AUTHOR'S PLANS AFTER LOSING HIS BOAT. 



145 



planks and timbers for the preservation and warmth of Dr. Kane 

 and his party, was finally given up to the ices of the North which 

 unrelentingly grasped it. The Advance was abandoned Sunday, 

 May 20th, 1855, in Eensselaer Harbor, lat. 78° 37' K, and long. 

 70° 40' W. Five years, four months, and seven days after this 

 occurred the total wreck of the Rescue, in a harbor named after 

 her, situated in lat. 62° 52' K, and long. 64° 44' W., nearly due 

 south of her former consort. 



After well examining the Rescue, I went to the wreck of Koo- 

 jesse's whale-boat, lying on the windward side of the island. 

 This boat had been fast to the schooner's stern, and, of course, 

 went on the rocks at the same time. She had originally belong- 

 ed to Kudlago, having been given to him in 1858. When Kud- 

 lago left for the States in 1859, he gave the boat to Koojesse to 

 use until his return.* 



I may add here that an oomien (woman's or family boat) be- 

 longing to the natives went adrift during the storm and became 

 a total wreck. A boat of this kind is of great value to the Esqui- 

 maux, and, when lost, is to them something akin to the loss of a 

 first-class ship to us at home. 



I must now say a few words concerning myself. Even in the 

 midst of the howling tempest, when our own safety on board the 

 George Henry was a matter of doubt, my thoughts kept turning to 

 what I should do, now that my expedition boat was lost. But it 

 did not take me long to consider. I was determined that, God 

 willing, nothing should daunt me ; I would persevere if there was 

 the smallest chance to proceed. If one plan failed — if one disas- 

 ter came, then another plan should be tried, and the disaster rem- 

 edied to the best of my power. Thus, without delay, and while 

 yet the hurricane blasts made the ship tremble beneath us, as the 

 captain and I stood on her deck, I asked him if one of the ship's 

 boats could be spared me to prosecute my voyage to King Wil- 

 liam's Land, now that my own little craft was wrecked. His re- 

 ply, after some consideration, was favorable ; but, when the time 

 approached for my departure, it was found the one that alone 

 could be spared to me was frail, rotten, and not seaworthy. 



* Before I close this account of the Rescue's wreck and the loss of my expedition 

 boat, with the escape of the George Henry, it may be interesting to mention that this 

 latter vessel did not live through another voyage after her return to the States in 

 1862. She was wrecked the 16th day of July, 1863, on one of the lower Savage 

 Islands in Hudson's Strait, about 100 miles farther south than Rescue Harbor. The 

 particulars will be found in the Appendix (6). 



K 



