422 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
booty a few miles from the ship, the dogs being unable to drag 
it any farther. Commander Ross was accompanied by only two 
Esquimaux, whose names were Powyeke , and Elickta, a boy. They 
had obtained two oxen, one of which was shot by Commander 
Ross, and the other was driven, by the Esquimaux and the 
dogs, over a high precipice, and, on reaching the bottom, he 
bounded like a cricket ball. The Esquimaux have no other 
method of killing these animals, than by worrying them to death 
with their dogs; taking, however, special care to keep the 
dogs always between themselves and the animal. Commander 
Ross was not above five yards from the ox, when he fired ; letting 
fly both barrels almost at the same time, which brought the 
animal to the ground. On seeing the brute fall, the Esqui¬ 
maux immediately took out their knives, and w ere proceeding 
to deal with the ox according to their usual custom ; but their 
surprise was unbounded, when they discovered, that the animal 
was wounded in two places. Commander Ross gave them to 
understand, that the wounds were inflicted from his gun ; this, 
however, they could not possibly comprehend, for they could 
not conceive how death could be inflicted without some visible 
means. Whilst the Esquimaux were examining the wounds, 
two grouse came whizzing past Commander Ross; he fired, and 
they both came to the ground. This additional proof of the ex¬ 
traordinary powers vested in Commander Ross, and his murder¬ 
ous instrument, set the Esquimaux in a state of the greatest 
amaze. Remembering, however, the consequence, which had 
resulted, on a former occasion, by putting his gun into the 
hands of Poowutyook, Commander Ross cautiously declined ex¬ 
citing any alarm in the breasts of his companions, who, so far 
from wishing to handle the deadly weapon, always kept at the 
utmost possible distance from it. On the animal being brought 
on board, it was weighed by Mr. Light, the steward, and found 
to weigh 139tbs. without including the head or any of the offal. 
Mr. Mc’Diarmid also shot a grouse on this day, by which the 
dinner table in the cabin was well supplied with game and 
beef; in fact, the sailors very frequently contrasted their mode 
of living, with that, which distinguished the officers’ cabin; and 
