From all this we concluded that she had been far enough to
the southward to see the Hudson's Bay ships in the course of their
annual voyage; and this account gave us very sanguine hopes of
being thus able to communicate with them by means of some of the
Esquimaux.
[Footnote: These people apply the word _oomiak_ to any vessel
larger than a canoe.]
On the 20th, a number of our new friends having been allowed upon
the upper deck, an old woman named _Ay=ug-g~a-lo~ok_ stole our
cooper's punch, which she was showing to her companions alongside
the Hecla just afterward, when Lieutenant Hoppner observed it, and
sent her back with an escort. It was impossible not to admit that
the fault was chiefly on our side, in permitting these poor people
to roam about too freely amid temptations which scarcely anything
human could have withstood; but as it was necessary to take some
notice of it, I went through nearly the same process as with
Kaoongut, and dismissed her with great appearance of indignation
to the huts. We were glad to find that their wants had there been
well supplied to-day, three seals having been caught. They had
lately, indeed, been tolerably successful in general, and required
but little of our assistance.
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