. Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux;. indly gave them some beef and pork, powderand shot, and a chart. To this I also added some ammunitionand caps. They remained with us about two hours, and then, after de-ciding to go on, instead of landing for the night (perhaps theywere still fearful of being captured), they got into their boat, and,with many thanks to us, started on their perilous voyage. I watched them long as they passed away from us bendingto their oars. It was 9 when they departed. The moonwas shining brightly in the east—the alabaster mountains of icewere scattered
. Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux;. indly gave them some beef and pork, powderand shot, and a chart. To this I also added some ammunitionand caps. They remained with us about two hours, and then, after de-ciding to go on, instead of landing for the night (perhaps theywere still fearful of being captured), they got into their boat, and,with many thanks to us, started on their perilous voyage. I watched them long as they passed away from us bendingto their oars. It was 9 when they departed. The moonwas shining brightly in the east—the alabaster mountains of icewere scattered about upon the darkening waters—the craggyrocks sharply cut their black profiles against the distant sky, andthe winds were gently but coldly blowing in sad harmony withthe occasion. As they vanished from my view I said to myself,Will the civilized world ever see these desperate men again ? It LAST SIGHT OF THE RUNAWAYS. 93 is next to a miracle if so. And yet what lesson do they teachme ? If these nine men can undertake such a voyage, and un-. MY LAST SIGHT OF Till: RUNAWAYS. der such wretched circumstances, with so little preparation, whyshould not I, having far better means, be able to accomplish mine?For themselves, I added, God be with them! I know not howjust or unjust their cause may be, but I do know that humanlife is now at stake, and my sympathy goes with them. Before I pass from this strange occurrence, it will be better togive the sequel of their history, so far as yet known, through threeof the wretched crew who reached Indian Harbor, Labrador. Thefollowing particulars I gleaned at St. Johns, Newfoundland, onmy way home in the fall of 1862. It seems that a Captain Nathan Norman, who does business inLabrador, and is also a magistrate, encountered the survivors ofthis boats crew, and, hearing their tale, demanded from them astatement in writing; whereupon one of them, Sullivan by name,drew up an account, the original of which is in my was given to m
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjecteskimos, bookyear1865
