Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/352

Rh which he obtained water. When I inquired about it, I learned that a heavy body of snow falling upon the ice would press it down, allowing the water to come up and collect above it. The surface of this collected water would freeze, forming a comparatively thin coating of ice, but leaving a reservoir of water inclosed, which could be easily reached, as I found to my relief.

On another occasion, while travelling in a bitter cold day, facing a cutting breeze, I found great difficulty in keeping the lower parts of my body from freezing. The Innuits saw me trying to shield myself and gain additional warmth by adjusting a thickly-folded scarf; this they took from me, made it into a girdle, and tied it tightly round my body just above the hips. This restored warmth to me at once, and warded off the danger of freezing.