ON THE ESKIMO. 37 



wlien it is drawn out of the hole, and one really hears the breathing of Sedna under the 

 floor of the hut. Tricks of this kind are frequently performed by the angaknt (priests). 



On the following day a great festival is celebrated, the most remarkable feature of 

 which is the appearance of masked men who represent spirits. The occurrence of masks 

 in Arctic America was known only from Alaska, and it was considered probable, that they 

 originated through influence of the neighbouring Indians. Eeports of whalers, with 

 whom I conferred about the matter, shew that west of Hudson Bay masks are also in use, 

 but in Greenland no mention is made of them. 



A comparison of these legends with those of the Greenlanders, is of considerable 

 interest. We find a tradition similar to the Sedna tradition, but not nearly so important. 

 It is the myth of Arnaquagsaq, i.e. the old woman. She lives at the bottom of the sea, 

 where her hut is. There she watches her lamps, from which oil drips that is transformed 

 into whales and seals. Sometimes she is pursued by a demon, hindering her from 

 attending to the lamp. Then famine visits the natives, and a sorcerer must go to expel 

 the evil spirit. The principal figure of the mythology of the Greenlanders is Tornarssuk, 

 the great tornaq (spirit) who teaches the sorcerers their art, and may be considered the 

 supreme deity of the Greenlanders. This being is unknown among the central Eskimo, 

 and numerous spirits, the tornait, take his place. Every object has its inua, or its owner, 

 who may become the genius of man. When a man has acquired such an inua for his 

 tornaq, he becomes an angakoq, a priest. He is enabled to haA'e intercourse with spirits, to 

 visit Sedna and the stars. He cures sickness, and interprets to men the commands of the 

 spirits. 



Important figures in the mythology of the Central Eskimo are the moon and the 

 thunder. The man in the moon is considered the protector of orphans, and descends from 

 heaven to assist them against their abusers. The moon is his house, which is covered 

 with white deer skins. In his storehouses roam enormous herds of deer and seals, and 

 in a small annex to his hut lives the sun. His wife's name is Ululiernang. She has no 

 backbone, and no entrails, except lungs and heart, and is considered a malevolent being. 

 The derivation of the name is doubtful, and I cannot explain the meaning of this being. 



There is another tradition of the moon, which is well known from Alaska to Green- 

 land. The moon is the brother of the sun, whom in the legend, he pursued. She fled 

 from him, and both were lifted into the heavens, where they continue their course. 



Thunder and lightning are made by three sisters, Kadlu, who live iar inland. They 

 make the thunder by rubbing skins. It is interesting that the Eskimo ofl'er them dried 

 seal-skins, lor this is almost the only instance of a real offering among the Eskimo. 



I do not intend to enter into the details of these traditions, but will show by some 

 instances, that their study may enable us to trace the migrations of the Eskimo. 



The tradition of the origin of the Europeans is known in Greenland, Bafiin Land, and 

 Labrador. The substance of the story is as follows : — A woman married a red dog, by whom 

 she had ten children, five of whom were dogs, and five monstrous beings, the upper part 

 of their body being human, the lower canine. The children were so voracious that their 

 grandfather, who had to feed the whole family, could not kill as many seals as were 

 required. Therefore he drowned the old dog, after having sent his family to a small 

 island. The daughter, to avenge herself, ordered the young dogs to gnaw off their grand- 

 father's feet. Then she made a boat from the sole of her boot, and sent the young dogs 



