ma, tyma_, which we knew to mean 'Good, good,' as Eatum
had told us. Then Eatum wanted to show himself off in our language, and,
pointing to us, he said, 'Hunter plenty good, plenty eat get. All same,'
(pointing to himself by way of illustration, and thus finishing it,)
'_tyma? yeh-yeh, yeh!_' which was the way he had of laughing, as I told
you before, and all the rest _yeh, yeh_-ed just like him. One of them we
called at once 'Old Grim,' because he _yeh-yeh_-ed with his insides;
but no laugh ever showed itself in his face.

"After their curiosity was satisfied, they imitated Eatum, and began to
call loudly, _drinkum_ and then _eatum_,--_yeh-yeh_-ing as before in a
very lively manner; so that, what with their _yeh-yeh_-ing and _eatum_
and _drinkum_, there was quite a merry time of it. Meanwhile, however,
we were busying ourselves to satisfy their wants, and it was not long
before the savages were as full as they could hold. It was a curious
sight to see them eat. They would put one end of a great chunk of meat
in the mouth, and, holding tight to the other end, they would cut it off
close up to the lips. Our seal-blubber they treated in the same way. To
this blubber they seemed to be very partial; and, indeed, all people
living in cold climates soon grow fond of fat of every kind. It is such
strong food, which people require there as much as they do warm
clothing, and in great quantities too. The people living in the Arctic
regions have little desire for vegetable food; and the savages there eat
nothing but meat, fish, and fat.

"Our guests did not leave off eating until each had consumed a quantity
of food equal at least to the size of his head; and then they grew
drowsy, and wanted to _singikpok_, which we knew from Eatum meant sleep;
and in _singikpok_ we were glad enough to indulge them, although greatly
to our inconvenience, for they nearly filled our hut.

"But before this we went down to the sledge and brought up the furs and
other things we had stowed upon it for our journey, as we needed them
for the accommodation of our visitors. The savages went with us, and
when they saw what a sledge we had made, and understood what sort of
journey we were going upon, they laughed.

"You must understand, however, that we did not give up the journey; but,
on the contrary, were more than ever disposed to make it. For, although
we could see no harm in the savages, yet we put no trust in them,--they
appeared to have no seriou