14 MY ARCTIC JOURNAL 



with bunches of wild flowers. We gave them some hardtack 

 in return, and they were happy. 



Mr. Peary, Professor Heilprin, myself, and two other mem- 

 bers of our party dined with the inspector in the evening, 

 joining some members of the Danish communit}% who had 

 also been invited. The course consisted of fresh codfish with 

 caper-sauce, roast ptarmigan, potatoes boiled and then 

 browned; and for dessert, "Rudgrud," a "dump," almonds, 

 and raisins. There was, following European custom, a va- 

 ried accompaniment of wines. 



After dinner the gentlemen went up-stairs to examine the 

 geological and oological collections of the inspector, while the 

 ladies preferred the parlor with their coffee. Were it not for 

 the outer surroundings, it would have been difficult to realize 

 that we were in the distant Arctic realm, so truly homelike 

 were the scenes of the little household, and so cheerful the 

 little that was necessary to make living here not only com- 

 fortable, but pleasant. The entire community numbers barely 

 1 20 souls, nine tenths of whom are Eskimos, mainly half- 

 breeds ; the remainder are the Danish officials and their 

 families, whose recreation lies almost entirely within the little 

 circle which they themselves constitute. 



Toward nine o'clock we visited the storehouse, where a 

 native ball was in progress. Several of our boys went the 

 rounds with the Eskimo " belles," but for me the odor of the 

 interior was too strong to permit me to say that looking on 

 was an " unalloyed pleasure." The steps were made to the 



