Page:The white czar; a story of a polar bear (IA whiteczarstoryof00hawk).pdf/136

 Omingmong does not mind them as his coat is so long, and they do not much inhabit his cold latitude.

Whitie had a very novel way of escaping them, which greatly pleased Oumauk. When the mosquitoes had stung his eyes so that he could hardly see out of them, he would take to the water. There he would submerge himself and lie for hours with just the tip of his nose showing. If the mosquitoes swarmed on the end of his nose he would get even with them by drawing it under quickly and wetting them.

Thus the summer went with the Eskimo fishing and drying fish, gathering birds' eggs, and killing enough ducks and geese for their immediate need, and also gathering down for the market. They likewise tried out considerable seal oil for use in the stonelamp during the long night when they would need all the light they could get.

Then in the autumn came the annual migration back to Eskimo Town.

It was not a varied or exciting life, as a white boy would look at it. But to Oumauk it was full of wonder and mystery, for he