all of these streams and saw some of them for several miles above the
mouth. The Koksoak, Mukalik and Whale Rivers are regularly traversed
by the Indians, but the others are too swift and rocky for canoes.
There are several streams to the westward of the Koksoak, notably Leaf
River, and a very large one that the Eskimos told me of, emptying into
Hope's Advance Bay, but these I did not see and my knowledge of them
is limited to hearsay.

The hills in the vicinity of George River are generally high, but to
the westward they are much lower and less picturesque.

After our camp was pitched we had an opportunity for the first time to
make the acquaintance of our companions. The chief was a man of about
forty years of age, Potokomik by name, which, translated, means a hole
cut in the edge of a skin for the purpose of stretching it. The next
in importance was Kumuk. Kumuk means louse, and it fitted the man's
nature well. The youngest was Iksialook (Big Yolk of an Egg).
Potokomik had been rechristened by a Hudson's Bay Company agent
"Kenneth," and Kumuk, in like manner, had had the name of "George"
bestowed upon him, but Iksialook bad been overlooked or neglected in
this respect, and his brain was not taxed with trying to remember a
Christian cognomen that none of his people would ever call or know him
by.

Potokomik was really a remarkable man and proved most faithful to us.
It is, in fact, to his faithfulness and control over the others,
particularly Kumuk, that Easton and I owe our lives, as will appear
later. He was at one time conjurer of the Kangerlualuksoakmiut, or
George River Eskimos, and is still their leader, but during a visit to
the Atlantic coast, some three or four years ago, he came under the