INNUIT TRADITIONS. 



385 



A great feast was made that evening upon the rocks. A cap- 

 tured ookgook was dissected by four carvers, who proved them- 

 selves, as all Innuits are, skillful anatomists. Indeed, as I have 

 before said, there is not a bone or fragment of a bone picked up 

 but the Innuits can tell to what animal it belonged. In the even- 

 ing I also took a walk about the neighborhood, and was aston- 

 ished to see such an abundance of reindeer moss. The ground 

 near our tents was literally white with it, and I noticed many 

 tuktoo tracks. 



Our stay at this encampment continued over the next day, and 

 I took the opportunity of questioning Tweroong, who was said to 

 know much about the traditions of her people, as to any knowl- 

 edge she might possess concerning the coal, brick, and iron at 

 Mountelik. Koojesse was my interpreter, and through him I 

 gained the following information : 



Tweroong had frequently seen the coal there, and likewise heavy 

 pieces of stone (iron) on an island close by. She had often heard 

 the oldest Innuits speak of them. The coal and other things 

 were there long before she was born. She had seen Innuits with 

 pieces of brick that came from there. The pieces of brick were 

 used for brightening the women's hair-rings and the brass orna- 

 ments worn on their heads. 



She said old Innuits related that very many years ago a boat, 

 or small ship, was built by a few white men on a little island near 

 Mountelik. 



I showed her the coal I had brought with me from Niountelik, 

 and she recognized it directly as some like that she had seen. 



Owing to the condition of my own boat, I was anxious to have 

 the company of another craft in my voyage up the bay. I ac- 

 cordingly effected an arrangement with the Innuit " Miner" and 

 his party to keep along with me; and on the following day, Au- 

 gust 21st, at 9 A.M., we all set out from the encampment to pur- 

 sue our journey. 



While Koojesse and my crew were loading the boat, I ascended 

 a mountain close by, and, after as good a look around as the fog- 

 gy weather would allow, I began to descend by another path. 

 But I soon found that the way I had chosen was impracticable. 

 The mountain-side was one vast rock, roof-like, and too steep for 

 human feet. Finally, after a long, hard tug down hill, up hill, 

 and along craggy rocks, I gained the beach, and hailed the boat, 

 which took me on board after a walk of two miles. 



Bb 



