ese shall jump over it alternately. The art, therefore, which is
indeed considerable, depends more on those whirling the rope than on the
jumpers, who are, however, obliged to keep exact time, in order to be
ready for the rope passing under their feet.

The whole of these people, but especially the women, are fond of music,
both vocal and instrumental. Some of them might be said to be
passionately so, removing their hair from off their ears, and bending
their heads forward, as if to catch the sounds more distinctly, whenever
we amused them in this manner. Their own music is entirely vocal,
unless, indeed, the drum and tambarine before mentioned be considered an
exception.

The voices of the women are soft and feminine, and, when singing with
the men, are pitched an octave higher than theirs. They have most of
them so far good ears, that, in whatever key a song is commenced by one
of them, the rest will always join in perfect unison. After singing for
ten minutes, the key had usually fallen a full semitone. Only two of
them, of whom Iligliuk was one, could catch the tune as pitched by an
instrument, which made it difficult with most of them to complete the
writing of the notes; for if they once left off they were sure to
recommence in some other key, though a flute or violin was playing at
the time.

* * * * *

During the season passed at Winter Island, which appears to have been a
healthy one with the Esquimaux, we had little opportunity of becoming
acquainted with the diseases to which they are subject. Our subsequent
intercourse with a great number of these people at Igloolik having
unfortunately afforded more frequent and fatal instances of sickness
among them, I here insert Mr. Edwards's remarks on this subject.

"Our first communication with these people at Winter Island gave us
a more favourable impression of their general health than
subsequent experience confirmed. There, however, they were not free
from sickness. A catarrhal affection, in the month of February,
became generally prevalent, from which they readily recovered after
the exciting causes, intemperance and exposure to wet, had ceased
to operate. A solitary instance of pleurisy also occurred, which
probably might have ended fatally but for timely assistance. Our
intercourse with them in the summer was more interrupted; but at
our occasional meetings they were observe