ESKIMOS 177 



pressed for its arrival ; mention was also made of the trials of 

 women at childbirth, and wishes were formulated for .good luck 

 to the hunters. The song continued upwards of an hour, after 

 which one of the strangers was invited to sing, and on his taking 

 the floor was presented by the old man with a hatchet as a mark 

 of courtesy. The stranger was a Kenipitu from Chesterfield 

 inlet, and as he was not accompanied by his wife he had himself 

 to sing his song, which he did in a loud voice. The Kenipitu 

 women of the neighbourhood loyally supported him in the 

 chorus. He first thanked the donor of the hatchet for his mag- 

 nificent present, of which he would make valuable use. He next 

 described the country from whence he came, and said that he 

 was acquainted with the hunting of the sea animals. He ex- 

 pressed a wish to be a great and successful hunter, and depre- 

 cated the waste of animals killed for food. By this time he was 

 fairly exhausted and his voice became very hoarse. He was 

 followed by another of the Aivillik tribe, but as there is a limit 

 to the amount of foul air and pungent odour that a white man 

 can stand, it was at this stage of the proceedings that the writer 

 fled. 



The songs sometimes are varied; when the singer ridicules 

 his neighbour (and an Eskimo's joke is often much broader 

 than it is pointed), the song is liable to breed ill-feeling; on 

 this account the Christianized Eskimos of the east side of Hud- 

 son bay no longer indulge in this amusement, but sing hymns 

 instead. 



During the absence of the men on hunting expeditions, the 

 women sometimes amuse themselves by a sort of female ' ange- 

 koking.' This amusement is accompanied by a number of very 

 obscene rites, which were better left unrecorded. 



GARMENTS. 



The winter garments of the Eskimo are made from the skins 

 of animals, while only those who can procure European clothing 



17 



