404 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
the arrival of Alwak was announced, who, they could not suppose, 
was come for any other purpose, than to enlist himself in the 
marine corps of the Victory. When, however, the information 
was conveyed to them, that he declined the tempting 1 offers, that 
had been made to him, he was characterized as one of those indi¬ 
viduals, who are wilfully blind to their own interests, and will not 
accept of the good gifts of Fortune, when it has pleased her to 
throw them in their way ; but when it was proclaimed, that the 
reason of his non-acceptance was the urgent entreaties, the tears 
and the sobs of a love-sick damsel, to whom he was shortly to be 
married—A fool! a fool! a motley fool ! exclaimed the whole 
assembly; and Alwak was sent back to his hut, and his Narlu- 
warga, to console himself, in her tender embraces, for the loss of 
all the great and manifold advantages, which he would have 
derived from his civilization. 
With the return of the spring, the country began to assume a 
new appearance; and something of a romantic character was 
given to it, by the various parties of Esquimaux, who were seen 
at a distance, directing their route southwardly from the stations, 
which they had occupied during the winter. It is, however, in 
general, direct want that impels these nomadian tribes to wan¬ 
der to other countries ; for, having exhausted their stock of pro¬ 
visions, and the seals having also migrated to other quarters, they 
are by necessity forced to return to those particular places, which 
they had frequented in the preceding summer, and where they 
were certain to find a supply of provisions, which they had 
buried under the snow ; and so keen is their instinct in directing 
their course to the exact spots where their treasures lie buried, 
that they might be almost supposed to possess the exquisite scent 
of the dog, so unerring is the course which they pursue. Early 
on the morning of the 12th, one of those tribes was seen directing 
their march from the northward to the southwest, in search of 
rein-deer; but, although they were in sight of the ship, they 
held on their course, as if disdaining to notice it, or to trouble 
themselves about those, who were in it. 
In the last excursion, which Commander Ross took, he felt 
himself often in the greatest dilemma, on account of the im- 
