24 AN INTERESTING INFANT. 



was also broiiglit on board by liis mother, and amused 

 us much by his ludicrous appearance and precocious 

 manner. He was completely enveloped in reindeer 

 skins, di-essed with the hair on, a large cushion of the 

 same material was placed at the back of his head as a 

 protection and support, and as he was • withal 

 exceedingly fat, and had a mouth like a cocked hat, 

 we laughed at every new glimpse of the young 

 monster. Laughing was not however a practice with 

 this imp of satm-nine temperament, who despised 

 moreover the usual amusements of children, and 

 scrutinised all objects with an immovable countenance, 

 as if quite accustomed to thek contemplation ; yet 

 this child, although eating blubber, meat, or anything 

 else that was offered to him, was not weaned, taking 

 the breast, not only from his mother, but from any 

 other dame who would accommodate him. The 

 other two sons of Akoull were respectively about 

 nineteen and thirteen years old, both very in- 

 telligent and lively. The eldest had been for some 

 time married, and was already a father ; his wife was 

 a very nice looking girl : they both played on the 

 fiddle, but their instrument had only two strings 

 made of deer-gut or sinew — I also saw one of silk — 

 and the bow was much shorter and thinner than ours. 

 Several of the young men had a notion of playing, 



