432 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap, ceiving his present, offered up what we concluded 

 w-y-^ to be a prayer, at the same time blowing with his 

 ofX twe mouth, as if imploring an east wind and the disper- 

 Barge. s j on Q f t j ie j ce — j n t h e afternoon the wind had in- 

 creased to a gale. We went to the hill, and there 

 observed the line of ice within the horizon, and th e 

 sea breaking very heavily outside: we saw also a 

 number of large bergs drifting down. At four, fresh 

 gales, with heavy squalls —the ice around us became 

 closely wedged, the pieces being forced one over 

 another, forming a solid mass. The body of ice in 

 the offing was still drifting to the northward. This 

 day Mr. Elson determined, if we should be compel- 

 led to quit the boat, to take every thing out of her 

 except the gun, to remove her into the deepest part 

 of the river, and there sink her, so as to prevent the 

 natives from destroying or breaking her up to obtain 

 the iron ; from which situation, should we visit this 

 coast next year, she might with little trouble be 

 raised. The stores and rigging also we resolved to 

 bury, and to leave directions where they might be 

 found. On visiting the village (which was about 

 half a mile distant), the natives were uncommonly 

 civil. They resided in tents, the frames of which 

 were made with poles, and covered with seal- skins : 

 the bottom or floor was merely a few logs laid side- 

 wise on the ground : inside there was a second lin- 

 ing of reindeer skin, which did not reach quite to 

 the top : this constituted the whole of their dwell- 

 ing. Their principal food appeared to be reindeer 

 and seal's flesh ; and having procured more than 

 sufficient of these animals for present use, they had 

 buried the overplus in the sand, to be kept until 

 required. They very generously led us to a seal 



