n indulgence, but a right;
ceased to return the slightest acknowledgment for any kindness or
presents; became listless and inattentive in unravelling the
meaning of our questions, and careless whether her answers
conveyed the information we desired. In short, Iligliuk in
February and Iligliuk in April were confessedly very different
persons; and it was at last amusing to recollect, though not very
easy to persuade one's self, that the woman who now sat demurely
in a chair, so confidently expecting the notice of those around
her, and she who had at first, with eager and wild delight,
assisted in cutting snow for the building of a hut, and with the
hope of obtaining a single needle, were actually one and the same
individual.

Togolat came down to the ships to-day to see her brother Okotook;
she was accompanied by Arnalooa, and on their arrival they were
both sent for into the cabin. We observed, however, that they
required an unusual degree of solicitation to make them go near
Okotook, or even to the side of the cabin, where he lay concealed
by a screen; and, after all, they remained in the opposite corner
next the door; and, having talked freely to the invalid for some
time, took their leave without seeing him. In the evening, after
they were gone, we found that this unfortunate though well-intended
visit was occasioning great distress to Okotook, who talked for two
hours almost incessantly about "Arnalooa's having seen him," which,
it seems, ought not to have been the case. What misfortune was to
be apprehended in consequent of this event we could not learn; but
he spoke of it in a kind of agony, and was evidently labouring
under the influence of some powerful though absurd superstition
respecting it. Towards night he suffered a dreadful bleeding at the
nose, followed by much sickness at the stomach, which, together
with the phanton of Arnalooa, that still haunted his imagination,
combined to make him extremely unwell for some hours. The next day,
however, he was free from complaint of any kind, and began once
more to put on a smiling countenance.

The caulking of our bows being now completed, the ships were
released from the ice by sawing round them; an operation which
caused them to rise in the water six inches and a half, in
consequence of the increased buoyancy occasioned by the winter's
expenditure.

CHAPTER IX.

Increased Extent of open Water in the Offing.--A Travelling Party
despatched to the North