416 Thirty Years 
the natives becoming more and more importunate and 
troublesome, I determined to leave them, and, there- 
fore, directed the boats’ heads to be put to seaward, 
Notwithstanding the forwardness of the Esquimaux, 
which we attributed solely to the desire of a rude 
people to obtain the novel articles they saw in our 
possession, they had hitherto shown no’ unfriendly 
disposition ; and when we told them of our intention 
of going to sea. they expressed no desire to detain us, 
but, on the contrary, when the Lion grounded in the ~ 
act of turning, they assisted us in the kindest manner 
by dragging her round. This manceuvre was not of 
much advantage to us, for, from the rapid ebbing of 
the tide, both boats lay aground ; and the Esquimaux 
told us, through the medium of Augustus, that the 
whole bay was alike flat, which we afterwards found 
to be correct. 
An accident happened at this time, which was 
productive of unforeseen and very annoying conse- 
quences. A kaiyack being overset by one of the 
Lion’s oars, its cwner was plunged into the water with 
his head in the mud, and apparently in danger of 
being drowned. We instantly extricated him from 
his unpleasant situation, and took him into the boat 
until the water could be thrown out of his kaiyack, 
and Augustus, seeing him shivering with cold, wrapped 
him up in his own great coat, At first he was ex- 
