CHAPTER VIII
Departure from Greenwood's Land—Numerous Rocks—Furious Tides—Narrow Escape—Preservation Island—Beginning of Winter—Ice Forming—Visit the principal Islands at Head of the Bay—Koojesse a skilful Boatman—Nearly wrecked—Saved by the Rising Tide—Departure Homeward—The Kingaite Coast—Boisterous Weather—Detained on a Rugged Island—Difficulties with the Innuit Crew—Freedom and Independence—Land.
My desire was to have continued here much longer, and thoroughly to have examined the vicinity of the natural "Gateway" already mentioned; but my companions were urgent to go, and I was obliged to yield. Accordingly, on the morning of September 6th, 1861, our tupics were struck, and we set out on the return journey.
It was 9.37 a.m. when we left our fifteenth encampment, and at ten o'clock we landed Koojesse and Koodloo on the opposite side of the estuary. They were desirous of going on another tuktoo hunt across the mountains, and were to rejoin us at the place where our thirteenth encampment had been made, the point to which we were now bound. There were thus left in the boat with me only the three women of my crew, and I was not free from anxiety till we had passed a point of land which I called the "Little Peak," and which was by the water's edge, surrounded by dangerous shoals. Then I supposed we had got over the critical portion of our way.
When abreast of the fourteenth encampment, and near a small island about one mile from that station, I found we were being carried along by the ebbing tide at a rapid rate, but I then apprehended no danger. Suzhi, who was experienced in boating, joyously called my attention to the swiftness of our progress, saying, with a sweeping motion of her hand, "pe-e-uke!" (good.) But soon this feeling of pleasure was destroyed. It was not five minutes after Suzhi's exclamation when we were all struggling for dear life.
