we soon began a more minute examination
of their habitations and furniture, in which they readily assisted
us, except that they always sat very closely on the deerskins
which composed their beds, under which were stowed such articles
as they were least willing or able to dispose of. They sold,
however, a great number of their things without reluctance; and it
was, indeed, astonishing to see with what eagerness they would,
for the mere sake of change and variety, barter some of their most
indispensable articles for the veriest trifles in our possession.
For instance, a single sewing-needle, of which they possessed
abundance not much inferior to our own, procured from them a
large, well-sharpened _p=anna_, or man's knife, made of stout
iron, for which, in point of absolute utility, a hundred needles
would not have been a fair equivalent. Various other instances of
the same kind occurred, by which, indeed, they were not ultimately
losers, though they certainly would have been so had our
intercourse ended here.

We dined in the huts, and the Esquimaux gladly partook of our
biscuit and meat, and even of a little wine, which, however, they
did not relish. We returned on board about sunset, much gratified
with the interesting day we had passed; having laid the foundation
of that perfect confidence and good understanding which, with
little or no interruption, afterward subsisted between us and our
new acquaintance.

On the morning of the 3d, a number of these people were observed
to set off over the ice to the southwest, to bring, as we
conjectured, either some more of their people or of their property
from their last place of abode. On walking out to the huts after
divine service, however, we found they had been seal-catching, and
had succeeded in taking four. The very small quantity of food
which they had in their huts at first coming, consisting of a
little venison, and the flesh and blubber of the whale and seal,
induced us to suppose they had left some of their provision
behind, and that they would return for it as occasion demanded.
But we now found that even at this rigorous season they were
entirely dependant in this way on their daily exertions, and they
had only removed into their present quarters on account of the
failure of their summer's store, and of the greater facility of
obtaining seals at Winter Island than where the sea was more
closely and continually frozen.

On the 4th a number of Esquimaux came to t