66 Our North Land. 



are rather plain-looking women, the eldest being much broken, so 

 that if she ever did possess any natural charms, they have long 

 since been supplanted by the hideous wrinkles and other traces of 

 Eskimo old age, which is the most horrid sort of old age I have 

 ever met with. The elder wife rules the younger, and the latter 

 submits with a willing obedience. 



Some of the chief's daughters are quite handsome — one in partic- 

 ular. Her name is Put-away-all-talk, which I am sure would never 

 do for a white lady ; but it* is very appropriate for Miss Kiurchur, 

 or Princess Put-away-all-talk, because she is of but few words. 

 She is like all the Eskimo girls, extremely diffident, and bashful to 

 a fault. She is extremely fond of fine dress, is quite tall, slender, 

 well formed, with small hands and feet, long pretty eyelashes, a 

 well shaped forehead, a handsome nose and chin, rather a plain 

 mouth, a remarkably fair complexion, with rosy cheeks and lips, 

 and beautiful jet-black hair, extending nearly down to the ground. 

 She is anxious to marry, but is extremely particular, and has refused 

 all offers up to the present time. Her sister, or half sister, is as 

 ugly as the princess is beautiful ; she is as grim, and greasy, and cold 

 and lazy as a polar bear. 



Game is plentiful at Port Burwell. There are a great variety of 

 ducks, and abundance of ptarmigan. Sharks made their appearance 

 frequently near our boats, whales came to the surface now and 

 then, so did the walrus and seal ; but they did not put themselves 

 very much in our way. 



The work of landing lumber and supplies and erecting the 

 station buildings was begun on Tuesday evening, August 5th ; and 

 so well was the work managed that, by three o'clock on Friday 

 afternoon, a space of less than three days, the task was completed, 

 a triangulation survey of the harbour made, magnetic observations 

 taken, and we were ready for departure, having enjoyed fair weather 

 during the whole time. The observations taken showed the position 

 of Port Burwell to be lat. 60° 22' N., long. 64° 48' W. The result 

 of the magnetic observations taken was : variation of the compass 

 49° 29' W., and the dip of magnetic needle 82° 9'. 



