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1861 Nov 26 Tues.
a point near "Look-Out" direct across the Bay say to Parker's Bay as much of the distance is of floe ice. Down by "French Head" & thence along the coast S.W. side of Rescue Bay smooth ice! I hope it extends down to the "Extreme Land" as I desire to go there again before I return to the States.
The Sun was near down behind the high land west when we started from the vessel. On leaving top "Look-Out" Island, darkness was coming on. We only had 5 dogs to draw 6 of us therefore I knew the progress back would be slow. The sledging however we found good tho' a crust just thick enough to impede swift travelling covers the face of the ice. Before we got back a fresh breeze from the N.W. sprung up cutting severely if we turned our faces to it. I had only my civilization clothing. Of course this let the sharp wind through like a seive tho my clothing thick & abundant for the coldest weather of the States.
The stars peered out from the golden sky at the West, N.W. & N. as if to gladden my heart while taking my cold ride homeward. Most of my time however was spent in a running, pleasant conversation with "Dick Comstock of subjects of the N. - Our winter Imprisonment & the Innuits. When we arrived at the G.H. on my entering the main Cabin found [[underlined]] Theatrical [[/underlined]] (?) performances going on!
The Cabin was filled to its utmost capacity with Innuits who had been invited during the day to come aboard this Eve - & with the men of the G.H. belonging Aft.
"Jim Crow", the son of Ar-tark-pa-ru, occupied the center of the Cabin & was performing on the "Kei-loun" while the other Innuits were seated all around on sea-chsts, the female portion singing to the music(?) of the "Kei-loun", the drum head instrument.
I crowded my way through the crowd & made for the Aft Cabin where I found Capt. B. Seated on our Locker enjoying the performance going on before him. Taking my tripod (I usually do my writing seated on a three legged stool) I sought & found a place among the "jans" near the stove where I enjoyed warming my feet as well as the full view of all that was going on. The "Kei-lour" was accompanied some of the time by a Tam-borine made to-day by Lamb & others fully belled with copper that had come off the bottom of the wrecked Rescue. Another instrument the [[underlined]] triangle [[/underlined]] (?) (a steel [[underlined]] square [[/underlined]] pendant from a two string & struck with an iron spoon) made out the complement. The playing Kei-loun by Aunawa, Ook-sing, Que-jesse, & [[underlined]] Young Smith a la Negro! [[/underlined]]
While Annawa was going through the [[underlined]] "sweating" [[/underlined]] process, playing the Kei-loun & dancing the ridiculously wild figures that are indispensible according to Innuit sense of duty {see continuation next page under Wedns 27th}
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Wednesday Nov 27th 1861
29.425 AM -11° (eleven minus) N.W. 4 [[underlined]] Fine [[/underlined]]
.45 M -8° NW 2 [[underlined]] Fine [[/underlined]]
.5 PM -10° 1 [[underlined]] Fine [[/underlined]] = Aurora (1/1)
The parties who were intending to start off for Tuong-wine this Morning have concluded to defer until to-morrow. The day is a Fine one but thinking it too late they choose to wait. I think it very doubtful about making passage at present to Tuong-wine over the ice as the heavy sea usually prevailing along the coast between Oo-pung-ne-wing & Toon-wing has probably prevented the making of safe ice for travelling purposes.
Compared Chros
Rescue's hVI-m46-14.5 (29b
G.H.'s VI-27-00 (Vide Nov 28)
R's fast on G.H. 19-14.5 [[checkmark]]
I continue & conclude the record of last eve as below:
Continued from Bottom preceeding page.
& his music accompanied by full chorus of Innuit voices - in came bouncing into the very midst a strapping big negress, setting the whole House in a roar of laughter!
Young Smith ("Hen Smith") one of the fore the mast hands represented this amusing character. The Tamborine was passed to his (or to carry out the representing party) to the negress' hands wh. done even more than justice to this ringing, jingling instrument, for ere she was done with it her delicate but forcible sable fists knocked a hole through [[underlined]] Whale's liver skin [[/underlined]] with which Tambourine was covered. On Smith's 1st entry some of the Innuit ladies were very much frightened attempting to flee as some folks might say as tho' this negress was the d-l. "Jennie" the An-ge-koo-tress was seated near me at the Aft Cabin door. She strove to depart - to make as great a distance between negress & herself as possible but by considerable exertion I restrained her till she became used to what she supposed at 1st was an evil spirit.
Smith's performances were the great intrest of the evening.
The Dining table wh. usually occupies the center of the Cabin
