348 



ARCTIC EESEAECH EXPEDITION. 



the exercises, enthusiastically making their responses to Jennie's 

 ejaculations. The effect upon the suffering patient, Ebierbing, 

 was, as before, quite beneficial. 



On Sunday, the 4th of August, while in the tupic, I learned 

 something that surprised me. On the previous day myself and 

 some Innuits had gone ducking and sealing without any success. 

 Now I was told that our ill luck was on account of our working 

 during Ebierbing's sickness, as all of the natives, including intelli- 

 gent Tookoolito, sincerely believe. They consider that it is wrong 

 to work when one of their number is sick, and especially to work 

 on skins that are intended to keep out water ; for instance, it is 

 wrong to work making kum-ings (outside or water-proof boots) 

 and covering for boats. 



The way I happened to find this out was as follows : I had ar- 

 ranged for Koodloo to make a sealskin covering for Ebierbing's 

 kia, and to put it on. This morning, as nothing else could be 

 done on account of the bad weather, I asked Tookoolito if Kood- 

 loo could not proceed with it. To my astonishment, she replied 

 that " Innuits could not do such work at the present time." Her 

 answer seemed to me so strange that I made farther inquiries of 

 her, when she told me that "if they worked on the skins for the 

 kia, Ebierbing would never get well ; he would die. The ' first 

 Innuits' adhered to this custom, and they must too. All their peo- 

 ple believe this, and could not help it. Many Innuits had died 

 because of the working on skins for kias and kum-ings while 

 one of their number about them was sick at the time." She add- 

 ed, "The reason why Koodloo could not shoot any thing yester- 

 day, though close by some ducks, was because wrong was done in 

 working while Ebierbing lay sick." 



"But," said I to Tookoolito, as I was engaged chafing Ebier- 

 bing's side and back, and applying liniment, " what are you do- 

 ing now but working?" 



She replied, holding up her hands full of needles that were fly- 

 ing swiftly in knitting, " This is not work" 



Her answer nearly made me laugh aloud ; but I repressed the 

 feeling, and quietly accepted her definition of what was or was 

 not work. I was also told that during Ebierbing's sickness the 

 angeko must do no work on any account. 



We were now living on pemmican and coffee. I dealt out 

 enough bread for Ebierbing, as he was sick, but there was no sup- 

 ply for any of us yet. Sunday night was a stormy one, with the 



