Accidents


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Aside from the omnipresent threats of freezing, starvation, or going mad, life in Baffinland brought with it a host of hazards that could strike down men with impunity as they went about their normal duties. The loss of Neglegeanil on 13-09-20 is strikingly similar to the loss of W.R. Ford and C.C.T. Shepherd at Wolstenholme in 1913.

A fatal accident occurred here tonight resulting in the death of Neglegeanil, Rev. A. L. Fleming's chore boy. A high wind had sprung up late in the evening and a nasty sea was running and Mr. Fleming fearing that his jolly boat, which was lying off the shore, might drag her anchor, had gone out with Neglegeanil in his small canoe to make sure that everything was secure. The outward journey was accomplished safely, but immediately after Neglegeanil seems to have lost his head and they were both thrown into the water. They managed to catch hold of the canoe which was floating bottom up and it was only a question of hanging on long enough to be washed ashore [. . . ] halfway to the shore, Neglegeanil's strength must have failed him, for he suddenly let go his hold and immediately sank like a stone. Mr. Fleming himself only just managed to hang on long enough to get ashore. The Inuit's body was found washed up on the rocks by S.J. Stewart who went across in the morning.

Oswalt (p.104) describes "kayak angst" as a sometimes fatal mental imbalance experienced by Inuit hunters.
In a textbook case kayak fear occurs among men hunting alone at sea in kayaks. When the sun is at its zenith, the sea calm with mirrorlike quality, and a kayaker either still in the water or paddling and staring at the seascape, he may be overcome with a set of fearful sensations. The first symptom is a sense of confusion and dizziness accompanied by a difficulty in estimating distances, even how far it is to the bow of the kayak. He begins to feel alternately hot and cold; he sweats and wants to squirm about but fears doing so and attempts to sit even more quietly than before. By staring ahead he tries to gain self-control. The lower part of his body seems cold, and he thinks that this sensation is caused by water flooding the kayak. To break the spell he may paddle slowly toward shore or ruffle the glassy surface of the water with his paddle, these efforts at times suffice to break the trance. If they do not, however, tthe attack continues, and the hunter fears that he will capsize and drown. His arms may become paralyzed, and he may imagine that the kayak is sinking. If help arrives or the spell is otherwise broken, he will paddle ashore, and this phase of the attack will pass. ... For many kayakers the experience intensifies until at some point they either drown or abandon hunting from kayaks.

Other forms of madness are recorded at Cape Dorset {check} and {where else} .
Less serious loss time accidents are recorded throughout the log. On 29-07-20 back at Wolstenholme Pennell reported:
Ockpalagk and his wife arrived from the Anzac to get more help. It seems that they ran into a heavy sea which carried them ashore and badly smashed the boat. Mark will go over in his boat and try to tow her in.

He reports more trouble on 31-07-20:
Visited net and got our first Whale. Koomuk-Mark shot the back of his hand while hunting whales this forenoon. It seems that he had wounded a whale and was running after it when he tripped and fell, setting the gun off.
The bullet tore away the back of his hand and before he reached the Post he was in a very weak condition, we fixed him up as good as we could but it will be some time before he will be able to do any work with it.
Colds and influenza were common for both Inuit and whites:

04-04-20 W.J Peters indisposed.
23-05-20 Nearly all the Inuit around the Post have been laid up in turn with a slight touch of Influenza but nothing very serious as a couple of Aspern [sic] usually effects a cure.
14-06-20 Jno. Hayward indisposed and confined to bed.
04-09-20 C. Bradbury indisposed.
21-09-20 The Daryl's arrived here this afternoon ... being compelled to return ... owing to ... Sargieuktuk falling sick. He was found to have developed a bad cold and will be alright after a few days rest.
20-10-20 Jim Palliser indisposed having contracted a bad cold.
15-12-20 M. Leo Manning confined to bed owing to having got a chill in gums.

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