80 G. Holm. 



The following may serve as examples of the transformation of 

 names: — A Greenland seal was formerly called atak, but after the 

 death of a man bearing this name it was re-named nalaginak. Si- 

 milarly angmagsak (a caplin) was turned into kersagak; upernak 

 (spring) into mangilernek; tokusok (a dead man) into kardlimaertak, 

 and lastly kaiak was changed into sarkit, after the death at Sermilik 

 of a man who bare the name Kajarpak. 



V. 



BELIEFS — SPIRITS.— AMULETS — CHARMS - ANGAKUT 



ILISITSUT AND TUPILEKS. 



Beliefs. — The Angmagsaliks believe that man consists of 

 three parts, viz. body, soul, and name (atekata). 



The body is of course perishable. The soul is quite small, 

 being no bigger than a finger or a hand, and lives in the man. 

 When the soul falls ill, the man falls ill also, and when the soul 

 dies, the man dies also. The angakut and ilisitsut (exorcists and 

 witches) can rob a man of his soul. The man then becomes dull 

 and heavy, he falls ill, and then it remains for his angakok to find 

 out by his incantations whether the soul has flown, and fetch it 

 back to the man. The soul may have descended to the nether 

 world or to the 'inlanders', or the tornarsuk of the angakok who has 

 stolen it may have eaten it. After a man's death the soul comes 

 to life again, either below the sea or up in the sky. In the sea 

 there are numbers of seals and narwhals, and in the sky there are 

 ravens and crowberries. It is good to be in either place, but the 

 sea is to be preferred. 



occurred, owing to its calving while a boat was close under it and smashing it 

 to pieces. 



A promontoiy on the southern part of the East coast is called Serratit, which 

 means "the charms". It is dangerous to pass on account of the strong current 

 Avliich is alwaj's running around the precipitous rocky promontory'. The 

 natives told us that the people offer up sacrifices at this place, and that it 

 has got its name on account of some umiaks having been rescued here Ьл' a 

 charm. The sea was full of pack-ice, and a furious current threatened to dash 

 the umiaks to pieces against the precipitous rocky promontory, but when tlie 

 charm was recited, tlie rock opened and a narrow sound was formed beliind 

 tlie dangerous promontory; through this sound the umiaks rescued themselves. 

 This crevice Is to be seen to this verv daA'. 



