jauiiary, 1S65.1 IlalVs Visit to the Whttlcrs. 133 



seated on three sledges drawn by twenty-two dogs. Tlio boy, Oot-pik, 

 had awakened in Hall much interest by his brightness and his liand- 

 some figure. When an infant, he was near perishing by being cast off 

 by his parents, who thought that he was near death and would never 

 be other than a burden to them, and his fate was just decided, on their 

 taking fright when his hair began to fall off But Ar-goo-moo-too-Uk 

 and his wife, who had but one child of their own, by the consent of 

 the boy's parents, promptly interposed to adopt him, and he very soon 

 recovered his full health. Quick to learn, he was now fast becoming 

 ready in speaking English. 



The sledge party were well supplied with venison, walrus-meat, 

 and blubber, and reindeer-furs for traffic; besides their own provision 

 and the articles necessary for use on their journey. The thermometer, 

 when they bade good-bye to the twenty-six Innuits left behind, was 

 72'^ below freezing-point. Running for a short distance directly south 

 over the land, they struck out for the sea-ice soon found to be smooth, 

 and then followed the coast, with the open water on their left hand at 

 the distance of less than a mile. Large flocks of ducks were seen, 

 and fast- streaming columns of vapor rose vertically into a heavy 

 fog-bank extending north and south as far as the eye could reach. 

 At 3 p. m., leaving the coast and striking the tracks of the party who 

 had gone down in December, they halted for the night at the old 

 ifjloo^ which had been occupied by that company, about 17 nautical 

 miles south-southwest from their vvinter quarters at Noo-wook. A 

 load of venison and tood-noo was soon secured from one of the many de- 

 posits which had been made in the last season. Two small storehouses 

 were next quickly built near enough to the igloo for them to hear any 

 attempt the dogs might make to break into these for the meat ; and 



