BELIEF IX SPIRITS. 273 



enjoyments, proficiency in music, with general knowledge of the 

 customs and superstitions of their tribe, give to the most intelligent 

 a further ascendancy over the multitude ; and this sort of ascen- 

 dancy once established, is retained without much effort. As they 

 combine to form a boat's crew to pursue a common prey, so will 

 they unite to repel a common enemy, but it is only when danger 

 is common they will so unite; their habits of life leaving them per- 

 fectly free from the control of others, and making them dependent 

 solely on their own individual exertions for a livelihood ; they are 

 bound together as a society only by ties of relationship and a few 

 superstitious observances, and have no laws or rules excepting 

 what custom has established in reference to the spoils of the chase. 

 It cannot be doubted that their Ome'liks have considerable in- 

 fluence, more especially over their numerous relations and family 

 connections, and may use some art to maintain and extend it; yet 

 O-mig'-a-loon, the most influential man at Nu-wu'k, the same who 

 headed the party against Commander Pullen at Point Berens, after 

 informing us that a lad of eighteen had deceived us, and got food 

 by telling a false tale of distress, would not for some time repeat 

 his statement in the presence of the youth. 



Invisible spirits (sing, turn'-gak ; plural, turn'-gain) people the 

 eai"th, the air, and the sea ; and to them they apply similar notions 

 of equality, attributing to none superior power, nor have the}' even 

 a special name for any that we could learn. These turn'-gain are 

 very numerous, some good, some bad ; they are sometimes seen, and 

 then usually resemble the upper half of a man, but are likewise of 

 every conceivable form. Their belief in ghosts seemed proved by the 

 circumstance that two young girls who left the ship in the twilight of 

 a short winter's day, turned back in breathless haste on seeing a 

 sledge set up on end near the path to the village. They told the 

 story of themselves next day, saying they were frightened, having 

 mistaken the sledge, which was not therein the daytime when they 

 had passed, for a turn'-gak. They are concerned in the production 

 of all the evils of life, and whatever seems inexplicable is said to be 

 caused by one of them. One causes a bad wind to blow, so that the 

 ice becomes unsafe ; another packs the ico so close on the surface of 

 the sea, that tin: whales are smothered; and a third strikes a man 

 dead in the open air, without leaving any mark on his body ; or a 

 fourth draws him by the i'eet into the bowels of the earth. These 

 are evil genii ; and the good ones are little better, as they are very 

 liable to get offended and turn their backs on suffering humanity, 

 leaving it at the mercy of the worse disposed. Their dances and 

 ceremonies are all intended to please, to cajole, or to frighten these 



