124 THE WHALEMAN ; OR, 



verted into oil, which in turn feeds the moss, and 

 thus good light is obtained. Two or three such 

 lamps in a hut would afford considerable heat. 



The smoke, however, which proceeds from 

 them is immense, and exceedingly offensive. It 

 is so thick, that every article in the hut is cov- 

 ered and blackened with it. When one comes 

 to clear air and breathes, there will be seen a 

 volume of darkened vapor going forth from his 

 nostrils and mouth. 



These lamps are burning nearly all the time, 

 and especially when the days are short, and dur- 

 ing the long night of darkness in midwinter. 



Neither the smoke from the lamps, nor the 

 quality of food we had to eat, nor the manner of 

 eating it, nor constantly observing the filthy hab- 

 its of the natives, was all the degradation we felt 

 and experienced. 



With the strictest propriety it can be said the 

 natives were loaded with vermin ; and yet as in- 

 different, apparently, to such a condition, as if it 

 were the most trivial circumstance in the world. 

 Indeed, they appeared to enjoy the presence of 

 the innumerable hosts that swarmed in all parts 

 of their huts. Their persons, garments, skins in 

 the huts, sleeping apartments, &c, were literally 

 alive with them. The misery of such a state 

 we have neither words nor heart to attempt to 

 describe. 



