304 BELLES OF DISCO. Chap. XVII. 



a very limited quantity of rum-punch for the ladies, and 

 danced for several hours in a large store ; whilst the officers 

 and myself spent the time with Mr. Olrik or the other 

 Danish gentlemen — Messrs. Andersen, Bulbrue, and Tyner. 

 Nothing could exceed their kindness to us, whilst their good 

 humour and their anecdotes, sometimes expressed in quaint 

 English, greatly amused us. We shall always retain very 

 agreeable recollections of Godhavn ; twice has it been to us 

 an arctic home. 



Mr. Petersen's nieces, the belles of the place, came on 

 board (Miss Sophia with scented cambric handkerchief 

 and gloves — in other respects adhering to the Esquimaux 

 costume, of which the accompanying illustration gives a 

 very faithful representation) ; they were delighted with the 

 organ, although it is rather out of repair, and they sang 

 together very sweetly. Our Esquimaux shipmates, Christian 

 and Samuel, were discharged, and by their own request, 

 their wages given in charge to Mr. Olrik, and Mr. Bulbrue ; 

 they seemed to understand the importance of husbanding 

 their wealth. Christian said he thought it would not be all 

 spent under three years. First of all he intended buying a 

 rifle for his brother, and then some wood to build a house 

 for himself. 



I was gratified very much when I heard them say that 

 the men had treated them very well — "all the same as 

 brothers f and they really seemed sorry to leave the ship ; 

 they would come on board and look gravely about at every- 

 thing as if regretting the coming separation. Even our poor 

 dogs seemed to think the ship their natural abode ; although 

 landed at the settlement, they soon ran round the harbour 

 to the point nearest to the ship, and there, upon the rocks, 

 spent the whole period of our stay ; as we sailed slowly out 

 of the harbour, they ran along the rocks abreast of the ship 



