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Esquimau Village of Snow Houses
(137) as to create astonishment, that feeling driver. I think I never perspired so was in no small degree heightened on profusely as on this day. Some of the accepting the invitation soon given us to events during our journey were most enter these extraordinary houses, in the amusing. Once we were descending a construction of which I observed that not steep incline, all of the company holding a single material was used but snow and on the sledge, so as to prevent its shootice. After creeping through two low pas- ing too rapidly downward, when one of sages, each having its arched doorway, my feet breaking through the treacherous we came to a small circular apartment, snow-crust, headlong I went, and, like a of which the roof was a perfect dome. hoop, trundled to the bottom of the hill. From this three doorways, also arched, The Innuit woman hastened to my relief, and of larger dimensions than the outer and seeing a frostbite on my face, she ones, led into apartments, one on each instantly applied her warm hand to itside, and one facing us as we entered. the native method-till all was right again. Another steep incline caused the Inside the Snow-House.
The interior of these presented a scene sledge to descend so rapidly that at length no less novel than interesting; the wo- it went over three or four of the dogs, men were seated on the beds at the sides who were unable to keep ahead of it, of the huts, each having her little fireplace though running at great speed. or lamp with all her domestic utensils The construction of an igloo, or hut, about her. The children crept behind occupied about an hour. The men first sawed out snow-blocks, which were carried to a suitable spot, and soon, by the aid of snow, formed a comfortable house.
An Esquimau Supper.
The door sealed up, and the cheerful lamp in full blaze, with a hot supper preparing, made me fcel remarkably comfortable, though in a house of snow built so speedily upon the frozen surface of the their mothers, and the dogs slunk past us in dismay. The construction of this inhabited part of the hut was similar to that of the outer apartment, being a dome formed by separate blocks of snow laid with great regularity and no small art, each being cut into the shape requisite to form a substantial arch, from seven to eight feet in the centre, and having no supports whatever, but what this princi- treacherous deep. The lamp was trimmed, ple of building supplies. Sufficient light and soon a kettle of snow was over it, was admitted into these curious edifices boiling water for coffee and soup. Presby a circular window of ice neatly fitted ently our evening meal was ready. It into the roof of each apartment. consisted of soup, a small piece of raw salt It was the lot of Captain Hall to spend pork each, half a biscuit, and some coffee. an entire winter with a body of this harm- After supper, myself and the two male less and interesting people. He first Esquimaux had each a pipe, and then made a journey with the Innuits. Now turned in for the night, my position being and then, says the Captain, we all got on between the hot-blooded Innuits, Ebierthe sledge for a ride. My spirits were bing and Koodloo. I slept as well as I high, for this was my first sledge-travel- could desire, and on the following morning, ling trip. Ebierbing (the Esquimau after breakfasting about nine o'clock, driver) managed the dogs admirably. In- we recommenced our journey. deed, I should consider him a capital dog- Our proper course was due north, but owing to hummocky ice we could not At length, though long after dark, we follow it. In truth, sometimes we had to were comfortably housed, enjoying a hot make a retrograde movement to get out supper beneath the snowy dome, the of "a fix" that we were occasionally in foundation of which rested upon the amongst icebergs and hummocks. Owing frozen bosom of the mighty deep. But to this we made but five miles direct not too soon were we under shelter. The toward our destination during the day. storm had burst in all its fury, and It had been expected that we should we could hear the wind roaring outside reach the end of our journey in one day as we warmed ourselves within. All from the vessel, but too many obstacles night long the gale continued, and the
