Captain Ross, in the Journal of his Arctic Expedition, gives the
following account of his first interview with the Esquimaux, in the
northern parts of Baffin’s Bay:
“These Esquimaux,” says he, “conceived the _ships to
be living and flying creatures_.” * * * * “I had been
employed, with a good telescope, in observing their
motions, and beheld the first man approach, with every
mark of fear and distrust—looking frequently behind
to the other two, and beckoning them to come on, as
if for support. They occasionally retreated, then
advanced again, with cautious steps, in the attitude
of listening; generally keeping one hand down by their
knees, in readiness to pull out a knife, which they had
in their boots: in the other hand they held their whips,
with the lash coiled up: their sledges remained at a
little distance—the fourth man being apparently stationed
to keep them in readiness for escape. Sometimes they
drew back the covering they had on their heads, as if
wishing to catch the most distant sounds: at which time I
could discern their features, displaying extreme terror
and amazement, while every limb appeared to tremble
as they moved.” They were requested to cross a chasm,
which separated them from the interpreter, by a plank;
but “appeared still much alarmed, and requested that
Sackhouse (the interpreter) only should come over. He
accordingly passed to the opposite side, on which they
earnestly beseeched him not to touch them, as, if he
did, _they should certainly die_. After he had used many
arguments to persuade them that he was flesh and blood,
the native, who had shown most courage, ventured to touch
his hand; then, pulling himself by the nose, set up a
shout, in which he was joined by Sackhouse and the other
three. The presents were then distributed, consisting of
two or three articles of clothing, and a few strings of
beads. After which, Sackhouse exchanged his knife for one
of theirs.”
Captain Ross and Lieutenant Parry then went on the ice,
and, “by the time they reached it, the whole were
assembled: those who had originally been left at a
distance, with their sledges, having driven up to join
their comrades. The party now, therefore, consisted of
eight natives, with all their sledges, and about fifty
dogs, two sailors, Sackhouse, Lieutenant Parry, and
myself—forming a group of no small singularity, not
a little increased, also, by the peculiarity of the
situation on a field of ice, far from the land. The noise
and clamour may be easily conceived—the whole talking
and shouting together, and the dogs howling, while
the natives were flogging them with their long whips,
to preserve order.” Our arrival produced considerable
alarm, causing them to retreat a few steps towards
their sledges. On this, Sackhouse called to us to _pull
our noses_, as he had discovered this to be the mode
of friendly salutation among them. This ceremony was
accordingly performed by each of us, the natives, during
their retreat, making use of the same gesture; the nature
of which we had not before understood.” Presents were
then made, and, “on seeing their faces in the glasses,
their astonishment appeared extreme, and they looked
round in silence, for a moment, at each other, and at
us. Immediately afterwards, they set up a general shout,
succeeded by a loud laugh, expressive of extreme delight
as well as surprise—in which we joined, partly from
inability to avoid it, and willing also to show that we
were pleased with our new acquaintances.” Confidence
shortly after became established, and uncovering of
heads was substituted for pulling of noses—the natives
appearing to comprehend the nature of this ceremony more
quickly than the seamen did the other, and probably
not considering it a much more reasonable, although a
more inconvenient, testimony of respect. They were then
invited to the ship, to which one of them thought proper
to _address a speech, “pausing between every question,
and pulling his nose with the utmost solemnity_.” All the
wonder to be expected was here excited; but the quantity
of the wood and iron appeared to be the chief objects of
surprise.
“Their knowledge of wood seemed to be limited to some
heath of a dwarfish growth, with stems no thicker than
the finger; and, accordingly, they knew not what to think
of the timber they saw on board. Not being aware of its
weight, two or three of them, successively, seized on
the spare topmast, evidently with the view of carrying
it off; and, as soon as they became familiar with the
people around them, they showed that desire of possessing
what they admired, which is so universal among savages.
The only thing they looked upon with contempt, was a
little terrier dog;—judging, no doubt, that it was too
small for drawing a sledge. But they shrunk back, as if
in terror, from a pig, whose pricked ears and ferocious
aspect (being of the Shetland breed) presented a somewhat
formidable appearance. This animal happening to grunt,
one of them was so terrified, that he became, from that
moment, uneasy, and appeared impatient to get out of the
ship. In carrying his purpose into effect, however, he
did not lose his propensity to thieving, as he seized
and endeavoured to carry off the smith’s anvil: finding
that he could not remove it, he laid hold of the large
hammer, threw it on the ice, and following it himself,
deliberately set it on his sledge, and made off.”
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