SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. 223 



nions. From the general exclamation of 

 " teyma" which followed, and from per- 

 ceiving many of the elderly men retire to a 

 distance, I conceived that they acquiesced 

 in the propriety of the suggestion, and that 

 they were going away ; but I was much 

 deceived. They only retired to concert a 

 plan of attack, and returned in a short time 

 shouting some words which Augustus could 

 not make out. We soon, however, disco- 

 vered their purport, by two of the three 

 chiefs who were on board the Reliance 

 jumping out, and, with the others who hur- 

 ried to their assistance, dragging her towards 

 the south shore of the river. Lieutenant 

 Back desired the chief who remained with 

 him to tell them to desist, but he replied 

 by pointing to the beach, and repeating the 

 word teyma, teyma, with a good-natured 

 smile. He said, however, something to 

 those who were seated in the canoes that 

 were alongside, on which they threw their 

 long knives and arrows into the boat, taking 

 care, in so doing, that the handles and fea- 



