lenet! Oomeak!_'
which means, 'White men and ships!' and a general rush was made in our
direction.

"The mate told us there was nothing to fear, as they were quite
friendly, and he walked forward to meet them. He had been among them
before and knew some of their words, so we were quickly on excellent
terms with them.

"They surrounded us, laughing and chattering like so many children,
shaking hands, examining our clothes and repeating, like parrots, the
words and expressions the white men whom they had met before had taught
them.

"One old chap, Kalutunah by name, seemed especially kindly disposed
towards us, and, following his example, the entire party, finding the
white men's ship was so near, decided to make their winter quarters near
us, knowing that they would probably get what would be, to them,
valuable presents.

"Captain Lewis was glad to have them for neighbors, too, for, if we
should happen to run short of fresh meat or should get smashed in the
ice--and there is always a possibility of that--the Esquimaux would be
of great assistance.

"They built their _igloos_ not far from the ship, and we interchanged
frequent visits. Kalutunah and I became very intimate, and I tried to
teach him English words and their meaning in his language; but he never
got any farther than _ees_ and _noe_--his pronunciation of 'yes' and
'no.'

"Two months of such an easy life as we led tired me more than cutting up
the biggest 'balleener' that was ever 'ironed.' Parties of the Esquimaux
went off hunting every day, and, finding that Kalutunah was making
preparations for a two days' hunt up the inlet, I begged the captain to
allow me to go with him, and permission was readily given.

"The trip was to be made on Kalutunah's sledge, and if you have never
read about or seen a picture of an Esquimau sledge, you want to look it
up at once. It is one of the most ingeniously-built things I ever saw,
considering the means at the command of the Esquimaux.

[Illustration:
"MY BULLET HAD TAKEN EFFECT ON ONE OF THE DOGS,
WHICH HAD IMMEDIATELY TANGLED UP THE REST OF
THE TEAM AND BROUGHT THE SLEDGE TO A STANDSTILL."]

"The runners, which are of bone, are square behind and curved upward in
front, usually five feet or more in length, three-fourths of an inch
thick, and seven in height. They are not of solid bone, but composed of
many pieces of various shapes and sizes, yet all fitting together so
perfectly that they are as smooth as glas