Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/302

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MORE FROBISHER RELICS.
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familiar with their language, and then learn of them the history of that expedition."

On the 3d of June I was fortunate in obtaining two more relics of the Frobisher expedition. Ooksin, an Innuit whom I had known before, came on board from Oopungnewing, and gave me, as a present from Annawa's wife, Noodlooyong, a piece of brick, or rather of tile, about two inches long, one inch thick, and one and a half inches wide, and also a musket-ball, both found on Kodlunarn many years ago, and before guns were used by the natives. The piece of tile was similar to those used by the native women in that locality for polishing their brass ornaments. It afforded evidence enough, in dirt and grease, that it must have been in Innuit hands a long time. The ball had the appearance of having been carefully preserved since first found. It had several small indentations upon its surface, and the whole of it was covered with a white coat (oxide of lead), in consequence of long exposure. It is 11/20ths of an inch in diameter. Ooksin said the ball was found on Kodlunarn, under one of the embankments by the "ship's trench," before Innuits knew anything of guns, and when they used only bows and arrows.

A day or two after this, on June 7th, I started on a sledge-exploring trip to Cornelius Grinnell Bay, being accompanied by Ebierbing as dog-driver, but after proceeding down the bay, coasting along by Clement's Land,[1] rounding Farrington's Cape,[2] and making some distance to the north, we were obliged, on account of the deep, soft snow upon the sea-ice, to return on the 10th of June without accomplishing my object.

While on this trip, however, I met with old Ookijoxy Ninoo—who, with Ebierbing, Koodloo, and their families, was living near Farrington's Cape, on a spot called by the

  1. Named after W. H. Clement, of Cincinnati, Ohio. For Clement's Land see Chart.
  2. Named after H. B. Farrington, of New York. This cape is in lat. 62° 5 N. long. 64° 33′ W.