Star.
London, England, 1824-04-02 00:00:00

tress which such a scene exhibits. This was now the
case at the village, where, though the remainingeetrants
of each ha had combined to occupy one of the apart-
ments, a great part of the bed-places were still bare,
and the wind and drift blowing in through the holes
which they had not yet taken the trouble to stop up•;
The old man, Hikkciera, and his wife, occupied a hilt
by themselves, without any lamp, or a single ounce of
meat belonging to them; while three small skins, on
which the former was lying, were ell that they pos-
sessed in the way of blankets. Upon the whole, I
never beheld a more miserable spectacle; and it seemed
a charity to hope that a violent and constant cough,
with which the old man was afflicted, would speedily
combine with his age and infirmities to release him from
his present suffering. Yet in the midst of all this he
was even cheerful, nor was there a gloomy countensnce
,moo be seen at the village. Almost all the men were out;
and some of them bad been led so far to sea upon the
floating and detached masses of ice in purstit of wal-
ruses, that Captain Lyon, who observed their situation
from the ships, bad it in contemplation, in the course of
the evening, to launch one of the small boats to go to
their assistance. They seemed, however, to entertain no
apprehensions themselves, from a confidence perhaps that
the south-east wind might be depended upon for ke,rp-
ing the ice close home upon the shore. It is certain,
notwithstanding, that no degree of precaution, nor any
knowledge of the winds and tides, can render this other-
wise than a most perilous mode of obtaining subsistence:
and it was impossible therefore not to admire the fear-
lessness as %yell as dexterity with which tl.e lisquimaux
invariably pursued it.
" Having distributed some bread dust among the
women, w•e told old Illumea and her daughter Togolat
that we proposed taking up our lodging in their hut
for the night. It is a remarkable trait in the character
of these people, that they always thank you heartily for
this as well as for eating any of their meat ; but both
board and lodging may be given to flew without re-
ceiving the slightest acknowledgment either in word or
deed. As it was late before the men returned, I asked
Togolat to get the rest of the women to perform sotne
of their games, with the hope of seeing something that
was new. I had. scarcely cline to make the proposal,
when she darted out of the but, and quickly brought
every female that was left at the village, not excepting
even the oldest of them, who joined in the performance',
with the same alacrity as the rest. I could, however,
only persuade them to go through a tedious song we
had often before heard; which was now indeed some-1
what modified by their insisting on our taking our turns
in the performance, all which did not fail to create
among them never•ceasing merriment and laughter.
Neither their want of food and fuel, nor the uncertain
prospect of obtaining any that night, were siifficient to
deprive these poor creatures of that cheerfulness and
good-humour which it seems at all times their peculiar
happiness to enjoy. •
" The night proved very thick, with small snow, and
as disagreeable and dangerous for people adrift upon
floating ice as can well be imagined. If the women.
however gave their husbands a thought, or spoke of
them to us, it was only to express a very sincere hope
that some good news might shortly arrive of their suc-
cess. Our singing-party had not long been broken up,
when it was suddenly announced by ore of children,
the usual heralds on such occasions, that the men had
killed something on the ice. The only two-men Who
were at home, instantly scrambled on their outer jackets,
harnessed their dogs, and set off to assist their compa-
nions in bringing home the game, while the women re-
mained for an hour in anxious suspense, as to the ex-
tent of their husbands' success. At length one of the
men arrived with the positive intelligence of two wal-
ruses having been taken, and brought with him a por-
tion of these huge animals, as large as he could drag
over the snow. If the women were only cheerful be-
fore, they were now absolutely frantic. A general shout
of joy- instantly re-echoed through the village; they ran
into each others huts to communicate the welcome in-
telligence, arid actually hugged one another in an
ecstacy of delight by way of congratulation. One of
them, Arnalooa, a pretty young woman of nineteen or
twenty, knowing that a-clog belonging to her husband
was still at the huts, and that there was no man to take
him down on the ice, ran out instantly to perform that
office; and with a hardiness not to be surpassed by any
of the men, returned, after two hours' absence, with her
load of walrus-flesh, and without even the hood thrown
over her head, to shelter her from the inclemency of
die weather.

" When the first burst of joy had at length subsided,
the women crept one by'one into the apartment where
the first portion of the sea-horses had been conveyed,
and-which is always that of one of the men immedi-
ately concerned in the killing of them. _ Here they ob-
tained blubber enough to set all their lamps alight, be-
sides a few scraps of meat for their children isnd them
selves. From this time, which was nine o'clock, till
past midnight, Gesh cargoes were continually arriving,
the principal part being brought in by the dogs, and the
rest by the men, who, tying the thong which held it
round their waist, dragged in each his separate portion.
Before the whole was brought in, however, some of
them Went out three times to the *scene of action, though
the distance was a mile and a half.

-" Every-lamp now swimming with oil, the ht'ts ex-
hibite4 a blaze of light, and never was there a -sccne of'',
more joyous festivity than while the operation of.cutting
up the walruses continued. I took the opportunity which
their present good humour afforded, to obtain a, per feet
head and tusks of one of these animals, which we had
not been able to do before ; and indeed, so much were
their hearts opened by the scene of abundance before
them, that I believe they would have given us anything
we asked for. This disposition was considerably in-
creased also by their taking it into their heads, that their
success was in some way or other connected with, or
even owing to our having taken up our night's lodging:
at the huts.'

TIT philosophic reader will remark, that many vir-
tues grow wild, if we may so express it, in the character
of tins extraordinary people. When they have been for-
tunite in the Chace, and have brought home an abundant
supply, they divide it liberally, and seem to enjoy a sin.
gular pleasure M the participation. The scarcity of food,
and the toil of obtaining it, does not make them, as be-
forehaud we might have suppOsed, reluctant to share
it, nor beget in them those feelings of selfishness so fa-
miliar to our, observation in more civilised society.

A rich proprietor of k Stumm hat just left, by a
testament, dated the Ist December, 18,23, the half of
his fortune, including the paternal chateau, to the Petit
Sertinaire of Nevers, and the Hospice de la Charlie sur'
Loire. The legacy is valued at 400.000 francs ; but the
only son of the testator proposes to contest it, on the ground of the
linbnice de la CAcrit4 being incapable of receiving it, the almoner of
the 'Hospital coile.isor of :be testator titan.; his fast