OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



271 



we were surrounded by a crowd of men, women, and children, all carrying 1822 - 

 some trifling article which they offered in barter, a business they seemed to d^li 

 understand as well, and to need much more than their countrymen to the 

 southward. It is pleasing as well as remarkable to find these people, even 

 at our first intercourse with them, always appearing to entertain a sort of 

 intuitive idea of the friendly disposition of the Kabloonas towards them, and 

 of their wish as well as their ability to enrich them. No sooner therefore is 

 the first of these ideas confirmed by kind and friendly behaviour than they 

 begin to try what they can get from their new visitors. We were of course 

 not backward in promoting a good understanding by means of such presents 

 as we had brought with us, but they seemed to have no idea of our giving 

 them any thing gratis, always offering some trifle in exchange, and expressing 

 hesitation and surprise when we declined accepting it. This was not to be 

 wondered at among people who scarcely know what a free gift is among . 

 themselves ; but they were not long in getting rid of all delicacy or hesita- 

 tion on this score. 



The tents, which varied in size according to the number of occupants, 

 consisted of several seal and walrus skins, the former dressed without the 

 hair, and the latter with the thick outer coat taken off, and the rest shaved 

 thin so as to allow of the transmission of light through it. These were put 

 together in a clumsy and irregular patchwork, forming a sort of bag of a shape 

 rather oval than round, and supported near the middle by a rude tent-pole 

 composed of several deer's horns or the bones of other animals lashed toge- 

 ther. At the upper end of this is attached another short piece of bone at 

 right angles, for the purpose of extending the skins a little at the top, which 

 is generally from six to seven feet from the ground. The lower part of the 

 tent-pole rests on a large stone to keep it from sinking into the ground, and 

 being no way secured, is frequently knocked down by persons accidentally 

 coming against it, and again re-placed upon the stone. The lower borders of 

 the skins are held down by stones laid on them outside ; and to keep the 

 whole fabric in an erect position, a line of thong is extended from the top, 

 on the side where the door is, to a larger stone placed at some distance. The 

 door consists merely of two flaps, contrived so as to overlap one another, and 

 to be secured by a stone laid upon them at the bottom. This entrance faces 

 the south or south-east ; and as the wind was now blowing fresh from that 

 quarter and thick snow beginning to fall, these habitations did not impress 

 us at first sight with a very favourable idea of the comfort and accommodation 



