AUTHOR LEAVES THE SHIP TO EXPLORE. 



343 



in the fall of 1860, while in Eescue Harbor, to be a bay. The 

 course I purposed to pursue was down and across Field Bay to 

 Lupton Channel and Bear Sound, and thence along the northern 

 coast of the misnamed "strait" to its termination, and thence, if 

 possible, down Kingaite (Meta Incognita) side ; then crossing over 

 to " North Foreland," and returning to Field Bay by way of the 

 south side of the " dreaded land," and thence through Bear Sound 

 and Lupton Channel. The boat which I now had was not as 

 good by any means as I should have wished, but I was obliged to 

 make it answer. My crew were to be all Innuits. I had ar- 

 ranged for Ebierbing and Tookoolito, Koodloo and Jennie his 

 wife, and probably Jennie, sister of Ebierbing, to be of the party, 

 with Suzhi also, who was likely to be exceedingly useful, in con- 

 sequence of her great strength, notwithstanding her weight, which 

 was not less than 200 pounds. I expected to be gone two months, 

 at the end of which time, if the vessel should still be hereabouts, 

 I would again rejoin her to return to the States. I earnestly 

 hoped to succeed in accomplishing all this. God willing, I was 

 resolved it should be done. 



The vessel was expected to sail on the 30th. I therefore gath- 

 ered up some of the things I designed taking with me on my boat 

 voyage, and carried them on shore to Ebierbing's tupic. 



On Tuesday, the 30th, A.M., preparations were made to weigh 

 anchor. The time had come for me to leave. I placed such 

 other things as I required in the old, rotten, leaky, and ice-beaten 

 whale-boat with which I was to make my voyage to the head of 

 Frobisher Bay. I also compared my chronometer with the George 

 Henry's ; my two assistants, Jennie and little Ookoodlear, were in 

 the boat to pull me on shore, and now nothing remained but to 

 take leave of captain, officers, and crew. 



It was done. The farewell was uttered. The George Henry 

 was under sail, and I set out on my way to Whale Island, to com- 

 mence life in earnest among the Esquimaux. I took up my 

 abode in the tupic of Ebierbing and Tookoolito, other natives, 

 relatives of theirs, being with us and near by. 



As I walked about — the only white man among them — my po- 

 sition seemed, and in reality was, strange. At last alone ; the 

 ship gone ; all of my own people, my own blood, my own lan- 

 guage, departed ; and now, by myself, to do whatever work I 

 could. Well, this was what I designed. I would not despond. 

 It was good. Freedom dwells in the North — freedom to live as 



