SNOW ARCHITECTURE. 165 



of the Seal, the chief difference being that it is built instead of 

 excavated. 



In order to save time, the igloo is generally erected by two 

 men, one of whom supplies the material, and the other acts as 

 bricklayer and architect in one. Each begins by tracing a 

 suitably sized circle in the snow, which he clears away to 

 some depth, so as to preserve a firm surface, either as a floor 

 or as the material for the wall. In this work both men are 

 equally valuable, for the skill required to cut the slabs of snow 

 into such a shape that they can be formed into a hemispherical 

 dome is quite as much as that which is needed for putting 

 them together. I will call them the cutter and the builder. 

 Sometimes a young hand is employed by way of labourer, 

 and passes the snow slabs to the builder as fast as they are cut. 



The builder receives the slabs, and arranges them in regular 

 order, always taking care to " break the joints," just as do our 

 bricklayers of the present day. Always remaining within the 

 circle, he gradually builds himself in, and when he has quite 

 finished the house, he cuts a hole through the side, emerges, 

 and, by the help of his partner, puts on the finishing touches. 

 He usually also adds a sort of tunnel to the door, through 

 which any one must creep on his hands and knees if he wishes 

 to enter the igloo. This part of Esquimaux architecture will 

 presently be noticed more in full. 



Perhaps the reader may wish to know what provision there 

 is for ventilation. The answer is simple enough. There is 

 none, the Esquimaux not requiring ventilation any more than 

 they require washing. The two, indeed, generally go together ; 

 and it may be observed, even in our own country, that those 

 who object to fresh air, and are always complaining of 

 draughts, have a very practical aversion to the use of fresh 

 water, and but little confidence in what Thackeray calls the 

 " flimsy artificies of the bath." 



The Esquimaux never washes, and knows not the use of 

 linen. Consequently, it is no matter of surprise that a sailor 

 of Captain Hall's crew could not make up his mind to enter an 

 igloo. " Whew ! " exclaimed the man, " by thunder, I'm not 

 going in there ! It's crowded, and smells horribly. How it 

 looms up ! " 



Considering that there were inside that igloo a dozen 



