394 A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SEAS. 



were rolling about before the huts, playing with the dogs which 

 formed part of their establishment. The huge fur-dresses, ornamented 

 with stripes of different colours, the strange appearance of their faces, 

 covered with punctured representations of animals, their waddling 

 gait, deep olive complexions, and straight black hair hanging about 

 their shoulders, formed a curious picture ; while the mountains, sea, 

 and snow, gave wildness and romance to the uncouth groups. On the 

 approach of the old man, they gathered round him, and began all at 

 once to speak to him, their questions, as their gestures indicated, 

 relating to Flora and Arundel. Notwithstanding their eager cu- 

 riosity, it was pleasing to see the respect with which they addressed 

 their aged friend, and to mark his quiet smile of benevolence as he 

 strove to answer their multifarious inquiries. To something which he 

 had said to them, they answered by a loud shout of joy ; and taking 

 Flora and Arundel by the hand, they led them to one of the tents, 

 and, pressing them down upon a seat, placed their heads under the 

 hands of their new guests. The old man informed his young friends 

 that he had asked the Esquimaux whether they would entertain them 

 during the winter; and this was their reply. A -sudden thought 

 struck Frank, that he would be more than able to repay their hos- 

 pitality; and, going to the cave, he brought forth the parcels of needles, 

 beads, and a few axe-heads, and delivered them into the hands of 

 the old man, to be given as he thought best, to the Indians. The 

 savage shriek of delight which they raised on beholding these im- 

 mense riches was almost stunning; they danced, they embraced each 

 other, then flung away with the most frantic gestures and cries, till 

 at length they suddenly sunk into sobriety, and/ gathering calmly 

 round, began silently to contemplate the wealth which was spread out 

 before them. The beads and needles were distributed to the women, 

 or laid up in the common stock, and the axe-heads became the pro- 

 perty of the men. On being offered a gun, they shut their eyes and 

 stopped their ears, to express their ignorance of its use. Arundel 

 fired it off, and brought down a duck which was crossing above their 

 heads. At the report the women and children fled into the huts, and 

 the men crowded round their venerable pastor in manifest pertur- 

 bation. One however, bolder than the rest, advanced, and took up 

 the bird, and at sight of its broken and bloody wing set up a 

 wild halloo of exultation. Innumerable, in fact, were the interesting 

 scenes which took place among this untaught people at every fresh 

 display of the superior intelligence of their new friends. But we 

 must pass over the detail. 



The next day the whole party left the island, Frank and Flora 

 feeling even a kind of regret at leaving a place rendered sacred 

 by their suffering and their love. For a fortnight they wandered 

 about the neighbouring coasts with the Indians, on their way to 

 their winter-quarters. They had arrived at the entrance of the great 

 streight leading into Hudson's Bay, when the white people of the 

 party, who were in a separate tent, were aroused by a bustle among 

 their Indian friends, and a cry of " Kabloonas ! Kabloonas ! " 

 Return ing to the place where the Esquimaux were assembled, Flora 

 and Arundel beheld, to their inexpressible delight, a large frigate at 



