ON THE ESQUIMAUX 187 



almost hibernating like the black bear. What would 

 happen when the polar bear got at their meat sup- 

 plies, as he was only too likely to do ? 



Only this year (1894) the crew of the whaler Balaena 

 brought to Dundee the horrible details of what might 

 well be expected. The Balaena 's crew discovered on 

 the shore, in a place far removed from all animal life, 

 the dead bodies of three Eskimos, and a number of 

 bleached human bones. These three two men and one 

 woman were evidently the last survivors of a larger 

 party. Near to the bodies three human heads were 

 noticed in each case the throat had been cut and 

 savagely hacked with a knife, while the brains had 

 been extracted through a hole in the skull. A 

 smashed rifle and a bow and arrows were lying near, 

 and all the evidences of a severe struggle between 

 the last two male survivors. A blood-stained knife 

 was taken from the woman's hand. It is probable 

 the party had been waiting here (Elwin Bay) for 

 the arrival of the whalers in 1893. Alas ! ice had 

 prevented their coming, and at last, among the 

 patiently-expectant little people, an awful tragedy 

 had been enacted. 



Less dramatic incidents also occur in Eskimo life. 

 Thus, in one case recently, an old tyrant had appro- 

 priated the fine new kayak of a poorer man ; and soon 

 after this poor fellow was drowned while shooting 

 deer out of his old canoe, of which the skin covering 

 was rotten. His son, a young fellow under twenty, 

 remained quiet a long time. One day, however, he 



