ESKIMO BOWS. 311 



long strand on reaching the bend is liitcbed round the bow seven times 

 at intervals of about =J to 1 incb. These "under-bitclies," as they may 

 be called, occur always on bows of this type, sometimes made by the 

 tirst and sometimes by the last long strand, and serve to mark oti' the 

 position of the hitches of the short strands and give them a point 

 d^appui. The first two of these are "two half-hitches," or, "clove- 

 hitches," as they are called at sea, the other five peculiar hitches (Fig. 

 IL*) not used by sailors. The hitch is well known and much used in 

 the artillery and ordnance service, and is there called a "clove-hitch." 

 As using this name would not distinguish the hitch from the common 

 *'ch>ve-hitch " of seamen, I venture to suggest for it the name of " sol- 

 dier's hitch." It is made by taking two round turns round the object to 

 be fastened to and bringing the end over the standing ]>art and under 

 the two turns. If The turns are taken to the left, it makes Fig. lli; 

 if to the right, Fig. 13. 



These hitches, especially the left-handed one, are much used by the 

 Eskimos not only on bows, but in i)utting on seizings upon spears, «S:c., 

 where a white seaman would use a " marling-hitch." The advantage of 

 this form of hitch seems to be that the second round turn keeps it from 

 slipping if the end gets loose. 



To return to No. 89245 : After making " underhitches" at both bends, 

 long strands are laid on till there are ten in all. The eleventh, on reach- 

 ing the bend, makes two "soldier's hitches" at 1, and going to the 

 other nock is similarly hitched at the other bend, and then passes back- 

 wards and forwards between the bends, hitched each time nearer the 

 middle of the bow. The hitch at 2 is made thus : Two round turns to 

 the left, the end i)assed under both turns, and then two more round 

 turns, with the end passed over the second turn, under the tirst and 

 third, over tbe standing-part and third turn, making a double " sol- 

 dier's hitch." At 3 are two simple half-hitches, and one made with two 

 round turns, followed by two round turns with the end passed under 

 both. At 4 is a similar lashing with eight simple hitches ; at 5, nine ; 

 at G, four ; and at 7, two. 



In No. 72771 there are five "under hitches," all "soldier's hitches," 

 made by the first long strand. The lashing at 1 is made hy hitching 

 alternately to right and left five times. (Such hitching is called "kack- 

 ling" by seamen.) At 2 it is "kackled" nine times, at 3 nine times, 

 and at 4 nine times again, ending with a half-hitch at 5. 



It will easily be seen, as was suggested to me by Professor Mason, that 

 the strain of bending the bow, while tending to stretch and tighten each 

 longitudinal strand, at the same time tightens each individual turn of 

 these lashings, so that the greater the strain on the bow the tighter do 

 they grip the fibers of the wood and hold them together. 



These hitches usually occupy 4 to G inches of the bow, and as a rule 

 are put on as above, so that the shortest strands come at the top of the 



