of Greenland.
145
Ceremonies obſerved at the Birth.Mother dips her Finger into Water, and rubs the Child's Lips with it; or ſhe puts a little Bit of Snow into its Mouth, ſaying, Imekautit, which ſignifies, thou haſt drunk a good deal; and when ſhe eats, ſhe takes a Bit of Fiſh, and holds it to the Child's Mouth, and ſhakes her Hand, with this Word, Aiparpotit, that is to ſay, thou haſt eat and kept me Company. They cut the Navel-String, not with a Knife, but with a Muſcle-Shell, or they bite it off with their Teeth; and when the String is dry, they uſe it as an Amulet.
They hold a Chamber Pot over the Head of the Woman in Labour, imagining that it helps to haſten her Delivery. The Child being a Year old, the Mother ſlabbers and licks it all over, from Head to Foot, that it may grow hale and ſtrong. They ſeldom bear Twins, but Monſters are often brought forth. Strange Monſters brought forth in Greenland.In the Year 1737 a Woman, in the Bay of Diſco, was delivered of a hideous Monſter; the Eyes were placed on the Side of the Noſe; it had a pointed Snout and noL
Ears.
