226 LIFE AMONG THE ESKIMOS 



A brother of Dr. Kane, who was one of a rehef party sent out in 1855, has 

 this to say of the Eskimos : 



"Improvidence, is another trait of these 'fresh children of impulse.' We 

 were at their village as late as the 19th of August. Yet, although the auks 

 were flying round them in such quantities that one man could have been able 

 to catch a thousand an hour, they had not enough prepared for winter to last 

 two days. They were all disgustingly fat, and always eating, — perhaps an 

 average ration of eighteen pounds per diem, — yet they had lost seven by star- 

 vation during the last winter, though relieved, as far as we could make it out, 

 by the Dokto Kayens. 



"They suffer dreadfully from cold, too; yet there is an abundance of ex- 

 cellent peat, which they might dig during the summer. They know its value 

 as fuel, and are simply too lazy to stack it. The little auk, which forms their 

 principal food, may be said also to be their only fuel. Indeed, it quite fills the 

 place which the seal holds among the more southern Esquimaux. Their clothes 

 are lined with its skins, they burn the fat, and, setting aside the livers and 

 hearts, to be dried, and consumed as bonbons during the winter, they eat the 

 meat and intestines cooked and raw, both cold and at blood heat. 



"They are very hospitable ; the minute we arrived, all hands began to catch 

 birds and prepare them for us. Tearing off the skins with their teeth, they 

 stripped the breasts to be cooked, and presented us with the juicy entrails and 

 remaining portions to eat raw, and stay our appetites. The viands did not look 

 inviting to us, who had witnessed their preparation ; but they appeared so hurt 

 at our refusing to eat, that we had to explain that it was not cooked but raw 

 birds we wanted. This was satisfactory. They set out at once to catch some for 

 us ; and in a few moments three of them were on their way down to our boat 

 loaded with birds." 



Dr. Nansen, in recounting his crossing of Greenland, describes many do- 

 mestic traits of the Eskimos with a touch of realism. He tells thus of entering 

 the home of an Eskimo familv : 



"We had been at once invited to sit down upon some chests which stood 

 by the skin-curtain at the entrance. These are the seats which are always 

 put at the disposal of visitors, while the occupants have their places upon the 

 long bench or couch which fills the back part of the tent. This couch is made 

 of planks, is deep enough to give room for a body reclining at full length, and 

 is as broad as the full length of the tent. It is covered with several layers of 

 sealskin, and upon it the occupants spend their whole indoor life, men and 



