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1860 Monday Dec 17th

his Crow the bad smell that exhales from it is almost insufferable - so the foremast hands says.  Even the Innuits look upon this act of eating crows with great "horror"! - Though they confess they do sometimes [[strikethrough]] eat them [[/strikethrough]] when starvation stares them in the face, eat young - [[underlined]] very young [[/underlined]] crows! [[underlined]] never old ones!  Dog will not eat Crow! [[/underlined]] 
This morning soon after breakfast took a walk over to North Star village - Had the flag in hand which belongs to Ebierbing - one that I used in surveying.

Having left it on a high eminence floating to the breeze for 24 hours it showed strong signs of giving out so to save it took it to Tuk-oo-li-too to repair.  While she done this, I proceeded with a native snow shovel to dig out the drift that had filled up the passage way into Ebierbing's Igloo.  As he went out early sealing he left this for Tuk-oo-li-too to do.  To her surprise I done this job & done it well.  The Thermometer was 40° below freezing point.  I sweat profusely under this exercise of snow shoveling yet came near freezing one of my feet.  When through, I went into Igloo & took off my boots to get the snow out.  It was then discovered that my foot was near frozen)

The two ladies within Tuk-oo-li-too & [[space]] seized my foot made it bare & applied their warm hands caressingly to it.  Warmth was gradually restored to the limb for which of course, I was thankful.
Called in to Nukerton's - She better - Called in at other [[strikethrough]] tupik [[/strikethrough]] Igloos - among others Sterry's.  Sterry spends much of his time in an Igloo
In fact sleeps in one every night.
Kujesse & many natives down from upper village to-day - 2 seals caught by upper villagers to-day.  Tuk-oo-li-too came down this P.M.  Took lessons.  All village women make dresses for Winter

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VIII More & more glorious the Aurora. E to W passing southward of us.  The remarkable colors - Red below & pea-green above!  The Lightening Chasers! 
The deep interest felt by many us in the appearance of Aurora to-night.  A night not to be forgotten.  Who can tell the Laws of Aurora?

hIX - min30 - A Golden cloud of it running from E. to S.W. 3° above Horizon and 3° in width.  Mounting up - that is the Aurora band going up & up while the W. & Eastern end are fixed.
hX O'Clock - The Aurora is now in bands of glowing light - like Ribbons floating in the breeze - extending across the sky from East to West.  A description as it is at present might as well be inserted here - if I had the power of a recording angel - as I have not, my eye & Soul doth glory in feeling what my pen cannot describe.

Thermometer minus 15°
Bar. 29.900
Wind very light from N.W.
The air clear.  Some where the Aurora is playing.

The incident of last night in Sterry's Igloo the Esquimaux hastily up - cold drawing him in - the convenience of a shaggy dog!  Froze my ear returning to vessel from N Star Village.  

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