361 



river-kayak covered with deerskin, which is used by the Kini- 

 petu Eskimos, an inland tribe on the Barren Grounds, whom 

 A.P.Low describes as follows ^: "The Kinipetu kayak is extra- 

 ordinary in shape. It is long and narrow and quite deep, so 

 that the midship section is almost semicircular. The ends 

 terminate in long narrow points, of which the bow end slopes 

 downward towards the water and the stern end is inclined up- 

 wards. This kayak is so narrow that the combing of the well 

 sometimes projects beyond the sides. Being narrow and cranky, 

 a good deal of skill is required to handle these craft with 

 safety, and accidents caused by upsetting are not uncommon. 

 These kayaks are covered with parchment deerskin, and are the 

 only ones painted [in contrast to the kayaks used by the coast 

 Eskimos on Hudson Bay, in Labrador etc.], various colours 

 being obtained from oxide of iron found in the interior". This 

 kayak is only used for inland hunting. 



Low explains that the kayak form of these inland Eskimos 

 is peculiar to them, whereas the natives on the west coast of 

 Hudson Bay, especially the Eivillik Eskimos at Repulse Bay 

 and neighbourhood, have quite a different form of kayak, which 

 is more closely related to the kayaks of Labrador and Baffin 

 Land. This information is not without importance. Further, 

 it seems from Low's description of the Kinipetu kayak, though 

 somewhat general statements only are made, tbat this kayak 

 form possibly again stands somewhat nearer the small birch- 

 bark canoe ; I am thinking here, namely, of the statements re- 

 garding its narrowness and its semicircular section. 



This information does not quite agree, however, with that 

 given by F. Boas^, according to which there seems to be greater 

 agreement between the Kinipetu implements and those used by 

 the Eivillik Eskimos. On the other hand, it quite agrees with 



^ 1. c, p. 154 et seq. 



^ The Eskimo on Baffin Land and Hudson Bay. Bulletin of the American 

 Museum of Natural History. Vol. XV. New York 1901. 



