Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/228

Rh given to the village Innuits for the tuktoo feast about to come off at Sampson's igloo, and soon the guests rushed in. The position of the ladies was, of course, upon the bed platform, and I drew off my boots and took a place among the "fair of creation;" all others of my sex had to take standing seats wherever they could find them down on the snow floor. Fully thirty souls were crammed into our igloo. I was sandwiched between the wife of Koo-kin and the wife of New-watche, the latter being the sister to Sampson's wife.

Sampson was the master of ceremonies; he first made the ladies on the bed give way so as to clear a space whereon he might do the carving; then he placed on this spot the table-cloth, a huge sealskin, and upon that put the carcass of a large deer; he then took a boat hatchet, and began to carve the deer. Slabs of its side were chopped and peeled off; chips of ice flew here and there into the very faces of the guests at each stroke of the axe. As fast as Sampson rolled off the venison other men took the pieces, and by means of a saw and seal-knives reduced them to a size adapted for handling; then Sampson distributed these bits, one to each, till every mill had grist to grind. Thus for half an hour Sampson carved; then his hatchet handle broke off close up to the head. Another axe was sent for, and meanwhile, with the half of a saw, the two saddles were divided into the proper number of pieces, ready for distribution; the carcass was then once more attacked, and the shell was broken, split, and sawed into pieces. In it was the "kernel," to which all looked with anxious eyes; this was at last divided into as many pieces as there were pieces of saddle, and then one of each was given to every guest. I received my share with gratitude, and with a piece in each hand began eating. I bit off a mouthful of the saddle-piece; it was good. I took a morsel of the other; it was delightful; its flavour was a kind of sorrel acid; it had an ambrosial taste! it fairly melted in my mouth! When nearly through, I had the curiosity to crowd my way to a light to see what this delicious frozen food was, for where I sat I was shaded by large forms between