having no musky odor. This was but the beginning of the good gunning +afforded by this far northern region. Two seals were soon after shot. +The country was found to abound in these, and in geese, ducks, rabbits, +wolves, foxes, partridges, and bears. The scurvy was not likely to +venture near our explorers. + +A pleasant incident occurred on shipboard about this time which the +reader will better appreciate as our story progresses. It was September +twenty-fourth. The Sabbath religious service of the preceding day had +been conducted by Chaplain Bryant in his usual happy manner. At its +close Commander Hall made some kind, earnest remarks to the men by which +their rough natures were made tender, and they sent a letter from the +forecastle to the cabin expressing to him their thanks. To this he +replied in the following note:-- + + "SIRS: The reception of your letter of thanks to me of + this date I acknowledge with a heart that deeply feels + and fully appreciates the kindly feeling that has + prompted you to this act. I need not assure you that + your commander has, and ever will have, a lively + interest in your welfare. You have left your homes, + friends, and country; indeed, you have bid farewell + for a time to the whole civilized world, for the + purpose of aiding me in discovering the mysterious, + hidden parts of the earth. I therefore must and shall + care for you as a prudent father cares for his + faithful children." + +October tenth, after careful preparation, Captain Hall started northward +on an experiment in the way of sledging. He purposed more extended +sledge journeys in the spring, until the Pole itself should be reached. +He took two sledges, drawn by seven dogs each. Captain Hall and Joe +accompanied one, and Mr. Chester, the mate, and Hans, the other. Their +experience on this trip was simply of the Arctic kind, of which we have +seen so much. Deep snows, treacherous ice, which was in a state of +change by the action of winds and currents, intense cold, and vexed and +vicious dogs, all put in their appearance. But Captain Hall says, "These +drawbacks are nothing new to an Arctic traveler. We laugh at them, and +plod on determined to execute the service faithfully to the end." The +sledge expedition was gone two weeks, and traveled north fifty miles. +They discovered a lake and a river. They came to the southern cape of a +bay which they had seen from the "Polaris" in her drift from above. They +named the bay Newman Bay, and attached Senator Sumner's name to the +cape. From the top of an iceberg they surveyed the bay, and believed it +extended inland thirty miles. Crossing the mouth of the bay they +clambered up its high northern cape, which they called Brevoort. Here +they looked westward over the waters up which a good distance past this +point the "Polaris" had sailed, and which they had named Robeson Strait. +They peered longingly into the misty distance, and fondly hoped to +penetrate it with sledge or steamer in the spring. Joe, the architect of +the journey, built here their sixth snow-hut. It was warmer than at +Thank-God Harbor, and birds, musk-oxen, foxes, and rabbits, were seen, +and bear and wolf tracks were in the vicinity. Captain Hall was joyous +at the future prospect. He wrote a dispatch from this high latitude in +which he says, "We have all been well up to this time." A copy of it was +placed in a copper cylinder and buried under a pile of stones. The party +turned their faces homeward; Captain Hall's Arctic explorations were +ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +DISASTER. + + +[Illustration: Unloading Stores from the "Polaris."] + +ABOUT noon of October twenty-fourth Captain Hall and his party were seen +in the distance approaching the ship. Captain Tyson, the assistant +navigator, went out to meet them. Not even a dog had been lost, and +Captain Hall was jubilant over his trip and the future of the +expedition. While he was absent the work of banking up the "Polaris" +with snow as an increased defense against the cold, the building of a +house on shore for the stores, and their removal to it from the ship, +had gone forward nearly to completion. He looked at the work, greeted +all cheerfully, and entered the cabin. He obtained water, and washed and +put on clean underclothes. The steward, Mr. Herron, asked him what he +would have to eat, expressing at the same time a wish to get him +"something nice." He thanked him, but said he wanted only a cup of +coffee, and complained of the heat of the cabin. He drank a part of the +cup of coffee and set it aside. Soon after he complained of sickness at +the stomach, and threw himself into his berth. Chester, the mate, and +Morton, second mate, watched with him all night, during which he was at +times delirious. It was thought he was partially paralyzed. The +surgeon, Dr. Bessel, was in constant attendance, but after temporary +improvement he became wildly delirious, imagining some one had poisoned +him, and accused first one, then another. He thought he saw blue gas +coming from the mouths of persons about him. He refused clean stockings +at the hand of Chester, thinking they were poisoned, and he made others +taste the food tendered him before taking it himself, even that from +sealed cans opened in his cabin. During the night of November seventh he +was clear in his mind, and as Surgeon Bessel was putting him to bed and +tucking him in, he said in his own kind tone, "Doctor, you have been +very kind to me, and I am obliged to you." Early in the morning of +November eighth he died, and with his death the American North Polar +Expedition was ended. + +The grave of their beloved commander was dug by the men under Captain +Tyson, inland, southeast, about a half mile from the "Polaris." The +frozen ground yielded reluctantly to the picks, and the grave was of +necessity very shallow. + +On the eleventh a mournful procession moved from the "Polaris" to the +place of burial. Though not quite noon it was Arctic night. A weird, +electric light filled the air, through which the stars shone +brilliantly. Captain Tyson walked ahead with a lantern, followed by +Commander Buddington and his officers, and then by the scientific corps, +which included the chaplain, Mr. Bryan; the men followed, drawing the +coffin on a sled, one of their number bearing another lantern. The +fitting pall thrown over the coffin was the American flag. Following the +sled were the Esquimo--last in the procession but not the least in the +depth and genuineness of their sorrow. At the grave, Tyson held the +light for the chaplain to read the burial service. As the solemn, yet +comforting words were uttered, "I am the resurrection and the life, +saith the Lord," all were subdued to tears. Only from the spirit of the +Gospel, breathing its tender influence through these words, was there +any cheerful inspiration. The day was cold and dismal, and the wind +howled mournfully. Inland over a narrow snow-covered plain, and in the +shadowy distance, were huge masses of slate-rock, the ghostly looking +sentinels of the barren land beyond. Seaward was the extended ice of +Polaris Bay, and the intervening shore strown with great ice-blocks in +wild confusion. About five hundred paces away was the little hut called +an observatory, and from its flag-staff drooped at half-mast the stars +and stripes. + +Far away were his loved family and friends, whose prayers had followed +him during his adventures in the icy north, who even now hoped for his +complete success and safe return; and far away the Christian burial +place where it would have been to them mournfully pleasant to have laid +him. But he who had declared that he loved the Arctic regions, and to +whose ears there was music in its wailing winds, and to whose eyes there +was beauty in its rugged, icy barrenness, had found his earthly +resting-place where nature was clothed in its wildest Arctic features. +A board was erected over his grave in which was cut:-- + + "TO THE MEMORY OF + + C. F. HALL, + + _Late Commander of the North Polar Expedition._ + + Died November 8, 1871, + + Aged fifty years." + +When the funeral procession had returned to the ship, all moved about in +the performance of their duty in gloomy silence. It is sad to record +that the great affliction caused by the death of Hall was rendered more +intense by the moral condition of the surviving party. Two hideous +specters had early in the expedition made their appearance on board the +"Polaris." They were the spirits of Rum and Discord! Commander Hall had +forbidden the admission of liquor on shipboard, but it had come _with_ +the medicines whether _of_ them or not. It was put under the key of the +locker, but it broke out--no, we will not do injustice even to this +foulest of demons: _an officer_, selected to guard the safety and +comfort of the ship's company, broke open the locker and let it out. +This brought upon him a reprimand from Captain Hall, and later a letter +of stricture upon his conduct. The doctor's alcohol could not be safely +kept for professional purposes, which raised "altercations" on board. So +Rum and Discord, always so closely allied, went stalking through the +ship, with their horrid train. Insubordination, of course, was from the +first in attendance. Hall had, it would seem, in part _persuaded_ into +submission this ghastly specter. Where, on shipboard, the lives of all +depend upon submission to one will, rebellion becomes, in effect, +murder. We have seen that Dr. Kane argued down this bloody intruder by a +pistol in a steady hand leveled at the head of the chief rebel; and that +Dr. Hayes saved his boat party by the same persuasive influence over +Kalutunah. But Hall was not reared in the navy, and was cast in a gentle +mold. + +On the Sunday following the burial of Hall it was announced that from +that time the Sunday service would be omitted. "Each one can pray for +himself just as well," it was remarked. The faithful chaplain, however, +seems to have held religious service afterward for such as pleased to +attend. Hall had taken great pleasure in it, and it had, we think, +attended every Arctic expedition through which we have carried the +reader. + +After such a purpose to dismiss public worship from the vessel we are +not surprised to learn that "the men made night hideous by their +carousings." Nature without had ceased to distinguish night from day, +and our explorers did not follow the example of their predecessors in +this region, and _make_ day and night below decks by requiring the light +to be put out at a stated hour. So the noise and card-playing had all +hours for their own. Under these circumstances, as if to make the +"Polaris" forecastle the counterpart of one of our city "hells," +pistols were put into the hands of the men. Discord was now armed, and +Alcohol was at the chief place of command. + +The Christmas came, but no religious service with it. New-Year's day +brought nothing special. The winter dragged along but not the wind, +which roared in tempests, and rushed over the floe in currents traveling +fifty-three miles an hour. It played wild and free with the little bark +which had intruded upon its domains, breaking up the ice around it, and +straining at its moorings attached to the friendly berg. + +Spring came at last. Hunting became lively and successful. His majesty, +the bear, became meat for the hunters after a plucky fight, in which two +dogs had their zeal for bear combat fairly subdued. Musk-oxen stood in +stupid groups to be shot. White foxes would not be hit at any rate. +Birds, trusting to their spread wings, were brought low, plucked and +eaten. Seals coming out of their holes, and stretching themselves on the +ice to enjoy dreamily a little sunshine, to which they innocently +thought they had a right as natives of the country, were suddenly +startled by the crack of the rifles of Hans and Joe, and often under +such circumstances died instantly of lead. It seemed hardly fair. In +fact we are confident that the animals about Polaris Bay contracted a +prejudice against the strangers, except the white foxes, who could not +see what _hurt_ these hunters did--at least to foxes--and they were of a +mind that it was decided fun to be hunted by them. + +The Esquimo have been in this high latitude in the not distant past, as +a piece of one of their sledges was found. + +Soon after Hall's death the chief officers had mutually pledged in +writing that, "It is our honest intention to honor our flag, and to +hoist it upon the most northern point of the earth." During the spring +and summer some journeys northward were made, but were not extended +beyond regions already visited. The eye which would have even now looked +with hope and faith to the region of the star which is the "crowning +jewel" of the central north, was dim in death. Captain Buddington, now +in chief command, had faith and hope in the homeward voyage only. + +[Illustration: Perilous Situation of the "Polaris."] + +On the twelfth of August, 1872, the "Polaris" was ready, with steam up, +for the return trip. On that very day there was added to the family of +Hans a son. All agreed to name him Charlie Polaris, thus prettily +suggesting the name of the late commander and of the ship. Little +Charlie was evidently disgusted with his native country, for he +immediately turned his back upon it, the ship steaming away that +afternoon. The "Polaris" had made a tolerably straight course up, but +now made a zig-zag one back. On she went, steaming, drifting, banging +against broken floes, through the waters over which we have voyaged with +Kane and Hayes, until they came into the familiar regions of Hayes's +winter-quarters. On the afternoon of the fifteenth of October the wind +blew a terrific gale from the north-west. The floe, in an angry mood, +_nipped_ the ship terribly. She groaned and shrieked, in pain but not in +terror, for with her white oak coat of mail she still defied her icy +foe, now rising out of his grasp, and then falling back and breaking for +herself an easier position. The hawsers were attached to the floe, and +the men stood waiting for the result of the combat on which their lives +depended. At this moment the engineer rushed to the deck with the +startling announcement that the "Polaris" had sprung a leak, and that +the water was gaining on the pumps. "The captain threw up his arms, and +yelled the order to throw every thing on the ice." No examination into +the condition of the leak seems to have been made. A panic followed, and +overboard went every thing in reckless confusion, many valuable articles +falling near the vessel, and, of course, were drawn under by her +restless throes and lost. Overboard went boats, provisions, ammunition, +men, women, and children, nobody knew what nor who. It was night--an +intensely dark, snowy, tempestuous night. + +It was in this state of things, when the ship's stores and people were +divided between the floe and her deck, that the anchors planted in the +floe tore away, and the mooring lines snapped like pack-thread, and away +went the "Polaris" in the darkness, striking against huge ice-cakes, and +drifting none knew where. "Does God care for sparrows?" and will he not +surely care for these imperiled explorers, both those in the drifting +steamer, and those on the floe whom he alone can save, unhoused in an +Arctic night on which no sun will rise for many weeks, exposed to the +caprice of winds, currents, and the ever untrustworthy ice-raft on which +they are cast? + +We will leave the floe party awhile in His care, and follow the fortunes +of the brave little vessel and her men. + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +THE LAST OF THE "POLARIS." + + +THOSE left on board of the "Polaris" were oppressed with fears both for +themselves and those on the floe. The leak in the ship was serious, and +the water was gaining in the hold, and threatened to reach and put out +the fires, and thus render the engine useless. Besides, the deck pumps +were frozen up, and only two lower ones could be used. But "just before +it was too late," hot water was procured from the boiler and poured in +buckets-full into the deck-pumps, and they were thawed out. The men then +worked at the pumps with an energy inspired by imminent danger of death. +They had already been desperately at work for six unbroken hours, and +ere long the fight for life was on the verge of failure. Just then came +to the fainting men the shout "steam's up," and tireless steam came to +the rescue of weary muscles. + +As the dim light of the morning of October sixteenth dawned on the +anxious watchers, they saw that they had been forced by the violent wind +out of Baffin Bay into Smith Sound. + +Not until now, since the hour of separation, had they counted their +divided company. The assistant navigator, the meteorologist, all the +Esquimo, and six seamen were missing; part of the dogs had also gone +with the floe party. Fourteen men remained, including the commander and +the mate, the surgeon, and the chaplain. + +Men were sent to the mast-head to look for the missing ones, but the +most careful gaze with the best glass failed to discern them. Hope of +their safety was inspired by the fact that they had all the boats, even +to the little scow; yet it was not certainly known that the boats had +not been sunk or drifted off in the darkness, and thus lost to them. So +all was tantalizing uncertainty. + +An examination revealed the encouraging fact that a good supply of fuel +and provisions remained on board. A breeze sprung up at noon by whose +aid the "Polaris" was run eastward, through a fortunate lead, as near to +the land as possible. Here lines were carried out on the floe and made +fast to the hummocks, all the anchors having been lost. She lay near the +shore, and grounded at low water. An examination showed that the vessel +was so battered and leaky, that surprise was excited that she had not +gone down before reaching the shore. It was decided at once that she +could not be made to float longer. The steam-pumps were stopped, the +water filled her hold, and decided her fate. + +The sheltered place into which the "Polaris" had by Divine guidance +entered was Life-Boat Cove, only a little north of Etah Bay, every mile +of which we have surveyed in former visits. The famous city of Etah with +its two huts was not far away, but out of it and its vicinity had come +timely blessings to other winter-bound explorers. + +Our party at once commenced to carry ashore the provisions, clothing, +ammunition, and all such articles from the vessel as might make them +comfortable. The spars, sails, and some of the heavy wood-work of the +cabin, were used in erecting a house. When done their building was quite +commodious, being twenty-two feet by fourteen. The sails aided in making +the roof, which proved to be water-tight, and the snow thrown up against +the sides made it warm. Within, it was one room for all, and for all +purposes. "Bunks" were made against the sides for each of the fourteen +men. A stove with cooking utensils was brought from the ship and set up; +lamps were suspended about the room, and a table with other convenience +from the cabin were put in order. + +But before this was done a party of Esquimo with five sledges made their +appearance. They stopped at a distance, and signified their friendly +purpose by their customary wild gesticulations and antics. The white men +at first took them for the floe party, and raised three rousing cheers +of welcome. We doubt not, though it is not stated, that they were led on +by our special friend, Kalutunah. The surly Sipsu, it will be +remembered, had received what he had sought to give to another, a +harpoon planted in the back, and was dead. So there was left none to +rival Kalutunah. Myouk, the boy that was, in Kane's day, was reported as +an old man now. Esquimo grow old rapidly. The whole party went to work +with a will, having pleasant visions before them of a new stock of +needles, knives, and other white-man treasures. They clambered over the +hummocky floe, bringing loads of coal from the ship, and with their +sleds brought fresh-water ice for the melting apparatus. Several +families finally came, built their huts near the vessel, and spent the +winter. The ship-wrecked whites had nearly worn out their fur suits, and +their supply had been greatly reduced by the losses on the floe. So the +Esquimo replenished their stock, and their women repaired the worn ones. +Thus God makes the humblest and the weakest able at times to render +essential help to the strong, and none need be useless. + +The winter wore off. There was no starvation, nor even short rations. +The coal burned cheerfully in the stove until February, and then fuel +torn from the "Polaris" supplied its place. The friendly natives brought +fresh walrus meat, and scurvy was kept away. For all their valuable +services the Esquimo felt well repaid in the coveted treasures which +were given them. + +The time during the sunless days was passed in reading, writing, +amusements, and discussions, according to the taste and inclination of +each. Of course there were some daily domestic duties to be done. The +scientific men pursued their inquiries so far as circumstances allowed. + +The dismal story which has so often pained our ears concerning the +Esquimo was true of them generally during the winter--they were +suffering with cold and hunger, and three, one of whom was Myouk, died. +The explorers returned the Esquimo kindness by sharing with them, in a +measure, their own stock of provisions. + +The spring came, and with it successful hunting. One deer was shot, and +some hares caught. Chester, the mate, who seems to have been _the_ +Yankee of the party, planned, and assisted the carpenter in building two +boats. The material was wrenched from the "Polaris." They were each +twenty-five feet long and five feet wide, square fore and aft, capable +of carrying, equally divided between them, the fourteen men, two months' +provisions, and other indispensable articles. When these were done they +made a smaller boat, and presented it to the Esquimo; it would aid them +in getting eggs and young birds about the shore. + +Clear water did not reach Life-Boat Cove until the last of May. On its +appearance in the immediate vicinity the waiting explorers put every +thing in readiness for their departure. The boats were laden, and each +man assigned his place. Bags were made of the canvas sails in which to +carry the provisions. What remained of the "Polaris" was given to the +Esquimo chief--we guess to our friend Kalutunah--as an acknowledgment of +favors received. On the third of June, in fine spirits and good health, +the explorers launched their boats and sailed southward. At first the +boats leaked badly, but they sailed and rowed easily, and proved very +serviceable. It was continuous day, and the weather favorable. Seals +could be had for the pains of hunting them, and the sea-fowl were so +plenty that ten were at times brought down at a shot. On the downward +trip old localities were touched, such as Etah, Hakluyt Island, and +Northumberland Island. The average amount of Arctic storms were +encountered, the drift ice behaved in its usual manner, though not as +badly as it has been known to do. The little crafts had their +hair-breadth escapes, and were battered not a little. Every night, when +the toils of the day were over, the boats were drawn upon the floe, +every thing taken out, and the only hot meal of the day was prepared. +Each boat carried pieces of rope from the "Polaris," and a can of oil. +With these a fire was made in the bottom of an iron pot. Over this fire +they made their steaming pots of tea. + +The party halted a while at Fitz Clarence Rock in Booth Bay, about +sixteen miles south of Cape Parry, and within sight of the high, bleak +plain on which Dr. Hayes's boat-party spent their fearful winter. On the +tenth day of their voyaging they had reached Cape York. In comparison to +Dr. Kane's trip over the same waters, theirs was as a summer holiday +excursion. But Melville Bay was now before them with its defiant bergs, +hummocks, currents, stormy winds, and blinding snows--a horrid crew! No +wonder that the fear prevailed among them that if not rescued they could +never reach any settlement. Chester, however, said, "We can, and will." +But the rescuers were not afar off. For another ten days they were made +to feel that their battle for life was to be a hard-fought one. On the +twenty-third they saw, away in the distance, what appeared to be a +whaler. Could it be! They dared scarcely trust their eyes, for the +object was ten miles away. Yes, it was a steamer, and beset, too, so she +could not get away. New courage was inspired, and they toiled on. But +for this timely spur to their zeal they would have lost heart, for one +of the boats in being lifted over the hummocks was badly stove, and +their provisions were giving out, though they had calculated that they +had two months' supply. Soon after they saw the steamer they were seen +by the watch from the mast-head. They were taken for Esquimo, but a +sharp lookout was kept upon their movement, which soon showed them to be +white men. Signals of recognition were immediately given, and eighteen +picked men were sent to their relief. Seeing this, Captain Buddington +sent forward two men, and the rescuers soon met and returned with them. +With even this addition to their strength, it took six hours to drag the +boats the twelve miles which intervened between them and the whaler. +They were received with a kind-hearted welcome by the noble Scotchman, +Captain Allen, of the "Ravenscraig," of Dundee. Their toils were over, +and their safety insured. We will return to those on the floe. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +THE FEARFUL SITUATION. + + +ONE of the anchors of the "Polaris," in starting on the night of the +separation, tore off a large piece of the floe with three men upon it. +As the "Polaris" swept past them they cried out in agony, "What shall we +do?" Captain Buddington shouted back, "We can do nothing for you. You +have boats and provisions; you must shift for yourselves." This was the +last word from the "Polaris." + +Seeing the sad plight of these men, Captain Tyson, who from the first +had been upon the floe, took "the donkey," a little scow which had been +tossed upon the ice, and attempted to rescue them. But the donkey almost +at once sunk, and he jumped back upon the floe and launched one of the +boats. Some of the other men started in the other boat at the same time, +and the three men were soon united to the rest of the floe party. + +One of the last things Tyson drew out of the way of the vessel as its +heel was grinding against the parting floe were some musk-ox skins. They +lay across a widening crack, and in a moment more would have been sunk +in the deep, or crushed between colliding hummocks. Rolled up in one of +them, and cozily nestling together, were two of Hans's children! Does +not God care for _children_! + +Our darkness and storm-beset party did not dare to move about much, for +they could not tell the size of the ice on which they stood, nor at what +moment they might step off into the surging waters. So they rolled +themselves up in the musk-ox skins and _slept_! Captain Tyson alone did +not lie down, but walked cautiously about during the night. The morning +came, and with it a revelation of their surroundings. Huge bergs were in +sight which had in the storm and darkness charged upon the floe, and +caused the breaking up of the preceding night. It had been a genuine +Arctic assault. Their own raft was nearly round, and about four miles in +circumference, and immovably locked between several grounded bergs. It +was snow-covered, and full of hillocks and intervening ponds of water +which the brief summer sun had melted from their sides. Those who had +laid down were covered with snow, and looked like little mounds. When +the party roused, the first thing they thought of was the ship. But she +was nowhere to be seen. A lead opened to the shore inviting their escape +to the land. Captain Tyson ordered the men to get the boats in immediate +readiness, reminding them of the uncertainty of the continued opening of +the water, and of the absolute necessity of instant escape from the floe +in order to regain the ship and save their lives. But the men were in no +hurry, and obedience to orders had long been out of their line. They +were hungry and tired, and were determined to eat first; and they didn't +want a cold meal, and so they made tea and chocolate, and cooked canned +meat. This done they must change their wet clothes for dry ones. + +In the mean time the drifting ice _was_ in a hurry and had shut up in +part the lead. But Tyson was determined to try to reach the shore though +the difficulties had so greatly increased during the delay. The boats +were laden and launched, but when they were about half way to the shore +the lead closed, and they returned to the floe and hauled up the boats. +Just then the "Polaris" was seen under both steam and sail. She was +eight or ten miles away, but signals were set to attract her attention, +and she was watched with a glass with intense interest until she +disappeared behind an island. Soon after, Captain Tyson sent two men to +a distant part of the floe to a house made of poles, which he had +erected for the stores soon after they began to be thrown from the +vessel. In going for these poles the steamer was again seen, apparently +fast in the ice behind the island. She could not then come to the floe +party, being beset and without boats, and so Tyson ordered the men to +get the boats ready for another attempt to reach the land, and thus in +time connect with the vessel. He lightened the boats of all articles not +absolutely necessary, that they might be drawn to the water safely and +with speed. He then went ahead to find the nearest and best route for +embarking. The grounded bergs in the mean while, relaxed their grasp +upon the explorers' ice-raft, and they began to drift southward. With +malicious intent, on came a terrific snow-storm at the same time. Tyson +hurried back to hasten up the men. They were in no hurry, but, with +grumbling and trifling, finally made ready as they pretended, one boat +crowded with every thing both needful and worthless. When at last it was +dragged to the water's edge, it was ascertained that the larger part of +the oars and the rudder had been left at the camp far in the rear. In +this crippled condition the boat was launched. But not only oars and +rudder, but _will_ on the part of the men was wanting. So the boat was +drawn upon the floe, and left with all its valuables near the water. The +night was approaching, the storm was high, and the men were weary, so no +attempt was made to return it to the old camp. All went back to the +middle of the floe. Tyson, Mr. Meyers, one of the scientific corps, and +the Esquimo, made a canvas shelter, using the poles as a frame, and the +others camped near them. Captain Tyson, after eating a cold supper, +rolled himself in a musk-ox skin, and lay down for the first sleep he +had sought for forty-eight hours. His condition seemed to be a specially +hard one. While, on the night of the great disaster, he was striving to +save the general stores, the saving of which proved the salvation of the +company, others were looking after their personal property, so they had +their full supply of furs and fire-arms, while his were left in the +ship. He, however, slept soundly until the morning, when he was +startled by a shriek from the Esquimo. The floe had played them an +Arctic trick; it had broken and set the whole party adrift on an +ice-raft not more than one hundred and fifty yards square. What remained +of their old floe of four miles' circumference contained the house made +of poles, in which remained six bags of bread, and the loaded boat, in +which were the greater part of their valuables. Here was a fearful state +of things! Yet one boat remained with which they might have gone after +the other one, but the men seemed infatuated and refused to go. Away the +little raft sailed, crumbling as it went, assuring its passengers that +they must all stow away in their one boat or soon be dropped in the sea. +For four days they thus drifted, during which the Esquimo shot several +seals. On the twenty-first Joe was using the spy-glass, and suddenly +shouted for joy. He had spied the lost boat lodged on a part of the old +floe which had swung against the little raft of our party. He and +Captain Tyson, with a dog-team, instantly started for it, and after a +hard pull returned with boat and cargo. Soon after, their old floe, in +an accommodating mood, thrust itself against the one they were on, the +boats were passed over, and every thing was again together--boats and +provisions. + +Let us now look around upon our party more critically. The whole number +was twenty, including the ten weeks' old Charlie Polaris, who, of +course, was somebody. As we have stated, _all_ the Esquimo were of this +party. Both the cook and steward were here. Much the larger number of +the dogs belonging to the expedition were on the floe, but no sledges. +Fortunately, in addition to the two boats, one of the kayaks had been +saved. It might, in the skillful hands of a Joe, meet some emergency. + +As there was only faint hope now of again seeing the "Polaris," and as +their ice-boat seemed to sail farther and farther from the shore, they +began to make the best winter-quarters their circumstances allowed. +Under the direction of Joe, as architect and builder, several snow +houses were put up. One was occupied by Captain Tyson and Mr. Myers; one +by Joe and family; a larger one by the men; and one was used for the +provisions, and one for a cook house. All these were united by an arched +passage way. Hans and family located their house apart from the others, +but near. + +The huts erected, their next pressing need was sledges. The men, with +great difficulty, dragged some lumber from the old store-house, and a +passable one was made. + +Though the quantity of provisions was quite large, yet with nineteen +persons to consume it, (not to reckon little Charlie's mouth, who looked +elsewhere for his supply,) and with possibly no addition for six months, +it was alarmingly small. Besides, in their unprincipled greed, some of +the party broke into the store-room and took more than a fair allowance. +So the party agreed upon two meals a day, and a weighed allowance at +each meal. + +It was now the last of October. The sun had ceased to show his pleasant +face, and the long night was setting in. To add to their discomfort, the +question of light and fuel assumed a serious aspect. The men, either +from want of skill or patience, or both, did not succeed well in using +seal fat for these purposes, in the Esquimo fashion; so they began, with +a reckless disregard to their future safety, to break up and burn one of +the boats. + +Hans, with a true Esquimo instinct, when the short allowance pinched +him, began to kill and eat the dogs. He might be excused, however. Four +children, with their faces growing haggard, looked to him for food. + +Thus situated, our floe party drifted far away from the land--drifting +on and on, whether they slept or woke--drifting they knew not to what +end. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +THE WONDERFUL DRIFT. + + +EARLY in November Captain Tyson saw through his glass, about twelve +miles off to the southeast, the Cary Islands, so they were in the "North +water" of Baffin Bay, and south-west from Cape Parry, where we have been +so many times. From this cape, or a little south of it, it would not be +a great sledge trip to where they last saw the "Polaris," and where they +had reason to think she now was. So our party made one more effort to +reach the shore. The boats being in readiness the night before, they +started early in the morning. Of course their day was now only a noon +twilight, and the _morning_ was most midday. But the floe was not in a +favoring mood. The hummocks were as hard in their usage of the boats and +men as usual. The deceitful cracks in the ice at one time put the lives +of the dogs and men in great peril; and, as if these obstacles were not +enough, a storm brought up its forces against them. They had dragged the +boats half way to the shore when they retreated "before superior +forces." + +Their huts being of perishable material, were reconstructed. A little +later the men built a large snow hut as "a reserve." All were weak +through insufficient food. Mr. Meyers was nearly prostrate, and went to +live with the men; Captain Tyson, whose scanty clothing, added to care +and short rations, caused him to suffer much, took up his quarters with +Joe and Hannah, and their little Puney. Not the least of the trial in +the Esquimo huts were the piteous cries of the children for food. Joe +and Hans were out with their guns every day during the three hours' +twilight, hunting seals. The first one captured was shot by Joe, +November sixth. Nearly two weeks passed before any further success +attended the hunters; then several were shot, and Captain Tyson, who was +ready to perish, had one full meal--a meal of uncooked seal meat, skin, +hair, and all, washed down with seal blood. _Some_ others had not been +so long without a full meal, as the bread continued to be stolen. + +The _home_ Thanksgiving Day came. A little extra amount of the canned +meat was allowed each one, and all had a taste of mock-turtle soup and +canned green corn, kept for this occasion, to which was added a few +pieces of dried apple. How far it all fell short of the _home_ feast may +be judged by the fact that Captain Tyson, to satisfy the fierce hunger +which remained after dinner, finished "with eating strips of frozen +seals' entrails, and lastly seal skin, hair and all." + +The hunters had seen tracks of bears, so they were on the lookout for +them while they hunted seal. One day Joe and Hans went out as usual with +their guns. They lost sight of each other and of the camp. Joe returned +quite late, expecting to find Hans already in his hut. When he learned +that he had not returned, he, as well as others, felt concerned about +him. Accompanied by one of the men, he went in search of him. As the +two, guns in hand, were stumbling over the hummocks, they saw in the +very dim twilight, as they thought, a bear. Their guns were instantly +leveled and brought to the sight, and their mouths almost tasted a +bear-meat supper. "Hold on there! That's not a bear! what is it?" "Why, +it's Hans!" Well, he _did_ look in the darkness like a bear, as in his +shaggy coat he clambered, on all-fours, over the ice-hills. + +December came in with its continuous night. Seals could not be +successfully hunted in the darkness, and where seals could not be seen +bears would not make their appearance. The rations became smaller than +ever, and ghastly, horrid starvation seemed encamped among our drifting, +forlorn party. Under these circumstances a specter even _worse_ than +starvation appeared to Joe. To him, at least, it was a terrifying +reality. It was the demon form of Cannibalism! He had looked into the +eyes of the men in the big hut, and they spoke to him of an intention to +save themselves by first killing and eating Hans and family, and then +taking him and his. He and Hannah were greatly terrified, and he handed +his pistol to Captain Tyson, which he was not willing to part with +before. He was assured that the least child should not be touched for so +horrid a purpose without such a defense as the pistol could give. + +Christmas came. The last ham had been kept for this occasion, and it was +divided among all, with a few other dainties, in addition to the usual +morsel. + +The shore occasionally appeared in the far away distance. They were +drifting through Baffin Bay toward the _western_ side, so that their +craft evidently did not intend to land them at any of the familiar ports +of Greenland. It seemed to have an ambition to drop them nearer home. + +As the year was going out, and Joe's family were gnawing away at some +_dried_ seal skin, submitted, to be sure, to a process Hannah called +cooking, a shout was heard from him. "Kayak! kayak!" he cried. He had +shot a seal, and it was floating away. Fortunately the kayak was at +hand, and the game was bagged. As usual, it was divided among all. The +_eyes_ were given to Charlie Polaris, and they were nice in his eyes, +and mouth, too. + +New Year's came, and Captain Tyson dined on two feet of frozen seal +entrails, and a little seal fat. There was now nothing to burn except +what little seal blubber they could spare for that purpose. One boat had +been burned, their only sled had gone the same way, and the reckless, +desperate men could hardly be restrained from burning the only one now +remaining, and thus cut off all good hope of final escape. To be sure, +their provocation to this act was very great; the temperature was +thirty-six below zero! In their strait, the desperate expedient was +entertained of trying to get to land. The emaciated men would have to +drag the loaded boat over the hummocky ice without a sledge. The women +and children must be added to the load or abandoned. It would be a +struggle for life against odds more fearful than that which now +oppressed them. But what _should_ they do! God knew! Hark! what shout is +that! "Kayak! kayak!" The kayak was at hand, but it had to be carried a +mile. Yet it paid, for a seal shot by Joe was secured just in time to +keep the men from utter desperation. To this item of comfort another was +added a few days later. The sun reappeared January nineteenth, after an +absence of eighty-three days, and remained shining upon them two hours. +He brought hope to fainting hearts. Through January there was a seal +taken at long intervals, but one always came just before it was too +late! The men continued to grumble and deceive themselves with the idea +of soon getting to Disco, "where rum and tobacco were plenty." How sad +that man can sink _below_ the brute, which, however hungry, never cries +out for "rum and tobacco!" + +Leaving for a moment the white men, let us look into the Esquimo huts +and see how the terrible condition of things affects them. The men are +almost always out hunting, but just now, as we step into Joe's snow +dwelling, he is at home. The only light or fire is that which comes from +the scanty supply of seal oil. Captain Tyson is trying to write with a +pencil in his journal, but he appears cold in his scanty covering of +furs, and looks weak and hungry. Joe and Hannah are striving to pass +away the weary hours by playing checkers on an old piece of canvas which +the captain has marked into squares with his pencil. They are using +buttons for men, and seem quite interested in the game. Little Puney is +sitting by, wrapped in a musk-ox skin, uttering at intervals a low, +plaintive cry for food. It is the most cheerful home "on board" the +floe, but surely it is cheerless enough. + +We shall not wish to tarry long in the hut of Hans, for besides the +unavoidable misery of the place, Mr. and Mrs. Hans are noted for the +boarders they keep--about their persons. Under the most favorable +circumstances they regard bathing as one of the barbarous customs of +civilization. The reader will recollect that the first experience Mrs. +Hans had of a personal cleansing was on board Dr. Hayes's vessel, and +she then thought it a joke imposed by the white people's religion, too +grievous to be borne. On another exploring vessel she and her husband +were cruelly required to put off their long-worn garments, wash and put +on clean ones, and put the old "in a strong pickle," for an obvious +reason. It is not certainly known that they were ever washed at any +other times. + +Mrs. Hans's hut is not in the most tidy order, but the circumstances +must be taken into the account, and also the fact of the sad neglect of +her early domestic education. We have just drifted from her native +land--or, rather, _ice_--where she was married, in Dr. Kane's time, it +being a runaway match, at least on the part of the husband. + +Well, here they are, father, mother, and four children, on a voyage +unparalleled in the history of navigation. Mr. and Mrs. Hans do not play +any household games; they do not know what to do at home, except to eat, +and feed the children, and make and mend skin clothing. We know full +well to what sad disadvantage the eating is subjected at the time of our +call, and we are authorized to say, to the credit of Mrs. Hans, that as +to the making and mending, she has been of real service to the men on +this voyage. + +The children of Hans cannot fail to attract our attention and sympathy. +Augustina, the first-born, usually fat and rugged if not ruddy, is thin +and pale now, and sits chewing a bit of dried seal skin, or something of +the sort, and trying to get from it a drop of nourishment; her brother, +Tobias, has thrown his head into her lap as she sits on the ground. The +poor little fellow has been sick, unable to eat even the small allowance +of meat given him, and has lived, one hardly knows how, on a little dry +bread. Succi, the four-year-old girl, squats on the ground--that is, the +canvas-covered ice floor--hugging her fur skin about her, and in a low, +moaning tone repeats, "I is _so_ hungry!" Her mother is trying to pick +from the lamp, for the children, a few bits of "tried-out" scraps of +blubber. Little Charlie's head is just discernible in the fur hood +which hangs from the mother's neck at her back. If he gets enough to +eat, which we fear is not the case, he is sweetly ignorant of the perils +of this, his first trip, in the voyage of life. We shall not want to +stay longer in this sad place. + +February was a dreadful month on board the floe. The huts were buried +under the snow. It was with difficulty that Joe and Hans, almost the +entire dependence of the party, could go abroad for game, and when they +did they secured a few seals only, very small, and now and then a +dovekie, a wee bit of a pensive sea-bird. Norwhal, the sea unicorn, were +shot in several instances, but they sunk in every case and were lost. +Hunger and fear seemed to possess the men in the large tent, and Joe and +Hannah began to be again terrified by the thought that these hunger-mad +men would kill and eat them. + +Now, will not God appear to help those in so helpless a condition? Yes, +his hand has ever been wonderfully apparent in all Arctic perils. On the +second of March, just when the dark cloud of these drifting sufferers +was never darker, it parted, and a flood of light burst upon their camp. +Joe shot an _oogjook_, belonging to the largest species of seal. He was +secured and dragged by all hands to the huts. He measured nine feet, +weighed about seven hundred pounds, and contained, by estimation, thirty +gallons of oil. There was a shout of seal in the camp! The warm blood +was relished like new milk, and drank freely. All eat and slept, and +woke to eat again, and hunger departed for the time from the miserable +huts it had so long haunted. Joe and Hannah dismissed their horrid +visions of cannibalism. God was, the helper of these hungry ones, and +they _were_ helped. + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +THE WONDERFUL ESCAPE. + + +OUR voyagers needed all the strength and courage which the timely +capture of the great seal had given them. They had drifted into a warmer +sea, and windy March was well upon them. Their floe began to herald its +fast approaching dissolution. The weary and anxious drifters were +startled by day, and awakened suddenly by night, by a rumbling, mingled +with fearful grindings and crashes underneath them. Heavy ice-cakes, +over-rode by the heavier floe, ground along its under surface, and when +finding an opening of thin ice, rushed with a thundering sound to the +upper surface. The din was at times so great that it seemed to combine +all alarming sounds:-- + + "Through all its scale the horrid discord ran; + Now mocked the beast--now took the groan of man." + +On the eleventh a storm commenced. Whole fleets of icebergs, having +broken away from the icy bands in which the floe had held them, hovered +round to charge upon the helpless campers. The vast area of ice on which +they had been riding for so many months was lifted in places by mighty +seas beneath, causing it to crack with a succession of loud reports and +dismal sounds, some of which seemed to be directly under them. The wind +drove before it a dense cloud of snow, so that one could scarcely see a +yard. Night came with a darkness that could be felt. The icy foundation +of their camp might separate at any moment, and tumble their huts about +their ears, or plunge them in the sea. They gathered their few treasures +together, and stood ready to fly--but where? Death seemed to guard every +avenue of escape. Suddenly, soon after the night set in, the disruption +came. Their floe was shattered, with a fearful uproar, into hundreds of +pieces, and they went surging off among the fragments on a piece less +than a hundred yards square. They were within twenty yards of its edge, +but God had kindly forbid the separation to run through their camp and +sever them from their boat or from each other. + +After raging sixty hours the storm abated, and their little ice-ship +drifted rapidly in the pack. A goodly number of seals were shot, and +they began to breathe more freely. After a short time another _oogjook_ +was captured, so food was plenty. + +March wore away, seals were plenty, and readily taken; and though the +bergs ground together and made fierce onsets into the pack, our ice-ship +held gallantly on her way. One night the inmates of Joe's hut were about +retiring, when a noise was heard outside. "What is it, Joe? is the ice +breaking up?" Joe does not stop to answer, but rushes out. But in ten +seconds he comes back in a greater hurry, pale and breathless. "There's +a bear close to my kayak," he exclaims in an excited tone. Now the +situation was this: The kayak was within ten paces of the entrance to +the hut, and the loaded guns, which can never be kept in an Esquimo hut +on account of the moisture, were in and leaning against the kayak. If +the bear should take a notion to put his nose at the hut door, and, +liking the odor, knock down the snow wall with his strong paw, and +commence a supper on one of its inmates, what was to hinder him? But +bears, like many young people, often fail to improve their golden +opportunities. He found some seal fat and skins in the kayak, and these +he pulled out, and walked off with them a rod or two to enjoy the feast. +Joe crept out of the hut, and ran to alarm the men. Captain Tyson +followed, slipped softly up to the kayak and seized his gun, but in +taking it he knocked down another one and alarmed the bear, who looked +up and growled his objections to having his supper disturbed. Tyson +leveled his rifle, snapped it, but it missed fire. He tried a second and +third time, and it did not go--but _he_ did, for his bearship was taking +the offensive. Content to see his enemy flee, the bear returned to his +supper. How many foolish bears have we seen on our explorations lose +their lives by an untimely _eating_; but some men, more foolish, lose +_more than life_ BY DRINKING. The captain returned to the field with a +new charge in his gun. This time it sent a ball _through_ the bear; the +ball entering the left shoulder and passing through the heart, came out +at the other side. He staggered, but before he fell Joe had sent +another ball into his vitals. He dropped dead instantly. This affair +occurred when it was too dark to see many yards, and was much pleasanter +in its results than in its duration. + +The seal hunting was successful, and with bear meat and blubber, a full +store, there was no hunger unappeased; but the wind blew a gale, and the +sailless, rudderless, oarless little ice-ship, now banging against a +berg, and now in danger of being run down by one, all the while growing +alarmingly smaller, finally shot out into the open sea away from the +floe. This would not do. So, feeling that they might soon be dropped +into the sea, they loaded the boat with such things as was strictly +necessary, and all hands getting aboard, sailed away. A part of their +ammunition, their fresh meat, a full month's supply, and many other +desirable things, were abandoned. The boat, only intended to carry eight +persons, was so overloaded with its twenty, including children, that it +was in danger of being swamped at any moment. The frightened children +cried, and the men looked sober. They sailed about twenty miles west, +and landed on the first tolerably safe piece of ice which they met. Hans +and family nestled down in the boat, and the rest, spreading on the floe +what skins they had, set up a tent, and all, after eating a dry supper +of bread and pemmican, lay down to rest. Thus, boating by day, and +camping on the ice at night for several days, they drew up on the fourth +of April upon a solid looking floe. Snow-huts were built, seals were +taken, and hope revived. But what is hope, resting on Arctic promises? +The gale was abroad again, the sea boisterous, and their floe was thrown +into a panic. Fearful noises were heard beneath and around them, and +their icy foundations quaked with fear. Joe's snow-hut was shaken down. +He built it again, and then lot and house fell off into the sea and +disappeared. Thus warned, the camp was pushed farther back from the +water. But they did not know where the crack and separation would next +come. Thus they lived in anxious watchings through weary days, the gale +unabated. Finally, one night, the feared separation came. All hands +except Mr. Meyers were in the tent; near them, so near a man could +scarcely walk between, was the boat, containing Meyers and the kayak; +but with mischievous intent, the crack run so as to send the boat +drifting among the breaking and over-lapping ice. Mr. Meyers could not +manage it, of course, under such circumstances, and the kayak was of no +use to any but an Esquimo, so he set it afloat, hoping it would drift to +the floe-party. Here was a fearful situation! The floe-party, as well as +Mr. Meyers, was sure to perish miserably if the boat was not returned. +There was only a dim light, and objects at a short distance looked hazy. +It was a time for instant and desperate action. Joe and Hans took their +paddles and ice-spears and started for the boat, jumping from one piece +of floating, slippery ice to another. They were watched in breathless +suspense until they _seemed_, in the shadowy distance, to have reached +the boat, and then all was shut out in the darkness. + +The morning came, and the floe party were glad to see that the boat had +three men in it. It was a half mile off, and the kayak was as far away +in another direction. It was soon clear that the boat could not be +brought back without a stronger force. Tyson led the way, and finally +all but two of the men made the desperate passage of the floating ice to +the imperiled craft. It was with difficulty that, with their combined +force, the boat was returned to the floe. The kayak was also recovered. + +For a brief time there was quiet all around. The aurora gleamed, and +displayed its wonderful beauty of form and motion; while the majestic +icebergs, in every varied shape, reflected its sparkling light. The +grandeur of sea and sky seemed a mockery to the danger-beset voyagers. +The elements might be grand, but they had combined to destroy them, for +a new form of peril now appeared. The sea came aboard of their icy +craft. They were sitting one evening under their frail tent, the boat +near, when a wave swept over their floe, carrying away tent, clothing, +provisions--every thing except what was on their persons or in the boat. +The women and children had been put on board in fear of such an +occurrence, and the men had just time to save themselves by clinging to +the gunwale. The boat itself was borne into the middle of the floe. When +the wave subsided the boat was dragged back, lest another push by a +succeeding one might launch it into the sea from the other side. It was +well they did this, for another wave bore it to the opposite edge and +partly slipped it into the water. This game of surging the boat from one +side to the other of the floe, was kept up from nine o'clock in the +evening to seven in the morning. All this time the men were in the +water, fighting the desperate battle for its safety, and the +preservation of their own lives; the conflict being made more terrible +by the fact that every wave bore with it ice-blocks from a foot square +to those measuring many yards, having sharp edges and jagged corners, +with which it battered their legs until they were black and blue. It was +the severest test of their courage and endurance yet experienced. But +God was their helper. Not one perished, and when the defeated sea was by +his voice commanded to retire, and the day appeared, they were not +seriously harmed. But they were cold and wet, without a change of +clothes and utterly provisionless. + +It is not surprising that after their rough handling on the floe they +should seek a larger and safer one. This they did, launching their +crowded boat into the turbulent sea, and, working carefully along, +succeeded in landing safely on one stronger looking; nothing worse +happening than the tumbling overboard of the cook, who was quickly +rescued. Here, cold, half-drowned, hungry, and weary to faintness, they +tried to dry and warm themselves in the feeble rays of the sun, and wait +for their food at the hand of the great Provider in the use of such +means as were yet left to them. They had preserved their guns and a +small supply of powder and shot. Snow and rain came on, and continued +until noon of the next day, April twenty-second. Their hunger was +fearful. Mr. Meyers had been slightly frost-bitten when drifting away +alone in the boat, his health seemed broken, and he was actually +starving. + +In the afternoon of this day Joe went as usual with his gun. He had +caught nothing on this floe, and now there were no signs of seals, +though it was his fourth time out that day. What should they do? God had +their relief all arranged. Joe saw what he did not expect to see, and +what was seldom seen so far south--a bear! He ran back to the boat, +called Hans with his trusty rifle, and the two lay down behind the +hummocks. All were ordered to lie down, keep perfectly quiet, and feign +themselves seals, the Esquimo helping out the deception by imitating the +seal bark. Bruin came on cautiously. He, too, was hungry. What are those +black objects, and what is that noise, he seemed to say? They don't look +_quite_ like seals! The noise is not _just_ like the seal cry! But +hunger is a weighty reason with men and bears, on the side of what they +desire to believe, so the bear came on. When fairly within an easy range +both rifles cracked, and he fell dead. The whole party arose with a +shout. Polar was dragged to the boat and skinned. His warm blood slaked +their raging thirst. His meat, tender and good, satisfied their gnawing +hunger. They were saved from a terrible death! Seals were secured soon +after, and hope again revived. + +It was not long before their ice-craft crumbled away, so they were +obliged to repeat the experiment, always full of danger, of launching +into the sea and making for a larger and safer one. April twenty-eighth +they were beset by a fleet of bergs, which were crashing against each +other with a thundering noise, and occasionally turning a threatening +look toward the frail craft of our drifters. So angrily at last did one +come down upon them that they abandoned their floe and rowed away. +Surely there is no peace for them by night or day, on the floe or afloat +in their boat. They dare not lie down a moment without keeping one half +of their number on the watch. But what is that in the distance? A +steamer! A thrill of joy goes through the boat's company. Every possible +signal is given, but she does not see them, and another night is spent +on the floe. The next morning every eye was straining to see a whaler. +Soon one appears. They shout, raise their signals, and fire every gun at +once. But she passes out of sight. April thirtieth, as the night was +setting in foggy and dark, the shout from the watch of "steamer" brought +all to their feet. She was right upon them in the fog before she was +seen. Hans was soon alongside of her in his kayak, telling their story +as best he could. In a few moments the whaler was alongside of their +piece of ice. Captain Tyson removed his old well-worn cap, called upon +his men, and three cheers were given, ending with a "tiger" such as the +poor fellows had not had a heart to give for many long months. The +cheers were returned by a hundred men from the rigging and deck of the +vessel. It was the sealer "Tigress," Captain Bartlett, of Conception +Bay, Newfoundland. They soon had the planks of a good ship beneath them +instead of a treacherous floe; curious but kind friends beset them, +instead of threatening bergs; and every comfort succeeded to utter +destitution. They had been on the floe six months, and floated more than +sixteen hundred miles. + +They were speedily conveyed, by the way of Conception Bay and St. Johns, +to their own homes, the telegraph having flashed throughout the length +and breadth of the land their coming, and the nation rejoiced. But there +were tears mingled with the joy, that one, the noble, the true, the +Christian commander of the expedition, Charles Francis Hall, lay in his +icy grave in the far north. + +As speedily as possible the "Tigress" was purchased and fitted out by +the United States Government in search of the "Polaris" party. Captain +Tyson and Joe were among her men. She reached Life-boat Cove about two +months after Captain Buddington and his men had left. They learned that, +much to the grief of the natives, the "Polaris" had floated off and +sunk. The Buddington party arrived home in the fall, by the way of +England. + +As we may not meet our Esquimo friends again, with whom we have made so +many voyages, the reader will want to know the last news from them. +Hans and his family returned to Greenland in the "Tigress." Joe has +bought a piece of land and a house near New London, Connecticut, and +intends, with his family, to remain there, getting a living by fishing. + +Thus ended the last American North Pole Expedition. The last from other +Governments have not been more successful. Yet, while we write, England +and Austria are reported as getting ready further North Polar +expeditions to start in the spring of 1875. It must be allowed that the +icy sceptered guardian of the North has made a good fight against the +invaders into his dominions. But the nations of the earth are determined +to send men to sit on his throne, though they find it a barren and +worthless, as well as a cold domain. + + +THE END. + + + + +_PUBLICATIONS OF NELSON & PHILLIPS_, 805 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. + + + The Story of a Pocket Bible. + Ten illustrations. 12mo. $1 25 + + Historical Souvenirs of Martin Luther. + By Charles W. Hubner. 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Original read (utter darkness +the most) + +Page 276, "coaked" changed to "croaked" (raven croaked a welcome) + +Page 277, "clifts" changed to "cliffs" (ice-covered cliffs of) + +Page 292, "been" added to text (Hall had been giving special) + +Page 321, "Tookolito" changed to "Tookoolito" (with the kind Tookoolito) + +Page 365, "Hugh" changed to "Huge" (Huge bergs were in) + +Page 394, "Live" changed to "Life" (Love in Daily Life) + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's North-Pole Voyages, by Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTH-POLE VOYAGES *** + +***** This file should be named 39013-8.txt or 39013-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/0/1/39013/ + +Produced by Emmy, Albert László and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Mudge. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1.25em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + img {border: 0;} + .tnote {border: dashed 1px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + ins {text-decoration:none; border-bottom: thin dotted gray;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + .copyright {text-align: center; font-size: 70%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; text-align: justify;} + + .bbox {border: solid 2px; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em;} + .small {font-size: 70%;} + .big {font-size: 110%;} + .adtitle2 {font-size: 120%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + .adtitle1 {font-size: 200%; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + + .author {font-size: 120%; text-align: center;} + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .chaptertitle {text-align: center; font-size: 110%; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1.5em;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 90%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .unindent {margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + .right {text-align: right;} + .poem {margin-left: 30%; text-align: left;} + .poem2 {margin-left: 15%; text-align: left;} + .sig {margin-right: 10%; text-align: right;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align:baseline; + position: relative; + bottom: 0.33em; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + .hang1 {text-indent: -3em; margin-left: 3em;} + .cap:first-letter {float: left; clear: left; margin: -0.2em 0.1em 0; margin-top: 0%; + padding: 0; line-height: .75em; font-size: 300%; text-align: justify;} + .cap {text-align: justify;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of North-Pole Voyages, by Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: North-Pole Voyages + +Author: Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +Release Date: February 29, 2012 [EBook #39013] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTH-POLE VOYAGES *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Albert László and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> + +<div class='tnote'><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> This author often uses "run" where we to-day would use +"ran." This was retained.</div> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 359px;"><a id="frontis"></a> +<img src="images/i_002.png" width="359" height="500" alt="" /> +<span class="caption">Captain C. F. Hall.<br />See <a href="#Page_289">page 289</a></span> +</div> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> + +<h1>NORTH-POLE VOYAGES:</h1> + +<div class='center'>EMBRACING<br /> +<br /> +<span class='big'>SKETCHES OF THE IMPORTANT</span><br /> +<span class='big'>FACTS AND INCIDENTS</span><br /> +<br /> +IN THE LATEST<br /> +<br /> +<span class='big'><b>AMERICAN EFFORTS TO REACH</b></span><br /> +<span class='big'><b>THE NORTH POLE</b></span><br /> +<br /> +FROM THE SECOND GRINNELL EXPEDITION TO THAT<br /> +OF THE POLARIS.<br /> +<br /><br /> +<span class='author'>BY REV. Z. A. MUDGE,</span><br /> +<span class="smcap"><span class='small'>Author of "Views from Plymouth Rock," "Witch Hill," "Arctic</span><br /> +<span class='small'>Heroes," etc., etc.</span></span><br /> +<br /><br /><br /> +Five Illustrations.<br /> +<br /><br /><br /><br /> +NEW YORK:<br /> + +<span class='big'>NELSON & PHILLIPS</span><br /> + +CINCINNATI: HITCHCOCK & WALDEN.<br /> + +<span class='small'>SUNDAY-SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.</span><br /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> + + + + +<div class='copyright'> +Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by<br /> +<br /> +NELSON & PHILLIPS,<br /> +<br /> +in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.<br /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<div class='cap'>FOR more than three hundred years an intense +desire has been felt by explorers to +discover and reveal to the world the secrets of +the immediate regions of the North Pole. Nor +has this desire been confined to mere adventurers. +Learned geographers, skillful navigators, +and scientific men of broad and accurate study, +have engaged in these enterprises with enthusiastic +interest. The great governments of the +Christian world have bestowed upon them liberally +the resources of their wealth and science, +and never to a greater extent than within the last +three years. Failure seems but to stimulate +exertion. Scarcely have the tears dried on the +faces of the friends of those who have perished +in the undertaking before we hear of the departure +of a fresh expedition. Something like +a divine inspiration has attended these explorations +from the first, and their moral tone has +been excellent.</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> + +<p>This volume sketches the latest American +efforts, second to no others in heroism and success, +and abounding in instructive and intensely +interesting adventures both grave and gay.</p> + +<p>We have followed in this volume, as in its +companion volume, "The Arctic Heroes," the +orthography of Professor Dall, of the Smithsonian +Institution, in some frequently-occurring +Arctic words.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="contents"> +<tr><td align="left" colspan='2'><span class="smcap"><span class='small'>Chapter</span></span></td><td align="left"><span class="smcap"><span class='small'>Page</span></span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">I. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Northward</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">II. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Anchored at last</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">III. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Thrilling Incidents</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_23">23</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Lost and Rescued</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_31">31</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">V. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">More Heroic Excursions</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_43">43</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Open Sea</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">An Important Movement</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">VIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Treaty Making</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_68">68</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">IX. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Arctic Hunting</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">X. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Thee Escaping Party</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Green Spot</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Netlik</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_109">109</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Hut</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_120">120</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Esquimo Treachery</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Lights and Shadows</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_142">142</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Drugged Esquimo</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_150">150</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Back Again</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_160">160</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XVIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Scares</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_171">171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XIX. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Seeking the Esquimo</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_179">179</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XX. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Deserters</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_186">186</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Closing Incidents of the Imprisonment</span> </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_194">194</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Homeward Bound</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_201">201</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Narrow Escapes</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_209">209</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXIV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Esquimo Kindness</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_216">216</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Melville Bay</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_221">221</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXVI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Saved</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_228">228</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXVII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Off Again</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_234">234</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>XXVIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Colliding Floes</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_241">241</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXIX. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Winter Home</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_249">249</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXX. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Glaciers</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_255">255</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Strange Dream and its Fulfillment</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_263">263</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Crowning Sledge Journey</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_270">270</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Last Incidents of the Expedition</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_279">279</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXIV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Something New</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_287">287</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">A Fearful Storm</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_295">295</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXVI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Aurora</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_304">304</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXVII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Dying Esquimo</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_311">311</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXVIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Cunning Hunters</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_317">317</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XXXIX. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Round Frobisher Bay</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_326">326</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XL. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The "Polaris"</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_333">333</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLI. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Disaster</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_344">344</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Last of the "Polaris"</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_357">357</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLIII. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Fearful Situation</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_364">364</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLIV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Wonderful Drift</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_371">371</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right">XLV. </td><td align="left"><span class="smcap">The Wonderful Escape</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_380">380</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>Illustrations.</h2> + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations"> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Captain C. F. Hall</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_2">2</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Walruses—A Family Party</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_81">81</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Captain Buddington</span></td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_337">337</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Unloading Stores from the "Polaris"</span> </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_345">345</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class="smcap">Perilous Situation of the "Polaris"</span> </td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_354">354</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + +<h2>NORTH-POLE VOYAGES.</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>NORTHWARD.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE readers who have been with us before +into the arctic regions will recollect the good +American brig Advance, and her wonderful drift +during live months, in 1851, from the upper waters +of the Wellington Channel, until she was dropped +in the Atlantic Ocean by the ice-field which inclosed +her. Dr. Kane, then her surgeon, took +command of this same vessel, in 1853, for another +search for the lost Franklin. We have seen that +the place of Franklin's disasters and death was +found while Kane was away on this voyage, so the +interest of the present story will not connect with +that great commander, except in the noble purposes +of its heroes.</div> + +<p>The Advance left New York on the thirtieth +of May, having on board, all counted, eighteen men. +Kind hearts and generous purses had secured for +her a fair outfit in provisions for the comfort of +the adventurers, in facilities for fighting the ice +and cold, and in the means of securing desired +scientific results. Of the thousands who waved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +them a kind adieu from the shore many said sadly, +"They will never return."</p> + +<p>We shall make the acquaintance of the officers +and men as we voyage with them, and a very +agreeable acquaintance we are sure it will be. +The rules by which all agreed to be governed +were these and no others: "Absolute obedience +to the officer in command; no profane swearing; +no liquor drunk except by special order."</p> + +<p>The voyagers touched at St. John's, and among +other kindnesses shown them was the gift by the +governor of a noble team of nine Newfoundland +dogs.</p> + +<p>At Fiskernaes, the first Greenland port which +they entered, they added to their company Hans +Christian, an Esquimo hunter, nineteen years of +age. Hans was expert with the Esquimo spear +and kayak. He will appear often in our story, +and act a conspicuous part; he at once, however, +prepossesses us in his favor by stipulating with +Dr. Kane to leave two barrels of bread and fifty +pounds of pork with his mother in addition to the +wages he is to receive. The doctor made his cup +of joy overflow by adding to these gifts to his +mother the present for himself of a rifle and new +kayak.</p> + +<p>The expedition next touched at Lichtenfels. +Dr. Kane obtained here a valuable addition to his +outfit of fur clothing. Stopping at Proven, a supply +of Esquimo dogs was completed; lying to +briefly at Upernavik, the most northern port of +civilization, their equipment in furs, ice-tools, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +other necessary articles known to arctic voyagers, +was rendered still more complete. At this last +port the services of Carl Petersen were engaged +for the expedition. We have met this intelligent, +heroic Dane among our "Arctic Heroes." He +will for a long time appear in the shifting scenes +of our story.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-seventh of July the "Advance" +drew near to Melville Bay. The reader who has +accompanied the earlier arctic explorers into this +region will remember their terrific experience in +this bay. Every arctic enemy of the navigator +lurks there. Their attacks are made singly and in +solid combinations. At one time they steal upon +their victim like a Bengal tiger; at other times +they rush upon him with a shout and yell, like a +band of our own savages. Giant icebergs; fierce +storms; cruel nips; silent, unseen, irresistible currents; +with ever-changing, treacherous "packs" +and "floes," and the all-pervading, relentless cold, +are some of these enemies. A favorite movement +of these forces is to so adjust themselves as to +promise the advancing explorer or whaler a speedy +and complete success; then, suddenly changing +front, to crush and sink him at once, or to bind +him in icy fetters, a helpless, writhing victim, for +days, weeks, or months, and finally, perhaps, to +bury both ship and men in the dark, deep waters +of the bay.</p> + +<p>The "Advance" was at this time treated by +these guardians of the approach to the North Pole +with exceptional courtesy. We suspect that they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +secretly purposed to follow them into more northern +regions, and there to attack them at even greater +advantage. This they certainly did.</p> + +<p>But just to show them what it could and was +minded to do, the evil spirit of the bay invited +them at one time to escape impending danger by +fastening to a huge berg. This they did, after +eight hours of warping, heaving, and planting ice-anchors, +a labor of prostrating exhaustion. Hardly +had they begun to enjoy the invited hospitality +of the berg, when it began to shower upon them, +like big drops from a summer cloud, pieces of ice +the size of a walnut, accompanied by a crackling, +threatening noise from above. A gale from out of +its hiding-place on shore came sweeping upon +them at the same time, driving before it its icy +supporter. Mischief was evidently intended. +The "Advance" retreated from the berg with all +possible haste, and had barely gone beyond its +reach when it launched after it its whole broadside, +which came crashing into the water with a roar +like a whole park of artillery. Could any thing +be rougher? But then it was true to its icebergy +character.</p> + +<p>The "Advance" was not injured, but the ice +held as a trophy more than two thousand feet +of good whale line, which had to be cut in the +retreat.</p> + +<p>These bergs, though thus harsh and treacherous +as a rule, <i>can</i> do a generous thing. May be, like +some people, they are all the more dangerous on +account of exceptional generosity. The loose ice,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +soon after this incident, was drifting south, and +would have borne the navigators with it back from +whence they had come, perhaps for hundreds of +miles. But a majestic berg came along whose +sunken base took hold of the deep water current, +and so, impelled by this current, it sailed grandly +northward, sweeping a wide path through the rotten +floes. It condescendingly offered to do tugboat +service for the "Advance," and invited its +captain to throw aboard an ice-anchor. We wonder +he dared to trust it, but he did, and, grappling +its crystal sides, made good headway for awhile +until other means of favorable voyaging were presented.</p> + +<p>Soon after the explorers parted from this bergy +friend the midnight sun came out over its northern +crest, kindling on every part of its surface fires +of varied colors, and scattering over the ice all +around blazing carbuncles, sparkling rubies, and +molten gold.</p> + +<p>August fifth the "Advance," fairly clearing the +hated Melville Bay, sailed along the western coast +of the "North Water" of Baffin Bay. At Northumberland +Island, at the mouth of Whale Sound, +their eyes were again delighted by an exhibition +of beautiful colors, delicately tinted, but this time +not made by a gorgeous sunrise over a gigantic +iceberg. The snow of the island and its vicinity +bore, over vast areas, a reddish hue, and great +patches of beautiful green mosses broke its monotony, +while here and there the protruding sandstone +threw in a rich shading of brown. So God paints<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +the dreariest lands in colors of great beauty, and +scatters over them profusely at times the richest +sunlit gems.</p> + +<p>On the sixth of August they passed the frowning +headland of Smith's Sound, known as Cape Alexander. +It stands like the charred trunk and limbs +of some mighty oak, at the entrance of an unexplored, +gloomy forest, seen in the murky darkness. +Cape Alexander seemed a mighty sentinel +of evil purpose, toward all who dared pass to the +mysterious regions beyond. It inspired the sailors +with superstitious fear, and admonished their officers +that eternal vigilance must be the price of +safety in the waters beyond.</p> + +<p>Arriving at Littleton Island, our explorers built +a monument of stones as a conspicuous object from +the sea, surmounted by the stripes and stars, put +under it a record of their voyage thus far, and, two +miles north and east, upon the mainland, deposited +a metallic life-boat, with provisions and various +stores. These were for a resort in case of accident +in their further progress.</p> + +<p>While making this deposit they discovered the +remains of Esquimo huts, and graves of some of +their former occupants. The dead had been buried +in a sitting posture, their knees drawn close to +their bodies; the few simple implements belonging +to the deceased were buried with them. In one +grave was a child's toy spear. So even the rude +Esquimo child has its toys, and, no doubt, the +mother looks upon its trinkets, as she lays them beside +its dead body, with tearful interest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + +<p>Soon after making these deposits in the life-boat, +the "Advance," while making a vigorous struggle +with the broken ice, was borne into a land-locked +inlet, which Dr. Kane called Refuge Harbor. It +was rather a cosy place for an arctic shore, and in +it the explorers waited for the movement of the +ice.</p> + +<p>While here they were much annoyed by their +dogs, fifty in number. Two bears had been shot, +which were the only game which had been taken +for them. They were now on short allowance, and +were as ravenous as wolves. They gulped down almost +any thing which could go down their throats, +even devouring at one time a part of a feather-bed. +Dr. Kane's specimens of natural history fared hard +at their jaws. He happened once to set down in +their way two nests of large sea-fowl. They were +filled with feathers, filth, moss and pebbles—a full +peck, but the dogs made a rush for them and gobbled +down the whole. There were plenty of +wolves not far from the brig, on which they delighted +to feed. But the hunters had no luck in trying +to take them. Rifle balls glanced from their thick +hides as if they had been peas from a toy gun. +They needed the Esquimo harpoon and the Esquimo +skill. But fortunately a dead narwhal, or +sea-unicorn, was found. Under its soothing influence, +when fed out to them, the dogs became more +quiet.</p> + +<p>After remaining a few days at Refuge Harbor, +a desperate push was made to get the vessel farther +north and east. For twelve days they manfully<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +battled with the ice, and made forty miles. +This brought them to the bottom of a broad shallow +bay, which they named Force Bay. Here they +fastened the brig to a shelving, rocky ledge near +the shore.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>ANCHORED AT LAST.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>ON Wednesday, August seventeenth, the heralds +of a storm from the South reached the +brig. They made their announcement by hurling +against her sides some heavy floe-pieces. Understanding +this hint of what was coming, the explorers +clung to their rocky breakwater by three +heavy hawsers. Louder and louder roared the +blast, and more fiercely crashed the ice which it +hurled against the ledge. At midnight one of the +cables, the smaller of the three, parted, and the +storm seemed to shout its triumph at this success as +it assailed the writhing vessel more vigorously. +But the ledge broke the power in a measure of +the wind and ice, and was, indeed, a godsend to +the imperiled men, so they put it down on their +chart as Godsend Ledge.</div> + +<p>The next day the huge, human-faced walrus came +quite near the brig in great numbers, shaking their +grim, dripping fronts. The dovekies, more cheerful +visitors, scud past toward the land. Both walrus +and fowls proclaimed in their way the terribleness +of the increasing tempest. The place of the +broken hawser had been supplied, and the worried +craft strained away at three strong lines which +held on bravely. Everything on board was stowed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +away, or lashed securely, which could invite an assault +by the wind.</p> + +<p>Saturday, late in the afternoon, Dr. Kane, wet, +and weary with watching, went below and threw +himself for rest and warmth into his berth. Scarcely +had he done this before a sharp, loud twang +brought him to his feet. One of the six-inch hawsers +had parted; its sound had scarcely been lost +in the uproar before a sharp and shrill "twang! +twang!" announced the snapping of the whale line. +The brig now clung to the ledge by a single cable—a +new ten-inch manilla line, which held on +grandly. The mate came waddling down into the +cabin as the doctor was drawing on his last article +of clothing to go on deck. "Captain Kane," he +exclaimed, "she wont hold much longer; it's blowing +the devil himself."</p> + +<p>All hands now gathered about the brave manilla +line on which their fate seemed to depend. Its +deep Eolian chant mingled solemnly with the rattle +of the rigging and the moaning of the shrouds, +and died away in the tumult of the conflicting +wind and sea. The sailors were loud in its praises +as they watched it with bated breath. It was singing +its death song, for, with the noise of a shotted +gun, and a wreath of smoke, it gave way, and out +plunged the brig into the rushing current of the +tempest-tossed ice.</p> + +<p>Two hours of hard and skillful labor were bestowed +on the vessel to get her back to the ledge; +first by beating, or trying to do so, up into the +wind; and then by warping along the edge of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +solid floe, but all in vain. A light sail was then +set, that they might keep command of the helm, +and away they scud through a tortuous lead filled +with heavy, broken ice.</p> + +<p>At seven o'clock on Sunday morning the vessel +was heading, under full way, upon huge masses of +ice. The heaviest anchor was thrown out to stay +her speed. But the ice-torrent so crowded upon +the poor craft that a buoy was hastily fastened to +the chain, and it was slipped, and away went "the +best bower," the sailor's trusted friend in such dangers.</p> + +<p>The vessel now went banging and scraping +against the floes, one of which was forty feet +thick, and many of which were thirty feet. These +collisions smashed in her bulwarks, and covered +her deck with icy fragments. Yet the plucky little +brig returned to the conflict after every blow +with only surface wounds.</p> + +<p>These assaults failing to turn back or to destroy +the little invading stranger, the arctic warriors +now brought into the field their mightiest +champions. Not far ahead, and apparently closing +the lead, was a whole battalion of icebergs. +It was an unequal light, and down upon them, +with unwilling haste, came the "Advance." As +it approached it was seen that a narrow line of +clear water ran between the bergs and the solid, +high wall of the floe. Into this the vessel shot, +with the high wind directly after it. The sailors, +caps in hand, were almost ready to send to the +baffled enemy a shout of triumph, when the wind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +died away into a lull, which amounted, for a moment, +to almost a dead calm. But on that moment +the fate of the expedition appeared to hang. +The enemy saw his opportunity and began to +close up. There seemed no possible escape for +the brig. On one side was the steep ice-wall of +the floe, on which there could be no warping. On +the other were the slowly but steadily advancing +bergs in a compact line. Just in time, the anxious, +waiting, and almost breathless crew, hailed +their deliverer. It was a broad, low, platform-shaped +berg, over which the water washed. It +came sailing swiftly by, and into it they planted an +ice-anchor attached to a tow line. Away galloped +their crystal racer, outrunning the "pale horse" +which followed them! So narrow became the +channel between the bergs and floe e'er they +reached the open water beyond, that the yards +had to be "squared" to prevent them from being +carried away, and the boats suspended over the +sides were taken on deck to prevent them from being +crushed. They came round under the lee of a +great berg, making the enemy of a moment ago +their protector now. Dr. Kane says: "Never did +heart-tried men acknowledge with greater gratitude +their merciful deliverance from a wretched +death."</p> + +<p>But the fight was not over. A sudden flaw +puffed the "Advance" from its hiding-place, and +drove it again into the drifting ice along the edge +of the solid floe. Once she was lifted high in the +air on the crest of a great wave, and, as it slipped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +from under her, she came down with tremendous +force against the floe. The masts quivered like +reeds in the wind, and the poor craft groaned like +a struck bullock.</p> + +<p>At last they reached a little pond of water near +the shore. They had drifted since morning across +Force Bay, ten miles. A berg, with pretended +friendliness, came and anchored between the brig +and the storm. The situation seemed to warrant +a little rest, and the men went below and threw +themselves into their bunks. Dr. Kane was yet +on deck, distrusting the treacherous ice. Scarcely +had the men begun to sleep before the vessel received +a thump and a jerk upward. All hands +were instantly on deck. Great ice-tables, twenty +feet thick, crowding forward from the shore side +with a force as from a sliding mountain, pressed +the vessel against the shore front of the berg; had +this been a perpendicular wall, no wood and iron +wrought into a vessel could have prevented a general +crash. But the unseen Hand was apparent +again. The berg was sloping, and up its inclined +plane the vessel went, in successive jerks. The +men leaped upon the ice to await the result. +Personal effects, such as could be carried and were +deemed indispensable, were in readiness in the +cabin for leave-taking. Sledge equipments and +camping conveniences were put in order and +placed at hand. The explorers had experienced +a midnight assault, and were ready for the flight. +But Dr. Kane bears warm testimony concerning +the coolness and self-possession of every man.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +While awaiting the fate of the vessel, on which +hung their own fate also, not a sound was heard +save the roaring of the wind, the crashing ice, and +the groaning of the vessel's timbers, as she received +shock after shock, and mounted steadily up +the ice-mountain. Having attained a cradle high +and dry above the sea, the brig rested there several +hours. Finally she quietly settled down into +her old position among the ice rubbish of the +sea.</p> + +<p>When the escape was apparent, there was for a +moment a deep-breathing silence among the men, +before the rapturous outburst of joyful congratulation.</p> + +<p>While this last thrilling incident had been transpiring, +four of the men were missing. They had +gone upon the ice some hours before to carry out +a warp, and had been carried away on an ice-raft. +When the morning came, and the vessel +grounded in a safe place, a rescue party was sent +out, who soon returned with them. A little rest +was now obtained by all.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THRILLING INCIDENTS.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>AFTER a brief rest our explorers continued +their voyage. They warped the vessel round +the cape near which they found shelter, into a bay +which opened to the north and west. Along the +shore of this bay they toiled for several days and +reached its head. It seemed impossible to go farther, +for the ice was already thick and the winter +at hand. A majority of the officers, in view of +these facts, advised a return south. But Dr. Kane +thought they might winter where they were, or +further north if the vessel could be pushed through +the ice, and their explorations be made with dog-sledges. +To learn more fully the practicability of +his view he planned a boat excursion. While this +was in contemplation an incident came near ending +all further progress of the expedition. The +brig grounded in the night, and was left suddenly +by the receding tide on her beam ends. The +stove in the cabin, which was full of burning coal, +upset and put the cabin in a blaze. It was choked +by a pilot-cloth overcoat until water could be +brought. No other harm was done than the loss +of the coat and a big scare.</div> + +<p>About the first of September the doctor and seven +volunteers started in the boat "Forlorn Hope"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +to see the more northern shore-line. The boat +was abandoned at the end of twenty-four hours, +all the water having turned to ice, and the party +tramped many a weary mile, carrying their food +and a few other necessary things. Dr. Kane attained +an elevation of eleven hundred feet, from +which, with his telescope, he looked north beyond +the eightieth degree of latitude, and through a +wide extent of country east and west. From this +observation he decided that sledging with dogs +into and beyond this region was practicable. +This had seemed doubtful before. He therefore +returned with the decision to put the "Advance" +into winter-quarters immediately.</p> + +<p>A few facts interesting to the scientific were +learned on this excursion. A skeleton of a musk +ox was found, showing they had been, at no distant +time, visitors to this coast. Additions were +made to their flowering plants, and up to this date +twenty-two varieties had been found.</p> + +<p>The brig was now drawn in between two islands, +and the mooring lines carried out. The explorers +were in a sheltered, and, as to the ice, safe winter +home. They called it Rensselaer Harbor. Near +them an <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'iceburg'">iceberg</ins> had anchored as if to watch their +movements. A fresh-water pond on the upland +promised them its precious treasure if they would +<i>cut</i> for it. An island a few rods distant they +named Butler Island, and on this they built a store-house. +A canal was cut from the brig to this island, +and kept open by renewed cutting every +morning. They then run the boat through this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +canal, thus transferring the stores from the hold to +the store-house.</p> + +<p>While one party was thus engaged, others were +equally busy in other directions. The scientific +corps selected a small island which they called +Fern Rock, and put up a rude "observatory," from +which not only the stars were to be watched, but +the weather, the meteors, and the electrical currents +were to be noted.</p> + +<p>While this outside work was going on Dr. Kane +was taxing his ingenuity to arrange the brig, now +made roomy by the removal of the stores, so as to +have it combine the greatest convenience, warmth, +and healthfulness. A roof was put over the upper +deck, which was then made to answer for a promenade +deck for pleasure and health.</p> + +<p>Even the wolfish Esquimo dogs were remembered +in this general planning. A nice dog house, +cozy and near, was made for them on Butler Island. +But the dogs had notions of their own +about their quarters. Though so savage at all +times as to be willing to eat their masters if not +kept in abject fear, yet they refused to sleep out +of the sound of their voices. They would leave +their comfortable quarters on the island and huddle +together in the snow, exposed to the severest +cold, to be within the sound of human voices. So +they had to be indulged with kennels on deck.</p> + +<p>While these matters were being attended to the +hunters scoured the country to learn what the +prospect was for game. They extended their +excursions ninety miles, and returned with a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +report not very encouraging. They saw a few reindeer, +and numerous hares and rabbits. It was +plain that hunting would not make large returns.</p> + +<p>The winter came on with its shroud of darkness. +On the tenth of September the sun made but a +short circuit above the horizon before it disappeared +again. In one month it would cease to +show its disk above the surrounding hills; then +would come a midday twilight for a few days, followed +by nearly a hundred days of darkness in +which no man could work. Even now, at noon, +the stars glowed brightly in the heavens, though +but few of them were the familiar stars of the +home sky.</p> + +<p>While the work of which we have spoken was +going on Dr. Kane's thoughts were much upon the +necessity of establishing, before the winter nights +fully set in, provision depots at given distances +northward for at least sixty miles. These would +be necessary for a good start in the early spring +of a dog-sledge journey North Poleward. For the +spring work the Newfoundland dogs, of which he +had ten, were in daily training. Harnessed to a +small, strong, beautifully made sledge called "Little +Willie," the doctor drove his team around the +brig in gallant style. These Newfoundlanders +were a dependence for heavy draught. The Esquimo +dogs were in reserve for the long, perilous +raids of the earnest exploration into darkness +and over hummocks.</p> + +<p>While all this busy preparation was going on +the morning and evening prayers were strictly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +maintained, bringing with them a soothing assurance +of the Divine care.</p> + +<p>On the twentieth of September the provision deposit +party started on an experimental journey. It +consisted of seven men in all, M'Gary and Bonsall +officers. They carried about fourteen hundred +pounds of mixed stores for the "cairns." They +took these stores upon the strong, thorough-built +sledge "Faith," and drew it themselves, by a harness +for each man, consisting of a "rue-raddy," or +shoulder-belt, and track-line. The men then generously +did a service they would in future have +the dogs do.</p> + +<p>While this party was gone the home work went +on, enlivened by several incidents involving the +most appalling dangers, yet not without some +comic elements.</p> + +<p>The first was occasioned by rats. What right +these creatures had in the expedition is not apparent; +nor do we see what motive impelled them to +come at all. If it was a mere love of adventure, +they, as do most adventurers, found that the results +hardly paid the cost. They were voted a nuisance, +but how to abate it was a difficult question. The +first experiment consisted of a removal of the men +to a camp on deck for a night, and a fumigation +below, where the rats remained, of a vile compound +of brimstone, burnt leather, and arsenic. But the +rats survived it bravely.</p> + +<p>The next experiment was with carbonic acid +gas. This proved a weapon dangerous to handle. +Dr. Hays burnt a quantity of charcoal, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +the hatches were shut down after starting three +stoves.</p> + +<p>The gas generated below rapidly, and nobody +was expected, of course, to go where it was. But +the French cook, Pierre Schubert, thinking his +soup needed seasoning, stole into the cook room. +He was discerned by Morton, staggering in the +dark; and, at the risk of his own life, he sprung to +his relief, and both reached the deck bewildered, +the cook entirely insensible.</p> + +<p>Soon after this Dr. Kane thought he smelt a +strange odor. The hatches were removed and he +went below. After a short tour between decks, he +was passing the door which led to the carpenter's +room, and he was amazed to see three feet of the +deck near it a glowing fire. Beating a hasty retreat, +he fell senseless to the floor at the foot of the +stairs which led to the upper deck. The situation +was critical. A puff of air might envelope the +hold in flames, with the doctor an easy victim; +but the divine Hand still covered him. Mr. +Brooks, reaching down, drew him out. Coming to +the air the doctor recovered immediately and +communicated his startling discovery quietly to +those only near him. Water was passed up from +the "fire-hole" along side, kept open for just such +emergencies. Dr. Kane and Ohlsen went below, +water was dashed on, and they were safe.</p> + +<p>The dead bodies of twenty-eight rats were the +net result of this onslaught with carbonic acid gas. +But they were but few among so many. The rat +army was yet in fighting order.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> + +<p>The other incident was less serious, yet quite on +the verge of fatal consequences. Several Esquimo +dogs became the mothers of nice little families. +Now these young folks in the kennels were +considered intruders by the master of the vessel—rather +hard on them since they were not to blame +in the matter. But it happens with dogs as with +the human race, that they sometimes suffer without +fault of their own. Six puppies were thrown +overboard; two died for the good their skins might +do as mittens; and, alas! seven died more dreadful +deaths—they were eaten by their mammas! +Whether these puppy calamities bore heavily upon +the brains of the dog mothers or not we cannot tell, +but the fact recorded is that one of them went +distracted. She walked up and down the deck +with a drooping head and staggering gait. Finally +she snapped at Petersen, foamed at the mouth, +and fell at his feet. "She is mad!" exclaimed +Petersen. "Hydrophobia!" was the dreadful cry +which passed about the deck. Dr. Kane ran for +his gun. He was not a moment too soon in reappearing +with it. The dog had recommenced her +running and snapping at those near. The Newfoundland +dogs were not out of her reach, and the +hatches leading below were open. But a well-directed +shot ended at once her life and the danger.</p> + +<p>It was now the tenth of October. The sun, +though just appearing above the horizon to the surrounding +country, only sparkled along the edge of +the hill-tops to the gazers from the "Advance." +The depot party had been gone twenty days, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +Dr. Kane was beginning to feel anxious about +them. He harnessed four of his best Newfoundlanders +into the "Little Willie," and, accompanied +by John Blake, started in search of them.</p> + +<p>For a little time the party progressed very well. +But after awhile the new ice between the broken +floes was found thin. The seams thus frozen had +to be leaped. Sometimes they were wide, and the +dogs in their attempts to spring across broke in. +Three times in less than as many hours one had +received an arctic bath. The men trotted along +side, leaping, walking, running, and shouting to +the dogs. Extended and exhausting diversions +were made to avoid impassable chasms or too +steep hummocks. Thus four days had passed in +a fruitless search for the missing ones.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the fifth day, about two hours +before the transient sun showed his glowing disk, +Dr. Kane climbed an iceberg to get a sight of the +road ahead. In the dim distance on the snow a +black spot was seen. Is it a bear? No, it now +stretches out into a dark line. It is the sledge +party! They see their leader's tent by the edge +of a thinly-frozen lead; into this they launch their +boat and come on, singing as they come. The doctor, +in breathless suspense, waits until they draw +near, and counts them: one, two, three, four, five, +six, seven! They are all safe! Three cheers go +up from both parties, followed by hearty hand-shaking +and congratulations. The depot enterprise +was a success.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>LOST AND RESCUED.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE sun had disappeared, but the moon completed +her circuit in the heavens with great +beauty. Her nearest approach to the horizon was +twenty-five degrees. For eight days after the return +of the party to the vessel it shone with almost +unclouded brightness, as if to give them a joyful +welcome.</div> + +<p>When November came our explorers were well +settled in their winter-quarters. They had made +them by judicious ventilation and a careful distribution +of heat tolerably comfortable. Below decks +they had a uniform temperature of sixty-five degrees +above zero, and under the housing of the +upper deck it never went below zero, while outside +the thermometer averaged twenty-five degrees +minus.</p> + +<p>While shut up in the darkness, relieved only by +the light from the sparkling stars and the glowing +moon, the daily routine of the ship's' duties were +strictly performed. Each had his assigned work. +The monotonous meals came at the stated hour, +and the bell noted the changing watches. The +morning and evening prayers, and the religious +observance of the Sabbath, were pleasant and +profitable prompters to serious thought. These<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +became more and more needed as the inactive season +progressed. The continued darkness without, +made dense often by heavy clouds, wore upon +the spirits of the men; besides, their light within +became less cheerful by the failure of the supply +of oil. The lamps refused to burn poor lard, and +muddy corks and wads of cotton floating as tapers +in saucers filled with it gave but a lurid light and +emitted an offensive smoke and odor. It would +be strange, indeed, if in this ice-imprisoned company +there were no homesick ones, however bravely +the feeling might be suppressed. Hans, the +Esquimo, at one time packed his clothes and +shouldered his rifle to bid the brig's company +good-bye. A desperate, lone journey homeward +he would have had of it! It was whispered that +in addition to his drawings to his mother there +was at Fiskernes a lady-love. He, however, was +persuaded to stay on shipboard, and Dr. Kane +gave him for his sickness a dose of salts and promotion. +They worked well, and he seems to have +been very contented afterward.</p> + +<p>The usual resort was had to dramatic performances, +fancy balls, and the publication of a paper +called the "Ice-blink." A favorite sport was the +"fox-chase," in which each sailor in turn led off +as fox in a run round the upper deck, followed by +the rest in chase. Dr. Kane offered a Guernsey +shirt as a prize to the man who held out the longest +in the chase. William Godfrey sustained the +chase for fourteen minutes, and <i>wore</i> off the shirt.</p> + +<p>November twenty-seventh the commander sent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +out a volunteer party under Bonsall to see if the +Esquimo had returned to the huts which had +been seen in the fall. The darkness at noonday +was too great for reading, and the cold was +terrible. The party returned after one night's +encamping, the sledge having broken, and the +tent and luggage being left behind. A few days +after Morton started alone to recover the lost articles. +In two days and a half he returned bringing +every thing. He tramped in that time, with the +cold forty degrees below zero, sixty-two miles, +making only three halts. The darkness during +the time was such that a hummock of ice fifty +paces ahead could hardly be seen.</p> + +<p>The effect of the darkness on the dogs was very +marked, but so long as there was any sledging for +them to do their spirits kept up. One of the +Newfoundlands, named Grim, was a character. He +was noted for a profound appreciation of his dinner, +of which he never had enough, for a disrelish +for work, and a remarkable knowledge of the arts +of hypocrisy. His cunning fawning, and the beseeching +wink of his eye, procured for him warm +quarters in the deck-house, and a bed on the captain's +fur coat, while his fellows had to be content +with their kennel. Though Grim thus proved his +knowledge of the best place at the dog-table, and +the best bits it afforded, as well as the best place +to sleep, he never could understand a call to the +sledge-harness. He always happened at such +times to be out of the way. Once, when the dog-team +was about to start, he was found hid in a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +barrel, and was bid join the party. But Grim was +equal to the occasion. He went limping across +the deck, as much as to say, Would you have a +poor lame dog go? The joke was so cute that he +was allowed to remain at home, and after that he +became suddenly lame as soon as a movement toward +the sledges was made. Grim thus attained +the usual success of shallow-brained, flattering +hypocrisy—many favors and universal contempt. +His end, too, was very befitting his life. His master, +thinking he was becoming too fat in his lazy +dignity, commanded him to join a sledge party. +Grown presumptuous by indulgence, he refused, +and showed his teeth, besides pleading lameness. +But the order was peremptory this time, and a +rope was put round his body and attached to the +sledge, and he was made to trot after his faithful +fellows. At the first halt he contrived to break +the rope, and, carrying a few feet of it dragging +after him, started in the darkness for the ship. +Not having come home when the party returned, +search was made for him with lanterns, as it was +thought the rope might have caught and detained +him in the hummock. His tracks were found not +far from the vessel, and then they led away to the +shore. Old Grim was never seen again.</p> + +<p>Grim could be spared, but the explorers were +much alarmed soon after his death by a strange +disease among the whole pack. They were at +times frenzied, and then became stupid. They +were taken below, nursed, tended, and doctored +with anxiety and care, for on them much depended.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +But all died except six. Their death +threw a cloud over the prospect of further successful +exploration.</p> + +<p>But a still darker event threatened the explorers. +Every man was more or less touched with +the scurvy, except two, and some were prostrate. +It was with great joy, therefore, that, on the twenty-first +of January, 1854, they saw the orange-colored +tints of the sun faintly tracing the top of the distant +hills. Daylight and game would be important +medicines for the sick. A month later and +Dr. Kane made a long walk, and a hard scramble +up a projecting crag of a headland of the bay, and +bathed in his welcome rays. It was about a week +later before he was seen from the deck of the +"Advance."</p> + +<p>A very busy company now was that on board +the brig, making preparations for spring work. +The carpenter was making and mending sledges; +the tinker making and mending cooking apparatus +for the journeys; many busy hands were at +work on the furs and blankets for a complete +renewed outfit for wearing and sleeping. But +though March had come, the average cold was +greater than at any time before. Still a sledge +party was in readiness to start by the middle of +the month, to carry provisions for a new deposit +beyond those made in the fall. The party consisted +of eight men. A new sledge had been +made, smaller than the "Faith," and adapted to the +reduced dog-team. To this the load was lashed, +a light boat being, placed on top. The men harnessed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +in but could hardly start it. The boat was +then removed and two hundred pounds of the +load, and thus relieved away they went, cheered +by the hearty "God bless you!" of their shipmates. +Dr. Kane had added to their provisions +by the way, as an expression of good-will, the +whole of his brother's "great wedding cake."</p> + +<p>But as they started their ever watchful commander +thought he saw more good-will than +ability to draw the load, and a suspicion, too, impressed +him that the new sledge was not all right. +So he followed, and found them in camp only five +miles away. He said nothing about any new orders +for the morning, laughed at the rueful faces +of some of them, and heard Petersen's defense of +<i>his</i> new sledge as the best which could be made. +He saw them all tucked away in their buffaloes, +and returned to the brig. We have before referred +to a sledge called the "Faith." It was built +by Dr. Kane's order, after an English pattern, except +that the runners were made lower and wider. +It had been thought too large for the present +party. The doctor now called up all his remaining +men. The "Faith" was put on deck, her runners +polished, lashings, a canvas covering, and track-lines +were adjusted to her. By one o'clock that +night the discarded two hundred pounds of provisions +and the boat were lashed on, and away +the men went for their sleeping comrades. They +were still sound asleep when the "Faith" arrived. +The load of the new boat was quietly placed upon +it, all put in traveling order, and it was started off<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +on an experimental trip with five men. The success +was perfect. The sleepers were then awakened, +and all were delighted at the easier draught +of the heavier load. Dr. Kane and his party returned +to the vessel with the discarded sledge.</p> + +<p>Ten days slipped away, and no tidings from the +depot party. The work of clearing up the ship, +and putting the finishing touch to the preparation +for the distant northern excursion, which was to +crown the efforts of the expedition, and unlock, it +was hoped, at last, some of the secrets of the +North Pole, progressed daily. At midnight of +the eleventh day a sudden tramp was heard on +deck, and immediately Sontag, Ohlsen, and Petersen +entered the cabin. Their sudden coming was +not so startling as their woe-begone, bewildered +looks. It was with difficulty that they made their +sad tale known. Brooks, Baker, Wilson, and Schubert +were all lying on the ice, disabled, with Irish +Tom Hickey, who alone was able to minister to +their wants. The escaped party had come, at the +peril of their own lives, to get aid. They had +evidently come a long distance, but how far, and +where they had left the suffering ones, they could +not tell, nor were they in a condition to be questioned.</p> + +<p>While the urgent necessities of the new comers +were being attended to, Dr. Kane and others were +getting ready the "Little Willie," with a buffalo +cover, a small tent, and a package of prepared +meat called pemmican. Ohlsen seemed to have +his senses more than the others, though he was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +sinking with exhaustion, having been fifty hours +without rest. Dr. Kane feeling that he <i>must</i> have +a guide or fail to find the lost ones, Ohlsen was +put in a fur bag, his legs wrapped up in dog-skins +and eider down, and then he was strapped on the +sledge.</p> + +<p>Off dashed the rescue party, nine men besides +their commander, carrying only the clothes on +their backs. The cold was seventy-eight degrees +below the freezing point.</p> + +<p>Guided by icebergs of colossal size, they hurried +across the bay, and traveled sixteen hours with +some certainty that they were on the right track. +They then began to lose their way. Ohlsen, utterly +exhausted, had fallen asleep, and when +awakened was plainly bewildered. He could tell +nothing about the way, nor the position of the lost +ones. He had before said that it was drifting +heavily round them when they were left. The +situation of the rescue party was becoming critical, +and the chance of helping the lost seemed small +indeed; they might be anywhere within forty +miles.</p> + +<p>Thus situated Dr. Kane moved on ahead, and +clambered up some ice-piles and found himself +upon a long, level floe. Thinking the provision +party might have been attracted by this as a place +to camp, he determined to examine it carefully. +He gave orders to liberate Ohlsen, now just able to +walk, from his fur bag, and to pitch the tent; then +leaving tent, sledge, and every thing behind, except +a small allowance of food taken by each man,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +he commanded the men to proceed across the floe +at a good distance from each other. All obeyed +cheerfully and promptly, and moved off at a +lively step to keep from freezing; yet somehow, +either from a sense of loneliness, or involuntarily, +there was a constant tendency of the men to huddle +together. Exhaustion and cold told fearfully +upon them; the stoutest were seized with trembling +fits and short breath, and Dr. Kane fell +twice fainting on the snow. They had now been +eighteen hours out without food or rest, and the +darkness of their situation seemed to have no ray +of light, when Hans shouted that he thought he +saw a sledge track. Hardly daring to believe that +their senses did not deceive them, they traced it +until footsteps were apparent; following these +with religious care they came after awhile in sight +of a small American flag fluttering from a hummock. +Lower down they espied a little Masonic +banner hanging from a tent pole barely above the +drift. It was the camp of the lost ones! It was +found after an unfaltering march of twenty-one +hours. The little tent was nearly covered by the +drift.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane was the last to come up, and when he +reached the tent his men were standing in solemn +silence upon each side of it. With great kindness +and delicacy of feeling they intimated their wish +that he should be the first to go in.</p> + +<p>He lifted the canvas and crawled in, and in the +darkness felt for the poor fellows, who were +stretched upon their backs. A burst of welcome<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +within was answered by a joyful shout without. +"We expected you," said one, embracing the +doctor; "we <i>knew</i> you would come!" For the +moment all perils, hunger, and exhaustion were +forgotten amid the congratulations and gratitude.</p> + +<p>The company now numbered fifteen, the cold +was intense, but one half the number had to keep +stirring outside while the rest crowded into the +little tent to sleep. Each took a turn of two hours, +and then preparations were made to start homeward.</p> + +<p>They took the tent, furs for the rescued party, +and food for fifty hours, and abandoned every +thing else. The tent was folded and laid on the +sledge, a bed was then made of eight buffalo skins, +the sick, having their limbs carefully sewed up in +reindeer skins, were then put in a reclining position +on the bed, and other furs and blanket bags +thrown around them. The whole was lashed together, +allowing only a breathing place opposite +the mouth. This <i>embalming</i> of the sufferers, and +getting them a good meal, cost four hours of exposure +in a cold that had become fifty-five degrees +minus. Most of the rescuers had their fingers +nipped by the frost.</p> + +<p>When all was ready the whole company united +in a short prayer.</p> + +<p>Now commenced the fearful journey. The +sledge and its load weighed eleven hundred +pounds. The hummocks were many; some of +them were high, and long deviations round them +must be made; some which they climbed over,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +lifting the sledge after them, were crossed by narrow +chasms filled with light snow—fearful traps +into which if one fell his death was almost certain. +Across these the sledge was drawn, some of them +being too wide for it to bridge them, so it had to +be sustained by the rope, and steadily too, for the +sick could not bear to be lashed so tight as not to +be liable to roll off, and the load was top-heavy.</p> + +<p>In spite of these obstacles all went bravely for six +hours. The abandoned tent was nine miles ahead, +the sledge on which life depended bravely bore +every strain, the new floe was gained, and the +traveling improved, so that good hope was entertained +that the tent, its covert and rest, would be +gained. Just then a strange feeling came over +nearly the whole party. Some begged the privilege +of sleeping. They were not cold, they said; +they did not mind the wind now; all they wanted +was a little sleep. Others dropped on the snow +and refused to get up. One stood bolt upright, +and, with closed eyes, could not be made to speak. +The commander boxed, jeered, argued, and reprimanded +his men to no purpose. A halt was made +and the tent pitched. No fire could be obtained, +for nobody's fingers were limber enough to strike +fire, so no food or water could be had.</p> + +<p>Leaving the company in charge of M'Gary, +with orders to come on after four hours' rest, Dr. +Kane and Godfrey went forward to the tent to get +ready a fire and cooked food. They reached the +tent in a strange sort of stupor. They remembered +nothing only that a bear trotted leisurely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +ahead of them, stopping once to tear a jumper to +pieces which one of the men had dropped the day +before, and pausing to toss the tent contemptuously +aside. They set it up with difficulty, crept into +their fur bags, and slept intensely for three hours. +They then arose, succeeded in lighting the cooking +lamp, and had a steaming soup ready when +the rest arrived.</p> + +<p>Refreshed with food and rest, the feeble re-adjusted, +they commenced the home stretch. Once +the old sleepiness came over them, and they in +turn slept three minutes by the watch and were +benefited. They all reached the brig at one +o'clock P.M. All were more or less delirious +when they arrived, and could remember nothing +of what had happened on the way, with slight exception. +The rescue party had been out seventy-two +hours; of this time only eight hours were +spent in halting. They had traveled about eighty-five +miles, most of the distance dragging their +sledge.</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes took the sick in hand. Two lost one +or more toes; and two, Jefferson Baker, a boyhood +playfellow of Dr. Kane, and Pierre Schubert, the +French cook, died.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>MORE HEROIC EXCURSIONS.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>ON the seventh of April, a week after the +return of the party just noted, our explorers +were startled by shouts from the shore. Dark figures +were seen standing along the edges of the +land ice, or running to and fro in wild excitement. +It was not difficult to make them out as a company +of Esquimo. Dr. Kane, seeing by their wild gesticulations +that they were unarmed, walked out +and beckoned to a brawny savage, who seemed to +be a leader, to approach. He understood the sign, +and came forward without fear. He was full a +head taller than the doctor, and his limbs seemed +to have the strength of those of the bear. He +was dressed with a fox skin, hooded jumper, +white bear-skin trousers, and bear-skin boots tipped +with the claws. Though he had evidently never +before seen a white man, he manifested no fear. +His followers soon crowded around and began to +use great freedom, showing an inclination to rush +on board the ship. This they were made to understand +they must not do. Petersen came out +and acted as interpreter, and matters went on +more smoothly. The leader, whose name was +Metek, was taken on board, while the rest remained +on the ice. They brought up from behind the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +floes fifty-six dogs and their sledges, and, thrusting +a spear into the ice, picketed them about the vessel.</div> + +<p>While Dr. Kane and Metek were having their +interview in the cabin, word was sent out that +others might come on board. Nine or ten mounted +the ladder with boisterous shouts, though ignorant +of how Metek had fared. They went every-where, +handled every thing, talked and laughed incessantly, +and stole whatever they could. Finally all +hands had to be mustered, and restraint laid upon +the Esquimo to keep them within due bounds. +This they took good naturedly; ran out and in the +vessel, ate, and finally <i>sat</i> down like tired children, +their heads drooping upon their breasts, and slept, +snoring the while most famously.</p> + +<p>In the morning, before they departed, the commander +assembled them on deck for an official +interview. He enlarged upon his wonderful qualities +as a chief, and the great benefits to his visitors +of his friendship. He then entered into a +treaty with them, the terms of which were very few +and simple, that it might be understood, and the +benefits mutual, that it might be kept. He then +showed his beneficence by buying all their spare +walrus meat and four dogs, enriching them in compensation +with a few needles, beads, and treasures +of old cask staves. The Esquimo were jubilant. +They voted, in their way, Dr. Kane a great captain, +promised vociferously to return in a few days +with plenty of walrus meat, and loan their dogs +and sledges for the great northern journey, all of +which they never remembered to do.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the visitors had gone, it was ascertained +that an ax, a saw, and some knives, had gone +with them. Besides, the store-house on Butler +Island had been entered, and a careful survey of +the vicinity revealed the fact that a train of sledges +were slyly waiting behind some distant hummocks +for a freight of its treasures.</p> + +<p>All this had a hard look for friendly relations +with the Esquimo; but our explorers felt that conciliation, +with quiet firmness, was their best policy. +The savages could do their sledge excursions +much harm, and, if they would, could greatly aid +them.</p> + +<p>The next day there came to the vessel five natives—two +old men, a middle aged man, and two +awkward boys. They were treated with marked +kindness, some presents were given them, but they +were told that no Esquimo would in future be admitted +to the brig until every stolen article was +restored. They were overjoyed at the gifts, and +departed, lifting up their hands in holy horror on +the mention of theft; yet in passing round Butler +Island they bore away a coal barrel. M'Gary was +watching them, and he hastened their departure +by a charge of fine shot. Notwithstanding all this, +one of the old men, known afterward as Shung-hu, +made a circuit round the hummocks, and came +upon an India-rubber boat which had been left +upon the floe, and cut it in pieces and carried off +the wood of the frame-work.</p> + +<p>Soon after this a sprightly youth, good-looking, +with a fine dog team, drove up to the vessel in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +open day. When asked his name, he replied +promptly, "Myouk I am." He spoke freely of his +place of residence and people, but when asked +about the stolen articles he affected great ignorance. +Dr. Kane ordered him to be confined in +the hold. He took this very hard, at first refusing +food. He soon after began to sing in a dolorous +strain, then to talk and cry, and then to sing again. +The hearts of his captors were made quite tender +toward him, and when in the morning it was found +that the prisoner had lifted the hatches and fled, +taking his dogs with him, even the commander +secretly rejoiced.</p> + +<p>April twenty-fifth, M'Gary and five men started +with the sledge "Faith," on another exploring excursion. +They took a small stock only of provisions, +depending on the supply depots which had been +made in the fall. The plan this time was, to follow +the eastern coast line a while, which run north +and west, cross over Smith Sound to the American +side, where it was hoped smooth ice would be +found; and once on such a highway, they anticipated +that the Polar Sea would greet their delighted +vision, and may be speak to them of the fate of the +lost Franklin.</p> + +<p>Two days after M'Gary's party left, Dr. Kane +and Godfrey followed with the dog sledge loaded +with additional comforts for the journey, the men +trotting by its side. Only three dogs remained of +the original supplies, which, harnessed with the +four purchased of the Esquimo, made a tolerable +team.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<p>Ten men, four in health and six invalids, were +left to keep the vessel. Orders were left by the +commander to treat the Esquimo, should they +come again, with fairness and conciliation, but if +necessity demanded to use fire arms, but to waste +no powder or shot. The credit of the gun must +be sustained as the bearer of certain death to the +white man's enemies.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane and his companions overtook the advanced +party in two days. They pushed forward +together with tolerable success for four days more, +when they all became involved in deep snow-drifts. +The dogs floundered about nearly suffocated, and +unable to draw the sledge. The men were compelled +to take the load on their backs, and kick a +path for the dogs to follow. In the midst of these +toils the scurvy appeared among the men, and +some of the strongest were ready to yield the conflict +altogether. The next day, May fourth, Dr. +Kane, while taking an observation for latitude +fainted, and was obliged to ride on the sledge. +Still the party pushed on; but they soon met with +an obstacle no heroism could overcome. They +were without food for further journeying! The +bears had destroyed their carefully deposited stores. +They had removed stones which had required the +full strength of three men to lift. They had broken +the iron meat casks into small pieces. An alcohol +cask, which had cost Dr. Kane a special journey in +the late fall to deposit, was so completely crushed +that a whole stave could not be found.</p> + +<p>On the fifth of May Dr. Kane became delirious,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +and was lashed to the sledge, while his brave, +though nearly fainting, men took the back track. +They arrived at the brig in nine days, and their +commander was borne to his berth, where he lay +for many days, between life and death, with the +scurvy and typhoid fever. Thus closed another +effort to unlock the secrets of the extreme polar +region.</p> + +<p>Hans made himself exceedingly useful at this +time. He was promoted to the post of hunter, and +excused from all other duties; he was besides +promised presents to his lady-love on reaching his +home at Fiskernaes. He brought in two deer, the +first taken, on the day of this special appointment. +The little snow-birds had come, of which +he shot many. The seal, too, were abundant, and +some of them were added to the fresh provisions. +These wonderfully improved those touched by the +scurvy.</p> + +<p>One day Hans was sent to hunt toward the Esquimo +huts, that he might get information concerning +the nearness to the brig of clear water. +He did not come back that night, and Dr. Hays +and Mr. Ohlsen were sent with the dog-sledge to +hunt him up. They found him lying on the ice +about five miles from the vessel, rolled up in his +furs and sound asleep. At his side lay a large +seal, shot, as usual, in the head. He had dragged +this seal seven hours, and, getting weary, had made +his simple camp and was resting sweetly.</p> + +<p>May twentieth, Dr. Hays and Godfrey started +with the dog team, to make another attempt to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +cross Smith Strait and reach, along the American +side, the unknown north. The doctor was a fresh +man, not having been with any previous party. +The dogs were rested, well fed, and full of wolfish +energy. The second day he fortunately struck +into a track free from heavy ice, and made fifty +miles! But this success was after the arctic fashion, +made to give bitterness to immediate failure. +On the third day they encountered hummocks, +piled in long ridges across their path; some +of them were twenty feet high. Over some of +these they climbed, dragging after them both +sledge and dogs. Long diversions were made at +other times, and their path became in this way so +very tortuous that in making ninety miles advance +northward they traveled two hundred and seventy +miles!</p> + +<p>Snow-blindness seized Dr. Hays in the midst of +these toils. But, nothing daunted, after short halts, +in which his sight improved, he pushed on. But +Godfrey soon broke down, though one of the hardiest +of explorers. Their dogs, too, began to droop; +the provisions were running low, and so the homeward +track was taken. Before they reached the +vessel they were obliged to lighten their load by +throwing away fifty pounds weight of furs, the +heaviest of which had been used as sleeping bags.</p> + +<p>This excursion resulted in valuable additions to +the extreme northern coast-line survey.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of June fourth, M'Gary, with +four men, started on a last desperate effort to push +the survey, on the Greenland side, a hundred miles<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +farther, by which Dr. Kane thought the limits of +the ice in that direction might be reached. Morton, +one of the company, was to keep himself as +fresh as possible, so that when the rest came to a +final halt he might be able to push on farther. +Hans was kept at the vessel until the tenth, four +days later, when he started light with the dog-sledge +to join them. His part was to accompany +Morton on the final run.</p> + +<p>The hunter of the vessel being gone, Dr. Kane, +who was now much better, took his rifle to try his +skill at seal hunting. This animal is not easily +taken by unpracticed game seekers. He lies near +the hole which he keeps open in the ice, and at +the slightest noise plunges out of sight. Seeing +one lying lazily in the sun, the doctor lay down +and drew himself along softly behind the little +knobs of ice. It was a cold, tedious process, but +finally getting within a long rifle shot, the seal +rolled sluggishly to one side, raised his head, and +strained his neck, as if seeing something in an opposite +direction. Just then the doctor saw with +surprise a rival hunter. A large bear lay, like himself, +on his belly, creeping stealthily toward the +game. Here was a critical position. If he shot +the seal, the bear would probably have no scruples +about taking it off his hands, and, perhaps, by way +of showing that might makes right, take him before +his rifle could be reloaded. While the doctor was +debating the matter the seal made another movement +which stirred his hunter blood, and he pulled +the trigger. The cap only exploded. The seal,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +alarmed, descended into the deep with a floundering +splash; and the bear, with a few vigorous leaps, +stood, a disappointed hunter, looking after him +from the edge of the hole. Bruin and Dr. Kane +were now face to face. By all the rules of game-taking +the bear should have eaten the man; he +was the stronger party, the gun was for the moment +useless, he was hungry, and had lost his dinner +probably by the intrusive coming of the stranger, +and, as to running, there was no danger of his +escape in that way. But the bear magnanimously +turned and ran away. Not to be outdone in Courtesy, +Dr. Kane turned and ran with all his might +in the opposite direction.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-sixth, M'Gary, Bonsall, Hickey, +and Riley returned. The snow had almost made +them blind; otherwise they were well. They had +been gone about three weeks, had made valuable +surveys, and fully satisfied the expectations of their +commander. Hans caught up with them after two +weeks of heroic travel alone with his dogs and +sledge. He and Morton had, in accordance with +the programme, pressed on farther northward.</p> + +<p>The returned party had their adventure with a +bear to tell. They had all lain down to sleep in +their tent after a wearisome day of travel. The +midnight hour had passed when Bonsall felt something +scratching at the snow near his head, and, +starting up, ascertained that a huge bear was making +careful observations around the outside of the +tent. He had, in looking round, already observed, +no doubt, the important fact that the guns, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +every thing like a defensive weapon, were left on +the sledge some distance off, though perhaps the +importance to him of this fact he did not appreciate. +There was consternation, of course, in the +camp, and a council of war was called. It had +hardly convened before bruin, as a party concerned, +thrust his head into the tent door. A +volley of lucifer matches was fired at him, and a paper +torch was thrust into his face. Without minding +these discourteous acts, the bear deliberately +sat down and commenced eating a seal which had +been shot the day before and happened to be in +his way. By the laws of arctic hospitality this +should have been considered fair by the tent's +company, for strangers are expected to come and +go as they please, and eat what they find, not even +saying, "By your leave." But the stranger did not +conform to the usage of the country. Tom Hickey +cut a hole in the back of the tent, seized a boat-hook, +which made one of its supporters, and attacked +the enemy in the rear. He turned on his assailant +and received a well-aimed blow on his nose, +by which he was persuaded to retire beyond the +sledge and there to pause and consider what to do +next. While the bear was thus in council with himself, +Hickey sprang forward, seized a rifle from the +sledge, almost under the nose of the enemy, and +fell back upon his companions. Bonsall took the +deadly weapon and sent a ball through and through +the bear, and the disturber of the rest of our explorers +afforded them many bountiful repasts.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE OPEN SEA.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>MORTON and Hans returned to the brig on +the tenth of July, after having been on +their separate exploration three weeks and a half. +Their story is full of thrilling incidents and important +results.</div> + +<p>The first day they made twenty-eight miles, and +were greatly encouraged. The next day the arctic +enemies of exploration appeared on the field, skirmishing +with deep snow through which dogs and +men had to wade. Next came a compact host of +icebergs. They were not the surface-worn, dingy-looking +specimens of Baffin Bay, but fresh productions +from the grand glacier near which they +lay. Their color was bluish white, and their outlines +clearly and beautifully defined. Some were +square, often a quarter of a mile each side. +Others were not less than a mile long, and narrow. +Now and then one of colossal size lifted its head +far above its fellows, like a grand observatory. +Between these giant bergs were crowded smaller +ones of every imaginable size and form.</p> + +<p>Through these our explorers had to pick their +way. Beginning one night at eight, they dashed +along through a narrow lane, turning this way and +that, for seven hours. Then they came against<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +the face of a solid ice-cliff, closing the path altogether. +Back they urged their weary dogs, and +their own weary selves, looking for an opening by +which they might turn north, but none appeared +until they reached the camp from which they had +started. Resting awhile, they commenced anew.</p> + +<p>Sometimes they climbed over an ice hillock, +making a ladder of their sledge. Morton would +climb up first, and then draw up the dogs, around +whose bodies Hans tied a rope; then the load was +passed up; lastly Hans mounted, and drew up the +sledge.</p> + +<p>Having broken through the bergy detachment +of their arctic foes and reached smoother ice, +other opposing columns met them. Dense mists, +giving evidence of open water, chilled and bewildered +them; but the welcome birds, giving other +proof of the nearness of the Polar Sea, cheered +them on.</p> + +<p>The next attack was in the form of insecure +ice. The dogs were dashing on in their wild +flight when it began to yield beneath them. The +dogs trembled with fear and lay down, as is their +habit in such cases. Hans, by a skillful mingling +of force and coaxing, succeeding in getting the +party out of the danger.</p> + +<p>At one time a long, wide channel presented its +protest to their farther progress. To this they +were obliged so far to yield as to go ten miles out +of their way to reach its northern side.</p> + +<p>Their right of way was also challenged by seams +in the ice often four feet deep, filled with water,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +and too wide for their best jumping ability. These +they filled up by attacking the nearest hummocks +with their axes and tumbling the fragments into +it until a bridge was made. This work often +caused hours of delay.</p> + +<p>The signs of open water became more and more +apparent. The birds were so plenty that Hans +brought down two at one shot. Soon they struck +the icy edge of a channel. Along this they +coasted on the land side. It brought them to a +cape around which the channel run close to a +craggy point. Here they deposited a part of their +provisions to lighten the sledge. Morton went +ahead to learn the condition of the land-ice round +the point. He found it narrow and decaying, so +that he feared there would be none on their return; +yet, forward! was the word. The dogs were +unloosed and driven forward alone; then Hans +and Morton tilted the sledge edgewise and drew it +along, while far below the gurgling waters were +rushing southward with a freight of crushed ice.</p> + +<p>The cape passed, they opened into a bay of +clear water extending far and wide. Along its +shore was a wide, smooth ice-belt. Over this the +dogs scampered with their sledge and men with +wonderful fleetness, making sixty miles the first +day! The land grew more and more sloping to +the bay as they advanced until it opened from the +sea into a plain between two elevated rocky ranges. +Into this they entered, steering north, until they +struck the entrance of a bay; but the rugged ice +across their path forbid farther sledge-travel in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +that direction. So they picketed, securely, as they +thought, the dogs, took each a back load of provisions, +and went forward. Their trusty rifles +were in hand, and their boat-hook and a few scientific +instruments were carefully secured to their +persons. Thus equipped, they had tramped about +nine miles from the last camp when an exciting +scene occurred. It was a bear fight, shaded this +time with the tender and tragic. A mother-bear +and her child came in sight. They were a loving +couple, and had plainly been engaged in a frolic +together. Their tracks were scattered profusely +about, like those of school children at recess in a +recent snow. There were also long furrows down +the sloping side of an ice-hill, upon and around +which the footprints were seen. Morton declared +that they had been coasting down this slope on +their haunches, and this opinion was supported by +the fact that Dr. Kane did, at another time, see +bears thus coasting!</p> + +<p>Five of the dogs had broken away from their +cords and had overtaken their masters. So they +were on hand for the fight.</p> + +<p>Mother and child fled with nimble feet, and the +dogs followed in hot pursuit. The bear, being +overtaken by her enemies, began a most skillful +and heroic skirmishing. The cub could not keep +up with its mother, so she turned back, put her +head under its haunches and threw it some distance +ahead, intimating to it to run, while she faced +the dogs. But the little simpleton always stopped +just where it alighted, and waited for mamma to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +give it another throw! To vary the mode of +operation, she occasionally seized it by the nape +of the neck and flung it out of harms way, and +then snapped at the dogs with an earnestness that +meant business. Sometimes the mother would +run a little ahead and then turn, as if to coax the +little one to run to her, watching at the same time +the enemy.</p> + +<p>For a while the bear contrived to make good +speed; but the little one became tired and she +came to a halt. The men came up with their +rifles and the fight became unequal, yet the mother's +courage was unabated. She sat upon her +haunches and took the cub between her hind +legs, and fought the dogs with her paws. "Never," +says Morton, "was animal more distressed; +her roaring could have been heard a mile! She +would stretch her neck and snap at the nearest +dog with her shining teeth, whirling her paws like +the arms of a windmill." Missing her intended +victim, she sent after him a terrific growl of baffled +rage.</p> + +<p>When the men came up the little one was so +far rested as to nimbly turn with its mother and +so keep front of her belly. The dogs, in heartless +mockery of her situation, continued a lively frisking +on every side of her, torturing her at a safe +distance for themselves.</p> + +<p>Such was the position of the contending parties +when Hans threw himself upon the ice, rested +upon his elbows, took deliberate aim, and sent +a ball through the heroic mother's head. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +dropped, rolled over, relieved at once of her +agony and her life.</p> + +<p>The cub sprung upon the dead body of its mother +and for the first time showed fight. The dogs, +thinking the conflict ended, rushed upon the prostrate +foe, tearing away mouthfuls of hair. But +they were glad to retreat with whole skins to their +own backs. It growled hoarsely, and fought with +genuine fury.</p> + +<p>The dogs were called off, and Hans sent a ball +through its head; yet it contrived to rise after falling, +and climbed again upon its mother's body. +It was mercifully dispatched by another ball.</p> + +<p>The men took the skin of the mother and the +little one for their share of the spoils, and the dogs +gorged themselves on the greater carcass.</p> + +<p>After this incident the journey of our explorers +soon ended. Hans gave out, and was ordered to +turn leisurely aside and examine the bend of the +bay into which they had entered. Morton continued +on toward the termination of a cape which +rose abruptly two thousand feet. He tried to get +round it, but the ice-foot was gone. He climbed +up its sides until he reached a position four hundred +and forty feet, commanding a horizon of forty +miles. The view was grand. The sea seemed almost +boundless, and dashed in noisy surges below, +while the birds curveted and screamed above. +Making a flag-staff of his walking-stick, he threw +to the wind a Grinnell flag. It had made the far +southern voyage with Commodore Wilkes, and had +come on a second arctic voyage. It now floated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +over the most northern known land of the +globe.</p> + +<p>Feasting his eyes with the scenery for an hour +and a half, Morton struck his flag and rejoined +Hans. The run home had its perils and narrow +escapes, but was made without accident, and with +some additional surveys.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>IT was now well into July. The last proposed +survey was made, and all hands were on shipboard. +But the arctic fetters still bound the "Advance," +with no signs of loosening. The garb of +midwinter was yet covering land and sea, and in +every breeze there was a dismal whisper to the explorers +of another winter in the ice. The thought +was appalling to both officers and men. They +had neither health, food, nor fuel for such an experience. +To abandon the vessel and try to escape +with the boats and sledges was impossible in +the prostrate condition of the men.</div> + +<p>Having carefully studied the situation Dr. Kane +resolved to try to reach Beechy Island, and thus +communicate with the British exploring expedition, +or by good luck with some whaler, and so secure +relief. This island we have often visited in our +voyages with the "Arctic Heroes." It is, it will +be recollected, at the mouth of Wellington Channel.</p> + +<p>When this plan was announced to the officers it +was approved cordially. Both officers and men +were ready to volunteer to accompany him; he +chose five only—M'Gary, Morton, Riley, Hickey, +and Hans. Their boat was the old "Forlorn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +Hope." The outfit was the best possible, though +poor enough. The "Hope" was mounted on the +sledge "Faith;" the provisions were put on a +"St. John's sledge." The "Faith" started off +ahead; the smaller sledge, to which Dr. Kane and +two of the men attached themselves, followed.</p> + +<p>It took five days of incessant toil, with many +head flows, to reach the water and launch the +"Hope," though the distance from the brig was +only twenty miles.</p> + +<p>The boat behaved well, and they reached Littleton +Island, where they were rejoiced to see numerous +ducks. Watching their course as they flew +away, the explorers were led to several islets, +whose rocky ledges were covered with their nests, +and around which they hovered in clouds. The +young birds were taking their first lesson in flying, +or were still nestling under their mothers' wings. +In a few hours over two hundred birds were taken, +the gun bringing down several at one shot, and +others were knocked over with stones. But the +men were not the only enemies of the ducks. +Near by was a settlement of a large, voracious species +of gull. They swooped down, seized, gobbled +up, and bore away to their nests the young +eiders, without seeming to doubt that they were +doing a fair and, to themselves, a pleasant business. +The gulls would seize the little eiders with +their great yellow bills, throw their heads up, and +then their victims would disappear down their +throats, and in a few moments after they would +be ejected into their nests and go down the throats<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +of their young. The ducks fought the gulls bravely +in the interests of their brood, but the victory +was with the stronger.</p> + +<p>Our voyagers pitied, of course, the bereaved +eider mothers, despised the cormorant gulls, but +gladly increased their stock of needed provisions +with both. They filled four large india rubber +bags with these sea-fowl after cleaning and rudely +boning them.</p> + +<p>Leaving this profitable camping place, the boat +was soon in the open sea-way. One day's pleasant +sailing was quite as much in that way as experience +taught them to expect. A violent storm +arose, the waves ran high, and their clumsy boat, +trembling under the strain, was in danger of sinking +at any moment. The safety of the whole +company depended entirely upon the skill and +nerve of M'Gary. For twenty-two successive +hours he held in his strong grasp the steering oar +and kept the head of the boat to the sea. A break +of the oar or a slip from his hand and all was +lost! They finally grappled an old floe in a +slightly sheltered place, and rode out the storm.</p> + +<p>For twelve days heroic exertions were made to +get the boat through the pack which now beset +them, with the view of working south and west. Little +progress was made and the men, wet, weary, and +worn, began to fail. In view of this state of things +the commander directed his course to Northumberland +Island, near which they were coasting. +Here they found three recently occupied, but now +forsaken, Esquimo huts. The foxes were abundant,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +and their young ones greeted the strangers +with vociferous barking. They found here, too, +what was more valuable—the scurvy grass. Rest, +fresh fowl, and cochlearia greatly refreshed the +whole party. Seeing the utter impossibility of going +south, they made the best of their way back to +the brig. It was a sad and joyful meeting with +their old comrades. Their return safely was joyful, +but the return spoke of another winter.</p> + +<p>By great exertions the brig was loosened from +her icy cradle and warped to a position more favorable +for an escape should the open water reach +the vicinity. On the seventeenth of August, instead +of a glad breaking up of the old ice, came +the formation of new ice, thick enough to bear a +man. The question of an escape of the brig +seemed settled. The allowance of wood was fixed +to six pounds a meal; this gave them coffee +twice a day and soup, once. Darkness was ahead, +and if the fuel utterly failed it would be doubly +cheerless. The Sabbath rest and devotions became +more solemn. The prayer, "Lord, accept +our gratitude and bless our undertakings," was +changed to, "Lord, accept our gratitude and restore +us to our homes."</p> + +<p>Affairs looked so dark that Dr. Kane deemed it +wise to leave a record of the expedition on some +conspicuous spot. A position was selected on a +high cliff which commanded an extensive view +over the icy waste. On its broad, rocky face the +words, "'Advance,' A. D. 1853-54," were painted +in large letters which could be read afar off. A<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +pyramid of heavy stones was built above it and +marked with a cross. Beneath it they reverently +buried the bodies of their deceased companions. +Near this a hole was worked into the rock, and a +paper, inclosed in a glass vessel sealed with lead, +was deposited. On this paper was written the +names of the officers and crew, the results in general +thus far of the expedition, and their present +condition. They proposed to add to the deposit +a paper containing the date of their departure, +should they ever get away, and showing their plans +of escape.</p> + +<p>Now, more earnestly than ever, the winter and +what to do was looked in the face. Some thought +that an escape to South Greenland was still possible, +and even the best thing to do. The question +of detaching a part of the company to make the +experiment was debated, but the commander arrived +at a settled conviction that such an enterprise +was impracticable.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the ice and tides were closely +examined for a considerable distance, for the +slightest evidence of a coming liberation of the +poor ice-bound craft.</p> + +<p>As early as August twenty-fourth all hopes of +such a liberation seemed to have faded from +every mind. The whole company, officers and +crew, were assembled in council. The commander +gave the members his reasons in full for deeming +it wise to stand by the vessel. He then gave +his permission for any part of the company who +chose to do so to depart on their own responsibility.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +He required of such to renounce in writing +all claims upon the captain and those who remained. +The roll was then called, and nine out +of the seventeen decided to make the hazardous +experiment. At the head of this party was Dr. +Hayes and Petersen. Besides the hope of a successful +escape, they were influenced in the course +they were taking by the thought that the quarters +in the brig were so straitened that the health and +comfort of those remaining would be increased, +and the causes of disease and death diminished by +their departure; and still further, if the withdrawing +party perished, an equal number was likely to +die if all remained.</p> + +<p>The decision having been made, Dr. Kane gave +them a liberal portion of the resources of the +brig, a good-bye blessing, with written assurances +of a brother's welcome should they return. They +left August twenty-eight.</p> + +<p>Those who remained with Dr. Kane were Brooks, +M'Gary, Wilson, Goodfellow, Morton, Ohlsen, +Hickey, and Hans. The situation of these was +increasedly dreary on the departure of half of +their companions. They felt the necessity of immediate +systematic action to drive away desponding +thoughts, as well as to make the best possible +preparation for the coming struggle with darkness, +cold, poverty, and disease. The discipline of the +vessel, with all its formality of duties, was strictly +maintained. The ceremonies of the table, the +religious services, the regular watching, in which +every man took his turn unless prevented by sickness,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +the scientific observations of the sky, the +weather and the tides, the detailed care of the fire +and the lights, all went on as if there was no burdens +of mind to embarrass them.</p> + +<p>In view of the small stock of fuel, they commenced +turning the brig into something like an Esquimo +igloë or hut. A space in the cabin measuring +twenty feet by eighteen was set off as a room +for all hands. Every one then went to work, and, +according to his measure of strength, gathered, +moss. With this an inner wall was made for the +cabin, reaching from the floor to the ceiling. The +floor itself was calked with plaster of Paris and +common paste, then two inches of Manilla oakum +was thrown over it, and upon this a canvas carpet +was spread. From this room an avenue three feet +high, and two and a half feet wide, was made. It +was twelve feet long, and descended four feet, +opening into the hold. It was moss-lined, and +closed with a door at each end. It answered to +the <i>tossut</i> of the Esquimo hut, or the sort of tunnel +through which they creep into their one room. +All ingress and egress of our explorers were +through this avenue on their hands and knees. +From the dark hold they groped their way to the +main hatchway, up which, by a stairway of boxes, +they ascended into the open air.</p> + +<p>The quarter-deck also was well padded with +turf and moss. When this was done, no frost king +but the one presiding over the polar regions could +have entered. Even he had to drop his crown of +icicles at the outer door of the avenue.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + +<p>The next step was to secure, so far as possible, a +supply of fuel for the coming darkness. A small +quantity of coal yet remained for an emergency. +They began now, September tenth, to strip off +some of the extra planking outside of the deck, +and to pile it up for stove use.</p> + +<p>Having thus put the brig itself into winter trim, +they went diligently to work to arrange its immediate +vicinity on the floe. Their beef-house came +first, which was simply a carefully stowed pile of +barrels containing their water-soaked beef and +pork. Next was a kind of block-house, made +of the barrels of flour, beans, and dried apples. +From a flag-staff on one corner of this fluttered a +red and white ensign, which gave way on Sundays +to a Grinnell flag. From the block-house opened +a traveled way, which they called New London +Avenue. On this were the boats. Around all this +was a rope barrier, which said to the outside world, +Thus far only shalt thou come! Outside of this +was a magnificent hut made of barrel frames and +snow, for the special use of Esquimo visitors. It +was in great danger of a tearing down for its +coveted wood.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>TREATY MAKING.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE stock of fresh provisions was now alarmingly +low. To secure a fresh supply, Dr. +Kane and Hans started with the dog team on a +seal hunt. The doctor was armed with his Kentucky +rifle, and Hans with a harpoon and attached +line. They carried a light Esquimo boat to secure +the prey if shot. They expected to find seal after +a ten miles' run, but the ice was solid until they +had traveled another hour. Now they entered +upon an icy plain smooth as a house floor. On +the dogs galloped, in fine spirits, seeming to anticipate +the shout which soon came from Hans—"Pusey, +puseymut!"—seal, seal! Just ahead +were crowds of seals playing in the water. But +the joy of the hunters was instantly turned into a +chill of horror. The ice was bending under the +weight of the sledge, and rolling in wavy swells +before it, as if made of leather. To pause was +certain death to dogs and men. The solid floe +was a mile ahead. Hans shouted fiercely to his +dogs, and added the merciless crack of his whip +to give speed to his team; but the poor creatures +were already terror-stricken, and rushed forward +like a steam-car. A profound silence followed, as +painful as the hush of the wind before the destructive<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +tornado. Nothing more could be done; +the faithful dogs were doing their utmost to +save themselves and their masters. They passed +through a scattered group of seals, which, breast-high +out of water, mocked them with their curious, +complacent gaze. The rolling, crackling +ice increased its din, and, when within fifty paces +of the solid floe the frightened dogs became dismayed, +and they paused! In went the left runner +and the leading dog, then followed the entire left-hand +runner. In the next instant Dr. Kane, the +sledge and dogs, were mixed up in the snow and +water. Hans had stepped off upon ice which had +not yet given way, and was uttering in his broken +English, piteous moans, while he in vain reached +forward to help his master. He was ordered to +lay down, spread out his hands and feet, and draw +himself to the floe by striking his knife into the +ice. The doctor cut the leader's harness and let +him scramble out, for he was crying touchingly, +and drowning his master by his caresses. Relieved +of the dog he tried the sledge, but it sunk under +him; he then paddled round the hole endeavoring +to mount the ice, but it gave way at every +effort, thus enlarging the sphere of operation most +uncomfortably, and exhausting his strength. Hans +in the mean time had reached solid footing, and +was on his knees praying incoherently in English +and Esquimo, and at every crushing-in of the ice +which plunged his master afresh into the sea exclaimed, +"God!" When the fatal crisis was just +at hand, deliverance came by a <i>seeming</i> accident.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +How often does God deliver by such seeming accidents! +One of the dogs still remained attached +to the sledge, and in struggling to clear himself +drew one of the runners broadside against the +edge of the circle. It was the drowning man's +last chance. He threw himself on his back so as +to lessen his weight, and placed the nape of his +neck on the rim of the ice opposite to but not far +from the sledge. He then drew his legs up slowly +and placed the ball of his moccasin foot against +the runner, pressing cautiously and steadily, listening +the while to the sound of the half-yielding +ice against which the other runner rested, as to +a note which proclaimed his sentence of life or +death. The ice, holding the sledge, only faintly +yielded, while he felt his wet fur jumper sliding +up the surface; now his shoulders are on; now +his whole body steadily ascends; he is safe.</div> + +<p>Hans rubbed his master with frantic earnestness +until the flesh glowed again. The dogs were all +saved, but the sledge, Esquimo boat, tent, guns, +and snow-shoes were all left frozen in to await a +return trip. A run of twelve miles brought them, +worn and weary, but full of gratitude, to the brig. +The fire was kindled, one of the few remaining +birds cooked, a warm welcome given, so that the +peril was forgotten except in the occasion it gave +for increased love to the <i>Deliverer</i>.</p> + +<p>We have had no occasion to notice the Esquimo +since the escape from prison of young Myouk. +Soon after Dr. Hayes's party left, three natives came. +They had evidently noted the departure of half<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +of the number of the strangers, and came to learn +the condition of those left behind. It was Dr. +Kane's policy to conciliate them, while carrying +toward them a steady, and when needed, as it was +often, a restraining hand.</p> + +<p>These visitors were quartered in a tent in the +hold. A copper lamp, a cooking-basin, and a full +supply of fat for fuel, was given them. They ate, +slept, awoke, ate and slept again. Dr. Kane left +them eating at two o'clock in the morning when +he retired to the cabin to sleep. They seemed +soon after to be sleeping so soundly that the watch +set over them also slept. In the morning there +were no Esquimo on board. They had stolen the +lamp, boiler, and cooking-pot used at their feast; +to these they added the best dog—the only one +not too weary from the late excursion to travel. +Besides, finding some buffalo robes and an india-rubber +cloth accidentally left on the floe, they took +them along also.</p> + +<p>This would not do. The savages must be +taught to fear as well as to respect and love the +white men. Morton and Riley, two of the best +walkers, were sent in hot pursuit. Reaching the +hut at Anoatok, they found young Myouk with +the wives of two absent occupants, the latter making +themselves delightfully comfortable, having +tailored already the stolen robes into garments +worn on their backs. By searching, the cooking +utensils, and other articles stolen from the brig +but not missed, were found.</p> + +<p>The white officers of the law acted promptly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +as became their dignity. They stripped the women +of these stolen goods and tied them. They were +then loaded with all the articles stolen, to which +was added as much walrus meat of their own as +would pay their jail fees. The three were then +marched peremptorily back to the brig; though +it was thirty miles they did not complain, neither +did their police guardians in walking the twice +thirty. It was scarcely twenty-four hours after +these thieves had left the brig with their booty +before they were prisoners in the hold. "A dreadful +white man" was placed over them as keeper, +who never spoke to them except in words of terrifying +reproof, and whose scowl exhibited a studied +variety of threatening and satanic expressions. +The women were deprived of the comfort of even +Myouk's company. He was dispatched to Metek, +"head-man of Etah and others," "with the message +of a melo-dramatic tyrant," to negotiate for +their ransom. For five long days the women sighed +and cried, and sung in solitary confinement, though +their appetites continued excellent. At last the +great Metek and another Esquimo notable arrived, +drawing quite a sledge load of returned stolen +goods. Now commenced the treaty making. There +were "big talks," and a display on the part of Dr. +Kane of the splendors and resources of his capital, +its arts and sciences, not forgetting the "fire-death," +whose terrific power so amazed the Etah +dignitaries. On the part of the Esquimo there +were many adjournments of the diplomatic conferences +to eat and sleep. This was well for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +explorers no doubt, as plenty of sleep and a good +dinner are very pacific, it is well known, in their +influence even on savages. In the final result +the Esquimo agreed: Not to steal, to bring fresh +meat, to sell or lend dogs, to attend the white men +when desired, and to show them where to find the +game. On the part of <i>Kablunah</i> (the white men) +Dr. Kane promised: Not to visit the <i>Inuit</i> (Esquimo) +with death or sorcery; to shoot for them on +the hunt; to welcome them on board the ship; +to give them presents of needles, pins, two kinds +of knives, a hoop, three bits of hard wood, some +kinds of fat, an awl, and some sewing-thread; to +trade with them of these, and all other things they +might want, for walrus and seal meat of the first +quality.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane sent Hans and Morton to Etah, on +the return of Metek, as his representatives, and this +treaty was there ratified in a full assembly of its +people.</p> + +<p>This treaty was really of much importance to +the famishing, ice-bound, scurvy-smitten strangers. +It was faithfully kept on the part of the natives, but +it was believed that the example of the white man's +prodigious power given by Morton and Riley, in +the tramp of sixty miles in twenty-four hours, had +quite as much to do with its faithful observance +as any regard to their promise. They might not +understand the binding nature of promises however +solemnly made, but they could comprehend +the meaning of strong arms and swift feet.</p> + +<p>Having made peace with the Etahites, Dr. Kane<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +sent M'Gary and Morton to the hut at Anoatok +on a like errand. They found there of men, Myouk, +Ootuniah, and Awatok—Seal Bladder—who +were at first shy. The rogue, Myouk, suspected +their visit might mean to him another arrest. Seeing +it did not, all went merry as a marriage-bell. +The treaty was ratified by acclamation.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>ARCTIC HUNTING.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>EARLY in October the Esquimo disappeared +from the range of travel from the brig. +Hans and Hickey were sent to the hunting grounds, +and they returned with the unwelcome news, no +walrus, no Esquimo. Where could they have +gone? Were they hovering on the track of the escaping +party under Dr. Hayes? and where were +these? Would the natives return from a trip south, +and bring any news of the battle they were fighting +with the ice and cold?</div> + +<p>While such queries may have been indulged by +the brig party, they had serious thoughts concerning +their own condition. Their fresh provisions +were nearly exhausted. Without walrus or bear +meat, their old enemy, scurvy, would come down +upon them like an armed man. There was now +plainly another occasion for one of those accidental +occurrences, through which the eye of a +devout Christian sees God's kind hand. In the +midst of these painful thoughts the shout by Hans +was heard ringing through the brig: "Nannook! +nannook!"</p> + +<p>"A bear! a bear!" chimed in Morton.</p> + +<p>The men seized their guns and ran on deck. +The dogs were already in battle array with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +bear, which was attended by a five-months-old +cub. Not a gun was in readiness on the instant, +and while they were being loaded the canines +were having rough sport with bruin. Tudla, a +champion fighter, had been seized twice, by the +nape of his neck, and made to travel several yards +without touching the ground. Jenny, a favorite +in the sledge, had made a grand somerset by a +slight jerk of the head of the bear, and had +alighted senseless. Old Whitey, brave but not +bear-wise, had rushed headlong into the combat, +and was yelping his utter dissatisfaction with the +result while stretched helpless upon the snow. +Nannook considered the field of battle already +won, and proceeded, as victors have always done, +to a very cool investigation of the spoils. She +first turned over a beef barrel, and began to nose +out the choice bits for herself and child. But +there was a party interested in this operation whom +she had not consulted. Their first protest was in +the form of a pistol ball in the side of her cub. +This, to say the least, was rather a harsh beginning. +The next hint was a rifle ball in the side of the +mother, which she resented by taking her child +between her hind legs and retreating behind the +beef-house. Here, with her strong forearms, she +pulled down three solid rows of beef barrels which +made one wall of the house. She then mounted +the rubbish, seized a half barrel of herring with +her teeth, and with it beat a retreat. Turning her +back on the enemy was not safe, for she immediately +received, at half pistol range, six buck shots.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +She fell, but was instantly on her feet again, trotting +off with her cub under her nose. She would +have escaped after all but for two of the dogs. +These belonged to the immediate region, and had +been trained for the bear hunt. They embarrassed +her speed but did not attack her. One +would run along ahead of her, so near as to provoke +the bear to attempt to catch him, and then +he would give her a useless chase to the right or +left, the other one, at the right moment, making a +diversion by a nip in her rear. So coolly and systematically +was this done that poor Nannook was +hindered and exhausted without being able to +hurt her tormentors in the least.</p> + +<p>This game of the dogs brought again Dr. Kane +and Hans on the field of conflict. They found +the bear still holding out in the running fight, and +making good speed away from the brig. Two rifle +balls brought her to a stand-still. She faced +about, took her little one between her fore legs, +and growled defiance. It took six more balls to +lay her lifeless on the blood-stained snow!</p> + +<p>This method of conquering the foe was no doubt, +from the bear point of view, mean and cowardly; +instead of the hand-to-paw fight, recognized as the +Arctic lawful way of fighting, it was sending fire-death +at a safe distance for the attacking party. +With her own chosen weapons—two powerful arms, +and a set of almost resistless teeth—the bear was +the stronger party. But then it was the old game +of brains against brute force, with the almost sure +result. As to the cruelty, the bear had no reason<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +to complain. She came to the brig seeking, if +haply she might find, a man, or men, to appease +her craving hunger and feed her child. The men +sought and obtained her life that they might stay +the progress of their bitter enemy, the scurvy, and +save their own lives!</p> + +<p>When the mother fell, her child sprung upon +her body and made a fierce defense. After much +trouble, and, we should think, some danger from +her paws and teeth, both of which she used as if +trained for the fight, she was, caught with a line +looped into a running knot between her jaws and +the back of her head, somewhat as farmers catch +hogs for the slaughter. She was marched off to +the brig and chained outside, causing a great uproar +among the dogs.</p> + +<p>The mother-bear's carcass weighed when cleaned +three hundred pounds; before dressing, the body +weighed six hundred and fifty. The <i>little</i> one +weighed on her feet one hundred and fourteen +pounds. They both proved most savory meat, +and were eaten with gratitude, as the special gifts +of the great Giver.</p> + +<p>This bear capture was soon followed by one no +less exciting and truly Arctic in its character. It +was the hunt and capture of a walrus, the lion of +the sea, as the bear is the tiger of the ice. The +story is as follows:—-</p> + +<p>About the middle of October Morton and Hans +were sent again to try to find the Esquimo. +They reached on the fourth day a little village beyond +Anoatok, seventy miles from the brig. Here<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +they found four huts, two occupied and two forsaken. +In one was Myouk, his parents and his +brother and sister; in the other was Awahtok, +Ootuniah, their wives, and three young children. +The strangers were made to feel at home. Their +moccasins were dried, their feet rubbed, two lamps +set ablaze to cook them a supper, and a walrus skin +spread on the raised floor for them to stretch and +rest their weary limbs. The lamps and the addition +to the huts' company sent the thermometer +up to ninety degrees above zero, while outside it +was thirty below. The natives endured this degree +of heat finely, as the men and children wore +only the apparel nature gave them, and the women +made only a slight, but becoming, addition to it. +The strangers after devouring six small sea-birds +a piece enjoyed a night of profuse perspiration +and sound sleep.</p> + +<p>In the morning Morton perceived that Myouk +and his father were preparing for a walrus hunt, +and he cordially invited himself and Hans to go +with them. The two strangers accepted the invitation +thus given, and the party of four were +soon off.</p> + +<p>A large size walrus is eighteen feet long, with a +tusk thirty inches. His whole development is +elephantine, and his look grim and ferocious.</p> + +<p>The Esquimo of this party carried three sledges; +one they hid under the snow and ice on the way, +and the other two were carried to the hunting +ground at the open water, about ten miles from +the huts. They had nine dogs to these two<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +sledges, and by turns one man rode while the other +walked.</p> + +<p>As they neared the new ice, and saw by the +murky fog that the open water was near, the Esquimo +removed their hoods and listened. After a +while Myouk's countenance showed that the wished-for +sound had entered his ear, though Morton, as +attentively listening, could hear nothing. Soon +they were startled by the bellowing of a walrus +bull; the noise, round and full, was something between +the mooing of a cow and the deep baying +of a mastiff, varied by an oft-repeated quick bark. +The performer was evidently pleased with his own +music, for it continued without cessation while +our hunters crept forward stealthily in single file. +When within half a mile of some discolored +spots showing very thin ice surrounded by that +which was thicker, they scattered, and each man +crawled toward a separate pool, Morton on his +hands and knees following Myouk. Soon the +walruses were in sight. They were five in number, +at times rising altogether out of the deep, breaking +the ice and giving an explosive puff which +might have been heard, through the thin, clear atmosphere, +a mile away. Two grim-looking males +were noticeable as the leaders of the group.</p> + +<div class="figleft" style="width: 351px;"><a id="Page_81"></a> +<img src="images/i_081.png" width="351" height="500" alt="" /> +<span class="caption">Walruses—A Family Party.</span> +</div> + +<p>Now came the fight between Myouk, the crafty, +expert hunter, and a strong, maddened, persistent +walrus. Morton was the interested looker-on, following +the hunter like a shadow, ready, if it had +been wanted, to put in his contribution to the +fight in the form of a rifle-ball. When the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +walrus's head is above water, and peering curiously +around, the hunter is flat and still. As the head +begins to disappear in the deep he is up and stirring, +and ready to dart toward the game. From +his hiding-place behind a projecting ice knoll the +hunter seems not only to know when his victim +will return, but where he will rise. In this way, +hiding and darting forward, Myouk, with Morton +at his heels, approaches the pool near the edge +of which the walruses are at play. Now the stolid +face of Myouk glows with animation; he lies still, +biding his time, a coil of walrus hide many yards +in length lying at his side. He quickly slips one +end of the line into an iron barb, holding the other, +the looped end, in his hand, and fixes the barb to +a locket on the end of a shaft made of a unicorn's +horn. Now the water is in motion, and only +twelve feet from him the walrus rises, puffing with +pent up respiration, and looks grimly and complacently +around. What need <i>he</i> fear, the mighty +monarch of the Arctic sea! Myouk coolly, slowly +rises, throws back his right arm, while his left arm +lies close to his side. The walrus looks round +again and shakes his dripping head. Up goes the +hunter's left arm. His victim rises breast-high to +give one curious look before he plunges, and the +swift, barbed shaft is buried in his vitals! In an +instant the walrus is down, down in the deep, while +Myouk is making his best speed from the battlefield, +holding firmly the looped end of his harpoon-line, +at the same time paying out the coil as +he runs. He has snatched up and carries in one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +hand a small stick of bone rudely pointed with +iron; he stops, drives it into the ice and fastens +his line to it, pressing it to the ice with his +foot.</p> + +<p>Now commence the frantic struggles of the +wounded walrus. Myouk keeps his station, now +letting out his line, and then drawing it in. His +victim, rising out of the water, endeavors to throw +himself upon the ice, as if to rush at his tormenter. +The ice breaks under his great weight, and he +roars fearfully with rage. For a moment all is +quiet. The hunter knows what it means, and he +is on the alert. Crash goes the ice, and up come +two walrusses only a few yards from where he +stands; they aimed at the very spot but will do +better next time. But when the game comes up +where he last saw the hunter he has pulled up his +stake and run off, line in hand, and fixed it as +before, but in a new direction. This play goes +on until the wounded beast becomes exhausted, +and is approached and pierced with the lance by +Myouk.</p> + +<p>Four hours this fight went on, the walrus receiving +seventy lance thrusts, dangling all the +while at the end of the line with the cruel harpoon +fixed in his body. When dying at last, +hooked by his tusk to the margin of the ice, his +female, which had faithfully followed all his bloody +fortune, still swam at his side; she retired only +when her spouse was dead, and she herself was +pricked by the lance.</p> + +<p>Morton says the last three hours wore the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +aspect of a doubtful battle. He witnessed it with +breathless interest.</p> + +<p>The game was, by a sort of "double purchase," +a clever contrivance of the Esquimo, drawn upon +the ice and cut up at leisure. Its weight was estimated +at seven hundred pounds.</p> + +<p>The intestines and the larger part of the carcass, +were buried in the crevices of an iceberg—a +splendid ice-house! Two sledges were loaded +with the remainder, and the hunters started toward +home. As they came near the village the women +came out to meet them; the shout of welcome +brought all hands with their knives. Each one +having his portion assigned, according to a well +understood Esquimo rule, the evening was given +up to eating. In groups of two or three +around a forty pound joint, squatting crook-legged, +knife in hand, they cut, ate, and slept, and cut and +ate again. Hans, in his description of the feast +to Dr. Kane, says: "Why, Cappen Ken, sir, even +the children ate all night. You know the little +two-year-old that Aroin carried in her hood—the +one that bit you when you tickled it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, Cappen Ken, sir, that baby cut for herself, +sir, with a knife made out of an iron hoop, +and so heavy it could hardly lift it, cut and ate, +sir, and ate and cut, as long as I looked at it."</p> + +<p>Morton and Hans returned to the brig with two +hundred pounds of walrus meat and two foxes, to +make glad the hearts of their comrades.</p> + +<p>Besides these Arctic monsters of the sea, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> +shaggy prowlers of the land and ice, there was +another sort of game, requiring a different kind +of hunting, found nearer home.</p> + +<p>We have related the experiment, a year before +this, of the explorers with the rats. They had +failed to smoke them out by a villainous compound, +and, as the experience came near burning +up the vessel, it was not repeated. They bred +like locusts in spite of the darkness, cold, and +short rations, and went every-where—under the +stove, into the steward's drawers, into the cushions, +about the beds, among the furs, woolens, and +specimens of natural history. They took up their +abode among the bedding of the men in the forecastle, +and in such other places as seemed to them +cosy and comfortable. When their rights as tenants +were disputed they fought for them with +boldness and skill.</p> + +<p>At one time a mother rat had chosen a bear-skin +mitten as a homestead for herself and family +of little ones. Dr. Kane thrust his hand into it +not knowing that it was occupied, and received a +sharp bite. Of course his hand left the premises +in rather quick time, and before he could suck the +blood from his finger the family had disappeared, +taking their home with them.</p> + +<p>Rhina, a brave bear-dog, which had come out +of encounters with his shaggy majesty with special +honors, was sent down into the citadel of the rats. +She lay down with composure and slept for a +while. But the vermin gnawed the horny skin +of her paws, nipped her on this side, and bit her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +on that, and dodged into their hiding-places. +They were so many, and so nimble, that poor +Rhina yelled in vexation and pain. She was taken +on deck to her kennel, a cowed and vanquished +dog.</p> + +<p>Hans, true to his hunter's propensity, amused +himself during the dreary hours of his turn on the +night watch, by shooting them with his bow and +arrow. Dr. Kane had these carefully dressed and +made into a soup, of which he educated himself +to eat, to the advantage of his health. No other +one of the vessel's company cared to share his +pottage.</p> + +<p>Hans had one competitor in this "small deer" +hunting, as the sailors called it. Dr. Kane had +caught a young fox alive, and domesticated it in +the cabin. These "deer" were not quick enough +to escape his nimble feet and sharp teeth. But +unfortunately he would kill only when and what +he wanted to eat.</p> + +<p>December came in gloomily. Nearly every man +was down with the scurvy. The necessary work +to be done dragged heavily. The courage of the +little company was severely taxed but not broken. +But where were the escaping party under Dr. +Hayes? Were they yet dragging painfully over +their perilous way? were they safe at Upernavik? +or had they perished?</p> + +<p>While such queries might have occupied the +thoughts of the dwellers in the "Advance," on +the seventh of the month Petersen and Bonsall +of that party returned; five days later Dr. Hayes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +arrived, with the remainder of his company. +Their adventures had been marvelous, and their +escape wonderful. It will be a pleasant fancy for +us to consider ourselves as sitting down in the +cabin of the "Advance," and listening to their +story from the lips of one of their party.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE ESCAPING PARTY.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>HAVING, as has been seen, provided for all +the contingencies of our journey as well as +circumstances permitted, we moved slowly down +the ice-foot away from the brig. The companions +we were leaving waved us a silent adieu. A strong +resolution gave firmness to our step, but our way +was too dark and perilous for lightness of heart. +At ten miles distance we should reach a cape near +which we expected to find open water, where we +could exchange the heavy work of dragging the +sledges for the pleasanter sailing in the boat. +This we reached early the second day. But here +we experienced our first keen disappointment. +As far as the eye could reach was only ice. Before +us, a thousand miles away, was Upernavik, at +which we aimed, the first refuge of a civilized character +in that direction. As we gazed at this intervening +frozen wilderness it did indeed seem afar +off. Yet every man stood firm through fourteen +hours of toil before we encamped, facing a strong +wind and occasional gusts of snow. After this the +shelter of our tent, and a supper of cold pork and +bread with hot coffee, made us almost forget the +wind, which began to roar like a tempest.</div> + +<p>We looked out in the morning, after a good night's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +rest, hoping to see the broken floe fleeing before +the gale, giving us our coveted open sea. But no +change had taken place. We had no resort but to +weary sledging. We carried forward our freight +in small parcels, a mile on our journey, finally +bringing up the boat.</p> + +<p>We took from under a cliff of the cape the boat +"Forlorn Hope," which Dr. Kane had deposited +there. It was damaged by the falling of a stone upon +it from a considerable height. Petersen's skillful +mending made it only a tolerable affair. Thus +wearied and baffled in our efforts at progress, we +returned early to our tent, and slept soundly until +three o'clock in the morning, when we were +aroused by shouting without. It came from three +Esquimo, a boy eighteen years old, and two women. +The boy we had before seen, but the women +were strangers. They were filthy and ragged—in +fact scarcely clothed at all. The matted hair of the +women was tied with a piece of leather on the top +of the head; the boy's hair was cut square across +his eyebrows. One of the women carried a baby +about six months old. It was thrust naked, feet +foremost, into the hood of her jumper, and hung +from the back of her neck. It peered innocently +out of its hiding-place, like a little chicken from +the brooding wing of its mother.</p> + +<p>They shivered with cold, and asked for fire and +food, which we readily gave them, and they were +soon off down the coast in good spirits.</p> + +<p>These visitors were only well started when Hans +rushed into our camp, excited and panting for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +breath. He was too full of wrath to command his +poor English, and he rattled away to Petersen in +his own language. When he had recovered somewhat +his breath, we caught snatches of his exclamations +as he turned to us with, "Smit Soun Esquimo +no koot! no koot! all same dog! Steal me +bag! steal Nalegak buffalo."</p> + +<p>The fact finally came out that our visitors had +been to the brig and stolen, among other things, a +wolf-skin bag and a small buffalo skin belonging +to Hans, presents from Dr. Kane. Hans took a +lunch, a cup of coffee, and continued his run after +the thieves.</p> + +<p>The ice had now given way a little, and small +leads opened near us. Loading the boat, we tried +what could be done at navigation. But the water +in the lead soon froze over and became too thick +for boating, while yet it was too thin for sledging; +so after trying various expedients we again unloaded +the boats and took to the land-ice. But +this was too sloping for the sledges, so we took +our cargo in small parcels on our backs, carrying +them forward a mile and a half, and finally bringing +the sledges and boat. Bonsall had, on one of +these trips, taken a keg of molasses on the back of +his neck, grasping the two ends with his hands. +This was an awkward position in which to command +his footing along a sideling, icy path. His +foot slipped, the keg shot over his head, and +glided down into the sea. Coffee without molasses +was not pleasant to think of, and then it was two +hours after our day's work was done before we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +could find even water. Our supper was not eaten +and we ready to go to bed until ten. We slept the +better, however, from hearing, just as we were retiring, +that Bonsall and Godfrey had recovered +the keg of molasses from four feet of water.</p> + +<p>The next morning we resolved to try the floe +again. It was plain we could make no satisfactory +progress on the land-ice, so we loaded first +the small sledge and run it safely down the slippery +slope. Then the large sledge, "Faith," was packed +with our more valuable articles. Cautiously it was +started, men in the rear holding it back by ropes. +But the foothold of the men being insecure, they +slipped, lost their control both of themselves and +the sledge, and away it dashed. The ice as it +reached the floe was thin; first one runner broke +through, now both have gone down; over goes the +freight, and the whole is plunged into the water! +Fortunately every thing floated. A part of our +clothes were in rubber bags and was kept dry; +all else was thoroughly wet. No great damage +was done except in one case. Petersen had a bed +of eider-down, in which he was wont snugly to +stow himself at night. When moving it was compressed +into a ball no larger than his head. It +was a nice thing, costing forty Danish dollars. It +was, of course, spoiled. So rueful was his face +that, though we really pitied him, we could not repress +a little merriment as he held up his dripping +treasure. Seeing a smile on Dr. Hayes's face, he +hastily rolled it up into a wad, and, in the bitterness +of his vexation, hurled it among the rocks,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +muttering something in Danish, of which we could +detect only the words "doctor" and "Satan."</p> + +<p>Our situation seemed gloomy enough. The +men's courage was giving way, and one took a +final leave and returned to the "Advance." Yet +we pressed forward; we were not long in readjusting +the load of the "Faith," and met with no further +accident during the day; but our fourteen +hours toil left us six more hours of ice-travel before +we could reach what seemed to be a long +stretch of clear sea.</p> + +<p>Hans returned from his pursuit, having overtaken +the thieves, but did not find about them the +stolen goods. He proposed to remain and help +us, but we could go no farther that night. We +encamped, and obtained much needed rest and +sleep.</p> + +<p>We were awakened at midnight to a new and +unexpected discouragement. M'Gary and Goodfellow +arrived from the "Advance" bringing a +peremptory order from Dr. Kane to bring back +the "Faith." We could not understand this. We +had been promised its use until we reached the +open sea. We had only one other, which was very +poor and utterly insufficient for our purpose. We +were sure it was not needed at the brig; what +could the order mean? But there it was in black +and white, so we delivered it up, and the messengers +returned with it on the instant.</p> + +<p>This journey of Goodfellow and M'Gary was a +wonderful exhibition of endurance. They had +worked hard all day; having eaten supper, they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +were dispatched with the message. They were +back to the brig to breakfast, having traveled in +all to and fro thirty miles without food or rest.</p> + +<p>Our sledging, almost insufferable before, was +more difficult now. Petersen exhausted his skill +in improving our poor sledge with little success. +We made about six miles during the day, gained +the land at the head of Force Bay, and pitched +our tent. We had shipped and unshipped our +cargo, and had experienced the usual variety of +boating and sledging. Several of us had broken +through the ice and been thoroughly wet. Old +rheumatic and scurvy complaints renewed their +attacks upon the men.</p> + +<p>While the supper was cooking, three of the officers +climbed a bluff and looked out upon the icy sea. +To our joy they reported the open water only six +miles away. With a good sledge we could reach +it in one day's pull. With our shaky affair it +would take three. Indeed, it seemed a hopeless +task to make at all six miles with it. Such was +the situation when our supper was eaten and we +had lain down to sleep. Its solace had scarcely +come to our relief when Morton's welcome voice +startled us. He had come to bring back the +"Faith." How timely! And then he brought also +a satisfactory explanation of its being taken away. +Dr. Kane had been informed that a dissension +existed among us, and that the sledge was not in +the hands of the officers. The next morning the +good sledge "Faith" was loaded, and the men, +now in good spirits, made fine speed toward the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +open sea. Morton pushed on after the thieves. +Late in the afternoon he returned with them. He +had overtaken them where they had halted to turn +their goods into clothing. They had thrown aside +their rags, and were strutting proudly in the new +garments they had made of the stolen skins. +Morton soon left, with his prisoners, to return to +the "Advance."</p> + +<p>We did not reach the open water until midnight. +Every thing was now put on board the +boat, and we sailed about two miles and drew up +against Esquimo Point, pitched our tent on a +grounded ice-raft, and obtained brief rest.</p> + +<p>In the morning, Riley, who had been sent to us +for that purpose, returned to the "Advance" with +the "Faith." We packed away eight men and +their baggage in the "Forlorn Hope." It was an +ordinary New London whale-boat rigged with a +mainsail, foresail, and a jib. Her cargo and passengers +on this occasion brought her gunwale +within four inches of the water. But for five +miles we made fine progress. Then suddenly the +ice closed in upon us, compelling us to draw the +"Hope" up upon a solid ice-raft, where we encamped +for the night. Near was a stranded berg +from which we obtained a good supply of birds, +of which we ate eight for supper.</p> + +<p>In the morning, while our breakfast was cooking, +the ice scattered and a path for us through +the sea was again opened, and we bore away joyously +for the capes of "Refuge Harbor." With +varying fortune, we passed under the walls of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +Cape Heatherton, and sighted the low lands of +Life-boat Bay. There, as has been stated, in +August, 1853, Dr. Kane left a Francis metallic life-boat. +Could we reach this bay and possess ourselves +of this life-boat, a great step would have +been taken, we thought, toward success. For +awhile all went well; then came the shout from +the officer on the lookout, "Ice ahead!" We +run down upon it before a spanking breeze, and +got into the bend of a great horseshoe, while seeking +an open way through the floe. We could turn +neither to the right nor left, and we were too deep +in the water to attempt to lay-to. The waves +rolled higher and higher, and the breeze was increasing +to a tempest. Our cargo, piled above the +sides of the boat, left no room to handle the oars, +if they had been of any use. There was no resort +but to let her drive against the floe. John sat in +the stern, steering-oar in hand; Petersen stood on +the lookout to give him steering orders; Bonsall +and Stephenson stood by the sails; the rest of us, +with boat-hooks and poles, stood ready to "fend +off." The sails were so drawn up as to take the +wind out of them. Petersen directed the boat's +head toward that part of the ice which seemed +weakest, and on we bounded. "'See any opening, +Petersen!' 'No sir.' An anxious five minutes +followed, 'I see what looks like a lead. We +must try for it.' 'Give the word, Petersen.' On +flew the boat. 'Let her fall off a little—off! Ease +off the sheet—so—steady! A little more off—so! +Steady there—steady as she goes.'"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p>Petersen, cool and skillful, was running us +through a narrow lead which brought us into a +small opening of clear water. We were beginning +to think that we should get through the pack +when he shouted, "I see no opening! Tight +every-where! Let go the sheet! Fend off."</p> + +<p>Thump went the boat against the floe! But the +poles and boat-hooks, in strong, steady hands, +broke the force of the collision. Out sprang every +man upon the ice.</p> + +<p>No serious damage was done to our craft. Our +first thought was that we were in a safe, ice-bound +harbor. But no! See, the floe is on the move! +We unshipped the cargo in haste, and drew up the +"Hope" out of the way of the nips. The stores +were next removed farther from the water's edge, +the spray beginning to sprinkle them. The whole +pack was instantly in wild confusion, ice smiting +ice, filling the air with dismal sounds. But it was +a moment for <i>action</i>, not of moping fear. Our +ice-raft suddenly separated, the crack running between +the cargo and the "Hope!" This would +not do! A boat without a cargo, or a cargo without +a boat, were neither the condition of things +we desired; but as the ice bearing the boat shot +into the surging water, it was evident no <i>human</i> +power could hinder it. Yet <i>divine</i> power could +and did prevent it—just that Hand always so ready +to help us in our time of need, and seeming now +almost visible. The boat's raft, after whirling in +the eddying waters, swung round, and struck one +corner of ours. In a minute of time the "Hope"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +was run off, and boat, cargo, and men were once +more together.</p> + +<p>Soon the commotion brought down a heavy +floe against that on which we had taken refuge, +and no open water was within a hundred yards +of us<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>A GREEN SPOT.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WE seemed now to be in a safe resting-place. +Dr. Hayes and Mr. Bonsall, accompanied +by John and Godfrey, took the advantage of this +security to go in search of the life-boat, which +they judged was not more than two miles away.</div> + +<p>After a walk over the floe of one hour they +found it. It had not been disturbed, and the articles +deposited under it were in good order. There +were, besides the oars and sails, two barrels of +bread, a barrel of pork, and one of beef; thirty +pounds of rice, thirty pounds of sugar, a saucepan, +an empty keg, a gallon can of alcohol, a bale of +blankets, an ice anchor, an ice chisel, a gun, a +hatchet, a few small poles, and some pieces of wood. +They took of these a barrel of bread, the saucepan +filled with sugar, a small quantity of rice, the +gun, the hatchet, and the boat's equipments. They +were to carry this cargo, and drag the life-boat, +back to the camp, unless a fortunate lead should +enable them to take to the boat.</p> + +<p>They ascended a hill, before starting, to get a +view of the present state of the fickle ice. All +was fast in the direct line through which they +came. But, a mile away, washing a piece of the +shore of Littleton Island, was open water. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +concluded to push forward in that direction, and +wait the coming of their companions in the +"Hope."</p> + +<p>They reached this open water in six hours—a +slow march of one mile—but it must be remembered +that they had to carry their cargo, piece by +piece, then go back and draw along the boat, thus +going over the distance many times. Besides, +they had to climb the hummocks with their load, +and lower it down the other side and tumble +about generally over the rough way.</p> + +<p>The island thus reached was three fourths of a +mile in diameter. They landed in a tumultuous +sea, which only a life-boat could survive. There +was no good hiding-place from the storm, which +was increasing. They were completely wet by the +spray, and ready to faint with cold and hunger. +In a crevice of the rock a fire was kindled, the +saucepan half filled with sea water, and an eider +duck John had knocked over with his oar was put +into it to stew. To this was added four biscuit +from the bread barrel. The hot meal thus cooked +refreshed them, but it was their only refreshment. +Bonsall and Godfrey crept under the sail taken +from the boat, and, from sheer exhaustion, fell +asleep. John and Dr. Hayes sought warmth in a +run about the island. Dr. Hayes wandered to a +rocky point, which commanded a view of the channel +between the island and the "Hope." He watched +every object, expecting to see her and her crew +adrift. He had not watched long before a dark +object was seen upon a whirling ice-raft. After a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +close and careful second look, he saw that it was +John. He called but received no answer. John's +raft now touched the floe and away he went, jumping +the fearful cracks, and disappearing in the +darkness. What could inspire so reckless an adventure? +Had he seen the "Hope" in peril, and +was this a manly effort to save her and his comrades? +He was going in the direction in which he +had left them.</p> + +<p>Bonsall and Godfrey were soon frozen out of +their comfortless tent, and joined Dr. Hayes on +the rocky point. They took places of observation +a short distance apart, and watched with intense +anxiety both for the "Hope" and John. The +morning came, the sea grew less wild, and the +wind subsided, but nothing was seen of the +boat.</p> + +<p>Leaving Dr. Hayes and his party thus watching +on the island, we will glance at the experience of +those of us who were left in the camp.</p> + +<p>Soon after they left, the wind and the waves +played free and wild. The spray wet our clothes, +buffaloes, and blankets, as it flew past us in dense +clouds. Our bread-bag, wrapped in an india rubber +cloth, was kept dry. We pitched our tent in +the safest place possible, but were driven out by +the increasing deluge of spray. We tried to cook +our supper, but the water put out the lamp. So we +obtained for thirty hours neither rest nor a warm +meal. Dry, hard bread without water, was our +only food. Finally the floe broke up, and, hastily +packing, ourselves and stores into the "Hope," we<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +went scudding through the leads, earnestly desiring +but scarcely daring to hope that we should fall +in with Dr. Hayes and his party. As we approached +Littleton Island the lead closed, and the +pack for a moment shut us in. As we waited and +watched, we saw a dark object moving over the +floe in the misty distance. Had we been on the +lookout for a bear, we might have sent a bullet +after it at a venture. But a moment only intervened +before John, nimbly jumping the drifting +ice-cakes, sprung into the boat! He brought the +welcome news of the whereabouts of our companions +with the life-boat, and his needed help in our +peril. Soon a change of tide brought open water, +through which, with all sails set, we bore down on +the island. About eight o'clock we saw Dr. Hayes +watching for our coming from his bleak, rocky +lookout.</p> + +<p>So rough was the sea that we could not land, but +rowed round Cape Ohlsen, the nearest main-land, +where we found a snug harbor with a low beach. +The life-boat and her crew followed. The cargoes +were taken from the boats, and they were hauled +up. From a little stream of melted snow which +trickled down the hill-side our kettles were filled. +The camp was set ablaze, some young eiders and +a burgomaster, shot just before we landed, were +soon cooked, a steaming pot of coffee served up, +and we talked over our adventures as we satisfied +our craving hunger. John was questioned concerning +his wild adventure. He had not seen the +"Hope," nor did he know where she was. But he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +was concerned about her, and "wanted to hunt +her up."</p> + +<p>After dinner we set ourselves at work, preparing +the boats for a renewed voyage, which we had +some reason to hope would be one of fewer interruptions. +The "Hope" was repatched and calked +by Petersen. A mast and sail was put into the +life-boat, which we named the "Ironsides." The +heavier part of the freight was put on board the +"Hope," of which Petersen took command, with +Sontag, George Stephenson, and George Whipple +as companions and helpers. Dr. Hayes commanded +in the "Ironsides," with whom was Bonsall, +John, Blake, and William Godfrey.</p> + +<p>Having spread our sails to a favoring breeze, we +gave three cheers and bore away for Cape Alexander, +about fourteen miles distant. As we sped +onward the scene was delightful. On our left was +Hartstene Bay, with its dark, precipitous shore-line, +and white glacier fields in the background. +The outlines of Cape Alexander grew clearer over +our bows, and cheered us onward. But a dark, +threatening cloud crept up the northern sky, sending +after us an increasing breeze, and tipping the +waves with caps of snowy whiteness. The storm-king +came on in frequent squalls, giving earnest of +his wrath. We could not turn back, nor did such +a course at all accord with our wishes; nor could +we run toward the shore on the left, where only +frowning rocks awaited us. We could only scud +before the tempest toward Cape Alexander, come +what would. The wind roared louder and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +waves rolled higher, yet on we flew. We came +within half a mile of the cape unharmed. Now +the current, as it swept swiftly round the cape, produced +a "chopping sea." The "Hope," being +made for a heavy sea, rounded the point in good +style. The "Ironsides" was shorter, stood more +out of the water, and was, therefore, less manageable. +John, who was intrusted with the steering-oar, +in minding the business of Bonsall and Godfrey +instead of his own, let it fly out of the water, +and so permitted the boat to come round broadside +to the current. Of course the sea broke over +us at its pleasure, filling every part which could +be filled and sinking us deep in the water. But +for its metallic structure and air-tight apartment +we should have sunk; as it was we held fast to +the sides and mast to prevent being washed overboard, +and thus we drifted ingloriously round the +cape.</p> + +<p>Here we found our consort, ready to come to +our assistance; but as the water was smooth under +sheltering land, we bailed out our boat, took in our +sails, unshipped the mast, and rowed for a small +rock called Sutherland's Island, hoping to find a +harbor. But we found none, nor was it safe to +land anywhere upon the island. There was nothing +to do but to pull back again in the face of the +wind. The men were weary and disheartened; +the sun had set and it was growing dark; our +clothes were frozen and unyielding as a coat of +mail; cutting sleet pelted our faces, and we were +often compelled to lose for a moment part of what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +we had with such toil gained. But the sheltering +main-land of the cape was at last gained, and we +coasted slowly along for some distance looking for +a haven. We finally came to a low rocky point, +behind which lay a snug little harbor. "A harbor! +here we are boys; a harbor!" shouted the lookout. +The men responded with a faint cheer—they were +too much exhausted for "a rouser."</p> + +<p>The boats were unladen and drawn upon the +land. Every thing in the "Ironsides" was wet, +but the stores of the "Hope" were in perfect order. +We pitched our tent, cooked our supper, +and lay down to sleep. The sea roared angrily as +its waves broke upon the rocky coast, and the +wind howled as it came rushing down the hill-side; +but they did but lull us to rest as we slept away +our weariness and disappointment.</p> + +<p>Two days we were detained in this place. Once +a little fox peered at us from the edge of the cliff, +which set our men upon a fruitless hunt for either +his curious little self or some of his kindred. We +greatly desired a fox stew, but fox cunning was +too much for us.</p> + +<p>We started for Northumberland Island on the +eighth of September. To reach it we must pass +through a wide expanse of sea which was now +clear; not a berg greeted our vision, no fragments +of drifting ice-packs met our sight. The wind +was nearly "after us," and the boats glided through +the waves as gloriously as if carrying a picnic +party in our own home waters. The spirits of the +men run over with glee. "Isn't this glorious?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +cried Whipple as the boats came near enough together +to exchange salutations; "we have it watch +and watch about."</p> + +<p>"And so have we," replied Godfrey.</p> + +<p>"We're shipping a galley and mean to have +some supper," shouted Stephenson.</p> + +<p>"And we have got ours already!" exclaimed +John. "Look at this!" he added, flourishing in +the air a pot of steaming coffee.</p> + +<p>But these joys were emphatically of the <i>arctic</i> +kind, which are in themselves prophecies of ill. +Bergs were soon seen lifting their unwelcome +heads in the distance, and sending through the +intervening waters their tidings of evil. Next +came long, narrow lines of ice; then these were +united together by a thin, recent formation. We +were now compelled to dodge about to find open +lanes. Coming to a full stop, the officers climbed +an iceberg to get a view of the situation. The +pack was every-where, though in no direction was +it without narrow runs of open water. Then and +there they were compelled, after careful consultation, +to decide a question deeply concerning our +enterprise. It was this: Should we take the outer +passage, or the one lying along shore. The first +would afford a better chance of open water, but if +this failed us, as it was even likely to do at this late +season, we must certainly perish. The second gave +us a smaller chance of boating, but some chance +to live if it failed. But we were on a desperate +enterprise, and were inclined to desperate measures. +But Petersen, who had twenty years' experience<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +in these waters, counseled the inner route, +and by his counsel the officers felt bound to abide.</p> + +<p>While this consultation was going on the sea +became calm, and the boats could be urged only +by the oars. It was night before we found a sheltered, +sloping land behind a projecting rock. The +boats were anchored in the usual way—by taking +out their loads and lifting them upon the land.</p> + +<p>The tents were pitched upon a terrace a few +yards above the boats. This terrace, we were surprised +to find, was covered with a green sod, full +of thrifty vegetation. The sloping hill-side above +had the same greenness. A little seeking brought +to our wondering sight an abundant supply of +sorrel and "<i>cochlearia</i>," anti-scurvy plants which +our men much needed. Some of the men soon +filled their caps with them. A fox had been shot +and was already in the cook's steaming pot, to +which a good supply of the green plants was added. +Such a supper as we had! Nothing like it had +been tasted since we left home! Our scurvy +plague spots disappeared before its wonderful +healing power. The men became as hilarious as +boys when school is out. They reveled and rolled +upon the green arctic carpet like young calves in +a newly found clover field. They smoked their +pipes, "spun yarns," and laughed cheerily, as if +their lives had not just now been in peril, and as +if no imminent dangers lay at their door. Our +camp had indeed been pitched by the all-guiding +Hand in a goodly place. The men declared on retiring +that they felt the healing <i>cochlearia</i> in their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +very bones, and it is certain that we all felt the +glow of our changed condition throughout our +whole being.</p> + +<p>The next day two of us climbed the highest +land of the island for a glance at our situation. +We found it as depressing as our paradise of greenness +had been encouraging. We could see southward +the closed ice-pack for twenty miles, and +faint indications of the same condition of the sea +could be discerned for twenty more miles.</p> + +<p>We returned, and a council was called in which +all, men and officers, were called upon freely to +discuss, and finally to decide by vote, the question, +Shall we go forward or attempt to return +to the "Advance." All the facts so far as known +were fairly brought out. Upernavik was six +hundred miles in a straight line; the brig was +four hundred. Dangers, if not death, were everywhere, +yet none desponded. Whipple, or "Long +George," as his messmates called him, made a heroic +speech which expressed the feelings of all. +He exclaimed: "The ice can't remain long; I'll +bet it will open to-morrow. The winter is a long +way off yet. If we have such luck as we have had +since leaving Cape Alexander, we shall be in +Upernavik in two weeks. You say it is not more +than six hundred miles there in a straight line. +We have food for that time and fuel for a week. +Before that's gone we'll shoot a seal."</p> + +<p>We voted with one voice—"Upernavik or nothing." +The decision was made.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>NETLIK.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WE were unwillingly detained on the island +several days more. During the detention +we were visited by an Esquimo, who came most +unexpectedly upon us. His name was Amalatok. +He had been at the ship last winter, and had seen +Dr. Kane in his August trip. His dress was strikingly +arctic—a bird-skin coat, feathers turned in; +bear-skin pants, hair outward; seal-skin boots; +and dog-skin stockings. He carried in his hand +two sea birds, a bladder filled with oil, some half-putrid +walrus flesh, and a seal thong. He sat +down on a rock and talked with animation. While +thus engaged he twisted the neck from one of the +birds, inserted the fore-finger of his right hand +under the skin of its neck, drew it down its back, +and thus instantly skinned it. Then running his +long thumb nail along the breastbone, he produced +two fine fat lumps of flesh, which he offered in turn +to each of our company. These were politely declined, +to his great disgust, and he bolted them +down himself, sending after them a hearty draught +of oil from the bladder. The other bird, the remaining +oil, and the coil of seal-hide we purchased +of him for three needles.</div> + +<p>Soon after Amalatok's wife came up with a boy—her <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +nephew. The woman was old, and exceedingly +ugly looking; the boy was fine looking, wide-awake, +and thievish—we watched him narrowly. +In the evening the Esquimo left for their home +on the easternly side of the island.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of the fourteenth of September +we left the island, and set our course toward +Cape Parry. The sky had been clear, the air soft +and balmy, and the open sea invited us onward. +But a cold mist soon settled down upon us, succeeded +by a curtain of snow, shutting out all landmarks, +and leaving us in great doubt as to our +course. The compass refused to do its office, the +needle remaining where it was placed. We struck +into an ice-field and became perfectly bewildered. +As we groped about we struck an old floating +ice-island, about twelve feet square. On this we +crawled and pitched our tent. The cook contrived, +with much perseverance and delay, to light the +lamp, melt some snow, and make a pot of coffee. +This warmed and encouraged us. But as the +snow fell faster and faster, we could not unwrap +our bedding without getting it wet; so we huddled +together under the tent to keep each other warm. +None slept, and the night wore slowly away as our +ice-island floated we knew not whither. There +was great occasion for despondency, but the men +were wonderfully cheerful. Godfrey sung negro +melodies with a gusto; Petersen told the stories +of his boyhood life in Copenhagen and Iceland; +John gave items of a "runner's" life in San Francisco; +Whipple related the horrors of the forecastle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +of a Liverpool packet; and Bonsall "brought +down the house" by striking up,</p> + +<div class='center'> +"Who wouldn't sell his farm and go to sea?"<br /> +</div> + +<p>During this merriment a piece of our raft broke +off, and came near plunging two of the men into +the sea.</p> + +<p>The morning dawned and showed the dim outlines +of some large object near us, whether iceberg +or land we could not tell. Before we could +well make it out we were near a sandy beach covered +with bowlders. We tumbled into the boats +and were soon ashore. As we landed, Petersen's +gun brought down two large sea-fowl. We were +in a little time high on the land, our tent pitched, +and all but John, the cook, lay down in the dry, +warm buffalo-skins and slept away our weariness. +John in the meantime contended through six long +hours with the wind, which put out his lamp, the +snow, which wet his tinder when he attempted to +relight it, and the cold, which froze the water in +the kettle during the delay, as well as chilled his +fingers and face, and cooked us at last a supper +of sea-fowl and fox. As we ate with appetites +sharpened by a fast of twenty-four hours, we heard +the storm, which raged fearfully, with thankfulness +for our timely covert. God, and not our wisdom, +had brought us hither.</p> + +<p>When the morning broke we learned that we +had drifted far up Whale Sound, and were camped +on Herbert Island. After a little delay we entered +our boats, rowed for several hours through "the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +slush" the snow had created near the shore, and +then spreading our canvas, we sailed for the mainland. +We struck the coast twenty miles above +Cape Parry.</p> + +<p>We had scarcely time to glance at our situation +before we heard the "Huk! Huk! Huk!" of Esquimo +voices. It was the hailing cry of a man and +a boy who came running to the shore. While Petersen +talked with the man, the boy scampered off.</p> + +<p>The man was Kalutunah, "the Angekok" or +priest of his tribe. He had been, as will be recollected, +at the ship in the winter. He said the village +was only a short distance up the bay, where +was plenty of blubber and meat, which we might +have if we would allow him to enter our "oomiak" +and pilot us there!</p> + +<p>While we were talking with Kalutunah, the boy +had spread the news of our visit through the village. +On came a troop of men, women, and children, +rushing along the shore, and throwing their +arms about, and shouting merrily, with howling +dogs at their heels. The "Kablunah" and +"Oomiak"—white men and ship—had come and +they were happy.</p> + +<p>We took on board Kalutunah from a rocky +point, before the crowd could reach it, and pushed +off and rowed up the bay. Our passenger was +delighted, having never before voyaged in this +wise. He stood up in the boat and called to his +envious countrymen who ran abreast of us along +the shore, exclaiming, "See me! See me!"</p> + +<p>We landed in a little cove, at the head of which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +we pitched our tent. The sailors drew up the +boat over the gentle slope, shouting, "Heave-oh!" +At this the natives broke out into uproarious laughter. +Nothing of all the strange shouts and sights +brought to their notice so pleased them. They +took hold of the ropes and sides of the boats, and +tugged away shouting, "I-e-u! I-e-u! I-e-u!" +the nearest approach they could make to the +strange sound of the white faces.</p> + +<p>A short distance from the beach, on the slope, +stood the <i>settlement</i>—two stone huts twenty yards +apart. They were surrounded by rocks and bowlders, +looking more like the lurking places of wild +beasts than the abodes of men.</p> + +<p>The entertainment given us by our new friends +was most cordial. A young woman ran off to the +valley with a troop of boys and girls at her heels, +and filled our kettles with water. Kalutunah's +wife brought us a steak of seal and a goodly piece +of liver. The lookers-on laughed at our canvas-wick +lamp, as it sputtered and slowly burned, and +the chief's daughter ran off and brought their lamp +of dried moss and seal fat.</p> + +<p>We gave them some of our supper, as they expected +of course that we would. They made wry +faces at the coffee, and only sipped a little; but +Kalutunah with more dignity persevered and +drank freely of it. We passed round some hard +biscuit, which they did not regard as food until +they saw us eat them. They then nibbled away, +laughing and nibbling awhile until their teeth +seemed to be sore. They then thrust them into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +their boots, the general receptacles of curious +things.</p> + +<p>After supper the white men lighted their pipes. +This to the natives was the crowning wonder. +They stared at the strangers, and then looked +knowingly at each other. The solemn faces of +the smokers, the devout look which they gave at +the ascending smoke from their mouths as it curled +upward, impressed the Esquimo that this was a +religious ceremony. They, too, preserved a becoming +gravity. But the ludicrous scene was too +much for our men, and their faces relaxed into +smiles. This was a signal for a general explosion. +The Esquimo burst into loud laughter, springing +to their feet and clapping their hands. The religious +meeting was over.</p> + +<p>The "Angekok," who seemed desirous to show +his people that he could do any thing which the +strangers could, desired to be allowed to smoke. +We gave him a pipe, and directed him to draw in +his breath with all his might. He did so, and was +fully satisfied to lay the pipe down. His awful +grimaces brought down upon him shouts and +laughter from his people.</p> + +<p>The mimic puffs, and the poorly executed echoes +of the sailors' "Heave-oh," went merrily round +the village.</p> + +<p>Having established good feeling between ourselves +and the Esquimo, we entered upon negotiations +for such articles of food as they could +spare. But they in fact had only a small supply. +They wanted, of course, our needles, knives, wood,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +and iron, and were profuse in their promises of +what they would do, but their game was in the +sea.</p> + +<p>It was midnight before the Esquimo retired +and we lay down to sleep. Dr. Hayes and Stephenson +remained on guard, for our very plausible +friends were not to be trusted where any thing +could be stolen. The stars twinkled in the clear +atmosphere while yet the twilight hung upon the +mountain, and all nature was hushed to an oppressive +silence, save when it was broken by the sudden +outburst of laughter from the Esquimo, or the +cawing of a solitary raven.</p> + +<p>Leaving Stephenson on guard, Dr. Hayes walked +toward the huts. Kalutunah hearing his footsteps +came out to meet him, expressing his welcome +by grinning in his face and patting his back. +The huts were square in front and sloped back into +the hill. They were entered by a long passage-way—tossut—of +twelve feet, at the end of which +was an ascent into the hut through an opening in +the floor near the front. Into this the chief led +the way, creeping on all fours, with a lighted torch +of moss saturated with fat. Snarling dogs and +half-grown puppies were sleeping in this narrow +way, who naturally resented in their own amiable +way this midnight disturbance. Arriving at the +upright shaft, the chief crowded himself aside to +let his visitor pass in. A glare of light, suffocating +odors, and a motley sight, greeted the doctor. +Crowded into the den, on a raised stone bench +around three sides, were human beings of both<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> +sexes, and of all ages. They huddled together still +closer to make room for the stranger, whom they +greeted with an uproarious laugh. In one of the +front corners, on a raised stone bench, was a +mother-dog with a family of puppies. In the other +corner was a joint of meat. The whole interior +was about ten feet in diameter, and five and a half +high. The walls were made of stone and the +bones of animals, and chinked with moss. They +were not arched, but drawn in from the foundation, +and capped above with slabs of slate-stone.</p> + +<p>The doctor's visit was one of curiosity, but the +curiosity of the Esquimo in reference to him was +more intense and must first be gratified. They +hung upon his arms and legs and shoulders; they +patted him on the back, and stroked his long +beard, which to these beardless people was a +wonder. The woolen clothes puzzled them, and +their profoundest thought was at fault in deciding +the question of the kind of animal from whose +body the material was taken. They had no conception +of clothing not made of skins.</p> + +<p>The boys' hands soon found their way into the +doctor's pockets, and they drew out a pipe, which +passed with much merriment from hand to hand, +and mouth to mouth.</p> + +<p>Kalutunah drew the doctor's knife from its +sheath, pressed it fondly to his heart, and then +with a mischievous side glance stuck it into his +own boot. The doctor shook his head, and it was +returned with a laugh to its place. A dozen times +he took it out, hugged it, and returned it to its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +place, saying beseechingly, "Me! me! give me!" +He did want it <i>so much</i>! The visitor's pistol was +handled with great caution and seriousness. They +had been given a hint of its power at the sea-shore, +where Bonsall had brought a large sea-fowl down +into their midst by a shot from his gun.</p> + +<p>While this examination of the doctor was going on +he examined more closely the objects about him. +There was a window, or opening, above the entrance, +over which dried intestines, sewed together, +were stretched to let in light. The wall was +covered with seal and fox skins stretched to +dry.</p> + +<p>There were in the hut three families and one or +two visitors, in all eighteen or twenty persons. +The female head of each family was attending in +different parts of the hut, to her family cooking. +They had each a stone, scooped out like a clam +shell, in which was put a piece of moss soaked in +blubber. This was both lamp and stove, and was +kept burning by feeding with fat. Over this a +stone pot was hung from the ceiling, in which the +food was kept simmering. These, and the animal +heat of the inmates, made the hut intensely warm. +Seeing the white man panting for breath, some +boys and girls laid hold of his clothes to strip him, +after their own fashion. This act of Esquimo +courtesy he declined. They then urged him to +eat, and he answered, "Koyenuck"—I thank you—at +which they all laughed. Though he had dreaded +this invitation, he did not think it good policy to +declare it. A young girl brought him the contents<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +of one of the stone pots in a skin dish, first +tasting it herself to see if it was too hot.</p> + +<p>All eyes were upon the visitor. Not to take +their proffered pottage would be a great affront. +To him the dose seemed insufferable, though of +necessity to be taken. Shutting his eyes, and +holding his nose, he bolted it down. He was afterward +informed that it was one of the delicacies +of their table, made by boiling together blood, oil, +and seal intestines!</p> + +<p>After thus partaking of their hospitality, the doctor +left the Esquimo quarters, escorted by "the +Angekok" and his daughter.</p> + +<p>We were astir at dawn, preparing to leave this +little village known as Netlik. We had obtained a +valuable addition to our slender store of blubber, +and a few pairs of fur boots and mittens, for which +we amply paid them.</p> + +<p>Knowing that the Esquimo had never heard of +the commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," and +that they did not understand well the law of +"mine" and "thine," we watched them closely as +our stores were being passed into the boat. When +we were ready to push off it was ascertained that +the hatchet was missing. Petersen openly charged +them, as they stood upon the shore, with the theft. +They all threw up their hands with expressions of +injured innocence. "My people <i>never</i> steal!" exclaimed +the affronted chief.</p> + +<p>One fellow was so loud in his protestations of +innocence that Petersen suspected him. The +Dane approached him with a flash of anger in his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +eye, which told its own story. The Esquimo +stepped back, stooped, picked up the hatchet, on +which he had been standing, and gave it to Petersen +with one hand, and with the other presented +him a pair of mittens as a peace-offering.</p> + +<p>We pushed off, and they stood shouting upon +the beach until their voices died away in the distance +as we pulled across the bay.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE HUT.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WE now made for Cape Parry with all speed, +though this was slow speed. The young +ice which covered the bay was too old for us, or, +at any rate, it was too strong for easy progress. It +was sunset when we reached the cape. Beyond +this there had been open water seen by us for many +days past, from the elevated points of observation +which we had sought. From this point, therefore, +we expected free sailing southward, and rapid +progress toward safety and our homes. But here +we were at last at Cape Parry against a pack which +extended far southward. In our desperation we +tried to force the boats through. The "Ironsides" +was badly battered, and the "Hope" made sadly +leaky by the operation, and no progress was made. +We then pushed slowly down the shore through a +lead, and having gone about seven miles, darkness +and the ice brought us to a stand, and we drew up +for the night.</div> + +<p>In the morning we observed a lead going south +from the shore at a point twelve miles distant. +For six days, bringing us to the twenty-seventh of +September, we fought hard to reach the lead, but +failed. We could now neither retreat nor go forward. +Ice and snow were every-where. The sun<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +was running low in the heavens, seeming to rise +only to set; and soon the night, which was to have +no sunrise morning until February, would be upon +us. Our food was sufficient for not more than two +weeks, and our fuel of blubber for the lamp only +was but enough for eight or ten days. Our condition +seemed almost without hope, but it had entered +into our calculations as a possible contingency, +and we girded ourselves for the struggle for +life, trusting in the Great Deliverer.</p> + +<p>We were about sixteen miles below Cape Parry, +and about midway between Whale Sound and +Wolstenholme Sound. We pitched our tent thirty +yards from the sea on a rocky upland. After securing +in a safe place the boats and equipments, +we began to look about us for a place to build a +hut. It was, indeed, a dreary, death-threatening +region. Time was too pressing for us to think of +building an Esquimo hut, if, indeed, our strength +and skill was sufficient.</p> + +<p>While we were looking round and debating what +to build and where, one of our party found a crevice +in a rock. This crevice ran parallel with the +coast, and was opposite to, and near, the landing. +It was eight feet in width, and level on the bottom. +The rock on the east side was six feet high, its face +smooth and perpendicular, except breaks in two +places, making at each a shelf. On the other—the +ocean side—the wall was scarcely four feet +high, round and sloping; but a cleft through it +made an opening to the crevice from the west.</p> + +<p>We at once determined to make our hut here,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> +as the natural walls would save much work in its +construction. The only material to be thought of +was rocks. These we had to find beneath the +snow, and then loosen them from the grasp of the +frost. For this we fortunately had an ice-chisel—a +bar of iron an inch in diameter and four feet +long, bent at one end for a handle, and tempered +and sharpened at the other. With this Bonsall +loosened the rocks, and others bore them on their +shoulders to the crevice. When a goodly pile +was made we began to construct the walls. Instead +of mortar we had sand to fill in between the +stones. This was as hard to obtain as the stones +themselves, as it had to be first picked to pieces +with the ice-chisel, then scooped up with our tin +dinner plates into cast-off bread-bags, and thus +borne to the builders.</p> + +<p>This work was done by four of us only, the +other four being engaged in hunting, to keep away +threatened starvation. In two days our walls were +up. They run across the crevice, that is, east and +west, were fourteen feet apart, four feet high, and +three thick. The natural walls being eight feet +apart, our hut was thus in measurement fourteen +feet by eight. The entrance was through the +cleft, from the ocean side. We laid across the top +of this door-way the rudder of the "Hope," and +erected on it the "gable." One of the boat's +masts was used for a ridgepole, and the oars for +rafters. Over these we laid the boats' sails, +drew them tightly, and secured them with heavy +stones. Being sadly deficient in lumber, Petersen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +constructed a door of light frame-work and covered +it with canvas; he hung it on an angle, so +that when opened it shut of its own weight. A +place was left for a window over the door-way, +across which we drew a piece of old muslin well +greased with blubber, and through which the somber +light streamed when there was any outside.</p> + +<p>We then endeavored to thatch the roof and +"batten" the cracks every-where with moss. But +to obtain this article we had to scour the country +far and near, dig through the deep snow, having +tin dinner plates for shovels, wrench it from the +grip of the frost with our ice-chisel, put it in our +bread-bags and "back it" home.</p> + +<p>In four days, in spite of all obstacles, our hut +assumed a homelike appearance—at least homelike +compared with our present quarters. We +said: "To-morrow we shall move into it and be +comparatively comfortable." But that day brought +the advance force of a terrific storm of wind and +snow. It caught some of us three miles from the +tent. We huddled together in our thin hemp canvas +tent and slept as best we could. Two of our +company crawled out in the morning to prepare +our scanty meal. They found the hut half full of +snow, which had sifted through the crevices. But +they brought to the tent's company a hot breakfast +after some hours' toil; we ate and our spirits +revived.</p> + +<p>We tried all possible expedients to pass away +the time, but the hours moved slowly. The storm +continued to howl and roar about us with unceasing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +fury for four days. Our little stock of food +was diminishing, our hut was unfinished, and winter +was upon us in earnest. Our situation was +one of almost unmitigated misery.</p> + +<p>On Friday, October sixth, the storm subsided, +and nature put on a smiling face. We renewed +our work on the hut, clearing it of snow with our +dinner-plate shovels, and then, under greater difficulties +than ever, because the snow was deeper and +our strength less, we finished it. The internal arrangements +were as follows: an aisle or floor, three +feet wide, extended from the door across the hut. +On the right, as one entered, was a raised platform +of stone and sand about eighteen inches high. +On this we spread our skins and blankets. Here +five of us were to sleep. On the back corner of the +other side was a similar platform, or "breck" as +the Esquimo would call it; here three men were +to sleep. In the left-hand corner, near the door, +Petersen had extemporized a stove out of some +tin sheathing torn from the "Hope," with a funnel +of the same material running out of the roof. This +sort of fire-place stove held two lamps, a saucepan, +and kettle. On a post which supported the +roof hung a small lamp.</p> + +<p>Into this hut we moved October ninth. Compared +with the tent it was comfortable. It was +evening when we were settled. At sundown Petersen +came in with eight sea-fowl, so we celebrated +the occasion with a stew of fresh game, cooked in +our stove with the staves of our blubber kegs, and +we added to our meal a pot of hot coffee.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> + +<p>The supper done, we talked by the dim light of +our moss taper. A storm, which was heralded +during the day, was raging without in full force, +burying us in a huge snow-bank. We discussed +calmly our duties and trials, and we all lay down +prayerfully to sleep.</p> + +<p>What shall we do now? was the question of the +morning. Indeed, it was the continual question. +John reported our stores thus: "There's three +quarters of a small barrel of bread, a capful of +meat biscuit, half as much rice and flour, a double +handful of lard—and that's all." Our vigilant +hunting thus far had resulted in seventeen small +birds; that was all. Some of us had tried to eat +the "stone moss," a miserable lichen which clung +tenaciously to the stones beneath the snow. But +it did little more than stop for awhile the gnawings +of hunger, often inducing serious illness; yet this +seemed our only resort.</p> + +<p>The storm still raged. We were all reclining +upon the brecks except John, who was trying to +cook by a fire which filled our hut with smoke, +when we were startled by a strange sound. "What +is it?" we asked. We could not get out, so we listened +at the window. "It was the wind," we said, +for we could hear nothing more. In a half hour +it was repeated clearer and louder. We opened +the door by drawing the snow into the house, +and made a little opening through the drift +so we could see daylight. "It was the barking +of a fox," says one. "No," said another, "it was +the growling of a bear." Whipple, who was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +half asleep, muttered, "It was just nothing at +all."</p> + +<p>While these remarks were being made the Esquimo +shout was clearly recognized. Petersen +put his mouth to the aperture in the snow and +shouted, "Huk! huk! huk!" After much shouting, +two bewildered Esquimo entered our hut. +They were from Netlik, the village we had last +left, and one was Kalutunah. Their fur dress +had a thick covering of snow, and, hardy though +they were, they looked weary almost to faintness. +They each held in one hand a dog-whip, and in +the other a piece of meat and blubber. They +threw down the food, thrust their whip-stocks under +the rafters, hung their wet outer furs upon +them, and at once made themselves at home. The +chief hung around Dr. Hayes, saying fondly, +"Doctee! doctee!"</p> + +<p>John put out his smoking fire, at the Angekok's +request, and used his blubber in cooking a good +joint of the bear meat. We all had a good meal +at our guests' expense. Necessity was more than +courtesy with hungry men.</p> + +<p>While the cooking and eating were going on, we +listened to the marvelous story of the Esquimo. +They left Netlik, forty miles north, the morning of +the previous day on a hunting excursion with two +dog-sledges. The storm overtook them far out +upon the ice in search of bear, and they sheltered +themselves in a snow hut for the night. Fearing +the ice might break up they turned to the land, +which they happened to strike near our boats and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> +tent. Knowing we must be near, they picketed +their dogs under a sheltering rock and commenced +tramping and shouting.</p> + +<p>The supper eaten, the story told, and the curiosity +of our visitors satisfied in closely observing +every thing, we made for them the best bed possible, +tucked them in, and they were soon snoring +lustily.</p> + +<p>In the morning we tunneled a hole from our +door through the snow. Kalutunah and Dr. +Hayes went to the sea-shore. The dogs were +howling piteously, having been exposed to all the +fury of the storm during the night without the liberty +of stirring beyond their tethers. Besides, they +had been forty-eight hours without food, having +come from home in that time through a widely +deviating track. Every thing about them was +carefully secured which could be eaten, and they +were loosened.</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes turned toward the hut, and having +reached the snow-tunnel he was about to stoop +down to crawl through it, when he observed the +whole pack of thirteen snapping, savage brutes +at his heels. Had he been on his knees they +would have made at once a meal of him. They +stood at bay for a moment, but seeing he had no +means of attack, one of them commenced the assault +by springing upon him. Dr. Hayes caught +him on his arm, and kicked him down the hill. +This caused a momentary pause. No help was +near, and to run was sure death. It was a fearful +moment, and his blood chilled at the prospect of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +dying by the jaws of wolfish dogs, whose fierce +and flashing eyes assured him that hunger had +given them a terrible earnestness. His eye improved +the moment's respite in sweeping the circle +of the enemy for the means of escape, and he +caught a glimpse of a dog-whip about ten feet off. +Instantly he sprang as only a man thus situated +could spring, and clearing the back of the largest +of the dogs, seized the whip. He was now master +of the situation. Never amiable, and terribly +savage when prompted by hunger, yet the Esquimo +dog is always a coward. Dr. Hayes's vigorous +blows, laid on at right and left with much effect +and more sound and fury, sent the pack yelping +away.</p> + +<p>In our discussions of the question of subsistence, +we had about decided that we must draw +our supplies from the Esquimo or perish. Our +hunting was a failure, and our supply of food was +about exhausted. So when Kalutunah came back +we proposed to him through Petersen to purchase +blubber and bear meat with our treasures +of needles, knives, etc., so valuable in the eyes of +the natives. He looked at our sunken cheeks and +desolate home with a knowing twinkle of his eye, +and a crafty expression on his besotted face. This +was followed by the questions, "How much shoot +with mighty guns? how much food you bring from +ship?" These questions, and the speaking eye and +tell-tale face, were windows through which we +saw into the workings of his dark heathen mind. +They meant, as we understood them, "If you are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> +going to starve we had better let you. We shall +then get your nice things without paying for +them."</p> + +<p>But Petersen understood and outmanaged the +crafty chief.</p> + +<p>"How we going to live?" he boldly exclaimed, +facing the questioner. "Live! Shoot bear when +we get hungry, sleep when we get tired; Esquimo +will bring us bear, we shall give them presents, +and sleep all the time. White man easily get +plenty to eat. Always plenty to eat, plenty sleep."</p> + +<p>The glory of life from the Esquimo point of +view is plenty to eat and nothing to do. They +held those who had attained to this high estate in +profound respect. The starving could scarcely be +brought within the range of their consideration. +Hence the policy adopted by Petersen, and it had +its desired effect. Kalutunah and his companion +tarried another night, and departed promising to +return with such food as the hunt afforded, and +exchange it for our valuables.</p> + +<p>Two weeks—days of misery—passed before +their return. We set fox-traps, constructed much +after the style of the rabbit-traps of the boys at +home, tramping for this purpose over the coast-line +for ten miles. One little prisoner only rewarded +our pains, while the saucy villains showed +themselves boldly by day, barking at us from the +top of a rock, dodging across our path at the right +and left, and even following us within sight of the +hut. But all this was done at a safe distance from +our guns.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span></p> + +<p>Petersen went far out to sea on the ice, but +neither bear nor seal rewarded his toil. We had +burned up our lard keg for our semi-daily fire to +cook our scanty meals, and now, with a sorrow that +went to our hearts, began to break up the "Hope." +We knew this step argued badly for the future, but +what could we do? Besides, it was poor, water-soaked +fuel, and would last but a little while. We +saved the straightest and best pieces for trade with +the Esquimo.</p> + +<p>Our scanty meals, badly helped by the stone +moss, told upon our health. Stephenson gasped +for breath with a heart trouble; Godfrey fainted, +and was happily saved a serious fall by being +caught in John's arms.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>ESQUIMO TREACHERY.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE kind Providence which had interfered +for us in so many cases came with timely +help. October twenty-sixth, Kalutunah and his +companion returned. They had been south to +Cape York, nearly a hundred miles, calling on +their way at the village called Akbat, thirty miles +off. They had killed three bears, the most of +which they had upon their sledges. They sold +us, reluctantly, enough for a few days. We ate of +the refreshing meat like starving men, as we really +were. Our sunken eyes and hollow cheeks +<i>seemed</i> to leave us at a single meal. The faint revived, +and our despondency departed. Our past +sufferings were for the moment at least forgotten, +and we looked hopefully upon the future.</div> + +<p>The next day the Esquimo called and left a little +more meat and blubber. We caught two small +foxes, one of them in a trap, and the other was +arrested by a shot from Dr. Hayes's gun. The +audacious little fellow run over the roof of our +hut and awoke the doctor, who, without dressing, +seized his double-barreled gun, and bolted into +the cold without. It was dark, and he fired at +random. The first shot missed, but the second +wounded him, and he went limping down the hill.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +The doctor gave chase and returned with the +game, but came near paying dear for his prize, +barely escaping without frozen feet.</p> + +<p>On Sunday, the twenty-ninth, in the midst of +pensive allusions, and more pensive thoughts, concerning +home, in which even Petersen's weather-beaten +face betrayed a tear, an Esquimo boy came +in from Akbat. His bearing was manly, his countenance +fresh and agreeable, if not handsome, and +his dress, of the usual material, was new. He +drove a fine team with decided spirit. He was +evidently somebody's pet, and we thought we saw +a mother's partial stamp upon him. He was on +his way to Netlik, and our curious inquiries brought +from him the blushing acknowledgment that he +was going "a courting!" He was nothing loath +to talk of his sweetheart, and he bore her a bundle +of bird-skins to make her an under garment as +love-token. We gave him a pocket-knife and a +piece of wood, to which we added two needles +for his lady-love. He was full of joy at this good +fortune, but when Sontag added a string of beads +for her his cup run over. He had on his sledge +two small pieces of blubber, a pound of bear's +meat, a bit of bear's skin. These he laid at +our feet, and dashed off toward Netlik in fine +spirits.</p> + +<p>When he was gone we renewed our ever-returning, +perplexing, never-settled question, What shall +we do? We could agree on no plans of escape, +for all seemed impossible of execution. Yet we +did agree in the expediency of opening a communication<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +with the brig. But how to do it was the +question.</p> + +<p>Our dependence upon the Esquimo growing +more humiliatingly absolute every day, pained us. +We feared their treachery, of which we already +saw some signs. "What <i>shall we do</i>?" was ever +repeated.</p> + +<p>While thus perplexed, Kalutunah made his appearance. +With him were a young hunter, and a +woman with a six months' old baby. The little +one was wrapped in fox-skin, and thrust into its +mother's hood, which hung on her neck behind. +It peered out of its hiding-place with a contented +and curious expression of face. Its mother had +come forty miles, sometimes walking over the +hummocky way, with the thermometer thirty-eight +degrees below zero, with a liability of encountering +terrific storms, and all to see the white men +and their <i>igloë</i>. Mother and child arrived in good +condition.</p> + +<p>We conversed with the chief about our plan of +going to Upernavik on sledges, and proposed to +buy teams of his people, or hire them to drive us +there. He received the proposal with a decided +dissent, amounting almost to resentment. His +people, he said, would not sell dogs at any price; +they had only enough to preserve their own lives.</p> + +<p>This we knew to be false. We offered a great +price, but he scorned the bribe, and talked with +an expression of horror about our plan of passing +with sledges over the Frozen Sea, as he called +Melville Bay.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p> + +<p>While we were urging the sale by him of dogs +and sledges he looked quizzically at our emaciated +forms and sunken cheeks, and turning to +the woman with a significant twinkle in his eye, +he sucked in his cheeks. She returned the +knowing glance, and sucked in her cheeks. This +meant: We shall get all the white men's coveted +things without paying when we find them starved +and dead. This was a comforting view of the +case—for them.</p> + +<p>We dropped the plan of going south, and proposed +to the chief to carry some of our party to +the ship. This he readily assented to, and said +at least four sledges should go with Petersen, if to +each driver should be given a knife and piece of +wood. We closed the bargain gladly, and Petersen +was to start in the morning.</p> + +<p>Guests and entertainers now sought rest. We +gave the mother and child our bed in the corner. +This was to us a self-denying act of courtesy, +compelled by policy. We had usually given a +good distance between us and such lodgers on +account of certain specimens of natural history +which swarmed upon their bodies, which, though +starving, we did not desire. But to put her in a +meaner place would be a serious affront, for which +we might be obliged to pay dearly.</p> + +<p>About midnight voices were heard outside, and +soon our young lover, the boy-hunter, entered, accompanied +by a widow who was neither young, +nor beautiful. The hut was in instant confusion. +There was but little more sleep for the night, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +was peculiarly hard on Petersen, who was to start +in the morning on his long journey.</p> + +<p>We had no food with which to treat our guests, +which they saw, and so supped upon the provisions +which they brought. The widow ate raw +young birds, of which she brought a supply saved +over from the summer. The Angekok had decided +that her husband's spirit had taken temporary +residence in a walrus, so she was forbidden +that animal. She chewed choice bits of her bird +and offered them to us. We tried <i>politely</i> to decline +the kindness, but our refusal plainly offended +her.</p> + +<p>The widow's husband had been carried out to +sea on an ice-raft on the sudden breaking up of +the floe, and had never been heard from. Whenever +his name was mentioned she burst into tears. +Petersen told us that, according to Esquimo custom +in such cases, we were expected to join in the +weeping.</p> + +<p>At the first attempt our success was very indifferent. +On the next occasion we equaled in +sincerity and naturalness the expressed sorrow of +the heirs of a rich miser over his mortal remains. +Even the tears we managed so well that the widow, +charitably forgetting our former affront, offered +us more chewed meat.</p> + +<p>In the morning Petersen was off, Godfrey accompanying +him at his own option.</p> + +<p>The same evening John and Sontag went south +with the widow and young hunter. Thus four of +us only were left in the hut, and of these, one,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +Stephenson, was seriously sick. His death at any +time would not have been a surprise to us. The +hut was colder than ever, and our food nearly +gone. A few books, among which was a little +Bible, the gift of a friend, were a great source of +comfort.</p> + +<p>In a few days John and Sontag returned. They +had fared well during their absence. They were +accompanied by two Esquimo, who brought us +food for a few days, for which they demanded an +exorbitant price. They, like people claiming a +higher civilization, took advantage of our necessity. +When they were about to depart on a bear +hunt, Dr. Hayes proposed that two of us accompany +them with our guns, but they declined. We +went with them to the beach, saw them start, +watched them as they swiftly glided over the ice, +and, dodging skillfully around the hummocks, +faded into a black speck in the distance.</p> + +<p>The day was spent as one of rest by four of our +number, while two of us visited the traps, returning +as usual with nothing. The evening came. +A cup of good coffee revived us. The temperature +of our den <i>came up</i> to the freezing point. +We were in the midst of this feast of hot coffee +and increased warmth, when we heard a footfall. +We hailed in Esquimo, but no answer. Soon the +outer door of our passage way opened, a man +entered and fell prostrate with a deep moan. It +was Petersen. He crept slowly in as we opened +the door, staggered across the hut, and fell exhausted +on the breck.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span></p> + +<p>Godfrey soon followed, even more exhausted. +They both called piteously for "water! water!"</p> + +<p>They were in no condition to explain what had +happened. We stripped them of their frozen garments, +rubbed their stiffened limbs, and rolled +them in warm blankets. We gave them of our +hot coffee, and the warmth of the hut and dry +clothes revived them, but the sudden and great +change was followed by a brief cloud over their +minds. They fell into a disturbed sleep, and their +sudden starts, groans, and mutterings, told of some +terrible distress.</p> + +<p>Petersen, while sipping his coffee, had told us +that the Esquimo had thrown off their disguise +and had attempted to murder them; that he and +Godfrey had walked all the way from Netlik with +the Esquimo in hot pursuit. We must watch, he +said, for if off our guard they might overwhelm us +with numbers.</p> + +<p>This much it was necessary for us to know; the +details of their terrible experience he was in no +mood to give.</p> + +<p>We immediately set a watch outside, who was +relieved every hour; he was armed with Bonsall's +rifle. Our other guns we fired off and carefully +reloaded, hanging them upon their pegs for instant +use.</p> + +<p>Petersen and Godfrey awoke once, ate, and lay +down to their agitated sleep. No others slept, or +even made the attempt. The creak of the boots +of the sentinel as he tramped his beat near the +hut, on a little plain cleared of snow by the wind,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +was the only sound which broke the solemn silence. +The enemy would not dare attack us except +unawares, knowing, as they did, that there +were eight of us, armed with guns. At midnight +noises were heard about the rocks of the coast. +They were watching, but seeing the sentinel, and +finding it a chilling business to wait for our cessation +of vigilance, they sneaked away. In the +morning one of our men visited the rocky coverts +and found their fresh tracks.</p> + +<p>We received at the earliest opportunity the details +of Petersen's story. They left us on the +third of November, and were gone four days. +They arrived in Netlik in nine hours, and were +lodged one in each of the two <i>igloës</i>. Their welcome +had a seeming heartiness. They had a full +supply set before them of tender young bear-steak +and choice puppy stew. Many strangers were +present, and they continued to come until the +huts were crowded.</p> + +<p>The next day the hunters all started early on +the chase, to get, as Kalutunah said, a good supply +for their excursion to the ship, as well as a +store for their families. This looked reasonable, +but when night came the chief and a majority of +the men returned not, nor did they appear the +next day. The moon had just passed its full, no +time could be spared for trifling, and Petersen +grew uneasy. This feeling was increased by the +strangers which continued to come, the running +to and fro of the women, the side glances, and the +covert laugh among the crowd.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span></p> + +<p>Kalutunah returned on the evening of the third +day of our men at the hut. Several sledges accompanied +him, and one of them was driven by a +brawny savage by the name of Sipsu. He had +shown his ugly face once at our hut. He was +above the usual height, broad-chested and strong +limbed. He had a few bristly hairs upon his chin +and upper lip, and dark, heavy eyebrows overshadowed +his well set, evil-looking eyes. He was +every inch a savage. While the crowd laughed, +joked, and fluttered curiously about the strangers, +Sipsu was dignified, sullen, or full of dismal +stories. He had, he said, killed two men of his +tribe. They were poor hunters, so he stole upon +them from behind a hummock, and harpooned +them in the back.</p> + +<p>Whatever shrewdness Sipsu possessed, he did +not have wit enough to hide his true character +from his intended victims.</p> + +<p>About twelve sledges were now collected, and +Petersen supposed they would start early in the +morning for the "Advance," so he ventured to try +to hurry them a few hours by suggesting midnight +for the departure. To this suggestion they replied +that they would not go at all, and that they never +intended to go. The crowd in the hut greeted +this announcement with uproarious laughter.</p> + +<p>Petersen maintained a bold bearing. He rose +and went to the other hut and put Godfrey upon +the watch, telling him what had happened. He +then returned and demanded good faith from the +chiefs. They only muttered that they could not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +go north; they could not pass that "blowing +place"—Cape Alexander. He then asked them +to sell him a dog-team; he would pay them well. +They evaded this question, and Sipsu said to +Kalutunah, in a side whisper, "We can get his +things in a cheaper way."</p> + +<p>Now commenced the game of wait and watch +between the two parties; the chiefs waited and +watched to kill Petersen, and he waited and +watched not to be killed. He had his gun outside, +because the moisture of the hut condensing on the +lock might prevent it from going off. He had told +the crowd that if they touched it it might kill +them, and this fear was its safety. Those inside +thought he had a pistol concealed under his garments. +They had seen such articles, and witnessed +their deadly power. Their purpose now was to +get possession of this weapon, and Sipsu was the +man to do it.</p> + +<p>Petersen, cool as he was prompt and skillful, had +not betrayed his suspicions of them; so he threw +himself upon the breck and feigned himself asleep, +to draw out their plans.</p> + +<p>The strategy worked well. The gossiping +tongues of men, women, and children loosened +when they thought him asleep, and they revealed +all their secrets. Petersen and Godfrey were to +be killed on the spot, and our hut was to be surprised +before Sontag and John returned from the +south. Sipsu the while moved softly toward Petersen +to search for the pistol. Just at this moment +Godfrey came to the window and hallooed to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +learn if his chief was alive. Petersen rose from +his sham sleep and went out. A crowd were at +the door and about the gun, but they dared not +touch it. The intended victims kept a bold front, +and coolly proposed a hunt. This the natives declined, +and they declared they would go alone.</p> + +<p>It was late in the night when our beset and +worried men started. They were watched sullenly +until they were two miles away, and then the +sledges were harnessed for the pursuit. Fifty +yelping dogs mingled their cries with those of the +men, and made a fiendish din in the ears of the +flying fugitives. What could they do if the dogs +were let loose upon them, having only a single +rifle! One thing they intended should be sure; +Sipsu or Kalutunah should die in the attack.</p> + +<p>When the pursuers seemed at the very heels of +our men, <i>that one gun</i> made cowards of the Esquimo +chiefs. They seemed to understand <i>their</i> danger. +The whole pack of dogs and men turned +seaward, and disappeared among the hummocks. +They meant a covert attack.</p> + +<p>Keeping the shore and avoiding the hiding-places, +Petersen and Godfrey pressed on. The +night was calm and clear, but the cold was over +fifty degrees below zero. When half way, at Cape +Parry, they well-nigh fainted and fell. But encouraging +each other, they still hurried onward, +and made the fifty miles (it was forty in a straight +line) in twenty-four hours. The reader understands +why they arrived in such distress and exhaustion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>LIGHTS AND SHADOWS.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>DURING the two days following the return +of Petersen and Godfrey we spent our working +hours in building a wall about our hut. It +was made of frozen snow, sawed in blocks by our +small saw. This wall served a double purpose, +that of breaking the wind from our hut, and as a +defense against the Esquimo. It gave our abode +the appearance of a fort, and we called it Fort +Desolation. John muttered: Better call it Fort +Starvation! This was in fact no unfitting designation. +Our food was nearly gone. Those who +alone could keep us from starving were seeking +our lives. A feeble, flickering light made the +darkness of our hut visible. Darkness, and dampness, +and destitution were within, and without +were fears. We could not be blamed, perhaps, if +the death which threatened us seemed more desirable +than life. Yet we could not forget Him +who had so often snatched us from the jaws of our +enemies—cold, hunger, and savages—and we +trusted him to again deliver us. And this he did, +for the next day Kalutunah and another hunter +appeared. They did not come as enemies, but +as angel messengers of mercy from the All-Merciful!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></div> + +<p>The chief was at first shy, nor could he so far +lay aside the cowardice of conscious guilt as to lay +down for a moment his harpoon, at other times +left at the hut door. He brought, to conciliate us, +a goodly piece of walrus meat. After spending an +hour with us he dashed out upon the ice on a +moonlight hunt for bears.</p> + +<p>Petersen spent the day in making knives for the +Esquimo, in anticipation of restored friendship. +With an old file he filed down some pieces of an +iron hoop, punching rivet holes with the file, and +whittling a handle from a fragment of the "Hope." +Though the knife, when done, was not like one of +"Rogers's best," it was no mean article for an Esquimo +blubber and bear meat knife.</p> + +<p>The next day four sledges and six Esquimo +made us a call. One of them was our old friend +the widow, with her bundle of birds under her +arm.</p> + +<p>They were all shy at first, showing a knowledge +at least of the wrong intended us, but we soon +made them feel at home. It was indeed for our +interest to do so. They bartered gladly walrus, +seal, bear, and bird meat, a hundred pounds in all. +It made a goodly pile, enough for four days, but, +alas! the duty of hospitality, which we could not +wisely decline, compelled us to treat our guests +with it, and they ate one third! In three hours +they were off toward Netlik.</p> + +<p>The next day an Esquimo man came from +Northumberland Island; we had not seen him before, +and he did not appear to have been in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +council of the plotters against us. He sold us walrus +meat, blubber, and fifty little sea fowl.</p> + +<p>Our health absolutely demanding a more generous +diet, we ate three full meals, such as we had +not had since leaving the ship. Our new friend's +name was Kingiktok—which is, by interpretation, +a rock. Mr. Rock was a man of few words, and +of very civil behavior. We fancied him, and +courted his favor by a few presents for himself and +wife. They were gifts well bestowed, for he at +once opened his mouth in valuable and startling +communications. He said that he and his brother +Amalatok were the only two men in the tribe who +were friendly to us. Amalatok was the man we met +on Northumberland Island, who will be remembered +as skinning a bird so adroitly, and offering +us lumps of fat scraped from its breast-bone with +his thumb nail.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rock's talk run thus: He and this brother +were in deadly hostility to Sipsu. The reason of +this hostility was very curious. The brother's wife, +whom we thought decidedly hag-like in her looks, +was accounted a witch. <i>Why</i> she was so regarded +was not stated. Now the law of custom with this +people is that witches may be put to death by +any one who will do it by stealth. She may be +pounced upon from behind a hummock and a harpoon +or any deadly weapon may deal the fatal +blow in the back, but a face to face execution was +not allowed. It was understood that Sipsu assumed +the office of executioner, and was watching +the favoring circumstances. On the other hand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> +the husband, and his brother, Mr. Rock, watched +with courage and vigilance in behalf of the accused, +while she lacked neither in her own watching. +Thus the family had no fraternal relations +with the villagers, though visits were exchanged +between them.</p> + +<p>Concerning the conspiracy, Mr. Rock thus testified: +Sipsu had for a long time counseled the +tribe not to visit nor sell food to the white men, +holding that they could not kill the bear, walrus, +and seal, and would soon starve, and so all the +coveted things would fall into Esquimo hands. +Kalutunah, on the other hand, held that their +"booms"—guns—could secure them any game, +and that our poverty of food was owing to a dislike +of work.</p> + +<p>There had arisen, too, a jealousy about the +presents we gave. Sipsu's let-alone policy caused +his wife to complain that she only of the women +was without even a needle. This drove him to a +reluctant visit to us in which he got but little, so +the matter was not bettered.</p> + +<p>Besides this, the condition of apparent starvation, +in which the visitors found us from time to +time, finally gave popularity to Sipsu's position, +and Kalutunah yielded to the older and stronger +chief.</p> + +<p>When Petersen and Godfrey arrived at Netlik, +Kalutunah went fifty miles to inform Sipsu at his +home of the good occasion offered to kill them. +Sipsu was to lead the attack, and Kalutunah follow. +The arrangement was as we have stated,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +but failed on account of Sipsu's fear of the "auleit"—pistol. +Having failed, his chagrin and +anger led to the hot pursuit, in which he intended +to set the dogs upon our men. But this failed +when he saw how near he must himself venture to +the "<i>boom</i>."</p> + +<p>This story agreed so well with what Petersen +and Godfrey saw and suspected that we fully believed +it.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rock left us in the morning, and that evening +eleven natives, one of whom was Kalutunah, +called upon us on their way from Akbat to Netlik. +The Angekok was full of talk and smiles. He +gave us a quarter of a young bear, for which we +gave him one of Petersen's hoop-iron knives. He +was not pleased with it, for he had learned before +the difference between iron and steel. He attempted +to cut a piece of frozen liver with it and +it bent. He then bent it in the form of a U, and +threw it spitefully away, grunting, "No good." We +satisfied him with a piece of wood to patch his +sledge.</p> + +<p>Among our guests were two widows having each +a child. One of the little ones was stripped to +the skin, and turned loose to root at liberty. It +was three years old, and plainly the dirt upon its +greasy skin had been accumulating just that length +of time.</p> + +<p>One of the hunters was attended by his wife +and two children—a girl four, and boy seven years +old.</p> + +<p>The fat fires of the several families were soon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> +in full blaze, which, added to the heat of nineteen +persons, warmed our hut as it was never warmed +before. The heat set the ceiling and walls dripping +with the melted frost-work, and every thing +was wet or made damp. Besides, the air became +insufferable with bad odors. It was now Fort +Misery.</p> + +<p>But the frozen meat at which we had been nibbling +was soon thrown aside for hot coffee, steaming +stew, and thawed blubber. Strips of blubber +varying from three inches to a foot in length and +an inch thick circulate about the hut. Strips of +bear and walrus also go round. These strips are +seized with the fingers, the head is thrown back, +and the mouth is opened, one end is thrust in a +convenient distance, the teeth are closed, it is cut +off at the lips, and the piece is swallowed quickly, +with the least possible chewing, that dispatch may +be made, and the process repeated. The seven-year-old +boy stood against a post, astride a big +chunk of walrus, naked to the <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'waste'">waist</ins>, as all the +guests were. He was sucking down in good style +a strip of blubber, his face and hands besmeared +with blood and fat, which ran in a purple stream +off his chin, and from thence streamed over the +shining skin below. Our disconsolate widow +supped apart, as usual, on her supply of sea-fowls. +Four, each about the size of a half-grown domestic +hen, was all she appeared to be able to eat!</p> + +<p>We all ate, and had enough. Then followed +freedom of talk such as is wont to follow satisfied +appetites, and jokes and songs went round. Godfrey<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +amused the women and children with negro +melodies, accompanied by a fancied banjo. Dr. +Hayes and Kalutunah try to teach each other their +languages. Bonsall looks on and helps. The +chief is given "yes" and "no," and taught what +Esquimo word they stand for. He tries to pronounce +them, says "ee's" and "noe," and inquiringly +says, "<i>tyma?</i>" (right?) Dr. Hayes nods, +"tyma" with an encouraging smile, at which the +chief laughs at the "<i>doctee's</i>" badly pronounced +Esquimo.</p> + +<p>They try to count, and the Angekok says "<i>une</i>" +for one, strains hard at "too" for two, and fails +utterly at the "th" in three.</p> + +<p>The "doctee" tries the Esquimo one, gets patted +on the back with "tyma! tyma!" accompanied +with merry laughs. The chief tries again, gets +prompted by punches in the ribs, and significant +commendation in twitches of his left ear.</p> + +<p>Having reached ten, the Esquimo numerals are +exhausted. Sontag, with the help of Petersen, +questions one of the hunters about his people's +astronomy. The result in part is as follows, and +is very curious.</p> + +<p>The heavenly bodies are the spirits of deceased +Esquimo, or of some of the lower animals. The +sun and moon, are brother and sister. The stars +we call "the dipper" are reindeer. The stars of +"Orion's belt" are hunters who have lost their +way. The "Pleiades" are a pack of dogs in pursuit +of a bear. The <i>aurora borealis</i> is caused by +the spirits at play with one another.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> + +<p>It has other teachings on the science of the +heavens equally wise. But they are close observers +of the movements of the stars. We went out +at midnight to look after the dogs, and Petersen +asked Kalutunah when they intended to go. +He pointed to a star standing over Saunders +Island, in the south. Passing his finger slowly +around to the west he pointed at another star, saying, +"When that star gets where the other is we +will start."</p> + +<p>Our guests at last lay down to sleep, but we could +not lie down near them nor allow them our blankets; +so we watched out the night.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>DRUGGED ESQUIMO.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE visitors left in the morning. We were +now all well except Stephenson. Though +we had just eaten and were refreshed, in a few +days we might be starving, so we renewed our +planning. To open a communication with the +"Advance" seemed a necessity. Petersen volunteered +to make another effort if he could have one +companion. Bonsall promptly answered, "I will +be that companion," at which we all rejoiced, as +he was the fittest man for the journey next to the +Dane.</div> + +<p>A dog-team and a sledge were an acquisition now +most needed for the proposed enterprise. In a +few days an old man came in whom we had never +seen, belonging far up Whale Sound; then came a +hunter from Akbat with his family. Of these men +after much bartering we purchased four dogs. +Petersen commenced at once the manufacture of +a sledge out of the wood left of the "Hope." All +of his excellent skill was needed to make a serviceable +article with his poor tools and materials.</p> + +<p>On the twentieth of November the sledge was +nearly finished, and a breakfast on our last piece +of meat assured us that what was done for our +rescue must be done soon. But God's hand was,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +as usual, opened to supply us; in the evening a fox +was found in our trap. Stephenson, who had been +cheered by our tea, received the last cup.</p> + +<p>We were reduced to stone-moss, boiled in blubber, +and coffee, and a short allowance of these, +when two hunters left us three birds, on which we +supped.</p> + +<p>We were now out of food. The Esquimo had, +most of them, gone north, owing to the failure of +game at the south; soon all would be gone. Further +discussion led us to the conclusion that we +must all return to the "Advance," and start soon +unless we chose to die where we were. So we +commenced preparations for the desperate enterprise.</p> + +<p>To carry out this plan it was absolutely necessary +to have two more dogs, for which we must +trust to our Esquimo visitors. A sledge drawn +by six dogs could convey our small outfit and poor +invalid Stephenson. We purposed to direct our +course straight for Northumberland Island, which +we hoped to reach by lodging one night in a snow-hut. +For each person there must be a pair of +blankets. Our clothing was wholly insufficient +for such a journey, so we set at work to improve +it the best we could. Our buffalo robes had been +spread upon the stone breck for beds. They were +of course frozen down; in some places solid ice of +several inches' thickness had accumulated, into +which they were imbedded. When disengaged, +as they had to be with much care and great labor, +the under side was covered with closely adhering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +pebble-stones. The robes were hung up to dry +before we could work upon them. We now slept +on a double blanket spread on the stones and pebbles—a +sleeping which refreshed us as little as our +moss food.</p> + +<p>We now, under the instructions of Petersen, cut +up the buffalo robes and sewed them into garments +to wear on our journey. We refreshed ourselves +with frequent sips of coffee, of which, fortunately, +we had a plenty, and made out one meal at +night on walrus hide boiled or fried in oil, as we +fancied. It was very tough eating.</p> + +<p>At the close of the second day's tailoring four +hunters came in from Akbat, with five women and +seven children. We stowed them all away for the +night, and gladly did so for the opportunity of +purchasing forty-eight small birds, a small quantity +of dried seal meat, and some dried seal intestines +imperfectly cleansed; but better, if possible, +was the purchase of two dogs. Our team of six +was complete. The hand of the great Provider +was plainly manifested.</p> + +<p>The visitors were soon gone, but the four hunters +came back the next day. They were bent on +mischief. They stole, or tried to steal, whatever +they saw, and seemed glad to annoy us. Unfortunately +for us, close upon their heels came another +party, from the south also, and equally bent +on mischief. Among them was an old evil-eyed +woman. Whatever she saw she coveted, and all +that she could she stole. Going to her sledge as +the party was about to start, we found a mixed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> +collection of our articles, some of which could +have been of no use to her. But we had missed +two drinking cups which we could not find. We +charged her with the theft, but she protested innocence. +We threatened to search her sledge, and +she straightway produced them, and, to conciliate +us, threw down three sea-fowl. We were gladly +thus conciliated.</p> + +<p>The whole party became so troublesome that we +were compelled to drive them away. The hunters +lingered about, intending, we feared, to steal our +dogs, two of which were purchased of them. We +set a watch until they seemed to have left the +vicinity, but no sooner was the sentinel's back +turned than one of them and one of the dogs +were seen scampering off together. Bonsall seized +his rifle, and a sudden turn round a rock by the +thief saved him from the salutation of an ounce +of lead.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-ninth of November we were +ready for a start. Our outfit was meager enough. +It consisted of eight blankets, a field lamp and +kettle, two tin drinking cups, coffee for ten days, +eight pounds of blubber, and two days' meat. +This last consisted of sea-fowls boiled, boned, +and cut into small pieces. They were frozen +into a solid lump. We hoped to be at Northumberland +Island in two days, and get fresh +supplies.</p> + +<p>The sled was taken out through the roof of the +hut, loaded, and the load well secured, and poor +Stephenson carried out and placed on top of it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +The dogs were then harnessed, and we moved +away.</p> + +<p>The thermometer was forty-four degrees below +zero when we left the hut, but it was calm, and +the moon shone with a splendid light. We were +weary and ready to faint at the end of one hour, +how then could we endure days of travel! The +sledge was a poor one, the runners, the best our +material afforded, were rough, and the dogs could +not drag the sledge without two of us pushed, +which we did in turn. We had thus gone about +eight miles when Stephenson said he would walk. +This we refused to let him do, knowing his extreme +weakness. But soon after he slid off the +sledge. Dr. Hayes assisted him to rise, and supported +his attempt to walk. He had thus gone +about a mile when he fell and fainted.</p> + +<p>Near us was an iceberg in whose side was a +recess something like a grotto. Into this we bore +our companion, and added to the shelter by piling +up blocks of snow. The lamp was lighted to prepare +him hot coffee. For some time he remained +insensible, and when he came to himself he begged +us to leave him and save ourselves. He could +never, he said, reach the "Advance," and he +might as well die then as at a later hour.</p> + +<p>Go without Stephenson we would not. Go with +him seemed impossible. In fact we were all too +weary to take another step, so we concluded to +camp. But this, after unloading our sledge and +making some effort, we could not do. We had no +strength to make a hut, and we were already bitten<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +by the frost; so we resolved to repack the +sledge and return to the hut.</p> + +<p>All arrived at the hut that day, but how and +exactly at what time we did not know, only that +some were an hour behind others, and that several +finished the journey by creeping on their hands +and knees. We had just enough consciousness +left to bring in our blankets and spread them on +those we left on the breck, and to close up the +hole in the roof. We then lay down and slept +through uncounted hours.</p> + +<p>When we awoke it was nearly noon. Though +hungry, cold, and weak, we were not badly frost-bitten. +The first desirable thing was a fire. The +tinder-box with its fixings could not be found. +The one having it in charge remembered it was +used at the berg, and this we all knew, and that +was all any one knew about it. Without this we +could have no fire. Never before in all our exigencies +was such a feeling of despair expressed +on our countenances. In this plight one in attempting +to walk across the tent struck something +with his foot. We all knew the tinder-box by its +rattle. Our lamp was soon lighted, coffee was +made, and half of our meat warmed. The other +half was given to Petersen and Bonsall, who +started immediately to go, as we had once before +planned, to the brig, while the rest remained in +the hut.</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes and Sontag accompanied them to +the shore. The last words of the noble Petersen +were: "If we ever reach the ship we will come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +back to you, or perish in the attempt, so sure as +there is a God in heaven."</p> + +<p>Four days passed, after our companions left +us, of accumulating misery. The hut was colder +than ever, and we were in <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'utter darkness the'">utter darkness</ins> most +of the time. Our food was now scraps of old +hide, so hard that the dogs had refused it.</p> + +<p>In this our condition of absolute starvation, +three hunters, with each a dog-team, came to us +from Netlik, one of whom was Kalutunah. They +entered our hut with only two small pieces of +meat in their hands, enough for a scanty meal for +themselves. We appropriated one piece to ourselves +without ceremony. The visitors frowned +and protested, but this was not a moment with us +for words. We soon satisfied, or seemed to satisfy, +them by presents, and both pieces were soon +steaming.</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes renewed his proposal for the Netlik +people to carry us to the "Advance." Kalutunah +refused curtly. Would they <i>let</i> teams to us for +that purpose? No! The spirit of the refusal +was, We won't help you. We know you must +starve, and we desire you to do so that we may +possess your goods. It was evident they understood +our desperate condition perfectly.</p> + +<p>These convictions of their purposes and feelings +were confirmed when one of our number +found buried in the snow, near their sledges, +several large pieces of bear and walrus meat. +This they were evidently determined we should +not taste.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span></p> + +<p>Kalutunah did not pretend that destitution or +short supplies at Netlik made a journey to the +brig inconvenient, but, as if to taunt us, said that +a bear, a walrus, and three seals had been taken +the day before.</p> + +<p>The case then, as we saw it, stood thus: Six +civilized men must die because three savages, +who had plenty, choose to let them, that they +might be benefited by their death. We at once +and unanimously decided that it should not be so, +and that the Esquimo should not thus leave us.</p> + +<p>Not willing to do them unnecessary harm, Dr. +Hayes proposed to give them a dose of opium; +then to take the dogs and sledge and push forward +to Northumberland Island, leaving them to +come along at their leisure when they awoke. We +could, we thought, push forward fast enough to be +out of the reach of any alarm that might reach +Netlik.</p> + +<p>To this proposal all agreed. To carry it into +execution we became specially sociable, and free +with our presents. To crown the freeness of our +hospitality we set before them the stew just prepared, +into which Dr. Hayes had turned slyly when +it was over the fire a small vial of laudanum. To +prevent any one getting an over dose it had been +turned out into three vessels, an equal portion for +each. It was, of course, very bitter.</p> + +<p>They at first swallowed it very greedily, but +tasting the bitter ingredient only ate half of it.</p> + +<p>The next few moments were those of intense +anxiety. Would it stupefy them? Soon, however,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +their eyes looked heavy, and their heads drooped. +They begged to lie down, and we tucked them up +this time in our blankets.</p> + +<p>We were in our traveling suits ready for a start, +dog-whips at hand. As a last act Godfrey reached +up to a shelf for a cup, and down came its entire +contents with a startling noise. Dr. Hayes put +out the light with his mitten, and cuddled down +instantly by the side of Kalutunah. The chief +awoke, as was feared, grunted, and asked what was +the matter. The "doctee" patted him and whispered, +"Singikok," (sleep.) He laughed, muttered +something, and was soon snoring.</p> + +<p>Fearing from this incident that we could not +trust the soundness nor length of time of their +sleep, we carried off their boots, coats, and mittens, +that they might be detained in the tent until +relief came. Stephenson was, most fortunately, +better than he had been for some time, being able +to carry a gun and walk. All the firearms being +secured, Dr. Hayes stood at one side of the door +outside with a double-barrelled shot-gun, and +Stephenson on the other with a rifle. The purpose +was if they awoke to compel them, at the +mouth of the guns, to drive us north.</p> + +<p>Sontag and the others brought up the most of +the meat which was buried in the snow, and put it +in the passage way. This would last five or six +days, and keep the prisoners from starving until +help came. The dogs being harnessed, we mounted +the sledges and once more turned our backs +on Fort Desolation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> + +<p>The dogs objected decidedly to this whole proceeding; +they especially disliked their new masters, +and were determined on mischief. John and +Godfrey were given by their team a ride a mile +straight off the coast instead of alongside of it, as +they desired to go. Dr. Hayes was worse used +by his. They drew in different directions, went +pell-mell, first this way, then that, at one time carrying +him back nearly to the hut. Finally they +became subdued apparently, and sped swiftly in +the way they were guided. The other sledges had +in the mean time dropped into the desired course. +All seemed to be going well, when, just as the +doctor's dogs had shot by the other teams, they +suddenly turned round, some to the right and +others to the left, turning the sledge over backward, +and rolling the men into a snow-drift. The +doctor grasped firmly the "up-stander" of the +sledge, and was dragged several yards before he +recovered his feet. As the dogs at this moment +were plunging through a ridge of hummocks, the +point of the runner caught a block of ice. The +traces of all the dogs excepting two snapped, +and away went the freed dogs to their imprisoned +masters. They yelped a taunting defiance as they +disappeared in the distance.</p> + +<p>The doctor and Mr. Stephenson, taking each a +dog, went to the other teams, and we were again +on the fly, leaving the third sledge jammed in the +hummock. We reached in safety the southern +point of Cape Parry, found a sheltering cave, and +camped.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>BACK AGAIN.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WE tarried in our camp full two hours. We +obtained a pot of hot coffee and rest. The +whips had been used so freely that they required +repairing, for without their efficient help there +could be no progress.</div> + +<p>All being in readiness, we were about starting +when three Esquimo came in sight. They were +those we had left asleep in our hut! Dr. Hayes +and Mr. Sontag seized their guns, and rushed +down the ice-foot to meet them. They stood +firm until our men, coming within a few yards, +leveled their guns at them. They instantly turned +round and threw their arms wildly about, exclaiming +in a frantic voice, "Na-mik! na-mik! na-mik!"—don't +shoot! don't shoot! don't shoot!</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes lowered his rifle and beckoned them +to come on. This they did cautiously, and with +loud protestations of friendship. By this time +Whipple had come up. Each of our men seized +a prisoner, and marched him into the camp. +Reaching the mouth of the cave, the doctor turned +Kalutunah round toward his sledge, pointed to it +with his gun, and then turning north, gave him to +understand, mostly by signs, that if he took the +whip which lay at his feet, and drove us to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> +"Oomeaksoak" (ship) he should have his dogs, +sledge, coat, boots, and mittens; but if they did +not do so that he and his companions would be +shot then and there; and to give emphasis to +his words, he pushed him away and leveled his +gun.</p> + +<p>The chief went sideling off, crying, "Na-mik, +na-mik!" at the same time imitated the motion +of a dog—driving with his right hand, and pointed +north with the other. His declaration was, "Don't +shoot! I'll drive you to the ship!"</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes seeing he was understood, told Kalutunah +that the dogs and sledges were the white +men's until the promise was fulfilled, to which he +answered, "tyma"—all right, approaching with +smiles and the old familiarity, as though some great +favor had been done him. He could respect pluck +and strength if nothing else.</p> + +<p>The prisoners had been awakened by our escaped +dogs, which, on arriving at the hut, run over +the roof and howled a startling alarm. Their masters +starting up, found means of lighting a lamp, and +being refreshed by sleep and the food we left, entered +at once on the pursuit. Coming to the abandoned +sledge, they harnessed the dogs and made +good time on our trail, bringing away with them as +many of our treasures as they could well carry.</p> + +<p>They were rare looking Esquimo just at this +moment. They had cut holes in the middle of +our blankets and thrust their heads through. One +had found a pair of cast-off boots and put them +on; the others had bundled their feet up in pieces<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +of blanket. Neither of them had suffered much +from cold.</p> + +<p>We expressed our confidence in their promises +by restoring their clothes. They jumped into +them, happy as Yankee children on the Fourth of +July. They were as obedient, too, as recently +whipped spaniels. They touched neither dogs, +sledge, nor whip until they were bidden. "Onward +to Netlik!" we shouted as we mounted our +sledges and dashed away. Our distant approach +was greeted by the howling of a pack of dogs, +which snuffed our coming in the breeze. As we +drew nearer, men, women, and children ran out +to meet us. As soon as we halted fifty curious +and wondering savages crowded around us, pressing +the questions why we were brought by their +friends, and why we came at all. But our bearing +was that of those who came because they pleased +to come without condescending to give reasons +why. We told Kalutunah that three of us would +go to each of the two huts, and stop long enough +to eat and sleep, and then we would continue our +journey. A renewed leveling at him of our guns, +and pointing northward, brought out the prompt +"tyma," giving the gaping bystanders a hint of the +nature of our arguments for the services of their +friends.</p> + +<p>When we had entered the huts, the crowd rushed +in too, making quite too many for comfort or safety. +We told our hosts to order out all but the regular +occupants of the huts, as many strangers had come +in who were lodging in the adjoining snow-huts.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> +They did not understand our right to give such a +command until a hint about our "booms" convinced +them. Ours was the right of self-preservation +by superior strength.</p> + +<p>We had traveled fifteen successive hours, making +in the time fifty miles. So weary were we that +even these Esquimo dens, affording as they did refreshment +and rest without danger of freezing, +were delightful places of entertainment. The +women kindly removed our mittens, boots, and +stockings, and hung them up to dry. They then +brought us frozen meat, which intense hunger +compelled us to try to eat, but the air of the hut +was one hundred and twenty degrees warmer than +that without, and we fell asleep with the food +between our teeth. Having taken a short nap we +were aroused by the mistress of the house, who +had prepared a plentiful meal of steaming bear-steak. +We ate and slept alternately until the stars +informed us that we had rested twenty-seven +hours. We intimated to Kalutunah that we would +be going, and in a few moments he had every +thing in readiness.</p> + +<p>Our next halting place was Northumberland Island, +a distance, as we traveled, of thirty miles, +which we made in six hours. Here we found two +huts belonging to our old friends, Amalatok and +his brother, "Mr. Rock." We divided ourselves +into companies of threes as before, and made ourselves +at home in the two households. Mr. Rock, +aided by his wife, and the witch-wife of his brother, +was kindly attentive. Our fare was varied<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +by abundant supplies of sea-birds, which in their +season swarm here. We tarried until our physical +strength was sensibly increased. We learned that +Petersen and Bonsall had been at this hospitable +halting-place, eaten and rested, and pushed northward +under the guidance of Amalatok.</p> + +<p>Our next run was to Herbert Island, and, passing +round its northwestern coast, we struck across +to the mainland, and halted near Cape Robertson, +at the village of Karsooit. We were on the northern +shore of the mouth of Whale Sound. We had +made a run of fifty miles, halting to eat our frozen +food only once. We had walked much of the +way to prevent being frozen, and to lighten the +load of the dogs over a rough way.</p> + +<p>The village consisted of two huts half a mile +apart. One of them belonged to Sipsu, our old +enemy. He received us gruffly, and because +he felt that he must. His only kindness was a +fear of our <i>booms</i>. The huts were crowded, there +being here, as at Netlik, many stranger visitors from +the south. We were almost suffocated on entering, +passing as we did from a temperature of fifty degrees +below zero to one seventy-five above. Our +entertainers immediately laid hold of our clothes +and began to strip us. They were much surprised +at our persistence in retaining a certain part of +them. We feasted on seal flesh, slept, were refreshed +and encouraged.</p> + +<p>Our stay was short, and our next run was to a +double hut, a distance of thirty miles, which we +made in five hours. We had been joined at Karsooit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +by an old hunter named Ootinah. We were +on four sledges, the dogs were in good condition, +the ice smooth, the drivers full of merriment and +shouts of "Ka! ka!" by which their teams were +stimulated onward.</p> + +<p>Our next run was to be one of sixty miles, including +the rounding of Cape Alexander, and ending +at Etah. It was to be a terrific adventure we +well knew. At the mention of it our drivers +shrugged their shoulders. The natives dread the +storms of this cape, with their blinding snows, as the +wandering Arabs of the desert do a tempest-cloud +of sand.</p> + +<p>The first twenty miles was made comfortably. +But we were yet many miles from the rocky fortress +guarding the Arctic Sea, when we were saluted +with a stunning squall. It cut us terribly, though +it was but an eddy, for the wind was at our backs; +it was only a rough hint of what we might expect +when the giant of the cape sent his blast squarely +in our faces. The night came on, lighted only by +the twinkling stars. The ice was smooth, and the +wind at our backs drove our sledges upon the +heels of the dogs, who ran howling at the top of +their speed to keep out of their way. The cliffs, a +thousand feet above us, threw their frowning shadows +across our path, pouring upon the plain clouds +of snow sand, and shouting in the roaring wind +their defiance at our approach. Yet we sped +swiftly on, until a dark line was seen ahead with +wreaths of "frost-smoke" curling over it. "Emerk! +emerk!" shouted the Esquimo. "Water! water!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +echoed our men. Our teams "reined up" within +a few yards of a recently opened crack, now twenty +feet across and rapidly widening. We were quite +near Cape Alexander, but between it and us was +ice, across which numerous cracks had opened. +Against the cape was open water, whose sullen +surges fell dismally upon our ears. It was plain +that we could not go forward upon the floe; to +mount the almost perpendicular wall to the land +above was impossible; to turn back and thus face +the storm would be certain death. Our case +seemed desperate. Even the hardy Esquimo +shrunk at the situation and proposed the return +trail, against which to us, at least, ruinous course +they could not be persuaded until the pistol argument +was used.</p> + +<p>In our peering through the darkness for some +way of escape we caught a glimpse of the narrow +ice-foot, hanging over the water at the bottom of +the cliff. Along this we determined to attempt a +passage.</p> + +<p>We ascended this ice-foot by a ladder made of +the sledges. Then we ran along the smooth surface +and soon passed the open water below; but +we had advanced a short distance only before a +glacier barred our progress and turned us to the +floe again. A short run on this brought us to +another yawning crack with its impassable water. +We ran along its margin with torturing anxiety, +looking for an ice bridge. Finding a place where +a point of ice spanned the chasm, within about +four feet, Dr. Hayes made a desperate leap to gain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +the other side. Lighting upon this point, it proved +to be merely a loose, small ice-raft which settled +beneath his feet. Endeavoring to balance himself +upon it to gain the solid floe beyond he fell backward, +and would have gone completely under the +water; but Stephenson, standing on the spot from +which the doctor jumped, caught him under the +arms and drew him out. As it was he had sunk +deep into the cold stream, filling his boots and +wetting his pants.</p> + +<p>In the mean time a better crossing was found, +and Dr. Hayes followed the last of the party to +the other side.</p> + +<p>We returned to the ice-foot and found a level +and sufficiently wide drive-way, and made good +progress, soon reaching and running along that +part of the icy road which overlooked the open +water below. We met with no interruption until +we came to the extreme rocky projection of the +cape. Here the ice-foot was sloping, and for several +feet was only fifteen inches wide! Twenty +feet directly below was the icy cold, dark water, +sending up its dismal roar as it waited to receive +any whose foot might slip in attempting the perilous +passage. The wind howled fearfully as it +swept over the cliff and along the ice-foot in our +rear, pelting us incessantly with its snow sand.</p> + +<p>"Halt!" was passed along the line, and the +whole party, men and dogs, crouched under the +overhanging rocks, seeming for the moment like +beings doomed to die a miserable death in a horrid +place.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> + +<p>There was no time for indecision, and the pause +was but for a moment. Dr. Hayes, taking off his +mittens, and clinging with his bare hands to the crevices +of the rock, was the first to make the desperate +experiment. His shout announcing his safe landing +on the broad belt beyond the dangerous place, +welling up as it did from a heart overflowing with +emotions of joy and gratitude, sent a thrill of gladness +along the shivering and shrinking line, of +which even our poor dogs seemed to partake.</p> + +<p>The teams, each driven by its master, were next +brought up, as near as safety permitted, to the narrow, +slippery pathway. The dogs were then +seized by their collars, and one by one dragged +across safely. Next the sledges were brought forward. +Turning them upon one runner, they were +pushed along until the dogs could make them feel +the traces; then a fierce shout from their drivers +caused a sudden and vigorous spring of the animals, +which whirled the sledges beyond the danger +of sliding off the precipice. Cautiously, one by +one, then came the remaining members of the party, +all holding their breath in painful suspense, and +each, we trust, in silent prayer, until all were safe +over. The Divine arm and eye had been with us! +We could not have gone back, nor have turned to +the right or left. A few inches less of width in +the ice-foot, or slightly more slope, and we had all +perished!</p> + +<p>Except some frost bites on our fingers, every +man was all right. We had traveled five miles on +the ice shelf above the foaming sea. We now had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> +a smooth, safe ice-foot, which conducted us soon to +the solid ice-field of Etah Bay. Across this, fifteen +miles, we scampered with joyous speed, and +arrived at the village of our old Esquimo friends, +a worn and weary, but thankful party.</p> + +<p>Good news met us at the hut. Petersen and +Bonsall had, we were told, preceded us, and arrived +safely at the ship.</p> + +<p>But our trials were not ended. There was a +sledge journey of ninety-one miles yet awaiting us. +Dr. Hayes's frosted feet gave him intense pain and +he could not sleep. There was danger, if the heat +of the hut thawed them, that he would lose them +altogether. So, after only four hours' rest, he +whispered his intention of a speedy departure toward +the "Advance," to Sontag, who was to take +charge of the party; he then crept stealthily out +of the hut, accompanied by Ootinah, the faithful +Esquimo from Karsooit. Sontag was not to mention +his departure to his comrades until they were +rested and refreshed.</p> + +<p>He had hardly started before the rest of our +company were at his heels. They did not wish +their leader to endure the perils of the journey +without them; besides, they too had reason for a +desire to be speedily at the brig.</p> + +<p>The wind was high, the floe full of hummocks, +the cold intense, and altogether the journey was +not unlike in its dangers that already endured. +Whipple, ere they had reached the end, began to +whisper that he was not cold, and finally fell from +the rear sledge, benumbed and senseless, and was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> +not missed until he was a hundred yards behind. +He was lifted again to the sledge, but others gave +signs of the approach of the same insensibility.</p> + +<p>But the track becoming smoother, the drivers +cracked their whips and shouted fiercely, goading +onward their teams to their utmost speed in the +fearful race for life. Now old familiar landmarks +are passed; the hull of the dismantled ship opens +in the distance, and its outlines grow clearer +until we shout with feeble voices, but in gladness +of heart, "<i>Back again!</i>" During the last +forty hours we had been in almost continual exposure, +with the thermometer eighty degrees below +zero, in which time we had traveled a hundred +and fifty miles. During the run of ninety-one +miles from Etah to the "Advance" we encamped +once only, but failing to light our lamp, +or to secure any protection from the cold, we immediately +decamped and finished our run of forty-one +miles.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>SCARES.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WHEN the Esquimo arrived with Bonsall +and Petersen, Dr. Kane resolved at once +to send them back with supplies for the remaining +portion of Dr. Hayes's company, supposed to +be, if living, at the miserable old hut. Petersen +and Bonsall were utterly unable to accompany +them. Of the scanty ship's store he caused to be +cleaned and boiled a hundred pounds of pork; +small packages of meat-biscuit, bread-dust, and +tea were carefully sewed up, all weighing three +hundred and fifty pounds; and the whole was +intrusted to the returning convoy, who gave emphatic +assurances that these treasures, more precious +than gold to those for whom they were intended, +should be promptly and honestly delivered. +But this promise, we have seen, they did +not keep, and, probably, did not intend to keep; +they ate or wasted the whole. This untrustworthy +trait of the Esquimo character goes far to show +that nothing but Dr. Hayes's "boom" could have +assured their help in his desperate necessities.</div> + +<p>When Dr. Hayes arrived it was midnight. Dr. +Kane met him at the gangway and gave him a +brother's welcome. All were taken at once into +the cabin. Ohlsen was the first to recognize<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +Hayes as he entered, and, kissing him, he threw +his arms around him and tossed him into the warm +bed he had just left. The fire was set ablaze, +coffee and meat-biscuit soup were prepared, and, +with wheat bread and molasses, were set before +them. In the mean time their Esquimo apparel +was removed and hung up to dry. They ate and +slept; but many weary days passed, under skillful +treatment by Dr. Kane, and kind care by all, before +they fully recovered from the strain of their +terrible exposures and fearful journey.</p> + +<p>When the returned comrades were duly cared +for, Dr. Kane turned his attention to the conciliation +of the Esquimo who had accompanied them +back. They, of course, had their complaints to +make, and, may be, meditated revenge, though +they were, as usual, full of smiles. It was the +white chief's policy to impress them with his great +power and stern justice. He assembled both parties, +the Hayes men and their Esquimo, in conference +on deck. Both were questioned as if it +were a doubt who had been the offenders. This +done, he graciously declared to the savage members +of the council his approval of their conduct, +which he made emphatic, in the Esquimo way, by +pulling their hair all around.</p> + +<p>The great Nalekok having thus expressed his +good will, showed it still further by introducing +his guests, now to be considered friends, into the +mysterious <i>igloë</i> below where they had not before +been permitted to enter. Their joy was that of +indulged children during a holiday. They were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +seated in state on a red blanket. Four pork-fat +lamps burned brilliantly; ostentatiously paraded +were old worsted damask curtains, hunting knives, +rifles, chronometers, and beer-barrels, which, as +they glowed in the light, astonished the natives. +With a princely air, which, no doubt, seemed to +the recipients almost divine, he dealt out to each +five needles, a file, and a stick of wood. To the +two head men, Kalutunah and Shunghu, knives +and other extras were given. A roaring fire was +then made and a feast cooked. This eaten, buffaloes +were spread about the stove, and the guests +slept. They awoke to eat, and ate to sleep again. +When they were ready to go, the white chief explained +that the sledges, dogs, and some furs, +which his men had taken, had been taken to save +life, and were not to be considered as stolen +goods, and he then and there restored them. +They laughed, voted him in their way a good fellow, +and, in fine spirits, dashed away, shouting to +their wolfish dogs. They had taken special care, +however, to add to the treasures so generously +given, a few stolen knives and forks.</p> + +<p>As the whole company are now crowded into +the little cabin, and the darkness is without, so +that the days pass without much incident, except +that all are crowded with heavy burdens upon mind +and body, we will listen to a few of the yet untold +stories of the earlier winter.</p> + +<p>At one time Dr. Kane attempted a walrus hunt. +Morton, Hans, Ootuniah, Myouk, and "a dark +stranger," Awahtok, accompanied him. He took<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> +a light sledge drawn by seven dogs, intending to +reach the farthest point of Force Bay by daylight. +But as the persistency of the Esquimo had +overladen the sledge, they moved slowly, and were +overtaken by the night on the floe in the midst of +the bay. The snow began to drift before an increasing +storm. While driving rapidly, they lost +the track they had been following; they could see +no landmarks, and in their confusion, turned their +faces to the floating ice of the sound.</p> + +<p>The Esquimo, usually at home on the floe, +whether by night or by day, were quite bewildered. +The dogs became alarmed, and spread their panic +to the whole party. They could not camp, the +wind blew so fiercely, so they were compelled to +push rapidly forward, they knew not whither. +Checking, after a while, their speed, Dr. Kane +gave each a tent-pole to feel their way more cautiously, +for a murmur had reached his ear more +alarming than the roar of the wind. Suddenly +the noise of waves startled him. "Turn the +dogs!" he shouted, while at the same moment a +wreath of frost smoke, cold and wet, swept over +the whole party, and the sea opened to them with +its white line of foam, about one fourth of a mile +ahead. The floe was breaking up by the force of +the storm. The broken ice might be in any direction. +They could now guess where they were, +and they turned their faces toward an island up +the bay. But the line of the sea, with its foaming +waves, followed them so rapidly that they began to +feel the ice bending under their feet as they ran<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +at the sides of the sledge. The hummocks before +them began to close up, and they run by them at +a fearful risk as they hurried cautiously forward, +stumbling over the crushed fragments between +them and the shore. It was too dark to see the +island for which they were steering, but the black +outline of a lofty cape was dimly seen along the +horizon, and served as a landmark. As they approached +the shore edge of the floe they found it +broken up, and its fragments surging against the +base of the ice-foot to which they desired to +climb. Being now under the shadow of the land, +it was densely dark. Dr. Kane went ahead, groping +for a bridge of ice, having a rope tied round +his waist, the other end of which was held by +Ootuniah, who followed, at whose heels came the +rest of the party. The doctor finally succeeded +in clambering upon the ice-foot, and the rest one +after another followed with the dogs.</p> + +<p>The joy of their escape broke out into exultation +when they ascertained that the land was +Anoatok, only a short distance from the familiar +Esquimo huts. God had guided them with his +all-seeing eye to where they would find needed +refreshment! In less than an hour they were +feasting on a smoking stew of walrus meat.</p> + +<p>Having eaten their stew and drank their coffee +they slept—slept eleven hours! Well they might +"after an unbroken ice-walk of forty-eight miles, +and twenty haltless hours!" The Esquimo sung +themselves to sleep with a monotonous song, in +compliment to the white chief, the refrain of which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +was, "Nalegak! nalegak! nalegak! soak!"—"Captain! +captain! great captain!"</p> + +<p>Without further special incident the party returned +to the brig.</p> + +<p>At one time an alarm was brought to Dr. Kane +that a wolf was prowling among the meat barrels +on the floe. Believing that a wolf would be more +profitably added to their store of meat than to +have him take any thing from it, he seized a rifle +and ran out. Yes, there he is, a wolf from the tip +of his nose to the end of his tail! Bang goes the +rifle, whiz goes the ball, making the hair fly from +the back of—one of the sledge-dogs! He was +not hurt much, but he came near paying with his +life for the crime of running away from Morton's +sledge.</p> + +<p>The fox-traps made occasion for many long +walks, great expectations of game, and grievous +disappointment. Dr. Kane and Hans were at one +time examining them about two miles from the +brig. They were, unfortunately, unarmed. The +doctor thought he heard the bellow of a walrus. +They listened. No, not a walrus, but a bear! +Hark, hear him roar! They sprung to the ice-foot, +about ten feet above the floe. Another roar, +round and full! He is drawing nearer! He has +a fine voice, and, no doubt, is large, and fat, and +savory! But then a bear must be killed before +he is eaten, and that is just where the difficulty +lies. It don't do for two men to run, for that is +an invited pursuit, and bears are good runners. +"Hans!" exclaimed Dr. Kane, "run for the brig,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +and I will play decoy!" Hans is a good runner, +and this time he did "his level best."</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane remains on the ice-foot alone. It is +too dark to see many yards off, and the silence is +oppressive, for the bear says nothing, and so Kane +makes no reply. He queries whether, after all, +there is any bear. How easy it is for the imagination +to be excited amid these shadowy hummocks, +and this dreary waste through which the +wind roars so dismally! He gets down from his +comparatively safe elevation upon the floe, puts +his hand over his eyes, and peers into the darkness. +No bear after all! But what's that rounded, shadowy +thing? Stained ice? Yes, stained ice! But +the stained ice speaks with a voice which wakes +the Arctic echoes, and charges on our explorer. +It is a hungry bear! Dr. Kane's legs are scurvy-smitten +affairs, but this time they credit the fleetness +of those of the deer. He drops a mitten, and +his pursuer stops to smell of it, to examine it carefully, +and to show his disgust at such game, by +tearing it to pieces. These bears are famous for +losing the bird by stopping to pick up his feathers. +The man stops not, but drops another mitten as +he flies. Before these articles are duly examined +he has reached the brig. Dr. Kane has escaped, +and the bear has lost his supper.</p> + +<p>It is now bruin's turn to run, for fresh hunters +and loaded rifles are after him. He does run, and +escapes!</p> + +<p>But if there were fears without the brig, there +were fightings with a fearful enemy within. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +crowded condition of the cabin, after the Hayes +party returned, made it necessary for the pork-fat +lamps to be set up outside the avenue, in a room +parted off in the hold for their use. A watch was +set over them, but he deserted his post, the fat +flamed over and set the room ablaze. Eight of +the men lay in their berths at the time helplessly +disabled. The fire was only a few feet from the +tinder-like moss which communicated with the +cabin. The men able to work seized buckets, +and formed a line to the well in the ice always +kept open. In the mean time Dr. Kane rushed +into the flames with some fur robes which lay at +hand, and checked it for the moment. The water +then came, and the first bucket full thrown caused +a smoke and steam which prostrated him. Fortunately, +in falling he struck the feet of the foremost +bucket-man. He was taken to the deck, his +beard, forelock, and eyebrows singed away, and +sad burns upon his forehead and palms. Nearly +all received burns and frost-bites, but in a half +hour the fire was extinguished. The danger was +horrid, and the escape wonderful! Neither wild +beasts nor the flames hurt whom God protects!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>SEEKING THE ESQUIMO.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>DECEMBER twenty-fifth came, and our ice-bound, +darkness-enshrouded, sick, or, in a +measure, health-broken explorers tried to make +it a merry Christmas. They all sat down to dinner +together. "There was more love than with +the stalled ox of former times, but of herbs +none." They tried, at least, to forget their discomforts +in the blessings they still retained, and +to look hopefully on the long distance, and the +many conflicts between them and their home and +friends.</div> + +<p>Immediately after Christmas a series of attempts +were commenced to open a communication with +the Esquimo at Etah, ninety-one miles away. +The supply of fresh meat was exhausted. The +traps yielded nothing, and Hans's hunting could +not go on successfully in the dark. The scurvy-smitten +men were failing for the want of it, and so +every thing must be periled to make the journey. +The first thing to be done was to put the dogs, if +possible, into traveling order. They were now +few in number, for fifty had died, and the survivors +had been kept on short rations. Their dead +companions, which had been preserved in a frozen +state, were boiled and fed to them for fresh food.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +Dog <i>did</i> eat dog, and relished and grew stronger +on the diet.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane and Petersen made the first attempt, +starting on the twenty-ninth of December. They +had scarcely reached the forsaken huts of Anoatok, +"the wind-loved spot," so often used as a resting +place, when the dogs failed. A storm, with a +bitter, pelting snow-drift, confined them awhile. +An incident occurred here—one of the many +which happened to the explorers—which shows +plainly the unseen, but ever present, eye and +hand which attended them.</p> + +<p>They were just losing themselves in sleep when +Petersen shouted: "Captain Kane, the lamp's +out!" His commander heard him with a thrill +of horror! The storm was increasing, the cold +piercing, and the darkness intense. The tinder +had become moist and was frozen solid. The +guns were outside, to keep them from the moisture +of the hut. The only hope of heat was in relighting +the lamp. A lighted lamp and heat they <i>must</i> +have. Petersen tried to obtain fire from a pocket-pistol, +but his only tinder was moss, and after repeated +attempts he gave it up. Dr. Kane then +tried. He says:—</p> + +<p>"By good luck I found a bit of tolerably dry +paper in my jumper; and, becoming apprehensive +that Petersen would waste our few percussion +caps with his ineffectual snappings, I took the pistol +myself. It was so intensely dark that I had to +grope for it, and in doing so touched his hand. +At that instant the pistol became distinctly visible.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +A pale, bluish light, slightly tremulous but not +broken, covered the metallic parts of it, the barrel, +lock, and trigger. The stock too was clearly +discernible, as if by the reflected light, and, to +the amazement of both of us, the thumb and two +fingers with which Petersen was holding it, the +creases, wrinkles, and circuit of the nails, clearly +defined upon the skin. The phosphorescence was +not unlike the ineffectual fire of the glowworm. +As I took the pistol my hand became illuminated +also, and so did the powder-rubbed paper when I +raised it against the muzzle.</p> + +<p>"The paper did not ignite at the first trial, but +the light from it continuing, I was able to charge +the pistol without difficulty, rolled up my paper +into a cone, filled it with moss sprinkled over with +powder, and held it in my hand while I fired. +This time I succeeded in producing flame, and we +saw no more of the phosphorescence."</p> + +<p>When the storm subsided they made further +experiment to reach Etah. But dogs and men +found the wading impossible, and they returned +to the brig, the dogs going ahead and the men +walking after them. They made the forty-four +miles of their circuitous route in sixteen hours!</p> + +<p>Thus closed the year 1854.</p> + +<p>The three following weeks were mainly occupied +by Dr. Kane in a careful preparation for another +attempt to reach Etah, this time with Hans. +Old Yellow, one of the five dogs on which success +in a measure depended, stalked about the deck +with "his back up," as much as to say, "I must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +have more to eat if I am going." Jenny, a mother +dog, had quite a family of little ones. Yellow +being very hungry, and not seeing the use of such +young folks, gobbled one of them down before his +master could say, "Don't you." Dr. Kane taking +the hint, and thinking that the puppies would not +be dogs soon enough for his use, shared with +Yellow the rest of the litter. So both grew +stronger for the journey.</p> + +<p>The new year, 1855, came in with a vail of +darkness over the prospects of our explorers. +The sick list was large, and threatened to include +the whole party. A fox was caught occasionally, +and beyond this stinted supply there was no fresh +meat. On Tuesday, January twenty-third, the +commander and Hans, with the dog-team, turned +their faces toward the Esquimo. All went well +for a while, until hope rose of accomplishing the +journey, getting savory walrus, and cheering their +sinking comrades. Suddenly, Big Yellow, in spite +of nice puppy soup, gave out, and went into convulsions. +Toodla, the next best animal, failed +soon after. The moon went down, and the dark +night was upon the beset but not confounded +heroes. Groping for the ice-foot, they trudged +fourteen wretched hours, and reached the old +<i>igloë</i> at Anoatok. The inevitable storm arose, +with its burden of snow driven by a strange, +moistening southeast wind, burying the hut deep +and warm. The temperature rose seventy degrees! +An oppressive sensation attacked Dr. +Kane and Hans, and alarming symptoms were developed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +Water ran down from the roof, the +doctor's sleeping bag of furs was saturated, and +his luxurious eider down, God's wonderful cold +defier, was "a wet swab."</p> + +<p>After two days in this comfortless hut, the storm +having subsided, they once again pushed toward +Etah! Their sick, failing comrades were the spur +to this desperate effort. But it was in vain, for +the deep, moist snow, the hummocks and the wind, +defied even desperate courage. They returned to +the hut and spent another wretched night.</p> + +<p>In the morning, in spite of short provisions, exhaustion, +continued snowing, they climbed the +ice-foot, and for four haltless hours faced toward +the Esquimo! But in vain. Dr. Kane says: "My +poor Esquimo, Hans, adventurous and buoyant +as he was, began to cry like a child. Sick, worn +out, strength gone, dogs fast and floundering, I am +not ashamed to admit that, as I thought of the +sick men on board, my own equanimity was at +fault."</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane scrambled up a familiar hill that was +near and reconnoitered. He was delighted to see, +winding among the hummocks, a level way! He +called Hans to see it. With fresh dogs and fresh +supplies, they could certainly reach Etah. So, +after another night at the hut, they returned to +the brig, comforting the sick with the assurance +that success would come on the next trial.</p> + +<p>The month closed with only five effective men, +including the commander, and of these some were +about as much sick as well. Dr. Kane could not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +be spared from his patients, so, February third, +Petersen and Hans tried another Etah adventure. +In three days they returned, with a sorrowful tale +from poor Petersen of heroic efforts ending in exhaustion +and defeat.</p> + +<p>But God always sent many rays of light through +the densest darkness besetting our explorers to +cheer them and inspire hope. The yellow tints +of coming sunlight were at noonday faintly painted +on the horizon. The rabbits prophesied the +spring by appearing abroad, and two were shot. +They yielded a pint of raw blood, which the sickest +drank as a grateful cordial. Their flesh was +also eaten raw, and with great thankfulness.</p> + +<p>Following these moments of comfort came a +dismal and anxious night. Thick clouds over-spread +the sky, a heavy mist rendered the darkness +appalling, followed by a drifting snow and a +fearful storm. The wind howled and shrieked +through the rigging of the helpless, battered brig, +as if in mockery of her condition and the sufferings +of her inmates. Goodfellow had gone inland +with his gun during the brief day, and had not +returned. Roman candles and bluelights were +burned to guide him homeward. Altogether it +was a night to excite the superstitious fears of the +sailors, and they proved to be not beyond the +reach of such fears. Tom Hickey, the cook, having +been on deck while the gale was in its full +strength, to peer into the darkness for him, ran +below declaring that he had seen Goodfellow moving +cautiously along the land-ice and jump down<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +on the floe. He hurried up his supper to give the +tired messmate a warm welcome, but no one came. +Dr. Kane went out with a lantern, looked carefully +around for some hundreds of yards, but found no +fresh footsteps. Tom seriously insisted that he +had seen Goodfellow's apparition!</p> + +<p>Such was the state of things when one of the +sailors went on deck. There was hanging in the +rigging an old seal-skin bag containing the remnant +of the ship's furs. Its ghostly appearance in +ordinary darkness had been the occasion of much +jesting. Now, to the excited imagination of the +sailor, it pounded the mast like the gloved fist of +a giant boxer, glowed with a ghastly light, and +muttered to him an unearthly story. He did not +stop to converse with it, but hastened below with +the expression of his fears. His messmates laughed +and jeered at his tale, but their merriment was but +the whistling to inspire their own courage.</p> + +<p>The morning came and so did Goodfellow, none +the worse for his night's experience. The storm +subsided, Hans killed three rabbits, they all tasted +a little and felt better, and the seal-skin bag was +never known from that time to utter a word. +<i>Fears</i> may endure for a night but joy cometh in +the morning! Dr. Kane devoutly remarks: "See +how often relief has come at the moment of extremity; +see, still more, how the back has been +strengthened to its increasing burden, and the +heart cheered by some unconscious influence of +an unseen <span class="smcap">Power</span>."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XX.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>DESERTERS.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>HANS had been for some time promising the +hungry company a deer. He had seen their +tracks, and he was watching for them with a good +rifle, a keen eye, and a steady hand. He came in +on the evening of February twenty-second with the +good news that he had lodged a ball in one at a +long range, and that he went hobbling away. He +was sure he should find him dead in the morning. +The morning came and the game was found, having +staggered, bleeding, only two miles. He was +a noble fellow, measuring in length six feet and +two inches, and five feet in girth. He weighed +about one hundred and eighty pounds when +dressed. The enfeebled men with difficulty drew +him on board. His presence caused a thrill of +joy, and his luscious flesh sent its invigoration +through their emaciated frames.</div> + +<p>The following Sunday, as Dr. Kane was standing +on deck thinking of their situation, he lifted +up his eyes toward a familiar berg, for many +months shrouded in darkness, and saw it sparkling +in the sunlight. The King of Day was not yet +above the intervening hills, but he had sent his +sheen to proclaim his coming. Glad as a boy whom +the full mid-winter moon invites to a coasting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +frolic, he started on a run, climbed the elevations, +and bathed in his refreshing rays.</p> + +<p>During the month of February, Petersen, Hans, +and Godfrey had been sent out on the track of +the Esquimo, but they returned and declared that +Etah could not be reached. Their commander +said, "Nay, it can!"</p> + +<p>By the sixth of March the brig was again without +fresh meat. The sick were once more suffering +for it, and the well growing feeble. Hans, the +resort in such emergencies, was given a light +sledge, the two surviving dogs, and to him was +committed the forlorn hope. His departure called +forth from his commander a "God bless you!" +and prayers followed him.</p> + +<p>His story is simple and touching. He lodged +the first night in the "wind-loved," forsaken, desolate, +yet friendly hut of Anoatok. He slept as +well as he could in a temperature fifty-three degrees +below zero. The next night he slept in a +friendly hut at Etah. The oft-tried feat was accomplished. +But he found the Etahites lean and +hungry. Hollow cheeks and sunken eyes spoke +of famine. The skin of a young sea-unicorn, their +last game, was all of food which remained to the +settlement. They had even eaten their light and +fire blubber, and were seated in darkness, gloomily +waiting for the sun and the hunt. They had +eaten, too, all but four of their ample supply of +dogs.</p> + +<p>They hailed the coming of Hans with a shout. +He proposed to join them in a hunt, but they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +shook their heads. They had lost a harpoon and +line in the attempt to take a walrus the day before. +The ice was yet thick, and the huge monster in +his struggles had broken the line over its sharp +edge. Hans showed them his "boom," and bidding +them come on, started for the hunting-grounds. +Metek—Mr. Eider Duck—speared a fair-sized +walrus, and Hans gave him five conical balls in +quick succession from a Marston rifle, and he surrendered +at discretion.</p> + +<p>The return of the hunters caused great joy in +the city of Etah, whose two huts poured out their +inhabitants to greet their coming, and aid in rendering +due honors to the game itself. As usual +they laughed, feasted, and slept, to awake, laugh, +eat, and sleep again. Hans and his boom were +great in their eyes, but the Kablunah, whose representative +he was, rose before their vision as +the glorious sun which scatters the long winter +darkness.</p> + +<p>Hans obtained a hunter's share, and his appearance +on the deck of the "Advance," heralded by +the yelping of the dogs, sent a thrill of joy through +every heart. As Dr. Kane grasped his hand on +the deck, and began to listen to his story, he exclaimed: +"Speak louder, Hans, that they may hear +in the bunks!" The bunks did hear, and feel +too, as the good news came home to their hunger-wasted +bodies in refreshing food.</p> + +<p>As the commander had requested, Hans brought +Myouk with him to assist in hunting. The smart +young hunter was delighted to be with the white<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +men, though his itching fingers would secrete cups, +spoons, and other valuables, which were made to +come back to their proper places by sundry cuffs +and kicks, which, though perhaps not altogether +pleasant of themselves, caused him to cuddle down +in his buffalo at his master's feet like a whipped +spaniel, and their relations grew daily more enjoyable.</p> + +<p>Hans and Myouk made soon after an unsuccessful +hunt. This made the fresh meat question +come up again with its emphatic importance. The +fuel question, too, was becoming more and more a +cause of concern. The manilla cable had been +chopped up and burned, and such portions of the +brig as could be spared, and not destroy her sea-going +value, had gone in the same way. Now the +nine feet of solid ice in which she was imbedded +seemed to say that she would never float again, so +she might as well yield her planks to the fire. +But to see her thus used went to the hearts of her +gallant men.</p> + +<p>On the nineteenth of March Hans was dispatched +to the Esquimo, well supplied with the +first quality of cord for their harpoons, and such +other prompters to, and helps in, the walrus hunt +as occurred to his commander. He would bless +thereby and please these starving people, hoping +that the blessing would return in the form of fresh +walrus to him and his suffering men.</p> + +<p>During the absence of Hans there were unusual +and painful developments at the brig. William +Godfrey and John Blake had given Dr. Kane much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +trouble from the first. They were now evidently +bent on mischief, and made constant watchfulness +over them a necessity. Just as Hans left they +feigned sickness, and were suspected of desiring +rest and recruited strength for desertion. Their +plan was believed to be to waylay Hans and get +his sledge and dogs. Dr. Kane contrived so +shrewdly to keep one of them at work under his +eye, and the other in some other place, that they +did not perceive his suspicions of them. One +night Bill was heard to say that some time during +the following day he should leave, and this was reported +to the commander by a faithful listener. +He was, of course watched, and at six o'clock +was called to prepare breakfast. This he commenced +doing uneasily, stealing whispers with +John. Finally he seemed at his ease, and cooked +and served the breakfast. Dr. Kane believed he +meant to slip out the first opportunity, meet John +on deck, and desert; he therefore armed himself, +threw on his furs, made Bonsall and Morton acquainted +with his plans, and crept out of the dark +avenue and hid near its entrance. After an hour +of cold waiting John crept out, grunting and limping, +for he had been feigning lameness, looked +quickly round, and seeing no one, mounted nimbly +the stairs to the deck. Ten minutes later +Godfrey came out, booted and fur-clad for a +journey. As he emerged from the tossut his commander +confronted him, pistol in hand. He was +ordered back to the cabin, while Morton compelled +John's return, and Bonsall guarded the door<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +preventing any one passing out. In a few moments +John came creeping into the cabin, awful +lame and terribly exhausted in his effort to +breathe a little fresh air on deck. He looked +amazed as by the glare of the light he saw the situation.</p> + +<p>The commander then explained to the company +the offenses of the culprits, giving from the log-book +the details of their plotting. He had prepared +himself for the occasion, and Bill, the principal, +was punished on the spot. He confessed his +guiltiness, promised good behavior, and in view of +the few men able to work, his hand-cuffs were removed +and he was sent about his customary business. +In an hour after he deserted. Dr. Kane +was at the moment away hunting, and his escape +was not noticed until he was beyond the reach of +a rifle ball.</p> + +<p>The next two weeks were weary, anxious weeks, +though the ever-watchful Hand tendered in good +time occasion for hope. Six sea-fowl and three +hares were shot by Petersen, and gave indispensable +refreshment to the sick.</p> + +<p>On the second of April, just before noon, a man +was seen, with a dog-sledge, lurking behind the +hummocks near the brig. Dr. Kane went out +armed to meet him. It proved to be Godfrey the +deserter, who, seeing his old comrades, left the +sledge and run. Leaving Bonsall with his rifle to +make sure of the sledge, the doctor gave chase, +and the fugitive, seeing but one following, stopped +and turned around. He said he had made up his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +mind to spend the rest of his life with Kalutunah +and the Esquimo, and that no persuasion nor force +should prevent him. A loaded pistol presented at +his head did, though, persuade him to return to the +brig. When he reached the gangway he refused +to budge another step. Petersen was away hunting, +Bonsall and Dr. Kane were so weak that they +could barely stand, and all the other men, thirteen, +were prostrated with the scurvy, so that they could +not compel him by physical force. As the doctor +was desirous not to hurt him, he left him under the +guardianship of Bonsall's weapons while he went +below for irons. Just as he returned to the deck +Godfrey turned and fled. Bonsall presented his +pistol, which exploded the cap only. Kane seized +a rifle, but being affected by the cold, it went off +in the act of cocking. A second gun, fired in haste +at a long range, missed its mark. So the rebel +made good his retreat.</p> + +<p>He had come back with Hans' sledge and dogs, +and reported him sick at Etah from over exhaustion. +But there was one consolation in the affair—the +sledge was loaded with walrus-meat. The +feast that followed revived the drooping men +wonderfully. They ate, were thankful, and looked +hopefully on the future.</p> + +<p>Godfrey was suspected of having come back to +get John. The desertion of two well men when +so many were sick would imperil the lives of all. +The commander felt that the safety of the whole +required the faithfulness of each man, he therefore +explained the situation to the men and declared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +his determination to punish desertion, or the attempt +to desert, by the "sternest penalty."</p> + +<p>Hans became now the subject of anxiety. Some +unfair dealing toward him on the part of Godfrey +was feared. It was thought but just that he should +be sought, and, if in trouble, relieved. But who +should go? Dr. Kane finally resolved to go after +him himself. Besides, the question of more walrus +was again pressing.</p> + +<p>April tenth the doctor was off. The first eleven +hours the dogs carried him sixty-four miles, a most +remarkable speed for their short rations.</p> + +<p>While thus speeding along, far out on the floe, +he spied a black speck in-shore away to the south. +Was it some cheat of refraction? He paused, took +his gun, and sighted the object, a device of old +Arctic travelers to baffle refraction. It is an animal—yes, +a man! Away went the dogs, ten miles an +hour, while the rider cheated them with the shout, +"Nannook! nannook!"—a bear! a bear! In a +few moments Hans and the doctor were in grateful, +earnest talk. He had really been sick. He +had been down five days, and, as he expressed it, +still felt "a little weak." He took his commander's +place on the sledge and both went to the +friendly hut at Anoatok, where hot tea and rest +prepared both for the return to the brig.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>CLOSING INCIDENTS OF THE IMPRISONMENT.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>HANS had his story of adventure while at +Etah. But the most important item in his +estimation, and that which might prove far reaching +in its results, was the fact that a young daughter +of Sunghu appointed herself his nurse during +his sickness, bestowing upon him care, sympathy, +and bewitching smiles. She had evidently done +what Godfrey tried in vain to do—she had entrapped +him, at the expense, too, of a young Esquimo +lady at Upernavik.</div> + +<p>Hans had been successful in the hunt, and, besides +what he had sent by Godfrey, had deposited +some walrus at Littleton Island. He was at once +sent after this, and intrusted at the same time with +an important commission. Dr. Kane had been for +some time meditating another trip toward the polar +sea. To do this he desired more dogs. The +Esquimo had been reducing their stock to keep +away starvation, but Kalutunah had retained four. +These, and such others as he could find, Hans was +authorized to buy or hire, at almost any price. +This northern trip made, the next move might +be toward the abandonment of the "Advance." +She could never float, it was plain, for now, late +in April, the open water was eighty miles south.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> + +<p>While Hans was gone, the sick, yet numbering +two thirds of the whole, and in a measure all of the +other third, except the commander, were without +fresh food, as they had been for several days. Yet +the sunshine and the occasional supplies had put +them all on the improving list. They could sit up, +sew or job a little, making themselves useful, and +keeping up good spirits. But, hark! what sound +is that breaking on the still, clear air. It comes +nearer. Bim, bim, bim, sounds upon the deck. It +is Hans, whose coming is ever like the coming of +the morning. A rabbit-stew and walrus liver follow +his arrival, and over such royal dainties good +cheer pervades the family circle.</p> + +<p>Hans brought Metek with him, and Metek's +young nephew, Paulik, a boy of fourteen. Metek +and Hans spoke sadly of the condition of the Esquimo +settlements. We have seen that the escaping +party found those of the south flying northward +from starvation. The report now was that +they had huddled together at Northumberland +Island until that yielded to the famine, and now +they had come farther north. It was a sad sight +to see men, women, and children fleeing over the +icy desert before their relentless foe. Yet, says +Hans, they sung as they went, careless of present +want, and thoughtless of the morrow. Many had +died, and thus year by year these few, scattered, +improvident people decline, giving earnest that in +a few years all will be gone.</p> + +<p>Though light-hearted, death did bring its sorrows +to these benighted heathen. Kalutunah lost<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +a sister; her body was sewed up in skins, not in a +sitting posture but extended, and her husband, +unattended, carried it out to burial, and, with his +own hand, placed upon it stone after stone, making +at once a grave and a monument. A blubber +lamp was burning outside the hut while he was +gone, and when he returned his friends were +waiting to listen to his rehearsal of the praises +of the dead, and to hear the expressions of his +sorrow, while they showed their grief by dismal +chantings.</p> + +<p>If sorrow did not keep the deceased in the +memory of the living, imposed self-denials did. +The Angekok, or medicine man, as our Indians +would call him, determines the penance of the +mourner, who is sometimes forbidden to eat the +meat of a certain bird or beast, under the idea +that the spirit of the departed has entered into it; +at another time the mourner must not draw on his +hood, but go with uncovered head; or he may be +forbidden to go on the bear or walrus hunt. The +length of time of these penances may be a few +months or a year. The reader will recollect the +widow with her birds, who appeared so often in +the narrative of the escaping party.</p> + +<p>Though thus mourning for the dead, these Esquimo +do not hold life as a very sacred trust. The +drones and the useless are sometimes harpooned +in the back merely to get rid of them. Infants +are put out of the way when they greatly annoy +their parents. Hans, on one of his returns from +Etah, had a story to tell illustrative of this. Awahtok,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +a young man of twenty-two, had a pretty wife—<i>pretty</i> +as Esquimo beauty goes—sister of Kalutunah, +and about eighteen years old. Dr. Kane +had regarded this couple with some interest, and +the husband "stuck to him as a plaster." Their +first-born was a fine little girl. Well, Hans reported +with becoming disgust and indignation that +they had buried it alive under a pile of stones! +When Dr. Kane next visited Etah he inquired of +his friends Awahtok and his wife after the health +of the baby, affecting not to have heard about its +hard fate. They pointed with both hands earthward, +but did not even shed the cheap, customary +tear. The only reason reported for this murder +was, that certain of its habits, common to all infants, +were disagreeable to them!</p> + +<p>Such is the mildest heathenism without Christianity. +These and other similar gross sins were +common among the South Greenland Esquimo, +but have disappeared before the teachings of the +Moravian missionaries.</p> + +<p>Hans returned with the walrus he had deposited +at Littleton Island, but he had made no progress +in getting dogs, so Dr. Kane resolved to go to +Etah for that purpose himself. Besides, having +learned that Godfrey was playing a high game +there and defying capture, and also fearing his influence +over the friendly relations of the Esquimo, +he resolved to bring him back to the brig. Metek +was just starting for Etah, so he invited himself +to return with him, while Paulik, his nephew, remained +with Hans. This arrangement effected,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +Dr. Kane was soon approaching Etah, perfectly +disguised in the hood and jumper of Paulik, whose +place on the sledge he occupied. The whole city +ran out to meet their chief, among whom was the +deserter, who shouted, and then threw up his arms +with the most savage of them. He did not perceive +his commander until a certain well understood +summons entered his ear, and a significant +pistol barrel gleamed in the sunlight near his eyes. +He surrendered to this "boom" argument without +discussion, and trotting or walking, he kept his +assigned place ahead of the sledge through the +eighty and more miles to the brig, halting only at +Anoatok. We hear nothing of further attempt at +desertion.</p> + +<p>A little later Dr. Kane made another visit to +Etah. The hunt had become successful, and the +famine was broken; all was activity and good +cheer. The women were preparing the green +hides for domestic use. Great piles of walrus +tushes were preserved for various useful purposes; +some of these the children had selected as bats, +and were engaged in merry sport. Their game +was to knock a ball made of walrus bone up the +slanting side of a hummock, and then, in turn, hit +it as it rolled down, and so keep it from reaching +the floe. They shouted and laughed as the game +went on, much as our boys do over their sports.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane observed on this trip a way of taking +walrus which has not, we think, been noted before. +The monster at this early season sometimes finds +the ice open near a berg only. He comes on the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +ice to sun himself; finds the change from the cold +sea very agreeable, stays too long, the water freezes +solid, and he cannot return. As he is unable to +break the ice from above, he either waits for the +current about the berg to open the ice again, or +works himself clumsily to some already open place. +In this helpless state the dogs scent him afar off, +and the hunters, following their lead, make him an +easy prey.</p> + +<p>Hans came in on the twenty-fourth of April, +accompanied by Kalutunah, Shanghee, and Tatterat, +each of the Esquimo having sledges, and +sixteen dogs in all. Hans had been sent to Cape +Alexander, where Kalutunah was sojourning, to +invite him to the brig in order to secure his aid in +the proposed northern trip. He was fed well, +and propitiated by a present of a knife and needles. +He said, "Thank you," and added, "I love +you well," which might uncharitably be taken to +mean, "I love your presents well." The result +of the presents, feasting, and flattery was a start +north by the three Esquimo, with Dr. Kane and +Hans, all the dog teams accompanying. The old +route across Kennedy Channel to the west side, +and so north-poleward, was attempted. First came +a very fair progress; then came the hummocks, +over which, by the aid of their dogs, they clambered +until thirty miles from the brig had been +made. Then Shanghee burrowed into a snow-bank +and slept, the cold being thirty degrees +below zero; the rest camped in the snow and +lunched. Just as a fair start was again made, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +party neared a huge male bear in the act of lunching +on seal. In vain the doctor attempted to +control either dogs or drivers. "Nannook! nannook!" +shouted the Esquimo as they clung to +their sledges, and the dogs flew over the ice in +wild and reckless pursuit. After an exciting chase +the bear was brought to a halt and to a fight, which +the rifles and spears soon terminated against bruin. +A feast by dogs and men, and a night's halt on +the ice followed, to Dr. Kane, at least, both vexatious +and comfortless.</p> + +<p>The next day he would press on to the north. +But bear tracks were every-where, and the savage +chiefs preferred hunting to exploring; besides, +they had, they said, their families to support, and +there was no use trying to cross the channel so +high up. The English of it was, we are "going +in" for the bears, and you may help yourself. A +day more was spent in a wild hunt among the +bergs, and the party returned to the brig.</p> + +<p>A little later still another attempt was made to +unlock further the secrets of the extreme icy +north, this time by only Kane and Morton with a +six-dog sledge, the explorers walking. This, the +last effort of the kind, ended in the usual way, excepting +some additions to the surveys.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>HOMEWARD BOUND.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE final escape from the brig must now be +commenced. From the early fall its necessity +had been thought of, and preparations for it +commenced. Since the sick had begun to improve, +the work in reference to it had been going +on with system. Coverlets of eider down, beds, +or furs which could be used as such, boots, moccasins, +a full supply to meet emergencies, were prepared. +Provision bags were made and filled with +powder, ship-bread, pork-fat, and tallow melted +down, and cooked concentrated bean soup. The +flour and meat biscuit were put in double bags. +Two boats had been made from the ship's beams +twenty-six feet long, seven feet across, and three +feet deep. Incredible toil by weak and sick men +had been expended upon these boats. A neat +"housing" of light canvas was raised over each +of them. One other boat, the "Red Eric," was +in readiness. There was no assurance that either +of these boats would long float, yet all was done +which the circumstances allowed to make them +sea-worthy.</div> + +<p>The three boats were mounted on sledges. +The necessary outfit, so far as they could bear, +was to be stowed away in them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span></p> + +<p>Every thing being in readiness, a vast amount +of <i>thinking</i> having been employed by the commander +in reference to all contingencies, a peremptory +order of march was issued for the seventeenth +of May. The men were given twenty-four hours +to get ready eight pounds of such personal effects +as they chose. From the date of starting the +strictest discipline and subordination was to be +observed, which came hard upon the long-indulged, +improving sick ones. The perfectness of +the preparations had a good effect, yet there were +many moody doubters. Some insisted that the +commander only meant to go further south, holding +the brig to fall back upon; some thought he +would get the sick nearer the hunting grounds; +others believed that his purpose was to secure some +point of lookout for the English explorers, or +whaling vessels.</p> + +<p>When the memorable day of departure came, +the boats were in the cradle on the sledges, and +the men, with straps over their shoulders and drag-ropes +from these to the sledges, started for the +ice-foot along which they were to travel. They +had not yet received their loads, so they glided +off easily, exciting a smile on some rueful countenances.</p> + +<p>In twenty-four hours the boats were laden, on +the elevated drive-way, covered with their canvas +roof, and, with a jaunty flag flying, were ready for +a final leave the next day. The exhausted men, +for nearly all of them were yet invalids, returned +to the vessel, ate the best supper the supplies<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +afforded, "turned in," prepared for their first +effort at dragging the boat-laden sledges.</p> + +<p>But one sledge could be moved at once, with all +hands attached; the first day they made two miles +only with this one. For several days they made +short distances and returned early to a hearty +supper and warm beds in their old quarters, so +that they marched back to the drag-ropes in the +morning refreshed. The weather was, by the +kind, overruling Hand, "superb."</p> + +<p>The final leave-taking was somewhat ceremonious. +All the men were assembled in the dismantled +room which had been so long both a +prison and providential home. It was Sunday; +all listened to a chapter of the Bible, and prayers. +Then, all silently standing, the commander read a +prepared report of what had been done, and the +reasons for the step about to be taken. He then +addressed the company, honestly conceding the +obstacles in the way of escape, but assuring them +that energy and subordination would secure success. +He reminded them of the solemn claims +upon them of the sick and wounded; called to +their minds the wonderful deliverance granted +them thus far by the infinite Power, and exhorted +them still confidently to commit all to the same +Helper.</p> + +<p>The response to this appeal was most cheering +to Dr. Kane. The following engagement was +drawn up by one of the officers and signed by +every man:—</p> + +<p>"The undersigned, being convinced of the impossibility<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> +of the liberation of the brig, and equally +convinced of the impossibility of remaining in the +ice a third winter, do fervently concur with the +commander in his attempt to reach the south by +means of boats.</p> + +<p>"Knowing the trials and hardships which are +before us, and feeling the necessity of union, harmony, +and discipline, we have determined to abide +faithfully by the expedition and our sick comrades, +and to do all that we can, as true men, to +advance the objects in view."</p> + +<p>The party now went on deck, hoisted a flag and +hauled it down again, and then marched once or +twice around the vessel. The figure head—the +fair Augusta—"the little blue girl with pink +cheeks," was taken by the men and added to their +load. She had been nipped and battered by the +ice, and a common suffering made her dear to +them. When Dr. Kane remonstrated against the +additional burden, they said: "She is, at any +rate, wood, and if we cannot carry her far we can +burn her."</p> + +<p>The final departure was too serious for cheers, +and when the moment came they all hurried off to +the boats and the drag-ropes.</p> + +<p>Four men were sick, and had to be carried; +and Dr. Kane was with the dog-team the common +carrier and courier, as we shall see, so that there +were but twelve men to the boats; these were +organized into two companies, six each, for the +two sledges; M'Gary having command of the +"Faith," and Morton command of the "Hope."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +Each party was separate in matters of baggage, +sleeping, cooking, and eating; both were concentrated, +in turns, upon each sledge under the command +of Brooks. Both morning and evening of +each day all gathered round, with uncovered +heads, to listen to prayers. Every one had his +assigned place at the track-line; each served in +turn as cook, except the captains.</p> + +<p>From an early day of the preparations, Dr. Kane +had been at work refitting and furnishing the +broken-down, forsaken hut at Anoatok. For this +purpose many trips were made to it with the dog-team; +it was made tight as possible; the filth carefully +removed; cushions and blankets were spread +upon the raised floor at the sides and a stove set +up; blankets were hung up against the walls, +and the whole made to look as cheerful as possible. +While the sledges were approaching this place +by short stages, Dr. Kane, with his team, brought +to the hut the four sick men; they were Goodfellow, +Wilson, Whipple, and Stephenson. Dr. Hayes, +yet limping on his frozen foot, bravely adhered to +the sledges. When the sick entered the hut none +could wait upon the others, except Stephenson, +who could barely light the lamp, to melt the snow +and heat the water. But Dr. Kane made them +frequent visits, supplying their wants, and reporting +the daily progress toward them of their whole +company. They grew better, and were able to +creep out into the sunshine. Besides carrying the +sick to Anoatok, Dr. Kane had, with his dogs, conveyed +there and stocked near the hut most of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +provisions for their march and voyage; eight hundred +pounds out of fifteen were now there, and he +proposed to convey the rest. This was done to +relieve the overladen sledges.</p> + +<p>The red boat—"Red Eric"—joined the party +on the floe a few days after the start, increasing +their burden, but assuring them of increased comfort +and safety when they reached the open water.</p> + +<p>One incident of this period will illustrate its +hardships and the Christian courage with which +they were met.</p> + +<p>It was soon after the last sick man was borne to +the hut that Dr. Kane, having, in one of his dog-team +trips, camped on the floe, came upon the +boat party early in the morning. They were at +prayers at the moment, and, as they passed to the +drag-ropes, he was pained at the evidence of increased +scurvy and depression. Brooks's legs were +sadly swollen, and Hayes ready to faint with exhaustion. +They must have more generous meals, +thought the noble-hearted commander. Taking +Morton, he hastened back to the brig. As they +entered a raven flew croaking away; he had already +made his home there. Lighting the fires in +the old cook-room, they melted pork, cooked a +large batch of <i>light</i> bread without salt, saleratus, or +shortening, gathered together some eatable, though +damaged, dried apples and beans, and, the dogs +having fed, hastened back to the men on the floe. +Distributing a good supper to their comrades as +they passed, and taking Godfrey along with them, +they hastened to the hut. The poor fellows confined<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> +in it were rejoiced to see them. They had +eaten all their supplies, their lamp had gone out, +the snow had piled up at the door so that they +could not close it, and the arctic wind and cold +were making free in their never-too-warm abode. +The poor fellows were cold, sick, and hungry. The +coming of their commander was as the coming of +an angel messenger of good tidings. He closed +their door, made a fire of tarred rope, dried their +clothes and bedding, cooked them a porridge of +pea-soup and meat-biscuit, and set their lamp-wick +ablaze with dripping pork-fat. Then, after +all had joined in prayer of thankfulness, a well relished +meal was eaten. This was followed by a +cheerful chat, and a long, refreshing forgetfulness in +their sleeping-bags of all privations. When they +awoke the gale had grown more tempestuous, with +increasing snow. But they went on burning rope +and fat until every icicle had disappeared, and +every frost mark had faded out.</p> + +<p>On their arrival at the hut the night before, Dr. +Kane, seeing the condition of things, sent Godfrey +forward to Etah for fresh supplies of game. After +a time he returned with Metek, and the two +sledges well laden with meat. A part of this was +hurried off to the toilers at the drag-ropes.</p> + +<p>Having blessed by his coming these weary +voyagers, Dr. Kane, with Morton, Metek, and his +sledge, went once more to the brig. They baked a +hundred and fifty pounds of bread and sent it by +Metek to Mr. Brooks, and the faithful messenger, +having delivered it, returned immediately for another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +load. While he was gone, a hundred pounds +of flour pudding was made, and two bagfuls of +pork-fat tried out. This done, the three lay down +upon the curled hair of the old mattresses, they +having been ripped open and their contents drawn +out to make the most comfortable bed the place +afforded. They slept as soundly "as vagrants on +a haystack."</p> + +<p>The next day they set their faces toward the +sledge company and Anoatok, both sledges having +heavy loads, which included the last of the fifteen +hundred pounds of provisions.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane had made one of his last trips to the +brig: he would return for provisions only; but all +his specimens of Natural History, collected with +much toil, his books, and many of his well-tested +instruments, he was compelled to leave. His six +dogs had carried him, during the fortnight since +the company left the brig, between seven and eight +hundred miles, averaging about fifty-seven miles a +day. But for their services the sick could scarcely +have been saved, and the rest would have suffered +more intensely.</p> + +<p>Leaving, as usual, a part of the food with Mr. +Brooks's party, they hastened on to replenish the +stores and cheer the hearts of the lonely dwellers +in the hut.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>NARROW ESCAPES.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>HAVING brought forward the provisions to +Anoatok, Dr. Kane, with the help of Metek +and his dogs, began to remove them still farther +south, making one deposit near Cape Hatherton, +and the other yet farther, near Littleton Island. +But an immediate journey to Etah for walrus had +become necessary. The hard-working men were +improving on this greasy food, and they wanted it +in abundance. Dr. Kane found the Etahites fat +and full. He left his weary, well-worn dogs to recruit +on their abundance, and returned with their +only team, which was well fed and fresh. They +made the trade without any grumbling.</div> + +<p>When he came back the Brooks party were +within three miles of Anoatok. They were getting +along bravely and eating voraciously, and the old +cry, "more provisions!" saluted the commander. +Leaving the dogs to aid in transferring the stores to +the southern stations, Dr. Kane and Irish Tom +Hickey started afoot to the brig to do another +baking. It was a sixteen hours' tramp. But ere +they slept they converted nearly a barrel of flour, +the last of the stock, into the staff of life. An old +pickled-cabbage cask was used as a kneading +trough, and sundry volumes of the "Penny Cyclopedia<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +of Useful Knowledge" were burned during +the achievement. Tom declared the work done +to be worthy of his own country's bakers, and he +had been one "of them same," so he deemed that +praise enough. When the doctor lamented that +the flour so used was the last of the stock, Tom +exclaimed: "All the better, sir, since we'll have +no more bread to make."</p> + +<p>Godfrey came to the brig on the third day, with +the dogs, to carry back the baking. But a howling +storm delayed them all on board. It was Sunday, +and the last time that Dr. Kane expected to be in +the cabin with any of his men. He took down a +Bible from one of the berths and went through +the long-used religious service. The dreary place +was less dreary, and their burdened hearts were +no doubt made lighter by thus drawing near to +God.</p> + +<p>The commander and Tom left the next day +with the sledge load, leaving Godfrey to come on +after farther rest. But scarcely had the sledge +party delivered their load of bread, and begun the +sound sleep which follows hard work, when Godfrey +came in out of breath with the hot haste of +his journey. He reluctantly confessed the occasion +of his sudden departure from the brig. He +had lain down on the contents of the mattresses +to sleep. Suddenly Wilson's guitar, left with other +mementoes of two winters' imprisonment, sent +forth music soft and sad. Bill was sure he heard +aright, for he was awake and in his right mind. +He fled on the instant, and scarcely looked behind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +until he reached his companions. He had never +heard of the musical genius of Eolus, and it was +not strange that the old forsaken, mutilated, ghostly, +looking brig should excite the imagination of the +lonely lodger.</p> + +<p>The invalids of the huts were now doing well. +Their housekeeping assumed a home-like appearance—after +the fashion of Arctic homes—and they +welcomed the doctor with a dish of tea, a lump +of walrus flesh, and a warm place. The Brooks +party were not afar off.</p> + +<p>A storm which out-stormed all they had yet seen +or felt of storms came down upon our explorers +at this time.</p> + +<p>When the storm had blown past, Morton was +dispatched to Etah with the dogs, accompanied +by two Etahites who had been storm-bound with +the boat-parties. His mission was to demand aid +of these allies on the ground of sacred treaty stipulations, +and well-recognized Esquimo laws of +mutual help. Dr. Kane took his place with the +men on the floe. Sledging was now not only made +by the storm and advancing season more laborious, +but very dangerous; around the bergs black +water appeared, and over many places there were +to be seen pools of water. The boats were unladen, +and their cargoes carried in parcels by +sledges, yet serious accidents occurred. At one +time a runner of the sledge carrying the "Hope" +broke in, and the boat came near being lost; as it +was, six men were plunged into the water. Sick +and well men worked for dear life, and affairs were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +growing more than cloudy when the helping hand +of the great Helper was seen as it had been so +often. Morton returned from Etah, having been +entirely successful in his appeal to the natives for +aid. They came with every sound dog they possessed, +and with sledges loaded with walrus. The +dogs alone were equal to ten strong men added to +the expedition. Dr. Kane took one of the teams, +and with Metek made his last trip to the brig, and +on his return commenced bringing down the invalids +of the hut to the boats. As he came near the +floe-party he found Ohlsen sitting on a lump of ice +alone, some distance in their rear. He had prevented +the "Hope's" sledge from breaking through +the ice by taking for a moment its whole weight on +a bar which he had slipped under it. He was a +strong man, and the act was heroic, but he was +evidently seriously injured. He was pale, but +thought his only difficulty was "a little cramp in +the small of his back," and that he should be better +soon. Dr. Kane gave him Stephenson's seat +on the sledge, carried him to the boat, and gave +him its most comfortable place, and muffled him +up in the best buffalo robes. Dr. Hayes gave him +tender and constant attention all that night, but +he declined rapidly.</p> + +<p>Having stowed the sick away in the boats, the +morning prayers being offered, the men on the +sixth of June started anew at the drag-ropes. +Two hours' drawing sufficed to show all hands +their insufficiency for the task. Just then a spanking +breeze started up. They hoisted the sails of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +the boats, and the wind increased to a gale and +blew directly after them. Away the sledges sped +toward the provision depot near Littleton Island. +Ridges in the ice which would have delayed them +at the drag-ropes for hours, but gave them the rise +and fall as they glided over them of a ship on the +waves. God, who "holds the wind in his fist," +had unloosed it for their benefit. The foot-sore, +weary men, who a few moments ago felt that an +almost impossible task was theirs, were now jubilant, +and broke out into song—the first sailor's +chorus song they had sung for a year. They came +to a halt at five o'clock P. M., having made under +sail the distance of five drag-rope days.</p> + +<p>While here they were joined by old Nessark, +and by Sipsu, the surly chief who appears so conspicuously +in the narrative of Dr. Hayes's escaping +party. They came with their fresh dog-teams, +and offered their services to the explorers. Nessark +was sent after the last of the sick men at the +hut.</p> + +<p>The following five or six days were those of +peril and discouragement. At one time a sledge +had broken in, carrying with it several of the +men, bringing affairs to a gloomy crisis. But +the men scrambled out, and, to still further lift +the burdens from the party, five sturdy Esquimo +appeared, with two almost equally strong women. +They laid hold of the drag-ropes with a will, and +worked the rest of the day without demanding +any reward. So there was always help in their +time of need.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> + +<p>Nessark came in good time with Wilson and +Whipple, the last of the sick; the old hut was now +deserted, and all were with the boats except one. +Hans had been missing for nearly two months. +Early in April he came to his commander with a +long face and a very plausible story; he had, he +said, no boots; he wanted to go to one of the Esquimo +settlements a little south to get a stock of +walrus-hides. He did not want the dogs; he +would walk, and be back in good time. But the +hitherto faithful and trusted Hans had not returned. +When inquiry was made of the people of Etah +they said he certainly called there, and engaged +of one of the women a pair of boots, and then +pushed on to Peteravik, where Shanghee and his +pretty daughter lived. The last information they +had of him they gave with a shrug of the shoulders +and a merry twinkle of the eye. He had +been seen by one of their people once since he +left Etah; he was then upon a native sledge, +Shanghee's daughter at his side, bound south of +Peteravik. He had forsaken the explorers for a +wife!</p> + +<p>The party were one day feeling their way along +cautiously, pioneers going ahead and trying the +soundness of the ice by thumping with boat +hooks and narwhal horns. Suddenly a shout of +distress was heard. The "Red Eric" had broken +in! She contained the document box of the expedition, +the loss of which would make their +whole work profitless to the world even should +the party be saved. She had on board too many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +provision bags. But, after great exposure and +labor, all was saved in good condition, and the +boat hauled upon the ice. Several of the men +had narrow escapes. Stephenson was caught as +he sunk by the sledge runner, and Morton was +drawn out by the hair of his head as he was disappearing +under the ice. A grateful shout went +up from all hands that nothing serious resulted +from the accident.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>ESQUIMO KINDNESS.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE company made slow and tiresome progress +by Littleton Island, and were carrying +their entire load forward in parcels to the mainland +at the northern opening of Etah Bay, when +the sad news was whispered to Dr. Kane, who was +with the advanced party, that Ohlsen was dead. +A gloom spread over the whole company. The +fact was carefully concealed from the Esquimo, +who were sent to Etah under the pretext of bringing +back a supply of birds, the entire dog force +being given them to hasten their departure.</div> + +<p>The funeral service, though attended by sincere +grief, was necessarily brief. The body was sewed +up in Ohlsen's own blankets, the burial service +read, the prayer offered, and it was borne by his +comrades in solemn procession to a little gorge on +the shore, and deposited in a trench made with +extreme difficulty. A sheet of lead, on which his +name and age was cut, was laid upon his breast; a +monument of stones was erected over it, to preserve +it from the beasts of prey, and to mark the +spot. They named the land which overshadowed +the spot Cape Ohlsen.</p> + +<p>Having given two quiet hours, after the funeral +service, to the solemn occasion, the work at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +drag-ropes was continued. The Esquimo returned +in full force, and with abundant provisions. +They took their turn at the drag-ropes with +a shout; they carried the sick on their sledges, +and relieved the whole expedition from care concerning +their supplies. They brought in one week +eight dozen sea-fowl—little auks—caught in their +hand-nets, and fed men and dogs. All ate, hunger +was fully satisfied, care for the time departed, +the men broke out into their old forecastle songs, +and the sledges went merrily forward with laugh +and jest.</p> + +<p>Passing round Cape Alexander, down Etah +Bay, a short distance toward the settlement, the +expedition encamped. The long-sought, coveted +open water was only three miles away; its roar +saluted their ears, and its scent cheered their +hearts. The difficult and delicate work of preparing +the boats for the sea-voyage now commenced. +In the mean time the people of Etah, men, +women, and children, came and encamped in their +midst, leaving only three persons—two old women +and a blind old man—in the settlement. They +slept in the "Red Eric," and fed on the stew +cooked for them in the big camp-kettle. Each +one had a keepsake of a file, a knife, a saw, or +some such article of great value. The children +had each that great medicine for Esquimo sickness, +a piece of soap, for which they merrily +shouted, "Thank you, thank you, big chief." There +was joy in the Esquimo camp which knew but +one sorrow—that of the speedy departure of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +strangers. At the mention of this one woman +stepped behind a tent screen and wept, wiping +her teary face with a bird-skin.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane rode to Etah to bid the aged invalids +good-bye. Then came the last distribution of +presents. Every one had something, but the great +gift of amputating knives went to the chief, +Metek, and the patriarch, Nessark. The dogs +were given to the community at large, excepting +Toodla-mik and Whitey; these veterans of many +well-fought battle-fields were reserved to share +the homeward fortunes of their owners. Toodla +was no common dog, but earned for himself a +place in dog history. As we are to meet the dogs +no more in our narrative, we will give Toodla's +portrait to be set up with our pen sketches. He +was purchased at Upernavik, and so he received +the advantages of, at least, a partially civilized +education. His head was more compact, his nose +less pointed than most dogs of his kind, and his +eye denoted affection and self-reliance, and his +carriage was bold and defiant. Toodla, at the +commencement of the cruise, appointed himself +general-in-chief of all the dogs. Now it often +happens, with dogs as well as with men, that to assume +superiority is much easier than to maintain it. +But Toodla's generalship was never successfully +disputed. The position, however, cost him many +a hard-fought battle, for the new comers naturally +desired to test his title to rule. These he soundly +whipped on their introduction to the pack. He +even often left the brig's side, head erect, tail<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +gracefully curled over his back, and moved toward +a stranger dog with a proud, defiant air, as much +as to say, "I am master here, sir!" If this was +doubted, he vindicated his boasting on the spot. +Such tyranny excited rebellions of course, and +strong combinations were formed against him; +but dogs which had been trounced individually +make weak organizations, and the coalitions gave +way before Toodla's prowess. It is but fair, however, +to say that he had strong allies upon whom +he fell back in great emergencies—the sailors. +Toodla died in Philadelphia, and still lives—that +is, his stuffed skin still exists in the museum of +the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. +His reputation is of the same sort as that of many +of the heroes of history, and worth as much to the +world.</p> + +<p>Dr. Kane having distributed the presents and +disposed of the dogs, there was nothing now but +the farewell address to render the parting ceremony +complete. Dr. Kane called the natives +about him and spoke to them through Petersen as +interpreter. He talked to them as those from +whom kindness had been received, and to whom a +return was to be made. He told them about the +tribes of their countrymen farther south whom +he knew, and from whom they were separated by +the glaciers and the sea; he spoke of the longer +daylight, the less cold, the more abundant game, +the drift-wood, the fishing-nets, and kayaks of +these relatives. He tried to explain to them that +under bold and cautious guidance they might,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> +in the course of a season or two, reach this happier +region.</p> + +<p>During this talk they crowded closer and closer +to the speaker, and listened with breathless attention +to his remarks, often looking at each other +significantly.</p> + +<p>Having thus parted with the natives, our exploring +party hauled their boats to the margin of the +ice. The "Red Eric" was launched, and three +cheers were given for "Henry Grinnell and Homeward +Bound." But the storm king said, "Not +yet!" He sounded an alarm in their ears, and +they drew the "Eric" from the water and retreated +on the floe, which broke up in their rear with great +rapidity. Back, back, they tramped, wearily and +painfully, all that night, until the next day they +found a sheltering berg near the land, where they +made a halt. Here they rested until the wind had +spent its wrath, and the sea had settled into a placid +quiet. Their voyaging on the floe with drag-ropes +and sledges was ended.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>MELVILLE BAY.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>ON the nineteenth of June the boats were +launched into the sea, now calm, the "Faith" +leading under Kane, and the "Eric" under Bonsall, +and the "Hope" under Brooks following. +The sea birds screamed a welcome to the squadron, +and flew about them as if to inquire why they +came back in three vessels instead of one, as when +they sailed northward two years before. But there +was no leisure for converse with birds. They had +just passed Hakluyt Island, when the "Eric" sunk. +Her crew, Bonsall, Riley, and Godfrey, struggled +to the other boats, and the "Faith" took the sunken +craft in tow. Soon after Brooks shouted that +the "Hope" was leaking badly, and threatening +to sink. Fortunately the floe was not far off, and +into one of its creek-like openings they run the +boats, fastened them to the ice, and the weary men +lay down in their bunks without drawing the boats +from the water and slept.</div> + +<p>The next day they drew their leaking crafts +ashore, and calked them for another sea adventure. +For several days they struggled with varying fortunes +until they brought up, weary, disheartened, +and worn down by work and an insufficient diet +of bread-dust, and fastened to an old floe near the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> +land. Scarcely were they anchored when a vast +ice raft caught upon a tongue of the solid floe +about a mile to the seaward of them, and began to +swing round upon it as a pivot, and to close in upon +our explorers. This was a new game of the ice-enemy. +Nearer and nearer came the revolving +icy platform, seeming to gather force with every +whirl. At first the commotion that was made +started the floe, to which they were fastened, on a +run toward the shore as if to escape the danger. +But it soon brought up against the rocks and was +overtaken by its pursuer. In an instant the collision +came. The men sprang, by force of discipline, +to the boats and the stores, to bear them back to +a place of safety, but wild and far-spread ruin was +around them. The whole platform where they +stood crumbled and crushed under the pressure, +and was tossed about and piled up as if the ice-demon +was in a frenzy of passion. Escape for the +boats seemed for the moment impossible, and none +expected it; and none could tell when they were +let down into the water, nor hardly how, yet they +found themselves whirling in the midst of the +broken hummocks, now raised up and then shaken +as if every joint in the helpless, trembling boats +was to be dislocated. The noise would have +drowned the uproar of contending armies as ice +was hurled against ice, and, as it felt the awful +pressure, it groaned harsh and terrific thunder. +The men, though utterly powerless, grasped their +boat-hooks as the boats were borne away in the tumultuous +mass of broken ice and hurried on toward<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +the shore. Slowly the tumult began to subside, +and the fragments to clear away, until the almost +bewildered men found themselves in a stretch +of water making into the land, wide enough to enable +them to row. They came against the wall of +the ice-foot, and, grappling it, waited for the rising +tide to lift them to its top. While here the storm +was fearful, banging the boats against the ice-wall, +and surging the waves into them, thus keeping the +imperiled men at work for dear life in bailing out +the water. They were at last lifted by the tide to +the ice-foot, upon which they pulled their boats, +all uniting on each boat. They had landed on +the cliff at the mouth of a gorge in the rock; into +this they dragged the boats, keeping them +square on their keels. A sudden turn in the cave +placed a wall between them and the storm, which +was now raging furiously. While they were drawing +in the last boat, a flock of eider ducks gladdened +their hearts as they flew swiftly past. God +had not only guided them to a sheltered haven, but +had assured them of abundant food on the morrow. +They were in the breeding home of the sea-fowl. +Thus comforted they lay down to sleep, though +wet and hungry. They named their providential +harbor the "Weary Man's Rest," and remained in +it three days, eating until hunger was appeased, and +gathering eggs at the rate of twelve hundred a day, +and laughing at the storms which roared without.</p> + +<p>On the fourth of July, after as much of a patriotic +celebration as their circumstances allowed, +they again launched into the sea.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p> + +<p>For some days they moved slowly south, but it +was only by picking their way through the leads, +for they found the sea nearly closed. As they approached +Cape Dudley Digges their way was entirely +closed. They pushed into an opening that +led to the bottom of its precipitous cliff. Here +they found a rocky shelf, overshadowed by the towering +rocks, just large enough and in the right position +at high tide to make a platform on which they +could land their boats. Here they waited a whole +week for the ice toward Cape York to give way. +The sea-fowl were abundant and of a choice kind. +The scurvy-killing cochlearia was at hand, which +they ate with their eggs. It was indeed a "providential +halt," for the fact was constantly forced +upon them that they had come here, as they had to +"Weary Man's Rest," by no skill or knowledge of +their own.</p> + +<p>It was the eighteenth of July before the condition +of the ice was such as to make the renewal of +their voyage possible. Two hundred and fifty +choice fowl had been skinned, cut open, and +dried on the rocks, besides a store of those thrown +aboard as they were caught.</p> + +<p>They now sailed along the coast, passing the +"Crimson Cliffs" of Sir John Ross. The birds +were abundant, their halting-places on the shore +were clothed with green, and the fresh-water +streams at which they filled their vessels were +pouring down from the glaciers. They built great +blazing fires of dry turf which cost nothing but +the gathering. After a day's hard rowing the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +sportsmen brought in fresh fowl, and, gathered +about their camp-fire, all ate, and then stretched +themselves on the moss carpet and slept. They +enjoyed thankfully this Arctic Eden all the more +as they all knew that perils and privations were +just before them.</p> + +<p>They wisely provided during these favored days +a large stock of provisions, amounting to six hundred +and forty pounds, besides their dried birds. +Turf fuel, too, was taken on board for the fires.</p> + +<p>They reached Cape York on the twenty-first of +July. From this place they were to try the dangers +of Melville Bay, across which in their frail +boats they must sail. It had smiled upon their +northward voyage; would it favor their escape +now? It certainly did not hold out to them flattering +promises. The inshore ice was solid yet, +and terribly hummocky. The open sea was far to +the west, but along the margin of the floe were +leads, and fortunately there was one beginning +where they had halted. The boats were hauled +up, examined, and as much as possible repaired. +The "Red Eric" was stripped, her cargo taken +out, and her hull held in reserve for fuel. A beacon +was erected from which a red flannel skirt was +thrown as a pennant to the wind to attract attention. +Under this beacon records were left which +told in brief the story of the expedition. This +done, and the blessing of God implored, the +voyagers entered the narrow opening in the ice.</p> + +<p>For a while all went well, but one evening Dr. +Kane was hastily called on deck. The huge icebergs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +had bewildered the helmsman in the leading +boat, and he had missed the channel, and had +turned directly toward the shore until the boat +was stopped by the solid floe. The lead through +which they had come had closed in their rear, and +they were completely entangled in the ice!</p> + +<p>Without telling the men what had happened, +the commander, under the pretense of drying the +clothes, ordered the boats drawn up, and a camp +was made on the ice.</p> + +<p>In the morning Kane and M'Gary climbed a +berg some three hundred feet high. They were +appalled by their situation; the water was far away, +and huge bergs and ugly hummocks intervened. +M'Gary, an old-whaleman, familiar from early manhood +with the hardships of Arctic voyaging, wept +at the sight.</p> + +<p>There was but one way out of this entanglement; +the sledges must be taken from the sides +of the boats, where they had been hung for such +emergencies, the boats placed on them, and the +old drag-rope practice must be tried until the expedition +reached the edge of the floe. One sledge, +that which bore the "Red Eric," had been used +for fuel; so the "Red Eric" itself was knocked to +pieces, and stowed away for the same use. About +three days were consumed in thus toiling before +they reached the lead which they had left, launched +once more into waters, and sailed away before a +fine breeze.</p> + +<p>Thus far the boats had kept along the outer +edge of the floe, following the openings through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +the ice. But as this was slow work, though much +safer, they now ventured a while in the open sea +farther west; but they were driven back to the +floe by heavy fogs, and on trying to get the boats +into a lead, one of those incidents occurred so +often noticed, in which God's hand was clearly +seen. All hands were drawing up the "Hope," +and she had just reached a resting-place on the +floe, when-the "Faith," their best boat, with all +their stores on board, went adrift. The sight produced +an almost panic sensation among the men. +The "Hope" could not possibly be launched in +time to overtake her, for she was drifting rapidly. +But before they could collect their thoughts to +devise the means of her rescue, a cake of ice +swung round, touched the floe where they stood, +reaching at the same time nearly to the "Faith," +thus bridging over the chasm. Instantly Kane +and M'Gary sprung upon it, and from it into the +escaping boat. She was saved.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>SAVED.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>MATTERS were getting into a serious condition. +The delays had been so many that +the stock of birds had been eaten, and the men +had been for several days on short allowance, +which showed itself in their failing strength. They +were far out to sea, midway of the Melville Bay +navigation, and the boats were receiving a rough +handling, and required continual bailing to keep +them from sinking.</div> + +<p>It was just at this crisis that the ever timely aid +came. A large seal was seen floating upon a small +patch of ice, seeming to be asleep. A signal was +given for the "Hope" to fall astern, while the +"Faith" approached noiselessly upon him, with +stockings drawn over the oars. Petersen lay in +the bow with a large English rifle, and as they +drew near, the men were so excited that they +could scarcely row; the safety of the whole company +seemed staked upon the capture of that seal. +When within three hundred yards, the oars were +taken in, and the boat moved silently on by a +scull-oar at the stern. The seal was not asleep, +for when just beyond the reach of the ball he +raised his head. The thin, care-worn, almost despairing +faces of the men showed their deep concern<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +as he appeared about to make his escape. Dr. +Kane gave the signal to fire; but poor Petersen, +almost paralyzed by anxiety, was trying nervously +to get a rest for his gun on the edge of the bow. +The seal rose on his fore-flipper, looked curiously +around, and coiled himself up for a plunge. The +rifle cracked at the instant, and the seal at the +same moment drooped his head one side, and +stretched his full length on the ice at the brink +of his hole. With a frantic yell the men urged +the boats to the floe, seized the seal, and bore him +to a safer place. They brandished their knives, +cut long strips of the seal, and went dancing about +the floe, eating and sucking their bloody fingers +in wild delight. The seal was large and fat, but +not an ounce of him was wasted. A fire was built +that night on the floe, and the joyous feast went +on until hunger was appeased; they had driven +away its gnawings, and, happily, it returned no +more.</p> + +<p>On the first of August they had passed the terrible +bay, and sighted land on its southern side. +Familiar landmarks of the whalers came in sight. +They passed the Duck Islands and Cape Shackelton, +and coasted along by the hills, seeking a +cove in which to land. One was soon found, the +boats drawn up, a little time spent in thanksgiving +and congratulations, and then they lay down on the +dry land and slept.</p> + +<p>They continued to coast near the shore, dodging +about among the islands, and dropping into the +bays, and landing for rest at night. It was at one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> +of these sleeping-halts on the rocks that Petersen +saw one of the natives, whom he recognized as an +old acquaintance; he was in his kayak seeking +eider-down among the rocks. Petersen hailed +him, but the man played shy. "Paul Zacharias," +shouted Petersen, "don't you know me? I am +Carl Petersen!"</p> + +<p>"No," replied the man; "his wife says he's +dead."</p> + +<p>The native stared at the weather-beaten, long-bearded +man for a moment as he loomed up +through the fog, and then turned the bow of his +boat, and paddled away as if a phantom was pursuing +him.</p> + +<p>Two days after this the explorers were rowing +leisurely along in a fog, which had just began to +lift and dimly reveal the objects on shore. At +this moment a familiar sound came to them over +the water. It was the "huk" of the Esquimo, for +which they had often taken the bark of a fox +or the startling screech of the gulls; but this +"huk! huk!" died away in the home-thrilling +"halloo!"</p> + +<p>"Listen, Petersen! what is it?"</p> + +<p>Petersen listened quietly for a moment, and +then, trembling with emotion, said, in an undertone, +"Dannemarkers!"</p> + +<p>Then the whole company stood up and peered +into the distant nooks, in breathless silence to +catch the sound again. The sound came again, +and all was a moment silent. It was the first +Christian voice they had heard beyond their own<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +party for two years. But they saw nothing. Was +it not a cheat after all of their nervous, excited +feelings? The men sat down again and bent to +their oars, and their boats swept in for the cape +from which the sound proceeded. They scanned +narrowly every nook and green spot where the +strangers might be found. A full half hour passed +in this exciting search. At last the single mast of +a small shallop was seen. Petersen, who had kept +himself during the search very still and sober, +burst into a fit of crying, relieved by broken exclamations +of English and Danish, gulping down +his words at intervals, and wringing his hands all +the while. "'Tis the Upernavik oil-boat!" "The +Mariane has come! and Carlie Mossyn—"</p> + +<p>Petersen had hit the facts. The annual ship, +Mariane, had arrived at Proven, and Carlie Mossyn +had come up to get the year's supply of blubber +from Kinqatok.</p> + +<p>Here our explorers listened while Carlie, in answer +to their questions, gave them a hint of what +had been going on in the civilized world during +their long absence. The Crimean war had been +begun and was in bloody progress, but "Sebastopol +wasn't taken!" "Where and what is Sebastopol?" +they queried. "But what of America?" +Carlie didn't know much about that country, for +no whale ships were on the coast, but said "a +steamer and a bark passed up a fortnight ago seeking +your party."</p> + +<p>"What of Sir John Franklin?" they next inquired. +Carlie said the priest had a German<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +newspaper which said traces of his boats and dead +had been found! Yes, found a thousand miles +away from the region where our explorers had +been looking for them!</p> + +<p>One more row into the fog and one more halting +on the rocks. They all washed clean in the +fresh water of the basins, and brushed up their +ragged furs and woolens. The next morning they +neared the settlement of Upernavik, of which +Petersen had been foreman, and they heard the +yelling of the dogs as its snowy hill-top showed +itself through the mist, and the tolling of the +workmen's bells calling them to their daily labor +came as sweet music to their ears. They rowed +into the big harbor, landed by an old Brewhouse, +and hauled their boats up for the last time. A +crowd of merry children came round them with +cheerful faces and curious eyes. In the crowd +were the wife and children of Petersen. Our explorers +were safe; their perils were over!</p> + +<p>Having lived in the open air for eighty-four +days, they felt a sense of suffocation within the +walls of a house. But divided among many kind, +hospitable homes, they drank their coffee and +listened to hymns of welcome sung by many +voices.</p> + +<p>The people of Upernavik fitted up a loft for the +reception of the wayfarers, and showed them great +kindness. They remained until the sixth of September, +and then embarked on the Danish vessel +"Mariane," whose captain was to leave them at +the nearest English port on his way to Denmark.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +The boat "Faith" was taken on board, as a relic +of their perilous adventure; the document box +containing their precious records, and the furs on +their backs—these were all that were saved of the +heroic brig "Advance."</p> + +<p>The "Mariane" made a short stay at Godhavn. +The searching company under Captain Hartstene +had left there for the icy north one the twenty-first +of July, since which nothing was known of +them.</p> + +<p>The "Mariane" was on the eve of leaving with +our explorers when the lookout shouted from the +hill-top that a steamer was in the distance. It +drew near with a bark in tow, both flying the stars +and stripes. The "Faith" was lowered for the +last time, and, with Brooks at the helm, Dr. Kane +went out to meet them. As they came alongside +Captain Hartstene hailed: "Is that Dr. Kane?" +"Yes!" Instantly the men sprung into the rigging +and gave cheers of welcome; and the whole +country, on the arrival of the long-lost explorers, +repeated the glad shout of welcome; and the +Christian world echoed, "Welcome!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>OFF AGAIN.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>DR. KANE'S party came home, as we have +seen, in the fall of 1855. Dr. Hayes, with +whom we have become acquainted as one of that +number, began immediately to present the desirableness +of further exploration in the same direction +to the scientific men of the country, and to +the public generally. His object was to sail to +the west side of Smith's Sound, instead of the +east, as in the last voyage, and to gather additional +facts concerning the currents, the aurora, +the glaciers, the directions and intensity of "the +magnetic force," and so to aid in settling many +interesting scientific questions. He aimed also, +of course, to further peer into the mysteries of +the open Polar Sea.</div> + +<p>These efforts resulted in the fitting out for this +purpose, in the summer of 1860, the schooner +"United States," and the appointment of Dr. Hayes +as commander. She left Boston July sixth, manned +by fourteen persons all told. The vessel was +small, but made for arctic warfare, and as she +turned her prow North Poleward, she bore a defiant +spirit, and, like all inexperienced warriors, +reckoned the victory already hers. But if the +vessel was "green" her commander was not. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> +was well able to help her in the coming battle with +icebergs and floes.</p> + +<p>Among her men were only two besides the doctor +who had seen arctic service, one of whom was +Professor August Sontag, who had been of Kane's +party, and had also been of the number who accompanied +Dr. Hayes in the attempt to escape. +Of the rest of the crew were two young men +nearly of an age, about eighteen, who are represented +as joining the expedition because they +would, and in love of adventure. Their names +were George F. Knorr, commander's clerk, and +Collins C. Starr. Both pressed their desire to go +upon Dr. Hayes, and Starr told him that he would +go in <i>any</i> capacity. The commander told him he +might go in the forecastle with the common sailors, +and the next day, to the surprise of the doctor, +he found him on board, manfully at work with +the roughest of the men, having doffed his silk +hat, fine broadcloth, and shining boots of the elegant +young man of the day before. The commander +was so pleased with his spirit that he promoted +him on the spot, sending him off to be +sailing-master's mate.</p> + +<p>In a little less than four weeks of prosperous +sailing, the "United States" was at the Danish +port of Proven, Greenland. It was the intention +of the commander to get a supply here of the +indispensable dog-teams, but disease had raged +among them, and none could be bought. The vessel +was delayed, in order that the chief trader, Mr. +Hansen, who was daily expected from Upernavik,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> +might be consulted in the matter. When he arrived +he gave a gloomy account of the dog-market, +but kindly <i>gave</i> the expedition his own teams. +The couriers which had been sent out to scour the +country for others, returned with four old dogs and +a less number of good ones.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the twelfth of August the explorers +arrived at Upernavik. The Danish brig +"Thialfe" lay at anchor in the harbor, about to +sail for Copenhagen with a cargo of skins and oil, +so the first letters to the dear ones at home were +hastily written to send by her. They bore sad +news to at least one family circle. Mr. Gibson +Caruther retired to his berth well on the evening +of their arrival, and in the morning was found +dead. He had escaped the perils of the first Grinnell +Expedition under Capt. De Haven to die +thus suddenly ere those of his second voyage +had begun. He was beloved, able, and intelligent, +and his death was a great loss to the enterprise. +His companions laid him away in the +mission burial-ground, the missionary, Mr. Anton, +officiating.</p> + +<p>Before leaving Upernavik, Dr. Hayes secured the +services of an Esquimo interpreter, one Peter Jensen, +who brought on board with him one of the best +dog-teams of the country; and soon after he came, +two more Esquimo hunters and dog-drivers were +enlisted; and a still better addition to the expedition +were two Danish sailors, one of whom is our +old friend whom we left here some five years ago +rejoicing in re-union with wife and children—Carl<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +Christian Petersen. Petersen enlisted as carpenter +as well as sailor.</p> + +<p>With these six persons added to her company, +making it twenty in all, the "United States" left +Upernavik to enter upon the earnest work of the +expedition. The settlement had scarcely faded in +the distance, when the icebergs were seen marshaling +their forces to give the little voyager battle. +A long line of them was formed just across her +course, some more than two hundred feet high and +a mile long. They were numberless, and at a distance +seemed to make a solid, jagged ice-wall. +When the schooner was fairly in among them, the +sunlight was shut out as it is from the traveler in +a dense forest. She felt the wind in a "cat's-paw" +now and then, and so the helm lost its control +of her, and she went banging against first one +berg and then another. The bergs themselves +minded not the little breeze which was blowing, +but swept majestically along by the under current. +The navigators were kept on the alert to keep the +vessel from fatal collision with its huge, cold, defiant +enemies, as the surface current drove it helplessly +onward. Sometimes, as they approached +one, the boats were lowered, and the vessel was +towed away from danger; at another crisis, as it +neared one berg, an anchor was planted in another +in an opposite direction, and she was warped +into a place of security. Occasionally they tied +up to a berg and waited for a chance for progress.</p> + +<p>While thus beset with dangers, there were occasions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +of some pleasant excitement. The birds were +abundant and of many varieties, affording sport for +the hunters and fresh food for the table; the seals +sported in the clear water, and were shot for the +larder of the dogs; and Dr. Hayes and Professor +Sontag found employment with their scientific instruments.</p> + +<p>Such had been the state of things for four days, +when one morning the vessel was borne toward a +large berg, of a kind the sailors called "touch-me-nots." +It was an old voyager, whose jagged sides, +high towers, deep valleys and swelling hills, showed +that time, the sun, and the tides, had laid their hands +upon it. Such bergs are about as good neighbors +as an avalanche on a mountain side, just ready for +a run into the valley below. Warps and tow-boats, +instantly and vigorously used, failed to stop the +schooner's headway. She touched the berg, and +down dropped fragments of it larger than the vessel, +followed by a shower of smaller pieces; but +they went clear of the vessel. Now the berg began +to revolve, turning toward the explorers, and +as its towering sides settled slowly over them, fragments +poured upon the deck—a fearful hail-storm. +There was no safety for the men except in the +forecastle, and there appeared to be no escape for +the schooner. But just in time an immense section +of the base of the berg, which seemed to be +far below the water line, broke off, and rose to the +surface with a sudden rush, which threw the sea +into violent commotion. The balance of the berg +was changed; it paused, and then began, slowly at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> +first but with increasing rapidity, to turn in the opposite +direction. If this was intended as a retreat +of the bergy foe, it defended well its rear. At its +base, from which the piece had just been broken, +was an icy projection toward the vessel; as the +berg revolved, this tongue came up and struck the +keel. It seemed intent upon tossing the vessel +into the air, or rolling her over and leaving her bottom +side up upon the sea. The men seized their +poles and pushed vigorously to launch the vessel +from the perilous position, but in vain. Just in +time again the unseen Hand interfered for their +deliverance. Deafening reports, like a park of artillery, +saluted their ears, and a misty smoke arose +above the berg. Its opposite side was breaking up, +and launching its towering peaks into the sea. The +berg paused again and began to roll back, and +thus for the moment released the vessel. The +boat had in the meantime fastened an anchor in +a grounded berg, and the welcome shout came, +"Haul in!" Steadily and with a will the men +drew upon the rope, and the vessel moved slowly +from the scene of danger, not, however, before the +returning top of the berg had launched upon her +deck a shower of ice-fragments, in fearful assurance +that its whole side would soon follow and bury +them as the shepherd's hut is buried by a mountain +slide. A few moments later and the side +came down with a tremendous crash, sending its +spray over the escaped vessel, and tossing it as +the drift-wood is tossed in the eddies beneath a +water-fall.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p> + +<p>All that day the roar of the icy cannon was continued, +as if a naval battle was in progress for the +empire of the north, and berg after berg went +down, strewing the sea with their shattered fragments, +while misty clouds floated over the field of +conflict.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>COLLIDING FLOES.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>AFTER this ice encounter the expedition put +into a little port called Tessuissak, to complete +their outfit of dogs. An impatient tarry of +two days enabled them to count, on the deck of +the little vessel, thirty first-class, howling dogs, +whose amiable tempers found expression in biting +each other, and making both day and night hideous +with their noise.</div> + +<p>This port was left on the twenty-third of August, +and, much to the joy of all, the dreaded +Melville Bay was clear of the ice-pack; the icebergs, +however, kept their watch over its storm-tossed +waters. Through these waters driven before +a fierce wind, and buried often in a fog so dense +that the length of the vessel could not be seen, the +"United States" sped. Its anxious commander +was on deck night and day, not knowing the moment +when an icy wall, as fatal to the vessel as +one of granite, might arrest its course and send it +instantly to the bottom of the sea. Once they +passed so near a berg just crossing their track +that the fore-yard grazed its side, and the spray +from its surf-beaten wall was thrown upon the +deck. A berg at one time hove in sight with an +arch through it large enough for a passage-way for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +the schooner. The explorers declined, however, +the novel adventure. The passage of Melville +Bay was made, with sails only, in fifty-five hours. +The pack which had invariably troubled explorers +seemed to have been enjoying a summer vacation, +and the bergs were off duty. The expedition +had reached the North Water and lay off Cape +York.</p> + +<p>The ocean current which sweeps past this cape, +and opens the way to the other side of Baffin Bay, +is wonderful. It is the great Polar current which +comes rushing down through Spitzbergen Sea, along +the eastern coast of Greenland, laden with ice, and +taking the waters of its rivers with their freight of +drift-wood as it passes. Leaving most of the wood +along its shore, a welcome gift to the people, it +sweeps around Cape Farewell, courses near the +western shore in its run north until it has passed +Melville Bay. When it has crossed over to the +American shore near Jones Strait, it joins the current +from the Arctic Sea, turns south, and makes +the long journey until it reaches our own coast, +dropping its ice freight as it goes, and sending +its cooling air through the heat-oppressed atmosphere +of our summer.</p> + +<p>As our explorers approached the shore of Cape +York they looked carefully for the natives. Soon +a company of Esquimo were seen making their +wild gesticulations to attract attention. A boat +was lowered, and Dr. Hayes and Professor Sontag +went ashore, and as they approached the landing-place +one of the Esquimo called them by name.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +It was our old friend Hans, of the Kane voyage, +who, the reader will recollect, left his white friends +for an Esquimo wife. The group consisted, besides +Hans, of his wife and baby, his wife's mother, +an old woman having marked talking ability, +and her son, a bright-eyed boy of twelve years. +Hans had found his self-imposed banishment among +the savages of this extreme north rather tedious. +He had removed his family to this lookout for the +whale ships, and had watched and waited. It +was the dreariest of places, and his hut, pitched +on a bleak spot the better to command a view of +the sea, was the most miserable of abodes. It +had plainly cost him dear to break his faith with +his confiding commander and the friends of his +early Christian home.</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes asked Hans if he would go with the +expedition. He answered promptly, "Yes."</p> + +<p>"Would you take your wife and baby?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Would you go without them?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>He was taken on board with his wife and baby. +The mother and her boy cried to go, but the +schooner was already overcrowded.</p> + +<p>Leaving Cape York, the vessel spread her sails +before a "ten-knot" breeze, and dodging the icebergs +with something of a reckless daring, seemed +bent on reaching the Polar Sea before winter set +in. At one time what appeared to be two icebergs +a short distance apart lay in the course of +the vessel. The helmsman was ordered to steer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +between them, for to go round involved quite a +circuit. On dashed the brave little craft for the +narrow passage. When she was almost abreast of +them the officer on the lookout shuddered to see +that the seeming bergs were but one, and that the +connecting ice appeared to be only a few feet below +the surface. It was too late to stop the headway of +the vessel, or to turn her to the right or left. She +rushed onward, but the water of the opening +proved to be deeper than it appeared, and her +keel but touched once or twice, just to show how +narrow was the escape.</p> + +<p>Hans was delighted with his return to ship life. +His wife seemed pleased and half bewildered +by the strange surroundings. The baby crowed, +laughed, and cried, and ate and slept—like other +babies.</p> + +<p>The sailors put the new comers through a soap-and-water +ordeal, to which was added the use of +scissors and combs. Esquimo do not bathe, nor +practice the arts of the barber, and consequently +they keep numerous boarders on their persons. +When this necessary cleansing and cropping was +done, they donned red shirts and other luxuries +of civilization. With the new dresses they were +delighted, and they were never tired of strutting +about in them. But the soap and water was not +so agreeable. At first it was taken as a rough +joke, but the wife soon began to cry. She inquired +of her husband if it was a religious ceremony +of the white men.</p> + +<p>The vessel made good time until she came<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> +within three miles of Cape Alexander. It was +now August twenty-eighth, and so it was time +these Arctic regions should begin to show their +peculiar temper. A storm came down upon them, +pouring the vials of its wrath upon the shivering +vessel for about three days. During a lull in the +storm the schooner was hauled under the shelter +of the highlands of Cape Alexander and anchored. +She rocked and plunged fearfully. At one time +when these gymnastics were going on, the old +Swedish cook came to the commander in the cabin +with refreshments, but he was hardly able to keep +his "sea legs." He remarks as he comes in, "I +falls down once, but de commander sees I keeps +de coffee. It's good an' hot, and very strong, and +go right down into de boots."</p> + +<p>"Bad night on deck, cook," remarks the captain.</p> + +<p>"O, it's awful, sar! I never see it blow so hard +in all my life, an' I's followed de sea morn'n forty +years. An' den it's so cold! My galley is full of +ice, and de water, it freeze on my stove."</p> + +<p>"Here, cook, is a guernsey for you. It will +keep you warm."</p> + +<p>"Tank you, sar!" says the cook, starting off +with his prize. But encouraged by the kind bearing +of his captain, he stops and asks, "Would the +commander be so kind as to tell me where we is? +De gentlemen fool me."</p> + +<p>"Certainly, cook. The land over there is Greenland; +the big cape is Cape Alexander; beyond +that is Smith's Sound, and we are only about eight +hundred miles from the North Pole."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> + +<p>"De Nort Pole! vere's dat?"</p> + +<p>The commander explains as well as he can.</p> + +<p>"Tank you, sar. Vat for we come—to fish?"</p> + +<p>"No, not to fish, cook; for science."</p> + +<p>"O, dat it! Dey tell me we come to fish. Tank +you, sar."</p> + +<p>The old cook pulls his greasy cap over his bald +head and thinks. "Science!" "De Nort Pole!" +He don't get the meaning of these through his +cap, and he "tumbles up" the companion-ladder, +and goes to the galley to enjoy his guernsey.</p> + +<p>Dr. Hayes and Knorr went ashore and climbed +to the top of the cliffs, twelve hundred feet. The +wind was fearfully breezy, and Knorr's cap left +and went sailing like a feather out to sea. The +view was full of arctic grandeur, but not flattering +to the storm-bound navigators. Ice was evidently +king a little farther north.</p> + +<p>Soon after the explorer's return to the vessel +the storm gathered fresh power, and the anchors +began to drag. Soon one hawser parted, and +away went the schooner, with fearful velocity, and +brought up against a berg. The crash was appalling, +and the stern boat flew into splinters. The +spars were either bent or carried away; and, as +they attempted to hoist the mainsail, it went to +pieces. The crippled craft was with difficulty +worked back into the projecting covert of Cape +Alexander. Her decks were covered with ice, +and the dogs were perishing with wet and cold, +three having died.</p> + +<p>Having repaired damages as well as they could,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> +they again pushed into the pack of Smith's Sound, +which lay between them and open water, visible +far to the north. Entering a lead under full sail, +they made good progress for awhile; but suddenly +a solid floe shot across the channel, and the vessel, +with full headway, struck it like a battering ram. +The cut-water flew into splinters, and the iron +sheathing of the bows was torn off as if it had +been paper.</p> + +<p>Pushing off from the floe, and passing through +a narrow lead, they emerged into an area of open +water. But the floe was on the alert. This began +to close up, and, taking a hint of foul play, the +explorers steered toward the shore. But the ice +battalions moved with celerity, piled up across the +vessel's bow, and closed in on every side. In an +hour they held her as in a vice, while the reserve +force was called up to crush her to atoms. The +foe was jubilant, for the power at his command +was kindred to that of the earthquake. An ice-field +of millions of tons, moved by combined wind +and current, rushed upon the solid ice-field which +rested against the immovable rocks of the shore. +Between these was the schooner—less than an +egg-shell between colliding, heavily laden freight +trains. As the pressure came steadily, in well +assured strength, she groaned and shrieked like a +thing of conscious pain, writhing and twisting as +if striving to escape her pitiless adversary. Her +deck timbers bowed, and the seams of the deck-planks +opened, while her sides seemed ready to +yield.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span></p> + +<p>Thus far the closing forces were permitted to +strike severely on the side of the helpless vessel, +to show that they could crush her as rotten fruit +is crushed in a strong man's hand. Then He, +without whose permission no force in nature +moves, and at whose word they are instantly +stayed, directed the floe under the strongly timbered +"bilge" of the hull, and, with a jerk which +sent the men reeling about the deck, lifted the +vessel out of the water. The floes now fought +their battle out beneath her, as if they disdained, +like the lion with the mouse in his paw, to crush +so small a thing. Great ridges were piled up +about her, and one underneath lifted her high into +the air. Eight hours she remained in this situation, +while the lives of all on board seemed suspended +on the slenderest thread.</p> + +<p>Then came the yielding and breaking up of the +floes. Once, at the commencing of the giving +way, an ice prop of the bows suddenly yielded, +let the forward end of the vessel down while the +stern was high in the air. But finally the battered +craft settled squarely into the water.</p> + +<p>She was leaking badly, and the pumps were +kept moving with vigor. The rudder was split, +and two of its bolts broken; the stern-post +started, and fragments of the cut-water and keel +were floating away. But, strange to say, no essential +injury was done. She was slowly navigated +into Hartstene or <i>Etah</i> Bay, where we have been +so often, anchored safely, and repairs immediately +commenced.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE WINTER HOME.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>ONE more effort, after the repairs were finished, +was made to push through the ice-floe +of Smith's Sound. This resulting in failure, +it was plainly impossible to get farther north. +The vessel was brought into Etah Bay again, a +harbor found eight miles north-east of Cape Alexander, +and eighty by the coast from the harbor of +the "Advance," though only twenty in a straight +line, and preparations were at once begun for winter. +Peter, the Esquimo dog-driver, and Hans +were appointed a hunting party. Sontag, the +astronomer, with three assistants, was mainly engaged +in scientific observations and experiments. +There was work for all the rest. Some were engaged +in unloading the cargo and lifting it by a +derrick to a terrace on the shore, far above the +highest tide, where a storehouse was made for it. +The hold of the schooner was cleared, scrubbed, +and white-washed, a stove set up, and made a +home for the sailors. The sails and yards were +"sent down," the upper deck roofed in, making a +house eight feet high at the ridge, and six and a +half at the sides.</div> + +<p>The crew moved into their new quarters on the +first of October. The event was celebrated by a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> +holiday dinner. There was joy on shipboard; +thankful for escapes granted by the great Protector, +trustful for the future, and, greatly encouraged +by present blessings, none were unhappy. +The hunters were very successful, bringing in +every day game of the best kind, and in great +abundance. A dozen reindeer were suspended +from the shrouds, and clusters of rabbits and +foxes were hung in the rigging; besides these, +deposits of reindeer were made in various directions. +The hard-working men ate heartily of the +relishing fresh food, and laughed to scorn the +scurvy. They called the place of their winter +quarters Port Foulke.</p> + +<p>When the floe became frozen, the sledges were +put in readiness for the dog-teams. The dogs +having been well fed, were in fine condition.</p> + +<p>Blocks of ice were used to make a wall about +the vessel, from the floe to the deck, between +which and her sides the snow was crowded, making +a solid defense against the cold.</p> + +<p>On the fifteenth of October the sun bade them +farewell for four months, and they anticipated the +coming darkness under circumstances certainly +much better than had been often granted to arctic +sojourners.</p> + +<p>As there was yet a long twilight, dog-trips were +very exhilarating. Dr. Hayes once rode behind +his dogs twelve measured miles in an hour and +one minute, without a moment's halt. Sontag and +the captain raced their teams, the captain beating, +as was becoming, by four minutes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> + +<p>The dogs were made to know their masters—a +knowledge quite necessary for the good of all. +Jensen observed that one of his team was getting +rebellious. "You see dat beast," he said. "I +takes a piece out of his ear." The long lash unrolls, +the sinewy snapper on its tip touches the tip +of the dog's ear, and takes out a piece as neatly as +a sharp knife would have done.</p> + +<p>The same day Jensen's skill at dog driving was +put to a severe test. A fox crossed their path. +Up went their tails, curling over their backs, their +short ears pricked forward, and away they went in +full chase. In such a case woe be to the driver +who cannot take a piece of flesh out of any dog in +the team at each snap of his merciless whip. Jensen +was usually master of such a situation, but it +so happened that a strong wind blew directly in +the face of the team and carried the lash back before +it reached its victim. Missing its terrible +bite, the dogs became for a while unmanageable +and raced after the fox at full speed. To make +matters worse, treacherous ice lay just ahead. +The dogs were already on the heels of the fox, and +about to make a meal of him, when Jensen regained +full control of his whip. It stung severely, now +this one and then that. Their tails dropped, their +ears drooped, and they paused and obeyed their +master. But they were greatly provoked at the +loss of the game, and at the harsh subjection, and, +with characteristic amiability, they commenced to +snap at and bite each other. Jensen jumped from +the sledge and laid the whip-stock on them, knocking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span> +them to the right and left, until, it is presumed, +made very loving by the process, they went about +their assigned business.</p> + +<p>Parties of the explorers were out nearly every +day, hunting, or pursuing the scientific inquiries.</p> + +<p>Knorr, the secretary of the commander, was +off with Hans. He had his adventure to talk about +on his return. He wounded in the valley a reindeer, +which hobbled on three legs up a steep +hill. The young hunter followed, and, getting +within easy range, brought it down by a well-aimed +shot. The deer being in a line with Knorr, came +sliding down the hill, and, knocking against him, +both went tumbling down together. Fortunately +he carried no broken bones, but only bruises +to the vessel as mementoes of his deer hunt.</p> + +<p>Sontag, on the same day, had his perilous incident. +He had climbed to the top of a glacier by +cutting steps in the ice. Across the ice was a +crack, bridged over with thin ice, but entirely concealed +by it. Stepping on this he broke through +and fell into the chasm; fortunately it was a narrow +one, and the barometer which he carried, +crossing the creek, broke the fall and probably +saved his life. On what a slender thread hangs +this mortal existence!</p> + +<p>During this sledging season Dr. Hayes visited +the homes of our old acquaintance at Etah, which +was only four miles from the schooner; but they +were deserted. Near the huts was a splendid +buck, busily engaged in pawing up and eating the +moss from under the snow. He seemed so unsuspecting,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> +and withal so honestly engaged, that the +doctor, though he had crept on the leeward side, +within easy range, was reluctant to fire. Twice +he aimed, and twice dropped his gun from its level. +Bringing it to sight the third time he fired, and +the ball went crashing through the noble animal. +We hear nothing of compunction in eating him on +the part of any on shipboard, and probably the +pitying reader would have had none.</p> + +<p>Our old friend Hans does not appear so favorably +in the present narrative as he did in that of +Dr. Kane. His five years of chosen exile among +his purely heathen countrymen does not seem to +have left many traces of his Christian education. +Some allowance, however, must be made for a difference +of estimate of his character by his former +and present commander. In Dr. Hayes's judgment, +"he is a type of the worst phase of the Esquimo +character."</p> + +<p>Hans's domestic relations are represented as +not of the most happy kind. His wife's name is +Merkut, but is known to the sailors as "Mrs. +Hans." She passes for a "beauty," as Esquimo +beauty goes; has a flush of red on rather a fair +cheek when, exceptionally, she uses soap and +water enough for it to be seen through the usual +coating of dirt. Their baby, ten months' old, bears +the pleasant name of Pingasuk—"Pretty One." +Hans has a household of his own. He pitched a +tent, when the schooner went into winter-quarters, +under the roof of the upper deck. The Esquimo +Marcus and Jacob make a part of his family.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> +Here, wrapped in their furs, where they choose +to be, they huddle together, warm "as fleas in +a rug," though the temperature is seldom higher +than about the freezing point. Little "Pretty +One" creeps out of the tent about the deck, having +for covering only the ten months' accumulation +of grease and dirt, not unfrequently accompanied +by its mother, who on such occasion is guiltless +of "costly array," or much of any whatever.</p> + +<p>Hans's gentlemen lodgers were taken on board +as dog-drivers, but they seemed to have been of +no possible use except to give occasion for the +mirthful jokes of the sailors.</p> + +<p>Peter, chief dog manager, a converted Esquimo, +brother to Jacob, gave his commander excellent +satisfaction and stood high in his esteem. He was +skillful, industrious, and trustworthy. Between him +and Hans an intense jealousy existed. Hans had, +under Dr. Kane, no rival in his sphere. Peter was +now, at least, a peer, and so the glory of his exaltation +from Esquimo hut-life was greatly eclipsed. +His master even preferred Peter before him; but +Prof. Sontag clung, with a little of the Dr. Kane +partiality, to the favorite of the former voyage.</p> + +<p>Hans had no reason, however, to complain of the +consideration shown him by his chief. At one +time he gave him, to quiet his jealousy, a new suit +of clothes, with the very reddest of flannel shirts. +In these he appeared at the Sunday inspection +and religious service, quite as elated at his personal +adornment, though probably not more so, as +the "fine gents" of our home Sabbath assemblies.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXX.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>GLACIERS.</div> + +<div class='cap'>THE glacier is one of the wonderful things +of the northern regions. We will visit one +with Dr. Hayes, and, on our return to the vessel, +listen to some curious and interesting facts concerning +it. Although there was no sunshine at the +time of the first glacier excursion, the twilight was +long and clear; it was October twenty-first. The +run was made to the foot of the glacier from the +vessel, with the dogs, in forty minutes. It appeared +here as a great ice-wall, one hundred feet +high and a mile broad. The glacier in descending +the valley extended in breadth not quite to +the slope of the hills, so it left between them and +each of its sides a gorge. It is very curious that +the ice should not lean against the hills as it +slips along and thus fill up all the valley as water +would.</div> + +<p>Our party first stopped and examined the front +face of the glacier. It was nearly perpendicular, +but bulging out a little in the middle. It was +worn in places by the summer streams which run +over it, and marred in other parts by the fall of +great fragments into the valley below. While our +visitors were gazing at it a crystal block came +down as an angry hint for them to stand from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> +under. Wisely heeding the warning, they turned up +one of the gorges between the glacier side and the +hill. Here was rough traveling, and, we should +think, dangerous too. There were strewed along +in their path ice fragments from the glacier on +one side, and rocks and earth which had slid +down the hill on the other. If the glacier was as +evil disposed as its children, the icebergs, it might +let loose some of its projecting crags on their heads.</p> + +<p>Finding a favorable place, they began to cut +steps in the side of the glacier in order to mount +to its surface. Having reached the top they cautiously +walked to the center of the icy stream, +drove two stakes on a line in it, and then two half +way between these and the sides of the glacier. +Then they measured the distance of these stakes +from each other, and sighted from their tops fixed +objects on the hills. They purposed to come in the +spring and examine the distance apart of the stakes, +and sight from them the fixed objects, so as to determine +how fast the frozen river was moving down +the valley. Having set the stakes they scampered +back to the vessel.</p> + +<p>After a little rest another journey to the glacier +was made, this time without the dogs, the sledges, +having a light outfit, being drawn by the men. +These were young Knorr, the sailor M'Donald, +Mr. Heywood, a landsman from the west—an amateur +explorer—the Dane, Petersen, and the Esquimo, +Peter. When they arrived at the gorge, +the way was so rough that they were compelled to +carry the sledge loads in parcels on their backs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span> +It was rough work, and they sought an early camp; +but with the frowning ice-cliffs on one side and hill-crags +on the other, both evil-minded in the use of +their icy and rocky missiles, and with also the uneven +bed of rocks beneath them, no wonder they +did not sleep. They were soon astir, pushed farther +up the gorge, and finding a favorable place, +began to cut steps up the glacier. The first one +who attempted to mount reached some distance, +then slipped, and in sliding down carried with +him his companions who were following, and +the whole company were promiscuously tumbled +into the gorge. The one going ahead had better +luck the next trial, carrying a rope by which the +sledge was drawn up, and all mounted in safety.</p> + +<p>They now started off up this ice-river toward +the great sea of ice from whence it flowed. The +surface was at first rough, and of course slightly +descending toward its front edge. Dr. Hayes +walked in advance of the sledge party, carrying a +pole over his head grasped by both hands, being +fearful of the treacherous cracks hidden by their +ice. Soon down he went into one, but the pole +reached across the chasm and he scrambled out. +The depth of the chasm remains a mystery to this +day. The ice grew smoother as they proceeded, +and they made about five miles, pitched their canvas +tents, cooked with their lamp a good supper, +made coffee, ate and drank like weary men, crept +into their fur sleeping bags, and slept soundly +though the thermometer was about fifteen degrees +below zero. The next day they traveled thirty<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> +miles, and came upon an even plain where the +surface of the ice-sea was covered with many feet +of snow, the crust of which broke through at every +step. This made very hard traveling, yet the following +day they tramped twenty-five miles more. +Now came the ever-at-hand Arctic storm. They +camped, but lower and lower fell the temperature, +and fiercer and fiercer blew the wind. They could +not sleep, so they decided to turn their faces homeward. +The frost nipped their fingers, and assailed +their faces, as they hastily packed up and started. +They were five thousand feet above the level of +the sea, and seventy miles from the coast, and +were standing in the midst of a vast icy desert. +There was neither mountain nor hill in sight. As +in mid-ocean the sailor beholds the sea bounded +only by the sky, so here they beheld only ice, which +stretched away to the horizon on every side—truly +a sea of ice. Clouds of snow whirled along its +surface, at times rising and disappearing in the +cold air, or drifted across the face of the setting +moon—beautiful clouds of fleecy whiteness to the +eye, but "burning" the flesh as they pelted the +retreating explorers, like the fiery sand-clouds of +the Great Sahara. They scud before the wind, +which they dared not for a moment face, nor +halted until they had traveled forty miles and +descended two thousand feet. They then pitched +their tents, the cold and wind having lessened +though yet severe. They arrived at the ship the +next evening, not seriously the worse for their daring +"sea-voyage" on foot.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span></p> + +<p>Having been refreshed by food and rest, no +doubt our explorers discussed the great glacier +problem, and pleasantly chased away many an +hour in talk about what they had seen and what +they had read on this interesting subject. We +think their conversation included some of the following +facts:—</p> + +<p>The ice upon which they had been voyaging is +a part of a great ocean of ice covering the central +line of Greenland from Cape Farewell on the +south to the farthest known northern boundary, +a distance of at least twelve hundred miles. Instead +of being formed of drops of water like more +southern oceans, it is made up of crystallized dew-drops +and snow-flakes, which have been falling for +ages, and which in these cold regions have no +summer long enough, nor of sufficient heat, to convert +them into water again.</p> + +<p>But if the crystal dews and snows continue to +fall for ages, and never melt, what prevents them +from piling up to the sky, and sinking the very +continent? The all-wise Director of the universe +has made a very curious arrangement to prevent +such a result. This ice-ocean runs off into the +sea in great ice-rivers which find their way to the +shore on both sides of the continent, just as the +water does which falls from the clouds on the top +of the Andes of South America. There we see +the mighty Amazon, one of its rivers, almost an +ocean of itself, as it sweeps along its banks between +mountains, and through immense forests. +Greenland has its Amazons in vastness and grandeur,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> +as well as its smaller rivers and little streams. +It has also its lakes and sublime Niagaras, its falls +and cascades. But they are ice instead of water; +that is all the difference between this Arctic circulation +and that of warmer regions.</p> + +<p>But of course this ice is not like that which +many of the readers see every winter. It is a half-solid, +pasty kind of substance. It holds together, +yet slides along from the higher land where it accumulates, +filling up the valleys, breaking through +the openings in the mountain and hilly ridges, and +pouring over the precipices; slowly, silently, but +with mighty force, ever pressing onward until it +reaches the sea.</p> + +<p>These ice rivers move very slowly. It will be +remembered that Dr. Hayes drove some stakes +down in the one he visited in October. In the +following July he visited the glacier again, and +compared the relation of these to the landmarks +he had noted. He thus found that this ice-river +moved over one hundred feet a year. It had +come down the valley ten miles. Two more +miles would bring it to the sea. Some glacier +streams which they visited were yet many miles +from the shore, one as far away as sixty miles. +The Great Glacier of Humboldt, farther north, +was several times visited by Dr. Kane and parties +of his explorers. Its face is a solid, glassy wall +three hundred feet above the water-level, and +in extending from Cape Agassiz, a measured distance +north, of sixty miles, and then disappearing +in the unknown polar regions. Surely this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span> +must be the mouth of the Amazon of glacier +rivers.</p> + +<p>But the history of these rivers does not end +when they reach the sea. When their broad and +high glassy front touches the water it does not +melt away nor fall to pieces, but goes down to the +bottom, and if it be a shallow bay or arm of the +sea, pushes the water back and fills up the whole +space, it may be for many miles. When it reaches +water so deep that more than seven eighths of its +front is below the surface, it begins to feel an upward +pressure, just as a piece of wood when forced +below its natural water-line will spring back. So +after a while this upward pressure breaks off the +massive front, perhaps miles in extent, and many +hundred feet in height. As this is launched into +the sea its thunder crash is heard for miles, and +the water boils like a caldron, while the disengaged +mass rolls and plunges until, finding its equilibrium, +it sails away a majestic ICEBERG. Hereafter +the snow will at times cover it with a mantle +of pure whiteness; the fierce storms will beat upon +its defiant brow; the beams of the rising and setting +sun will display their sparkling glories on +its craggy top, or, falling upon the misty cloud +which envelopes it, will encircle it with all the +varying hues of the rainbow. As it voyages in +stately dignity southward, anchored, it may be, at +times for months, it will pass in sullen silence the +drear, long, dark Arctic night, and emerge into +the brief summer to be enlivened as the home +of innumerable sea-fowl, who will rear their young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span> +upon its cold breast. Ultimately it will go back +to the drops of water from which it came, to make +a part of the great ocean, and possibly to sail +away in clouds over the frozen regions, and to +drop again upon its glassy plain in sparkling +crystals.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>A STRANGE DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE winter was fully settled down upon Port +Foulke, but the dwellers in the schooner +"United States" knew nothing of the anxieties +and suffering from cold and hunger which most of +the arctic voyagers have known. There was one +foe, however, which they, in common with all who +had gone before them, had to fight; namely, depression +of mind produced by the weeks of inactivity +and darkness. We have seen how many +means were used by earlier as well as later explorers +to meet and vanquish this foe. Dr. Hayes +availed himself of the hints given by his predecessors, +and had some devices peculiarly his own. +To the "school of navigation," dramatic performances, +and the publishing of a weekly "newspaper," +was added the pleasant stimulus of a celebration +of the birthday of every man on board. +Such occasions were attended by special dinners, +the passing of complimentary notes of invitations +to the intended guests, which included all, and by +fun-making, at which all laughed as a matter of +course.</div> + +<p>On Sunday all assembled in their clean and +best suits. Brief religious service was performed +in the presence of all, and the day was spent in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> +reading or conversation, save the performance of +the necessary routine work.</p> + +<p>During the favoring light of the moon some +excursions were attempted. One was made by +Professor Sontag, accompanied by Hans and Jensen +with two dog sledges. The object was to +reach the harbor where Dr. Kane's "Advance" +had been left, and ascertain if possible her fate. +He started early in November, but returned in a +few days, baffled by the hummocks and wide +intervening, treacherous ice-cracks. The party +had an encounter with and captured a bear and +her cub. The mother fought with maternal fury +for her child, tossed the dogs one after another +until some of the stoutest and bravest retired +bleeding and yelping from the field, and at times +charged upon and scattered the whole pack, while +the cub itself behaved bravely in its own defense. +When the men came up they threw in, of course, +the fatal odds of rifle balls. Once Hans, his gun +having failed to go off, seized an Esquimo lance +and ran at the beast. Accepting the challenge of a +hand-to-hand fight, she made at him with such +spirit that he dropped the lance and ran, and +nothing saved the cub from supping on Esquimo +meat but two well-directed balls, which whizzed at +the right moment from the guns of Sontag and +Jensen. The bears made a splendid resistance to +the unprovoked attack upon them in the peaceable +pursuit of an honest calling, that of getting +a living, but were conquered and eaten.</p> + +<p>Among the sad events of the winter was a fatal<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> +disease among the dogs. They all died but nine +by the middle of December. This was alarming, +for upon them depended mainly the spring excursions +North Poleward. Such being the situation, +Sontag took at this time the surviving dogs, and, +on a sledge with Hans as a driver, started south +in pursuit of Esquimo. If they could be brought +with their dogs into the vicinity of the ship and +fed, there would be a fair chance of having dog-sledges +when they were wanted. The nearest +known Esquimo family was at Northumberland +Island, a hundred miles off, and others were at +the south side of Whale Sound, fifty miles farther—perhaps +all had gone to the most distant point. +They departed in fine spirits, and well equipped. +Hans cracked his whip, and the dogs, well fed +and eager for a run, caused the sledge to glide +over the ice with the velocity of a locomotive. +Their companions sent after them a "hip! hip, +hurrah!" and a "tiger." The moon shed her +serene light on their path, and all seemed to promise +a speedy and successful return.</p> + +<p>The second night after their departure the +solicitous commander had a strange, disquieting +dream. He says in the journal of the following +morning: "I stood with Sontag far out upon the +frozen sea, when suddenly a crash was heard +through the darkness, and in an instant a crack +opened in the ice between us. It came so suddenly +and widened so rapidly that he could not +spring over it to where I stood, and he sailed away +on the dark waters of a troubled sea. I last saw<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> +him standing firmly upon the crystal raft, his erect +form cutting sharply against a streak of light +which lay upon the distant horizon."</p> + +<p>Christmas came and was duly regarded. Stores +of nice things, the gifts of friends far away, were +brought out from secret corners where they had +been hid. The tables were loaded with that +which satisfied the appetite and gratified the eye, +while the rooms of officers and men blazed with +cheerful lights. Outside a feeble aurora seemed +to be trying to exhibit an inspiring illumination, +which contrasted strongly with its cloudy background.</p> + +<p>January, 1861, came, and half its days passed, +yet no tidings came from Sontag. The twilight +had returned, and already the coming sun was +heralded along the golden horizon. The commander +was becoming uneasy concerning the +missing ones, and began to devise ways of knowing +what had become of them. Mr. Dodge was +sent to follow their tracks, which he did as far as +Cape Alexander, where he lost them and returned. +A party was instantly put in readiness for farther +search, and was about to start on the morning of +January twenty-seventh, when a violent storm +arose, detaining it two days. As it was on the +instant of starting again, two Esquimo suddenly +appeared at the vessel's side. One of them was +Ootiniah, who appears so creditably in the narrative +of Dr. Hayes's boat voyage. They were bearers +of sad news. Professor Sontag was dead. Hans +was on his way to the vessel with his wife, father<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> +and mother, and their son, a lad who was left behind +with mother when Hans was first taken on +board of the schooner. Some of the dogs had +died, and the family were necessarily moving +slowly.</p> + +<p>Two days later Hans came in with the boy +only, having left the dogs and the old people near +Cape Alexander and come on for help. He was +very cold and much exhausted, and both were +sent below for food, warmth, and rest, before being +questioned concerning the disastrous journey. +The large sledge, drawn by fresh men, was sent for +those left behind. The old people were found +coiled up in an excavation made in a snow bank, +and the dogs huddled together near them, neither +dogs nor Esquimo being able to stir, and so all +were bundled in a heap on the sledge and drawn +to the schooner. The hardy savages soon revived +under the influence of good quarters and +good eating, but the dogs, five in number, the +remnant of the strong force of thirty-six, lay on +the deck unable to stir, and not disposed to eat.</p> + +<p>Hans's story was this:—</p> + +<p>They made a good run the first day, passing +Cape Alexander, and camped in a snow hut on +Sunderland Island. The next day they reached +an Esquimo settlement, but found its huts forsaken. +Resting and eating here, they started for +Northumberland Island, and having traveled about +five miles, Sontag, becoming chilled, sprang from +the sledge and ran ahead of the dogs for warmth +by exercise. Hans having occasion to halt the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> +team to disentangle a trace fell some distance behind. +He was urging forward his team to overtake +his master when he saw him sinking. He +had come upon thin ice covering a recently open +crack, and had broken through. Hans hastened +up and helped him from the water. A light wind +was blowing, which disposed Sontag not to attempt +to change his wet clothes—the fatal error. They +hastened back to the hut in which they had spent +the night. At first the professor ran, but after a +while jumped on the sledge, and when he reached +the hut he was stiff and speechless. Hans lifted +him into the hut, drew off his wet clothes, and +placed him into his sleeping bag. Having tightly +closed the hut, he set the lamp ablaze, and administered +to him a portion of brandy from a +flask found on the sledge. But the cold had done +its fatal work; he remained speechless and unconscious +for nearly twenty-four hours, and died.</p> + +<p>Hans closed up the hut to prevent beasts of +prey from disturbing the body, continued south, +and on the second night came upon a village where +he was rejoiced to find several native families, who +were living in the midst of abundance. Here +Hans rested until two Esquimo boys, whom he +hired with the Sontag presents, could go to Cape +York after his wife's parents and their son. They +over-drove or starved four of the dogs, which were +left by the way.</p> + +<p>The natives whom he found were ready on the +moment of his arrival to return to the vessel with +him, and Ootiniah and his companion were the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> +first to show their good-will by starting with Hans +on his return.</p> + +<p>A few weeks later the body of Sontag was brought +to the vessel, a neat coffin was made for it, and +the whole ship's company followed it, mourning, +to its last resting-place. The burial service was +read, and it was carefully secured from molestation. +At a later period a mound was raised over it, +and a chiseled stone slab, with his name and age, +marked the head.</p> + +<p>August Sontag was only twenty-eight years of +age when thus suddenly cut off. His loss to the +expedition was very great.</p> + +<p>Hans's parents and brother were added to his +own family on deck, and proved to be much more +efficient helpers in domestic affairs than Mrs. +Hans. The boy was washed and scrubbed and +combed by the sailors, with whom he became a +great favorite, filling much the place on board as a +pet monkey, and proved to be full as annoying to +the old cook, who, in his extreme vexation at his +mischievous tricks, threatened to "kill him—<i>a +le-e-t-le</i>." The old folks getting tired of the close +quarters on board, built after a while a snow hut +on the floe, and set up housekeeping for themselves.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE CROWNING SLEDGE JOURNEY.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>"THE glorious sun" reappeared February +eighteenth, tarrying only a moment, but +giving a sure prophecy of a coming to stay. Scarcely +less welcome was the appearance soon after of +Kalutunah, Tattarat, and Myouk, all old acquaintance +whom the reader will not fail to recognize. +Kalutunah was Angekok and Nalegak—priest and +chief. His gruff old rival, who advised the starvation +policy toward the escaping party in the miserable +old hut, had been harpooned in the back and +buried alive under a heap of stones. These comers +brought the much-desired dogs, and they were +followed by other old friends from Northumberland +Island with additional dog-teams. These +natives were treated with consideration—they were +made content with abundant food and flattered +with presents, all of which told favorably upon the +success of the enterprise of the generous donors.</div> + +<p>In the middle of March the northward excursions +commenced. The first consisted of a party +of three, Dr. Hayes and Kalutunah driving a team +of six dogs, and Jensen with a sledge of nine. It +was to be a trial trip, and the experiment began +rather roughly. A few miles only had been made +when Jensen, whose team was ahead, broke through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span> +the ice, and dogs and man went floundering together +into a cold bath. The other team, fortunately, +was just at hand, so they were drawn out, +and all returned to the vessel for a fresh and warm +start. The next trial they were gone four days, +and traversed the Greenland shore to Cape Agassiz +and to the commencement of the Great +Glacier. The cold at one time was sixty-eight and +a half degrees below zero. Yet the sun's rays +through even such an atmosphere blistered the +skin! The grains of snow became like gravel, and +the sledge runners grated over it as if running on the +summer sand of our own sea-shore. Kalutunah had +an ingenious remedy for this. He dissolved snow +in his mouth, and pouring the water into his hand +coated the runners with it. It instantly freezing, +made something like a glass plating for them.</p> + +<p>Kalutunah was greatly puzzled in attempting to +understand why this journey was made. But his +perplexity took the form of disgust when the fresh +tracks were seen of a bear and cub, and the white +chief forbade the chase. He argued in the interest +of Dr. Hayes, who might thereby have a new +fur coat, pointed to the hungry dogs, and finally +pleaded for his own family, who were longing for +bear meat. But all in vain. The circumstances had +changed since, in the same spot nearly, he had +urged the dogs after a bear in spite of Dr. Kane, +and thus defeated the purpose of his long trip.</p> + +<p>On their return they turned into Van Rensselaer +Harbor, the place made so famous by Dr. Kane's +expedition. Every thing there was changed. Instead<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> +of smooth ice, over which Dr. Kane's party +came and went so often, there were hummocks +piled up every-where in the wildest confusion. +Where the "Advance" was left when her men took +a last look at her was an ice-pile towering as high +as were her mast-heads. Old localities were undiscernible +from the snow and icy aggressions. +A small piece of a deck-plank picked up near +Butler Island was all that could be found of the +"Advance." The Esquimo told nearly as many +diverse stories of her history after the white men +left her as there were persons to testify, and some +individuals, apparently to increase the chance of +saying some item of truth, told many different +stories. According to these witnesses she drifted +out to sea and sunk, (the most probable statement,) +she was knocked to pieces so far as possible and +carried off by the Esquimo, and she was accidentally +set on fire and burned. The graves of Baker +and Pierre remained undisturbed, but the beacon +built over them was broken down and scattered.</p> + +<p>The result of this experimental trip was the decision +of the commander not to attempt to reach +the Open Polar Sea by the Greenland shore, but +to cross Smith Sound at Cairn Point, a few miles +north of the schooner. To this point provisions +were immediately carried on the sledges for the +summer journey beyond.</p> + +<p>On the third of April the grand effort to reach +the North Pole commenced. The party consisted +of twelve persons, who were early at their assigned +positions alongside of the schooner. Jensen was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span> +at the head of the line of march, on the sledge +"Hope," to which were harnessed eight dogs; +Knorr came next, "the whip" of the "Perseverance," +with six dogs. Then came a metallic life-boat +with which the Polar Sea was to be navigated, +mounted on a sledge and drawn by men each with +shoulder strap and trace. Flags fluttered from +boat and sledges, all was enthusiasm, and at the +word "march" the dogs dashed away, the men +bent bravely to their earnest work, the "swivel" +on deck thundered its good-bye, and the party were +soon far away.</p> + +<p>The very first day's exposure nearly proved +fatal to several of the party. One settled himself +down in the snow muttering, "I'm freezing," and +would have proved in a half hour his declaration +had not two more hardy men taken him in charge. +The spirits of the men ran low, and they were +two hours in building a snow-hut in which to hide +from the pitiless wind. A rest at Cairn Point and +increased experience gave them more energy, and +the next snow-hut was made in less than one hour. +They proved the snow-shovel a fine heat generator. +On the fifth night out they were overtaken by a +storm, and were detained two days in their hut. +This was a pit in the snow eighteen feet long, eight +wide, and four deep. Across its top were placed +the boat-oars; across these the sledge was laid; +over the sledge was thrown the boat's sails; and +over the sails snow was shoveled. They crawled +into this hut through a hole which they filled up +after them with a block of snow. Over the floor—a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> +leveled snow floor—they spread an India-rubber +cloth; on this was laid a carpet of buffalo-skins, +and over this another of equal size. Between +these they crept to sleep, the outside man +of the row having no little difficulty in preventing +his companions from "pulling the clothes off." +The wind without blew its mightiest blow, and +piled the snow up over the poor dogs, which were +huddled together for mutual warmth, and were +kept restless in poking their noses above the drift. +The cooks were obliged to call to their help the +commander in order to keep the lamp from being +puffed out, and two hours were consumed in getting +a steaming pot of coffee. But after a while +the bread and coffee, and dried meat and potato +hash, were abundantly and regularly served, and +the men contrived to pass in talk and song and +sleep the hours of the really dreary imprisonment.</p> + +<p>Before the storm had fully subsided, the party +went on the back track to bring up to this point a +part of the provisions they had been obliged to +deposit. This done, they put their faces to the +opposite, or American side of the sound. But the +difficulties were truly fearful. The ice, like great +bowlders, was scattered over the entire surface, +now piled in ridges ten, twenty, and even a hundred +feet high, and then scattered over a level +area with only a narrow and ever-twisting way +between them. Over these ridges the sledges +had to be lifted, the load often taken off and carried +up in small parcels, and the sledges and boat +drawn up and let down again. Frequently in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> +midst of this toil a man would fall into a chasm +up to his waist; another would go out of sight in +one. These terrible traps were so covered with a +crust of snow that they could not be discerned. +The boat was, of course, capsized often, and much +battered. When a ridge had been scaled, and the +party had picked their way for a time through the +winding path among the ice-bowlders, they would +come to a sudden impassable barrier, and be +obliged to retrace their steps. A whole day of +gigantic exertion, and of many miles of zigzag +travel, would sometimes advance them only a rifle-shot +in a straight line.</p> + +<p>Of course it was simply impossible to carry the +boat, and it was abandoned. They were yet only +about thirty miles from Cairn Point, but had traveled +perhaps five times that distance.</p> + +<p>For several days after this the heroic explorers +struggled on. A fresh snow with a half-frozen +crust was added to their other obstacles. Hummocks +and ridges and pitfalls grew worse and +worse. The sledges broke, the limbs of the men +were bruised and sprained, their strength exhausted, +and at last their spirits failed. They had toiled +twenty-five days, advanced half way across the +sound, and brought along about eight hundred +pounds of food.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-eighth of April the main party +were sent homeward. Dr. Hayes, Knorr, M'Donald, +and Jensen, pushed on toward the American +shore. Their way was, as one of the party remarked, +like a trip through New York over the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> +tops of the houses. They progressed a mile and a +half, and traveled at least twelve, carrying their provisions +over the ground by repeating the journey +many times. Such was the daily experience, varied +by many exciting incidents. Jensen sprained +a leg which had been once broken; the dogs were +savage as the wildest wolves with hunger, though +having a fair amount of food; once Knorr in feeding +them stumbled and fell into the midst of the +pack, and would have doubtless been devoured as +a generous morsel of food tossed to them, had not +M'Donald pounced upon them at the moment with +lusty blows from a whip-stock. All four of the +explorers held out bravely in this fearful strain on +mind and body, even young Knorr never shrinking +from the hardest work, nor the longest continued +exertions.</p> + +<p>On the eleventh of May the party encamped +under the shadow of Cape Hawkes, on Grinnell +Land, off the American coast. The distance from +Cairn Point, in a straight line northwest, was eighty +miles. They had been traveling thirty-one days, +and made a twisting and clambering route of five +hundred miles.</p> + +<p>The travel up the coast had the usual variety +of dangers, hair-breadth escapes, and exhausting +toil. A little flag-staff, planted by Dr. Hayes during +the Kane expedition, was found bravely looking +out upon the drear field it was set to designate, +but the flag it bore had been blown away. Remains +of Esquimo settlements long deserted were +found. A raven <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'coaked'">croaked</ins> a welcome to the strangers,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> +or it may be a warning, and followed them several +days.</p> + +<p>On the fourth day up the coast Jensen, the +hardiest of the vessel's company, utterly failed. +He had strained his back as well as leg, and +groaned with pain. What could be done? The +party could not proceed with a sick man, nor +would they for a moment think of leaving him +alone. So the following course was adopted by +the commander: M'Donald was left in the snow-hut +with Jensen, with five days' food and five dogs, +with orders to remain five days, and then, if Hayes +and Knorr, who were to continue on, had not returned, +to make his best way with Jensen back +to the vessel.</p> + +<p>The journey of Dr. Hayes and Knorr was continued +two full days. On the morning of the third +day they had proceeded but a few miles when they +came to a stand. They had on their left the abrupt, +rocky, ice-covered <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'clifts'">cliffs</ins> of the shore; on +their right were high ridges of ice, through which +the waters of an open sea broke here and there +into bays and inlets which washed the shore. +Farther progress north by land or ice was impossible. +They climbed a cliff which towered eight +hundred feet above the sea, whose dark waters +were lost in the distance toward the north-east. +North, standing against the sky, was a noble headland, +the most northern known land, and only +about four hundred and fifty miles from the North +Pole. The spot on which our explorers stood was +about one degree farther north than that occupied<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span> +by Morton, of Kane's Expedition, yet on the shore +of the same open water. Now, if they only had +the boat they were obliged to leave among the +hummocks in Smith Sound, with the provisions +and men they had <i>hoped</i> to bring to this point, how +soon would they solve the mystery locked up from +the beginning, and in the keeping of his Frosty +Majesty of the Pole itself! But, alas! there were +neither boat nor provisions, and the movement of +the treacherous floes warned the daring strangers +that the bridge of ice over which they had come +to this side might soon be torn away, and make a +return impossible. They built a monument of +stones, raised on it a flag of triumph, deposited +beneath it a record of their visit placed in a bottle, +and turned their faces homeward.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>LAST INCIDENTS OF THE EXPEDITION.</div> + +<div class='cap'>DR. HAYES and Knorr were buffeted by a +fierce storm soon after starting. They were +over fifty miles from M'Donald and Jensen, only +ten of which were traversed before they were +obliged to encamp. But the storm howled, and +tossed the snow-clouds about them, making it impossible +to build a snow hut. After a brief halt, +and feeding the dogs with the last morsel of food +which remained, they pushed on. The snow was +deep, often nearly burying the dogs as they plunged +along; the hummocks and rocks over which they +climbed lay across their path, and the wind blew +with unabated fury; yet they halted not until the +remaining forty or more miles were accomplished, +and they tumbled into the hut of their companions. +The dogs rolled themselves together on the +snow the moment they were left, utterly exhausted. +The weary men slept a long, sound +sleep. When they awoke a steaming pot of coffee +and an abundant breakfast awaited them. They +had fasted thirty-four hours, and traveled in the +last twenty-two over forty miles, which the hummocks +and deep snow made equal to double that +distance of smooth sledging. The last few miles +were made in a state of partial bewilderment, so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span> +their final safety was another of their many marked +deliverances. The remaining run to the vessel +had its daily perils and escapes. As they were +approaching the American shore they stepped +across a crack on the ice. They had traveled but a +short distance when they perceived that there was +an impassable channel between them and the land +ice. They ran back to recross the crack, and +that had become twenty yards wide. They were, +in fact, on an ice-raft, and were sweeping helplessly +out to sea! They had hardly collected +their thoughts after this terrifying surprise before +one of the shore corners of their raft struck a +small grounded iceberg, and on this, as on a pivot, +the outer edge swung toward the shore, struck its +margin, allowed them to scamper off, and then +immediately swung again into the open water, and +shot out to sea.</div> + +<p>The poor dogs, being insufficiently fed, and +necessarily overworked, now began to fail. Jensen's +lameness compelling him to ride, increased +their burden. One died just before the party left +the hummocks, and two soon after. A fourth having +failed, the commander, thinking to shorten his +misery, shot him. The ball only wounding him, +he set up a terrible cry, at which his companions +flew at him, tore him in pieces, and, almost before +his last howl had died away in the dreary waste, +they had eaten the flesh from his bones.</p> + +<p>They arrived at the schooner safely after two +months' absence, during which they had traveled +thirteen hundred miles.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span></p> + +<p>The commander was cheered to learn that the +party who returned under M'Cormick had reached +Port Foulke in safety. The whole ship's company +were in good health. The vessel was immediately +thoroughly examined and put in sailing +order. As the summer came on, the birds, the +green mosses, hardy little flowers, several species +of moths and spiders, and even a yellow winged +butterfly, appeared to greet its coming. The open +water was daily coming nearer the schooner. +While awaiting the loosening of its icy fetters, a +boat's crew had an exciting walrus hunt. Dr. +Hayes had been on a hill-top which overlooked +the bay, when the hoarse bellowing of distant walrus +saluted his ears. Drifting ice-rafts were coming +down the sound, on which great numbers of +these monsters could be seen. He hurried to the +vessel, and called for volunteers. Soon a whale-boat +was manned, and the men, armed with three +rifles and a harpoon and line, dragged it to the +open water, launched it, and rowed into the midst +of the drift-ice. The first cake of ice which +they approached contained a freight of twenty-four +walruses, pretty well covering it. The lubberly, +ugly looking sea-hogs appeared as content as +their very distant relatives of our sties, while they +huddled together and twisted for the sunniest spot, +and bellowed in one another's ears. Our hunters +were all eager for the fight as they approached +with muffled oars, but on coming near to the floe, +it was apparent that the hunt was not to be all +fun, nor the fighting on one side only. The hides<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> +of the monsters looked like an iron plating, and +were, in fact, an inch thick, smooth, hairless, and +tough, suggesting a good defensive ability; while +their great tusks, projecting from a jaw of elephantine +strength, hinted unpleasantly to the invaders +that their antagonists were prepared for assault as +well as defense. Very likely if one could have +seen at that moment the countenances of our +boat's crew, they would have shown more of a +wish to be in the vessel's cabin than they would +have cared to confess with their lips. But there +was no flinching. There were two male walruses +in the herd—huge, fierce-looking fellows, which +roused up a moment to scan the strangers, and +then, giving each other a punch in the face with +their tusks, stretched out again upon the ice to +sleep.</p> + +<p>In this walrus party there were, besides the two +fathers, mothers with children of various ages, +from the "little ones" of four hundred pounds, +to the "young folks." Of course they were a loving, +happy group. The boat came within a few +times its length of the ice-raft. Miller, an old +whaleman, was in the bow of the boat with a harpoon. +Hayes, Knorr, and Jensen stood in the +stern with their rifles leveled each at his selected +victim, while the oarsmen bent forward to their oars. +At the word the rifles cracked, and the oarsmen at +the same moment shot the boat into the midst of +the startled walrus. Jensen hit one of the males +in the neck, not probably doing him much harm; +Hayes's ball struck the other bull in the head, at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> +which he roared lustily. Knorr killed a baby walrus +dead, but he disappeared from the raft with +the rest, probably pushed off by his mamma. +When the old fellow which was wounded by the +commander rolled into the water, Miller planted +his harpoon in him with unerring skill, and the +line attached spun out over the gunwale with +fearful velocity. There were a few moments of +suspense, and then up came the herd, a few yards +from the boat, the wounded bull with the harpoon +among them. They uttered one wild, united +shriek, and answering shrieks from thousands of +startled walruses, on the walrus laden ice-rafts for +miles around, filled the air. It was an agonized +cry for help, and the answering cry was, "we +come!" There was a simultaneous splash from +the ice-rafts, and the hosts, as if by the bugle call, +came rushing on, heads erect, and uttering the +defiant "huk, huk, huk!" They came directly at +the boat, surrounding it, and blackening the waters +with their numbers. The wounded bull, attached +still to Miller's line, led the attack. The hunters +had aroused foemen worthy of their steel, and +they must now fight or die. It seemed to be the +purpose of the walruses to get their tusks over the +side of the boat, and so easily tear it to pieces or +sink it, and then, having its audacious crew in the +water, make short work of them. As they came on, +Miller, in the bow, pricked them in the face with +his lance, the rowers pushed them back with their +oars, while Hayes, Jensen, and Knorr sent, as fast +as they could load and fire, rifle-balls crashing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> +through their heads. At one time a huge leader +had come within a few feet of the boat. Hayes +and Jensen had just fired, and were loading, but +Knorr was just in time to salute him with a ball. +The men were becoming weary, while the walrus +assaulting column was constantly supplied with +fresh troops. The situation was now critical, +when, as if to crush his enemy and end the conflict +in victory on his side, a walrus Goliath, with +tusks three feet long, led on a solid column of undismayed +warriors. Two guns had just been fired, +as before. His terrible weapons were fearfully +near the gunwale, when Knorr's gun came to the +rescue; its muzzle was so near his open mouth +that the ball killed him instantly, and he sunk like +lead. This sent consternation through the walrus +ranks. They all dove at once, and when they +came up they were a considerable distance off, +their tails to their foes, and retreating with a wild +shriek. The battle was ended, and the saucy explorers +were victors. The sea in places was red +with blood. The harpooned bull and one other +were carried as trophies to the vessel.</p> + +<p>On the twelfth of July the schooner floated, +after an ice imprisonment of ten months. The +Esquimo seeing that the white friends were about +to leave them, gathered on the shore in sorrowful +interest. They had been the receivers of gifts +great in their estimation, and they had rendered +the strangers no small favors, especially in the use +of their dogs, without which no excursions of importance +could have been made. Kalutunah actually<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> +wept on parting with Dr. Hayes. He had +enjoyed under his patronage the Esquimo paradise—"plenty +to eat, plenty sleep, no work, no +hunt." He spoke feelingly of the fading away of +his people. "Come back," he said, "and save us; +come soon or we shall be all gone."</p> + +<p>He had reason to express these fears concerning +his people. Since Dr. Kane left thirty-four had +died, and there had been in the same time only +nineteen births. There seemed to be in all the +settlements, from Cape York to Etah, only a +hundred!</p> + +<p>The explorers bid adieu to Port Foulke on the +fourteenth, and sailed away to the west side of Smith +Sound, and reached a point about ten miles south +of Cape Isabella. The hope was entertained by +the commander that he might work his way with +the vessel north through the now loosening ice +over which he had just been traveling with sledges, +get through even Kennedy Channel, to the open +sea on the shore of which he had so lately stood, +and then sail away to the North Pole. What a +stimulating thought! But he found the schooner +ice-battered, and, weakened by the "nips" she had +experienced, was unequal to the required fight +with the defiant pack which every-where filled +the sound. So the explorers turned homeward. +They arrived at Upernavik on the twelfth of August +after many exciting incidents but no accident. +Here they learned the startling news of the commencement +of the great Rebellion. During their +absence President Lincoln had been inaugurated,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> +the black cloud of war had settled heavily over the +whole country, and the bloody battle of Bull Run +had been fought. They were now to return home +and transfer their interest in fighting ice-packs, +bergs, and Polar bears, to the conflicts of civil +war.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>SOMETHING NEW.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WHILE the civilized world were awaiting +with deep interest the results of the search +for Sir John Franklin, and while learned geographers +and practical navigators to the regions of +cold were devising new methods of search for him, +a young engraver was working out a problem in +reference to this great enterprise peculiarly his +own. Without special educational advantages, +without the resources of wealth or influential +friends, but with the inspiration of one feeling, "a +divine call" to the undertaking, he matured his +plans and began to publish them abroad. He +seems to have at once imparted his own enthusiasm +to others. The mayor of his own city, Cincinnati, +the governor and senator of his own State, +Ohio, the latter the eminent Salmon P. Chase, late +Chief-Justice of the United States, became his +patrons. Coming east, many of the great and +wise men of our large cities gave him an attentive +hearing, and not a few encouraged his project. +The princely merchant, Henry Grinnell, who had +already done so much in the Franklin search, took +him at once into kindly sympathy.</div> + +<p>From New York he went to New London. From +the old whalemen, at least from individuals of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span> +them of marked character and large experience +in Arctic navigation, he obtained encouraging +words.</p> + +<p>His plan of search which thus so readily commended +itself was this: He would go into the region +where it was now known that Franklin and +some of his men had died; he would live with the +Esquimo, learn their language, adopt their habits +of life, and thus learn all that they knew of the +history of the ill-fated expedition. He assumed +that many of its men might yet be alive, and if +they were, the natives would know it, know where +they were, and could guide him to them.</p> + +<p>To prepare himself for this work he became +conversant with Arctic literature, learning all that +the books on the subject taught; he applied himself +closely to the study of the practical science +bearing on his enterprise, learning the use of its +instruments. He sought interviews and correspondence +with returned explorers and whalemen. +In fact, his heart was in the work with a downright +enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>The marked features of his plan seemed to be +two—it was inexpensive and new. As to the manning +of his expedition, he proposed to go alone; as +to vessels, he asked none. He only asked to be conveyed +to the proposed Esquimo country, and to +be left with its natives. We might name a third +attractive feature of this plan, one which always +inspires interest—it was bold, bordering on the +audacious!</p> + +<p>We need hardly say to our readers that the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> +name of this new candidate for Arctic perils and +honors was Charles Francis Hall—a name now +greatly honored and lamented.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a></p> + +<p>Mr. Hall was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, +in 1821, where he worked a while at the +blacksmith's trade, but left both the trade and his +native place in early life for the Queen City of the +West. The result of Mr. Hall's enthusiastic appeals +was an offer by the firm of Williams & Haven, +whale-ship owners of New London, to convey +him and his outfit in their bark "George Henry" +to his point of operations, and if ever desired, to +give him the same free passage home in any of +their ships. The "George Henry" was going, of +course, after whales, and proposed thus to convey +him as an obliging incident of the trip.</p> + +<p>This proposal was made in the early spring of +1860. On the twenty-ninth of May he sailed. +His outfit was simple, and had the appearance of +a private, romantic excursion. It consisted of a +good sized, staunch whale-boat built for his special +use, a sledge, a few scientific instruments, a rifle, +six double-barreled shot-guns, a Colt's revolver, +and the ammunition supposed to be necessary for +a long separation from the source of supply. A +start was given him in a small store of provisions; +beyond that he was to supply himself. A tolerable +supply of trinkets were added as a basis of trade +with the natives. What funds this miniature exploring +expedition required was given largely by +Mr. Grinnell.</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span></p> +<p>The "George Henry" was accompanied by +<i>a tender</i>, a small schooner named the "Rescue," +having already an Arctic fame. The officers and +crew of both vessels numbered twenty-nine, under +command of Captain S. O. Buddington.</p> + +<p>We have spoken of Mr. Hall as the only man +of his exhibition; he had after all one companion. +The previous year Captain Buddington had brought +home an Esquimo by the name of Kudlago, who +was now returning to his fatherland and to his +wife and children. Upon him Mr. Hall largely +depended as an interpreter, a friend, and guide, in +his work.</p> + +<p>The run of the "George Henry" to the Greenland +coast was made with but one marked incident. +That was to Mr. Hall a very sad one, +giving him the first emphatic lesson in the uncertainty +of his most carefully devised schemes. It +was the death and burial at sea of Kudlago. He +had left New London in good health, taken +cold in the fogs of Newfoundland, and declined +rapidly. He prayed fervently to be permitted to +see his wife and children—only that, and he would +die content. He inquired daily while confined to +his berth if any ice was in sight. His last words +were, "<i>Teiko seko? teiko seko?</i>"—Do you see ice? +do you see ice? The Greenland shore was just +in sight when he departed, and his home and +family were three hundred miles away.</p> + +<p>The "George Henry" and her tender, the "Rescue," +sailed north, along the Greenland coast, as +far as Holsteinberg, where Mr. Hall purchased six<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> +Esquimo dogs. The vessel then stood southwest +across Davis Strait and made, August eighth, a +snug harbor, which Mr. Hall called Grinnell Bay, +a little north of what is known as Frobisher Strait. +Here Mr. Hall was to land and commence his Esquimo +life, alone and far away from a Christian +home, while the vessel went about its business +capturing whales. His feelings on the voyage are +indicated by the following extract from his diary:</p> + +<p>"A good run with a fair breeze yesterday. Approaching +the north axis of the earth! Aye, nearing +the goal of my fondest wishes. Every thing +relating to the arctic zone is deeply interesting to +me. I love the snows, the ices, the icebergs, the +fauna and the flora of the North. I love the circling +sun, the long day, <i>the arctic night, when the +soul can commune with God in silent and reverential +awe</i>! I am on a mission of love. I feel to be in +the performance of a duty I owe to mankind, myself, +and God! Thus feeling I am strong at heart, +full of faith, ready to do or die in the cause I have +espoused." How he felt when actually engaged in +his "mission of love," we shall see.</p> + +<p>We must not, however, think of Mr. Hall in a region +comparable to that which included the winter-quarters +of Kane and Hayes in the expeditions we +have just described. They were at least twelve degrees +farther north, Mr. Hall being south of the +arctic circle, so that his winter nights were shorter +and milder. His present field of operation was on +a coast visited by the whale-ships, and where they +at times wintered. Besides, natives had been for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> +many years in contact with white men, and were in +<i>some</i> respect more agreeable companions. He will +therefore, as we follow him, lead us into new scenes +of peculiar interest, and show us novel features in +the character of the Esquimo.</p> + +<p>The whale-ship "Black Eagle," Captain Allen, lay +in Grinnell Bay on the arrival of our voyagers, and +the captain soon appeared on the deck of the +"George Henry," with several Esquimo. One of +these natives, named Ugarng, especially attracted +Mr. Hall's attention. He was intelligent, possessing +strong lines of character, and a marked physical +development. He had spent a year on a visit to +the United States. Speaking of New York, he said +with a sailor's emphasis: "No good! too much +horse! too much house! too much white people! +Women? Ah! women great many—good!" +Ugarng will become a familiar acquaintance.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall had <ins title="Transcriber's Note: this word not present in original">been</ins> giving special attention on the +voyage across Davis Strait to his dogs, and they +were now to become a chief dependence. He fed +them on <i>capelin</i>, or dried fish. One day he called +them all around him, each in his assigned place, +to receive in turn his fish. Now there was one +young, shrewd dog, Barbekark, who had not +heard, or had never cared to heed the proverb that +"honesty is the best policy." He said to himself, +"If I can get <i>two</i> of the fish while the other dogs +get but one, it will be a nice thing to do;" so, taking +his place near the head of the row, he was +served with his capelin. Then, slipping out, he +crowded between the dogs farther down, and with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> +a very innocent look awaited his turn. His master +thought this so sharp in young Barbekark that he +pretended not to see the trick, and dealed him a fish +as if he had received none. On going the round +again his master found him near the head of the row +and then at the foot, so the rogue obtained Benjamin's +portion. Seeing his success, he winked his +knowing eye as much as to say, "Ain't I the smartest +dog in the pack!" But Barbekark had entered on +a rough road with many turns, as all rogues do. +After going round several times, during which the +trick was a success, Mr. Hall <i>skipped</i> the trickster +altogether. It mattered not what place he crowded +into, there was no more fish for him. The upshot +was that he received many less than did his companions. +Never did a dog look more ashamed. +From that time he kept his place when fish were +distributed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall, making the vessel his home, made frequent +visits ashore, and received many Esquimo +visitors on board, and was thus becoming acquainted +with the people. An early visitor was +Kokerjabin, wife of Kudlago, accompanied by her +son. She had learned in her tent that her anxiously +awaited husband had been left in the deep sea. +She entered the cabin and looked at her husband's +white friends, and at the chest which contained +his personal goods, with deep emotion; but when +Captain Buddington opened the chest, the tears +flowed freely; and when she, in taking out things, +came to those Kudlago had obtained in the States +for herself and her little girl, she sat down, buried<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> +her face in her hands, and wept with deep grief. +She soon after went ashore with her son to weep +alone.</p> + +<p>Another very marked character was Paulooyer, +or, as the white men called him, Blind George. +He was now about forty years of age and had been +blind nearly ten years, from the effects of a severe +sickness. To this blindness was added domestic +sorrow. His wife Nikujar was very kind to him for +five years after his loss of sight, sharing their consequent +poverty. But Ugarng, who had already +several wives, offered her a place in his tent as his +"household wife"—the place of honor in Esquimo +esteem. The offer was tempting, for Ugarng +was "a mighty hunter," and rich at all times in +blubber, in furs and skin tents and snow huts. +So she left poor George, taking with her their little +daughter, called Kookooyer. This child became a +pet with Ugarng, as she was with her blind father.<br /><br /></p> +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTE:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> See <a href="#frontis">Frontispiece</a>.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span></p> + +<h2>CHAPTER XXXV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>A FEARFUL STORM.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WHILE the "George Henry" lay at Grinnell +Bay, Mr. Hall talked much with the masters +of the whale-ships and with the most intelligent +of the natives concerning his proposed journey +to King William's Land. This was a far-away +region, where the remains of the Franklin expedition +had been found. He proposed to secure the +company of one or more Esquimo and make an +attempt to reach it with a dog-sledge, and to take +up his abode with its natives in search of information +of the lost ones. But both his white and Esquimo +advisers agreed that it was too late in the +season to begin such a journey. Mr. Hall would +then take the whale-boat built for him, man it with +natives, and make the attempt by water. But this +was deemed impracticable until spring. So he decided +to make his home on board the vessel so +long as she remained on the coast, and pursue his +study of the Esquimo language and his survey of +the region of country, with this home as a base of +operations.</div> + +<p>On his return from one of his inland excursions +with Kudlago's son, whom the whites called <i>captain</i>, +he saw his widow, apart from all the people, +weeping for her great bereavement. Her son ran<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> +to her and tried to comfort her, but she would not +be comforted. When Mr. Hall approached she +pointed to the spot where their tent was pitched +when Kudlago left for the United States. She +also showed him the bones of a whale which he +had assisted in capturing.</p> + +<p>Soon after this the widow visited the vessel +with her daughter, Kimmiloo, who had been the +idol of her father. She looked sad on the mention +of her father's name, but, child-like, her eyes +gleamed with joy on seeing the fine things his +chest contained for her. Captain B.'s wife had +sent her a pretty red dress, necktie, mittens, belt, +and other like valuables of little white girls. But +Mr. Hall suggested that Kimmiloo's introduction +to the dress of civilization should be preceded by +soap and water. The process of arriving at the +little girl through layers of dirt was very slow. +When this was done, her kind friend Hall took a +<i>very coarse</i> comb, and commenced combing her +hair. This had never been done before, and of +course the comb "pulled" in spite of the care of +the operator, but Kimmiloo bore it bravely. Her +locks were filled with moss, greasy bits of seal, +and disgusting reindeer hairs, besides other things +both <i>active</i> and numerous. A full hour was spent +on the hair, but when the comb went through it +easily, then the little girl run her fingers into it +and braided quickly a tag on each side of her +head; she then drew these through brass rings +which Mr. Hall had given her. Her Esquimo fur +trowsers and coat were thrown off, and the now<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> +clean and really beautiful girl put on the red +dress. Her happiness would have been complete +had her father been there to share her joy.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall's kindly nature led him to study the +natives in these incidents, and to record them in +his journals. Ugarng was one time in the cabin +when Mr. Hall had put a few small balls of mercury +on a sheet of white paper. It was a new +article to the Esquimo, and he tried to pick it up +with his thumb and finger, but it escaped his +grasp. His efforts would scatter it over the sheet +in small globules, and then as he lifted the corners +of the paper it would run together, and +Ugarng would commence catching it with new +vigor. He continued his efforts for a full half hour. +Amused at first, but finally losing his temper, he +gave it up, exclaiming petulantly that there was an +evil spirit in it.</p> + +<p>Blind George became a constant visitor. At +one time Mr. Hall gave him a much worn coat, +showing one of the several holes in it. George +immediately took a needle, and, bringing his +tongue to the aid of his hands, threaded it, and +mended <i>all</i> of the rents very neatly. At another +time Mr. Hall put into George's hand a piece of +steel with a magnet attached. The way the steel +flew from his hand to the magnet amazed him. +At first he seemed to think it was not really so; +but when he clearly felt the steel leap from his +fingers, he threw both steel and magnet violently +upon the floor. But feeling he was not hurt, and +that some little girls laughed at him, he tried it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> +again more deliberately, and was better satisfied. +Mr. Hall next gave him a paper of needles, desiring +him to bring the magnet near them. He did +so, and when the needles flew from his hand by +the attraction he sprung to his feet as if an +electric current had touched him, and the needles +were scattered in every direction over the floor. +He declared that Mr. Hall was an "Angekok."</p> + +<p>On the fourteenth of August another whaling +vessel belonging to the owners of the "George +Henry" arrived at Grinnell Bay. Her name was the +"Georgiana," Captain Tyson; so there were now +four vessels near each other—the "Rescue" and +"Black Eagle," besides those just named. There +were social, merry times. But Captain Buddington, +having built a hut here that some of his men +might remain to fish, took his vessels farther south, +for winter-quarters, into a bay separated from +Frobisher Bay on the south by only a narrow strip +of land. This Mr. Hall named Field Bay. Here, +snugly hid in an inlet of its upper waters, the vessels +proposed to winter. The Esquimo were not +long in finding the new anchorage of the whites, +and in a few days a fleet of kayaks containing +seven families appeared. Among them was Kudlago's +oldest daughter, now married to a native +the sailors called Johnny Bull. She had not heard +of her father's death, and stepped on deck elated +at the thought of meeting him. "Where is my +father?" she inquired of Ugarng's wife. When +she was tenderly told the sad story of his death +she wept freely.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Hall was at once busy visiting the "tupics," +summer tents made of skins, pitched by the natives +near the shore. He also rowed to the islands +in various directions, generally accompanied by +one or more Esquimo. On one of these visits to +an island with a boy he had a narrow escape. +After several hours' ramble they returned to the +landing, where they had left their boat fastened to +a rock. The tide had risen and the boat was dancing +on the waves out of reach. Here was a "fix!" +They were far away from the vessel, the night, +cold and dark, was coming on, and they were +without shelter. But necessity sharpens one's +wits, After some delay and perplexity, Mr. Hall +hit upon this plan: He took the seal-skin strings +from his boots, and the strings by which various +scientific instruments were attached to his person, +tied them together, and thus made quite a long +and strong line. To this he tied a moderate sized +stone. Holding one end of the line in his hand, +he tossed the stone into the boat and gently drew +it to him, jumped into it, and was soon at the vessel. +If Mr. Hall had not been a <i>green</i> boatman +he would not have fastened his boat below high-water +mark when the tide was coming in! He +probably did not again.</p> + +<p>One day the crew of the "Henry" captured a +whale in the bay, and the Esquimo joined with +others in towing the monster to the ship. In one +of the boats was an Esquimo woman with a babe; +she laid her child in the bow of the boat and +pulled an oar with the strongest of the white men.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> +Before they reached the vessel the wind blew a +gale, the sea ran high, and at times the spray shot +into the air and came down in plentiful showers +into the boat. The mother cast anxious glances +at her child, and, as if it was for its life, rowed with +giant strength. At last the prize was safely moored +to the "Henry," and the natives were rewarded +with generous strips of its black skin, which they +ate voraciously, raw and warm from the animal. +They carried portions of it to their tupics on shore +for future use. This skin is about three fourths +of an inch thick, and, in even Mr. Hall's estimation, +is "good eating" when raw, "but better +soused in vinegar."</p> + +<p>Soon after this, Captain Tyson brought the +"Georgiana" round into Field Bay, and the crews +of the two vessels were often together when a +whale made its appearance, a circumstance sometimes +the occasion of strife when he is captured. +One day Smith, an officer of the "Henry," fastened +a harpoon in a whale, and was devising means to +secure his prey. Captain Tyson, who was near in +his boat, killed the monster with his lances, and +without a word, left Smith to enjoy the pleasure of +taking it to his vessel. The generous act was appreciated +on board the "Henry."</p> + +<p>On the twenty-sixth of December a terrible +storm commenced, causing the boats which were +cruising for whales to scud home. The three vessels—the +"Henry," "Rescue," and "Georgiana"—were +anchored near each other, and near an island +toward which the wind was blowing. It was about<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span> +noon when the storm began, and as the day declined +the wind increased, bringing on its wings a +cloud of snow. When the night came on it was intensely +dark, and the waves rose higher and higher +as, driven by the tempest, they rolled swiftly by and +dashed upon the rocky shore. The vessels labored +heavily in the billows and strained at their +anchors, now dipping their bows deep in the water, +then rising upon the top of a crested wave, and +leaping again into the trough of the sea, as if impatient +of restraint and eager to rush upon the +rocks to their own destruction. The roar of the +sea and the howling of the winds through the +shrouds were appalling to all on board, while they +awaited with breathless interest the integrity of +the anchors, on which their lives depended.</p> + +<p>As the night wore on the watch on deck, peering +through the darkness, saw the dim outlines of +the "Rescue" steadily and slowly moving toward +the shore. "She drags her anchors!" were the +fearful words which passed in whispers through the +"George Henry." But all breathed easier to hear +the report from the watch soon after that she had +come to a pause nearly abreast of the "Henry."</p> + +<p>About midnight the storm put forth all the fury +of its power, and the small anchor of the "Georgiana" +gave way, and the others went plowing +along their ocean beds, and, as the vessel neared +the island, her destruction and the loss of all on +board seemed certain. The endangered craft +worried round a point of rocks, pounding against +them as she went, and reached smoother and safer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> +waters, where her anchors remained firm. The +ghostly-looking forms of her men were soon after +seen on the island, to which they had escaped! +In the mean time the men on the "Henry" were +in constant fear that their vessel would be dashed +upon rocks.</p> + +<p>Just as the morning was breaking the "Rescue" +broke away and went broadside upon the island. +With a crash the breakers hurled her against the +rocks, and seemed to bury her in their white foam. +She was at once a hopeless wreck, but her crew +still clung bravely to her. When the morning +light had fully come, at the first lull in the storm, +while yet the waves rolled with unabated fury, a +whale-boat was lowered into the sea from the stern +of the "Henry" with a strong line attached, and +mate Rogers and a seaman stepped into it. Cautiously +and skillfully it was guided to the stern of +the "Rescue." Into it her men were taken, and +drawn safely to the "Henry." All were saved! A +shout of joy mingled with the tumult of the elements!</p> + +<p>The "Henry" safely outrode the storm. The +"Georgiana" was not seriously injured, and her +men returned to her and sailed away for other +winter-quarters. The "Rescue" was a complete +wreck, and, what was a stunning blow to the enterprise +of Mr. Hall, his expedition boat, in which, +with an Esquimo crew, he had hoped to reach the +far-away land of his lone sojourn and search for +the Franklin men, was totally wrecked too! What +now should he do? That was to him the question<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> +of questions. One thing he resolved <i>not</i> to do—he +would not abandon his mission. Captain Buddington +thought at first that he might spare him +one of the ship's boats in which to reach King +William's Land; but, on careful inquiry, he found +that the only one he could part with was rotten +and untrustworthy. So waiting and watching became +his present duty.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE AURORA.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>MR. HALL had an eye for the beautiful in +nature. The aurora deeply impressed him, +inspiring feelings of awe and reverence. It will be +noticed that explorers in the low latitude of Frobisher +Bay are treated to displays of the aurora on +a scale of magnificence and beauty never seen +in the high latitudes of the winter-quarters of +Dr. Kane and Hayes. Night after night through +the months of October, November, and December +Mr. Hall's sensitive nature was in raptures at +the wonderful sights. The heavens were aglow. +The forms of brightness, and colors of every hue, +changed with the rapidity of fleecy clouds driven before +the wind. Before the mind had comprehended +the grandeur of one scene, it had changed into another +of seeming greater beauty of form, color, and +brightness. Thousands of such changes occurred +while he gazed. No wonder he exclaims: "Who +but God could conceive such infinite scenes of +glory! Who but God execute them, painting the +heavens in such gorgeous display!"</div> + +<p>Again he exclaims: "It seemeth to me as if +the very doors of heaven have opened to-night, so +<i>mighty</i> and <i>beauteous</i> and <i>marvelous</i> were the waves +of golden light which swept across the azure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span> +deep, breaking forth anon into floods of wondrous +glory. God made his wonderful works to be remembered."</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall had been on deck several times, witnessing +the enrapturing display, and had returned +into the cabin to go to bed, when the captain +shouted down the companion-way: "Come above, +Hall, at once! <i>The world is on fire!</i>" Mr. Hall +hastened on deck. He says: "There was no sun, +no moon, yet the heavens were flooded with light. +Even ordinary print could be read on deck. Yes, +flooded with <i>rivers</i> of light!—and <i>such</i> light! light +all but inconceivable! The golden hues predominated; +but in rapid succession prismatic colors +leaped forth.</p> + +<p>"We looked, we saw, and we trembled; for even +as we gazed the whole belt of aurora began to be +alive with flashes. Then each pile or bank of +light became myriads; some now dropping down +the great pathway or belt, others springing up, +others leaping with lightning flash from one side, +while more as quickly passed into the vacated +space; some, twisting themselves into folds, entwining +with others like enormous serpents, and +all these movements as quick as the eye could follow. +It seemed as though there was a struggle +with these heavenly lights to reach and occupy +the dome above our heads. Then the whole arch +above became crowded. Down, down it came! +nearer and nearer it approached us! Sheets of +golden flames, coruscating while leaping from the +auroral belt, seemed as if met in their course by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> +some mighty agency that turned them into the colors +of the rainbow.</p> + +<p>"While the auroral fires seemed to be descending +upon us, one of our number exclaimed, +'Hark! hark!' Such a display, as if a warfare +were going on among the beauteous lights, seemed +impossible without noise. But all was silent."</p> + +<p>After the watchers, amazed at what they saw, +retired to the cabin, they very naturally commenced +a lively conversation on what they had witnessed. +Captain Buddington declared that, though +he had spent most of his time for eleven years in +the northern regions, he had never witnessed so +grand and beautiful a scene. And he added in an +earnest tone: "To tell you the truth, friend Hall, +I do not care to see the like again!"</p> + +<p>In November Mr. Hall became acquainted with +two remarkable Esquimo whom we shall often +meet. Their names were Ebierbing and his wife +Tookoolito, but were known among the white +people as Joe and Hannah. They had been taken +to England in 1853, and lionized there for two +years. They had visited the great and good of +that land at their homes, and had aptly learned +many of the refinements of civilization. Queen +Victoria had honored them with an audience, and +they had dined with Prince Albert. Joe declared +that the queen was "pretty—yes, quite pretty;" and +the prince was "good—very good." They made +their visit on shipboard in a full-blown English +dress, but when Mr. Hall returned their visit in +their <i>tupic</i> on shore they were in the Esquimo costume.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> +Yet Tookoolito busied herself with her +<i>knitting</i> during his call. She said, as they conversed: +"I feel very sorry to say that many of +the whaling people are bad, making the Innuits bad +too; they swear very much, and make our people +swear. I wish they would not do so. Americans +swear a great deal—more and worse than the English. +I wish no one would swear. It is a very +bad practice I believe."</p> + +<p>Tookoolito's spirit and example had done much +to improve her people, especially the women; +these, many of them, had adopted her habit of +dressing her hair, and of cleanliness of person and +abode. In her and her husband, whom we shall +meet often, we shall see the Esquimo as modified +by a partial Christian civilization.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall made frequent visits to the Esquimo +village on shore, mingling with the people, conforming +to their habits, and studying their character. +Their summer, skin-covered huts—tupics—had +now given way to the <i>igloos</i>, the snow-house, +essentially like those we have before seen. We +will accompany Mr. Hall in a visit made in October. +He found on creeping into a hut a friend +whom he knew as a pilot and boatman; his name +was Koojesse. He was sitting in the midst of a +group of women drinking with a gusto hot seal +blood. Our white visitor joined them, and pronounced +the dish excellent. On going out he +was met by blind George. "Mitter Hall! Mitter +Hall!" shouted the blind man on hearing Mr. +Hall's voice. There was a pensive earnestness in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> +the call which arrested his attention. "Ugarng +come to-day!" continued George. "He come +to-day. My little Kookooyer way go! She here +now. Speak-um, Ugarng! My little pickaninny +way go! Speak-um."</p> + +<p>The facts were these: Ugarng, who, as we have +stated, had married George's wife, and taken with +the mother his little daughter, was at the village +attended by the latter. George, who was very +fond of the child, desired her company for a while. +Mr. Hall did of course "speak-um." Ugarng and +the darling Kookooyer were soon seen in happy intimacy +with her father.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall's attention was attracted by an excited +crowd, who were listening to the harangue of a +young man. He was evidently master of the situation, +for at one moment his audience clenched +their fists and raved like madmen, and then, under +another touch of his power, they were calm +and thoughtful, or melted to tears. He was an +<i>Angekok</i>, and was going through a series of <i>ankootings</i>, +or incantations. His howlings and gesticulations +were not unlike those of the heathen priests +of the East, and of the medicine men of our Indians. +On seeing Mr. Hall the Angekok left his +snow-platform, from which he had been speaking, +and ran to him with the blandest smiles and honied +words. He put his arm in his and invited +him into his tent, or place of worship, as it might +be called; others ran ahead, and it was well filled +with worshipers. Koojesse, who was passing at +the time with water for the ship, on a wave of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span> +Angekok's hand set his pail down and followed. +All faithful Esquimo in this region obey the Angekok. +If he sees one smoking, and signifies that +he wishes the pipe, the smoker deposits it in the +Angekok's pocket.</p> + +<p>When in the tent the Angekok placed Koojesse +on one side, and Mr. Hall facing him on the other +side. Now commenced the service. The Angekok +began a rapid clapping of his hands, lifting +them at times above his head, then passing them +round in every direction, and thrusting them into +the faces of the people, muttering the while wild, +incoherent expressions. The clapping of his +hands was intermitted by a violent clapping of the +chest on which he sat, first on the top, then on the +sides and end. At times he would cease, and sit +statue-like for some moments, during which the +silence of death pervaded the audience. Then +the clapping and gesticulations broke forth with +increased violence. Now and then he paused, and +stared into the farthest recess of the tent with the +fiery eyes and the hideous countenance of a demon. +At the right time, to heighten the effect, the +wizard, by a quick sign or sharp word, ordered +Koojesse to fix his eyes on this point of the tent, +then on that, intimating in mysterious undertones +that in such places <i>Kudlago's spirit shook the skin +covering</i>! Koojesse, though one of the most muscular +and intelligent of the natives, obeyed with +trembling promptness, while the profuse sweat +stood in drops upon his nose, (Esquimo perspire +freely <i>only</i> on the nose,) and his countenance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span> +beamed with intense excitement. The climax +was at hand. The Angekok's words began to be +plain enough for Mr. Hall's ears. Kudlago's spirit +was troubled. Would the white man please give +it rest? One of his double-barreled guns would +do it! White man! white man! give Kudlago's +spirit rest! Give the double-barreled gun!</p> + +<p>The cunning wizard! But Mr. Hall, who, though +brimful of laugh, had been a sober-looking listener, +was not to be caught with this chaff, <i>except in his +own interest</i>. He whispers to Koojesse, "Would +the Angekok be a good man to go with me in the +spring to King William's Land?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," was the reply.</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Hall turned to the Angekok and said +aloud, "If you go with me next spring on my explorations +you shall have one of my best guns."</p> + +<p>Thinking the gift was to be given immediately, +his crafty reverence shouted, thanked Mr. Hall, +threw his arms about his neck, and danced with +an air of triumph about the tent, seeming to say +as he looked upon his amazed followers, "I have +charmed a kablunah"—white man.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall tried to set him right about the terms +of the gift—that it was to be when he had served +him in the spring. But he would understand it as +he would have it. His joy found a fullness of expression +when, pointing to his two wives, he said +to Mr. Hall, "One shall be yours; take your +choice." He was disgusted when the white man +told him that he had a wife, and that kabluna +wanted but one wife.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE DYING ESQUIMO.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>CHRISTMAS and New Year's (1861) were +not forgotten as holidays by the sojourners +in the regions of cold and ice. Mr. Hall gave +his friend Tookoolito a Bible as a memento of +December twenty-fifth. She was much pleased, +and at once spelled out on the title-page, <i>Holy +Bible</i>.</div> + +<p>Mr. Hall having heard that an Esquimo named +Nukerton was seriously sick, invited Tookoolito +to visit her with him. Sitting down with the sick +one, with Tookoolito as an interpreter, Mr. Hall +spoke to her of Jesus and the resurrection, while +many of her friends stood listening with intense +interest. Tookoolito bent over her sick friend +weeping, and continued the talk about God, Christ, +and heaven, after Mr. Hall had ceased.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall visited the sick one daily, administering +to her bodily and spiritual wants. Going to +see her on the fourth of January, he found that +a new snow-hut had been built for the dying one, +and her female friends had carried her into it, +opening, to pass her in, a hole on the back side. +It was at once her dying chamber and her tomb. +For this purpose it was built in conformity to the +Esquimo usage. He found Nukerton in her new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> +quarters of stainless snow, on a bed of snow covered +with skins, happy at the change though she +knew that she had been brought there to die, <i>and +to die alone</i>, as was the custom of her people. Mr. +Hall proposed to carry her to die on board the +ship. But even Tookoolito objected to this. It +was better she should die alone; such was the +custom of their fathers. Mr. Hall remained to +watch alone with the dying one, but, on his leaving +her igloo to do an errand at a neighboring +tent, her friends sealed up its entrance. He threw +back the blocks of snow piled against it and crept +in. Nukerton was not dead; she breathed feebly; +the lamp burned dimly, and the cold was intense; +the solemn stillness of the midnight hour had +come; sound of footsteps were heard, and a rustling +at the entrance. Busy hands were fastening +it up, not knowing, perhaps, that Mr. Hall was +within. "Stop! stop!" he shouted, and all was +silent as the grave. "Come in!" he again said. +Koodloo, Nukerton's cousin, and a woman came +in. They remained a few moments and left. Mr. +Hall was alone again, and remained until the spirit +of the dying woman departed. He gently closed +her eyes, laid out the body as if for Christian +burial, closed up the igloo, and departed.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall knew cases, later in his stay with this +people, in which the dying were for some time +alone before the vital spark was extinguished. +The only attendance that the sick have is the howling +and mummery of the Angekoks, who are sometimes +women. They give no medicine.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Hall made several sledge excursions with +his Innuit friends. One to Cornelius Grinnell +Bay was full of thrilling incidents, of storms, of +perils by the breaking up suddenly of the ice on +which he had encamped, and one showing the +wolfish rapacity of Esquimo dogs. He also had +a bear chase and capture. But these, though full +of exciting interest, are similar to those of other +explorers, already related. The Esquimo themselves, +with all their knowledge of the ice and +storms, have many desperate adventures. A party +of them was once busily engaged in spearing walrus, +when the floe broke up and they went out to +sea, and remained three months on their ice-raft! +The walrus were plenty, and they had a good time +of it, and returned safely.</p> + +<p>We have given our readers an incident relating +to Mr. Hall's dog, Barbekark—a not very +creditable incident, it will be remembered, so far +as that dog's discernment of moral right is concerned. +But then we must remember that heathen +dogs are not supposed to know much in that respect. +Barbe, as we will call him for shortness, +appears again in our story in a way which shows +that he was very knowing about some matters at +least.</p> + +<p>One day, at nine in the morning, a party of the +ship's company, attended by the native Koojesse, +started for an excursion into Frobisher Bay. When +well out of sight of the vessel a blinding storm +arose, making farther progress both difficult and +dangerous. Koojesse counseled an immediate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span> +construction of a snow-hut, and a halt until the +storm subsided, which was the right thing to do. +But the white leader ordered a return march. +The dogs, as they generally will with a fierce wind +blowing in their face, floundered about in reckless +insubordination. Their leader, a strong animal, +finally assumed his leadership, and dragged them +for a while toward some islands just appearing in +sight. But Barbe set back in his harness, pricked +up his ears, and took a deliberate survey of the +situation. To be sure he could <i>see</i> only a few rods +in any direction, but his mind was made up. He +turned his head away from the islands, and drew +with such vigor and decision that all, both men +and dogs, yielded to his guidance. Through the +drifts, and in the face of bewildering clouds of +snow which darkened their path, he brought the +party straight to the ship! A few hours more of +exposure and all would have perished.</p> + +<p>Young Barbe was a brave hunter as well as +skillful guide. On a bright morning in March, +the lookout on the deck of the "Henry" shouted +down the gangway that a herd of deer were in +sight. Immediately the excitement of men and +dogs was at fever-heat. The dogs, however, did +not get the news until Koojesse had crept out, and +from behind an island had fired upon the deer. +His ball brought down no game, but the report of +the gun called out Barbe with the whole pack of +wolfish dogs at his heels, in full pursuit of the flying, +frightened deer. The fugitives made tortuous +tracks, darting behind the islands, now this way,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> +and then off in another direction. But Barbe +struck across their windings along the straight line +toward the point at which they were aiming, while +the rest of the dogs followed their tracks, and so +fell behind. Koojesse returned to the vessel, the +hope which just now was indulged of a venison +dinner was given up, and the affair was nearly forgotten, +except that some anxiety was felt lest the +dogs should come to harm in their long and reckless +pursuit.</p> + +<p>About noon Barbe came on board having his +mouth and body besmeared with blood. He ran +to this one, and then to that, looking beseechingly +into their faces, and then running to the gangway +stairs, where he stopped and looked back, as much +as to say, "An't you coming? Do come, I'll show +you something worth seeing!" His strange movements +were reported to Mr. Hall in the cabin, +but being busy writing he took no notice of it. +One of the men having occasion to go toward the +shore Barbe followed him, but finding that he did +not go in the right direction he whined his disappointment, +and started out upon the floe, and then +turned and said as plainly as a dog could speak, +"Come on; this is the way!"</p> + +<p>A party from the ship determined now to follow. +Barbe led them a mile northward, then, leaving +them to follow his foot-prints in the snow, he +scampered off two miles in a western direction. +This brought the men to an island, under the +shelter of which they found the dogs. Barbe was +sitting at the head of a slaughtered deer, and his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span> +companions squatting round as watchful sentinels. +The deer's throat had been cut with Barbe's teeth, +the jugular vein being severed as with a knife. The +roots of the tongue, with bits of the windpipe, had +been eaten, the blood sipped up, but nothing more. +Several crows were pecking away at the carcass +unforbidden by Barbe, who petted crows as his +inferiors.</p> + +<p>Barbe wagged his tail and shook his head as the +men came up, and said in expressive dog-language, +"See here, now! didn't I tell you so!"</p> + +<p>The disturbed and blood-stained snow around +showed that the deer had fought bravely. One of +his legs was somewhat broken in the bloody conflict, +which incident might have determined Barbe's +victory.</p> + +<p>The men skinned the deer, and bore the skin +and dissected parts to the vessel.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXVIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>CUNNING HUNTERS.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>OUR sketch of Mr. Hall's Esquimo life brings +us to the early summer of 1861. He had +made many excursions in and about Frobisher +and Field Bays which we have not noted. Their +results were mainly valuable for the relics obtained +of the visits here of the famous old explorer Frobisher, +nearly three hundred years ago. There +were, too, he ascertained, traditions among the +natives of these visits, as well as that of Parry, +nearly fifty years before, which so well accorded +with the known facts as to show the reliability of +such traditions.</div> + +<p>An incident occurred during one of these excursions +which illustrates the deceitful effect of +refraction in the northern atmosphere. He landed +on a headland in Frobisher Bay, and secured an +enchanting view of land and sea. Points of historic +interest were under his eye, and nature was +clothed with a wild Arctic beauty. But an object +of still more thrilling interest comes in view. +A steamer! Yes, there is her hull and smoke-pipe, +all very unmistakable! See, she tacks, now +this way, then that, working her way no doubt toward +the land on which he stands.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall ran to the camp, and told the good<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> +news to Koojesse and Ebierbing, his companions. +His mind was fairly bewitched with visions of +news from civilization, from his country, and perhaps +letters from his dear ones of the family circle. +Each shouldered his loaded gun, and walked +round to the point on the shore toward which the +steamer was coming. They would make a loud +report with their guns, and <i>compel</i> those on board +to notice them. When they reached the spot +there was no steamer. The Esquimo looked with +blank amazement, and turned inquiringly toward +Mr. Hall. Had she sailed away? No, that was +impossible. It was only that rock yonder, half +buried in snow! There, it does even now look +like a steamer! Wait a while. No, it no more +looks like a steamer than it looks like a cow! It +is a cruel "sell!"</p> + +<p>It will be recollected that the "George Henry" +had made her winter-quarters in a little nook in +Field Bay called Rescue Harbor. From his +home in her cabin Mr. Hall was going forth on his +explorations. But the whalers had made a "whaling +depot" on a cape of Frobisher Bay, which +commanded a view of its waters and of the waters +of Davis Strait. Here they watched for whales, or +made excursions after them. To this depot Mr. +Hall made an excursion with Koojesse about the +middle of June. On their way over the ice, Koojesse +gave illustrations of two Esquimo methods of +taking seal that were very peculiar. The dogs +scented the seal and broke into a furious run, making +the sledge "spin" over the ice. Soon Koojesse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> +perceived him lying with his head near his +hole. On the instant the dogs and their driver set +up a vociferous, startling yell. The seal lifted up his +head, frightened almost out of his wits, so that the +dogs were within a few rods of him before he so +far recovered his senses as to plunge into his hole +and escape.</p> + +<p>Koojesse said that only young seals are so +caught. In this case fright had nearly cost the +poor seal his life.</p> + +<p>At another time Koojesse saw a seal sunning +himself, and lying, as is their habit, near his hole. +The hunter stopped the sledge, took his gun, and, +keeping back the dogs, lay down and drew himself +along upon his breast, making at the same +time a peculiar, plaintive sound, varied in intonation. +To this "seal talk," as the Esquimo term it, +the animal listens, and is charmed into a pleasant +persuasion that some loving friend is near. He +looks, listens, and then lays his head languidly upon +the ice. So the wily hunter approaches within +easy range, the rifle cracks, and the fatal ball goes +through the vitals of the confiding seal. Thus +seals, like men, sometimes die of alarm, and are +sometimes taken in the flatterer's snare.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall found the whale depot a busy place. +Numerous tents of the white men and Esquimo +were grouped together, in the midst of which, on +a substantial flag-staff, the stars and stripes were +waving. The Esquimo and dogs proclaimed their +welcome in their peculiar way, and the officers +and crew made the visitor feel at home.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span></p> + +<p>The question soon discussed concerned a boat +for Mr. Hall's journey to King William's Land. +Captain Buddington said seriously that the question +had been much on his mind, and had been +anxiously considered, and his painful conclusion +was that he had no whale-boat adequate for the +undertaking. The boat made on purpose for that +service, which had been lost when the "Rescue" +was wrecked, was the only one brought into those +waters which could convey him safely. To go in +any other would be to throw away his life. So +Mr. Hall said heroically: "I will make the best of +my stay here, in explorations and study of the Esquimo +traits and language. Do you return to the +States, get another suitable boat, and, God willing, +I will yet go to King William's Land."</p> + +<p>Touching incidents of Innuit life were constantly +passing before Mr. Hall. Here is one. There +was a young man, Etu, about twenty-five years of +age, whom our old acquaintance, Ugarng, had +taken into his favor. Etu had the misfortune to +be born spotted all over his body, precisely like +the snow-white and black spotting of the skin of +one species of seal. His heathen parents seemed +on this account to have loathed their child, for, +after enduring his presence a few years in the +family, the father carried him to an unfrequented +barren island to die. But God, who cared for the +child Ishmael and the little Moses, watched over +Etu. He caught the sea-birds which flocked to the +land <i>with his hands</i>—an extraordinary exploit. The +summer thus passed and winter came, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> +boy yet lived. It so happened—shall we not the +rather say, God so ordered—that a kayak of natives +rowed that way. They were surprised when +they saw a boy alone on a drear island, and the +child was frightened at their presence. But when +they made friendly signs he rushed into their +arms.</p> + +<p>The boy returned to his people, but being +shunned and slighted he became discouraged and +indolent. Such was his situation when Ugarng +took him into his family. One day Mr. Hall entered +the tent of Ebierbing and found there a girl thirteen +years of age, Ookoodlear, weeping as though +her heart would break. She also was of Ugarng's +family, but had been staying with the kind <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Tookolito'">Tookoolito</ins>, +wife of Ebierbing. Her trouble was that +Ugarng was coming to take her away and make +her the wife of Etu! Marry a seal-spotted man! +the thought was awful! Then, she was so young!</p> + +<p>Ebierbing took with him a friend, and called +upon Etu and told him the dislike felt toward him +of the girl. Poor Etu! Then Tookoolito agreed +with Ugarng to take charge of Ookoodlear, so the +marriage was prevented.</p> + +<p>Marriage contracts among the Esquimo are made +by the parents or other friends, often in the childhood +of the parties. Those immediately concerned +seldom have any thing to do or say in the +matter. Among the Esquimo of Whale Sound the +proposed bridegroom was sometimes required to +be able to carry off to his igloo, in spite of herself, +his intended bride. The resistance in such cases<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span> +on the part of the woman is supposed to depend +upon circumstances.</p> + +<p>There is no marriage ceremony. In these Esquimo +communities the two great events, marriage and +death, transpire without special note. Among the +natives of the region we are now visiting the newborn +child generally first sees the light alone with +its mother, and in an igloo built expressly for her.</p> + +<p>Late in July the ice broke up and liberated the +"George Henry" from her icy prison. The sailors +returned on board, and she sailed away on a +whaling cruise. Mr. Hall was left alone with his +Innuit friends. He had planned a voyage of exploration +in his whale-boat with a crew of them, +to be absent about two months. On his return, if +he found the whalers in those regions he would +go to the States in one of them; if not, he would +remain in Esquimo life until their return.</p> + +<p>Ebierbing and Tookoolito were of course to be +of his party. But Ebierbing was taken seriously +sick and so was prevented from accompanying him, +much to his regret. His crew, as finally selected, +were Koojesse and wife, Charley (his Esquimo +name is too long to write) and his wife, Koodloo, +and a widow, Suzhi, remarkable for her great size +and strength, weighing two hundred.</p> + +<p>The party were off the ninth of August. They +passed through Lupton Channel, a narrow run of +water connecting Field Bay with Frobisher Bay. +A white whale preceded them, leisurely keeping +the lead, as if conscious that there were no harpoons +in the boat; perhaps he assumed his safety<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span> +from the presence of the women. The sea-fowl +were abundant. The Esquimo, to save ammunition, +adopted one of their own amusing yet cruel +ways of capturing them. They rowed softly and +swiftly to a cluster of them in the water. Just as +the birds were about to fly the whole crew set up +a most terrific yell, at the same time stamping and +throwing their arms about with wild gesticulations. +Down go the frightened birds, diving, instead of +flying, to escape the enemy. The crew now seize +their oars, and the steerer guides the boat by the +disturbed surface of the water to the spot where +they come up. The moment they show their +heads the uproar is renewed. Down go the birds +again without taking breath. This course, though +exciting sport to the hunters, is soon death +to the poor birds, which, exhausted and finally +drowned, are picked from the surface of the water. +One of the ducks taken in this way was a mother +with a fledgeling. As the parent gasped in its +dying agony, the child would put its little bill in +her mouth for food, and then nestle down under +her for protection.</p> + +<p>The explorers having entered Frobisher Bay, +sailed west along its northern shore. They camped +at night on the land, and made slow progress by +day. The Esquimo were in no hurry, while Mr. +Hall would make good time to the extreme west +of the bay and survey that line of coast, as the +waters had hitherto been deemed a strait. But +his free and easy companions were more disposed +to have a good time than to add to geographical<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> +knowledge. At one time Koojesse, taking up +Mr. Hall's glass, saw a bear some miles away on an +island. Fresh duck was plenty on board, and a +chase after "<i>ninoo</i>" at the expense of time was +unnecessary. But it would be <i>fun</i>; that settled +the matter. Away sped the rickety old whale-boat, +impelled by strong hands. Bruin soon snuffed the +strangers, stood and looked, then comprehending +the danger, turned and ran over to the other side +of the island. Soon the boat was in sight of him, +and he plunged into the water. The Esquimo +now adopted a part of the game they had played +so successfully on the ducks. They occasionally +made a sudden and deafening uproar. Ninoo +would stop and turn round to see what was the +matter, and so time was gained by his pursuers. +But he made good speed for the main land, and +after a while began so far to comprehend the situation +that no noise arrested his course. On he +went for dear life. The balls soon reached him and +dyed his coat in crimson, yet he halted not until +one struck his head. This enraged him; he +deemed the play decidedly foul. He turned, +showed his teeth, and this brought the boat to a +stand-still. The hunters did not care for a hand-to-paw +fight. The rifle settled the unequal conflict, +and ninoo's body was towed ashore.</p> + +<p>The bladder of the bear was inflated, and with +some other <i>charms</i>, put on a staff to be elevated on +the top of the tupic when the party encamped, and +in the bow of the boat when sailing. This insured +good luck according to Esquimo notions.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span></p> + +<p>The explorers were, while in camp at one time, +in want of oil for their lamp. Koodloo found +some strips of sea-blubber and carried it to Suzhi, +who was "in tuktoo"—that is, in bed. She sat +up, rested upon her elbows, put a dish before her, +took the blubber, bit off pieces, chewed it and +sucked the oil out, and then spirted it out into the +dish. In this way she "milled" oil enough to fill +two large lamps. This done she lay down again +and slept, with unwashen hands and face. There +were no white sheets to be soiled.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XXXIX.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>ROUND FROBISHER BAY.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THE explorers found occasionally during their +voyage encampments of natives. In these +many incidents occurred illustrating Esquimo habits. +At one place the women were busily employed +on seal-skins, making women's boots. One of +them was diligently sewing while her big boy <i>stood</i> +at her breast nursing!</div> + +<p>Before reaching the head of the bay Mr. Hall's +party was joined by a boat load of Esquimo, and +several women canoes. A beautiful river emptied +into the bay here which abounded with salmon, +which proved most excellent eating. Vegetation +was abundant. The women brought Mr. Hall a +good supply of berries, resembling, in size and +color, blueberries. They were deemed a great +luxury. Wolves barked and howled about the +camp. The aurora danced and raced across the +heavens in strange grandeur. The deer roamed +about the rocky coast undisturbed except by the +occasional visits of the Innuits.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall, having pretty thoroughly explored +the head of the bay, purposed to return on the +side opposite that on which he came. Here were +hills covered with snow. It had no attractions for +his Esquimo companions, and they muttered their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> +discontent at the route. Ascending one of these +hills, Mr. Hall planted on it, with much enthusiasm, +a flag-staff from which floated the stripes and +stars. On returning to the encampment he found +his tent occupied by several Esquimo busily +engaged in various items of work. One of the +women having done him a favor he gave her some +beads, asking her at the same time what she had +done with those he had given her on a former occasion. +She said she had given them to the Angekok +for his services in her sickness. Mr. Hall +went to a tin box and took out a copy of the Bible +and held it up before the woman, saying, "This +talks to me of heaven!" Instantly, as though a +light from heaven had flashed upon them all, both +men and women left their work, and springing to +their feet looked at Mr. Hall. At first they seemed +terrified; then a smile of joy came over their +faces, and they said, "Tell us what it talks of +heaven."</p> + +<p>As well as he was able, with but a slight knowledge +of their language, he unfolded to them the +great truths of Revelation. When he paused one +of his hearers pointed downward, inquiring if it +talked of the grave, or perhaps meaning the place +of the wicked. When he answered "Yes," they +looked at each other with solemnity and surprise.</p> + +<p>But an incident which occurred soon after +showed that these Esquimo did not feel the presence +of eternal things. A white whale had been +seen and chased by the men and women. He +escaped, and the men returned in bad humor.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> +As one of the women was helping to unload the +boat her husband threw a seal-hook at her with +great force. She parried the blow, and it caught +in her jacket. She calmly removed it, and continued +at her work as if nothing had happened.</p> + +<p>Esquimo men are generally the mildest, if not +the most affectionate, of savages in their relation +of husbands; yet in their fits of passion they +throw any thing that is at hand at their wives, a +hatchet, stone, knife, or spear, as they would at a +dog.</p> + +<p>At one time the Esquimo men all left Mr. Hall's +boat on a hunt. He continued his voyage with +the three women rowers. The boat was pleasantly +gliding along, when in passing an island it fell into +a current which rushed over a bed of slightly covered +rocks with the rapidity of a mill-race, seething +and whirling in its course. The women, though +frightened, rowed with great vigor, Suzhi showing +herself more than an ordinary man in the emergency. +For some time the struggle was fearful +and uncertain. To go with the current was certain +death; to get out of it seemed impossible. +At last slowly, steadily, they gained on the rushing +current, and then the boat shot into a little cove +in tranquil waters. They landed and rested six +hours.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hall had now, September twelfth, been out +thirty-five days, and he determined to return to +Rescue Harbor, hoping to find that the "George +Henry" had returned from her whaling trip. This +pleased the Esquimo, but they did not like his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> +south-side route. Koojesse would, in spite of Mr. +Hall, steer the boat toward the opposite side, and +the rowers enjoyed the joke. At one time our +explorer wished to stop and make further examination +of a certain locality, but Koojesse was heading +the boat northward. His captain urged him +to stop, and he replied with savage sharpness, +"You stop; I go!" Even the women rowers +when alone with Mr. Hall set up an independent +authority at one time, and it was only after considerable +urging that they yielded to the white +man. Once when Koojesse was acting contrary +to orders, Mr. Hall turned upon him with tones +of authority and a show of determination. He +yielded, and five minutes afterward the whole +Esquimo crew were as jovial as if nothing had +occurred. Yet it was not quite certain that this +was a safe course. The life of the lone white man +was in their hands.</p> + +<p>During this voyage Mr. Hall was treated without +stint to the delights of one Esquimo practice. +We have spoken of the wild songs of their incantations, +rising often into a dismal howl. One of the +crew, a woman, had a gift in this way, and when +she <i>ankooted</i> the rest accompanied, or came in on +the chorus. In this way they often made the +night of their encampment hideous. One day the +boat was gliding smoothly along under the steady +strokes of the rowers. The unemployed were +nestling down in their furs, dreamily musing, while +the dreary expanse of sky and sea was profoundly +still, save the distant screech of the sea-fowl, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span> +the occasional bark of the seal. Suddenly the +female enchanter commenced her mystical song. +Her voice was shrill as a night-bird's, and varied by +sharp and sudden cracks, like fourth-of-July firecrackers. +The Esquimo crew came in on the +chorus, and the rowers put forth at the same time a +frantic energy, their eyes glaring and countenances +fearfully distorted. The whole scene was intensely +demoniac. The enchanters seemed intoxicated +with their howlings, and continued them through +the night and most of the two following days.</p> + +<p>Only one incident more of a noticeable character +occurred on this excursion. When one of their +nightly encampments had just commenced <i>a gold +fever</i> seized the Esquimo, and shook the little community +as if they had been white folks. A huge +lump of gold had been found! It was precisely the +article for which the sovereign of England and her +savans had sent here, three hundred years before, +the sturdy Frobisher, with a fleet of empty ships. +It was emphatically <i>fool's gold</i>.</p> + +<p>Friday, September twenty-seventh, 1861, the explorers +arrived at Rescue Harbor. The "George +Henry" was already there. Her energetic officers +and crew had toiled through all the season and +taken nothing! The explorer and the ship's commander, +after a warm supper, sat in the cabin talking +over the incidents of their experience while +separated until a late hour of the night. The +whole community were jubilant at their return, +as fears were indulged that the crazy craft had +sunk with all its occupants.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span></p> + +<p>Mr. Hall was not long in finding the tupic of +his friends, Ebierbing and wife. When the wife of +Tookoolito saw him she buried her face in her +hands and burst into tears so great was her joy. +While chatting with them, Mr. Hall heard the +plaintive sound of an infant voice. Turning back +the folds of Tookoolito's fur wrapper a little +boy was seen only twenty-four days old, an only +child.</p> + +<p>October twentieth came, and the whalers had +secured three whales—an encouraging success +after a long failure. But her captain had not intended +to stay another winter. His time was out, +and so, nearly, were his provisions. But while +Rescue Harbor was yet clear of ice, and he was +getting ready to return, purposing to take with +him the still enthusiastic explorer, the heavy +"pack" was outside of the harbor in Davis Strait. +It had come, an untimely, unwelcome voyager from +the north. While the anxious whalemen were +looking for a "lead" to open and permit them to +sail homeward the Frosty King of the north +waved his icy scepter, and Davis Strait was as unnavigable +as the solid land. Another winter was +spent in Rescue Harbor, and it was not until early +in August, 1862, that the vessel was set free and +spread her sails for home. This year, too, was diligently +improved by Mr. Hall in explorations and +the further study of the Esquimo language and +character. He confidently expected to return, +after a short stay in the United States, and carry +out his proposed plan of explorations in King William's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> +Land. He took home with him Ebierbing +and Tookoolito, with their infant boy, Tuk-e-lik-e-ta. +The dog Barbekark made one of the returning +party.</p> + +<p>They arrived in New London September thirteenth, +1862, after an absence of two years and +three and a half months.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XL.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE "POLARIS."</div> + + +<div class='cap'>WE have seen that Mr. Hall's enthusiasm for +arctic research was unabated when he returned +from his first adventure. In 1864 he was +off again. He sailed from New London in the +whaler "Monticello," accompanied by his Esquimo +friends, Ebierbing and Tookoolito. The "Monticello" +entered Hudson Bay, landed the daring explorers +on its northern shores, and left them to their +fortunes. From thence they made the long, dreary +journey to King William's Land, where the relics +of Franklin's party had been found, some of whom +Hall hoped to find alive. For five years he lived +an Esquimo life, experiencing many thrilling adventures, +and escaping many imminent dangers. +At one time he saved his own life only by shooting +an assailant who was leading against him a +party who had conspired to murder him. The result +of his long sojourn in this region of cold was a +store of knowledge of the Esquimo habits and +language, but nothing important relating to the +fate of the Franklin expedition. Many sad confirmations +were indeed found of the fact before +generally accepted, that they had all miserably +perished.</div> + +<p>On his return, Mr. Hall, nothing daunted by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span> +hardships and failures, commenced writing and +lecturing on the theory of an open Polar Sea. As +he had done before, so now he succeeded in impressing +not only the popular mind but scientific +men and statesmen with the plausibility of his +theory and the practicability of his plans. Another +North Pole expedition was proposed; Congress +appropriated to it fifty thousand dollars, and +Mr. Hall was appointed its commander. A craft of +about four hundred tons, being larger than either +of its predecessors on the same errand, was selected, +and named the "Polaris." She was a screw-propeller, +and rigged as a fore-topsail schooner. Her +sides were covered with a six-inch white oak planking, +nearly doubling their strength. Her bows +were nearly solid white oak, made sharp, and +sheathed with iron. One of her boilers was fitted +for the use of whale or seal oil, by which steam +could be raised if the coal was exhausted. She +was supplied with five extraordinary boats. One +of these must have been the last Yankee invention +in the boat line. It is represented as having a +capacity to carry twenty-five men, yet weighing +only two hundred and fifty pounds; when not in +use it could be folded up and packed snugly away. +The "Polaris" was, of course, amply equipped +and ably manned, and great and useful results +were expected from her. President Grant is said +to have entered with interest into this enterprise +of Captain Hall, and the nation said, "God bless +him and his perilous undertaking!" though many +doubted the wisdom of any more Arctic expeditions.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span> +A few days before his departure Mr. Hall +received from the hand of his friend, Henry Grinnell, +a flag of historic note. It had fluttered in +the wind near the South Pole with Lieutenant +Wilkes, in 1838; had been borne by De Haven +far northward; it had gone beyond De Haven's +highest in the Kane voyage, and was planted still +farther North Poleward by Hayes. "I believe," +exclaimed Captain Hall, on receiving it, "that this +flag, in the spring of 1872, will float over a new +world, in which the North Pole star is its crowning +jewel."</p> + +<p>The "Polaris" left New York June 29, 1871, +tarried for a few days at New London, and was +last heard from as she was ready to steam northward, +the last of August, from Tussuissak, the +most northern of the Greenland outposts. At +this place Captain Hall met our old acquaintance, +Jensen, of the Hayes expedition. He was flourishing +as "governor" of a few humble huts occupied +by a few humbler people, and he put on +consequential airs in the presence of his white +brother. He would not be a dog-driver again to +an Arctic exploration—not he! Hall says he had +"a face of brass in charging for his dogs." But +the full complement of sixty was made up here, +and his stock of furs was increased.</p> + +<p>As our voyagers are now about to enter upon +the terribly earnest conflicts of North Pole explorers, +and as their complement of men <i>and +women</i> are complete, we will further introduce +them to our readers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span></p> + +<p>The commander, Hall, they know; he is well-proportioned, +muscular, of medium height, quiet, +but completely enthusiastic in his chosen line of +duty, believing thoroughly in himself and his enterprise, +yet believing well too easily of others, +especially of the rough men of his command, some +of whom have grown up under the harsh discipline +of the whale-ship or the naval service. The next +in command is the sailing-master, Captain S. O. +Buddington of our last narrative. Captain Tyson, +commissioned as assistant navigator to the expedition, +has been introduced to the reader at Frobisher +Bay, while in command there of a whale-ship. +We shall have occasion to become very intimate +with him. Here is our old acquaintance, +William Morton, whom we knew so favorably by +his heroic deeds in the Dr. Kane expedition; he +is second mate now.</p> + +<p>Of course, Captain Hall's old friends of his first +and second Arctic experience, Ebierbing and +Tookoolito, his wife, are here. They are now +known as Joe and Hannah, and although it does +some violence to our taste to drop their Esquimo +names, we will conform to the usage about us, and +know them in this narrative by these English +names. They are accompanied by an adopted +daughter from among their people, about ten years +old, whom they call Puney.</p> + +<div class="figright" style="width: 360px;"><a id="Page_337"></a> +<img src="images/i_337.png" width="360" height="500" alt="" /> +<span class="caption">Captain Buddington.</span> +</div> + +<p>And here, too, is our old friend Hans, taken on +board at Upernavik. Having been with Kane and +Hayes, nothing daunted by the perils of their +voyages, he is here to see, if possible, with Hall,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span> +the North Pole, though no doubt thinking much +more of his twenty-five dollars a month as hunter +and dog-driver than of the desired discoveries. +His wife and their three children are with him, for, +like a good husband and father, he would not be +separated from his family. The children are Augustina, +a girl about thirteen years, heavy built, +and most as large as her mother; Tobias, a boy +of perhaps eight, and a little girl, Succi, of four +years. Think of such a group daring the known +and unknown perils of Arctic ice and cold!</p> + +<p>With the rest of the ship's company we shall +form acquaintance as our narrative progresses.</p> + +<p>On the twenty-fourth of August the "Polaris" +left Tussuissak, and fairly began her Arctic fight +in the ice, current, and wind encounters of Melville +Bay. But on she steamed, passing in a few +days through the Bay into the North Water, into +Smith Sound, passing Hayes's winter-quarters, yet +steaming on by Dr. Kane's winter-quarters, not +even pausing to salute our old friends Kalutunah +and Myouk, sailing up the west side of Kennedy +Channel, the scene of Dr. Hayes's conflicts and +heroic achievements, the "Polaris" finally brings +up in the ice barriers of north latitude 82° 16´. +The highest points of previous voyages in this +direction are far south. That new world of which +the North Pole star is "the crowning jewel," is +less than six hundred miles farther. If that open +sea located in this latitude by confident explorers +was only a fact, how easily and how soon would +the brave "Polaris" be there! But the ice-floe,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> +strong and defiant, and the southern current, were +facts, and the open sea nowhere visible. The +"Polaris" was taken in hand by the ice and current +in the historic, Arctic fashion, and set back +about fifty miles. The Ice King had said, "Thus +far and no farther," and pointed with his frosty +fingers southward.</p> + +<p>The "Polaris" early in September was glad to +steam in under the land, anchor to an iceberg, +and make her winter-quarters. Captain Hall +called the harbor "Thank-God Harbor," and the +friendly anchorage "Providence Berg." He had +a right here now, for a little farther north, at a +place he called "Repulse Harbor," he went ashore, +threw the stripes and stars to the breeze, and took +possession of the land "in the name of God and +the President of the United States." We shall +not expect to hear that a territorial representative +from this land enters the next Congress. If this +part of our national domain has a representative +in the life-time of our distinguished acquaintance, +Kalutunah, we nominate him for the position, as +one of the nearest known inhabitants.</p> + +<p>Now commenced in earnest preparations for an +Arctic winter. We have seen how this is done, +and Hall and some, at least, of his officers knew +how to do it. The hunters were abroad at once, +and an early prize was a musk-ox weighing three +hundred pounds. His meat was tender and good, +having no musky odor. This was but the beginning +of the good gunning afforded by this far +northern region. Two seals were soon after shot.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> +The country was found to abound in these, and in +geese, ducks, rabbits, wolves, foxes, partridges, and +bears. The scurvy was not likely to venture near +our explorers.</p> + +<p>A pleasant incident occurred on shipboard +about this time which the reader will better appreciate +as our story progresses. It was September +twenty-fourth. The Sabbath religious service +of the preceding day had been conducted by Chaplain +Bryant in his usual happy manner. At its +close Commander Hall made some kind, earnest +remarks to the men by which their rough natures +were made tender, and they sent a letter from the +forecastle to the cabin expressing to him their +thanks. To this he replied in the following +note:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"<span class="smcap">Sirs</span>: The reception of your letter of thanks to +me of this date I acknowledge with a heart that +deeply feels and fully appreciates the kindly feeling +that has prompted you to this act. I need not +assure you that your commander has, and ever will +have, a lively interest in your welfare. You have +left your homes, friends, and country; indeed, you +have bid farewell for a time to the whole civilized +world, for the purpose of aiding me in discovering +the mysterious, hidden parts of the earth. +I therefore must and shall care for you as a prudent +father cares for his faithful children."</p></div> + +<p>October tenth, after careful preparation, Captain +Hall started northward on an experiment in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> +way of sledging. He purposed more extended +sledge journeys in the spring, until the Pole itself +should be reached. He took two sledges, drawn +by seven dogs each. Captain Hall and Joe accompanied +one, and Mr. Chester, the mate, and Hans, +the other. Their experience on this trip was simply +of the Arctic kind, of which we have seen so +much. Deep snows, treacherous ice, which was in +a state of change by the action of winds and currents, +intense cold, and vexed and vicious dogs, +all put in their appearance. But Captain Hall +says, "These drawbacks are nothing new to an +Arctic traveler. We laugh at them, and plod on +determined to execute the service faithfully to the +end." The sledge expedition was gone two weeks, +and traveled north fifty miles. They discovered +a lake and a river. They came to the southern +cape of a bay which they had seen from the "Polaris" +in her drift from above. They named the +bay Newman Bay, and attached Senator Sumner's +name to the cape. From the top of an iceberg +they surveyed the bay, and believed it extended +inland thirty miles. Crossing the mouth of the +bay they clambered up its high northern cape, +which they called Brevoort. Here they looked +westward over the waters up which a good distance +past this point the "Polaris" had sailed, and +which they had named Robeson Strait. They +peered longingly into the misty distance, and +fondly hoped to penetrate it with sledge or steamer +in the spring. Joe, the architect of the journey, +built here their sixth snow-hut. It was warmer than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span> +at Thank-God Harbor, and birds, musk-oxen, +foxes, and rabbits, were seen, and bear and wolf +tracks were in the vicinity. Captain Hall was +joyous at the future prospect. He wrote a dispatch +from this high latitude in which he says, +"We have all been well up to this time." A copy +of it was placed in a copper cylinder and buried +under a pile of stones. The party turned their +faces homeward; Captain Hall's Arctic explorations +were ended.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLI.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>DISASTER.</div> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 525px;"><a id="Page_345"></a> +<img src="images/i_345.png" width="525" height="345" alt="ship" /> +<span class="caption">Unloading Stores from the "Polaris."</span> +<br /><br /></div> + +<div class='cap'>ABOUT noon of October twenty-fourth Captain +Hall and his party were seen in the distance +approaching the ship. Captain Tyson, the +assistant navigator, went out to meet them. Not +even a dog had been lost, and Captain Hall was +jubilant over his trip and the future of the expedition. +While he was absent the work of banking +up the "Polaris" with snow as an increased +defense against the cold, the building of a house +on shore for the stores, and their removal to it +from the ship, had gone forward nearly to completion. +He looked at the work, greeted all cheerfully, +and entered the cabin. He obtained water, +and washed and put on clean underclothes. The +steward, Mr. Herron, asked him what he would +have to eat, expressing at the same time a wish to +get him "something nice." He thanked him, but +said he wanted only a cup of coffee, and complained +of the heat of the cabin. He drank a +part of the cup of coffee and set it aside. Soon +after he complained of sickness at the stomach, +and threw himself into his berth. Chester, the +mate, and Morton, second mate, watched with him +all night, during which he was at times delirious. +It was thought he was partially paralyzed. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span> +surgeon, Dr. Bessel, was in constant attendance, +but after temporary improvement he became wildly +delirious, imagining some one had poisoned him, +and accused first one, then another. He thought +he saw blue gas coming from the mouths of persons +about him. He refused clean stockings at +the hand of Chester, thinking they were poisoned, +and he made others taste the food tendered him +before taking it himself, even that from sealed cans +opened in his cabin. During the night of November +seventh he was clear in his mind, and as Surgeon +Bessel was putting him to bed and tucking +him in, he said in his own kind tone, "Doctor, you +have been very kind to me, and I am obliged to +you." Early in the morning of November eighth +he died, and with his death the American North +Polar Expedition was ended.</div> + +<p>The grave of their beloved commander was dug +by the men under Captain Tyson, inland, southeast, +about a half mile from the "Polaris." The +frozen ground yielded reluctantly to the picks, and +the grave was of necessity very shallow.</p> + +<p>On the eleventh a mournful procession moved +from the "Polaris" to the place of burial. Though +not quite noon it was Arctic night. A weird, +electric light filled the air, through which the stars +shone brilliantly. Captain Tyson walked ahead +with a lantern, followed by Commander Buddington +and his officers, and then by the scientific +corps, which included the chaplain, Mr. Bryan; +the men followed, drawing the coffin on a sled, +one of their number bearing another lantern. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> +fitting pall thrown over the coffin was the American +flag. Following the sled were the Esquimo—last +in the procession but not the least in the depth +and genuineness of their sorrow. At the grave, +Tyson held the light for the chaplain to read the +burial service. As the solemn, yet comforting +words were uttered, "I am the resurrection and +the life, saith the Lord," all were subdued to tears. +Only from the spirit of the Gospel, breathing its +tender influence through these words, was there +any cheerful inspiration. The day was cold and +dismal, and the wind howled mournfully. Inland +over a narrow snow-covered plain, and in the +shadowy distance, were huge masses of slate-rock, +the ghostly looking sentinels of the barren land +beyond. Seaward was the extended ice of Polaris +Bay, and the intervening shore strown with great +ice-blocks in wild confusion. About five hundred +paces away was the little hut called an observatory, +and from its flag-staff drooped at half-mast +the stars and stripes.</p> + +<p>Far away were his loved family and friends, +whose prayers had followed him during his adventures +in the icy north, who even now hoped for his +complete success and safe return; and far away +the Christian burial place where it would have been +to them mournfully pleasant to have laid him. But +he who had declared that he loved the Arctic regions, +and to whose ears there was music in its wailing +winds, and to whose eyes there was beauty in its +rugged, icy barrenness, had found his earthly resting-place +where nature was clothed in its wildest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> +Arctic features. A board was erected over his +grave in which was cut:—</p> + +<div class='center'> +<span class='small'>"TO THE MEMORY OF</span><br /> +<br /> +C. F. HALL,<br /> +<br /> +<i>Late Commander of the North Polar Expedition.</i><br /> +<br /> +Died November 8, 1871,<br /> +<br /> +Aged fifty years."<br /> +</div> + +<p>When the funeral procession had returned to +the ship, all moved about in the performance of +their duty in gloomy silence. It is sad to record +that the great affliction caused by the death of +Hall was rendered more intense by the moral condition +of the surviving party. Two hideous specters +had early in the expedition made their appearance +on board the "Polaris." They were the +spirits of Rum and Discord! Commander Hall +had forbidden the admission of liquor on shipboard, +but it had come <i>with</i> the medicines whether +<i>of</i> them or not. It was put under the key of the +locker, but it broke out—no, we will not do injustice +even to this foulest of demons: <i>an officer</i>, +selected to guard the safety and comfort of the +ship's company, broke open the locker and let it +out. This brought upon him a reprimand from +Captain Hall, and later a letter of stricture upon +his conduct. The doctor's alcohol could not be +safely kept for professional purposes, which raised +"altercations" on board. So Rum and Discord, +always so closely allied, went stalking through the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span> +ship, with their horrid train. Insubordination, of +course, was from the first in attendance. Hall had, +it would seem, in part <i>persuaded</i> into submission +this ghastly specter. Where, on shipboard, the +lives of all depend upon submission to one will, +rebellion becomes, in effect, murder. We have +seen that Dr. Kane argued down this bloody intruder +by a pistol in a steady hand leveled at the +head of the chief rebel; and that Dr. Hayes saved +his boat party by the same persuasive influence +over Kalutunah. But Hall was not reared in the +navy, and was cast in a gentle mold.</p> + +<p>On the Sunday following the burial of Hall +it was announced that from that time the Sunday +service would be omitted. "Each one can pray +for himself just as well," it was remarked. The +faithful chaplain, however, seems to have held religious +service afterward for such as pleased to +attend. Hall had taken great pleasure in it, and +it had, we think, attended every Arctic expedition +through which we have carried the reader.</p> + +<p>After such a purpose to dismiss public worship +from the vessel we are not surprised to learn +that "the men made night hideous by their carousings." +Nature without had ceased to distinguish +night from day, and our explorers did not follow +the example of their predecessors in this region, +and <i>make</i> day and night below decks by requiring +the light to be put out at a stated hour. So the +noise and card-playing had all hours for their own. +Under these circumstances, as if to make the +"Polaris" forecastle the counterpart of one of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span> +our city "hells," pistols were put into the hands +of the men. Discord was now armed, and Alcohol +was at the chief place of command.</p> + +<p>The Christmas came, but no religious service +with it. New-Year's day brought nothing special. +The winter dragged along but not the wind, which +roared in tempests, and rushed over the floe in +currents traveling fifty-three miles an hour. It +played wild and free with the little bark which had +intruded upon its domains, breaking up the ice +around it, and straining at its moorings attached +to the friendly berg.</p> + +<p>Spring came at last. Hunting became lively +and successful. His majesty, the bear, became +meat for the hunters after a plucky fight, in which +two dogs had their zeal for bear combat fairly subdued. +Musk-oxen stood in stupid groups to be +shot. White foxes would not be hit at any rate. +Birds, trusting to their spread wings, were brought +low, plucked and eaten. Seals coming out of their +holes, and stretching themselves on the ice to enjoy +dreamily a little sunshine, to which they innocently +thought they had a right as natives of the +country, were suddenly startled by the crack of +the rifles of Hans and Joe, and often under such +circumstances died instantly of lead. It seemed +hardly fair. In fact we are confident that the animals +about Polaris Bay contracted a prejudice +against the strangers, except the white foxes, who +could not see what <i>hurt</i> these hunters did—at least +to foxes—and they were of a mind that it was +decided fun to be hunted by them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Esquimo have been in this high latitude in +the not distant past, as a piece of one of their +sledges was found.</p> + +<p>Soon after Hall's death the chief officers had +mutually pledged in writing that, "It is our honest +intention to honor our flag, and to hoist it +upon the most northern point of the earth." +During the spring and summer some journeys +northward were made, but were not extended beyond +regions already visited. The eye which +would have even now looked with hope and faith +to the region of the star which is the "crowning +jewel" of the central north, was dim in death. +Captain Buddington, now in chief command, had +faith and hope in the homeward voyage only.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 525px;"><a id="Page_354"></a> +<img src="images/i_354.png" width="525" height="346" alt="dangerous" /> +<span class="caption">Perilous Situation of the "Polaris."</span> +</div> + +<p>On the twelfth of August, 1872, the "Polaris" +was ready, with steam up, for the return trip. On +that very day there was added to the family of +Hans a son. All agreed to name him Charlie +Polaris, thus prettily suggesting the name of the +late commander and of the ship. Little Charlie +was evidently disgusted with his native country, +for he immediately turned his back upon it, the +ship steaming away that afternoon. The "Polaris" +had made a tolerably straight course up, but now +made a zig-zag one back. On she went, steaming, +drifting, banging against broken floes, through the +waters over which we have voyaged with Kane +and Hayes, until they came into the familiar regions +of Hayes's winter-quarters. On the afternoon +of the fifteenth of October the wind blew a +terrific gale from the north-west. The floe, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> +an angry mood, <i>nipped</i> the ship terribly. She +groaned and shrieked, in pain but not in terror, +for with her white oak coat of mail she still defied +her icy foe, now rising out of his grasp, and +then falling back and breaking for herself an +easier position. The hawsers were attached to +the floe, and the men stood waiting for the result +of the combat on which their lives depended. At +this moment the engineer rushed to the deck with +the startling announcement that the "Polaris" had +sprung a leak, and that the water was gaining on +the pumps. "The captain threw up his arms, and +yelled the order to throw every thing on the ice." +No examination into the condition of the leak +seems to have been made. A panic followed, and +overboard went every thing in reckless confusion, +many valuable articles falling near the vessel, and, +of course, were drawn under by her restless throes +and lost. Overboard went boats, provisions, ammunition, +men, women, and children, nobody knew +what nor who. It was night—an intensely dark, +snowy, tempestuous night.</p> + +<p>It was in this state of things, when the ship's +stores and people were divided between the floe +and her deck, that the anchors planted in the floe +tore away, and the mooring lines snapped like +pack-thread, and away went the "Polaris" in the +darkness, striking against huge ice-cakes, and drifting +none knew where. "Does God care for sparrows?" +and will he not surely care for these imperiled +explorers, both those in the drifting +steamer, and those on the floe whom he alone can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> +save, unhoused in an Arctic night on which no sun +will rise for many weeks, exposed to the caprice +of winds, currents, and the ever untrustworthy +ice-raft on which they are cast?</p> + +<p>We will leave the floe party awhile in His care, +and follow the fortunes of the brave little vessel +and her men.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE LAST OF THE "POLARIS."</div> + + +<div class='cap'>THOSE left on board of the "Polaris" were +oppressed with fears both for themselves and +those on the floe. The leak in the ship was serious, +and the water was gaining in the hold, and +threatened to reach and put out the fires, and thus +render the engine useless. Besides, the deck +pumps were frozen up, and only two lower ones +could be used. But "just before it was too late," +hot water was procured from the boiler and poured +in buckets-full into the deck-pumps, and they were +thawed out. The men then worked at the pumps +with an energy inspired by imminent danger of +death. They had already been desperately at +work for six unbroken hours, and ere long the +fight for life was on the verge of failure. Just then +came to the fainting men the shout "steam's up," +and tireless steam came to the rescue of weary +muscles.</div> + +<p>As the dim light of the morning of October +sixteenth dawned on the anxious watchers, they +saw that they had been forced by the violent wind +out of Baffin Bay into Smith Sound.</p> + +<p>Not until now, since the hour of separation, had +they counted their divided company. The assistant +navigator, the meteorologist, all the Esquimo,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> +and six seamen were missing; part of the dogs +had also gone with the floe party. Fourteen men +remained, including the commander and the mate, +the surgeon, and the chaplain.</p> + +<p>Men were sent to the mast-head to look for the +missing ones, but the most careful gaze with the +best glass failed to discern them. Hope of their +safety was inspired by the fact that they had all +the boats, even to the little scow; yet it was not +certainly known that the boats had not been sunk +or drifted off in the darkness, and thus lost to +them. So all was tantalizing uncertainty.</p> + +<p>An examination revealed the encouraging fact +that a good supply of fuel and provisions remained +on board. A breeze sprung up at noon by whose +aid the "Polaris" was run eastward, through a +fortunate lead, as near to the land as possible. +Here lines were carried out on the floe and made +fast to the hummocks, all the anchors having been +lost. She lay near the shore, and grounded at low +water. An examination showed that the vessel +was so battered and leaky, that surprise was excited +that she had not gone down before reaching +the shore. It was decided at once that she could +not be made to float longer. The steam-pumps +were stopped, the water filled her hold, and decided +her fate.</p> + +<p>The sheltered place into which the "Polaris" +had by Divine guidance entered was Life-Boat +Cove, only a little north of Etah Bay, every mile +of which we have surveyed in former visits. The +famous city of Etah with its two huts was not far<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> +away, but out of it and its vicinity had come timely +blessings to other winter-bound explorers.</p> + +<p>Our party at once commenced to carry ashore +the provisions, clothing, ammunition, and all such +articles from the vessel as might make them comfortable. +The spars, sails, and some of the heavy +wood-work of the cabin, were used in erecting a +house. When done their building was quite commodious, +being twenty-two feet by fourteen. The +sails aided in making the roof, which proved to be +water-tight, and the snow thrown up against the sides +made it warm. Within, it was one room for all, +and for all purposes. "Bunks" were made against +the sides for each of the fourteen men. A stove +with cooking utensils was brought from the ship +and set up; lamps were suspended about the +room, and a table with other convenience from +the cabin were put in order.</p> + +<p>But before this was done a party of Esquimo with +five sledges made their appearance. They stopped +at a distance, and signified their friendly purpose +by their customary wild gesticulations and antics. +The white men at first took them for the floe party, +and raised three rousing cheers of welcome. We +doubt not, though it is not stated, that they were +led on by our special friend, Kalutunah. The +surly Sipsu, it will be remembered, had received +what he had sought to give to another, a harpoon +planted in the back, and was dead. So there was +left none to rival Kalutunah. Myouk, the boy +that was, in Kane's day, was reported as an old +man now. Esquimo grow old rapidly. The whole<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> +party went to work with a will, having pleasant +visions before them of a new stock of needles, +knives, and other white-man treasures. They +clambered over the hummocky floe, bringing loads +of coal from the ship, and with their sleds brought +fresh-water ice for the melting apparatus. Several +families finally came, built their huts near the +vessel, and spent the winter. The ship-wrecked +whites had nearly worn out their fur suits, and +their supply had been greatly reduced by the +losses on the floe. So the Esquimo replenished +their stock, and their women repaired the worn +ones. Thus God makes the humblest and the +weakest able at times to render essential help to +the strong, and none need be useless.</p> + +<p>The winter wore off. There was no starvation, +nor even short rations. The coal burned cheerfully +in the stove until February, and then fuel +torn from the "Polaris" supplied its place. The +friendly natives brought fresh walrus meat, and +scurvy was kept away. For all their valuable +services the Esquimo felt well repaid in the coveted +treasures which were given them.</p> + +<p>The time during the sunless days was passed +in reading, writing, amusements, and discussions, +according to the taste and inclination of each. Of +course there were some daily domestic duties to +be done. The scientific men pursued their inquiries +so far as circumstances allowed.</p> + +<p>The dismal story which has so often pained our +ears concerning the Esquimo was true of them +generally during the winter—they were suffering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span> +with cold and hunger, and three, one of whom was +Myouk, died. The explorers returned the Esquimo +kindness by sharing with them, in a measure, +their own stock of provisions.</p> + +<p>The spring came, and with it successful hunting. +One deer was shot, and some hares caught. Chester, +the mate, who seems to have been <i>the</i> Yankee +of the party, planned, and assisted the carpenter +in building two boats. The material was +wrenched from the "Polaris." They were each +twenty-five feet long and five feet wide, square +fore and aft, capable of carrying, equally divided +between them, the fourteen men, two months' provisions, +and other indispensable articles. When +these were done they made a smaller boat, and +presented it to the Esquimo; it would aid them +in getting eggs and young birds about the shore.</p> + +<p>Clear water did not reach Life-Boat Cove until +the last of May. On its appearance in the immediate +vicinity the waiting explorers put every +thing in readiness for their departure. The boats +were laden, and each man assigned his place. +Bags were made of the canvas sails in which to +carry the provisions. What remained of the "Polaris" +was given to the Esquimo chief—we guess +to our friend Kalutunah—as an acknowledgment +of favors received. On the third of June, in fine +spirits and good health, the explorers launched +their boats and sailed southward. At first the +boats leaked badly, but they sailed and rowed +easily, and proved very serviceable. It was continuous +day, and the weather favorable. Seals<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span> +could be had for the pains of hunting them, and +the sea-fowl were so plenty that ten were at times +brought down at a shot. On the downward trip +old localities were touched, such as Etah, Hakluyt +Island, and Northumberland Island. The average +amount of Arctic storms were encountered, the +drift ice behaved in its usual manner, though not +as badly as it has been known to do. The little +crafts had their hair-breadth escapes, and were +battered not a little. Every night, when the toils +of the day were over, the boats were drawn upon +the floe, every thing taken out, and the only hot +meal of the day was prepared. Each boat carried +pieces of rope from the "Polaris," and a can of +oil. With these a fire was made in the bottom of +an iron pot. Over this fire they made their steaming +pots of tea.</p> + +<p>The party halted a while at Fitz Clarence Rock +in Booth Bay, about sixteen miles south of Cape +Parry, and within sight of the high, bleak plain on +which Dr. Hayes's boat-party spent their fearful +winter. On the tenth day of their voyaging they +had reached Cape York. In comparison to Dr. +Kane's trip over the same waters, theirs was as a +summer holiday excursion. But Melville Bay was +now before them with its defiant bergs, hummocks, +currents, stormy winds, and blinding snows—a +horrid crew! No wonder that the fear prevailed +among them that if not rescued they could never +reach any settlement. Chester, however, said, +"We can, and will." But the rescuers were not +afar off. For another ten days they were made to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span> +feel that their battle for life was to be a hard-fought +one. On the twenty-third they saw, away +in the distance, what appeared to be a whaler. +Could it be! They dared scarcely trust their eyes, +for the object was ten miles away. Yes, it was a +steamer, and beset, too, so she could not get away. +New courage was inspired, and they toiled on. +But for this timely spur to their zeal they would +have lost heart, for one of the boats in being lifted +over the hummocks was badly stove, and their +provisions were giving out, though they had calculated +that they had two months' supply. Soon +after they saw the steamer they were seen by the +watch from the mast-head. They were taken for +Esquimo, but a sharp lookout was kept upon their +movement, which soon showed them to be white +men. Signals of recognition were immediately +given, and eighteen picked men were sent to their +relief. Seeing this, Captain Buddington sent forward +two men, and the rescuers soon met and returned +with them. With even this addition to +their strength, it took six hours to drag the boats +the twelve miles which intervened between them +and the whaler. They were received with a kind-hearted +welcome by the noble Scotchman, Captain +Allen, of the "Ravenscraig," of Dundee. +Their toils were over, and their safety insured. +We will return to those on the floe.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLIII.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE FEARFUL SITUATION.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>ONE of the anchors of the "Polaris," in starting +on the night of the separation, tore off a +large piece of the floe with three men upon it. +As the "Polaris" swept past them they cried out +in agony, "What shall we do?" Captain Buddington +shouted back, "We can do nothing for +you. You have boats and provisions; you must +shift for yourselves." This was the last word from +the "Polaris."</div> + +<p>Seeing the sad plight of these men, Captain +Tyson, who from the first had been upon the floe, +took "the donkey," a little scow which had been +tossed upon the ice, and attempted to rescue them. +But the donkey almost at once sunk, and he +jumped back upon the floe and launched one of +the boats. Some of the other men started in the +other boat at the same time, and the three men +were soon united to the rest of the floe party.</p> + +<p>One of the last things Tyson drew out of the +way of the vessel as its heel was grinding against +the parting floe were some musk-ox skins. They +lay across a widening crack, and in a moment +more would have been sunk in the deep, or crushed +between colliding hummocks. Rolled up in +one of them, and cozily nestling together, were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span> +two of Hans's children! Does not God care for +<i>children</i>!</p> + +<p>Our darkness and storm-beset party did not dare +to move about much, for they could not tell the +size of the ice on which they stood, nor at what +moment they might step off into the surging waters. +So they rolled themselves up in the musk-ox skins +and <i>slept</i>! Captain Tyson alone did not lie down, +but walked cautiously about during the night. +The morning came, and with it a revelation of +their surroundings. <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Hugh'">Huge</ins> bergs were in sight +which had in the storm and darkness charged +upon the floe, and caused the breaking up of the +preceding night. It had been a genuine Arctic +assault. Their own raft was nearly round, and +about four miles in circumference, and immovably +locked between several grounded bergs. It was +snow-covered, and full of hillocks and intervening +ponds of water which the brief summer sun had +melted from their sides. Those who had laid +down were covered with snow, and looked like +little mounds. When the party roused, the first +thing they thought of was the ship. But she was +nowhere to be seen. A lead opened to the shore +inviting their escape to the land. Captain Tyson +ordered the men to get the boats in immediate +readiness, reminding them of the uncertainty of +the continued opening of the water, and of the +absolute necessity of instant escape from the floe +in order to regain the ship and save their lives. +But the men were in no hurry, and obedience to +orders had long been out of their line. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[366]</a></span> +were hungry and tired, and were determined to eat +first; and they didn't want a cold meal, and so +they made tea and chocolate, and cooked canned +meat. This done they must change their wet +clothes for dry ones.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the drifting ice <i>was</i> in a hurry +and had shut up in part the lead. But Tyson was +determined to try to reach the shore though the +difficulties had so greatly increased during the +delay. The boats were laden and launched, but +when they were about half way to the shore the +lead closed, and they returned to the floe and +hauled up the boats. Just then the "Polaris" +was seen under both steam and sail. She was +eight or ten miles away, but signals were set to +attract her attention, and she was watched with a +glass with intense interest until she disappeared +behind an island. Soon after, Captain Tyson sent +two men to a distant part of the floe to a house +made of poles, which he had erected for the stores +soon after they began to be thrown from the vessel. +In going for these poles the steamer was again +seen, apparently fast in the ice behind the island. +She could not then come to the floe party, being +beset and without boats, and so Tyson ordered the +men to get the boats ready for another attempt to +reach the land, and thus in time connect with the +vessel. He lightened the boats of all articles not +absolutely necessary, that they might be drawn to +the water safely and with speed. He then went +ahead to find the nearest and best route for embarking. +The grounded bergs in the mean while,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span> +relaxed their grasp upon the explorers' ice-raft, +and they began to drift southward. With malicious +intent, on came a terrific snow-storm at the +same time. Tyson hurried back to hasten up the +men. They were in no hurry, but, with grumbling +and trifling, finally made ready as they pretended, +one boat crowded with every thing both needful +and worthless. When at last it was dragged to +the water's edge, it was ascertained that the larger +part of the oars and the rudder had been left at +the camp far in the rear. In this crippled condition +the boat was launched. But not only oars +and rudder, but <i>will</i> on the part of the men was +wanting. So the boat was drawn upon the floe, +and left with all its valuables near the water. The +night was approaching, the storm was high, and +the men were weary, so no attempt was made to +return it to the old camp. All went back to the +middle of the floe. Tyson, Mr. Meyers, one of +the scientific corps, and the Esquimo, made a canvas +shelter, using the poles as a frame, and the +others camped near them. Captain Tyson, after +eating a cold supper, rolled himself in a musk-ox +skin, and lay down for the first sleep he had sought +for forty-eight hours. His condition seemed to be +a specially hard one. While, on the night of the +great disaster, he was striving to save the general +stores, the saving of which proved the salvation +of the company, others were looking after their +personal property, so they had their full supply of +furs and fire-arms, while his were left in the ship. +He, however, slept soundly until the morning,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span> +when he was startled by a shriek from the Esquimo. +The floe had played them an Arctic trick; +it had broken and set the whole party adrift on an +ice-raft not more than one hundred and fifty yards +square. What remained of their old floe of four +miles' circumference contained the house made of +poles, in which remained six bags of bread, and +the loaded boat, in which were the greater part of +their valuables. Here was a fearful state of things! +Yet one boat remained with which they might have +gone after the other one, but the men seemed infatuated +and refused to go. Away the little raft +sailed, crumbling as it went, assuring its passengers +that they must all stow away in their one boat or +soon be dropped in the sea. For four days they +thus drifted, during which the Esquimo shot several +seals. On the twenty-first Joe was using the +spy-glass, and suddenly shouted for joy. He had +spied the lost boat lodged on a part of the old floe +which had swung against the little raft of our party. +He and Captain Tyson, with a dog-team, instantly +started for it, and after a hard pull returned with +boat and cargo. Soon after, their old floe, in an +accommodating mood, thrust itself against the +one they were on, the boats were passed over, +and every thing was again together—boats and +provisions.</p> + +<p>Let us now look around upon our party more +critically. The whole number was twenty, including +the ten weeks' old Charlie Polaris, who, of +course, was somebody. As we have stated, <i>all</i> the +Esquimo were of this party. Both the cook and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span> +steward were here. Much the larger number of +the dogs belonging to the expedition were on the +floe, but no sledges. Fortunately, in addition to +the two boats, one of the kayaks had been saved. +It might, in the skillful hands of a Joe, meet some +emergency.</p> + +<p>As there was only faint hope now of again seeing +the "Polaris," and as their ice-boat seemed to +sail farther and farther from the shore, they began +to make the best winter-quarters their circumstances +allowed. Under the direction of Joe, as +architect and builder, several snow houses were +put up. One was occupied by Captain Tyson and +Mr. Myers; one by Joe and family; a larger one +by the men; and one was used for the provisions, +and one for a cook house. All these were united +by an arched passage way. Hans and family located +their house apart from the others, but near.</p> + +<p>The huts erected, their next pressing need was +sledges. The men, with great difficulty, dragged +some lumber from the old store-house, and a +passable one was made.</p> + +<p>Though the quantity of provisions was quite large, +yet with nineteen persons to consume it, (not to +reckon little Charlie's mouth, who looked elsewhere +for his supply,) and with possibly no addition +for six months, it was alarmingly small. Besides, +in their unprincipled greed, some of the +party broke into the store-room and took more +than a fair allowance. So the party agreed upon +two meals a day, and a weighed allowance at each +meal.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span></p> + +<p>It was now the last of October. The sun had +ceased to show his pleasant face, and the long +night was setting in. To add to their discomfort, +the question of light and fuel assumed a serious +aspect. The men, either from want of skill or +patience, or both, did not succeed well in using +seal fat for these purposes, in the Esquimo fashion; +so they began, with a reckless disregard to +their future safety, to break up and burn one of +the boats.</p> + +<p>Hans, with a true Esquimo instinct, when the +short allowance pinched him, began to kill and +eat the dogs. He might be excused, however. +Four children, with their faces growing haggard, +looked to him for food.</p> + +<p>Thus situated, our floe party drifted far away +from the land—drifting on and on, whether they +slept or woke—drifting they knew not to what +end.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLIV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE WONDERFUL DRIFT.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>EARLY in November Captain Tyson saw +through his glass, about twelve miles off to +the southeast, the Cary Islands, so they were in +the "North water" of Baffin Bay, and south-west +from Cape Parry, where we have been so many +times. From this cape, or a little south of it, it +would not be a great sledge trip to where they last +saw the "Polaris," and where they had reason to +think she now was. So our party made one more +effort to reach the shore. The boats being in +readiness the night before, they started early in +the morning. Of course their day was now only +a noon twilight, and the <i>morning</i> was most midday. +But the floe was not in a favoring mood. +The hummocks were as hard in their usage of the +boats and men as usual. The deceitful cracks in +the ice at one time put the lives of the dogs and +men in great peril; and, as if these obstacles were +not enough, a storm brought up its forces against +them. They had dragged the boats half way to +the shore when they retreated "before superior +forces."</div> + +<p>Their huts being of perishable material, were +reconstructed. A little later the men built a large +snow hut as "a reserve." All were weak through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span> +insufficient food. Mr. Meyers was nearly prostrate, +and went to live with the men; Captain +Tyson, whose scanty clothing, added to care and +short rations, caused him to suffer much, took up +his quarters with Joe and Hannah, and their little +Puney. Not the least of the trial in the Esquimo +huts were the piteous cries of the children for +food. Joe and Hans were out with their guns +every day during the three hours' twilight, hunting +seals. The first one captured was shot by Joe, +November sixth. Nearly two weeks passed before +any further success attended the hunters; then +several were shot, and Captain Tyson, who was +ready to perish, had one full meal—a meal of uncooked +seal meat, skin, hair, and all, washed down +with seal blood. <i>Some</i> others had not been so +long without a full meal, as the bread continued +to be stolen.</p> + +<p>The <i>home</i> Thanksgiving Day came. A little +extra amount of the canned meat was allowed +each one, and all had a taste of mock-turtle soup +and canned green corn, kept for this occasion, to +which was added a few pieces of dried apple. +How far it all fell short of the <i>home</i> feast may be +judged by the fact that Captain Tyson, to satisfy +the fierce hunger which remained after dinner, +finished "with eating strips of frozen seals' entrails, +and lastly seal skin, hair and all."</p> + +<p>The hunters had seen tracks of bears, so they +were on the lookout for them while they hunted +seal. One day Joe and Hans went out as usual +with their guns. They lost sight of each other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span> +and of the camp. Joe returned quite late, expecting +to find Hans already in his hut. When he +learned that he had not returned, he, as well as +others, felt concerned about him. Accompanied +by one of the men, he went in search of him. As +the two, guns in hand, were stumbling over the +hummocks, they saw in the very dim twilight, as +they thought, a bear. Their guns were instantly +leveled and brought to the sight, and their mouths +almost tasted a bear-meat supper. "Hold on +there! That's not a bear! what is it?" "Why, +it's Hans!" Well, he <i>did</i> look in the darkness +like a bear, as in his shaggy coat he clambered, +on all-fours, over the ice-hills.</p> + +<p>December came in with its continuous night. +Seals could not be successfully hunted in the darkness, +and where seals could not be seen bears +would not make their appearance. The rations became +smaller than ever, and ghastly, horrid starvation +seemed encamped among our drifting, forlorn +party. Under these circumstances a specter even +<i>worse</i> than starvation appeared to Joe. To him, +at least, it was a terrifying reality. It was the +demon form of Cannibalism! He had looked +into the eyes of the men in the big hut, and they +spoke to him of an intention to save themselves +by first killing and eating Hans and family, and +then taking him and his. He and Hannah were +greatly terrified, and he handed his pistol to Captain +Tyson, which he was not willing to part +with before. He was assured that the least +child should not be touched for so horrid a purpose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span> +without such a defense as the pistol could +give.</p> + +<p>Christmas came. The last ham had been kept +for this occasion, and it was divided among all, +with a few other dainties, in addition to the usual +morsel.</p> + +<p>The shore occasionally appeared in the far away +distance. They were drifting through Baffin Bay +toward the <i>western</i> side, so that their craft evidently +did not intend to land them at any of the familiar +ports of Greenland. It seemed to have an ambition +to drop them nearer home.</p> + +<p>As the year was going out, and Joe's family were +gnawing away at some <i>dried</i> seal skin, submitted, +to be sure, to a process Hannah called cooking, a +shout was heard from him. "Kayak! kayak!" he +cried. He had shot a seal, and it was floating +away. Fortunately the kayak was at hand, and the +game was bagged. As usual, it was divided among +all. The <i>eyes</i> were given to Charlie Polaris, and +they were nice in his eyes, and mouth, too.</p> + +<p>New Year's came, and Captain Tyson dined on +two feet of frozen seal entrails, and a little seal +fat. There was now nothing to burn except what +little seal blubber they could spare for that purpose. +One boat had been burned, their only sled +had gone the same way, and the reckless, desperate +men could hardly be restrained from burning +the only one now remaining, and thus cut off all +good hope of final escape. To be sure, their +provocation to this act was very great; the temperature +was thirty-six below zero! In their strait,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span> +the desperate expedient was entertained of trying +to get to land. The emaciated men would have to +drag the loaded boat over the hummocky ice without +a sledge. The women and children must be +added to the load or abandoned. It would be a +struggle for life against odds more fearful than +that which now oppressed them. But what <i>should</i> +they do! God knew! Hark! what shout is that! +"Kayak! kayak!" The kayak was at hand, but it +had to be carried a mile. Yet it paid, for a seal +shot by Joe was secured just in time to keep the +men from utter desperation. To this item of comfort +another was added a few days later. The sun +reappeared January nineteenth, after an absence +of eighty-three days, and remained shining upon +them two hours. He brought hope to fainting +hearts. Through January there was a seal taken at +long intervals, but one always came just before it +was too late! The men continued to grumble and +deceive themselves with the idea of soon getting +to Disco, "where rum and tobacco were plenty." +How sad that man can sink <i>below</i> the brute, which, +however hungry, never cries out for "rum and +tobacco!"</p> + +<p>Leaving for a moment the white men, let us +look into the Esquimo huts and see how the terrible +condition of things affects them. The men +are almost always out hunting, but just now, as we +step into Joe's snow dwelling, he is at home. The +only light or fire is that which comes from the +scanty supply of seal oil. Captain Tyson is trying +to write with a pencil in his journal, but he appears<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span> +cold in his scanty covering of furs, and looks +weak and hungry. Joe and Hannah are striving +to pass away the weary hours by playing checkers +on an old piece of canvas which the captain has +marked into squares with his pencil. They are +using buttons for men, and seem quite interested +in the game. Little Puney is sitting by, wrapped in +a musk-ox skin, uttering at intervals a low, plaintive +cry for food. It is the most cheerful home +"on board" the floe, but surely it is cheerless +enough.</p> + +<p>We shall not wish to tarry long in the hut of +Hans, for besides the unavoidable misery of the +place, Mr. and Mrs. Hans are noted for the boarders +they keep—about their persons. Under the +most favorable circumstances they regard bathing +as one of the barbarous customs of civilization. +The reader will recollect that the first experience +Mrs. Hans had of a personal cleansing was on +board Dr. Hayes's vessel, and she then thought it +a joke imposed by the white people's religion, too +grievous to be borne. On another exploring vessel +she and her husband were cruelly required to +put off their long-worn garments, wash and put +on clean ones, and put the old "in a strong +pickle," for an obvious reason. It is not certainly +known that they were ever washed at any other +times.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Hans's hut is not in the most tidy order, +but the circumstances must be taken into the account, +and also the fact of the sad neglect of her +early domestic education. We have just drifted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[377]</a></span> +from her native land—or, rather, <i>ice</i>—where she +was married, in Dr. Kane's time, it being a runaway +match, at least on the part of the husband.</p> + +<p>Well, here they are, father, mother, and four +children, on a voyage unparalleled in the history of +navigation. Mr. and Mrs. Hans do not play any +household games; they do not know what to do at +home, except to eat, and feed the children, and +make and mend skin clothing. We know full well +to what sad disadvantage the eating is subjected +at the time of our call, and we are authorized to +say, to the credit of Mrs. Hans, that as to the +making and mending, she has been of real service +to the men on this voyage.</p> + +<p>The children of Hans cannot fail to attract our +attention and sympathy. Augustina, the first-born, +usually fat and rugged if not ruddy, is thin and +pale now, and sits chewing a bit of dried seal +skin, or something of the sort, and trying to get +from it a drop of nourishment; her brother, Tobias, +has thrown his head into her lap as she sits on the +ground. The poor little fellow has been sick, +unable to eat even the small allowance of meat +given him, and has lived, one hardly knows how, +on a little dry bread. Succi, the four-year-old +girl, squats on the ground—that is, the canvas-covered +ice floor—hugging her fur skin about her, +and in a low, moaning tone repeats, "I is <i>so</i> hungry!" +Her mother is trying to pick from the +lamp, for the children, a few bits of "tried-out" +scraps of blubber. Little Charlie's head is just<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[378]</a></span> +discernible in the fur hood which hangs from the +mother's neck at her back. If he gets enough to +eat, which we fear is not the case, he is sweetly +ignorant of the perils of this, his first trip, in the +voyage of life. We shall not want to stay longer +in this sad place.</p> + +<p>February was a dreadful month on board the +floe. The huts were buried under the snow. It +was with difficulty that Joe and Hans, almost the +entire dependence of the party, could go abroad +for game, and when they did they secured a few +seals only, very small, and now and then a dovekie, +a wee bit of a pensive sea-bird. Norwhal, the sea +unicorn, were shot in several instances, but they +sunk in every case and were lost. Hunger and +fear seemed to possess the men in the large tent, +and Joe and Hannah began to be again terrified +by the thought that these hunger-mad men would +kill and eat them.</p> + +<p>Now, will not God appear to help those in so +helpless a condition? Yes, his hand has ever +been wonderfully apparent in all Arctic perils. On +the second of March, just when the dark cloud of +these drifting sufferers was never darker, it parted, +and a flood of light burst upon their camp. Joe +shot an <i>oogjook</i>, belonging to the largest species of +seal. He was secured and dragged by all hands +to the huts. He measured nine feet, weighed +about seven hundred pounds, and contained, by +estimation, thirty gallons of oil. There was a +shout of seal in the camp! The warm blood was +relished like new milk, and drank freely. All eat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[379]</a></span> +and slept, and woke to eat again, and hunger departed +for the time from the miserable huts it had +so long haunted. Joe and Hannah dismissed their +horrid visions of cannibalism. God was, the helper +of these hungry ones, and they <i>were</i> helped.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[380]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XLV.</h2> + +<div class='chaptertitle'>THE WONDERFUL ESCAPE.</div> + + +<div class='cap'>OUR voyagers needed all the strength and +courage which the timely capture of the +great seal had given them. They had drifted into +a warmer sea, and windy March was well upon +them. Their floe began to herald its fast approaching +dissolution. The weary and anxious +drifters were startled by day, and awakened suddenly +by night, by a rumbling, mingled with +fearful grindings and crashes underneath them. +Heavy ice-cakes, over-rode by the heavier floe, +ground along its under surface, and when finding +an opening of thin ice, rushed with a thundering +sound to the upper surface. The din was at times +so great that it seemed to combine all alarming +sounds:—</div> + +<div class='poem'> +"Through all its scale the horrid discord ran;<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Now mocked the beast—now took the groan of man."</span><br /> +</div> + +<p>On the eleventh a storm commenced. Whole +fleets of icebergs, having broken away from the icy +bands in which the floe had held them, hovered +round to charge upon the helpless campers. The +vast area of ice on which they had been riding +for so many months was lifted in places by mighty +seas beneath, causing it to crack with a succession<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[381]</a></span> +of loud reports and dismal sounds, some of which +seemed to be directly under them. The wind +drove before it a dense cloud of snow, so that one +could scarcely see a yard. Night came with a +darkness that could be felt. The icy foundation +of their camp might separate at any moment, and +tumble their huts about their ears, or plunge them +in the sea. They gathered their few treasures together, +and stood ready to fly—but where? Death +seemed to guard every avenue of escape. Suddenly, +soon after the night set in, the disruption +came. Their floe was shattered, with a fearful uproar, +into hundreds of pieces, and they went surging +off among the fragments on a piece less than +a hundred yards square. They were within twenty +yards of its edge, but God had kindly forbid the +separation to run through their camp and sever +them from their boat or from each other.</p> + +<p>After raging sixty hours the storm abated, and +their little ice-ship drifted rapidly in the pack. A +goodly number of seals were shot, and they began +to breathe more freely. After a short time another +<i>oogjook</i> was captured, so food was plenty.</p> + +<p>March wore away, seals were plenty, and readily +taken; and though the bergs ground together and +made fierce onsets into the pack, our ice-ship held +gallantly on her way. One night the inmates of +Joe's hut were about retiring, when a noise was +heard outside. "What is it, Joe? is the ice breaking +up?" Joe does not stop to answer, but rushes +out. But in ten seconds he comes back in a greater +hurry, pale and breathless. "There's a bear close<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[382]</a></span> +to my kayak," he exclaims in an excited tone. Now +the situation was this: The kayak was within ten +paces of the entrance to the hut, and the loaded +guns, which can never be kept in an Esquimo hut +on account of the moisture, were in and leaning +against the kayak. If the bear should take a notion +to put his nose at the hut door, and, liking +the odor, knock down the snow wall with his +strong paw, and commence a supper on one of its +inmates, what was to hinder him? But bears, like +many young people, often fail to improve their +golden opportunities. He found some seal fat and +skins in the kayak, and these he pulled out, and +walked off with them a rod or two to enjoy the +feast. Joe crept out of the hut, and ran to alarm +the men. Captain Tyson followed, slipped softly +up to the kayak and seized his gun, but in taking +it he knocked down another one and alarmed the +bear, who looked up and growled his objections to +having his supper disturbed. Tyson leveled his +rifle, snapped it, but it missed fire. He tried a +second and third time, and it did not go—but <i>he</i> +did, for his bearship was taking the offensive. +Content to see his enemy flee, the bear returned +to his supper. How many foolish bears have we +seen on our explorations lose their lives by an untimely +<i>eating</i>; but some men, more foolish, lose +<i>more than life</i> <span class="smcap">by drinking</span>. The captain returned +to the field with a new charge in his gun. This +time it sent a ball <i>through</i> the bear; the ball entering +the left shoulder and passing through the heart, +came out at the other side. He staggered, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[383]</a></span> +before he fell Joe had sent another ball into his +vitals. He dropped dead instantly. This affair +occurred when it was too dark to see many yards, +and was much pleasanter in its results than in its +duration.</p> + +<p>The seal hunting was successful, and with bear +meat and blubber, a full store, there was no hunger +unappeased; but the wind blew a gale, and +the sailless, rudderless, oarless little ice-ship, now +banging against a berg, and now in danger of being +run down by one, all the while growing alarmingly +smaller, finally shot out into the open sea +away from the floe. This would not do. So, feeling +that they might soon be dropped into the sea, +they loaded the boat with such things as was +strictly necessary, and all hands getting aboard, +sailed away. A part of their ammunition, their +fresh meat, a full month's supply, and many other +desirable things, were abandoned. The boat, only +intended to carry eight persons, was so overloaded +with its twenty, including children, that it was in +danger of being swamped at any moment. The +frightened children cried, and the men looked sober. +They sailed about twenty miles west, and +landed on the first tolerably safe piece of ice which +they met. Hans and family nestled down in the +boat, and the rest, spreading on the floe what skins +they had, set up a tent, and all, after eating a dry +supper of bread and pemmican, lay down to rest. +Thus, boating by day, and camping on the ice at +night for several days, they drew up on the fourth +of April upon a solid looking floe. Snow-huts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[384]</a></span> +were built, seals were taken, and hope revived. +But what is hope, resting on Arctic promises? +The gale was abroad again, the sea boisterous, and +their floe was thrown into a panic. Fearful noises +were heard beneath and around them, and their +icy foundations quaked with fear. Joe's snow-hut +was shaken down. He built it again, and then lot +and house fell off into the sea and disappeared. +Thus warned, the camp was pushed farther back +from the water. But they did not know where the +crack and separation would next come. Thus +they lived in anxious watchings through weary +days, the gale unabated. Finally, one night, the +feared separation came. All hands except Mr. +Meyers were in the tent; near them, so near a man +could scarcely walk between, was the boat, containing +Meyers and the kayak; but with mischievous +intent, the crack run so as to send the boat +drifting among the breaking and over-lapping ice. +Mr. Meyers could not manage it, of course, under +such circumstances, and the kayak was of no use +to any but an Esquimo, so he set it afloat, hoping +it would drift to the floe-party. Here was a fearful +situation! The floe-party, as well as Mr. Meyers, +was sure to perish miserably if the boat was not +returned. There was only a dim light, and objects +at a short distance looked hazy. It was a time for +instant and desperate action. Joe and Hans took +their paddles and ice-spears and started for the +boat, jumping from one piece of floating, slippery +ice to another. They were watched in breathless +suspense until they <i>seemed</i>, in the shadowy distance,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[385]</a></span> +to have reached the boat, and then all was shut +out in the darkness.</p> + +<p>The morning came, and the floe party were glad +to see that the boat had three men in it. It was a +half mile off, and the kayak was as far away in another +direction. It was soon clear that the boat +could not be brought back without a stronger +force. Tyson led the way, and finally all but two +of the men made the desperate passage of the +floating ice to the imperiled craft. It was with +difficulty that, with their combined force, the boat +was returned to the floe. The kayak was also +recovered.</p> + +<p>For a brief time there was quiet all around. +The aurora gleamed, and displayed its wonderful +beauty of form and motion; while the majestic +icebergs, in every varied shape, reflected its sparkling +light. The grandeur of sea and sky seemed +a mockery to the danger-beset voyagers. The +elements might be grand, but they had combined +to destroy them, for a new form of peril now appeared. +The sea came aboard of their icy craft. +They were sitting one evening under their frail +tent, the boat near, when a wave swept over their +floe, carrying away tent, clothing, provisions—every +thing except what was on their persons or +in the boat. The women and children had been +put on board in fear of such an occurrence, and +the men had just time to save themselves by +clinging to the gunwale. The boat itself was +borne into the middle of the floe. When the wave +subsided the boat was dragged back, lest another<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[386]</a></span> +push by a succeeding one might launch it into the +sea from the other side. It was well they did this, +for another wave bore it to the opposite edge and +partly slipped it into the water. This game of +surging the boat from one side to the other of the +floe, was kept up from nine o'clock in the evening +to seven in the morning. All this time the men +were in the water, fighting the desperate battle for +its safety, and the preservation of their own lives; +the conflict being made more terrible by the +fact that every wave bore with it ice-blocks from +a foot square to those measuring many yards, +having sharp edges and jagged corners, with which +it battered their legs until they were black and +blue. It was the severest test of their courage +and endurance yet experienced. But God was +their helper. Not one perished, and when the defeated +sea was by his voice commanded to retire, +and the day appeared, they were not seriously +harmed. But they were cold and wet, without a +change of clothes and utterly provisionless.</p> + +<p>It is not surprising that after their rough handling +on the floe they should seek a larger and +safer one. This they did, launching their crowded +boat into the turbulent sea, and, working carefully +along, succeeded in landing safely on one stronger +looking; nothing worse happening than the tumbling +overboard of the cook, who was quickly +rescued. Here, cold, half-drowned, hungry, and +weary to faintness, they tried to dry and warm +themselves in the feeble rays of the sun, and wait +for their food at the hand of the great Provider<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[387]</a></span> +in the use of such means as were yet left to them. +They had preserved their guns and a small supply +of powder and shot. Snow and rain came on, and +continued until noon of the next day, April twenty-second. +Their hunger was fearful. Mr. Meyers +had been slightly frost-bitten when drifting +away alone in the boat, his health seemed broken, +and he was actually starving.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of this day Joe went as usual +with his gun. He had caught nothing on this +floe, and now there were no signs of seals, though +it was his fourth time out that day. What should +they do? God had their relief all arranged. Joe +saw what he did not expect to see, and what was +seldom seen so far south—a bear! He ran back +to the boat, called Hans with his trusty rifle, and +the two lay down behind the hummocks. All +were ordered to lie down, keep perfectly quiet, +and feign themselves seals, the Esquimo helping +out the deception by imitating the seal bark. +Bruin came on cautiously. He, too, was hungry. +What are those black objects, and what is that +noise, he seemed to say? They don't look <i>quite</i> +like seals! The noise is not <i>just</i> like the seal cry! +But hunger is a weighty reason with men and +bears, on the side of what they desire to believe, +so the bear came on. When fairly within an easy +range both rifles cracked, and he fell dead. The +whole party arose with a shout. Polar was +dragged to the boat and skinned. His warm blood +slaked their raging thirst. His meat, tender and +good, satisfied their gnawing hunger. They were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[388]</a></span> +saved from a terrible death! Seals were secured +soon after, and hope again revived.</p> + +<p>It was not long before their ice-craft crumbled +away, so they were obliged to repeat the experiment, +always full of danger, of launching into the +sea and making for a larger and safer one. April +twenty-eighth they were beset by a fleet of bergs, +which were crashing against each other with a +thundering noise, and occasionally turning a threatening +look toward the frail craft of our drifters. +So angrily at last did one come down upon them +that they abandoned their floe and rowed away. +Surely there is no peace for them by night or day, +on the floe or afloat in their boat. They dare not +lie down a moment without keeping one half of +their number on the watch. But what is that in +the distance? A steamer! A thrill of joy goes +through the boat's company. Every possible signal +is given, but she does not see them, and another +night is spent on the floe. The next morning +every eye was straining to see a whaler. Soon +one appears. They shout, raise their signals, and +fire every gun at once. But she passes out of +sight. April thirtieth, as the night was setting in +foggy and dark, the shout from the watch of +"steamer" brought all to their feet. She was +right upon them in the fog before she was seen. +Hans was soon alongside of her in his kayak, telling +their story as best he could. In a few moments +the whaler was alongside of their piece of +ice. Captain Tyson removed his old well-worn +cap, called upon his men, and three cheers were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[389]</a></span> +given, ending with a "tiger" such as the poor fellows +had not had a heart to give for many long +months. The cheers were returned by a hundred +men from the rigging and deck of the vessel. It was +the sealer "Tigress," Captain Bartlett, of Conception +Bay, Newfoundland. They soon had the planks +of a good ship beneath them instead of a treacherous +floe; curious but kind friends beset them, +instead of threatening bergs; and every comfort +succeeded to utter destitution. They had been +on the floe six months, and floated more than sixteen +hundred miles.</p> + +<p>They were speedily conveyed, by the way of +Conception Bay and St. Johns, to their own homes, +the telegraph having flashed throughout the length +and breadth of the land their coming, and the +nation rejoiced. But there were tears mingled +with the joy, that one, the noble, the true, the +Christian commander of the expedition, Charles +Francis Hall, lay in his icy grave in the far north.</p> + +<p>As speedily as possible the "Tigress" was purchased +and fitted out by the United States Government +in search of the "Polaris" party. Captain +Tyson and Joe were among her men. She reached +Life-boat Cove about two months after Captain +Buddington and his men had left. They learned +that, much to the grief of the natives, the +"Polaris" had floated off and sunk. The Buddington +party arrived home in the fall, by the way +of England.</p> + +<p>As we may not meet our Esquimo friends again, +with whom we have made so many voyages, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[390]</a></span> +reader will want to know the last news from them. +Hans and his family returned to Greenland in the +"Tigress." Joe has bought a piece of land and +a house near New London, Connecticut, and intends, +with his family, to remain there, getting a +living by fishing.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the last American North Pole Expedition. +The last from other Governments have +not been more successful. Yet, while we write, +England and Austria are reported as getting ready +further North Polar expeditions to start in the +spring of 1875. It must be allowed that the icy +sceptered guardian of the North has made a good +fight against the invaders into his dominions. But +the nations of the earth are determined to send +men to sit on his throne, though they find it a barren +and worthless, as well as a cold domain.</p> + + +<div class='center'>THE END.</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[391]</a></span></p> +<div class='adtitle'><i>PUBLICATIONS OF NELSON & PHILLIPS</i>,<br /> +805 BROADWAY, NEW YORK.</div> + + + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">The Story of a Pocket Bible.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Ten illustrations. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">$1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Historical Souvenirs of Martin Luther.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Charles W. Hubner. Illustrated. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 00</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Words that Shook the World;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Martin Luther his own Biographer. By Charles</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Adams, D.D. Twenty-two Illustrations. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Renata of Este.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From the German of Rev. Carl Strack. By Catherine</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">E. Hurst. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Anecdotes of the Wesleys.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By J. B. Wakeley, D.D. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Martyrs to the Tract Cause.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A contribution to the History of the Reformation.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By J. F. Hurst, D.D. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">75</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Palissy, the Huguenot Potter.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By C. L. Brightwell. Illustrated. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Prince of Pulpit Orators.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Portraiture of Rev. George Whitefield, M.A. By</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">J. B. Wakeley, D.D. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Thomas Chalmers.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Biographical Study. By James Dodds. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 00</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Gustavus Adolphus.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Hero of the Reformation. From the French</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">of L. Abelous. By Mrs. C. A. Lacroix. Illustrated.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 00</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />William the Taciturn.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From the French of L. Abelous. By Professor J.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">P. Lacroix. Illustrated. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Life of Oliver Cromwell.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Charles Adams, D.D. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Lady Huntington Portrayed.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Rev Z. A. Mudge. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Curiosities of Animal Life.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[392]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Recent Discoveries of the Microscope. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">0 75</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Glaucia.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Story of Athens in the First Century. By Emma</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Leslie. Illustrated. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Talks with Girls.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Augusta Larned. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Peter, the Apprentice.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">An Historical Tale of the Reformation in England. By</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">the author of "Faithful, but not Famous," etc. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">90</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Romance without Fiction.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Sketches from the Portfolio of an Old Missionary.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Rev. Henry Bleby. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 75</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>The Man of One Book;</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, the Life of the Rev. William Marsh, D.D. By his</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Daughter. Edited by Daniel Wise. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Sunday Afternoons.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Book for Little People. By E. F. Burr, D.D., author</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">of "Ecce-Celum." 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">75</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Little Princess,</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And other Stories, chiefly about Christmas. By Aunt</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hattie. 18mo.</span></td><td align="right">65</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>School Life of Ben and Bentie.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Illustrated. 18mo.</span></td><td align="right">90</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Peeps at our Sunday-Schools.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Rev. Alfred Taylor. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Elizabeth Tudor:</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">The Queen and the Woman. By Virginia F. Townsend.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Illustrated. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>True Stories of the American Fathers.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">For the Girls and Boys all over the Land. By Miss</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Rebecca M'Conkey. Illustrated. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Glimpses of our Lake Region in 1863,</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And other Papers. By Mrs. H. C. Gardner. 12mo. </span></td><td align="right">1 50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Through the Eye to the Heart;</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Eye-Teaching in the Sunday-School. By Rev. W.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">F. Crafts. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 50</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br /><i>Discontent,</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[393]</a></span><span style="margin-left: 1em;">And other Stories. By Mrs. H. C. Gardner. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Afternoons with Grandma.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From the French of Madame Carraud. By Mrs. Mary</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Kinmont. Beautifully Illustrated. Bound in Muslin.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">16mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Household Stories.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">From the German of Madame Ottilie Wildermuth.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Miss Eleanor Kinmont. With Illustrations. 16mo.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Four Volumes. Each.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Father's Coming Home.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By the Author of "Weldon Woods." Four Illustrations.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">16mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 00</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Agnes Morton's Trial;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, the Lost Diamonds. And The Young Governess.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">By Mrs. Emma N. Janvier. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />My Sister Margaret.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Temperance Story. By Mrs. C. M. Edwards. Illustrated.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Lillian.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Story of the Days of Martyrdom in England Three</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Hundred Years Ago. Five Illustrations. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">90</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Ethel Linton;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Feversham Temper. By E. A. W., Author of</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">"The Home of the Davenports," etc. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Simple Stories with Odd Pictures;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Evening Amusements for the Little Ones at Home.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">With Twenty Illustrations by Paul Konewka. 16mo.</span></td><td align="right">75</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Young Life;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, The Boys and Girls of Pleasant Valley. By Mrs.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Sarah A. Mather, Author of "Itinerant Side," etc.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Fraulein Mina;</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Or, Life in an American German Family. By Miss</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Mary H. Norris. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><br />Through Trials to Triumph.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">A Story of Boy's School-life. By Miss H. A. Putnam.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Illustrated. 12mo.</span></td><td align="right">1 25</td></tr> +</table></div> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[394]</a></span></p> + + +<div class='adtitle2'>HOME STORY SERIES.—No. 1.</div> + +<div class='center'>Three Volumes. 16mo. $4.</div> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Country Stories.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Holiday Stories.</td></tr> +<tr><td align="left">Stories for Leisure Hours.</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />LITTLE DOOR-KEEPER LIBRARY.</div> + +<div class='center'>Five Volumes. 16mo. $6.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Little Door-keeper.<br /> +Captain Christie's Granddaughter.<br /> +Joe Witless.<br /> +False Shame.<br /> +Miracles of Heavenly Love in Daily <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'Live'">Life</ins>.<br /> +</td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />GLEN ELDER BOOKS.</div> + +<div class='center'>Five Volumes. 16mo. $6.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">The Orphan of Glen Elder.<br /> +Francis Leslie.<br /> +The Lyceum Boys.<br /> +Rosa Lindesay.<br /> +The Harleys of Chelsea Place.<br /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />ELLERSLIE HOUSE LIBRARY.</div> + +<div class='center'>Four Volumes. 16mo. $4 75.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Ellerslie House.<br /> +Kate and her Cousins.<br /> +Alice Thorne.<br /> +Wreck of the Osprey.<br /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />LYNTONVILLE LIBRARY.</div> + +<div class='center'>Four Volumes. 16mo. $4 50.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Life in Lyntonville.<br /> +Fishers of Derby Haven.<br /> +Miss Carrol's School.<br /> +Grace's Visit.<br /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />POPULAR LIBRARY OF HISTORY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.</div> + +<div class='center'>Four Volumes. 16mo. Illustrated. $4 50.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Stories of Old England.<br /> +Count Ulrich of Lyndburg.<br /> +History of the Crusades.<br /> +The Hero of Brittany.<br /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />KATIE JOHNSTONE LIBRARY.</div> + +<div class='center'>Five Volumes. 16mo. $5 50.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Katie Johnstone's Cross.<br /> +The Grocer's Boy.<br /> +One of the Billingses.<br /> +Emily Milman.<br /> +Cottagers of Glencarran.<br /></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<div class='adtitle2'><br />LOVING-HEART AND HELPING-HAND LIBRARY.</div> + +<div class='center'>Five Volumes. 16mo. $5 50.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="booklist"> +<tr><td align="left">Nettie and her Friends.<br /> +Philip Moore, the Sculptor.<br /> +An Orphan's Story.<br /> +Story of a Moss-Rose.<br /> +Carrie Williams and her Scholars.<br /></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<div class='tnote'><h3>Transcriber's Notes:</h3> +<p>Obvious punctuation errors repaired. Text uses both "Sunghu, "Shung-hu" and "Shunghu" once, also +"kablunah" and "kabluna."</p> + +<p>The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text will <ins title="Transcriber's Note: original reads 'apprear'">appear</ins>.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's North-Pole Voyages, by Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTH-POLE VOYAGES *** + +***** This file should be named 39013-h.htm or 39013-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/0/1/39013/ + +Produced by Emmy, Albert László and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: North-Pole Voyages + +Author: Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +Release Date: February 29, 2012 [EBook #39013] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTH-POLE VOYAGES *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Albert Laszlo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: This author often uses "run" where we to-day would +use "ran." This was retained.] + + +[Illustration: Captain C. F. Hall. + +See page 289] + + + + +NORTH-POLE VOYAGES: + +EMBRACING + +SKETCHES OF THE IMPORTANT FACTS AND INCIDENTS + +IN THE LATEST + +AMERICAN EFFORTS TO REACH THE NORTH POLE + +FROM THE SECOND GRINNELL EXPEDITION TO THAT OF THE POLARIS. + +BY REV. Z. A. MUDGE, + + AUTHOR OF "VIEWS FROM PLYMOUTH ROCK," "WITCH HILL," "ARCTIC + HEROES," ETC., ETC. + + Five Illustrations. + + NEW YORK: + + NELSON & PHILLIPS + + CINCINNATI: HITCHCOCK & WALDEN. + + SUNDAY-SCHOOL DEPARTMENT. + + + + + Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by + + NELSON & PHILLIPS, + + in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +FOR more than three hundred years an intense desire has been felt by +explorers to discover and reveal to the world the secrets of the +immediate regions of the North Pole. Nor has this desire been confined +to mere adventurers. Learned geographers, skillful navigators, and +scientific men of broad and accurate study, have engaged in these +enterprises with enthusiastic interest. The great governments of the +Christian world have bestowed upon them liberally the resources of their +wealth and science, and never to a greater extent than within the last +three years. Failure seems but to stimulate exertion. Scarcely have the +tears dried on the faces of the friends of those who have perished in +the undertaking before we hear of the departure of a fresh expedition. +Something like a divine inspiration has attended these explorations from +the first, and their moral tone has been excellent. + +This volume sketches the latest American efforts, second to no others in +heroism and success, and abounding in instructive and intensely +interesting adventures both grave and gay. + +We have followed in this volume, as in its companion volume, "The Arctic +Heroes," the orthography of Professor Dall, of the Smithsonian +Institution, in some frequently-occurring Arctic words. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. NORTHWARD 9 + II. ANCHORED AT LAST 17 + III. THRILLING INCIDENTS 23 + IV. LOST AND RESCUED 31 + V. MORE HEROIC EXCURSIONS 43 + VI. THE OPEN SEA 53 + VII. AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT 60 + VIII. TREATY MAKING 68 + IX. ARCTIC HUNTING 75 + X. THEE ESCAPING PARTY 89 + XI. A GREEN SPOT 99 + XII. NETLIK 109 + XIII. THE HUT 120 + XIV. ESQUIMO TREACHERY 131 + XV. LIGHTS AND SHADOWS 142 + XVI. DRUGGED ESQUIMO 150 + XVII. BACK AGAIN 160 + XVIII. SCARES 171 + XIX. SEEKING THE ESQUIMO 179 + XX. DESERTERS 186 + XXI. CLOSING INCIDENTS OF THE IMPRISONMENT 194 + XXII. HOMEWARD BOUND 201 + XXIII. NARROW ESCAPES 209 + XXIV. ESQUIMO KINDNESS 216 + XXV. MELVILLE BAY 221 + XXVI. SAVED 228 + XXVII. OFF AGAIN 234 + XXVIII. COLLIDING FLOES 241 + XXIX. THE WINTER HOME 249 + XXX. GLACIERS 255 + XXXI. A STRANGE DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT 263 + XXXII. THE CROWNING SLEDGE JOURNEY 270 + XXXIII. LAST INCIDENTS OF THE EXPEDITION 279 + XXXIV. SOMETHING NEW 287 + XXXV. A FEARFUL STORM 295 + XXXVI. THE AURORA 304 + XXXVII. THE DYING ESQUIMO 311 + XXXVIII. CUNNING HUNTERS 317 + XXXIX. ROUND FROBISHER BAY 326 + XL. THE "POLARIS" 333 + XLI. DISASTER 344 + XLII. THE LAST OF THE "POLARIS" 357 + XLIII. THE FEARFUL SITUATION 364 + XLIV. THE WONDERFUL DRIFT 371 + XLV. THE WONDERFUL ESCAPE 380 + + +Illustrations. + + CAPTAIN C. F. HALL 2 + WALRUSES--A FAMILY PARTY 81 + CAPTAIN BUDDINGTON 337 + UNLOADING STORES FROM THE "POLARIS" 345 + PERILOUS SITUATION OF THE "POLARIS" 354 + + + + +NORTH-POLE VOYAGES. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +NORTHWARD. + + +THE readers who have been with us before into the arctic regions will +recollect the good American brig Advance, and her wonderful drift during +live months, in 1851, from the upper waters of the Wellington Channel, +until she was dropped in the Atlantic Ocean by the ice-field which +inclosed her. Dr. Kane, then her surgeon, took command of this same +vessel, in 1853, for another search for the lost Franklin. We have seen +that the place of Franklin's disasters and death was found while Kane +was away on this voyage, so the interest of the present story will not +connect with that great commander, except in the noble purposes of its +heroes. + +The Advance left New York on the thirtieth of May, having on board, all +counted, eighteen men. Kind hearts and generous purses had secured for +her a fair outfit in provisions for the comfort of the adventurers, in +facilities for fighting the ice and cold, and in the means of securing +desired scientific results. Of the thousands who waved them a kind +adieu from the shore many said sadly, "They will never return." + +We shall make the acquaintance of the officers and men as we voyage with +them, and a very agreeable acquaintance we are sure it will be. The +rules by which all agreed to be governed were these and no others: +"Absolute obedience to the officer in command; no profane swearing; no +liquor drunk except by special order." + +The voyagers touched at St. John's, and among other kindnesses shown +them was the gift by the governor of a noble team of nine Newfoundland +dogs. + +At Fiskernaes, the first Greenland port which they entered, they added +to their company Hans Christian, an Esquimo hunter, nineteen years of +age. Hans was expert with the Esquimo spear and kayak. He will appear +often in our story, and act a conspicuous part; he at once, however, +prepossesses us in his favor by stipulating with Dr. Kane to leave two +barrels of bread and fifty pounds of pork with his mother in addition to +the wages he is to receive. The doctor made his cup of joy overflow by +adding to these gifts to his mother the present for himself of a rifle +and new kayak. + +The expedition next touched at Lichtenfels. Dr. Kane obtained here a +valuable addition to his outfit of fur clothing. Stopping at Proven, a +supply of Esquimo dogs was completed; lying to briefly at Upernavik, the +most northern port of civilization, their equipment in furs, ice-tools, +and other necessary articles known to arctic voyagers, was rendered +still more complete. At this last port the services of Carl Petersen +were engaged for the expedition. We have met this intelligent, heroic +Dane among our "Arctic Heroes." He will for a long time appear in the +shifting scenes of our story. + +On the twenty-seventh of July the "Advance" drew near to Melville Bay. +The reader who has accompanied the earlier arctic explorers into this +region will remember their terrific experience in this bay. Every arctic +enemy of the navigator lurks there. Their attacks are made singly and in +solid combinations. At one time they steal upon their victim like a +Bengal tiger; at other times they rush upon him with a shout and yell, +like a band of our own savages. Giant icebergs; fierce storms; cruel +nips; silent, unseen, irresistible currents; with ever-changing, +treacherous "packs" and "floes," and the all-pervading, relentless cold, +are some of these enemies. A favorite movement of these forces is to so +adjust themselves as to promise the advancing explorer or whaler a +speedy and complete success; then, suddenly changing front, to crush and +sink him at once, or to bind him in icy fetters, a helpless, writhing +victim, for days, weeks, or months, and finally, perhaps, to bury both +ship and men in the dark, deep waters of the bay. + +The "Advance" was at this time treated by these guardians of the +approach to the North Pole with exceptional courtesy. We suspect that +they secretly purposed to follow them into more northern regions, and +there to attack them at even greater advantage. This they certainly did. + +But just to show them what it could and was minded to do, the evil +spirit of the bay invited them at one time to escape impending danger by +fastening to a huge berg. This they did, after eight hours of warping, +heaving, and planting ice-anchors, a labor of prostrating exhaustion. +Hardly had they begun to enjoy the invited hospitality of the berg, when +it began to shower upon them, like big drops from a summer cloud, pieces +of ice the size of a walnut, accompanied by a crackling, threatening +noise from above. A gale from out of its hiding-place on shore came +sweeping upon them at the same time, driving before it its icy +supporter. Mischief was evidently intended. The "Advance" retreated from +the berg with all possible haste, and had barely gone beyond its reach +when it launched after it its whole broadside, which came crashing into +the water with a roar like a whole park of artillery. Could any thing be +rougher? But then it was true to its icebergy character. + +The "Advance" was not injured, but the ice held as a trophy more than +two thousand feet of good whale line, which had to be cut in the +retreat. + +These bergs, though thus harsh and treacherous as a rule, _can_ do a +generous thing. May be, like some people, they are all the more +dangerous on account of exceptional generosity. The loose ice, soon +after this incident, was drifting south, and would have borne the +navigators with it back from whence they had come, perhaps for hundreds +of miles. But a majestic berg came along whose sunken base took hold of +the deep water current, and so, impelled by this current, it sailed +grandly northward, sweeping a wide path through the rotten floes. It +condescendingly offered to do tugboat service for the "Advance," and +invited its captain to throw aboard an ice-anchor. We wonder he dared to +trust it, but he did, and, grappling its crystal sides, made good +headway for awhile until other means of favorable voyaging were +presented. + +Soon after the explorers parted from this bergy friend the midnight sun +came out over its northern crest, kindling on every part of its surface +fires of varied colors, and scattering over the ice all around blazing +carbuncles, sparkling rubies, and molten gold. + +August fifth the "Advance," fairly clearing the hated Melville Bay, +sailed along the western coast of the "North Water" of Baffin Bay. At +Northumberland Island, at the mouth of Whale Sound, their eyes were +again delighted by an exhibition of beautiful colors, delicately tinted, +but this time not made by a gorgeous sunrise over a gigantic iceberg. +The snow of the island and its vicinity bore, over vast areas, a reddish +hue, and great patches of beautiful green mosses broke its monotony, +while here and there the protruding sandstone threw in a rich shading of +brown. So God paints the dreariest lands in colors of great beauty, and +scatters over them profusely at times the richest sunlit gems. + +On the sixth of August they passed the frowning headland of Smith's +Sound, known as Cape Alexander. It stands like the charred trunk and +limbs of some mighty oak, at the entrance of an unexplored, gloomy +forest, seen in the murky darkness. Cape Alexander seemed a mighty +sentinel of evil purpose, toward all who dared pass to the mysterious +regions beyond. It inspired the sailors with superstitious fear, and +admonished their officers that eternal vigilance must be the price of +safety in the waters beyond. + +Arriving at Littleton Island, our explorers built a monument of stones +as a conspicuous object from the sea, surmounted by the stripes and +stars, put under it a record of their voyage thus far, and, two miles +north and east, upon the mainland, deposited a metallic life-boat, with +provisions and various stores. These were for a resort in case of +accident in their further progress. + +While making this deposit they discovered the remains of Esquimo huts, +and graves of some of their former occupants. The dead had been buried +in a sitting posture, their knees drawn close to their bodies; the few +simple implements belonging to the deceased were buried with them. In +one grave was a child's toy spear. So even the rude Esquimo child has +its toys, and, no doubt, the mother looks upon its trinkets, as she lays +them beside its dead body, with tearful interest. + +Soon after making these deposits in the life-boat, the "Advance," while +making a vigorous struggle with the broken ice, was borne into a +land-locked inlet, which Dr. Kane called Refuge Harbor. It was rather a +cosy place for an arctic shore, and in it the explorers waited for the +movement of the ice. + +While here they were much annoyed by their dogs, fifty in number. Two +bears had been shot, which were the only game which had been taken for +them. They were now on short allowance, and were as ravenous as wolves. +They gulped down almost any thing which could go down their throats, +even devouring at one time a part of a feather-bed. Dr. Kane's specimens +of natural history fared hard at their jaws. He happened once to set +down in their way two nests of large sea-fowl. They were filled with +feathers, filth, moss and pebbles--a full peck, but the dogs made a rush +for them and gobbled down the whole. There were plenty of wolves not far +from the brig, on which they delighted to feed. But the hunters had no +luck in trying to take them. Rifle balls glanced from their thick hides +as if they had been peas from a toy gun. They needed the Esquimo harpoon +and the Esquimo skill. But fortunately a dead narwhal, or sea-unicorn, +was found. Under its soothing influence, when fed out to them, the dogs +became more quiet. + +After remaining a few days at Refuge Harbor, a desperate push was made +to get the vessel farther north and east. For twelve days they manfully +battled with the ice, and made forty miles. This brought them to the +bottom of a broad shallow bay, which they named Force Bay. Here they +fastened the brig to a shelving, rocky ledge near the shore. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +ANCHORED AT LAST. + + +ON Wednesday, August seventeenth, the heralds of a storm from the South +reached the brig. They made their announcement by hurling against her +sides some heavy floe-pieces. Understanding this hint of what was +coming, the explorers clung to their rocky breakwater by three heavy +hawsers. Louder and louder roared the blast, and more fiercely crashed +the ice which it hurled against the ledge. At midnight one of the +cables, the smaller of the three, parted, and the storm seemed to shout +its triumph at this success as it assailed the writhing vessel more +vigorously. But the ledge broke the power in a measure of the wind and +ice, and was, indeed, a godsend to the imperiled men, so they put it +down on their chart as Godsend Ledge. + +The next day the huge, human-faced walrus came quite near the brig in +great numbers, shaking their grim, dripping fronts. The dovekies, more +cheerful visitors, scud past toward the land. Both walrus and fowls +proclaimed in their way the terribleness of the increasing tempest. The +place of the broken hawser had been supplied, and the worried craft +strained away at three strong lines which held on bravely. Everything on +board was stowed away, or lashed securely, which could invite an +assault by the wind. + +Saturday, late in the afternoon, Dr. Kane, wet, and weary with watching, +went below and threw himself for rest and warmth into his berth. +Scarcely had he done this before a sharp, loud twang brought him to his +feet. One of the six-inch hawsers had parted; its sound had scarcely +been lost in the uproar before a sharp and shrill "twang! twang!" +announced the snapping of the whale line. The brig now clung to the +ledge by a single cable--a new ten-inch manilla line, which held on +grandly. The mate came waddling down into the cabin as the doctor was +drawing on his last article of clothing to go on deck. "Captain Kane," +he exclaimed, "she wont hold much longer; it's blowing the devil +himself." + +All hands now gathered about the brave manilla line on which their fate +seemed to depend. Its deep Eolian chant mingled solemnly with the rattle +of the rigging and the moaning of the shrouds, and died away in the +tumult of the conflicting wind and sea. The sailors were loud in its +praises as they watched it with bated breath. It was singing its death +song, for, with the noise of a shotted gun, and a wreath of smoke, it +gave way, and out plunged the brig into the rushing current of the +tempest-tossed ice. + +Two hours of hard and skillful labor were bestowed on the vessel to get +her back to the ledge; first by beating, or trying to do so, up into the +wind; and then by warping along the edge of the solid floe, but all in +vain. A light sail was then set, that they might keep command of the +helm, and away they scud through a tortuous lead filled with heavy, +broken ice. + +At seven o'clock on Sunday morning the vessel was heading, under full +way, upon huge masses of ice. The heaviest anchor was thrown out to stay +her speed. But the ice-torrent so crowded upon the poor craft that a +buoy was hastily fastened to the chain, and it was slipped, and away +went "the best bower," the sailor's trusted friend in such dangers. + +The vessel now went banging and scraping against the floes, one of which +was forty feet thick, and many of which were thirty feet. These +collisions smashed in her bulwarks, and covered her deck with icy +fragments. Yet the plucky little brig returned to the conflict after +every blow with only surface wounds. + +These assaults failing to turn back or to destroy the little invading +stranger, the arctic warriors now brought into the field their mightiest +champions. Not far ahead, and apparently closing the lead, was a whole +battalion of icebergs. It was an unequal light, and down upon them, with +unwilling haste, came the "Advance." As it approached it was seen that a +narrow line of clear water ran between the bergs and the solid, high +wall of the floe. Into this the vessel shot, with the high wind directly +after it. The sailors, caps in hand, were almost ready to send to the +baffled enemy a shout of triumph, when the wind died away into a lull, +which amounted, for a moment, to almost a dead calm. But on that moment +the fate of the expedition appeared to hang. The enemy saw his +opportunity and began to close up. There seemed no possible escape for +the brig. On one side was the steep ice-wall of the floe, on which there +could be no warping. On the other were the slowly but steadily advancing +bergs in a compact line. Just in time, the anxious, waiting, and almost +breathless crew, hailed their deliverer. It was a broad, low, +platform-shaped berg, over which the water washed. It came sailing +swiftly by, and into it they planted an ice-anchor attached to a tow +line. Away galloped their crystal racer, outrunning the "pale horse" +which followed them! So narrow became the channel between the bergs and +floe e'er they reached the open water beyond, that the yards had to be +"squared" to prevent them from being carried away, and the boats +suspended over the sides were taken on deck to prevent them from being +crushed. They came round under the lee of a great berg, making the enemy +of a moment ago their protector now. Dr. Kane says: "Never did +heart-tried men acknowledge with greater gratitude their merciful +deliverance from a wretched death." + +But the fight was not over. A sudden flaw puffed the "Advance" from its +hiding-place, and drove it again into the drifting ice along the edge of +the solid floe. Once she was lifted high in the air on the crest of a +great wave, and, as it slipped from under her, she came down with +tremendous force against the floe. The masts quivered like reeds in the +wind, and the poor craft groaned like a struck bullock. + +At last they reached a little pond of water near the shore. They had +drifted since morning across Force Bay, ten miles. A berg, with +pretended friendliness, came and anchored between the brig and the +storm. The situation seemed to warrant a little rest, and the men went +below and threw themselves into their bunks. Dr. Kane was yet on deck, +distrusting the treacherous ice. Scarcely had the men begun to sleep +before the vessel received a thump and a jerk upward. All hands were +instantly on deck. Great ice-tables, twenty feet thick, crowding forward +from the shore side with a force as from a sliding mountain, pressed the +vessel against the shore front of the berg; had this been a +perpendicular wall, no wood and iron wrought into a vessel could have +prevented a general crash. But the unseen Hand was apparent again. The +berg was sloping, and up its inclined plane the vessel went, in +successive jerks. The men leaped upon the ice to await the result. +Personal effects, such as could be carried and were deemed +indispensable, were in readiness in the cabin for leave-taking. Sledge +equipments and camping conveniences were put in order and placed at +hand. The explorers had experienced a midnight assault, and were ready +for the flight. But Dr. Kane bears warm testimony concerning the +coolness and self-possession of every man. While awaiting the fate of +the vessel, on which hung their own fate also, not a sound was heard +save the roaring of the wind, the crashing ice, and the groaning of the +vessel's timbers, as she received shock after shock, and mounted +steadily up the ice-mountain. Having attained a cradle high and dry +above the sea, the brig rested there several hours. Finally she quietly +settled down into her old position among the ice rubbish of the sea. + +When the escape was apparent, there was for a moment a deep-breathing +silence among the men, before the rapturous outburst of joyful +congratulation. + +While this last thrilling incident had been transpiring, four of the men +were missing. They had gone upon the ice some hours before to carry out +a warp, and had been carried away on an ice-raft. When the morning came, +and the vessel grounded in a safe place, a rescue party was sent out, +who soon returned with them. A little rest was now obtained by all. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THRILLING INCIDENTS. + + +AFTER a brief rest our explorers continued their voyage. They warped the +vessel round the cape near which they found shelter, into a bay which +opened to the north and west. Along the shore of this bay they toiled +for several days and reached its head. It seemed impossible to go +farther, for the ice was already thick and the winter at hand. A +majority of the officers, in view of these facts, advised a return +south. But Dr. Kane thought they might winter where they were, or +further north if the vessel could be pushed through the ice, and their +explorations be made with dog-sledges. To learn more fully the +practicability of his view he planned a boat excursion. While this was +in contemplation an incident came near ending all further progress of +the expedition. The brig grounded in the night, and was left suddenly by +the receding tide on her beam ends. The stove in the cabin, which was +full of burning coal, upset and put the cabin in a blaze. It was choked +by a pilot-cloth overcoat until water could be brought. No other harm +was done than the loss of the coat and a big scare. + +About the first of September the doctor and seven volunteers started in +the boat "Forlorn Hope" to see the more northern shore-line. The boat +was abandoned at the end of twenty-four hours, all the water having +turned to ice, and the party tramped many a weary mile, carrying their +food and a few other necessary things. Dr. Kane attained an elevation of +eleven hundred feet, from which, with his telescope, he looked north +beyond the eightieth degree of latitude, and through a wide extent of +country east and west. From this observation he decided that sledging +with dogs into and beyond this region was practicable. This had seemed +doubtful before. He therefore returned with the decision to put the +"Advance" into winter-quarters immediately. + +A few facts interesting to the scientific were learned on this +excursion. A skeleton of a musk ox was found, showing they had been, at +no distant time, visitors to this coast. Additions were made to their +flowering plants, and up to this date twenty-two varieties had been +found. + +The brig was now drawn in between two islands, and the mooring lines +carried out. The explorers were in a sheltered, and, as to the ice, safe +winter home. They called it Rensselaer Harbor. Near them an iceberg had +anchored as if to watch their movements. A fresh-water pond on the +upland promised them its precious treasure if they would _cut_ for it. +An island a few rods distant they named Butler Island, and on this they +built a store-house. A canal was cut from the brig to this island, and +kept open by renewed cutting every morning. They then run the boat +through this canal, thus transferring the stores from the hold to the +store-house. + +While one party was thus engaged, others were equally busy in other +directions. The scientific corps selected a small island which they +called Fern Rock, and put up a rude "observatory," from which not only +the stars were to be watched, but the weather, the meteors, and the +electrical currents were to be noted. + +While this outside work was going on Dr. Kane was taxing his ingenuity +to arrange the brig, now made roomy by the removal of the stores, so as +to have it combine the greatest convenience, warmth, and healthfulness. +A roof was put over the upper deck, which was then made to answer for a +promenade deck for pleasure and health. + +Even the wolfish Esquimo dogs were remembered in this general planning. +A nice dog house, cozy and near, was made for them on Butler Island. But +the dogs had notions of their own about their quarters. Though so savage +at all times as to be willing to eat their masters if not kept in abject +fear, yet they refused to sleep out of the sound of their voices. They +would leave their comfortable quarters on the island and huddle together +in the snow, exposed to the severest cold, to be within the sound of +human voices. So they had to be indulged with kennels on deck. + +While these matters were being attended to the hunters scoured the +country to learn what the prospect was for game. They extended their +excursions ninety miles, and returned with a report not very +encouraging. They saw a few reindeer, and numerous hares and rabbits. It +was plain that hunting would not make large returns. + +The winter came on with its shroud of darkness. On the tenth of +September the sun made but a short circuit above the horizon before it +disappeared again. In one month it would cease to show its disk above +the surrounding hills; then would come a midday twilight for a few days, +followed by nearly a hundred days of darkness in which no man could +work. Even now, at noon, the stars glowed brightly in the heavens, +though but few of them were the familiar stars of the home sky. + +While the work of which we have spoken was going on Dr. Kane's thoughts +were much upon the necessity of establishing, before the winter nights +fully set in, provision depots at given distances northward for at least +sixty miles. These would be necessary for a good start in the early +spring of a dog-sledge journey North Poleward. For the spring work the +Newfoundland dogs, of which he had ten, were in daily training. +Harnessed to a small, strong, beautifully made sledge called "Little +Willie," the doctor drove his team around the brig in gallant style. +These Newfoundlanders were a dependence for heavy draught. The Esquimo +dogs were in reserve for the long, perilous raids of the earnest +exploration into darkness and over hummocks. + +While all this busy preparation was going on the morning and evening +prayers were strictly maintained, bringing with them a soothing +assurance of the Divine care. + +On the twentieth of September the provision deposit party started on an +experimental journey. It consisted of seven men in all, M'Gary and +Bonsall officers. They carried about fourteen hundred pounds of mixed +stores for the "cairns." They took these stores upon the strong, +thorough-built sledge "Faith," and drew it themselves, by a harness for +each man, consisting of a "rue-raddy," or shoulder-belt, and track-line. +The men then generously did a service they would in future have the dogs +do. + +While this party was gone the home work went on, enlivened by several +incidents involving the most appalling dangers, yet not without some +comic elements. + +The first was occasioned by rats. What right these creatures had in the +expedition is not apparent; nor do we see what motive impelled them to +come at all. If it was a mere love of adventure, they, as do most +adventurers, found that the results hardly paid the cost. They were +voted a nuisance, but how to abate it was a difficult question. The +first experiment consisted of a removal of the men to a camp on deck for +a night, and a fumigation below, where the rats remained, of a vile +compound of brimstone, burnt leather, and arsenic. But the rats survived +it bravely. + +The next experiment was with carbonic acid gas. This proved a weapon +dangerous to handle. Dr. Hays burnt a quantity of charcoal, and the +hatches were shut down after starting three stoves. + +The gas generated below rapidly, and nobody was expected, of course, to +go where it was. But the French cook, Pierre Schubert, thinking his soup +needed seasoning, stole into the cook room. He was discerned by Morton, +staggering in the dark; and, at the risk of his own life, he sprung to +his relief, and both reached the deck bewildered, the cook entirely +insensible. + +Soon after this Dr. Kane thought he smelt a strange odor. The hatches +were removed and he went below. After a short tour between decks, he was +passing the door which led to the carpenter's room, and he was amazed to +see three feet of the deck near it a glowing fire. Beating a hasty +retreat, he fell senseless to the floor at the foot of the stairs which +led to the upper deck. The situation was critical. A puff of air might +envelope the hold in flames, with the doctor an easy victim; but the +divine Hand still covered him. Mr. Brooks, reaching down, drew him out. +Coming to the air the doctor recovered immediately and communicated his +startling discovery quietly to those only near him. Water was passed up +from the "fire-hole" along side, kept open for just such emergencies. +Dr. Kane and Ohlsen went below, water was dashed on, and they were safe. + +The dead bodies of twenty-eight rats were the net result of this +onslaught with carbonic acid gas. But they were but few among so many. +The rat army was yet in fighting order. + +The other incident was less serious, yet quite on the verge of fatal +consequences. Several Esquimo dogs became the mothers of nice little +families. Now these young folks in the kennels were considered intruders +by the master of the vessel--rather hard on them since they were not to +blame in the matter. But it happens with dogs as with the human race, +that they sometimes suffer without fault of their own. Six puppies were +thrown overboard; two died for the good their skins might do as mittens; +and, alas! seven died more dreadful deaths--they were eaten by their +mammas! Whether these puppy calamities bore heavily upon the brains of +the dog mothers or not we cannot tell, but the fact recorded is that one +of them went distracted. She walked up and down the deck with a drooping +head and staggering gait. Finally she snapped at Petersen, foamed at the +mouth, and fell at his feet. "She is mad!" exclaimed Petersen. +"Hydrophobia!" was the dreadful cry which passed about the deck. Dr. +Kane ran for his gun. He was not a moment too soon in reappearing with +it. The dog had recommenced her running and snapping at those near. The +Newfoundland dogs were not out of her reach, and the hatches leading +below were open. But a well-directed shot ended at once her life and the +danger. + +It was now the tenth of October. The sun, though just appearing above +the horizon to the surrounding country, only sparkled along the edge of +the hill-tops to the gazers from the "Advance." The depot party had been +gone twenty days, and Dr. Kane was beginning to feel anxious about +them. He harnessed four of his best Newfoundlanders into the "Little +Willie," and, accompanied by John Blake, started in search of them. + +For a little time the party progressed very well. But after awhile the +new ice between the broken floes was found thin. The seams thus frozen +had to be leaped. Sometimes they were wide, and the dogs in their +attempts to spring across broke in. Three times in less than as many +hours one had received an arctic bath. The men trotted along side, +leaping, walking, running, and shouting to the dogs. Extended and +exhausting diversions were made to avoid impassable chasms or too steep +hummocks. Thus four days had passed in a fruitless search for the +missing ones. + +On the morning of the fifth day, about two hours before the transient +sun showed his glowing disk, Dr. Kane climbed an iceberg to get a sight +of the road ahead. In the dim distance on the snow a black spot was +seen. Is it a bear? No, it now stretches out into a dark line. It is the +sledge party! They see their leader's tent by the edge of a +thinly-frozen lead; into this they launch their boat and come on, +singing as they come. The doctor, in breathless suspense, waits until +they draw near, and counts them: one, two, three, four, five, six, +seven! They are all safe! Three cheers go up from both parties, followed +by hearty hand-shaking and congratulations. The depot enterprise was a +success. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +LOST AND RESCUED. + + +THE sun had disappeared, but the moon completed her circuit in the +heavens with great beauty. Her nearest approach to the horizon was +twenty-five degrees. For eight days after the return of the party to the +vessel it shone with almost unclouded brightness, as if to give them a +joyful welcome. + +When November came our explorers were well settled in their +winter-quarters. They had made them by judicious ventilation and a +careful distribution of heat tolerably comfortable. Below decks they had +a uniform temperature of sixty-five degrees above zero, and under the +housing of the upper deck it never went below zero, while outside the +thermometer averaged twenty-five degrees minus. + +While shut up in the darkness, relieved only by the light from the +sparkling stars and the glowing moon, the daily routine of the ship's' +duties were strictly performed. Each had his assigned work. The +monotonous meals came at the stated hour, and the bell noted the +changing watches. The morning and evening prayers, and the religious +observance of the Sabbath, were pleasant and profitable prompters to +serious thought. These became more and more needed as the inactive +season progressed. The continued darkness without, made dense often by +heavy clouds, wore upon the spirits of the men; besides, their light +within became less cheerful by the failure of the supply of oil. The +lamps refused to burn poor lard, and muddy corks and wads of cotton +floating as tapers in saucers filled with it gave but a lurid light and +emitted an offensive smoke and odor. It would be strange, indeed, if in +this ice-imprisoned company there were no homesick ones, however bravely +the feeling might be suppressed. Hans, the Esquimo, at one time packed +his clothes and shouldered his rifle to bid the brig's company good-bye. +A desperate, lone journey homeward he would have had of it! It was +whispered that in addition to his drawings to his mother there was at +Fiskernes a lady-love. He, however, was persuaded to stay on shipboard, +and Dr. Kane gave him for his sickness a dose of salts and promotion. +They worked well, and he seems to have been very contented afterward. + +The usual resort was had to dramatic performances, fancy balls, and the +publication of a paper called the "Ice-blink." A favorite sport was the +"fox-chase," in which each sailor in turn led off as fox in a run round +the upper deck, followed by the rest in chase. Dr. Kane offered a +Guernsey shirt as a prize to the man who held out the longest in the +chase. William Godfrey sustained the chase for fourteen minutes, and +_wore_ off the shirt. + +November twenty-seventh the commander sent out a volunteer party under +Bonsall to see if the Esquimo had returned to the huts which had been +seen in the fall. The darkness at noonday was too great for reading, and +the cold was terrible. The party returned after one night's encamping, +the sledge having broken, and the tent and luggage being left behind. A +few days after Morton started alone to recover the lost articles. In two +days and a half he returned bringing every thing. He tramped in that +time, with the cold forty degrees below zero, sixty-two miles, making +only three halts. The darkness during the time was such that a hummock +of ice fifty paces ahead could hardly be seen. + +The effect of the darkness on the dogs was very marked, but so long as +there was any sledging for them to do their spirits kept up. One of the +Newfoundlands, named Grim, was a character. He was noted for a profound +appreciation of his dinner, of which he never had enough, for a +disrelish for work, and a remarkable knowledge of the arts of hypocrisy. +His cunning fawning, and the beseeching wink of his eye, procured for +him warm quarters in the deck-house, and a bed on the captain's fur +coat, while his fellows had to be content with their kennel. Though Grim +thus proved his knowledge of the best place at the dog-table, and the +best bits it afforded, as well as the best place to sleep, he never +could understand a call to the sledge-harness. He always happened at +such times to be out of the way. Once, when the dog-team was about to +start, he was found hid in a barrel, and was bid join the party. But +Grim was equal to the occasion. He went limping across the deck, as much +as to say, Would you have a poor lame dog go? The joke was so cute that +he was allowed to remain at home, and after that he became suddenly lame +as soon as a movement toward the sledges was made. Grim thus attained +the usual success of shallow-brained, flattering hypocrisy--many favors +and universal contempt. His end, too, was very befitting his life. His +master, thinking he was becoming too fat in his lazy dignity, commanded +him to join a sledge party. Grown presumptuous by indulgence, he +refused, and showed his teeth, besides pleading lameness. But the order +was peremptory this time, and a rope was put round his body and attached +to the sledge, and he was made to trot after his faithful fellows. At +the first halt he contrived to break the rope, and, carrying a few feet +of it dragging after him, started in the darkness for the ship. Not +having come home when the party returned, search was made for him with +lanterns, as it was thought the rope might have caught and detained him +in the hummock. His tracks were found not far from the vessel, and then +they led away to the shore. Old Grim was never seen again. + +Grim could be spared, but the explorers were much alarmed soon after his +death by a strange disease among the whole pack. They were at times +frenzied, and then became stupid. They were taken below, nursed, tended, +and doctored with anxiety and care, for on them much depended. But all +died except six. Their death threw a cloud over the prospect of further +successful exploration. + +But a still darker event threatened the explorers. Every man was more or +less touched with the scurvy, except two, and some were prostrate. It +was with great joy, therefore, that, on the twenty-first of January, +1854, they saw the orange-colored tints of the sun faintly tracing the +top of the distant hills. Daylight and game would be important medicines +for the sick. A month later and Dr. Kane made a long walk, and a hard +scramble up a projecting crag of a headland of the bay, and bathed in +his welcome rays. It was about a week later before he was seen from the +deck of the "Advance." + +A very busy company now was that on board the brig, making preparations +for spring work. The carpenter was making and mending sledges; the +tinker making and mending cooking apparatus for the journeys; many busy +hands were at work on the furs and blankets for a complete renewed +outfit for wearing and sleeping. But though March had come, the average +cold was greater than at any time before. Still a sledge party was in +readiness to start by the middle of the month, to carry provisions for a +new deposit beyond those made in the fall. The party consisted of eight +men. A new sledge had been made, smaller than the "Faith," and adapted +to the reduced dog-team. To this the load was lashed, a light boat +being, placed on top. The men harnessed in but could hardly start it. +The boat was then removed and two hundred pounds of the load, and thus +relieved away they went, cheered by the hearty "God bless you!" of their +shipmates. Dr. Kane had added to their provisions by the way, as an +expression of good-will, the whole of his brother's "great wedding +cake." + +But as they started their ever watchful commander thought he saw more +good-will than ability to draw the load, and a suspicion, too, impressed +him that the new sledge was not all right. So he followed, and found +them in camp only five miles away. He said nothing about any new orders +for the morning, laughed at the rueful faces of some of them, and heard +Petersen's defense of _his_ new sledge as the best which could be made. +He saw them all tucked away in their buffaloes, and returned to the +brig. We have before referred to a sledge called the "Faith." It was +built by Dr. Kane's order, after an English pattern, except that the +runners were made lower and wider. It had been thought too large for the +present party. The doctor now called up all his remaining men. The +"Faith" was put on deck, her runners polished, lashings, a canvas +covering, and track-lines were adjusted to her. By one o'clock that +night the discarded two hundred pounds of provisions and the boat were +lashed on, and away the men went for their sleeping comrades. They were +still sound asleep when the "Faith" arrived. The load of the new boat +was quietly placed upon it, all put in traveling order, and it was +started off on an experimental trip with five men. The success was +perfect. The sleepers were then awakened, and all were delighted at the +easier draught of the heavier load. Dr. Kane and his party returned to +the vessel with the discarded sledge. + +Ten days slipped away, and no tidings from the depot party. The work of +clearing up the ship, and putting the finishing touch to the preparation +for the distant northern excursion, which was to crown the efforts of +the expedition, and unlock, it was hoped, at last, some of the secrets +of the North Pole, progressed daily. At midnight of the eleventh day a +sudden tramp was heard on deck, and immediately Sontag, Ohlsen, and +Petersen entered the cabin. Their sudden coming was not so startling as +their woe-begone, bewildered looks. It was with difficulty that they +made their sad tale known. Brooks, Baker, Wilson, and Schubert were all +lying on the ice, disabled, with Irish Tom Hickey, who alone was able to +minister to their wants. The escaped party had come, at the peril of +their own lives, to get aid. They had evidently come a long distance, +but how far, and where they had left the suffering ones, they could not +tell, nor were they in a condition to be questioned. + +While the urgent necessities of the new comers were being attended to, +Dr. Kane and others were getting ready the "Little Willie," with a +buffalo cover, a small tent, and a package of prepared meat called +pemmican. Ohlsen seemed to have his senses more than the others, though +he was sinking with exhaustion, having been fifty hours without rest. +Dr. Kane feeling that he _must_ have a guide or fail to find the lost +ones, Ohlsen was put in a fur bag, his legs wrapped up in dog-skins and +eider down, and then he was strapped on the sledge. + +Off dashed the rescue party, nine men besides their commander, carrying +only the clothes on their backs. The cold was seventy-eight degrees +below the freezing point. + +Guided by icebergs of colossal size, they hurried across the bay, and +traveled sixteen hours with some certainty that they were on the right +track. They then began to lose their way. Ohlsen, utterly exhausted, had +fallen asleep, and when awakened was plainly bewildered. He could tell +nothing about the way, nor the position of the lost ones. He had before +said that it was drifting heavily round them when they were left. The +situation of the rescue party was becoming critical, and the chance of +helping the lost seemed small indeed; they might be anywhere within +forty miles. + +Thus situated Dr. Kane moved on ahead, and clambered up some ice-piles +and found himself upon a long, level floe. Thinking the provision party +might have been attracted by this as a place to camp, he determined to +examine it carefully. He gave orders to liberate Ohlsen, now just able +to walk, from his fur bag, and to pitch the tent; then leaving tent, +sledge, and every thing behind, except a small allowance of food taken +by each man, he commanded the men to proceed across the floe at a good +distance from each other. All obeyed cheerfully and promptly, and moved +off at a lively step to keep from freezing; yet somehow, either from a +sense of loneliness, or involuntarily, there was a constant tendency of +the men to huddle together. Exhaustion and cold told fearfully upon +them; the stoutest were seized with trembling fits and short breath, and +Dr. Kane fell twice fainting on the snow. They had now been eighteen +hours out without food or rest, and the darkness of their situation +seemed to have no ray of light, when Hans shouted that he thought he saw +a sledge track. Hardly daring to believe that their senses did not +deceive them, they traced it until footsteps were apparent; following +these with religious care they came after awhile in sight of a small +American flag fluttering from a hummock. Lower down they espied a little +Masonic banner hanging from a tent pole barely above the drift. It was +the camp of the lost ones! It was found after an unfaltering march of +twenty-one hours. The little tent was nearly covered by the drift. + +Dr. Kane was the last to come up, and when he reached the tent his men +were standing in solemn silence upon each side of it. With great +kindness and delicacy of feeling they intimated their wish that he +should be the first to go in. + +He lifted the canvas and crawled in, and in the darkness felt for the +poor fellows, who were stretched upon their backs. A burst of welcome +within was answered by a joyful shout without. "We expected you," said +one, embracing the doctor; "we _knew_ you would come!" For the moment +all perils, hunger, and exhaustion were forgotten amid the +congratulations and gratitude. + +The company now numbered fifteen, the cold was intense, but one half the +number had to keep stirring outside while the rest crowded into the +little tent to sleep. Each took a turn of two hours, and then +preparations were made to start homeward. + +They took the tent, furs for the rescued party, and food for fifty +hours, and abandoned every thing else. The tent was folded and laid on +the sledge, a bed was then made of eight buffalo skins, the sick, having +their limbs carefully sewed up in reindeer skins, were then put in a +reclining position on the bed, and other furs and blanket bags thrown +around them. The whole was lashed together, allowing only a breathing +place opposite the mouth. This _embalming_ of the sufferers, and getting +them a good meal, cost four hours of exposure in a cold that had become +fifty-five degrees minus. Most of the rescuers had their fingers nipped +by the frost. + +When all was ready the whole company united in a short prayer. + +Now commenced the fearful journey. The sledge and its load weighed +eleven hundred pounds. The hummocks were many; some of them were high, +and long deviations round them must be made; some which they climbed +over, lifting the sledge after them, were crossed by narrow chasms +filled with light snow--fearful traps into which if one fell his death +was almost certain. Across these the sledge was drawn, some of them +being too wide for it to bridge them, so it had to be sustained by the +rope, and steadily too, for the sick could not bear to be lashed so +tight as not to be liable to roll off, and the load was top-heavy. + +In spite of these obstacles all went bravely for six hours. The +abandoned tent was nine miles ahead, the sledge on which life depended +bravely bore every strain, the new floe was gained, and the traveling +improved, so that good hope was entertained that the tent, its covert +and rest, would be gained. Just then a strange feeling came over nearly +the whole party. Some begged the privilege of sleeping. They were not +cold, they said; they did not mind the wind now; all they wanted was a +little sleep. Others dropped on the snow and refused to get up. One +stood bolt upright, and, with closed eyes, could not be made to speak. +The commander boxed, jeered, argued, and reprimanded his men to no +purpose. A halt was made and the tent pitched. No fire could be +obtained, for nobody's fingers were limber enough to strike fire, so no +food or water could be had. + +Leaving the company in charge of M'Gary, with orders to come on after +four hours' rest, Dr. Kane and Godfrey went forward to the tent to get +ready a fire and cooked food. They reached the tent in a strange sort of +stupor. They remembered nothing only that a bear trotted leisurely +ahead of them, stopping once to tear a jumper to pieces which one of the +men had dropped the day before, and pausing to toss the tent +contemptuously aside. They set it up with difficulty, crept into their +fur bags, and slept intensely for three hours. They then arose, +succeeded in lighting the cooking lamp, and had a steaming soup ready +when the rest arrived. + +Refreshed with food and rest, the feeble re-adjusted, they commenced the +home stretch. Once the old sleepiness came over them, and they in turn +slept three minutes by the watch and were benefited. They all reached +the brig at one o'clock P.M. All were more or less delirious when they +arrived, and could remember nothing of what had happened on the way, +with slight exception. The rescue party had been out seventy-two hours; +of this time only eight hours were spent in halting. They had traveled +about eighty-five miles, most of the distance dragging their sledge. + +Dr. Hayes took the sick in hand. Two lost one or more toes; and two, +Jefferson Baker, a boyhood playfellow of Dr. Kane, and Pierre Schubert, +the French cook, died. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +MORE HEROIC EXCURSIONS. + + +ON the seventh of April, a week after the return of the party just +noted, our explorers were startled by shouts from the shore. Dark +figures were seen standing along the edges of the land ice, or running +to and fro in wild excitement. It was not difficult to make them out as +a company of Esquimo. Dr. Kane, seeing by their wild gesticulations that +they were unarmed, walked out and beckoned to a brawny savage, who +seemed to be a leader, to approach. He understood the sign, and came +forward without fear. He was full a head taller than the doctor, and his +limbs seemed to have the strength of those of the bear. He was dressed +with a fox skin, hooded jumper, white bear-skin trousers, and bear-skin +boots tipped with the claws. Though he had evidently never before seen a +white man, he manifested no fear. His followers soon crowded around and +began to use great freedom, showing an inclination to rush on board the +ship. This they were made to understand they must not do. Petersen came +out and acted as interpreter, and matters went on more smoothly. The +leader, whose name was Metek, was taken on board, while the rest +remained on the ice. They brought up from behind the floes fifty-six +dogs and their sledges, and, thrusting a spear into the ice, picketed +them about the vessel. + +While Dr. Kane and Metek were having their interview in the cabin, word +was sent out that others might come on board. Nine or ten mounted the +ladder with boisterous shouts, though ignorant of how Metek had fared. +They went every-where, handled every thing, talked and laughed +incessantly, and stole whatever they could. Finally all hands had to be +mustered, and restraint laid upon the Esquimo to keep them within due +bounds. This they took good naturedly; ran out and in the vessel, ate, +and finally _sat_ down like tired children, their heads drooping upon +their breasts, and slept, snoring the while most famously. + +In the morning, before they departed, the commander assembled them on +deck for an official interview. He enlarged upon his wonderful qualities +as a chief, and the great benefits to his visitors of his friendship. He +then entered into a treaty with them, the terms of which were very few +and simple, that it might be understood, and the benefits mutual, that +it might be kept. He then showed his beneficence by buying all their +spare walrus meat and four dogs, enriching them in compensation with a +few needles, beads, and treasures of old cask staves. The Esquimo were +jubilant. They voted, in their way, Dr. Kane a great captain, promised +vociferously to return in a few days with plenty of walrus meat, and +loan their dogs and sledges for the great northern journey, all of which +they never remembered to do. + +When the visitors had gone, it was ascertained that an ax, a saw, and +some knives, had gone with them. Besides, the store-house on Butler +Island had been entered, and a careful survey of the vicinity revealed +the fact that a train of sledges were slyly waiting behind some distant +hummocks for a freight of its treasures. + +All this had a hard look for friendly relations with the Esquimo; but +our explorers felt that conciliation, with quiet firmness, was their +best policy. The savages could do their sledge excursions much harm, +and, if they would, could greatly aid them. + +The next day there came to the vessel five natives--two old men, a +middle aged man, and two awkward boys. They were treated with marked +kindness, some presents were given them, but they were told that no +Esquimo would in future be admitted to the brig until every stolen +article was restored. They were overjoyed at the gifts, and departed, +lifting up their hands in holy horror on the mention of theft; yet in +passing round Butler Island they bore away a coal barrel. M'Gary was +watching them, and he hastened their departure by a charge of fine shot. +Notwithstanding all this, one of the old men, known afterward as +Shung-hu, made a circuit round the hummocks, and came upon an +India-rubber boat which had been left upon the floe, and cut it in +pieces and carried off the wood of the frame-work. + +Soon after this a sprightly youth, good-looking, with a fine dog team, +drove up to the vessel in open day. When asked his name, he replied +promptly, "Myouk I am." He spoke freely of his place of residence and +people, but when asked about the stolen articles he affected great +ignorance. Dr. Kane ordered him to be confined in the hold. He took this +very hard, at first refusing food. He soon after began to sing in a +dolorous strain, then to talk and cry, and then to sing again. The +hearts of his captors were made quite tender toward him, and when in the +morning it was found that the prisoner had lifted the hatches and fled, +taking his dogs with him, even the commander secretly rejoiced. + +April twenty-fifth, M'Gary and five men started with the sledge "Faith," +on another exploring excursion. They took a small stock only of +provisions, depending on the supply depots which had been made in the +fall. The plan this time was, to follow the eastern coast line a while, +which run north and west, cross over Smith Sound to the American side, +where it was hoped smooth ice would be found; and once on such a +highway, they anticipated that the Polar Sea would greet their delighted +vision, and may be speak to them of the fate of the lost Franklin. + +Two days after M'Gary's party left, Dr. Kane and Godfrey followed with +the dog sledge loaded with additional comforts for the journey, the men +trotting by its side. Only three dogs remained of the original supplies, +which, harnessed with the four purchased of the Esquimo, made a +tolerable team. + +Ten men, four in health and six invalids, were left to keep the vessel. +Orders were left by the commander to treat the Esquimo, should they come +again, with fairness and conciliation, but if necessity demanded to use +fire arms, but to waste no powder or shot. The credit of the gun must be +sustained as the bearer of certain death to the white man's enemies. + +Dr. Kane and his companions overtook the advanced party in two days. +They pushed forward together with tolerable success for four days more, +when they all became involved in deep snow-drifts. The dogs floundered +about nearly suffocated, and unable to draw the sledge. The men were +compelled to take the load on their backs, and kick a path for the dogs +to follow. In the midst of these toils the scurvy appeared among the +men, and some of the strongest were ready to yield the conflict +altogether. The next day, May fourth, Dr. Kane, while taking an +observation for latitude fainted, and was obliged to ride on the sledge. +Still the party pushed on; but they soon met with an obstacle no heroism +could overcome. They were without food for further journeying! The bears +had destroyed their carefully deposited stores. They had removed stones +which had required the full strength of three men to lift. They had +broken the iron meat casks into small pieces. An alcohol cask, which had +cost Dr. Kane a special journey in the late fall to deposit, was so +completely crushed that a whole stave could not be found. + +On the fifth of May Dr. Kane became delirious, and was lashed to the +sledge, while his brave, though nearly fainting, men took the back +track. They arrived at the brig in nine days, and their commander was +borne to his berth, where he lay for many days, between life and death, +with the scurvy and typhoid fever. Thus closed another effort to unlock +the secrets of the extreme polar region. + +Hans made himself exceedingly useful at this time. He was promoted to +the post of hunter, and excused from all other duties; he was besides +promised presents to his lady-love on reaching his home at Fiskernaes. +He brought in two deer, the first taken, on the day of this special +appointment. The little snow-birds had come, of which he shot many. The +seal, too, were abundant, and some of them were added to the fresh +provisions. These wonderfully improved those touched by the scurvy. + +One day Hans was sent to hunt toward the Esquimo huts, that he might get +information concerning the nearness to the brig of clear water. He did +not come back that night, and Dr. Hays and Mr. Ohlsen were sent with the +dog-sledge to hunt him up. They found him lying on the ice about five +miles from the vessel, rolled up in his furs and sound asleep. At his +side lay a large seal, shot, as usual, in the head. He had dragged this +seal seven hours, and, getting weary, had made his simple camp and was +resting sweetly. + +May twentieth, Dr. Hays and Godfrey started with the dog team, to make +another attempt to cross Smith Strait and reach, along the American +side, the unknown north. The doctor was a fresh man, not having been +with any previous party. The dogs were rested, well fed, and full of +wolfish energy. The second day he fortunately struck into a track free +from heavy ice, and made fifty miles! But this success was after the +arctic fashion, made to give bitterness to immediate failure. On the +third day they encountered hummocks, piled in long ridges across their +path; some of them were twenty feet high. Over some of these they +climbed, dragging after them both sledge and dogs. Long diversions were +made at other times, and their path became in this way so very tortuous +that in making ninety miles advance northward they traveled two hundred +and seventy miles! + +Snow-blindness seized Dr. Hays in the midst of these toils. But, nothing +daunted, after short halts, in which his sight improved, he pushed on. +But Godfrey soon broke down, though one of the hardiest of explorers. +Their dogs, too, began to droop; the provisions were running low, and so +the homeward track was taken. Before they reached the vessel they were +obliged to lighten their load by throwing away fifty pounds weight of +furs, the heaviest of which had been used as sleeping bags. + +This excursion resulted in valuable additions to the extreme northern +coast-line survey. + +On the afternoon of June fourth, M'Gary, with four men, started on a +last desperate effort to push the survey, on the Greenland side, a +hundred miles farther, by which Dr. Kane thought the limits of the ice +in that direction might be reached. Morton, one of the company, was to +keep himself as fresh as possible, so that when the rest came to a final +halt he might be able to push on farther. Hans was kept at the vessel +until the tenth, four days later, when he started light with the +dog-sledge to join them. His part was to accompany Morton on the final +run. + +The hunter of the vessel being gone, Dr. Kane, who was now much better, +took his rifle to try his skill at seal hunting. This animal is not +easily taken by unpracticed game seekers. He lies near the hole which he +keeps open in the ice, and at the slightest noise plunges out of sight. +Seeing one lying lazily in the sun, the doctor lay down and drew himself +along softly behind the little knobs of ice. It was a cold, tedious +process, but finally getting within a long rifle shot, the seal rolled +sluggishly to one side, raised his head, and strained his neck, as if +seeing something in an opposite direction. Just then the doctor saw with +surprise a rival hunter. A large bear lay, like himself, on his belly, +creeping stealthily toward the game. Here was a critical position. If he +shot the seal, the bear would probably have no scruples about taking it +off his hands, and, perhaps, by way of showing that might makes right, +take him before his rifle could be reloaded. While the doctor was +debating the matter the seal made another movement which stirred his +hunter blood, and he pulled the trigger. The cap only exploded. The +seal, alarmed, descended into the deep with a floundering splash; and +the bear, with a few vigorous leaps, stood, a disappointed hunter, +looking after him from the edge of the hole. Bruin and Dr. Kane were now +face to face. By all the rules of game-taking the bear should have +eaten the man; he was the stronger party, the gun was for the moment +useless, he was hungry, and had lost his dinner probably by the +intrusive coming of the stranger, and, as to running, there was no +danger of his escape in that way. But the bear magnanimously turned and +ran away. Not to be outdone in Courtesy, Dr. Kane turned and ran with +all his might in the opposite direction. + +On the twenty-sixth, M'Gary, Bonsall, Hickey, and Riley returned. The +snow had almost made them blind; otherwise they were well. They had been +gone about three weeks, had made valuable surveys, and fully satisfied +the expectations of their commander. Hans caught up with them after two +weeks of heroic travel alone with his dogs and sledge. He and Morton +had, in accordance with the programme, pressed on farther northward. + +The returned party had their adventure with a bear to tell. They had all +lain down to sleep in their tent after a wearisome day of travel. The +midnight hour had passed when Bonsall felt something scratching at the +snow near his head, and, starting up, ascertained that a huge bear was +making careful observations around the outside of the tent. He had, in +looking round, already observed, no doubt, the important fact that the +guns, and every thing like a defensive weapon, were left on the sledge +some distance off, though perhaps the importance to him of this fact he +did not appreciate. There was consternation, of course, in the camp, and +a council of war was called. It had hardly convened before bruin, as a +party concerned, thrust his head into the tent door. A volley of lucifer +matches was fired at him, and a paper torch was thrust into his face. +Without minding these discourteous acts, the bear deliberately sat down +and commenced eating a seal which had been shot the day before and +happened to be in his way. By the laws of arctic hospitality this should +have been considered fair by the tent's company, for strangers are +expected to come and go as they please, and eat what they find, not even +saying, "By your leave." But the stranger did not conform to the usage +of the country. Tom Hickey cut a hole in the back of the tent, seized a +boat-hook, which made one of its supporters, and attacked the enemy in +the rear. He turned on his assailant and received a well-aimed blow on +his nose, by which he was persuaded to retire beyond the sledge and +there to pause and consider what to do next. While the bear was thus in +council with himself, Hickey sprang forward, seized a rifle from the +sledge, almost under the nose of the enemy, and fell back upon his +companions. Bonsall took the deadly weapon and sent a ball through and +through the bear, and the disturber of the rest of our explorers +afforded them many bountiful repasts. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE OPEN SEA. + + +MORTON and Hans returned to the brig on the tenth of July, after having +been on their separate exploration three weeks and a half. Their story +is full of thrilling incidents and important results. + +The first day they made twenty-eight miles, and were greatly encouraged. +The next day the arctic enemies of exploration appeared on the field, +skirmishing with deep snow through which dogs and men had to wade. Next +came a compact host of icebergs. They were not the surface-worn, +dingy-looking specimens of Baffin Bay, but fresh productions from the +grand glacier near which they lay. Their color was bluish white, and +their outlines clearly and beautifully defined. Some were square, often +a quarter of a mile each side. Others were not less than a mile long, +and narrow. Now and then one of colossal size lifted its head far above +its fellows, like a grand observatory. Between these giant bergs were +crowded smaller ones of every imaginable size and form. + +Through these our explorers had to pick their way. Beginning one night +at eight, they dashed along through a narrow lane, turning this way and +that, for seven hours. Then they came against the face of a solid +ice-cliff, closing the path altogether. Back they urged their weary +dogs, and their own weary selves, looking for an opening by which they +might turn north, but none appeared until they reached the camp from +which they had started. Resting awhile, they commenced anew. + +Sometimes they climbed over an ice hillock, making a ladder of their +sledge. Morton would climb up first, and then draw up the dogs, around +whose bodies Hans tied a rope; then the load was passed up; lastly Hans +mounted, and drew up the sledge. + +Having broken through the bergy detachment of their arctic foes and +reached smoother ice, other opposing columns met them. Dense mists, +giving evidence of open water, chilled and bewildered them; but the +welcome birds, giving other proof of the nearness of the Polar Sea, +cheered them on. + +The next attack was in the form of insecure ice. The dogs were dashing +on in their wild flight when it began to yield beneath them. The dogs +trembled with fear and lay down, as is their habit in such cases. Hans, +by a skillful mingling of force and coaxing, succeeding in getting the +party out of the danger. + +At one time a long, wide channel presented its protest to their farther +progress. To this they were obliged so far to yield as to go ten miles +out of their way to reach its northern side. + +Their right of way was also challenged by seams in the ice often four +feet deep, filled with water, and too wide for their best jumping +ability. These they filled up by attacking the nearest hummocks with +their axes and tumbling the fragments into it until a bridge was made. +This work often caused hours of delay. + +The signs of open water became more and more apparent. The birds were so +plenty that Hans brought down two at one shot. Soon they struck the icy +edge of a channel. Along this they coasted on the land side. It brought +them to a cape around which the channel run close to a craggy point. +Here they deposited a part of their provisions to lighten the sledge. +Morton went ahead to learn the condition of the land-ice round the +point. He found it narrow and decaying, so that he feared there would be +none on their return; yet, forward! was the word. The dogs were unloosed +and driven forward alone; then Hans and Morton tilted the sledge +edgewise and drew it along, while far below the gurgling waters were +rushing southward with a freight of crushed ice. + +The cape passed, they opened into a bay of clear water extending far and +wide. Along its shore was a wide, smooth ice-belt. Over this the dogs +scampered with their sledge and men with wonderful fleetness, making +sixty miles the first day! The land grew more and more sloping to the +bay as they advanced until it opened from the sea into a plain between +two elevated rocky ranges. Into this they entered, steering north, until +they struck the entrance of a bay; but the rugged ice across their path +forbid farther sledge-travel in that direction. So they picketed, +securely, as they thought, the dogs, took each a back load of +provisions, and went forward. Their trusty rifles were in hand, and +their boat-hook and a few scientific instruments were carefully secured +to their persons. Thus equipped, they had tramped about nine miles from +the last camp when an exciting scene occurred. It was a bear fight, +shaded this time with the tender and tragic. A mother-bear and her child +came in sight. They were a loving couple, and had plainly been engaged +in a frolic together. Their tracks were scattered profusely about, like +those of school children at recess in a recent snow. There were also +long furrows down the sloping side of an ice-hill, upon and around which +the footprints were seen. Morton declared that they had been coasting +down this slope on their haunches, and this opinion was supported by the +fact that Dr. Kane did, at another time, see bears thus coasting! + +Five of the dogs had broken away from their cords and had overtaken +their masters. So they were on hand for the fight. + +Mother and child fled with nimble feet, and the dogs followed in hot +pursuit. The bear, being overtaken by her enemies, began a most skillful +and heroic skirmishing. The cub could not keep up with its mother, so +she turned back, put her head under its haunches and threw it some +distance ahead, intimating to it to run, while she faced the dogs. But +the little simpleton always stopped just where it alighted, and waited +for mamma to give it another throw! To vary the mode of operation, she +occasionally seized it by the nape of the neck and flung it out of harms +way, and then snapped at the dogs with an earnestness that meant +business. Sometimes the mother would run a little ahead and then turn, +as if to coax the little one to run to her, watching at the same time +the enemy. + +For a while the bear contrived to make good speed; but the little one +became tired and she came to a halt. The men came up with their rifles +and the fight became unequal, yet the mother's courage was unabated. She +sat upon her haunches and took the cub between her hind legs, and fought +the dogs with her paws. "Never," says Morton, "was animal more +distressed; her roaring could have been heard a mile! She would stretch +her neck and snap at the nearest dog with her shining teeth, whirling +her paws like the arms of a windmill." Missing her intended victim, she +sent after him a terrific growl of baffled rage. + +When the men came up the little one was so far rested as to nimbly turn +with its mother and so keep front of her belly. The dogs, in heartless +mockery of her situation, continued a lively frisking on every side of +her, torturing her at a safe distance for themselves. + +Such was the position of the contending parties when Hans threw himself +upon the ice, rested upon his elbows, took deliberate aim, and sent a +ball through the heroic mother's head. She dropped, rolled over, +relieved at once of her agony and her life. + +The cub sprung upon the dead body of its mother and for the first time +showed fight. The dogs, thinking the conflict ended, rushed upon the +prostrate foe, tearing away mouthfuls of hair. But they were glad to +retreat with whole skins to their own backs. It growled hoarsely, and +fought with genuine fury. + +The dogs were called off, and Hans sent a ball through its head; yet it +contrived to rise after falling, and climbed again upon its mother's +body. It was mercifully dispatched by another ball. + +The men took the skin of the mother and the little one for their share +of the spoils, and the dogs gorged themselves on the greater carcass. + +After this incident the journey of our explorers soon ended. Hans gave +out, and was ordered to turn leisurely aside and examine the bend of the +bay into which they had entered. Morton continued on toward the +termination of a cape which rose abruptly two thousand feet. He tried to +get round it, but the ice-foot was gone. He climbed up its sides until +he reached a position four hundred and forty feet, commanding a horizon +of forty miles. The view was grand. The sea seemed almost boundless, and +dashed in noisy surges below, while the birds curveted and screamed +above. Making a flag-staff of his walking-stick, he threw to the wind a +Grinnell flag. It had made the far southern voyage with Commodore +Wilkes, and had come on a second arctic voyage. It now floated over the +most northern known land of the globe. + +Feasting his eyes with the scenery for an hour and a half, Morton struck +his flag and rejoined Hans. The run home had its perils and narrow +escapes, but was made without accident, and with some additional +surveys. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT. + + +IT was now well into July. The last proposed survey was made, and all +hands were on shipboard. But the arctic fetters still bound the +"Advance," with no signs of loosening. The garb of midwinter was yet +covering land and sea, and in every breeze there was a dismal whisper to +the explorers of another winter in the ice. The thought was appalling to +both officers and men. They had neither health, food, nor fuel for such +an experience. To abandon the vessel and try to escape with the boats +and sledges was impossible in the prostrate condition of the men. + +Having carefully studied the situation Dr. Kane resolved to try to reach +Beechy Island, and thus communicate with the British exploring +expedition, or by good luck with some whaler, and so secure relief. This +island we have often visited in our voyages with the "Arctic Heroes." It +is, it will be recollected, at the mouth of Wellington Channel. + +When this plan was announced to the officers it was approved cordially. +Both officers and men were ready to volunteer to accompany him; he chose +five only--M'Gary, Morton, Riley, Hickey, and Hans. Their boat was the +old "Forlorn Hope." The outfit was the best possible, though poor +enough. The "Hope" was mounted on the sledge "Faith;" the provisions +were put on a "St. John's sledge." The "Faith" started off ahead; the +smaller sledge, to which Dr. Kane and two of the men attached +themselves, followed. + +It took five days of incessant toil, with many head flows, to reach the +water and launch the "Hope," though the distance from the brig was only +twenty miles. + +The boat behaved well, and they reached Littleton Island, where they +were rejoiced to see numerous ducks. Watching their course as they flew +away, the explorers were led to several islets, whose rocky ledges were +covered with their nests, and around which they hovered in clouds. The +young birds were taking their first lesson in flying, or were still +nestling under their mothers' wings. In a few hours over two hundred +birds were taken, the gun bringing down several at one shot, and others +were knocked over with stones. But the men were not the only enemies of +the ducks. Near by was a settlement of a large, voracious species of +gull. They swooped down, seized, gobbled up, and bore away to their +nests the young eiders, without seeming to doubt that they were doing a +fair and, to themselves, a pleasant business. The gulls would seize the +little eiders with their great yellow bills, throw their heads up, and +then their victims would disappear down their throats, and in a few +moments after they would be ejected into their nests and go down the +throats of their young. The ducks fought the gulls bravely in the +interests of their brood, but the victory was with the stronger. + +Our voyagers pitied, of course, the bereaved eider mothers, despised the +cormorant gulls, but gladly increased their stock of needed provisions +with both. They filled four large india rubber bags with these sea-fowl +after cleaning and rudely boning them. + +Leaving this profitable camping place, the boat was soon in the open +sea-way. One day's pleasant sailing was quite as much in that way as +experience taught them to expect. A violent storm arose, the waves ran +high, and their clumsy boat, trembling under the strain, was in danger +of sinking at any moment. The safety of the whole company depended +entirely upon the skill and nerve of M'Gary. For twenty-two successive +hours he held in his strong grasp the steering oar and kept the head of +the boat to the sea. A break of the oar or a slip from his hand and all +was lost! They finally grappled an old floe in a slightly sheltered +place, and rode out the storm. + +For twelve days heroic exertions were made to get the boat through the +pack which now beset them, with the view of working south and west. +Little progress was made and the men, wet, weary, and worn, began to +fail. In view of this state of things the commander directed his course +to Northumberland Island, near which they were coasting. Here they found +three recently occupied, but now forsaken, Esquimo huts. The foxes were +abundant, and their young ones greeted the strangers with vociferous +barking. They found here, too, what was more valuable--the scurvy grass. +Rest, fresh fowl, and cochlearia greatly refreshed the whole party. +Seeing the utter impossibility of going south, they made the best of +their way back to the brig. It was a sad and joyful meeting with their +old comrades. Their return safely was joyful, but the return spoke of +another winter. + +By great exertions the brig was loosened from her icy cradle and warped +to a position more favorable for an escape should the open water reach +the vicinity. On the seventeenth of August, instead of a glad breaking +up of the old ice, came the formation of new ice, thick enough to bear a +man. The question of an escape of the brig seemed settled. The allowance +of wood was fixed to six pounds a meal; this gave them coffee twice a +day and soup, once. Darkness was ahead, and if the fuel utterly failed +it would be doubly cheerless. The Sabbath rest and devotions became more +solemn. The prayer, "Lord, accept our gratitude and bless our +undertakings," was changed to, "Lord, accept our gratitude and restore +us to our homes." + +Affairs looked so dark that Dr. Kane deemed it wise to leave a record of +the expedition on some conspicuous spot. A position was selected on a +high cliff which commanded an extensive view over the icy waste. On its +broad, rocky face the words, "'Advance,' A. D. 1853-54," were painted in +large letters which could be read afar off. A pyramid of heavy stones +was built above it and marked with a cross. Beneath it they reverently +buried the bodies of their deceased companions. Near this a hole was +worked into the rock, and a paper, inclosed in a glass vessel sealed +with lead, was deposited. On this paper was written the names of the +officers and crew, the results in general thus far of the expedition, +and their present condition. They proposed to add to the deposit a paper +containing the date of their departure, should they ever get away, and +showing their plans of escape. + +Now, more earnestly than ever, the winter and what to do was looked in +the face. Some thought that an escape to South Greenland was still +possible, and even the best thing to do. The question of detaching a +part of the company to make the experiment was debated, but the +commander arrived at a settled conviction that such an enterprise was +impracticable. + +In the mean time the ice and tides were closely examined for a +considerable distance, for the slightest evidence of a coming liberation +of the poor ice-bound craft. + +As early as August twenty-fourth all hopes of such a liberation seemed +to have faded from every mind. The whole company, officers and crew, +were assembled in council. The commander gave the members his reasons in +full for deeming it wise to stand by the vessel. He then gave his +permission for any part of the company who chose to do so to depart on +their own responsibility. He required of such to renounce in writing +all claims upon the captain and those who remained. The roll was then +called, and nine out of the seventeen decided to make the hazardous +experiment. At the head of this party was Dr. Hayes and Petersen. +Besides the hope of a successful escape, they were influenced in the +course they were taking by the thought that the quarters in the brig +were so straitened that the health and comfort of those remaining would +be increased, and the causes of disease and death diminished by their +departure; and still further, if the withdrawing party perished, an +equal number was likely to die if all remained. + +The decision having been made, Dr. Kane gave them a liberal portion of +the resources of the brig, a good-bye blessing, with written assurances +of a brother's welcome should they return. They left August +twenty-eight. + +Those who remained with Dr. Kane were Brooks, M'Gary, Wilson, +Goodfellow, Morton, Ohlsen, Hickey, and Hans. The situation of these was +increasedly dreary on the departure of half of their companions. They +felt the necessity of immediate systematic action to drive away +desponding thoughts, as well as to make the best possible preparation +for the coming struggle with darkness, cold, poverty, and disease. The +discipline of the vessel, with all its formality of duties, was strictly +maintained. The ceremonies of the table, the religious services, the +regular watching, in which every man took his turn unless prevented by +sickness, the scientific observations of the sky, the weather and the +tides, the detailed care of the fire and the lights, all went on as if +there was no burdens of mind to embarrass them. + +In view of the small stock of fuel, they commenced turning the brig into +something like an Esquimo igloe or hut. A space in the cabin measuring +twenty feet by eighteen was set off as a room for all hands. Every one +then went to work, and, according to his measure of strength, gathered, +moss. With this an inner wall was made for the cabin, reaching from the +floor to the ceiling. The floor itself was calked with plaster of Paris +and common paste, then two inches of Manilla oakum was thrown over it, +and upon this a canvas carpet was spread. From this room an avenue three +feet high, and two and a half feet wide, was made. It was twelve feet +long, and descended four feet, opening into the hold. It was moss-lined, +and closed with a door at each end. It answered to the _tossut_ of the +Esquimo hut, or the sort of tunnel through which they creep into their +one room. All ingress and egress of our explorers were through this +avenue on their hands and knees. From the dark hold they groped their +way to the main hatchway, up which, by a stairway of boxes, they +ascended into the open air. + +The quarter-deck also was well padded with turf and moss. When this was +done, no frost king but the one presiding over the polar regions could +have entered. Even he had to drop his crown of icicles at the outer door +of the avenue. + +The next step was to secure, so far as possible, a supply of fuel for +the coming darkness. A small quantity of coal yet remained for an +emergency. They began now, September tenth, to strip off some of the +extra planking outside of the deck, and to pile it up for stove use. + +Having thus put the brig itself into winter trim, they went diligently +to work to arrange its immediate vicinity on the floe. Their beef-house +came first, which was simply a carefully stowed pile of barrels +containing their water-soaked beef and pork. Next was a kind of +block-house, made of the barrels of flour, beans, and dried apples. From +a flag-staff on one corner of this fluttered a red and white ensign, +which gave way on Sundays to a Grinnell flag. From the block-house +opened a traveled way, which they called New London Avenue. On this were +the boats. Around all this was a rope barrier, which said to the outside +world, Thus far only shalt thou come! Outside of this was a magnificent +hut made of barrel frames and snow, for the special use of Esquimo +visitors. It was in great danger of a tearing down for its coveted +wood. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +TREATY MAKING. + + +THE stock of fresh provisions was now alarmingly low. To secure a fresh +supply, Dr. Kane and Hans started with the dog team on a seal hunt. The +doctor was armed with his Kentucky rifle, and Hans with a harpoon and +attached line. They carried a light Esquimo boat to secure the prey if +shot. They expected to find seal after a ten miles' run, but the ice was +solid until they had traveled another hour. Now they entered upon an icy +plain smooth as a house floor. On the dogs galloped, in fine spirits, +seeming to anticipate the shout which soon came from Hans--"Pusey, +puseymut!"--seal, seal! Just ahead were crowds of seals playing in the +water. But the joy of the hunters was instantly turned into a chill of +horror. The ice was bending under the weight of the sledge, and rolling +in wavy swells before it, as if made of leather. To pause was certain +death to dogs and men. The solid floe was a mile ahead. Hans shouted +fiercely to his dogs, and added the merciless crack of his whip to give +speed to his team; but the poor creatures were already terror-stricken, +and rushed forward like a steam-car. A profound silence followed, as +painful as the hush of the wind before the destructive tornado. Nothing +more could be done; the faithful dogs were doing their utmost to save +themselves and their masters. They passed through a scattered group of +seals, which, breast-high out of water, mocked them with their curious, +complacent gaze. The rolling, crackling ice increased its din, and, when +within fifty paces of the solid floe the frightened dogs became +dismayed, and they paused! In went the left runner and the leading dog, +then followed the entire left-hand runner. In the next instant Dr. Kane, +the sledge and dogs, were mixed up in the snow and water. Hans had +stepped off upon ice which had not yet given way, and was uttering in +his broken English, piteous moans, while he in vain reached forward to +help his master. He was ordered to lay down, spread out his hands and +feet, and draw himself to the floe by striking his knife into the ice. +The doctor cut the leader's harness and let him scramble out, for he was +crying touchingly, and drowning his master by his caresses. Relieved of +the dog he tried the sledge, but it sunk under him; he then paddled +round the hole endeavoring to mount the ice, but it gave way at every +effort, thus enlarging the sphere of operation most uncomfortably, and +exhausting his strength. Hans in the mean time had reached solid +footing, and was on his knees praying incoherently in English and +Esquimo, and at every crushing-in of the ice which plunged his master +afresh into the sea exclaimed, "God!" When the fatal crisis was just at +hand, deliverance came by a _seeming_ accident. How often does God +deliver by such seeming accidents! One of the dogs still remained +attached to the sledge, and in struggling to clear himself drew one of +the runners broadside against the edge of the circle. It was the +drowning man's last chance. He threw himself on his back so as to lessen +his weight, and placed the nape of his neck on the rim of the ice +opposite to but not far from the sledge. He then drew his legs up slowly +and placed the ball of his moccasin foot against the runner, pressing +cautiously and steadily, listening the while to the sound of the +half-yielding ice against which the other runner rested, as to a note +which proclaimed his sentence of life or death. The ice, holding the +sledge, only faintly yielded, while he felt his wet fur jumper sliding +up the surface; now his shoulders are on; now his whole body steadily +ascends; he is safe. + +Hans rubbed his master with frantic earnestness until the flesh glowed +again. The dogs were all saved, but the sledge, Esquimo boat, tent, +guns, and snow-shoes were all left frozen in to await a return trip. A +run of twelve miles brought them, worn and weary, but full of gratitude, +to the brig. The fire was kindled, one of the few remaining birds +cooked, a warm welcome given, so that the peril was forgotten except in +the occasion it gave for increased love to the _Deliverer_. + +We have had no occasion to notice the Esquimo since the escape from +prison of young Myouk. Soon after Dr. Hayes's party left, three natives +came. They had evidently noted the departure of half of the number of +the strangers, and came to learn the condition of those left behind. It +was Dr. Kane's policy to conciliate them, while carrying toward them a +steady, and when needed, as it was often, a restraining hand. + +These visitors were quartered in a tent in the hold. A copper lamp, a +cooking-basin, and a full supply of fat for fuel, was given them. They +ate, slept, awoke, ate and slept again. Dr. Kane left them eating at two +o'clock in the morning when he retired to the cabin to sleep. They +seemed soon after to be sleeping so soundly that the watch set over them +also slept. In the morning there were no Esquimo on board. They had +stolen the lamp, boiler, and cooking-pot used at their feast; to these +they added the best dog--the only one not too weary from the late +excursion to travel. Besides, finding some buffalo robes and an +india-rubber cloth accidentally left on the floe, they took them along +also. + +This would not do. The savages must be taught to fear as well as to +respect and love the white men. Morton and Riley, two of the best +walkers, were sent in hot pursuit. Reaching the hut at Anoatok, they +found young Myouk with the wives of two absent occupants, the latter +making themselves delightfully comfortable, having tailored already the +stolen robes into garments worn on their backs. By searching, the +cooking utensils, and other articles stolen from the brig but not +missed, were found. + +The white officers of the law acted promptly, as became their dignity. +They stripped the women of these stolen goods and tied them. They were +then loaded with all the articles stolen, to which was added as much +walrus meat of their own as would pay their jail fees. The three were +then marched peremptorily back to the brig; though it was thirty miles +they did not complain, neither did their police guardians in walking the +twice thirty. It was scarcely twenty-four hours after these thieves had +left the brig with their booty before they were prisoners in the hold. +"A dreadful white man" was placed over them as keeper, who never spoke +to them except in words of terrifying reproof, and whose scowl exhibited +a studied variety of threatening and satanic expressions. The women were +deprived of the comfort of even Myouk's company. He was dispatched to +Metek, "head-man of Etah and others," "with the message of a +melo-dramatic tyrant," to negotiate for their ransom. For five long days +the women sighed and cried, and sung in solitary confinement, though +their appetites continued excellent. At last the great Metek and another +Esquimo notable arrived, drawing quite a sledge load of returned stolen +goods. Now commenced the treaty making. There were "big talks," and a +display on the part of Dr. Kane of the splendors and resources of his +capital, its arts and sciences, not forgetting the "fire-death," whose +terrific power so amazed the Etah dignitaries. On the part of the +Esquimo there were many adjournments of the diplomatic conferences to +eat and sleep. This was well for the explorers no doubt, as plenty of +sleep and a good dinner are very pacific, it is well known, in their +influence even on savages. In the final result the Esquimo agreed: Not +to steal, to bring fresh meat, to sell or lend dogs, to attend the white +men when desired, and to show them where to find the game. On the part +of _Kablunah_ (the white men) Dr. Kane promised: Not to visit the +_Inuit_ (Esquimo) with death or sorcery; to shoot for them on the hunt; +to welcome them on board the ship; to give them presents of needles, +pins, two kinds of knives, a hoop, three bits of hard wood, some kinds +of fat, an awl, and some sewing-thread; to trade with them of these, and +all other things they might want, for walrus and seal meat of the first +quality. + +Dr. Kane sent Hans and Morton to Etah, on the return of Metek, as his +representatives, and this treaty was there ratified in a full assembly +of its people. + +This treaty was really of much importance to the famishing, ice-bound, +scurvy-smitten strangers. It was faithfully kept on the part of the +natives, but it was believed that the example of the white man's +prodigious power given by Morton and Riley, in the tramp of sixty miles +in twenty-four hours, had quite as much to do with its faithful +observance as any regard to their promise. They might not understand the +binding nature of promises however solemnly made, but they could +comprehend the meaning of strong arms and swift feet. + +Having made peace with the Etahites, Dr. Kane sent M'Gary and Morton to +the hut at Anoatok on a like errand. They found there of men, Myouk, +Ootuniah, and Awatok--Seal Bladder--who were at first shy. The rogue, +Myouk, suspected their visit might mean to him another arrest. Seeing it +did not, all went merry as a marriage-bell. The treaty was ratified by +acclamation. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +ARCTIC HUNTING. + + +EARLY in October the Esquimo disappeared from the range of travel from +the brig. Hans and Hickey were sent to the hunting grounds, and they +returned with the unwelcome news, no walrus, no Esquimo. Where could +they have gone? Were they hovering on the track of the escaping party +under Dr. Hayes? and where were these? Would the natives return from a +trip south, and bring any news of the battle they were fighting with the +ice and cold? + +While such queries may have been indulged by the brig party, they had +serious thoughts concerning their own condition. Their fresh provisions +were nearly exhausted. Without walrus or bear meat, their old enemy, +scurvy, would come down upon them like an armed man. There was now +plainly another occasion for one of those accidental occurrences, +through which the eye of a devout Christian sees God's kind hand. In the +midst of these painful thoughts the shout by Hans was heard ringing +through the brig: "Nannook! nannook!" + +"A bear! a bear!" chimed in Morton. + +The men seized their guns and ran on deck. The dogs were already in +battle array with the bear, which was attended by a five-months-old +cub. Not a gun was in readiness on the instant, and while they were +being loaded the canines were having rough sport with bruin. Tudla, a +champion fighter, had been seized twice, by the nape of his neck, and +made to travel several yards without touching the ground. Jenny, a +favorite in the sledge, had made a grand somerset by a slight jerk of +the head of the bear, and had alighted senseless. Old Whitey, brave but +not bear-wise, had rushed headlong into the combat, and was yelping his +utter dissatisfaction with the result while stretched helpless upon the +snow. Nannook considered the field of battle already won, and proceeded, +as victors have always done, to a very cool investigation of the spoils. +She first turned over a beef barrel, and began to nose out the choice +bits for herself and child. But there was a party interested in this +operation whom she had not consulted. Their first protest was in the +form of a pistol ball in the side of her cub. This, to say the least, +was rather a harsh beginning. The next hint was a rifle ball in the side +of the mother, which she resented by taking her child between her hind +legs and retreating behind the beef-house. Here, with her strong +forearms, she pulled down three solid rows of beef barrels which made +one wall of the house. She then mounted the rubbish, seized a half +barrel of herring with her teeth, and with it beat a retreat. Turning +her back on the enemy was not safe, for she immediately received, at +half pistol range, six buck shots. She fell, but was instantly on her +feet again, trotting off with her cub under her nose. She would have +escaped after all but for two of the dogs. These belonged to the +immediate region, and had been trained for the bear hunt. They +embarrassed her speed but did not attack her. One would run along ahead +of her, so near as to provoke the bear to attempt to catch him, and then +he would give her a useless chase to the right or left, the other one, +at the right moment, making a diversion by a nip in her rear. So coolly +and systematically was this done that poor Nannook was hindered and +exhausted without being able to hurt her tormentors in the least. + +This game of the dogs brought again Dr. Kane and Hans on the field of +conflict. They found the bear still holding out in the running fight, +and making good speed away from the brig. Two rifle balls brought her to +a stand-still. She faced about, took her little one between her fore +legs, and growled defiance. It took six more balls to lay her lifeless +on the blood-stained snow! + +This method of conquering the foe was no doubt, from the bear point of +view, mean and cowardly; instead of the hand-to-paw fight, recognized as +the Arctic lawful way of fighting, it was sending fire-death at a safe +distance for the attacking party. With her own chosen weapons--two +powerful arms, and a set of almost resistless teeth--the bear was the +stronger party. But then it was the old game of brains against brute +force, with the almost sure result. As to the cruelty, the bear had no +reason to complain. She came to the brig seeking, if haply she might +find, a man, or men, to appease her craving hunger and feed her child. +The men sought and obtained her life that they might stay the progress +of their bitter enemy, the scurvy, and save their own lives! + +When the mother fell, her child sprung upon her body and made a fierce +defense. After much trouble, and, we should think, some danger from her +paws and teeth, both of which she used as if trained for the fight, she +was, caught with a line looped into a running knot between her jaws and +the back of her head, somewhat as farmers catch hogs for the slaughter. +She was marched off to the brig and chained outside, causing a great +uproar among the dogs. + +The mother-bear's carcass weighed when cleaned three hundred pounds; +before dressing, the body weighed six hundred and fifty. The _little_ +one weighed on her feet one hundred and fourteen pounds. They both +proved most savory meat, and were eaten with gratitude, as the special +gifts of the great Giver. + +This bear capture was soon followed by one no less exciting and truly +Arctic in its character. It was the hunt and capture of a walrus, the +lion of the sea, as the bear is the tiger of the ice. The story is as +follows:--- + +About the middle of October Morton and Hans were sent again to try to +find the Esquimo. They reached on the fourth day a little village beyond +Anoatok, seventy miles from the brig. Here they found four huts, two +occupied and two forsaken. In one was Myouk, his parents and his brother +and sister; in the other was Awahtok, Ootuniah, their wives, and three +young children. The strangers were made to feel at home. Their moccasins +were dried, their feet rubbed, two lamps set ablaze to cook them a +supper, and a walrus skin spread on the raised floor for them to stretch +and rest their weary limbs. The lamps and the addition to the huts' +company sent the thermometer up to ninety degrees above zero, while +outside it was thirty below. The natives endured this degree of heat +finely, as the men and children wore only the apparel nature gave them, +and the women made only a slight, but becoming, addition to it. The +strangers after devouring six small sea-birds a piece enjoyed a night of +profuse perspiration and sound sleep. + +In the morning Morton perceived that Myouk and his father were preparing +for a walrus hunt, and he cordially invited himself and Hans to go with +them. The two strangers accepted the invitation thus given, and the +party of four were soon off. + +A large size walrus is eighteen feet long, with a tusk thirty inches. +His whole development is elephantine, and his look grim and ferocious. + +The Esquimo of this party carried three sledges; one they hid under the +snow and ice on the way, and the other two were carried to the hunting +ground at the open water, about ten miles from the huts. They had nine +dogs to these two sledges, and by turns one man rode while the other +walked. + +As they neared the new ice, and saw by the murky fog that the open water +was near, the Esquimo removed their hoods and listened. After a while +Myouk's countenance showed that the wished-for sound had entered his +ear, though Morton, as attentively listening, could hear nothing. Soon +they were startled by the bellowing of a walrus bull; the noise, round +and full, was something between the mooing of a cow and the deep baying +of a mastiff, varied by an oft-repeated quick bark. The performer was +evidently pleased with his own music, for it continued without cessation +while our hunters crept forward stealthily in single file. When within +half a mile of some discolored spots showing very thin ice surrounded by +that which was thicker, they scattered, and each man crawled toward a +separate pool, Morton on his hands and knees following Myouk. Soon the +walruses were in sight. They were five in number, at times rising +altogether out of the deep, breaking the ice and giving an explosive +puff which might have been heard, through the thin, clear atmosphere, a +mile away. Two grim-looking males were noticeable as the leaders of the +group. + +[Illustration: Walruses--A Family Party.] + +Now came the fight between Myouk, the crafty, expert hunter, and a +strong, maddened, persistent walrus. Morton was the interested +looker-on, following the hunter like a shadow, ready, if it had been +wanted, to put in his contribution to the fight in the form of a +rifle-ball. When the walrus's head is above water, and peering +curiously around, the hunter is flat and still. As the head begins to +disappear in the deep he is up and stirring, and ready to dart toward +the game. From his hiding-place behind a projecting ice knoll the hunter +seems not only to know when his victim will return, but where he will +rise. In this way, hiding and darting forward, Myouk, with Morton at his +heels, approaches the pool near the edge of which the walruses are at +play. Now the stolid face of Myouk glows with animation; he lies still, +biding his time, a coil of walrus hide many yards in length lying at his +side. He quickly slips one end of the line into an iron barb, holding +the other, the looped end, in his hand, and fixes the barb to a locket +on the end of a shaft made of a unicorn's horn. Now the water is in +motion, and only twelve feet from him the walrus rises, puffing with +pent up respiration, and looks grimly and complacently around. What need +_he_ fear, the mighty monarch of the Arctic sea! Myouk coolly, slowly +rises, throws back his right arm, while his left arm lies close to his +side. The walrus looks round again and shakes his dripping head. Up goes +the hunter's left arm. His victim rises breast-high to give one curious +look before he plunges, and the swift, barbed shaft is buried in his +vitals! In an instant the walrus is down, down in the deep, while Myouk +is making his best speed from the battlefield, holding firmly the looped +end of his harpoon-line, at the same time paying out the coil as he +runs. He has snatched up and carries in one hand a small stick of bone +rudely pointed with iron; he stops, drives it into the ice and fastens +his line to it, pressing it to the ice with his foot. + +Now commence the frantic struggles of the wounded walrus. Myouk keeps +his station, now letting out his line, and then drawing it in. His +victim, rising out of the water, endeavors to throw himself upon the +ice, as if to rush at his tormenter. The ice breaks under his great +weight, and he roars fearfully with rage. For a moment all is quiet. The +hunter knows what it means, and he is on the alert. Crash goes the ice, +and up come two walrusses only a few yards from where he stands; they +aimed at the very spot but will do better next time. But when the game +comes up where he last saw the hunter he has pulled up his stake and run +off, line in hand, and fixed it as before, but in a new direction. This +play goes on until the wounded beast becomes exhausted, and is +approached and pierced with the lance by Myouk. + +Four hours this fight went on, the walrus receiving seventy lance +thrusts, dangling all the while at the end of the line with the cruel +harpoon fixed in his body. When dying at last, hooked by his tusk to the +margin of the ice, his female, which had faithfully followed all his +bloody fortune, still swam at his side; she retired only when her spouse +was dead, and she herself was pricked by the lance. + +Morton says the last three hours wore the aspect of a doubtful battle. +He witnessed it with breathless interest. + +The game was, by a sort of "double purchase," a clever contrivance of +the Esquimo, drawn upon the ice and cut up at leisure. Its weight was +estimated at seven hundred pounds. + +The intestines and the larger part of the carcass, were buried in the +crevices of an iceberg--a splendid ice-house! Two sledges were loaded +with the remainder, and the hunters started toward home. As they came +near the village the women came out to meet them; the shout of welcome +brought all hands with their knives. Each one having his portion +assigned, according to a well understood Esquimo rule, the evening was +given up to eating. In groups of two or three around a forty pound +joint, squatting crook-legged, knife in hand, they cut, ate, and slept, +and cut and ate again. Hans, in his description of the feast to Dr. +Kane, says: "Why, Cappen Ken, sir, even the children ate all night. You +know the little two-year-old that Aroin carried in her hood--the one +that bit you when you tickled it?" + +"Yes." + +"Well, Cappen Ken, sir, that baby cut for herself, sir, with a knife +made out of an iron hoop, and so heavy it could hardly lift it, cut and +ate, sir, and ate and cut, as long as I looked at it." + +Morton and Hans returned to the brig with two hundred pounds of walrus +meat and two foxes, to make glad the hearts of their comrades. + +Besides these Arctic monsters of the sea, and shaggy prowlers of the +land and ice, there was another sort of game, requiring a different kind +of hunting, found nearer home. + +We have related the experiment, a year before this, of the explorers +with the rats. They had failed to smoke them out by a villainous +compound, and, as the experience came near burning up the vessel, it was +not repeated. They bred like locusts in spite of the darkness, cold, and +short rations, and went every-where--under the stove, into the steward's +drawers, into the cushions, about the beds, among the furs, woolens, and +specimens of natural history. They took up their abode among the bedding +of the men in the forecastle, and in such other places as seemed to them +cosy and comfortable. When their rights as tenants were disputed they +fought for them with boldness and skill. + +At one time a mother rat had chosen a bear-skin mitten as a homestead +for herself and family of little ones. Dr. Kane thrust his hand into it +not knowing that it was occupied, and received a sharp bite. Of course +his hand left the premises in rather quick time, and before he could +suck the blood from his finger the family had disappeared, taking their +home with them. + +Rhina, a brave bear-dog, which had come out of encounters with his +shaggy majesty with special honors, was sent down into the citadel of +the rats. She lay down with composure and slept for a while. But the +vermin gnawed the horny skin of her paws, nipped her on this side, and +bit her on that, and dodged into their hiding-places. They were so +many, and so nimble, that poor Rhina yelled in vexation and pain. She +was taken on deck to her kennel, a cowed and vanquished dog. + +Hans, true to his hunter's propensity, amused himself during the dreary +hours of his turn on the night watch, by shooting them with his bow and +arrow. Dr. Kane had these carefully dressed and made into a soup, of +which he educated himself to eat, to the advantage of his health. No +other one of the vessel's company cared to share his pottage. + +Hans had one competitor in this "small deer" hunting, as the sailors +called it. Dr. Kane had caught a young fox alive, and domesticated it in +the cabin. These "deer" were not quick enough to escape his nimble feet +and sharp teeth. But unfortunately he would kill only when and what he +wanted to eat. + +December came in gloomily. Nearly every man was down with the scurvy. +The necessary work to be done dragged heavily. The courage of the little +company was severely taxed but not broken. But where were the escaping +party under Dr. Hayes? Were they yet dragging painfully over their +perilous way? were they safe at Upernavik? or had they perished? + +While such queries might have occupied the thoughts of the dwellers in +the "Advance," on the seventh of the month Petersen and Bonsall of that +party returned; five days later Dr. Hayes arrived, with the remainder +of his company. Their adventures had been marvelous, and their escape +wonderful. It will be a pleasant fancy for us to consider ourselves as +sitting down in the cabin of the "Advance," and listening to their story +from the lips of one of their party. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE ESCAPING PARTY. + + +HAVING, as has been seen, provided for all the contingencies of our +journey as well as circumstances permitted, we moved slowly down the +ice-foot away from the brig. The companions we were leaving waved us a +silent adieu. A strong resolution gave firmness to our step, but our way +was too dark and perilous for lightness of heart. At ten miles distance +we should reach a cape near which we expected to find open water, where +we could exchange the heavy work of dragging the sledges for the +pleasanter sailing in the boat. This we reached early the second day. +But here we experienced our first keen disappointment. As far as the eye +could reach was only ice. Before us, a thousand miles away, was +Upernavik, at which we aimed, the first refuge of a civilized character +in that direction. As we gazed at this intervening frozen wilderness it +did indeed seem afar off. Yet every man stood firm through fourteen +hours of toil before we encamped, facing a strong wind and occasional +gusts of snow. After this the shelter of our tent, and a supper of cold +pork and bread with hot coffee, made us almost forget the wind, which +began to roar like a tempest. + +We looked out in the morning, after a good night's rest, hoping to see +the broken floe fleeing before the gale, giving us our coveted open sea. +But no change had taken place. We had no resort but to weary sledging. +We carried forward our freight in small parcels, a mile on our journey, +finally bringing up the boat. + +We took from under a cliff of the cape the boat "Forlorn Hope," which +Dr. Kane had deposited there. It was damaged by the falling of a stone +upon it from a considerable height. Petersen's skillful mending made it +only a tolerable affair. Thus wearied and baffled in our efforts at +progress, we returned early to our tent, and slept soundly until three +o'clock in the morning, when we were aroused by shouting without. It +came from three Esquimo, a boy eighteen years old, and two women. The +boy we had before seen, but the women were strangers. They were filthy +and ragged--in fact scarcely clothed at all. The matted hair of the +women was tied with a piece of leather on the top of the head; the boy's +hair was cut square across his eyebrows. One of the women carried a baby +about six months old. It was thrust naked, feet foremost, into the hood +of her jumper, and hung from the back of her neck. It peered innocently +out of its hiding-place, like a little chicken from the brooding wing of +its mother. + +They shivered with cold, and asked for fire and food, which we readily +gave them, and they were soon off down the coast in good spirits. + +These visitors were only well started when Hans rushed into our camp, +excited and panting for breath. He was too full of wrath to command his +poor English, and he rattled away to Petersen in his own language. When +he had recovered somewhat his breath, we caught snatches of his +exclamations as he turned to us with, "Smit Soun Esquimo no koot! no +koot! all same dog! Steal me bag! steal Nalegak buffalo." + +The fact finally came out that our visitors had been to the brig and +stolen, among other things, a wolf-skin bag and a small buffalo skin +belonging to Hans, presents from Dr. Kane. Hans took a lunch, a cup of +coffee, and continued his run after the thieves. + +The ice had now given way a little, and small leads opened near us. +Loading the boat, we tried what could be done at navigation. But the +water in the lead soon froze over and became too thick for boating, +while yet it was too thin for sledging; so after trying various +expedients we again unloaded the boats and took to the land-ice. But +this was too sloping for the sledges, so we took our cargo in small +parcels on our backs, carrying them forward a mile and a half, and +finally bringing the sledges and boat. Bonsall had, on one of these +trips, taken a keg of molasses on the back of his neck, grasping the two +ends with his hands. This was an awkward position in which to command +his footing along a sideling, icy path. His foot slipped, the keg shot +over his head, and glided down into the sea. Coffee without molasses was +not pleasant to think of, and then it was two hours after our day's work +was done before we could find even water. Our supper was not eaten and +we ready to go to bed until ten. We slept the better, however, from +hearing, just as we were retiring, that Bonsall and Godfrey had +recovered the keg of molasses from four feet of water. + +The next morning we resolved to try the floe again. It was plain we +could make no satisfactory progress on the land-ice, so we loaded first +the small sledge and run it safely down the slippery slope. Then the +large sledge, "Faith," was packed with our more valuable articles. +Cautiously it was started, men in the rear holding it back by ropes. But +the foothold of the men being insecure, they slipped, lost their control +both of themselves and the sledge, and away it dashed. The ice as it +reached the floe was thin; first one runner broke through, now both have +gone down; over goes the freight, and the whole is plunged into the +water! Fortunately every thing floated. A part of our clothes were in +rubber bags and was kept dry; all else was thoroughly wet. No great +damage was done except in one case. Petersen had a bed of eider-down, in +which he was wont snugly to stow himself at night. When moving it was +compressed into a ball no larger than his head. It was a nice thing, +costing forty Danish dollars. It was, of course, spoiled. So rueful was +his face that, though we really pitied him, we could not repress a +little merriment as he held up his dripping treasure. Seeing a smile on +Dr. Hayes's face, he hastily rolled it up into a wad, and, in the +bitterness of his vexation, hurled it among the rocks, muttering +something in Danish, of which we could detect only the words "doctor" +and "Satan." + +Our situation seemed gloomy enough. The men's courage was giving way, +and one took a final leave and returned to the "Advance." Yet we pressed +forward; we were not long in readjusting the load of the "Faith," and +met with no further accident during the day; but our fourteen hours toil +left us six more hours of ice-travel before we could reach what seemed +to be a long stretch of clear sea. + +Hans returned from his pursuit, having overtaken the thieves, but did +not find about them the stolen goods. He proposed to remain and help us, +but we could go no farther that night. We encamped, and obtained much +needed rest and sleep. + +We were awakened at midnight to a new and unexpected discouragement. +M'Gary and Goodfellow arrived from the "Advance" bringing a peremptory +order from Dr. Kane to bring back the "Faith." We could not understand +this. We had been promised its use until we reached the open sea. We had +only one other, which was very poor and utterly insufficient for our +purpose. We were sure it was not needed at the brig; what could the +order mean? But there it was in black and white, so we delivered it up, +and the messengers returned with it on the instant. + +This journey of Goodfellow and M'Gary was a wonderful exhibition of +endurance. They had worked hard all day; having eaten supper, they were +dispatched with the message. They were back to the brig to breakfast, +having traveled in all to and fro thirty miles without food or rest. + +Our sledging, almost insufferable before, was more difficult now. +Petersen exhausted his skill in improving our poor sledge with little +success. We made about six miles during the day, gained the land at the +head of Force Bay, and pitched our tent. We had shipped and unshipped +our cargo, and had experienced the usual variety of boating and +sledging. Several of us had broken through the ice and been thoroughly +wet. Old rheumatic and scurvy complaints renewed their attacks upon the +men. + +While the supper was cooking, three of the officers climbed a bluff and +looked out upon the icy sea. To our joy they reported the open water +only six miles away. With a good sledge we could reach it in one day's +pull. With our shaky affair it would take three. Indeed, it seemed a +hopeless task to make at all six miles with it. Such was the situation +when our supper was eaten and we had lain down to sleep. Its solace had +scarcely come to our relief when Morton's welcome voice startled us. He +had come to bring back the "Faith." How timely! And then he brought also +a satisfactory explanation of its being taken away. Dr. Kane had been +informed that a dissension existed among us, and that the sledge was not +in the hands of the officers. The next morning the good sledge "Faith" +was loaded, and the men, now in good spirits, made fine speed toward +the open sea. Morton pushed on after the thieves. Late in the afternoon +he returned with them. He had overtaken them where they had halted to +turn their goods into clothing. They had thrown aside their rags, and +were strutting proudly in the new garments they had made of the stolen +skins. Morton soon left, with his prisoners, to return to the "Advance." + +We did not reach the open water until midnight. Every thing was now put +on board the boat, and we sailed about two miles and drew up against +Esquimo Point, pitched our tent on a grounded ice-raft, and obtained +brief rest. + +In the morning, Riley, who had been sent to us for that purpose, +returned to the "Advance" with the "Faith." We packed away eight men and +their baggage in the "Forlorn Hope." It was an ordinary New London +whale-boat rigged with a mainsail, foresail, and a jib. Her cargo and +passengers on this occasion brought her gunwale within four inches of +the water. But for five miles we made fine progress. Then suddenly the +ice closed in upon us, compelling us to draw the "Hope" up upon a solid +ice-raft, where we encamped for the night. Near was a stranded berg from +which we obtained a good supply of birds, of which we ate eight for +supper. + +In the morning, while our breakfast was cooking, the ice scattered and a +path for us through the sea was again opened, and we bore away joyously +for the capes of "Refuge Harbor." With varying fortune, we passed under +the walls of Cape Heatherton, and sighted the low lands of Life-boat +Bay. There, as has been stated, in August, 1853, Dr. Kane left a Francis +metallic life-boat. Could we reach this bay and possess ourselves of +this life-boat, a great step would have been taken, we thought, toward +success. For awhile all went well; then came the shout from the officer +on the lookout, "Ice ahead!" We run down upon it before a spanking +breeze, and got into the bend of a great horseshoe, while seeking an +open way through the floe. We could turn neither to the right nor left, +and we were too deep in the water to attempt to lay-to. The waves rolled +higher and higher, and the breeze was increasing to a tempest. Our +cargo, piled above the sides of the boat, left no room to handle the +oars, if they had been of any use. There was no resort but to let her +drive against the floe. John sat in the stern, steering-oar in hand; +Petersen stood on the lookout to give him steering orders; Bonsall and +Stephenson stood by the sails; the rest of us, with boat-hooks and +poles, stood ready to "fend off." The sails were so drawn up as to take +the wind out of them. Petersen directed the boat's head toward that part +of the ice which seemed weakest, and on we bounded. "'See any opening, +Petersen!' 'No sir.' An anxious five minutes followed, 'I see what looks +like a lead. We must try for it.' 'Give the word, Petersen.' On flew the +boat. 'Let her fall off a little--off! Ease off the sheet--so--steady! A +little more off--so! Steady there--steady as she goes.'" + +Petersen, cool and skillful, was running us through a narrow lead which +brought us into a small opening of clear water. We were beginning to +think that we should get through the pack when he shouted, "I see no +opening! Tight every-where! Let go the sheet! Fend off." + +Thump went the boat against the floe! But the poles and boat-hooks, in +strong, steady hands, broke the force of the collision. Out sprang every +man upon the ice. + +No serious damage was done to our craft. Our first thought was that we +were in a safe, ice-bound harbor. But no! See, the floe is on the move! +We unshipped the cargo in haste, and drew up the "Hope" out of the way +of the nips. The stores were next removed farther from the water's edge, +the spray beginning to sprinkle them. The whole pack was instantly in +wild confusion, ice smiting ice, filling the air with dismal sounds. But +it was a moment for _action_, not of moping fear. Our ice-raft suddenly +separated, the crack running between the cargo and the "Hope!" This +would not do! A boat without a cargo, or a cargo without a boat, were +neither the condition of things we desired; but as the ice bearing the +boat shot into the surging water, it was evident no _human_ power could +hinder it. Yet _divine_ power could and did prevent it--just that Hand +always so ready to help us in our time of need, and seeming now almost +visible. The boat's raft, after whirling in the eddying waters, swung +round, and struck one corner of ours. In a minute of time the "Hope" +was run off, and boat, cargo, and men were once more together. + +Soon the commotion brought down a heavy floe against that on which we +had taken refuge, and no open water was within a hundred yards of us. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A GREEN SPOT. + + +WE seemed now to be in a safe resting-place. Dr. Hayes and Mr. Bonsall, +accompanied by John and Godfrey, took the advantage of this security to +go in search of the life-boat, which they judged was not more than two +miles away. + +After a walk over the floe of one hour they found it. It had not been +disturbed, and the articles deposited under it were in good order. There +were, besides the oars and sails, two barrels of bread, a barrel of +pork, and one of beef; thirty pounds of rice, thirty pounds of sugar, a +saucepan, an empty keg, a gallon can of alcohol, a bale of blankets, an +ice anchor, an ice chisel, a gun, a hatchet, a few small poles, and some +pieces of wood. They took of these a barrel of bread, the saucepan +filled with sugar, a small quantity of rice, the gun, the hatchet, and +the boat's equipments. They were to carry this cargo, and drag the +life-boat, back to the camp, unless a fortunate lead should enable them +to take to the boat. + +They ascended a hill, before starting, to get a view of the present +state of the fickle ice. All was fast in the direct line through which +they came. But, a mile away, washing a piece of the shore of Littleton +Island, was open water. They concluded to push forward in that +direction, and wait the coming of their companions in the "Hope." + +They reached this open water in six hours--a slow march of one mile--but +it must be remembered that they had to carry their cargo, piece by +piece, then go back and draw along the boat, thus going over the +distance many times. Besides, they had to climb the hummocks with their +load, and lower it down the other side and tumble about generally over +the rough way. + +The island thus reached was three fourths of a mile in diameter. They +landed in a tumultuous sea, which only a life-boat could survive. There +was no good hiding-place from the storm, which was increasing. They were +completely wet by the spray, and ready to faint with cold and hunger. In +a crevice of the rock a fire was kindled, the saucepan half filled with +sea water, and an eider duck John had knocked over with his oar was put +into it to stew. To this was added four biscuit from the bread barrel. +The hot meal thus cooked refreshed them, but it was their only +refreshment. Bonsall and Godfrey crept under the sail taken from the +boat, and, from sheer exhaustion, fell asleep. John and Dr. Hayes sought +warmth in a run about the island. Dr. Hayes wandered to a rocky point, +which commanded a view of the channel between the island and the "Hope." +He watched every object, expecting to see her and her crew adrift. He +had not watched long before a dark object was seen upon a whirling +ice-raft. After a close and careful second look, he saw that it was +John. He called but received no answer. John's raft now touched the floe +and away he went, jumping the fearful cracks, and disappearing in the +darkness. What could inspire so reckless an adventure? Had he seen the +"Hope" in peril, and was this a manly effort to save her and his +comrades? He was going in the direction in which he had left them. + +Bonsall and Godfrey were soon frozen out of their comfortless tent, and +joined Dr. Hayes on the rocky point. They took places of observation a +short distance apart, and watched with intense anxiety both for the +"Hope" and John. The morning came, the sea grew less wild, and the wind +subsided, but nothing was seen of the boat. + +Leaving Dr. Hayes and his party thus watching on the island, we will +glance at the experience of those of us who were left in the camp. + +Soon after they left, the wind and the waves played free and wild. The +spray wet our clothes, buffaloes, and blankets, as it flew past us in +dense clouds. Our bread-bag, wrapped in an india rubber cloth, was kept +dry. We pitched our tent in the safest place possible, but were driven +out by the increasing deluge of spray. We tried to cook our supper, but +the water put out the lamp. So we obtained for thirty hours neither rest +nor a warm meal. Dry, hard bread without water, was our only food. +Finally the floe broke up, and, hastily packing, ourselves and stores +into the "Hope," we went scudding through the leads, earnestly desiring +but scarcely daring to hope that we should fall in with Dr. Hayes and +his party. As we approached Littleton Island the lead closed, and the +pack for a moment shut us in. As we waited and watched, we saw a dark +object moving over the floe in the misty distance. Had we been on the +lookout for a bear, we might have sent a bullet after it at a venture. +But a moment only intervened before John, nimbly jumping the drifting +ice-cakes, sprung into the boat! He brought the welcome news of the +whereabouts of our companions with the life-boat, and his needed help in +our peril. Soon a change of tide brought open water, through which, with +all sails set, we bore down on the island. About eight o'clock we saw +Dr. Hayes watching for our coming from his bleak, rocky lookout. + +So rough was the sea that we could not land, but rowed round Cape +Ohlsen, the nearest main-land, where we found a snug harbor with a low +beach. The life-boat and her crew followed. The cargoes were taken from +the boats, and they were hauled up. From a little stream of melted snow +which trickled down the hill-side our kettles were filled. The camp was +set ablaze, some young eiders and a burgomaster, shot just before we +landed, were soon cooked, a steaming pot of coffee served up, and we +talked over our adventures as we satisfied our craving hunger. John was +questioned concerning his wild adventure. He had not seen the "Hope," +nor did he know where she was. But he was concerned about her, and +"wanted to hunt her up." + +After dinner we set ourselves at work, preparing the boats for a renewed +voyage, which we had some reason to hope would be one of fewer +interruptions. The "Hope" was repatched and calked by Petersen. A mast +and sail was put into the life-boat, which we named the "Ironsides." The +heavier part of the freight was put on board the "Hope," of which +Petersen took command, with Sontag, George Stephenson, and George +Whipple as companions and helpers. Dr. Hayes commanded in the +"Ironsides," with whom was Bonsall, John, Blake, and William Godfrey. + +Having spread our sails to a favoring breeze, we gave three cheers and +bore away for Cape Alexander, about fourteen miles distant. As we sped +onward the scene was delightful. On our left was Hartstene Bay, with its +dark, precipitous shore-line, and white glacier fields in the +background. The outlines of Cape Alexander grew clearer over our bows, +and cheered us onward. But a dark, threatening cloud crept up the +northern sky, sending after us an increasing breeze, and tipping the +waves with caps of snowy whiteness. The storm-king came on in frequent +squalls, giving earnest of his wrath. We could not turn back, nor did +such a course at all accord with our wishes; nor could we run toward the +shore on the left, where only frowning rocks awaited us. We could only +scud before the tempest toward Cape Alexander, come what would. The wind +roared louder and the waves rolled higher, yet on we flew. We came +within half a mile of the cape unharmed. Now the current, as it swept +swiftly round the cape, produced a "chopping sea." The "Hope," being +made for a heavy sea, rounded the point in good style. The "Ironsides" +was shorter, stood more out of the water, and was, therefore, less +manageable. John, who was intrusted with the steering-oar, in minding +the business of Bonsall and Godfrey instead of his own, let it fly out +of the water, and so permitted the boat to come round broadside to the +current. Of course the sea broke over us at its pleasure, filling every +part which could be filled and sinking us deep in the water. But for its +metallic structure and air-tight apartment we should have sunk; as it +was we held fast to the sides and mast to prevent being washed +overboard, and thus we drifted ingloriously round the cape. + +Here we found our consort, ready to come to our assistance; but as the +water was smooth under sheltering land, we bailed out our boat, took in +our sails, unshipped the mast, and rowed for a small rock called +Sutherland's Island, hoping to find a harbor. But we found none, nor was +it safe to land anywhere upon the island. There was nothing to do but to +pull back again in the face of the wind. The men were weary and +disheartened; the sun had set and it was growing dark; our clothes were +frozen and unyielding as a coat of mail; cutting sleet pelted our faces, +and we were often compelled to lose for a moment part of what we had +with such toil gained. But the sheltering main-land of the cape was at +last gained, and we coasted slowly along for some distance looking for a +haven. We finally came to a low rocky point, behind which lay a snug +little harbor. "A harbor! here we are boys; a harbor!" shouted the +lookout. The men responded with a faint cheer--they were too much +exhausted for "a rouser." + +The boats were unladen and drawn upon the land. Every thing in the +"Ironsides" was wet, but the stores of the "Hope" were in perfect order. +We pitched our tent, cooked our supper, and lay down to sleep. The sea +roared angrily as its waves broke upon the rocky coast, and the wind +howled as it came rushing down the hill-side; but they did but lull us +to rest as we slept away our weariness and disappointment. + +Two days we were detained in this place. Once a little fox peered at us +from the edge of the cliff, which set our men upon a fruitless hunt for +either his curious little self or some of his kindred. We greatly +desired a fox stew, but fox cunning was too much for us. + +We started for Northumberland Island on the eighth of September. To +reach it we must pass through a wide expanse of sea which was now clear; +not a berg greeted our vision, no fragments of drifting ice-packs met +our sight. The wind was nearly "after us," and the boats glided through +the waves as gloriously as if carrying a picnic party in our own home +waters. The spirits of the men run over with glee. "Isn't this +glorious?" cried Whipple as the boats came near enough together to +exchange salutations; "we have it watch and watch about." + +"And so have we," replied Godfrey. + +"We're shipping a galley and mean to have some supper," shouted +Stephenson. + +"And we have got ours already!" exclaimed John. "Look at this!" he +added, flourishing in the air a pot of steaming coffee. + +But these joys were emphatically of the _arctic_ kind, which are in +themselves prophecies of ill. Bergs were soon seen lifting their +unwelcome heads in the distance, and sending through the intervening +waters their tidings of evil. Next came long, narrow lines of ice; then +these were united together by a thin, recent formation. We were now +compelled to dodge about to find open lanes. Coming to a full stop, the +officers climbed an iceberg to get a view of the situation. The pack was +every-where, though in no direction was it without narrow runs of open +water. Then and there they were compelled, after careful consultation, +to decide a question deeply concerning our enterprise. It was this: +Should we take the outer passage, or the one lying along shore. The +first would afford a better chance of open water, but if this failed us, +as it was even likely to do at this late season, we must certainly +perish. The second gave us a smaller chance of boating, but some chance +to live if it failed. But we were on a desperate enterprise, and were +inclined to desperate measures. But Petersen, who had twenty years' +experience in these waters, counseled the inner route, and by his +counsel the officers felt bound to abide. + +While this consultation was going on the sea became calm, and the boats +could be urged only by the oars. It was night before we found a +sheltered, sloping land behind a projecting rock. The boats were +anchored in the usual way--by taking out their loads and lifting them +upon the land. + +The tents were pitched upon a terrace a few yards above the boats. This +terrace, we were surprised to find, was covered with a green sod, full +of thrifty vegetation. The sloping hill-side above had the same +greenness. A little seeking brought to our wondering sight an abundant +supply of sorrel and "_cochlearia_," anti-scurvy plants which our men +much needed. Some of the men soon filled their caps with them. A fox had +been shot and was already in the cook's steaming pot, to which a good +supply of the green plants was added. Such a supper as we had! Nothing +like it had been tasted since we left home! Our scurvy plague spots +disappeared before its wonderful healing power. The men became as +hilarious as boys when school is out. They reveled and rolled upon the +green arctic carpet like young calves in a newly found clover field. +They smoked their pipes, "spun yarns," and laughed cheerily, as if their +lives had not just now been in peril, and as if no imminent dangers lay +at their door. Our camp had indeed been pitched by the all-guiding Hand +in a goodly place. The men declared on retiring that they felt the +healing _cochlearia_ in their very bones, and it is certain that we all +felt the glow of our changed condition throughout our whole being. + +The next day two of us climbed the highest land of the island for a +glance at our situation. We found it as depressing as our paradise of +greenness had been encouraging. We could see southward the closed +ice-pack for twenty miles, and faint indications of the same condition +of the sea could be discerned for twenty more miles. + +We returned, and a council was called in which all, men and officers, +were called upon freely to discuss, and finally to decide by vote, the +question, Shall we go forward or attempt to return to the "Advance." All +the facts so far as known were fairly brought out. Upernavik was six +hundred miles in a straight line; the brig was four hundred. Dangers, if +not death, were everywhere, yet none desponded. Whipple, or "Long +George," as his messmates called him, made a heroic speech which +expressed the feelings of all. He exclaimed: "The ice can't remain long; +I'll bet it will open to-morrow. The winter is a long way off yet. If we +have such luck as we have had since leaving Cape Alexander, we shall be +in Upernavik in two weeks. You say it is not more than six hundred miles +there in a straight line. We have food for that time and fuel for a +week. Before that's gone we'll shoot a seal." + +We voted with one voice--"Upernavik or nothing." The decision was made. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +NETLIK. + + +WE were unwillingly detained on the island several days more. During the +detention we were visited by an Esquimo, who came most unexpectedly upon +us. His name was Amalatok. He had been at the ship last winter, and had +seen Dr. Kane in his August trip. His dress was strikingly arctic--a +bird-skin coat, feathers turned in; bear-skin pants, hair outward; +seal-skin boots; and dog-skin stockings. He carried in his hand two sea +birds, a bladder filled with oil, some half-putrid walrus flesh, and a +seal thong. He sat down on a rock and talked with animation. While thus +engaged he twisted the neck from one of the birds, inserted the +fore-finger of his right hand under the skin of its neck, drew it down +its back, and thus instantly skinned it. Then running his long thumb +nail along the breastbone, he produced two fine fat lumps of flesh, +which he offered in turn to each of our company. These were politely +declined, to his great disgust, and he bolted them down himself, sending +after them a hearty draught of oil from the bladder. The other bird, the +remaining oil, and the coil of seal-hide we purchased of him for three +needles. + +Soon after Amalatok's wife came up with a boy--her nephew. The woman +was old, and exceedingly ugly looking; the boy was fine looking, +wide-awake, and thievish--we watched him narrowly. In the evening the +Esquimo left for their home on the easternly side of the island. + +In the afternoon of the fourteenth of September we left the island, and +set our course toward Cape Parry. The sky had been clear, the air soft +and balmy, and the open sea invited us onward. But a cold mist soon +settled down upon us, succeeded by a curtain of snow, shutting out all +landmarks, and leaving us in great doubt as to our course. The compass +refused to do its office, the needle remaining where it was placed. We +struck into an ice-field and became perfectly bewildered. As we groped +about we struck an old floating ice-island, about twelve feet square. On +this we crawled and pitched our tent. The cook contrived, with much +perseverance and delay, to light the lamp, melt some snow, and make a +pot of coffee. This warmed and encouraged us. But as the snow fell +faster and faster, we could not unwrap our bedding without getting it +wet; so we huddled together under the tent to keep each other warm. None +slept, and the night wore slowly away as our ice-island floated we knew +not whither. There was great occasion for despondency, but the men were +wonderfully cheerful. Godfrey sung negro melodies with a gusto; Petersen +told the stories of his boyhood life in Copenhagen and Iceland; John +gave items of a "runner's" life in San Francisco; Whipple related the +horrors of the forecastle of a Liverpool packet; and Bonsall "brought +down the house" by striking up, + + "Who wouldn't sell his farm and go to sea?" + +During this merriment a piece of our raft broke off, and came near +plunging two of the men into the sea. + +The morning dawned and showed the dim outlines of some large object near +us, whether iceberg or land we could not tell. Before we could well make +it out we were near a sandy beach covered with bowlders. We tumbled into +the boats and were soon ashore. As we landed, Petersen's gun brought +down two large sea-fowl. We were in a little time high on the land, our +tent pitched, and all but John, the cook, lay down in the dry, warm +buffalo-skins and slept away our weariness. John in the meantime +contended through six long hours with the wind, which put out his lamp, +the snow, which wet his tinder when he attempted to relight it, and the +cold, which froze the water in the kettle during the delay, as well as +chilled his fingers and face, and cooked us at last a supper of sea-fowl +and fox. As we ate with appetites sharpened by a fast of twenty-four +hours, we heard the storm, which raged fearfully, with thankfulness for +our timely covert. God, and not our wisdom, had brought us hither. + +When the morning broke we learned that we had drifted far up Whale +Sound, and were camped on Herbert Island. After a little delay we +entered our boats, rowed for several hours through "the slush" the snow +had created near the shore, and then spreading our canvas, we sailed for +the mainland. We struck the coast twenty miles above Cape Parry. + +We had scarcely time to glance at our situation before we heard the +"Huk! Huk! Huk!" of Esquimo voices. It was the hailing cry of a man and +a boy who came running to the shore. While Petersen talked with the man, +the boy scampered off. + +The man was Kalutunah, "the Angekok" or priest of his tribe. He had +been, as will be recollected, at the ship in the winter. He said the +village was only a short distance up the bay, where was plenty of +blubber and meat, which we might have if we would allow him to enter our +"oomiak" and pilot us there! + +While we were talking with Kalutunah, the boy had spread the news of our +visit through the village. On came a troop of men, women, and children, +rushing along the shore, and throwing their arms about, and shouting +merrily, with howling dogs at their heels. The "Kablunah" and +"Oomiak"--white men and ship--had come and they were happy. + +We took on board Kalutunah from a rocky point, before the crowd could +reach it, and pushed off and rowed up the bay. Our passenger was +delighted, having never before voyaged in this wise. He stood up in the +boat and called to his envious countrymen who ran abreast of us along +the shore, exclaiming, "See me! See me!" + +We landed in a little cove, at the head of which we pitched our tent. +The sailors drew up the boat over the gentle slope, shouting, +"Heave-oh!" At this the natives broke out into uproarious laughter. +Nothing of all the strange shouts and sights brought to their notice so +pleased them. They took hold of the ropes and sides of the boats, and +tugged away shouting, "I-e-u! I-e-u! I-e-u!" the nearest approach they +could make to the strange sound of the white faces. + +A short distance from the beach, on the slope, stood the +_settlement_--two stone huts twenty yards apart. They were surrounded by +rocks and bowlders, looking more like the lurking places of wild beasts +than the abodes of men. + +The entertainment given us by our new friends was most cordial. A young +woman ran off to the valley with a troop of boys and girls at her heels, +and filled our kettles with water. Kalutunah's wife brought us a steak +of seal and a goodly piece of liver. The lookers-on laughed at our +canvas-wick lamp, as it sputtered and slowly burned, and the chief's +daughter ran off and brought their lamp of dried moss and seal fat. + +We gave them some of our supper, as they expected of course that we +would. They made wry faces at the coffee, and only sipped a little; but +Kalutunah with more dignity persevered and drank freely of it. We passed +round some hard biscuit, which they did not regard as food until they +saw us eat them. They then nibbled away, laughing and nibbling awhile +until their teeth seemed to be sore. They then thrust them into their +boots, the general receptacles of curious things. + +After supper the white men lighted their pipes. This to the natives was +the crowning wonder. They stared at the strangers, and then looked +knowingly at each other. The solemn faces of the smokers, the devout +look which they gave at the ascending smoke from their mouths as it +curled upward, impressed the Esquimo that this was a religious ceremony. +They, too, preserved a becoming gravity. But the ludicrous scene was too +much for our men, and their faces relaxed into smiles. This was a signal +for a general explosion. The Esquimo burst into loud laughter, springing +to their feet and clapping their hands. The religious meeting was over. + +The "Angekok," who seemed desirous to show his people that he could do +any thing which the strangers could, desired to be allowed to smoke. We +gave him a pipe, and directed him to draw in his breath with all his +might. He did so, and was fully satisfied to lay the pipe down. His +awful grimaces brought down upon him shouts and laughter from his +people. + +The mimic puffs, and the poorly executed echoes of the sailors' +"Heave-oh," went merrily round the village. + +Having established good feeling between ourselves and the Esquimo, we +entered upon negotiations for such articles of food as they could spare. +But they in fact had only a small supply. They wanted, of course, our +needles, knives, wood, and iron, and were profuse in their promises of +what they would do, but their game was in the sea. + +It was midnight before the Esquimo retired and we lay down to sleep. Dr. +Hayes and Stephenson remained on guard, for our very plausible friends +were not to be trusted where any thing could be stolen. The stars +twinkled in the clear atmosphere while yet the twilight hung upon the +mountain, and all nature was hushed to an oppressive silence, save when +it was broken by the sudden outburst of laughter from the Esquimo, or +the cawing of a solitary raven. + +Leaving Stephenson on guard, Dr. Hayes walked toward the huts. Kalutunah +hearing his footsteps came out to meet him, expressing his welcome by +grinning in his face and patting his back. The huts were square in front +and sloped back into the hill. They were entered by a long +passage-way--tossut--of twelve feet, at the end of which was an ascent +into the hut through an opening in the floor near the front. Into this +the chief led the way, creeping on all fours, with a lighted torch of +moss saturated with fat. Snarling dogs and half-grown puppies were +sleeping in this narrow way, who naturally resented in their own amiable +way this midnight disturbance. Arriving at the upright shaft, the chief +crowded himself aside to let his visitor pass in. A glare of light, +suffocating odors, and a motley sight, greeted the doctor. Crowded into +the den, on a raised stone bench around three sides, were human beings +of both sexes, and of all ages. They huddled together still closer to +make room for the stranger, whom they greeted with an uproarious laugh. +In one of the front corners, on a raised stone bench, was a mother-dog +with a family of puppies. In the other corner was a joint of meat. The +whole interior was about ten feet in diameter, and five and a half high. +The walls were made of stone and the bones of animals, and chinked with +moss. They were not arched, but drawn in from the foundation, and capped +above with slabs of slate-stone. + +The doctor's visit was one of curiosity, but the curiosity of the +Esquimo in reference to him was more intense and must first be +gratified. They hung upon his arms and legs and shoulders; they patted +him on the back, and stroked his long beard, which to these beardless +people was a wonder. The woolen clothes puzzled them, and their +profoundest thought was at fault in deciding the question of the kind of +animal from whose body the material was taken. They had no conception of +clothing not made of skins. + +The boys' hands soon found their way into the doctor's pockets, and they +drew out a pipe, which passed with much merriment from hand to hand, and +mouth to mouth. + +Kalutunah drew the doctor's knife from its sheath, pressed it fondly to +his heart, and then with a mischievous side glance stuck it into his own +boot. The doctor shook his head, and it was returned with a laugh to its +place. A dozen times he took it out, hugged it, and returned it to its +place, saying beseechingly, "Me! me! give me!" He did want it _so much_! +The visitor's pistol was handled with great caution and seriousness. +They had been given a hint of its power at the sea-shore, where Bonsall +had brought a large sea-fowl down into their midst by a shot from his +gun. + +While this examination of the doctor was going on he examined more +closely the objects about him. There was a window, or opening, above the +entrance, over which dried intestines, sewed together, were stretched to +let in light. The wall was covered with seal and fox skins stretched to +dry. + +There were in the hut three families and one or two visitors, in all +eighteen or twenty persons. The female head of each family was attending +in different parts of the hut, to her family cooking. They had each a +stone, scooped out like a clam shell, in which was put a piece of moss +soaked in blubber. This was both lamp and stove, and was kept burning by +feeding with fat. Over this a stone pot was hung from the ceiling, in +which the food was kept simmering. These, and the animal heat of the +inmates, made the hut intensely warm. Seeing the white man panting for +breath, some boys and girls laid hold of his clothes to strip him, after +their own fashion. This act of Esquimo courtesy he declined. They then +urged him to eat, and he answered, "Koyenuck"--I thank you--at which +they all laughed. Though he had dreaded this invitation, he did not +think it good policy to declare it. A young girl brought him the +contents of one of the stone pots in a skin dish, first tasting it +herself to see if it was too hot. + +All eyes were upon the visitor. Not to take their proffered pottage +would be a great affront. To him the dose seemed insufferable, though of +necessity to be taken. Shutting his eyes, and holding his nose, he +bolted it down. He was afterward informed that it was one of the +delicacies of their table, made by boiling together blood, oil, and seal +intestines! + +After thus partaking of their hospitality, the doctor left the Esquimo +quarters, escorted by "the Angekok" and his daughter. + +We were astir at dawn, preparing to leave this little village known as +Netlik. We had obtained a valuable addition to our slender store of +blubber, and a few pairs of fur boots and mittens, for which we amply +paid them. + +Knowing that the Esquimo had never heard of the commandment, "Thou shalt +not covet," and that they did not understand well the law of "mine" and +"thine," we watched them closely as our stores were being passed into +the boat. When we were ready to push off it was ascertained that the +hatchet was missing. Petersen openly charged them, as they stood upon +the shore, with the theft. They all threw up their hands with +expressions of injured innocence. "My people _never_ steal!" exclaimed +the affronted chief. + +One fellow was so loud in his protestations of innocence that Petersen +suspected him. The Dane approached him with a flash of anger in his +eye, which told its own story. The Esquimo stepped back, stooped, picked +up the hatchet, on which he had been standing, and gave it to Petersen +with one hand, and with the other presented him a pair of mittens as a +peace-offering. + +We pushed off, and they stood shouting upon the beach until their voices +died away in the distance as we pulled across the bay. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE HUT. + + +WE now made for Cape Parry with all speed, though this was slow speed. +The young ice which covered the bay was too old for us, or, at any rate, +it was too strong for easy progress. It was sunset when we reached the +cape. Beyond this there had been open water seen by us for many days +past, from the elevated points of observation which we had sought. From +this point, therefore, we expected free sailing southward, and rapid +progress toward safety and our homes. But here we were at last at Cape +Parry against a pack which extended far southward. In our desperation we +tried to force the boats through. The "Ironsides" was badly battered, +and the "Hope" made sadly leaky by the operation, and no progress was +made. We then pushed slowly down the shore through a lead, and having +gone about seven miles, darkness and the ice brought us to a stand, and +we drew up for the night. + +In the morning we observed a lead going south from the shore at a point +twelve miles distant. For six days, bringing us to the twenty-seventh of +September, we fought hard to reach the lead, but failed. We could now +neither retreat nor go forward. Ice and snow were every-where. The sun +was running low in the heavens, seeming to rise only to set; and soon +the night, which was to have no sunrise morning until February, would be +upon us. Our food was sufficient for not more than two weeks, and our +fuel of blubber for the lamp only was but enough for eight or ten days. +Our condition seemed almost without hope, but it had entered into our +calculations as a possible contingency, and we girded ourselves for the +struggle for life, trusting in the Great Deliverer. + +We were about sixteen miles below Cape Parry, and about midway between +Whale Sound and Wolstenholme Sound. We pitched our tent thirty yards +from the sea on a rocky upland. After securing in a safe place the boats +and equipments, we began to look about us for a place to build a hut. It +was, indeed, a dreary, death-threatening region. Time was too pressing +for us to think of building an Esquimo hut, if, indeed, our strength and +skill was sufficient. + +While we were looking round and debating what to build and where, one of +our party found a crevice in a rock. This crevice ran parallel with the +coast, and was opposite to, and near, the landing. It was eight feet in +width, and level on the bottom. The rock on the east side was six feet +high, its face smooth and perpendicular, except breaks in two places, +making at each a shelf. On the other--the ocean side--the wall was +scarcely four feet high, round and sloping; but a cleft through it made +an opening to the crevice from the west. + +We at once determined to make our hut here, as the natural walls would +save much work in its construction. The only material to be thought of +was rocks. These we had to find beneath the snow, and then loosen them +from the grasp of the frost. For this we fortunately had an +ice-chisel--a bar of iron an inch in diameter and four feet long, bent +at one end for a handle, and tempered and sharpened at the other. With +this Bonsall loosened the rocks, and others bore them on their shoulders +to the crevice. When a goodly pile was made we began to construct the +walls. Instead of mortar we had sand to fill in between the stones. This +was as hard to obtain as the stones themselves, as it had to be first +picked to pieces with the ice-chisel, then scooped up with our tin +dinner plates into cast-off bread-bags, and thus borne to the builders. + +This work was done by four of us only, the other four being engaged in +hunting, to keep away threatened starvation. In two days our walls were +up. They run across the crevice, that is, east and west, were fourteen +feet apart, four feet high, and three thick. The natural walls being +eight feet apart, our hut was thus in measurement fourteen feet by +eight. The entrance was through the cleft, from the ocean side. We laid +across the top of this door-way the rudder of the "Hope," and erected on +it the "gable." One of the boat's masts was used for a ridgepole, and +the oars for rafters. Over these we laid the boats' sails, drew them +tightly, and secured them with heavy stones. Being sadly deficient in +lumber, Petersen constructed a door of light frame-work and covered it +with canvas; he hung it on an angle, so that when opened it shut of its +own weight. A place was left for a window over the door-way, across +which we drew a piece of old muslin well greased with blubber, and +through which the somber light streamed when there was any outside. + +We then endeavored to thatch the roof and "batten" the cracks +every-where with moss. But to obtain this article we had to scour the +country far and near, dig through the deep snow, having tin dinner +plates for shovels, wrench it from the grip of the frost with our +ice-chisel, put it in our bread-bags and "back it" home. + +In four days, in spite of all obstacles, our hut assumed a homelike +appearance--at least homelike compared with our present quarters. We +said: "To-morrow we shall move into it and be comparatively +comfortable." But that day brought the advance force of a terrific storm +of wind and snow. It caught some of us three miles from the tent. We +huddled together in our thin hemp canvas tent and slept as best we +could. Two of our company crawled out in the morning to prepare our +scanty meal. They found the hut half full of snow, which had sifted +through the crevices. But they brought to the tent's company a hot +breakfast after some hours' toil; we ate and our spirits revived. + +We tried all possible expedients to pass away the time, but the hours +moved slowly. The storm continued to howl and roar about us with +unceasing fury for four days. Our little stock of food was diminishing, +our hut was unfinished, and winter was upon us in earnest. Our situation +was one of almost unmitigated misery. + +On Friday, October sixth, the storm subsided, and nature put on a +smiling face. We renewed our work on the hut, clearing it of snow with +our dinner-plate shovels, and then, under greater difficulties than +ever, because the snow was deeper and our strength less, we finished it. +The internal arrangements were as follows: an aisle or floor, three feet +wide, extended from the door across the hut. On the right, as one +entered, was a raised platform of stone and sand about eighteen inches +high. On this we spread our skins and blankets. Here five of us were to +sleep. On the back corner of the other side was a similar platform, or +"breck" as the Esquimo would call it; here three men were to sleep. In +the left-hand corner, near the door, Petersen had extemporized a stove +out of some tin sheathing torn from the "Hope," with a funnel of the +same material running out of the roof. This sort of fire-place stove +held two lamps, a saucepan, and kettle. On a post which supported the +roof hung a small lamp. + +Into this hut we moved October ninth. Compared with the tent it was +comfortable. It was evening when we were settled. At sundown Petersen +came in with eight sea-fowl, so we celebrated the occasion with a stew +of fresh game, cooked in our stove with the staves of our blubber kegs, +and we added to our meal a pot of hot coffee. + +The supper done, we talked by the dim light of our moss taper. A storm, +which was heralded during the day, was raging without in full force, +burying us in a huge snow-bank. We discussed calmly our duties and +trials, and we all lay down prayerfully to sleep. + +What shall we do now? was the question of the morning. Indeed, it was +the continual question. John reported our stores thus: "There's three +quarters of a small barrel of bread, a capful of meat biscuit, half as +much rice and flour, a double handful of lard--and that's all." Our +vigilant hunting thus far had resulted in seventeen small birds; that +was all. Some of us had tried to eat the "stone moss," a miserable +lichen which clung tenaciously to the stones beneath the snow. But it +did little more than stop for awhile the gnawings of hunger, often +inducing serious illness; yet this seemed our only resort. + +The storm still raged. We were all reclining upon the brecks except +John, who was trying to cook by a fire which filled our hut with smoke, +when we were startled by a strange sound. "What is it?" we asked. We +could not get out, so we listened at the window. "It was the wind," we +said, for we could hear nothing more. In a half hour it was repeated +clearer and louder. We opened the door by drawing the snow into the +house, and made a little opening through the drift so we could see +daylight. "It was the barking of a fox," says one. "No," said another, +"it was the growling of a bear." Whipple, who was half asleep, +muttered, "It was just nothing at all." + +While these remarks were being made the Esquimo shout was clearly +recognized. Petersen put his mouth to the aperture in the snow and +shouted, "Huk! huk! huk!" After much shouting, two bewildered Esquimo +entered our hut. They were from Netlik, the village we had last left, +and one was Kalutunah. Their fur dress had a thick covering of snow, +and, hardy though they were, they looked weary almost to faintness. They +each held in one hand a dog-whip, and in the other a piece of meat and +blubber. They threw down the food, thrust their whip-stocks under the +rafters, hung their wet outer furs upon them, and at once made +themselves at home. The chief hung around Dr. Hayes, saying fondly, +"Doctee! doctee!" + +John put out his smoking fire, at the Angekok's request, and used his +blubber in cooking a good joint of the bear meat. We all had a good meal +at our guests' expense. Necessity was more than courtesy with hungry +men. + +While the cooking and eating were going on, we listened to the marvelous +story of the Esquimo. They left Netlik, forty miles north, the morning +of the previous day on a hunting excursion with two dog-sledges. The +storm overtook them far out upon the ice in search of bear, and they +sheltered themselves in a snow hut for the night. Fearing the ice might +break up they turned to the land, which they happened to strike near our +boats and tent. Knowing we must be near, they picketed their dogs under +a sheltering rock and commenced tramping and shouting. + +The supper eaten, the story told, and the curiosity of our visitors +satisfied in closely observing every thing, we made for them the best +bed possible, tucked them in, and they were soon snoring lustily. + +In the morning we tunneled a hole from our door through the snow. +Kalutunah and Dr. Hayes went to the sea-shore. The dogs were howling +piteously, having been exposed to all the fury of the storm during the +night without the liberty of stirring beyond their tethers. Besides, +they had been forty-eight hours without food, having come from home in +that time through a widely deviating track. Every thing about them was +carefully secured which could be eaten, and they were loosened. + +Dr. Hayes turned toward the hut, and having reached the snow-tunnel he +was about to stoop down to crawl through it, when he observed the whole +pack of thirteen snapping, savage brutes at his heels. Had he been on +his knees they would have made at once a meal of him. They stood at bay +for a moment, but seeing he had no means of attack, one of them +commenced the assault by springing upon him. Dr. Hayes caught him on his +arm, and kicked him down the hill. This caused a momentary pause. No +help was near, and to run was sure death. It was a fearful moment, and +his blood chilled at the prospect of dying by the jaws of wolfish dogs, +whose fierce and flashing eyes assured him that hunger had given them a +terrible earnestness. His eye improved the moment's respite in sweeping +the circle of the enemy for the means of escape, and he caught a glimpse +of a dog-whip about ten feet off. Instantly he sprang as only a man thus +situated could spring, and clearing the back of the largest of the dogs, +seized the whip. He was now master of the situation. Never amiable, and +terribly savage when prompted by hunger, yet the Esquimo dog is always a +coward. Dr. Hayes's vigorous blows, laid on at right and left with much +effect and more sound and fury, sent the pack yelping away. + +In our discussions of the question of subsistence, we had about decided +that we must draw our supplies from the Esquimo or perish. Our hunting +was a failure, and our supply of food was about exhausted. So when +Kalutunah came back we proposed to him through Petersen to purchase +blubber and bear meat with our treasures of needles, knives, etc., so +valuable in the eyes of the natives. He looked at our sunken cheeks and +desolate home with a knowing twinkle of his eye, and a crafty expression +on his besotted face. This was followed by the questions, "How much +shoot with mighty guns? how much food you bring from ship?" These +questions, and the speaking eye and tell-tale face, were windows through +which we saw into the workings of his dark heathen mind. They meant, as +we understood them, "If you are going to starve we had better let you. +We shall then get your nice things without paying for them." + +But Petersen understood and outmanaged the crafty chief. + +"How we going to live?" he boldly exclaimed, facing the questioner. +"Live! Shoot bear when we get hungry, sleep when we get tired; Esquimo +will bring us bear, we shall give them presents, and sleep all the time. +White man easily get plenty to eat. Always plenty to eat, plenty sleep." + +The glory of life from the Esquimo point of view is plenty to eat and +nothing to do. They held those who had attained to this high estate in +profound respect. The starving could scarcely be brought within the +range of their consideration. Hence the policy adopted by Petersen, and +it had its desired effect. Kalutunah and his companion tarried another +night, and departed promising to return with such food as the hunt +afforded, and exchange it for our valuables. + +Two weeks--days of misery--passed before their return. We set fox-traps, +constructed much after the style of the rabbit-traps of the boys at +home, tramping for this purpose over the coast-line for ten miles. One +little prisoner only rewarded our pains, while the saucy villains showed +themselves boldly by day, barking at us from the top of a rock, dodging +across our path at the right and left, and even following us within +sight of the hut. But all this was done at a safe distance from our +guns. + +Petersen went far out to sea on the ice, but neither bear nor seal +rewarded his toil. We had burned up our lard keg for our semi-daily fire +to cook our scanty meals, and now, with a sorrow that went to our +hearts, began to break up the "Hope." We knew this step argued badly for +the future, but what could we do? Besides, it was poor, water-soaked +fuel, and would last but a little while. We saved the straightest and +best pieces for trade with the Esquimo. + +Our scanty meals, badly helped by the stone moss, told upon our health. +Stephenson gasped for breath with a heart trouble; Godfrey fainted, and +was happily saved a serious fall by being caught in John's arms. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +ESQUIMO TREACHERY. + + +THE kind Providence which had interfered for us in so many cases came +with timely help. October twenty-sixth, Kalutunah and his companion +returned. They had been south to Cape York, nearly a hundred miles, +calling on their way at the village called Akbat, thirty miles off. They +had killed three bears, the most of which they had upon their sledges. +They sold us, reluctantly, enough for a few days. We ate of the +refreshing meat like starving men, as we really were. Our sunken eyes +and hollow cheeks _seemed_ to leave us at a single meal. The faint +revived, and our despondency departed. Our past sufferings were for the +moment at least forgotten, and we looked hopefully upon the future. + +The next day the Esquimo called and left a little more meat and blubber. +We caught two small foxes, one of them in a trap, and the other was +arrested by a shot from Dr. Hayes's gun. The audacious little fellow run +over the roof of our hut and awoke the doctor, who, without dressing, +seized his double-barreled gun, and bolted into the cold without. It was +dark, and he fired at random. The first shot missed, but the second +wounded him, and he went limping down the hill. The doctor gave chase +and returned with the game, but came near paying dear for his prize, +barely escaping without frozen feet. + +On Sunday, the twenty-ninth, in the midst of pensive allusions, and more +pensive thoughts, concerning home, in which even Petersen's +weather-beaten face betrayed a tear, an Esquimo boy came in from Akbat. +His bearing was manly, his countenance fresh and agreeable, if not +handsome, and his dress, of the usual material, was new. He drove a fine +team with decided spirit. He was evidently somebody's pet, and we +thought we saw a mother's partial stamp upon him. He was on his way to +Netlik, and our curious inquiries brought from him the blushing +acknowledgment that he was going "a courting!" He was nothing loath to +talk of his sweetheart, and he bore her a bundle of bird-skins to make +her an under garment as love-token. We gave him a pocket-knife and a +piece of wood, to which we added two needles for his lady-love. He was +full of joy at this good fortune, but when Sontag added a string of +beads for her his cup run over. He had on his sledge two small pieces of +blubber, a pound of bear's meat, a bit of bear's skin. These he laid at +our feet, and dashed off toward Netlik in fine spirits. + +When he was gone we renewed our ever-returning, perplexing, +never-settled question, What shall we do? We could agree on no plans of +escape, for all seemed impossible of execution. Yet we did agree in the +expediency of opening a communication with the brig. But how to do it +was the question. + +Our dependence upon the Esquimo growing more humiliatingly absolute +every day, pained us. We feared their treachery, of which we already saw +some signs. "What _shall we do_?" was ever repeated. + +While thus perplexed, Kalutunah made his appearance. With him were a +young hunter, and a woman with a six months' old baby. The little one +was wrapped in fox-skin, and thrust into its mother's hood, which hung +on her neck behind. It peered out of its hiding-place with a contented +and curious expression of face. Its mother had come forty miles, +sometimes walking over the hummocky way, with the thermometer +thirty-eight degrees below zero, with a liability of encountering +terrific storms, and all to see the white men and their _igloe_. Mother +and child arrived in good condition. + +We conversed with the chief about our plan of going to Upernavik on +sledges, and proposed to buy teams of his people, or hire them to drive +us there. He received the proposal with a decided dissent, amounting +almost to resentment. His people, he said, would not sell dogs at any +price; they had only enough to preserve their own lives. + +This we knew to be false. We offered a great price, but he scorned the +bribe, and talked with an expression of horror about our plan of passing +with sledges over the Frozen Sea, as he called Melville Bay. + +While we were urging the sale by him of dogs and sledges he looked +quizzically at our emaciated forms and sunken cheeks, and turning to the +woman with a significant twinkle in his eye, he sucked in his cheeks. +She returned the knowing glance, and sucked in her cheeks. This meant: +We shall get all the white men's coveted things without paying when we +find them starved and dead. This was a comforting view of the case--for +them. + +We dropped the plan of going south, and proposed to the chief to carry +some of our party to the ship. This he readily assented to, and said at +least four sledges should go with Petersen, if to each driver should be +given a knife and piece of wood. We closed the bargain gladly, and +Petersen was to start in the morning. + +Guests and entertainers now sought rest. We gave the mother and child +our bed in the corner. This was to us a self-denying act of courtesy, +compelled by policy. We had usually given a good distance between us and +such lodgers on account of certain specimens of natural history which +swarmed upon their bodies, which, though starving, we did not desire. +But to put her in a meaner place would be a serious affront, for which +we might be obliged to pay dearly. + +About midnight voices were heard outside, and soon our young lover, the +boy-hunter, entered, accompanied by a widow who was neither young, nor +beautiful. The hut was in instant confusion. There was but little more +sleep for the night, which was peculiarly hard on Petersen, who was to +start in the morning on his long journey. + +We had no food with which to treat our guests, which they saw, and so +supped upon the provisions which they brought. The widow ate raw young +birds, of which she brought a supply saved over from the summer. The +Angekok had decided that her husband's spirit had taken temporary +residence in a walrus, so she was forbidden that animal. She chewed +choice bits of her bird and offered them to us. We tried _politely_ to +decline the kindness, but our refusal plainly offended her. + +The widow's husband had been carried out to sea on an ice-raft on the +sudden breaking up of the floe, and had never been heard from. Whenever +his name was mentioned she burst into tears. Petersen told us that, +according to Esquimo custom in such cases, we were expected to join in +the weeping. + +At the first attempt our success was very indifferent. On the next +occasion we equaled in sincerity and naturalness the expressed sorrow of +the heirs of a rich miser over his mortal remains. Even the tears we +managed so well that the widow, charitably forgetting our former +affront, offered us more chewed meat. + +In the morning Petersen was off, Godfrey accompanying him at his own +option. + +The same evening John and Sontag went south with the widow and young +hunter. Thus four of us only were left in the hut, and of these, one, +Stephenson, was seriously sick. His death at any time would not have +been a surprise to us. The hut was colder than ever, and our food nearly +gone. A few books, among which was a little Bible, the gift of a friend, +were a great source of comfort. + +In a few days John and Sontag returned. They had fared well during their +absence. They were accompanied by two Esquimo, who brought us food for a +few days, for which they demanded an exorbitant price. They, like people +claiming a higher civilization, took advantage of our necessity. When +they were about to depart on a bear hunt, Dr. Hayes proposed that two of +us accompany them with our guns, but they declined. We went with them to +the beach, saw them start, watched them as they swiftly glided over the +ice, and, dodging skillfully around the hummocks, faded into a black +speck in the distance. + +The day was spent as one of rest by four of our number, while two of us +visited the traps, returning as usual with nothing. The evening came. A +cup of good coffee revived us. The temperature of our den _came up_ to +the freezing point. We were in the midst of this feast of hot coffee and +increased warmth, when we heard a footfall. We hailed in Esquimo, but no +answer. Soon the outer door of our passage way opened, a man entered and +fell prostrate with a deep moan. It was Petersen. He crept slowly in as +we opened the door, staggered across the hut, and fell exhausted on the +breck. + +Godfrey soon followed, even more exhausted. They both called piteously +for "water! water!" + +They were in no condition to explain what had happened. We stripped them +of their frozen garments, rubbed their stiffened limbs, and rolled them +in warm blankets. We gave them of our hot coffee, and the warmth of the +hut and dry clothes revived them, but the sudden and great change was +followed by a brief cloud over their minds. They fell into a disturbed +sleep, and their sudden starts, groans, and mutterings, told of some +terrible distress. + +Petersen, while sipping his coffee, had told us that the Esquimo had +thrown off their disguise and had attempted to murder them; that he and +Godfrey had walked all the way from Netlik with the Esquimo in hot +pursuit. We must watch, he said, for if off our guard they might +overwhelm us with numbers. + +This much it was necessary for us to know; the details of their terrible +experience he was in no mood to give. + +We immediately set a watch outside, who was relieved every hour; he was +armed with Bonsall's rifle. Our other guns we fired off and carefully +reloaded, hanging them upon their pegs for instant use. + +Petersen and Godfrey awoke once, ate, and lay down to their agitated +sleep. No others slept, or even made the attempt. The creak of the boots +of the sentinel as he tramped his beat near the hut, on a little plain +cleared of snow by the wind, was the only sound which broke the solemn +silence. The enemy would not dare attack us except unawares, knowing, as +they did, that there were eight of us, armed with guns. At midnight +noises were heard about the rocks of the coast. They were watching, but +seeing the sentinel, and finding it a chilling business to wait for our +cessation of vigilance, they sneaked away. In the morning one of our men +visited the rocky coverts and found their fresh tracks. + +We received at the earliest opportunity the details of Petersen's story. +They left us on the third of November, and were gone four days. They +arrived in Netlik in nine hours, and were lodged one in each of the two +_igloes_. Their welcome had a seeming heartiness. They had a full supply +set before them of tender young bear-steak and choice puppy stew. Many +strangers were present, and they continued to come until the huts were +crowded. + +The next day the hunters all started early on the chase, to get, as +Kalutunah said, a good supply for their excursion to the ship, as well +as a store for their families. This looked reasonable, but when night +came the chief and a majority of the men returned not, nor did they +appear the next day. The moon had just passed its full, no time could be +spared for trifling, and Petersen grew uneasy. This feeling was +increased by the strangers which continued to come, the running to and +fro of the women, the side glances, and the covert laugh among the +crowd. + +Kalutunah returned on the evening of the third day of our men at the +hut. Several sledges accompanied him, and one of them was driven by a +brawny savage by the name of Sipsu. He had shown his ugly face once at +our hut. He was above the usual height, broad-chested and strong limbed. +He had a few bristly hairs upon his chin and upper lip, and dark, heavy +eyebrows overshadowed his well set, evil-looking eyes. He was every inch +a savage. While the crowd laughed, joked, and fluttered curiously about +the strangers, Sipsu was dignified, sullen, or full of dismal stories. +He had, he said, killed two men of his tribe. They were poor hunters, so +he stole upon them from behind a hummock, and harpooned them in the +back. + +Whatever shrewdness Sipsu possessed, he did not have wit enough to hide +his true character from his intended victims. + +About twelve sledges were now collected, and Petersen supposed they +would start early in the morning for the "Advance," so he ventured to +try to hurry them a few hours by suggesting midnight for the departure. +To this suggestion they replied that they would not go at all, and that +they never intended to go. The crowd in the hut greeted this +announcement with uproarious laughter. + +Petersen maintained a bold bearing. He rose and went to the other hut +and put Godfrey upon the watch, telling him what had happened. He then +returned and demanded good faith from the chiefs. They only muttered +that they could not go north; they could not pass that "blowing +place"--Cape Alexander. He then asked them to sell him a dog-team; he +would pay them well. They evaded this question, and Sipsu said to +Kalutunah, in a side whisper, "We can get his things in a cheaper way." + +Now commenced the game of wait and watch between the two parties; the +chiefs waited and watched to kill Petersen, and he waited and watched +not to be killed. He had his gun outside, because the moisture of the +hut condensing on the lock might prevent it from going off. He had told +the crowd that if they touched it it might kill them, and this fear was +its safety. Those inside thought he had a pistol concealed under his +garments. They had seen such articles, and witnessed their deadly power. +Their purpose now was to get possession of this weapon, and Sipsu was +the man to do it. + +Petersen, cool as he was prompt and skillful, had not betrayed his +suspicions of them; so he threw himself upon the breck and feigned +himself asleep, to draw out their plans. + +The strategy worked well. The gossiping tongues of men, women, and +children loosened when they thought him asleep, and they revealed all +their secrets. Petersen and Godfrey were to be killed on the spot, and +our hut was to be surprised before Sontag and John returned from the +south. Sipsu the while moved softly toward Petersen to search for the +pistol. Just at this moment Godfrey came to the window and hallooed to +learn if his chief was alive. Petersen rose from his sham sleep and went +out. A crowd were at the door and about the gun, but they dared not +touch it. The intended victims kept a bold front, and coolly proposed a +hunt. This the natives declined, and they declared they would go alone. + +It was late in the night when our beset and worried men started. They +were watched sullenly until they were two miles away, and then the +sledges were harnessed for the pursuit. Fifty yelping dogs mingled their +cries with those of the men, and made a fiendish din in the ears of the +flying fugitives. What could they do if the dogs were let loose upon +them, having only a single rifle! One thing they intended should be +sure; Sipsu or Kalutunah should die in the attack. + +When the pursuers seemed at the very heels of our men, _that one gun_ +made cowards of the Esquimo chiefs. They seemed to understand _their_ +danger. The whole pack of dogs and men turned seaward, and disappeared +among the hummocks. They meant a covert attack. + +Keeping the shore and avoiding the hiding-places, Petersen and Godfrey +pressed on. The night was calm and clear, but the cold was over fifty +degrees below zero. When half way, at Cape Parry, they well-nigh fainted +and fell. But encouraging each other, they still hurried onward, and +made the fifty miles (it was forty in a straight line) in twenty-four +hours. The reader understands why they arrived in such distress and +exhaustion. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LIGHTS AND SHADOWS. + + +DURING the two days following the return of Petersen and Godfrey we +spent our working hours in building a wall about our hut. It was made of +frozen snow, sawed in blocks by our small saw. This wall served a double +purpose, that of breaking the wind from our hut, and as a defense +against the Esquimo. It gave our abode the appearance of a fort, and we +called it Fort Desolation. John muttered: Better call it Fort +Starvation! This was in fact no unfitting designation. Our food was +nearly gone. Those who alone could keep us from starving were seeking +our lives. A feeble, flickering light made the darkness of our hut +visible. Darkness, and dampness, and destitution were within, and +without were fears. We could not be blamed, perhaps, if the death which +threatened us seemed more desirable than life. Yet we could not forget +Him who had so often snatched us from the jaws of our enemies--cold, +hunger, and savages--and we trusted him to again deliver us. And this he +did, for the next day Kalutunah and another hunter appeared. They did +not come as enemies, but as angel messengers of mercy from the +All-Merciful! + +The chief was at first shy, nor could he so far lay aside the cowardice +of conscious guilt as to lay down for a moment his harpoon, at other +times left at the hut door. He brought, to conciliate us, a goodly piece +of walrus meat. After spending an hour with us he dashed out upon the +ice on a moonlight hunt for bears. + +Petersen spent the day in making knives for the Esquimo, in anticipation +of restored friendship. With an old file he filed down some pieces of an +iron hoop, punching rivet holes with the file, and whittling a handle +from a fragment of the "Hope." Though the knife, when done, was not like +one of "Rogers's best," it was no mean article for an Esquimo blubber +and bear meat knife. + +The next day four sledges and six Esquimo made us a call. One of them +was our old friend the widow, with her bundle of birds under her arm. + +They were all shy at first, showing a knowledge at least of the wrong +intended us, but we soon made them feel at home. It was indeed for our +interest to do so. They bartered gladly walrus, seal, bear, and bird +meat, a hundred pounds in all. It made a goodly pile, enough for four +days, but, alas! the duty of hospitality, which we could not wisely +decline, compelled us to treat our guests with it, and they ate one +third! In three hours they were off toward Netlik. + +The next day an Esquimo man came from Northumberland Island; we had not +seen him before, and he did not appear to have been in the council of +the plotters against us. He sold us walrus meat, blubber, and fifty +little sea fowl. + +Our health absolutely demanding a more generous diet, we ate three full +meals, such as we had not had since leaving the ship. Our new friend's +name was Kingiktok--which is, by interpretation, a rock. Mr. Rock was a +man of few words, and of very civil behavior. We fancied him, and +courted his favor by a few presents for himself and wife. They were +gifts well bestowed, for he at once opened his mouth in valuable and +startling communications. He said that he and his brother Amalatok were +the only two men in the tribe who were friendly to us. Amalatok was the +man we met on Northumberland Island, who will be remembered as skinning +a bird so adroitly, and offering us lumps of fat scraped from its +breast-bone with his thumb nail. + +Mr. Rock's talk run thus: He and this brother were in deadly hostility +to Sipsu. The reason of this hostility was very curious. The brother's +wife, whom we thought decidedly hag-like in her looks, was accounted a +witch. _Why_ she was so regarded was not stated. Now the law of custom +with this people is that witches may be put to death by any one who will +do it by stealth. She may be pounced upon from behind a hummock and a +harpoon or any deadly weapon may deal the fatal blow in the back, but a +face to face execution was not allowed. It was understood that Sipsu +assumed the office of executioner, and was watching the favoring +circumstances. On the other hand the husband, and his brother, Mr. +Rock, watched with courage and vigilance in behalf of the accused, while +she lacked neither in her own watching. Thus the family had no fraternal +relations with the villagers, though visits were exchanged between them. + +Concerning the conspiracy, Mr. Rock thus testified: Sipsu had for a long +time counseled the tribe not to visit nor sell food to the white men, +holding that they could not kill the bear, walrus, and seal, and would +soon starve, and so all the coveted things would fall into Esquimo +hands. Kalutunah, on the other hand, held that their "booms"--guns--could +secure them any game, and that our poverty of food was owing to a dislike +of work. + +There had arisen, too, a jealousy about the presents we gave. Sipsu's +let-alone policy caused his wife to complain that she only of the women +was without even a needle. This drove him to a reluctant visit to us in +which he got but little, so the matter was not bettered. + +Besides this, the condition of apparent starvation, in which the +visitors found us from time to time, finally gave popularity to Sipsu's +position, and Kalutunah yielded to the older and stronger chief. + +When Petersen and Godfrey arrived at Netlik, Kalutunah went fifty miles +to inform Sipsu at his home of the good occasion offered to kill them. +Sipsu was to lead the attack, and Kalutunah follow. The arrangement was +as we have stated, but failed on account of Sipsu's fear of the +"auleit"--pistol. Having failed, his chagrin and anger led to the hot +pursuit, in which he intended to set the dogs upon our men. But this +failed when he saw how near he must himself venture to the "_boom_." + +This story agreed so well with what Petersen and Godfrey saw and +suspected that we fully believed it. + +Mr. Rock left us in the morning, and that evening eleven natives, one of +whom was Kalutunah, called upon us on their way from Akbat to Netlik. +The Angekok was full of talk and smiles. He gave us a quarter of a young +bear, for which we gave him one of Petersen's hoop-iron knives. He was +not pleased with it, for he had learned before the difference between +iron and steel. He attempted to cut a piece of frozen liver with it and +it bent. He then bent it in the form of a U, and threw it spitefully +away, grunting, "No good." We satisfied him with a piece of wood to +patch his sledge. + +Among our guests were two widows having each a child. One of the little +ones was stripped to the skin, and turned loose to root at liberty. It +was three years old, and plainly the dirt upon its greasy skin had been +accumulating just that length of time. + +One of the hunters was attended by his wife and two children--a girl +four, and boy seven years old. + +The fat fires of the several families were soon in full blaze, which, +added to the heat of nineteen persons, warmed our hut as it was never +warmed before. The heat set the ceiling and walls dripping with the +melted frost-work, and every thing was wet or made damp. Besides, the +air became insufferable with bad odors. It was now Fort Misery. + +But the frozen meat at which we had been nibbling was soon thrown aside +for hot coffee, steaming stew, and thawed blubber. Strips of blubber +varying from three inches to a foot in length and an inch thick +circulate about the hut. Strips of bear and walrus also go round. These +strips are seized with the fingers, the head is thrown back, and the +mouth is opened, one end is thrust in a convenient distance, the teeth +are closed, it is cut off at the lips, and the piece is swallowed +quickly, with the least possible chewing, that dispatch may be made, and +the process repeated. The seven-year-old boy stood against a post, +astride a big chunk of walrus, naked to the waist, as all the guests +were. He was sucking down in good style a strip of blubber, his face and +hands besmeared with blood and fat, which ran in a purple stream off his +chin, and from thence streamed over the shining skin below. Our +disconsolate widow supped apart, as usual, on her supply of sea-fowls. +Four, each about the size of a half-grown domestic hen, was all she +appeared to be able to eat! + +We all ate, and had enough. Then followed freedom of talk such as is +wont to follow satisfied appetites, and jokes and songs went round. +Godfrey amused the women and children with negro melodies, accompanied +by a fancied banjo. Dr. Hayes and Kalutunah try to teach each other +their languages. Bonsall looks on and helps. The chief is given "yes" +and "no," and taught what Esquimo word they stand for. He tries to +pronounce them, says "ee's" and "noe," and inquiringly says, "_tyma?_" +(right?) Dr. Hayes nods, "tyma" with an encouraging smile, at which the +chief laughs at the "_doctee's_" badly pronounced Esquimo. + +They try to count, and the Angekok says "_une_" for one, strains hard at +"too" for two, and fails utterly at the "th" in three. + +The "doctee" tries the Esquimo one, gets patted on the back with "tyma! +tyma!" accompanied with merry laughs. The chief tries again, gets +prompted by punches in the ribs, and significant commendation in +twitches of his left ear. + +Having reached ten, the Esquimo numerals are exhausted. Sontag, with the +help of Petersen, questions one of the hunters about his people's +astronomy. The result in part is as follows, and is very curious. + +The heavenly bodies are the spirits of deceased Esquimo, or of some of +the lower animals. The sun and moon, are brother and sister. The stars +we call "the dipper" are reindeer. The stars of "Orion's belt" are +hunters who have lost their way. The "Pleiades" are a pack of dogs in +pursuit of a bear. The _aurora borealis_ is caused by the spirits at +play with one another. + +It has other teachings on the science of the heavens equally wise. But +they are close observers of the movements of the stars. We went out at +midnight to look after the dogs, and Petersen asked Kalutunah when they +intended to go. He pointed to a star standing over Saunders Island, in +the south. Passing his finger slowly around to the west he pointed at +another star, saying, "When that star gets where the other is we will +start." + +Our guests at last lay down to sleep, but we could not lie down near +them nor allow them our blankets; so we watched out the night. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +DRUGGED ESQUIMO. + + +THE visitors left in the morning. We were now all well except +Stephenson. Though we had just eaten and were refreshed, in a few days +we might be starving, so we renewed our planning. To open a +communication with the "Advance" seemed a necessity. Petersen +volunteered to make another effort if he could have one companion. +Bonsall promptly answered, "I will be that companion," at which we all +rejoiced, as he was the fittest man for the journey next to the Dane. + +A dog-team and a sledge were an acquisition now most needed for the +proposed enterprise. In a few days an old man came in whom we had never +seen, belonging far up Whale Sound; then came a hunter from Akbat with +his family. Of these men after much bartering we purchased four dogs. +Petersen commenced at once the manufacture of a sledge out of the wood +left of the "Hope." All of his excellent skill was needed to make a +serviceable article with his poor tools and materials. + +On the twentieth of November the sledge was nearly finished, and a +breakfast on our last piece of meat assured us that what was done for +our rescue must be done soon. But God's hand was, as usual, opened to +supply us; in the evening a fox was found in our trap. Stephenson, who +had been cheered by our tea, received the last cup. + +We were reduced to stone-moss, boiled in blubber, and coffee, and a +short allowance of these, when two hunters left us three birds, on which +we supped. + +We were now out of food. The Esquimo had, most of them, gone north, +owing to the failure of game at the south; soon all would be gone. +Further discussion led us to the conclusion that we must all return to +the "Advance," and start soon unless we chose to die where we were. So +we commenced preparations for the desperate enterprise. + +To carry out this plan it was absolutely necessary to have two more +dogs, for which we must trust to our Esquimo visitors. A sledge drawn by +six dogs could convey our small outfit and poor invalid Stephenson. We +purposed to direct our course straight for Northumberland Island, which +we hoped to reach by lodging one night in a snow-hut. For each person +there must be a pair of blankets. Our clothing was wholly insufficient +for such a journey, so we set at work to improve it the best we could. +Our buffalo robes had been spread upon the stone breck for beds. They +were of course frozen down; in some places solid ice of several inches' +thickness had accumulated, into which they were imbedded. When +disengaged, as they had to be with much care and great labor, the under +side was covered with closely adhering pebble-stones. The robes were +hung up to dry before we could work upon them. We now slept on a double +blanket spread on the stones and pebbles--a sleeping which refreshed us +as little as our moss food. + +We now, under the instructions of Petersen, cut up the buffalo robes and +sewed them into garments to wear on our journey. We refreshed ourselves +with frequent sips of coffee, of which, fortunately, we had a plenty, +and made out one meal at night on walrus hide boiled or fried in oil, as +we fancied. It was very tough eating. + +At the close of the second day's tailoring four hunters came in from +Akbat, with five women and seven children. We stowed them all away for +the night, and gladly did so for the opportunity of purchasing +forty-eight small birds, a small quantity of dried seal meat, and some +dried seal intestines imperfectly cleansed; but better, if possible, was +the purchase of two dogs. Our team of six was complete. The hand of the +great Provider was plainly manifested. + +The visitors were soon gone, but the four hunters came back the next +day. They were bent on mischief. They stole, or tried to steal, whatever +they saw, and seemed glad to annoy us. Unfortunately for us, close upon +their heels came another party, from the south also, and equally bent on +mischief. Among them was an old evil-eyed woman. Whatever she saw she +coveted, and all that she could she stole. Going to her sledge as the +party was about to start, we found a mixed collection of our articles, +some of which could have been of no use to her. But we had missed two +drinking cups which we could not find. We charged her with the theft, +but she protested innocence. We threatened to search her sledge, and she +straightway produced them, and, to conciliate us, threw down three +sea-fowl. We were gladly thus conciliated. + +The whole party became so troublesome that we were compelled to drive +them away. The hunters lingered about, intending, we feared, to steal +our dogs, two of which were purchased of them. We set a watch until they +seemed to have left the vicinity, but no sooner was the sentinel's back +turned than one of them and one of the dogs were seen scampering off +together. Bonsall seized his rifle, and a sudden turn round a rock by +the thief saved him from the salutation of an ounce of lead. + +On the twenty-ninth of November we were ready for a start. Our outfit +was meager enough. It consisted of eight blankets, a field lamp and +kettle, two tin drinking cups, coffee for ten days, eight pounds of +blubber, and two days' meat. This last consisted of sea-fowls boiled, +boned, and cut into small pieces. They were frozen into a solid lump. We +hoped to be at Northumberland Island in two days, and get fresh +supplies. + +The sled was taken out through the roof of the hut, loaded, and the load +well secured, and poor Stephenson carried out and placed on top of it. +The dogs were then harnessed, and we moved away. + +The thermometer was forty-four degrees below zero when we left the hut, +but it was calm, and the moon shone with a splendid light. We were weary +and ready to faint at the end of one hour, how then could we endure days +of travel! The sledge was a poor one, the runners, the best our material +afforded, were rough, and the dogs could not drag the sledge without two +of us pushed, which we did in turn. We had thus gone about eight miles +when Stephenson said he would walk. This we refused to let him do, +knowing his extreme weakness. But soon after he slid off the sledge. Dr. +Hayes assisted him to rise, and supported his attempt to walk. He had +thus gone about a mile when he fell and fainted. + +Near us was an iceberg in whose side was a recess something like a +grotto. Into this we bore our companion, and added to the shelter by +piling up blocks of snow. The lamp was lighted to prepare him hot +coffee. For some time he remained insensible, and when he came to +himself he begged us to leave him and save ourselves. He could never, he +said, reach the "Advance," and he might as well die then as at a later +hour. + +Go without Stephenson we would not. Go with him seemed impossible. In +fact we were all too weary to take another step, so we concluded to +camp. But this, after unloading our sledge and making some effort, we +could not do. We had no strength to make a hut, and we were already +bitten by the frost; so we resolved to repack the sledge and return to +the hut. + +All arrived at the hut that day, but how and exactly at what time we did +not know, only that some were an hour behind others, and that several +finished the journey by creeping on their hands and knees. We had just +enough consciousness left to bring in our blankets and spread them on +those we left on the breck, and to close up the hole in the roof. We +then lay down and slept through uncounted hours. + +When we awoke it was nearly noon. Though hungry, cold, and weak, we were +not badly frost-bitten. The first desirable thing was a fire. The +tinder-box with its fixings could not be found. The one having it in +charge remembered it was used at the berg, and this we all knew, and +that was all any one knew about it. Without this we could have no fire. +Never before in all our exigencies was such a feeling of despair +expressed on our countenances. In this plight one in attempting to walk +across the tent struck something with his foot. We all knew the +tinder-box by its rattle. Our lamp was soon lighted, coffee was made, +and half of our meat warmed. The other half was given to Petersen and +Bonsall, who started immediately to go, as we had once before planned, +to the brig, while the rest remained in the hut. + +Dr. Hayes and Sontag accompanied them to the shore. The last words of +the noble Petersen were: "If we ever reach the ship we will come back +to you, or perish in the attempt, so sure as there is a God in heaven." + +Four days passed, after our companions left us, of accumulating misery. +The hut was colder than ever, and we were in utter darkness most of the +time. Our food was now scraps of old hide, so hard that the dogs had +refused it. + +In this our condition of absolute starvation, three hunters, with each a +dog-team, came to us from Netlik, one of whom was Kalutunah. They +entered our hut with only two small pieces of meat in their hands, +enough for a scanty meal for themselves. We appropriated one piece to +ourselves without ceremony. The visitors frowned and protested, but this +was not a moment with us for words. We soon satisfied, or seemed to +satisfy, them by presents, and both pieces were soon steaming. + +Dr. Hayes renewed his proposal for the Netlik people to carry us to the +"Advance." Kalutunah refused curtly. Would they _let_ teams to us for +that purpose? No! The spirit of the refusal was, We won't help you. We +know you must starve, and we desire you to do so that we may possess +your goods. It was evident they understood our desperate condition +perfectly. + +These convictions of their purposes and feelings were confirmed when one +of our number found buried in the snow, near their sledges, several +large pieces of bear and walrus meat. This they were evidently +determined we should not taste. + +Kalutunah did not pretend that destitution or short supplies at Netlik +made a journey to the brig inconvenient, but, as if to taunt us, said +that a bear, a walrus, and three seals had been taken the day before. + +The case then, as we saw it, stood thus: Six civilized men must die +because three savages, who had plenty, choose to let them, that they +might be benefited by their death. We at once and unanimously decided +that it should not be so, and that the Esquimo should not thus leave us. + +Not willing to do them unnecessary harm, Dr. Hayes proposed to give them +a dose of opium; then to take the dogs and sledge and push forward to +Northumberland Island, leaving them to come along at their leisure when +they awoke. We could, we thought, push forward fast enough to be out of +the reach of any alarm that might reach Netlik. + +To this proposal all agreed. To carry it into execution we became +specially sociable, and free with our presents. To crown the freeness of +our hospitality we set before them the stew just prepared, into which +Dr. Hayes had turned slyly when it was over the fire a small vial of +laudanum. To prevent any one getting an over dose it had been turned out +into three vessels, an equal portion for each. It was, of course, very +bitter. + +They at first swallowed it very greedily, but tasting the bitter +ingredient only ate half of it. + +The next few moments were those of intense anxiety. Would it stupefy +them? Soon, however, their eyes looked heavy, and their heads drooped. +They begged to lie down, and we tucked them up this time in our +blankets. + +We were in our traveling suits ready for a start, dog-whips at hand. As +a last act Godfrey reached up to a shelf for a cup, and down came its +entire contents with a startling noise. Dr. Hayes put out the light with +his mitten, and cuddled down instantly by the side of Kalutunah. The +chief awoke, as was feared, grunted, and asked what was the matter. The +"doctee" patted him and whispered, "Singikok," (sleep.) He laughed, +muttered something, and was soon snoring. + +Fearing from this incident that we could not trust the soundness nor +length of time of their sleep, we carried off their boots, coats, and +mittens, that they might be detained in the tent until relief came. +Stephenson was, most fortunately, better than he had been for some time, +being able to carry a gun and walk. All the firearms being secured, Dr. +Hayes stood at one side of the door outside with a double-barrelled +shot-gun, and Stephenson on the other with a rifle. The purpose was if +they awoke to compel them, at the mouth of the guns, to drive us north. + +Sontag and the others brought up the most of the meat which was buried +in the snow, and put it in the passage way. This would last five or six +days, and keep the prisoners from starving until help came. The dogs +being harnessed, we mounted the sledges and once more turned our backs +on Fort Desolation. + +The dogs objected decidedly to this whole proceeding; they especially +disliked their new masters, and were determined on mischief. John and +Godfrey were given by their team a ride a mile straight off the coast +instead of alongside of it, as they desired to go. Dr. Hayes was worse +used by his. They drew in different directions, went pell-mell, first +this way, then that, at one time carrying him back nearly to the hut. +Finally they became subdued apparently, and sped swiftly in the way they +were guided. The other sledges had in the mean time dropped into the +desired course. All seemed to be going well, when, just as the doctor's +dogs had shot by the other teams, they suddenly turned round, some to +the right and others to the left, turning the sledge over backward, and +rolling the men into a snow-drift. The doctor grasped firmly the +"up-stander" of the sledge, and was dragged several yards before he +recovered his feet. As the dogs at this moment were plunging through a +ridge of hummocks, the point of the runner caught a block of ice. The +traces of all the dogs excepting two snapped, and away went the freed +dogs to their imprisoned masters. They yelped a taunting defiance as +they disappeared in the distance. + +The doctor and Mr. Stephenson, taking each a dog, went to the other +teams, and we were again on the fly, leaving the third sledge jammed in +the hummock. We reached in safety the southern point of Cape Parry, +found a sheltering cave, and camped. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +BACK AGAIN. + + +WE tarried in our camp full two hours. We obtained a pot of hot coffee +and rest. The whips had been used so freely that they required +repairing, for without their efficient help there could be no progress. + +All being in readiness, we were about starting when three Esquimo came +in sight. They were those we had left asleep in our hut! Dr. Hayes and +Mr. Sontag seized their guns, and rushed down the ice-foot to meet them. +They stood firm until our men, coming within a few yards, leveled their +guns at them. They instantly turned round and threw their arms wildly +about, exclaiming in a frantic voice, "Na-mik! na-mik! na-mik!"--don't +shoot! don't shoot! don't shoot! + +Dr. Hayes lowered his rifle and beckoned them to come on. This they did +cautiously, and with loud protestations of friendship. By this time +Whipple had come up. Each of our men seized a prisoner, and marched him +into the camp. Reaching the mouth of the cave, the doctor turned +Kalutunah round toward his sledge, pointed to it with his gun, and then +turning north, gave him to understand, mostly by signs, that if he took +the whip which lay at his feet, and drove us to the "Oomeaksoak" (ship) +he should have his dogs, sledge, coat, boots, and mittens; but if they +did not do so that he and his companions would be shot then and there; +and to give emphasis to his words, he pushed him away and leveled his +gun. + +The chief went sideling off, crying, "Na-mik, na-mik!" at the same time +imitated the motion of a dog--driving with his right hand, and pointed +north with the other. His declaration was, "Don't shoot! I'll drive you +to the ship!" + +Dr. Hayes seeing he was understood, told Kalutunah that the dogs and +sledges were the white men's until the promise was fulfilled, to which +he answered, "tyma"--all right, approaching with smiles and the old +familiarity, as though some great favor had been done him. He could +respect pluck and strength if nothing else. + +The prisoners had been awakened by our escaped dogs, which, on arriving +at the hut, run over the roof and howled a startling alarm. Their +masters starting up, found means of lighting a lamp, and being refreshed +by sleep and the food we left, entered at once on the pursuit. Coming to +the abandoned sledge, they harnessed the dogs and made good time on our +trail, bringing away with them as many of our treasures as they could +well carry. + +They were rare looking Esquimo just at this moment. They had cut holes +in the middle of our blankets and thrust their heads through. One had +found a pair of cast-off boots and put them on; the others had bundled +their feet up in pieces of blanket. Neither of them had suffered much +from cold. + +We expressed our confidence in their promises by restoring their +clothes. They jumped into them, happy as Yankee children on the Fourth +of July. They were as obedient, too, as recently whipped spaniels. They +touched neither dogs, sledge, nor whip until they were bidden. "Onward +to Netlik!" we shouted as we mounted our sledges and dashed away. Our +distant approach was greeted by the howling of a pack of dogs, which +snuffed our coming in the breeze. As we drew nearer, men, women, and +children ran out to meet us. As soon as we halted fifty curious and +wondering savages crowded around us, pressing the questions why we were +brought by their friends, and why we came at all. But our bearing was +that of those who came because they pleased to come without +condescending to give reasons why. We told Kalutunah that three of us +would go to each of the two huts, and stop long enough to eat and sleep, +and then we would continue our journey. A renewed leveling at him of our +guns, and pointing northward, brought out the prompt "tyma," giving the +gaping bystanders a hint of the nature of our arguments for the services +of their friends. + +When we had entered the huts, the crowd rushed in too, making quite too +many for comfort or safety. We told our hosts to order out all but the +regular occupants of the huts, as many strangers had come in who were +lodging in the adjoining snow-huts. They did not understand our right +to give such a command until a hint about our "booms" convinced them. +Ours was the right of self-preservation by superior strength. + +We had traveled fifteen successive hours, making in the time fifty +miles. So weary were we that even these Esquimo dens, affording as they +did refreshment and rest without danger of freezing, were delightful +places of entertainment. The women kindly removed our mittens, boots, +and stockings, and hung them up to dry. They then brought us frozen +meat, which intense hunger compelled us to try to eat, but the air of +the hut was one hundred and twenty degrees warmer than that without, and +we fell asleep with the food between our teeth. Having taken a short nap +we were aroused by the mistress of the house, who had prepared a +plentiful meal of steaming bear-steak. We ate and slept alternately +until the stars informed us that we had rested twenty-seven hours. We +intimated to Kalutunah that we would be going, and in a few moments he +had every thing in readiness. + +Our next halting place was Northumberland Island, a distance, as we +traveled, of thirty miles, which we made in six hours. Here we found two +huts belonging to our old friends, Amalatok and his brother, "Mr. Rock." +We divided ourselves into companies of threes as before, and made +ourselves at home in the two households. Mr. Rock, aided by his wife, +and the witch-wife of his brother, was kindly attentive. Our fare was +varied by abundant supplies of sea-birds, which in their season swarm +here. We tarried until our physical strength was sensibly increased. We +learned that Petersen and Bonsall had been at this hospitable +halting-place, eaten and rested, and pushed northward under the guidance +of Amalatok. + +Our next run was to Herbert Island, and, passing round its northwestern +coast, we struck across to the mainland, and halted near Cape Robertson, +at the village of Karsooit. We were on the northern shore of the mouth +of Whale Sound. We had made a run of fifty miles, halting to eat our +frozen food only once. We had walked much of the way to prevent being +frozen, and to lighten the load of the dogs over a rough way. + +The village consisted of two huts half a mile apart. One of them +belonged to Sipsu, our old enemy. He received us gruffly, and because he +felt that he must. His only kindness was a fear of our _booms_. The huts +were crowded, there being here, as at Netlik, many stranger visitors +from the south. We were almost suffocated on entering, passing as we did +from a temperature of fifty degrees below zero to one seventy-five +above. Our entertainers immediately laid hold of our clothes and began +to strip us. They were much surprised at our persistence in retaining a +certain part of them. We feasted on seal flesh, slept, were refreshed +and encouraged. + +Our stay was short, and our next run was to a double hut, a distance of +thirty miles, which we made in five hours. We had been joined at +Karsooit by an old hunter named Ootinah. We were on four sledges, the +dogs were in good condition, the ice smooth, the drivers full of +merriment and shouts of "Ka! ka!" by which their teams were stimulated +onward. + +Our next run was to be one of sixty miles, including the rounding of +Cape Alexander, and ending at Etah. It was to be a terrific adventure we +well knew. At the mention of it our drivers shrugged their shoulders. +The natives dread the storms of this cape, with their blinding snows, as +the wandering Arabs of the desert do a tempest-cloud of sand. + +The first twenty miles was made comfortably. But we were yet many miles +from the rocky fortress guarding the Arctic Sea, when we were saluted +with a stunning squall. It cut us terribly, though it was but an eddy, +for the wind was at our backs; it was only a rough hint of what we might +expect when the giant of the cape sent his blast squarely in our faces. +The night came on, lighted only by the twinkling stars. The ice was +smooth, and the wind at our backs drove our sledges upon the heels of +the dogs, who ran howling at the top of their speed to keep out of their +way. The cliffs, a thousand feet above us, threw their frowning shadows +across our path, pouring upon the plain clouds of snow sand, and +shouting in the roaring wind their defiance at our approach. Yet we sped +swiftly on, until a dark line was seen ahead with wreaths of +"frost-smoke" curling over it. "Emerk! emerk!" shouted the Esquimo. +"Water! water!" echoed our men. Our teams "reined up" within a few +yards of a recently opened crack, now twenty feet across and rapidly +widening. We were quite near Cape Alexander, but between it and us was +ice, across which numerous cracks had opened. Against the cape was open +water, whose sullen surges fell dismally upon our ears. It was plain +that we could not go forward upon the floe; to mount the almost +perpendicular wall to the land above was impossible; to turn back and +thus face the storm would be certain death. Our case seemed desperate. +Even the hardy Esquimo shrunk at the situation and proposed the return +trail, against which to us, at least, ruinous course they could not be +persuaded until the pistol argument was used. + +In our peering through the darkness for some way of escape we caught a +glimpse of the narrow ice-foot, hanging over the water at the bottom of +the cliff. Along this we determined to attempt a passage. + +We ascended this ice-foot by a ladder made of the sledges. Then we ran +along the smooth surface and soon passed the open water below; but we +had advanced a short distance only before a glacier barred our progress +and turned us to the floe again. A short run on this brought us to +another yawning crack with its impassable water. We ran along its margin +with torturing anxiety, looking for an ice bridge. Finding a place where +a point of ice spanned the chasm, within about four feet, Dr. Hayes made +a desperate leap to gain the other side. Lighting upon this point, it +proved to be merely a loose, small ice-raft which settled beneath his +feet. Endeavoring to balance himself upon it to gain the solid floe +beyond he fell backward, and would have gone completely under the water; +but Stephenson, standing on the spot from which the doctor jumped, +caught him under the arms and drew him out. As it was he had sunk deep +into the cold stream, filling his boots and wetting his pants. + +In the mean time a better crossing was found, and Dr. Hayes followed the +last of the party to the other side. + +We returned to the ice-foot and found a level and sufficiently wide +drive-way, and made good progress, soon reaching and running along that +part of the icy road which overlooked the open water below. We met with +no interruption until we came to the extreme rocky projection of the +cape. Here the ice-foot was sloping, and for several feet was only +fifteen inches wide! Twenty feet directly below was the icy cold, dark +water, sending up its dismal roar as it waited to receive any whose foot +might slip in attempting the perilous passage. The wind howled fearfully +as it swept over the cliff and along the ice-foot in our rear, pelting +us incessantly with its snow sand. + +"Halt!" was passed along the line, and the whole party, men and dogs, +crouched under the overhanging rocks, seeming for the moment like beings +doomed to die a miserable death in a horrid place. + +There was no time for indecision, and the pause was but for a moment. +Dr. Hayes, taking off his mittens, and clinging with his bare hands to +the crevices of the rock, was the first to make the desperate +experiment. His shout announcing his safe landing on the broad belt +beyond the dangerous place, welling up as it did from a heart +overflowing with emotions of joy and gratitude, sent a thrill of +gladness along the shivering and shrinking line, of which even our poor +dogs seemed to partake. + +The teams, each driven by its master, were next brought up, as near as +safety permitted, to the narrow, slippery pathway. The dogs were then +seized by their collars, and one by one dragged across safely. Next the +sledges were brought forward. Turning them upon one runner, they were +pushed along until the dogs could make them feel the traces; then a +fierce shout from their drivers caused a sudden and vigorous spring of +the animals, which whirled the sledges beyond the danger of sliding off +the precipice. Cautiously, one by one, then came the remaining members +of the party, all holding their breath in painful suspense, and each, we +trust, in silent prayer, until all were safe over. The Divine arm and +eye had been with us! We could not have gone back, nor have turned to +the right or left. A few inches less of width in the ice-foot, or +slightly more slope, and we had all perished! + +Except some frost bites on our fingers, every man was all right. We had +traveled five miles on the ice shelf above the foaming sea. We now had +a smooth, safe ice-foot, which conducted us soon to the solid ice-field +of Etah Bay. Across this, fifteen miles, we scampered with joyous speed, +and arrived at the village of our old Esquimo friends, a worn and weary, +but thankful party. + +Good news met us at the hut. Petersen and Bonsall had, we were told, +preceded us, and arrived safely at the ship. + +But our trials were not ended. There was a sledge journey of ninety-one +miles yet awaiting us. Dr. Hayes's frosted feet gave him intense pain +and he could not sleep. There was danger, if the heat of the hut thawed +them, that he would lose them altogether. So, after only four hours' +rest, he whispered his intention of a speedy departure toward the +"Advance," to Sontag, who was to take charge of the party; he then crept +stealthily out of the hut, accompanied by Ootinah, the faithful Esquimo +from Karsooit. Sontag was not to mention his departure to his comrades +until they were rested and refreshed. + +He had hardly started before the rest of our company were at his heels. +They did not wish their leader to endure the perils of the journey +without them; besides, they too had reason for a desire to be speedily +at the brig. + +The wind was high, the floe full of hummocks, the cold intense, and +altogether the journey was not unlike in its dangers that already +endured. Whipple, ere they had reached the end, began to whisper that he +was not cold, and finally fell from the rear sledge, benumbed and +senseless, and was not missed until he was a hundred yards behind. He +was lifted again to the sledge, but others gave signs of the approach of +the same insensibility. + +But the track becoming smoother, the drivers cracked their whips and +shouted fiercely, goading onward their teams to their utmost speed in +the fearful race for life. Now old familiar landmarks are passed; the +hull of the dismantled ship opens in the distance, and its outlines grow +clearer until we shout with feeble voices, but in gladness of heart, +"_Back again!_" During the last forty hours we had been in almost +continual exposure, with the thermometer eighty degrees below zero, in +which time we had traveled a hundred and fifty miles. During the run of +ninety-one miles from Etah to the "Advance" we encamped once only, but +failing to light our lamp, or to secure any protection from the cold, we +immediately decamped and finished our run of forty-one miles. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +SCARES. + + +WHEN the Esquimo arrived with Bonsall and Petersen, Dr. Kane resolved at +once to send them back with supplies for the remaining portion of Dr. +Hayes's company, supposed to be, if living, at the miserable old hut. +Petersen and Bonsall were utterly unable to accompany them. Of the +scanty ship's store he caused to be cleaned and boiled a hundred pounds +of pork; small packages of meat-biscuit, bread-dust, and tea were +carefully sewed up, all weighing three hundred and fifty pounds; and the +whole was intrusted to the returning convoy, who gave emphatic +assurances that these treasures, more precious than gold to those for +whom they were intended, should be promptly and honestly delivered. But +this promise, we have seen, they did not keep, and, probably, did not +intend to keep; they ate or wasted the whole. This untrustworthy trait +of the Esquimo character goes far to show that nothing but Dr. Hayes's +"boom" could have assured their help in his desperate necessities. + +When Dr. Hayes arrived it was midnight. Dr. Kane met him at the gangway +and gave him a brother's welcome. All were taken at once into the cabin. +Ohlsen was the first to recognize Hayes as he entered, and, kissing +him, he threw his arms around him and tossed him into the warm bed he +had just left. The fire was set ablaze, coffee and meat-biscuit soup +were prepared, and, with wheat bread and molasses, were set before them. +In the mean time their Esquimo apparel was removed and hung up to dry. +They ate and slept; but many weary days passed, under skillful treatment +by Dr. Kane, and kind care by all, before they fully recovered from the +strain of their terrible exposures and fearful journey. + +When the returned comrades were duly cared for, Dr. Kane turned his +attention to the conciliation of the Esquimo who had accompanied them +back. They, of course, had their complaints to make, and, may be, +meditated revenge, though they were, as usual, full of smiles. It was +the white chief's policy to impress them with his great power and stern +justice. He assembled both parties, the Hayes men and their Esquimo, in +conference on deck. Both were questioned as if it were a doubt who had +been the offenders. This done, he graciously declared to the savage +members of the council his approval of their conduct, which he made +emphatic, in the Esquimo way, by pulling their hair all around. + +The great Nalekok having thus expressed his good will, showed it still +further by introducing his guests, now to be considered friends, into +the mysterious _igloe_ below where they had not before been permitted to +enter. Their joy was that of indulged children during a holiday. They +were seated in state on a red blanket. Four pork-fat lamps burned +brilliantly; ostentatiously paraded were old worsted damask curtains, +hunting knives, rifles, chronometers, and beer-barrels, which, as they +glowed in the light, astonished the natives. With a princely air, which, +no doubt, seemed to the recipients almost divine, he dealt out to each +five needles, a file, and a stick of wood. To the two head men, +Kalutunah and Shunghu, knives and other extras were given. A roaring +fire was then made and a feast cooked. This eaten, buffaloes were spread +about the stove, and the guests slept. They awoke to eat, and ate to +sleep again. When they were ready to go, the white chief explained that +the sledges, dogs, and some furs, which his men had taken, had been +taken to save life, and were not to be considered as stolen goods, and +he then and there restored them. They laughed, voted him in their way a +good fellow, and, in fine spirits, dashed away, shouting to their +wolfish dogs. They had taken special care, however, to add to the +treasures so generously given, a few stolen knives and forks. + +As the whole company are now crowded into the little cabin, and the +darkness is without, so that the days pass without much incident, except +that all are crowded with heavy burdens upon mind and body, we will +listen to a few of the yet untold stories of the earlier winter. + +At one time Dr. Kane attempted a walrus hunt. Morton, Hans, Ootuniah, +Myouk, and "a dark stranger," Awahtok, accompanied him. He took a light +sledge drawn by seven dogs, intending to reach the farthest point of +Force Bay by daylight. But as the persistency of the Esquimo had +overladen the sledge, they moved slowly, and were overtaken by the night +on the floe in the midst of the bay. The snow began to drift before an +increasing storm. While driving rapidly, they lost the track they had +been following; they could see no landmarks, and in their confusion, +turned their faces to the floating ice of the sound. + +The Esquimo, usually at home on the floe, whether by night or by day, +were quite bewildered. The dogs became alarmed, and spread their panic +to the whole party. They could not camp, the wind blew so fiercely, so +they were compelled to push rapidly forward, they knew not whither. +Checking, after a while, their speed, Dr. Kane gave each a tent-pole to +feel their way more cautiously, for a murmur had reached his ear more +alarming than the roar of the wind. Suddenly the noise of waves startled +him. "Turn the dogs!" he shouted, while at the same moment a wreath of +frost smoke, cold and wet, swept over the whole party, and the sea +opened to them with its white line of foam, about one fourth of a mile +ahead. The floe was breaking up by the force of the storm. The broken +ice might be in any direction. They could now guess where they were, and +they turned their faces toward an island up the bay. But the line of the +sea, with its foaming waves, followed them so rapidly that they began to +feel the ice bending under their feet as they ran at the sides of the +sledge. The hummocks before them began to close up, and they run by them +at a fearful risk as they hurried cautiously forward, stumbling over the +crushed fragments between them and the shore. It was too dark to see the +island for which they were steering, but the black outline of a lofty +cape was dimly seen along the horizon, and served as a landmark. As they +approached the shore edge of the floe they found it broken up, and its +fragments surging against the base of the ice-foot to which they desired +to climb. Being now under the shadow of the land, it was densely dark. +Dr. Kane went ahead, groping for a bridge of ice, having a rope tied +round his waist, the other end of which was held by Ootuniah, who +followed, at whose heels came the rest of the party. The doctor finally +succeeded in clambering upon the ice-foot, and the rest one after +another followed with the dogs. + +The joy of their escape broke out into exultation when they ascertained +that the land was Anoatok, only a short distance from the familiar +Esquimo huts. God had guided them with his all-seeing eye to where they +would find needed refreshment! In less than an hour they were feasting +on a smoking stew of walrus meat. + +Having eaten their stew and drank their coffee they slept--slept eleven +hours! Well they might "after an unbroken ice-walk of forty-eight miles, +and twenty haltless hours!" The Esquimo sung themselves to sleep with a +monotonous song, in compliment to the white chief, the refrain of which +was, "Nalegak! nalegak! nalegak! soak!"--"Captain! captain! great +captain!" + +Without further special incident the party returned to the brig. + +At one time an alarm was brought to Dr. Kane that a wolf was prowling +among the meat barrels on the floe. Believing that a wolf would be more +profitably added to their store of meat than to have him take any thing +from it, he seized a rifle and ran out. Yes, there he is, a wolf from +the tip of his nose to the end of his tail! Bang goes the rifle, whiz +goes the ball, making the hair fly from the back of--one of the +sledge-dogs! He was not hurt much, but he came near paying with his life +for the crime of running away from Morton's sledge. + +The fox-traps made occasion for many long walks, great expectations of +game, and grievous disappointment. Dr. Kane and Hans were at one time +examining them about two miles from the brig. They were, unfortunately, +unarmed. The doctor thought he heard the bellow of a walrus. They +listened. No, not a walrus, but a bear! Hark, hear him roar! They sprung +to the ice-foot, about ten feet above the floe. Another roar, round and +full! He is drawing nearer! He has a fine voice, and, no doubt, is +large, and fat, and savory! But then a bear must be killed before he is +eaten, and that is just where the difficulty lies. It don't do for two +men to run, for that is an invited pursuit, and bears are good runners. +"Hans!" exclaimed Dr. Kane, "run for the brig, and I will play decoy!" +Hans is a good runner, and this time he did "his level best." + +Dr. Kane remains on the ice-foot alone. It is too dark to see many yards +off, and the silence is oppressive, for the bear says nothing, and so +Kane makes no reply. He queries whether, after all, there is any bear. +How easy it is for the imagination to be excited amid these shadowy +hummocks, and this dreary waste through which the wind roars so +dismally! He gets down from his comparatively safe elevation upon the +floe, puts his hand over his eyes, and peers into the darkness. No bear +after all! But what's that rounded, shadowy thing? Stained ice? Yes, +stained ice! But the stained ice speaks with a voice which wakes the +Arctic echoes, and charges on our explorer. It is a hungry bear! Dr. +Kane's legs are scurvy-smitten affairs, but this time they credit the +fleetness of those of the deer. He drops a mitten, and his pursuer stops +to smell of it, to examine it carefully, and to show his disgust at such +game, by tearing it to pieces. These bears are famous for losing the +bird by stopping to pick up his feathers. The man stops not, but drops +another mitten as he flies. Before these articles are duly examined he +has reached the brig. Dr. Kane has escaped, and the bear has lost his +supper. + +It is now bruin's turn to run, for fresh hunters and loaded rifles are +after him. He does run, and escapes! + +But if there were fears without the brig, there were fightings with a +fearful enemy within. The crowded condition of the cabin, after the +Hayes party returned, made it necessary for the pork-fat lamps to be set +up outside the avenue, in a room parted off in the hold for their use. A +watch was set over them, but he deserted his post, the fat flamed over +and set the room ablaze. Eight of the men lay in their berths at the +time helplessly disabled. The fire was only a few feet from the +tinder-like moss which communicated with the cabin. The men able to work +seized buckets, and formed a line to the well in the ice always kept +open. In the mean time Dr. Kane rushed into the flames with some fur +robes which lay at hand, and checked it for the moment. The water then +came, and the first bucket full thrown caused a smoke and steam which +prostrated him. Fortunately, in falling he struck the feet of the +foremost bucket-man. He was taken to the deck, his beard, forelock, and +eyebrows singed away, and sad burns upon his forehead and palms. Nearly +all received burns and frost-bites, but in a half hour the fire was +extinguished. The danger was horrid, and the escape wonderful! Neither +wild beasts nor the flames hurt whom God protects! + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +SEEKING THE ESQUIMO. + + +DECEMBER twenty-fifth came, and our ice-bound, darkness-enshrouded, +sick, or, in a measure, health-broken explorers tried to make it a merry +Christmas. They all sat down to dinner together. "There was more love +than with the stalled ox of former times, but of herbs none." They +tried, at least, to forget their discomforts in the blessings they still +retained, and to look hopefully on the long distance, and the many +conflicts between them and their home and friends. + +Immediately after Christmas a series of attempts were commenced to open +a communication with the Esquimo at Etah, ninety-one miles away. The +supply of fresh meat was exhausted. The traps yielded nothing, and +Hans's hunting could not go on successfully in the dark. The +scurvy-smitten men were failing for the want of it, and so every thing +must be periled to make the journey. The first thing to be done was to +put the dogs, if possible, into traveling order. They were now few in +number, for fifty had died, and the survivors had been kept on short +rations. Their dead companions, which had been preserved in a frozen +state, were boiled and fed to them for fresh food. Dog _did_ eat dog, +and relished and grew stronger on the diet. + +Dr. Kane and Petersen made the first attempt, starting on the +twenty-ninth of December. They had scarcely reached the forsaken huts of +Anoatok, "the wind-loved spot," so often used as a resting place, when +the dogs failed. A storm, with a bitter, pelting snow-drift, confined +them awhile. An incident occurred here--one of the many which happened +to the explorers--which shows plainly the unseen, but ever present, eye +and hand which attended them. + +They were just losing themselves in sleep when Petersen shouted: +"Captain Kane, the lamp's out!" His commander heard him with a thrill of +horror! The storm was increasing, the cold piercing, and the darkness +intense. The tinder had become moist and was frozen solid. The guns were +outside, to keep them from the moisture of the hut. The only hope of +heat was in relighting the lamp. A lighted lamp and heat they _must_ +have. Petersen tried to obtain fire from a pocket-pistol, but his only +tinder was moss, and after repeated attempts he gave it up. Dr. Kane +then tried. He says:-- + +"By good luck I found a bit of tolerably dry paper in my jumper; and, +becoming apprehensive that Petersen would waste our few percussion caps +with his ineffectual snappings, I took the pistol myself. It was so +intensely dark that I had to grope for it, and in doing so touched his +hand. At that instant the pistol became distinctly visible. A pale, +bluish light, slightly tremulous but not broken, covered the metallic +parts of it, the barrel, lock, and trigger. The stock too was clearly +discernible, as if by the reflected light, and, to the amazement of both +of us, the thumb and two fingers with which Petersen was holding it, the +creases, wrinkles, and circuit of the nails, clearly defined upon the +skin. The phosphorescence was not unlike the ineffectual fire of the +glowworm. As I took the pistol my hand became illuminated also, and so +did the powder-rubbed paper when I raised it against the muzzle. + +"The paper did not ignite at the first trial, but the light from it +continuing, I was able to charge the pistol without difficulty, rolled +up my paper into a cone, filled it with moss sprinkled over with powder, +and held it in my hand while I fired. This time I succeeded in producing +flame, and we saw no more of the phosphorescence." + +When the storm subsided they made further experiment to reach Etah. But +dogs and men found the wading impossible, and they returned to the brig, +the dogs going ahead and the men walking after them. They made the +forty-four miles of their circuitous route in sixteen hours! + +Thus closed the year 1854. + +The three following weeks were mainly occupied by Dr. Kane in a careful +preparation for another attempt to reach Etah, this time with Hans. Old +Yellow, one of the five dogs on which success in a measure depended, +stalked about the deck with "his back up," as much as to say, "I must +have more to eat if I am going." Jenny, a mother dog, had quite a family +of little ones. Yellow being very hungry, and not seeing the use of such +young folks, gobbled one of them down before his master could say, +"Don't you." Dr. Kane taking the hint, and thinking that the puppies +would not be dogs soon enough for his use, shared with Yellow the rest +of the litter. So both grew stronger for the journey. + +The new year, 1855, came in with a vail of darkness over the prospects +of our explorers. The sick list was large, and threatened to include the +whole party. A fox was caught occasionally, and beyond this stinted +supply there was no fresh meat. On Tuesday, January twenty-third, the +commander and Hans, with the dog-team, turned their faces toward the +Esquimo. All went well for a while, until hope rose of accomplishing the +journey, getting savory walrus, and cheering their sinking comrades. +Suddenly, Big Yellow, in spite of nice puppy soup, gave out, and went +into convulsions. Toodla, the next best animal, failed soon after. The +moon went down, and the dark night was upon the beset but not confounded +heroes. Groping for the ice-foot, they trudged fourteen wretched hours, +and reached the old _igloe_ at Anoatok. The inevitable storm arose, with +its burden of snow driven by a strange, moistening southeast wind, +burying the hut deep and warm. The temperature rose seventy degrees! An +oppressive sensation attacked Dr. Kane and Hans, and alarming symptoms +were developed. Water ran down from the roof, the doctor's sleeping bag +of furs was saturated, and his luxurious eider down, God's wonderful +cold defier, was "a wet swab." + +After two days in this comfortless hut, the storm having subsided, they +once again pushed toward Etah! Their sick, failing comrades were the +spur to this desperate effort. But it was in vain, for the deep, moist +snow, the hummocks and the wind, defied even desperate courage. They +returned to the hut and spent another wretched night. + +In the morning, in spite of short provisions, exhaustion, continued +snowing, they climbed the ice-foot, and for four haltless hours faced +toward the Esquimo! But in vain. Dr. Kane says: "My poor Esquimo, Hans, +adventurous and buoyant as he was, began to cry like a child. Sick, worn +out, strength gone, dogs fast and floundering, I am not ashamed to admit +that, as I thought of the sick men on board, my own equanimity was at +fault." + +Dr. Kane scrambled up a familiar hill that was near and reconnoitered. +He was delighted to see, winding among the hummocks, a level way! He +called Hans to see it. With fresh dogs and fresh supplies, they could +certainly reach Etah. So, after another night at the hut, they returned +to the brig, comforting the sick with the assurance that success would +come on the next trial. + +The month closed with only five effective men, including the commander, +and of these some were about as much sick as well. Dr. Kane could not +be spared from his patients, so, February third, Petersen and Hans tried +another Etah adventure. In three days they returned, with a sorrowful +tale from poor Petersen of heroic efforts ending in exhaustion and +defeat. + +But God always sent many rays of light through the densest darkness +besetting our explorers to cheer them and inspire hope. The yellow tints +of coming sunlight were at noonday faintly painted on the horizon. The +rabbits prophesied the spring by appearing abroad, and two were shot. +They yielded a pint of raw blood, which the sickest drank as a grateful +cordial. Their flesh was also eaten raw, and with great thankfulness. + +Following these moments of comfort came a dismal and anxious night. +Thick clouds over-spread the sky, a heavy mist rendered the darkness +appalling, followed by a drifting snow and a fearful storm. The wind +howled and shrieked through the rigging of the helpless, battered brig, +as if in mockery of her condition and the sufferings of her inmates. +Goodfellow had gone inland with his gun during the brief day, and had +not returned. Roman candles and bluelights were burned to guide him +homeward. Altogether it was a night to excite the superstitious fears of +the sailors, and they proved to be not beyond the reach of such fears. +Tom Hickey, the cook, having been on deck while the gale was in its full +strength, to peer into the darkness for him, ran below declaring that he +had seen Goodfellow moving cautiously along the land-ice and jump down +on the floe. He hurried up his supper to give the tired messmate a warm +welcome, but no one came. Dr. Kane went out with a lantern, looked +carefully around for some hundreds of yards, but found no fresh +footsteps. Tom seriously insisted that he had seen Goodfellow's +apparition! + +Such was the state of things when one of the sailors went on deck. There +was hanging in the rigging an old seal-skin bag containing the remnant +of the ship's furs. Its ghostly appearance in ordinary darkness had been +the occasion of much jesting. Now, to the excited imagination of the +sailor, it pounded the mast like the gloved fist of a giant boxer, +glowed with a ghastly light, and muttered to him an unearthly story. He +did not stop to converse with it, but hastened below with the expression +of his fears. His messmates laughed and jeered at his tale, but their +merriment was but the whistling to inspire their own courage. + +The morning came and so did Goodfellow, none the worse for his night's +experience. The storm subsided, Hans killed three rabbits, they all +tasted a little and felt better, and the seal-skin bag was never known +from that time to utter a word. _Fears_ may endure for a night but joy +cometh in the morning! Dr. Kane devoutly remarks: "See how often relief +has come at the moment of extremity; see, still more, how the back has +been strengthened to its increasing burden, and the heart cheered by +some unconscious influence of an unseen POWER." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +DESERTERS. + + +HANS had been for some time promising the hungry company a deer. He had +seen their tracks, and he was watching for them with a good rifle, a +keen eye, and a steady hand. He came in on the evening of February +twenty-second with the good news that he had lodged a ball in one at a +long range, and that he went hobbling away. He was sure he should find +him dead in the morning. The morning came and the game was found, having +staggered, bleeding, only two miles. He was a noble fellow, measuring in +length six feet and two inches, and five feet in girth. He weighed about +one hundred and eighty pounds when dressed. The enfeebled men with +difficulty drew him on board. His presence caused a thrill of joy, and +his luscious flesh sent its invigoration through their emaciated frames. + +The following Sunday, as Dr. Kane was standing on deck thinking of their +situation, he lifted up his eyes toward a familiar berg, for many months +shrouded in darkness, and saw it sparkling in the sunlight. The King of +Day was not yet above the intervening hills, but he had sent his sheen +to proclaim his coming. Glad as a boy whom the full mid-winter moon +invites to a coasting frolic, he started on a run, climbed the +elevations, and bathed in his refreshing rays. + +During the month of February, Petersen, Hans, and Godfrey had been sent +out on the track of the Esquimo, but they returned and declared that +Etah could not be reached. Their commander said, "Nay, it can!" + +By the sixth of March the brig was again without fresh meat. The sick +were once more suffering for it, and the well growing feeble. Hans, the +resort in such emergencies, was given a light sledge, the two surviving +dogs, and to him was committed the forlorn hope. His departure called +forth from his commander a "God bless you!" and prayers followed him. + +His story is simple and touching. He lodged the first night in the +"wind-loved," forsaken, desolate, yet friendly hut of Anoatok. He slept +as well as he could in a temperature fifty-three degrees below zero. The +next night he slept in a friendly hut at Etah. The oft-tried feat was +accomplished. But he found the Etahites lean and hungry. Hollow cheeks +and sunken eyes spoke of famine. The skin of a young sea-unicorn, their +last game, was all of food which remained to the settlement. They had +even eaten their light and fire blubber, and were seated in darkness, +gloomily waiting for the sun and the hunt. They had eaten, too, all but +four of their ample supply of dogs. + +They hailed the coming of Hans with a shout. He proposed to join them in +a hunt, but they shook their heads. They had lost a harpoon and line in +the attempt to take a walrus the day before. The ice was yet thick, and +the huge monster in his struggles had broken the line over its sharp +edge. Hans showed them his "boom," and bidding them come on, started for +the hunting-grounds. Metek--Mr. Eider Duck--speared a fair-sized walrus, +and Hans gave him five conical balls in quick succession from a Marston +rifle, and he surrendered at discretion. + +The return of the hunters caused great joy in the city of Etah, whose +two huts poured out their inhabitants to greet their coming, and aid in +rendering due honors to the game itself. As usual they laughed, feasted, +and slept, to awake, laugh, eat, and sleep again. Hans and his boom were +great in their eyes, but the Kablunah, whose representative he was, rose +before their vision as the glorious sun which scatters the long winter +darkness. + +Hans obtained a hunter's share, and his appearance on the deck of the +"Advance," heralded by the yelping of the dogs, sent a thrill of joy +through every heart. As Dr. Kane grasped his hand on the deck, and began +to listen to his story, he exclaimed: "Speak louder, Hans, that they may +hear in the bunks!" The bunks did hear, and feel too, as the good news +came home to their hunger-wasted bodies in refreshing food. + +As the commander had requested, Hans brought Myouk with him to assist in +hunting. The smart young hunter was delighted to be with the white men, +though his itching fingers would secrete cups, spoons, and other +valuables, which were made to come back to their proper places by sundry +cuffs and kicks, which, though perhaps not altogether pleasant of +themselves, caused him to cuddle down in his buffalo at his master's +feet like a whipped spaniel, and their relations grew daily more +enjoyable. + +Hans and Myouk made soon after an unsuccessful hunt. This made the fresh +meat question come up again with its emphatic importance. The fuel +question, too, was becoming more and more a cause of concern. The +manilla cable had been chopped up and burned, and such portions of the +brig as could be spared, and not destroy her sea-going value, had gone +in the same way. Now the nine feet of solid ice in which she was +imbedded seemed to say that she would never float again, so she might as +well yield her planks to the fire. But to see her thus used went to the +hearts of her gallant men. + +On the nineteenth of March Hans was dispatched to the Esquimo, well +supplied with the first quality of cord for their harpoons, and such +other prompters to, and helps in, the walrus hunt as occurred to his +commander. He would bless thereby and please these starving people, +hoping that the blessing would return in the form of fresh walrus to him +and his suffering men. + +During the absence of Hans there were unusual and painful developments +at the brig. William Godfrey and John Blake had given Dr. Kane much +trouble from the first. They were now evidently bent on mischief, and +made constant watchfulness over them a necessity. Just as Hans left they +feigned sickness, and were suspected of desiring rest and recruited +strength for desertion. Their plan was believed to be to waylay Hans and +get his sledge and dogs. Dr. Kane contrived so shrewdly to keep one of +them at work under his eye, and the other in some other place, that they +did not perceive his suspicions of them. One night Bill was heard to say +that some time during the following day he should leave, and this was +reported to the commander by a faithful listener. He was, of course +watched, and at six o'clock was called to prepare breakfast. This he +commenced doing uneasily, stealing whispers with John. Finally he seemed +at his ease, and cooked and served the breakfast. Dr. Kane believed he +meant to slip out the first opportunity, meet John on deck, and desert; +he therefore armed himself, threw on his furs, made Bonsall and Morton +acquainted with his plans, and crept out of the dark avenue and hid near +its entrance. After an hour of cold waiting John crept out, grunting and +limping, for he had been feigning lameness, looked quickly round, and +seeing no one, mounted nimbly the stairs to the deck. Ten minutes later +Godfrey came out, booted and fur-clad for a journey. As he emerged from +the tossut his commander confronted him, pistol in hand. He was ordered +back to the cabin, while Morton compelled John's return, and Bonsall +guarded the door preventing any one passing out. In a few moments John +came creeping into the cabin, awful lame and terribly exhausted in his +effort to breathe a little fresh air on deck. He looked amazed as by the +glare of the light he saw the situation. + +The commander then explained to the company the offenses of the +culprits, giving from the log-book the details of their plotting. He had +prepared himself for the occasion, and Bill, the principal, was punished +on the spot. He confessed his guiltiness, promised good behavior, and in +view of the few men able to work, his hand-cuffs were removed and he was +sent about his customary business. In an hour after he deserted. Dr. +Kane was at the moment away hunting, and his escape was not noticed +until he was beyond the reach of a rifle ball. + +The next two weeks were weary, anxious weeks, though the ever-watchful +Hand tendered in good time occasion for hope. Six sea-fowl and three +hares were shot by Petersen, and gave indispensable refreshment to the +sick. + +On the second of April, just before noon, a man was seen, with a +dog-sledge, lurking behind the hummocks near the brig. Dr. Kane went out +armed to meet him. It proved to be Godfrey the deserter, who, seeing his +old comrades, left the sledge and run. Leaving Bonsall with his rifle to +make sure of the sledge, the doctor gave chase, and the fugitive, seeing +but one following, stopped and turned around. He said he had made up +his mind to spend the rest of his life with Kalutunah and the Esquimo, +and that no persuasion nor force should prevent him. A loaded pistol +presented at his head did, though, persuade him to return to the brig. +When he reached the gangway he refused to budge another step. Petersen +was away hunting, Bonsall and Dr. Kane were so weak that they could +barely stand, and all the other men, thirteen, were prostrated with the +scurvy, so that they could not compel him by physical force. As the +doctor was desirous not to hurt him, he left him under the guardianship +of Bonsall's weapons while he went below for irons. Just as he returned +to the deck Godfrey turned and fled. Bonsall presented his pistol, which +exploded the cap only. Kane seized a rifle, but being affected by the +cold, it went off in the act of cocking. A second gun, fired in haste at +a long range, missed its mark. So the rebel made good his retreat. + +He had come back with Hans' sledge and dogs, and reported him sick at +Etah from over exhaustion. But there was one consolation in the +affair--the sledge was loaded with walrus-meat. The feast that followed +revived the drooping men wonderfully. They ate, were thankful, and +looked hopefully on the future. + +Godfrey was suspected of having come back to get John. The desertion of +two well men when so many were sick would imperil the lives of all. The +commander felt that the safety of the whole required the faithfulness of +each man, he therefore explained the situation to the men and declared +his determination to punish desertion, or the attempt to desert, by the +"sternest penalty." + +Hans became now the subject of anxiety. Some unfair dealing toward him +on the part of Godfrey was feared. It was thought but just that he +should be sought, and, if in trouble, relieved. But who should go? Dr. +Kane finally resolved to go after him himself. Besides, the question of +more walrus was again pressing. + +April tenth the doctor was off. The first eleven hours the dogs carried +him sixty-four miles, a most remarkable speed for their short rations. + +While thus speeding along, far out on the floe, he spied a black speck +in-shore away to the south. Was it some cheat of refraction? He paused, +took his gun, and sighted the object, a device of old Arctic travelers +to baffle refraction. It is an animal--yes, a man! Away went the dogs, +ten miles an hour, while the rider cheated them with the shout, +"Nannook! nannook!"--a bear! a bear! In a few moments Hans and the +doctor were in grateful, earnest talk. He had really been sick. He had +been down five days, and, as he expressed it, still felt "a little +weak." He took his commander's place on the sledge and both went to the +friendly hut at Anoatok, where hot tea and rest prepared both for the +return to the brig. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +CLOSING INCIDENTS OF THE IMPRISONMENT. + + +HANS had his story of adventure while at Etah. But the most important +item in his estimation, and that which might prove far reaching in its +results, was the fact that a young daughter of Sunghu appointed herself +his nurse during his sickness, bestowing upon him care, sympathy, and +bewitching smiles. She had evidently done what Godfrey tried in vain to +do--she had entrapped him, at the expense, too, of a young Esquimo lady +at Upernavik. + +Hans had been successful in the hunt, and, besides what he had sent by +Godfrey, had deposited some walrus at Littleton Island. He was at once +sent after this, and intrusted at the same time with an important +commission. Dr. Kane had been for some time meditating another trip +toward the polar sea. To do this he desired more dogs. The Esquimo had +been reducing their stock to keep away starvation, but Kalutunah had +retained four. These, and such others as he could find, Hans was +authorized to buy or hire, at almost any price. This northern trip made, +the next move might be toward the abandonment of the "Advance." She +could never float, it was plain, for now, late in April, the open water +was eighty miles south. + +While Hans was gone, the sick, yet numbering two thirds of the whole, +and in a measure all of the other third, except the commander, were +without fresh food, as they had been for several days. Yet the sunshine +and the occasional supplies had put them all on the improving list. They +could sit up, sew or job a little, making themselves useful, and keeping +up good spirits. But, hark! what sound is that breaking on the still, +clear air. It comes nearer. Bim, bim, bim, sounds upon the deck. It is +Hans, whose coming is ever like the coming of the morning. A rabbit-stew +and walrus liver follow his arrival, and over such royal dainties good +cheer pervades the family circle. + +Hans brought Metek with him, and Metek's young nephew, Paulik, a boy of +fourteen. Metek and Hans spoke sadly of the condition of the Esquimo +settlements. We have seen that the escaping party found those of the +south flying northward from starvation. The report now was that they had +huddled together at Northumberland Island until that yielded to the +famine, and now they had come farther north. It was a sad sight to see +men, women, and children fleeing over the icy desert before their +relentless foe. Yet, says Hans, they sung as they went, careless of +present want, and thoughtless of the morrow. Many had died, and thus +year by year these few, scattered, improvident people decline, giving +earnest that in a few years all will be gone. + +Though light-hearted, death did bring its sorrows to these benighted +heathen. Kalutunah lost a sister; her body was sewed up in skins, not +in a sitting posture but extended, and her husband, unattended, carried +it out to burial, and, with his own hand, placed upon it stone after +stone, making at once a grave and a monument. A blubber lamp was burning +outside the hut while he was gone, and when he returned his friends were +waiting to listen to his rehearsal of the praises of the dead, and to +hear the expressions of his sorrow, while they showed their grief by +dismal chantings. + +If sorrow did not keep the deceased in the memory of the living, imposed +self-denials did. The Angekok, or medicine man, as our Indians would +call him, determines the penance of the mourner, who is sometimes +forbidden to eat the meat of a certain bird or beast, under the idea +that the spirit of the departed has entered into it; at another time the +mourner must not draw on his hood, but go with uncovered head; or he may +be forbidden to go on the bear or walrus hunt. The length of time of +these penances may be a few months or a year. The reader will recollect +the widow with her birds, who appeared so often in the narrative of the +escaping party. + +Though thus mourning for the dead, these Esquimo do not hold life as a +very sacred trust. The drones and the useless are sometimes harpooned in +the back merely to get rid of them. Infants are put out of the way when +they greatly annoy their parents. Hans, on one of his returns from Etah, +had a story to tell illustrative of this. Awahtok, a young man of +twenty-two, had a pretty wife--_pretty_ as Esquimo beauty goes--sister +of Kalutunah, and about eighteen years old. Dr. Kane had regarded this +couple with some interest, and the husband "stuck to him as a plaster." +Their first-born was a fine little girl. Well, Hans reported with +becoming disgust and indignation that they had buried it alive under a +pile of stones! When Dr. Kane next visited Etah he inquired of his +friends Awahtok and his wife after the health of the baby, affecting not +to have heard about its hard fate. They pointed with both hands +earthward, but did not even shed the cheap, customary tear. The only +reason reported for this murder was, that certain of its habits, common +to all infants, were disagreeable to them! + +Such is the mildest heathenism without Christianity. These and other +similar gross sins were common among the South Greenland Esquimo, but +have disappeared before the teachings of the Moravian missionaries. + +Hans returned with the walrus he had deposited at Littleton Island, but +he had made no progress in getting dogs, so Dr. Kane resolved to go to +Etah for that purpose himself. Besides, having learned that Godfrey was +playing a high game there and defying capture, and also fearing his +influence over the friendly relations of the Esquimo, he resolved to +bring him back to the brig. Metek was just starting for Etah, so he +invited himself to return with him, while Paulik, his nephew, remained +with Hans. This arrangement effected, Dr. Kane was soon approaching +Etah, perfectly disguised in the hood and jumper of Paulik, whose place +on the sledge he occupied. The whole city ran out to meet their chief, +among whom was the deserter, who shouted, and then threw up his arms +with the most savage of them. He did not perceive his commander until a +certain well understood summons entered his ear, and a significant +pistol barrel gleamed in the sunlight near his eyes. He surrendered to +this "boom" argument without discussion, and trotting or walking, he +kept his assigned place ahead of the sledge through the eighty and more +miles to the brig, halting only at Anoatok. We hear nothing of further +attempt at desertion. + +A little later Dr. Kane made another visit to Etah. The hunt had become +successful, and the famine was broken; all was activity and good cheer. +The women were preparing the green hides for domestic use. Great piles +of walrus tushes were preserved for various useful purposes; some of +these the children had selected as bats, and were engaged in merry +sport. Their game was to knock a ball made of walrus bone up the +slanting side of a hummock, and then, in turn, hit it as it rolled down, +and so keep it from reaching the floe. They shouted and laughed as the +game went on, much as our boys do over their sports. + +Dr. Kane observed on this trip a way of taking walrus which has not, we +think, been noted before. The monster at this early season sometimes +finds the ice open near a berg only. He comes on the ice to sun +himself; finds the change from the cold sea very agreeable, stays too +long, the water freezes solid, and he cannot return. As he is unable to +break the ice from above, he either waits for the current about the berg +to open the ice again, or works himself clumsily to some already open +place. In this helpless state the dogs scent him afar off, and the +hunters, following their lead, make him an easy prey. + +Hans came in on the twenty-fourth of April, accompanied by Kalutunah, +Shanghee, and Tatterat, each of the Esquimo having sledges, and sixteen +dogs in all. Hans had been sent to Cape Alexander, where Kalutunah was +sojourning, to invite him to the brig in order to secure his aid in the +proposed northern trip. He was fed well, and propitiated by a present of +a knife and needles. He said, "Thank you," and added, "I love you well," +which might uncharitably be taken to mean, "I love your presents well." +The result of the presents, feasting, and flattery was a start north by +the three Esquimo, with Dr. Kane and Hans, all the dog teams +accompanying. The old route across Kennedy Channel to the west side, and +so north-poleward, was attempted. First came a very fair progress; then +came the hummocks, over which, by the aid of their dogs, they clambered +until thirty miles from the brig had been made. Then Shanghee burrowed +into a snow-bank and slept, the cold being thirty degrees below zero; +the rest camped in the snow and lunched. Just as a fair start was again +made, the party neared a huge male bear in the act of lunching on seal. +In vain the doctor attempted to control either dogs or drivers. +"Nannook! nannook!" shouted the Esquimo as they clung to their sledges, +and the dogs flew over the ice in wild and reckless pursuit. After an +exciting chase the bear was brought to a halt and to a fight, which the +rifles and spears soon terminated against bruin. A feast by dogs and +men, and a night's halt on the ice followed, to Dr. Kane, at least, both +vexatious and comfortless. + +The next day he would press on to the north. But bear tracks were +every-where, and the savage chiefs preferred hunting to exploring; +besides, they had, they said, their families to support, and there was +no use trying to cross the channel so high up. The English of it was, we +are "going in" for the bears, and you may help yourself. A day more was +spent in a wild hunt among the bergs, and the party returned to the +brig. + +A little later still another attempt was made to unlock further the +secrets of the extreme icy north, this time by only Kane and Morton with +a six-dog sledge, the explorers walking. This, the last effort of the +kind, ended in the usual way, excepting some additions to the surveys. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +HOMEWARD BOUND. + + +THE final escape from the brig must now be commenced. From the early +fall its necessity had been thought of, and preparations for it +commenced. Since the sick had begun to improve, the work in reference to +it had been going on with system. Coverlets of eider down, beds, or furs +which could be used as such, boots, moccasins, a full supply to meet +emergencies, were prepared. Provision bags were made and filled with +powder, ship-bread, pork-fat, and tallow melted down, and cooked +concentrated bean soup. The flour and meat biscuit were put in double +bags. Two boats had been made from the ship's beams twenty-six feet +long, seven feet across, and three feet deep. Incredible toil by weak +and sick men had been expended upon these boats. A neat "housing" of +light canvas was raised over each of them. One other boat, the "Red +Eric," was in readiness. There was no assurance that either of these +boats would long float, yet all was done which the circumstances allowed +to make them sea-worthy. + +The three boats were mounted on sledges. The necessary outfit, so far as +they could bear, was to be stowed away in them. + +Every thing being in readiness, a vast amount of _thinking_ having been +employed by the commander in reference to all contingencies, a +peremptory order of march was issued for the seventeenth of May. The men +were given twenty-four hours to get ready eight pounds of such personal +effects as they chose. From the date of starting the strictest +discipline and subordination was to be observed, which came hard upon +the long-indulged, improving sick ones. The perfectness of the +preparations had a good effect, yet there were many moody doubters. Some +insisted that the commander only meant to go further south, holding the +brig to fall back upon; some thought he would get the sick nearer the +hunting grounds; others believed that his purpose was to secure some +point of lookout for the English explorers, or whaling vessels. + +When the memorable day of departure came, the boats were in the cradle +on the sledges, and the men, with straps over their shoulders and +drag-ropes from these to the sledges, started for the ice-foot along +which they were to travel. They had not yet received their loads, so +they glided off easily, exciting a smile on some rueful countenances. + +In twenty-four hours the boats were laden, on the elevated drive-way, +covered with their canvas roof, and, with a jaunty flag flying, were +ready for a final leave the next day. The exhausted men, for nearly all +of them were yet invalids, returned to the vessel, ate the best supper +the supplies afforded, "turned in," prepared for their first effort at +dragging the boat-laden sledges. + +But one sledge could be moved at once, with all hands attached; the +first day they made two miles only with this one. For several days they +made short distances and returned early to a hearty supper and warm beds +in their old quarters, so that they marched back to the drag-ropes in +the morning refreshed. The weather was, by the kind, overruling Hand, +"superb." + +The final leave-taking was somewhat ceremonious. All the men were +assembled in the dismantled room which had been so long both a prison +and providential home. It was Sunday; all listened to a chapter of the +Bible, and prayers. Then, all silently standing, the commander read a +prepared report of what had been done, and the reasons for the step +about to be taken. He then addressed the company, honestly conceding the +obstacles in the way of escape, but assuring them that energy and +subordination would secure success. He reminded them of the solemn +claims upon them of the sick and wounded; called to their minds the +wonderful deliverance granted them thus far by the infinite Power, and +exhorted them still confidently to commit all to the same Helper. + +The response to this appeal was most cheering to Dr. Kane. The following +engagement was drawn up by one of the officers and signed by every +man:-- + +"The undersigned, being convinced of the impossibility of the +liberation of the brig, and equally convinced of the impossibility of +remaining in the ice a third winter, do fervently concur with the +commander in his attempt to reach the south by means of boats. + +"Knowing the trials and hardships which are before us, and feeling the +necessity of union, harmony, and discipline, we have determined to abide +faithfully by the expedition and our sick comrades, and to do all that +we can, as true men, to advance the objects in view." + +The party now went on deck, hoisted a flag and hauled it down again, and +then marched once or twice around the vessel. The figure head--the fair +Augusta--"the little blue girl with pink cheeks," was taken by the men +and added to their load. She had been nipped and battered by the ice, +and a common suffering made her dear to them. When Dr. Kane remonstrated +against the additional burden, they said: "She is, at any rate, wood, +and if we cannot carry her far we can burn her." + +The final departure was too serious for cheers, and when the moment came +they all hurried off to the boats and the drag-ropes. + +Four men were sick, and had to be carried; and Dr. Kane was with the +dog-team the common carrier and courier, as we shall see, so that there +were but twelve men to the boats; these were organized into two +companies, six each, for the two sledges; M'Gary having command of the +"Faith," and Morton command of the "Hope." Each party was separate in +matters of baggage, sleeping, cooking, and eating; both were +concentrated, in turns, upon each sledge under the command of Brooks. +Both morning and evening of each day all gathered round, with uncovered +heads, to listen to prayers. Every one had his assigned place at the +track-line; each served in turn as cook, except the captains. + +From an early day of the preparations, Dr. Kane had been at work +refitting and furnishing the broken-down, forsaken hut at Anoatok. For +this purpose many trips were made to it with the dog-team; it was made +tight as possible; the filth carefully removed; cushions and blankets +were spread upon the raised floor at the sides and a stove set up; +blankets were hung up against the walls, and the whole made to look as +cheerful as possible. While the sledges were approaching this place by +short stages, Dr. Kane, with his team, brought to the hut the four sick +men; they were Goodfellow, Wilson, Whipple, and Stephenson. Dr. Hayes, +yet limping on his frozen foot, bravely adhered to the sledges. When the +sick entered the hut none could wait upon the others, except Stephenson, +who could barely light the lamp, to melt the snow and heat the water. +But Dr. Kane made them frequent visits, supplying their wants, and +reporting the daily progress toward them of their whole company. They +grew better, and were able to creep out into the sunshine. Besides +carrying the sick to Anoatok, Dr. Kane had, with his dogs, conveyed +there and stocked near the hut most of the provisions for their march +and voyage; eight hundred pounds out of fifteen were now there, and he +proposed to convey the rest. This was done to relieve the overladen +sledges. + +The red boat--"Red Eric"--joined the party on the floe a few days after +the start, increasing their burden, but assuring them of increased +comfort and safety when they reached the open water. + +One incident of this period will illustrate its hardships and the +Christian courage with which they were met. + +It was soon after the last sick man was borne to the hut that Dr. Kane, +having, in one of his dog-team trips, camped on the floe, came upon the +boat party early in the morning. They were at prayers at the moment, +and, as they passed to the drag-ropes, he was pained at the evidence of +increased scurvy and depression. Brooks's legs were sadly swollen, and +Hayes ready to faint with exhaustion. They must have more generous +meals, thought the noble-hearted commander. Taking Morton, he hastened +back to the brig. As they entered a raven flew croaking away; he had +already made his home there. Lighting the fires in the old cook-room, +they melted pork, cooked a large batch of _light_ bread without salt, +saleratus, or shortening, gathered together some eatable, though +damaged, dried apples and beans, and, the dogs having fed, hastened back +to the men on the floe. Distributing a good supper to their comrades as +they passed, and taking Godfrey along with them, they hastened to the +hut. The poor fellows confined in it were rejoiced to see them. They +had eaten all their supplies, their lamp had gone out, the snow had +piled up at the door so that they could not close it, and the arctic +wind and cold were making free in their never-too-warm abode. The poor +fellows were cold, sick, and hungry. The coming of their commander was +as the coming of an angel messenger of good tidings. He closed their +door, made a fire of tarred rope, dried their clothes and bedding, +cooked them a porridge of pea-soup and meat-biscuit, and set their +lamp-wick ablaze with dripping pork-fat. Then, after all had joined in +prayer of thankfulness, a well relished meal was eaten. This was +followed by a cheerful chat, and a long, refreshing forgetfulness in +their sleeping-bags of all privations. When they awoke the gale had +grown more tempestuous, with increasing snow. But they went on burning +rope and fat until every icicle had disappeared, and every frost mark +had faded out. + +On their arrival at the hut the night before, Dr. Kane, seeing the +condition of things, sent Godfrey forward to Etah for fresh supplies of +game. After a time he returned with Metek, and the two sledges well +laden with meat. A part of this was hurried off to the toilers at the +drag-ropes. + +Having blessed by his coming these weary voyagers, Dr. Kane, with +Morton, Metek, and his sledge, went once more to the brig. They baked a +hundred and fifty pounds of bread and sent it by Metek to Mr. Brooks, +and the faithful messenger, having delivered it, returned immediately +for another load. While he was gone, a hundred pounds of flour pudding +was made, and two bagfuls of pork-fat tried out. This done, the three +lay down upon the curled hair of the old mattresses, they having been +ripped open and their contents drawn out to make the most comfortable +bed the place afforded. They slept as soundly "as vagrants on a +haystack." + +The next day they set their faces toward the sledge company and Anoatok, +both sledges having heavy loads, which included the last of the fifteen +hundred pounds of provisions. + +Dr. Kane had made one of his last trips to the brig: he would return for +provisions only; but all his specimens of Natural History, collected +with much toil, his books, and many of his well-tested instruments, he +was compelled to leave. His six dogs had carried him, during the +fortnight since the company left the brig, between seven and eight +hundred miles, averaging about fifty-seven miles a day. But for their +services the sick could scarcely have been saved, and the rest would +have suffered more intensely. + +Leaving, as usual, a part of the food with Mr. Brooks's party, they +hastened on to replenish the stores and cheer the hearts of the lonely +dwellers in the hut. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +NARROW ESCAPES. + + +HAVING brought forward the provisions to Anoatok, Dr. Kane, with the +help of Metek and his dogs, began to remove them still farther south, +making one deposit near Cape Hatherton, and the other yet farther, near +Littleton Island. But an immediate journey to Etah for walrus had become +necessary. The hard-working men were improving on this greasy food, and +they wanted it in abundance. Dr. Kane found the Etahites fat and full. +He left his weary, well-worn dogs to recruit on their abundance, and +returned with their only team, which was well fed and fresh. They made +the trade without any grumbling. + +When he came back the Brooks party were within three miles of Anoatok. +They were getting along bravely and eating voraciously, and the old cry, +"more provisions!" saluted the commander. Leaving the dogs to aid in +transferring the stores to the southern stations, Dr. Kane and Irish Tom +Hickey started afoot to the brig to do another baking. It was a sixteen +hours' tramp. But ere they slept they converted nearly a barrel of +flour, the last of the stock, into the staff of life. An old +pickled-cabbage cask was used as a kneading trough, and sundry volumes +of the "Penny Cyclopedia of Useful Knowledge" were burned during the +achievement. Tom declared the work done to be worthy of his own +country's bakers, and he had been one "of them same," so he deemed that +praise enough. When the doctor lamented that the flour so used was the +last of the stock, Tom exclaimed: "All the better, sir, since we'll have +no more bread to make." + +Godfrey came to the brig on the third day, with the dogs, to carry back +the baking. But a howling storm delayed them all on board. It was +Sunday, and the last time that Dr. Kane expected to be in the cabin with +any of his men. He took down a Bible from one of the berths and went +through the long-used religious service. The dreary place was less +dreary, and their burdened hearts were no doubt made lighter by thus +drawing near to God. + +The commander and Tom left the next day with the sledge load, leaving +Godfrey to come on after farther rest. But scarcely had the sledge party +delivered their load of bread, and begun the sound sleep which follows +hard work, when Godfrey came in out of breath with the hot haste of his +journey. He reluctantly confessed the occasion of his sudden departure +from the brig. He had lain down on the contents of the mattresses to +sleep. Suddenly Wilson's guitar, left with other mementoes of two +winters' imprisonment, sent forth music soft and sad. Bill was sure he +heard aright, for he was awake and in his right mind. He fled on the +instant, and scarcely looked behind until he reached his companions. He +had never heard of the musical genius of Eolus, and it was not strange +that the old forsaken, mutilated, ghostly, looking brig should excite +the imagination of the lonely lodger. + +The invalids of the huts were now doing well. Their housekeeping assumed +a home-like appearance--after the fashion of Arctic homes--and they +welcomed the doctor with a dish of tea, a lump of walrus flesh, and a +warm place. The Brooks party were not afar off. + +A storm which out-stormed all they had yet seen or felt of storms came +down upon our explorers at this time. + +When the storm had blown past, Morton was dispatched to Etah with the +dogs, accompanied by two Etahites who had been storm-bound with the +boat-parties. His mission was to demand aid of these allies on the +ground of sacred treaty stipulations, and well-recognized Esquimo laws +of mutual help. Dr. Kane took his place with the men on the floe. +Sledging was now not only made by the storm and advancing season more +laborious, but very dangerous; around the bergs black water appeared, +and over many places there were to be seen pools of water. The boats +were unladen, and their cargoes carried in parcels by sledges, yet +serious accidents occurred. At one time a runner of the sledge carrying +the "Hope" broke in, and the boat came near being lost; as it was, six +men were plunged into the water. Sick and well men worked for dear life, +and affairs were growing more than cloudy when the helping hand of the +great Helper was seen as it had been so often. Morton returned from +Etah, having been entirely successful in his appeal to the natives for +aid. They came with every sound dog they possessed, and with sledges +loaded with walrus. The dogs alone were equal to ten strong men added to +the expedition. Dr. Kane took one of the teams, and with Metek made his +last trip to the brig, and on his return commenced bringing down the +invalids of the hut to the boats. As he came near the floe-party he +found Ohlsen sitting on a lump of ice alone, some distance in their +rear. He had prevented the "Hope's" sledge from breaking through the ice +by taking for a moment its whole weight on a bar which he had slipped +under it. He was a strong man, and the act was heroic, but he was +evidently seriously injured. He was pale, but thought his only +difficulty was "a little cramp in the small of his back," and that he +should be better soon. Dr. Kane gave him Stephenson's seat on the +sledge, carried him to the boat, and gave him its most comfortable +place, and muffled him up in the best buffalo robes. Dr. Hayes gave him +tender and constant attention all that night, but he declined rapidly. + +Having stowed the sick away in the boats, the morning prayers being +offered, the men on the sixth of June started anew at the drag-ropes. +Two hours' drawing sufficed to show all hands their insufficiency for +the task. Just then a spanking breeze started up. They hoisted the sails +of the boats, and the wind increased to a gale and blew directly after +them. Away the sledges sped toward the provision depot near Littleton +Island. Ridges in the ice which would have delayed them at the +drag-ropes for hours, but gave them the rise and fall as they glided +over them of a ship on the waves. God, who "holds the wind in his fist," +had unloosed it for their benefit. The foot-sore, weary men, who a few +moments ago felt that an almost impossible task was theirs, were now +jubilant, and broke out into song--the first sailor's chorus song they +had sung for a year. They came to a halt at five o'clock P. M., having +made under sail the distance of five drag-rope days. + +While here they were joined by old Nessark, and by Sipsu, the surly +chief who appears so conspicuously in the narrative of Dr. Hayes's +escaping party. They came with their fresh dog-teams, and offered their +services to the explorers. Nessark was sent after the last of the sick +men at the hut. + +The following five or six days were those of peril and discouragement. +At one time a sledge had broken in, carrying with it several of the men, +bringing affairs to a gloomy crisis. But the men scrambled out, and, to +still further lift the burdens from the party, five sturdy Esquimo +appeared, with two almost equally strong women. They laid hold of the +drag-ropes with a will, and worked the rest of the day without demanding +any reward. So there was always help in their time of need. + +Nessark came in good time with Wilson and Whipple, the last of the sick; +the old hut was now deserted, and all were with the boats except one. +Hans had been missing for nearly two months. Early in April he came to +his commander with a long face and a very plausible story; he had, he +said, no boots; he wanted to go to one of the Esquimo settlements a +little south to get a stock of walrus-hides. He did not want the dogs; +he would walk, and be back in good time. But the hitherto faithful and +trusted Hans had not returned. When inquiry was made of the people of +Etah they said he certainly called there, and engaged of one of the +women a pair of boots, and then pushed on to Peteravik, where Shanghee +and his pretty daughter lived. The last information they had of him they +gave with a shrug of the shoulders and a merry twinkle of the eye. He +had been seen by one of their people once since he left Etah; he was +then upon a native sledge, Shanghee's daughter at his side, bound south +of Peteravik. He had forsaken the explorers for a wife! + +The party were one day feeling their way along cautiously, pioneers +going ahead and trying the soundness of the ice by thumping with boat +hooks and narwhal horns. Suddenly a shout of distress was heard. The +"Red Eric" had broken in! She contained the document box of the +expedition, the loss of which would make their whole work profitless to +the world even should the party be saved. She had on board too many +provision bags. But, after great exposure and labor, all was saved in +good condition, and the boat hauled upon the ice. Several of the men had +narrow escapes. Stephenson was caught as he sunk by the sledge runner, +and Morton was drawn out by the hair of his head as he was disappearing +under the ice. A grateful shout went up from all hands that nothing +serious resulted from the accident. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +ESQUIMO KINDNESS. + + +THE company made slow and tiresome progress by Littleton Island, and +were carrying their entire load forward in parcels to the mainland at +the northern opening of Etah Bay, when the sad news was whispered to Dr. +Kane, who was with the advanced party, that Ohlsen was dead. A gloom +spread over the whole company. The fact was carefully concealed from the +Esquimo, who were sent to Etah under the pretext of bringing back a +supply of birds, the entire dog force being given them to hasten their +departure. + +The funeral service, though attended by sincere grief, was necessarily +brief. The body was sewed up in Ohlsen's own blankets, the burial +service read, the prayer offered, and it was borne by his comrades in +solemn procession to a little gorge on the shore, and deposited in a +trench made with extreme difficulty. A sheet of lead, on which his name +and age was cut, was laid upon his breast; a monument of stones was +erected over it, to preserve it from the beasts of prey, and to mark the +spot. They named the land which overshadowed the spot Cape Ohlsen. + +Having given two quiet hours, after the funeral service, to the solemn +occasion, the work at the drag-ropes was continued. The Esquimo +returned in full force, and with abundant provisions. They took their +turn at the drag-ropes with a shout; they carried the sick on their +sledges, and relieved the whole expedition from care concerning their +supplies. They brought in one week eight dozen sea-fowl--little +auks--caught in their hand-nets, and fed men and dogs. All ate, hunger +was fully satisfied, care for the time departed, the men broke out into +their old forecastle songs, and the sledges went merrily forward with +laugh and jest. + +Passing round Cape Alexander, down Etah Bay, a short distance toward the +settlement, the expedition encamped. The long-sought, coveted open water +was only three miles away; its roar saluted their ears, and its scent +cheered their hearts. The difficult and delicate work of preparing the +boats for the sea-voyage now commenced. In the mean time the people of +Etah, men, women, and children, came and encamped in their midst, +leaving only three persons--two old women and a blind old man--in the +settlement. They slept in the "Red Eric," and fed on the stew cooked for +them in the big camp-kettle. Each one had a keepsake of a file, a knife, +a saw, or some such article of great value. The children had each that +great medicine for Esquimo sickness, a piece of soap, for which they +merrily shouted, "Thank you, thank you, big chief." There was joy in the +Esquimo camp which knew but one sorrow--that of the speedy departure of +the strangers. At the mention of this one woman stepped behind a tent +screen and wept, wiping her teary face with a bird-skin. + +Dr. Kane rode to Etah to bid the aged invalids good-bye. Then came the +last distribution of presents. Every one had something, but the great +gift of amputating knives went to the chief, Metek, and the patriarch, +Nessark. The dogs were given to the community at large, excepting +Toodla-mik and Whitey; these veterans of many well-fought battle-fields +were reserved to share the homeward fortunes of their owners. Toodla was +no common dog, but earned for himself a place in dog history. As we are +to meet the dogs no more in our narrative, we will give Toodla's +portrait to be set up with our pen sketches. He was purchased at +Upernavik, and so he received the advantages of, at least, a partially +civilized education. His head was more compact, his nose less pointed +than most dogs of his kind, and his eye denoted affection and +self-reliance, and his carriage was bold and defiant. Toodla, at the +commencement of the cruise, appointed himself general-in-chief of all +the dogs. Now it often happens, with dogs as well as with men, that to +assume superiority is much easier than to maintain it. But Toodla's +generalship was never successfully disputed. The position, however, cost +him many a hard-fought battle, for the new comers naturally desired to +test his title to rule. These he soundly whipped on their introduction +to the pack. He even often left the brig's side, head erect, tail +gracefully curled over his back, and moved toward a stranger dog with a +proud, defiant air, as much as to say, "I am master here, sir!" If this +was doubted, he vindicated his boasting on the spot. Such tyranny +excited rebellions of course, and strong combinations were formed +against him; but dogs which had been trounced individually make weak +organizations, and the coalitions gave way before Toodla's prowess. It +is but fair, however, to say that he had strong allies upon whom he fell +back in great emergencies--the sailors. Toodla died in Philadelphia, and +still lives--that is, his stuffed skin still exists in the museum of the +Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. His reputation is of the same +sort as that of many of the heroes of history, and worth as much to the +world. + +Dr. Kane having distributed the presents and disposed of the dogs, there +was nothing now but the farewell address to render the parting ceremony +complete. Dr. Kane called the natives about him and spoke to them +through Petersen as interpreter. He talked to them as those from whom +kindness had been received, and to whom a return was to be made. He told +them about the tribes of their countrymen farther south whom he knew, +and from whom they were separated by the glaciers and the sea; he spoke +of the longer daylight, the less cold, the more abundant game, the +drift-wood, the fishing-nets, and kayaks of these relatives. He tried to +explain to them that under bold and cautious guidance they might, in +the course of a season or two, reach this happier region. + +During this talk they crowded closer and closer to the speaker, and +listened with breathless attention to his remarks, often looking at each +other significantly. + +Having thus parted with the natives, our exploring party hauled their +boats to the margin of the ice. The "Red Eric" was launched, and three +cheers were given for "Henry Grinnell and Homeward Bound." But the storm +king said, "Not yet!" He sounded an alarm in their ears, and they drew +the "Eric" from the water and retreated on the floe, which broke up in +their rear with great rapidity. Back, back, they tramped, wearily and +painfully, all that night, until the next day they found a sheltering +berg near the land, where they made a halt. Here they rested until the +wind had spent its wrath, and the sea had settled into a placid quiet. +Their voyaging on the floe with drag-ropes and sledges was ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +MELVILLE BAY. + + +ON the nineteenth of June the boats were launched into the sea, now +calm, the "Faith" leading under Kane, and the "Eric" under Bonsall, and +the "Hope" under Brooks following. The sea birds screamed a welcome to +the squadron, and flew about them as if to inquire why they came back in +three vessels instead of one, as when they sailed northward two years +before. But there was no leisure for converse with birds. They had just +passed Hakluyt Island, when the "Eric" sunk. Her crew, Bonsall, Riley, +and Godfrey, struggled to the other boats, and the "Faith" took the +sunken craft in tow. Soon after Brooks shouted that the "Hope" was +leaking badly, and threatening to sink. Fortunately the floe was not far +off, and into one of its creek-like openings they run the boats, +fastened them to the ice, and the weary men lay down in their bunks +without drawing the boats from the water and slept. + +The next day they drew their leaking crafts ashore, and calked them for +another sea adventure. For several days they struggled with varying +fortunes until they brought up, weary, disheartened, and worn down by +work and an insufficient diet of bread-dust, and fastened to an old floe +near the land. Scarcely were they anchored when a vast ice raft caught +upon a tongue of the solid floe about a mile to the seaward of them, and +began to swing round upon it as a pivot, and to close in upon our +explorers. This was a new game of the ice-enemy. Nearer and nearer came +the revolving icy platform, seeming to gather force with every whirl. At +first the commotion that was made started the floe, to which they were +fastened, on a run toward the shore as if to escape the danger. But it +soon brought up against the rocks and was overtaken by its pursuer. In +an instant the collision came. The men sprang, by force of discipline, +to the boats and the stores, to bear them back to a place of safety, but +wild and far-spread ruin was around them. The whole platform where they +stood crumbled and crushed under the pressure, and was tossed about and +piled up as if the ice-demon was in a frenzy of passion. Escape for the +boats seemed for the moment impossible, and none expected it; and none +could tell when they were let down into the water, nor hardly how, yet +they found themselves whirling in the midst of the broken hummocks, now +raised up and then shaken as if every joint in the helpless, trembling +boats was to be dislocated. The noise would have drowned the uproar of +contending armies as ice was hurled against ice, and, as it felt the +awful pressure, it groaned harsh and terrific thunder. The men, though +utterly powerless, grasped their boat-hooks as the boats were borne away +in the tumultuous mass of broken ice and hurried on toward the shore. +Slowly the tumult began to subside, and the fragments to clear away, +until the almost bewildered men found themselves in a stretch of water +making into the land, wide enough to enable them to row. They came +against the wall of the ice-foot, and, grappling it, waited for the +rising tide to lift them to its top. While here the storm was fearful, +banging the boats against the ice-wall, and surging the waves into them, +thus keeping the imperiled men at work for dear life in bailing out the +water. They were at last lifted by the tide to the ice-foot, upon which +they pulled their boats, all uniting on each boat. They had landed on +the cliff at the mouth of a gorge in the rock; into this they dragged +the boats, keeping them square on their keels. A sudden turn in the cave +placed a wall between them and the storm, which was now raging +furiously. While they were drawing in the last boat, a flock of eider +ducks gladdened their hearts as they flew swiftly past. God had not only +guided them to a sheltered haven, but had assured them of abundant food +on the morrow. They were in the breeding home of the sea-fowl. Thus +comforted they lay down to sleep, though wet and hungry. They named +their providential harbor the "Weary Man's Rest," and remained in it +three days, eating until hunger was appeased, and gathering eggs at the +rate of twelve hundred a day, and laughing at the storms which roared +without. + +On the fourth of July, after as much of a patriotic celebration as their +circumstances allowed, they again launched into the sea. + +For some days they moved slowly south, but it was only by picking their +way through the leads, for they found the sea nearly closed. As they +approached Cape Dudley Digges their way was entirely closed. They pushed +into an opening that led to the bottom of its precipitous cliff. Here +they found a rocky shelf, overshadowed by the towering rocks, just large +enough and in the right position at high tide to make a platform on +which they could land their boats. Here they waited a whole week for the +ice toward Cape York to give way. The sea-fowl were abundant and of a +choice kind. The scurvy-killing cochlearia was at hand, which they ate +with their eggs. It was indeed a "providential halt," for the fact was +constantly forced upon them that they had come here, as they had to +"Weary Man's Rest," by no skill or knowledge of their own. + +It was the eighteenth of July before the condition of the ice was such +as to make the renewal of their voyage possible. Two hundred and fifty +choice fowl had been skinned, cut open, and dried on the rocks, besides +a store of those thrown aboard as they were caught. + +They now sailed along the coast, passing the "Crimson Cliffs" of Sir +John Ross. The birds were abundant, their halting-places on the shore +were clothed with green, and the fresh-water streams at which they +filled their vessels were pouring down from the glaciers. They built +great blazing fires of dry turf which cost nothing but the gathering. +After a day's hard rowing the sportsmen brought in fresh fowl, and, +gathered about their camp-fire, all ate, and then stretched themselves +on the moss carpet and slept. They enjoyed thankfully this Arctic Eden +all the more as they all knew that perils and privations were just +before them. + +They wisely provided during these favored days a large stock of +provisions, amounting to six hundred and forty pounds, besides their +dried birds. Turf fuel, too, was taken on board for the fires. + +They reached Cape York on the twenty-first of July. From this place they +were to try the dangers of Melville Bay, across which in their frail +boats they must sail. It had smiled upon their northward voyage; would +it favor their escape now? It certainly did not hold out to them +flattering promises. The inshore ice was solid yet, and terribly +hummocky. The open sea was far to the west, but along the margin of the +floe were leads, and fortunately there was one beginning where they had +halted. The boats were hauled up, examined, and as much as possible +repaired. The "Red Eric" was stripped, her cargo taken out, and her hull +held in reserve for fuel. A beacon was erected from which a red flannel +skirt was thrown as a pennant to the wind to attract attention. Under +this beacon records were left which told in brief the story of the +expedition. This done, and the blessing of God implored, the voyagers +entered the narrow opening in the ice. + +For a while all went well, but one evening Dr. Kane was hastily called +on deck. The huge icebergs had bewildered the helmsman in the leading +boat, and he had missed the channel, and had turned directly toward the +shore until the boat was stopped by the solid floe. The lead through +which they had come had closed in their rear, and they were completely +entangled in the ice! + +Without telling the men what had happened, the commander, under the +pretense of drying the clothes, ordered the boats drawn up, and a camp +was made on the ice. + +In the morning Kane and M'Gary climbed a berg some three hundred feet +high. They were appalled by their situation; the water was far away, and +huge bergs and ugly hummocks intervened. M'Gary, an old-whaleman, +familiar from early manhood with the hardships of Arctic voyaging, wept +at the sight. + +There was but one way out of this entanglement; the sledges must be +taken from the sides of the boats, where they had been hung for such +emergencies, the boats placed on them, and the old drag-rope practice +must be tried until the expedition reached the edge of the floe. One +sledge, that which bore the "Red Eric," had been used for fuel; so the +"Red Eric" itself was knocked to pieces, and stowed away for the same +use. About three days were consumed in thus toiling before they reached +the lead which they had left, launched once more into waters, and sailed +away before a fine breeze. + +Thus far the boats had kept along the outer edge of the floe, following +the openings through the ice. But as this was slow work, though much +safer, they now ventured a while in the open sea farther west; but they +were driven back to the floe by heavy fogs, and on trying to get the +boats into a lead, one of those incidents occurred so often noticed, in +which God's hand was clearly seen. All hands were drawing up the "Hope," +and she had just reached a resting-place on the floe, when-the "Faith," +their best boat, with all their stores on board, went adrift. The sight +produced an almost panic sensation among the men. The "Hope" could not +possibly be launched in time to overtake her, for she was drifting +rapidly. But before they could collect their thoughts to devise the +means of her rescue, a cake of ice swung round, touched the floe where +they stood, reaching at the same time nearly to the "Faith," thus +bridging over the chasm. Instantly Kane and M'Gary sprung upon it, and +from it into the escaping boat. She was saved. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +SAVED. + + +MATTERS were getting into a serious condition. The delays had been so +many that the stock of birds had been eaten, and the men had been for +several days on short allowance, which showed itself in their failing +strength. They were far out to sea, midway of the Melville Bay +navigation, and the boats were receiving a rough handling, and required +continual bailing to keep them from sinking. + +It was just at this crisis that the ever timely aid came. A large seal +was seen floating upon a small patch of ice, seeming to be asleep. A +signal was given for the "Hope" to fall astern, while the "Faith" +approached noiselessly upon him, with stockings drawn over the oars. +Petersen lay in the bow with a large English rifle, and as they drew +near, the men were so excited that they could scarcely row; the safety +of the whole company seemed staked upon the capture of that seal. When +within three hundred yards, the oars were taken in, and the boat moved +silently on by a scull-oar at the stern. The seal was not asleep, for +when just beyond the reach of the ball he raised his head. The thin, +care-worn, almost despairing faces of the men showed their deep concern +as he appeared about to make his escape. Dr. Kane gave the signal to +fire; but poor Petersen, almost paralyzed by anxiety, was trying +nervously to get a rest for his gun on the edge of the bow. The seal +rose on his fore-flipper, looked curiously around, and coiled himself up +for a plunge. The rifle cracked at the instant, and the seal at the same +moment drooped his head one side, and stretched his full length on the +ice at the brink of his hole. With a frantic yell the men urged the +boats to the floe, seized the seal, and bore him to a safer place. They +brandished their knives, cut long strips of the seal, and went dancing +about the floe, eating and sucking their bloody fingers in wild delight. +The seal was large and fat, but not an ounce of him was wasted. A fire +was built that night on the floe, and the joyous feast went on until +hunger was appeased; they had driven away its gnawings, and, happily, it +returned no more. + +On the first of August they had passed the terrible bay, and sighted +land on its southern side. Familiar landmarks of the whalers came in +sight. They passed the Duck Islands and Cape Shackelton, and coasted +along by the hills, seeking a cove in which to land. One was soon found, +the boats drawn up, a little time spent in thanksgiving and +congratulations, and then they lay down on the dry land and slept. + +They continued to coast near the shore, dodging about among the islands, +and dropping into the bays, and landing for rest at night. It was at +one of these sleeping-halts on the rocks that Petersen saw one of the +natives, whom he recognized as an old acquaintance; he was in his kayak +seeking eider-down among the rocks. Petersen hailed him, but the man +played shy. "Paul Zacharias," shouted Petersen, "don't you know me? I am +Carl Petersen!" + +"No," replied the man; "his wife says he's dead." + +The native stared at the weather-beaten, long-bearded man for a moment +as he loomed up through the fog, and then turned the bow of his boat, +and paddled away as if a phantom was pursuing him. + +Two days after this the explorers were rowing leisurely along in a fog, +which had just began to lift and dimly reveal the objects on shore. At +this moment a familiar sound came to them over the water. It was the +"huk" of the Esquimo, for which they had often taken the bark of a fox +or the startling screech of the gulls; but this "huk! huk!" died away in +the home-thrilling "halloo!" + +"Listen, Petersen! what is it?" + +Petersen listened quietly for a moment, and then, trembling with +emotion, said, in an undertone, "Dannemarkers!" + +Then the whole company stood up and peered into the distant nooks, in +breathless silence to catch the sound again. The sound came again, and +all was a moment silent. It was the first Christian voice they had heard +beyond their own party for two years. But they saw nothing. Was it not +a cheat after all of their nervous, excited feelings? The men sat down +again and bent to their oars, and their boats swept in for the cape from +which the sound proceeded. They scanned narrowly every nook and green +spot where the strangers might be found. A full half hour passed in this +exciting search. At last the single mast of a small shallop was seen. +Petersen, who had kept himself during the search very still and sober, +burst into a fit of crying, relieved by broken exclamations of English +and Danish, gulping down his words at intervals, and wringing his hands +all the while. "'Tis the Upernavik oil-boat!" "The Mariane has come! and +Carlie Mossyn--" + +Petersen had hit the facts. The annual ship, Mariane, had arrived at +Proven, and Carlie Mossyn had come up to get the year's supply of +blubber from Kinqatok. + +Here our explorers listened while Carlie, in answer to their questions, +gave them a hint of what had been going on in the civilized world during +their long absence. The Crimean war had been begun and was in bloody +progress, but "Sebastopol wasn't taken!" "Where and what is Sebastopol?" +they queried. "But what of America?" Carlie didn't know much about that +country, for no whale ships were on the coast, but said "a steamer and a +bark passed up a fortnight ago seeking your party." + +"What of Sir John Franklin?" they next inquired. Carlie said the priest +had a German newspaper which said traces of his boats and dead had been +found! Yes, found a thousand miles away from the region where our +explorers had been looking for them! + +One more row into the fog and one more halting on the rocks. They all +washed clean in the fresh water of the basins, and brushed up their +ragged furs and woolens. The next morning they neared the settlement of +Upernavik, of which Petersen had been foreman, and they heard the +yelling of the dogs as its snowy hill-top showed itself through the +mist, and the tolling of the workmen's bells calling them to their daily +labor came as sweet music to their ears. They rowed into the big harbor, +landed by an old Brewhouse, and hauled their boats up for the last time. +A crowd of merry children came round them with cheerful faces and +curious eyes. In the crowd were the wife and children of Petersen. Our +explorers were safe; their perils were over! + +Having lived in the open air for eighty-four days, they felt a sense of +suffocation within the walls of a house. But divided among many kind, +hospitable homes, they drank their coffee and listened to hymns of +welcome sung by many voices. + +The people of Upernavik fitted up a loft for the reception of the +wayfarers, and showed them great kindness. They remained until the sixth +of September, and then embarked on the Danish vessel "Mariane," whose +captain was to leave them at the nearest English port on his way to +Denmark. The boat "Faith" was taken on board, as a relic of their +perilous adventure; the document box containing their precious records, +and the furs on their backs--these were all that were saved of the +heroic brig "Advance." + +The "Mariane" made a short stay at Godhavn. The searching company under +Captain Hartstene had left there for the icy north one the twenty-first +of July, since which nothing was known of them. + +The "Mariane" was on the eve of leaving with our explorers when the +lookout shouted from the hill-top that a steamer was in the distance. It +drew near with a bark in tow, both flying the stars and stripes. The +"Faith" was lowered for the last time, and, with Brooks at the helm, Dr. +Kane went out to meet them. As they came alongside Captain Hartstene +hailed: "Is that Dr. Kane?" "Yes!" Instantly the men sprung into the +rigging and gave cheers of welcome; and the whole country, on the +arrival of the long-lost explorers, repeated the glad shout of welcome; +and the Christian world echoed, "Welcome!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +OFF AGAIN. + + +DR. KANE'S party came home, as we have seen, in the fall of 1855. Dr. +Hayes, with whom we have become acquainted as one of that number, began +immediately to present the desirableness of further exploration in the +same direction to the scientific men of the country, and to the public +generally. His object was to sail to the west side of Smith's Sound, +instead of the east, as in the last voyage, and to gather additional +facts concerning the currents, the aurora, the glaciers, the directions +and intensity of "the magnetic force," and so to aid in settling many +interesting scientific questions. He aimed also, of course, to further +peer into the mysteries of the open Polar Sea. + +These efforts resulted in the fitting out for this purpose, in the +summer of 1860, the schooner "United States," and the appointment of Dr. +Hayes as commander. She left Boston July sixth, manned by fourteen +persons all told. The vessel was small, but made for arctic warfare, and +as she turned her prow North Poleward, she bore a defiant spirit, and, +like all inexperienced warriors, reckoned the victory already hers. But +if the vessel was "green" her commander was not. He was well able to +help her in the coming battle with icebergs and floes. + +Among her men were only two besides the doctor who had seen arctic +service, one of whom was Professor August Sontag, who had been of Kane's +party, and had also been of the number who accompanied Dr. Hayes in the +attempt to escape. Of the rest of the crew were two young men nearly of +an age, about eighteen, who are represented as joining the expedition +because they would, and in love of adventure. Their names were George F. +Knorr, commander's clerk, and Collins C. Starr. Both pressed their +desire to go upon Dr. Hayes, and Starr told him that he would go in +_any_ capacity. The commander told him he might go in the forecastle +with the common sailors, and the next day, to the surprise of the +doctor, he found him on board, manfully at work with the roughest of the +men, having doffed his silk hat, fine broadcloth, and shining boots of +the elegant young man of the day before. The commander was so pleased +with his spirit that he promoted him on the spot, sending him off to be +sailing-master's mate. + +In a little less than four weeks of prosperous sailing, the "United +States" was at the Danish port of Proven, Greenland. It was the +intention of the commander to get a supply here of the indispensable +dog-teams, but disease had raged among them, and none could be bought. +The vessel was delayed, in order that the chief trader, Mr. Hansen, who +was daily expected from Upernavik, might be consulted in the matter. +When he arrived he gave a gloomy account of the dog-market, but kindly +_gave_ the expedition his own teams. The couriers which had been sent +out to scour the country for others, returned with four old dogs and a +less number of good ones. + +On the evening of the twelfth of August the explorers arrived at +Upernavik. The Danish brig "Thialfe" lay at anchor in the harbor, about +to sail for Copenhagen with a cargo of skins and oil, so the first +letters to the dear ones at home were hastily written to send by her. +They bore sad news to at least one family circle. Mr. Gibson Caruther +retired to his berth well on the evening of their arrival, and in the +morning was found dead. He had escaped the perils of the first Grinnell +Expedition under Capt. De Haven to die thus suddenly ere those of his +second voyage had begun. He was beloved, able, and intelligent, and his +death was a great loss to the enterprise. His companions laid him away +in the mission burial-ground, the missionary, Mr. Anton, officiating. + +Before leaving Upernavik, Dr. Hayes secured the services of an Esquimo +interpreter, one Peter Jensen, who brought on board with him one of the +best dog-teams of the country; and soon after he came, two more Esquimo +hunters and dog-drivers were enlisted; and a still better addition to +the expedition were two Danish sailors, one of whom is our old friend +whom we left here some five years ago rejoicing in re-union with wife +and children--Carl Christian Petersen. Petersen enlisted as carpenter +as well as sailor. + +With these six persons added to her company, making it twenty in all, +the "United States" left Upernavik to enter upon the earnest work of the +expedition. The settlement had scarcely faded in the distance, when the +icebergs were seen marshaling their forces to give the little voyager +battle. A long line of them was formed just across her course, some more +than two hundred feet high and a mile long. They were numberless, and at +a distance seemed to make a solid, jagged ice-wall. When the schooner +was fairly in among them, the sunlight was shut out as it is from the +traveler in a dense forest. She felt the wind in a "cat's-paw" now and +then, and so the helm lost its control of her, and she went banging +against first one berg and then another. The bergs themselves minded not +the little breeze which was blowing, but swept majestically along by the +under current. The navigators were kept on the alert to keep the vessel +from fatal collision with its huge, cold, defiant enemies, as the +surface current drove it helplessly onward. Sometimes, as they +approached one, the boats were lowered, and the vessel was towed away +from danger; at another crisis, as it neared one berg, an anchor was +planted in another in an opposite direction, and she was warped into a +place of security. Occasionally they tied up to a berg and waited for a +chance for progress. + +While thus beset with dangers, there were occasions of some pleasant +excitement. The birds were abundant and of many varieties, affording +sport for the hunters and fresh food for the table; the seals sported in +the clear water, and were shot for the larder of the dogs; and Dr. Hayes +and Professor Sontag found employment with their scientific instruments. + +Such had been the state of things for four days, when one morning the +vessel was borne toward a large berg, of a kind the sailors called +"touch-me-nots." It was an old voyager, whose jagged sides, high towers, +deep valleys and swelling hills, showed that time, the sun, and the +tides, had laid their hands upon it. Such bergs are about as good +neighbors as an avalanche on a mountain side, just ready for a run into +the valley below. Warps and tow-boats, instantly and vigorously used, +failed to stop the schooner's headway. She touched the berg, and down +dropped fragments of it larger than the vessel, followed by a shower of +smaller pieces; but they went clear of the vessel. Now the berg began to +revolve, turning toward the explorers, and as its towering sides settled +slowly over them, fragments poured upon the deck--a fearful hail-storm. +There was no safety for the men except in the forecastle, and there +appeared to be no escape for the schooner. But just in time an immense +section of the base of the berg, which seemed to be far below the water +line, broke off, and rose to the surface with a sudden rush, which threw +the sea into violent commotion. The balance of the berg was changed; it +paused, and then began, slowly at first but with increasing rapidity, +to turn in the opposite direction. If this was intended as a retreat of +the bergy foe, it defended well its rear. At its base, from which the +piece had just been broken, was an icy projection toward the vessel; as +the berg revolved, this tongue came up and struck the keel. It seemed +intent upon tossing the vessel into the air, or rolling her over and +leaving her bottom side up upon the sea. The men seized their poles and +pushed vigorously to launch the vessel from the perilous position, but +in vain. Just in time again the unseen Hand interfered for their +deliverance. Deafening reports, like a park of artillery, saluted their +ears, and a misty smoke arose above the berg. Its opposite side was +breaking up, and launching its towering peaks into the sea. The berg +paused again and began to roll back, and thus for the moment released +the vessel. The boat had in the meantime fastened an anchor in a +grounded berg, and the welcome shout came, "Haul in!" Steadily and with +a will the men drew upon the rope, and the vessel moved slowly from the +scene of danger, not, however, before the returning top of the berg had +launched upon her deck a shower of ice-fragments, in fearful assurance +that its whole side would soon follow and bury them as the shepherd's +hut is buried by a mountain slide. A few moments later and the side came +down with a tremendous crash, sending its spray over the escaped vessel, +and tossing it as the drift-wood is tossed in the eddies beneath a +water-fall. + +All that day the roar of the icy cannon was continued, as if a naval +battle was in progress for the empire of the north, and berg after berg +went down, strewing the sea with their shattered fragments, while misty +clouds floated over the field of conflict. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +COLLIDING FLOES. + + +AFTER this ice encounter the expedition put into a little port called +Tessuissak, to complete their outfit of dogs. An impatient tarry of two +days enabled them to count, on the deck of the little vessel, thirty +first-class, howling dogs, whose amiable tempers found expression in +biting each other, and making both day and night hideous with their +noise. + +This port was left on the twenty-third of August, and, much to the joy +of all, the dreaded Melville Bay was clear of the ice-pack; the +icebergs, however, kept their watch over its storm-tossed waters. +Through these waters driven before a fierce wind, and buried often in a +fog so dense that the length of the vessel could not be seen, the +"United States" sped. Its anxious commander was on deck night and day, +not knowing the moment when an icy wall, as fatal to the vessel as one +of granite, might arrest its course and send it instantly to the bottom +of the sea. Once they passed so near a berg just crossing their track +that the fore-yard grazed its side, and the spray from its surf-beaten +wall was thrown upon the deck. A berg at one time hove in sight with an +arch through it large enough for a passage-way for the schooner. The +explorers declined, however, the novel adventure. The passage of +Melville Bay was made, with sails only, in fifty-five hours. The pack +which had invariably troubled explorers seemed to have been enjoying a +summer vacation, and the bergs were off duty. The expedition had reached +the North Water and lay off Cape York. + +The ocean current which sweeps past this cape, and opens the way to the +other side of Baffin Bay, is wonderful. It is the great Polar current +which comes rushing down through Spitzbergen Sea, along the eastern +coast of Greenland, laden with ice, and taking the waters of its rivers +with their freight of drift-wood as it passes. Leaving most of the wood +along its shore, a welcome gift to the people, it sweeps around Cape +Farewell, courses near the western shore in its run north until it has +passed Melville Bay. When it has crossed over to the American shore near +Jones Strait, it joins the current from the Arctic Sea, turns south, and +makes the long journey until it reaches our own coast, dropping its ice +freight as it goes, and sending its cooling air through the +heat-oppressed atmosphere of our summer. + +As our explorers approached the shore of Cape York they looked carefully +for the natives. Soon a company of Esquimo were seen making their wild +gesticulations to attract attention. A boat was lowered, and Dr. Hayes +and Professor Sontag went ashore, and as they approached the +landing-place one of the Esquimo called them by name. It was our old +friend Hans, of the Kane voyage, who, the reader will recollect, left +his white friends for an Esquimo wife. The group consisted, besides +Hans, of his wife and baby, his wife's mother, an old woman having +marked talking ability, and her son, a bright-eyed boy of twelve years. +Hans had found his self-imposed banishment among the savages of this +extreme north rather tedious. He had removed his family to this lookout +for the whale ships, and had watched and waited. It was the dreariest of +places, and his hut, pitched on a bleak spot the better to command a +view of the sea, was the most miserable of abodes. It had plainly cost +him dear to break his faith with his confiding commander and the friends +of his early Christian home. + +Dr. Hayes asked Hans if he would go with the expedition. He answered +promptly, "Yes." + +"Would you take your wife and baby?" + +"Yes." + +"Would you go without them?" + +"Yes." + +He was taken on board with his wife and baby. The mother and her boy +cried to go, but the schooner was already overcrowded. + +Leaving Cape York, the vessel spread her sails before a "ten-knot" +breeze, and dodging the icebergs with something of a reckless daring, +seemed bent on reaching the Polar Sea before winter set in. At one time +what appeared to be two icebergs a short distance apart lay in the +course of the vessel. The helmsman was ordered to steer between them, +for to go round involved quite a circuit. On dashed the brave little +craft for the narrow passage. When she was almost abreast of them the +officer on the lookout shuddered to see that the seeming bergs were but +one, and that the connecting ice appeared to be only a few feet below +the surface. It was too late to stop the headway of the vessel, or to +turn her to the right or left. She rushed onward, but the water of the +opening proved to be deeper than it appeared, and her keel but touched +once or twice, just to show how narrow was the escape. + +Hans was delighted with his return to ship life. His wife seemed pleased +and half bewildered by the strange surroundings. The baby crowed, +laughed, and cried, and ate and slept--like other babies. + +The sailors put the new comers through a soap-and-water ordeal, to which +was added the use of scissors and combs. Esquimo do not bathe, nor +practice the arts of the barber, and consequently they keep numerous +boarders on their persons. When this necessary cleansing and cropping +was done, they donned red shirts and other luxuries of civilization. +With the new dresses they were delighted, and they were never tired of +strutting about in them. But the soap and water was not so agreeable. At +first it was taken as a rough joke, but the wife soon began to cry. She +inquired of her husband if it was a religious ceremony of the white men. + +The vessel made good time until she came within three miles of Cape +Alexander. It was now August twenty-eighth, and so it was time these +Arctic regions should begin to show their peculiar temper. A storm came +down upon them, pouring the vials of its wrath upon the shivering vessel +for about three days. During a lull in the storm the schooner was hauled +under the shelter of the highlands of Cape Alexander and anchored. She +rocked and plunged fearfully. At one time when these gymnastics were +going on, the old Swedish cook came to the commander in the cabin with +refreshments, but he was hardly able to keep his "sea legs." He remarks +as he comes in, "I falls down once, but de commander sees I keeps de +coffee. It's good an' hot, and very strong, and go right down into de +boots." + +"Bad night on deck, cook," remarks the captain. + +"O, it's awful, sar! I never see it blow so hard in all my life, an' I's +followed de sea morn'n forty years. An' den it's so cold! My galley is +full of ice, and de water, it freeze on my stove." + +"Here, cook, is a guernsey for you. It will keep you warm." + +"Tank you, sar!" says the cook, starting off with his prize. But +encouraged by the kind bearing of his captain, he stops and asks, "Would +the commander be so kind as to tell me where we is? De gentlemen fool +me." + +"Certainly, cook. The land over there is Greenland; the big cape is Cape +Alexander; beyond that is Smith's Sound, and we are only about eight +hundred miles from the North Pole." + +"De Nort Pole! vere's dat?" + +The commander explains as well as he can. + +"Tank you, sar. Vat for we come--to fish?" + +"No, not to fish, cook; for science." + +"O, dat it! Dey tell me we come to fish. Tank you, sar." + +The old cook pulls his greasy cap over his bald head and thinks. +"Science!" "De Nort Pole!" He don't get the meaning of these through his +cap, and he "tumbles up" the companion-ladder, and goes to the galley to +enjoy his guernsey. + +Dr. Hayes and Knorr went ashore and climbed to the top of the cliffs, +twelve hundred feet. The wind was fearfully breezy, and Knorr's cap left +and went sailing like a feather out to sea. The view was full of arctic +grandeur, but not flattering to the storm-bound navigators. Ice was +evidently king a little farther north. + +Soon after the explorer's return to the vessel the storm gathered fresh +power, and the anchors began to drag. Soon one hawser parted, and away +went the schooner, with fearful velocity, and brought up against a berg. +The crash was appalling, and the stern boat flew into splinters. The +spars were either bent or carried away; and, as they attempted to hoist +the mainsail, it went to pieces. The crippled craft was with difficulty +worked back into the projecting covert of Cape Alexander. Her decks were +covered with ice, and the dogs were perishing with wet and cold, three +having died. + +Having repaired damages as well as they could, they again pushed into +the pack of Smith's Sound, which lay between them and open water, +visible far to the north. Entering a lead under full sail, they made +good progress for awhile; but suddenly a solid floe shot across the +channel, and the vessel, with full headway, struck it like a battering +ram. The cut-water flew into splinters, and the iron sheathing of the +bows was torn off as if it had been paper. + +Pushing off from the floe, and passing through a narrow lead, they +emerged into an area of open water. But the floe was on the alert. This +began to close up, and, taking a hint of foul play, the explorers +steered toward the shore. But the ice battalions moved with celerity, +piled up across the vessel's bow, and closed in on every side. In an +hour they held her as in a vice, while the reserve force was called up +to crush her to atoms. The foe was jubilant, for the power at his +command was kindred to that of the earthquake. An ice-field of millions +of tons, moved by combined wind and current, rushed upon the solid +ice-field which rested against the immovable rocks of the shore. Between +these was the schooner--less than an egg-shell between colliding, +heavily laden freight trains. As the pressure came steadily, in well +assured strength, she groaned and shrieked like a thing of conscious +pain, writhing and twisting as if striving to escape her pitiless +adversary. Her deck timbers bowed, and the seams of the deck-planks +opened, while her sides seemed ready to yield. + +Thus far the closing forces were permitted to strike severely on the +side of the helpless vessel, to show that they could crush her as rotten +fruit is crushed in a strong man's hand. Then He, without whose +permission no force in nature moves, and at whose word they are +instantly stayed, directed the floe under the strongly timbered "bilge" +of the hull, and, with a jerk which sent the men reeling about the deck, +lifted the vessel out of the water. The floes now fought their battle +out beneath her, as if they disdained, like the lion with the mouse in +his paw, to crush so small a thing. Great ridges were piled up about +her, and one underneath lifted her high into the air. Eight hours she +remained in this situation, while the lives of all on board seemed +suspended on the slenderest thread. + +Then came the yielding and breaking up of the floes. Once, at the +commencing of the giving way, an ice prop of the bows suddenly yielded, +let the forward end of the vessel down while the stern was high in the +air. But finally the battered craft settled squarely into the water. + +She was leaking badly, and the pumps were kept moving with vigor. The +rudder was split, and two of its bolts broken; the stern-post started, +and fragments of the cut-water and keel were floating away. But, strange +to say, no essential injury was done. She was slowly navigated into +Hartstene or _Etah_ Bay, where we have been so often, anchored safely, +and repairs immediately commenced. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE WINTER HOME. + + +ONE more effort, after the repairs were finished, was made to push +through the ice-floe of Smith's Sound. This resulting in failure, it was +plainly impossible to get farther north. The vessel was brought into +Etah Bay again, a harbor found eight miles north-east of Cape Alexander, +and eighty by the coast from the harbor of the "Advance," though only +twenty in a straight line, and preparations were at once begun for +winter. Peter, the Esquimo dog-driver, and Hans were appointed a hunting +party. Sontag, the astronomer, with three assistants, was mainly engaged +in scientific observations and experiments. There was work for all the +rest. Some were engaged in unloading the cargo and lifting it by a +derrick to a terrace on the shore, far above the highest tide, where a +storehouse was made for it. The hold of the schooner was cleared, +scrubbed, and white-washed, a stove set up, and made a home for the +sailors. The sails and yards were "sent down," the upper deck roofed in, +making a house eight feet high at the ridge, and six and a half at the +sides. + +The crew moved into their new quarters on the first of October. The +event was celebrated by a holiday dinner. There was joy on shipboard; +thankful for escapes granted by the great Protector, trustful for the +future, and, greatly encouraged by present blessings, none were unhappy. +The hunters were very successful, bringing in every day game of the best +kind, and in great abundance. A dozen reindeer were suspended from the +shrouds, and clusters of rabbits and foxes were hung in the rigging; +besides these, deposits of reindeer were made in various directions. The +hard-working men ate heartily of the relishing fresh food, and laughed +to scorn the scurvy. They called the place of their winter quarters Port +Foulke. + +When the floe became frozen, the sledges were put in readiness for the +dog-teams. The dogs having been well fed, were in fine condition. + +Blocks of ice were used to make a wall about the vessel, from the floe +to the deck, between which and her sides the snow was crowded, making a +solid defense against the cold. + +On the fifteenth of October the sun bade them farewell for four months, +and they anticipated the coming darkness under circumstances certainly +much better than had been often granted to arctic sojourners. + +As there was yet a long twilight, dog-trips were very exhilarating. Dr. +Hayes once rode behind his dogs twelve measured miles in an hour and one +minute, without a moment's halt. Sontag and the captain raced their +teams, the captain beating, as was becoming, by four minutes. + +The dogs were made to know their masters--a knowledge quite necessary +for the good of all. Jensen observed that one of his team was getting +rebellious. "You see dat beast," he said. "I takes a piece out of his +ear." The long lash unrolls, the sinewy snapper on its tip touches the +tip of the dog's ear, and takes out a piece as neatly as a sharp knife +would have done. + +The same day Jensen's skill at dog driving was put to a severe test. A +fox crossed their path. Up went their tails, curling over their backs, +their short ears pricked forward, and away they went in full chase. In +such a case woe be to the driver who cannot take a piece of flesh out of +any dog in the team at each snap of his merciless whip. Jensen was +usually master of such a situation, but it so happened that a strong +wind blew directly in the face of the team and carried the lash back +before it reached its victim. Missing its terrible bite, the dogs became +for a while unmanageable and raced after the fox at full speed. To make +matters worse, treacherous ice lay just ahead. The dogs were already on +the heels of the fox, and about to make a meal of him, when Jensen +regained full control of his whip. It stung severely, now this one and +then that. Their tails dropped, their ears drooped, and they paused and +obeyed their master. But they were greatly provoked at the loss of the +game, and at the harsh subjection, and, with characteristic amiability, +they commenced to snap at and bite each other. Jensen jumped from the +sledge and laid the whip-stock on them, knocking them to the right and +left, until, it is presumed, made very loving by the process, they went +about their assigned business. + +Parties of the explorers were out nearly every day, hunting, or pursuing +the scientific inquiries. + +Knorr, the secretary of the commander, was off with Hans. He had his +adventure to talk about on his return. He wounded in the valley a +reindeer, which hobbled on three legs up a steep hill. The young hunter +followed, and, getting within easy range, brought it down by a +well-aimed shot. The deer being in a line with Knorr, came sliding down +the hill, and, knocking against him, both went tumbling down together. +Fortunately he carried no broken bones, but only bruises to the vessel +as mementoes of his deer hunt. + +Sontag, on the same day, had his perilous incident. He had climbed to +the top of a glacier by cutting steps in the ice. Across the ice was a +crack, bridged over with thin ice, but entirely concealed by it. +Stepping on this he broke through and fell into the chasm; fortunately +it was a narrow one, and the barometer which he carried, crossing the +creek, broke the fall and probably saved his life. On what a slender +thread hangs this mortal existence! + +During this sledging season Dr. Hayes visited the homes of our old +acquaintance at Etah, which was only four miles from the schooner; but +they were deserted. Near the huts was a splendid buck, busily engaged in +pawing up and eating the moss from under the snow. He seemed so +unsuspecting, and withal so honestly engaged, that the doctor, though +he had crept on the leeward side, within easy range, was reluctant to +fire. Twice he aimed, and twice dropped his gun from its level. Bringing +it to sight the third time he fired, and the ball went crashing through +the noble animal. We hear nothing of compunction in eating him on the +part of any on shipboard, and probably the pitying reader would have had +none. + +Our old friend Hans does not appear so favorably in the present +narrative as he did in that of Dr. Kane. His five years of chosen exile +among his purely heathen countrymen does not seem to have left many +traces of his Christian education. Some allowance, however, must be made +for a difference of estimate of his character by his former and present +commander. In Dr. Hayes's judgment, "he is a type of the worst phase of +the Esquimo character." + +Hans's domestic relations are represented as not of the most happy kind. +His wife's name is Merkut, but is known to the sailors as "Mrs. Hans." +She passes for a "beauty," as Esquimo beauty goes; has a flush of red on +rather a fair cheek when, exceptionally, she uses soap and water enough +for it to be seen through the usual coating of dirt. Their baby, ten +months' old, bears the pleasant name of Pingasuk--"Pretty One." Hans has +a household of his own. He pitched a tent, when the schooner went into +winter-quarters, under the roof of the upper deck. The Esquimo Marcus +and Jacob make a part of his family. Here, wrapped in their furs, where +they choose to be, they huddle together, warm "as fleas in a rug," +though the temperature is seldom higher than about the freezing point. +Little "Pretty One" creeps out of the tent about the deck, having for +covering only the ten months' accumulation of grease and dirt, not +unfrequently accompanied by its mother, who on such occasion is +guiltless of "costly array," or much of any whatever. + +Hans's gentlemen lodgers were taken on board as dog-drivers, but they +seemed to have been of no possible use except to give occasion for the +mirthful jokes of the sailors. + +Peter, chief dog manager, a converted Esquimo, brother to Jacob, gave +his commander excellent satisfaction and stood high in his esteem. He +was skillful, industrious, and trustworthy. Between him and Hans an +intense jealousy existed. Hans had, under Dr. Kane, no rival in his +sphere. Peter was now, at least, a peer, and so the glory of his +exaltation from Esquimo hut-life was greatly eclipsed. His master even +preferred Peter before him; but Prof. Sontag clung, with a little of the +Dr. Kane partiality, to the favorite of the former voyage. + +Hans had no reason, however, to complain of the consideration shown him +by his chief. At one time he gave him, to quiet his jealousy, a new suit +of clothes, with the very reddest of flannel shirts. In these he +appeared at the Sunday inspection and religious service, quite as elated +at his personal adornment, though probably not more so, as the "fine +gents" of our home Sabbath assemblies. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +GLACIERS. + +THE glacier is one of the wonderful things of the northern regions. We +will visit one with Dr. Hayes, and, on our return to the vessel, listen +to some curious and interesting facts concerning it. Although there was +no sunshine at the time of the first glacier excursion, the twilight was +long and clear; it was October twenty-first. The run was made to the +foot of the glacier from the vessel, with the dogs, in forty minutes. It +appeared here as a great ice-wall, one hundred feet high and a mile +broad. The glacier in descending the valley extended in breadth not +quite to the slope of the hills, so it left between them and each of its +sides a gorge. It is very curious that the ice should not lean against +the hills as it slips along and thus fill up all the valley as water +would. + +Our party first stopped and examined the front face of the glacier. It +was nearly perpendicular, but bulging out a little in the middle. It was +worn in places by the summer streams which run over it, and marred in +other parts by the fall of great fragments into the valley below. While +our visitors were gazing at it a crystal block came down as an angry +hint for them to stand from under. Wisely heeding the warning, they +turned up one of the gorges between the glacier side and the hill. Here +was rough traveling, and, we should think, dangerous too. There were +strewed along in their path ice fragments from the glacier on one side, +and rocks and earth which had slid down the hill on the other. If the +glacier was as evil disposed as its children, the icebergs, it might let +loose some of its projecting crags on their heads. + +Finding a favorable place, they began to cut steps in the side of the +glacier in order to mount to its surface. Having reached the top they +cautiously walked to the center of the icy stream, drove two stakes on a +line in it, and then two half way between these and the sides of the +glacier. Then they measured the distance of these stakes from each +other, and sighted from their tops fixed objects on the hills. They +purposed to come in the spring and examine the distance apart of the +stakes, and sight from them the fixed objects, so as to determine how +fast the frozen river was moving down the valley. Having set the stakes +they scampered back to the vessel. + +After a little rest another journey to the glacier was made, this time +without the dogs, the sledges, having a light outfit, being drawn by the +men. These were young Knorr, the sailor M'Donald, Mr. Heywood, a +landsman from the west--an amateur explorer--the Dane, Petersen, and the +Esquimo, Peter. When they arrived at the gorge, the way was so rough +that they were compelled to carry the sledge loads in parcels on their +backs. It was rough work, and they sought an early camp; but with the +frowning ice-cliffs on one side and hill-crags on the other, both +evil-minded in the use of their icy and rocky missiles, and with also +the uneven bed of rocks beneath them, no wonder they did not sleep. They +were soon astir, pushed farther up the gorge, and finding a favorable +place, began to cut steps up the glacier. The first one who attempted to +mount reached some distance, then slipped, and in sliding down carried +with him his companions who were following, and the whole company were +promiscuously tumbled into the gorge. The one going ahead had better +luck the next trial, carrying a rope by which the sledge was drawn up, +and all mounted in safety. + +They now started off up this ice-river toward the great sea of ice from +whence it flowed. The surface was at first rough, and of course slightly +descending toward its front edge. Dr. Hayes walked in advance of the +sledge party, carrying a pole over his head grasped by both hands, being +fearful of the treacherous cracks hidden by their ice. Soon down he went +into one, but the pole reached across the chasm and he scrambled out. +The depth of the chasm remains a mystery to this day. The ice grew +smoother as they proceeded, and they made about five miles, pitched +their canvas tents, cooked with their lamp a good supper, made coffee, +ate and drank like weary men, crept into their fur sleeping bags, and +slept soundly though the thermometer was about fifteen degrees below +zero. The next day they traveled thirty miles, and came upon an even +plain where the surface of the ice-sea was covered with many feet of +snow, the crust of which broke through at every step. This made very +hard traveling, yet the following day they tramped twenty-five miles +more. Now came the ever-at-hand Arctic storm. They camped, but lower and +lower fell the temperature, and fiercer and fiercer blew the wind. They +could not sleep, so they decided to turn their faces homeward. The frost +nipped their fingers, and assailed their faces, as they hastily packed +up and started. They were five thousand feet above the level of the sea, +and seventy miles from the coast, and were standing in the midst of a +vast icy desert. There was neither mountain nor hill in sight. As in +mid-ocean the sailor beholds the sea bounded only by the sky, so here +they beheld only ice, which stretched away to the horizon on every +side--truly a sea of ice. Clouds of snow whirled along its surface, at +times rising and disappearing in the cold air, or drifted across the +face of the setting moon--beautiful clouds of fleecy whiteness to the +eye, but "burning" the flesh as they pelted the retreating explorers, +like the fiery sand-clouds of the Great Sahara. They scud before the +wind, which they dared not for a moment face, nor halted until they had +traveled forty miles and descended two thousand feet. They then pitched +their tents, the cold and wind having lessened though yet severe. They +arrived at the ship the next evening, not seriously the worse for their +daring "sea-voyage" on foot. + +Having been refreshed by food and rest, no doubt our explorers discussed +the great glacier problem, and pleasantly chased away many an hour in +talk about what they had seen and what they had read on this interesting +subject. We think their conversation included some of the following +facts:-- + +The ice upon which they had been voyaging is a part of a great ocean of +ice covering the central line of Greenland from Cape Farewell on the +south to the farthest known northern boundary, a distance of at least +twelve hundred miles. Instead of being formed of drops of water like +more southern oceans, it is made up of crystallized dew-drops and +snow-flakes, which have been falling for ages, and which in these cold +regions have no summer long enough, nor of sufficient heat, to convert +them into water again. + +But if the crystal dews and snows continue to fall for ages, and never +melt, what prevents them from piling up to the sky, and sinking the very +continent? The all-wise Director of the universe has made a very curious +arrangement to prevent such a result. This ice-ocean runs off into the +sea in great ice-rivers which find their way to the shore on both sides +of the continent, just as the water does which falls from the clouds on +the top of the Andes of South America. There we see the mighty Amazon, +one of its rivers, almost an ocean of itself, as it sweeps along its +banks between mountains, and through immense forests. Greenland has its +Amazons in vastness and grandeur, as well as its smaller rivers and +little streams. It has also its lakes and sublime Niagaras, its falls +and cascades. But they are ice instead of water; that is all the +difference between this Arctic circulation and that of warmer regions. + +But of course this ice is not like that which many of the readers see +every winter. It is a half-solid, pasty kind of substance. It holds +together, yet slides along from the higher land where it accumulates, +filling up the valleys, breaking through the openings in the mountain +and hilly ridges, and pouring over the precipices; slowly, silently, but +with mighty force, ever pressing onward until it reaches the sea. + +These ice rivers move very slowly. It will be remembered that Dr. Hayes +drove some stakes down in the one he visited in October. In the +following July he visited the glacier again, and compared the relation +of these to the landmarks he had noted. He thus found that this +ice-river moved over one hundred feet a year. It had come down the +valley ten miles. Two more miles would bring it to the sea. Some glacier +streams which they visited were yet many miles from the shore, one as +far away as sixty miles. The Great Glacier of Humboldt, farther north, +was several times visited by Dr. Kane and parties of his explorers. Its +face is a solid, glassy wall three hundred feet above the water-level, +and in extending from Cape Agassiz, a measured distance north, of sixty +miles, and then disappearing in the unknown polar regions. Surely this +must be the mouth of the Amazon of glacier rivers. + +But the history of these rivers does not end when they reach the sea. +When their broad and high glassy front touches the water it does not +melt away nor fall to pieces, but goes down to the bottom, and if it be +a shallow bay or arm of the sea, pushes the water back and fills up the +whole space, it may be for many miles. When it reaches water so deep +that more than seven eighths of its front is below the surface, it +begins to feel an upward pressure, just as a piece of wood when forced +below its natural water-line will spring back. So after a while this +upward pressure breaks off the massive front, perhaps miles in extent, +and many hundred feet in height. As this is launched into the sea its +thunder crash is heard for miles, and the water boils like a caldron, +while the disengaged mass rolls and plunges until, finding its +equilibrium, it sails away a majestic ICEBERG. Hereafter the snow will +at times cover it with a mantle of pure whiteness; the fierce storms +will beat upon its defiant brow; the beams of the rising and setting sun +will display their sparkling glories on its craggy top, or, falling upon +the misty cloud which envelopes it, will encircle it with all the +varying hues of the rainbow. As it voyages in stately dignity southward, +anchored, it may be, at times for months, it will pass in sullen silence +the drear, long, dark Arctic night, and emerge into the brief summer to +be enlivened as the home of innumerable sea-fowl, who will rear their +young upon its cold breast. Ultimately it will go back to the drops of +water from which it came, to make a part of the great ocean, and +possibly to sail away in clouds over the frozen regions, and to drop +again upon its glassy plain in sparkling crystals. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +A STRANGE DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT. + + +THE winter was fully settled down upon Port Foulke, but the dwellers in +the schooner "United States" knew nothing of the anxieties and suffering +from cold and hunger which most of the arctic voyagers have known. There +was one foe, however, which they, in common with all who had gone before +them, had to fight; namely, depression of mind produced by the weeks of +inactivity and darkness. We have seen how many means were used by +earlier as well as later explorers to meet and vanquish this foe. Dr. +Hayes availed himself of the hints given by his predecessors, and had +some devices peculiarly his own. To the "school of navigation," dramatic +performances, and the publishing of a weekly "newspaper," was added the +pleasant stimulus of a celebration of the birthday of every man on +board. Such occasions were attended by special dinners, the passing of +complimentary notes of invitations to the intended guests, which +included all, and by fun-making, at which all laughed as a matter of +course. + +On Sunday all assembled in their clean and best suits. Brief religious +service was performed in the presence of all, and the day was spent in +reading or conversation, save the performance of the necessary routine +work. + +During the favoring light of the moon some excursions were attempted. +One was made by Professor Sontag, accompanied by Hans and Jensen with +two dog sledges. The object was to reach the harbor where Dr. Kane's +"Advance" had been left, and ascertain if possible her fate. He started +early in November, but returned in a few days, baffled by the hummocks +and wide intervening, treacherous ice-cracks. The party had an encounter +with and captured a bear and her cub. The mother fought with maternal +fury for her child, tossed the dogs one after another until some of the +stoutest and bravest retired bleeding and yelping from the field, and at +times charged upon and scattered the whole pack, while the cub itself +behaved bravely in its own defense. When the men came up they threw in, +of course, the fatal odds of rifle balls. Once Hans, his gun having +failed to go off, seized an Esquimo lance and ran at the beast. +Accepting the challenge of a hand-to-hand fight, she made at him with +such spirit that he dropped the lance and ran, and nothing saved the cub +from supping on Esquimo meat but two well-directed balls, which whizzed +at the right moment from the guns of Sontag and Jensen. The bears made a +splendid resistance to the unprovoked attack upon them in the peaceable +pursuit of an honest calling, that of getting a living, but were +conquered and eaten. + +Among the sad events of the winter was a fatal disease among the dogs. +They all died but nine by the middle of December. This was alarming, for +upon them depended mainly the spring excursions North Poleward. Such +being the situation, Sontag took at this time the surviving dogs, and, +on a sledge with Hans as a driver, started south in pursuit of Esquimo. +If they could be brought with their dogs into the vicinity of the ship +and fed, there would be a fair chance of having dog-sledges when they +were wanted. The nearest known Esquimo family was at Northumberland +Island, a hundred miles off, and others were at the south side of Whale +Sound, fifty miles farther--perhaps all had gone to the most distant +point. They departed in fine spirits, and well equipped. Hans cracked +his whip, and the dogs, well fed and eager for a run, caused the sledge +to glide over the ice with the velocity of a locomotive. Their +companions sent after them a "hip! hip, hurrah!" and a "tiger." The moon +shed her serene light on their path, and all seemed to promise a speedy +and successful return. + +The second night after their departure the solicitous commander had a +strange, disquieting dream. He says in the journal of the following +morning: "I stood with Sontag far out upon the frozen sea, when suddenly +a crash was heard through the darkness, and in an instant a crack opened +in the ice between us. It came so suddenly and widened so rapidly that +he could not spring over it to where I stood, and he sailed away on the +dark waters of a troubled sea. I last saw him standing firmly upon the +crystal raft, his erect form cutting sharply against a streak of light +which lay upon the distant horizon." + +Christmas came and was duly regarded. Stores of nice things, the gifts +of friends far away, were brought out from secret corners where they had +been hid. The tables were loaded with that which satisfied the appetite +and gratified the eye, while the rooms of officers and men blazed with +cheerful lights. Outside a feeble aurora seemed to be trying to exhibit +an inspiring illumination, which contrasted strongly with its cloudy +background. + +January, 1861, came, and half its days passed, yet no tidings came from +Sontag. The twilight had returned, and already the coming sun was +heralded along the golden horizon. The commander was becoming uneasy +concerning the missing ones, and began to devise ways of knowing what +had become of them. Mr. Dodge was sent to follow their tracks, which he +did as far as Cape Alexander, where he lost them and returned. A party +was instantly put in readiness for farther search, and was about to +start on the morning of January twenty-seventh, when a violent storm +arose, detaining it two days. As it was on the instant of starting +again, two Esquimo suddenly appeared at the vessel's side. One of them +was Ootiniah, who appears so creditably in the narrative of Dr. Hayes's +boat voyage. They were bearers of sad news. Professor Sontag was dead. +Hans was on his way to the vessel with his wife, father and mother, and +their son, a lad who was left behind with mother when Hans was first +taken on board of the schooner. Some of the dogs had died, and the +family were necessarily moving slowly. + +Two days later Hans came in with the boy only, having left the dogs and +the old people near Cape Alexander and come on for help. He was very +cold and much exhausted, and both were sent below for food, warmth, and +rest, before being questioned concerning the disastrous journey. The +large sledge, drawn by fresh men, was sent for those left behind. The +old people were found coiled up in an excavation made in a snow bank, +and the dogs huddled together near them, neither dogs nor Esquimo being +able to stir, and so all were bundled in a heap on the sledge and drawn +to the schooner. The hardy savages soon revived under the influence of +good quarters and good eating, but the dogs, five in number, the remnant +of the strong force of thirty-six, lay on the deck unable to stir, and +not disposed to eat. + +Hans's story was this:-- + +They made a good run the first day, passing Cape Alexander, and camped +in a snow hut on Sunderland Island. The next day they reached an Esquimo +settlement, but found its huts forsaken. Resting and eating here, they +started for Northumberland Island, and having traveled about five miles, +Sontag, becoming chilled, sprang from the sledge and ran ahead of the +dogs for warmth by exercise. Hans having occasion to halt the team to +disentangle a trace fell some distance behind. He was urging forward his +team to overtake his master when he saw him sinking. He had come upon +thin ice covering a recently open crack, and had broken through. Hans +hastened up and helped him from the water. A light wind was blowing, +which disposed Sontag not to attempt to change his wet clothes--the +fatal error. They hastened back to the hut in which they had spent the +night. At first the professor ran, but after a while jumped on the +sledge, and when he reached the hut he was stiff and speechless. Hans +lifted him into the hut, drew off his wet clothes, and placed him into +his sleeping bag. Having tightly closed the hut, he set the lamp ablaze, +and administered to him a portion of brandy from a flask found on the +sledge. But the cold had done its fatal work; he remained speechless and +unconscious for nearly twenty-four hours, and died. + +Hans closed up the hut to prevent beasts of prey from disturbing the +body, continued south, and on the second night came upon a village where +he was rejoiced to find several native families, who were living in the +midst of abundance. Here Hans rested until two Esquimo boys, whom he +hired with the Sontag presents, could go to Cape York after his wife's +parents and their son. They over-drove or starved four of the dogs, +which were left by the way. + +The natives whom he found were ready on the moment of his arrival to +return to the vessel with him, and Ootiniah and his companion were the +first to show their good-will by starting with Hans on his return. + +A few weeks later the body of Sontag was brought to the vessel, a neat +coffin was made for it, and the whole ship's company followed it, +mourning, to its last resting-place. The burial service was read, and it +was carefully secured from molestation. At a later period a mound was +raised over it, and a chiseled stone slab, with his name and age, marked +the head. + +August Sontag was only twenty-eight years of age when thus suddenly cut +off. His loss to the expedition was very great. + +Hans's parents and brother were added to his own family on deck, and +proved to be much more efficient helpers in domestic affairs than Mrs. +Hans. The boy was washed and scrubbed and combed by the sailors, with +whom he became a great favorite, filling much the place on board as a +pet monkey, and proved to be full as annoying to the old cook, who, in +his extreme vexation at his mischievous tricks, threatened to "kill +him--_a le-e-t-le_." The old folks getting tired of the close quarters +on board, built after a while a snow hut on the floe, and set up +housekeeping for themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +THE CROWNING SLEDGE JOURNEY. + + +"THE glorious sun" reappeared February eighteenth, tarrying only a +moment, but giving a sure prophecy of a coming to stay. Scarcely less +welcome was the appearance soon after of Kalutunah, Tattarat, and Myouk, +all old acquaintance whom the reader will not fail to recognize. +Kalutunah was Angekok and Nalegak--priest and chief. His gruff old +rival, who advised the starvation policy toward the escaping party in +the miserable old hut, had been harpooned in the back and buried alive +under a heap of stones. These comers brought the much-desired dogs, and +they were followed by other old friends from Northumberland Island with +additional dog-teams. These natives were treated with consideration--the +were made content with abundant food and flattered with presents, all of +which told favorably upon the success of the enterprise of the generous +donors. + +In the middle of March the northward excursions commenced. The first +consisted of a party of three, Dr. Hayes and Kalutunah driving a team of +six dogs, and Jensen with a sledge of nine. It was to be a trial trip, +and the experiment began rather roughly. A few miles only had been made +when Jensen, whose team was ahead, broke through the ice, and dogs and +man went floundering together into a cold bath. The other team, +fortunately, was just at hand, so they were drawn out, and all returned +to the vessel for a fresh and warm start. The next trial they were gone +four days, and traversed the Greenland shore to Cape Agassiz and to the +commencement of the Great Glacier. The cold at one time was sixty-eight +and a half degrees below zero. Yet the sun's rays through even such an +atmosphere blistered the skin! The grains of snow became like gravel, +and the sledge runners grated over it as if running on the summer sand +of our own sea-shore. Kalutunah had an ingenious remedy for this. He +dissolved snow in his mouth, and pouring the water into his hand coated +the runners with it. It instantly freezing, made something like a glass +plating for them. + +Kalutunah was greatly puzzled in attempting to understand why this +journey was made. But his perplexity took the form of disgust when the +fresh tracks were seen of a bear and cub, and the white chief forbade +the chase. He argued in the interest of Dr. Hayes, who might thereby +have a new fur coat, pointed to the hungry dogs, and finally pleaded for +his own family, who were longing for bear meat. But all in vain. The +circumstances had changed since, in the same spot nearly, he had urged +the dogs after a bear in spite of Dr. Kane, and thus defeated the +purpose of his long trip. + +On their return they turned into Van Rensselaer Harbor, the place made +so famous by Dr. Kane's expedition. Every thing there was changed. +Instead of smooth ice, over which Dr. Kane's party came and went so +often, there were hummocks piled up every-where in the wildest +confusion. Where the "Advance" was left when her men took a last look at +her was an ice-pile towering as high as were her mast-heads. Old +localities were undiscernible from the snow and icy aggressions. A small +piece of a deck-plank picked up near Butler Island was all that could be +found of the "Advance." The Esquimo told nearly as many diverse stories +of her history after the white men left her as there were persons to +testify, and some individuals, apparently to increase the chance of +saying some item of truth, told many different stories. According to +these witnesses she drifted out to sea and sunk, (the most probable +statement,) she was knocked to pieces so far as possible and carried off +by the Esquimo, and she was accidentally set on fire and burned. The +graves of Baker and Pierre remained undisturbed, but the beacon built +over them was broken down and scattered. + +The result of this experimental trip was the decision of the commander +not to attempt to reach the Open Polar Sea by the Greenland shore, but +to cross Smith Sound at Cairn Point, a few miles north of the schooner. +To this point provisions were immediately carried on the sledges for the +summer journey beyond. + +On the third of April the grand effort to reach the North Pole +commenced. The party consisted of twelve persons, who were early at +their assigned positions alongside of the schooner. Jensen was at the +head of the line of march, on the sledge "Hope," to which were harnessed +eight dogs; Knorr came next, "the whip" of the "Perseverance," with six +dogs. Then came a metallic life-boat with which the Polar Sea was to be +navigated, mounted on a sledge and drawn by men each with shoulder strap +and trace. Flags fluttered from boat and sledges, all was enthusiasm, +and at the word "march" the dogs dashed away, the men bent bravely to +their earnest work, the "swivel" on deck thundered its good-bye, and the +party were soon far away. + +The very first day's exposure nearly proved fatal to several of the +party. One settled himself down in the snow muttering, "I'm freezing," +and would have proved in a half hour his declaration had not two more +hardy men taken him in charge. The spirits of the men ran low, and they +were two hours in building a snow-hut in which to hide from the pitiless +wind. A rest at Cairn Point and increased experience gave them more +energy, and the next snow-hut was made in less than one hour. They +proved the snow-shovel a fine heat generator. On the fifth night out +they were overtaken by a storm, and were detained two days in their hut. +This was a pit in the snow eighteen feet long, eight wide, and four +deep. Across its top were placed the boat-oars; across these the sledge +was laid; over the sledge was thrown the boat's sails; and over the +sails snow was shoveled. They crawled into this hut through a hole which +they filled up after them with a block of snow. Over the floor--a +leveled snow floor--they spread an India-rubber cloth; on this was laid +a carpet of buffalo-skins, and over this another of equal size. Between +these they crept to sleep, the outside man of the row having no little +difficulty in preventing his companions from "pulling the clothes off." +The wind without blew its mightiest blow, and piled the snow up over the +poor dogs, which were huddled together for mutual warmth, and were kept +restless in poking their noses above the drift. The cooks were obliged +to call to their help the commander in order to keep the lamp from being +puffed out, and two hours were consumed in getting a steaming pot of +coffee. But after a while the bread and coffee, and dried meat and +potato hash, were abundantly and regularly served, and the men contrived +to pass in talk and song and sleep the hours of the really dreary +imprisonment. + +Before the storm had fully subsided, the party went on the back track to +bring up to this point a part of the provisions they had been obliged to +deposit. This done, they put their faces to the opposite, or American +side of the sound. But the difficulties were truly fearful. The ice, +like great bowlders, was scattered over the entire surface, now piled in +ridges ten, twenty, and even a hundred feet high, and then scattered +over a level area with only a narrow and ever-twisting way between them. +Over these ridges the sledges had to be lifted, the load often taken off +and carried up in small parcels, and the sledges and boat drawn up and +let down again. Frequently in the midst of this toil a man would fall +into a chasm up to his waist; another would go out of sight in one. +These terrible traps were so covered with a crust of snow that they +could not be discerned. The boat was, of course, capsized often, and +much battered. When a ridge had been scaled, and the party had picked +their way for a time through the winding path among the ice-bowlders, +they would come to a sudden impassable barrier, and be obliged to +retrace their steps. A whole day of gigantic exertion, and of many miles +of zigzag travel, would sometimes advance them only a rifle-shot in a +straight line. + +Of course it was simply impossible to carry the boat, and it was +abandoned. They were yet only about thirty miles from Cairn Point, but +had traveled perhaps five times that distance. + +For several days after this the heroic explorers struggled on. A fresh +snow with a half-frozen crust was added to their other obstacles. +Hummocks and ridges and pitfalls grew worse and worse. The sledges +broke, the limbs of the men were bruised and sprained, their strength +exhausted, and at last their spirits failed. They had toiled twenty-five +days, advanced half way across the sound, and brought along about eight +hundred pounds of food. + +On the twenty-eighth of April the main party were sent homeward. Dr. +Hayes, Knorr, M'Donald, and Jensen, pushed on toward the American shore. +Their way was, as one of the party remarked, like a trip through New +York over the tops of the houses. They progressed a mile and a half, +and traveled at least twelve, carrying their provisions over the ground +by repeating the journey many times. Such was the daily experience, +varied by many exciting incidents. Jensen sprained a leg which had been +once broken; the dogs were savage as the wildest wolves with hunger, +though having a fair amount of food; once Knorr in feeding them stumbled +and fell into the midst of the pack, and would have doubtless been +devoured as a generous morsel of food tossed to them, had not M'Donald +pounced upon them at the moment with lusty blows from a whip-stock. All +four of the explorers held out bravely in this fearful strain on mind +and body, even young Knorr never shrinking from the hardest work, nor +the longest continued exertions. + +On the eleventh of May the party encamped under the shadow of Cape +Hawkes, on Grinnell Land, off the American coast. The distance from +Cairn Point, in a straight line northwest, was eighty miles. They had +been traveling thirty-one days, and made a twisting and clambering route +of five hundred miles. + +The travel up the coast had the usual variety of dangers, hair-breadth +escapes, and exhausting toil. A little flag-staff, planted by Dr. Hayes +during the Kane expedition, was found bravely looking out upon the drear +field it was set to designate, but the flag it bore had been blown away. +Remains of Esquimo settlements long deserted were found. A raven croaked +a welcome to the strangers, or it may be a warning, and followed them +several days. + +On the fourth day up the coast Jensen, the hardiest of the vessel's +company, utterly failed. He had strained his back as well as leg, and +groaned with pain. What could be done? The party could not proceed with +a sick man, nor would they for a moment think of leaving him alone. So +the following course was adopted by the commander: M'Donald was left in +the snow-hut with Jensen, with five days' food and five dogs, with +orders to remain five days, and then, if Hayes and Knorr, who were to +continue on, had not returned, to make his best way with Jensen back to +the vessel. + +The journey of Dr. Hayes and Knorr was continued two full days. On the +morning of the third day they had proceeded but a few miles when they +came to a stand. They had on their left the abrupt, rocky, ice-covered +cliffs of the shore; on their right were high ridges of ice, through +which the waters of an open sea broke here and there into bays and +inlets which washed the shore. Farther progress north by land or ice was +impossible. They climbed a cliff which towered eight hundred feet above +the sea, whose dark waters were lost in the distance toward the +north-east. North, standing against the sky, was a noble headland, the +most northern known land, and only about four hundred and fifty miles +from the North Pole. The spot on which our explorers stood was about one +degree farther north than that occupied by Morton, of Kane's +Expedition, yet on the shore of the same open water. Now, if they only +had the boat they were obliged to leave among the hummocks in Smith +Sound, with the provisions and men they had _hoped_ to bring to this +point, how soon would they solve the mystery locked up from the +beginning, and in the keeping of his Frosty Majesty of the Pole itself! +But, alas! there were neither boat nor provisions, and the movement of +the treacherous floes warned the daring strangers that the bridge of ice +over which they had come to this side might soon be torn away, and make +a return impossible. They built a monument of stones, raised on it a +flag of triumph, deposited beneath it a record of their visit placed in +a bottle, and turned their faces homeward. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +LAST INCIDENTS OF THE EXPEDITION. + +DR. HAYES and Knorr were buffeted by a fierce storm soon after starting. +They were over fifty miles from M'Donald and Jensen, only ten of which +were traversed before they were obliged to encamp. But the storm howled, +and tossed the snow-clouds about them, making it impossible to build a +snow hut. After a brief halt, and feeding the dogs with the last morsel +of food which remained, they pushed on. The snow was deep, often nearly +burying the dogs as they plunged along; the hummocks and rocks over +which they climbed lay across their path, and the wind blew with +unabated fury; yet they halted not until the remaining forty or more +miles were accomplished, and they tumbled into the hut of their +companions. The dogs rolled themselves together on the snow the moment +they were left, utterly exhausted. The weary men slept a long, sound +sleep. When they awoke a steaming pot of coffee and an abundant +breakfast awaited them. They had fasted thirty-four hours, and traveled +in the last twenty-two over forty miles, which the hummocks and deep +snow made equal to double that distance of smooth sledging. The last few +miles were made in a state of partial bewilderment, so their final +safety was another of their many marked deliverances. The remaining run +to the vessel had its daily perils and escapes. As they were approaching +the American shore they stepped across a crack on the ice. They had +traveled but a short distance when they perceived that there was an +impassable channel between them and the land ice. They ran back to +recross the crack, and that had become twenty yards wide. They were, in +fact, on an ice-raft, and were sweeping helplessly out to sea! They had +hardly collected their thoughts after this terrifying surprise before +one of the shore corners of their raft struck a small grounded iceberg, +and on this, as on a pivot, the outer edge swung toward the shore, +struck its margin, allowed them to scamper off, and then immediately +swung again into the open water, and shot out to sea. + +The poor dogs, being insufficiently fed, and necessarily overworked, now +began to fail. Jensen's lameness compelling him to ride, increased their +burden. One died just before the party left the hummocks, and two soon +after. A fourth having failed, the commander, thinking to shorten his +misery, shot him. The ball only wounding him, he set up a terrible cry, +at which his companions flew at him, tore him in pieces, and, almost +before his last howl had died away in the dreary waste, they had eaten +the flesh from his bones. + +They arrived at the schooner safely after two months' absence, during +which they had traveled thirteen hundred miles. + +The commander was cheered to learn that the party who returned under +M'Cormick had reached Port Foulke in safety. The whole ship's company +were in good health. The vessel was immediately thoroughly examined and +put in sailing order. As the summer came on, the birds, the green +mosses, hardy little flowers, several species of moths and spiders, and +even a yellow winged butterfly, appeared to greet its coming. The open +water was daily coming nearer the schooner. While awaiting the loosening +of its icy fetters, a boat's crew had an exciting walrus hunt. Dr. Hayes +had been on a hill-top which overlooked the bay, when the hoarse +bellowing of distant walrus saluted his ears. Drifting ice-rafts were +coming down the sound, on which great numbers of these monsters could be +seen. He hurried to the vessel, and called for volunteers. Soon a +whale-boat was manned, and the men, armed with three rifles and a +harpoon and line, dragged it to the open water, launched it, and rowed +into the midst of the drift-ice. The first cake of ice which they +approached contained a freight of twenty-four walruses, pretty well +covering it. The lubberly, ugly looking sea-hogs appeared as content as +their very distant relatives of our sties, while they huddled together +and twisted for the sunniest spot, and bellowed in one another's ears. +Our hunters were all eager for the fight as they approached with muffled +oars, but on coming near to the floe, it was apparent that the hunt was +not to be all fun, nor the fighting on one side only. The hides of the +monsters looked like an iron plating, and were, in fact, an inch thick, +smooth, hairless, and tough, suggesting a good defensive ability; while +their great tusks, projecting from a jaw of elephantine strength, hinted +unpleasantly to the invaders that their antagonists were prepared for +assault as well as defense. Very likely if one could have seen at that +moment the countenances of our boat's crew, they would have shown more +of a wish to be in the vessel's cabin than they would have cared to +confess with their lips. But there was no flinching. There were two male +walruses in the herd--huge, fierce-looking fellows, which roused up a +moment to scan the strangers, and then, giving each other a punch in the +face with their tusks, stretched out again upon the ice to sleep. + +In this walrus party there were, besides the two fathers, mothers with +children of various ages, from the "little ones" of four hundred pounds, +to the "young folks." Of course they were a loving, happy group. The +boat came within a few times its length of the ice-raft. Miller, an old +whaleman, was in the bow of the boat with a harpoon. Hayes, Knorr, and +Jensen stood in the stern with their rifles leveled each at his selected +victim, while the oarsmen bent forward to their oars. At the word the +rifles cracked, and the oarsmen at the same moment shot the boat into +the midst of the startled walrus. Jensen hit one of the males in the +neck, not probably doing him much harm; Hayes's ball struck the other +bull in the head, at which he roared lustily. Knorr killed a baby +walrus dead, but he disappeared from the raft with the rest, probably +pushed off by his mamma. When the old fellow which was wounded by the +commander rolled into the water, Miller planted his harpoon in him with +unerring skill, and the line attached spun out over the gunwale with +fearful velocity. There were a few moments of suspense, and then up came +the herd, a few yards from the boat, the wounded bull with the harpoon +among them. They uttered one wild, united shriek, and answering shrieks +from thousands of startled walruses, on the walrus laden ice-rafts for +miles around, filled the air. It was an agonized cry for help, and the +answering cry was, "we come!" There was a simultaneous splash from the +ice-rafts, and the hosts, as if by the bugle call, came rushing on, +heads erect, and uttering the defiant "huk, huk, huk!" They came +directly at the boat, surrounding it, and blackening the waters with +their numbers. The wounded bull, attached still to Miller's line, led +the attack. The hunters had aroused foemen worthy of their steel, and +they must now fight or die. It seemed to be the purpose of the walruses +to get their tusks over the side of the boat, and so easily tear it to +pieces or sink it, and then, having its audacious crew in the water, +make short work of them. As they came on, Miller, in the bow, pricked +them in the face with his lance, the rowers pushed them back with their +oars, while Hayes, Jensen, and Knorr sent, as fast as they could load +and fire, rifle-balls crashing through their heads. At one time a huge +leader had come within a few feet of the boat. Hayes and Jensen had just +fired, and were loading, but Knorr was just in time to salute him with a +ball. The men were becoming weary, while the walrus assaulting column +was constantly supplied with fresh troops. The situation was now +critical, when, as if to crush his enemy and end the conflict in victory +on his side, a walrus Goliath, with tusks three feet long, led on a +solid column of undismayed warriors. Two guns had just been fired, as +before. His terrible weapons were fearfully near the gunwale, when +Knorr's gun came to the rescue; its muzzle was so near his open mouth +that the ball killed him instantly, and he sunk like lead. This sent +consternation through the walrus ranks. They all dove at once, and when +they came up they were a considerable distance off, their tails to their +foes, and retreating with a wild shriek. The battle was ended, and the +saucy explorers were victors. The sea in places was red with blood. The +harpooned bull and one other were carried as trophies to the vessel. + +On the twelfth of July the schooner floated, after an ice imprisonment +of ten months. The Esquimo seeing that the white friends were about to +leave them, gathered on the shore in sorrowful interest. They had been +the receivers of gifts great in their estimation, and they had rendered +the strangers no small favors, especially in the use of their dogs, +without which no excursions of importance could have been made. +Kalutunah actually wept on parting with Dr. Hayes. He had enjoyed under +his patronage the Esquimo paradise--"plenty to eat, plenty sleep, no +work, no hunt." He spoke feelingly of the fading away of his people. +"Come back," he said, "and save us; come soon or we shall be all gone." + +He had reason to express these fears concerning his people. Since Dr. +Kane left thirty-four had died, and there had been in the same time only +nineteen births. There seemed to be in all the settlements, from Cape +York to Etah, only a hundred! + +The explorers bid adieu to Port Foulke on the fourteenth, and sailed +away to the west side of Smith Sound, and reached a point about ten +miles south of Cape Isabella. The hope was entertained by the commander +that he might work his way with the vessel north through the now +loosening ice over which he had just been traveling with sledges, get +through even Kennedy Channel, to the open sea on the shore of which he +had so lately stood, and then sail away to the North Pole. What a +stimulating thought! But he found the schooner ice-battered, and, +weakened by the "nips" she had experienced, was unequal to the required +fight with the defiant pack which every-where filled the sound. So the +explorers turned homeward. They arrived at Upernavik on the twelfth of +August after many exciting incidents but no accident. Here they learned +the startling news of the commencement of the great Rebellion. During +their absence President Lincoln had been inaugurated, the black cloud +of war had settled heavily over the whole country, and the bloody battle +of Bull Run had been fought. They were now to return home and transfer +their interest in fighting ice-packs, bergs, and Polar bears, to the +conflicts of civil war. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +SOMETHING NEW. + + +WHILE the civilized world were awaiting with deep interest the results +of the search for Sir John Franklin, and while learned geographers and +practical navigators to the regions of cold were devising new methods of +search for him, a young engraver was working out a problem in reference +to this great enterprise peculiarly his own. Without special educational +advantages, without the resources of wealth or influential friends, but +with the inspiration of one feeling, "a divine call" to the undertaking, +he matured his plans and began to publish them abroad. He seems to have +at once imparted his own enthusiasm to others. The mayor of his own +city, Cincinnati, the governor and senator of his own State, Ohio, the +latter the eminent Salmon P. Chase, late Chief-Justice of the United +States, became his patrons. Coming east, many of the great and wise men +of our large cities gave him an attentive hearing, and not a few +encouraged his project. The princely merchant, Henry Grinnell, who had +already done so much in the Franklin search, took him at once into +kindly sympathy. + +From New York he went to New London. From the old whalemen, at least +from individuals of them of marked character and large experience in +Arctic navigation, he obtained encouraging words. + +His plan of search which thus so readily commended itself was this: He +would go into the region where it was now known that Franklin and some +of his men had died; he would live with the Esquimo, learn their +language, adopt their habits of life, and thus learn all that they knew +of the history of the ill-fated expedition. He assumed that many of its +men might yet be alive, and if they were, the natives would know it, +know where they were, and could guide him to them. + +To prepare himself for this work he became conversant with Arctic +literature, learning all that the books on the subject taught; he +applied himself closely to the study of the practical science bearing on +his enterprise, learning the use of its instruments. He sought +interviews and correspondence with returned explorers and whalemen. In +fact, his heart was in the work with a downright enthusiasm. + +The marked features of his plan seemed to be two--it was inexpensive and +new. As to the manning of his expedition, he proposed to go alone; as to +vessels, he asked none. He only asked to be conveyed to the proposed +Esquimo country, and to be left with its natives. We might name a third +attractive feature of this plan, one which always inspires interest--it +was bold, bordering on the audacious! + +We need hardly say to our readers that the name of this new candidate +for Arctic perils and honors was Charles Francis Hall--a name now +greatly honored and lamented.[A] + +Mr. Hall was born in Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1821, where he worked +a while at the blacksmith's trade, but left both the trade and his +native place in early life for the Queen City of the West. The result of +Mr. Hall's enthusiastic appeals was an offer by the firm of Williams & +Haven, whale-ship owners of New London, to convey him and his outfit in +their bark "George Henry" to his point of operations, and if ever +desired, to give him the same free passage home in any of their ships. +The "George Henry" was going, of course, after whales, and proposed thus +to convey him as an obliging incident of the trip. + +This proposal was made in the early spring of 1860. On the twenty-ninth +of May he sailed. His outfit was simple, and had the appearance of a +private, romantic excursion. It consisted of a good sized, staunch +whale-boat built for his special use, a sledge, a few scientific +instruments, a rifle, six double-barreled shot-guns, a Colt's revolver, +and the ammunition supposed to be necessary for a long separation from +the source of supply. A start was given him in a small store of +provisions; beyond that he was to supply himself. A tolerable supply of +trinkets were added as a basis of trade with the natives. What funds +this miniature exploring expedition required was given largely by Mr. +Grinnell. + +The "George Henry" was accompanied by _a tender_, a small schooner named +the "Rescue," having already an Arctic fame. The officers and crew of +both vessels numbered twenty-nine, under command of Captain S. O. +Buddington. + +We have spoken of Mr. Hall as the only man of his exhibition; he had +after all one companion. The previous year Captain Buddington had +brought home an Esquimo by the name of Kudlago, who was now returning to +his fatherland and to his wife and children. Upon him Mr. Hall largely +depended as an interpreter, a friend, and guide, in his work. + +The run of the "George Henry" to the Greenland coast was made with but +one marked incident. That was to Mr. Hall a very sad one, giving him the +first emphatic lesson in the uncertainty of his most carefully devised +schemes. It was the death and burial at sea of Kudlago. He had left New +London in good health, taken cold in the fogs of Newfoundland, and +declined rapidly. He prayed fervently to be permitted to see his wife +and children--only that, and he would die content. He inquired daily +while confined to his berth if any ice was in sight. His last words +were, "_Teiko seko? teiko seko?_"--Do you see ice? do you see ice? The +Greenland shore was just in sight when he departed, and his home and +family were three hundred miles away. + +The "George Henry" and her tender, the "Rescue," sailed north, along the +Greenland coast, as far as Holsteinberg, where Mr. Hall purchased six +Esquimo dogs. The vessel then stood southwest across Davis Strait and +made, August eighth, a snug harbor, which Mr. Hall called Grinnell Bay, +a little north of what is known as Frobisher Strait. Here Mr. Hall was +to land and commence his Esquimo life, alone and far away from a +Christian home, while the vessel went about its business capturing +whales. His feelings on the voyage are indicated by the following +extract from his diary: + +"A good run with a fair breeze yesterday. Approaching the north axis of +the earth! Aye, nearing the goal of my fondest wishes. Every thing +relating to the arctic zone is deeply interesting to me. I love the +snows, the ices, the icebergs, the fauna and the flora of the North. I +love the circling sun, the long day, _the arctic night, when the soul +can commune with God in silent and reverential awe_! I am on a mission +of love. I feel to be in the performance of a duty I owe to mankind, +myself, and God! Thus feeling I am strong at heart, full of faith, ready +to do or die in the cause I have espoused." How he felt when actually +engaged in his "mission of love," we shall see. + +We must not, however, think of Mr. Hall in a region comparable to that +which included the winter-quarters of Kane and Hayes in the expeditions +we have just described. They were at least twelve degrees farther north, +Mr. Hall being south of the arctic circle, so that his winter nights +were shorter and milder. His present field of operation was on a coast +visited by the whale-ships, and where they at times wintered. Besides, +natives had been for many years in contact with white men, and were in +_some_ respect more agreeable companions. He will therefore, as we +follow him, lead us into new scenes of peculiar interest, and show us +novel features in the character of the Esquimo. + +The whale-ship "Black Eagle," Captain Allen, lay in Grinnell Bay on the +arrival of our voyagers, and the captain soon appeared on the deck of +the "George Henry," with several Esquimo. One of these natives, named +Ugarng, especially attracted Mr. Hall's attention. He was intelligent, +possessing strong lines of character, and a marked physical development. +He had spent a year on a visit to the United States. Speaking of New +York, he said with a sailor's emphasis: "No good! too much horse! too +much house! too much white people! Women? Ah! women great many--good!" +Ugarng will become a familiar acquaintance. + +Mr. Hall had been giving special attention on the voyage across Davis +Strait to his dogs, and they were now to become a chief dependence. He +fed them on _capelin_, or dried fish. One day he called them all around +him, each in his assigned place, to receive in turn his fish. Now there +was one young, shrewd dog, Barbekark, who had not heard, or had never +cared to heed the proverb that "honesty is the best policy." He said to +himself, "If I can get _two_ of the fish while the other dogs get but +one, it will be a nice thing to do;" so, taking his place near the head +of the row, he was served with his capelin. Then, slipping out, he +crowded between the dogs farther down, and with a very innocent look +awaited his turn. His master thought this so sharp in young Barbekark +that he pretended not to see the trick, and dealed him a fish as if he +had received none. On going the round again his master found him near +the head of the row and then at the foot, so the rogue obtained +Benjamin's portion. Seeing his success, he winked his knowing eye as +much as to say, "Ain't I the smartest dog in the pack!" But Barbekark +had entered on a rough road with many turns, as all rogues do. After +going round several times, during which the trick was a success, Mr. +Hall _skipped_ the trickster altogether. It mattered not what place he +crowded into, there was no more fish for him. The upshot was that he +received many less than did his companions. Never did a dog look more +ashamed. From that time he kept his place when fish were distributed. + +Mr. Hall, making the vessel his home, made frequent visits ashore, and +received many Esquimo visitors on board, and was thus becoming +acquainted with the people. An early visitor was Kokerjabin, wife of +Kudlago, accompanied by her son. She had learned in her tent that her +anxiously awaited husband had been left in the deep sea. She entered the +cabin and looked at her husband's white friends, and at the chest which +contained his personal goods, with deep emotion; but when Captain +Buddington opened the chest, the tears flowed freely; and when she, in +taking out things, came to those Kudlago had obtained in the States for +herself and her little girl, she sat down, buried her face in her +hands, and wept with deep grief. She soon after went ashore with her son +to weep alone. + +Another very marked character was Paulooyer, or, as the white men called +him, Blind George. He was now about forty years of age and had been +blind nearly ten years, from the effects of a severe sickness. To this +blindness was added domestic sorrow. His wife Nikujar was very kind to +him for five years after his loss of sight, sharing their consequent +poverty. But Ugarng, who had already several wives, offered her a place +in his tent as his "household wife"--the place of honor in Esquimo +esteem. The offer was tempting, for Ugarng was "a mighty hunter," and +rich at all times in blubber, in furs and skin tents and snow huts. So +she left poor George, taking with her their little daughter, called +Kookooyer. This child became a pet with Ugarng, as she was with her +blind father. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[A] See Frontispiece. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +A FEARFUL STORM. + + +WHILE the "George Henry" lay at Grinnell Bay, Mr. Hall talked much with +the masters of the whale-ships and with the most intelligent of the +natives concerning his proposed journey to King William's Land. This was +a far-away region, where the remains of the Franklin expedition had been +found. He proposed to secure the company of one or more Esquimo and make +an attempt to reach it with a dog-sledge, and to take up his abode with +its natives in search of information of the lost ones. But both his +white and Esquimo advisers agreed that it was too late in the season to +begin such a journey. Mr. Hall would then take the whale-boat built for +him, man it with natives, and make the attempt by water. But this was +deemed impracticable until spring. So he decided to make his home on +board the vessel so long as she remained on the coast, and pursue his +study of the Esquimo language and his survey of the region of country, +with this home as a base of operations. + +On his return from one of his inland excursions with Kudlago's son, whom +the whites called _captain_, he saw his widow, apart from all the +people, weeping for her great bereavement. Her son ran to her and tried +to comfort her, but she would not be comforted. When Mr. Hall approached +she pointed to the spot where their tent was pitched when Kudlago left +for the United States. She also showed him the bones of a whale which he +had assisted in capturing. + +Soon after this the widow visited the vessel with her daughter, +Kimmiloo, who had been the idol of her father. She looked sad on the +mention of her father's name, but, child-like, her eyes gleamed with joy +on seeing the fine things his chest contained for her. Captain B.'s wife +had sent her a pretty red dress, necktie, mittens, belt, and other like +valuables of little white girls. But Mr. Hall suggested that Kimmiloo's +introduction to the dress of civilization should be preceded by soap and +water. The process of arriving at the little girl through layers of dirt +was very slow. When this was done, her kind friend Hall took a _very +coarse_ comb, and commenced combing her hair. This had never been done +before, and of course the comb "pulled" in spite of the care of the +operator, but Kimmiloo bore it bravely. Her locks were filled with moss, +greasy bits of seal, and disgusting reindeer hairs, besides other things +both _active_ and numerous. A full hour was spent on the hair, but when +the comb went through it easily, then the little girl run her fingers +into it and braided quickly a tag on each side of her head; she then +drew these through brass rings which Mr. Hall had given her. Her Esquimo +fur trowsers and coat were thrown off, and the now clean and really +beautiful girl put on the red dress. Her happiness would have been +complete had her father been there to share her joy. + +Mr. Hall's kindly nature led him to study the natives in these +incidents, and to record them in his journals. Ugarng was one time in +the cabin when Mr. Hall had put a few small balls of mercury on a sheet +of white paper. It was a new article to the Esquimo, and he tried to +pick it up with his thumb and finger, but it escaped his grasp. His +efforts would scatter it over the sheet in small globules, and then as +he lifted the corners of the paper it would run together, and Ugarng +would commence catching it with new vigor. He continued his efforts for +a full half hour. Amused at first, but finally losing his temper, he +gave it up, exclaiming petulantly that there was an evil spirit in it. + +Blind George became a constant visitor. At one time Mr. Hall gave him a +much worn coat, showing one of the several holes in it. George +immediately took a needle, and, bringing his tongue to the aid of his +hands, threaded it, and mended _all_ of the rents very neatly. At +another time Mr. Hall put into George's hand a piece of steel with a +magnet attached. The way the steel flew from his hand to the magnet +amazed him. At first he seemed to think it was not really so; but when +he clearly felt the steel leap from his fingers, he threw both steel and +magnet violently upon the floor. But feeling he was not hurt, and that +some little girls laughed at him, he tried it again more deliberately, +and was better satisfied. Mr. Hall next gave him a paper of needles, +desiring him to bring the magnet near them. He did so, and when the +needles flew from his hand by the attraction he sprung to his feet as if +an electric current had touched him, and the needles were scattered in +every direction over the floor. He declared that Mr. Hall was an +"Angekok." + +On the fourteenth of August another whaling vessel belonging to the +owners of the "George Henry" arrived at Grinnell Bay. Her name was the +"Georgiana," Captain Tyson; so there were now four vessels near each +other--the "Rescue" and "Black Eagle," besides those just named. There +were social, merry times. But Captain Buddington, having built a hut +here that some of his men might remain to fish, took his vessels farther +south, for winter-quarters, into a bay separated from Frobisher Bay on +the south by only a narrow strip of land. This Mr. Hall named Field Bay. +Here, snugly hid in an inlet of its upper waters, the vessels proposed +to winter. The Esquimo were not long in finding the new anchorage of the +whites, and in a few days a fleet of kayaks containing seven families +appeared. Among them was Kudlago's oldest daughter, now married to a +native the sailors called Johnny Bull. She had not heard of her father's +death, and stepped on deck elated at the thought of meeting him. "Where +is my father?" she inquired of Ugarng's wife. When she was tenderly told +the sad story of his death she wept freely. + +Mr. Hall was at once busy visiting the "tupics," summer tents made of +skins, pitched by the natives near the shore. He also rowed to the +islands in various directions, generally accompanied by one or more +Esquimo. On one of these visits to an island with a boy he had a narrow +escape. After several hours' ramble they returned to the landing, where +they had left their boat fastened to a rock. The tide had risen and the +boat was dancing on the waves out of reach. Here was a "fix!" They were +far away from the vessel, the night, cold and dark, was coming on, and +they were without shelter. But necessity sharpens one's wits, After some +delay and perplexity, Mr. Hall hit upon this plan: He took the seal-skin +strings from his boots, and the strings by which various scientific +instruments were attached to his person, tied them together, and thus +made quite a long and strong line. To this he tied a moderate sized +stone. Holding one end of the line in his hand, he tossed the stone into +the boat and gently drew it to him, jumped into it, and was soon at the +vessel. If Mr. Hall had not been a _green_ boatman he would not have +fastened his boat below high-water mark when the tide was coming in! He +probably did not again. + +One day the crew of the "Henry" captured a whale in the bay, and the +Esquimo joined with others in towing the monster to the ship. In one of +the boats was an Esquimo woman with a babe; she laid her child in the +bow of the boat and pulled an oar with the strongest of the white men. +Before they reached the vessel the wind blew a gale, the sea ran high, +and at times the spray shot into the air and came down in plentiful +showers into the boat. The mother cast anxious glances at her child, +and, as if it was for its life, rowed with giant strength. At last the +prize was safely moored to the "Henry," and the natives were rewarded +with generous strips of its black skin, which they ate voraciously, raw +and warm from the animal. They carried portions of it to their tupics on +shore for future use. This skin is about three fourths of an inch thick, +and, in even Mr. Hall's estimation, is "good eating" when raw, "but +better soused in vinegar." + +Soon after this, Captain Tyson brought the "Georgiana" round into Field +Bay, and the crews of the two vessels were often together when a whale +made its appearance, a circumstance sometimes the occasion of strife +when he is captured. One day Smith, an officer of the "Henry," fastened +a harpoon in a whale, and was devising means to secure his prey. Captain +Tyson, who was near in his boat, killed the monster with his lances, and +without a word, left Smith to enjoy the pleasure of taking it to his +vessel. The generous act was appreciated on board the "Henry." + +On the twenty-sixth of December a terrible storm commenced, causing the +boats which were cruising for whales to scud home. The three +vessels--the "Henry," "Rescue," and "Georgiana"--were anchored near each +other, and near an island toward which the wind was blowing. It was +about noon when the storm began, and as the day declined the wind +increased, bringing on its wings a cloud of snow. When the night came on +it was intensely dark, and the waves rose higher and higher as, driven +by the tempest, they rolled swiftly by and dashed upon the rocky shore. +The vessels labored heavily in the billows and strained at their +anchors, now dipping their bows deep in the water, then rising upon the +top of a crested wave, and leaping again into the trough of the sea, as +if impatient of restraint and eager to rush upon the rocks to their own +destruction. The roar of the sea and the howling of the winds through +the shrouds were appalling to all on board, while they awaited with +breathless interest the integrity of the anchors, on which their lives +depended. + +As the night wore on the watch on deck, peering through the darkness, +saw the dim outlines of the "Rescue" steadily and slowly moving toward +the shore. "She drags her anchors!" were the fearful words which passed +in whispers through the "George Henry." But all breathed easier to hear +the report from the watch soon after that she had come to a pause nearly +abreast of the "Henry." + +About midnight the storm put forth all the fury of its power, and the +small anchor of the "Georgiana" gave way, and the others went plowing +along their ocean beds, and, as the vessel neared the island, her +destruction and the loss of all on board seemed certain. The endangered +craft worried round a point of rocks, pounding against them as she went, +and reached smoother and safer waters, where her anchors remained firm. +The ghostly-looking forms of her men were soon after seen on the island, +to which they had escaped! In the mean time the men on the "Henry" were +in constant fear that their vessel would be dashed upon rocks. + +Just as the morning was breaking the "Rescue" broke away and went +broadside upon the island. With a crash the breakers hurled her against +the rocks, and seemed to bury her in their white foam. She was at once a +hopeless wreck, but her crew still clung bravely to her. When the +morning light had fully come, at the first lull in the storm, while yet +the waves rolled with unabated fury, a whale-boat was lowered into the +sea from the stern of the "Henry" with a strong line attached, and mate +Rogers and a seaman stepped into it. Cautiously and skillfully it was +guided to the stern of the "Rescue." Into it her men were taken, and +drawn safely to the "Henry." All were saved! A shout of joy mingled with +the tumult of the elements! + +The "Henry" safely outrode the storm. The "Georgiana" was not seriously +injured, and her men returned to her and sailed away for other +winter-quarters. The "Rescue" was a complete wreck, and, what was a +stunning blow to the enterprise of Mr. Hall, his expedition boat, in +which, with an Esquimo crew, he had hoped to reach the far-away land of +his lone sojourn and search for the Franklin men, was totally wrecked +too! What now should he do? That was to him the question of questions. +One thing he resolved _not_ to do--he would not abandon his mission. +Captain Buddington thought at first that he might spare him one of the +ship's boats in which to reach King William's Land; but, on careful +inquiry, he found that the only one he could part with was rotten and +untrustworthy. So waiting and watching became his present duty. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +THE AURORA. + + +MR. HALL had an eye for the beautiful in nature. The aurora deeply +impressed him, inspiring feelings of awe and reverence. It will be +noticed that explorers in the low latitude of Frobisher Bay are treated +to displays of the aurora on a scale of magnificence and beauty never +seen in the high latitudes of the winter-quarters of Dr. Kane and Hayes. +Night after night through the months of October, November, and December +Mr. Hall's sensitive nature was in raptures at the wonderful sights. The +heavens were aglow. The forms of brightness, and colors of every hue, +changed with the rapidity of fleecy clouds driven before the wind. +Before the mind had comprehended the grandeur of one scene, it had +changed into another of seeming greater beauty of form, color, and +brightness. Thousands of such changes occurred while he gazed. No wonder +he exclaims: "Who but God could conceive such infinite scenes of glory! +Who but God execute them, painting the heavens in such gorgeous +display!" + +Again he exclaims: "It seemeth to me as if the very doors of heaven have +opened to-night, so _mighty_ and _beauteous_ and _marvelous_ were the +waves of golden light which swept across the azure deep, breaking forth +anon into floods of wondrous glory. God made his wonderful works to be +remembered." + +Mr. Hall had been on deck several times, witnessing the enrapturing +display, and had returned into the cabin to go to bed, when the captain +shouted down the companion-way: "Come above, Hall, at once! _The world +is on fire!_" Mr. Hall hastened on deck. He says: "There was no sun, no +moon, yet the heavens were flooded with light. Even ordinary print could +be read on deck. Yes, flooded with _rivers_ of light!--and _such_ light! +light all but inconceivable! The golden hues predominated; but in rapid +succession prismatic colors leaped forth. + +"We looked, we saw, and we trembled; for even as we gazed the whole belt +of aurora began to be alive with flashes. Then each pile or bank of +light became myriads; some now dropping down the great pathway or belt, +others springing up, others leaping with lightning flash from one side, +while more as quickly passed into the vacated space; some, twisting +themselves into folds, entwining with others like enormous serpents, and +all these movements as quick as the eye could follow. It seemed as +though there was a struggle with these heavenly lights to reach and +occupy the dome above our heads. Then the whole arch above became +crowded. Down, down it came! nearer and nearer it approached us! Sheets +of golden flames, coruscating while leaping from the auroral belt, +seemed as if met in their course by some mighty agency that turned them +into the colors of the rainbow. + +"While the auroral fires seemed to be descending upon us, one of our +number exclaimed, 'Hark! hark!' Such a display, as if a warfare were +going on among the beauteous lights, seemed impossible without noise. +But all was silent." + +After the watchers, amazed at what they saw, retired to the cabin, they +very naturally commenced a lively conversation on what they had +witnessed. Captain Buddington declared that, though he had spent most of +his time for eleven years in the northern regions, he had never +witnessed so grand and beautiful a scene. And he added in an earnest +tone: "To tell you the truth, friend Hall, I do not care to see the like +again!" + +In November Mr. Hall became acquainted with two remarkable Esquimo whom +we shall often meet. Their names were Ebierbing and his wife Tookoolito, +but were known among the white people as Joe and Hannah. They had been +taken to England in 1853, and lionized there for two years. They had +visited the great and good of that land at their homes, and had aptly +learned many of the refinements of civilization. Queen Victoria had +honored them with an audience, and they had dined with Prince Albert. +Joe declared that the queen was "pretty--yes, quite pretty;" and the +prince was "good--very good." They made their visit on shipboard in a +full-blown English dress, but when Mr. Hall returned their visit in +their _tupic_ on shore they were in the Esquimo costume. Yet Tookoolito +busied herself with her _knitting_ during his call. She said, as they +conversed: "I feel very sorry to say that many of the whaling people are +bad, making the Innuits bad too; they swear very much, and make our +people swear. I wish they would not do so. Americans swear a great +deal--more and worse than the English. I wish no one would swear. It is +a very bad practice I believe." + +Tookoolito's spirit and example had done much to improve her people, +especially the women; these, many of them, had adopted her habit of +dressing her hair, and of cleanliness of person and abode. In her and +her husband, whom we shall meet often, we shall see the Esquimo as +modified by a partial Christian civilization. + +Mr. Hall made frequent visits to the Esquimo village on shore, mingling +with the people, conforming to their habits, and studying their +character. Their summer, skin-covered huts--tupics--had now given way to +the _igloos_, the snow-house, essentially like those we have before +seen. We will accompany Mr. Hall in a visit made in October. He found on +creeping into a hut a friend whom he knew as a pilot and boatman; his +name was Koojesse. He was sitting in the midst of a group of women +drinking with a gusto hot seal blood. Our white visitor joined them, and +pronounced the dish excellent. On going out he was met by blind George. +"Mitter Hall! Mitter Hall!" shouted the blind man on hearing Mr. Hall's +voice. There was a pensive earnestness in the call which arrested his +attention. "Ugarng come to-day!" continued George. "He come to-day. My +little Kookooyer way go! She here now. Speak-um, Ugarng! My little +pickaninny way go! Speak-um." + +The facts were these: Ugarng, who, as we have stated, had married +George's wife, and taken with the mother his little daughter, was at the +village attended by the latter. George, who was very fond of the child, +desired her company for a while. Mr. Hall did of course "speak-um." +Ugarng and the darling Kookooyer were soon seen in happy intimacy with +her father. + +Mr. Hall's attention was attracted by an excited crowd, who were +listening to the harangue of a young man. He was evidently master of the +situation, for at one moment his audience clenched their fists and raved +like madmen, and then, under another touch of his power, they were calm +and thoughtful, or melted to tears. He was an _Angekok_, and was going +through a series of _ankootings_, or incantations. His howlings and +gesticulations were not unlike those of the heathen priests of the East, +and of the medicine men of our Indians. On seeing Mr. Hall the Angekok +left his snow-platform, from which he had been speaking, and ran to him +with the blandest smiles and honied words. He put his arm in his and +invited him into his tent, or place of worship, as it might be called; +others ran ahead, and it was well filled with worshipers. Koojesse, who +was passing at the time with water for the ship, on a wave of the +Angekok's hand set his pail down and followed. All faithful Esquimo in +this region obey the Angekok. If he sees one smoking, and signifies that +he wishes the pipe, the smoker deposits it in the Angekok's pocket. + +When in the tent the Angekok placed Koojesse on one side, and Mr. Hall +facing him on the other side. Now commenced the service. The Angekok +began a rapid clapping of his hands, lifting them at times above his +head, then passing them round in every direction, and thrusting them +into the faces of the people, muttering the while wild, incoherent +expressions. The clapping of his hands was intermitted by a violent +clapping of the chest on which he sat, first on the top, then on the +sides and end. At times he would cease, and sit statue-like for some +moments, during which the silence of death pervaded the audience. Then +the clapping and gesticulations broke forth with increased violence. Now +and then he paused, and stared into the farthest recess of the tent with +the fiery eyes and the hideous countenance of a demon. At the right +time, to heighten the effect, the wizard, by a quick sign or sharp word, +ordered Koojesse to fix his eyes on this point of the tent, then on +that, intimating in mysterious undertones that in such places _Kudlago's +spirit shook the skin covering_! Koojesse, though one of the most +muscular and intelligent of the natives, obeyed with trembling +promptness, while the profuse sweat stood in drops upon his nose, +(Esquimo perspire freely _only_ on the nose,) and his countenance +beamed with intense excitement. The climax was at hand. The Angekok's +words began to be plain enough for Mr. Hall's ears. Kudlago's spirit was +troubled. Would the white man please give it rest? One of his +double-barreled guns would do it! White man! white man! give Kudlago's +spirit rest! Give the double-barreled gun! + +The cunning wizard! But Mr. Hall, who, though brimful of laugh, had been +a sober-looking listener, was not to be caught with this chaff, _except +in his own interest_. He whispers to Koojesse, "Would the Angekok be a +good man to go with me in the spring to King William's Land?" + +"Yes," was the reply. + +Then Mr. Hall turned to the Angekok and said aloud, "If you go with me +next spring on my explorations you shall have one of my best guns." + +Thinking the gift was to be given immediately, his crafty reverence +shouted, thanked Mr. Hall, threw his arms about his neck, and danced +with an air of triumph about the tent, seeming to say as he looked upon +his amazed followers, "I have charmed a kablunah"--white man. + +Mr. Hall tried to set him right about the terms of the gift--that it was +to be when he had served him in the spring. But he would understand it +as he would have it. His joy found a fullness of expression when, +pointing to his two wives, he said to Mr. Hall, "One shall be yours; +take your choice." He was disgusted when the white man told him that he +had a wife, and that kabluna wanted but one wife. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +THE DYING ESQUIMO. + + +CHRISTMAS and New Year's (1861) were not forgotten as holidays by the +sojourners in the regions of cold and ice. Mr. Hall gave his friend +Tookoolito a Bible as a memento of December twenty-fifth. She was much +pleased, and at once spelled out on the title-page, _Holy Bible_. + +Mr. Hall having heard that an Esquimo named Nukerton was seriously sick, +invited Tookoolito to visit her with him. Sitting down with the sick +one, with Tookoolito as an interpreter, Mr. Hall spoke to her of Jesus +and the resurrection, while many of her friends stood listening with +intense interest. Tookoolito bent over her sick friend weeping, and +continued the talk about God, Christ, and heaven, after Mr. Hall had +ceased. + +Mr. Hall visited the sick one daily, administering to her bodily and +spiritual wants. Going to see her on the fourth of January, he found +that a new snow-hut had been built for the dying one, and her female +friends had carried her into it, opening, to pass her in, a hole on the +back side. It was at once her dying chamber and her tomb. For this +purpose it was built in conformity to the Esquimo usage. He found +Nukerton in her new quarters of stainless snow, on a bed of snow +covered with skins, happy at the change though she knew that she had +been brought there to die, _and to die alone_, as was the custom of her +people. Mr. Hall proposed to carry her to die on board the ship. But +even Tookoolito objected to this. It was better she should die alone; +such was the custom of their fathers. Mr. Hall remained to watch alone +with the dying one, but, on his leaving her igloo to do an errand at a +neighboring tent, her friends sealed up its entrance. He threw back the +blocks of snow piled against it and crept in. Nukerton was not dead; she +breathed feebly; the lamp burned dimly, and the cold was intense; the +solemn stillness of the midnight hour had come; sound of footsteps were +heard, and a rustling at the entrance. Busy hands were fastening it up, +not knowing, perhaps, that Mr. Hall was within. "Stop! stop!" he +shouted, and all was silent as the grave. "Come in!" he again said. +Koodloo, Nukerton's cousin, and a woman came in. They remained a few +moments and left. Mr. Hall was alone again, and remained until the +spirit of the dying woman departed. He gently closed her eyes, laid out +the body as if for Christian burial, closed up the igloo, and departed. + +Mr. Hall knew cases, later in his stay with this people, in which the +dying were for some time alone before the vital spark was extinguished. +The only attendance that the sick have is the howling and mummery of the +Angekoks, who are sometimes women. They give no medicine. + +Mr. Hall made several sledge excursions with his Innuit friends. One to +Cornelius Grinnell Bay was full of thrilling incidents, of storms, of +perils by the breaking up suddenly of the ice on which he had encamped, +and one showing the wolfish rapacity of Esquimo dogs. He also had a bear +chase and capture. But these, though full of exciting interest, are +similar to those of other explorers, already related. The Esquimo +themselves, with all their knowledge of the ice and storms, have many +desperate adventures. A party of them was once busily engaged in +spearing walrus, when the floe broke up and they went out to sea, and +remained three months on their ice-raft! The walrus were plenty, and +they had a good time of it, and returned safely. + +We have given our readers an incident relating to Mr. Hall's dog, +Barbekark--a not very creditable incident, it will be remembered, so far +as that dog's discernment of moral right is concerned. But then we must +remember that heathen dogs are not supposed to know much in that +respect. Barbe, as we will call him for shortness, appears again in our +story in a way which shows that he was very knowing about some matters +at least. + +One day, at nine in the morning, a party of the ship's company, attended +by the native Koojesse, started for an excursion into Frobisher Bay. +When well out of sight of the vessel a blinding storm arose, making +farther progress both difficult and dangerous. Koojesse counseled an +immediate construction of a snow-hut, and a halt until the storm +subsided, which was the right thing to do. But the white leader ordered +a return march. The dogs, as they generally will with a fierce wind +blowing in their face, floundered about in reckless insubordination. +Their leader, a strong animal, finally assumed his leadership, and +dragged them for a while toward some islands just appearing in sight. +But Barbe set back in his harness, pricked up his ears, and took a +deliberate survey of the situation. To be sure he could _see_ only a few +rods in any direction, but his mind was made up. He turned his head away +from the islands, and drew with such vigor and decision that all, both +men and dogs, yielded to his guidance. Through the drifts, and in the +face of bewildering clouds of snow which darkened their path, he brought +the party straight to the ship! A few hours more of exposure and all +would have perished. + +Young Barbe was a brave hunter as well as skillful guide. On a bright +morning in March, the lookout on the deck of the "Henry" shouted down +the gangway that a herd of deer were in sight. Immediately the +excitement of men and dogs was at fever-heat. The dogs, however, did not +get the news until Koojesse had crept out, and from behind an island had +fired upon the deer. His ball brought down no game, but the report of +the gun called out Barbe with the whole pack of wolfish dogs at his +heels, in full pursuit of the flying, frightened deer. The fugitives +made tortuous tracks, darting behind the islands, now this way, and +then off in another direction. But Barbe struck across their windings +along the straight line toward the point at which they were aiming, +while the rest of the dogs followed their tracks, and so fell behind. +Koojesse returned to the vessel, the hope which just now was indulged of +a venison dinner was given up, and the affair was nearly forgotten, +except that some anxiety was felt lest the dogs should come to harm in +their long and reckless pursuit. + +About noon Barbe came on board having his mouth and body besmeared with +blood. He ran to this one, and then to that, looking beseechingly into +their faces, and then running to the gangway stairs, where he stopped +and looked back, as much as to say, "An't you coming? Do come, I'll show +you something worth seeing!" His strange movements were reported to Mr. +Hall in the cabin, but being busy writing he took no notice of it. One +of the men having occasion to go toward the shore Barbe followed him, +but finding that he did not go in the right direction he whined his +disappointment, and started out upon the floe, and then turned and said +as plainly as a dog could speak, "Come on; this is the way!" + +A party from the ship determined now to follow. Barbe led them a mile +northward, then, leaving them to follow his foot-prints in the snow, he +scampered off two miles in a western direction. This brought the men to +an island, under the shelter of which they found the dogs. Barbe was +sitting at the head of a slaughtered deer, and his companions squatting +round as watchful sentinels. The deer's throat had been cut with Barbe's +teeth, the jugular vein being severed as with a knife. The roots of the +tongue, with bits of the windpipe, had been eaten, the blood sipped up, +but nothing more. Several crows were pecking away at the carcass +unforbidden by Barbe, who petted crows as his inferiors. + +Barbe wagged his tail and shook his head as the men came up, and said in +expressive dog-language, "See here, now! didn't I tell you so!" + +The disturbed and blood-stained snow around showed that the deer had +fought bravely. One of his legs was somewhat broken in the bloody +conflict, which incident might have determined Barbe's victory. + +The men skinned the deer, and bore the skin and dissected parts to the +vessel. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +CUNNING HUNTERS. + + +OUR sketch of Mr. Hall's Esquimo life brings us to the early summer of +1861. He had made many excursions in and about Frobisher and Field Bays +which we have not noted. Their results were mainly valuable for the +relics obtained of the visits here of the famous old explorer Frobisher, +nearly three hundred years ago. There were, too, he ascertained, +traditions among the natives of these visits, as well as that of Parry, +nearly fifty years before, which so well accorded with the known facts +as to show the reliability of such traditions. + +An incident occurred during one of these excursions which illustrates +the deceitful effect of refraction in the northern atmosphere. He landed +on a headland in Frobisher Bay, and secured an enchanting view of land +and sea. Points of historic interest were under his eye, and nature was +clothed with a wild Arctic beauty. But an object of still more thrilling +interest comes in view. A steamer! Yes, there is her hull and +smoke-pipe, all very unmistakable! See, she tacks, now this way, then +that, working her way no doubt toward the land on which he stands. + +Mr. Hall ran to the camp, and told the good news to Koojesse and +Ebierbing, his companions. His mind was fairly bewitched with visions of +news from civilization, from his country, and perhaps letters from his +dear ones of the family circle. Each shouldered his loaded gun, and +walked round to the point on the shore toward which the steamer was +coming. They would make a loud report with their guns, and _compel_ +those on board to notice them. When they reached the spot there was no +steamer. The Esquimo looked with blank amazement, and turned inquiringly +toward Mr. Hall. Had she sailed away? No, that was impossible. It was +only that rock yonder, half buried in snow! There, it does even now look +like a steamer! Wait a while. No, it no more looks like a steamer than +it looks like a cow! It is a cruel "sell!" + +It will be recollected that the "George Henry" had made her +winter-quarters in a little nook in Field Bay called Rescue Harbor. From +his home in her cabin Mr. Hall was going forth on his explorations. But +the whalers had made a "whaling depot" on a cape of Frobisher Bay, which +commanded a view of its waters and of the waters of Davis Strait. Here +they watched for whales, or made excursions after them. To this depot +Mr. Hall made an excursion with Koojesse about the middle of June. On +their way over the ice, Koojesse gave illustrations of two Esquimo +methods of taking seal that were very peculiar. The dogs scented the +seal and broke into a furious run, making the sledge "spin" over the +ice. Soon Koojesse perceived him lying with his head near his hole. On +the instant the dogs and their driver set up a vociferous, startling +yell. The seal lifted up his head, frightened almost out of his wits, so +that the dogs were within a few rods of him before he so far recovered +his senses as to plunge into his hole and escape. + +Koojesse said that only young seals are so caught. In this case fright +had nearly cost the poor seal his life. + +At another time Koojesse saw a seal sunning himself, and lying, as is +their habit, near his hole. The hunter stopped the sledge, took his gun, +and, keeping back the dogs, lay down and drew himself along upon his +breast, making at the same time a peculiar, plaintive sound, varied in +intonation. To this "seal talk," as the Esquimo term it, the animal +listens, and is charmed into a pleasant persuasion that some loving +friend is near. He looks, listens, and then lays his head languidly upon +the ice. So the wily hunter approaches within easy range, the rifle +cracks, and the fatal ball goes through the vitals of the confiding +seal. Thus seals, like men, sometimes die of alarm, and are sometimes +taken in the flatterer's snare. + +Mr. Hall found the whale depot a busy place. Numerous tents of the white +men and Esquimo were grouped together, in the midst of which, on a +substantial flag-staff, the stars and stripes were waving. The Esquimo +and dogs proclaimed their welcome in their peculiar way, and the +officers and crew made the visitor feel at home. + +The question soon discussed concerned a boat for Mr. Hall's journey to +King William's Land. Captain Buddington said seriously that the question +had been much on his mind, and had been anxiously considered, and his +painful conclusion was that he had no whale-boat adequate for the +undertaking. The boat made on purpose for that service, which had been +lost when the "Rescue" was wrecked, was the only one brought into those +waters which could convey him safely. To go in any other would be to +throw away his life. So Mr. Hall said heroically: "I will make the best +of my stay here, in explorations and study of the Esquimo traits and +language. Do you return to the States, get another suitable boat, and, +God willing, I will yet go to King William's Land." + +Touching incidents of Innuit life were constantly passing before Mr. +Hall. Here is one. There was a young man, Etu, about twenty-five years +of age, whom our old acquaintance, Ugarng, had taken into his favor. Etu +had the misfortune to be born spotted all over his body, precisely like +the snow-white and black spotting of the skin of one species of seal. +His heathen parents seemed on this account to have loathed their child, +for, after enduring his presence a few years in the family, the father +carried him to an unfrequented barren island to die. But God, who cared +for the child Ishmael and the little Moses, watched over Etu. He caught +the sea-birds which flocked to the land _with his hands_--an +extraordinary exploit. The summer thus passed and winter came, and the +boy yet lived. It so happened--shall we not the rather say, God so +ordered--that a kayak of natives rowed that way. They were surprised +when they saw a boy alone on a drear island, and the child was +frightened at their presence. But when they made friendly signs he +rushed into their arms. + +The boy returned to his people, but being shunned and slighted he became +discouraged and indolent. Such was his situation when Ugarng took him +into his family. One day Mr. Hall entered the tent of Ebierbing and +found there a girl thirteen years of age, Ookoodlear, weeping as though +her heart would break. She also was of Ugarng's family, but had been +staying with the kind Tookoolito, wife of Ebierbing. Her trouble was +that Ugarng was coming to take her away and make her the wife of Etu! +Marry a seal-spotted man! the thought was awful! Then, she was so young! + +Ebierbing took with him a friend, and called upon Etu and told him the +dislike felt toward him of the girl. Poor Etu! Then Tookoolito agreed +with Ugarng to take charge of Ookoodlear, so the marriage was prevented. + +Marriage contracts among the Esquimo are made by the parents or other +friends, often in the childhood of the parties. Those immediately +concerned seldom have any thing to do or say in the matter. Among the +Esquimo of Whale Sound the proposed bridegroom was sometimes required to +be able to carry off to his igloo, in spite of herself, his intended +bride. The resistance in such cases on the part of the woman is +supposed to depend upon circumstances. + +There is no marriage ceremony. In these Esquimo communities the two +great events, marriage and death, transpire without special note. Among +the natives of the region we are now visiting the newborn child +generally first sees the light alone with its mother, and in an igloo +built expressly for her. + +Late in July the ice broke up and liberated the "George Henry" from her +icy prison. The sailors returned on board, and she sailed away on a +whaling cruise. Mr. Hall was left alone with his Innuit friends. He had +planned a voyage of exploration in his whale-boat with a crew of them, +to be absent about two months. On his return, if he found the whalers in +those regions he would go to the States in one of them; if not, he would +remain in Esquimo life until their return. + +Ebierbing and Tookoolito were of course to be of his party. But +Ebierbing was taken seriously sick and so was prevented from +accompanying him, much to his regret. His crew, as finally selected, +were Koojesse and wife, Charley (his Esquimo name is too long to write) +and his wife, Koodloo, and a widow, Suzhi, remarkable for her great size +and strength, weighing two hundred. + +The party were off the ninth of August. They passed through Lupton +Channel, a narrow run of water connecting Field Bay with Frobisher Bay. +A white whale preceded them, leisurely keeping the lead, as if conscious +that there were no harpoons in the boat; perhaps he assumed his safety +from the presence of the women. The sea-fowl were abundant. The Esquimo, +to save ammunition, adopted one of their own amusing yet cruel ways of +capturing them. They rowed softly and swiftly to a cluster of them in +the water. Just as the birds were about to fly the whole crew set up a +most terrific yell, at the same time stamping and throwing their arms +about with wild gesticulations. Down go the frightened birds, diving, +instead of flying, to escape the enemy. The crew now seize their oars, +and the steerer guides the boat by the disturbed surface of the water to +the spot where they come up. The moment they show their heads the uproar +is renewed. Down go the birds again without taking breath. This course, +though exciting sport to the hunters, is soon death to the poor birds, +which, exhausted and finally drowned, are picked from the surface of the +water. One of the ducks taken in this way was a mother with a +fledgeling. As the parent gasped in its dying agony, the child would put +its little bill in her mouth for food, and then nestle down under her +for protection. + +The explorers having entered Frobisher Bay, sailed west along its +northern shore. They camped at night on the land, and made slow progress +by day. The Esquimo were in no hurry, while Mr. Hall would make good +time to the extreme west of the bay and survey that line of coast, as +the waters had hitherto been deemed a strait. But his free and easy +companions were more disposed to have a good time than to add to +geographical knowledge. At one time Koojesse, taking up Mr. Hall's +glass, saw a bear some miles away on an island. Fresh duck was plenty on +board, and a chase after "_ninoo_" at the expense of time was +unnecessary. But it would be _fun_; that settled the matter. Away sped +the rickety old whale-boat, impelled by strong hands. Bruin soon snuffed +the strangers, stood and looked, then comprehending the danger, turned +and ran over to the other side of the island. Soon the boat was in sight +of him, and he plunged into the water. The Esquimo now adopted a part of +the game they had played so successfully on the ducks. They occasionally +made a sudden and deafening uproar. Ninoo would stop and turn round to +see what was the matter, and so time was gained by his pursuers. But he +made good speed for the main land, and after a while began so far to +comprehend the situation that no noise arrested his course. On he went +for dear life. The balls soon reached him and dyed his coat in crimson, +yet he halted not until one struck his head. This enraged him; he deemed +the play decidedly foul. He turned, showed his teeth, and this brought +the boat to a stand-still. The hunters did not care for a hand-to-paw +fight. The rifle settled the unequal conflict, and ninoo's body was +towed ashore. + +The bladder of the bear was inflated, and with some other _charms_, put +on a staff to be elevated on the top of the tupic when the party +encamped, and in the bow of the boat when sailing. This insured good +luck according to Esquimo notions. + +The explorers were, while in camp at one time, in want of oil for their +lamp. Koodloo found some strips of sea-blubber and carried it to Suzhi, +who was "in tuktoo"--that is, in bed. She sat up, rested upon her +elbows, put a dish before her, took the blubber, bit off pieces, chewed +it and sucked the oil out, and then spirted it out into the dish. In +this way she "milled" oil enough to fill two large lamps. This done she +lay down again and slept, with unwashen hands and face. There were no +white sheets to be soiled. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +ROUND FROBISHER BAY. + + +THE explorers found occasionally during their voyage encampments of +natives. In these many incidents occurred illustrating Esquimo habits. +At one place the women were busily employed on seal-skins, making +women's boots. One of them was diligently sewing while her big boy +_stood_ at her breast nursing! + +Before reaching the head of the bay Mr. Hall's party was joined by a +boat load of Esquimo, and several women canoes. A beautiful river +emptied into the bay here which abounded with salmon, which proved most +excellent eating. Vegetation was abundant. The women brought Mr. Hall a +good supply of berries, resembling, in size and color, blueberries. They +were deemed a great luxury. Wolves barked and howled about the camp. The +aurora danced and raced across the heavens in strange grandeur. The deer +roamed about the rocky coast undisturbed except by the occasional visits +of the Innuits. + +Mr. Hall, having pretty thoroughly explored the head of the bay, +purposed to return on the side opposite that on which he came. Here were +hills covered with snow. It had no attractions for his Esquimo +companions, and they muttered their discontent at the route. Ascending +one of these hills, Mr. Hall planted on it, with much enthusiasm, a +flag-staff from which floated the stripes and stars. On returning to the +encampment he found his tent occupied by several Esquimo busily engaged +in various items of work. One of the women having done him a favor he +gave her some beads, asking her at the same time what she had done with +those he had given her on a former occasion. She said she had given them +to the Angekok for his services in her sickness. Mr. Hall went to a tin +box and took out a copy of the Bible and held it up before the woman, +saying, "This talks to me of heaven!" Instantly, as though a light from +heaven had flashed upon them all, both men and women left their work, +and springing to their feet looked at Mr. Hall. At first they seemed +terrified; then a smile of joy came over their faces, and they said, +"Tell us what it talks of heaven." + +As well as he was able, with but a slight knowledge of their language, +he unfolded to them the great truths of Revelation. When he paused one +of his hearers pointed downward, inquiring if it talked of the grave, or +perhaps meaning the place of the wicked. When he answered "Yes," they +looked at each other with solemnity and surprise. + +But an incident which occurred soon after showed that these Esquimo did +not feel the presence of eternal things. A white whale had been seen and +chased by the men and women. He escaped, and the men returned in bad +humor. As one of the women was helping to unload the boat her husband +threw a seal-hook at her with great force. She parried the blow, and it +caught in her jacket. She calmly removed it, and continued at her work +as if nothing had happened. + +Esquimo men are generally the mildest, if not the most affectionate, of +savages in their relation of husbands; yet in their fits of passion they +throw any thing that is at hand at their wives, a hatchet, stone, knife, +or spear, as they would at a dog. + +At one time the Esquimo men all left Mr. Hall's boat on a hunt. He +continued his voyage with the three women rowers. The boat was +pleasantly gliding along, when in passing an island it fell into a +current which rushed over a bed of slightly covered rocks with the +rapidity of a mill-race, seething and whirling in its course. The women, +though frightened, rowed with great vigor, Suzhi showing herself more +than an ordinary man in the emergency. For some time the struggle was +fearful and uncertain. To go with the current was certain death; to get +out of it seemed impossible. At last slowly, steadily, they gained on +the rushing current, and then the boat shot into a little cove in +tranquil waters. They landed and rested six hours. + +Mr. Hall had now, September twelfth, been out thirty-five days, and he +determined to return to Rescue Harbor, hoping to find that the "George +Henry" had returned from her whaling trip. This pleased the Esquimo, but +they did not like his south-side route. Koojesse would, in spite of Mr. +Hall, steer the boat toward the opposite side, and the rowers enjoyed +the joke. At one time our explorer wished to stop and make further +examination of a certain locality, but Koojesse was heading the boat +northward. His captain urged him to stop, and he replied with savage +sharpness, "You stop; I go!" Even the women rowers when alone with Mr. +Hall set up an independent authority at one time, and it was only after +considerable urging that they yielded to the white man. Once when +Koojesse was acting contrary to orders, Mr. Hall turned upon him with +tones of authority and a show of determination. He yielded, and five +minutes afterward the whole Esquimo crew were as jovial as if nothing +had occurred. Yet it was not quite certain that this was a safe course. +The life of the lone white man was in their hands. + +During this voyage Mr. Hall was treated without stint to the delights of +one Esquimo practice. We have spoken of the wild songs of their +incantations, rising often into a dismal howl. One of the crew, a woman, +had a gift in this way, and when she _ankooted_ the rest accompanied, or +came in on the chorus. In this way they often made the night of their +encampment hideous. One day the boat was gliding smoothly along under +the steady strokes of the rowers. The unemployed were nestling down in +their furs, dreamily musing, while the dreary expanse of sky and sea was +profoundly still, save the distant screech of the sea-fowl, and the +occasional bark of the seal. Suddenly the female enchanter commenced her +mystical song. Her voice was shrill as a night-bird's, and varied by +sharp and sudden cracks, like fourth-of-July firecrackers. The Esquimo +crew came in on the chorus, and the rowers put forth at the same time a +frantic energy, their eyes glaring and countenances fearfully distorted. +The whole scene was intensely demoniac. The enchanters seemed +intoxicated with their howlings, and continued them through the night +and most of the two following days. + +Only one incident more of a noticeable character occurred on this +excursion. When one of their nightly encampments had just commenced _a +gold fever_ seized the Esquimo, and shook the little community as if +they had been white folks. A huge lump of gold had been found! It was +precisely the article for which the sovereign of England and her savans +had sent here, three hundred years before, the sturdy Frobisher, with a +fleet of empty ships. It was emphatically _fool's gold_. + +Friday, September twenty-seventh, 1861, the explorers arrived at Rescue +Harbor. The "George Henry" was already there. Her energetic officers and +crew had toiled through all the season and taken nothing! The explorer +and the ship's commander, after a warm supper, sat in the cabin talking +over the incidents of their experience while separated until a late hour +of the night. The whole community were jubilant at their return, as +fears were indulged that the crazy craft had sunk with all its +occupants. + +Mr. Hall was not long in finding the tupic of his friends, Ebierbing and +wife. When the wife of Tookoolito saw him she buried her face in her +hands and burst into tears so great was her joy. While chatting with +them, Mr. Hall heard the plaintive sound of an infant voice. Turning +back the folds of Tookoolito's fur wrapper a little boy was seen only +twenty-four days old, an only child. + +October twentieth came, and the whalers had secured three whales--an +encouraging success after a long failure. But her captain had not +intended to stay another winter. His time was out, and so, nearly, were +his provisions. But while Rescue Harbor was yet clear of ice, and he was +getting ready to return, purposing to take with him the still +enthusiastic explorer, the heavy "pack" was outside of the harbor in +Davis Strait. It had come, an untimely, unwelcome voyager from the +north. While the anxious whalemen were looking for a "lead" to open and +permit them to sail homeward the Frosty King of the north waved his icy +scepter, and Davis Strait was as unnavigable as the solid land. Another +winter was spent in Rescue Harbor, and it was not until early in August, +1862, that the vessel was set free and spread her sails for home. This +year, too, was diligently improved by Mr. Hall in explorations and the +further study of the Esquimo language and character. He confidently +expected to return, after a short stay in the United States, and carry +out his proposed plan of explorations in King William's Land. He took +home with him Ebierbing and Tookoolito, with their infant boy, +Tuk-e-lik-e-ta. The dog Barbekark made one of the returning party. + +They arrived in New London September thirteenth, 1862, after an absence +of two years and three and a half months. + + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +THE "POLARIS." + + +WE have seen that Mr. Hall's enthusiasm for arctic research was unabated +when he returned from his first adventure. In 1864 he was off again. He +sailed from New London in the whaler "Monticello," accompanied by his +Esquimo friends, Ebierbing and Tookoolito. The "Monticello" entered +Hudson Bay, landed the daring explorers on its northern shores, and left +them to their fortunes. From thence they made the long, dreary journey +to King William's Land, where the relics of Franklin's party had been +found, some of whom Hall hoped to find alive. For five years he lived an +Esquimo life, experiencing many thrilling adventures, and escaping many +imminent dangers. At one time he saved his own life only by shooting an +assailant who was leading against him a party who had conspired to +murder him. The result of his long sojourn in this region of cold was a +store of knowledge of the Esquimo habits and language, but nothing +important relating to the fate of the Franklin expedition. Many sad +confirmations were indeed found of the fact before generally accepted, +that they had all miserably perished. + +On his return, Mr. Hall, nothing daunted by hardships and failures, +commenced writing and lecturing on the theory of an open Polar Sea. As +he had done before, so now he succeeded in impressing not only the +popular mind but scientific men and statesmen with the plausibility of +his theory and the practicability of his plans. Another North Pole +expedition was proposed; Congress appropriated to it fifty thousand +dollars, and Mr. Hall was appointed its commander. A craft of about four +hundred tons, being larger than either of its predecessors on the same +errand, was selected, and named the "Polaris." She was a +screw-propeller, and rigged as a fore-topsail schooner. Her sides were +covered with a six-inch white oak planking, nearly doubling their +strength. Her bows were nearly solid white oak, made sharp, and sheathed +with iron. One of her boilers was fitted for the use of whale or seal +oil, by which steam could be raised if the coal was exhausted. She was +supplied with five extraordinary boats. One of these must have been the +last Yankee invention in the boat line. It is represented as having a +capacity to carry twenty-five men, yet weighing only two hundred and +fifty pounds; when not in use it could be folded up and packed snugly +away. The "Polaris" was, of course, amply equipped and ably manned, and +great and useful results were expected from her. President Grant is said +to have entered with interest into this enterprise of Captain Hall, and +the nation said, "God bless him and his perilous undertaking!" though +many doubted the wisdom of any more Arctic expeditions. A few days +before his departure Mr. Hall received from the hand of his friend, +Henry Grinnell, a flag of historic note. It had fluttered in the wind +near the South Pole with Lieutenant Wilkes, in 1838; had been borne by +De Haven far northward; it had gone beyond De Haven's highest in the +Kane voyage, and was planted still farther North Poleward by Hayes. "I +believe," exclaimed Captain Hall, on receiving it, "that this flag, in +the spring of 1872, will float over a new world, in which the North Pole +star is its crowning jewel." + +The "Polaris" left New York June 29, 1871, tarried for a few days at New +London, and was last heard from as she was ready to steam northward, the +last of August, from Tussuissak, the most northern of the Greenland +outposts. At this place Captain Hall met our old acquaintance, Jensen, +of the Hayes expedition. He was flourishing as "governor" of a few +humble huts occupied by a few humbler people, and he put on +consequential airs in the presence of his white brother. He would not be +a dog-driver again to an Arctic exploration--not he! Hall says he had "a +face of brass in charging for his dogs." But the full complement of +sixty was made up here, and his stock of furs was increased. + +As our voyagers are now about to enter upon the terribly earnest +conflicts of North Pole explorers, and as their complement of men _and +women_ are complete, we will further introduce them to our readers. + +The commander, Hall, they know; he is well-proportioned, muscular, of +medium height, quiet, but completely enthusiastic in his chosen line of +duty, believing thoroughly in himself and his enterprise, yet believing +well too easily of others, especially of the rough men of his command, +some of whom have grown up under the harsh discipline of the whale-ship +or the naval service. The next in command is the sailing-master, Captain +S. O. Buddington of our last narrative. Captain Tyson, commissioned as +assistant navigator to the expedition, has been introduced to the reader +at Frobisher Bay, while in command there of a whale-ship. We shall have +occasion to become very intimate with him. Here is our old acquaintance, +William Morton, whom we knew so favorably by his heroic deeds in the Dr. +Kane expedition; he is second mate now. + +Of course, Captain Hall's old friends of his first and second Arctic +experience, Ebierbing and Tookoolito, his wife, are here. They are now +known as Joe and Hannah, and although it does some violence to our taste +to drop their Esquimo names, we will conform to the usage about us, and +know them in this narrative by these English names. They are accompanied +by an adopted daughter from among their people, about ten years old, +whom they call Puney. + +[Illustration: Captain Buddington.] + +And here, too, is our old friend Hans, taken on board at Upernavik. +Having been with Kane and Hayes, nothing daunted by the perils of their +voyages, he is here to see, if possible, with Hall, the North Pole, +though no doubt thinking much more of his twenty-five dollars a month as +hunter and dog-driver than of the desired discoveries. His wife and +their three children are with him, for, like a good husband and father, +he would not be separated from his family. The children are Augustina, a +girl about thirteen years, heavy built, and most as large as her mother; +Tobias, a boy of perhaps eight, and a little girl, Succi, of four years. +Think of such a group daring the known and unknown perils of Arctic ice +and cold! + +With the rest of the ship's company we shall form acquaintance as our +narrative progresses. + +On the twenty-fourth of August the "Polaris" left Tussuissak, and fairly +began her Arctic fight in the ice, current, and wind encounters of +Melville Bay. But on she steamed, passing in a few days through the Bay +into the North Water, into Smith Sound, passing Hayes's winter-quarters, +yet steaming on by Dr. Kane's winter-quarters, not even pausing to +salute our old friends Kalutunah and Myouk, sailing up the west side of +Kennedy Channel, the scene of Dr. Hayes's conflicts and heroic +achievements, the "Polaris" finally brings up in the ice barriers of +north latitude 82 deg. 16'. The highest points of previous voyages in this +direction are far south. That new world of which the North Pole star is +"the crowning jewel," is less than six hundred miles farther. If that +open sea located in this latitude by confident explorers was only a +fact, how easily and how soon would the brave "Polaris" be there! But +the ice-floe, strong and defiant, and the southern current, were facts, +and the open sea nowhere visible. The "Polaris" was taken in hand by the +ice and current in the historic, Arctic fashion, and set back about +fifty miles. The Ice King had said, "Thus far and no farther," and +pointed with his frosty fingers southward. + +The "Polaris" early in September was glad to steam in under the land, +anchor to an iceberg, and make her winter-quarters. Captain Hall called +the harbor "Thank-God Harbor," and the friendly anchorage "Providence +Berg." He had a right here now, for a little farther north, at a place +he called "Repulse Harbor," he went ashore, threw the stripes and stars +to the breeze, and took possession of the land "in the name of God and +the President of the United States." We shall not expect to hear that a +territorial representative from this land enters the next Congress. If +this part of our national domain has a representative in the life-time +of our distinguished acquaintance, Kalutunah, we nominate him for the +position, as one of the nearest known inhabitants. + +Now commenced in earnest preparations for an Arctic winter. We have seen +how this is done, and Hall and some, at least, of his officers knew how +to do it. The hunters were abroad at once, and an early prize was a +musk-ox weighing three hundred pounds. His meat was tender and good, +having no musky odor. This was but the beginning of the good gunning +afforded by this far northern region. Two seals were soon after shot. +The country was found to abound in these, and in geese, ducks, rabbits, +wolves, foxes, partridges, and bears. The scurvy was not likely to +venture near our explorers. + +A pleasant incident occurred on shipboard about this time which the +reader will better appreciate as our story progresses. It was September +twenty-fourth. The Sabbath religious service of the preceding day had +been conducted by Chaplain Bryant in his usual happy manner. At its +close Commander Hall made some kind, earnest remarks to the men by which +their rough natures were made tender, and they sent a letter from the +forecastle to the cabin expressing to him their thanks. To this he +replied in the following note:-- + + "SIRS: The reception of your letter of thanks to me of + this date I acknowledge with a heart that deeply feels + and fully appreciates the kindly feeling that has + prompted you to this act. I need not assure you that + your commander has, and ever will have, a lively + interest in your welfare. You have left your homes, + friends, and country; indeed, you have bid farewell + for a time to the whole civilized world, for the + purpose of aiding me in discovering the mysterious, + hidden parts of the earth. I therefore must and shall + care for you as a prudent father cares for his + faithful children." + +October tenth, after careful preparation, Captain Hall started northward +on an experiment in the way of sledging. He purposed more extended +sledge journeys in the spring, until the Pole itself should be reached. +He took two sledges, drawn by seven dogs each. Captain Hall and Joe +accompanied one, and Mr. Chester, the mate, and Hans, the other. Their +experience on this trip was simply of the Arctic kind, of which we have +seen so much. Deep snows, treacherous ice, which was in a state of +change by the action of winds and currents, intense cold, and vexed and +vicious dogs, all put in their appearance. But Captain Hall says, "These +drawbacks are nothing new to an Arctic traveler. We laugh at them, and +plod on determined to execute the service faithfully to the end." The +sledge expedition was gone two weeks, and traveled north fifty miles. +They discovered a lake and a river. They came to the southern cape of a +bay which they had seen from the "Polaris" in her drift from above. They +named the bay Newman Bay, and attached Senator Sumner's name to the +cape. From the top of an iceberg they surveyed the bay, and believed it +extended inland thirty miles. Crossing the mouth of the bay they +clambered up its high northern cape, which they called Brevoort. Here +they looked westward over the waters up which a good distance past this +point the "Polaris" had sailed, and which they had named Robeson Strait. +They peered longingly into the misty distance, and fondly hoped to +penetrate it with sledge or steamer in the spring. Joe, the architect of +the journey, built here their sixth snow-hut. It was warmer than at +Thank-God Harbor, and birds, musk-oxen, foxes, and rabbits, were seen, +and bear and wolf tracks were in the vicinity. Captain Hall was joyous +at the future prospect. He wrote a dispatch from this high latitude in +which he says, "We have all been well up to this time." A copy of it was +placed in a copper cylinder and buried under a pile of stones. The party +turned their faces homeward; Captain Hall's Arctic explorations were +ended. + + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +DISASTER. + + +[Illustration: Unloading Stores from the "Polaris."] + +ABOUT noon of October twenty-fourth Captain Hall and his party were seen +in the distance approaching the ship. Captain Tyson, the assistant +navigator, went out to meet them. Not even a dog had been lost, and +Captain Hall was jubilant over his trip and the future of the +expedition. While he was absent the work of banking up the "Polaris" +with snow as an increased defense against the cold, the building of a +house on shore for the stores, and their removal to it from the ship, +had gone forward nearly to completion. He looked at the work, greeted +all cheerfully, and entered the cabin. He obtained water, and washed and +put on clean underclothes. The steward, Mr. Herron, asked him what he +would have to eat, expressing at the same time a wish to get him +"something nice." He thanked him, but said he wanted only a cup of +coffee, and complained of the heat of the cabin. He drank a part of the +cup of coffee and set it aside. Soon after he complained of sickness at +the stomach, and threw himself into his berth. Chester, the mate, and +Morton, second mate, watched with him all night, during which he was at +times delirious. It was thought he was partially paralyzed. The +surgeon, Dr. Bessel, was in constant attendance, but after temporary +improvement he became wildly delirious, imagining some one had poisoned +him, and accused first one, then another. He thought he saw blue gas +coming from the mouths of persons about him. He refused clean stockings +at the hand of Chester, thinking they were poisoned, and he made others +taste the food tendered him before taking it himself, even that from +sealed cans opened in his cabin. During the night of November seventh he +was clear in his mind, and as Surgeon Bessel was putting him to bed and +tucking him in, he said in his own kind tone, "Doctor, you have been +very kind to me, and I am obliged to you." Early in the morning of +November eighth he died, and with his death the American North Polar +Expedition was ended. + +The grave of their beloved commander was dug by the men under Captain +Tyson, inland, southeast, about a half mile from the "Polaris." The +frozen ground yielded reluctantly to the picks, and the grave was of +necessity very shallow. + +On the eleventh a mournful procession moved from the "Polaris" to the +place of burial. Though not quite noon it was Arctic night. A weird, +electric light filled the air, through which the stars shone +brilliantly. Captain Tyson walked ahead with a lantern, followed by +Commander Buddington and his officers, and then by the scientific corps, +which included the chaplain, Mr. Bryan; the men followed, drawing the +coffin on a sled, one of their number bearing another lantern. The +fitting pall thrown over the coffin was the American flag. Following the +sled were the Esquimo--last in the procession but not the least in the +depth and genuineness of their sorrow. At the grave, Tyson held the +light for the chaplain to read the burial service. As the solemn, yet +comforting words were uttered, "I am the resurrection and the life, +saith the Lord," all were subdued to tears. Only from the spirit of the +Gospel, breathing its tender influence through these words, was there +any cheerful inspiration. The day was cold and dismal, and the wind +howled mournfully. Inland over a narrow snow-covered plain, and in the +shadowy distance, were huge masses of slate-rock, the ghostly looking +sentinels of the barren land beyond. Seaward was the extended ice of +Polaris Bay, and the intervening shore strown with great ice-blocks in +wild confusion. About five hundred paces away was the little hut called +an observatory, and from its flag-staff drooped at half-mast the stars +and stripes. + +Far away were his loved family and friends, whose prayers had followed +him during his adventures in the icy north, who even now hoped for his +complete success and safe return; and far away the Christian burial +place where it would have been to them mournfully pleasant to have laid +him. But he who had declared that he loved the Arctic regions, and to +whose ears there was music in its wailing winds, and to whose eyes there +was beauty in its rugged, icy barrenness, had found his earthly +resting-place where nature was clothed in its wildest Arctic features. +A board was erected over his grave in which was cut:-- + + "TO THE MEMORY OF + + C. F. HALL, + + _Late Commander of the North Polar Expedition._ + + Died November 8, 1871, + + Aged fifty years." + +When the funeral procession had returned to the ship, all moved about in +the performance of their duty in gloomy silence. It is sad to record +that the great affliction caused by the death of Hall was rendered more +intense by the moral condition of the surviving party. Two hideous +specters had early in the expedition made their appearance on board the +"Polaris." They were the spirits of Rum and Discord! Commander Hall had +forbidden the admission of liquor on shipboard, but it had come _with_ +the medicines whether _of_ them or not. It was put under the key of the +locker, but it broke out--no, we will not do injustice even to this +foulest of demons: _an officer_, selected to guard the safety and +comfort of the ship's company, broke open the locker and let it out. +This brought upon him a reprimand from Captain Hall, and later a letter +of stricture upon his conduct. The doctor's alcohol could not be safely +kept for professional purposes, which raised "altercations" on board. So +Rum and Discord, always so closely allied, went stalking through the +ship, with their horrid train. Insubordination, of course, was from the +first in attendance. Hall had, it would seem, in part _persuaded_ into +submission this ghastly specter. Where, on shipboard, the lives of all +depend upon submission to one will, rebellion becomes, in effect, +murder. We have seen that Dr. Kane argued down this bloody intruder by a +pistol in a steady hand leveled at the head of the chief rebel; and that +Dr. Hayes saved his boat party by the same persuasive influence over +Kalutunah. But Hall was not reared in the navy, and was cast in a gentle +mold. + +On the Sunday following the burial of Hall it was announced that from +that time the Sunday service would be omitted. "Each one can pray for +himself just as well," it was remarked. The faithful chaplain, however, +seems to have held religious service afterward for such as pleased to +attend. Hall had taken great pleasure in it, and it had, we think, +attended every Arctic expedition through which we have carried the +reader. + +After such a purpose to dismiss public worship from the vessel we are +not surprised to learn that "the men made night hideous by their +carousings." Nature without had ceased to distinguish night from day, +and our explorers did not follow the example of their predecessors in +this region, and _make_ day and night below decks by requiring the light +to be put out at a stated hour. So the noise and card-playing had all +hours for their own. Under these circumstances, as if to make the +"Polaris" forecastle the counterpart of one of our city "hells," +pistols were put into the hands of the men. Discord was now armed, and +Alcohol was at the chief place of command. + +The Christmas came, but no religious service with it. New-Year's day +brought nothing special. The winter dragged along but not the wind, +which roared in tempests, and rushed over the floe in currents traveling +fifty-three miles an hour. It played wild and free with the little bark +which had intruded upon its domains, breaking up the ice around it, and +straining at its moorings attached to the friendly berg. + +Spring came at last. Hunting became lively and successful. His majesty, +the bear, became meat for the hunters after a plucky fight, in which two +dogs had their zeal for bear combat fairly subdued. Musk-oxen stood in +stupid groups to be shot. White foxes would not be hit at any rate. +Birds, trusting to their spread wings, were brought low, plucked and +eaten. Seals coming out of their holes, and stretching themselves on the +ice to enjoy dreamily a little sunshine, to which they innocently +thought they had a right as natives of the country, were suddenly +startled by the crack of the rifles of Hans and Joe, and often under +such circumstances died instantly of lead. It seemed hardly fair. In +fact we are confident that the animals about Polaris Bay contracted a +prejudice against the strangers, except the white foxes, who could not +see what _hurt_ these hunters did--at least to foxes--and they were of a +mind that it was decided fun to be hunted by them. + +The Esquimo have been in this high latitude in the not distant past, as +a piece of one of their sledges was found. + +Soon after Hall's death the chief officers had mutually pledged in +writing that, "It is our honest intention to honor our flag, and to +hoist it upon the most northern point of the earth." During the spring +and summer some journeys northward were made, but were not extended +beyond regions already visited. The eye which would have even now looked +with hope and faith to the region of the star which is the "crowning +jewel" of the central north, was dim in death. Captain Buddington, now +in chief command, had faith and hope in the homeward voyage only. + +[Illustration: Perilous Situation of the "Polaris."] + +On the twelfth of August, 1872, the "Polaris" was ready, with steam up, +for the return trip. On that very day there was added to the family of +Hans a son. All agreed to name him Charlie Polaris, thus prettily +suggesting the name of the late commander and of the ship. Little +Charlie was evidently disgusted with his native country, for he +immediately turned his back upon it, the ship steaming away that +afternoon. The "Polaris" had made a tolerably straight course up, but +now made a zig-zag one back. On she went, steaming, drifting, banging +against broken floes, through the waters over which we have voyaged with +Kane and Hayes, until they came into the familiar regions of Hayes's +winter-quarters. On the afternoon of the fifteenth of October the wind +blew a terrific gale from the north-west. The floe, in an angry mood, +_nipped_ the ship terribly. She groaned and shrieked, in pain but not in +terror, for with her white oak coat of mail she still defied her icy +foe, now rising out of his grasp, and then falling back and breaking for +herself an easier position. The hawsers were attached to the floe, and +the men stood waiting for the result of the combat on which their lives +depended. At this moment the engineer rushed to the deck with the +startling announcement that the "Polaris" had sprung a leak, and that +the water was gaining on the pumps. "The captain threw up his arms, and +yelled the order to throw every thing on the ice." No examination into +the condition of the leak seems to have been made. A panic followed, and +overboard went every thing in reckless confusion, many valuable articles +falling near the vessel, and, of course, were drawn under by her +restless throes and lost. Overboard went boats, provisions, ammunition, +men, women, and children, nobody knew what nor who. It was night--an +intensely dark, snowy, tempestuous night. + +It was in this state of things, when the ship's stores and people were +divided between the floe and her deck, that the anchors planted in the +floe tore away, and the mooring lines snapped like pack-thread, and away +went the "Polaris" in the darkness, striking against huge ice-cakes, and +drifting none knew where. "Does God care for sparrows?" and will he not +surely care for these imperiled explorers, both those in the drifting +steamer, and those on the floe whom he alone can save, unhoused in an +Arctic night on which no sun will rise for many weeks, exposed to the +caprice of winds, currents, and the ever untrustworthy ice-raft on which +they are cast? + +We will leave the floe party awhile in His care, and follow the fortunes +of the brave little vessel and her men. + + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +THE LAST OF THE "POLARIS." + + +THOSE left on board of the "Polaris" were oppressed with fears both for +themselves and those on the floe. The leak in the ship was serious, and +the water was gaining in the hold, and threatened to reach and put out +the fires, and thus render the engine useless. Besides, the deck pumps +were frozen up, and only two lower ones could be used. But "just before +it was too late," hot water was procured from the boiler and poured in +buckets-full into the deck-pumps, and they were thawed out. The men then +worked at the pumps with an energy inspired by imminent danger of death. +They had already been desperately at work for six unbroken hours, and +ere long the fight for life was on the verge of failure. Just then came +to the fainting men the shout "steam's up," and tireless steam came to +the rescue of weary muscles. + +As the dim light of the morning of October sixteenth dawned on the +anxious watchers, they saw that they had been forced by the violent wind +out of Baffin Bay into Smith Sound. + +Not until now, since the hour of separation, had they counted their +divided company. The assistant navigator, the meteorologist, all the +Esquimo, and six seamen were missing; part of the dogs had also gone +with the floe party. Fourteen men remained, including the commander and +the mate, the surgeon, and the chaplain. + +Men were sent to the mast-head to look for the missing ones, but the +most careful gaze with the best glass failed to discern them. Hope of +their safety was inspired by the fact that they had all the boats, even +to the little scow; yet it was not certainly known that the boats had +not been sunk or drifted off in the darkness, and thus lost to them. So +all was tantalizing uncertainty. + +An examination revealed the encouraging fact that a good supply of fuel +and provisions remained on board. A breeze sprung up at noon by whose +aid the "Polaris" was run eastward, through a fortunate lead, as near to +the land as possible. Here lines were carried out on the floe and made +fast to the hummocks, all the anchors having been lost. She lay near the +shore, and grounded at low water. An examination showed that the vessel +was so battered and leaky, that surprise was excited that she had not +gone down before reaching the shore. It was decided at once that she +could not be made to float longer. The steam-pumps were stopped, the +water filled her hold, and decided her fate. + +The sheltered place into which the "Polaris" had by Divine guidance +entered was Life-Boat Cove, only a little north of Etah Bay, every mile +of which we have surveyed in former visits. The famous city of Etah with +its two huts was not far away, but out of it and its vicinity had come +timely blessings to other winter-bound explorers. + +Our party at once commenced to carry ashore the provisions, clothing, +ammunition, and all such articles from the vessel as might make them +comfortable. The spars, sails, and some of the heavy wood-work of the +cabin, were used in erecting a house. When done their building was quite +commodious, being twenty-two feet by fourteen. The sails aided in making +the roof, which proved to be water-tight, and the snow thrown up against +the sides made it warm. Within, it was one room for all, and for all +purposes. "Bunks" were made against the sides for each of the fourteen +men. A stove with cooking utensils was brought from the ship and set up; +lamps were suspended about the room, and a table with other convenience +from the cabin were put in order. + +But before this was done a party of Esquimo with five sledges made their +appearance. They stopped at a distance, and signified their friendly +purpose by their customary wild gesticulations and antics. The white men +at first took them for the floe party, and raised three rousing cheers +of welcome. We doubt not, though it is not stated, that they were led on +by our special friend, Kalutunah. The surly Sipsu, it will be +remembered, had received what he had sought to give to another, a +harpoon planted in the back, and was dead. So there was left none to +rival Kalutunah. Myouk, the boy that was, in Kane's day, was reported as +an old man now. Esquimo grow old rapidly. The whole party went to work +with a will, having pleasant visions before them of a new stock of +needles, knives, and other white-man treasures. They clambered over the +hummocky floe, bringing loads of coal from the ship, and with their +sleds brought fresh-water ice for the melting apparatus. Several +families finally came, built their huts near the vessel, and spent the +winter. The ship-wrecked whites had nearly worn out their fur suits, and +their supply had been greatly reduced by the losses on the floe. So the +Esquimo replenished their stock, and their women repaired the worn ones. +Thus God makes the humblest and the weakest able at times to render +essential help to the strong, and none need be useless. + +The winter wore off. There was no starvation, nor even short rations. +The coal burned cheerfully in the stove until February, and then fuel +torn from the "Polaris" supplied its place. The friendly natives brought +fresh walrus meat, and scurvy was kept away. For all their valuable +services the Esquimo felt well repaid in the coveted treasures which +were given them. + +The time during the sunless days was passed in reading, writing, +amusements, and discussions, according to the taste and inclination of +each. Of course there were some daily domestic duties to be done. The +scientific men pursued their inquiries so far as circumstances allowed. + +The dismal story which has so often pained our ears concerning the +Esquimo was true of them generally during the winter--they were +suffering with cold and hunger, and three, one of whom was Myouk, died. +The explorers returned the Esquimo kindness by sharing with them, in a +measure, their own stock of provisions. + +The spring came, and with it successful hunting. One deer was shot, and +some hares caught. Chester, the mate, who seems to have been _the_ +Yankee of the party, planned, and assisted the carpenter in building two +boats. The material was wrenched from the "Polaris." They were each +twenty-five feet long and five feet wide, square fore and aft, capable +of carrying, equally divided between them, the fourteen men, two months' +provisions, and other indispensable articles. When these were done they +made a smaller boat, and presented it to the Esquimo; it would aid them +in getting eggs and young birds about the shore. + +Clear water did not reach Life-Boat Cove until the last of May. On its +appearance in the immediate vicinity the waiting explorers put every +thing in readiness for their departure. The boats were laden, and each +man assigned his place. Bags were made of the canvas sails in which to +carry the provisions. What remained of the "Polaris" was given to the +Esquimo chief--we guess to our friend Kalutunah--as an acknowledgment of +favors received. On the third of June, in fine spirits and good health, +the explorers launched their boats and sailed southward. At first the +boats leaked badly, but they sailed and rowed easily, and proved very +serviceable. It was continuous day, and the weather favorable. Seals +could be had for the pains of hunting them, and the sea-fowl were so +plenty that ten were at times brought down at a shot. On the downward +trip old localities were touched, such as Etah, Hakluyt Island, and +Northumberland Island. The average amount of Arctic storms were +encountered, the drift ice behaved in its usual manner, though not as +badly as it has been known to do. The little crafts had their +hair-breadth escapes, and were battered not a little. Every night, when +the toils of the day were over, the boats were drawn upon the floe, +every thing taken out, and the only hot meal of the day was prepared. +Each boat carried pieces of rope from the "Polaris," and a can of oil. +With these a fire was made in the bottom of an iron pot. Over this fire +they made their steaming pots of tea. + +The party halted a while at Fitz Clarence Rock in Booth Bay, about +sixteen miles south of Cape Parry, and within sight of the high, bleak +plain on which Dr. Hayes's boat-party spent their fearful winter. On the +tenth day of their voyaging they had reached Cape York. In comparison to +Dr. Kane's trip over the same waters, theirs was as a summer holiday +excursion. But Melville Bay was now before them with its defiant bergs, +hummocks, currents, stormy winds, and blinding snows--a horrid crew! No +wonder that the fear prevailed among them that if not rescued they could +never reach any settlement. Chester, however, said, "We can, and will." +But the rescuers were not afar off. For another ten days they were made +to feel that their battle for life was to be a hard-fought one. On the +twenty-third they saw, away in the distance, what appeared to be a +whaler. Could it be! They dared scarcely trust their eyes, for the +object was ten miles away. Yes, it was a steamer, and beset, too, so she +could not get away. New courage was inspired, and they toiled on. But +for this timely spur to their zeal they would have lost heart, for one +of the boats in being lifted over the hummocks was badly stove, and +their provisions were giving out, though they had calculated that they +had two months' supply. Soon after they saw the steamer they were seen +by the watch from the mast-head. They were taken for Esquimo, but a +sharp lookout was kept upon their movement, which soon showed them to be +white men. Signals of recognition were immediately given, and eighteen +picked men were sent to their relief. Seeing this, Captain Buddington +sent forward two men, and the rescuers soon met and returned with them. +With even this addition to their strength, it took six hours to drag the +boats the twelve miles which intervened between them and the whaler. +They were received with a kind-hearted welcome by the noble Scotchman, +Captain Allen, of the "Ravenscraig," of Dundee. Their toils were over, +and their safety insured. We will return to those on the floe. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +THE FEARFUL SITUATION. + + +ONE of the anchors of the "Polaris," in starting on the night of the +separation, tore off a large piece of the floe with three men upon it. +As the "Polaris" swept past them they cried out in agony, "What shall we +do?" Captain Buddington shouted back, "We can do nothing for you. You +have boats and provisions; you must shift for yourselves." This was the +last word from the "Polaris." + +Seeing the sad plight of these men, Captain Tyson, who from the first +had been upon the floe, took "the donkey," a little scow which had been +tossed upon the ice, and attempted to rescue them. But the donkey almost +at once sunk, and he jumped back upon the floe and launched one of the +boats. Some of the other men started in the other boat at the same time, +and the three men were soon united to the rest of the floe party. + +One of the last things Tyson drew out of the way of the vessel as its +heel was grinding against the parting floe were some musk-ox skins. They +lay across a widening crack, and in a moment more would have been sunk +in the deep, or crushed between colliding hummocks. Rolled up in one of +them, and cozily nestling together, were two of Hans's children! Does +not God care for _children_! + +Our darkness and storm-beset party did not dare to move about much, for +they could not tell the size of the ice on which they stood, nor at what +moment they might step off into the surging waters. So they rolled +themselves up in the musk-ox skins and _slept_! Captain Tyson alone did +not lie down, but walked cautiously about during the night. The morning +came, and with it a revelation of their surroundings. Huge bergs were in +sight which had in the storm and darkness charged upon the floe, and +caused the breaking up of the preceding night. It had been a genuine +Arctic assault. Their own raft was nearly round, and about four miles in +circumference, and immovably locked between several grounded bergs. It +was snow-covered, and full of hillocks and intervening ponds of water +which the brief summer sun had melted from their sides. Those who had +laid down were covered with snow, and looked like little mounds. When +the party roused, the first thing they thought of was the ship. But she +was nowhere to be seen. A lead opened to the shore inviting their escape +to the land. Captain Tyson ordered the men to get the boats in immediate +readiness, reminding them of the uncertainty of the continued opening of +the water, and of the absolute necessity of instant escape from the floe +in order to regain the ship and save their lives. But the men were in no +hurry, and obedience to orders had long been out of their line. They +were hungry and tired, and were determined to eat first; and they didn't +want a cold meal, and so they made tea and chocolate, and cooked canned +meat. This done they must change their wet clothes for dry ones. + +In the mean time the drifting ice _was_ in a hurry and had shut up in +part the lead. But Tyson was determined to try to reach the shore though +the difficulties had so greatly increased during the delay. The boats +were laden and launched, but when they were about half way to the shore +the lead closed, and they returned to the floe and hauled up the boats. +Just then the "Polaris" was seen under both steam and sail. She was +eight or ten miles away, but signals were set to attract her attention, +and she was watched with a glass with intense interest until she +disappeared behind an island. Soon after, Captain Tyson sent two men to +a distant part of the floe to a house made of poles, which he had +erected for the stores soon after they began to be thrown from the +vessel. In going for these poles the steamer was again seen, apparently +fast in the ice behind the island. She could not then come to the floe +party, being beset and without boats, and so Tyson ordered the men to +get the boats ready for another attempt to reach the land, and thus in +time connect with the vessel. He lightened the boats of all articles not +absolutely necessary, that they might be drawn to the water safely and +with speed. He then went ahead to find the nearest and best route for +embarking. The grounded bergs in the mean while, relaxed their grasp +upon the explorers' ice-raft, and they began to drift southward. With +malicious intent, on came a terrific snow-storm at the same time. Tyson +hurried back to hasten up the men. They were in no hurry, but, with +grumbling and trifling, finally made ready as they pretended, one boat +crowded with every thing both needful and worthless. When at last it was +dragged to the water's edge, it was ascertained that the larger part of +the oars and the rudder had been left at the camp far in the rear. In +this crippled condition the boat was launched. But not only oars and +rudder, but _will_ on the part of the men was wanting. So the boat was +drawn upon the floe, and left with all its valuables near the water. The +night was approaching, the storm was high, and the men were weary, so no +attempt was made to return it to the old camp. All went back to the +middle of the floe. Tyson, Mr. Meyers, one of the scientific corps, and +the Esquimo, made a canvas shelter, using the poles as a frame, and the +others camped near them. Captain Tyson, after eating a cold supper, +rolled himself in a musk-ox skin, and lay down for the first sleep he +had sought for forty-eight hours. His condition seemed to be a specially +hard one. While, on the night of the great disaster, he was striving to +save the general stores, the saving of which proved the salvation of the +company, others were looking after their personal property, so they had +their full supply of furs and fire-arms, while his were left in the +ship. He, however, slept soundly until the morning, when he was +startled by a shriek from the Esquimo. The floe had played them an +Arctic trick; it had broken and set the whole party adrift on an +ice-raft not more than one hundred and fifty yards square. What remained +of their old floe of four miles' circumference contained the house made +of poles, in which remained six bags of bread, and the loaded boat, in +which were the greater part of their valuables. Here was a fearful state +of things! Yet one boat remained with which they might have gone after +the other one, but the men seemed infatuated and refused to go. Away the +little raft sailed, crumbling as it went, assuring its passengers that +they must all stow away in their one boat or soon be dropped in the sea. +For four days they thus drifted, during which the Esquimo shot several +seals. On the twenty-first Joe was using the spy-glass, and suddenly +shouted for joy. He had spied the lost boat lodged on a part of the old +floe which had swung against the little raft of our party. He and +Captain Tyson, with a dog-team, instantly started for it, and after a +hard pull returned with boat and cargo. Soon after, their old floe, in +an accommodating mood, thrust itself against the one they were on, the +boats were passed over, and every thing was again together--boats and +provisions. + +Let us now look around upon our party more critically. The whole number +was twenty, including the ten weeks' old Charlie Polaris, who, of +course, was somebody. As we have stated, _all_ the Esquimo were of this +party. Both the cook and steward were here. Much the larger number of +the dogs belonging to the expedition were on the floe, but no sledges. +Fortunately, in addition to the two boats, one of the kayaks had been +saved. It might, in the skillful hands of a Joe, meet some emergency. + +As there was only faint hope now of again seeing the "Polaris," and as +their ice-boat seemed to sail farther and farther from the shore, they +began to make the best winter-quarters their circumstances allowed. +Under the direction of Joe, as architect and builder, several snow +houses were put up. One was occupied by Captain Tyson and Mr. Myers; one +by Joe and family; a larger one by the men; and one was used for the +provisions, and one for a cook house. All these were united by an arched +passage way. Hans and family located their house apart from the others, +but near. + +The huts erected, their next pressing need was sledges. The men, with +great difficulty, dragged some lumber from the old store-house, and a +passable one was made. + +Though the quantity of provisions was quite large, yet with nineteen +persons to consume it, (not to reckon little Charlie's mouth, who looked +elsewhere for his supply,) and with possibly no addition for six months, +it was alarmingly small. Besides, in their unprincipled greed, some of +the party broke into the store-room and took more than a fair allowance. +So the party agreed upon two meals a day, and a weighed allowance at +each meal. + +It was now the last of October. The sun had ceased to show his pleasant +face, and the long night was setting in. To add to their discomfort, the +question of light and fuel assumed a serious aspect. The men, either +from want of skill or patience, or both, did not succeed well in using +seal fat for these purposes, in the Esquimo fashion; so they began, with +a reckless disregard to their future safety, to break up and burn one of +the boats. + +Hans, with a true Esquimo instinct, when the short allowance pinched +him, began to kill and eat the dogs. He might be excused, however. Four +children, with their faces growing haggard, looked to him for food. + +Thus situated, our floe party drifted far away from the land--drifting +on and on, whether they slept or woke--drifting they knew not to what +end. + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +THE WONDERFUL DRIFT. + + +EARLY in November Captain Tyson saw through his glass, about twelve +miles off to the southeast, the Cary Islands, so they were in the "North +water" of Baffin Bay, and south-west from Cape Parry, where we have been +so many times. From this cape, or a little south of it, it would not be +a great sledge trip to where they last saw the "Polaris," and where they +had reason to think she now was. So our party made one more effort to +reach the shore. The boats being in readiness the night before, they +started early in the morning. Of course their day was now only a noon +twilight, and the _morning_ was most midday. But the floe was not in a +favoring mood. The hummocks were as hard in their usage of the boats and +men as usual. The deceitful cracks in the ice at one time put the lives +of the dogs and men in great peril; and, as if these obstacles were not +enough, a storm brought up its forces against them. They had dragged the +boats half way to the shore when they retreated "before superior +forces." + +Their huts being of perishable material, were reconstructed. A little +later the men built a large snow hut as "a reserve." All were weak +through insufficient food. Mr. Meyers was nearly prostrate, and went to +live with the men; Captain Tyson, whose scanty clothing, added to care +and short rations, caused him to suffer much, took up his quarters with +Joe and Hannah, and their little Puney. Not the least of the trial in +the Esquimo huts were the piteous cries of the children for food. Joe +and Hans were out with their guns every day during the three hours' +twilight, hunting seals. The first one captured was shot by Joe, +November sixth. Nearly two weeks passed before any further success +attended the hunters; then several were shot, and Captain Tyson, who was +ready to perish, had one full meal--a meal of uncooked seal meat, skin, +hair, and all, washed down with seal blood. _Some_ others had not been +so long without a full meal, as the bread continued to be stolen. + +The _home_ Thanksgiving Day came. A little extra amount of the canned +meat was allowed each one, and all had a taste of mock-turtle soup and +canned green corn, kept for this occasion, to which was added a few +pieces of dried apple. How far it all fell short of the _home_ feast may +be judged by the fact that Captain Tyson, to satisfy the fierce hunger +which remained after dinner, finished "with eating strips of frozen +seals' entrails, and lastly seal skin, hair and all." + +The hunters had seen tracks of bears, so they were on the lookout for +them while they hunted seal. One day Joe and Hans went out as usual with +their guns. They lost sight of each other and of the camp. Joe returned +quite late, expecting to find Hans already in his hut. When he learned +that he had not returned, he, as well as others, felt concerned about +him. Accompanied by one of the men, he went in search of him. As the +two, guns in hand, were stumbling over the hummocks, they saw in the +very dim twilight, as they thought, a bear. Their guns were instantly +leveled and brought to the sight, and their mouths almost tasted a +bear-meat supper. "Hold on there! That's not a bear! what is it?" "Why, +it's Hans!" Well, he _did_ look in the darkness like a bear, as in his +shaggy coat he clambered, on all-fours, over the ice-hills. + +December came in with its continuous night. Seals could not be +successfully hunted in the darkness, and where seals could not be seen +bears would not make their appearance. The rations became smaller than +ever, and ghastly, horrid starvation seemed encamped among our drifting, +forlorn party. Under these circumstances a specter even _worse_ than +starvation appeared to Joe. To him, at least, it was a terrifying +reality. It was the demon form of Cannibalism! He had looked into the +eyes of the men in the big hut, and they spoke to him of an intention to +save themselves by first killing and eating Hans and family, and then +taking him and his. He and Hannah were greatly terrified, and he handed +his pistol to Captain Tyson, which he was not willing to part with +before. He was assured that the least child should not be touched for so +horrid a purpose without such a defense as the pistol could give. + +Christmas came. The last ham had been kept for this occasion, and it was +divided among all, with a few other dainties, in addition to the usual +morsel. + +The shore occasionally appeared in the far away distance. They were +drifting through Baffin Bay toward the _western_ side, so that their +craft evidently did not intend to land them at any of the familiar ports +of Greenland. It seemed to have an ambition to drop them nearer home. + +As the year was going out, and Joe's family were gnawing away at some +_dried_ seal skin, submitted, to be sure, to a process Hannah called +cooking, a shout was heard from him. "Kayak! kayak!" he cried. He had +shot a seal, and it was floating away. Fortunately the kayak was at +hand, and the game was bagged. As usual, it was divided among all. The +_eyes_ were given to Charlie Polaris, and they were nice in his eyes, +and mouth, too. + +New Year's came, and Captain Tyson dined on two feet of frozen seal +entrails, and a little seal fat. There was now nothing to burn except +what little seal blubber they could spare for that purpose. One boat had +been burned, their only sled had gone the same way, and the reckless, +desperate men could hardly be restrained from burning the only one now +remaining, and thus cut off all good hope of final escape. To be sure, +their provocation to this act was very great; the temperature was +thirty-six below zero! In their strait, the desperate expedient was +entertained of trying to get to land. The emaciated men would have to +drag the loaded boat over the hummocky ice without a sledge. The women +and children must be added to the load or abandoned. It would be a +struggle for life against odds more fearful than that which now +oppressed them. But what _should_ they do! God knew! Hark! what shout is +that! "Kayak! kayak!" The kayak was at hand, but it had to be carried a +mile. Yet it paid, for a seal shot by Joe was secured just in time to +keep the men from utter desperation. To this item of comfort another was +added a few days later. The sun reappeared January nineteenth, after an +absence of eighty-three days, and remained shining upon them two hours. +He brought hope to fainting hearts. Through January there was a seal +taken at long intervals, but one always came just before it was too +late! The men continued to grumble and deceive themselves with the idea +of soon getting to Disco, "where rum and tobacco were plenty." How sad +that man can sink _below_ the brute, which, however hungry, never cries +out for "rum and tobacco!" + +Leaving for a moment the white men, let us look into the Esquimo huts +and see how the terrible condition of things affects them. The men are +almost always out hunting, but just now, as we step into Joe's snow +dwelling, he is at home. The only light or fire is that which comes from +the scanty supply of seal oil. Captain Tyson is trying to write with a +pencil in his journal, but he appears cold in his scanty covering of +furs, and looks weak and hungry. Joe and Hannah are striving to pass +away the weary hours by playing checkers on an old piece of canvas which +the captain has marked into squares with his pencil. They are using +buttons for men, and seem quite interested in the game. Little Puney is +sitting by, wrapped in a musk-ox skin, uttering at intervals a low, +plaintive cry for food. It is the most cheerful home "on board" the +floe, but surely it is cheerless enough. + +We shall not wish to tarry long in the hut of Hans, for besides the +unavoidable misery of the place, Mr. and Mrs. Hans are noted for the +boarders they keep--about their persons. Under the most favorable +circumstances they regard bathing as one of the barbarous customs of +civilization. The reader will recollect that the first experience Mrs. +Hans had of a personal cleansing was on board Dr. Hayes's vessel, and +she then thought it a joke imposed by the white people's religion, too +grievous to be borne. On another exploring vessel she and her husband +were cruelly required to put off their long-worn garments, wash and put +on clean ones, and put the old "in a strong pickle," for an obvious +reason. It is not certainly known that they were ever washed at any +other times. + +Mrs. Hans's hut is not in the most tidy order, but the circumstances +must be taken into the account, and also the fact of the sad neglect of +her early domestic education. We have just drifted from her native +land--or, rather, _ice_--where she was married, in Dr. Kane's time, it +being a runaway match, at least on the part of the husband. + +Well, here they are, father, mother, and four children, on a voyage +unparalleled in the history of navigation. Mr. and Mrs. Hans do not play +any household games; they do not know what to do at home, except to eat, +and feed the children, and make and mend skin clothing. We know full +well to what sad disadvantage the eating is subjected at the time of our +call, and we are authorized to say, to the credit of Mrs. Hans, that as +to the making and mending, she has been of real service to the men on +this voyage. + +The children of Hans cannot fail to attract our attention and sympathy. +Augustina, the first-born, usually fat and rugged if not ruddy, is thin +and pale now, and sits chewing a bit of dried seal skin, or something of +the sort, and trying to get from it a drop of nourishment; her brother, +Tobias, has thrown his head into her lap as she sits on the ground. The +poor little fellow has been sick, unable to eat even the small allowance +of meat given him, and has lived, one hardly knows how, on a little dry +bread. Succi, the four-year-old girl, squats on the ground--that is, the +canvas-covered ice floor--hugging her fur skin about her, and in a low, +moaning tone repeats, "I is _so_ hungry!" Her mother is trying to pick +from the lamp, for the children, a few bits of "tried-out" scraps of +blubber. Little Charlie's head is just discernible in the fur hood +which hangs from the mother's neck at her back. If he gets enough to +eat, which we fear is not the case, he is sweetly ignorant of the perils +of this, his first trip, in the voyage of life. We shall not want to +stay longer in this sad place. + +February was a dreadful month on board the floe. The huts were buried +under the snow. It was with difficulty that Joe and Hans, almost the +entire dependence of the party, could go abroad for game, and when they +did they secured a few seals only, very small, and now and then a +dovekie, a wee bit of a pensive sea-bird. Norwhal, the sea unicorn, were +shot in several instances, but they sunk in every case and were lost. +Hunger and fear seemed to possess the men in the large tent, and Joe and +Hannah began to be again terrified by the thought that these hunger-mad +men would kill and eat them. + +Now, will not God appear to help those in so helpless a condition? Yes, +his hand has ever been wonderfully apparent in all Arctic perils. On the +second of March, just when the dark cloud of these drifting sufferers +was never darker, it parted, and a flood of light burst upon their camp. +Joe shot an _oogjook_, belonging to the largest species of seal. He was +secured and dragged by all hands to the huts. He measured nine feet, +weighed about seven hundred pounds, and contained, by estimation, thirty +gallons of oil. There was a shout of seal in the camp! The warm blood +was relished like new milk, and drank freely. All eat and slept, and +woke to eat again, and hunger departed for the time from the miserable +huts it had so long haunted. Joe and Hannah dismissed their horrid +visions of cannibalism. God was, the helper of these hungry ones, and +they _were_ helped. + + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +THE WONDERFUL ESCAPE. + + +OUR voyagers needed all the strength and courage which the timely +capture of the great seal had given them. They had drifted into a warmer +sea, and windy March was well upon them. Their floe began to herald its +fast approaching dissolution. The weary and anxious drifters were +startled by day, and awakened suddenly by night, by a rumbling, mingled +with fearful grindings and crashes underneath them. Heavy ice-cakes, +over-rode by the heavier floe, ground along its under surface, and when +finding an opening of thin ice, rushed with a thundering sound to the +upper surface. The din was at times so great that it seemed to combine +all alarming sounds:-- + + "Through all its scale the horrid discord ran; + Now mocked the beast--now took the groan of man." + +On the eleventh a storm commenced. Whole fleets of icebergs, having +broken away from the icy bands in which the floe had held them, hovered +round to charge upon the helpless campers. The vast area of ice on which +they had been riding for so many months was lifted in places by mighty +seas beneath, causing it to crack with a succession of loud reports and +dismal sounds, some of which seemed to be directly under them. The wind +drove before it a dense cloud of snow, so that one could scarcely see a +yard. Night came with a darkness that could be felt. The icy foundation +of their camp might separate at any moment, and tumble their huts about +their ears, or plunge them in the sea. They gathered their few treasures +together, and stood ready to fly--but where? Death seemed to guard every +avenue of escape. Suddenly, soon after the night set in, the disruption +came. Their floe was shattered, with a fearful uproar, into hundreds of +pieces, and they went surging off among the fragments on a piece less +than a hundred yards square. They were within twenty yards of its edge, +but God had kindly forbid the separation to run through their camp and +sever them from their boat or from each other. + +After raging sixty hours the storm abated, and their little ice-ship +drifted rapidly in the pack. A goodly number of seals were shot, and +they began to breathe more freely. After a short time another _oogjook_ +was captured, so food was plenty. + +March wore away, seals were plenty, and readily taken; and though the +bergs ground together and made fierce onsets into the pack, our ice-ship +held gallantly on her way. One night the inmates of Joe's hut were about +retiring, when a noise was heard outside. "What is it, Joe? is the ice +breaking up?" Joe does not stop to answer, but rushes out. But in ten +seconds he comes back in a greater hurry, pale and breathless. "There's +a bear close to my kayak," he exclaims in an excited tone. Now the +situation was this: The kayak was within ten paces of the entrance to +the hut, and the loaded guns, which can never be kept in an Esquimo hut +on account of the moisture, were in and leaning against the kayak. If +the bear should take a notion to put his nose at the hut door, and, +liking the odor, knock down the snow wall with his strong paw, and +commence a supper on one of its inmates, what was to hinder him? But +bears, like many young people, often fail to improve their golden +opportunities. He found some seal fat and skins in the kayak, and these +he pulled out, and walked off with them a rod or two to enjoy the feast. +Joe crept out of the hut, and ran to alarm the men. Captain Tyson +followed, slipped softly up to the kayak and seized his gun, but in +taking it he knocked down another one and alarmed the bear, who looked +up and growled his objections to having his supper disturbed. Tyson +leveled his rifle, snapped it, but it missed fire. He tried a second and +third time, and it did not go--but _he_ did, for his bearship was taking +the offensive. Content to see his enemy flee, the bear returned to his +supper. How many foolish bears have we seen on our explorations lose +their lives by an untimely _eating_; but some men, more foolish, lose +_more than life_ BY DRINKING. The captain returned to the field with a +new charge in his gun. This time it sent a ball _through_ the bear; the +ball entering the left shoulder and passing through the heart, came out +at the other side. He staggered, but before he fell Joe had sent +another ball into his vitals. He dropped dead instantly. This affair +occurred when it was too dark to see many yards, and was much pleasanter +in its results than in its duration. + +The seal hunting was successful, and with bear meat and blubber, a full +store, there was no hunger unappeased; but the wind blew a gale, and the +sailless, rudderless, oarless little ice-ship, now banging against a +berg, and now in danger of being run down by one, all the while growing +alarmingly smaller, finally shot out into the open sea away from the +floe. This would not do. So, feeling that they might soon be dropped +into the sea, they loaded the boat with such things as was strictly +necessary, and all hands getting aboard, sailed away. A part of their +ammunition, their fresh meat, a full month's supply, and many other +desirable things, were abandoned. The boat, only intended to carry eight +persons, was so overloaded with its twenty, including children, that it +was in danger of being swamped at any moment. The frightened children +cried, and the men looked sober. They sailed about twenty miles west, +and landed on the first tolerably safe piece of ice which they met. Hans +and family nestled down in the boat, and the rest, spreading on the floe +what skins they had, set up a tent, and all, after eating a dry supper +of bread and pemmican, lay down to rest. Thus, boating by day, and +camping on the ice at night for several days, they drew up on the fourth +of April upon a solid looking floe. Snow-huts were built, seals were +taken, and hope revived. But what is hope, resting on Arctic promises? +The gale was abroad again, the sea boisterous, and their floe was thrown +into a panic. Fearful noises were heard beneath and around them, and +their icy foundations quaked with fear. Joe's snow-hut was shaken down. +He built it again, and then lot and house fell off into the sea and +disappeared. Thus warned, the camp was pushed farther back from the +water. But they did not know where the crack and separation would next +come. Thus they lived in anxious watchings through weary days, the gale +unabated. Finally, one night, the feared separation came. All hands +except Mr. Meyers were in the tent; near them, so near a man could +scarcely walk between, was the boat, containing Meyers and the kayak; +but with mischievous intent, the crack run so as to send the boat +drifting among the breaking and over-lapping ice. Mr. Meyers could not +manage it, of course, under such circumstances, and the kayak was of no +use to any but an Esquimo, so he set it afloat, hoping it would drift to +the floe-party. Here was a fearful situation! The floe-party, as well as +Mr. Meyers, was sure to perish miserably if the boat was not returned. +There was only a dim light, and objects at a short distance looked hazy. +It was a time for instant and desperate action. Joe and Hans took their +paddles and ice-spears and started for the boat, jumping from one piece +of floating, slippery ice to another. They were watched in breathless +suspense until they _seemed_, in the shadowy distance, to have reached +the boat, and then all was shut out in the darkness. + +The morning came, and the floe party were glad to see that the boat had +three men in it. It was a half mile off, and the kayak was as far away +in another direction. It was soon clear that the boat could not be +brought back without a stronger force. Tyson led the way, and finally +all but two of the men made the desperate passage of the floating ice to +the imperiled craft. It was with difficulty that, with their combined +force, the boat was returned to the floe. The kayak was also recovered. + +For a brief time there was quiet all around. The aurora gleamed, and +displayed its wonderful beauty of form and motion; while the majestic +icebergs, in every varied shape, reflected its sparkling light. The +grandeur of sea and sky seemed a mockery to the danger-beset voyagers. +The elements might be grand, but they had combined to destroy them, for +a new form of peril now appeared. The sea came aboard of their icy +craft. They were sitting one evening under their frail tent, the boat +near, when a wave swept over their floe, carrying away tent, clothing, +provisions--every thing except what was on their persons or in the boat. +The women and children had been put on board in fear of such an +occurrence, and the men had just time to save themselves by clinging to +the gunwale. The boat itself was borne into the middle of the floe. When +the wave subsided the boat was dragged back, lest another push by a +succeeding one might launch it into the sea from the other side. It was +well they did this, for another wave bore it to the opposite edge and +partly slipped it into the water. This game of surging the boat from one +side to the other of the floe, was kept up from nine o'clock in the +evening to seven in the morning. All this time the men were in the +water, fighting the desperate battle for its safety, and the +preservation of their own lives; the conflict being made more terrible +by the fact that every wave bore with it ice-blocks from a foot square +to those measuring many yards, having sharp edges and jagged corners, +with which it battered their legs until they were black and blue. It was +the severest test of their courage and endurance yet experienced. But +God was their helper. Not one perished, and when the defeated sea was by +his voice commanded to retire, and the day appeared, they were not +seriously harmed. But they were cold and wet, without a change of +clothes and utterly provisionless. + +It is not surprising that after their rough handling on the floe they +should seek a larger and safer one. This they did, launching their +crowded boat into the turbulent sea, and, working carefully along, +succeeded in landing safely on one stronger looking; nothing worse +happening than the tumbling overboard of the cook, who was quickly +rescued. Here, cold, half-drowned, hungry, and weary to faintness, they +tried to dry and warm themselves in the feeble rays of the sun, and wait +for their food at the hand of the great Provider in the use of such +means as were yet left to them. They had preserved their guns and a +small supply of powder and shot. Snow and rain came on, and continued +until noon of the next day, April twenty-second. Their hunger was +fearful. Mr. Meyers had been slightly frost-bitten when drifting away +alone in the boat, his health seemed broken, and he was actually +starving. + +In the afternoon of this day Joe went as usual with his gun. He had +caught nothing on this floe, and now there were no signs of seals, +though it was his fourth time out that day. What should they do? God had +their relief all arranged. Joe saw what he did not expect to see, and +what was seldom seen so far south--a bear! He ran back to the boat, +called Hans with his trusty rifle, and the two lay down behind the +hummocks. All were ordered to lie down, keep perfectly quiet, and feign +themselves seals, the Esquimo helping out the deception by imitating the +seal bark. Bruin came on cautiously. He, too, was hungry. What are those +black objects, and what is that noise, he seemed to say? They don't look +_quite_ like seals! The noise is not _just_ like the seal cry! But +hunger is a weighty reason with men and bears, on the side of what they +desire to believe, so the bear came on. When fairly within an easy range +both rifles cracked, and he fell dead. The whole party arose with a +shout. Polar was dragged to the boat and skinned. His warm blood slaked +their raging thirst. His meat, tender and good, satisfied their gnawing +hunger. They were saved from a terrible death! Seals were secured soon +after, and hope again revived. + +It was not long before their ice-craft crumbled away, so they were +obliged to repeat the experiment, always full of danger, of launching +into the sea and making for a larger and safer one. April twenty-eighth +they were beset by a fleet of bergs, which were crashing against each +other with a thundering noise, and occasionally turning a threatening +look toward the frail craft of our drifters. So angrily at last did one +come down upon them that they abandoned their floe and rowed away. +Surely there is no peace for them by night or day, on the floe or afloat +in their boat. They dare not lie down a moment without keeping one half +of their number on the watch. But what is that in the distance? A +steamer! A thrill of joy goes through the boat's company. Every possible +signal is given, but she does not see them, and another night is spent +on the floe. The next morning every eye was straining to see a whaler. +Soon one appears. They shout, raise their signals, and fire every gun at +once. But she passes out of sight. April thirtieth, as the night was +setting in foggy and dark, the shout from the watch of "steamer" brought +all to their feet. She was right upon them in the fog before she was +seen. Hans was soon alongside of her in his kayak, telling their story +as best he could. In a few moments the whaler was alongside of their +piece of ice. Captain Tyson removed his old well-worn cap, called upon +his men, and three cheers were given, ending with a "tiger" such as the +poor fellows had not had a heart to give for many long months. The +cheers were returned by a hundred men from the rigging and deck of the +vessel. It was the sealer "Tigress," Captain Bartlett, of Conception +Bay, Newfoundland. They soon had the planks of a good ship beneath them +instead of a treacherous floe; curious but kind friends beset them, +instead of threatening bergs; and every comfort succeeded to utter +destitution. They had been on the floe six months, and floated more than +sixteen hundred miles. + +They were speedily conveyed, by the way of Conception Bay and St. Johns, +to their own homes, the telegraph having flashed throughout the length +and breadth of the land their coming, and the nation rejoiced. But there +were tears mingled with the joy, that one, the noble, the true, the +Christian commander of the expedition, Charles Francis Hall, lay in his +icy grave in the far north. + +As speedily as possible the "Tigress" was purchased and fitted out by +the United States Government in search of the "Polaris" party. Captain +Tyson and Joe were among her men. She reached Life-boat Cove about two +months after Captain Buddington and his men had left. They learned that, +much to the grief of the natives, the "Polaris" had floated off and +sunk. The Buddington party arrived home in the fall, by the way of +England. + +As we may not meet our Esquimo friends again, with whom we have made so +many voyages, the reader will want to know the last news from them. +Hans and his family returned to Greenland in the "Tigress." Joe has +bought a piece of land and a house near New London, Connecticut, and +intends, with his family, to remain there, getting a living by fishing. + +Thus ended the last American North Pole Expedition. The last from other +Governments have not been more successful. Yet, while we write, England +and Austria are reported as getting ready further North Polar +expeditions to start in the spring of 1875. It must be allowed that the +icy sceptered guardian of the North has made a good fight against the +invaders into his dominions. But the nations of the earth are determined +to send men to sit on his throne, though they find it a barren and +worthless, as well as a cold domain. + + +THE END. + + + + +_PUBLICATIONS OF NELSON & PHILLIPS_, 805 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. + + + The Story of a Pocket Bible. + Ten illustrations. 12mo. $1 25 + + Historical Souvenirs of Martin Luther. + By Charles W. Hubner. 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Original read (utter darkness +the most) + +Page 276, "coaked" changed to "croaked" (raven croaked a welcome) + +Page 277, "clifts" changed to "cliffs" (ice-covered cliffs of) + +Page 292, "been" added to text (Hall had been giving special) + +Page 321, "Tookolito" changed to "Tookoolito" (with the kind Tookoolito) + +Page 365, "Hugh" changed to "Huge" (Huge bergs were in) + +Page 394, "Live" changed to "Life" (Love in Daily Life) + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's North-Pole Voyages, by Zachariah Atwell Mudge + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NORTH-POLE VOYAGES *** + +***** This file should be named 39013.txt or 39013.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/0/1/39013/ + +Produced by Emmy, Albert Laszlo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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