. They stipulated to be sent back to the
Orkney Islands free of expense and to receive their pay until the time of
their arrival. Only these few men could be procured although our
requisition had been sent to almost every island, even as far as the
northernmost point of Ronaldsha. I was much amused with the extreme
caution these men used before they would sign the agreement; they
minutely scanned all our intentions, weighed every circumstance, looked
narrowly into the plan of our route, and still more circumspectly to the
prospect of return. Such caution on the part of the northern mariners
forms a singular contrast with the ready and thoughtless manner in which
an English seaman enters upon any enterprise, however hazardous, without
inquiring or desiring to know where he is going or what he is going
about.

The brig Harmony, belonging to the Moravian Missionary Society and bound
to their settlement at Nain on the coast of Labrador, was lying at
anchor. With the view of collecting some Esquimaux words and sentences,
or gaining any information respecting the manners and habits of that
people, Doctor Richardson and myself paid her a visit. We found the
passengers who were going out as Missionaries extremely disposed to
communicate; but as they only spoke the German and Esquimaux languages,
of which we were ignorant, our conversation was necessarily much
confined; by the aid however of an Esquimaux and German Dictionary some
few words were collected which we considered might be useful. There were
on board a very interesting girl and a young man who were natives of
Disco in old Greenland; both of them had fair complexions, rather
handsome features, and a lively manner; the former was going to be
married to a resident Missionary and the latter to officiate in that
character. The commander of the vessel gave me a translation of the
Gospel of St. John in the Esquimaux language printed by the Moravian
Society in London.

June 16.

The wind being unfavourable for sailing I went on shore with Dr.
Richardson and took several lunar observations at the place of our former
residence. The result obtained was latitude 58 degrees 56 minutes 56
seconds North; longitude 3 degrees 17 minutes 55 seconds West; variation
27 degrees 50 minutes West; dip of the magnetic needle 74 degrees 33
minutes 20 seconds. In the afternoon the wind changed in a squall some
points towards the north and the Prince of Wales made the preparatory
signal for