524 MR. J. K. KANE'S NARRATIVE. 



say that was the thing ; and, incontinently squatting 

 down, imitated the voice and gestures of a dog-driver, 

 cracking an imaginary whip, and crying hup-hup-hup, 

 at the top of his voice. After which performance, he 

 laughed immoderately, and, again pointing south, said 

 Dokto Kayen. 



" I was not certain as to his meaning ; but, on my 

 drawing a picture of a dog-team, he went through the 

 whole performance afresh, and showed the most extrav- 

 agant signs of delight at being understood. We found 

 out how many dog-sledges and how many men there 

 were of the doctor's party, in the same manner. We 

 examined several other natives separately, and they all 

 told the same story ; nor could we confuse them as to 

 the number of men and boats ; they were all clear on 

 that head. Nineteen, they made it, neither more nor 

 less. We tried our best to make them say that the 

 boats had gone north, and the vessel south ; but with- 

 out success. Mayouk, on one occasion, being hard 

 pressed, stopped his ears, so as, at least, to secure him- 

 self from being supposed to assent to what he had not 

 learning or language enough to controvert. 



" At length, a bright thought struck him. He ran 

 down to the beach, and got two white stones ; laid 

 them on the ground, and, pointing to the floating 

 masses of ice in the bay, signified to us that these rep- 

 resented the ice. Next, he took a common clay pipe 

 of Mr. Lovell's, and, pointing to the north, said, vomiak 

 sooak, or big ship, ' vomiak sooak, Dokto Kayen. ; He 

 next pushed the pipe up between the pebbles, and then 

 pressed them together till the pipe was crushed. Lastly, 

 he pointed to the south, and began imitating the rowing 

 of a boat, the cracking of whips, and the hup-hupping 

 of a dog-driver, vociferating, at intervals, ' Dokto Kayen, 

 Vic ! he ! he ! ' We tried our best to find out how long 



