40 Canadian Record of Science. 



impossible and that there was at least as much risk in 

 attempting to return as in proceeding agreeably to my 

 instructions. I fully expected to encamp that night on the 

 shores of the Arctic Sea, and should certainly have done so 

 but for the reasons which will after appear. 



Determined to go forward at all hazards, especially as from 

 the banks of the river here being muddy and nearly level 

 with the water, covered with ice and no drift-wood — in short, 

 utterly unfit for any defensive purposes, I could not land, 

 and well knowing that the Esquimaux would never resort 

 to extreme measures while we kept on the water, so long 

 as we did not allow them to lay hold of our canoes. With 

 my own canoe we always made our way ; not so, however, 

 with Laporte's, despite order after order given him to keep 

 them off he would or could not, and it was therefore neces- 

 sary for us to protect him in addition to opening up a road 

 through the kayaks before us. Gruns were again presented, 

 which had now the effect of making the Esquimaux, if any- 

 thing, more troublesome than before. Seven guns were 

 held up to intimate to us that they were as well armed as 

 ourselves, and such of them as had none dipped their bows 

 in the water and arranged their arrows before them. These 

 appearances, though certainly indicating hostile intentions, 

 were, I suspected, made at present with the view of adding 

 to the fears of the Indians, and they had the desired effect. 

 The latter now became anxious to be put ashore so as to 

 return overland, of course leaving everything. This I could 

 not agree to, and therefore continued on. 



About 9 p.m. we arrived opposite to a large encamp- 

 ment, from which some thirty or forty canoes were seen 

 putting off, which caused the others to close around us, 

 and thereby almost drove us on shore. Extricating our- 

 selves with much difficulty we managed to go on a little 

 further and were about twenty yards from the left bank 

 when the new arrivals approached, seeing whom, six of 

 the Indians suddenly got out of the canoes and made for 

 land on a batture which extended for some distance from 

 the shore. The Iroquois and I immediately jumped out, 



