Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/303

284 natives Twer-puk-ju-a-chune, which means a place with many small stones—and had an interesting conversation with her concerning matters pertaining to Frobisher's expedition, being fortunate enough to find her in a communicative mood. She was in her tupic, sometimes sitting, sometimes reclining, and, as usual with her (being old and infirm, and mostly confined to her bed), was quite naked, with the exception of a tuktoo coverlet over her shoulders. When she reclined she rested her chin in her hands, which were propped up by her elbows. Beside her lay her sick grandchild, a one-eyed boy of nine years, at whose illness she greatly grieved. Near at hand was Ookoodlear, Ookijoxy Ninoo's granddaughter, who was almost constantly employed in attending to the calls of the old lady; she was now engaged in dressing a tuktoo skin and tending the infant of Tookoolito, who acted as my interpreter. The old lady then, in answer to questions put by me through Tookoolito, repeated to me, though in a somewhat different form, what I had learned in previous conversations with her, namely, that ships with white men came to those regions; that the kodlunas who were left behind built a ship, attempted to escape from the country, failed in the attempt, and finally froze to death. She also gave me two names, which show how accurately the traditions of the Innuits are handed down; one was the name of a native who was particularly kind to the white men, and who was called "E-loud-ju-arng;" he was a Pim-ma-in, a great man or chief among the Innuits, as Tookoolito, translating the old lady's words, said, "All same as king." When the white men were about to set out with their ship for home, this Eloudjuarng had a song made wishing the kodlunas a quick passage and much joy, and he caused his people, who were then very numerous, to sing it. The other name handed down is that of one native who saw the kodlunas, "Man-nu." Ookijoxy Ninoo gave me, morever, an entirely new fact. She said that the kodlunas in the ships who first came to the country went up the bay called by the Innuits