. Round about the North pole . ce. The passage, always long, and generallycrooked, led to the principal apartment, which was acircular dome, being ten feet in diameter when intendedfor one family, and an oval of fifteen by ten where itlodged two. Opposite the doorway there was a bankof snow, occupying nearly a third of the breadth of thearea, about two feet and a half high, level at the top,and covered by various skins, forming the general bedor sleeping place for the whole. At the end of this satthe mistress of the house, opposite to the lamp, which,being of moss and oil, as is the universal
. Round about the North pole . ce. The passage, always long, and generallycrooked, led to the principal apartment, which was acircular dome, being ten feet in diameter when intendedfor one family, and an oval of fifteen by ten where itlodged two. Opposite the doorway there was a bankof snow, occupying nearly a third of the breadth of thearea, about two feet and a half high, level at the top,and covered by various skins, forming the general bedor sleeping place for the whole. At the end of this satthe mistress of the house, opposite to the lamp, which,being of moss and oil, as is the universal custom inthese regions, gave a sufficient flame to supply bothlight and heat; so that the apartment was perfectlycomfortable. Over the lamp was the cooking dish ofstone, containing the flesh of deer and of seals, withoil; and of such provision there seemed no else, dresses, implements, as well as pro-visions, lay about in unspeakable confusion, showingthat order, at least, was not in the class of their ESKIMO LISTENING AT A SEAL-HOLE To face page ig HOW A SNOW HOUSE IS BUILT 199 It was much more interesting to us to find, that amongthis disorder there were some fresh salmon ; since, whenthey could find this fish, we were sure that it would alsofurnish us with supplies which we could not too muchmultiply. On inquiry, we were informed that theywere abundant; and we had, therefore, the prospect ofa new amusement, as well as of a valuable market atthe mere price of our labour. A few weeks later Ross was to see how these houseswere built. Four families, he says, comprisingfifteen persons, passed the ship to erect new huts abouthalf a mile to the southward. They had four heavy-laden sledges, drawn each by two or three dogs, butproceeded very slowly. We went after them to seethe process of building the snow house, and were sur-prised at their dexterity ; one man having closed in hisroof within forty-five minutes. A tent is scarcelypitched sooner than a house
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