Dr King on the hidustrial Arts of the Esquimaux. 125 



the oomiak ; but the Esquimaux more particularly prides him- 

 self in the neat appearance of his caiak, and has a warm skin 

 placed in its bottom beneath the rim for a seat. The dex- 

 terity with which it is rowed, the velocity of its way, and the 

 extreme elegance of its form, renders an Esquimaux, when 

 sitting independently, and urging his course towards his prey, 

 an object of the highest interest ; and it is really wonderful 

 that in so frail a bark he can defy the raging storm, and give 

 battle to the polar bear and the mighty monsters of the deep. 

 Captain Cook has informed us, " that every thing the Es- 

 quimaux have, is as well and ingeniously made as if they 

 were furnished with the most complete tool-chest ; and that 

 their sewing, plaiting of sinews and small work on their little 

 bags, may be put in competition with the most delicate manu- 

 factures found in any part of the known world. In short, it 

 appears that their invention and dexterity in all manual 

 works, is at least equal to that of any other nation." Let us 

 see what are the tools they work with, and proceed to weigh 

 the opinion Captain Cook has so strongly expressed. A hand 

 chisel made of stone, copper, or ivory, of five or six inches 

 long and about two broad, bevelled away at one end, and 

 fixed in wood or bone handles, is in pretty general use.* This 

 primitive mortise chisel is frequently lashed to the end of a 

 piece of wood about twelve or fourteen inches long, in such a 

 manner as to act like an adze,t and made almost after the 

 manner of that of Otaheite,J which from its beauty finds a 

 place in the drawing-room of the rich. Captain Lyon found 

 a hatchet of English manufacture among the Esquimaux of 

 Melville Peninsula thus mounted, and the shaft was scooped 

 out in such a way as to allow the hand to fit it, each finger 

 having its particular place. The knives used by the men arc 

 of two kinds ; the one is made of the tusk of the walrus, cut 

 or ground sufficiently thin for the purpose, and as it retains 

 the original curve of the tusk, it resembles the little swords 

 which the English child plays with as a toy ; the other is of 

 copper, II or iron,§ triangular in form, and is let into a handle 



* Richardson, Beechy, Hearne. t Hearnc. 



X Cook. II Ilcarne. § Parry. 



