Charles Francis Hall

“ Over her limbs was nought but an old sealskin jacket, over her body and shoulders the shreds of a tuktoo skin and piece of an old blanket. As I turned back the covering from her shoulders, I saw that she was reduced to 'skin and bones.' As I looked upon her tattooed face, it was youthful and fair; even a smile was there, as if the King of Cold had fastened upon her at the very moment when her spirit welcomed the white-winged angel from heaven. ”

“ At that time another boat under sail was observed, and we soon found it to be manned wholly by Innuits. It was a pretty sight, that boat, with no load save its light crew, sailing in the strong wind, with a heavy sea prevailing. The masts and sails were bent over, almost touching the waves, and yet she bounded forward, beautifully rising over the waters, and dashing along like a white whale in alarm. ”

“ Every man felt equal to and ready for any amount of work. Eagerly was the word of command waited for. The ice had cleared away; the ship was swinging lazily to her anchors, and all now required was to weigh them and spread sail. But there was no wind. This, for a time, made us hold on, until at length the captain, finding it useless to wait longer for a breeze, gave the signal, and away went the windlass round to the mirthful notes of joyous men, as they hove in chain and lifted anchor once more. ”

“ When on my boat-voyage up the bay in the previous fall, this great glacier of Kingaite heaved heavenward its hoary head, supported by a body of crystal blue: on my return the same was covered with its winter dress. Before the cold weather sets in, all the crevices in the glacier are charged with water, which, congealing, is caused to expand; and the ice explodes with a sound like loud thunder, rending the mountains and shooting off icebergs and smaller fragments at the various points where the glacier has its arms reaching down to the sea. ”

“ Within two hundred fathoms of the shore we saw sledge-tracks leading from the land out into the bay, and thence northward and westward. Here, also on the ice, we saw two double-barrelled guns standing up in the snow, and an Esquimaux lamp; but not a human being besides ourselves was there. We knew not what to do. Dark and cold, we should undoubtedly suffer much if unable to get shelter. What could we do? We might, for a while, follow the sledge-tracks, but not long, as the darkness was upon us. ”

“ Wherever we saw a great many upon or around an island, we visited it for eggs.
The first island we pulled to was one in the midst of a sweeping, driving tide, so that it seemed to defy all human exertions to approach it; yet, after "a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull altogether," we conquered. The boat was taken round to the opposite side of the island from that where the tide struck it, and though the water rolled and tumbled as if mad, we managed by a plan of our own to get upon the top of the magnificent "ice-collar" that engirdled the island. ”

“ The lamp was nearly out; the cold was intense, the thermometer outside being 51° below the freezing point; and though I had on the Esquimaux dress, it was with difficulty I could keep my blood from congealing. There I was, the lone, silent watcher of a dying Esquimaux, encircled within snow walls that were soon to become her tomb. Thank God I was there! It did my soul good to hold communion with high heaven at such a time. It did me good to be where angels, just from heaven, came to greet and bear away a soul precious to God. ”

“ The morning light slowly and cheerlessly pierced through the increasing thickness of falling snow as it flew past us on the driving wind. Dimly at first, then more distinctly, but still in dread spectre-like form, loomed up the rugged island scene, with its wrecks and desolation. Figures all but indistinct were moving about, and the two ships were pounding upon the rocks, tearing at their anchors as if in the most convulsive death-throes. The Rescue was on her broadside, with her bow easterly, and evidently breaking up. The Georgiana, being in a more sheltered spot, appeared to be less hurt. ”

“ There, alone, among a people termed "unenlightened, savages, and degraded beings"—away by myself in a newly-discovered region, that is, in a district previously untrodden by my own white race—confined by sickness within a shelter that scarcely protects from rain and wind—everything dripping wet—suffering from the pain of my body, and having no person to procure me what I might want, I am unexpectedly visited by a woman of the land, bearing in her hand a beautiful emblem of civilization filled with the most dainty dish—boiled salmon—fresh from the river I had just discovered. ”

“ Here, amid mountains robed in snow—on a sea covered with thick-ribbed ice—among a people free as God's own children can be, we celebrate the birthday of our freedom. The iron free sons of the North have joined us in making the welkin ring with our cheers and steel-throated welcomes of this memorable day. ”

“ At a given signal from the captain, who was standing on my right, the man at the helm luffed the ship into the wind and deadened her headway. William Sterry and Robert Smith now stepped to the gangway, and holding firmly the plank on which was the shrouded dead—a short pause, and down sank the mortal part of Kudlago, the noble Esquimaux, into the deep grave—the abyss of the ocean! Oh what a scene! How solemn in its grandeur and its surroundings! The Sabbath morning; a cloudless sky; the sun shining in all its glory ”

“ Adam Beck is of the 999. He lives on the 'don't care principle.' He has lost all self-respect, for all shun him. I pity him from the bottom of my heart. Would that cheering words like those Sir John Ross were wont to utter when living could be whispered in his ear. Adam Beck is wretched—poor. He has an old, rickety, leaky boat, that some one has abandoned. That is all he has in this world, save the old skins on his back that once warmly covered him. I will strive to show him the respect due as a human being. ”

“ Here I saw "Jack," the angeko, performing the ceremony of ankooting over poor sick Tweroong. The woman was reclining on some tuktoo furs in the boat's bow, while Jack was seated on the tide-wet rocks, making loud exclamations on her behalf. It is very strange what faith these people place in such incantations. I never saw the ceremony otherwise than devoutly attended to. I then took my usual exploring walk upon the island, seeing the bones of a huge whale, portions of which were covered with moss, and the rest bleached to a pure white, but all as heavy as stone. ”

“ The delay had been such that every day now brought the severity of winter fast upon us; still, I determined to persevere as long as we could, feeling that if the ship departed soon for home I should have no opportunity for examining farther into the Frobisher expedition.
The wind soon increased to a gale, bringing the snow furiously into our faces; the waves ran high, every crest leaping the boat's side, and almost burying it in the trough of the sea. ”

“ I close my eyes for a moment; the scene has changed for another of seemingly greater beauty. In truth, if one were to catch the glowing heavens at each instant now passing, his varied views would number thousands in one hour. Who but God could conceive such infinite scenes of glory? Who but God execute them, painting the heavens in such gorgeous display?"
At another time the aurora presented a new phase, rays shooting athwart the south-western sky parallel with the horizon. ”

“ It was, indeed, Tookoolito, overwhelmed with tears on seeing me again. The tears sprang to my eyes also as I saw this evidence of strong attachment. It was some time before the silence of the tupic was broken by voices. She and her husband, in common with all the other Innuits and white men, had never expected to see me again. She had often ascended a hill, near by and overlooking the bay, to search the horizon for my returning boat, but had as often come down disappointed. ”

“ As we travelled forward the mountains of Kingaite loomed up in magnificent grandeur, and, on looking at them, something struck me as it had done when first viewing the place in August, 1860, that more than mere land existed there. It seemed as if a huge ice ridge ran along parallel with the coast, uniting mountain with mountain and peak with peak. Seeing how intent I was upon this, Kokerjabin readily answered my inquiry as to what it really was. In reply, she said "it was solid ice, and never had she known it to change its appearance, either in summer or fall." ”

“ A person situated midway between some of the islands about there when a flood tide is commencing would have to run at full five miles an hour to escape being over-whelmed. The flood tide, indeed, seemed even swifter than the ebb. How long and anxiously I stood on Preservation Island, watching that incoming of the mighty waters! How I gazed at the boiling and the seething, the whirlpools—waterfalls—mill-races made by the tide as it rushed along! The sun was fast sinking behind the mountains of Kingaite, and the air was becoming cold. ”

“ From the sea of ice down to the point where the abutting glacier arrested my advance with sledge and dogs, the ice-river or arm of the glacier was quite uniform in its rounding up, presenting the appearance—though in a frozen state—of a mighty rushing torrent. The height of the discharging face of the glacier was 100 feet above the sea.
Without doubt, the best time of the year to travel over glacier mountains is just before the snows have begun to melt. The winter snows are then well impacted on the glacier surface, and all the dangerous cracks and water-ditches are filled up. ”

“ In a few moments, to our astonishment, for the gale was severe, he and Koojesse, with the sledge, arrived alongside, and soon afterward the mate was down in the cabin, but so completely overpowered by exhaustion that he could hardly speak. His face was the only spot, in appearance, human about him, and even this was covered with snow-wreaths pelted at him by the ruthless storm. ”

“ So thick and fast did the snow come down that we could not see a dozen yards before us. Yet here did Koodloo—as most Innuits can—sleep away as undisturbed by the storm as if in his tent. Here a great danger threatened us. This gale might break up the ice; and if so, and we were encamped on an island, escape would be impossible, for we had no boat. The wind was so furious that we could hardly stand erect, and already it was tearing up the ice in all directions about the main bay. ”

“ Every thing relating to the arctic zone is deeply interesting to me. I love the snows, the ices, icebergs, the fauna, and the flora of the North! I love the circling sun, the long day, the arctic night, when the soul can commune with God in silent and reverential awe! I am on a mission of love. I feel to be in the performance of a duty I owe to mankind—myself—God! Thus feeling, I am strong at heart, full of faith, ready to do or die in the cause I have espoused.
"This evening the sun set about ten minutes to nine o'clock, but it was quite light at ten o'clock. ”

“ But Nature had an admirable way of taking down these rock giants hanging between the heavens and the earth. Arch after arch was at length made in wondrous grandeur from that rugged and distorted atmospheric land; and if ever man's eye rested upon the sublime, in an act of God's creative power, it was when He arcuated the heavens with such a line of stupendous mountains! ”

“ A dozen times was the ship headed for our harbour, and as often were we baffled by the fog. Sometimes it would disperse, leaving the heavens bright and warm; then would our gallant barque be swiftly plowing the deep towards the wished-for haven. ”

“ Jack was steering, Annuarping sat close wedged by my side, Ninguarping was between Suzhi and the angekotress, holding the little dog Neitch-uk, two women were pulling at the oars, Koodloo sat upon a huge pile of skins at the bow, and the little boy reclined where best he could. They all started into immediate action the moment Jack's wife began her mystical song. Asshe sent forth her unmelodious voice—her lips sounding like so many fire-crackers on a 4th of July festival at home—one and then another of the Innuits took up a responsive chorus to her incantation. ”