ACEOSS THE SUB-AECTICS OF CANADA 



parallel; while toward the north their range is almost un- 

 limited. They are a very thinly scattered race, roving in 

 small bands over great treeless wildernesses. 



My first meeting with the Eskimos led me to think them 

 a wild people. There were thirty-six of them, all women and 

 children, piled into one of their " oomiacks," or skin boats, 

 and all were whooping and yelling at the top of their voices, 

 while those not paddling were swinging their arms (and legs, 

 too) in the wildest maimer. They were natives of Prince 

 of Wales Sound, Hudson Straits, coming out from shore to 

 meet the steamship Alert, which to them was a fiery monster 

 of mystery. 



Accompanying them was a party of men in kyacks, and 

 all were preparing to board the ship without invitation ; but 

 the first officer, by brandishing a cordwood stick, and threaten- 

 ing to hurl it at them if they came too near — ^backing up the 

 menace with the liberal use of some strong English which 

 they did not understand— induced them to await his con- 

 venience to receive them. 



When the ship was past some shoals near which she was 

 steaming, and safely into harbor, the natives were allowed to 

 come on board. They were an odd-looking crowd, some of 

 them curiously dressed. One old grey-haired chief had 

 apparently reached a stage of civilization in his attire not 

 common among the Eskimos, for outside of his sealskin 

 clothing he wore a long white cotton nightshirt, of which he 

 evidently was very proud. The Eskimos are always pleased 

 with the acquisition of white men's garments, but their ideas 

 as to how and when they should be worn do not always agree 

 with ours. 



Early navigators have described the Eskimos as being 

 savage tribes, greatly to be feared, and it is true that un- 

 fortunate crews have fallen into their hands and been ill- 

 treated by them-; but often in such cases the fault has been 

 as much with the whites as with the poor savages. They 



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