is good."

"Yes, mother, and she is also griggy."

We may remark in passing that it is impossible to convey the exact
meaning of the Eskimo word which we have rendered "griggy." Enough to
say, once for all, that in difficult words and phrases we give as nearly
as possible our English equivalents.

"And Kunelik," said Nuna, continuing to enumerate her guests; "I like
the mother of Ippegoo. She is a pleasant little woman."

"But father said we were to ask liars," remarked Nunaga, with a sweet
look.

"I'm coming to them, child," said Mrs Okiok, with a touch of
petulance--the result of a gulp of lamp-smoke; "yes, you may ask
Pussimek also. The wife of Simek is always full of wise talk, and her
baby does not squall, which is lucky, for she cannot be forced to leave
Pussi behind."

"But name the liars and stupid ones, mother," urged Nunaga, who, being a
dutiful child, and anxious to carry out her father's wishes to the
letter, stuck to her point.

"Tell Issek, then, the mother of Arbalik, to come," returned Nuna,
making a wry face. "If she is not stupid, she is wicked enough, and
dreadful at lies. And the sisters Kabelaw and Sigokow; they are the
worst liars in all the village, besides being stupider than puffins.
There, that will be enough for our first feed. When these have stuffed,
we can have more. Too many at once makes much cooking and little talk.
Go, my child."

An hour later, and the gossips of the Eskimo village were assembled
round Mrs Okiok's hospitable lamp--she had no "board,"--the raised
floor at the further end of the hut serving both for seat and table in
the daytime and for bed at night. Of course they were all bursting with
curiosity, and eager to talk.

But food at first claimed too much attention to permit of free
conversation. Yet it must not be supposed that the company was
gluttonous or greedy. Whatever Eskimos may feel at a feast, it is a
point of etiquette that guests should not appear anxious about what is
set before them. Indeed, they require a little pressing on the part of
the host at first, but they always contrive to make amends for such
self-restraint before the feast is over.

And it was by no means a simple feast to which that party sat down.
There were dried herrings and dried seal's flesh, and the same boiled;
also boiled auks, dried salmon, dried reindeer venison, and a
much-esteemed dish consisting of half raw and slightly putrid seal's
flesh, called _mikiak_--so