In the Arctic Regions. 431 
to whom the goods principally belonged, but the men 
were eager to get any thing that was made of iron. 
They were supplied with hatchets, files, ice chisels, 
fire-steels, Indian awls, and fish-hooks. They were 
very anxious to procure knives, but.as each was in pos- 
session of one, I reserved the few which we had for 
another occasion. The quarter from whence these 
knives were obiained, will appear in a subsequent part 
‘of the narrative. It was amusing to see the purposes 
to which they applied the different articles given to 
them ; some of the men danced about with a large 
cod-fish hook dangling from the nose, others stuck an 
awl through the same part, and the women immedi- 
ately decorated their dresses with the ear-rings, thim- 
bles, or whatever trinkets they received. There was 
in the party a great proportion of elderly persons, who ° 
appeared in excellent health, and were very active. 
The men were stout and robust, and taller than Au- 
gustus, or than those seen on the east coast by Cap- 
tain Parry. Their cheek-bones were less projecting 
than the representations given of the Esquimaux on 
the eastern coast, but they had the small eye, and 
broad nose, which ever distinguish that people. Ex- 
cept the young persons, the whole party were afflicted 
. with sore eyes, arising from exposure to the glare of 
ice and snow, and two of the old men were nearly 
blind. They wore the hairon the upper lip and chin ; 
