70 Too Frequent Visits. (September, i864. 



then chosen by the men from the inner circles. Several women 

 had young children at their backs. "The gilt bands on their heads, 

 the spiral tails hanging on each side of their broad faces, the boys and 

 girls at play, made altogether a fine subject for a picture." Ou-e-la, 

 speaking for his companions, had requested Hall to take out his 

 choice of furs, first of all. 



The reindeer by this date had nearly all gone south, not to come 

 again till spring. Returning from a lonesome tramp, on which Hall 

 bad made a discovery of wolf-tracks, he was visited by almost all of 

 the Innuits of the village, with their congratulations on his escape 

 from a seeming danger. Their visits were, however, fast becoming 

 so frequent and protracted as to give him much concern. Fully dis- 

 posed to do nothing but rest in the enjoyment of the fruits of their 

 summer labors, they did little else than visit and eat; "laying off 

 and eating, eating, eating." Lounging in Hall's tent the day long and 

 talking witli Ebierbing and Too-koo-H-too, they became "quite a 

 bore"; particularly as these talks were already bending Too-koo-li- 

 too's mind to an inconveniently slavish obedience to their customs 

 She gave the first proof of this by going off among the rocks to mend 

 her took-too stockings for fear of offending these natives by working at 

 all on took-too within a tent. It was only when all these Innuits had 

 retired to their several tupiks that Hall's company could have a full 

 meal, rhey must always share it with the unsophisticated children 

 of the North; " such voracious eaters that they always get the lion's 

 share." The evening meal, however, usually consisted of but cold 

 rock-pennnican, tallow-candles, and degenerated meat, and even of tliis 

 Ebiei-bing and Too-koo-li-too were fortunate if they got half a dozen 

 iiiniitlifiils l«'f(»rr' all was gone. In very pleasant contrast Avith this 



