If the Indians were industrious at a season when their labour was so miserably repaid, they would consequently become, at this moment, much more diligent; because, owing to the competition before noticed, they are certain of meeting with something like an adequate return for their commodities.
To this increased activity of the natives is probably owing the late very visible diminution in the staple article of their commerce, the beaver skins; as it is evident that those animals are becoming much more scarce, in consequence of the perseverance with which their haunts are sought out and invaded.
The 28th of September having at length arrived, and the mercury in Fahrenheit’s thermometer having sunk to 20°, we gave up all hopes of the schooner returning from Churchill; and came to the melancholy conclusion, that she must have perished on her voyage. We therefore weighed anchor from York River, and steered our course towards the north, with an intention of touching, if possible, at the former place, to seek information of the schooner, and to get the furs from that factory; but a brisk gale springing up from the N. W. which was immediately against us, we gave up our design of visiting Churchill, and bore away for Hudson’s Straits. From henceforward we had one continued gale in our favour, until we reached the Orkneys, after an unparalleled quick voyage of nineteen days. In passing through Hudson’s Straits, we could perceive none of the drift-ice or Esquimaux, which were so plentiful in our voyage outwards: the former had been carried away to the ocean, by the prevalence of the southerly currents; and the latter had most probably retired to their winter habitations.
We saw, however, many icebergs of enormous magnitude in the Straits; but, after leaving Cape Resolution, we reached the Orkneys without noticing any more of those dangerous islands[42].
We remained at the Orkneys nineteen days before the other Hudson’s-Bay ship arrived from thence; but she had experienced much bad weather, and made a much longer passage than ourselves.
A few straggling remarks, made during our stay at the Orkneys, will conclude this Journal.
Entering Stromness Harbour, by the Hoy Passage, the view on either hand is extremely awful and sublime. Hoy Head is a tremendous height; and it appears doubly so from a ship sailing near to it, as the western side of this craggy mountain is nearly perpendicular; so much so, indeed, that it obtained the appellation of Hoy Walls. At a particular part of this awful cliff, an immense rent has torn a large fragment from the wall; and this huge disjointed mass is now washed, on all sides, by the most terrific breakers. It stands however erect, repelling all their shocks; and it has assumed so completely the human form, as to be styled the Old Man of Hoy. This gigantic figure may be about five hundred feet high.
If the lowness of the eastern shore gives it a less grand appearance, yet the ledges of sunken rocks, on which many a gallant vessel has perished, together with the horrid breakers roaring mountain high above them, do not fail to inspire a spectator with equal awe and terror.
The Cathedral of St. Magnus, at Kirkwall, is built of a reddish kind of stone, in the shape of a cross; and it looks, at a short distance, much like a brick edifice. It is of very large dimensions; and appears to a stranger in a more imposing light, because it is erected on an eminence. The square tower issuing from the top of the cathedral, in the centre of the cross, was formerly surmounted by a magnificent spire; but being shattered some few years ago, by lightning, a mean brick substitute has since been erected. There is an amazing number of windows; many of which have been lately broken; and there are two in the shape of a rose, exceedingly antique and beautiful.
The doors of this structure are low and arched, surrounded by a curious embroidery of the same red stone as the rest of the building. On entering the main portal, the space not allotted to public worship, the roof is supported by a double row of enormous columns, eight on each side: they are very simple and plain, composed of square stones laid over each other horizontally, and the shafts of the pillars are of the same diameter from their capitals to their bases. Owing to the moisture of the place, a green mould has covered them, and given to the interior a most venerable aspect.