TEXTS. HOUSES. 403 



in the southern districts are constructed of earth or drift- 

 timber, which is very abundant in some places. In the north, 

 however, wood becomes extremely rare. The Esquimaux at 

 the northern end of Baffin's Bay,* who had no wood, except- 

 ing twigs of a dwarfish heath, were so little acquainted with 

 the nature of timber that several of them successively seized 

 on the spare top-mast of the " Isabella," evidently with the 

 intention of stealing it, and quite unconscious of its weight. 

 In the absence of wood, their houses were built of ice and 

 snow ; those of ice are beautiful, and almost transparent, so 

 that even at some little distance it is possible to see every- 

 thing that ta'kes place in them. They are, however, much 

 colder than those of snow, which therefore are generally pre- 

 ferred. West of the Eocky Mountains the winter-houses were 

 usually under-ground. A Kamskatchadale "yourt" is thus 

 described by Captain Cook :( "An oblong square, of dimen- 

 sions proportionate to the number of persons for whom it is 

 intended (for it is proper to observe that several families live 

 together in the same jourf), is dug into the earth to the depth 

 of about six feet. Within this space strong posts, or wooden 

 pillars, are fastened in the ground, at proper distances from 

 each other, on which are extended the beams for the support 

 of the roof, which is formed by joists resting on the ground 

 with one end, and on the beams with the other. The inter- 

 stices between the joists are filled up with a strong wicker- 

 work, and the whole covered with turf; so that a jourt has 

 externally the appearance of a low round hillock. A hole is 

 left in the centre, which serves for chimney, window, and 

 entrance, and the inhabitants pass in and out by means of a 

 strong pole (instead of a ladder) notched deep enough to 

 afford a little holding for the toe," as in fig. 141 (p. 137). 



* Boss, Baffin's Bay, p. 122. vol. iii. p. 374. See also vol. iii. 



t Voyages to the Pacific Ocean, p. 450. 



