Journal of a Voyage from Okkak, on the Coast of Labrador, to Ungava Bay, Westward of Cape Chudleigh by Benjamin Kohlmeister and George Kmoch

B >> Benjamin Kohlmeister and George Kmoch >> Journal of a Voyage from Okkak, on the Coast of Labrador, to Ungava Bay, Westward of Cape Chudleigh

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

25th. Brother Kohlmeister was engaged all day with the Esquimaux.
Brother Kmoch went up the mountain, and brought some fine specimens of
steatite.

26th. Wind strong at N.W. we set sail; but the wind failing, we could
not reach _Saeglek_, as proposed, but spent the night in the open sea.
It passed, however, without any unpleasant occurrences.

27th. The want of wind prevented our getting to-day as far as the
Saeglek islands. Having passed through a very narrow Ikkerasak, with
hardly sufficient depth of water for so large a boat, we cast anchor
near our former station at _Kikkertarsoak_.

28th. Wind cold and changeable, and towards evening stormy.

29th. Set sail about 6 A.M. with a strong wind at W. and in the evening
had reached _Kangertluksoak_ islands.

30th. It blew hard, with snow, and we were obliged to spend the day shut
up in our small cabin by lamp-light. The land was covered with snow. We
were detained here very unpleasantly for three days, by the violence of
the wind and weather.

_October_ 3d. We steered for the promontory of _Kaumayok_; but the wind
dying away, and at length turning to the South, we could not gain any
safe harbour, and were obliged to tack about all night in the open sea.
The weather, however, was mild, and we had the advantage of moon-light.

4th. At 7 A.M. we succeeded in passing the Northern Ikkerasak near cape
_Mugford_ with the tide, and the wind becoming fair, soon brought us
among the Okkak islands. About noon we doubled cape _Uivak_, and
perceived Esquimaux on shore, who ran up the hills, shouted for joy, and
gave us by signs to understand, that the ship (the brig Jemima, sent
annually with provisions to the settlements) was still at Okkak.

We cannot describe the inexpressible pleasure and gratitude to God our
Saviour which we felt, when we again beheld the neighbourhood of Okkak,
after an absence of fifteen weeks. As soon as the captain descried our
boat approaching, he hoisted his colours, and fired some guns to give
notice of our arrival. As we were obliged to tack, to gain the entrance
to the harbour, he came to meet us in the ship's boat, and about one
o'clock we landed. The Missionaries and the Esquimaux met us with tears
of joy and thankfulness, when we all joined in praise to God, who had so
wonderfully kept His protecting hand over us during this perilous
voyage, and granted us to return home in safety.

Our voyage lasted from the 24th of June to the 4th of October, and we
calculated it to be a distance of from 1200 to 1300 miles.

BENJAMIN GOTTLIEB KOHLMEISTER.

GEORGE KMOCH.

[Illustration: _The Northern Extremity of_ LABRADOR with UNGAVA BAY
Explored by the MISSIONARIES _of the Unitas Fratrum_ in 1811.]

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7