Li the Arctic Regions. 435 



as the ice op ns. They are distinguished from 

 who live to the westward of the river, by the men 

 being tattoed across the face. Among our tribes the 

 women only are tattoed ;'' having five or six blur In 

 drawn perpendicularly from the under lip to the chin. 

 The speaker added, "If you are obliged to return by 

 this way, these people remove, we, with a re- 



inforcement of young men, will 1"- in the vicinity, and 

 will willingly accompany you to assisl in repelling any 

 attack." Augustus returned with the Esquimaux to 

 their tents, as there was not the Least prospect of our 

 getting forward, though the ice was Bomewhat broken. 



Toeaday, 2 \ strong breeze from tin- westward during 



the night, contributed, with the Bwell, to the further 

 reduction of the Lee, in front of the encampment ; and 

 on the morning of the 1 1th, the wind changed to the 

 eastward, and removed the pieces a little way offshore, 

 though they were I : oo violently for the boats 



to proceed. The swell having subsided in the after- 

 noon, we embarked ; but at the end of a mile and a 

 half were forced to land again, from the ice b 'ing fixed 

 to the shore ; and as the wind bad now becomi 

 and was driving the louse pieces on the laud the boats 

 were nnloaded and Landed on the beach. From the 

 summit of an adjoining hill w ived an unbroken 



field of ice to th iquently, a barrier to 



our progress. 



