Proceeding slowly to the westward, we had reached at noon on the 21st the lat. of 61 deg. 50’ 13”, long., by chronometers, 67 deg. 07’ 35”.  In this situation several islands were in sight to the northward and westward, and, among the rest, a remarkable one called Saddle-back on account of its shape.  The wind backing to the westward in the afternoon, we anchored the ships to the largest floe-piece we could find, there not being room to beat to the windward.  While thus employed we heard voices in-shore, which we soon knew to be those of some Esquimaux coming off to us.  Shortly after, several canoes made their appearance, and seventeen of these people came alongside the Fury.  Having hauled their kayaks (canoes) upon the floe, they began to barter their commodities, consisting of seal and whale blubber, whalebone, spears, lines, and the skins of the seal, bear, fox, deer, and dog.  Our first endeavour was to procure as much oil as possible, of which, as we had been informed by the Hudson’s Bay ships, several tons are thus almost annually obtained from these people.  We soon found that they had been well accustomed to bargain-making, for it was with some difficulty that we could prevail on them to sell the oil for anything of reasonable value.  They frequently gave us to understand that they wanted saws and harpoons in exchange for it, and as these were articles which we could not spare, it was not without trouble that we obtained, in the course of the evening, two barrels of blubber in exchange for several knives, large nails, and pieces of iron hoop, which was certainly a dear bargain on our side.  If they saw more than one of these at a time, they would try hard to get the whole for the commodity they were offering, though, when we had for some time persisted in refusing, they would not only accept what was offered, but jump for joy at having obtained it.  They always licked the articles given them, and in one instance only did we notice any inclination to break the contract after this process had been gone through.

Shortly after these men had arrived, a large oomiak, or woman’s boat, made its appearance, containing six or seven females and four men, the oldest of the latter, as is usual among them, steering the boat with a rude oar of wood.  The women could not be induced to land upon the floe, but held up skins and small narrow strips of well-tanned leather to exchange, loudly vociferating pilletay (give me) the whole time.  There were in this boat several skins of oil and blubber, which I tried hard to purchase, but nothing could induce the old man to part with more than one skin of it; for what reason I could not tell, except that he hoped, by perseverance, to obtain a higher price.  On my desiring our men to hand out a second skin of oil, as an equivalent for which I put into the old man’s hand a second knife, he resisted most vehemently, pushing our men aside in the boat with a violence I have never seen the