NATIVES OF GREENLAND. 79 



cordage, thread, lines, and for various other purposes ; 

 and in the whalebone they have sufficient for their own 

 private necessities, and for the demands of the Danes. 



In winter-time they retire further from the sea than they 

 had been in the summer months, and in their huts or Avinter 

 houses generally spend the interval between the latter end 

 of October and the middle of March in getting up their 

 fishing tackle, whilst the women are busily engaged in re- 

 pairing the kaiak, or sewing dresses for the men. On 

 such occasions the children have an opportunity of learnino- 

 the arts peculiar to their sex, and scarcely any other time 

 is given for their education. 



As soon as the returning sun announces the approach of 

 summer, all is bustle and activity. The materials for the 

 summer huts are got in readiness, and the Avhole household, 

 sometimes consisting of five or six families, moves down- 

 wards to the fishing place, which is generally a low island 

 with a sloping beach looking towards the south, for the 

 ease and convenience of launching the boats or drawing 

 the seals ashore. They are not confined to any particular 

 spot for the summer: unless abundance of seals be seen, 

 they generally shift to some other station, which in the 

 course of former seasons they have observed as more fit, 

 or as they may have information from others of their coun- 

 trymen. 



The Greenlander is very vain of his accomplishments ; 



