538 
LAST VOYAGE OF CAPT. ROSS, 
sailors in their uncouth habiliments, a mixture of savage clumsi¬ 
ness, and civilised skill ; the confusion of noises and discordant 
sounds, proceeding- at one time from the interjeclional exclama¬ 
tions of the Esquimaux, and at another, from the hoarse and bluff 
voices of the sailors, amongst which were now and then heard 
the commanding words of the captain, attempting to make him¬ 
self heard amidst an uproar, which would have impressed on the 
mind of the spectator, some idea of the confusion, which reigned 
at the Tower of Babel; and then, when the ladies of the Esqui¬ 
maux nation, began to display their grace and agility in the 
dance, catching hold of the first sailor, that came within their 
reach, no matter whether an officer or a foremast man, and 
hugging him to their affectionate bosom, which imparted to 
the favored being, some idea of what his feelings would be, 
if he should perchance happen to fall within the embraces of a 
shaggy bear, and then the performance to conclude (as our play 
bills have it) with a grand display of antics, performed by the 
most active of the company, which antics, consisted in the men 
placing themselves in the most grotesque and ludicrous atti¬ 
tudes, and distorting every feature of their face, to increase the 
ugliness, which nature has so lavishly bestowed upon them. 
It is most probable, that this truly original performance would 
have concluded with the exhibition of the antics of the men; 
had not Mr. Light, on a sudden, struck up some inspiring sounds 
from his violin, which appeared to have the same effect upon 
the whole tribe, even including the children, as if every one of 
them had been bitten by a tarantula. In some respects, they 
might be compared to a congregation of Jumpers, attempting to 
catch the spirit, for the spirit of emulation appeared to animate 
every breast, as to which could excel the other, in the altitude 
of their jumps; in one of which, the entire dress of one of the 
ladies fell from her shoulders, and left her in paribus naturali - 
bus . The dress was politely handed to her by one of the sailors, 
to whom she said, Kogenna! Kogenna ! (thanks ! thanks!) and 
having thrown the deer skin over her shoulders, began to jump 
again, until the music ceased, as if no accident whatever had 
befallen her. 
