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1861 Wedne Jan 23

[[strikethrough]] had [[/strikethrough]] gone out as she now & then does with her winga (U.) Sealing.  She assists him in finding Seal holes with the dogs.  Kuniu [[strikethrough]] when [[/strikethrough]] returned this eve, saying that as yet they had found no Seal-hole.  Ugarny still remains out with the dogs seeking for a hole.

Y-nar-wis-ung (Jack) returned about VIII this eve - he is unsuccessful.

I am in the midst of Innuits - no white face nearer than the vessel - I am sharing the lot of Innuits.  The men, excellent sealers - now in the worst circumstances imaginable & sharing as I do equally their deprivations - misfortunes!  My bit of "Black Skin" is well relished - I really could eat anything that would go to keep up caloric, bone & flesh - even if the food was disgusting.

To-night, I asked Tuk-oo-li-too if I might try the taste of some blackened scraps that hung upon the Is-se-te-une (Cross-bar close by the Ik-ku-mer (Fire lamp) for drying out the blubber.  I knew she threw these when the oil was tried out to the dogs! but nevertheless I had an incontrolable "hankering" for said scraps.  Tuk-oo-li-too replied that she could not think of my eating them - the very thought made her sick!  I did not press my solicitude for them however strong I desired the article, but noticed a few minutes after that said scraps were gone - Soon after the entrance of Punnie wife No 3 of Ugarny who had carefully & she thought unobservably stored them away in her craving stomach!

Ugarny is a persevering Innuit - In truth, so far as indomitable perserverance is concerned he stands one of As. No Ones!  The record of yesterday shows that he was still out at late hour.
He came in this Morn.  Tuk-oo-li-too gave him some hot tea and away he went again.

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15th Night in an Igloo!
Thursday, Jan 24th 1861

This morning for breakfast "Black Skin" Indian Pudding & Molasses! - What a treat!  Never did I enjoy a meal better.  Tuk-oo-li-too made out to [[strikethrough]] find some old scraps of Ook-sook extract some [[/strikethrough]] cut off some of the white from the "Black Skin" from wh. she tried out sufficient oil to make a little of [[strikethrough]] hot [[/strikethrough]] snow water wh. when warm was thickened with Indian meal - a few handfuls being found remaining of the small quantities I brought with me from the vessel.  The weight of meal did not exceed 1/8 lb & yet it seemed to [[underlined]] "loom up" [[/underlined]] as it was incorporated in the tepid water, as tho' we were being doubly blessed.  I could but think of the good woman & Elijah of Bible memory.

Tuk-oo-li-too with whom I shared it, thought the pudding fine - [[underlined]] So did I.  I can never forget [[strikethrough]] it [[/strikethrough]] that Breakfast [[/underlined]] if I live to enjoy a thousand or more, in the States, made up of a score or so, of varied dainty dishes!!

About 1X this Morn, I took my glass & went upon the Mountains' side, S.E. of here & looked out anxiously for a sight of Ebierbing & Kem-muk-sin (dogs & sledge) to the South.  I thought it time for his appearance in that direction as it was, if he succeeded in reaching the vessel the 2d day after leaving & did not tarry there more than one day.  I hope he will be here by night though possibly not till to-morrow.

I am fast loosing flesh, though my health otherwise is good - spirits excellent.  I am regularly to stool - the [[underlined]] feces [[/underlined]] black as coal-tar.  This is a characteristic of the Innuits - So far then, [[underlined]] I am Innuit! [[/underlined]]  The cause of this arises from the food eaten.  Seal-meat & Seal-blood & [[underlined]] "Black [[/underlined]] Skin"! - all of them being dark - I may say [[underlined]] "black". [[/underlined]]

Ugarny went out sealing yesterday & has not returned to a late hour to-night.  U-nar-wis-ung (Jack) did not go out to-day.  He left however early this morning for the opposite side of Budington Bay where 

Transcription Notes:
Reviewed. Corrected.