766 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



Tbe forms of habitations are more particularly referred to elsewhere, 

 and various native representations are reproduced for the sake of com- 

 parison both as to artistic merit as well as indicating personal or tribal 

 variations dependent on climatic requirements. 



The styles of clothing are not often referred to in Eskimo etchings, 

 tattooing and labrets being sometimes indicated in carvings, as well 

 as in incised characters. Some interesting carvings, with delicate 

 artistic touches to accentuate the effects of tattooing, are given else- 

 where. 



ORNAMENTS AND LABRETS. 



In some of the etchings are portrayed the outlines of human figures — 

 in various attitudes, though especially as if in the act of dancing— to the 

 rear portion of the body of which are attached little tail-like append- 

 ages resembling tails of animals. 



This may be explained by quoting Captain Beechey,' as in his refer- 

 ence to the natives found northward of Cape Prince of Wales, within 

 4^ miles of Schismareff Inlet, he states that, in addition to certain 

 described articles of clothing, "they have breeches and boots, the 

 former made of deer's hide, the latter of seal's skin, both of which 

 have drawing strings at the upper part made of seahorse hide. To 

 the end of that which goes round the waist they attach a tuft of hair, 

 the wing of a bird, or sometimes a fox's tail, which, dangling behind 

 as tliey walk, gives them a ridiculous appearance, and may probably 

 have occasioned the report of the Tschutschi, recorded in Muller, that 

 the people of this country have 'tails like dogs.'" 



Among the trimmings aud ornaments attached to the clothing the 

 Point Barrow Eskimo^ also attach at tlie back the tail of an animal, 

 usually a wolverine's. "Very seldom a wolf's tail is worn, but nearly 

 all, even the boys, have wolverine tails, which are always saved for this 

 pur])ose and used for no other. The habit among tlie Eskimo of western 

 America of wearing a tail at the girdle has been noticed by many 

 travelers, and prevails at least as far as the Anderson Eiver," where it 

 was noticed by Father Petitot, who, in describing the dress of the 

 "chief," remarks "par derriere il i)ortait aux reins nne queue epaisse 

 et ondoyante de renard noir.'' ^ 



Captain Beechey^ first observed lip ornaments at Schismaeff" Inlet, a 

 short distance north of Cape Prince of Wales, and thence northward 

 to Point Barrow, seemingly a common practice along this coast. " These 

 ornaments consist of pieces of ivorj^, stone, or glass, formed with a 

 double head, like a sleeve button, one part of which is thrust through 

 a hole bored in the under lip. Two of these holes are cut in a slanting 

 direction about half an inch below the corners of the mouth. The 



• Narrative of a Voyage to the Pacific and Bering's Strait, London, I, 1831, p. 248. 

 ^Ninth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, 1887-88, 1892, p. 138. 

 'Monographie, p. xiv. 



* Idem, p. 249. 



