four thousand
three hundred and forty-three feet; the thickness of the ice, in the
level and regular parts, being from twelve to fourteen inches, but in
many places, where a separation had occurred, amounting to several feet.
I cannot sufficiently do justice to the cheerful alacrity with which the
men continued this laborious work during thirteen days, the thermometer
being frequently at _zero_, and once as low as -9 deg. in that interval. It
was satisfactory, moreover, to find, that in the performance of this,
not a single addition had been made to the sick-list of either ship,
except by the accident of one man's falling into the canal, who returned
to his duty a day or two afterward.

While our people were thus employed, the Esquimaux had continued to make
daily visits to the ships, driving down on sledges with their wives and
children, and thronging on board in great numbers, as well to gratify
their curiosity, of which they do not, in general, possess much, as to
pick up whatever trifles we could afford to bestow upon them. These
people were at all times ready to assist in any work that was going on,
pulling on the ropes, heaving at the windlass, and sawing the ice,
sometimes for an hour together. They always accompanied their exertions
by imitating the sailors in their peculiar manner of "singing out" when
hauling, thus, at least, affording the latter constant amusement, if not
any very material assistance, during their labour. Among the numerous
young people at Igloolik, there were some whose activity on this and
other occasions particularly struck us. Of these I shall, at present,
only mention two: _N=o=ogloo_, an adopted son of Toolemak, and
_K=ong~ol~ek_, a brother of "John Bull." These two young men, who
were from eighteen to twenty years of age, and stood five feet seven
inches in height, displayed peculiar _tact_ in acquiring our method of
heaving at the windlass, an exercise at which _K=ong~ol~ek_ became
expert after an hour or two's practice. The countenances of both were
handsome and prepossessing, and their limbs well-formed and muscular;
qualities which, combined with their activity and manliness, rendered
them (to speak like a naturalist), perhaps, as fine specimens of the
human race as almost any country can produce.

Some of our Winter Island friends had now arrived also, being the party
who left us there towards the end of the preceding May, and whom we had
afterward overtaken on their journey to t