jTannary, 1867.] The Winter in an Igloo Near the Whalers. 289 



The amnsements so necessary to sustain tlie cheerfulness and the 

 health of officers and men during the tedious rigors of an Arctic winter, 

 were fully maintained on board. A dress ball was given on the 29th, 

 which was kept by the New England captains as Thanksgiving Day. 

 In another, on New Year's eve, when some of the crew and a few of the 

 Innuit women were dressed like civilized ladies, Hall had to make his 

 choice between dancing and speech-making; preferring the former, he 

 led off with the first mate of the ship. The captains always held a 

 seat in reserve for him at their ^'- gammings'''' — yarn-spinnings, chatting, 

 and smoking ; he reciprocated these hospitalities by sharing with his 

 friends the stores lately received from Mr. Grinnell and by liberal gifts 

 of skin-clothing. But while passing through these enjoyments noth- 

 ing diverted his attention from his main purpose of selecting the volun- 

 teers he needed. Quite a number offered themselves; and on shore 

 he began the instruction of those whom he accepted by setting them 

 at work to dig out snow-drifts, and by sending them at different times 

 with his Eskimos to bring in meat from the deposits. He now thought 

 that he had full reason to expect that when the stormy season had 

 passed, he could make with these men a second sledge journey with 

 success. 



Strange as it might seem to any one but Hall, for these two and 

 a half months he still lived in his snow-hut, in daily sight and sound 

 of the ships, which were now comfortably housed for the winter ; and 

 this although his very frequent invitations to their warm and hospita- 

 ble cabins warrant the belief that he might have taken up his quarters 

 on board. But he declares that he could not rest with ease unless in 

 his igloo. It was his own ; he could write up his notes in it and study 

 his Arctic books. His plans for the next season, too, were again ab- 

 S. Ex. 27 10 



