tting late Stanley commanded silence.

"Tell them I have somewhat to say to them, Oolibuck."

The interpreter's remark instantly produced a dead silence.

"Now ask them if they are glad to hear that we are going to stay to
trade with them."

A vociferous jabbering followed the question, which, by Oolibuck's
interpretation, meant that their joy was utterly inexpressible.

"Have they been long on the coast?"

"No; they had just arrived, and were on their way up the river to obtain
wood for building their kayaks."

"Did they see the bundle of presents we left for them at the coast?"

"Yes, they had seen it; but not knowing whom it was intended for, they
had not touched it."

On being told that the presents were intended for them, the poor
creatures put on a look of intense chagrin, which, however, passed away
when it was suggested to them that they might take the gifts on their
return to the coast.

"And now," said Stanley, in conclusion, "'tis getting late. Go down to
the point below the fort and encamp there for the night. We thank you
for your visit, and will return it in the morning. Good-night."

On this being translated, the Esquimaux gave a general yell of assent
and immediately retired, bounding and shouting and leaping as they went,
looking, in their gleesome rotundity, like the infant progeny of a race
of giants.

"I like the look of these men very much," said Stanley, as he walked up
to the house with Frank. "Their genuine trustfulness is a fine trait in
their character."

"No doubt of it," replied Frank. "There is much truth in the proverb,
`Evil dreaders are evil doers.' Those who fear no evil intend none.
Had they been Indians, now, we should have had more trouble with them."

"I doubt it not, Frank. You would have been pleased to witness the
prompt alacrity with which the poor creatures answered to our cry of
Chimo, and ran their kayaks fearlessly ashore, although, for all they
knew to the contrary, the rocks might have concealed a hundred enemies."

"And yet," said Frank, with an air of perplexity, "the Esquimau
character seems to me a difficult problem to solve. When we read the
works of arctic voyagers, we find that one man's experience of the
Esquimaux proves them to be inveterate thieves and liars, while another
speaks of them as an honest, truthful people--and that, too, being said
of the same tribe. Nay, further, I have read of a tribe being all that
is good and amiable at o