LABRADOR JOURNAL 91 



others iii jerking tisli; some, in making boots and 

 jackets, whilst others were sucking the fat from 

 eidei'-diick skins, intended for winter garments, 

 and engaged in a great variety of other employ- 

 ment. The most perfect good humour prevailed 

 among them, and they took great pains to enter- 

 tain me with singing and dancing. Although I 

 did not admire their tunes, yet I could perceive 

 that manv of them had very soft and musical 

 voices; but as to their dancing, one would have 

 supposed that they had learned that art from the 

 bears of the country. 



As mere visiting was not my sole object, Jew 

 like, I took with ine a box of beads and other 

 trifles, with which I j^icked up several skins and a 

 little whalebone. Shuglawina made me a present 

 of a very fine silver fox-skin; but he insisted on 

 having the same price for the brush of it, as I had 

 just paid for an entire skin. However, as he only 

 demanded a small ivory comb, which cost me no 

 more than twopence halfpenny, and the skin was 

 worth four guineas, I made no scruple in comple- 

 ting the purchase. 



Saturday, July 13, 1771. In the afternoon, 

 Shuglawina and I took a walk on the Cape land in 

 quest of deer, but saw none. I detected his son in 

 attempting to sell me some of my own whalebone 

 whi^'h he had stolen out of my tent: T complained 

 1«» Ills father, but for w^ant of being perfect in the 

 language, T could not make him understand me; 

 oi- ;i1 least he would not: however, he offered me 

 a present, by way of settling the affaii*, which I 



