168 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



February lampS " When this is the case ' not to menti °n the want of warmth and light in 

 the huts, they are also destitute of the means of melting snow for water, and can 

 therefore only quench their thirst by eating the snow, which is not only a com- 

 fortless but an ineffectual resource. In consequence of this, it was surprising 

 to see the quantity of water these people drank whenever they came on board ; 

 and it was often with difficulty that our coppers could answer this additional 

 demand. I am certain that Toolooak one day drank nearly a gallon in less 

 than two hours. Besides the bread-dust, we also supplied them to-day with 

 a wolf's carcass which, raw and frozen as it was, they eat with a good appe- 

 tite ; and indeed they had not the means of cooking or even thawing it. I 

 cannot here omit a pleasing trait in their character, observed by our people 

 who carried out their supplies ; not a morsel of which would the grown-up 

 people touch till they had first supplied the wants of their hungry little ones. 



Mon. 11. On the 11th, the weather was severely cold, the wind blowing fresh from 

 the north-west, with the thermometer from - 26° to - 30°. Notwithstand- 

 ing the severity ^of the day, a few of the Esquimaux came on board, and 

 among the rest Siokobeut who, on account of being the tallest and stoutest 

 man of the tribe, had been distinguished by our people with the name of 

 " the Commodore." He brought with him his son Toonek, a boy five or six 

 years of age, who became a great favourite with us, and whose clean deer- 

 skin clothes and ruddy face now gave him a very pretty and interesting ap- 

 pearance. 



About this time we were grieved to find that our invalid, Reid, was once 

 more attacked by his complaint, rendering such repeated bleedings necessary as 

 to reduce him very low, and to convince Mr. Edwards that his lungs were not 

 in a state to bear his returning strength. As if some fatality attended our 

 carpenters, Mr. Fiddis had also, for some time past, been occasionally com- 

 plaining of weakness, trembling, and sickness; but, except these two, we 

 had not, for several weeks, had an individual in the sick-list. 

 Tues. 12. On the morning of the 12th Okotook and his uncle Arnaneelia, a sensible 

 and worthy man about five-and-forty years of age, coming on board from 

 their fishing, we shewed them the stage and scenery that were just put up, 

 and invited them and their wives to the play about to be performed this 

 evening. They accordingly went back and brought the women, who under- 

 stood they were to be present at some diversion, though they did not well 

 know what. It was enough, however, with lligliuk just to make the motion 

 of turning the handle of the organ, which, conveying to her mind the idea 



