314 Dr King on the 
performed the following pantomime. He seated himself on 
the ground, and made the motion of rowing, by the necessary 
movements of his arms; this business he interrupted nine 
times, closing his eyes as often, and resting his head on his 
hand. Thus Kotzebue learned that it would take him nine 
days to get to his destined haven. 
Captain Beechy obtained a knowledge of the coast he was 
surveying from a native of the same locality, after the follow- 
ing very ingenious and intelligible manner. The coast line 
was first marked out with a siick on the sand, and the dis- 
tances regulated by the day’s journey. The hills and ranges 
of mountains were next shewn by elevations of sand or stone, 
and the islands represented by heaps of pebbles, their propor- 
tions being duly attended to. Where the mountains and 
islands were erected, the villages and fishing-stations were 
marked by a number of sticks placed upright, in imitation of 
those which are put up on the coast wherever these people fix 
their abode. Thus, a complete topographical plan of the de- 
sired coast was, in the most intelligible manner, clearly laid 
down. The Esquimaux are, moreover, equally ready at com- 
prehending similar methods adopted by Europeans, as Sir 
John Ross proved, when, in order to fix with the natives of Re- 
gent’s Inlet the date of an appointment, he drew on the snow 
the form which the moon would then present. These people, 
we are further informed, at once adopted the use of the knife 
and fork, and all the paraphernalia of refined society connect- 
ed with the table.* A little boy at Melville Peninsula could 
imitate the cries of almost all the birds and animals he was 
acquainted with ; the young ducks answering the distant call 
of the mother, having all the effect of ventriloquism. Every 
sound from the angry growl of a bear to the sharp hum of a 
musquitoe, we are informed, he was able to express in a won- 
derful manner. 
This art is turned to account in the chase of the deer, by 
imitating the peculiar bellow of these animals from behind a 
large piece of rock or some other natural screen; and thus 
* Sir John Ross’s Expedition in the Victory. 
