Taissumani, July 8

Blacklead Island in the summer of 2004. (PHOTO BY KENN HARPER)

KENN HARPER

After the death of Bernhard Hantzsch, his Inuit guides returned to Blacklead Island, taking with them the explorer’s belongings — books, maps, writings, notes and other valuables — leaving only his scientific instruments on the shores of Foxe Basin. It was a laborious trip because all but two of their dogs had died.

On Sept. 26, 1911, Rev. Greenshield was readying himself for bed at the mission station on Blacklead Island when he heard shouts from outside.

“Iggaaqtukkut tikisimangmata,” went the cry. He knew immediately what this meant – Hantzsch’s expedition had returned. [The Inuit called Hantzsch ‘Iggaaqtuq,” meaning “the one who wears glasses.”]

Rushing outside, Greenshield saw Hantzsch’s boat heading under full sail for Blacklead. The Inuit on shore were excited at the expedition’s return, but their happiness quickly subsided when the vessel reached shore. One man was missing. Greenshield stepped forward and shook hands with Aggaarjuk, who told him simply, “Ilavut tuqungmat — Our friend is dead.”

Before leaving Blacklead with Hantzsch in the spring of 1910 Aggaarjuk had known that Greenshield would leave for England that summer if a ship arrived. He had no way of knowing that Greenshield would return again to the isolated mission in 1911.

In fact, Greenshield had returned that summer on the schooner, Thomas. Aggaarjuk was a man literate in Inuktitut syllabic writing. Sometime after Hantzsch’s death he wrote an account of the circumstances surrounding the explorer’s death.

Aggaarjuk may have been intending to leave a clear record while it was fresh in his memory in case he were accused of having caused or contributed to Hantzsch’s death. The letter was clearly intended for Greenshield’s eyes, and Greenshield subsequently translated it.

This early example of Inuit narrative reads as follows.

“I write thus an account of my love for our friend, because he is dead in the wilderness, for I love him greatly, and ye also, I love you.

“He was not frozen, and he was not starved, he was also well clothed, such were not the cause of his death. His death was caused by severe illness, his body, his arms, and his legs being very much swollen, his lungs also being affected. In this manner he died.

“In the beginning, in Blacklead Island, my brother [i.e. Hantzsch] spoke in this way to me: ‘Do you wish to travel with me, because you shall receive things from me?’ ‘Yes,’ I answered, ‘I wish to do so.’ And so then we travelled together to Lake Nettilling. We were very happy, because we were travelling together to Nettilling.

“We always kept the Sundays, and God was with us while we were alone, and He also caused us to be happy when we travelled. Then we reached Lake Nettilling, when I, who am an Eskimo, was very ill. Then my brother helped me and I thank him and the medicines he used, very much.

“Indeed with much trouble he saved me, with the medicines and by God’s help. When indeed I had but little flesh left on my body, my brother, the white man, saved me.

“Then when I was recovered we began to travel beyond Lake Nettilling, and at last we arrived at the Kuukjuaq (or Great River), when the summer was ended and the winter commencing. We were unable to travel on the sea because there was so much ice, so we commenced journeying through the land. Then we reached a place where there were no animals to be found, and we lost most of our dogs. Then we travelled a little farther on, and we found a place where seals could be obtained and upon this discovery we no longer despaired of our lives during the winter. While there I made a means of helping ourselves, by constructing a canoe, covering it with sail-canvas, and indeed we found that canoe a great help in obtaining our livelihood. Then the midwinter was beginning, and seals could no longer be found around our wintering-place. So we wished to travel still a little farther on, and then we discovered a place which had both seals and caribou.”

Next Week – The Conclusion of Aggaarjuk’s Letter

Taissumani recounts a specific event of historic interest. Kenn Harper is a historian, writer and linguist who lives in Iqaluit. Feedback? Send your comments and questions to kennharper@hotmail.com.