Page 149

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146

and protected from the No. and N.E.
by a rockly island and the hilly
slope of the main land.

There were four huts, two
of which were in wind, adding to our
many evidences of the diminishing numbers
of the Smith Sound race. Only five
winters ago as many families occupied
these dwelllings, now but two remain.
Four deaths took place last spring. Of
these two families, for I apply the word
not to groups of kindred but tenants of the
the hut, Myosu his Father Mother
a brother and Sister, compose one
while Awahtok & Otuniah each with
wives, and among them three young ones
occupy the second.

They received them kindly, giving
them water to drink, rubbing the feet,
drying the shoes &c &c. The women
who did this with something of a good
wife air of prerogative, seemed to soften
down the brutality which persuaded the
Bachelor settlement at Anatok. The
lamps were cheerful, smokeless, and well
tended the huts not nearly so filthy as
the Anatok Caves. Each fire represented
its family, and in each of the huts two fires
I mean of course lamps. Here kept constantly
burning. A frame of bone
hooks and walrus line was stretched over
each lamp for drying the wet clothes of
the household. Except a few dog
skins which are placed by the walrus under
the small of the back the dais was as
destitute of sleeping accommodations as
the ruined hut of Anatok. A single
walrus hide was laid upon the [bare?] stones
for Morton and Hans.

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