wounds salves which her father had given to her mother and which for
years had been preciously preserved.
Ootah lay with his eyes closed; he seemed to float in the auroral skies
without, in the very happy land of the dead. He forgot the pain in his
limbs, the furnace in his forehead. He felt only the soothing touch of
Annadoah's dear hands, and her breath at times very near, fanning his
face; he heard her voice murmuring to the onlooking natives. Not
satisfied with these ministrations, in which they really had little
faith, the others presently brought a young _angakoq_, one better loved
than the dead Sipsu. For being young he had not prophesied many deaths.
All moved away as the magician began beating his membrane drum over
Ootah's body. Working himself into frenzy, he called upon his familiar
spirits. For, according to their belief, illness, and the suffering
resultant from wounds, are actually caused by the spirits of the
various members of the body falling out of harmony. Then the _angakoq_
must persuade his friends in the other world to restore peace among the
spirits of the human hands, feet, head, or whatever limbs may be
affected. The soul, or great spirit, they say resides in one's shadow,
and sometimes this falls out of agreement with the minor spirits of the
body. Then one is in bad shape, indeed.
For half an hour the chant and dance continued. Meanwhile Ootah opened
his eyes and often smiled at Annadoah. He was better, he told them,
and motioned the _angakoq_ to go. He bade Annadoah sit beside him. He
felt unquestionably better.
"You have asked me whether I went far over the mountains? Yea, we
travelled many sleeps, yet we scarcely rested. The world was white
about us. The spirits carried us over dark places in the hills,
wherein _Perdlugssuaq_ makes his home. But he did not strike. We were
borne over abysses. The spirits of one's ancestors are often kind. We
went through the world of the fog, she who was the wife of that hill
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