On the 15th it blew a strong gale from S.W. to W.N.W., and the thermometer, either on account of the strength of the wind or its having occasionally some southing in it, rose to -4 deg., being the highest temperature registered in our journals since the 27th of December preceding.  I had agreed with Okotook to accompany him on a sealing excursion, but the day proved too inclement, the Esquimaux not going out themselves, though it was not very often that the weather could prevent them.  Considering it desirable to increase, by all the means in our power, the chances of these people giving information of us, we distributed among several of the men large round medallions of sheet copper, having these words punched through them:  “H.B.M.S.  Fury and Hecla, all well, A.D. 1822.”  These we suspended by a piece of white line round their necks, giving them to understand that they were to show them to any Kabloona people they might ever meet with in future.  Similar ornaments, but of a smaller size, were subsequently presented to many of the women, having on them the words “Fury and Hecla, 1822.”

Early on the morning of the 16th, observing a party of the Esquimaux, equipped with spears, passing near the ships, I joined them, accompanied by Mr. Bushnan and one or two others.  Having crossed the point of the island, they walked over the ice to the eastward, where we did not overtake them till they had got above a mile and a quarter from the shore.  This party consisted of eight persons, among whom we were glad to find Arnaneelia, Okotook, Toolooak, Pootooalook his elder brother, and one or two others whom we knew.  They had by this time, however, separated into two or three different parties, stationed at the distance of half a mile from each other, along the edge of the floe, beyond which, to the eastward, there was clear water as far as we could see for frost-smoke.

The party we at first joined were seated on a high hummock of ice, with their spears in their hands, looking out for seals.  After we had talked to them for a few minutes, Okotook suddenly started up and set off along the edge of the ice, without giving us at his companions the least warning.  The latter seemed so much accustomed to this, that they took no farther notice than by immediately following him, and we did the same; the whole party walking at a very quick rate, and the natives keeping their heads constantly turned towards the sea to look out for seals.  After being thus engaged for an hour and a half, we judged, from the motions of a party at some distance beyond us, that they had game in view.  As we approached them, Okotook evidently began to be apprehensive that we, who did not understand the matter, would spoil their sport.  To prevent this, he did the most civil thing that could well have been devised, which was, to send his companions one by one to the spot, and to remain with us himself, keeping us at such a distance as to allow us to see their