Ethnological Sketch af the Angmagsalik Eskimo. 141 



seems to have the same stimulating effect on them as coffee and 

 spirits on the West Greenlanders. Used in the form of snuff and 

 mixed with quartz it takes up very little room and is very cheap, 

 so that it will be very easy to keep them supplied with it. But it 

 would be well to avoid giving them a taste for smoking or chewing 

 tobacco, which they have not yet learnt to do. 



Second in place amongst articles of bartering come stuffs. The 

 Angmagsaliks naturally were ambitious of obtaining light stuffs for 

 warm summer days, when fur clothes are very burdensome, espe- 

 cially in the kaiaks and umiaks. Both men and women use cloth 

 for anoraks, but men also use it as trimmings on their broad-crowned 

 caps, and women as head-kerchiefs. The most popular colour is red. 



Hardware is of course another welcome article of barter, but 

 now that all of them have been provided by us with the most es- 

 sential things, it cannot compare in importance with stuffs. 



While I am dealing with this topic, I should mention that fire- 

 arms were known up there before our arrival, the natives having 

 seen them on their trade journeys in the possession of the East 

 Greenlanders living further south, many of whom were furnished 

 with them. A man from Sermilik, Ingmalukutuk by name, had actually 

 brought a gun up to Angmagsalik, but, as he omitted to bring any 

 ammunition with him, the gun was cut in pieces to serve as moun- 

 tings for harpoons and lances. Two young men were furnished 

 by us wàth guns, viz., IlinguakVs foster-son Kitigajak, as a reward 

 for his guiding us up there, and Napardlugok, the son of our 

 neighbour Kutulak, because he was such a good neighbour. The 

 former especially was an excellent marksman with the rifle. A third 

 rifle of our giving also made its way up there, Umerinak having 

 inherited it from a man who had promised to guide us to Angmagsalik, 

 but died. The possessors of the rifles have been supplied with am- 

 munition which will probably suffice for two or three years. 



Manners and feelings. — The natives exhibited great politeness 

 in their behaviour. They never entered our tent or house when we 

 were present, without letting us go in first, just as they entered their 

 own tent or house first in order to show us the way. They always 

 drew their hoods over their heads before they entered, and let them 

 down again as soon as they were inside. They did the same when 

 they went out. They observed these ceremonies not only towards us, 

 but also towards each other. They have no form of greeting to 

 express a welcome, but the valedictory greeting 'take care of your- 

 selves', or the wish that the travellers may 'sail in open waters', are 

 very common. 



