Elisha Kent Kane Private Journal

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breaking out with a [?] I stripped like the rest, [?] my well tires cascade between Mrs. Eider-down's legs, put her left hand baby under my arm pit, pillowed my head on [?]'s somewhat warm [belly] stomach, and thus an honoured guest & in the place of honour, fell asleep.

Next morning, the sun nearly at noonday height, I awoke. Mrs. E. Duck had my breakfast, very temptingly ready, forked on the end of a [circular] curved piece of bone was a lump of boiled blubber, [?] by a choice cut of meat. The preliminary cooking I had not seen, my appetite was in its usual blessed [?] dance. and I was about eagerly to grasp the proposed food, when I saw the other matron, who as joint tenant had her focus on the other side of the hut, using the same [character?] of curved bone as a [?] scratcher, deep under her breeches, raking among her [?] [?] mysteries was the [?] of that which sustained my breakfast. I found afterwards that this double use of the same instrument was universal. When not used as a titilator corporis, it reposed in the soup pot, at hand for withdrawing meat.

[The observations made during my visit will be found in my notes, the detailed account of the extreme filth of these people proved that] Dirt in our sense is nearly if not quite a non conceived [?] with these Esquimaux [?] as an obstacle or hindrance they may realise, but in any other than a [?] [?] point of view their [?] no cognizance of things [?] either in fact or by association. This is a feature [to be noted] in the [?] these, [?] northern nomads [Esquimaux.] It is so

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far as I know unique, and must be attributed not alone to their predatory diet and peculiar domestic system, but to [the joint accumulations of the chase and the household from being intolerable. which [?] preying [?] putrefaction and prevents the extreme cold].

When I saw that the appreciation of filth is unknown to them, I mean to convey an actual deprecation of a sense which is [?] the result of [?] or assocative [?]. My note book proved this by [?]. detail among the [?] of which are such as these.

A child cries for a piece of blubber. He is on the [nelek?] or floor crawling through the passage which leads into the entry this floor receives the urinary & [?] fecal excretions of the inmates, and these generally half frozen are mixed in a [?] compound of general filth. The child as I said cries for blubber, the mother flings it, as to a dog, in advance of him half barried in the nausious paste, the child grasps it and without a thought conveys it to his mouth.

A dog befouls his harness. The master cleanses it between [trunk?] & fingers, he will not wipe his fingers on his clothing for he knows that it will injure his food. He wipes them on his hair! The mother [?] an infant in her hood receives on her naked skin the fecal evacuations, of [copious?] these are scraped up with the hand, which being afterwards wiped with a little straw as if to remove the mechanical encumberance, is next seen in the [?] or soup pot.

Dirt forming a [?] with blubber and other [?] to the [?] and becomes a serious annoyance. A [bird?] skin is spit upon [peely?] and [scrambled?] with rapid friction over the past, urine is used for the same purpose

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Lice collect numerously upon their persons. These are looked upon as destroyers of comfort, not as conveying associations of the unclean. They wage war against them as we do against mosquitoes, but after killing them they eat them.

I need go no further, the words [ebesk?] which is the only approach in their language to "dirt or filth", applies merely to mechanical obstructions as [?], the dirt crust on their face is [Ebesk?] "dirt", but the spit or urine which washed it off is not dirt. The evacuations of the child [under?] so copious as to interfere with the action of the hands are not "Ebesk", the secretions of the nose and the parasitical growths of the body are food for the palate and in no respect [?] as [?] unclean.

Spent some time at Etah in examining glacier and sketching household utensals. [Miss S cannot comment on [these?].] among other old friends I saw [Auhahtok?] now recovering from the severe [post?] bite which with a similar misfortune befel [?] in their fearful adventure among the drifting ice. I gave [?] (Bladder float) a piece of red flannel and pow wowed him. He resides with [Utuneat?] in the second hut which is much smaller than Mitek's, his wife is a sister of [Kalutenak?], and quite pretty. I could hardly believe that this [young?] couple would have killed their first born child and pretending ignorance of the matter. I [?] after its health. They turned their hands downward, as much as to say "its gone" but showed no sign of confusion. They did not even pay its memory the cheap compliment of tears, which among thes e people are always at hand.

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There is a singular custom [among them] which I have [?] here and which [?] to the [?], and has its analogues in more cultivated [centres?]. I allude to regulated formalities of mourning the dead with spells of copious weeping. In this all present are expected to join and [?] requires you to wipe the eyes of the Cheif mourner. Often they assemble by concert for this purpose, but very generally one will break out into [?] and the others [?] follow without at first, knowing for what particular bereavement they are weeping.

Any calamity may be thus mourned, the failure of a hunt, the fracture of a walrus line the death of a dog or a grand mother. Mrs. Eider duck né Small belly ([Egurk?]) once looked up from her [kolupdiet?] and burst into a gentle gush of woe; with remarkable presence of mind I took out my handkerchief made of [marten?] out of my [long] an unused [white] [?] and after wiping her eyes, politely wept a few tears myself. This little passage of woe was soon over Eider Duck returned to her [Kolupdiet?] and Naligak to his note book.

The six storm arrested strangers were off early in the morning on their hunt. I sent by them messages of compliment to [Kalutak?] a [kalutaket?] and [?] to advance my negociation for dogs. In the afternoon I started on a walrus hunt [myself]. [?] & myself being sledgemen. We had but Mitek's four dogs.

Walrus form the staple food of the Rensselaer Bay Esquimaux throughout the greater part of the year. To [?] S. about [?[ Channel the seal & [?] & white whale [?] at [?] appropriate seafood, but in

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in [Boreth'd?] Sound these last are accidental rather than sustained hunts. The natives have several [?[ of capturing the walrus and then are directly connected with the season of the year. In the fall when the pack but partially [cleared?] is subjected to [rests?] and broken drift the animals are very numerous, hanging around the [neukal?] [?] of mixed ice and water, and following it as with the advance of winter it solidifies more and more to the South. By means of the young ice the Esquimaux approach the beast either in cracks or holes and often the manner describes last fall spear [?] with [nalegeit?] and line.

This [fishing?], as the season grows colder, [danker?] and more tempestuous is fearfully hazardous. Scarcely a year passed without a catastrophie but although accidents were [?] during the last (a this) season no [less?] were lost a consummation so kindly that the [?] have promised us a successful season. Even as late as December the ice off Cape Alexander yielded, though scantily, enough walrus to supply the settlement. (Mr. S[?] will have copy in A on next page)

With the earliest spring more strictly about month after the reappearance of the sun. The winter famine generally is [released?] Jany. & Feb. are often in fact nearly always months of [privation?] but during the latter parts of March the Spring [Fishing?] commences. Every thing is then life and [?]ment.

The walrus are now taken in two ways. One by the sides of the ice bergs, where the [?] have worn away the ice. Here the animal [?], and enjoying the sun shine too long, has

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Sometimes its retreat cut off by the freezing of the ice for like the seal at its [?], the walrus can only work from below. While thus caught, the Esquimaux, who with keen hunter craft are scouring the floes, scent them out by their dogs and spear them. Sometimes they [?] in the same way from a hole or [?] crack and are similarly confused.

This early spring is the breeding season, and the walrus are in their glory. My observations show that they [?] this [?] throughout the entire [winter] year. Now however, the female with her calf is accompanied by the [?] Father, swaying in loving tries from crack to crack, [?] around the berg water or basking in the sun. While [?] their [?], [?] afford to their vigilant enemies the [?] method of capture, and this which is also by lance & harpoon becomes a regular battle the male gallantly [?] the assault, and charging the hunters with furious [?]. Not infrequently the entire family Mother Calf & Bull are killed. [note A young walrus received by me Mar 26h measured 4f. 10 in length, 29 inches in circumference, and 9 in in expanded [?] of [?] flipper the same flipper of the Mother measure 17 inches.]

[I cannot for want of [home?] [?] adventures.]

The huts there [?] snow covered dens, are now scenes of life & activity. Stacks of [jointed?] meat are piled upon the ice fort. The women are [?] the [?] for [sole?] leather, and the men cutting [?]

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a reserve of harpoon lines for the winter - tusky walrus heads stare at you from the snow bank where they are stowed for their ivory - the dogs are tethered to the ice and the children each one armed with the curved nib of some big amphibion - are playing ball and bat among the drifts.

On the day of my arrival four walrus were killed at Etah. And I dont know how many by Kalutah at [Pete??-] vik.

The quantity of beef gained during a season of plenty one would suppose ought to put them beyond winter want - but there are other causes than their improvidence which cause scanty supplies -

The poor creatures are not idle - they hunt indomitably without the loss of a day. When the storms prevent the use of the sleds - they still work in storing away the carcases of previous hunts. The quantity thus stowed is excessive - an excavation either on the main lands or what is [illegible] upon an islands unaccessable to foxes - is made by removing stones and into this grave, the jointed meat is stacked - and finally covered with nearby stones.

One such Cache seen by me on a small island - near Samuel Leiper's [testicles?] - contained ten walrus and I know of several others - equally large.

The excessive consumption is the true explanation of the scarcity. By their own wise laws they must share with all - and as they migrate in numbers according to the state of supplies the tax upon each settlement is excessive - The quantity [??] mass

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In the leads and shore waters. The highest Northing in which I have seen the Trichechus was in Lat 78^o.52 off Lady Franklin Bay. - While thus following the tides and feeding amidst the floating pack they are unapproachable by the Esquimaux - whose [depriation?] of the Kyak confined the hunter to the ice. It is at this season the late summer or [Ausak?] // note. [Ausak?] - After all ice has melted a sort of 5th Season preceding the new congelation of the fall - the derivation is according to Petersen from [Aupok?] to melt K.// that the 4th method of hunt comes into play. The Walrus during late July and early August are in the habit of resorting to the rocks - probably for sexual purposes. They are then extremely alert and watchful but the Esquimaux note carefully their seats and concealing themselves with care await with patient silence the return of the animal when he is harpooned and caught as by the ice fishing.

The Usuk (P.Barbata) or largest seal of this region is invaluable to these people for harpoon lines harness &c. &c. One of these was killed on the day of my arrival not as an Atluk or breathing hole seal - but emerged upon the ice - All seal thus exposed whether [net seider?] - Usuk or (more rarely seen) Spraglet (Spotted Seal P. Vitulina) are called Utok - (a term applying equally to their hunt but unknown in S. Greenland K.// This reappearance of the Utuk was a source of congratulation - a sort of Jubilee - The little Children Cried Two white whale had been killed further S. near C. Robertson - some of the [?] of this animal - reached me - It was delicious and deserves its antiscorbutic celebrity - This substance - elsewhere described is

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25 skin with its appended blubber of any whale - It must be highly albuminous as it tastes like the white of eggs - and when fried resembles oysters and by a whitened opalescense shows indications of coagulation. Judging recently from the results of a plate of Matak about a foot square which was dealt out among our most serious cases of haemorhagic scurvy I place it at the head of the antiscorbutic list - Its tendency to heal [sore] fungous gums is a noticeable feature.

Around Northumberland and to the Id. the white whale is a subject of regular pursuit - [of this more in an other place] - The seal are also more numerous - and the Uria and Eider valuable sources of supply.

My departure from Leiper Bay was hastened by the sudden appearance of Hans - with news pf the sickness of Mr. McGeary. I met Hans a [little beyond] while out Walrus hunting near Life Boat Cove and learned by a letter from Dr. Hayes - [who had volunteered] [to attend to Mr McG during my absence] - that his nausea had augmented with spasm hiccup &c. resembling Strangulated Hernia - in a word he feared the very worst - [A more fatiguing ride or rather] [? never fell to lot of feeble man.] I had a load of meat on my [our] sledge - and was therefore unable to make good speed with our four tired dogs. [Mitok and myself] rode & ran by turns and reached the brig - 50 miles {after meeting Hans} - {in seven hours-} I was so exhausted coming from the bright glare without to our lamps within every thing seemed blue and the flying flies were are thick before my eyes as lamp black - McGeary to my intense relief was over the crisis of his attack - which I think must have been the passage of a gall stone - through the Chole[dock?] gut -