60 A Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



ahead. Again he overtook them, and again they threw more clothes over to 

 delay him. At last they reached the shore. The walrus followed them up on 

 to the land. They said to him: "Turn round and look the other way." The 

 walrus turned round, and immediately they killed him with their harpoons, 

 and cooked and ate the carcase. Only the boy refused to share in the feast, 

 saying that he had lived with the walrus and therefore must not touch it. 



Cf. No. 56. 



C. SHAMANISM 



30. The Orphan and the Spirit of the Tide Crack 



(Told by Jennie Thomsen) 



There was a little orphan boy who had no home and no one to look after 

 him. In summer he slept out of doors, in winter in the big house of the men. 

 Someone out of pity would give him a few clothes, another a little food. One 

 winter's evening a number of small boys, about ten in all, were playing in the 

 men's house (the dance-house). Amisunaq, the little orphan, was sitting on 

 some bearded seal skins which had been hung up to dry near the ceiling. The 

 boys noticed him there and began to sing : — 



amicunaq tatumnouktoq Amisunaq is crazy. 



dmicunaq tatumnouktoq Amisunaq is crazy. 



mHyapqa-ni tdtpiyani Up there in the ceiling 



iuHjapqa-ni tdtpiyani Up there in the ceiling 



iraatoqtjq iraatoqtoq He is hiding. 



dmicun icoyin Amisunaq, go outside. 



Then one of the boys took him by the hair and threw him outside, telling him 

 to see what he could find out there. Presently he came in again. "What did 

 you see?" "I saw nothing," he answered. Again they sang the song and threw 

 him outside. This time he saw a light out on the ice; it was like a star or a 

 lamp. He went inside again. "What did you see?" they asked him. "I saw 

 a light far out on the ice," he said, "Like a lamp or a star, but it was neither. 

 You had better look out, better take care, it may be a spirit." However, they 

 took no notice, but sang their song over again, and again threw him out. This 

 time the light was much nearer; it was like a great fire on the beach. Amisunaq 

 hurried inside, frightened. "What did you see?" "I saw something like a great 

 fire down on the beach. It may be a spirit. You had better hide." The children 

 too were afraid now, and hid in various parts of the dance-house. Presently a 

 loud cracking and rending was heard outside as when heavy ice crushes together 

 and raises a pressure-ridge. Then an enormous arm was thrust in through the 

 trap door; from the wrist upwards it was covered with the most elaborate 

 tatooing. Slowly it waved about, seized one child and dragged it outside, re- 

 turned and seized another, and continued until all the children had disappeared 

 except Amisunaq, who was hiding among the bearded seal skins. There he 

 stayed all night afraid to move, although the arm had vanished. Before day- 

 light one of the old men came to the dance-house and tried to enter, but the 

 door was blocked with ice and he was unable to open it. This vexed him and 

 he called out, "Children, open the door." Amisunaq, however, was too fright- 

 ened to move. The old man called out more angrily, "Children, open the door;" 

 but still Amisunaq did not move. Now the old man in his rage threatened to 

 thrash them when he got inside. "Open the door," he cried; "I am cold." 

 Then Amisunaq called out, "There is no one here except myself. A spirit came 

 in the night and carried off all the others." "Who are you?" asked the old man. 

 "Amisunaq," he replied. So the old man tore out the window and, peering in, 

 saw Amisunaq sitting on the seal skins. "You had better come out here and 



