Dr King on the Industrial Arts of the Esquimaux. 119 



being square, it terminates in a rounded projection which 

 extends about half way down the leg. The difference between 

 the summer and winter coat generally consists in the one being 

 formed of seal and the latter of rein-deer skin ; but every 

 variety of fur is occasionally worn ; for instance, at Prince 

 William Sound, the natives were found by Captain Cook 

 wearing sea-otter, fox, racoon, martin, seal, and water-fowl 

 skins, the former being most common. At Schismareff Inlet, 

 the skin of the rein-deer and dog was the prevailing material ; 

 at Regent Inlet, that of the Polar bear ; at Regent Bay, both 

 of the bear and the dog ; and at Melville Peninsula, of the 

 rein-deer only. 



The over-all coat termed Kamlaika, which answers most 

 effectually the purposes of a " Mackintosh," is very ingeni- 

 ously made of seal or walrus-gut, or parchment skin cut into 

 strips of an inch broad, and most skilfully sewed together. 

 It effectually protects the fur clothes from rain or sea-spray. 

 According to Egede, it] is worn by the natives of Green- 

 land between two jackets ; and Ellis, by the inhabitants of 

 the Savage Islands next the. skin. The breeches of fur, tied 

 tightly round the loins, reach a little below the knee, and 

 hang loosely over the boots, which in the feet are moccasin- 

 fashioned ; both articles of dress being composed of rein-deer 

 skin in winter, and seal-skin in summer, — the latter soled 

 with the tough hide of the walrus, to protect them from the 

 rough ground. As with the jacket, so with the boots worn by 

 the women ; they are made to suit the wearers' particular oc- 

 cupations, and are, without dispute, the most extraordinary 

 part of their equipment. They are so large as to resemble lea- 

 ther sacks, and give a most deformed, and, at the same time, 

 ludicrous appearance to the whole figure. The bulky part is 

 at the knee, and the upper end is formed into a pointed ex- 

 tremity, which covers the front of the leg, and is secured by a 

 button or knot within the waistband.* These capacious 

 pouches are used as pockets in the ordinary sense, and as tem- 

 porary beds for infants ; and, when in the vicinity of white 

 men, as receptacles for stolen goods. The mittens in common 



* Ellis. 



