EXCURSION TO THE HEAD OF FIELD BAY. 



283 



Poor Tookoolito continued very sick for some days, but, with 

 such care and relief as could be given to her, she ultimately got 

 well enough to go about as usual. Perhaps the cause of her sick- 

 ness was overexertion in moving their tupic from one island to 

 another the day previous. It had been heavy work for her, but 

 she had to do it, for the custom among Innuits is to make the 

 women perform all such domestic and ordinary labor. 



Before leaving for my exploration of the Frobisher waters, I 

 determined to examine the head of Field Bay, the bay where we 

 were now at anchor. I commenced this work at 9 A.M. of the 

 20th of May. The Innuits Ebierbing and the angeko, with Mam- 

 ma-nar-ping, one of the wives of the latter, were with me, though 

 the two former only went part of the way, they leaving me to 

 chase some reindeer, the tracks of which we found near the foot 

 of Grinnell Mountain. I myself, with the woman as guide and 

 attendant, continued the trip alone. 



The traveling was very bad, in consequence of the snow hav- 

 ing melted and formed several pools. Over these pools, which 

 almost uniformly covered the sea-ice, was a thin coating of fresh- 

 water-ice, not uniformly of sufficient thickness and strength to 

 bear our walking upon it ; indeed, but a small portion of it was 

 firm enough to hold us up. Whenever it gave way, down we 

 would go, ankle deep, and sometimes deeper. Then, too, the daz- 

 zling glare of the ice on the upper part of the bay caused addi- 

 tional care and labor in walking. 



Every few rods we saw seals out on the ice, basking in the sun's 

 rays. 



At 4 P.M. we made land, and there stopped to rest and dine. 

 I had abundance of hard bread and a large piece of salt pork, and 

 at that season of the year there was plenty of fresh water to be 

 obtained. Thus we were able to make a good repast, and, after 

 a short stay, proceed on our journey. 



Our way led us toward Alden Mountain ;* and we had to go 

 over an extensive plain, deeply covered with snow, which is at 

 the head of Field Bay. Almost every half dozen steps were sure 

 to be succeeded by a downfall of no pleasant character, and it was 

 severe to me, besides being inj urious to my box chronometer slung 

 at my side. Never did I experience more annoying travel. As 

 we proceeded it became much worse. Every few steps, down, 



* A mountain at the extreme head of Field Bay, which I have named after Charles 

 Alden, of Newburg, New York. 



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