414 Thirty Years 



with the natives on any pretence, and were ordered to 

 leave every thing of that kind to the officers. 



On quitting the channel of the river we entered into 

 the bay, which was about six miles wide, with an un- 

 bounded prospect to seaward, and steered towards the 

 tents under easy sail, with the ensigns flying. The 

 water became shallow as we drew towards the island, 

 and the boats touched the ground when about a mile 

 from the beach ; we shouted, and made signs to the 

 Esquimaux to come off, and then pulled a short way 

 back to await their arrival in deeper water. Three 

 canoes instantly put off from the shore, and before 

 they could reach us others were launched in such quick 

 succession, that the whole space between the island 

 and the boats was covered by them. The Esquimaux 

 canoes contain only one person, and are named 

 kaiyach8 ; but they have a kind of open boat capable 

 of holding six or eight people, which is named oomiah. 

 The men alone use the kaiyacks, and the oomiaks are 

 allotted to the women and children. We endeavored 

 to count their numbers as they approached, and had 

 preceded as far as Beventy-three canoes, and five 

 oomiaks, when the sea became so crowded by fresh 

 arrivals, thai we could advance im farther iii our 

 reckoning. The three headmost canoes wen- paddled 

 by elderly men, who, mosl probably, had been selected 

 to open the communication. They advanced towards. 



