KANE'S EXPEDITION (1855) 45 



whole nation is gipsying with us upon the icy 

 meadows. 



" We cook for them in our big camp-kettle ; they sleep 

 in the Red Eric ; a berg close at hand supplies them 

 with water ; and thus, rich in all that they value, — sleep 

 and food and drink and companionship, — with their 

 treasured short-lived summer sun above them, the beau 

 ideal and sum of Esquimaux blessings, they seem 

 supremely happy. 



" Poor creatures ! It is only six months ago that 

 starvation was among them : many of the faces around 

 me have not yet lost the lines of wasting suspense. The 

 walrus-season is again of doubtful productiveness, and 

 they are cut off from their brethren to the south, at 

 Netelik, and Appah, until winter rebuilds the avenue of 

 ice. With all this, no thoughts of the future cross them. 

 Babies squall, and women chatter, and the men weave 

 their long yarns with peals of rattling hearty laughter 

 between. 



" Ever since we reached Pekiutlik, these friends of ours 

 have considered us their guests. They have given us 

 hand-sledges for our baggage, and taken turn about in 

 watches to carry us and it to the water's edge. But for 

 them our dreary journey would have been prolonged at 

 least a fortnight, and we are so late even now that hours 

 may measure our lives. Metek, Myouk, Nessark, Erkee, 

 and the half-grown boys have been our chief labourers ; 

 but women, children, and dogs are all bearing their part 



" Whatever may have been the faults of these 

 Esquimaux heretofore, stealing was the only grave one. 

 Treacherv they may have conceived ; and I have reason 

 to believe that, under superstitious fears of an evil 

 influence from our presence, they would at one time have 

 been glad to destroy us. But the day of all this has 

 passed away. When trouble came to us and to them, and 



