416 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
particularly to the carpenter, who was employed in making the 
travelling boat. At nine o’clock the steward sought for Takkee- 
likkeela, to see him safe in his berth, and to give him his evening 
meal, but he was nowhere to be found. He had taken the ad¬ 
vantage of the darkness to steal from the ship ; heedless that a 
long and stormy night was before him, and with nothing to 
guide him in his way, but that natural instinct, which appears 
to be innate in the whole tribe of the Esquimaux. It was also 
discovered, that he had not been watching the motions of the 
carpenter, without some premeditated design, for a hammer and 
a number of nails were missing, of the destination of which no 
doubt whatever was entertained. Thus three attempts had 
failed to bring an Esquimaux youth within the pale of civiliza¬ 
tion, in all of which, the experimental party had been made the 
dupe of savage ignorance and duplicity; and individuals, who 
possessed the advantages of culture and education, were made 
the subjects of the low cunning and depraved artifices of the 
most unenlightened of their species. 
On the 24th, the misfortune occurred of the launch getting 
completely under the ice, with little chance of recovering it, 
until the ice completely broke up, and then considerable risk 
was run of its being staved in, by the extraordinary pressure, to 
which it would be subject. On this day, the carpenter made pre¬ 
parations for caulking the ship, as the straining, to which she had 
been exposed, had opened several of the seams to a considerable 
extent, and which, if not timely stopped, might be of the most 
serious consequence to them in their future voyage. 
A great'number of Esquimaux came to the ship, on the 26th, 
who were directing their course to Nichilli. As this was the 
place, which it was expected was visited by some people an¬ 
swering to the character of the Russians or the Danes, Com¬ 
mander Ross determined to accompany them, and accordingly 
the steward was ordered to put up a stock of provisions, suffi¬ 
cient to last for ten days. 
It was agreed, that Commander Ross, and Abernethy, one of 
the mates, should call on the following day at the huts, for the 
Esquimaux, who had stationed themselves in the North Bay, and 
