Page:Narrative of the Discoveries on the North Coast of America.djvu/140

 seal, and reindeer. On receiving a hatchet and some other things for his weapons, he beat upon his breast, laughed, whooped, and capered in the utmost extravagance of animal joy. He was afterwards employed by several of his less adroit friends to exchange their goods. A fine-looking young man, whose face was not disfigured by the labrets, was remarkable for his modesty, but did not fare the worse on that account. There was only one old man of the party. They appeared to us a stout, well-looking people, with complexions considerably fairer than the Indian tribes. Having finished our transactions with them, and satisfied our curiosity, we told the strangers to return to their village; upon which they gave us to understand that they wished to accompany us to our encampment, and to spend the evening in our society. To this, however, we had a decided objection. Already had they made several unsuccessful attempts to pilfer out of the boats; fresh numbers would soon have joined them, stimulated by the remembrance of former success; and we had Escape Reef, and a shallow bad navigation, before us. We therefore peremptorily ordered them back, but to no purpose. Two or three guns were shewn, which alarmed them a little. They held up their hands deprecatingly, calling