NINE MONTHS IN THE ARCTIC. 185 



boisterous manner, their skill in harpooning or 

 lancing the whale, or walrus, and thus brandish 

 their weapons with uplifted arms, as if they were 

 about to strike their prey. 



One of this class was so stimulated with al- 

 coholic strength and courage, that suiting his 

 action to the word or impulse, he threw his spear 

 w T ith all his might into the broadside of one of 

 the huts, and it passed within a short distance 

 of the captain's head. He at once concluded it 

 was time for him to seek a place of safety a little 

 farther off, out of the reach of such dangerous 

 missiles thrown by irresponsible hands. He was 

 careful, however, as it was necessary for our pro- 

 tection, not to exhibit any signs of fear in their 

 presence. They had a regular, thorough-going 

 drunken time. 



Allow us to say, that excessive, moderate, or 

 occasional drinking of alcoholic stimulants from 

 love to the " dear creature," makes fools not only 

 of the poor natives inhabiting the shores of the 

 Arctic, but also fools, and greater ones too, of 

 those dwelling in the more civilized, and even 

 Christianized, portions of the earth. 



In the month of May Captain Norton took a 

 short cruise into the interior, about one hundred 

 miles, with the head man and several others, ac- 

 companied by their dog teams. The settlement 



