188 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
therefore whenever any of the Esquimaux came into the cabin, they 
were placed rank and file, and Capt. Ross and the steward had 
to overhaul them to see what they had for sale, and accordingly 
as the steward expressed his opinion, and the consent of Capt 
Ross obtained, the articles were all bought; they consisted 
chiefly of their own dresses and fishing tackle, but they were 
all put under lock and key, and under the immediate charge of 
Capt. Ross himself, until at last he obtained such a quantity of 
these things, that the steward was obliged to fill three casks, 
the size of each cask being 338 gallons. The poor creatures 
contrived however to sell some things clandestinely to some of 
the crew, and were far better paid for them than by Capt. Ross 
himself. This circumstance called forth a spirit of deception 
amongst the natives, for as self interest predominated here as 
well as in more civilized countries, they concealed many of their 
things until they had been examined, and then in the absence of 
Capt. Ross, they would repair to their stow-hole, and sell them 
to good profit to the crew. 
It was a matter of great wonder to many of the crew, the ex¬ 
treme eagerness which Capt. Ross manifested to collect a vast 
quantity of articles from the natives, which on his return to 
England, could not be made of any possible use. As a proof of 
the ingenuity of the people, and in some respects of the natural 
productions of the country, it was most advisable that a speci¬ 
men of almost every article should be obtained, but the collection 
of three or four casks of Esquimaux dresses and other useless 
articles, might certainly contribute to fill up the hold of the 
vessel, and appear as the trophies of his mighty undertaking, 
to astound the eyes of his countrymen on his return. From 
some circumstances however which have taken place since the 
return of Capt Ross, and we allude in the first instance to the 
panorama of Felix Harbour, got up under the immediate 
auspices of the gallant Captain ; and in the second to the repre¬ 
sentation of the principle scenes of his expedition, also got up 
under the immediate direction of the Captain, exhibiting in 
Vauxhall Gardens, and in both of which, if report be not guilty 
