110 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



and reindeer hairs, and many other things — too numerous to call 

 them all by name. Poor thing ! yet she was fat and beautiful — 

 the very picture of health. Her cheeks were as red as the blown 

 rose. Nature's vermilion was upon them. 



" A full hour was I before getting that child's hair so that I 

 could draw the coarse end of a coarse comb through it ! At last 

 that job was completed. Her little fingers quickly braided a tag 

 of hair on each side of her head. Then I gave her two brass 

 rings (which is the fashion among the Esquimaux women) through 

 which to draw the hair. The skin trowsers and coat were thrown 

 off, and the red dress put on." 



Many Esquimaux now visited us, and from them I tried to ob- 

 tain all the information I could as to my intended journey to- 

 ward King "William's Land. I also discussed the question with 

 Captain Allen, of the Black Eagle, who I soon found well capable 

 and willing to advise me. It was, however, too late in the season 

 to attempt commencing the journey then, and this all of those with 

 whom I conversed, Esquimaux and white men, told me. I had 

 therefore to wait, and meanwhile make myself well accustomed 

 to the sort of life I should have to endure while actually prose- 

 cuting my undertaking. 



A day or two afterward I was showing Kimmiloo, Ookoodlear, 

 and Shookok (pretty little Esquimaux girls) the pictorial illustra- 

 tions in a number of the Family Bible, when " Blind George"- 

 came on board. When I asked him his name, he said, in Esqui- 

 maux, " George — poor blind George, as Americans call me." 



" What is your Innuit name ?" said I. " Pau-loo-yer," was the 

 response ; and then immediately added, " What is yours ?" I told 

 him, and after repeating it several times till he had pronounced 

 it correctly, he was satisfied. I explained that the prefix "Mr." 

 to the "Hall," which I had casually given, was an address ap- 

 plied to men ; whereupon, soon afterward meeting the steward 

 and blacksmith, and hearing them called by those terms, he at 

 once said " Mr. Steward — Mr. Blacksmith." I tried to explain 

 the difference to him, and it was not long before he understood 

 me. He was quick to perceive mistakes, and, when he saw an 

 error of his own, had a hearty laugh over it. He made all his 

 clothes — sealskins ; and the way he threaded his needle was most 

 amusing and singular. He took the eye end of a needle between 

 his teeth, bringing the needle into proper position, and then placed 

 it on his tongue near the end. He next brought the end of his 



