A LIVING TOMB. 



187 



and found that Shimerarchu was building a new igloo for her. 

 Upon inquiry, I found that it was to be her living tomb ! I was 

 thunder-struck. A living tomb ! Yes. And so, Tookoolito said, 

 according to custom, it must be ; and so it was. 



On the 4th of January, 1861, Nukertou was removed to the 

 new igloo. She was carried thither upon reindeer skins by four 

 women, who took her in through an opening left for the purpose 

 at the back, not by the usual entrance. Snow blocks were then 

 procured, and the aperture well closed, while a woman stood by 

 and gave instruction what to do. An ordinary entrance was then 

 made, and, as soon as completed, I went into the igloo. 



Nukertou was calm, resigned, and even thankful for the change. 

 Of course she knew that it was to be her tomb ; but she was a 

 child of her people, and as she had now become a helpless burden 

 to them, with only a few clays more to live, it seemed to me that 

 she took it as a matter of right and justice, and no one could ob- 

 ject. Therefore she was thankful that her last moments were 

 being so carefully seen to. 



A new igloo of stainless snow, a well - made bed of the same 

 material, where she could breathe her last, would make her few 

 remaining hours happy. True, she would be alone — for such 

 was the custom of her people — but she did not fear it. She was 

 content, and appeared cheerfully resigned. 



It may be asked by some, Why did not I try to prevent such an 

 outrage upon the feelings of any Christian person? If so, I reply 

 that I did try to get her on board the ship, but I soon found that 

 in no one thing are the native tribes more sensitive than interfer- 

 ence with their superstitious rites and ceremonies, especially in 

 relation to death. Hence it might have been most unwise, even 

 if possible, to have taken Nukertou on board. Therefore I did 

 my best for her in the igloo, where she would have been literally 

 entombed alive* but for my request to attend upon her. 



On the 8th of January she died ; and as the incidents con- 

 nected with her death were very striking, I will transcribe them 

 from my journal as entered down at the time : 



"Monday, January 1th. This evening, fearing that Nukertou 

 was wholly neglected, I went on shore about five o'clock. Of 

 course it was then quite dark, with the thermometer 57° below 

 the freezing point, and it was necessary for me to have a lantern 

 in hand, besides some of the natives to guide me across the ice. 



* Hereafter I shall have occasion to relate an actual occurrence of this kind. 



