THE SEA. 



then proposed to him and his companions that we should hire from them their teams; but 

 this they also declined to do. No offers which we could make seemed to produce the slightest 

 impression upon them, and it was clear that nothing would induce them to comply with 

 our wishes, nor even give us any reason for their refusal. In fact, they thoroughly under- 

 stood our situation; and we now entertained no doubt that they had made up their minds, 

 with a unanimity which at an earlier period seemed improbable, to abandon us to our fate 

 and to profit by it. 



" The question to be decided became a very plain one. Here were six civilised men, 

 who had no resort for the preservation of their lives, their usefulness, and the happiness 

 of their families, except in the aid of sledges and teams which the savage owners obstinately 

 refused to sell or to hire. The expectation of seizing, after we should have starved or frozen 

 to death, our remaining effects, was the only motive of the refusal. The savages were 

 within easy reach of their friends, and could suffer little by a short delay of their return. 

 For their property compensation could be made after our arrival at the brig. For my 

 own part, before attempting to negotiate with Kalutunah I had determined that his party 

 should not escape us in case of failure in our application to them for aid. 



" My comrades were not behind me in their inclinations ; indeed, it is to their credit 

 that in so desperate an extremity they were willing to restrain themselves from measures- 

 of a kind to give us at the time far less trouble than those which I suggested. Being 

 unwilling that any unnecessary harm should come to the Esquimaux, I proposed to put 

 them to sleep with opium ; then taking possession of their dogs and sledges, to push north- 

 ward as rapidly as possible, and leaving them to awaken at their leisure ; to stop for a 

 few hours of rest among our friends at Northumberland Island ; then to make directly 

 for Cape Alexander, with the hope of getting so far the start of Kalutunah and his com- 

 panions that before they could arrive at Netlik and spread the alarm we should be beyond 

 their reach. 



" This plan met with the unanimous sanction of the party, and we prepared to put it 

 into immediate execution. In the way of this were some difficulties. Our guests were 

 manifesting great uneasiness, and a decided disinclination to remain. Many threatening 

 glances and very few kind words had been bestowed upon them, and they were evidently 

 beginning to feel that they were not in a safe place. It became now our first duty to 

 reassure them, and accordingly the angry looks gave place to friendly smiles. The old, 

 familiar habits of our people were resumed. Many presents were given to them. I tore 

 the remaining pictures from my c Anatomy/ and the picture of the poor footsore boy who 

 wanted washing from ' Copperfield/ and gave them to Kalutunah for his children. Such 

 pieces of wood as remained to us were distributed amongst them. Each received a comb. 

 This last they had sometimes seen us use, and they proceeded immediately to comb out 

 their matted hair, or rather to attempt that work ; but forty years of neglect, blubber, and! 

 filth, had so glued their locks together that there was no possibility of getting a comb- 

 through them. The jests excited by these attempts to imitate our practices did more to 

 restore confidence than anything else. 



" At length was reached the climax of our hospitalities. The stew which we had been 

 preparing for our guests was ready and was placed before them, and they were soon greedily 



