180 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION". 



and fuel. They arrived, bringing their worldly goods, while I 

 was talking to Tookoolito, and at once the new-comers proceeded 

 to place their lamp on the opposite side to that of the mistress of 

 the igloo. They first filled it abundantly with seal-blubber, then 

 putting in large wicks of moss, soon brought forth a long, even 

 train of light and a glorious heat. The new-comers, it appeared, 

 had managed to procure some of the precious seal-blubber, so 

 much needed. 



At Ugarng's igloo, which I visited the same day, I there en- 

 countered several women and children congregated together. I 

 was welcomed at once by Nikujar, "Polly," the first or family 

 wife of Ugarng, and by Punnie, his third wife — No. 2 wife, Run- 

 niu, being absent, though her lamp was bright and in full trim. 

 Little Kookooyer (the child of Blind George) was also there, and, 

 with her fat cheeks, laughing eyes, and pleasant voice, greeted me 

 as I entered. 



"Polly," in speaking to me, could only raise her voice to a 

 whisper, for she was suffering from a pulmonic disease, and al- 

 most unable to utter a word without pain. 



While waiting at this igloo, in came Puto and her child — Puto 

 finding it necessary to rearrange the pack at her back prior to a 

 final start for the upper village. Her infant was given to little 

 Kookooyer to hold ; but, as it was rather noisy, I thought to 

 pacify the babe by taking it in my own hands, and, in doing so, 

 tried to show them how civilized mothers carry and nurse their 

 children. This, however, only produced a hearty laugh ; and I 

 was made to understand that, in all the matters relating to the 

 tending of infants — even in the very minutest, as there and then 

 shown to me— the Innuit custom was the best. 



I could here mention one or two facts, but it will be unneces- 

 sary more than to say that mothers here at home will comprehend 

 all my meaning when I tell them that an Innuit infant is carried 

 naked in the mother's hood, yet in close contact with the parent's 

 skin. Thus every childish necessity is generally anticipated in 

 good time by the ever-sensitive, watchful mother. 



On the 18th of December we heard of an arrival at the upper 

 village from Annawa, the Esquimaux who, with his family, it may 

 be remembered, went away on the 30th of the previous August. 

 This Esquimaux was a brother of some of the most enterprising 

 Innuits in the North. He lived almost the life of a hermit — that 

 is, he resided with his small family in a distant part, away from 



