April, 1859. MEET OLD ACQUAINTANCE. 



249 



cracked, — never were men more disfigured by 

 the combined effects of bright sun and bitterly 

 cold winds ; fortunately no serious frost-bites 

 occurred, but frost-bitten faces and fingers were 

 universal. 



On 20tb April, in latitude 70i° N., we met 

 two families of natives, comprising twelve in- 

 dividuals ; their snow huts were upon the ice 

 three-quarters of a mile off shore, and their 

 occupation was seal-hunting. They were the 

 same people with whom I had communicated at 

 Cape Yictoria in February. 



Old Oo-na-lee laid his hands on Petersen's 

 shoulders to measure their width, and said, " He 

 is fatter now :" true enough, the February tem- 

 perature and sharp marching had caused us 

 both at that time to shrink considerably. 



Their snow huts were built in the above form, 

 the common entrance and both passages being 

 just sufficiently high to get in without having 



