DAYSINCAMP 283 



they danced — a silly dance, with a song to it, ' like a 

 broken -backed Gregorian,' as I said in my notes at the 

 time. 



Then we played ' meitz hansanquoh ' {meitz, a ball), 

 which is rounders, or baseball, with slio-ht differences. 

 We saw no other outdoor game. Pretty nimble they 

 were on their little bowed legs, though of course we could 

 run away from, and all around them. Hyland recovered 

 in time for the game, and played very well indeed, wear- 

 ing out his sealskin ' pimiih ' in his efforts. He was a 

 much better shot with the ball than they, and though he 

 was so big they very seldom hit him. 



In the evening the wind dropped, after eighty-four 

 hours of rale. 



O 



August \th. — A warm day; thermometer up to 6i° 

 in the sun ; very calm, very pleasant. 



The Yelisei family packed up to leave, the eldest 

 Yelisei girl, who was nice-looking, but very silent, 

 excepting in her circle, had such a fine head-dress, with 

 a beautiful native-made star on the forehead, and many 

 rows of beads in the hair, that I wanted to buy it. I 

 hadn't the courage to ask herself, but tried to explain to 

 her brother. This was much worse, for he immediately 

 concluded I wanted to marry her, and in a moment I 

 was the centre of a delighted group. They all chattered 

 at once, and all pointed from me to her, and from her 

 to me. The poor girl — I cannot remember her name. 



