﻿260 CAPE BROWN. August, 



We had now a pretty numerous body around 

 us, and all were perfectly orderly except the man 

 that we first saw, who seemed to be the chief, or 

 perhaps the shaman or conjuror, of the community. 

 His features were forbidding, but the younger men 

 had intelligent countenances, modest and cheerful 

 manners, and were neither forward nor troublesome. 

 They were of moderate stature. 



August 7th. — The wind continuing to abate 

 throughout the day, and the sea to subside, 

 we prepared to resume our voyage as soon as 

 the evening tide had flowed sufliciently to admit 

 of the boats being launched over the sand-flats. 

 In the afternoon we saw the women and children 

 approaching slowly in the umiaks. They stopped 

 about a mile ofi*, and, notwithstanding the signals 

 and shouts of their husbands, hung back. The 

 men called out umiet kaiit, "Boats, come here," 

 with a peculiar elevated intonation, which could 

 be heard at a great distance, similar to that 

 practised by the inhabitants of the Swiss Alps. 

 We did not await their arrival, but, having found 

 water enough about half a mile to the westward 

 of the point, pushed out to sea ; and partly under 

 sail, partly by rowing, coasted during the night 

 a very low shore, varied by a few higher islands, 

 which the very flat sands surrounding them pre- 

 vented us from approaching. 



