AND ESKIMOS OF UNGAVA. 107 



and during its infancy, it is carried in the ample hood attached to her coat. Later, the 

 other children take care of it, and it soon learns to maintain its standing among them. The 

 little ones never qiiarrel, and any accidental injury to one of them is certain to enlist 

 sympathy and caresses from its playmates. In later childhood, the sexes endeavor to 

 imitate the occupations of the elders. They have their cherished toys, dolls, and bedding 

 of mouse-skin for them ; they build miniature snow-houses, and play as their mothers 

 did when they were young. The boys have their football, bow and arrows, and strive to 

 imitate their elders by procuring a ptarmigan, hare or fox, that is certain to bring showers 

 of praise from the parents, and words of commendation from the others. On arriving at 

 maturity they struggle with the environment and endeavor to get place amongst those 

 in authority. 



In undertakings of all kinds, the commimity is influenced by the decrees of the 

 shaman, in whom they place the utmost reliance, for he has so often proved his superior 

 wisdom, that it is wisest not to doubt. He is able to banish the evil spirit that assails 

 and torments them with illness and even death. He knows the movements of the various 

 beasts, the kind of weather, and the good to accrue from any undertaking. 



The Innuit are excessively superstitious, believing that every object is invested with 

 a spirit, whose good will must be propitiated, lest evil befall the non-believer. None of 

 the spirits are good, and some are particularly baneful. Each person has his familiar 

 spirit, often represented by a doll, or figure resembling a person, which he addresses when 

 any benefit is desired or evil to be averted. This idol does not always comply with the 

 wishes of the possessor, and the latter may shake it or boat it into submission, or even 

 discard it, that another may pick it tip, and the spirit lake up his abode in him. 



Any object that is not familar, or understood, is regarded with suspicion until it proves 

 to be harmless or passive ; yet the Innuit does not hesitate to attack a bear or a wolf He 

 will remember a kindness and be loath to forget an injury, and quickly resent bodily harm. 



Disease or illness is borne patiently. They employ but few remedies of their own ; 

 the lungs of a hare, bound upon a wound is accredited with healing property ; tightly 

 binding the limb or bandaging the body or head relieves many of the minor ills. In cases 

 of extreme distress, the services of the shaman are employed. He bandages his eyes, or 

 places a blanket over his head to exclude the light, and, if at night, he puts out the light 

 for the same reason. By a complicated series of manipulations, accompanied with groans 

 and contortions of his l)ody, varied as greatly for effect as may be possible, he beats, rolls, 

 or kneads the patient, vintil the spirit causing the malady is either captured or banished 

 from its victim. The shaman, meanwhile, works himself into a frenzy, taking care to 

 announce the release of the suffering, which, if accompanied with a large share of faith 

 in the shaman's ability, is accomplished, in a time depending upon the wealth and 

 liberality of the sufferer. 



In case of death, the corpse is placed on the shore, near the edge of the water, and 

 covered with stones. If death occurs away from the water, the body is wrapped in skins 

 and laid in the open air upon an eminence, where it soon decays, or is eaten by foxes or 

 wolves. The dead are never placed in the water. With the corpse are placed the effects 

 and luxuries employed and enjoyed in life, that when the spirit is released from the body, 

 the spirit of his tobacco and pipe, gun and ammunition, kaiak and spears, may be ready for 

 use in the spirit-land to which he is going. The face of the earth is the abode of the 



