74 



THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 



are vertical, those at the ends being between . ? and 4 feet high, while 

 the sides run np to 6 or 7 feet at the ridgepole. The wall planks run 

 up and down, and those of the roof from the ridge to the ends of the 

 house, where there is a stout horizontal timber. In some houses the 

 walls are made of paneled bulkheads from some wrecked whaler. 



In the front of the house over the trapdoor there are no planks for a 

 space of about 2 feet. The lower part of this space is filled in with 

 short transverse beams, so as to leave a square hole close to the ridge. 

 This hole has a stout transverse beam at the top and bottom and serves 

 as a window. When the house is occupied it is covered by a translucent 

 membrane made of strips of seal en trail sewed together and stretched 



--. i- - i-_: ^_- ^- i.-EixteiBijiai, 



TTYX 



Fia. 11. Interior of ij.rlii. looking toward bench. 



over two arched sticks of light wood whalebone was used in Dr. Simp 

 son s time running diagonally across from corner to corner. The win 

 dow is closed with a wooden shutter when the house is shut up in winter, 

 but both apertures are left open in summer. Just above the window, 

 close to the ridgepole, is a little aperture for ventilation. Across the 

 back of the room runs a platform or banquette, about 30 inches high in 

 front and sloping back a little, which serves as a sleeping and lounging 

 place. It is about 5 feet wide, and the front edge comes nearly under 

 the ridgepole. It is made of thick planks running across the house, and 

 supported at each end by a horizontal beam, the end of which projects 

 somewhat beyond the bench and is supported by a round post. At each 

 side of the house stands a lamp, and over these are suspended ra&amp;lt;cks in 

 the shape of small ladders for drying clothing, 2 etc. Deerskin blankets 



Op.cit.,p.256. 



2 Compare Hooper, Tents, etc., p. 46: &quot;Small lattice shelves * * * on which moccasins t * * 

 are put to dry.&quot; Plover Bay. See also plate U&amp;gt; face p. 160 Parry s Second Voyage. 



