and not a little ludicrous to behold the eagerness with which the
fortunate person licked each article with his tongue, on receiving it,
as a finish to the bargain, and an act of appropriation. They in
no instance omitted this strange practice, however small the article;
the needles even passed individually through the ceremony. The
women brought imitations of men, women, animals, and birds, carved
with labour and ingenuity out of sear-horse teeth. The dresses and
the figures of the animals, were not badly executed, but there was
no attempt at the delineation of the countenances; and most of
the figures were without eyes, ears, and fingers, the execution of
which would, perhaps, have required more delicate instruments
than they possess. The men set most value on saws; kuttee-swa-bak,
the name by which they distinguish them, was a constant cry.
Knives were held next in estimation. An old sword was bartered
from the Eddystone, and I shall long remember the universal burst
of joy on the happy man’s receiving it. It was delightful to witness
the general interest excited by individual acquisitions. There was
no desire shewn by any one to over-reach his neighbour, or to press
towards any part of the ship where a bargain was making, until the
person in possession of the place had completed his exchange and removed
; and, if any article happened to be demanded from the outer
canoes, the men nearest assisted willingly in passing the thing across.
Supposing the party to belong to one tribe, the total number of the
tribe must exceed two hundred persons, as there were, probably, one
hundred and fifty around the ships, and few of these were elderly
persons, or male children.
Their faces were broad and flat, the eyes small. The men were in
general stout. Some of the younger women and the children had
rather pleasing countenances, but the difference between these and
the more aged of that sex, bore strong testimony to the effects which
a few years produce in this ungenial climate. Most of the party had
sore eyes, all of them appeared of a plethoric habit of body ; several
were observed bleeding at the nose during their stay near the ship.
The men’s dresses consisted of a jacket of seal-skin, the trowsers of
bear-skin, and several had caps of the white fox-skin. The female
dresses were made of the same materials, but differently shaped,
having a hood in which the infan ts were carried. We thought their
manner very lively and agreeable. They were fond of mimicking our
speech and gestures; but nothing afforded them greater amusement
than when we attempted to retaliate by pronouncing any of their
words.
The canoes were of seal-skin, and similar in every respect to those
used by the Esquimaux in Greenland -; they were generally new and
very complete in their appointments. Those appropriated to the
women are of ruder construction, and only calculated for fine weather
; they are, however, useful vessels, being capable of containing
twenty persons with their luggage. An elderly man officiates as
steersman, and the women paddle, but they have also a mast which
carries a sail, made of dressed whale-gut.
When the women had disposed of all their articles of trade they
resorted to entreaty; and the putting in practice many enticing gestures
was managed with so much address, as to procure them presents
of a variety of beads, needles, and articles in great demand
among females.
It is probable these Esquimaux go from this shore to some part of
Labrador to pass the winter, as parties of them have been frequently
seen by the homeward-bound Hudson’s Bay ships in the act of crossing
the Strait.
They appear to speak the same language as the tribe of Esqui_
maux, who reside near to the Moravian settlements in Labrador:
for we perceived they used several of the words which had been given
to us by the Missionaries at Stromness.
Towards evening, the Captain, being desirous to get rid of his
visitors, took an effectual method by tacking from the shore;
D 2
our