. Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux;. was colder than we had yet experienced,the thermometer being that night (the seventeenth of my igloolife) 75° below the freezing j:>oiut! Bemembering that our sealerswere out on the ice, and, as they had said, would each be watch-ing for a prize, I shuddered, fully expecting they must be frozento death; but what was my surprise and pleasure in the after-noon to see Jack and Ebierbing return, each with a seal—the onecaptured about midnight, the other early in the morning. Ebierbing admitted that he had felt the cold very much whilewatching,
. Arctic researches, and life among the Esquimaux;. was colder than we had yet experienced,the thermometer being that night (the seventeenth of my igloolife) 75° below the freezing j:>oiut! Bemembering that our sealerswere out on the ice, and, as they had said, would each be watch-ing for a prize, I shuddered, fully expecting they must be frozento death; but what was my surprise and pleasure in the after-noon to see Jack and Ebierbing return, each with a seal—the onecaptured about midnight, the other early in the morning. Ebierbing admitted that he had felt the cold very much whilewatching, and, though well wrapped in furs tied around him,could hardly prevent his feet from freezing. As to his nose, thatdid get touched by the frost, but he soon remedied it by smokinga Yankee clay pipe loaded with Virginia tobacco. Ugarng returned in the evening unsuccessful. Another seal-feast was of course made, and on this occasionI supped on seal soup, with about two yards of frozen seals en-trails (very good eating) as a finish to the r:.V(.INi IN THE INNUIT MODE OF EATING FOOD. 213 These seal suppers I found to be most excellent. The seal-meat is cooked in a pan suspended for three or four hours overthe fire-lamp. Generally it is boiled in water—half of it sea-water—and blood! When ready, it is served up by first givingto each person a piece of the meat. This is followed by a dish ofsmoking-hot soup, that is, the material in which the seal has beencooked; and I challenge auy one to find more palatable food inthe United States. It is ambrosia and nectar! Once tasted,thecry is sure to be More! more! The seal-meat, I may state, is eaten by holding it in both hands,the fingers and the dental mill suppbying the offices of bothknife and fork. This mode of eating was known before such in-struments were thought of. Among the Innuits generally, thefollowing practice prevails: Before the igloo wife hands any onea piece of meat, she soiqis it all over, that is,
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1860, booksubjecteskimos, bookyear1865
