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Monday Oct 28 1861
AM 27° S.S.W. A gale Thick- spitting snow
M 29° S S W Gale " [[ditto for: Thick]]
PM 28 W " [[ditto for: Gale]] Fair Aurora
About midnight a Strong gale from S.S.W. commenced, continuing till morning when at IX AM it abated some. The snow upon the ice is in a soft, melting condition.
I omitted to mention that last night on the return of the Innuits from their hunting excursion they reported that they had been on the high land overlooking the entrance to Rescue Bay & the portion of Davis Strait adjoining it - that all was solid Pack - Kok-burgs [[?arnaruadlo]].
Capt. B. determines that at the 1st chance next Summer, soon as vessel is free, to start for the States.
Death of Mam-ma-ar-che-er ("Mary")
This Morning or during the night the wife of Kar-neier ("Sharkey") died.
This Innuit woman has long been an invalid. Her disease, Consumption - one that is carrying off more Innuits than all others put to-gether. Some months ago it was thought she could not survive long. The Innuits gave her up - I may add [[underlined]] as one dead! [[/underlined]] Her wing-a (husband) "Sharkey", (tho' in all his [[underlined]] former [[/underlined]] conduct was kind to her) gave her up as dead; for a tupik was made & to it "Mary" was removed - this [[underlined]] her "living tomb"! [[/underlined]]
Sharkey took to himself another wife. For weeks & weeks "Mary" lived helpless - & almost starving. Occasionally some few of the Innuits would carry this dying woman morsels of seal, Duck or walrus. Of course, all that was valuable for "Mary's" convenience & comfort was taken away from her when the Innuits carried her to the "House of her Death", as the Innuit Custom is to leave [[underlined]] everything [[/underlined]] the tupik or Igloo & all within where one of their number dies as unfit to be touched ever after.
"Mary" must have died during the night, for on Koo-ou-le-arny ("Susy") calling this Morning at Mary's tupik with cooked meituk (Duck) sent her by Tuk-oo-li-too, no answer was made. On peering in K. saw [[underlined]] that she was dead! [[/underlined]] Innuit custom will not permit one of their number to enter the place of the dead under such circumstances! One of the Innuits came over to the vessel & announced the death of this woman. Capt. B. with one of the ship's men went over to bury her. Cap. B. looked within & saw enough to chill one's heart's blood! The dead met his view with head raised & eyes staring at him with the [[underlined]] overpowering glare of Death's eyeballs! [[/underlined]] The tupik became her winding sheet - stones were then piled over her wh. are now her only monument.
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Tuesday Oct. 29th 1861
AM 8° N.W. Light Fine - (at V AM Aurora)
M 14° N.W. " [[ditto for: Light]] Cloudy thick clouds
P.M. 13° N W " " " " [[dittos for: Light Cloudy thick clouds]]
This Morning at hV not a cloud to be seen - the Aurora gilding in the N.E. sky. At VI A.M. a few thin clouds S.W. - by X AM the heavens clouded over wind light. Several of the ship's company gone out gunning to-day.
I have been confined to the ship for several days by the "Job's Comforter" on my right leg. Yesterday Capt. B. lanced it - & again to-day lest it developed not its contents. It appears to be stubborn in its character. Yet I did venture to hobble to the tupiks & back again this P.M.
My object was to secure, while I could, Took-too furs for Winter's protection to my body. I went 1st to Ebierbing's tupik - saw Tuk-oo-li-too & her infant - also Koo-ou-le-arny ("Susy") the aunt of Ebierbing. Found all well & in good spirits. After a half hour's chat, Ebierbing returned from sealing. I asked him to accompany me to the other village & assist in "trucking" (as trading is called here) for what I wanted. He said that as soon as he could finish his Muk-tuk ("Black skin") he would do so. In the meantime I made a call on Twer-oong & her wing-a, "Miner". Soon as I entered, good Twer-oong placed over the Ik-ku-mer (Innuit lamp) a pot of Mei-tuk (duck) saying: if she had seen me coming, she would have done it before. As I could stop but a moment, I told her I was on my way to the other village & could not stop to share her hospitality, thanking her in all the kindly Innuit expressions I could command. Twer-oong & her wing-a would hardly consent at my leaving till I had been feasted. Really I felt reluctant to withdraw under the circumstances feeling that they might take it that what they had to offer me was not good enough for me. But such was not the fact for Twer-oong's presents in way of food is always well relished by me. These friends wanted to know where I expected to Winter whether at Oo-Kood-lear on or near Oo-pung-ne-wing? I replied I did not yet know - but hoped to at or near the latter place.
It is generally understood that the "George Henry's" Company has got to take up quarters for a good portion of the time
