_CUSTOMS OF THE ESKIMOS._
Deer-hunting is perhaps the most favored and remunerative occupation of
the Eskimos. In some districts seal and other animals are extensively
sought, but the reindeer is the universal stand-by. It is hunted with the
bow and arrow or spear, and with guns as well, when these can be obtained.
Having already stated that the only wood obtainable by the Eskimos is
broken fragments of drift-wood, the inquiry may arise, Where do they get
material from which to make bows? The answer is, that lacking material
for making such bows as are ordinarily used, their ingenuity comes to the
rescue and designs a composite bow, which answers the purpose equally
well. This implement of the chase is, in the first place, made either of
pieces of wood or of horn, neatly joined together. In order to give it
strength and elasticity, a stout plaited sinew cord is stretched from end
to end, around the convexity of the bow, and then twisted until it is
brought to the required tension. By this mode of construction, when the
bow is drawn the wood or horn is only subjected to a compressive strain,
while the sinew thong takes up the tension.
Thus very powerful bows are made, though of rough materials; but in
order to use them with effect in killing deer, the sagacity of the hunter
is often severely tested, for with the Eskimo there is no cover behind
which to hide or creep upon his prey. The hunter’s first precaution is,
of course, to keep the deer to windward, for the moment they catch the
scent of an enemy they are off, and to get within range of the wary
animals upon the open plains or rocky barrens is often a difficult
matter. A common way of working, when several hunters are together, is
for some to take up positions in concealment, while the others drive the
deer their way, causing them to pass within range of the deadly shafts.
At a moderate distance an Eskimo with his ingeniously constructed bow can
drive an arrow its full length into a deer.
Occasionally vast herds of deer, numbering many thousands, are met with,
and at such times their numbers appear to give them confidence. The
hunter then has no trouble in approaching them, but may go up and kill as
many as he desires, either with bow and arrow or with spear.
The spear, however, is chiefly used for killing deer in the water. At
certain seasons of the year, when travelling north or south, the deer
cross streams, rivers, or lakes in great numbers, and these crossings are
commonly effected year after year in the same place. The hunter, knowing
their habits, lies in wait at the crossings, and often from his kyack
spears large numbers as they are swimming past.
When more deer are killed than are required for immediate use, the
carcases are “cached,” that is, they are covered over by piles of stones
to preserve them from the wolves and foxes, and the place of their
burial is marked, so that during the next winter and spring, if food
becomes scarce, these meat stores may be resorted to. When required, the
meat thus stored is often quite blue or decomposed, but it has to be
pretty bad when a hungry Eskimo will not eat it.
Seal hunting is a most curious and interesting form of sport. The seals
are hunted in entirely different ways at different times of the year.
During the entire winter season they keep holes open through the shore
ice, but because of the depth of snow are not seen until the warm spring
sun exposes their hiding places. The Eskimo hunter has, however, a way of
finding them out before this. He harnesses a dog that has been trained
for the work, and, armed with his seal harpoon, leads him out to the
snow-covered field, where the two walk in a zig-zag course, until the
sagacious animal catches the scent of the seal and takes his master
straight to its secret abode.
Here, under the hard crusted snow, it has formed for itself quite a
commodious dwelling, but, unlike the Eskimo snow-house, its doorway opens
into the water instead of into the air. This doorway, which is in the
form of a round hole, just large enough to admit the seal, is kept from
freezing up by the wary animal, which ever keeps itself in readiness,
upon the slightest suspicion of danger, to plunge into it.
Usually upon the arrival of the hunter, the seal, if at home, hearing the
footsteps above, quickly vacates the premises. The Eskimo then, taking
advantage of its absence, ascertains the exact locality of the hole in
the ice, by thrusting his long slender spear down through the snow.
When the exact position of the hole is found, its centre is marked by
erecting a little pinnacle of snow directly above it.
This done, a long and tedious wait follows, during which time the patient
hunter often suffers much from the cold, for he is obliged to remain
quite still, not uncommonly from early morning until evening. In order
to keep the feet from freezing, while thus remaining for hours upon the
snow, a deer-skin bag is commonly used to stand in.
During the interval of the seal’s absence from home the doorway becomes
frozen over, and it is on account of this fact that the hunter is made
aware of its return, for when the seal comes back to its hole and finds
it crusted over, it at once commences to blow upon the ice to melt it.
This is the hunter’s long-desired signal, and the moment he hears it he
places the point of his harpoon at the mark on the snow, and thrusts
the weapon vertically down into the hole, almost invariably with deadly
effect. The seal, thus harpooned in the head, is instantly killed, and is
then hauled out by the line attached to the spear.
Some seasons, when the ice is covered by a great depth of snow, the dogs
are not able to scent the seals’ houses, and then the Eskimo has to
depend upon other sources for food, or else go on short rations.
In the spring, as the snow disappears, the seals’ winter quarters are
demolished, and they themselves are exposed to view. Then the Eskimo
is obliged to resort to other methods of getting at them. When one is
observed, the direction of the wind is first noted, then the hunter,
keeping himself to leeward of the seal, walks to within about a quarter
of a mile of it; but beyond this he begins to crouch, and advances only
when the seal’s head is down. The seal is one of the most wide-awake of
all animals, and has the habit of throwing up its head quickly every few
seconds to guard against danger. When its head is down upon the ice, its
eyes are shut, and it is said that in these brief intervals it takes its
sleep. However this may be, the hunter, by carefully watching the seal’s
movements, is able, without much difficulty, to get within about two
hundred yards of it, but at closer quarters he is obliged to pursue other
tactics. He now lies down at full length upon the ice, and here the real
sport begins.
The seal takes the Eskimo, who is able to _talk seal_ perfectly, to be
one of its kinsmen; and indeed there is a great deal of resemblance
between the genera, for both are similarly clothed, and the Eskimo,
living largely upon the flesh and oil of the seal, is similarly odorous.
As the two lie there upon the ice, a most amusing sort of conversation
is kept up between them. Seal makes a remark and flips his tail. Eskimo
replies in a similar manner, making the gesture with his foot, and at
the same time throws himself a little forward. Seal soon has something
further to say, and again flips his tail. Eskimo replies as before, and
closes up slightly farther the distance between them.
When the seal’s head is down, the hunter, who ever keeps his eye on his
prey, is able to approach still nearer by dragging himself forward upon
his elbows. This manœuvring goes on for some time, until the distance
between the performers has been reduced to a few yards, or sometimes to a
very few feet.
When near enough to make a sure shot, the Eskimo takes his bow and arrow
from his side and sends a swift shaft through the head of his outwitted
companion. Sometimes, instead of the bow and arrow, a harpoon is used
with equal effect.
I knew an Eskimo who was so expert at this kind of sport that he was able
to catch seals with his teeth.
In order to secure one by shooting it, as just described, it is necessary
to kill it instantly, for if only shot through the body, or even through
the heart, it will throw itself into its hole and thus be lost.
During the season of open water still another method of seal-hunting has
to be adopted. There is now no ice to perform upon, so the kyack has to
take its place, and in this light craft the Eskimo pursues his prey in
the open sea, or in the channels of water among the ice.
The weapon now used is not the bow, but a specially designed style of
harpoon, which may be thrown long distances from the hand. The bow
and arrow are useless, because of the difficulty of instantly killing
the seal by a shaft aimed from a kyack. This harpoon is a light form
of spear, having an adjustable ivory head to which is attached a long
plaited sinew line. This line is wound on the handle of the harpoon, and
attached to the end of it is a small float.
When a seal makes its appearance within twenty or thirty yards of the
hunter the harpoon, thus arranged, is thrown, and if the seal is struck,
the ivory head, which becomes buried in the flesh, is detached from the
shank, and as the seal plunges about, or dives, the line is quickly
unwound from the floating handle.
Unless killed outright, the seal quickly disappears with line and float;
but as it can remain under water only a few minutes at a time, it must
soon reappear, and as it again nears the surface, the little float comes
to the top and shows the hunter where to prepare for the next charge.
Thus the poor wounded animal’s chances of escape are small.
Perhaps the most exciting and dangerous sport of the Eskimo is that of
hunting the walrus.
This animal, sometimes called the sea-horse, is large, powerful, and
often vicious. It is considered valuable both as food and for the supply
of ivory which its immense tusks yield. The walrus is hunted chiefly from
the kyack, either in open water, in the neighborhood of sandy shores, or
about the edge of floating ice, upon which it delights to lie and bask in
the sunshine.
A special equipment is required for this kind of hunting. It comprises,
besides the kyack and paddle, a large harpoon, a heavy line and box in
which to coil it, a large inflated seal-skin float, and a long lance.
This walrus harpoon is an ingeniously devised weapon, consisting of an
ivory shank fitted to a block of the same material by a ball-and-socket
joint. These are stiffly hinged together by stout seal-skin thongs, and
the block is then permanently attached to a wooden handle about four
feet in length. The ivory shank, which is about fifteen inches long, is
slightly curved, and tapers to a rounded point at the end remote from the
handle. To this point is again fitted an ivory head, about four inches
long, let into which is an iron or steel blade. Through the centre of the
ivory head a heavy line is passed and strongly looped. Then, the shank
and head being in position, the line is drawn tightly, and fastened to
the wooden handle by an ivory pin and socket catch. The remaining portion
of the line is neatly coiled, and is provided at the end with a small
loop.
[Illustration: 1. Walrus Harpoon; 2. Walrus Lance; 3. Seal Harpoon; 4.
Seal Spear; 5. Bird Spear; 6. Small Seal Harpoon.]
The line used is that made from the skin of the square-flipper seal,
as already described, and may be two or three hundred feet in length,
though sometimes not so long. The line box is simply a small round
parchment-covered frame, about the size of the lid of a cheese-box, and
is fastened to the top of the kyack, behind the paddler.
The seal-skin float is a peculiar-looking object, consisting of the
entire skin of a seal, removed from the carcase, as before described,
without cutting it. The hair is removed from the pelt, which is then
dressed as black parchment. The natural opening at the mouth of the
skin sack is provided with an ivory nozzle and plug. By blowing into
the nozzle the skin is inflated, and may be kept in that condition by
inserting the plug. At the tail-end of the float is an ivory cross-head,
to which the loop at the end of the harpoon line may be readily attached.
The lance completes the walrus hunter’s equipment. This instrument is
formed of a long iron or ivory bar having a steel blade point. The bar
is fitted to a wooden handle by a ball-and-socket joint, and stiffly
hinged with thongs as in the case of the harpoon. The object of the joint
is to prevent the lance from being broken when thrust into a walrus, as
otherwise it would be, by the animal plunging about.
Equipped as above, the Eskimo hunters go out during the season of open
water in pursuit of walruses, which, feeding upon clams, are usually
found about sandy shores or islands. Single animals are sometimes found,
but more commonly they are in small herds. When feeding they remain in
about the same place, but can stay under water for only about three
minutes at a time. They come to the surface to breathe, sport about for
a short time, then go down to the bottom and dig clams from the sand
for some three minutes, and then rise again to the surface. The Eskimo,
taking advantage of their necessity, advances on them only when they
are busily occupied at the bottom of the sea. When a walrus reappears
at the surface, the hunter, who, with harpoon in hand and line attached
to float, awaits its return, hurls his harpoon with great force and
precision, burying it deeply in the walrus’s flesh.
The wounded monster, maddened by pain, plunges into the water, dives to
the bottom, and endeavors to escape. The plunging readily causes the
ball-and-socket joint of the harpoon to give, and this allows the head of
the harpoon, which is buried in the animal, to become detached and form a
button on the end of the harpoon line.
The detached handle floats upon the water, but the line is securely
fastened to the body of the walrus, which, in trying to escape, takes
with him the line and attached inflated seal-skin; but though he may take
this buoy under, and keep it down for a short time, he cannot do so long.
Soon it reappears at the surface, and the hunter seeing it, makes for
the spot, and awaits the returning walrus. The moment his head appears,
harpoon or lance are hurled at it as before, and unless with fatal
results, the same manœuvres are repeated. In this way often two or
three harpoon lines and floats are attached to one walrus, but when so
hampered it is considered well secured, and is finally despatched by the
long keen lance.
When, however, the attack is made in the neighborhood of heavy ice, as
it frequently is, the hunt is much less likely to result successfully.
Because of the floating crystal, the hunter often finds it difficult to
follow the movements of his game, and even if successful in this and in
placing a harpoon or two, he is often defeated in the end by the line
being torn from the float, which has become fast in the broken ice. Thus
once freed, the wounded animal usually makes good his escape.
Occasionally these walrus contests result disastrously to the hunter, for
the sea-horse is by no means a passive, harmless creature, submitting
without resistance to the attacks of its enemies. Frequently one—or a
number of them together—will make a charge upon the assailants, attacking
them viciously with their huge tusks, which, if brought in contact with
an Eskimo, are likely to make a sorry-looking object of him. Of course,
through long experience and practice in the chase, the Eskimo hunters
become very expert in dodging and foiling a charge, but sometimes they
are caught and roughly handled by these uncouth monsters of the sea.
Upon one occasion an old hunter whom I knew, named Coto, met with a bad
accident while hunting walruses in his kyack. A number of them charged
upon him suddenly, and being unable to get out of their way quickly
enough, his frail craft was broken and torn to shreds, and his body was
frightfully bruised and lacerated. The poor fellow recovered, however,
but only after months of sore suffering.
For a short time during the autumn season the sea-horse is hunted
without the assistance of the kyack. The new ice being thin, the walruses
break up through it at any place, and sport about in the water-holes
which they make. Then the hunters—for several of them usually go
together—march out upon the ice and attack them from the edge of the
water-holes. This method of hunting is, however, rather dangerous, as the
animals have an ugly habit of noting the position of their assailants,
then disappearing below the water, and in a moment presenting themselves
below the ice at the spot where the men stand.
The Eskimos, who are familiar with this manœuvre, always change their
position the moment one of the crafty brutes goes down, and stand,
harpoons in hand, ready to receive him when he returns crashing through
the ice with deadly designs upon his craftier adversaries.
It is an easier matter to harpoon a walrus thus in the ice than it is to
secure him, for here the “oweta” or float cannot be used to advantage,
and it is no easy matter to hold a three thousand pounder of the sea.
However, this is attempted, and when one or more harpoons are made fast
to the walrus the ends of the lines are spiked down to the ice by stout
spikes, and in this way the brute is very powerfully anchored; but, as
I have before stated, in spite of all that can be done, he often breaks
away and takes the lines with him into the deep.
Polar bear hunting is an extremely dangerous and exciting sport. An
Eskimo rarely ever cares to tackle a bear single-handed, but two men,
armed with lances, do not hesitate to attack this monarch of the north.
The method adopted in hunting a polar is as follows: Two men, armed only
with lances, approach it from opposite sides at the same time. Then, as
they close upon it, and the bear charges either man, the other rushes
forward with his lance. Thus they let out its life-blood. It requires
cool heads and steady nerves to be able to cope successfully with a polar
in this way, but both of these characteristics the Eskimos possess in a
marked degree, and it is comparatively seldom that accidents happen while
thus engaged.
These bears, which live almost entirely upon seals, are usually found
near the sea-shore, and often out some distance, swimming in the water,
where they can live for a considerable length of time. The Eskimos attack
them here as well as upon the land, but in the water they are treacherous
enemies to deal with, as they are expert swimmers and divers. They are
very liable to surprise one by suddenly disappearing and reappearing at
embarrassingly close quarters.
The Eskimo custom in bear-hunting is, that whoever first sees a bear is
the owner of the carcase, no matter who kills it, but the skin is divided
up among the several hunters.
A bear-skin is so heavy that the Eskimo has no special object in
preserving it whole, but he finds the greatest use for it when it is cut
up into small pieces. In this condition it is commonly used by hunters as
mats, which they tie under them when crawling over the ice after seals,
or across the wet plains after deer. The pieces of bear-skin act as
skates, upon which they can easily drag themselves along.
The Eskimo method of hunting birds is chiefly with a spear of somewhat
peculiar design. It is in all about five feet long, and consists of a
wooden handle terminated at one end by a slender barbed ivory or iron
rod, sharply pointed. About half way up the handle, three pointed barbed
ivory fingers are securely fastened. The handle is then fitted into a
wooden socket, which is held in the hand, and from which the spear is
thrown. It is claimed that by means of the wooden socket the spear can
be thrown with greater precision than by the bare hand, to which it
would adhere more or less. However that may be, an Eskimo can hurl his
bird-spear a marvellously long distance, and with deadly effect.
If the point of the spear misses the bird, one of the side fingers is
almost sure to pierce it, or catch it between the fingers and the spear
handle.
In this way, ptarmigan, ducks, and other land and sea fowls are obtained
in considerable numbers. They are usually speared while sitting in flocks
upon the snow or in the water, but they are also frequently killed in
this way when on the wing. Sometimes the bow and arrow is used for
bringing down the feathered game, but the spear is the instrument chiefly
employed.
Fish are caught both by spearing and with the hook. The latter is of the
crudest design, and is used in trolling. A troll consists of a heavy iron
hook, fastened to the face of a small ivory disk, to which is attached a
fine, strong line, made from plaited deer-skin sinews.
Fish are not, however, caught so much with the hook as they are by the
spear. Indeed, it is chiefly by means of the harpoon and spear that the
Eskimo larder is supplied. The fish-spear is a kind of three-pronged
barbed fork, fastened to a handle. It is used chiefly for spearing fish
through the ice, and with good results if in the hands of an expert.
I tried fish spearing in the north, but lacked the patience necessary
for success. Many times, however, I purchased from the Eskimos the
magnificent trout and whitefish by which their efforts were rewarded.
The way in which they spear is this: First, the most favorable spot of
the lake or river is selected, and then a hole cut through the ice.
With some kind of a bait, which they lower into the water by means of a
string, they endeavor to attract the fish to the hole; when they appear
they are thrust through by the spear and hauled out upon the ice. Great
numbers of beautiful fish are caught by the Eskimos in this way during
the fall and winter seasons.
Trapping is not extensively followed, unless it is by the Eskimos living
within reach of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s posts, perhaps because of the
inefficiency of the native traps, but also owing to the comparatively
slight value to the Eskimos of the animals which may be caught. For
instance, the wolf is an animal little sought for, because his flesh is
not considered good food, and his skin is no better for clothing than the
skin of the deer, which is much more easily procured. So also with the
fox. Both wolves and foxes are, however, caught to some extent by “dead
fall” traps, built of stones, or of snow, and so arranged that when the
animal enters the trap and touches the bait, a heavy stone is caused to
fall and kill or imprison him.
The Eskimo, or “Enuit,” as he calls himself, being of a jovial, merry
disposition, has various forms of amusement. A common one among the men
is that of competing with each other in throwing the harpoon at a mark on
the snow. With such practice they become powerful and expert throwers.
A rather amusing incident happened in this connection at one time during
my Eskimo experiences. I, too, had been diligently exercising myself in
the art of harpoon throwing, and one day, having become somewhat expert,
was thus amusing myself when a party of natives came along. One of their
number, doubtless supposing me to be a novice, stood up at what he
thought a safe distance, and cried, “_Attay me-loo-e-ak took_” (Go ahead,
throw). Promptly accepting the challenge, I hurled my harpoon, which made
so straight for the astonished man’s breast that he did not know which
way to jump, and barely got out of the way in time to save himself. As
the shaft passed him and went crashing through a flour barrel behind
where he had stood, his companions had a great laugh at his expense.
Another source of much amusement is the game of foot-ball, which they
play with the bladder of a walrus. Their game is played neither according
to Rugby nor Association rules, but wholly without rule or system. Men
and women, old and young, join in the chase after the ball, with equal
delight. “Here a woman, carrying her child on her back, may be seen
running at full speed after the ball, and the next moment lying at full
length with her naked child floundering in the snow, a few feet beyond
her. A minute later, the child is in its place, and the mother, nearly
choking with laughter, is seen elbowing her way after the ball again.”
A popular kind of indoor sport, played much during the long days of
winter, is a game something like our old game of cup and ball. It is
played with a block of ivory, cut so as to somewhat resemble the form of
a bear, which it is supposed to be. The ivory is drilled full of holes in
a regular and systematic way, and to the neck of the block an ivory pin
four or five inches in length is attached by means of a sinew cord about
a foot long. To prevent twisting of this cord, a little ivory swivel is
inserted in the middle of it, and the game is played by swinging up the
ivory block and catching it upon the pin. The various holes in the block
count differently, so that there is really a good deal of skill in the
game.
[Illustration: ESKIMO GAMES AND TOYS.]
Running and wrestling are sometimes indulged in, though not often
continued with interest.
The children play among themselves much as they do in the civilized
south. Their favorite amusement is that of playing house, at which they
may be seen busily engaged almost any pleasant summer day about an Eskimo
village. The play-houses consist simply of rings of stones, and for dolls
the Eskimo children are content with pretty pebbles or chips of wood or
ivory. The actors, with their families, go visiting from one house to
another, and have their imaginary feasts and all the rest just as our
children have.
At Cape Prince of Wales, Hudson Straits, the Eskimos have been observed
to play at a game of tilting. For this sport a very large igloe is built,
having a great pillar in the centre of it. Ivory rings are hung from the
roof, and the players, armed with spears, walk rapidly round the pillar,
and vie with each other in catching the rings on their spears.
The people are not noted for being musical, though they have some songs.
The home or family circle is, as a rule, a happy one. It is not broken up
by the brawling sot, nor is it often the scene of poverty and want—never
is this the case while the rest of the community have plenty. All
families share alike in times of famine, and in seasons of plenty all
rejoice together. Thus there is no such thing as class distinction among
them, but all are upon an equal footing; every man provides for the wants
of his own family by hunting. They have therefore no need for workmen’s
unions, nor for protective associations, but all live together in peace
and unity. Of course, I am here speaking in a general way, for I have
already spoken of the occasional fights which take place.
The Eskimo marriage is an exceedingly simple institution, and is not
performed in any ceremonious way. It is purely a love union, requiring
only the sanction of the parents of the bride. When a young man and
young woman come to the conclusion that they were made for each other,
and desire to become one, having the consent of the girl’s parents they
simply take each other and start up an igloe of their own. Eskimo brides
are usually very young, and often very bonnie creatures. They lose much
of their beauty, however, in early life, and at about forty mature into
ugly old dames.
An Eskimo family rarely consists of more than three children, and these,
in turn, for about two years are carried in the hood upon their mother’s
back. During this time they have no clothing apart from their mother’s.
New-born infants are licked by their mother’s tongue, and are sometimes
kept in a rabbit-skin or bag of feathers for a time before being carried
upon the mother’s back.
It is usual for a man to have only one wife, though it is not uncommon
for him to have two, or even three, if he can provide for them. The first
Eskimo encountered on our recent visit to the north, as I have related,
had two wives, each having three children. As a rule the men are faithful
to their wives, although sometimes they trade with each other for a few
weeks or months, and afterwards receive again their first loves.
If any member of the family is seriously ill, a peculiar kind of prayer
is repeated over the afflicted one by the father or mother of the
family. The prayer—for it can hardly be called anything else—is loaded
with superstition. The parent prepares for the ceremony by placing a
“poalo,” or mit, upon the left hand. Then, bending over the afflicted
one, he or she mutters, wails and gesticulates in the strangest manner,
also blowing with the mouth and motioning the departure of the evil
spirit. This kind of audible supplication is often carried on for a
considerable length of time.
The Eskimo, like almost every other people under the sun, possesses some
form of worship, and believes in a spirit world. He believes in the
existence somewhere of good and evil spirits, which govern and control
this world. The Great Good Spirit (_Cood-la-pom-e-o_), they believe,
dwells in an upper world, of which the sky is the floor; but the evil
spirits, governed by their chief, “Tornarsuk,” dwell in a world beneath
ours, which forms a kind of great roof over the world below. The earth
and this under-world are connected with each other by certain mountain
clefts, and by various entrances from the sea. The spirits of those who
meet with violent deaths go to dwell with _Cood-la-pom-e-o_, in the upper
world; but for those who die from other causes there is a place prepared
below in the land of plenty, with the evil spirits.
These latter deities are supposed to have the greater power of the
two upon earth, and consequently their favor is sought, and to them
supplication is usually made, though over certain forces, events and
circumstances the Great Good Spirit is supposed to have control. For
example, he is believed to be the deity governing the frosts, so that in
the fall of the year, when the ice is insufficiently strong for hunting
purposes, his favor is invoked.
Communication with the spirits is usually held through wizards or
“angokokes,” who are looked upon as wise men by the people, and are
appointed to fulfil this function. They are ordained for their sacred
calling when youths, and as a distinguishing mark of their profession
wear upon their backs a string of ornaments, mostly made of seal or
deer-skin. These are given them at the various places visited by them in
recognition of their office. The angokokes are appointed because of their
qualifications. There may be a number of them in the same community, but
some rise to much greater distinction than others.
These wizards are said to be taught from youth by one of the deputy chief
friends, named “Tornat,” and some of them are supposed to have great
power with the spirits.
At times, when the people are threatened with famine, or are in distress
of any kind, the angokoke is requested to intercede for them. Supposing
it is food that is wanted, he arranges for an interview with Tornarsuk,
the chief of the devils. In order to do this, the angokoke, accompanied
by one other man, goes down to the water’s edge in the early morning
at the hour of low tide. Here his companion binds him in a doubled-up
position, so that his knees meet his face, and lashes him up with stout
thongs so tightly that he is unable to move hand or foot. In this
helpless condition his companion leaves him, with his walrus harpoon
lying by his side and the rising waters lapping at his feet. What
immediately follows only the angokoke knows, but I have been informed
by the wizards themselves—and it is fully believed by the Eskimo
people—that the devil comes to his rescue and releases him from his
bonds, but at the same time seizes the harpoon found on the ground and
thrusts it through the angokoke’s breast. The point projecting through
his coat behind, and blood trickling down in front, the excited wizard
rushes up from the shore to the village, trailing behind him the harpoon
line. He bursts into the first igloe in a frenzied condition, snorting
and blowing like a walrus. As he enters all sharp tools are quickly put
out of sight, so that the angokoke may not harm himself with them, and
at the same time water is sprinkled on his feet. This done he bounds out
of the igloe, and as he does so the occupants seize the harpoon line
trailing behind, but are not able to hold him, for he is as strong as a
walrus.
The magician then enters the next igloe, where a like performance is
repeated, and in the same manner the round of the village is made, but
none is able to hold the excited man. Having completed the round of the
dwellings in the village, he returns to the sea-shore, where it is said
he is again met by Tornarsuk, who extracts the harpoon from his breast
and assures him that the prayers of the people shall be heard, and that
plenty of walruses shall be sent to satisfy their hunger.
Whether or not Tornarsuk is as good as his word I can only conjecture,
but the poor Eskimo pagans have great faith in the intercessory powers of
their angokoke.
Intercession is sometimes made to the Good Spirit, and as before, the
angokoke acts as intercessor; but instead of going to the shore, he is
bound in an igloe and left there by his people. While still in this
bound condition he is said to ascend through the roof of the igloe,
and to meet and hold communication with _Cood-la-pom-e-o_, and having
arranged matters with him he returns to earth, re-enters the igloe
through the door, and reports the result of this interview.
The following are some of the laws of the Eskimos:
“1. No man shall after sunset do any work requiring the use of tools. The
women may sew, make garments, or chew boots.” (Thus the hours of each day
after sunset form the Eskimo’s Sabbath.)
“2. No person shall eat walrus and deer meat on the same day.
“3. The carcases of all large animals slain during the winter season
shall be equally divided among all members of the community.
“4. All kinds of rare game are common property during all seasons.
“5. Any person finding drift-wood secures ownership by placing stones
upon it.
“6. Any other kind of goods found remains the property of the original
owner.
“7. When a seal is harpooned and gets off with the harpoon, the first
harpooner loses all claim to it when the float becomes detached.
“8. If two hunters strike a bird at the same time, it shall be equally
divided between them.
“9. Whoever is first to see a bear has first ownership, no matter who
slays it.
“10. After slaying a bear, the man who kills it shall hang up his
hunting implements, together with the bladder of the beast, in some high
conspicuous place, for at least three days, and for four days shall be
separated from his wife.
“11. When a walrus is slain, the successful hunter shall be separated
from his wife for at least one day.
“12. The borrower of tools shall not be bound to give compensation for
damages.
“13. No person shall ‘_muckchucto_’ (sew) while any member of the family
is ill.
“14. If any man from any cause whatsoever slays his neighbor, the wife
and family of the deceased shall become the family of the slayer, and
shall be taken care of by him as if they were his own.”
One Eskimo legend regarding the origin of the people has already been
related. Another of special interest, regarding the occurrence of a
flood, runs something like this: A very long time ago there was a great
rain, which was so terrible that it flooded the earth and destroyed all
people, with the exception of a few Eskimos who constructed a raft by
lashing together a number of kyacks and took refuge upon it. Upon this
raft they drifted for a long time, until they were much reduced by cold
and starvation. Then at length in their distress their angokoke stood up
and cast his harpoon and all their ornaments into the flood of waters.
This act sufficed to appease the angry spirits, and the flood subsided.
This legend is particularly interesting since it adds one to the large
number of similar legends belonging to other savage tribes and nations.
Another romantic Eskimo legend explains the origin of the sun and moon.
As a rule the aged and feeble members of the Eskimo community are treated
with respect and kindness, but during times of distress and famine they
are often forgotten in the general struggle for existence. For instance,
when the supply of food at any particular place becomes exhausted, and
through starvation the people are forced to go elsewhere in search of
the necessaries of life, the aged or feeble, or those who have become
too weak to travel, are left behind to perish. If, however, food is soon
found, a portion is at once taken back, and after all, what more could be
done, even by white people?
When an Eskimo dies at home in the igloe, his body is never taken away
for burial by carrying it out through the doorway, but an opening must
be made in the rear for its removal. The place chosen for the burial of
the dead is some almost isolated point of land, a hill-top difficult of
access, or some remote island where there is the least danger of the
bodies being disturbed by wild beasts.
The deceased are first wrapped in their skin robes, then laid to rest and
covered over with piles of stones.
At times these graves are made very large, while in other cases the
bodies are barely covered over. Usually some kind of a memorial is raised
over the grave: frequently a long stone, but more often a topick pole or
paddle, to the top of which a flag or streamer is fixed to mark the last
lonely resting-place of the departed.
Beside the lonely grave are placed the hunting implements of its
occupant, and there, upon the dreary waste, imprisoned in his rocky tomb
beneath the snows of many a winter storm, the poor Eskimo lies awaiting
the sound of the last trumpet.