50 A Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



The days passed quietly; the young man went out hunting, while his wife 

 stayed at home and made his mittens and boots and whatever other clothes 

 he needed. In time she bore him a son and later a daughter, but still she con- 

 tinued to eat grass as before. One day the old woman said to her: "What kind 

 of girl are you that you are always eating grass? Are you a duck?" Then the 

 girl was very angry; she went inside, weeping, dressed her two children, and 

 went out again with them. Her husband was away hunting on the ice. When 

 he came home in the evening he looked round for his wife, but could not see her 

 anywhere. "Father, mother," he said, "Where is my wife?" "I don't know," 

 the old Woman arswered. "This afternoon she came inside, dressed the two 

 iihildren, and went out again. Perhaps she has run away." The youth was 

 vexed with his mother and said, "What did you say to make her run away? 

 [ shan't stay with you any longer." The old woman began to weep bitterly, 

 Liut all in vain; in the morning the young man went to look for his wife. He 

 found her tracks and followed them day after day. One evening he came to 

 a rude shelter. "Ah," he thought, "This is where my wife slept last night. I'll 

 sleep here too, and in the morning I'll overtake her." So he rose early the 

 next morning and hurried forward, hoping to come up with her very soon; but- 

 when night came there was still no sign of her. Another evening, just when 

 darkness was drawing on, he discovered the ashes of his wife's fire, and they 

 were still warm. He lay down beside them, but could sleep very little for think- 

 ing of how he should overtake her on the morrow. Again he rose early and 

 pressed forward, but suddenly, looking at her tracks, he exclaimed, "Why, one 

 of her feet is webbed like a duck's! Perhaps I shall never find her now;" nor 

 indeed did he come up with her that day. Still he continued to follow her tracks 

 day after day. Once he found the remains of a fire she had kindled, and this 

 time the ashes were very hot, but still there was no sign of the girl herself. The 

 next evening though he saw a house in the distance, and hurried towards it, 

 thinking to find his wife there. As he drew near a man called out from within 

 tiayayaya (lit. "Some one has reached me," i.e. "Hallo"). "U, u," the youth 

 replied; "Where is my wife?" "How should I know?" the man answered; 

 "I know nothing of your wife." "O yes, you do," the young man answered. 

 "Tell me where she is and I'll make you a present." "What will you give me?" 

 he said. "I'll give you an axe." "All right," the man answered; "I'll tell you. 

 Your wife was here last night, but she went away again this morning; she's a 

 long way off now." "Never mind," the youth said; "I'll find her." "Well, 

 stay here tonight and in. the morning I'll show you which way she went." So 

 the youth slept with him that night. In the morning the man said, "This is 

 the way she went; but she is a long way off now and you are tired; you had 

 better give up the pursuit." "No, I'm never tired," the young man said: "I'll 

 soon catch up with her," and he gave the man nis axe and went on. Day after 

 day he travelled along until he came to another house. A man inside called 

 out tiayayaya, and the youth answered "U, u, where is my wife?" "I don't 

 know anything about your wife; what are you talking about?" "Yes, you 

 know all right. I'll make you a present if you tell me." "What will you give 

 me?" "I'll give you a pair of sealskin trousers." "Well, your wife was here 

 last night but she went away again this morning. She had two children with 

 her, a boy and a girl." "Yes, that was she; tomorrow I'll overtake her." All 

 the next day he hurried along and in the evening he came to a third house. 

 This time he offered a skin coat. "Yes, his wife was there yesterday, but had 

 gone on that morning." He slept at the house that night. Early the following 

 morning the man said, "This is the way that your wife went. Very soon you 

 will come to a big lake. But you are worn out; perhaps you will die on the 

 trail. Better give up the chase." "No, no, I'm not tired. I'll overtake her 

 soon;" and away he went. Presently he came to a great lake. "Alas!" he said, 

 "How am I to cross. I have no skin boots, no kayak, no axe. I shall never 

 catch her now. I may as well lie down and die." So he lay on the edge of the lake 



