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1861 Tues Mar 5

Sharkey came rapidly the dogs being in good condition much better than we expected to find them.  Just before reaching the vessel Angeko's wife jumped off Kummit & darted behind a cask hiding herself from all view.  I approach her hiding place & cried to her 'Ki-ete' in response to wh. she came out & proceeded to the Igloos near by the vessel.

Sharkey was kindly received by Capt B. who was quite satisfied with the delay in getting back on being acquainted with the reason of it.  It seems that his success & that of the other Sealers at Budington Bay has been very poor.  Only 4 Seals have been captured since Ugarny & Ebierbing's return.  One Seal was taken by U - one by E. - one by Koodloo & the other by Sharkey.

We were pained to learn (by this arrival) the death of Nikujar ("Polly") Family wife No1 of Ugarny.  She died in 2 or 3 days after I left.  Whoever should happen to read this Journal will find that the record has repeatedly been made, for months past. of Nikujar's declining health.  It has been evident for a long time, that her remaining days of mortal existence were few.

"Sharkey" communicated the sad intelligence to Pau-loo-yer ("Blind George").  The stroke was like a thunder bolt to his noble heart!  His grief was beyond control.  He burst into tears & loud lamentations in wh. state he continued for a long time.  Every soul of the G.H.

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1861 Tues. Mar 5

sympathises with poor "Blind George".  Capt. B. came down into the Cabin & told me of the fact of Sharkey's communicating the death of [[underlined]] "Blind Georges" wife [[/underlined]] to him (B. George) & of the terrible effect.  I went upon deck but could not find the stricken soul - I listened - heard the throbbings - the loud cries.  I could not at 1st make out from whence.  I tried the Galley door.  It was fast - yet I learned by another moment of my silence that down in the Galley was poor Paulooyer.  I tried again & again but the door would not yield to my attempts to open it.  I knew of another way - I hastened to it - passing down through forward Hatch - thence under forge-bellows - over casks, Boxes, barrells etc. - along a dark passage some of the way on my hands & knees - squeezing my body between deck-timbers & a heterogeneous mass of ship's stuff.  Here in darkness, I cried out to the afflicted one:  "George"?  He knew my voice.  In broken accents he sobbed:  'Mr. Hall, Ki-e-ete'.  I soon had my hand with his, & if ever I felt over-whelmed with a weeping but grateful heart, [[underlined]] it was when I found how much joy - in his stricken situation - it gave him at having me there![[/underlined]]  How shall I describe the time I spent with "Blind George" where I had found him?  How shall I write the scene there presented - [[underlined]] the words - the tears - the thoughts? [[/underlined]]  God can only portray what there took place - Never, [[underlined]] never [[/underlined]] - no, [[underlined]] never [[/underlined]] can I forget those moments!

When I parted with "Blind George", he felt all was for the best - was happy indeed with the thought that I had planted in his breast that "Polly" was now with God - that sometime he & little Koo-Koo-yer (Blind George & Polly's child) must die and (as I hoped) would meet her in Heaven.