It happened that there were no Danish children in this place, but many little Eskimos, all eager to see AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S doll and to play with her. Only a few hours were spent here, and then AH-NI-GHI´-TO and Laura were brought to the vessel in a little boat and the great ship pushed toward the north again.
Harpoons and Lances
The sun did not set at all now, and at any time AH-NI-GHI´-TO could see his big face shining down upon her. This was very pleasant, for although it was quite cold AH-NI-GHI´-TO, wrapped in her furs, spent most of her time on deck watching the gulls that were circling about the ship, and the seals that kept popping up their black heads to gaze in open-eyed astonishment at the big black ship that came rushing through the water toward them. These seals are funny little creatures, so full of curiosity that when they see anything coming toward them they keep their heads above water until the object is close to them; then they quickly dive, but come up again at a safer distance to resume their gazing. They are often harpooned by the natives, who fasten a white sail across the front of the kayak (skin boat) in such a way as to make it look as if a white piece of ice were floating along. In this sail a tiny hole is made through which the hunter watches his chance. The seal’s curiosity gets the best of him, and he does not dive in time to dodge the harpoon which is thrown from behind the white cloth. The Eskimos are very fond of seal meat, and the skins are used for their clothing.
AH-NI-GHI´-TO thought it very strange to have bedtime come when the sun was shining brightly. She declared it would be quite impossible to sleep at night if there was no night; so her mother made night for her in their little stateroom by taking a big soft felt hat belonging to her father and pushing it into the port hole through which the light came. AH-NI-GHI´-TO was now quite satisfied, and slept soundly until breakfast time. When it was time to rise, the hat was pulled out, and lo! the room was flooded with sunlight. In a little while AH-NI-GHI´-TO would call, “Mother, it is daylight, time to get up.”
A bright fire was kept burning in the cabin, and Laura thought it wonderful that she should be quite comfortable beside a fire in midsummer; but when she awoke one morning and found it snowing hard, she said this was surely the most extraordinary thing she had ever known. Snow in August! “Why, if I tell this to my home folks, they won’t believe me, but will think I am joking,” she said.
“It is no Wonder the Snow Baby is so Tall”
