hose who have to walk much in ice-cold water or among moist snow, as is
the case in those regions during spring and autumn. In winter the frost
completely does away with all moisture, so that the Indian moccasin is
better at that season than the Esquimau boot.

For these boots, and a few articles of native clothing, Stanley paid the
natives at the rates of the regular tariff throughout the country; and
this rate was so much beyond the poor Esquimau estimate of the relative
value of boots and goods, that they would gladly have given all the
boots and coats they possessed for what they received as the value of
one pair.

Overjoyed at their good fortune, and laden with treasure, they returned
to their camp to feast, and to sing the praises of the _Kublunat_, as
they termed the fur-traders.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

SILENT CONVERSATION--RAW FOOD--FEMALE TAILS--A TERRIBLE BATTLE
TERMINATED BY THE INTERPOSITION OF A GIANT.

Of all the people at Fort Chimo no one was more interested in the
Esquimaux than little Edith. She not only went fearlessly among them,
and bestowed upon them every trinket she possessed, but, in her
childlike desire for the companionship and sympathy of human beings of
her own age and sex, she took forcible possession of two little girls
who happened to be cleaner, and, therefore, prettier than the others,
and led them away to her own ravine, where she introduced them to her
favourite berries and to her dog Chimo. At first the dog did not seem
to relish the intrusion of these new favourites, but seeing that they
did not induce his mistress to caress him less than before, he
considerately tolerated them. Besides, the Esquimaux had brought their
dogs along with them; and Chimo, being of an amicable disposition, had
entered into social fellowship with his own kind. We have said that
Chimo was sagacious, and it is quite possible he may have felt the
propriety of granting to Edith that liberty which he undoubtedly claimed
for himself.

But Edith's intercourse with her little Esquimau _protegees_ was
necessarily confined to looks--the language of the eye making up for the
absence of that of the tongue. There were many things, however, in
which language was not required as a medium of communication between the
children. When the berries were good, the brightening eyes and smacking
lips spoke a language common to all the human race. So, also, when the
berries were sour or bitter, the expression of