Dr King on the Industrial At Is of the Esquimanx, 135 



human form were found by Captain Graah on the eastern 

 coast of Greenland of a very rude character.* We no sooner, 

 however, reach the eastern coast of America, than we find 

 models of men, women, and children, of birds, beasts, and 

 fishes, and of every kind of implement and culinary utensil, 

 executed in a masterly style. An Esquimaux woman, with- 

 out her dress, obtained from the Esquimaux, shews a pro- 

 ficiency in anatomy as complete as the learned professor of 

 the Royal Academy could possibly wish his most accomplished 

 pupils to attain. Also, one with the dress on shews, that 

 they can chisel the drapery with equal truth. ** An ivory 

 fish," purchased by Captain Lyon, " neatly formed, and about 

 three inches long, had the eyes made of small lumps of iron 

 pyrites." t Ivory chains, most ingeniously cut out of solid 

 pieces of ivory, were found in the possession of the Esqui- 

 maux of Behring's Straits, each link being separately relieved, 

 and sometimes twenty-six inches in length.} For what pur- 

 pose they were used. Captain Beechy knew not ; but part of 

 the last link was frequently left solid, and formed in imita- 

 tion of a whale ; "and these chains being strong,'* he adds, 

 " may in some way or other be appropriated to the capture 

 of that animal." Men and women are generally dressed in 

 clothes, which are made with seams and edgings precisely 

 similar to those in daily use. The ivory of which they form 

 their models is cut by continued chopping with a knife, one 

 end of the ivory resting on a soft stone, which serves as a 

 block. To smooth and polish the work when finished, a 

 gritty stone is used as a file, and kept constantly wetted with 

 saliva. 



* Graah, 99. t Lyon, 283. % Beechy. 



