We thought,
however, that, except on pressing occasions, one man was left in
each hut to keep an eye on the conduct of the women, and this was
the case to-day. The huts had in the interior assumed a somewhat
different appearance since I had last seen them; the roofs were
much blackened by the smoke of the lamps, and the warmth had in
most parts given them a glazed and honey-combed surface; indeed,
the whole of the walls had become much thinner by thawing, so that
the light was more plainly visible through them. The snow also, on
which the lamps stood, was considerably worn away, so as to
destroy, in great measure, the regularity of the original plan of
construction. To these changes might be added that of a vast
quantity of blood and oil that now defaced the purity of the snowy
floor, and emitted effluvia not very agreeable to European noses;
so that, upon the whole, it may be imagined that our first
impressions of the comfort and cleanliness of these habitations
were more favourable than their present state was calculated to
excite.
To the original apartments they had now also added various small
places for stores, communicating with the huts from within, and
looking something like our ovens, though without any door to them.
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