pocket-knives,
which, being useful, he supposed would be desired. Not at all; they were
fumbled indifferently, then invariably declined. But a plug of
tobacco,--ah, that now _is_ something!

The men wear tight seal-skin trousers and boots, with an upper garment
of the same material, made like a Guernsey frock. In winter a hood is
added, but in summer they all go bareheaded,--the stiff, black hair
chopped squarely off across the low forehead, but longer behind. The
costume of the females is more peculiar,--seal-skin boots, seal-skin
trousers, which just spring over the hips, and are there met by a
body-garment of seal-skin more lightly colored. Over this goes an
astonishing article of apparel somewhat resembling the dress-coat in
which unhappy civilization sometimes compels itself to masquerade,
but--truth stranger than fiction!--_considerably_ more ugly. A long tail
hangs down to the very heels; a much shorter peak comes down in front;
at the sides it is scooped out below, showing a small portion of the
light-colored body-garment, which irresistibly suggests a very dirty
article of lady-linen whereon the eyes of civilized decorum forbear to
look, while an adventurous imagination associates it only with snowy
whiteness. The whole is surmounted by an enormous peaked hood, in which
now and then one sees a baby carried.

This elegant garment was evidently copied from the skin of an
animal,--so Ph---- acutely suggested. The high peak of the hood
represents the ears; the arms stand for the fore legs; the downward peak
in front for the hind legs sewed together; the rear dangler represents
the tail. I make no doubt that our dress-coat has the same origin,
though the primal conception has been more modified. It is a bear-skin
_plus_ Paris.

Is the reader sure of his ribs and waistcoat-buttons? If so, he may
venture to look upon an Esquimaux woman walking,--which I take to be the
most ludicrous spectacle in the world. Conceive of this short, squat,
chunky, lumpish figure in the costume described,--grease _ad libitum_
being added. The form is so plump and heavy as very much to project the
rear dangler at the point where it leaves the body, while below it falls
in, and goes with a continual muddy slap, slap, against the heels. The
effect of this, especially in the profile view, is wickedly laughable,
but the gait makes it more so. The walk is singularly slow, unelastic,
loggy, and is characterized at each step by an indescribabl