pleasantry often passed between these "lying sisters," as
they were called, and they not infrequently culminated in touches of
temper, which must have been the reverse of pleasant to either.

Arrived at the arena, a ring was formed, and the wisdom as well as
amiability of these poor people was shown by their putting the children
in front, the little women in the second row, the tall women in the
third, and the men behind.

In a few minutes Ujarak bounded into the centre of the circle, with a
small drum or tambourine in one hand, which he beat vigorously with the
other. Okiok followed more sedately, armed with a similar musical
instrument, and retired to one side of the arena, for the wizard,
perhaps because he was the challenger, had the right to begin.

A good authority on the Eskimo tongue says: "The language is not easily
translatable, the brevity and force of a single sentence requiring to be
rendered in many words of another tongue." The same authority also
informs us that angekoks "speak in a metaphorical style sometimes, in
order to exhibit their assumed superiority in learning and penetration."
It will not be expected, therefore, that our translation should convey
more than a general idea of the combat.

Ujarak's first act, after bounding into the ring and drumming, was to
glare at his adversary. Okiok returned the glare with interest, and,
being liberal, threw a sneer of contempt into the bargain. Ujarak then
glared round at the audience, and began his song, which consisted merely
of short periods, without rhyme or measure, but with a sort of rhythmic
musical cadence. He commenced with the chorus--"Amna ajah ajah hey!"
which was vociferously repeated by his supporters among the audience.

What these words, mean--whether they represent our "fal lal la" or
"runity iddity"--we have not been able to ascertain, but they came in at
irregular intervals, greatly to the satisfaction of the audience,
thus:--

"Amna ajah ajah hey!
There was once a man--a man
(So it is said, but we are not sure),
A puffin perhaps he was--or a stupid spirit
Made in the likeness of a man;
Amna ajah ajah hey!"

Here the wizard not only accompanied the chorus with the drum, but with
a species of dance, which, being a clumsy man, he performed in an
extremely elephantine manner. After a few moments he went on:--

"This man--this puffin--was a liar:
A liar, because he was a teller of lies.
Did he not one time s