looks, and said "_Bi-coit-suk_:"
at least, it sounded like that. The meaning of the word we could only
guess at. But, if _bi-coit-suk_ does not mean twins, I am greatly
mistaken. On questioning the man, using the word _kina_, and pointing
to each, we learned, after he understood us, that one was named
_Wutchee_, and the other _Wunchee_. The meanings of these words I have
no need to translate: they were decidedly significant, and amused us a
good deal. For sewing the hides together they used an awl of bone. The
thread, which was of the sinew of some animal, was thrust through the
awl-holes like a shoemaker's waxed-end, and drawn tight. When they had
finished, Kit gave _Wutchee_ (or _Wunchee_, for the life of me I
couldn't tell which) a half-dozen pins from a round pin-ball he
cherished, and three or four bright nickel five-cent bits. Wade then
gave _Wunchee_ (?) his pen-knife, and an old cuff-button he happened
to have in his pocket. They accepted these presents as modest as you
please; but it did seem a little droll to see them immediately fall to
licking them all over with their tongues. They did not seem to act as
if they considered the gifts fairly their own till they had _licked_
them. We had not observed this practice among those who boarded us at
the Middle Savage Isles; but with these the custom seemed a universal
one among the women. Even if the gift were a rusty nail, they would
lick it all the same. It is said that the mothers lick their young
children over like she-bears. Wade also gave the man who had
accompanied them the point of his broken bayonet. The fellow looked
it over, and then, getting his harpoon, unlashed the bone blade, and
substituted the bayonet-point in its place.

"He seems to understand its use," Kit remarked. "Hope he won't
experiment with it on us unawares."

The walrus-skins were then raised on the _oomiak_ mast, the edges
resting on the bottoms of our boat and the _oomiak_, placed on both
sides. Stones laid along the edges held them in place. Not to be too
near our _subjects_ (for they were rather noisy, and smelled pretty
strong of rancid fat), we had placed our tent about two hundred feet
away from their huts. While the rest had been pitching the tent, Wade
and Weymouth had constructed a rough arch of stones, and set our
spider in the top of it as we had previously arranged it.

"Ready for the seal!" said Wade.

"They've got seal-blubber about their huts; I saw some of the young