awahtok’s hut. 
407 
narrow hole of entrance covered by a flat stone, the 
heat became insupportable. Outside, the thermometer 
stood at 30° below zero; within, 90° above: a differ¬ 
ence of one hundred and twenty degrees. 
The vermin were not as troublesome as in the 
Anoatok dormitory, the natives hanging their clothing 
over the lamp-frames, and lying down to sleep per¬ 
fectly naked, with the exception of a sort of T bandage, 
as surgeons call it, of seal-skin, three inches wide, worn 
by the women as a badge of their sex, and supported 
by a mere strip around the hips. 
After sharing the supper of their hosts,—that is to 
say, after disposing of six frozen auks apiece,—the 
visitors stretched themselves out and passed the night 
in unbroken perspiration and slumber. It was evident 
from the meagreness of the larder that the hunters of 
the family had work to do; and from some signs, which 
did not escape the sagacity of Morton, it was plain that 
Myouk and his father had determined to seek their 
next dinner upon the floes. They were going upon a 
walrus-hunt; and Morton, true to the mission with 
which I had charged him, invited himself and Hans to 
be of the party. 
I have not yet described one of these exciting inci¬ 
dents of Esquimaux life. Morton was full of the one 
he witnessed; and his account of it when he came back 
was so graphic that I should be glad to escape from 
the egotism of personal narrative by giving it in his 
own words. Let me first, however, endeavor to de¬ 
scribe the animal. 
