OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 185 



hended these people's meaning, in consequence of our ignorance of their '^22. 



, March. 



language. , v^v-w 



Being extremely desirous of ascertaining what the Esquimaux knew of the 

 coast to the northward of our present station, we to-day drew out roughly on 

 a large sheet of paper the conformation of the land in this neighbourhood, 

 and as far to the westward as Repulse Bay, and then requested Iligliuk to 

 continue it to the northward. She readily understood our meaning, and with 

 a pencil soon traced various indentations in the coast, together with several 

 islands, on one of which called Amitioke, at the distance of sixteen days' 

 journey, she informed us she was born. As it would afford no interest to re- 

 late the various surmises, hopes, and fears, which this and several other Esqui- 

 maux charts subsequently gave rise to in our minds, it will only be necessary 

 in this place further to remark, that our first inquiries did not produce any 

 very satisfactory information as to the relative position or trending of the 

 coast beyond Winter Island, and that it was not till long after this time that 

 we were enabled duly to appreciate the geographical knowledge which they 

 possessed. 



Whatever uncertainty existed however on this subject, or whatever might 

 be the information we could hope to obtain from the Esquimaux in the course 

 of our further communication with them, our business was to see and not to 

 speculate. If, as might reasonably be expected from the nature of the coast 

 lately examined, that upon which we hoped soon to recommence our discove- 

 ries was also indented by inlets and fringed with numerous islands, it had 

 long before occurred to Captain Lyon and myself in the course of our con- 

 versations on this subject, that considerable time might be saved to the ships, 

 during the short season of navigation about to commence, by sending a party 

 by land to complete as much as possible of that examination before the ships 

 were released from the ice. As it was requisite that this should be accom- 

 plished before the commencement of a general thaw, by which the return of 

 the party might have been altogether prevented, preparations were now made 

 for a journey of this nature ; and Captain Lyon offering his services to com- 

 mand the Expedition, the proper number of individuals were selected to com- 

 mence their arrangements under his orders. As one of the Esquimaux with 

 whom we were well acquainted might prove of service on such a journey, 

 Captain Lyon's friend Ayoket, who was in every respect the most eligible for 

 the purpose, was informed of our intentions and a proposal made to him to 

 accompany the party to " Iligliuk's country." 



2 B 



