188 



SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



1822^ they swallowed in such quantities whenever they came to the ships, that it 

 was impossible to furnish them with half as much as they desired. 



We had before this time communicated to Ayoket and his countrymen our 

 intention of sending a party of our people to the northward in the spring ; 

 and Captain Lyon had displayed to him all the charms of a brightly polished 

 brass kettle, of greater magnitude than had perhaps ever entered into an 

 Esquimaux imagination, as an inducement among various others for him to ac- 

 company the Kabloonas in their excursion. The prospect of such riches was 

 a temptation almost irresistible ; but enterprise is not the genius of an Esqui- 

 maux, and Ayoket, we soon began to perceive, had no fancy for the proposed 

 trip, which all his friends persisted in saying could never be accomplished. 

 This was evidently to be attributed, in no small degree, to jealousy of any one 

 individual among them being thus selected ; and the brass kettle was speedily 

 the means of increasing the distance to " Iligliuk's country " from sixteen 

 to twenty-four days' journey. We had long, indeed, observed that this feel- 

 ing of jealousy was easily excited among these people ; but what is extraordi- 

 nary, it never displayed itself (as is most usual) among themselves, but was 

 entirely vented upon us, who were, though innocently, the authors of it. As 

 an instance of this, a man of the name of Karretok refused to take from me 

 a strong and useful pair of scissors as a present, because, as he did not hesi- 

 tate to assure me, I had given Okotook a pike which was more valuable. To 

 shew him that this temper was not likely to produce any thing to his advan- 

 tage, I took back the scissors, and having sent him away went to my 

 dinner. Going accidentally on deck an hour afterwards, I found Karretok 

 still on board, who having had time to reflect on his folly now came up 

 to me with a smiling face, and begged hard for the scissors, which of course 

 he did not get. Many similar instances occurred, both to Captain Lyon and 

 myself. 



To this discouragement on the part of his friends, was added on that of 

 Ayoket the same wavering and inconstant disposition which most other 

 savages possess, rendering it impossible to place any dependence on his pro- 

 mises and intentions for two hours together. Indeed the more our scheme 

 was pressed upon his attention, and the more he saw of the actual prepara- 

 tions for the journey, the less doubtful his intentions became ; and arrange- 

 ments were therefore made for completing the party without him. For the 

 reasons now given, it was equally impossible ever to direct the attention of 



