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3) 1861 Oct. Wedns 23 between 2 casks of water; but being a short India rubber man & dumpy Iron ribbed, he escaped, as he always does from imminent exposures, with no enduring injury. 'An-koo-ting' has been carried on ashore among the natives several nights in succession. I think its object to be for dispersion of ice - & for fair winds to come that the "George Henry" may start away. The natives, thinking we may become needful in way of provision - & for other reasons that I will not stop to state, - desire that we shall get away. [[underlined]] Innuits are Innuits! [[/underlined]] At hX-m00 AM I went out upon the ice & found its thickness to be full 5 inches. I could just see the open water with my eyes 2 feet above the ice; this makes it (open water) distant 1 8/10 of a mile. Balance of oil all down (The tongue of the whale not yet taken in & boiled out) - decks cleared & cleaned - everything in readiness for sea! All [[underlined]] hopeful [[/underlined]] that we will soon be enabled to get out! To-morrow Morning the party to be sent off (weather permitting) to sight position on condition of the Pack. There is every reason to conclude that the report will be that: Heavy Pack is still there, as no [[underlined]] "Swash" [[/underlined]] (or swell) comes into the Bay, the waters of it (the Bay) being as quiet as a lakelet on a windy day. I have just been enjoying an evening walk with Capt B. on deck. He sent down for me desiring I should take a look around & see what a change a few hours work of clearing up had effected. After this, a conversational walk. During our pacing to & for, I asked him if he really thought there was any probability of our getting out this Season? He replied: 'I am sorry to say I do not' - he continued: 'How can we? There must be a very heavy Pack outside hemming us in or there would be swells - considerable swells in the Bay - especially when the wind is the direction it has been all day. We will soon find the Bay filled with Pack ice if the wind continues a while longer as it now is' (Easterly) Now VII - PM Wind increasing - probably we shall have strong wind - perhaps a gale to-night. In the morning we may find Bay packed with [[underlined]] "the Pack". [[/underlined]] Probably there is not one aboard but Capt. B. & myself but thinks we will be on our way to sea in less than 12 hours providing the wind should shift by that time to N.W. - the direction wanted of a wind to start out in. What I saw on the 17th was enough to make me think that the [[underlined]] Pack [[/underlined]] will keep us ice-prisoned if we venture into it - & Ice-prisoned if we don't! The preference is to remain imprisoned here! [[end page]] [[start page]] Thursday Oct. 24th 1861 AM 12° N.E. Fresh - Cloudy (Thick) (Snowing light) M 16° N. " " " [[dittos for: Fresh - Cloudy (Thick)]] PM 14° N.N.W. " " [[dittos for: Fresh - Cloudy]] Snowing The whale last secured has made 140 Barrels of oil. Probably 2500 lbs bone. A valuable fish! The tongue will make 12 to 15 Barrels more. This (the tongue) however has been given by Capt B. to the natives who are busily engaged this morning in cutting it out of the ice. It will make them a plentiful supply of Ook-sook for their Ik-[[?koomers]] (fires) for many weeks to come. Capt. B has had 3 casks of "Black skin" saved from the last whale for our use this winter. Yesterday morning enough "black skin" was by the gang-way (on deck) to fill nearly 2 casks more, I should think. I felt that in our wintering here we should need it all- but it was given the natives who took it quickly away. The wind blew fresh from N.E. through the night - some snow accompanied. This morning the prospect more dismal about getting away. As expected, the Bay down toward the entrance is being filled with ice from the horrible Pack. Also what remained of open water in the midst of the Bay is coating over with ice. The water of the Bay is very cold - much of it thick as thick porridge from the chilling effects of the extended Pack outside. Hopes of getting out this Season are small this Morning. By night all hopes must be given up I fear. It is hard to bring the mind to submit to our evident fate. As long as a single straw remains to be grasped, so long we find to indulge the pleasant idea that we shall be welcomed by our friends at Home by Christmas! Had it not been for the Pack, without doubt, we should, as intended - as we were all contratulating ourselves - have been in the States before the 25th of December, ready to join in the festivities of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day & New Year's at Home! How is it now? These commemorable Days will find us delving to secure the wherewith to live. Instead of participating in the smiles & luxuries of friends at Home so abundant on the occasions indicated, we shall be surrounded with long faces, & heavy hearts beating to the [[underlined]] virtues [[/underlined]] (such as they are) [[underlined]] of "Black Skin"! [[/underlined]] IX AM Ther. 13° Wind N.W. blowing in strong gusts thick weather.
