IGLOO BUILDING. 



505 



most suitable for that purpose. Then one commenced sawing 

 out snow blocks, using a hand-saw, an implement now in great 

 demand among the Innuits for this purpose ; the blocks having 

 been cut from the space the igloo was to occupy, the other Innuit 

 proceeded to lay the foundation tier, which consisted of seventeen 

 blocks, each three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and six inches 

 thick. Then commenced the "spiraling," allowing each tier - to 

 fall in, dome-shaped, till the whole was completed, and the key- 

 stone of the dome or arch dropped into its place, the builders be- 

 ing within during the operation. When the igloo was finished 

 the two Innuits were walled in ; then a square opening was cut 

 at the rear of the dwelling, and through this Smith and I passed 

 some snow blocks which we had sawed out. These Sharkey and 

 Koojesse chipped or " minced" with their snow-knives, while Tu- 

 nukderlien and Jennie trod the fragments into a hard bed of snow, 

 forming the couch or dais of the igloo. This done, the women 

 quickly erected on the right and left the fire-stands, and soon had 

 fires blazing, and snow melting with which to slake our thirst. 

 Then the usual shrubs, kept for that purpose, were evenly spread 

 on the snow of the bed-place ; over that was laid the canvas of 

 my tent, and over all were spread tuktoo furs, forming the bed. 

 When the work had been thus far advanced, the main door was 

 cut out of the crystal white wall, and the walrus meat and other 

 things were passed in. Then both openings were sealed up, and 

 all within were made happy in the enjoyment of comforts that 

 would hardly be dreamed of by those at home. 



I must here mention an incident which shows that the Innuits 

 are equal to any emergency which may arise in their own coun- 

 try. For my supper I had some pemmican soup, but, on tasting 

 it, it was too fresh, and we had no salt. What could we do? In 

 a moment that was decided. Sharkey, on hearing what was 

 wanted, took his knife and cut down into the snow floor of the 

 igloo, in less than a minute coming to salt water. This aston- 

 ished me, and I asked how it was that salt water had thus got 

 above the main ice. They replied that the great depth of snow 

 on the ice pressed it down. 



During that day's trip I found that two puppies formed part of 

 our company. Their mother was an excellent sledge-dog of our 

 team. The pups were carried in the legs of a pair of fur breech- 

 es, and they rode on the sledge when traveling. Every time we 

 made a stop they were taken out of their warm quarters and giv- 



