PACIFIC AND BEERING’S STRAIT. 
333 
of the dead is not unusual, and in all probability the Esquimaux may cHAP. 
believe that the soul has enjoyments in the next world similar to those 
which constitute their happiness in this. Oct. 
The people whom we saw here were very inquisitive about our 
fire-arms, and to satisfy one of them I made him fire off a musket, that 
was loaded with ball, towards a large tree that was lying upon the 
beach. The explosion and the recoil which succeeded the simple 
operation of touching the trigger so alarmed him, that he turned pale, 
and put away the gun. As soon as his fear subsided he laughed heartily, 
as did all his party, and went to examine the wood, which was found to 
be perforated by the ball, and afforded them a fair specimen of the 
capability of our arms ; but he could not be prevailed upon to repeat the 
operation. 
They had some skins of ravens with them, upon which they placed 
a high price, though being of no use to us, they did not find a purchaser. 
On several occasions we had noticed the beaks and claws of these 
birds attached to ornamental bands for the head and waist, and they 
were evidently considered valuable. On our return to the ship we fell 
in with another party of natives, among whom there were two men 
whose appearance and conduct again led us to conclude that the large 
blue glass labrets indicated a superiority of rank, and found, as before, 
that no reasonable offer would induce them to part with these orna- 
ments. 
On the 3d, we reached the ship, and found that she had been visited 
by several baidars in our absence, and had procured from them a quan- 
tity of dried salmon, which was afterwards served to the ship’s com- 
pany. These boats were the last that visited the ship, as the season 
was evidently arrived for commencing their preparations for winter. 
About this time we had sharp frost at night ; some snow fell ; and on 
the 5th all the lakes on shore were frozen. The hares and ptarmigan 
were quite white, and all the birds had quitted their abodes in the 
rocks to seek a milder atmosphere. These unequivocal symptoms of the 
approach of winter excited great anxiety for the safety of the land 
expedition. 
On the 7th, Mr. Elson went up Escholtz Bay with two boats for 
