ildish exchanges which
they at first made with our people induced them subsequently to complain
that the Kabloonas had stolen their things, though the profit had
eventually been a hundred-fold in their favour. Many such complaints
were made, when the only fault in the purchaser had been excessive
liberality, and frequently, also, as a retort, by way of warding off the
imputation of some dishonesty of their own. A trick not uncommon with
the women was to endeavour to excite the commiseration, and to tax the
bounty of one person, by relating some cruel theft of this kind that
had, as they said, been practised upon them by another. One day, after I
had bought a knife of Togolat, she told Captain Lyon, in a most piteous
tone, that _Parree_ had stolen her last _ooloo_, that she did not know
what to do without one, and at length, coming to the point, begged him
to give her one. Presently after this, her husband coming in and asking
for something to eat, she handed him some meat, accompanied by a very
fine ooloo. Her son, being thus reminded of eating, made the same
request, upon which a second knife was produced, and immediately after a
third of the same kind for herself. Captain Lyon, having amused himself
in watching these proceedings, which so well confirmed the truth of the
proverb, that certain people ought to have good memories, now took the
knives, one by one, out of their hands, and, holding them up to Togolat,
asked her if Parree had not stolen her last ooloo. A hearty laugh all
round was the only notice taken by them of this direct detection of the
deceit.

The confidence which they really placed in us was daily and hourly
evinced by their leaving their fishing gear stuck in the snow all round
the ships; and not a single instance occurred, to my knowledge, of any
theft committed on their property. The licking of the articles received
from us was not so common with them as with Esquimaux in general, and
this practice was latterly almost entirely left off by them.

Among the unfavourable traits in their character must be reckoned an
extreme disposition to envy, which displayed itself on various occasions
during our intercourse with them. If we had made any presents in one
hut, the inmates of the next would not fail to tell us of it,
accompanying their remarks with some satirical observations, too
unequivocally expressed to be mistaken, and generally by some stroke of
irony directed against the favoured person. If any