p. xxvii: On the 29th of May [1860], accompanied by Mr. Grinnell and several citizens of New London… [I] entered the boat that was to convey me on board. A few strokes of the oars, however, had only been made, when we returned at the voice of Mr. Haven hailing us. It was to give me a present, in the shape of a little book called “The Daily Food,” which, though small in size, was great in its real value, and which proved my solace and good companion in many a solitary and weary hour.
[The full title of the book was Daily Food for Christians, being a Promise, and Another Scriptural Portion for Every Day of the Year, Together with the Verse of a Hymn. First published London ca. 1800 and frequently reprinted in America from 1830.]
p. 25, on Inuit geographical expertise: Too-koo-li-too showed an unexpected knowledge of the geography of her country, reminding Arctic students of the native woman Iligliuk, and of her chart drawn for Parry.
p. 30, Hall’s description of the outfitting of his vessel, the George Henry, included everything from pork scraps, guns, needles, etc., a supply of glass beads and needles for presents to the natives: Some navigation books and several arctic works, with my Bible and a few other volumes, formed my library.
p. 31: I soon began to classify my labors, devoting so many hours to reading, to study, to writing, exercise, reflection, and sleep.
p. 37: …the George Henry had a small but carefully-selected library in the cabin, furnished by the house of Williams & Haven (owners of the vessel), good books were occasionally distributed by the captain among officers and men, much to their satisfaction, and, no doubt, advantage.
p. 41, when the Eskimo Kudlago was buried at sea, Hall made some remarks: These were succeeded by my reading portions of appropriate exhortations from the ‘Masonic Manual,’ after which I read a prayer from the same excellent work.
p. 53, in Holsteinborg: The whole body of missionaries are paid per annum, in Danish money, $16,360, of which amount Government House gives $14,650, and the East India Missions, at the outside $2000. For schools and school-books the sum of $6500 is appropriated.
p. 57: Hearing that I had on board a copy of McClintock’s Voyage, he [Gov. Elberg of Greenland] asked for the loan of it, and I let him have it soon afterward. [Goes on to quote McClintock on Greenland.]
p. 69-70: The minister Kjer has been at work translating ’Robinson Crusoe’ into Esquimaux, that copies might be printed and distributed among his people in Greenland. In his library there is an Esquimaux Bible, and every thing is done to make the natives of Holsteinborg good and happy. Dr. Rink has also issued some useful story-books in Esquimaux, one of which books, and also a copy of the doctor’s famous work, the governor kindly gave me.
p. 71: I had promised the governor [Elberg] to show him a collection of arctic charts brought with me, and also the British Parliamentary Reports of the Searching Expeditions, and the works of Kane, Franklin, Parry, etc. He was greatly interested, making many inquiries that I took pleasure in answering.
p. 84, when a storm made chaos of the books: Medicine-chest and contents—guns and ammunition—my arctic library and the library of the George Henry—geological and ornithological cetaceous and floral specimens—sailors’ chests—magnetic and astronomical instruments—pens, ink, and paper, charts and maps, etc…. But soon out of all this chaotic mass we produced harmony again. Things got into their places; and I, by degrees, mastered my sickness, and was the man once more.
p. 99, Hall’s initial description of the Esquimaux when first seeing them at Cornelius Grinnell Bay on August 8, 1860: A transverse section would discover them to be stratified like a rolly-polly pudding, only, instead of jam and paste, if their layers were noted on a perpendicular scale, they would range after this fashion: first of all seal—then biped—seal in the centre with biped—and seal again at the bottom. Yet singular enough, these savages are cheerful, and really seem to have great capacity for enjoyment. Though in the coldest and most comfortless dens of the earth, they are ever on the grin. They grin when they rub their noses with snow, when they blow their fingers, when they lubricate their hides inside and out with the fat of the seal. Truly, then, as Sterne says, ‘Providence, thou art merciful!’ ”
p. 110, pictures in Family Bible shown to Eskimo girls.
p. 161, re Ebierling and Tookoolito: While in the tent, Tookoolito brought out the book I had given her, and desired to be instructed. She has got so she can spell words of two letters, and pronounce most of them properly…. She is far more anxious to learn to read and write than Ebierbing.” [Hall thinks these two Eskimaux will be a great asset as interpreters, especially Tookoolito, and alludes to the little help McClintock had from Petersen in interviewing the natives of King William’s Land.]
p. 184: A few of the natives were on board to dine on Christmas Day, and I took the opportunity to give Tookoolito a Bible that had been placed in my hands by the Young Men’s Christian Union of Cincinnati, and which I thought could not be devoted to a better purpose. I inscribed upon it the following: “Presented to Tookoolito, Tuesday, December 25th, 1860.” Her first act was to read the title, ‘Holy Bible,’ then to try and read some of its pages, which she still longs to understand. [See also p. 191 for more on her reaction to the Bible and Hall.]
p. 195, Hall took a sledge journey in January 1861. His journal entry of Jan 10th listed the provisions, including: “My books were Bowditch’s Navigator, Burrit’s Geography and Atlas of the Heavens, Gillespie’s Land Surveying, Nautical Almanac for 1861, a Bible, and ‘Daily Food.’
p. 279, in searching for information and relics of the Frobisher voyages Hall heard the oral tradition of three visits: First two, then two or three, then many—very many vessels. [A remarkably accurate memory of the three Frobisher voyages 180 years later.]
This was clear; and I immediately took up the only book I then had with me bearing upon the subject, ‘Barrow’s Chronological History of Arctic Discovery,’ and turning to the account of Frobisher’s voyages, I read what had been given to the world by means of writing and printing, and compared it with what was now communicated to me by means of oral tradition. [ Hall goes on to show the correspondence between the accounts in number of ships, and in white men captured, in the Written and Traditionary histories. It is hard to believe he had Barrow’s book with him in the small tent where he heard these narratives, but the rest of the account is credible.]
p. 340: On July 28th, in the morning, I went over to Whale Island and brought Tookoolito on board, to continue the work …of getting up a vocabulary of the Innuit of these regions for collation with Parry’s compiled on his second voyage up Hudson’s Straits. Tookoolito was very serviceable in this. She gave me valuable explanations of words, and also expeditiously interpreted into her own tongue portions of the ‘Progressive Reader’ which I had previously presented to her.…
Oh that such a noble Christianizing work was begun here as is now established in Greenland! What a valuable aid for it could be found in Tookoolito! Will not some society, some people of civilization, see to this matter ere this noble race pass away? * * * It seems to me that the days of the Innuits are numbered….
p. 346: Let Christians plant a colony among the western Innuits, as has been done in Greenland, and in time this people will become converts to Christianity, for that is the only true religion; and the truth, when properly presented to honest minds, will be received with open hearts.
p. 401-02: In return I gave her [Koomuk] some beads, which greatly delighted her. Tweroong was there at the time, and I asked her what she had done with the beads I had recently presented her. Her reply was that she had given them to the angeko for his services in her sickness. As she was a truly generous, kind-hearted woman, I selected a few more and gave them to her, and in returning the remainder to a little tin case, in which I kept my journal, observation books, and a few other precious things, my eye rested on the Bible. I took it out and held it up before the women, saying, ‘This talks to me about Kood-le-par-mi-ung (heaven).’ [There is more about his desire to convert the natives, hampered by his lack of knowledge of their language. They did ask to learn more of what the Bible said, including something of hell. With his farewells to the Innuits, Hall often told them he hoped to meet them in heaven. Hall makes much of his discoveries of Frobisher relics throughout this narrative.]
p. 586: Appendix II: Donations to the Arctic Research Expedition, 1860, includes the following books:
“Gillespie’s Land Surveying”; “Principles of Zoology”; Geological Chart of the Arctic Regions, by himself [David Christy]; “Scoresby’s Arctic Regions; and “2 blank journal books made of bank-note paper.” Among purchases were Nautical Almanacs and an India-rubber chart cover.
p. 587, American Express company is listed as a donor of free transportation for a case of books for the expedition, from Cincinnati to New York City, but with no listing.