556 SECOND VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 



and " brother." But the mmt of " tatkuk," by which the moon is likewise 

 distinguished, belonged to a female in the only instance we knew of its being 

 in use. 



These Esquimaux arc no great proficients in die science of ariUunetic, 

 their numerals extending in general only to live, and then commencing again 



thus : 



Attuwseuk 



Madleroke, or Ardlek . 



Pingahuke . 



Sittamat 



Ted-lf~/'-ma 



Six and seven are however sometimes expressed by Arguenrak and Argwcitrak- 

 loic-a, respectively ; and some of the more knowing individuals go so far as 

 ten, thus : 



But with these last, which have an evident reference to the fingers held up 

 to represent them, very few were acquainted. In counting even as far as 

 three they must use their fingers as auxiliaries, and before they arrive at 

 .seven generally make some mistake. Beyond nine they hold up both hands, 

 and if fifteen or twenty be required they make another person do the same, 

 but never use their toes in this way as in Greenland*. It distresses tiie 

 most intelligent person among them to exceed ten in numeration, and they 

 arc always glad to get ofl'by calling it oonobktoot, whicli may therefore imply 

 any number from a dozen to a million. For this reason their account of a 

 number beyond ten, unless it be of men or dogs, whose names they remem- 

 ber, and whicii may thus be set down as they repeat them, is never to be 

 depended on. 



They reckon their days by " sleeps" (seenik), and their years by summers 

 or winters, according as the event of which they speak occurred about either 

 of those seasons. The spring they call opai-ruk, but like ourselves cannot 

 very exactly define the limits of that welcome season. They began however 

 about the latter end of March, to talk of Avhat had happened " in the win- 

 ter." They have probably some corresponding term to express the autumn, 



* Crautz, II. 22.5. 



