The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-09 00:00:00

any numbers, the difference of character displayed by them
when so, and the reverse, is 'worthy of remark. In the
former case they ate bolder and overbearing, and, when
meeting with parties, gather round them, and, apparently
in a half playful way, commence shoving them about and
feeling their clothes, when, if they fail in getting what they
want given to them, they help themselves, and, with their
knives, soon remove any buttons that happen to be bright
This wag all done, and the offenders, mixed up with the rest.
enjoyed the thing as a good joke, before our people could
look round them. On the contrary, when they are in small
numbers, they are not like the same people, but seem quiet,
harmless, inoffensive, and obliging. Even while display-
ing these good qualities, should their number become in-
creased, they lose no time in throwing off their assumed
join humility to in any plunder going on.
In landing our provisions I was very careful to point
out to the chief and other leading men that nothing was go-
ing on shore the mature of which they could not see, except
salt meat ; which was really the case, and this I knew they
would not eat if it was given them ; and, on the day that
all was landed and the house locked, I showed them the car-
ronade, pointed at it, and told them it was to keep thieves
away, thinking that a show of preparation would have the
effect of saving us from any attempt at robbery on their
part. But I have every reason to believe that some of
those on board at the time were leaders in breaking into
it three nights afterwards, when, fortunately, three small
sails (ship's) were the only things they succeeded in taking
away. A case of flour, obtained in tins, belonging to the
officers, had been opened, but not found to be tobacco, as
anticipated, and not liking to go away empty-handed,
they had taken the sails. I was quite unprepared for this
theft, which was effected in the night, notwithstanding a
strict watch had been kept from the ship, and the house
was visited every hour, as I had been told by the officers
of the ship acquainted with their character they would
never attempt anything greater than pilfering small things
lying about. This there was no remedy for except keep-
ing a good look-out. Now they had commenced on a large
scale, I had to consider the best mode of checking them
before anything of Ds more serious nature should be
attempted.
A slight show of firearms in the way of intimidation, in
all our former cases, had the effect of restoring the stolen
articles, and, with a view to the same effect, I had a small
brass 3-pounder mounted on a sledge, intending to threaten
them with a visit if the sails were not returned. By the
arrival of a native, who came every morning with dog's
food, we were informed that during the time of sleep some
people had committed the robbery, showing plainly that
the affair was well known at the settlement. Our people
had in the meantime tracked them on the snow to within
a short distance of it, when the sails had been opened and
most probably divided. About 9 a.m., the chief came
down, assuming a very determined air, with his musket
slung across his shoulders, to offer his assistance, and go
with us for the recovery of our sails ; but as he proposed
leading us to Cape Smyth, whero he said they had been
taken, and stoutly denied their being at Point Barrow, his
services were declined.
I must mention here that this was the common excuse
with them ; when anything was stolen, they invariably
pointed to Cape Smyth, and said the things had been
taken there. It became so well understood at fast that
no notice was taken of it, particularly in the present
instance.
The chief, after some hesitation, came on board, when it
was explained to him that we were quite aware where the
sails were, and, if they were not restored, I should take
the gun, which I showed him mounted, to their settlement
to look for them ' • at the same time I thought the oppor-
tunity of having his musket in my power too good a one
to be lost, and took possession of it, telling him, that when
he had brought back everything that had been stolen from
us, it would be returned quite safe.
This appeared to place him in a serious difficulty, and,
after repeating the Cape Smyth story a good many times,
he returned to the town, and we went on with our work as
usual, intending to wait the result of his interference. In
about two hours he came again with some evasive story
that they were going to bring the sails down. He remained
outside the ship, evidently much disturbed, but not mis-
trustful ; there were also a few others, women and children,
and one sledge.
We now observed with our glasses an unusual stir at the
settlement. In the first place some women and children
were seen moving across the bay to Cape Smyth, afterwards
the men were seen advancing down towards the ship, in
three single files, armed with their bows and arrows and
quivers. I fancied at this time I saw spears also, but did
not observe them afterwards. The leading men were dis-
charging their arrows ahead of them as they advanced,
picking them up again as they reached them, which satis-
fied me their visit was not. friendly, and my mind was
soon made up to keep them in check at the distance of
musket range, by firing over their beads, wishing above all
things to avoid taking a life, unless under some urgent
necessity: Our smalrforce, forty-one in all, was placed
under command of the officers appointed to guard the
gangways, poop, and forecastle, and previous to their
getting within range, a blank charge was fired from
our 18-pounder carronade and three from the gun, which
had not the effect of dispersing them as I expected,
and when within musket range we commenced firing
over them from the forecastle. This had the effect
of dispersing them under shelter of the spit, about fifty
yards from the ship's bows. At this time one of the chiefs
who had been on board frequently and treated with great
kindness, made a rush down's head of the ship, followed
at first by others ; but when he found the balls whistling
over his head he dropped on his face to avoid them, run-
ning a few paces closer to the ship, threw down his bow
and quiver, containing 17 arrows, four of them with barbed
iron heads. This man had become very unpopular with
the crew from some uncivil acts of his, and, I have been
able to understand since that, although the order to fire
over his head was carried out, this direction was very much
infringed upon. A few now extended themselves under
cover of the house, but, as a constant fire was kept up in
that direction, not many attempted to reach it, and a
round shot being fired so as to graze it had the effect of
dislodging them. At this time a false alarm was given
that they were breaking down the house and carrying
things away. I was on the forecastle, and, on hearing the
report, ordered a man next me, a marine, to fire at a man
then escaping from under cover of it, and from the sudden
way he seemed to fall and kick out his legs, I thought he
was killed. Immediately afterwards the report was found
to be incorrect, and no more shots were fired at them, and
I had the satisfaction to find out that the man fired at
(the only instance) was not killed.
As the chief, who had been lying concealed under an ice
hummock, not far from the ship, and who, I suppose, now
saw no chance of gaining an advantage over us with his
numbers, showed himself and beckoned them back in a
most energetic manner, causing a general retreat, and as
our mast head afforded a commanding view, I was glad to
find that they were all able to use their legs quite as well
going home as they did coming out,
'Although this affair would give them a poor idea of us
as marksmen, not appreciating our motives, I considered
that some of them heard the balls sufficiently close to their
ears not to wish for a repetition. Mr. Simpson, the sur-
geon, counted 71, and allows himself to have overlooked
10 ; he computes the number at 80, besides several stragglers,
a computation I consider as near as could be obtained.
The chief, with another man, stayed about the ship for
some time, but as no compromise, short of the immediate
return of our stores was contemplated, he was not allowed
to remain long. My having his gun was an advantage I
could hardly have expected, and as its value to him was
far greater than anything they had stolen from us, I was
content to wait the result of his interference, in the mean-
time not allowing any of them within gunshot until every-
thing was returned.
On the following day we had a specific message to the
effect that they were all asleep that day, but on the, next
all our things would be brought down. They had' not
left the spot they had advanced to when I took a party
away from the ship to try the range of the gun on a sledge,
and to find how it would answer. I was glad they saw
us manceuvring it, and, as they still remained, after mo-
tioning them to go away, a musket was fired wide of them
as a hint to be off and report what they had seen, which I
hoped would have the effect of quickening their move-
ments in returning our sails. At 7.30 a.m. on the follow-
ing day, the chief, with seven natives and a sledge, brought
down the sails—a main topmast staysail and wizen trysail,
and a boat's cover—all much worn, and of no importance
to us ; but the act was the same, and required checking,
lest other things we might feel the loss of might be stolen
also. I was told the party seemed in evident trepidation ;
the sails had been cut into several pieces, adapted in size
for their U-mi-aka' sails, and had been served out among
the party. This would account for the difficulty the chief
had in getting them returned, without having a slight
brush for them previously. All the pieces were most in-
geniously drawn together by the women, who had been
employed the previous day and night about them, which
occasioned the day's delay in their being returned. As it
was necessary, while we were settling matters, to have a
full restitution of everything stolen from the ship and boats
since our arrival, a careful inquiry was made to find
out every missing article, and as these included almost
all the ironwork of the launch, which had been cut
almost to pieces in the most vexatious way while
turned bottom up on the adjacent island, I was the more
disposed to push this point. When the full extent was
known, the chief was acquainted that everything must be
returned previous to his getting his gun or the natives
allowed to come near the ship. He then left, and returned
next morning with every missing article, when his gun was
restored to him, and the natives came about us as usual. I
had the curiosity to examine the charge of his gun while it
was in our hands, and found it as well loaded with ball as
we could have done it ourselves although he had previously
told us he had no ammunition.
I made him a small present of tobacco for his trouble, as
I believe he was not a partaker in the robbery, and I gave
one of his wives a knife, as she had been very industrious in
putting the sails together. He made us understand that he
bad been obliged to use his knife as well as his authority
to compel some of the thieves to give up their share of the
booty: I was glad to have got the upper hand of them
without any further trouble on our part, as, independent
of the more important motives before mentioned, our own
travelling parties might be seriously inconvenienced from
being at variance with them.
Notwithstanding these considerations, it is most neces-
sary for our preservation, with such a people, to establish
respect from them by a moderate resistance, upon any un-
due encroachment on their part.
Had we not been employed on a service essentially of
peace, I should have taken a party up to their settlement
in the way of retaliation, on finding they had broken into
our store. lam not certain that it would not have been
the better plan in the present case, as kindness and for-
bearance is not understood by them, particularly after
being fired upon once or twice without receiving any injury
they are likely to form an erroneous opinion as to the power
of firearms, many of the present party including the chief,
being the same who followed Commander Pullen so perti-
naciously along the Return Reef of Sir John Franklin,
when the system of avoiding firing at them was adopted
until the last extremity, and with the same good fortune,
in not sacrificing any lives. As an instance of their ingra-
titude, I found many who were engaged in the robbery.of
the house were of those who had been allowed on board
every day, and had received considerable presents with the
view of making friends of them, in the event of our re-
quiring a kindness in return. While our misunderstand-
ing was unsettled, a further enclosure was marked out, to
include the ship, house, and observatory. Round this a
stout hawser was supported on small triangles, and in no
instance during the remainder of our stay was this boun-
dary, which necessity had given us good excuse for estab-
lishing, allowed to be infringed upon. A few troublesome
characters,• such as will be found in all large communities,
gave annoyance occasionally for a month or two, by shoving
each other purposely inside the boundary, when, finding
their tricks provoked hard blows, little more trouble was
given in this way.
Our intercourse from this time went on smoother, and
the Esquimaux, feeling themselves in error, seemed to
make many friendly overtures to regain our esteem. Some
of these consisted in bringing, down their tambourines
and gin alongside and dancing sing in large numbers. In
this they had in some degree anticipated my intentions, as
the officers were at the same time engaged in printing a
notice for the lower deck of a " native dance" intended to
be given in three days' time, with the view of showing them
we bore no and wished for a friendly intercourse;