170 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1822. Q n t h e iQfo ft bi ew a strong srale from S.W. to W.N.W., and the thermo- 

 February to to 



v^-v-v/ meter, either on account of the strength of the wind or its having occa- 

 « Frid> 15, sionally some southing in it, rose to — 4°, being the highest temperature 

 registered in our journals since the 27th of December preceding. I had 

 agreed with Okotook to accompany him on a sealing-excursion, but the day 

 proved too inclement, the Esquimaux not going out themselves, though it was 

 not very often that the weather could prevent them. Considering it desirable 

 to increase by all the means in our power the chances of these people giving 

 information of us, we distributed among several of the men large round 

 medallions of sheet copper, having these words punched through them : — 

 " H. B. M. S. Fury and Hecla, All well, A.D. 1822." These we suspended 

 by a piece of white line round their necks, giving them to understand that 

 they were to shew them to any Kabloona people they might ever meet with in 

 future. Similar ornaments, but of a smaller size, were subsequently pre- 

 sented to many of the women, having on them the words, " Fury and 

 Hecla, 1822." 



Sat. 16. Early on the morning of the 16th, observing a party of the Esquimaux 

 equipped with spears passing near the ships, I joined them, accompanied 

 by Mr. Bushnan and one or two others. Having crossed the point of the 

 island they walked over the ice to the eastward, where we did not overtake 

 them till they had got above a mile and a quarter from the shore. This party 

 consisted of eight persons, among whom we were glad to find Arnaneelia, 

 Okotook, Toolooak, Pootooalook his elder brother, and one or two others 

 whom we knew. They had by this time, however, separated into two or 

 three different parties, stationed at the distance of half a mile from each other 

 along the edge of the floe, beyond which to the eastward there was clear 

 water as far as we could see for frost-smoke. 



The party we at first joined were seated on a high hummock of ice, with 

 their spears in their hands, looking out for seals. After we had talked to 

 them for a few minutes, Okotook suddenly started up and set off along the 

 edge of the ice, without giving us or his own companions the least warning. 

 The latter seemed so much accustomed to this, that they took no further 

 notice than by immediately following him, and we did the same ; the whole 

 party walking at a very quick rate, and the natives keeping their heads 

 constantly turned towards the sea to look out for seals. After being thus en- 

 gaged for an hour and a half, we judged, from the motions of a party at some 

 distance beyond us, that they had game in view. As we approached them, 



