th Ooligbuck, made
some presents to the men, and told them I was come to trade. The moment
I mentioned the word "trade" (_noowoerlook_), their fears subsided, and
they sent away their bows, but retained their long knives; those that
were clothed thrusting them into their pockets or up their sleeves. An
old woman who seemed to have greater self-possession than the rest, and
to understand my meaning more readily, ran and fetched some dried fish,
for which I gave her beads; and the others then began to manifest an
eager desire of exchanging their fish for any thing that I offered. More
people coming from the tents, a crowd was formed, who obtained all the
trading articles I had brought on shore. As their surprise subsided,
their boldness and clamour increased, and some few of them began again
to use threatening expressions and gestures, either from a dislike to
strangers coming into their country, or for the purpose of intimidation
and extortion. When the interview assumed this disagreeable character,
Ooligbuck said that they were very bad people, and entreating me to
embark, took me on his back and carried me on board. At the same time,
several of the natives ran into the water and attempted to drag the boat
ashore, but on my calling to them they desisted. One fellow, whose
countenance, naturally disagreeable, had been rendered hideous by the
insertion of a large brass thimble into a perforation in the under lip,
seized upon our tea-kettle, and endeavoured to conceal it under water,
but being seen from the Union, he was made to return it.

When we left the shore, all the males, twenty-one in number, embarked in
their small canoes or kaiyacks and accompanied us; and in less than a
quarter of an hour, the women had struck the tents and embarked them,
together with their children, dogs, and luggage, in their row boats or
oomiaks, and were in close pursuit. For a time we proceeded down the
river together in an amicable manner, bartering beads, steels, flints,
files, knives, hatchets, and kettles, for fish, adzes, spears, and
arrows. The natives seemed to have a correct idea of property, and
showed much tact in their commerce with us; circumstances which have
been held by an eminent historian to be evidences of a considerable
progress towards civilization[5]. They were particularly cautious not to
glut the market by too great a display of their stock in trade;
producing only one article at a time, and not attempting to out-bid