Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-West Passage (1835)
1835
Jan. 9.
Going on shore this morning, one of the seamen informed me that strangers were seen from the observatory. I proceeded accordingly in the direction pointed out, and soon saw four Esquimaux near a small iceberg, not far from the land, and about a mile from the ship. They retreated behind it as soon as they perceived me; but as I approached, the whole party came suddenly out of their shelter, forming in a body of ten in front and three deep, with one man detached, on the land side, who was apparently sitting in a sledge. I therefore sent back my companion for Commander Ross to join me, together with some men, who were directed to keep at a distance behind him. Proceeding then alone, to within a hundred yards, I found that each was armed with a spear and a knife, but saw no bows and arrows.
Knowing that the word of salutation between meeting tribes was Tima tima, I hailed them in their own language, and was answered by a general shout of the same kind; the detached man being then called in front of their line. The rest of my party now coming up, we advanced to within sixty yards, and then threw our guns away, with the cry of Aja, Tima ; being the usual method, as we had learned it, of opening a friendly communication. On this, they threw their knives and spears into the air in every direction, returning the shout Aja, and extending their arms to show that they also were without weapons. But as they did not quit their places we advanced, and embraced in succession all those in the front line, stroking down their dress also, and receiving from them in return this established ceremony of friendship. This seemed to produce great delight, expressed, on all hands, by laughing, and clamour, and strange gestures: while we immediately found ourselves established in their unhesitating confidence.
Commander Ross's experience was here of great use; and, being informed that we were Europeans (Kablunae), they answered that they were men Innuit. Their numbers amounted to thirty-one ; the eldest, called Illicta, being sixty-five years of age, six others between forty and fifty, and twenty of them between forty and twenty; the number being made up by four boys. Two were lame, and, with the old man, were drawn by the others on sledges: one of them having lost a leg, from a bear as we understood, and the other having a broken or diseased thigh. They were all well dressed, in excellent deerskins chiefly; the upper garments double, and encircling the body, reaching, in front, from the chin to the middle of the thigh, and having a cape behind to draw over the head, while the skirt hung down to the calf of the leg, in a peak not unlike that of a soldier's coat of former days. The sleeves covered their fingers; and, of the two skins which composed all this, the inner one had the hair next the body, and the outer one in the reverse direction. They had two pairs of boots on, with the hairy side of both turned inwards, and above them, trousers of deerskin, reaching- very low on the leg; while some of them had shoes outside of their boots, and had sealskins instead of those of deer, in their trousers.
With this immense superstructure of clothes, they seemed a much larger people than they really were. All of them bore spears, looking not much unlike a walking stick, with a ball of wood or ivory at one end, and a point of horn at the other. On examining the shafts, however, they were found to be formed of small pieces of wood, or of the bones of animals, joined together very neatly. The knives that we first saw, consisted of bone or reindeer's horn, without point or edge, forming a very inoffensive weapon; but we soon discovered that each of them had, hanging at his back, a much more effective knife pointed with iron, and some also edged with that metal. One of them proved also to be formed of the blade of an English claspknife, having the maker's mark on it, which had been so fixed as to be converted into a dagger.
This was a proof of communication with the tribes that trade with Europeans, if that was not the case with themselves. Commander Ross did not indeed recognise among them any of his former acquaintances, while he was evidently unknown to them; but when he mentioned the names of places in Repulse Bay, they immediately understood him and pointed in that direction. He could also make out that they had come from the southward, and had seen the ship the day before, that their huts were at some distance to the northward, and that they had left them only in the morning.
Having no foresight of these visitors, we had of course no presents at hand for them, and we therefore sent a man back to the ship for thirty-one pieces of iron hoop, that there might be a gift for each individual. But, in the mean time, they consented to accompany us on board, and we soon arrived at our snow wall. At this they expressed no surprise; it was, indeed, too much like their own work to excite any; nor did they show any of those marks of astonishment, at either the ship itself or the quantity of wood and iron before them, which we had found among the northern savages of Baffin's Bay in 1818. It was evident that they were no strangers to even an abundance of these materials.
The present of the iron excited universal delight. In return, they offered us their spears and knives, which, to their equal astonishment and satisfaction, we refused. We could now easily see that their appearance was very superior to our own; being at least as well clothed, and far better fed ; with plump cheeks, of as rosy a colour as they could be under so dark a skin. Like the other tribes of Esquimaux, their goodnatured faces were of a regular oval, the eyes dark and approaching each other, the nose small, and the hair black: nor were their skins of so dark a copper tint as those which I had formerly seen in the north. They seemed a cleaner people too; and, what I had not seen before, their hair was cut short, and arranged in no careless manner.
Their dresses were made with peculiar neatness; and some were ornamented with fringes made of sinews, or with strings of small bones. The skins of gluttons, ermines, and grey seals, hung at the breast, seemed also to be ornamental appurtenances. Their sledges were singularly rude; the sides consisting of pieces of bone tied round and enclosed by a skin, and the cross bars on the top being made of the fore legs of a deer. One of them was but two feet long, and fourteen inches wide, the others were between three and four feet in length. On the under part of the runner, there was a coating of ice attached to the skin, rendering their motion very easy.
Three of the men were, after this, introduced into the cabin, where, at length, they showed abundant signs of wonder. The engravings, representing their countrymen, selected from the several former voyages, gave them great delight, as they instantly recognised them to be portraits of their own race. The looking-glasses, as usual, were, however, the chief source of astonishment, as, especially, was a sight of themselves in our largest mirror. Scarcely less surprise was excited by the lamp and the candlesticks; but they never once showed a desire to possess themselves of any thing; receiving, merely, what was offered, with signs of thankfulness that could not be mistaken. They did not relish our preserved meat; but one who ate a morsel seemed to do it as a matter of obedience, saying it was very good, but admitting, on being cross questioned by Commander Ross, that he had said what was not true; on which, all the rest, on receiving permission, threw away what they had taken. But the same man, on being offered some oil, drank it with much satisfaction, admitting that it was really good.
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In succession, three more were treated in the same manner, while the first set proceeded to amuse the rest with what they had seen. A short race was also run between one of them and an officer of our party; but with so much and such equal politeness on both sides, that there was no victor to be declared. The violin being afterwards produced, they joined our men in dancing; and thus seemed, whether it was the fact or not, to have a much greater relish for music than had generally been found among the other tribes by our predecessors.
It being now necessary to separate, we proposed to accompany them part of the way to their huts, the direction of which they pointed out; making us understand that their wives, children, dogs, and sledges, were all at home, and that they had abundance of provisions. During our walk we met a seal hole on the ice, and they showed us the use of the spear in enlarging it for the reception of a twig of ash or birch, together with their method of throwing that weapon. But we could not make out by such inquiries, what was of chief importance to us, namely, the direction of any open sea. They, indeed, pointed to the north as being the place in question; but not being able to understand from them what lay to the southward and westward, we were obliged to defer further questions to another day. Having proceeded about two miles, we now made a mark on the ice as the place of rendezvous on the following day, when they were made to understand that we should visit their huts: a proposal which was received with the highest satisfaction. We parted under the same ceremonies which had attended our meeting.
