348 ESQUIMAUX NURSING. 



down by means of a greasy leather cord which she 

 wore as a girdle. The lullaby of an Esquimaux nurse 

 is a performance curious as original. Having dis- 

 posed of her infant in the manner just described^ 

 the mother goes about her other avocations, which 

 are always calling for performance, and while so 

 engaged, should the diminutive bm-den finding its 

 position troublesome, or perhaps slightly oppressive, 

 presume to utter cries of discontent, it is very 

 summarily hushed into silence. The mother moves 

 from one foot to the other, at the same time striking 

 the poor infant with either hand alternately, and 

 drawling monotonously the universal Hi Yangah chant 

 of the Esquimaux, than which few things could be 

 invented less devoid of animation or interest. No 

 wonder the hapless babe ceases its puerile lamenta- 

 tions on the instant. Our Indians (who had never 

 before seen Esquimaux) did not at all comprehend the 

 specimens before them, particularly on the question of 

 sex, nor can this be a matter of surprise ; their aspects 

 were decidedly unfeminine, and so were their — it 

 must out — pantaloons. Quitting Point Maitland on 

 the morning of the 8th, we crossed Harrowby Bay, 

 and in the afternoon, when approaching Cape 

 Bathurst, observed twelve Esquimaux tents, some of 

 large size, surroimded by crowds of natives. Nearly 



