As soon as the tide had ebbed sufficiently for it, our people went to the rock, on which the small boat lay, and got her into the water.  To our great surprize we found, that she had received no material injury.

CHAPTER XI.

Doubts expressed by Jonathan and the other Esquimaux on the expediency of continuing the voyage.  Consultations.  Resolve to proceed.  Thunder-storm at Pitsiolak.  Account of Indians.  Esquimaux cookery and hunting feasts.  Arrival in the river Koksoak.

Jonathan and Jonas now became more and more anxious about our situation.  They represented to us, that, if we attempted to proceed farther, we might probably be compelled to remain here the whole winter, as the stormy season was fast approaching.  They added, that to them, it would be of little consequence, but that they were concerned on our account.

Though we had not said any thing as yet that might tend to shake the confidence of our party, yet we felt no small degree of perplexity concerning present appearances.  During the six days since we left George’s River, we had made little more than fourteen or fifteen miles, and were at least, as far as we could judge, seventy or eighty from the river Koksoak, which we had fixed upon as the final object of the voyage, being the outermost western boundary of the Ungava country.  Insurmountable difficulties seemed now to present themselves, owing partly to contrary winds and cold weather, and partly to loss of time, for we had been already two months on the voyage, and had not yet obtained our aim:  so that our return might be unseasonably late, if we proceeded.  We could not possibly make up our minds to spend the winter here, as we had not a sufficient supply of provisions, and knew what distress it would occasion to our Brethren at Okkak.

We felt quite at a loss what to do in this dilemma, and our path seemed enveloped in obscurity.  We remembered, that “to the upright there ariseth a light in the darkness,” (Ps. 112, 4):  that is, to them who fear and trust in the Lord, and sincerely desire to know and do His will, He will reveal it.  In His name we had entered upon this voyage, the only ultimate object of which was, the conversion of a benighted, neglected nation, in one of the remotest corners of the earth.  We were, therefore, sure that He would not forsake us, nor leave us in uncertainty as to His will concerning us, but that He, “whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him,” (2 Chron. 16, 9.) was, even in this desolate region, present with us, and would hear and answer our prayers.  Many comfortable texts of scripture occurred to our minds on this occasion, filling us with an extraordinary degree of faith and confidence in Him, particularly such as, “He will be very gracious unto thee