368 MASSACRE OF ESQUIMAUX. 



an Esquimaux approaching in his canoe, threading his 

 way through the lanes left by the ice ; others followed 

 him until ten persons were counted. Manuel, either 

 from fright or wantonness — most probably the former 

 — desired to fire upon this party, but was more than 

 once prevented by M'Kay, who turned aside the 

 muzzle of his gun, and entreated him to forbear, 

 until they should display a hostile intention. Manuel 

 consented to reserve his fire for awhile, until M'Kay 

 should run back for a short distance to see if a 

 band of Loucheux approached, as they knew they 

 could not be far off. At a short distance behind, 

 M'Kay found the Indians who were paddling leisurely 

 along, but who, on receipt of the intelligence, could 

 not, as my informant said, come fast enough, but 

 lightly hauling their bark canoes on shore, ran along 

 the beach to the spot. The Loucheux were fourteen 

 in number ; each man carried his gun, and three more 

 fire-arms were in the possession of the Fort Good 

 Hope party ; the Esquimaux had only their bows and 

 arrows. Upon the commencement of a parley, and 

 when invited to approach, the chief, or eldest of the 

 Esquimaux, desired the Indians to put their guns 

 aside, and his request being complied with, he paddled 

 in to within a few yards of the beach and fired all 

 his arrows into the ground in a circle, then held up 



