Sketches From Oldest America 



the fourth day after a death, some member of the 

 family strikes four blows with a hammer, at the re- 

 cent home of the deceased, which is a sign of fare- 

 well and means that the spirit is not to return to 

 that iglo again. With a woman, it takes one day 

 longer to pass to the place of waiting, so not until 

 after the fourth night are the knocks made. The 

 dead have deer-skin masks over their faces and their 

 hands are encased in mittens. 



Like the Jews who have so long been awaiting 

 the coming of their Messiah, so the Inupash have 

 been waiting and looking for the return of " Tooloo- 

 gigra " for ages past. Besides liberating day and 

 night from their confinement (during his childhood), 

 " Tooloogigra " has been credited with one miracle. 

 When grown to manhood, he was once making a 

 long ocean voyage with some companions in their 

 kyaks, and being thirsty, he longed to reach some 

 land where fresh water could be procured. His 

 thirst becoming urgent, he cast his spear, and the 

 western portion of the land now known as Point 

 Hope arose from the water. The village of Tigara 

 is at the extremity of the storm swept point, which 

 used to extend westward much further. 



When "Tooloogigra" had fulfilled his time on 

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