154 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



most distant chance of receiving injury ; but 

 this course of proceeding appeared in their 

 opinion and our own to offer the only 

 chance of gaining an interview. Though 

 not insensible to the danger, they cheerfully 

 prepared for their mission, and clothed 

 themselves in Esquimaux dresses, which 

 had been made for the purpose at Fort En- 

 terprise. Augustus was desired to make 

 his presents, and to tell the Esquimaux that 

 the white men had come to make peace 

 between them and all their enemies, and 

 also to discover a passage by which every 

 article of which they stood in need might 

 be brought in large ships. He was not to 

 mention that we were accompanied by the 

 Indians, but to endeavour to prevail on 

 some of the Esquimaux to return with him. 

 He was directed to come back immediately 

 if there were no lodges at the rapid. 



The Indians were not suffered to move 

 out of our sight, but in the evening we per- 

 mitted two of them to cross the river in 

 pursuit of a musk ox, which they killed on 

 the beach, and returned immediately. The 



