All the men were standing outside awaiting our arrival, and
among them were some Netchilliks we had met during the spring. As soon
as they recognized me they set up a great shout of "Many-tu-me!" which
is their salutation of welcome, and means smooth. They seemed very glad
that we were coming among them again, and hurried me into a big, warm
igloo, while most of the men ran out and helped the sled in. They built
our igloo in short order, and during the time we were with them did
everything in their power to contribute to our comfort. It seemed as if
some one was on the roof of our igloo all the time patching up holes,
and they changed the direction of the doorway every time the wind
changed, and that kept them busy nearly all the time.
We found but few interesting relics among them. Only a piece of the
boat found in Wilmot Bay after the big ship sunk, and part of the block
branded either "10" or "O R," with part of the R obliterated. If the
ship's blocks were branded with the name of the vessel to which they
were attached, this would be important as establishing the identity of
the ship that drifted down as the 'Terror'. As an instance of the
perversity of fate, I mention that we found among them a piece of wax
candle that they had preserved all these years, while every scrap of
paper had perished.
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