562 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



drift-ice, moving out and in with the tide. French Head, the 

 scene of poor John Brown's death, was gazed upon with some 

 saddening memories ; but the brightness of the day, and the hope 

 before us of soon being under way for home, forbade much lin- 

 gering on painful recollections. At 1 P.M. we passed Parker's 

 Bay, and in an hour and a half more arrived at the ship, glad 

 again to tread her decks, but more especially rejoiced to find her 

 once more free. 



I went on shore immediately after to take some observations ; 

 and then, upon my return on board, and after a supper of hard 

 bread and salt junk, I started with a boat's crew down the north 

 side of the bay to Farrington Cape, to bring off Ebierbing and 

 Tookoolito, with their child. I had previously asked them sever- 

 al times about accompanying me to the United States, and they 

 had expressed a desire to do so. Now, however, the time for 

 preparation was so short, and the event, withal, so sudden to 

 them, that I feared they would not like to come ; but on my ar- 

 rival at their encampment, some seven miles down, I was agree- 

 ably surprised, after some conversation, to find them prepared to 

 make the venture. In less than an hour these children of the icy 

 North had packed up their effects, and, together with their child 

 and their fine seal-dog " Ratty," were with us in the boat, ready to 

 proceed on a voyage to a strange and distant land. My faithful 

 dog Barbekark could not be forgotten nor left behind ; he was 

 already aboard. The arrangement we had made was, that they 

 should accompany me to the States, and then on my voyage to 

 King William's Land ; and that, if the ice would admit of it, on 

 leaving the States and getting near their country, I would stop 

 with them to see their friends. The only objection they made 

 was, that they were fearful they should lose their infant boy while 

 on board the ship.* 



At the same time, Ugarng, " John Bull," Koodloo, and their 

 wives, came along with us in their boats ; and many other Innuit 

 families, from various places near the ship, with whom we had 

 been acquainted, did the same. It was near midnight when we 

 got on board, and I found every thing in readiness for the ves- 

 sel's departure on the following morning. 



Saturday, the 9th of August, commenced with calm and clear 

 weather. All were full of excitement. Every man felt equal to 



* Tuk-e-Mk-e-ta, the infant child of Ebierbing and Tookoolito, died in New York 

 City of pneumonia, on February 28th, 1863. 



