Viewing page 49 of 309
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
1860 Dec 11th Monday It is said that she was once handsome "The Belle of the North." Her beauty hath not yet entirely gone. Any eye to the beauty lines of Hogarth can see she possesses charms yet. As for smartness - industry - a cheerful heart [[strikethrough]] Such [[/strikethrough]] - a kind soul - a pretty person, she hath them all! Her age, I should judge is 35. She finds it an up hill life to support herself & infant. A woman's lot [[strikethrough]] a woman without [[/strikethrough]] [[underlined]] sans [[/underlined]] winga is a hard one here yet Poo-too delves as best she can. With deep interest did I watch the doings of Nuk-oo-li-too while in her Igloo. I saw her take her almost empty bag of barley & fill a small one presenting it to Poo-too. Further, Tuk-oo-li-too gave to Poo-too a smoking bowl of boiled Barley which she (P.) ate with a sharpened relish giving baby mouthfuls to the young white giantess of the three fathers. A way these northern [[strikethrough]] mothers [[/strikethrough]] wash their infants faces is worthy a reference; They lick them same as a dog the hand that had just handled fresh beef steaks! I saw Poo-too put her child through this cleansing (?) operation twice to-day. This child general sports a very clean face - always a natural White One! Sometimes Poo-too goes a week without a thing to eat. Her child, how it also must suffer! Having bid good day to all, I make my way to Chimerarchu's Igloo. Found Nukerton yet in furs - abed. Nourishing food is all that is required to restore her to health & comfort. I fear she is starving! I must broach the subject to Capt. Budington. With his consent, I will see that she has proper food [[strikethrough]] & food that [[/strikethrough]] & I have no doubt where I shall find his heart & it be properly prepared. She is now helpless. Restore her & she will not only [[underlined]] help herself [[/underlined]] but [[underlined]] help others! [[/underlined]] I told Nuk-er-ton that Tuk-oo-li-too would soon be along with a cup of hot - tea. This seemed to be cheering news to her. I gave her a few Copelins which were thankfully received. In each [[strikethrough]] place [[/strikethrough]] Igloo as I entered the kind-hearted lady of the House unbundled my face (for my poor sick & suffering nose had to be well protected), taking carefully therefrom three distinct coverings & restoring the same as I departed. I know of no people that could be kinder to me than these dusky [[strikethrough]] people [[/strikethrough]] children of the North have almost uniformly been to me. [[end page]] [[start page]] 1860 Tues Dec 11 While here I heard a dog team drive up. I was anxious to see all that was going on so muffling it or rather allowing others to do it, I departed. I found Kou-per-new-ony (Charley) & Ebierbing (Joe) had just come in with a Sledge load of Frozen [[underlined]] Krang, [[/underlined]] (Whale beef) for the dogs. While standing looking at this, Poo-too with her infant at the back, came up & asked for a piece to take home with her for herself. Of course this request was generously responded to by her getting about 25 lbs which after [[strikethrough]] then [[/strikethrough]] cutting off a liberal slice for strikethrough]] her now [[/strikethrough]] present consumption, she slung to her back along with a pack already of equal weight not including the babe. Ye Mothers of America what say you of taking an infant in your arms, a pack of 50 lbs on your back & starting off on a tramp of three miles with the thermometer 40 to 45° below [[strikethrough]] zero [[/strikethrough]] Freezing point [[strikethrough]] the [[/strikethrough]] a fresh wind in your face? My next call was at Mgan's Tupik - (he has no Igloo yet) Here I found Polly [[space]] the family wife No 1 who welcomed me with smiles & in gentle whispers. Alas, poor Polly has the Consumption - She cannot speak - She can but whisper. "Punnu," wife No 3 of Mgan, was also in. Kunnia wife No 2 was out, tho her lamp was in full operation. Little Koo-Kou-yar with her fat cheeks, [[underlined]] bright [[/underlined]] eyes (O that her father Pan-loo-yer "Blind George" had the like again) came running to meet me as I neared the tent leading me into it. While here, in come Poo-too with her pack of Whale etc. etc. She [[strikethrough]] came [[/strikethrough]] called in to re-arrange ere making final start for Upper Village. The infant was given to Koo-Koo-uer who strove to [[strikethrough]] kept [[/strikethrough]] keep it quiet while the Mother finished her task. The sight of Koo-Koo-yer tending this infant comical, she seeming but a large baby herself. Failing in pacifying this restless child, I took it into my lap. (I was sitting beside Polly whose own infant was constantly striving to reach out of the shoulder hood to get hold of my poor nose). I showed to the Innuits how the American ladies carried their babies - how they nursed it - dressed it & applied to it the three cornered "indispensible" which is an article unknown to this people. They laughed outright & expressed surprise that [[strikethrough]] they did [[/strikethrough]] our people did not [[strikethrough]] do as [[/strikethrough]] adopt the Innuit's way which they think decidedly the best! The Innuit Mothers carry their infants in their
