Ethnological Sketch of the Angmagsalik Eskimo. 83 



they always have plenty of meat. The following legend is told as 

 to their origin: — "In the beginning the earth was quite flat, and 

 there was no water on it; but then the earth burst, the water 

 poured fourth, and men were hurled into the cracks. All those whom 

 this fate overtook became 4nersuaks\ and now people the nether 

 regions". 



The animals of Ihe sea are governed by a great woman in 

 whose hair seals, narwhals, and other sea-animals are found. 

 When the angakut are led to her by their '■tartok' (spirit) and 

 comb her hair, the sea-animals are driven to the coasts. An anga- 

 kok from Sermiligak had once combed her hair so skilfully that 

 there was an abundance of seals for three years. In the sea live 

 also Tornarsuk and his helper, Aperketek. These are animals which 

 can be seen by others besides the angakut. Representations of 

 them, are often found on hunting implements (figs. 48, 49). 



Tornarsuk is described as being as long as a big seal, but much 

 thicker in proportion. His head and back paws resemble those of 

 the seal, while his fore paws are longer, being as long as a man's 

 arm, but thicker and ending in fins.^) He is often described as 

 having red arms and being red about the mouth. Tornarsuk swims 

 swiftly down at the bottom of the sea.^) 



Aperketek may be as much as four feet long. He is black and 

 has nippers in his head. Both these animals are at the service of 

 the angakut. They are neither good nor evil spirits, but simply 

 obey their master. 



The inland is inhabited by Timerseks^'), Erkiliks and Ingaliliks.^) 



Timerseks have the form of a man, but are much bigger, being 

 as tall as an umiak is long. Their soul alone is as large as a man. 

 They live by the chase; they hunt both land-animals, such as 

 reindeer, white grouse, hares, and foxes, which they kill with bows, 

 and also sea-animals, viz., seals, which thej^ catch in nets, and nar- 

 whals, which they harpoon in narrow straits. For the most part 



1) In Ray's Expedition to Point-Barrow p. 42 it is mentioned that "the invisible 

 spirit" (Tuna) can be seen by men at certain times, and that old men describe 

 it as resembling the upper part of a man, but very broad and having a very 

 big head and long 'fangs'. 



The carved figures representing tornarsuk, have some resemblance to several 

 of the totem marks of the Haidah Indians (cf. the plates in "The Haidah- 

 Indians" by James Swan). 



^) From the description I presume it to be an octopus. 



^) time: 'central part of the country' (Kleinschmidt, Dictionary p. 365). 



^) The Tchiglit-Eskimos in N.W. America name their Indian neighbours: Irkréléit 

 and Ingalit (Pétitot: "Traditions Indiennes du Canada Nord-Ouest", 1886). 



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