NORTHERN OCEAN 323 



The Northern Indians never bury their dead, but always 

 leave the bodies where they die, so that they are supposed to 

 be devoured by beasts and birds of prey ; for which reason 

 they will not eat foxes, wolves, ravens, &c. unless it be through 

 mere necessity. 



The death of a near relation affects them so sensibly, that 

 they rend all their cloths from their backs, and go naked, till 

 some persons less afflicted relieve them. After the death of a 

 father, mother, husband, wife, son, or brother, they; mourn, as 

 it may be called, for a whole year, which they measure by the 

 moons and seasons. Those mournful periods are not dis- 

 tinguished by any particular dress, except that of cutting off 

 the hair ; and the ceremony consists in almost perpetually 

 crying. Even when walking, as well as at all other intervals 

 from sleep, eating, and conversation, they make an odd 



of Wales's Fort in the sloop, and the Summer following they were carried back 

 to their friends, loaded with presents, and much pleased with the treatment they 

 received while at the Fort. In 1767, they again sent one from Knapp's Bay 

 and one from Whale Cove ; and though during their stay at the Fort they made 

 a considerable progress both in the Southern Indian and the English lan- 

 guages, yet those intercourses have not been any ways advantageous to the 

 Company, by increasing the trade from that quarter. In fact, the only satis- 

 faction they have found for the great expence they have from time to time 

 incurred, by introducing those strangers, is, that through the good conduct of 

 their upper servants at Churchill River, they have at length so far humanized 

 the hearts of those two tribes, that at present they can meet each other in a 

 friendly manner ; whereas, a few years since, whenever they met, each party 

 premeditated the destruction of the other ; and what made their war more shock- 

 ing was, they never gave quarter: so that the strongest party always killed the 

 weakest, without sparing either man, woman, or child. 



It is but a few years ago that the sloop's crew who annually carried them all 

 their wants, durst not venture on shore among the Esquimaux unarmed, for fear 

 of being murdered ; but latterly they are so civilized, that the Company's ser- 

 vants visit their tents with the greatest freedom and safety, are always welcome, 

 and desired to partake of such provisions as they have : and knowing now our 

 aversion from train-oil, they take every means in their power to convince our 

 people that the victuals prepared for them is entirely free from it. But the 

 smell of their tents, cooking-utensils, and other furniture, is scarcely less offensive 

 than Greenland Dock. However, I have eaten both fish and venison cooked 

 by them in so cleanly a manner, that I have relished them very much, and par- 

 taken of them with a good appetite. 



