raw flesh, just as an English child of the same age might do for a piece of sugar-candy.  Every now and then, also, a dog would make his way towards the reeking carcass, and, when in the act of seizing upon some delicate part, was sent off yelping by a heavy blow with the handles of the knives.  When all the flesh is disposed of, for a portion of which each of the women from the other huts usually brings her ootkooseek, the blubber still remains attached to the skin, from which it is separated the last; and the business being now completed, the two parts of the hide are rolled up and laid by, together with the store of flesh and blubber.  During the dissection of their seals, they have a curious custom of sticking a thin filament of skin, or of some part of the intestines, upon the foreheads of the boys, who are themselves extremely fond of it, it being intended, as Iligliuk afterward informed me, to make them fortunate seal-catchers.

The seals which they take during the winter are of two kinds—­the Neitiek, or small seal (phoca hispida), and the Oguke, or large seal (phoca barbata).  These and the E=i-~u-~ek, or walrus, constitute their means of subsistence at this season; but, on this particular part of the coast, the latter are not very abundant, and they chiefly catch the neitiek.  The animal we had now seen dissected was of that kind, and with young at the time.  A small one taken out of it had a beautiful skin, which, both in softness and colour, very much resembled raw silk; but no inducement could make Pootooalook part with it, he having destined it for that night’s supper.

After quitting this scene of filth, I found, on returning to Kaoongut’s hut, that Toolooak had been no less successful than his brother, and that the same operation was also performing here.  Having, therefore, explained to Iligliuk that none of them were to come to the ships the following day, I had no inclination to see the process repeated, and was glad to take my leave.

On the 28th, Okotook and Iligliuk coming on board, an occurrence took place, which, as it shows the disposition of the Esquimaux, and especially of one of the most intelligent and interesting among them, I may here relate.  Some time before, Iligliuk, who, from the superior neatness and cleanliness with which she performed her work, was by this time in great request as a seamstress, had promised to cover for me a little model of a canoe, and had, in fact, sent it to me by the sergeant of marines, though I had not rightly understood from the latter from which of the women it came.  Believing that she had failed in her promise, I now taxed her with it, when she immediately defended herself with considerable warmth and seriousness, but without making me comprehend her meaning.  Finding that she was wasting her words upon me, she said no more till an hour afterward, when the sergeant accidentally coming into the cabin, she, with the utmost