asion to speak more fully in another place.

I found that several fresh alterations had been made in the huts
since my last visit, all, however, of the same, kind, and having
in view the same object as those last described. In these
alterations they seem to consult the convenience of the moment,
and to do it all by such unanimous consent, that no consultation
or difference of opinion ever appears to exist about it. So much
snowdrift had now collected about the huts, that their external
appearance was as much altered as that of the interior, and it was
difficult to trace any resemblance to the original village, or
even to perceive its present limits. The snow was now as high as
the roofs on every side, so that one might walk completely over
them, and, but for the round plates of ice composing the windows,
without suspecting the little hive of human beings that was
comfortably established below. This, however, was not always done
with impunity, when the thawing within had too much weakened the
roofs, in which case a leg sometimes made its way through, and
discovered in what parts repairs were become necessary. The
natives were at this time extremely well furnished with seals'
flesh for food and oil for their lamps, and all they would accept
from us (except meat, which we could not afford to give) was
water, and this they swallowed in such quantities whenever they
came to the ships, that it was impossible to furnish them with
half as much as they desired.

We had before this time communicated to Ayoket and his countrymen
our intention of sending a party of our people to the northward in
the spring; and Captain Lyon had displayed to him all the charms
of a brightly-polished brass kettle, of greater magnitude than
had, perhaps, ever entered into an Esquimaux imagination, as an
inducement, among various others, for him to accompany the
Kabloonas in their excursion. The prospect of such riches was a
temptation almost irresistible; but enterprise is not the genius
of an Esquimaux; and Ayoket, we soon began to perceive, had no
fancy for the proposed trip, which all his friends persisted in
saying could never be accomplished. This was evidently to be
attributed, in no small degree, to jealousy of any one individual
among them being thus selected; and the brass kettle was speedily
the means of increasing the distance to "Iligliuk's country" from
sixteen to twenty-four days' journey. We had long, indeed,
observed that this feel