226 BAFFIN BAY 



skinne, and another thing made like a timbrel, which 

 he did beate upon with a sticke, making a noyse like a 

 small drumme." Whereupon Davis manned his boats 

 and went to the waterside where they were in their 

 canoes, " and after we had sworne by the sunne after 

 their fashion, they did trust us. So I shooke hands 

 with one of them, and hee kissed my hand, and we 

 were very familier with them. We bought five canoas 

 of them, we bought their clothes from their backs, 

 which were all made of scales skins and birdes skinnes : 

 their buskins, their hose, their gloves, all being com- 

 monly sewed and well dressed : so that we were fully 

 persuaded that they have divers artificers among them. 

 Wee had a paire of buskins of them full of fine wooll 

 like bever. Their apparell for heate, was made of bird 

 skinnes with their feathers on them. We sawe among 

 them leather dressed like glovers leather, and thicke 

 thongs like white leather of a good length. Wee had 

 of their darts and oares, and found in them that they 

 would by no meanes displease us, but would give us 

 whatsoever we asked of them and would be satisfied 

 with whatsoever we gave them. They took great care 

 one of an other : for when we had bought their boates, 

 then two other woulde come and carie him away be- 

 tweene them that had soulde us his." He describes 

 them as "a very tractable people, voyde of craft or 

 double dealing, and easie to be brought to civiltie or 

 good order," the men of good stature, unbearded, 

 small-eyed, " by whom, as signes would permit, we 

 understood that towards the north and west there was 

 a great sea." 



During his stay among these islands he found con- 



