Viewing page 593 of 661
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
(2 1861 Dec. 16 Mon engaged at same time in building his Igloo close by. He left his work at once at my message for him to Ki-ete. When in our presence, I asked him if he had any good Took-too skins that he would sell me? He answered that had took-too skins but did not wish to part with them. He said furthermore that they were up the Inlet. I told him I was going up there & would bring them down & then if he would trade that I might have 2 or 3 skins I would like it. After a long "talk" it was agreed that I, Kook-Smith & Smith might bring down his bundle of skins on the sledge on the return trip from up said Inlet. I lost no time in giving directions to have the dogs harnessed quick as possible that we might be off. I returned to the Igloo where I put up & got myself ready for the trip. I called for a piece of my "Black Skin" for a lunch on the way & with this in one hand my carpet sack in the other I took my departure from Head quarters, leaving word that I should be back by evening. Getting down to the foot of the hill where we had left the sledge the evening before & where I found Kook-Smith & Smith nearly ready with the dogs I placed my carpet sack & "Black Skin" on the sledge - that instant the dogs had my "Black Skin" one snapping it from another till there became a general fight among all the dogs for it. Thus I lost my lunch for that trip. Started from Igloo hX-m15 AM for [[space]] Even with the Island that is at the Entrance of the Inlet making up N.N.W. " [[underlined]] True [[/underlined]] hX-m43 rate 4 ms. per hour Arrived Tupiks visited by Keeney & Smith XII-00 Merid. Here I found 2 tupiks - one occupied by Oo-soo-kar-loo & family consisting of wife & one child - & his Mother PE-tat-tu an old woman with many gray hairs. As I wish every particular relating to this visit to Oo-soo-kar-loos tupik on record, I shall attempt to give all facts as they occured. Oo-soo-kar-loo started on his trip last eve arriving short time after we did at Toong-wine. His sledge tracks conducted us direct to the Tupiks. When opposite the Mountain Island that rises up abruptly in the midst of the Inlet's Entrance, while taking a short rapid run beside the Kum-mi-ti-te keep my feet from freezing I found Oo-soo-Kar-loo's sup-por-tu (tobacco pipe) wh. he lost off his sledge when coming down wh. loss gave him deep distress on relating it this morning. Tho' seemingly an insignificant matter, yet pipes have become a scarce article, the supply being nearly exhausted at the ship, I having the only stock on hand, amounting to a double score. I was glad to find this valuable article of Oo-soo-kar-loo as I knew [[end page]] [[start page]] (3 1861 Dec 16 Mon he would rejoice in possessing it again. Not having my native stockings dried I came near freezing my feet on the upward trip. Smith froze his great toe. As stated we arrived at the Tupiks (summer tents) at XII Meridian. The tide being well down, left the dogs & sledge on the main ice the ice between the Main & Shore being of too formiable, broken character to surmount it except in person. Smith hastened immediately to the 1st Tupik on our stop. Soon after I followed, Kook-Smith remaining by the team for a few moments to whip the dogs to a reclining position wh. is done by a peculiar throw of the lash wh. the Innuits dogs recognise as equivalent to 'Bose lie down'. After making my way over & up the ice Debris I came to Tupik - bent down & peeked in - saw Smith attending too his cold feet & beside him an Innuit woman & child. I passed on to the other tupik - attempted an entrance but found it thonged together, though, through an opening saw that there were Innuits within. I concluded they were late rises & retraced my steps to 1st Tupik. I made my way in - found Smith comfortably seated before one Ik-Koo-mer & Oo-soo-Kar-loo's noo-loo-an-a (wife) & child before another the wife busily sewing. I seated myself between Smith & Kod-ling-oo (name of the Noo-li-an-a) After a few words of greeting & gladness from her, I commenced taking off my feet gear for the object of holding my almost frozen feet over the Ik-Koo-mer (fire light). I had just removed my Kum-mins (outside native Boots) as in came a very venerable Innuit woman whom I remembered having seen several times before but whose name I could not call to mind. But I passed the complements of the day by saying: 'As-shu-e-tid-bey' to wh. she replied: Tur-boy-on-loo! I was seated on the took-too bed & commenced at once to move one side to make room for the old lady; but she signified to me to keep my seat, at the same time picking up the snow-shovel ([[space]]) which is a pine board with handle placing it near my feet & on wh she seated herself. The old lady seeing me engaged in extricating my feet from their gear, she put forth her hands & drew off my double set of native socks & took-too stockings. She did not stop here, though I assured her that would do. I had on next my feet civilization stockings & intended keeping them on; but 'PE-tat-tu' (for this is the name of the [[underlined]] hot hearted [[/underlined]] old mother) grasped 1st one foot & then the other stipping each bare! Quick as thought she lifted up the double flaps of the front of her took-too jacket &
