ACEOSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA 



but until the supply is exhausted and absolutely nothing re- 

 mains but the skin and skeleton. The blood, being considered 

 very fine, is dipped up with skin cups or horn spoons, and 

 consumed with the flesh. 



The blubber, or outer layer of fat, which is found on most 

 Arctic animals, is separated from the skin and cut into long 

 strips about an inch square. Thus prepared, it is swallowed, 

 not eaten. It is simply lowered down the throat as one might 

 lower a rope into a well. During the summer season the 

 blubber is not used as food, but is saved to be used for 

 lighting purposes during the long, dark nights of the suc- 

 ceeding winter. 



An Eskimo appears to have no idea of a limited capacity 

 for food, but usually eats until the supply fails. I knew of 

 one exception, however, where an old woman, after doing 

 heroically, was forced to yield. 



A party of Eskimos were having a big feast on the carcase 

 of a whale, which they consider very good food, when this 

 woman, in her ambition, overestimated her capabilities and 

 ate until she became quite torpid. Her friends, supposiag 

 her to be dead, trailed her oxit and buried her in the snow, 

 but a day or two afterwards she kicked off the snow that 

 covered her and rejoined her astonished companions. 



!N"ext to stowage capacity, an Eskimo's stomach is noted for 

 its powers of digestion. For instance, both the flesh and hide 

 of the walrus are common articles of food with them, and 

 yet these are so hard and gritty that when skinning or cutting 

 up the animal one has to be continually sharpening his 

 knife. 



The skin of a walrus is a good deal like that of an elephant, 

 and is from half an inch to an inch and a half in thickness ; 

 but, notwithstanding this, and the hardness of its structure, 

 the little Eskimo children may often be seen running about 

 gnawing pieces of walrus hide as if they were apples. Some- 

 times, however, they have no walrus hide or meat of any 



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