ESQUIMAUX. 129 



demand for presents, and several attempts at 1824. 

 theft, some of which were successful, were their Sept. 

 leading characteristics. Yet I saw not why I 

 should constitute myself the censor of these 

 poor savages, and our barter was accordingly 

 conducted in such a manner, as to enrich them 

 very considerably. 



Nothing new was seen at this visit, if I ex- 

 cept a most ingenious piece of carving from 

 the grinder of a walrus ; this was a very 

 spirited little figure of a dog lying down and 

 gnawing a bone; and although not much 

 above an inch in length, the animal's general 

 expression was admirable. I should, however, 

 mention that we also procured a few little 

 ivory bears of the same description, and far 

 better executed than any we had purchased 

 before. One man brought off two fresh sal- 

 mon trout ; but no other provisions were seen. 



At eleven A.M. we suddenly observed a 

 very agitated ripple of tide setting towards us, 

 and although the wind was hght, and the sea 

 as smooth as a mirror, it ran in such rapid 

 eddies, as to throw up little white-topped 

 waves. It separated the stream of ice which 

 lay across the mouth of the channel between 

 the islands, in an incredibly short space of 

 time; but a light breeze enabled us to run 



