Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-04-08
Esquimaux Hospitality.

At midnight we arrived at a village, W hich proved to be much larger than We thought, consisting of twenty-six huts and about 300 inhabitants. Being conducted to the chief, he received us very kindly and allowed us to pitch our tent, which we did in short order, the natives helping us to do so and to un- pack our sledges. The chief had Rus sian tea prepared for us in his dwelling. On the table, consisting of small box with & really clean cover, was tea ser vice of four pretty cups and saucers. It took about two hours to get through with the drinking, which was followed by feast of deer meat. We contrib uted to the feast by furnishing some hard bread and coffee. The women ap- pear to be the domestics, and are not all lowed around when the men are drink ing tea, except to wait on them, which they do with the right arm and breast uncovered. We found the oil stove we brought along of the greatest utility, but 1t did not compensate for the very great inconvenience caused by the ab- sence of sugar, cups, plates and spoons, which in the hurry and confusion incl dent to departure were forgotten. Hay ing decided to remain the night with the chief, it was o'clock in the morning before we were able to turn in. Then we were obliged to make thesnatives leave by signs that We wanted to go to sleep, so great was their curiosity in looking at the only white people they had ever seen. Gesler and myself spread our skins and prepared to take 1t easy. Our drivers found quarters in some of the huts. It was 9 o'clock when we got up after sleepless night. The weather continued the same-a thick snow storm. Gesler went out for the pur- pose of shooting @ duck, but was unable to find one. Being warned that 1t was unsafe to travel till the subsistence of the storm, We concluded to stop until the following morning. In the after noon, the highest DO nt of the island be- ing ascended, in was found to be 1,200 feet by the barometer. The thermome- ter stood at 37 deg; open water could be seen from the top, apparently twenty miles away, and for few minutes the mainland could Le seen to the westward about eight miles of. The natives almost pull our tents to pieces trying to crowd in, and they leave us alone only when Wt J6tI Ll10Ul we G1uJ iO 5l0Gp. Our sledges have been repair, d and our dogs have been fed for the first time. Late in the evening the weather cleared lit tie, when the main land could be seen from our tent. It was nearly midnight before we turned in.
 We turned out early the next morning, and prepared breakfast of potatoes, ba- con, coffee and the large eggs which had been brought us by the young na- tives. It IS the first real meal we have had since leaving the ship. Tie day was warm and pleasant, making the snow too warm to travel. However, we struck our tent and packed everything on the sledges ready for an early start in the evening. It took some time to collect the dogs, as some of them had gone sealing with their natives. We left two letters with the chief, and his wife invited us to eat some fish at their house. They might have been very good if properly cooked and served. As it was they were served in a large tray not over clean, into which the bones, along with saliva were ejected from the mouths of the native guests, who assist ed at the feast. All, except ourselves, among whom was divided one fork, ate with fingers. s.-Lieut. ReyraotdS' Ac- count ot tue COrtOi7l Cruise.