ESKIMOS AT HOME AND AT WORK 47 



space and the dome is complete. Interstices be 

 tween the blocks are filled up by the women and 

 children, while the men build the walls. It is 

 amazing how quickly a family will get under cover. 

 A house capable of accommodating a family of six 

 can be finished in two hours, while one to accom 

 modate one or two hunters when travelling, which 

 is needed only for a long night's shelter, will rise, 

 like a mushroom, in an hour. 



The sleeping place in such structures is formed 

 by leaving a portion of the snow-drift out of which 

 the blocks for the walls were cut. This original 

 bank serves as a couch. On it is spread a mat 

 made from a kind of willow. Two or three layers 

 of thick reindeer skin are placed on top of the mat, 

 and the blankets, made of softer reindeer skin, are 

 wrapped round the sleeper. 

 Speaking of snow-houses, Mr. Peck says : 

 " I may say that they are fairly comfortable pro 

 vided the weather is calm, and when one is well 

 provided with plenty of good reindeer-skin, socks, 

 etc. But in stormy weather one's position in a 

 snow-house is not to be envied. In any case, it 

 stands to reason that, should the temperature with 

 in the house rise above freezing-point, the inmate 

 has then the comfort of feeling drops of water cool 

 ing his head and face, and in cases of a pronounced 

 thaw outside, I have known the whole roof to col 

 lapse. How delightful ! " 



