TIMED DANAOS. 219 



])oats pushed on once more. Passing close to the 

 shore, we attracted the notice of about fifty Esquimaux, 

 to whom belonged foiu* tents near ; these shouted to 

 us as we ran by, waving their arms and dancing to a 

 drum in a way which forcibly recalled the imitation of 

 their manners by certain among the Tuski, and I saw 

 that no acting could be truer ; they accompanied us 

 along the banks for a considerable distance, but did 

 not come off in their boats. 



We now began to find the channel much obstructed 

 by ice, and on reaching the southern part of a long 

 narrow promontory, whose northern extreme is Point 

 Barrow, found our progress checked by a large floe, 

 wliich disputed the right of way and constrained us 

 to tarry a while. The boats were secured to the 

 shore-ice, and our men lay down to sleep. Two or 

 three Esquimaux quickly gathered near with bows in 

 readiness for defence, we also kept our arms at hand, 

 though concealed, and the visitors seeing that no evil 

 was intended discontinued further preparation or 

 precaution, and came without hesitation to receive 

 trifling presents or to barter their furs. 



Little was done on the 1st of August, short 

 distances were accomplished with difliculty, sometimes 

 by sailing, at others tracking or towing, in which the 

 Esquimaux readily assisted us, and often we had to 



