Marble Island
Encyclopedia
Marble Island is one of several uninhabited Canadian arctic islands in Nunavut
, Canada
, located within western Hudson Bay
. The closest community is Rankin Inlet. During the age of sail
, this island was valued as a harbour for overwintering in the Arctic Ocean
.
. It is the quartzite that gives the island its white, marble-like appearance.
Marble Island is bare rock, located above the treeline, and with only a small amount of plant life, primarily lichen
s and moss
es. Thus, there is only a limited amount of territorial wildlife, primary the polar bear
, the arctic fox
, the arctic hare
, and lemmings. A large variety of birds visit the island, including ducks, raptors, and unidentified "small brown birds". A great number of sea mammals can be found nearby, including several kinds of whales and seals
. Due to the large amount of oceanic life, Marble Island is a traditional summer hunting ground for the Inuit
.
was led by James Knight of the Hudson's Bay Company
and two ships under captains David Vaughan
and George Berley
. They were ship-wrecked nearby and took refuge on the island. Despite assistance by the local Inuit, they had all died of starvation and disease, especially scurvy
, by 1722 at the latest. In 1769, their remains were finally discovered by Samuel Hearne
.
, but by 1890 was completely abandoned: few whales could be found nearby, and ice conditions grew treacherous. Before it was abandoned, the whaling ship Orray Taft sank nearby: her sailors occupy several graves on the island. This was a major factor in the creation of the island's nickname, Deadman's Island.
: modern visitors are expected to crawl ashore, or die exactly a year later.
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located within western Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
. The closest community is Rankin Inlet. During the age of sail
Age of Sail
The Age of Sail was the period in which international trade and naval warfare were dominated by sailing ships, lasting from the 16th to the mid 19th century...
, this island was valued as a harbour for overwintering in the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
.
Natural features
Marble Island is composed of a type of sedimentary rock called wacke, laced with quartziteQuartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
. It is the quartzite that gives the island its white, marble-like appearance.
Marble Island is bare rock, located above the treeline, and with only a small amount of plant life, primarily lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s and moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es. Thus, there is only a limited amount of territorial wildlife, primary the polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, the arctic fox
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
, the arctic hare
Arctic Hare
The arctic hare , or polar rabbit is a species of hare which is adapted largely to polar and mountainous habitats. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes under the ground or snow to keep warm and sleep...
, and lemmings. A large variety of birds visit the island, including ducks, raptors, and unidentified "small brown birds". A great number of sea mammals can be found nearby, including several kinds of whales and seals
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
. Due to the large amount of oceanic life, Marble Island is a traditional summer hunting ground for the Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
.
Failed expedition
An expedition to find the Northwest PassageNorthwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
was led by James Knight of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
and two ships under captains David Vaughan
David Vaughan (HBC captain)
David Vaughan was a Hudson's Bay Company captain who sailed with George Berley under the overall command of the explorer James Knight on an ill-fated expedition to discover the Northwest Passage....
and George Berley
George Berley
George Berley was a Hudson's Bay Company captain. He was in command of the HBC ship Albany with the James Knight expedition seeking the Northwest Passage in 1719....
. They were ship-wrecked nearby and took refuge on the island. Despite assistance by the local Inuit, they had all died of starvation and disease, especially scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
, by 1722 at the latest. In 1769, their remains were finally discovered by Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne was a an English explorer, fur-trader, author, and naturalist. He was the first European to make an overland excursion across northern Canada to the Arctic Ocean, actually Coronation Gulf, via the Coppermine River...
.
Whaling
Between 1870 and 1887, Marble Island was a very popular site for northern whalersHistory of whaling
The history of whaling is very extensive, stretching back for millennia. This article discusses the history of whaling up to the commencement of the International Whaling Commission moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986....
, but by 1890 was completely abandoned: few whales could be found nearby, and ice conditions grew treacherous. Before it was abandoned, the whaling ship Orray Taft sank nearby: her sailors occupy several graves on the island. This was a major factor in the creation of the island's nickname, Deadman's Island.
Sacred site
Currently, it is a sacred site of the InuitInuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
: modern visitors are expected to crawl ashore, or die exactly a year later.
Further reading
- Bell, Robert. Marble Island and the North-west coast of Hudson's Bay. Charleston:BiblioLife, 2009.