United States or Barbados ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
At length the obstacles in the way of a new settlement began to dissipate; and in the mean time, to secure possession of the bounds allotted to them by the British Government, the missionaries, Kmoch and Sturman, in 1828, erected a block-house twelve feet long and eight broad, which the summer before had been prepared at Okkak, and sent to Kangertluksoak by some Esquimaux returning to the north.
We now steered for Kangertluksoak, a winter-station of the Esquimaux, where several of our people had pitched their tents. To the north lies Nellekartok, the outermost island on leaving the Ikkerasak, and the first of the Kangertluksoak islands. Seven or eight miles, north of Nappertok, a long flat point runs out, terminated by a small island.
They completed the journey on sledges in fifteen hours, of which they transmitted the following notes "May 19th, at eight in the evening we arrived at Apparnaviarsak, in the neighbourhood of Kangertluksoak; here we found four tents of our Esquimaux, and in three, others of the Nain people who had resolved the next summer to go to Okkak: all expressed the greatest joy at our coming, and all frankly reached out their hands to welcome us.
Account of the Kaumayok Mountains, and of Kangertluksoak. Public Worship on Sunday. Saeglek and its Inhabitants described. The Missionaries visit the Esquimaux at Kikkertarsoak. June 29th. We rose soon after two o'clock, and rowed out of the Ikkerasak, with a fair wind. The sea was perfectly calm and smooth.
Upon the whole, from all that we have heard or seen, Kangertluksoak is one of the best fishing places, and as some remain here the whole year, we can have the Esquimaux more with us than at any of the other settlements.
The poor old man having sore legs, some medicine was left for him. The passage from Kangertluksoak to Saeglek is about twenty English miles. Saeglek is a considerable promontory, open to the south. Departure from Saeglek. Fruitless attempt to reach Nachvak. Retreat into Nullatartok Inlet. Slate Bay. Detention on account of the Ice. Arrive at Nachvak. July 2d.
Preparations were now commenced at the different stations for forwarding the erection of the new settlement, and early in the year 1829, rafters, boards, and shingles, were transported to Kangertluksoak from Okkak by sledges, which performed no less than one hundred and five journies, and seldom spent more than a day upon the road, the tract having been extraordinarily fine, beyond what the oldest inhabitant remembered to have seen, and which the brethren considered as the mark of a kind providence smiling on their new undertaking.
From the great increase of the population at Okkak, the attention of the missionaries was principally directed to Kangertluksoak as the fittest place for a new station; as, in the spring, a great many of their own Esquimaux went thither to obtain a livelihood, the distance being about sixty miles yet several years elapsed before they were able to carry their plan into execution.
The tears of many shewed the joy of their hearts in believing. We intimated to them that, during our stay, we would have prayers morning and evening." The promontory of Apparnaviarsak, where our Esquimaux were, is joined to the continent of Kangertluksoak, on which their winter houses were built.
Several boats were here from Kittinek and Nachvak bound to Okkak. Kangertluksoak lies about sixty miles north of Okkak, is an agreeable place, and has a good strand, and safe anchorage. 30th. Being Sunday, the Missionaries went on shore, and visited all the Christian families, by whom they were received with the most lively expressions of affection and gratitude.
Word Of The Day