A COMMON FAILING OF YOUNG LADIES. 
391 
built fires under them to lessen the eflect of the 
moisture. 
Dogs, children, and fish seemed to prevail to a greater 
extent than any thing else, though cattle and grown 
people were far from scarce. These latter were rather 
below the middle stature than otherwise, and we could 
not distinguish between them and the natives near the 
coal-mine. Their complexion was a sickly bronzed 
olive, features irregular, and they were dressed mostly 
in loose trousers, smockfrock, and hood, — all being 
made fi'om the skin of the reindeer. Some of them 
wore the fur insiSe; others, out: just as the fancy 
seemed to strike them. The same garment could be 
worn either way. 
Describing complexions is not my forte ; and some one 
may ask, ‘‘What is a sickly bronze ?’* They looked like 
persons of a naturally-fair complexion wdio had been 
chronically darkened from generation to generation ; 
for even the infants partook of the general hue. Their 
forms were remarkably light and sinewy, their eye 
bright, and the springing step of their moccasin-clad 
feet indicated muscles of unfailing elasticity. The 
more youthful of the fair (?) sex were lively, cheerful, 
and far from ugly, boasting hands and feet of rare 
mould and dimensions. Like young ladies of almost 
every latitude, they seemed to think that the fact of 
their being young and pretty entitled them to an extra 
amount of consideration; and I am free to acknowledge 
that they got as many skeins of silk, papers of needles, 
&c. &c. for their well-expended smiles as did their more 
