458 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1823. refused it, because we did not immediately comply with his demands for 

 ^-*^-^ the deer's sinews. 'In consequence of this I determined, if he persisted 

 in his refusal next morning, to construct a lis^ht sledge with our boarding- 

 pikes to carry our baggage, which by this time was become tolerably light. 

 Tues. 15. " On the receipt of the sinews and some of the flesh however, he was 

 again willing to lend his sledge the following day ; we therefore prepared 

 to move immediately after breakfast. The latitude of this station by one 

 meridian altitude was 69° 46' 12" N., the longitude, by mean of two sets of 

 sights for the chronometer, was 00° 34' 42 " cast of the ships. The Esquimaux 

 seemed sorry to part from us, a feeling rendered reciprocal by the kindness 

 which they had luiiformly shewn us. It is but justice to say that I never ex- 

 perienced more attention in my life, and that their whole conduct towards 

 us seemed expressive of a grateful feeling for the advantages which they had 

 derived from their intercourse with the ships. Our party was increased to 

 six by two of the natives joining us just as we were starting. The ice 

 was tolerably smooth and had but little water on it, so that my men, who 

 walked more than two-thirds of the way, did it without fatigue, and at half 

 an hour past six P.M. we landed on Neerlonaktoo. Our companions, 

 who had volunteered to carry us to the ships, were anxious to proceed, but 

 compassion for our poor dogs would not suffer me to hear of it. Although 

 these pco[)!c were kind and attentive to us, they did not think it necessary 

 to extend this feeling to our dogs, which were become very lame, nor would 

 they .even supply us with a piece of skin to make boots for them, without 

 demanding an exorbitant price. Whilst on Neerlonaktoo wc saw three 

 deer and great numbers of geese and other water fowl, but they were so shy 

 that all our attempts to get near them were ineffectual. 

 Wed. 16. " Leaving t!ie island at forty-five minutes past eleven, on the 16th, we 

 arrived on Igloolik at twenty minutes past one. Having loaded our own 

 dogs, the Esquimaux left theirs moored to a stone, where they were to 

 remain without food until their return ; and walking across the island we 

 reached the ships at four P.M." 



