TUHNEE.] THE PEOPLE. 177 



These Iiinuit are known by the other subdivisions as Ta hag myut. 

 They apply the same term to themselves. The word is derived from 

 Til hak, a shadow; hence people of the shade or shadow as distin- 

 guished from the Su hi' m myut, or i^eople of the light or sunshine. 

 These people are but little influenced by contact with the white trad- 

 ers, who apply to them the term " Northerners."' Their habits and cus- 

 toms are primitive, and many appear to be entirely distinct from the 

 customs of their neighbors south and east. The character of the region 

 in which they dwell is very rugged. Huge mountain spurs and short 

 ranges ramify in every direction, forming deep valleys and ravines, 

 along whicli these people must travel to reach the trading station of 

 Fort Chimo of the Ungava district, or else to Fort George of the Moose 

 district. 



The distance to the former is so great that only three, four, or five 

 sledges are annually sent to the trading post for the purpose of convey- 

 ing the furs aud other more valuable commodities to be bartered for 

 ammunition, guns, knives, flies and otlier kinds of hardware, and to- 

 bacco. Certain persons are selected from the various camps who have 

 personally made the trip and know the trail. These are commissioned 

 to barter the furs of each individual for special articles, which are men- 

 tioned and impressed upon the mind of the man who is to effect the 

 trade. The principal furs are those of the various foxes. Among them 

 are to be found the best class of silver foxes, and wolverenes and wolves. 

 Those to be sent are i^rocured the previous winter, and when the snow 

 falls in November or early December the line of sleds starts out for the 

 trading post. The sled which represents the wants of the more west- 

 ern of these Innuit speeds to where the second may be, and they repair 

 to the place of meeting with the third, and thus by traversing the line 

 of coast the arctic caravan is made up. Provisions are supplied by the 

 wayside, and when all is in readiness a southern course is traveled until 

 the frozen morasses on the south of the hills are reached. Thence the 

 course is toward Leaf river and across to Fort Chimo. By the last 

 week of April or the first week of May the visitors are expected at the 

 trading post. They usually bring with them about two-fifths of all the 

 fiirs obtained in the district; indeed, the quantity often exceeds this 

 amount. They seldom remain longer than the time needed to complete 

 their bartering, as the rapidly melting snow warns them that each day 

 of delay adds to their labor in returning. 



The homeward journey is more frequently made along the coast, as 

 there the snow is certain to remain longer upon the ground. It is not 

 inft'equent that these travelers experience warm weather, which detains 

 them so long that they do not reach the end of their journey until the 

 middle of the summer or even until the beginiung of the next winter. 

 Many of the Innuit wh» accompany these parties have never seen white 

 men until they arrive at Fort Chimo; women are often of the party. 

 These people are usually tall and of fine physique. The men are larger 

 11 ETH 12 



