260 



AKCTIC EESEAECH EXPEDITION. 



ary with the Innuits, into the hands of Nood-le-yong for safe 

 keeping. We then started about nine o'clock, taking a course 

 over the hilly centre of the island. Arriving at the top, I heard 

 a sound filling the air as if something was sweeping by. It was 

 like the rush of many waters, or the groaning of ice far away. I 

 asked Koojesse what it was, and he replied, Meituks (ducks). I 

 thought it could not be possible, but was a whimsical reason 

 given by Innuits for something they know exists, and yet can 

 not comprehend. I laughed, shrugged my shoulders, and then 

 passed on. 



We arrived at the other village after a walk of about three 

 miles, and there I met Mr. Sterry, the George Henry's carpenter. 

 He was suffering from snow-blindness, brought on by exposure 

 upon the ice while out with a party of Innuits walrus hunting. 

 He had obtained leave of absence from his duties on board, and 

 was now living with the natives, "keeping house" (igloo) as 

 though he was of the country. 



Together we went on a hill to watch the movements of the In- 

 nuit Miner, who, with a gun, was sealing. We saw him working 

 his way almost imperceptibly along in his ki-a through the open- 

 ings in the ice toward his coveted prey, which rested quietly un- 

 conscious of his presence. As Miner approached, he kept up a 

 loud, peculiar noise, a mixture of Innuit singing and bellowing, 

 which seemed to work as a charm upon the seal. Every few mo- 

 ments he would lay down his gun and make a stroke or two with 

 his long, double-bladed oar ; then the seal, as if alarmed, would 

 seem about to depart. As soon as the slightest motion indicative 

 of this appeared, Miner would again seize his gun and aim, at 

 the same time vehemently increasing the tones of his seal-song. 

 The seal, thus again charmed, kept quiet, and Miner would once 

 more take to his oars, thus endeavoring to gradually decrease the 

 distance between them. So it occurred for several times, and evi- 

 dently Miner had great hope of securing a good prize, but sud- 

 denly, and when the hunter was almost as near as he desired to 

 be, the seal broke away from the "soothing voice of the charm- 

 er," raised its head, made a plunge, and, before Miner could fire, 

 disappeared. Then came upon our ears, as we looked and listen- 

 ed, the loud, peculiar ejaculation of disappointment, E-e-e-uk ! and 

 no wonder, for the poor hunter lost by it about half a ton of fresh 

 provisions. I, too, owing to the interest I felt, was also nigh hav- 

 ing a loss, which, though not so important as his, was one which I 



