APTAIN HALL, of the whaling barque George Henry, whose long intercourse with the Innuits has enabled him to contribute more information respecting the mode of life, customs, and character of this extraordinary people than any previous writer, introduces in his narrative the following graphic and interesting account of two of the natives :

"It was about this time I was visited by two Esquimaux, man and wife, who, together with a child afterwards born to them, accompanied me to the States. The man's name was Ebierbing-otherwise called by us 'Joe'-his wife's Tookoolito, or 'Hannah.'

"I was informed that this couple had been taken to England in 1853, and presented to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and that the female was a remarkably intelligent, and what might be called an accomplished woman. They had remained nearly two years in Great Britain, and were everywhere well received. I heard, moreover, that she was the sister of Toto and Ee-noo-loo-a-pik, both celebrated in their country as great travellers and intelligent men, and the latter well known in England from his visit there in 1839, and from a memoir of him published by Surgeon Macdonald, of the ill-fated Franklin expedition. The first interview I had is recorded in my journal as follows:

"November 2nd, 1860.-While intently occupied in my cabin, writing, I heard a soft, sweet

voice say, 'Good morning, sir.' The tone in which it was spoken-musical, lively, and varied -instantly told me that a lady of refinement was there greeting me. I was astonished. Could I be dreaming? Was it a mistake? No! I was wide awake, and writing. But, had a thunder-clap sounded on my ear, though it was snowing at the time, I could not have been more surprised than I was at the sound of that voice. I raised my head: a lady was indeed before me, and extending an ungloved hand.

"Of course my welcome to such an unexpected visitor in these regions was as befitting as my astonished faculties for the moment could make it. The doorway in which she stood leads from the main cabin into my private room. Directly over this entrance was the skylight, admitting a flood of light, and thus revealed to me crinoline, heavy flounces, an attenuated toga, and an immensely expanded bonnet but the features I could not at first make out. I immediately tried to do honour to my unknown visitor. But, on turning her face, who should it be but a lady Esquimaux ! Whence, thought I, came this civilization refinement? But in a moment more, I was made acquainted with my visitor. She was the Tookoolito I had so much desired to see, and directly I conversed with her, she showed herself to be quite an accomplished person. She spoke my own language fluently, and there, seated at my right in the main cabin, I had a long and interesting conversation with her.

Ebierbing, her husband-a fine, and also intelligent-looking man-was introduced to me, and though not speaking English so well as his wife, yet I could talk with him tolerably well. From them I gleaned many interesting particulars of their visit to England, and I was gratified to hear that they had actually dined with Prince Albert, who treated them very kindly, and with much consideration.

"Ebierbing, in speaking of the Queen, said he liked her very much, and she was quite 'pretty.' He also said that Prince Albert was a 'very kind, good man, and he should never forget him.'

"The following conversation, as copied from my journal, written at the time, will show the sentiments of Tookoolito on civilized life :

"I asked her how she would like to live in England. She replied, 'I would like very well, I thank you.'

"Would you like to go to America with me?' said I.

"I would indeed, sir,' was the ready reply. "In reference to the Queen of England, she said,

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'I visited her, and liked the appearance of Her Majesty, and everything about the palace. Fine place, I assure you, sir.'

"Tookoolito was suffering with a cold, and I noticed that whenever she coughed, she threw her face on one side and held her hand before her lips, the same as any lady of good manners would. Her costume was that of civilization, being a dress with heavy flounces, an elegant toga made of young tuktoo fur, deeply fringed, and a bonnet of the style invented on the principle cover the head by a rosette on its back.'

"As Tookoolito continued speaking, I could not help admiring the exceeding gracefulness and modesty of her demeanour. Simple and gentle in her way, there was a degree of calm intellectual power about her that more and more astonished me. I felt delighted beyond measure, because of the opportunity it gave me for becoming better acquainted with these people through her means, and I hoped to improve it towards the furtherance of the great object I had in view.

"After a stay of some duration she went on shore, and the following day I visited her and her husband at their tent. She was then in native costume, and it seemed to me that this suited her even better than the other.

"Some short time after this, I made an excursion by myself to the island on which was situated the Esquimaux North Star' village.

"The day became stormy after I had landed in one of the native boats, but I continued my walk, accompanied by the dogs, to a part of the island I wished to visit. On arriving there, I found a sort of natural causeway, formed of stones, leading to a smaller islet, and, crossing it, I continued examining the locality for some time. At length the snow-storm increased so much as to compel my return, and I made my way back to the south side of the main island.

"But now I could hardly see my way. The snow came down so thick, that I was fain to take shelter under the lee of some rocks near me, and while there, I examined my compass to ascertain if I was going right. To my astonishment I found the course I had pursued was exactly the reverse of the right one. I looked again and again, and yet the needle pointed exactly opposite to what I had expected. What was I to do? retrace my steps? For a moment I hesitated; but at length moving on, I was about walking back as I had come, when on looking at the compass again, I found it just the opposite of what it was before! Strange, thought I. Surely there must be local attrac tion in the rocks where I took shelter. But still it made me anxious, especially as the weather was becoming worse. Indeed, I felt it very possible I might be lost in the storm, and perhaps have to wander about all the coming night, or be frozen to death by remaining stationary, should the compass play me another trick; but at last, thanks to my faithful dogs, they actually guided me straight to the village, where I arrived without any mishap.

"The one I entered was Ebierbing's. He himself had gone out, but Tookoolito welcomed me as usual, soon entering into lively and instructing conversation. Two native boys were there at the time, and Tookoolito herself was busy KNITTING socks for her husband! Yes, to my surprise, she was thus engaged, as if she had been in a civilized land and herself civilized, instead of being an Esquimaux in her own native wilds of ice and snow!

"November 14th, 1860.-Tookoolito, after returning from England five years ago, where she and her wing-a (husband) spent twenty months, commenced diffusing her accomplishments in various ways; to wit, teaching the female portion of the nation, such as desired, to knit, and the various useful things practised by civilization. In all the places around Northumberland Inlet she has lived, and done what she could to improve her people. A singular fact (!) relative to dressing her hair, keeping her face and hands cleanly, and wearing civilization dresses-others of her sex, in considerable numbers, follow these fashions imported by her! This shows to me what one person like Tookoolito could accomplish in the way of the introduction of schools and churches among this people. To give this woman an education in the States, and subsequent employment in connexion with several of our missionaries, would serve to advance a noble and good work. And yet I must state that, unless a working colony, or several of them, were established, co-operating in this work, and laws were made by the fundamental power, that should be as rigid relative to whalers visiting the coasts as those of Denmark to Greenland, all would be as naught.

"The working or trading colony would make its government, school, and church institutions self-supporting. Let the plan of Denmark for Greenland be followed. It is a good one, and works well.

"While in the tent, Tookoolito brought out a book I had given her, and desired to be instructed. She had got so far as to spell words of two letters, and pronounce most of them properly. Her progress is praiseworthy, At almost every step of advancememt, she feels as elated as a triumphant hero in battle. She is far more anxious to learn to read and write than Ebierbing. I feel greater confidence (allowing it were possible to feel so) in the success of my mission since engaging these two natives. They can talk with me in my own vernacular, are both smart, and will be

useful each in the department they will be called upon to fill. Tookoolito will especially fill the place of an interpreter.

"Tookoolito I have no doubt will readily accomplish the differences in language between the Innuits of Boothia and King William's Land, and that of her own people around Northumberland Inlet and Davis's Strait. The pronunciation of the same words by communities of Esquimaux living at considerable distances from each other, and having but little intercourse, is so different, that it is with difficulty they are understood one by the other.

"I now complete the tupic interview. Before I was aware of it, Tookoolito had the 'teakettle' over the friendly fire-lamp, and the water boiling. She asked me if I drank tea. Imagine my surprise at this, the question coming from an Esquimaux in an Esquimaux tent! I replied, 'I do; but you have not tea here, have you?' Drawing her hand from a little tin box, she displayed it full of fineflavoured black tea, saying, 'Do you like your tea strong?' Thinking to spare her the use of much of this precious article away up here, far from the land of civilization, I replied, 'I'll take it weak, if you please.' A cup of hot tea was soon before me-capital tea, and capitally made. Taking from my pocket a sea-biscuit which I had brought from the vessel for my dinner, I shared it with my hostess. Seeing she had but one cup, I induced her to share with me its contents. There, amid the snows of the North, under an Esquimaux's hospitable tent, in company with Esquimaux, for the first time I shared with them in that soothing, cheering, invigorating emblem of civilization -T-E-A! Tookoolito says that she and her wing-a (husband) drink it nearly every night and morning. They acquired a taste for it in England, and have since obtained their annual supply from English and American whalers visiting Northumberland Inlet."

ARCTIC SCENES.

The Iceberg is of course one of the peculiar features of Arctic scenery; and even on the land a large portion of the ground is concealed by perpetually accumulating ice, while the same substance covers to a great extent the surface of the ocean. There is scarcely a more beautiful object than one of the towering icebergs that abound in these regions. They are often of vast dimensions; one seen by Ross, in Baffin's Bay, was estimated to be nearly two miles and a half long, two miles wide, and fifty

feet high. Of course this estimate respects only that part which is visible above the surface of the water; but this is a very small portion of its actual bulk. In Newfoundland, the part under water is usually considered to be ten times greater than that exposed: if the ice be porous, it is not more than eight times greater.

"On an excursion to one of the Seven Icebergs," says Mr. Scoresby, "in July, 1818, I was particularly fortunate in witnessing one of the grandest effects which these polar glaciers ever present. A strong north-westerly swell having for some hours been beating on the shore, had loosened a number of fragments attached to the iceberg, and various heaps of broken ice denoted recent shoots of the seaward edge. As we rode towards it, with a view of proceeding close to its base, I observed a few little pieces fall from the top; and while

minutes after eight o'clock, I went upon deck to take my usual exercise. I noticed or felt a perceptible change in the temperature of the air. I looked at the thermometer and saw that it was falling. I tried the sea-water, and found that much colder also, being only two degrees above freezing point. I imme. diately concluded that we were near icebergs. At twelve o'clock the icebergs were really seen, and many of the old salts on board at once set me down as well up in Arctic knowledge.

"Directly the announcement was made I went on deck, and there, far away to the west, had my first view of an iceberg. By the aid of a good glass, the grandeur of this icy mountain of the deep was brought before me. Brief, however, was the glance I had. The motion of the vessel was such that I could not at first keep the iceberg within the field of the glass. But perhaps it was well I did not see all its

my eye was fixed upon the place, an immense column, probably fifty feet square, and one hundred and fifty feet high, began to leave the parent ice at the top, and, leaning majestically forward, with an accelerated velocity fell with an awful crash into the sea. The water into which it plunged was converted into an appearance of vapour or smoke, like that from a furious cannonading. The noise was equal to that of thunder, which it nearly resembled. The column which fell was nearly square, and in magnitude resembled a church. It broke into thousands of pieces. This circumstance was a happy caution, for we might inadvertently have gone to the very base of the icy cliff, from whence masses of considerable magnitude were continually breaking." *

Captain Hall thus describes his first view of an iceberg :

splendour and magnificence at once. For years I had longed to see an iceberg, and, even in the distant view I had, all my conceptions of its grandeur were more than realized. When first seen it was perhaps ten miles off, and appeared about 130 feet high, judging from a calculation made. As, toward evening, we approached, it appeared a mountain of alabaster resting calmly upon the bosom of the dark blue sea. Behind it was the setting sun just dipping its nether limb in the waters, while its upper reached some thick, heavy clouds extending half around the horizon, bathing them in a flood of crimson! Close by, and peering out from a break in the sky, were Venus and the new moon, making a scene of sublimity and beauty fit for a poet's pen or the pencil of an artist. Not before ten o'clock, p.m., were we alongside this beautiful pile of ice, and then, as it were, I had an opportunity of shaking hands with the first iceberg I had ever seen.