sledge we had purchased to carry our things;
but as he began, by our additional signs, more clearly to
comprehend our true meaning, he gradually relaxed in his zeal to
accompany our party, and, being afterward overtaken by a number of
his companions, he took an opportunity to slink off among some
hummocks of ice, so that, when we arrived on board, Toolooak was
missing.

On our reaching the ships, these people expressed much less
surprise and curiosity than might naturally have been expected on
their first visit, which may, perhaps, in some measure, be
attributed to their being in reality a less noisy kind of people
than most of the Esquimaux to whom we had before been accustomed.
Quiet and orderly, however, as they were disposed to be, this
first visit showed them to be as fond of merriment as their
countrymen are usually considered; for, on Captain Lyon's ordering
his fiddler up on the Hecla's deck, they danced with the men for
an hour, and then returned in high glee and good-humour to their
huts.

On our return on board we were informed that, during our absence
in the morning, a flock of thirteen wolves, the first yet seen,
crossed the ice in the bay from the direction of the huts, and
passed near the ships. These animals, as we afterward learned, had
accompanied or closely followed the Esquimaux on their journey to
the island the preceding day, and they proved to us the most
troublesome part of their _suite_. They so much resemble the
Esquimaux dogs, that, had it not been for some doubt among the
officers who had seen them whether they were so or not, and the
consequent fear of doing these poor people an irreparable injury,
we might have killed most of them the same evening, for they came
boldly to look for food within a few yards of the Fury, and
remained there for some time.

In order to prevent our people from occasioning the Esquimaux any
disturbance or apprehension, I directed that only six from each
ship should be allowed to visit the huts at one time, and that
they should then be always accompanied by an officer. A strict
prohibition was, at the same time, issued against the smallest
article of the ships' stores being given to the people without
permission, on pain of severe punishment.

At an early hour on the 2d we set out, with a large party, on our
proposed excursion to the huts. The natives received us with great
cordiality, though with somewhat more noisy expressions of
pleasure than before; and