shed up to them, and began examining them
minutely to see how they had been killed. After this they treated us
with much greater respect even than before, evidently admiring the
prowess which had enabled us to overcome so many of the few enemies with
whom they have to contend. We immediately set to work to remove the
lining of the ship, the bulkheads, and such other woodwork as we thought
would prove useful to us in building our house. The Esquimaux gave us
to understand by signs that they would carry it for us; and as we threw
it over the side of the ship, they packed it on the sledges, each sledge
carrying six or seven hundredweight. They seemed to fancy that the ship
was ours, and that we had come in her; and of course we did not wish
them to think otherwise.

Among the things in the cabin, we had discovered a number of knives,
hatchets, cotton handkerchiefs, and other articles, which had evidently
been brought for the purpose of trading; and some of them we now
produced, and signified that we would bestow them on them, as rewards
for carrying our property. The way we did this was to load one of our
own sledges,--one of our men dragged it on some little way, and then
Andrew, pointing towards the bay, went up to him and gave him a knife or
a handkerchief. As a hatchet was three times as valuable, he dragged
the sledge three times before he received it. My friend Ickmallick's
black eyes sparkled when he saw this, and his countenance was wreathed
with smiles for two reasons--first, for the pleasure of comprehending
what he meant, and also at the thoughts of receiving so large a reward
for his labour.

We were so pleased with the honest countenances and manner of these
people, that we had no fears about entrusting the wood and other heavy
things to them. If we had known how scarce and valuable wood is to
them, we might have hesitated more before we did so.

Among our other labours, we skinned the bears; and, reserving the more
delicate portions of the meat, we gave the rest to them. To our
surprise, they immediately began to eat large lumps of it raw, though we
had lighted the caboose fire to cook our own breakfast, and offered to
cook for them.

Some they divided among their dogs; and, as soon as masters and beasts
had devoured their meal, they set off together towards the bay, leaving
us still busy on board. When they were gone, we were not quite
satisfied that we had done wisely in giving them the things