ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait. 223 



attempts at a raid upon my storehouse were made. In spite of a 

 watch being kept, and a warning issued to them that those attempt- 

 ing to force an entrance would stand a chance of being shot, wliile 

 going my rounds about midnight I was startled to see a number 

 rush out of the building with their hands full of provisions. They 

 had pried the door off the hinges as noiselessly as any professional 

 housebreaker, and now they made off as hard as possible. Deter- 

 mined to frighten them I started in hot pursuit, and when a short 

 distance from them fired several shots over their heads. For some 

 time after this they prowled about at night, and Ugaluk my favourite 

 Eskimo sbi-ongly advised us to always go out armed as several threats 

 had been made by his people to fire upon us if we tliwarted them 

 again. No further attempts, however, wei'e made and I feel con- 

 fident it was the bold front we showed that induced them to recon- 

 sider their threats. 



Among those living at Cape Prince of Wales were three des- 

 perate charactei's who, some years ago, attacked ptrt of the ship- 

 wrecked crew of a whaler named " Kitty " while the)^ slept in a 

 tent on the shore not far from the observatory. At first they 

 treated them well, often bringing them food, but their blankets and 

 guns were too great a temptation, and with knives they despatched 

 them all, excepting one poor fellow whose feet had been badly frozen. 

 This man, strange to say, they took care of and Ugaluk my in- 

 formant said he lived with him in his father's igloo during the 

 winter, that both his feet came off, and he died in the following 

 spring. In the fray one Eskimo was shot dead, the rest escaping 

 without a wound. 



Either from fear or seeking favour several Eskimo returned stolen 

 goods, but in each case they recpiested payment and were most indig- 

 nant when we refused to give them anything. Our best friend in 

 this way was a good looking girl name Checkooaloo who acted as our 

 detective and very often brought back ai'ticles stolen by her people. 



Physically. the Eskimo do not seem as strong as civilized beings for 

 in many trials of strength with my men who were not above the 

 average in muscle development they were quite unable to cope with 

 them. 



