With other provision for the journey, amounted only to fifteen
days' consumption. Indeed we should have preferred going dinnerless to
bed rather than encroach on our small stock had we not been desirous of
satisfying the appetites and cheering the spirits of our Canadian
companions at the commencement of our voyage. These thoughtless people
would at any time incur the hazard of absolute starvation at a future
period for the present gratification of their appetites, to indulge which
they do not hesitate, as we more than once experienced, at helping
themselves secretly, it being in their opinion no disgrace to be detected
in pilfering food.
Our only luxury now was a little salt which had long been our substitute
both for bread and vegetables. Since our departure from Point Lake we had
boiled the Indian tea plant Ledum palustre which provided a beverage in
smell much resembling rhubarb, notwithstanding which we found it
refreshing and were gratified to see this plant flourishing abundantly on
the sea shore though of dwarfish growth.
July 21.
The wind which had blown strong through the night became moderate in the
morning, but a dense fog prevented us from embarking until noon when we
commenced our voyage on the Hyperborean Sea. Soon afterwards we landed on
an island where the Esquimaux had erected a stage of drift timber, and
stored up many of their fishing implements and winter sledges, together
with a great many dressed seal, musk-ox, and deer skins.
