SOUTHAMPTON ISLAND. 57 



to be formed of a rough piece of chipped flint, 1824. 

 somewhat Hke a poplar leaf in form, and chim_ Aug^ust. 

 sily lashed to small bone handles of about six 

 inches in length. Such were the only cutting 

 instruments of these wretched people. I pur- 

 chased each man's panna for either the officers 

 or myself, giving a strong butcher's knife in 

 exchange, which the poor fellows received with 

 silent and trembling delight, first eyeing me, 

 then the knife, and at last uttering a long sighing 

 ^^ kooyenna" (thank you) in a tone expressive 

 of the deepest gratitude ; and this display of 

 their feelings was not confined to the impulse 

 of the moment, for it was constantly repeated, 

 with every appearance of sincerity, during the 

 whole of our stay on shore. No one licked, 

 as is the general Esquimaux custom, any of 

 the articles we gave them. 



While landing our instruments, and waiting 

 in hopes of obtaining sights, the natives stood 

 quietly gazing on us as if quite overpow^ered 

 by their surprise, and there was not a word 

 uttered, unless to invite us to their tents, which 

 I afterwards found were about two miles dis- 

 tant. As we walked to them along high 

 shingly beaches intersecting small swampy 

 lakes, several birds were shot by the officers ; 

 but although the natives saw them fall, they 



