We fancied that we had got everything comfortable for the winter, which
now, about the middle of October, began to set in with severe
earnestness, with heavy falls of snow and strong northerly winds. Our
house, on which we had so much prided ourselves, did not keep out the
cold blast as we expected; and though we covered ourselves up with
blankets, and sails, and skins, and kept up a constant fire in the
little stove we had brought from the cabin of the wreck, we were almost
perished with cold.
It was after a very severe night, and we were consulting what we should
do to keep warm, that we saw the sledges of our Esquimaux friends come
dashing along down the valley towards us. We were anxious to return the
hospitality they had shown us so we asked them into the house and
stirred up our fire, threw some more wood on it, and put on a pot of
lobscouse to regale them.
They could scarcely restrain their feelings of dismay when they saw this
waste of wood, to them so precious a thing, and by signs they entreated
us to desist; reminding us that they had cooked their meat in a very
different way. However, as the pot began to boil, there was no
necessity for putting more wood on.
They then tried to show us, by significant gestures, that they thought
we should be frozen to death in our house when the cold increased. To
do this, they shivered very much, then shut their eyes, and stretched
out their limbs till they were rigid, and looking round at the walls,
shook their heads, as much as to say, "This will never do." Then they
smiled, and explained that they could soon show us how to manage.
Having selected a level spot near our house, they beat the snow on it
down till it was quite hard, and then marked out a circle about twelve
feet in diameter. They then, from under a bank where the snow had
drifted thickly and was very hard, cut out a number of slabs like large
bricks, about two feet long and six inches thick. These they placed
edgeways on the spot marked out, leaving a space to the south-west for
the door. A second tier was laid on this, but the pieces were made to
incline a little inwards. The top of this was squared off with a knife
by one of them who stood in the middle, while the others from without
supplied him with bricks.
When the wall had been raised to the height of five feet, it leaned so
much that we thought it would certainly fall in; but still our friends
worked on till they could no longer reach the top. The man within then
cut a hole in the south-west side, where the door was intended to be,
and through this the slabs were now passed. They worked on till the
sides met in a well-constructed dome; and then one climbing up to the
top, dropped into the centre the last block or keystone.
The rest of the party were all this time busily employed with their
snow-shovels in throwing up the snow around the building, and in
carefully filling any crevices which might have been left.
While we stood looking on with amazement at the rapidity and neatness
with which the work was executed, the builder let himself out as a mole
does out of his mole-hill. He cut away the door till he had formed a
gothic arch, about three feet high, and two and a half wide at the
bottom. From this door in the same way two passages were constructed
about twelve feet long, the floor of them being considerably lower than
the floor of the hut, so that one had to creep up through them into the
hut.
We were wondering how they were to see through the thick snow, when from
one of the sledges a large slab of fresh-water ice was produced; and the
builder cutting a round hole in one side of the roof, it was let into it
to form a window.
After the window was cut, the builder remained inside for a short time,
and then invited us to enter. He had collected the snow on one side to
form the beds for a family. Round the remaining portion seats were
formed, and a place for holding the cooking-lamp.
Indeed the house thus rapidly formed was perfect in every respect. The
light which came through the ice was like that transmitted through
ground glass, very soft and pleasant, and tinted with the most delicate
hues of green and blue. A domed room of the most shining alabaster
could not be more beautiful. We found that our friends intended to take
up their abode near us; for as soon as they had finished one hut, they
began upon others, making signs to us that the first they intended for
our occupation.
We would rather, perhaps, for some reasons, that they had selected a
spot at a greater distance; but they were so honest and good-natured,
that we had little cause to complain. Andrew suggested that though we
might not use the hut they had built, we might take a lesson from them,
and cover in our house with snow of the same thickness as their walls,
procuring from them slabs of ice for the windows.
No sooner was this proposed than we set about the work, at which, when
our indefatigable friends observed it, they were so pleased that several
of them came to assist us in forming the bricks of snow; and in a short
time a thick wall was run up, which made a very sensible difference in
the temperature of our room. The next day we covered in the roof,
leaving only a very small opening for the chimney. We also built a deep
portico before the door, with a second door to it, which prevented the
wind from whistling in as it had before done.
Besides this, we built a courtyard to our house, with the walls eight
feet high, to protect us from the wind; and at last we began to flatter
ourselves that we might be tolerably comfortable, though we had to own
that, notwithstanding all the means we had at our command, the Esquimaux
were better able to make themselves so.
Our fire, from the constant care it required and the difficulty of
procuring fuel, gave us most trouble; so remembering the lamp we had
seen in the tents, we resolved to adopt a similar plan.
We had been so busily engaged in improving our own house, that we had
not remarked the progress made by our friends in the construction of
their habitations. They now invited us to enter them again, when we
found all the families established comfortably in them.
After creeping through the two low passages, each with its arched
doorway, we came to a small circular apartment, of which the roof was a
perfect dome. From this, three doorways, also arched and of larger
dimensions than the outer ones, led into as many inhabited apartments,
one on each side, and the other facing us as we entered.
The scene presented by the interior was very interesting. The women
were seated on the beds at the sides of the huts, each having her little
fireplace or lamp, with all her domestic utensils about her. The
children crept behind their mothers, and the dogs, except the female
ones, which were indulged with a part of the beds, slunk out past us in
dismay.
The roof and sides of the inner rooms were lined with sealskin, neatly
sewed together and exactly fitting the dome, which gave the whole a very
comfortable nest-like appearance. On examination we found that the beds
were arranged, first by covering the snow with a quantity of small
stones, over which were laid tent-poles, blades of whalebone, and other
similar-shaped things; above these a number of little pieces of network,
made of thin slips of whalebone; and lastly, a quantity of leaves and
twigs. Above all was spread a thick coating of skins, which could not
now by any chance touch the snow, and a very comfortable couch was the
result.
The lamps were the same as those used in the tents, and were quite
sufficient to afford ample warmth to the apartments. Indeed, had the
heat been greater, it would have caused the snow to melt, to the great
inconvenience of the inhabitants.
I have already described some of their domestic utensils--their pots
hollowed out of stone, with handles of sinew to place over the fire;
their dishes and plates of whalebone; and their baskets of various
sizes, made of skins; their knives of the tusks of the walrus; their
drinking-cups of the horns of the musk-ox; and their spoons are of the
same material. They also make marrow spoons out of long, narrow,
hollowed pieces of bone, and every housewife has several of them tied
together and attached to her needle-case.
Every person carries a little leathern case, containing moss well dried
and rubbed between the hands, and also the white floss of the seed of
the ground-willow, to serve as tinder. The sparks are struck from two
lumps of iron pyrites; and as soon as the tinder has caught, it is
gently blown till the fire has spread an inch around, when the pointed
end of a piece of oiled wick being applied, it soon bursts into a flame,
the whole process occupying a couple of minutes.
While speaking of their domestic habits, I may remark that in summer
they live on the flesh of the musk-ox, the reindeer, the whale, the
walrus, the seal, and the salmon, besides birds and hares, and any other
animals they can catch; but in the winter they seldom can procure
anything but the walrus and small seal, so that they suffer often from
hunger. Then I am sorry to say they are very improvident, and eat to
repletion when they have a good supply, seldom thinking of saving for
the future.
This is their great fault. I should say that they are a most amiable,
industrious, and peaceful people, whose minds are well prepared to
receive the truths of Christianity, though at present they appear to
have little or no notions whatever of any sort of religion, and none of
a Supreme Being.
The children, from their pleasing manners, took our fancy very much.
They never cry for trifling accidents, and seldom even for severe hurts.
They are as fond of play as other children; and while an English child
draws a cart, an Esquimaux has a sledge of whalebone, and instead of a
baby-house it builds a miniature snow-hut, and begs a lighted wick from
its mother's lamp to illuminate the little dwelling.
Their parents make for them as dolls, little figures of men and women
habited in the true Esquimaux costume, as well as a variety of other
toys, many of them having reference to their future occupations in
life,--such as canoes, spears, and bows and arrows.
Grown people as well as children use the drum or tambourine in their
games. They are fond of notching the edges of two bits of whalebone,
and whirling them round their heads to make a humming sound, just as
English boys do; and they also make toys like wind-mills, with arms to
turn round with the wind.
From an early age boys are taught habits of industry; and when not more
than eight years old, their fathers take them on their seal-catching
expeditions, where they learn how to support themselves during their
future life. They are frequently entrusted, even at that early age, to
bring home a sledge and dogs several miles over the ice; and at the age
of eleven boys are to be seen in water-tight boots and mocassins, with
spears in their hands and coils of line on their backs, accompanying the
men on their fishing excursions.
The village had been established a few days when my friend Ickmallick
proposed that I should accompany him in an expedition in search of game
inland. The Esquimaux had not yet seen us use our guns; but, from
having discovered that we had killed the bears and the walrus by some
means unknown to them, they were impressed with an idea that we were
able to kill any animals without difficulty.
Andrew having no objection to my going, I supplied myself with a store
of provisions to last me several days, with a skin and a couple of
blankets, a cooking-pot and cup; and with my gun in my hand, I took my
seat on my friend's sledge. Besides the six dogs which drew it, we were
accompanied by two brace of hunting dogs, those in the team being also
equally serviceable for running down game. Ickmallick had some walrus
flesh and blubber for himself and the dogs, and a dish for our lamp. He
was armed with a bow and arrows, a spear, and a knife.
I had become possessed of a dog of the name of Tupua, a very fine
animal, who had grown very much attached to me, in consequence of my
feeding him regularly and treating him kindly. He now followed the
sledge with the rest of the pack. Ickmallick cracked his whip, and off
we went over the hard frozen snow at a rapid rate. Where we were going
to I could not tell, except that our course was about west and
south-west.
The first day we saw no game of any description. We travelled, I
suppose, about thirty miles; for though sometimes we went along over the
hard snow very fast, at others we had to go over very rough ground, and
to climb hills. Had I not seen the snow-hut built before, I should have
hesitated about accompanying my friend, on account of not knowing how we
were to pass the nights. I was, however, not surprised to see him set
to work behind a sheltered bank, and in the course of half-an-hour, with
my assistance, run up as comfortable a hut as under the circumstances of
the case we could desire, with a lamp burning within, and a luxurious
bed ready, while another hut, close to it, was run up for the dogs. The
dogs being fed, and our pot having produced us a savoury mess, of which
my companion ate by far the larger portion, we went to bed and slept
soundly till the morning.
We had started about two hours when the sharp eyes of my friend
discovered the traces of two musk-oxen on the steep side of a hill.
Immediately jumping off the sledge, he unyoked the dogs, and commenced
building a hut over it, which might also serve us at night. He then let
slip his dogs, who went off at full speed and were soon out of sight, as
the nature of the ground did not allow a very extensive view. I let go
mine also. But being unaccustomed to walking in the snow, I could not
keep up with Ickmallick; so he slackened his pace, refusing to leave me
behind, though I urged him to do so, lest we should lose our expected
prey. He assured me, however, that the dogs would take very good care
of their own business. We went on, therefore, laboriously enough for
two hours, over a very rugged country, and through deep snow, when,
finding that the footsteps of the dogs no longer followed that of the
oxen, he concluded that they had got up with the animals, and were
probably holding one or both at bay.
We soon found, on turning a hill, that this was the fact; when the sight
of a fine ox at bay before the three dogs cured my fatigue in an
instant, and we went off ourselves at full speed to the rescue.
Ickmallick, however, kept the lead, and was in the act of discharging
his second arrow when I came up. We saw that it had struck on a rib,
since it fell out without even diverting the attention of the animal
from the dogs, which continued barking and dodging round it, seizing it
by the heels whenever they had an opportunity or when it turned to
escape, and then retreating as it faced them.
In the meantime it was trembling with rage, and labouring to reach its
active assailants, but, experienced as they were in this service, unable
to touch them. It was easy to see that my companion's weapons were of
little value in this warfare, or at least that victory would not have
been gained under many hours, as he continued to shoot without apparent
effect, finding his opportunities for an aim with much difficulty, and
losing much time afterwards in recovering his arrows.
I therefore thought it was time to show what I could do with my
mysterious weapon, and putting in a ball, I fired at the animal at about
fifteen yards from it. The ball took effect, and it fell; but rising
again, it made a sudden dart at us, very nearly catching me as I sprang
aside. Fortunately there was a rock rising out of the ground close to
us. Behind this we dodged, when the ox, rushing at it with all its
force, struck its head with tremendous violence against it.
The animal fell down, stunned for a moment, with a crash which made the
hard ground echo to the sound. On this Ickmallick leaped forward and
attempted to stab it with a knife; but it was instantly up again, and he
was obliged to run for shelter behind the dogs, which came forward to
renew the attack. Bleeding profusely as the animal was, its long hair
down its sides being matted with blood, yet its rage and strength seemed
undiminished, as it continued rushing forward and butting with the same
ferocity as before.
In the meantime I had reloaded my gun behind the rock, and was advancing
to take another shot, when the animal darted towards me, to the great
alarm of my friend, who thought I should be killed. He called to me to
return to my shelter, but I had time, I felt, for a cool aim. I fired,
and the animal fell not five yards from me. The sight of his fallen
enemy made my companion scream and dance with joy, and on his coming up
it was dead.
On examining it, we discovered that the last ball had passed through the
heart. From the habits of the Esquimaux, I expected that my friend
would have lost no time in extracting a dinner out of the ox; but I
found that I had done him injustice, and that his prudence was more
powerful than his stomach.
He was satisfied with mixing some of the warm blood with snow, thus
dissolving as much as he required to quench his thirst; and he then
immediately proceeded to skin the animal, knowing very well, what I
might have recollected, that the operation would shortly become
impossible in consequence of the severity of the cold, which would soon
freeze the whole into an impracticable mass.
For the same reason he divided the carcase into four parts, that we
might be better able to lift it. As we were unable to carry off our
prize, we built a snow-hut over it, setting up marks that we might know
the spot again. We however took away a small portion for a meal, which
on reaching our abode we cooked, and found excellent.
We were up by daylight to go in search of the other ox, the traces of
which we had seen. We searched for it for two hours, when we discovered
it grazing on the top of a hill free from snow. There was only one path
by which it could escape. That we occupied; and as we advanced rapidly
towards it, our shouts and the loud barking of the dogs alarmed it.
First it seemed as if it would rush at us, but its heart failed it and
it turned and fled. There was a precipice before it; but it either did
not see it, or fancied that it could leap to the bottom in safety. We
observed it disappear, and I thought it was lost, and on reaching the
edge of the cliff it was nowhere to be seen. My friend, however,
beckoned me to accompany him, and winding down the hill, we found the
animal at the bottom of the precipice, killed by the fall.
It was cut up in the same way as the first, and a snow-hut was built
over it.
We employed the next day in bringing up the flesh and skins of the oxen
to our hut; and fortunate it was that we did so, for it snowed so hard
that I do not think we should otherwise have been able to find the spot
where we had left them. We were out looking for more oxen, when, being
on some high ground, I saw some dark objects to the north, advancing
over the snow in a line which would bring them to the foot of the hill
where we were.
I pointed them out to Ickmallick, but his keen eye had perceived them.
They were a herd of deer migrating to the south. They travelled on at a
rapid rate, not stopping to graze, nor turning to the right hand nor to
the left. My companion pulled me by the sleeve, and urged me down the
hill, where he beckoned me to take up my post behind a snow wall, which
he with the greatest rapidity threw up.
We had scarcely knelt down when the herd appeared in sight, dashing
onward. I waited till I could get a good shot, and fired at a fine
buck. I hit him, but he continued his course with his companions. We
thought he was lost to us, but he very soon dropped behind the rest. On
this Ickmallick let slip the dogs, which he had held all the time in
leashes. They were very soon at the stag's heels, and brought him to
bay. He was a fine object as he stood conspicuous on the white sheet of
snow, now tinged with the blood which flowed from his side, his antlers
still raised in defiance at the dogs barking round him, and yet scarcely
daring to attack him. Though deserted by his companions, he fought
nobly; but he was already exhausted by loss of blood, and could no
longer ward off the attacks of the dogs at his throat.
At last he sank, and we were just in time to prevent him from being torn
to pieces by the ravenous dogs. A stroke from Ickmallick's knife put an
end to his torture, and gladly would I have avoided the reproachful
glance of his eye as the weapon struck him. This unexpected good
fortune made my companion resolve to return home; and he seemed to
regret that he had not brought another sledge to carry back our game.
The deer was prepared as had been the oxen, and going back to the hut
for a sledge, we conveyed it there before night.
Ickmallick, to my astonishment, made a dish of the vegetable contents of
the intestines, which he seemed to consider very excellent, though I
could not prevail upon myself to taste it.
The next morning we started on our journey homeward. I could not
recognise the face of the country, it was so covered with snow; and
still less could I have found my way against the heavy snow which was
driving in our faces.
It was slow work, for we had in several places partly to unload the
sledge and to go forward, then to return for the remainder of our
property. It was, however, satisfactory to feel that we were
independent of inns and innkeepers, and that we had ample means of
making ourselves comfortable at night. As usual, when it began to grow
dark we built our hut, lighted our fire, cooked our supper, made our
beds, and were very soon fast asleep.
I awoke at the usual hour, feeling rather oppressed with the heat. I
then aroused my companion, whose slumbers were heavy after the five or
six pounds of solid flesh he had devoured, and inquired what was the
cause of this. He pointed to the door of the hut, which I found was
completely blocked up with snow. He laughed to show me that there was
nothing to fear, and began making preparations for breakfast.
On further examination of the state of things, I found that we were
snowed in, but to what depth I could not say, further than that, as six
to seven feet frequently fell in the course of a night, I supposed, as
was the case, that we might be buried beneath that depth of snow. This
seemed to make no difference to Ickmallick, for he ate away as heartily
as usual, and then packed up our goods in preparation for departure.
Having accomplished this task, he began cutting away the snow, so as to
form a passage just large enough to admit his body. When this was done,
we crept through it into the cold bleak air, and it took us a
considerable time before we could enlarge the cavity sufficiently to get
out the sledge and dogs with our goods. The heat, with the wear and
tear of the journey, had somewhat damaged the runners of the sledge, and
we had to melt some snow and to rub it hard over them before the
conveyance was fit to proceed. The day closed in before we reached
home, but Ickmallick knew the road too well, as did his dogs, to make it
necessary to stop.
I fancied that I recognised the cliffs of the coast in the distance,
when suddenly just before us I saw some pale lights, like those from
gigantic glow-worms, rising out of the ground. The dogs came to a
standstill; and voices of welcome rising from the interior, showed me
that we had arrived at the village, now covered to the roofs of the huts
by snow. The lights I saw were emitted through the ice windows in them.
I walked on to our own house, where I found all my companions well; and
before long Ickmallick brought in half the deer and a quarter of one of
the oxen, which he seemed to consider my share of the produce of the
chase.