The Narrative of Captain Charles Francis Hall, of the Whaling Barque "George Henry" from the 29th May 1860 to the 13th September 1862 with the results of a long intercourse with the Innuits, and full description of their mode of life, the discovery of actual relics of the expedition of Martin Probisher of three centuries ago and deductions in favour of yet discovering some of the survivors of Sir John Franklin's expedition in two volumes (1864)

PREFACE

Before these volumes pass from the writer’s hands into those of the reader, the author will be once more among the ice of the arctic regions. Though the last page of manuscript was written on the morning of his embarkation, the work itself has been no hasty one. He returned nearly two years ago from the expedition which he has endeavoured to describe. Almost every hour since then which could be spared from the arrangements for his second expedition, has been devoted to the preparation of these volumes from his voluminous journal and notes taken on the spot.

Before dismissing the work, however, from his hands he wishes to say a few words by way of explanation of certain matters connected with his explorations. The reader will perhaps wonder why so much importance was given to the discovery of the Frobisher relics. He answers, partly because of the interest which attached itself to the remains of men so long ago left in that waste land; but partly, too, because the discovery of these remains, and the tracing of their history among the Esquimaux, confirmed, in a remarkable manner, his belief that these people retain among them, with great positiveness, the memory of important and strange
incidents; and as their traditions of Frobisher, when the author was able to get at them, were so clear, he is persuaded that among them may be sought, by one competent, with every chance of complete success, the sad history of Sir John Franklin’s men.

To make himself competent for this more interesting and important research, the author patiently acquired the language and familiarized himself with the habits of the Esquimaux, and he now returns to their country able to speak with them, to live among them, and to support his life in the same manner that they do theirs; to migrate with them from place to place, and to traverse and patiently explore all the region in which it is reasonable to suppose Franklin’s crew travelled and perished. The two intelligent Esquimaux, Ebierbing and Tookoolito, who accompanied the author on his return home, after remaining with him for two years, go back with him on this second voyage.

The author enters upon this undertaking with lively hopes of success; he will not, like most previous explorers, set his foot on shore for a few days or weeks, or, like others, journey among men whose language is unintelligible: but he will again live for two or three years among the Esquimaux, and gain their confidence, with the advantage of understanding the language, and of making all his wishes known to them.

The author cannot close without offering his thanks to the Artists for the beautiful and accurate drawings made by them, under his own eye, from his rough sketches; and to the Engravers and Printers for their constant forbearance in the trouble he gave them, unaccustomed as he was to literary labours, yet anxious to obtain the utmost exactness in his narrative.

C. F. H.
June 30, 1864, on board bark Monticello hound for the Arctic Regions.

Volume 1  |  Volume 2