--just as
happens to be most convenient for them.

When the animals, whose killing I have described, were secured, the
Eskimos proceeded to skin and cut them up. The sailors, of course,
assisted, and learned a lesson. While this was going on one of their
number went away for a short time, and soon returned with a sledge drawn
by about a dozen dogs. This they loaded with the meat and hide of the
bull, intending evidently to leave the cow to their new friends, as
being their property. But Gregory thought they were entitled to a share
of it, so, after loading his sledge with a considerable portion of the
meat, he gave them the remainder along with the hide.

This pleased them mightily, and caused them to talk much, though to
little purpose. However, Gregory made good use of the language of
signs. He also delighted them with the gift of a brass ring, an old
knife, and a broken pencil-case, and made them understand that his abode
was not far distant, by drawing the figure of a walrus in a hole in the
snow, and then a thing like a bee-hive at some distance from it,
pointing northward at the same time. He struck a harpoon into the
outline of the walrus, to show that it was the animal that had just been
killed, and then went and lay down in the picture of the bee-hive, to
show that he dwelt there.

The natives understood this quite well. They immediately drew another
bee-hive, pointed to the south and to the sun, and held up five fingers.
From this it was understood that their village was five days distant
from the spot where they then were.

He next endeavored to purchase three of their dogs, but they objected to
this, and refused to accept of three knives as a price for them. They
were tempted, however, by the offer of a whale harpoon and a hemp line,
and at last agreed to let him have three of their best dogs. This the
young doctor considered a piece of great good fortune, and being afraid
that they would repent, he prepared to leave the place at once. The
dogs were fastened by lines to the sledge of their new masters. A whip
was made out of a strip of walrus hide, a bone served for a handle, and
away they went for the brig at a rattling pace, after bidding the
natives farewell, and making them understand that they hoped to meet
again in the course of the winter.

Thus happily ended their first meeting with the Eskimos. It may well be
believed that there were both astonishment and satisfaction on board the