LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
539 
The farce at last was ended; and, after a repast of baked seal 
and blubber, the happy natives were rowed on shore, the officers 
accompanying’ them, Tuluach leading the way, on his mended 
wooden leg ; in fact, if a drama of life in Yakkee (the Esquimaux 
country) could have been got up, in imitation of Life in London, 
there is very little doubt, that Tuluach would have been chosen 
to act the part of Dusty Bob; Mr. Light giving him previously 
a few lessons on the violin. 
Mr. Mc’Diarmid took one of the Esquimaux with him, on a 
shooting excursion ; but it was with the greatest difficulty, that 
he could get the simple savage to stand near him when he 
fired; for Mr. Mc'Diarmid no sooner put the gun to his shoulder, 
than the native took to his heels, and remained at a consider¬ 
able distance, until the gun was discharged. On this excursion 
he killed three leverets, weighing on an average 3 lbs. 2 oz. 
In consequence of the vessel being surrounded with water, 
the Esquimaux could not get on board, except by means of the 
boat from the ship ; a circumstance by no means disagreeable to 
Capt. Ross, nor indeed to the whole of the crew : for, during 
the time of the natives being on board, all business was sus¬ 
pended ; and as their visits were sometimes very unseasonable 
and ill-timed, the crew had it now in their power to determine 
the exact time when their visits should be paid. On Sunday 
the 14th, they presented themselves on the beach, making 
signs that it was their wish to come on board : to which Capt. 
Ross consented, and a boat was sent for them. It was, however, 
a most difficult matter to make some of the women sit still in 
the boat; and one of the youngest, who appeared to have fixed 
her affections upon Curtis, one of the men who rowed them on 
board, considered that there was neither law nor rule why she 
should not koonig him in the boat; the consequence of which 
was, that if it had not been for one of the sailors, the lady would 
have been immersed head over heels in the water. This, how¬ 
ever, is no great punishment to an Esquimaux, male or female: 
for, in their travels to their different fishing or hunting stations 
the ice is frequently so rotten as not to bear their w r eight, and 
they are plunged into the water; but it appears to be such 
