HISTORIC DESPATCH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17145, 30 December 1929, Page 11

HISTORIC DESPATCH

LETTER FROM POLAR SEA SIR J. McCLURE'S ADVENTURES MEETINGS WITH ESKIMOS. The first portion of a, letter hitherto unpublished, written by Admiral Sir Kouert McUlure, the discoverer of the north-west passage, was published a tew weeks ago. J tie. letter was written on board It..M.S. Investigation, m the Polar Sea. .Sir Robert McClure, in addition to seeking the north-west passage was also in search of remains of the Sir John Franklin expedition, and had to abandon his ship in. the ice in .1854. The letter, which is supposed to have been addressed to Mr. John Lo Mcsurier, was found some time ago among the Mew Zealand Government despatches, but how it came to New Zealand is not known. The following is a continuation of the letter : "H.M.S. Investigation, Hay of Mercy, Polar Sea, April 10, 1853.—From this until tho 24th (August, 1850), we made our way along the coast through dangers, difficulties, and disasters. Sufficient to say, wo ran on shore, lost a 12 months' beef by the upsetting of a, boat a great and irreparable calamity—ami got crushed about very much by heavy ice. WARLOCK NATIVE TRIBE. "On that day, being oil Point Warren, a. little tu the, eastward of. the Mackenzie (Rivor), some natives were observed, and going to communicate we found instead of the usual friendly signals that we were accosted with horrible savage, yells and gestures indicative that we. should go away. Nothing alarmed, we landed, and these simple people retreated with hows in ha'nd and arrows on. tho string until hailed by the interpreter, when they appeared less terrified. When assured of our .friendly intentions, they came to a. parley. Not, however, until our guns were taken back to tho boat, would they'approach, after which they put up their knives and returned their arrows to the quiver. Wo found, them a, very warlike set and at enmity with all other tribes to tho eastward of the Mackenzie. This we ascertained was correct from those men we, met at Cape. Bathurst. By the aid of a few presents we. soon became friends, and got supplied with a, largo quantity of the pintail duck, but all their valuable skins bad been set across a, lake immediately they (lis covered the ship. "THE PAST 'MOVING ISLAND." ''Not knowing what to make of the ship, they called it the fast-moving island, the chief frequently remarking 'that it was very dangerous.' They do not trade, as I anticipated, with tho Hudson Bay Co., but with the tribe wo Irad last parted from—whoso chief was named Attowoo. Immediately the interpreter mentioned hint they were evidently pleased, clapping their hands and exclaiming,' 'lie is a great chief.' Tlwy bad a legend 1 which we could not exactly fathom relative to the death of a white man, also of a hut which was built by some Europeans. A post marked the former event, and a very old hut upon the extreme of the point tho other. "They said the man was murdered by oiio of the tribe which bad gone away with the skins, but the only answer as to tho date of cither event was, 'Oh, if might bo yesterday or when I was a, child.' If it ever occurred I should think the latter period tho most probable. The white man's grave 1 should have, opened, only it came on to blow so fresh on (he, shore that 1 was fearful-of-not getting oil', so it remains a mystery. But the grave was evidently of very old date, as was a Hat button which ornamented the old man's ear. The. button "was said to have been taken oil' the wanderer's jacket. PROMISE GIVEN BY NATIVES. "Wo parted most excellent friends, and the promise was. given that if any more white men came on their grounds they should bo kindly received. It is a fact worth knowing that the reason this tribe will not trade with the Mackenzie, but prefer crossing its mouth some distance up to thei westward to traffic with our friend Attowoo, is that white men givu 'some very bad water,' | which make Eskimo Indians ■ sick, and they will not have: any of it. So you seo tho company lose many valu- ; able skins, which would be avoided by giving useful articles in lieu of brandy. | "On tho 31st we anchored under the Baillan Islands and went to Capo Bathurst, a. distance of nine miles, in the cutter to visit an: encampment of Eskimos. Many active young warriors came running to tho beach shouting'and brandishing knives. Among them was a, venerable grey-headed chief, who certainly, had great influence, for on my making signs of peace ho made them all put their weapons up and advanced to the .conference. These natives remember Sir John Richardson, and one. young fellow, by way of describing him, imitated his walk, which, as' I am not acquainted with Sir John; I did not recognise, but. the surgeon, who was an assistant to him, remarked it instantly. INVITATION TO BANQUET DECLINED. "Wo remained a couple of hours. Upon parting we made, several presents and gave a gun to the chief as payment for taking my despatches to the Good Hope—-which bo promised faithfully to do. The next day we reached the cape, and being nearly calm, we had many visitors on board—men and women. Wo hoisted their boats mi board, and dancing and music, was kept up with much, spirit until well into the, evening. "A breeze springing up, I was anxious to set sail, but our visitors were so much, gratified it was some time before I could get them out of tho ship, and that only by threatening to put them on the ice. which alarmed, them, as that part of the ice swarms with bears. They invited us to a banquet of whale, walrus blubber, seal, deer, ducks, salmon, wolf, foxes, and mice. I was compelled to refuse the intended honor."