Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/315

 might have the water for a venison-soup, of which she invited us to stay and partake. 1 knew by former experience too well the nature of the Esquimau cuisine to make me anxious to learn further, so I plead business, and left them to enjoy themselves in their own way. How long they kept up their feast I did not learn, but when Kalutunah came over next morning, he informed me that there was no more venison in the hut at Etah,—a hint which was not thrown away.

My Esquimau people now numbered seventeen souls; namely, six men, four women, and seven children; and they presented as many different shades of character and usefulness. The inconveniences to which they subjected us were amply compensated for by the sewing which the wives of Kalutunah and Tcheitchenguak did for us; for, in spite of all our ingenuity and patience, there was no one in the ship's company who could make an Esquimau boot, and this boot is the only suitable covering for the foot in the Arctic regions. Of the men, Hans was the most useful; for, in spite of his objectionable qualities, he was, Jensen excepted, my best hunter. Kalutunah came on board daily, and, as a privileged guest, he sought me in my cabin. My journey over to Etah made him supremely happy; for, like the sound of coming battle to the warrior who has long reposed in peace, a new life was put into him when I offered him the care of one of my newly acquired teams. He came on board the next morning and took charge of the dogs; and when, a few days afterward, I further exhibited my confidence in him by sending him down to Cape Alexander to see if the ice was firm, the cup of his joy was full to the brim.