388 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS. 
until all the danger was overcome. In one instance, however, 
his love of mischief or of fun carried him rather too far, for 
having got Blankey on his back, as they were descending a rugged 
declivity, it struck him, that the most expeditious method of 
enabling his burthen to arrive at the bottom, was to throw him 
over his head, and by the force of gravity, force him in a 
rotatory motion to reach the surface below. It however fre¬ 
quently happens, that an individual is caught in the trap which 
his dexterity or his cunning has prompted him to lay for another, 
and in the present instance, Alwak in attempting to disencumber 
himself of his load, lost his own footing, and rolling over and 
over, he arrived at the bottom before Blankey, whose descent 
was impeded by a mound of snow, and the laugh, which he had 
intended for another, was turned against himself. 
It is the current opinion amongst physiologists, that the 
particular trait of character known by the appellation of humour, 
is not to be found amongst the savage tribes of the human race, 
nor can it be said to be the effect of either education or culture. 
It is a distinct natural property, and some men have a greater 
aptitude for the enjoyment of it than others. It is not every 
one who can even enjoy the humour of a Liston or a Matthews, 
for from a particular obtuseness of mind, they are not able to 
discover in what the joke consists, much less to enjoy the appli¬ 
cation of it. In some respects, however, the character of Alwak 
belied the opinion of the physiologists, he was in reality an 
untutored savage, and yet there was at times a display of 
humour about him, which, although, it might be thrown away 
upon his immediate associates, was highly relished by Com¬ 
mander Ross, and rendered him a decided favorite. The 
character of Ooblooraiak was of a very different calibre ; a smile 
was very seldom seen to sit upon his countenance, and all the 
attempts of Alwak to excite fun and merriment were met with 
a decided expression of contempt, nor did Alwak appear to be 
ignorant of the real character of his companion, for he seldom 
ventured to pass any of his jokes upon him, and those, which 
he did pass, were obliged to be so softened down, that their 
application was scarcely perceptible. 
