Finding that these poor creatures were now really in want of food, for the men had again returned from an unsuccessful excursion, I was happy to avail myself of a hint given to me by Captain Lyon, to furnish them occasionally with a small supply of bread-dust, of which we had two or three casks in each ship.  Our present party was therefore, in addition to other articles, supplied with several pounds, which they immediately expressed their intention to take home to their children.  Several of them visited the ships as usual on the 9th, and among the rest Ka-oong-ut and his son Toolooak.  The old gentleman was not a favourite with us, being the only one who had yet begun to tease us by constant begging.  We had often expressed displeasure at this habit, which, after a day or two’s acquaintance, began to be extremely troublesome; but I had to-day to take cognizance of his stealing a nail, of which I determined to take a rather serious notice, as it might otherwise lead to more extensive theft.  I therefore collected all the other Esquimaux who were on board, and having in their presence expressed great indignation at this conduct, turned the offender away in disgrace.  Some of those best acquainted with us were afterward taken into the cabin, where our sentiments were more fully explained to them.  Among these I was not sorry to have Toolooak and Iligliuk, who would not fail to report at the huts all our proceedings, but who did not appear to consider themselves in the slightest degree implicated in their father’s offence, or concerned in his disgrace.  The people of the huts being much in want of food, we again distributed some bread-dust among them; taking care to send a portion to the infirm old man, Hik-k~ei-~er= a, by Ok~otook, the husband of Iligliuk, a fine, active, manly fellow of about two-and-thirty, who, as we were pleased to find the next day, had punctually executed his commission.

The Esquimaux went out on the 10th to endeavour to catch seals as usual, but returned unsuccessful after several hours’ labour.  As it was now evident that their own exertions were not at all times sufficient to procure them food at this season, and that neither indolence nor any idea of dependance on our charity induced them to relax in those exertions, it became incumbent on us carefully to attend to their wants, and, by a timely and judicious application of the slender resources we had set aside for their use, prevent any absolute suffering among them.  We therefore sent out a good meal of bread-dust for each individual, to be divided in due proportion among all the huts.  The necessity of this supply appeared very strongly from the report of our people, who found some of these poor creatures actually gnawing a piece of hard sealskin with the hair on it, while few of the huts had any lamp alight.  It must be remembered that the failure of their seal-fishery always involves a double calamity, for it not only deprives them of food, but of fuel for their lamps.  When this is