the boats, induced me to persevere an hour longer, when the wind having
increased to a gale, which prevented our hearing any of the guns, I
reluctantly bore up for our former landing-place. Captain Lyon and his
party having quartered themselves at the southern tents, we took up our
lodgings at the others, to which we were welcomed in the kindest and
most hospitable manner. That we might incommode the Esquimaux as little
as possible, we divided into parties of two in each tent, though they
would willingly have accommodated twice that number. Immediately on our
arrival they offered us dry boots, and it was not long before we were
entirely "rigged out" in their dresses, which, thoroughly drenched as we
were by the sea, proved no small comfort to us. With these, and a
sealskin or two as a blanket, we kept ourselves tolerably warm during a
most inclement night; and the tents, which but a few hours before we had
looked upon as the most comfortless habitations imaginable, now afforded
us a sufficient and most acceptable shelter.

The evening was passed in dealing out our information from the
southward, and never did any arrival excite more anxious inquiries than
those we were now obliged to answer. So intimate was the knowledge we
possessed respecting many of their relationships, that, by the help of a
memorandum-book in which these had been inserted, I believe we almost at
times excited a degree of superstitious alarm in their minds. This sort
of gossip, and incessant chattering and laughing, continued till near
midnight, when the numerous visitors in our tents began to retire to
their own and to leave us to our repose. Awaking at four A.M. on the
17th, I found that the weather had moderated and cleared up, and the
ships soon after appearing in sight, we called our boat's crew up, and
sent one of the Esquimaux round to the other tents to inform Captain
Lyon of our setting out. Several of the natives accompanied us to our
boat, which they cheerfully helped us to launch, and then went round to