182 A VISIT FROM SOME 



1824. boats for a supply. They, however, found all the 

 Sept. pools frozen, but returned with sufficient blocks 

 of ice to thaw into three tons of water, which 

 was still too small a quantity for our homeward 

 passage, but which circumstances prevented 

 our increasing. While lying off the stream, 

 thirteen kayaks most unexpectedly came off to 

 us, for it had always been understood that these 

 islands were uninhabited, and from their high 

 precipitous appearance, I should not have fan- 

 cied them suited to the Esquimaux, who gene- 

 rally establish themselves on low ground, and 

 near shoal water. 



I could not but compare the boisterous, 

 noisy, fat fellows who were alongside, in ex- 

 cellent canoes, with well-furnished iron-headed 

 weapons, and handsome clothing, with the poor 

 people we had seen at Southampton Island ; 

 the latter with their spear-heads, arrows, and 

 even knives of chipped flint, without canoes, 

 wood, or iron, and with their tents and clothes 

 full of holes ; yet of mild manners, quiet in 

 speech, and as grateful for kindness, as they 

 were anxious to return it : while those now 

 alongside, had perhaps scarcely a virtue left, 

 owing to the roguery they had learnt from their 

 annual visits to the Hudson's Bay ships. An 

 air of saucy independence, a most clamorous 



