Inspector Smith visited the steamer, dressed in a military coat with brass buttons, and military cap with wide gold-lace band, but wearing seal-skin trousers. The strangers soon found themselves surrounded by a fleet of Esquimaux boats, called kyacks, resembling in form a cigar cut in half lengthwise and turned up at both ends. The framework of wood was covered with seal-skin with the hair removed. In the center was a hole into which the occupant inserted the lower part of his body to the hips, drawing up at the same time a cylindrical piece of seal-skin which was attached to the rim of the hole. When the top of this is gathered up and secured over his chest, the man and boat are practically one, and both are water-proof under all circumstances. The upper surface of the kyack is but an inch or two above the water when smooth, and when rough, of course it is frequently submerged entirely. In this craft the kyacker braves the billows of the open sea, and, provided with lance and harpoon to slay his game, and bladder and rope to mark its flight when struck and buoy up its body when killed, he attacks the seal, walrus, or even the narwhal. In South Greenland, where there is more open water, the kyackers become very expert, and, by means of their short, two-bladed paddles, can easily right themselves when upset, or even perform a complete revolution without changing position or posture.
On Sunday, the 17th, Lieutenant Lockwood called on the governor, and then went into many of the houses of the place; he found the natives polite and hospitable, living in clean, well-built huts, whose interior presented nothing peculiar except that about one third of the floor was raised a few feet, constituting a platform, which was used as the sleeping-couch of the whole family by night, and by day as a place of deposit for articles in daily use. The walls were adorned with rough prints or illustrations from European and American papers. In one house was seen a translation of the Psalms into Esquimaux. Their words are run together, as in the German language. Lockwood made some purchases, giving in return an old pair of pantaloons, old clothes being a circulating medium, and preferred to money. He was surprised to find that these people had a paper currency, the units being the ocre and the crown, one hundred ocres making one crown, while the crown is worth about an English shilling. In dealing with one another, the ocre seems to go a good way, but not so when a stranger is dealt with; and to do much shopping with this currency, one must carry a load of paper equal to what was required of Confederate currency in wartimes to buy a barrel of flour. The coins were of copper, valued each at five ocres.
On the following day, Lieutenants Greely, Kislingbury, and Lockwood, all dined at four o’clock with the inspector’s family, by invitation of his wife, in the absence of her husband on official duty; the courses being soup, fish, eider-duck, and canned green peas, with a dessert of jelly; wines and brandy being served with the courses. The cooking and serving were excellent, the waitress an Esquimaux damsel in pantalets. Afterward, with others, they called on the governor, and with him went down to witness a dance. Lockwood learned that the population of the two divisions of North and South Greenland together was about nine thousand souls.
On the 19th, at the request of Lieutenant Greely, Lockwood made an exploration of the mountain-cliffs south of the town. After a long tramp over the soggy moss, and up steep cliffs, much annoyed by innumerable mosquitoes, he returned to dinner, with very little information worthy of mention. After superintending some stowage, he again called to see Mrs. Smith, the inspector’s wife, and enjoyed her excellent piano-music, to say nothing of the wine and cigars she offered. Then he went to the dance, but not until after the men had left. These Greenland dances, as already intimated, resemble the Virginia reel, differing only in the alternate chasing of the partners through the two rows till caught.
Having completed their stowage and coaling, and having taken on board fourteen dogs with their food, they would have left Disco but for the fogs. Dr. Pavy, who had been left there by Howgate, joined the party on the 20th, as surgeon, as Mr. Clay was expected to do at Ritenbank. They had some music on the chapel organ in the evening, which was well rendered.
The penning of the dogs was a scene of excitement and amusement. Their snarling and biting and fighting had no end until one of the number present was acknowledged, for his prowess and valor, the victor by all the others. Then the battle ceased, but only until there was a new arrival, when the battle was renewed and the parvenu put hors de combat, or declared king. In due time the steamer left Disco, and arrived at Ritenbank between 10 and 12 A. M. The harbor was found to be quite roomy and the entrance wide and deep; icebergs float into it, and thus render Ritenbank less desirable as a harbor than Disco. While there, with Mr. Clay (who now joined the expedition) and some of the men, Lockwood visited the neighboring bird mountains or looneries, rowing up a fiord some three miles distant. The approach to these was manifested by the commotion among the innumerable eider-ducks and other wild fowl flying overhead, swimming in the water around, or occupying the narrow ledges of the vertical cliffs on either side, some of which were five hundred feet high and covered with birds. The shot used being too small, would kill only at short range, and it was difficult to obtain the game; consequently they got only seventy fowls of various kinds. On their return they visited an Innuit burying-ground, which, from its antiquity, must contain many of the natives, whose blood is much purer than that of the present stock; for it is said the present Esquimaux blood is now very much mixed. The graves were oblong piles of lichen-covered stones, containing the moldering skeletons, which were generally in a sitting posture. But little regard is paid to the dead in Greenland. Influenza, and consumption induced thereby, are rapidly carrying off the natives, and this is increased by uncleanly habits, improper food, and bad ventilation, the latter aggravated by the introduction of small stoves into their close houses. The present longevity, it is said, averages thirty-three years.
The prevailing fogs greatly decreased the pleasure the explorers would have had in viewing the grand scenery in the passage to Upernavik, which they reached on the 23d of July, or in about fifteen days from Newfoundland. They had in sight numbers of icebergs, some of immense size. The whole western coast of Greenland is skirted with islands, separated from each other and the mainland by deep fiords. If it were not for the fogs, a pleasant summer excursion could be made through these fiords to the everlasting barrier of glaciers, which render the interior a veritable land of desolation.
Very soon after the expedition had arrived at Upernavik, it was found necessary for some one to go to a place called Proven, to obtain Esquimaux guides and a supply of Arctic clothing, and to Lieutenant Lockwood was assigned this duty. He and his helpers boarded the steam-launch, and, with Governor Elburg as guide, proceeded on their way through an inner passage leading to the place of destination. Their course lay along rocky and precipitous cliffs, many of them covered with auks and other wild fowl. The cliffs attained an elevation of two and three thousand feet, and were so smooth and regular as to have the appearance of having been made by man. Without any shore whatever, large ships could lie alongside in safety. On their arrival at Proven, they saw the whole population in their picturesque costumes lining the shore, to view what they had never seen before—a craft moving without oars or sails.
Near the shore were located four large warehouses where seal-oil was deposited before shipment, and where also were kept by the Danish Government supplies of provisions for issue to the natives in case of emergency. The huts of the natives were found still more primitive than those at Disco, for here the entrance was through a long, low gallery, requiring one to grope in darkness almost on hands and knees. Lockwood softened the heart of the occupant of one by presents of tobacco, and induced him to play on his fiddle simple airs which he had picked up from whaling-crews. This brought in all the damsels of the town, and soon waltzes and other dances prevailed. The lieutenant did not consider it beneath his dignity to “show a heel.” He unfortunately answered affirmatively to the question, “Are you big captain?” and was also imprudent in giving an old lady a half-dozen ocres. He was at once pounced upon by every one as lawful prey, and, what through begging, extortion, and other means, the “big captain” was soon rid of all his change, and might have been reduced to a state of nudity but for the timely arrival of the governor, who took him home to dine and to lodge. The soup, though sweet to the taste, was good; floating in it were lemon-peel and raisins. Next came reindeer-steaks cooked in wine and most delicious. Potatoes were the only vegetable. Cooking and serving excellent. Brandy, beer, and wine in profusion. The meal terminated by a general hand-shaking, according to custom, and the governor kissed his wife. The lodging was equally agreeable, affording the luxury of a clean feather bed. In the morning, and while yet in bed, a young Esquimaux damsel in pantalets brought the American a cup of strong coffee with a few crackers. That day he took on board the launch two Esquimaux, Frederick Christiansen and Jans Edwards, lashing their kyacks behind, also the seal-skin, dog-skin, and other clothing they had come for, and at midnight left amid the hearty cheers of the natives and the tears and lamentations of the friends of Jans and Frederick who had come to see them off.
After an uneventful passage, and stopping only to add one hundred and twenty-seven birds to their larder, the launch reached the ship at 10 A. M. on the 25th. Lieutenant Kislingbury and a crew in the whale-boat afterward went to Sanderson’s Hope Island and secured several hundred more, so that there was no scarcity of fresh food. In the mean time some new dogs were secured, so that the total number now on hand was thirty-two.