CHARLES FRANCIS HALL AND THE INNUITS. 



445 



and opened the snow-block door. There was "Jack," an Innuit, who had gone 

 out on a hunt, with his spear strung with strips of seal-blubber. Hall's favor- 

 ite dog had been allowed to sleep in the igloo. The half-starved creature 

 scented the blubber, gave a desperate leap, and grasped a portion of the food, 

 and in spite of all the efforts of Hall and the others swallowed it. Before the 

 door could be closed all the other dogs outside were aroused, and fighting for a 

 share. Among them they got nearly the whole. Next morning Hall went out, 



FIGHTING FOR FOOD. 



and gazing in the direction from which the approach .of Ebierbing was hoped 

 for, saw something black moving over the snow. It was Ebierbing with dogs 

 and a sledge, loaded with provisions from the ship, and also with a seal which 

 he had caught that morning. A great seal-feast took place at once, which Hall 

 thus describes : 



" According to Innuit custom, an immediate invitation was given by the suc- 

 cessful hunter's family for every one to attend a seal-feast. Our igloo was soon 

 crowded. My station was on the dais, or bed-place, so that I could watch 

 what was going on. The first thing done was to conseci'ate the blubber by 

 sprinkling water over it. Then our host proceeded to separate the blubber 

 and skin from the meat and skeleton of the seal. The body was then opened, 

 and the blood scooped out. The blood is considered very precious. The liver 

 came next, cut into pieces and eaten raw, I getting a shai*e. Then followed dis- 

 tributing the ribs, for social picking, also eaten raw, I doing my duty, and be- 

 coming quite an Innuit in all except in the quantity eaten. This I might chal- 

 lenge any white man to do. No human stomach but an Innuit's could possibly 



