890 they learned the art of making "nookpowras," flour mixed with a
small amount of water, then dropped into boiling seal or whale oil.
"Nookpowras" proved quite popular, and flour became a demand.

A few years back instructions were begun among the young people at
Tigara in the simple art of cooking. At first the girls viewed it in
the line of a novelty, but when they noticed the eligible young men
picking out the cooks for their wives, it was astonishing to see what
zeal all the marriageable girls suddenly developed. As soon as they had
learned to turn a slapjack, or to make a cup of coffee, they would, on
returning to their homes in the evening, pass around among the young
men, bragging of what good cooks they were; or if a whale ship was
sighted, off would scamper the cooks, anxious to be the first on board,
invariably hunting up the cooks' galley, where they introduced
themselves as cooks, seeming to feel that there should be a
professional bond of sympathy between them.

It was not alone in cooking that instructions were given, but also in
the art of sewing; simple cutting was taught and the making of such
things as towels, snow shirts and trousers.

At one time the young tribal princess and her companion were under
instruction. They tried to excel all previous apprentices in various
ways. No sooner would the breakfast dishes be through with than the
girls would disappear out-of-doors. On searching for them, they would
be found in some secluded corner playing housekeeping; or, if a
doctor's patient came along, after his departure they would prescribe
small powders of flour for each other. When the time came for them to
receive instruction in sewing, they were set to making woolen trousers.
A great amount of whispering and tittering went on; then when the work
was brought for inspection it was found that, as before these girls had
tried to excel all previous attempts. They had procured some bright
pieces of calico with which they had trimmed the garments in a style
the princess thought quite pretty. Fancy trousers immediately became
the rage among the villagers. One young man of dudish propensities came
out with a pair that had been worked in rings of various colors down
each leg, while his competitor introduced knee breeches made from fancy
bed ticking, heavily frilled at the knees and fancily embroidered in
bright colors. The village belles, not to be outdone by the young men,
discarded the old bone fish-hooks