280 VOYAGE TO THE 



CHAP, better than was expected, until the day on which the 

 ■ , ship arrived. This appears to have been a timely 



Sept. occurrence ; for early that morning two baidars landed 

 near the wreck, and the Esquimaux party was in- 

 creased to twenty-four. The man who had been 

 searched the preceding evening, finding his friends so 

 numerous, and beingjoined by another troublesome cha- 

 racter, came towards our people, floui^ishing his knife, 

 apparently with the determination of being revenged. 

 It fortunately happened that there was a person of 

 authority amongst the number, with whom Mr. Bel- 

 cher effected a friendship. He expostulated with the 

 two refractory men, and one of them went quietly 

 away, but the other remained brandishing his weapon ; 

 and there is but too much reason to believe that had 

 he commenced an attack, he would have been seconded 

 by his countrymen, notwithstanding the interference 

 of the chief. 



When the ship's boat came to the relief of our party, 

 Mr. Belcher ordered the man who had been so re- 

 fractory to be bound and taken on board the ship, 

 intimating to the others that he should be kept until 

 more of the stolen property was returned. This they 

 appeared perfectly to understand, as the prisoner 

 pointed to his boat, where, upon search being made, 

 the other lock of the fowling-piece, and a haversack 

 belonging to Lieutenant Belcher, were found. The 

 strength of this man was so great, that it required as 

 many of our people as could stand round to pinion 

 his arms and take him down to the boat. As soon as 

 this was effected, all the other Escjuimaux fled to their 

 baidars, and did not approach the place again ; the 

 chief excepted, who returned almost immediately, and 

 pitched one tent for himself, and another for the 



