of these men pointed out to Captain Ross his house, which was
about three miles distant, and could be discerned with a telescope.

A party of ten natives approached the ship, on the ensuing day. These
having with them a seal-skin bag filled with air, they began to kick it
at each other and at the strangers: in this play the Englishmen joined,
to the great amusement of both parties. The inflated skin was what the
men had been using as the buoy to a harpoon, in the killing of a
sea-unicorn. They gave to Captain Ross a piece of dried sea-unicorn's
flesh, which appeared to have been half roasted. This gentleman had
already seen them eat dried flesh; and he now had an opportunity of
ascertaining that they did not scruple to eat flesh in any state; for,
one of them who had a bag full of marine-birds, took out one and
devoured it raw.

The officers, desirous of ascertaining whether these Indians had any
amusements of music or dancing, prevailed with two of them to give a
specimen of their dancing. One of them began to distort his features and
turn up his eyes. He then proceeded to execute, in succession, a variety
of strange gestures and attitudes, accompanied by hideous distortions of
countenance. His body was generally in a stooping posture; and his hands
rested on his knees. After a few minutes, he began to sing; and, in a
little while, the second performer, who, hitherto, had been looking on,
in silence, began to imitate his comrade. They then sang, in chorus, the
word, "_hejaw! hejaw!_" After this had continued, with increasing
energy, for several minutes, the tune was suddenly changed to one of
shrill notes, in which the words "_weehee! weehee!_" were uttered with
great rapidity. They then approached each other, by slipping their feet
forward: they grinned, and, in great agitation, advanced until their
noses touched, when a loud and savage laugh terminated the extraordinary
performance.

While this performance was going on, one of the Indians, seeing that the
attention of every person was engaged, seized the opportunity of
descending into the state-room, and of purloining Captain Ross's best
telescope, a case of razors, and a pair of scissors, which he artfully
concealed in his tunic, rejoining the party and the amusements, as if
nothing had happened. He did not, however, escape detection, for the
ship's steward had witnessed the theft, and, now charging him with it,
made him return all the articles he had stolen.

C