INSTRUCTIONS. ] 5 



shall find it expedient to resort to this mea- 

 sure, and you should meet with any inhabi- 

 tants, either Esquimaux or Indians, near the 

 place where you winter, you are to endeavour, 

 by every means in your power, to cultivate a 

 friendship with them, by making them presents 

 of such articles as you may be supplied with, 

 and which may be useful or agreeable to them ; 

 you will, however, take care not to suffer your- 

 self to be surprised by them, but use every 

 precaution, and be constantly on your guard 

 against any hostility. 



You will endeavour to prevail on them by 

 such reward, and to be paitl in such manner, 

 as you may think best to answer the purpose, 

 to carry to any of the settlements of the Hud- 

 son's Bay Company, or of the North- West 

 Company, (should you winter near the coast of 

 America,) or to any of the Russian settlements 

 of Siberia, (should you winter on the coast of 

 Asia,) an account of your situation and pro- 

 ceedings, with an urgent request, that it may 

 be forwarded to England with the utmost pos- 

 sible despatch. 



But you are to recollect, " in your first at- 

 tempt to proceed to the northward, that you 

 are to take care not, on any account, unless 

 accidentally caught in the ice, to remain to 



