80 A Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-18 



69. The Origin of Death 

 (Told by Ilatsiaq) 



In the first days no one died upon the earth. Now there was a family 

 dwelling inland in the country of Kigliniq one summer. As winter came on 

 they dropped down to the coast, where they wandered about from place to 

 place, without food, until at last the woman dropped in her tracks and died. 

 She became a hill which now bears the name of tlvaiyoq. The father and the 

 two boys went on a little farther, then the boys also dropped down and died, 

 one after the other, becoming two hills which are called Uvaiyokuk. Finally 

 the man himself dropped down, and the hill into which he was converted is 

 known as Uvaiyuluaq. On its sides one can still discern his ribs. These four 

 hills lie close to the shore in the country of Kigliniq, and are recognisable by 

 their precipitous faces.^ 



This family was the first to perish. Other Eskimos in the same country 

 went to a fishing lake named Ariaq. There, desperate with hunger, they killed 

 and ate each other. In this way they all perished. But at another lake, 

 Eqaluktutsiaq, a short distance away, there were some other families, and one 

 of the natives managed to shoot a loon with his bow and arrows. This was 

 divided up amongst the people, but so many were they that the bird had to be 

 cut at every joint in order that everyone might receive a tiny morsel. However, 

 it saved their lives. 



70. The Origin of Caribou 



(Told by Higilaq) 



Once upon a time a man carved a caribou out of a piece of wood. It had 

 large teeth, and was so savage that forthwith it began to kill everyone it saw. 

 Then the man took a stone and knocked its teeth out, whereupon it became very 

 timid and the caribou have remained so ever since. 



The Origin of Caribou — Second Version 

 (Told by Ilatsiaq) 



In the first days caribou had teeth given to them by the wolf. Once three 

 caribou, a young bull (nuka'tukaq), a doe {ku'lavaq), and a fawn {no'yaq), 

 attacked and killed a man. In consequence another man knocked their teeth 

 out, and since then caribou have been harmless. 



Cf. Boaa, Central Eskimo, p. 587f.; Bulletin, A.M.N.H., Vol. XV, pt. I, pp. 168, 306, 536f., 554; Hawkes, p. 160: 

 Nelson, pp. 449, 460; Murdoch, p. 695. 



71. The Origin of Fish 

 (Told by Ilatsiaq) 



There lived once a man who had no inward parts, but a straight cavity 

 from mouth to anus. He chopped up some sticks and shaped them into fish, 

 which he threw into the water. They turned at once into real fish and swam away. 



Ct. Crantz, Vol. I, p. 204; Boas, Central Eskimo, p. 617; Bulletin, A.M.N.H., Vol. XV, pt. I, pp. 181 339 555- 

 Hawkes, p. 152; Colder, J. A. F. L., Vol. XVI, 1903, p. 101; Murdoch, p. 595; Jochelson, p. 370 (6). 



72. The Origin of Mankind 

 (a) Told by Higilaq 



A white woman (qa'vXuna-) was constantly changing her husbands. At 

 last a man said to her, "You are always wanting to change your husband, you 

 had better marry a dog." She did, and her offspring were brown and white bears. 



1 Probably they are the hills marked on the chart behind Wilbank bay on the south coast of Victoria island. 



