NORTHERN OCEAN, 153 
entered the lifts quite naked, except their breech- 1771. 
‘cloths and fhoes. Fearing I might have occafion 
to run with the reft, I thought it alfo advifeable to 
pull off my ftockings and cap, and to tie my hair 
as clofe up as poflible. 
By the time the Indians had made themfelves 
. thus completely frightful, it was near one o’clock 
in the morning of the feventeenth; when find- 1th. 
ing all the Efquimaux quiet in their tents, they 
rufhed forth from their ambuicade, and fell on 
the poor unfufpecting creatures, unperceived till 
clofe to the very eves of the tents, when they 
foon began the bloody maffadre, while I ftood 
neuter in the rear. 
In a few feconds the horrible {cene commenced 3 
it was fhocking beyond defcription ; the poor un. 
happy victims were furprifed in the midf of their 
fleep, and had neither time nor power to make 
any refiftance ; men, women, and children, in all 
upwards of twenty, ran out of their tents ftark 
naked, and endeavoured to make their efcape ; 
but the Indians having pofleffion of all the land- 
fide, to no place could they fly for fhelter. One 
alternative only remained, that of jumping into 
the river; but, as none of them attempted it, 
they all fell a facrifice to Indian barbarity ! 
The fhrieks and groans of the poor expiring 
wretches were truly dreadful; and my horror 
was much increafed at feeing a young girl, fee- 
mingly about eighteen years of age, killed fo near 
me, that when the firft {pear was ftuck into her 
fide 
July. 
