Issuu

ESKIMO OF HUDSON'S STRAIT. BY F.

PAYNF:.

Much Huh been written of the Eskirao hv iiavigutors and travellers in Arctic and Huh-Arctic Regions, and yet

writing at joast soiuething new to inteivst uh.

almost every

find in

In a short paper Huch

as this it would be useless attempting to describe all the customs and

habits

common to the whole race that have so often been descril>ed endeavour to confine myself as much as

before, I shall, therefore,

possible to a description of the more interesting parts «)f the mod»'s of

met with on the shores of Hudson's Htrait, and more had not met white men before, and with whom I lived during a period of thirteen life of

those

e8i)ecially those at Cape Prince of Wales, many of whom

months.

During the winter months the Eskimo, or Inuite as then- call themselves, are found occupying the ground at prouiinent points along the

Here the ever changing tides flowing and returning break

the coast.

up the ice and here the seals, on which they mainly subsist, are found. The prevailing winds during these months bein-^ from the north-we.st, snow is drifted to a great depth oi> the south-eastern sides of the hills. This they take advantage of and .soon after building their igloos many of them are completely hurried and are thereby well protected from

On visiting a village after a snowstorm I was struck with

the wind. its

resemblance to a lot of mole

little snow

the igloo

;

hills.

Nothing could be .seen but a

thrown up on each side of a hole l)y which a passage led to on a near approach, howeve windows were seen a little •,

below the surface from which the snow had been removed.

Upon

entering some of those igloos, pas.sage ways were found cut through

srow thereby connecting several of them, making it appear much like an underground village. the drifted

In these villages they live as long as possible, ami will not leave until they are compelled to do so through scarcity of food, but at this

time, when a report comes in from another part of the coast that seals are plentful they will sometimes leave in a body, and

where an hour

ESKIMO DF HUnSON's STRAIT. ago merry laughter could be heard, now you are only greeted with the snarl of a stray dog that keepH well out of your way, or the caw of a

raven as it sits on a neighbouring rock watching you suspiciously. Aliout the month of March, moHt of the seals leaving the coast, food becomes very ccarce and

many shifts are made.

Hurried ex-

peditions are taken by the men with their dogs along the shore, their

family sometimes accompanying them, but ai e oftener left behind, and the unhappy look of a father as he returns

without success

tells

plainly how much he feels for those depeudunt upon him.

As this month advanced at Ca|)e

Prince of Wale.s food

became

scarcer and now, though at other tiuies helping one another, it was a

matter with

many of life and death and every man looked out for

himself and his family.

If he secured a seal it was hidden as quickly

At this tiino the ohl and those weakened by starvation and unable to move fi<»m place to i)lace were left to their fate, though

as possible.

should a party be so successful as to capture more than would sup|)ly their immediate wants they returned at once with food to those they

had left behind. Early in April, the weather becoming milder and the snow well

packed sleigh journeys are made to distant parts of the coast and seldom before this t'unf* do they undertake long trips.

At this time

too tlie deer c )Uie from inland to the coast and expeditions are made to meet theui though few deer aie taken until the end of the month.

The latter part of April, May, and June may be considered the Eskimo's hai'vost time, for besides the deer large numbers of seals are taken as they appear along the wide cracks that now form in the ice.

Towards the end of May, snow igloos melting away, the women may be seen busily engaged in repairing the

seal

skin covering of their

tupeys which have been cached since the previous summer, and now, while some are inland hunting deer, single fsimilies pitch their tuip<'ys at favourable places along the coast where the men spend most of the

time watching the ice for seals.

On May 23rd, four families left Cape Prince of Wales for a large lake about one hundred and sixty miles to the southward.

Here I

was informed they would remain throughout the summer living upon deer, fish, and a kind of berry not found 00 the coast.

This lake, by

ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait. their own description, must be about one hundred and fifty miles in length, and twenty-five miles broad, and apparently has never been visited by civilized being.

Early in June all the hunters returned to the coast and immediately commenced laying in a stock of walrus and seal meat which was cut into strips, sewn up in bags made of the whole skin of a seal and cached.

On June 10th the first kyaks of the season were launched at Cape Prince of Wales, and from this time until the end of August a sharp lookout was kept for the white whale which gives a large supply of food.

For the second time in the year the deer season commences about August 20th and lasts a month, during which time some exceedingly hard work is done to secure enough skins for clothing and bedding for the winter.

During the latter part of September and until the sea is once more ice, about the end of November, walruses are hunted. After this date the kyaks are put away, and until the ice is firm the

covered with

times are very hard ; and now the caclies are o{)ened and a large hole is soon

made in their small winters stock of provisions.

With empty

stomachs and leaky wigwams they exist until the end of December wheTi, once more they build snow igloos

and winter life begins again

in earnest.

Besides the walrus, deer, seal and whale we might include all mam-

mals and birds found in this region as comprising the Eskimos food supply,

but as several are only eaten when they are starving we may con-

sider the following as a complete list of articles of food upon which

they subsist

—

Beai', rabbit, fox, dog and

young birds of all

lemming, duck, goose, loon,

kinds, eggs, three or four species of fish, clams,

mussels, shrimps, crayfish, one species of algae, the flowers of two, the roots of two and the berries of three different plants, besides the bark of the willow, large quantities of which are eaten in tha spring. fox, dog,

The

and lemming are only eaten in cases of extreme hunger, and

the hardest to swallow seems to be the former, which even the Eskimo

dog would not touch while scraps of diy

seal skin were to be found.

In eating any vegetable food they usually preferred to dip it into oil before swallowing. Quantities of seaweed are eaten especially during

B8KIM0 OF HUDSON'S STRAIT. the winter months when other food is scarce, and this I am inclined to think was the cause of the illness of several children, all of

whom

were suffering great pain when little else wiis being eaten. is only partaken of as a change, though it might generally used if fuel was plentiful. more It was very bee >me with boiling old fruit cans small pieces of seal amusing to see them It was usually eaten half or other meat over a Hre of small weeds.

Cooked food

cooked and thickly coated with ashes. Apparently only two regular meals are eaten, one upon first rising in the morning and one just before retiring.

At these meals they

might be seen each with a knife of some kind sitting around a seal with their share, taking first a piece of lean and then a piece of fat as

we would eat bread and chee.^e, and, as might be suppose<l, their faces did not present a very pretty appearance after these meals.

Much has been said of the Eskimo's improvidence and undoubtedly, mode

beings,

when

food

«w /

than usual thereby becoming lazier and

civilized

plentiful they do eat more

less inclined to hunt ;

but it

may be said for the credit of those in Hudson's Strait, excepting a few, they would hunt and kill at almost any time, and not so much as

a handful of food was ever wasted.

Of orginal genius they seemed to ])ossess little

for although

many

of their appliances for hunting and trapping are ingeniously made, these have all been copied from those used by the same race, we may say, centuries ago, and in proof of this statement it may be added that

where simple repairs were needed in traps and other implements, and where parts of these had been lost they were quite incapable of employing other means tc make them of service until shown by my men or myself.

A marked difference is noticed in the quality of all mechanical work done by the Eskimo of the north and south shores of the Strait, especially in clothes by the women, and hunting implements and carved work made by the men, those on the north shore doing far the This may be owing to the great demand for neatest and best work. these articles by the men of the whalers who are constantly bartering

with them ; while those to the southward never have a chance of do-

ing so, and are content with more roughly made articles for their own use.

K8KIMO OF HUDSON8 8TRAIT. OccAHionally one would l>e found

who Nliowed a far groator <renins

than hiHfellowR, and here we might inHtancna inuii named Cowktooiun,

many years on the north shore. With me Imautiful joints in witotl work, and on ont» occasion undertook to make the nipple of a gun, his

who, by the way, had lived

the roughest tools he was seen to make s

only tool being a file.

He fii-st tiled a piece of steel to the re(]iiisite

shape, and then grinding one point of

tiie tile

to die proper size for a

made a very neat hole through it.

Now, however, he was tpiite unable to tile a rough thread for the nocessjtry scn'W and was obliged to appeal to one of my men for aid.

drill

The Eskimo cannot be said to excel find in them the inborn latter,

the tiner arts, and yet we

love of sketching

however, are they at all proficient.

and carving, only in the Good models of kyaks,

animals and birds in ivory are made es|)ecially on the north side of the strait, whei*e they stem to delight

iti

vyin\j with one another in

make the smallest models.

The art drawing is c«)ntined almost altogether to describing figures on the level surface of the snow trying to

either with a piece of stick, or, in larger figures, with their ft^ft, and

most correct drawings of their own poople were by slowly made moving along with feet close together, raising a low

in seveml instances

ridge of

snow as an outline, and afterwards adding details most dex-

terously with one foot.

Perepective in drawing was a gr^eat mystery, and even those who had been able to look at pictures upon the wail of my house every day for a year could not understand it. Involuntarily their hands would steal up to the picture and slowly fiassing t\\nx\ ovei- they would feel for the objects that stood

out from the background, while others

would shift their heads to look Iwhind screens or doors in the picture.

Soon after our arrival

at the Obsfervato: y a coloured

life

sized

up just over my V)ed, directly facing the It had not been there long when hearing a great commotion

picture of a child was put

window.

what was the matter and found half a dozen faces pressed against the window and all were calling " chimo, chirao," which is a kind of welcome, and nothing would {persuade them it was not I'eal life until they had been allowed to examine it closely. I went to see

am now reminded

of a similar

several of which I had brought

incident

with a crying doll,

up as presents for the

children.

ESKIMO OF HUD80N 8 STRAIT.

few days after my arrival, and while a woman and her child were looking in at the window I brought out one of these dolls, for the Hrst time, and, unseen, dresHed

in a towel, and slowly brought

At first sight of it the woman's eyes o|)ened very widely as she stood wondering, but when I suddenly made it

towards the window.

squeak she did not wonder any more, but turned and fled. Besides the means commonly employed in the chase by the Eskimo in all parts of the Arctic

Regions there are doubtless others only

known or practiced by those living in certain localities.

At Cape

Prince of Wales the seals were seldom captured at their holes in the

but invariably along wide cracks, or in the wat<*r beyond the ice where one man might be often seen Hcraping with his spear and

ice,

whistling in a low note while his companion lay at the edge of the ice,

and if there were any seals within hearing distance they were

always attracted to the s|>ot, when rising quickly the Eskimo would

throw his s|>ear with line attached and if quick enoi. |h would seldom miss.

The seal, however, is very active and often escapes by diving

before the harpoon reaches it.

The gun, with which many

are supplied, has almost taken the

place of the bow and arrow, nevertheless they are still used by a few

in deer hunting, and while one takes up a position behind some stones in one of the narrow passes of the hills others drive the deer towards

him.

By this means a very close shot is obtained and I was informed

that often half the length of the arrow is hurried in the deers side.

The fish spear used in Greenland is also found here though seldom used, the

most common implement employed being a long handle

with an ordinary knife firmly tied near one end making a fork, one prong of which is the end of the rod, the other the blade of the knife its shar()ened edge turned inward.

With this ugly weapon the

salmon are speared or, more properly s{>eaking, are slashed and are often found nearly cut in halves.

The net is also used here in catching fish in the smaller streams though the most common mode of trapping is by building walls of stones shaped like a bag about six inches above the surface, and then with sticks and stones splashing the water higher up the stream and driving the fish into the trap.

ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait. SoiiiH ingenuity in Hhown in setting

the

common steel fox-trap in

A wall of snow alioiit eighteen inches high is built in the

winter.

shape of half a circle the diameter of which is about two and a half

Near the centre from which

feet.

the arc is drawn, the snow is first

A hole the hIihik) of the tmp is then dug with a knife

well presHed.

and the trap Iniing let into it, it is can^fully covered with a thin crust of snow so that (>ven if the fox does not actually tread upon the small pan, part of the crust when broken will start the trap.

In front, and

just under the wall snuill pieces of bait are placed ho that in shifting its position

t«^

titke

each piece of bait the fox is certain to tread upon

the trap.

The Kskimos amusements are few, and only in one or two do they seem to take much interest. Throwing the har[)oon had the greatest attraction for the men, and often they might be seen taking their Wrestling and running ai-e occaturns at a mark in the snow. sionally indulgrtl in, but the weaker side soon loses interest and gives in.

Mr. Stupart informs nte that while he was stationed here a large

snow pleasure house was built, supported in its centre by a pillar of snow. The only ganw n :)ticed, in which they took part in this house, was a kind of tilting, an ivory ring iMnng suspendr'd from the criling throtigh which the men tried to put their spears as they walked quickly round th(f pillar.

During njy stay here football was introduced, and in this they appear to take more interest than in any other game.

The bladder

of a walrus was well blown and then covered with leather making it wa.s a novel sight to see them playing. Men, women, and children all took ))art in it, and no quarter was allowed. Here a woman carrying her child on her back might be seen running at full speed after the ball, and the next moment she

an excellent football, and

might be seen lying at full length with her naked child floundering in the snow a few feet beyond her. A minute later the child would be again in

its

place and nearly choking with laughter she would

be seen elbowing her way after the ball again.

Catching trout in the summer great

amusement to the children

the

manner described affords

and wild with

excitement they

were often seen pursuing a poor unfortunate fish in a shallow stream.

The boys also spend a great deal of time in making small si>ears

ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait.

and other implements of the chase, and practice with one another in throwing di a mark. Girls have their dolls and as with girls of civilized parents they delight in playing

house ; nor do they tire of

this until they are married, for often groups of girls of all ages might

be seen sitting in son«e sheltered spot in summer each having a house

formed only of a ring of stones a few inches in diameter in which

some short pieces of stick were laying while other pieces were propped upright. These pieces of stick represented people, and they were made to visit one another's houses while t'le owner kept up a continous flow of conversation for them.

Unlike the Indian the Eskimo is nearly always laughing, and even in times of great distress it is not hai"d to make them smile.

On one

occasion, with the intention of building a beacon iu the sha[)e of a

man, I procured the assistance of an Eskimo, and cutting out the shape of a large head in wood I got hill

my assistant to carry it to the

upon which I proposed to build the beacon.

question he assisted

Without asking a

me to build the man and place head and arms

upon it, nor did he underatand its meaning when a model of a gun was placed between the arms. Finished it stood about nine feet high and when the last stone was put up I led my assistant about a hundred yards away and then turned him round to look at it. Slowly his eyes opened widely, and then suddenly he burst into such a fit of laughter I was almost afraid of him for he rolled upon the ground. This beacon was built for the guidance of the relief ship.

As we find among civilized beings men much more conversant with we find it with the Eskimo, and while some know many of the stars, and other objects in the heavens by name, others can hardly tell one from the another. On the whole, however they may be said to be keen observers of nature, for in

nature than their fellows so

making collections of the birds, insects, and plants they were of great assistance, and if an insect was shown them they could usually take me where more of the same species might be found.

On the approach of summer they watched with interest its signs, and often would bring to me insects which they believed were the The first snow bunting that appeared in the first of the season. Bpring was hailed with great joy, and in great haste they came to inform me of its anival.

ESKIMO OF HUDSON 8 STRAIT.

Trading with one another and with those at distant parts of the coast is a common practice, the

money standard used being a white Most of their furs however are sent by one or two trusted traders to Captuin Spicer's post on the north side of the strait and to the Hudson's Buy Company's post at Fort Chimo, Ungava Bay, and fox skin.

it in

remarkable that, although these traders carry as many as thirty

or forty parcels of furs owned by diflferent families, they seemed quite able to remember on their return, to whom the goods they obtained in

exchange belonged, apparently the only note made being a few marks with their teeth upon some of the articles. It is generally supposed that the Indians and tlie Hlskimo are conti-

nually at enmity with one another.

This may be the case on the niost

northern coast of America, but it is certainly not so with those living

on either the

Labrador

coast or

Hudson's Strait

all

whom

spoke in the highest terms of the Indian, or Udler, as they call them,

and several Eskimo were wearing articles they had purchased from them when visiting Fort Chimo.

As it is the case with all, or most uncivilized races, many of the senses are not well develoi)ed in the Eskimo.

Pain, for instance,

under which we would groan is borne without flinching and in this

we had ample means of judging as I was called in to dress several Deep cuts, too, made by the accidental slip of a

painful wounds.

knife were simply bound

up with a piece of sinew and no further

notice taken of them.

Their power of hearing is tery good and it was often noticed that

sounds at a distance unheard by ourselveaj could be distinctly heard

by them.

Although many suffer with weak eyes their sight is wonderfully keen, e8{)ecially at long distances as was often noticed by their being able to count the seals upon the ice that

specks seen very indistinctly.

appeared to us as small

As the winter advanced many of them

became snow blind and all were affected more or less with the glitter In one house visited three children were of the sun upon the snow. found perfeetly blind, and although we did all we could for them, they did not recover their sight for nearly twenty days.

Regarding their sense of taste we need only remark, there was nothing we would eat that they could not relish, and much moi-e

ESKIMO OF HUDSONS STRAIT.

would not eat they almost wholly subsisted upon.

Smoking they

dearly love, and the smallest scrap of tobacco is never wasted, even the ash from their pipes is used as snuff, and the idea of expectorating when chewing tobacco is never thought of; and further, disgusting

though it is, the straw used in cleaning their pipe is always passed between their lips after each cleaning.

Although the Eskimos are cool under ordinary circumstances they become extremely nervous under excitement, and at times were seen This was noticed more especially when a walrus had been killed, and others were in sight, when playing a game of cards, and when leaving hurriedly for another part of the coast where

trembling violently.

seals had been reported.

Cleanliness it may be said is hai'dly known to the

Eskimo uninflu-

enced by civilization, for to them apparently everything on earth

clean ; nevertheless they would undoubtedly be glad to keep the dirt or dust off their bodies if they possessed such things as soap, towels,

and water at a temperature rather higher than the freezing point, or

we might say water at any tejnperature during the winter, for then it much as they can do to melt enough snow for drinking. During

is as

the warmest weather there was nothing they delighted in more than

washing their faces

when we would give them soap, and it was

amusing to see them returning from a neighbouring stream laughing as they showed their faces to one another. It

needless

to repeat that the

well established fact, yet

Eskimo will

steal,

for

interesting to note some of its effects.

Generally speaking all excepting the thief seemed to look upon the act as a great joke

could

be seen

when

did not effect themselves, and as far as

only fear that keeps them from stealing more

Repeatedly we were asked to guard tl r goods made a journey, and every means possible are used to If during hard times an Eskimo discovers a hide their caches. cache his friends think it a great joke and all join in helping him

from one another. while they

devour its contents.

At the same time the thief stands a chance

of being punished by the owner.

During times when food was scarce they seemed to become careand would then steal anything, and at one time some daring

less

ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait.

my storehouse were made. In spite of a watch being kept, and a warning issued to them that those attetnpt-

attempts at a raid upon

ing to force an entrance would stand a chance of being shot, while going my rounds about midnight I was startled to see a number rush out of the building with their hands full of provisions. They

had pried the door off the hinges as noiselessly as any professional housebreaker, and now they made off as hard as possible. Determined to frighten them I started in hot pursuit, and when a short distance from them fired several shots over their heads.

For some time after this they prowled about at nijTht, and Ugaluk my favourite

Eskimo strongly advised us to always go out armed as several threats had been made by his people to fire upon us if we thwarted them again.

No further attempts, however, were made and I feel

fident it was the bold front

con-

we showed that induced them to recon-

sider their threats.

Amonf]f

those

living at

Cape Prince of Wales were three

des-

perate characters who, some

years ago, attacked p irt of the shipwrecked crew of a whaler named " Kitty " while they slept in a

tent on the

shore

not

far

from

the

observatory.

At first they

them food, but their blunkets and guns weie too great a temptation, and with knives they despatched them all, excepting one poor fellow whose feet had been badly frozen. This man, strange to say, they took care of and Ugaluk my informant said he lived with him in his fathera igloo during the winter, that both his feet came off, and he died in the following spring. In the fray one Eskimo was shot dead the rest escajung without a wound. treated tliem well often bringing

Either from fear or seeking favour several Eskimo returned stolen goods, but in each case they requested payment and were mo.st indig-

nant when we refused to give them anything, Our best friend in way was a good looking girl name Checkooaloo who acted as our

tills

detective and very often brought back articles stolen by her people.

Physically the Eskimo do not seem as strong as civilized beings for

many trials of strength with my men who were not above the average in muscle development they were quite unable to cope with in

them.

ESKIMO OF HUDSON S STKAIT.

In speaking of the moral side of the Eskimo's character it is needless to repeat the many disgusting stories that have been told so often.

know that according to our standard of moi-ality we know of other races we must admit that they at least are comparatively virtuous savages. Even our morality in which we boast seems to have the effect of corrupting what little virtue the savage possesses when it comes in contact with him and we may say, nowhere is this so distinctly seen as among the It is sufficient to

they are immoral, but from what

Eskimo.

On the north side of the strait where vessels often call on

their way to and from Hudson's

Bay exchange of wives is sometimes where there is little or no intercourse with these vessels such a thing was never heard of, and it ia well known to those interested that sailors who were allowed to act much as they liked on the north side were met with virtuous scorn by those living on the south shore. practiced, while on the south side

At cape Prince of Wales a few Eskimo had three wives, several had two, but the greater number by far had only one, and there weie seveml old bachelors. In nearly all cases the best hunters have the most wives, and a

widow who is the strongest and best worker stands the best chance of marrying again if she is so disposed, especially if she has sons, for

they are considered a soui'ce

of strength

a household while

daughters are looked upon as a weakness.

Although in most cases a second wife is taken through affection for her in many instances it

undoubtedly done in charity and their is

one peculiar law or custom among those met with in the Strait that

may be worth relating.

If a married

Eskimo has been considered

only worthy of death for some offence the

man who undertakes to

execute him becomes responsible for his wife and children

The

woman becomes the wife of the murderer, and her children are treated Two instances of this strange custom came under my notice, one of which was that of my favourite Ugaluk who informed me that some years ago there lived a bad Eskimo who would with kindness by him.

not work, but stole from everybody, and he undertook to do away

with him.

While

friendly

conversation

he stabbed him and

carrying his body out on his kyak dropped it into the sea.

His wife

and three children now live with Ugaluk, and although she stands in

ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait. Lis estimation as second to his

first

wife she appears to be quite

happy, and during our stay here gave birth to her third child. similar instance

was met with at Cape Chudleigh, and in each case it

seemed to be undei*8tood that those who were benefited by the death of these woi'thless fellows should give the executioner some assistance in supporting his family.

One man who had three wives, I was informed by Ugaluk, would have been content with one, but having no family he had married a second and a third, and now poor miserable wretch he was hardly able to support one, and all were childless. Undoubtedly some of the matches between the sexes are arranged by the parents when their children are very young nevertheless there was a good deal of love making. This was especially noticable in the early summer when they were often seen together and apparently

without asking leave of anybody several started their own igloos.

Much, however, as we dislike to think of it, it nnist be said, their love is little more than that of the birds of the air, excepting in constancy. Affection for one another they have, but such a thing as secrecy in

any of the many phases of love is hardly thought of.

As far as could be seen no such thing as a marriage ceremony is performed.

Girls marry at sixteen

and even earlier, and when two

are agreed they can be happy together they either start their

own

igloo or the bride is received into the house of her husband's family

and there they might be seen, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters all living happily together in one room or igloo.

The affection existing between parent and child is of the roughest kind, and is very interesting to watch.

Little display is noticeable,

and yet there appears to be intense earnestness in looking after the child's welfare, while the child is a pattern of obed''»nce to its parents.

The affection between husband and wife is much the same, but rapidly wanes if one becomes useless in the support of the other. Partly in natural affection and partly from selfish motives all help

one another, but

returns with success he

a mistake to suppose that

when a hunter

immediately shares his catch with his neigh-

bours, for some were always found richer in food und household goods

ESKIMO OF HUDBONS STRAIT.

The men in these wealthy families, as might be supposed^

than others.

were either physically stronger or better hunters than their fellows.

Very few Eskimo who had become useless by age or accident were met with and those that were seen appeared to be a great burden upon their people, and although they were treated with great kindness while food was plentiful it required no great prophet to predict their death by starvation at any time when food was scarce. Early in spring, when for many days we had not been visited by an Eskimo, and supposing they had left this part of the coast, I wandered over to a deserted village and entering an igloo was surprised to find an old woman and her son apparently dying from starvation, and from them learned that a crippled man and his child were in the

same condition in another igloo near by.

case than the

first,

Here was a worse

for with a little strengthening food we

were en-

abled to move the woman and her son to an igloo near the station^

but the

man was too far gone, nor would he allow his child to be

taken from him.

by his

side,

Each day food, and'a /arge piece of snow was put

and although unable to use his arms, his

child, a little

Days went by and little improvement, could be noticed in his condition, and one afternoon when it had

girl three years old, fed him.

been thawing I walked over to the igloo.

Calling as usual as I ap-

proached, I received no answer and coming nearer found the roof of the igloo had fallen in, and there he lay with marbled face, his eyes

now fixed and turned

to space,

and his child lay sleeping by him.

Wrapped in his bedding we placed the body between a crevice in the rock and covered it with stones, this being the usual mode of burial The child was given in charge of the woman and with the Eskimo. son, and for some time all were dependent upon us for food. Through neglect the child soon died, and this recalls to my mind a sad scene^ but it is needless to relate it here.

Eskimo opinions upon theological questions are not easily obtained and undoubtedly their faith in all their beliefs is extremely weak, for when asked to explain they would laugh and would tell you they only performed any of their rites because other Eskimo did so Another difficulty to contend with is their extreme shyness or fear of being laughed at, for on this point they are most sensitive.

ESKIMO OF HUDSON 8 STRAIT.

1»

As far as could be learned they believe in a supreme spirit who and some minor spirits who rule the with whom their Angekok has changes in nature, and other tides rules over the earth and sky,

power to converse.

Of a future life they believed in a heaven and a hell, the former to This place is be a place where those go who do not lie and are good. southward where the sky and earth meet, where there is no snow, Hell is a place where the plenty to eat, and no work to be done. wicked go especially those who have told lies and have done wrong to their fellows.

Here it is always snowing, is very cold, and those that

go there have to work as they did upon this earth.

The Angekok is only a man or woman rather shrewder than their fellows who exhorts the spirits to do

which service they are paid.

whatever the people want, for

They are

treated with little or

deference by th'nr people excepting at times when they are employed.

An Angekok, who often tried to make me believe he was better than his people,

was entrapped by the rising tide one day while gathering

seaweed, and in S[)ite of his intlnence with the spirits the tide continued to rise driving him back under a steep ice cliff, and being unable to scale it he perished miserably.

During my stay in the Strait they were never seen praying but [Jgaluk who often saw us at our prayers when told to whom we were

praying said his people did the same.

One of their most interesting and peculiar religious customs is the and other things to the spirits. By the graves of many of their dead were found scraps of food, tobacco, powder, shot

offering of food

and other articles and at first it was supposed that these were offered To my surprise, however, a number of only to those who had died. like articles were found upon the beacon

a man.

Still more sui-prising was

we had built in the shape of when we found two

the fact that

cannons upon the shore near Cape Prince of Wales, that had unleft by some of the early explorers, and standing them on end a quantity of bullets, shot, and other rubbish rolled On enquiry as to how this had got there I was informed it out. given as an offering to the spirits. been had

doubtedly been

ESKIMO OF HUDSON S STRAIT.

Amulets though believed

Inuit was seen wearing one.

are not

much used, and only one

This was Cheokooaloo a sister of

Ugaluk who had a small piece of carved wood firmly sewn to her dresR,

and the only answer we could get from her as to its use

A. similar piece of was she would " be no good " if she lost it. wood was found carefully protected with stones by the side of a gmve. :

)

Here, as elsewhere, the Eskimo take two days rest after killing if asked to do work during

a walrus, and become very indignant this time.

During the walrus season they will not put needle into deer skin and, although often pressed, nothing would induce them to do so. Nor will they sew anything when one of the family is ill.

When a seal is killed a little fresh before

cut up, this

carry out, and if done in

water is sprinkled

custom, hovever, they would oxit

over

not always

presence would explain with a look

of bashfulness that other Inuite always did so.

Walking along the shore near low tide mark with some young Eskimo who were gathering shellfish, I was sj|lr)n'ised to find onejl^ of the young women would not pick any of them up although 1 / had often seen her do so before. Nothing would induce her to touch' them for she said she would be "no good" if siie did so for a

few days.

The graves of tlie Eskimo are found everywhere along the coast, some well built over with stones while others only show where the body was laid, the bones being scattered in every direction. The favorite place of burial is an island where the foxes and wolves cannot get at the bodies, and near Cape Prince of Wales an island about ten acres in area was seen literally covered with graves and monuments ten feet high were erected here and there throughout it. These were evidently built for service in common, and ;

our beacon were covered with scraps of food.

ESKIMO OF Hudson's strait.

Many other religious customs common to the race were noticed, but as nothing diseimilar was seen in them it is needless to relate

them as they have often been told before. Although Mr. Rink has shewn the Eskimo are rich in legendry, only one legend that was at all comiected could be understood by ourThis was told by Ugaluk, and mn as follows Not many selves. :

yeara ago there

shore of Hudson's Udlera,

or whiteman, on the eastern

lived a Cubloonack,

Bay where there were lots of Inuite and a few

or Indians.

This Cubloonack

was a very bad man, and

used to speak to a lot of them, and taught them to sing different songs.

One day an Udler dime into the village and the Cubloonack

caught him and calling all the Inuite about him he tied the Udler to a stake, and piling weeds and brush about it burned

him alive.

Nearly every day he used to walk up a hill by a circuitous path and as he walked he sang songs, all the Eskimos following in pro-

and when they reached the top of the hill he would talk them about the sky. One day when the procession had gone up half way the Inuite refused to go any further so the Cubloonack went on alone, and he was never seen again, but tliey were sure he went up to the sky.

cession

It is to be regretted

that

owing to our time being taken up

with other matters while in the Strait little can be added to our it

may be worth noting, how-

little

communication between the

present knowledge of the language ; ever, that although there

north and south shore of the Strait there is greater similarity in the pronunciation than there is between those living at Cape Prince of Wales and Cape Chudleigh.

The chief

being the use or disuse of the

final

difference

all

cases

sound of k which is one of

the main characteristics of the Eskimo language.

As for instance

North Bluff the Eskimo say nannoo (bear) whilst at Cape Prince of Wales it is pronunced nannook.

Wonderful though it is that the langunge remains so intact, it does not seem to be generally known what communication there is between the Eskimo at one place and those at a distant part of the Regarding this I can only instance the case of one man coast. This man, who, with his family, I met at Cape Prince of Wales.

ESKIMO OK Hudson's strait.

not long ago, had live! f,ir up Fox Channel and had Strait with a number of others in an oniiak or

crossed the

largo seal

skin

Another man who lived nearly two hundi-ed miles to the westward made the journey four times in the boat.

spring of 1886 t.avelhundred mik-s with his wife and child, It is a common thing to run down to Fort Chimo a distance, there and ling nearly eight

return, of six hundred miles and a brother of my favorite Eskimo Ugaluk returned in ten days as T received a dated letter written on the day he started.

In conclusion wo may add that in spite of many revolting customs of the Eskimo, after living with them for some time we are forced to conclude that a civilized being transported

to these regions

and living under the same circumstances would soon adopt much the same mode of life. Remembering this and considering .uany fi.ie traits in their character, savages though they are, wo cannot help' looking upon them as fellow beings in the same race for life, and consequently loving them.