268 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



the bay a long time ago ; but I was unable, from my then slender 

 knowledge of their language, to get intelligible answers. There- 

 fore I had still to remain patient about it. 



The following day, Saturday, April 27th, we commenced our re- 

 turn ; but it was cold and stormy, and, as I had left some of my 

 fur dress at Annawa's, I sought to borrow reindeer trowsers, mits, 

 and socks there. These I readily obtained ; but the first-mention- 

 ed article being too small for my dimensions, one of the Innuit 

 women slit them down with her oodloo till they did fit, after a fash- 

 ion. But, on attempting to move, I was as if in a vice. I could 

 not walk, I could not run, nor could I seat myself ; I could only 

 waddle and tumble down ! On the ice in front of the igloos I tried 

 to get on, but you, my reader, should have been there to have 

 seen and enjoyed the sight I presented, and to have heard the 

 ringing, side-splitting laughter of this generous-hearted and kind 

 band of Innuits at the grotesque figure I cut in old Seko's skin- 

 tight breeches. A sledge drawn by dogs had been loaned to us, 

 and upon this I threw myself; but, long after our departure, on 

 my looking back, I could see the merry lot still watching, and ap- 

 parently enjoying the fun I had created. 



Our sledge went fast, the dogs being good ones, with an excel- 

 lent Innuit driver, Ning-u-ar-ping, the son of Sampson and Kok- 

 erjabin. On the smooth clear ice, which extended from Samp- 

 son's village to where we had first halted on our way up, our 

 progress was very rapid. As we passed the island where we had 

 spent the night before meeting the Innuits, I saw our igloo still 

 standing. A little farther on, I observed to the north a peculiar 

 mark — the work of Nature — by the west side of the entrance to 

 Newton's Fiord, standing out boldly upon one of the mountains. 

 On inquiry, I found it was considered by the natives as a remark- 

 able spot, known to them from time immemorial. It was called 

 Ing-ee. Whosoever would know what this means, let him confi- 

 dentially ask an Esquimaux man. 



After some miles' travel we came to a depot of walrus flesh, 

 made by Sampson's people on a previous occasion ; and here, after 

 loading from it, the sledge left us on its return. 



Sterry and I, Kokerjabin and Captain, then walked on, and, 

 after a tedious journey of about fifty miles — though direct only 

 some twenty from the village — we arrived at Twerpukjua at 9 

 P.M., so thoroughly fatigued as to be right glad of the friendly 

 beds immediately offered us. 



