228 WHALE-RIBS ON POINT BARROW. 



of seal-skin, sewn together, with the hair outwards, 

 bell-shaped, and supported by poles. One, which I 

 entered, was entirely destitute of any kind of furni- 

 ture ; its inmates sat on the loose earth, but had of 

 course skins to sleep on. 



The most remarkable peculiarity of Point Barrow 

 is the numerous poles and ribs of whales which are 

 erected on it, about the settlement. I tried to 

 count them, but became utterly confused in the 

 calculation before reaching a tithe of the number. 

 I should think there must be upwards of a thousand. 

 Some were placed so as to form a sort of scaffold, 

 others in rows, and a few isolated ; their use was 

 evident, although I fancied there were infinitely 

 more than required. On those arranged together 

 were placed oomiaks and kiaks (the latter very like 

 our " funnies," or wager boats, but of hide, and 

 covered all over with a hooped aperture for the single 

 occupant), skins, dresses, entrails of whales and 

 seals, &c., and between the solitary ribs were stretched 

 quantities of hide rope in different stages of curing. 

 I imagined that each member of the community had 

 his own private lot or manufactory, for on signifying 

 my desire to become a purchaser, I was seized by 

 one of the merchants and conducted right through 

 the village to its outskirts, where his property and 



