May, 1859. PURCHASE OF RELICS. 261 



form and other buttons, and offered us a heavy 

 sledge made of two short stout pieces of curved 

 wood, which no mere boat could have furnished 

 them with, but this of course we could not take 

 away ; the silver spoons and forks were readily 

 sold for four needles each. 



They were most obliging and peaceably dis- 

 posed, but could not resist the temptation to 

 steal, and were importunate to barter every- 

 thing they possessed ; there was not a trace of 

 fear, every countenance was lighted up with 

 joy ; even the children were not shy, nor back- 

 ward either, in crowding about us, and poking 

 in everywhere. One man got hold of our saw, 

 and tried to retain it, holding it behind his 

 back, and presenting his knife in exchange ; we 

 might have had some trouble in getting it from 

 him, had not one of my men mistaken his object 

 in presenting the knife towards me, and run out 

 of the tent with a gun in his hand ; the saw 

 was instantly returned, and these poor people 

 seemed to think they never could do enough 

 to convince us of their friendliness ; they 

 repeatedly tapped me gently on the breast, 

 repeating the words " Kammik toomee " (We 

 are friends). 



Having obtained all the relics they possessed, 

 I purchased some seal's flesh, blubber, frozen 



