14: NATURAL HISTORY OF ARCTIC AMERICA. 



I,' Mineiit, on the ice, they place a lamp; over this I;iiii]> tlicy cook meat. 

 'J>i('ir eyes are sore all the time. We :ire iiiVaid of tliciii; do not like 

 tncm; jilad tliey lia\e ^^oiie away.'' 



This tradition differs somcAvhat in the particulars when told l»y differ- 

 i"\\ individuals, but the main points are essentially the same. Many 

 will not tell it all ; some, oidy parts of it. The ridiculous story about 

 the dogs is lirmly belie\cd by the present Eskimo as the origin of these 

 animals. 



That the Tionds liave been seen of late years in the west is not im- 

 probable, — that is, natives, differentin dress and stature; but they were 

 most likely the tribe known as the Pelly Bay Eskimo from the north 

 shores of Hudson's Straits and from Fox Channel, they being larger 

 and more robust than tin' ('und)erland Ivskimo of the present day. It is 

 certain that since the whalers have begun coming among the Cumber- 

 land Eskimo, and introduced venereal diseases, thej^ have deteriorated 

 very much. They now almost depend upon ships coming, and as a con- 

 sequence are becoming less exi^ert hunters, and more careless in the 

 <'onstruction of their habitations, which are merely rude temporary shel- 

 ters made at a few minutes' notice. Great sirffering often ensues from 

 living in these miserable huts. The seal skin that should have gone to 

 repair the tent is bartered to the whalemen for a little tobacco, or some 

 valueless trinket, which is soon thro^vn aside. The men are emi)loyed to 

 catch whales, when they should be hunting in order to sui)ply the wants 

 of their families; and the women, half clad, but sjjorting a gaudj- calico 

 gown, instead of their comfortable skin clothes, and dying of a quick 

 consumption in consequence, when they should be rei)airing garments 

 or preparing skins, are loafing around tlie shijts, doing nothing for 

 themselves or any one else. 



The Cumberland Eskimo of to-day, with his breech-loading ritle, 

 .st«'el knives, cotton jacket, and all the various trinkets he succeeds in 

 ]»rocuiing from the ships, is worse clad, lives j)oorer, and gets less to eat 

 than did his forefathers, who had never seen or heard of a white man. 



There is a practice among them that is ])rol)ab]y of longstanding, and 

 is regularly carried out every season, of going into the interior or uj) 

 some of the large fjords alter ]<'indcer. Tliey geneially go dining the 

 months of .Tuly and August, rctniniiig in Sei)tend»(T, to lie on hand when 

 tiie fall whaling begins. Tlu' i>urpose of tins i-eindeer hunt is to i)rocure 

 skins for their winter clothing. Nearly all return to the sound to winter. 

 They have regular setttements, which arc haidly ever entirely deserted 



