In the young of both sexes the complexion is clear and transparent, and the skin smooth.  The colour of the latter, when divested of oil and dirt, is scarcely a shade darker than that of a deep brunette, so that the blood is plainly perceptible when it mounts into the cheeks.  In the old folks, whose faces were much wrinkled, the skin appears of a much more dingy hue, the dirt being less easily, and, therefore, less frequently dislodged from them.

By whatever peculiarities, however, they may in general be distinguished, they are by no means an ill-looking people; and there were among them three or four grown-up persons of each sex, who, when divested of their skin-dresses, their tattooing, and, above all, of their dirt, might have been considered pleasing-looking, if not handsome, people in any town in Europe.  This remark applies more generally to the children also; several of whom had complexions nearly as fair as that of Europeans, and whose little bright black eyes gave a fine expression to their countenances.

The hair, both of males and females, is black, glossy, and straight.  The men usually wear it rather long, and allow it to hang about their heads in a loose and slovenly manner.  The women pride themselves extremely on the length and thickness of their hair; and it was not without reluctance on their part, and the same on that of their husbands, that they were induced to dispose of any of it.  Some of the women’s hair was tolerably fine, but would not, in this respect, bear a comparison with, that of an Englishwoman.  In both sexes it is full of vermin, which they are in the constant habit of picking out and eating; a man and his wife will sit for an hour together performing for each other that friendly office.  The women have a comb, which, however, seems more intended for ornament than use, as we seldom or never observed them comb their hair.  When a woman’s husband is ill, she wears her hair loose, and cuts it off as a sign of mourning if he dies; a custom agreeing with that of the Greenlanders.  The men wear the hair on the upper lip and chin from an inch to an inch and a half in length, and some were distinguished by a little tuft between the chin and lower lip.

In winter every individual, when in the open air, wears two jackets, of which the outer one (C=app~e t=egg~a) has the hair outside, and the inner one (At-t=e=ega) next the body.  Immediately on entering the hut the men take off their outer jacket, beat the snow from it, and lay it by.  The upper garment of the females, besides being cut according to a regular and uniform pattern, and sewed with exceeding neatness, which is the case with all the dresses of these people, has also the flaps ornamented in a very becoming manner by a neat border of deerskin, so arranged as to display alternate breadths of white and dark fur.  This is, moreover, usually beautified by a handsome fringe, consisting of innumerable long narrow threads of leather hanging down from it.  This ornament is not uncommon also in the outer jackets of the men.  When seal-hunting, they fasten up the tails of their jackets with a button behind.