72 AECTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



"After an interchange of friendly gifts — that from the govern- 

 or being an Esquimaux suit of water-proof sealskin — our visitors 

 took their departure, and were rowed on shore by girls, two of 

 them very neatly attired in their native costume. 



" This day, in presence of Captain Budington and Lars Kleijt, 

 I have had a prolonged conversation with Adam Beck, an Es- 

 quimaux who acted as interpreter for Sir John Eoss in 1850-1. 

 Lars can talk much more fluently the English language than 

 Adam Beck. The latter said : 



" ' Captain Phillips' (who was with Sir John Eoss) ' speak : 

 "Adam Beck, plenty lie." Beck then paused a moment and add- 

 ed, "Sir John Eoss very good man — plenty pray — plenty eat — 

 Carl Petersen no speak Husky (Esquimaux) quick — not good 

 Husky speak — small speak Husky !" ' 



"Adam farther continued, and said c he spoke with the Esqui- 

 maux at Cape York. They told him two ships had been seen 

 there ; that there were plenty of officers and men — much butter 

 and much bread — ships go all to pieces — all die. Adam Beck 

 speak to Petersen, lie ! Petersen speak Adam Beck, lie ! Carl 

 Petersen plenty lie — d — d lie /' 



" Both Captain B and myself are satisfied that Adam Beck 



told to Sir John Eoss exactly what York-Cape Esquimaux told to 

 him. It seems that Commander Phillips and Carl Petersen re- 

 peatedly told Beck that he was a liar, and otherwise abused this 

 now almost wreck of a man ! The treatment Adam Beck re- 

 ceived from Sir John Eoss is remembered kindly to this day. 

 Poor Beck was the instrument of communicating fabrications of 

 Cape York Esquimaux, and for this English historians have writ- 

 ten him down as the author, when it is not probable that he was, 

 taking all the circumstances into consideration. The stigma cast 

 upon him burns to his very heart's core to this day. Even here 

 his name is blackened by the public notoriety given him abroad 

 as the man who fabricated falsehoods relative to the destruction 

 of two ships near Cape Dudley Digges, and the violent deaths of 

 the officers and men supposed to refer to Sir John Franklin's Ex- 

 pedition. 



" Who of us that has not done an act worthy to be so gener- 

 ally condemned could stand up against this tide ? Not one in a 

 thousand would do it ! Adam Beck is of the 999. He lives on 

 the ( don't care principle.' He has lost all self-respect, for all shun 

 him. I pity him from the bottom of my heart. Would that 



