138 THK POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 



eight nearly equidistant claws making a fringe round the lower edge 

 of the belt. There is a hole at each end into which is half-hitched the 

 end of a narrow strip of deerskin about 8 inches long. These strings 

 serve to tie the girdle. This belt is 33 inches long and 1 inches wide, 

 and has been worn so long that the inside is very dirty. Such belts 

 are very valuable and highly prized, and are worn exclusively by the 

 women. 



Fig. *&amp;lt;&amp;gt;, Xo. S!)718 [105.5], is an object which is quite, uncommon and 

 seldom if ever now seen in use. It is of walrus ivory, 

 very old and yellow. It served as a belt-fastener (tap- 

 sigii). I have seen a brass clock wheel used on a girl s 

 belt for the same purpose. This specimen is very old, 

 FIG SB Beit-fast- neatly made, and polished smooth, probably from long 

 eam - use. 



Ornament*. In addition to the trimmings above described there are 

 certain ornamental appendages which belong to the dress, but can not 

 be considered as essential parts of any garments, like the trimmings. 

 For instance, nearly every male in the two villages wears dangling from 

 his back between the shoulders an ermine skin either brown or white, 

 or an eagle s feather, which is transferred to the new garment when the old 

 one is worn out. This is perhaps an amulet as well as an ornament, as Dr. 

 Simpson states. 1 An eagle s feather is often worn on the outside of the 

 hood, pendant from the crown of the head. Attached to the belt are vari 

 ous amulets (to be described under the head of &quot;Religion&quot;) and at the 

 back always the tail of an animal, usually a wolverine s. Very seldom 

 a wolf s tail is worn, but nearly all, even the boys, have wolverine 

 tails, which are always saved for this purpose and used for no other. 

 This habit among the Eskimo of western America of wearing a tail at 

 the girdle has been noticed by many travelers, and prevails at least as 

 far as the Anderson River, since Petitot, 2 in describing the dress of the 

 Anderson River &quot;chief,&quot; says: &quot; par derriere il portait aux reins une 

 queue e&quot;paisse et ondoyante de reriard noir.&quot; According to him 3 it is 

 the women of that region, who wear, &quot; a titre de talismans, des defroques 

 empaille es de corbeau, de faucon, on d hermine. &quot; The custom of wear 

 ing an ermine skin on the jacket was observed by Dr. Armstrong of the 

 Investigator at Cape Bathnrst. 4 



PERSONAL ADORNMENT. 







SKIN ORNAMENTATION. 



Tattooing. The custom of tattooing is almost universal among the 

 women, but the marks are confined almost exclusively to the chin and 

 form a very simple pattern. This consists of one, three, five, or perhaps as 



Op. cit., p. 24:). 3 Il)id. 



&quot; Monographic, etc., p. xiv. 4 Personal Narrative, p. 176. 



