288 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



on a journey. They will do just as they please ; and if aught is 

 seen that may serve them for food, they will away in chase, no 

 matter how much delay is thereby occasioned in a white man's 

 enterprise, or however great the loss and inconvenience. In my 

 case, absolutely dependent upon them for aid in exploring, I could 

 do nothing but exercise my patience to the fullest degree. Hence 

 it was not until the 27th of May that I was able to start on anoth- 

 er trip to the waters of Frobisher Bay. 



At that season of the year, traveling over the ice and snow- 

 covered land by day was almost impossible. The slush and the 

 numerous pools of water upon the former rendered a passage not 

 only very difficult, but often dangerous ; and, upon the land, the 

 fatigue occasioned was more than could be well endured. Night, 

 therefore, was chosen for our journeys, unless occasion required 

 us to continue on during the day. f 



Accordingly, at 10 P.M. of the 27th of May I started from the 

 ship with dogs and sledge, after having my outfit well attended 

 to by Tookoolito. She was unable to accompany her husband, 

 who had joined my company. The rest of my companions were 

 two Innuit men and two women, one of them being Punnie, and 

 the other a beautiful young woman called An-nu-tik-er-tung, wife 

 of Kus-se-e-ung. Mj^self and the two women led the way, and 

 in about an hour arrived where the upper village had been dur- 

 ing the winter. Here we stopped to collect various things be- 

 longing to the Innuits who were with me, and which they had 

 left there when departing for Frobisher Bay. We also stopped 

 at another spot not far off, and collected tent-poles, coverings, kia 

 frames, buckets, skins, etc., making a very considerable addition 

 to our already heavy load. It was an hour and a half past mid- 

 night when we again started, but our foot travel was now good, 

 the best of the season, the ice being firm during the night. 



During the walk I had an interesting conversation with Ebier- 

 bing, who, among other things, told me of the great price the 

 Sekoselar Innuits were willing to give for any articles of iron. A 

 small piece of good iron, suitable for a spear-head, would procure 

 a seal or tuktoo jacket from them, and with a needle one could 

 purchase a deerskin. The Sekoselar Innuits can only obtain iron 

 occasionally, when a communication is had with natives Living on 

 the coast. They still use bone needles, bows, and arrows. 



As we neared the land on the opposite side of Field Bay the 

 sun was tipping the mountains with red. It was then nearly 



