e frequently replenished; and gluttony, in its most
disgusting form, became for a while the order of the day. The
Esquimaux were now seen wallowing in filth, while some, surfeited,
lay stretched upon their skins, enormously distended, and with
their friends employed in rolling them about, to assist the
operations of oppressed nature. The roofs of their huts were no
longer congealed, but dripping with wet and threatening speedy
dissolution. The air was, in the bone huts, damp, hot, and beyond
sufferance offensive with putrid exhalations from the decomposing
relics of offals or other animal matter permitted to remain from
year to year undisturbed in these horrible sinks.

"What the consequences might have been had this state of affairs
long continued, it is not difficult to imagine; but, fortunately
for them, an early and gradual dispersion took place, so that by
the end of January few individuals were left in the village. The
rest, in divided bodies, established themselves in snow huts upon
the sea-ice at some distance from the land. Before this change had
been completed, disorders of an inflammatory character had
appeared. A few went away sick, some were unable to remove, and
others taken ill upon the ice, and we heard of the death of several
about this period.

"Their distance from the ships at once precluded any effectual
assistance being rendered them at their huts, and their removal on
board with safety; the complaints of those who died at the huts,
therefore, did not come under observation. It appears, however, to
have been acute inflammation of some of the abdominal viscera, very
rapid in its career. In the generality, the disease assumed a more
insidious and sub-acute form, under which the patient lingered for
a while, and was then either carried off by a diarrhoea, or slowly
recovered by the powers of nature. Three or four individuals, who,
with some risk and trouble, were brought to the ships, we were
providentially instrumental in recovering; but two others, almost
helpless patients, were so far exhausted before their arrival, that
the endeavours used were unsuccessful, and death was probably
hastened by their removal.

"That affection of the eyes known by the name of snow-blindness, is
extremely frequent among these people. With t