A TUSKJ FEAST. 171 



intensely frozen. At these all the natives set to 

 work, and we essayed, somewhat ruefully, it must be 

 confessed, to follow their example, but, being all 

 unused to such gastronomic process, found our- 

 selves, as might be expected, rather at a loss how to 

 commence. From this dilemma, however, our host 

 speedily extricated us, by practical demonstration of 

 the correct mode of action, and under his certainly 

 very able tuition we shortly became more expert. But 

 alas ! a new difficulty was soon presented ; our native 

 companions, we presume, either made a hasty bolt of 

 each morsel, or had perhaps a relish for the flavour of 

 the viands now under consideration. Not so ourselves ; 

 it was sadly repugnant to our palates, for, aided by 

 the newly-acquired knowledge that the fish were in 

 the same condition as when taken from the water, 

 uncleaned and unembowelied, we speedily discovered 

 that we could neither bolt nor retain the fragments 

 which, by the primitive aid of teeth and nails, we 

 had rashly detached from om* piscatorial share. 



It was to no purpose that our host pressed us to 

 " fall to ;" weTcould not manage the consumption of 

 this favourite preparation (or rather lack thereof), 

 and succeeded with difficulty in evading his earnest 

 solicitations. 



The next course was a mess of green stuff, looking 



