LAST VOVAGE OF CAPT; ROSS, 
805 
and no cat could lick its ‘kitten, no bear its cub, with greater 
assiduity and attention. By degrees the face began to assume 
its natural features, and in the space of a quarter of an hour, not 
a vestige of the blood and blubber was to be seen. The opera¬ 
tion was performed in such a masterly manner, that it was evi¬ 
dent that the good wife was an adept in the art of licking, and 
according to some observations which were subsequently made, 
it was ascertained, that it was the method adopted by these un¬ 
civilized people in the cleaning of their own hands, whilst the 
duty was performed by others in the cleaning of their faces. 
Whilst this singular scene was enacting between Meviak 
and his dutiful and obedient spouse, a not less singular one was 
performing by their children on the bodies of the seals, which 
had been just skinned, and on which the blood was as yet pure 
and fresh. The carcasses were lying on the deck, preparatory to 
being cut up for the dogs, when the children attracted by the 
inviting smell of the blood, squatted themselves down by the 
animals, and with a zest equal to that, which Quin evinced 
whilst regaling upon a John Dory swimming in his sauce pi- 
quante, they licked with all their natural greediness, the blood 
from the carcasses, and no dog could have licked his trencher 
cleaner, than these human brutes did the bodies of the seals. 
It was however a discovery not very gratifying to the refined 
and delicate feelings of the consumers of the trout, however 
tempting and inviting they might appear on the breakfast table, 
when the knowledge was conveyed to them of the manner in 
which the trout were cured, or more properly speaking of the 
process which the fish underwent preparatory to their being 
dried. We know there is a particular substance used in the 
curing of the Finden haddock, which imparts to it that exquisite 
flavour which renders it such a delectable bonne bouche on the 
scotch breakfast table, and as long as any information on that 
subject might have a tendency to deprive our northern friends of 
the enjoyment of a good breakfast, it would be an act of spite 
and ill nature in us, to deprive them of their happy ignorance. 
But let us trace the history of the trout, previously to its ap. 
pearance on the table of Capt. Ross. We cannot tell whether 
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