﻿1848. INTERVIEW WITH ESKIMOS. 241 



Franklin's boats at tliat time ; and as most of the 

 men were stout young fellows, and few beyond the 

 prime of life, only two or three of the old men in 

 the umiaks could have been actually engaged in 

 the struggle which then took place. One fellow 

 alone, in answer to my inquiries after white men, 

 said, " A party of men are living on that island," 

 pointing, as he spoke, to Richard's Island. As I had 

 actually landed there on the preceding day, I was 

 aware of the falsehood he was uttering ; and his 

 object was clearly to induce us to put about and go 

 on shore, which he and others had been soliciting us 

 to do from the commencement of our conversation. 

 I, therefore, desired Albert to inform him, that I 

 had been there, and knew that he was lying. He 

 received this retort with a smile, and without the 

 slightest discomposure, but did not repeat his as- 

 sertion. Neither the Eskimos, nor the Dog- rib 

 or Hare Indians, feel the least shame in being de- 

 tected in falsehood, and invariably practise it, if 

 they think that they can thereby gain any of their 

 petty ends. Even in their familiar intercourse with 

 each other, the Indians seldom tell the truth in the 

 first instance ; and if they succeed in exciting admi- 

 ration or astonishment, their invention runs on 

 without check. From the manner of the speaker, 

 rather than by his words, is his truth or falsehood 

 inferred; and often a very long interrogation is 

 VOL. I. R 



