This was evidently to be
attributed, in no small degree, to jealousy of any one individual
among them being thus selected; and the brass kettle was speedily
the means of increasing the distance to "Iligliuk's country" from
sixteen to twenty-four days' journey. We had long, indeed,
observed that this feeling of jealousy was easily excited among
these people; but, what is extraordinary, it never displayed
itself (as is most usual) among themselves, but was entirely
vented upon us, who were, though innocently, the authors of it. As
an instance of this, a man of the name of _Karr~etok_ refused to
take from me a strong and useful pair of scissors as a present,
because, as he did not hesitate to assure me, I had given Okotook
a pike, which was _more_ valuable. To show him that this temper
was not likely to produce anything to his advantage, I took back
the scissors, and, having sent him away, went to my dinner. Going
accidentally on deck an hour afterward, I found Karretok still on
board, who, having had time to reflect on his folly, now came up
to me with a smiling face, and begged hard for the scissors,
which, of course, he did not get. Many similar instances occurred,
both to Captain Lyon and myself.
To this discouragement on the part of his friends, was added, on
that of Ayoket, the same wavering and inconstant disposition which
most other savages possess, rendering it impossible to place any
dependance on his promises and intentions for two hours together.
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