{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_15436/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_15436","id":"gutenberg_15436","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15436","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Archaeology & Anthropology","Category: History - Other","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Travel Writing","Labrador (N.L.) -- Description and travel","Moravians -- Missions","Travel"],"text":"E-text prepared by Wallace McLean, Cluny, and the Project Gutenberg Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team from page images generously made available\nby the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions\n(http://www.canadiana.org/)\n\n\n\nNote: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which\n      includes a map of the region described.\n      See 15435-h.htm or 15435-h.zip:\n      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/4/3/15435/15435-h/15435-h.htm)\n      or\n      (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/4/3/15435/15435-h.zip)\n\n      Images of the original pages are available through the Canadian\n      Institute for Historical Microreproductions. See\n      http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/ItemRecord/21002?id=fde620f29a76b4fe\n\n      Inconsistencies and irregularities in spelling in the original\n      text have been retained. The table of contents was created for\n      this eBook.\n\n\n\n\nJOURNAL OF A VOYAGE FROM OKKAK, ON THE COAST OF LABRADOR,\nTO UNGAVA BAY, WESTWARD OF CAPE CHUDLEIGH;\n\nUNDERTAKEN to Explore the Coast, and Visit the ESQUIMAUX in that\nUnknown Region\n\nby\n\nBENJAMIN KOHLMEISTER and GEORGE KMOCH\n\nMissionaries of the Church of the Unitas Fratrum or United Brethren\n\nLondon:\nPrinted by W. M'Dowall, Pemberton Row, Gough Square, Fleet Street,\nfor the Brethren's Society for the Furtherance of the\nGospel Among the Heathen.\nAnd Sold By J. Le Febvre, 2, Chapel-Place, Nevils-Court, Fetter-Lane;\nL. B. Seeley, 169, Fleet-Street; Hazard And Binns, Bath;\nand T. Bulgin, and T. Lambe, Bristol\n\n1814\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJOURNAL OF A VOYAGE,\n\n&c. &c.\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\nINTRODUCTION                                                   3\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n  Outfit. Opinions of the Esquimaux respecting the Voyage.\n  Description of the Company. Departure from Okkak. Arrival\n  at Nungorome.                                                6\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n  Departure from Nungorome Cove. Account of Solomon.\n  Drift-ice. Cape Mugford. Waterfalls from the Kaumayok\n  Mountains. Fruitless attempt to get out of the Ikkerasak,\n  or Straits.                                                 10\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n  Quit the Ikkerasak. Account of the Kaumayok Mountains, and\n  of Kangertluksoak. Public Worship on Sunday. Saeglek and\n  its Inhabitants described. The Missionaries visit the\n  Esquimaux at Kikkertarsoak.                                 14\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n  Departure from Saeglek. Fruitless attempt to reach\n  Nachvak. Retreat into Nullatartok Inlet. Slate Bay.\n  Detention on account of the Ice. Arrive at Nachvak.         20\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n  Reception at Nachvak. Description of the bay. The\n  Esquimaux manner of spearing salmon and trout. Christian\n  deportment of the Okkak and Hopedale Esquimaux. Jonas's\n  address to the Heathen. Love of music general among these\n  Indians. Departure from Nachvak. Danger in doubling the\n  North Cape. Arrival at Sangmiyok bay.                       27\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n  Pass Cape Nennoktok. Visit the Esquimaux families at\n  Kummaktorvik and Amitok. Description of an Esquimaux\n  travelling bed. Mountains seen at Ungava. Netsek seal\n  described. Greenland houses. Danger of being shipwrecked\n  near Kakkeviak.                                             33\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\n  Arrival at Oppernavik. Account of Uttakiyok. His\n  perseverance in waiting for the arrival of the\n  Missionaries. Islands and bays between Kakkeviak and\n  Killinek. Danger in the ice at Ammitok. Want of fuel\n  supplied by robbing old graves.                             39\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\n  Departure from Oppernavik. Pass the Ikkerasak of Killinek.\n  Whirlpools. The coast takes a southerly direction. Meeting\n  with Esquimaux from the Ungava country, who had never seen\n  an European. Anchor at Omanek. High tides. Drift-wood.\n  Double Cape Uibvaksoak. Distant view of Akpatok.            44\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\n  Chain of black mountains. The Dragon's dwelling. Changes\n  occasioned by rise and fall of the tides, and dangers\n  attending them. Uttakiyok's superstitious customs.\n  Singular effect of the tide in the bay of Ittimnekoktok.\n  Arrive at Kangertlualuksoak bay and river. Its situation.\n  Transactions there.                                         50\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\n  Further transactions in Kangertlualuksoak Bay. The\n  Esquimaux women frightened by reports of Indians. Ceremony\n  of taking possession of this new-explored country, as\n  belonging to the King of England, and of naming the river\n  George river. Leave the bay and proceed to Arvarvik.\n  Whales caught by the Esquimaux in the shallows. Storm at\n  Kernertut.                                                  56\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\n  Doubts expressed by Jonathan and the other Esquimaux on\n  the expediency of continuing the voyage. Consultations.\n  Resolve to proceed. Thunder-storm at Pitsiolak. Account of\n  Indians. Esquimaux cookery and hunting feasts. Arrival in\n  the river Koksoak.                                          62\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\n  Sail up the river Koksoak. Transactions in that region.\n  Dangerous eddy. Meet Esquimaux. Address to them. Their joy\n  and eagerness to have Missionaries, resident among them.\n  Find a suitable situation for a settlement. Description of\n  the country.                                                70\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\n  Return to Okkak.                                            77\n\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\nFor these many years past, a considerable number of Esquimaux have been\nin the annual practice of visiting the three missionary establishments\nof the United Brethren on the coast of Labrador, OKKAK, NAIN, and\nHOPEDALE, chiefly with a view to barter, or to see those of their\nfriends and acquaintance, who had become obedient to the gospel, and\nlived together in Christian fellowship, enjoying the instruction of the\nMissionaries.\n\nThese people came mostly from the north, and some of them from a great\ndistance. They reported, that the body of the Esquimaux nation lived\nnear and beyond Cape Chudleigh, which they call Killinek, and having\nconceived much friendship for the Missionaries, never failed to request,\nthat some of them would come to their country, and even urged the\nformation of a new settlement, considerably to the north of Okkak.\n\nTo these repeated and earnest applications the Missionaries were the\nmore disposed to listen, as it had been discovered, not many years after\nthe establishment of the Mission in 1771, that that part of the coast on\nwhich, by the encouragement of the British government, the first\nsettlement was made, was very thinly inhabited, and that the aim of the\nMission, to convert the Esquimaux to Christianity, would be better\nobtained, if access could be had to the main body of the Indians, from\nwhich the roving inhabitants appeared to be mere stragglers.\nCircumstances, however, prevented more extensive plans from being put in\nexecution; and the Missionaries, having gained the confidence and esteem\nof the Esquimaux in their neighbourhood, remained stationary on that\ncoast, and, by degrees, formed three settlements, OKKAK, to the north,\nand HOPEDALE, to the south of NAIN, their first place of residence.\n\nIn consequence of the abovementioned invitation, it became a subject of\nserious consideration, by what means a more correct idea of the extent\nand dwelling-places of the Esquimaux nation might be obtained, and a\ngeneral wish was expressed, that one or more of the Missionaries would\nundertake the perilous task of visiting such places as were reported by\nthe Esquimaux themselves to contain more inhabitants than the southern\ncoast, but remained unknown to European navigators.\n\nThe Synodal Committee, appointed for the management of the Missions of\nthe United Brethren, having given their consent to the measure, and\nagreed with Brother Kohlmeister, by occasion of a visit paid by him to\nhis relations and friends in Germany, as to the mode of putting it into\nexecution, he returned to Labrador in 1810, and prepared to undertake\nthe voyage early in the spring of 1811.\n\nFor several years a correspondence had taken place between the\nMissionaries in Labrador and the Brethren's Society for the Furtherance\nof the Gospel, established in London, relating to the manner in which\nthe voyage should be performed. Opinions were various on the subject;\nbut it was at length determined, that a steady intelligent Christian\nEsquimaux, possessing a shallop, with two masts, and of sufficient\ndimensions, should be appointed to accompany one or two Missionaries,\nfor a liberal recompence; and that the travellers should spend the\nwinter at Okkak, to be ready to proceed on the voyage, without loss of\ntime, as soon as the state of the ice would permit of it. Brother\nKohlmeister proposed, in this view, the Esquimaux Jonathan, of Hopedale,\nand the brig employed to convey the annual supply of necessaries to the\nthree settlements, was ordered to proceed first to Hopedale, partly with\na view to this negociation. She arrived safe with Brother Kohlmeister at\nthis place, on the 22d July, 1810. On the same day, he proposed to\nJonathan the intended expedition, laid before him the whole plan, with\nall its difficulties and advantages, and found him immediately willing\nto undertake the voyage, and to forward its object by every means in his\npower.\n\nThis was no small sacrifice on the part of Jonathan. An Esquimaux is\nnaturally attached to the place of his birth; and, though he spends the\nsummer, and indeed great part of the year, necessarily, and from\ninclination, in roving from one place to another in quest of food; yet\nin winter he settles, if possible, upon his native spot, where he is\nesteemed and beloved. This was eminently the case with Jonathan. He was\na man of superior understanding and skill, possessed of uncommon\npresence of mind in difficulties and dangers, and at Hopedale considered\nas the principal person, or chief of his nation. But he was now ready to\nforsake all, and to go and reside at OKKAK, among strangers, having no\nauthority or pre-eminence, and to undertake a voyage of unknown length\nand peril, from whence he could not be sure of a safe or speedy return,\nbefore the ice might set in, and confine him upon an unknown shore,\nduring the whole of a second winter. There was, however, one\nconsideration which outweighed every other in his mind, and made him,\naccording to his own declaration, forget all difficulties and dangers.\nHe hoped that the proposed voyage to visit his countrymen in the north\nwould, in time, be a means of their becoming acquainted with the gospel\nof Christ, and partakers of the same blessings which he now enjoyed.\nThis made him willing to accept of the call without any hesitation. Nor\ndid he ever, during the whole voyage, forsake that generous principle,\nby which he was at first influenced, but his cheerful, firm, and\nfaithful conduct proved, under all circumstances, most honourable to the\ncharacter of a true convert to Christianity.\n\nBrother KOHLMEISTER being, after seventeen years residence in Labrador,\ncomplete master of the Esquimaux language, and deservedly beloved and\nrespected both by Christians and heathens, and possessing an invincible\nzeal to promote their temporal and spiritual welfare, was a man\neminently qualified to undertake the commission, and to conciliate the\naffections of unknown heathen. He had also previously made himself\nacquainted with the use of the quadrant, and with other branches of\nscience, useful on such an occasion.\n\nBrother KMOCH, his companion, joined to other essential qualifications,\ngreat cheerfulness and intrepidity.\n\nAll the parties having met at Okkak, in the autumn of 1810, the winter\nwas partly spent in preparations for the intended expedition, and\nJonathan's boat put into the best possible state of repair.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n  _Outfit. Opinions of the Esquimaux respecting the Voyage.\n  Description of the Company. Departure from Okkak. Arrival at\n  Nungorome._\n\n\nJune 16, 1811.--The ice began to loosen in the bay of OKKAK, and to\ndrive out to sea. On the 17th, the bay was quite cleared of it; but on\nthe 18th, it returned, and seemed to preclude all possibility of setting\nout so soon as we intended. On the 19th, however, it left us entirely.\n\n20th. We were employed in hauling the boat to the edge of the water, and\nbeing floated by the tide, she came to anchor at six, P.M. She had been\npurchased by Jonathan, at Chateau-bay, and was about 45 feet long,\ntwelve broad, and five deep, with two masts. We had furnished her with a\ncomplete deck, and divided her into three parts. The centre was our own\ncabin, into which all our baggage was stowed: the two other divisions\nwere occupied by the Esquimaux. A small boat, brought from Lewis, was\ntaken in tow.\n\n21st. We began to ship our provision and baggage: viz. six cwt. of\nship's biscuit, sixteen bushels of pease, one cwt. of salt pork and best\nbeef, (of which but a small portion was consumed, as we were generally\nwell supplied with fresh provisions, procured by shooting), a firkin of\nbutter, half cwt. of captain's biscuit, one cwt. of flour, two small\nbarrels of gunpowder, one cwt. of large and small shot, half cwt. of\ntobacco, two eighteen-gallon barrels of ale, a few bottles of brandy,\neighteen pounds of coffee, which was all consumed, coffee and biscuits\nbeing our usual repast; a case containing knives, wire, nails, &c. for\nbarter, if necessary; kettles and other utensils. Besides that every man\nhad his fowling-piece, we had four muskets in reserve. After bringing\nall on board, we had just room enough to sleep in our cabin.\n\n22d, was spent in conferring with our brethren, on various subjects\nrelating to the voyage.\n\n23d. All the Esquimaux met at the chapel, and in the most affectionate\nmanner, and with many tears, bid us and our company farewell. They were\nthe more affected with grief on this occasion, as the greatest part of\nour own Esquimaux thought the voyage impracticable, and expected that we\nshould all perish in doubling Cape Chudleigh, (Killinek) on account of\nthe violence of the currents, setting round between the cape, and the\nmany rocks and islands which stretch from it towards the north. Reports\nhad likewise been circulated of the hostile disposition of the Esquimaux\nin the Ungava bay; and it was boldly asserted, that if we even got there\nalive, we should never return. An old conjuror, (Angekok), _Atsugarsuk_,\nhad been particularly active in spreading these reports. We cannot deny\nbut that they occasioned some apprehension in our own minds, but being\nfully determined to venture in the name of God, and trusting in His\nprotection, we were thankful that they failed to produce the intended\neffect on Jonathan, our guide, and on the other Esquimaux, who were to\ngo with us, and who all remained firm.\n\nWhen Jonathan was told that the Ungava Esquimaux would kill him, he\ngenerally answered: \"Well, we will try, and shall know better when we\nget there:\" and once, conversing with us on the subject, expressed\nhimself thus: \"When I hear people talking about the danger of being\nkilled, I think: Jesus went to death out of love to us, what great\nmatter would it be, if we were to be put to death in His service, should\nthat be His good pleasure concerning us.\"\n\n24th. Having commended ourselves in prayer to the grace and protecting\ncare of God our Saviour, and to the kind remembrance of our dear fellow\nmissionaries, we set sail at two P.M.\n\nOur company consisted of four Esquimaux families: 1. _Jonathan_, and his\nwife _Sybilla_, both between fifty and sixty years old. He was esteemed\none of the most skilful commanders on the whole coast of Labrador, and\nfor many years has shown himself both able and willing to serve the\nmissionaries in a variety of ways. The boat was his own property, and we\nconsidered him as the captain of the expedition. 2. _Jonas_, Jonathan's\nson, and his wife _Agnes_, about thirty years of age, both intelligent,\nclever Esquimaux; they had their five children with them; _Sophia_,\ntwelve years old, _Susanna_, _Jonathan_, _Thamar_, and _Sybilla_, the\nyoungest but half a year old. 3. _Paul_, and his wife _Mary_, very\nagreeable, sensible people, about twenty years of age. Paul is\nJonathan's cousin, and a man of a very warm temper. In activity and\nskill, he was next to Jonathan. 4. _David_, and his mother _Rachel_, the\nfirst a hopeful young man of about twenty, and the latter a good-natured\nold woman, who had the care of our clothes and linen, and kept them\nclean and in good order. Besides these four families, we took with us a\nboy, _Okkiksuk_, an orphan, about sixteen, whom Jonathan had adopted,\nand who promised to reward the kindness of his guardian by his good\nbehaviour. He was always ready to render us every service in his power.\n\nWe were attended on the voyage by a skin-boat (or woman's boat) in which\nwere _Thukkekina_ and his wife, and their adopted child _Mammak_, a boy\ntwelve years old. Their age is about forty. The skin-boat was intended\nas a refuge, in case of any accident happening to our own boat, and was\nuseful in landing, as we never brought the large boat close in shore.\nThe first four families belong to Hopedale, Thukkekina and his wife to\nOkkak. They considered it as a great favour conferred on them to be\npermitted to accompany us. _Jonas_ and his family occupied the\nafter-part, and the rest the fore-part of the boat. The wind was\nmoderate, and due west. We lost sight of our habitations in about half\nan hour, behind the N.E. point of the island Okkak, called Sungolik.\n\nAt three, passed Cape Uivak, a cape on the continent, forming a\nmoderately high headland, and the nearest place to Okkak, where\nEsquimaux spend the winter. Two or three winter-houses were standing.\n\nThe wind failing, we cast off the skin-boat, which rowed merrily a-head.\nBefore us, between the islands to the east and the continent, we saw\nmuch drift-ice, and it required attention to avoid the large shoals, the\nwind coming round to the N.W. We cast anchor at NUNGOROME, a cove about\nten English miles from Okkak, where we found several of our Esquimaux,\nwho had here their summer-station. Several had come from Naujasiorvik\nand other places, on purpose to meet us, and once more to express their\naffection and best wishes for our safe voyage and return. Late in the\nevening, we met on a green spot, where Brother Kohlmeister delivered a\nshort discourse and prayer, after which we retired to sleep on board the\nboat.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n  _Departure from Nungorome Cove. Account of Solomon. Drift-ice.\n  Cape Mugford. Waterfalls from the Kaumayok Mountains. Fruitless\n  attempt to get out of the Ikkerasak, or Straits._\n\n\nNungorome is a cove on the south side of the Island Pacharvik. Between\nthis island the main land is a narrow strait, so shallow that no whales\ncan pass. The Esquimaux stretch their nets across, to catch seals,\nseeking shelter in it when the wind sets in from the open sea. They can\nonly be taken in the night, and the greater part of those which frequent\nthis coast are of the _Kairolik_ kind, a middle-sized animal, and of the\n_Ugsuk_, the largest species of the seal tribe, weighing sometimes from\nfive to six cwt.\n\nThe Esquimaux belonging to our congregation, who were at present\nstationed here, in tents, were _Moses_, _Samuel_, _Thomas_, _Isaac_,\n_Bammiuk_, and their families. _Solomon_, who has left our communion,\nwas also here. He had formerly been a communicant member of Okkak\ncongregation, but could not resist the temptation of going to the north\nto feast with the heathen Esquimaux, whenever they had caught a live, or\nfound a dead whale. On such occasions he was seduced to commit many\nirregularities and sins, but always returned to us with a show of great\ncontrition and repentance. After many relapses, he was informed, that\nthis would do no longer, but that if he went again to these heathenish\nfeasts, he would be excluded. He is a sensible, well-disposed man, and\nperceived the justice of the sentence; but his love of that species of\namusement overcame all his good resolutions. He not only went again, but\ntook also another wife; a step which, of course, excluded him from our\nfellowship. Yet he is very desirous that his children may receive a\nChristian education, and remain faithful to the precepts of the gospel.\n\n25th. Brother Kmoch rose at half past one in the morning, and suffering\nthe rest to sleep on, got breakfast ready; he then fired his piece, by\nwhich Brother Kohlmeister and all the Esquimaux, young and old, were\nsuddenly roused from their slumbers. Not one, however, regretted the\nunexpected interruption to their pleasant dreams, on beholding the sea\nquite free from ice, with a fine morning and fair wind; but after\nyawning, stretching, and shaking themselves as usual, the Esquimaux with\ngreat good humour got ready, and we set sail at half past three. Passed\nPacharvik Island at four. Bammiuk and Solomon accompanied us as far as\nthe North Ikkerasak (the Esquimaux name for a strait) between Cape\nMugford Island, in 58 deg. N. latitude, and the mountains of Kaumayok.\nTheir being in company retarded our progress, but in the sequel proved\nno disadvantage.\n\nAbout nine, we entered the straits, and perceiving at a distance much\ndrift-ice a-head, cast anchor, and Brother Kmoch and Jonas landed on\nCape Mugford Island. An Esquimaux, called _Niakungetok_, accompanied\nthem to the top of an eminence, from whence the outer opening of the\nIkkerasak was seen. They perceived the ice driving into it from the sea\nin such quantities as to threaten to close it up. Cape Mugford is an\nhigh island, extending far into the ocean, and the northern land-mark in\nsteering for Okkak, _Kiglapeit_ promontory bearing south, and the\nSaddle-island appearing right before the entrance of the bay. On their\nreturn to the boat, the wind veered to the north, and we steered for a\ndwelling-place of the Esquimaux, about twenty miles from Okkak, called\n_Ukkuararsuk_. To our great joy the ice began now to drive out again to\nsea, and we resolved to go with it. A gentle S.W. wind brought us to the\nplace, where we had before anchored, but we were now beset with large\nfields of ice, among which we tacked, till we had nearly cleared the\nstraits, when the great quantity of surrounding ice, pressing upon us,\nprevented our making further attempts, and we, were compelled to work\nour way back with oars and boat-hooks.\n\nOn Cape Mugford island we now discovered more Esquimaux, who by signs\ndirected our course towards a convenient harbour, near their dwellings,\nwhich we reached in safety.\n\nThe Esquimaux pitched their tents on shore, but we slept on board.\n\nThe situation of this place is remarkably beautiful. The strait is about\nan English mile broad, and four or five in length. Both shores are lined\nwith precipitous rocks, which in many places rise to a tremendous\nheight, particularly on the Kaumayok side, from whence several\nwaterfalls rush into the sea, with a roar, which quite fills the air.\nThe singular appearance of these cataracts is greatly increased when\nilluminated by the rising sun, the spray, exhibiting the most beautiful\nprismatic colours. Below them huge masses of ice are formed, which seem\nto lean against the sides of the rocks, and to be continually increasing\nduring the winter, but when melted by the power of a summer's sun, and\ndisengaged by their weight, are carried off by the tides, and help to\nform floating ice-mountains. The coast lies S.W. by N.E.\n\n26th. Being detained here by the state of the ice, and the weather fine\nand warm, Brother Kmoch and Ogiksuk rowed across the straits to the\nnearest great cataract, and were able, notwithstanding the steepness of\nthe ascent, to get pretty close to it. It falls fifty or sixty feet\nperpendicular, and the noise is terrible. The spray ascending from it,\nlike the steam of a huge cauldron, wetted the travellers completely.\nThey amused themselves some time by rolling large stones into the fall,\nwhich by its force were carried along towards the sea, down the sloping\ntorrent below. Our people meanwhile caught three seals, and made a\nhearty meal, of which we also partook, hunger, on this occasion,\novercoming our dislike to seal's flesh. A sallad of scurvy-grass was\nmade for supper.\n\n27th. We left this harbour about four A.M. with a favourable wind at\nWest, but as it soon died away, we took to our oars, and reached the\nnorth point of Kaumayok, at the northern extremity of the strait. By an\nobservation taken by Brother Kohlmeister, this point is situated in 57 deg.\n59' N. latitude. Though calm, there was a great swell from the sea, and\nthe rolling of the boat affected our brave captain not a little, to the\ndiversion of the other Esquimaux. About two P.M. the wind shifted to the\nN.W. By tacking we got to Kupperlik, about the middle of Kaumayok, but\nhaving the skin-boat in tow, could not weather the point, and were at\nlength obliged to return to our former anchorage in the strait.\n\n28th. The wind being North we could not proceed. We therefore ascended\nthe mountain of Cape Mugford. It is a barren rock, though here and there\na solitary plant or a tuft of moss clings to its steep sides, and is\ndifficult of access. The numerous waterfalls on the Kaumayok, which\nstill rose above us, were full in view, and we now discovered several\nsmall lakes which supply them. Some of them fall from a great height\nperpendicularly into the sea.\n\nWe could here discern the island of Okkak, to the S.W. to the East, the\nboundless ocean, and to the N.E. three high, barren, and steep islands,\ncalled Nennoktuts by the Esquimaux, (White mountains.)\n\n\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n  _Quit the Ikkerasak. Account of the Kaumayok Mountains, and of\n  Kangertluksoak. Public Worship on Sunday. Saeglek and its\n  Inhabitants described. The Missionaries visit the Esquimaux at\n  Kikkertarsoak._\n\n\nJune 29th.--We rose soon after two o'clock, and rowed out of the\nIkkerasak, with a fair wind. The sea was perfectly calm and smooth.\nBrother Kmoch rowed in the small boat along the foot of the mountains of\nKaumayok, sometimes going on shore, while the large boat was making but\nlittle way, keeping out at some distance, to avoid the rocks. The\noutline of this chain of mountains exhibits the most fanciful figures.\nAt various points, the rocks descend abruptly into the sea, presenting\nhorrid precipices. The strand is covered with a black sand. At the\nheight of about fifty feet from the sea, the rocks have veins of red,\nyellow, and green stone, running horizontally and parallel; and\nsometimes in an undulated form. Above these, they present the appearance\nof a magnificent colonade, or rather of buttresses, supporting a gothic\nbuilding, varying in height and thickness, and here and there\nintersected by wide and deep chasms and glens, running far inland\nbetween the mountains. Loose stones above, have in some places the\nappearance of statues, and the superior region exhibits all kind of\ngrotesque shapes. It is by far the most singular and picturesque chain\nof mountains on this coast. To the highest part of it we gave the name\nof St. Pauls, as it is not unlike that cathedral when viewed at a\ndistance, with its dome and two towers.\n\nBefore we left the Kaumayok, Brother Kohlmeister landed, and found the\nbeach covered with blocks of stone, in colour white and grey, like\nstatuary marble, but very hard. We now steered for _Kangertluksoak_, a\nwinter-station of the Esquimaux, where several of our people had pitched\ntheir tents.\n\nAt noon, we were off an island, called _Eingosiarsuk_, (the Little Cup),\nopposite the _Ittiplek_, (a flat piece of ground joining two headlands)\nover which the northern Esquimaux pass in sledges to Okkak, round\nKaumayok. Farther towards the N.W. lies _Tuppertalik_, a high ridge of\nmountains, which, from its appearance, we called the Table mountain,\nhaving nearly the shape of the mountain so called at the Cape of Good\nHope.\n\nTo the north lies _Nellekartok_, the outermost island on leaving the\nIkkerasak, and the first of the _Kangertluksoak_ islands. Behind\n_Tuppertalik_, a bay opens called _Nappartok_ (a wood), a\nwinter-habitation, with a little wood higher up the country, about eight\nor ten hours drive from Okkak. A good harbour for large vessels is said\nto be here, called _Umiakovitannak_, (Broad boat-harbour). Before the\nentrance to _Nappartok_, lies an island, _Naujartsit_ (the Little\nSea-gull island). Seven or eight miles, north of Nappertok, a long flat\npoint runs out, terminated by a small island. On approaching towards\nKangertluksoak, a long island runs parallel with the coast called\n_Illuektulik_, (a burial-place), between which and the main land is a\nstrait, affording good shelter for boats. Into this Jonathan intended to\nrun, but the wind being favourable, we kept on our course, and passed\ntwo islands, _Kingmiktok_, (Dog island), and farther north,\n_Kikkertarsoak_ a great island which defends the entrance into the\nharbour of _Kangertluksoak_, from the sea. At ten P.M. we came to an\nanchor in the harbour, and were received by our Esquimaux, of whom\nseveral families were stationed here, as well as by the other\ninhabitants, with demonstrations of great joy. Both the heathen who kept\non the right side of the great bay, and our own Christian Esquimaux, on\nthe left, fired numberless shots to welcome us. Several boats were here\nfrom _Kittinek_ and _Nachvak_ bound to Okkak.\n\n_Kangertluksoak_ lies about sixty miles north of Okkak, is an agreeable\nplace, and has a good strand, and safe anchorage.\n\n30th. Being Sunday, the Missionaries went on shore, and visited all the\nChristian families, by whom they were received with the most lively\nexpressions of affection and gratitude. Many strangers from the opposite\ncoast had joined them, and they all seated themselves in a large circle\non the grass.\n\n_Nikupsuk's_ wife, Louisa, who had long ago forsaken the believers, was\nhere, and said, with much apparent contrition, that she was unworthy to\nbe numbered with them. She then seated herself at a little distance from\nthe rest.\n\nThe number of the congregation, including our boat's company, amounted\nto about fifty. Brother Kohlmeister first addressed them, by greeting\nthem from their brethren at Okkak, and expressing our joy at finding\nthem well in health, and our hopes, that they were all walking worthy of\ntheir Christian profession, as a good example to their heathen\nneighbours. Then the Litany was read, and a spirit of true devotion\npervaded the whole assembly.\n\nOur very hearts rejoiced in this place, which had but lately been a den\nof murderers, dedicated, as it were, by the angekoks, or sorcerers, to\nthe service of the devil, to hear the cheerful voices of converted\nheathen, most melodiously sounding forth the praises of God, and giving\nglory to the name of Jesus their Redeemer. Peace, and cheerful\ncountenances dwelt in the tents of the believing Esquimaux.\n\nOur people had caught a large white-fish, and pressed us much to be\ntheir guests, which we should have accepted of with pleasure, but we\nthought it prudent to avail ourselves of the favourable wind and\nweather, to proceed. Instead, therefore, of dining with them, we\npresented to each tent a quart of pease, which is considered by the\nEsquimaux as a great luxury, and was received with unbounded\nthankfulness.\n\nAbout noon we set sail, with a brisk wind at S.E. for _Saeglek_. The\ncoast presents here, moderately high, barren mountains, without bays or\nislands. The wind becoming more violent, the rope, by which we kept the\nskin-boat in tow, suddenly snapt, and set her adrift. She was frequently\nhid from our view by the height of the waves, but we were in no\napprehension about her, as these kind of boats are much safer in a high\nsea, than a European one.\n\nAt seven P.M. we arrived at _Saeglek_, and were saluted by the firing of\nmuskets and bonfires on the hills. The Esquimaux have their dwellings on\na small flat island, between two of larger size, but the strand is bad,\nand full of sharp shingles. There are about five or six winter-houses at\nSaeglek, containing each about two or three families.\n\nJuly 1st. Early, two Esquimaux men, _Joas_ and _Uiverunna_, came in\ntheir kayaks to pay us a visit. They, with their families, inhabited\nsome tents we had seen yesterday. Brother Kohlmeister spoke seriously to\nthem on the necessity of conversion, especially to Joas, who had\nChristian parents, and as a child, was baptized at Okkak. He reminded\nhim of his having been devoted to Jesus from his birth; that he\ntherefore ought not to belong to the unbelievers, but to Him who had\ncreated and redeemed him; and that the greatest of all the sins he now\ncommitted, was his persisting in his determination not to return. He\nseemed to listen with some humility to the loving and earnest reproof\nand exhortations of the Missionary, but at last excused himself by\nlaying the blame upon his mother, who kept him back, adding, that he\nstill intended to be converted.\n\nOur people had meanwhile made a fire, and put the pot on to boil pease;\nbut the wind changing, Jonathan determined immediately to proceed. The\npease had just begun to swell, and as the two Esquimaux had presented us\nwith some fresh meat, they had been asked to partake of our meal; but\nfinding themselves thus disappointed, they fell to, and having greedily\ndevoured a quantity of the half-boiled pease, and filled their gloves\nwith the rest, they took leave, and set sail about 11, A.M.\n\nHearing from some Esquimaux who made towards us in their kayaks, that\nthe Saeglek people were all on the north side of the island of\nKikkertarsoak, we proceeded thither, and having doubled the point, saw\nseven tents full of people. Two of them contained families from\nKillinek. But the violence of the wind was such, that we could not stay\nin this unsheltered place with safety. We therefore worked our way, with\nthe help of the Esquimaux, round another point, into a roadstead, rather\nmore sheltered than the former, though open to the sea. A little tobacco\nis the reward expected and given for such assistance.\n\nThe beach is composed of numberless black pebbles, polished by the sea,\nand each about the size of an hen's egg.\n\nBrother Kohlmeister immediately landed, and visited the Esquimaux in\ntheir tents. Many heathen were at this place, to whom he preached the\ngospel, and invited them to believe in Jesus, as the Saviour of men, who\nwould deliver them from the love, power, and curse of sin, having shed\nHis blood, and died on the cross, to redeem their souls. He was heard\nwith great attention. A venerable old man, with hair as white as wool,\nparticularly attracted our notice. He called Brother Kohlmeister by\nname, took hold of both his hands, and begged him to sit down by him.\nBrother Kohlmeister inquired, whether he knew him. The old man replied:\n\"Thou art Benjamin, often have I heard thy name at Okkak. I therefore\nrejoice to see thee.\" He seemed quite at a loss, what way to express his\naffection; and at length delivered a strap of seals'-leather to Mr.\nKohlmeister, with these words: \"I am poor, and have nothing else to give\nthee, yet I wish to give thee some token of my love.\" Brother\nKohlmeister accepted of his present, and inwardly cried to the Lord, to\nshow mercy to this poor ignorant heathen. \"You are old,\" said he, \"and\nhave not much more time to live in this world, will you not turn to that\nJesus, who has died for your sins also? It is not His desire that you\nshould perish, and be lost in everlasting darkness, but that you should\nlive with Him in the place of light and immortal bliss.\" The old man\nreplied: \"What shall I do? thy words are very pleasant, and I would fain\nhear much more of Jesus. I do not wish to be lost in the place of\ndarkness.\" Brother Kohlmeister answered, that if he sincerely wished to\nbe saved, and was troubled on account of his sinful life he should\nbelieve in, and call on the name of Jesus, who would certainly hear and\nreveal Himself unto him. Many people were present in the tent, who\nbehaved with great decency, and whom Brother Kohlmeister earnestly\naddressed on the necessity of conversion. He wished to prolong the\nconversation especially with the old man, who promised, that he would\nnever forget the words spoken to him, but it was growing late, and we\nreturned to our cabin. The poor old man having sore legs, some medicine\nwas left for him.\n\nThe passage from Kangertluksoak to Saeglek is about twenty English\nmiles. Saeglek is a considerable promontory, open to the south.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n  _Departure from Saeglek. Fruitless attempt to reach Nachvak.\n  Retreat into Nullatartok Inlet. Slate Bay. Detention on account\n  of the Ice. Arrive at Nachvak._\n\n\nJuly 2d.--At one A.M. we set sail, steering for _Nachvak_, a distance of\nabout thirty miles. Here a chain of mountains runs north and south,\nnearly parallel with the coast. The coast itself is of moderate height,\nbut very steep, and not being defended by any island, the approach to it\nas a lee-shore, is very dangerous. It runs generally in a pretty strait\nline about forty miles, when a wide bay opens, in which lies, towards\nthe north, an island called _Karngalersiorvik_, where there is said to\nbe a good harbour for boats. The rocks, of which the mountains are\ncomposed, are of a white grey colour, streaked almost perpendicularly\nwith veins of black stone, about two feet broad. The intermediate strata\nmay be about eight times as broad. We had hoped to reach Nachvak in the\nmorning, by continuing our course through the following night, though\nthe wind was weak and variable, but in the evening we got into\ndrift-ice: yet as the shoals were not close together, we worked our way\nthrough them; and stood on with the little wind we had at S.E.\n\n3d. At dawn of day, and being still four miles distant from Nachvak, we\nperceived both in the open sea, and all along the shore, that our\npassage was completely occupied with floating ice, which drove towards\nus, and forced us back. We then endeavoured to find shelter in a bay\nbounded by high mountains, but found none, the wind driving the ice\nafter us into it, and soon filling it. Jonathan frequently cried out\nwith a plaintive voice: \"Alas, alas, we shall soon be without a boat!\"\nWe now hastened to the opposite shore to find some cove or inlet, but\ngetting more and more entangled among the ice, were at last obliged,\nsome to land, and haul the boat with ropes round the points, and others\nwith boat-hooks and spars, to keep her off the rocks. Two or three times\nshe stuck fast on sunken rocks, but by God's mercy always got off again\nwithout damage. At length we discovered three narrow inlets, the\nmiddlemost forming a bay, being the estuary of a river, which runs\nW.S.W. about eight or ten miles up the country, and is called\nNullatartok. Into this we pushed, when shortly after our entrance, the\nice entirely filled up the passage, and we were compelled to retreat to\nthe uppermost part, choosing the shallowest possible spot to anchor in.\nThe bay itself is about two miles in breadth, and only in the middle\ndeep enough to admit the larger fields of drift ice to float into it.\nThe strand is broad, and slopes off gently. It is covered with large\ntables of slate. The mountains on each side are high, and seem to\nconsist of ferruginous slate, the lamina or plates of which are of such\nimmense size, that they might serve for entire walls. Towards the sea,\nthere exudes from these rocks, a yellowish white substance, which has a\nstrong sulphureous smell. It was so powerful, that if a drop fell on a\npiece of tinned iron, it removed the tin in a few minutes.\n\nThe vallies in the neighbourhood were green and full of flowers.\n\nNot far from the spot where we had pitched our tents, (which rested upon\na carpet of _potentilla aurea_, in full bloom, bringing to our minds the\nEuropean meadows, full of butter-cups), the river, which is of\nconsiderable breadth, falls into the bay. It abounds with fine\nsalmon-trout. Farther to the westward, two other rivers flow into it,\none of which is much broader than the other, and has a large cataract at\nsome distance from its mouth. The upper parts of the mountains are\ncovered partly with moss, and partly with low brush-wood, birch, and\nalder, and many berry-bearing shrubs and plants, but no high trees. We\nfound here both arnica and colts-foot in great plenty. Brother\nKohlmeister gathered and dried a quantity of each, as they are used in\nmedical cases, and the former cannot be procured from England.\n\nThe slate is extremely shivery, and is found in slabs, either lying or\nstanding upright from four to eight feet square, most easily splitting\ninto thin plates. Ascending the mountain, they are soon dislodged, by\nthe tread of a man's foot, and glide down towards the beach with a\nrattling, tinkling noise. At low water, we noticed a bed of stone\nresembling cast iron, of a reddish hue, and polished by the friction of\nthe water. After supping on salmon-trout, caught in the first-mentioned\nriver, we retired to rest; but had some fears even here for the safety\nof our boat, the ice pushing in towards us, and our people being\nemployed day and night in warding off the large shoals with their\nboat-hooks.\n\n4th. The weather being fair, Brother Kmoch ascended to the top of the\nhighest part of the mountain near us, from whence he could see nothing\nbut drift-ice, powerfully in motion towards the bay. Four of our\nEsquimaux went up the country to hunt reindeer; saw eight head and two\nfawns; but got none.\n\nPerceiving that our abode in this place might be of some duration, we\nfor the first time pitched our tents on shore. Our morning and evening\ndevotion was attended by the whole party; and on Sundays we read the\nLitany, and conducted the service in the usual way, which proved to us\nand our Esquimaux of great comfort and encouragement in all\ndifficulties. We were detained here, by the ice, from the 3d to the\n15th, and our faith and patience were frequently put to the trial.\nMeanwhile we found much pleasure in walking up the declivities of the\nhills, and into the fine green and flowery vallies around us.\n\n5th. We went up the western extremity of the bay, but found nothing\nworth notice. Here the rocks appeared to be of a species of freestone.\n\n6th. In the evening we met in Jonathan's tent. Brother Kohlmeister\naddressed the company, and reminded them, that to-day the holy communion\nwould be celebrated in our congregations, which we could not do in this\nplace, under present circumstances. Then kneeling down, he offered up a\nfervent prayer, entreating the Lord not to forget us in this wilderness,\nbut to give us to feel His all-reviving presence, and to feed our hungry\nand thirsty souls, out of the fulness of His grace. A comfortable sense\nof His love and peace filled all our hearts on this occasion.\n\nIn the evening, Paul began to read out of the Harmony of the four\nEvangelists, which we shall continue as often as circumstances will\nadmit of it. Jonathan and Jonas generally conduct the daily morning and\nevening worship.\n\n7th. We were so hard pressed by the ice driving towards us, that we were\nobliged in part to unload the boat, to be able to bring it into a safer\nsituation in shallow water; and took our turns, three relieving three,\nto watch and guard off the larger shoals with boat-hooks, by day and\nnight. We were glad to have reached a place, sheltered on all sides from\nthe wind.\n\n8th. Our people went out to look for reindeer, and no prospect of our\nproceeding to sea appearing, they resolved to stay out all night.\n\n9th. Jonas returned and reported, that they had seen reindeer, but were\nnot able to shoot any. Paul and Thukkekina went to-day to the western\nmountains, and staid over night.\n\n10th. Brother Kmoch went to the westward to look for birds. He saw a\nlarge flight of sea-fowl, but they were extremely shy, and would not\npermit him to get near them. From the hills around us, we perceived that\nthe entrance into the bay was completely blocked up with ice; and\ntowards the sea, nothing but one continued field of ice appeared. We\nsighed and prayed to the Lord to help us in this time of need. Jonas\nwent out in his kayak, and shot an _ugsuk_, not far from our tent.\nTowards evening, we saw a fire made by our reindeer-hunters, at the\nwestern extremity of the bay, and they fired their pieces to give us\nnotice, that they had got some game, and that we should fetch it with\nthe small boat.\n\nOkkiksuk therefore went, and found them completely overcome with\nfatigue, having dragged their game, across the mountains for a\nconsiderable distance. The Esquimaux are indeed able to carry burdens up\nand down hill, under which most Europeans would sink, but when they kill\na deer far inland, it is hard-earned food, by the trouble of carrying it\nhome. Paul had shot two reindeer, of which we received a portion.\nBrother Kohlmeister had been on the other side of the bay, and returned\nwith a large parcel of plants and flowers, the examination of which\nafforded him much amusement.\n\nThe Esquimaux now boiled a large kettle full of seal's flesh, of which\nwe were invited to partake. This we did, and thought it a very palatable\nmess, particularly as we had tasted no fresh meat since we had left the\nNorth Ikkerasak. The prejudice of the Europeans against seal's flesh,\nconsists mostly in imagination. The dirty kettle in which the Esquimaux\nboil it, is indeed not calculated to excite an appetite, but the meat,\nwhen eaten fresh, tastes much like beef; when cold, it acquires an oily\ntaste; nor durst a person, not accustomed to it from his childhood, make\na practice of eating it, as it is of a very heating nature, and would\nsoon bring on serious disorders. It generally prevents sleep, if eaten\nat supper.\n\n12th. The wind became West, and cleared the bay of the ice. Brother\nKmoch and Jonathan went to the opposite shore and found winter-houses,\none of which had been inhabited last winter; two others were in ruins.\nThey climbed the highest eminence towards Nachvak, but saw nothing but\ndrift-ice, covering the sea, with but few spots of open water, to the\nnorth.\n\n13th. It blew hard from the West. David and Okkiksuk crossed the bay to\nexplore the state of the ice from the hills. In the evening they\nreturned with intelligence, that the sea was cleared of ice to the\nnorthward. David had caught a netsek, (a small species of seal), and we\nhad taken a good draught of trout in the net before our tent.\n\n14th. Jonathan roused us at four in the morning, the wind being in our\nfavour, and we immediately made preparations to depart. After breakfast,\nas we were praying the Litany, a sudden storm arose. We were assembled\nin Jonathan's tent, and the stones and pegs, with which it had been\nfastened down to the ground, being already removed, the tent-skins were\nsoon blown about our heads by the violence of the wind, and we were now\nobliged patiently to wait till the storm abated. In the midst of our\ndeliberations, accompanied with expressions of our disappointment,\nThukkekina gravely observed, that we might very likely get away this\nsummer, and need not be dismayed. Towards evening, it fell calm, and the\nmusquitoes teazed us unmercifully. We supped on fresh salmon, filled our\ntents with smoke, to keep off our winged tormentors, shut ourselves in,\nand forgot our grievances and Thukkekina's consolations in sound sleep.\n\n15th. In the morning at three o'clock, we took a final leave of\nNullatartok bay, and got under way with a favourable, though rather\nboisterous wind at S.W. having been detained here for twelve days by the\nice. After about an hour's sail, we were near the entrance of the inlet,\nwhen a sudden gust from the mountains carried away our after-top-mast,\nwith sail and tackle. It fell with great noise on the deck, and into the\nsea. By God's mercy no one was hurt, and we were more particularly\nthankful, that of the five children on board, none were just then on\ndeck.\n\nIt once happened, that the main-yard fell down, and but narrowly missed\nstriking two children, who with a third were sitting and playing\ntogether. They must inevitably have lost their lives, had it fallen upon\nthem. We praised God for their preservation during the whole voyage. By\nthe above-mentioned disaster, we were obliged to run into a small cove,\nwhere we repaired the mast with all speed, and proceeded with a gentle\nwind towards Nachvak. A calm ensued, and as there is no anchorage\nbetween Nullatartok and Nachvak, we rowed all night, and felt the\nadvantage of the great length of days, at this season of the year.\n\n16th. The view we had of the magnificent mountains of Nachvak,\nespecially about sun-rise, afforded us and our Esquimaux great\ngratification. Their south-east extremity much resembles Saddle island\nnear Okkak, being high, steep, and of singular shape. These mountains in\ngeneral are not unlike those of Kaumayok for picturesque outline. In one\nplace, tremendous precipices form a vast amphitheatre, surmounted by a\nledge of green sod, which seemed to be the resort of an immense number\nof sea-gulls and other fowls, never interrupted by the intrusion of man.\nThey flew with loud screams backwards and forwards over our heads, as if\nto warn off such unwelcome visitors. In another place, a narrow chasm\nopens into the mountain, widening into a lagoon, the surrounding rocks\nresembling the ruins of a large Gothic building, with the green ocean\nfor its pavement, and the sky for its dome. The weather being fine, and\nthe sun cheering us with his bright rays, after a cold and sleepless\nnight, we seemed to acquire new vigour, by the contemplation of the\ngrand features of nature around us. We now perceived some Esquimaux with\na woman's boat, in a small bay, preparing to steer for Nachvak. They\nfired their pieces, and called to us to join them, as they had\ndiscovered a stranded whale. Going on shore to survey the remains of\nthis huge animal, we found it by no means a pleasant sight. It lay upon\nthe rocks, occupying a space about thirty feet in diameter, but was much\nshattered, and in a decaying state. Our people, however, cut off a\nquantity of blubber from its lips. The greater part of the blubber of\nthis fish was lost, as the Esquimaux had no means of conveying it to\nOkkak.\n\nThe Esquimaux stationed here showed great willingness to assist us; and\nas our party was much fatigued with rowing all night, they towed us into\nNachvak, where we arrived about 2 P.M. Old Kayaluk and a young man,\nParnguna, and his wife, were here. The latter called on Brother\nKohlmeister, and thanked him for having saved her life. He had forgotten\nthat he had once given her medicine at Okkak in a dangerous illness, but\nher gratitude was still unbounded.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n  _Reception at Nachvak. Description of the bay. The Esquimaux\n  manner of spearing salmon and trout. Christian deportment of\n  the Okkak and Hopedale Esquimaux. Jonas's address to the\n  Heathen. Love of music general among these Indians. Departure\n  from Nachvak. Danger in doubling the North Cape. Arrival at\n  Sangmiyok bay._\n\n\nJuly 16th.--After two or three hours sleep in our cabin, we went on\nshore. The Esquimaux, who had here a temporary station, about fifty in\nnumber, received us with every mark of attention. Loud shouts of joy\nresounded from all quarters, and muskets were fired in every direction.\nThey could scarcely wait with patience for our landing, and when we\npitched our tent, were all eager to assist; thus we were soon at home\namong them. Seven tents were standing on the strand, and we found the\npeople here differing much in their manners from the people at Saeglek.\nTheir behaviour was modest and rather bashful, nor were we assailed by\nbeggars and importunate intruders, as at the latter place, where beggary\nseemed quite the fashion, and proved very troublesome to us. But we had\nno instance of stealing. Thieves are considered by the Esquimaux in\ngeneral with abhorrence, and with a thief no one is willing to trade. We\nhave discovered, however, that that propensity is not altogether wanting\nin the northern Esquimaux, who, now and then, if they think that they\ncan do it without detection, will make a little free with their\nneighbour's property.\n\nThe Esquimaux not only gave us a most hearty welcome, but attended our\nmorning and evening prayers with great silence and apparent devotion.\nIndeed, to our great surprise, they behaved altogether with uncommon\ndecorum and regularity during our stay.\n\n17th. Being detained with drift-ice at the mouth of the bay, we pitched\nour tent on shore. We examined the bay more minutely. It extends to the\nWest to a considerable depth, and is not protected by any islands,\nexcept a few rocks, at some distance in the sea. The surrounding\nmountains are very high, steep, and barren, and verdure is found only in\nthe vallies. Here the _arnica montana_, which the Missionaries have\nfound of great use among the Esquimaux, grows in great abundance.\nSalmon-trout are caught in every creek and inlet.\n\nLike the salmon, they remain in the rivers and fresh-water lakes during\nthe winter, and return to the sea in spring. The Esquimaux about Okkak\nand Saeglek, catch them in winter under the ice by spearing. For this\npurpose, they make two holes in the ice, about eight inches in diameter,\nand six feet asunder, in a direction from north to south. The northern\nhole they screen from the sun, by a bank of snow about four feet in\nheight, raised in a semicircle round its southern edge, and form another\nsimilar bank on the north-side of the southern hole, sloped in such a\nmanner as to reflect the rays of the sun into it. The Esquimaux then\nlies down, with his face close to the northern aperture, beneath which\nthe water is strongly illuminated by the sunbeams entering at the\nsouthern. In his left hand he holds a red string, with which he plays in\nthe water, to allure the fish, and in his right a spear, ready to strike\nthem as they approach. In this manner they soon take as many as they\nwant.\n\nThe salmon-trout on this coast are from twelve to eighteen inches long,\nand in August and September so fat, that the Esquimaux collect from them\na sufficient quantity of oil for their lamps. The immense abundance of\nthese fish on all parts of the coast, would almost at any time save the\nEsquimaux from starving with hunger; but as seals furnish them both with\nfood and clothing, it is of most consequence to them to attend to this\nbranch of supply. At Hopedale and Nain, however, salmon-trout are caught\nonly in the summer.\n\nWe were much pleased with the behaviour of our own Esquimaux, during\ntheir stay at Nachvak. In every respect they conducted themselves, in\nword and deed, as true Christian people. Their conversation with their\nheathen countrymen, was free and unreserved, and \"to the use of\nedifying.\" Jonathan and Jonas in particular, gave us great satisfaction.\n\nThe people having assembled in Jonathan's tent, those who had no room in\nit, standing without and listening with great order and stillness,\nBrother Kohlmeister addressed them, explaining the aim of our voyage;\nthat we were going, out of love to their nation, to the northern\nEsquimaux, and to those of Ungava bay, to make known to them the love of\nGod our Saviour; and, by the gospel, to point out to them the way to\nobtain life everlasting. We knew that they were heathen, who, being\nignorant of the way to God, were in bondage to the devil, and would be\nlost for ever, unless God had mercy upon them and sent them his word, to\nlead them to Jesus Christ their only Saviour, who shed His blood, and\ndied on the cross to redeem their souls.\n\nThey received the discourses and exhortations of the Missionary with\nreverential attention, but those of their own countrymen, with still\ngreater eagerness, and we hope not without benefit. Jonas once addressed\nthem thus; \"We were but lately as ignorant as you are now: we were long\nunable to understand the comfortable words of the gospel: we had neither\nears to hear, nor hearts to receive them, till Jesus, by his power,\nopened our hearts and ears. Now we know what Jesus has done for us, and\nhow great the happiness of those souls is, who come unto Him, love Him\nas their Saviour, and know, that they shall not be lost, when this life\nis past. Without this we live in constant fear of death. You will enjoy\nthe same happiness, if you turn to and believe in Jesus. We are not\nsurprised that you do not yet understand us. We were once like you, but\nnow thank Jesus our Redeemer, with tears of joy, that He has revealed\nHimself unto us,\" Thus, with cheerful countenances and great energy, did\nthese Christian Esquimaux praise and glorify the name of Christ our\nSaviour, and declare, what he had done for their souls, exhorting the\nheathen likewise to believe.\n\nThe above address seemed to make a deep impression on the minds of all\npresent. One of their leaders, or captains, exclaimed with great\neagerness, in presence of them all: \"I am determined to be converted to\nJesus.\" His name is _Onalik_. He afterwards called upon Brother\nKohlmeister, and inquired, whether it was the same, to which of the\nthree settlements he removed, as it was his firm determination to become\na true believer. Brother Kohlmeister answered: \"That it was indifferent\nwhere he lived, if he were only converted and became a child of God, and\nan heir of life eternal.\" Another, named _Tullugaksoak_, made the same\ndeclaration, and added: \"That he would no longer live among the\nheathen.\"\n\nThough the very fickle disposition of the heathen Esquimaux, might cause\nsome doubts to arise in our minds, as to their putting these good\nresolutions into practice, yet we hope, that the seed of the word of\nGod, sown in this place, may not have altogether fallen upon barren\nground.\n\nIn the evening, our people met in Jonathan's tent, and sang hymns.\nAlmost all the inhabitants were present. They afterwards spent a long\ntime in pleasant and edifying conversation. It may here be observed,\nthat the Esquimaux delight in singing and music. As to national songs,\nthey have nothing deserving of that name; and the various collectors of\nthese precious morsels in our day, would find their labour lost in\nendeavouring to harmonize the incantations of their sorcerers and\nwitches, which more resemble the howlings of wolves and growlings of\nbears, than any thing human. But though the hymn and psalm-tunes of the\nBrethren's Church are mostly of antient construction, and, though rich\nin harmony, have no airy melodies to make them easily understood by\nunmusical ears, yet the Esquimaux soon learn to sing them correctly; and\nthe voices of the women are remarkably sweet and well-tuned. Brother\nKohlmeister having given one of the children a toy-flute, Paul took it,\nand immediately picked out the proper stops in playing several\npsalm-tunes upon it, as well as the imperfect state of the instrument\nwould admit. Brother Kmoch having taken a violin with him, the same\nEsquimaux likewise took it up, and it was not long before he found out\nthe manner of producing the different notes.\n\n18th. At 8 A.M. Brother Kohlmeister having delivered a\nfarewell-discourse to the Esquimaux, (during which they were much\naffected), we took leave of these goodnatured people, and set sail with\na fair and strong West-wind, but met with much drift-ice at the entrance\nof the bay. It made less way than our boat, and the wind becoming more\nviolent, we found ourselves in an unpleasant situation. After tacking\nall day, and a great part of the night, the ice preventing our\nproceeding, and the wind, our returning to our former station, we were\nobliged to make for the Eastern point of the bay, where we at length\nsucceeded in gaining a small cove, and cast anchor.\n\nOur situation was singular; the rocks rose in a semicircle around us,\ntowering perpendicularly to an amazing height, like an immense wall.\n\nAfter a few hours stay, two Nachvak Esquimaux joined us, and prevailed\non Jonathan to return to the tents, but we had scarcely reached the\ncentre of the bay, before the violence of the wind drove us out to sea,\nand we were compelled to push for the northern promontory, from which\nall the ice had now retreated. Under the mountains we found shelter from\nthe wind, which had by this time risen to a storm. It was late, and as\nit appeared dangerous to remain here, we rowed towards the point, but\nthere beheld, with terror, the raging of the sea and dashing of the\nwaves against the rocks, the spray flying like clouds into the air, and\nreturned into smooth water, where, however, we were long in finding a\nplace to anchor in. The night was spent quietly under shelter of the\nhigh rocks. They form the base of mountains higher than the _Kiglapeyd_,\nrise perpendicularly, in some places impending, with fragments,\napparently loose, hanging over their edge, and forming all kinds of\ngrotesque figures.\n\n19th. At sun-rise we still saw and heard the storm which threatened us\nwith destruction, if we ventured to double the cape.\n\nAt nine the wind abated, and we set sail, got safe round the point, and\nglided, with a gentle wind, into a broad, shallow bay, called Sangmiyok,\nfull both of hidden and visible rocks, in which we cast anchor about\nfive P.M. While Brother Kmoch superintended the concerns of the kitchen,\nBrother Kohlmeister and Jonathan went on shore, and to the highest\nmountain on the promontory. From the top of this mountain they could\nplainly discern the four principal headlands between Cape Mugford and\nCape Chudleigh. The former situated in latitude 58 deg. N. the latter in\n61 deg. Between these are four promontories, in a line from S.E. to N.W.\nThe first is _Uivak_, at the entrance into Saeglek Bay, outside of which\na small island lies, in form of a pyramid or sugar-loaf. Next follow the\ntwo forming Nachvak Bay, another _Uivak_ to the south of _Nennoktok_,\nupon which we stood. The fourth is _Kakkeviak_, not far from Killinek,\nor Cape Chudleigh, in form of a tent, called in the charts _Blackhead_.\n_Nennoktok_ is called _False Blackhead_.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n  _Pass Cape Nennoktok. Visit the Esquimaux families at\n  Kummaktorvik and Amitok. Description of an Esquimaux travelling\n  bed. Mountains seen at Ungava. Netsek seal described. Greenland\n  houses. Danger of being shipwrecked near Kakkeviak._\n\n\nJuly 20th.--We proceeded with little or no wind, and taking to our oars,\ndoubled the great Cape of Nennoktok. Here a strong swell from the sea\nmet us, and tossed our boat violently about, and, having no wind, it\ndrove us nearer to the shore than was perfectly safe. We remained about\nan hour in this unpleasant situation, when a breeze sprung up, which\ncarried us out to the open sea among islands. It now began to rain very\nhard, and the wind rose. While Brother Kmoch was assisting the people on\ndeck, Brother Kohlmeister had enough to do below, to keep peace among\nthe furniture of our cabin, and sometimes found himself defeated in his\nattempts, pots and pans, and boxes, and every thing that was not a\nfixture, tumbling upon him. Several of our people were in the skin-boat,\nand the fury of the wind and sea would not permit them to come to our\nassistance. The weather also became so thick and foggy between the\nislands, that we were unable to see to any distance. Jonathan was\ntherefore glad to have been yesterday on shore, when from the mountain\nhe discovered the situation of the promontory, the coast, and the\nislands before us, and now contrived to steer in the proper direction.\nWe soon found ourselves in smoother water, and among islands, where a\nvast number of seals and birds made their appearance. At six in the\nevening we reached _Kummaktorvik_, and came to an anchor.\n\nHaving landed, Brother Kmoch shot a hare, close to the beach. These\ncreatures are white in winter, and grey in summer, and in winter so\nnumerous, that though, when roasted, they are excellent food, we were\nalmost tired of them last year at Okkak.\n\nThe rain continuing during the whole of the night and forenoon of the\n21st, we found it necessary by sufficient rest to strengthen ourselves\nfor future watchfulness.\n\nAn Esquimaux travelling bed consists of a large bag of reindeer-skin,\nwith the hair turned inward, covered with seal-skin, the hair turned\noutward. It is furnished with a broad flap to cover the mouth, and a\nstrap to fasten down the flap. This bag comprehends the whole apparatus\nand furniture of an Esquimaux bed-room. Having undressed, the traveller\ncreeps into it, and a kind neighbour having shut him up close by\nfastening the strap, he leaves him to sleep on till morning, when he\nhelps him out again. In summer the flap is dispensed with. The\ninvention, however, is of European origin, and a luxury introduced by\nthe Missionaries; for an Esquimaux lies down in his clothes, without\nfurther preparation.\n\nIn the morning we landed, and had the usual Sunday's service with our\npeople on shore; after which Brother Kohlmeister visited the Esquimaux\nin their tents, and had some religious conversation with them, to which\nthey seemed to pay attention. Afterwards Kuttaktok, John, Nukkapiak, and\nKajulik, with their wives, came to see us on board. They are the winter\ninhabitants of this bay. John was baptized in infancy at Okkak, but\nafterwards left the settlement, and not only associates with the heathen\nEsquimaux, but has even been guilty of murder. All of them, however,\ncome occasionally to Okkak. They had two tents about four miles from our\nlanding place.\n\n22d. The contrary wind forbidding our departure, Brother Kohlmeister,\naccompanied by Jonathan, Jonas, and Thukkekina, walked across the\ncountry to the N.W. bay, to return their visit. When they saw them\ncoming at a distance, they fired their pieces, to direct them to the\ntents, and came joyfully to meet the Missionary and his party. Nothing\ncould exceed the cordiality with which they received them. A kettle was\nimmediately put on the fire to cook salmon-trout, and all were invited\nto partake, which was the more readily accepted, as the length of the\nwalk had created an appetite, the keenness of which overcame all\nsqueamishness. To do these good people justice, their kettle was rather\ncleaner than usual, the dogs having licked it well, and the fish were\nfresh and well dressed. To honour the Missionary, a box was placed for\nhim to sit upon, and the fish were served up to each upon a flat stone\ninstead of a plate. After dinner, Brother Kohlmeister, in acknowledgment\nfor their civility, gave to each of the women two needles, and a small\nportion of tobacco to each man, with which they were highly delighted.\n\nAll of them being seated, a very lively and unreserved conversation took\nplace concerning the only way of salvation, through Jesus Christ, and\nthe necessity of conversion. With John and his mother Mary, Brother\nKohlmeister spoke very seriously, and represented to them the danger of\ntheir state, as apostates from the faith; but they seem blinded by\nSatan, and determined to persist in their heathenish life. The Esquimaux\nnow offered to convey the party across the bay in their skin-boat, which\nwas accepted. Almost all of them accompanied the boat, and met with a\nvery friendly reception from our boat's company. In the evening, after\nsome hymns had been sung by our people, Jonas addressed them and the\nheathen Esquimaux in a short, nervous discourse, on the blessedness of\nbeing reconciled unto God.\n\nKummaktorvik bay runs N.E. and S.W. and is defended by some islands from\nthe sea. It is about four or five miles long, and surrounded by high\nmountains, with some pleasant plains at their foot, covered with\nverdure. It's distance from Nachvak is about twelve miles. This chain of\nmountains, as will be hereafter mentioned, may be seen from\nKangertlualuksoak, in Ungava Bay, which is a collateral proof, that the\nneck of land, terminated to the N. by Cape Chudleigh, is of no great\nwidth. Both the Nain and Okkak Esquimaux frequently penetrate far enough\ninland to find the rivers taking a westerly direction, consequently\ntowards the Ungava country. They even now and then have reached the\nwoods skirting the estuaries of George and South rivers.\n\n23d. We set sail at sun-rise, but the wind being too high to suffer us\nto proceed with safety, we again anchored in a commodious harbour in\n_Amitok_ island. Our people were here busily employed in repairing the\ndamaged rigging and sails. Towards evening Jonas caught a seal, to the\ngreat gratification of our party. It was dressed immediately, and we\njoined them in their repast with a good appetite.\n\nThe _Netsek_ is the only species of seal which remains during the winter\nunder the ice. They form in it large caverns, in which they bring forth\ntheir young, two at a time, in March. More than one cavern belongs to\none seal, that he may, if disturbed in the first, take shelter in the\nsecond. No other kind of seal is caught in winter by the Esquimaux.\n\n24th. Brother Kmoch rose at two, and went on shore to examine the island\nmore minutely. The morning was beautiful, and the sun rose with great\nsplendour. _Amitok_ lies N.W. from Kummaktorvik, is of an oblong shape,\nand stretches out pretty far towards the sea. The hills are of moderate\nheight, the land is in many places flat, but in general destitute of\ngrass. On the other side are some ruins of Greenland houses.\n\nThe Esquimaux have a tradition, that the Greenlanders came originally\nfrom Canada, and settled on the outermost islands of this coast, but\nnever penetrated into the country, before they were driven eastward to\nGreenland. This report gains some credit, from the state in which the\nabovementioned ruins are found. They consist in remains of walls and\ngraves, with a low stone enclosure round the tomb, covered with a slab\nof the same material. They have been discovered on islands near Nain,\nand though sparingly, all along the whole eastern coast, but we saw none\nin Ungava bay. The rocks on Amitok contain large masses of a crumbly,\nsemi-transparent garnet, of a reddish hue. (From some specimens sent\nout, it rather appears to be a rose red quartz, or beryllite).\n\nAs it appeared as if we should be detained here, Brother Kmoch had made\na fire, and was leisurely cooking a savoury mess of birds for breakfast,\nwhen Jonathan returned from the hills, with intelligence that the wind\nwas abating in violence, and he therefore would proceed. The tent was\nstruck, and all hurried on board: yet we had long to combat both an\nunfavourable wind and a strong current, which compelled us to double the\nEast point of the island, and seek shelter among some small islands,\nsteering for _Niakungu_ point. From hence we got the first sight of\n_Tikkerarsuk_, (the Esquimaux name for a low point stretching from the\ncontinent into the sea), of the island _Aulatzevik_, and the high\npromontory of _Kakkeviak_. The whole country to the west of _Niakungu_\nis called _Serliarutsit_. It fell calm as we doubled the point, and we\ntook to our oars, and came to an anchor in an open bay, south of\nTikkerarsuk.\n\n25th. At 6 P.M. we got under weigh with a fine S.E. wind, and made for\nthe island of _Aulatzevik_, which is about the same size as an island of\nthe same name, near Kiglapeyd. The passage between the island and the\nmain is too shallow for an European boat like ours. The wind rising we\nsailed towards Kakkeviak at a great rate. To the right lay a chain of\nsmall islands called by the Esquimaux Pikkiulits, (the habitation of\nyoung eider-ducks). Having nearly doubled _Kakkeviak_ cape, we perceived\ntwo tents on shore, which occasioned loud rejoicings on board. They\nbelonged to _Kumiganna_ of _Saeglek_, with his party, who being bound to\nKillinek, had promised to accompany us thither. The wind was very high,\nand the Cape encircled with numerous visible and invisible rocks, but\nthere was a clear passage to the shore, keeping outside of the breakers.\nBut whether from the violence of the wind, or from the eagerness with\nwhich our trusty captain wished soon to join his countrymen, he steered\nright through the midst of them, when suddenly the boat struck with\ngreat violence upon a sunken rock. The shock was so great, that all on\nboard were thrown down, and every thing tumbled about. Poor Agnes,\nJonas's wife, got a severe wound in her head. We immediately took in all\nour sails, and after hard labour, succeeded in pushing the boat off the\nrock. On examination we found that all was safe, and thanked God, with\nhearts filled with humble acknowledgments of His mercy, for preserving\nus from danger and death. The boat had struck in such a manner, that the\nkeel, which was new and strong, being constructed of one solid piece of\ntimber, sustained the whole shock. Had she taken the rock with her\nbottom, she would most likely have bilged, or upset, and it is a great\nquestion, whether our lives, but particularly the lives of the little\nchildren, could have been saved, the sea running very high. The\nskin-boat was thrown right over the rocks on shore, by the violence of\nthe surf.\n\nKumiganna soon came off in his kayak, and advised us to steer for the\nland right before us, where he thought we should find _Uttakiyok_; nor\nwas there any safe anchorage in this place. We therefore took a young\nEsquimaux on board as pilot, and steered between the main land and the\nislands, for _Oppernavik_, twenty English miles off. Having left the\nskin-boat to follow us, we cut swiftly through the water, and soon\nreached the place of our destination.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\n  _Arrival at Oppernavik. Account of Uttakiyok. His perseverance\n  in waiting for the arrival of the Missionaries. Islands and\n  bays between Kakkeviak and Killinek. Danger in the ice at\n  Ammitok. Want of fuel supplied by robbing old graves._\n\n\nWhen we arrived at Oppernavik, we found _Uttakiyok_, with his two wives\nand youngest brother, waiting to receive us. He and his family are from\nthe Ungava bay, and had been upon the watch in this place during the\nwhole spring. They welcomed us with shouts of joy, and firing of their\npieces, and we had indeed the greatest reason to thank God, that he had\nsent us this man, to conduct us on our way to an unknown country, and\nthrough unfrequented seas.\n\nFor this service Uttakiyok was eminently qualified, and without such a\nsteady, faithful guide, we should have been wandering in the most\npainful and dangerous uncertainty in the desert regions to the West of\nCape Chudleigh, where, on a coast of 100 miles in length, we did not\nmeet with a single inhabitant. He was so anxiously intent upon meeting\nus, that he had erected signals on all the heights surrounding his tent,\nto prevent our missing him. Among his countrymen he is much respected,\non account of his superior sense, and skill in all Esquimaux arts, and\npossesses great influence among them.\n\n_Uttakiyok_ was one of the two Esquimaux, from whom, in the year 1800,\nwe received the first distinct information respecting the Ungava country\nand its inhabitants, by which the desire, excited both at home and here\nin Labrador, to visit the northern Esquimaux, was greatly strengthened,\nand led to a resolution, if possible, to take early steps to accomplish\nthis object, (See page 3).\n\nTwo years ago, he had been on a trading voyage to Okkak, from Killinek,\nwhere he then dwelt, and intended to return, in the summer following, to\nUngava, his native country, but an illness, which befel his son,\ndetained him. This intelligence was received at Okkak during last\nwinter, when we sent him word, that as we purposed paying his countrymen\na visit, we wished him to wait for us, that he might conduct us through\nthe straits of Killinek. But having heard nothing further concerning\nhim, we remained in uncertainty respecting his intentions. We were the\nmore thankful to God, who had disposed the heart of this man cheerfully\nto accept of the commission, and wait to be our guide, an office which\nhe performed with a degree of faithfulness and disinterested kindness,\nwhich claims our admiration and gratitude.\n\nWhile we were here waiting for a favourable opportunity to pass the\nstraits, which were yet filled with ice, he behaved in the kindest\nmanner to us and our Esquimaux. Though a heathen, he regularly attended\nour morning and evening worship, and declared to Jonathan, that he also\nintended to be converted to Jesus, and if we would form a settlement in\nhis country, would come and live with us, and was sure, that many of his\ncountrymen would do the same.\n\nAround his tent, a considerable extent of rock was covered with seal's\nflesh, and in the hollows were pools of oil. Ten bags of blubber were\nstanding ready for sale; and with a view to shew him our good-will,\nBrother Kohlmeister bartered with him for three of them, which were hid\nunder the stones, to take them with us, if practicable, on our return.\n\n26th. We put up our three tents; Uttakiyok's people had three more. Wind\nN.W. We were now near the entrance into the Ikkerasak, (or straits),\nwhich separate the island of Killinek and two or three other large\nislands from the continent. They stretch to the N. to the distance of\nabout 12 or 15 English miles, the outer one forming Cape Chudleigh. To\nthe N.W. of the cape lie some other small islands, called by the\nEsquimaux _Tutsaets_, and N.N.E. of these, the great island\n_Resolution_, called _Igloarsuk_, on which, as we were informed, many\nEsquimaux reside. The Tutsaets were discernible from this place, but not\nthe latter, which however, as the Esquimaux say, may be seen from the\nTutsaets. We guessed at its situation, from the clouds hanging over it\nin the North quarter. The weather was, as might be expected on the\nnorthern coast of America, foggy, rainy, and cold, and our small stove,\nwhich we brought into the tent, was of great use to us during our stay\nin this place.\n\n27th. Rain and wind violent, and prevented our proceeding. We caught\nsome _Pitsiolaks_, (awks), and a brace of young puffins, which, with the\naddition of some salt meat, made excellent broth.\n\n28th. The weather was fair, but the wind still blowing hard at N.W.\nBrother Kmoch went to Uttakiyok's tent, and sitting down with him at the\npoint of Oppernavik, and looking down the coast as far as Kakkeviak, got\nhim to name all the bays, points, and islands, from Kakkeviak to\nOppernavik, of which he made minutes. The distance between the two\npoints or headlands may be guessed at, by the time of sailing with a\nstrong leading wind, namely three hours and a half. Coming up from\nKakkeviak, to the E. lie three islands, _Kikkertorsoak_, _Imilialuk_,\nrather less in view, and _Nessetservik_. Having passed these, there\nfollows a chain of small, naked islands, not very high, stretching\ntowards Killinek. To the W. near Kakkeviak lies _Uglek_; then a bay,\n_Nulluk_, and farther to the left another bay, _Tellek_, (right arm).\nThe country along these bays is called _Attanarsuk_. Now follow the bay\n_Ikkorliarsuk_, the lower point of _Tikkerarsuk_, the bay _Annivagtok_,\nand _Kakkeviak_, a high promontory, (not to be confounded with the other\nKakkeviak, where we struck on the rock. This promontory is only about\nfour miles from Oppernavik to the S.E.). Then follow two small bays,\n_Anniovariktok_ and _Sangmiyok_, then the promontory _Ukkuliakartok_,\n(meaning a headland between two bays), and the bay _Tunnusuksoak_. Next,\nthe last point on the continent, forming the south entrance to the\nIkkerasak. The abovementioned chain of barren islands is called by the\nEsquimaux _Naviarutsit_, and besides them some low rocks, _Nuvurutsit_.\nThe island of Killinek is about nine miles long, and five broad, high,\nand forming the north side of the straits. Another Ikkerasak, (or\nstrait), divides it from an island called Kikkertorsoak, (a common name\nfor an island), of considerable height, but not so long as _Killinek_:\none, or perhaps more islands follow, narrowing E. and W. and forming\nCape Chudleigh.\n\nTo-day there was much ice both in the strait and at sea. We went to the\nnearest island, where Brother Kohlmeister took an observation, and found\nour situation to be 60 deg. 16'.\n\n30th. It blew a hard gale from the N.E., rained hard, and as the ice now\nbegan to enter our harbour, we were busily engaged in keeping it off the\nboat.\n\n31st. Imagining to-day that the straits would be free from ice, we\nresolved to attempt to pass them, and set sail. But it soon became\nevident, that there was still plenty of ice in the neighbourhood, and\nthe wind setting to the N.E. with fogs, we were obliged to return.\nSuspecting also that the easterly wind would again drive the ice into\nour former harbour at Oppernavik, we ran into a short pass, between that\nand a small island called Ammitok, where we anchored under shelter of\nthe island. The sequel proved, that we had for once acted with sound\njudgment and foresight, for our former anchoring-ground was soon filled\nwith ice; and during the night large flakes entered even into our\npresent place of refuge.\n\n_August_ 1st. At day break we found ourselves completely surrounded by\nfloating ice, a strong N.W. wind driving the large shoals from the W.\nside of the little pass in which we lay, with much force towards us,\ninsomuch that our boat was in the greatest danger of being crushed to\npieces by them. We were all day long hard at work with poles,\nboat-hooks, and hatchets, to ward off the larger shoals, but when the\ntide fell, they hung upon our cables and anchors, of which we had three\nout, closing in also on all sides of the boat, so that we were every\nmoment in fearful expectation of her being carried away, and our anchors\nlost, which would have reduced us to the most distressing situation.\nIndeed we all cried to the Lord to help us in this dangerous situation,\nand not to suffer us to perish here, but by His almighty aid, to save us\nand our boat. With great and unremitting exertions we had laboured all\nday, from the morning early, till seven in the evening, when the Lord\nheard our prayers, and sent relief. We now succeeded in working the boat\nout of the ice, the rising of the tide having opened a passage through\nit, just as we were almost exhausted with fatigue. It also became quite\ncalm, and we felt as if we had passed from death to life.\n\nHaving anchored again on the opposite side of the little pass or strait,\nwe gave thanks to God, for the deliverance we had experienced through\nHis mercy, in which our Esquimaux, young and old, most fervently joined.\n\nDuring our stay at Oppernavik, our whole stock of fire-wood was\nexpended, and we were obliged to purchase of our companions, what they\nhad to spare. We likewise robbed some old Esquimaux graves of the wooden\nutensils, which it is the superstitious practice of the heathen to lay\nbeside the corpses of their owners, with old tent-poles, &c. and thus\nobtained fuel sufficient for our cookery.\n\nWood will not decay by mere exposure to the air in Labrador, but wastes\naway gradually; and after forty or more years, the wood found at the\ngraves is still fit for use.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\n  _Departure from Oppernavik. Pass the Ikkerasak of Killinek.\n  Whirlpools. The coast takes a southerly direction. Meeting with\n  Esquimaux from the Ungava country, who had never seen an\n  European. Anchor at Omanek. High tides. Drift-wood. Double Cape\n  Uibvaksoak. Distant view of Akpatok._\n\n\nAugust 2d.--Having made all needful preparations for the voyage, a\ngentle but favourable wind, and occasional rowing, brought us, about\nnine in the morning, to the entrance of the much dreaded Ikkerasak. The\nweather was pleasant and warm, not a flake of ice was to be seen, and\nall our fear and anxiety had subsided. Our minds were attuned to praise\nand thanksgiving for the providential preservation we had experienced\nyesterday. We performed our morning devotions on deck, and all joined in\na joyful hallelujah to God our Saviour, which was sweetly repeated by\nechoes among the mountains and precipices on either side. The\nscripture-text appointed in the Church of the United Brethren for this\nday being read, it seemed as if addressed particularly to us, separated\nas we felt ourselves, in these lonely regions, from the rest of the\ninhabitants of the earth: \"_See now that I, even I, am He, and there is\nno God with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal._\" Deut.\n32, 39. We rejoiced, that we were in the hands of a gracious and\nmerciful God and Father, who would not forsake us, but deal with us\naccording to his wonted mercy and favour.\n\nThe Ikkerasak, (or strait), is about ten miles in length; the land on\neach side high and rocky, and in some places precipitous, but there\nappeared no rocks in the strait itself. The water is deep and clear. Its\nmouth is wide, and soon after entering, a bay opens to the left, which\nby an inlet only just wide enough to admit a boat, communicates with a\nlagoon of considerable magnitude, in which lies an island on its western\nbank. Beyond this bay, the passage narrows and consequently the stream,\nalways setting from N. to S. grows more rapid. Here the mountains on\nboth sides rise to a great height. Having proceeded for two miles in a\nnarrow channel, the strait opens again, but afterwards contracts to\nabout 1000 yards across; immediately beyond which, the left coast turns\nto the south. As the tide ebbs regularly with the current from N. to S.\nalong the whole coast of Labrador, the current through the strait is\nmost violent during its fall, and less, when resisted by its influx on\nrising.\n\nWe were taught to expect much danger in passing certain eddies or\nwhirlpools in the narrow parts of the straits, and were therefore\ncontinually upon the look-out for them. When we passed the first narrow\nchannel, at 12 P.M. it being low water, no whirlpool was perceptible.\nHaving sailed on for little more than half an hour, with wind and tide\nin our favour, we reached the second. Here, indeed, we discovered a\nwhirlpool, but of no great magnitude at this state of the tide. Near the\nnorth-shore the water was, indeed, whirled round in the manner of a\nboiling cauldron of ten or twelve feet diameter, with considerable noise\nand much foam; but we passed without the smallest inconvenience, within\nthirty or forty feet of the outer circle. Our skin-boat, however, which\nwe had in tow, with a man in it, was seized by the vortex, and received\na rapid twist; but as the towing-rope did not break, she was immediately\nrescued from danger by the swiftness of our course, and the affair\nafforded us more diversion than anxiety. The motion of the water in\nthese eddies is so great, that they never freeze in the severest winter.\nThe ice being drawn towards them with great force, the largest shoals\nare carried under water, and thrown up again, broken into numerous\nfragments. The Ikkerasak is at that season utterly impassable for boats.\nThe Killinek people inhabit an island to the right, after leaving the\nstrait.\n\nWhen we quitted the Ikkerasak, and entered the ocean on the western side\nof Cape Chudleigh, it seemed as if we were transported to a new world.\nHitherto the coast to our left had always taken a northerly direction.\nIt now turned to the S.S.W. and is low, with gently sloping hills, the\nsea being full of small islands, abounding in sea-fowl.\n\nTo the N. and N.W. we saw the open sea in Hudson's Straits, which,\ncompared to the turbulent Atlantic, seemed calm and peaceful. We sailed\nbriskly amidst the islands, and overtook the inhabitants of Saeglek,\nwhom we had seen at Kakkeviak, where they had got the start of us. The\nwind being favourable, we did not hail them, but kept on our course. We\nnow saw with pleasure the Ungava country to the South before us, but had\nfirst to pass the low point of _Uivarsuk_, the bay of _Arvavik_, in\nwhich the people from Saeglek had their summer stations, and the\nmountain _Omanek_, of moderate height, and surrounded by many small\nislets, called by the Esquimaux _Erngavinget_, (bowels). We now\ndiscovered three skin-boats full of people standing towards us from the\nshore. They were inhabitants of Ungava, and welcomed our approach with\nloud shouts of joy and firing their pieces, which was answered by our\nparty. They followed us to Omanek, a round island rising like a loaf\namong the rest, where they pitched their tents on shore.\n\nSome of them had formerly dwelt in different places north of Okkak, and\nwere known to the Missionaries in former times, the rest were perfect\nstrangers. They declared their intention of coming over to the North of\nOkkak, to remain some time in that country, for the sake of trade. It\nhas been mentioned, that some of the Ungava people have come to Okkak,\nand carry on a trade between their countrymen and that place. They are a\nkind of middle men, bring fox and bear-skins, and exchange them for\nEuropean goods. These they carry back, and sell at a very advanced price\nin the Ungava country. They spend two years on such a trading voyage.\n\nBrother Kohlmeister visited the people in their tents. They were about\nfifty in number, men, women, and children. He informed them, that\nnothing could induce the Missionaries to come into this country, but\nlove to the poor heathen, and an ardent desire to make them acquainted\nwith their Creator and Redeemer, that through Him they might attain to\nhappiness in time and eternity. Some seemed to listen with great\nattention, but the greater part understood nothing of what was said.\nThis, of course, did not surprise us, as most of them were quite\nignorant heathen, who had never before seen an European. They, however,\nraised a shout of joy, when we informed them, that we would come and\nvisit them in their own country. Many were not satisfied with viewing\nus on every side with marks of great astonishment, but came close up to\nus, and pawed us all over. At taking leave we presented them with a few\ntrifles, which excited among them the greatest pleasure and\nthankfulness.\n\nWe recommend these heathen to the mercy of God, and pray, that the day\nmay soon dawn, when the light of the saving gospel of Jesus may shine\ninto their hearts.\n\n3d. Several of them came on board, once more to see us, and, in their\nway, to express their regard and gratitude. They also got some useful\narticles from our people, in exchange for their goods. We now set sail,\npassed a point called _Oglarvik_, and the bay _Takpangayok_, and arrived\nat _Tuktusiovik_, (a place where reindeer are seen), where we cast\nanchor for the night. Already at Omanek we had discovered a great\ndifference between the rise and fall of the tides there and about\nKillinek. In the latter place it rose to four fathoms, but here still\nhigher. The country looked pleasant, with many berry-bearing plants and\nbushes. There was, likewise, plenty of drift-wood all along the coast;\nnot the large Greenland timber, but small trees and roots, evidently\ncarried out of the great rivers of the Ungava by the ice. We had, of\ncourse, fire-wood enough, without robbing the graves of their\nsuperstitious furniture. Our Esquimaux pitched their tent on shore, and\nwe supped with them on a mess of seal's flesh and eider-ducks. The\nmusquitoes were extremely troublesome during our repast, after which we\nretired to sleep on board the boat.\n\n4th. Wind fair. We passed numerous low rocks; a point, by name unknown\nto Uttakiyok; the bay _Ikpigitok_, two miles broad, and the cape called\n_Uibvaksoak_, the northern boundary of the great bay or gulf of\n_Abloriak_. This cape is surrounded by many bare and sunken rocks, which\ncaused us to stand out pretty far to the westward. While we were off the\npoint, we descried, at a very great distance to the N.W. a large island,\ncalled by the Esquimaux _Akpatok_. They say, that it encloses the whole\nbay or gulf towards the sea, and consists of high land: also, that it is\nconnected with the western continent at low water by an isthmus. The\nnorth coast of this island appears to be the line laid down in maps and\ncharts as the coast of America, to the south of Hudson's Straits. But\nthe district of Ungava is separated from the island by a large inland\nbay, extending southward to the 58 deg. N.L. North of Akpatok, the\nEsquimaux speak of islands well peopled by their countrymen, who have\nnever seen Europeans.\n\nHaving safely doubled the point or cape of _Uibvaksoak_, we came to an\nanchor near a small island to the south, where we spent the night.\n\n5th. Calm weather, and proceeded gently. About 9 A.M. the wind turned\nagainst us, and we ran into a small bay, about five miles from our\nformer anchoring-place. Here we found the _Andromeda tetragona_ growing\nin tolerable quantity, on the banks of a lagoon of fresh water. The face\nof the country was unpleasant, with many steep rocks. On a precipice\nbehind our tent we perceived nests of birds of prey. The naked rocks had\nsingular shapes, and presented to the imagination the ruins of a\ndestroyed town. In the vallies we saw many small lagoons, but little\ngrass, and the excrements of geese. It was about full moon, and the tide\nrising here five or six fathom, occasioned the most strange alterations\nin the prospect towards the sea, which, being smooth and clear of rocks\nat high water, exhibited, after its fall, an archipelago of rugged\nislands and black flats.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\n  _Chain of black mountains. The Dragon's dwelling. Changes\n  occasioned by rise and fall of the tides, and dangers attending\n  them. Uttakiyok's superstitious customs. Singular effect of the\n  tide in the bay of Ittimnekoktok. Arrive at Kangertlualuksoak\n  bay and river. Its situation. Transactions there._\n\n\nAugust 6th.--We crossed the bay _Abloriak_, which is large and wide,\nwith many small islands and rocks towards the sea, and high black\nmountains inland, called _Torngaets_. Uttakiyok, who was always very\neager to make us attentive to every object and its name, shewed us here\na wide and deep cavern, in shape like the gable end of an house,\nsituated at the top of a precipice, in a black mountain, of a very\nhorrid and dark appearance. This, he informed us, was the dwelling place\nof Torngak, the evil spirit. The scenery was, indeed, extremely wild and\nterrible, and the beforementioned prospect of the rocks and islands at\nlow water gave to the whole country a most singularly gloomy character.\nNor is this change, occasioned by the tide in the state of the sea,\nmerely in appearance terrific, it is so in reality: for we never durst\ncast anchor in less than eight or nine fathoms water, lest at ebb-tide\nwe should find ourselves aground, or even high and dry.\n\nThe cavern just spoken of, connected with the chain of black mountains\nin which it is situated, we called the Dragon's dwelling, but had no\ntime to examine the place, though it did not appear inaccessible.\nWhether Uttakiyok would have ventured to accompany us into it, is\nanother question, for he was, with all his good sense, strongly attached\nto the superstitious notions and ceremonies of his countrymen. Thus, on\npassing dangerous places he always hung the claw of a raven to his\nbreast, and carried the blown paunch of a seal upon a tent-pole fixed to\none side of his boat. The latter is a common practice among the northern\nEsquimaux, and probably considered by them all as a very efficient\ncharm.\n\nWe passed _Sioralik_, and many small and flat rocky islands: the bay\n_Issorkitok_, (a grassy place), a nameless headland; and the larger bay\n_Nappartolik_, (a woody country). The wood is said to commence at the\ninterior point of this bay, and to continue throughout the whole of the\nUngava country, which, as we afterwards discovered, extends to a\nconsiderable distance to the southward. Then follows _Tunnuyalik_, a\npoint, or perhaps an island, on which lies a huge white stone, twenty or\nthirty feet high, by which it is distinguished from other similar\nheadlands. A chain of low, flat islands, runs out into the sea to a\nconsiderable distance, and appearing at a distance as continued land,\nthey are mistaken for a cape. Farther on is the bay _Ittimnekoktok_,\nwhere it grew dark before we found a suitable anchorage. The wind was\nhigh, and some of our company went on shore in the skin-boat, in order\nto pitch their tent, and spend the night.\n\n7th. On rising, to our great surprise, we found ourselves left by the\ntide in a shallow pool of water, surrounded by rocky hills; nor could we\nat all discover the situation of our skin-boat, till after the water had\nbegun to rise, and raised us above the banks of our watery dungeon,\nwhen, with great astonishment, not having been able to find it on the\nsurface of the sea, and accidentally directing our eyes upwards, we saw\nit perched upon the top of a considerable eminence, and apparently on\nshore. We then landed, and ascending a rising ground, beheld with some\nterror, the wonderful changes occasioned by the tides. Our course was\nvisible to the extent of two or three English miles, but the sea had\nleft it, and we were obliged to remain in this dismal place, till about\nnoon, before the water had risen sufficiently to carry us out. We now\nbegan to entertain fears, lest we might not always be able to find\nproper harbours, so as to avoid being left high and dry at low water;\nfor having anchored in nine fathoms last night, we were left in one and\na half this morning. Uttakiyok and Thukkekina were with us on shore. The\neminence on which we stood was overgrown with vaccinia and other plants,\nand we saw among them marks of its being visited by hares. Near the\nsummit was a spot, covered with red sand, which stained one's fingers,\nand among it were fragments of a substance resembling cast iron. We\nseemed here to stand on a peninsula connected by an isthmus with another\nisland, or with the continent; but probably at high water it may be a\nseparate island.\n\nAs soon as the tide would permit, we set out, and proceeded towards a\ncape called _Kattaktok_, surrounded by small islands. Between the cape\nand our anchoring place, we passed, on the left, the following objects;\n_Keglo_, a broad deep bay; _Katarusialik_, a headland, probably of the\ncontinent; _Ukkasiksalik_, (meaning a place where soap stone is found),\na peninsula; and to the right of the latter place, an island,\n_Kikkertarsoak_, which lies at the entrance of the _Great Bay_, or\nestuary of the great river _Kangertlualuksoak_. We sailed with a strong,\nbut favourable wind, with some rain, between the peninsula and the\nisland; and not trusting to the depth of the water at ebb-tide, sent two\nkayaks forward to sound. They soon brought us into a good harbour, where\nwe cast anchor about half past five P.M.\n\n_Kangertlualuksoak_ river was the spot to which we had principally\ndirected our views. It lies about 140 miles S.S.W. of Cape Chudleigh. By\nan observation at its mouth its latitude appeared to be 58 deg. 57'. But we\nhad no means of finding the longitude. At its entrance the bay runs\nrather S.S.E. for about ten or twelve English miles, then turns due S.E.\nfor six or eight more, and after that S.W. At the second turn towards\nthe S.E. there is the greatest quantity of wood, chiefly Larch, but of\nmoderate size. We particularly noticed a fine slope facing the south,\nwhich appeared the most pleasant part of the bay, to which a vessel\nmight approach and anchor with convenience, there being from 24 to 30\nfathoms water. We also imagined that the entrance from the sea would be\nfree from obstructions, as no islands are seen in that direction.\nUttakiyok likewise declared, that there was no bar or sunken rocks near\nthe mouth of the bay.\n\nWe found no inhabitants on our arrival, but on the 13th, a whole company\nof people from Killinek joined us.\n\nOur transactions in the bay of _Kangertlualuksoak_, from the 7th, are\nhere noticed more in detail.\n\n_August_ 8th. We landed, and went in search of our people, who had spent\nthe night in tents on shore. Okkiksuk accompanied us to the top of a\nhill, overlooking the bay _Ittimnekoktok_, where we had anchored the day\nbefore. We saw it quite dry, and full of large fragments of rock.\nTurning towards the land, we discovered some wood at a distance. The\nweather being calm and warm, the musquitoes were excessively\ntroublesome. The vallies here are overgrown with verdure, and the hills\npretty well clothed with moss, and berry-bearing plants; but we could\nnot continue our walk, on account of the musquitoes, which persecuted us\nunmercifully, and drove us back to our tents. All our men were out, two\non that side on which we had landed, and the others having crossed the\nbay in their kayaks, were employed in hunting reindeer. Jonathan only\nremained at home. In the afternoon he accompanied us in the small boat,\nto a hill, situated to the South of our station, at about two miles\ndistant, where we landed, and went up the country, but found nothing\nmuch worth notice. We observed, that round the headland near us, the\nwater was very rough, with eddies and whirlpools, occasioned by the\nrising of the high tides. On returning to our little boat, we found it\naground. We therefore gathered some drift-wood, of which there was\nplenty, and made a good fire, at which we sat down and regaled ourselves\nwith some biscuit and beer. Having pushed the boat into the water, we\nset out, but owing to the violence of the current had hard work to get\nto the great boat, and did not arrive till dark. Jonas saluted us from\non board, by firing off his piece in token of success, and we found that\nhe had got two, and his companion three reindeer, and a small black\nbear. The carcases were left at the tents, where part was cooked, and a\nmess brought to us on board, which proved an agreeable repast after our\nfatigue. Jonas and his family spent the night on board, the rest of the\nEsquimaux in their tents on shore.\n\n9th. Jonas having found a good harbour on the other side of the bay, and\nthe current being here very strong, we sailed across and anchored there.\nThe strand was even, and full of smooth rocks, above high water mark.\nThe bottom of the bay is mud, and a slimy substance, covering all the\nstones and pebbles, left by the tide, makes walking very troublesome.\n\nThe land is not high, but pleasant, covered with moss, with many small\nponds, and marks of being frequented by reindeer.\n\n10th. We went farther up the bay in the skin-boat, with Jonathan,\nUttakiyok, Thukkekina, Paul, David, and Okkiksuk. At a short distance\nfrom the place where we had landed yesterday, we came to a fine green\nterrace, overgrown with low shrubs and bushes, which delighted us much.\nFrom hence, a woody valley, extending to the left, seemed to invite us\nto take that course into the country, but we would not waste our time by\nexamining it. On sailing farther up the bay, and turning round the\nabovementioned terrace, we came to a small inlet, dry at low water, on\nthe left shore. Its banks were pleasantly covered with low bushes,\ninterspersed with higher trees, and the place seemed to us very suitable\nfor a settlement. From hence we perceived, at a short distance, on the\nopposite coast, a cape or headland, over which the tops of trees made\ntheir appearance. We sailed towards it, and found behind it a tract\ncovered with low wood, chiefly larch and pine: on landing we saw the\ntracks of rein-deer, which had just left the spot. Jonathan, in an\ninstant, ran like a young man for his gun, and with it into the wood. We\nfollowed him for two or three miles, but saw nothing but the track of\nthe deer. The country inland seems in general level, with some low\nhills, and many ponds; without wood, but overgrown with rein-deer moss.\nNo success attended our huntsman, and in the evening we met again in the\nboat. Brother Kmoch had kept up with Jonathan, and saw, among the\nbushes, the same kind of large partridge, or American wild pheasant,\nwhich is found about Okkak, but seems only to live in woods. It was a\nhen, with a covey of young birds, one of which which he caught,\nexamined, and let go again, nor would he take or shoot the hen, out of\ncompassion to the young brood.\n\nBrother Kohlmeister had meanwhile gone farther up the bay, and thought\nhe had discovered the entrance of the river, but no fresh water\nappearing, we must still have been a great way off its influx into the\nbay.\n\nWe now lighted a fire, boiled coffee, and cooked a dish of reindeer\nvenison. The weather was warm, and the night fine and clear, but frosty.\nHaving brought our travelling-beds with us on shore, (see page 34), we\ncrept into them, and spent the night at the fire-side, the Esquimaux\nlying down anywhere about us. In the morning, the whole country was\ncovered with hoar-frost, and the straw we had lain upon was frozen fast\nto the ground.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\n  _Further transactions in Kangertlualuksoak Bay. The Esquimaux\n  women frightened by reports of Indians. Ceremony of taking\n  possession of this new-explored country, as belonging to the\n  King of England, and of naming the river George river. Leave\n  the bay and proceed to Arvarvik. Whales caught by the Esquimaux\n  in the shallows. Storm at Kernertut._\n\n\nAugust 11th.--We rose by break of day, and after breakfast, sailed\nacross the bay, and landed at the second small inlet, with an intention\nof penetrating into the country, but the returning warmth of the weather\nby day, and the myriads of musquitoes we had to contend with, rendered\nus unable to execute our purpose.\n\nThe Missionaries and Jonathan ascended a hill, from which a great tract\nof country might be overlooked. It was full of wood, as far as the eye\ncould reach. Near the inlet some places seemed boggy, or covered with\ngrass. From hence a valley stretched into the country, with a small lake\nin it, about two or three miles distant. Berries were every where in\nabundance. The summits of the hills had no wood upon them, but much\nreindeer-moss.\n\nOn our return, being about a mile from our landing-place, we saw our\nskin-boat in the middle of the bay, and fired a gun as a signal for it\nto come to us. The Esquimaux had five rein-deer in the boat, which\nUttakiyok had perceived on the opposite bank. He had followed them in\nhis kayak, driven them into the water, and killed them there. When hard\npressed, reindeer soon take to the water, and swim so well, that a\nfour-oared boat can scarcely come up with them, but an Esquimaux, in his\nkayak will overtake them. They therefore, if possible, drive them into\nthe water, being then sure of their game.\n\nAfter dining on part of the venison, we returned to the great boat. On\nthe passage, we thought we perceived at a considerable distance a black\nbear, and Uttakiyok, elated with his recent success, hoped to gain new\nlaurels. He entered his kayak and proceeded as cautiously as possible\nalong the shore, towards the spot, landed, climbed the hill, so as not\nto be observed, but when he had got just within gun-shot, perceived,\nthat his bear was a black stone. This adventure furnished the company\nwith merriment for the remainder of the voyage to the boat, which we\nreached about six P.M.\n\nWhen we got on board the boat, we found that all the women had taken\nrefuge in it, thinking that they had seen Indians onshore. The men\ntherefore immediately landed, to take care of the forsaken tents. This\nwas no doubt a false alarm, for we never discovered any traces of them\nduring our stay. To the south of Hopedale the Indians and Esquimaux\nsometimes meet, but as the Hopedale Esquimaux seek to cultivate their\nfriendship, quarrels and bloodshed seldom occur. In Ungava, however,\nthough they often exchange tokens of friendship, they are apt to give\nway to their national jealousies; and provocations being aggravated,\ntheir meetings now and then terminate in murder. The Esquimaux are much\nafraid of the Indians, who are a more nimble and active race.\n\n12th. Having finished reconnoitring the neighbourhood, and gathered all\nthe information concerning it, which our means would permit, and\nlikewise fixed upon the green slope or terrace above described, as the\nmost suitable place for a settlement, on account of the abundance of\nwood in its neighbourhood, we made preparations to proceed. Uttakiyok,\nwho had spent more than one winter in the Ungava country, assured us,\nthat there was here an ample supply of provisions, both in summer and\nwinter, which Jonathan also credited, from his own observation. The\nformer likewise expressed himself convinced, that if we would form a\nsettlement here, many Esquimaux would come to us from all parts. We\nourselves were satisfied that Europeans might find the means of\nexistence in this place, as it was accessible for ships, and had wood\nand water in plenty. As for Esquimaux, there appeared no want of those\nthings upon which they live, the sea abounding with whitefish, seals,\nsea fowl, &c. and the land with reindeer, hares, bears, and other\nanimals. The people from Killinek declared their intention of removing\nhither, if we would come and dwell among them, and are even now in the\nhabit of visiting this place every summer. Our own company even\nexpressed a wish to spend the winter here.\n\nThis being the day before our departure, we erected, on two opposite\nhills, at the entrance of the bay, high marks of stones, and on the\ndeclivity of a hill to the right, a board, into which we had cut an\ninscription, thus--\n\n[Illustration: In front,\nGeorgius III. Rex.\nSocietas\nUnitatis Fratrum.]\n\n[Illustration: At the back.\nBenjamin Kohlmeister,\nGeorge Kmoch,\nAug. 7, 1811.\nThe day of our arrival.]\n\nWe raised and fixed this tablet with some solemnity, in presence of\nUttakiyok and his family, as representatives of the people of Ungava,\nand of our own company, and hoisted the British flag alongside of it,\nwhile another was displayed at the same time in the boat. We explained\nthe cause of this ceremony to all present, to the following effect--\n\n\"That we, on this day, raised this sign, in the name of our king, George\nIII. the great monarch of all these territories, in testimony of our\nhaving explored it, and made choice of it, in case we or our Brethren\nshould think proper to settle here. To which we called upon all present\nto bear witness.\" We then proclaimed the name of the Kangertlualuksoak\nto be henceforth _George River_, upon which every man fired his piece\nthree times, the vollies being answered from the boat.\n\nThe texts of scripture appointed for this day were then read, and we\nremarked how encouraging they were, as relating to the purpose, for\nwhich we visited these unknown regions:\n\n_From the rising of the sun, even to the going down of the same, my name\nshall be great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of Hosts!_ Mal. 11, 1.\n\n_At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and\nthings in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue shall\nconfess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father!_\nPhilippians, 2, 10, 11.\n\nAfter the ceremony was over, we distributed some pease, bread, and beer\namong the Esquimaux, which enabled them to make a splendid feast, and the\nday was spent in the most agreeable manner.\n\n13th. We set sail, about six A.M. with a gentle breeze, which however\nsoon fell away entirely, and obliged us to take to our oars. Near the\nmouth of the bay, we met several kayaks, coming towards us. They were\nEsquimaux from Killinek, who expressed regret at not having sooner heard\nof our being here; some came on board, and traded with our people. We\npresented them with a little tobacco, for which they were very thankful.\n\nIn order to get well out of the bay, we first steered North, and then\npassed to the S.W. between a peninsula _Nauyat_, lying to the left of\nthe entrance, and seven small islands and rocks on the right, towards\nthe island of _Arvarvik_, about six or seven miles distant, where we\nwere obliged to cast anchor in an exposed situation, the wind having\nbecome contrary. There was a strong swell during the night, which\nviolently agitated our boat.\n\n_Arvarvik_ is about five miles in circumference. It is covered with the\nbones of whales, which the Esquimaux catch here in their kayaks. The\ncoast is surrounded by a great number of small low islands, with deep\npools between them. Into these the whales stray at high water, and at\nthe ebbing of the tide, are prevented finding their way back again. The\nEsquimaux then pursue and kill them with harpoons. In the island are\nponds of fresh water, and some low hills, overgrown with moss. A great\nnumber of sea-fowl, and also reindeer, are found upon it.\n\nOn the shore we found great quantities of a red jasper, or iron-stone,\nthe same which occurs throughout the coast, from _Killinek_ to South\nriver, not as a stratum, but in lumps, and generally below high water\nmark.\n\nThe Esquimaux who landed on the continent reported, that about two miles\ninland, there was much low wood.\n\n14th. We left our unpleasant anchorage, and returned to a place where\nthe skin-boat had lain during the night, as it was sheltered from the\nSouth wind, which had risen considerably.\n\n15th. Our people went out to hunt reindeer, and returned in the evening\nwith two. The wind shifted to the west, and blew with violence. We spent\nagain an uneasy night.\n\n16th. Brother Kmoch went on shore and returned with a parcel of stones\nfor examination. We now began to feel some anxiety on account of the\ngreat loss of time we were suffering here by contrary winds.\n\n17th. About eight o'clock we set sail, the wind having come round to the\nS.E. with a cloudy sky. We passed several nameless islands, at the\ndistance of about a mile from the shore. In the afternoon, it began to\nrain hard, and after having sailed about twelve miles, we cast anchor\nnear a long point of land, called _Kernertut_, by which we were\nsheltered from the wind, which had again turned to the South-west. The\nsky however was clear, and the beginning of the night pleasant, with\nbeautiful appearances of the Aurora Borealis. Most of our people, and\nwith them Uttakiyok, had gone in the skin-boat higher up the bay, but it\nwas too shallow to admit of our following them. Only Jonas and his\nchildren, and the two boys Okkiksuk and Mammak, were left with us on\nboard.\n\nDuring the night the wind veered round to the N.E. and blew a gale,\nwhich increased in violence till day-break.\n\n18th. The sea now rose to a tremendous height, such as we had never\nbefore experienced, and by the change of wind, we were exposed to the\nwhole of its fury. The rain fell in torrents. We lay at three anchors,\nand the boat was tossed about terribly, the sea frequently breaking\nquite over her, insomuch that we expected every moment to be swallowed\nup in the abyss. With much difficulty we succeeded in lowering our\nafter-mast. Jonathan and the rest of our company on shore, were obliged\nto be passive spectators of the dreadful scene, waiting the event in\nsilent anguish. They quitted their tents, and came forward to some\neminences near the beach, where, by lifting up their hands, and other\ngestures, they expressed terror, bordering on despair. Frequently the\nboat was hid from their view by the waves, which ran mountains high.\nThey expected every moment that we should break loose from our anchors,\nand the boat be driven on the rocks. The length of our cables was here\nof the greatest advantage to us. About noon, the rope by which the small\nboat was fastened, broke. She was immediately carried up the bay, and\nthrown, by the violence of the surf, on the top of a rock, where she\nstuck fast, keel upwards. It was impossible to render us any assistance,\ntill the tide turned, when the raging of the sea, and the wind, began to\nabate. As soon as it was practicable, Jonathan and the other men came to\nus in the skin-boat. He seemed quite overcome with joy, and, not able to\nutter a word, held out his hand, and shed tears of gratitude that he met\nus again alive, for he had given us up for lost.\n\nWe now endeavoured to bring the great boat closer to the shore, landed,\npitched our tent, and gave thanks to God for the merciful deliverance we\nhad just experienced. Indeed all our people most fervently joined in\npraise to Him for the preservation of our lives. A warm dinner was soon\nprepared, by which we were much refreshed.\n\nAs soon as the tide had ebbed sufficiently for it, our people went to\nthe rock, on which the small boat lay, and got her into the water. To\nour great surprize we found, that she had received no material injury.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\n  _Doubts expressed by Jonathan and the other Esquimaux on the\n  expediency of continuing the voyage. Consultations. Resolve to\n  proceed. Thunder-storm at Pitsiolak. Account of Indians.\n  Esquimaux cookery and hunting feasts. Arrival in the river\n  Koksoak._\n\n\nJonathan and Jonas now became more and more anxious about our situation.\nThey represented to us, that, if we attempted to proceed farther, we\nmight probably be compelled to remain here the whole winter, as the\nstormy season was fast approaching. They added, that to _them_, it would\nbe of little consequence, but that they were concerned on _our_ account.\n\nThough we had not said any thing as yet that might tend to shake the\nconfidence of our party, yet we felt no small degree of perplexity\nconcerning present appearances. During the six days since we left\nGeorge's River, we had made little more than fourteen or fifteen miles,\nand were at least, as far as we could judge, seventy or eighty from the\nriver _Koksoak_, which we had fixed upon as the final object of the\nvoyage, being the outermost western boundary of the Ungava country.\nInsurmountable difficulties seemed now to present themselves, owing\npartly to contrary winds and cold weather, and partly to loss of time,\nfor we had been already two months on the voyage, and had not yet\nobtained our aim: so that our return might be unseasonably late, if we\nproceeded. We could not possibly make up our minds to spend the winter\nhere, as we had not a sufficient supply of provisions, and knew what\ndistress it would occasion to our Brethren at Okkak.\n\nWe felt quite at a loss what to do in this dilemma, and our path seemed\nenveloped in obscurity. We remembered, that \"_to the upright there\nariseth a light in the darkness_,\" (Ps. 112, 4): that is, to them who\nfear and trust in the Lord, and sincerely desire to know and do His\nwill, He will reveal it. In His name we had entered upon this voyage,\nthe only ultimate object of which was, the conversion of a benighted,\nneglected nation, in one of the remotest corners of the earth. We were,\ntherefore, sure that He would not forsake us, nor leave us in\nuncertainty as to His will concerning us, but that He, \"_whose eyes run\nto and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the\nbehalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him_,\" (2 Chron. 16, 9.)\nwas, even in this desolate region, present with us, and would hear and\nanswer our prayers. Many comfortable texts of scripture occurred to our\nminds on this occasion, filling us with an extraordinary degree of faith\nand confidence in Him, particularly such as, \"_He will be very gracious\nunto thee at the voice of thy cry; when He shall hear it, He will answer\nthee_,\" Isa. 30, 19. Also, Dan. 10, 19; Jer. 16, 21; Isa. 43, 2, &c. The\nmercies, also, which we had already experienced, excited within us a\nsense of the deepest gratitude and most firm trust; and we therefore\ntold our people, that we indeed participated in their concern, would\ntake the subject into serious consideration, and acquaint them with our\ndetermination on the morrow.\n\n19th. In the morning we met in our tent, where we were safe from the\nintrusion of the Esquimaux, to confer together upon this most important\nsubject. We weighed all the circumstances connected with it, maturely\nand impartially, as in the presence of God, and, not being able to come\nto any decision, where reasons for and against the question seemed to\nhold such an even balance, we determined to commit our case to Him, who\nhas promised, that \"_if two of His people shall agree on earth, as\ntouching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them_,\"\n(Matth. 18, 19.) and, kneeling down, entreated Him to hear our prayers\nand supplications in this our distressed and embarrassing situation, and\nto make known to us His will concerning our future proceedings, whether\nwe should persevere in fulfilling the whole aim of our voyage, or,\nprevented by circumstances, give up a part, and return home from this\nplace.\n\nThe peace of God which filled our hearts on this memorable occasion, and\nthe strong conviction wrought in us both, that we should persevere, in\nHis name, to fulfil the whole of our commission, relying without fear on\nHis help and preservation, no words can describe; but those who believe\nin the fulfilment of the gracious promises of Jesus, given to His poor\nfollowers and disciples, will understand us, when we declare, that we\nwere assured, that it was the will of God our Saviour, that we should\nnot now return and leave our work unfinished, but proceed to the end of\nour proposed voyage. Each of us communicated to his brother the\nconviction of his heart, all fears and doubts vanished, and we were\nfilled anew with courage and willingness to act in obedience to it, in\nthe strength of the Lord. O that all men knew the comfort and happiness\nof a mind devoted unto, and firmly trusting in God in all things!\n\nWhen we made known our determination to Jonathan and his son Jonas, and\ntold them, that we had maturely considered the subject committed by them\nto us, and that, in answer to our prayers, the Lord had convinced us,\nthat, not having obtained the aim of our voyage, we should proceed,\nJonas, at first, seemed not quite satisfied, but our excellent captain,\nJonathan, without hesitation replied: \"Yes, that is also my conviction!\nWe will go whither Jesus directs us. He will bring us safe to our\njourney's end, and safe home again.\" We were, indeed, glad and thankful\nthat the Lord had inclined the heart of this man, who but yesterday\nseemed to be quite dispirited, to take this resolution, for much\ndepended upon him, and the rest followed him without difficulty. Indeed\nthey all submitted to our determination with a willing mind, and their\nexpressions of resignation affected us much.\n\nDuring the day, the men had been out a-hunting, when Uttakiyok killed\nthree reindeer, which occasioned great rejoicing, and helped to make our\npeople forget the frightful scenes of yesterday. The country is full of\nblack looking rocks, between which reindeer-moss and berries grow in\nplenty. The shore exhibited still many marks of the violence of the\nstorm.\n\n20th. We proceeded with a favourable wind at N.E. Our course lay S.W.\nacross a broad bay, then, after doubling a point, across another bay of\nabout the same breadth, to an island _Allukpaluk_, which we passed on\nthe right, and on the left, another island, _Nipkotok_. At a\nconsiderable distance a-head lay the islands _Pitsiolak_, opposite a\nheadland of the continent called _Tuktutok_.\n\nThe sky had been from the morning cloudy, the wind became unfavourable\nand violent, and about noon heavy rain came on. Not being well able to\nproceed, on account of the violence of the wind, we cast anchor on the\nwest side of _Pitsiolak_, about 2 P.M. but perceiving a thunderstorm\nrising from the western horizon, with very black clouds, threatening to\ndrive us on shore if we remained at this anchorage, we weighed as\nquickly as possible, and endeavoured to get to the other side of the\nisland.\n\nMeanwhile a most tremendous storm of thunder, lightning, and rain\novertook us. The claps of thunder followed the flashes without interval,\nand the lightning seemed to strike into the water close to our boat,\nwhile the wind carried the spray into the air like smoke. Providentially\nwe had doubled the northern point before the worst came on, and got to\nan anchor under shelter of the land. The storm passed by swiftly, it\ngrew calm, the sun broke out, and the weather became uncommonly fine\nwith us, though at a distance we saw the black clouds, and heard the\nhollow murmuring of the thunder for a long time.\n\nWe now expected to have a comfortable night's rest, but it grew\nintensely cold, and again began to blow violently from the west. The\nstrong current and heavy swell brought us into some danger, and the poor\npeople, who were obliged to remain on deck all night, suffered much from\ncold and wet. When the tide was full, about midnight, the island we had\nseen to the west nearly vanished, the greater part being covered with\nwater.\n\n21st. In the morning we again saw the skin-boat lying upon a pretty high\nrock, and a tent pitched close to it. The weather was calm, but the wind\ncontrary. Our Esquimaux made good use of this respite to refresh\nthemselves after the fatigues of the night with a hearty meal and a\nsound nap.\n\nIn the afternoon we landed. The island Pitsiolak, which forms two at\nhigh water, is low and flat, overgrown with Empetrum and Rubus\nChamoemorus, (_Akpik_-berries). Quantities of driftwood float about the\nshores. The jasper occurred here again. This island may be about four or\nfive miles long, and, at low water, is connected with other islands to\nthe north. By the help of our glasses we could perceive woods on the\ncontinent, and the Esquimaux thought they discovered the smoke of Indian\nfires. They are much afraid of meeting these people. Bloody encounters\noccasionally occur between them. The Indians come from the interior, and\nfrom Hudson's Bay, and are frequently seen near the two principal\nrivers, George river and South river, towards which we were going; but\nwe met with none. Brother Kohlmeister rather wished for it, as some of\nthem are said to understand English, and he was desirous of endeavouring\nto bring them to a more peaceable disposition towards the Esquimaux, by\nfriendly conversation.\n\n22d. We found the skin-boat a great hindrance to us. Without being\nobliged to take that in tow, we might have kept at a greater distance\nfrom the shore, which would have enabled us to get on more rapidly, and\nwith greater safety. On shore we found a great quantity of cubical\npyrites in a grey matrix. The Esquimaux are attentive to this mineral,\nand have before now brought it to Okkak.\n\n23d. We proceeded at 6 A.M. and steered for the island of _Saeglorsoak_.\nThe islands called _Nocharutsit_ lay on our left. They are a group of\nnumerous small islands, many of which are overflowed at high water,\nextending W. and E. towards the entrance of South river. Between these\nislands and Akpatok, the sea is said to be clear of rocks, and the water\nof sufficient depth for any ship entering from Hudson's Straits, and\nbound to the Koksoak, or South river; but no ship durst, in our opinion,\nventure to approach the coast of Ungava within twenty or thirty miles.\n\nIn the afternoon, the tide turning against us, and the wind\nunfavourable, we were obliged to come to an anchor among the islands. We\nhad left the skin-boat behind, with Thukkekina, Uttakiyok's brother\nAnnoray, and one of his wives, to whom he had given his baggage in\ncharge. The Esquimaux wives are very punctilious, the first always\nmaintains the highest dignity, regulates the housekeeping, distributes\nthe provisions, and directs everything, as mistress of the family.\n\nJonas went out in his kayak, and shot a seal. We saw many, and fired at\nthem, but got none. Whitefish were likewise seen at a distance.\nUttakiyok and David were out in their kayaks, and joined us in the\nevening loaded with geese.\n\nOn the turn of the tide we proceeded, and at ten P.M. cast anchor among\nthe Nocharutsits, under a pretty high island, about three or four miles\nin circumference. All our people remained on board during the night,\nwhich was calm and pleasant.\n\n24th. David roused us about five o'clock, by firing at a seal, which he\nkilled. The women went on shore to cook it with some geese. When they\nreturned, we all breakfasted on the contents of their pot.\n\nThe Esquimaux want no books of cookery to manage their kitchen affairs.\nThe meat is boiled with the blood in it, and the addition of some water.\nWhen it is sufficiently done, that is, according the Ungava custom, when\nhalf warm, the women take it out of the pot, and serve it up on a piece\nof stone, if on shore, and on a piece of board, if at sea. Then the\nperson, who has caught the seal or game, proclaims with great\nvociferation, that the _men_ may come and sit down to eat. Such exertion\nof voice, however, seems hardly necessary, as the Esquimaux are very\nacute at hearing, when they are invited to dinner. When the men have\ndone, the women sit down, having taken good care, beforehand, that their\nshare is secured. The Esquimaux customs never permit men and women to\nsit down together at a meal.\n\nIt sometimes happens among the heathen Esquimaux, that several having\nhad good success, one huntsman's feast is hardly over, before another\nproclaims the invitation to his banquet. This is never suffered to pass\nunnoticed, while the power of cramming down another morsel remains. Thus\nthey will continue eating, till they are scarcely able to breathe, and\nthen lie down to sleep off the effects of their gluttony. Indeed their\nexcessive voraciousness on such occasions produces, especially after\nlong fasting, all the symptoms of drunkenness. They forget, under its\nsensual influence, all moderation, and abandon themselves to the most\ndisgusting abominations.\n\nIn the afternoon we steered W. by N. (wind N.E.), for the cape of\n_Kernerauyak_, at the east side of the entrance of the river _Koksoak_,\n(Sand river). Before we arrived at the cape, we left some islands to the\nSouth, the largest of which is again called _Kikkertarsoak.\nSaeglorsoak_, is a large flat island, about eight or ten miles long, and\nits neighbourhood very dangerous, on account of many sunken rocks. The\ncontinent hereabouts is well wooded, and Indians are said to be\nfrequently seen in the interior. The mouth of the Koksoak is seven or\neight English miles broad: its shores steep, but the rocks in general\nlow, and covered with moss. The Esquimaux say, that in the middle there\nis water enough for any large ship, though the tides prevent any near\napproach to the land. At sunset we came to an anchor at the mouth of the\nriver.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\n  _Sail up the river Koksoak. Transactions in that region.\n  Dangerous eddy. Meet Esquimaux. Address to them. Their joy and\n  eagerness to have Missionaries, resident among them. Find a\n  suitable situation for a settlement. Description of the\n  country._\n\n\nAugust 25th.--This was the joyful day on which at last we saw our hopes\nrealized, and the principal aim of our journey obtained. The sun rose\nbeautifully, and announced a delightful day. We were obliged to wait\ntill seven A.M. for the turn of the tide, before we could proceed up the\nriver. The estuary of the _Koksoak_ lies, according to an observation\ntaken, in 58 deg. 36' N. latitude, nearly the same as Okkak. To the west\nthe country is called by the Esquimaux _Assokak_, the coast turning again\nW.N.W. This river, therefore, seems to be at the most southern point of\nthe coast, George's river entering the sea at 58 deg. 52', consequently\nmore North.\n\nThe Koksoak appeared to us to be about as broad as the Thames at\nGravesend, or the Elbe near Hamburg, and the whole river, with its\nvarious windings, much resembles the Thames for twenty-four miles\nupwards. Its depth is sufficient for a ship thus far. Its general\ndirection is from the South. We reckoned it to be about 600 or 700 miles\nfrom Okkak, and Killinek or Cape Chudleigh half way.\n\nHaving proceeded five or six miles up the river, we came to a small\nisland, which we left on our right.\n\nWe saw several sacks of blubber, a sledge, and some other, articles\nlying on the beach, and Jonathan and Brother Kmoch went in the small\nboat to discover the proprietors, but found nobody there, to guard the\ngoods.\n\nA little farther on is a point of land running out into nearly the\nmiddle of the stream. The current sets very rapidly round it, so as to\nform a dangerous eddy. Our boat was seized, and twice turned quite\nround; the small boat was whirled about several times, as she pushed\nthrough it. The women on board our boat, on seeing this, set up a loud\nscream; but Jonathan only laughed at their fears, and we afterwards saw\nkayaks passing the eddy in perfect safety.\n\nHaving doubled the point, we perceived several kayaks approaching. The\npeople in them shouted aloud for joy, exclaiming, _Innuit, Innuit_! Men,\nMen! Some guns were also fired in the boat, which were soon answered by\nsome fowling-pieces from the shore.\n\nWe now saw three tents pitched on the bank, and hoisted our colours,\nwhen we were incessantly hailed by the inhabitants. There was a general\ncry of _Kuve, Kuve, Kablunaet, Kablunaet!_ Europeans, Europeans! from\nthe men in the kayaks, who, by all manner of gesticulations, expressed\ntheir pleasure, brandishing their pautiks, (oars), and shouting\ncontinually as they rowed alongside the boat. The women on shore\nanswered with loud acclamations.\n\nAbout one P.M. we cast anchor close to their habitations. Fourteen\nfamilies were here, among whom were some from a distant district, called\n_Eivektok_. These had pitched their tents farther up the river.\n_Arnauyak_ was with them, a man, with whom Brother Kohlmeister had\nbecome acquainted some years ago, exceedingly regretted, that he had but\na few days ago left the place, to hunt reindeer on George's river. The\nchildren expressed their joy by running to and fro on the strand, like\nwild creatures.\n\nAt first, the people in the tents appeared rather shy, but after\naccepting of some trifling presents, they became quite communicative,\nand gave us some of their toys in exchange; then walking round us,\nsurveyed us narrowly, as if we were a new species of animals. Most of\nthem had never before seen an European. Uttakiyok's brother had joined\nthem, and already informed them of our arrival, without which they would\nprobably have been yet more alarmed at seeing strangers, and hearing the\nreport of fire-arms.\n\nThey now invited all our people to dine with them, and having heard that\nBrother Kohlmeister would like to taste the flesh of a whitefish, a\nkettle was immediately placed on the fire, and a large piece put in to\nboil. Brother Kmoch meanwhile cooked a savoury soup of birds, and\nreindeer-flesh, more fit for an European stomach. While dinner was\npreparing, Brother Kohlmeister took a walk up the bank of the river, and\nacross some hills. As the families belonging to _Eivektok_ had their\nsummer dwelling in that neighbourhood, the Esquimaux, on perceiving that\nhe had walked in that direction, and fearing that the Eivektok people,\nseeing him alone, might mistake him for an Indian, and shoot at him,\ndispatched two men to bring him back. They missed him, and he returned\nbefore them. He found our people very pleasantly conversing with the\nheathen concerning the aim of our journey, and the way of salvation.\nEven Uttakiyok was thus engaged, explaining, as well as he could, the\ncause of our living in Labrador: he exclaimed, \"let us, my friends, all\nbe converted to Jesus.\" He was heard with peculiar attention, being\nconsidered as a captain among them. In the evening we sang hymns in\nJonathan's tent. The people all came and listened with much seriousness.\n\n26th. To-day the Eivektok families came in a skin-boat down the river, to\nsee us. They were full of astonishment, but soon took courage, and\nhandled us, to discover whether we were made of the same materials with\nthemselves. An old man, _Netsiak_, addressed Brother Kohlmeister: \"Are\nyou Benjamin? I have never seen you with my eyes, but at Eivektok have\nheard your name often mentioned.\" He seemed to be a sensible man, and a\ncaptain among his tribe.\n\nWe could not help remarking the difference between these Esquimaux and\ntheir countrymen living on the same coasts with our settlements. The\nformer are very poor, and miserably equipped, whereas the latter, by\ntheir intercourse with us and other Europeans, have acquired many\nconveniences, and are, by barter, well provided with what they want.\n\n27th. We proceeded farther up the river, accompanied by most of the men,\nand some women, in their skin-boat, and arrived at a bay, which, by the\nwinding of the stream, appears like a lake, surrounded on all sides with\ngently rising grounds, well planted with wood of moderate size, chiefly\nlarch. Behind the wood are some low hills. We named this place _Unity's\nBay_. There is here a very good place for a Missionary settlement. A\nfine slope extends for about half an English mile, bounded on each\nextremity by a hill, on each of which we erected high signals. The land\nis even and dry. Juniper, currants, and other berries, grow here in\nabundance, and rivulets run out of the wood at a distance of a few\nhundred paces from each other. The slope faces the S.S.E. and we named\nit _Pilgerruh_, (Pilgrim's rest). Brother Kohlmeister made drawings of\nthe situation.\n\nFrom our first arrival we had improved every opportunity of making the\nEsquimaux acquainted with the chief aim of our visit to this country,\nand addressed them both singly and in companies. Nor were Jonathan and\nJonas remiss in conversing with them about the concerns of their\nimmortal souls, declaring to them the love of God our Saviour towards\nthem. We once met with Sybilla, Jonathan's wife, seated with a company\nof women, under the shadow of a skin-boat, set on edge, exhorting them,\nwith great simplicity and fervour, to hear and believe the gospel.\n\n28th. Brother Kmoch landed with Jonathan, and spent some hours in\nexamining the banks of the river. On ascending the first eminence, the\nview of the interior is in general flat, with a few low hills, and ponds\nin some places, full of wild geese. The timber in the woods hereabouts\nis not large: we found none fit for masts. The largest trees were not\nmore than eight inches in diameter, and fifteen or twenty feet high.\nThey are chiefly larch and pines. In some places we found them burnt or\nwithered, and were informed by the Esquimaux, that it was the effect of\nthe Indian's fires. Indeed we saw several places where the Indians had\nput up huts, and left sufficient vestiges of their abode. Berries grow\neverywhere, and between the river and the wood, the plain is chiefly\ncovered with willows, high grass growing between them, but these and the\nvarious shrubs are so low, that a man can easily look over them. In all\ndirections we saw the tracks of reindeer, and there is every appearance\nof its being a place much frequented by these animals. Deeper in the\nwood, we found great quantities of sorrel and other European plants. The\nwoods appeared very thick, and extended as far as the eye could reach,\noften coming down to the edge of the river. The Esquimaux say, that\nhigher up, large timber is found. On our return to the skin-boat we\nfound ourselves pretty much fatigued, and ready to partake of a supper,\ncooked by the Esquimaux, consisting of ship's biscuit, dried fish, and\nraw whitefish blubber. The Esquimaux prevailed upon Brother Kmoch to\ntaste the latter, and he reported, that having once overcome his\naversion to it, its taste was sweet, like the kernel of a nut, but\nheated his stomach like a hot posset.\n\n29th. Changeable and rainy weather prevented us from going out much.\n\n30th. Our people, and with them the strange Esquimaux, met for public\nworship. Brother Kohlmeister once more explained to them our intention\nin coming thus far to visit them. He addressed them to the following\neffect: \"That already, many years ago, many excellent people in the\ncountry beyond the great ocean, had thought of them with much love, and\nfelt desirous that the inhabitants of the Ungava country also might hear\nthe comfortable word of God, and be instructed in it: for they had heard\nthat the Esquimaux here were heathen, who, through ignorance, served the\nTorngak, or evil spirit, and were led by him into the commission of all\nmanner of sin, that they might hereafter be lost, and go to the place of\neternal darkness and misery. Out of love, therefore,\" continued the\nmissionary, \"they have sent us to you, and out of love we have come to\nyou, to tell you how you may be saved, and become happy, peaceful\nchildren of God, being delivered from the fear of death, which is now\nupon you all, and have the prospect of everlasting joy and peace\nhereafter, even by receiving the gospel, and turning to Jesus, who is\nthe only Creator and Saviour of all men. He died for _your_ sins, for\n_our_ sins, and for the sins of all mankind, as our surety, suffering\nthe punishment we deserved, that _you_, by receiving Him, and believing\non Him, might be saved, and not go to the place of eternal darkness and\npain, but to the place of bliss and eternal rest. You cannot yet\nunderstand these comfortable words of the gospel, but if it is your\nsincere wish to know the truth of them, Jesus will open your ears and\nhearts, to hear and understand them. These my companions were as\nignorant as you, but they now thank God, that they know Jesus as their\nSaviour, and are assured that through His death they shall inherit\neverlasting life.\"\n\nDuring this address all were silent and very attentive. Some exclaimed:\n\"O we desire to hear more about it!\" Old Netsiak, from Eivektok, said:\n\"I am indeed old, but if you come to live here, I will certainly remove\nhither also; and live with you and be converted.\"\n\nWhen we put the question to them, whether they were willing, that we\nshould come and dwell with them, and instruct them, they all answered\nwith a loud and cheerful voice. \"_Kaititse tok, Kaititse tok!_ O do come\nsoon, and live with us, we will all gladly be converted, and live with\nyou.\" Jonathan and Jonas also bore ample testimony to the truth of what\nwe had spoken, and their words seemed to make a deep impression on all\ntheir countrymen. Uttakiyok was above others eager to express his wish\nthat we might soon make a settlement in the Ungava country. Five of the\nfourteen families who mean to reside here next winter, are from\nEivektok.\n\nFarther inland, the river Koksoak widens considerably, but consequently\ngrows more shallow. The country is pleasant, with wood, grassy plains,\nand gentle hills.\n\n31st. Having finished all our observations here, we dropped down the\nstream to the place, where we had discovered the first tents.\n\nIn descending, as well as ascending the river, we saw a great number of\nwhitefish, and many seals. Reindeer are numerous on both shores, both in\nsummer and winter. All the Esquimaux declared, that this was the best\nprovision-place in the whole country, and they consequently flock to it\nfrom all parts every summer, frequently protracting their stay during\nthe winter. The greater number of those we found here, purposed spending\nnext winter in this neighbourhood. The Esquimaux are prevented from\nmaking this place their constant residence by their fear of the\nland-Indians, which cause them to quit it sooner than they otherwise\nwould wish to do.\n\nWe spared no pains to collect all the information we possibly could\nobtain, on every subject relating to this situation, both as to itself,\nand in reference to the possibility of approaching it with a ship, as\nlikewise respecting the inhabitants of the Ungava country in general. It\nappeared evident, that the place above described is the most eligible\nfor forming a missionary-settlement.\n\nWe found it unnecessary to proceed to the Westward, by the account given\nus by our worthy conductor Uttakiyok, whose information hitherto we had\nalways found correct, and confidently to be relied on.\n\nHe reported: 1. That farther West no wood is to be found on the coast.\n\n2. That besides the two rivers Kangertlualuksoak and Koksoak, they knew\nof no place where a ship might with safety approach the land.\n\n3. That at this time we should probably find no inhabitants, as they had\nall gone into the interior to hunt reindeer.\n\nWe therefore now considered the business committed to us to be\naccomplished, and determined to return to Okkak, thankful to God our\nSaviour for the many proofs of His favour, and protection, experienced\nin the execution of our commission.\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\n_Return to Okkak._\n\n\nSeptember 1st.--At ten A.M. we fell down the river with the ebb-tide,\nand about noon anchored near its mouth. The Esquimaux showed great\nattachment to us, and could hardly resolve to take a final leave. They\ncalled after us, \"Come soon again, we shall always be wishing for you.\"\nSeveral of them, and among them our friend Uttakiyok, followed us in\ntheir kayaks to the mouth of the river.\n\nWe erected here, on the promontory Kernerauyak, a board with an\ninscription similar to that put up at George river, but with the day of\nour departure inserted, viz. Sept. 1st, instead of the day of our\narrival, Aug. 7th. The same solemnities took place as on the former\noccasion. Our faithful pilot Uttakiyok, who had rendered us such\nimportant and essential services, now took leave of us, as he intends to\nspend the winter in this neighbourhood. He repeated his assurance, that\nif we settled here, he would be the first to join us, and to turn with\nhis whole heart to God. Not willing to be any longer incumbered with the\nskin-boat, we added it to other useful articles given to Uttakiyok, as a\nreward for his faithful attention to us. He was very highly gratified,\nand thankful for this species of remuneration.\n\n2d. Left the Koksoak, called by us, _South river_, and steered to the N.\nof _Kernerauyak_ and _Kikkertorsoak_. In the evening we cast anchor in\nan open road, among the _Nachorutsit_ islands, with fine weather.\n\n3d. Set sail at sun-rise, wind and tide in our favour, and proceeded\nrapidly. About noon, however, a fog came on, which obliged us to come to\nan anchor at _Pitsiolak_. When it cleared up, we proceeded, steering\nbetween _Allukpalak_ and _Nipkotok_, and cast anchor in the open sea,\nnear _Kernertut_, where, on our first arrival, we encountered such a\ntremendous storm. The night proved quite calm and fair.\n\n4th. A gentle breeze brought us pleasantly as far as the island\n_Nauyet_, at the mouth of the _Kangertlualuksoak_, where we cast anchor,\nhaving performed the same voyage in three days, which took us twelve on\nour former passage. The distance may be about 100 English miles.\n\n5th. Landed, and erected a species of landmark, on the highest point of\n_Nauyet_, as a ship entering the river must keep near this island, the\nshore on the other side being very foul. Contrary winds now obliged us\nto enter the bay, and cast anchor in the same place where we had lain on\nthe 9th of August.\n\n6th. Storm and rain prevented our proceeding. The Esquimaux went on\nshore, and pitched their tent. Of late they generally spent the night on\nboard the boat.\n\n7th. Wind at W. but a heavy swell from the sea prevented our sailing.\nOur men went out to hunt, and Paul returned in the evening with a deer.\n\n8th. Snow had fallen during the night, and the whole country had the\nappearance of the middle of winter. We dropped down with the ebb-tide,\nbut were obliged to anchor again near the entrance of the bay. When the\ntide turned we proceeded, and, leaving _Kikkertorsoak_ to the right,\nmade for cape _Kattaktok_, where we spent the night at anchor among some\nlow islands. The night was clear, and a comet appeared N. by W.\n\n9th. Wind favourable and strong. We set sail at sun-rise, and steered\nfor _Uibvaksoak_, and so rapidly did our boat make way through the\nwaves, that we arrived there already at four in the afternoon, passing\nswiftly by the Dragon's dwelling, (_Torngets_). A thunder-storm was\napproaching. The wind, which felt quite warm, was in our rear, and\nviolent gusts assailed us now and then, which made us shorten sail; yet\nthe boat seemed to fly from island to island. We were unable to find a\nsafe anchorage till 8 P.M. when it was already dark. We had sailed, in\nfourteen hours, about 100 English miles, and were all completely wet\nwith the spray of the sea and frequent showers. Our Esquimaux were\nobliged, in this condition, to lie down either on deck or on shore.\n\n10th. Reached _Omanek_, about 40 or 50 miles sail.\n\n11th. Wind contrary, with much rain. We were confined to our narrow\ncabin, and shut in all day, with a lamp burning.\n\n12th. Clear weather: set sail at noon. In the afternoon we were saluted\nby some shots from _Killinek_ Esquimaux, who were halting not far from\nthe Ikkerasak, or straits, at the entrance of which we cast anchor about\n7 P.M.\n\n13th. Though we wished to have some conversation with the _Killinek_\npeople, as they cannot often come to Okkak, yet we thought it adviseable\nto lose no time, and, with the ebb-tide, passed through the _Ikkerasak_\nin perfect safety. When, about 1 P.M. the tide turned, we ran into a\ncove on the south side, and at 5 P.M. anchored in the lagoon above\ndescribed, (See page 43), the entrance to which will only admit a boat.\n\n14th. Reached _Oppernavik_, where we first met Uttakiyok.\n\n15th. Set sail with a gentle breeze, which permitted us to have our\nSunday's service on deck. The wind, however, soon turning against us, we\nwere compelled to return to our former anchorage.\n\n16th and 17th. We were unpleasantly detained by wind and rain, and on\nthe latter day much snow fell.\n\n18th. Reached _Kikkertarsoak_ about 1 P.M. Our men went out in their\nkayaks, and returned in the evening with three seals. The night was\nfair, with beautiful appearances of the Aurora Borealis.\n\n19th. The morning was calm: some indications of approaching storm made\nus anxious to proceed. We set out early; but a fog coming on, we came\nagain to an anchor off a barren island. After staying here two hours,\nhoping for a favourable change, Jonathan proposed to proceed, and\nsteered S.W. not knowing rightly where we were. On this occasion, we\ncould not help admiring the composure of the Esquimaux. But having last\nnight made a hearty meal of the provisions they had acquired, they\nseemed to take things easy, and thought it would all be right in the\nend. So it turned out; for by and by we saw the continent, and kept\nalong shore, till we got to the promontory _Kakkeviak_, where, on our\npassage, we had nearly suffered shipwreck. (See page 38). Here we cast\nanchor in a wide shallow bay, and spent a quiet night.\n\n20th. The fog had dispersed, and the wind was favourable, though\nshifting from W. to N.W.N. and N.E. At 7 P.M. we reached _Kumaktorvik_\nand found good anchorage close to the Esquimaux winter-houses; but we\nwere disappointed by finding them empty, the people being probably out\non the reindeer-hunt. There were four houses standing, apparently not\nold, and the traces of eight others, situated on a low point of land,\nwell covered with grass, and surrounded by high mountains.\n\n21st. Wind N.W. set sail by break of day; reached _Nennoktok_ about\nnoon, and steered across _Sangmiyok_ bay, for the northern promontory in\n_Nachvak_ bay. Sangmiyok bay is full of breakers, and the sea running\npretty high, they appeared very distinctly. The wind dying away in the\nafternoon, we got no farther than the steep rocks under which we had\nspent the night of July the 18th, where we came to an anchor. A heavy\nswell from the sea, and violent gusts of wind assailing us in all\ndirections from the mountains gave us much uneasiness; but, by the\nprotecting care of God, we suffered no harm.\n\n22d. It blew hard from the N.W. and prevented our running into Nachvak\nbay. Our situation being highly dangerous, and the wind favouring our\nproceeding, we determined to pass by Nachvak. But having sailed across\nthe bay, our captain found it impossible to proceed, and thought proper\nto come to an anchor. The truth was, that he had left some articles here\nin a cove, which he wished to secure. We therefore went on shore, and\nfound many fragments of the bones of whales, whence we inferred that\nwhales are sometimes cast on shore in this place.\n\n23d. A heavy storm came on from the N.W. To-day we caught the first\ncod-fish, which proved a very acceptable change of diet for us and our\npeople.\n\n24th. The morning was calm. Wind E. left the cove and steered for\nNachvak, and came, _accidentally_, to the very place where Jonathan's\ngoods were deposited. Not perceiving any Esquimaux on shore, Jonathan\nand Thukkekina went up the bay in their kayaks in search of them.\nMeanwhile _we_ landed, and on the declivity of a hill found a great\nquantity of green soapstone. In the evening Jonathan and Thukkekina\nreturned with ten other Equimaux, who rejoiced to see us again.\n\n25th. Brother Kohlmeister was engaged all day with the Esquimaux.\nBrother Kmoch went up the mountain, and brought some fine specimens of\nsteatite.\n\n26th. Wind strong at N.W. we set sail; but the wind failing, we could\nnot reach _Saeglek_, as proposed, but spent the night in the open sea.\nIt passed, however, without any unpleasant occurrences.\n\n27th. The want of wind prevented our getting to-day as far as the\nSaeglek islands. Having passed through a very narrow Ikkerasak, with\nhardly sufficient depth of water for so large a boat, we cast anchor\nnear our former station at _Kikkertarsoak_.\n\n28th. Wind cold and changeable, and towards evening stormy.\n\n29th. Set sail about 6 A.M. with a strong wind at W. and in the evening\nhad reached _Kangertluksoak_ islands.\n\n30th. It blew hard, with snow, and we were obliged to spend the day shut\nup in our small cabin by lamp-light. The land was covered with snow. We\nwere detained here very unpleasantly for three days, by the violence of\nthe wind and weather.\n\n_October_ 3d. We steered for the promontory of _Kaumayok_; but the wind\ndying away, and at length turning to the South, we could not gain any\nsafe harbour, and were obliged to tack about all night in the open sea.\nThe weather, however, was mild, and we had the advantage of moon-light.\n\n4th. At 7 A.M. we succeeded in passing the Northern Ikkerasak near cape\n_Mugford_ with the tide, and the wind becoming fair, soon brought us\namong the Okkak islands. About noon we doubled cape _Uivak_, and\nperceived Esquimaux on shore, who ran up the hills, shouted for joy, and\ngave us by signs to understand, that the ship (the brig Jemima, sent\nannually with provisions to the settlements) was still at Okkak.\n\nWe cannot describe the inexpressible pleasure and gratitude to God our\nSaviour which we felt, when we again beheld the neighbourhood of Okkak,\nafter an absence of fifteen weeks. As soon as the captain descried our\nboat approaching, he hoisted his colours, and fired some guns to give\nnotice of our arrival. As we were obliged to tack, to gain the entrance\nto the harbour, he came to meet us in the ship's boat, and about one\no'clock we landed. The Missionaries and the Esquimaux met us with tears\nof joy and thankfulness, when we all joined in praise to God, who had so\nwonderfully kept His protecting hand over us during this perilous\nvoyage, and granted us to return home in safety.\n\nOur voyage lasted from the 24th of June to the 4th of October, and we\ncalculated it to be a distance of from 1200 to 1300 miles.\n\nBENJAMIN GOTTLIEB KOHLMEISTER.\n\nGEORGE KMOCH.\n\n[Illustration: _The Northern Extremity of_ LABRADOR with UNGAVA BAY\nExplored by the MISSIONARIES _of the Unitas Fratrum_ in 1811.]","title":"Journal of a Voyage from Okkak, on the Coast of Labrador, to Ungava Bay, Westward of Cape Chudleigh: Undertaken to Explore the Coast, and Visit the Esquimaux in That Unknown Region","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":26673}