442 Joe and Hannah Driftinf/ !>// their Home. 



But beyond all this, the heroic conduct of these two on the last of 

 Hall's voyages claims a tribute. It must be very plain to every reader 

 of the Narrative of that Polaris voyage that these Eskimos saved the 

 lives of Tyson's party on the fearful ice-floe drift of more than 1,200 

 miles. 



In the early days of that suffering, when the floe was drifting 

 j)ast Cumberland Sound and was nearl}' opposite their native ])lace, 

 the temptation presented itself to this couple to escape to the main- 

 land. "Father Hall" was gone from them, and, at that time, there 

 were just grounds of fear within their breasts that, in the almost 

 famishing condition of the white men, some of them might make the 

 Eskimos the first victims, if the direst necessity should come. 



Hannah listened to no words of such persuasion, but strengthened 

 Joe's purpose to remain ; a hunter for the seal and the bear was thus 

 still to be at hand for the saving of men whose skill in such hunts was 

 ])lainly as unequal to their need as was their diminished strength. Of 

 his true worth in this respect the most convincing proof came toward 

 the last days of those dark months The story of this is told on the 

 568tli page of Admiral Davis's Narrative, where it will be found 

 recorded that on the 22d of April, 1<S73, when Tyson's })arty on 

 the floe, weakened by their six months' exposures, were on that 

 day half-drowned, cold, and almost literally without a morsel of 

 food, Joe, on going out for the fourth time to watch, saw a bear 

 coming toward the party, hurried back for his gun, and, requesting 

 all hands to lie perfectly still, returned with his companion Hans* 



* Ham? own story of his experience with Hall's party, and with the expeditions of Dr. 

 Kane, Dr. Hayes, and C.iptaiu Nares, has been lately published in a translation from the Greenland 

 tonf^ue by Doctor Henry Rink, author of "Tales and Traditions of the Eskimos," and of other 

 works. Hans' story of his share in the cxj)editions will be read with interest; — and his odd ac- 

 count of his visit to W.-isiliington. wln-n hrf)ii;j;lit to the eity nitli others of th«^ rescued Moe ]>arty. 



