OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. 



205 



the rest by the men, who, tying the thong which held it round their waist, 

 dragged in each his separate portion. Before the whole was brought in how- ^r>u 

 ever, some of them went out three times to the scene of action though the 

 distance was a mile and a half. 



Every lamp now swimming with oil, the huts exhibited a blaze of light, Wed. 3d. 

 and never was there a scene of more joyous festivity than while the opera- 

 tion of cutting up the walruses continued. I took the opportunity which 

 their present good humour afforded, to obtain a perfect head and tusks of 

 one of these animals, which we had not been able to do before ; and indeed, 

 so much were their hearts opened by the scene of abundance before them, 

 that I believe they would have given us any thing we asked for. This dis- 

 position was considerably increased also by their taking it into their heads, 

 that their success was in some way or other connected with, or even owing 

 to, our having taken up our night's lodging at the huts. 



After viewing all this festivity for some time, I felt disposed to rest ; and 

 wrapping myself up in my fur coat, lay down on one of the beds which Illumea 

 had given up for our accommodation, as well as her keipik, or large deer-skin 

 blanket, which she rolled up for my pillow. The poor old woman herself 

 sat up by her lamp, and in that posture seemed perfectly well satisfied to 

 doze away the night. The singularity of my night's lodging made me 

 awake several times, when I always found some of the Esquimaux eating, 

 though after we lay down they kept quite quiet for fear of disturbing us. 

 Mr. Halse, who was still more wakeful, told me that some of them were 

 incessantly employed in this manner for more than three hours. Indeed the 

 quantity of meat that they thus contrive to get rid of is almost beyond 

 belief. 



Having at length enjoyed a sound nap, I found on awaking about five 

 o'clock that the men were already up, and had gone out to renew their 

 labours on the ice, so that several of them could not have rested more than 

 two or three hours. This circumstance served to correct a notion we had 

 entertained, that when once abundantly supplied with food they took no 

 pains to obtain more till want began again to stare them in the face. It was 

 now more pleasing to be assured that, even in the midst of plenty, they did 

 not indolently give themselves up to repose, but were willing to take advan- 

 tage of every favourable opportunity of increasing their store. It is certain 

 indeed that were these people more provident, (or in other words less glut- 

 tonous, for they do not waste much,) they might never know what it is to 



