JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE THROUGH THE

employed to tow the canoe. I walked with the Indians to their huts,
which were at a greater diftance than I had any reafon to expeét, for it
éccupied three hours in hard walking to reach them. We paffed a narrow
and deep river in our way, at the mouth of which the natives had fet
their nets. They had hid their effe€ts, and fent their young women into
the woods, as we faw but very few of the former, and none of the latter.
7 hey had large huts built with drift wood on the declivity of the beach,
and in the infide the earth was dug away, fo as to forma level floor. At
each end was a flout fork, whereon was laid a ftrong ridge-pole, which
formed a fupport to the whole ftruéture, and a covering of fpruce bark pre-
ferved it from the rain. Various {pars of different heights were fixed
within the hut, and covered with fplit fifh that hung on them to dry;
and fires were made in different parts to accelerate the operation. There
were rails alfo on the outfide of the building, which were hung
around with fifh, but in a frefher flate than thofe within. The fpawn is
alfo carefully preferved and dried in the fame manner. We obtained as
many fifh from them as the canoe could conveniently contain, and fome
firings of beads were the price paid for them, an article which they
preferred to every other. Iron they held in little or no eftimation.

During the two hours that I remained here, I employed the Englifh
chief in a continual flate of inquiry concerning thefe people. The in-
formation that refulted from this conference was as follows.

This nation or tribe is very numerous, with whom the Efquimaux had
been continually at variance, a people who take every advantage of at.
tacking thofe who are not in a ftate to defend themfelves; and though

a they