72 NATIVES OF GREENLAND. 



circle of their wants, is attended with such a train of 

 imaginary difficulty, that few, if any of them liave ever 

 ventured out of the footsteps of their forefathers. The 

 Uskee-me jacket, trowsers, boots, darts and canoe (for 

 they use this name for a boat indiscriminately with kaiak) 

 are identically the same as they have been observed more 

 than 800 years ago. 



The great difficulty of obtaining from these people 

 accurate information respecting the northern countries, 

 is a source of perpetual error and perplexity. Looking 

 with a jealous eye on all strangers, and tempted by the 

 richness of some paltry present, but which appears in 

 their eyes of much value, they have frequently shown a 

 desire to communicate ncconnts of their country and its 

 resources, greatly exaggerated, in order to make their 

 information on such subjects appear of the utmost im- 

 portance to the people from whom such communications 

 were known to bring superior advantages to them. It is 

 a prevailing trait in uncivilized life, to desire strongly such 

 things as come within the direct apprehension of particular 

 wants. This is signally exemplified in the African, who, 

 dead to the calls of consanguinity, is anxious to decorate 

 his graceful neck with a string of Statlbrdshire ware at 

 the expense of a child ; and the wife of his bosom must 

 often be a bit of barter, in order that the human beast 

 may contemplate his perfections in a mirror, in her stead. 



