112 Thirty Years 
Discovery ships, under the command of Captain Parry, 
which had been mentioned to him, and asked why a 
passage had not been discovered long ago, if one exist- 
ed. It may be stated that we gave a faithful explana- 
tion to all his inquiries, which policy would have 
prompted us to do if a love of truth had not ; for 
whenever these northern nations detect a falsehood in 
the dealings of the traders, they make it an unceasing 
subject of reproach, and their confidence is irrecovera- 
bly lost. ; 
We presented to the chief, the two guides, and the 
seven hunters, who had engaged to accompany us, 
some cloth, blankets, tobacco, knives, daggers, besides 
other useful iron materials, and a gun to each; alsoa 
keg of very weak spirits and water, which they kept 
until the evening, as they had to try their guns before 
dark, and make the necessary preparations for com- 
mencing the journey on the following day. The In- 
dians, however, did not leave us on the next day, as 
the chief was desirous of being present, with his party, 
at the dance, which was given in the evening to our 
Canadian voyagers, They were highly entertained by 
the vivacity and agility displayed by our companions 
in their singing and dancing : and especially by their 
imitating the gestures of a Canadian, who placed him- 
self in the most ludicrous postures; and, whenever 
this was done. the eravitv of the chief cave wav to 
