260 MIGRATORY HABITS. 



and family boats, the latter all laden like the first 

 oomiak, the party being apparently about to change 

 their locality ; for in summer their existence is 

 entirely nomadic ; they migrate from place to place 

 as caprice or convenience suggests. A little bartering 

 was carried on between us, but we only remained on 

 shore long enough to cook dinner, then pushed off 

 from the land, and drifted slowly onward under 

 reduced sail, to eat our meal in peace ; nevertheless, 

 this was not altogether permitted; the Esquimaux 

 embarked at the same time ; the women and children 

 going up in-shore in the oomiaks, the men in their 

 kiaks, to the number of a dozen or more, keeping 

 company with ourselves, cruising round and about us, 

 and displaying, as before, mimicry of chase and 

 combat. They quitted us only when the freshening 

 breeze impelled om' craft more rapidly than the 

 pace of the deeply-laden oomiaks, which they then 

 rejoined. Two whales were seen during the after- 

 noon, and later, a goodly collection of tents, with 

 about two hundred natives, assembled near : these 

 shouted lustily, and danced and sung with energy, 

 hoping, by these and other artifices, to induce us to 

 land, of which, however, time did not admit. The 

 wind from west became strong towards evening, and, 

 as was always the case, the sea quickly rose, upon its 



