The "Erik " visited by Esquimaux. 141 



learn, lie was under the impression that these na- 

 tives had very lately held communication with some 

 white men to the northward, and that they — the 

 white men — were either five days' journey (by 

 sledge) from where they were (Dalrymple Island), 

 or else five days from Etah, the place whence the 



X 



Dalrymple Island. 



Esquimaux had come. Referring to the ship, they 

 held up two fingers, but whether they intended to 

 convey the idea that there were two ships, or one 

 ship with two masts, was uncertain. 



I feel convinced that this must have some refer- 

 ence to the " Polaris," which vessel was schooner- 

 rigged, and that she is in all probability either beset 

 or wrecked not very far from Cape Alexander. It 

 is difficult to account for the rifles being in their 

 possession, as, being government property, it is 



