the ship, on every part of the mound. I remarked that before our, task was completed the man turned and walked quietly to the ships.

"During the two last days, I obtained some information with respect to mourning ceremonies, or at all events such as related to· the loss of a mother of a family; three days were to be passed by the survivors without their walking out on the ice, performing any kind of work, or even having any thing made for them. Washing is out of the question with Eskimaux at most times, but now I was not allowed to perform the necessary ablutions of their hands and faces, however greasy or dirty they might be made by their food; the girl's hair was not to be put in pig-tails, and every thing was neglected; Takkeelikkeeta was not to go sealing until the summer. With the exception of an occasional sigh from the man, there were no more signs of grief; our mourners ate, drank, and were merry, and no one would have supposed they ever had wife, mother, or sister. When the three days, and it is singular that such should be the time, were expired, the man was to visit the grave; and having talked with his wife, all duties were to be considered as over. The 28th was our third day, but a heavy northerly gale and thick drift prevented our visiting the grave. The 29th, although not fine, was more moderate, and I accompanied him at an early hour. Arriving at the grave, he anxiously walked up to it, and carefully sought for foot-tracks on the snow, but finding none repeated to himself, No wolves, no dogs, no foxes, thank ye, thank ye.' He now began a conversation which he directed entirely to the grave, as if addressing his wife. He called her twice by name, and twice told her how the wind was blowing, looking at the same time in the direction from whence the drift was coming. He next broke forth into a low monotonous chaunt, and keeping his eyes fixed on the grave, walked slowly round it, in the direction of the sun, four or five times, and at each circuit he stopped a few moments at the head. His song was, however, uninterrupted. At the expiration of about eight minutes, he stopped, and turning suddenly round to me, exclaimed Tugwa,' (that's enough) and began walking back to the ship. In the song he chaunted I could frequently distinguish the word Koyenna, (thank you) and it was occasionally coupled with the Kabloonas. Two other expressions, both the names of the spirits or familiars of the Annatko, Toolemak, were used a few times; but the whole of the other words were perfectly unintelligible to me." Parry's Journal, p. 395.

One other wretched woman, Kagha, a widow, died under circumstances of peculiar horror.-On the loss of her husband, she became, as it were, excommunicated and under a ban. She was miserably ill; but it was no one's duty to minister to her wants, and she was left in a snow hut, through the broken roof of which blew a piercing wind, plundered of all her goods, and with no covering but a torn skin, and a masque of indescribable filth. Yet, in this state, when Captain Lyon

produced blankets to carry her to a comfortable birth in his own cabin, she turned and asked, what he would pay her for her trouble. In spite of a most wayward and discontented temper, after a few days she was pronounced convalescent. Her habits had rendered Captain Lyon's cabin a general nuisance; and it was with considerable satisfaction that his humanity was permitted to dismiss her. In ten days she was again found closed up and alone in a small snow hut; a single wick of her lamp was burning, and her long hair was frozent to her bed place by a quantity of blood which she had been spitting. When she left the ship, her gums were healthy and her teeth white; now the lower jaw was quite destroyed, black and carious, without a single tooth. The unhappy wretch died in a few hours of absolute starvation; yet, after her husband's decease, her sister, father, mother, and brotherin law, were all at hand, and living for the time in plenty.

Captain Parry's first intention was, as early as the season permitted, to despatch the Hecla to England with such of the crew of both vessels as seemed most affected by this fatiguing and protracted service. The effective strength of the men was evidently impaired, and it was no longer doubtful that if both vessels persevered in the attempt little hope was left that either would return home. In the course

of April active preparations commenced for the execution of this plan. Various exchanges of stores were made which circumstances appeared to require; and on all these occasions the labour of transport was performed by dogs without any difficulty; uaccompanied by drivers, these useful and singular animals bore from one ship to another bower anchors, boats and topmasts; they worked between seven and eight hours each day, and once nine dogs dragged 1611 lbs. a distance of 1750 yards in nine minutes!

The health of the crew however, among whom unequivocal symptoms of scurvy had appeared, rendered a change in the original plan unavoidable. August had arrived, and the ships as yet were unable to extricate themselves; farther discoveries of importance were almost impossible from the lateness of the season, and to pass a third winter with a single ship, and diminished resources wore the appearance of desperation. These cogent reasons determined Captain Parry to return to England with both vessels together, and while his brother Captain was writing his official assent to this proposition the ice broke up, and freed them from their winter quarters on the 9th of August, after a confinement of 319 days.

At the mercy of the tides, and the ice, carried into every bight and swept over each point without the possibility of

helping themselves, they floated along immoveably beset for 24 days out of 26, during which they passed over 140 leagues, generally very close to the shore, and always unable to do any thing to effect an escape from danger; the remainder of the voyage however was prosperous; and they entered the Thames on the 21st of October, 1823, after an absence of two years and a half from England.

Long as our notice of these works is, we have not given a tithe of a tenth of an abridgment of the profoundly interesting matter which they contain; and we cannot break away without adding a few particulars from Captain Lyon's valuable chapter (the 9th) of the general habits of the Eskimaux. Of their dress we despair, without a plate, of affording any description which shall be at all satisfactory. It. must suffice to say, that it consists of skins very neatly fashioned for the men, into a hooded outer coat with a broad skirt behind, an inner coat or shirt, a cloak with sleeves, trowsers, two pair of boots, and mittens for the hands. The women wear the same materials in a different shape. The outer coat has two flaps, one in front and one behind; the hood is used as a cradle for the children, who lie in it stark naked, and the breeches are much less ornamented than those of the other sex. When Captain Lyon informed the belles of Igloolik that his country women the Kabloonas were untattoed, they shrugged up their shoulders with scorn; but when he added that they never wore breeches, the soft hearted Eskimaux expressed sincere commiseration, "because they must be so cold." The females boots are disproportionably large, and are used as pockets for such articles as their mouths cannot conveniently hold, and as temporary larders for any unusual stock of provisions. Hunting is the chief and almost sole occupation of the men. When the animal is once killed, every preparation of its flesh and skin belongs to the women. Sucking and chewing are the preliminaries which all substances intended for dress or other uses undergo, and in these branches of orifacture the fair sex alone is concerned. In hunting the men use various kinds of spears, each ingeniously adapted to its particular purpose. The bow is rarely used at a greater distance than twenty yards. One man with three dogs will make sure of a bear. Deer are allured within shot by an imitation of their own bellow, or if the hunter has patience, by drawing a hood of that animal's skin completely over his head, and standing still till the silly and inquisitive beast comes up close (as it always ultimately does) to examine him. The Eskimaux are restless and migratory, indeed the difficulty with which they procure food renders frequent

change of residence necessary for their subsistence. Even those who have not visited the distant quarters are traditionally well acquainted with their own country, which may be said to extend about ninety miles farther north than Igloolik. There are tribes in their neighbourhood, particularly one in Southampton Island, whom they esteem to be immeasurably inferior to themselves, and whom they distinguish by a term as expressive as BapCapos, Khiad-tĕr-mi-ŏ. Honesty is one of their most striking characteristics. Among themselves property was always sacred, and out of 200 people with whom our sailors became intimately acquainted, only three were considered as determined thieves, and even these performed their work so clumsily as to be instantly detected. It should be remembered also that wood and iron were to them, what gold and jewels are to us; and it may then be asked how many in the mixed rabble of London would be equally abstinent if placed in the mines of Laricaja, or among the diamonds of Siam.

In the balance of virtue and vice indeed an Eskimaux appears to be far superior to other savages. If he is always a most pertinacious beggar, if he murmurs that a neighbour has more beads or blubber than himself,-angulus ille Vicini nostro quia pinguior,-if he is not keenly alive to gratitude, and if occasionally he lies for his own benefit, against these de fects may be justly weighed imperturbable good temper, insensibility to danger, inexhaustible hospitality, and an entire absence of all personal or hereditary spirit of revenge, which is almost as rarely found in civilized societies as among savage hordes. Bigamy is common among them, but the women are all well treated. Conjugal fidelity is neither exacted nor practised on either side. In public all the decorum of more refined nations is observed between the sexes; nevertheless when the men are absent certain revelries are practised, to which Capt. Lyon obtained admittance without the disguise of Clodius, although they appear to partake somewhat of the character of those mysteries which the Roman gallant so infamously violated. Of their religious belief little knowledge could be obtained, and as no kind of worship exists among them it is not probable that their theology is very extensive. Their future state is one of enjoyment; and seems destined only for the good, or those who have endured hardship in this world. In Kayl-yak, or heaven such as are drowned at sea, starved to death, murdered, or killed by walruses or bears, inhabit with two great spirits, Khioo-woo khiak and Tat-kuk. In Aad-lee which is situated in the centre of the earth, there are, four degrees; the three first are regions not of absolute punishment but of partial discomfort; for the sky in them is so 11

close to the earth that a man cannot walk erect. In the fourth are concentrated all the delights which can spring from hunting without fatigue, eating without indigestion, singing without hoarseness, dancing without cramp, and sleeping without growing too fat. Of their Annatkoos or conjurors, Capt. Lyon has given the following account.

This

Amongst our Igloolik acquaintances were two female and a few male wizards, of whom the principal was Toolemak. personage was cunning and intelligent, and whether professionally, or from his skill in the chase, but perhaps from both reasons, was considered by all the tribe as a man of importance. As I invariably paid great deference to his opinion on all subjects connected with his calling, he freely communicated to me his superior knowledge, and did not scruple to allow of my being present at his in. terviews with Törngă, or his patron spirit. In consequence of this, I took an early opportunity of requesting my friend to exhibit his skill in my cabin. His old wife was with him, and by much flattery, and an accidental display of a glittering knife and some beads, she assisted me in obtaining my request. All light excluded, our sorcerer began chanting to his wife with great vehemence, and she in return answered by singing the Amna-aya, which was not discontinued during the whole ceremony. As far as I could hear, he afterwards began turning himself rapidly round, and in a loud powerful voice vociferated for Tornga with great impatience, at the same time blowing and snorting like a walrus. His noise, impatience, and agitation increased every moment, and he at length seated himself on the deck, varying his tones, and making a rustling with his clothes.

"Suddenly the voice seemed smothered, and was so managed as to sound as if retreating beneath the deck, each moment becoming more distant, and ultimately giving the idea of being many feet below the cabin, when it ceased entirely. His wife now, in answer to my queries, informed me very seriously that he had dived, and that he would send up Tornga. Accordingly, in about half a minute, a distant blowing was heard very slowly approaching, and a voice which differed from that we at first had heard, was at times mingled with the blowing, until at length both sounds became distinct, and the old woman informed me that Tornga was come to answer my questions. I accordingly asked several questions of the sagacious spirit, to each of which inquiries I received an answer by two loud slaps on the deck, which I was given to understand were favourable. A very hollow, yet powerful voice, certainly much different from the tones of Toolemak, now chanted for some time, and a strange jumble of hisses, groans, shouts, and gabblings like a turkey, succeeded in rapid order. The old woman sang with increased energy, and, as I took it for granted that this was all intended to astonish the Kabloona, I cried repeatedly that I was very much afraid. This, as I expected, added fuel to the fire, until the poor