The assurance that many among
us were not married, they received with evident incredulity.
[Footnote: Esquimaux.]
On the 13th, a number of the natives from the Winter Island huts
formed a second detachment, and set off for the other village.
They carried their goods on sledges as before, even to the
exclusion of poor old Hikkeiera, whom some of our gentlemen
overtook crawling after his companions with a stick, and who, but
for their remonstrances, might that day have finished his
pilgrimage on earth. They insisted, however, on his being placed
on one of the sledges, which was accordingly complied with; but,
on their arrival at the village, his companions left him lying
there till their huts were built. All the Esquimaux pressed our
gentlemen very strongly to sleep at the village; but one of the
women gave Mr. Bird an indifferent specimen of her hospitality, by
picking his pocket of a handkerchief, though not so dexterously as
to escape detection. The few who visited the ships to-day told us
that they were all about to leave Winter Island on the morrow; and
Okotook and Iligliuk, who had not yet returned, came on board
among the rest to pay a last visit. I gave the former a large
piece of oak wood for a bow and two arrows, a second iron
spear-head, and various other articles, to add to the stock of
wealth he had from time to time received from us.
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