arcass of walrus and seal wherewith to
replenish their wardrobes and larders, and banish hunger and care from
their dwellings for a considerable time to come.
Be not too ready, most refined reader, to condemn those people for their
somewhat gross and low ideas of enjoyment. Remember that they were "to
the manner born." Consider, also, that "things are not what they seem,"
and that the difference between you and savages is, in some very
important respects at least, not so great as would at first sight
appear. You rejoice in literature, music, fine art, etcetera; but how
about one or two o'clock? Would these afford you much satisfaction at
such a time?
"Bah!" you exclaim, "what a question! The animal wants must of course
be supplied." True, most refined one, but a hunk of bread and a plate
of soup would fully suffice for animal needs. Would your refined
pleasures have as keen a relish for you if you had only to look forward
to bread and water between six and nine? Answer, ye sportsmen, how
would you get through your day's work if there were not a glorious
dinner at the end of it? Speak, ye ballroom frequenters, how would you
skip, even with the light of brilliant eyes to encourage you, if there
were not what you call a jolly good supper somewhere in the background?
Be honest, all of you, and confess--what you tacitly and obviously admit
by your actions every day--that our mere animal wants are of vast
importance, and that in our ministering to these the only difference
between ourselves and the Eskimos is, a somewhat greater variety of
viands, a little less of toil in obtaining them, a little more of
refinement and cleanliness in the consumption of them, and, perchance, a
little less of appetite.
We feel impelled thus to claim for our northern brothers some
forbearance and a little genuine sympathy, because we have to record
that their first act on arriving was to fly to the cooking-lamps, and
commence a feast which extended far into the night, and finally
terminated in lethargic repose.
But this was not the feast to which we have more than once referred. It
was merely a mild preliminary whet. The hunters were hungry and tired
after their recent exertions, as might have been expected, and went in
for refreshment with a will. They did not, however, forget the
Kablunet. Eager expectation was on tip-toe, and even hunger was
forgotten for a short time in the desire to see the foreigner; but Okiok
had mad
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