SHORES OF THE POLAR SEA. 231 



being convinced that as long as the boats 

 lay aground, and we were beset by such 

 numbers, armed with long knives, bows, 

 arrows, and spears, we could not use fire- 

 arms to advantage. The howling of the 

 women, and the clamour of the men, proved 

 the high excitement to which they had 

 wrought themselves ; and I am still of 

 opinion that, mingled as we were with them, 

 the first blood we had shed would have 

 been instantly revenged by the sacrifice of 

 all our lives. 



" The preceding narrative shows that, 

 bad as the general conduct of the Esqui- 

 maux was, we had some active friends 

 amongst them ; and I was particularly de- 

 sirous of cultivating a good understanding 

 with them, for we were as yet ignorant of 

 the state of the ice at sea, and did not know 

 how long we should have to remain in their 

 neighbourhood. I was determined, how- 

 ever, now to keep them at bay, and to con- 

 vince them, if they made any further at- 

 tempts to annoy us, that our forbearance 

 had proceeded from good-will, and not 



