The Esquimaux.

One of the most interesting points in connexion with Fort George, is the opportunity afforded of holding intercourse with the Esquimaux. Some of them occasionally visit that post; and one of them, Peter, has been for some time living with Mr. Watkins, who, while training him for usefulness amongst his countrymen, is learning from him the Esquimaux language.

There is a post called Little Whale River, about 240 miles northward of Fort George, where, in the beginning of April, the Esquimaux are accustomed to assemble in considerable numbers. In the latter end of last March Mr. Watkins set out on a journey to this place, in the hope of having intercourse with the Esquimaux. The party consisted of our Missionary, Peter, two other Esquimaux men, four women, and two children, accompanied by two sleds, drawn by seven dogs, one of the sleds being filled with provisions, and the other sled having a place boarded off in which the Missionary might sit; while the remaining parts, before and behind, were packed with blankets, cooking utensils, &c. Mr. Watkins brought with him an Indian deer-skin tent; and on reaching the end of their first day's journey they proceeded to set up this, with what labour Mr. Watkins tells us. He says

The snow lying everywhere to the depth of about four feet, the first thing to be done before our tent could be erected was to clear a circular space of ten or eleven feet in diameter. This I undertook to do myself, with the assistance of an Esquimaux woman. Having no snow-shovel, we had to make use of the toe of my snow-shoes; and being thus deprived of their assistance for my feet, I sank down more than knee-deep in the snow, and consequently was put to some little inconvenience in my digging and throwing ions. Whilst we were thus engaged Cook the axe and cut down

The

some slender pines for tent-poles; whilst one of the women procured brushwood, and brought it to the hole which we were making. When at length a sufficient space had been cleared down to the ground, the next proceeding was to spread the brushwood upon the floor, and against the sides of the place we were about to occupy for the night. The reason for doing this upon the floor is to provide a bed for ourselves, though I must confess it is but a poor substitute for a feather-bed; whilst the brushwood placed against our snowwalls prevents their melting by the heat of the fire, and so subjecting us to the inconvenience of lying a few inches deep in water. We now proceeded to place the tent-poles in their proper position round the edge of the excavation, their upper ends coming to a point over the centre. tenting was next brought and spread over the poles, which gave to our bed-room an air of comfort not to be despised by winter travellers in the frozen regions of Hudson's Bay. The next thing to be done was to fell a few trees of dry wood, to be chopped up for fuel; and whilst I marched off for this purpose, with snow-shoes on my feet, and a large axe over my shoulder, my companion Peter spread our blankets on the flooring of the tent, and brought from the sleds our supply of provisions, cooking utensils, and other things requisite. In a little time the centre of our tent presented the comfortable appearance of a blazing fire, at which my attendant was preparing our dinner, an occupation in which I was by no means sorry to see him engaged, as I breakfasted soon after seven this morning, and had taken nothing since with the exception of two or three small cakes; and it was now after half-past six in the evening. We closed the day's labours by my having the Esquimaux assembled in the tent, where it was my privilege to read to them a passage from the sacred volume, accompanying it with an exposition, after which we joined in prayer.

The Esquimaux, with much more expedition, constructed igloes or snowhouses for themselves. For this they

nave no need of timber: the snow is all they want, and that they have in abundance. The second night Mr. Watkins resolved to follow the example of the Esquimaux, and instead of his tent to have an igloe. It is true no fire can be lighted in an igloe, be the cold never so intense; but then in the tent, while sitting close to the fire, he found his face and the front of his body almost half roasted, while his back was nearly as cold as the surrounding besides which, the smoke which snow; filled the tent caused him much suffering. Into the igloe, therefore, he crept, and a curious sight it must have been, to see the Esquimaux around the Missionary in the igloe, listening to the words of eternal truth, and hearing explanations of scripture passages.

While

at this point of his journey, Mr. Watkins witnessed a curious scene, illustrative of Esquimaux life, which will amuse our juvenile readers.

This evening, being rather cold with sitting still in the igloe, I crept through the low door-way into the cooking apartment, hoping to warm myself at the fire; but I there found the smoke so dense, that I was glad to creep through the outer passage into the open air. My attention was attracted by the noise of dogs at an adjoining igloe, and turning to look, I witnessed a scene which afforded me much amusement. The porch was not arched over, but consisted merely of two semi-circular walls, about four feet in height, inclining a little at the top; and the doorway, instead of being left open, was blocked up with two large slabs of snow, perhaps two feet high. Inside the enclosed space stood a woman with a large stick in her hand, whilst crowding round the door were several dogs, each evidently anxious either to break through or else leap over the barrier. Calling to Peter for an explanation, I was told that the dogs were being fed, which fully accounted for the strange appearance. Watching the proceedings for a moment, I saw a dog come out of the igloe, and, passing by the woman, leap over the door, whilst another dog was called by name, and with far greater alacrity bounced inside.

He

entered the igloe, where his allowance of food was given to him, which he was permitted to eat without molestation from his companions; and when he had finished he was sent out, whilst another took his place. Such a plan appears to be necessary, or at least very desirable, as the dogs are never fed except at evening, and are then, of course, exceedingly hungry, having fasted twentyfour hours, during almost half of which time they have been drawing the sleds. All alike being very voracious, there would doubtless be much quarrelling if some such expedient were not adopted; and the stronger dogs would deprive the weaker ones of their due allowance: as it is, each has his proper

share. The poor hungry animals, however, manifest great impatience till their turn comes for being called into the igloe. Occasionally I noticed one or another would push his nose rather too far over the slabs of snow, when he would receive a violent blow on the face with the stick that the woman held in her hand, which would send him yelling round the igloe, soon to come back to his former place in hope of better success. Meanwhile another dog, seizing the opportunity, would leap into the porch, when a scuffle immediately ensued between himself and the club-armed doorkeeper, in which he was at length invariably conquered, unless, his predecessor having finished his meal, it was deemed desirable to allow the intruder to take his turn next. Generally, when the stated allowance of three fish had been consumed by a dog, he manifested no great anxiety to leave the igloe, thinking, possibly, that some might be given to him. His mind, however, was soon set at rest upon the subject, as an unceremonious stroke of the woman's stick reminded him that the time was come for him to hasten his departure. Altogether, I think the door-keeper, with her tribe of dogs, had quite sufficient to engage her attention. I could not but think, that, if such proceedings were witnessed at all menageries, an extra charge might well be made for admission during "feeding-time."

more

The difficulties of the journey now began to increase. Some Indians, who had been engaged to meet the travellers with provisions, did not keep their word. Sometimes their road lay through the woods, where the snow, being much softer, suffered them to sink knee-deep, and occasionally much lower. The hauling of the sleds was so difficult, that the whole party had to help the dogs; and even then, with all their shouting and pushing, they did not make more than two miles in two hours. Then, when they got out of the woods, they found themselves. indeed, on a hard frozen surface, where they could walk with comfort, but exposed to a fierce north wind and snow-drift beating in their faces. Moreover, the sickness of one of the Esquimaux detained them an entire day. In consequence of these delays, provisions began to fail, when an unexpected supply came.

April 2-During this morning's travelling, after having walked for a couple of hours, I was lying in the sled, engaged with Howse's Cree Grammar, having my back towards the dogs, when suddenly the man who was assisting at my side ran off at full speed to the other sled, which was then in advance of us Fearing that some accident had occurred, I jumped out of my coffin-like box, and followed as quickly as possible. Upon coming up to the place where the whole party were assembled, I found there was no great cause for alarm, as the sad "accident" proved to be the finding of a deer lying in our