ESKIMOS AT HOME AND AT WORK 57 



cased with clay, and over the clay water is poured. 

 When the watered clay has been carefully smoothed 

 with a knife, a glass-like surface is secured, which 

 makes the travelling peculiarly easy. 



The runners are kept upright and in position by 

 cross-bars of wood, which are lashed to them. The 

 fore-part of the runner curves upwards about three 

 feet from the front to prevent its sticking in the 

 hummacks of snow or ice. 



It is almost needless to point out that sledging 

 often makes the greatest demand upon one's powers 

 of endurance, but the imperturbable cheeriness of 

 the Eskimo is always equal to it. Through blinding 

 drifts and blasts of cruel cutting wind the traveller 

 has to press on to his goal. 



Once a party of Eskimos started over the frozen 

 sea for Little Whale River from an island fifty 

 miles away. A terrific gale arose after their 

 departure, and so blinding was the drift that they 

 could not possibly see the route they should pursue. 

 Knowing, however, the direction of the wind, they 

 steered a rough course landwards. 



The first night they built themselves a rough 

 shelter of snow, and made another start next morn- 

 ing. The wind and drift were again against them, 

 but still they pressed on, and finally succeeded in 

 reaching a point some two miles to the north of 

 Little Whale River. 



They were disappointed to find that they had 



