ESKIMO VISITORS. 803 



places," continues Ross, " we advanced and embraced, in succession, all 

 those in the front line, stroking down their dress also, and receiving frona 

 them, in return, this established ceremony of friendship." Commander 

 Ross, who was in attendance upon his uncle, and who, during his repeated 

 voyages with Parry, had to a certain extent acquired the Eskimo language, 

 now opened up intercourse with them. They were thirty-one in number; the 

 eldest, lUicta, sixty-five years of age. One of them, in an encounter with 

 a bear, it was understood, had lost a leg. All were well dressed in excellent 

 deerskins, " the upper garments double, and encircling the body, reaching 

 in front, from the chin to the middle of the thigh, and having a cape behind 

 to draw over the head, while the skirt hung down to the calf of the leg in a 

 peak not imlike that of a soldier's coat of former days. The sleeves covered 

 the fingers ; and, of the two skins which composed all this, the inner one 

 had the hair next the body, and the outer one in the reverse direction. They 

 had two pairs of boots on, with the hairy side of both turned inwards, and 

 above them trousers of deerskin, reaching very low on the leg ; while some 

 of them had shoes outside of their boots, and had sealskins instead of those 

 of deer, in their trousers." 



These well-to-do savages consented to visit the ship, in which they con- 

 ducted themselves much after the fashion of the natives with whom earlier 

 explorers had been in communication. At the appearance of the snow 

 embankment around the " Victory " they expressed no surprise — this 

 species of snow architecture being familiar to them. A present of a piece 

 of iron hoop was made to each man, and great was the delight with which 

 it was received. The younger Ross did not recognise any of his former 

 acquaintances of Winter Island or Igloolik among this tribe ; but when he 

 mentioned the names of places near Repulse Bay, Wager River, etc., they 

 immediately recognised the names, and pointed in the direction of the 

 localities. Captain Ross had now an opportunity of closely observing them, 

 and he says, "We could now easily see that their appearance was very 

 superior to our own." They were at least well clothed, and their plump 

 and ruddy cheeks gave evidence that they were in excellent health and had 

 abundant food. Indeed, in the matter of eating and drinking they were 

 connoisseurs of no mean pretentions. Preserved meat was given to them, 

 and one of them, a deeper diplomatist than his brethren, ate a small morsel 

 of it, and faintly pronounced it " very good." On cross-examination, how- 

 ever, he admitted that he had said what was not true ; and having obtained 

 permission, he and the other natives threw away the meat with which they 

 had been supplied. They were offered wine and spirits, which they evidently 

 considered miserable drinking ; but they drank off" beakers of oil with much 

 satisfaction, and were glad to think that the white people had at least one 

 -tolerable beverage among their stores. A party from the "Victory" accom- 



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