20 THE 1 OINT UAKKOW ESKIMO. 



a room where the work of studying the collection could be carried on, 

 and allowed me access to its libraries and to the extensive collections 

 of the National Museum for the purposes of comparison. The Director 

 of the Bureau of Ethnology, Maj. J. W. Powell, kindly agreed to furnish 

 the illustrations for the work and to publish it as part of his annual 

 report, while the Chief Signal Officer, with the greatest consideration, 

 permitted me to remain in the employ of his Bureau until the completion 

 of the work. 



Two years were spent in a detailed analytical study of the articles in 

 the collection, until all the information that could be gathered from the 

 objects themselves and from the notes of the collectors had been recorded. 

 Careful comparisons were made with the arts and industries of the 

 Eskimo race as illustrated by the collections in the National Museum 

 and the writings of various explorers, and these frequently resulted in 

 the elucidation of obscure points in the history of the Point Harrow 

 Eskimo. In the form in which it is presented this work contains, it is 

 believed, all that is known at the present day of the ethnography of 

 this interesting people. 



Much linguistic material was also collected, which I hope some time 

 to be able to prepare for publication. 



The observations are arranged according to the plan proposed by 

 Prof. Otis T. Mason in his Ethnological Directions, etc.,&quot; somewhat 

 modified to suit the circumstances. In writing Eskimo words the alpha 

 bet given in Powell s &quot; Introduction to the Study of Indian Languages&quot; 

 has been used, with the addition for an obscure a (like the final a in 

 soda), ,? for a similar obscure e, and o for the sound of the German o or 

 French eu. 



I desire to express my gratitude to the late Prof. Spencer F. Baird, 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to the late Gen. William B. 

 Hazeu, Chief Signal Officer of the Army, and to Maj. J. W. Powell, Di 

 rector of the Bureau of Ethnology, for their kindness in enabling me to 

 carry on these investigations. Grateful acknowledgment is due for valu 

 able assistance to various members of the scientific staff of the National 

 Museum, especially to the curator of ethnology, Prof. Otis T. Mason, 

 and to Mr. William H. Dall. Valuable suggestions were received from 

 Mr. Lucien M. Turner, Dr. Franz Boas, the late Dr. Emil Bessels, and 

 Dr. II. rJink, of fhristiania. 



LIST OF WORKS CONSULTED. 



The following list is not intended for a complete bibliography of what 

 has been written on the ethnography of the Eskimo, but it is believed 

 that it contains most of the important works by authors who have 

 treated of these people from personal observation. Such of the less im 

 portant works have been included as contain any references bearing 

 upon the subject of the study. 



As it has been my object to go, whenever possible, to the original 

 sources of information, compilations, whether scientific or popular, have 



