CHAPTER V. 



New Year's Day — Hall's srEEcii— Fkastixo — Brilliant auroras— He visits wtiti tiii: Ix- 



NUITS THE whalers AT DEPOT ISLAND — HOSPITALITIliS AND AMUSEMENTS ON BOARD — 



Return to Noo-wook — Shoo-she-ark-nook persuades some of the Innuits to aban- 

 don Hall— Supposed earthquake — New orders of the An-ge-ko— Meteorological 

 observations — Want of confidence in the instruments — Experiments as to the 

 freezing-point of mercury — Severity of the cold — Difficulty in making rec- 

 ords—Hall's BRASS TABLETS— Supplies xearly exhausted— Ebierbing comes to the 

 RESCUE — Flocks of eider-ducks in the Welcome — Native customs in sealing — 

 Nu-ker-ziioo's and Ebierbing's ill-success — Supplies of provision, fuel, and light 

 nearly gone — Plenty restored — The season moderating — Plan for survey of 



THE W^ELCOME — HaLL'S BROKEN HEALTH — THE TIDES IN THE RIVER — REMOVAL TO THE 



Wager. 



The first day of the year 1865, Sunday, was one of gale and (h-ift, 

 confining- all within their huts. To make the Tnnuits acquainted with 

 some of the pleasant customs of civilization, and, by so doing, furthei* 

 gain their respect and good-will, Hall kept the second day of the mmitli 

 as " New Year's Day." The mean of six thermometers showed a tem- 

 perature of 62° below freezing-point, and no cloud was seen on tlie 

 sky. Yet Hall says, " We have all been as comfortable as though 

 within houses of brick in New York." 



Too-koo-li-too having informed all the Innuits that calls were 

 expected at the i(jloo from the crest of which the American Hag would 



127 



