RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 627 



The souls of the sea animals are endowed with greater powers than 

 those of ordinary human beings. They can see the effect of the con- 

 tact with a corpse, which causes objects touched by it to appear of a 

 dark color; and they can see the effect of flowing blood, from which a 

 vapor rises that surrounds the bleeding person and is communicated to 

 every one and every thing that comes in contact with such a person. 

 This vapor and the dark color of death are exceedingly unpleasant to 

 the souls of the sea animals, that will not come near a hunter thus 

 affected. The hunter must therefore avoid contact with people who 

 have touched a body, or with such as are bleeding. If any one who 

 has touched a body or who is bleeding should allow others to come in 

 contact with him he would cause them to become distasteful to the 

 seals and therefore also to Sedna. For this reason the custom demands 

 that every person must at once announce if he has touched a body or if 

 he is bleeding. If he does not do so, he will bring ill luck to all the 

 hunters. 



These ideas have given rise to the belief that it is necessary to an- 

 nounce the transgression of any taboo. The transgressor of a custom 

 is distasteful to Sedna and to the animals, and those who abide with 

 him will become equally distasteful through contact with him. For 

 this reason it has come to be an act required by custom and morals to 

 confess any and every transgression of a taboo, in order to protect the 

 community from the evil influences of contact with the evil-doer. The 

 descriptions of Eskimo life given by many observers contain records of 

 starvation which, according to the belief of the natives, was brought 

 about by some one transgressing a law and not announcing what he 

 had done. 



I presume this importance of the confession of a transgression with 

 a view to warning others to keep at a distance from the transgressor has 

 gradually led to the idea that a transgression, or we might say a sin, 

 can be atoned for by confession. This is one of the most remarkable 

 religious beliefs of the Central Eskimo. There are innumerable tales of 

 starvation brought about by the transgression of a taboo. In vain the 

 hunters try to supply their families with food; gales and drifting snow 

 make their endeavors fruitless. Finally the help of the angakok* is 

 invoked, and he discovers that the cause of the misfortune of the peo- 

 ple is due to the transgression of a taboo. Then the guilty one is 

 searched for. If he confesses, all is well, the weather moderates, and 

 the seals will allow themselves to be caught; but if he obstinately 

 maintains his innocence, his death alone will soothe the wrath of the 

 offended deity. 



While thus the reason appears clear why the taboos are rigorously 



* The medicine-man or shaman of the Eskimo. 



