Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/270

Rh partook of a meal he relished more. The second course was seal-soup, of which Petato gave me a huge bowl full; that is the nectar of a seal-feast. After I was supplied, another bowl, of a capacity equivalent to four quarts, was placed on the floor for the dog to wash with his pliant tongue; when he had lapped it clean, outside as well as within, it was filled with the luscious soup, which the Innuits at once disposed of, taking turns at the bowl.

Later in the evening, as I was seated in my own igloo surrounded by my company, I heard a loud Innuit shout just outside. As quick as thought, Koojesse, Sharkey, Tunukderlien, and Jennie sprang for the long knives lying around, and hid them wherever they could find places. My first thought was that a company of warlike Innuits were upon us, and I asked Koojesse the meaning of all this. He replied, "Angeko! angeko! "Immediately there came crawling into the low entrance to the igloo an Innuit with long hair completely covering his face and eyes. He remained on his knees on the floor of the igloo, feeling round like a blind man at each side of the entrance, back of the fire-light, the place where meat is usually kept, and where knives may generally be found. Not finding any, the angeko slowly withdrew. I asked Koojesse what would have been the consequence if the angeko had found a knife; he replied that he—the angeko—would have stabbed himself in the breast.

On April 22d we broke up our encampment, all the Innuits, with the exception of Toolookaah's family, being about removing up Frobisher Bay. Two families, including Petato, Kopeo, Oosookarlo, with the wives and children of the two men, were to go with me one's day's journey at least. Old Toolookaah, who was to remain behind, wore a sorrowful face on account of my departure. I find in my diary the following record: "This noble, free-hearted Innuit loves me, I do believe; I know that I love him. We have now been acquainted more than a year; have voyaged together, have shared perils of storms and the glory of sunshine, have feasted together, slept beneath the same tupic, have been, as it were, father and