Viewing page 199 of 239
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
[[boxed]] Apr. 16 Wedns [[/boxed]] I have not yet determined tho it is not of much extent, as I saw from the height of this side on my voyage up last fall that it was only 2 1/2 or 3 miles. Arrived at this Enc. VII-30 P. M. - the Igloo is out a few paces from the land on the ice. The snow not being of the most suitable kind for Igloo building, but 4 courses ^[[ on spiral]] of snow blocks were built up. In place of snow dense have spread on a canvass cover over a skeleton of Tupik poles placed on top of the snow wall. 6th Enc thereforer is half Tupik & half Igloo. As I & Smith left the sledge (from ^[[wh.]] we had removed every thing but the meat & blubber while Sharkey & Koo-jes-se were erecting Igloo) the dogs on the instant sprang in a [[strikethrough]] body [[/strikethrough]]pack upon sledge, each snatching a piece of meat or blubber. With club in my hand, a seal spear in Henry's, we at them hammer & tong like. For a while it lookked as it [[underlined]] all were gone [[/underlined]] for the dogs ^[[being]] [[strikethrough]] ? [[/strikethrough]] so hungry that blows were as nothing to them. As a piece of meat was rescued from the jaws on one, another & [[?probable]] 2 others as soon had it. Blows followed blows - dons flew this way & that, all acting likedevils determined to conquer or die in their devouring, frightful work. It was full5 minutes before the battle was through - & not then till Koo-jes-se leaped to the wall of the Igloo he was helping to erect & wh encircled him came to the rescue. During the melee Henry broke the wood portion of Koo-Jes-se's Oo-nar (seal spear) [[strikethrough]] Oo-nar [[/strikethrough]] wh. he unfortunately had seized to repel [[end of page]] [[beginning of page]] [[boxed]] 1862 Apr 16 Wedns [[/boxed]] the dogs with. This enraged K. to a degree not easily described, for no instrument is constructed with more care than an Innuit's Oo-nar. Henry is indeed greatly to blame for his heedlessnes - it seems as if fracture ^[[or loss]] [[strikethrough]] as [[/strikethrough]] certainly would follow [[strikethrough]] as [[/strikethrough]] if he [[strikethrough]] ?had [[/strikethrough]] his hand on any thing to use it. To-night he worked to use the Innuit's saw in cutting out snow for filling up bed place. I told him not to touch it on any account as that if ^[[he]] should break it, the Innuits [[strikethrough]] would [[strikethrough]] not [[strikethrough]] forget [[/strikethrough]] forgive him - That he had done quite enough in his breaking here to last him through this trip [[boxed]] 6th enc. Ar-lek-che-bing [[/boxed]] Thursday Apr 17th 1862 AM 5° N.W. Very light [[underlined]]Fine[[/underlined]] M +16 N W Light breeze [[underlined]]Fine[[/underlined]] PM -7 N W " " " This AM - at noon & PM took observations of the sun [[strikethrough]] for [[/strikethrough]] (see Log Book) After Meridional Observations I had Terry harness up the dogs & made an exploring trip up the small Bay by wh. I have my 6th Encampment. This Bay (or more properly perhaps, from its size Harbor) is indeed a fine one (see Log Book for its description) [[end of page]]
Transcription Notes:
This episode (dogs grabbing meat from sledge) is related on page 511 and illustrated on page 512.
