CHARMING RABBITS. 



528 



fluid, as if made by boiling down the dirty scrapings of a butch- 

 er's stall. He would see men, women, and children — my humble 

 self included — engaged in devouring the contents of that kettle, 

 and he would pity the human beings who could be reduced to 

 such necessity as to eat the horrid stuff. The dishes out of which 

 the soup is taken would turn his stomach, especially when he 

 should see dogs wash them out with their long pliant tongues 

 previous to our using them. But I will not multiply particulars. 



Sharkey this day saw a rabbit when out on the island hunting 

 partridges, but could not get a shot at it. If "Jennie," or any 

 other female songster, had been with him, he would probably 

 have secured it. Innuits, when they go after rabbits, generally 

 have such a vocalist with them. While she sings " charmingly" 

 the sportsman is enabled to have a fair shot. The rabbit delights 

 in listening to the music of a female Innuit voice, and will stop, 

 sit up, and be shot under its charms. 



The scarcity of provisions, combined with the troubles I en- 

 countered with the evil-disposed Innuits, Koojesse and Jennie, 

 had been so great, that I had determined to abandon my journey 

 farther up the bay, and return at once to the Countess of War- 

 wick's Sound; but we now found ourselves so abundantly sup- 

 plied that I concluded to take Sharkey, and, leaving the rest of 

 my company at the place of the tenth encampment, to make a 

 flying trip up the bay with sledge and dogs. Sharkey at first 

 cheerfully assented to my proposition, but on May 6th he signi- 

 fied to me his desire to take Jennie with him. I declined to ac- 

 cede to this request, and he acquiesced in my decision, but Jennie 

 flew into a rage. She put on her kodlins and dodged out of the 

 igloo, attempting to run away ; Sharkey darted after her, and in 

 about an hour they returned, on apparently amicable terms. 



The next morning, May 7th, I went on with my preparations 

 for departure ; the movements of Jennie showed plainly, that she 

 intended to go. When the sledge was nearly loaded, I went to 

 Koojesse and asked him if Jennie was really going with us; he 

 answered affirmatively, and I therefore called Sharkey into the 

 igloo and talked with him. He acted nobly, telling Jennie that 

 she must remain with Koojesse and Tunukderlien till our return. 

 He had previously bound her jacket and tuktoo bed upon the 

 sledge, but at once threw them off, though I could see that he had 

 a mountain of trouble within. After much delay we started. 



When we were out on the sea-ice we kept a sharp watch of 



