374 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [ETH. ANN. 18 
song, keeping time to the motions she made in hauling the cord. It 
was very mournful, and might have been some old hymn in a minor 
key. Itran as follows: 
Oh, my brother, come back to me, 
Ai-yd-yd-yai. 
Come back, my brother, I am lonely, 
Ai-yd-yd-yai. 
My brother come back and we 
Will give you a small present, 
Ai-yd-yd-yai-yae-yai, ete. 
Along the line was fastened a number of articles. Each of the 
women had a string, which she drew down in the same manner, singing 
a similar song, asking the return of those for whom she mourned, while 
the assembled people joined in at intervals wailing a mournful chorus. 
The articles fastened to these lines consisted of grass mats, grass 
baskets or bags, grass socks, fishskin bags, calico, white drilling, tobacco 
bags, wooden dishes, ladles, fishskin boots, workbags, loon-skin bathing 
caps, and tool bags. Hach line had many of these articles on it, one 
kind always predominating, and to the end was fastened one or more 
small wooden models of some implement such as smali oars, paddles, 
or other things symbolical of the occupation of the relative for whom 
she was mourning, and from them the sex of the deceased could be 
known. Asthese symbols appeared the women to whom they belonged 
would grasp them, and, holding them out at arms’ length above their 
heads, would ery, ‘See! I have searched’ and this is what I have 
found,” meaning that they had looked for their lost ones and had found 
only a toy or implement which they had used. 
When the last of the line was drawn in, each song came to a close, 
and the articles were untied and placed in a pile before the owner. 
When all were ready, they arose and made excuses for the small num- 
ber of things they had been able to gather for gifts. One woman said, 
“T am poor and have no husband, so could get no more.” A common 
excuse was, “I have been sick a great deal and have been unable to 
get more.” A woman who had an unusually large number of articles 
would announce the number and then make her excuses with mock 
humility. Oneof them had a hundred grass mats and a large number 
of grass bags which she had made. Another had sixty grass mats. 
One very old woman, on the end of whose line an arrow was tied, 
began a song as she drew in the line and was joined by her husband. 
Both were very old, and their quavering voices united in a sad wail 
for their lost ones, as follows: 
My children, where are you? 
Ai-yd-yd-yai. 
Come back to us, our children, 
We are lonely and sad. 
Ai-yd-yd-yai. 
