286 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP- further, I withdrew the party, and towed their baidar 

 ■ ^ on board, which kept thein prisoners upon the island. 

 Sept I did this in order to have an opportunity of bringini^ 

 ^^^^* about a reconcihation, for I was unwilling to allow 

 them to depart with sentiments which might prove in- 

 jurious to any Europeans who might succeed us ; and 

 I thought that by detaining them we should be able to 

 convince them our resentment was unjustifiably pro- 

 voked, and that when they conducted themselves pro- 

 perly, they should command our friendship. This 

 baidar had a large incision in her bottom, made by the 

 person who last quitted her when the party landed, 

 and must have been done either with a view of pre- 

 venting her being carried away, or by depriving them- 

 selves of the means of escape, showing their resolution 

 to conquer to die. We repaired her as well as w(; 

 could, and kept her in readiness to be restored to her 

 owners on the first favourable opportunity that offered. 

 The next morning a boat was sent to bring them to 

 friendly terms, and to return everything that was in the 

 baidar, except some fish which they had brought for 

 sale, in lieu of which some blue beads and tobacco were 

 left, but the natives were averse to reconciliation, and 

 kept themselves concealed. The night was severely 

 cold, with snow showers ; and next day, seeing nothing 

 of the party, the baidar was returned. The natives 

 removed her during the night to the opposite side of 

 the island, where she appeared to be undergoing an 

 additional repair ; but we saw none of the people, 

 who must have secreted themselves on the approach 

 of the boat. We took every opportunity of showing 

 them we wished to obtain their friendship, but to no 

 purpose ; they would not make their appearance, 

 and the next night decamped, leaving a few old 



