Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/220

Rh about the same as when I last saw her. I determined then to remain, doing what I could to smooth the pillow of the dying. The lamp was nearly out; the cold was intense, the thermometer outside being 51° below the freezing point; and though I had on the Esquimaux dress, it was with difficulty I could keep my blood from congealing. There I was, the lone, silent watcher of a dying Esquimaux, encircled within snow walls that were soon to become her tomb. Thank God I was there! It did my soul good to hold communion with high heaven at such a time. It did me good to be where angels, just from heaven, came to greet and bear away a soul precious to God. What a scene! Indeed, to me it was one that has become ineffaceably fixed on memory's tablet. "About twelve, midnight, I heard footsteps approaching. Soon the sound as if the entrance was being closed up again. I thought, Can it be that I am to be imprisoned here, doomed to have this my living tomb? I listened a while. I found it true that I was being shut up as though dead. Of course those who were doing this knew not I was there. At length I cried out 'Turbar! turbar!' Stop! stop! At this, all was again silent as the grave for a moment. I then said, 'Ki-ete'—come in; and in came the two who were performing the last sad act of respect to the dead. But what shall I say of their last act to the living? The two proved to be Koodloo and a woman called Koo-ou-le-arng, or Suzhi, as we named her. Here they remained half an hour with me, then departed. I was again alone with the dying Esquimaux. Nearer and nearer drew her end. Coldness was creeping over her. Indeed, I found the cold taking hold of me. The native lamp, which serves for light and fire, had ceased from want of blubber or oil. There was only my lantern-lamp to give light, and the oil of this was kept fluid by the calorie of my encircling hands.

"During the day my fur stockings had become damp from perspiration, therefore my feet were nearly frozen. Every few minutes I was necessitated to jump and thrash myself—to do anything I could to keep my limbs from frostbites.