VTSTT OF ESQUIMAUX. 217 



before wo had ])roceeded half a mile they crowded 

 the beach, quickly launched their boats, followed and 

 came up with us. They were very anxious to barter, 

 and delighted to exchange arrows, boots of seal-skin, 

 ornaments of ivory, &c., for scraps of tobacco or a 

 few beads ; but they coveted more than all else, any 

 thing of iron, gazing upon it with longing eyes, and 

 we detected an old man endeavouring to appropriate 

 one of the chain-plates of the larger boat (which, for 

 the information of my non-nautical friends, is a heavy 

 piece of iron bolted to the side of the vessel, to secure 

 the shrouds) ; he seemed much astonished that it 

 resisted his efforts. 



While running hitherward, we had espied a vessel 

 standing in for the land, and speedily recognised the 

 " Nancy Dawson." We went on in company with her 

 until the afternoon, making, however, but slow pro- 

 gress, as the ice lay thickly in our path, and the boats 

 were finally secured to a heavy hummock of ice 

 which lay aground, and afforded good shelter, the 

 yacht anchoring a little below us. Mr. Shedden had 

 been some distance along the ice-barrier, but found 

 no break nor opening of any kind, so soon returned. 



It blew strongly next day, and the wind being 

 contrary, detained us in our position, which was not 

 far from Point Barrow. We were fortunate in 



