OF THE POLAR SEA. 



m 



deliberate aim, and shot the animal dead. They do not eat the 



flesh of the bear, but kffowing that we had no such prejudice, they 

 brought us some of the choice pieces* which upon trial we found 



to be excellent meat. 



The Indians having informed us that we were now within twelve 

 miles of the rapid where the Esquimaux have invariably been found, 

 we pitched our tents on the beach, under the shelter of a high hill 

 whose precipitous side is washed by the river, intending to send 

 forward some persons to determine the situation of their present 

 abode. Some vestiges of an old Esquimaux encampment were ob- 



served near to the tents, and the stumps of the trees bore marks of 



e stone hatchets they use. A strict watch was appointed, con 

 sisting of an officer, four Canadians, and an Indian, and directions 

 were given for the rest of the party to sleep with their arms by their 

 side. That as little delay as possible might be experienced in 

 opening a communication with the Esquimaux, we immediately 

 commenced the arrangements for sending forward persons to dis- 

 cover whether there were any in our vicinity. Akaitcho and the 

 guides proposed that two of the hunters should be despatched on this 

 service, who had extremely quick sight, and were accustomed to act 

 as scouts, an office which required equal caution and circumspection. 

 A strong objection, however, lay against this plan in the probability 

 of their being discovered by a straggling hunter, which would be 

 destructive to every hope of accommodation. It was therefore de- 

 termined to send Augustus and Junius, who were very desirous to 

 undertake the service. These adventurous men proposed to go 

 armed only with pistols concealed in their dress, and furnished with 

 beads, looking-glasses and other articles, that they might conciliate 

 their countrymen by presents. We could not divest our minds of 

 the apprehension, that it might be a service of much hazard if the 

 Esquimaux were as hostile to strangers as the Copper Indians have 

 invariably represented them to be ; and we felt great reluctance in 



