110 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



leader renewed his solicitations for goods, but it 

 was now too palpable to be mistaken, that he 

 aimed at getting every thing he possibly could, 

 and leaving us without the means of making any 

 presents to the Esquimaux, or other Indians we 

 might meet. I resolved, therefore, on steadily 

 refusing every request that he should make at 

 this time ; and when he perceived that he could 

 extort nothing more, he rose in an angry manner, 

 and addressing his young men, said : " There 

 are too few goods for me to distribute ; those that 

 mean to follow the white people to the sea may 

 take them." 



This was an incautious speech, as it rendered 

 it necessary for his party to display their senti- 

 ments. The guides, and most of tlie hunters, 

 declared their readiness to go, and came forward 

 to receive a portion of the present, which was 

 no inconsiderable assortment. This relieved a 

 weight of anxiety from my mind, and I did not 

 much regard the leader's retiring in a very dis- 

 satisfied mood. 



The hunters then applied to Mr. Wentzel for 

 ammunition, that they might go a hunting in the 

 morning, and it was cheerfully given to them- 



The officers and men amused themselves at 

 prison-bars, and other Canadian games till two 

 o'clock in the morning, and we were pleased to 



