ESKIMOS 141 
about two thousand persons, divided about equally between the 
Atlantic coast and the remainder of the peninsula. 
ANNUAL boutine 
The Eskimo, even to a greater extent than the Indian, 
depends upon the chase for his existence. The Indian is depend- 
ent, in the uncivilized state, on the animals he kills for food 
and clothing, while the Eskimo must not only get his sustenance 
and raiment by the chase, but also his fuel, which is either 
obtained from the blubber of seals and whales, or from the fat 
of the barren-ground caribou. 
The yearly round of life of the Eskimo differs but little any- 
where, except on the Atlantic coast of Labrador, where it has 
been modified by the missionaries. A description of the annual 
life of an Eskimo of the east coast of Hudson bay is typical of 
that of the other tribes, and only accidental variations occur, 
due to the prevalence of particular game, such as the musk-ox, 
in some regions. 
During the winter the Eskimo lives in a snowhouse or iglo; 
in the summer in a tent or tupik, made of seal or deer skins. 
the year begins with the lengthening days of January, and this 
is usually a period of hard times, lasting for a couple of months. 
The Eskimo of the southern regions is then on his yearly 
journey to the trading post, where he will exchange the pro- 
ceeds of the past year's hunt for ammunition, tobacco, and a 
few luxuries of clothing and tools. The ice along the coast in 
january does not extend far from the shore, and the seals keep 
in the open water, where they can only be killed by being shot 
from the edge of the ice. This is a very uncertain subsistence 
for the native, owing to the storms of the season, which either 
break the ice from the shore, or crowd its edge with small float- 
ing cakes, forming an impassable barrier to the open water. If 
a good supply of deermeat has not been laid by during the fall, 
periods of starvation are now frequent; these, when severe and 
