y, as well as some occasional rewards, to keep him quietly
seated on the rock for a time sufficient for this purpose; the
inclination they have to jump about, when much pleased, rendering
it a penalty of no trifling nature for them to sit still for half
an hour together. To show their disposition to do us what little
service was in their power, he afterward employed himself in
sharpening the seamen's knives, which he did with great expertness
on any flat smooth stone, returning each, as soon as finished, to
its proper owner, and then making signs for another, which he
sharpened and returned in the same way, without any attempt, and
apparently without the smallest desire, to detain it. The old man
was extremely inquisitive, and directed his attention to those
things which appeared useful rather than to those which were
merely amusing. An instance of this occurred on my ordering a tin
canister of preserved meat to be opened for the boats' crews'
dinner. The old man was sitting on the rock, attentively watching
the operation, which was performed with an axe struck by a mallet,
when one of the men came up to us with a looking-glass. I held it
up to each of the Esquimaux, who had also seen one on the
preceding evening, and then gave it into each of their hands
successively. The younger one was quite in raptures, and literally
jumped for joy for nearly a quarter of an hour: but the old man,
having had one smile at his own queer face, immediately resumed
his former gravity, and, returning me the glass, directed his
whole attention to the opening of the canister, and, when this was
effected, begged very hard for the mallet which had performed so
useful an office, without expressing the least wish to partake of
the meat, even when he saw us eating it with good appetites. Being
prevailed on, however, to taste a little of it, with some biscuit,
they did not seem at all to relish it, but ate a small quantity,
from an evident desire not to offend us, and then deposited the
rest safely in their canoes. They could not be persuaded to taste
any rum after once smelling it, even when much diluted with water.
I do not know whether it be a circumstance worthy of notice, that
when a kaleidoscope or a telescope was given them to look into,
they immediately shut one eye; and one of them used the right, and
the other the left eye.

In getting out of their canoes, as well as into them, great care
is required to preserve the balance of these f