INCIDENTS OF PERILS AND ESCAPES. 



247 



Another incident, but of a most fatal character, occurred not 

 many years ago in Field Bay. A party of Innuits were out in 

 two oo-mi-ens (large skin boats) when a whale was struck. The 

 line, in running out, whipped around a leg of the harpooner, in- 

 stantly tearing it from the body at the hip-joint ! The shock capsized 

 the boat and all that were therein. The sea all around the vic- 

 tim became thick with oug (blood). A landing was early sought 

 and effected, but the poor creature soon died. 



The following sad accident was also related to me : Koo-ou-le- 

 arng's wing-a (husband) was killed, when Ebierbing was a boy, 

 at Kingaite, in Northumberland Inlet. He was out sealing near 

 the base of the high land (Kingaite signifies high land), when an 

 avalanche of snow came suddenly upon him, not only overwhelm- 

 ing him, but a large extent of ice, carrying it and him down, far 

 down into the sea. Being missed, he was tracked to the fatal 

 spot, but no other traces of him were ever discovered. 



While on this subject I may as well relate one or two occur- 

 rences narrated to me by whaling captains, which show that white 

 men often do go through seven perils, and endure the same sort 

 of life as the Esquimaux. 



Captain Sisson, on one occasion, told me of a shipwreck that 

 occurred in September, 1853, forty miles north of Cape East, in 

 Kamtschatka. The crew were obliged to remain about eleven 

 months on shore, living among the natives in a perfectly helpless 

 condition, and without any thing of value. Yet they were well 

 treated, and soon acquired the habits of the natives, eating the 

 same food, and living in the same manner ; and finally, without 

 the loss of a man, came away quite fat and healthy. 



Again, another case may be mentioned as reported to me. In 

 the fall of 1851, Captain Quayle, of the McClelland, whaler, from 

 New London, entered a harbor in Northumberland Inlet, but, 

 not meeting with success, it was proposed that some of the ship's 

 company should winter there with a view to commence whaling 

 in the spring, if that should be practicable. The first mate, now 

 Captain S. O. Budington, and W. Sterry, with ten other volun- 

 teers, agreed to do so. Except the first officer, the whole were 

 single young men. 



The understanding was that the M L Clelland should return for 

 them by the next July ; and meanwhile provisions, two boats, 

 and various other effects, were placed on shore for their use. 



The twelve men now went to work to make preparation for 



