. Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux;. Tookoolito, seated near a lamp, and herself covered withskins, she having been taken sick on the last occasion of vis-iting our ship. Mittens, boots, stockings, and articles of clothing,all in a wet state, were on the dry net that always hangs overthe. lamp, but on this occasion the lamp was not performing itsusual heat-giving functions. Owing to the backwardness of thecold season in freezing up the bay, the condition of the nativesfrom want of blubber and food was in an alarming state. Manyof them could have no friendly lamp to give light an
. Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux;. Tookoolito, seated near a lamp, and herself covered withskins, she having been taken sick on the last occasion of vis-iting our ship. Mittens, boots, stockings, and articles of clothing,all in a wet state, were on the dry net that always hangs overthe. lamp, but on this occasion the lamp was not performing itsusual heat-giving functions. Owing to the backwardness of thecold season in freezing up the bay, the condition of the nativesfrom want of blubber and food was in an alarming state. Manyof them could have no friendly lamp to give light and heat. The Esquimaux lamp is the all in all to these people. By ittheir igloo is lighted and kept warm; by it they melt ice or snowfor their drink; and by it they dry their clothing, mittens, boots,stockings, etc. Without the lamp, Esquimaux could not live—not so much because of its warmth or use for cooking, but be-cause it enables them to dry their skin clothing, melt ice for drink,and gives them light during the long arctic night of BOOU-L1M ami IK-KU-MK1S, the Stone Lamp and Fire of the Esquimaux. When I called upon Tookoolito the lamp was without oil, andcould apt give either sufficient light, heat, or drying power, hencethe melancholy aspect of her otherwise happy abode. Ebierbing,however, intended ve»y soon to make a sealing excursion, and ob-tain blubber at any risk. When obliged, Esquimaux do not hesitate in undergoing thegreatest privations to get food for their families. They will watchover a seal-hole for one hour or fifty, if need be, in the coldestweather, waiting for the seal to come up and breathe. Kvdlagoin this manner caught the first seeds of the complaint which car-ried him off. Tlis family were starving; and after bearing thepain of seeing them suffer for a few days, he could endure it no 176 ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. longer. Lie went out in some of the worst and coldest weatherknown here, and exposed himself for nearly two days and nightscon
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjecteskimos, bookyear1865
