THE LAMP OF THE ESKIMO. 1043 



Upon the authority of Capt. J. O. Spicer, of Grotoii, the chiss of sum- 

 mer lauips for this locality has been designated. These are suuill 

 lamps for summer use to furnish light for the ])ipe and to start tires. 

 The small lamp figured ou plate 2, fig. 2, is interesting. It may be com- 

 pared with the Greenland specimen on plate 7. 



The cooking pots are like those of Labrador, No drying- frame exists 

 iu the United States National Museum from Cumberland Gulf. 



DUAWIXG IX TENCIL. Liimp, pot, disli, woman's knife for cutting fat, wick trimmer, 

 and a filament of sphagnum moss for tlio wide; drawn by an Eskimo of Cum- 

 berland Gulf. Collected by L. Kumloin. This drawing is very interesting, as 

 showing adjuncts to the lamp, which usually escape the collector. There is, for 

 instance, no wick-trimmer iu the large lamp collection of the United States 

 National Museum and the use of the knife and fat scraper in the care of the 

 lamp was not known until it was noticed by Professor Mason in his paper on 

 "Skin dressing." See Plate 2, fig. 1. 



Small stone lamp, with pocket. Excavated from soapstone, crescentic iu outline. 

 It is balanced on ai rounded base, tipping with ease from front to back, but not 

 from side to side. The reservoir is deep, and at the rear a pocket is foruied, 

 demarked by a curving wall. The, wick edge slants rather sharply down to the 

 floor of the reservoir. The intent of the pocket at the rear is not known ; in 

 this specimen it forms a convenient place for insertion of the thumb in remov- 

 ing or carrying the lamp. The specimen is very neatly finished. In the pop- 

 ular account of Dr. Kane's explorations a lamji of this variety is figured. 

 Length, 3| inches; width, 1|- inches; lieight, J inch. Eskimo, Cumberland Gulf, 

 Canada. Collected by Lieut. W. A. :\Iintzer, U. S. N. 29968. Plate 2, fig. 2. 



SUMMEK LAMP. Of soapstoue, semilunar in outline. The shape of the reservoir is 

 triangular, being formed by the meeting of the iilanes of the back and wick edge 

 at the middle like those of Ungava Bay, Labrador. The bottom is rounded as 

 are all edges. The balance of the lamp is remarkable, the center of gravity 

 causing it to assume the position rerxuired for supplying oil to the wick, although 

 resting upon a small, rounded base when moved. Laterallj^ the lamp is stable, 

 antero-posteriorly it moves freely for tipping. The balance is intentional, and 

 this feature is found in several other localities. The. name summer lamp denotes 

 its use iu summer, when the large house lamp is not necessary and the small 

 lamp supplies light for the pipe, etc. Length, 71, inches; width, 3,\' inches; 

 height at back, 3^ inches; at front, f inch. Eskimo, Cumberland Gulf, Canada. 

 Collected by Capt. J. O. Spicer. 168994. Plate 3, fig. 1. 



Stonk LAMP. Roughly hollowed out from ampbibolito, elliptic in shape with 

 rounded ends. The bottom follows the curves of the reservoir, which shows a 

 nu^dian groove formed by the junction of the planes of the wick portion and 

 rear portion of the lamp. The lamp is not self balancing and hence must have 

 a support. The wick edge is considerably curved. Length, 20 inches; width, 

 !) inches; height, when level, 3^ inches. Eskimo, Cumberland Gulf, Canada. 

 Collected by Lieut. W. A. Mintzer, U. S. N. 29964. Plate 3, fig. 2. 



Stone lamp. Large, elliptic lamp, neatly excavated Irom soapstone. It is very 

 deeply hollowed out, the wick edge nearly straight and smoothly worked. Not 

 being balanced, the lamp requires support. At the cuds of the lamp below are 

 slight projections, probably for the reception of forked supports like those iu 

 use at East Maine. This fine lamp has seen long service, being saturated and 

 glazed with oil. Length, 23 inches; width, 8} inches; height when level, 5 

 inches. Eskimo, Cumberland Gulf, Canada. Collected by Lieut. W. A. Mintzer, 

 U. S. N. 29965. Plate 3, fig. 3. 



Lamp. Semilunar lamp of soapstone; reservoir deep, walls abrupt, bottom nearly 

 Hat. The wick edge has a gentle curve. The back of the lamp, which rose 



