NELSON] DRILL-BOWS KNIVES 85 



Figure 6, from Norton sound, lias one end terminating in a figure 

 representing the head of some animal and with etched lines and pat 

 terns along two sides. 



Figure 4, from Norton sound, is a curved piece of deer antler, quad 

 rangular in outline and etched on three of its sides. 



Figure 8, from Point Hope, is triangular in cross section, Avith the 

 angles cut into scalloped outlines. 



KNIVES 



For whittling, carving, and finishing all kinds of woodwork the 

 Eskimo use what is commonly called a &quot;crooked knife,&quot; the curved 

 blade of which varies from one to three inches in length, and is made 

 usually from hoop iron or some similar scrap, but sometimes a portion 

 of a steel knife blade is cut and bent for this purpose. The handle of 

 bone, horn, or wood tapers downward to a point, and is from four to 

 fifteen inches in length. This knife is the principal tool used in fashion 

 ing and finishing a great variety of boxes, dishes, trays, tubs, spear- 

 shafts, bows, arrows, and frames for urniaks, kaiaks, sledges, and other 

 woodwork. The wood is first blocked out with an adze, after which it 

 is cut into the desired shape, smoothed, and finished by patient labor 

 with the knife. It is surprising to notice the dexterity with which this 

 tool is used, and the excellent work produced with it. 



One of these knives (plate xxxvin, 26), from Norton sound, has the 

 blade set in a groove in the inner edge of the handle near the end, and 

 with no other fastening. The handle is wrapped with spruce roots 

 just above the blade, in order to give a better grip for the hand. The 

 under side of the handle has a conical depression, showing that it has 

 been used as a cap for a small drillhead. 



Figure 31 of the same plate, from Nunivak island, is the rudest of 

 all the knives of this kind that were obtained. It has a short, thick 

 piece of iron wedged into a slot in the handle, while the inner end of the 

 blade is held in place by sinew lashing. The lower side of the handle 

 has a small conical depression, marking its use as a cap for a drillhead. 



From St Lawrence island were obtained two knives of this descrip 

 tion, made of long, tapering pieces of iron set into wooden handles, but 

 in a manner different from the foregoing. One of these (plate xxxvin, 

 27) has the inner end of the blade set in a deep, flat hole in the end of 

 the handle, somewhat as the blade is set in an ordinary table knife. 

 The handle is oval in cross section, with a slightly enlarged truncated 

 end, and is only about four inches in length. Next to the blade is a 

 groove, which serves to receive a sinew wrapping. 



Plate xxxvin, 29, shows a knife of similar shape, but the end of the 

 blade is fitted into a gore-shape slot sunk in the side of the handle, into 

 which is fitted a thin strip of wood, filling it out so that the outline is 

 continuous with the rest of the handle. Over this is wrapped a sinew 

 cord for holding the blade in place. 



Plate xxxvin, 30, from Kulwoguwiguinut, is a knife with a bone 



