Ten months among the tents of the Tuski, with incidents of an Arctic boat expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, as far as the Mackenzie River, and Cape Bathurst . We were much puzzledfor a long time to tell how fire was produced eachmorning in the huts,—the husband evidently gave noassistance in the way of steel and tinder, but at last we HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE. 187 found out all about it. A piece of flat board has anumber of small holes made in it, into one of whichone end of a pointed stick is placed, the otherextremity fitting into a sort of breast-plate, put on bythe woman officiating, w
Ten months among the tents of the Tuski, with incidents of an Arctic boat expedition in search of Sir John Franklin, as far as the Mackenzie River, and Cape Bathurst . We were much puzzledfor a long time to tell how fire was produced eachmorning in the huts,—the husband evidently gave noassistance in the way of steel and tinder, but at last we HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE. 187 found out all about it. A piece of flat board has anumber of small holes made in it, into one of whichone end of a pointed stick is placed, the otherextremity fitting into a sort of breast-plate, put on bythe woman officiating, who with a bow works thestick to and fro rapidly, just as in drilling a hole. Inabout ten minutes, under favoui-able circumstances,she succeeds in detaching burning fibres of the wood:these are hastily put into a handful of dried grass,which envelopes them, and by rapid motion throughthe air kindles into flame. This is a most laboriousoperation, and the poor women were loud in theirexpressions of joy when we struck fire with lucifersfor them ; a solitary act of the kind was a great boon,but a present of half a dozen matches brought downblessings on ones TUSKI PIPE!?. CHAPTER XIII. Matricide, a deed of horror.—The Brides departure.—A novel punishmeut.— Snow-BIinduess. — Companionship. — Refraction. — Games. — TlieCripple.—Amusements of children. — Cutting out.—Caymgliche thegrateful.—The ungrateful Stranger.—Summary. A CUSTOM exists with this people which must shockthe least delicate sensibilities of civilisation, so utterlyrepugnant is it to all laws human or divine. Tidingswere one morning brought to the ship that one of theelder women of Woorel had died on the previousnight. Enquiring into the circumstances of herdecease, we were informed with the most perfectindifference of manner, that she had been Wah-let-tah (stabbed) by her son. We could not at firstconceive this horrible statement to be true, but unmis-takeable signs put it beyond a doubt
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjecteskimos, bookyear1853
