220 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



and otliei- implements of the chase, and practise with one another in 

 throwing at a mark. Girls have their dolls and as with girls of 

 civilized parents they delight in playing house ; nor do they tire of 

 this until they are married, for often groups of girls of all ages might 

 be seen sitting in some sheltered sjiot in summer each having a house 

 formed only of a ring of stones a few inches in diameter in which 

 some short pieces of stick were lying while other pieces wei-e propped 

 upright. These pieces of stick represented people, and they wei'e 

 made to vLsit one another's houses while t!ie owner kept up a con- 

 tinous flow of conversation for them. 



Unlike the Indian the Eskimo is nearly always laughing, and even 

 in times of great distress it is not hard to make them smile. On one 

 occasion, with the intention of building a beacon in the shape of a 

 man, I procured the assistance of an Eskimo, and cutting out the 

 shape of a large head in wood I got my assistant to carry it to the 

 hill upon which I proposed to build the beacon. Without asking a 

 question he assisted me to build the man and place head and arms 

 upon it, nor did he understand its meaning when a model of a gun 

 was ]>laced betsveen the arms. Finished it stood about nine feet high 

 and when the last stone was put up I led my assistant about a 

 hundred yards away and then turned him round to look at it. 

 Slowly his eyes opened widely, and then suddenly he burst into such a 

 fit of laughter I was almost afraid of him for he rolled upon the 

 ground. This beacon was built for the guidance of the relief ship. 



As we find among civilized beings men much more conversant with 

 nature than their fellows so we find it with the Eskimo, and while 

 some know many of the stars, and other objects in the heavens 

 by name, others can hardly tell one from another. On the whole, 

 however they may be said to be keen observers of nature, for in 

 making collections of the birds, insects, and plants they were of great 

 assistance, and if an insect was shown them they could usually take 

 me where more of the same species might be found. 



On the approach of summer they watched with interest its signs, 

 and often would bring to me insects which they belie v^ed were the 

 first of the season. The first snow bunting that appearad in the 

 spring was hailed with great joy, and in great haste they came to in- 

 form me of its arrival. 



