CHAPTER XI.
Navigation of the Polar Sea, in two Canoes, as far as Cape Turnagain, to the Eastward, a
distance exceeding Five Hundred and Fifty Miles—Observations on the probability of a
North-West passage.
July 20. W e intended to have embarked early this morning, and
to have launched upon an element, more congenial with our
habits than the fresh-water navigations, with their numerous difficulties
and impediments which we had hitherto encountered, but
which was altogether new to our Canadian voyagers. We were
detained, however, by a strong north-east gale, which continued
the whole day, with constant thunder showers ; the more provoking
as our nets procured but few fish, and we had to draw upon our
store of dried meat; which, with other provision for the journey,
amounted only to fifteen days’- consumption. Indeed, we should
have preferred going dinnerless to bed rather than encroach on our
small stock, had we not been desirous of satisfying the appetites, and
cheering the spirits of our Canadian companions at the commencement
of our voyage. These thoughtless people would, at any time
incur the hazard of absolute starvation, at a future period, for the
present gratification of their appetites; to indulge which they do
not hesitate, as we more than once experienced, at helping themselves
secretly ; it being in their opinion, no disgrace to be detected
in pilfering food.
Our only luxury now was a little salt, which had long been our
substitute both for bread and vegetables. Since our departure from
Point Lake we had boiled the Indian tea-plant, ledum palustre, which
produced a beverage in smell much resembling rhubarb; notwithstanding
which we found it refreshing, and were gratified to see
this plant flourishing abundantly on the sea-shore, though of dwarfish
growth.
July 21.—The wind which had blown strong through the night,
became moderate in the morning, but a dense fog, prevented us from
embarking until noon, when we commenced our voyage on the
Hyperborean Sea. Soon afterwards we landed on an island where
the Esquimaux had erected a stage of drift timber, and stored up
many of their fishing implements and winter sledges, together with
a great many dressed seal, musk-ox, and deer skins. Their spears
headed with bone, and many small articles of the same material,
were worked with extreme neatness, as well as their wooden dishes,
and cooking utensils of stone; and several articles, very elegantly
formed of bone, were evidently intended for some game, but
Augustus was unacquainted with their use. We took from this
deposit four seal-skins to repair our shoes, and left in exchange a
copper-kettle, some awls and beads.
We paddled all day along the coast to the eastward, on the inside
of a crowded range of islands, and saw very little ice ; the “ blink”
of it, however, was visible to the northward, and one small iceberg
was seen at a distance. A tide was distinguishable among the
islands by the foam floating on the water, but we could not ascertain
its direction. In the afternoon St. Germain killed on an island a fat
deer, which was a great acquisition to us ; it was the first we had
seen for some months in good condition.
Having encamped on the main shore, after a run of thirty-seven
miles, we set up a pole to ascertain the rise and fall of the water,
which was repeated at every halting-place, and Hepburn was ordered
to attend to the result. We' found the coast well covered with
vegetation, of moderate height, even in its outline, and easy of
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