speech as to the sin and meanness of stealing in general, and of stealing from those who had been kind to them in particular.  He explained to them the utter hopelessness of their attempting to deceive or impose upon the white men in any way whatever, and assured them that if they tried that sort of thing again he would punish them severely; but that if they behaved well, and brought plenty of walrus-flesh to the ship, he would give them hoop-iron, beads, looking-glasses, etc.  These remarks seemed to make a considerable impression on his uncouth hearers.

“And now,” said the captain in conclusion, “I shall keep Awatok and his wife and child prisoners here, until my telescope and hatchet are returned [Awatok’s visage fell, and his wife looked stolid], and I shall send Oosuck to his tribe [Oosuck’s face lit up amazingly] to tell them what I have said.”

In accordance with this resolve Oosuck was set free, and, making use of his opportunity, with prompt alacrity he sped away on foot over the ice to the southward, and was quickly lost to view.

CHAPTER XVI.

The Arctic Theatre enlarged upon—­Great success of the first play—­The Esquimaux submit, and become fast friends.

The 1st of December was a great day on board the Dolphin, for on that day it was announced to the crew that “The Arctic Theatre” would be opened, under the able management of Mr. F. Ellice, with the play of “Blunderbore; or, the Arctic Giant.”  The bill, of which two copies were issued gratis to the crew, announced that the celebrated Peter Grim, Esq., who had so long trodden the boards of the Dolphin, with unparalleled success, had kindly consented to appear in the character of Blunderbore for one winter only.  The other parts were as follows:—­Whackinta, a beautiful Esquimau widow, who had been captured by two Polar bears, both of which were deeply in love with her, by Frederick Ellice, Esq. First Bear, a big one, by Terrence O’Riley, Esq. Second Bear, a little one, by David Summers, Esq. Ben Bolt, a brave British seaman, who had been wrecked in Blunderbore’s desolate dominions, all the crew having perished except himself, by John Buzzby, Esq.  These constituted the various characters of the piece, the name of which had been kept a profound secret from the crew until the morning of the day on which it was acted.

Fred’s duties, as manager and author, upon this occasion were by no means light, for his troop, being unaccustomed to study, found the utmost difficulty in committing the simplest sentences to memory.  O’Riley turned out to be the sharpest among them, but having agreed to impersonate the First Bear, and having to act his part in dumb show—­bears not being supposed capable of speech—­his powers of memory had not to be exerted.  Grim was also pretty good; but Davie Summers could not be got to remember even the general arrangements of the piece; and as for Buzzby, he no sooner mastered a line than he forgot the one before it, and almost gave it up in despair.  But by dint of much study and many rehearsals in secret, under the superintendence of Fred, and Tom Singleton, who undertook to assist, they succeeded at last in going through it with only a few mistakes.