INTERVIEW WITH ESQUIMAUX, 171 



tory with the Esquimaux who were expected, 

 he advised him to be on his guard. The next 

 day, July the 29th, Augustus returned to the 

 point of rock on the look out, but not without 

 having first requested a brace of pistols, loaded 

 his musket, and fixed his bayonet, yet nothing 

 was seen of his countrymen. The next morning 

 I accompanied him to the Esquimaux tent, 

 with an interpreter, under the idea that I 

 might obtain some interesting information ; and 

 was much pleased to find the family living in 

 the apparent exercise of social affection. The 

 Esquimaux treated his wife with kindness ; she 

 was seated in the circle who were smoking the 

 pipe, and there was a constant smile upon her 

 countenance, so opposite to that oppressed de- 

 jected look of the Indian women in general. I 

 asked the Esquimaux of his country : he said it 

 was good, though there was plenty of cold and 

 snow ; but that there was plenty of musk oxen 

 and deer ; and the corpulency of the party sug- 

 gested the idea that there was seldom a want of 

 food amongst them. I told him that mine was 

 better, as growing what made the biscuit, of 

 which they were very fond, and that there was 

 much less cold, and that we saw the water much 

 longer than they did. Observing that the 

 woman was tattooed, I asked him when these 



