102 TUENER ON THE INDIANS 



The dress of the Tahagmyiit differs somewhat from that of their neighbors on either 

 side of them. The men wear short coats, with hoods for the head, terminating in a point or 

 horn, to enable the wearer more easily to divest himself of that garment. For summer 

 wear, or winter underwear, the coat is often worn nearly open in front, with a " cut- 

 away " skirt ; the edges of this garment are often trimmed profusely with fringed skins 

 of the seal or reindeer. The trousers are of a length to reach a few inches below the knee, 

 or else a combination of the stockings and trousers is made ; usually, however, this consti- 

 tutes the winter under-trousers. In summer, the shorter length is completed by the knee- 

 boots of seal skin. The soles of the boots and half-shoes are often set with corrugated strips 

 of skin sewed firmly to the sole, so as to prevent slipping on the ice. A cap is made of the 

 skins of birds for summer wear, and if the person so desires, the coat for that season has 

 no hood. The dress of the woman differs in no essential regard from that of the eastern 

 Innuit. The skins used in the preparation of the clothing of these Inn ait consist of the 

 pelts of the reindeer, seals and birds, puffins and guillemots. 



The character of their dwellings is the same as that of the other Innuit. Their man- 

 ner of living and their social customs differ, inasmuch as the Tahagmyut have had less to 

 do with the white traders than their neighbors. They retain many of their ancient customs, 

 long since discarded and forgotten by their eastern relatives. 



They have no chiefs ; the decisions and desires of the elders and wealthier men are 

 carried out by the remainder of the people. The sentiment of the community is often dis- 

 regarded, and transgressions of their unwritten law occur; but when the offender becomes 

 notorious, there is usually some means found to stop further evil. The men are excessively 

 jealous and passionate, though slow to avenge an insult. They will wait a long time for 

 their revenge, which is certain to result in the death of the offender ; for, with these 

 people the system of vendetta is faithfully carried out by the next of kin, who may or may 

 not be a connection by blood of the murdered party. The females are exempt from parti- 

 cipation, although they may be the inciting cause of revenge, and prompt the occasion of 

 its commission. Theft, cjiiarrelsome natl^re, peevishness, and fault-finding, are punished 

 by banishment until the wanderer is expelled from tent to tent, and becomes a miserable 

 outcast, who succumbs to starvation, and becomes food for the beasts, or else is driven to 

 iusanit}% and when violent, is quietly strangled. Old persons — especially friendless old 

 women, who have been a thankless burden upon the community — are frequently left be- 

 hind, the people being suddenly impelled to remove their camp and thus desert them. If 

 such a woman succeeds in overtaking the party, a second attempt is stopped by some of 

 the men returning and binding her, as thoiigh ready for the grave, and then deserting 

 her, when starvation and death shortly ensue. Suicide is not rare, strangling and shooting 

 constituting the usual methods of self-inflicted death. 



Gambling by means of a kind of dominoes, made of irregular pieces of ivory, having 

 various designs, and of unlimited number of blocks, is a strong vice among the Tahag- 

 myut, to whom this species of gaming is confined ; and is carried to such extremes as to 

 reduce the loser to abject poverty, and even to temporary servitude. The women are more 

 addicted to this vice than the men, and some amusing instances of gains and losses are 

 related by the people. 



In their social relations, they are but little different from their eastern neighbors. 

 Plurality of wives is common among the wealthier men. The marriage tie is quite loose : 



