166 HUNTING WITH THE ESKIMOS 



his cheeks. In the shack, with the stove going, I 

 could not bring the temperature higher than six de- 

 grees above zero, and on the floor level it was doubt- 

 less much colder. The sleeping-bag was the only 

 comfortable retreat. Once I called at Kulutinguah's 

 igloo, and after sitting a short time my right foot 

 grew very cold and painful. I spoke of it to the 

 Eskimos, and Kudlar's kooner, who was there, had 

 my boot and hareskin stocking off before I knew 

 what she was about, thrust the foot under her kuletar 

 against her bosom, and was rubbing it to bring back 

 the circulation. It had begun to freeze, and had al- 

 ready turned white in several places. Ten minutes' 

 rubbing relieved it. Then she sewed some foxskin 

 under my hareskin stockings, which was a great im- 

 provement and made them much warmer. The Eski- 

 mo has shorter, chunkier feet than the average white 

 man, his nose does not protrude so far from the face, 

 his hands are thicker and fingers shorter, his body 

 thicker in proportion, and he can therefore withstand 

 intense cold better. Nature has adapted his physical 

 form for the conditions and climate in which he lives. 

 Day after day the gale continued from the north. 

 Great leads of open water could be seen a mile off 

 shore, with ice driving past to the southward. Daily 

 the moon grew, and the available period for hunting 

 slipped steadily past us, while we remained helpless 

 to act. At last the moon reached its full and began 

 to wane, and the Eskimos announced one day the 

 period of light would now be so short that the expedi- 

 tion to. Cape Alexander would have to be postponed 



