e_, consists
only in falling on each knee alternately--a piece of agility which they
perform with tolerable quickness, considering the bulky and awkward
nature of their dress.

The last kind of individual exhibition was still performed by Iligliuk,
to whom in this, as in almost everything else, the other women tacitly
acknowledged their inferiority, by quietly giving place to her on every
occasion. She now once more came forward, and letting her arms hang down
loosely and bending her body very much forward, shook herself with,
extreme violence, as if her whole frame had been strongly convulsed,
uttering at the same time, in a wild tone of voice, some of the
unnatural sounds before mentioned.

This being at an end, a new exhibition was commenced, in which ten or
twelve women took a part, and which our gentlemen compared to
blind-man's buff. A circle being formed, and a boy despatched to look
out at the door of the hut, Iligliuk, still the principal actress,
placed herself in the centre, and after making a variety of guttural
noises for about half a minute, shut her eyes and ran about till she had
taken hold of one of the others, whose business it then became to take
her station in the centre, so that almost every woman in her turn
occupied this post; and in her own peculiar way, either by distortion of
countenance or other gestures, performed her part in the game. This
continued three quarters of an hour; and, from the precaution of placing
a look-out, who was withdrawn when it was over, as well as from some
very expressive signs which need not here be mentioned, there is reason
to believe that it is usually followed by certain indecencies, with
which their husbands are not to be acquainted. Kaoongut was present,
indeed, on this occasion, but his age seemed to render him a privileged
person; besides which, his own wife did not join in the game.

The most common amusement, however, and to which their husbands made no
objection, they performed at Winter Island expressly for our
gratification. The females being collected to the number of ten or
twelve, stood in as large a circle as the hut would admit, with Okotook
in the centre. He began by a sort of half howling, half singing noise,
which appeared as if designed to call the attention of the women, the
latter soon commencing the _Amna Aya_ song hereafter described. This
they continued without variety, remaining quite still while Okotook
walked round within the circle; h