ETHNOLOGY. 25 



made from the iietsick skiii, Avitli the liair on, and tlie hair side worn 

 outward and tlie hair pointing- from the toe backwards. This very nnich 

 facilitates the drawing on of the boot. 



For summer wear the young of the netsick in tlic woolly coat is substi- 

 tuted for reindeer for the stockings. Dog skin is also sometimes used for 

 stockings, but not so commonly among the Cumberland Eskimo as among 

 those of Hudson's Straits, who use dog skins for ])ants as well as stock- 

 ings. 



All the clothing is sevred witli sinews, reindeer or wliite whah'. The 

 reindeer sinews are dried in bulk as they come from the animal, and arc 

 split off' as needed. The fibres are separated as fine as necessary, and 

 then drawn quickly between tlie teeth to secure a more uniform size. The 

 women all sew towards themselves, using the thimble on the first finger; 

 they seldom use but one kind of seam ; the edges of the skin are care- 

 fully matched together, and joined by sewing over and over the overcast 

 seam. Their thimbles ({'ailed fikilc, also signifies first finger) are made 

 from the skin of Flioea havhata ; in shape they arc merely an oblong 

 piece sufficiently large to cover the j^oint of the finger. A rim is cut 

 around the ontside edge for about one half its length 5 this forms a sort 

 of loop under which the finger is ])assed, and in this manner it is kejit 

 in place. We found this style of thimble much monM'onvenient than 

 the metal one of the usual form. 



Very few of the Cumberland Eskimo at the ])resent day use anything 

 but steel needles, or bone ones made after the same i)attern. We have 

 seen an instrument said to have been used as a needle that is consider- 

 ably different from anything we ever saw before. An Eskimo bjonght 

 it to us, and wanted a hatchet in exchange. AVe thought it certain he 

 would return and otter to trade at our terms, but he did not, and we 

 never saw him again. This tool was almost exactly like an awl in shape, 

 but had an eifc near the point. They nuist have had to thread this in- 

 strument for each stitch. The ncedh' i)art was apparently of deer honi 

 and tiie handle of walrus ivory. 



The favorite and principal tool of the women is a knife shaped like an 

 ordinaiy mincing-knife. Nearly all the Cninberland lOslviinu lia\<'n(»w 

 procured iron enough from some source or other so that they can have 

 an iron knife of this i)attern. IJefore they could prcuaire enough iron, 

 they made the knife of ivory, and merely sank fiakes or j)ieces of iron 

 into the edge, in the same manner as tlie iiat i\'es of Xoith (Ireeiiland do 

 at the present time. This same jtractice of sinking iron Hakes into the 



