188 THE GERM/iN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



good friends with our men. Not a little proudly did each 

 one bring out his rifle and powder-horn from his canoe; but 

 when our men took the " needle-guns " and fired rapidly, 

 they were dumb with astonishment, and stood with their 

 mouths wide open. The musical-box which we had with us 

 caused little less wonderment. It was too ridiculous to 

 see the amazement of the little men, as well as the women, 

 at the tinkling box. I think if Mr. Starick himself had 

 not been there, their thoughts would have turned to the 

 long-forgotten " Tornik," ^ their evil genius, and we should 

 have been taken for enchanters; but their friendship 

 was heartier than ever. The missionary and our pilots 

 were shooting at the target on the strand, and the natives 

 kept watch, while others visited the servants in their 

 houses, who were busy making shoes for those of us who 

 needed them. I presented each one with a sewing-needle, 

 and earned a friendly " Kojunok " (I thank you much 

 for it), which was the first Grreenland word I learnt. I 

 cannot afl&rm that the Greenland ladies are bashful, for 

 during our stay in the women's house the cook Luise came 

 in, and quite coolly in our presence made the most critical 

 alterations in her dress. The girls and women looked 

 good-natured and dull ; there were eight of them, as I 

 tried to draw them in my pocket-book ; and Eva, whom 

 I fully portrayed, was not a little vain. We also allowed 

 them to write their names in our note-books, whereat the 



' " Tornik " is the plural of " Tunek," originally the Esquimaux 

 name for the North American Indians a word, therefore, which the 

 Greenlanders have brought with them from North America. They 

 apply it now to fabulous creatures, who are supposed to dwell in the 

 interior, far from the coast. They are twice the size of men, though 

 of human form ; and they are supposed to be generally hostile, though 

 capable al times of rendering good service. (Rink.) 



