Chap. VI. CAPTAIN PARRY'S SECOND VOYAGE. 177 



" On the 28th February, Okotook (the husband of Ilig- 

 liuk), with his wife, came on board, when an occurrence 

 took place, which, as it shows the disposition of the Esqui- 

 maux, and especially of one of the most intelligent and 

 interesting among them, I may here relate. Some time 

 before, Iligliuk, who from the superior neatness and clean- 

 liness with which she performed her work, was by this time 

 in great request as a sempstress, had promised to cover for 

 me a little model of a canoe, and had in fact sent it to me 

 by the serjeant of marines, though I had not rightly under- 

 stood from the latter from which of the women it came. 

 Believing that she had failed in her promise, I now taxed 

 her with it, when she immediately defended herself with 

 considerable warmth and seriousness, but without making 

 me comprehend her meaning. Finding that she was wasting 

 her words upon me, she said no more till an hour afterwards, 

 when the serjeant accidentally coming into the cabin, she, 

 with the utmost composure, but with a decision of manner 

 peculiar to herself, took hold of his arm to engage his atten- 

 tion, and then looking him steadfastly in the face, accused 

 him of not having faithfully executed her commission to me. 

 The mistake was thus instantly explained, and I thanked 

 Iligliuk for her canoe ; but it is impossible for me to 

 describe the quiet, yet proud satisfaction displayed in her 

 countenance, at having thus cleared herself from the im- 

 putation of a breach of promise." — pp. 179, 180. 



But the superior intelligence of this extraordinary 

 woman was perhaps most apparent in the readiness 

 with which she was made to comprehend the mode 

 of communicating a knowledge of the geographical 

 outline of the sea -coast of the country, and of the 

 islands that were near it. The first attempt of 

 this kind was by placing several sheets of paper 



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