366 FranMin Expedition. 



on the western side of tlie continent. On this latter side they 

 were constantly at war with the neighboring Indian tribes, and 

 as these latter were furnished with fire-arms in exchange for pel- 

 tries by the white men, the whites were regarded as the allies of 

 their enemies. The Esquimaux, among whom he had resided, 

 were very exemplary in their domestic relations. When you 

 went among them the men brought out their wives and children 

 and introduced them to you, and were proud of any notice you 

 took of them. The women were not, as among many other Indian 

 tribes, ma'de slaves and worked like beasts of burden. They had 

 only charge of the snow house and the affairs of the household. 

 In fact, they were extremely kind to their wives, and children 

 were prized as a great blessing. In return, these children always 

 took great care of their parents when they grew too old to labor 

 and provide for their families. So much was this the case, that 

 if children were left orphans there was always a scramble among 

 their neighbors and friends to adopt them. They are very grate- 

 ful, too. He had had occasion once to do them a kindness. They 

 ran short of food, and he supplied them from his stores. After- 

 \Yards, whenever he wanted seal fat for his men to eat with their 

 other provisions, it was left for them at the doors of their houses, 

 the Esquimaux positively refusing all compensation, because, they 

 said, he had fed them when they were in want. They were frank 

 and friendly in their intercourse. He had never had a quarrel 

 with any of them but one, and that man was esteemed so bad a 

 character among themselves, that they begged him to shoot the 

 fellow, and rid them of him, and afterwards tried to get poison 

 wherewith to destroy him. He had no doubt himself about 

 Franklin's course and his fate. He had been heard to say that, if 

 ice came in his way, he should not shrink from running his ships 

 into it. After wintering at Beechy Island, he had tried to get to 

 Cape Walker, and make thence for Behring's Straits. His pro- 

 visions had failed in the fifth year, and he had tried to get up 

 Back's Eiver, and perished in the attempt. Capt. McClintock had 

 gone out to endeavour to examine the place where the ships had 

 been abandoned, which they knew pretty well, and to determine, 

 if possible, the position of the Magnetic Pole, to discover if there 

 was any shifting which would account for the variations of the 

 needle. He would endeavor also to make the North- West Pas- 

 sage in his vessel, which Captain McClure had only succeeded in* 

 doing by walking a portion of the distance. If any man could do 



