beach, where, by lifting up their hands, and other
gestures, they expressed terror, bordering on despair. Frequently the
boat was hid from their view by the waves, which ran mountains high.
They expected every moment that we should break loose from our anchors,
and the boat be driven on the rocks. The length of our cables was here
of the greatest advantage to us. About noon, the rope by which the small
boat was fastened, broke. She was immediately carried up the bay, and
thrown, by the violence of the surf, on the top of a rock, where she
stuck fast, keel upwards. It was impossible to render us any assistance,
till the tide turned, when the raging of the sea, and the wind, began to
abate. As soon as it was practicable, Jonathan and the other men came to
us in the skin-boat. He seemed quite overcome with joy, and, not able to
utter a word, held out his hand, and shed tears of gratitude that he met
us again alive, for he had given us up for lost.

We now endeavoured to bring the great boat closer to the shore, landed,
pitched our tent, and gave thanks to God for the merciful deliverance we
had just experienced. Indeed all our people most fervently joined in
praise to Him for the preservation of our lives. A warm dinner was soon
prepared, by which we were much refreshed.

As soon as the tide had ebbed sufficiently for it, our people went to
the rock, on which the small boat lay, and got her into the water. To
our great surprize we found, that she had received no material injury.

CHAPTER XI.

_Doubts expressed by Jonathan and the other Esquimaux on the
expediency of continuing the voyage. Consultations. Resolve to
proceed. Thunder-storm at Pitsiolak. Account of Indians.
Esquimaux cookery and hunting feasts. Arrival in the river
Koksoak._

Jonathan and Jonas now became more and more anxious about our situation.
They represented to us, that, if we attempted to proceed farther, we
might probably be compelled to remain here the whole winter, as the
stormy season was fast approaching. They added, that to _them_, it would
be of little consequence, but that they were concerned on _our_ account.

Though we had not said any thing as yet that might tend to shake the
confidence of our party, yet we felt no small degree of perplexity
concerning present appearances. During the six days since we left
George's River, we had made little more than fourteen or fifteen miles,
and were at least, as far as we could judge