IN JULIANESHAAB. 225 



Tlie sitting-room, which was japanned with white varnish, 

 was kept very clean, and ornamented with pictures, and 

 the never-failing looking-glass; the window-panes were 

 transparent, which is a great matter in Greenland. The 

 inhabitants, now busied eagerly for us, were in their own 

 persons laudable exceptions to the rule. Very elabo- 

 rate is the finishing and ornamenting of , shoes with the 

 customary leather mosaic in Greenland. With untiring 

 patience the women sew on little beads of leather in 

 stripes, with thread made of seals' sinews. The 

 preparation of this thread caused us some merriment. 

 The tail-sinews are dried, then cut into filaments. As 

 these filaments are not smooth and fit to sew with, they 

 must first be prepared ; this is done by the sewer rolling 

 the thread quickly under her hand over her cheek 

 shining with grease. The price of the work was, of 

 course, not high, and we were soon possessors of it. 

 Our people, however, had become much more intimate 

 with the natives. In the evening we went again on 

 land. From the store resounded dance-music and merri- 

 ment. 



Let the respected reader imagine a low square room, 

 not very large, feebly lit by the rays of an oil lamp 

 hanging from the centre. In one corner stands an empty 

 oil tub, on which two Greenlanders have taken their 

 stand, and are working with great delight at their fiddles. 

 The melody and the manner of dancing which it elicits 

 sounds very strange. According to the time of this 

 music, the couple whirl round each other under the oil 

 lamp. Man and woman crack and stamp with their 

 feet, and clap with the hands, at which the lady dancer 

 in an opportune moment tickles her partner under the 



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