CHARLES FRANCIS HALL AND THE INNUITS. 



435 



Up to middle life Hall had resided in the inland city of Cincinnati. He had 

 eagerly read every thing that he could find on record of the searches made for 

 Franklin. Large ships and small ships had been sent out. Brave hearts and 

 stout hands had been enhsted in the search, but with no tangible result beyond 

 ascertaining the spot where the surviving 105 were when they abandoned their 

 ships and took to the shore, hoping to make their way to their homes. Only 

 two of these men were proven to have died ; and it was more than probable 

 that of the 105 known to have been living in 1848, some would yet be alive in 

 1860, for not k few of these men, if living, would be still of middle age. 



Hall had read the story of the sufferings of Kane's party during the long 

 months of the Arctic winter, \}i\t he had come to the conclusion that most of 

 these resulted from the mode of life adopted by them. The Innuits, he knew, 

 lived to a good old age through a succession of such winters, and he believed 

 that a civilized man could live where a savage could. This conviction was con- 

 firmed by one of Kane's companions, who told him, " When we lived like the 

 Esquimaux, we immediately recovered, and enjoyed our usual health. If Prov- 

 idence had so ordered it that we should cast our lot with the Esquimaux, I 

 have no doubt that we would have lived quite as long, and in quite as good 

 health as in the United States or England. White men can live where Esqui- 

 maux can, and frequently when and where they can not." 



So Hall grew into the conviction that some of these lost ones could yet be 

 found; and he writes, "It seemed to me as if I had been called, if I may so 

 speak, to try and do the work. My heart felt sore at the thought of so great a 

 mystery in connection with any of our fellow-creatures, especially akin to our- 

 selves, yet remaining unsolved." How should he obey this call ? His own 

 means, beyond a stout frame and strong will, were of the smallest. He broach- 

 ed the project at the West, where it was received with favor. Then he came 

 East, and was met with like consideration. Funds were raised, and the expe- 

 dition which Llall contemplated was fitted out. 



This expedition consisted simply of Hall himself. The cash contributed for 

 the outfit was just |980, of which more than a third was contributed by Henry 

 Grinnell, of New York. In addition to this was about a quarter as much in 

 the way of presents. " These," says Hall, " constituted all the means and ma- 

 terial I had to carry out the great undertaking my mind had led me to embark 

 in." Hall's list of the articles on his outfit for a three years' residence and ex- 

 ploration is worthy of record. It shows in what way his $980 in cash was ex- 

 pended. 



"My outfit," he writes, "for the voyage and the whole of my expedition, 

 consisted of :— a boat, length twenty-eight feet, beam seven feet, depth twenty- 

 nine and one-half inches, drawing eight inches of water when loaded with stores 

 and a crew of six persons; one sledge; one half-ton of pemmican; two hun- 

 dred pounds of Borden's meat biscuit ; twenty pounds pork scrap ; one pound 

 preserved quince ; one pound preserved peaches ; two hundred and fifty pounds 

 powder ; a quantity of ball, shot, and percussion caps ; one rifle, six double-bar- 

 relled guns ; one Colt's revolver ; beads, needles, etc., for presents ; two dozen 

 pocket-knives; some tin ware ; one axe, two picks, files, etc. ; tobacco and pipes ; 



