SEVERE EFFECTS OF A SNOW-STORM. 



249 



himself unable to leave, engaged an Innuit woman, whom we call- 

 ed Bran New, to accompany Bruce. The good creature readily 

 did so, and by her means (as Bruce admitted) he was enabled to 

 reach the vessel in safety. 



Another circumstance occurred, which, though not very seri- 

 ous in results, might have proved so, had it not been for my dog 

 Barbekark. 



On the 28th of March Mate Eogers started for the whaling 

 depot in Frobisher Bay. He had with him sundry articles re- 

 quired for spring operations, and a sledge and dogs, driven by 

 Koojesse. Among the dogs was my Greenlander, Barbekark. 



They left at 6 A.M., the weather then moderate ; but at noon 

 it was blowing a hard gale from the northeast, with thick-falling 

 snow, which continued during the day. 



At half past nine in the evening one of the ship's officers, Mr. 

 Lamb, going upon deck, heard the cry of dogs, and soon found 

 that Mr. Eogers was returning. In a few moments, to our aston- 

 ishment, for the gale was severe, he and Koojesse, with the sledge, 

 arrived alongside, and soon afterward the mate was down in the 

 cabin, but so completely overpowered by exhaustion that he could 

 hardly speak. His face was the only spot, in appearance, human 

 about him, and even this was covered with snow-wreaths pelted 

 at him by the ruthless storm. 



After sufficient time for restoration, he related the incidents of 

 the past fifteen hours. It appears that, as they passed from Chap- 

 ell Inlet to Field Bay, at about 1 o'clock P.M., it blew quite a gale, 

 and the air was so filled with snow that they could hardly see the 

 dogs before them. Here Koojesse advised that they should build 

 an igloo, and remain in it until the end of the gale, but Mr. Eog- 

 ers thought it better they should return home to Eescue Harbor, 

 after resting a few minutes, and refreshing themselves with some 

 snow-water. This, with some difficulty, they obtained, and at two 

 they started back for the vessel. 



At first they got on pretty well as far as Parker's Bay, keep- 

 ing the ridge of mountains running southeast and northwest on 

 their left, and within sight. On reaching Parker's Bay, they then 

 struck across the ice toward the ship. This was almost fatal to 

 them. Esquimaux dogs are often unmanageable when it is at- 

 tempted to force them in the teeth of a storm, and so it proved 

 now. The leader of the team, a dog belonging to the Innuit 

 Charley, lost his way, and confused all the rest. The snow-storm 



