SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. 217 



reach us others were launched in such quick 

 succession, that the whole space between 

 the island and the boats was covered by 

 them. The Esquimaux canoes contain 

 only one person, and are named kaiyacks ; 

 but they have a kind of open boat capable 

 of holding six or eight people, which is 

 named oomiak. The men alone use the 

 kaiyacks, and the oomiaks are allotted to 

 the women and children. We endeavoured 

 to count their numbers as they approached, 

 and had proceeded as far as seventy-three 

 canoes, and five oomiaks, when the sea 

 became so crowded by fresh arrivals, that 

 we could advance no farther in our reckon- 

 ing. The three headmost canoes were 

 paddled by elderly men, who, most proba- 

 bly, had been selected to open the commu- 

 nication. They advanced towards us with 

 much caution, halting when just within 

 speaking distance, until they had been 

 assured of our friendship, and repeatedly 

 invited by Augustus to approach and re- 

 ceive the present which I offered to them. 

 Augustus next explained to them in detail 



