ON THE LOWER TELZOA. 107 
and a pair of moleskin trousers. Upon inquiry I was 
told they had -received them in trade from other 
“Knuits” (Eskimos). We satisfied ourselves that this 
family were accustomed to meet with the Eskimos from 
Hudson Bay who trade at Fort Churchill or Marble 
Island, and for that reason the Telzoa must in all proba- 
bility flow into the bay. We were, moreover, soon con- 
vineed of this by getting the Eskimo to draw us a sketch 
of the river's course. 
From the natives we also secured several articles, such 
aS horn spoons, personal ornaments, and two or three 
deer-skin coats, to do us service, if necessary, later in 
the season. In exchange for these we were asked for 
powder, bullets and gun-caps, all of which they were 
badly in need of. About camp there appeared to be 
an abundance of venison for the present support of the 
family, but the hunt for musk oxen was what had 
brought this venturesome hunter far up the river in 
advance of his tribe. 
As Eskimo interpreter I had little difficulty in con- 
versing with the natives, though I found that many of 
my words as used by the Eskimos on the east coast of 
Hudson Bay and the north shore of the Straits were 
not understood. It was not so surprising that many of 
their words were not understood by me. In the main, 
however, I found the language to be the same as that 
spoken by the Eskimos of various other districts for- 
merly visited. 
Among those of us who for the time shared the hos- 
pitality of this native family was our worthy cook, 
John, who also laid claim to the distinction of being an 
