Chapter II: Part 2

Whilst I was still busily employed in making my remarks on the canoes of the male Indians, a large open boat arrived, containing about twenty women, besides many children. This last boat was steered by a very old man, with a paddle: he was the only male adult amongst them. The women pulled with oars, having a very broad wash at the extremity; and they cheerfully kept time to the tune of a song, in which they all joined. The boat was built of the same materials as the canoes; that is to say, a frame-work covered with oiled seal-skins; but differed, in being shaped more after the _European_ boats; also, in having a square sail made of seal-skins, with the hair taken off; and owing to this difference, the _Hudson’s-Bay_ traders have distinguished these boats by the name of _Lug Boats_; although they never attempt to use the sail, except with a fair wind. It is difficult to give an adequate idea of the delight expressed by these poor creatures, on reaching the ships: they jumped, shouted, danced, and sang, to express their joy. And here it should be observed, that the arrival of the ships is considered by the _Esquimaux_ as a sort of annual fair; their little manufactures of dresses, spears, &c. are reserved for the expected jubilee; and when, after long watching, they at last catch a glimpse of the approaching vessels, their exultation knows no bounds.

The male _Esquimaux_ have rather a prepossessing physiognomy, but with very high cheek-bones, broad foreheads, and small eyes, rather farther apart than those of an _European_: the corners of their eyelids are drawn together so close, that none of the white is to be seen; their mouths are wide, and their teeth white and regular: the complexion is a dusky yellow, but some of the young women have a little colour bursting through this dark tint: the noses of the men are rather flattened, but those of the women are sometimes even prominent. The males are, generally speaking, between five feet five inches and five feet eight inches high; bony, and broad shouldered; but do not appear to possess much muscular strength. The flesh of all the _Esquimaux_ feels soft and flabby, which may be attributed to the nature of their food. But the most surprising peculiarity of this people is the smallness of their hands and feet; which is not occasioned, as in _China_, by compression, nor by any other artificial means, as their boots and gloves are made large, and of soft seals’-skin. To their continual employment in canoes on the water, and to the sitting posture they are thus obliged to preserve, perhaps their diminutive feet might be ascribed: but when we reflect on the laborious life they must necessarily lead, and yet find that their hands are equally small with their feet, it will naturally lead us to the conclusion, that the same intense cold which restricts vegetation to the forms of creeping shrubs has also its effect upon the growth of mankind, preventing the extremities from attaining their due proportion.

The chin, cheek-bones, and forehead, among the women, are tattooed; and this operation is performed among the _Esquimaux_ by pricking through the skin with some sharp instrument, and rubbing ashes into the wound: as the marks are not deep, their appearance is not disagreeable. I imagine that the tattooing does not take place until the female arrives at the age of puberty, because the youngest girls were without any such marks. None of the men undergo the operation; but they have a few straggling hairs on the chin and upper lip, while the women carefully remove them from every part of the body, excepting the head, where they have a lock on each temple, neatly braided, and bound with a thong of hide. On the back of the head, the hair is turned up, much after the fashion of the _English_ ladies. I hope the latter will not be offended at the comparison.

After having gone so far in a description of their persons, perhaps their diet ought not to be overlooked; because it has been before noticed, that the relaxed state of their flesh, and the sallow hue of their complexions, may in a great measure be ascribed to the nature of their food. As they seem to devour every thing raw, it has been conjectured that they are unacquainted with the use of fire; but this is not true. I observed, near one of their huts, a circle of loose stones, containing the ashes of a recently extinguished fire, and a stone kettle standing upon it[11]: also, in a hut, I saw a pan of vegetables, resembling spinach, which had been boiled into the consistency of paste[12]. Yet, after all, it is no less certain that an _Esquimaux_ prefers all flesh raw. In proof of this it may be mentioned, that the Commander of the _Eddystone_, a _Hudson’s-Bay_ ship, having shot a sea-gull, an _Indian_ made signs that he wished for the bird: immediately on receiving it, he sucked away the blood that flowed from its mouth; then, hastily plucking off the feathers, he instantly dispatched the body, entrails, &c. with the most surprising voracity. The knowledge which the _Esquimaux_ possess of the use of fire, is observable in the ingenuity with which they transform iron nails, hoops, &c. into heads for their arrows, spears, and harpoons. May not their fondness for raw flesh have arisen from the _scarcity of fuel_? There was not a bit of wood to be found on that part of the coast where I landed.

We made many attempts to induce the natives to partake of our food. At breakfast, we placed an _Esquimaux_ at table, and offered him every species of food that the ship could afford. He tasted every thing; but, with a broad laugh, he was sure to eject whatsoever he tasted, over our plates and upon the table-cloth. The only thing they could be induced to swallow was a piece of hog’s lard; and of this they all partook with avidity. Above all, they appeared to have the greatest aversion from sugar and salt.

In their dealings, they manifested a strange mixture of honesty and fraud. At one moment I observed an _Esquimaux_ striving, with all his might, to convey into a sailor’s hands the article for which he had already received his equivalent; and, in ten minutes afterwards, I detected the same man in an endeavour to cut the hinder buttons from my own coat. They value _metals_ more than any other article of barter, and _iron_ most of all. As a specimen of the relative articles of traffic, I shall briefly insert the prices which I paid for some little curiosities[13]; viz.

A seal’s-skin hooded frock, quite new, for a knife.
A seal’s-skin pair of breeches needle.
Seal’s-skin boots saw.
A pair of wooden spectacles, or rather shades, used by one bullet.
the _Esquimaux_ to defend their eyes against the
dazzling reflection of the sun from the ice
A pair of white feather gloves two buttons.
A fishing lance or spear file.

They have a strange custom of licking with their tongue every thing that comes into their possession, either by barter or otherwise; and they evidently do not consider an article as their property until it has undergone this operation. By way of experiment, I gave to a young girl half a dozen iron nails: she immediately jumped, and shouted, to express her gratitude; and then licking each nail separately, she put them into her boot, that being the depository of all riches among the female _Esquimaux_, who are entirely unacquainted with the use of pockets. I could easily perceive that each man had a wife; but polygamy did not appear to exist amongst them; perhaps more on account of their poverty, and the difficulty of supporting a plurality of wives, than from any idea they may entertain of the impropriety of the practice itself. Several of the natives brought their wives on board the ship, and, in return for a tin spoon or pot, compelled them, nothing loath, to receive our salutations. Nay, one man plainly intimated, that if I wished to hold any private conversation with his lady, he should have no objection to her visiting my cabin, provided I rewarded him with an axe. Many of the women had very pleasing features; but they were so disfigured with dirt, and their persons smelt so strongly of the seal oil, that it required a stout heart to salute even the prettiest of them.

On board the ship, they were exceedingly curious in viewing every thing: but however astonished or delighted they might appear in the first sight of any novelty, yet ten minutes was the utmost limit of their admiration. The pigs, cats, and fowls, attracted their attention in so remarkable a manner, as to indicate a certainty of their not having seen any such animals before. A sailor threw them all into the most violent fit of jumping and shouting, by walking upon his hands along the deck. But nothing seemed to fix their attention so much as Captain _Stopford’s_ amputated arm[14]: they satisfied themselves, by feeling the stump, that the arm was actually deficient, and then appeared to wonder how it could have been lost: but when I made signs to them that it had been severed by a saw, to the credit of their feelings, I must state, that commiseration was depicted on every countenance. We did not perceive an instance, either of man, woman, or child, amongst them, who was in any way crippled or deformed.

After breakfast, it was proposed that we should go on shore, and a party accordingly made: we were all well armed, as a precaution against treachery; because this people have been particularly accused of a disposition that way,—whether with or without reason, it is impossible for me positively to say. An _Esquimaux_, who had bartered his very last covering away for some bauble, went with us, as a sort of pilot. On our way to the shore, we met two of the large women’s boats; each steered, as usual, by an old man. They expressed great joy at meeting with us, by singing, shouting, and clapping their hands; and instead of proceeding on toward the ships, they turned their boats, and followed us to the shore. The coast appears to be completely fringed with small rocky islands, and these no doubt form a shelter to many good harbours; but the shores of _Hudson’s Straits_ have never been thoroughly examined, although a small vessel might accomplish the task in two summers, with ease: indeed, a voyage for this purpose would, if well conducted, turn out advantageously, in a mercantile point of view; for although the _Hudson’s-Bay_ Company’s ships do not procure much oil or whalebone from the _Esquimaux_, it is because they have but little intercourse with this people, and perhaps with only one particular tribe: yet it might be very profitable to any merchant to send a small strong brig into _Hudson’s Straits_, early in the month of June, so as to reach _Cape Saddle-Back_ before the Company’s ships arrive. The _Hudson’s-Bay_ Company would not wish to interrupt so laudable an attempt towards opening a free intercourse with the wild _Esquimaux_ in those seas; because the profits they derive from the traffic in question are comparatively trifling, when put in competition with the other more important objects of their annual voyage. A vessel intended for this employ should not remain later than the beginning of October in the _Straits_; and she ought to be well provided with saws, iron lances, harpoons, files, open knives, kettles, spoons, hatchets, and a few beads and looking-glasses. By coasting along both sides of the _Straits_, and as far to the southward of _Cape Diggs_ or _Cape Smith_, she might doubtless gather thirty or forty tons of good oil, besides whalebone and a few skins. But the Master of a vessel, during such an expedition, should be particularly cautious in not trusting a boat on shore, unless well armed; and by no means ought he to admit more than _two_ or _three Esquimaux_ at the same time into his vessel, however friendly they might appear to be.

But to return to our party, whom I left pulling in for the shore, under the guidance of the naked _Esquimaux_, who continued pointing for us to proceed still farther to the west, where some natives, from the bottom of a creek, waved their hands for us to approach. A sort of expostulation took place between these people and our conductor, by which it seemed, that the former did not wish us to proceed any farther to the west. We therefore landed, but walked about some time without observing any habitations; although, from the deers’ bones and ashes which lay scattered about the hills, it was evident that a party had not long quitted the spot. From appearances upon the hills, we had reason to suppose that rabbits must be abundant; and we were gradually receding from the sea shore in search of them, when our guide stopped short, and would not be prevailed upon, by any entreaties, to accompany us farther. We could not guess the cause of this extra-ordinary conduct; but not wishing to give any offence to the natives, we turned about, and descended again to our boats. On our way to the beach, we were joined by some young girls, to whom we had been, perhaps, rather pointedly attentive on board the ships: they continued to pester us with the continual whine of this people, repeating incessantly the word “_Pillitay! pillitay! pillitay!_” signifying “_Give us something_:” and having now stripped us of every thing, by their solicitations, they only seemed to have acquired an incitement to make new demands. It is generally the case with all barbarous nations, that the receiving of a gift appears to them to confer a right to levy fresh contributions: therefore, in all dealings with savages, it is adviseable to teach them that something will be expected in return for every present bestowed; and the equivalent should be strenuously insisted upon, let it be of ever so trifling a nature. A departure from this rule may, indeed, be necessary in the first opening of a communication with a strange people; but, even then, the presents ought only to be bestowed on the principal chieftains, priests, and women.

As we were upon the point of re-embarking, one of our party offered to a young girl, who stood on the beach, a pinch of snuff; shewing her, at the same time, how it was to be used. She imitated her instructor with great exactness, giving a hearty sniff; but it was attended with rather a violent effect; a torrent of blood instantly gushing from her nose. Entertaining some apprehensions lest the natives should imagine that we had been guilty of a premeditated injury to the poor girl, we all made a point of taking snuff before her: this had the desired effect, in convincing them that no serious evil was to be apprehended; and the young woman went, at my request, to wash her nose in a neighbouring pool. Unfortunately, the cold water produced a contrary effect to what was intended; the blood again streaming from her nose: yet so far was this mild creature from being offended, that she smilingly held forth her hand to me, with the old exclamation of “_Pillitay!_ (Give).” I cut two brass buttons from my coat, and gave them to her; and with this atonement she was quite satisfied. The fact is, as we afterwards discovered, that bleeding at the nose is a most common incident among the _Esquimaux_; and it is certain to follow the least exertion. Possibly this may also be occasioned by the quantities of raw flesh they devour daily.

Perhaps some readers may deem an incident like the foregoing of too trifling a description to merit a recital; but the manners, dispositions, and customs of a wild people may be better judged of from a simple relation of the most trivial circumstances, than from any inferences which the narrator himself might presume to draw from them: therefore I would run the chance of being thought jejune, or even tedious, rather than incur the greater risk of misleading others by my own weak conclusions.

Embarking again, we pulled along shore, towards the west, among barren rocky islands, until we at last got sight of some huts on an eminence at the bottom of a creek; and putting ashore, we examined them minutely. They are more properly tents than huts, because they are erected much after the fashion of a marquee: a triangle supports the tent at one end, and two poles, fastened at the top, at the other: over all is thrown a covering of seals’-skins sewed together, the hair being scraped off: they are equally impervious to air or water, and the light is much the same as in the interior of an _European_ linen tent. At the lower end of their dwellings is a flap of seal’s-skin, left loose, to answer the purpose of a door; and when this is thrown back, a person must stoop low to enter. If a whole family happen to be absent from their home at the same time, the only security for their property, during the time they are away, consists in a few loose stones piled against the flap of seal-skin which covers the entrance to the tent: and although they be not rigidly honest towards strangers, yet the _Esquimaux_ appear to have a great respect for each other’s property. At the top of their huts is a piece of wood, in an horizontal position, for the purpose of supporting slips of the sea-horse’s hide to dry in the sun; and of this hide they form a sort of rope, possessing uncommon strength, and useful to them in a variety of ways.

With respect to the interior of their habitations, it is a general custom to appropriate the lower end or entrance of the tent to answer the purpose of a larder, where all their delicacies are displayed; such as, deer’s flesh, oil, and whale blubber. The upper end of the tent, under the triangle, was thickly carpeted with skins of different animals, particularly the deer, and it is set apart for their resting and sleeping place. I noticed, that whenever I entered a tent, which had not been previously visited by any of our party, the owner of it ran forward, with great precipitation, to conceal something under the skins at the farther end of the tent. Curiosity prompted me to inquire into this mysterious conduct; and, on removing the skins, I discovered his bow and arrows, in a sort of seal-skin quiver. The owner stood quite tranquil during my search, and he did not appear angry when the arms were produced; but when I offered him a knife, with the usual expression, “_Chymo_ (barter),” he smiled, as I thought, rather suspiciously; and taking the quiver gently out of my hand, he replaced it under the skins; at the same time, offering me an unfinished bow, without a string, in exchange for the knife. As often as I continued to point to the quiver, and make signs that I wished to purchase the set complete, he seemed to feel confused, and endeavoured instantly to draw off my attention from the subject. I tried at each tent, with no better success; and it struck me, from appearances, that the _Esquimaux_ have some superstitious veneration for their bows and arrows: but their hiding them may be intended as a compliment to their visitors, or an assurance of their security whilst under that roof. None of the canoes that visited us, during our stay in _Hudson’s Straits_, had either bow or arrows on board; consequently, they are only used by the _Esquimaux_ in their wars, and not for the purpose of killing birds or fishes. After having said this respecting their singular attachment to their weapons, perhaps it will be expected that those articles are curiously manufactured and ornamented: but the bow is merely made of two pieces of plain wood, firmly corded together, and rarely strengthened at the back with thongs of the sea-horse’s hide; the string is formed of two slips of hide or dried gut; the arrows are headed, either with iron, sea-horse’s teeth, sea-unicorn’s horn, or, in some few instances, with stone[15]; and the whole fabrication of the bow and arrows does not surpass the workmanship of an English school-boy.

In one of their tents, I saw a female far advanced in pregnancy; she was sitting upon the ground, closely wrapt in skins as high as her hips; and during the whole of my stay, she never attempted to rise. It may now be proper to relate an anecdote of a very interesting nature; which I received upon such indisputable authority, that it will not admit of a doubt, as to its veracity.

The land to the northward of _Churchill Factory_, in _Hudson’s Bay_, is inhabited by _Esquimaux_, who, contrary to the general customs of this people, employ themselves in hunting. They carry their furs annually to _Churchill Factory_, for the purpose of traffic. In one of their periodical visits, a young woman was seen amongst them, having a sickly infant in her arms, respecting whose health she appeared to be particularly solicitous; and as some of the domesticated _Indian_ women in the factory, belonging to the nation of _Cree Indians_, partly understood the _Esquimaux_ tongue, the young woman explained to them, that, as the infant was her first-born child, if it should unfortunately die, her husband would undoubtedly put her to death. The infant expired shortly after this explanation took place; and some _Europeans_ visiting the _Esquimaux_ encampment a day or two afterwards, made inquiries respecting the unhappy mother; when the _Indians_ silently pointed to the spot where the poor victim was interred!

This circumstance has given rise to an assertion, that if a first-born child die before it reaches a particular age, the mother is certain of being immolated, for a supposed want of attention to her infant. I had no means of ascertaining this singular custom myself; but I have before observed, that there did not appear either sickly or deformed child or adult amongst them.

Their fire-places, as before stated, are outside the tents; and they have no need of any in the interior, as the seal-skins that cover them are like parchment oiled, and will not admit the wind, nor give egress to the breath; therefore their habitations are not only warm, but at mid-day, when I visited them, they were oppressively hot. With respect to their winter residence, I can say little or nothing. Most people suppose that they live in caves, by lamp-light; but the Abbé _Raynal_, who mentions the _Esquimaux_ in his History of the _East_ and _West Indies_, is of a different opinion. As the Abbé is both correct and incorrect, in many points of which I had a good opportunity to judge, perhaps it may not be amiss to give an extract from the part of his work relating to the _Esquimaux Indians_.

“This sterility of Nature extends itself to every thing. The human race are few in number, _and scarce any of its individuals above four feet high. Their heads bear the same enormous proportion to their bodies as those of children_: the smallness of their feet makes them awkward and tottering in their gait: small hands, and a round mouth, which in _Europe_ are reckoned a beauty, seem almost a deformity in these people; because we see nothing here but the effects of a weak organization, and of a cold that contracts and restrains the springs of growth, and is fatal to the progress of animal as well as vegetable life. Besides all this, their men, although they _have neither hair nor beard_, have the appearance of being old, even in their youth: this is partly occasioned by the _formation of their lower lip, which is thick, fleshy, and projecting beyond the upper_. Such are the _Esquimaux_, who inhabit not only the coast of _Labrador, from whence they have taken their name_, but also all that tract of land which extends from the point of _Bellisle_ to the most northern part of _America_.

“_The inhabitants of Hudson’s-Bay_ have, like the _Greenlanders_, a flat face, with short, but not flattened noses; _the pupil of their eyes yellow, and the iris black_. Their women have marks of deformity peculiar to their sex; amongst others, very long and flabby breasts. This deformity, which is not natural, arises from their custom of giving suck to their children until they are five or six years old. They frequently carry their children on their shoulders, who pull their mothers’ breasts with their hands, and almost suspend themselves by them.

“It is not true, that there are races of _Esquimaux_ entirely black, as has been supposed, and afterwards pretended to be accounted for; neither do they live under ground. How should they dig into a soil, which the cold renders harder than stone? How is it possible they should live in caverns, where they would be infallibly drowned by the first melting of the snows? What, however, is certain, and almost equally surprising, is, that these people spend the winter under huts, run up in haste, and made of flints joined together by cements of ice, where they live without any other fire, but that of a lamp hung up in the middle of the shed, for the purpose of dressing their game, and the fish they feed upon. The heat of their blood and of their breath, added to the vapour arising from this small flame, is sufficient to make their huts as hot as stoves.

“The _Esquimaux_ dwell constantly near the sea, from whence they are supplied with all their provisions. Both their constitutions and complexions partake of the quality of their food. The flesh of the seal, which is their food, and the oil of the whale, which is their drink, give them an olive complexion, a strong smell of fish, an oily and tenacious sweat, and sometimes a sort of scaly leprosy. This last is probably the reason why the mothers have the same custom as the bears of licking their young ones.

“This nation, weak and degraded by nature, is, notwithstanding, most intrepid on a sea that is constantly dangerous. In boats, made and sewed together like so many borachio’s, but at the same time so well closed that it is impossible for the water to penetrate them, they follow the shoals of herrings through the whole of their polar emigrations, and attack the whales and seals at the peril of their lives.

“One stroke of a whale’s tail is sufficient to drown a hundred of these assailants; _and the seal is armed with teeth, to devour those he cannot drown_: but the hunger of the _Esquimaux_ is superior to the rage of these monsters. They have an inordinate thirst for the oil of the whale, which is necessary to preserve the heat in their stomachs, and defend them from the severity of the cold. Indeed, men, whales, birds, and all the quadrupeds and fishes of the North, are supplied by nature with a degree of fat, which prevents the muscles from freezing, and the blood from coagulating. Every thing in these Arctic regions is either oily or gummy, and even the trees are resinous.

“The _Esquimaux_ are, notwithstanding, subject to two fatal disorders; the scurvy, and loss of sight. The continuation of snows upon the ground, joined to the reverberation of the rays of the sun on the ice, dazzle their eyes in such a manner, that they are almost constantly obliged to wear shades of two pieces of very thin wood, through which small apertures for the light have been bored with fish-bones. Doomed to six months’ night, they never see the sun but obliquely; and then it seems rather to blind them, than to give them light. Sight, the most delightful blessing of nature, is a fatal gift to them, _and they are generally deprived of it when young_. A still more cruel evil, which is the scurvy, consumes them by slow degrees: it insinuates itself into their blood, and changes, thickens, and impoverishes the whole mass. The fogs of the sea, which they inspire; the dense and inelastic air they breathe in their huts, which are shut up from all communication with the external air; the constant and tedious inactivity of their winters; a mode of life alternately roving and sedentary; every thing, in short, tends to increase this dreadful malady, which in a little time becomes contagious, and, spreading itself through their abodes, is transmitted by cohabitation, and perhaps likewise by the means of generation.

“Notwithstanding these inconveniences, the _Esquimaux_ is so passionately attached to his country, that no inhabitant of the most-favoured spot under Heaven quits it with greater reluctance, than he does his frozen deserts. The difficulty he finds in breathing in a softer and cooler climate may possibly be the reason of this attachment. The sky of _Amsterdam_, _Copenhagen_, and _London_, though constantly obscured by thick and fetid vapours, is too clear for an _Esquimaux_. Perhaps, too, there may be something in the change of life and manners more contrary to the health of savages than the climate: it is not impossible but that the indulgences of an _European_ may be poison to an _Esquimaux_.—Such are the inhabitants of a _country discovered, in 1610, by Henry Hudson_!”

Although many parts of the foregoing extract are strictly descriptive of the _Esquimaux_, yet it is very evident that the Abbé _Raynal_ has undertaken to describe a people whom he never saw: consequently, nothing can be more absurd than those remarks which, it may be observed, I have particularized: and I shall now notice them, in the order in which they occur.

In the first place, the Abbé says, that “_scarce any of the individuals are above four feet high!_” It has been before noticed, that, of all those whom we saw, a fair average standard might determine their height to be between five feet five inches, and five feet eight inches: moreover, we even saw some of the females five feet seven inches high. In the next place, he observes: “_Their heads bear the same enormous proportion to their bodies as those of children._” This, again, is about as fabulous as those old stories of a race having been discovered with _two heads_. There is certainly nothing peculiar about the heads of the _Esquimaux_, to distinguish them from the _Europeans_; unless, indeed, we except the enormous quantity of thick, coarse, straight, black hair, which covers them: and this last fact will bear rather hard upon the next marvellous remark of the Abbé’s, in which he asserts that _they have neither hair nor beard_! The amazing coarseness of their hair, which generally is as thick as a mat on their heads, is, of all others, the most likely characteristic to strike the attention of a stranger: they have also a straggling beard upon the chin and upper lip; although, certainly, it must be admitted that the beard never grows thick or bushy.

The aged appearance of the _Esquimaux_ is, as he says, owing to the _formation of their lower lip_!—Being able to adduce, if necessary, the testimony of a hundred witnesses to prove the truth of my assertions, I shall content myself with simply stating, that there is no such _projection of the lower lip_ as the Abbé has described. He states that the _Esquimaux_ have _taken their name from the coast of Labrador_; but _Esquimaux_, or _Skimaux_, is an expression, in the language of the _Cree_ and other inland _Indians_, signifying “_eaters of raw flesh!_” and they have bestowed this appellation on the maritime _Indians_, in contempt; as there has always been a most deadly hatred between them.

Then again, with a bold dash of his pen, the Abbé peoples the _whole of Hudson’s Bay with Esquimaux_: whereas, in fact, they occupy but a very small proportion of it, when compared with the vast extent of territory inhabited by the different tribes of Hunting _Indians_, the inveterate enemies of the _Esquimaux_. The northern and unexplored parts of the Bay, and the western shore of _Labrador_, from _Cape Diggs_ to the southward, are alone inhabited by the latter; whilst the whole of the western and southern shores are peopled by the former.

I know not what could have induced him, also, to describe the _Esquimaux_ as having “_the pupil of their eyes yellow, and the iris black_:” this is not true; but I suppose that such a supposition may have arisen from that peculiar contraction of the eyelids which has already been noticed in the foregoing part of this Narrative.

It is not less absurd to affirm, that “_the seal is armed with teeth, to devour those he cannot drown_,” than to say, that the hare is armed with teeth, to devour those dogs from which she cannot escape;—the former being almost as timid an animal as the latter; and there cannot be much danger from the _rage of that monster_, who coolly suffers a man to strike him a blow over the nose, which puts an almost immediate end to his existence.

I believe _Raynal_ to be very correct in his remarks on the prevalent diseases of the _Esquimaux_; but he goes too far, in asserting that “_they are generally deprived of sight when young_.” Sore eyes, indeed, are common amongst them; but there were many old men without this complaint, and few of the women were troubled with it. “_Such_,” he concludes, “_are the inhabitants of a country discovered, in 1610, by Henry Hudson_.”—However, if curiosity should lead any person hereafter to visit the shores of _Labrador_, in the hopes of meeting with a race of people _four feet in height_, with _enormous heads_ without _any hair on them_, and _yellow eye-balls_, he will be grievously disappointed: and so far are they from being that miserable degraded race which the Abbé describes them to be, that they are really possessed of industry, ingenuity, and courage; and certainly as far superior to the disgusting _Hottentot_, as an _European_ is superior to that race of men.

After having ventured to correct these errors of the Abbé, it would be injustice if I did not bear testimony to the authenticity of his description in other respects. The scaly leprosy, which he mentions, is common amongst them: we at first believed it to be the small-pox, to which it bears a great resemblance; but, from an attentive inspection being made by Mr. _Arnot_, our surgeon, he was of opinion, that the latter disease had not as yet reached them, or that, if it had, it must have been in its mildest form. Almost all the men are afflicted with _ophthalmia_, and wear the wooden shades which the Abbé has described; but, as I before mentioned, few of the women labour under this disease. The pendant breasts of the latter have certainly a disgusting appearance; yet it is so common amongst them, that one of the young girls shewed me, with conscious pride, that her breasts had not as yet been thus relaxed; intimating, that she differed from the other dusky damsels in this respect, and was therefore to be considered as an object of greater admiration. From which it is evident, that they consider long breasts as a deformity, even among themselves.

With respect to their winter habitations, it is more probable that the Abbé is correct, than that those persons are so, who entertain the notion of their residing in caverns; but it is not certain that the _Esquimaux_ live in a state of total inactivity during the winter: they must, doubtless, leave their retreats daily, in search of food: and that they do not depend on the water for all their supplies, is very evident, from the number of deer-skins which may be observed in every habitation.

It is now pretty well ascertained that the tribes of _Esquimaux_, inhabiting the northern shores of _Hudson’s Straits_, migrate, in the fall of the year, towards the south; for the double purpose of taking up their winter quarters, and of procuring fuel and game amongst the pine-tree forests of _Labrador_. The northern shore of _Hudson’s Straits_ is, from end to end, a barren rock; having no mark of vegetation, except here and there a tuft or two of wild sorrel, or scurvy-grass: consequently, the wooden frame-work of the canoes, the poles for their summer-tents, and the handles of their fishing-spears, can only be procured by the _Esquimaux_ during their annual migrations to the coast of _Labrador_. Add to this, that, on our visit to their tents, we observed five or six large boats, hauled up on the shore, and completely laden with all sorts of furs and necessaries, as if preparatory to a speedy removal of the whole tribe into winter quarters.

I should not have been led into so long a digression, had it not been from a wish to correct the very erroneous statements, of even the most eminent authors, respecting this singular race. That those authors have derived their descriptions from the confused accounts of other writers, is evident, by the gross mistakes they have fallen into. It is indeed probable, that, of those who have written upon this subject, no one ever personally visited the _Esquimaux_: neither is it a surprising thing that they have not done this, because the _Esquimaux_ have always been represented hostile to strangers, prone to treachery, and exceedingly disgusting in their persons.

To return, then, to our party.—We continued roving for some time amongst the habitations of the _Esquimaux_; and could not help admiring the various ways in which they contrive to render the seal useful: indeed, this creature may be said to supply them with food, light, clothes, houses, beds, boats, and casks. The blubber of the seal is either eaten, or converted into oil for the winter lamps; the skin, with the hair on, is made into frocks, breeches, boots, and stockings; and with the hair scraped off, and well oiled, the skin serves also for a covering to their houses and boats: numbers of them, heaped together with the skins of bears and deer, constitute their beds: lastly, after having carefully skinned a seal, the females sew the hide neatly up; then fill it with wind, like a bladder, and dry it in the sun; and, after this preparation, it fully answers all the purposes of a cask, for containing oil, or any other liquid for which it may be required; in the same manner as the mountaineers of _Spain_ and _Portugal_ carry their wine in the skins of animals.

The _Esquimaux_ have various methods of killing the seal; but the most common is, by spearing him with a long lance, which they discharge from a _throwing stick_, exactly in the same manner as described by _Cook_ to be in use among the natives of _Otaheite_. The seal, when once struck, becomes an easy prey: a large bladder, affixed to the dart, effectually prevents his sinking; and a heavy log of wood, also fastened to the dart, acts as a drag, to prevent his swimming away with any velocity. They have also a manner of passing the handle of the lance through the centre of a sort of tambourine; which, in this case, is substituted for the drag: of course, the seal is soon exhausted, with the efforts he is compelled to make, in pulling this machine against the water; and a blow on the nose, from his pursuers, soon puts a period to his existence.

After leaving their huts, we stood on the top of a hill, with the whole of the remaining population of the place around us:—I say, the remaining population; because many of the natives were still trafficking on board the ships. From their numbers, I should think that either several families must reside in one tent, or that there were other hamlets along the shore, at a short distance, from whence we had visitors; as the assemblage on the hill with us consisted of ten men, twenty women, and fourteen children; and yet there were only nine finished tents, and four or five in the frame.

Nothing, as before observed, can be more troublesome than the continual solicitations of these people for gifts; men, women, and children, tormented us incessantly with “_Pillitay! pillitay! pillitay!_” It became therefore, at last, absolutely necessary, in our own defence, to invent some means of diverting their attention from these importunities. Accordingly, one of our party, who was well acquainted with the manners of the _Indians_ in _Hudson’s Bay_, began a song in the language of the _Cree_ tribe. The _Esquimaux_ gaped with great astonishment and evident pleasure, preserving the most profound silence, until he gave a loud shout, as a finale; when they sat up an universal shouting and jumping, and it appeared as if they were half beside themselves with delight: yet we were certain that they understood nothing of the sense of the song. We thought this a good opportunity to petition them for a similar favour: our signs were instantly comprehended, and a ring immediately formed, consisting entirely of women, with the exception of an old man, whom we recognised to have seen before, as steersman of one of the large women’s boats. This old man began the song; walking, at the same time, in a circle; followed by the women, with their backs to each other. At a certain turn in the air, the women all raised their voices; I shall not say in a chorus, as it appeared more like a continuation of the song. After a short time, the women suffered their voices to die gradually away, in the most plaintive manner; and the old man again resumed the song alone, until a similar turn again brought in the women’s voices. This alternation lasted a considerable time; during which they still continued to walk round in a circle, and all the while bestowed the most friendly smiles upon us. Meantime, the men stood scattered outside the ring; and whenever the old man resumed his song, they jumped, shouted, and laughed, in the most extravagant manner. One of the men at last kissed two of the females, making plain signs for us to take the same liberty, in rotation, with the whole circle; at the same time uttering, repeatedly, the exclamation, “_Coo-nee!_” We, however, pretended not to comprehend his meaning, as we were not at all desirous of so indiscriminate a salutation. I noticed one of the women earnestly making the same gesticulations, and crying out “_Coo-nee!_” also; but as we did not comply, they soon after finished the song. We adopted their own method of jumping and shouting, to express our satisfaction; at which they seemed particularly well pleased.

Preparing now to leave this interesting spot, we descended to the sea, followed by the whole of the natives: and as I turned about to observe if there were any thing belonging to their tents which had before escaped our notice, my eyes rested upon a group of about a dozen huge dogs, around a piece of whale blubber. It is really surprising what numbers of these animals the _Esquimaux_ uselessly support during summer; but they are amply repaid by the benefits derived from them in the winter; as the dogs are then employed to drag the sledge of their owners, after the manner of the reindeer in _Lapland_. In _Newfoundland_, and in its environs, large dogs are also used, for the purpose of transporting fire-wood, and other articles, over the snow: and I have been assured, by a respectable merchant, who resides occasionally at _Lance-a-Loup Bay_ on the southern coast of _Labrador_, that he has travelled one hundred miles in twenty-four hours, in a sledge drawn by ten brace of dogs: they are not accustomed to reins, but two well-trained dogs are placed foremost, and the whole are then managed by a singular kind of whip, the use of which it is difficult to acquire, as the handle is but three feet long, and the lash fifteen.[16]

After giving away amongst the natives all the metals we possessed, even to the buttons of our coats, we embarked; and resting upon our oars, at a trifling distance from the shore, we gave them three hearty cheers. This was merely intended by us as an experiment; but the effect produced by it surpassed in interest any thing that we had yet seen amongst this people.

The echoes of our huzzas had scarce subsided, before the three young girls, who had attended us the whole day, stepped down to the edge of the water; having each of them previously drawn on a pair of gloves made of white feathers. They first held out their arms, in an horizontal position, with the fingers extended; then waved them to and fro, with an undulating motion; and, at last, suddenly sunk them towards the earth. Again, recommencing for a short time the waving of their hands, they finished this affecting ceremony by extending both arms, to their full extent, towards the right side, pointing their snow-white gloves towards the sky. They continued to repeat the same motions without the least variation, until we began to pull away from the shore; when they ceased entirely, and retired into the crowd of natives, who had stood behind the three girls during the foregoing exhibition, and, in profound silence, appeared to be watching every motion. Never had we seen a more interesting spectacle: the young _Esquimaux_ kept the most exact time with each other, and accompanied their gestures by the most graceful motion of their heads; their eyes bespeaking, at the same time, the most tender solicitude for our safety. It is not a trifling matter that can agitate, even for a moment, the rough feelings of a seaman; yet the crews of our boats sat, during this scene, in mute astonishment, with their mouths wide open; and at last, with the utmost reluctance, we tore ourselves away.

Unlike the generality of savage nations, this people did not exhibit any dances peculiar to themselves: the only instance that we observed, to prove they have an idea of dancing, was on board the ship; here a young girl threw one leg out, and then another, alternately, for some time; when, stopping suddenly, she shut her eyes, and, holding her head down, fell to moaning and howling, as if in great pain: next followed a convulsive gurgling in the throat, and deep-drawn sighs; then gradually opening her eyes, and relaxing her features into a smile, she repeated the whole over again.

It is a curious fact, that the inland or hunting tribes of _Indians_ in _Hudson’s Bay_ believe the _Esquimaux_ to be a nation of sorcerers. Should the season prove a bad one in procuring their furs, they say that the _Esquimaux_ have enchanted the game; and they then set off to the northward, to punish them accordingly. Whenever they discover the tents of the supposed magicians, they remain lurking about the place until a favourable opportunity offers; when, raising the dreadful war-whoop, they rush on to the attack with inconceivable fury. Every individual of the vanquished is instantly massacred, whether they make resistance, or implore for mercy. The animosity between them is hereditary, bloody, and implacable.

When Mr. _Hearne_ travelled to the N. W. in search of the long-sought passage to the _Southern Ocean_, he was escorted by a party of _Cree Indians_, and was himself an eye-witness of the massacre of an _Esquimaux_ tribe; although he used his most earnest entreaties with his conductors, to spare an innocent-looking young girl who had supplicated his protection: the _Indians_ frowned furiously upon him; and asking, with haughty contempt, _if he wanted an Esquimaux wife_, they speared her to death on the spot[17].

It is rather remarkable, that the habitations of the _Esquimaux_ had never before been visited by the officers of the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships, although they had often landed in the Straits: but this may be explained in two ways. In the first place, the _Esquimaux_ are evidently anxious to conceal their places of abode; secondly, the commanders of the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships have directions from the Company not to go on shore amongst the _Esquimaux_ themselves, nor to send their boats; and they have orders also to be continually on their guard, in all communications with this people. Possibly these orders have been issued since the horrid termination of an attempt to establish a permanent white whale fishery at _Richmond_; and probably that circumstance may have given rise to the regulation. I shall relate the dreadful story in the sequel, when I reach that part of my Narrative where it will be necessary to give a short description of the factories in _Hudson’s Bay_: it would be considered as too long a digression to insert it at present. We had the good fortune, therefore, to be the first _Europeans_ who, for the last forty years, have visited the habitations of the _Esquimaux_. I have thus been enabled to describe them fully, from my own observations. And there is another point upon which I am able to speak _positively_, although the circumstance did not fall under my own inspection: I allude to the manner of disposing of their dead.

His Majesty’s ship _Brazen_, Captain _Stirling_, in the year 1813, convoyed the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships into the Bay. Captain _Stirling_ and some of his officers landed in the Straits, but could not find any habitations of the natives: however, in wandering about the hills, they discovered an object of no less curiosity; namely, the dead body of an _Esquimaux_: it was closely wrapt in skins, and laid in a sort of gully between two rocks, as if intended to be defended from the cold winds of the ocean: by the side of the corpse lay the bow and arrows, spears, and harpoon of the deceased; together with a tin pot, containing a few beads and three or four _English_ halfpence: the last articles had evidently been procured by the deceased in traffic with the Company’s ships.

The reason of the body having been laid on the surface of the earth, is in consequence of the impossibility of penetrating the flinty rock, of which the whole coast is composed; and the custom of depositing his arms by the side of the corpse of a deceased _Indian_, is common to many barbarous nations.[18]

As it may be expected that something should be said respecting the government and religion of the _Esquimaux_, I shall briefly state, that they did not appear to me to trouble their heads with either. They certainly paid great respect to the old man who sang to us the song before mentioned; but it does not necessarily follow that he was either a prince or a priest. It is probable that they venerated him more on account of his age, than from any civil or ecclesiastical authority with which he was invested. But the _Esquimaux_, and all other nations around _Hudson’s Bay_, have a notion of a superior spirit, whom they concur in styling _Manéto_, or _Good Spirit_. It is not known whether the _Esquimaux_ have any idea of an Evil Being; but the _Cree Indians_ imagine that there is a great number of that species, whose sole delight consists in tormenting mankind[19].

With respect to the language of the _Esquimaux_, I have been able to collect a few specimens: and I shall insert, against each word, in what part of the coast each expression was ascertained to be in use, and the authority from whence I derived my information.

Words. Signification. Where used. Authority.

Chymo _Barter._ On the shores of Ascertained by
_Hudson’s myself.
Straits_.
Pillitay _Give me
something._
We-we _A white goose._
Wau-ve _An egg._
Muck Mhameek _A knife._
Kippy Swau, beck _A saw._
Muck-tu _A deer._
Twau-ve _Go away—begone._
Tuck-tu _Seal blubber._
Kiack _Canoe._ _Churchill_, and Ascertained by
in _Hudson’s one of the most
Straits_. respectable
Traders
belonging to
_Churchill
Factory_.
Omiack _A ship._
Kannau weet ameg _A dart._
Ye meck _Water._
Hennelay _A woman._
Aunay _Far off._
Cob-loo-nak _An Englishman._ _Churchill
Factory._
Mai _Good._
Nagga Mai _Not good._
Karrack _Wood._
Peo-me-wonga _I would have._ By the Natives By the _German_
of the Missionary
Missionary before mentioned.
Settlement.
Ak-ka-karor _It shall have
mapock payment._

Having given a short account of the _Esquimaux_, their manners, and customs, I may now proceed with my Journal as before; and content myself with making a few cursory remarks, as we sail along.

August _1st_.—The whole of this day we continued off _Saddle Back_[20]; as the _Hudson’s-Bay_ ships had some arrangements to make, previous to their final separation, which always takes place off _Mansfield Island_, at the entrance of _Hudson’s Bay_. Towards evening, we began to ply to windward, with a fresh breeze at west. Thermometer 40° in the shade.