Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/312

Rh The following day, Saturday, April 27th, we commenced our return; but it was cold and stormy, and, as I had left some of my fur dress at Annawa's, I sought to borrow reindeer trousers, mits, and socks there. These I readily obtained; but the first-mentioned article being too small for my dimensions, one of the Innuit women slit them down with her oodloo till they did fit, after a fashion. But, on attempting to move, I was as if in a vice. I could not walk, I could not run, nor could I seat myself; I could only waddle and tumble down! On the ice in front of the igloos I tried to get on, but you, my reader, should have been there to have seen and enjoyed the sight I presented, and to have heard the ringing, side-splitting laughter of this generous-hearted and kind band of Innuits at the grotesque figure I cut in old Seko's skin-tight breeches. A sledge drawn by dogs had been loaned to us, and upon this I threw myself; but, long after our departure, on my looking back, I could see the merry lot still watching, and apparently enjoying the fun I had created. Our sledge went fast, the dogs being good ones, with an excellent Innuit driver, Ning-u-ar-ping, the son of Sampson and Kokerjabin. On the smooth clear ice, which extended from Sampson's village to where we had first halted on our way up, our progress was very rapid. As we passed the island where we had spent the night before meeting the Innuits, I saw our igloo still standing. A little farther on, I observed to the north a peculiar mark—the work of Nature—by the west side of the entrance to Newton's Fiord, standing out boldly upon one of the mountains. On inquiry, I found it was considered by the natives as a remarkable spot, known to them from time immemorial. It was called Ing-ee, Whoever would know what this means, let him confidentially ask an Esquimaux man. After some miles' travel we came to a dépôt of walrus flesh, made by Sampson's people on a previous occasion; and here, after loading from it, the sledge left us on its return. Sterry and I, Kokerjabin and Captain, then walked on, and, after a tedious journey of about fifty miles—though direct only