320 



THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 



in the same way, but are a trifle larger. As they show no needle-marks, 

 they were probably used only as finger guards. The remaining four are 

 similar to the above, but newly made, for sale. 



A most peculiar thimble, the only one of the kind seen, is shown in 

 Fig. 32G (No. 89392 [1195] from Utkiavwffi, belonging with the large 

 bone needle of the same number already described and figured). This 

 is made of a single piece of walrus ivory, browned with age, and the 

 round shallow socket is for the butt of the needle. The ends of the half 

 ring are slightly expanded and notched on the outside to receive a string 

 to complete the ring so that it can be fitted round the finger, with the 

 flange in the same position as the pad of a leather thimble. 



Needles are kept in a case (ujyami), consisting of a tube of bone or 

 ivory about 5 or G inches long, through which is drawn a broad strap of 



leather furnished with a knot at one end 

 to keep it from slipping wholly through. 

 Into one side, of this strap the needles 

 are thrust obliquely, so that when the 

 strap is pulled in they are covered by the 

 tube. To the other end of the strap is 

 usually attached an ivory snap hook for 

 fastening the needle case to the girdle of 

 the pantaloons. These needle cases are 

 made of two slightly different patterns, of 

 which the first is represented by No. 89365 

 [1277], Fig. 327a. It is of white walrus 

 ivory, 4 inches long, and the strap is of 

 seal thong about 11 inches long and 0-3 

 inch wide. At one end of this is a pear- 

 shaped knob of walrus ivory, which is 

 shouldered off at the small end and worked 

 into a short flattened shank perforated 

 with a large eye, through which the end 

 of the strap, which is cut narrow, is thrust. 

 It is fastened bv doubling it back and sew- 



Fio. 827. Needle cases with bolt hooks. 



ing it to the standing part. A sky-blue 



transparent glass bead is inlaid in the large end of the knob. The other 

 end of the strap is fastened in the same way into a tranverse slot in the 

 end of the belt hook (ti tkibwln) of ivory, 4-7 inches long. 



This pattern appears to be usually made of walrus ivory. Only one 

 of the six brought home is of bone, and this is an unusually small one, 

 only 3-0 inches long, made for sale. The usual length is 4 to 5 

 inches. No. 893G3 [1105], Fig. 3276, from Utkiavwlfi, is a tube very much 

 like the one described, but is ornamented with an incised pattern colored 

 with red ocher, and has a differently shaped belt hook. When the latter 

 is hooked over the girdle the ring is pushed up the shank over the point 

 of the hook till it tits tight, and thus keeps the hook from slipping off 

 the belt. 



