276 DISCOVERIES OF KNIGHT, 1719 tO 



to England. The following account, given by 

 Hearne, points out the misery to which these poor 

 people must have been reduced on this desolate 

 island. 



" In the summer of 1769, while we were pro- 

 secuting the fishery, we saw several Esquimaux 

 at this new harbour, and perceiving one or two 

 of them greatly advanced in years, our curi- 

 osity was excited to ask them some questions 

 concerning the above ship and sloop, which we 

 were the better enabled to do by the assistance of 

 an Esquimaux, who was then in the Company's 

 service as a linguist and annually sailed in one of 

 their vessels in that character. The account 

 which we received from them was full, clear, and 

 unreserved, and the sum of it was to the following 

 purport. 



" When the vessels arrived at this place (Marble 

 Island) it was very late in the fall, and, in getting 

 them into the harbour, the largest received much 

 damage ; but on being fairly in, the English 

 began to build the house, their number at that 

 time seeming to be about fifty. As soon as the 

 ice permitted, in the following summer, 1720, the 

 Esquimaux paid them another visit, by which 

 time the number of the English was very greatly 

 reduced, and those that were living seemed very 

 unhealthy. According to the account given by 

 the Esquimaux they were then very busily em- 

 ployed, but about what they could not easily de- 

 scribe; probably in lengthening the long-boat, for,^ 



