Language and Folklore. 483 
and those who dwell in the lower mountains,” the ‘roamers’ (this 
is) their name [?| — after they have ‘become isolated’ they are accus- 
tomed to roam around.) 
Now, therefore when the angakut begin to practise their art, 
they lose consciousness.“ As they have no books, they commence 
their angakok activity by the use of words and conversation only. * >) 
Then they recover consciousness. They adjust the water-tight hanging 
before the door with great exactness, and their drum after having 
wetted the drum-skin they beat it loudly.“ They furnish the drum- 
stick with a (carved) human face, in order to give it life. “(7 Also 
his makkortaa, ‘his rapping skin’ is made fast here (in his left hand), 
(made of) the skin of a bearded seal. By ‘blowing on it’, it clings 
close to his flesh.“® They beat on them with a stick the length of 
(half my arm), [chanting in two changing notes]: aalaa-laa-laa-laa- 
laa-laa aaci-wilci-witei-witci-wit, while their hair gets into wild disorder 
(and their brows are drawn down). — 
When, now, these beings, whom they search for and apply to * 
during their apprenticeship, come for the first time to visit their anga- 
kok Gn the hut), then [the angakok is heard to babble]: aataa-taa- 
taa-taa.®® Gradually, as they recognize his voice, they come to him 
— (viz.) his visions, the beings whom he seeks, who belong to him 
in his capacity of angakok © — both the ‘falcon’ and his toornaartik 
and his gimargag (the pursuing spirit who shouts): a—mooh! a— 
moo:…h! which is said to haul human beings to it.©9 When they have 
entered (the house) he begins — because he doesn’t recognize them 
— to question his apergiteeg ; 9 and when the Eeajuätsiags, who live 
in the neighbouring ground, first begin to make their spirit-visit, the 
door-hanging moves violently, and it seems as if his drum almost 
would take its departure.®® While his Eeajudtsiaq spirit ‘begins to 
perform’ the sound of rapping, the drum moves violently, climbs 
onto the head of the man, and, having risen to his head, revolves 
on it. 69) His ‘vision’ then opens for him.* ©) When, at the boundary 
of the deep night, he sinks down (in the earth), the drum [is accom- 
panied by a lively movement of the tongue, a combination of his- 
sing and shouting): ‘aalalalalala:‘laah!’ When it has again [?] almost 
climbed onto him — [again the sound]: alalala-laah!®%9 While his 
vision (his visionary consciousness) whirls around for him, then (and 
only then) is the drum, however, continually climbing up onto 
him. Thereupon ‘these’ look searchingly at the drum, while it 
moves past. ©) 
His housefellows say: “Now he is getting into the greatest horror 
of expectation, look at him!’ ©” Thereupon he begins slowly to sink 
downwards (shouting): hoi-hai- hai! He sinks down into the interior 
of the earth, to get to his assistant spirits. He sinks down to those 
he sought.” He first comes to the surface (or summits) of the under- 
world. They begin to carry on conversation about them — the sum- 
mits of the underworld. ©) 
Then they come into the house: “hai- hai- hoi!’ ©” Then those 
who are in the house say: “Now take heed of him! Now he is 
getting into the highest horror of expectation! Ask him, ask him!” 65 
He ‘who has entered’ says: “What is the matter, what does he say?” (9 
BE 
