186 Death of Shoo-she-arJc-nook [Angnst, ises. 



the term Frozen Strait a misnomer, being informed that it is never 

 entirely closed. Refraction was much less marked than any which he 

 had observed for many weeks past. The nights growing dark, he could 

 no longer write up his notes in the tupiJc at midnight. Mosquitoes, which 

 had lirst showed themselves July 10, were now filling the air; the 

 number caught in the fresh paint which Nu-ker-zJioo had put upon his 

 boat was beyond computation. The water-supply was renewed from 

 a pool on the surface of an ice-floe near the island. The party who 

 procured this could have secured a whale lying a little distance off, 

 with his back out of the water, if their weapons had been at hand. 

 Two other whales were seen by others the same day. Oii-e-la, who 

 had made an encampment about five miles to the north, for better 

 salmon fishing, was espied by Ar-moii coming down under sail, and 

 on landing proceeded directly to Hall's tupik to inform him of the 

 death of his much-beloved brother, SJioo-sJie-ark-nook. He received 

 Hall's warmest sympathy, which he well knew he had reason to expect 

 from the experience of a visit during a late serious accident iu his 

 fiimily. His eldest son had fractured his skull by a fall upon the 

 rocks among the hummocks, and although Ou-e-la had healed the 

 Iracture by a})plying the powerful suction of his mouth to bring the 

 j)ieces together, he came to his old friend to tell him of the accident 

 and its effect upon his wife in her peculiar situation. He now brought 

 sad news. 



"Strange customs have these Innuits. Neither Ou-e-la nor his 

 l>rother Ar-too-d n ill now smoke, though they both are great smokers. 

 They retain uixm their heads the usual coverino: from morniu": till 

 ni;:lit. This covering at any other time, and especially when entering a 

 tuj)il:, is thrown back, leaving tlie head bare. To this head-covering 



