James William Tyrrell

“ A change in the weather was already forecast, the wind shifting around to the south, and towards evening it became decidedly milder. During the night a rain set in, and between it and the warm wind a wonderful change was wrought before dawn. It began to look very much as if the fates were against us, and that now with the sleds and dog-teams we should have no snow to travel on. But before daylight camp was astir, and finding that enough yet remained, breakfast was partaken of by the light of the camp-fire and at the first streaks of dawn the journey on sleds to Churchill was begun. ”

“ Still no deer could I see, but in creeping up closer, at a distance of not over twenty yards, I suddenly came within full view of an immense black bear, seated on his haunches and occupied in rubbing the mosquitos off his nose. Although taken by surprise at the proportions of the supposed calf, I dropped on one knee, and, levelling my rifle, fired at the back of bruin’s head, whereat he also exhibited considerable surprise by leaping into the air, making several delirious revolutions, and bolting away into the gloom of the swamp. ”

“ Next morning a strong east wind, driving a wild surf in upon the shore, made it impossible to launch, but we were thankful during the delay to have a supply of meat on hand with which to satisfy the cravings of hunger. Advantage was also taken of the opportunity afforded for obtaining moss. Though five or six miles distant, a quantity of this fuel was gathered, and several large kettles of meat boiled—almost sufficient, it was hoped, to take us to Churchill. But alas for our hopes! The gale which had arisen increased in fury until it became a terrific storm, accompanied by sleet and snow. ”

“ During the second day from Churchill a band of twenty or thirty deer was seen. Some of us were in no mood or condition to hunt, but Jimmie, the guide, our own man, Jim, and Mr. Matheson, went off in pursuit of the band. Several times during the afternoon we crossed the tracks of both deer and hunters, but when we came upon the big tracks of our guide we saw the first signs of success. He had evidently wounded a deer and was giving him a hot chase, for the Indian’s strides were right upon those of a caribou, and to one side of the trail spatters of blood could be seen on the snow. ”

“ The culinary department of civilization has no place in his life. Reindeer, seals, white whales and walruses are to the Eskimo the staple articles of food; but polar bears, Arctic hares and other animals, besides most of the Arctic birds, are considered equally good.
It is rather a novel, if not a repulsive sight, to witness an Eskimo feast. The occasion of the feast is the capture of a seal, or perhaps a reindeer, which, according to custom during the winter season, becomes common property, so that all are invited to the lodge of the fortunate hunter to share in the festivities. ”

“ The water became shallow and the channel broadened out into a little lake, containing numerous shoals and low islands of sand. Just beyond this, much to our surprise and pleasure, we suddenly came upon abundance of drift-wood—not little sticks of willow or ground birch, but the trunks of trees six or eight inches in diameter, as heavy as two men could carry. No growing trees were to be seen in the district, nor had we seen any during the previous three or four hundred miles of our journey. ”

“ The furniture of these summer dwellings is simple, consisting usually of a few skins lying about the rocky floor, to serve as seats in the daytime and bedding at night; two or three seal-skin sacks of oil, two shallow stone vessels used as lamps, a few hunting implements, some little deer-skin bags, used as ladies’ work-baskets; several coils of seal-skin line, a few pairs of moccasins scattered about, and at one side of the door the somewhat repulsive remains of a carcass consumed at the last meal. Such is the Eskimo summer house. ”

“ Starting southward down the coast of Hudson Bay on the 13th of September, with the weather beautifully calm, we made a capital run past a rocky coast, skirted by a succession of shoals and reefs, and at night camped upon the shore about twelve miles north of Marble Island, whose snow-white hills of quartzite could be distinctly seen on the horizon. ”

“ I knew an Eskimo who was so expert at this kind of sport that he was able to catch seals with his teeth.
In order to secure one by shooting it, as just described, it is necessary to kill it instantly, for if only shot through the body, or even through the heart, it will throw itself into its hole and thus be lost.
During the season of open water still another method of seal-hunting has to be adopted. There is now no ice to perform upon, so the kyack has to take its place, and in this light craft the Eskimo pursues his prey in the open sea, or in the channels of water among the ice. ”

“ Without a harbor we would be dashed to pieces upon the rocks—and it was impossible to retreat against the storm. On we were borne by the force of the gale, but, thanks to a kind Providence, just as the crisis appeared to have come, a way of escape was discerned. One rock could be seen standing out in advance of the others, and behind this we managed with a supreme effort to guide the canoes. Then in shallow water, with the force of the seas broken, we all sprang out, and with great exertion succeeded in landing the boats in safety. ”

“ The great advantage of travelling on the open plain is that there the snow is driven hard, and hence the walking is much better than in the woods, where the snow is soft and deep. Nevertheless, when the weather is rough, as it was on this occasion, the heavy walking is preferable to travelling in the open country in the teeth of the storm.
For the remainder of the day we bore southward, and about sunset made camp on the south bank of a stream known as Sam’s Creek, in a lovely snow-laden, evergreen forest—an ideal Canadian winter woodland picture. ”

“ The hunter’s first precaution is, of course, to keep the deer to windward, for the moment they catch the scent of an enemy they are off, and to get within range of the wary animals upon the open plains or rocky barrens is often a difficult matter. A common way of working, when several hunters are together, is for some to take up positions in concealment, while the others drive the deer their way, causing them to pass within range of the deadly shafts. At a moderate distance an Eskimo with his ingeniously constructed bow can drive an arrow its full length into a deer. ”

“ Like many people in southern Canada, the native of the frozen zone possesses a summer and winter residence, and occupies each in turn as regularly as the seasons change. His winter dwelling is built of snow; his summer lodge is made of oil-tanned seal or deer-skins, neatly sewn together, and supported by poles, if such can be procured, or pieces of drift-wood spliced together. A flap is left for the door, but there is no opening at the top, as in the Indian wigwam or tepee, for, having no fire, they have no need of a chimney. ”

“ When the mud is on, and the surface nicely smoothed off, it is allowed to freeze, and speedily becomes as hard as stone. In order to complete the vehicle, and put it in good running order, there is one thing to be done. The shoeing, whether of mud or ivory, must be covered with a thin coating of ice, in order to do which the Eskimo overturns the komitick, fills his spacious mouth with water from some convenient source, and then from his lips deposits a fine stream along the runner, where, quietly freezing, it forms a smooth glassy surface. ”

“ Beside the lonely grave are placed the hunting implements of its occupant, and there, upon the dreary waste, imprisoned in his rocky tomb beneath the snows of many a winter storm, the poor Eskimo lies awaiting the sound of the last trumpet. ”

“ We are accustomed to thinking of a coast as a definite, narrow shore-line; but to the inhabitants of the Hudson Bay region the word conveys a very different meaning. There the coast is a broad mud and boulder flat, several miles in width, always wet, and twice during the day flooded by the tide. At this time of the year the mud flats were covered by rough broken ice and drifted snow, but above high-tide mark the surface of the country was level and the walking good. For several [231] hours we tramped southward down the coast, with the cutting wind in our faces. ”

“ For instance, the wolf is an animal little sought for, because his flesh is not considered good food, and his skin is no better for clothing than the skin of the deer, which is much more easily procured. So also with the fox. Both wolves and foxes are, however, caught to some extent by “dead fall” traps, built of stones, or of snow, and so arranged that when the animal enters the trap and touches the bait, a heavy stone is caused to fall and kill or imprison him.
The Eskimo, or “Enuit,” as he calls himself, being of a jovial, merry disposition, has various forms of amusement. ”

“ At nightfall, after a long day’s struggle with the opposing elements, as we were hauling the canoes ashore towards the shelter of some rocky cliffs, we were suddenly set upon by a pack of huge grey wolves. A great gaunt, hungry-looking brute with dilated eyeballs led the attack. He was the largest wolf in the pack and a daring brute, but for once, at least, he met with a surprise, as he was promptly bored from end to end with a slug from my brother’s rifle. ”

“ Another source of much amusement is the game of foot-ball, which they play with the bladder of a walrus. Their game is played neither according to Rugby nor Association rules, but wholly without rule or system. Men and women, old and young, join in the chase after the ball, with equal delight. “Here a woman, carrying her child on her back, may be seen running at full speed after the ball, and the next moment lying at full length with her naked child floundering in the snow, a few feet beyond her. ”

“ A sheltered spot was selected for camp, in a thick grove of spruce trees, and after clearing away about two feet of snow which covered the ground, tents were pitched, then well carpeted with spruce boughs, and a big camp-fire made. This was indeed a happy change from lying in canoes in the ice-pack. Clothing and blankets were now dried, and with the seal meat, and some ptarmigan which we shot in the grove, we were soon comparatively comfortable, with the exception perhaps of poor Michel, who suffered much from his frozen feet. ”

“ ESKIMO OOMIACK.
The “oomiack,” or woman’s boat, is a flat-bottomed affair of large carrying capacity. Like the kyack it is a skin-covered frame, the many pieces of which are lashed together with thongs of skin or whalebone; but instead of being covered on top it is open, and is of a much broader model, and not so sharp at the ends. It is chiefly used by the women for moving camp from place to place, but is never used in the hunt. It is essentially a freighting craft, whereas the kyack is used only for hunting or speedy travel. ”