Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/96

Rh and my opinion as to their honesty, good-nature, good-will, and genuine hospitality is strong and unmixed. They possess these virtues to an eminent degree. The vices so prominent and prevalent in more civilized communities are all but unknown here. The test they were put to on board the George Henry was enough to satisfy any man that they are honest. Numbers of Esquimaux, of all ages and of both sexes, were almost constantly on board, yet not the slightest thing was missed by any of us. We never thought it necessary to "keep an eye" on this or that, though their desire for any of our trinkets was ever so great. Wherever we placed an article, there we found it. Among other incidents well remembered of my stay at Holsteinborg, I must not forget the garden attached to Governor Elberg's house. He was very proud of this garden, though there was but little in it. One evening he took me there. The radishes and turnips looked flourishing, but they were diminutive in the extreme. Those I tasted were good. I relished them exceedingly, tops and all.

I have mentioned purchasing here some dogs for sledge-work. They were six in number, and the governor kindly gave me his experience in selecting the best animals. I bought the six for about ten Danish dollars, equivalent to five dollars American. As these dogs will be frequently alluded to in my narrative, I here append a list of their Greenland names: 1. Kingo; 2. Barbekark; 3. Ei—pronounced Ee; 4. Me-lak-tor—the leader; 5. Me-rok; 6. Me-lâk, or Ki-o-koo-lik, afterward called Flora.

For their food I purchased over two bushels of little dried fish ("capelins") for twenty-five cents.

At length the repairs of our windlass were complete, and on Tuesday, July 24th, a fair wind gave notice we were about to take our departure. Two pilots—Otto and Lars—came on board, and as some of our men had gone ashore, the colours were hoisted for their return. All was excitement. My letters for home had to be finished, and my last farewell uttered to kind friends.