CHAPTER IX.
Chain of black mountains. The Dragon’s dwelling. Changes occasioned by rise and fall of the tides, and dangers attending them. Uttakiyok’s superstitious customs. Singular effect of the tide in the bay of Ittimnekoktok. Arrive at Kangertlualuksoak bay and river. Its situation. Transactions there.
AUGUST 6th.—WE crossed the bay Abloriak, which is large and wide, with many small islands and rocks towards the sea, and high black mountains inland, called Torngaets. Uttakiyok, who was always very eager to make us attentive to every object and its name, shewed us here a wide and deep cavern, in shape like the gable end of an house, situated at the top of a precipice, in a black mountain, of a very horrid and dark appearance. This, he informed us, was the dwelling place of Torngak, the evil spirit. The scenery was, indeed, extremely wild and terrible, and the beforementioned prospect of the rocks and islands at low water gave to the whole country a most singularly gloomy character. Nor is this change, occasioned by the tide in the state of the sea, merely in appearance terrific, it is so in reality: for we never durst cast anchor in less than eight or nine fathoms water, lest at ebb-tide we should find ourselves aground, or even high and dry.
The cavern just spoken of, connected with the chain of black mountains in which it is situated, we called the Dragon’s dwelling, but had no time to examine the place, though it did not appear inaccessible. Whether Uttakiyok would have ventured to accompany us into it, is another question, for he was, with all his good sense, strongly attached to the superstitious notions and ceremonies of his countrymen. Thus, on passing dangerous places he always hung the claw of a raven to his breast, and carried the blown paunch of a seal upon a tent-pole fixed to one side of his boat. The latter is a common practice among the northern Esquimaux, and probably considered by them all as a very efficient charm.
We passed Sioralik, and many small and flat rocky islands: the bay Issorkitok, (a grassy place), a nameless headland; and the larger bay Nappartolik, (a woody country). The wood is said to commence at the interior point of this bay, and to continue throughout the whole of the Ungava country, which, as we afterwards discovered, extends to a considerable distance to the southward. Then follows Tunnuyalik, a point, or perhaps an island, on which lies a huge white stone, twenty or thirty feet high, by which it is distinguished from other similar headlands. A chain of low, flat islands, runs out into the sea to a considerable distance, and appearing at a distance as continued land, they are mistaken for a cape. Farther on is the bay Ittimnekoktok, where it grew dark before we found a suitable anchorage. The wind was high, and some of our company went on shore in the skin-boat, in order to pitch their tent, and spend the night.
7th. On rising, to our great surprise, we found ourselves left by the tide in a shallow pool of water, surrounded by rocky hills; nor could we at all discover the situation of our skin-boat, till after the water had begun to rise, and raised us above the banks of our watery dungeon, when, with great astonishment, not having been able to find it on the surface of the sea, and accidentally directing our eyes upwards, we saw it perched upon the top of a considerable eminence, and apparently on shore. We then landed, and ascending a rising ground, beheld with some terror, the wonderful changes occasioned by the tides. Our course was visible to the extent of two or three English miles, but the sea had left it, and we were obliged to remain in this dismal place, till about noon, before the water had risen sufficiently to carry us out. We now began to entertain fears, lest we might not always be able to find proper harbours, so as to avoid being left high and dry at low water; for having anchored in nine fathoms last night, we were left in one and a half this morning. Uttakiyok and Thukkekina were with us on shore. The eminence on which we stood was overgrown with vaccinia and other plants, and we saw among them marks of its being visited by hares. Near the summit was a spot, covered with red sand, which stained one’s fingers, and among it were fragments of a substance resembling cast iron. We seemed here to stand on a peninsula connected by an isthmus with another island, or with the continent; but probably at high water it may be a separate island.
As soon as the tide would permit, we set out, and proceeded towards a cape called Kattaktok, surrounded by small islands. Between the cape and our anchoring place, we passed, on the left, the following objects; Keglo, a broad deep bay; Katarusialik, a headland, probably of the continent; Ukkasiksalik, (meaning a place where soap stone is found), a peninsula; and to the right of the latter place, an island, Kikkertarsoak, which lies at the entrance of the Great Bay, or estuary of the great river Kangertlualuksoak. We sailed with a strong, but favourable wind, with some rain, between the peninsula and the island; and not trusting to the depth of the water at ebb-tide, sent two kayaks forward to sound. They soon brought us into a good harbour, where we cast anchor about half past five P.M.
Kangertlualuksoak river was the spot to which we had principally directed our views. It lies about 140 miles S.S.W. of Cape Chudleigh. By an observation at its mouth its latitude appeared to be 58° 57'. But we had no means of finding the longitude. At its entrance the bay runs rather S.S.E. for about ten or twelve English miles, then turns due S.E. for six or eight more, and after that S.W. At the second turn towards the S.E. there is the greatest quantity of wood, chiefly Larch, but of moderate size. We particularly noticed a fine slope facing the south, which appeared the most pleasant part of the bay, to which a vessel might approach and anchor with convenience, there being from 24 to 30 fathoms water. We also imagined that the entrance from the sea would be free from obstructions, as no islands are seen in that direction. Uttakiyok likewise declared, that there was no bar or sunken rocks near the mouth of the bay.