Canoes of the Savage Isles [Hudson's Strait]

The original watercolour by Lyon, the Commander of the Hecla, for the plate in Parry's narrative: ' Proceeding slowly to the westward, we had reached at noon on the 21st the lat. of 61o 50' 13", long., by chronometers 67o 07' 35". In this situation several islands were in sight to the northward and westward ... We anchored the ships to the largest floe-piece we could find ... 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, whale-bone, spears, lines, and the skins of seal, bear, fox, deer and dog. ... Shortly after these had arrived, a large oomiak, or women's boat, made its appearance, containing six or seven females and four men, the oldest of the latter, as seemed 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 narrow strips of well-tanned leather to exchange, loudly vociferating pilletay (give me) the whole time.' (W.E. Parry, op. cit., pp.13-14.)