It might be supposed that in such a state of society there would be no
romances, no marrying for love; but that would be a mistake, for there
have been several romantic little episodes that came under my
observation during my residence in North Hudson's Bay. There is a poor
old man dwelling with the Iwilliks, near Depot Island, named Iteguark,
who had two very attractive and useful wives, or Nu-lee-aug-ar, as is
the native term. The old man had been a good hunter, but a few years
ago met with an accident that resulted in his right knee becoming
stiffened, and his hunting days were over. He can still hunt seals
through the ice, but cannot work up to them on top of the ice, nor can
he chase the reindeer and musk-ox on his native hills. Then it was that
Oxeomadiddlee looked with envious eyes upon the youngest and fairest of
Iteguark's wives, and induced her to come and live with him. She knew
that her new lover was strong and active, and better able to support
her than her old love, and listened to the voice of the tempter.
Iteguark was not disposed to submit meekly to this treachery on the
part of his friend Oxeomadiddlee, so one morning while the truant wife
and her new husband were sleeping in their igloo, Iteguark entered and
sought to take the life of the seducer with a hunting knife.
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