Maria Canton
Northern News Services

Marble Island (Aug 09/00) - A cloud of mystery hangs over Marble Island, adding a hint of the unknown to the beauty of the isolated rock mass rising out of Hudson Bay.

In 1795, British explorer and fur trader Samuel Hearne landed on the islands to retrace the unfortunate fate of the lost explorers.

Conflicting reports of the long and often tragic history of the island, situated 40 kilometres east of Rankin Inlet, adds to the attraction that now lures tourists annually.

One fact that isn't disputed, says Kivalliq Consulting tour group organizer Andrea Glen, is that when you leave the boat you crawl up on the rocky shore out of respect for the lady who turned the island from ice to rock.

According to legend, those who fail to crawl will be plagued with bad hunting or death within a year. Most visitors follow the rule when arriving on the four islands that make up Marble Island.

While planning for tourist groups, Glen arranges for stories of the islands to be told many times, adding that elders say their own historical account is accurate.

One of the islands caught in the historical controversy is Deadman Island, where a row of rocky graves is marked with white quartz headstones and a large cross symbolizing the death of British explorer James Knight.

In 1719, Knight guided two weather-beaten ships into one of the many lagoons surrounding the island. Both promptly sank.

The crew of 50 and Knight moved onto the islands that were already inhabited by Inuit.

Despite the fact that the Inuit traded food for supplies with the crew, all gradually died from starvation and scurvy over a two-year period.

The Inuit left the islands after the ships' crews died because they believed it to be cursed.

Residents and elders say the graves belong to the crew members and Knight.

Archaeologists, however, say the graves belong to whalers who once inhabited the islands.

The waters surrounding the white land mass provide a plentiful source of food -- whales, seals, walruses, bears, foxes -- consequently drawing several groups of people to the land.

In 1795, however, British explorer and fur trader Samuel Hearne landed on the islands and, with information gathered from the Inuit, was able to retrace the unfortunate fate of the lost explorers.

Today, Marble Island attracts many curious visitors and locals for both its history, beauty and wildlife.