THREATENING ASPECT OF NATIVES. 243 



upon US, the rest of the Esquimaux doing the same. 

 The scene was now becoming slightly exciting, and 

 preparations were instituted for our departure, but 

 with as Httle appearance of hurry as possible. When 

 all was ready, we retired slowly to the boats, and 

 embarking, pushed off as quickly as might be. We 

 were very nearly exchanging missiles, however; for 

 instantly that we quitted the beach the Esquimaux 

 mounted on the bank above and prepared to shoot ; 

 but as we did likemse, they hesitated probably, to 

 reconsider the propriety of an attack. One young 

 man, in particular, looked very fierce, and with his 

 bent bow and fitted arrow was plainly taking aim at 

 our leader, whose life just then would have cost a 

 heavy premium for insurance ; but the ambitious 

 warrior was quickly "covered" by five barrels, which 

 cooled his ardour in an instant, and he dropped down 

 under shelter of the bank. " Jack of the shovel" 

 was particularly singled out for one of the first victims 

 of the expected skirmish : many fingers itched to 

 draw trigger upon him ; and this is not to be won- 

 dered at, for this man had evidently followed on our 

 trail, and by a description of our riches, and the 

 smaUness of our number, incited the rest to attempt 

 to plunder, and probably to kill us. 



I counted eighty-four or eighty-five men on the 



R 2 



