He must be appeased and mollified at any cost.
Tuavituk, the Angakok, it was decided, must do some conjuring. He must
get into immediate communication with Torngak and learn the spirit's
wishes and demands and what must be done to dispel the evil charm that
Chealuk had worked by her thoughtlessness. Tauvituk was quite
willing--indeed anxious--to do this, but he demanded to be well paid
for it, and every man had to contribute some valuable pelt or article
of clothing.
When all preparations for the seance had been made the Angakok's head
was covered and in a few moments he began to utter untelligible
exclamations, which were shortly punctuated by shouts and screams and
ravings. He fell to the floor and seemed stricken with a fit, and Bob
thought the man had gone stark mad. He struck out and grasped those
within his reach, and they were glad to escape from his iron clutch.
For several minutes this wild frenzy lasted before he said an
intelligible word.
"The deer! The deer! The deer's sinew! Chealuk! Chealuk! Chealuk!
Torngak! The evil spirit is in Chealuk! She must go! Must go! Send
Chealuk away! Send her away! Send her away! Send her away!"
Finally from sheer exhaustion he quieted down and came out of his
trance. He probably thought that he had given them their value's worth
and what they had wanted, and that they should be satisfied.
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