Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/283

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Hans's wife, and his name signifies "The Catcher"—given to him, no doubt, in early infancy, from some peculiarity of disposition which he then manifested. And he was not inaptly named. The sailors took him into their favor, scrubbed and combed him, and dressed him in Christian clothing, and under their encouraging countenance he was soon found to be as full of tricks as a monkey, and as acquisitive as a magpie. He was the special torment of the steward and the cook. Driven almost to despair, and utterly defeated in every project of reform, the former finally set at the little heathen with a bundle of tracts and a catechism, while the latter declared his fixed resolve to scald him on the first favorable opportunity. "Very well, cook; but remember they hang for murder." "Den I kills him a leetle," was the ready answer.
 * lunet, and Angeit. This latter was the brother of

His mother, Kablunet, proved to be a useful addition to our household. She was very industrious with her needle; and, until she became possessed, in payment for her work, of such articles of domestic use as she needed, sewed for us continually, making every sort of skin garment, from boots to coats, which belong to an Arctic wardrobe. Her complexion was quite light, as her name implied. Kablunet is the title which the Esquimaux give to our race, and it signifies "The child with the white skin;" and if the name of her husband, Tcheitchenguak, did not mean "The child with the dark skin," it ought to, for he was almost black.

The personal appearance of this interesting couple was not peculiarly attractive. Their faces were broad, jaws heavy, cheek-bones projecting like other carnivorous animals, foreheads narrow, eyes small and very