580 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



form pale clay color. The hair side was smooth, while the inside was 

 roughish. Indeed, in a few moments more it was buckskin. 



"Picking up next his wooden awl, he commenced far forward on the 

 extreme edge of the skin on the right side of the neck, and by succes- 

 sively stretching it over the handle of the awl, cut upon this edge some 

 dozen or thirteen holes with his knife. Then beginning in front, he put 

 the awl in every hole, and by holding on to the edge of the opposite 

 side with his left hand he was enabled to powerfully stretch the skin of the 

 neck transversely. This operation is showu in Plate LXV1. His mark 

 must go on next, so turning the skin of head over, he cut on either side 

 just below the ear on the body or inner surface of the skin a leaf-like 

 figure, with the apex pointing forward and outward. 



"This was the last touch of all, aud the now finished fabric, if we 

 may call it a fabric, so pliant, so soft, and withal so useful, was spread 

 out on the canvas for an hour in the sun to receive its final drying, 

 after which it passed into the possession of the National Museum. One 

 of these finished skins retains much the same form as the hide had 

 when first removed, though it may be rather longer from the stretch- 

 ing. The backs of the ears are always black ; the edges all around are 

 uneven aud harder than the rest of the skin; the hair remains upon 

 the distal moieties of the skin of the legs ; bullet-holes of exit aud en- 

 trance will be usually seen, and there may be au accidental rent or two 

 of small size. 



" The Navajoes value these hides at a price varying from $1.50 to $2, 

 depending upon the size and the need they have of the money. Squaws, 

 I am told, never engage in manufacturing them, while the Indian boys 

 learn the art at a very early age." 



SKIN-DRESSING AMONG ABORIGINES OF OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. 



In Patagonia the skin of the guanaco is dried with the hair on in 

 such a manner that when wet it retains its pliability and softness. This 

 process of preserving skins seems to be peculiar to the Indian tribes, 

 and is not unlike that by Avhich buffalo robes, bear skins, and other 

 articles of luxury and even necessity among us are prepared by the 

 North American Indians. Guanaco skins are cut into pieces of all sizes 

 and sewed into a thousand fanciful patterns, every workman originat- 

 ing a style to suit himself. (Bourne, " Captive in Patagonia," p. 53.) 



The following is the method among the Fors in Darfur, Central 

 Africa: As soon as the animal has been skinned the skins are scraped 

 aud put into water in which okun (the bark of a tree) has been mixed. 

 After several days they are taken out, scraped again with iron knives, 

 and afterwards pegged out under the shade of a tree or under a shed 

 made for the purpose. They are then rubbed aud beaten with flat 

 stones. At times they are also rubbed with butter. (Proc. Roy. Soc. 

 of Edinburgh, 1884-'85, p. 262.) 



The Wagaudas are good tanners and manage to get their skins as 





