224 



arctic Research expedition. 



from my rifle, fired by Koqjesse, had really taken effect. It was 

 found in a piece of the flesh still adhering to the skin, at that part 

 which covered the hip. The ball had gone through the skin, and 

 was flattened by striking the bone. I have that ball, and keep it 

 as a memento of this remarkable affair. 



In referring to this incident a day or two afterward, Captain 

 B said to the men, " Boys, who at home, think you, will be- 

 lieve that affair of Barbekark's and the deer-hunt, with what fol- 

 lowed ?" The general reply was, " Not one in a thousand will be- 

 lieve it." "In fact," added the captain, "/can hardly believe it 

 even now, though it was so." And thus may many others say ; 

 yet the facts are precisely as I have related them, and they are 

 evidence of the keen sagacity and almost human intelligence, al- 

 lied to great bravery, of my faithful Greenland dog Barbekark. 



On the 5th of March Sharkey returned from Cornelius Grinnell 

 Bay. He was accompanied by one of the angeko's wives, and 

 brought us information of all my Innuit friends, and also of Ni- 

 kujar's death, which occurred about two or three days after I had 

 left. 



I have before mentioned that this woman, Nikujar, was the 

 family wife No. 1 of Ugarng, and had formerly been the wife of 

 Blind George. Indeed, until he became blind, she was to him a 

 happy and loving partner, giving him the one child, Kookooyer, 

 he now so much doted upon ; but when the curtains of an end- 

 nless night were drawn over him, he lost her. She consented to 

 become the wife of Ugarng, leaving the noble-hearted but now 

 blind " eagle" to be alone. 



By Ugarng Nikujar had another child, Me-noun, but she was 

 always wishing to have her first one, Kookooyer, with her. 

 Thus it was that I so often saw the girl in Ugarng's home instead 

 of with her own father. Nikujar, however, did not get on quite 

 so well as she had expected. Ugarng's second wife, Kunniu, 

 seemed to be his favorite, probably on account of her being so 

 serviceable to him in hunting and sealing ; and Nikujar had fre- 

 quently to remain by herself, or with wife No. 3, to take care of 

 their home. Disease also laid hold of her. She was sick when I 

 first saw her, and consumption had sown the seeds of death in her 

 frame. Gradually she wasted away, and during my sojourn at 

 the igloo village it was evident to me she could not long survive. 

 It was therefore no surprise when I heard of her decease. To 

 Blind George, however, who was on board when the news arrived, 



