We began, as before, by buying whatever they had to dispose of,
giving in exchange knives, axes, brass kettles, needles, and other
useful articles, and then added such presents as might be farther
serviceable to them. From the first moment of our arrival until we
left them, or, rather, till we had nothing left to give, the
females were particularly importunate with us, and "pilletay"
resounded from the whole troop, wherever we went; they were
extremely anxious to obtain our buttons, apparently more on
account of the ornament of the crown and anchor which they
observed upon them than from any value they set upon their use;
and several of these were cut off our jackets to please their
fancy. When I first endeavoured to bargain for a sledge, the
persons I addressed gave me distinctly to understand by signs that
it was not their property, and pointed towards the woman who owned
it; though my ignorance in this respect offered a good opportunity
of defrauding me, had they been so inclined, by receiving an
equivalent for that which did not belong to them: on the owner's
coming forward, the bargain was quickly concluded. The pikes which
I gave in exchange underwent the usual ceremony of licking, and
the sledge was carried to our boat with the most perfect
understanding on both sides.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219