Ch. XI. FRANKLIN & RICHARDSON'S SECOND JOURNEY. 427 



had ebbed so far that it was not knee-deep at the 

 boats, and the younger men, waiting in crowds 

 around them, tried to steal everything they could 

 reach. The Reliance being afloat, was dragged by 

 the crowd towards the shore, when Franklin di- 

 rected the crew of the Lion (which was aground 

 and immoveable) to endeavour to follow her, but 

 the boat remained fast until the Esquimaux lent 

 their aid and dragged her after the Reliance. One 

 of the Lion's men perceived that the man who was 

 upset had a pistol under his shirt, which it was 

 discovered had been stolen from Lieutenant Back, 

 and the thief, seeing it to be noticed, leaped out of 

 the boat and joined his countrymen, carrying with 

 him the great coat which Augustus had lent him. 



" Two of the most powerful men, jumping on board at 

 the same time, seized me by the wrists and forced me to sit 

 between them; and as I shook them loose two or three 

 times, a third Esquimaux took his station in front to catch 

 my arm whenever I attempted to lift my gun, or the broad 

 dagger which hung by my side. The whole way to the 

 shore they kept repeating the word ' teymaj beating gently 

 on my left breast with their hands, and pressing mine against 

 their breasts. As we neared the beach, two oomiaks, full 

 of women, arrived, and the ' teymas' and vociferation were 

 redoubled. The Reliance was first ^ brought to the shore, 

 and the Lion close to her a few seconds afterwards. The 

 three men who held me now leaped ashore, and those who 

 had remained in their canoes, taking them out of the water, 

 carried them to a little distance. A numerous party then 

 drawing their knives, and stripping themselves to the waist, 

 ran to the Reliance, and having first hauled her as far up 



