December, 1864.J SuperstitionS. Ill 



meat. Tliis venison had to be completely enveloped before it could be brought 

 into the U/loo, and, when in, could only be placed on the bed -plat form. To have 

 placed it on the floor or on the platform behind the lire-lamp, among the -svalrus, 

 musk-ox, and polar-bear meat which occupy a goodly portion of both of these 

 places, would have horrified the whole town, as, according to the actual belief of 

 the lunuits, not another wabus could be secured this year, and there would ever 

 be trouble in capturing any more. 



Old Mother OoJc-bar-loo and the son of Erl-tti-a were both in my igloo at 

 the time this present was made. Both these parties are, of course, greatly 

 devoted to having everything according to the way of old — in other words, 

 according to the custom of their fathers and many preceding generations. They 

 watched my every movement ; but I was no small adept in this matter, so I pro- 

 ceeded to gratify the calls of a hungry stomach in the following manner : I first 

 unveiled ErTi-tu-ah gift on the very spot where she had placed it, and called for a 

 hatchet. Frozen chips of meat now flew to the right and left, ivesticard; not one 

 toward the floor. I had to be very, very cautious about that. These chips of raw 

 frozen venison, when gathered up, made quite a pile for my breakfast. A cuj) of 

 oil in which to sop these chips was soon near me. Then I proceeded, just as any 

 Innuit would, to eat a hearty meal! The oil which I used as the sop was seal-oil, 

 rancid and stinking. According to Innuit custom, walrus-blubber, or oil from 

 it, cannot be used on any account with tood-noo meat. Notwithstanding the oil 

 I used was of the condition I describe, yet I must state the truth that I have 

 really got so far along in Innuits taste to like it thus, and to like it very much. 



Particles of meat that were scattered around on the bed-platform during my 

 carving operations with the hatchet could not be brushed on the floor, as this 

 would have brought down the indignation of my houseful of visitors. The toolc- 

 too skins on which these fine dust pieces were had to be taken uji and shaken at 

 the farther end or back side of the bed-place, next to the wall of the igloo. In 

 this way, and in this wo.y only, could the meat particles, including even such snow 

 and ice as had been jammed off the neck and head, be disposed of to the satisfiic- 

 tion of an honest, kind-hearted, but superstitious people. 



The head of this gift, I regret to learn, cannot be cooked now, though from 

 it I could have a delicious soup. The whys and wherefores are that it would 

 make trouble among the walrus. It can be done after the walrusing season is 

 over, and any time before it begins again. 



This Erk-tu-a was one of the visitors to the ships of Parry and 



Lyon on then- Second Expedition, 1821 to 1823. She gave Hall the 



