40 A Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



In this way they finally filled two stagings with food of various kinds. The 

 girl's parents then sent them back to the young man's father and mother, who 

 would be waiting for them. So the youth made ready again, piled blubber on 

 his sled, then made a kind of tent on top for his wife and told her to get m. She 

 climbed in, and the two started out, travelling first slowly, then very swiftly. 

 After a while he told his wife to aUght. By this time it was broad day, for their 

 sled was very heavy, so they rested where they were that day, not far from the 

 houses. Later they continued their journey and reached home. Here they 

 remained with his parents for a short time till some men came with an invitation 

 to the young man, Irelaq, to attend a dance at another place. His parents 

 warned him that his wife would die if he took her there, adding further that 

 there was a big bird in that country which would kill them both. However, 

 the runners who had brought the invitation began to make their preparations 

 for returning, and Irelaq and his wife did the same. One morning they all 

 started out, the men pulling their own sleds and Irelaq's as well, while his wife 

 sat on top. 



They had not travelled far before they came to a river with steep banks, 

 and the men, who until then had been walking in front of their sleds, went 

 behind them. Irelaq and his wife dropped into the rear. The men walked down 

 the slope, but Irelaq and his wife, as soon as they came to the cliff, stopped. 

 Meanwhile the men in front crossed the river without stopping and ascended 

 the other bank, which was so steep that they had to lean back as they neared 

 the top. No sooner were they on top, however, than they returned to help Irelaq. 

 They lashed his wife inside the sled cover, and lowered her down the cliff in 

 front of them by means of ropes, themselves descending slowly afterwards. 

 Thus they managed to reach the river below. There they took her on to their 

 shoulders and carried her across, then began t,he ascent of the opposite bank. 

 After they had dragged the sled up a Uttle way it began to rise into the air. 

 For a moment it seemed to pause, then it rose straight up. The men climbed on 

 top of it, and it was pulled up the cliff the remainder of the distance, till finally 

 it came to rest on the top. _ They moved on a little farther, and at last stopped 

 altogether, everyone uttering a deep sigh of relief. 



Irelaq's wife was lashed on top of the sled again, and they travelled along 

 to another river, which they crossed in the same way. This time,, hard as they 

 pulled on the sled, it did not move as fast as before. On reaching the top, they 

 lashed the woman on again, and continued their journey a little farther until 

 they came in sight of some houses where the inhabitants were already singing. 

 The visitors on their arrival entered the dance-house and began to exchange 

 presents. When Irelaq produced his presents and gave them to his host everyone 

 cheered and said they had nothing of equal value to give in return. At the con- 

 clusion of the exchange of presents Irelaq and his, wife retired to the house of 

 their host. 



Bed-time came, and Irelaq's wife went outside. A little girl came up to her 

 and, taking hold of her, said, "My grandmother over there wants to speak to 

 you about something or other. Come quickly." The woman hesitated, but 

 the girl began to drag her along, so at last she followed. ' The girl led her along 

 the bank of a river till they reached what appeared to be a cavern in a small 

 knoll. As they were entering the door the woman smelt something like blood, 

 and as soon as they were inside she saw what seemed to be blood boiling in a pot. 

 The old grandmother, with many protestations of affection, requested her to 

 undress so that she might wash her. Her clothes were laid all in one place; 

 then the old woman took down a large pan that was hanging up, emptied the 

 contents of the pot into it and washed her visitor. As soon as she had finished 

 she washed the little girl, her grandchild, and told her to pour the bath water 

 into the river and wash out the dish. But the child, as she passed Irelaq's wife 

 with the tub in her hand, poured it all over her. Immediately the woman 

 shriveled up to the size of the girl and the girl took the form of the woman. 



