188 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



On arriving at the igloo, Ebierbing and the others remained out- 

 side, while I, pushing aside the little snow door, drew myself 

 through the low, narrow- tunnel entrance, which was just of size 

 sufficient to admit my squeezed-up body, and neared the inner 

 part. A strange and solemn stillness pervaded the place, only in- 

 terrupted by the perceptible, but irregular and spasmodic breath- 

 ings of the dying creature within. I raised myself up, looked to- 

 ward her, and gently uttered her name. She answered not. A 

 second call from me was alike unresponded to. I therefore went 

 to her and felt her pulse. It still beat, but told me too surely 

 that she was dying. Immediately I cried out for Ebierbing and 

 Koodloo (the latter a male cousin of Kukertou) to come in. They 

 did so reluctantly. I informed them that Nukertou was dying. 

 The announcement seemed to be overwhelming in sadness. 

 Watching intently each breathing of this friend of all, for a while 

 we were silent. At length it occurred to me that Tookoolito 

 would wish to be informed of Nukertou's condition. I therefore 

 indicated the same to her husband, who immediately ran with all 

 haste to send her here. A few moments found Tookoolito in the 

 presence of the dying. No call from her familiar voice could 

 arouse a recognition from the one who was now about to depart. 

 Alas for us! Nukertou was surely on her way to the land of 

 spirits. 



" Tookoolito, remaining here as long as was required, and find- 

 ing the change going on with. Nukertou was by slow degrees, re- 

 turned to her igloo, leaving me and Koodloo with Nukertou. In 

 one hour I left Koodloo . alone in charge, and stepped over to 

 Ebierbing's for a few moments. Upon my return to Nukertou's, 

 what was my astonishment when I found the igloo sealed up — 

 blocks of snow placed firmly in and around the entrance-way. It 

 seemed to tell me that she was dead. I had but a short time be- 

 fore learned it to be the usual custom among the Innuits, when 

 one of their number is dying, for all to retire from the igloo or 

 tupic, whichever it might be, and not return to it. But I thought, 

 ' After all, perhaps not dead !' I threw back block after block of 

 unspotted snow, till at length I made my way into the main igloo. 



" Nukertou was not dead! She breathed, and was much about 

 the same as when I last saw her. I determined then to remain, 

 doing what I could to smooth the pillow of the dying. The lamp 

 was nearly out ; the cold was intense, the thermometer outside 

 being 51° below the freezing point ; and, though I had on the 



