PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
55S 
one of the party drowned. These people did not forget his kind- CHAP, 
ness, and brought him fish occasionally, but they could not resist the 
temptation of joining their companions in plunder when it was to be Sept, 
made. Mr. Belcher seeing several articles amongst them which must 
have accompanied others in their possession, searched their bags, 
and recovered the boat’s ensign, and many other things. No op- 
position was offered to this examination, but, on the contrary, some of 
the party which had been saved from the wreck of the baidar intimated 
to Mr. Belcher that one who was making off with a bag had part of his 
property ; and on searching him, a quantity of the boat’s iron and the 
lock of a fowling-piece were discovered upon him. 
Upon the whole, however, the natives behaved better than was ex- 
pected, until the day on which the ship arrived. This appears to have 
been a timely occurrence ; for early that morning two baidars landed 
near the wreck, and the Esquimaux party was increased to twenty- 
four. The man who had been searched the preceding evening, finding 
his friends so numerous, joined by another troublesome character, came 
towards our people, flourishing their knives, apparently with the deter- 
mination of being revenged. It fortunately happened that there w'as 
a person of authority amongst the number, with whom Mr. Belcher 
effected a friendship. He expostulated with the two refractory men, 
and one of them went quietly away, but the other remained brandishing 
his knife ; and there is but too much reason to believe that had he 
commenced an attack, he would have been seconded by his countrymen, 
notwithstanding the interference of the chief. 
When the ship’s boat came to the relief of our party, Mr. Belcher 
ordered the man who had been so refractory to be bound and taken on 
board the ship, intimating to the others that he should be kept until 
more of the stolen property was returned, which they appeared per- 
fectly to understand, as the prisoner pointed to his boat, where, upon 
search being made, the other lock of the fowling-piece, and a haversack 
belonging to Lieutenant Belcher, were found. The strength of this man 
Was so great that it required as many of our people as could stand round 
to pinion his arms and take him down to the boat. As soon as this 
was effected, all the other Esquimaux fled to their baidars, and did not 
4 B 
