The Northwest Passage 195 



descend down from the hill, certain of those 

 people had almost cut off his boat from him, 

 having stolen secretly behind the rocks for that 

 purpose, where he speedily hasted to his boat, 

 and bent himself to his halberd, and narrowly 

 escaped the danger, and saved his boat. After 

 wards he had sundry conferences with them, and 

 they came aboard his ship, and brought him sal 

 mon and raw flesh and fish, and greedily devoured 

 the same before our men s faces. And to show 

 their agility, they tried many masteries upon the 

 ropes of the ship after our mariners fashion, and 

 appeared to be very strong of their arms, and 

 nimble of their bodies. They exchanged coats 

 of seals and bears skins, and such like, with our 

 men; and received bells, looking-glasses and other 

 toys, in recompense thereof again. After great 

 courtesy and many meetings, our mariners, con 

 trary to their Captain s direction, began more Five seamen 

 easily to trust them; and five of our men going Captu 

 ashore were by them intercepted with their boat, 

 and were never since heard of to this day again; 

 so that the Captain being destitute of boat, bark, 

 and all company, had scarcely sufficient number 

 to conduct back his bark again. He could now 

 neither convey himself ashore to rescue his men 

 (if he had been able) for want of a boat ; and again 

 the subtle traitors were so wary, as they would 

 after that never come within our men s danger. 

 The Captain, notwithstanding, desirous to bring 

 some token from thence of his being there, was 

 greatly discontented that he had not before 



