Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 1.djvu/319

298 thinking it the work of his nearest neighbour, would seize him, as if to repay it by a ten-fold severer snap; then the rest would join in the fray, till all became involved in a regular dog-fight. It was a picture to see these twenty-five dogs flying almost with the speed of wind over the frozen surface of the deep snow. But, after joining the captain and resigning to him my place, it was not quite so pleasant for me to return. I had but light garments on, and the weather was still severe. However, the distance was not far, and I reached the ship without much difficulty.

Captain B, to my astonishment, returned on the following day at about 10 He had duly arrived at Oopungnewing; was hospitably received in Bob's igloo for the night; and, having supplied himself with a load of walrus meat—indeed, he might have had half a dozen loads, so abundant was the supply at that time—and preferring to return rather than stay where the igloos were about tumbling down, owing to the moist weather, he came back in the midst of the continuous storm. The labour of getting over the Bayard Taylor Pass was very severe to him, especially at the steep ascent on the other side. He could only make two or three steps before he was obliged to rest, each step carrying him thigh deep into the soft snow. With the captain came "Bob" and his wife "Polly;" but this time Bob came in a professional capacity. He was a doctor, or, rather, an angeko, and now came to visit the sick mother of Sharkey. The following day I chanced to witness him engaged at the work. I was walking among the ruined igloos, which, having fallen down, had been nearly all replaced by skin tents, when I heard the peculiar sound of ankooting close by. It was near the tupic of Ar-tung-ung, mother of Sharkey; but I did not enter, for generally no one but the family is allowed to be present on such occasions; and, though one cannot help pitying the superstitious feeling that directs them to this, yet why should any of us make light of it? They are earnest in the matter, and only follow the customs of their fathers for