168 ACROSS THE SUB-ARCTICS OF CANADA. 



it is fully believed by the Eskimo people that the 

 devil comes to his rescue and releases him from his 

 bonds, but at the same time seizes the harpoon found on 

 the ground and thrusts it through the angokoke's 

 breast. The point projecting through his coat behind, 

 and blood trickling down in front, the excited wizard 

 rushes up from the shore to the village, trailing behind 

 him the harpoon line. He bursts into the first igloe in a 

 frenzied condition, snorting and blowing like a walrus. 

 As he enters all sharp tools are quickly put out of sight, 

 so that the angokoke may not harm himself with 

 them, and at the same time water is sprinkled on his 

 feet. This done he bounds out of the igloe, and as 

 he does so the occupants seize the harpoon line trailing 

 behind, but are not able to hold him, for he is as strong 

 as a walrus. 



The magician then enters the next igloe, where a 

 like performance is repeated, arid in the same manner 

 the round of the village is made, but none is able to 

 hold the excited man. Having completed the round of 

 the dwellings in the village, he returns to the sea -shore, 

 where it is said he is again met by Tornarsuk, who 

 extracts the harpoon from his breast and assures him 

 that the prayers of the people shall be heard, and that 

 plenty of walruses shall be sent to satisfy their hunger. 



Whether or not Tornarsuk is as good as his word I 

 can only conjecture, but the poor Eskimo pagans have 

 great faith in the intercessory powers of their angokoke. 



Intercession is sometimes made to the Good Spirit, 

 and as before, the angokoke acts as intercessor ; but 

 instead of going to the shore, he is bound in an igloe 

 and left there by his people. While still in this bound 



