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(5 1862 Jan 12 + [[Sunday]] [[underlined]] An Event of Serious import! [[/underlined]] The particulars! At X O'Clock tonight all had retired but Capt. Budington, myself & the Steward, when the latter came down from off deck saying that he thought a sledge was coming as he heard a moment before the cry of sledge dogs at the W. of the vessel. Capt. B & I were seated by the stove holding a sociable chat, smoking & testing the merits of 2 steaming mugs of coffee. I remarked that I thought it doubtful about a sledge coming. However, in a few moments it was certain that there was an arrival, the dogs along side engaged in their usual fights on getting to the unharnessing point. Capt. B. & myself in company started at once & proceeded on deck. Getting to the gang-way, we met "Fluker" (Wm Ellard) coming up the ladder leading from the ice. A little way out was a large team of dogs with 2 men engaged in disengaging them from the Kum-mi-tie (sledge). Finding the party whom we met at the gang-way was "Fluker" Capt B. asked what he had returned for? Fluker answered that it was on account of having frozen his great toe going up to Toong-wine. On being asked who those were unharnessing [[end page]] [[start page]] (6 1862 Jan 12 + [[Sunday]] the dogs (that had accompanyied him) he replied: 'Frank Sylvia one of the ship's men & Sharkey (Kar-ne-ung) the laughing Innuit. "Fluker" was told by Capt. B. to go down forward & when he had gather himself warm to come Aft & he (Capt B) would take a look at his toe - & do what he could for it. Fluker responded: 'Aye, Aye, Sir,' - turned on his heel & with lively, skipping motions passed forward while Capt B & I came below into Main Cabin. In a few minutes, as I was about to pass up on deck, lantern in hand, Capt. B. requested that I would call Fluker to come aft to warm him & get some coffee & something to eat. Arriving on deck, I took a look at the thermometer (wh. was my object in starting up) & then went forward & called Fluker as desired by Capt B. By the by, I must state that as "Fluker" turned to go forward, giving with such light, springing bounds, I said to my friend (Capt B.) 'It cannot be that Fluker has had his limb frozen very seriously, or he could not walk & dance so nimbly as he does' - in wh. remark Capt. B. agreed with me. Within 2 or 3 minutes after my return to the [[end page]] [[start page]] (7 1862 Jan 12 + [[Sunday]] presence of Capt. B (wh. was immediate after calling Fluker) Fluker came down seating himself on the end of the sea-chest by the stove. Capt. B. asked him if he was hungry? Fluker said he was not exactly [[underlined]] hungry [[/underlined]] but he felt very much like eating. On this, Capt. B. placed before him a bowl of hot coffee & called to the Steward who had a few moments before turned in, if there was any bread that he could find to give Fluker? The Steward said there was none out. At this moment 2d Mate Gardiner turned out of his birth making his appearance in drawers, & offered to take the key to the bread cask & get what Capt. B. desired. Gardiner soon returned with 2 Cakes sea-bread. Capt B. handed one to Fluker saying take this & eat it - this I reserve for the other end (meaning the Cake he (Capt B) retained in his hand for a poultice for the toe that had been frozen). One for each end'. The remark caused considerable merriment in wh. Fluker heartily participated. Then Capt B asked Fluker if he would like some meat? 'If you please', was the chaste reply. Capt B. soon came out of the little pantry on wh. he asked: Fluker do you like pig's tail? at the same time placing before him a long bone well flanked with pork. Fluker proceeded to do justice to the [[underlined]] "in-man" [[/underlined]] with a sharpened appetite now & then answering [[end page]] [[start page]] (8 1862 Jan 12 + [[Sunday]] such questions as Capt. B & I asked him relative to his journey up to Toong-wine - the news up there - & of his trip back. Fluker accompanied Sterry & the Company of Innuits that started from here Saturday Jan 4th for Toong-wine. He said that it took 5 days to get up there on account of the snow storm & deep, soft snow - that he froze his big toe on the way up, though he walked all the way - that the reason of freezing said limb was because they had used all the Ook-sook (blubber) before getting up to Toong-wine so that he could not dry his native feet geer & beside it was impossible to keep his feet warm travelling in soft snow - he furthermore said (during his partaking of the refreshments before him) that he had not returned because there was nothing to eat up there, for the Innuits at Toong-wine had a plenty - having been successful in getting several Ook-gook (largest kind of seals) but because on th next morning after getting there on looking at his feet, found that one of his great toes was [[underlined]] black, [[/underlined]] the first time that he knew the limb had been frozen! He said that on showing it to Sterry he (S) told him that if it was his case he should return to the ship forthwith. On this, Fluker said that he made up his mind to come back
