January. 1866.1 Death of Ar-too-a. 215 



moonlight, at 3 a. m. of the 5th. Twenty dogs drew out of the igloos 

 very heavy loads of venison from the unconsumed stores. The larger 

 part, however, was re-cached, while a number of fine deer-skins were 

 necessarily abandoned. The two women, with their babes on their 

 backs, led the way, a seat on top of one of the sleds being soon found 

 for Too-koo-li-too, who had been sick. ITall and Ou-e-la walked by 

 the first sled, Kbierbing and Nii-ker-zlioo by the second, and Ar-mou 

 and Oong-oo-choo by the third. But the loads were too heavy for them 

 to finish the rougli journey to Now-yarn before night ; the pile from 

 one sled, therefore, was cached, and the sled put up on end, and wal- 

 rus-lines hung from its peak to swing in the wind and frighten the bear 

 and the wolf from the cache. The journey was finished at 3 p. m. 



At Now-yarn the new-comers were cordially received with the 

 usual feast of venison and tood-noo, and two new igloos were quickly 

 built. Hall found the widows of Ar-too-a and Sho-slie-arl-nook, and 

 their mother in deep mourning, the long, coarse, raven hair of Ar- 

 too-a's widow completely hiding her face, neck, and shoulders. News 

 of the death of Ar-too-a had been brought to Hall by Nu-ker-zJwo und 

 Oong-oo-choo some weeks before. Ar-too-a had gone out in liis li-a 

 (or one-man boat) alone. This was contrary to Innuit custom, l)ut 

 he was known as a bold, venturesome spirit who never quailed to 

 attack the bear with a single spear, or to hunt the fierce walrus far 

 out on the ice ; his death had been more than once })redicted. At the 

 time it happened, one of the Innuit women on tlie shore heard a cry 

 of distress, and on her giving the alarm, two ki-as quickly pushed out 

 into the lake. They found lu's boat and his implements, except one 

 spear, but his body had sunk. It was supposed that while he was 

 spearing one of a band of deer crossing the lake, some huge buck 



