416 Thirty Years 



the natives becoming more and more importunate and 

 troublesome, I determined to leave them, and, there- 

 fore, directed the boats' heads to be put to seaward. 

 Notwithstanding the forwardness of the Esquimaux, 

 which we attributed solely to the desire of a rude 

 people to obtain the nois#l articles they saw in our 

 possession, they had hitherto shown no unfriendly 

 disposition ; and when we told them of our intention 

 of going to sea. they expressed no desire to detain us, 

 but, on the contrary, when the Lion grounded in the 

 act of turning, they assisted us in the kindest manner 

 by dragging her round. This manoeuvre was not of 

 much advantage to us, for, from the rapid ebbing of 

 the tide, both boats lay aground ; and the Esquimaux 

 told us, through the medium of Augustus, that the 

 whole bay was alike flat, which we afterwards found 

 to be correct. 



An accident happened at this time, which was 

 productive of unforeseen and very annoying conse- 

 quences. A kaiyack being overset by one of the 

 Lion's oars, its owner was plunged into the water with 

 his head in the mud, and apparently in danger of 

 beiag drowned. We instantly extricated him from 

 his unpleasanl situation, and took him into the boat 

 until the water could be thrown out of his kaiyack, 

 and Augustus, seeing him shivering with cold, wrapped 

 him up in his own great coat. At first he was ex- 



