40 THE LIFE OF E. J. PECK 



to descend to her dreary abode in the nether re- 

 gions. She is, however, supposed for a time to 

 have power to hurt the Eskimos, so they don 

 charms, which they wear upon their heads to 

 counteract her sorceries. 



Sedna having been thus placed hors de combat, 

 the event is celebrated next day by the perform- 

 ance of the following ceremonies : 



A circuit is made of the settlement by the people, 

 those who were born in the winter wearing partridge 

 feathers in their head-dresses, and those who were 

 born in the summer the feathers of the eider duck. 

 Imitating the calls of the birds which they severally 

 represent, the people pass round from tent to 

 tent. 



The keeper of the tents (a woman in every case) 

 is expected to give them some presents, which 

 she throws among the noisy crew, who scramble for 

 the scattered gifts, and then pass on to the next 

 tent. 



The next performance is the " Tug of War." A 

 seal-skin line is used, and those having partridge 

 feathers in their head-dress take one end of the 

 line, and the eider ducks the other. 



The hauling and struggling begin, when, if the 

 partridges win the day, fine weather for the winter 

 will be the result. 



Next comes the ceremony of water sprinkling, and 

 telling of the name and place of birth. Each person 



