378 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
to the great annoyance of a certain portion of the subjects of his 
Britannic majesty, and establishing thereby an intimacy of rather 
closer nature, than is agreeable to the injured and complaining 
party. A motive of a very sinister and criminal character has 
been attached to them, but, as yet, there had not been any action 
performed by them, to warrant the imputation, which had been 
thrown upon them. It is true, that some of the party bore the 
outward semblance and appearance of being thieves, but were 
every man to be considered a thief who looks like one, there are 
perhaps, a few amongst ourselves, to whom that odious character 
would be attached. 
Unacquainted, therefore, as we are with the manners and habits 
of the people amongst whom we have suddenly appeared, as if 
we had dropped from the clouds, it is possible that on a close 
and impartial investigation of the business, we shall find that 
their establishment in our immediate vicinity has no reference 
whatever to ourselves, but to some ultimate object, which they may 
have in view, and which may be a part of their regular mode of 
action, although in our opinion, accompanied with suspicion 
and distrust. It is consequently my advice that a deputation 
from the assembly, do proceed without further delay to the 
huts, and there hold a palaver with the head of the tribe, 
touching their present and future motions, and should not a 
satisfactory answer be given, then to have recourse to such 
ulterior proceedings, as may be deemed conducive to the pre¬ 
vention of any permanent injury, and to the consolidation cf 
our future safety. 
This plan was agreed to nernine contradicenle, and the 
proposer, Mr. Thoms, Mr. Light and Mr. Brunton the engineer, 
were appointed of the deputation, to hold the conference with 
the chief of the Esquimaux tribe: Capt. Ross in the mean time 
remaining seated in his chair, to await their return, with all 
due solemnity, after having replenished his goblet with the 
usual moderate quantity of his patron’s best cordial. 
Capt. Ross has been blessed by nature with a deep and so¬ 
norous voice, something between a baritone and a bass, and in 
his lonely hours in the cabin of the Victory, where he had nc 
