APPENDIX. 



129 



him to his questions, or that he suspected some misconduct on their 

 side ; for, presently after, breaking out into savage fury, he took the 

 young one up in his arms, and threw her with violence against the 

 stones ; but his brutal resentment did not stop here, he beat her 

 afterwards in a cruel manner. I could not see this treatment of my 

 benefactress without the highest concern for her, and rage against 

 the author of it ; especially as the natural jealousy of these people 

 gave occasion to think that it was on my account she suffered. I 

 could hardly suppress the first emotions of my resentment, which 

 prompted me to return him his barbarity in his own kind ; but, besides 

 that this might have drawn upon her fresh marks of his severity, it 

 was neither poHtic, nor, indeed, in my power, to have done it to any 

 good purpose at this time." 



Our untoward circumstances now found some relief in the 

 arrival of the Indians we waited for ; who brought with them some 

 seal, a small portion of which fell to our share. A night or two after 

 they sent out some of their young men, who procured us a quantity 

 of a very dehcate kind of birds, called shags and cormorants. Their 

 manner of taking these birds resembles something a sport called 

 'Bat-fowling.' They find out their haunts among the rocks and 

 cliffs in the night, when, taking with them torches made of the bark 

 of the birch tree, which is common here, and grows to a very large 

 size (this bark has a very unctuous quahty, and emits a bright and 

 clear light, and in the northern parts of America is used frequently 

 instead of candle), they bring the boat's side as near as possible to 

 the rocks, under the roosting places of these birds ; then, waving 

 their lights backwards and forwards, the birds are dazzled and con- 

 founded so as to fall into the canoe, where they are instantly knocked 

 on the head with a short stick the Indians take with them for that 

 purpose. Seals are taken in some less frequented parts of these 

 coasts with great ease ; but when their haunts have been two or 

 three times disturbed, they soon learn to provide for their safety, by 

 repairing to the water upon the first alarm. This is the case with 

 them hereabouts ; but as they frequently raise their heads above 

 water, either to breathe or look about them, I have seen an Indian at 

 this interval throw his lance with such dexterity as to strike the 

 animal through both its eyes at a great distance ; and it is very 

 seldom that they miss their aim." 



