344 VOYAGE TO THE 



CH ^ VP - use of which was at first not very evident. It was 

 *— -y^ part of a walrus tooth shaped something like a shoe- 

 ^26. horn, with four holes at the small end communi- 

 cating with a trough that extended along the mid- 

 dle of the instrument and widened as it neared the 

 broad part. From the explanation given of it by 

 the natives, it was evidently used to procure blood 

 from dying animals, by inserting the end with the 

 holes into the wound, and placing the mouth at the 

 opposite end of the trough to receive the liquid as 

 it flowed. From the satisfaction that was evinced 

 by the describer during the explanation, it is evident 

 that the blood of animals is as much esteemed by 

 these people as by the eastern Esquimaux.* On 

 the outside of this and other instruments there were 

 etched a variety of figures of men, beasts, and birds, 

 &c, with a truth and character which showed the art 

 to be common among them. The reindeer were ge- 

 nerally in herds : in one picture they were pursued 

 by a man in a stooping posture in snow-shoes ; in 

 another he had approached nearer to his game, and 

 was in the act of drawing his bow. A third repre- 

 sented the manner of taking seals with an inflated 

 skin of the same animal as a decoy ; it was placed 

 upon the ice, and not far from it a man was lying 

 upon his belly with a harpoon ready to strike the 

 animal when it should make its appearance. Another 

 was dragging a seal home upon a small sledge ; and 

 several baidars were employed harpooning whales 

 which had been previously shot with arrows; and 

 thus by comparing one device with another a little 

 history was obtained which gave us a better insight 



* See Captain Parry's Second Voyage, 4to., p. 510. 



