468 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



from one hand to the other, both hands being thrown behind the 

 person. This form of shifting the implement was continued for 

 perhaps a minute, the motions being accompanied by constant talk 

 with the dead. Then a piece of tuktoo fur and some toodnoo were 

 placed under the stone, with an exclamation signifying, " Here, 

 Nukertou, is something to eat and something to keep you warm." 

 Each of the Innuits also went through the same forms. 



I was told by Tookoolito that this strange custom was invari- 

 ably practised among the Innuits. But they never visit the 

 grave of a departed friend until some months after death, and 

 even then only when all the surviving members of the family 

 have removed to another place. Whenever they return to the 

 vicinity of their kindred's grave, a visit is made to it with the 

 best of food as presents to the departed one. Neither seal, Ninoo, 

 nor walrus, however, is taken. 



At the time of this visit but little remained of Nukertou's body ; 

 there were a few bones and some hair, but the hungry dogs, dur- 

 ing the previous winter, had broken into the snow-tomb and eat- 

 en away all her flesh. 



On November 23d the Innuits began to build their igloos, or 

 winter habitations, in the place of their summer tents. On the 

 25th a great many of the natives came on board to pass the even- 

 ing with our foremast hands. They spent some time in singing 

 and dancing to whistling and the music of an instrument called 

 the " keeloun."* The sport served an excellent purpose in keep- 

 ing all in good spirits and helping to pass away the long night. 



The following night, November 26th, " theatrical" performances 

 took place on board the George Henry. The cabin was filled to 

 its utmost capacity with Innuits and the ship's crew. "Jim 

 Crow," the son of Artarkparu, occupied the centre of the cabin, 

 and was performing on the " keeloun," while the other Innuits 

 were seated all around, the female portion singing to the music. 

 I made my way to the little after-cabin, and there seated myself 

 so as to have a full view of what was going on. 



The keeloun was accompanied by a tambourine made by Mr. 

 Lamb. Another instrument was a triangle, a steel square pend- 



* The "keeloun" is an instrument made by stretching a thin deerskin, or the 

 skin of the whale's liver, upon a wooden or whalebone hoop about thirty inches in 

 diameter, forming something not very unlike the tambourine known in this coun- 

 try. It is held, however, by a handle, and the player strikes, not the skin, but the 

 hoop, accompanying his music by an uncouth sort of dance. 



