1030 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



cooking pot, and above tliis, suspeuded from the ceiling, the frame of 

 slats, network of tliongs, or pegs, on which are placed articles to dry iu 

 the ascending warm air. Thus the lamp, which has a single function 

 in other parts of the Avorld, has added among the Eskimo that of the fire- 

 place and cooking stove. The Eskimo Uimp is classifically the homo- 

 logue of the fireplace in the center of the houses among the majority of 

 tribes in America and Asia. 



Hans Egede gives the following description of the lamps of the Green- 

 land communal houses: "Though ten or twenty train-lamps burn at 

 once in the houses of the Greenlanders one does not perceive the steam 

 or smoke thereof to fill these cottages. They take care in trimming the 

 lamp, taking dry moss rubbed very small, which they lay on one side of 

 the lamp, which, being lighted, burns very softly and does not cause 

 any smoke if it is not laid on too thick or in lumps. This fire gives 

 such a heat that it not only serves to boil their victuals, but also heats 

 their rooms to that degree that it is as hot as a bagnio. But to those 

 who are not used to this way of firing the smell is very disagreeable." ^ 

 Parry, in his Second Voyage, presents a view of an Eskimo interior 

 wliicli shows in an interesting way the lamp and its appurtenances. 

 (See plate 4.) It is described as follows : 



The fire belonging to each family consists of a single lamp or shallow vessel of 

 lapis ollaris, its form being the lesser segment of a circle. The wick, composed of 

 dry moss rubbed between the hands nutil it is quite inflammable, is disposed along 

 the edge of the lamp on the straight side, and in a greater or snuiller quantity lighted, 

 according to the heat required or the fuel that can be afforded. When the whole 

 length of this, which is sometimes above 18 inches, is kindled, it affords a most bril- 

 liant and beautiful light without any perceptible smoke or offensive smell. The 

 lamp is made to supply itself with oil, by suspending a long, thin slice of whale, 

 seal or sea-horse blubber near the flame, the warmth of which causes the oil to drip 

 into the vessel until the whole is extracted. Immediately over the lamp is fixed a 

 rude and rickety framework of wood from which their pots are suspended, and serv- 

 ing also to sustain a large hoop of bone, having a net stretched tight within it. 

 This contrivance, called Unnetat, is intended for the reception of any wet things, 

 and is usually loaded with boots, shoes, and mittens. The fireplace just described, 

 as situated at the upper end of the apartment, has always, two lamps facing differ- 

 ent ways, one for each family occupying the corresponding bedplace. There is fre- 

 quently also a smaller and less-pretending establishment on the same model, lamp, 

 T)ot, net, and all, in one of the corners next the door; for one apartment sometimes 

 contains three families, which are always closely related, and no married woman or 

 oven a widow without children is without her separate fireplace. 



With all the lamps lighted and the hut full of people and dogs a thermometer 

 placed on the net over the fire indicated a temperature of 38^ ; when removed 2 or 3 

 feet from this situation it fell to 32°, and placed close to the wall stood at 23'=, the 

 temperature of the open air being at the time 25° below zero. A greater degree of 

 warmth than this pi-oduces extreme inconvenience by the dropping from the roofs. 

 This they endeavor to obviate by applying a little piece of snow to the place from 

 which a drop proceeds, and this, adhering, is for a short time an effectual remedy ; 

 but for several weeks in the spring, when the weather is too warm for these edifices 

 and still too cold for tents, they suffer much on this account. 



' H. Egede, Greenland, London, 1745, p. 116. 



