112 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



A third and very serious obstacle is their inability to understand or make themselves under- 

 stood upon any but the most commonplace subjects. 



Although the idiom spoken by the Innuits is said to be the same from Greenland to Bering 

 Straits, the differences in dialect are sufficient to prevent the natives at different settlements from 

 conversing readily. Indeed, in some cases, they cannot understand each other at all. An Innuit 

 from Saint Michael's, Norton Sound, who acted as interpreter during the first cruise of the Corwin, 

 could not converse with the natives of Icy Cape and Point Barrow, while Andrewski, a bright 

 young Russian half-breed, who had received some education, and who accompanied us during a 

 part of the second cruise, experienced but little difficulty, occasionally remarking, "These fellows 

 speak the other way." Dialectic differences which, to a civilized person, would be scarcely notice- 

 able, are to the Innuit insurmountable difficulties. One word may serve to illustrate this. Nega- 

 tion is variously expressed among the different bands from Cape Prince of Wales to the Colville 

 River by pechul; petuk, and peluk. These slight changes are sufficient to render a sentence unin- 

 telligible to the Innuit of another settlement. According to Dr. Rink, the Innuit idiom differs 

 from the whole group of European languages, not merely in the sound of the words, but in the 

 construction. Its most remarkable feature is that a sentence in a European language is expressed 

 by the Innuit by a single word constructed out of certain elements, each of which corresponds in 

 some degree to one of our words. 



That which the Innuit lacks in language he makes up for by the use of signs. A knowledge 

 of their sign language, however, like their traditions, can only be gaine* by a long residence 

 among them. One sign which I frequently saw made is essentially masonic, both in the manner 

 of making and its significance. I made every effort to discover the origin of this sign among 

 them, whether it had been taught them by white men or had been in use before the advent of the 

 latter, but they either could not or would not tell. Although I frequently saw it used by parties 

 on approaching the vessel, they seemed unwilling to speak of it after coming on board. 



According to the best authorities the Innuits everywhere hold to nearly the same religious 

 ideas, except where they have been brought under the influence of Christianity. Tbey believe the 

 whole world is governed by supernatural powers or owners, each of whom holds his sway within 

 natural limits. These powers are called u Innas." In general, each individual may have his or 

 her Inna. Before embarking on any voyage, hunting expedition, or other important undertaking, 

 they invoke the blessing of the particular Inna under whose jurisdiction they are to come as 

 earnestly as the most devout Christian invokes the blessing of the Deity. They have no idea of 

 one great Creator, and but a slight undefined idea of reward or punishment in a future world, 

 although they all beheve iu a future state in which the good are separated from the bad. 



The Innuits as well as the Tchuktchis practice shamanism, and seem to have implicit confi- 

 dence in it. The shaman is a kind of doctor, who professes to cure physical diseases by a sort of 

 jugglery. He is also supposed to be able to foretell events. In their predictions they show great 

 shrewdness, and after predicting a certain event no effort is spared by the shaman to bring it to 

 pass. This fact does not, however, lessen his influence or detract from the credit of the prediction. 

 Shamanism is a mixture of the spiritual aud material which it is difficult to define or understand. 

 Unlike all other forms of spiritual belief, it has no creed, no dogmas. No particular forms are 

 observed by the shaman, each creating his own forms or ceremonies. 



In ministering to the physical wants of their people no material medicines are used. All 

 bodily ailments are attributed to the presence of evil spirits, and the cure, if effected at all, is by 

 means of jugglery. If the patient recovers, the shaman claims the credit. If he dies, some 

 plausible excuse is offered and promptly accepted, implicit faith iu the shaman being one of the 

 leading tenets of Innuit belief. To the ordinary observer shamanism as practiced by these people 

 appears sheer humbug, but when we consider the great length of time that it has held its own in 

 various parts of the world, widely separated from each other, the power exercised by it aud the 

 confidence reposed in it by its followers, we can but ask the question, Can a doctrine based upon 

 mere deceit and fraud do this ? 



Wrangel, who for three years traveled among the followers of shamauisn in Northern Siberia, 

 believed that a true shaman was not an ordinary deceiver, but rather a psychological phenomenon, 

 by no means unworthy of attention; and, indeed, after witnessing the earnest, impassioned manner 



