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Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1Parry, William Edward, Sir

History

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1

Name: Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1
Author: Parry, William Edward, Sir

Parry, William Edward, Sir

Arctic regions; Northwest Passage; Parry, William Edward, Sir, 1790-1855

On the morning of the 3d, a number of these people were observed
to set off over the ice to the southwest, to bring, as we
conjectured, either some more of their people or of their property
from their last place of abode. On walking out to the huts after
divine service, however, we found they had been seal-catching, and
had succeeded in taking four. The very small quantity of food
which they had in their huts at first coming, consisting of a
little venison, and the flesh and blubber of the whale and seal,
induced us to suppose they had left some of their provision
behind, and that they would return for it as occasion demanded.
But we now found that even at this rigorous season they were
entirely dependant in this way on their daily exertions, and they
had only removed into their present quarters on account of the
failure of their summer's store, and of the greater facility of
obtaining seals at Winter Island than where the sea was more
closely and continually frozen.

On the 4th a number of Esquimaux came to the ships, and we took
the opportunity of getting them to go through the process of
building a snow hut for our amusement and information. From the
quickness with which they completed this, our surprise at the
sudden appearance of their village ceased; as we now saw that two
or three hours would be more than sufficient to complete the whole
establishment just as we at first found it. They were then taken
on board, and derived great amusement from our organ, and from
anything in the shape of music, singing, or dancing, of all which
they are remarkably fond. Nor can I here omit a striking instance
of the honesty of these people which occurred to-day. Some of the
gentlemen of the Hecla had purchased two of their dogs, which had
the preceding evening made their escape and returned to the huts.
After the departure of the Esquimaux to-day, we were surprised to
find that they had left two dogs carefully tied up on board the
Fury, which, on inquiry, proved to be the animals in question, and
which had been thus faithfully restored to their rightful owners.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1Parry, William Edward, Sir

History

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1

Parry, William Edward, Sir

Arctic regions; Northwest Passage; Parry, William Edward, Sir, 1790-1855

On the morning of the 3d, a number of these people were observed
to set off over the ice to the southwest, to bring, as we
conjectured, either some more of their people or of their property
from their last place of abode. On walking out to the huts after
divine service, however, we found they had been seal-catching, and
had succeeded in taking four. The very small quantity of food
which they had in their huts at first coming, consisting of a
little venison, and the flesh and blubber of the whale and seal,
induced us to suppose they had left some of their provision
behind, and that they would return for it as occasion demanded.
But we now found that even at this rigorous season they were
entirely dependant in this way on their daily exertions, and they
had only removed into their present quarters on account of the
failure of their summer's store, and of the greater facility of
obtaining seals at Winter Island than where the sea was more
closely and continually frozen.

On the 4th a number of Esquimaux came to the ships, and we took
the opportunity of getting them to go through the process of
building a snow hut for our amusement and information. From the
quickness with which they completed this, our surprise at the
sudden appearance of their village ceased; as we now saw that two
or three hours would be more than sufficient to complete the whole
establishment just as we at first found it. They were then taken
on board, and derived great amusement from our organ, and from
anything in the shape of music, singing, or dancing, of all which
they are remarkably fond. Nor can I here omit a striking instance
of the honesty of these people which occurred to-day. Some of the
gentlemen of the Hecla had purchased two of their dogs, which had
the preceding evening made their escape and returned to the huts.
After the departure of the Esquimaux to-day, we were surprised to
find that they had left two dogs carefully tied up on board the
Fury, which, on inquiry, proved to be the animals in question, and
which had been thus faithfully restored to their rightful owners.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1

Three Voyages for the Discovery of a Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and Narrative of an Attempt to Reach the North Pole, Volume 1

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