THE WORLD OF ICE, 201

To add to the confusion, the dogs became affected
with the spirit of excitement that tilled their masters,
and gave vent to their feelings in loud and continuous
howling which nothing could check. The imitative
propensity of these singular people was brought rather
oddly into play during the progress of traffic. Buzzby
had produced a large roll of tobacco—-which they
knew the use of, having been already shown how to
use a pipe—and cut off portions of it, which he gave
in exchange for fox-skins, and deer-skins, and seal-skin
boots. Observing this, a very sly, old Esquimau
began to slice up a deer-skin into little pieces, which
he intended to offer for the small pieces of tobacco !
He was checked, however, before doing much harm
to the skin, and the principles of exchange were more
perfectly explained to him.

The skins and boots, besides walrus and seal flesh,
which the crew were enabled to barter at this time,
were of the utmost importance, for their fresh provi-
sions had begun to get low, and their boots were almost
worn out, so that the scene of barter was exceedingly
animated. Davie Summers and his master, Mivins,
shone conspicuous as bargain makers, and carried to
their respective bunks a large assortment of native
articles. Fred, and Tom Singleton, too, were extremely
successful, and in a few hours a sufficient amount of
skins were bartered to provide them with clothing for
the winter. The quantity of fresh meat obtained,
however, was not enough to last them a week, for the
Esquimaux lived from hand to mouth, and the crew