ESKIMO HUNTERS.
GROUP OF ESKIMOS.
Upon going ashore one of the first objects which attracted my attention was a small topick, or lodge, constructed of beautiful musk-ox robes. I felt inclined to doubt my own eyes, for it seemed such a strange waste of luxury. I proceeded to this princely dwelling, and finding the owners—three young brothers—entered into negotiations with them for its purchase. The value asked in exchange for the robes being very moderate, they were secured and made into a snug little bale. Next my attention was drawn to a pile of skins lying on the rocks. As I approached these skins, several Eskimos sat upon them, telling me as they did so that the owner of them was away hunting, and therefore I could not buy them. I assented, but asked to be allowed to look at them. Even this, however, was stoutly refused, as the owner was not present. I could not help admiring these fellows for their fidelity to one of their number. Some time was then spent in collecting information about the country, and in purchasing nicknacks of one kind and another, and while doing so the owner of the skins returned. He at once proceeded to open up his furs, which, with the exception of one wolf skin, were all musk-ox robes, but of inferior quality. The four best skins were picked out and reserved, and the frowsy remnant then offered to us. The poor skins, I told him, were not the ones we wanted, but for a time he positively refused to sell the good ones. After a little discussion, however, the crafty hunter came to the conclusion that he wanted a small kettle and some gun-caps (for he had an old gun), and so offered me one of the skins for these articles. We happened to have a kettle in which we had carried our butter, but which had now become only an article of extra baggage, so after some “serious consideration,” I concluded to let him have the kettle and some caps for the skin.
It was then my turn to make him an offer. I produced a telescope, a jack-knife, and an old shirt, and offered them for the three remaining robes. The temptation proved too great; the skins were handed over, and the telescope, knife and shirt accepted with great delight and many thanks. Although it was now time to camp, and many pressing invitations were extended to us to spend the night at the village, it was thought wisest for the moral well-being of our party not to do so. Besides this, the surface of the country in the neighborhood of the village was exceedingly rough, being formed entirely of boulders. The Eskimo topicks were pitched upon the rocky shore, and it was thought we might find smoother ground. Before leaving the village one old Eskimo surprised us very much by making a remark in English. I said to him, “Oh! you understand English,” whereat he made the amusing reply, “No, me no understand English.” I tried then to find out from the old man where he had learned to speak our language, but the only reply I could get from him was that he had always been able to speak it. It may be that he had accompanied Sir George Back, Sir John Richardson, or Dr. Ray, on one of their Franklin search expeditions, or perhaps he had come from Hudson Bay, where he had been associated with some of the American whalers who frequent its waters.
Followed by many hearty cheers and “tabowetees” (farewells), we parted from our new but warm-hearted friends. As before, we were accompanied by an escort of kyacks, but after a time they fell behind and returned to the village.
As we had been informed by the natives, so we soon found, we were at last at the mouth of the great Telzoa, and gradually as we passed out into the broad shallow delta and gazed over the deep blue limitless waters beyond, the gratifying fact forced itself upon us that we had accomplished what we had started out to do, viz., to explore a route through the heart of the Barren Lands, where certainly no other white men, if indeed Indians or Eskimos, had ever passed. We were still, of course, a long way from being out of the Barren Land country, but once on the waters of Baker Lake, as we now were, the remainder of the road was to some extent known to us.