In the Arctic Regions. 423 



then saw thai my crew were nearly overpowered in 

 the fore pari of the boat, and hastening to their aid, 

 I fortunately arrived in time to prevent G Wil- 



Bon from discharging t lie contents of his musket into 

 the body of an Esquimaux He had received a pro- 

 vocation of which I was ignorant until the next day, 

 for the fellow had struck at him with a knife, and 

 cut through his coal and waistcoat; and it was only 

 after the affray was over thai I learned thai Gustavus 

 Aird, the bowman of the Lion, and three of the Re- 

 liance's crew, had also narrowly escaped from being 

 wounded, their clothes being cul by the Wows made 

 at them with knives. No bo< m r was the how cleared 

 of one set of marauders than another party commen- 

 ced their operations at the stern. My gun was now 

 the objeel of the Btruggle, which was beginning to as- 

 sume a more serious complexion, when the whole of 

 the Esquimaux suddenly fled, and hid themselves be- 

 hind the drift timber and canoes on the beach. It 



appears that by the exertions of the crew, the Reliance 



was again afloat, and Lieutenant Back wisely judging 



that this was the proper moment for more active in- 

 terference, directed his men to level their milBKetS, 

 which had produced that sudden panic. The Lion 



happily floated Boon after, and both were retiring from 

 the beach, when the Esquimaux having recovered from 

 their consternation, put their kaiyacka in the water. 



