178 



ESQUIMAUX. 



ill general., they lay up provisions at these 

 different places for the winter, and probably 

 seldom suffer from want of food ; nor are they 

 long in summer without their favourite dish 

 of the flesh and fat of the seal, mixed with 

 train oil as a sauce, which they prefer to 

 salmon ; and when not mixed with their food, 

 they drink the oil as a cordial. 



The Esquimaux often surrounded me in 

 groupes, during their stay at the Factory, and 

 cordially shaking hands, were fond of saying, 

 that the Northern Indians, or Chepewyans, 

 sprang from dogs, but that they were formerly 

 as white men. I encouraged them in the idea 

 that we were originally of the same parents, 

 but that they being scattered, we knew now a 

 great deal more than they did, and therefore 

 came to see if it were possible to teach their 

 children our knowledge, for their happiness, 

 and also themselves, if it were their desire. 

 They appeared to be quite overjoyed at this 

 conversation, and laughed heartily, shouting, 

 " Heigh ! heigh ! " saying, (as the interpreter 

 expressed it,) ™ We want to know the Grand 

 God." 



I told them that there were stones on the 

 edge of the water, in their country, and that 

 with a little wood, a house might be made like 



