90 
FIRST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSTS 
sisting of iooking glasses and knives, together witli some caps 
and shirts, and proceeded towards the spot where the conference 
was held with increased energy. By the time Capt. Ross reached 
it, the whole were assembled; those who had been originally 
’eft at a distance with their sledges, having been driven up to 
^oin their comrades. The party, therefore, now consisted of eight 
natives, with their sledges and about fifty dogs, two sailors, 
Sacheuse, Capt. Ross, and Lieut. Parry ; forming a group of no 
small singularity, not a little increased by the peculiarity of the 
situation on a field of ice, far from the land. The noise and 
clamour may be easily conceived, the whole talking and shouting 
together, and the dogs howling, while the natives were flogging 
them with their long whips to preserve order. 
The arrival of Capt. Ross and his party produced a visible 
alarm, causing them to retreat a few steps towards their sledges; 
on this Sacheuse called upon them to pull their noses, as he had 
discovered this to be the mode of friendly salutation with them. 
This ceremony was accordingly performed by each of the party, 
the natives during their retreat making use of the same gestures 
the nature of which was not before understood. In the same way 
the party imitated the shouts of the natives as well as they could, 
using the same interjection Heigh yaw! which was afterwards 
found to be an expression of surprise and pleasure. They then 
advanced towards them, while they halted, and presented the 
foremost with a looking glass and a knife, repeating the same 
presents to the whole, as they came up in succession. On seeing 
their faces in the glasses, their astonishment appeared extreme, 
and they looked round in silence for a moment at each other, 
and then at the strangers, immediately afterwards they set up a 
general shout, succeeded by a loud laugh, expressive of extreme 
delight as well as surprise, in which the party joined, partly from 
inability to avoid it, and willing also to show that they were 
well pleased with their new acquaintance. 
Having now acquired confidence the natives advanced, offering 
in return for the knives, glasses, and beads ; their own knives, 
Sea Unicorn’s horns, and Sea Horse's teeth, which were accepted. 
By this time the officers of both ships had surrounded them. 
