NATIVE CUSTOMS. 326 



quality ; they seemed to prize it highly, and kept it in small 

 ingeniously-constructed wooden boxes. 



Their pipes are rather long, and the stem is made of two 

 pieces of wood, which can be taken apart and cleansed, 

 lashed together by a thong of leather or fish skin. The 

 bowls are cast of brass or lead, or whittled out of deer horn, 

 and hold a thimbleful of tobacco, or only enough for a few 

 whiffs. They have flints and steel for lighting, which are 

 not only less expensive than matches, but surer in wet or 

 windy weather. They carry the flint and steel in a small 

 bag with "punk" or tinder, and the tobacco in another 

 small bag, both of which are suspended at the side by a belt 

 and leathern thong. Their knives are of iron, home made, 

 or obtained from traders further south. They carry them 

 in the boot-leg or lashed to the outside of the thigh in ;t 

 fancifully-carved and highly ornamented wooden sheath, 

 sometimes stained red or blue. Their moccasins and 

 trousers are snug and very neatly made. Their caps in 

 shape resemble hoods, and though designed for service are 

 still quite ornamental, particularly those made of fox-legs 

 for the children. 



On Tuesday, September 20th, after making what proved 

 to be a fruitless attempt to induce these natives to pilot us 

 on our journey, we started without them ; but after a bad day 

 and stormy night we turned back on the succeeding morn- 

 ing, and were fortunate in finding the collection of huts 

 which we had left, and also the natives, whose number had 

 increased by the arrival of an old man who proved to be 

 friendly and a person of good sense. It was a most fortu- 

 nate meeting for us, as we were then on very short rations 

 with only a few days' more food ; and the fish which they 

 gave us (I got twelve for a small match-box) proved very 

 welcome indeed. 



We started from this place again, September 22d, accom- 

 panied by the old Tunguse, of whom I have just spoken 

 (whose name I afterwards learned was Bushielle Koolgiak), 

 and two of the others, Theodore and Caranie. On the 



