126 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



sleep, but it was only a trying to sleep after all. 

 The cold was so intense, that to become insensible 

 to it in the land of slumber was out of the question. 

 Consequently, they were glad to make an early start 

 again the next morning. The course was now 

 diverted seawards, to some islands some three or 

 four miles from the coast. There some snow-houses 

 were found, and happily they were not empty. The 

 inhabitants gave Mr. Peck and his companion a 

 welcome. One of the women soon put oil in the 

 lamp in order to heat water for tea. It was rather 

 a tardy process, but the warm drink was most 

 welcome when it was ready at last. Next the 

 children were gathered together and taught. 



" Then," we read in the missionary's diary, " I 

 went out to the other igloet and spoke to the people 

 inside. One of the men was just on the point of 

 going out to hunt seals, so I determined to accom 

 pany him. After walking over the ice for some 

 time, we came to a place where there was a seal hole. 

 At the upper end it was small, about the size of a 

 crown piece, but the lower portion was larger. The 

 hunter looked into the hole to see if it were frozen 

 over. If it is not he knows that the seal has been 

 blowing there quite recently. Being satisfied that 

 there was some prospect of harpooning a prize, he 

 next arranged his weapons and sat down near the 

 hole to wait for his prey. 



" It was not long in this case before a seal came to 



