The result of this journey of
Captain Lyon's served to excite very reasonable hopes that he had
seen the northeastern extreme of the great peninsula, round which
we entertained the most sanguine expectations of shortly finding
the desired passage into the Polar Sea.
On the 23d, our neighbours the Esquimaux, who had long, by their
own account, been setting off for Amitioke, at length began in
earnest to pack up for their departure. As soon as their
preparations were finished, I sent for them all on board, and gave
them one of their own sledges, of which they were much in want,
for carrying their goods, a couple of boarding-pikes, some knives,
and several tin canisters filled with bread-dust, for their
journey. These presents had scarcely been made them, when we had
reason to apprehend so sudden an influx of wealth might produce
serious effects, especially upon the women, whose joy threw them
into immoderate fits of laughter, almost amounting to hysterics,
which were succeeded by a flood of tears. The men seemed thankful,
though less noisy in the expression of their acknowledgments. As
soon as some degree of composure was restored, we accompanied them
to their baggage, which they had stowed on two of the small
travelling sledges given them by Captain Lyon, but which they now
shifted to their own.
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