een imagined. "If
we kill him," said they, "no more white people will visit our lands, and
we shall lose the opportunity of getting a supply of their valuable
goods; but if we spare him, he can be sent back with a story which we
shall invent to induce another party of white people to come among us."
This argument prevailed at the time; but after the interviews with
Augustus at the dance, they retired to their island, where they were so
much inflamed by the sight of the valuable articles which they had
obtained, that they all, without exception, regretted that they had
allowed us to escape. While in this frame of mind the smoke of our fire
being discovered, a consultation was immediately held, and a very artful
plan laid for the destruction of the party, including Augustus, whom
they conceived to be so firmly attached to us that it was in vain to
attempt to win him to their cause. They expected to find us on shore;
but to provide against the boats getting away if we should have
embarked, they caused some kettles to be fastened conspicuously to the
leading kaiyack, in order to induce us to stop. The kaiyacks were then
to be placed in such a position as to hamper the boats, and their owners
were to keep us in play until the whole party had come up, when the
attack was to commence. Through the blessing of Providence, their scheme
was frustrated.

But to resume the narrative of the voyage. The breeze became moderate
and fair; the sails were set, and we passed along the coast in a W.N.W.
direction, until eleven in the evening, when we halted on a low island,
covered with drift wood, to repair the sails, and to put the boats in
proper order for a sea voyage. [Sidenote: Sunday, 9th.] The continuance
and increase of the favourable wind urged us to make all possible
despatch, and at three in the morning of the 9th again embarking, we
kept in three fathoms water at the distance of two miles from the land.
After sailing twelve miles, our progress was completely stopped by the
ice adhering to the shore, and stretching beyond the limits of our view
to seaward. We could not effect a landing until we had gone back some
miles, as we had passed a sheet of ice which was fast to the shore; but
at length a convenient spot being found, the boats were hauled up on the
beach. We quickly ascended to the top of the bank to look around, and
from thence had the mortification to perceive that we had just arrived
in time to witness the first rupture