“They certainly are a peculiar race,” remarked Roy in conclusion. “I have read somewhere that they are an intermediate species between man and the sea-cow.”
Both men looked across at the Eskimo. He was sitting in the same position and smiled it them as they looked his way.
Then there was a voice at the door crying, “Delgezie yu-cuzz-ie, Bekothrie” (Delgezie is coming, master).
Roy jumped excitedly to his feet. He had heard the voice, but had not distinguished the words, and thought for a moment that the anxiously awaited “packet” had been sighted.
“Delgezie,” said Sahanderry, shortly, putting his head into the room.
“Oh,” and the trader’s face lengthened visibly. He paused irresolutely, then reached down his “hairy-coat” and fur cap and strode out of the house.
Yawning prodigiously, Broom slowly rose to his feet. Then he deliberately filled and lit his pipe, pulled on a coat and stuck a cap on his head and leisurely followed Roy, leaving Ocpic alone with the key.
| [1] | These sleds, generally known as Eskimo sleds, are made of two runners some thirty feet long, four inches deep and two inches thick, and are mostly shod with whalebone, but in its absence mud is used. This latter is put on hot and allowed to freeze, then planed smooth and “iced” by quickly drawing a streaming-wet piece of white bearskin or blanket over it. This process of icing takes place every night. Whalebone does not require icing, so has this advantage over mud and is used altogether by the most Northern Eskimo. Wooden bars are fastened across these long runners at intervals of six inches, and a ground-lashing of clapmatch line, or rope, run fore and aft on either side. The load is lashed down to this. Very heavy loads can be hauled on this kind of sled; in fact, ten hundred pounds’ weight on an Eskimo sled is merely equivalent to four hundred on a flat sled (toboggan). The serious disadvantage of mud is felt in the spring, when the mud thaws out and drops off in chunks. |