610 THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 



of the Eskimo. Tlie difficulty is even greater in regard to the cus- 

 toms which refer to birth, sickness, and death, and it is no wonder 

 that, while some of the accounts of different writers coincide toler- 

 ably well, there are great discrepancies in others, particularly as the 

 customs vary to a great extent among the different tribes. 



Before the child is born a small hut or snow house is built for the 

 mother, in which she awaits her delivery. Sick persons are isolated 

 in the same way, the reason being that in case of death everything 

 that had been in contact with the deceased must be destroyed. Ac- 

 cording to Kumlien (p. 38) the woman is left with only one attendant, 

 a young girl appointed by the head ancut (angakoq) of the encamp- 

 ment ; but this, no doubt, is an error. She may be visited by her 

 friends, who, however, must leave her when parturition takes place. 

 She must ciit the navel string herself, and in Davis Strait this is 

 done by tying it through with deer sinews; in Iglulik (Lyon. p. .370), 

 by cutting it with a stone spear head. The child is cleaned with a 

 birdskin and clothed in a small gown of the same material. Accord- 

 ing to Lyon the Iglulirmiut swathe it with the dried intestines of 

 some animal. 



Kumlien describes a remarkable custom of which I could find no 

 trace, not even upon direct inquiry (p. 381) : 



As soon as the mother with her new born babe is able to get up and go out, 

 usually but a few hours, they are taken in charge by an aged female angakoq, who 

 seems to have some particular mission to perform in such cases. Slie conducts 

 them to some level spot on the ice, if near the sea, and begins a sort of march in 

 circles on the ice, tlie mother following with the child on her back; this manoeuvre 

 is kept up for some time, the old woman going through a number of performances 

 the nature of which we could not learn and continually muttering something 

 equally unintelligible to us. The next act is to wade through snowdrifts, the aged 

 angakoq leading the way. We have been informed that it is customary for the 

 mother to wade thus bare-legged. 



Lyon sayr (p. 370) : 



After a few days, or according to the fancy of the parents, an angakoq, who by 

 relationship or long acquaintance is a friend of the family, makes use of some 

 vessel, and with the urine the mother washes the infant, while all the gossips 

 around pour forth their good wishes for the little one to prove an active man, if a 

 boy, or, if a girl, the mother of plenty of children. This ceremony, I believe, is 

 never omitted, and is called qoqsiuariva. 



Though I heard about the washing with urine, I did not learn 

 anything about the rest of the ceremony in Cumberland Sound and 

 Davis Strait. 



A few days after birth the first dress of the child is exchanged for 

 another. A small hood made from the skin of a hare's head is fitted 

 snugly upon the head, a jacket for the iipper part of the body is made 

 of the skin of a fawn, and two small boots, made of the same kind of 

 a skin, the left one being wreathed with seaweed (Fucufi), cover the 

 legs. While the child wears this clothing that which was first worn 

 is fastened to a pole which is secured to the roof of the hut. In twp 



