Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/314

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Although they are surrounded by reindeer, venison is a luxury which they rarely enjoy, as they possess no means of capturing the animals. They have not the bows and arrows of the Esquimaux of some other localities. Without waiting for it to be cooked, Kalutunah commenced a vigorous attack upon the raw, frozen flesh. His wife and children were not slow to follow his example, crowding round it where it lay on the dirty floor; and, without halting for an invitation, Mrs. Myouk joined in the feast. And I have never witnessed a feast which seemed to give so much satisfaction to the actors in it, not even hungry aldermen at a corporation banquet. Kalutunah was grinning all over with delight. He was eminently happy. His teeth were unintermittingly crushing the hard kernels which he chipped from the frozen "leg," and a steady stream of the luscious food was pouring down his throat. His tongue had little chance, but now and then it got loose from the venison tangle, and then I heard much of the greatness and the goodness of the Nalegaksoak. The man's enjoyment was a pleasant thing to behold.

But if the reindeer-leg gave satisfaction, the oil gave comfort. The hut was dark and chilly, not having yet become thoroughly thawed out. Kalutunah now thought that he could afford another lamp, and in a few minutes after we had entered a fresh blaze was burning in the corner. I have before explained that the Esquimau lamp is only a shallow dish, cut out of a block of soap-stone. The dried moss which they use for wick is arranged around the edge, and the blaze therefrom gives their only light and heat. Over the lamps hung pots of the same soap-stone, and into these Mrs. Kalutunah put some snow, that she