Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/344

Rh till they came across "Sampson" and his people, at the place which I had visited a short time previous. Ookgooalloo then told me "that ships did not come in sight at Sekoselar, nor at Noo-ook-ju-a, but his father, Koo-ook-jum, had said that many years ago two ships came close to Noo-ook-ju-a (King's Cape) and Sekoselar, and that he, Koo-ook-jum, with many other Innuits, went out to the ships in kias and oomiens, and went on board." Now these two ships could be no other than Parry's, in his expedition of 1821–23, and consequently it was full forty years since the occurrence now mentioned took place. Parry's account is as follows: "July 31st, 1821.—Latitude 64° 01′, longitude 75° 49′ west. In the afternoon Captain Lyon discovered and made the signal for an Esquimaux oomiak coming off from shore under sail, accompanied by eight canoes. We tacked to meet them, and lay to half an hour for the purpose of adding to our stock of oil. In this boat were sixteen persons, of which number two only were men, an old and a young one, and the rest women and children. In the features, dress, and implements of these people we saw nothing different from those of the Esquimaux last described (those of the Savage Islands), but they were better behaved than the others, with whom our ships (meaning the Hudson's Bay Company's ships) have had more frequent intercourse." Again, under date of August 1st, Parry continues:— "We beat to the westward, between Nottingham Island and the north shore (King's Cape), the distance between which is about four leagues, and the latter fringed with numerous islands. In the course of the morning several canoes and one oomiak came off from the main land, containing about twenty persons, more than half of whom were women and children. They brought a little oil, some skin dresses, and tusks of the walrus, which they were desirous of exchanging for any trifle we chose to give them." In this account we see a complete verification of the statement made by Ookgooalloo as to his father's visit to the only