THE WORLD OF ICE. 165

more southern latitudes they prefer cooked meat);
and with good reason, for it is much more nourishing
than cooked flesh, and learned, scientific men who
have wintered in the Arctic Regions have distinctly
stated that in those cold countrics they found raw
meat to be better for them than cooked meat, and
they assure us that they at last came to prefer it!
We would not have our readers to begin forthwith
to dispense with the art of cookery, and cast Soyer to
the does; but we would have them henceforth refuse
to accept that common opinion and vulgar error that
Hsquimaux eat their food raw because they are suvages.
They do it because nature teaches them that, under
the circumstances, it is best.

The duty that devolved upon O’Riley was to roast
small steaks of the walrus, in which operation he
was assisted by West; while Fred undertook to get
out the biscuit-bag and pewter plates, and to infuse
the coffee when the water should boil. It was a
strange feast in a strange place, but it proved to be a
delightful one, for hunger requires not to be tempted,
and is not fastidious.

“Oh, but its good, isn’t it?” remarked O'Riley,
smacking his lips, as he swallowed a savoury morsel
of the walrus and tossed the remnant, a sinewy bit, to
Dumps, who sat gazing sulkily at the flame of the
lamp, having gorged himself lone before the bipeds
began supper.

“Arrah! ye won't take it, won't ye ?-Here,
Poker !”