Page:Life with the Esquimaux - 1864 - Volume 2.djvu/305

286 a fac-simile of this sketch. The monument itself is not on very high land. The Innuits for a very long time, and down even to the present day, have been in the habit of going there; and wishing success in hunting, they would give it presents of young tuktoo meat, bows and arrows, beads, &c. hanging the same on it or placing them close about it. It was on all occasions treated with the greatest respect, the belief being that he who gave much to the monument would kill much game. Ebierbing, on seeing the sketch, said that he had frequently given arrows in a similar way. At one point in her narrative old Ookijoxy Ninoo seized an oodloo—a knife shaped like the chopping-knife in use among us (see page 295, vol. i.)—and severed a lock of her hair, which she gave into my hands with the request that I would take it to America, and show it to many people as that of the oldest Innuit inhabitant. She said that there was no one living in her country who was a child when she was. Her hair was nearly all black, there being only now and then a white or grey hair on her head. I doubt not Ookijoxy Ninoo was fully 100 years old. Finding the old lady becoming exhausted, I took my leave and returned to the sledge. On the 14th of June I left the ship on a visit to the whaling dépôt at Cape True. As no other sledge was at hand, I took a small one which I had previously made of such material as I found on board, and with two dogs started on my journey alone. I was not expert at driving, and at first made slow progress, but finally succeeded in getting my team into good working order. Barbekark was my leader, and, by dint of hard blows, I managed to keep him in a right position. On my way I called at the tupics of Ebierbing and Koodloo, at Farrington Cape. Here I had a pleasant conversation with Tookoolito, and, soon after, Ugarng arrived from Allen's Island, in Cornelius Grinnell Bay. I stopped here for the night, and the next morning departed for Cape True, my company being increased by seven souls, with two large dog-teams and two sledges. We arrived at the whaling dépôt without mishap, and found the captain and his men, and