238 SECOND JOURNEY TO THE 



of the kaiyacks had arrived within speaking 

 distance, and the man in the headmost one, 

 holding out a kettle, called aloud that he 

 wished to return it, and that the oomiak, 

 which was some distance behind, contained 

 the things that had been stolen from us, 

 which they were desirous of restoring, and 

 receiving in return any present that we 

 might be disposed to give. I did not 4eem 

 it prudent, however, for the sake of the few 

 things in their possession which we re- 

 quired, to hazard their whole party collect- 

 ing around us, and, therefore, desired Au- 

 gustus to tell them to go back : but they 

 continued to advance until I fired a ball 

 ahead of the leading canoe, which had the 

 desired effect — the whole party veering 

 round, except four, who followed us for a 

 little way, and then went back to join their 

 companions. 



" I have been minute in my details of our 

 proceedings with these Esquimaux, for the 

 purpose of elucidating the character of the 

 people we had to deal with ; and I feel that 

 the account would be incomplete without 



