TiRNKRl RELIGION. 193 



want, they still lack many of the luxuries enjoyed by the Nunamyut. 

 All desire to go to the lower region and afterwards enjoy the pleasure 

 of communicating with the living, which privilege is denied to those 

 who go above." 



If death result from natural causes the spirit is supposed to dwell on 

 the earth after having undergone a probation of four years rest in 

 the grave. During this time the grave may be visited and food offeied 

 and songs sung, and the offering, consisting of oil and tlesh, with to- 

 bacco for smoking and chewing, is consumed by the living at the grave. 

 Articles of clothing may also be deposited near the grave for the spirit 

 to clothe itself after the garments have disappeared in the process of 

 decay. It is customary to place such articles as may be deemed of 

 immediate use for the departed soul in the grave at the time the body 

 is interred. Ammunition, gun, kaiak and its appurtenances, with a 

 shirt, gloves, knife, and a cup from which to drink are usually so de- 

 posited. The spirit of the dead man apiiropriates the spirits of these 

 articles as soon as they decay. It is often said when an article be- 

 comes lost that so-and-so (mentioning his name), has taken it. 



Some of the people prefer to expose their dead on the flat top of a 

 high point extending into the water. The remains of others are placed 

 along the shore and covered with rocks, while still others are taken to 

 the smooth ridges on which may nearly always be found a huge bowlder 

 carried by glacial action and deposited there. Here generally on the 

 south side the body is placed on the bare rocky ridge and stones iire 

 piled around and upon it. 



While these people have but little fear of the dead man's bones they 

 do not approve of their being disturbed by others. The Indians, how- 

 ever, are known to rifle the graves of Eskimo to obtain the guns, cloth- 

 ing, etc., which the relatives of the deceased have placed there. 



There are no such elaborate ceremonies pertaining to the festivals 

 of the dead among the people of Uudson strait as obtain among the 

 Eskimo of Alaska. 



Among these people there is no such person as chief; yet there is a 

 recognized leader who is influenced by another, and this last is the con- 

 jurer or medicine-man. These two persons determine among themselves 

 what shall be done. It sometimes happens that slight differences of 

 opinion on the proper course to pursue collectively will cause them to 

 go in difterent directions to meet after a few months' separation, by 

 which time all is forgotten and former relations are resumed. 



All the aftairs of life are supposed to be under the control of spirits, 

 each of which rules over a certain element, and all of which are under 

 the direction of a greater spirit. Each person is supposed to be at- 

 tended by a special guardian who is malignant in character, ever ready 

 to seize upon the least occasion to vork harm upon the individual whom 

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