The Material Culture of the Eskimo in West Greenland. 229 



similarly downwards. On the left side there is a hole which proceeds 

 obliquely upwards, from which a deep steering groove leads down- 

 wards and forwards. Also from, the other holes on the front side 

 there are short downwardly-directed steering grooves. 



Qeqertaq in the district of Ritenbenk. 



Fig. 62, В is similar in form, but it is by no means so well 

 made. The number of the holes on the front are seen on the figure. 

 The uppermost one goes right through, and there is a hole in the 

 upper oblique end. In the lower end there is a large hole surrounded 

 by a circle of eight small ones. Here there is no lateral hole. This 

 ajagaq is of wood and appears to have been made on some occasion 

 when they wanted to play the game and had not an implement for it at 

 hand. The holes are not bored, but are made partly by scraping 

 out with a knife and partly by burning. 



Hunde Eiland, 



Fig. 62, С is the humerus of a hooded seal. The more awkward 

 edges are removed, but even then it hits very hard upon the knuckles 

 when one of the holes is not hit, as the bone is heavy. On the 

 back are several pairs of holes for the reception of the cord; the 

 situation of the latter has evidently been altered several times on 

 account of the irregular form of the bone. Lastly, there has been 

 inserted a small piece of bone with an eye which is fastened by a 

 bone pin. Then several holes have been made at the ends and on 

 the front besides the foramen supracondylare which has also been 

 utilized. This ajagaq is also much worn and it was in use, like A, 

 up to the time I obtained it. Yet it is very old, because in 

 the upper end of the bone there are still remnants of the 

 end of a weapon of bone and jasper. 



Sarqaq at Vaigattet. 



Fig. 64, Z) is a bone which has been fashioned into an ajagaq or 

 to suit some purpose which I have not been able to determine. It does 

 not appear to have been finished for the hole for the reception of the 

 cord is so sharp at the edges that the cord would immediately be 

 cut if it were used. In the upper end is a large hole; in the lower 

 some holes with steering grooves; but here the bone is broken. 



Hunde Eiland. On the old site of a house. 



XIII. Various small articles and some imple- 

 ments of unknown use. 



All fur-clad Polar people have to use some expedient or other 

 to rid themselves of body-lice, especially when they become old and 

 the arms become bent and stiff with rheumatism. Usually, for this 

 purpose, a kind of rake is used, with which the insects are loosened, after 



