NELSON] RECEPTACLES FOR TOOLS 93 



island; it is made of slate, and is pierced at one end for the reception 

 of a sinew cord. 



TOOL BAGS AND HANDLES 



Large oblong bags or satchels made of skin are in common use 

 among the Eskimo for holding tools and implements of all kinds, 

 including arrow and spear points, and other odds and ends which may 

 have been accumulated. They have slightly arched handles of ivory or 

 bone stretched lengthwise across the open mouth. Peculiarly shaped, 

 long, narrow wooden boxes are also used for the same purpose; these 

 are often carved into a variety of forms with great ingenuity. 



One of these tool bags from Cape Darby is illustrated in plate XLI, 

 7. It is made from the skin of four wolverine heads, with a bottom of 

 tanned sealskin with the hair side turned inward. The walrus ivory 

 handle, 17 inches in length, has etched along its lower surface repre 

 sentations of thirty-four wolverine skins, and the ends are carved to 

 form heads of animals; the upper surface is plain, with the exception 

 of a groove in one side. 



Plate XLI, 2, is an ivory bag handle from Sledge island, which has 

 etched on it the representation of eight tails of whales and numerous 

 wolverine, fox, and wolf skins. 



Figure 4 of the same plate, also of ivory, from Kotzebue sound, has 

 scalloped edges, and etched upon the convex surface are the outlines 

 of whales and skins of wolverines and otters. On the convex side is 

 represented a man pointing a gun at a bear, seven other bears, a man 

 in a kaiak pursuing a whale, and another shooting waterfowl with a 

 bow and arrow. 



Figure of this plate, from Kotzebue sound, has both surfaces covered 

 with etchings of the skins of various fur-bearing animals. 



Figure 5, from Point Hope, is a slender handle of deerhorn, having 

 a series of etched figures of deer and men along one side and terminat 

 ing in the head of a deer at one end and in a sharp point to represent 

 the tail at the other. 



Figure 1 shows an ivory handle from Hotham inlet, with the con 

 vex surface marked at one end with a representation of wolf skins, and 

 along the entire length beyond these are a number of waterfowl in the 

 act of swimming. 



Figure 3, from Cape Xome, is another ivory bag handle, both sur 

 faces of which are filled with etchings representing occurrences in the 

 life of the Eskimo, including dragging home a seal, the pursuit of a 

 whale, traveling with dog sledges, launching of umiaks, walrus hunt 

 ing, and other similar occupations. 



TOOL BOXES 



A tool box obtained at Cape Xome (number 45385) is 14 inches long, 

 4 high, and 5 wide. The ends are dovetailed into the sides, and the 

 bottom is fastened on with wooden pegs. The lid, in which half a blue 

 bead is inlaid, is attached by rawhide hinges and has a loop of rawhide 



