ir pay until the
time of 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 deg. 56' 56"{4} N.;
longitude 3 deg. 17' 55" W.; variation 27 deg. 50' W.; dip of the magnetic
needle, 74 deg. 33' 20". In the afternoon the wind changed in a squall some
points towards the north, and the Prince of Wales made the preparatory
signal for sea. At three P.M. the ships weighed, an hour too early for
the tide; as soon as this served we entered into the passage between Hoy
and Pomon