After a little time, they gained admittance to the hut. The men creeping in first, squatted themselves directly in front of the women, all holding out the small piece of sealskin to allow the heat to reach. their bodies. The women were squatted three deep behind the men, the oldest in front nestling the infants.

After being in the hut, Mr. Drayton endeavoured to call the attention of the man who had made signs to him before entering, to know whether they had any idea of a Supreme Being. The same man then put his hands together, repeating as before, "Eloah, Eloah." From his manner, it was inferred that they had some idea of God or a Supreme Being.

Their mode of expressing friendship is by jumping up and down. They made Messrs. Waldron and Drayton jump with them on the beach, before entering the hut, took hold of their arms, facing them, and jumping two or three inches from the ground, making them keep time to the following song:

All our endeavours to find out how they ignited their fire proved unavailing. It must be exceedingly difficult for them to accomplish, judging from the care they take of it, always carrying it with them in their canoes, and the danger they thus run of injuring themselves by it.

Their food consists of limpets, mussels, and other shell-fish. Quantities of fish, and some seals, are now and then taken among the kelp, and with berries of various kinds, and wild celery, they do not want. They seldom cook their food much. The shell-fish are detached from the shell by heat, and the fish are partly roasted in their skins, without being cleaned.

When on board, one of them was induced to sit at the dinner-table; after a few lessons, he handled his knife and fork with much dexterity. He refused both spirits and wine, but was very fond of sweetened water. Salt provisions were not at all to his liking, but rice and plum-pudding were agreeable to his taste, and he literally crammed them into his mouth. After his appetite had been satisfied, he was in great good humour, singing his "Hey meh leh," dancing and laughing.

His mimickry prevented any satisfactory inquiries being made of him relative to a vocabulary.

Some of the officers painted the faces of these natives black, white, and red this delighted them very much, and it was quite amusing to see the grimaces made by them before a looking-glass.

One of these natives remained on board for upwards of a week, and being washed and combed, he became two or three shades lighter in colour. Clothes were put on him. He was about twenty-three years of age; and was unwell the whole time he was on board, from eating such quantities of rice, &c. His astonishment was very great on attending divine service. The moment the chaplain began to read from the book, his eyes were riveted upon him, where they remained as long as he continued to read. At the end of the week he became dissatisfied, and was set on shore, and soon appeared naked again. It was observed on presents being made, that those who did not receive any began a sort of whining cry, putting on the most doleful-looking countenances imaginable.

They are much addicted to theft, if any opportunity offers. The night before they left the bay, they stole and cut up one of the windsails, which had been scrubbed and hung up on shore to dry.

Although we had no absolute proof it, we are inclined to the belief that they bury their dead in caves.

There is a black-coloured moss that covers the ground in places, giving it the appearance of having been burnt. Many small ponds are met with, as though the peat had been dug up from the place, and the holes filled with water. There is great plenty of scurvy-grass and wild celery close to the beach.

Here any quantity of water may be obtained on the top and sloping sides of the hills.

The decomposition of the feldspathic rocks appears to be going on rapidly. This, combined with vegetable matter, forms a rich soil; but it is so exceedingly wet from the constant rains and snows, that it is very questionable if any agricultural operations could succeed.

At Orange Harbour the tide was found to have four feet rise and fall. High water, full and change, at 4 P. M. Among the Hermit Islands it seems to be affected by the winds in the offing The flood sets to the east.

Large numbers of humpback whales were seen in March, about Orange Harbour.

In a small cove on New Island, a different description of hut was seen by the officers of the Relief. Not having met with any natives, it was not in their power to ascertain if it belonged to the same tribe.

It was built of logs, with their upper ends leaning together, in the form of a cone, and nearly circular at the base; the interstices were filled with grass, leaves, and earth, in which some grasses had taken root, and were growing. It is represented in the tail-piece.