116 CAPTAIN CAETWRIGHT'S 



going into the room where they slept, I observed 

 Attuiock performing a ceremony, which, for its 

 singularity, I shall take the liberty to relate. His 

 wife was laid upon the floor, with her hands by 

 her sides: Attuiock sat on the right side of his 

 wife, so far back, as to have her head opposite to 

 his knees. He had placed a loose strap under her 

 head, which came over her forehead. In this strap 

 he put the end of a strong stick, which he held in 

 his hands across his knees. With great gravity, 

 and in a low, doleful cadence, he sung a song, fre- 

 quently laying a strong emphasis on some par- 

 ticular word which I did not understand; at the 

 same time, by the help of a lever, he raised her 

 head as high as the length of her neck would per- 

 mit, and then let it bump down again upon the 

 floor, keeping time to the tune. As I supposed 

 it was a religious rite, (he being a priest^) I si- 

 lently observed what was going foreward. At 

 length, the old gentleman fixing his eyes on me, 

 pointed to his wife, with an important look, and 

 said, ''It is very good, very good.'^ " That may 

 be," replied I, " but pray what is it good for? " 

 " My wife has got the head-ach," answered the 

 priest. Not willing to affront him, I got out of 

 the room as fast as possible, that I might indulge 

 myself in a hearty laugh, at the curious Esquimau 

 method of curing that complaint. 



Saturday, November 7, 1772. In the evening 

 Mr. Pinson, the Indians, myself, and Mrs. Selby, 

 and all the other passengers embarked and lay on 



* Eskimo, angakok. 



