174 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 



was only prevented by considerable force. He was finally 

 ejected, and pursued by the other angekok, who could be heard 

 chasing the walrus several times over the iglo. A violent 

 struggle ensued. The pursuer returned to the iglo a few 

 minutes later with his hands and arms covered with blood, 

 claimed to be that of the walrus spirit. The other came in, a 

 few minutes later, quite unconcerned about the amount of blood 

 he was supposed to have lost. The second angekok now 

 attempted the same trick, but during the scuffle inside the iglo 

 caught one of his tusks in a coat, which pulled it from his 

 mouth. He immediately retired, and felt very bad about the 

 mishap. Later he came to me and asked to be excused from 

 working the next day, which he must spend alone appeasing his 

 tonwak, while all his household had to fast for twenty-four 

 hours. The final act was performed by the successful angekok, 

 who said that he would attempt to make some angekok tobacco. 

 While he was making his preparations a number of fresh blocks 

 of snow were brought in, and a depression hollowed out in each 

 for cuspidors, as no person must spit on the floor after smoking 

 angekok tobacco. He explained that angekok tobacco tasted 

 differently from ordinary tobacco, and that if we found this 

 peculiar taste, of course the thing was proved. He then clumsily 

 palmed a small piece of black tobacco between his hands, and 

 shredded it fine, after which it was placed in a new clay pipe, 

 lighted, and passed round the assembly. 



AMUSEMENTS. 



The Eskimos are firm believers in the old adage that all work 

 and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and all join heartily in 

 outdoor and indoor sports. Football is the popular outdoor 

 amusement, and men, women and children join in kicking 

 about the ice a ball of feathers or deer hair covered with deer- 

 skin. There do not appear to be any rules, each playing for 

 himself. There is another ball game, where the ball is batted 



