BARTER. 55 



occupation or amusement: nevertheless they were 

 in most cases so intermingled with our employments 

 that these acquii^ed a new zest thereby. Naturally 

 of an inquisitive, curious disposition, increased 

 doubtless by the profusion of unexplained and novel 

 wonders each day exhibited, our friends beset us 

 ever on all sides with countless questions, whether 

 we were engaged in making scientific observations, 

 reading a book, or mixing a glass of grog as an 

 interlude. All was new; all must be made clear 

 and common-place to their comprehension. Then 

 there were little transactions of " tok, " or barter, to 

 be gone into ; but herein I certainly believe that our 

 friends were more aufait than ourselves : they speedily 

 caught at the tastes of each of us and met our desires, 

 often before expressed, almost by intuition. But it 

 must not be imagined that these efforts were made 

 without hope of fee or reward, although some instances 

 of pure disinterestedness, I believe, I can venture 

 by and by to record. On the side of the natives 

 were produced frocks and breeches of reindeer, fawn, 

 seal and dog-skin, also of eider duck, okonches or 

 over shirts for snow, caps, mocassins, mitts and such 

 like, in all of which the inventive genius of the 

 untutored savage was employed ; and so extensive 

 was the demand for their productions, that great 



