Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-04-11
[From DR.. Hayes Arctic Boat Journey.l
THE EsQUINIAUX's DAUGHTER.

THE EEsQUIOIAUX's DAUGHTER.
To get inside was obliged to crawl on
my hands and knees through a covered
passage about twelve feet long. Kalutnah, +,
upon hearing my footsteps, came out to
welcome nc, which he did by patting me
on the back, and grinning in my face
! Preceding me with Il smoking torch, which
was piece of burning moss saturated
! with fat, he advanced through the low
narrow passage, trampiTg over several
snorliug dogs and hnlf-grown puppies
After making two or three turns, I observ-
ed at last bright light streaming down
through hole, into which my guide
! elevated his body; and then. moving to
one side, he made room for his guest !
found myself in den in whichs1 could
! not stand upright, but which was crowded
with human beings of both sexes, and OF
! all ages and sizes. | was received with
/ hilarious shout which assured me Of well
| come. Like flock of sheep crowding
! into a pen, they packed themselves in the
corners to make room for me on the only
seat which / could discover. had come
to CRAFTY my own curiosity, bat theirs
! was even more rapacious than mine, and
must he first satificd. Everything | had
on and about me underwent the closest
examination NY long beard greatly cN-
. cited thcir interest and admiration. Being
( themselves without this hirsute appendngc
| or at most having only few stiff hairs
upon the upper lip and the point ofthc chin.
could readily appreciate their curiosity
! They touched il and strokcd ii, patting mehIi
the while on the back, and hanging on to
my arms. legs and shoulders. was very
| Peter Farley among the crowd oi over
/ grown children. They were greatly puz-
I r1n
! not comprehend of what kind of skins it
was made. The nearest that could ap-
| proach TO n description was that il grew
on an animal looking like an "Ukalek,,
| ihare.) That it was not skin could not
make them understand. Hans, being once
importuned at the ship on the same subject,
told some of them, rather pettshly, that 1t
was "man skim" and this found seemed
to be the general impression. My pockets
did not escape them; and my pipe which
one of the boys drew out, occasloncd
much amusement, rs it passed around from
hand to hand, and from mouth to mouth.
Kalutuuah drew my knife from ITS sheath,
pressed it to his heart, and then with a
ropuish leer, stuck it in his boot. | shook
my head, and with Il laugh, he returned 1t
to its place. TWAS prize which he high
" coveted He had not yet heard OF the
Ten Commandments. and he could not re-
sist the desire to possess it. He drew II
out half a dozen times. excluiming bcseech-
ingly, as be hugged it, "Me? give me?'-
There was an air of innocent simplicity
about the fellow which pleased me; and
had nearly paid for my admiration with my
knife. Fortunately however, 1 did not
forget that charity bcgins at homo. My
pistol they handled with great solemnlty !
with the marvellous effect of our firearms
they had already been iamiliarizcd; for, as
VIC entered the harbor, Bonsall bad, with
his gun, dropped burgomaster gull among
them.
During the incidents just detailed. /
found leisure to examine the hut. The
whole interior was about ten feet i'll di-
ameter, and five and a half feet high. The
walls were made of stone, moss, and the
bones of the whale, narwhIl, and other
kinds of animals They were not arched,
but drawn in gradually from the tounda-
ton, and capped by long slabs Of slate
stone, stretching from side to side. The
floor was laid with thin fat stones. Hall
of this floor ut the back part OF the nut
was elevated foot. This elevation was
called sbreck;' and it served both as bed
and seat, being covered with dry grass,
over which were spread bear and dog skins.
At the corners in front were similar eleva-
tions under one of which lay litter of
pups with their mother, aud under the
other was slowed a joint Of meat. The
front of the hut was square, and through
it above the passage way, opened WIN
dow; 81 Square sheet of strips of dried mites
tines, ewed together, admitted the light:
The hole of entrance i'll floor was covered
with niece OF seal skin. The walls were
lined with seal or fox skins, stretched to
drv. In the cracks between the stones
were stuck whipstocks bone pegs, on which
hung coils of harpoou lines. On one
side of me, at the edge of the "hrcck' sat
IN old woman, on the other side young
ono, each busily engaged in attending to
smoky greasy lamp third woman sat
in corner, similarly occupied The lamps
were made of soapstone, and i'll shape
much like n clam shell, being some
thing near eight inches iii diameter. The
cavity was filled with oil, and on the
straight edge a fame was burning quite
brilliantly. The wick which supplied fuel
to the fame was OF moss. The only hnSl-
ness of the women seemed to he, to prevent
the lamps from smoking, and to keep
them supplied with blubber, large pieces
of which were placed in them. The heat of
the fame irving out the oil. About three
! inches above this flame, hung, suspended
from the ceiling. an obIong square pot OF
! the same material as the lamp, in which
something was slowly simmering. Over
/ this was suspended rack, made of bear
rib-bnnes lashed together crosswise, on
which were placed to dry stockings,
tuittens. pantaloons, and other articles of
| .Io.h;na TIN inmates had no other fire