sions, which they had no means of supplying,
but which they supposed they were the means of their being deprived of
obtaining. An old man began to cry, "Torngak moves me to say that he
will tell us the cause of this storm, and the breaking of the ice,
and the loss of the whale." "Let us hear," said they. "O! the sinews!
O! the sinews!" replied he.

Rein-deer sinews are what, according to the superstition of the
country, dare not be brought near a whale. But the brethren that
morning had plaited some whale sinew, and fastened the haft of the ax
with which they intended to cut up the whale; and he, supposing that
they had been the sinews of the rein-deer, raised the cry. Being
informed of his mistake, he changed his tone and exclaimed, "O! the
rotten wood! O! the rotten wood!" Rotten wood is expressly forbid to
be burnt in the preparation of food, but Jans Haven had brought some
pieces in a sledge along with the rest of the fuel; the Esquimaux, to
whom the sledge belonged, had carefully picked it out and thrown it
away, and the conjurer was informed that in this also he was mistaken.
He was then called upon to say, as he affirmed that Torngak was there,
how he could be mistaken. With an ingenuity that would have done
credit to a Jesuit, he answered, "There is one present that keeps us
back, he cannot go with us." Every person in the company being
mentioned, he pointed out Jans Haven. Haven immediately rose, and
looking the sorcerer full in the face, prayed to the Saviour to stop
the mouth of that wicked one. Struck with the unexpected intrepidity
of the missionary, and the appeal to a name of which they all had some
knowledge, the Angekok was utterly confounded; he grumbled and foamed,
but could not utter a word. Providentially at this very moment two
persons arrived with intelligence that the whale was lying safe, and
had not been driven away; and Haven, charging the fellow with his
imposture and lies, commanded him not to attempt accompanying them, or
removing from the place where he was. The astonished sorcerer made no
attempt to disobey.

The weather increasing in severity, the Esquimaux, who were confined
to their huts, came to their favourite Jans Haven, saying, "Tell us
about the Saviour." Jans answered and said--"What shall I say? I know
not what to say; I am grieved because I am constrained to hear and see
that the wicked spirit yet dwells within you and robs you of your
senses. He will hold your ears that you