[Illustration: THE COUNCIL WITH THE NETCHILLIKS.]
That night Equeesik learned from two natives who came in late that his
sister was with another portion of the tribe near Richardson Point, and
went there with his sled, returning the next day but one with several
families, including an old woman whom we found to be another important
and interesting witness. She was one of a party who met some of the
survivors of the ill-fated ships on Washington Bay. Since then she had
seen no white man until now. Her name was Ahlangyah, a Netchillik,
about fifty-five years of age. She had a fine intelligent face, and a
quantity of jet black hair, slightly tinged with gray, that had
probably never been annoyed by any efforts at arrangement, and hung
down over her shoulders or straggled over her face without reserve or
molestation. I succeeded during the interview in getting a very
characteristic portrait of her, the authenticity of which was
subsequently attested when I had forgotten her name and her friends at
once identified her by the portrait. It is but fair to state that we
have reason to put great faith in the statements of these people, as
truthfulness seems to be an inherent quality with them. They never
attempted to deceive us in regard to relics, though perhaps it would
seem easy and profitable.
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