OF THE POLAR SEA. 



355 



and endeavoured, without success, to open a communication with 

 them. They exhibited no hostile intention, but were afraid to come 

 near. Akaitcho, keeping out of their sight, followed them at a 

 distance, expecting that ultimately finding themselves enclosed be- 

 tween our party and his, they would be compelled to come to a 

 parley with one of us. Akaitcho had seen Ter regan noeuck soon 

 after our departure ; he was much terrified at their approach, and 

 thrust his spear at Akaitcho as he had done at Augustus ; but 

 he was soon reconciled after the demonstrations of kindness the 

 Indians made, in cutting off the buttons from their dress to present 

 to him. 



July 17. — We waited all this forenoon in momentary expectation 

 of the return of Augustus and Junius, but as they did not appear 

 at two P.M., I sent Mr. Hood, with a party of men, to inquire 

 into the cause of their detention, and to bring the meat which Ter- 

 regannceuck had promised us. He returned at midnight with the 

 information, that none of the Esquimaux had yet ventured to come 

 near Terregannceuck except his aged wife, who had concealed her- 

 self amongst the rocks at our first interview ; and she told him the 

 rest of the party had gone to a river, a short distance to the west- 

 ward, where there was another party of Esquimaux fishing. 

 Augustus and Junius had erected the tent, and done every thing 

 in their power to make the old man comfortable in their absence. 

 Terregannoeuck being unable to walk to the place where the meat 

 was concealed, readily pointed the spot out to Mr. Hood, who 

 went thither ; but after experiencing much difficulty in getting at 

 the column of rock on which it was deposited, he found the meat 

 too putrid for our use. The features of Terregannceuck's wife 

 were remarkable for roundness and flatness ; her face was much 

 tattoed, her dress differed little from the old man's. 



In the afternoon a party of nine Esquimaux appeared on the east 

 bank of the river, about a mile below our encampment, carrying 



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