Cruise o f the “ Alert.”
p. 176) to the practice of frequently sitting on the heels, with the
legs flexed to a maximum.
Some of the emotions are expressed by very decided contortions
of the features and limbs. Delight, when intense, is shown by a
display of the closed teeth, accompanied by a clucking sound, and
a curious up and down bobbing motion of the body. Eagerness
is expressed by a clucking sound and a frothing of the lips.
Anger is characterised by a tightening of the upper lip, a protrusion
of the lower jaw or mandible, and a slight display of the
upper incisors.
The men are almost entirely naked, sometimes wearing a
square piece of sealskin suspended from the neck, and hanging
over either shoulder. This seems to be intended as a sort of
weather screen ; but, strangely enough, it is one of the first things
parted with when a chance of bartering occurs. Although so
careless about protecting their bodies against the rigour of the
weather, it was nevertheless evident that they were keenly sensible
to the cold ; for they were frequently to be seen with their teeth
chattering, and trembling from head to foot, as the rain, wind,
and spray swept over their unprotected skins. The women
generally have a large skin mantle, which they wear with the hair
turned outwards. Those with infants carry the child in a pouch
between the shoulders ; but those not so burdened readily part
with their only covering for a plug of tobacco. That these
people should attach any value to tobacco is difficult to understand
; for not only are they unprovided with native pipes m
which to smoke it, but, as far as we could judge, they had never
enjoyed sufficient opportunities of doing so to render the process
an> thing but highly unpleasant, although its anticipation undoubtedly
afforded them great pleasure. In fact, one or two whiffs of
smoke were sufficient to put a man into the nauseated and giddy
condition familiar to every schoolboy when he makes his first
trial of tobacco.
Although the dress of the women is. as I have mentioned, far
. .ir
i iT
iettf .. L