ETHNOLOGY. 21 



quantity of blood ; this makes a thick and rather greasy soup that must 

 be quite nourishing ; the chiklren are very fond of it. It seems possible 

 that from this dish has originated the popular error that these people 

 drink oil, a notion that is simply preposterous. 



I found among some of these people a little spoon, or rather a minia- 

 ture scoop, made of ivory, which they used to drink the soup with ; it 

 appears to be an old utensil, now fast going out of use, for they can now 

 procure tin mugs. A reindeer's rib, pointed at one end, is used to fish 

 up the meat with, and sometimes to convey it to the mouth. These 

 instruments are found in the graves, but seem to be but little used at 

 the present day. 



When a seal is brought to the encampment, especially if they have not 

 been plenty for some days, all the villagers are invited to the hut of the 

 lucky hunter, and the seal is soon dispatched. A couple of the younger 

 men skin the animal and distribute the pieces to the assembled company 

 as fast as needed. The testicles, being considered as the choicest titbit, 

 are usually handed over to the hostess ; the spinal cord is also rated as 

 one of the choicest portions of the animal. During these feasts they 

 gorge themselves to their utmost capacity, and are in good humor and 

 hilarious. Though there may be ever so poor i)rospects to procure more 

 food for the morrow, this does not deter them from gluttonously devour- 

 ing the last morsel, and then go on allowance till they can get a fi^esh 

 supply. I have seen them thus gorge themselves, and then lie down to 

 sleep with a piece of seal meat by their side, which they attacked every 

 time they awoke. 



The intestines of birds, notably Lagopus and Somateria, are looked 

 upon as choice parts, and birds brought to the encampment are gene- 

 rally " drawn" by the hunters. The fatty excrescence at the base of the 

 upper mandible of the male 8om. spectaMlis is too great a temptation 

 for them. It was with great difficulty that we could induce them to 

 bring these birds to camj) without having them thus mutilated. 



Smce whalers began to cruise in the Cumberland waters, they have 

 found that it is decidedly to their advantage to hire boats' crews of 

 natives to assist in the capture of whales. They make good whalemen. 

 When such crews are secured, they wisely count in all of their family in the 

 bargain, so that to secure the services of a crew of seven men one must 

 feed thirty or more. While working for whalers, these Eskimo depend 

 almost wholly on the ship for theu' food supply ; as a consequence, they 

 are fast becoming poor hunters, and prefer to lounge around a vessel 



