282 



AKCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



otherwise than believe to be facts concerning him and his co-ad- 

 venturers ! I was astonished, and also, in a measure, pleased, for 

 it gave me stronger hopes than ever of my being able thereafter 

 to obtain all the knowledge I required concerning the expedition 

 of Franklin. Meanwhile I determined upon revisiting Oopung- 

 newing, and going to Kiountelik as soon as possible. 



At this time all on board the George Henry were very busy in 

 certain matters connected with the ship, such as refitting and pre- 

 paring her for the time when she might proceed to other quar- 

 ters for whaling operations. Boats on sledges, men and their ap- 

 parel, sleeping-gear, and other necessary material, were daily sent 

 off to the working depot at Cape True, in Frobisher Bay, so that 

 on the 17th of May only three white men remained in the vessel. 



I now decided to make a sledge exploring trip up the Bay of 

 Frobisher, as I could not depart for King William's Land till 

 about the 1st of August, the earliest practicable moment of being- 

 able to commence my journey by boat to that locality. 



At this time Tookoolito was suddenly taken ill. It was on the 

 evening of May 18th, when, as I was engaged upon my charts, 

 Tookoolito aiding me in the Innuit names, I noticed she sudden- 

 ly dropped her head, and, as I thought, to reflect upon something. 

 But Sharkey's wife, who was sitting opposite, soon convinced me 

 to the contrary by springing toward her. I saw what the matter 

 was in a moment. Tookoolito had fainted ; and, when aided hj 

 such means as were in my power, she soon revived, but a general 

 prostration, accompanied by terrible pains in the head, ensued. 

 As it was necessary for her to have immediate rest, she was placed 

 in my berth, and the little girl, Ookoodlear, sent to attend upon 

 her. 



Meanwhile I had another patient suddenly on my hands. Di- 

 rectly Tookoolito revived, Mam-ma-yat-che-ung, wife of Sharkey, 

 was seized with bleeding at the lungs. The poor woman, like 

 many of her people, especially those of her sex, was in a rapid de- 

 cline, and, as I thought, had not long to live. She had gone upon 

 deck, where I found her coughing and vomiting up blood most 

 fearfully. The snow-wreath at the gangway was crimsoned as if 

 a bear's jugular had been opened there. I at once gave her a 

 glass of alum water, which checked it after she had bled for some 

 twenty minutes. She then went down to my cabin, and attended 

 upon Tookoolito until the return of Ebierbing, who was greatly 

 affected at the condition of his wife. 



