1771 • ROUND THE WORLD. lf)f) 



them in their love of train-oil ; but they, and every 

 thing they had, smelt most intolerably of it. I or- 

 dered them some biscuit, but did not observe them 

 so fond of it as I had been told. They were much 

 better pleased when I gave them some medals, knives, 

 &c. 



The women and children, as before observed, re- 

 mained in the canoes. These were made of bark ; 

 and in each was a fire, over which the poor creatures 

 huddled themselves. I cannot suppose that they car- 

 ry a fire in their canoes for this purpose only ; but 

 rather that it may be always ready to remove ashore 

 wherever they land ; for let their method of obtain- 

 ing fire be what it may, they cannot be always sure 

 of finding dry fuel that will kindle from a spark. 

 They likewise carry in their canoes large seal hides, 

 which, I judged, were to shelter them when at sea, 

 and to serve as covering to their huts on shore ; and 

 occasionally to be used for sails. 



They all retired before dinner, and did not wait to 

 partake of our Christmas cheer. Indeed I believe 

 no one invited them, and for good reasons ; for their 

 dirty persons, and the stench they carried about them, 

 were enough to spoil the appetite of any European ; 

 and that would have been a real disappointment, as 

 we had not experienced such fare for some time. 

 Roast and boiled geese, goose-pye, &c. was a treat 

 little known to us ; and we had yet some Madeira 

 wine left, which was the only article of our provision 

 that was mended by keeping. So that our friends in 

 England, did not, perhaps, celebrate Christmas more 

 cheerfully than we did. 



On the 26th, little wind, next to a calm, and fair 

 weather, except in the morning, when we had some 

 showers of rain. In the evening, when it was cold, 

 the natives made us another visit ; and it being dis- 

 tressing to see them stand trembling and naked on 

 the deck, I could do no less than to give them some 

 baize and old canvass to cover themselves. 



