COMMENCE TO LIVE WITH INNUITS. 



195 



My books were Bowditch's Navigator, Burrit's Geography and 

 Atlas of the Heavens, Gillespie's Land Surveying, Nautical Al- 

 manac for 1861, a Bible, and ' Daily Food.' My instruments were, 

 1 telescope, 1 self-registering thermometer, 1 pocket sextant, 2 mag- 

 netic compasses, and 1 marine glass. I had also a rifle and am- 

 munition, oil for lamp, and a hand-saw, besides paper, ink, pens, 

 memorandum and journal book. 



u At 10 A.M. we were in readiness— Ebierbing with the loaded 

 sledge and team of dogs (five of his and five of my Greenland- 

 ers) — alongside the George Henry. Tookoolito was gayly dressed 

 in new tuktoo skirt, tuktoo pants, jacket, etc. Bidding adieu to 

 our friends on board, we then started, Tookoolito leading the way 

 — tracking for the dogs — for about one mile to the shore, in 

 a northeasterly direction. Thence our course was that which 

 Ugarng had evidently taken the day before. Over hill and moun- 

 tain, through vale and valley, away we went.* Sometimes, when 

 on a descent, our speed was rapid. Now and then we all got on 

 the sledge for a ride. My spirits were high, for this was my first 

 sledge - traveling trip. Ebierbing managed the dogs admirably. 

 Indeed, I should consider him a capital dog - driver. I think I 

 never perspired so profusely as I have this day. Some of the 

 events during our journey have been most amusing. Once we 

 were descending a steep incline, all of the company holding on 

 to the sledge, so as to prevent its too great speed downward, 

 when, one of my feet breaking through the treacherous snow- 

 crust, headlong I went, and, like a hoop, trundled to the bottom 

 of the hill. Tookoolito hastened to my relief, and, seeing a frost- 

 bite on my face, she instantly applied her warm hand, the Innuit 

 way, till all was right again. Another steep incline caused the 

 sledge to descend so rapidly that at length it went over three or 

 four of the dogs, who were unable to keep ahead of it, though 

 running at great speed. 



" By 3 P.M. we neared the frozen waters of the ocean, after 

 passing over some very abrupt and rocky ground. On the mar- 

 gin of the sea the cliffs were almost perpendicular, and it was nec- 

 essary to lower the sledge down to the ice below. Accordingly, 

 the dogs were detached, and while Tookoolito, whip in hand, held 

 on by their traces, which were from twenty to thirty feet long, 



* For route of this sledge-trip, see track on Chart. From Rescue Harbor, lat. 

 62° 52' N., long. 64° 44' W., over land to Tuk-e-lik-e-ta Bay; thence on the sea 

 ice to Rogers's Island, lat. 63° 12' N., long. 64° 32' W. 



