416 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



a good landing before the tide again turned ; for if we should not 

 accomplish this, nothing, in all human probability, could save us. 



At length we arrived in safety at the place of our thirteenth 

 encampment, the point we desired to reach, and where we now 

 made our sixteenth encampment. Here most of the company 

 were awaiting our arrival. 



On the 7th of September I kept myself quiet ; indeed, I was 

 obliged to do so. The abscess on my shoulder was so painful 

 that I could not stir without difficulty. I thought of the many 

 obstacles I had encountered in the prosecution of my discoveries, 

 but consoled myself with the reflection that, at all events, some- 

 thing had been done since my leaving the United States. Over- 

 whelmed with disappointment at not being able to proceed on my 

 voyage to King William's Land, I yet had some gratification in 

 the knowledge that my present voyage had not been wholly lost. 

 I had, at least, established a geographical fact that "Frobisher 

 Strait" is nothing but a bay. While I was reclining on my couch 

 suffering severe pain, I said to myself, Perhaps the kind friends at 

 home, who have helped me in my exertions, may consider that, 

 under all the circumstances, I have not thrown away my time and 

 labor, and may still give me their friendship and support. If so, 

 I shall be well repaid. 



This day " Miner" and his crew departed for the purpose of 

 hunting more game and securing furs for the winter. The males 

 of my party — much to my annoyance — had left me two days be- 

 fore, on the chase. 



On the next day, September 8th, I felt that winter had indeed 

 begun. Ice formed at night, and a severe snow-storm that morn- 

 ing set in. We were still detained by Koojesse and his comrades, 

 who continued absent; and for two days I was confined to my 

 tent, with only occasional walks in the vicinity. On the 10th of 

 September I went over the mountains westward to make a sur- 

 vey, as far as possible, of the whole of this locality. On my route 

 I met Koojesse and Koodloo, just returning from their four days' 

 hunt. Koojesse was so much fatigued that he could hardly speak. 

 Both of them had packs of skins upon their backs, which they 

 soon threw off, and then sat down to rest. Their first call was 

 for tobacco, but, much to their disappointment, I had none with 

 me. Poor fellows ! they had been without a " smoke" or a "chew" 

 for two days, and were suffering much from the want of it. 



I found that Koojesse had the skins of four tuktoo, and Kood- 



