We descended to the beach, and his companions, wishing me good-morning, left me with my conductor, who led the way to his house.  It was composed of the skin of one entire whale, much larger than ever I had seen in the Northern Ocean.  The backbone and ribs of the animal served as rafters to extend the skin, which wore the resemblance of a long tent; it was further secured by ropes, formed of the twisted sinews which passed over the top, and were made fast to stakes of bone firmly fixed in the ground on each side.  When I entered, I found to my surprise that there was plenty of light, which was supplied from windows, composed of small panes of whalebone ground down very thin, and at the further end the head and scull of the animal formed a kitchen, the smoke from the fire escaping through the spiracles or breathing-holes above.

On each side of the room into which I was ushered were raised seats, covered with seal skins, and the other end of the house was divided off with a species of black skin, into sleeping apartments for the master of the house and his family.  There was not the least smell, as I anticipated before I entered this strange dwelling-place.

I was introduced to his wife, who welcomed me with cordiality.  She was dressed in the same dark skin as her husband, but of a much finer texture, and had a scarlet cap on her head, as well as scarlet trimmings to the front and bottom of her dress, which on the whole was not only comfortable but becoming in its appearance.

A bowl of milk was presented to me, to refresh me after my walk and long abstinence.

“How!” observed I, “have you milk here without pasture?”

“Yes,” replied my host, “drink it, and tell me if you think it palatable.”

I did so, and found it very little different from the asses’ milk of my own country—­perhaps with a little more acidity of taste.  In the meantime several varieties of shell-fish, and a large cheese, were placed upon the table, which, as well as the stools, was composed entirely of bone.

“And cheese, too?” said I.

“Yes, and you will find it not bad.  It is the milk of the whale which you have drank, and the cheese is prepared from the same.”

* * * * *

“Friend Huckaback,” observed the pacha, “I think you are telling me lies.  Who ever heard of whale’s milk?”

“Allah forbid that I should attempt to deceive a person of your highness’s judgment; it could only end in mortification and defeat to myself.”

“That’s very true,” observed the pacha.

“Your highness has not called to mind, that the whale is what naturalists call a ‘hot-blood animal,’ with arteries and circulation of blood similar to the human species; and that it brings forth its young alive, and nurses it at the breast.”

“Very true,” observed the pacha.  “I had forgot that.”

* * * * *