MURDOCH.] 



SLEDGES. 



357 



loops, and wound closely in a spiral around a straight rod of whalebone, 

 0-4 inch wide and 0-1 inch thick, as long as the band. The ends of the 

 band arc knotted into lings or beckets about 2J inches in diameter. 

 The other two bands are simple, narrow strips of whalebone, running 

 straight across through the loops and knotted at the ends into similar 

 beckets. These beckets were obviously for tying on the load. 



The sled with side, rails does not appear to be used east of the Mac 

 kenzie region, but is found only slightly modified at least as far south 

 as Norton Sound. 1 The sledge used on the Asiatic coast, however, as 

 shown in Nordcnskiold s figure, 2 belongs to a totally different family, 

 being undoubtedly borrowed from the reindeer Chukch.63. 3 The sleds 

 of the eastern Eskimo vary somewhat in pattern and material, but 

 may be described in general terms as essentially the same as the unfa, 

 but usually provided with what is called an &quot; upstander, &quot; namely, two 

 upright posts at each side of the back of the sled, often connected by a 



Flo. 359. Small tobogKUU of whalebone. 



cross rail, which serve to guide the sled from behind. Many descrip 

 tions and figures of these sleds will be found in the various descriptions 

 of the eastern Eskimo. 



Dog* and harness. These sledges are, drawn by dogs, which, as far as I 

 am able to judge, arc of the same breed as those used by the, eastern 

 Eskimo. They are, as a rule, rather large and stout. A number of the 

 dogs at Utkiavwin would compare favorably in size with the average 

 Newfoundland dogs, and they appear to be capable of well sustained 

 exertion. The commonest color is the regular &quot;brindle&quot; of the wolf, 

 though white, brindle-and-white, and black-and-white dogs are not un 

 common. Then; was, however, but one wholly black dog in the two 

 villages. This was a very handsome animal known by the name of Allna 

 (&quot;coal&quot;). 



Every dog has his name and knows it. Their disposition is rather 

 quarrelsome, especially among themselves, but they are not particu 

 larly ferocious, seldom doing more than howl and yelp at a stranger, 

 and it is not difficult usually to make friends with them. There was 



1 See Dall s (i&amp;lt;;ure, Alaska, p. 105. 



2 Vc;ja. veil. 1, ]&amp;gt;. 498. 



3 Compare also the various illustration** in Hooper s &quot;Tents of the Tuski.&quot; 



