CANDLE-FISH. 93 
When dry, the candle-fish are carefully packed 
in large frails made from cedar-bark or rushes, 
much like those one buys for a penny at Billings- 
gate; then they are stowed away on high stages 
made of poles, ike a rough scaffolding. This 
precaution is essential, for the Indian children 
and dogs have an amiable weakness for eatables; 
and as lock-and-key are unknown to the red- 
skins, they take this way of baffling the appetites 
of the incorrigible pilferers. The bales are kept 
until required for winter. However hungry or 
however short of food an Indian family may be 
during summer-time, it seldom will break in 
upon the winter ‘ cache.’ 
I have never seen any fish half as fat and as 
good for Arctic winter-food as these little candle- 
fish. It is next to impossible to broil or fry 
them, for they melt completely into oil. Some 
idea of their marvellous fatness may be gleaned 
from the fact, that the natives use them as 
lamps for lighting their lodges. The fish, when 
dried, has a piece of rush-pith, or a strip from 
the imner bark of the cypress-tree (Thuja 
gigantea), drawn through it, a long round needle 
made of hard wood being used for the purpose; 
it is then lighted, and burns steadily until con- 
sumed. I have read comfortably by its light; 
