LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
£61 
actions begin to display themselves; and many there are, who 
falsely flatter themselves, that because those, consequences do 
not immediately show themselves, th($, sjand for ever exempt 
from them. Thus, Capt. Ross saw not any ^particular conse¬ 
quences resulting immediately from the system of diet, to which 
his men were restricted, but a short time wil perhaps show him, 
that his calculations were built on false principles, and his 
conduct, the result of a weak and partial judgment. 
It was nearly dark, on the evening of the 7th September, that 
a party of Esquimaux, belonging to the family of Tuluach , came 
to the ship, complaining much of the want of provisions, which 
appeared rather strange to the officers, when it was well known 
to them, that their stow-holes were full of fish, and perhaps 
better filled, than ever they experienced before, on account of 
the great number of fish, that had been given to them, on the 
different fishing parties, which the men belonging to the Victory 
could not bring away with them. It appeared, however, from 
the statement of these people, that each season lias its appointed 
kind of food, in the same manner, as distinguishes more favored 
countries. In the .summer, they generally resort to their stow- 
holes, when their principal diet is fish, as the seals have then 
migrated to other quarters ; about the month of September, 
however, the seals begin to make their appearance, but as yet, 
very few had been seen. Three or four had been shot by the 
officers, and by some of the crew 3 particularly Abernethv ; and 
as this circumstance had come to the knowledge of the natives 
Vi, • ' . CJ 
on their previous visit, they now presented themselves before the 
great Angekok to pray his interference with the 'seals, to force 
them to appear in greater numbers. They ha, cl applied to their 
own Angekok , and he had accordingly, paid a* visit to the spirit, 
who, in the lower regions, holds dominion over the seals,' and a 
terrible conflict, according to the representation of the Angekok, 
bad taken place between them. In the end, however, the great 
spirit was obliged to succumb to his superior prowess, and a 
promise was given, that the seals should be set at liberty, For 
some reason, however, which they could not exactly divine, 
24. 4 c 
