392 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



which the upper one is provided with a great hood — with their water-tight 

 seal-skin boots, lined with the downy skins of birds, and their enormous gloves, 

 they bid defiance to the severest cold, and even in the hardest weather pursue 

 their occupations in the open air whenever the moon is in the sky, or during 

 the doubtful meridian twilight. The women are perfect in the art of making 

 water-tight shirts, or " kamleikas," of the entrails of the seal or walrus, which 

 in summer serve to replace their heavy skin jackets. They also sew their boots 

 so tight that not the slightest wet can penetrate, and with a neatness of 

 which the best shoemaker in Europe might be proud. The dress of the two 

 sexes is much alike, the outer jacket having a pointed skirt before and behind, 

 but that of the females is a little longer. The women also wear larger hoods, 

 in which they carry their children ; and sometimes (as in Labrador) the inner 

 boot has in front a long, pointed flap, to answer the same purpose. 



The Esquimaux are equally expert in the construction of their huts. As 

 soon as the lengthening days induce the tribes about Cape Bathurst and the 

 mouth of the Mackenzie to move seaward on the ice to the seal-hunt, a marvel- 

 lous system of architecture comes into use, unknown among any other Ameri- 

 can nations. The fine pure snow has by that time acquired, under the action 

 of the winds and frosts, sufficient coherence to form an admirable light build- 

 ing material, which the Esquimaux skillfully employ for the erection of most 

 comfortable dome-shaped houses. A circle is first traced on the smooth sur- 

 face of the snow, and slabs for raising the walls cut from within, so as to clear 

 a space down to the ice, which is to form the floor of the dwelling, and whose 

 evenness was previously ascertained by probing. The slabs for the dome are 

 cut from some neighboring spot. The crevices between the slabs are plugged 

 up, and the seams closed, by throwing a few shovelfuls of loose snow over the 

 fabric. Two men generally work together, and when the dome is completed 

 the one within cuts a low door and creeps out. The walls being only three or 

 four inches thick, admit a very agreeable light, which serves for ordinary pur- 

 poses ; if more is required, a window of transparent ice is introduced. The 

 proper thickness of the walls is of some importance ; one of a few inches ex- 

 cludes the wind, yet keeps down the damp so as to prevent dripping from the 

 interior. The furniture of this crystal hut is also formed of snow (the seats, 

 the table, the sleeping-places), and, when covered with skins, is very comfort- 

 able. By means of antechambers and porches, with the opening turned to lee- 

 ward, warmth is insured, and social intercourse facilitated by contiguous build- 

 ing, doors of communication, and covered passages. By constant practice the 

 Esquimaux can raise such huts almost as quickly as we could pitch a tent. 

 When M'Clintock for a few nails hired four Esquimaux to build a hut for his 

 party, they completed it in an hour, though it was eight feet in diameter and 

 five and a half feet high. 



In spite of its fragile materials, this snow-house is durable, for the wind has 

 little effect on its dome-like form, and it resists the thaw until the sun acquires 

 a very considerable power. Of course a strong fire could not possibly be made 

 within, but such is not needed by the Esquimaux. The train-oil lamp suffices 

 to dry his wet clothes and boots when he returns from hunting ; and the crowd- 



