542 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 



Ebierbing and Tookoolito. — They decide to Visit America. — More Frobisher Relics. 

 — A Musket-ball. — Old Ookijoxy Ninoo. — Interesting Conversation. — Her Sketch, 

 of the Monument. — Innuit Superstition. — The Lock of Hair. — Sledge-journey 

 alone. — Another Trip with Ebierbing. — Danger on the Ice. — Remains of Innuit 

 subterranean Houses. — A critical Situation. — Boat-excursion to Countess of War- 

 wick's Sound. — A large Traveling Company. — Kodlunarn again. — Fresh Discov- 

 eries. — Another Voyage. — Sharkey's Monument. — Walrus Meat. 



For a week after my return to the ship nothing especially wor- 

 thy of note occurred. An extract from my diary of May 25th, 

 1862, will show that I was reasonably certain of having Innuit 

 companions on my return to the United States : " EbierbiDg and 

 his nuliana, Tookoolito, will return here in season to accompany 

 me to America. I am to take them for the purpose of having 

 them accompany me on a future expedition to King William's 

 Land. I hope, after what I have done here in the North in 

 the way of explorations, in discovering relics of Frobisher's expe- 

 ditions of near three centuries ago, and in determining the prob- 

 able fate of the five of his company that were kidnapped here, 

 I shall have no insurmountable obstacle to overcome in preparing 

 for that voyage which I still have at heart — the voyage to King 

 William's Land and Boothia — to investigate all the facts relative 

 to Sir John Franklin's expedition while in the vicinity of the 

 places named. That the Innuits are still living who know all 

 about the mysterious termination of that expedition I have not the 

 shadow of a doubt. What is requisite is to visit those regions, get 

 acquainted with and establish friendly relations among the In- 

 nuits there, become familiar with their language, and then learn 

 of them the history of that expedition." 



On the 3d of June I was fortunate in obtaining two more relics 

 of the Frobisher expedition. Ooksin, an Innuit whom I had 

 known before, came on board from Oopungnewing, and gave me, 

 as a present from Annawa's wife, Noodlooyong, a piece of brick, 

 or rather of tile, about two inches long, one inch thick, and one 

 and a half inches wide, and also a musket-ball, both found on Kod- 



