HOOPER (Lieut. William H.)
Ten Months Among the Tents of the Tuski.
One of the most interesting of all the early Franklin search narratives, they departed Plymouth on HMS Plover in January 1848.
“Lieutenant Hooper participated in the search for Sir John Franklin, passing through the Bering Strait and turning eastward. The principal interest of this work lies in the author’s description of the Chukchi land and of its population (whom he calls Tuski) gathered during his 10 months’ stay in the northeastern extremity of Asia bordering on the Bering Strait” (Lada Mocarski). Hooper led a party along the coast as far as Cape Atcheen, and through the winter mixed with the local people, whom he called Tuski, and whose language he learned“ (ODNB).
Using the HMS Plover’s open whale boats, they left Cape Atcheen, and moved to Kotzebue Sound, Icy Cape, travelled to the mouth of the Mackenzie River and as far as Fort Simpson.
Field, 713; Forbes, 1945; Lada Mocarski, 140; Pilling Proof-Sheets, 1848.
