be inured to cold and hardships from their infancy. They had
with them bows and arrows, and darts, or rather harpoons, made of bone,
fitted to a staff. These were probably intended to kill fish and seals,
or perhaps whales, as the Esquimaux do. That they were accustomed to
the use of train oil the noses of the officers had powerful evidence;
indeed, it was far from pleasant to approach them. Their canoes were
made of bark, and in each was a fire, round which the women and children
huddled. There was also a large seal-skin, perhaps to form a covering
to a hut on shore. As these people seemed well acquainted with
Europeans, it was considered probable that they moved during the winter
more to the northward. They called themselves Pecheras, at least that
word was continually in their mouths. "Of all the people I have ever
seen, these Pecheras are the most wretched," says Cook; "they are doomed
to live in one of the most inhospitable climates in the world, without
having sagacity enough to provide themselves with such conveniences as
might render life in some measure more comfortable." Yet, unattractive
as were these people, they had souls as precious in the sight of a
loving Saviour as those of the more intelligent and attractive
inhabitants of Otaheite. It was in the attempt to carry the glad
tidings of salvation to people such as these that the noble-minded
Captain Allan Gardiner lost his life; and it is for the sake of people
sunk as low as were these in the scale of humanity that missionaries are
labouring in many other parts of the earth.

A good supply of wood and water having been obtained at Christmas Sound,
the Resolution got under way again on the 28th, and steered towards Cape
Horn, which she rounded the next morning. She now steered East by North
a half East for the Straits of Le Maire, with a view of looking into
Success Bay, to ascertain if the Adventure had been there. A boat,
commanded by Lieutenant Pickersgill, was sent on shore, but no traces of
her were found. A notice, however, was left nailed to a tree, in case
Captain Furneaux should afterwards touch there. Some natives appeared
who behaved very courteously to Lieutenant Pickersgill, and made signs
to him to bring in the ship. The bay was full of whales and seals;
indeed, great numbers had been seen in the straits. At last, the
Resolution came to an anchor near an island, on which seals had been
observed. After dinner three boats were