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13th Night in an Igloo! Tuesday, Jan 22d 1861 This has been a very fine day - not a cloud to be seen this day long - the air calm & bracing. I took a tramp along the margin of the island (Roger's) to near the S.E. extension of it. I could, from one of the Mountain tops, [[underlined]] See Sarah's Island - Sterry's Tower & the Easterly point of Hall Island, [[/underlined]] away in the distance, South, is which is an Island North of the entrance to Frobisher Bay - also could see Duck Island & what some of the Whalers term [[underlined]] "North fore-land", [[/underlined]] a small Island S.E. from Roger's Island. I am looking out prominent points by wh. to take bearings with my Pocket Sextant when the weather gets moderate enough so that it will not be endangering said instrument from exposure to the cold. I may state that my large Sextant has already been greatly injured by taking it out into the cold air (the mercury forming the mirrors having become "cracked") My Sextants must be preserved for the [[underlined]] great [[/underlined]] object of my voyage North - to conduct me to & from King William's Land. Soon I hope to chart the various headlands, Islands Bays etc around here. If pleasant to-morrow I wish to determine one of the more prominent points overlooking Budington Bay & some of the other places or points indicated. As far as I can see with my telescope, the Sea southward & eastward is frozen solid with broken ice. - Ugarny & ([[space]]) Jack went out Sealing this morning but at a late hour to-night they had not returned. It is probable they will remain over their Seal-holes the night. For their perserverance & the hardships endured, may they meet with success. [[end page]] [[start page]] 14th Night in an Igloo! Wednesday Jan 23d 1861 Another fine day - With my telescope, Sextant & other no less important instruments, I started out this morning over the same track as that of yesterday with this addition - that I went farther. It is dangerous business ascending the mountains here North covered as they are with ice! - & that too, [[underlined]] alone! [[/underlined]] I met with two falls - one where I descended at a quick rate the steep mountain side sliding & rolling down a long distance - [[underlined]] against my Will! [[/underlined]] No bones broken or any serious harm done. The telescope has some enduring marks of the incident. I returned at Eve. Ugarny returned this Morn having remained over his Seal-hole all night, unsuccessful. Jack remained till 12 Midnight when he returned having harpooned his Seal; but unfortunately [[strikethrough]] to [[/strikethrough]] it got loose & escaped. My fare now is wholly "Black Skin" - so of Tuk-oo-li-too's. Ook-sook all gone! No more fire-light till a Seal is captured. I called this eve at Ugarny's Igloo, close bye - found all dark within - As I approached the last "born" entrance, I was about retreating when a whisper greeted me: 'Ki-ete! It was the whisper of poor Nik-in-jar (Polly), the family wife No 1 of Ugarny who I fear will soon die of the Consumption or something analageous to it. No one was with her but her infant Menoun, & her little girl Koo-koo-yer by "Blind George". Polly sat at her usual place enwrapt in Tuk-too furs nursing the babe who was unusually restless. She said the cause of it was hunger. She (P) had no im-mu (milk) She was hungry too - Ook-Sook (Seal blubber) all gone - All provision gone! - Could have no more light & heat till a Seal was obtained. Kunniu, the wife No 2, had
Transcription Notes:
Reviewed. Corrected for incorrect insertion designation, irrelevant strikethroughs etc.
