Page:Furcountryorseve00vernrich.djvu/228

 130 THE FUR COUNTRY, coat made of the skin of the walrus, a hood, boots, trousers, and mittens of the same material. They gazed at the Europeans in silence. "Does any one understand Esquimaux 1" inquired the Lieu- tenant. No one was acquainted with that idiom, and every one started when a voice immediately exclaimed in English, " Welcome ! wel- come ! " It was an Esquimaux, and, as they learned later, a woman, who, approaching Mrs Barnett, held out her hand. The lady, much surprised, replied in a few words, which the native girl readily understood, and the whole family was invited to follow the Europeans to the fort. The Esquimaux looked searchingly at the strangers, and after a few moments' hesitation they accompanied the Lieutenant, keeping close together, however. Arrived at the enceinte, the native woman, seeing the house, of the existence of which she had had no idea, exclaimed — " House ! snow-house ! " She asked if it were made of snow, which was a natural question enough, for the house was all but hidden beneath the white mass which covered the ground. She was made to understand that it was built of wood ; she then turned and said a few words to her companions, who made signs of acquiescence, and they all passed through the postern, and were taken to the large room in the chief building. They removed their hoods, and it became possible to distinguish sexes. There were two men, about forty or fifty years old, with yellowish-red complexions, sharp teeth, and projecting cheek-bones, which gave them something of the appearance of carnivorous animals ; two women, still young, whose matted hair was adorned with the teeth and claws of Polar bears ; and two children, about five or six years old, poor little creatures with intelligent faces, who looked about them with wide wondering eyes. " I believe the Esquimaux are always hungry," said Hobson, " so I don't suppose our guests would object to a slice of venison." in obedience to the Lieutenant's order, Joliffe brought some reindeer-venison, which the poor creatures devoured with greedy avidity ; but the young woman who had answered in English behaved with greater refinement, and watched Mrs Barnett and the