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Wednesday Oct 30th 1861 AM 12° N.W. Light - Cloudy & thick - mist in the air! M 18° N E Strong & snow - Wind changed & it began to Snow PM 20° N.E. Gale blowing strong thick weather. This Morning the rigging, decks &c coated with thin ice - the moisture in the air congealing as soon as it touches anything that will fill the function of a nucleus. Kood-loo & Koo-per-neu-ung went out yesterday with their Ki-as Ducking. Together they got 14 - 7 each. Koo-per-neu-ung came board early bringing 4 of his presenting the same to Capt. B. Our breakfast a stand-up one - that is to say each took his mug of coffee (?) (burnt beans) with sea bread & boiled Muk-tuk (Whale skin) eating & drinking - standing up or sitting down here or there as best suited. A novel sight interesting but nevertheless [[underlined]] real. [[/underlined]] We are now facing matters of fact. The history of our Wintering here cannot be otherwise than interesting to the general reader if but simply & truthfully told. Yesterday one of the jaw-bones of the Whale was sawed, chopped & split for fuel. We are now using it. The bone is very porous, & filled with oil. The heat from it is great. A cord of bone must be equivalent to 4 cords dry live oak. Had it been anticipated that we would be obliged to Winter here, the Crown bones of the three last secured Whales would have been saved. The "crown bone" to wh. is attached the Whale-Bone, (the top of crown bone covered with blubber) in taking in whale is drawn up on deck, the Whale-bone & blubber taken off then dumped overboard, at once sinking. The 3 Crown bones are within a few fathoms of the ship - but beneath the ocean waters that cover other valuables beside Crown bones the World over. I have been seriously thinking on an important subject. Whether in justice to the George Henry's Company under the present unexpected circumstances I should not depart from the vessel & secure my living among the Innuits. This is a consideration weighing heavily upon me: that it was expected by the Messrs Williams & Haven, on my accepting their generous proposal of bringing me & my outfit here North, that I would leave the vessel in the Fall of the Year in wh. we took our departure from the States - tho' the latter member of the firm (Mr Havens) expressed to me [[end page]] [[start page]] 1861 Oct 30 Wedns. (during a walk to his office from his residence where I had just dined with him & family on a pressing invitation day before sailing) his wish & advice that I should stop on board their (W & H's) vessel (the G.H.) till the following navigable season (of 1861) after arriving here. Not being able to make up a Company (Boat's Crew) from the Innuits on arrival here on account of their protestations that it was too late in the Season to make a Boat Voyage to the point I desired to make before Winter set in, I was [[underlined]] forced [[/underlined]] to accept the offer or Mr. Havens. In Sept. of the year of our arrival North, a gale swept over the country. During the prevailance of this gale, my craft in wh. I expected to make my voyage to King Williams Land, was completely wrecked, thus cutting off for a while all hopes of making the Voyage for wh. I embarked. However, soon after, arrangements were made with Capt. B. of the G. Henry to supply me with one of the vessel's Boats. About the time that I was to make my departure, it was found that neither of the Boats that could be spared me to make my voyage, was sea-worthy - that they were in far worse condition than before estimated. By the reason of this all important matter, Capt B. & his officers advised that I should not risk my own life & the lives of others in attempting my contemplated Voyage. On a full examination of the qualities of the Boats, I came to the conclusion that I would delay another year in starting - that I would return to the States & if possible get a small vessel, have her properly fitted, manned & equipped & resume my voyage in the Spring of 1862. As the time drew near for our departure from here I became more & more hopedful of my success in carrying out my designs. On the 17th day of the present month the bright sky of my soul became overwhelmed! It was [[?fortakened]] that I was to lose another year - that the "George Henry" was already doomed to Winter's [[underlined]] imprisonment [[/underlined]] here! The "Pack" of Davis Strait hemmed us in - then ice-fingers covering the Bay & harbor seized upon us, - [[underlined]] and here we are! [[/underlined]] This much needs to be said - I now come to this point: The "George Henry" is short of provision for the time she is now obliged to remain here. The "George Henry's" Company proper, are of right entitled to the provision remaining. The time [[underlined]] now is [[/underlined]] when they need to husband every particle of it. Under these circumstances I cannot do less than to propose to Capt. B. that I will not be dependent upon any share of the ship's provision till the time of his departure for the States. I have already signified to him that I know
