Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/120

Rh Tweroong was very ill, and appeared to me not far from her death. Her uniform kindness to me wherever I had met her made her condition a source of sadness to me. I could only express my sympathy, and furnish her with a few civilized comforts brought with me. She was the mother of Kooperneung, one of my crew, by her first husband, then deceased.

A great feast was made that evening upon the rocks. A captured ookgook was dissected by four carvers, who proved themselves, as all Innuits are, skilful 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 evening I also took a walk about the neighbourhood, and was astonished 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 knowledge she might possess concerning the coal, brick, and iron at Niountelik. 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 ornaments 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 Niountelik. 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 accordingly effected an arrangement with the Innuit