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 he land claiming had not gone unnoticed by the Inuit. They appeared on the top of Mount Warwick waving a flag and calling out to the English who were descending the hill towards their boats. The two parties did some cautious trading and invited one another to further hospitality, which was mutually declined on account of caution.
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"And thus marching towards our boats, we espied certaine of the countrie people on the top of Mount Warwicke with a flag, wafting us back againe & making great noise with cries like the mowing of Bulles, seeming greatly desirous of conference with vs: wherevppon the General, being therewith better acquainted, answered them again with like cries, whereat, and with the noise of our trumpets, they seemed to reioyce, skipping, laughing and dauncing for joy....So that forthwith two of our menne, and two of theirs mette togither a good space from companie, neither partie hauing their weapons about them. Our men gaue them pinnes and pointes, and such trifles as they had. And they likewise bestowed on our men, two bowe cases, and suche things as they had. They earnestly desired our menne to goe vppe into their Countrie, and our men offered them like kindnesse aboorde oure shippes, but neyther parte (as it seemes) admitted or trusted the others curtesie."
(George Best's account of the 1577 voyage)
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The caution of the Inuit was well founded. Late in the day after climbing Mount Warwick and trading with the Inuit, Frobisher decided to capture a man who could be used as an interpreter. After a skirmish in which Frobisher was wounded in the buttock by an arrow, the English captured a man and brought him back to their ship; he was the first hostage of what proved to be a bloody season.
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"And so beeing stayed, he was taken aliue and brought away, but the other escaped. Thus with their straunge and newe praye oure men repaired to their boates, and passed from the maine to a small Ilande of a myle compasse, where they resolued to tarryie all night, for euen now a sodaine storme was grown so great at sea, that by no meanes they coulde recouer their ships."
(George Best's account of the 1577 voyage)
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