92 G. Holm. 



noises, a rattling, a blustering, and a clattering, reminding one at 

 one moment of a machine-factory at work, at another of the puffing 

 of engines, and now seeming to proceed from a number of great 

 winged creatures. In the midst of this hideous din the platform 

 and window-sill would ever and anon shake. At one moment it 

 was the angakok one heard, succumbing to a power mightier than 

 himself, groaning, wailing, shrieking, whining, whispering; now 

 came the sound of spirit-voices, some deep, some feeble, others lisp- 

 ing, or piping. At frequent intervals a harsh, demoniacal, mocking 

 laughter made itself heard. The voices seemed to proceed now 

 from above; now from under the ground, now from one end of the 

 house, now from the other, now from outside the house, now from 

 the passage-way. 



Cries of "hoi! hoi! hoi!" seemed to die away in the far dis- 

 tance. The drum was manipulated with extraordinary dexterity, 

 frequentl}^ making the round of the house, and particularly often 

 floating above my head. The beating of the drum was often accom- 

 panied by singing, which ever and anon was subdued, as if it pro- 

 ceeded from the nether world. Lovely women's voices were some- 

 times heard from the background. Then once more that deafening 

 chorus of clattering, rattling and blustering noises, — the drum fell 

 to the ground with a crash, and all was still. This was the signal 

 for the entrance of the dreaded monster, Amortortok. As already 

 related, it has black arms and anyone whom it may happen to 

 touch turns black and is bound to die. It walked with a heavy 

 tread round the house and on the platform and roared out crying 

 "a — mo! a — mo!" All cowered into the furthest recesses of the 

 platform for fear that the monster might touch them. It dinned in 

 my ears and tried to tear away from me the skin on which I sat, 

 in order to get me up in a corner with the other people, but only 

 succeeded in tearing the skin. After this creature there came an- 

 other who cried like a fox. One of the tartoks declared that it 

 smelt as if Kaudlunaks were present, and made careful inquiries 

 about us. With this exception, the language of the spirits was 

 abracadabra to us. 



The host, Kutulak, now asked me, prompted, of course, by the 

 tartok, wiiether I had had enough of incantations for that evening, 

 as in that case the rest could be kept for another evening. As the 

 performance had already lasted about an hour, and it was stifling 

 hot in the house, I could not but assent, and the tartok was 

 informed of my desire. It was, however, unable to tear itself away 

 so (juickly; its retreat was slow and by no means so noisy as its 

 entrance. After some time had elapsed, some one asked whether they 



