AMICABLE DISPOSITION OF NATIVES. 349 



twenty kiaks and several oomiaks pushed off from the 

 shore, the women, with which the latter were crowded, 

 shouting and vociferating in high glee. Their dis- 

 orderly merriment knew no bounds, and although 

 they appeared to entertain only friendly sentiments, it 

 was necessary to repress a too great familiarity. We 

 were quite overwhelmed by their amicable demonstra- 

 tions ; the single boats hung upon the gunwales of 

 our craft, the oomiaks got athwart our bows, and the 

 crews of each threw in pell mell meat, fish, skins, 

 dresses, or whatever else they possessed. These were, 

 however, all rejected ; we consented to receive only 

 upon barter, but even on this point had some 

 embarrassment, one of the dames being about to 

 despatch her husband to us with her infant, either as 

 a present, or in exchange for some coveted commodity. 

 We landed to dine in a small bay at some distance 

 from the camp ; the men only accompanied us hither, 

 the women and children in their oomiaks having 

 returned to their tents. The very friendly demeanour 

 of our new acquaintances seemed to render all pre- 

 caution unnecessary ; but we had learned a grave 

 lesson on our first trip, and were always very guarded 

 in our intercourse with Esquimaux. Here, while we 

 dined, a boundary line was drawn according to our 

 custom upon the sand, but it was too far from our 



