Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/219

200 a dance by two Innuit ladies and two of the ship's crew, the music being furnished by Bailey with his "viddle." At the early hour of half-past six the performances closed, all concerned being highly pleased with the enjoyments of the evening. "A hearty laugh is as good as a feast." The number of Innuit guests exceeded fifty; many of the ladies were ornamented in the height of fashion among the arctic aristocracy. The brightly glittering head-bands, and the pendents of variegated beads which hung from each side of their hair, made the assembly look quite theatre-like. Tookoolito was present with her infant, as were many other ladies with similar organs of melody at their backs. On the 28th of November we celebrated Thanksgiving Day to the best of our ability. It is true, we had no turkeys, roast beef, or onions; but yet we had something extra—something besides whale, salt junk, salt pork, and hard bread. It was a sea-pie of foxes. The arctic fox is a very pretty species, and is killed in considerable numbers by the Innuits for its flesh and its fine white fur. The time wore on without many incidents especially worthy of note till the 10th of December. I must, however, mention one scene which was deeply interesting. Captain B and several of the aft hands were in the main cabin, where were also Shevikoo, Koojesse, and other Innuits. The captain had a way of his own in occasionally breaking out in strong, unmistakable terms against that northern country. While speaking of it on the evening referred to, he said, "Koojesse, what do you have such a cold, bleak, barren, mountainous, rocky, icy, stormy, freezing country here for, unfit for a white man or any one else to live in?" It was at once noticed that the Innuit Shevikoo was bathed in tears, and such of the other Innuits as comprehended the words of Captain B seemed much hurt. How true that every one likes his own country best. Shevikoo was one of the noblest of his people; he could not repress the flood of tears that burst forth on hearing his native land thus spoken of. As soon as it was fairly decided that the George Henry