CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWLN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 23 



who carefully examined the houses and ground in the vicinity, places the number at 200. While, 

 lying here the natives visited the vessel several times and we bad a good opportunity of iuquiring 

 into their condition, which is truly a wretched one. They were, however, well supplied with seal 

 meat and fish, and seemed in no danger of immediate want. Near one of the houses I counted eight 

 empty whisky casks. Mr. Nelson took some photographs of the houses and people ; the latter, how- 

 ever, not without some difficulty. They showed great dread of the camera and evidently believed 

 it was "bad medicine." At one time, after repeated failures, on account of a high wind, to photo- 

 graph some women and children, Mr. Nelson shook his head and said, ''No good," and started to 

 take the camera away, when one old native approached and asked if they would " all die now." 

 Upon being assured that the camera was not gifted with such extraordinary powers as he sup- 

 posed, he asked, with much disgust, " What is the use of it, if it won't tell us that much"?" Saint 

 Lawrence is a great resort for emperor geese, of which we saw many large flocks while in the 

 vicinity of the island. As a rule they were flying away from the land in a southwest direction, but 

 as they flew very low it is not improbable that they were merely changing to the lee side of the 

 island ou account of the rough water to windward. While at anchor off this settlement, waiting 

 for the gale to abate, an unfortunate incident occurred, which came near ending the life of the 

 young native taken on board at Saint Lawrence Bay. He had been acting strangely for some 

 time, but being naturally a great coward, we attributed his strange actions to fear. Being re- 

 fused permission to visit the shore, he made a desperate attempt to commit suicide, first stabbing 

 himself in the left lung and then jumping overboard. He was taken out of the water and after 

 receiving such medical treatment as his case demanded was placed under guard. We got under 

 way soon after the occurrence and proceeded to Plover Bay. I hoped to get the lunatic home be- 

 fore he died, or at least to get him among the natives who were acquainted with him, so that the 

 facts in his case might be understood by them, fearing that if not taken back alive his father would 

 make it a pretext to refuse to sell us deer skins unless we made him large presents. I was also 

 afraid that they might believe that he had been killed by some one on board, and kill a white man 

 by way of revenge at the first opportunity. We reached Plover Bay early the following morning 

 aud anchored near the coal pits. The would-be suicide, although still wandering in his mind, was 

 gaining strength and seemed likely to recover. He yet had a constant fear of my shooting him, aud 

 was in great misery whenever I came in his sight. Owing to his critical condition, and the uncer- 

 tainty of his living until we could reach Saint Lawrence Bay, I determined to leave him with the 

 natives at Plover Bay, a plan which seemed to he to his liking, for he was anxious to get out of the 

 vessel. Before-allowing him to go ou shore, I consulted with two or three of the most intelligent 

 natives of the settlement; stated his condition, the attempt at taking his own life, etc., and asked 

 if they were willing to take charge of him, which finally they agreed to do, and came with a boat 

 and took him away. Returning to Plover Bay a mouth later and inquiring whether the " crazy," 

 as the natives termed him, had got well, they said, " Oh, yes; small well ; gone home," and upon 

 questioning them we learned that a few days after our departure from the bay he had started to 

 walk to his home at Saint Lawrence, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles. It was subse- 

 quently learned that he had reached there safely, and, as a proof of the continuance of his delusion, 

 he reported that "the captain" had stabbed him and thrown him overboard. 



Taking on board fifty-four tons of coal we left the same evening, intending to stop at Saint 

 Lawrence Bay, proceed north, and touch at Tapkan to learn whether our sledge party had re- 

 turned to that place. About midnight we passed Indian Point (Cape Tchapliu), where a large 

 number of Tchuktchis, coming off in their oomiacs, called to us to stop and trade, but being 

 anxious to meet our party, no stop was made. The following morning (June 27), having arrived at 

 the south head of Saint Lawrence Bay and anchored, natives soon came on board, and upon one 

 of them offering to pilot us to the "durman's" place, we got under way and steamed westward to 

 the mouth of Mechiguie Bay, which, to our great disappointment, we found still tilled with ice. 

 Communicating with several native settlements in the vicinity, aud leaving word for the durinau 

 of our intention to reach his place later in the season, we proceeded north. The natives encountered 

 in the. vicinity of Mechigme Bay, a very inferior looking set, are remarkable for having the worst look- 

 ing faces of any natives seeu by us on either continent, even worse thau those of Saint Lawrence Bay, 



