HOSTILE DEPORTMENT OF NATIVES. 245 



craft, and they liiiiig upon oui- skirts, always keeping 

 to windward, and seeking a chance to attack. 



An hour's severe labom- showed the vanity of con- 

 tending against a strong breeze, heavy sea, and loose 

 pack, and the resolution was made to return to the 

 Reef ; and should the Esquimaux persist in molesting 

 us, no longer to withold theu* chastisement. Tm-ning 

 about accordingly, we were not long in reaching the 

 shore, and landing on the seaward side, hauled the 

 boats up. Quantities of drift-wood lay around ; of 

 this a stockade was constructed, behind which half 

 the party lay down to sleep, — for repose was sadly 

 needed — the remainder being on watch. The Esqui- 

 maux landed, also, and threw up a breastwork, at 

 about five hundred yards distance, from behind 

 which they intently watched oiu" proceedings, but 

 did not dare to advance in face of the fire-arms. 

 They made treacherous signals of amity, and erected 

 a skin frock on a pole, as an invitation to barter 

 and fraternise, but we were not to be so easily 

 deluded. 



By and by two natives ventiu-ed to approach, 

 making all sorts of friendly gestures, but timid 

 enough under the mask ; for Avhen about two hundred 

 yards distant, they were sent to the right-about in an 

 instant by Sidlock, the sentinel-marine, who charo-ed 



