1888.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 433 



THE SINGLE-HEADED DRUM OF THE NASKOPIE (NAGNAGNOT) 

 INDIANS, UNGAVA DISTRICT, HUDSON BAY TERRITORY. 



BY LUCIEN M. TURNER. 



The drum used by the Naskopies differs from that of their neighbors 

 and stock kindred, the East Main Indians, of the Fort George district. 



The instrument employed by the Naskopies is a well-made, siugle- 

 headed affair. The construction of each drum may differ in detail, but 

 the general plan is preserved. The barrel is seldom more than four 

 inches deep, covered by a reindeer skin. It is stretched over the bar- 

 rel and held in position by a hoop one-fourth inch wide, and to this the 

 membrane is stitched, so as to give uniform tension. This narrow hoop 

 is placed upon the barrel edge, and a wider hoop, but slightly larger 

 in diameter than the outer circumference of the barrel, is placed upon 

 the narrow hoop inclosed by the edge of the membrane. Sufficient 

 pressure is exerted to bring the membrane into proper tension, and 

 then it is held in place by a system of thongs passing through holes 

 pierced in the wide hoop and the lower edge of the barrel. The thongs 

 pass diagonally through the pairs of koles ; and by drawing on them 

 the barrel and hoop may be approximated sufficiently to secure the 

 desired tension of the membrane. 



The outer side of the membrane (the side beaten upon) is crossed by 

 a thong which passes through the barrel or quill end of four feathers of 

 the wing of a Ptarmigan. A similar cord crosses the under side of the 

 membrane, but at right angles to the one on the upper side, and it also 

 contains four quills, pierced by the cord. The object of these cords, with 

 their attachments, is to produce a reverberation of the sound. 



The drum-stick used is a piece of antler fashioned so as to form a 

 round but flat knob on a flattened strip or piece of the antler. A gun- 

 cap box is often covered with a piece of deer-skin and fastened to a 

 wooden handle, also covered with leather of the same kind, and used 

 for a beating-stick. In the instances where such a box is used it fre- 

 quently contains a few shot or fine gravels, which tend to create a rat- 

 tling sound. 



As the drum is never used outside of the tent, it is so prepared that it 

 may be suspended. To effect this a double strand (two single strands) 

 of sufficient length is affixed to any portion of the outside of the large 

 hoop, and by means of the thongs the drum is suspended to the poles 

 of the tent at a convenient height for the drummer. To the opposite 

 side of the hoop is affixed a stout piece of buckskin, which is grasped 

 in the left hand in order to steady the instrument. 



The performer sits on the ground or on a skin with his legs projected. 

 The left hand grasps the buckskin handle. A few drops of water are 

 Proc.N.M.SS 28 S^.3,^. 



