LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
585 
gratification of their appetite, but whether it was with a slice 
of seal’s flesh, or a steak from the rump of a musk ox, was at 
that distance impossible to be determined. On coming up to 
them, however, great was the surprise of Capt. Ross, and still 
greater his indignation, when he discovered that the food, of 
which the little urchins were partaking, was nothing less than 
the biscuits, which had been deposited for the use of Comman¬ 
der Ross: and that the cause of the diagonal motions of the 
seniors of the group, was not to be ascribed to the slippery state 
of the ground, but to some copious potations of the rum, which 
had fallen into their hands, and of which they had taken just a 
sufficiency to put them in the enjoyment of the great pleasures 
arising from inebriation. A deep scowl of displeasure came 
over the countenance of Capt. Ross, to which, however, the 
natives paid not the least attention. In vain did he brand them 
with the opprobrious epithets of Tiglltokes, they sang and 
danced; and, to complete the sum of their misconduct, the 
women appeared determined to koonig the irritated captain, as 
the surest means of allaying the violence of his anger. This, 
however, in his eyes, was an act of insolence, super-added to 
their commission of the theft, and the only way, which was 
left for Capt. Ross, by which he could escape from the importu¬ 
nities of the women, was to turn his back upon them, and 
regain the ship, with all possible expedition. 
On his arrival there, his first step was to despatch a party to 
the place where the provisions had been deposited, taking with 
them a fresh supply ; and, on their arrival at the place, they 
found the ground strewed with various articles ; the corks had 
been drawn from every canister, which had been filled with 
rum, and it was evident, that what the natives could not drink, 
they had spilt upon the ground. Some attempts had been made 
to force open the packages, which contained the preserved 
meats ; but it was a matter of surprise to the seamen, to find 
that the natives had carried so little away with them. It might 
have been supposed, that an article like a canister, for which 
they were known to have given a seal, would not have been 
allowed to remain unappropriated; and that even some of the 
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