half, we judged, from the motions of a
party at some distance beyond us, that they had game in view. As
we approached them, Okotook evidently began to be apprehensive
that we, who did not understand the matter, would spoil their
sport. To prevent this, he did the most civil thing that could
well have been devised, which was, to send his companions one by
one to the spot, and to remain with us himself, keeping us at such
a distance as to allow us to see their proceedings, without
alarming the animal they were in pursuit of. The other seven
Esquimaux, now forming one party, disposed themselves into a
single line, so as to make as small an appearance as possible in
the direction in which they were going, and in this manner crept
very cautiously towards the margin of the floe. On a sudden they
all stooped down quite low to hide themselves, and continued thus
a quarter of an hour, during which time they prepared their lines
and spears; and then, when the animal appeared to be intercepted
from their view, again took the opportunity of gaining a few paces
upon him, in the same cautious manner as before. When they had
been thus occupied for a full hour, alternately creeping and
stooping down, the seal, which had been lying on the ice, took the
water, and they then gave up their chase. During this time,
Okotook could scarcely restrain his impatience to be nearer the
scene of action; and when we produced a spyglass, which appeared
to bring his companions close to us, he had not words to express
his surprise and satisfaction. In a short time he held it as
steadily as we did, and explained by signs every motion he
observed.

As soon as they had given up the seal they had been watching, the
whole party seemed with one accord to turn their steps homeward,
in which direction, being that of the ships also, we were by this
time not sorry to accompany them. We were now between three and
four miles northeast of the ships, and full a mile and a half from
any part of the shore. In the open water beyond the floe, the tide
was running two knots to the northward, and as the ice on which we
stood had been formed only within the last fortnight, and a sheet
as substantial as this had before been carried away by the stream
it was impossible not to feel some apprehension lest we might thus
be detached from the shore, an accident that has been known to
happen to Esquimaux ere now,[*] and has probably more frequently
befallen them, when none have