304 Dr King on the Physical Characters of the Esquimaux. 



the average being 5 ft. 6^ in. ; and that of the women from 

 4 ft. 9i in. to 5 ft. 5^ in., the average being 5 ft. 1| in. Of 

 the natives of the River Clyde, the range of the men was 

 from 5 ft. 4^ in. to 5 ft. 6 in. ; and that of the women from 4 ft. 

 10 in. to 4 ft. 11 in. Of twenty individuals of each sex of 

 Melville Peninsula, the range of the men was from 4 ft. 11 in. 

 to 5 ft. 10 in. ; the average being 5 ft. 5^ in., and that of the 

 women from 4 ft. 8| in. to 5 ft 3^ in. ; the average being 5 ft. 

 OJ in. Of the natives of the Savages Island, Lieut. Edward 

 Chappel considers a fair average standard might determine 

 their height to be between 5 ft. 5 in. and 5 ft. 8 in. The 

 average height of the men, therefore, is 5 ft. 6 in., and that of 

 the women 5 ft. 1 in. ; and the people evidently increase in 

 stature in the direction from east to west. 



The Esquimaux have various modes of arranging their hair 

 according to the locality. As regards the men, some wear it 

 long and allow it to hang about their heads in a slovenly man- 

 ner.* Some cut it short before,t so as not to incommode their 

 face, and others both before and behind ',% while at Kotzebue's 

 Sound § and Schismareff Inlet, || the only part that was cut was 

 a circular patch upon the crown of the head like the tonsure 

 of the Roman Catholic clergy. This fashion was adopted by a 

 few of the natives of Melville Peninsula! and of the Macken- 

 zie River,** while at St Lawrence Island many had that part 

 shaved. tt At Southampton Island, the hair is worn in one 

 large mass as large as the head of a child rolled into the form 

 of a ball, and projecting from the/ise of the forehead. One of 

 these bundles Captain Lyon found to consist of six long strings 

 of his own locks originally plaited, but then so matted with 

 dirt and deers' fur as to resemble a rough hair tether. These 

 extraordinary tresses were bound tightly together at their 

 base and measured about 4 feet. J + Hair is pretty universally 

 worn by the Esquimaux on the upper lip and chin from 1 inch 

 to 1^ inch in length, and some cultivate a little tuft between 

 the chin and lower lip. 



The women of Prince William's Sound tie a small lock of 



* O'Reilly, Franklin, Parry. t Parry, Franklin, Frobisher. 



X Kotzbue, Cook, Ross, Beechy, § Beechy and Kotzebue. || Beechy. 



% Parry. ** Franklin. tt Beechy. H Lyon. 



