Voyage to Hudson's Bay 32f 



was his father; which, indeed, we had conjectured, as well from 

 his aged appearance as from the great respect this young 1 man 

 appeared to pay to him. After deliberating for some time he 

 returned, and told Mr. Turner he should have the canoe, and im- 

 mediately set about emptying it of its contents. The articles 

 which he took out he put into his father's; and having given it 

 up to the captain, he stretched himself quite flat behind his pa- 

 rent, covering his face with his hands ; here he lay quite com- 

 posed, without the smallest motion. The father having received 

 his tin-pot, kettle, hatchet, and a couple of files, rowed off. 

 The day following we heard that this poor fellow had slipped 

 off" from behind his father while ou their way to shore, and 

 was drowned. 



The avidity of these poor people for traffic, exceeded any 

 thing I could have had an idea of. Many of (hem, after parting 

 with all their goods, stripped themselves almost naked, and be- 

 gan to dispose of their clothes for the merest trifles. One man 

 gave a very beautiful seal-skin jacket for an old rusty knife. 

 Another parted with his breeches and boots for a file and a 

 few needles. Another with a complete suit of clothes for a 

 saw and a few pieces of old iron. At length, thinking they 

 had exhausted our entire stock of hardware, they began to 

 barter with the ship's crew for their old clothes. It frequently 

 afforded us a humorous sight to see those poor creatures dis- 

 posing of their whole and comfortable, though rudely-formed 

 garments, for a seaman's old working-jacket, or perhaps for 

 an old checked shirt, through the numerous rents and aper- 

 tures of which their copper-coloured skins here and there made 

 its appearance. They generally paddled away in a great 

 hurry, after completing the bargain, fearing lest the purchaser 

 might possibly repent ; an apprehension which I could assure 

 them was quite groundless. One of them purchased an old 

 red night-cap from the cook, and having adjusted it on his 

 head, he looked at himself in a glass, and laughed most im- 

 moderately. 



Several of them had bags of blubber, mixed with half, 

 putrid half-frozen flesh ; these they offered for sale with great 

 eagerness, and appeared very much surprised that they got no 

 purchasers. Being anxious to examine their contents, I was 

 induced to buy one; on opening it, however, such a shocking 

 stench proceeded from it, that I very cheerfully restored it to 

 the original possessor. I had no sooner returned it to him, 

 than applying the open extremity to his mouth, took a drink 

 from it, licked his lips, and laid it aside very carefully. Others 

 had raw seal's-flesh, which they also seemed to consider a 

 great luxury. I have frequently seen them take out a pieee, 



VOYAGES and TRAVELS, JW. 2. Vol. IT. F 



