274 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, stmcted their winter residences in it ; they were very numerous, and 
extended some way along the coast. The season, however, was not 
yet arrived at which the Esquimaux take up their abode in their sub- 
terranean habitations, and they occupied skin tents upon a low point at 
the entrance of the lake. We had not been long off here before three 
baidars from the village paddled alongside and bartered their articles as 
usual. Some of the crew ascended the side of the ship without any in- 
vitation, and showed not the least surprise at any thing they beheld ; 
which I could not help particularly remarking, as we were not conscious 
of any other vessel having been upon the coast since Kotzebue’s voyage, 
and he did not reach within two hundred miles of the residence of these 
people. There was nothing in our visiters different to what we had seen 
before, except that they were better dressed. One of them, pointing to 
the shore, drew his hand round the northern horizon as far as the south- 
west, by which he no doubt intended to instruct us that the ice 
occupied that space. It would, however, have answered equally well 
for the land, supposing the coast beyond what we saw to have taken a 
circuitous direction. With the view of having this explained, I took 
him to the side of the ship on which the land was, and intimated a de- 
sire that he would delineate the coast ; but he evidently did not under- 
stand me, as he and his companions licked their hands, stroked their 
breasts, and then went into their boats and paddled on shore. 
The apparently good-natured disposition of these people, and 
indeed of the whole of their tribe upon the coast to this advanced 
position, was a source of the highest gratification to us all as it re- 
garded Captain Franklin’s welfare; for it was natural to conclude that 
the whole race, which we had reason to think extended a considerable 
distance to the eastward, would partake of the same friendly feeling, 
and what was by many considered a material obstacle to his success 
would thereby be removed. At this place in particular, where the 
natives appeared to be so numerous that they could have over- 
powered his party in a minute, it w'as gratifying to find them so well 
disposed. 
After the natives were gone w'e stood to the north-westward in 
the hope that the wind, which had been a long time in the north-eastern 
