asant, with many steep rocks. On a precipice
behind our tent we perceived nests of birds of prey. The naked rocks had
singular shapes, and presented to the imagination the ruins of a
destroyed town. In the vallies we saw many small lagoons, but little
grass, and the excrements of geese. It was about full moon, and the tide
rising here five or six fathom, occasioned the most strange alterations
in the prospect towards the sea, which, being smooth and clear of rocks
at high water, exhibited, after its fall, an archipelago of rugged
islands and black flats.

CHAPTER IX.

_Chain of black mountains. The Dragon's dwelling. Changes
occasioned by rise and fall of the tides, and dangers attending
them. Uttakiyok's superstitious customs. Singular effect of the
tide in the bay of Ittimnekoktok. Arrive at Kangertlualuksoak
bay and river. Its situation. Transactions there._

August 6th.--We crossed the bay _Abloriak_, which is large and wide,
with many small islands and rocks towards the sea, and high black
mountains inland, called _Torngaets_. Uttakiyok, who was always very
eager to make us attentive to every object and its name, shewed us here
a wide and deep cavern, in shape like the gable end of an house,
situated at the top of a precipice, in a black mountain, of a very
horrid and dark appearance. This, he informed us, was the dwelling place
of Torngak, the evil spirit. The scenery was, indeed, extremely wild and
terrible, and the beforementioned prospect of the rocks and islands at
low water gave to the whole country a most singularly gloomy character.
Nor is this change, occasioned by the tide in the state of the sea,
merely in appearance terrific, it is so in reality: for we never durst
cast anchor in less than eight or nine fathoms water, lest at ebb-tide
we should find ourselves aground, or even high and dry.

The cavern just spoken of, connected with the chain of black mountains
in which it is situated, we called the Dragon's dwelling, but had no
time to examine the place, though it did not appear inaccessible.
Whether Uttakiyok would have ventured to accompany us into it, is
another question, for he was, with all his good sense, strongly attached
to the superstitious notions and ceremonies of his countrymen. Thus, on
passing dangerous places he always hung the claw of a raven to his
breast, and carried the blown paunch of a seal upon a tent-pole fixed to
one side of his boat. The latter is a common pr