OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



177 



of being also out of pocket. It was laughable to observe the pains he now 18 ' 2 ' 2 - 

 took to impress on the mind of every person he saw, that he was no longer 

 a tigliktoke, by which name he had lately been distinguished ; for he 

 seemed to think that my receiving him again into favour was a perfect 

 absolution from his offence. 



The gale continued to blow from the north-west throughout the day, 

 though the barometer gradually rose from 29.73 to 29.93 inches. Two 

 ravens were seen: these birds, which were observed frequently in the 

 course of the winter, were almost always seen in a single par at a time, 

 and their plumage remained perfectly black as in the summer. 



On the 23d I paid another visit to the huts, and found the greater part Sat. 23. 

 of the men absent on their sealing excursions. We thought however that, 

 except on pressing occasions, one man was left in each hut to keep an eye 

 on the conduct of the women, and this was the case to-day. The huts 

 had in the interior assumed a somewhat different appearance since I had 

 last seen them ; the roofs were much blackened by the smoke of the 

 lamps, and the warmth had in most parts given them a glazed and honey- 

 combed surface: indeed the whole of the walls had become much thinner 

 by thawing, so that the light was more plainly visible through them. The 

 snow also on which the lamps stood was considerably worn away, so as to 

 destroy in great measure the regularity of the original plan of construction. 

 To these changes might be added that of a vast quantity of blood and oil 

 that now defaced the purity of the snowy floor, and emitted effluvia not 

 very agreeable to European noses; so that, upon the whole, it may be ima- 

 gined that our first impressions of the comfort and cleanliness of these ha- 

 bitations were more favourable than their present state was calculated to 

 excite. 



To the original apartments they had now also added various smaller 

 places for stores, communicating with the huts from within, and looking 

 something like our ovens, though without any door to them. In some of 

 these they deposited their upper jackets, which they usually take off in 

 coming into their huts, as we do a great coat ; while in smaller ones, like 

 little shelves in a recess, they kept various articles of their Kablooana 

 riches. These and similar alterations and additions they were constantly 

 making throughout the winter; for their inexhaustible materials being always 

 at hand, it required but little time and labour to adopt any arrangement 

 that might suit their convenience. 



2 A 



