MURDOCH.] 



LADLES LAMPS. 



105 



a typical bone ladle. The material is rather coarse-grained, compact 

 bone from a whale s rib or jawbone. No. 89414 [1013] closely resembles 

 this but is a trifle larger. The other two specimens are interesting as 

 showing an attempt at ornamentation. No. 89412 [1102] (Fig. 45, from 

 Nuwfik) is carved smoothly into a rude, flattened figure of a whale (Ba- 

 laena mysticetus). The flukes 

 form the handle and the belly 

 is hollowed out into the bowl 

 of the ladle. No. 89413 [934] 

 (Fig. 4(i, from UtkiavwTfi) has , | 



the handle carved into a rude wS 

 bear s head, which has the eyes, J 



nostrils, and outline of the 

 mouth incised and filled in with 

 dark oil dregs. All these ladles have the curved side of the bowl on the 

 left, showing that they were meant to be used with the right hand. The 

 name, kTliu tu, obtained for these ladles is given in the vocabulary col 

 lected by Dr. Oldmixon as &quot; scraper,&quot; which seems to be the etymological 

 meaning of the word. These implements may be used for scraping 

 blubber from skins, or the name may correspond in meaning to the 



Fid. 45. Hour lailli- in tl 



Fl. 46. Hoiio l,n Hi-. 



cognate Greenlandic kiliortut, &quot;a scraper; especially a mussel shell (a 

 natural scraper).&quot; The resemblance of these ladles to a mussel shell is 

 sufficiently apparent for the name to be applied to them. Indeed, they 

 may have been made in imitation of mussel shells, which the Eskimo, 

 in all probability, like so many other savages, used for ladles as well as 

 scrapers. 



MISCKLLANKOUS IIOl SEHOLI) UTENSILS. 



Lamps (kt xUo}. Mention has already been made of the stone lamps 

 or oil-burners used for lighting and warming the houses, which, in Dr. 

 Simpson s time, were obtained by trading from the &quot;Kftiimii dllii,&quot; who 

 in turn procured them from other Eskimo far to the east. These are 

 flat, shallow dishes, usually like a gibbous moon in outline, and are of&quot; 

 two sizes: the larger house lamp, 18 inches to 3 feet in length, and the 

 sniiill traveling lamp, or S inches long. The latter is used in the tem 

 porary snow huts when a halt, is made at night. In each house are 

 usually two lamps, one, standing at each side, with the curved side 

 against the wall, and raised by blocks a few inches from the floor. In 

 one large house, that of old Yfiksl na, the so-called &quot;chief,&quot; at Nuwuk, 



