118 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



beth, but termed Kingaite by the Esquimaux. Two hundred and 

 eighty-two years previously, in that very month of August, the 

 great English navigator, then on his third voyage, was sailing on 

 the waters now within my view, and, after many perils from 

 storms, fogs, and floating ice, he and part of his original fleet 

 (which consisted of fifteen vessels) assembled in "Countess of 

 Warwick's Sound," which I supposed to be not far off. As I 

 gazed, how I longed to be exploring it, then hopefully anticipating 

 it would prove the highway to my ultimate destination, King 

 William's Land. But such was not to be. Disappointment is 

 the lot of all men. Mine afterward proved great ; and yet I have 

 reason to be thankful for what I afterward accomplished. 



I looked long and earnestly. The land on the opposite side of 

 the " Straits" was clear before me, though at a distance of some 

 forty miles, and it appeared as if a long line of ice or snow top- 

 ped a considerable portion of it. I hastened from the place 

 whereon I stood, and walked to the beach, where the waters of 

 the so-called Frobisher Strait washed the shores. There, with 

 spy-glass, I again carefully examined the opposite land. The* 

 same appearance presented itself. But not till some months aft- 

 erward, when exploring up the Straits," did I have positive 

 proof that what I now saw was really an enormous and magnifi- 

 cent glacier, which, when I visited it, I called after the name of 

 Henry Grinnell. 



Continuing with my glass to trace the land westerly, it seemed 

 to me that the jnountains in that direction united with the land 

 on which I stood, and if so, no "strait" existed. But, as refrac- 

 tion at first was going on, I fancied that I might be deceived. A 

 longer look, however, made me still feel doubtful ;* and while I 

 stood charmed and spell-bound by the picture before me, a crowd 

 of strange thoughts filled my soul as I reflected upon my own po- 

 sition there, and remembered the history of those early voyages 

 made by Frobisher and his companions. But I had not much 

 time to ponder. The party was awaiting me, and I had to return. 



On my way back I found many other specimens of fossils, a 

 quantity of which I secured ; and as I was well loaded, Kunniu, 

 Ugarng's wife, offered to assist me in carrying them. The hood 

 of her long-tailed coat was widely opened to receive my load. 

 Some fifty pounds' weight of rock specimens, etc., were placed in 



* A week later, as will be seen, six intelligent Esquimaux positively assured me 

 that this was a bay, and not a " strait." 



