Page:A description of Greenland.djvu/234

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186
The Natural Hiſtory

the Evening at one of their Houſes, where, after is is grown Dark, every one being ſeated, the Angekkok cauſes himſelf to be tied, his Head between his Legs, and his Hands behind his Back, and a Drum is laid at his Side; thereupon, after the Windows are ſhut, and the Light put out, the Aſſembly ſings a Ditty, which, they ſay, is the Compoſition of their Anceſtors; when they have done ſinging, the Angekkok begins with conjuring, muttering and brawling; invokes Torngarſuk, who inſtantly preſents himſelf, and converſes with him, (here the maſterly Juggler knows how to play his Trick, in changing the Tone of his Voice, and counterfeiting one different from his own) which makes the too credulous Hearers believe, that this counterfeited Voice is that of Torngarſuk, who converſes with the Angekkok. In the mean while he works himſelf looſe, and, as they believe, mounts up into Heaven through the Roof of the Houſe, and paſſes through the Air till he arrives into the higheſt of Heavens, where the Souls of Angekkut Poglit, that is the chief Angekkuts

reſide,