The Material Culture of the Eskimo in West Greenland. 



221 



outside, and without any particular edge for the wick. It is very- 

 thick in substance, and a piece is sawn off from the back for use 

 as a sinker for a fish-hook. Same locality as above. 



Fig. 52, С is short, but deep; therefore it is provided both with 

 a ridge which is pierced by a hole at the bottom, and also with a 

 ledge for the wick in the longest side. The ledge has been after- 

 wards removed from the middle of the long side, when the importance 

 of the lamp — after a stove had been procured — was reduced, and 

 its sole purpose was that of illumination; the moss wick was then 

 replaced by a linen one. As the ridge strengthens the lamp, the 

 walls are rather thin. Godhavn. 



Various Household Articles. 



Fig. 53 shows a couple of wick-trimmers {tarqigssût, 359) used 

 for putting the wicks of the Eskimo soapstone lamp in order, so that 



О 



10 



л 



20 cm.. 



The asbestos trimmers 



Fig. 53. Two wick-trimmers of asbestos. 



they may burn properly. Some stick or other is usually used for 

 one of these wick-trimmers and as it is always saturated with oil it is 

 easily lighted and may be used provisionally as a taper {naneruaq, 

 231). Sticks of asbestos (qiwdlugaq, 158) are in special demand on 

 account of their durability, but they can be had in only a few places, so 

 they are highly valued and often handed down through several 

 generations, as also are good soapstone lamps, 

 illustrated here are from the settlement 

 of I vnalik in the district of Egedesminde. 

 Wick trimmers of asbestos are also 

 used by the Central Eskimo, as men- 

 tioned even by Parry (see p. 51). In 

 the same place he records that the 

 West Greenlanders use asbestos for 

 the wicks, and cites Cranz as his 

 authority. But this citation must be 



due to a misunderstanding, because Cranz (p. 75) writes : "Die ge- 

 reinigten Fasern (vom Asbest) lassen sich auch als Docht in der Lampe 

 brauchen. Man muss aber nicht denken, dass die Grönländer so sinn- 

 reich sind. Sie bedienen sich desselben blos in Thran eingetunkt, 







Fiff. 54. 



5 Юслъ 



Ancient fire-drills. 



