ESQUIMAUX WOMEN. 347 



of ducks, which latter made a great uproar and 

 commotion. Nicholson's Island is high in some 

 parts, I should think 150 to 200 feet above the 

 sea. Partridges were in great numbers but very 

 wM; besides these there was nothing to be found 

 except mushrooms, which were very plentiful and 

 excellent. The evening of the 0th saw us at 

 Maitland Island : here we found two Esquimaux 

 women, an old and a young one, the first of the 

 tribe seen on the trip. They were dreadfully fright- 

 ened, and chattered away unceasingly, making signs 

 for us to depart. Conciliatory gestures, however, 

 soon calmed theii* fears, and the elder dame speedily 

 became very friendly — perhaps, indeed, a little too 

 familiar, as they were horribly dirty both in person 

 and di-ess. There was a little difference in their 

 costume to those we had seen to the westward of 

 the Mackenzie ; the younger woman had her hair 

 bound up in immense bows at the back of the head ; 

 she wore a frock of seal-skin, with pointed ends, 

 tight breeches, and boots of the same material. She 

 had an infant which she always carried with her : 

 its wardrobe was very scanty indeed, but a large stock 

 of clothes was, apparently, unnecessary, as it was 

 generally snugly ensconced inside of its mother's 

 frock next to her skin, and secured from shpping 



