Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West PassageParry, William Edward, Sir
History
Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage
Parry, William Edward, Sir
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- British; Fury (Ship); Hecla (Ship); Northwest Passage
The different families appear always to live on good terms with each
other, though each preserves its own habitation and property as distinct
and independent as any housekeeper in England. The persons living under
one roof, who are generally closely related, maintain a degree of harmony
among themselves which is scarcely ever disturbed. The more turbulent
passions, which when unrestrained by religious principle or unchecked by
the dread of human punishment, usually create so much havoc in the world,
seem to be very seldom excited in the breasts of these people, which
renders personal violence or immoderate anger extremely rare among them;
and one may sit in a hut for a whole day, and never witness an angry word
or look, except in driving out the dogs. If they take an offence, it is
more common for them to show it by the more quiet method of sulkiness;
and this they now and then tried as a matter of experiment with us.
Okotook, who was often in this humour, once displayed it to some of our
gentlemen in his own hut, by turning his back and frequently repeating
the expression “Good-bye,” as a broad hint to them to go away. Toolooak
was also a little given to this mood, but never retained it long, and
there was no malice mixed with his displeasure. One evening that he
slept on board the _Fury_ he either offended Mr. Skeoch, or thought that
he had done so, by this kind of humour; at all events, they parted for
the night without any formal reconciliation. The next morning Mr. Skeoch
was awakened at an unusually early hour by Toolooak’s entering his cabin
and taking hold of his hand to shake it by way of making up the supposed
quarrel. On a disposition thus naturally charitable, what might not
Christian education and Christian principles effect! Where a joke is
evidently intended, I never knew people more ready to join in it than
these are. If ridiculed for any particularity of manner, figure, or
countenance, they are sure not to be long behindhand in returning it, and
that very often with interest. If we were the aggressors in this way,
some ironical observation respecting the _Kabloonas_ was frequently the
consequence; and no small portion of wit as well as irony was at times
mixed with their raillery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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